Find me blogging about the same boring stuff in the same boring way on a slightly less crappy platform (starting with the most recent Fortune Cookie Soap Box)
Tumblr won't let me login with my normal password on a desktop anymore, which means I can't blog normally. That means that this already poorly formatted blog will lose whatever semblance of format it has! So I'm going to take this opportunity to move over to a new, better blogging forum. Let's face it, I picked this interface for convenience. I'll probably still post here occasionally, and I'll definitely post the new address over here when I make the switch, but that's coming. It's going to be a pain. I know the joy of tumblr is that if you use it, following is super easy as opposed to hundreds of extraneous blogs. I might update this blog with links whenever I make a nice post? I might back-post a few of my more encyclopaedic swatch posts over there? I haven't figured out the logistics yet. IN SHORT: tumblr is awful, I'm shifting platforms, watch this space for updates
I went to a Year Six Formal themed party last night dressed as everything I wanted to be in year six (when in reality I hated myself and wore slogan tshirts with Bermuda shorts and had triangle hair) Makeup was the most fun bit though - I used Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy with The Body Shop's icy blue shade from the Swinging Silver palette from last Christmas, and then I chunked my mascara up as much as possible (no kidding, I was smudging it on my lids and trying to get spider legs going). The lips are a Lip Smackers Cotton Candy sparkle lip gloss over the top of Kat Von D's Sexer lipstick. But also like...butterfly clips! Scrunchies! Body glitter! Tattoo chokers!
Two post-hospital "I'm exhausted and in pain but I promise I'm better" aesthetics Grunge Queer Just Bought a Beanie (The eyes are Mac Lilacked crayon with shades from the Zoeva Cocoa Blend palette, with the Essence Lash Princess mascara. Lips are Revlon's Colorburst matte balm in Fierce) Fairy Queen Work Looks in Bad Lighting (all makeup is The Body Shop - eyes are the three pink shades in the new British Rose palette and blush is the soft shimmer blush shade in the palette which appears to be the same as 03 Flushed; I used the Skinny Felt Tip liner and the Super Volume black mascara, and the shimmer waves in 02 as the cheekbone highlight and honey bronzer in 03 as a soft contour. Lips are golden syrup lip liner)
Unboxing/Reviewing my first Lust Have It box (April 2016)
I signed up for Lust Have It because, as we all know, mail. When I bought in, I had a fever and I was in a hospital bed, and I wasn’t actually expecting to get the April bag. I totally spoiled it for myself by watching a bunch of unbaggings, so I come into this a little bit dampened on the enthusiasm front. That said, this is not a bad bag. Let’s dig in!
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Appelles Blackseed Shampoo (35mL) and Tamanu Conditioner (35mL) (Full sizes are 500mL and are $47) - My mother loves Appelles, so these might go to her. They smell gorgeous - herbal and fresh - but my hair is currently, as you may have noticed, bright blue, so I’m using a pretty specific range of products.
Personail Nail Polish Wraps (RRP $18) - I received a design called “Charmingly Cute”, which is actually a really classy white and cream design. I’ve never used nail wraps, but I’m not insulted by this inclusion like I was by Bellabox’s jamberry inclusion, so I’ll give them a try at some point. They did also include a $10 voucher, but I’ll most likely never buy these ever.
Manna Kadar Fantasy 3-in-1 Blush Highlighter Eyeshadow (RRP $25) - This is a very pretty colour (and 100% not a blush). I own 300 of this colour, but it’s pretty and I’ll use it. The formula is lovely and smooth. I’ve put all of the colour swatches below.
Marsk Certified Organic Brow Liner in Marilyn (RRP $28.95) - So this brow liner is FAR too light for me, but thankfully it’s a smooth, creamy formula, rather than a waxy one. I tend to prefer waxiness for my brows, but seeing as it’s too light, I can use it as an eyeliner. I don’t really give a shit that it’s certified organic, because that is such an arbitrary term that is so easy to buy and it doesn’t necessarily indicate anything about quality or “natural”-ness, but I get what they’re going for and a lot of people will appreciate it.
Marsk Certified Organic Eyeliner in Morning Coffee (RRP $28.95) - A little jealous of the girls who got a light colour, because I have three million dark brown liners, but at least it’s not black, and at least it’s a gorgeous creamy formula. It’ll definitely get used.
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Top to bottom: Morning Coffee, Marilyn, Fantasy
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I’m pretty happy with this bag, but there are definitely notes. It’s definitely less polished than Bellabox - the cards and the mailers feel less quality, things feel a little cheaper, and it doesn’t mean anything, but it’s just a little thing to keep in mind where you’re paying the same price for it. The brands are also a consideration. Bellabox tends to take brands you’ve heard of, even if they’re crap, and will try to grab different brands. Lust Have It will select some brand that they love, lesser known brands, and get you familiar with their stuff. From what I can tell.
We’ll see how patterns form and how things go as time goes on! I’m excited.
You’ve had a few extra days to ready yourself, but I promise you it’s a light month. I’ve only got two pictures for you - I’m doing full size things, and sample sized things. Let’s see what I finished off in the time I didn’t spend lying in a hospital bed, trying not to move.
As per usual, I’ll disclaim that I do work for The Body Shop - just in retail - so I do get products discounted, but I still pay for them, use other products, and have ones that I loathe and ones that I love, just like any other brand. I’m not a salesperson on this blog worried about figures, so I’m not pushing any agenda, I just so happen to have a lot more access to the products. As always, any questions, hit me up.
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Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes - I use these up every month and say very boring things about them not irritating my skin and being gentle while effective. Don’t rely on wipes, but when you use them, try these. Repurchase? Obviously
Target Essentials Cosmetic Pads - These are cheap and they are the softest cotton rounds on the market, but they do tend to come apart quite easily. It’s a trade up I’ll take, though - I’d prefer the texture of these with the flimsiness over the texture of the swisspers standard. Repurchase? Um, it’s $2 for 100 of them. I bought some today.
