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Glossier Invisible Shield Review

There are certain things I have no business doing. Sharing fitness tips, teaching cooking classes and giving style tips, to name a few. I also have no business prancing around sans SPF, but you know what, I sorta have been. When Glossier unveiled their new Invisible Shield, promising it wouldn’t feel or smell like sunscreen, it was on. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m ready to give you my review.

THE BASICS
Glossier Invisible Shield is packaged in a 1 oz. airless pump and retails for $34. It has an SPF protection of 35 and uses Avobenzone, Homosalate, and Octisalate to shield from UVA and UVB rays. It contains vitamin E, vitamin P (yep, didn’t know that was a thing), broccoli-no clue, fermented yeast, vegetal extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein (sorry celiacs) and aloe.

THE RUNDOWN
First and foremost, I purchased this with my own money. I really like Invisible Shield. It wears great under makeup, doesn’t feel heavy or sticky and smells pleasant. I see a lot of reviews complaining about it being a chemical sunscreen vs. a physical one, and to that I say, some is better than none. I honestly wasn’t wearing it before (I know, I know!) and now I am. Unlike others I’ve used in the past, this is cruelty-free and paraben-free and that is pretty damn good to me.

PRICE
Others are pissed about the price and I can empathize with this one. Here are some cruelty-free comparisons for reference.

Here is a close-up blob pic for ya. The texture is lightweight and would be best described as a water-gel. The texture is probably my favorite thing about it. I really don’t even notice I’m wearing it and there is no slip n’ slide effect under makeup.

Do I recommend it?
Yes. Overall, I’m really happy with Glossier Invisible Shield. If you haven’t ordered from Glossier before, click here to save 20% on your first order here. That will help if price is a bit of an issue and you still want to try it. As always, thanks for reading and I hope to see you again soon!

Memorial Day Beauty Sales

Hope you’re enjoying your Memorial Day weekend! I did wedding makeup today, per the usual and now my husband and I are hanging out binge watching our new favorite show, Last Man on Earth. If you’re couching it too, check out these Memorial Day beauty sales while you’re at it.
Oh and this is my cat Miles. Not really a valid reason to use his photo in this post other than the fact that it’s awesome and I love it. See more of him and his brother Pixel here.
HEY!! GET UP ON THESE SALES!

Before we get into this, you have to use Ebates. Ok, well I guess you don’t have to, but why wouldn’t you want to?

Real Techniques
20% off with code ORIGINAL
I’ve always loved their brushes. Refresh your memory with this post.

Tarte
15% off
Need some help with what to buy? This post should do it.

Too Faced
25% off
Their Better Than Sex mascara really is bomb. It’s in my all time faves for a reason.

Sigma Beauty
40% + 2 free gifts with $30+ purchase
Here are some of my faves.

Dermstore
20% off sitewide with code MDSALE20
This would be an excellent time to store some LIFTLAB goods. Their Day Cream makes my makeup look so good. See full review here.

Urban Outfitters
There are a lot of beauty items on sale. Stock up on them sheet masks! This one looks really cool.

BH Cosmetics
30% off brushes, 35% off eye products, 25% off Studio Pro
I recently got this brush belt for my freelance kit and it’s been awesome. Crazy good deal.

InStyler
20% off everything with code WEEKEND
Remember this guy? And this one too?

Thanks for reading! I hope you score some mega deals. Even if you don’t do any online shipping, I hope you enjoy a day off from work maybe, barbecues, brews, what have you.




Best Pixi Products

Pixi Beauty is a line started by makeup artist Petra Strand about 10 years ago. You can find it at Target stores and online as well as Pixi’s site and ASOS. I enjoy the brand’s cruelty-free, quality products that are widely available and effective. I’ve got a few favorites from the line that I’ll be sharing with you. There are still tons I haven’t tried yet but don’t you worry; I’ll get to ’em. pixi-beauty-favesGlow Mist See review here. This hydrating mist is great for moisturizing dry skin and adding a little glow. It’s also nice for taking the edge off an overly-powdered look.

Hydrating Milky Mist See review here. I love this because it’s like applying a moisturizer without ever touching your face. Because it’s a mist, it’s great for sensitive skin.

Mattelustre Lipstick I have this in the color Classic Red and it’s so vibrant and pretty. I like to wear it sheer too by applying Glossier Balm Dot Com and then the lipstick.

