Lancome Concealer/Eye Cream/Brow Gel

I went into Ulta today thinking I was going to buy the CKOne concealer that was recommended to me last week when I picked up the Smashbox Primer Try It Kit. Then a wonderful Lancome representative helped me. She did try other products on me, but turns out the Lancome products seem to work better in comparison. I spent way too much money, but I'm really happy with my products. I also thought I might buy Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel because I like the clear gel I got in my Birchbox, but I hate trying to use a pencil. Again, I liked the Lancome product better.

Here's what I got:

Effacernes Concealer in Light Bisque

It is a Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer. The website says: "This natural coverage concealer lets you instantly eliminate tell-tale signs of stress and fatigue. Provides complete, natural-looking coverage, evens skin tone, covers dark circles and minimizes fine lines around the eyes for a soft, matte finish."

We tried the CKOne Concealer, It Cosmetics, and Tarte's Concealer and they either didn't cover enough for my dark circles, or they started creasing right away. The Lancome concealer had good coverage and less creasing. It is a little more expensive, but the tube is a really good size and you only need a tiny bit, and it is very good for layering. It brightens as it covers, which is always a plus. The tube has a fine tip for dispensing the product, so it stays very sanitary. I found that I still need a primer under this, so my Smashbox kit will not go to waste :) When I tried it the next day with just my eye cream, the concealer seemed to smear and not cover very well. It also works better (for me) if I squeeze some out on the back of my hand, then dab with my finger and dab off some extra, pat under my eye, then use my beautyblender. Just using my fingers didn't give as nice of a finish. You could also use a brush if you don't want to use your fingers.

Before^

After^

Yes, the lighting seems a little different, but it was mostly the angle of my head. But you can definitely see that the purple under my eye was covered up. I still have some intense shadows but I'm trying to get over that. That's how my face is built, not something makeup can really cover.

Modele Sourcils Brow Gel in Brunet

The website says: "Keep brows perfectly in place with this lightweight gel that brushes on easily for natural-looking definition. The unique formula is made to work alone or over a brow pencil for a flawless, well-groomed look. Perfectly portable for on-the-go touch-ups anytime."

Currently, I'm using Benefit's Gimme Brow. I really like the fiber gel formula and the tiny brush, but it seems to dry out so quickly. I didn't get it that long ago and it's already a little clumpy and is giving me less product. I wanted to find something that would last longer since I really like the effect on my brows, and I hate using a brow pencil. I actually don't really know how to use it, and when I try my brows always end up too dark. Tinted gels are my perfect product, and so much faster.

Without^

With^

The change isn't too drastic, which is what I like about it. I don't wear liquid foundation but always have a powder on. As I put the powder on, it gets into my eyebrows and makes them dull. I never paid attention to that before, but now I notice a huge difference when I wear a tinted brow gel. And it's so quick and easy!

Genifique Yeux Eye Cream

The website says: "Formulated in an elegant gel texture enriched with Genifique technology, Genifique Yeux helps reactivate key signs of youth and fight against visible signs of fatigue. Use daily for a rested, youthful-looking eye contour, as after a good night’s sleep. Results: See visibly younger, brighter eyes in just 7 days. Dark circles, fine lines, eye bags and under-eye circles seem to diminish, and the eye area looks fresh and luminous."

The associate used this on my eyes after wiping off each product. I really liked how the gel texture felt and I don't have a dedicated eye cream. It was way too much money, but you only need a tiny amount every time. Not that I'm against sticking my finger in the pot (like a lot of people, but nothing against them. I just never thought about it that much), but I've started using the little spatula that came with my Erase Paste to scoop some product out. I never used it on my Erase Paste because I just use a brush. I've been using this cream every day and night. I'm excited to see if it really does make a difference in a week.

We also chatted a lot and she gave me some samples:

La Base Pro Primer

I liked how this primer felt when she was using it also, but I didn't see much difference between this and the Smashbox primer. It's great to have the samples (love me some samples!) but one little packet is going to be multiple days of use and I'll have to find somewhere to keep it without getting squished.

Dual Finish Powder Foundation (She used Ecru II 230 on me but only had a sample of Buff II 220)

This will be fun to try, but it is very expensive and I really like my Benefit Hello Flawless foundation right now.

La vie est belle Perfume

This is Lancome's newest fragrance. I've been seeing the commercials a lot now. It smells pretty good, but reminds me more of something my mom would wear, not for someone still in their 20s. I've been trying it off and on but I just bought a full size perfume from Birchbox a few months ago. It was my first "real" perfume purchase in probably 8 years. I've been wearing Bath and Body Works Body Spray, since I never seem to notice the scent after an hour anyway.

