Nudestix Nudies All Over Face Color | Review + Swatches

April 26, 2017 in Makeup

I love putting my makeup on, but I also love using products that make it quick and easy. I've only tried one or two products from Nudestix before, but I always appreciated their approach to no-fuss makeup. When I saw their new Nudies All Over Face Color sticks popping up, I decided I needed to pick a couple up to try out.

Top: Naughty 'N Spice, Bottom: Illumi-Naughty

I ended up going for one matte shade, Naughty 'N Spice, and one glow shade, Illumi-Naughty. Naughty 'N Spice is a beautiful neutral pink, and Illumi-Naughty is a stunning pearl highlight with a pink duochrome shift. I saw Illumi-Naughty on Samantha Ravndahl's Instagram and needed it immediately - that woman is just goals. And then the matte shades looked too stunning to pass up, too.

The Nudies All Over Face Colors are a colored balm on one end and a soft, dense brush on the other end to blend it out. The products blend equally well with fingers and the brush. When I think of stick products, I still sometimes expect a thick, stiff formula, but these melt so easily into the skin and feel quite thin and weightless. They blend out effortlessly without going patchy or disappearing into nothing, and they're easy to either build up or sheer out.

They're able to go anywhere - eyes, lips, or cheeks - and while I've mostly used them on the cheeks, they are lovely elsewhere, too. Naughty 'N Spice (and the other matte shades, too, it seems) is perfect for creating that monochrome look that I love. Wearing the same shade on the eyes, lips, and cheeks just looks so pulled-together and yet is so easy. Illumi-Naughty is more of a sheer, dewy highlight rather than a metallic one, so it's perfect for everyday and for dabbing all over the face. I love using it on my cheekbones, eyelids, inner corners, and Cupid's bow so make my skin look ultra-glossy. Despite being quite creamy and dewy, I find they last quite awhile on my skin (a full workday for me), although I do have dry skin to begin with.

Have you tried the Nudies yet? I think I need to get the shade Deep Maple Eh next!

Five to Try

April 25, 2017 in Makeup, Skincare

One of my favorite things is discovering a love for a new beauty product. I'm trying to cut back on the amount of new things I'm trying at one time, but with so much out there, sometimes it's hard to fight the temptation to try everything. Lately I've found some real gems that are really working well in my routines.

Blithe Tundra Chaga Pressed Serum* | When I first read about this, I knew it was something I wanted to try out. This pressed serum has a gelatinous texture in the tub but instantly melts into a liquid when rubbed between your palms. It has 60% Chaga Mushroom extract, which is full of antioxidants and skin-soothing properties. It also contains fermented argan and olive oils, so it feels intensely nourishing on the skin. I find it really helps to smooth and moisturize my skin without feeling heavy.

Glossier Lip Gloss | The best lip gloss of them all - I wasn't even that into lip gloss until I started using Glossier's. It gives a super glassy sheen that really makes the lips look more plump and full. It contains Vitamin E so it's actually good for your lips, and it's a thick formula that stays put for hours. You can't beat that super cute packaging, too. You can get 20% off your first Glossier order here.

True Moringa Lip Whip, 'Pink Yarrow'* | Another lip product I've been loving is the Lip Whip by True Moringa. It's super nourishing and full of moringa, a powerful natural anti-ager, as well as cocoa butter, castor seed oil, and Vitamin E to moisturize the lips. It has a lovely sheer bright pink tint that really helps to brighten the complexion. It's perfect for my more minimal makeup days and keeps my lips nourished all day long.

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution | I just mentioned this in my rundown of The Ordinary products I've tried so far, but this one is the standout for me. It's quite comparable to the Pixi Glow Tonic, and I've seen even faster results due to the higher percentage of glycolic acid. Using this once per night has really been working wonders for my skin, keeping it smooth and clear.

Hairstory New Wash* | This one is *life-changing* - dramatic, I know, but true. The whole idea behind the Hairstory line is that traditional shampoos are incredibly damaging to the hair, and the only reason we need to use conditioners and hair masks is to fix the problems caused by our shampoo. The New Wash cleans the hair with essential oils and aloe instead, and while there was a bit of a learning curve and adjustment period to it at first, I don't think I could live without it now. You smooth it through the hair like you would with conditioner, and when you rinse it out, it really feels like you've conditioned your hair as well. It cuts down on my shower time since it's one less step I need to do, and my hair dries much faster, too. My hair has much more volume and body, and I'm able to airdry it without it getting incredibly puffy.

Have you tried any of these? What are your favorite products you've tried recently?

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Pat McGrath Labs Dark Matter 006

April 21, 2017 in Makeup

Let's address the elephant in the room here: yes, I said I wasn't going to buy the new Pat McGrath Dark Matter smokey eye kit, and yes, I bought it anyway. I've been making an effort to actually wear eyeshadow lately, and I'm still kicking myself for missing out on the glitter lip kits, so I convinced myself this kit was a must-have. Like all of the other Pat McGrath products and kits I've tried, it's simply stunning and definitely worth the hype and money.

The Dark Matter 006 sets come with a base color pigment (Ultrasuede Brown or Ultraviolet Blue), three powder/shimmer pigments (Dark Matter, Mercury, and Astral White), a black kohl liner, a stunning holographic eye gloss, and a blending brush. You can also get a set without the base color for a lower price. I of course went with the Ultrasuede Brown shade, and it was this Instagram video that convinced me I needed it in my life. I'm in the midst of playing around with the kit to figure out how to best wear the shades in my day to day life, and despite how much I really hate this saying, I'm shook.

The Ultrasuede Brown pigment is stunning - it's neither cream nor powder, but somewhere in between. It applies easily with the included brush or with fingers - my typical mode of applying everything these days. It's so smooth and buildable, and it's already become something I slap on every day, even if I'm not using anything else from the kit. The powder pigments are more sheer, but again, very easy to layer and build up. I love that they're versatile like this so I can ease into using them. I've never before actually used a black eyeshadow, but I've been reaching for the Dark Matter pigment to deepen the outer corners of my eyes. It doesn't look "overboard" at all. The Mercury pigment is beautiful as well, and such a unique shade - kind of gold, kind of silver. I love patting this on the center of my eyelids over the Ultrasuede Brown. Astral White doesn't feel as smooth as the other pigments as it has larger glitter particles rather than shimmer, but it's still beautiful and creates such a cool effect when layered over the other shades.

Ultrasuede Brown, Dark Matter, Mercury, Astral White, Kohl Liner, Eye Gloss

The one thing that drew me to this set in the first place was the eye gloss. As you'll probably remember from my post on Tuesday, I've fallen hard for the glossy eye look, and this holographic version really caught my eye. I was saying if they sold the gloss separately, I was going to buy it rather than a whole kit. But alas they didn't, and I felt like I needed the whole kit. The gloss is so fun to use - it's a thinner consistency than I was expecting, so it's super easy to spread over the lid and see how the holographic sparkle changes the look. It feels a little tacky, but less so than the options I talked about on Tuesday. It's one I'll be reaching for all the time for sure. I'm also pleasantly surprised with the kohl liner and the brush - the kohl is so creamy and easy to blend, but once it sets, it does not budge one bit. Seriously, I took those swatch photos on Sunday and I'm still washing remnants of it off my arm. The brush is soft and hasn't been shedding, and it applies all the included shadows beautifully.

The kits are sold out on the Pat McGrath website for now, but they'll be available at Sephora starting tomorrow! Are you going to get one?