1P2L: Pencil Eyeliner with Glossier Colorslide + Glossier Play Mini-Reviews

Like most beauty bloggers, I assumed Glossier was about due for a "more full-on" makeup range, and I figured Glossier Play would be it. When they launched a range that prompted some excitement and a slew of criticisms, my initial feelings toward the four new cosmetics and two new tools were relatively mild. Yes, I was excited for the highlighters, but my reaction to highlighters is as instinctual and simple as my two-year-old niece's response to french fries. The lack of professional swatches on multiple skintones--something Glossier has been relatively good about for the past few years--leads me to believe that the launch was a little rushed.

All of this said, I received a slew of Instagram messages and emails when this line was announced, so clearly there's been some hype and interest surrounding the range. And frankly, a fun, colorful cache of products I could buy with the store credit you lovely people have earned me (thanks!) couldn't have at come at a better time. Between Kirby fighting a nasty bout of shingles and me being whacked with the depression hammer, the first half of March reminded me just how important fun and relaxation are.

Now, a lot of people have complained that this launch doesn't suit the "Glossier look." I can't entirely agree. For starters, there's a reason why they're launching these products under a sub-brand: they know it's not their usual no-makeup-makeup. But more importantly, this strikes me as "cool girl" party makeup, the kind of stuff naturally pretty people slap on their faces when they go out and want to try something a little different. None of it is designed for precise cut creases or stage-worthy Instaglam looks, and in my opinion, that's very Glossier.

There's also been a lot of debate about the design and environmental impact of these products. This delightful post from Auxiliary Beauty sums up most of my feelings about this. I'll add that I thought the 1970s-as-seen-by-Y2K-teenagers fonts and boxes were very cute. They hit me right in the "oh fuck that was middle school" nostalgia. However, like most people, I think wrapping each product in an extra piece of foil, then putting in to a box, is a wee bit excessive. It's also suspicious to me that Glossier claims they spent two years preparing this brand, yet they didn't think to use biodegradable glitter. Their consumer base is almost all Gen Z and Millenials, and we're groups that tend to worry about climate change and plastic consumption. To their credit, Glossier has listened to the criticisms; they will phase out the foil packets and plan on reformulating their products with biodegradable glitter.

Since I'm ranting, may I also point out that Glossier is STILL doing that "this is so unique and there's nothing like it" marketing, and it just doesn't work for them? Colorful pencil eyeliners and glitter gel have been around for decades, but they're releasing ad copy like this:

For the millionth time: there are more marketing tactics than the appeal to novelty. Customers like me are drawn to how easy and effortless Glossier's range is, and some are drawn to the "cool factor." But I'm not seeing a single, not-a-Glossier-rep person gushing over how "new" and "original" these products are. Play to your strengths, Glossier.

Enough complaining; let's get on to the swatches, looks, and reviews!

As mentioned, Glossier Play was launched with four new makeup products and two tools. The first makeup product is Colorslide, a range of colorful eyeliners. I got five shades: Adult Swim and Disaster Class for day-to-day wear, and Early Girl, Nectar, and Jumbo for experimentation and fun. All of these shades are matte, but there are metallic colors in the range, if that's more your gig. The Colorslide pencils are $15 each.

I've also sharpened them with the Blade sharpener. I get that a sharpener isn't something most people are going to lose their shit over, but this is a pretty nice one at an agreeable $4. It comes with a purple "cleaning stick" that you can twist in the sharpener to clean out the blade.

Next, we have those not-yet-biodegradable Glitter Gelees. I have three of the four shades: Glass Bonsai, Phantasm, and Firewalk. They're all technically suspended in a clear base and are, therefore, meant to be layered or used as sparkle rather than as full-on eyeshadows. But you can see that some of the shades contain a bit more of the fine shimmer, which makes the base seem less clear; this is most obvious with Firewalk. Phantasm, meanwhile, contains no fine shimmer and is all larger, more obvious holographic glitter shapes. Glass Bonsai is somewhere in the middle as far as opacity goes.

