Glamour Doll Eyes: Review + Swatches

I was recently given the opportunity to do a review for my blog on the company Glamour Doll Eyes & I could not be more excited to share them with you! The owner was kind enough to let me choose 6 sample eyeshadows to try out and give my opinion on. :)

Actually, this was kind of a no-brainer for me because I have to admit - Glamour Doll Eyes is already a company that is well known to me, that I have purchased from in the past.. and still continue to purchase from. ;) I personally think that Glamour Doll Eyes has excellent customer service and that is my number one when it comes to purchasing from any company. 

In my experience - shipping has always been quick, inexpensive (+ shipping is always free on sample orders!), the products are packaged neatly (bubble mailer, jars are sealed) and I've always received business cards (and even promotional business cards for other indie companies), stickers, eyeshadow samples, and product information for upcoming collections and/or product information for the collections I had purchased from with my orders. I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty awesome to see other indie companies supporting one another. I really love their professionalism when it comes to advertising their brand and everything that goes into the packaging (pictured above) - it is well thought out and very well put together.

One of my favorite parts about Glamour Doll Eyes is that they are quite literally the only company I know of that offers the "try before you commit" rule - when you order samples from the company and later decide you want (or, you know.. absolutely need) a full size version of the product, they will deduct the cost of the previously purchased sample from the full size if you shoot them an e-mail. How amazing is that!?

They carry a nice range of products - from loose eyeshadows and blushes, eyeshadow primer and foiling serum, and lip glosses to the newly released 'glitter tubes' (loose cosmetic grade glitter mixes with the option to even customize your own blend!), and their soon to be released gel eyeliner 'static line.'
Glamour Doll Eyes' products are not exclusively vegan, but each product page clearly lists information on whether or not the product is vegan, what the ingredients are for each product, and what the specific product is approved for in terms of use (eyes, lips, face, nails, etc.). The labeling on my sample jars also lists ingredients, whether or not it is vegan, and whether or not it is lip safe. When browsing/shopping the website there is an option to 'shop by' and you can narrow it down to vegan only or even non vegan as well as shop by color, finish, which products are new, and even their best sellers (this always helps when I am feeling overwhelmed with color choices, haha).
The icing on the cake, for me, has always been the option to purchase sample sizes of the eyeshadows and not have to compromise on the packaging. I'm really not a fan of sample baggies (I honestly rarely ever touch them because I find them inconvenient and a bit messy) so it is so much more appealing to me to be able to purchase sample sizes in jars. Sample jars are a bit more expensive than their sample bags ($2.50 for a sample jar, $1.25 for the sample baggie) but you are also getting double the product in a jar vs. baggie. Their full size eyeshadows retail for $6 and you have the option as to whether or not you want sifters in your jars (if you opt out of the sifters, the jars will contain a bit more product).

I find that Glamour Doll Eyes is constantly working on new and exciting products as well as actively looking for feedback from their customers. They occasionally have flash sales and post specials on their Facebook page & from time to time they even have contests and giveaways going on over there! If you aren't already a fan of their page, I highly suggest heading on over to their Facebook page and liking them so that you can stay up to date and maybe catch their next promo. ;)

You can check out their website here and see all the beautiful colors they have to offer. :) I don't want to make this too terribly long to read, so if there is anything I failed to mention or address in this review, it will likely be answered in their FAQ section here. Please note that at this time they are currently away until May 30th (you can still submit orders, but they will not begin processing until then).

For my review, I decided to pick out some colors that I've had my eye on but kept holding off on ordering. Katie's Storm is actually a color I received as a sample from one of my very first orders a while back (no idea what happened to it :/ ) - I never, ever thought I would like this shade as much as I do, but once I saw it in person it immediately went on my 'must have' list! Presumptuous, Arrogant, and Thoughtless are from the 'Matte²: Masculine' collection - I absolutely love (and am probably a liiiittle bit obsessed with) matte eyeshadows, but I am even more excited that these are all a little more unique and have an added color sheen twist to them. Bittersweet and Malicious are from the 'Pick Your Poison' collection, all of which have the same beautiful neutral/taupe base but with an added duochrome pop of color. ;)

I swear I did swatches on about three or four separate occasions, and I just could not do them justice. They all look even more beautiful in person especially the color sheen on the 'Matte²: Masculine' collection shades. They are to. die. for.! I am so bummed that they didn't show up very well on camera, I hope you will still be able to see some of the colorful sheen that each color has and I promise you they are more apparent in person. All of my swatches were done over Tick:Tock Cosmetics Infinity Eyeshadow Base in 'Milky Way'.

