Most Disappointing Beauty Products of 2015

Disclaimer: we all have different taste in products and different needs. As such, the products that I don't like might be favorites of yours. This post isn't meant to offend anyone, by all means, if it works for you, great! These are all products that I just didn't get along with, they're not necessarily bad products.

Kicking it off with this Physician's Formula City Glow Daily Defense bronzer in New York, my problem with this is the color more than anything. I use and love the Physician's Formula Bronze Booster in light/medium, but this bronzer is just straight-up orange on me. In the pan it doesn't look like it should be so orange, and I've tried it several different ways—colors mixed, separate, different brushes—and no matter what I do it always comes up orange on me. Such a bummer because it's an otherwise great formula.

Next up is the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Blur Primer, which I reviewed here. Not only did this primer give me cystic acne spots, it's just an all-around blasé product. It doesn't make foundation last longer, it doesn't make it look better, and it doesn't give a glow to the skin. Even if this hadn't broken me out, it still would have made it on this list because it just doesn't do what it's supposed to. Laaaame.

I purchased two Hurraw lip balms after hearing Shaaanxo talk about them, but this one really came down to personal preference. If you like thin, light, slick balms, you'll probably love this, but I like a nice thick balm like the Tokyomilk Dark balm. I've heard several other people sing the praises of Hurraw lip balm, but it just wasn't what I was hoping for. It may work well for keeping lips hydrated, but I really wouldn't know because I could never keep it on for very long since it came off every time I took a sip of water.

Ahh, Julep Queen Anne, you fickle minx.

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My Favorite Make Up and Skincare Products of 2015 (Plus a few non-beauty favorites!)

Most of these year-end favorites posts begin with a look back on the year, but to be honest I really don't care, and you probably don't either, so let's just get to the good stuff.

Eyes:

Makeup Geek Poppy (coral) and Creme Bruleé (peachy tan) have become two of my all-time favorite eye shadows. Both blend beautifully, and on my pale skin, Creme Bruleé is an awesome transition. Poppy is easily one of my most-used shadows of the past year, and I've said before that I'll find any excuse to work it into a look because I just love the warmth that it adds, especially to neutral looks. Confession: I've actually used Poppy on my brows when they were coming off a bit too cool-toned for my liking. Sounds horrifying, but as long as you use a light hand, it works wonders and no one will be able to tell that you have a coral eye shadow in your brows.

I love these two palettes from Anastasia Beverly Hills (World Traveler, bottom, and Self-Made, top). I think they're an excellent value for the money and with the exception of one shadow in each palette, they perform beautifully. I'm especially fond of the titanium finish shadow included in both of these palettes, Pink Champagne. It has an incredible reflective quality, similar to a foiled eye shadow, and it can really alter the look of other shadows depending on how you layer it. I also really love Morocco and Intense Gaze from the World Traveler palette, and Blush and Sherbert (especially in the crease) from the Self-Made palette. In general, I love the formula of the ABH eye shadows and I can't wait to get more (come to mommy, Henna, you beautiful orange gem).

The Julep Gel Eye Gliders are such an underrated product. These are the softest, silkiest eye pencils I've ever used. Not even Urban Decay makes liners as soft as these, and I don't have the same problem with these smearing that I do with many of the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils. These truly do glide when you apply them, so much so that I'm sometimes not even sure if I'm touching the pencil to my skin. The formula of these is just absolutely beautiful, and I plan on purchasing the entire line eventually. I already have several more of these, but I wanted to include my two most-used shades, which are Champagne Shimmer and Bronze Shimmer. I love Champagne Shimmer as an inner corner highlight, and Bronze Shimmer is a great alternative to black for adding definition without the harshness of a black liner.

You can tell I really love a product when I've worn the writing off of it! On the right is ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in XO, which was part of the limited edition collaboration with Shannon from Shaaanxo. I love all of the shadows in her ColourPop collection, but this one is my absolute favorite. I love it as an inner corner highlight or all over the lid. It's a more neutral gold than many of the others in my collection, which is part of why I wear it so much, it's just so versatile! I'm going to be so sad when I run out of this shadow. On the left is ColourPop Mixed Tape which also gets a lot of use from me. Because of my uber-dark under-eye circles, I have trouble wearing purple eye shadows without emphasizing the darkness under my eyes, but between the satin finish and the slight grey and brown tones, Mixed Tape is a lot more flattering on me than most other purples.

Face:

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Shimmery Silver/Purple Eyes and Mauve Lips Featuring Ciaté London Pin Up

Have you ever been digging though your makeup for one product only to get completely distracted by another? That's what happened here. I was searching for ColourPop's Hustle, intending to do a warm smokey eye, but then I saw Meow, and, well, 'tis the season for glitter, ain't it? Meow was one of my very first ColourPop eye shadows, and as a cat-lover I pretty much had to have it. It's a gorgeous shimmery pink/silver/purple tie dye with loads of silver glitter, which is why I don't reach for it very often. Holy glitterbomb Batman!