The product I was least excited for, shocker of shockers, was the Vinylic Lip. Yes, a liquid lip product in a click pen with a spongey applicator takes me right back to my first order from ELF, I'm not gonna lie. But I'm not a huge gloss person, and I find clicky pens a bit of a pain to use. It took me 41 clicks to get product out of Pony, and a whopping 71 clicks with Baby. I also find Glossier's color descriptions a little weird: Pony is less "taupe" to me and more mauve, and "Baby" reads more like a strawberry pink than a saturated, blue-based red.

By contrast, I was beyond hyped to see that they were releasing more full-on highlighters, because...highlighters. I purchased the two lightest Niteshine shades, the yellow-based Pale Pearl and the pink-based Platinum Rose.

Here are two looks I created with my Glossier Play products. (The only one not shown here is the Glitter Gelee in Glass Bonsai.) On the left, we have my attempt at something a little more full-on. I used the Jumbo and Disaster Class liners as bases, then added Glossier Lidstar in Cub to the center of my eye and topped it with two layers of Firewalk Glitter Gelee. I lined my lower lashline with Nectar. On the whole, I enjoy the eye look:

Interestingly, neither the Colorslide pencils nor the Glitter Gelee applied the way I expected. Glossier describes Colorslide as a "technogel eye pencil," implying it has a smooth gel formula. I actually found these pencils very waxy, and they tugged at my lids a little as I applied them. Disaster Class was especially difficult to use and applied patchy when I tried to use it as a base. Also, while I was able to get some intense color out of the Colorslide pencils, it took at least two layers to reach full saturation, sometimes three. And using these all over your eyelid when they're a waxy formula that catches? This can happen:

Yeah, that's frustrating.

In short, you can use these as eyeshadow bases, but it's a real pain in the ass, and some of the shades work better than others. These also take a little more effort to transfer to your waterline as compared to a true gel or khol-type pencil. If you're going to get these, go for the more pastel, interesting shades, like Nectar and Easy Girl, which are perfectly serviceable and can be tough to get in a decent formula. As a whole, though, I don't think these eyeliners are particularly special.

I had much better luck with the Glitter Gelees. Now, some people have complained these glitter gels made a huge mess on their face and left a ton of fallout all over their cheeks. In video reviews that stated this, I noticed that the person would apply the glitter to their eyelid, then immediately start blinking and moving their eyes all over the place. A product like this needs a minute to dry, so just be patient and keep your eye as still as you can right after application. I had absolutely zero glitter fallout or movement from all three Glitter Gelee shades after they'd dried, which sort of stunned me.

For the second, more natural look, I used Easy Girl and Adult Swim on my upper lashline to create a simple, slightly winged eyeliner, then lined my upper waterline with Adult Swim and tapped a bit of Phantasm Glitter Gelee at the corner of my eye. Phantasm is the glitter most people are excited about, and I can see why; it's just really fun and pretty.

For both looks, I used their Detailer to apply the glitter. A silicone applicator is definitely the best way to apply these, since it gives you more control and limits the mess, but you don't have to buy this one. Plenty of other brands make cheap silicone applicators.

Both the Colorslides and Glitter Gelees had great staying power; there was no fallout and minimal fading/smearing throughout the day. I use baby oil and cottons to remove them. The glitter is especially tenacious and should be kept out of your plumbing as much as possible, so you'll probably want to hold the oil-soaked cotton on your skin for a while to loosen it up.

For the more dramatic look, I wanted a super-shiny, very bold, definitely red lip, but I didn't get that with the Vinylic Lip in Baby. In fact, when I tried to layer it, I got only slightly more color, but I also noticed flakes on my lips that I didn't see before--see above. And it still never became "high shine" like Glossier promised. It's a thin, lightweight, decently comfortable formula with a faint strawberry smell. Nothing terrible, nothing to write home about. Frankly, I think Glossier should have produced colored versions of their regular gloss instead, since it is far shinier and more full-on than this formula.

I'll definitely get more use out of Pony, which I used for the softer look. One layer gave me that wearable, work-appropriate mauve shade that's perfect for work.

