New Beauty Subscription: Sweet Sparkle!!!

Be A Bombshell - Blush

LA Splash Diamond Dust

J Cat Beauty Lip Gloss

Hikari - Mascara

Sorme Cosmetics

Beauty Fix Subscription November '17

Beauty Fix - November 2017

What's in the Box???

Lots of Good Stuff

REN - Clean Skin Care: Perfect Canvas Skin Finishing Serum

Skin Medica - Facial Cleanser

PCA Skin - Hydrating Serum; Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial;
Skincentials Triple Lipid Restore

GLO Skin Beauty - Renew Serum

Juice Beauty - Green Apple Peel

Mini Product Review & Haul - O - Day:****ShopMissA****

Price & Purchase Process & Packaging:

ShopMissA is a low-cost, reputable website the predominantly highlights beauty, cosmetic, and skin care needs, although they do offer jewelry, other accessories, nail polish, sunglasses, and other do-dads. Over the course of the last several months, I have ordered from ShopMissA several times. They have an extraordinary selection of beauty and skin care items, and almost everything is $1. Yep, that’s right, $1. There are a couple of instances where that doesn’t apply, for example, if you purchase something like an eyeshadow kit, you are paying for the sturdy magnetic palette and 9 pan shadows. Items like the one I just describe often go sale for $10 and it is quite the steal. They have eyeshadow singles, small palette, blushes, highlighters, bronzers, magnetic palettes, cosmetic brushes, nail polish, eyeliners, lip liners, lip balms, lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, cream eyeshadows, shadow sticks, and much, much more! It is the Mecca of bargain basement shopping. ShopMissA features brands like Elf, Kleancolor, LA Colors, Santee, AOA (their house brand), Celavi, Rich On, Amuse, Beauty Treats, and Malibu Glitz. All of the featured brands are low-cost brands that you might find at your local beauty supply. Below is a list of my most recent purchase from ShopMissA:

• ·       Starry Boutique (2 - $2)
• ·       AOA Queen B 9 Pan Eyeshadow Palette Plus Magnetic Palette ($10)
• ·       AOA Purple Reign 9 Pan Eyeshadow Palette Plus Magnetic Palette ($10)
• ·       Amuse Blush (2 - $2)
• ·       AOA Black Blender (1 - $1)
• ·       AOA Sunglasses (3 - $3)
• ·       AOA Stipple Brush Due (2 - $2)

Total $30

Company Information & Pigmentation & Color Payoff & Performance:

ShopMissA is definitely a lower-cost company, but many would assume that they would not be able to ensure that their products are cruelty-free, but you would be incorrect. From the ShopMissA FAQ section of their website:

Are Your Products Cruelty Free?

Yes they are! The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has certified AOA Beauty Inc. and other brands on our site as cruelty free as part of our commitment to preventing animal cruelty and testing. PETA is the most widely recognized organization in the United States dedicated to preventing animal abuse.

You can find us listed in PETA’s cruelty free shopping guide, a database of companies who are dedicated to the humane treatment of animals. 

For many people, that is important determent regarding whether or not you are going to purchase from a vendor and I am happy to be able to share such information with you! ShopMissA distribution warehouse in Dallas, Texas, down the road from yours truly and most often shipping is covered with domestic shipments over $30.

So what about the products??? Well, you have to remember that you are paying $1, so I generally keep my expectations low in that type of situation. In all honesty, ShopMissA has some great products. Their house brand, AOA, is fantastic! Great selection of different shadows, and liquid lipsticks that are top notch! Their baked eyeshadows and their single eyeshadow are impressive, to say the least, and could consistent outlast other brands like Coastal Scents, BH Cosmetics, & Morphe. Their brushes are incredibly – soft, almost luxurious. I have a set of Morphe brushes that I was very excited about when I purchased them, but they are actually terrible. AOA’s brushes distribute products evenly throughout the face and their eyeshadow brushes blend shadows so flawlessly and with hardly any real effort. Other brands that ShopMissA carries, like Amuse, have some incredibly pigmented blushes. Although they are a little dusty, that is not something that bothers me and frankly, it is irritating when people complain about shadows and blushes that are a bit dusty. It’s the price you should gladly pay for great pigmentation. That’s how I look at it. Other brands are not something that is practical for me personally. For example, the small eyeshadow palette is in fact, packed with color, but the palettes are awkwardly shaped and the pans are so small that the application process because tedious and frustrating.

