Essence Cosmetics - All About Candies & All About Nude Eyeshadows (Review & Swatches)

Continuing on with my Essence haul, I'll share with you the All About Candies Eyeshadow palette, which is a collection of soft pastels, creamy to the touch and featuring a rainbow assortment of shades.

 I also picked up the All About Nude Eyeshadow palette which is a nice dupe for the Wet N Wild Melrose at Night palette that was a very coveted Fall 2014 Limited Edition product (you can see my post about that collection here).

Essence All About Candies Eyeshadows

Essence All About Candies Eyeshadows - Swatches (no primer)

The All About Candies Eyeshadow Palette swatches very beautifully, except the peach, pink and purple shade seem to swatch exactly the same. I'm most impressed with the yellow, blue and green shades, which are very unique and really do wear well over primer for 6-8 hours without fading. These palettes are only $4.99 so I wasn't expecting anything amazing out of the shadows, but I was very pleasantly surprised! I wouldn't recommend this palette if you're looking for 6 unique pastels, but you will receive 4 different identifiable shades, in my opinion. 

Essence All About Nude Eyeshadows

Essence All About Nude Eyeshadows - Swatches (no primer)

The All About Nude Eyeshadow Palette was extremely impressive, out of the whole bunch I only found one dud, and that is the 2nd shade in the top row - this color is poorly pigmented (probably due to its matte nature) and basically just won't show up on my skin at all. The shimmers are all very distinct colors, I especially love the dupe for MAC's Sketch which is the final swatch and the rightmost shadow in the bottom row of the palette. This palette can give you either a romantic look or a vampy look, depending on which colors you apply and the level of intensity you apply them with.  I highly recommend this palette.

Overall, I think these palettes are very good quality, in terms of their value for the price. They are soft and buttery and easy to apply on the eye, as well as having good lasting power (especially if you use them over a primer). I think your happiness with these palettes is probably going to be related to the color selection - you will definitely enjoy these palettes if you wear the one you choose!

Essence How To Make Your Face WOW Make-Up Box

Hello from Canada! I'm visiting my family for awhile and have found some goodies at a local Shoppers Drug Mart. I'm very impressed with their Essence collection as I have a hard time finding the products in the US sometimes (although Ulta carries them, the displays are usually ravaged and picked through). To my surprise, everything was in pristine condition and I was able to grab a couple of items!

Essence - How To Make Your Face Wow Make-Up Box

The first product I want to review for you is the How to Make Your face WOW Make-Up Box, which contains 4 face products: a bronzer, a highlighter and 2 blushes (one peach and one pink). This make-up box retails for $9.99 and I find it to be a drugstore version of the Benefit Cosmetics Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes or the Tarte Pin Up Girl Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Palette released for the Holiday 2014 season. I love what a great deal this set is, you're receiving 4 generously-sized face products, each priced at $2.50.

Essence - How To Make Your Face Wow Make-Up Box

With the exception of the pink blush featured in this make-up box, all other face products are shimmery - most of the shimmer is an overspray but there is still a noticeable amount when the products are swatched. I am very pleased with the texture and overall smoothness of application of these Essence products. I admit that I knew I would love these blushes before I purchased them because I'm a huge fan of the Essence Silky Touch Blush singles. The pink color is extremely pigmented and can be a little scary in the pan, but I promise that if it is applied gently and with a light hand, it has a nice, naturally flushed look on the face.

I took some close-up swatches in natural lighting without any primer or foundation underneath so you can get a sense of just how pigmented and smooth these colors are. There isn't any noticeable chalkiness or chunkiness to the products. I like the attention to detail and all of the kits offered in this line really remind me of the much more expensive Benefit boxed sets. Most of all, I think this is a wonderful set because of its travel-ability - you can easily carry this small set and have a good variety of products to complete your entire on the go.

What are your favorite products from Essence and do you have any product recommendations for me from this brand? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Urban Decay Holiday 2014 Sets (Vice 3, Vice LTD, 24/7 Eye-Liner Pencils, Revolution Lipsticks and more!)

Urban Decay - Vice 3 Palette - Holiday 2014 (Limited Edition)

Urban Decay - Vice LTD Palette - Holiday 2014 Sephora Exclusive (Very Limited Edition)

VICE 3 versus VICE LTD

Can we just start off this post with the massive controversy about the two *separate* versions of the Vice palette which were released for Holiday 2014? One was the regular Vice 3 and the other was a Sephora VIB Rouge-only special called the Vice LTD - now this latter one must have sold out in 30 minutes and bloggers/forums have been up-in-arms about it ever since.