Last, but not least, we have the Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate. In terms of payoff and shine, I'd say these are like Glossier Haloscopes and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors had a baby: they're shinier and more obvious than the Haloscope, but they manage to do it without being sparkly a la the SSP. It's a nice product with a thin, liquid formula that can be built up. Just make sure you blend them out fast, because they dry within seconds. I'm wearing Platinum Rose on my cheekbones in the full-on look, Pale Pearl on my cheekbones and under my brows in the more natural look.

While I really enjoy these and will get good use out of them, I have two quibbles. First, the shade range is just plain dumb. Platinum Rose and Pale Pearl are almost identical on your skin, and the two darker shades look similarly close. If you're releasing glitter gel and colorful eyeliner, and if your ads are full of disco and rave-inspired shots, you should probably come out with some more interesting colors. A lavender, for instance, would've been an on-trend option. Second, these suffer from the same packaging problems as the Lidstars: the lids are small, smooth, and difficult to turn. Anybody with limited hand mobility is going to have a rough time opening these highlighters.

When it's all said and done, I don't think this launch is as terrible as some people are making it out to be, but I also don't think it's full of products you have to rush out and buy. True, I really love the Glitter Gelees, and I'll use the Niteshine Highlighters regularly. But one of each, tops, will probably be more than enough for most people. And while the Colorslide pencils and Vinylic lips aren't dreadful, they certainly aren't worth it when you have brands like Colourpop producing better stuff at a lower price. If Glossier wants to improve this range, I suggest that they:

• Fulfill their promise to use biodegradable glitter in the Glitter Gelee,
• Improve the shade ranges for several of the products, and
• Focus on creating what their fans have actually been asking for, like a cream bronzer or a tinted moisturizer/foundation with a bit more coverage. 

PS: I'll be taking a very short break from writing this blog to focus on work. I should be back by the end of March!

PPS: WHERE IS THAT GODDAMN CANDLE YOU PROMISED, GLOSSIER?!

Note: All of these products were purchased with Glossier store credit earned via an affiliate link. I have not been paid to test, photograph, or write about anything in this post. My reviews are always honest. Actually, Glossier is probably a bit sick of sending me so much free shit, given how poorly I've rated some of their releases. Sorry, guys.

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Reviews

Charlotte Tilbury is a talented makeup artist, no doubt, but between her using the word "pop" a few too many times in her videos and her Into the Gloss interview that described wearing makeup to bed so her husband doesn't see her bare-faced, I've found it a bit hard to stomach her as a person. For a time, those feelings were transposed to her makeup line. I held off trying it for a couple of years.

Now that I have tried several products from the range, I have to admit that I'm impressed. Is every product as revolutionary and unique as she claims in her tutorials? Of course not; sometimes, a black eyeliner is just a black eyeliner. However, most of the range seems solid, and while there are some definite duds, there are also a few standouts that I would wholeheartedly recommend. So it's time to give them their due and write some mini reviews. (I've already written a full review of the Light Wonder Foundation, which you can read here.)

I purchased the Beauty Light Wand from Nordstrom earlier this year, and I gotta say, the hype is real. It's a beautiful champagne gold highlight that maintains a wet, glossy look even after drying down. It looks amazing in photographs and always garners compliments in real life. I've also used it on my eyes without any irritation or issues--your mileage may vary. I am a bit weirded out by the sponge tip applicator because you can't really clean it, but I like that you can lock the tube so it doesn't leak in your bag. It has become one of the stars of my highlighter collection.

The other three products mentioned in this review were sent to me by Influenster in preparation for Charlotte Tilbury's big Sephora launch. Let's start with the Hot Lips lipstick, which I expected to get in a more muted shade like Secret Salma and instead received in the very nude color Kim K.W. This is one of two satin shades in the range, and if by satin they mean "not matte," then okay, I'm fine with it. But for me, "satin" has always been between a true matte (with no shine) and a glossy, rich-looking cream, ie, most of the Besame Classic Color lipstick range. Charlotte Tilbury Kim K.W. has more of that plush look I associate with cream finishes.

