Review | Yes To Coconut Hydrate & Restore Mask

Sadly I don't have a picture of my own to use for this, as I threw the packets away ):

I bought these on a whim while at Target one day because I was looking for some new sheet masks to try. My skin has been feeling some kind of damaged after the lengthy dry, windy winter here and I've been desperately hunting for some pick-me-ups for my skin. I've tried a few things in the Yes To line that I've liked, though of course not everything has been perfect.

I should've read the reviews before buying this, honestly. I bought two, one for me and one for my best friend to try. He immediately took his off because it started burning. I only felt an extremely mild sensation that I wasn't sure how to deal with, so I left it on for five minutes. I read some reviews after this experience, and he wasn't the only one. A great many of the people who have tried this have experienced some mild to intense burning and even swelling/redness.

It didn't burn me, but my face was sticky after I took it off, and the smell is actually a bit nauseating. It's a very fake coconut scent that's a bit too sweet, almost like sunscreen. It didn't do anything noticeable for my skin, and honestly the construction of the mask is kind of wonky too. It didn't stick to my face, especially my chin area. I practically had to hold it on myself. I've never had this problem with sheet masks before.

I definitely would not buy this again, and would not recommend it to anyone. I'm kind of hesitant to try any of their other sheet masks, too. I'll just read the reviews first next time!

L'Oreal Lumi Cushion Foundation | Review

So as we all know by now, L'Oreal has come out with a new addition to their Lumi line - a cushion compact foundation. These types of foundations have been pretty popular in places like China and Korea already, but they've slowly started seeping into the western market. I've been dying to try a cushion foundation for ages, and had actually been eyeballing the one from Innisfree before this one came out - ready for me to just go to the store and buy!

The price is actually pretty steep (~$17), but much of the Lumi line has been more on the expensive side for drugstore items as far as I've seen. I was a little leery about buying it for $17, but I reasoned I could always take it back if I didn't like it right away.

So, a few things about this that I've personally experienced: there does seem to be a good amount of product in there, and you don't need much to apply. It's pretty light/sheer coverage, and slightly buildable, so this would not be great for anyone with extreme redness, discoloration/scars, acne, etc. because it won't cover much for you. It does, however, do a great job of evening out your skin tone if it only needs a little help. It's extremely hydrating and dewy, great for dry skin, but I'd definitely not recommend this for oily skin - this is probably one of the "dewiest" foundations I've ever tried, but I personally love that. My skin is dry as the desert and I love anything that can make give me a little glow.

The color selection is also not amazing, but not terrible. The shade I got is actually slightly too dark for me, but it's the lightest shade they had. I just blend it down my neck and make it work, and I actually kind of like having a slightly darker shade for a change. They have shades for deeper skin tones as well.

I've tested it a few times wearing it all day, usually with about two coats on. I apply it by dabbing a damp beauty sponge in the cushion and blending it, which seems to work the best for me. It doesn't emphasize my dry areas, and actually stays on pretty well (even better with a sheer powder that suits dry skin). It's very pretty and glowy, and gives a healthy sheen to my skin. I really like it for "light" make-up days, which I tend to do a lot nowadays. My current foundations can feel too heavy for me sometimes, so this is honestly perfect for someone like me. 

Again, not so great a foundation for those that want heavy/medium coverage, and possibly not so well for oily skin (maybe with some powdering it would work pretty great!), but I've personally been pretty pleased with it so far!

Big thumbs up for you, Lumi!

Red & Purple | Review

Today I was sifting through my makeup for an idea on what makeup products I wanted to talk about, review, etc., and I pulled out these two eyeshadow singles for no apparent reason. I thought about it for a second, and realized that to me, personally, both of these eyeshadows are very eye-catching. The packaging, the color, the little golden sheen in both - they're truly very beautiful, and I love them for that reason alone.

But, I decided to go a little deeper and review both of them. Eye-catching and beautiful doesn't always mean good. They can be chalky, not pigmented, so glittery that you get none of the color and all of the glitter. So, what about these two? Are they worth it? Let's check it out!

