Prestige

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Full vs Travel

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Last year, I won a travel sized Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (my post on it here) in Dim Light. I liked it so much that I splashed out for a full-size (on sale, of course). Sites obviously shares the volume of product in each, it can be hard to tell without a side-by-side. My local Sephora store, for instance, does not carry Hourglass – and when I have an idea that I think would have helped me, I like to share.

Side-by-Side

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Full vs TravelHourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Full vs Travel

The difference is pretty comical – so to put numbers to that picture, the left is 0.35 oz (for $46); the right is 0.04 oz (for $22). You’re getting over 8x the product for just over twice the price…and with how long the tiny travel size has lasted me (barely looks used), that is going to last me sometime into the 22nd century.

The Bottom Line

Unless you need the tiny size for some odd reason, skip it – the value just isn’t there. The price-per-ounce is already painfully high in the full size (I keep reminding myself of the fact that this stuff is going to last 2/3 of eternity) at around $131. The travel size comes in at a crushing $550 per ounce. It’s sheer (ha) lunacy.

What I Bought During the 2016 VIB Sale

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Although I am not buying holiday palettes, that doesn’t mean I’m not shopping. I hit the 20% off VIB Sale at Sephora on Friday. Today is the last day.

Tartelette In Bloom

Look! I’m a cliche! I bought another palette of neutrals, this time on recommendation of Stefanie Nicole of YouTube. I love her no-bullshit approach to … everything, and I trust her judgment. Here’s hoping it works out for me in a way that Naked2 just didn’t. Review to come once I’ve had time with it.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

After almost a year with the travel size, I decided to invest in the full size. I have yet to hit pan, which I think says a lot about its longevity. I love the finish it gives with and without foundation, and at this rate it will last me forever. The travel sized compact is available for $22.

Colorswitch by Vera Mona

To me, this is definitely a splurge item. I can imagine that there are more cost-effective ways to do accomplish what this does. I decided to pay for convenience – and I will definitely report back on whether or not this is worth it.

VIB Sale Recap

I didn’t go crazy this year. In fact, I wouldn’t have even gotten the ColorSwitch if I hadn’t been a couple dollars shy of locking in VIB for 2017. I was going to buy a larger bottle of Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil but decided against it in favor of trying another variety (gasp, I know – last time that didn’t go so well).

NARS Kohliner

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NARS Kohliner

Until recently, I generally disliked most pencil liners. I couldn’t fine one I liked.  As such, I don’t tend to shop for pencil liners but I will try them if they’re part of a set or come as a freebie. Up until three weeks ago, I hadn’t found one I liked; gel always worked better for me. To my surprise, I had a fateful encounter with NARS Kohliner in a liner value set (more on that soon, it was a Sephora in JcP set) I bought on impulse after a rough day.

I’m a whole new woman. I was terribly remiss not including it in my October 2016 Favorites…but I LOVE this $25 eyeliner. Yeah, I know. Twenty-five is a splurge for an eye pencil.

What I Love about NARS Kohliner

Not only is it pencil, is it twist up (no sharpening!). You won’t naturally get a razor-thin pencil tip with this, but the shape of the tip allows you to use the pencil at an angle for a nice, clean line. If you need razor-thin precision, you can make it that way yourself. I personally don’t need to.

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Why I’m NOT buying Holiday Palettes

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Too Faced Everything Nice - Why I'm NOT buying Holiday Palettes anymore

The holidays are nigh. Some stores are already playing Christmas carols (quelle horreur). That means holiday palettes are upon us.

To date, I’ve purchased one limited-edition holiday palette: Too Faced Everything Nice. TFEN was novel and fun, but I ultimately ended up depotting it into a Z-Palette. Frankly I don’t use what survived very often, and am currently making a concerted effort to Project Pan it.. I have higher quality shadows I reach for more often.

Why? It’s a have a few, simple reasons:

Holiday Palettes, Sets, LEs are Guaranteed Sales

When something is a sure thing, companies are a bit more, “flexible,” when it comes to quality. (Read: Flexible is code for, “compromising,” as in a brand may pursue a cheaper formula or manufacturing process.)

In plain English: Unfortunately, brands generally resort to lower-quality formulas in their holiday value/LE palettes. It isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but think – if a ten-shade palette from a brand normally costs $45-50, how can they offer you 20 for $60 with a similar (even if slightly smaller) pan size? It’s obvious – the formula isn’t the same. They’re cutting corners to increase their profit margin.

Is it Bad?

Not really, and I’m not even seeking to criticize it as a practice. As far as I know, there aren’t any non-profit cosmetics companies out there. Businesses are in business to make money. By itself. that’s neither good nor bad – it just is.

I’m personally not up for paying prestige pricing for, at best, drugstore quality products. Case in Point: Too Faced’s normal formula is nicer than the formula I received in TFEN. Also, the (in?)famous BECCAxJaclyn Hill collaboration that resulted in some sub-par palettes being released…whoops.

While those collections can be fun, if they aren’t on par with the brand’s current formulas and manufacturing, why are we so eager to drop money on the products?

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Why I Canceled Sephora Play

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Several months ago, I signed up for my first beauty subscription box, Sephora Play. Optimistic that retail beauty giant Sephora would have the insight required to kick ass and take names in the sub box arena, I eagerly signed up.

After four boxes, I’ve canceled my subscription. I will receive and review October’s box, but that is the fifth and final Sephora Play box I will receive. Unfortunately, I found that Sephora Play is plagued by the same issues as any other beauty subscription box – for now, at least. My optimism, unfortunately, was unfounded.

Where I Take Issue

To date, it seems as though Sephora concocts two boxes based on the profile you create at sign up. The product selections are made for you; they spin this as a convenience. Personally, I’d rather take five minutes to pick from a pool of samples (like when you place a normal order) than have someone pick for me and make choices that don’t work for me.

They spin the fragrances as a bonus but they aren’t really. Let’s be honest, those vials are included in the $10 per month valuation.

There’s this big hoopla about the box being a surprise, even though manufactured leaks occur – there are several Sephora Play, “spoilers,” sites out there.

Instead of consistently getting exciting content in the boxes, they have people creating Spotify playlists. Seriously? Who is actually jumping at the chance to listen to this stuff? I’m a Sephora customer because I’m interested in beauty products, not because I’m seeking sweet hipster tunes.

Sephora Play List

To give you an idea of why I’m canceling, here are my hits, misses, and OKs.

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