Review :: Lindsay Luxury Magic Mask – Charcoal

~ Beauty Meow ~ 4 Comments

lindsay_luxury_magic_mask_set_with_bowl_-_charcoal

OK so I love a good mask, especially after I feel like I have put my skin through Hell (a lot of high fat and sodium foods, alcohol, tons of makeup) so today being a Holiday was one of those days (LOTS of wine). So I decided to try out this mask again I got from Lindsay, that is a charcoal peel away mask!! I used it once, but wanted to try it at least twice before I made up my mind about it.

Let’s review!

When you first get this mask you have to mix 2 components together, I believe all sets come with a collapsable bowl and spatulas (mine did) so you just add step one and step two together and mix away

FullSizeRender

step one is really pretty!

FullSizeRender_1

step two mixed into step one…

I don’t know if it is supposed to be super smooth, I tried to mix it as well as I could.

Applying this mask is sort of easy with the spatula, impossible with fingers so don’t do that. For the mask to peel off you have to put a thick layer around your face.

FullSizeRender_2

frightening I know…

You have to wait 20-30 minutes in order for it to dry before you peel it off. At first I was wary, but this mask feels so good on. Really its nice and cooling, and it starts to set up quickly so it doesn’t run down your face. So I really loved having it on.

Pulling it off was so easy. And my skin felt so soft and nourished.

FullSizeRender_3

I should save this for Halloween. Its terrifying!

Impressions

Ok, I LOVE this mask.  My skin feels so nice, to was easy to use, and a pleasure to wear. The only downside is it is a little expensive ($30 for a set of 5 masks) But If I save these for days I really need a pick me up I don’t think the price would be that bad. A little to pricey for twice a week use though).

I spent $30 on them at memebox.com > Link to masks!

I wanted to wait to use this mask at least twice before I reviewed so I could give a really proper grade for it. Overall when I run out of these I will be buying them again, and if you have sebum, oil, or pore issues this mask could be awesome for you!

Grade  A-

My Favorite Face Primers

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

I love me some good base makeup. But since its so hot, sticky and humid in florida, all my makeup will melt off if I don’t have a good primer. Over the years I have tested out dozens and these are some old, and new favorites. I am only listing 3 but I have a couple more I really love as well. I choose which to use depending on the type of makeup I am wearing, to how fancy the event or place I am going is.

in no particular order

Face Blur from Etude House

primer01

This is my go to, especially on days I don’t wear a lot of makeup. Leaves a flawless finish (no pores OMG), has nice SPF, and more importantly helps my makeup last perfectly most of the day. However if it is STUPID humid outside I might not go for this one, but thats because it gives me 6 hours of wear on my makeup rather then 8, so its still pretty nice! Also inexpensive!!! ❤ love that

 

L’Or Pure Radiance Face Primer from Guerlain

primer02

It’s no secret Guerlain is one of my favorite brands for makeup and skincare. I could gush for days about all the things I love from them, but I will just gush about this for now. THIS PRIMER IS EVERYTHING. Like E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! Its firming, minimizes pores, glides on smooth and makes my makeup look spectacular all day! It also gives a nice glow to my face. The only reason I don’t slather this all over myself everyday is the price tag. So I save this for when i am using more expensive makeup, or do a super full face of makeup. still so good!

Pro-Prime Light Optimizing Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 from Nars

primer03

I love this one because it is so good for everything. Nice SPF, gives me the illusion of not having huge pores, makes my makeup stay on nice and long, and has a nice lightweight finish.

Those are my favorites but I do have a few more. But I usually go with these! They all work extremely well, and I would recommend any one of them!

MemeBox Haul

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

Weeeee, so happy I got my Memebox order in! I was stocking up on some things I was almost out of and I am also trying some new things as well!

FullSizeRender-136

Also Look at that Panda Bear! TonyMoly has the CUTEST packaging! ❤

The Goods!

