Grunge-Inspired Burgundy Smokey Eyes With Brown Lips

I'm so excited to share this look with you today! I know it's going to be something you either love or hate, but I had so much fun creating this look, and I love the way it came out. My day-to-day style is more on the glam side, but I love and appreciate all styles of makeup. I've got a definite soft spot for messy grunge looks like this one. Something about it just felt right. I may have to start wearing messier, smokier looks more often! Details on how I created it are down below.

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SocialEyes Lash Try-On

Mmmm, lashes. I never really thought I'd be a false lash junkie, but over the course of the last eight or so months, I've purchased more lashes than I can fit into my little 3-drawer Sterilite tower. Oops. Time to reorganize things, I guess! Because I can't resist affordable lashes, I picked up a bunch from SocialEyes when they had a sale at the beginning of the year. So far I've been loving them, but I did have a bit of trouble picking them out online. Even though there are photos on a model, I just couldn't quite tell how they were going to look on my eyes. If you're having the same issue or are just interested in seeing some of the styles that SocialEyes has to offer, hopefully this post is helpful for you!

If this is the first you're hearing about SocialEyes, here's a little background: SocialEyes is a cruelty-free, vegan lash company created by Canadian siblings Karissa and Hayden Pukas, and based in Sydney, Australia. The lashes are primarily made from sterilized human hair, though some styles also use synthetic fibers.The lash glue made by SocialEyes is latex free, but it's important to note that the lashes are held to the tray with a glue that contains a small amount of latex. If you're allergic, be very careful to remove all of the glue before wearing them! SocialEyes ships internationally, and if you're in the US or Canada shipping is free on orders over $30. For more info on shipping click here. You can purchase SocialEyes lashes, lash glue, and the lash tweezers online at SocialEyesLashes.com.

If you watch YouTube videos or spend a fair bit of time on Instagram, then you may already be familiar with Karissa's work as a beauty and lifestyle vlogger. I highly recommend checking out her channel because she puts out excellent quality content, and though I've never met her, she comes across as a very sweet, funny, and genuinely lovely person. I especially love watching her vlogs, and if you're nerdy like me, you'll definitely want to check out the vlog where she visits the SocialEyes factory in Indonesia and shows a behind-the-scenes look at how the lashes are designed and created by hand. It was fascinating! Together, Karissa and Hayden have launched over 25 styles of lashes, all of which are under $10. Today I'll be showing you: Butterfly, Playing Coy, Siren, Dolly, Minx, Sweet Talker, and Forget Me Not. Fair warning, there's whooole lot of resting bitch face ahead. Sorry y'all.

I picked up seven styles in total, including one pair of bottom lashes, Dolly, plus some lash glue.

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Why Do So Many Asian Beauty Products Mention Jeju Island?

As someone who has recently (as in the last 6-8 months) taken the plunge into Asian beauty, I spend an absurd amount of time scouring the internet for info. What can I say, I like rabbit holes. *shrug* My nerdiness makes me want to know ~all the things~, so my spare time has quickly been filled up by reading blog posts and reddit discussions old and new, seeking out trustworthy sources of products and information, and endless amounts of scrolling through site after site in order to understand who has the best prices on what (the discount diva in me strikes again, did someone say 'free shipping'?) and to get a better feel for what's out there and what I might want to try next. In all of my nights spent scrolling through TK, RRS, and about 20 other sellers, I've seen numerous references to Jeju Island, but its significance to AB is rarely explained outside of promotional info. So, a curious-kitten mission took shape and now here we are, trying to answer the question: What's the deal with Jeju Island and how does it relate to beauty products?

Jeju Island is located off the coast of South Korea.

Jeju Island (제주도) is a South Korean island, located just south of the mainland in the Korea Strait. It has gone by many names over the years, but you're most likely to see it referred to as Jeju Island or Jejudo. The island was formed by a volcanic eruption around 2 million years ago, which gives the island some interesting geographic features, such as lava tubes and an abundance of volcanic soil. It's well known for its natural beauty, and has been named as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The primary industries of the island are agriculture and fishing, which is where it begins to intersect with Asian beauty.

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Jini Beauty Box: A New Asian Beauty Subscription Box (Now Bi-Monthly!)

[Edit 1/8/17 Jini Beauty Box has become bi-monthly, meaning you recieve a box every other month. You can basically think of it as getting the amount you would get in two boxes, but every other month. More details below]
[Edit 5/11: All of my Jini Beauty Box reviews can be found here]

New Asian beauty subscription boxes have been launching left and right lately. After the newly-launched Jini Beauty Box was brought to my attention by the gals at BeautyandtheCat, I decided to sign up for the box and be a bit of a guinea pig, if you will. As of the writing of this post, there's not very much information available on this box (hence the guinea pig-ing), but I wanted to go ahead and sum up what I've been able to find out so far in hopes of helping anyone else who's looking for info on this box. And just to let you know, I'm not affiliated with this company in any way, and I paid for the box with my own money. I'll be doing a review of the box once it arrives, so stay tuned for that.  All of my Jini Beauty Box reviews are available at the link above! I haven't reviewed any of the bi-monthly boxes yet, but will do so starting with the Jan/Feb 2017 box.

