Tag: cosmetics

Launching: Nox Girl Cosmetics!

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Shades Ophelia & Juliet pictured above.

My love of beauty products is no big secret if you follow my blog and look at the many beauty product reviews I have written, or if you know me personally and see the staggering amount of cosmetics I’ve accumulated over the years. And since I cannot beat my cosmetics addiction, I’ve decided that the next best thing would be to join them. How you may ask? By launching my very own line of cosmetics!

This idea came to me a few years ago but I had trouble executing it right away for various reasons (funding, finding the right lab, etc.). Recently, I found a lab in Canada that will make my products in the way that I envisioned them to be, high quality, cruelty-free, and vegan.

Why vegan?

Well, the main difference between vegan and traditional makeup is the use of animal by-products which are never used in vegan cosmetics. A common side effect and bonus to vegan products is that they are often gentler and safer all around, not only leaving out animal products but also toxic chemicals, parabens, gluten-containing products, and heavy metals.

I know there’s a ton of beauty brands out on the market and there’s a new one coming out of the woodworks every day, so you may wonder, what makes Nox Girl Cosmetics stand out? First of all, all my items will be LIMITED EDITION, meaning that every few months I will be selling a certain number of cosmetics that will encompass a theme. And since my other great love right next to cosmetics is books, each limited edition products will be inspired by literary characters.

For my launch, I decided to go with a classic, Shakespearean heroines. The ones I selected were some of my faves, and creating liquid lipsticks inspired by them was so much fun!

So without further ado, allow me to present you the amazing shades:

 

Tamora (taken from Titus Queen of the Goths) $20

Tamora is a berry-purple matte shade. The character is strong and bold and you can let your inner queen shine through with this imperious shade.

 

Ophelia (taken from Hamlet) $20

Critics believe that Ophelia is weak because she goes mad and drowns herself in a brook, but the truth is, she’s not afraid to stand up against the patriarchy, letting her brother know that he shouldn’t chide her to be chaste when he isn’t and how she hates the double standard that exists.

This shade is a pale peach with mandarin hues. Ophelia is sweet, but she’s no pushover, and if in the end, she cracks, it’s the patriarchal society and crazy boyfriend that are to blame, not her. That’s why this colour is both light but bold. Your lips will be sure to stand out in the crowd.

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Swatches of Ophelia & Juliet 

 

Juliet (taken from Romeo & Juliet) $20

Juliet is a rose pink shade. The character of Juliet is a hopeless romantic (who isn’t at the age of 14?) and I wanted this shade to reflect the excitement and intensity of first love.

 

Titania (taken from Midsummer Night’s Dream) $23

She’s Queen of the faeries, and what better way to celebrate this beautiful creature than to create a shade of nude-glittery lipgloss? It’s the perfect lightweight non-sticky lip gloss formula that will have you unleashing some serious faery vibes.

 

Lady Macbeth (taken from Macbeth) $20

It’s due to Lady Macbeth’s brutal ambition to become Queen, that leads Macbeth to murder the current king while he’s visiting his home. And although she’s viewed as a villain, no one can negate how badass and progressive she is for her time. What better way to celebrate her boldness than to imagine her wearing this blood-red shade? Choose this crimson lipstick if you want to channel a true leader (albeit a ruthless one).

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Swatches of Tamora & Titania

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Midsummer Night’s Dream Eyeshadow Palette $30

Creating a palette is difficult, especially when you’re trying to create a cohesive look. When creating these shades I tried to envision what someone like Titania would wear, and that made me decide to go with various shades of green. Because nothing shouts woodland faery like these ethereal shades.

You can shop these shades for a limited time at the Nox Girl Cosmetics Shop! These shades will be available till the end of September. In October I’ll be launching new shades (I’ll give you a hint, they’re going to be inspired by famous vampires).

*There’s international shipping for all your orders!