Dinoplatz UFO Multibox from Too Cool for School – I have wanted to try this forever. the cushion has a little compartment on then bottom that has blush, concealer and a pore balm! I wanted this to throw in my small purses so I don’t have to lug around a lot of products.

dinoplatz_multibox_no.21pola

JeJu Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam from Innisfree – I LOVE this cleanser, makes my face feel so fresh and clean! This is a refill because I am almost out! ❤

Panda’s Dream White Magic Cream from Tony Moly – I wanted to try this to see if it helped brighten my completion. I am plenty pale, but having my complexion be brighter has always been something I try to achieve, make my skin look luminous and not dull. So we will see how this works!

Green Tea Cleansing Water from Innisfree – I have wanted to try out this cleansing water, so I am super excited!

Green Tea Moisture Cream from Innisfree – Another product I have wanted to try!

Proof 10 Eye Primer from Etude House – I was almost out so I grabbed another little jar of this. If you want a good eye primer TRY THIS! Seriously it is amazing!

Pig Nose Clear Blackhead 3 Step Kit from Holika Holika- I LOVE these, I was out so I picked up another little kit of them!

I am really excited to try these things!!!! So yeah, woohoo!

Review – Stella McCartney POP Perfume

~ Beauty Meow ~ Leave a comment

s1804020-main-hero

 

One thing that can make me almost instantly buy any perfume is to use the words Tuberose. I LOVE Tuberose, it’s one of my favorite scents,and its hard to find any perfume that really carries it it. So when I heard about Stella McCartney’s Perfume POP, I had to go out and buy it.

This scent is very unique. With notes of Tuberose, Violet, Musk and Sandalwood you would think it would have a nice deep complex floral fragrance, however it initially has a very cheap smell.

First Impressions

When I first put it on and for about 45 minutes afterwards it smelled similar to so many other cheap perfumes. To much musk, not enough delicate notes, and it almost needed a touch of brightness. I didn’t get any notes of tuberose, and that left me feeling a little dejected.

Longer Wear Impressions

After awhile of wearing it, I started to pick up the middle notes of Tuberose, and even a faint smell of violet. It got a lot more delicate smelling, and sweeter the longer it wore. The musk smell was finally playing nice with the other scents, which was exciting but….

At this point the perfume was wearing away. The length it lasted on me was about 3 hours before I had to reapply. I can usually get 5-6 hours from certain perfumes. So I had to deal with the cheap smell of the perfume all over again.

Final Thoughts

I know each and every perfume smells and reacts differently for each person. So this review is purely based on how it smelled on me, my initial expectations, and opinions.

Overall it’s ok. I was hoping for more tuberose, and after I finally got to it, I had to reapply because the scent was so faint it was like I was barely wearing anything at all. PLUS the perfume didn’t last long on me at all!

I will be using this, because once you get through the overtly musk cheap perfume smell its really quite divine, so maybe, mayyybbbeee I can find that sweet spot to be able to get the smell I was promised (and I know it can achieve) without having to reapply 3 times a day

Grade – C

 

 

For the Love of Pearls

~ Beauty Meow ~ Leave a comment

Ok, on top of being a skincare and makeup junkie I also have an obsession with pearls. Its pretty much the only jewelry I wear minus a ring from my mother and my wedding set! After years of collecting I have found a few amazing places to get amazing pearl jewelry at a fraction of the cost.

One thing I learned is, that the expensive $3000 akoya necklace is usually only that much because Brick and Mortar (BM) stores have to jack up their prices because of things like higher cost to keep the inventory, limited inventory, cost to maintain their store, employees, ext. But if you KNOW about pearls you can find the exact same necklace (or even a higher quality one) for over half the price! Now some people like to buy name brand pieces (from say Mikimoto) and Generally I would say go for this. Mikimoto has some amazing pieces, but before you take the plunge into a set of Mikis, you should get your feet wet and see what you truly want out of your pearl jewelry (do you like larger necklaces, do you like graduated. Do you prefer South Sea to Tahitian to Akoya, how about length?)

The PERFECT place to start educating yourself on pearls is the forum Pearl Guide

This forum has been around for years and features an amazing community of pearl farmers, pearl distributors, jewelry designers, online and BM store owners and pearl collectors. You can ask any question, learn anything about pearls. Have a necklace that was an heirloom and what to know if its real or not without going to your jeweler. Just snap a few pics and ask. Want to compare a few online necklaces to see which looks best and is a better bargain, just ask. Want to share your pictures of your collection and drool over the people amazing pieces, this is the place for you! Everyone is so knowledgable, so welcoming and it is the greatest place to get started if you are green to the world of pearls.