The thing I love about buying my products from Ulta is their return policy. If I find after a week, or even a month of using, that the product is just not worth the money I spent, I can return it. They have a 60-day return policy - just save your receipt. I'm also a member of their rewards program and had racked up 100 points so I got $3 off this purchase. I also got double points from these items also, so I have a discount for next time!

Smashbox Primer Try It Kit!

I have very dark circles under my eyes so I've been using Benefit's Erase Paste concealer. I love the coverage, but it's really bad if you have lines under your eyes like I do. (I'm pretty young but started applying makeup by tugging on my skin around my eyes and don't know any other way. I'm trying to relearn though...) I read some mixed reviews about Smashbox's Hydrating Under Eye Primer but I saw that it came as a trial size in this kit, so I figured why not? It was only $14!

This kit includes:
Photo Finish Lid Primer (0.02 fl. oz.): Locks on shadow and keeps it crease-free for up to 8 hours

I really like this lid primer. I don't usually use an eyeshadow primer, but I can see that this helps make the colors bolder/darker and it really will last all day.

Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer (0.17 fl. oz.): 10 under-eye benefits, 1 primer breakthrough

I haven't really had luck with this primer. I was hopeful but the reviews were about 50/50 with people loving it and it just not working. Hasn't seemed to work for me. Maybe it's really just the concealer. I am going to keep trying it.

Photo Finish Foundation Primer (0.25 fl. oz.): Creates the perfect canvas for makeup application

Seems to work really well. I don't wear liquid foundation so I don't really need a primer like this. I mostly only use a primer for mattifying under my powder. It was suggested to me to use this under my eyes to fill in the lines though. We'll see how that works.

I love the tiny sizes. They're great because you don't need to use much product anyway. I feel like the eye lid primer and under eye primer will last me a long time. If I really like the foundation primer, I may buy a full size. (BTW: I have tiny hands. My ring size of those index fingers is between a 6 and 7. Just to show you how small the samples are.)

StitchFix #2 Review

What is Stitch Fix?

Stitch Fix is a personal styling service. You tell us your style, size, and budget preferences, and we send you a package of stylish goodies to try on at home. Each Fix^™ is unique and hand-picked just for you.

^From the website^

Here's how I explain it to people: You fill out a profile with your sizes and tell them what your style is. Then for $20, a stylist will pick out 5 different items, clothing and accessories, to send to you based on your choices. (You can also tell them if you only want dresses one month because you're going to a wedding, or like I did and told them I didn't want accessories my first time.) You choose when you want it sent to you - I had to wait a month from when I signed up, but that month went fast! And you don't have to get it every month, just whenever you tell them. So you try on your 5 items at home, with your own jewelry and other stuff from your closet, then decide which ones you like. Whatever you don't like, send back in the pre-paid mailer they send in your box. You have 3 days to do this. Whatever you decide to keep, they will then charge your credit card for the amount of the item, BUT that $20 you spent goes toward that cost! Plus, if you like all 5 items, you get 25% off.

This is my second Fix. I requested some summer dresses, a cute clutch, and maybe another cardigan. Apparently they love blue this month. I got all blue dresses. Luckily I like blue, but I thought there would be more options. Here's what I got.

They always include a personalized message about their choices, along with style cards to help you style each piece.

Emperia Kim Two-Tone Wallet with Wristlet: $28

Very cute and functional. But when I asked for a clutch I was looking for more of a purse type... a bag, not a wallet. I don't even use the large wallet I have. I wish I could keep it but for $28...

The Verdict: Sadly, it goes back.

Papermoon Charlotte Airy Knit Drape Front Cardigan: $48

I like the sleeves and the material overall. It's nice and light, but I really don't like drape front things like this. I don't know why... but it makes me feel very maternal for some reason, or something. Even though boyfriend likes it. 

The Verdict: Sending it back.

Kensie Larsa Sleeveless Stripe Fit & Flare Dress: $68

So soft! And very cute. I was a little concerned about the size. They sent me all smalls... and I'm usually more of an extra small in dresses but that's not an option on their profile. (Actually, I think the smallest option is Size 2, only numbers as options.) I thought I wanted it a little tighter, but the more I wore it around the house, I decided it was very comfortable.

The Verdict: Keeping it.

