It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I’ve been so incredibly busy with work lately, but hopefully I can stop by for a new blog at least once this week. I love blogging, but when I’m faced with a long commute, then working til 9 or 10 at night, blogging tends to get the shaft, because I’m not about to kill myself for my fun hobby, ya know?

I will say, my Low Buy went out the window this month. I think it was a combination of getting a $200 Ulta gift card (which WOULD have been part of my Low Buy) but then with all of the hours I’ve spent working, I plain just wanted to buy some stuff. I felt like I earned it. I bought the Natasha Denona Sunset palette yesterday – so I’m going to do a full review on that at some point, too,

I bought a lot of things this month, but some of my favorites are:

The BH Cosmetics Zodiac Love Signs Palette ($27): One of my favorite smaller YouTubers did a series over the holidays where she did a new look every day using an older palette, and she convinced me to buy the original BH Cosmetics Zodiac palette… and I don’t really like it that much! But then I was looking at the Love Signs palette, and I was like, “ugh. I will probably like that one much more.” And I do. I need to remember that I’m not as into cool tones and that I just need to embrace allllll of the warm tones. The main reason I love this palette so much is because the mattes are so gorgeous. Super blend-able, and just overall really, really nice. The shimmery shades are really nice, too! I was sort of nervous the baked shades would be drier or harder to work with, but they are buttery and soft. I’ve been reaching for this palette a ton. I think I’ll do a full review on this because it will be fun to swatch.

I’ve purchased a few brushes that I really love this month, from Smith Cosmetics and Smashbox. The only things these brushes have in common is that they are all really unique shapes. While I have a ton of makeup brushes, I really don’t have any others that look or perform the way these do, so I’ve been very happy with them. They are expensive, but worth it, if you have the disposable income to spend on makeup brushes, in my opinion.

So I got all four of those brushes, but the ones I’m using every day are the Smith 154 Quill Face Brush ($38.50) and the Smith 104 Fan Brush ($28.50). I’m using the Quill face brush to lightly dust powder over my face and under my eyes. And I’m using the atypical fan brush for highlight.

I’ve been using the Smashbox Sheer Powder Brush ($40) for a light dusting of powder, the Precise Highlighting Brush ($28) for, well, highlight, and the Buildable Cheek Brush ($36) for a wash of blush.

I read an amazing book last month called “Educated” by Tara Westover. As they say, truth is stranger than fiction, and this memoir was absolutely CRAZY. The author was raised as a survivalist, whose parents really didn’t believe in the importance of education. How she was able to pull herself out and learn about the world around her was fascinating. I absolutely recommend.

I’ve also been watching a few shows as I’ve been working and now, blogging. The first is totally random: Designated Survivor. This probably caught my interest because of my love for Maggie Q. I’ve been binging the first two seasons on Netflix. It’s not a really complicated story, so it’s easy to have on in the background while I’m doing other things.

I’ve been waiting for Hanna for weeks, after I saw the preview about a month ago. It’s essentially about a girl who was given some special soldier-esque mutations as a baby, but then was supposed to be killed when the government terminated the “project,” so she’s essentially been on the run for her whole life, and lived with her father in the woods until she was a teenager. Then… her curiosity gets the best of her and she leaves the forest. Spy thriller chases ensue. It’s pretty great, and the girl who plays Hanna should win all of the awards.

What have y’all been into lately? Tell me everything.

xo,
L

The post Current Favorites | Where I’ve Been | Boxy-Ladies.com appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

Hey friends!

I have to do some of my Real Job during the evenings over the next week (maybe two), so I’m not going to add the pressure of blogging on top of that – it’s just too much! And ain’t nobody got time for that. (Literally) But hopefully I’ll be back next week! (Y’all know I’ll tell you more about these KL Polishes! And the tea about KL Polish…)

I have a ton of blog ideas but if you have anything you’d like to know more about, let me know! I’m always open to ideas!

Love y’all!

Lauren

The post Brief Hiatus! appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

To those who are living under a rock or are delightfully ignorant about Kardashian-related news, well….you are lucky. The rest of us know that Kylie Jenner is the youngest sister of the Kardashians. She became famous for being famous and became a “self-made billionaire.” (LOL.) Her best friend is a girl named Jordyn Woods, who was lucky enough to bask in Kylie’s fame enough to where she became famous in her own right. At some point last year, I think it was over the summer, but I could be wrong, Kylie Cosmetics released a whole best friend collection with Jordyn. It was the first time I had ever considered buying from Kylie, but I sort of hemmed and hawed over it, and then it sold out and I was SO BUMMED. But then… around November/December, it came back in stock so I was able to grab it.

However, the reason that this palette is NOW semi-newsworthy is because over the last few weeks, Jordyn has been in the news because she (allegedly) hooked up with Khloe Kardashian’s (Kylie’s sister) boyfriend/baby-daddy. This… is a problem. Various Kardashians have been attacking Jordyn on Twitter. Well. All of Twitter has been attacking Jordyn on Twitter. Khloe accused Jordyn of destroying her family, even though it’s well known that her baby-daddy has cheated on her several times before. Jordan denies the hooking up even happened, though acknowledged she went to his house with some friends for an after-party, and he kissed her goodbye. She is maintaining she hasn’t had any sort of relationship with him.

So… yeah. My late palette purchase is now topical again. And, it’s still available. For now. Though fans did notice that Kylie had deeply discounted the liquid lipstick she made for Jordyn. Unclear if she’ll discount the whole Jordyn collection…

THE KYLIE COSMETICS JORDYN PALETTE ($45)

First things first, I think the packaging for the palette is stunning.I loved the artist renderings of Kylie and Jordan on the front. I am not especially enamored with any of the Kardashians, but in my opinion, this is is just beautiful. I don’t keep all of the packaging for all of my palettes, but this one is a keeper. I just like looking at it. The palette itself is a foil embossed cardboard packaging, but it has some weight to it. It feels sleek and luxe.

One reason I was so interested in this palette in the first place is the shade Wild Love because I had never seen anything like it before. It’s a duochrome that shifts from lavender to olive. I searched high and low, and even a bunch of indie brands, to see if I could find ANYTHING similar, because I go back and forth about whether I want to give Kardashians my money. (I mean… I really don’t WANT to.) But in this case, I couldn’t find any suitable dupes, so I was very glad when the palette came back in stock.

Because I did buy the palette a few months ago, I have been using it a lot so I definitely have some opinions about it. (As usual.)

PALETTE PICTURES

And here is the palette! I think the color story of this palette is so interesting. It’s half warm-toned and half cool-toned, which is something we don’t see every day. Many of the colors themselves aren’t typically in palettes either.