Where to buy online?

I have a few recommendations for purchasing online. These online vendors I have frequently bought from myself AND they have AMAZING return policies and excellent Customer service!

Pearl Paradise– Well know and loved pearl online store. They have sold jewelry to Angelina Jolie, and other a list celebrities. Hisano Shepard who is an award winning Jewelry designer (designs under the name Little H, you can find her stuff at Pearl Collective also) Has Designed Jewelry for the first lady, celebrities, you name it. She designed the necklace I wore on my wedding, and her and her team give every order, big or small the most excellent level of customer service I have ever seen. Jeremy Shepard is the companies founder, and he is pleasant, knowledgeable and passionate about his pearls!

Pearls of Joy– Kevin Canning runs this, and he is always a pleasure to work with. His curated collection of exotic pearls (Maven Collection) is truly stunning. He carries limited quantities of things because he is so picky about finding the most perfect pearl. He will spend hours at gem and jewelry shows in Hong Kong sorting through huge bags of pearls to find the best ones. Don’t believe me? Check out his blog

Kojima Company– Truly one of the most creative use of pearls. Every piece is hand made, and she takes such care to really deliver a powerful statement with pearls. She also carries true Japanese Kasumi pearls and Sea of Cortez pearls. Definitely worth a look!

Below are pictures of a Tahitian Necklace from Pearl Paradise, One of Hisanos creations, the Gorgeous Geode Tahitian Earings, with Black Diamonds and Rubies, some beautiful Chinese ripples from Pearls of Joy and some gorgeous Sea of Cortez Mabe Earring from Kojima!

pp

littleh

poj.jpgkojims.jpg

A Few other places to get gorgeous Pearls

West Pearls,The Pearl Outlet, Pure Pearls

FullSizeRender_3

From West Pearls

For the love of Pearls ❤

Review :: Freeman Facial Charcoal and Black Sugar Scrub Mask

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

OK, so I was at the supermarket and I was getting some toiletries when I saw that they were having a bogo for this brand, Since I am always on the hunt for a good exfoliator I figured I would take the plunge ($8 for 2 bottles seemed good, I however got this one and their cucumber peeling mask)

I decided to do a first impressions mini review on it. A lot of higher end brands get reviewed, so why not a drugstore brand?

WARNING weird picture of my long face below.

This is the packaging, and it seems like it could be very promising…

FullSizeRender

fyi, I am always wary of things that say all skin types, but I decided to still give this a go.

A little dollop in my hand, it had a unique and unexpected consistency.

FullSizeRender_1

I think I was expecting something that had more charcoal, this just looked like a repackaged sugar scrub (which this mask is, but I also was hoping for something more, well maskish)

Here is where I applied it to my face, you are supposed to let it sit on your face for 5-7 minutes, then massage it into your skin for 1-2 then rinse off. It didn’t really like staying in one spot and started sort of sliding on my face, so that was a bother.

FullSizeRender_2

 

(my face was all puffy that day, UGH)

OK so anyways I managed to let it sit on there, then I massaged it in and rinsed it off.

Overall it left my skin feeling VERY clean, and smooth. Was a hassle to leave on, but I think that the annoyance of that is worth the pay off. Especially when this was very affordable and easy to find. I don’t know if I will rebuy though. So I am still on the hunt for exfoliators!

Grade – B+

Tatcha :: Sensitive Skin Ritual Discovery Kit

~ Beauty Meow ~ 1 Comment

Ok, I was running low on my Indigo Recovery Cream but I have a few night creams coming, so I didn’t want to buy a whole container just yet. However I have wanted to try some different Tatcha products so I decided to get their Sensitive Skin Ritual Discovery Kit. They do these kits with travel sized products and it is a great way to test out their line without investing hundreds of dollars! It has the cutest little jar of the cream which will hold me over until I get the other creams in the mail (International shipping, even EMS takes forever)

The Kit!