Katie's Storm, Bittersweet, and Malicious

Presumptuous, Arrogant, and Thoughtless

Katie's Storm is a really beautiful light grey but I swear it almost looks a bit 'dusty' (which just makes me love it even more). Bittersweet and Malicious have the same gorgeous taupe base color, but Bittersweet has an orange and slightly golden shift while Malicious has a very obvious (and quite beautiful) blue shift that almost seems a bit violet at some angles (at least to me, it does. haha). Presumptuous is a matte yellow with a light purple sheen. Arrogant is a matte deep teal (that leans more on the green side) with a pretty blue sheen. Thoughtless is really vivid medium matte blue with a pretty striking orange sheen (it was definitely the most obvious color shift of the three)!

I'm really impressed with the 'Matte²: Masculine' collection as a whole. I have a handful of the other shades from the collection and I think if I had to choose, it is by far my favorite collection from Glamour Doll Eyes so far! I really like the added color sheen that each color in the collection has.. it gives the matte eyeshadows a nice unexpected twist and really sets them apart from other matte eyeshadows on the market. I can see myself using Katie's Storm quite a bit.. I find that it's kind of perfect for everyday wear (mostly because my favorite colors are grey and brown.. or taupe!). After trying out the two colors from the 'Pick Your Poison' collection - I think I may just have to pick up the rest. I love love love the base color and the duochrome just makes them even more captivating. All in all, I have no complaints! If I had to think of something to "improve" I would say that I kind of wish Presumptuous had a stronger purple interference. ;) haha

I'm hoping to post more Glamour Doll Eyes swatches soon, including the other shades I own from the 'Matte²: Masculine' collection - so, be on the look out! :D

FTC: These products were sent to me for review by Glamour Doll Eyes. I am not being paid to write this post and all opinions on the products and the company are my own. The photos were taken in natural lighting and are unaltered aside from cropping/adding text.

Ipsy Quick Look: April 'Beauty Rocks' Glam Bag

My bag contents this month:

• Mary Kay At Play Jelly Lip Gloss in 'Teddy Bare' - .32 fl oz/9.5ml
• dr. brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant - .25 oz/7.5g
• Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse - 1.6 oz/50ml
• Elizabeth Mott pop! goes the shadow in 'Champagne' - 0.07 oz/2g
• Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Black Velvet' - 0.8g/0.03 oz

I have to say.. I'm not all that thrilled with my bag this month. The bag itself is actually a pretty blurple shade (in person) and appears much more blue in my photo - not really digging the 'Beauty Rocks!' wording (a little too cheesy for my taste) but I do really like the vinyl record print! ;)
As for the products... I really just dislike lip gloss in general. In my honest opinion it's typically just a big gloopy (is that really even a word? because it seems entirely appropriate..) mess. Sorry, but it's just not for me. :P

The microdermabrasion skin exfoliant will be interesting to try out & I've seen really good reviews on this product. My skin is pretty dry and I'm always on the look out for exfoliating scrubs but so far Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish has been my favorite. The volumizing spray mousse will surely get used, but it's not all that exciting.

I'm not a huge fan of the Elizabeth Mott eyeshadow now that I've seen it in person. It looks absolutely nothing like I thought it would based on the product picture on the website. It's actually a near dupe for Urban Decay's eyeshadow in 'Sin' - seriously. And I probably have like a dozen of those already. haha It's not that 'Champagne' is a bad eyeshadow at all.. it just isn't really unique or breath taking, you know? 

The highlight of my bag this month is definitely the new Urban Decay eyeliner. I've been looking forward to trying this out and it really made the entire bag worthwhile for me (what can I say? total eyeliner junkie!).

This month I decided to do some comparison swatches. The eyeshadows are swatched over Tick:Tock Cosmetics Infinity Eyeshadow Base in 'Milky Way'. Elizabeth Mott pop! goes the shadow in 'Champagne' is slightly more peach, while Urban Decay's 'Sin' is slightly more pink. I also did a comparison swatch of Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Zero', the new 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Black Velvet', and the highly coveted 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Perversion'. The biggest difference between 'Black Velvet' and 'Perversion' (at first glance) is that it is noticeably warmer in tone - it looks a bit more brown in comparison. It also has a different formulation and is meant to be a powdery texture allowing it to easily blend and smudge out.