Lush Miranda Soap - This is the old version of Miranda which I picked up on sale. I like the smell of Miranda - it’s nice and fruity, heavy on the kiwi, and it’s got a nice creaminess. The new one seems far more glycerine-y, so I’d be curious as to if it’s retained that softness on the skin and doesn’t make you feel squeaky. Repurchase? Maybe on sale, but I wouldn’t go out of my way.
The Body Shop Aloe Vera Day Cream - Hot damn I lovee the aloe skincare. They keep adding all these fancy new ranges and I just wish they’d slow down and give me like...and aloe face mist or something. This stuff doesn’t do anything special, but it also doesn’t fuck anything up. I use it especially when I’m testing other new products, because I can really get an idea how they are working - the aloe products are my baseline. I like to use something else when I want something to actually do something, but to just maintain and soothe, aloe is my jam. Repurchase? I need to
The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector - This foot cream is lovely and rich, but it’s about on par with every other decent foot cream around. It’s not miraculous. I’m tempted to buy the intense rescue balm, because that’s how gross my heels are, but the evasive quest for the best foot cream will just continue on. Repurchase? Yes, in the meantime. It’s accessible and easy.
Lush Beautiful Shower Gel - I liked this shower gel enough. It had a nice apricot resinous smell, and it didn’t dry my skin out (unlike the shower creams), but it was a weird thick chunky jelly consistency that made it nearly impossible to get out of the bottle. Repurchase? Nah, not my favourite.
Solstice Scents Blackburn’s Parlour Perfume Oil - I am legitimately DEVESTATED that I have finished this. It is hands down my single favourite perfume in the world and I am going to need to either track it down on the indie exchange or pull the trigger and make another international order (for this and the next one, it will cost about $70AUD). This smells like a banana split with chocolate and vanilla ice cream and waffle cone bits, and it’s incredible. I have never received more compliments on my perfume than while wearing this. Repurchase? Living without it is legitimately difficult.
Solstice Scents Snowmint Mallow Perfume Oil - and here we have my second favourite perfume, which smells like peppermints and marshmallow and vanilla with the slightest hint of fresh cracked coconut. This is my “I smell kind of gross” perfume, because it freshens me up but also manages to be sweet without ever being cloying or too much. Repurchase? I think I’ll have to.
The Body Shop Define & Lengthen Mascara in 01 Black - This is a lovely mascara for every day, gives me a nice amount of length (yep) and definition (you guessed it). It’s not going to give you drama, but that’s not what I go for most of the time. Repurchase? After I’ve worked through the rest of the Body Shop mascaras
The Body Shop Skinny Felt Tip Liner - I mean, this liner is no Kat Von D tattoo liner - it doesn’t have the same flexibility, ease of application or precision, but I use it for work everday. It dries out after a month or two, which is the only real downside, and if you like a felt tip over a brush, it’s pretty decent. Repurchase? Yeah
The Body Shop Vitamin E toner - Despite being generally into the Aloe range, I think I prefer the Vitamin E toner. I’m using up a couple of the Aloe toners I have backed up, but this one goes further because of the thicker formula, and it’s the other alcohol free one. It smells nice but doesn’t irritate the skin and just leaves me lovely and soft. Repurchase? Yes
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Sample sizes below
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Fortune Cookie Soap Company Shower Duet Shave Oil - This was a good product for leaving my skin super soft after shaving, but it left me having to clean my razor off every single swipe, and the packaging made it near impossible to actually get any product out. The smell, however, was gorgeous - cedar woodsy fresh and clarifying. Purchase? No
Estee Lauder New Dimension Shape + Fill Expert Serum was fine, you know, whatever. Totally not my thing, didn’t really do anything for me? The full size is also $140 ha ha ha ha. Purchase? Definitely not.
Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm - A classic balm for filling the pores and smoothing the skin, this does a good job of making my makeup sit nicely on certain grosser areas of my face. I don’t quite love it enough to spend $50 on it, because nearly any silicone primer does the same thing, but it’s well known for a reason. Purchase? Nah
NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint (Finland) - I am so upset I had to chuck this unfinished sample (it’s jammed and impossible to open), but I did get a few chances to try this out and I really did enjoy it. It’s quite light in coverage but has a matte finish, so it’s a nice summer skin finish, but it didn’t wear for a super long time as far as I could tell? I need to test it more, I think. Purchase? Further thought required
Givenchy Mister Smooth Primer - This primer was super weird. It was very thick, didn’t do much smoothing or hydrating, and I don’t think my makeup sat any better over the top. I don’t really see the point. Purchase? Definitely not
Arcona The Solution - I was looking for something to help the closed comedones on my forehead and a saleslady suggested this, and the product itself was actually quite nice. I’m tempted to try out the gentle version, because this might have been too intense, and it did give me pretty full on tingles. My forehead is looking pretty nice now, which I think is more to do with my medication getting back to normal, and i don’t think I really need it. It’s also expensive and hell and full of buzzword bullshit. Purchase? Probably not.
Arcona Brightening Gommage - I LOATHE this product. The kind of product that I put on my face and immediately wanted to throw into the pits of hell. It’s SO GRITTY and scratchy and it’s like rubbing crushed bits of glass on your face. I couldn’t even finish the sample. It didn‘t do anything other than make my skin red and itchy. Purchase? Ha
Arcona Magic Dry Ice Moisturiser was fine. It was a nice light moisturiser. There are much better, much cheaper light moisturisers out there. Purchase? No
The Body Shop British Rose Instant Glow Essence - I wanted to love this so much, because it’s such a soft shimmer and it looks so pretty on the skin, and the rose isn’t too cloying and it’s lovely and lightweight. Unfortunately, there’s something in this that I react to. Like, hands swell up, break out in hives react to. The rest of the range is fine - I love the shower gel, the scrub is gorgeous, the smell of it in the EDT is beautiful and fresh, but if you come near me with the glow essence, I just can’t. It makes it hard for me to sell because I can’t show it to other people, but it’s so nice on everyone else. Purchase? God no, not for myself.
