beauty Archives | Stephie Estie

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Review!

January 16, 2018

Hi everyone! I hope you’re doing well.

It’s my first post of the year and I thought I would start with a product review on one of the most talked about lines in the beauty realm, Fenty Beauty.

After reading and hearing rave reviews about this universal rosy shade, I had to see for myself why this product received so many glowing reviews. So, after finding a Sephora that had this product in stock, I finally caved and purchased it.

Did this shimmering rose nude lip gloss live up to the hype? Keep reading for my take on this.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

Described as, “an ultimate, gotta-have-it lip gloss with explosive shine that feels as good as it looks—in one universal rose nude shade.”

Pros

Amazing scent

High-shine

You only need a little bit of product so a tube should last a long time

Beautiful neautral shade (initially)

Decent lasting power (about 3 hours)

Cons

Very thick and tacky feeling

Over-sized applicator won’t suit everyone

Shows up as a clear gloss

Pricey at $18 a tube

Overall: I really wanted to love this gloss but honestly, it just didn’t work for me. I hate how thick and heavy this lip gloss feels. It’s not sticky per se but it feels very tacky and uncomfortable. The bigger than normal applicator might work great for some but for me, it just picked up too much product and I had to constantly wipe off the excess on the side of the tube. The beautiful rose gold shade turned clear on my lips so there was no color payoff whatsoever. The scent was addicting and quite frankly, one of my favorite aspects of the lip gloss. The shine department didn’t disappoint either but it just wasn’t worth the $18.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Swatch

A swatch of the shade. If only it turned up like this on me. 🙁

What are your thoughts on this product? Any Fenty Beauty items you love? Comment below!

Christmas Gift Guide 2017!

December 13, 2017

Hi everyone!

We’re inching closer to Christmas and if you need a little bit of gift giving ideas, check out my top picks this year.

1. Soma Cool Nights Scoopneck Long Sleeve Pajama Set, $29

These pajama sets are incredibly soft and light-weight and come with cute phrases and designs. My pick? The pancakes and pajamas set because is there anything better than that on a weekend?

2. Shiseido Facial Cotton, $5-$10

If you’re looking for an inexpensive stocking stuffer that feels high end, look no further than these. Soft and luxurious on the skin, these leave no cotton residue behind and don’t absorb excess product so you’ll never waste any more product than you need.

3. Sara Happ Midnight Bluberry Set, $40

This chic lip set is perfect for mistletoe season. It comes with an exfoliator to buff dry lips away and a balm to hydrate and smooth your lips. Bonus: You don’t really have to worry about wrapping this as it already comes complete with a box and bow.

4. Vitality Extracts In-Car Essential Oil Diffuser, $9

Know anyone who loves aromatherapy? Gift them this in-car diffuser. I recently purchased one and am absolutely in love with it. You can add in a few drops of your favorite essential oil or use plain water to double as a humidifier.

5. Bowers & Wilkins In-Ear Headphones C5 Series 2, $149.99

These ergonomic in-ear headphones are lightweight and provide an extraordinary audio experience. Great for any music lover or someone who loves working out and needs something comfortable with exceptional sound.

6. Bourbon Infused Coffee, $19.95

Elevate a morning staple drink by creating a unique flavor profile using bourbon infused coffee. This blend smells and taste like bourbon, giving your coffee a kick without the side effects of alcohol.

7. David’s Tea Carry Travel Mug, $34

This doubled-walled travel mug makes toting hot drinks around easy as it keeps liquids hot for hours and is completely leakproof. It also comes with a hidden tea compartment that allows you to enjoy loose leaf tea on the go.

8. Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Eyeshadow Palette, $62

Perfect for beauty lovers, this palette comes with 24 pigment-packed and buttery smooth eyeshadows. The gorgeous shades allow for practically any type of look and the packaging is stunning.

Have any great Christmas gift ideas? Share them below!

Play! By Sephora Review March 2017!

March 30, 2017

Hi everyone!

It’s almost the end of March and I have a review for the Play! by Sephora box. In case you haven’t heard, this is a monthly $10 curated subscription box featuring samples of different brands available at Sephora. You also get a bag with your products inside that display cute catchy phrases.

The theme for this month was The Gleam Team, featuring products with “high-wattage shimmer to a natural gleam that redefine shine.” If you’re anything like me and you’ve visited the Sephora website recently, you’ll see that highlighting products are trending, making this bag a perfect fit.

Let’s take a look at how these products performed.

