Starlooks - March 2014

ASHLEY HACKMAN
SIGNATURE EDITION STARBOX

     

I am absolutely determined to catch up with my March subscription boxes! If you follow me on my Facebook page, you may have seen my latest status regarding why these posts are so late. I LITERALLY blame the weather, hahaha! I've been wanting to purchase a natural lighting photography umbrella, but I haven't as of yet, so the way I take my photos is with natural outdoor light filtered through a white curtain at my window. If the weather is horrible, dark and rainy, the photos never come out well, they're always blurry, fuzzy or too dark. I've tried using flash, but that never looks natural either. ANYHOW, we have had a huge bout of rain all this past week...."Oh April shoooooowers, may come your waaaaaaay, they bring the flooooowers that bloom in Maaaaaaay...." ok, well you get the idea. ::giggles:: So I have tried MULTIPLE times to take photos, and I've had to redo them on several occasion. HENCE.....lateness. To all of my lovely followers, I am SO SORRY! I should be able to catch up with them this weekend and also bring you some of the sneak peeks that have begun! Woohoo!....ok moving on....

"This classic, androgynous, Marilyn Monroe mix look screams “GIRL POWER! Everything you can do, I can do better. Everything you can do, I can do too! Show ‘em who’s BOSS this month with the March 2014 Starbox – featuring products chosen personally by Makeup Artist and YouTube sensation Ashley Hackman. Subscribe to her channel for sneak peaks and tutorials!" - starlooks.com

Another signature Starbox! The last one we had was in August of 2013, with Natalie Corona (SparklicityNo.6). Let's check out what is in this month's box...

     

Two lip products and an eye product

Not a whole lot in this month's box, but still, wait till you see the gorgeous color....

LIPSTICK

in LS69 Boss

"The most remarkable red lip you'll ever find. Starlooks' signature color "Boss" will complete your look with that perfect, timeless pop of bold rouge and satin shimmer that screams "Girl Power!", and it doesn't stop there. Our ultra-moisturizing lipstick formula leaves your lips feeling kissably soft." - Starlooks March 2014 Starbox card

Isn't that color sooooooooo, soooooo gorgeous! I tell you, it's stunning. At first I had the thought, ugh, no, NOT another red lipstick, noooooo! ::dramatic pose:: but then the more and more I swatched it, and used it, I just fell in LOVE with it!

   

The packaging is Starlook's regular lipstick style. A plain black shiny twist-up tube with a flat top lid. Boss is listed as one of their satin finish lipsticks (you can see the satin-shimmer effect really well in the photo above). The only difference is that this particular lipstick has Ashley Hackman's signature printed on it that says "By Ashley". I really want to go out there and find a lipstick that's called Cookie now. ::giggles::

      

Most gorgeous swatch EVER, am I right?! This lipstick is just crazy pigmented and superdupes stunning. On the bottom is TWO swipes, just TWO, mind you, and above is one swipe blended out. The lighter you apply and blend, the more rosy toned it appears, however when worn full-color with no blending, it's much more of a super bright bittersweet red that has quite a bit of orange tone. It's very soft, creamy, easy to apply and super easy to blend. 

     

I die. It's so gorgeous. You can see how it really is moisturizing and smooth, and let me tell you, that color will laaaaast. I applied this around 12pm and by 6:30pm the color was still holding strong! By 10pm I still had red lip and by midnight I had to use a makeup remover to wipe off most of the color I still had on my lips! (With eating and drinking). I love this lipstick! ::hugs Boss:: This really is a very flattering shade, because although it does have some warm tones in it, it doesn't pull TOO much orange so even on pale-skinned girls like me, it still works. It has enough warmth for yellow toned skin, and enough coral/pink for cool toned skin. I've already seen this shade on several different skin tones and faces and I think it's looked amazing on every single gal!

LIP PENCIL

in K200 Cherry Cedar

"Don't forget to prep those bossy lips with this classic, matte red liner. Our prestigious lip liner formula creates the ultimate canvas for any lasting lip look. Ashley specifically selected a deeper red to urge you to get creative and experiment with shading." - Starlooks March 2014 Starbox card

I am slowly building up my lip liner collection, really slowly but surely. I'm SO much more of an eye girl than a lip girl, so I've always been super lazy with my lips and never take the time to line them. ::sigh:: I know. The disgrace. 

I was thrilled to receive this gorgeous shade though, because I really think it's a fantastic addition and versatile enough to use with a few different tones!

   

The packaging is a standard lip pencil, made to be sharpened. Again, the only main difference is the addition of Ashley's signature, this time saying "Ashley hackman by Starlooks". This shade is listed as one of their matte liners, but from what I can see, only two of their twenty-two colors are satin finishes.

