Fall Favorites

These aren't all new-to-me products or even new products, but these are what I've really been loving this Fall, whether I figured out how to make something work or a great color combination. I'll provide links to the products/companies when I can.

 Goldilux loose eyeshadow by Sugarpill. I bought this months ago and only just opened it. Why did I wait so long? How  can I even describe how beautiful this is? Have you ever wanted to make yourself just gold. This isn't some sparkly, fly-away powder; Goldilux gilds whatever you put it on. By far and away the best gold eyeshadow, ever.

 Know what goes great with Goldilux? NYX Heat single eyeshadow. My camera didn't quite pick up just how gorgeous this color is. It's a warm, slightly shimmery cranberry. I couldn't even find a swatch online that really shows how beautiful this color is in person. The great thing about NYX is it's affordable, high quality,  and you can find it at the drugstore














Doucce is a brand I discovered through my Boxycharm subscription. I have one of their lipsticks, which is okay (I'm a liquid to matte lipstick fan and this was a traditional style lipstick I got) however they've knocked it out of the park with their Punk Volumizer mascara. I've been a die-hard fan of waterproof Diorshow for years. It was my holy grail. But I think Doucce has given Dior a run for the money. While the price is comparable to Dior, so there's no savings, there are some things about this mascara I like more than Dior. First off, I can touch my lashes throughout the day and they feel soft and flexible, not crusty, stiff, and brittle. This coats, volumizes, and separates beautifully. And another huge thing that shouldn't be a thing? It comes off like a dream with a makeup wipe. I love Diorshow but man, it's a pain in the ass to remove at the end of the day. Doucce Punk Volumizer comes off easily with my generic, Walmart-brand wipes. No raccoon eyes from slept-in mascara in the morning!

 Palmetto Derma Rejuvenating Antioxidant Mask, I love you! This was another Boxycharm find, and it is expensive (this jar is $64 alone, so it tripled the value of the box itself) but it leaves my skin feeling amazing after. It's a clay-based mask that lifts oils but doesn't dry me out. The wonderful thing about it too is that you don't need a lot, which makes the product last longer. I apply with a flat foundation brush and let it sit for the recommended 20 minutes, and after, my skin feels clean, soft, and refreshed. My skin is both aging and freaking out with acne breakouts so this has given me some much-needed relief.














 I bought the Stila Stay All Day liquid liner with my Birchbox points  before I canceled my subscription because I didn't want to lose them. I had never tried this liner and decided to give it a try. Guys, this really does stay all day. I've cried on this liner, slept in it (shh, don't tell), sweat with it on and it doesn't budge. But, if your eyes water before it's dried, it does make a damn mess, so I will provide that disclaimer. Oily lids will make it smear a little, which makes sense since oil will break down most waterproof products, so it's best to use this with a primer or a shadow underneath. I've been reaching for this instead of my MAC liquid and gel liners because it goes on so damn easy and stays forever. It's actually kind of a pain to take off with a makeup wipe, even.











 Ulta Buffing brush. It doesn't look like much, does it? I don't obsess over specific brushes very often, and when I do, they're usually eye brushes. But guys... this has changed my foundation game. I was having a super hard time getting the Smashbox BB cream to work for me (and I bought it, so I want to use it) and I had tried different brushes, sponges, and out of desperation applied it with my fingers once. Nothing seemed to make it work. The other day I angry-shopped at Ulta and was browsing brushes and saw this one. I petted the display brush, felt the soft, densely-packed bristles, and decided to buy it. The next day I used it with the BB cream and it went on like a dream. Simple little $16 brush has saved my foundation game. No streaks, doesn't shed, and small enough to get under my eyes and in the crevices of my nose. I've found my holy grail foundation brush and paid almost nothing for it thanks to sales, coupons, and spending Ulta points. Win!














Cult Nail Polish in Boneyards. Guys, can we talk about this color? This is my perfect cool-toned dark grey. It's 5-free and (I think) vegan. I've gotten so many compliments on my nails while wearing this color. It's just... so beautiful. That's all I can say.

Big Unboxing Post!

Normally, I would do this one at a time, but this month has been crazy busy for me. Plus, my Birchbox and Boxycharm came literally in the same week. The good thing is some of this stuff I've been able to play with a little. All of the boxes had some sort of sea theme (kind of). Links to get the boxes and the actual products are provided, as usual.