Now you can see from the above photos that there are similar colors in these palettes, but all of them are supposedly brand new shades from Urban Decay. While I don't think you would need *both* of these palettes, if you're a collector you might want to try to get your hands on both (good luck!). Personally, the purples and pinks in the Vice LTD appeal to me, so I would rather have that one, so I hope that it gets re-released in a larger quantity closer to the holidays. Both palettes seem to have satin mattes and shimmer shades, but they are predominantly shimmer palettes. Both palettes retail for $60 at Sephora. You also receive a free matching bag with this purchase.

Urban Decay Full Frontal Lipstick Stash Set (Limited Edition)

Full Frontal Lipstick Stash Set

This is a cute mini lipstick set with 6 shades of Revolution Lipstick and it includes a full-sized 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone (Clear), this set retails for $39. I love the idea of this set because you can experiment with various shades of lipstick rather than having to commit to one. The amount in each mini lipstick is 1g compared to the 2.8g of each full-sized Revolution lipstick, so you're getting about 36% or roughly one-third of a full lipstick with each sample. I'm also really impressed that they included a 24/7 lip liner which is full sized, regular retail price is $20, and in a clear shade. You may be wondering why they included a clear shade, but the reasoning is very intelligent and practical: you can use this under any color of lipstick and since you are receiving a variety of nudes, pinks and reds, you can use it underneath to prevent feathering since they are very intensely pigmented and can tend to bleed since they are very smooth.

I have to admit that this set is probably my favorite unique concept Urban Decay has come out with in a while.

Urban Decay - TEN 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set - Holiday 2014 (Limited Edition)

TEN 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set

This set boasts a variety of 10 different-colored 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (for which Urban Decay is famous for since they have beautiful pigmentation and glide on smoothly without tugging at your eyes) for $52 and a Grindhouse dual-pencil sharpener. This set is a steal since each eye-liner from Urban Decay retails for $20!

You receive one full-sized Perversion Eye Pencil (this is an intense black matte which is great for the waterline) and 9 travel sized pencils in various shades ranging from pink, teal, neutrals, gold and purple. The travel sized pencils are exactly two-thirds the size of a full-sized product so they will last you a long time. This is my favorite eyeliner set Urban Decay has released in the past few years for the Holidays.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Double-Ended Eye Pencil Set - Holiday 2014 (Limited Edition)

BLACK MAGIC 24/7 Glide-On Double-Ended Eye Pencil Set

Now you may be asking yourself "Wait, Didn't I just see an eye pencil set from Urban Decay for the holidays???" and the answer is: Yes, they decided to release 2 options. I think this is because the first set featured was a more adventurous color selection and the Black Magic Set is a lower-priced, darker and more conventional set. So naturally, I'm not so much of a fan of this one because I can easily dupe these colors in my collection.

It's worth noting that this set does NOT come with a Grindhouse Dual-Ended Pencil Sharpener, and there are no full (1.2g)or travel-sized liners (0.8g), but they are less than half of a full size (0.5g) or 42% of the size exactly. You receive 8 colors in this set and the black featured is the 24/7 Black Velvet pencil (this is a smoky black that definitely smudges off the waterline and is best used as a base for a smoky eye since it has to be "set" with a powder to stay put). The greatest range of color you will receive is a darker charcoal, a glittery teal and a metallic purple with more blacks and browns sprinkled in. I'm really not jazzed about the value of this set or the variety you're receiving.

Naked Illuminated in Aura

NAKED ILLUMINATED in Aura Shimmering Powder For Face and Body

This is a finely milled, baked powder highlighter in a soft peachy pink shade which was just released but is not listed as being Limited Edition, so this is probably part of their permanent collection. This retails for $29 but can be used for your face or body and could add a nice touch of shimmer for the holiday season.

All Nigter Makeup Setting Spray Duo

ALL NIGHTER Makeup Setting Spray Duo

Urban Decay also released a $39 duo bundle of their Makeup Setting Spray, which is a fantastic deal if you love their setting spray because a single All Nighter will set you back $30, so for another $9, you receive 2! This doesn't seem like a holiday-specific deal as I can't find "Limited Edition" on it anywhere on the Urban Decay website.

Review & Comparison: Jordana Liquid Eyeliner Pencil (Aqua Stone)

I have been on an obvious Jordana kick lately and it has been fun discovering and trying out various products from the uber affordable line. The quality of their products has really knocked my socks off in the past few weeks and I'm happy to report that their 12 HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Stone is no exception.

I was instantly drawn to the greyish metallic blue shade because it jumped out at me in the display, it seemed so unique and pigmented just from the packaging alone. Thankfully, the swatch turned out just as amazing as the packaging! It glides on so smoothly, applies easily and stays on for at least 10 hours (I know the claims are 12 but I took my makeup off before the 12HR mark). There was no budging during the wear time, even though I had rubbed my eyes and my eyes watered some.

