The
Esian Korean Beauty Box has always been a fun little treat for me. I’ve been involved with beauty and makeup for years (just look at the age of this blog, yessh!) so it’s fun to mix things up and try beauty products from other cultures. Plus I’m a sucker for a good subscription box.
This month’s box definitely surprised me. I wasn’t expecting a huge, nice quality DC Superhero scarf as it popped out at me when the box opened. I’m all about superheros so I’ll be sporting this for sure. Most of the boxes I’ve gotten are makeup only, so it was nice to see some fashion thrown in this time.
This month’s box came with four beauty bits. The Pig Nose Black Head Remover product cracked me up. All black head products I’ve gotten from this subscription always revolve around pigs. There’s also a Collagen Boosting Renewal Mask. The masks I’ve gotten from these boxes have always been really nice, but not something I’ve looked for to repurchase. The Stylenanda Fresh Aqua Mist is the most intriguing product from the box and something I’ve really been enjoying using. I love a good face mist and this one is refreshing and light. The last beauty item is a panda themed warming eye mask. I’m obsessed with how cute and fun Korean beauty is!
My biggest complaint is that the website is difficult to navigate. Ironically enough you can see my derpy face on the front page in a video I posted about my first box. But the site itself is hard to figure out what box to get and what you’re purchasing. It takes some time to work to the pricing as well. There are two different beauty boxes available. The Spa box is $24.95 a month with a reoccurring subscription and the Glamour box is $59.95 for an every two month box. Since they’re foreign beauty products it’s hard to gauge if you’re really getting your money’s worth each box, but you definitely get a sizeable quantity of products to try.
Ultimately if you’re interested in experience different types of beauty products, this would be a subscription to try for a few months. But if you’re trying to save your beauty budget for something really worth it, I’d suggest another subscription altogether since you can’t be sure what you’re going to get in this box and if it’s worth the price. Honestly I find their snack boxes to be a much better investment and fun for the whole family to try some different snacks and food from other countries. So I’d definitely look into that!
So kind of a mixed review. I love the box when I do get it, but I’m still on the fence about purchasing it long term. The products are always fun to play around with, but I’ve never really been swept away with a product that I had to repurchase. It’s a fun gift for a beauty junkie or a little treat to yourself, but I wouldn’t say everyone needs it in their life.
It’s taken me up until this point to finally figure out what my hair likes. For years I looked like Hermione Granger from the first movie and hadn’t a clue how to become Hermione Granger the later years. Thanks to this lineup of products I’ve finally gotten my hair the way I like it.
For shampoo I use the
OGX Thick & Full Biotin & Collagen Shampoo on a daily basis. I love how thick the gel is and it gives my hair a nice volume and lift without getting super greasy and oily throughout the day. My hair tends to get quite lifeless as time goes along so anything to put that at bay for a little while longer. It smells great and is affordable too. Win, win.
On Sundays after a week of putting product into my hair I like to use the
Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo to clarify. You can definitely tell your hair is getting squeaky clean with this stuff, but it doesn’t feel harmful or too over the top. It lathers up nicely and rinses away to a fresh, clean feeling.
Most days I use a combination of the
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment and the
Redken One United All in One Treatment to give my hair some texture and grit. Whether I’m doing anything to my hair or not I always put in a few sprays of the Redken to keep my hair feeling happy and healthy. Plus it helps reduce static which seems to be obsessed with my head lately. I’ve ranted on in quite a few posts about the Living Proof cream so I won’t rattle on yet again, but it’s the best hair product I’ve tried that just
works in my hair. It feels better and looks better after I use this stuff. I just can’t explain it.
The real hero of my hair styling routine is my hairspray. I started using the
Garnier Fructis Extreme Control Hairspray when I was a lot younger and haven’t jumped ship since. It’s a fantastic strong hold hairspray that has never left my hair feeling stiff or chunky. It holds a hairstyle all day long while still keeping my hair looking full of life and bouncy. I’ve tried quite a few other hairsprays but I always come back to this.
Whether I’m adding a few quick curls or keeping a straighter look, these products help get the job done without letting my hair get out of control.
What are you favorite hair products?
IT Cosmetics has quickly become my favorite brand these days. I’m downright obsessed with their Your Skin But Better CC Cream and now their Je Ne Sais Quoi line has stolen my heart. Everything in it revolves around the same gorgeous color that you just have to check out. Here are my favorites.
Je Ne Sais Quoi Hydrating Color Lip Treatment is definitely my favorite of the Je Ne Sais Quoi line. It’s the best lip balm I’ve ever tried and worth the price. I’ve always been so skeptical of higher end lip treatments, but after using almost a whole stick of this stuff, I’m convinced. I’m on to my second one and not looking back. It provides a nice, thick coat on dry lips without being sticky or overwhelming. The packaging is seriously luxe and includes a magnetic closure. If you’re looking to spoil yourself this is the product to snag next.