Top Row: Wife Life (matte pastel peach); Loyal (metallic bronzey gold); True Love (satin terracotta with gold flecks); Peru (matte soft yellow-orange); Soul Mate (matte dusty lavender); My Heart (matte vivid purple)

Bottom Row: Don’t Ever Leave Me (metallic vibrant rose gold); Sister (matte warm brown); Ride Or Die (metallic copper); Marry Me (metallic warm silver); Wild Love (metallic olive with violet flip); Love You B*tch (matte deep plum)

SWATCHES

I don’t think shadow swatches tell the whole story, as obviously, eyeshadow performs differently on your eyelids than it does on your arm. But I like to look at swatches to see what the colors are. Also, swatch stencils are really satisfying to use. I put down the Urban Decay primer potion prior to swatching to give them a fair shot. I used a combo of a brush and my fingers to apply them.

Top Row: Wife Life, Loyal, True Love, Peru, Soul Mate, My Heart
Bottom Row: Don’t Ever Leave Me, Sister, Ride Or Die, Marry Me, Wild Love, Love You B*tch

REVIEW

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect because the reviews on Kyle Cosmetics have been mixed. I think her earlier eyeshadow formula needed some work, but it seems to me that her work has paid off! I think the shadows are beautiful, pigmented but not TOO pigmented, easily blend-able and build-able. This is the kind of palette that even a beginner could use and get some pretty looks with. Most of the colors are on the lighter side, so I think this is a really nice every day kind of palette. The only colors I’ve never really used are My Heart, which is the bright purple, and Marry Me, the bright silver.

My one semi-complaint is around the shade Don’t Ever Leave Me, because in the pan, I thought it would be more of a vibrant red, but it’s more of a subdued rose gold. Which isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but I thought it would have been a bit brighter. But I have been getting a lot of great neutral looks with this palette.

But I have to say that I am REALLY in love with Wild Love (heyo!), so even if none of the other shades worked, I would be pleased with just this one. I’ve been using it to blend out the Stila Shade Mystére in Hypnotic ($24), because that’s essentially the liquid version of Wild Love. I’ve used Love You, B*tch to deepen my lower lash line and the outer corners with these shadows, and it’s worked beautifully. This is really one of my go-to looks when I want to look like I’ve put a ton of time into it, but don’t actually have a lot of time.

FINAL GRADE: A

The most annoying thing about Kylie Cosmetics is that the eyeshadow palettes are only available online and they don’t do returns, so you really have to commit when you are buying a $45 palette. (Though they have started selling her liquid lipsticks in Ulta.) I do think this is a great palette, and especially great for those that don’t wear a ton of makeup but want to have some options that are a bit of a twist from a basic neutral palette.

If you are interested in this palette, I suggest keeping an eye on it for the next few weeks to see if it gets marked down. (I mean, you never know.) If it doesn’t get marked down, I still think it’s worth paying full price!

Purchased; All opinions are my own
Post contains affiliate links

The post The Boxy Ladies Palette Series | KYLIE COSMETICS KYLIE X JORDYN PALETTE | Swatches + Review appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

ALLURE BEAUTY BOX

Price: $15.00/month

Box Type: Monthly beauty box featuring 6 high end beauty product samples (and sometimes full-sized products!).

Why you’ll love it: Top brands, great price, new products that you will love! A great way to sample expensive products without committing to the price tag. Each box comes with an Allure mini-magazine that showcases each product and is as quality as you’d expect from a magazine powerhouse like Allure.

How To Subscribe: Click here! They have a new referral program so def click our link!

UNBOXING & REVIEW

As usual, the Mini-Mag discusses all of the products in the box in the typical Allure Editor fashion.

And here’s everything we got this month! I took a better picture of the black bag, but it… disappeared? Honestly not sure where it went but I already threw the bag into the recycling. It looked like last month’s red bag but black. And not ripped. I honestly wish they didn’t include any bag at all. I certainly don’t want to pay for it, and I just throw it in the recycling every month. I’d rather get more products. But I guess they didn’t ask me.

Wander Beauty Mile High Club Mascara ($26): I’ve only tried this mascara once but I’m really impressed so far, and I’m kind of hard to impress when it comes to mascara. I didn’t even use my lash curler, but my lashes looked long and thick. I need to see if the formula flakes off over time, but so far, so good! With what I know now, I’d buy this again. I also really like that it comes in a squeeze tube, so you’ll be able to use alllll of the product. Update after wearing again – I didn’t experience any flaking! I don’t think this is going to be my main mascara, but I REALLY like this for a lower lash mascara, and I would honestly consider getting buying this again just for my lower lashes because I’ve had some issues finding a great lower lash mascara, because I don’t really want to use a waterproof one, since those are a bit harsh. This one seems really nice, and I’m excited to keep using it!

The BrowGal The Instant Tinted Brow Gel ($22): Y’all know I have been devoted to Glossier’s Boy Brow ($16) and more recently, Colourpop’s Brow Boss Gel ($6), so I haven’t really been exploring any new brow gels lately, but this one is really nice! I really like the really skinny brush- makes it really easy to coat all of your brow hairs. And this formula does deposit little fibers to help maximize the brows you have. This is more expensive than my other two go-to’s, so I’m not sure if this is going to replace either one, but I’ll definitely use it, and then decide if I can’t live without it.

Moda Metallics Triad Eye Brush ($4.99): I have received some Moda brushes in other boxes and I ALWAYS love them and incorporate them into my routine. They are really good quality synthetic brushes, and pretty affordable, to boot. I think I might buy a few more someday. This particular one is really interesting because it’s angled. I actually don’t have any brushes this exact size/angle, etc., so I am really happy to see how I can incorporate this into my routine. I can see using this to blend around the edges and along my lower lash line.

Modelco Metallic Eyeshadow Trio in Mykonos ($18): These shadows were OK. Like, I could definitely make them work, but I have other similar colors in formulas I like better. Even the Allure mini mag said that you could wet them with a setting spray to make them more foiled and to pop more, which you can totes do. While the colors are pretty, I just don’t envision myself reaching for this very often. I might give this kind of thing to my niece. (I think it goes without saying that my niece gets really good makeup from her Aunt Lauren.)

La Ritzy Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Bare ($18): Lip pencils are one of those products that I never really think about buying but I use almost every day. Lip pencils aren’t fun, ya know? They are just a necessity. So I really appreciate when I get lip pencils in boxes, as I have some scattered all over the metroplex. Some in the office. My car. My purse. My bathroom, etc. This is a fairly universal neutral tone – kind of rosy/peachy.

