Tag: productreview

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

Colourpop Haul & Review!

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For months I’ve been hearing such amazing things from this brand. From beauty gurus on youtube to Allure magazine, everyone has been raving about this brand. So of course I decided to take the plunge and try it out myself to see what the hype is all about.

I received 12 items in all, plus an eyeliner add-on because of the delay in shipping. I thought that was really nice of them, so kudos Colour Pop!

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No Filter Concealer in Fair 5

I was truly hoping for a miracle with this concealer because everyone raved (especially Allure) how amazing it is at masking undereye circles and blemishes. Maybe my hopes were too high for this, but I didn’t think this was an absolutely amazing concealer. The colour match was perfect, I’ll admit that, but the consistency of the product made for a somewhat stranger and cakey effect that I only managed to fix by applying another concealer (the Wet N’ Wild one) on top and blending the excess away with a beauty blender. Maybe paired with another concealer this does its job, but alone it’s not that great. Although, I must admit that the results on camera look amazing (but in person up-close you can see where it creases).

Peachy Keen Super Shock Shadows in Crimper, Kennedy, Cornelious, and Bandit

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Palette Pressed Powder in Outta Luck, Say I Do, Issues, and The News

Again, I’ve heard amazing things about their shadows and have been on the lookout for the best peach toned shadows, alas, while these shadows DO pack a lot of colour, both the Super Shock Shadows and Pressed Powder shadows wouldn’t really glide on the lid how I wish they would making for a somewhat patchy application. The consistency of these products felt somewhat chalky and I don’t know if that’s the reason why they didn’t apply as well as they should. However, they seemed to work better if I “packed on” the colour instead (which was more time-consuming for someone who’s always running late in the mornings!).

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Super Shock Shadow in Party of Five, Super Shock Cheek in High Five, Eyeshadow Brush in #11, and Creme Gel Liner in DTLA

I really love the feel of this flat, eyeshadow brush. It truly picks up lots of colour so that you can apply your shadow in one quick swoop! The blush was a gift, and whilst it wasn’t a fit for me colour-wise, it was very pigmented and blended beautifully. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I’m a eyeliner affectionado. The Creme Gel Liner glides on amazingly well, and does set like a normal gel liner. Since it was a free item, they sent me DTLA which is a dark navy shade (I would’ve preferred either brown or black) but it’s a dark enough shade that it could almost pass off as black AND it was a gift so I’m not complaining!

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Ultra Matte Lip in Take Five and Alyssa

For the past year I’ve mostly been using Jeffree Star’s Liquid Velour Lipsticks every single day. I was a bit reluctant to try a liquid lipstick from any other brand just because I really, really love his a lot. BUT…I must say that I’m truly impressed! I picked the shade Alyssa which is a pinky-nude collab that Colour Pop did with youtuber Kathleen Lights, and it’s a very flattering shade for pale or fair skin! Take Five was sent to me for free, and it’s more of a pink shade but haven’t had a chance to try it yet. Overall, I truly love how the lipstick lays on my lips. It’s not cakey, nor drying. It’s actually very hydrating for being a liquid lipstick!

This was one massive haul and I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you’ve tried any other products from Colour Pop or which ones are your faves! Would I re-purchase items from this brand? I’ll probably pass on the eyeshadows, but I’m going to definitely check out more of the liquid lipsticks and eyeliners!

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Skinfix Facial Cleansing Cloths

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What It Is: Individually wrapped cleansing cloths

What It Does: Remove makeup or can be used as toner

Verdict: I’m usually skeptic when it comes to pre-soaked cleansing cloths because I use a lot of liquid liner and mascara, and those never seem to work for me at all in getting rid of makeup. Not to mention that by the time you finish up the packet, the cloths are almost dry! This isn’t the case with these at all, as each cleansing cloth is individually wrapped, meaning that not only will they remain soaked and won’t dry out, but you can also pop some of these in your handbag for any makeup emergencies, or if you need to freshen up. I’m absolutely in LOVE with the scent (it’s a fresh cucumber scent, ie. very clean-feeling). Now, if you’re looking to use this to take off some serious eye-makeup, I suggest you use about three cloths. But I do prefer these over any other pre-soaked cloths I’ve used in the past.

Price: $9.99 for 20.

Where To Buy It: Shop-us.skinfix.com

Discount Code: Up until October 31st, you can use the following CODE: SKINALLURE at the checkout and will receive 30% Off on your purchase of $15 or more.

