Products I Regret Buying: Makeup

I buy a lot more makeup products than skin care or hair care, therefore, I have a lot more regrets in this category than the other two. I have dry, sensitive and acne prone skin so I tend to go for makeup products that are geared towards that but still some just do not work out the way I expect them to. Therefore, the products that I regret may be holy grail for you guys so please do not get offended with my opinion. Also, I have tried each and every product multiple times before forming an opinion. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Power Collagen Waterproof Mascara in Blackest Black: I bought this mascara because I absolutely adore the Voluminous Million Lashes which comes in a similar tube but golden color. The problem with this mascara is that the brush is very oddly shaped and no matter how hard I try I always end up putting some on my eyelid. Also, it claims to have collagen for added volume, which I believe just adds up to the clumps resulting in spidery sparse lashes.

Almay One Coat Noursing Mascara Tripple Effect in Black: I was actually intending on buying Almay Get Up n Grow because of Emilynoel83's (my absolute favorite youtuber) recommendation but somehow I ended up getting this one. Firstly, I am not a huge fan of the wand as it doesn't coat the lashes uniformly. Secondly, the formula is super dry and it has been like that from the moment I took it out of the original packaging. It is so dry that hardly any product is transferred on to the lashes. I am not sure if I got a dud or the formula is meant to be like that. 

Milani HD Advanced Concealer in Medium: There was a lot of rave about this product when it was first launched because of its light texture and peachy undertones, and I love both of those aspects. However, the problem is that the formula is quite drying and I already have super dry under eye area so it settles into fine lines and accentuate them. Also, powder is a must for this concealer as it creases very easily, but that dries out the delicate under eye skin even more so I hardly use it. 

Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer in Light Medium: This concealer is meant for dry and aged skin so it has a swirl of eye cream along with the concealing product. Since I have super dry under eye area, I thought this would be the perfect product for me, but unfortunately it is not. It settles into every single crevice and line making the under eye area look awful . Also, no matter how I try to set it, it starts creasing within 15 minutes and the added setting powder just makes it look worse. So it is just collecting dust in my drawer. 

Skin Food Salmon Darkcircle Concealer in No.2 Salmon Beige: Until recently there weren't a lot of salmony or peachy toned under eye concealers in the drugstore, so, there was a great deal of buzz about this product. It comes in only two shades: No.1 & No.2.  The second shade is closer to my skin tone but still ends up looking ashy sometimes. Also, it just brightens the under eye area instead of covering the dark circles. And technically that is what salmon undertones are meant for and are supposed to be topped off with another concealer. But, firstly, this product is marketed as a concealer and not a brightener, which is somewhat deceiving. Secondly, the formula is drying and creases really badly so if another concealer is used on top, the under eye area looks very dehydrated with loads of makeup piled on. Therefore, I dread putting it under my eyes. 

Origins All and Nothing Powder: This powder comes in one universal shade, and that is what attracted me towards it. It is a sheer powder which goes on like nothing and  retails for $34.50 on origins website. I normally use translucent powder for setting my makeup so I thought this would be great for me. However, it turned out to be a complete waste of money because it doesn't even control oil for full 3 hours, given that I have dry skin. Also, I noticed that it oxidizes after a while, and I am sure that its this product that is causing the problem because this was the only new addition to my regular routine and everything went back to normal as soon as I stopped using it. 

Yves Rocher Soft Eye Makeup Remover with Chamomile: I really adore Yves Rocher products but this one just didn't work out for me. On the packaging it says "Gently removes eye makeup, soothing, refreshing & non-oily" and I do not agree with any of these. Firstly, it does not take off the makeup completely in a one or two swipes so you will have to rub it a couple of times which doesn't make it gentle. Secondly, it says soothing and it should be because of chamomile but it burns. Thirdly, it feels oily and makes the vision hazy due to the formation of film so it isn't non-oily and definitely not refreshing.

ELF Professional Eye Makeup Remover Pads: If you have read my past blog posts, then you know how much I love ELF. But this particular product just didn't work for me. The pads are extremely thin and not very saturated so it takes a lot of effort and rubbing to take the makeup off. Also, the pads dried off pretty quickly, but at the end of the day it costs just a $1 for 18 pads so you can't expect much. 