Let's start with Ipsy $10/month (get it here):

The bag is black this month, so it doesn't show up that great against my bedspread

LaVanilla Healthy Body Butter in Pure Vanilla: Honestly, I haven't tried this. It could be the greatest body butter of all time, but I hate, hate, hate vanilla scent. Vanilla fragrance to me smells like cigars. Gross. I'll probably give this to someone.

TreStiQue Color & Smudge Shadow Crayon (color Kona Coffee): The most awful poopy-brown color and didn't blend worth a crap. I honestly can't believe this product retails for $26 full size. 

Ofra Cosmetics eyeliner in Turquoise: I've heard great things about Ofra Cosmetics. This eyeliner is nice and smooth. I'm a little scared of colored liner, so the color doesn't thrill me, but I can find a use for it, maybe with some costume makeup.

Formula X nail polish (I have no idea what color it is): So this isn't labeled with a shade, and I'm not about to sit and color match with the website. It's coral. About a shade lighter than the one I got from Lauren B Beauty in last month's Boxycharm. It's a teeny bottle so it'll probably get relegated to pedicures.

Smashbox Photofinish Primer: I'm already familiar and enjoy Photofinish primer. I have the full size silicone free version (I think the sample size I got has the silicone base) but it goes on very smooth and silky and is an excellent base for foundation. Smashbox products are great, anyway. I have their BB cream and it's awesome.

Now on to Birchbox $10/month (get it here):

Amika Perk Up dry shampoo: As one reviewer on Birchbox mentioned, it's not on hair great past one day. Smell is... meh. Very light though, which is a plus.

Supergoop! Everyday SPF50 With Cellular Response Technology: It's sunscreen, and smells like sunscreen, which isn't unpleasant. It also absorbs really well and doesn't have that weird stickiness that a lot of sunscreens have. I understand the cult following this stuff has.

Real Chemistry 3-Minute Peel: The instructions for this seem complicated, and I'm a little afraid to try it, even though I've had some dead skin issues lately. I'm also worried about it irritating my skin, so maybe I'll wait until after my friend's wedding.

Dr Jart+ BB Night Beauty Balm: This stuff is straight up weird. It applies clear with little white beads and then it color matches. But my question is, why do I need a tinted eye cream for night time? Is it the 50's again and we can't be seen in bed without at least some makeup? Also, this dried with a weird sticky texture. Bleh.

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Blue Lagoon: Again, a colored eyeliner. I did actually wear this one, and it's a gorgeous color and applies smoothly, but I don't think it works for me as a liner. My eyes range from grey-blue to green, so I think this would be better as an eyeshadow base for me.

L Erickson Grab and Go Pony: It's a hair tie. Why these retail for $18 is beyond me. Next.


Last but not least, BoxyCharm! <3 $21/month (get it here)

Eslor Chlorophyll Lifting Mask: From the website: Skin tightening mask. The dried film of natural milk proteins, plant extracts, seaweed extracts, and minerals tighten the skin, help enhance blood circulation, and help diminish fine lines." I have not tried this yet, but as I am noticing fine lines, I need to. 
Bellapierre Cosmetics Kabuki Brush: I. Love. Brushes! Love love love this brush. It's a super soft, dense kabuki made from synthetic bristles. I love kabukis for powder and blending, so I was stoked to get this (or a brush in general. Have I mentioned I love brushes?).

The Beauty Crop Lighting Crew Highlighting Cream: I haven't tried this yet. Highlighting creams scare me a little, because I'm used to highlighting with powder. I'm afraid I'll get too much on and look... greasy.

Doucce Click Click Lipstick in color 811 Pink Dahlia: So sometimes I'm a little simple and get confused easily. So when the instructions said "click to reveal your color" I couldn't figure it out. The thing is, you click it into and out of the tube... the actual lipstick itself still twists up like any other lipstick. So once I figured that out, things were good. Pink Dahlia is a really pretty pinky mauve color. I haven't tried it on yet (it took me a month to work up the courage to try the purple lipstick from last month!).

ncLA Nail Lacquer: This is a shade from their Nudes collection. Maybe a little nude for me (especially since I'm currently sporting black stiletto nails) but nice maybe for a dressy event or accent. 

