January Favorites

As January comes to a close, I was looking around to see what I’d like to share with you this month. Surprisingly it’s all makeup products! Usually I have a bit of a mix for you, but I guess this month is an oddball. Read on to see which products I’ve been loving!

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First up is my personal alternative to foundation: the Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer. (Quite the mouthful!) I’ve definitely been reaching more and more for organic formulas lately, I just feel they’re so much better for you! This product provides lightweight coverage and evens out my skintone without me wearing a full face of makeup. Get it here!

Eyebrows are the most important part of the face to me, and I never leave the house without mine done. I always used pencil, but I discovered this sculpting brow mascara and haven’t looked back. It really holds my eyebrows in place all day, and the color it adds is great! The one complaint I have is that it can be a bit difficult to remove without makeup remover. Find it here.

Also, the Tarte Gifted Mascara!! I raved about this in my review the other day. Let’s just say that I’m in love! Pick it up here.

Last but not least, this face lotion that I received in my January Ipsy bag. It’s another organic product that I’m really liking lately! It’s incredibly moisturizing, with both argan and olive oils. You can find it here if you like! It’s been so awesome that I want to check out more from the brand, and I will probably repurchase when this sample runs out.

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This month’s favorites were short but sweet! Have you tried any of these products? What have you been enjoying this month? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

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All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy What’s In My Makeup Bag? or Obstacle Workout App Review

Clarisea Sea Salt Scrub Review

Today I have a product to share with you all that I received in my September Ipsy bag. I was super excited to test this Clarisea Rapid Detox Charcoal Exfoliant with you! Keep reading to see what I thought.

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I was super excited to get this sample in September! The Clarisea website says it “vacuums up impurities from deep within pores with naturally detoxifying ingredients…Add it to your favorite face cleanser or just blend with water to create an instant pore clearing scrub.” It’s all natural, vegan, gluten free, and even comes in recyclable packaging! I’m always a fan of helping the environment. It also features Himalayan salt, bamboo charcoal, and almond flour. Sounds great, right?

Unfortunately, I have no idea if this face exfoliant actually lives up to its big claims, because it is so darn hard to actually use! It comes as a sort of powder, sort of scrub consistency, and the directions say you should mix a little of it with your favorite face wash. Easy enough, right? Wrong! The powdery mixture gets everywhere, is impossible to mix evenly, and once you get it on your face, it exfoliates for about 0.2 seconds before the salt dissolves and disappears! I had really high hopes for this product, so I was pretty disappointed. I tried it in multiple washes and by itself, and I got similar results.

To be fair, I may just be doing this completely wrong. Has anyone else tried this product, or something similar? Any tips to make it work better? I’d really like to make this work for me, since it sounds so great, but I just can’t make it happen! If you’d like to test this out yourself, you can pick it up here.

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On the plus side, just a few more days and I’ll be home for Christmas 🙂 Ever tried anything like this? What do you think? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

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All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Insta Roundup #1 or Prairie Chic

Ofra Eyeliner Review

 Today I want to talk to you about a less widely known brand: Ofra! I discovered them when I was sent an eyeliner in an Ipsy bag a few months ago, and their products are something I think anyone with an interest in makeup should definitely check out, purely based on this one amazing eyeliner.

I received this in Turquoise, which at first I found odd since I have medium brown eyes. However, as I soon realized and I’m sure most of you already know, applying blue eyeliner around brown eyes really makes them pop from contrasting with the whites! I’ve been wearing it so much it’s all worn down, and I forgot to sharpen it before this photo-oops!

This eyeliner is made with a synthetic beeswax, so it goes on extremely smoothly, a plus with eyeliners. I hate when they pull at the sensitive eyelid skin. It’s also waterproof, and really long lasting! I find it rare that waterproof eyeliners actually work how they’re supposed to, so this one was a nice surprise!

As you can see, this eyeliner looks very blue on the skin and in the packaging, but online the photos advertising it look extremely green, so beware before buying this in any other colors! A wide range is available online as well. Get this eyeliner here, for $13.00 USD.

