Review: Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation

I think the last time I tried a stick foundation I was in highschool...and that was ages ago. It was a Clinique or Estee Lauder one, and I hated it. Fast forward to today, and stick foundations have caught my attention again, but this time at the drugstore.

Ooo...foundation in stick form and shine free...this sounds convenient!

Picking out a shade was a little difficult because there's a number sticker on the top of the cap that obstructs your view a bit. Yes, there's the big ass color wheel but the foundations weren't exactly the color of the display.

The main thing you will notice is the different color core in the middle of the stick. Some were more pink and some more yellow. I noticed that the shade I thought would match me best had a pink core so I had to focus only on the shades that had the more yellow core.

I purchased Shade 310- Sun Beige (which turned out to be a good match) and for reference again, I'm an NC35 at MAC. I paid $8.99 for .32 oz at Walgreens but I know Target sells it for $6.99. Eitherway, it's a very affordable foundation coming in at under $10.

It's about the size of a lipstick but a bit wider which makes it really convenient for on-the-go.

I do appreciate that the sticks are sealed but just like lipsticks, the seals can be broken extremely easily. When the cap is shut, you can't tell the seal is broken with a quick glance. I always pull the cap just a bit to see if the seal has already been broken or not.

4th of July Nails

*Never got this post up in time but thought I'd post it anyway*

In true nail art addict fashion, I of course had to pay homage to America on my nails. My nails still have not grown out and this was super last minute...not my best work for sure. I came across my Julep polish in 'America' (how appropriate) and did a quick mani before all the BBQ's and celebrating ensued.

(L-R) 

ColorClub- Insta-This

Julep- America

Circus by Andrea's Choice- Reverso

Nailtini- Bloody Mary

Happy Birthday 'Merica!

Summer Beauty Essentials & Tips

Already midway through summer here in Cali and I can't believe it! Seriously, where does the time go?!

This post was suppose to go up right after the July 4th weekend, but here we are...July 17th, whoops.

Over the July 4th holiday weekend I went hiking, to the beach, wine tasting, rafting, and tried to keep cool in the ridiculous heat (if that counts as an activity). I know us Californians are known to be somewhat of weather snobs...complaining at temperatures that are laughable to other states and countries, but it's home, and anything over 80 degrees is hot in my opinion. (don't judge)

Over the 5 day weekend, I brought along some products that proved to be great for the warmer weather and being in water.

Forever 21 Picks

I am an accessory whore so you can imagine how many of my shopping trips ended in my accessories costing more than my clothes...oops. I love getting my accessories at Forever 21 but I like purchasing them online instead of in-store. I know there's always a risk to purchasing anything online, but the selection is just so much better online (clothes & shoes included). Plus it's so much easier to shop through with everything categorized and not all over the place. (The only downside to larger Forever 21 stores...too much stuff everywhere.) 

I was doing a little web perusing on the site as I usually do, and thought I would put a collage together of items that are on my favorites list at the moment. If you have similar taste to me, then feel free to click on the item and it will take you directly to the product!

*Direct links to products provided via ShopSense. More information in Disclaimer*

Shortsleeve Tops
Wedges

Walgreens Beauty Sample Box: Glamour Recharge

To receive a Walgreens Beauty Sample Box, you can read my last post to find out how. As I mentioned in my last post, I picked out my box in February but just received it a few days ago. Definitely way over the suggested 6-8 weeks arrival time! It's free so it doesn't really matter but if you have signed up for one and are wondering where it is, I'm sure it's coming...it just might take almost 5 months to receive it!

Out of the choices at the time, I chose the Glamour Recharge Box. Keep on reading to see what was inside!

Walgreens Beauty Freebies!

Calling all Walgreens shoppers!!! If you buy beauty items at Walgreens, check your receipt before you toss it in the trash!

I hardly shop at Walgreens, something about the ones in my area are just well, g-h-e-t-t-o. Anyways, months ago (like in March), I had purchased some nail polish and some lipstick from Walgreens. When I got home, I was just about to throw away my receipt when I noticed another "coupon" behind my receipt. I decided to actually read it and it was a code to go online and choose a beauty box of free samples! Say What?!

