Worth It

Worth it? Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask

by

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.

Read more

Skip This: Sonia Kashuk Ombre Obsessed Brush Set

by

Unless you’re in need of a whole set and can compromise on quality, I’m generally against buying limited edition holiday brush sets. Even MAC has been known to sacrifice quality in their LE sets.

Currently, my favorite angled-bristle liner brush comes from Sonia Kashuk. The Target-exclusive, upper-tier-drugstore-price-point brand has a lot of solid contenders, both tool and product wise. They come out with limited edition sets from time to time, but this one, the Sonia Kashuk Ombre Obsessed Brush set, is a doozie.

Sonia Kashuk Ombre Obsessed Brush Set

The handles do look cool, but one does not buy brushes merely to marvel at the handles. Dye (especially red!) + brush bristles (or sponges!) = …you’re gonna have a bad time. Just ask the folks unfortunate enough to reach for the limited-edition red beautyblender.

And I love the beautyblender, but that was a miss.

Read more

TBT: Sephora’s Jem and the Holograms Collection

by

So there’s a Jem and the Holograms movie that’s come out recently. Apparently it has more-or-less bombed in the theatres, but old fans riding the nostalgia wave are still sure to appreciate all the tie-ins it has generated.

Truth be told, Jem is before my time. So I won’t wax faux-fangirl with you – I’m pretty sure I never saw so much as an episode in my childhood.

That said, Sephora has come out with a Jem and the Holograms Collection. Before I restate it on EACH item in the collection, if you’re buying these for a Jem fan, it will likely go over well, regardless of any other factors, even if for the novelty/nostalgia factor.

First up, the Truly Outrageous Palette:

Sephora Jem and the Holograms Collection - Truly Outrageous Eyeshadow Palette
Sephora Jem and the Holograms Collection – Truly Outrageous Eyeshadow Palette

Housed in glittery black cardboard-style packaging with very 80s-feeling lightning bolt motifs inside, the Jem and the Holograms Truly Outrageous shadow palette features 24 shades with a variety of finishes. Looking at it, it’s pretty loud – which falls in line with the show and, arguably, the decade, with a few neutral shades thrown in. To me, it feels very much like a Vice palette from Urban Decay – but I’m fine with this (after all, UD did not release it). As it turns out, though, it is much smaller – the pans are roughly the size of the pans you’d find in a Lorac PRO or Lorac PRO2.

What I am wholly skeptical of, though, is the quality of the shadows. Some Sephora shadows are great, but others lackluster (a challenge many house-brands have). Couple that with the fact that this is a limited edition promotional tie-in, and… well, I’m doubting these shades, pretty though they are, are knocking it out of the park with pigmentation and performance. Reviews on Sephora’s site are mixed. Unless you’re a die-hard fan, memorabilia collector, or gifting this to someone, I would personally pass.

Read more

Worth it? Josie Maran Argan Milk

by

Josie Maran Argan Milk

Having enjoyed Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil, when Sephora started offering a wee bottle ($20, 0.33oz) I decided to pick it up to try.

This is not the original formulation of the product. Evidently what I purchased is (at minimum) a second generation of the Josie Maran Argan Milk. I set forth to use it in the same manner as I have been using the original Argan Oil – at night, after removing makeup and cleansing my skin, apply a thin layer to my face (a tiiiny bit more around my eye area), and massage in for 30-60 seconds.

With the, “pure,” oil, it usually sinks in and feels absorbed, which is within 5-10 minutes. I can go to bed (I take evening showers) without getting my pillowcases oily.

With the Josie Maran Argan Milk, however… we’re looking, optimistically, at thirty minutes. I find that this tends to sit on top of my skin doesn’t have the decency to bother fully absorbing.

After two weeks of religious, nightly use, I noticed no difference in my skin’s overall condition or level of moisture. Without any other changes in my skincare routine, I also noticed a few minor blemishes near my jawline; they did not become large or inflamed, nor did they come to a head; several days after discontinuing use, they seemed to disappear.

The Bottom Line

Looks like the once-loved-by-many Josie Maran Argan Milk is not what it once was claimed (by fans) to be. I’ve since read recent reviews from other disappointed customers who echo my sentiments of it sitting atop the skin rather than sinking in, and having little real efficacy beyond the superficial. Alas, it isn’t worth it – unfortunately, I can’t speak to the original formula, but now? Don’t waste your money.

As for me? I’m someone who rarely returns products, but this is going back.

Worth it? beautyblender blotterazzi

by

I love my beautyblender sponge. What it does for the application of face products (foundation, concealer, cream blush, etc) for me is outstanding. The revolutionary sponge created a class of tools and inspired a legion of pretenders. They have expanded recently with a few new products like the bodyblender and the blotterazzi. The beautyblender blotterazzi is marketed as an alternative to those little blotting papers many of us purchase to keep our shine at bay without caking on additional product.

beautyblender blotterazzi

The blotterazzi should feel familiar to any beautyblender owner – the thin, pliable sponges are made of the same material the namesake sponge. The $20 product comes with a mirrored, vented compact and two of these sponges. As someone who is trying to minimize waste, I like the idea of the blotterazzi as a reusable oil-blotting solution. That said, if you’re combination or oily, these small, thin sponges may not be enough.

Unfortunately, the reviews that are out indicate that the product does not perform as hoped; many people say it does little to nothing for their oil, and others indicate that it compromises their makeup. Maybe it’s all a big misunderstanding like the beauty world had when the beautyblender started getting big (people didn’t realize it was intended to be used wet) but nothing has come out yet suggesting that is the case.

The Bottom Line

I’m a fan of the original beautyblender, but the blotterazzi is not something I can see myself spending money on – especially since my oil-control needs are inconsistent. They are reusable, but considering the surface area and how oily some of us can get, they would almost require daily washing to keep from recirculating oil and product, leading to breakouts – I know few people who would have time for that. More frequent washing that it would need plus the thinner, less robust (compared to the beautyblender) design would result in swifter breakdown, too. I’ll either blot with a tissue or blotting paper when I need it.

Even someone wanting to cut down on waste wouldn’t really be – they’d just be converting one flavor of waste (disposing of used blotting papers) for another (water, soap, eventually replacing these).