By: Azzurra Nox

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Review: Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

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What It Is: Instant Detox Mask

What It Does: Purges pores from oil, makeup, blackheads, and grime undoing any damage to your skin that could be caused by pollution and stress.

Distinguishing Factors: Unlike any other detox clay masks that leave your skin feeling dry and mega-tight, this one actually moisturizes your skin with the help of some soothing oils such as lavender.

Verdict: I’m a huge fan of face masks and any time I take a bath I’ll do one cause it’s the only time I have the patience to wait out the full time you need to keep a mask on to reap its benefits. This one has a minimum staying time of 5-10 minutes. I left it on for about 30 minutes. Having said that I LOVE that this mask did indeed unclog my pores and lifted dead skin cells and oil from my face without making my skin feel uber dry. The botanical oils used in this mask leave your skin feeling moisturized and refreshed, but also very, very clean. This is definitely going to become one of my staples to use at least once a week. This mask is perfect for all skin types (even oily like me! The hydrating oils DO NOT make you breakout in any way!). You’re left with beautiful, supple refreshed skin as though you had gone to get an expensive facial or ya know, slept for ten hours. And we can all get onboard with that.

Price: $39

Where To Buy It: Us.caudalie.com or Amazon.com

By: Azzurra Nox

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

 

Review: Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Fragrances

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I was really excited to see that I had gotten Kat Von D’s newest fragrances in this month’s Sephora Play Box. So I didn’t even wait a second to try them on. I doused myself the second I opened the box and was met with pure bliss.

Granted, I was sent only the samples and so wasn’t able to see the full potential of the perfumes’ packaging till I visited a local Sephora, and let me tell you these bottles are gorgeous! The detail is simply so opulent and intricate, showing a great care for making a bottle worth showing off on your vanity table. The style is a mixture of baroque and Gothic and just utterly so beautiful that you’ll be tempted to keep the bottles long after you’re done with the fragrances.

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SAINT

Size: 1.7-oz./50-ml.

Price: $65

Fragrance family: Floral

Top Note: Mandarin

Middle Note: Jasmine, Tiare Flower

Base Note: Musk

Time of Day: Day or night, but definitely a light fragrance that can be used as a day fragrance if that’s your choosing.

What’s it smell like: An ethereal walk in a sweet, decadent forest, if that forest is filled with sugar delicacies.

SINNER

Size: 1.7-oz./50-ml.

Price: $65

Fragrance family: Warm and Spicy

Top Note: Orange Blossom

Middle Note: Cinnamon

Base Note: Patchouli, Vanilla

Time of Day: Preferably night and it’s more of an Autumn/Winter fragrance than a summer one. It kind of reminds me of Thierry Mugler’s Alien.

What’s it smell like: Spicy and peppery. Like walking into a Yankee Candle shop when it’s filled with just Autumn Harvest and Cinnamon candles.

Verdict: I’ll admit that I’m quite picky when it comes to fragrances. I often don’t even like the ones that typically everyone else seem to love (ie. D&G’s Light Blue, Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle, or Dior’s J’Adore to name a few). Having said that, I actually do like these fragrances. Would I actually purchase them myself? I’m undecided at the moment, but if I were to make a choice, I’m leaning more towards Saint than Sinner. I’m a huge fan of orange blossom, but I don’t particularly like Patchouli at all and I feel like that note completely overpowers the orange blossom. Ironically, I’m not a huge fan of jasmine, and yes the musk in Saint allows the fragrance to never be too flowery in scent, but rather gives it a sensual twist to it. As celebrity fragrances go (because apart from being a tattoo artist and makeup artist with a cosmetic brand, Kat Von D is a celebrity), this is actually the best around. So if you’re into trying a new fragrance out for Fall, I recommend either of the two, depending on your personal preference.

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You can purchase the fragrances at any Sephora shop or online: http://www.sephora.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise

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What It Is: Voluptuous volume and lengthening mascara

What Is Does: This mascara is designed to volumize and lengthening your lashes in a way that no other mascara has done before!

Distinguishing Factors: More than 200 bristles on the wand to truly grip and coat every single lash and a silky formula that makes lashes soft and voluptuous, never cakey or dry, brittle lashes!

