Tag: Review

Makeup, Review

Mascara Recap-Will I Repurchase?

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Welcome back, hope you’re having a great day. Don’t forget to follow me on social media:

The topic for today: mascara. I’ve tried them, they’re gone, now we need to talk about them. Were they good? Will I repurchase? Which one did I like more? If you want to Know the answers to these questions, just keep reading.

The first is the Colourpop BFF Mascara. I got it when it first came out and got 3 colors (black, blue and purple). They were my go-to mascaras because the pigmentation was amazing. It didn’t smudge or transfer. But when the formula became dryer, it started to flake and smudge during the day. Haven’t repurchase because I always have many mascaras on rotation and many more waiting to try.

Next, L’oreal Lash Paradise. It’s pigmented, gives good length & volume, and doesn’t smudge or transfer. But gets clumpy with too many coats. Both formulas, waterproof and non-waterproof, perform the same. The only difference is the taking process. The waterproof formula is harder to take off, which is why I prefer the non-waterproof one. Have repurchased many times (have like 2 backups).

Covergirl Lash Blast Active is pigmented and gives lashes a more natural and separated look. Can be built-up without getting clumpy and it doesn’t tend to smudge or transfer. Good for everyday, minimal makeup look. Haven’t repurchased it and I’m not sure if I will.

I have tried 2 Rimmel mascaras: Scandaleyes Retro Glam and Scandaleyes Wow Wings. Both are extremely black and give lot of volume. The formula is super wet, which means it takes quite some time to dry. Haven’t repurchase because I’m not fan of wet formulas.

Lastly, Maybelline Snapscara (non-waterproof) is a pigmented, clump-free, volume giver mascara. It has a not-to-dry, not-to-wet formula. Haven’t repurchase yet but will when I finish a few mascaras.

Overall, my favorite mascaras are:

  • L’oreal Lash Paradise (non-waterproof)
  • Maybelline Snapscara (non-waterproof)
  • Colourpop BFF Mascara

Some mascara reviews that are coming soon:

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Makeup, Review

Review-Maybelline Brow Fast Sculpt

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Hope you’re having a great day. Don’t forget to follow me on all social media:

Today’s post is about a brow gel. Yes, you’ve read right: a brow gel. After years of using L’oreal Brow Stylist-Boost & Set brow mascara, I thought it was time to try something new.

So, I got the new brow gel from Maybelline called Brow Fast Sculpt. I’ve been trying it for a week so far and I must say I fell in love immediately. This brow mascara has an amazing pigment but can feel heavy if you apply too much product in one spot. Which can happen depending which way you use the wand and the fact that it carries a lot of product.

Product applied on left brow.

As you can see in the picture above, I don’t have thick or bushy brows. But with Maybelline’s Brow Fast Sculpt brow gel, my brows look full and pigmented. I’m thinking it’s a shade a bit too dark but for the most part it looks good. The only thingI don’t quite like is that it fades from the front of my brows when I frown (which I tend to do a lot).

Overall, it’s a great product for my sparse and sad brows. Especially for everyday makeup.

What are your favorite brow products? Let me know in the comment section.

Ipsy, Makeup, Review

Ipsy Glam Bag Review-March & April 2019

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Today I’m going to talk about my Ipsy bags for March and April. Ipsy is a $10/month subscription that includes 5 sample products (makeup, hair & skin care) inside a makeup bag. Also, you can get the add-on products that range from sample size to full size, for a small amount of money ($3-$12).

For March, the bag had a metallic rose gold tone and the blue zipper. This month basically all my products were makeup related. First, a Shimmer Squad highlighter from Lottie London in The Good Girl. Love this product: it’s shimmery but not in a bad way, the color is beautiful and it lasts a reasonably amount of time.

The next product is an eyeshadow from IBY Beauty in the shade Get Soaked. It has great pigmentation and blendability. Works perfectly as a blush. Then I have the Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara in Black, which I don’t quite love. It gives me volume and length, but it flakes during the day. The last two products are for the lips, one is a lip balm and the other is a liquid lipstick. The lip balm is the Berry Lip Fix from Skyn Iceland, it feels hydrating but it stung/burned my lips a little when I first used it.  After using it for some time, it doesn’t burn my lips so maybe they were a bit dehydrated at the time.  Either way, I’m loving this balm and will continue to use it.  As for the Realher I Am Adaptable Matte Liquid Lip, I must say it has an awesome pigmentation and durability.  But I don’t actually use it that much because of the shade, not the formula (I don’t use red lipstick that often).

The last thing from March’s bag is the Huda Beauty Obsessions Palette in Smokey.  This was the add-on I selected for this bag.  At first, I was not impressed with the pigmentation but overall is a good palette.  Quality is good but blendability is somewhat average for me.

