Tag: foreo

MJ’s Top 12 Beauty Products of 2018

.Reading time 9 minutes.

2018 was a crazy and intense year for beauty for me. I amassed so many beauty products in 2018 and it’s a lot you guys, a lot. I got introduced to a lot of new brands because of ipsy as well as FabfitFun and I found a lot of things that I really liked because of those subscription boxes. 

All of these opinions are my own per usual.

NYX Worth the Hype mascara

Why I love it: This one of my early purchases this year and it is a pretty good mascara at the price point. (it retails for $8.00 on the NYX Cosmetics website) You get pretty good volume that doesn’t look super fake even with a few coats. This was my go-to mascara for the first half of the year, it came out really early in 2018 and it was my absolute favorite for such a long time this last year. It lasts all day, it doesn’t irritate my eyes unlike some mascara’s because I have super sensitive everything and I was a huge fan of it.  

Artic Fox Hair Color in Wrath

Why I love it: So I got my hair colored professionally for a long time, I am not naturally a red head but I love the color that I have had since probably 2013. It became for feasible for me to dye my own hair and Artic Fox was one of those brands that I had seen online before so I knew what it was. It is a beautiful color and everyone loves it, I am still trying to get better at dying my own hair because it’s hard you guys I always miss spots. It was something like $16 at Sally Beauty and that is a lot cheaper than having it done at a salon. The dye is also vegan and cruelty free which I am always really excited about when it comes to beauty products. 

Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation in shade 0.5

Why I love it: Urban Decay was the first prestige foundation I ever got when I was younger when everyone was still using powder foundation, I talked about that in one of my haul posts when I bought the product. It doesn’t break my skin out, it isn’t super heavy, and it looks amazing. (It retails for $40 at Ulta) It is more on the pricy side so I find myself subbing it out with less expensive foundations for my everyday just going to work wear. It doesn’t clog my pores though and every time I wear it I fall in love with it over and over again.

Foreo Luna Fofo

Why I love it: I got this in my summer fabfitfun box and I use it all the time. It makes my skin feel great. (It retails for $89 on the Foreo website) I would for sure buy from their skincare range in the future. It is on the pricy side but I was lucky enough to get it in a subscription box, seriously one reason that I am always so hyped about getting the fabfitfun box four times a year. 

Colourpop All-Star Setting Spray

Why I love it: I am not a person who usually uses a setting spray but I got this one on a whim (honestly it was to qualify for free shipping because I am one of those people) but I actually really like the product. 

Murad Skin-Perfecting Lotion

Why I love it: Again another gem from one of my fabfitfun boxes from last year, I use it every morning and it makes my skin feel so good. I am already planning on buying another tube when I run out of this one. (It retails for $40 on their website as well as other beauty retailers.) 

Soo’AE Rose Mist

Why I love it: I used this for the first time over the summer when I burnt the crap out of myself and it was just a little extra hydration for my skin and it really helped out. Now I use it whenever my skin feels dry or tight because even just that little bit helps out so much. Now that we are in the winter months it is so dry outside and a mist is so useful. (It retails for $14 on their website, I got it at Wal-Mart for about the same price.) 

Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water (for waterproof makeup)

Why I love it: MJ has really sensitive skin and therefore I have to take extra care when I choose the products that go on my face and that includes what I use to take my makeup off. I used the micellar wipes for a long time but this seems a little better because it is used with cotton pads instead of the pre-moistened sheets. (it retails for $6.59 through Target.)

Coty Airspun Face Powder

Why I love it: This last year has been the year where I discovered a lot about beauty and makeup and setting powder is a thing apparently. I have used it a few times and I really like how it works and it just smells good. So I really like it. (It retails for $7.99 at Walgreens) 

Tree Hut Sugar Lips sugar scrub

Why I love it: It’s so great. It leaves my lips feeling moisturized and not rough. This was another product mentioned in one of my monthly hauls and I use it a few times a week when my lips feel dry and gross. It smells good and it is easily transportable because it is in such a small container. (it retails for $5.99 at Ulta which is where I purchased it.) 

Colourpop It’s a Princess Thing eyeshadow palette

Why I love it: I didn’t really include much makeup on this list and I just kind of realized that, I have been a fan of Colourpop for a few years but never bought anything from them. One of my friends shared the Disney Princess collection with me when it was announced and I had to have this palette. I love it, the pigments are great, and the color names are amazing. (It retails for $20 on the Colourpop website.)