Mamonde Petal Spa Oil to Foam Cleanser ($21): I am very intrigued by this, because as I am writing this, I haven’t used it yet but I’m planning on using it later, and I’ll be back with an update. The idea of it is that it combines the K-Beauty two-step cleansing method, which is an oil cleanser followed by another cleanser. In this case, it starts as an oil but then changes to a foamy cleanser when combined with water. I am interested to see how well this will break down makeup, since it starts as an oil. It’s also supposed to smell like roses, and we all know I’m a sucker for that. Update after trying: I do not like this. At all. I like how smoothly an oil spreads all over my face, and how it’s easy to rub all over to help break down my makeup. In terms of THIS product, you are supposed to put it on dry skin, like a regular oil, but it sort of sticks down, so you can’t spread it around without pulling on your skin. I also didn’t feel like it rinsed off very well, to the point where I went in with another cleanser to make sure my skin was clean. And the point of this cleanser is that it’s supposed to be one step, and it’s not.

Mamonde Flower Lab Essence Mask ($7): Ah yes, another sheet mask to add to my collection. I really need to start using them more often, as they are starting to pile up. This particular one is supposed to be hydrating and also smell like roses. Whenever I use anything with roses, I assume Lisa Vanderpump also uses them, and I want to be like Lisa Vanderpump, so I should use them, too.

FINAL GRADE: B

For any other box, this would be an A+++++ but because Allure sets the bar so high, this one was sort of meh for me this month. But only meh for Allure standards – the box was still really great. I’m excited to keep using the BrowGal Instant Tinted Brown Gel. I’m also pretty excited about the Wander Beauty Mascara. I’m also psyched about a new Moda brush! Those three items alone paid for the box three times over, so I’m happy.

Purchased; All opinions are my own
Post contains referral and affiliate links

The post Allure Beauty Box | February 2019 | Stronger Together | Boxy-Ladies.com appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

PLAY! BY SEPHORA

Price: $10/month

Box Type: Beauty products, 5-6 deluxe samples

Why you’ll love it: Ummmm, did you see it’s all fun products that come from Sephora? Some boxes will send you random products from brands you’ve never heard of before but Play! by Sephora will only send you brands from their own store – basically all high end fun things you are excited to try! Here’s a breakdown of the benefits:

• The awesome products, of course.
• The $10 you spend earns you Beauty Insider points if you are already part of their rewards program. (I’m VIB Rouge because I clearly have A Problem buying makeup.)
• Each month you will also receive a card that you can bring into Sephora that will earn you 50 additional bonus points on your purchase!

How to Subscribe: Click here!

UNBOXING & REVIEW

The Play! by Sephora insert is always really cute. It also had a little card for 50 extra Beauty Insider points but I grabbed that and put it in my wallet since I *never* use it and I’m trying to make use of this perk more, now that you can add multiple promo codes per order. I think other Beauty Insiders who subscribe never used this because if it’s between points or a code for a cool new product, I’m always going to go for the product. But now, I think we are able to do both. I’ll keep you posted if I have any issues with it.

And here’s everything we got this month! It’s a pretty decent little haul, and seems to be on-theme for a February box.

Stella McCartney Stella Perfume ($52-$97): This is one of my all-time favorite perfumes, and one I always go back to. Like I mentioned above, I love roses and this perfume is a dark and sexy rose. I feel like this is more of an “after-dark” perfume more than “a day at the office,” but either way you wear it, I think you’ll get compliments. If you love rose scents, this is for you.

Fresh Rose Face Mask ($25-$62): I think this is the product I’m most excited about from this box, as I love rose-scented/infused things and I’m not sure I’ve ever tried this before! This is supposed to moisturize and calm the skin, which seems like it would be a great Sunday evening mask, ya know? Getting ready for the week by taking s moment to take care of yourself and your skin? I’m in.

Milk Makeup Blur Stick ($14-$36): I bought the full-size of this a long time ago when it first came out and all the Influencers were talking about it. I’m honestly not sure this does anything for me. I like the fact that it doesn’t have silicone in it, but I think it would DO more for my pores if it DID have silicone in it. Maybe this would work better on younger skin, I’m not sure. But it’s not my fave.

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet ($20-$39): I’ve tried this moisturizer before and I really like it. Every now and then, I continue to get this in boxes and I never put it in my donate bag. It’s more of a lightweight moisturizer, and wears well under makeup. It has such a light, airy texture, unlike a really thick, heavy cream. If you have dry skin, this probably won’t do it for you, especially in the winter. But if you are oily or combo, I think you’d really enjoy this!

Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks ($25/6 pairs): I like these types of eye masks. I have learned my lesson in terms of wearing these right before applying makeup, but I do think they do well to deliver ingredients to the delicate eye area and keep them there for a bit, which is nice. I do think this type of thing is expensive to actually intentionally buy – I don’t think I’m there yet. But when I do receive these, I’m definitely going to use them. I’ve seen similar things on Amazon for much less money, so maybe I’ll do a comparison someday? Like here, you get 30 pairs for $18. So I am mildly curious about all of this. Filing this away for later.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Rhubarb ($26): I am always so bummed when I get Bite Beauty lip products in boxes because they look SO beautiful, but I can’t use them since I have an allergy to castor oil. I love the look, feel and whole aesthetic of the brand, so I would actually recommend it if you don’t have any issues with castor oil. I love how their lip product packaging has that soft-touch feel. I think it’s really nice to receive lip minis in a box because I know I’ll never make it through a whole lip product (except the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb!) so minis are perfect for me. I think the color is really pretty and universal, and a pretty on-theme type of color for a February box.

Note: I purposely didn’t swatch this since the first ingredient is castor oil. I want to be able to give someone a fresh lipstick since I won’t be able to wear it! 

Final Grade: B+

I really enjoyed the February Play! by Sephora! I am excited to use most of the products with the exception of the Milk Blur Stick. However, I do think it’s cool that they included it in the box for people to try, since it is one of those really hyped-up products. I think it’s cool that they included a lipstick from Bite even though I can’t use it because it’s a really popular brand with great products and I’m not going to knock off points just because I personally can’t use it. I’m really excited for the Fresh Rose mask and the Wander gold eye masks (and I’m now super curious about the Amazon ones…) and I’m happy to be able to have a little Stella to throw in my makeup or travel bag.

If you are interested in subscribing, click here! I’m not really sure if they do referrals yet, but I think I might get some money via affiliate link. (Like, fractions of pennies. This is not how I pay my bills.)