May 2015 Ipsy Unboxing

This month's Ipsy was a big ol' "meh" for me. As I'm getting more into beauty boxes that give me what I want, I find myself more and more unimpressed with Ipsy, and this is only my second bag. I'm going to keep my subscription and see where it goes, but I was largely unimpressed this month. If you would like to try it out, here's an invite link to join. I will say, though, that when I picked up my shiny pink bubble mailer, I was surprised at the weight, and finding a full-sized hair product in there. So let's start with that.

Oscar Blandi Hair Lift Mousse

This month, I got a full size mousse, which retails at $23, so right there, I got my money back for the subscription and then some. Ipsy uses a series of questions to determine your products, and since I described my hair as "needs volume," they sent this mousse, which I'm not completely unhappy with, because I was going to need to buy some soon anyway for a wedding, and as far as product goes, I've heard good things about the Oscar Blandi brand.

Glamglow Thirstycleanse Daily Hydrating Cleanser

Again, another product I've heard great things about. The instructions are intimidating though... rub into my dry skin, then get it wet, then keep rubbing, get it more wet, then rinse. It seems... complicated for a face wash. However, I've been told though (and this is a direct quote from my friend Palmer) "If their cleanser is half as good as their mask, Angels will straight up fly out of your pores and start singing and shitting kittens." It smells great...

Jesse's Girl Pure Pigment Eye Dust

Way to fucking cheap out, Ipsy. I have better quality eye products and feel like something you can get at a drug store for a dollar isn't great. Also, the color is poopy and unflattering. Pass.

Klorane Soothing and Relaxing Patches

I do tend to get tired, baggy eyes, so these might actually work okay for me. We'll see.

Luxie Beauty Tapered Blending Eye Brush 205

This was pretty much the only thing I was looking forward to this month, since I'm a makeup brush addict. It's cute, soft, and fluffy. It basically feels like your standard blending brush but I think it might be gentler than what I'm currently using. Would have liked it to be a tad bit denser, but over all, decent.

Boxycharm May 2015 Unboxing!

I decided to put my Julep box on hold this month to try Boxycharm, since I'd seen some unboxing videos and was pretty impressed that they send full-size products for only $21 a month. I feel like for a first box, May's was really nice. I noticed as I was accessing the pictures that some came out a little off in color, and that's probably due to the flash on my cell phone. Sorry.

This is one of those off-color photos

Bodyography Essential Brow Trio and Brow Brush

Honestly, the brow trio seems really nice, especially for people who want to try different brow colors based on their hair color (like right now, my hair isn't as dark, so my current brow powder seems a little off). I swiped a little of the darker color on my hand and it seems really well pigmented, so I'm looking forward to trying it (unfortunately, I forgot to pack it this weekend). The brush is nice because the bristle end is soft, but still stiff enough to fill in brows, and it's just nice to have a spoolie around, honestly, and having it on the other end means I won't lose it, like I'm always afraid will happen with my NYX brow cake spoolie.

Model Co. Bronze Shimmer

I will admit, I'm a little afraid of bronzer because a) they're usually shimmery, and b) I'm so pale I'm afraid I'll just make myself look dirty, rather than glowy. While this bronzer is shimmery, it's a really nice shade for my skin tone, so it feels less intimidating. Also, look at the size of it! This bronzer alone paid for the subscription and then some in value!

Lauren B. Beauty nail polish in "Sunset Blvd."

I had never heard of this brand before, but it's 5-free, cruelty free, and vegan. Normally, I wouldn't go for an orangey-shade (I guess this is more coral than anything) but I'm really excited to do a pedicure with it because it's a perfect summer color.

OMG

The Lip Bar lipstick in "Purple Rain"

Look at that packaging! So beautiful! The color is not something I would typically buy, and it scares me a little (I still haven't tried it yet, but my lips are really dry right now so if I'm going to test it, I want it to be on healthy lips). I was just really taken by the packaging (it even came in a little velvet pouch) and the vividness of the color. 

Total value of this box? $98.00! Remember, these are full-size products, not samples. Definitely keeping this subscription active! Ipsy will be my next post...

FOTD-- Kat Von D Makeup!