Have you tried any of these products? If yes, how did they work for you? If no, then do you have any recommendations?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Keep an eye out for the second part. have a great day. 

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips Dupe: Neat & Easy

Biore Pore Strips have been around for years and almost everyone knows about them. And even though the general idea of pore strips is pretty popular but still there aren't many drugstore alternatives, which could be a problem for people like me for whom Biore strips do not work very well. However, I really loved them when they came in the green packaging. Actually I loved all of their products in the green packaging and I don't why they decided to change everything when they were doing pretty well in the market. Also, I have noticed that this new line contains a lot of unnecessary dyes (probably for the orange coloring) that were not present in the original products. Since I am not very happy with the outcome of Biore Strips so I instantly picked up this new alternative without giving it a second thought. I found them at my local Dollarama for $2, and honestly speaking, the price point also influenced a huge part of my decision.

I found these strips in the beauty aisle of Dollarama near the regular makeup and skincare stuff. The brand is called Neat & Easy and contains 10 nose strips each. They claim to be Deep Cleansing and remove blackheads, oil and dirt along with diminishing large pores. 

The inside packaging is just like the Biore. Also, both of them are imported to Canada, the Biore strips are made in Japan while Neat & Easy are made in China. 

Ingredients of Biore Strips: Polyquaternium-37, Silica, Aqua, Glycerin, Polysilicone-13, PEG-12, Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Methylyparaben, Melalecua Alternifolia, Menthol, Hamamelis Virginiana. 

Ingredients of Neat & Easty: Aqua/Water/eau, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Parfum/fragrance, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylated Hydroxytoulene. 

Size of the Strip: Biore Strip is a little bit longer and wider than Neat & Easy. However, both of them cover the nose area properly so the size is not an issue. 

How to Use: Both of the strips are to be applied on clean and slightly wet nose for 10-15 minutes. 

Overall Performance: 

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips: For me, Biore strips only work 1 out of 5 times in the sense that they only clean my nose partially and that too sometimes. I feel they work better when I have more blackheads but then I do not want to wait until my nose starts looking dirty and clogged. Also, under normal conditions, it only cleans up partially i.e. up to 50-60% of the blackheads and at times that cleaning ratio drops to just 10-20%. So they are kind of a hit or miss for me, and this was not the case with the previous formula because that one worked every time without fail. 

Neat & Easy: Firstly, this strip sticks to the skin harder than Biore, so it takes some effort to take it off. Secondly, it has a distinctive smell which is not very attractive, and after I read the ingredients I realized that it contains fragrance but unfortunately not a very good one. Thirdly, in terms of cleaning the blackheads, it performed just like Biore. The similarity was so stark that for a second I thought I am actually using the Biore strip, just from different  packaging. So, I am not sure if I should say it performed just as good as Biore or just as bad as Biore do. 

Final Thoughts: Apart from some difference in the ingredients and the size of the strips, I feel that both of them perform alike. So, if you like Biore ($7-9 for 6 strips) and find them to be expensive then definitely give these (Neat & Easy: $2 for 10 strips) a try because they are super affordable. Also, if you have not tried nose strips before, then these can act as a budget friendly experimental start. But otherwise, I feel that even though the black clay masks for blackheads are messy but they work the best.

Have you tried either of these? If yes, which one is your favorite? If no, then which one would you like to try?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

New Product Alert: Super Inexpensive Nail Polishes

I went to the Walmart today and was browsing through the aisles casually and came across a hidden display of nail polishes.  At first I thought these are the nail art type with pointed brushes because of the bottle design and the overall display,  but since there were a lot of glitter options so I checked one out and found them to be regular polishes. The brand is called Fingrs Heart 2 Art, and they carry standard polishes with cream, shimmer and glitter formulas along with  a lot of other nail art accessories and kits. Even though they do not have a lot of unique colors but I found the collection to be pretty decent with a lot of neutrals and mid-toned shades and some bright colors. After pure ice, I feel that this nail polish has the most attractive price point of $1.98 and that is what made me pick up so many shades at once.