Purchased; All opinions are my own
Post contains affiliate links

The post PLAY! By SEPHORA: February 2019 | Lovestruck Beauty | Boxy-Ladies.com appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

So… because Tarte is back on my radar, I thought I would go through five products I’m really into and may be purchasing soon, and five products I don’t understand, and obvs will NOT be purchasing.

Top 5 Products: Best of the Best

Tarte Aquacealer Concealer ($26): This is probably my favorite Tarte product of all time. And quite honestly, this little guy lasted me almost the entire year I wasn’t buying Tarte, which is kind of amazing. It only started to show signs of running out LAST WEEK. So I am very excited to buy this again. So many people love the Tarte Shape Tape, but that makes my 36-year old eyes look like I am 136, and ain’t nobody got time for that. However, THIS concealer has a thinner, more serum-y formula, which lays really well on my skin and doesn’t emphasize lines or texture as much as the Shape Tape. I’m getting this again next month and I CAN’T WAIT.

Tarte Chrome Paint Shadow Pot ($22): This is a product that came out when I was not buying Tarte that made me think… “Can I start buying Tarte again?” I really did. I went to their page and looked at their other releases, and was like, “No, Lauren. You’d be a hypocrite.” So I didn’t get it. But man… these look incredibly beautiful. They make the eye look so foiled and almost wet- just like liquid metal. I’ll probably pick up the shade Top Yacht first, which is sort of a champagne-y gold, then go from there.

Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette ($39): I think the Tartelette In Bloom palette might be Tarte’s best shadow palette. I actually recently decluttered mine but only because I wasn’t using it as often as I should, and I knew it could go to a better home. I def gave it to a friend I liked! I think the formula of this is GORGEOUS and it’s a beautiful semi-rosy toned neutral palette. There really isn’t a dud in the whole palette. I think this is a BOMB beginner palette, as the formula is incredibly easy to use, and the shades pretty much blend themselves. I recommend.

Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer ($39): I’m not sure what it is (ok, I’m sure it’s getting older) but at one point I went from No Visible Pores to All Of The Visible Pores. I’ve been trying primer after primer trying to address this issue but nothing has been working. I’ve only heard great things about this primer from Tati, who is around my age. But I’ve been holding off buying it for all of the reasons above. But now… it might be my time. This is essentially almost a putty texture that you use to spackle over your pores and that is what I want. TBD if this works for me but I’m sure as heck gonna try.

Tarte Knockout Tingling Treatment ($18-$39): I’ve been interested in this skincare product ever since Stephanie Nicole, aka YouTube Queen of Skincare, gave this her blessing. This isn’t a bad price for an exfoliating treatment, and it’s kind of surprising to me that Tarte would even have a product like this. This stuff is supposed to help balance skin and improve the overall look and clarity, while also minimizing fine lines. They make a mini of this which seems like a great way to try the product and then have a little bottle to travel with if you end up liking it and buying the big guy. Skincare isn’t part of my low-buy, so this is going into my cart.

Bottom 5 Products: This Is Self-Explanatory

Tarte Wine Not Lip Set ($24): Y’all. This is so tacky that I can’t even. I can’t. WHO ASKED FOR THIS. This looks like kid makeup except it’s obviously wine so it’s for adults. I just could never use a brush like that and take myself seriously. Could you?! Maybe the lip product is nice but the brush is just so atrocious that I can’t. I think a lot of people like to store their brushes in a cup, and because the base is a giant circle, you couldn’t put it in there. So you’d just have to display it proudly. No. Nope.

Rose is Bae Lip Set ($24): See everything I just said above. NO.

Tarteist PRO Remix Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette ($49): This palette is so strange to me. Tarte has historically gotten a lot of shit because all of their palettes look the same and there is no color in them. For April Fools last year, Tarte pretended like they were going to release a blue/green palette that looked like their In Bloom palette called Icy Betch. The internet went wild. Everyone was so excited for this palette because it had color and it was so gorgeous and different than everything else out there. Tarte was like, “APRIL FOOLS WE GOT YOU! *WE* WOULDN’T RELEASE ANYTHING INTERESTING AND EXCITING! JOKE’S ON YOU!” And the internet just looked at Tarte bewildered because they played themselves so hard. So I think since then, Tarte wanted to prove that they understand colors exist, so they released this palette. And like… y’all. The palette casing ITSELF is colorful? But the colors inside? You put your finger over one or two of the colors and you see it’s just another neutral palette. It’s so bizarre.

Additionally, in their first Tarteist Pro palette, the four square shades were coordinated color stories and the color in the circle was a special color (duochrome or glitter) that would enhance that color story. So there was an actual reason why the palette was set up that way. I don’t know why they set up this palette in the same way if… all the colors would just be random? None of this makes sense. I’m sure the quality of the shadows is really nice– but let’s be honest– Tarte still does not see color. (And yes- I phrased that purposefully.)

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea highlighting eyeshadow palette vol. III ($36): There isn’t anything WRONG with this palette necessarily except… every shade looks the same? It just looks so… beige. Like most Tarte palettes. It just doesn’t inspire me at all. That said, the quality of these Rainforest of the Sea shadows is incredibly nice. So if this does it for you, I think you’d be happy with it.

Let’s Flamingle Brush Set ($25 – on sale): Yikes, y’all. YIKES. This brush set came out with their holiday collection (which was confusing on its own) and again… I just can’t. The brushes themselves got horrible reviews when used as brushes, versus… something to look at? They just really weren’t functional at all. The shapes are just so bizarre and seem very awkward to hold. And I just think they are so ugly. Obviously, this is a personal preference, but I think these are tacky AF. But that’s just my opinion. If you are into these, you could get them on sale before they go away!

So that’s my top 5 and bottom 5. Are you going to buy any Tarte products now? Are you still on the Anti-Tarte train? Do you love any of the things I hate? I want to know all of these things. Let me know in the comments below.

xo,
L

The post Top 5 & Bottom 5 From Tarte Cosmetics | Boxy-Ladies.com appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

But I realized that I probably SHOULD be wearing flats more often, so I decided to order two pairs of flats I’ve seen all over the internet: one from Tieks by Gavrieli and Rothy’s. Initially, I was planning on keeping both pairs, but I ended up liking one pair so much more than the other that I decided to send one back and get a second pair of the other. Here’s what went down.

Tieks – Matte Black Ballet Flats ($175)

According to Tieks, they offer “the most versatile flats in the world. Made of the finest Italian leathers and designed to fold and fit in a purse. Wearable all day, every day.”

