K-Palette 1 Day Lash Perm Tattoo Mascara

Main problem with this mascara is it doesn't hold a curl. If your lashes are not straight like mine I think it is ok to try as it does define your lashes.

$12+ depending on where you purchase it

REVIEW | MAKE UP FOREVER Rouge Artist Natural in N9 Copper Pink

Pros

Creamy

Pigmented

Cons

Plasticky lipstick smell

Price

$20

Verdict

Copper Pink is a nice MLBB color. It's very creamy, but has that old school plastic lipstick smell. I think this kind of moist formula is great for everyday wear, but not so much the bright colors in the MUFE lipstick line.

REVIEW | Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation

Before | After

Pros

Natural finish

Lightweight

Cons

Doesn't seem to help my pores

Light coverage

Price

~$20 for 1 oz / 30 ml

Available at ASOS

Verdict

I like how natural this foundation looks, but it doesn't impress me in terms of pore minimizing or coverage, which is what I care about most for my skin. It looks natural, so maybe when my skin gets better I'll get more use out of it. I saw Lisa Eldrige use this in one of her videos a while back, so I got it when I saw it in Taiwan. It's not super long wearing either, overall just an ok foundation for my acne prone, acne scarred, oily skin.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, if you like natural looking light coverage.

Holy Grail Cleanser: La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser

Pros

Cleans pores well

Seems to help acne

Very mild cooling sensation

Cons

Can be a bit drying

Price

$15 for 6.76 oz / 200 ml

I saw on Target online it's $11.69 (as of April 2016) - why? Don't know

Verdict

I've used up two full size and a 4.2 oz tube of this, so it's safe to say it's a staple in my skincare. I tried not getting this for a a couple weeks but my pores just felt less clean. I typically like to use this at night after makeup to really clean my pores so my skincare products can absorb better. The texture is very liquidy, so I usually store it upside down or else too much will come out when you open it.

I've tried the nonmedicated version of this (with a blue cap) - it doesn't seem to work as well. I especially like to use it with the Clarisonic or a rubber scrublet.

The salicylic acid is pretty standard for acne cleansers, but this also has 0.05% LHA, which somehow makes my pores look/feel cleaner.

If you have combination/dry skin, this might be a bit harsh - definitely follow with a hydrating moisturizer.

Repurchase?

Yes. And I have at least 2 times

I always get mine at Target, but it's also the same price at Ulta, CVS and Walgreens

Would I recommend it?

If you have easily clogged pores, large pores, or oily skin.

REVIEW | Wet n Wild ProLine felt tip eyeliner

Can you see the slight smudging on my upper lid already? Usually doesn't happen with liquid liners but I noticed felt tips seem to do that for me. (see the Milani Eye Tech Perfection here)

Excuse my messy bottom liner. I was trying to copy hollyannaeree's eye look with brown bottom liner but... I don't think it's a cute look on me

Pros

Easy to draw

Pigmented

Cons

Smudge prone

Not super precise

Price

$4 for 0.017 oz / 0.5 g

Verdict

While the felt tip is pointy, it's not REALLY fine - I notice with felt liners I always have a hard time getting a crisp line for a winged liner look, hence why I prefer the brush tips - my current go to is the Avance (review here). I like how dark this is, but it's no good if it smudges within a couple hours. I've heard good things about the Dolly Wink and the Stila Stay All Day so maybe I'll try those next. 

If you don't mind learning to use a brush applicator that's not calligraphy style, the L'Oreal Lineur Intension is my holy grail liquid liner from the drugstore (linked here). My best friend tried the felt tip version and loves it too!

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

If your eyes aren't prone to smudging makeup normally, I think this would work great for you. I personally always have problems with eye makeup smudging so I stick with the most waterproof makeup I can find.

REVIEW | First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF40

Pros

Absorbs quickly

Semi matte finish

A little seems to go a long way

Mineral (not chemical) sunscreen

Minimizes pores a bit (or at least, doesn't make them look worse)

Cons

White cast initially

SPF 40 (lasts 6.67hrs)

Not moisturizing

Easily confused with the cream if you have both (see above)

Price

$30 for 2 oz / 56.7 g

Verdict

I purchased this sunscreen per Raeview's recommendation. I like that it's easily absorbed into the skin, but if you didn't moisturize your skin well the night before, this can be a bit drying after you put it on, so the "moisturizer" part of it probably only applies to oily-skinned gals. 

I once grabbed the cream instead of the sunscreen by accident (because they look SO SIMILAR, see above) and applied it - I noticed if you layer the moisturizer underneath, the sunscreen itself balls up. Surprising, considering I used the Ultra Repair Cream (review here) from the same line. 

