Olay: Fresh Effects 'As Fresh As New' Exfoliating Wet Cloths

Good afternoon everyone!

It might seem strange, but one of my all-time favorite makeup/skincare products is makeup remover cloths. I absolutely love trying new ones and seeing how they compare with one another. The last time I was at Ulta I decided to try a new brand of cloths to me which were Olay. I absolutely love exfoliating cloths/wipes, they're by far some of my favorite products, but I've had a hard time finding ones that actually exfoliate. My favorite for a while now have been the studio makeup remover exfoliating cleansing cloths by ELF. I love the beads on these wipes, they do a fantastic job of exfoliating and helping to remove and persistent and lingering makeup. They retail for $3 for 10 sheets but I usually wait for ELF's 50% off sale and get them for $1.50 each which is a steal! If you would like me to do a more in-depth review on these cloths, please leave a comment below to tell me.

Anyway, back on topic! So, I love makeup wipes and decided to give the Olay Fresh Effects As Fresh As New exfoliating wet cloths a try. I have never tried any Olay makeup remover cloths before so I figured it would be good to give them a go. There are 25 cloths in a pack and the pack retails for $5.49 at Ulta (and I'm sure other places) - you can use the Ulta $3.50 off of $10 coupon with this item.

Generally I find the scented makeup remover wipes to smell very fake and artificial (especially the Say Yes to Cucumber and Blueberry cloths) and almost chemically. This wasn't the case with the Olay cloths, which are infused with honeysuckle and white tea and smell so fresh and real - they're just lovely. Even people who are sensitive to smells I believe will like these wipes because the scent isn't overwhelming or lingering.

All in all, I was very impressed with this item! One side of the wipe is smooth and the other side is for exfoliation, like most exfoliating cloths from other brands. It's a very intense exfoliator so I wouldn't recommend this product to people with sensitive skin, but I find that it does a fantastic job of exfoliating and removing persistent makeup stuck on your face. 

I also really like that you can use these wipes around your eyes, which isn't always the case with a lot of makeup wipes. I absolutely hated that I couldn't use the Say Yes to Cucumber wipes around my eyes - they TOTALLY made my eyes burn and there was a warning on the back of the pack to avoid contact with the eyes. That generally weirds me out, because it makes me wonder what kind of harmful products are in the wipes if I can't use them near my eyes. 

Back to the Olay cloths, I found that they are great at removing dead skin, and my skin has never felt smoother than after I use these. I tend to use them every other day or so because my skin is on the dry side and I don't want to overdo it but I think you could use them everyday without any problems if you prefer.

I know this might be a little gross, but I wanted to show you a photo after I barely used the cloth to show what the fabric of the exfoliating side of the cloth looks like since it didn't seem to show up very well when I took a picture of a clean wipe.

The only downside to these cloths, which I don't really mind is that they do not stretch. Some make up remover cloths are stretchy - these are not. If you try to stretch these cloths they will break - see the photo below. Honestly, this doesn't bother me, but it's just something to keep in mind when you use these cloths.

All in all, if that's the biggest problem with the cloths, I think that's VERY minimal. I really do recommend these makeup wipes if you love an intense exfoliator. If you have very sensitive skin, I would avoid this product because it might irritate your skin. I have found that using these wipes for the past two weeks or so has really helped clear up my blemishes and has helped smooth my skin. My skin has never felt softer and for that reason alone I will definitely be repurchasing these in the future!

What are your favorite makeup remover cloths? Have you tried any lately that you've been loving? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

NYX Cosmetics: Soft Matte Lip Creams

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for taking the time to check out my blog, I really appreciate it! Today's post is a review of NYX Cosmetic's Soft Matte Lip Creams. Prior to trying this product, I tried out a couple shades of the Butter Glosses by NYX and I have to say I wasn't all that impressed. I liked the color pigmentation of them, but felt that they were very heavy and sticky so I was surprised with how many rave reviews I was seeing on them. If you would like me to do a review of the butter glosses that I have please leave a comment below and I am more than happy to share my thoughts and swatches with you. Anyway, after my disappointment with the butter glosses, I was a little hesitant to try another "cult favorite" product by NYX, but I have to say, I'm so glad I did because I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this lip product. I now have this product in six shades, a true testament to how much I like it!

Some background on this product, it retails for $5.99 at Target (only a few of the shades are available), CVS, Ulta, and $6.00 on NYX's website. Make sure you buy your NYX products from an authorized vendor, as there are lots of fakes out there these days - check out this article for more information on you to distinguish between genuine and fake NYX soft matte lip creams. Back on topic, each soft matte lip cream tube contains 0.23 oz of product which is a decent size for a drugstore lip product. 