Featuring a unique split-sole and flexible midsole, Tieks are built to mold to the foot and flex with it as you walk. This design also allows the shoes to fold and fit easily into a purse or suitcase, so comfort and style are always within arm’s reach.

Thick non-skid rubber outsole patches, in our signature Tiek Blue color, provide traction and shock absorption to keep you grounded with every step. The brown leather midsole is specially treated to be both flexible and durable, allowing the shoe to be folded and unfolded repeatedly.

Tieks are made to stretch and mold to your foot for the perfect fit, and the back is cushioned rather than elasticized to ensure they’re never too tight on your heel. The insoles feature advanced foam cushioning for all day comfort and long-term wear.

With over 60 Prints, Patents, Classics, and more, there are Tieks for every wardrobe and occasion. Crafted from luxurious Italian leather and textiles, Tieks’ classic silhouette transitions seamlessly from day to night and season to season—so you never have to sacrifice style for comfort or vice versa.

Packaging

I have to give Tiek’s a 10/10 for packaging. They come in a gorgeous teal box with silver embossing and a big, glittery red flower on top. And as a fun bonus, inside the box is a little package of candy that I forgot to take a picture of since I ate it so fast. (They were Raspberry Bellini-flavored gummies, covered in sprinkles. Delicious. I hope to find that candy outside of a shoebox someday.) The shoes also come with a small compression bag that you can fold the shoes into and pack to take on-the-go. They ALSO come with a reusable teal tote that you can really put anything in. Tho I think the idea of it is that if you are wearing heals, you could pack this bag in your clutch, take off your heels and pop on your Tiek’s and then you don’t have to carry your heels in your hands.

Are all of these things nice? Of course. With a $175 price tag, these are nice things that add to the experience. However, none of these things make the shoes any more comfortable, so at the end of the day, these things don’t matter very much.

Final Grade: D

I think if I had not tried Rothy’s at the same time, these would have been *fine.* As in, they were new and they fit, so I could technically wear them. However, these are $175, and I wanted them to knock my socks off. (Pun intended.) I was hoping to want to reach for these to wear every day and quite frankly, they were uncomfortable.

They are not supposed to be tight on your heels but in my opinion, the heel was still pretty uncomfortable. And I’m now definitely a proponent of having the padding of your shoe INSIDE my shoe instead of outside. (I never knew I had an opinion on this before, but I now stand firm.) The shoes just felt kind of weird.

Additionally, before my Tiek’s arrived, Jill chimed in with her opinion (Obviously. It’s what we do.) She had a terrible experience with Tieks. She thought they were uncomfortable and that the quality was bad and I was better off not wasting my money. But since I hadn’t tried them myself yet, I wanted to keep an open mind, since we occasionally disagree. However, her thoughts were in the back of my mind when I was trying them on and after wearing them around my room for a few minutes, I decided they should go back. I was also just too smitten with my Rothy’s…

Rothy’s The Point in Chili Red ($145)

Stephen and Roth, the co-founders, realized something was missing from the market. Sustainability was growing in importance but was not yet stylish, and style and comfort rarely coexisted. Women needed a stylish, comfortable, sustainable shoe they could wear all day every day, no matter where their busy lives took them.

A wardrobe staple that goes with pretty much everything. Lightweight comfort. A shoe you’d be happy to keep on all day. In Rothy’s style, comfort and versatility coexist in the first sustainable shoe as stylish as it is comfortable; look good in your Rothy’s and feel good about your Rothy’s. That’s something you don’t see every day in fashion.

Packaging

Unlike Tiek’s, Rothy’s doesn’t put much stock in packaging. They came in a minimalistic grey box, which was nice, but unimportant to me because I mostly cared about the shoes themselves. Tho they do lose points for not giving me candy.

Final Grade: A++++

I realize that Rothy’s flats look really basic, but they are honestly anything but. These shoes are life-changing, in a way that’s a bit hard to explain. The fabric itself is extremely unique. It feels so soft, and it also immediately conformed to my foot. The padding seems extremely thin but at the same time feels so soft! I also love the shape of these pointy flats – they have that slight bit of… toe cleavage? Is that what it’s called? It sounds like it would NOT be flattering, but it actually really is. After wearing them for only a few minutes, I knew I was in love, and my opinion of them didn’t change after wearing them all day. And for a few days after that.

Because of that, I bought a pair of black ones. I couldn’t help myself. By that time, I knew I was sending the Tieks back and really needed a black pair of flats, so I thought I might as well just get another pair of the ones I love!

Rothy’s The Point Black Solid ($145) 

When I bought the red ones, I received a pop up, asking if I wanted to get a new pair of insoles for $10. I was all excited, so I got a pair of blue ones, thinking that they were somehow different than the insoles that came in the regular shoes. They are not – they are the same as the ones that come in the shoes, just different colors. However, I think the blue ones look really cool in the black flats. What do you think?

Regular insoles on the left, blue ones on the right. I think the blue really coordinates with the Rothy’s Blue on the heel of the flats.

I never knew I could love shoes this much! Probably because I mostly get my shoes from Target, so this is the first time that I’ve ever splurged on some shoes that are a bit more expensive. If Rothy’s are in your budget, I say that you should totally go for it. If Rothy’s are not yet in your budget, maybe think about saving for them or asking for them as a present for a special occasion or something. I’m definitely giving Rothy’s my stamp of approval – I really don’t think you would be disappointed if you bought yourself a pair! If you wanted to use my referral link, you could get $20 off – and I could get $20 off of a pair, too! Win-win, right? Check out my referral link here.

The post The Great Internet Shoe-down | Tieks vs. Rothy’s | Which Will Win? appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

Since then, I have not purchased anything from Tarte. It was harder than I thought it would be, because even though Tarte is not my absolute favorite brand, they do have a lot of beautiful products, and I have been eyeballing a few of them for a *LONG* time.

However, I have been waiting and waiting to see if I could tell if the brand had even LEARNED anything about the whole debacle, but none of their releases following the Shape Tape foundation felt like they had learned much at all. There were some eyeshadow palettes with a ton of super light shades that likely wouldn’t work on deeper skin. They re-released one of their concealers in new packaging. A few other things, too. But nothing that said, “Tarte understands how they messed up and why it’s so important to be inclusive.”

Until now.

From a recent Allure editor:

After staying silent for a year, Tarte’s founder and CEO Maureen Kelly is about to let actions speak louder than words. The adage came as she introduced the new Face Tape Foundation to a group of beauty editors, including me, Tuesday morning. She acknowledged that she let down Tarte fans — or Tartlettes, as she calls them — and disappointed them in 2018 when the brand launched the highly anticipated Shape Tape Foundation with a seriously lacking shade range. To make up for it, Tarte is taking the 25-shade Shape Tape Foundation off of shelves and replacing it with the new 50-shade Face Tape Foundation. Essentially, Kelly said, Tarte is pressing the redo button and doing what it can to make amends for under-representing its customers.