First up is a NAR's single in the color 'Strada.' This is one of the first eyeshadows I ever bought, and honestly I got it because it was gorgeous. It also swatched very prettily, as you can see - it's a dusky purple with gold glitter, and I was so taken with those gold glitters. I believe this cost about $20, maybe more, but after playing around with it at home I realized that I should have picked another shade (or been smart and checked the reviews!). While it swatches so prettily, it's SO difficult to work with on the eyes. If you pat it on the lid very thickly as the primary color, it will go on pretty well but it faded for me very fast, even with a primer, and mostly the glitter was left. If you blend it too much, it becomes rather muddy looking and it's practically unfixable. It's a very difficult shadow to work with, though I find it works best used sparingly, so it's not a total loss. I like to use it on the lower lid sometimes for a pop of subtle color. It's not terrible, but it's not great. Definitely better purples out there.

Now this one I actually ordered online. It's from Style Nanda's makeup brand, 3 Concept Eyes. This is the color 'Saturn.' I was intrigued by that vibrant red online, and when I got it in the package, I was so pleased with how it swatched. As you can see, it swatches a beautiful fiery golden-red color. It seems to have a gold duochrome in it, which is just beautiful. I was also very happy to find out it was pretty lovely to work with. Patting it all over my lid produces that gorgeous red color, which fades slightly throughout the day but still looks lovely. It's also a great lower lid accent if you want something more subtle. Overall, I was so happy with this eyeshadow, especially because reds can sometimes be a little disappointing. It costs 11,000 won, which is about $9.50.

I've really been getting into wearing more colorful eyeshadows lately, so hopefully I'll be able to review more for you guys soon!

Tarte Lights, Camera Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara | Review

(I'm afraid I'm still not very good at taking pictures! I need a good background..)

Okay, so, this was a mascara that everyone in the beauty community was in love with like, last year. And I know everyone has moved on to the Better Than Sex mascara, which I personally don't like a whole lot. But I finally used up ALL of this mascara (yes! all of it! that never happens) and I can safely say it is definitely one of my favorite mascaras out there, drugstore or high end.

I've been trying a few new ones out since using this up, and so far the next best thing for me is the Urban Decay Perversion mascara, which looks nice but is very hard to remove. What I liked about Tarte's little tube was that it made my lashes look nice, it didn't flake off ever, it didn't clump, it didn't smudge, and it was relatively easy to remove at the end of the day. It was everything good in a mascara that I liked, and I was honestly just never not tired of it. 

I'd say my only not-so-favorite thing about it was the packaging. It's a little awkward, but the purple and gold looks really nice. But, hey, I can get over packaging if the formula is amazing. And it is. 

I will say this is the 4-in-1 kind, I know they had a few different "types" of this mascara so I don't know what the others are like. This one, however, is getting a repurchase once I use up my sample mascaras. Big thumbs up, Tarte!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick | Review

Yet another small review for you guys! I'd heard a few good things about Stila's liquid lipsticks, and as a huge fan of liquid lipsticks anyway, I was very excited to receive a little version of the product in my Birchbox. I received the color Beso, which is a gorgeous red.

It's very highly pigmented, and one swipe produces all the color you need. Unfortunately, this lipstick is not my friend. I wanted it to be, very badly. It had other ideas. Perhaps I got a dud, or maybe the smaller sizes aren't as good as the full-size versions. I'm not quite sure, but let me tell you my problem with this product. While the pigmentation and color is absolutely gorgeous, this lipstick does not "stay all day." Not even an hour, actually. After about 45 minutes of wearing this, I checked in a mirror to see how it was faring and the answer was: not well. There was a bare, very visible ring on the center of my lips where the lipstick had apparently rubbed off. It was also balling up, for lack of a better word, on my lips. It was not a very pretty sight. I re-applied to see if that would help, but the same thing happened. It just would not stay on my lips. It was also hell to get off of my lips, and left a lovely stain. Additionally, the scent is a little off-putting for me. I'm sure they mean it to smell like vanilla cupcakes, and it does, sort of. It's more like a vanilla cupcake chemical bath, and it's borderline sickly sweet. I could get over that, except the smell sticks around for about 30 minutes after application. 

I was very sad that this product didn't work for me, and I don't think I'll pay $22 for a full-size one to try. I'd rather try other liquid lipsticks, to be honest. Sorry, Stila, this one is a big miss for me. 

To close, let's have my blog earn its namesake:

One big, not-so-fluffy cat!