I also noticed this isn't an ideal base for liquid foundation. I tried using the Make Up For Ever Face and Body (review soon) and it seems to accentuate the dry textures on my face. (Mind you, the MUFE Face and Body isn't supposed to be a drying/oil controlling foundation). I also tried the Laneige BB Cushion (review here) and it seems to do the same thing. 

I reach for this almost everyday that I'm not wearing makeup - despite its misgivings. But I think $30 is a bit expensive when you can get mineral sunscreens for cheaper, and I don't like that I have to apply more sunscreen or powder sunscreen at the 6 hour mark to avoid sunspots (where I am in California, the sun is basically up 7am to 7 or 8pm, so a 6.67hr wear of sunscreen is not going to cut it). Luckily, I noticed that the Shiseido SPF 36 powder seems to layer well on top of this after blotting.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

If you don't mind the price or touching up your sunscreen, yes.

REVIEW | Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water

Pros

Natural looking

Kind of fills in pores

Light to medium coverage

A little goes a long way

Cons

Can settle in dry areas

Not super long wearing

Price

$42 for 1 oz / 30 ml

I got it for $25 when Ulta had a sale

Verdict

I want to like serum foundations but, they seem to settle in the dry areas of my face somehow. The coverage is a bit light and I think I just prefer creamier formulas, even though the serum/water texture is very lightweight.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

If you like serum foundations.

REVIEW | Milani Conceal and Perfect foundation

Creamy vanilla is the lightest color but it's really yellow

Usually vanilla is more pink-toned

Pros

Decent coverage

Not heavy feeling

Natural looking finish

Long wearing

Cons

Limited color selection

Price

$10 for 1 oz

Verdict

I purchased this per xteeener's mention in her videos.

It looks ok in the photo but it looks reaaally yellow in real life on me. I applied sparingly since the color is so dark, you can definitely apply more to achieve a flawless coverage - if the shade matches you. The texture is kind of thick, I feel like it's almost a cream foundation in a bottle. The finish is satin-y on me, not matte, which is nice. There's a slight fragrance but it's not bothersome.

 I will most likely mix this with my MUFE Mat Velvet (which is too light for me) to make a good shade for me.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. 

Would I repurchase?

Probably not unless they come out with a better color match.

REVIEW | Jesse's Girl Waterproof Liquid Liner pen

soon

You can BARELY tell but it smudged/ran a little in the outer corner of my eye after 12hrs. Totall acceptable but my L'Oreal and Avance liners don't smudge at all

(had a lazy day and didn't curl my lashes, don't mind me)

Pros

Very precise tip

Easy to use

Dries quickly

Water resistant

Cons

Not SUPER black

Smudges a teensy bit 

Kind of hard to remose

Price

$7 for 0.017 oz / 0.5 ml

Verdict

I've been really into liquid pen liners recently after finding out how easy it is to draw a wing. While the Jesse's Girl isn't as black as the L'Oreal (review here) or Avance (review here), for an accessible drugstore item this is probably one of the best liquid pen liners. The one I liked before is the Physician's Formula pen (review here) but it's also not that black and a bit pricier.

I usually like to use the L'Oreal to line my eyes and the pens to draw the wing, the Jesse's Girl one is not nearly black enough for me to do that but on its own it's alright. I usually use jojoba oil to remove my liquid liner but I noticed this one took longer to get off, must be pretty waterproof but just smudges a bit in the corner.

Would I recommend it?

Yes.

Would I repurchase?

No. I heard the Dollywink one is very dark so I'll try that one 

REVIEW | Laneige BB Cushion SPF50

Since I have very large pores you can see how the coverage it on my skin, which is a bit red from lack of sleep yesterday

Pros

Good coverage

Easy application

Dewy finish

Doesn't make skin oily

SPF 50

Cons

Doesn't seem to set

Packaging might be a bit wasteful

Price

$34 for two 15 g compacts

Verdict

After trying the Hera BB cushion (review here) I wasn't a huge fan since the BB doesn't seem to set and could look a bit cakey as the day goes on. I notice the Laneige and Hera both rub off on clothes if you're not careful, and the first day I wore the Laneige I could feel the BB on my face. I did notice it doesn't make my face oily or anything despite being dewy, which is a plus. Today I used a different sunscreen and it feels lighter on my skin.

The worst problem I have with a lot of foundations is it settling into my pores, but the Laneige looks fine on my skin, as you can tell.

One thing I noticed about the sponge: It applies really well, but sometimes the BB gets stuck in the crevice on the side of the sponge, which is no biggie. Just need to be careful because I got some on my eyelid when I was applying it between my eyebrows.

