Current Obsession

Lush has found its latest victim....me. For a long time I just didn't get the hype of Lush. It was only this year that I have been getting into taking baths and I thought that the bath bombs were the only things they had. Not to mention but the only one near me (which is 40 minutes away) is always jam packed full of people. I am not one for crowds or crowded spaces, especially when I am in a new store, so I just avoided Lush all together. As I was as the mall i walked past the store and no one was in it. I thought, what the heck, I'll mosey on in there and see what it is about. After 30 minutes in there and over $100 spent, I can say I am obsessed. 

I was mostly into trying the skincare. I have been struggling with adult acne since I turned 20. It was like either one thing cleared it slightly and it would come back or something would really irritate it and I'd look like a crunch bar under my foundation. I used the Mask of Magnaminty and Herbalism for 2 days, 2 days and i saw an immediate difference. I have been hooked ever since. Also the ladies in Lush were amazing. I am definitely going back, well worth the trip.

The Mask of Magnaminty is my new favorite face mask. I saw an immediate difference in my skin after just one use. It brought everything to the surface but it also calmed down my existing breakouts. What you do it just scoop out a quarter sized amount and spread it over the effected area or you can also put it only on each spot. I put it everywhere including my neck. You get a nice cooling sensation while its on, but it is nothing that is uncomfortable. The best this about this mask is, is that even though it is made to treat acne is didn't dry out my skin at all. I have painfully dry skin, so masks that are geared toward acne tears apart my skin.

About

Expertly balanced without preservatives

We've expertly rebalanced our tingly, best-selling mask so that it doesn't have any synthetic preservatives. You'll still get a deep cleanse from bentone gel and kaolin clay, a gentle scrub from ground aduki beans and evening primrose seeds and a refreshing cooling sensation from peppermint oil. With more honey than the original formula, this version has a richer, thicker texture and is more moisturizing, making it perfect for drier skin.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients

Honey (Honey/Miel) Kaolin Bentone Gel (Hectorite) Talc Glycerine Ground Aduki Beans (Phaseolus Angularis) Evening Primrose Seeds (Oenothera biennis) Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita) African Marigold Oil (Tagetes erecta) Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia) *Limonene Fragrance Chlorophyllin (Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex) *Occurs naturally in essential oils

As I was talking with the kind ladies at Lush, she brought me over to show me Herbalism. I was into everything she was saying until she said oil control. I was like nope, can't do it, I'm a dry skin girl, it can't be done. My hands are the most dry area on my entire body from having my hands submerged in water all day because I am a hairstylist. After we rinsed it off my hand felt so soft, smooth, and not irritated at all. I use this everyday after I take my makeup off and my skin does feel really balanced with no flakey patches.  I do use this everyday and my skin has not felt dry at all, even when I wake up it feels super moisturized. This tag teamed with the mask is the ultimate dynamic duo.

About

Natural herbal wash

Battling with oily, troubled skin? Cleanse with the power of herbs. Our gentle green giant has an exfoliating, deep-cleansing base of kaolin clay and rice bran to mop up excess oils, and a toning blend of rosemary, nettle and chamomile to leave skin feeling fresh, clean and calm. Herbalism gets its color from chlorophyllin, which is extracted from alfalfa plants: it’s rich in nourishing vitamins and minerals and helps to balance out your skin’s oil production. Say hello to clear, balanced skin!

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients

Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis) Kaolin Glycerine Nettle, Rosemary and Rice Vinegar Extract (Urtica dioica, Rosmarinus officinalis) Rice Bran (Oryza sativa) Water (Aqua) Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides) Rose Absolut (Rosa damascena) Chamomile Blue Oil (Matricaria chamomilla) Sage Oil (Salvia officinalis) Fragrance Chlorophyllin (Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex) *Occurs naturally in essential oils

Like I said in the beginning, I never understood the hype around bath bombs. The thought of baths disgusted me to no ends. I am super extra when I go to take a bath. I have to shower first, clean the tub, and then I can pop on in. These bath bombs are so cute and fun to watch them fill the tub. My favorite one right now is the Sakura. 