FullSizeRender_2

They have such beautiful packaging. The shipment comes with your invoice printed on pretty rice paper with a hand written thank you note! Way to step up the game Tatcha!

Comes with-

  • PURE-ONE STEP CAMELLIA CLEANSING OIL
  • SOOTHING RICE ENZYME POWDER – FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
  • LUMINOUS -DEEP HYDRATION FIRMING SERUM
  • INDIGO -SOOTHING TRIPLE RECOVERY CREAM

FullSizeRender_4

I am really REALLY excited to try out these guys. I have used their Rice Powders before and they are so nice at cleaning skin. But I have wanted to try their Cleansing Oils and The serum!!! I will let you know how they all turn out!

They also send samples too ❤

FullSizeRender_1

BONUS!

When I was trying to take these pictures my cats decided they wanted to investigate, and sit on everything!

FullSizeRender

FullSizeRender_3

Why you sit on the instructions? WHY!!! You have an entire world to sit on!!! Why this!?

My Current Skincare Routine

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

This is my current Skincare routine (with list of products) I change or try new things every few months, so I will probably be updating this blog with what I have tried and what works and what didn’t.

My Skin

I have a very pale complexion, with combination sensitive skin. I also suffered from enlarged pores. I have lived in South Florida my entire life, and would wear sunscreen everyday on my arms and neck but not my face. As such I had some sun damage, and some issue with a nice texture on my skin. At 30 (I’m going to be 32 in a few months) I decided it was time to put on my big girl pants and start really taking care of myself. Diet, exercise, and SKINCARE!

After almost 2 years my skin looks a bazillion times better. My pores are considerably smaller and cleaner. My complexion is more even, my creases are diminishing and the smoothness of my skin is vast improved. Its very soft now, which is so nice.

I don’t like under-exagerating how bad my skin was, because truly whats the point- I had bad skin. Breakouts, pores, flaking. All because I didn’t take proper care of it. It was MY FAULT. So when I owned up to that (rather then blame genetics) I started to see a VAST improvement.

My Routine

 

  1. Oil Cleanser – Clean It Zero From Banila Co. After removing makeup from my face if there is any there I put a small amount on my face and massage for 20-30 seconds then gently rinse off.
  2. Foaming Cleanser –Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam from Innisfree. I lather this on and then very gently use a pore brush to lather the last bit.
  3. Toner –Aloe BHA Skin Toner by Benton. I use a cotton swab and gently swipe across my face, I like this one because it is very soothing.
  4. Exfoliate –  Cure Natural Aqua Gel (twice a week, I love this) or Freeman’s Charcoal Sugar Scrub (this one is ok, just using it up right now since I don’t like to waste product)
  5. Essence – SK-II Facial Treatment Essence- Put a small amount in my hands and gently pat into my face. I let it absorb completely before moving on
  6. Essence –BHA Blackhead Power Liquid by Cosrx – I put a fair amount on a cotton pad and dab in on my entire nose and chin.
  7. Mask -(I only do this twice a week. Either a sheet mask, Lindsay makes an AMAZING Pull away charcoal mask, or the Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask by Elizavecca)
  8. Brightening Oil – Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil by Korres – Alittle goes a long way. I just take the dropper and put 3 drops in my hands and gently apply to face and neck
  9. Serums –ULTIMUNE Power Infusing Concentratefrom Shiseido (I use this first) Then Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster by Ole Henrikson, For the Ole Henriksen serum I do like the results of it, however it makes my face EXTREMELY red right after application and it stays red for 15 minutes, so I don’t think I will be rebuying. I am looking for another serum that has vitamin C thats a bit gentler. I think Etude House or Innisfree has one.
  10. Eye Cream –Moistfull Collagen Eye Cream by Etude house – I gently pat this under my eye and gently apply it to my lids
  11. Moisturizer –Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ from Clinique. Gently put a small amount on my face and neck
  12. OK if it is the morning I will use a BB cream + primer and do make up and skip this last step
  13. Night Cream – Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream by Tatcha. Its a Japanese brand, and they have amazing products, however they get a bit pricey. I might look for something else to see if it compares, if not I will get this again. I do adore this.
  14. I also apply Nature Republics Aloe Vera Gel all over my body and chest and neck area.