Now, let’s get into April’s bag which arrived on time and included a white plastic fabric with bright yellow lemons and a yellow zipper.  For this bag, there’s no add-on as I wasn’t interested in the products available.  The first product is theBalmJour Creamy Lip Stain in Salut!  The color is amazing and it has great pigmentation.  The next product is from Tarte and it’s the Double Dutty Beauty Base Tape Hydrating Primer.  It feels hydrating and a bit sticky, I’m still trying it with different foundations and setting sprays.

Next, I got a Laura Sanchez Moods eyeshadow in Martini Ollive Green.  I’m quite impressed with this product, the pigmentation and blendability is incredible.  It stays on the eye, I love the color and use it wet almost every time.  Then I found a new favorite highlighter, OFRA Cosmetics Highlighter in Rodeo Drive.  I’m so in love with it!  Love the formula: it’s blendable, lasts really good on the skin and looks beautiful.  The last product is the 100% Extra Virgin Coco Oil & Shea Butter Hydrating Curl Cream from Marc Anthony True Professional.  I’ve been using it a lot lately, I like it but I’m not sure yet if it works for me.

This is everything from my Ipsy Glam Bags from March and April 2019.  Sorry for the late post, but life has been crazy the past few months.

Let’s keep connected!

Twitter https://twitter.com/romanstephanie5

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Ipsy

Ipsy Glam Bag-February 2019

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Welcome to another Ipsy Glam Bag review, this time for the month of February. Ipsy is a $10 monthly subscription of 5 beauty samples (makeup, hair & skin care) inside a cute makeup bag. February’s bag it’s a light pink plastic bag with red kiss marks all over and a brighter pink zipper.

For this month, I included three add-ons: a lip liner, a brush, and an exfoliator. Huda Beauty Lip Contour (lip liner), in Famous, has amazing pigmentation, it’s long-wearing and the color is beautiful. The brush is a big powder brush from F.A.R.A.H. in 50F, and it turned into my everyday brush for applying bronzer. As for the exfoliator, it’s the Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay (Flash Perfection Exfoliating Treatment). It’s a harsh exfoliator that leaves the skin feeling soft.

Now for the actual samples included in my bag, the first one is the Lash Alert Mascara from Eyeko. I like the mascara but I’m not in love with it, it’s volumizing and it doesn’t smudge. Even though I’ve noticed that it flakes a bit. The next product is the Space Case Eyeshadow in No Reception, it’s a beautiful color, pigmented and long-wearing. The Doucce Fierce and Fine Graphic Pen in Black doesn’t smudge, lasts all day but it doesn’t have a matte finish.

The last two products are actually my favorites for this month’s bag. One is the LAQA & CO Prickly Pear pH Gloss, the scent is nice and is not overly sticky. When I work at 3 am, aka the past three weeks, I apply little makeup and use this gloss. Also, the Purlisse Coconut Oil+Coffee Body Butter it’s creamy but not oily or sticky. I’m not in love with the scent (’cause I don’t like coffee) but it’s quite hydrating.

That’s everything in my Ipsy bag for February. Sorry for the late post but my bag came in at the end of February and I wanted to give it a good try at all the products before telling you my thoughts.

Let’s stay connected!

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Makeup, Review

Review-NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Today I have a review+wear test for you on NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop foundation. Got this foundation a few weeks back at Walgreens for $15. It comes in 45 shades and it’s “lighweight, waterproof and pigmented”. Hence why the “full coverage” and it also “controls shine and mattifies”. Now, let me tell you if it performed as it’s supposed to.

Didn’t used a primer, just applied the L’oreal Hydra Genius Moisturizer (for oily skin) and Colourpop All Star Setting Spray. Used a Real Techniques sponge to apply the foundation (shade Medium Buff). For concealer I used L’oreal Infallible Pro-Glow (02 Creamy Natural) and to set, Maybelline Master Fix Loose Setting powder (Translucent).

At 9am my foundation was applied, concealed and set. As you can see in the photo above, the foundation looked matte with a medium-almost full coverage, and it didn’t feel heavy.

Now, I don’t have any more pictures because it couldn’t be appreciated how the foundation wore. I had this foundation on for 13 hours and did four check-ins.

So, at 1pm the foundation had rubbed off from my nose where my glasses rest (normal for all foundations). It also emphasizes the dryness around my nostrils but overall, it looked good. By 5pm it had started to break up on my chin and forehead. Though it started to get shiny, in general it looked okay. But by 7pm it was looking a bit cakey and it had also broken up on my cheeks. And by 10pm, my makeup was a hot mess: all broken up, cakey and quite shiny (even though I’ve been more shiny before).

In general, I liked the foundation and I’m going to be trying it with different primers and setting sprays. Will keep you updated on that.