Kate Somerville Cyto Cell Eye Cream - Well, on the bright side, I tried a Kate Somerville item that didn’t irritate my skin. On the downside, it’s an eye cream that did basically nothing for me. Purchase? No
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer - This was a great concealer for the undereyes, with amazing coverage, and a little goes a ridiculously long way. It definitely needs setting, though. It will stay tacky as hell until you set it with powder. That said, it never creased or settled weirdly and I really enjoyed it. Purchase? I don’t think so at this stage, but I have another sample of it so I may still fall in love with it yet.
Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation was fine, I guess. It was comfortable, but it wasn’t anything special. Purchase? No.
April has come and gone and I’ve been pretty quiet, I know. I spent the last two weeks in varying states of illness, and the last week in hospital. There was a lot of fever induced online shopping. Yep. This box did actually come on the twenty something-th of April, but of course, I wasn’t able to do much with it because I was bedridden.. I have actually subscribed to Lust Have It, so I will now be on two similar subscriptions to sort of compare, because you guys know my relationship with Bellabox is tumultuous. We’re often lovers, sometime enemies. Let’s see where April had us standing.
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“Relax, refresh, rejuvenate”
I mean, themes are all rubbish, but sure.
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For those keeping track of my Bellabox adventure. My first box was good! I liked it. The second, I faltered a little. Things got a bit rocky. The illusion started to falter. Then came November, which was a good box, and was the one notable for containing a razor. Cool. Razor. December, month of my birth, sucked shit. That’s when they sent tampons. Yeah. Tampons. They stepped it up for January, down for February, and then March was back on a high. So where are we now?
Thankfully, I think I’m into this box. A weird perk of the late unboxing/review is that I have actually used a few of the products, so I can give a bit of an in depth review.
First thing in the box are some Wotnot Organic Facial Wipes ($8.99 for 25 wipes, this is a sample pack of 5). I got the ones for normal/sensitive skin, and I hope that was decided based on my profile on the site, because it’s exactly my skin type. It apparently has “aloe vera, rosehip, and sweet almond oils” so...cool. I mean, even if they suck, they’ll probably clean my mirror? Not exciting, but practical.
Then there’s a Nuxe White Brightening Paper Mask (one here, but it’s 6 for $49.99). I very very rarely use sheet masks, and this is a very fucking expensive sheet mask. I should probably use it?
The little “extra” is the Nourish Naturals Dry Skin Lotion ($21.99 for 750mL), which is very boring again, but practical. I actually used it right away because I was having some kind reaction around my IV site and on my chest when I was in hospital. It’s weirdly light for something designed to be “intensely” hydrating, kind of watery, but it’s unscented and it did a good job. I wouldn't buy it, though. There are other simple lotions I prefer.
I actually already own the Rimmel 24HR Supercurler Mascara ($17.95), but I’m always jazzed at receiving a) full sizes and b) makeup. It’s actually a lovely mascara - a lot more volumising and dramatic than I tend do go for, because I’m usually more about length and definition. I actually took a photo of it on one eye so you can see it, in case you were interested (ha)
Obviously on the left I’m not wearing mascara, and on the right I have the Rimmel one (they sent out three different types and I’m glad I ended up with one I know I enjoy). I’m blessed with pretty naturally lovely lashes, but I’m not about to turn down a mascara because I do buy it anyway.
I was confused by the Nivea Q10 Anti-Wrinkles Plus Replenishing Pearls ($27.99 for 40mL) because...what? The sample sachet size is super cool for multi use because it’s got a tiny neck, but it’s not practical at all (it’s really difficult to squeeze), and I’m super confused as to the purpose. I get that’s supposed to be anti-aging, and maybe it’s just because I’m not really worried about wrinkles just yet, but this just feels like nothing and leaves my skin feeling kind of exactly the same? Who knows, maybe it’s miraculous.
And lastly, the preview item we saw on social media, the Sukin Hydrating Masque ($15.95 for 100mL, this is a deluxe sample size wore about seven or eight dollars). As I mentioned, fresh from hospital, my skin is in rotten shape, so I was completely up for a mask promising hydration. This mask feels like a cream and smells beautiful, but it does semi-set on the skin. Honestly, I did this last night, and my skin does feel so much nicer this morning. I am about to go back in with a more intensive mask, but I actually kind of love this, because I like when a hydration mask is still wash off.
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Pretty decent box! The mascara cost about the same price as the box itself, and it helps that it’s a good mascara - Bellabox has a great mascara track record, because the last one they sent me was the Max Factor Masterpiece Transform which is more subtle but also fabulous. I’m a big fan of the Sukin mask, as well, and together those are enough for me. I’m curious about the Nivea Q10 and I’ll keep trying it, the Nourish lotion was fine, I’m ambivalent towards sheet masks regardless of price, and the face wipes might be great or they might be totally fine.
Tomorrow, on my last rest day before I’m forced to return to reality in spite of my body being exhausted and achy and everything feeling overwhelming, I’ll get my empties up for April.
Beauty/Body/Boring empties and reviews - March 2016
I used up a normal amount of stuff this month and my usual bizarre amount of shower gel. I did also try out the new Drops of Light range for The Body Shop - working there means I get a lot of previews - so I’ve kept those little samples for the bottom because it’s kind of an overall review for that range (unbiased, obviously, you know me).
The usual disclaimers, plenty of boring crap, all of which have been used up over the passage of time. Lots of Body Shop, again, because it’s convenient and I work there but I also really like most of the products? Most - I am a human, and there’s shit that does not work for me, and you will hear that in all its glory. Lots of samples and foil packets and soaps and look, let’s just plunge in. Worse photos than usual because I had to be downstairs catering to my desperately attention hungry dog.
Full size bottles/tubs above the jump, the rest of it below.