It took me several months to really get into this routine. I used to just wash-tone-moisturize at night so going from that to this twice a day  was something I had to do slowly. I recommend adding in 1-2 steps every 2-3 weeks. First I would add essence and eye cream, then night creams, and then serums. This will let you get used to the routine, and will let you see how each product improves your skin. I realized that a good essence and night cream are what really worked for me. Rather then get some super expensive serums. But for other people may be the other way around.

I CAN SAY THIS. I used to dread cleaning my face a few years ago and now its one of the favorite parts of my day. And I get to do it twice!! I really look forward to it.

My absolute FAVORITES from this list are Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam,Aloe BHA Skin Toner,Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream and Nature Republics Aloe Vera Gel, and the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence.

As for products I hated my old moisturizer I just changed. I used to use Oil of Olay anti Aging, but I switched to the one with an additional spf 30. Sounds good right? WRONG. It broke out my entire face after only one application UGH so I switched to another moisturizer and stopped using that one for now. The Clinique Moisturizer isn;t the best as far as moisturizers (for my skin) go. But it is much better then the Oil of Olay stuff I was using. I NEVER throw away products. I usually suck it up and use them unless I get a super bad reaction. So thats what I had to do with the Oil of Olay One. Also Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster give me great results but right after application it makes my face EXTREMELY RED, and little tender. So I still use it for the results but I will not be rebuying it. So sad 😦

Also although I have nothing bad to say about BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, I don’t see much of a change or results. my pores are alittle better. I may or may not rebuy this! WE will see what happens after I use the entire bottle.

Thank you all for reading, comment below if you have any questions!

❤

Teeny Haul from 3 Concept Eyes

~ Beauty Meow ~ Leave a comment

I had gotten this a few days ago and shared on my Tumblr. Decided to share here as well!

FullSizeRender

I have really wanted a nice burnt rusty burgundy eyeshadow for pretty much ever, and I found it! From 3 Concept Eyes in color Saturn! and I got a nice dark eye shadow crayon to add some nice contrast! I decided to try out their pore balm to cause Lord my pasty skin NEEDS all the help it can get!

SWATCHES, only two but still!

FullSizeRender_1

Those colors are exactly what I am looking for. The shadow shows little more orange then it does IRL, But it does have beautiful rust undertones.

The eye shadow is in color Saturn and the eye crayon is in color bad times! ❤ Can’t wait to use these guys! I’ll probably do a review of the pore balm in the future too!

❤

Anyways if you are unfamiliar with 3 Concept Eyes products do give them a shot. They are amazing quality, the colors are great, and they have some unique products as well!

Salutations! <3

~ Beauty Meow ~ 1 Comment

gatorflower

Salutations!
I’ve decided to do a little introduction to this blog of mine. I am a lady who loves love loves make up and skin care (and cats, OBVIOUSLY). Problem is for most of my life I didn’t take care of my skin AT ALL! So I have a lot of problems to address. Pores YUCK, hyperpigemtation, blackheads, dry skin, and more….. yuck and YUCK! So for the past year and a half I decided to really try and get my skin back! I have noticed a lot of people have one or two of the problems I have, and to get real world reviews and results is hard. I devoted a lot of time to watching youtube bloggers, reading blogs and product reviews on websites, and I have to say it has been pretty great so far. Since I have started this journey I have noticed I have better skin. It’s more luminous, healthy and a lot of my major problems have been addressed. There are still a few things I have to work on too. So I thought MAYBE if I had a blog that could talk about the products I use, how they help my skin, the makeup I use and such maybe if could help someone else. And if not I enjoy talking about it anyways, so I can just ramble into a empty blog with no followers for my own amusement!

cat

ANYWAYS I will be mostly talking about products I use that are good and bad, as well as a change in my diet to help with my healthfulness, and make up I use which is fun and good, and also doesn’t aggregate my skin!

You will also see pictures of cats, both mine and furry friends I wish I could meet.

So yeah! So excited to start this adventure! ❤