About

Slip into springtime freshness

When the cherry blossoms burst forth in springtime in Japan, it’s tradition to take a picnic to the park and enjoy the gorgeous, fragrant display. We've recreated this experience for your tub—simply lie back in Sakura's serene waters while the delicate scents of mimosa and jasmine wash over you. The elegant embrace of fine sea salt and softening baking soda softens skin and carries your troubles away like cherry blossoms on the breeze.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients

Sodium Bicarbonate Citric Acid Fragrance Fine Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride) Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum) Mimosa Absolute (Acacia decurrens) Orange Flower Absolute (Citrus Aurantium amara) (Citrus Aurantium Amara (Orange) Flower Water) Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum) Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides) *Limonene Lilial Red 4 Blue 1 *Occurs naturally in essential oils

MORPHE X JACLYN HILL EYESHADOW PALETTE REVIEW

Finally, I got my hands on the most talked about palette right now. As you read this review, I want you to forget about all of the drama that has been happening over this palette for the past year. I am not here for the drama, I'm here for the makeup. 

I have purchased previous Morphe palettes, and to me, there is nothing I cant work with. The only thing i can't work with is if something is so sheer its not even noticeable. For the most part I do not have a problem with any of my other Morphe palettes. They are pigmented and they blend out fairly easy. The only problem that I do have with them is that no matter what type of primer or concealer that I put under the eyeshadows, they always stain my eyelids. That aspect doesn't necessarily make it a deal breaker to me however, it does make me not reach for the palettes as much as I do the others. 

The MorpheXJaclynHill palette contains 35 eyeshadows. Majority of the shadows are in the warmer, neutral family with a few pops of color. There has been some talk about the lack of versatility in the palette and I have to agree on that. If you are someone that lives and breathes for warm eyeshadows than this palette will be right up your alley. The pops of color are more on the cooler side, so with the palette being a warmer color palette, it makes is hard for those colors to be used. It also doesn't make it impossible either. I am someone who loves cool tone shadows so this wouldn't be the an all over everyday palette. 

I had better luck with the shimmery shades as far as pigmentation goes. They seem to be a lot more dense and creamy compared to the matte shades which are more thin and not as creamy. The mattes are definitely buildable and and easy to blend. I have a medium/tan skin tone and the lighter matte shades were mostly transparent on me. The shimmer shades are beautiful, easy to pack on with a brush but even better with your finger.

*Shades as described on morphe brushes website*

Enlight: An out-of-this-world, universal shade for brow bone and inner shadow magic.

Beam: Amp things up with this frosted version of Enlight, its great for deeper skin tones.

Silk Creme: Your transitional, creamy-matte crease color with yellow undertones.

M.F.E.O.: Peach, matte and cool: made for each other (hence the name).

Faint: Love this princess shade. No matter how fair skin your are, this fiercely frosty shade goes great all over the lid.

Sissy: For the rose-gold queens out there, this super-girly shade was named after my sister.

Little Lady: Confession: I call my sister 'little lady' and this is her second fave color. Perfect to rock at the office since its not too gold or out there. Its the perfect shimmery wash of neutral.

Creamsicle: OB-SESSED with this flattering yet daring color. Pop it into the crease to make the color of your eyes pop.

Butter: Super creamy with a warm, terracotta undertone makes this an amazing shade for your crease color.

Pooter: For those of you not comfortable with super warm colors, this neutral chestnut shade, named after and inside family joke, is for you. 

Pukey: Yes, I named a color Pukey. My favorite matte color in the whole palette. SO creamy. SO pigmented. The ultimate warm brown.

Hunts: Linda made this daring, boldly blendable shade happen. I love it because...its perfect. The creamiest shade in the palette. My fave shade of all-time.

