New MAC Lipsticks

I recently picked up two MAC lipsticks, Candy Yum-Yum and Sunny Seoul! 

Candy Yum-Yum is a matte lipstick, described by MAC as a "neon pink". Accurate! I wasn't expecting it to be as bright as it is when I ordered it online. I was a little scared when I first swatched it, but it looks really nice on, especially with light/neautral eye makeup. This lipstick is incredibly long lasting, it almost works as a stain. 

Sunny Seoul is a lipstick I picked up on a whim. MAC's website describes the shade as a "frosted light warm pink" and I agree! I've been reaching for it a lot over the last couple of weeks as I find it's a flattering shade on me and very easy to wear. It's a cremesheen finish, so it's more moisturizing and gives a slight 'sheen' to the lips.

Both lipsticks were $15.00, and I'd recommend checking them out if pink lipsticks are your ~thing.

Next on my lipstick wishlist:
Saint Germain
Plumful

QVC New Beauty Testtube | August

Here are the contents from this month's New Beauty Testtube!

They arrive in a cardboard tube, as shown above. The New Beauty Testtube is a subscription service from QVC that costs 36.68 with shipping and handling, and ships about every two months. This is the second tube I've received and there were 8 products to test out in each tube. I like this because so far, I've been able to test out more well known brands that I haven't tried anything from yet. Reading the reviews for this last tube, however, many of the products seem to be repeats of past shipments for people who have been getting this for a while. I know I received a Philosophy shower gel the last time, but I really liked it so I didn't mind getting one again. You can either order one at a time, or sign up for automatic delivery. If you sign up now you will receive New Beauty Testtubes for August, October, January '13, April '13, August '13, and October '13. You can cancel your subscription at any time. Now, onto the products!

 Algenist Firming and Lifting Cream

This cream says "Alguronic acid and ProPeptide work together to improve skin, increasing firmness and elasticity by 15% in 10 days." It also says that it contains avocado and olive fruit oils. I have yet to try it as I'm testing other face creams right now, but it looks really nice, and I'd say they sent a good size product. 

Laura Geller Waterproof Eye Spackle

This is a waterproof eyeshadow primer (as the name implies) and says it can be used for eyeshadow, as well as in the hollow next to your nose. It contains light reflecting pigments to help brighten the eyelid area. I've tried it once so far, and it really helped my eyeshadow and eyeliner stay put through a 13 hour work day. I'd say to only apply it and then blend in one spot at a time, as it drys quickly and then can become difficult to blend. It has an easy to use brush tip and you twist the bottom to push out more product. It's in fair to light, and some of the reviews on QVC's website said they were unable to use it since they had a darker skintone. This wasn't a problem for me as I'm very pale, but it's something to look into if you have a darker complexion. 

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

I was SO excited to get this! I had gotten a sample of this from Sephora a bit ago, and I've been trying to use the smallest bit at a time to make it last. I really like it but I really didn't want to spend the money on the full size, which is $36.00 from Sephora. This isn't the full size, but it's about the size of their "To Go" version (.4 fl. oz.) which is $17.00 from Sephora. It glides on the skin and feels silky smooth, and I really think it helps my foundation stay put throughout the day. I'd say this was a pretty good sized sample as you only need a small dollop to prime your whole face. I was most excited about this product in the tube!

 Mally High Shine Liquid Lip Color

This is lipgloss smells sweet and fruity, and it's a really nice pink shade. I'm not much of a lipgloss person myself, (I always buy them and then they sit unused in the drawer) but I think this is a really nice product, I love the scent and I like the packaging. I'm sure I'll get some use out of it!

Philosophy 'Love Sweet Love' Shampoo, Bath and Shower Gel

I never expected to be that impressed by the Philosophy shower gels, but I ended up really liking the one I got in the last Testtube. I'm not sure if I love it enough to buy a full sized bottle of it, but I was happy to get another one in this Testtube! I also really like the scent of this one.

Bliss Lemon + Sage Body Butter

I've never tried a body butter before, but I've reeeeeally been liking this one! The smell is so fresh, I love the smell of lemon. It also makes my skin feel very soft and smooth, and it sinks into my skin nicely. The only thing I don't really like, is that since it's a small amount in a smaller tube, is that you have to shake it all to the bottom to get it to come out. Not a huge deal, just a small annoyance.

Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil

This is an oil that can be used on your skin as a moisturizer, or on your hair to tame flyaways and treat split ends. My skin is mostly normal, but leans more towards the side of oily than dry, the idea of putting an oil on my face is less than appealing. I'm way more likely to use it on my hair. I tried it once, and I don't have a lot to say about it. The smell is ~alright, but it's barely there. I suppose I'd rather have next to no smell than a bad smell, but I'd prefer it if it was stronger. I also didn't notice much of a difference to my hair. I think in the future I'll stick with my MoroccanOil, but it was nice to give this a try.

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner

I was quite excited to try this as I've been hearing lots of good things about Ojon lately. I have bleached blonde hair, so this seemed like exactly the type of thing my hair would need. It does seem to help my hair feel stronger and detangled, but not necessarily that soft, so I always use a leave in conditioner after I use this. I'm still on the fence about whether or not I'd buy a full size version of this, but I'm glad I was able to try this!

Along with the products, you get this pamphlet  of sorts with descriptions and directions for each product, which is quite nice. You also get a 'magazine' with it, but it's really just all ads. 

Overall I'm quite pleased with the New Beauty Testtube so far, and I'm excited to see what I'll get in October when the next tube ships!

MyGlam Bag | August

'Endless Summer'

 This month I was really excited to open MyGlam bag! Right away I noticed that we got another Andrea's Choice nail color, and as I'm obsessed with nail polish, it made me happy.

 This month we received two Eclos Plant-Based Beauty skin products. The first was Cellular Activator Skin Serum, which says it uses Plant Stem Cell research to awaken dormant skin stem cells. The second product was the Anti-Aging Regenerative Cream which also uses Plant Stem Cell technology to protect your skin's stems cells, in turn promoting self-renewal of your skin to slow the signs of aging. They recommend using the cream over the serum. They both smell very natural. I have yet to try them as I have a lot of skin care products I feel I need to get through, but they look nice. 

 The nail polish color I received this month is Ringmaster, a neon/fluorescent pink. I've been looking for a color like this so I was happy to get it! It goes on matte, so you'll need a top coat if you prefer a shiny look. It's also a bit sheer, even with a couple coats, which I don't mind, as it's still very bright.  

 I don't have a lot of feelings for this Clean Skin roll on perfume. It smells nice enough, I don't love it or hate it. The smell is not overpowering at all, it's very subtle. I can see this living with my other perfume samples but not getting a lot of use.

  I was excited for this MyGlam lipgloss! It's bubblegum pink (and smells like it too!) and has a really nice flexible applicator. I'm much more of a lipstick person, but there are times I feel like I need a lipgloss, and I don't own a pink one in this shade! I like the packaging and smell, and although it seems to be a bit sticky I'm sure I'll get use out of it.

I was least excited about this product - Salty Cosmetics loose eye shadow. It looks white in the jar but has a violet sheen to it. It's not that it's not a nice enough shade, I just don't see myself having any use for it. I also feel it's a bit juvenile, like something I wouldn't bought from Bonne Bell when I was little.