Hello! Remember when I reviewed the Kaja beauty goodies I tested a few months ago? If you have not read it yet, please check it out HERE. As you can see and remember, I really enjoyed and was totally impressed by the Kaja products I’ve tried. Their packaging looks fun, and their products are also very fun to use. But the fun doesn’t stop there. The quality of their products is also very good and high-performing.ย
So, for this review, I’ll be showing you some of the shades of their Cheeky Stamp Blendable Blush (0.17 oz: 24 USD). This blush and its eye-catching design of the packaging is probably the cutest, most different, and most unique blusher I’ve ever tried. It comes in two parts: The upper part contains the heart-shaped applicator and the bottom part contains the saturated sponge of a certain color. You have to twist the upper part to reveal the heart applicator and pop open the bottom compact in order to dip/press the heart applicator to the sponge. Then stamp the applicator to your cheeks and blend. It has the same concept as most cushion foundations.
This cushiony blush formula feels creamy and light. The shades can be easily blended from being sheer (stamp once) to more drama (stamp twice or more). The overall effect is very natural on the face, and it can be blended by just using the fingers. It also doesn’t move any foundation/makeup, and it lasts the whole day. I also love the amazing scent that the blush has because it’s really delightful. Also, it’s formulated without parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
If you’re looking for beautiful, good quality blushes that are quick and easy to use, and with amazing lasting power, then I highly recommend these.
*Lots of thanks to Kaja Beauty (Sephora) for sending me the Coy and Bossy shades.
Do you own any of these blushes? What are your thoughts about them?
Hello you, miss me? Please excuse my long absence, my life has been filled with what seemed like an endless traveling lately; jet lag after jet lag, and massive sensory overload, lol. But, I’m glad that I’m mostly done with traveling this year. The fun part is that I went to the Pacific and had a great time to unwind. More details about that trip coming soon. For sure, a lot of things have happened and there will be more coming my way. I sure do hope for better days ahead. Anyway, as of the moment, I am so thrilled to be back talking about beauty and other stuff :-).ย
I was going to post this review a few weeks prior to my Pacific trip, but I ran out of time. Anyways, I’ve always wanted to talk about Kaja Beauty ever since it was released by Sephora. It all first started with the Kaja Wink Stamp Wing Eyeliner Stamp & Pen (25 USD) which I was quite reluctant to buy at first, but I knew I needed something that would make my cat eye application a lot easier and a lot faster since I’ve been doing a lot of errands and traveling lately. The Kaja Wink Stamp is a double-ended wing stamp pen with an accompanying liquid liner that creates a foolproof cat eye. You just have to stamp on each outer corner of the eye, connect it with the smudge-proof/waterproof felt-tip liquid liner, and you’re good to go. You got a nice, neat, and balanced cat eye in just a matter of seconds. Additionally, I surprisingly love the liquid liner because it definitely doesn’t smudge and it works very well with my oily lids even when in a hot and humid weather like in the tropics. Its firm felt tip makes for an easy straight almost accurate line. This and the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen are my fave reliable eyeliners of all time. The Wink Stamp duo is also free of parabens, phthalates, and cruelty-free.
Since I love the Kaja Wink Stamp so much, I decided to try more of the Kaja beauty items. So, to get a good test of most of Kaja Beauty’s bestsellers, I decided to try the Kaja Lookin’ Like A Snack Must-Haves Collection which retails for 39 USD, yet it has an 82 USD value of products. This collection is in a gift-size pack and it consists of full-size Kaja bestsellers; 1 Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio, 1 Cheeky Stamp Blendable Blush, 1 Mochi Glow Bouncy Highlighter, and 1 Cushy Vibe High-Pigment Lip Stain. All products are cruelty-free and also free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.
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Beauty Bento Orange Blossom Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio (21 USD) – The packaging of this is just so cute and so unique. I love the idea of stacked eyeshadows to save storage and it makes them very compact. However, I’m not quite a fan of these Orange Blossom shades, which has the shades: Sandy Peach (light peach shimmer), Sun-KissedTan (warm peach gold shimmer), and Baked Cinnamon (golden shimmery bronze). The texture of these is quite similar to the Tom Ford Cream & Powder Eye Color (the powder part) but these are way too blinding and too glittery for my taste. The TF ones are micro shimmery and are quite natural, but these are just a little too much for my taste. But hey, if you love the shining shimmering splendid type of eye makeup, then you will most likely fall in love with this. I would love to try the matte ones of this Kaja beauty eyeshadow as those would probably fit the bill for me.
Mochi Glow Bouncy Highlighter in 01 Toy Alien (0.15 oz: 19 USD) – This highlighter does give a slightly bouncy feel to the touch and it feels a bit gel-like. Though it’s nowhere near as bouncy and creamy as the Allure Awarded Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter, this still gives an outstanding highlight that can go from being natural to dramatic. I would say this feels very light and airy upon application, and then it becomes powdery once you blend it on the skin.