I’m also looking for some influencers (within the U.S & Canada for now) to receive some samples for reviews. If you’re interested please contact me with your platform info (blog or Instagram account).

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Shades Tamora & Titania pictured above 

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Review: Medusa’s Makeup Liquid Eyeshadow

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Hello darklings! I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last beauty review! But fret not, I’ll be sharing more beauty related stuff this month as I’ve got a lot of new products to share! My current obsession is liquid eyeshadows….how do you feel about them? A do? A don’t? Let me know in the comments below!

What It Is: Liquid Eyeshadow

Distinguishing Factors: Cruelty-free & Vegan

Review: Lately, I’ve been utterly obsessed with liquid eyeshadows. So I was appropriately excited when Medusa’s Makeup April Beauty Box came equipped with their newest cosmetics venture, their liquid eyeshadows. I was also happy to have received the silver hue (GINGER), (as they have a blue hue, but no matter what shade of blue I’ve used in the past, it has always gone horribly wrong for me). First things first: The formula is long-lasting and crease-free. I don’t know whether it’s because the shadow is actually made that way or probably because I always use eyeshadow primer (currently I’ve been using Milani’s Eyeshadow Primer, as it’s identical to Urban Decay’s Primer Potion but half the price), but once I put on the shadow at 6am (my usual wake-up call during the week) it didn’t budge nor crease all the way to 9pm (when I removed my makeup).

Secondly, the colour was utterly dreamy in an elfish-fairy way. I LOVE that it’s glittery without looking too intense (especially since I wore it for work). However, if you are looking for something a bit more pigmented then the silver shade wouldn’t be your choice, as this goes on a bit sheer (think Glossier’s Lidstars). But overall, I really liked the ethereal feel this shade had and the product itself was amazing! And last but not least….how freaking adorable is the packaging?! I love that it’s both functional and small enough to slip into a tiny bag! After all, Spring is here and less is definitely more!

Price: $13

Where To Buy It: https://medusasmakeup.com/

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Review: Maybelline Snapscara in Pitch Black

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I haven’t done a beauty post in so long (and not because I’m lacking any new products, I have lots to share!) that I decided that it was long overdue for one. Since mascara is one of the beauty products that I absolutely LOVE, I wanted to share with you my latest find.

What It Is: Clump-free voluminizing mascara

What It Does: Creates volume in one sweep

Active Ingredients: Wax-Free Pigments

Verdict: I’ve always been satisfied with Maybelline mascaras and products in general, so I was really looking forward to trying out this new product cause from the ads it looked amazing and even the packaging was cuter than your usual drugstore buy. But that’s pretty much where the love stopped. And it stopped cold. The wand itself should be fool-proof to use, but I don’t know whether it’s small to larger bristles combo or the formula itself, but once you try to layer this mascara, it starts to get seriously clumpy like you’re dealing with a decade old product, rather than a brand new one, and for some reason it was also very messy (in my attempt to lengthen my lashes, it would also transfer colour over onto my lid whatever I’d wiggle the wand, which I’ve never had this problem with any other mascara before so I know that my application wasn’t to blame). And for those of you that might say, why layer if it creates a mess why can’t you go with only one layer? To put it bluntly, one layer doesn’t provide you with the lift and colour you need (or at least I want), so you’re better off sticking to any other trustier mascara, for this one is a total fluke in my book. Such a shame, because I do love the packaging. Sigh.

Price: $7.77

Where To Buy It: https://www.maybelline.com/eye-makeup/mascara/snapscara-washable-mascara/pitch-black

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Review: Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits

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I’ve been avoiding to purchase anything from the Kylie Cosmetics brand, namely because I’m not a fan of the whole Kardashian-Jenner clan, so I wasn’t too keen to be sending my hard earned cash their way. However, there recently was a BOGO Sale at the Kylie Cosmetics site, (meaning you purchased one lip kit and received the second free), and decided I would give this brand a go.