Apparently if you spend $30 on beauty related items, you are qualified to choose a beauty sample box of your choice while supplies last! I'm not exactly sure as to what beauty items count towards the purchase, but if you do make a purchase in this amount, definitely pay attention to all the "coupons" you are handed with your receipt.

As I mentioned, this purchase was done in March, and I just received my box a few days ago! I believe from March to July is a little over 6-8 weeks...just a little.  It had been so long, I completely forgot about this box, so I guess it was a nice surprise in my mailbox.

This post was originally going to be about what I received in the box but before I was able to sit down and write it, I had picked up a few things at Walgreens again. Guess what was handed to me with my receipt? Another beauty sample box code! Since this promo is still going on (I'm not sure if this a year round thing or just for a limited time), I decided to make this post about picking out your box.

Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics

Goody Website

So I'm sure you have all seen these ties before...a stretchy piece of elastic ribbon tied in a knot at the bottom. I was first introduced to them over a year ago because of Birchbox but the elastics were made by a different company. I remember seeing quite a few people rave about them and how cute they thought they were. I was never really that impressed with them and after receiving a bajillion of them in my Birchboxes over this past year, I was totally over it.

The main deterrent for me was the price vs function. They went for $5 for a 3 pack and $10 for a 6 pack. Umm what? I could get like a 32 pack of my good ol' Goody black elastics for under $5 and they worked better.

As you can imagine, I wasn't that excited to see these bands again when I opened up my voxbox.

Although I don't entirely get the whole hype, I will say I'm glad Goody has come out with their own because they are better and more affordable.

Influenster: Sunkissed VoxBox

If you haven't heard about Influenster yet, I highly suggest you go click that link I just provided to learn more! 

In a nutshell, it's a site where you can actively participate in reviewing products you may have tried, earn badges by answering questions about things that interest you (pets, beauty, working out, etc.), all in hopes to be selected to receive free products from companies to test and review. It's all about being active and participating on the site in order to increase your score of "influence." I've been an Influenster for over a year now and some of my friends have joined as well. We have all been selected to receive different items at different times, depending on our interests.

I think it's an awesome concept if you like this sort of thing to begin with. If you are looking to just get free products all the time but not participate, then this isn't for you.

I'm not sure if Influenster is invite only still, but feel free to leave me a comment or message me with your email and I will be more than happy to send over an invite :)

One of my favorite things to be chosen for are their VoxBox's. They have different themes throughout the year and are filled will full-sized goodies to test out and try! I was recently sent their latest beauty related box, Sunkissed VoxBox, and made a quick YouTube video of the contents. I've also reviewed one of the products already which you can read about here. Hope you enjoy!

Olay: Fresh Effects BB Cream

I received Olay's Fresh Effects BB Cream complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster (post coming soon on Influenster if you don't know what I'm talking about). I was excited to receive this product because Olay is one of my favorite drugstore brands.

This BB cream retails for around $12.99 and comes in 2 shades: Fair/Light and Light/Medium. I'm about an NC35 and I can kind of get away with Light/Medium but I definitely think there should be darker shade options. This product has an SPF 15 which is nice but it's not water resistant so it's not meant to be used in place of a sunscreen for swimming or outdoor activities that may cause sweating.

*You can visit OlayFreshEffects.com or Amazon for purchase info*

It comes with 2.5 fl oz. of product which is a decent amount of product. According to the description sent to me, this product claims to provide:
"24-hr hydration and a splash of sheer color. This all-in-one skin perfecter, sunscreen, and tinted moisturizer evens skin tone and refreshes the dullness, for flawless looking skin."


In general, I'm not a big fan of BB creams because I personally need more coverage. I envy those who can get away with a little tinted moisturizer and be on their way.

Review: GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment

Image from Sephora.com

Info from Sephora:

Price: $69.00

What it is:
A 10-minute professional-quality mud mask for men and women. 

