Review

Makeup Geek Face Brush Bundle

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stockMakeup Geek Face Brush Bundle

I’m a firm believer that good tools, used properly, will take you far. I also believe in investing in quality products in general. The brushes created by Marlena and her team receive consistently great reviews, so my interest has been piqued for a while; I’ve had the Makeup Geek Face Brush Bundle on my wish list for many months but had some other priorities so I hadn’t pulled the trigger.

My husband doesn’t tend to get me makeup-related gifts, so imagine my surprise and delight when I unwrapped the Makeup Geek Face Brush Bundle. SHEER. FREAKING. JOY.

Inside, there was a note from her team reminding me to wash the brushes, and a handwritten one thanking us for the purchase and sending holiday wishes. So, naturally, I washed them and dried them upside-down. It was excruciating (because I was dying to use them), but I got through it.

Makeup Geek Face Brush Bundle

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Silkn Flash and Go Update 2

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Silkn Flash and Go Freedom

It’s been a long time (almost a year, definitely longer than I thought) since I’ve talked about my use of the Silkn Flash and Go Freedom device here on the blog. Rest assured, I’ve still been using it. There was a period of time during Autumn during which I was a bit erratic with use, but I haven’t given up.

I can say it has not delivered on its promise of a permanent removal (which, really, should be reduction) within eight treatments. I have not reduced my reliance on my razor nearly as much as I had hoped to by this point in ownership and usage.

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder – Dim Light

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting PowderHourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

If you’re looking for the Ambient Strobing Powders, sorry to disappoint. I haven’t tried one.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder line launched a couple years ago, and since then many have adopted them as their holy grail powders. They were firmly out of my reach, however, at $45 a pop. Lovely though they may be, are they worth almost fifty bucks? I’m skeptical.

Some months ago, a travel size of Dim Light (what appears to me to be one of the bestselling shades) came available at Sephora for only $22. I was lucky enough to win a wishlist-based contest in which the winnings were your choice of items of up to $X amount, so I chose the small (only 0.049oz) Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder to give a shot, for science and curiosity and, well, I don’t own any highlighters (really!).

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MAC 217 vs bdellium 776

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Finally.

What?

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I got my hands on my first MAC brush. I’ve actually had it for a couple months now but have waited to share (I do that). In truth, I expected my first MAC brush to be a 242; you know, all that pigment-packing glory? Oh well.

So I finally got what many consider to be the Holy Grail of blending brushes – I was able to use Plenti points at the MAC counter in Macy’s to get a few bucks off it. Let’s put MAC 217 vs bdellium 776 (what I’ve been using and have been just OK with) – and see which is better.

MAC 217 vs bdellium 776MAC 217 vs bdellium 776

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Glamglow Powermud Dualcleanse Review

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I’ve tried Glamglow Thirstymud not once, but twice. Over the past few Sephora visits, the staff there offered up some pre-made samples of the Glamglow Powermud Dualcleanse Mud-to-Oil; in spite of my less-than-pleasant experiences with Thirstymud, I accepted them.

Glamglow Powermud Dualcleanse ReviewGlamglow Powermud Dualcleanse Mud-to-Oil

I’ve finally had time to play with new products, so I sat down last week, removed my makeup with a Kirkland makeup wipe, and set out to slap Glamglow Powermud on. I smoothed the product – which, like Thirstymud, smells amazing, by the way – onto my skin in a thin layers with fingers. Following the instructions, I left it on until it dried, about 6 minutes in my environment. Like any clay mask, it felt taut (but not extreme like Aztec Healing Clay), but because the consistency is thinner and the application is thinner, it wasn’t uncomfortable.

At the prescribed time, I rinsed it off; you don’t go at this one with a washcloth, though. To remove Glamglow Powermud, you ought to hop in the shower or be the skincare commercial face-splashing-girl (what I did). I splashed with warm water and massaged my face as most of the product melted away. Some of it required a bit more scrubbing than massaging, but it did break down into what felt like an oil, and eventually washed away.

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Worth it? Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask

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I’ve used Queen Helene Mint Julep mask on-and-off for over ten years – every time I would change, I’d find myself going back to it. It was reliable, refreshing, and whipped my skin into shape. Aztec Healing Clay is no doubt effective (and I still have a ton!), but it is a labor to remove, and it isn’t convenient to mix or apply – but it’s also pretty intense. It doesn’t really irritate my skin, but it isn’t something I’d do right before going out.

Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask
Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask

I’ve been wanting a gentler approach. I still want clay masks, but I’m longing for the long-discontinued one (got2b Pure Intent kaolin clay mask). I found this Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask at Ulta and gave it a shot. You might have noticed that it wound up in my October 2015 Favorites post last week.

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