Overall Product Presentation:

You get what you pay for, and sometimes you get a little bit more – that’s how I feel about ShopMissA. There are definitely some gems amongst the various products and I think as a consumer you have to be prepared to take a chance when ordering for low-cost sites, however, I feel confident in the highlighters & blushes that ShopMissA offers, and I am particularly fond of their own house brand, AOA. Shop with caution, and try out the AOA brand if you’re hesitant. My suggestion is that you don’t spend too much money the first time. Try to find some things that you are semi-confident that will work out for you!

Rating: 4/5 ✭✭✭✭✰

Starry Boutique

AOA Purple Reign Palette & AOA Queen B Palette

Amuse Blushes

AOA Blender, AOA Sunglasses & AOA Dual Stippling Brushes

A Palette & A Partner - Week 32

This week's palette, blush & highlighter rotation was again selected by my trusty friend Wheel Decide. Due to the growing number of eyeshadow palettes, highlighters & blushes in my collection, the only reasonable way to distribute them fairly so that they each get love from yours truly is to use a tool like Wheel Decide. Palettes and other beauty items that I am testing for review are not considered a part of the weekly rotation. As many of you know I keep detailed records of all the products I own. They are divided in to categories: Face Powders, Face Palettes, Blushes, Highlighters, Foundations, Primers, High-End Eyeshadow Palettes, Small High-End Eyeshadow Palettes, Large Eyeshadow Palettes, Luxury Eyeshadow Palettes, & Affordable/Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes. Each category contains the appropriate product with the name of the product, date of purchase, oz. & grams per product, number of shadows (if applicable), tone of palette (if applicable - warm, cool, neutral), if the product is part of a Holiday or Seasonal Collection, and lastly if the product has been used, then its name is bolded. I know, crazy right? That 's Obsessive Compulsive Disorder mixed with a horrible case of perfectionism at its finest people. A lot of people think that my collection is obsessive and that my detailed inventory keeping is a waste of time, but I bet you can name one thing in your life that is a complete waste of time, but you do it anyway because it makes you happy.....Yep. So, that's what my collection is to me.

Week 32 Rotation!

BH Cosmetics - Carli Bybel Deluxe Edition Eyeshadow Palette

NYX - Avant Pop in Surreal My Heart

Huda Beauty - Muave Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette

J Cat Beauty- You Glow Girl Baked Highlighter in Moon Light

Elf Blush in Berry Merry

Boxycharm November 2017

Cover FX Illuminating Setting Spray

Luxie Beauty Quad Eye Travel Set

LAQA - Cloud Lips

KNC Beauty - Collagen Lip Masks

Winky Lux - Kitten Palette

Product Review & Haul ***Strobe Cosmetics***

Price & Purchase Process & Packaging:

I know that I am a difficult consumer. I expect excellent customer service, a pleasant customer experience, clear communication, and thorough and accurate service delivery. I expect these things because it is the practice method that I would strive to provide my customers, who chose to spend their hard earned money on my product, trusting that I will honor their confidence in me and my brand with the highest level of ethical customer relations. As with all my reviews, I give factual information based on my personal experience with a brand. I understand that there will be the occasional mishap or unforeseen & unpredictable circumstance, but a brand must continue to move swiftly in such events and service their clientele in a professional way that indicates a desire to offer a customer experience that the consumer will remember favorably. With all this being said, I would like to detail my personal experience with Strobe Cosmetics and the subpar and unprofessional behavior demonstrated and poor or rather complete lack of communication or rectification or acknowledgment of a truly dissatisfied customer.

On 9/15/2017 a payment was sent to Strobe Cosmetics via Paypal for $130.40. The order was to include their entire eyeshadow collection, as well as the Dragon Bay Collection. To be specific, the page that featured the entire collection said:

Our Entire Pressed Eyeshadow Pan Bundle includes our entire line of thirty buttery pressed eyeshadows.

(Does not include the Bay of Dragons Collection)

These shadows are packaged without our black mirrored compact, and work in all magnetic freestyle palettes.

Original price: $195.00

- Vegan.
- Each pan holds approx. 2.5 grams of product.
- Excluded from coupons
- NOT SOLD WITH COMPACTS!

Nowhere in the body of the page featuring the entire collection does it say that it takes a ridiculous amount of time to make the shadows.