I know many people are fans of the lip kits and wondered how well they’d compare to my favourite liquid lipsticks (Jeffree Star).

The lipkits I bought were in ROSIE and AUTUMN.

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(Top: Autumn lipliner, Autumn liquid lipstick. Bottom: Rosie lipliner, Rosie liquid lipstick)

ROSIE:

The lipliner went on fabulously, it was soft and feathery and really complimented my skintone. The liquid lipstick itself wasn’t so amazing. First of all, the colour was supposed to be a dusty rose, and instead it was more of a mauve shade (it had a lot more purple tones). Not to mention that this lipstick NEVER dried down, meaning it stayed wet ALL day even eight hours after application! So eating whilst wearing this liquid lipstick was messy and even simple kissing made it transfer on my boyfriend’s lips. Overall, I was completely disappointed in this shade and formula.

AUTUMN:

As with Rosie, the lipliner for Autumn was just as awesome, velvety and very pigmented. When I applied the liquid lipstick, I realised right away that the formula for Autumn wasn’t the same as the one for Rosie. Autumn dried down after being applied, although it takes about two or three layers for the colour to be uniform. The colour itself was beautiful, and although this colour dried out, I still wasn’t too keen on the formula.

Verdict:

For $40* (including tax & shipping & handling fees), although I got the BOGO deal and it did come with lipliner/liquid lipstick duo, I still don’t think that these lip kits were worth the steep price. I know there’s been much debate over Colourpop liquid lipsticks and Kylie Cosmetics liquid lipsticks being essentially the same thing since they’re made and packaged in the same factory. But having tried the Colourpop liquid lipsticks, the formula between those and Kylie lipsticks don’t seem the same at all. Rather, the Colourpop formula is actually better in my opinion for a fraction of the price (just for $6.50!). Overall, although I do love the shade Autumn a lot and may wear it more often than Rosie, I can’t truly say that I’m in love with these lipkits. Ultimately, Kylie’s lipkits are all hype with very little turnout.

Price: $29* (price without tax & shipping & handling fees)

Where To Buy It: https://www.kyliecosmetics.com

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Review: Wet N Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick

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What It Is: Pigmented Matte Liquid Lipstick

Distinguishing Features: Intense Pigmentation without drying out lips, Smudge-Proof for hours, and Lightweight Formula

Verdict: For the past year I’ve been in L-O-V-E with liquid lipsticks, in particular with Jeffree Stars Liquid Velour Lipsticks. So, when I noticed that Wet N Wild had come out with their own version of liquid lipsticks for half the price, I couldn’t help but pick up a few to see how they compared to the others that I own (L’Oreal, Jeffree Star, & ColourPop). What I can say is that I’m pleasantly surprised by the extraordinary quality of these liquid lipsticks! Their packaging is very similar to Jeffree Stars’ lipsticks, and although I love his very much, these lipsticks are quite comparable and even more lightweight than his! Your lips do not feel burdened by the lipstick, you actually forget that you even have it on, it’s that light! Not to mention that for me, these lipsticks have lasted from 7a.m.-9p.m. Without drying out, cracking, smudging, or drying my lips out! Once these babies are on, you’re set for hours of intense pigmentation! I was blown away! And for just under $5 a pop, you can grab 4 for the price of what it would cost you to buy one liquid lipstick from Jeffree Star!

Price: 4.99

Where To Buy It: Target or http://www.wetnwildbeauty.com

Colours Reviewed: Coral Corruption (a flattering peach shade), Video Vixen (an oxblood hue that makes me feel dangerously sexy like Fairuza Balk in The Craft), and Nudist Peach (a pinky nude best for pale complexions)

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*If you haven’t entered my Cosmetic Giveaway, do it now HERE! Amazing cosmetics from brands like Marc Jacobs, Benefit, Too Faced, Philosophy, and many more!

By: Azzurra Nox

FIRST GIVEAWAY!!