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The Body Shop Frosted Plum Body Butter - In terms of TBS Christmas scents, give me back Vanilla Brulee any day. Plum took a while for me to warm up to, and I definitely gravitated towards Glazed Apple this year, but this scent kind of crept up on me. It’s sweet but not too sweet and floral but a bit of a fruity floral, and the scent is okay but the texture of this particular body butter was phenomenal. Almost light and whipped in texture, like a softer version of the Camellia cream (if you’re familiar). As a result of the lighter texture, I did go through it way faster than i would ordinarily use up a body butter. I can’t use it on my legs after I’ve shaved (that’s the case with anything heavily scented - I always have a shea or cocoa butter one on hand for leg shaving days), but this was fantastic for the rest of the time. We sold out of it super fast, so I’m glad I snagged one when they came on sale. Repurchase? If it came out again for Christmas was the same formula, or this formula in a different scent,definitely!
CocoaPink Shampink in Peaches and Cream - This was a nice shampoo, but not incredible. I think I preferred the Squeaky one, but I have severely dyed hair now, so I’m using specific stuff for coloured hair now. I wasn’t a fan of this scent - peaches and cream ended up smelling like plastic. Eh. Repurchase? Nope
CocoaPink Argan Therapy Conditioner in Gingerbread Noel - Love this conditioner formula - nourishing but not too heavy, leaves my hair really soft. Again, using one for coloured hair right now, but I’ll return to this (I have a couple of backup bottles in different scents). Gingerbread Noel is one of my favourite CP scents. Repurchase? Maybe one day
CocoaPink Souffle Sugar Scrub in Buttercream Marshmallow Frosting - I liked the formula of this, but I generally prefer a grittier scrub. I liked that it left my skin really soft, but I did go through it really quickly because it went to nothing on the skin almost instantly. Wasn’t a fan of the scent, either. Repurchase? No
The Body Shop Calming Aloe Cleanser - I use this up every month and it turns out that’s because my sister uses it as well. She loves it as much as I do, so I guess I’ll just keep going through it at an alarming rate. It doesn’t sting your eyes, doesn’t irritate acne, makes your skin soft and doesn’t dry you out. It’s been my faithful for a long time. Repurchase? Already have, always will
The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Mist - Another limited edition, but this one tends to come around fairly often (I think it’s even permanent in some places? or at least seasonal). It’s one of my favourites, and I liked spraying it on my sheets. Repurchase? I would.
The Body Shop Olive Shower Gel - Probably my favourite in the normal Body Shop lineup (along with Green Tea), Olive is a beautiful fresh smell - and I hate olives. No bias, flat out love TBS shower gels - non drying, good lather, non-irritating. My mother also really loved this one. Repurchase? Eventually, but I have so many damn shower gels to use up.
Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shower Gel - This straight up sucked. No problem with the formula, but the smell was just weird. To the extent that I was just heaping it on, trying to use it up. It was weirdly artificial, but not in a nice sweet way - in a soapy, gross way. Repurchase? Oh god no.
Lush The Comforter Shower Cream - A much more satisfyingly sweet blackberry smell, like lollies and jam. Sickly sweet, but in a way that I enjoyed in a little bottle. Don’t think I could handle a big bottle, and it wasn’t to my family’s taste. Also, I found the shower cream formula easy to separate and weirdly drying. Repurchase? Maybe one day? Or for travel?
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More things!
Rexona Shower Fresh Deodorant is fine. It’s a deodorant.
Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub - I used to love this scrub when it came in a bottle, but in the tub it’s just not the same. The smell is gorgeous, no one can argue, but it’s impossible to not get water in and then the sale goes and it just turns into a weird liquid consistency. Repurchase? Probably not
Lush Celebrate Body Lotion (trial size) - Another miss for me. It was weirdly greasy on the skin and something about it made me red and irrirtated. This was only a tiny jar but I could only use it in very small amounts on specific areas. Repurchase? Nope
Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 2C Light/Medium Cool - We had a love/hate relationship. This concealer had great coverage but the colour was weird and it felt sticky and sometimes it lasted hours but sometimes it just vanished. Repurchase? Honestly I don’t know. I’m currently using and enjoying Mac’s ProLongwear, so we’ll see how that goes.
Fortune Cookie Soap In-Organic Whipped Cream - I find the Whipped Cream formula is too thick for me, even in winter, but I like using up these samples! In-Organic was a scent that bored me as a Shower Steamer, but I liked it in this form - it was nice and fresh and zingy. Purchase? No
Fortune Cookie Soap This Thing? Whipped Cream - Aside from not caring for the formula, I was not a fan of this smell. It had way too much citrus/floral and not enough vanilla for my taste. Purchase? No
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner - I know that this is one of the two liquid liners people recommend (this and the Kat Von D Tattoo liner, which I’ll talk about shortly), but I hated this one. I ended up using it mostly for designs (like my Purim look) or filling in looks done with other liners, because I just found it patchy and imprecise and gross. It just...was not what I wanted. Repurchase? No
Essence Super Fine Brush Tip Eyeliner - If you’re looking for a drugstore liner because you want to try out a brush tip like the KVD liner, this has a similar applicator, but the formula is nowhere near as opaque or easy to apply. It made do in a pinch, when I was desperate (I bought it on a day where I’d forgotten my liner) or if I was on a budget, but generally, it’s just ok. Repurchase? Probably not.
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper is my be all and end all when it comes to liquid eyeliner. Everyone’s done all the raving so there’s not much left to say, and I never thought I’d pay for it, but now I’m hooked. It’s incredibly easy to apply and lasts all day but doesn’t involve hell to take off, with the most precise brush tip I’ve ever used and incredible depth and opacity. It also takes months to dry out for me. I’ve only just bought a new one and I’ve been using this for around six months? Repurchase? Yes, and I’m tempted to get the brown too.
