Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown, Chocolate: before & afters, swatches, review

Hello, Beautiful!

If you didn't know, Anastasia released three new shades of their Dipbrow Pomade not too long ago. Just after I purchased the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate from Sephora, Ulta released the new shades online.... turns out I needed one of the new shades to be my better match - as Chocolate was a bit too warm toned for my brows. I ended up purchasing the shade Medium Brown from Ulta and I returned the Chocolate shade to Sephora.

I have the shade Medium Brown to show you in this post, but also a few pics of shades Chocolate and Medium brown next to each other and swatched next to each other -- as well as my before & after pic using the shade Chocolate, and Chocolate combined with the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo (I have a separate review on the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo coming up tomorrow!).

This has been one of the best brow products ever in terms of ease of use, staying power and color (now that Medium Brown was introduced). Read my full review below, along with all the product info, after the pics!

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade
Shade: Medium Brown

 

** In photos this is pulling warmer than it is in person. This is an ashy brown -- Medium Brown is Anastasia's new name for the Medium Ash shade. **

** Camera did not pick up how warm toned Chocolate is when swatched below next to Medium Brown. But in the above photos you can see how much more warm/red in tone it is compared to Medium Brown, which is an ashy brown.  **

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $18.00 (0.14 oz full size). Available on the Anastasia website, at Sephora, at Ulta, and everywhere else Anastasia Beverly Hills products are sold.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Product Info...

Creamy, waterproof brow color ideal for defining and sculpting precise, smudge-free brows. An all-in-one brow product, or pair with a brow pencil or brow powder for a softer look.

Works as a brow primer and provides color, sculpture, and shading. It's great for anyone, but ideal for oily skin and in humid climates.

Use with the Anastasia Brush #12 for a completely smooth, effortless application.

Now available in 8 shades:

• Auburn
• Blonde
• Chocolate
• Dark Brown
• Ebony
• Taupe (one of the new shades)
• Medium Brown (one of the new shades)
• Soft Brown (one of the new shades)

My Review...

This is a product I initially held off on buying. It was super hyped up and although I love Anastasia brow products, I didn't know if I would love the brow pomade. Plus, I had been using the Tarte Amazonian Clay Brow Mousse for years (since 2011) and I felt if I had that one I didn't need this one. But after much lust for this product, I decided to go ahead and order it.

Choosing a shade was what I wasn't sure about. I was trying to decide between Chocolate and Dark Brown - only thinking of Dark Brown because I was afraid Chocolate would be too warm toned. But I also thought Dark Brown may be too dark. I ordered the Chocolate shade, and when I got it I did use it and I did a before & after with it -- as shown above -- but it was definitely not a perfect shade match. Certainly not the perfect shade match I was used to from Anastasia in her Brow Wiz, which I used in Brunette, Soft Brown and finally Medium Ash (now called Medium Brown), which turned out to be my ideal shade match!

Not even a week after I ordered the Brow Pomade in Chocolate, Ulta released three new shades of on their website... one of those being Medium Brown. I was mad because I had waited all this time to finally try this product and when I do finally order it they release new shades not even a week later.

Once Medium Brown arrived I did another before and after and I knew right away that Medium Brown was my color. I returned Chocolate to Sephora (more like exchanged it for more makeup, lol), and have been in love with Medium Brown ever since.

With this product a little goes a long way, and it's very easy to use too much and have extremely filled in, defined, Joan Crawford brows. If you've never used a brow pomade type of product before (the Tarte Amazonian Clay Brow Mousse was really the only one I had truly tested before this one), there is a slight learning curve. With practice this can be your all-in-one brow product. I apply it starting on the bottom of my brow line, from the middle and out to the arch and tail. Then same thing on top, fill in without adding any more product. Then I may lightly stamp my brush back into the product to ever so lightly fill in and define the front part of my brow. In the before and after pics it's shown a bit more defined and filled in than I normally do with this product.

How I really like to use this is in combination with a brow pencil or brow powder. I use the brow pomade on the middle to outer portion of my brows and then a brow pencil or powder on the inner portion so it's not as harsh or defined.

