NY BLOGG / NEW BLOG
I will no longer be updating this blog, so if you want to continue to read my thoughts on all things beauty, you should head on over www.beautybyvannii.com instead.
LET'S GET OUT OF TOWN, BABY WE'RE ON FIRE
[Source: weheartit.com]
My mood at the moment. I just want to go somewhere warm, eat all kinds of fruits and play with make up. Anyone else in this mood?
BEAUTY CRAVINGS #2
BECCA | JACLYN HILL SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR PRESSED - CHAMPAGNE POP
So, a couple of weeks ago I saw that Cult Beauty had stocked the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in 'Champagne Pop' by Jaclyn Hill. I've been wanting to try it since it released last year but it's not that easy when you don't live in the U.S. I'm grateful for amazing online webshops such as Cult Beauty and BeautyBay as they stock products you can't really find easily in Europe, plus you don't have to pay customs fees and VAT as it's already included in the price you paid.
Price: It's expensive, but so are all of Beccas Shimmering Skin Perfectors so it's nothing new. I know I said I wouldn't be getting any more new highlighters after I bought 'Opal', but I love highlighters and I couldn't help myself. This baby cost me 30 GBP, it's actually 2 GBP cheaper than the regular Shimmering Skin Perfectors. For my swedish readers, 30 GBP equals about 356 SEK.
Packaging: The packaging is the same as for the other Shimering Skin Perfectors. My thoughts on the packaging haven't changed since I reviewed the 'Opal' highlighter from Becca. I think the packaging is pretty and easy to open, I just don't feel like it looks as exclusive as I want it to for that price. Also, the rubber material it's made of attracts dirt really easily and I'm not a fan of my makeup looking dirty.
Color/Pigmentation: This highlighter is a a light champagne gold color with peachy undertones. This is lighter than 'Opal' and definitely more peachy. Laura Gellers 'Gilded Honey' is darker and much cooler as it doesn't have those peachy undertones in it. Compared to TheBalm's Mary Lou-Manizer, this highlighter is darker and more on the peachy side, Mary-Lou Manizer is lighter and much cooler. I've heard people comment that this is a mixture of 'Moonstone' och 'Opal', so if you already have those highlighters you might not need this one. But I don't own 'Moonstone' myself as I feel that one is too light for me. But I love this highlighter, it looks amazing on tan skin! I've always been a little scared of peachy highlighters as I have yellow undertones in my skin and generally don't buy makeup with pink/peachy undertones in them. I was pleasantly suprised. The pigmentation is amazing, as it is with all Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors. I don't think that the pictures do it any justice, it's prettier in real life.
Longevity: This lasted me an entire work day without fading, so this will without a problem last you for at least eight hours.
Texture: This highlighter is very buttery, creamy and finely milled. It's super blendable but since it is so pigmented I would apply this with a soft hand as highlighters have a tendency to also highlight your skin texture if you apply too much. And you don't want to highlight those pores and bumps. As with 'Opal, you have to be careful when traveling with this, because it's so finely milled it feels like it will easily break if compact is dropped on the floor or handeled roughly.
Pros:
- Beautiful color
- Looks great on tan skin
- The pigmentation is amazing
- Looks natural (if applied with a light hand)
- Very blendable
- Lasts all day
Cons:
- Expensive
- Product will easily break (so handle compact with care)
- Packaging (gets easily dirty if you put it in a bag with other makeup products)
All in all? Love this highlighter! It looks great on my skintone and at the moment I feel like I'll probably use this more than 'Opal', and that's saying a lot.
Do you have the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in 'Champagne Pop'? How do you like it?
MAKEUP GEEK | FOILED SHADOWS
The shades from left to right: Showtime, Flame Thrower, Grandstand, Center Stage & Houdini
I don't think Makeup Geek shadows have gone unnoticed by anyone in the makeup world because they have been everywhere on both Youtube and Instagram. After having actually swatched them, I now fully understand the epicness of the Makeup Geek Foiled Shadows. Please, let's just start by staring at these incredibly beautiful shadows? I've been wanting to try the Makeup Geek shadows for a while now, both their normal shadows and their foiled ones. But I've never really gotten around to it until now that I saw that Beautybay also had started to sell Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks (Yes, you can look forward to a review on those soon too!) so I just new I had to order me some goodies from them. I started by getting the foiled shadows and boy do I NOT regret it for one second. These shadows are life (insert praying emoji).