Benefit Cosmetics Watt’s Up! Cream to Powder Highlighter

This easy to apply cream-to-powder highlighter “dials up the radiance to any complexion”. The twist up format makes it perfect for on the go. I received this product a few years ago as part of the free Sephora birthday gift (I think?). It’s a champagne tinged highlighter that blends in nicely to skin but while I do like it, it’s not an absolute must have for me.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Pink

Super creamy and waterproof, Bobbi Brown’s eyeshadow stick is a shimmering peach pink shade that can be worn on the browbones and inner corners of your eyes for a hint of brilliance. It’s also said to be crease and flake-fee wear. Guys, they’re not joking when they say shimmering. This product doesn’t just have a sheen, it has full on shimmer particles that are visible a mile away. And that’s really not a bad thing with this type of product, especially if you want to brighten up your eyes. It’s a gorgeous shade and with a great primer, does not budge.

Top to Bottom: Benefit Watt’s Up Highlighter and Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow Stick Golden Pink

GlamGlow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer in Nude Glow

A two-in-one moisturizer and luminzer that hydrates, blurs, and enhances any complexion with a lit-from-within finish. It can be worn alone or layered under foundation. The first thing that stood out with this product is the scent. It has a very strong sweet scent that I personally don’t mind and I can’t smell it after I put it on. I tried using it as a stand alone product, but it’s way too sheer to cover up my redness. It works well under makeup and does give a beautiful glow, but $49 for the full-size is a bit steep and I have other similar products that do a similar job just fine.

Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm

This makeup and skincare hybrid has a whipped formula that gives skin a, “soft-focus luminosity whether you use it as a primer or for a finishing touch.” I’ll admit when I first saw this product, I was hesitant to try it out as I have combination skin and the consistency appeared thick and heavy. As soon as I dabbed a bit on my finger, it had a silky texture and wasn’t thick like I had anticipated. Unfortunately, this didn’t do much in terms of providing a glow factor. Whether I wore foundation over it or applied it on top of my cheeekbones, the sheen disappeared as if I had not applied anything on.

Top to Bottom: GlamGlow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer in Nude Glow and Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm

Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast

Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast is a weightless spray that delivers, “long-lasting volume and texture for thicker, fuller-looking hair that is silky soft.” The spray can also double as a style refresher, thanks to an oil controlling blend of ultra-lightweight powders that absorb dirt and impurities. I have naturally curly hair that needs no extra volume thank you very much. However, when I straighten my hair, it usually looses some of the volume so products like this come in handy. I prefer to use this as a style refresher as it does a good job at absorbing oil and imparts a nice clean scent.

Chloe Fluer de Parfum

I was pretty happy to see a fragrance from Chloe as at first glance I thought it was Love Story. To my dismay, as soon as I spritzed it, I realized my mistake. This fragrance is a floral blend with notes of absolute verbena, freesia, rose, cherry blossom, bitter almond and amber. The dominant note here is rose and while I do love that scent, this was just way too overpowering for me when mixed with the other scents.

Overall, this was another great box from Sephora. I can’t wait for next month. 🙂

What are your favorite products to get your glow on or are you over the highlighting trend?

October 2016 Favorites!

October 27, 2016

Happy Thursday everyone!

October is coming to a rapid end so here’s some products that have gotten me through with stellar results. Take a look!

L’Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion in C3

Words can’t express how much I really love this cushion BB cream. It provides a natural “my skin but better” look and leaves behind a nice glow that is not overwhelming. One of my go-to products for practically any given day.

Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy in Milkshake

Included in the Too Faced Naughty Kisses and Sweet Cheeks holiday set, I’m pretty obsessed with these lip glosses. With just the right amount of shine, I love the plumping effect of this gloss and they last a pretty good while.

It’s a 10 Miracle Shampoo plus Keratin

Pretty much my holy grail shampoo at the moment! Finding a shampoo that does not make my scalp or skin itchy is painstakingly difficult. This sulfate free, sodium chloride free, paraben free, keratin protein infused shampoo lathers nicely, cleans my hair without feeling harsh, smoothes my curly and often times unruly hair and the best part? No irritation.

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask

Basically the only worthy product included in my Birchbox box this month, I like using this mask in the shower to gently exfoliate my skin. Although it’s compared to a traditional peel, I disagree. I can’t see the levels of willow bark and pomegranate enzymes these have but it doesn’t appear to be too concentrated as I felt no activity once I placed it on. I like this for cooler weather at the moment because it provides hydration without feeling heavy.

Clinique Nude Pop Cheek Pop Blush

This blush is one of my favorites for a reason. It provides both a natural look and finish and is perfect when you want to look put together in a jiffy. It blends seamlessly onto skin.