The first color I purchased was Antwerp, a gorgeous bright coral color, and since I loved it so much I went back to Ulta and purchased five more! The shades I now own are: 
     - Prague (#18): deep berry with a slight hint of fuchsia
     - Cannes (#19): muted mauve/dusty rose, great everyday shade!
     - San Paulo (#8): bright strawberry pink
     - Antwerp (#5): bright rose pink with a hint of coral
     - Ibiza (#17): bright deep rose pink with hints of coral
     - Amsterdam (#1): true red, great for all skin tones!

So to start generally, this is a really interesting product as NYX claims that it "straddles the line between lipstick and gloss," similar in my mind to Too Faced's Melted Lipsticks, except without the promise of a staining power. This lip product is a highly pigmented, creamy, lightweight matte lip cream that applies smoothly and lasts for hours! The product applies as a cream and dries to a matte finish. I have found that some of the darker shades, like Amsterdam, do have a bit of a staining power, even though NYX doesn't mention anything about that.

The texture of this lip product is so creamy that it's super easy to apply evenly over the lips without getting messy. The formula is lightweight and non-sticky. I love that you can apply these products lightly or build them up for a more intense look depending on your mood. This is a matte product, which matte products are notorious for being very drying on the lips, but I find it to be the least drying matte product that I've ever used. I do find that the product goes on best when you exfoliate first since it is matte and tends to show any imperfections you might have, but if you don't it's not the end of the world and the product will still look very nice.

The colors in this product line vary from the most neutral everyday look to intense vampy dark lips. I love that all the shades are highly pigmented and are true to the color on the outside of the tube. Of the six colors I currently have, you can tell that I've been leaning toward the brighter shades in the line. I love how vibrant the bright colors are - they have been perfect for the summer and will continue to be great as we transition into fall. I love dark lips for fall but I also love nude lips so I will probably be buying some of the nude and more neutral shades next. If you are interested in a review of any shades in particular please let me know in the comments section below.

One of the things I like most about this product is that it lasts forever on your lips! Seriously, it's crazy how long this product lasts, almost all day without reapplication - even through eating and drinking. When they say it's a long-lasting formula, they aren't kidding! The product also doesn't budge or move into your fine lines or off your lips during the day which is great since you don't have to worry about constantly checking to see if it's running all over your face. It's a stress-free product! 

Oh and I also love the smell of this product, it smells like cupcake frosting, so delicious! I will say, if you are sensitive to product scents, this one is intense and will linger throughout the day so take that into account if you think that might be a problem for you.

All in all, when I'm in the mood for a matte look, this is hands down the one I reach for first. It's so easy to apply and honestly feels like I'm not wearing anything on my lips - I actually forget I'm wearing a lip product! It's by far the most comfortable matte lipstick that I own.

Below are some additional photos of each color and some lip swatches to give you a better idea of what the color looks like in real life.

Prague (#18): 
Deep berry with a slight hint of fuchsia

Cannes (#19): 
Muted mauve/dusty rose, great everyday shade!

San Paulo (#8): 
Bright strawberry pink

Antwerp (#5): 
Bright rose pink with a hint of coral

Ibiza (#17): 
Bright deep rose pink with hints of coral

Amsterdam (#1): 
True red, great for all skin tones!

All in all, this is a matte lipstick that you must try! After being hesitant to first try it out since I didn't like the NYX butter glosses, I'm so happy that I gave this product a try as it is now a staple in my beauty collection. This product is so comfortable to wear and so affordable that I think everyone should own at least one, and honestly, once you have one you'll want them all! I will definitely be purchasing some more of these lip products in the near future, and I'm really excited to try out some of the more neutral and mauve shades.

Which shade of the NYX soft matte lip creams is your favorite? Please leave a comment I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading!

Cynthia Rowley Beauty: Metallic Silver Pencil Eyeliner

Hi everyone, hope you're having a happy Saturday!

Today's review is of Cynthia Rowley Beauty's pencil eyeliner in the color silver. This product currently retails for $16 for 0.04 oz of product and is being sold exclusively through Cynthia Rowley's website and on the Birchbox website. Right now, if you spend $30 on any full-size purchase of Cynthia Rowley Beauty product in the Birchbox Shop you can receive a free Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eye Pencil in Charcoal by using the code CRBLINER at checkout.

This eyeliner pencil is currently available in five different shades: black, silver, sky blue, violet, and charcoal. I received a deluxe sample size of the silver eyeliner in a recent Birchbox so that's the shade I will be reviewing in this post.

