Mac Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

Ever since I began building my makeup collection something that I knew it was missing was one of the hyped about Mac Paint Pots. Everyone always raves about the shade Painterly so a week ago when I happened into a Mac Store, I decided to test the shade out and had every intension of finally making the purchase. I knew I was looking for a cream eyeshadow that would work as a base for any eye look and really neutralise my eyelid to create the perfect canvas. I am an NC30 in Mac which means I have a slightly olive complexion that has more yellow undertones instead of pink ones. Painterly had a pink undertone that just didn't show up right on my skin however, Soft Ochre happened to be the perfect match. I knew I had to own it right away. 

Soft Ochre is a beautiful cream eyeshadow that in my opinion is heavily underrated. It is a light nude cream that is paired with yellow undertones which is perfect for so many different skin tones. It is highly pigmented and can be used for so many things. I tend to apply it on my eyelids to cancel out any redness, veins or darker areas however, it can also be used to conceal areas of the face. It's formula doesn't make me break out and since it's pigmentation is so intense it can work as a wonderful light concealer for olive skin tones. The texture is very smooth and creamy but it sets to a powder which makes blending shadows super easy with the added assurance of not creasing throughout the day. 

Now let's talk about the obvious, Mac Paint Pots retail for around $20 and the drugstore alternative that we all love - Maybelline Color Tattoos retail for around $6. That's a huge price difference. I adore the color tattoos but since their line doesn't carry many matte shades and the shimmery pots have quite a lot of shimmer, for an eyeshadow base I prefer Mac Paint Pots. The formula for the Maybelline ones is also a bit harder to work with and I personally notice that the color tattoos crease when worn alone where as the Mac Paint Pots don't. Cream Eyeshadows last for ages when you take good care of them. Making sure the lid is shut tight is incredibly important because it keeps the product from drying out. Personally, I think with the right amount of care, a Paint Pot is a definite worthwhile investment. I'm looking forward to purchasing some more pots in the near future. 

Have you tried any Mac Paint Pots? Let me know, down bellow!

Stefanie xx

Products I've Used Up - Empties (#1)

I always found it kind of silly watching these videos or reading blog posts where beauty gals literally collected their empty junk. Recently however, I've found myself accumulating a pile of empty products and the first thing that came to mind was that I needed to share them with all of you. Isn't that so silly? I do love reading these types of posts because sure first impressions and reviews are nice and dandy but I think someone can fully tell you if the product was officially worth it once it's all used up. So, without further adieu here are my very first Products I've Used up - aka Empties. 

So this time around, a lot of the products I'm going to mention, actually all of the products are skincare items. To start off, I've been using cleansing wipes recently and I use these a little differently than others. I know cleansing wipes are a very controversial topic in the beauty community but I actually like to use them after I cleanse my face for the first time and right before my toner, just to make sure that every bit of makeup is really truly off. Here, I have two different cleansing wipes. One being the Body Shop Tea Tree Cleansing Wipes and the other being the Sephora brand Express Cleansing Wipes. Of the two, I really prefer the Body Shops' however they both have some major pros and cons. I would have to admit the Sephora ones are more wet, if that makes sense and it feels like I'm using more product. The wipes really have a full range of power in them and they seem strong enough to take off a full face of make up. The Body Shops' are a bit more drying and you really need to force them to remove makeup sometimes because they don't seem to have enough product in them or on them, whichever. The thing I do like about the Tea Tree Cleansing Wipes is that they contain Tee Tree Oil and therefore really add that punch of cleansing and providing a slight sting on the acne prone regions of my face. I love Tea Tree Oil and it's something that I definitely fell in love with last year so whenever I can include it in a skincare regiment, then I will. Will I repurchase either of these? I definitely won't be repurchasing the Sephora Cleansing Wipes because I honestly don't think they're worth much, they get the job done but don't actually leave my skin feeling cleansed or clean. I do believe I will be repurchasing the Body Shops' because they were pretty cheap, I think around €5 and I like the effect the Tea Tree Oil has on my skin. If anyone knows of any other cleansing wipes that are good for acne prone skin then please let me know because I would love to try out a different brand if possible. 