As far as staying power goes, this is really good. I never have issues with my brows fading or smearing or anything like that. It even stays on really good through the cuddle test.

I have used this every day, sometimes twice a day if I take off my makeup to change it up, and I've barely made a dent in this. I see this lasting a really, really long time!

If you have issues with your brow products not staying where you put them, then I highly recommend you try this brow pomade!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this brow pomade? Have you tried this or is this on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

tarte Not So Slick Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers - pics, review!

Hello, Beautiful!

If you're an oily skin gal, then blotting sheets are probably one of your best used tools. I used to be a very oily skinned girl, but my skin has changed so much over the past year. I'm now combination skin - with it being more normal to oily in the spring and summer, and more normal to dry in the fall and winter. It's still pretty hot out, and I've been loving these tarte Not So Slick Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers! They stay in my purse and I use them to get rid of any shine I may have, as well as before I touch-up my makeup. Check out all the product info, along with my full review, after the pics!

tarte - Not So Slick
Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers

tarte Not So Slick Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $10.00 (50 sheets per pack). Available on the tarte Cosmetics website, at Sephora, at Ulta, and everywhere else tarte Cosmetics are sold.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Kisses

Product Info...

Naturally-derived blotting papers that instantly absorb excess oil and shine for a matte, refreshed complexion.

Keep excess shine at bay all year long with these discreet and convenient blotting papers infused with soothing and antioxidant-rich green tea extract. Perfect for daily use or easy, on-the-go touch-ups, each weightless blotting paper instantly absorbs excess oil without disturbing your makeup.


My Review...

Blotting sheets are such a great tool; honestly, if you're not using them I don't know why. They can be all you need to get rid of shine - meaning you won't have to apply any more product (usually powder) to your face. They are amazing to use before doing a touch-up, when touch-up's are absolutely necessary, because they remove any oils that could interfere with how the makeup you're layering on top applies.

I have tried a lot of blotting sheets, mostly higher end brands (not by choice necessarily; I just usually buy them as an added item to get my Sephora order total where I need it for free shipping). Honestly, I think these tarte ones are some of the best I've tried!

They don't remove or disturb the makeup underneath; they just perfectly soak up your excess oils and make your face non-shiny and non-greasy looking. They also don't contain any bad ingredients, so they're more gentle and natural on the skin than some other blotting papers can be. They're also a nice size too. I have tried some blotting sheets that were so small I'd go through 4 of them in a single use. With the tarte ones, I only need one most of the time unless it's ridiculously hot and I am planning to touch-up my makeup with powder, then I may use two of these.

You get 50 blotting sheets in this little pack, which is a good amount. I haven't used them all up yet and I've had them living in my purse. When I do run out I fully plan to repurchase these -- especially when I'm out of my TATCHA blotting sheets!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of these blotting sheets? Have you tried them or are they on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

Allure Sample Society - September 2014: value breakdown, pics, swatches, mini reviews

Hello, Beautiful!

This is my September 2014 Allure Sample Society from BeautyBar.com! Check out below to see what I received, a little about each product and my thoughts, as well as a break-down of the value of this month's bag! I am so excited to get a FULL SIZED eye cream in this box that is valued at $85!

Allure Sample Society is $15 a month (although I get charged $15.80 for whatever reason). Each month you'll received 5 deluxe-sized beauty samples; a curated mix of skin, hair and makeup products - as well as fragrance from time to time. Plus an Allure mini-mag and a $10 off $50 Beauty Bar gift card. Use my code to get 20% off any/all of their sites you have not yet shopped on (beautybar.com, soap.com, diapers.com, wag.com, yoyo.com, and more). CLICK HERE to go to Allure Sample Society.
Code: KISS1299

September 2014 Allure Sample Society

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's box: $108.05 (value is approximate)
• Total # of Items Received: 5
• # of makeup items: 2
• # of nail items: 0
• # of hair care items: 1
• # of skin care items: 1
• # of body care items: 0
• # of fragrance items: 1

Now I'll talk about each product...