The formula of this eyeliner can't be beat! The pencil is so creamy and glides onto the eye with such ease. I love that you can apply this liner thin or thick depending on your preference. They recommend, for a defined look, simply lightly trace your lash line, and for a smoky eye look, smudge within 30 seconds and then let the formula set for all-day wear.

In terms of color pigmentation, the silver eyeliner pencil is super silver! Amazing pigmentation! What you see on the tip of the pencil is what will be on your eye. The silver is definitely too intense for me to wear on a day-to-day basis in my opinion, but I think it's phenomenal for special events where you want a striking eye look. I will say, this product is very sparkly and metallic - be forewarned! Hence, why I think it's great for special events only, not everyday. However, if you want to use a silver eyeliner everyday though, I think using it to line the inside rim and inner corners of the eye or the waterline with it really helps to look more awake and sparkly-eyed.

I love how long the eyeliner lasts. Once the product sets, I find that it's pretty smudge-proof and that it lasts all day. I will say, by the end of the day though, the line isn't as exact as it was when you first applied it, but this is typical with most eyeliners. Because the product is so pigmented though, even if a little wears off, there's still plenty of color on your eye. 

In terms of packaging, this product is adorable! It's definitely the cutest packing I've seen in a while - and that's saying something since I absolutely LOVE all of Too Faced's packaging! I love the striking black exterior of the pencil with the gold polka-dot detailing. It looks so luxe!

I also love that the Cynthia Rowley Beauty products are vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.

All in all, I think this is a great eyeliner! I love the formula - it's super creamy, easy to apply, and super pigmented. While I don't use my silver pencil that often, I definitely see myself purchasing the black one in the near future since that's my go to color for eyeliner.

Have you tried any products from the Cynthia Rowley Beauty line? Any that you are dying to try out? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

Eyes Lips Face (ELF): Lip Exfoliator

So to kick things off today, I will be reviewing one of my all time favorite skincare products for you - ELF's Lip Exfoliator! This is the first skincare product I'm reviewing on my blog and I figured there was no better one to start with than one of my all time personal favorites.

I first learned about this product a while back from some youtube videos I watched by Emily from Beauty Broadcast who absolutely adores and swears by this product and consistently ranks among her top drugstore makeup finds. I was a little skeptical when I first got this product thinking oh I don't need this because my lips aren't super chapped or dry, but BOY WAS I WRONG!!! My lips have never been smoother than when I use this product. My lipsticks and lip glosses glide onto my lips so much better and visibly look smuch smoother and more flawless.

For only $3 this is such an affordable and wonderful product. You can buy ELF products from their website and they also sell some of their products at Target and other retailers (I've seen them at Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, etc.). I haven't seen this product at my local Target yet, so I purchased it off their website. Also, ELF somewhat often has half-off sales on their products so I like to try and wait for those before I make my purchases. I know that this isn't an expensive brand so it may seem silly to wait for the items to be half priced, but I figure I can try twice as many new products if I wait for the sale and who doesn't love a deal and saving money?!?

Stock photo courtesy of ELF

The product itself comes in a square tube reminiscent of a lipstick tube. In fact, this product is shaped like a lipstick and upon first glance you could definitely confuse it for one. However, this isn't a lipstick it's a lip exfoliator! I think it's absolutely perfect that it's in a lipstick form as it makes it super easy to apply. The formula of the product is like a brown sugary-sweet scrub with a gritty texture that is intended to exfoliate and remove the dry, dead skin from your lips so that they are oh so smooth. 

I tend to apply this product at night when I'm also exfoliating my face just since that's easiest for me (and because it's a little messy now that I'm toward the end of the tube), but you could definitely use this product before you put on your makeup in the morning. I apply it on my lips for about 30 seconds or so in a circular motion and then just wipe off the product with a makeup wipe. I think it's critical that you apply a really hydrating and moisturizing lip balm or chapstick to your after applying so that you renew the moisture back to your lips so they become incredibly soft. ELF claims that this product is moisturizing but that's definitely not true so you will need to do that yourself after you use this product. Lately I've been using my EOS Visibly Soft lip balm (which I previously did a review of here) and I absolutely adore it. It's probably the most hydrating lip balm I've used in a while and it's SO affordable, so if you're debating whether or not to get it, I definitely recommend it.