New Nail Polish Brand at Walmart: Fingrs Heart 2 Art

I usually do not buy multiples at once, especially from a new brand but this time I did because the formula seemed pretty nice and the shades were also very wearable. 

From Taupe to Bottom - 2 coats 

This polish passed the test when I swatched the lightest shade as lighter shades are usually streaky. However, this one went on very nicely without streaks in just two coats. 

Left: Julep (8ml); Right: Fingrs Heart 2 Art (8.8ml)

The bottle is very similar to the Julep, except the shape of the cap. Julep has a rectangular cap while this one has round cap. However, the main difference is that Julep polishes retail for $14 (8ml) while Fingrs is just $1.98 (8.8ml). I find this brand to be pretty generic, just like any other nail polish brand. The brush is just like Julep or any other typical nail polish brush. The only thing with cheaper polishes is the strong scent. I felt the scent was really strong and chemically when I had a whiff at the store, however, now that I tried smelling the other polishes for comparison, it seems fine to me. 

I can't really comment about the lasting power because I just bought it, but I am planning to do NOTD's with these shades so will let you know about their wear time in those posts. However, it is definitely not one of the quick drying nail polishes and it does take a while to dry off without a top coat. 

The colors that I picked up are as follows (in the order shown in the picture):

From Taupe to Bottom: This is a gorgeous sandy beige shade with a hint of taupe. To me, it looks very similar to Essie Sand Tropez, may be a bit lighter. 

Mauve It or Lose It: This is a mid-toned mauvy neutral shade. It is basically the above mentioned shade with mauve tint to it, but a very beautiful work appropriate neutral color. 

You Pinky Swear?: This is a nicely pigmented standard baby pink, which goes on without any streaks. 

Peri-Wink, Wink: As the same suggests, this is a periwinkle shade with a tinge of purple and goes on very nicely. 

Catch Some Grays: This is a grey shade with a slight taupey tint to it. In the store I thought it is similar to the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe but it is not. It looks taupey grey on its own but more like a standard cement grey in front of the color tattoo which pulls more purple near it. 

V.I.Purple: This is a shimmery duo chrome bluish purple shade. When you look directly at the bottle it looks like a deep blue, but when the light hits at an angle, the beautiful purple shows up. 

Red You Loud And Clear: This is a true velvety red shade which reminds me of holiday season and Christmas. The shimmer in this polish is so finely milled that it just takes this color up a notch. 

Even though I bought these polishes today but I already love them because it doesn't take too long to test the quality of nail polishes. Especially because the wear time is not an issue for me as I change my polish every other day. Also, I give this brand props for giving a thought to the names like the OPI does. So overall, I love the packaging, the shades, the formula, the pigmentation, the names and off course the price. 

Have you seen these polishes at Walmart stores near you? Have you tried them? Or do you plan to try them in future?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Top 5 Favorite: Highlighters

Highlighting is like an extra luxury step in my makeup routine. I do not feel that it is a necessary step but definitely something that can add an oomph factor to the overall look. I own several different formulas and brands of highlighters but I prefer using powders over creams, liquids and other stick forms. The main reason for this preference is the compatibility and mixing of textures. For example, I own Benefit High Beam, which is a cult favorite of the beauty community, but I do not like it much because usually I forget the highlighter part while working with cream products and if I use it over powder it looks somewhat cakey. 

I have picked up the top five favorite highlighters based on continued preference and the frequency of use. 

Natural Light: ELF Golden Bronzer; Physicians Formula Powder in Translucent; Sephora Illuminating Powder in Rose.Pink; TheBalm Mary-Lou-Manizer; Lorac Perfectly Lit Spotlight

Indoor Lighting: Same order as above

I didn't notice it earlier, but surprisingly all of these highlighters are somewhat different from each other in terms of their undertones. 

ELF Golden Bronzer: I am a huge fan of ELF studio line in general. They have amazing quality products with durable and functional packaging at very reasonable prices. This particular product is marketed as a bronzer but it is so light and shimmery that  it qualifies as a highlighter for my skin tone (NC25). The swatch is of the lighter shade in the lower left corner (since the post is about my faves) but I have also used the other three shades mixed up together. Out of all the other highlighters, this one appears to be a true beige-y champagne shade. Also, I feel that this is a versatile product because it has four shades which could either be mixed up or applied individually so people of different complexions can use it. 