Quick comparison swatches this month:

Elizabeth Mott pop! goes the shadow in 'Champagne' on the left

Vs.

Urban Decay eyeshadow in 'Sin' on the right

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Zero' on the left

Vs.
Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Black Velvet' in the center

Vs.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Perversion' on the right

Hopefully next month will be a better month for me. ;)  Are you an Ipsy subscriber? Did you discover any new products you can't live without? Let me know in the comments & thanks for viewing! xoxo

If you're interested in signing up for Ipsy I would love if you use my referral link by clicking here. :)

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service. For $10 a month (free shipping within the U.S.), you will receive 4-5 deluxe or full-size beauty products in a 'glam' (cosmetic) bag. You may cancel your subscription at any time (unless, of course, you sign up for a yearly subscription). Ipsy currently has a point based referral system in place (when someone uses your specific referral link to sign up for the monthly glam bag, you will receive 250 points). The points you accumulate can be used to redeem for monthly bonus item(s) in your next glam bag. You are encouraged to give feedback on the products you receive each month, which will help them match you to more relevant products in the future.

FTC: This subscription is paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and the subscription company. If you choose to use my referral link, I will receive referral points on the Ipsy website. The photos were taken in natural lighting and are unaltered aside from cropping/adding text.

Madd Style Cosmetics: Aaahh! Real Monsters! Collection + Tardis Swatches

Back in January I won an amazing giveaway hosted by the owner of Mudd Slinger Ceramics and Crafts - part of the prize being a gift code to spend at Madd Style Cosmetics! :)
Since Madd Style Cosmetics is currently having a huge clearance sale (yes, a sale on sale!), I thought that I would go ahead and be a bit of an enabler by posting some swatches of what I had picked up with my gift code last month. ;)
Yep.. this is basically just a quick post to show you how lovely the 'Aaahh! Real Monsters!' Collection is, as well as a swatch of 'Tardis' because.. well, I couldn't pass it up either. And it's gorgeous. haha

All shadows are swatched over Tick:Tock Cosmetics Infinity Eyeshadow Base in 'Milky Way' and were photographed outside in natural sunlight. Click on the photos. Seriously.
Ickis has a beautiful slight pink shift to it, and you can kind of see the pretty aqua sparkles (much more apparent in person, hard to pick up on camera), Krumm has an amazing blue duochrome - in person the base color almost matches my skin tone (slightly more peachy) but the duochrome is strong and gives this shade a beautiful soft blue overlay. You really have to see these in person, my camera doesn't do them justice!

Madd Style Cosmetics 'Oblina' on the left,

and 'Ickis' on the right

Madd Style Cosmetics 'The Snorch' on the left,

'The Gromble' in the center,

and 'Krumm' on the right

Madd Style Cosmetics 'Tardis'

As I am typing this - ALL of these colors are still available in the sale section on the Madd Style Cosmetics website. Collections on sale are currently down to $15, and single eyeshadows on sale are down to $2.50! Are you planning to pick anything up (or did you already shop the sale)? Let me know in the comments! :)

Thanks for stopping by <3 <3

FTC: These products were paid for in part by using a gift code I had won and any remainder was paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and company. All photos were taken by me in natural lighting, &are unaltered aside from cropping.

Ipsy Quick Look: March 'Destination Beauty' Glam Bag

My bag contents this month:

• NYX Love in Rio Eyeshadow Palette in 'Barefoot In The Sand' - 3 x 0.035 oz
• Chella Eyeliner Pen in 'Indigo Blue' - 1ml/0.034 fl oz
• bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in 'Get Ready' - 1.5g/0.05 oz
• Pixi Beauty Flawless Beauty Primer - 12ml/0.4 fl oz

Kind of obsessed with the print of the bags this month, and I absolutely love the idea behind it! I hope that this will be a continuing theme with Ipsy featuring more artists for future bags. :) Also really pleased with the items I received this month. I feel as though these are actually products I would have chosen to try this month if given a choice.. just coincidence or ipsyMatch hard at work? I'm not sure.. but, I love it!