Review | Nyx HD Finishing Powder

I was in need of a decent setting product, as my last setting spray finally ran out. I decided to try my hand at a powder, which I usually don't bother with as my skin is very dry and flaky and powder tends to emphasize that. But, as I learned, some powders tend to work fairly okay with dry skin types, and now it was up to me to experiment and see which ones could.

I decided to get the NYX HD finishing powder as my first try. It was relatively inexpensive so if it failed, I wouldn't be out of a good chunk of my wallet. I also decided to go for the mint green color, as I do have a fair bit of redness as well. Couldn't hurt, right? I'd tried their translucent setting powder once before, when it came in the tub and you had to sprinkle it out. I hated that powder, as it showed off my dryness, and was the powder that made me swear off powders. But, now it was in a friendly compact, re-formulated, and I got it on a whim.

I must say I'm not disappointed! I don't use much, and mainly keep it concentrated under my eyes so my concealer doesn't crease. It does emphasize my dry skin a tiny bit, but not to such a noticeable or horrendous degree as powders can. It's quite bearable, and my concealer doesn't crease. The powder is very fine and thin, so it doesn't cake on and it's easy to control the amount you apply. I can't say I've noticed any difference in my redness, but I didn't really buy it for that. It may not be perfect, but it's decent, and that's good enough for me! I'd say this is a hit, and a cheaper option than more high-end setting powders that could potentially not work for me. After some research, I'm sure I can more confidently choose a high-end powder that could suit me. But this was a good first try, and restored my faith in setting powders a bit. As it is, I still want to invest in a good setting spray!

OFRA Universal Eyebrow Pencil | Review

I received this pencil ages ago in either an ipsy bag or a Glossybox, but basically I've had it for a quite a bit.

I've used it fairly often, on and off, and it's about half the size it was when I originally got it. However, I'm not sure if I'll use the whole pencil up.

For one, this pencil goes down fast. I can sharpen it, and after one eyebrow it's practically a nub again. I also don't quite like the color - it claims to be universal, therefore good for everyone, but something about the color doesn't look right on me. Maybe it's too much of a red-brown? I'm not sure, but it doesn't quite suit me.

And lately, though it wasn't that bad before, I've noticed that the formula has gotten extremely waxy. Being a bit waxy can actually be a good thing, as it can help keep the brow hairs in place without the added help of a brow gel. But this goes above and beyond waxy, and makes my eyebrows look almost flat and wet. I'm not sure why that happened, and I'll try it again a few times just to make sure, but I wasn't horribly impressed by this pencil last time I used it.

I recently ran out of my previous brow pencil (and I plan on making an empties post, which it will be in) and turned to this one, but was sorely disappointed and had to turn to a brown eyeshadow to do my eyebrows. Not the best, but it'll do. I just bought a Nyx brow product, so I'll be using that now and seeing how it goes.

Thanks for reading. :)

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara | Review

I have a sample size of Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara which I got in a set over Christmas. I've been slowly trying out each mascara in it, and this was the latest one I've been trying.

I've heard a lot of good things about this mascara. All sorts of beauty bloggers and Youtubers have been raving about it, so I was very excited to see it was included in the set. I'd been wanting to try it anyway, but at the time I had recently bought Tarte's Light, Camera, Lashes mascara so I didn't want to buy another pricey full-size mascara. So when I got to try a little tube of it, I was very excited!

But, I don't like this mascara. I'll just come out and say it.

I do like that it's quite lengthening and gives some lovely volume after two coats. That part is great. What I don't like is that it flakes off like crazy, to the point I have little black mascara flecks all over my cheeks all day. It also runs off my bottom lashes, so I have little black smudges under my eyes to match the flecks. It flakes off, it bleeds, and yet somehow it's hard to take off. I have to clean my eyelashes so thoroughly I'm scared they'll fall out from how rough I have to treat them. And yet it seems no matter how much I clean them, a little mascara somehow manages to stay - I still wake up with black smudges under my eyes the next morning. Not an attractive look, I tell you.

I wanted to like this mascara so badly. It's gorgeous, simple and sleek packaging called to me, the name is cheeky, and I love Too Faced. But, every brand has to have their misses. I think this is one is a miss for Too Faced. If I could return this, I would, and I never return things. That's how disappointed I was with this.

I've stopped using it regularly now, and have switched to another mascara in the set. So far I am loving it much more, and I will have a review up of it as soon as I'm sure of my opinion on it. Thank you for reading! :)

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!