Speaking of Tea Tree Oils, I recently used up my tiny bottle of oil from the Body Shop. I am so on the fence about this product because it really did help. I would put a little bit of this oil on my spots  before going to sleep and it always made my acne shrink severely and the redness definitely decreased. However, I noticed that after using it for a while my skin decided to stop reacting to the product and in a way it got used to the treatment so it no longer worked. It's really such a shame because I loved depending on this product and when it ran out, I found myself reaching for it every night and definitely trying to get every drop out. I don't think I will be repurchasing this soon, but possibly in the future. I know that I wanted to replace this with the Origins Super Spot Remover and see how they compare so if you've used the Origins product, let me know how you liked it. 

Lastly, are two Lush products that I'm definitely sad to see run out. One being the Ocean Salt Scrub that I have raved about many times before on this blog. This little jar comes with a blue scrub that has really fine and bigger chunks of sea salt while being mixed with amazing products such as fresh lime and avocado butter. I would use this every night to cleanse my skin and the salt fragments really opened up my pores and allowed all of that gunk and makeup and bacteria to be washed away. I will be picking up another jar of this in California as soon as I can get my hands on one. As for the other product, it's one I've actually never mentioned on here before but I use every week. The Dark Angels Cleanser is something I would bring out every time my skin was working up and I just felt out of control and needed some serious detoxing. I feel like not many people know about this product and that's such a shame because it really works wonders. It contains charcoal, sandalwood, black sugar and rhassoul mud. A little bit of this goes such a long way, I would really just take a pinch of it and add a little bit of water then get to scrubbing. It becomes a paste-like texture when applied to the skin and I have to admit it does get a little messy. My sink always looks horrible after using this because the black water just likes to splash everywhere. Recently, I've been applying a thick coat of this before a shower and then letting the hot water open up my pores as I scrub scrub scrub. I think I've owned this for literally eight months and with using it once every week or even twice, the fact that it's lasted this long makes it so worth the money. I will definitely be repurchasing this scrub as well and recommend it for anyone in need of some detoxing. 

I have to admit I really don't like seeing some of these go and will be repurchasing them as soon as possible. I love trying new things for my skin and am always open for suggestions so let me know, down bellow what your favorite skin care products are. Maybe you have some suggestions from Lush or even the Body Shop that I haven't tried out yet. Let me know, down bellow.

Stefanie xx 

YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation Review

The YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation is a new hot pick on the market lately that some of my favourite beauty bloggers have been loving. When Feel Unique was having their sale and I spotted that this little gem was on a slight discount, I took it as a calling and added it to my cart right away. I received this foundation in the mail a few weeks ago and have really been testing it in every way so that I could give you guys a full and thorough review. 

To begin with, the packaging is absolutely beautiful. It's a tall, glass bottle that actually comes with a pump that squeezes out just the right amount of product so you're really not wasting any of this foundation. One to two pumps is usually all I need so I can see myself using this product for a very long time without having to repurchase. It does retail for around €42 so it's not exactly budget friendly. Upon reading different reviews for this foundation, I saw that a lot of people were calling it a medium to high coverage foundation. To be completely honest, I don't think that's the case. I have a lot of acne scarring and I do get break outs quite frequently so I mostly opt for high coverage foundations. I think this one is more of a light to medium coverage, at least for my skin type. I would assume that people with less flawed skin types could see this product as being a little thicker than usual but for me personally, it doesn't cover up a lot of my flaws. This was also one of the first dewy foundations I've tried and I was pleased to find that it didn't make my skin look oily but instead just had a true healthy glow. It doesn't cake up and when applied it really does smooth deep into the skin and creates a natural looking finish. I know that my mom actually was shocked the other day when I told her I was wearing makeup because she thought that the foundation looked so natural and as if I really wasn't wearing any makeup at all. So, if you're looking for a really natural looking foundation I would definitely recommend picking this one up. 