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Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes - This and the aloe cleanser will be used up almost every month without fail. They’re just good wipes. They do their job and don’t sting your eyes. I still use a micellar water to get off my mascara, but these do the rest of the stuff I need, as long as I’m not over-reliant. My sister steals a bunch of these as well. Repurchase? Of course
MOR Emporium Classics Triple-Milled Soap in Blood Orange - I flat out loathe this soap. It’s sitting as the current hand soap in my bathroom and I’m waiting til other people use it up. It’s way too strong and it smells like potpurri. Purchase? No, sorry Marie Claire The Parcel.
Lush Baked Alaska Soap - This is currently in the shower and it’s pretty decent. These chunks of soap - the ones that come in gift sets - are pretty easy to burn through. The smell is okay, lightly citrussy, but nothing special. Repurchase? No
Fortune Cookie Soap in Buddy - This fortune cookie soap was from way back in the Winter box, but I finally worked out that these work as hand soaps (since they’re a weird size and too soft for shower soaps). They don’t last very long, but they’re cute, and this one smelt amazing. Like lollies with a little vanilla and mint. And now I have a beautiful dog, and his name is Buddy, so that’s cool. Purchase? I’d probably get it in a bar soap
Monoderma Skin Vitamins - Soothing Hydrating - These NON EDIBLE capsules are more a serum, so this was a cute sample, but two uses isn’t a lot. I get the ideal of the ingredients being all active and stuff, but it’s an awfully inconvenient method of serum. Purchase? No
Fortune Cookie Soap Oh Hair Shampoo Bar - This dry shampoo smelt absolutely gorgeous (peach and grapefruit) but I’m just not a dry shampoo person. They don’t make sense to me. They’re so annoying. I felt like my hair was knottier than normal with this the few times I used it as well. Purchase? No
Fortune Cookie Soap Christmas Gram Steam Me Up Scotty - My last Christmas Gram Steam Me Up Scotty. I actually really like these, and kind of regret not picking up a few more scents in my last order (I might with the voucher from my next box) because they’re a fun way for me to add something to my shower, as someone who doesn’t take baths. This was nice and fresh but also lavendery so it was good for morning and night time showers. Repurchase? Maybe, definitely in another scent
Dermalogica PreCleanse - I had my “face mapped” at a Dermalogica pop up and gave their samples a whirl. Yeah, this is just a cleansing oil. Way too heavily scented for me for something that’s to take off my makeup, couldn’t use around my eyes. Don’t really get what the fuss is about it. Purchase? No
Dermalogica Ultra Claming Cleanser - This was an okay cleanser? I still prefer something even less gel - just straight out cream - but it wasn’t drying and it did the job. Purchase? No
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - At first I quite liked this - it felt gentle on the skin but gave me some scrub. I definitely can’t use it every day, because it was too much for my skin, but using it once every second day was a nice balance. Purchase? Maybe at some point in the far distant future when I’m experimenting with skincare.
Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster - basically a hydrating serum, but it didn’t feel particularly hydrating? I’ll stick to a facial oil. Purchase? No
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The Body Shop samples
The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation in 024 Hawaiian Macadamia - I got this sample when I was trying to work out which shade I was, and this ended up being the one for me, so I used the sample as my on the go touch up. I actually really like this foundation - I prefer more coverage, but this is nice for everyday and with a good concealer. It’s lightweight and wears prettily throughout the day. Purchase? Yep
The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector - I needed a new foot cream and we were out of stock of this guy so I took a sample to tide me over. It’s leagues ahead of the peppermint one for moisture. Purchase? Yes
The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Clarifying Foaming Cleanser is a damn mouthful, but if you like a really clarifying cleanser, you’ll like this. It’s a really deep clean, but it’s got a creaminess to it that stops it from being too harsh. 100% would not recommend for dry skin, unless you like something intense - this makes my skin feel tight as hell - but I am notorious for being awful with any form of foaming cleanser. Purchase? No
The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Translucency Essence - I was super surprised at my enjoyment of this, because generally I don’t see the point in essences. It’s a nice light lotion that is good for when I can’t be fucked toning, or for use in the morning on hot days when moisturiser isn’t happening, or after my shower if I’m not doing my bedtime routine for a while, and I much prefer it to the other essences offerend by the body shop. The texture is a gel at first, but it spreads beautifully on the skin and feels light and lovely. Purchase? Surprisingly, maybe.
The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Healthy Brightening Serum - I have a concentrate and an oil and I’m already using a million steps so sure, a serum as well! Pigmentation is actually quite a concern of mine - mostly acne scarring and redness (which are markedly improved since I started taking good care of my skin), and I liek the way this feels as a serum. It’s very lightweight and fast absorbing, and it does leave me looking alive. Purchase? Probably
The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Healthy Brightening Day Cream - This is thicker than a gel but lighter than a typical cream, so it’s definitely something weird. I like the concept, but it’s too heavy for me to use in the day (I’m a Drops of Youth cream/aloe cream girl) and not enough for night, so it’s not for me. Nice for drier skin, or for concerns specifically around pigmentation. Purchase? No
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Yikes. So, in summary: lots of soap, lots of shower gel, thoughts on the new Body Shop Drops of Light range, a bunch of liquid eyeliners, me not being into a bunch of Lush products and being unhappy about it.
this is how my purim makeup ended up going for the whole "beyond the grave" theme basically just a bunch of kat von d tattoo liner, nyx white eyeshadow base for dinension, Ben bye blood FX creme (under my eyes and blended around), and then the lips are NYX black lips lip liner with kat von d Exorcism over the top
Debuting my new blue hair (I'm so into it) and some test run makeup for a party later this week which is "beyond the grave" themed but I needed something I could throw together quickly that would look spooky but mostly just hot I used mostly an Essence liquid liner and a Body Shop gel liner for the cracks with some of the NYX White eye base for dimension. My actual eyeliner is Kat Von D Trooper (of course) and the lips are Kat Von D Exorcism, with a bunch of Rimmel mascara and my usual Tarte Amazonian clay foundation/Mac Pro longwear concealer combo. It probably looks better than the end result will look because I'll be sweaty from work and then it'll get all gross because I'll be getting gross.