Vamp level: Queen

Welcome to Beauty Crow! I am by no means a professional when it comes to makeup, just someone who loves makeup and has a strong sense of vanity. I also love reviewing stuff and have recently started subscribing to beauty boxes, which are exposing me to a lot of new products that I thought I'd share with you all. I'm doing this purely for the fun of it, and it also gets me using some stuff that I buy or maybe get a sample of and then don't touch for ages and ages. It's also helping me branch out from only using MAC, which I love, but I'm finding out there are so many amazing brands out there, especially some indie brands that are awesome, and drugstore brands are also upping their game.

For my introductory post, I thought I would try out some new (to me) products and write about them, since anyone who knows me knows how brutally honest I am about stuff. I used several Kat Von D products today, as I had a sample of foundation, a travel size mascara and liner, and of course, the Shade and Light contour kit. Also featured are some items I got from beautyboxes and some drugstore stuff, as well as some other prestige brands. Let's play! I linked most stuff in my post, as well as links to the beauty boxes themselves if you'd like to join (and clicking my links gives me points too!).



























Let's start with the face stuff:

I started out by applying the Hey Honey Good Morning honey silk facial serum that I got in this month's Ipsy glam bag. I've never used a serum before, so I'm not sure what it is really supposed to do, but a tiny little bit covered my whole face. I followed that with my new favorite moisturizer from Temple Spa that I got from my very first Birchbox. It's light but very moisturizing, and as I get older I'm seeing my skin change and I'm realizing I need to take better care of it, so this moisturizer is my new bff. Over that, I started applying Kat Von D's Lock-It Tattoo Foundation in the shade Light 48. I got this as a sample from a Sephora order, so I didn't have a choice in shade. This is the 4th lightest shade in the line and too dark for me. Looking at the card it was attached to, I'd guess Light 45 is probably my color. Anyway, I applied the foundation with a flat bronzer brush from Crown Brush (super affordable brushes and very good quality) and found that the coverage was excellent. I also used a MAC concealer on some redness and zits under that.

Because the foundation was a little darker than I usually use, I went in with the darkest shade of Kat Von D's Shade and Light contour palette in the hollows of my cheeks, temples, and sides of my nose with my new favorite brush, The Velvet Luxe Flawless Face brush by IT Cosmetics. I also applied the lightest and medium lightest shade from the contour palette on my forehead, nose, cheekbones, and chin, followed by Hikari blush in Tango on the apples of my cheeks, applied with my MAC 129. I was almost scared of how bright pink it is, reminding me quite a bit of Dollymix by MAC, but it is a lovely shade, silky smooth and buildable.  Everything was blended with my MAC kabuki 182.

My eyes! Oh my eyes:

Always always always, I start with my Urban Decay primer potion. For today's look, I started with a base of MAC paintpot in Blackground and topped/blended it with MAC Carbon eyeshadow. I dabbed some Sugarpill Countess loose shadow on my lid with a damp shader brush from Crown Brush. My browbone has both Shroom and Phloof! from MAC. I used Kat Von D tattoo liner in Trooper on my upper lid. I'm not sure yet how I feel about this liner; the applicator is actually a brush made up of many many fine hairs made to look like a felt tip liner. It's a thinner formula than I'm used to, but definitely buildable. I'm going to need to try it more to see how I really feel about it. So far: meh. We'll see. I also used Kat Von D Immortal Lash. I'm surprised how much I actually like the weird brush on this. It separated well, and the mascara itself gave good lengthening and volume. I'm concerned, though, because this product isn't waterproof and my eyes water like crazy. In my brows I used NYX eyebrow cake powder in the darkest shade and set it all with a brow gel I got in this month's Julep box called Lock Down Your Brows. I can feel that my brows are set without feeling gross, which is a plus. To finish off, I have MAC Blacktrack fluidline on my waterline, because again, my eyes water and that stuff does not move.

And what's on my lips? My new favorite lip color, I'm pretty sure: Copenhagen Soft Matte Lip Cream by NYX. I applied a few coats to build up color (and colored outside the lines a few times, whoops) but it's gorgeous and dark and vampy and not drying at all (which one typically expects from a matte lip product) and I love it so much. Beware though: it is matte, but it is not kissproof, as I tested on John.

I hope you enjoyed this inaugural post! Some of my friends have asked that I do Youtube tutorials, and I'd love to, but alas, my laptop's webcam doesn't work and I don't have a decent camera for shooting video.

Indirect sunlight

Direct sunlight. Countess is just a hint of color