Beauty Sleep Cream This is a really nice night cream that smells lovely and hydrates well. I love that it’s in an airless tube as that’s way more hygienic than a jar.

MaryamMaquillage Strobe & Sculpt Brush See review here. This brush is excellent for contouring, super soft and easy to use.

It’s Judy Time Its Eye Time Palette See my review here. This is a truly standout palette for me. Judy killed it by creating a universally-flattering, wearable palette.

Large Lash Mascara I don’t like all of Pixi’s mascaras but this one is nice. I like the big, fluffy brush.

Eyebrow Enhancer See review here. This is a nice, non-crunchy brow gel that gets your brows in place and keeps them there.

Endless Brow Gel Pen This glides on smoothly and fills in brows quick.

Endless Silky Eye Pen I love the formula of this liner. It’s silky, just like the name says. The color Oyster Glow is beautiful for brightening the waterline.

Glow Tonic You can’t talk about Pixi without mentioning this product. It has achieved cult status for being a super effective chemical exfoliant available over the counter. It helps to resurface and brighten with 5% glycolic acid.

Hey, guess what? Pixi is having a 20% off sale if you shop their site through May 23rd. Use code pixifriends17. The only bummer is that it excludes the Pixi Pretties Collection so sadly, you could not use it on the ItsJudyTime palette. I hope this post was helpful, friends! Let me know if you have a favorite Pixi product I didn’t mention here!

elf Beautifully Precise Brushes

I’ve got a thing for white, chrome and lucite. The new e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Brushes won me over right away based on looks alone. 3 of these brushes are awesome and 2 aren’t as amazing. Read on to find out which is which! From left to right: e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Sculpting Brush, e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Eyeshadow Brush, e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Smudge Brush, e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Eyeliner Brush, e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Eyebrow Duo Brush

The lucite handles have a somewhat triangular shape which feels really comfortable in the hand. I really like using these brushes. The bristles are white, which allow you to see how much pigment you pick up right away and they clean off pretty well surprisingly. e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Sculpting Brush Now this one isn’t my very favorite, simply because I prefer a small, domed brush for contouring. It’s stiff, so you’ll just need to be very careful not to get too much of a stripe. A tapping motion will help.e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Eyeliner Brush I really love this one. So many pointed liner brushes have bristles that are too long, flexing too much, fraying and creating too thick, or too messy of a line. Not this. It’s a great firmness and the point is precise. e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Smudge Brush This is my favorite brush of the bunch. I don’t usually love pencil brushes as they are usually too blunt or large for the lower lash line. This one fits the bill though. It’s great for the lash line, top or bottom really and inner corner too.  e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Eyeshadow Brush Not my fave. It’s small rounded shape makes it too small for a lid brush for me but too large to place inner corner colors. However, it can place outer corner colors and lower lash line shadows in a pinch. e.l.f. Beautifully Precise Eyebrow Duo Brush Everyone needs a dual-ended spoolie brow brush. The angled brush end could be a tad stiffer for my taste, but overall, its a nice brush.  However, because the spoolie end is white, it’s going to look dirty right away. That doesn’t bother me so much but more OCD types might not love that about it.

Overall
I think these are beautiful brushes at a great price point and I do recommend them. Not all of them are fantastic, but many are. They look so pretty that they can hang right alongside pricier brushes in your brush belt. I think e.l.f. just continues to innovate and improve.

Brushes provided for review purposes by e.l.f. Cosmetics. All opinions expressed are my own and no financial compensation was received. Post contains affiliate links.

Tarte Tarteist Pro to Go Palette Review + Tutorial

It’s been really interesting to watch Tarte Cosmetics over the past few years. When I worked at Sephora, Tarte was very much the “natural” choice and they’d just started to incorporate Amazonian Clay and their maracuja oil. I’ve blogged about my favorite Tarte products before here. More recently, we’ve seen Tarte working with more influencers,, launching an athleisure line and creating pro line and pro discount with the makeup artist in mind. I’ve been curious about the Tarte pro shadows so I picked up the Tarte Tarteist Pro to Go Amazonian Clay Palette to dip my toe in. I can’t wait to show you this little powerhouse palette! PACKAGING The Pro to Go Amazonian Clay Palette fits in the palm of your hand and has that black rubber feel that many brands use. Inside you’ll find a smooth, metallic gold finish that wipes off easily if you get messy. It includes a mirror and 6 nice-sized shadow pans.

