Even despite the snow up here in the northeast, I was still able to get my Glam bag right on time- yay! Didn't really have any expectations for how this month was going to be, but I do want to touch on last month's bag (check that post out here). I didn't really feel strongly about any of the products, but I do use the Epice Purifying Exfoliant with my Clarisonic. But enough about that, let me get to this month.
This month, quite obviously, had a pink theme. The bag, as you can see, is also pink and has a pink and white cheetah pattern on the inside. I'm not a huge fan of pink, so I can't say that this bag is one of my favorites. Now onto the products...
The first product shown is the Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base In One in Ambrosia, which is a taupe that leans towards plum/purple. It has a nice consistency and is very easy to apply. It also leaves a stain and I didn't find it creasing on the eye. This kind of reminds me of the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Shadow Paint, which I have reviewed (click here for that).
Next is the IPKIN NY Moist & Firm BB in the shade Light. Let me start off saying, this is not light. You can see from the swatch that this is too dark for me, so I'm going to have to play around a bit (possibly fake tan) so I can pull off this shade. I will keep you updated.
The middle product, and possibly my favorite, is the City Color Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon. First of all, this blush is huge...maybe it's the packaging that is deceiving. Now I have to mention, it is matte, it is pigmented, it applies easily, the color is beautiful. What else can I say?! I love it. I have recently been liking those orange/melon tones, so I was excited to add a new blush to my collection.
The fourth product shown is the pop Beauty Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal. This gloss has a pretty strong plastic vanilla scent, that reminds me of something but I cannot put my finger on it. It does have a lot of color and doesn't feel very sticky, so it might be something I just have to get over. I do enjoy the shade, it is bright but at the same time very wearable from day to day- probably because it has those tones from your natural lip color.
The last product is a Zoya Nail Polish in Dot, which is a milky pink. I really enjoy these nail polishes (can I say it enough times), so I don't doubt that this one will be equally as pretty!
I was quite impressed with this month's bag. Minus the BB cream I really feel like I will get a lot of use out of these products...in fact I am going to paint my nails right now!
Always stay happy and healthy! :)
Tschüss, Katharina
Since the end of November I have used up a few other products and wanted to share them with you (so I can finally throw them out LOL)! I added a few more than usual because they were just accumulating in my drawer, so let's get started.
I used up two mascaras...well I used up as much as I could, but they started to get old and smell so I knew it was time for them to get chucked out. The first in the picture is the Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara. I used this mainly as a layering mascara because the formula is way too wet for my thin lashes. The brush is pear shaped and has lots of rubber "combs" that work well when paired with volumizing mascaras (this separates your lashes well). I don't think I would buy this again...on the other hand, the Mally Beauty Volumizing Mascara is one I'd repurchase over and over. It has a very traditional brush but the formula just adds so much to the lashes. I didn't notice any flaking or smudging with this mascara, and that says a lot since I usually do about 5 to 6 coats.
The third pictured product is the HSI Professional Argan Oil Leave-In Hair Treatment that came in November's Glam bag (click here to view that post). I was really surprised at how long this took me to use up. I generally wash my hair 2 to 3 times per week and it took about two and a half months to finish it- so a little goes a long way! This was so moisturizing in my hair and made it feel very soft, even after blow-drying. It has a great warm smell with a hint of vanilla and goes onto the hair very easily. The only down-side is the price...so even though this works a bit better than the CHI Silk Infusion, it is way more affordable and does the job almost just as well.
The next product I want to mention is the Victoria's Secret Merry Merry Pink Body Lotion. I got this as a Christmas gift about two years ago from my friend, Nancy. This has an amazing scent, like the Victoria's Secret Tease Perfume but it can be a bit overpowering and compete with any perfume you want to add later. It soaks in very quickly but leaves the skin moisturized without feeling greasy. It leaves a fairly thin layer of moisture but couldn't really quench the needs of dry skin.
The last two products are ones that I already have back-ups of. First is the Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture SPF 15, which is what I use for my morning moisturizer. This leaves my oily skin with enough moisture to keep it from getting dry, but does not make it oily either. It also has an SPF which I feel is very important in my skin care routine. It has that typical sunscreen scent, which I love! I will continue to use this because it does exactly what I need it to.
