Ipsy + More The Faceshop!

I recently signed up for an online subscription for makeup/skincare/all things amazing on Ipsy. I first heard about this website from a girl I went to Esthetics school with! Essentially the idea behind it is that you pay $10/month and have free makeup/skincare/all things awesome in beauty sent to your door. I have yet to actually get a "glam bag", as they are called, but should be getting my first within the next few days. Naturally I'm impatiently awaiting the arrival of the postman. I will update when I get the products in the "glam bag", hopefully it will be soon.

I also FINALLY got my makeup belt from my first post. Yes, it really did take THAT long for it to come in the mail. I haven't used it yet but it fits and should do the trick when I end up needing to use it. It was well worth the wait to pay a fraction of the cost for the same quality as a MAC makeup belt.

I once again ventured into The Faceshop to "just look" as I always seem to do. Of course I never walk out empty handed. This time I decided to try some new products based on the recommendation from one of the girls that was working at the time. She was so knowledgeable! Generally I feel as though some skincare sales people really don't know what they are talking about when it comes to skincare but I say this as a registered esthetician. I ended up not only buying items for myself but purchasing items for my best friend who is currently in the United Kingdom living the dream.

I usually buy items that I know will most probably work like masks, lip colours, cleansers, and so on. I usually don't go for serums or treatment like products as they tend to be much more expensive. This stuff however was well worth the purchase price of only $17.

The Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask! At first I thought this product was going to be thick and 'gross' but NO! It is extremely light weight and smells absolutely amazing! It applies more like a serum than it does like a mask. It is designed to prevent signs of aging before they begin. Talk about every woman's dream product. I highly recommend this product. 

While I was looking around I also spotted this product that I have seen multiple times but have never had the `need` to purchase. I decided to dive in and get a Dessert Lip Balm in Orange. 

First of all the packaging of this product is by far the cutest thing I have ever seen! It is SO creatively designed. You open the top and as you can see in the picture there is an applicator. You then unscrew the top and the product is beneath. I thought this product would just be something fun to purchase but it delivers! It smelt GREAT and glossy look lasts about 3-4 hours, which is great for me. It is also VERY hydrating and makes my lips feel smooth and beautiful after using this product. 

I will be counting down the days until I get my Ipsy glam bag in the mail and expect great things in it!

Bobbi Brown Brushes!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had ordered some Bobbi Brown makeup brushes. They finally arrive at my apartment today! I was so excited to open the packaging.

It was in mint condition upon arrival and each brush was packaged individually in a plastic type wrapped to protect it. 

The brushes all look and feel beautiful! I am extremely excited to post an update about how well they work!

The Face Shop

I read a few posts about The Face Shop and realized that there were none where I live. Disappointed by this I was on a usual shopping trip and spotted a BRAND NEW The Face Shop store! I don't think I've ever been so excited to enter a cosmetics/skincare/awesome store! Of course I told myself to limit my spending but so many products looked, smelled, and felt so amazing that I walked out with a pretty big haul, all for the low cost of $64 I might add. Let's take a look at some of the products I got and am loving. A good place to start is with the Mango Seed Lip Scrub.

It is official! I am obsessed with this stuff. It leaves my lips feeling so smooth and seems to make them appear redder since the scrub stimulates the blood flow under my lips. Sadly this is only temporary. As you can see this product looks similar to a lip balm in a container but it is not. Don't let the look and size deceive you. A small amount of this product goes a LONG way! The mango seeds exfoliate but also add moisture to not leave your lips feeling stripped and dry. Naturally I had to pair this with the Mango Seed Lip Balm. 

I wasn't expecting very much from this Lip Balm as I LOVE my Blistex and it has always worked well for me. This pair is absolutely AMAZING! The mango seeds are MUCH smaller in the balm as to not be annoying and this stuff smells just as good as the scrub. There is no sticky residue or overly hydrated feeling. This absorbs fast leaving lips feeling smooth and perfect. Speaking of perfect, I have been looking for the perfect BB cream for, I don't know, EVER! I finally found it in the Face It Power Perfection BB Cream. 

I am always very weary of trying BB and CC creams as I find they don't provide enough coverage or don't match my skin tone as I am so pale. I received a gift with my purchase and there was a sample of this BB cream inside. I figured, "why don't I give it a chance?" I applied this BB Cream and it applied extremely smoothly and I only needed the smallest amount to achieve a full coverage, which is great! The sample was in the Natural Beige color so it was slightly too dark for me BUT the best match I've ever had in a BB Cream. I will be purchasing this product when I run out of my current foundation in the Light Beige shade that they also offer. 

When it comes to running out of lipstick I seem to never ever run out! It is an uphill battle to finish a tube before I spot a new shade that I just HAVE to have. Of course this happened while I was at The Face Shop but with a product that isn't exactly a lipstick, the Face It Lesson Artist Finger Gloss (This is the same color I purchased below). 