I’ve also recently gotten a lipliner from Ofra, and while I haven’t gotten a chance to test it out throughly yet, it seems great too! What do you think? Have you ever tried anything from Ofra? What are your favorite not-so-well-known makeup companies? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Love Kiki

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All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy What’s In My October Ipsy Bag? or Ramblings And Retro Vibes

OZ Naturals Face Mask Review

Am I the only one who gets very skeptical of products that claim amazing things? Sometimes you’ll read the back of a product, and it claims to freshen, revitalize, renew, do your homework, and take the trash out too! I’m never sure what to believe in today’s advertising industry, so when I got this face mask that claimed to be “a botanical skin tsunami”, I was rather skeptical to say the least!

I received this Amino Herbal Hydration Mask in my August Ipsy bag, and I was so excited to test it out as soon as I saw it! It’s a 100% vegan, cruelty free, and 72% organic product made right here in the USA, so I was already pumped before I even read the ingredients list! According to the seller, this product hydrates, plumps, and nourishes skin cells. It claims to be gentle enough for daily use and that it will “leave skin hydrated, radiant, and more youthful looking.” Let’s see if it lived up to its advertising!

I’ve been using this product for four days now, and I have to say, so far it actually has made an incredible difference in my skin! I apply it to my skin directly after gently exfoliating in the shower, leave it on for about 20 minutes, rinse, and then follow with my normal moisturizing routine. My skin looks smoother and is plumper and more deeply moisturized. I think the hyaluronic acid in this product is the main culprit behind the great resurfacing to my skin, but this mask also contains vitamin B5 and vitamin E, two great things for your skin. Since I have quite dry skin, this was a great product for me. I’m not sure what results it would have on oily or combination skin however. Since it is meant to add moisture to dry skin, I don’t think I would recommend it for those skin types-it might cause more trouble than good!

Overall, I am very pleased with this product. This is one case of advertising that actually accurately described what the product does, although calling it “a botanical skin tsunami” might be going a little far haha. It has quickly become a major part to my skin routine! I would recommend it to anyone looking to add moisture or plumpness to their skin. You can find the full-sized version of it here for USD $21.99.

What skin products are you loving lately? Do you hate false advertising too? Any favorite face masks for summer? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

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All opinions are my own; this is not a sponsored post.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy What’s In My August Ipsy Bag or Clarifying Cucumber Face Mask Review

What’s In My May Ipsy Bag

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I’m excited to share with you the contents of my May Ipsy Glam Bag! If you’re not familiar with Ipsy, it’s a monthly subscription service that for just $10 sends you a cute little makeup bag full of all kinds of beauty and hair product samples! This is my first month receiving one, and I can’t wait to show you what’s inside!! 🙂

When you subscribe to Ipsy, you fill out a short survey telling their team what kinds of brands you’d prefer, what category of products you want to test out, what your hair and skin tones are, and other things that help them make the bag customizable to you! They send the samples in an adorable little bag too!

First up is this Texture and Volume Spray from Oscar Blandi. I was excited because this product actually came in a full-size can! It promises to give you that “instant undone texture”, and has a great citrusy scent. I can’t wait to test this out for those perfect tousled beach waves this summer! Get it here.

This Cailyn Extreme Matte Tint in Pure Lust is an amazing product. You paint the tint on, and once it dries, it stays for hours! The color is great too, although I feel like it would be even better in a bold red shade. I almost want to pick up another one, but if I were to buy it individually, it would be $19-pretty steep if you ask me! Find it here.

This next sample is a new one to me! I’ve been thinking about it but have never purchased a toner before. I really like how Ipsy sends you all types of beauty products! This is the Dermatologica Clear Start All Over Toner. I’m excited to test it out! It’s supposed to give you a more even skin tone and reduce any redness or breakouts you may be having. Pick one up here!

This is the Thirsty Cleanse GlamGlow Mud to Foam daily cleanser. You use it as a face scrub, and it lifts dirt and oils right off your skin! I have dry skin, so I’m not too sure about this. It may end up being too harsh on my skin, but I can’t wait to test it out and see! Trying out and playing around with new products is always so much fun 🙂 You can grab the full sized version of this  here!

Lastly but not least- my favorite of my Ipsy samples- the Nude Dude eyeshadow single! This mini shadow has the cutest vintage-styled packaging, is creamy and well-pigmented, and has just the right amount of sparkle! I received the shade Flirty, and it’s a slightly mauve nude shade with just a hint of gold to it. I can’t wait to wear it!! You can find the whole palette here.