I also wanted to try out one of my new lip colors from Ciaté, which I received for Christmas in a cute little trio of minis. So far, I like it, but it does that thing (I know, I know, very sophisticated term) where it starts to go a little patchy if you smack your lips together, kind of like the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams sometimes do. The formula is a thick cream similar to the Ofra liquid lipsticks, but I would definitely say that I prefer the Ofra formula because those feel like nothing on the lips and look a little less dry, whereas with the Ciaté formula, you can definitely feel that you have something on your lips. It didn't feel drying, just a bit heavy. I like it enough that I would probably purchase more shades, but I don't see it ever replacing Ofra or Jeffree Star as one of my favorite liquid lipstick formulas.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Products:

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (Sin)
• Urban Decay Cherry
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Plum
• Smashbox M3 (Full Exposure Palette)
• ColourPop Mixed Tape, Meow [Discontinued]
• Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (Trooper)
• Maybelline gel liner (Blackest Black)
• Benefit Roller Lash
• House of Lashes Smokey Muse lashes + HOL lash adhesive

Face:

• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance
• Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide (Vanillé)
• Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless (112 Natural Ivory)
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Vanilla)
• Benefit Erase Paste (Fair)
• Benefit Gimme Brow (Light/Medium)
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder (Medium Brown), Clear Brow Gel
• Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
• Physician's Formula Bronze Booster (Light/Medium)
• Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Fanciful)
• Benefit Watts Up

Lips:

• ColourPop Lippie Primer
• Ciaté London Liquid Velvet (Pin Up)

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Glam Red, Green, and Gold Makeup, with a Twist of Orange featuring ColourPop Girl Power

When ColourPop released Girl Power as part of their fall 2015 collection, I had an instant case of heart eyes. C'mon, a vibrant red-orange eye shadow, did you seriously think that wasn't going to make its way into my collection? I swooped it up soon after it released, and I practically drooled when I swatched it for the first time, yet it's been sitting in my drawer for the past couple of months because I just couldn't find the right look to incorporate it into. Last week as I was trying to come up with a way to put a spin on the classic red/green/gold combo we see so often this time of year, I realized that Girl Power was just red enough that it would still complement the green, but just orange enough that it would be a bit out of the ordinary. I'm so pleased with the way this look came out, and I'm already planning another look using Girl Power, it's freaking gorgeous!

For the eyes, I used Urban Decay Primer Potion as a base, and Makeup Geek Creme Brulee as a transition. Then I layered and blended ColourPop's Girl Power several times until it came up as high as I wanted it to and there were no harsh lines. Next, I applied an equal mixture of Damaged and Stash from the Urban Decay Vice 2 palette all over the lid up to the crease. I blended these together and used ColourPop Rebel to create a softer transition between the two colors. I also added Makeup Geek Charmed to the center of the eyelid to make it more reflective. For the wing, I used the Anastasia Creme Colour in Jet, and applied a pair of Yue Er Gong Zhu HW-05 lashes (I get these on ebay) using the House of Lashes dark adhesive. I wanted the bottom lash line to be a bit smokey, so I used a combo of Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear, Cherry Cola, Americano, and Creme Brulee. To finish off the eyes, I used a bit of ColourPop XO on the inner corners, then drew a line from the inner corner to about the center of my eyes using Urban Decay liquid eyeliner in the shade Eldorado, tapering it off as it got closer to the center of my eyes. 

For the face I used

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Holiday Party Lipsticks

With all of the holiday parties going on over the next couple of weeks, I thought it might be helpful to have a few suggestions on lip options, preferably ones that hold up well through eating and drinking.

From the left: Essence In The Nude, NYX Dolly Pink, Essence Soft Berry, ColourPop Lippie Primer (*cringe* I hate that name), and Essence Wish Me A Rose

Starting off with a good base is important if you want your lipstick to last. My favorite lip liners are by Essence. They're creamy, pigmented, don't tug, and they have good staying power. I also feel like they grab onto product better than some other lip liners do. I sometimes wear them on their own, or pop just a little bit of lip balm over top. They're only $1.49 at Ulta, the only down side to these is that the shade range is quite limited (c'mon Essence, what's a girl gotta do to get you to make more shades? I need 'em, I'm tell ya!) Shown here in In The Nude (my personal fave), Soft Berry, and Wish Me A Rose.

I also like the NYX Slim Lip Pencils (also available at Ulta, $3.49). These have a much better shade range, so if you're wearing something out of the ordinary, NYX will be your best bet. Featured: Dolly Pink.

From the top: NYX Dolly Pink, Essence Soft Berry, Essence Wish Me A Rose, Essence In The Nude

My favorite lip primer is this one from ColourPop for $5. Apply it, let it set for a minute or two (this is important!), and it will become slightly tacky. It smooths the lips and holds color in place. This stuff is a savior when my lips are a bit chapped. I've gotten into the habit of wearing it almost every time I apply lipstick.

On to the lipsticks!

