April 2018 Ipsy Unbagging

Ipsy Glam Bags are really such a nice thing to receive each month! For just $10/month, you get a cute makeup bag filled with 5 beauty products. So whether you want to try new products or build on to your collection, Ipsy is a great choice if you are thinking about purchasing a beauty subscription. 

This month's bag is one of the most beautifully made bags I can remember receiving. The faux leather feels very luxurious, the rose gold accents are beautiful, and the butterfly print is so cute for spring. 

The first item in the bag is Feel's Restored Warming Clay Mask. To be honest, I have way too many face masks. So this will be sitting with other face masks that I have yet to use. This mask has white charcoal powder which gives a warming effect when applied to the skin. It also has Nigiri sea salt to gently detoxify and exfoliate. To top that it contains vitamin E and hydrating hyaluronic acid to help your skin look plump, toned, and radiant. When I go through some of my other face masks, I will definitely use this. 

The next item in the glam bag was Firma Beauty's #202 Angled Blender brush. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I absolutely LOVE getting makeup brushes in my subscription bags/boxes. And I love fluffy angled brushes like these because they are so multi-purpose. You can use to apply eyeshadow or contour your nose. It is also suggested to blend out your lip color, a tip I may have to try. 

Purlisse Beauty Coconut Oil + Coffee Sugar Body Scrub is another product in the glam bag. OH EM GEE does this scrub smell delicious! They were smart to send a smaller sample size because now I want to purchase the larger size, it smells THAT good. For my ladies (and gents!) with cellulite, coffee/caffeine is great to apply to assist with smoothing the skin. This scrub also has sugar cane which helps to gently exfoliate, and coconut oil helps moisturize the skin. Very yummy scrub, I would recommend. 

Ofra is a brand I've seen a few times before in my Ipsy bags. This time Ofra Cosmetics sent over their Blush in Chameleon. It's a brighter pink than it appears in this picture, but still a beautiful wearable shade. Ofra blushes are pigmented to a little goes a long way. It is velvety smooth and doesn't look powdery/cake-y on the skin. And a tip is to wet it before application to make the color pop even more. 

The last item in the bag, also a brand I've received before in beauty subscriptions is Realher Moisturizing Lipstick in Girl Power. Deep mauve shades have a special place in my heart, because they compliment my skin tone so well. But this is a universally flattering color so anyone could wear this and look good. I loved this little guy so much that I keep it in my purse in case I need to reapply a lip color throughout the day. So cute, such a high quality, I recommend. 

If I've convinced you to finally try Ipsy ($10 a month people!), feel free to use my link:
https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=ppage_ref&sid=link&refer=xym9i

Makeup Trends Getting Left Behind In 2017

2017 has taught me SO much about  makeup application and what formulas make a good product. YouTube and Instagram are where I find most of my inspiration. And ever since Instagram became super popular and a huge influence on the beauty industry, each recent year has had obvious trends in makeup. 

So here’s what I’m retiring in 2018:


(Photo: stylecaster.com) 

“Instagram Brows”
I am so bored of seeing the dark, boxy, angled brows that Instagram beauty junkies made famous. Are they fun for photos and dramatic looks? Sure. But they’re too overdone for my taste, and I love something softer. I’ve pretty much left my brow pomades to collect dust, as pomades give that dark sharp look. Pencils and brow powders have been my go-tos for a soft feathery brow. I want a more natural looking brow, so Buh Bye Insta-brows!



(Photo: gragemood.com)

“Full Cake”
If it’s heavy and full coverage, it’s probably being left in 2017. Instagram makeup is again to blame for flawless, artificial looking skin. I want to see some flaws, some freckles. I want my skin to look like skin, not necessarily like I’m wearing makeup. Dewy sheer-to-medium coverage foundations have my name on them. The “no makeup” makeup look is beautiful to me so full cakey foundation has to go. 



(Photo: zimbio.com)

“Super Bright Concealer” 
All over social media, especially YouTube, super bright concealers are the expectation. The reality is, it doesn’t look natural and it doesn’t photograph well. Ask any makeup artist: under-eye concealer should be 1-2, MAYBE 3 shades lighter than your skin tone. I’m seeing concealer applied that’s like 5 shades lighter! It looks cakey and dry, and it looks harsh. That look can stay in 2017. 