Here's what the Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Stone looked like after 2 hours of wear. Not too shabby, right? It has far exceeded my expectations and partially the opacity might come from the metallic and blue based nature of the shade (I have noticed blue eyeshadows and eye products in general last longer than other colors). Overall, this makes me want to pick up a few more shades from this line! 

The only negative point is that you have to sharpen the pencil yourself since it isn't mechanical (that's not a deal breaker in my opinion). 

I pulled out other blue eyeliners from my collection to compare the quality of them for you. Obviously this isn't so much a shade comparison as it is one of quality, wear and application.

You can tell from the swatches that the sparkle in the Jordana 12 HR Liquid Eyeliner Pencil was similar to that of the Makeon Waterproof Gel Pencil Liner in Aqua Deep Blue. I thought that the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (in both Flipside and Mainline) applied much more patchy and broken up when layered compares to the Jordana pencil eyeliner. The MAC Softsparkle Eye Pencil (in Peacocked, this shade was Limited Edition) was much harder and less gel-like, making it more difficult to apply - the sparkle is also not recommended for waterline usage.

This Jordana 12 HR Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Stone is going to become my go-to bright blue shade as it is the perfect bright medium metallic blue, with a consistency that is gel-like and very long lasting power (comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils).

Have you tried this or similar products out? Let me know your recommendations in the comments below!

DIY Blackhead Pore Strips & What Are Blackheads?

Are you sick of having gunky blackheads all over your nose, forehead, cheeks or chin? Have you tried the Biore (generic brands of this are CVS, Walgreens, etc) Deep Cleansing Pore Strips and loved how they work but hated the price?

Well I have the perfect solution with these DIY Blackhead Pore Strips! I didn't even realize how bad my blackheads were until I used this at-home DIY and saw how much debris there was in the aftermath and my nose became all clear and so smooth to the touch. My nose feels like softer than a baby's butt, I kid you not. I dare you to try this at home and see for yourself!

It's so easy you don't even need to buy anything you don't probably already own.

You only need:

- Egg whites

- Toilet paper

1. If you have eggs, separate out the egg white from the yolk into two separate bowls. You can keep the yolk for a moisturizing skin treatment at the egg or add the yolk to your breakfast, if you wish!
2. Then place egg whites in a thin layer over your problem areas (you can do your whole face if you need to).
3. Take your toilet paper, separate it into 1-ply sheets (usually toilet paper 2-ply which means there are 2 sheets to every square, gently pull them apart to achieve two 1-ply sheets).
4. Put 1-ply toilet paper layered on top of your egg white, you want to do this relatively quickly before the egg begins to dry and set.
5. Then cover the top of the toilet paper layer with another layer of egg white to make sure it sticks down in place.
6. Wait 15-30 minutes (depending on how thick your egg layers are) until your face is completely dry, crunchy and flaky. You can then gently peel the layers off your face.
7. Take a look at the backs of your DIY Pore Strips and check out the blackheads stuck to it! Voila! IT WORKED!

The benefits of these DIY homemade peel-off pore strips are that you can save tons of money but more importantly, they do not contain the adhesive that the commercial pore strips have which can leave a residue on your skin and cause you to break out! The benefits and ease of this DIY have made it my go-to pore cleanser and I hope it becomes yours!

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TL;DR - watch this informative video from YouBeauty if you don't want to read my explanation below:

Blackheads are comedo which can be yellowish, brown or black. A comedo is a term which describes a widened hair follicle filled with oil (sebum), skin debris and bacteria. If you have blackheads, this is called an open comedo, and if they are white, this is called a closed comedo.

Blackheads are the beginning of acne, which means that they form before the bacteria can completely overtake the inside of the pore and they can later develop into a pimple. You can see an increased amount of blackheads during intense hormone production phases (such as puberty, before menstruation, during pregnancy) because hormones stimulate sebum over-production.

If you're wondering why blackheads are dark, it's because of the melanin found in sebum which is the same substance that gives skin its color and can oxidize (or turn dark) when it is exposed to the air. If you see blackheads, scrubbing them and washing vigorously will not remove them as they are actually inside of your pores rather than at the surface and they are not made up of "dirt".

The production of blackheads is not related to hygiene. It is recommended to wash your face twice a day, but not rigorously, and any more than that can actually irritate and aggravate the condition of your skin. Dietary habits are also unrelated to the production of sebum or blackheads.

If you want to use a cleanser to prevent blackheads from forming, you should reach for one which is for oily acne-prone skin, containing salicylic acid rather than alpha-hydroxy acids (these can irritate skin further).