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel

Look no further than this product when you need to groom and define your eyebrows stat! Since this has a spoolie like application, a few quick strokes helps fill in sparse gaps and brush them at the same time to save you time.

What are your favorites this month?

Stephanie

Too Faced Naughty Kisses and Sweet Cheeks Review and Swatches!

October 13, 2016

Happy Thursday everyone!

I’m excited to bring you a review on one of Too Faced’s Holiday 2016 sets. First off, can anyone beat the Christmas in New York theme? Call me crazy but it’s my dream to travel to NYC during the holiday season. Something about it just fascinates me but until that happens, I’ll gladly enjoy dreaming about it.

Okay, back to the review. I tried the Too Faced Lip Injection and instantly knew I had to get it. So I went on the hunt for this one and wouldn’t you know that all the stores I checked didn’t have these in stock. So, the next best thing was this set as it had 3 of the lip plumpers and matching blushes. Was it worth it? Keep reading!

Too Faced Naughty Kisses and Sweet Cheeks

Described as: This fabulously festive set comes with three deluxe Lip Injection Glossy Lip Glosses and three coordinating Love Flush Blushes, all wrapped up in one pretty package. Give as one present or spread the love (and kisses) by gifting each pair separately.

I love how these come ready to gift in case you choose to do so!

This set includes: Mini Lip Injection Glossy Original (clear) and Love Flush Crazy in Love (bright pink); Mini Lip Injection Glossy Milkshake (nude) and Love Flush Baby Love (nude peach); and Mini Lip Injection Glossy Like a Boss (orchid) and Love Flush Dream Lover (lilac).

Pros

Great value set ($36)

Unique/variety of shades

Can be gifted

Blushes are nicely pigmented

Good lasting power

Cons

Blushes are smaller than I’d like

Colors may be too sheer for darker skin tones

Overall: I’m very happy with this set. Considering that a deluxe size of the Lip Injection costs $14, receiving 3 of these plus the blushes makes it a good value. You can keep all 3 or gift them and they come imprinted with a gift tag, ready for you to personalize it. I was a bit skeptical to try the lilac blush and lip plumper but it’s actually a very flattering shade and it sheers out a bit more pink on my cheeks. Both the blushes and lipglosses have good lasting power, with the blush lasting almost all day and the gloss a solid 3 hours. The lip plumpers do tingle for about a minute or so but it does deliver a pouty, fuller lip. My only complaints would be that the blushes are on the small side and it takes a few swipes for my brush to pick up product; also, some of the shades might be too sheer for darker skin tones. Other than that, Too Faced did a great job with this set!

Here is a swatch of the blushes. Top-Bottom: Dream Lover, Crazy in Love and Baby Love

And a swatch of the lip plumpers. Top-Bottom: Original, Like a Boss and Milkshake

I’d love to know, what holiday sets are you looking to buy?

Stephanie

The Fall Tag!

October 11, 2016

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? It’s a bit chilly this Tuesday and I for one, am welcoming cooler temperatures.

Speaking of cooler weather, I saw this tag on Nicole’s site PrettyRuffLife (who by the way is hosting a giveaway) and thought it would be a cute post for today. Let’s jump into it!

What is your favourite Fall colour?

I would have to say orange (in all its variations), burgundy and red-hued browns. These make for lovely eyeshadow colors.

What is your favourite Fall lip product?

I would say that a good lip exfoliator is key during fall. I don’t really stick to wearing certain lip colors for fall but no shade looks good with flaky lips so I make sure to keep handy my Sara Happ Lip Scrub. This stuff is ah-mazing!

What is your favourite Fall accessory?

A scarf and nice coat.

What is your favourite Fall nail polish?

A dark, vampy nail color is always fun and OPI Linkin Park After Dark fits the bill. I also love orange shades like OPI Chromatic Orange and though I have’t tried this one yet, the curry yellow shade, Never a Dulles Moment, from the Washington DC OPI collection looks so unique and fun.

What is your favourite Fall scent?

Anything that has cinnamon mixed in. So weather it’s pumpkin cinnamon or apple cinnamon, I’m in.

What is your favourite Fall fashion?

Boots, coats and comfy leggings. I’m also a huge fan a warm fluffy socks.

What is your favourite Fall Starbucks drink?

I don’t indulge in them often but I have a few. The first is of course, the ever popular Pumpkin Spice Latte. I’m also loving the Chile Mocha Drink they have this year and nothing beats a classic and luxurious hot chocolate.

What is your favourite thing about Fall?

Cooler weather, leaves changing, candles, leggings and the scent of fall offerings and the seasonal treats.

