Pur Cosmetics X Boxycharm | VIDEO | Peach and Purple Eye

Get ready with me using Pur Cosmetics x Boxycharm Eye Shadow Palette! I am testing out a few things from the beauty subscription box: Boxycharm. The look is foundation free with just spot concealing and a quick, easy, everyday peach and purple eye look!

PRODUCTS USED
boxycharm http://bit.ly/2FROq3O
e.l.f. beautifully bare natural glow lotion in rose http://bit.ly/2HlIiRu
makeup forever step 1 hydrating primer http://bit.ly/2IgKECu
makeup forever matte velvet plus in 30 http://bit.ly/2tBRXBv
it cosmetics heavenly lux foundation brush http://bit.ly/2FBEtYg
becca color corrector in peach http://bit.ly/2GFigcU
bare minerals barepro 16hr full coverage concealer in cool http://bit.ly/2GF1URC
chanel soleil tan de chanel http://bit.ly/2FKcuJL
morphe m308 http://bit.ly/2DDdYzy
pretty vulgar blush in hush blush http://bit.ly/2HKJApJ
real techniques blush brush http://bit.ly/2Gl8axS
pur cosmetics x boxy charm http://bit.ly/2FONddi
smith cosmetics 230 http://bit.ly/2FKZEdC
sigma e40 http://bit.ly/2Hruqp7
laura mercier loose translucence setting powder http://bit.ly/2FwLhpT
luxe 231 http://bit.ly/2gwvhML
too faced diamond light http://bit.ly/2FTMRSK
wayne goss 15 fan brush http://bit.ly/2FPJYCv
Sonia kashuk small shader brush http://bit.ly/2pmk1DC
fenty match stix in amber http://bit.ly/2po05Ap
butter London double decker mascara http://bit.ly/2tXUJkN
nxy tinted brow mascara in black http://bit.ly/2FuWkUI
lashes in a box number 11 http://bit.ly/2HJ9HgC
house of lashes lash glue http://bit.ly/2HpJYtg

March Detox Box |VIDEO REVIEW | Hynt Beauty

The Detox Box is a skincare, makeup, and beauty monthly subscription box from The Detox Market. The Detox Market sells the best organic, green, non toxic, cruelty free beauty products and their subscription box highlights a new brand each month. Previous boxes have included Josh Rosebrook and Skin Owl.

PRODUCTS MENTIONED
the detox box http://bit.ly/2FHjhUI
hynt beauty – sun prep http://bit.ly/2HDqLEI
hynt beauty – finale finishing powder translucent pearl http://bit.ly/2FX5KHT
hynt beauty – flawless blending sponge http://bit.ly/2FYFLzR

WHAT I’M WEARING
eyes – http://bit.ly/2FONddi
lips – http://bit.ly/2pflews
nails – http://bit.ly/2HDl2yR

WHERE ELSE TO FIND ME
beautyandbountblog.com
facebook http://bit.ly/2p7DjfJ
Instagram http://bit.ly/2p36npH
twitter http://bit.ly/2GhU8Nr
vero beauty.and.bounty

CHECK OUT ADAM’S BOOKS
http://amzn.to/2Dm4lVT
http://amzn.to/2FJOaHb

MUSIC
Winter Sunshine by Nicolai Heidlas Music https://soundcloud.com/nicolai-heidlas Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b… Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Sr0Rh4TVUSg

belif – First Aid 360 Eye Care Mask | Review

In a Few Words

A moisturizing eye mask with a pudding-like texture that is appropriate to use around the entire eye area.

Belif’s First Aid 360 Eye Care Mask is a “hydrating pudding-like eye care mask releases stress around the eyes and replenishes moisture levels to dry eye rims… The leave-on, cooling and hydrating formula—infused with mimosa herb extract—instantly cools, relieves puffy and fatigued eyes, and prevents visible wrinkles by improving the resilience of the skin around the eye. Further enhanced with three belif napiers formulas (original, detox, and dark circle formulas),” – Napiers are tinctures and formulas formulated by an herbalist,Duncan Napiers, in the late 1800’s. –  are part of  “this eye care mask fights all signs of fatigue and diminishes the appearance of dark circles and puffiness around the delicate and sensitive eye areas.” The Belif First Aid 360 Eye Care Mask comes in a 25 ml plastic pot and retails for about $35.00.