Impulse Cosmetics’ Liquid Matte Lipstick - Swatches and Review
I never thought I would order from Impulse Cosmetics.
When I first started exploring unconventional lip colours, they were an oft suggested option, but something about them always rubbed me wrong. Perhaps it was the ultra-shopped and by all accounts, inaccurate, swatches. Then there was the debacle with the photo theft - from Fyrinnae, of all sites. A lot of stuff went down, and it all made me uncomfortable. But in recent years, the line has been quiet. In the way of scandal, I haven’t heard anything new. They brought out a range of liquid matte lipsticks,with imperfect swatches and a phenomenal colour range, and you might have noticed that liquid matte lipsticks are my kryptonite.
Finding swatches and reviews for these was a nightmare. I saw one review on Youtube, and a great post on the Indie Makeup and More subreddit, and look - I wanted to take one for the team.
Bottom row, l-r, matte liquid lipsticks: Texas Tea, Boggart, Sweet Nothings, Medusa, Lobotomy, Go Ninja, Tough Love, Berried Alive (not available in fs, only in trial size), Forget Me Not, Asphyxiate
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A quick overview, before I dig into the indivudal swatches.
You can find Impulse Cosmetics here. They ship internationally, and I actually got my second order with free shipping (a $50 purchase, but still like - free international shipping).
Pros:
- Shade range: impeccable. They have every colour of the rainbow in all manner of finishes - metallic, flat matte, duochrome. It’s overwhelming, but it’s great for the lipstick enthusiast.
- Size options: The full sizes are a little over $10, but the trial sizes - the little vials - are about $3 (prices in USD) and for someone with such a big collection of colours, I don’t need full sizes because they’ll never get used. This gives me the freedom to try more, test formulas, broaden horizons, etc
- Formula, generally speaking: with a few notable exceptions, the formula on these is pretty damn great. They are light on the lips, dry but not drying. They aren’t transfer-proof, but the colour lasts without needing constant reapplication. In general, they are easy to apply and fast drying.
Cons:
- Packaging: Guys. These need to be individually labelled. I have a lot of them, I need to know which colour is which without having the crosscheck my receipt with the website. One of them - Haphazard - has a label, so why don’t they all? Why do Boggart and Superstition have their names on the bottom, but not Texas Tea?
- Not the longest wearing. Not terrible, but not the best.
- Inconsistency: The great ones are so great, but the duds are atrocious. I’d definitely look into swatches and reviews of your desired colours where possible, or order trial sizes if you aren’t sure. Some are moussey, some are liquid, some are streaky and some are perfect.
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Beneath the jump, I swatched them all on my lips and I’ll chat about them in my traditionally verbose manner.
Duochromes first, then the others. Excuse the atrocious photos, staining, exhaustion, palor, etc - I’m sick, my dog’s sick, everyone’s sick. I have been testing these out for quite some time now, but it just so happened that on the day I got to swatching them, I’ve got a whole host of stuff wrong with me, I wasn’t wearing any make up, and the light was fading fast.. I also swatched these in an awful order that I arbitrarily assigned, so my lips weren’t in great shape.
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Superstition is a dark purple navy with an aqua green shift. The shift becomes more and more prominent as it sits on the lips, This colour usually needs a second coat, but I’ve worn it out and about and it’s a real showstopper. You can see how beaten up my tube is already.
A very Sara colour.
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Charisma is a lilac mauve with a light blue shift to it. The shift is less prominent on this one, and it can border on corpsey, but it’s a really interesting colour.
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Haphazard is a bright orange with a golden shift that totally threw off my camera. It had a thicker formula and, due to the nature of the colour, got a little streaky, but it’s so cool that I don’t really care.
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Centrefold is a bright hot pink with a golden green shift. Not usually a colour I’d go for, but the shift adds a great level of interest that elevates it. I wore this out to a pub and scored loads of compliments.
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Exploit is a pink violet with a silvery blue shift. This was my Mardi Gras lipstick! It held up really well, though I can’t give you a makeout rating because the girl I developed a crush on ended up making out with a guy.
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Ricochet is a deep violet purple with a strong blue shift. This had a drier formula and applied unevenly, but with a little patience it looked so beautiful on that I would just endure it. With a purple liner, or a little blue shadow pressed over it - unf.
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Hypnosis is a medium sky blue with a silvery shift. This one has a mousse formula, and applied opaque in one go. Gorgeous.
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Cryptic is an olivey brown with a green gold shift. It’s like a deepened antiquey gold? Such an interesting colour, with a great formula. I don’t own anything like this.
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Slander is a deep chocolate brown with a blue shift. It’s been likened to LA Splash’s Catrina, but obviously the formula is far more comfortable (thinner, less prone to crumbling) and the colour is a lot more brown than grey. I adore this colour, and it’s probably one of the ones I’ve worn the most.
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Texas Tea is a metallic orangey bronze, and this is an awful photo of what is a gorgeous colour. I forgot to swatch this one so it was the last photo and I just could not get a clean line. I’m glad I plunged for this in the full size, because it’s interesting and wearable and the formula is great.
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Boggart is a deep metallic emerald green and holy shit, are you seeing this? I actually initially got a trial size of Boggart but as soon as I tried it on, I knew it needed to be something I owned in a full size. The name is perfect, too, and I think it looks really cool with my eyes.
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Sweet Nothings is a matte chocolate brown with neutral tones. It reminds me a lot of Jeffree Star’s Dominatrix, except everyone knows how much that formula just is not for me. This applied super evenly and every bit as well as the metallics.
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Medusa is a dark wine red. It applied slightly more unevenly than Sweet Nothings, but fairly standard for a dark red. It’s a little more purple than I generally go for, but it’s still pretty fucking gorgeous.