The final product, that I also already repurchased, is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. This is the best brow gel I have yet tried. It holds my crazy brows in place and stays all day. I definitely think it is worth the money, especially if you buy it as part of a kit. This can make your brows feel a bit "crunchy" but I don't mind that.
Those are all the makeup related products I used up the past couple of months. There may be some products that I don't mention just because I have already done reviews about them or because they are inaccessible in the US. I hope you found this helpful and look for some Valentine's tutorials this week!
Always stay happy and healthy! :)
Tschüss, Katharina
Let's face it...buying makeup can be an obsession. Sometimes I just feel the drive to go to Sephora, Ulta, Walgreens, CVS, etc. to "look" at new products- I generally don't have an intention of buying anything, but we both know I don't leave empty handed. Even though I have plenty of eyeshadows, foundations, brow products, blushes, bronzers and on and on, I still feel the need to get something. Sometimes it is the rush of getting a new item and other times, the fear of missing out...but when I put things in perspective, that lipstick collection that I missed out on isn't going to be the end of my life!
So in hopes of finishing some of the products I already have in my collection and creating new spending habits, I decided to have a makeup intervention with myself. This was mainly inspired by Christine, from pinksofoxy. (If you want to know more about her spending restrictions for the year of 2013, watch this video.) Christine ended up doing this for a whole year, but I think my story is a bit different. I do have a larger makeup collection than the average female, but when compared to some of the beauty bloggers on YouTube, my collection looks minimal. My goal is to really get use out of and enjoy the products I already have, and not running out to get the newest thing.
So let me tell you what the rules of my intervention are. I am placing a spending restriction on myself for 6 months- February 1, 2014 to August 1, 2014. During those 6 months, I will only be allowed to purchase 5 makeup/beauty related products. This will not include any of my normal skin care products (I do not find myself over-indulging in this area). My Glam bag will not count towards these 5 products, since that is a monthly subscription service. Also, not to mention that my birthday is in July, so I will be having many temptations to spoil myself...but I will try my best!
I wanted to post it onto my blog to keep me more accountable, and also to encourage any of you other makeup indulgers to take a look at the makeup you already have in your collection and rediscover some lost favorites.
Let me know if you have any money saving resolutions for this year and if you have any plans on reducing your makeup collection!
Always stay happy and healthy! :)
Tschüss, Katharina
It seems like something I've been getting tons of samples for are different types of masks. Masks for face, masks for hair, with loads of different of ingredients and somewhat unbelievable claims. Let me give you a run down of what masks I've sampled and how they worked for me.
The first mask I tried is one for face, and it is the WEI Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask. I have to say, I really liked this one! It had kind of a soapy smell with a whiff of herbs mixed in there. It had a pretty good consistency for application- not too thick, yet not runny- and also removed quite easily (with both a wash cloth and just warm water). Because it is a mud mask, it "dried" but not to a cracking point or where your face feels really stiff. After I washed it off, it left my skin feeling really soft and not dry, and it also helped reduce the redness of my blemishes. However, this mask is quite expensive...I will have an internal debate about whether it's worth it.
The next product I tried is not quite a mask, but more of a leave-in treatment for hair. The Phyto Subtil Elixir Intense Nutrition Shine Oil is exactly what it says, a leave-in hair oil. This claims to be for dry to ultra-dry hair...I'm not sure about that. I left it in longer than the recommended time and my hair did not feel any different than before. Also, I had to shampoo twice because the mask felt like it didn't really come out of my hair. This is not for me.
Another face mask that I tried is the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask. This mask has a gel consistency and an herbal smell, which is probably due to the natural ingredients in it. Once applied to the face it doesn't tingle, but it does feel a bit tight after it dries. After I washed it off, it left my skin feeling very clean, soft and smooth but not tight or dry. I thought it was pretty mediocre and made for more of an older skin.
Lastly, a product that I used up that came with my January Glam bag, is the Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask. This is another natural product, that has kind of a floral and licorice smell. It was nice going on- thick consistency and felt like it was soaking into the hair. As for what it did...basically nothing, honestly my hair felt the same as before. Even some of my conditioners work better than this did. Can't say I would buy this.
Let me know if you have tried any of these masks and whether you liked them or not!
Always stay happy and healthy! :)
Tschüss, Katharina
