BEAUTY FILE: KERASTASE REFLECTION COLLECTION

As a blogger, I am fortunate in that I get to test a ton of beauty and haircare products. Of course, I am always open to trying out new things, but along the way, I have definitely developed some favorites. The Kerastase Reflection line is one of those newly favorited product launches.

When Kerastase reached out, I was eager to see what they recommended for my hair.  A few years ago, I had a bad cellophane treatment that left my hair dry and prone to breakage. In 2017, I reluctantly dyed my hair for the first time, which resulted in my hair turning a shade too dark for my liking. In order to counteract the black shade, I got highlights. The bleach killed my hair.  I've been growing it out ever since, trying to do what I can to restore it.

I have been using the Kerastase Reflection line, consistently, for over three months. My hair is stronger, and softer. It also has a lot more shine. I use the Sulfate Free Shampoo for color treated hair and the Reflection Mask. I do use a drugstore shampoo for my first shampoo, then follow it with the shampoo from the line. I leave the conditioning mask on anywhere from 5-10 minutes. I really coat my hair in the mask and use a good amount.  The conditioning mask has lasted me a full three months. I still haven't gone through a full bottle of the shampoo.  These are high end products which are worth the investment.

Natural hair, no product, and air dried after washing / conditioning with Kerastase Reflection Shampoo and Mask

Kerastase is having a sale on their website. You can now get the Reflection Holiday Gift Set for a special price.  The line is carried at my local CVS. Sephora has also recently started carrying Kerastase!

If you have tried these products out, please leave a comment letting me know what your experience has been.

Kerastase sent me the products in the Reflection line. This post is not sponsored. 

Natural hair, no product, and air dried after washing / conditioning with Kerastase Reflection Shampoo and Mask

MALLY BEAUTY MALLYWOOD COLLECTION

When I received this package from Mally with their Mallywood collection, I was really excited. Years ago, when Mally first debuted on QVC, my mom and I would watch her promote her products. She's really fun, vibrant and has so much passion that she pours into her brand. She really stands behind her products, and if any of you have ever tested items from her line, you know why.

The Mallywood spring collection is limited edition and available online at Ulta, and the Mally website. It features:

• highlighting blush ($28)
• smokey mama mascara ($20)
• wazza wazzup ombre highlighting trio ($32)
• limited edition eye shadow palette ($29)

Swatches after the cut: 

NEW IN BECCA COSMETICS

Today, I'm sharing some new stuff from Becca Cosmetics that I've been testing for a few months.  Plus, some of the products are currently 50% off at Sephora. 

Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlight ($38):  I have the shade Prismatic Amethyst. This is the best daytime highlight shade. You can see the shift in tones below;  it's less pink, and has more of a lavender shift with golden undertones.  This is a a subtle highlight however, don't be afraid to pile this product on if you're looking for something more intense, because it layers well.  TFE Pro Tip: wet your brush or spray some Mac Fix +  to use this product as a brow bone highlight or an all-over lid eye shadow lid shade.

In the quick snaps below, I am wearing the under eye brightener and the highlight. I applied the highlight on my cheeks, tip of my nose and cupid's bow. It is a bit difficult to see but it swatches beautifully and is subtle.

Liquid Crystal Glow Gloss (on sale for $11): these glosses are beautiful and lightweight. They come in unique shades, that are not traditional - a good thing. They wear well over lipstick and will provide a pretty holo shift.

Under Eye Brightening Corrector ($32):You must give this a try but understand that it's not an actual under eye concealer. Of all the Becca products I've tested, this is my favorite one. It's an under eye brightener that breathes life back into tired eyes. I know a few brand new mama's that love this, too. It has a tacky feel upon first application, but once you blend it and set it, you won't feel it. I don't apply it directly under the eyes, but a bit lower on the face.

Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blush ($34): this is a great product because it is pigmented (like crazy), applies smoothly but most of all, is long wearing. Blush is the first thing to go on me, but this wears well. Dip your brush but then shake off the excess before applying.  This shade below is Camellia.

That wraps up this post on the new Becca products that I have been trying out.  I am also testing out a new product photography method and love how the white background makes the products look.

Disclosure: all products in this post were provided to me by PR.

KRISTEN LEANNE X URBAN DECAY COLLECTION AND SWATCHES

The best days are the days when you arrive home after a long day at work and Urban Decay sends you their latest launch. The day gets even better when you realize that it's the a collab which features one of your fave beauty bloggers, Kristen Leanne.

The launch:

• Kaleidescope Dream Eyeshadow Palette; 
• Beauty Beam Highlight Palette; 
• Vice Lipsticks in shades Cloud9 (magenta), Bun Bun (nude) and Spellbound (plum); 
• Daydream Eyeshadow Palette; 
• Ulta Exclusives: Vice Liquid Lipstick Duo & a mustard single shadow.