Tarte Face Tape Foundation ($39):

Inspired by Tarte’s iconic shape tape concealer, this longwearing, full coverage foundation mattifies, hydrates & brightens your appearance. They’ve bottled up your skin-smoothing filters, selfie settings & Instagram feedback to create the foundation of your dreams. PLUS, this baby comes in 50 shades with 5 undertones.

Why you’ll love it:

It’s manufactured the same way as their #1 best seller, shape tape concealer making it the perfect partner to their holy grail.

Based on a consumer perception study:

• 100% said it helped minimize the appearance of pores

• 100% said it covered dark spots, redness & imperfections

• 97% said it helped skin look smoother

• 97% said it felt comfortable & gentle on skin

• 97% said it felt lightweight & like it allowed skin to breathe

• 94% said it made skin look natural & healthier

• 94% said it felt nourishing

So… now what?

I was never going to permanently “cancel” Tarte. I was waiting and HOPING to see something, and thanks to that Allure article, it wasn’t just in my mind that they said/did nothing for a year– they really didn’t!

That said, I was pleasantly surprised by this launch – I think it hits all the right notes: The shade range is very inclusive, they worked to include a variety of undertones, and they adjusted the applicator wand to a pump. From what I’ve gathered from influencers, their marketing theme is, “We listened.” Which is fantastic – they needed to.

That said, part of me wishes that they didn’t try to cash in on the Shape Tape name again. I think it would have been smarter to launch a brand new foundation, where inclusion was the name of the game, rather than, “we listened,” as it all alludes to their failed launch where they got it all so wrong. If I was a person of color, I don’t know if I would be interested in this new Face Tape, since Tarte so clearly forgot about POC the first time. Ya know? Even though it’s only a name, I would rather be included in a brand new foundation rather than only being included in a second launch because the first launch didn’t include me at all.

I can understand why some POC might not totally be into this new launch from Tarte – It’s 2019, and plenty of brands are including them from day one, and they don’t have to wait to be included later. I can understand why they would want to continue supporting those other brands rather than a brand who once thought of them as an afterthought.

Personally, I’ve decided to remove my embargo of Tarte, as I do (now) feel like they are learning and trying, and I think there is something to be rewarded in all of that. No one is perfect, and I want them to keep moving forward in this same direction. What do you think about Tarte? Are you ready to buy from them again? Do you think they’ve done enough? Did you never stop buying from them in the first place? Let me know what you think in the comments!

I have an idea for another blog – five products from Tarte I have my eye on, and five products from Tarte I would never buy. There are a few things from them I am excited about but they also have some of the tackiest products I’ve ever seen, and I sort of want to write about both. So keep an eye out for that soon!

The post Is It Time To Un-Cancel Tarte Cosmetics? | New Face Tape Foundation Launch appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

Physician’s Formula Healthy Skin Foundation

The first thing I got this month was the Physician’s Formula Healthy Skin Foundation ($12.99). This is a very lightweight foundation with not a ton of coverage. Not the “no-coverage” of like the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint, which is almost like… why bother? But this is definitely not going to completely cover blemishes, and the like. However, I think it looks even less natural when you don’t see any skin through, so I’m moving away from very full coverage foundation in favor of things like this. Earlier in January, I found this foundation as a $5 add-on item, and I bought 3 bottles of this, since that’s almost the price of one full-price version. I also heard this was maybe being discontinued (though no confirmation on that) and I got scared!

Pat McGrath Labs Mini LUST Gloss Trio

Pat McGrath Labs Mini LUST Gloss Trio in Skin Show Nudes ($25): I had been wanting to try a Pat McGrath lip gloss for awhile, but there are so many shades that I end up getting distracted and leaving the site before making a decision. When she came out with a mini set, I was like, DONE. I really love the formula. It’s opaque without being weirdly sticky like the ABH formula. The doe foot is big and soft, but also pointed, making it easy to apply.

from L to R: Flesh Fantasy, Flesh 4, Bronze Temptation

From L to R: Flesh 4, Flesh Fantasy, Bronze Temptation

Flesh 4 looks really dark but blends out to be a slightly darker, “my lips but better” type shade. I was going to try to pick a favorite but I really like all three for different reasons. They pretty much all stay in my purse. No regrets, would get more shades, but would prefer to get more minis, because I’m no good at using up any sort of full-size lip color. Or let’s be honest, any lip color.

Glitter Daze Nail Polish

I made an impulse buy of Glitter Daze nail polishes after seeing them on Instagram. I never really had a determination about nail polish in my Low Buy, but I looked at these like eyeshadow singles from an indie brand. I wanted to get more than one to see if I liked the formula, etc.

I thought the packaging was really cute, and loved the holographic foil touches. The colors they offer are really unique, and not like colors I see from most mainstream brands. I’m certainly not a nail polish expert, but I do know that indie brands tend to start the trends that the mainstream brands get on board with much later.

I did think it was cool when I learned Glitter Daze is from Dallas, Texas! I was hoping this would mean that I would get the polishes pretty quickly after I ordered, but as she says on her page, each of the polishes are hand mixed, so I’m sure that takes awhile when you are an indie brand. It took a few weeks for my order to process, then was sent in a secure mailer. I think once it actually shipped, it got to me pretty quickly though!

I got three shades: Psychedelic, Vortex and Strobe. Though Strobe was the shade I saw first and knew I needed to try a few.

L to R: Psychedelic, Vortex, Strobe

Strobe ($13): Strobe is a fuchsia/violet/navy/copper/green shifting multichrome with a strong linear holographic finish.

Vortex ($13): Vortex is a red/bronze/gold/green shifting multichrome with a strong linear holographic finish.

Psychedelic ($12): Psychedelic is a multichrome polish that shifts through shades of pinks, violets, greens, fuchsias, and bronzes.

In terms of the formula, I would for sure say to use at least two coats for more staying power. The first time I tried wearing Strobe, I only used one coat (because it was very opaque!) with a top coat and it chipped pretty fast. With Psychedelic and Vortex, I used two coats with a top coat and they lasted much longer! I definitely love the shades I got, though admittedly upon further inspection, Psychedelic and Vortex look very similar. That was a Buyer Error, nothing that Glitter Daze did wrong, except make all of their polishes look so beautiful and enticing!