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Lobotomy is a medium teal. A lot thicker in formula than most of the others, but it’s a good one, and it wears well, and it’s super unique
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Go Ninja is a deep green, but it looks teal in a lot of light. It’s much darker than the swatch on the website, but I much prefer it. It ends up looking a lot like Makeup Monster’s Backlash, which I thought was going to be more like Lobotomy. It’s back to the thinner formula, but again, pretty great. I spoke about it over here.
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Tough Love is a metallic berry red. It’s way more red than the website swatch, but I like it even more. It’s a wearable everyday colour, but it’s something different.
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Berried Alive is a stunning metallic purple berry. This colour doesn’t seem to be available individually, which seems like an oversight, because this colour is the kind that would kill it in the broader consumer marker. It’s not my favourite, because it lacks that extra WHAM, but it’s still pretty lovely.
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Forget Me Not is a deep metallic blue purple. Maybe the blame should fall on my dry, stained lips, but none of the others had their performance altered, so this was a bit of a bummer. You can probably tell from my displeased expression that I was not impressed - no matter how many coats, this would not distribute evenly, or make clean lines. I will try this with a liner, because I’m sure it will be workable then - the colour is gorgeous - but if not, it’s a bit of a fail.
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Asphyxiate is a metallic medium blue. It’s very similar to Fyrinnae’s Graffitti, but the formula on this one is pretty atrocious - I knew it would be, because reviews I’d read all took issues with this one shade. It manages to look gorgeous, but the formula was ultra dry and felt like almost a powder? Like those new L’oreal lip colour powders. I don’t know why the formula is different, with this shade particularly, but I hope Impulse fix it, because this is like my go-to shade from any company.
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Overall, I’m really impressed with these. My expectations were low, but they were surpassed by nearly every shade I tried (bar Forget Me Not and Asphyxiate). There are some really interesting, unique colours, and in general the formula is dry but comfortable and wears well. I’ve just been having fun wearing these - I get excited by them, and all I want to do is wear them on my days off instead of going back through my collection. The newness will wear off and these will fall into normal rotation, but I’m pretty sure I’ll end up buying more of these at some point. I really do like them.
Oh Bellabox, you fickle beast. Do I hate you? Do I love you?
Last month, I got mad. I said some things I shouldn’t have. I know that I have you for the novelty, and the thrill of getting things in the post, but it’s hard not to get disappointed when I’ve seen the highs we can reach together.
And this month, you push those buttons that you know get me going. It’s like you’re winking at me. It’s a metaphorical “you know you want me”. Were my expectations just low after that big flop of a Marie Claire parcel? Should the inclusion of a HelloFresh voucher have me walking out the door? I don’t know, Bellabox. I just don’t know.
This anthropomorphism is getting weird. Let’s look at the box.
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The HelloFresh voucher is not in the photo because it literally went straight into the bin it made me so angry, and it was bringing down the good-box-vibe. Last week they were handing them out right outside the door of my shop and people kept littering them everywhere and I had to pick up so many HelloFresh vouchers that I never want to look at a $35 HelloFresh voucher again in my life, let alone type the word HelloFresh again. Plus, two months in a row? Come on, Bellabox. This is much weirder than sending me pads two months in a row - at least I used those.
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The theme is “Beauty Quick Fix”, but as we all know, disregarding indie subscriptions, monthly box themes are a hoax.
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I did actually like the inclusion of the $5 off Benefit Porefessional purchase at Myer discount card. That’s the perfect voucher, Bellabox! It’s relevant to a product you’ve sent out, a nice amount off of a product a lot of people will buy anyway so it has the illusion of value even if you don’t use it, in line with an upcoming product release (don’t get me started on those gimicky mask packs, but the matte rescue gel looks cool), and applicable at a major retailer. I’ve never been a fan of Benefit’s aesthetic, but I also really like the comic book style art on the card.
I also really appreciate the addition of an estimate of how many uses you’ll get out of the sample sized products to help you assign mental value to them.
Aside from that, products!
Monoderma Skin Vitamins - Soothing Hydrating (2 caps; 28 capsules are $49.95) - At first, I was really angry at the inclusion of edible vitamins. Especially after I glanced at the ingredients list and was like “um, there’s a lot of dimethicone in this”. I’m glad Bellabox put an allcaps DO NOT SWALLOW on the card, and that the blister sheet says “External use”, but I would suggest even more emphatic usage warnings because damn, these look like wacky vitamins. I like the idea of these single use serums, and i understand the benefit of the packaging, but I’d almost definitely never buy it because blah blah vitamins and also what a pain in the ass.
Benefit Porefessional Pro Balm (3mL; 22mL cost $53) - I’m glad they aren’t marketing this as a primer any more, because it does bugger all for makeup wear time, but it is a pretty great pore filler. I wouldn’t say $53 great, but I appreciate the little sample, because I like to use it on my nose and cheeks. I have other pore filling primers I prefer that don’t give me any greasiness with extended use, but I won’t turn my nose up at this. It says 5+ uses, and because I only use this to spot prime, I usually get about 10 from a tube this size.
Neon & Co Treatment Oil (30mL; 125mL is $24.95) - This seemed like an expensive product but it’s not, which is nice. It’s also totally not my thing and will probably go to my sister after I get frustrated with it, because it’s suggested for “before and after blow drying hair” and the last time I heat styled my own hair was about two years ago. My hair also isn’t particularly dry yet, although I am planning on getting it bleached before the semester starts, so it may come in useful then. Who knows? Also, this tiny sample claims to contain 20 uses, which is promising.
Monomola Eyebrow Tattoo (RRP $15) - The outer packaging on this says “7days tattoo” which is outrageous. Monomola, are you drunk? I do love me a good gimicky product, and I’ve yet to try out one of these felt tip brow pens. On swatch, it seems like it might be a tad too light for my brows, but again, getting my hair bleached and dyed, so who knows what will happen then. I’m also curious as to the wear power.