Restoresea Revitalizing Eye Cream with Vibransea Complex

• MY THOUGHTS: Holy cow - this is a FULL SIZED eye cream that is valued at $85!!! That's a crazy good value to get in this box! I'm excited to give this a try, because I need a new eye cream. I like the texture of this - it has a thicker texture that is really silky smooth. It feels like it would be very hydrating, which is exactly what I need! Really excited about this!!
• FULL SIZE: 0.5 oz @ $85.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: FULL SIZE
• VALUE: $85.00

Lorac POREfection Mattifying Face Primer

• MY THOUGHTS: This is a clear primer that has a thick silicone texture (similar to the Smashbox primer). Although I've only tested this once, I didn't really like it for my skin. My skin is transitioning to a drier texture and mattifying primers can be too drying on my skin now. It certainly didn't make my skin more dry, but I felt like my foundation didn't go over top as smoothly as it could with a more hydrating primer. I think if you are normal to oily skin this would be a good primer for you. It does a decent job for pores, but only if you really press it into those areas (like you should with any pore minimizing primer). I think I can still use it on hotter days here, but with fall coming up this primer would of been better suited for me back in June. Still, since it is just a smaller sample tube I think I could use this up before the weather gets too cold.
• FULL SIZE: 1.7 oz @ $32.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.17 oz
• VALUE: $3.20

Alterna Caviar Repair RX Re-Texturizing Protein Cream

• MY THOUGHTS: I really like Alterna products, especially their Caviar line, so I was really excited to see this in my box. It's a really good sample size, certainly enough for me to use for a long while. It has really good reviews on Sephora's website so I'm very excited to give this a full try!
• FULL SIZE: 5.1 oz @ $35.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 1.35 fl oz
• VALUE: $9.26

tarte Brazilliance Skin Rejuvenating Maracuja Self Tanning Face Towelettes

• MY THOUGHTS: This sample box had 3 towelettes in it; I already had some from when I purchased the self tanner for the body but I never used them (and actually put them in my recent giveaway). I won't be using these either, so I'll save them for another giveaway or for a friend.
• FULL SIZE: 3 towelettes @ $9.00 - 10 towelettes @ $21.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 3 towelettes
• VALUE: $9.00

Givenchy Dahlia Divin Eau De Parfum

• MY THOUGHTS: I'm not a big perfume person, especially for getting sample vials in subscription boxes, but at least this perfume sample has a spray top. The scent is just okay... I'll have to see how it smells and wears on my skin.
• FULL SIZE: 1.7 oz @ $90.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.03 oz
• VALUE: $1.59

My Thoughts On The Entire Box...

• VALUE: The value was approximately $108.05
• USAGE: I will use the eye cream for sure! I've already tried the Lorac primer and will give it at least 2 more tries before deciding my final thoughts on it. Definitely excited to use the Alterna cream on my hair! Not going to use the tarte face towelettes, and probably won't use the Givenchy perfume sample much at all - it will just go in with my other perfume samples.
• FINAL THOUGHTS: Even though most of these samples were smaller and lower in value, the big bang of the box is the Restorsea eye cream with an $85 value! What an amazing deal! That alone makes this box so beyond worth it. And 3 out of 5 products are getting used, so that's a good thing. Really happy with the way this subscription service has made over themselves; it has improved for the better for sure! Can't wait for my October box already!

Let me know what you think...

What are your thoughts on this month's Allure Sample Society? Did you receive a box this month? If so, what are your thoughts on these items? Discuss in the comments below.

Old Wives Tail - Coco Loco Organic Coconut Oil Hair Mask: pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

I was contacted by Old Wives Tail and asked if I'd like to try a sample of her hair oil. I said of course, because it looked like a great product and I love trying hair treatments. I was so excited to try this, but even more excited by the results! Now I do want to point out you're going to see two sets of photos in this blog post... because I was stupid and didn't realize this is a solid product and not a straight oil. It arrived as an oil, because it will melt if it's not kept in a cool, dark, dry place. So after a week of using it, I looked down (it was on my floor by my desk) and saw it was solid. I was like "oooooooh" and re-photographed it all. So that's why there are two sets of photos. Check out all the product info, along with my full review, after the pics!