The collection is vibrant, bright and bold, but also has something for the more subtle makeup lover. The Daydream palette is a matte shadow palette with great neutrals. The surprisingly perfect shade is 12/12, a coral sherbert that can be both a crease and lid shade. Eight is slightly patchy but once worked into the crease, blended after a bit. Lucy is an overall setting shade. Subscribe is my favorite blending shade.

The Kaleidescope palette is super pigmented. It contains a combination of matte, shimmers and two holographic shades (Leo & Brixton,) that completely transform the look of the shadows. The eyeshadows are very soft and creamy, with amazing color payoff.

The packaging is absolutely worth mentioning - making every aspect of this collection display-worthy. The pictures below speak for themselves. I hope you enjoy this post!  I'll be posting some looks with the collection in a separate post!

  

Keep reading for full swatches of the entire collection and take a look at the video I filmed, previewing the launch.  

Kristen Leanne x Urban Decay Kaleidescope Eyeshadow Palette

Kari Gran Lip Whip - Lip Swatches

Today's post is all about the natural and hydrating, Kari Gran Lip Whips, some of the most nourishing colored glosses that I've come across.  Kari Gran has a back-to-basics approach to skincare and makeup. Named after the brand's founder, they seek to combine a love of makeup and beauty with a no-fuss,  organic, chemical free list of ingredients that make for a great line. 

Kari Gran Lip Whip in Shimmer

Kari Gran Lip Whip in Suji Red

Below, I've got the shades swatched for you, but first, here's why I love the lip whips:

No.7 Match Made Makeup

As far as affordable makeup goes, No.7 is a great line to check out. The brand is established, and reasonably priced. They recently launched the Match Made app and product line, a group of products that are tailor-made for your skin tone and type.  Download the Match Made app online, and get started. Here's how it works:

• Pick up the Match Made card at your local drug store (free)
• Download the Match Made app (also free) 
• Rinse your face of all makeup 
• Hold the card up to the side of your face
• Snap a photo
• A few shots later, and your done!
• You can also find a Walgreens store that matches you right inside the store. 

The app reveals the correct, color matched No.7 products for your skin tone, including foundation and lipstick.  I think this is a great idea because part of what makes shopping for drugstore makeup difficult is that you can't test it out. With the app, there's no more guess work. 

Edit for 2024: the brand has now updated this app with the Shadefinder page.

Click through to see some new makeup launches with swatches from No.7

January Beauty Board

December brought some hefty expenses, so in January, I tried to "live off the land." Ha. If I ran out of a product, instead of purchasing a replacement, I cracked into the beauty closet and sought out alternatives.  I still continued to use my all time favorite Clarin's Multi-Active night cream - my favorite moisturizing AND firming night cream.  I also continued to use the Korres Rose Oil to help brighten and fade brown spots. I revisited an old favorite: Bobbi Brown Radiance Boost mask. Still an awesome product that helps to gently exfoliate skin.

My trusty Maybelline Matte and Poreless Foundation started to become harder and harder to dispense (bad packaging, no pump and glass bottle). To replace it, I opened the Estee Lauder Cushion Stick foundation. This is lighter coverage than I'm used to compared to the Fit Me but it offered an easily blendable and buildable alternative that gives a luminous finish. So far, so good.

I ran out of the Maybelline Age Rewind concealer and tried a Cover FX sample from Sephora. That didn't work out. It was cakey, very thick and a poor color match (X-Tra light is not my shade). I stopped using it and switched it out for Tarte's Marajuca Creaseless Concealer and that's been very good. Great coverage and blends easily.

Bobbi Brown has a few new products! For the woman who is always on-the-go, you can't beat the convenience of the Cheek Glow Palette. The compact contains a mirror, Bobbi's best selling cream blush (Pot Rouge), and the Cream Illuminator. Both products give a beautiful, creamy, dewy look to the skin. They apply best with fingers or a stippling brush.

The Kiesza for Mac Collection features two vampy, chocolately lip shades, evocative of 90's grunge. I've been wearing the matte lipstick in Dearly Beloved topped with Thunderkiss Vamplify gloss when I go out at night and love it. They launch now, in February.

{photo by @Pipsbeaut}

ReVive Light Therapy: this at-home, portable, FDA cleared device targets skin issues in a flash. No pun intended. Acne? The Repair system is for you. Wrinkles and discoloration? Then try the Renew system. Muscle and joint paint are addressed with the infrared technology in these products. I've been using the anti-aging system. I'll check back in in a few months when I have been using it more religiously so that I can give a proper review.

Tan-Luxe: When this tanning system arrived, I just loved the clean, simple lines of the containers and bottles. I like these products because they're natural self-tanners.  The products don't smell like chemicals. They contain Aloe, Vitamin C, E, and Raspberry seed oil. The face and body drops are really concentrated so you don't need to use a lot of product. They're very easy to apply, just add the drops to products you already use, like your favorite face serum or moisturizer. You'll see your tan start to develop within four hours of application.  They're also sold on HSN where everyone loves them. Read the reviews here.

All products mentioned above were sent to me by PR, except the Maybelline products mentioned and the Korres oil.