Collective Concepts Galen Racerback Polka Dot Dress: $78

I can't believe this was the most expensive dress they sent me. It's a bag. The waist is adjustable, but that's about the only redeeming quality of this dress. The material feels cheap, and seems like this size small is for someone with a DD top. I understand looser fit clothing, but this is just big in the wrong places.

The Verdict: Gone!

41Hawthorn Harriet Aztec Print Fit and Flare Dress: $64

I don't know where this Aztec print trend came from but I don't really like it. But I do like this dress so I'm torn. There is a zipper in the back so it's more fitted, and it's a little longer than my other dresses. I thought it would be the most expensive choice, being more tailored and dressy, but it's the cheapest option. I really do like it, but I don't think I would wear it very often, as it feels just little bit too dressy. Also, I have to start watching what I spend.

The Verdict: Sadly, sending it back :(

They've already charged my credit card the $20 for the fix when they sent it. I'm keeping the Kensie dress, so it's really only like $48.

Beautylish Inglot Eyeshadow Palette

I have so many eyeshadows that I never wear! I've only been wearing about 5 colors lately: Gold, Pink, Purple, Green, and some other sparkle/base like White. I finally looked into making my own palette of just the colors I use. I know you can do this with Mary Kay shadows and I think Urban Decay has something like that. After just googling "custom eyeshadow palette" I found Beautylish! The link took me right to a page that lets you choose how big you want your palette: 2, 4, 5, 10, or 20 spots and what colors you want. There's also an option to view what the colors look like on light or dark skin. After a lot of debating, because the price was a little more than I'd hoped, I finally decided what I wanted. I made an account and immediately got an email saying they were giving me $10 off $50 or more just for signing up! That meant if I chose one more color (a sixth) then I would be paying LESS with taxes, and shipping was free (I forget why). Plus, if I placed my order before 7pm Pacific time, they would be able to ship the order the same day! I got my box 2 days later.

The box came stamped with a personal signature.

All packed in there nicely.

AND it came with a personalized note! How cool is that? It definitely makes me feel comfortable ordering from them again, knowing they put such care into their shipments.

My palette and all the little shadow boxes.

Here's what I chose! All sparkly: White, Beige, Gold, Pink, Purple and Green.

They are all magnetic and came in this plastic packaging.

I thought I could just pull on the corner to peel it off, but the green was being stubborn. The plastic was thicker than I anticipated.

The rest of them had nice corners to peel up.

All four corners of the lid are magnetized so you can slide it up like this, or just slide it up from one side as I sometimes do in the mornings if I knew I want one of the end colors. The lid is also a very durable plexiglass type material.

This picture makes them all look very light but they are buildable and I don't like my eyeshadow to bright anyway. They are perfect for me!

As soon as I knew I loved every color, and cleaned out my makeup bag of all the individual shadows I had in there. I have so much room now! I couldn't believe it. Now I just have this palette, a matchbook-style eyeshadow brush holder, and 2 tiny sets of 4 colors I got from Birchbox: one more oranges and golds, and one more browns. This palette was a little expensive, but being able to clean out my bag and make all that room was totally worth it!

More from Sephora

I used to work at Target and it's always a big joke about how you can go in with a list of 3 things and come out with a cartfull... every time. And it still happens to me. I even told boyfriend that I'm not allowed to shop at Target alone anymore. Well, that's how it's becoming with me and Sephora. Ever since I joined Birchbox, I have started to get to know all of these other beauty brands: Stila, Smashbox, Benefit, Urban Decay, Tarte, etc... and there are so many new things I want to try! This weekend I had some time and I knew I wanted to buy the solid blendercleanser for all my brushes and sponges so I could have a good cleanser (I've just been using shampoo like my costume/makeup designer in college told me) and I would be able to take it with on my vacation back home this summer. Well of course I found other things I had to buy! I was actually pretty good this time. If boyfriend hadn't been waiting outside the store for me, I probably would've been in there over an hour!

Well, of course I did buy my solid blendercleanser, but it happened to be located with all the trial/travel sized stuff near the registers and look what happened to be right above it! A beautyblender!

I originally wanted one a couple months ago and remembered I had seen one at Urban Outfitters. The closest store to me was next to a Barnes and Noble so when I wanted to go buy a book, I had to pop over to get the beautyblender! To my disappointment, they didn't have it anymore. But they did have a dupe set: for only $10!

Photo taken from urbanoutfitters.com

I had read reviews about dupes and most said they were fine but you should really get the real beautyblender. Spend the extra money because it really is better. And I agree. The "Dynamic Duo" was fine... I was mostly only using it for primer and concealer since I don't use much liquid foundation or anything... but when I used the real beautyblender for the first time this weekend, I couldn't believe the difference! It's so much softer! I should've saved my $10 on the dupes and just kept looking for the real thing. Seriously, buy the real beautyblender if you're considering using something like that. You'll thank me and all the other reviewers later.