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To celebrate my six months of blogging here on The Inkblotters with you lovely peeps, I’ve decided to run my first giveaway, ever!

I’ve put together some cosmetics from brands that I love and can’t wait to share with you!

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What you win:

St. Tropez Self-Tan Express Bronzing Face Sheet Mask (not pictured)

Ouai Haircare – Finishing Creme

Laritzy Cosmetics Lipliner in Cabernet

The BrowGal By Tonya Crooks Eyebrow & Highlighter Pencil

Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer in Moonglow

Medusa’s Makeup Lip Paint in Cowgirl

Doucce Freematic Eye Shadow

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator

Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy in Milkshake

Philosophy Lipgloss in Mixed Berry Tart

Akar Skin Ruby Tint Lip Butter

Benefit Watt’s Up Highlighter

How to Participate:

  1. Follow this Blog.
  2. Either tweet, re-blog, or place the giveaway on instagram.
  3. Comment below if you’re participating, along with the link of where you posted of the giveaway!

This is open WORLDWIDE and winner will be selected at random. Winner will be announced/contacted on November 1, 2017!

Review: Covergirl Total Tease Mascara

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What It Is: Lengthening and volumizing mascara.

What It Does: Creates full, long, refined, sexy teased lashes.

Verdict: Let me just say that I’ve always been a huge fan of Covergirl cosmetics. In fact, they were the first brand I turned to when I began my venture in makeup at the tender age of twelve, with their Covergirl Lipslicks Lipsticks (not sure if they still have this line, but it was a line of lipbalm glosses that offered sheer colour for the lips). Now, having said that, this product is simply AWFUL. The lashes barely get coated with enough product to lift them, and the bristles themselves aren’t sturdy enough to lift and coat the lashes, so it makes for a weird application. Once you do turn the wand over to use the teasing side of the brush, it doesn’t do much but create a mess because since the bristles aren’t sturdy enough they never truly define nor separate the lashes. The best place for this product? In the trash. If you happen to have this product and it works for you, then kudos, but it seriously did nothing for me and it was so terrible that I just couldn’t see myself using it again.

Price: $7.94

Where To Buy It: https://www.covergirl.com

By: Azzurra Nox

 

Unboxing Medusa’s Makeup August Beauty Box!

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I’ve only recently subscribed to this beauty box (two months to be exact) and it’s become my favourite! What makes this box different from the others? Well first of all all the products in it are cruelty-free AND vegan. And secondly, all the products in the box are FULL-SIZE products, not dinky tester/sample sizes, and each month you receive 3-5 full size products. How amazing is that? And last but not least, what sets this beauty box apart from all the others is the fact that it’s got some seriously edgy products and colours. If you’re one who wishes to play it safe, then this may not be the best beauty box for you, but if you love glitter and makeup with some serious attitude, then this is the brand for you!

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What I got this month:

  • Metal AF Lipgloss in Cherry Pie (retails for $11)
  • False Eyelashes in Heavy (retails for $9)
  • Totally Baked Eyeshadow in Whatever (retails for $9)
  • Eye Dust in Ultra Violence (retails for $8)

Total value of the box: $37

Actual price of the beauty box: $15.95

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Metal AF Lipgloss in Cherry Pie

I was really hoping to get this lipgloss (which is odd since I’m usually NOT a fan of lipgloss), but the colour is absolutely GORGEOUS (it kind of reminds me of Urban Decay’s Gash lipstick), but unlike other lipglosses, this one isn’t tacky, sticky, nor does it fade. Oh, and did I mention that it’s highly pigmented, cause IT IS.

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False Eyelashes in Heavy

I’m not a fan of fake lashes because I often find little use for them in my everyday life, but I do like to use them on occasion if I’m doing a photoshoot. These look absolutely pretty without looking trashy.

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Totally Baked Eyeshadow in Whatever

This eyeshadow is truly pigmented and very blendable. I also love this shade cause it’s good to use as liner or in the crease for a smoky eye-look.