Price: They are cheap for the quality and pigmentation that you're getting so I can't complain about the price. The price is actually pretty much amazing. No complaints there. The foiled shadows cost about 95 SEK per shadow. It's probably cheaper to buy them off the Makeup Geek official website but I really wanted those Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks!
Pigmentation: As these are foiled shadows they are very pigmented, and I really mean it when I say VERY pigmented. Because they are so pigmented I was expecting a lot of fallout, but I didn't see any fallout when using them. So that's a big plus. However, I found that the blue shade in 'Center Stage' wasn't as pigmented as I expected it would be. Looking at it in the pan you think it's going to be the most pigmented blue color ever but it's not as pigmented as the other shades unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, it's pigmented, it's just not on the same level as the other shades.
The shadows from top to bottom: Showtime, Flame Thrower, Grandstand, Center Stage & Houdini
Consistency: These shadows are so creamy and buttery it's almost ridiculous. They are so soft and finely milled you won't have to worry about chunks of glitter causing fallout or patchiness. Just to give you an example of how soft and buttery they are, the shade 'Houdini' came totally smashed and broken, but I fixed it by using my finger to press the product into the pan. Now it's like new. Amazing.
Longevity: These eyeshadows will stay put, and they still look as good by the end of the night as they did when I applied it before leaving my house hours before. I've never used them without some kind of primer or base underneath so I can't say if they stay on as well on their own, but with a primer or base underneath they will stay on your lids until you choose wash them off and they won't crease.
Pros:
- Smooth and buttery consistency
- Cheap
- Very Pigmented
- You can create your own custom palette with the shades you want as you buy them in the pan.
- Lasts all day/night
- No fallout
Cons:
- Can't find a one :)
What do you think of the Makeup Geek Foiled shadows?
MONTHLY FAVORITES | FEBRUARY 2016
Too Faced | Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar
I've been using this palette non-stop since I bought it. It contains my absolute favorite transition shade, which is 'Peanut Butter'. It smells amazing, and it has such a wide range of natural shades. You can really switch between day- and night looks with this. LOVE! I feel like I say that with every palette, but then again I'm an eyeshadow palette hoarder, and I can't get enough of them.
L.A. Girl | Pro Conceal HD Definition Concealer in 'Toast'
I've been dying to try these concealer for a while now but I haven't been able to buy them because there haven't existed any resellsers that ship to Sweden, well so I thought. I ordered mine from Beautyjoint and yes, I really love this shade as a contour shade. I must say that a good cream contour really makes that contour pop in a way that powders can't. These are really blendable and pigmented, plus they're cheap. So what's not to love?
Embryolisse | Lait Creme Concentre
My favorite daily mosturiser/primer for the past two months. I love the way it makes my foundation look and that it makes my foundation last all day. I don't have problems with my makeup sliding right off my face and I feel like it makes me less shiny. Don't get me wrong, I still get oily and have to apply a powder throughout the day, but I don't feel as oily as opposed to when I use another moisturiser. I can go longer without have to use powder to matte down the excessive shine.
NARS | Velvet Skin Tint in 'St. Motitz'
OMG. Where do I start?! This, this has revolutionized my life. I now can have a flawless looking face without looking cakey or overdone. I haven't used a foundation since I bought this baby because it makes my skin look amazing. Even in direct sunlight my skin still looks amazing and it doesn't look like I'm wearing a shit ton of makeup on my face. Yay! This skin tint has amazing coverage (it's medium coverage) and I only really have to use concealer if I have a big pimple on my face that wants to say hi. So yeah, this makes me want to quit foundation completely, but then I feel sad because there are som many foundations out there that I still want to try.