   

As you can see, the formula is nice and smooth. VERY easy to work with compared to another lip pencil I received from Starlooks in the past. I believe it's a discontinued shade, or possibly reformulated as I don't see the name anymore (Brick). It might have been reformulated or just renamed to Blasted Brick, as that is one listed now. It was just a little hard, pulling on my skin a little more than I would have liked, however, this Cherry Cedar is absolutely fabulous! You can even see with the swirly line and dots how soft it is. It has excellent pigmentation as well, look how rich the thick line is. I tried this along with a red lipstick, dark rose, burgundy and even a plum shade and it actually worked fairly well with all of them! What I really love doing with this is using it as a base all over the lips. As it's so soft, it doesn't completely dry out my lips or make it difficult to apply all over, however I recommend prepping your lips with a balm about 10 minutes prior, blot it lightly off with a tissue, then apply the lip liner. It's so much fun to see how it changes the tone and coloring of the lipstick I apply on top! Even applying a gorgeous medium pink over it gave me this beautiful almost fuchsia tone. Love it!

It definitely helps to have this liner as a base, let alone just for lining. It keeps my lips looking fresh, more vivid, giving me a crisper line and I had no problems with feathering, or smudging throughout the day!

LONGWEAR EYELINER POT

in ie4 Black Hole

"A must-have, staple product for every makeup lover. This creamy, quick-dry formula provides that time-honored, slick, black liner look that has kept every woman looking her absolute best for centuries." - Starlook's March 2014 Starbox card

I feel like I've been getting so many black eyeliner pots lately! I don't think it's really THAT many, but I don't know...I just want to see some color! I feel like I have enough black eyeliners, be they pencil, pen, marker, gel, etc. I know they're an important staple for every woman to have, but it's Spring, people, ::hands on hips:: give me some pretty shades! Haha, ok, enough complaining from me...let's take a look...

   

 The jar is a typical twist off cap gel eyeliner pot. The product has been set well and has a hardened, smooth finish on top. As with the Lip Pencil, the lid of the jar has the same signature - "Ashley hackman by Starlooks".

I used an angled eyeliner brush, and swiped it a few times in the product so you can see just how dark and smooth the formula really is, as the setting on top looks much lighter. It's very, very easy to pick up with a brush, and it doesn't glob up in large chunks on the bristles as other gel eyeliners have that I've used in the past. It's almost very light feeling, but still quite pigmented.

  
  

 A little humor for ya, as I said, I was using an angled eyeliner brush to work in the product and used it as well for these swatches. It wasn't until after I took the photos that I had the thought..."Oh, I know I actually HAVE a Starlooks brand angled eyeliner brush....drat, I should have used that." Well, turns out, I did, hahaha, without even knowing it! And I have a TON of eyeliner brushes. How crazy is that?

So as you can see, it makes a clean, precise beautiful thin line, as well as a thick line, both perfectly pigmented, rich and smooth. I probably should have used a pinpoint precise liner for the dots, so you could see how nicely the eyeliner applies, but instead I used the tip of the angled brush, so it's not as clean looking. But really, it applies like a dream. So soft, easy to spread, easy to apply and very pigmented.

  
   

Unfortunately, that's where the dream ended for me. As far as it's setting, and staying power...::sigh::....it has a low, low grade from me, I'm afraid. After applying to my hand with the angled brush, taking photos, etc, that whole process took about 10 minutes. I BARELY swiped with my finger and it took nearly swiped half the product off (as you can see from above). That was with NO water, NO makeup remover, just my dry finger. I don't know, I feel like after 10 minutes, it should have set a bit better than that. If that's with a DRY finger, imagine what it would do if your eyelids tend to get oily or your eyes water. Hmmmm. ::shakes head:: I wore this at least four times since I received it and each time, I get transference from where I applied it, up to the top of my eyelid because I do have heavy-lidded eyes. One time, I even made sure to tilt my head up and keep my eyes looking down for about 15-20 minutes to let it set and it STILL smudged within an hour of wear! Such a shame, because it really is so fantastic to apply! I guess the creamy formula is just too soft, but it certainly wasn't the "quick-dry" formula that Starlooks promotes it as. I did hear from a few other ladies, a friend of mine and a gal from Makeuptalk, that they had a lot of trouble with it smudging and transferring to, so I know it's not just me! I guess I'm just going to have to stick to their Eye Liner Pen, which I absolutely adore!