Verdict: I’ve been wanting to try this mascara now for the past month. I’ve always been a fan of L’Oreal’s Voluminous mascara, and opted to get this mascara in Blackest Black. The brush truly helps with a smooth, even application and the formula is really soft like coating your lashes in silk. Like the other Voluminous mascaras in the series, this too delivered in volume and length. My lashes tripled in size and just looked crazily glamorous. I’ve applied two coats in the photos, and there are no fake lash inserts, it’s all the mascara’s magic! I truly recommend this mascara if you want beautiful, lush lashes!

Price: $9

Where To Buy It: Ulta, CVS, Amazon, Wal-Mart

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By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Mangiacotti Hand Repair

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What It Is: Intense hand cream

What It Does: Softens even the driest of skins

Active Ingredients: Anti-oxidant Pomegranate and Papaya and shea butter

Verdict: I’ve got a confession to make. I’m handcream addict. I’m always on the lookout for the next best handcream on the market as I love to discover new brands. One thing that I look for in a handcream is that it’s non-greasy, fast-absorbing, and that the cream itself is thick and not thin (meaning that the thin feeling creams tend to be more water-based and don’t truly soften the skin in the same way as the thicker creams tend to). Now, I kind of took a risky bet with this handcream when I saw it in the store as it was a bit on the pricey side, but I took a whiff of the scent (I got the Pomegranate fragrance) and it was simply too decadent not to give it a shot. And I’m so glad that I did because this handcream is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It truly hydrates your skin for hours and even after you wash your hands, the hydrating effects don’t easily wash away. I tend to put this cream on at night and go to sleep with it and wake up to the softest hands e-v-e-r. Honestly, this product is simply tops, and you don’t even have to use a ton of it to get the awesome benefits from it!

Price: 12.50

Where To Buy It: http://www.mangiacotti.com (I actually bought mine at a local Hobby Lobby but I don’t know if they’re actually sold at Hobby Lobby nationwide so your best bet is to order it directly from their website).

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Invisible Spray

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What It Is: A dry shampoo for all hair colours and types

What It Does: It absorbs scalp oils allowing you to skip washing your hair for a day or two or could be used to add texture to fine hair for updos.

What Sets It Apart From Others: It’s clear, meaning no gunky white powder-like residue when yo spray, it’s got Vitamin E for shine, and a slight scent of verbena making you feel like you’ve got clean, washed hair when you’re just faking it.

Verdict: I’ve had this product for awhile but hadn’t had a chance to use it because I’ve been using Nexxus Dry Shampoo (another favourite of mine). But when going on vacation I had to opt for a smaller bottle so I decided to give this a try seeing that I had a small travel size of it on hand. Sometimes when you’re on vacation (especially if you were like me, visiting five cities in five days with crazy wakeup calls at 4:30a.m. trying to wash your hair isn’t your priority when that means you can snooze for another half hour), so dry shampoos come in handy. I used this on the fourth day of no washing and instantly it dried up any oil-build up and truly gave my thick strands a must-needed lift. My hair didn’t look nor feel dirty after using it and the slight scent could’ve fooled anyone that I had just shampooed it. If you’ve got fine hair, you’ll probably have to use it by your third day and may have to wash it the following day. Thicker hair as myself can manage for a couple more days after using it.

How To Use It: I sprayed this on the roots and lifted my hair and continued to spray till I had covered the majority of my head. I then used my fingertips to massage the dry shampoo in, combed it, and put it up in a bun for the night. The following morning I let my hair down, finger combed it and was good to go!

Price: $25

Where To Buy It: Amazon.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask

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What It Is: An all-natural exfoliating mask

What It Does: This mask exfoliates, removes oil, and evens skin tone.

Verdict: When I initially applied this mask I was a bit confused as I was expecting something with a thicker substance akin to a clay mask. Instead, this mask is very thin, almost water based gel that reminds me more of a peel than a mask. However, I decided to try it and kept it on for 30 mins. (the recommended time). I honestly wasn’t expecting much, cause like I said I usually prefer clay based masks because those are the most effective for my oily skin. After 30 mins. I washed off the mask and I don’t know if it did much for removing oil or exfoliating, but it did help with softening my skin and making it look more glowy (probably because in reality it’s more of a peel). But unlike a true peel, it didn’t burn my skin nor leave it feeling like it had been soaked in gasoline for half an hour. If you’re having issues with uneven skintone due to dullness or because of acne scars, than I totally recommend this product to you. It may just be your saving grace.

Price: $58

Where To Buy It: Tataharperskincare.com

By: Azzurra Nox