First Impression: Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Book Volume II Holiday 2015.

Kevyn Aucoin has gotten a lot of press lately for their amazing quality and packaging. Especially now with the contouring trend this palette has it all. Kevyn Aucoin has been known in the professional beauty field for quite some time now and has been commercially successful after being introduced into the Sephora brand list. Once something comes to Sephora it is bound to gain popularity and with so many people shopping there you really are able to see the quality of the brand due to it's success rate.

Review: Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

 

Let's talk mascara. I absolutely love how many different formulas there are on the market. I have my favorites that I've been loyal to for years, such as the Lancome Hypnose which leaves my lashes full and over the top voluminous and the Benefit They're Real which stays on for hours even during my toughest workouts. I have two rules for my mascara it shouldn't run or clump. Other than that I love trying out different brushes, formulas, and tints.

Christmas Wishlist 2015

Yves Saint Laurent fragrance, $120 / Clinique facial cleanser / Acne Studios fringe scarve, $165 / Prada black and white tote / NIKE activewear pants, $110 / Diptyque home decor / MOLESKINE Classic Soft Cover Planners notebooks / Fake fur blanket, $45 / Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Book Volume II for Holiday 2015

Retiring Beauty Blenders

I have to admit that I am a slight hoarder when it comes to makeup. I find it very difficult to throw products out and always convince myself that I might need it oneee day. I actually have a drawer of items I just don't use but can't seem to part with. This leads to the topic of Beauty Blenders. Those magical pink sponges. I had one in my hoarder drawer for a while simply because I didn't know how to use it. Then a couple months later I had an epiphany and it became my holy grail while all my other foundation brushes were brushed aside. See what I did there..

Lush: Santa's Lip Scrub

Every year I look forward to the Christmas Collections at Lush. Yea sometimes I feel like I'm a bit too old for Magic Wand Bubble Baths and Santa Bath bombs, yet I can't seem to stop myself from buying a few bits to spark that holiday spirit. I often make my own lip scrubs using some honey and brown sugar, maybe add in some coffee grounds, and thought that would be enough to get the job done. 

I picked this up on a whim since it said it was Cola flavored.. and it was the only one left at the counter and my shopaholic sense kicked in and I had to have the last one. The scrub tastes exactly like Cherry Cola and it is very strange at first. I loved how well it exfoliated and left my lips super smooth. It is a bit hard to get out of the pot at first since it is a very dry consistency. Beware that this does have red dye in it. I felt like a vampire with the dye running down my chin as I was washing this off. There are cute little plastic glitter hearts in the scrub but other than sticking to my bathroom sink, they had no good use and became more of an annoyance. 

Overall the Santa's Lip Scrub is adorable and a nice treat for the holidays. This would make a perfect stocking stuffer, definitely check it out before they sell out! They also have a lip balm in the same flavor for those who can't get enough of the Cherry Cola flavor. It is also one of the few things that doesn't have parabens from Lush, which is always a plus. 

Will Sunday Riley solve all your problems?

I think everyone who has any interest in skincare is very familiar with Sunday Riley by now. The brand is used by celebrities and bloggers who rave about the amazing results that these products provide. They are definitely splurge products and not something you just decide to pick up without furiously researching for a couple of weeks, like I did. Let's say I had high hopes and was ready for a luxurious skincare routine. 

The scents aren't necessarily putrid but they are memorable and distinct. The Luna Oil smells like warm licorice candies to me, which during the night can be soothing. It takes some time to get used to and when I used it on the first night I could still smell it 4 hours after applying it. It leaves a blue tint on the face but who really cares when you're about to go to bed anyway? The Good Genes treatment smells like I'm applying Lemon Pledge onto my face, it doesn't linger but doesn't make the process very pampering. It absorbed extremely quickly and I didn't even need a moisturizer afterwards it was that hydrating. You can use both together with the Good Genes underneath the Luna Oil, to get "amazing result". But if you're using the Good Genes with a different oil the good genes should go on top to maximize absorbency.  

My final thought is that they're nice, nothing more. They made my face feel incredibly soft and glowing, like all retinols and AHA's (lactic and glycolic acids) do. But for the price I expect visible results I can't get from treatments that are half the price. The Ren Glycolic Acid mask has been my HG for 4 years now and it gave me the same if not better results. Plus there is still some doubt about the retinol that the Luna Oil treatment uses. The trusty Paula's Choice Beautypedia states that the Luna Oil uses trans-retinol ester, which has a slightly different chemical makeup than traditional retinol. It's basically a lighter version, which won't provide the quick results that traditional retinols promise. I didn't see the Luna Oil do anything that traditional oils can't, but I've only been using it for a couple weeks. I have to say it does look pretty in the jar. 

Currently I'm simply including these products every other day into my daily routine in hopes of extending the time I get to use them since they weren't cheap! Even using the Good Genes maybe 4-6 times I have already used up a good portion and don't see the treatment lasting longer than 2 months, for $105 that makes me cringe a bit. 

Weekly Thoughts May 31st

No matter the day, it always takes me hours of persuasion to get to the gym. Even though afterwards I tell myself this is the best I've ever felt. It kind of sucks but I think my current apartment simply makes me feel unmotivated and gloomy with how little sunlight I get. I am used to waking up with the sun shinning at me at 6 am. Yet here there is 30 minutes, at most, of bright sunlight and then its a gray dreary light. I've been making myself go on these walks down the lake path too keep myself from going crazy. There is simply something soothing being surrounded by active people on a nice sunny day. I draw a lot of energy from these people but at the same time I reach a point where I have to be by myself.

I took Friday for myself and did everything that I wanted to and not simply needed. Sitting by the lake and doing some reading for my study abroad class I met some awesome painters. I guess I chose the best view because they spent a couple minutes walking around me and trying to see where they could settle down too. We talked about painting and the types of mediums they were using. We ended up joking and having a good time. It's funny how when you're not expecting to meet anyone you meet the best people. Sitting in the sun for a good 4 hours helped motivate me to get through the next week before I fly off to Ireland! Even though I love the city, I feel a constant draw to nature and the serenity that it brings.