WORTH AND PURCHASE:

1) Lipstick in LS69 Boss - $12

2) Lip Pencil in K200 Cherry Cider - $12

3) Longwear Eyeliner Pot in ie4 Black Hole - $13

Total Paid for Box:  $17.68  ($15 monthly fee + $2.68 shipping)

Total Worth of Box:  $37

I'm pretty darn happy with my worth for this month! Even if you count out the Eyeliner Pot, which was a bust for me, it's still worth $24, so it's STILL over what I paid. I always love that I'm getting full sizes, as well. Awesome!

FINALE

Well, I absolutely MUST have a BOSS finale, don't you think? Haha, funny enough, exactly a year ago, Starlooks sent me my March Birthday Box (a free box you receive during the month of your birthday IN ADDITION to your monthly Starbox) and the products were almost EXACTLY the same as this. A red lipstick, a red lip pencil and black eyeliner (the Birthday Box was a pencil, though). So I know the looks I created are going to be similar, but there is only so much a girl can do with black eyeliner and red lipstick without adding a huge amount of other products! I prefer to just use what they send me and not add a whole bunch, though! 

So here is my "BOSS" look! -

 I am so happy I don't look like death warmed over in this photo, teehee, I was actually feeling quite ill! I was in the process of getting over something, but I knew I HAD to get the photos done. Although, it just goes to show you what a little red lipstick and black eyeliner can do!

If you look carefully, you can see where I had to wipe off some of the black eyeliner that had already transferred on my upper eyelids! I kept using a tissue to wipe off, then had to reapply some eyeshadow, repeat, etc. It was a pain. It's so frustrating though, because really, look how gorgeous that black is! It makes such a gorgeous wing! I even used primer and a setting spray!

For the lips, I did use both products. I used the Lip Pencil Cherry Cedar all over my lips as a base, then swiped on Boss over it. It changed the color to a rich, vibrant deep crimson red that my Hubby just ADORES. Oooh lala! 

My special finishing touch to my look? Why, my makeshift boss tie, of course! You may recognize my blouse, as I've worn it before, but I usually tie that ribbon into a simple, loose bow on my neck, however for this look, I actually did a Four in Hand tie! Because, you know, Boss has to have a Boss-looking tie ::winkwink::

All in all, I liked this month's box! Although, I do really wish I could stop seeing red lippies and black eyeliners go out in beauty subscription boxes, I know they're staples and universally flattering but still. However, I am ENAMORED over Boss and I think Cherry Cedar is an absolute must in every makeup stash. I'm super pleased with those two products. Black Hole is, sadly, a big bust for me. I WANT to love it, I really do, I just can't! I still do think this was another great month from Starlooks, though!

   

Well that's it for January's Starlooks Starbox review! I hope you enjoyed it! Thinking of trying out Starlooks Starbox for youself? Please do use my referral code to sign up! Just CLICK HERE and it'll get you started! For every sign up with my referral code, I get a free gift box! If you sign up for Starlooks Starbox you can share your personal referral code for a customizable gift box as well!

Starlooks Starbox is a monthly beauty subscription box for $15 plus $2.68 for domestic USPS First Class shipping. Each monthly box contains 3-4 FULL SIZED pieces of Starlooks brand makeup plus some fun little beauty extras! Past Starboxes are also available for purchase for $25 each while quantities last. Starlooks also gives their subscribers a free Birthday Box ALONG with the monthly Starbox during the subscribers birthday month! What are you waiting for.....you know you want to sign up!

 

 

 

Happy Boss Makeuping! Work it, girl!

    

Beauty Spotlight - ft. Studio Gear Cosmetics Hydrating CC Cream

STUDIO GEAR

HYDRATING CC CREAM

"Hydrating CC Cream transforms and enhances your complexion in an incredibly light, smooth formula. This foundation simultaneously fights aging, retains moisture, and covers and treats blemishes with a non-oily, perfectly radiant finish." - studiogearcosmetics.com

I don't know what it is about this year but I have been on this huge kick to find new and awesome foundations/BB and CC creams! I guess my skin has decided that 2014 is a very adventurous year, haha. So, I was superdupes excited to have to opportunity to try out a fab looking CC cream! I've tried quite a few BB cremes, but this is only my second CC cream I've had. 

If you haven't heard of CC creams, they are supposed to be the next step up from BB creams. BB creams are listed as being a "beauty balm", providing coverage (light to medium depending on the brand, but typically averaging at least medium) but usually lighter than a standard foundation. They also have a mix of added benefits, such as sunblock, moisturizing properties, anti-oxidants, etc. depending on the brand. They're marketed to be an all-encompassing facial beauty product replacing serum, , primer, foundation, moisturizer, and more. Now, CC CREAMS, are listed as being "color correctors" and are marketed as correcting any color facial skincare problems such as redness, sallowness, dark spots, etc. They're seem to have not quite as much coverage (on average) as a BB cream, but they are usually more moisturizing. Of course, it varies from brand to brand, as is the same with BB creams.
    