The blendercleanser is awesome. I love the solid. I feel like it will last much longer than the liquid too, probably less product waste. It comes in a plastic container and is just a solid round soap. Just wet your brushes or sponge and swipe across the surface of the cleanser, then lather and rinse. So easy! I really do feel like it gets everything a lot cleaner too. And I'm more likely to clean everything more often (right now it's about once a week) if it's just: open container, wet sponge, wipe across cleanser, lather, rinse, dry. Rather than: get the shampoo, get hands wet, get brush wet, pour shampoo, later, rinse, keep rinsing, repeat a couple times, then it's probably clean enough - ok so it's not that complicated, but I love my blendercleanser.



I also walked by the Tarte section: bad idea. I just started getting into their products. I've been eyeing the Lipsurgence collection for a while but didn't want to spend $24 on a lip product, but I've read it's supposed to be hydrating and stains a little bit. So I took the leap:

I bought the color "Enchanted" which is a sort of 'safe' red. It's a little more on the purple side, and I love it! It does stain a bit, and is VERY moisturizing. 

Tarte's Lipsurgence Lip Tints are made without:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

so I can feel pretty good about the money I spent. And I've been wearing this every day since I bought it. It's a little crayon shaped stick that twists up at the bottom for more product. You can layer it on for more color too. And now I want more colors!

The last thing I bought was a glass nail file with a holder for myself. It is the travel-size found next to the registers. They're supposed to be more sanitary and I've been trying to buy things that are better for my body.

My (small) Sephora.com Haul

I've been bored at work. I'm working more hours, but lots of sitting around. So, less time after work to go shopping, but more down time to do some online shopping (probably not a good idea.) I've started to get really into Benefit's products ever since I went to the BenefitXBirchbox event and got to try a lot of their products in the boutique.

While browsing around sephora.com, I found a great deal. The Primping With The Stars box. It's full of sample-size Benefit products for $32. Benefit sells some of their sample sizes on their website, but they are usually about $8 a piece. So, the 6 products in this box equal about $48. I love their sets and this one had the most stuff I wanted to try. Benefit also seems to have really good sample sizes (except Fakeup, which I got in a Birchbox and it had barely a fourth of an inch of product to use. Yes, a little went a long way, but it was awkward trying to put it on. I always felt like I was going to scratch my eye with the plastic holding the product at the bottom.)

The box includes a mirror and tips for using each product.

Products include:
Stay Don't Stray Eye Primer

"This dual-action power primer works 360 degrees around the eyes to make concealers AND eyeshadows STAY PUT. Concealers don't crease, eyeshadows stay vibrant & true. Contains sodium hyaluronate known to hydrate and Vitamins C & E known to help fight signs of aging."

I got this in my special Benefit Birchbox and I really like it. I've never used an eye primer before, and I like that this has a tint. As far as keeping my concealer and/or eyeshadow in place... I think it works. It hasn't been helping with the creasing under my eyes though, which is what I was really hoping.

Some Kind-A-Gorgeous Foundation in Medium

"Our oil-free, cream-to-powder formula is silky, even perfection for your complexion! This foundation faker will even out your skintone with lightweight, sheer coverage, making it look chart-topping gorgeous!"

I tried this quickly to cover up a couple spots that had uncovered during the day and I really like the cream to powder formula. The color it came with was Medium, which scared me because I am definitely not a medium. But according to Benefit, I guess I am. It actually matched almost perfectly. It will be great after all the tanning I'm planning on doing this summer!

Benetint Rose-Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain

"Our original rose-tinted stain is kiss-proof, see-through color for lips & cheeks that lasts for hours. Naturally sheer & sexy on all complexions...it’s innocent yet provocative."

Scary product, amazing results! What? A liquid blush? I was excited and curious to try this product. It's one of the reasons I chose this kit over others. Benetint is one of Benefit's most popular items. I used it for the first time a couple days ago. I was planning on using it that day but forgot and put my powder on. I figured I'd try it and it really isn't for on top of powders :p Of course, it just took away all the powder in that area, but it left a great, natural looking tint. So I did it the right way the next day and it looks great. I'm definitely using this when I was just a little color (at the beach or something.) Warning: it does stain the finger you use to blend it. I tried blending with a brush and the brush soaked up some of the color... which could be a good thing. I also tried it on my lips, but very quickly and not using a lot of product and it just stained the inside of my lip to look like I'd been drinking cherry Kool-aid. Not the look I was going for. I will try again when I exfoliate and actually want to use the product fully.