Firework: Dare I say this is the most shimmering shade? Its great for all over the lid and for creating a warm, smoky eye. Partner it up with any of the matte orange shades.

Queen: The Perfect gold. I have nothing else to say

*Shades as described on morphe brushes website*

Obsessed: I was looking to create a shade for the perfect smoky eye. This took forever to get right, but its perfect and I'm totally, you guessed it, Obsessed.

S.B.N.: One of my most-used, all-over-lid colors is this deep, pinky-bronze shade. It creates the perfect, smoky nut natural look. S.B.N...N.B.D.

Hillster: God, I love this color all over the lid or on lower lash line. I wanted a good range in this palette, and this is the deepest warm shimmer we have to offer.

Roxanne: I names this after myself (my middle name is Roxanne). That may be narcissistic, but I don't care. My subscribers know this is my favorite color in the world. I honestly use it every day on lower lash line or outer crease. 

Jacz: An actual burgundy with great color payoff. These high-pigmented mattes go through lots of rounds to make them this super creamy.

Buns: This is Linda's favorite crease color, but it took some time for it to grow on me. We removed it from the palette at least 5 times. I hated it at first, but now...obsessed. It's a great everyday neutral shade for all skin tones.

Cranapple: A true cranberry shade perfect for all over the lid.

Royalty: I love it so much. The purplest of purples. A badass purple. No undertones. Just shimmery purple ( I had to create one) that's great to layer.

Twerk: The reason this color is in the palette? I hate blue. I wanted to be able to wear an awesome shade of blue and this is it. Bold, fun and totally wearable with major wow factor.

Hustle: For those of you not into warm shades, this is 100% cool with gunmetal, purple undertones.

Meeks: The best bronze out there (and named after one of my best friends, because that girl loves her bronze). Mot too metallic, and all ages can rock it whether you're 14 or 40.

24/7: Completely different formula than the rest of the palette: pressed glitter, baby. Apply with finger, or a very wet brush, for a sophisticated, fresh-from-the-runway look.

Chip: I use this shade all the time to smoke out outer corner and lower lash line. Creamy, smooth and highly pigmented. Win, win, win.

Mocha: SO chocolatey and super warm, perfect for deepening any eye look.

 *Shades as described on morphe brushes website*

Pool Party: My favorite pop of color ever! Beautiful turquoise with flecks of glitter may seem over the top, but it's not. It's super wearable (just like a swimsuit).

Jada: Named after my niece since this is her fave color in the whole world. Very similar to Pool Party, but with a matte spin.

Diva: Bye-bye Christmassy green shades. I so wanted green in this palette, but a neutral one to wear all over lids and layer with warm reds...and not make you think of Santa.

Enchanted: This deep, matte green is Diva's (and all the other green shades) partner in crime.

Central Park: I wanted every woman and man to have the option of a cool, matte brown.

Soda Pop: We were so excited to get this color perfect. So deep and so dark. You almost think it's black, but it's purple. And one of the most complementary shades for any eye color. 

Abyss: Matte and black as hell. One of the blackest black I've seen. So hard to make black rock, but we did it.

Do I think this palette is worth it? For a makeup junkie like me, yes it is. I ended up paying under $50 for the palette with shipping and handling (If you are outside of the US, you are going to be paying a lot more). For the average consumer, no. You can find a better eyeshadow palette at Sephora or Ulta for a better price with more color options. 

Retails for: $38 with shipping and handling

Can be purchased at  

morphebrushes.com

Ingredients:
Talc, Mica, Kaolin, Dimethicone, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Capryl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin. May contain: Isononyl Isononanoate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Nylon-12, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Magnesium Stearate, Silica, Titanium Dioxide (CI77891), Iron Oxide Black (CI77499), Iron Oxide Yellow (CI77492), Iron Oxide Red (CI77491), Hydrated Chromium Oxide Green (CI77289), Ultramarine Blue (CI77007), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI77510), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI77288), Manganese Violet (CI77742), FD&C Red 40 AI Lake (CI16035), FD&C Yellow 5 AI Lake (CI19140), FD&C Blue 1 AI Lake (CI42090).