Eye Look: Urban Decay Moonstone Palette

Urban Decay sent over the Moondust palette for me to play with and it's been non-stop fun ever since I opened the package. It's a very colorful, sparkly palette with 8 shadows. The palette has a large, hinged mirror.  A definite plus!  As usual, Urban Decay packaging does not disappoint!  Each shadow packs high shine, and can be worn wet or dry. The swatches below are dry swatches, swiped once, with no primer. They're pigmented, but do take some getting used to because there is fallout with certain shades. I personally don't mind that too much, but it's worth mentioning. When you wet these, they become more opaque and almost take on a cream to powder texture. Wetting them is the best way to get full-on lid color, but it does change the tonality of the shades a bit. That's actually the fun in this palette, because the shadows shift color with the light. Keep reading below for full swatches and to see a look I created with the palette. 

FIRST LOOK: MAC NUTCRACKER SWEET HOLIDAY 2016 COLLECTION

The Mac Nutcracker Sweet Holiday 2016 collection has launched! This is a heavily praised collection that's gotten a lot of positive exposure in the short time that it's been available.  Why? because this is a collection with both eye-catching packaging and great products (some are already soldout). Swatches at the end of the post.

This is also a large launch, with a ton of different pieces. The Mac Magic Dust Eye Shadows are really high quality.  They're long wearing, and almost velvety to the touch.  Some new shades that we have not seen before are Dark Lullaby, Forward March, and Mustache.

Some of the most sought after pieces of this collection are the face compacts - the Nutcracker Sweet Copper and Sweet Peach face compact. Sweet Copper has basically been sold out since it launched.  These are highlighter and bronzer duo's with a cream to powder, glowy finish. Still want more glow? Opt for the Mac Magic Dust Powder's.

Bobbi Brown 2016 Holiday Launches

I love getting to preview new makeup launches and give you guys a first look! Today, we're talking about the Bobbi Brown Wine & Chocolate Collection and Bobbi's Party Picks from the Holiday 2016 collection. 

Super luxe gold packaging and mirrored, hinged compacts.

Bobbi Brown Wine & Chocolate Collection, inspired by everyone's faves!

Mac Lipsticks: Liptensity Swatch Video and Blog

Mac Liptensity in Mulling Spices 

I was thrilled to receive a beautiful PR package from MAC a few weeks back. Inside, were 24 of MAC's newest lipsticks - the MAC Liptensity line. Lipstenisty was created with the help of a tetrochromat. Basically, she has like 40 retinas that allow her to perceive otherwise imperceptible colors and shades. I'm exaggerating but you catch my drift. Because of this theme, upon first glance, you'll think two lipsticks are the same. In reality, once applied, the subtle color differences show up. The color range is beautiful, especially the reds.

They retail for $21 each, and are available both online and in-store. 

6 of the 24 shades are limited edition. They are: Galaxy Grey, Stallion, Life's Blood, Fireworks, Lobster, and Double Fudge.

First Look: Bobbi Brown City Collection

To help celebrate her 25 year anniversary, Bobbi Brown has just launched the City Collection. A collection of makeup set to the tone of her three favorite cities: New York, London and Paris. In this grouping, you will find three limited edition eye and cheek palettes, with custom fashion illustrations by the artist Richard Haines, of the blog What I Saw Today.  These palettes are great for traveling because they're sturdy, come with a built in hinged mirror, and maximize space (the blush tray pops out and then slides back in to the compact).

Each palette retails for $65 and contains four shadows and one blush.  Get a sneak peak at this collection, below. As always, if you enjoy this content, you can follow along on my social channels. I had the privilege of going backstage at New York Fashion Week with Bobbi Brown, and filmed a video of my experience. You can watch it here. 

New Urban Decay

Urban Decay has recently launched some new products. Their new eye shadows, Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid, and the Naked Skin One and Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector.

Mac Bangin' Brilliant Collection

MAC #BanginBrilliant

MAC's Bangin Brilliant collection has launched. It's a line of 29 new permanent lipsticks, 24 eye shadows and 6 blushes.  All shades are new, not repeats (except Gold XiXi which was just launched with the Chris Chang x MAC collection).  The lipsticks encompass all of MAC's lip formulations, described below:

• AMPLIFIED CREME: Ultra-creamy. Quietly shiny. Color-packed! Hi-res: hi-impact.
• CREMESHEEN:Creme-based lipstick that imparts bright full color, with a soft and supple shine.
• FROST: Excellent color payoff with medium to high frosted shimmer-and-shine finish.
• LUSTRE: Demi-sheer with wet-look lustre finish. Very slick. Makes lips look soft, smooth, ultra-moist.
• MATTE: Pigment rich with intense color pay-off. No-shine, all matte finish.
• SATIN: Color-rich. Soft satin, semi-matte finish. Conditions while adding intense color.

MAC Highlights (Lustre) Lipstick: a lustre that swatches out somewhat sheer and glossy. It is a warm, yellowy peach shade. This will just enhance the natural color of your lips.  It's a good day time shade or lip liner topper.