Cactus brush cleaner

Why I love it: It’s really nice to be able to clean brushes on this, it was an impulse buy at the time but I am such a huge fan of it. It cleans my brushes really well and it is rubber so it is really easy to clean after each brush cleaning session. I got it so long ago at Marshall’s so I don’t remember what the price was, nor do I know the exact brand. 

            Did you have any favorite beauty items in 2018?

            See you all on Saturday!

            -MJ

July Favorites

.Reading time 8 minutes.

I have had a weird few weeks so my blog upload schedule is a little off and I must apologize for that. Sorry, my bad. It’s been an adventure y’all, an adventure.

It’s still weird even though I have been doing favorites videos and posts for a year now to still say that the post is for July even though it is the middle/end of August. I don’t know it’s just something that has always struck me as odd.

I feel like I needed to write something that wasn’t ground breaking, and for sure my first thought was, favorites post. I love favorites posts because sometimes that is how I learn about new things so I enjoy watching favorites videos on YouTube and reading other people’s recommendations for the things that they have been loving over the month prior.

I feel like I didn’t have too many favorites in the month of July just because my last several months has been spent on a house build and that means that I spend my days with construction workers and I haven’t been too adventurous with as many beauty products recently because it is hot as heck outside and makeup melts in this kind of heat, my pores are already clogged with saw dust and Arkansas red clay so I don’t want to do more to my skin.

IMG_8240.jpgThis kind of leads into my first favorite of July, my Luna Fofo from Foreo, I got this in my Summer Fabfitfun box and I have used it so much in the last month or so. I love it, I cannot praise it enough, they recently updated the app and it has made it so much easier to use than it was with the old app. It gives you a personalized skin routine and analyses your skin moisture and that is so great because I live pretty much dehydrated all the time because it is just so hot around here. It gets really deep into the pores on your face and it has definitely helped my skin feel cleaner and less dull. I really do need a better skin care routine, does anyone have any suggestions for sensitive skin? Leave it in the comments below, I would love some suggestions from people who actually have sensitive skin.

Next thing that was a favorite last month, I finally got a monthly planner, I didn’t want a daily planner; I have a Bullet Journal for that, (I do plan on doing a review of my favorite pages so far in the coming months and what I wish I knew before I started and what I will be doing different next year) and I wanted a more condensed schedule so I could plan my blog posts in advance and eventually when I get my YouTube channel back up and running it will house those video schedules and ideas as well. This planner only has a monthly view instead of monthly and weekly and it has made things a lot easier while I am planning out my posts for the next month or the next few months. I have some place to write things down so I don’t forget an idea for a blog post. I had a weekly and monthly last year and I only used the month view and I realized why buy one that is monthly and weekly when I just needed and used the monthly spread. I think in my Bullet Journal next year I will include a monthly spread, but that I will get to in another post.

IMG_8236.jpg

I found myself in July listening to a lot of podcasts, I tend to catch up in waves with the podcasts that I listen to. I have been listener of the Jenna & Julien podcast for almost three years now but I find myself liking to watch those podcasts on YouTube but in February when I moved and it was a 12-hour drive that was all I listened to on my way down laughing the whole time. I also have been a listener of Welcome to Night Vale since about 2013 or so and have loved it ever since. My undergrad is in Communications and I spent a lot of time behind a radio microphone and listening to this podcast about a weird little town that sucks you in from the beginning has been one of the staples on my phone and in my podcast feed for such a long time now. I love the show so much and it is so unique for the modern age we live in. I have probably listened to the series twice or three times over the last few years and every time I hear it I love it just as much. It allows you to paint this picture in your head without giving you any actual visual details and that is a mark of great storytelling. A newer podcast that I have started listening to is Good Morning Night Vale which is a recap show with a few of the cast members reviewing and talking about the show as a whole and it is so insightful, like listening to the director’s commentary on a movie and it brings a whole new level of understanding to the show as a whole. Because of Welcome to Night Vale whenever something odd happens I want to say, “and now the weather.” Do you guys have any podcasts to suggest?

IMG_8237.jpg

Because of all of the podcasts I listened to I found myself actually needing to carry around my Mophie charger, I have had it since college and I don’t use it all that often but when I am using my phone a lot (thanks Pokémon Go) I need to carry it around with me, even with a new phone. It is not an everyday need but it is nice to have around when I do actually need it.