After A While

After a while you learn 

The subtle difference between

Holding a hand and chaining a soul

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning

And company doesn't always mean security.

And you begin to learn

That kisses aren't contracts  

And presents aren't promises

And you begin to accept your defeats

With your head up and your eyes ahead

With the grace of a woman

Not the grief of a child.

And you learn

To build all your roads on today

Because tomorrow's ground is

Too certain for plans

And futures have a way

Of falling down in mid flight

After a while you learn

That even sunshine burns if you get too much

So you plant your own soul

Instead of waiting

For someone to bring you flowers

And you learn

That you really can endure

That you are really strong

And you really do have worth

And you learn and you learn

With every goodbye you learn. 

- Veronica A. Shoffstall 

Favorite Shampoo & Conditioner : R+Co Analog & Palm Springs

Best Baes.......

I haven't been this satisfied with a shampoo and conditioner in a while. My hair type is very coarse, straight and my scalp is very dry. I do not produce a lot of oil so I typically go 10 to 14 days without a wash. To some that is disgusting but for me it is necessary to keep my scalp and hair healthy. The reason that I have been doing that is because since my scalp is so dry and sensitive, whenever I would wash my hair, my scalp would be very sore. I have always used professional hair care so that wasn't to problem either. To my amazement my scalp doesn't feel tender at all after using this.

Analog is the cleansing foam and conditioner, so it is a 2-in-1. It is great for people who was just a quick wash, great for me, and also if you go to the gym a lot, you only need to carry one around with you. At first the consistency of it freaked my out because it literally feels like you are putting a paste all over you hair. After I got used to it, I will never go back to any other shampoo. Okay, maybe not never but for a while I am content.

Palm Springs is an amazing treatment for your hair. I have left this in my hair over night, and you can also use this as a regular conditioner. It comes out as a foam which again is very weird but my hair has never felt more silky smooth that when I have used this.

Both retail for $29

Analog 6 FL Oz

Palm Springs 5 FL Oz

Can be purchased at

R+Co

INGREDIENTS:

Analog

Argan Oil, grown in Egypt, this oil softens and nourishes the hair, improves manageability and shields from environmental aggressors.
Green Tea, grown in Japan, this ingredient is rich in antioxidants, and fortifies the hair’s strength and luster.
Horsetail Extract, harvested in India, this rich herb gently cleanses while strengthening and smoothing the hair’s cuticle.

Nettle Leaf Extract, sourced from France, adds shine and aids in mending weak or damaged hair. 

Palm Springs

A blend of babassu seed oil, shea butter, organ oil, coconut oil, and sodium PCA, provides deep hydration to hair and intense conditioning to soften hair and seal in moisture.

A nutritive blend of sage leaf extract, rose hip extract, nettle leaf extract, panthenol, amino acids, and safflower seed oil, nourishes to strengthen hair strands and create a healthy scalp environment.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

I am someone that typically uses a makeup wipe to remove everything and then go in with some type of creamy cleanser. I do this because I am a contact wearer and whenever I use a facial cleanser on my eyes it would make my contacts go all blurry. I was pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen as I was removing my eye makeup.

These magical fluids in a bottle have cut down the cleansing time on my makeup removal because I am no longer having to do a 2-step routine. The other thing that amazes me about these cleansers is that, they really so remove anything waterproof. If you use the Kat Von D tattoo liners, you know how stubborn they can be to take off. Both of them take is off without any harsh rubbing. I have very dry skin so I typically prefer a milky cleanser so, I haven't had any excess drying of my skin. My skin feels very soft, and squeaky clean!

As for the differences between the two, the one thing that I did notice is the blue bottle has a lot more oils in it than the pink one. With that being said I do prefer the pink bottle because I am not a fan of oils on my skin.

