Double-Sided Z-Palette

I got my first Z-Palette last year as a gift from a friend made from a community we both belong to. The hype is real, and worth it. As someone who has little space to store my makeup, the fewer bulky, individually packaged items the better. I haven’t filled my large, hot-pink Z-palette yet (and probably won’t for a while), but I love it.

If you aren’t familiar with the brand/product, let me bring you up to speed. A makeup artist wanted a solution to simplify her work and what she needed to bring with her. She created an empty, magnetized palette that you can fill with whatever depotted makeup (or pan refills) your heart desires; mix and match to your heart’s content. It sounds so simple and straightforward, but most, “build your own,” palettes limited you to a specific pan size/shape (sometimes limiting you to their brand).

Four main things I love:

  • It has a clear window so I can see what I put inside.
    My genius (cough) is unfortunately punctuated with bouts of airheadedness, so this is a big help.
  • It isn’t limited to one pan size or shape – it is completely free-form.
    This is a nice contrast to other companies’, “Build Your Own,” palette options. I have two MAC shadows, a MAC blush, a Sephora shadow, a wee Stila shadow amongst other things in mine – all different pan sizes.
  • They come with magnets to secure depotted items that may come in non-magnetic pans.
  • They aren’t bulky. They are travel friendly…in all sizes.

So last Monday when I got an email from them announcing their Double-Sided Z-Palette I was pretty delighted. Although this isn’t something I’m ready to buy because my collection doesn’t call for it, it is a really awesome new offering.

double-sided z-paletteThe new Double-Sided Z-Palette

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PSA: Sephora Flash Shipping

I just signed up for Amazon Prime last month because I, like many people these days, prefer to shop online. It allows me to make better use of my time. I’m not here to shill Prime to you. If you’re here (…on the internet?), reading, you know what it is, you’ve heard about it, and you know a lot of the benefits.

I had a completely different post scheduled for today (something else new, fun an intriguing), but this is too good, friends.

To my delight, I happened upon this glorious page on Sephora’s site – Sephora Flash Shipping.

Sephora Flash Shipping

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Sephora Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish

Sephora Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish FoundationWe went so long without comically long names, but Sephora Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish Foundation makes two this month.

This is foundation I mentioned in my New and Noteworthy at Sephora post last month – the one that I was super excited to try? I wanted it, and in fact almost ordered it when I ordered my Silk’n Flash & Go Freedom – but being unsure of my coloring, I decided not to (yes, I know I can return/exchange it – but if I can also make a little effort before buying to see if its the right color, I’d like to. I don’t want stores to have to trash products because I was lazy. Don’t be that guy, that guy sucks).

During my most-recent Sephora trip I mentioned, before they used ColorIQ to, “match,” me, I mentioned that I was interested in the new Sephora Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish Foundation and lamented its online-only status. One of the bubbly SA’s chimed in that they carried it.

What?! Are you sure?!

She was sure. Her friendly team-mates were sure.

Okay, they carry it. That is fantastic…and probablydefinitely meant I’d be making an unplanned (for that trip, anyway) purchase. ColorIQ matched me to 16 – Linen, which was comically inappropriate for my ghastly-for-me complexion. I had a friend with me and she was highly amused by the, “Oh, no – no no no,” face I made when I tried to blend it out. It probably matches the skin I’m in when I’m, you know, not in winter hibernation mode…but not now. I shook the tester for 12 – Ecru, and dispensed a single drop onto the back of my hand. Like all the other serum foundations out there (YSL Fusion Ink [costs 2.5x as much], Perricone No Foundation-Foundation Serum [more than 2x as much], bareMinerals BareSkin [$5 more, so-so reviews]), it has a very thin consistency. But don’t be dissuaded – one drop went so. damn. far. just on the back of my hand.

Insert whatever choir of angels audio springs to your mind by default. Yeah, I bought it. Is that a question?

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Worth it? Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

Urban Decay Naked Skin ConcealerUrban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

Urban Decay recently released a new concealer to flesh-out (ha) their Naked Skin line of products. Keeping with the line’s aesthetic, Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Concealer is packaged very similarly to the Naked Skin Foundation – a simple, cylindrical tube with a clear body and chrome-colored cap. It has launched in eight shades – fewer shades than I’d hoped for, because it still means women of color and the ghostly pale are kind of screwed for now.

I recently had the opportunity to try it at during a Naked Skin event at my local Sephora, and wanted to share my experience with it.

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Foreo Issa Toothbrush

The Foreo Issa is a unique silicone electric toothbrush from the company that makes the Luna, a skin cleansing device that is said to rival the Clarisonic.

My first encounter with this brush was in a Sephora marketing e-mail a few weeks ago where I was kind of taken aback. It isn’t my aim to be crass here, but this device definitely resembles something else and I’m not the only one who thinks so (a review on Sephora’s site proves this). I wrote it off as amusing, but not really worth looking back into. A toothbrush does not need to be chic and aesthetically pleasing (albeit adult-entertainment-looking), as far as I’m concerned…nor does it need a $200 price tag.

Foreo Issa ToothbrushForeo Issa Silicone Pulsating Toothbrush, $200

At some point later, I visited the product’s page again to read the reviews (when I found the aforementioned review); I was planning to write an exceptionally snarky post about it. What I found aside from that was that the Foreo Issa may not be a gimmick after all.

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Worth it? LAB2 Angled Brow and Eyeliner Brush

Wal-Mart is opening locations still (how are there so many…) and the newest one in my area features an expanded beauty section that includes brands like e.l.f. and Real Techniques. One day, I went to check out their Real Techniques selection and noticed a brand I wasn’t familiar with…LAB2? Who is this? At a glance, they seemed to have pretty clean, surprisingly professional-looking packaging and are priced in a very wallet-friendly drugstore price-point.. I snapped a picture to remind myself to look into them.

LAB2 Angled Brow and Eyeliner Brush - LAB2 Display

LAB2, which is actually written out, “L.A.B.²,” and pronounced, “LAB-squared,” stands for Live and Breathe Beauty.

Later, I went to look them up, never having seen them – I couldn’t locate a website, but I did find this entry on Justia Trademarks for the brand name, indicating that the rights are held by Pacific World Corporation – who also owns Sensationail, as it turns out, as well as some other drugstore beauty tool brands. Searching, “LAB Brushes,” or, “Live and Breathe Beauty Brushes,” or, “Live and Breathe Beauty,” at the time brought up nothing.

Although I didn’t come up with much about the brand, I DID find a YouTube Channel for LAB2, which features a few brief demo/tutorial videos and an intro to the brand. They don’t seem to have much else in the way of branding or social media presence, however.

Because I’m still on the hunt of The One Angled Liner Brush to Rule Them All, I picked up the LAB2 Angled Brow and Eyeliner Brush. Checking it out without opening the packaging, the synthetic bristles of the brush appeared to be cut with a greater level of precision than, say the e.l.f. angled liner brush. I figured that a $6 brush wouldn’t result in overwhelming disappointment if it didn’t work out.

UPDATE 2/26/2015: The proper name of this brush is the Get In Shape Brow & Eyeliner Brush!

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