Review & Comparison: Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil (Continuous Almond)

The Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil in Continuous Almond is a new purchase and I wanted to share with you the uses of this product as well as my opinions on the quality compared to similar products on the market. You get a nice amount of product, and this only cost me $3.99 at my local Duane Reade.

You can see in the swatch that the color is just slightly lighter than my natural skin tone and it has a nice amount of coverage even on the first pass (bottom swatch), but can be built nicely and does not ball up or become separated. The pencil does need to be sharpened, this isn't a twist-up mechanical pencil.

From left to right: L'Oreal Silkissme (Highlighter), Jordana E/S Pencil (Pink Evermore), Milani Shadow Eyez (Sand Dunes), Jordana E/S Pencil (Eternal White), Jordana E/S Pencil (Continuous Almond), Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter, Rimmel Scandaleyes (Nude)

I went through my collection of eyeliners and found the ones that are most comparable to the Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil in Continuous Almond. The closest dupe I found was the Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude, but this is a thinner pencil and would be more difficult to apply all over the lid, I also think it has more sheer coverage.

I also wanted to compare Continuous Almond to others in the Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil range, namely Pink Evermore and Eternal White.

Swatch comparisons for the Jordana Eyeshadow Pencil in Continuous Almond

You can see from the swatches that Jordana E/S Pencil in Continuous Almond and the Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter are the smoothest, most full coverage of the pencils (Chella's pencil has a more brightening effect, however and seems to have line-filling properties).

The Jordana E/S Pencil in Eternal White is patchy and cannot be layered as nicely as the Continuous Almond shade, I often use this as a base but struggle to get an even application. The Jordana E/S Pencil in Pink Evermore is the same formula but it has shimmer so it gives off a different finish. You can see that the Milani Shadow Eyez in Sand Dunes is a golden glittery version of Continuous Almond.

L'Oreal Silkissime in Highlighter is by far the hardest textured pencil of the bunch, it applies the least creamy but has a long staying power, it literally has to be rubbed off or else residue remains (I experienced this with my swatch).

Overall, I highly recommend the Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil in Continuous Almond, it has better staying power than the Milani Shadow Eyez, better coverage than the Rimmel Scandaleyes pencil and is a smoother application than all of the other comparisons. This pencil could work well as an all-over nude shade or as a base for eyeshadows (this will probably be my primary use for this shade).

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Terra Crave

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Terra Crave

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, then you'll know that I love the formula of the Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stains. For my money, these are the least expensive and best quality chubby stick balm stains on the market. I think the quality far surpasses that of the NYC or Wet 'N Wild equivalent. These chubby sticks are long-wearing, deeply moisturizing and provide a nice amount of pigmentation without being too overwhelming. These are the perfect combination of color and moisture.

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Terra Crave

Terra Crave is a beautiful terracotta medium red shade with a slight tings of orange. In the entire shade range, this stands out to me as a very autumnal shade which is akin to the color of turning leaves. This is a very multi-purpose terracotta color which can be worn day or night for a "your lips but better" look while adding a little bit of a tint to your natural lip shade.

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Terra Crave  - Lip Swatch

You can tell from the application on my lips that the formula is somewhat glossy, but not sparkly, and this is probably due to the fact that it is an intensely moisturizing formula. The color is build-able so you can intensify it if you feel the need or wear it more muted.

Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stains

I wanted to compare Terra Crave to the other shades of Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stains that I own so you can see the difference.

Swatches of Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stains

Tropical Frenzy is a medium bright pink, Candied Coral is an intense neon coral, Cranberry Crush is a berry purple rose shade, and Terra Crave is a terracotta reddish brown. The moisturizing shiny finish is consistent throughout the range and all of these apply equally smoothly.

Terracotta Lip Crayon/Balm Stain Comparison

I also wanted to show you how the Terra Crave shade compares to other similarly colored products on the market. The L'Oreal Glossy Balm and the Urban Decay Super-Saturated Lip Color have a similar finish to the Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stains.

Terracotta Lip Crayon/Balm Stain Comparison Swatches

The swatches reveal that the Annabelle Twist Up Lipstick Crayon in Romance is by far the most pink-toned of these shades, while the Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick in Brooklyn is the darkest spice brown shade. 

The Urban Decay Super-Saturated Lip Color in Glinda is the most sheer, being closely duped by the L'Oreal Glossy Balm in Lovely Mocha. 

The Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stain in Terra Crave is halfway between the shades of the L'Oreal Glossy Balm and the Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Creme in Thoughtful.

If you're interested in drying spice or terracotta shades for the fall season, I highly recommend the Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stain in Terra Crave... the price commitment is so low (at only $2.99 each) and I'm sure you will be impressed by the overall formula of this product line by Jordana. I have tons of Chubby Balm Stains and I reach for these above all of my others on a regular basis! They even have a sweet, candy scent to them which I find extremely pleasant.