This product does become increasingly more gritty as you use it so if you aren't loving it right away keep with it and I promise it will get better. I find that upon first use the product in the tube doesn't seem very powerful and I caught myself wondering if it was actually going to do anything to my lips. There's almost a thin layer on the top outside of the tube that you need to get past and once you do it will become a very intense lip scrub. I've had my tube for a while now and you can see how gritty the texture has become. I will say, if you have very sensitive lips this product may be a little too harsh for you as you get toward the end of the tube. Personally, I love a rough exfoliator because I love how smooth my skin feels afterwards, but it is a little harsh and abrasive so be forewarned.

I will say, one negative I have about this product is that when you get toward the end of the tube the product starts crumbling. In fact, mine has even removed itself from being attached at the bottom and now is on an angle like the Leaning Tower of Pisa - a little unideal. However, because I love this product so much (and it is so affordable!) I am able to look past this flaw.

All in all, I love this product (if you can't tell by now) and highly recommend it! For only $3 it's such a bargain and it makes such a difference with the application and appearance of my lipsticks and lip glosses. Honestly, even if it was more expensive, like $15 or $20, I would probably still love it just as much and I would pay that amount for it because I've never seen a product like this and it works phenomenally well. Definitely give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed! I'm waiting for the next ELF 50% off sale so I can buy another one. If you're waiting for that too, please leave a comment below and I will make sure to create a blog post when it starts so you don't miss out on it.

Have you tried out the ELF Lip Exfoliator yet? What are some of your favorite ELF products. I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading!

Too Faced: Bulletproof Brows

Hi everyone! 

Today's review is of Too Faced's Bulletproof Brows set which includes a brow brush and a pot of 24-hour waterproof cashmere clay brow product. I purchased this product during Ulta's 21 days of beauty where they've been selling best selling products for half price. Because of this sale I was able to purchase this product for $15 when it normally retails for $30 for the brush and 0.07 oz of product. You can purchase this product at Ulta, Sephora, and on Too Faced's website. In terms price, it's definitely one of the more expensive brow products I've tried but since it was half off with free shipping I couldn't resist giving it a try. 

In terms of colors, this product only comes in two shades - universal taupe and universal brunette - which I think can be limiting for a lot of women if you don't fall into one of those two shades. In particular, if you're blonde, I think the taupe shade will be much too dark for you. This shade is a warm-toned brown so if you tend to prefer cool-toned brown eye products then this might not be right for you. While I am a brunette, I generally prefer my brows to be not too dark and I find that often times brunette brow products make my brows look too defined, unnatural, and sometimes are darker in color than the rest of my hair. Generally, I tend to use brow products to fill in my brows and even out the color across my brows (since the outer portion of my brows are much lighter than the inner parts). So for those reasons, I bought this product in universal taupe, with the intention that it would be more of a brow filler product for me.

First and foremost, I love this product! I generally gravitate toward automatic/retractable or regular brow pencils rather than pot type products applied with a brush. It took a little getting used to at first for me to get comfortable using this product and making my brows look structured yet natural, but once I did it was fast and easy. The formula of this product is so creamy and smooth so that when you're applying it just glides on, and once it dries the product's not going anywhere so you don't have to worry about your brows moving throughout the day or smudging!

In terms of packaging, I love that this product comes with a double ended brow brush specifically for this product. I find that both ends are essential for me creating a great natural brow look. Honestly, this is one of the best brow brushes that I've ever used. I also really like that for the pot part of this product there's an extra cap to help keep the product fresh and prevent it from drying out. Since this product is so expensive and I don't want to repurchase it before I have to, this is a great feature. Additionally, the inside of the pot has a mirror which makes on-the-go or traveling with this product very easy. 

The box does give some instructions on how you should brush the product onto your brows - they recommend that you change the angle of the brush as you go. unfortunately my brows are narrower than the width (or about the same width) of the brush so I can't use their technique. Instead I just do small strokes on the angle to mimic the appearance of brow hairs and give the illusion of more filled in brows.

In terms of longevity, I don't think this product would actually last 24 hours, but I do find that it does last an entire workday which is all I really need it to do. In terms of being waterproof, I find that this product comes off very easily with a makeup wipe (which is usually how I remove my makeup) so it's easy to remove at the end of the day. I haven't actually tested this product in the shower or swimming so I'm not sure how it would hold up in that case, but it does last even if you sweat on hot summer days. Additionally, Too Faced claims that this product is smudgeproof which is true and not true at the same time - but it's actually a good thing! When you first apply the product you can definitely smudge it, which is great because it helps to create a more natural look. Once it does set though this product doesn't smudge so you don't have to worry about your eyebrows moving during the day.

