New Lip Products (Kylie Jenner and Alexis Ren x ColourPop Collection) + Swatches!

Recently I've been getting more and more into lip products especially liquid lipsticks. They're so fun (the bold colors!) and last quite well throughout the day, even through meals (well if you get the right brand...  more to come on this!). I still need to work on staying inside of my lip lines especially since liquid lipsticks aren't as forgiving as a traditional lipstick. Anyways, Alexis Ren recently had a collaboration with Colourpop and released about 6 items in her collection. I picked up 4 of the 6 and thought I'd share a swatch of these along with 2 Kylie Jenner liquid lipsticks my sister got recently as well.

Find this and more fun shots on my Instagram!

 The 4 items I got from the Alexis Ren x Colourpop collection were:
-Pressed Powder Face Duo in Topaz ($15)
-Blotted Lip in Lexi and Deja Vu ($5 each)
-Ultra Satin Lip in Bare Necessities ($6)

The two Kylie Jenner matte liquid lipsticks my sister picked up were in the shade:
-Candy K (lip kit, $29): described as a warm pinky nude
-Kristen ($17): described as a warm brown berry

I swatched all the lip products on my hand down below. I also have included a swatch of Beeper, an ultra satin lip liquid lipstick from ColourPop which is said to be comparable to Kylie Jenner's matte liquid lipstick in Dolce (which unfortunately I don't have but there are lots of comparison photos online!)

Personally, I think the quality of the Kylie Jenner and Colourpop liquid lipsticks are pretty much the same. They both have the same lasting power (Colourpop may actually last a little bit longer through food) and have high pigmentation. The Kylie Jenner matte liquid lipsticks are significantly more expensive and have a buttercream/frosting scent to them so if you're not into that, I would avoid these. The Colourpop lippies are all (I have multiple other ones as well) unscented. Like all the liquid lipsticks I've tried, both brands' liquid lipsticks tend to dry down a little darker then when you first apply them so just a word of caution. I would advise not applying more than 1 or 2 layers of either liquid lipstick as that tends to make them more easily rub off/smear (I learned the hard way..). Neither brand makes my lips feel too dry but I would advise lip balm after a day's wear of any liquid lipstick. They both fade off throughout the day nicely and don't flake off like other brands.

I like both the Kylie Jenner colors in terms of wearability (easy to wear on an everyday basis) where as some of the Colourpp liquid lipsticks can be a bit too bold for everyday. Beeper is definitely a dark brown mauve-y color (as you can see in the swatch) which makes it less work-friendly but I suppose that depends on your field of work. Bare Necessities is a nice peachy pink color though I noticed it did seem to smear a little bit more easily than Beeper or my other liquid lipsticks from the regular Colourpop collection. Not sure if that's because they used a different formula or if I was just eating/drinking more the day I wore Bare Necessities but thought I might just throw that in. Bare Necessities also might not look good on every skin tone (I think if you're a little darker than a MAC NC30-35 it might not look as good but that's just my opinion/from what my sister noticed when she wore it as she is a tad darker than NC30-35).

Lexi and Deja Vu are really nice. Both color are easy to wear and you can build up the color intensity. They're very creamy like a classic lipstick. They're not too drying and are a good consistency that doesn't accentuate your lip creases. The swatches on my hand were about 3-4 strokes/rubs on my hand (to give you an understanding of the pigmentation). I like the packaging of all the Alexis Ren collection products. It's like nice and classy with the black and gold!

I think I'll update this with more photos of me actually wearing the products on my lips/face but for now, hope you enjoy the mini review/hope it helps you decide if you want to buy them or not!

My 2016 Spring Bloom VoxBox

As we near the end of May and into June, I can definitely say spring is going by fast and summer will be upon us all too soon. The weather is warming up, my nose gets itchy and my eyes water if I don't use Flonase in the morning, and I'm starting to feel comfortable wearing T-shirts and/or a skirt without thick woolly leggings! I got some products from Influenster that are all too perfect for the season and have put them too the test and want to share my thoughts with you all now.