STUDIO GEAR

HYDRATING CC CREAM 

SPF 20

in Linen

So here we have Studio Gear's CC Cream! They are not currently selling a BB Cream, only a Flawless Foundation, Studio Matte Foundation, Dual Identity Wet/Dry Mineral Foundation, Dual Identity Wet/Dry Pressed Foundation, and this CC Cream. The Cream is only available in three shades Linen (light), Natural (medium) and Wheat (dark). I'll, of course, be reviewing the lightest shade! 

The packaging is fairly standard for a BB/CC Cream, a squeeze tube with a twist-off cap. I've never had a problem with this type of design, I usually squeeze some of the product onto the back of my hand and use whatever method of application I'd prefer from there. I do love the simple, clean design of the tube, I think it's modern and chic, and I love that it doesn't go overboard listing benefits all over the front. Sometimes I feel that brands go a little over the top with that sort of thing. Speaking of benefits, here's what Studio Gear lists for this CC Cream:

• Protects:  SPF 20 protects the skin, while Hydra-Extend technology provides moisture for up to 72 hours.

• Perfects:  Enjoy natural looking coverage while micro-encapsulated pigments perfects and fade dark spots and acne scarring.

• Corrects:  Anti-aging and collagen building ingredients help minimize fine lines and wrinkles.

• Hydrates:  Hydra-Extend technology provides up to 72 hours of continuous hydration.

• Conceals:  Micro encapsulated pigments deliver a fresh dose of color that adapts to your own skin tone, creating the most natural looking coverage.

• Smoothes:  Skin nourishing ingredients help to correct and maintain youthful complexion.

      

 Sounds great to me! I don't have any problems with dark spots or acne scarring but I do have rosacea/redness and I do have current acne as well as combination skin, so I need something that color corrects, conceals to a light extent, provides moisturization without making my face look overly oily and give me long-lasting effects. 

The main active ingredients in this formula, are the sunscreen agents - Octinoxate, Titanium Dioxide, and Zinc Oxide. This could be coined as a hybrid sunscreen mix, as Octinoxate is UV filter found in chemical sunscreens, which absorb the sun's rays, however Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are found in physical sunscreens which deflect rays. Just to note for those of you who may have problems with their skin breaking out after use of mineral makeup, you may not want to try this product out, as Titanium Dioxide is usually the reason for that reaction. 

As for it's moisturizing properties, it has a ton of great ingredients! Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Tocopherol, Squaline, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Hyaluronate, and Methicone are all used in skincare to provide deep hydration and moisturize. 

SWATCHES AND APPLICATION

The formula is not quite as thick as the BB creams I've used before, it's a bit more runny, but not too watery. As you can see from above, it begins as a grey-ish tone liquid, but you can see small black specks scattered throughout. 

As you begin blending, the grey tone disappears and micro-encapsulated pigments open to reveal the fresh skin tone color. 

Once you've worked over all the grey, all of the pigments will finally be released, revealing all of the new color. As you can see, this color looks EXTREMELY yellow-based on me, and for a while, I was very worried this wouldn't look at all good....

Then I finished blending, and I seriously had to do a double-take. WHAT! Haha, it completely blended into my skin! I thought there'd be some sort of huge yellow cast on hand, but honestly, it looked great! It almost completely evened out the redness, and even partially hid most of the blue lines of my veins! Overall, I noticed the skin looked smooth, well moisturized, soft and my coloring looked more even.

      

Here is a comparison for you. Just to note, I did not blend it quite as well as I did over my entire hand, because I wanted you to see the difference a bit better, as it's very minimal. As you can see on my bare skin side, I'm very pale with quite a bit of pink undertones, well if you compare it to the CC Cream side, you can see there is more of a yellow-ish cast. However, look how nice and moisturized that looks. It has a soft, fresh, slightly dewy finish that it's at all oily looking. 

The Cream is very easy to apply, and can be done well in a variety of methods...

1) Fingertips - This is the standard way that most people prefer to apply BB/CC creams. Usually just dotting some of their face or working it into the fingers then blending it on. It does go on a bit thicker with this method, however if you're looking for more coverage, you may prefer this method. You just have to make sure you blend it well, and work it into the skin, as it can go on much heavier this way. This CC Cream, though, didn't appear at all to be thick, oily or heavy looking, even after hours of wear! 