The
Bye Bye Pores Blush is in a fancy matte black compact with an even more impressive product inside. It’s buttery in application and gives the best flush to the cheeks with no effort. Build it up for even more of a rosy glow. It lasts all day long too without budging.
The
Blurred Lines Smooth Fill Gel-Crème Lipstick is unlike anything I’ve tried before. It’s so slippery on the lips, but in a good way that provides hydrating and a gloss-like shine. If lip glosses were anything like this I’d use a whole lot more of them. Of course the color is gorgeous and a great everyday option.
I added the
Heavenly Skin Complexion Brush #704 into the mix because I couldn’t help but talk about this new gem in my collection. The brush is
so soft and incredibly dense. The perfect brush to blend in foundation and it leaves a really great, smooth finish. A lot of the complexion brushes leave some streaks or brush marks I need to blend out with my fingers afterward, but this brush makes it exceptionally easy.
IT Cosmetics really hit it out of the part with Je Ne Sais Quoi. The shade is gorgeous and all the products in the range are seriously impressive. It feels like a special treat every time I use one of them, and that’s what I really want in a makeup routine.
Have you tried anything from IT Cosmetics? What’s your favorite?
I’m a creature of habit without a doubt. At restaurants once I find a meal I like, I’ll order that religiously until they take it off the menu. The same has definitely become true with makeup these days as I streamline my collection and focus on quality over quantity. If I could only use ten products for the rest of my life, it would be easy to pick which ones.
The
Stila One Step Correct is the primer to rule all primers for me. It’s lightweight, works a lot like a moisturizer, and blends in quickly to leave a smooth surface to apply my base. Although I still absolutely love the
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, in the winter I just can’t seem to get along with it as well.
IT Cosmetic’s Your Skin But Better CC Cream has been winning lately since I can mix and match different shades to get the perfect pale-but-not-too-pale finish. It’s medium coverage without feeling heavy and still lets natural skin shine through. Plus it does an amazing job at sticking around for a huge chunk of the day.
For concealer I’ve have probably three or four that are all incredibly similar but the
Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer wins out if I’m letting my subconscious pick. It’s lightweight but still covers my under eye circles and any blemishes that pop up. It also doesn’t fade too badly throughout the day and I only need to touch up if I’m going out for the evening. Which literally never happens.
I’m still head over heels smitten with the
IT Cosmetic’s Brow Power. The pencil is bigger than the Anastasia Brow Wiz, but I prefer the larger nib for a quicker brow application. The spoolie on the other end is a must too. It’s a no fuss product that has lasted me a lot longer than most brow products I’ve used.
Blush isn’t something I’m too picky about. It’s probably the only item I couldn’t give two figs over. But if I had to choose one to use for the rest of my life I’d likely pick
theBalm’s Frat Boy Blush. It’s a fantastic peachy pink shade that shows up like a nice flush on the skin without being too far one way or another. It’s pigmented and stays on the cheeks all day. It isn’t going to take the world by storm with its revolutionary color or anything, but it’s a solid blush that has lasted many a makeup clear out.
Eye shadow proved the most difficult to decide, but I surprised myself by deciding on the
LORAC Pro Palette. It’s all I’ve been wearing lately and I find the entire palette to be filled with great, compatible shades that are buttery and pigmented. Sure an eye shadow primer always helps, but this palette makes it a lot easier to skip that step and leave room for another product in my ten product lineup.
To finish off the eye I’ll usually tight line with the
Stila Smudge Stick in “Damsel.” The dark brown isn’t as piercing as a black but I prefer it for a more natural, yet bold pop. This is by far the best eye liner I’ve ever used as it doesn’t disappear from the tight line and lasts for ages. I’ve been stumbling upon some really great mascaras lately that could have easily been included, but I’m currently using
Urban Decay’s Perversion Mascara so it’s all I can think about. It’s great at thickening the lashes while lengthening and separating. Holds a curl without any issue. Everything you could want.
For lips anything I own by MAC would do, but “
Twig” has replaced a lot of my old favorites lately. It’s a fantastic, everyday brownish mauve that adds just the right amount of color to the lips without being high maintenance. I can’t handle high maintenance with my makeup. The laziness is just too real.
I can’t live without a finishing spray to end off a look. It’s an obsession I know, but it feels so refreshing and my makeup does last longer with it. So win win. My favorite is without a doubt the
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. It’s so solid of a product I don’t find myself straying or looking anywhere else for an alternative.
I’m pretty sure this post could have also been titled “My Everyday Makeup Routine,” but I thought this one was more dramatic. Plus if I could only use ten products it wouldn’t be hard to pick these gems out of a lineup any day.