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Powder in Translucent: First of all, the packaging and all the hearts make this powder special for people like me who pay extra attention to such details. Secondly, just like the ELF bronzer, this powder has multiple shades that could be mixed together or used individually. I personally like to use the big whitish heart towards the upper left side (thus the swatch is of that particular shade). I usually go for this highlighter when I want a very subtle glow, and it is definitely not as stark white as it looks in the swatches. Even though it has some shimmer but it is so finely milled that the highlight comes across as a sheen on the cheeks. 

Sephora Highlighting Compact Powder in Rose.Pink: This is a true rosy pink highlight which definitely has some shimmer in it. However, the shimmer just adds up to the beauty of this highlight and does not look tacky at all. I literally used it religiously for at least six months when I bought it, and it took some conscious effort to put it down. I don't know why Sephora brand products are not talked about when they have such amazing quality products at reasonable prices. 

TheBalm Mary-Lou-Manizer: This is a very intense golden-y champagne color, which can be used as a highlighter, shimmer or an eye shadow according to the TheBalm's description. I totally love this brand and all their products just like the rest of the beauty community so there isn't much to say about it. It is super pigmented so you need the tiniest amount to highlight therefore, it is a great investment of $24 because this product is going to last a lifetime. Also, many people say that the Hard Candy Baked Bronzer in Tiki is a dupe of this product. I do not own Tiki but I have swatched it a couple of times and I feel that it is not as smooth and creamy as TheBalm, but would still make a great dupe in terms of color. 

Lorac Perfectly Lit Spotlight: This is a peachy highlight with no shimmer whatsoever, which makes it look very subtle. It gives a very pretty natural sheen making it a perfect highlight for no makeup kind of nuanced look. Many youtube gurus, compare this with WnW Reserve Your Cabana, but I find the WnW version to  be very chalky and powdery. Also, the WnW powder doesn't seem to have the peachy tint like Lorac, and I feel that peachiness is something that makes Spotlight different from other highlighters. 

What are your favorite highlighters? What formulas do you prefer?

Thankyou for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Product I Regret Buying: Skin Care

This post is about skin care products I regret buying and even though these products didn't work out for my particular skin type, they may work amazingly for you. As for some background, I had combination skin for a most of my life but now I have dry, sensitive and acne prone skin. I always had some acne but recently I got an acne rash all over my face due to an allergic reaction which resulted in peeling and flaky skin. 

Lioele Night Spot Treatment: I have tried Mario Badescu Drying Lotion in the past and that one didn't do anything for my breakouts and I knew this product has the same basic idea but still thought of giving it a shot. I used it religiously every night for about 2-3 weeks and instead of drying out the acne, it dried off the surrounding skin resulting in huge dry patches and uneven skin tone. 

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Treatment Gel: This product is meant to reduce redness and dry out the acne, but it actually makes them look bigger by pulling out the puss onto the surface resulting in huge white heads that are very nasty looking and  impossible to cover with makeup. Also, I absolutely dreaded putting this product on my face because it stings very badly. Even though the stinging goes away in a few minutes, but it is a nightmare if you have several acne all over the face. So, in short, it hurts and makes the acne look humongous and nasty.

                       
                       

Christopher's Beauty Facial Cream: As I said earlier, I have extremely sensitive and dry skin so I need super moisturizing night creams to make my skin look presentable in the morning. However, the problem is, that I am allergic to Stearate which narrows down my options to minimal. But I found that this cream not only has very simple and nourishing ingredients, but doesn't contain anything that I am allergic to. The color is definitely appalling but the actual product is really moisturizing, however, the scent is so  strong that it is just impossible to put it anywhere near your nose. And mind you I am not super sensitive to scents but this one is a different story. Also, the scent lingers for hours and hours. I regret  buying it because I can't use it on my face, but since it is very moisturizing so  I will probably use it on elbows or other dry areas of my body for the sake of finishing it up. 

Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Skin Ointment: Tea tree oil is considered very effective for acne so I picked up this ointment as a night cream. Firstly, the product is super hard and solidified, so in order to cover just your chin, you will have to rub your finger in the tub at least 10 times. Secondly, after you put it on your face, it just does not sink into the skin at all for hours. Thirdly, I know it has tea tree oil in it, but it made my face feel so oily and dirty that I literally had to wipe it off with a tissue. So I do not like it for my face, but will probably use this one too on my elbows.

C+M Green Tea Whitening & Firming Eye Cream: I bought this cream because I have dark under eye circles and green tea is known to help reduce them. When I started using it, I absolutely loved the texture because it went on very smoothly and provided sufficient hydration. However, after a couple of hours it made my eyes sting and water very badly. And I guess that was probably because its so smooth and thin that it traveled to my eyes. I tried putting it as far from the rim of the eyes as possible, but nothing worked so I had to stop using it. Since I didn't use it enough for the above stated reason so I am not sure if it actually helps with the dark circles or not.

Oxy Maximum Action Spot Treatment: I always used Salicylic Acid as an acne treatment, but it never gave satisfactory result so I thought of trying benzoyl peroxide this time. I picked up the highest concentration i.e. 10% and it did absolutely nothing for me. I tried it several times as a night treatment and didn't notice any difference in the redness or the size of the acne. 

The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum: I don't have any major issues with this product, however, the problem is that it doesn't provide any long term benefit to the skin. Also, it has a lot of junk in it. Even though The Body Shop claims to be a natural brand, but if you check the list of ingredients, it is full of chemicals and parabens. 

The Body Shop Coconut Shimmer Body Lotion: This is shimmer body lotion and is good for only that purpose. It hardly  has any moisture so I use it only for a glowing shimmery skin during summer days. And for me, that is kind of a waste because  it doesn't have any real benefit and I get to use it only for a few weeks.

 

The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream: I bought this hand cream because I heard a lot of good things about this line and I absolutely love roses. However, it was such a disappointment in terms of mositurization. No doubt, it smelled absolutely amazing but instead of hydrating my hands, it made them even more dry, which was very weird. Also, the dryness increased with the number of uses, so I returned it within three days of buying it.  

Have you tried any of these? If yes, how did they work for you? If no, do you have any recommendation of the ones that you use?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

ELF: Amazing Matte Lip Forumula & A Possible Mac Dupe

ELF. is know for its inexpensive and great quality products. I have several of their products and I like most of them if not all, and most of my favorites are from the studio line. Their Matte Lip colors are my favorite matte formulas I own. A lot of people love the Revlon Matte lipsticks, but I found them very drying and uncomfortable, and never wore them without a gloss. However, these ELF lip colors are very smooth, comfortable and not drying at all. They are matte but definitely have a natural sheen to them. They have average lasting power, just like other normal lipsticks. Also, there is a possible Mac dupe in this line. I do not own the Mac shade but I have seen some comparisons. 

ELF Matte Lip Color

Along with the formula, the packaging of these lip colors is also very nice and sleek. They have a twist up tube and a sharper at the other end, which I forgot to show in the pictures. 

Indoor Lighting - Coral, Nearly Nude, Natural, Tea Rose, Praline & Rich Red

Coral: I won't call it coral, but more of a light peach shade. It is beautiful, goes on nicely and looks really good with smokey eyes. 

Nearly Nude: It is a very light, somewhat baby pink nude. I am not a fan of very light nude shades so I don't wear it much. Also, I have found that the formula of this particular shade is a little bit different. Even though it is not drying or clingy, but it does settle into the lines and crevices of the lips. And oddly enough, this is the only color from the line that does this. 

Natural: It is a beautiful everyday nudey pink color, which goes on nicely and looks good with everything. Is is no brainier kind of color, that can be used with or without other face makeup.  

Natural Lighting - Coral, Nearly Nude, Natural, Tea Rose, Praline & Rich Red

Tea Rose: This is one of my first purchases from this line and I absolutely love it. It is a purple toned mauve, which is not too overpowering and definitely appropriate for everyday looks. 

Praline: This is a true chocolate brown shade. I am personally not a fan of this color in general, whether in clothes, nail polish or anything so I don't wear it much. But it goes on nicely and feels good on the lips. 