Would I recommend this?

Yes.

Repurchase?

Possibly. 

This girl I ran into at Target says one package lasts her about 3 months, so we'll see how long this lasts me

REVIEW | Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip Makeup Remover

Pros

Dual-phased

Pleasant scent

Removes eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip products

Not greasy feeling

Cons

Bad at removing mascara (washable and waterproof)

Seems to make my lashes fall off

Price

$27 for 4.2 oz 

Verdict

I got a few of these as samples in gift with purchases from Shiseido. It smells very nice, decent at removing eyeshadow, eyeliner, etc. but it doesn't remove waterproof mascara completely for me. I've also tried using it to remove washable mascara, but it doesn't seem to be effective. I usually use a square cotton pad, massage it onto my lashes, then wipe - I notice the Shiseido seems to make my lashes fall out, either with mascara or even when I use it with a q-tip to remove eyeliner.

I mostly use this to remove lip products or to wipe off smudges from my undereye area.

I prefer to use a cleansing oil to remove waterproof mascara, like the Shu Uemura one (review here)

Purchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

No. If you were to purchase a high end eye makeup remover I recommend the Lancome one. I've heard the Clinique one is good as well

GlamGlow SuperCleanse Daily Cleanser

For:

Problem skin, skin imperfections, pore refining, mattifying, clarifying

Pros

Cooling sensation

Makes skin feel clean

Cons

Expensive

A bit drying

Not exfoliating

High maintenance

Price

$39 for 5 oz / 150 g

Verdict

To me this cleanser a bit more high maintenance because I have to remove my makeup, dry my face, apply the cleanser, emulsify it with water and go from there, so I can't just hop in the shower since this product has to be applied on a dry face. Also I don't think this cleans as well when you use it in the morning on an oily face. It barely lathers.

The girl at Sephora said to leave it on for 30 seconds before adding water, which is what I've been doing. There's definitely a learning curve to lathering the cleanser, you have to add water sparingly, which can get messy since the cleanser drips down my elbow. I haven't noticed a huge difference in acne overnight or anything but I do think it cleanses the skin to prevent breakouts.

I strayed away from my Clarisonic to use this and feel like the GlamGlow doesn't really exfoliate like it says. I always try new cleansers to see if there's something better out there but the La Roche Posay Effaclar medicated cleanser is definitely my go to if I want clean pores.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Yes if GlamGlow products work well for you. One of the Sephora girls said GlamGlow might be too harsh for some people, so definitely get a sample before purchasing.

REVIEW (Japanese Beauty) | Avance Liquid Eyeliner Pen

Pros

Easy to use

Very precise

Water resistant

Doesn't smudge or flake

Darker than most pen liners I've tried

Dries quickly on the lid

Cons

Pen doesn't seem very saturated, not sure how long it'll last me

Price

$10+ for 0.6 ml

Verdict

I like this pen liner, but it's not exactly holy grail for me. The L'Oreal Lineur Intense (review here) is way darker, although the Avance dries more quickly. I feel like the pen tip might dry out easily so I've only been using it for the wing. The precise brush tip makes it really easy to control and draw. The precision is great if you want really thin liner, I personally like a medium-thickness, so I have to go over the line a few times. This is a Japanese brand so it is geared more towards natural Asian eye makeup. Avance supposedly sells very well, boasting 1.5 million in sales on the little blue sticker. 

Whether or not you'll like this depends on what you're looking for.

Dark pigmentation? It's decent, but it's not a one stroke pen.

Easy to draw wings? This definitely helps.

Thin lines? Yes.

Once I try more pen liners I'll be able to compare how this one is. For now, I say it's a A- product.

Repurchase?

Maybe. I want to try the Dollywink next.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. It's a bit darker than the Physician's Formula pen, and not too expensive.

GlamGlow FlashMud Brightening Treatment

What it looks like applied

Morning after Day 1 | Morning after Day 3

It might be hard to tell, but the acne scars on my left cheek were significantly lightened after the initial 3 day treatment, which I'm semi impressed by. However, the mask doesn't seem to help much with acne itself, as you can kind of see.

Pros

Exfoliating

Smells amazing

Brightens the skin

Cons

Expensive

Might be harsh for sensitive skin

Price

$69 for 1.7 oz / 50 g at Sephora

Verdict

My acne's been getting better with my antibiotics from the dermatologist, so I've been focusing more on lightening my acne scars. Fortunately my scars aren't the ice pick scars or the ones that are visible even when the pigment is gone, but it will still take a few months until it lightens significantly.

Repurchase?

Maybe

Would I recommend it?

Yes. But try a sample at Sephora first.