2) Makeup Brush - I tried a few different types of brushes, to see which one I liked better, including a buffing brush, stippling brush, flat-top, foundation and a few others. The BEST brush that I loved was Real Technique's Expert Face Brush, which really is no surprise, I use it ALL the time. I felt like I good control of how much I wanted to apply, and if I wanted to work more on, I could, without wiping away what I already had. I just squeezed the product onto the back of my hand, swirled the brush in it lightly, then working from the center of my face and outward, blending on the Cream until I was happy with the coverage. After it set a bit, if I wanted a bit more coverage, I just repeated the steps and gently buffed the Cream right over the areas I wanted to cover more. This just gave my face a nice, flawless finish, and in my opinion, the best method out of the three I tried. 

3) Beautyblender - This product was a LITTLE thin to use with my blender, but I decided to try it just to see how well it would work and hold up during the day. It CAN be done, but you have to make sure you squeeze out a good bit of the water from your blender before you apply. You want it just lightly damp, so it's not thinning out the Cream too much, as it's already just a light to medium coverage to begin with. The thing I loved with the blender, though, is that it really made that soft, dewy finish the Cream was providing, stand out even more. Like I said, it wasn't at all oily, just completely fresh! It was very easy to work in with the blender, and super easy to apply multiple coats after each one sets. 

LONGEVITY AND WEAR

The Cream was a bit thinner than I usually wear, so it didn't hold up quite as long as I would have preferred. Used with a primer, setting powder and setting spray, I had good coverage for about 4 hours, then the Cream begin to thin a bit, however, I continued to have that beautiful dewy finish for the entirety of it's wear time. One thing that I did note about the Cream is that although it provided me with fantastic evening out of my skin tone, it actually made my dark circles (which are always absolutely horrendous!) look worse! It made the dark, sunken-in look appear even more, and the dewiness also didn't help in that regard as well. After a couple of tries to fix it, including using concealers, brighteners, etc., I just learned not to apply the Cream anywhere near the dark circles and instead just use it on the face, avoiding the eye area. Once I started doing that, I just loved the Cream! It really did even out my redness, and made my face look fresh, smooth and soft for the entire day! 

PURCHASE

This CC Cream is available for purchase on Studio Gear's website -

http://studiogearcosmetics.com/shop/best-sellers/hydrating-cc-cream/

It retails at $34 for a 1.1 fl oz tube (full-size), and as I said, is available in three different shades - Linen (light), Natural (medium) and Wheat (dark). I also have a fantastic deal to share with you...

Use the code BLOGGERCC to receive 10% off your order at Studio Gear's website!

You can also check out the rest of their beauty and skincare line at:

www.studiogearcosmetics.com

FINALE

I hear you wondering, Cookie, but I want to SEE it on you...well of course...

I hate that the dewy finish was so hard to pick up on my camera, but it really is gorgeous! Haha, so see, the yellow tone isn't at all hugely apparent! Although, if they were to come out with a pink undertone CC Cream, I'd snatch it up in an instant! I love how fresh and bright it makes my face look, though. I'm wearing cream blush in this photo and you can see how nicely it blended right on over it. I only lightly brushed on some setting powder right on my t-zone to set, but other than that, the rest is just the CC Cream with light concealer here and there for acne and under eye circles. 

So let's look back at what this CC Cream lists as it's benefits:

Protects - It has a hybrid mix of sunscreen, and although I always try to avoid the sun, and I don't tan, I love the fact that I have some protection!

Perfects - It does give me fantastic natural looking coverage!

Corrects - It's moisturizing properties soften fine lines, and gives my skin a smooth, fresh appearance.

Hydrates - It DEFINITELY is continuous hydration! Up until I took it off at the end of the day, I never felt my skin dry out, or feel flaky and it continued to look dewy instead of oily.

Conceals - It doesn't completely conceal my acne, but it does even out my skin tone, which certainly assists in later pinpoint concealing (with an actual concealer) AND it evens out my redness.

Smoothes - my skin looked smoother, softer and had a nice plump, youthful brightness. 

All in all, I loved this CC Cream! It's fresh, it's lightweight, it blends amazingly, so I think it'd work well on so many light skin tones, regardless of your undertone (which I was absolutely shocked about, because I'm VERY pink). It's not full coverage, so your acne and larger blemishes WILL show through, but if you're looking for a moisturizing, lightweight finish to keep your skin looking youthful, vibrant and smooth, then you may absolutely love this product! Hope you enjoyed the review! Enjoy using your 10% off ::winkwink::

Happy Makeuping!

*Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and experiences are my own. This entire review was written only by me and was in no way influenced by the brand provider. Sponsored post, powered by Brandbacker.