FORMULA The shadows are the Amazonian Clay formula and are truly high pigment. They do have quite a bit of kick-up when you dip a brush in. This isn’t a problem for me as I just tap my brush off but just be aware, it can get a little messy. Use less than you think. You’ll see what I mean at 4:47 mark of the video tutorial!COLORS The Tarte Tarteist Pro to Go Amazonian Clay Palette contains 3 matte shadows, a shimmer and a metallic. They are all warm tones that flatter cool tone eyes especially well. I chose this palette for the mix of finishes and the colors.SHADE DESCRIPTIONS

  • Drive This is the perfect peachy tan transition shade for the crease
  • Hype I love this champagne gold shimmer for the lid or inner corner
  • Stylin This is a cocoa brown I love on the outer corner
  • Crisp This muted burnt orange is so pretty for warming up the crease and makes blue eyes look amazing
  • Boss This is an amazing coppery brown metallic that is so pretty, you can just use it solo all over the lid.
  • Dominate This is a berry burgundy metallic that is great on green eyes

I put together this look using every shadow in the Tarte Tarteist Pro to Go Amazonian Clay Palette except for Dominate. You could easily substitute Dominate or Hype instead of Boss on the lid.Do you like my lashes? I got the keratin lash lift and tint done again so no lash curler needed. It’s so crazy how good they look. I tend to look best in warm tones with my yellow skin tone and cool tone eyes. I really think this palette would look awesome on every eye color though. Really.

Also wearing

One of my amazing Instagram followers, Lindsay Reynolds, posted that she owns this palette but the colors overwhelm her and she isn’t quite sure how to use them. Wake Up For Makeup to the rescue! I created this tutorial inspired by Lindsay and I hop if you have the Tarte Tarteist Pro to Go Amazonian Clay Palette and are a little afraid of it, that it helps you too! OVERALL
I absolutely recommend this palette. Not only is it a comprehensive offering of quality, universally-flattering shades, but the price point is great too. It’s the perfect size for travel and I’ll continue reaching for it when I don’t want to think too much but need to create gorgeous eye looks.

Keratin Lash Lift and Tint Questions

When I first wrote about the keratin lash lift and tint treatment, you guys seemed very intrigued and had lots of questions. I just got my lashes lifted and tinted again at Lash Love Beauty Bar and used this as an opportunity to gather some more in-depth info, as well as show you how my lashes curled the second time around! Make sure you check out my first post to get up to speed.

Before (no eye makeup, no eye curler used) and After lash lift and tint (no eye makeup, no curler)

It was an easier process the second time around because I knew what Vanessa was going to do. My lashes definitely looked just as awesome as the first time I did it. It’s funny; you think you have pretty good lashes until you do this treatment. Now, I think, why would I ever want my mediocre, unlifted, untinted ones again?

The questions that have come up most are:

How long did it really last?
The first time, it lasted a solid 2 months.

What is in the formula?
An ingredient list is not available as it’s a proprietary formula. However, I can tell you that it’s hypoallergenic, formaldehyde and paraben free. It’s a formula that comes from Paris.

What is the maintenance involved?
Virtually none except for not getting them wet for the first 48 hours afterwards. I was so committed that I wore tanning goggles in the shower one night. Other than that, you are welcome to wear any mascara or use any makeup remover.

What if I am I super fair, blonde or red head?
The tint can be custom mixed to suit your coloring. My tint is a mix of a rich black and a blue black but there are lighter shades for a less dramatic look.

Does it hurt?
The only discomfort I experienced the first and second time was slight stinging of the last step, the tint. Once you blink a bunch of times, it goes away and my eyes were not red, itchy or irritated.

Will my lashes be too long?
There are 3 different curve sizes to form the curl. Super short or straight lashes would use the steepest curl, I got the medium and really long lashes would get a very open curl so as to not push them up to the brows.

Is it safe?
I am not an esthetician or opthomologist but here is what I can tell you based on my own research. As always, make your own informed decision from there. Personally, I had no irritation or reactions. I do sometimes react poorly to things so it was possible. Most lash-enhancing treatments are not yet FDA-approved. This Allure article describes the type of keratin lash lift and tint I had and has some great additional info. All this being said, I have been super happy with the professionalism, results and experience of the keratin lash lift and tint and I have no current complaints.