(Photo: becomegorgeous.com)

“Contouring”
Contouring can definitely stay in 2018, my face is round - I need it lol.  But the technique of layering on a dark stripe of powdery cool-toned contour should be buried. Now, cool-toned contours work for more fair or more deep skin tones than mine. But for my Medium-Deep skin, a warm (but not orange) contour is the most flattering and it doesn’t look muddy. I also find that cream contours look wayyy better than powder. I want my face slimmed, but not chiseled - so a warm cream contour will give it to me.



(Photo: ulta.com)

“Whispy Falsies”
Ardell Wispies and Demi Wispies had their moment, but it’s on to better things this next year. And that’s Faux Mink lashes. If you’re a falsies fiend like I am, you KNOW how essential they are to completing a makeup look. I am obsessed with how natural and comfortable Faux Mink lashes are. And because the band is thin (not “invisible” but thin) brands really get to be creative with different lengths and styles while still having the lash look pretty natural. My favorites right now are Ardell 811’s and Flutter Lashes Air Light Collection. 



(Photo: seventeen.com)

“Matte Liquid Lipstick”
2015 & 2016 were the years of the dry-matte liquid lips. Liquid lipsticks were revolutionary back then because they literally stayed on all day and didn’t transfer. But the drawback was we were left with parched cracked lips. Even though formulas have really improved, I was never the biggest fan, I usually stuck to a matte cream lipstick because it’s more comfortable. All around I can tell the beauty community is bored with matte lips, and glosses are making a huge comeback! I’ve always been a gloss girl, and I’m so happy juicy glossy lips are here again. 



(Photo: dailyrecord.co.uk)

“Baking”
The trend is a trick drag queens have been doing forever, but baking the under-eye with powder was a huge mainstream thing in 2016 & 2017. It’s a technique that’s used to prevent concealer (or foundation really) from creasing and helps it last all day. Maybe it’s because my eyes are big and I have the bags to match some days, but baking left my under-eyes very very powdery looking. I still set my concealer with a powder but I do a light sweep, instead of literally caking on powder, and it works just fine. Baking done wrong gives you the “raccoon” look and causes a white-cast in photos. So this technique isn’t joining me in 2018.



(Photo: glamourpage.com)

“Color Correcting”
This is another technique used by makeup artists since forever but got weirdly popular over the past year. If you’re like me and your skin tone is pretty even and your acne is minimal, you don’t need this step. Color correcting is for those with prominent discoloration, acne blemishes or scars, and dark circles or dark spots. If foundation and/or spot concealing hides any skin problems, you don’t need to color correct. If you feel you need it, by all means. But those with clearer skin don’t really benefit from this technique. 



(Photo: popsugar.com)

“Claws”
I hate long nails, always have. So in 2018 you’ll find me with short to medium length nails. Long claws is more of a Twitter trend than anything but it’s one I’m leaving alone. I am very rough on my hands so I just can’t be bothered about losing or chipping a nail. With that, unless I’m wearing (short) acrylics - I’m over nail art. Not much is original anymore so you’ll catch me in solid colors. 



(Still from An Knook video on YouTube)

“Harsh Eyes”
I’ll be the first to say, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed with all the cut-creases, glitter eyeliner and halo eyes on social media right now. They’re relatively easy to achieve, but these eye trends are allll I’m seeing lately. That’s not to say I won’t be rocking these looks in 2018, but I have a feeling I’ll get sick of looking at them really fast. I’ve been drawn to “reinventing” the smokey eye. With all the warm toned and colorful eyeshadow palettes coming out, it’s fun to see a classic look done in new colors. But for day-to-day you won’t see me wearing an intense Insta-eye, I’ll be wearing something softer and more smoked out. 


A lot is being left in 2017 but trends are always changing so I’m sure everything will eventually be replaced. What makeup looks are you leaving in 2017, and what are you looking forward to seeing in 2108? 

Cween Turns 25 | Birthday Haul

As I'm writing this, it's Mid-October. My birthday was back in Mid-September. Which means, YES I certaintly do take celebrating my birthday MONTH seriously. This years haul, compared to last, is almost excusively makeup products. Last year I got clothes and other things because I had an entire weekend to celebrate. This year was low key. My birthday was on a Tuesday, and nothing was going on. That being said, I got a number of freebies and some other items I purchased myself!

I love cinnamon scented everything so these candles were nice. I also like "outdoorsy" scents as well so I was glad to get a candle that smells like trees.