Beauty Spotlight - ft. Younique (Sample Assortment)

YOUNIQUE

UPLIFT. EMPOWER. MOTIVATE

Sample Assortment

"Our mission is to uplift, empower, validate, and ultimately build self-esteem in women around the world through high-quality products that encourage both inner and outer beauty and spiritual enlightenment while also providing opportunities for personal growth and financial reward." - youniqueproducts.com


Happy Monday everyone! Hope your week started off well, so far I can't complain (and I am NOT a Monday person....well come to think of it, who is? ::giggles::). Today I have a variety of samples from Younique to share with you, including four pigments, a cleanser and a primer. If you haven't heard of Younique before, it's a beauty brand that includes skin care and cosmetics that was created by brother and sister team, Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft. As you can see by the quote from Younique's website, Younique is not only for purchase of beauty products for yourself, but also also offers a means to join the team and become a Younique Presenter yourself, based out of the comfort of your home.


Let's take a closer look at what I received!....


AWAKE FACIAL CLEANSER

(Image from youniqueproducts.com)

"Awake contains a range of beneficial ingredients that awaken and cleanse the skin. Its thick texture transforms into an effective lather to dissolve oil and makeup, rinsing away pore-clogging surface debris, impurities, and excess oil. It refines the skin texture, brightens skin clarity, and minimizes the look of pores over time." - youniqueproducts.com

I am always on the lookout for new, exciting cleansers that provide a deep cleanse, smoother skin, smaller pores, hydrates well, etc., so I was so happy to see a cleanser in the selection of samples!

   

One thing that I really love about Younique's website, is that it not only lists the ingredients in the product, but it breaks each one down and explains what the ingredient is for and how it is used in the formula! The first thing I noticed about this cleanser is that it has a good number of anti-inflammatory products, which is always something I look for, since I have rosacea. It includes aloe vera (LOVE it), garden chrysanthemum, and licorice root extract for calming irritation, as well as palmitic, lauric and stearic acid, all wonderful for nourishing and softening the skin. 

I LOOOOOOVE using this cleanser. A little goes a very long way, and when I say it lathers, it LATHERS. I don't know why, but I absolutely love when a facial cleanser gets really sudsy and lathers well. It spreads nicely, and I can really feel it get into the pores and gently work out all the impurities, dirt and excess oils. You know a cleanser cleanses well when you're splashing the product off your face and you hear the skin on your face making a squeaking sound when your hands rub against it! This is really both a good and possibly a bad thing. If you're like me, with combination to oily skin, you'll love the finish this cleanser gives, it mattifies your skin to an extent and removes a good bit of excess oil. However, if you have dry skin, you're not going to want to strip away your skin's natural oils too much. 

It doesn't have too strong of an aroma, just a very light slightly perfume fragrance, however I didn't really notice it unless I was holding it right under my nose and breathing in deep. A strange thing that I really love about the look of the product, though, is the color! It's has a shiny, melted-down silver appearance, but once it start lathering, it all becomes white. I don't know why, but I just think it looks luxurious, and definitely FEELS luxurious.

I used this cleanser for about a week, and I did notice some small changes in my skin. The pores have begun to look a little tighter, smoother and just a teensy bit brighter. It didn't really make any difference for my acne as far as fading or lessening it, but I'm just happy that it didn't flare it up at all. 

All in all, I really loved using this cleanser! It gave me a super deep clean, my skin's appearance improved, it looked brighter, smoother and overall just felt better. I'd definitely love to purchase some in the future!






MOODSTRUCK GLORIOUS FACE & EYE PRIMER

(Image from youniqueproducts.com)

"Younique Glorious Face & Eye Primer creates a flawless canvas as it evens out the skin's texture, and primes and prepares the skin for premium application of mineral makeup. The resulting appearance is porcelain-perfect, velvety-soft skin with incredible long-wearing, sweat-resistant coverage of mineral makeup that lasts all day. Ingredients are naturally-based, free of parabens, oils, synthetic fragrances, and cheap fillers. Suitable for all skin types." - youniqueproducts.com

I'm most definitely a primer girl. I seriously won't go a day without primer, my skin just loooooves to get way too oily. I depend on my primer to give me a smooth canvas, and keep my makeup fresh and intact after hours of wear. 

   

This primer's formulation is fairly simple, but definitely has some great ingredients. Once again, Younique has been kind enough to list and explain them on their website:


Elastin functions as a good water-binding agent, which can help the skin hold in moisture.

Dimethicone feels like silk on the skin as it works as an emollient (skin softener) and long-lasting water-binding agent.

Trehalose is a plant sugar with water-binding properties for skin, as well as humectant (moisture preserving) and moisturizing benefits.

Vitamin E is considered an antioxidant superstar. It is one of the most well-known and researched antioxidants.

Hyaluronan boosts skin's moisture content and helps to hinder moisture loss.