Okay, so.. bad news first? When swatching the NYX Eyeshadow Palette, I found that the colors weren't very pigmented. I actually had a hard time trying to build up the color. :( This was pretty unusual for me because I always use an eyeshadow base (or more specifically.. a primer and a base!), and it generally makes even the dullest of colors POP. However, I swatched this trio over my Tick:Tock Cosmetics Infinity Eyeshadow Base in 'Milky Way' and still couldn't get them to show up very well.. I probably wouldn't purchase one of these trios, but I am glad I was able to try this product and am not disappointed to have received it. They are still very pretty colors, even though they are quite subtle.
I was pleasantly surprised by the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick. I really didn't think I would like the color at all, but it's quite lovely and looks absolutely nothing like the 'swatch' on their website. It also feels super moisturizing! I think I might actually check out the other colors available from this line. ;) My hands-down favorite product from my bag this month is the Chella Eyeliner Pen in 'Indigo Blue'. Words cannot even begin to express how much I loooove the color of this eyeliner! Such a nice break and much needed surprise after receiving countless black eyeliners between Birchbox and Ipsy. haha  As for the Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer.. I have yet to try it, but I have high hopes because it says that it is 'hydrating' - fingers crossed!

Here are my quick swatches this month:

NYX Love in Rio Eyeshadow Palette in 'Barefoot In The Sand'

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in 'Get Ready' on the left,

& Chella Eyeliner Pen in 'Indigo Blue' on the right

Are you an Ipsy subscriber (if no, why not!?)? ;) Which items did you fall in love with this month and which products could you have done without? Let me know in the comments! :)

If you're interested in signing up for Ipsy I would love if you use my referral link by clicking here. :)

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service. For $10 a month (free shipping within the U.S.), you will receive 4-5 deluxe or full-size beauty products in a 'glam' (cosmetic) bag. You may cancel your subscription at any time (unless, of course, you sign up for a yearly subscription). Ipsy currently has a point based referral system in place (when someone uses your specific referral link to sign up for the monthly glam bag, you will receive 250 points). The points you accumulate can be used to redeem for monthly bonus item(s) in your next glam bag. You are encouraged to give feedback on the products you receive each month, which will help them match you to more relevant products in the future.

Thank you for viewing! <3

FTC: This subscription is paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and the subscription company. If you choose to use my referral link, I will receive referral points on the Ipsy website. The photos were taken in natural lighting and are unaltered aside from cropping.

Madd Style Cosmetics: Greyed Out Green Tutorial

I recently placed an order because I had to have 'Ship of Fools' - it is such a gorgeous shade of green! My inspiration was primarily based around this color because I felt compelled to use it right away.. seriously. I kept trying to think of other color combinations I wanted to try, but I kept coming back to 'Ship of Fools' every. single. time. ;) So, I hope that you all love it as much as I do! <3
I apologize in advance for the lighting.. Arizona does not think that it's time for fall yet, and the sun was shining obnoxiously bright. ha ha

Top left: Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer,

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero,

Benefit Cosmetics 'They're Real!' Mascara, 

MicaBeauty Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner in Black,  

&Tick:Tock Infinity Eye Shadow Base in 'Milky Way'

Bottom left: bdellium tools brushes #777, #781 and #716,

Real Techniques 'accent brush' & Tarte double-duty eyelining brush

Top &bottom right: Madd Style Cosmetics eyeshadow pigments in: 

"Heart of Gold" Potion, Birf'day Suit, Ship of Fools, Witch's Brew, and Touch of Grey

As always, start out by applying your preferred eye shadow primer and eye shadow base. I went pretty easy on the eye shadow base for this look.

Apply 'Ship of Fools' all over the lid and just slightly into the crease.

Grab a fluffy crease brush and lightly blend out 'Ship of Fools' in the crease.

Start slowly adding in some 'Touch of Grey' in the outer corner/crease. Don't worry about making your edges perfect - you can easily go in with a q-tip lightly dipped in makeup remover if you need to! :)

Grab your fluffy crease brush once again and start blending out 'Touch of Grey'- if you need to, lightly add in a bit more 'Touch of Grey' and continue to blend. Keep doing this until you are happy with the overall shape and have it blended the way you want.