What are you being for Halloween?

I’m not sure yet but in the past I’ve dressed up as a zombie and the Evil Queen from Once Upon A Time.

What is your favourite fall hairstyle?

I have no clue what fall hairstyles consist of but the quickest thing for me is to throw my hair in a bun so I guess I’ll say that.

That’s it for this post!

What are your favorite aspects of fall?

Stephanie

September Birchbox Unboxing 2016!

September 22, 2016

Hi everyone! The last subscription box of the month is here and this month’s theme was all about multitaskers.

Take a look below to see what I received!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

A creamy cleanser that sweeps away dirt and makeup while gently exfoliating. This product was paired with a muslin cloth to aid in the removal of it, although you can remove it separately. First off, I really love how this product feels- so very creamy and luxurious. However, it did leave a film behind and although I tried to remove it with a different cleanser, it never really went away. It kind of made me breakout a little too. I will try this again once the weather cools down.

Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer

An eco-friendly, lightweight sunscreen that has a cucumber scent. This is a chemical sunscreen that has antioxidants like evening primrose oil and acai which are a nice addition. It doesn’t feel heavy at all but as much as I like Coola products, I’ve been receiving them a lot lately and would love to explore other brands.

Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in Perk

This lip and cheek stick melt on contact with body heat for sheer, buildable color. The sheer coral shade is a great option as a cheek color or lip shade. I prefer to use it as a cheek shade and it goes on nicely and blends out evenly. I will be trying this out further to see if it causes breakouts or not.

Oribe Glaze for Beautiful Color

A lightweight formula that protects and adds gloss to hair ans strengthens and nourishes hair with watermelon, lychee and edelweiss. I’m a fan of a few Oribe products so I was curious to see how this worked since I have color treated hair. This did make my hair feel softer and left a nice, glossy sheen behind. However, most Oribe in shower products cause a little bit of a reaction on me and this made me slightly itchy. I might just use it sporadically to minimize the reaction time as I was impressed with the results.

Bonus: Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Color

While I really like the Oribe shampoos and conditioners (hello amazing scent and lovely feel!), I do seem to have a reaction to them as my hair and body start to itch. I decided to hold off on these as I tried the Oribe glaze and didn’t want to increase the risk for a reaction.

Tocca Florence Eau de Parfum

Notes of grapefruit, bergamot, jasmine, blue iris, blonde wood and white musk make up this scent. Unfortunately, this was a no-go for me as the scent of jasmine was a bit overwhelming.

Overall, this box was just okay. I could do without the perfume and while I appreciate the sunscreen, I have plenty samples to last me a while.

What do you think of this month’s Birchbox? Will you be keeping your subscription?

Stephanie

Play! By Sephora Unboxing September 2016!

September 20, 2016

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? I can’t beleive fall is just around the corner! Cra-zy.

I’m kicking off subscription week here on the blog with a look at the September Play! By Sephora box. In case you don’t know, this is a monthly $10 curated subscription box featuring samples of different brands available at Sephora. The theme for this month is The Unbasic Basics, with products meant to become the building blocks for your beauty routine.

Kat Von D Tatto Liner in Trooper

A waterproof liquid liner that glides on to reveal precise, bold strokes of highly pigmented color. The applicator on this liner is thin enough to provide a very fine line bit can also be tilted to provide a thicker line. This eyeliner doesn’t budge which is always a plus.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Perfector

You’re supposed to work this product into damp or dry hair and leave it on overnight. You can rinse it out in the morning or leave it on to get a full week of softness and shine with this long-lasting, weightless solution that keeps hair looking its best. This did make my curly hair softer but other than that, I haven’t seen a dramatic change. Perhaps the more I use it, the more I’ll see results?

Sephora Collection Rouge Shine Lipstick in Love Spell

This pink creamy, moisturizing lipstick is formulated with shea butter and caster oil to nurture lips. The consistency of this lipstick is very much like a lipgloss and with the weather changing, it’s a great formula to have on hand. The shade of pink is a gorgeous color that is perfect for daytime or paired with a smokey eye.

Top-Bottom: KVD Tropper and Sephora Love Spell Swatches

Atelier Cologne Sud Magnolia

This refreshing floral blend balances delicate notes of magnolia with layers of wood and citrus. At first scent, this smelled okay but then as the day went on, it kind of made me nauseous so unfortunately this one didn’t work for me.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel

A light-weight, flexible clear gel that sets, defines and keeps brows in place for a polishes look that stays all day. I’ve actually had a sample of this one before and I really like it. My brows tend to get unruly as they grow in so this is perfect to help tame them a bit.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation

Light, silky, and oil-free, this moisturizer melts into skin to help soften, brighten and even skin tone. It contains licorice root to brighten, chamomile to soothe and vitamin C to help encourage collagen production. I do like this moisturizer as it does sink into skin without feeling heavy, however with the weather changing, it doesn’t provide enough hydration on its own. I decided to pair this with a serum and it worked better.