The winter weather wreaks havoc on my skin and the sensitive skin around my eyes is the hardest hit. I tend to get patches of dermatitis on or by my eyelids and the corners of my eyes get extremely dry and chapped because my eyes tend to water constantly. I picked up this mask in desperation hoping I could find something to really soothe and moisturize my sad, angry eyes. Unfortunately, this mask doesn’t offer anything more than an average eye cream would (except that it’s ok to use on your lids, but I will use any eye cream on my lids if I need to). The mask is just fine as a moisturizer, but it doesn’t offer intense hydration or cooling or soothing. Also, the texture is so weird (legitimately like pudding) that it’s awkward to get out a small amount and warm it up between fingers, so I always feel like I’m using too much and wasting it. Even though I don’t like this cream by Belif, my savor this winter has been Belif’s Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream!

The First Aid 360 Eye Mask is just fine as a budget friendly, basic eye cream, but if you’re looking for an SOS product, this will disappoint.

Notable ingredients it DOES have:
Mimosa Herb Extract: Prevents visible wrinkles by increasing skin resilience around the eyes in addition to relieving signs of fatigue by reducing irritation with tannins, amino acids, and other nutritive elements.
Napiers Original Formula: Contains ant-oxidation, skin calming, anti-trouble and antiaging properties to keep skin healthy.
Napiers Detox Formula: Purifies the skin by removing impurities and delivering antioxidants for improved skin texture.
Napiers Dark Circle Formula: Alleviates dark circles under the eyes with its antioxidant and brightening effects.

Notable ingredients it does NOT have:
Mineral Oil
Parabens
Phthalates

Possible Irritants:
N/A

Vegan: Yes

Tested on animals: No

Country of origin: Made in South Korea

Complete Ingredients:
Water, Glycerin, Hexyldecyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG/Ppg/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Mimosa Pudica Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract* , Nepeta Cataria Extract*, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract*, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract*, Stellaria Media (Chickweed) Extract*, Arnica Montana Flower Extract**, Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) Root Extract*, Galium Aparine Extract**, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract** Rosa Damascena Flower Extract**, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract+, Chelidonium Majus Extract+, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Trimethamine, Trisodium EDTA, Frangrance++, Citronellol, Limonene. *Napiers Original Formula. **Napiers Formula DTX. +Napiers Formula DC. ++Fragrances of Natural Origin.

February Empties | 2018

Glossier – Milky Jelly Cleanser

I like this cleanser, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it again. I’m not a huge fan of roses, but the rose scent is subtle enough for me to tolerate it. While the cleanser isn’t drying, it doesn’t feel hydrating or creamy or rich. I will probably buy it again next time I place an order from Glossier because it a fine utilitarian cleanser.

belif – The True Cream – Moisturizing Bomb

A true favorite! Moisturizing, thick, absorbs quickly, and leaves your skin feeling velvety. I have already repurchased it!

Paula’s Choice – Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid

It’s fine… it does what it should do but I have grown to like AHA exfoliators better and I don’t really notice a difference in my acne when I am using it.

GRWM | SOFT GLAM | DAYTIME EVENT | NATURAL GLOW

GRWM for a special event – I created a soft, pretty “my skin but better” complexion and an easy, neutral eye look using the ABH Soft Glam palette.