Go in with a shade that is close to your skin tone (I'm using 'Birfday Suit') and blend out around the edges of 'Touch of Grey'.

Grab 'Witch's Brew' and apply to the center of the lid (I used my little accent brush to make it easier). Next, apply a little bit of 'Heart of Gold Potion' to the inner corner/duct area.

&Last but not least - add some eyeliner and mascara to complete the look. :)

Thank you all for viewing! xoxo

Birchbox Quick Look: September 'Heritage' Box

My box contents this month:

• benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in 'Sugarbomb' - 6.5ml/0.22 fl oz
• RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer in 'Delirium' - 0.17 fl oz/5ml
• Racinne Ultimate Youth Power Eye Serum - 5ml/0.17 fl oz
• Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive - .25 fl oz/7ml
• COOLA Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face - .10 fl oz/3ml

Not bad this month, Birchbox! I'm actually excited to try everything I received. I'm typically partial to Zoya when it comes to nail polish.. but this RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer in 'Delirium' looks amazing! It's almost a blurple shade but when the light hits it just right, it appears nearly fuchsia. The eye serum is generously sized and I'm sure I'll be able to get enough use out of it to figure out whether the product works for me or not. I've received so many COOLA samples from subs the last few months that I was slightly bummed to see another one.. but who am I kidding? At least it is something that I can and will use (Arizona, need I say more?)! Also disappointing to note that the sample packaging seems to have changed from the convenient little travel-size tube to a non-resealable packet (which also contains less product..!?). I've tried the Juice Beauty Peel in the past and although I like it, it hasn't given me any noticeably amazing results.. however, my skin is difficult and frustrating. So.. maybe it's just me. :(  Last but not least, I'm definitely not a huge fan of lip gloss - but this one has a bunch of gorgeous little multi-colored sparkles! I'm thinking it will look quite lovely layered over some other lip colors. ;)

Are you a Birchbox subscriber? Which products did you fall in love with this month and which products could you have done without? Let me know in the comments! :)

If you're interested in signing up for Birchbox I would love it if you use my referral link by clicking here. :)

Birchbox is a beauty and 'discovery' subscription service. For $10 a month (free shipping), you will receive a selection of samples to try. Samples may range anywhere from skincare to makeup and the occasional non-beauty related extras (or 'lifestyle' extras). You may cancel your subscription at any time (unless, of course, you sign up for a yearly subscription). Birchbox awards points for reviewing the products you receive each month - each review is worth 10 points, 100 points are equal to $10 that can be used toward purchasing full-size items in the Birchbox shop!

Thank you for viewing! <3

FTC: This subscription is paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and company. If you choose to use my referral link, I will receive a bonus of 50 points to use on the Birchbox website. My photos are taken in natural lighting and are unaltered aside from cropping.

Ipsy Quick Look: September 'Classic Beauty' Glam Bag

My bag contents this month:

• Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil in 'Obsidian' - 2.4g
• butter LONDON Nail Lacquer in 'La Moss' - 6.0ml/0.2 fl oz
• NYX Single Eye Shadow in 'Cryptonite' - 0.088oz/2.5g
• Elizabeth Mott 'It's So Big' Volumizing Mascara - 0.14 fl oz/4ml
• Cailyn Cosmetics Tinted Lip Balm in 'Big Apple' - 0.14oz/3g

Absolutely looooving the color of the cosmetic bag this month! As for the pattern printed on it.. I'm not entirely sure (...and while I'm on the topic, it doesn't really seem to fit the theme of 'Classic Beauty'? Is it just me?). I really wasn't "wowed" by the items sent out this month, to be completely honest, but I did receive the couple of items I was really hoping for over all. So, there's that!
The butter LONDON nail lacquer is a mini (which is super cute, by the way!) in the color 'La Moss'. They describe this particular shade as a "vampy deep, dark red nail lacquer full of red wine, just like its inspiration." and I'd have to agree that their description is spot on! I feel like this color is pretty unique and I don't currently have anything like it (I know, I know.. hard to believe, huh?). I'm also pretty thrilled with the Cailyn Cosmetics Tinted Lip Balm. I was kind of worried that the color leaned a bit more orange-red, but I actually found it to be more of a red-pink. It isn't nearly as moisturizing as a typical lip balm would be - but the color payoff is incredible and I'm in love with the fact that it's matte (and has some serious staying power).