What it claims to do:

All-in-1 Makeup Remover & Cleanser Removes makeup + cleanses + refreshes. No rinse, no harsh rubbing. For face, lips, eyes. (PINK BOTTLE)

This all-in-1 cleanser is surprisingly powerful yet gentle to skin. It effectively removes makeup, cleanses skin and refreshes. A multi-purpose cleanser that contains Micellar technology. Like a magnet, micelles capture and lift away dirt, oil and makeup without harsh rubbing, leaving skin perfectly clean, hydrated and refreshed without over-drying.

Results:

Suprisingly Powerful yet Gentle to Skin with Micellar Technology. Like a magnet, micelles capture and lift away dirt, oil and makeup without harsh rubbing, leaving skin perfectly clean and refreshed without over-drying.

All-in-1 Makeup Remover & Cleanser Removes even waterproof makeup + cleanses + refreshes. No rinse, no harsh rubbing. For face, lips, eyes. (BLUE BOTTLE)

This all-in-1 bi-phase cleanser is surprisingly powerful yet gentle to skin. It effectively removes even waterproof makeup, cleanses skin and refreshes. A multi-purpose cleanser that contains Micellar technology. Like a magnet, micelles capture and lift away dirt, oil and makeup without harsh rubbing, leaving skin perfectly clean and refreshed without over-drying.

Results:

Suprisingly Powerful yet Gentle to Skin with Micellar Technology. Like a magnet, micelles capture and lift away dirt, oil and makeup without harsh rubbing, leaving skin perfectly clean and refreshed without over-drying.

Skin Types:

All skin types, even sensitive.

Retails for $8.99

You get 13.5 FL OZ/ 400ml

Can be purchased at:

GarnierUsa.com

Ulta Beauty

INGREDIENTS:

Pink Bottle

AQUA / WATER, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, DISODIUM COCOAMPHODIACETATE, DISODIUM EDTA, POLOXAMER 184, POLYAMINOPROPYL BIGUANIDE, FIL B162919/3

Blue Bottle

AQUA/WATER, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, ISOHEXADECANE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, DISODIUM EDTA, DECYL GLUCOSIDE, POLYAMINOPROPYL BIGUANIDE

A Day At The Apple Orchard

KAT VON D LOCK-IT SETTING POWDER

I do NOT like powder. To be blunt haha. Having extremely dry skin, just the thought of powder going anywhere near my face is what nightmares are made of. I do not understand how some of these beauty youtubers who claim to have dry skin, just pack on that powder!!! ....Shade.

Anyways, I do like to set my concealer under my eyes with a little bit of translucent powder. When I mean a little, I mean like barely dipping my brush into the powder. Majority of the time when I would use translucent powders, they would make my under eye look grey ore even darker. I do not have terrible under eye bags or a lot of discoloration, but it would just happen with every single one. Except this one.

I noticed when I first tested this in the store that you can see the tiniest bit of iridescent color. BTW, the lady working at Sephora said that the girls hated this for baking. I do not bake, food or my face so no problem there for me. I have never seen my under eye so bright in my whole makeup life. When I first wore it, I didn't notice how bright it made my under eye until I got to work and it was honestly almost too much. What is also crazy is that I actually bring this down a little farther than my under eye and I love it. It still leaves my skin very luminous and not matte and dry!

What it claims to do:
Experience a next level setting powder. Kat Von D’s innovative formula uses delicate mica powders rather than the heavy, chalky binding ingredients found in other powders—reducing the weight by 30 percent. This prevents the dry, chalky finish most powders leave behind, and instead delivers a perfectly smooth, seamless look, with the same number of uses.

I 100% agree with what Kat Von D claims it to do. When it is on the skin, it doesn't look heavy, dry, or accentuates any lines. I get an airbrushed affect when I use it too. When I started wearing it, I got so many clients asking if I use an airbrush machine for my base.

Just buy it, you wont regret it!

Retails for: $30

You get .67 oz

Availabe in one shade

Can be purchased at

Sephora