I hit 5,000 subscribers on YouTube towards the beginning of February and as a way to say thank you to the people who constantly support me, I decided to host a fun giveaway!
If you are interested in entering, there are several ways to do so! Make sure to check out the video below to find out how. :D
I know you guys understand my love of cushion foundations so when I realized that MAC Cosmetics recently came out with their own, I had to get my little paws on it.
The color I ended up choosing was 5.0. For reference, I wear NW25 in MAC so I thought it would be a good match. Though, 5.0 is most likely a little bit too dark for me. I don't know why I didn't pick a lighter shade. I must have not been thinking. LOL.
I havent yet tried this foundation. I will be reviewing on a YouTube video soon! Be on the look out. I will also post up a full review here on the blog once I get it done.
This gentle exfoliating cleanser is made from ground almonds, rice wine vinegar, rice bran, nettle, and rosemary. Seriously, its changed my skin. Its one of the main products I use every single day in my skincare routine. The rice bran helps mop up any additional oiliness on the skin and the chlorophyllin is rich in vitamins and minerals which helps balance out skins oil production.
Made by Jeffrey
The only place I have been able to purchase this lately is online - primarily because I don't live anywhere near an actual store. When ordering online the price is roughly $14 for the smallest size (3.5 oz) and $34 for the larger (8.4 oz). I, myself, purchase the smaller size because I am not always able to drop $34 on a face wash at one time. The cool thing about Lush products is that they are all freshly made. For instance, my tub of Herbalism was made by Jeffrey on February 4th, 2016 and because it is a fresh made item, it expires on May 4th, 2016. That gives me about 3 months to use the face wash and trust me, because I use it every day, I always finish before the expiration date. LOL.
Herbalism in its natural state
In order to correctly and effectively use this product, you must take a little piece of the cleanser and place it in your palm. After creating a little paste by mixing in some lukewarm water, you apply it directly to your face. I like to use circular motions starting in the center of the face and then move outward. As this is a gentle exfoliator, you shouldn't feel any hard granules against your skin.
Ready to cleanse the face
Once you have sufficiently exfoliated the skin, you simply need to splash some water on your face and then pat dry with a clean towel. After drying, go ahead and finish the rest of your skincare routine and you'll be all done.
Overall, this is one of the best facial cleansers I've ever used and if you have oily skin or are prone to break outs, this may be a cleanser you need to try!
Oh and I forgot to mention! If you have 5 clean black Lush tubs with this symbol on it, you can return them to the store to receive a FREE fresh face mask!
Today, I am going to review one of the newer products from Physicians Formula, the All-in-One ABC Cushion Foundation.
Cushion foundations are on the rise in the "western" part of the world and its very exciting to see brands taking a chance on a new product. Of course, being a fan of Korean cushion BB creams and foundations, this is something that seems a little behind in terms of new technology. Besides L'Oreal and Lancome pushing out new cushion foundations recently, Physicians Formula decided it was time to provide the world with another formula of cushion foundation.
While shopping in Rite Aid recently, I stumbled upon this gem of a product hidden in a tiny little section for Physicians Formula products. I don't normally purchase from the brand and when I realized that this was a cushion foundation, I knew I had to put it to the test. The shade I picked up is Light/Medium. For reference, I wear NW25 in MAC Cosmetics products.
Let me first and foremost state that the packaging is adorable! Product packaging is one thing that catches my eye and this one is no exception (one of the reasons I love Korean products). The cushion features a metallic blue casing with a light blue quilted pattern on top (there also metallic blue pearl-like spheres inset). The brand name is printed in white along the side of the case which is more like an afterthought.
This cushion foundation claims to "instantly correct visible imperfections, blur fine lines and pores with a perfected air brush finish".
There was no distinct smell to the foundation and the puff seemed light and fluffy as one would usually expect. Upon first application using the provided puff, I noticed that the shade I purchased was a little bit too light for my skin tone. Of course, that is my own fault - I could have chosen Medium but wasn't sure if it would be too dark. I do have a few blemishes and acne scars on my face so I was unimpressed with the coverage in that aspect. Another thing that was a bit bothersome was how the foundation would kind of stick to any dry patches on my face. No one wants to look patchy!
After applying a second layer, I did come to realize the coverage was buildable but it may not provide high coverage for those that may need it. It also felt very heavy on my face - very much a kind of cakey feeling. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the formula as I was the cute blue packaging. I wish that this foundation would have been less patchy and had an overall lighter feel on the skin.
Have you ever wanted to sleep in your makeup? Me neither! Gross. ;)
Sleeping in your makeup can be hazardous to your skin - whether you have a perfectly poreless complexion or otherwise. Overnight, makeup sits on your face and kind of dissolves into the pores which can cause unsightly breakouts or rashing. In order to prevent anything from happening to your skin at night (when its most vulnerable), you should always remove your makeup NO MATTER WHAT!
I introduce to you, Etude House's Real Art No-Wash Cleansing Water.
What a mouthful. LOL.
This is more or less, for a lack of better words, a micellar water. You have no idea what Micellar Water is? I shall attempt to explain this as best as I can.
Micellar Water is made up of micelles (tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules) suspended in soft water. Still having a tough time understanding? I'll break it down a bit further. Think of this as a liquid that attracts makeup particles. In all actuality, the cleansing water attracts oil and dirt and thats why it works so well for makeup.
I have a new found love of this product because it really does work! I use a couple of drops (about 8-10) of this cleansing water on a clean cotton round (which I unknowingly paid $9.99 for a 50 count), and apply directly to my makeup covered face. When it comes to removing makeup on the eyes, its best to press the cotton round onto closed eyes for about 5 to 10 seconds, then wipe away towards the temples.
This No-Wash Cleansing Water is surprisingly hydrating in its own strange way. Green Tea and Herb Flower Water are two of the main ingredients in there which provide a refreshing and soothing feel to the skin. After I've removed all of my makeup, my face looks and feels extremely clean but not dry. With me having dry skin already, feeling dry after cleansing is a big no-no. What is even better about this product is that you don't even need to wash your face afterward (unless you really want to) as it cleans the skin like a regular cleanser would.
Overall, this cleansing water is the bees knees and I'm so happy to have tried it out. It will be the remover I use every single day for probably the rest of my life (as I know it).
Skincare is very important! One part of our body we may sometimes forget to hydrate and protect are our lips. I was recently in Koreatown (Los Angeles) and stumbled upon the Korean cosmetics store called Nature Republic. While perusing what seemed like an endless sea of products, I noticed a tiny little tube on the corner of an endcap and had to see what it was. Turns out it was a lip essence. I had never heard of a lip essence before so I just had to buy it.
Simple, yet effective packaging.
The lip essence does apply quite thick upon first application, so if you do not like thick lip glosses, you may not exactly enjoy wearing this. I applied this product at the end of the day, after my normal skincare routine so the stickiness did not bother me. I was very happily surprised to notice that when I woke up the next morning, my lips were still covered in essence! Once it wore off (after brushing my teeth and getting ready in the morning), my lips felt very supple and smooth. There was no dry or flaky skin on my lips to be found.
Ingredient list.
Overall, this product is really great and I thoroughly enjoy using it every day/night. Usually, I have very dry lips so having this essence is perfect for those days when I want supple and smooth lips.
Unfortunately, besides purchasing it directly in the store, I have not been able to find it online so I don't have any links for you guys. :(