PRODUCTS USED
e.l.f. beautifully bare natural glow lotion in rose http://bit.ly/2HlIiRu
makeup forever step 1 hydrating primer http://bit.ly/2IgKECu
makeup forever matte velvet plus in 30 http://bit.ly/2tBRXBv
real techniques miracle complexion sponge http://bit.ly/2tEoV4i
it cosmetics bye bye under eye in light http://bit.ly/2tF7vV0
milani eye shadow primer http://bit.ly/2FJoVVj
laura mercier loose translucence setting powder http://bit.ly/2FwLhpT
anastasia beverly hills soft glam http://bit.ly/2GlEsc9
sigma e40 http://bit.ly/2Hruqp7
e.l.f blending brush http://bit.ly/2DhHTgJ
smith cosmetics 230 http://bit.ly/2FKZEdC
nyx pro blending brush http://bit.ly/2tCbuBP
sigma pencil brush http://bit.ly/2DkSo2J
tweezerman promaster eyelash curlers http://bit.ly/2DiAn5e
l’oreal voluminous feline noir waterproof http://bit.ly/2Ig64zH
bare mineral faux tan all-over face color http://bit.ly/2FBDAio
real techniques stipple brush http://bit.ly/2tJkp4L
hourglass ambient lighting powder dim light http://bit.ly/2Iij3kF
it cosmetics heavenly luxe blush brush http://bit.ly/2FBEtYg
charlotte tillburry cheek to chic in ecstasy http://bit.ly/2Gj2rIY
real techniques blush brush http://bit.ly/2Gl8axS
nyx hd concealer in fair http://bit.ly/2IjMWRr
abh sugar glow kit starburst http://bit.ly/2IkrDzg
it cosmetics brow power universal brow pencil in universal taupe http://bit.ly/2FuWkUI
nxy tinted brow mascara in black http://bit.ly/2FuWkUI
cover fx illuminating setting spray http://bit.ly/2HpJQtM
kiss trio lashes http://bit.ly/2IjaKF5
house of lashes lash glue http://bit.ly/2HpJYtg

Honey Harvest | Busy Bees

This spring brings to a close or first year of keeping bees on the farm… and I turned out to be a pretty poor bee keeper. Our hive made it through the majority of the winter, but sometime in the last year, our entire hive died. We are sure what happened – we didn’t have a particularly bad cold spell and they had plenty of honey left.

I had decided to not collect honey from the bees last fall, that way I would not have to feed the bees sugar water all winter. Because we hadn’t harvested in the fall, there was so much honey left in the hive!

To harvest the honey, we removed the combs from the hive and set up a double boiler on the stove with a strainer covered by a pot lid set over a stainless steel bowl. We took pieces of the comb and crushed them in the strainer, letting the honey drip into the bowl over a pot of boiling water. Using a pot lid over the strainer let the comb warm up more easily, warm honey dripped quicker and made separating the honey from the comb easier.

I haven’t finished my research to figure out what we will do with the comb, but I’m hoping to make some fun candles or balm out of bees wax!

We have only harvested half of our hive and have TEN pints of honey! And since we don’t really eat sugar regularly (I wanted bees for a hobby, not necessarily for the honey), everyone we know will be getting honey from us this spring!

MOST REPURCHASED PRODUCTS

belif – The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb

I am ALL over the place when it comes to skincare, but this moisturizer has a solid place in my routines. I am on my forth pot of this moisturizer (absolutely unheard of for me) and I have no intention of replacing it any time soon. It is thick and intensely moisturizing for my dry skin, but it sinks in quickly and isn’t heavy. It works really well under makeup or even as a PM moisturizer.

NYX – Tinted Brow Mascara (black)

I have tried almost every brow mascara out there and hands down this one by NYX is the best. It is extremely pigmented and can fill in the sparse areas in my brows, it builds really well to create a natural bushy texture, and it has a soft, but firm hold that doesn’t make your brows look shiny.

Real Techniques – Miracle Complexion Sponge

For awhile I was flip flopping between the Beauty Blender and the Real Techniques sponge but I finally realized that they were basically identical and the Real Techniques sponge was like a fifth of the price. The only complaint I have with the Real Techniques sponge is that it wears out pretty quickly for me so I have to replace it more frequently than the Beauty Blender, but because of the massive price difference, you will still come out ahead.

L’Oreal – Voluminous Feline Noir Waterproof Mascara

The. Best. Mascara. It builds volume and length while still separating the lashes without any clumps. I love the waterproof because it never transfers and works very well on both the top and the bottom lashes. Feline Noir works really well on top of other mascaras and always rescues me from lash disasters.