So that’s everything I got in January. What did you get in January? Anything that I needed to check out? Let me know!

Purchased; All opinions are my own
Post contains affiliate links

The post January Low-Buy Haul – Pat McGrath Lip Gloss & More! appeared first on Boxy Ladies.

Essentially, I went through my products and picked a few I wanted to use in the month of January. This is my version of Kondo-ing. I’m not getting rid of my makeup, because let’s be honest, it ALL brings me joy – but I can just pick a few things each month so my bathroom has a bit more focus, and I really can enjoy what I have that much more.

January

This was my first month trying this, and I’m already learning a bit more about my preferences, which is cool!

Foundation

• Physician’s Formula Healthy Skin ($12.99) – Def used this
• Wet n Wild Cushion Foundation ($8.99) – whoops – did not use.
• No. 7 Stay Perfect Foundation ($15.99) – used this instead

Let’s just get this out of the way – the shade ranges for both of these foundations are garbage. I think both brands should really focus on their complexion products this year and focus on a true shade range. Not every brand needs to have 60 shades. But having an even gradient from light to dark would be really nice if you only had a handful of shades. I’m just so annoyed because I think everyone should be able to get the things that I love and that’s just not the case. And it sucks. It’s 2019 – brands need to get on board.

THAT SAID. I really love the Physician’s Formula Healthy Skin foundation. So much so that I bought 3 more of them when I saw they were a $5 add-on item on Amazon. (I had also seen on Twitter that they might be discontinuing this line so that was part of the reason I loaded up. But… I have no idea if that is true or not. EVEN THOUGH I READ IT ON THE INTERNET.) It’s a very lightweight foundation, with light coverage as well. It feels like you aren’t even wearing much foundation, which is what I like. You can still see some blemishes and freckles when you wear it, which is what I like, since I like my skin to look like my skin, just slightly better, versus a full-coverage mask of foundation.

But when I actually started using foundation this month, I actually ended up using a combo of the Physician’s Formula and the No. 7 Stay Perfect Foundation ($15.99), as I realized that I like a more medium-coverage foundation on my nose/t-zone area, to help keep the oils at bay and prevent my base makeup from breaking up, and use the Physician’s Formula all over the perimeter of my face. So while I do love the Wet n Wild foundation, I’ll probably use it in combination with another more medium-coverage foundation sometime in the future.

What I learned from this is that I will probably end up cocktailing some foundations going forward, as I really liked using two different formulas for two different reasons! I have a lot of foundations, so I think it will be fun to work to find the perfect combination!

Eyeshadow

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette ($42)
• Kylie Cosmetics Jordyn Palette ($45)
• Pat McGrath Mothership V Eyeshadow Palette – Bronze Seduction ($125)

I was excited to use all three of these eyeshadow palettes this month, but I surprised myself by using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette the most. I was going through a big neutral phase and I kept reaching for it over and over. When it first came out last year, I scoffed that it was just another neutral palette that no one actually needed, but I do think it’s quite special. You can check out my full review here.

I am going to write full palette reviews for both the Kylie and Pat McGrath palettes (Self-Made Billionaire versus Self-Made Billionaire? ) but so far, I do really like both of them, and here is a quick-n-dirty review of both:

The Pat McGrath palette is one of the most beautiful palettes I own. The palette itself is HEAVY. Feels like a brick. When I use it, I feel like a Fancy, Rich Bitch. And I like that. The packaging of the palette is gorgeous and worth saving. It’s seriously art. So much so, that I actually bought the palette from the Museum of Modern Art. (For real! And they had a better sale on it than Sephora!) The matte shadows in the palette are gorgeous, but there aren’t enough light transition shades in the palette for a full look on my skin tone, so I’ve been using it in combination with the Soft Glam palette.

The shimmer shades is where this palette really shines though. Pun intended. The duo-chrome-y shades are amazingly unique and unlike anything I own. However, they do cause a lot of fall-out, so I recommend doing your eye makeup prior to your face make up so you can clean things up.

The Kylie x Jordan palette is the first product I’ve ever purchased from Kylie Cosmetics, and I have to say, I was pretty impressed. The palette has a nice weight to it (though not BRICK weight) so even though it’s in thinner, cardboard-type packaging, it doesn’t feel cheap. Speaking of the packaging, I really did like the packaging of the palette. I don’t really care about Kylie as a person, and I don’t know anything about her friend Jordyn except that she’s ostensibly Kylie’s best friend, but I thought the illustrations on the packaging were really pretty and cool. I’m saving it. (IT BRINGS ME JOY, KONDO.) The shadows themselves were really nice. The mattes felt almost as nice as the Pat McGrath ones, if I’m being honest. But I did truly buy this palette for one shade, and one shade only: Wild Love.

Wild Love is described as metallic olive with violet flip, which is exactly what it is. It’s very difficult to photograph to show both the violet and the green flip, but I think you can kind of see what I mean. I saw one YouTuber do a look with this shade, and I fell in love. I searched high and low for a dupe prior to buying the palette and I couldn’t find one anywhere – I HAD TO HAVE IT. (Though after I ordered this, Stila released something similar. More on that in a bit) So I was happy to get this palette for this shade alone, but then I was also happy for the rest of the shades, too. I didn’t use the bright purple or silver shades, but I really liked the neutral shades and used them regularly throughout January.

Special Eye Things

• Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow ($29/each)
• Stila Shade Mystére in Hypnotic ($24)

As you know, I love the Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadows, as I described in my dedicated blog here. I think they are just beautiful shadows and I intend to keep them within arm’s reach on my vanity even when the month is over.

Just look at how beautiful that is. The Stila Shade Mystére in Hypnotic is the product I referenced earlier when talking about Wild Love. Months after the Kylie palette came out, Stila released a new line of their Shimmer and Glow liquid shadows, but in interesting, duochrome shades. The shade Hypnotic is basically a liquid version of Kylie’s Wild Love, and it’s totally gorgeous. It’s “officially” described as “burgundy with olive & antique gold flip pearl.” I actually wear both Hypnotic and Wild Love together a lot. I’ll apply Hypnotic with a synthetic lip brush, just to have a bit more control than the doe-foot wand. Then I will use Wild Love to sort of blend out the edges a bit more. (YES I USE A SHIMMER IN THE CREASE. DON’T @ ME.) I also will use Wild Love on my lower lash line.

As I’ve mentioned, it’s pretty difficult to photograph duochrome shades, since they change from different angles, but I did get one great shot in my car! So it’s not the best picture in the world, but I think you can really see the green shift on the left eye (in the picture) and how lavender/purple the right eye looks. I surprised myself by how many times I wore this, and I loved it so much, I bought a new shade for February, Spellbound ($24), which is violet with fuchsia & blue flip pearl. It’s so pretty.

