Freeman Cucumber Facial Peel-Off Mask Review!

I got the Freeman Cucumber Facial Peel-Off Mask in my January MyGlam Bag and I was super excited to try it. My bag came later than a lot of people's as I stated in my original post and I was reading on the MyGlam wall that a lot of people really loved the mask, which also made me more excited to try it! Here is my review:

Let me show you some pictures of the product and images of me doing it:



Right after I put it on, my face was all shiny.


The mouth area started to peel first, which seems to be common on most peel masks.


After.


A picture I posted on Instagram, if you can't tell, I don't like this product.

This ever so fun mask gently peels away impurities while Cucumber extract leaves skin silky smooth. Perfect for normal to combination skin.

Packaging (3/5):
Eh, it's like most face mask packaging. I wish it was in a tub but its not really a deal breaker. I just feel like if you don't get enough the first time, you have to go back and when you pick up the tube, it will be all slippery and inconvenient.

Product (1/5):
I am giving this a 1 just because it did make my skin soft. Other than that, I think it's terrible. I know a lot of people like it and I know a lot of people love it, this is my personal experience. I don't consider myself to have sensitive skin, however, I don't do much to it. I wash it once in a while and I don't tug or do excessive application to it but this mask BURNED. It burned my skin, it burned my eyes and even breathing it in burnt my nostrils. It is not a feeling that I liked but I kept it on as long as I could. My face was soft, as I said and it was fun peeling it off (like I was a kid with glue) but that's all it had going for itself.

Application (2/5):
The mask itself was gooey and really cold. I am guessing that is the cooling sensation that you're supposed to feel. The application itself was easy (take out of tube, smear on face, not too hard right?) I just didn't like the feeling of the gel.

Price (2.5/5):
Another thing this mask has going for itself is the price. It is only $3.99, but I gave it a 2.5 since I don't like it so it's not a good price for me, but it could be a good price for you.

Overall (2.125/5):
I did not like this and I will not repurchase it, ever.

You can get this at Freeman for $3.99.

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SweetPea And Fay Liquid Lipstick Review!

I don't even remember how I came across SweetPea And Fay but I saw pictures of their liquid lipstick and was instantly intrigued. They have a nice variety of colors (neutrals and pinks all the way to yellow, blue and green).

I placed my order on February 28th, I ordered 3 of their Lip Lipsticks. My total came to $26.96 after shipping. I received a shipping notification on March 6th and I received my package on the 9th of March.

Before I get into the review and more specifics, let me show you some pictures:





Ukulele, Willa, Jail Bird




Ukulele


Jail Bird


Willa

J'Adore Les Levres tubes are VERY VERY pigmented. They glide on with a rich creamy texture and a soft french vanilla flavor. Lightly blot for a liquid lipstick look or build up for a more glossy shine.
TUBE SIZE: 0.37oz / 10.5 g Comes with a slanted applicator tip.

Packaging (1/5):
I like a slant doe foot tube in general but for this specific product, it's a huge downfall. Since these are so incredibly pigmented and have a huge Mica influence, they're EXTREMELY hard to get out of the tube. REALLY hard, my fingers hurt after trying to get it out. Some may think it's worth it, but I don't. I like ease.

Product (3/5):
The texture of these are awesome, somewhat of a matte feeling but very silky. However, I find that they settle into the lines of my lips and they're not super moisturizing. The colors are gorgeous. My favorites are Willa and Ukulele but again, since there is so much mica, there should be something to counter act so that it will moisturize a little more.

Longevity (4/5):
They lasted a few hours on me.

Price (3/5):
I am giving this a 3 because for $7.99 each, I shouldn't have to break a finger to get it out. This might be knit picky of me but that is what a review is for.

Overall (2.75/5):
I would not purchase any more of these unfortunately.

You can get this at SweetPea And Fay for $7.99.

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Julep Maven Review (March Classic with a Twist)!

I am actually quite surprised with the results of this months Julep Maven, as I thought I would like one color more than the other and it was actually the opposite. In March I went with the Classic with a Twist because it sounded interesting, you can see that original post here.

Before I get into the review and more specifics, let me show you some pictures:



Used Skull & Glossbones from OPI as the base and Zoya Miley on my middle finger. Then put Jennifer on top of all of that.