Subculture | Tips and Tricks

I was immediately draw to the colors in Anastasia Beverly Hill’s Subculture but waffled so hard on buying this palette because of all the internet shenanigans around it. While I love makeup and think I’m pretty okay at putting it on my face,  I was very intimidated by this palette.  But after seeing some of my favorite beauty account post pictures of their looks and I started to think, “yeah, I can do that too.” (Side Note – this is the same level of confidence 6 hours of the Great British Bake Off gives… I start thinking “I can make a tower of eclairs, no big deal.”)

Anyway, I’ve had this palette for two months, we’ve been on a journey together, and I wanted to share some the things I have learned that make the Subculture palette really easy to use.

Keep it simple – Because the shadows have such a high pigment content, looks can go real muddy/gray real fast. I find that the best looks I make have 2 or 3 shadows, anymore than that and things get weird. I will put color one on my crease or lid and crease, then use color two to deepen the outer corner. Then, I can safely use Electric, Adorn, or Cube as color three all over the lid. The biggest mess happens when I try to use 2 of the darker shadows (Axis, Rowdy, All Star, Untamed) in one look.

Subculture: Dawn, Fudge, Adorn

Translucent powder is a must – Setting you eyelid with translucent powder (my favorites are RCMA No Color Powder, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, and NYX HD Finishing Powder) will really help the shadows blend out evenly and will prevent the pigment sticking unevenly to your skin or eye primer. AND I also use translucent powder to blend out the edges of an eye look. Normally, I would use an eye shadow close to my skin tone to blend out edges, but these shadows are so pigmented that I can’t use Dawn to blend out the edges because it will change the color of the shadow I already have down. So I find that using a translucent powder can buff out the edges without changing the colors already on my eyes.

Subculture: Roxy, All Star

 Don’t blow it out – With other eye shadows, I will sometimes use a lighter shadow to blend out a darker shadow, but that does not work well for me with Subculture. I have the most success blending a dark color into a lighter, rather than blending a darker color out with a lighter color.

Subculture: Edge, Destiny, Electric

Place, then blend – Most of the time, I will take a shadow on my brush and slowly build layers of color until I reach the pigmentation that I want. That does not work for me with Subculture. Instead, I have most success if I used a smaller brush to place down the color, start to blend it out, and then go in with a larger, clean brush to finish it off.

Subculture: Roxy, Fudge, Cube

Small brushes are your friend – Because the shadows can go muddy/gray for me pretty quickly, I prefer to use small brushes because I have more control over the shadows.

These tips are primary for creating looks using only the Subculture palette – it does play really well with others so using one shade from Subculture with a few shades from another palette has always worked well for me, but I like being able to create looks using one palette exclusively.

Please let me know if you have any tips or tricks for Subculture! I’d really love to know if you have found different ways to make this palette work. I have fallen in love with the colors and just want to use it every day!

FEBRUARY FAVORITES | 2018

Christophe Robin – Moisturizing Hair Oil with Lavender

This hair oil is the most nourishing product I have ever used. I have dry, color treated hair and a good hair oil is a must for me. This hair oil is silicone free and contains palm oil (I couldn’t find info how how it was sourced – if that is a deal breaker for you), linoleic acid, vitamin E, and olive oil. It’s a little hard to use because it is a semi-solid and can be tough to get out of the bottle – I just take mine into the shower with me and let the heat liquefy it a bit. I hae been using it for 3 months as an overnight mask or before/after styling and I have seen a noticeable difference in my hair – it feels and looks more moisturized, smoother, and all around healthier. This will probably be too heavy for someone with fine hair.

Smashbox – Camera Ready BB Water (fair)

Smashbox’s BB Water has been my everyday, go-to base! It has light coverage that evens out skin tone, lasts all day, melts seamlessly into the skin, and sets down completely without powder. This product really gives a “your skin but better look” and does not wear away throughout the day. My biggest complaint is that it takes close to a full dropper to do my entire face so I have been plowing through it.

e.l.f. – Beautifully Bare Natural Glow Lotion (rose)

This lotion is beautiful – it is a light pink,glitter free skin perfecter. I use the Glow Lotion as a primer under foundation or as a luminous base on a no-makeup day and it gives the skin an effortless, youthful, ethereal glow. This is the perfect thing to throw on if you don’t want to wear makeup, but your skin is looking a little dull or flat.