House of Lashes | False Lashes in 'Iconic'
My go-to lashes at the moment. If you are in doubt as to whether these really live up to the hype, go to my instagram and check out my two latest selfies. Yes, you need these in your life. They have taken my selfie game to another level. Plus they are so big and fluffy that if you screw up your eyeliner or if you aren't that happy with your eyeshadow, pop these babies on and no one will notice, because these babies will completely steal the show. You're welcome.
LUSH | Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Thank you Lush for this lip scrub. I've really been needing to scrub my lips because they've been so dry and flakey because of the dry and cold winter air. And since I've been getting more and more into liquid lipsticks, scrubbing my lips have really been a must.
Carmex | Classic Mosturising Lip Balm
Favorite lip balm ever. I love the smell and the way they make my lips look and feel. The only downside is that it comes in a jar that I have to stick my finger into. I have seen that they have different types of Carmex lip balms and I have to try the others out.
House of Lashes | Lash Glue
The best lash glue I have ever used. Forget the Duo adhesive, this is the lash glue to use. Your lashes will stay put all night without a hitch. The only downside is that this glue is a total bitch to remove. Which actually is a good thing because that's why your lashes stay put, but it's a total hassle to walk around with lash glue stuck to my lashes for days... you feel me?
What products have you been loving in the month of February?
GLAMGLOW | POWERCLEANSE DAILY DUAL CLEANSER - MUD & OIL FOAM
I just want to start off by apologizing for how long it has taken for this review to finally be up on my blog. I have no other reason for it than that I completely forgot to post it. Oh well, I guess things like that happen when you have the memory of a goldfish (or that of Dory in 'Finding Nemo').
Anyways, this cleanser has been a favorite of mine right from the start. I first discovered it when I was shopping at Sephora, they always put a sample in your bag when you buy something and they gave me a sample of this cleanser. I fell in love with it the second I used it, let me explain why.
Where to buy: Anywhere they sell GlamGlow products, I bought mine at Sephora.
Price: For a GlamGlow product I actually found it to be cheap, plus it's big so you get a lot of product for the price. The cleanser cost me 289 SEK. Yes, it'a not cheap but I had expected it to be a lot more expensive. This will easily last you for months, I reckon I could easily get 6 months use out of this bottle.
How does it work? As you can see it has two separate pumps. That's because this cleanser is made up of mud and oil. So one part is the mud, and the other is the oil. These two parts combined is what will get your skin squeaky clean. You pump the two products together simulataneously and then rub your hands together to make them foam and then wash your face. This cleanser will strip everything of off your face, even your natural oils. Because oil is the only thin that can remove oil, this cleanser is ideal for us with oily/combination skin. However, since this cleanser is so drying you need to make sure you moisturize well after using it or it will just make your skin worse. I forgot to use a heavy duty moisturizer one night after I used it, and since it's winter I really need to hydrate my skin well, and it completely broke me out. I had tiny pimples in every single pore around my nose and it was not a pretty sight, so please don't forget to mosturize well.
It doesn't remove water proof mascara, but it does remove your base completely, something I've felt my previous cleansers have had a hard time with. I'm a full coverage foundation kind of girl so there's a lot of product to remove. Previously I've had to wash my face two to three times just to remove the base and then I've had to use a remover for my mascara and on top of that I'd notice that it still hadn't fully removed my base when I used my toner. This isn't an issue anymore. I even use this together with my Clarisonic Mia2 and my skin feels like new afterwards. However, I wouldn't recommend this for people with sensitive skin just because it completely dries you out if you're not careful.
The oil is to left end the mud is to the right
Pros:
+ Removes your make up easily
+ Your skin feels squeaky clean afterwards
+ You get a lot of product for your moneys worth
Cons:
- Exspensive
- Very drying
- Doesn't remove waterproof/or hard to remove mascara (like the Benefit 'They're Real' mascara for example)
All in all? I love this cleanser, I will probably buy another one once I run out of it. I'm saying probably because I want to try the Clarins oil cleanser as well, I love trying new products. Since I have a very oily T-zone this cleanser is great at really washing your face and removing every little last trace of dirt and makeup residue. I don't have sensitive skin so I can try things out without worrying about them breaking me out, so if you do have sensistive skin, I'd recommend you get a sample of this cleanser first. But I love it! This has cut down on my time in the bathroom at night, now I'm done in under five minutes so I don't dread or procrastinate the process of removing my makeup as much as I used to.