Overall, I’m really happy with this box!

Have you tried any of these products? Which ones are your favorites?

Stephanie

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor Review in HD Kisses and HD Embrace!

September 8, 2016

Happy Thursday everyone! This week is flying by as it’s almost Friday-what?! That’s the perk of a long weekend I guess and I’m not complaining. 😉

I have another review on some budget friendly lippies so let’s get started.

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor

Described as a, “lightweight, high definition velvety matte color. Moisturizing, velvety feel. 100% wax-free, gel formula.” I picked up HD Embrace, a nude pink and HD Kisses, a raspberry mauve shade.

Pros

Cost effective at under $10

Sleek packaging

Clear tube allows you to see the color

Color glides on smoothly

Good lasting power

Good array of colors

Excellent pigmentation

Cons

Not truly matte

Dry down time takes about 30 minutes

Lighter colors accentuates any imperfections

Sweet scent may not be for everyone

Overall: I’m a big fan of these lip products. They are reminiscent of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams in both the feel and sweet scent. I found that the formula glides on smoothly provided your lips aren’t chapped. Both leave behind a stain while eating and drinking, with HD Kisses more pronounced than HD Embrace. The pigmentation on both are great and usually one swipe is all you need to get excellent coverage. Even as these dry down, I don’t find that these are completely a true matte because I can still rub my lips together and feel a bit of slip to them. With this said though, they aren’t really that moisturizing after they dry down either. I’d describe it as in between a satin and matte. The packaging on these is very sleek and the color you see is pretty much the color you get.

Some swatches of the shades.

Have you tried the Revlon HD Mattes? What’s your favorite matte lipstick?

Stephanie

ColourPop Review on Flitter and My Jam!

September 6, 2016

Happy Tuesday everyone! I’m still recovering from my long and fun-filled weekend! I attended a wedding so it’s always fun to get glam for an event. You can check it out on my Instagram. Did you do anything fun for Labor Day weekend?

A few weeks back I purchased two new items that ColourPop released so if you’re curious about what I thought, keep on reading!

ColourPop Ultra Metallic Lip in Flitter

Described as, super intense color with high impact metallic pearls and a non-drying formula that is extremely long-wearing. The shade Flitter has a warm pinky undertone with flash of gold on top in a Metallic finish.

Pros

Cost effective at $6

Beautiful and unique shade

Smooth application

Good lasting power

Cons

Tube looks about half empty

Not very hydrating

Accentuates dry lips

Overall: As soon as I saw swatches of this shade on several beauty blogging sites, I knew I had to have it. The color itself is ah-mazing! It’s a nice pink shade that has gold swirled in it and pictures don’t do this shade justice. It glides on smoothly and lasts a decent time without heavy drinking or eating. I sometimes pair this with my Lancome Juicy Shaker to get a more hydrated feel. It does accentuate any lip imperfections so it’s a good idea to prep them beforehand. One of the biggest cons is that this tube looks half empty. As soon as I took the applicator out, I could see through the tube. I know it’s priced at $6, but all the other glosses are filled so I’m not sure what happened here. Other bloggers have complained about this issue too. I love the color so I would repurchase this again-I just hope they fix the half-empty issue.

Top to Bottom: ColourPop Flitter and My Jam Swatches

ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip in My Jam

Described as, “a full coverage gloss with a smooth pearl metal finish that does not contain any glitter.” (Note: This is the description for the Ultra Metallic finish). The shade My Jam is depicted as a warm golden nude shimmering with silver and gold in a Metallic finish.

Pros

Cost effective at $6

Hydrating

High shine without the glitter

Tube was filled with product

Cons

Not long lasting

Shade on website doesn’t match the actual color

Slightly sticky

Sheer

Overall: I like this color but in all honestly, it was very different from the picture on the ColourPop website. I was expecting a warm golden, sort of peach nude but when I pulled the tube out, the shade was more copper/brown like. It’s still a nice shade that has a high shine and is great for layering but I was kind of disappointed with this one. Though hydrating,there is little bit of tackiness and the color is pretty sheer so the lasting power isn’t the best. I would not repurchase this shade again.

Have you tried any new ColourPop items? Which are your favorites?

Stephanie