Bioderma Sensibio H20 (20mL; 100mL is $20.99) - In my Marie Claire parcel, I bitched about receiving an endless flow of micellar water and declared oversaturation. Turns out, I was just bitching about the Garnier version. I love Bioderma. I’m one of those snobs who claims that the far cheaper Garnier and Simple versions just “aren’t the same”. Look, if you have normal skin and normal person eyes, you don’t need to pay $21 for 100mL of micellar water - go for the Garnier. But if you have sensitive baby eyes like myself or my mother, this stuff is a godsend. It evaporates makeup, even the waterproof stuff, and you could practically pour it directly into your eye without it stinging (I have made some mistakes in my life). This tiny tiny sample size is actually perfect for travel, considering how long a 100mL bottle lasts me - approximately a year - and is way more convenient than the Garnier version, although the open neck will lead to taking more product than you need. I’m always a slut for Bioderma, and any Bioderma I don’t have to pay for is the best bioderma. You got me, Bellabox. You got me good.
oh right, and then there are
Harvest Box Health Bombs in Berry Bazooka (RRP $2.50) - Look, no games, I have no time for the “guilt-free snacking” this packet suggests. My guilt free snacking is like...potato chips, because I’m working to eliminate guilt from my life. Also, my inflammatory bowel disease tends to hate anything that is actively designed to be healthy and fibrous, so I am not even going to risk these. They are, however, right up my sister’s alley. She loves that stuff. You put vegan or organic or all-natural and cold-pressed on something and she will pay top dollar for it. So this will go straight to her.
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Nice one, Bellabox. You did good. I’m willing to let last month - and both of the HelloFresh vouchers - slide, if you keep pulling your weight in this relationship. Turns out all you need to do is to stick in a tiny a bottle of bioderma and I’m yours forever.
Marie Claire The Parcel Autumn 2016 - Unboxing/Review
Ehhhhhhhhhhhh.
My last parcel was phenomenal, so it was kind of inevitable that this one would be a letdown.
Well, okay. It wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t great, though, but it’s one of the more expensive subscription services, so thankfully it wasn’t a complete write off.
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Meet my new dog! His name is Buddy, he’s a pomeranian-chihuahua rescue dog with anxiety and a lot of issues but he’s also my tiny angel and he wanted to be in this photo.
Oh right, the box. It’s fine and sturdy and the pictures are okay I guess.
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So you open the box and you are SMACKED in the face with overpowering floral intensity. Honestly, a little nauseating. More on that shortly, I guess.
Gilded Cage Unleashed Lipstick in 107 (valued at allegedly $40??? good god) I have never heard of this brand, whose lipstick I received in a weird frosty rose colour. At first, I responded positively to the nice packaging, but once I got past that and tried this on...Look, the packaging is nice, but I will never in my life where this lipstick. The colour goes on sheer and takes way more building than I like, and then it feels slippy and waxy. If you want me to consider spending more money than I would on a Mac or Kat Von D lipstick, I’m expecting quality and a killer first impression. This will get offered to a friend, or my mother.
Estee Lauder New Dimension Shape + Fill Expert Serum (30mL is $140) - Imagine a world where I spend $140 on a serum. That said, I like getting to try these out to really suss out that level of spending. The proposed pro-collagen complex and shaping technology sounds a little bit, you know, iffy, but I’ll test out claims of most kinds. This is one of the okay items in the box.
Crop Natural Pure Macadamia Oil ($18) - I’m cool with the inclusion of this in the box, because we’re going into winter and I dig oils. I like the multipurpose nature - this will probably end up being used either to oil cleanse or as a general moisturiser, depending on how I like it, but I enjoy the lack of scent. I do have a facial oil I currently use and adore (I have already spoken about how much I goddamn love the body shop facial oil and I’m so annoyed that I’m going to have to keep buying it because I’m totally hooked), but it’s nice to have options.
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (125mL, $6.95) - I have officially reached Micellar water oversaturation. I don’t mind the Garnier version, although I much prefer Bioderma (the Garnier one burns my eyes a little), but I already have the full size and the lovely travel size. This has gone straight to my mum.
OPI Nail Polish in Suzi’s Hungary Again ($19.95) - This is a lovely coral pink colour, but I seldom wear nail polish. This will probably get passed on to my mother as well.
MOR Emporium Classics Triple-Milled Soap in Blood Orange ($19.95) - Get this away from me. I love a good scent but MOR products, generally speaking, are just WAY too strong. This has such a ridiculous radius and it’s going to end up as a downstairs communal bathroom handsoap because I can’t handle it alone.
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I like the oil and I’m okay with the serum. The micellar water would be fine if it stopped getting sent to me, and I’d love the nail polish if I wore nail polish. The lipstick and the soap were total duds, for me.
Underwhelming, I’ve got to say.
I have high hopes, Marie Claire. This subscription has a year to allow my opinions to form, so there are still two boxes and a lot can happen in that time.
I felt gross heading back from work so I decided to put on a fun lipstick to pep me up - this is Impulse Cosmetics' Go Ninja I was hesitant to order from Impulse Cosmetics (I'm sure Google will inform you of their past shoddiness, issues with their original lipstick formula, picture stealing) but I make it my mission to try every matte liquid lipstick I can, and they offer sample sizes. I'll write a full review when the rest of my samples arrive - yeah, I ordered more, because the sad fact is? I really love them? The formula isn't super thick or uncomfortable on the lips (a la LA Splash) and doesn't flake away weirdly on the lips after an hours wear (cough cough Jeffree star). It isn't imperceptible on the lips (Fyrinnae practically feels like nothing on me) or the longest wearing (Sephora cream lip stain or Kat von d win that in my book) and it transfers here and there, but the colour and bulk of the product stays on the lips. I'll talk about the colours individually, because there are inconsistencies, but generally...I'm impressed. Excuse the rest of my worn in, heat-stressed face.
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