Cheeky Stamp Blendable Blush in 02 Saucy (0.17 oz: 24 USD) – A blush packed as a cushion-type and with a heart-shaped applicator, this product is just too cute, and it’s very easy to blend on the cheeks. The effect is really a natural and gorgeous flush on the cheeks which I love a lot. To use, just twist the top to release the heart-shaped applicator sponge, then dip/press it into the fluid cushion compact color and press it on the apples of the cheeks. Blend and enjoy.
Cushy Vibe High-Pigment Lip Stain in 05 Chiffon (0.19 oz: 18 USD, currently on sale for $9 each) – I love love this cushiony and super pigmented liquid lip stain. At first, I wasn’t quite sure how this lip product would turn out to be, because it feels a bit too creamy upon application, but once it settles, it becomes this beautiful blotted matte lip color that just looks gorgeous on the lips. It is also very light, comfortable, and long-lasting, which really blew me away. Because I love this lip stain so much, I will be reviewing and swatching most of its shades here in the blog soon, so stay tuned for that.
Overall, these sets are perfect for gifting especially for those who are simply curious or are just beginning to discover this whimsical Kaja Beauty brand. Also, if you’re into K-beauty, you really need to try these. Additionally, these sets can give you a full-face makeup look at a value price and top quality. So, they’re definitely worth it.
The Kaja Beauty Wink Stamp and the Kaja Lookin’ Like A Snack Must-Haves Collection are currently available at Sephoraย
Have you tried anything from this brand already? What are your favorite K-beauty brands/products?
Hey! I just got back from a quick NYC trip and thought that I’d like to share with you some of my favorite packing cases and pouches that I usually use whenever I travel within the country or even outside. I’ve taken these pouches with me wherever I go and though I don’t take them all at the same time, I’ve pretty much used them in rotation several times. All throughout my travels, I’ve used countless of pouches and cases to stuff my necessities and it has taken me a long time to actually figure out what really works for me and what could actually be the right fit for my carry-on or my luggage without wasting so much space. Finding the right packing pouches and cases for toiletries, makeup, and some other essentials can be such a challenge, and a daunting one, and for a long time I always resorted to Ziplocs to contain my stuff, which is still a good idea and I also recommend, however, there came a point where I wanted some protection for my things, especially the packaging of my beauty and skin products that could shatter. I also wanted something to organize my stuff, and not just shove them in a bag mixed and matched with some other items I own. Though not all of my favorite packing cases and pouches are reviewed here, don’t worry because there will be a second part of this review pretty soon and you will see the travel bags and pouches I especially use when I travel internationally. For now, since I travel within the country mostly, let’s start with my current faves.
Truffle is one of my most favorite and preferred brands when it comes to travel cases and clutches. Their stuff is well-curated to suit every person’s travel needs – from card cases to TSA-approved clear clutches and jewelry cases, you will always find something interesting and useful at Truffle. But that’s not the only thing I love about them, I find their designs to be very well-made and very versatile. Their leather trims are sleek and minimalist, while their zippers don’t feel weak, and their clear pouches and cases feel thick and resistant to puncture and breakage. I’ve been using their stuff for a couple of years now and they still hold so well. Most of their stuff may be pricey, but they’re totally worth it.
Clarity Jetset Case in Dusty Blush ($85) – This case is trimmed with Saffiano leather and it feels robust. Its clear panels feel very durable and its size is TSA-approved for carry-ons. The dimension is about 2 inches in height, 7.5 inches length, and 5.25 inches in width. This pouch can fit a few eyeshadows and face palettes, some eye brushes, one or two face brushes, a couple of eyeliners and some lipsticks. It’s spacious enough to contain your favorite beauty products for a short few daysย trip. As a beauty junkie, I fit all of my favorite eye makeup products inside this sleek pouch, and yet there’s still some room for more.
Clarity Clutch Mini in Dusty Blush ($38) – This cute and well-made mini clear clutch is such a delight every time I see it. In fact, I’ve been using this a lot and almost non-stop, whether I’m traveling or just running errands around town. I just put in the beauty and skincare products that I reach out a lot and then toss this clutch inside my tote and I’m good to go. This is so handy and is also TSA-approved. The size is 8 inches in length and 5 inches in height. It’s also Saffiano-leather trimmed and is pretty much perfect to carry anywhere.