Old Wives Tail
Coco Loco Organic Coconut Oil Hair Mask

And now the pics of the product melted....

Old Wives Tail Coco Loco Organic Coconut Oil Hair Mask Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $24.87 (at time the time I wrote this post, it was on sale for $16.57) (150 ml full size). Available on the Old Wives Tail website.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Product Info...

We all know how amazing organic coconut oil is for our hair and at Old Wives Tail they have gone absolutely coconut crazy! They hand picked the best oils and essential oils and lovingly whipped them up with pure virgin coconut oil to create a mask that is bursting with natural proteins and has a mouth-watering tropical, zesty scent.

Just one scoop will add lustre, strength and shine to any hair type. When massaged into your scalp, Coco-Loco will stimulate each and every hair follicle and promote healthy hair growth. Its natural antibacterial properties and nutrients get to work at calming and soothing any dry or flaky areas of your scalp. What's more is when this mask is used over a period of time it can aid in protecting the natural color pigmentation of your hair and prevent early greys from sprouting!

Made with certified organic ingredients only. Paraben-free. Sulfate-free. Gluten-free. Vegan & vegetarian. No animal testing.


My Review...

I'll be honest and say I really was confused by the packaging; a tub like container for a hair oil? I could see if this was a thicker, cream like product but this is a liquid, an oil. It didn't make much sense to me. Well guess what? It was MELTED and this is actually a solid product! Now the jar makes more sense. I guess the warm weather really got to this during shipping and it had completely turned to a liquid -- which you can see in the product pictures I took right after I opened it.

Even a few days later it was still an oil, liquid state. It was only about a week or two later that I looked down and saw it was a solid. Weird, but the packaging now makes a lot more sense. So if you do order this during warmer months and find it has arrived in a complete liquefied state, no worries; it will return to a solid in no time. Their recommendation to store in a cool, dry, dark place should be followed.

I re-photographed this after it had returned to a solid, but I had already used it twice by that point in time. Even in its solid state this mask quickly melts into an oil. Easy to apply and easy for your hair to soak up.

Now the directions do say to put it on and wrap your hair with a warm towel and leave it on for an hour, but I'll be honest and say that I don't have time for an hour long hair treatment like that all the time, so I tried two quicker methods and had great results with both.

The first time I used this I just applied from mid-shaft to ends and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes, then I jumped in the shower and washed it out. My hair was so soft, shiny and manageable afterwards. I loved the way it looked and felt! Very smooth and silky!

The next test was to apply and then use my blow dryer on my hair for about 2 to 5 minutes, then let it sit for another 5 to 10 minutes. That yielded about the exact same results as the first test.

I then tried it exactly as they direct, with the warm towel and leaving it on for an hour. I think that method does give a slightly deeper treatment, but there is no reason you can't do a quicker treatment with this same product.

One thing I do want to point out is the scent can be a bit over whelming. It smells good but the one day it really was overwhelming to me and I couldn't handle the scent. It's a mix of a mint and a coconut, which kind of smell like a coconut candy bar, but it can be intense. I like the scent though, normally. Just that one day my nose couldn't handle it.

Overall, I really liked the way this mask worked. Thought it did really amazing things for my hair that other masks couldn't do. I don't like to use it if I plan to curl my hair though, as I have very fine, long hair and this mask hydrates maybe too much to allow my hair to then hold a curl, but I love it if I plan to leave my hair straight. Don't get me wrong, I can still curl my hair on days I have used this but I find that my curls fall a bit faster due to how hydrated and smooth my hair is.

They do offer other hair masks, so if you're not into a coconut mint scent, or your hair has other needs, click here to see the range of other masks they offer.

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this hair mask? Have you tried this or is this on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.