What long-wearing foundation do you recommend? Leave it in the comments below.

Let’s stay in touch!

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Makeup, Review

Worked or Not?-Colourpop No Filter Foundation Stick

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Welcome to “Worked or Not?”, this is how I’m calling the reviews from now on. I got sick and tired of just saying review, it started sounding plain to me so I decided to change it up a bit. Enough of that, let’s get to the point of this post: my thoughts on Colourpop’s foundation stick. First, you need to know that this foundation comes in 30 shades and retails for $10. Colourpop’s website says “Create a flawless face in seconds with this weightless, medium-buildable coverage stick foundation. Blends seamlessly for a natural skin-like finish.” Is all that true? I’ll let you know right now.

I bought mine in the shade Light 70 W, which I think is a little too dark for me at this moment but I make it work every now and then. This foundation does have a “medium-buildable coverage” as it’s stated in the website and it’s also a lightweight formula. But I’m not quite down with the seamless blend or the flawless finish. I’ve seen amazing reviews for this product but my experience was total opposite. Starting at application, the formula was dry which made it really difficult to blend. Using a sponge didn’t work, so I went with a brush instead and after a while I could get it to blend. It’s lightweight as I’ve already said but you can tell I’m wearing foundation, it emphasizes every little pore and dry patch on my face (which I don’t have many because I have oily skin). Talking about skin types, it only took like four hours for this foundation to fall apart on my face. It starting breaking up on my T-zone and just kept getting worse from there.

So, as you can see this foundation was definitely a miss for me, it didn’t work in any way. I’ve been trying it for months now with different primers/setting powders/setting sprays, and there’s no good variation in the performance of Colourpop’s No Filter foundation stick.

Have you tried it? Tell me all about it in the comments below.

Let’s keep in touch!

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Ipsy, Makeup, Skincare

Ipsy Glam Bag-January 2019

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Welcome back to another very late Ipsy Glam Bag review, this time for the month of January. Ipsy is a $10 monthly subscription of 5 beauty samples (makeup, hair & skin care) inside a cute makeup bag. January’s bag was a striped white & baby blue fabric with bright pink zipper detailing. Now let me tell you what products I got for this month and what I think of them.

*FYI my February bag arrived yesterday, so go to my YouTube channel to see what I got.*

The first product was the Skin Balancing Mask from Goldfaden MD. It’s a clear, gel-like mask that leaves the face feeling soft. But I’ve only used it once because of the weird scent it has. To me, it stinks quite strongly even though it doesn’t linger after removing it.

Next, there was a flat foundation brush from Billion Dollars Brows. This brush is soft and quite nice. As most flat brushes do, it leaves bristle marks on my face. So I’m thinking of using it for mask application instead.

To go with the flat brush, I got the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15 in the shade medium sand. I’m still not sure whether I like it or not. It sits kind of weird on my skin, it has clumped around my nostrils and broke down as the day goes on. Maybe it had something to do with the products under the foundation, haven’t figured that out. So I’m going to say it’s a miss but I’m willing to keep trying it out.

Another month, another blush…This time I got the Alternative Rock Vol. 2 Blush/Shadow from TheBalm Cosmetics in the shade Bare Minium. The colors is kind of pink, as every blush I’ve received from Ipsy lately. But it has a nice sheen, it’s extremely pigmented (a little goes a long way) and it stays on all day long.

The last product is a lipgloss from the brand Fluide in the shade Elsewhere. It’s basically a transparent gloss with a blue hue. It has a nice consistency, it’s not sticky and the durability is like any other gloss.

Well, that’s everything I got in January’s Ipsy Glam Bag and I’m excited for February’s bag (it’s finally here!).

Let’s keep in touch!

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Ipsy

Ipsy Glam Bag-December 2018

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Welcome to a new Ipsy Glam Bag review (better late than never). For those of you who don’t know what Ipsy is. It’s a $10 monthly subscription with 5 sample products (makeup, hair & skin care) inside a cute makeup bag. December’s bag arrived a bit later than usual. The bag is black leather with gold sequin fabric and a black leather tassel. Also, this bag came with 6 products instead of 5! Well, let’s get started!

Using the Sugar brow pencil, Nomad highlighter, and the Ciaté lip product.

The first product is the Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask from Generation Clay. Love the purple color, not so much the scent. Bit I’ve used it and it left my face feeling soft and a bit tight. It’s nice and I’ll continue to use it.

Next we have a Scalp & Body Scrub from OUAI Haircare. It has a clean scent and the sugar crystals feel amazing on the skin. It’s not a harsh scrub, so my skin felt really soft after using it.

Also got a F. A. R. A. H tapered blending brush 35E. It’s super fluffy, soft and lightweight. I have 3 uses for it: setting my eye primer, applying my transition/crease color, and overall blending.