As soon as I saw this product I immediately thought of a Yves Saint Laurent product that I had saw and tried in the past. Here is a picture of the YSL product just to give you an idea of how similar they look, keep in mind the price point is about $38 for YSL The Face Shop is only $15. 

The resemblance was shocking to me as these two products look pretty well identical. They looked the same but didn't feel the same. When I tried the YSL Encre it felt almost like saran wrap when it had dried, weird I know but it is the best way of describing the feeling of this product. The Face Shops comparable product did not have that saran wrap feeling when I applied it. It felt smooth and soft. I was shocked that it was so comfortable to wear and pretty well lasted an entire day with minimal touch ups required. I would highly recommend this product in comparison to the YSL Encre as it just didn't make the cut for me. 

There is one more product that I HAVE to let you know about! Again it was part of the gift that I received and I plan to purchase it. I will use this product until I can't get it anymore, that's how much I love it. This product is the Hyaluronic Acid Sleeping Aqua Drop Pack. 

Talk about WOW! I have never been so impressed with a overnight treatment product before. I first saw this and was unsure of what it was. After reading the instructions I understood it was meant to function as a leave on mask for sleeping. I opened the packaging and it was EXTREMELY runny. You only need a few dabs of this product to cover your face and neck. I massaged the product in and thought it felt nice but that was about it. When I woke up in the morning and touched my face I could not believe how soft my face was! It was incredible and still felt incredible days later! If I could bathe in this stuff I would! I highly recommend this product to EVERYONE but especially to those ladies that have excessively dry skin. 

These products truly have worked wonders for me and I recommend them for everyone! The Face Shop holds true to its name. It really is the best place to shop for your face. 

Crazy About Clarins

I told you it wouldn't take me long to find another amazing Clarins product or should I say products! While I was lingering around the Clarins counter the counter manager recommended that I try the Skin Illusion Foundation with SPF 10. She offered my samples of it almost immediately, which was great. 

It is important for me to note that MOST foundations look absolutely horrible on me as I am so fair/pale. This stuff is just slightly darker in comparison to my natural complexion. It looks darker when I immediately put it on but after a few minutes seems to take on the color of my natural complexion without looking fake or like a mask. I use the lightest color in this foundation (103 Ivory) but wish they made one just slightly lighter (never going to happen). It feels lightweight and has a moderate amount of coverage. If you're interested in full coverage this is not the right foundation for you. Oh, did I mention the smell? The smell! The mineral and plant extracts make this stuff smell AMAZING when you are putting it on your skin. Then again pretty well all Clarins products smell amazing, aside from their fragrances (go figure). Another product that I continuously seem to get samples of or in deluxe sizes as gifts *drum roll* is the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. 

Another amazing product yet again perfected by Clarins! This product functions as a primer to ensure your makeup lasts longer and stays in place. My skin always feels absolutely like a baby's bottom after using this stuff. I also find in pictures there is a noticeable difference when I use this product. My makeup looks more natural and fresh. This product actually makes me eager to get older and see how flawlessly it fills in fine lines and wrinkles. 

I didn't think that I would be writing about Clarins again this soon! Their products are all fabulous and I recommend you run to the closest Clarins to you and go crazy over their products just like I do. 

Clarity With Clarins!

I can't say much but absolutely 110% positive things about Clarins. I love their products SO much! Absolutely every single product, so picking a few that stand out from the crowd is going to be difficult. My list might get a bit extensive but that's just how good their products are!

My absolute all time favorite product that I swear by from Clarins is the Lip Perfector!

Whenever I am in doubt as to which lip product(s) I should be using I ALWAYS come back to the Clarins Lip Perfector. They come in a variety of shades to suit multiple tones. They have a hint of color to them as not be over bearing but also not too plain. At first I thought they would be sticky like many other products on the market but NO! This product glides on smoothly and feels smooth all day. At no point does it feel sticky. You don't have the problem of getting stuck on a windy day with your hair glued to your lips thanks to that sticky lip gloss. 

Another Clarins product that I swear by is the Hand and Nail Treatment. 

This stuff is fantastic! It smells amazing and applies more like a lotion than it does a cream. It does not leave a thick heavy feeling on your hands. It absorbs quickly into the skin and moisturizes deeply, oh and did I mention it also smells AMAZING! I have been complimented on the scent of this "hand cream" many times. 

The last product that MUST be mentioned is the Tonic Body Polisher. 

The first time I purchased this product the price completely terrified me as I was used to using the St.Ives Apricot Body Scrub, which is much less expensive. This product is always money well spent! Most scrubs can make your skin feel dried out and as though you need to apply moisturizer right away but not with this fabulous Body Polisher. It leaves a silky feeling to your skin due to the natural oils in this product. When you exit the shower you can see water droplets on top of your now glowing skin. That's how hydrated this stuff makes your skin!!! No dry itchiness afterwards just beautiful, smooth, and radiant skin. 

