OFRA Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks: Review + Swatches

October 22, 2015 in Makeup

Lately it seems like everyone is jumping on the liquid lipstick bandwagon, myself included. With so many brands offering them now, it's been difficult to decide which to go for next (although I do have plans to own pretty much every neutral from every brand at some point). I heard a lot of great things about the OFRA Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks, so when I found a discount code I picked up a few to give a go.

I'll start this review off by saying these are hands-down my favorite liquid lipsticks I've tried. Rather than being a true liquid formula, these are very mousse-like and "stiffer" if that makes sense - the formula stands up in little meringue-like peaks on the wand. Because of this consistency, they are incredibly easy to apply and feel remarkably comfortable on the lips. They definitely still feel matte, but they feel more as if you've applied a typical matte lipstick bullet to your lips than a typical liquid lipstick. And on me, the creaminess of the formula doesn't seem to cost one bit of longevity - these easily get me through an entire workday. And unlike other formulas I've tried, they stay comfortable on the lips for the entire day - no having to smear on some lip balm and messing everything up midday.

Swatches L to R: Pasadena, Mocha, Plumas, Santa Ana

I got four shades to start with, and now I'm wishing I had picked up more. I've got at least four more shades on my wishlist now. I got three neutral shades (of course) and one that seemed perfect for fall.

Pasadena is a brown-toned nude. This is pretty much the same shade dark/light-wise as my lips but just a bit more brown. On me, it shows up similarly to MAC Velvet Teddy, but a bit cooler.

Mocha is my favorite of the shades I got. It's very similar to Pasadena but a bit darker and with a little more of a pink tone to it - a true dirty/dusty rose. This is everything I wanted the Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Lolita to be and more (I think I was one of the people to get my Lolita from the "bad batch"). This is the absolute perfect neutral for me, and I've reached for this one more often than the rest.

Plumas was super interesting to me, because it's got shimmer throughout. This one reminds me a bit of MAC's Syrup, but maybe a little bit darker. It's another neutral, my-lips-but-better shade that really calls attention to the lips because of the shimmer. It doesn't feel chunky whatsoever or anything though. I like that it brings a little more awareness to the lips than a typical nude/neutral, but it's still not too bold to wear everyday. This one, perhaps because of the shimmer, doesn't last quite as long as the rest, but the wear time is still impressive.

Lastly, I got Santa Ana, which is a beautiful plummy-red shade. These are pretty much the only reds I can wear because my skin is so cool-toned, but I think it's just perfect for the A/W season. There's another color that was similar to this but darker called Mina, and that one is next on my list.

So as if I needed more lip products, I've now got a wishlist of these as long as my arm. I'm incredibly impressed with the formula, and I think it's deterred me from buying lots of liquid lipsticks from other brands. I have one recommendation though: if you're going to be picking up any of these, definitely look up swatches rather than relying on the pictures on the website - a lot of them are really misleading. I found KathleenLights's and JamiePaigeBeauty's swatch videos super helpful when picking shades.

Have you tried the OFRA liquid lipsticks? What did you think of them?

Autumn Essentials from ShopBXB (and a Giveaway!)

October 20, 2015 in Makeup, Skincare

Recently I was contacted by the lovely people at ShopBXB for an exciting opportunity to tell you all about their upcoming launch. ShopBXB is an online beauty store, but what makes it stand out is its immense range of brands and products offered, free global shipping (excluding fragrances), and competitive prices. I got the opportunity to pick a few bits from the site to introduce it to you, and I tried to pick some pieces that would be perfect for the colder months. Stay tuned until the end of the post for a special discount on the site and also a giveaway to celebrate the launch!

When looking at the brands offered at ShopBXB, I'll admit I was a little overwhelmed - there are so many! The first one that stuck out to me, though, was Aesop. I'm a sucker for anything skincare and their packaging is just a minimalist dream. Aesop is a brand that's pretty hard to come by around where I live, making it all the more enticing. I had to go for the Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque* based on all the rave reviews I'd previously heard. It's been absolutely perfect so far - normally I stay away from cleansing masks or clay masks because my skin is so easily dehydrated, but this one doesn't make me feel dry or dehydrated in the slightest. It's got a thinner consistency than I was expecting, so when it dries it doesn't feel like your whole face is going to crack in half. It's been really effective at clearing out my skin when I'm having a spotty moment, and I haven't experienced any breakouts or other issues with it. I'm so excited to keep on using it!

The other skincare piece I picked was the Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil*. I had had my eye on this for the longest time due to it being marketed towards dehydrated skin (Clarins also offers one for oily skin and one for dry skin). I was surprised with this one though - I had read so many reviews and not one of them mentioned the scent. I think it's due to the patchouli oil it contains, but the smell is so, so strong. It's not a bad smell at all, but it just makes me a little anxious to put something so strong-smelling on my face. It's probably not one to use if you've got really sensitive skin. I haven't had any problems with it, though, and I absolutely love how it makes my skin feel. I always wake up to plumper, more hydrated skin, and it feels like the more often I use it, the longer lasting the effects are. Despite the smell, I'll definitely be using this baby up.

Lastly, I picked up the NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Kalahari*. If you saw my Autumn Eyeshadow Favorites post, you'll probably agree that I really didn't need any more eyeshadows, but just look at it. The shades are so gorgeous and quite unique. Instead of being your typical coppery or bronzey brown shades, they instead lean a little more on the rosy side. Both shadows look stunning together and have the same great quality expected from NARS.