What products make your top ten?
*This post is sponsored by Maybelline. All opinions expressed are my own.
Maybelline has been my go to brand for mascara for years. Their formula rivals high-end brands at a fraction of the cost I can get behind. They’ve been doing amazingly well giving more affordable options so when I had the opportunity to try out a couple of their new products available this month, I jumped at the chance.
The Colossal Big Shot Express mascara does a fantastic job at separating my lashes while coating them generously with a somewhat dry formula. At first I wasn’t sure about the drier consistency as I often find myself using quite wet formulas, but it made application so much easier. I tend to bumble around and get mascara at least one spot it doesn’t belong, but the brush and formula made it fool-proof to keep product just on my lashes. The end result is a perfect mix of length and volume without leaning too far to either side. No clumping and it held the curl all day. My lashes are known for bringing down even the fanciest of mascaras to drooping lash levels but this mascara held its ground. It’s a great every day mascara that I’d build up if I ever found myself going out at night. Pfffft granny status for life.
The 24karat Nudes Palette sparked my interest as a potential alternative/dupe for the Urban Decay Naked Palettes. I love the wide range of shades I wouldn’t normally gravitate for, but the palette conveniently groups together flattering shades to take the guess work out of trying to match them together. It has a good mix of shimmer and matte that all swatch really well and are easy to build up. Of course I went for a smokey neutral eye mixing together four different shades on the right side of the palette. It’s one of those palettes I don’t think I’ll get bored with quickly. There are enough options to choose from that it’ll travel well too.
The
Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner was the only product I was somewhat hesitant about. I haven’t had the best luck with liquid liners from the drugstore as they’re tips are to bendy and always split after a couple of uses. Yet this liner did an amazing job creating a thin, bold line as I shakily tried to apply it. The point is firm, yet just flexible enough to form into any possible angle and by the end of application I felt confident enough to add a little flick at the end. I haven’t touched liner in months and I definitely feel myself gravitating back to a cat eye. Who am I?!
Biggest pro is the price. I’m in saving mode this year as we’re doing quite a lot of travelling. Drugstore makeup is going to make a resurgence in my life in 2017 and Maybelline has definitely set the bar high.
Maybelline was kind enough to send me two Colossal Big Shot Express mascaras so I’m giving one away to you! Giveaway is open internationally to anyone over 18-years-old or with parental consent.
My makeup hording days seem like a distant memory and thank goodness because I don’t think my current lifestyle could afford the addiction. Ever since we moved into this house I de-stashed immensely and have created what I like to call my “capsule makeup collection.” Sure by some standards it’s still quite a lot of makeup, but for a beauty addict this is nothing. I’m sure I could even narrow it down more if the mood struck me, but a capsule makeup collection can fit your needs any way you want. So here are my tips and tricks to getting everything you’ll need out of a capsule makeup collection.
First up is lips. If they’re your weakness like they are mine, pick around five you couldn’t live without. A good nude shade, natural lip color shade, raspberry shade, red shade, and bonus shade. I honestly find myself only grabbing the MAC lipsticks on most days as they’re formulas I love in shades that I can wear with anything.
My blush collection is probably five shades total, but you could really live with just one or two. I swear I could ditch my entire baby collection and just use
Urban Decay’s Afterglow Blush in “Video” until I’m scraping the sides for the last bits.
If you’re really going for simplicity in your capsule collection, skip the eye shadow. More often than not I don’t wear it anymore (color me uninspired) and focus on the brows and lashes instead. Eyebrows are my must-do no matter what level of makeup I’m wearing and the
IT Cosmetics Brow Power beats out the rest of them in my book. I also find that if I tight line my lashes eye shadow isn’t even missed. My favorite has to be any shade of the
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner. This one beats out all the rest hands down.
If your capsule makeup collection is void of eye shadow, be sure to have a good mascara to make up for it. My favorite high-end choice is the
IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara, but anything by Maybelline is also great if you’re on a capsule collection budget.
For concealer find one good product that ticks all the boxes. For me it’s all about covering up the under-eye circles and I jump between
Urban Decay’s Naked Concealer and the
NARS Creamy Concealer. Both very similar but if you want to narrow it down it would have to be Urban Decay for the win.
If your capsule makeup collection has room for a primer, don’t bother with anything but
Stila’s One Step Correct. So much hydration that I wear it as a moisturizer when I don’t wear any other makeup. My skin craves this stuff and I’ve gone through probably a dozen bottles of it by this point. Liquid gold.
Ultimately pick makeup items that you know, love, and could happily use for the rest of your life. Sure I like dabbling in new releases, but I always come back to the main crew that has never let me down. Once you start digging through you’ll collection you’ll find it’s super easy to narrow it down.
What makeup products would be in your capsule makeup collection?
