What's In My Makeup Bag?

My lil makeup bag is a small but pretty bag I kept from when I was subscribed to ipsy. The material is somewhat canvas like and quite sturdy, and I haven't yet invested in a slightly larger makeup bag (though I plan to soon!). This is the bag I carry in my purse at all times, and tend to switch a lot of it out often, especially depending on what makeup I'm wearing for the day. At any given time, though, there are at least three lipsticks in there.

So, let's take a little peek in there shall we?

The magic within:

-Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation in Fair Beige

-3 Concept Eyes Waterful Concealer in 001

-Anastasia Brow Whiz Pencil in Dark Brown (not pictured, it got stuck in the bag and I didn't notice)

-Nars Blush in Orgasm

-Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

-Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Naked Dolly

-Elf Lip Exfoliator

-Maybelline Vivid Lipstick in Brazen Berry

-Dirty Makeup Sponge

-Mini Too Faced Shadow Insurance

-Benefit's They're Real Push-up Liner

-Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate

-Real Techniques Detailer Brush (used for lips)

There you have it! I often change out the lipsticks and such, the lip exfoliator is a staple (that works pretty damn well and is only about $3) as is the brow pencil. But this is what is currently in there, I pulled this out of my bag and took some pictures for you guys. :)

Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer | Review

Today I'll be reviewing a product I've owned for some time, but didn't use until late last year and fell in love with it.

I received this little guy in an ipsy bag when I was still subscribed to them. Because many of the products in ipsy bags didn't suit me or just weren't to my taste, I often put most of them aside and didn't use them. I let this primer sit for several months before pulling it out one day to try.

This primer claims to "even skintone" and add a "youthful glow" with its hydrating formula. That was what sold me on using it, as I have quite dry skin and any product that claims to be hydrating for my skin is worth a try. 

It is quite hydrating, especially if you're applying this after you've gone through your skincare routine. It can add that lovely dewy glow that some people seek without being too overpowering, which is what endeared it to me. I love that dewy look, but often have a hard time achieving it as my dry skin sucks the moisture out of everything. A little goes a long way, and as far as the primer aspect of it, I'd say it does a fairly good job of keeping my makeup in place. It may not be the best primer, but it does its job.

It comes out almost the exact color of the packaging. I'm not sure if it's made to conform to your skin color, so I'm not sure how this would work on darker skin tones. I'm very pale and it blends into my skin quite nicely, but I can't be sure if it would be the same for everyone, unfortunately. ): And, I'm also not sure how this would work on oily skin, so I have no information about that either. It also smells somewhat like sunscreen. 

I'll most likely be buying this primer again, just because I like it that much. I also want to try other primers, of course, but I have found one that actually works for my dry skin and I intend to keep it in my stash.

Batiste Dry Shampoo | Review

Everyone and their mother has heard of Batiste dry shampoos. It comes in many different types, some not as well-received as others, but generally there are pretty good things to be heard about Batiste.

I have never tried dry shampoos before this, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I use it when I feel my hair needs an extra boost, or seems limp and dull, and most often on my "second day hair". At first, it was difficult for me to remember that this wasn't hairspray. But I kept using it, and have finally decided to give a small review on it.

I don't feel like this one, the cherry one, in particular does anything special for me. I may try the 'normal' type at some point, as well as other brands. The smell of this is slightly off-putting to me. It doesn't smell bad, just odd, even though I generally love cherry scents. It makes my hair feel somewhat dusty, even after running my fingers through it, combing slightly, etc. I'm not sure that I'm very fond of it.

My hair is very thin and fine as it is, and I have to wonder if dry shampoo may benefit those with thicker hair more. If I ever find some amazing sort of dry shampoo that knocks my socks off, I'll be sure to bring it up here, but for now my foray into that world has been less than rewarding.

I will say, though, I love the packaging! It's very vintage looking. I quite like it.

Thanks for reading!

Ology Gently Soothing Facial Towelettes | Review

I bought these make-up wipes on a whim a few weeks ago while out in Manhattan. I have a cream make-up remover already, but wanted to try some old fashioned wipes to see how they would work for me. These were ~$5 at a Duane Reade, and of course I decided to buy these instead of the $10 wipes right next to them. I've tried a few different brands of make-up wipes in the past, and none of them have really impressed me. But, that doesn't stop me from trying new ones!

The packaging is very simple and pleasing. The wipes themselves seem to retain moisture very well, and remain wet while I wipe off my face (which is very nice, nothing worse than it getting dry half-way through). It does pull a little at my skin, but it's not harsh or bad enough that I dislike them.

I'm actually quite fond of these! For $5 they're very good. They remove almost all of my make-up, and what it doesn't get (usually leftover mascara that runs to my under-eye area), I just remove with my cream remover. They don't dry out my face too badly, but I also make sure to tone and moisturize right after. I'm left with that lovely satisfied feeling that you get when you see all your make-up wiped off onto the little towel. For being rather inexpensive, these guys do a pretty great job.

I'd still like to try other make-up removing wipes to see if I can find my holy grail wipes, but I feel as if I'll definitely repurchase these in the future. For a cheaper alternative to some wipes that likely does just as good of a job, these wipes are a really great option.