FAVORITE BUYS OF FEBRUARY 2016
My wallet hates me at the moment, this past week I've been really splurging but I've been a really good girl up until now, saving and not spending, but then life happened and what's a girl supposed to do? Kat von D Beauty just released here in Sweden on February 16th, this was the day after the tickets to the Beyoncé Formation World Tour tickets went on sale, plus it was Valentines the day before that and I had to show myself some love by getting me a new MK bag. And if that wasn't enough, I might have placed and order on Beautybay for some Makeup Geek foiled shadows and some Dose of Colors Liquid Lipsticks. Yes... I'm eating noodles for the rest of the month. Fortunately it's only five days left until payday 🙌🏼
MONTHLY FAVORITES | JANUARY 2016
Tarte Cosmetics | Tartelette 2 In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette
My most used palette of January, been using it pretty much everyday. I love it because of it's neutral colors. It's really one of those amazing everyday palettes that work both for day and night. Seriously can't get enough of this palette.
Embryolisse | Lait-Crème Concentré
I got a sample of this when I ordered the Becca and Laura Geller highlighters from Cult Beauty and I just knew instantly that I needed this moisturizer in my life. It's thick and moisturizing which is really great because I have dry patches during winter because of the cold, and the best part is that it doesn't make me as oily as some mattifying primers I've used. So, my skin is now well hydrated and less oily. This is an amazing primer for your makeup because it makes your make up stick to your face and makes your base look flawless. Thumbs up!
Make Up Forever | Ultra HD Foundation
Best foundation I've used to give you that flawless, non-cakey look. I'm addicted. The only downside really is the coverage and the fact that you can't really be in a hurry when applying this, because you won't like the results then. But when applied and built up to fuller coverage, when you're not in a hurry and you have the time to really work it into your skin, this foundation is life.
Laura Geller | Gilded Honey
My most used highlighter at the moment. Anyone who has ever used this knows why it's a favorite.
Ardell | False Lashes in 'Wispies'
Favorite lashes ever! They are easy to apply, they look amazing and you don't even feel them on. I don't like to feel that I'm wearing false lashes because it makes me self conscious. If I don't feel comfortable, then I won't look comfortable. Simple as that. You don't feel these lashes at all, I usually even forget that I'm wearing any.
GlamGlow | Powercleanse Daily Dual Cleanser
I don't know what I was doing with my life before I got my hands on this cleanser. I don't know how much time and water I wasted evey night trying to remove my makeup. With this, I'm done in a few minutes and the prospect of having to wash my face before going to bed isn't as harrowing as it used to be.
Sephora | Sheet masks (not pictured above)
Unfortunately didn't have any at home when this picture was taken and the simple reason for that was that I'd used tham all up. The cooling and tightening feeling these masks leave behind is addictive. You have to try them!
Too Faced | Liquified Longwear Lipstick in 'Melted Chihuahua'
This is my go to lip product for when I'm in a hurry (which is almost every morning). This shade looks natural and I feel like it's an amazing everyday color. I slab this on and I'm good to go.
Do you have a product you've been loving a little extra during the first month of 2016?
FAVORITE MAKE UP PRODUCTS OF 2015 - FACE
So this is the second part of my favourite beauty products of 2015. This time around its about makeup products, and more specifically face products. I'd been trying out so many different products last year and I began to be more into high end products and I've actually almost completely stopped buying drugstore makeup. I most only buy drugstore mascaras, nailpolishes and lipsticks. To be honest, there aren't much of those either in my collection. Let's go through which products I've been loving during 2015.
Make Up Forever | Ultra HD Foundation in the shade Y315
The newest addition to my foundation collection and I've been using it non-stop since I got it. At first I was a bit disappointed because I had expected it to have full coverage, but it doesn't. The girl at the Sephora where I bought it said it had medium to full coverage, but this foundation is very runny and is not at all full coverage. However, it's buildable. So you can go from sheer coverage to medium coverage and the best part? It doesn't look cakey and it looks very natural. It blends into my skin smoothly and the color range is amazing! So even if it isn't full coverage (I'm a full coverage kind of girl) I still love this foundation.
