Reviews and Other Stuff

Month: August 2017

Sephora Play! August 2017

Hi Guys! Time for another “What’s In My Sephora Play! Box” this August. It’s all about unique products with innovating formulas that may become a big trend in the future. Sephora calls this month’s products as “The Innovators”.

 

sephora play august 2017 review

 

Well, as far as I could see in my box, there’s definitely some interesting products in there, and some that were always on my wish list or watch list that I’ve always wanted to try. You guys ready to examine each one?

 

beautyblender micro mini

Kopari Coconut Melt (2.5 oz: $18, 7 oz: $38) – A multi-purpose unrefined organic coconut oil that can be used as a moisturizer, balm, makeup remover, and more. This smells like toasted coconut or like a coconut macaroon. While this product may smell like pure coconut oil, this actually does a good job at really moisturizing the skin, especially if you live in a cold or dry climate, where moisturization is a necessity. The thing about coconuts is that they can be really oily, and they melt like butter easily. This product is not that different. It solidifies inside an AC room, but it turns liquid easily if you take it outside under the heat. It still works the same though, but I prefer it in solid form. I like to use this as a makeup remover, especially on the lips to remove the matte liquid lipsticks which can be a challenge to take off. I like this because it not only erases your makeup, it also moisturizes your skin at the same time, which minimizes irritation from constant rubbing. It’s also vegan and au-naturel.

 

Beautyblender Micro.Mini (2x: $18) – This cute little sponge works the same way as the original Beautyblender that we’ve all loved and used. I’ve always wanted to buy this for my inner eye area because I find that this really blends the concealer almost accurately, and also to blend the highlights around the inner eye. This is great if you have small features as this is easy to work around. It’s even great for applying contours and illuminators.

 

kat von d lock it concealer creme

1. Too Faced Mascara Melt Off Cleansing Oil (0.23 oz: $17) – This was on my wish list and I’m so glad Sephora included this in my box this month. This is such an innovative product as it prevents mess when removing regular or waterproof mascara. It’s pretty much easy to use, just swipe the lashes with its precision wand from base to tip, wait 60 seconds, wipe off with a damp cotton, or even a dry one, and voila! saves you time from soaking your lashes with makeup removers, which might irritate your eyes. This mascara melt off is really gentle and it doesn’t sting.

 

2. Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme in Medium 19 (0.22 oz: $26) – This concealer is definitely a full-coverage one with a natural to matte finish. It isn’t as creamy as I wanted it to be, but it does a great job at covering undereye circles, blemishes, and it even color corrects. It blends well despite it being highly pigmented and it really makes you look naturally awake. I haven’t noticed any creasing so far, which is good, but I would have wanted it to be a bit creamy though.

kat von d lock-it concealer creme review

 

3. & 4. Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Eau de Parfums (Travel Size/0.34 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $65, 3.4 oz: $85) – Two opposing scents yet they’re quite similar to each other. The Saint fragrance is a fresh daylight blend of jasmine and mandarin with a very nice dry down, while the Sinner scent is a fall to winter musky and earthy tune. Further reviewed HERE.

 

sephora play august 2017 living proof perfect hair day dry shampoo

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo (1.8 oz: $12, 4 oz: $22) – This dry shampoo smells really great and the scent is quite long lasting. However, when I sprayed this on my hair, it leaves a white residue that made my hair looked gray even if I tried to shake it off several times. It does a good job of absorbing oils from your hair and making it look presentably clean, but I’m not sure about the whole residue thing. Other than that, I really like the volumizing effect that this does on my hair.

 

sephora play august 2017 Kopari Coconut Melt

 

Verdict: I wouldn’t say that I’m crazy about the products for this month, but there’s definitely a few that truly stood out for me. It’s the Too Faced Mascara Melt Off, Beautyblender Micro.Mini, andย Kopari Coconut Melt that really suit my fancy.

 

Did you enjoy what’s inside your Sephora Play! Box this month?

 

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Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Review + Swatches

Hey All! Hope you’re having a great time wherever you are. Here’s another highlighter post (as if we don’t have enough highlighters already, LOL) that will remind you of just how difficult it is to avoid purchasing any highlighting product at all. Yes, it’s true. When it comes to highlighters, we’re all a sucker for them, ain’t that right? Especially if they’re really good, and especially if they’re from Becca.

 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter

I’ve always wanted to collect a few highlighters from Becca, especially the original Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters (0.28 oz: $38) because they’re simply one of the best highlighters in the market nowadays. I’ve heard and read so many good reviews about the Shimmering Skin Perfectors and I’ve also tried their Becca x Jaclyn Hill blush/highlighter compact collab (read here), as well as the Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette (also here). Both are really good products and I really love them a lot.

 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter

 

Becca makes beautiful highlighters. The kind that’s made to last, well-pigmented, and with less fall out. They also made them with beautiful easy to wear combination of colors/shimmers that will suit any complexion. The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters are not like most highlighters out there. These are silky and somewhat creamy powdery highlighters that are so fine yet so reflective and shiny. They give the perfect shimmer and highlight to the face, and they’re easy to blend and easy to layer. With all that, these are also easy to apply with just a moderate dab of a fan brush. It gives a naturally luminous glow that’s sure to last for a long long time.