What it is formulated to do:
This mud mask leaves skin noticeably radiant and glowing. It activates moisturizing collagen synthesis, provides gentle resurfacing exfoliation, and helps to leave skin smoother, brighter, and softer. While providing tighter skin texture and tighter pores, it provides a more youthful appearance and absorbs impurities without removing natural oils. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

I actually stumbled upon this product by accident when I was trying to use up some credit on the Birchbox website. I remembered seeing the brand GlamGlow on the Sephora website and decided to use my credit on a more "luxury" purchase since I couldn't justify spending $69 on a mud mask any other time. They only offered this particular mask on the Birchbox site and it wasn't until after I completed my purchase that I realized the mask I was actually wanting to try was their Super-Mud Clearing Treatment...whoops.

Quote of the Day

On a non-beauty related topic, I saw a quote the other day, I think on Instagram, and just wanted to share. I think it speaks volumes in terms of moving on and not holding on to a grudge or resentment...something that will always be a life learning process, but worth it in the end. Hopefully this speaks to you the way it did for me. Happy Friday!

xoxo,

Kristina

e.l.f. Studio Lip Exfoliator

There's something about finding a product that is super affordable and actually works that makes me all giddy inside! Case in point, e.l.f.'s Studio Lip Exfoliator!

Ages ago I was using The Body Shop's Lip Scuff but at that time I was so young, it was more of a luxury purchase than a necessity.  More recently I have tried DIY lip scrubs and more expensive ones, which I talk about in this review. I don't have terribly dry lips, but I still require the routine exfoliation, especially when taking close up photos for the blog.

I randomly came across e.l.f.'s Studio Lip Exfoliator a few months back at Target and thought I would give it a try since it was only $3. I loved that it was in a lipstick package, which is very reminiscent of The Body Shop's Lip Scuff that I had used literally over 12 years ago.

What I love about this type of packaging compared to the typical lip scrub in a jar is:
1. You don't have to stick your fingers in anything (hello...germ central)
2. It's less messy because you just apply it like lipstick instead of having the scrub going all over the      place when you apply it with your fingers
3. Super compact for travel

Stila up to 80% Off!

Just a heads up for those Stila lovers in the Los Angeles area this Saturday:

Image from Stila.com

Summer Ready Feet!

Today marks the first official day of Summer...wooooo!!!! Happy Summer Solstice!

Image from dukky.com

Summer marks the official start of living in flip flops, wedges, sandals, heck, even going barefoot! With all this foot exposure, not only is nail polish a must but so are some nice looking feet! No one wants to see crusty, flaking heels or dried skin around your toe nails..eww! Now I must say, I'm guilty of not taking caring of my feet as much as I should and I walk outside barefoot A LOT. Overtime, this has created some not so pretty feet...calluses and dried heels, gross.

Recently, my feet have done a 180 and it's thanks to 2 products that work amazing together! Separately, I think these products are blah but together they are almost miracle worthy as to how well they work together!

Review: Sinful Shine with Gel Tech

A few months back I noticed a new line of Sinful polishes at Walgreens. If you are unfamiliar with sinful polishes, they are an affordable nail polish line that offer a wide array of colors for only $1.99. I usually get mine at Rite Aid or Walgreens and sometimes they even go on sale which makes them a freakin' steal! The quality of the polish is quite good for the most part, and some colors I think rival more expensive polishes.

The new line which is exclusively at Walgreens, goes for $2.99 and claims to provide brilliant shine, 5x more glossy than a patent leather shoe in fact! Well, so says their website.

I picked up VIP, which is an awesome bubble gum pink color. If patent leather was in liquid form, the formula is just that. It is a mix between a cream and jelly polish which I really like. I found the formula to be a bit streaky for the first coat but would get opaque nails with 2 coats. Sometimes I would apply 3 coats on certain nails where the polish was not applying evenly.

Daiso Finds!

Oh Daiso, how I love thee....