Butylene Glycol is a commonly used slip agent that has multiple functions in cosmetics: humectant (moisture preserver), humidifier, and ingredient deliverer.

Silk Crosspolymer has water-binding properties for skin conditioning.



The texture is very smooth, silky and spreads very easily. It's not at all sticky and doesn't feel oily. As with the cleanser, a little does go a long way, you can get full coverage on the face with just a pea-size amount.

I tried this primer under a variety of foundations, BB creams and powders, as well as a variety of methods for applying including fingertips, brushes and my Beautyblender. It certainly helped application by giving my skin a smooth, soft surface to apply on. I did notice that using a makeup brush to apply foundation/BB cream was a bit easier than usual! It just smoothed the product right over the skin and I did not have to do anywhere near as much blending as I normally do it make it appear flawless. The primer is mainly presented as a facial primer on their website (aside from the name), but it is listed as being gentle enough to be used around eyes so I did also try it as an eyeshadow primer.

As a facial primer, I do think it does a decent job. It's not the strongest primer I've ever used, but at the end of the day after hours of foundation wear, when I used a makeup remover to remove my makeup I did see quite a bit of product coming off on the towelette, so I know that makeup was staying put! I didn't notice that any particular type of foundation (liquid, mousse, BB creme, powder) performed any better than another with this primer, they all blended well and they all lasted just as long. One thing to note, I did notice with this primer that my creme BLUSHES seemed to go on so much better! I used the exact same blush with two different types of primers and when I used the Younique primer, the blush looked smoother, whereas with a different primer, it seemed a bit patchier. 

As an eye primer, it really didn't live up anywhere near as well as my other eye primers. It's just not strong enough for me. I love wearing bright pigmented shades majority of the time, and usually have a cat-eye or winged eyeliner, so my eye primer needs to be hardcore! It definitely did help prime the eyes for application, AND did provide a bit more hold compared to not wearing any primer at all, but no where near as I'd like. However, if you're looking for a gentle primer, or only wear very little eyeshadow, well blended in, then you may not mind using this primer both for face and eyes.

To sum up on this primer, I think it's not bad! I was pleased with it's finish on my skin, it's blendability and it has decent hold for foundations. My only disappointment with it was as an eye primer, but I certainly wouldn't mind having it as a facial primer! If you have delicate skin and need a gentle primer, then I'd highly recommend this for you.




   

MOODSTRUCK MINERAL PIGMENT POWDERS
in Curious, Regal, Awestruck, and Corrupted

(Image from youniqueproducts.com)

"100% natural, mineral-based pigment powders consisting of finely crushed minerals that bond to the skin offering long-lasting, sweat-proof coverage. High-quality pigments that do not contain talc or other unnecessary filler ingredients. Apply wet for a more dramatic impact of color, or apply dry for a blending of colors or for a softer look. The possibilities are endless as you tap into your "inner mood" for the day. To experience optimal results first apply Younique's Glorious Face & Eye Primer all over your face and eyelids prior to using mineral pigment eyeshadows." - youniqueproducts.com

First of all, how ADORABLE are those little pigment containers! Seriously, I'd buy them just because of the design. I'm a sucker for cute packaging, what can I say. Teehee.

Here are the ingredients listed on Younique's website:

Mica is a safe, natural, and plentiful mineral that has a reflective, glittery appearance, and brings a sleek shimmer to any pigment. Easy to wear, natural, and a beautiful way to enhance the appearance of your skin, Mica glides easily onto your skin.

Titanium Dioxide is an inert earth mineral used as a thickening, whitening, and lubricating ingredient in cosmetics.

Iron Oxide is a naturally-occurring mineral that acts as a colorant, giving pigment powder its vibrant hue.

Tin Oxide functions as an expanding and opacifying agent.

Bismuth Oxychloride is an inorganic refined mineral used for its distinct shimmery, pearlescent appearance, and its fine, white powder texture adheres well to skin. It can help to prevent cosmetics from appearing dull and flat.

Carmine is a red pigment used as a colorant.

Zinc Oxide is an inert earth mineral used as a thickening, whitening, and lubricating ingredient.


Here are the sample colors I received:

   

Let's look at how gorgeous these shades are! I absolutely love the finish on them! They all have a gorgeous almost satin-frosty effect, and are decently pigmented for being all natural. On Younique's website, they list their pigments of having either a shimmer or matte finish. Three of the shades I receive are part of their shimmer collection and one is from the matte. All of these swatches are done WITHOUT primer.

Regal is a gorgeous shimmery frosty violet that leans towards some pink and blue tones throughout. It's without a doubt, my favorite of the four, I mean, LOOK at it! So gorgeous. It blends beautifully, is very smooth, soft and easy to work with and can be built up for a stronger pigmentation. The more you add, the more purple it looks, and the blue tones are not quite as apparent.