On 9/25/2017 the collection shipped BUT the order wasn’t received until October 9^th AND upon open the package, I discovered several shadows complete unusable and/ or destroyed. I emailed Strobe Cosmetics and received an email the same day saying that they had been out of the office since WEDNESDAY, and couldn’t respond to emails. My first thought was, “Why the hell not? Do you live in outer space where business cell phones don’t work or in a cabin in Oregon where you might receive poor reception?” I will say that the email’s tone was apologetic, but not before reminding me that they are a two man operation….Hire More People!!!

Pigmentation & Color Payoff & Performance:

Now, for the upside of the situation where I must trudge through the muck of inadequate customer service and sad excuses (again, hire more people!) After receiving the replacement shadows which arrived 11/1/2017 5 weeks after the order was initiated, I decided to at least see if this lofty and time consuming investment was worth a damn, and I have to say, thank God I was pleasantly surprised. All the shadows are shimmer or foil shadows, a couple with a duochrome tinged to it. One thing I really love about these shadows is that contrary to popular belief, these are the kids of shades you can use in the crease, even though they have a sheen to them. They are not chunky or glittery, buy instead they’re emollient and creamy with a sophisticated and glamorous sheen that doesn’t provide an awkward appearance in the crease and looks amazingly wonderful on the lid. The combination that I used several times was Urban Princess, Candy Drop, Elixir, and Her Majesty and it made for a very effervescent, vivacious, and vibrant eye look that was perfect for a day full of sunshine or an wild and exotic evening with that special someone.

So, yeah, Bougie Brie, the shadows of great pigmentation….but do blend? What about the wearability of the shadows? I got it guys, I am here for you! The shadows blend incredibly well and the color dispense equally throughout specific areas, like the crease, the lower lashline, and the outer v. The blendability is smooth and effortless and allows the users to buff out any sheen that may make the user uncomfortable with rockin a shimmer shade in the crease. The placement of the shadow and the intended area of disbursement are apparent and easy to navigate.

As far as wear time, I was shocked at how well my eye look lasted. Minimal to no creasing, very little fading, zero to none chunk or flake fall out! I know from experience that purple based shadow are difficult to make. Next to neon colors, it’s one of those shadows that is just a troublemaker. I intentionally tested the purple, so I could see if this company was worth a damn and I am very impressed.

Overall Product Presentation:

Minus one ✭ for horrible customer service, damaged products and the length it took to replace it. It really should be minus 2 ✭✭, but I was so impressed with the shadows, I couldn’t drop another star. My experience with Strobe Cosmetics may be an isolated incident. I like to give companies the benefit of the doubt because mistakes happen and we are human assumedly trying to do our best. I would love to try some of Strobe Cosmetics other items, but for now, I don’t want to through the trouble. If you happen to order from them stay on top of your order, when you purchased it, expected ship date, and expected delivery.

Rating: 4/5 ✭✭✭✭✰

Friday Haul - O - Day: Lime Crime

Pink Lemonade Pocket Candy

Sugar Plum Pocket Candy

Product Review & Haul ***Too Faced Holiday 2017***

Price & Purchase Process & Packaging:

Let me start off this review with complete honesty. I am not that big of a Too Faced fan for a variety of reasons. I have some of their products, but they are not my favorite brand. This year I decided to invest a bit of money into some of their holiday items for my personal use and for review. I purchased 5 holiday items, 4 of which are limited edition and one that is a permanent item. I purchased The Best Year Ever ($49), Just Peachy Mattes ($45), I Want Kandee Candy Eyes ($45), Boss Lady Beauty Agenda ($58), Pretty Little Planner ($42). All items were purchased from either Ulta or Sephora depending on what products were contracted to either vendor. All products were received in excellent condition and each was packaged in the innovative, feminine, and whimsical idealism associated with Too Faced products.

·       Just Peachy Mattes – shadows packaged in a over-sized compact with a clutch type latch; face of the product adorned in a peach to crème type ombre effect, with gold lettering and gold edging

·       I Want Kandee Candy Eyes – face packaged in baby pink with gold lettering with an outward beveled top

·       Boss Lady Beauty Agenda – eyeshadows packaged with a baby pink sizeable planner with a zipper that encompasses the product from top to bottom; planner is made of a “pleather” like material and contains script lettering printed in gold, similar to the rest of the collection

·       Pretty Little Planner – eyeshadow packaged in a mint green “pleather” planner with a zipper containing a gold/brass tassel and lettering similar to the tassel

·       The Best Year Ever – packaging houses three small palettes & a pocket planner; with a little gold face & a more gold/brass lettering, the packing has detailed chevron pint all the back and binding of the planner which is made of a “pleather” like material

Pigmentation & Color Payoff & Performance:

My evaluation of pigmentation, color payoff & performance is based on my rather large and gluttonous eyeshadow collection. When I evaluate these categories I look at several things, including price per gram, other brands in the same or similar price brackets, and the originality of the product. For example, I wouldn’t compare Too Faced to let’s say Natasha Denona. Why? Price per gram, different price bracket and one I consider a luxury brand and the other is high – end. Different expectation for different levels of product.