These next items I purchased myself. This fall I am very into purple lips (and eyes). So I picked up Wet N Wild's: MegaEyes Creme Eyeliner in Eggplant, MegaSlicks Lip Gloss in That's My Jam, MegaLast Lip Color in Sugar Plum Fairy, and MegaLast Lip Color in Ravin' Rasin. I also have a thing for peachy lips for day to day so I also got: Glassy Gloss Lip Gel in 3 2 1 Glass-t Off!, and a Silk Finish Lipstick in Sunset Peach.

These  brushes I was gifted by Wet N Wild specifically for my  birthday (thank you WNW!). Included in their Essential Brush set are: an angled liner brush, a crease brush, a contour brush, and a small eyeshadow brush. I absolutely adore these brushes! So cute and girly, plus these were sold out for the longest time, so receiving them as a gift was very appreciated.

The next set of goodies were also all freebies. If you're a rewards member with Ulta you get a free eyeshadow from Urban Decay in Midnight Cowboy. The shade is stun-ning btw. From Sephora you get free deluxe samples from Marc Jacobs if you are a part of their rewards progam too. Included is a mini Le Marc Lip Creme Lipstick in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and a mini Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer. 

Sephora had pretty nice samples when I shopped their site. I chose samples of Urban Decay's Primer Potion, and samples of Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow pomade. I've always wanted to try both so I was happy about these. 

I needed some new nail polishes, so I shopped Sephora.com. I am obsessed with holographic and duo-crome nails and was pleased Sephora had some affordable options. I picked up: Formula X The Effects in Determined, Ciate London Mini Paint Pot in Deco Delight, and NAILS INC Fibre Optic in Hampstead Court. I also picked up some Kiss nail glue and Gel Fantasy nails from Walgreens. 

Also from Walgreens I was very excited to find they carried Tattoo Junkie Lip Paints. This is another item that is often sold out, and everytime I checked my local Walgreens, they didn't have it in stock. Of course I picked up the shade Whatever, because purple. I also got Wet N Wild's limited edition Coloricon Matte Liquid Lipstick in Don't Be A Plum Plum.

Glitter lips is also a trend I wanted to try, and the formula of both the liquid lip and glitter are top notch. Even better they are affordable.

The final items I purchased for myself were some things from Poshmark and Ebay. From Poshamrk I found this mark Bohista Suedeshadow Eye Quad in Exotic. This has been discontinued for a long time and my old one was damaged, but this is the perfect everyday fall eyeshadow palette. I also found on Ebay, the matching mark Bohista Suedeshine Lip Quad. I also picked up a selfie fan, because it's so necessary. And a selfie light. 

The last gift I got was from my son. He picked out this adorable bracelet, which is actually a lip gloss. This is by far my favorite gift, and I've been wearing it everywhere. 

Happy Birthday to me, and I am kind of sad my birthday month is over lol.

25 Things I've Learned by Age 25

It's crazy to think that I've been on this earth for quarter of a century. It's events like this where I like to sit back and reflect on how much has happened and how much has changed. 

This post is somewhat a letter to myself but also some advice for those who could use it. Take what I'm about to post lightly as I won't be going super in depth. Each item could be a topic of its own if you think about it. This isn't my normal beauty related post, but it was still fun to write. Without any further introduction let's get started!

1) Listen to your parents. Whether you agree with what they are telling you or not, they are only trying to help. 

2) Don't try to grow up too fast. Enjoy childhood as long as possible. Being an adult isn't all that its cracked up to be.

3) Have your own opinions and morals. Know what you stand for and what you won't put up with.

4) If it's "too good to be true", it 98% of the time is.

5) Do your homework. Study for tests.

6) Learn to say no. If it doesn't feel right don't do it.

7) Learn to say yes. Know a good opportunity when it presents itself.

8) Try your best at everything you do. You will eventually find success.

9) If you fail, learn from it and move on. Dwelling on " what ifs" is not productive. That time spent feeling sorry for yourself could be used to either start over or try again.

10) Travel as much as possible. Open yourself to new experiences and enjoy them.

11) Being a young parent has its advantages. By your early-mid 30s your child will be mostly self sufficient. #score

12) Use condoms

13) Use birth control, but avoid the Depo shot like its the plague.

14) Live with your significant other prior to getting engaged or married.

15) Despite what my generation may think, loyalty DOES exist.

16) Don't take social media too seriously. A majority of what's posted is a façade.

17) Being up to date with politics and world events is important.

18) Do your own research, stay woke. 

19) Live at home as long as you (or your parents) can bear it. 

20) Save money, and start saving early. 

