Makeup Withdrawal

Showing posts with label Samples/Samplers. Show all posts

TheBeautySampler Review

Friday, April 2, 2010

So apparently, I also received a second package yesterday, in addition to the ACW order. Only in my excitement at seeing the larger, more promising package and my haste to bring it indoors to play with it, I neglected to see a slimmer padded envelope in the back if the mailbox that contained my pigment samples. So today, I finally got around to sampling them. I bought samples of four pigments; Blue Brown, Kitschmas, Rose and Deckchair.

I ordered last Thursday (a week ago), and received a confirmation instantly, along with a USPS delivery confirmation number. However, it wasn't until the 27th (three days ago) that I actually was emailed a notice saying that my order was filled. A little slow by my impatient, instant gratification needing standards.

The samples are 1/4 teaspoon in size, and $2.49-3.00 and come housed in small clear jars with screw top lids.

I picked TheBeautySampler.com because they had a free s/h promotion deal, and their prices were among the cheapest that I've found, for that size.

In total, I spent $10.47. It may seem a lot for four little jars with a tiny amount of powder, but I'm a buy-before-you-try kind of gal. I suppose I could just buy and return full size MAC pigments if I didn't like it, but it seems a little wasteful, because they can't resell that jar just because it didn't suit me.

Anyways, the pigments:

Kitschmas is a very pretty light lavender, super sparkly.

Deckchair is a soft peachy pink shimmer. Bit too pearly for my own taste, but a nice color none the less.

Rose (Pro pigment) is a dark pink and gold shimmer. The consistency of this pigment is not as smooth as the others, it is chunky and harder to work with.

Blue Brown is a shimmery burnt sienna with aqua interference.

Note: Deckchair was LE. Both Rose and Kitschmas really needed some sort of base/primer to show the color off. Hated Rose, the consistency was awful, hard to work with. It cakes like crazy. I've been told that it works great with clear lipgloss for a beautiful gloss or on the cheeks (not too keen on that, seeing how over the top sparkly it is.). Kitschmas also transferred really easily, so I'd be weary of fallout, unless looking like you had a fight with the Sparkle Fairy was your intention (and she won). I really like Blue Brown, which surprises me. It's not really up my alley, but it's rather unique. It's hard trying to figure out how to wear it though, it doesn't immediately suggest any other shades to pair it up with.

In the Blue Brown swatch, I also used a black base- e.l.f.'s Creme Eyeliner in Black. (Like how I did that? I'm nothing if not thorough)

Primer: UDPP

Base: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
All products shown were purchased by me, for my own use.

BeneFit To Go

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

One of the many Sephora emails I get prompted me to browse through a few $10 dollars or less items that they had, and I walked away a happy camper. Possibly the best thing I purchased was a BeneFit best sellers sampler pack. It contained a little compact of Some Kind-A Gorgeous, a little tube of High Beam, a mini Posietint and a small bottle of That Gal.
Here's the break down for those who've never tried BeneFit's products before.
Some Kind-A Gorgeous- is not a true foundation- but actually a primer/foundation mix. It's in creme form and is very light to the touch. This is great for people who usually use tinted moisturizer and want to move to the next step closer to true foundation. I think people with oily skin will find that it a little too sheer, and that it doesn't stay for very long. I have combination skin and the best use I found for this was to keep it in my purse for convenient touch ups- while haul around powder, foundation, or concealer when you have this? I absolutely love it. One other problem is that the full sized product doesn't come in many shades, just one tan and one light formulas. I wish they could accommodate women with dark skin tones.
High Beam- A cult favorite. I too, truly love this highlighter. It's a beautiful pinky pearl shimmer liquid that looks great on brow bones, cheek bones and the bridge of your nose. I find that the full sized product is a little too expensive for me ($24 for 0.45oz) but again, this sampler is so easy to keep in your purse, so that you can look fabulous on the go.
That Gal- It's supposed to be a brightening face primer. This is actually the product that I didn't like all that much out of the four. I didn't really see any brightening what so ever nor did I feel like it did the job of priming. It's a great deal though- the normal sized That Gal is only 0.37oz and this trial size alone is 0.25! I think it might work best on super pale complexions, not medium, olive or dark tones.
Posietint- The best for last! I'm a bit iffy about stains- I always thought the dark tones made me look brooding and sallow- and I haven't met a light color that I liked...until now! Posietint straight out of the bottle looks bright Barbie pink, which scared me a little bit. But on my lips, a few small dabs give me naturally flushed lips that I love. Too much of it though, will make me look very tacky. A word of advice about applying this to the cheeks- apply the tiniest bit with a foundation brush that already has a bit of foundation in it- that'll apply it evenly instead of blotching it- you don't want to look like you have a bad rash on your cheeks!
This is the BEST sampler that I have purchased yet, all of these products now travel with me all the time- you really don't need anything else for touch ups.
Cost: $10 at Sephora