Swatch of Pure Lust Matte Lip Tint and Nude Dude Shadow in Flirty

I’m so glad I signed up for Ipsy! For only $10, you’re getting samples of some amazing (and expensive!) products, and the lip tint and volume spray and in their full size form! You really can’t go wrong in my opinion-it’s a beauty addict’s dream, high-end makeup at a fraction of the price! And that pouch is too cute 🙂

What do you think? Do you subscribe to Ipsy or another monthly makeup service? Got any products you can’t wait to test out? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

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More makeup reviews: St Ives Apricot Scrub Review and May Drugstore Makeup Haul

All opinions are my own; this post is not sponsored by Ipsy or any of its affiliates.

St Ives Apricot Scrub Review

This is just the first in a new series I’ll be doing reviewing products that are cult favorites. I saw this travel size version of the St. Ives Apricot Face Scrub and knew I had to test it out! Buying travel size versions of products is a great way to test out things you’re unsure about purchasing-that way if you don’t like it, you’re paying only a fraction of the real price. I grabbed this travel size at CVS. You can get the travel size here and the full size here!

This is a cult favorite for a reason! I had my doubts at first, due to hearing some mixed reviews of it, but it’s amazing. After one application, my skin both looks and feels softer and smoother. It removed dry skin, evened out my skin tone, and (warning: icky) even got rid of some tiny blackheads. The formula is abrasive so this is definitely not something you should use every day. The tube recommends three to four times a week, but that sounds really excessive to me; any exfoliator is going to be a little hard on your skin, and frequent usage is generally not recommended. Since I have fairly sensitive skin, I’ll probably only be using it once every couple weeks. If you’re still not quite convinced about this product, consider grabbing the smaller size next time you’re in the drugstore! At only $1.49, it really can’t be beat.

What do you think? Have you tried this product before? What’s your opinion on exfoliation? Let me know what you think! Thanks for stopping by!

Love Kiki

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April Favorites

Another month has almost gone by, and I’d like to share with you a few of the lovely things I’ve been enjoying! Read on for my favorite products, accessories, and other fun things from this month! You can check out last month’s favorites here.

Favorite Hair Product:

I just started using this OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner in the beginning of April, and I’ve already been seeing amazing results in my hair! I chose this shampoo based on the great reviews I’d heard about it, and it paid off. I have hair that can get very dry, and these two products do wonders for it! They make my hair smooth, shiny, bouncy, and hydrated without leaving it feeling greasy or heavy. They’re amazing for someone with dry hair like me!Favorite Accessory:

I’ve been loving this Olivia+Joy clutch that I received as a birthday gift! It’s amazingly versatile for both day and night. I love the soft leather of it and the gold hardware, it’s very well made with tons of pockets inside for checkbooks, coupons, and more! It even comes with a detachable pouch inside that can be used as a wallet for credit cards and IDs if you like! Similar here.Favorite DIY:

My friend made me this lovely mug featuring my home state of Vermont! She has a matching one with the state of New York, where I live now, on it. If you put them next to each other, the dotted lines match up 🙂 I think it’s such a cute idea for a DIY for friends or family living in different states! I’ll make sure to put up a DIY on how to do this yourself soon! It’s quite easy. Favorite Face Product:

A couple weeks ago, my trusty ELF blusher finally ran out, and I was forced to look for an alternative. So I picked up this Wet N Wild blush in Pearlescent Pink. It’s really a bit too shimmery for my taste, but it does the job for now! It adds a lovely swipe of color to my cheekbones in the morning. I use it sparingly though, because it is rather pigmented and has a bit of shimmer. It’s a great blush for the price of only $2.19 though! Favorite Lip Product:

A friend sent me these adorable kitty lip glosses the other day, and they’re so cute I just had to include them! The cats’ heads unscrew, revealing a pot of lip gloss. The vanilla scent is lovely, and they add a sheer, slightly tinted shine to your lips. They’re a perfect everyday gloss, and so cute! 🙂
What do you think? What are some things you’ve been loving this month? Any fun DIYs? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Love Kiki

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All opinions are my own; this post is not sponsored by any of the above products.