Rich Red: This is a true red color. I do not have the Mac Ruby Woo but this is a possible dupe for that color. I haven't seen both of them together personally, but I have seen some comparison pictures and videos. So, if you have both, then please let me know if it is actually a dupe or if there is some difference between the two. 

Overall, I really enjoy the formula of this line. The only issue that I have is they do not have enough color choice. There are only six shades and I own them all and if they ever come out with new shades I would definitely get all of them. 

Thank you for taking time to ready this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day! 

Products I Regret Buying: Hair Care

This is my first post of this kind and I hope I don't offend anyone since everyone has different liking and preferences. This post represents my personal experience with these products, if you love them, it is awesome but unfortunately they didn't work me. Just for reference, I have dark brown mid-length naturally curly fine hair, which can get frizzy at times. Sometimes they are really difficult to manage as they are frizzy but get weighed down really easily because they are fine. So, the products mentioned in this post didn't work for my hair type but they can definitely work for yours.

One n Only Argan Oil Smoothing Cream/ Styling Cream: This brand is available at Sally beauty supply and I received the sample sizes of smoothing cream and the styling cream when I bought their Argan oil, which works really well for me. However, recently I started noticing excessive hair fall but I wasn't able to put my finger on the culprit. My hair were literally falling out in huge chunks whenever I ran my fingers through. Few weeks ago, when I ran out of the smoothing cream I realized that the hair fall stopped completely suggesting that it was the cream behind the said condition of my hair. Even though I didn't buy it but I definitely regret using it.

Wella Professional Ocean Spritz: I have naturally curly/wavy hair so I usually do not use salt or any kind of texturizing sprays, and after using this one I am definitely not going to use any again. This spray literally made my hair feel very crunchy and dirty. It was just impossible to comb or even run my fingers through. Also, I tried it multiple times to see if I was doing something wrong. I tried it on wet hair, dry hair, freshly washed hair and also a day old hair but nothing worked. So I am definitely not going to use this spray or probably any salt spray again.

Garnier Fructis Style Curl Shaping Gel Spray: I have natural curls so I bought this spray to give them a more defined look, and since it is a gel spray so I expected it to be a little heavier but definitely not to the extent that it makes my hair look like third or fourth day dirty hair. Also, it made my hair feel hard and stiff, so I do regret buying it.

Schwarzkopf Got2b Dazzling Shine Hair Spray: I bought this hair spray to use as final touch up to add some extra shine. It has a very distinctive sweet smell, which is not bothersome to me as I am not very particular about smell of hair products unless it is super repelling. However, the problem is that even though it adds shine for the moment but that shine disappears within 10-15 minutes and your hair are back to where they were. So if you are like me, then under such scenario you will repeatedly keep spraying it and will end up with weighed down dirty looking hair, and that is why I really regret buying it.

Schwarzkopf Got2b Glossy Anti-frizz Shine Serum: I bought this serum because it claimed to get rid of the frizz along with providing shine and it does calm down the frizz and gives shine if you use enough product. However, it is very thick and heavy so it weighs down hair and the shine disappears after a while so I don't reach for it often. But the shine does stay longer with this product as compared to the shine spray.

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo: I really love this brand in general but this dry shampoo really sucks. Dry shampoos are supposed to give you a day in between hair washes but this one takes away the possible in between hours too. Instead of making the hair look fresh, this dry shampoo makes them look a lot more oilier, weighed down and dirty. I tried using it a couple of times and got the same result without fail. Also, I tried rubbing it with my hands, with towel, with paper  but nothing at all worked.

Sunsilk Captivating Curls: I got this mousse in a set along with the shampoo and conditioner of the same line. It just didn't do anything for my hair. Even though I have naturally curly hair, I didn't see any more definition or texture than I usually have. So I regret buying it.

Have you tried any of these products? If yes, how did they work for you? If no, are you planning to try any?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

NYX Glosses: Amazing & Affordable

NYX is a great affordable brand with amazing quality products. Their lip products are no less, especially lip glosses. I have few shades from all different categories available in the market, however, I can't find the where I placed my NYX Xtreme lip gloss so that is not included in the swatches. 