Laura Mercier | Silk Crème Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation
Now this is a full coverage foundation. I usually wear this foundation to work, especially if I'm in a hurry, because I don't need to use any concealer and this foundation covers all my redness around and on my nose and chin area. Love it! This however isn't very buildable. It looks cakey if you use too much.
Estée Lauder | Double Wear Stay-In-Place All Day Foundation in '4N1 Shell Beige'
I love this foundation! It isn't as full coverage as the Laura Mercier one, but it definitely has more coverage than the MUFE Ultra HD foundation. This looks natural and it doesn't separate or glide off during the day. The only downside to this foundation (except for the price) is that the color range isn't that great. I can only really use this foundation when I'm tan, because they don't have my "pale" shade.
MAC | Pro Longwear Concealer in NC35
Favorite concealer of all time. I love this more than the Nars Creamy concealer. I'm not that into thick heavy concealers and this one is very lightweight but you still get amazing coverage from it! I've used it so much I've run out of it in all three shades I own.
MAC | Prep + Prime Fix+
The best all around setting spray. This doesn't make my makeup last longer, but it does my make base look more natural and less cakey. Plus I love this when I use eyeshadow because of the glycerin it contains, it makes your eyeshadows look more intense plus you can use it instead of a mixing medium when applying glitter to you eyelids! I've already used up three of these bad boys in like 8 months. This is a staple in my collection. When I run out, I always buy more.
Kat Von D | Shade & Light Contour Palette
I haven't had this palette for long, but once I used this bad boy my ABH contour kit had to retire early. The shades in this palette are so pigmented and they are more cool toned. Plus the "banana powder" in this palette actually brightens, you can immediately see the difference. Yeah, I won't be swithing back to ABH anytime soon.
NARS | Blush in 'Torrid'
My most used blush this year by far, I use it almost everyday. This is my perfect everyday blush. Enough said.
Anastasia Beverly Hills | Dipbrow Pomade in 'Dark Brown'
What did I do with my life before I found this Dipbrow Pomade? I'm afraid to look back at old pictures because my brows were a mess. My brows are still a mess, but at least now I can hide the mess during the day when I have this on. I will never stop using this pomade. Ever.
MAC | Mineralize Skin Finish in 'Give me Sun!'
Favorite bronzer! This gives me that perfect sunkissed glow! This looks especially good on me during summer. It's a bit on the orange side so don't go overboard with it. Plus, it'll probably look best on olive complexions because of that same reason.
Laura Mercier | Loose Setting Powder in 'Translucent'
Best. Powder. Ever. Do I even need to explain it's magic? If you don't have it, Get it! Because you need it! This powder will make your base look flawless plus it's great for "baking". However, it isn't all that great for your wallet.
Becca Cosmetics | Shimmering Skin Perfector (Pressed) in 'Opal'
I did a recent review of this beauty. If you're gonna buy any highlighter. Get this one. You will not regret it. It has that perfect wet look that doesn't look unnatural or powder as some highlighters do. This will make you naturally glowy, just apply it with a gentle hand if you're going for the natural look, because a little of this will go a long way.
Bobbi Brown | Shimmer Brick in 'Bronze'
My most used highlighter this summer. This will give you that natural bronzed glow so it's ideal when you're tan. I've even used it as eyeshadow, looks great even though it doesn't have the same intensity and pigmentation as an eyeshadow should have.
Laura Geller | Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in 'Gilded Honey'
I just reviewed this bad boy, so if you want a more in depth explanation as to why I love it, scroll a few posts down and you'll see. All you really need to know is that this baby will give you that golden glow you cannot be without. This and the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick will be my go-to highlighters this summer whan I'm tan.
The Balm | 'Mary-Lou Manizer' Highlighter
Probably my most used highlighter during the entire year. I probably wore this highlighter 75% of the year. This highlight is not for the weak of heart because this highlight will be seen from outer space. It is however a little light for me when I'm tan, so I don't really use it during summer, but that's just a personal preference.
Do you have any favorite face products of 2015?