I thought Jennifer was going to be my favorite but the next day, I saw this. The color was off my finger tips. I don't know why, how or if it was because of something else but I have never had that problem before.


I ended up taking it off the next day and putting something else on.


Butter London Trout Pout from my Little Black Bag, Jennifer from Julep Maven on my middle finger and Essie As Gold as It Gets from my TV Birchbox over Trout Pout.


Took 3 coats to get it that opaque.




One week later.

Professional quality “4-free” nail polish formulation, developed without carcinogens such as formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP. Shine on! $1 will be donated to organizations that support women through our Powered by Girlfriends program.

Packaging (3/5):
I have 2 gripes with the packaging, hence the 3 instead of a 5. One, would be that the lid doesn't line up with the jar when I tighten the jar (someone did give me a solution for this, the lids come off the actual twisty part, like a butter london polish, yet this is just extra work). This could be from me over tightening it, but I like my polishes to not dry out, specially for $14 a pop. Second, is the super small brush. I feel like I am really spoiled with OPI's brushes because they're super wide, and that is what I prefer. If you like small brushes then it won't be an issue for you of course.

Product (3/5):
I was surprised with Brooke. I thought that one would be my favorite. It looks pretty on, almost like a purple flakey, gives a gorgeous purple sparkle to the nail but it just didn't work out for me. I did love Jennifer though, which is funny because I was more excited for Brooke. I don't typically like pink polish on me, I think my skin is too light or something but this was nice. It did take 3 coats to get it opaque but if you want just a nice pretty pink wash, one coat is great.

Longevity (4/5):
I am giving this one a 4 because I took Brooke off the next day so I can't really say the longevity but as you can tell, Jennifer lasted a week, and would probably last longer if I didn't change my polish so much.

Price (2.5/5):
I am going to compare these to my 3 favorite brands, which I own a ton of and buy on a regular basis. First, we have OPI - 0.5 FL oz for $8.50, then we have Zoya - 0.5 FL oz for $8.00. Next, we have Butter London - 0.4 FL oz for $14.00 (which I only usually buy as "rewards" or special treatment). Now, the typical price of a Julep Maven polish is $14.00 for 0.27 FL oz. That is right, a little under half of MOST of these polishes for way more money. Even Butter London, which is AWESOME has a better value. The price is nowhere near "affordable" however, I do feel that they may have some unique colors.

Overall (3.125/5):
A little disappointed with this months colors but you can't win them all. We did get an oil with this month and I use it in with my lotion and it makes my skin so moisturized and smooth.

There are TONS of coupon codes running around for getting your Julep Maven box at only 1 penny so if you want to try them, I would suggest it!

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BENTA BERRY G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream Review!

I am going to review the BENTA BERRY G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream that I received in my February BirchBox. I was hesitant to use this because it's supposed to "regulate" oil levels and I don't have oily skin. I trusted BirchBox's judgement as they know I have dry skin so I thought I would give it a try.

Before I get into the review and more specifics, let me show you some pictures:

The French all seem to have one thing in common: perfect skin. Maybe it’s in their genes, but we suspect their savvy skincare regimes deserve equal credit. Behold this unisex moisturizer, a favorite of hip Parisian girls and guys, which hasn’t been available stateside until now. It’s made with an all-natural blend of botanicals to leave skin soft and matte.

Packaging (3/5):
Even though I know this isn't BB fault but this is tiny. I have enough for 2.75 uses. Yes, not even 3 full uses and for a face cream, that's not enough to actually get a feel for the product. The tube itself felt really low and once you got to the end of the bottle, it was hard to get any of the product out so you really have to make it stretch.

Product (1/5):
I hope I don't sound nit picky but I didn't like this product at all. First off, its white. Might not be a big deal to many people but if you accidentally get too much, you're really going to have to work to get this white film blended into your face. The first day everything with this was fine but I noticed that my nose was a little shiny. Didn't think anything of it. The second day again, shiny but nothing too major. The 3/4 of the time I got the use it, my nose was covered in oil. It was really gross. I normally have really dry skin and this did the exact opposite. I would touch my nose and just feel the oil on it.

Longevity (1/5):
I should give it a 5 for longevity since it made my nose oily for at least 5 days but I am giving it a 1 because this product is terrible.

Price (1/5):
Also giving this a 1 because I would never buy this product, didn't matter what the price was.

