Let’s talk specifics first. They’re both white, gloopy pastes you spread onto your makeup covered face dry, massage around, then rinse off. Clinique’s offering is $29 for 3.8 oz while the Bye Bye Makeup Cleansing Balm is $38 for 2.82 oz despite having the larger packaging. Definitely when it comes to makeup products size doesn’t necessarily mean more product. Packaging wise I do like the IT Cosmetics container more. It feels higher quality and the satin matte finish is a nice touch. The Clinique one suggests a 24 month shelf life while IT Cosmetics only suggests 12.
When it comes to actual usage, the two are almost identical. They apply the same way, lather up when water is added, and remove the same amount of makeup. My skin feels clean, but not dry after using either one. The Clinique one does make my skin feel slightly more buttery although I never end my routine at this step so it really doesn’t matter too much.
They’re basically the same product, but I find the Clinique one to be a much better, longer lasting deal than the other. I can pass up prettier packaging for more product and a longer expiration date. No matter how much I love IT Cosmetics as a brand, Clinique wins this one.
I fell in love with Erin Condren because of their planners, but stay for the constant new products they produce. Recently they launched a line of enamel pins and a designer clutch. Once my heart eyed emoji face went back to normal, I quickly scooped up every single thing to get it a full look over to see if it’s really worth the fuss. Girl loves her enamel pins a bit too much.
As far as quality goes the clutch fabric feels nice, the zipper heavy duty, but it’s not a structured clutch like I expected. I have a lot of random makeup clutches similar to this that are much sturdier and hold their shape when stood up. This one slouches a bit and is more flexible. Not a negative per say, but definitely something noteworthy and not what I was expecting. Yet the gold detailing seems like it’s not going to crack or fade easily. However I think $20 is a little much for such a small clutch when you can get many similar to it from Forever21 for more than half the cost.
In regards to the pins the Stay Gold one is definitely my favorite. It’s the largest and the only one I can really justify the price for. $8 is usually the norm for enamel pins (ours are less though, just saying!). The asterisks are barely a centimeter large if that and don’t really draw the attention well. The silver and gold ones are very similar in color that it’s hard to tell the difference at first. They’re all backed with a rubber backing rather than the metal clasp. Lots of pin enthusiasts say the rubber backing is more secure, but I don’t really have a preference one way or another and have never had issues with either.
Overall I’d say get the clutch when there’s a sale (like $10 off your first order) and grab the Stay Gold enamel pin if you’re trying to get to free shipping or want to treat yourself. I don’t regret the purchase at all, but if you’re trying to save some money and make smart buying decisions, I hope this helps.
Asian beauty products have always fascinated me, so when I got the opportunity to try the EsianMall Korean Beauty Box, I was totally down.
At $25 a box, I had the bar set pretty high on product quantity and quality. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but am pleased with all the goodies that I got. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, which I must admit I was a little hesitant about finding some crazy themed product inside. Five full size products and one travel size facial wipes package is fantastic for the price. My favorite part of the entire un-boxing has to be the adorable packaging. Asian products set the cuteness quota to new heights and I still can’t get over how adorable the lotion packaging is. Not to mention the black head strips come in pig-themed packaging. I’m sold.
I’m most excited about the Botanic Farm Eyebrow Pencil, the Strawberry scented lotion, and the makeup sponges. They’re product categories I use a lot more often than the others so I tend to gravitate towards them subconsciously in beauty boxes and stores. I’ll be giving everything in the box an honest go though.
EsianMall is a pretty cool site that also offers snack boxes in various sizes, plus an entire store filled with unique Asian products as well. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to get my hands on one of those snack boxes next and see what crazy things I can convince Alex to try.
You can save $5 off your first box if you’re interested in checking out the subscription company. I’m definitely keeping this subscription box in mind when getting Christmas gifts this year. It’ll be perfect, unique gift for a beauty addict rather than trying to figure out what makeup they don’t have.
Now I’m off to remove my little piggy black heads!