A lot of consumers like Too Faced eyeshadow formula. They find it particularly useful for every day, practical, work looks, and it is beginner friendly eyeshadow brand. I think this estimation of the brand’s eyeshadow formula is true and it’s Chocolate Bar Palette was among the first group of eyeshadow palettes I purchased. With that being said, Too Faced is notorious for two issues consumers & beauty experts have complained about over the last several years: 1) their limited-edition & holiday products are subpar in quality and 2) they recycle their shadow concepts over and over again. I have never purchased any of Too Faced’s holiday collection items and the buzz about this year’s holiday items was highly promoted personally by the brand’s owner Jerrod Blandino. I purposed myself to buy several of Too Faced’s holiday items because I wanted to see if the negative evaluations of the brand’s past holiday items were valid. So, I purchased all the items listed above at full price.

During the evaluation of each eyeshadow palette, it was apparent to me that the Just Peachy Mattes Palette & The I Want Kandee Candy Eyes Palette were significantly better quality that the other three items I purchased. The agenda palette were a pretty average rendering of their patent varying neutral brown shades with a singular dark shadow pressed with obnoxious and unusable glitter. Go look at their last several holiday palette, hell, even their coveted Chocolate Bar Series along with the Sweet Peach Palette contains a multitude of brown shades with only slight variations that certainly don’t make a significant color difference when applied to the eye. So, if you like neutral brown shades, or are looking for a holiday gift for a novice makeup wearer or a teenager, then the agenda palettes might be worth the investment. Quite honestly, they scream “recycled gimmick” but I am sure there is a particular circumstance or personal that would find these palettes both practical and useful. They are just not useful, practical, or interesting enough for me and I will probably gift them to my niece.

Now, on a completely different hand, both the I Want Kandee & Just Peachy Mattes palette are probably the best palettes that Too Faced has ever produced. The Just Peachy Mattes palette is full of intoxicating colors which is arranged in an ombre peach color dynamic that is useful for many skin tones and depths of color. The shadows are creamy in texture and apply evenly and blend well. Definitely an upgrade in the quality department for this palette and I would dare to say that this is one of my favorite matte palettes in terms of texture, wear time, color selection, and brown-girl friendly product. On to the I Want Kandee palette….In terms of shade selection, the palette is mediocre, boring and reminiscent of many of Too Faced’s previous neutral brown palettes. There is nothing new or creative about the shade selection in any way. However, the quality of this palette far surpasses any of the Chocolate Bar palettes – hands down. Similar to the Just Peachy palette, the matte shadows are considerably creamy, dense in color, yet easily blendable on the eyes. The shimmer shadows are beautiful and pair well with the mattes and the palette is arranged in a cohesive and sensible way. Both the Just Peachy & the I Want Kandee palettes are worth the investment if you’re in the market for shades in these tones.

Overall Product Presentation:

I purchased a significant portion of Too Faced’s Holiday Collection. I think all the products have a place in this competitive market, although some products are superior to others. The agenda palette are perfect for that teenagers, college student or just people who like to collect Too Faced’s products. If you are expecting the agenda palettes to be revolutionary & innovative products, you will disappointed. The agenda palettes are replicas of Too Faced’s neutral brown toned shades that are seen in every Chocolate Bar palette, several of the 9 pan palettes, and even the Natural Love palette. But in Too Faced’s defense, the concept and idea of the palette is quite genius and is marketed to young millennials. The packaging is cute, and festive, but also very gimmicky. If Too Faced laid off the over the top packaging, an market specific concepts and invested their money in producing quality products time and time again, then I would be impressed. On the flip side, the Just Peachy Mattes palette & the I Want Kandee palette speaks to what Too Faced is capable of: classy, but not over the top packaging, quality shadows, and products that are not specifically marketed towards millennials.

Rating: 3/5

 ✭✭✭✰✰