Now let’s get into the makeup products. I have the Sugar Arch Arrival Brow Definer in 02 Taupe Tom. The tip is in a triangle shape, the formula is a bit waxy and hard. It doesn’t glide on super easy, you have to work a little to get it on the skin. The spoolie works great, helps to blend the brow product.

Next I have a Nomad Cosmetics Around-the-World Light Infusion Powder in Ko Phai Ngan Moonlight. Which is a beautiful “holographic illuminator in duo-chrome glow with multi-dimensional, prismatic sapphire pearl finish.” It has a nice purple-blue sheen, soft formula and it blends like a dream.

The last product is a Transforming Glitter Liquid Lipstick from Ciaté London in the shade Infamous. It’s a fun concept but for everyday use, is not my cup of tea. Love the color, the glitter throws me off but I think I can make it work somehow (will let you know if any progress occurs).

Overall, it was a great bag and I liked basically everything. I’m currently waiting for January’s bag (think it’s getting here today or tomorrow).

Anyway, how were your bags in December and January? I love reading your comments, so let’s talk in the comment section.

Ipsy

Ipsy Glam Bag Review-November 2018

Stephanie Román

Welcome back!  Today I’ll be reviewing November’s Ipsy Bag.  Ipsy is a $10/month subscription that consists of 5 beauty sample products (makeup, hair & skin care).  Which cater to your needs and likes according to a quiz you fill out when subscribing.  Every month the makeup bag changes, November’s bag was made from a plastic material in a dark purple with small black hearts and gold zipper.  Now, let’s talk about the products.

We have once again 2 sheet masks, this time from timeless beauty bar.  As I’ve said before, I didn’t notice any change in my face after using them.  Smell is alright, and they have a lot of serum, so you’re left with an extremely wet face that feels sticky after drying.

Next, a Brow Wand (eyebrow pencil) from the brand Skone in the shade chocolate. I must say I’m impressed by this product.  I’ve been using it for the past 2 to 3 weeks and it’s good.  The formula is just right, it glides enough so it won’t pluck my brows but is not so creamy that it fades easily.  Great color match and duration.  Eyebrows look quite natural.

The Lottie London blush crush in zac (a magenta-like shade) is a great product. It’s incredibly pigmented, with just a tap it covers both cheeks.  And it doesn’t fade during the day, I apply it early in the morning and remove it at the end of my day at night.

Got a foiled eyeshadow from the Balm in the shade Cahoots (silver color).  Has great  pigmentation, when wet it looks even prettier.  Doesn’t fade and it applies smoothly with either a brush or your fingers.

Lastly, we have a mini Smudge Me Not liquid lipstick from Sugar in the shade 28 Trusty Rusty.  It’s a very Christmas-y color.  It goes smoothly on the lips, very thin formula so it doesn’t even feel like you’re wearing lipstick.

Loved this bag, almost every product was amazingly good for me.  Exceeded my expectations and I just hope it keeps getting better.

What did you get in your Ipsy bag?

Makeup

Sleek Makeup “Bring On The Night” Holiday Set-Review

Stephanie Román

Hi guys!  Welcome back.  Today I have yet another review, but this time is for a holiday set.  I’ve seen Sleek Makeup products online but never imagined I would see it in my local Walgreens.  Yes, you read that right…At Walgreens!  You can imagine the dumb face I had when I saw various holiday sets at affordable prices from this brand.  Because I’m not a millionaire (sadly), I grabbed one that would give me a general idea of the brands’ performance.  For $25 I got the holiday set “Bring On The Night” which includes an eyeshadow palette, a blush trio and a highlighter palette.

Here are two looks I created using Sleek Makeup’s gift set. For more looks, go to my Instagram

Let’s start with the eyeshadow palette, as it was my least favorite.  I’m not saying it was bad, just a little hard to work with.  It’s a dry formula (not smooth/creamy), so I encounter some issues when trying to blend the shadows.  The color selection is full of cool tones/smokey shades with little matte (transition) colors.  Even the darker shades had some type of shimmer in them.  As for pigmentation, it was average because there’s a lot of building the colors and the shimmery shades needed to be applied with the fingers for a better color payoff.

Now, the blush trio is another story.  Colors are intense, soft, blendable and very pigmented (a little goes a long way).  The shades are not my typical choice, but I enjoy using them from time to time.

Finally, the highlight palette included 3 powders and 1 creamy formula.  The powders give an intense, kind of icy glow to the skin and tend to emphasize large pores/texture.  But the cream one gives you a less intense but more natural glow.

Overall, I think the holiday set is worth it.  Sure, the eyeshadow palette is a little hard to work with, but I love the smokiness.  Also, it got me interested in trying more products from Sleek Makeup.

What holiday set have you tried?