 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter champagne pop swatches

 

 

All the shades swatched for this review are really gorgeous. I love them all and I think they’re very versatile. I could think of several different occasions as to where I could wear them. I didn’t purchase the Pearl shade, as I think it’s a pretty dupable shade. I also didn’t purchase the Champagne Pop shade because I already have the Jaclyn Hill collab compact which contains the Champagne Pop and Flowerchild duo, but it will be swatched below. For me, Opal is the best and most beautiful shade for my skin tone. I love that it has the right amount of pink and gold shimmer with some pearl in it. Next to Opal is Champagne Pop, which is very similar to Opal, you couldn’t almost tell the difference between the two, except that Opal is just slightly rosier or a bit more muted that Champagne Pop, while the latter is more of a light golden pink.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter

Champagne Pop – light Gold with Peachy Pink undertone

 

Moonstone – Pearl with a bit of Gold

Opal – Soft Pearl with soft gold and muted pinkish peach shimmer.ย Universally Flattering

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter

 

Prosecco Pop – Golden Shimmer

Rose Gold – Warm golden peachy pink rose

 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter prosecco pop rose gold swatches

Aside from Opal and Champagne Pop, I also love Moonstone, especially if I wanna go “all shimmer and don’t care” kind of vibe. Prosecco Pop is more like pure Mida’s Gold in your face kind of thing, while Rose Gold can double as a shimmery blush or on top of a bronzer.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter swatches moonstone prosecco pop champagne pop rose gold opal

These Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters are truly beautiful beyond words. A lot of people have mentioned that the formula of these is by far the best, even compared to the ones that Becca had released with their different collaborations from different Influencers. If you’re gonna have just one highlighter in the world, I truly recommend any of these, as there won’t be any regrets.

 

Oh, I can’t wait to review the Becca Light Chaser Highlighters. Coming soon…

 

The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter is available at Sephora, Lord & Taylor, Dermstore & Ulta

 

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Coola Sport Continuous Spray Spf 50, Classic Face Sport Spf 50 White Tea Moisturizer & Liplux Spf 30 Review

 

coola liplux spf 30

 

Hello Friyay! Planning on hitting the beach? A long hike? Or just a nice short stroll somewhere? Whatever your plans may be, it’s always good to have a nice handy sunscreen in hand, and I’ve got just the right products for ya. As you all know, I’m a huge fan of Coola suncare products. You can read it my previous post here and here. They’re pretty much the only sun protection I use (sunblocks to BB creams) because I like that they’re really innovative with their sunblock formulations and they seem to put their customer’s preference in mind. Also, they have such well-scented products.

 

coola sunscreen coola liplux spf 30

 

I have three products to recommend in today’s post. These are really useful when you expose yourself to the sun, or even if it’s overcast because it’s always good to protect yourself from the harsh UV rays, no matter what.

 

 

Coola Sport Continuous Spray Spf 50

Coola Sport Continuous Spray Spf 50 in Guava Mango (3.4 oz: $24, 8 oz: 36) – I’ve reviewed the Spf 30 Citrus Mimosa version before, found here. This sunscreen sprays on smoothly and it’s non-sticky. It’s also organic, water-resistant for 80 minutes, has antioxidant properties, and hypoallergenic. This feels pretty much lightweight and it won’t feel tacky even after you sweat. I like going on a hiking trip and this is mostly what I use. I’ve never had any issue with this, no sunburn and no dark spots noticed on my skin. On top of that, I really love the fresh sweet mango and fruit punch scent. Glad to have a sunscreen like this.

 

Coola Classic Face Sport Spf 50 Moisturizer in White Tea review

Coola Classic Face Sport Spf 50 Moisturizer in White Tea (1.7 oz: $32) – This is my first time trying this sunscreen/moisturizer and I couldn’t be happier. I usually use a moisturizer with an added Spf that is a lot lower than this during the day. While that helped, I was always hoping for a moisturizer with Spf that could do more. Well, I’m glad that I found this product from Coola because I love that this has an even higher Spf and it feels really moisturizing on the face while not being greasy. This is a great moisturizer to layer under any foundation, and it gives a natural hint of dewiness. Also a lightweight product, this feels soothing and doesn’t leave a white cast on the face, like most regular sunblocks do. It has a bit of a silky feel and it’s basically organic, antioxidant-infused, great for sensitive skin, and water-resistant for 80 minutes. In addition to that, this also has a great blend of fresh sweet floral scent that’s hard to resist.

 

coola liplux spf 30 review

 

Coola Liplux Spf 30 (0.15 oz: $12) – A lot of us may have forgotten that our lips need to be protected from the sun as well. I, for one, is guilty of that, not just because I simply forgot, but also because I haven’t really found the right sunscreen balm that suits my needs. Well, first, there’s not really a lot of sunscreen balms out there, or even lipsticks with added Spfs, to say the least. Second, the sunscreen balms I’ve used in the past tend to be sticky, kinda heavy on the lips, and has a weird aftertaste. Guess what, this Coola Liplux is not like those. This balm feels light on the lips, it doesn’t make it look too shiny, in fact, it has a sort of matte finish, and it moisturizes and heals dry chapped lips very well. This smells amazing the moment you open the tube, like a fresh burst of yummy berries without any aftertaste. I will definitely be using this a lot as I think I may have found the perfect sunscreen balm, and I truly recommend this product. Plus, this organic balm has broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, hypoallergenic, water-resistant (80 minutes), and with added vitamins and antioxidants.

 

These products are such wonderful twists compared to what most normal sunscreens are. Gone were the days when sunblocks are just obligatory stuff you need to apply. Nowadays, applying any of this Coola suncare feels more like a treat.

 

coola sunscreen Coola Classic Face Sport Spf 50 Moisturizer in White Tea

 

The Coola Sport Continuous Spray Spf 50, Classic Face Sport Spf 50 Moisturizer in White Tea, and Coola Liplux Spf 30 is available at Sephora, Ulta, Anthropologie, Birchbox, Dermstore, Free People, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, or http://www.coolasuncare.com

 

Happy Sunblocking!

 

Follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

 

(Disclosure: Product samples provided by Coola. The reviews, photos, and opinions herein are solely mine)