What if I’m not near Lash Love Beauty Bar?
I know not everyone has access to where I went so here are some things to look for when choosing a lash service provider. Treatments that are not the keratin lash lift may not last as long or give you as great of results. As with any beauty service, make sure you read lots of reviews, ask all the questions you have and look at examples of their work.

Should I do it?
If you have hard-to-curl lashes that grow straight down or moderate-length lashes that are just light in color, I think you’ll love this as a maintenance-free alternative to lash extensions. You can skip mascara if you want and I know a lot of people who would love that.

Who shouldn’t do it?
If you cannot lay still with your eyes closed for up to an hour, this isn’t for you. I used it as an opportunity to relax but if you’re prone to panicking, you might feel helpless. I actually have anxiety myself and I was fine both times. If you’ve had LASIK eye surgery in the last 6 months, you may want to wait a bit. If you have damaged lashes as in missing gaps and breakage, you’ll want to wait until your lash health has improved first.

This short video shows a close-up look at my lashes before, after, 1 week later and with makeup.

Here are the before and after photos that Vanessa took while I was there. One thing I notice beyond the lift and tint is that it really isolates and separates all your lashes, making it seem as though there are twice as many.

I hope this post has given you more info on the keratin lash lift and tint treatment. I personally love it and am forever amazed by how much better my own lashes look.

If you’re local, Lash Love Beauty Bar is doing a Mother’s Day special. If you book by the 15th, you’ll get a free Grande Lash Grande Mascara. I’ll be reviewing that too in the coming weeks! Thanks for reading!

via GIPHY

 



High End Dupes: LimeLight by Alcone

If you’re like me, you like to save money and if you can spend less on something and get the same, perhaps better results, you’re way into it. I’ll be honest; my mom has called me a cheapskate and a tightwad on multiple occasions. I don’t mind though! I do spend my money carefully and I want the most for it.

When I chose to offer LimeLight by Alcone to my clients and readers, much of that decision was motivated by their moderate price point. I know what I’d be comfortable spending on a mascara or a blush and if it were dramatically higher, I couldn’t look someone in the eye and tell them, this blush is $60 but totally worth it! The more I work with the line, the more I realize their super solid affordable alternatives to high end versions. Here are a few of those that truly stack up and my honest opinion on both ends of the spectrum. Now, let’s throw down!Kat Von D Tattoo Liner • $20 vs. LimeLight by Alcone Perfect Eyeliner • $18
LimeLight savings: $2.00
Quantity: 0.19 oz. vs. 0.19 oz.

The winner: LimeLight
I love Kat Von D and her Tattoo Liner and both it and the LimeLight liner make use of a brush tip applicator. When I compare the two though, I do notice that the LimeLight one glides on better for me and seems to last longer. It’s just a little easier for me to work with. The Kat Von D one comes in black and brown and the LimeLight one only comes in black so that could be a consideration.NARS Blush in Orgasm • $30 vs. LimeLight by Alcone Perfect Blush in Possible • $22

LimeLight savings: $8.00
Quantity: 4.8 grams vs. 13 grams

The winner: LimeLight
NARS Blush in Orgasm has long been touted as the universal, looks-good-on everyone blush. When working at Sephora, we sold at least one everyday. However, I never agreed with the claim. On textured or mature skin, it’s far too shimmery. The texture of the blush seems to get hardened over time and I’ve just never been a huge fan. For $8.00 less, you can get a peachy pink shade that is still shimmery but not obnoxiously and best of all, over 2.5 times as much product for the price!
Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara • $23 vs. LimeLight Perfect Mascara • $20

LimeLight savings: $3.00
Quantity: 0.38 oz. vs. 0.28 oz.