Bronzer & Blush

• Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer ($24)- cream
• Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer ($14.99) – powder
• Glossier Cloud Paint blushes ($18/each) – cream
• Hourglass Luminous Flush ($38) – powder
• Jouer Cosmetics Blush Bouquet Dual Blush Palette – Adore – powder

These are my favorite blushes and bronzers that I think I am going to keep using in February. I just can’t imagine reaching for anything besides these products at the moment. Though the star is the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer stick. It’s a cream bronzer, and it blends out so beautifully and effortlessly. I think it looks so beautiful on the skin. I also manage to be able to contour my nose with it, which is a trick I’ve never really been able to figure out before. I wear the shade Baked, but they also have a deeper shade for darker skin tones called Blaze. I have seen people use a beauty sponge to blend it out but I personally use a duofiber brush from that BH Cosmetics brush set I love so much.

I think I might do a blog all about the Glossier Cloud Paints, but I have three of the shades now. Though one of the shades is more of a bronzer shade, and I didn’t really realize that when I bought it. I don’t use that one as often, because of my obsession with the Milk bronzer, but I do use the peachy (Beam) and the pinky (Puff) shades regularly. Glossier has a ton of different shades for various skin tones, which is amazing. What I’ll do is squeeze out a little bit on the back of my hand, then use my beauty sponge to dot it on and blend out.

Quite honestly, I have been pleasantly surprised about how good cream products look on my skin. I’ve always been nervous about them because I’m on the oilier side and I thought they would just slip slide all over my face. However, they do NOT actually do that, and they look so much more natural than putting a layer of powder on top of the skin. They look especially nice over texture or wrinkles, as powder sometimes emphasizes these areas. I will use powder very judiciously – only where I need it – but then just let my skin look like skin. I think it’s been looking so healthy and nice when I’ve used cream products and I’m definitely interested in getting more!

But when I want my makeup to last 10+ hours, I’ll use a few more powder products to make things last, and my fave blushes are the Jouer and Hourglass. I would happily take more shades of both, but Money + Low Buy, means these might be lower on the priority list.

Highlighters

• Dose of Colors x iluvsarahii Highlighter in Bathe ($28) – powder
• Anastasia Beverly Hills x Amrezy Highlighter ($28) – powder
• Colourpop x Kathleen Lights On the Cusp ($8) – cream

The Dose of Colors x iluvsarahii highlighter in Bathe might actually be my all-time favorite highlighter, and I am going to have a hard time rotating it out, so it’s possible that I will not. Whatever, I MAKE THE RULES.

I recently got the ABH Amrezy highlighter for Christmas, after hearing so much about it over the past year. It was one of the most popular highlighters all over YouTube but it was limited-edition, and I never picked it up. Until they released it again and the FOMO caught up with me. I have to say, I think I like my Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust highlighter in Stargazer more, and might rotate that one in next month. Both have that baked geleé texture, so they aren’t overly powdery. But I think I like the reflect and the color of the Melt one a bit better than the ABH. Though I don’t hate the ABH one – it may grow on me more.

As I mentioned, I’ve been experimenting with cream products more and more recently, and if I’m doing cream products on a more relaxed day, I’ll use a Colourpop highlighter, as I feel like they melt into the skin beautifully, but also give a beautiful, shiny reflect, which is what I like. I like to look shiny all the time. But like… purposeful shiny. Not OILY shiny, obvs.

Lips

• Tarte Cosmetics Splash Mini Lipstick in Margs (I think this was limited edition but linked to formula) ($21)
• Colourpop x Shayla in C’Mon Sis Lux Lipstick ($7)
• Morphe Lipgloss in Freebird ($8)
• Julep So Plush Ultra Hydrating Gloss in Vibes ($19)

So what I learned from this exercise is that I can’t really pick out only four lip products and only use them during the month. I basically use a different lipstick every day, and enjoy doing so. I do like the idea of looking through my stash every month to see if I have anything I’ve sort of forgotten about, but when it comes to lipstick, I’m like old-school Miley – I can’t be tamed. I do like all of the lip products I Iisted though! The Colourpop lipstick is one of my all-time fave shades, and I really love the formulas of the Morphe and Julep lip glosses, and consider both of them, though especially the Julep ones, really underrated. I will likely pick up a few more of the Morphe glosses since they are so affordable and now in my Ulta!

I couldn’t even find all of the lip products I included when I went to take pictures. I’m sure I left a few at work or in my purse somewhere? Who knows. Now I know that I can’t be expected to keep up with lip products.

February

Knowing what I know now about some of my preferences, I picked out a few things to use in February!

Foundation

• Physician’s Formula Healthy Skin ($12.99)
• L’Oreal Infallible 24hr Fresh Wear Foundation ($11.99)

Eyeshadow

A few of these are pretty old – the Morphe x Jaclyn Hill and the Modern Renaissance. But I realized the other week that I missed using both, so I’m excited to put them back into rotation!

• Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Palette ($38)
• My Own Version of the Naked Cherry Palette (shadow singles)
• Juvia’s Place Nubian Mini ($10)
• ABH Modern Renaissance ($42)

Special Eyeshadow Things

• Stila Shade Mystére in Spellbound ($24) I think this will pair really well with my version of Naked Cherry!

Highlighters

I missed my Melt Cosmetics highlighter, so I decided to bring it back! I also really love the Stila Heaven’s Hue formula.

• Dose of Colors x iluvsarahii Highlighter in Bathe ($28) – powder
• Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust highlighter in Stargazer ($39) – baked gelee
• Colourpop Cosmetics Super Shock Cheek Highlighter in Flexitarian ($8) – cream
• Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter in Kitten ($32) – cream

Bronzer

I can’t get rid of my Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer, but I thought I would add back in my Marc Jacobs bronzer, an older favorite. I have used this one so much I have no idea how I haven’t hit pan yet.

• Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer ($24) – cream (Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop.)
• Marc Jacobs O!Mega Bronzer Coconut Perfect Tan in Tan-tastic ($49)

As for Blushes and Lipsticks, well. I’ll be using the same blushes from January and I love too many lipsticks to attempt to try to narrow it down again. But I might try to see if there are any lip products I’m reaching for over and over and add those to the recap.

So that’s it! Are you doing your own “shopping” of your stash? How’s it going? Let me know what you think of this series, and if you think it’s helpful at all to get reviews of older products!

Purchased; All opinions are my own
Post contains affiliate links

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