Secret Outlast Deodorant
This is a bit of a weird one but honestly don't we all use deodorant and who wants those nasty pit stains or that weird sour stinky who knows what smell coming off of them? Certainly not me. In general, deodorant lasts me forever so it's hard to get to try a new one but I got a travel size of the Secret Outlast Deodorant in the completely clean scent and it's been working really well. Spring is like the time when it can get warm and dresses and T-shirts are out..basically all the more reasons to wear deodorant. I like how this doesn't mix with my sweat scent like my previous Secret deodorant sometimes did and it really does a good job at keeping me from getting those sweaty pits.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil
I'll start off by saying I've never used a "dry oil" and have only ever really used jojoba oil (once for my hair) and coconut oil (multiple times, also only for my hair). I've never used an oil to moisturize my body or face but have heard of such uses so was interested in trying this product for such purposes in addition to using it on my hair. I wish there were better instructions or directions for this product though because for someone who is new to dry oil or any oil for this matter, they might just apply the oil throughout their hair thinking it would have some shiny/silky effect on their hair and then be left with a greasy head all day.
The full size version of this comes with a spray pump but the sample I received was so small that it was just an open bottle with a screw on cap. This forces you to tilt the bottle and pour the product out which, like any oil or liquid, can cause it to dribble down the bottle and create a bit of a mess - which with oil, is more difficult to clean up then say, water. So already, my first time using this, I had some issues with pouring out the oil and having some of it go on my desk and not my hand. This wouldn't be a problem for the full size of the product which comes with a spray but it is something to keep in mind if you're looking to get a smaller size of this product.
-For the hair: The first time I used this, I poured it into my palms, rubbed it in to distribute it evenly, and combed it through the ends of my hair only. I did not go anywhere near my scalp for fear of a greasy head which was a good thing because my ends definitely looked a bit wet and piece-y for the whole day (signs of oily hair). I didn't use very much product, which means a little bit goes a long way, and the instructions on the website say you can spritz this in your hair
-For the skin: This doesn't leave your hands feeling super oily IF you rub it in completely. So start with only a little amount and rub it in thoroughly; that means MAKE THAT SMALL AMOUNT GO THE DISTANCE. The price is $36 for a full size which okay, isn't off the charts but it is more than the $3 Cerave lotion I usually use right? I think it does a good job at moisturizing my skin and doesn't make me feel all sticky or wet like other lotions do. Your hands will definitely feel different but with lotion your hands feel different too. I think it just takes some time getting used to.
-For the face, I have yet to try mixing this in with my foundation (not sure how oil and makeup go together...) but apparently it's supposed to give you a healthy natural glow. Someone else can try this out I suppose ;)

Sunbelt Bakery Chocolate Chip Bar
I brought this with me on my hike in South Lake Tahoe and ended up eating it back at my hotel when I was doing nothing exciting. Nevertheless, this was delicious. A bit on the sweet side and very similar to a Quaker Chocolate Chip granola bar but thicker. I wouldn't mind buying this again in a 6 pack (vs individually) to have as a healthier snack or dessert option for those days when I'm craving the sweeties.

Not Your Mother's Plump for Joy™
This is a hair thickener which is so great for people like me who have thin limp boring hair. I know how bad teasing your hair is for you so I rarely do it (that and I'm pretty bad at it) so having this was the perfect way to get the volume from teasing, without having to actually go through the teasing process. It's better than hairspray because it doesn't make your hair super crunchy and nasty and well the sample size of this is so perfect for traveling when space is limited and you can only take so much with you!

Cutex Nail Polish Remover

This is kind of amazing for travel because who wants to be lugging around a giant bottle of nail polish remover when they go on vacation right? I'm not even sure TSA would let you bring on a full size nail polish remover bottle and I don't know if there are travel size bottles of nail polish remover. So here we have the solutions - Cutex nail polish remover pads. These are thick pads (they wont just rip on you as you scrub away hard at your nails - trust me I tried with glitter polish) that are completely soaked in nail polish remover so they'll get your nail polish off in no time. The pads are so big that I swear they could do your fingers and toes all with one pad. Definitely one of my favorites. I wonder how long they last unopened though since I'm planning on going to Croatia in about 1.5 months and I don't want these drying out on me! (Which reminds me, even those these have acetone, they're not THAT drying because they have flax seed and other oils combined so it doesn't leave your nails gasping for moisture.

Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Bling it On! Teal Midnight

Because I had my Cutex pads, I was also able to easily try out my new Sinful Colors polish Bling it On! in Teal Midnight. Apparently it's limited edition so if this appeals to you, you better find it quick!
In the above picture, I tried on various combinations and coats of the Teal Midnight nail polish as well as my other Sinful Colors polish, Ingr, which is part of their extra shine collection.
-Index finger: 2 coats Ingr
-Middle finger: 1 coat Ingr + 1 coat Bling It On Teal Midnight
-Ring finger: 2 coats Teal Midnight
-Thumb and pinky: 1 coat Ingr
Both polishes are pretty sheer which isn't a bad thing. You don't need to make super thick coats since they'll go on sheer even if you glob it on so it's better to work with less product, let it sit and then do at least one more coat (probably 3 total would be best). Ingr with 2.5 coats was really great - opaque sea sky blue with fine shimmer (it really makes it look like the ocean). It has a nice glossy and shiny finish too. Teal Midnight is definitely a glitter top coat but it's not PACKED with glitter so if you're really looking for the glitter aspect, I'd suggest putting it on a sponge and then dabbing it onto your nail. I just brushed on the nail polish and would have liked more glitter but it was hard to get the glitter without getting the polish and making a huge glob/mess on my nail. You'll for sure need a clear top coat over Teal Midnight though because you can feel the glitters (that roughness doe). I wouldn't suggest using Teal Midnight on its own because it's way too sheer even with 2-3 coats which is pushing it because you get so much empty sheer nail polish and not enough glitter. This would definitely be perfect though if you just need a hint of glitter to boost your nail game.

Anyways, this is one of my more thorough reviews and I feel like I covered the key aspects and points of each product. I hope it helps you make your decision if you're looking to get any of these products. Please know that even though I got these products for free, all opinions are my 100% true to me. What works for me might not work for you so take everything with a grain of salt! Skin tone, skin type, hair type, etc all factor in to how a product works with you! Well, that's my spiel for the day. Have a wonderful day all you wonderful people reading this :)

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer Haul + Review and Swatches!

If you didn't already know, Ulta had this special event called  "21 Days of Beauty Madness" where each day (since March 16th all the way till April 5th), they had one or more "Beauty Steal(s) of the Day" with certain products discounted or on sale for a pretty good price. They also had a different in store events every day where they either teach you beauty tips and tricks or share new products! It's pretty cool and the nice thing is, they released all the specials of the day that they'd have on their website so you didn't have to keep checking back or checking your email to find out what items might be on sale that day. Click this link if you want to check out what goodies they had on sale so the next time it come around, you have sort of an idea what to expect! :)

From left to right: Sprog, Rosie Lee, Kerfuffle, Goss, Bit Faker, and Lucy in the Sky

Anyways, why am I mentioning Beauty Madness at Ulta - besides trying to save you some bucks? Because on March 20th, the Beauty Steal of the Day was buy one get one free for Butter London nail polishes. Say whaat?? Yea you heard me. Those polishes that sell for $15 a piece for only $7.50?! Woot woot, count me in! Unfortunately, that week was my finals week for school so I was locked up in my room studying that day and knew I wouldn't be able to go in stores to get the polishes so I decided to purchase them online.. which I wouldn't say was a bad thing because (1) all of the nail polishes were in stock and available and (2) I was "forced" to buy more than just two polishes since I wanted the free shipping which required a purchase over $50 haha. I ended up buying 6 polishes and a toner that cost about $6 which got me just barely over $50 and the free shipping! I'm planning on returning the toner to my local Ulta though since I don't exactly need a new one and I might actually be returning one of the Butter London nail polishes just because I realized I have a color similar to it already (but who knows!).

Top to bottom and Left to right: Rosie Lee, Sprog, Kerfuffle, Bit Faker, Goss, and Lucy in the Sky

Below is a photo of how the polishes came in their bundled original bubble wrap packaging. Thought I'd just share this to show how nicely packed the polishes were to avoid breaking during the shipping process. I commend Ulta for their shipping services as I received the tracking ID in a timely manner via email and my package arrived in about 4 business days (it was supposed to take 2-5 business days). My order came in a nicely packed cardboard boxed that was filled with air bags and bubble wrap to keep everything secure and safe :D

All nicely bundled up to protect from injury during the ship!