21) It's OK to like trends! They're fun and probably enjoyable. Trends are temporary and most of the time harmless. "Go along with it" (to a certain extent). 

22) You will have the most friends from elementary school through the end of high school. You will lose contact with a large number of people the longer time goes on. Especially if you're in a long term relationship or if you have kids. But that's OK. Whoever stuck around is worth keeping. 

23) Don't complain about an-y-thing, unless you have a solution or suggestion on how to fix it. 

24) Karma is real. Everything you put out into the universe comes back to you. Negative people breed negative energy and events. Positive people attract positive outcomes.

25) Life is about balance. You need the bad to appreciate the good. 

Bonus) There is extreme power in prayer. 

Cheers to another 25! And Happy Birthday to me!! 

Kylie Cosmetics Lip Gloss | Review

After unsuccessfully trying to get my hands on the Kylie Lip Kit(s) since about Christmas I was FINALLY able to get something off of the Kylie Cosmetics site. One of the newest items: Kylie Lip Gloss in Literally. 

All lip glosses retail individually for $15 without shipping, or the site give you the option to buy all three for $45. The other colors Kylie has out right now are Like and So Cute. I chose Literally because it was right in the middle and I didn't want something to be too dark or too pale on me. I think Literally is a perfect nude gloss on my skintone. 

My lips are naturally very rosy, and the gloss is pigmented perfectly to cancel out the color to show up as a beautiful nude. It is so creamy, too. On a scale from 1 - 10 of stickiness, this is a 0. It's like a cream or gel but still retains the shine to make it a reflective gloss. 

I also want to mention the wand as there have been a lot of complaints circling around. Honestly, when I opened Literally, the wand's brush was kind of crazy (the hairs were pointed every which way). But after swirling it around at the top of the tube all of the hairs collected together like normal and I haven't had any problems since. I didn't think to take a picture of the before and after, but the wand is functioning as it should and it's fine to me. If you have this problem, I do know the Kylie Cosmetics' Instagram page had details on how to get a replacement wand, so check that out if need be. 

Would I recommend? Definitely yes! The gloss' formula is top notch and I've never used anything like it. The pigmentation is wonderful, the formula is moisturizing, and it smells like cookies and frosting! If you're able to get your hands on it, you totally should. Kylie's site has been consistently making her products available about once a week or so (even though they sell out pretty much instantly). I want to try the darkest gloss, Like, next. I also was able to get her new Metallic Matte lippie in King K (again, right in the middle) so keep an eye out for a review on that as well!

No-Buy Collective Haul

          Welcome back to Cween.com! Can you believe it's been a year since my last post? Things have been crazy and we'll get into all of that in a later post. But today I'm back with a haul. 

          After being on a strict makeup no-buy awhile back, I finally let myself indulge and pick up some products. Besides lip balm and hair care items, I've had pretty good discipline with not buying any makeup goodies. I'll leave links on where to purchase each item, and since I've had time to test everything out I'll be reviewing everything.

The first stop was CVS where I picked up a couple of favorites and a few things I've never tried before. 

Peter Coppola New York Argan Oil Conditioner was either on sale or being clearanced out. I grabbed a few of these because I thought I'd try to hop on the Argan Oil craze. This conditioner was really not that impressive to me. I think it's because my hair is thick and almost on the coarse side. It didn't give me the moisture or softness that I look for in a conditioner, but I would recommend this to someone with fine hair as it's not too heavy. Medium hair types might get away with using it. If you're interested in trying it out you can purchase here.

A favorite & Holy Grail hair product for me is the Pantene Truly Natural Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner. This product changed how I wash & take care of my hair. For those of us with kinkier hair textures we've been told we are only supposed to wash our hair about once, maybe two times, per week. For me that didn't work because my scalp would get too dry and dandruff got out of control. But if I washed my hair more than once a week my actual hair would be extremely dry and brittle. So when I found this it saved my hair from all those negatives. I use this mid-week when I feel my scalp is getting dry and it doesn't strip it of all the moisture like a shampoo would. I'm left with soft, touchable hair as well. Nothing but great things to say about this product. I highly recommend if you have medium to thick/coarse hair, and you can purchase it here.

Next, I picked up Wet 'N' Wild's Mega Length Mascara in waterproof. It only comes in one color, Very Black. This is another Holy Grail product that I continue to repurchase. I use this as the last coat of mascara that I apply because it gives great length, and the design of the brush is absolutely amazing for separating lashes and reducing clumping. You can purchase it here.