The winner: Smashbox.
Wait, wut? You sell LimeLight and you’re telling me to buy the other one? I have always loved Smashbox Full Exposure and didn’t realize it was a fiber mascara until recently. I like the LimeLight one a lot but Smashbox is more dramatic and for me, that’s what I’m after. Plus, you get a little more for the money.MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Pressed Powder • $37  vs. LimeLight Perfect Pressed Powder • $22

LimeLight Savings: $15.00
Quantity: 6.2 grams vs. 13 grams

The winner: LimeLight
Good lort; the cost savings alone is staggering. So you’re telling me I should pay $15.00 more for less than half the product? GIRL BYE. I have had zero flashback issues with the LimeLight powder, it blurs pores really well and doesn’t create a ton of fallout. It doesn’t contain silica as MUFE does but it does contain talc which some may choose to avoid. MUFE tests on animals and LimeLight does not. This one was almost too easy.NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight • $26 vs. LimeLight by Alcone Signature Lip Gloss in Wish • $18

LimeLight savings: $8.00
Quantity: mL vs.

The winner: LimeLight
I’ve never been a fan of the NARS gloss formula. While they make some absolutely gorgeous shades, they feel very sticky to me and also have a funky smell that seems to get worse over time. They are priced high for a lip gloss, in my opinion. The LimeLight glosses smell sweet and pleasant, are not sticky and the new Wish color is a perfect milky pink dupe to NARS cult-favorite Turkish Delight.Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray • $31 vs. LimeLight by Alcone 10 Years Younger Finish Spray • $28

LimeLight savings: $3.00
Quantity: 4 oz. vs. 4 oz.

The winner: Both.
These are essentially the same. They are both made by Scandinavia, the ingredient list is identical and they both work awesome. If you want to save $3.00, of course you could choose LimeLight but if you’re beefing up your Ulta or Sephora reward points, then go with Urban Decay.

SUMMARY
If you were to purchase all LimeLight products vs. the high end ones here, you’d save an impressive $39.00 overall. With that, you could easily buy 1 or 2 more products! Having tried every item in this post, I think you would be very happy with either side of the spectrum and because I’m not a slimy direct sales dirtbag, I want you to buy the one you like best.

Glossier Review, Part 2

Beauty brands come with their own unique vibes. Some evoke luxury while others evoke youth and cheekiness. Brands like Glossier bring all the cool, all the time. Look-I don’t even know if I’m cool enough to be using it. I’m 33, I share my home with 2 bombass, but often rude, cats and a husband that sabotages my Snapchat a lot. Hey, maybe that’s the quintessential Glossier girl-doubt it. I’ve reviewed Glossier goods before and today I’ll be telling you about their new liquid blush, Cloud Paint, their highlighter stick, Haloscope and Generation G in Jam.

Cloud Paint: I’ve always loved cream blushes and this is like the watercolor version. I once painted a watercolor portrait of Walter White from Breaking Bad (the best show ever created) so I’m into it. It’s not too pigmented that you get out of control, it’s lightweight and non-sticky and it drys to a perfectly, realistic flush. I have Beam which is a true peach. Imma pull up on the other shades too, don’t you worry.

I tapped Cloud Paint onto a client’s lips and I loved the effect so don’t be afraid to apply to pouts and even eye lids. I am looking forward to acquiring more colors and mixing for custom shades. I totally recommend.

Haloscope: I love the concept of a dewy highlighter in a stick. The core of the product is made of coconut and castor oil while the outer rim is made of real crystals, in this case, rose quartz. If you have texture on your skin, i.e. crows feet, wrinkles, blemishes or facial hair (me), this may not sit so flawlessly on the skin. I found that because of my excessive face fuzz, it didn’t look nearly as beautiful as it does on the baby faced models. As you will see below, on a younger face, it looks heavenly. Color-wise, I find Quartz to be geared to the pale folk, giving a pinky/white glow. I think Moonstone would be too light for most. I recommend this, but only for those with high and tight, young people skin. See below!

Shown on model: Haloscope in Quartz, Cloud Paint in Beam on cheeks and lips

Generation G • Jam: This was a Glossier product that people seemed to really go nuts for when it launched. The photos on their site show a perfectly muted, matte balm with a stain-like effect. It looks like you put on a traditional lipstick and blotted it several times. While I like the color Jam, it takes some layering to achieve the look you see in photos and the formula isn’t particularly luxurious feeling. I find this applies better when less pressure is used as it feels a bit dry and drags on the lips.

I chose the shade Jam because the lighter shades such as Like and Cake look like nothing. I’m not 100% sold on this product and find I don’t reach for it much. It’s growing on me but I don’t recommend it just yet.
I hope this mini round-up of Glossier goodies and honest thoughts was helpful. If you’re feeling it, Click here to save 20% off your first Glossier purchase.