This will not be the last time you read about Clarins from me as I love each and every one of their products. Whenever I purchase a Clarins product I have clarity in mind that I've made the right decision each and every time. 

Comfortable Clinique

Many people have used Clinique products as a comfortable staple for many years and some, like me, are new to the product line. It started one day when I walked by a Clinique counter and thought, "I wonder if this product is really as good as people say." I decided to try the three step system as skincare products are my favorite to try.

As I am an Esthetician I know exactly what type of skin I have, which is Normal to Combination. By looking at the labels on the display I saw right away that the number three 3-step skincare system was best suited for my skin type. When I purchased the products I received MANY small gifts, which is great! Eager to get home and try my new skincare line I spotted Clinique's "Hi Sweetie" nail polish and fell in love almost instantly.

As many people know I am obsessed with any shade of pink! With all my new products in hand I went home to try them. It has been two months since I started using these products and the 3-step has worked very successfully for my skin type. I love it! I opted out of the cleanser that comes in the kit for another Clinique cleanser, the Rinse-off Foaming Cleanser (Mousse). 

This cleanser gave a whole new meaning to the expression "squeaky clean". I find my face so incredibly clean afterwards and the mousse feels amazing on my face. I've always been a fan of mousses as I find you need less product for it to go a lot further. Typically a pea sized amount is plenty to get the job done. 

Overall Clinique is a brand and I am excited to try more of and will report back when I get the opportunity to try more products. The only part of the product line that I'm weary of is the nail polish. It hasn't chipped for three days now so I am hoping it will be another successful product from the popular Clinique brand. 

Philosophy Uncertainty...

Tonight I decided to switch up my skin care routine and use two Philosophy products I have never tried before but had small samples laying around. The first product I tried was Purity.

This stuff was incredible! I removed all of my makeup with ease and left my skin feeling soft and clean. Afterwards I decided I needed to moisturize (duh)! Boy was that a bad mistake to use Philosophy's Hope in a Jar.

I applied this product ensuring to avoid my eye area. It felt beautiful going on and my skin seemed to "suck" it in right away. Everything was fine for a few moments when my eyes turned beat red and started to water like CRAZY! I'm the type of person that can use just about ANY skin care products but this was not happening. I ended up having to run to the sink and wash my face repeatedly to get it off. I will not ever buy this product! Thank goodness it was a sample rather than having purchased the full container... now that would have been disappointing. 

To end on a bit of a positive note there is a Philosophy product that I swear by! These things may be a little bit more on the expensive side but are completely worth it. They are the Microdelivery Triple-acid Brightening Peel Pads. 

These things are absolutely amazing! I have been using these since I started working in the industry as a co-worker recommended them. They work fabulously and leave your skin feeling flawless. The only real 'downside' is that you need to ensure to wear SPF after using these (but you should be using SPF anyways). SPF is extremely important as these peel pads remove a large amount of dead skin cells that sit on the surface of the skin, as well as, protect the skin. SPF will aid in fight against ageing as the rays from the sun are one of the top reasons for premature aging, sun spots, sun damage, fine lines, and wrinkles. 

Overall Philosophy has some great products and as I learned tonight some not so great (at least for me). Hopefully I will have better luck with Miracle Worker, which I'm a little hesitant to try but will still give a shot. Another night we will see what Miracle Worker has to offer. 

Hello World!

Let me begin by telling you a little bit about myself and my blog. I've currently just finished school in Business Administration Marketing but the job market is though so I'm working as a beauty adviser on an unnamed counter for an unnamed company. In this blog I will be reviewing makeup and skincare products. I may even do a few tutorials and take some pictures at my workplace of makeovers that I do. I'm not entirely a random quack that will be talking skin care and makeup! I have my Esthetics Diploma and want to share my knowledge with multiple people! Industry tips and product knowledge are things to expect from me.

I just recently ordered some new Bobbi Brown Brushes. I have five travel size Bobbi Brown brushes and LOVE THEM! They are just too tiny to use everyday and really get full coverage. I mainly want the foundation brush that comes in the kit. Here is a picture of the kit that I ordered:

They look great I'm just hoping they work as good as they look. I will write an update when I receive them in the mail in 2-3 weeks (I know long shipping times). 

Another thing I have desperately wanted since I lost my old one (I know who looses this) is a new makeup belt! I swore by mine when I was in my makeup classes in school. They are so convenient to keep everything from Q-tips to brushes in (I go through a lot of Q-tips at work). Here is a picture of the one I ordered: 

It looks fairly similar to my old one so here's to hoping the quality is just as good! In my opinion these are the things that every professional makeup artist needs. Great brushes are of course #1! Second is either a great makeup belt OR a good case that's easy to store all of your equipment and makeup in. Again these items are going to take about 2-3 weeks until they arrive and I will post updates in regards to quality.

Every makeup artist needs a staple and mine is found in my foundation brush.