What is it?

A bi-monthly subscription box centered around Korean beauty products, and curated to address the needs of different skin types. Every other month, subscribers receive a box of 6-8 full size and deluxe sample products, 2 sheet masks, and a few free samples. Boxes have typically included 1 or 2 makeup items as well, which I've really enjoyed.

Subscribers choose from one of four boxes, each geared toward a different skin type. There are no quizzes to take, you just choose the box you think will suit you the best. You're also able to change which skin type you're subscribed to from month to month. So, for example, I chose to subscribe to the Normal/Combination box because my skin is combo most of the year, and even though I have acne, I find most acne products to be too drying for my skin. Let's say that I get my box and I find that the products aren't quite cutting it because my skin is throwing a weather-induced tantrum and needs more hydrating products. I could go into my account settings and switch my skin type to Dry/Mature (I'll show you how to do this later), then the next shipment I would receive a box with products aimed at treating dry/mature skin. I've been very happy with the normal/combo box, so I haven't felt the need to try any of the other skin types, but I love knowing that I have the option.

If you're concerned about ingredients, Jini Beauty Box also features a list of ingredients for the products in every box, which can be found here.

Screenshot of the subscription page on jinibeauty.com *Note* This screenshot reflects the old prices, NOT the bi-monthly prices.

How much does it cost?

A bi-monthly subscription is $44.95 billed on the 14th of every other month. (ex. January,  then March)

6-month (3 box) pre-pay is $129.95
12-month (6 box) pre-pay is 249.95

Subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel or skip before the 14th of the billing month. So if you received the Jan/Feb box but wanted to skip the March/April box, you would need to skip before the 14th of March.

Shipping is free in the US, but some states, such as New Jersey, may be subject to sales tax. I live in Nevada and wasn't charged sales tax on my order.

Where does it ship to?

At this time, US and Canada (shipping is free in the US, $8 in Canada)

When does it ship?

According to the jinibeauty.com FAQ, boxes will ship around the 5th of the 2nd month. For example, for the January/February box, you would be billed on the 14th of January, then your box would ship around the 5th of February. Typically, my boxes have arrived within 2-3 of shipping. 

How hard is it to cancel?

Super easy. It's part of why I was willing to take a chance on a brand new box. From the subscription page, click on your name in the top right corner, then click 'My Account'. This will take you to a page where you'll be able to see all of your account info and settings. There will be a box on the left-hand side labeled 'Your Subscription(s)', click the large purple button that says 'Edit'. On the next page, you'll see something that looks like this:

Screenshot from the jinibeauty.com subscription settings page. *NOTE* this screenshot reflects the old prices, not the bi-monthly prices.

From this page, you can choose to skip your next renewal (top right), change your skin type, change your subscription term, or cancel your subscription altogether. Click 'change' to save any changes you make. I love that this sub doesn't require you to make an awkward/inconvenient phone call to cancel, and even better, you're able to skip a month without having to go through the constant subscribe/unsubscribe cycle (Birchbox anyone?? hehe). There's no limit to how many times you can skip, either.

How is the bi-monthly subscription different from the old Jini Beauty Box?

The bi-monthly subscription is basically 2 boxes rolled into one, so you're actually getting more products for less money than before. The monthly boxes were $24.95, so 2 months would have been $49.90. The bi-monthly boxes are $44.95, so you're actually saving $4.95. 

I'll admit, I was skeptical when Jini Beauty Box switched to a bi-monthly format because I've never really been a fan of that type of subscription. However, the September/October boxes was one of the best boxes ever, so after giving it a try, I really think it's worth the wait. Sunny's thoughtful curation really shines through, and some of the products I've received in these boxes have become beloved favorites. I've been very happy with these boxes and would highly recommend it if you're looking for an asian beauty box that gives a variety of products. Personally, I get bored with boxes that are purely sheet masks, so Jini has been perfect for me. I've been a subscriber for a year now (skipped a few boxes here and there, but I've never once wanted to cancel) so I can confidently say that I love this box and I think it's one of the best AB beauty boxes on the market in terms of quality and value. 

I think I've answered the most pressing questions, but if you want to learn more about Jini Beauty, here are a few useful links:

• The story behind Jini Beauty
• The FAQ page (anything I didn't address can probably be found there)

Links to all of Jini Beauty's social media:

• Blog
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

You can also contact Jini Beauty with any questions at support@jinibeauty.com

Hopefully this post was helpful to you if you're thinking of subscribing. If you want to subscribe, you can do so here.

-Cristine

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[Swatch & Review] Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid in 10 Nude Flush

I'm not going to beat around the bush, this product is odd and disappointing. The color is beautiful, but the formula is perplexing, to say the least.