The polishes I purchased are Goss, Lucy in the Sky, Sprog, Bit Faker, Rosie Lee, and Kerfuffle. Goss and Lucy in the Sky are from the Boho Collection, Bit Faker is from the Summer Collection, and Kerfuffle is from the Spring Collection. Rosie Lee and Sprog are part of the permanent collection. Sprog is a beautiful pond blue cream shade with no sparkles and is quite opaque (you can get away with one coat but two is always advised). Kerfuffle is also another cream polish that comes in a peachy-coral-pink shade. It's not exactly the type of pink I've been searching for (I'm on a hunt for the perfect pink base shade that I can do nail art and designs on) but it's definitely a really pretty pink with warm undertones. 

If you want, I can do a shade comparison to other pinks I have to show the difference as many pinks can be too cool or too orange and this is definitely a nice different shade from anything I have. I also am quite pleased with Kerfuffle in it's opacity and non-streaky nature (I only needed one coat of it and it looked fantabulous!). Rosie Lee and Bit Faker are both dense glitter packed polishes and I know they're going to be a pain in the butt to get off, but they're soo gorgeous. Rosie Lee has pink glitter specks while Bit Faker has a mix of gold and bronze glitter specks giving it a really nice multidimensional look. Because they're both intense glitter polishes, they dry with a textured rough finish because of all the glitters but that's not a problem for me (especially since I always top with my Seche Vite top coat)

Goss is one of the most unique polishes I've ever tried since it's a foil or metal finish meaning it's SUPER glossy and shiny and makes it look like you have metal on your nails! It's absolutely stunning and actually might be my favorite polish from this haul because of it's unique look. It reminds me of my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish in Silver Sweep (click here for a swatch of it) which also has a metallic/foil finish but Goss is a rose gold color which makes it extra special. The only downside to Goss is that it is a bit less forgiving to any bumps or lines on your nails as they WILL show up through the polish and I would advise 2-3 coats to get an even finish (in addition to a base coat and buffed&smoothed nails). When I was deciding if I should purchase Goss or not, I was reading reviews and quite a few people had mentioned the streakiness and how you could see "brush strokes" when using Goss. I agree that it is a bit more difficult to use than other normal polishes, but nothing that can't be fixed with multiple coats of polish! And last but not least, Lucy in the Sky! It is a beautiful glitter top coat with gold and silver glitter particles. These glitters are different from the ones in Rosie Lee and Bit Faker because they're just a tad bit larger and there are less of them which makes it better as a top coat than to be worn by itself. Because it has less glitters and the glitter particles are slightly larger, Lucy in the Sky has less of a rough finish.

I paired Rosie Lee by itself (two coats) on my left thumb and found it to be quite a glitter packed polish. While it can look nice over another solid polish, it definitely can be worn by itself since the glitter flecks are so densely packed. On my right thumb, I did one coat of Kerfuffle and topped it with two coats of Lucy in the Sky. I'm not sure how much I like the pairing but I do like both nail polishes separately! Lucy in the Sky is really pretty and layering one coat vs. two coats can create very different effects.

Picture taken indoors with flash.

Photo taken indoors without flash. From thumb to pinky (left to right): Rosie Lee (two coats without redipping brush into bottle), Kerfuffle (one coat!), Lucy in the Sky (one coat all over the nail) and Bit Faker at the bottom half of the nail (one coat), Goss (two coats), and Lucy in the Sky (two coats all over the nail) with Bit Faker at the tips.

Index finger to pinky (top to bottom): Goss (one coat so you can see some brush lines), Bit Faker (two coats but without redipping brush into bottle), Rosie Lee (one coat) over Kerfuffle (one coat), and Lucy in the Sky (two coats with redipping back into polish bottle)

Overall I'm extremely satisfied with all the nail polishes so far. They all apply super smoothly and evenly and look amazing! I'll post an update later on how long they last before chipping so I won't apply a top coat. I'll also post pictures of Sprog once I get to testing it out but I hope this post was helpful to any of you guys thinking about purchasing one of these Butter London shades! They're all quite unique in my opinion and I'm glad I purchased them when they were on sale :)