Privacy Jewelry Case Mini in Black ($75) – One of the latest additions by Truffle and I fell in love with this case the first time I saw it. It’s made of Saffiano leather on the outside and it has a felt velvety interior lining. It also has a leather slip pocket with a removable drawstring pouch. The height is about 3 inches, with a length of 5.5 inches, and 3.5 inches in width. I’ve always wanted something like this to store and protect the jewelries I take with me when I travel, and also the ones I might buy during my trips. To me, this case is so useful and so versatile. Sometimes, if it occupies too much space in my carry-on or in my bag, I just take the removable pouch with me and put it inside my tote or purse.
Clarity Pouch Small ($40) – This pouch is so easy to use and it can hold more than it actually looks. It has a 2-inch wide expandable bottom and it can sit upright. Its overall size is 9 inches in length, 7 inches in height and 2 inches in width. It’s TSA-friendly for carry-ons and can fit a travel-size lotion, mini shampoo, and conditioner or travel bottles, and a mini hair styling product.
Glossier Pink Bubble Pouches (free when you buy Glossier products) – If you’re tired of packing your essentials in the usual Ziploc which really doesn’t protect anything that may shatter, then I really suggest that you collect a few of these. For me, these are still my favorite easy to use travel pouches that can actually protect your skincare or makeup favorites that are contained in heavy glass packaging since these have bubble cushions inside. Also, these look really cute and sleek, plus you can get them for free when you buy some Glossier items. You’ll usually get a large pouch free if you purchase their lotions and body products or any large items, and since it’s large, I could fit my electric toothbrush in it plus its charger. The size is 10.25 inches length and 9 inches in height, plus it can fit a lot of stuff. The smaller size which you’ll get if you buy their lipsticks and glosses or some other small products is about 8.5 inches in length and 7 inches in height. It can fit some beauty and skincare essentials but try not to overfill it since the plastic zip can be weak.
Tory Burch Robinson Small Makeup Bags in Pink and Black ($98) – These are the slightly older style of Tory Burch’s Robinson makeup pouches. They’re pretty much sold out nowadays, but there is a very similar and updated style available at toryburch.com, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Shopbop at the same price. These pouches have a flat bottom and their size is about 5 inches in length, 4 inches in height, and 3 inches in width. I love the look of these, they’re really cute and since they’re quite small, they can fit anywhere and everywhere, which makes them so convenient to carry. However, as cute as they are, they can only carry a limited number of items, and they have to be very small or else the pouch won’t close. So, most of the time, I only put a mini Tom Ford lipstick, a small face mist like Omorovicza’s Queen of Hungary, sometimes a mini eyeliner, or a Dior Lip Glow, and I could barely fit my Dior Dreamskin Cushion in it.
Anya Hindmarch In-flight Case in Blush ($275-$285) – Another favorite makeup case of mine is this by Anya Hindmarch. I’ve always wanted this for a long time but it’s so pricey. When I finally did pull the trigger on this, I was glad that I did because this pretty much organizes and stores my favorite makeup products for traveling, and it can fit a lot. It’s leather trimmed with two sides/zipped compartments, one is labeled for “take off” and the other is labeled “touch down”, basically for that quick touch-ups when you land. The only thing that sorta surprised when I got this case was that I found the clear panels to be quite thin, much thinner than Truffle’s and I’m not sure about TDE’s version (that I have to try), but so far, this has held up so well, so no worries. The touch down compartment has an elastic holder to hold a few small bottles or any items in place. But I never stored any bottles on this side, I just put some facial masks in it like the ones you see in the photo (these masks are so cheap and so fun to use-available at Amazon) and other skincare and makeup samples I may wanna try during my trip. The take off compartment can fit a lot like you could potentially fit two to three face and eyeshadow palettes, two compacts, some face brushes, a couple of lipsticks, mascaras, eyeliners, travel perfumes, concealers, foundations, setting sprays, etc. I’ve taken this makeup case everywhere and have gone through TSA security without any problem. The overall size of this case is 4.7 inches in width, 9 inches in length, and 3.5 inches in height. I got mine at Neiman Marcus but it’s currently sold out everywhere, though you may still find this at Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, and of course at anyahindmarch.com.
Sephora Collection The Gallivanter Clear To Go Bags – These were the cheap clear travel set pouches (3 bags) from Sephora that is already sold out nowadays, but a similar version is HERE. I like these pouches a lot because they’re very roomy and of course, they’re clear. They may not protect the delicate stuff but here I can put my toiletries, extra makeup, and skincare, plus some vitamins and supplements. The largest bag size which is labeled for toiletries can fit a lot, it’s about 10 inches in length and 8 inches in height. The medium size labeled for makeups is 9 inches in length and 6.25 inches height. The smallest named touch ups is 8 inches length and 5 inches in height. These clear bags are so easy to open, has robust zippers, and can fit lots of stuff, so far they held well with my travels even though my kitties attempted to bite their corners. LOL.
Have you traveled lately? Which pouches and cases have you used?