The Porefessional Pro Balm

"Quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup. Translucent, oil-free formula complements all skintones and helps makeup stay put. Contains a Vitamin E derivative, known to protect skin from free radicals."

Also very excited to try this product since I've been seeing it everywhere. It has a nice soft feel and you don't need much product to spread around your face. It seemed to work really well with my Hello Flawless powder foundation. I was still shiny halfway through the day, but I've pretty much come to accept that. My powder didn't seem cakey or that it melted away though.

Girl Meets Pearl Liquid Pearl for Face

"This soft, golden-pink liquid pearl luminizer features light-reflecting pigments to give your complexion an exquisite, dewy glow. It includes raspberry & chamomile, known for their soothing properties…and sweet almond seed extract  known to help improve skin firmness & smoothness. Pat it on over blush to highlight cheekbones with a pop of pearly pleasure!"

I haven't used this yet, because I don't need much help in the 'shine' department. But I'll figure out a time to try it. I love how these tubes have foil covers to prevent leaking.

They're Real! Beyond Mascara in Black

"They're real! lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!"

I got this as a sample for my birthday last year from Sephora (see below). While I did think it gave my lashes amazing length (though, for the record, my lashes are already really long), the formula almost felt clumpy after only a couple days of using it. We'll see if that happens with this sample.




I also found a sample size of Dr. Feelgood Velvety Complexion Balm. It was $9, but I figured that was ok seeing as how the full size is $31 and most reviews (the good ones anyway) have said that you don't need to use a lot.

Description from website:
"Mattify shine with our invisible, weightless balm that leaves skin feeling silky-soft. Fabulous for mid-day touch-ups... this makeup artist fave can be worn alone, under or on top of makeup. Contains Vitamins A, C & E to help smooth away the appearance of fine lines."

Wait. A balm to eliminate shine? That sounds a bit contradictory... but I'll try it. The people who like it LOVE it, and the people who hate it seem to either not have very oily skin, or don't understand how to use it. Smells lemony but kind of medicinal. The sponge is nice. I've read to PAT ON the product, don't rub if you're putting it on top of your makeup to soak up oil.

This stuff is magic! I have no idea how it works but it really does eliminate shine! I also put it on under my makeup as a primer one day so I swiped it a little bit. It doesn't seem to erase pores but it does make your skin smooth and it really does seem to help with the shine. I used my Hello Flawless on top (using only the brush that day) and my face really does seem less oily than usual. I really do like it as a primer. My face felt a little greasy, but it didn't LOOK too shiny, which is mostly the point. And if I want, I can just use the sponge and pat on my oily spots and bam! no more shine. For me, the sponge is essential for patting on top of makeup and soaking up the oil. The sponge it comes with can be cleaned easily, but I've also cut up some cheap sponges I bought at Target as replacements. I carry this with me everywhere.

Seriously, if you have super oily skin, give this a try. A lot of people complained that it was drying, but that's kind of the point. They must not have had as much oil as I do because it's perfect. If you're not sure, do like I did and buy the 'travel-size' from sephora.com. It's still $9 but it comes with a lot of product, and much cheaper than the full-size for $31.



I also got my free birthday present from Sephora for being a "Beauty Insider". It's free to sign up on the website and every year during your birthday month you can stop in and get whatever sample they are giving out that year, or add it to your online order. Last year I got Benefit's "They're Real" mascara and "Watt's Up" highlighter. I still use the highlighter. This year it was Make Up For Ever's Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in N9 and Smokey Extravagant Mascara.

The lipstick is a very natural MLBB (my lips but better) color. For me, it's a little darker than my normal lip color but that's what I love about it. It's not very shiny, which is different for me. I feel like it stains a little bit too - a plus for me. It's very smooth and pretty moisturizing overall.

The mascara is ok. Nothing magical. The formula is smooth and didn't seem to flake or anything. The brush scares me a little bit. Personally, I think the fat end of the brush is too fat. It's uncomfortable. It's not particularly volumizing or anything, but it's a great travel size.

You ALSO get 3 free samples every time you order from sephora.com. They have about 9 or 12 samples to choose from, usually a lot of fragrances, to add to your order. I chose:

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector SPF 25+

Sephora Collection Super Supreme Body Butter

I have not used any of the samples yet but I will add reviews once I do.