Overall (1.5/5):
Would not buy this. I am really disappointed in Birchbox for giving this to me when I state that I have dry skin in my beauty profile.

You can get this at Birchbox for $22, but I wouldn't suggest it.

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Fyrinnae Lip Lustre Swatches & Review

I have never tried anything from Fyrinnae before but I have been on a huge lip kick lately and decided to make my first purchase. The website says "Allow up to 24-30 business days queue and creation time before shipment." so I was expecting not to get my products for quite some time.

I placed my order on February 28th, I ordered 3 of their Lip Lustres. My total came to $19.75 after shipping. I received a shipping notification on March 1st, which I thought was pretty fast considering their "turn around time". I received the lustres on March 6th.

Before I get into the review and more specifics, let me show you some pictures:





Less Than Three, Very Berry Happy, Fanservice



Second photo is right when I took them out of the package, I found that they had separated and were kind of "cracked" if you will.


Fanservice on lips


Very Berry Happy on lips


Less Than Three on lips


Stained my hands

Please keep in mind that these are not intended to be like lipgloss. This product is a non-sticky lipcolour, leaving moisturising colour on your lips but no goopy tackiness. Most shades are made to be relatively opaque, though some can be applied lightly over lipstick as a highlight or over balm as a sheer tint. They are a rather "dry" product because we pack as much colour into them as possible, but the ingredients are not drying. This means, due to the high concentration of natural butters, they are thinner in a warm environment, thicker when it's cool. Use care when opening if they have been cold (i.e; in a mailbox in winter). Lustres have a light vanilla scent.

Packaging (2.5/5):
I don't have a problem with the actual lip gloss tube, I have a problem with the label. It is like holographic or something and it makes it completely hard to read. I do however, really like the applicator. I don't feel like its a typical doe foot, it's more straight and it works out nicely.

Product (3/5):
Now part of this is completely my fault, I didn't read the blurb that I posted above before I ordered and never realized that they're not actually lip gloss, more of a lipstick type of color. This is a good thing for most people because they're INCREDIBLY pigmented and if you like purple/blue/green lips then pick these up but I was hoping they were more sheer. I have worn them with some gloss mixed in to make them a little less pigmented and it has worked out great. They're extremely light and soft, easy to apply but I do notice that if you have dry lips, it really enhances the dry lip features we all hate. Less Than Three is my favorite on the lips, the other 2 don't really match with my skintone. I was hoping that Fanservice would have been more like MACs "I <3 U" lipglass which is my favorite, but of course, those are more sheer, which I thought the lustres were going to be. I feel like Very Berry Happy is the worst of them all because it kind of cakes up on my lips and doesn't apply as nicely as the other 2.

Longevity (4/5):
I haven't worn these too long as I don't usually wear my lip stuff that long anyways but I have worn them 4+ hours with just slight fading. I really love how Less Than Three looks on my lips after slightly wiped off or "worn" down, it has a nice matte texture and just gives color to my lips rather than a sheen/shine/tell something is there.

Price (5/5):
These are only $6.00 a piece and even better, they're from an indie company which I think is important to support (obviously). You get 8ml of product in a 10ml tube which is a great deal.

Overall (3.62/5):
I think the product is great for what you pay for, I wish I just had chosen different colors. I do plan to buy some more when I get back from New York, I have my eye on Lollipop-pop, Romantique, and Ultra Phantom.

You can get this at Fyrinnae for $6.

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Kiss My Sass "Lip Tint" Review & Swatches

Beth from Kiss My Sass Cosmetics is my go to person for any questions or problems in the make up business world. She is the only business owner I really know and have ever talked to. She buys from me and I buy from her, but of course that doesn't change the outcomes of either of our "reviews".

She donated a Lip Tint to the March OTM and I fell in love with it. When she released the permanent colors, I scooped them up! There are currently 4 available (5 if you include the one from the OTM) and I have all of them and have swatched them for you.

Before I get into the review and more specifics, let me show you some pictures:



Blood Poppy, Georgia Kiss, Bouroir, Coquette, Bad Reputation


Blood Poppy, Georgia Kiss, Bouroir, Coquette, Bad Reputation


Blood Poppy - shimmery orange. This is one of my favorites, I think it looks awesome on!