Those are just the tiniest fraction of all the amazing products offered from ShopBXB. They will be officially launching on Monday, November 2nd (just 13 days away!) and have kindly offered up to 75% off your first purchase if you sign up with your email address (which gives you a password to access the sale) and make a purchase during the first 48 hours of the launch!

The lovely people at ShopBXB are also running a giveaway for a goodie basket filled with Autumn Essentials from the website. Entry is simple:

Follow ShopBXB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Sign up to the site with your email - this enables the people at ShopBXB to confirm your entry, and it will also give you access to the launch sale.
Create your own A/W inspired look and upload it to Instagram (note: your account must be public for the entry to be seen) using the hashtags #ShopBXB and #ShopBXBLaunch.

A winner will be chosen on the official launch date, November 2nd.

I hope to have introduced you to your new favorite beauty destination, and good luck to all entrants of the giveaway!

This post has been in collaboration with ShopBXB, but all opinions are my own. See my disclaimer for more details.

Tips for Getting Out of a Rut

October 17, 2015 in Lifestyle, Tips

I hope you don't mind, but today I was thinking I'd write something a little more personal than my usual beauty babble (though knowing me, there will of course still be some beauty thrown in). Do you ever get so far into a rut that you just start feeling stale? That's how I've been feeling up until recently when I really decided to actively do something about it.

I don't think I even noticed it happening - that's usually how these things work, right? You just go along through the movements and soon you look back and realize you've lived a whole week on autopilot. You're not necessarily sad or even unhappy, you're just bored. This is exactly how I was feeling as of late and I felt this sense of monotony permeating every aspect of my life. I eventually realized that my persistent laziness was taking over my life and decided to really kick my butt into gear and get back to my normal self. I thought I'd share the top three things that really helped me, so if you're in a rut, you can pull yourself out!

GET MOVING

This was the most important one for me. Once I realized that my physical sluggishness perhaps came from a lack of exercise, I was immediately motivated to fix that. This was the biggest change for me, as I usually would just come home from work and sit around on the computer (more on that in a minute). When I went to put on a pair of pants I hadn't worn since April and they no longer fit quite right, it was like a lightbulb going off - "Oh yeah, I haven't really done any kind of exercise since last wearing these - no wonder they don't fit." I realized that maybe the lack of exercise was what was making me feel so lazy and unmotivated about everything, really.

And boy, was I right. Just adding in a little bit of a workout here and there has really changed my outlook. I've got a lot more energy than I did a couple weeks ago, even though I've been getting around the same amount of sleep each night. I've usually just been following along to some kind of YouTube video right when I get home from work. Another tip, or "sub-tip" if you will, is to do this right when you get home for the night, before settling in (and especially before putting pajamas on). I learned that not doing this is a definite way to not want to do anything productive. Anyway, my favorite videos to follow so far have been Yoga with Adriene's Love Yoga Flow video and former NYCB soloist Kathryn Morgan's Classic Ballet Barre Workout. I started the 30 Days of Yoga videos from the Yoga with Adriene channel back in the winter, and sadly never finished - I've gotten a new motivation to start them over and finish this time.

CHANGE YOUR LOOK

If you read my latest Makeup Lately post, I admitted I was in a makeup rut and just couldn't get myself to put any effort in. I was just waking up feeling so tired in the mornings that I prioritized staying in bed over making myself look nice. Once a bit of exercise raised my energy levels, I found myself enjoying putting together my makeup looks each morning. One thing that really helped this was watching YouTube tutorials just to get inspired. I watched a lot of "glam" makeup looks that I knew I wouldn't be wearing to work, but it just motivated me to put in that little bit of extra effort. I found myself contouring for the first time in months! As I changed up the products and looks I had gotten used to using/doing, I felt myself getting more and more excited to get up each morning and put my makeup on. Another "sub-tip" for you is to maybe treat yourself a little, Parks and Rec style. Buying yourself a couple new products is a great way to spark some motivation - I recently got the Smashbox BB Water and Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion (evidence here), and ever since then I've been so excited to do my makeup and use them. Another tip, if you find yourself reaching for the same products over and over and are growing bored, is to look through your stash and pull out products that you want to use more - just seeing them sitting out when you go to do your makeup will remind you to use them.

FIND A NEW WAY TO PASS THE TIME

One of my problems was that I was just becoming so generally bored. Like I said, I would just come home and then sit on the Internet all night long. I could feel my brain frying at times, constantly changing between Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest tabs, but I just couldn't shut my laptop. I finally started challenging myself to find other things to do in my "downtime." Rather than spending hours dicking around on the Internet, why not spend an hour or two reading a book? I've got loads of books in my bookshelf just waiting to be read - what good is it to have them if I'm just going to sit on the computer all day? I started reading #GIRLBOSS (because if that won't motivate me to get shit done, I don't know what will), and now that I've gotten back into a reading groove I've looked through all my unread books and have a list of what I'm going to read next (Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, I'm comin' for ya). I may be reaching too far here, because I've now failed twice, but I will finish the Game of Thrones books. If reading just isn't your thing, I'd suggest trying an adult coloring book, like this one. It's a great stress reliever for me and keeps the mind active.

I hope this hasn't been too ramble-y, and if you're in a rut like I was, I hope these tips have helped. What are your tips for getting out of a rut?