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Eye Dust in Ultra Violence

This shade is so pretty and the sparkle is subtle, not too heavy. This is the lavender shade that Wednesday Addams would reach for if she was trying to feel girly but still wanted stick to her edgy goth roots.

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Which of these products would you love to try out? I’m very pleased with this month’s selections and can’t wait to see what Medusa’s Makeup has in store for September!

Check out Medusa’s Makeup here: https://medusasmakeup.com/

By: Azzurra Nox

Unboxing Allure’s August Beauty Box!

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I’ve been subscribed to Allure’s Beauty Box for almost a year now, and I’ve really been enjoying it so far. Not only do they send out the latest products, but usually they’re full-size or at least bigger than trial-size samples. Which I think is quite a bargain for $15.

Every month comes with a theme, this month’s box theme is SUMMER SHORTCUTS. This box is all about lazy beauty cause honestly, who has time to spend hours getting prepped when the weather is nice outside and too many products on your face feel way too stifling in the heat?

What I got this month:

  • Hey Honey I Peel Good! Biomimetic Honey Peel Cream
  • Caudalie Instant Detox Mask
  • Vichey Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster
  • Ouai Finishing Creme
  • Skinfix Facial Cleansing Cloths

  • Rodial Smokey Eye Pen in Black

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Hey Honey I Peel Good! Biomimetic Honey Peel Cream

I’ve used other products from this company before and have been satisfied with them. I have a soft spot for peels, so I can’t wait to try this out!

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Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

This brand is also one I’ve used in the past. My mother loved one of the moisturizers so much that I ended up purchasing it for her when she was done using the one I had gotten in the beauty box. I’m a big fan of masks so I can’t wait to try this out either.

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Vichey Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster

Vichey is lauded as one of France’s best skincare brands. Despite that, I haven’t been completely sold on their products, but this seems to be a serum made up from thermal water. I usually don’t use face serums or moisturizers cause my own skin is very oily and naturally hydrated, so I’ll probably pawn this off to my mum.

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Ouai Finishing Creme

I’m honestly not a huge fan of hair products cause I rarely use any. To be honest, I may not even try this one out.

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Skinfix Facial Cleansing Cloths

I’m not really a fan of wet cleansing cloths as they never seem to work for me in getting rid of my eyemakeup (pretty much the only place where I have makeup on most days). I usually end up using these as toner or on days I’m not wearing makeup to freshen up.

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Rodial Smokey Eye Pen in Black

Okay, I’m a BIG FAN of eyeliner. More so when it’s deep black and a kohl! I can never have too many eyeliners and I can’t wait to see how this one holds up.

Keep your eyes peeled for reviews of some of these products in the coming weeks!

Which of these products would you like to test out?

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Milk Makeup Cooling Water

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What It Is: A hydrating gel stick

What It Does: Refreshes and soothes skin for a quick boost of moisture on the go!

Active Ingredients: Caffeine and seawater

Verdict: Advertised as “sleep in a stick” I decided to give it a go since I’m always sleep deprived and could benefit from looking more refreshed and ready to conquer the world in the early a.m. Since it’s been on the humid/hot side lately, I decided to pop this beauty in the fridge overnight before using it the following morning. Usually I tend to avoid anything that claims to be uber hydrating because my skin is hydrated and oily enough that extra moisture usually means we’re getting close to acne territory, but the seawater convinced me that it would keep the pimples away since salt tends to absorb oil. I don’t have puffy eyes in the mornings, so I can’t say how well this stick works for that, but I can say that this stick does give you that extra boost that you may need to kickstart your morning. Using this is like drinking a double-shot espresso whilst getting a blast of cold water splashed on your face. If that doesn’t wake you up, I don’t know what will.

Bonus: Vegan and Cruelty-free

Price: $24

Where To Buy It: https://milkmakeup.com/products/cooling-water/

By: Azzurra Nox