I could go either way with the Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil. It's not incredibly exciting based on the fact that it is just a basic black eyeliner. I will likely find a use for this but it definitely won't be replacing my beloved Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils! Just from swatching the pencil on the back of my hand, I didn't find the formula to be very creamy/buttery smooth.. but, I won't be writing it off just yet, either. The 'It's So Big' mascara sample is intriguing and I'm really looking forward to trying it (it might be a while, however, because I've recently acquired a mass amount of mascara samples!). As for the NYX Single Eye Shadow.. I won't even bother to open/swatch this product. I love eye shadow - honestly and quite literally, it is my number one most 'hoarded' (a.k.a. gotta catch 'em all) cosmetic product. ha ha  But I just don't really use black eye shadows, and this shade doesn't strike me as being particularly unique in any way. Bummer!

Here are my quick swatches this month:

Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil in 'Obsidian' on the left,

& Cailyn Cosmetics Tinted Lip Balm in 'Big Apple' on the right

Are you an Ipsy subscriber? Which items did you fall in love with this month and which products could you have done without? Let me know in the comments! :)

If you're interested in signing up for Ipsy I would love if you use my referral link by clicking here. :)

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service. For $10 a month (free shipping within the U.S.), you will receive 4-5 deluxe or full-size beauty products in a 'glam' (cosmetic) bag. You may cancel your subscription at any time (unless, of course, you sign up for a yearly subscription). Ipsy currently has a point based referral system in place (when someone uses your specific referral link to sign up for the monthly glam bag, you will receive 250 points). The points you accumulate can be used to redeem for monthly bonus item(s) in your next glam bag. You are encouraged to give feedback on the products you receive each month, which will help them match you to more relevant products in the future.

Thank you for viewing! <3

FTC: This subscription is paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and company. If you choose to use my referral link, I will receive referral points on the Ipsy website. The photos were taken in natural lighting and are unaltered aside from cropping.

Madd Style Cosmetics: Subtle Color Tutorial

I've been wearing a lot of neutrals on my eyes throughout the month so that I could play up my love for bright eyeliners, hehe. Because of this, I felt like doing something a little different but I still wanted it to remain 'subtle' while incorporating some color. :)
I apologize in advance for the lighting.. it's been quite cloudy lately & we're finally starting to see some rain!

Top left: Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer,

Tarte lights, camera, lashes! Mascara,

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero, 

MicaBeauty Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner in Black,  

&Tick:Tock Infinity Eye Shadow Base in 'Milky Way'

Bottom left: bdellium tools brushes #781, #716 and #777,

& Tarte double-duty eyelining brush

Top &bottom right: Madd Style Cosmetics eyeshadow pigments in: 

Birf'day Suit, Pish Posh, Not about the Money, and Cheermeister

As always - start off by applying your primer and a base :)

Grab 'Pish Posh' and start applying to the inner corner/duct, stopping at about the center of the lid. 

You could keep this color strictly in the inner corner/duct if you prefer!

Take 'Not about the Money' and start applying this to the center of the lid, overlapping 'Pish Posh' - make sure to leave a little room in the outer corner.

Very lighty, apply a little 'Cheermeister' to the outer corner of the lid.

You'll want to go back in and blend your colors a bit more. I also brought 'Cheermeister' up above the crease and brought the color closer to the inner corner of my eye. 

When you're happy with how your colors look, go in with a matte eyeshadow that is close to your skin tone (I'm using Birf'day Suit here) and blend up to the brow and soften your lines :)

Last but not least - mascara and eyeliner! Since these colors have some shimmer to them, you may also want to go in with a q-tip (lightly dipped in makeup remover) to wipe away any fallout you may have.