Just a few favorites in the last month and that is okay. Did you have any new favorites this month? I would love to hear about them.

-MJ

Summer fabfitfun Unboxing

.Reading time 8 minutes.

I was actually really excited to get this box because I was so pleased with my Spring box, I feel like I waited for this box for almost two months. Each box has options and I did actually choose one of the items in my summer box because I wanted a specific item choice. I am not going to tell you the retail value of my box but I really like having full sized products when it comes to beauty and lifestyle boxes. Reason being, you get a longer trial period when you have a full sized product.

IMG_7974.jpg
IMG_7975.jpg

What was in my box:

  1. Summer & Rose Beach Towel: This was the item I actually chose, I needed a beach towel and I love pineapples because they just scream summer to me. It’s soft and a very large towel. I have already shoved in my beach bag that is in the back of my car at all times. (There are no beaches near me, just creeks but calling it a creek bag is weird when it comes to a Lilly Pulitzer beach bag.)

IMG_7985.jpg

  1. Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow Highlight and Contour Palette: This was the one that I really wanted between the Tarte choice items that were included in the package. (it was either this or the Pro to go palette with liquid liner.) So bad at highlight and contour but I am now amassing highlight and contour products because I want to try them without having this fear of the “clown” contour elements of the past. I am on board for the more natural contour trend that is happening right now.

IMG_7983.jpg

  1. ELEMIS Papaya Enzyme Peel: Okay so I have a confession to make, I have never done a peel in my life that has not left my skin irritated and burning, I have very sensitive skin so I am hesitant to even try this product. I am however hopeful for a better result with this because it is not only dermatologically tested but it is also a cream exfoliator so it may have less of a detrimental effect on my skin. The jury is still out but after I try it out maybe I’ll give it a review.

IMG_7978.jpg

  1. Minor History Post Script Wallet: It’s real cute, I saw it and instantly thought of how nice it would be to slip into a beach bag or just in your pocket if you don’t want to take an entire purse with you when you are going out to an event or a bar with friends. I am one of those people who carries around a backpack with about five items in it. I carry a large bag because you never know who is going to say, “Can you hold onto this?” and you just have to roll with it and add another pound to your already heavy backpack. I am a fan of the wallet though and cannot wait to use it.

IMG_7984.jpg

  1. Jaboneria Marianella Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar: That just sounds luxurious doesn’t it? Body caviarthat’s great to be honest. It has charcoal in it and that is such a trendy thing right now because of the benefits of charcoal and your skin. I must say I am excited to try it out and it smells different, it’s not a bad different I am just not sure how to quantify its smell. It smells like tea and honey which are ingredients as well as coffee and aloe vera, it makes for an interesting scent combination.

IMG_7981.jpg

  1. FOREO Luna fofo: This product was teased on the fabfitfun Instagram account and it is a smart facial cleanser, I still haven’t downloaded the app yet or for that matter used it, I really should because it seems like a really good idea because it allows you to connect via Bluetooth to the app and get all sorts of coaching on your skin and your girl really needs to do better with her moisturizing and skin care routine. It came in a variety of colors I got the fofo in Pearl Pink. Maybe this is just a good excuse for me to get better at my routine and how I view my skin, I am hopeful that it works as well as it promises. I downloaded the app and followed the directions, I must say after my first time using the cleanser my skin feels nice, I would like to give it some more time to really see if it’s just a placebo effect or actually helping me keep my skin moisturized and young.

IMG_7977

  1. COOLA Face Sport SPF 50 White Tea Moisturizer: So like I have said a million times, I have sensitive skin and my face is sensitive to just about everything so during the summer I bathe in sunscreen so having a facial sunscreen that not only smells good, doesn’t feel heavy, and is SPF 50 is a God send for the preservation of my skin.

IMG_7980.jpg

  1. Pier 1 imports Marble Ring Dish: This is just a cute little marble dish for rings or other jewelry, right now mine is sitting on my bar cart as if it is a decoration or a place to put spoons. I love little décor pieces that can be multifunctional but also very nicely designed and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.

IMG_7979.jpg

 

Overall my impression of the box as with the spring box blew my mind, I have been thinking about starting to subscribe to this box for well over a year now and I finally did it. There is no part of me that regrets this purchase, I love the quality and the items that I receive in these boxes and I am looking forward to the next autumn box.

Did you get different items or the same? How do you feel about them?

-MJ