NYX Girls Gloss; NYX Mega Gloss; NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme; NYX Butter Gloss

 

All of them have nice and sleek packaging. The new releases, namely lip cremes and butter gloss come on stout tubes as compared to the traditional glosses. 

NYX Girls Gloss: The one shown in pictures is in the color Peach. The name defines the color perfectly and it is a true peach shade. It has a very subtle sweet scent and contains some glitter. Even though there is noticeable shimmer in it, I don't feel it to be gritty or bothersome. It has decent pigmentation and goes on smoothly.

Natural Light - Same order as above

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss: I don't even need to say anything about this gloss because it is a cult favorite of the beauty community. The shade in the pictures is Beige, which is actually more pink than beige. The consistency is nice and smooth, however, it is a bit thicker than regular glosses but has good pigmentation. The only thing that can bother some people is the strong scent like licorice. I am not too sensitive to the scents so it is okay for me. 

Flash Light - Same order as above

NYX Soft Matte & Xtreme Lip Cream: The shade in the pictures is Antwerp, which is a matte corally peach color and have a sweet smell. Even though these are matte, but they are very smooth and does not feel drying at all. Also, these are pretty long lasting just like the Xtreme lip cremes. I find Soft Matte and Xtreme lip creme to be quite similar in the consistency and pigmentation except Xtreme lip creams are little bit glossy like regular lipsticks. 

 NYX Butter Gloss: These are the newest addition to the NYX gloss family and are a new obsession of the beauty community. The shade in the pictures is Strawberry Parfait, which is a bright blue toned pink. The pigmentation is nice and the gloss smells like bakery products to me. However, one thing that I can't stand about this gloss is the consistency. It is even more thicker than the Mega Gloss, which I find quite uncomfortable.  Also, it is a little sticky much like Mac glosses. So, personally this type is my least favorite, but that is just my personal preference. 

Have you tried any of the NYX glosses? If yes, which ones are your favorite? If no, which ones do you want to try?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Real Techniques Brush Alternatives NOT Dupes: Even More Affordable

Brushes are a necessity for some people and I am definitely one of them. But finding good quality affordable brushes is a challenge even though some companies are getting into the race. However, problems arises due to the lack of convenient locations or high shipping costs.  Real Technique brushes are one of the affordable and good quality brushes available in the market and recently Walmart has started carrying them. But I have found even more affordable alternatives. 

If you look at the picture above, all the brushes look similar except the color of the barrels, but the difference is that the first four are a different brand from the rest, which are Real Techniques brushes. I found these brushes on ebay for just $2.60 - $3.05 while Real Techniques brushes are above $10 for the individual ones. I bought them a few months ago so the prices may have increased or decreased. 

Round Brush

I have never seen this brand before, but as you can see in the picture it is either called Joursna or Joursno Professional brush. On ebay, there were two colors, pink and baby blue. But I went for pink because they look similar to Real Techniques line. 

Angled Brush - Sorry it looks dirty because I used it for Powder Foundation  

Tapered Brush

Stippling Brush

I checked several sellers and all have the same five styles, flat top, angled, rounded, stippling and tapered. I bought all except the flat top because I already have enough of those. As far as the quality is concerned, they are really soft, dense and synthetic. I have washed them several times and they have noticed no shedding at all whatsoever. Also, the bristles for the angled brush seem yellow, and it is because I have used it with powder foundation, so I am sorry about its color in the picture. 

Left: Round Brush; Right: Sigma F82

In the above picture, you can see the comparison between the round brush and Sigma F82. The only difference I feel is Sigma one is more dense and tight. Also, I feel that this round brush is more comparable to Real Techniques Buffing brush in terms of density. But they are not flimsy at all whatsoever. In addition, they clean up really easily and do not take too long to dry. I have been using them for over 6-7 months are they are holding up great so I would definitely recommend you to check these out as they are super inexpensive. If you want these brushes, it would be best you can search them as "Professional Powder Blush Brush Cosmetic Stipple Foundation Brush Makeup Tool" or some of these words and go for the cheapest option available.

Have you tried these brushes? If yes, do you like them? If no, are you going to try them?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!