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in 10 Nude Flush

I've had this product for a few weeks now, but I've been waiting to review it until I heard a few other people talk about it because this product had me wondering if I was going crazy or if I had received a bad batch. It very clearly says "matte" in the product name, and even the description on Ulta.com says that the product is supposed to be matte, but there's absolutely nothing matte about this.

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Battle of the Western Cleansing Oils: Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil vs. Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil

Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil, left, and Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil, right.

In Friday's post on How and Why I Double Cleanse, I mentioned that I had been using cleansing oils for a couple of years now. Julep was the brand that introduced me to cleansing oils, and I've gone through almost 2 bottles of their Bare Face Cleansing Oil. Mid-way through 2015, I decided I wanted to see what other options were out there for cleansing oils because I'm a curious kitten and no matter how much I love a product, I'm almost always interested in trying an alternative just for shits and giggles. Uh, I mean for research purposes. No, who am I kidding, it's mainly for shits and giggles. That's what led me to purchase the Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil, which I've been using for the past couple of months. They have a lot of similarities, and in terms of everyday makeup removal, I'd say they perform almost identically, but in performing the test for this post, I actually discovered something that surprised me: one of these cleansing oils removes Benefit's They're Real! mascara significantly better than the other.

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How and Why I Double Cleanse

Happy New Year!

And what better topic to chat about on January 1st than cleansers? Today I'll be telling you all about why I double cleanse, how I double cleanse, and which products I use.

I've been double cleansing for several years now and it's become so much a part of my regular skincare routine that any other method of cleansing seems strange to me. There are a few different ways that you can double cleanse: washing your face with one foam, gel, or milky cleanser, then following up with a second cleanser, such as a foam or gel cleanser or cleansing milk to get the benefits of both cleansers and to be sure that you've thoroughly cleansed your face; or using an oil or balm cleanser and then a gel/cream/liquid cleanser. The latter is what most people are referring to when they mention double cleansing, and it's also what I'll be talking about here today.

I was first introduced to the idea of double cleansing by an esthetician, who explained that the basic premise behind double cleansing is that with the first cleanse you remove anything sitting on the surface of the skin such as makeup, dirt, or sunscreen, and with the second cleanse you treat the skin and prepare it for the rest of your skincare routine. This made a lot of sense to me, and I already had everything I needed, so I gave it a go. For the first two or so weeks I used a gel cleanser followed by a cream cleanser. This was too drying for my skin, but I did feel like my skin was cleaner and I enjoyed the process even though it took a bit longer than I was used to. Around this time, I received the Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil and konjac sponge in one of my monthly boxes, and I began to use these for my first cleanse, along with whatever gel or cream cleanser I happened to have at the time. I would start by applying the cleansing oil to my dry face to remove makeup, sunscreen etc., then wetting the konjac sponge and gently massaging my face with the sponge, especially in areas such as the crevice of the nose where makeup tends to gather. Then, I rinsed my face with lukewarm water and patted it dry. Cleansing oils are formulated with emulsifying ingredients that help them to rinse cleanly from the face, leaving no oily residue behind. This means that you won't feel like there's a film still sitting on top of your skin, and it won't cause clogged pores. They're also beneficial for all skin types because they don't strip the skin of moisture like other cleansers can sometimes do, and they help to remove excess sebum from the skin, so people with oily skin may find that their skin is more balanced after using an oil cleanser. I used to have very, very oily skin (it's now oily-dehydrated) and I credit oil cleansing to keeping my more oily areas in check, while helping me to avoid aggravating my dry areas.

I've gone through two bottles of the Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil, but I'm currently using the Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil simply because I wanted to see if there was a big difference between them. I'll have a more detailed review of both of these up on the blog next week, but spoiler alert, they're pretty similar. I've also recently tried the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and really enjoyed that as a first cleanser, possibly even more so than either of my cleansing oils because the texture felt so luxurious. I still have a little bit of my sample left, and I have to keep slapping my hands away from it because I'm saving it for a few overnighters I have coming up since balms are more travel-friendly than oils. I've got my eye on a few other balm cleansers, including the Sunday Riley one and the cult-classic Banila Co. Clean It Zero. If you've read my post all about my skin, then you'll know I'm a bit of a Sunday Riley fan girl, and so help me god if one more person raves about that new cleansing balm, my will power will go out the window.

I no longer use a konjac sponge, simply because the one I had needed to be tossed and I haven't gotten around to buying a new one. I'm on the hunt for a new second cleanser because I'd like to see if using a 5.5 pH cleanser improves my acne and dryness, but the one I'm currently using is the Garnier Balancing Daily Exfoliator for Combination Skin. The exfoliating particles are very sparse and gentle, and it seems to keep my skin softer than any of the other cleansers I currently have.

To review: I massage the Sephora cleansing oil onto my face for a minute or two to remove my makeup, rinse that off, then follow up with the Garnier cleanser, taking the time to work it into the skin, rinse, and then pat dry. It may seem like a bit of a chore at first, but when you begin to realize how much better it makes your skin feel, it will be worth it.

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