Most beauty junkies know a thing or two about Urban Decay, but if you’re new to the brand or are trying to figure out what to explore next, I got you covered. These three products are worth a test out.
Since Urban Decay recently revamped their lipstick line to the new Vice line, I’ve tried quite a few of the newly packaged shades. “Backtalk” is definitely up there as a top contender as it’s the perfect everyday matte lip color while still doing something for a look. It’s the most nude I’ve ever gone in a lip shade, but it doesn’t just blend into the lips and look like nothing’s happening. It lasts ages and it isn’t drying at all since it’s a “comfort matte.” Urban Decay is seriously impressive with its range of lipstick finishes. I swear they just make up names off the cuff to cover their crazy collection of formulas.
The Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer has been raved about on the blogosphere for some time now so if you haven’t given it a go yet, this is definitely a sign to do so. It’s incredibly similar to the NARS Creamy Concealer, but lighter, quicker to blend in, and lasts longer under the eyes. I’m on my second container and still just as obsessed.
My perfect everyday blush is without a doubt the Afterglow Blush in “Video.” It’s a dusty rose that looks effortless on the skin. It gives just the right amount of color with little to no effort. It’s also one of the only blushes I’ve noticed lasts all day on my cheeks. I tend to touch my face a lot throughout the day and this stays put almost as perfect as when first applied. The claim that it lasts eight-hours definitely holds true for this bad boy. I definitely need to get a few more blushes from this range, but I’ve been too smitten with “Video” to hardly notice any of my other blushes.
Urban Decay is one of those consistently great brands that I can always count on for quality makeup. But if you’re overwhelmed at where to start first, these three products are definitely worth checking out.
The Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo has been on my wishlist for ages. It’s held a spot right up at the top for probably longer than any other beauty product, but it wasn’t until recently that I finally decided to splurge. I got my hair trimmed for the wedding and my stylist commented on all the buildup in my hair. Nothing like a wedding and a professional’s opinion to make me scamper on over to Sephora that same afternoon. And boy had I been missing out.
If you’ve managed to avoid the magnetic pull of the Sunday Shampoo, I’ll happily fill you in. It’s a once a week clarifying shampoo that cleans up any buildup of products, grease, and other odds and ends from your hair. If you use a lot of product (me), are an infrequent washer (also me), and/or have hard water (still me), this is the perfect clarifying shampoo for you.
After just one lather I knew this product really worked. My hair actually felt squeaky clean. It looks healthier, feels healthier, and responds to styling much better these days. A little goes a long way so I’ve already forgotten the price tag since I know this will last me for quite a while. Even Alex has been caught sneaking a little here and there.
This stuff is seriously good and I couldn’t feel more posh to see it in my shower every morning. Sundays just got even better.
Like most beauty products, I first heard about the Marc Jacobs Glow Stick on beauty blogs. It’s one of those products you can’t help but be immediately intrigued when you first look at it. I mean come on, it kind of looks like a super shimmery deodorant stick. Thanks to Influenster, I managed to get my hands on it for free and am reporting back on this weird highlighter.
Let me just get it out there now that I really do like this product. It’s consistency is amazingly creamy, blendable, and buildable. From just the touch of highlight to full on glowing, you can really make this work for you. Plus it lasts all day at the same pigmentation when first applied. All good things. Yet the packaging just kind of grinds my gears.
Why? Why does it have to be in this silly packaging? At first I tried to just apply the product straight to my face in the most awkward feeling motion of my life, but that ended in a weird glob of product that I had to blend out with my fingers quickly. I find that the best way to apply this is to rub a finger tip across the top and then blend it out on the cheek rather than going straight in for the product-to-cheek weird dance. It works just fine this way, but the packaging becomes completely pointless. I much rather have it in a nice little compact or something less bulky to store.
Packaging aside, this really is a fabulous highlighter. Here’s hoping if they ever revamp it they avoid the gimmicky packaging and just focus on highlighting the product itself.
What do you think of this product? Would the packaging bug you?