Curious is a beautiful almost duochrome cream shimmer. The slight duochrome effect has some pink and nude sheen that is subtle but still present. It makes an absolutely gooooorgeous highlighter on the eyes for the inner corners and below the brows. It's not highly pigmented, but because it has a slight duochrome effect, it picks up well used with other colors and it looks gorgeous lightly patted over other colors.

Corrupted is a off-black matte-satin, although it's listed as a matte on Younique's website. I was actually fairly impressed with it's pigmentation. It blends well, barely has any patchiness (which I'm very particular about when it comes to black shadows) and can be lightly built up for a bit more pigmentation.

Awestruck is a lovely cornflower blue satin with a very slight frost. It's a bit more pigmented than Regal, but it blends so easily. It can be built up for a bit more pigmentation as well. 


All of the shades are very easy to work with and look so gorgeous on, they have an almost smokey effect without even trying to achieve a smokey eye. The only thing is, they WILL fade and much quicker than a typical higher quality eyeshadow. I tried different primers underneath, including my never fail duo of Urban Decay's Primer Potion and NYX's Jumbo Pencil in Milk, and even then, about 3-4 hours later, the shadows started to fade, HOWEVER, they did not smudge off, crease or completely fade away. Instead, they faded to a very soft still smokey effect that I actually really loved! I almost want to say they SOFTEN instead of fade. The frostiness isn't quite as strong (on Regal, Curious and Awestruck) but they still retain nice color. Corrupted was the only color that I did have some smudging with, however, that only happened when I applied it over an eyeliner. When I blended it out and used it straight on the lid over primer, it did not smudge nearly as much, hardly at all.

I really think the shadows are gorgeous, and if you're looking for something that isn't heavily pigmented, that gives you a soft-looking eye, then I think you'd absolutely love these pigments. They're very soft, easy to use, aren't incredibly messy and used with a good primer, do provide some gorgeous color. However, if you like strong, vivid shades with a lot of pop, then you may not like how these soften over wear. 

I'm really curious to try other colors! They have the cutest names, and as I said, I love the packaging! I mean, how could you resist Twiterpated, Sassy, Giddy, Precocious, Glamorous, and Fiesty......I couldn't. ::giggles::

PURCHASE:
   
Here are the listed prices for the full-size version of the products I received:
     
*Awake Facial Cleanser (100 g) - $39

*Moodstruck Glorious Face & Eye Primer (40 ml) - $39

Moonstruck Minerals Pigment Powder (1.1 grams each) - $10

    
All of these products are available for purchase at Younique's website or can be ordered through a Younique Presenter, even through their Younique page on Younique's site! Here is the Younique's direct website:
    
www.youniqueproducts.com




 You can use the website to find a Younique Presenter in your area, however, here is the info for my Presenter, if you would care to order through her! -

Christine Richards
Independent Presenter

myyouniquebeauty@gmail.com

www.myyouniquebeauty.com



*Just to note, the Cleanser and Primer are currently temporarily on back order, however it does say that orders CAN be placed for them and will ship as soon as they're back in stock. All other items purchased in that order will ship normally if they are in stock.

FINALE

I love eyeshadow finales! Haha, these past few weeks I've been doing multiple eyeshadow looks for the blog (many that you haven't seen yet ::winkwink::) but I have to say, this is one of my favorites...

Could you not die, isn't that color GORGEOUS. Seriously, I think blues and purple together are my favorite.

For this look I began with Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Original, as well as NYX's Jumbo Pencil in Milk as my primers. For the shadows, I used Curious (cream-white) as a brow bone highlight and on the inner corners of my eyes, then Awestruck (blue) all over the lid. I then blended on Regal on the outer 1/3 of my lid and up into the outer crease, as well as under my bottom lashes. I used a black eyeliner pencil for a simple wing then blended on Corrupted (black) over it to soften the line, as well as lightly blending it directly under my bottom lashes. I finished the eyes with a few coats of mascara! Voila! 



That's it for my review on my Younique brand samples! I hope you enjoyed. I really loved using these products, I'm definitely a huge fan of the cleanser and the pigments, and I certainly think the primer wasn't half-bad. I'll probably be purchasing the cleanser in the future and I wouldn't mind trying out some other pigment shades. With 32 colors to choose from, I'm sure I can find a few that will pique my interest. Heehee.

Happy Makeuping!

   

*Disclaimer: I received these complimentary products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and experiences are my own and I received no compensation for them. This entire review was written only by me and was in no way influenced by the brand provider.