Georgia Kiss - peachy pink with shimmer. This is my favorite in formula. This is only available through the OTM for March and it is a different formula. It is so smooth and have a nice texture with a subtle yet gorgeous color pay off.


Bouroir - mauve/light berry with a golden sheen. This is also another one of my favorites, looks great on my lips (IMO).


Coquette - pale nude with shimmer that shifts from between pink & green. I thought this would be one of my favorites since it's more of a nude color and I tend to go for those but it's ok. It makes my lips look kind of white, it's not bad but not my favorite.


Bad Reputation - fuchsia/hot pink with blue sparkles. This is the one I was most excited about but it just didn't deliver for me. The texture is really grainy and it took about 10-15 swipes just to get the swatch I did on my hand. I know these aren't supposed to be BAM color but it's not supposed to hurt either.

Our Lip Tints are formulated with the same hand-made base as our Lip Balms so they are semi-soft, creamy and moisturizing. They have a very light scent and they glide on smoothly with a slight shine and a hint of color!

FULL SIZE: Standard Lip Balm Tube with approx. 4g Net Weight
SAMPLE: 5g Jar with approx. 1/2g Net Weight

Flavors: Most of the time the flavor is Marshamallow (a light sweet vanilla-like scent) but occassionally I will use a different flavor (mostly in the Limited Edition shades). Currently, our "flavors" are technically "lip-safe fragrances" as you can't really taste anything. I am working on finding new flavors that are actually flavored and I'll update this when I do!

Packaging (4/5):
These are a simple typical lip balm tube but they're black with pink lids. I think that is pretty unique and although I don't really shop about on other brands, I haven't seen them yet. The labels are easy to read and match the tube. Only complaint would be the label feeling, it gives me the shivers.

Product (4/5):
I am giving this a 4 because one of them just wasn't that great. I do prefer the "Georgia Kiss" formulation but that's just me. The new formulation isn't as smooth gliding but it's not a huge deal.

Longevity (5/5):
I find these to be moisturizing and last a while.

Price (5/5):
These are only $5 a piece. You can have the whole collection for $20 which you can get one and a quarter MAC lip glosses for that. They're extremely reasonably priced and of course it's supporting another smaller brand.

Overall (4.5/5):
LOVE THESE, and you should go pick up some!

You can get this at Kiss My Sass for $5.

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Julep Maven Review (Feb It Girl)!

This month I got a different box then what I received last month, I chose "It Girl". I liked the colors better. The point of me signing up for Julep Maven was to pick colors that I would normally never go for and so far, I have stuck pretty true to that. This month was all about the "Oscars" so it included a bronze and a dark blue. It also included a gold glitter, which I wasn't really interested in.

Before I get into the review and more specifics, let me show you some pictures:



After applying (I used 2 coats each)


2 days later


7 days later

Professional quality “4-free” nail polish formulation, developed without carcinogens such as formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP. Shine on! $1 will be donated to organizations that support women through our Powered by Girlfriends program.

A lot of the review points are going to be the same from my last review on Julep Maven because a lot of the key points still stick.

Packaging (3/5):
I have 2 gripes with the packaging, hence the 3 instead of a 5. One, would be that the lid doesn't line up with the jar when I tighten the jar (someone did give me a solution for this, the lids come off the actual twisty part, like a butter london polish, yet this is just extra work). This could be from me over tightening it, but I like my polishes to not dry out, specially for $14 a pop. Second, is the super small brush. I feel like I am really spoiled with OPI's brushes because they're super wide, and that is what I prefer. If you like small brushes then it won't be an issue for you of course.

Product (5/5):
No gripes from me this time. I loved both the colors I received. Rachel is a warm rich copper shimmer, Elizabeth is a midnight blue with a hint of shimmer and Oscar is a sparkle like a star with this ultra chic, multi-dimensional gold glitter (not pictured). I am happy to be adding these to my collection. I don't find anything difficult about the formula and they have great opacity.

Longevity (5/5):
These have been on for a week and no chipping what so ever. The only thing I see is at my cuticle where my nail has grown, but that isn't anyone's fault, its nature.