I have tried applying this foundation with a beauty blender, my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and even just my fingers. The best way to apply this foundation in my opinion is with a Beauty Blender however, it does come off as light coverage with the blender and therefore you may need more than one application depending on your skin type. I actually found that when my skin is looking really rough like it has been this past week, I like to mix this with my Mac Studio Finish. I usually put a layer of Mac Studio Finish ontop of my primer and then go in with the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation to create a natural glowing complexion. For a higher coverage look, these two paired together are absolutely beautiful and create such a flawless base. 

As for lasting power, I usually set my foundation with my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder and then go over everything in the end with my Too Faced Primed and Poreless Powder. I do get quite oily when I wear this all day but it really doesn't start to be noticeable until about eight hours after application. I get a lot of compliments on my skin when I'm wearing this but the foundation alone doesn't make me feel comfortable or confident since it doesn't do the best job of hiding my acne scarring. It may just be because I am used to higher coverage foundations and the low coverage this one provides is something I'll have to reach for when my skin is looking better. I think it looks better in photographs then in real life but if you're looking for a photo - ready foundation then this one would be perfect for you. 

Overall, I'm on the fence about this foundation. I think it is a very beautiful product and has the ability of creating a flawless complexion however, I don't know if it's worth the price. I usually think that high end foundations should really make me feel confident about my skin and if I'm going to spend so much money, I expect a foundation that's really going to give me everything I want. Will I be repurchasing this product? No, but I do enjoy using it and pairing it with other foundations. It is versatile and is probably going to be more compatible with skin types that are a lot less damaged than mine. 

Have you tried the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation? What are your opinions on it? Are there any foundations you really love and could recommend? Let me know, down bellow! 

Stefanie xx

Bumble and bumble Thickening Dry Spun Finish

I am cursed with thin hair. We all have made mistakes with our hairstyles and cuts in the past but one of my biggest was getting my thick mane of hair thinned out in 6th grade. Ever since, it hasn't grown back to it's full potential and I've been stuck with lanky thin strands. Until recently, I never really took the situation into my own hands. Sure I tried volumizing shampoos and conditioners and during my rather embarrassing teen faze I did manage to tease my hair to look like a poodle but lately, I'd just come to settle with the fact that my hair was going to forever be dull and lifeless. Enter Bumble and bumble Thickening Dry Spun Finish.

This little blue can of magic is basically crack for my hair and adds volume and texture like never before! It is a dry shampoo of sorts but without the white cast that makes us look like we're ageing a little too quick and it doesn't leave the hair feeling sticky or as if there were heaps of product in it. It is a bit pricey (€29) but I was desperate to find something to bring life back into my locks and now I can't imagine my hair without it. It also doesn't smell completely awful like some other hair products do, it kinda has that 'I've just been in a salon' smell and I always tend to gravitate to those kinds of scents. The only downside to this product is that it doesn't really last me all day, maybe a good two to three hours of volume and then my thin hair just pushes back into being flat and lifeless. I wouldn't really say that that is the products fault, I think it's just my unmanageable head of hair but I'm sure it works differently for everyone because we all have different textures and lengths and such. 

Application is super simple, I tend to just lift up the sections framing my face and spray a small amount while massaging it into the hair. It creates uber fluff and volume but in a controllable fashion. I know some volumizing hair sprays can be a bit extreme but with this Bumble and bumble product, you're really in control. You just have to work the product whichever way is best for you. It also can create a sexy day two vibe on even day three or four hair. I'm definitely a big fan of this product and compared to any other drug store dry shampoos I've tried, this one definitely makes it to the top of my list. No white cast, amazing texture and volume; it really is a must have for everyone! 

Have you tried this product? Do you swear by anything else to create some extreme volume? Let me know, down bellow! 

Stefanie xx