If you're not familiar with Daiso, it's like a Japanese dollar store except everything is $1.50 unless otherwise marked. I love Daiso because there is just so much stuff from candy and stationary, to home goods and beauty products! I seriously could spend hours in that damn store and I don't know if you are already aware, but the Japanese think of everything! I love their clever little contraptions to make life easier and the cute packaging...ahhhh, heaven.

I'm not sure if Daiso is only in California which is just a shame if they are, but they do have a website to buy items in bulk: www.daisojapan.com. Not really sure how helpful that is but they do have lashes on there so that's worth checking out.

Everytime I go in, I have to stop myself from buying everything in sight...it's amazing how much I can convince myself I "need" something that I had no intention of buying or knowledge of it's existence! #shopaholicproblems

But I must say, this past time I went I didn't get too cray and found some fun things! Please excuse the photo quality...I took them on my phone, at night, on my wrinkled duvet cover because I'm lazy like that.

Review: Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation

Before I get started with the review, here are my skin stats again:

Oily/Combo Skin
Acne prone skin
Acne scarring and discoloration
Large pores on cheeks
Yellow undertone
I'm an NC 35 at MAC

Wow, can we say perfect profile ad for a dating site?! Ha! Ok, so obviously I don't have perfect skin and I'm so glad foundation exists in this world! As far as what I look for in a foundation: full coverage, not cakey looking, does not emphasize pores or dry patches, covers majority of redness and any other face discoloration, and of course a yellow undertone to match my skintone.

Physicians Formula: Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin FakeOut Mascara

I realized this past month that although I have non-existent lashes and wear false lashes almost everytime I go out, I have this need within me to find/try mascaras in hopes I find that perfect one. I think it's a sickness really but I can't stop. I literally counted 12 different mascaras that I currently have open and semi using...someone call the mascara addicts line, I think I need an intervention.

But whatever, let's add #13 to the mix: Physicians Formula FakeOut Mascara! I wanted to try this because PF is having this promo where if you purchase the mascara with the special packaging that says "Try me for free" you can mail that packaging in with your receipt and they will reimburse you! (click here for the rebate form, ends 10/31/13). So yea, that's awesome but I could never find the special packaging so I just went ahead and purchased it. 

Don't Waste your $$$: Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color

As much as there are great beauty products on the market, there are also the fair share of shit not so good products. Whenever I try a product and think, "WTF, ewww, not cool, I'm returning this shit, where's my receipt?!" I know that I have a crappy enough product that I want to let others know about so they don't waste their money. I know that what doesn't work for me, may work for you, but I will include pics when I can so you can judge for yourself and realize I'm probably right maybe save yourself some moolah!

So the first product to make it into this category is Wet n Wild's Megalast Liquid Lip Color.

MTTO: Moisture Lite

Part 8 of 8 of my MTTO line review!!! For my original post and links to all the product reviews, click here.

Now onto the final review!

Moisture Lite Non-Oily Hydrating Lotion

Info taken from website:

Price: $29 for 2.4 fl oz.

Product Description: A soothing hydrating lotion formulated for individuals with normal to oily and combination skin types for whom regular moisturizers are not suitable. Non-greasy. Absorbs completely without clogging pores. Soothes and moisturizes where skin is dry while controlling oil and shine.

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Cocos Nucifera (Organic Coconut) Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Palm Stearic Acid, Vegetable Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed) Oil, Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum (Polysaccharide Gum), Salix Nigra (Black Willow Bark) Extract, Azadirachta Indica (Neem) Oil, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai Fruit) Pulp Powder, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oleoresin, Essential Oils, Sodium Benzoate, Glucolactone, Licorice Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Extract, Spinacia Oleracea (Spinach) Extract, Matricaria Chamomilla (Chamomile) Extract, Citric Acid.

I really enjoyed this moisturizer from the first time I used it. I think it's great for those with acne prone and oily skin. It provides just enough hydration without feeling greasy. I do have combo skin so on the days where my skin is more on the normal to dry side, I do prefer to use a thicker moisturizer and I definitely don't think this would provide enough moisture for anyone with dry skin (plus it's not marketed too so duh). If you are looking for a new moisturizer that won't break you out or make your skin feel and look greasy, then definitely try this one!