Price (2.5/5):
(I am changing this from a 2 to a 2.5 because I feel like the formula somewhat makes up for the price). I am going to compare these to my 3 favorite brands, which I own a ton of and buy on a regular basis. First, we have OPI - 0.5 FL oz for $8.50, then we have Zoya - 0.5 FL oz for $8.00. Next, we have Butter London - 0.4 FL oz for $14.00 (which I only usually buy as "rewards" or special treatment). Now, the typical price of a Julep Maven polish is $14.00 for 0.27 FL oz. That is right, a little under half of MOST of these polishes for way more money. Even Butter London, which is AWESOME has a better value. The price is nowhere near "affordable" however, I do feel that they may have some unique colors.

Overall (3.875/5):
I am so happy to have this subscription, I look forward to that email every month telling me that I get to pick my next box (and I hope that one day I will be a lucky winner of the golden box). I have myself on a personal polish no buy since I have so much so it's a nice treat to get nail polish every month.

As of the day I am writing this (March 2nd), the coupon code to get your first month for a penny is still active. Just go on over to Julep Maven (affiliated code), take the quiz, pick your box and put "COLOR2012" in the discount box and you get a box for $0.01, what's not to love!?

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Sample Box February 2012 Look!

I got so much make up for the month of February, I couldn't wait to dive right in. I planned this look out for a few days, I was so excited to do it. I waited and waited until I had enough time to actually play!

Here we go, this is going to be quite pic heavy!


1. I applied my Kat Von D Primer (love this stuff but I am trying to get rid of my primers and I think mine has ran its course).

2. Next I applied Wet N Wild eye shadow in Brulee to my brow bone and just to the top of my crease, I use this as a blending shade.

3. Next I took the light side of the eye shadow pencil I got in my GoGoGirlfriend December Deluxe Box and put that onto my lid, blending it out. This was fairly "glittery", so just a warning, if you ever wanted to purchase any.

4. With a blending brush, I applied Coastal Scents Hot Pot in s14 (purple, from my GGG deluxe box) into my crease.

5. Next I applied my NYX Nude Roll On Eye Shimmer (MyGlam February) to the middle of my lid. This was fairly glittery and had a lot of fall out so I just took my blending brush and blended it out a little so it wasn't so bam.

6. Next I took my Heedless Heart February OTM shadow from Glamour Doll Eyes and added that to the outer half of my lid, blending slightly into the purple.

7. Next I took Inglot Matte 378 (dark brown) with a small smudger brush and concentrated that onto my crease, making it more harsh.

8. I then applied theBalm Luscious Lani Eye Shadow (MyGlam January) into the tear duct and put Inglot 390 (matte skin tone color) over it.

9. I lined my water line with Tarte Aqua-Gel Eye Liner in Teal (QVC NewBeauty TestTube). I found this REALLY hard to get onto my waterline. I had to push fairly hard which isn't good for your water line and it took a long time to get any pay off. I also added the purple and dark brown to my lower lash line.

10. I then used the Mally Mascara (QVC NewBeauty TestTube) to coat my upper and lower lash line and used a Mally Liner (from a regular TestTube) to line my upper waterline.

11. I used my Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer (NewBeauty TestTube) as a tinted moisturizer and applied my colorescience pro® Pressed Mineral Foundation (Birchbox) on top.

12. Lastly, I applied my Eye Rock Designer Liner (BirchBox February) to my upper lash line and Jouer "BirchBox Pink" Lip Gloss (BirchBox December) to my lips!









Just wanted to add a little tid-bit about the Eye Liners. I got the first one on (right side) super quick and easy, took me one try. The part near my tear duct area wasn't really staying down so I just added a little lash glue and it was fixed. I went to put on the left one and I had more troubles. I usually have problems with my left eye, its like my brain doesn't know how to function on that side. I couldn't get it straight and always ended up with the tear duct part near my nose, however, I never set the actual sticker down until I could tell it was totally lined up.

After I put it on, the little sticker part closest to my outer eye would NOT stay down. I kept putting glue on it and still, nothing. It was so weird. You can see in some of my pictures it was kind of "floating". I really think this is a cool idea, they did feel kind of weird on but for something like a night out, they would be perfect. You just need to get some glue to keep them on. Here is a picture:



After that, I decided to take off the liner and just wear the make up as is. I really loved this look and would totally wear it as an everyday look. I will keep this as a mental note and wear it again soon!!





PS: I originally didn't like the BB Jouer Lip Gloss but I think the color has really grown on me!

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