Here are some hand swatches of the product applied with the angled end of the provided brush. This is a medium weight swatch - I went over it a couple of times so you could see what it truly looks like. 

Additionally, here are some swatches of the product applied on my brows with the included brush and blended out with the spoolie. The photos below starting out on the far left show my natural brows, then the product in natural light, and on the right the product taken with a flash. Sorry my natural light photo isn't the best. If you're interested in more pictures of this product in natural light (or with a flash) leave me a comment below and I will upload some additional pictures.

All in all, I definitely recommend this brow product (if you match either of the two shades). I think it gives a very natural looking finished brow. It is a bit pricey so I don't know if I'd necessarily repurchase it, but I think it was a bargain to buy it while it was half off at Ulta.

Have you purchased anything during Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty? Are there any brow products out there that you use all the time and/or always go back to because you love it?
Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

Ulta: Lipstick (Matte, Cream, Shimmer)

Today's review is of four of Ulta's collection of lipsticks. I have 2 cream, 1 shimmer, and 1 matte shade of these lipsticks. I tried to get a variety of colors and finishes to give you guys a good idea of what the product is like in all its forms. All of the lipsticks retail for $8 for 0.12 oz of product, but you can often find them on sale for 50% off or buy one get one free (which is really the same thing in the end). In general, my Ulta store seems to always be sold out of the more popular colors so I usually buy these online.

 The four colors I picked up are:
     - Wicked (#253 Matte)
     - Think Pink (#235 Shimmer)
     - Bit of Berry (#246 Cream)
     - Perfect Nude (#226 Cream)
In terms of packaging, this lipstick is very sleek and classy for a relatively inexpensive product. It comes in a long gunmetal silver tube with a clear see thru top so you can see the color easily from above.

Here are some hand swatches of the four different shades. 
From left to right: Perfect Nude (cream), Wicked Red (matte), Think Pink (shimmer), Bit of Berry (cream).

Overall, I found that the formula of these lipsticks varies a lot between the different types. 

I absolutely LOVE the cream lipsticks - they are smooth and oh so creamy! They glide on the lips so nice and effortlessly, and look so natural. The cream lipsticks are also pretty moisturizing and don't dry out the lips. I will absolutely be buying more of them in the near future. 

My next favorite was the matte lipstick, but I have to warn you, it was VERY matte! Unlike some matte lipsticks which say they're matte but aren't actually matte, this lipstick was very matte. It went on smoothly but it was definitely a bit drying on the lips (which is common for many matte lipsticks). The color payoff and opacity of the matte lipstick was absolutely phenomenal though! What you see in the tube is what you'll see on your lips. I just wish that there were more color options for the matte lipsticks as Ulta only has 6 shade options. I am considering purchasing the Basically Berry or Sweet Caramel colors in the future though as I do love matte lipsticks. 

My least favorite formula, and one I definitely wouldn't be purchasing again, is the shimmer lipsticks. I find that this formula has very poor color pigmentation and the glittery pieces are too large so you can very easily see them on your lips which I don't like. In the tube, the color I bought looked incredibly bright, almost neon, but when swatched on the hand or the lips it appeared very subdued and required multiple coats to achieve a color that was visible. In general I don't usually like shimmer lipsticks (I think I bought this one accidentally in stores where they don't distinguish between the cream, sheer, and shimmer lipsticks) and I really don't like this one. For a shimmer lipstick to look good in my opinion, the shimmer needs to be very fine so it doesn't stand out which unfortunately isn't the case with this lipstick. I would advise not purchasing the shimmer lipsticks and instead go for the matte or cream lipsticks.

Below are some lip swatches and additional photos and information on each of the four colors I purchased.

Perfect Nude (#226 Cream)
I absolutely adore this color, it's absolutely gorgeous! Nudes can sometimes be difficult to wear, but this one leans more pink than brown which makes it totally wearable and perfect for everyday!


Wicked Red (#253 Matte)
This is your quintessential red matte lip! I love it!

Think Pink (#235 Shimmer) 
As I said above, I absolutely hate how large the shimmer in this lipstick is, as well as, how translucent and no opaque it is. The color in the tube looks vibrant and bright, but on the lips it's very subdued.

Bit of Berry (#246 Cream)
I love this color - it's going to be perfect for fall! It does look a tad bit more intense in the tube than it does on the lips.

All in all, I highly recommend trying out the cream and matte Ulta Collection lipsticks and passing on the shimmer lipsticks. I think you'll enjoy them a lot and get lots of use out of them!

Have you tried any of the Ulta Collection Lipsticks? What are your favorite shades and formulas? I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!