Thank you all for viewing! xoxo

Birchbox Quick Look: August 'Finishing School' Box

My box contents this month:

• (MALIN + GOETZ) vitamin e face moisturizer - 2 foil packets, .04 fl oz/1.2g ea.
• Stila stay all day liquid lipstick in 'Beso' - 0.03 fl oz/1ml
• Whish Exfoliating Body Wash - 22ml/.75 fl oz
• Whish Deodorant Swipe with hair inhibitor - 2.3g/.08oz
• It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product - 59.1ml/2 fl oz

Feeling a little bit indifferent about my Birchbox.. However, I do feel like the Stila stay all day liquid lipstick in 'Beso' is the star of my box this month! I have actually been eyeing the stay all day liquid lipsticks for a while, so I had my fingers crossed & I'm really happy to have received it. I've also heard a lot of rave reviews on the It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product, so that should be fun to try. :) I highly doubt it'll be replacing my all time favorite Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle, though! I originally wasn't very excited about the Whish Exfoliating Body Wash, but after reading the description on the Birchbox website I'm feeling more optimistic that I'll be able to put it to use. Apparently the product formulation is gentle enough for use on the face, who knew!? Customer service over at Whish has confirmed this, so I'm excited to give it a shot!
As for the foil packets? I don't even want to talk about it. I loathe them and I am so over receiving them. :P

Here's a quick swatch of the star product from my box this month:

Stila stay all day liquid lipstick in 'Beso' swatched on the back of my hand (no primer, no base).
This amazing lipstick starts off as a liquid and dries down to a matte finish that doesn't budge <3

If you're interested in signing up for Birchbox I would love it if you use my referral link by clicking here. :)

Birchbox is a beauty and 'discovery' subscription service. For $10 a month (free shipping), you will receive a selection of samples to try. Samples may range anywhere from skincare to makeup and the occasional non-beauty related extras (or 'lifestyle' extras). You may cancel your subscription at any time (unless, of course, you sign up for a yearly subscription). Birchbox awards points for reviewing the products you receive each month - each review is worth 10 points, 100 points are equal to $10 that can be used toward purchasing full-size items in the Birchbox shop!

Thank you for viewing! <3

FTC: This subscription is paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and company. If you choose to use my referral link, I will receive a bonus of 50 points to use on the Birchbox website. My photos are taken in natural lighting and are unaltered aside from cropping.

BeautySage Quick Look: Editor's Pick Box (August)

My box contents:

• Clark's Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask - size not specified
• Christopher Drummond Beauty Sateen Blush in 'Plush Pink' - size not specified
• clariSEA Sea Salt Solutions Beachy Waves Salt Spray - 1 fl oz/30ml
• Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap - 1 oz/28g
• One Love Organics Brand New Day Microderma Scrub & Masque - 15ml/0.5oz

BeautySage is a company that is a bit new to me. I've seen the company mentioned a few times here and there due to the sample boxes they offer, but had never purchased any personally (until now!). From my understanding BeautySage is the online shop for YouBeauty.com. They only sell products that are "proven to work" - and in doing so, the products they sell are chosen by the editors, chemists test the claims, and they have a product test panel in place to get honest feedback on the products. You can read more about it here.

The BeautySage sample/brand boxes are not subscription based and they tend to sell out quickly. The best part, at least for me, is that you are able to see which products are included in each box before buying (you can see any current sample boxes that are available by clicking here) - I feel like this makes it a lot easier to decide whether or not the box is right for you (and, of course, whether or not they are even samples you're interested in trying!).

I was really excited to see the August "Editor's Pick" Box (and had to have it immediately) because I had already been debating whether or not I wanted to buy and take a chance on the One Love Organics Brand New Day Microderma Scrub & Masque. The size included in the box retails for $12, and the price of this entire sample box was only $10. I really really couldn't pass it up. ;) Aside from the scrub, I noticed a sample of my beloved Rose Hips Black Soap would be included along with a sample of a beach wave salt spray for hair (I am seriously obsessed with these lately..). It's like this box was meant for me! ha ha

I was pleasantly surprised to see that all of the samples in this box are generously sized and have more than enough product for multiple uses! To top that off, all of the sample packing is incredible - Now, this is going to sound silly, but.. I am a sucker for samples that have the same packaging as their full-size versions. They are so much easier to use, and I absolutely hate messing around with foil packets.. (cough, Birchbox, cough)..

For example, here are the items that didn't have a specified size/weight:

Unfortunately, this particular sample box is sold out.. BUT, I highly recommend checking out BeautySage and keeping an eye out for future sample boxes. ;) They have a lot of fantastic products available in their shop and are currently offering up free shipping on any order for a limited time.

Thanks for viewing! xo

FTC: This sample box was paid for by myself/by my boyfriend. I am not being compensated to write this post, these are my honest opinions on the products and company. The photo was taken in natural lighting and is unaltered aside from cropping.