Kate Somerville – Anti Bac Clearing Lotion

I have the biggest love/hate relationship with this product – nothing clears my skin like a good benzoyl peroxide and nothing slowly sucks the life out of my skin like benzoyl peroxide. The Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac clears all of the texture from my chin and forehead, but I walk a fine line between using it frequently enough to be effective without drying the hell out of my skin. It’s made it into my February favorites because I took a good 3 month break from it and reintroduced into my skincare this month and was reminded about effective it can be on some of the problem areas on my face.

That’s So Retrograde –

I’ve casually listened to this podcast for awhile now, but recently I have been on a binge listing to the whole catalog, and re-listening to episode I have really loved! It is a wellness podcast that covers everything from numerology to foam rolling. It is hosted by two hilarious women – Elizabeth and Stephanie. They are very well informed and yet are still constantly surprised and learning in each episode. They ask the perfect questions and have hilarious banter with their guests – even the episodes with guests I’m not particularly interested in are still entertaining. I have linked to an episode with Rose Marie Swift, the founder of RMS Beauty.

Kevin Aucoin – The Sensual Skin Enhancer Concealer and Foundation – Review

Kevin Aucoin’s The Sensual Skin Enhancer is described as “a must-have concealer and foundation that covers, contours, perfects, and corrects as it mimics the appearance of healthy, radiant skin.” You can “cover all your bases with this one of a kind, all-in-one, Kevyn Aucoin original formula. Correct, conceal, and contour with this complete coverage foundation. Jojoba oil, honey, and minerals hydrate the skin and create the ultimate soft, dewy complexion. The formula is long-wearing, sweat-proof, and perfect for all skin types and tones.” It comes in 16 shades, in a 0.63 oz plastic jar and retails for $48.00.

This product offers light (diluted with a primer) to truly full coverage and has a satin, skin-like finish. It lasts a full 12 hours without having to be set with powder and does not transfer throughout the day. Face products (bronzer/blush/highlight) blend out easily over the Sensual Skin Enhancer without a setting powder. A little goes a lonngggg way – I use a rice size amount on my forhead, chin, and each cheek. I find that a foundation brush works best to blend it out – a makeup sponge takes away too much coverage for me.

I really love this product for quick, everyday makeup. It can be mixed with a moisturizer or primer to create a tinted cream that lasts much longer than a standard BB Cream. I also use it as a foundation and it really covers everything I want to cover and truly looks like skin. I doesn’t cling to dry spots, accentuate pores, or settle into fine lines. It can be kind of hit or miss on my undereyes – I have to use the slightest amount and I do need it be set with powder. If I use too much or forget to set it, then it is a little greasy and cakey and weird.

Despite liking the product, I don’t love the ingredients or the packaging. I wish the Sensual Skin Enhancer came in a squeeze tube. As a general rule, I don’t like tubs and a tube or pump would be more hygienic and convenient. (Perhaps it’s to thick for a squeeze tube or a pot is more congruent with Kevin Aucoin’s luxury appeal.) I feel very conflicted about the ingredient list – the primary ingredient is mineral oil. My skin doesn’t have an issue with it, but I know it’s not really the best thing to put on my face. Also, Mineral Oil is cheap AF so I feel like I’m feel like I’m really paying for the name.

I think I would buy it again, but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone because of the mineral oil and the price point.

Ingredients it DOES have:
Mineral Oil
Parabens – Spehora’s site has the producted listed as paraben free, but it does contain Methylparaben

Possible Irritants:
Talc
Fragrance
Mineral Oil

Vegan: No – honey and beeswax

Tested on animals: No

Complete ingredients:
Mineral Oil, Polybutene, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Polyethylene, Quaternium-18 Hectorite, Calcium Carbonate, Dextrin Palmitate, Honey, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol,Cera Alba (Beeswax/Cire d’abeille), Butylene Glycol, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Talc, Triethylhexanoin, Methylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum). May Contain (+/-) : Iron Oxides (CI 77491,CI 77492, CI 77499), Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77491).