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[Review] SK-II Essential Power Moisturizing Cream

Today we're talking about the SK-II Essential Power Moisturizing Cream. I received this product complementary from BzzAgent for review purposes, however all views expressed are my own, authentic opinions. To learn more about my review policies, click here. To learn more about BzzAgent, click here*.

This is a deluxe sample size (0.51 fl. oz./ 15 ml). The full size (shown below) is $215 (yes, two hundred and fifteen dollars) for 2.71 fl.oz. Are your eyes rolling out of your head yet? Mine are. 

Full size of the SK-II Essential Power Moisturizing Cream from the Sephora website. Geez, Sephora, why isn't your lighting this good in your stores? I'd never go home with the wrong foundation shade again. 

I use a few luxury products and I'm perfectly willing to splurge on a product here and there if the quality is high enough, but good lawd I think this price per ounce ratio falls under the "not even if I won the lotto" category.

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[Review] YSL Touche Éclat Blur Primer

Question: If a YSL primer makes me break out, does that make my acne designer?

Deluxe sample size of the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Blur Primer

This is a deluxe sample (0.33 fl. oz/ 10 ml) of the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Blur Primer that I obtained from Sephora with a promo code. The full size is 1 fl. oz./ 30 ml for $52. The full size also comes with a pump rather than the paddle wand shown here.

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Pink & Silver for the Holidays

Today's look uses Makeup Geek blushes to define the crease and one of the MUG foiled eye shadows, High Wire, on the lid. I wanted to do something that was both colorful and festive, without going the traditional route of reds, greens, and golds. This would be a fun look for New Year's Eve if heavy, smokey looks aren't your thing. Full details are down below. I hope you're enjoying your Sunday!

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Skincare Woes and My Introduction to Asian Beauty

To put it quite simply, my skin and I have been duking it out for some time now (the same goes for my hair, but that's a story for another day). As a teenager, my skin was super oily with the occasional blemish, and, like most teenagers, I used products I probably shouldn't have to try to combat this (I'm looking at you St. Ives Apricot Scrub!). Around the time I started college, my skin was getting worse and I was rarely without at least one active blemish. I also suffered from the occasional cystic acne spot, probably from sleeping with my makeup on every once in a while. It was like this for a few years, and while it's never been something that's bothered me to the point of tears as I know is the case for many acne sufferers, it was frustrating because I felt like my makeup never looked as good as it would have if my skin was smooth and blemish free, and I felt like I always had to wear foundation.

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Fancy Meeting You Here

Hey!
Welcome to my blog. As you may have guessed, I'm Cristine (no 'h' thank you very much). This blog is still under construction, but I wanted to go ahead and introduce myself so that we can get this whole awkward situation out of the way and start chatting about the fun stuff.

So, a little about me. I'm a Nevada native, born and raised, 23 years old, and am currently a full-time student working on a degree in Communications with a minor in Business. Aside from all things beauty, my other interests include music, TV, movies, documentaries, and history. I love combining my nerdier passions with my love for beauty products and spend a good bit of time reading about things like the history of makeup, the science of skincare (aka the rabbit hole I'm currently in), and the art of perfumery. Those are some of the topics you can expect me to cover here, along with the usual reviews, swatches, looks/tutorials, and the occasional good old-fashioned beauty babble. When it comes to beauty products, I don't really have one set niche that interests me, I love it all! From natural to full glam, grunge to glitter, and bold colors to soft neutrals, it's all in my makeup collection, not to mention my skincare stash which includes both western and Asian products, and my perfume collection which includes both mainstream and indie fragrances. I'm also a fan of Bath & Body Works candles, which we'll probably chat about at some point (wow omg a beauty blogger that likes candles, how original).

So, if you love beauty products or are just interested in getting the scoop on a product or technique, stick around because no matter what your beauty-related interests are, there's probably going to be something here for you.

Also, a quick word on some of my policies. First and foremost: honesty. This is super important to me and as such, I want to make it clear that this is and always will be a completely honest blog. I wouldn't lie to my friends about a beauty product, and I won't lie to you either. I do occasionally receive products to review from companies such as BzzAgent and Influenster, but I consider the merits and flaws of a product as if I had purchased the product with my own money. Also, in reviews I'll always be sure to let you know if I purchased a product with my own money or if it was sent to me. Even though I feel I can still judge a product fairly if it was sent to me, I believe that transparency is important, especially when it comes to beauty products given the amount of dishonesty in the beauty community. Finally, my reviews are, for the most part, based on my personal experiences with the product, and as such what works for me may not work for you. When I review products, I try my best to explain why a product did or did not work for me (including some research-y bits here and there!), and to also consider who a product might work for depending on skin texture, tone, and preferences. I still highly encourage you to check out multiple reviews before purchasing a product (I always do!).

I think that just about covers all of the 'getting to know you' bits and bobs, so what d'ya say, wanna be friends? If so, be sure to subscribe to this blog to stay up to date with new content and come say hi on my other social media platforms.

Here's where ya can find me on Instagram and Twitter, or if email's more your speed you can contact me at heyitscristinec@gmail.com

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