One product I did not like and immediately returned was the Wet 'N' Wild Mega Impact Mascara. The brush is like every basic mascara brush out there. It claims to provide "Extreme" volume and length but it does not do any of that. The formula is not that great and it left my lashes clumpy and spidery. I do not recommend this product, but if you'd like to take a risk, you can buy it here.

Next I picked up a London Soho New York Love It Load It Travel Atomizer. This little guy is amazing to bring along in a clutch for a night out when you need a refresher. It's simple to use and less expensive than a Travalo. It is a little flimsy and the cap can bend if you're rough with it (in my case, it was stepped on). But it's so perfect if you want to bring your scent along with you and don't have the space to bring along the entire bottle. This is smaller than some lip products and can fit in your pocket. I also haven't experienced it leaking so that's good. The link I'm providing is more expensive than for what I bought it for. CVS sold it for $5, but you can find it here.

Another item I returned is Milani's Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss. I don't even remember the name of the shade but I was just not a fan. I like lip products that are creamy and moisturizing. And I don't want my lip glosses to be overly sticky. This one, one a scale of 1-10 of stickiness was definitely a 10. If you don't mind that, then this may be an item to try. Also for the color, it was a milky pink when I thought it would be a bit deeper. For fair to medium skin tones, the color would look good. For tan to deep skin tones it's going to be too pale on the lips. To purchase, you can buy it here.

The last product that I bought to try out is Milani's Power Lip Lasting Gloss Stain. I have the shade Macaroon. It's a really pretty mauve-rose color. This product starts off sticky but fades into an almost balm-like texture. The color fades into a lovely less intense shade of mauve-rose stain after a bit. You can get it here. 

Lastly from CVS, I really enjoy their makeup wipes. They don't dry out easily and they are effective in taking off all of your makeup, even waterproof, at the end of the day. These are an essential, and my 2nd favorite makeup wipes after Ponds. To purchase you can get them here.

                

The next group of products I picked up from Walmart. I like their lip crayons so I wanted to try more shades. I picked up Honey and Cherish from the Colorburst Balm Stain collection. They've slightly repackaged the line since I went shopping for these. The color Honey is my favorite lip crayon period. It's a dupe for one of my favorite Avon lipsticks which has been long discontinued so I was so ecstatic to find this. Cherish is a bright pink (think Nicki Minaj) and is great for a spring or summer lip. You can pick them both up here. 

                

Hard Candy The Perfect Cover Up Clarifying Concealer. This item has been discontinued so I'm unable to find a site that sells it. I picked up the darkest shade Walmart had available which was Tan. That was too light for me at the time, so I think I'd manage to be able to use it in the winter. I love the concept of it. It comes with a stick concealer that is nice and creamy, and a blending brush on the other end. 

Also from Walmart, I picked up Revlon's PhotoReady 3D Volume Mascara. It only comes in one shade, Blackest Black, and it's waterproof. I got this because it was being called a dupe to Benefit's They're Real Mascara. The brush is definitely somewhat similar as there are bristles that surround the tip of the wand. The differences I've seen, besides price, is that because PhotoReady has more bristles that are longer and softer, it leaves lashes more separated and defined. But it doesn't lenghten lashes the way They're Real does. Both mascaras I would recommend, it all just depends on what type of lash look you're going for. They're Real gives you more statement lashes as it darkens and gives length. If you want really volumized, defined, "hairy" looking lashes that don't clump or get spidery, use PhotoReady. 

You can purchase the Revlon mascara here.

On a separate trip to Walmart, I picked up the last items of this haul. My favorite gel eyeliner and mascara.

Wet 'N' Wild's Mega Eyes Creme Eyeliner in Black. It comes with it's own brush which is very nice and thin. This product does dry out quickly, but it's easy to bring it back to life with some setting spray or water. It's creamy like the name implies and relatively long lasting. You can buy it here.

I needed to pick up another tube of my all-time Holy Grail Mascara. If I could only bring one beauty product with me on a deserted island, I'd immediately say Maybelline's The Colossal Cat Eyes mascara. I've tried the waterproof and absolutely loved it. This time, because it was in a pack with Maybelline's Unstoppable Eyeliner, I tried the washable version. It's still long lasting, doesn't flake, and every bit as wonderful as the waterproof version. No matter what formula I buy of this mascara, it's number one. You can pick up the eyeliner here, and the mascara here.

That's all for this time. I'm so happy to be back posting for you all again!