Quibbling aside, it's a good lipstick. It feels comfortable on the lips, it isn't drying, and it photographs really well. It can look a bit smeary on me in real life, but I think that's just because the color is so light, and using a darker lip liner around the edges of my mouth definitely helps. That said, I won't spend $34 on another tube unless they make a shade I desperately want. It doesn't beat the aforementioned $22-a-tube Besame lipsticks, so it's not worth the extra $12 to me.

If any of the Charlotte Tilbury makeup products disappointed me, it was the Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencil, which I received in the shade Champagne Diamonds. It's not awful, it's just...very meh. Based on the name and the description ("mineral, soft-focus effects transform and enhance eye color for a range of looks"), I expected something complex and versatile. What I got was a pretty but plain champagne color with some flecks of glitter, which looks ordinary and one-dimensional even in the above macro shots. Eh.

That said, the actual formula of the eyeshadow pencils is just fine. It's a bit dryer than I expected, but it applies smoothly and evenly, and it definitely sets. I had no issues with creasing, and I didn't notice any of the glitter dropping down on my face. Again, this is not something I'd purchase with my own money, but I'm not opposed to wearing it or recommending it. It's a wonderful product for long days at the office, for instance. I just expected a little more shade complexity from a $27 eyeshadow called Color Chameleon. I'll stick with the cheaper Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses for now.

Now...let's talk about the Magic Cream. I'm trying to be more restrained with my skincare snark, since I've gone through half a dozen bottles of a $24 cleanser that is objectively rather basic. But I think a $100 cream that claims to contain "patented anti-aging, hydrating, and youth-boosting ingredients" that can "fight the aging process" needs to back up its claims with more than run-of-the-mill cloggers. I'd joke that reading this ingredients list gave me nightmares if it weren't all so generic. Butylene glycol and glycerin are cheap-as-dirt moisturizers included in most affordable options. Dimethicone is a form of silicone, and it's often used in skincare to make it seem smoother and more softening than it really is. Shea butter is a lovely ingredient, but it clogs my face like crazy. So on and so forth. Basically, it's $100 worth of hype based off of a mixture of other moisturizers Charlotte used to slap on runway models' faces.

Even if I weren't rolling my eyes a little too hard at this cream, I wouldn't be impressed. As expected, it didn't patch test well on my face, but I could use it on my neck and hands. It was a wholly average moisturizer with a thick lotion texture that took some time to soak in, then provided adequate moisture. And that's it. I'm sorry, but for $100 a tub, you'd better make my dry-as-a-grilled-chicken-breast skin plump, soft, and super-hydrated.

The only thing I liked about Charlotte's Magic Cream was the soft baby powder scent that reminded me of my mother, and I only liked that smell when it was on my hands. I certainly wouldn't want my face to smell like that.

I know that three out of four mini reviews ending with "I wouldn't spend my money on it" sounds like a lot of negativity. It's not: the makeup is usually good, sometimes great, occasionally shit, just like most other brands. It's just that I have found cheaper products I like just as much (Besame lipsticks) or better (Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses), and in those cases, I'm always going to save a few dollars. The Charlotte Tilbury makeup products are still worth recommending, say, if you want a nice nude lipstick or a quick and easy eye color for work.

The skincare range? Not so much. I've looked at some of the formulas for other products, and I'll take a hard pass on trying those in the future.

Charlotte Tilbury products will be available at Sephora on September 13.

This product was sent to me by Influenster in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Glossier Lidstar

I'm weirdly irritated by people who try to do a "full glam" look with makeup that's meant to be sheer and natural, and then they complain about it being sheer and natural. This seems to happen a lot with Glossier: they complain that the Perfecting Skin Tint "has no coverage" (it's not supposed to have any), or that Haloscope "just looks wet" (that's the point). While I'll rag on Glossier for a lot of things, particularly their marketing, I'm not going to complain about them making barely-there products. "Barely There" could actually be the brand's name. The just-released Glossier Lidstars are no different. They aren't advertised as high impact colors; the tagline for the product is actually "less shadow, more glow," and three of the six shades are described as "sheer."

That said, there's a difference between "sheer" and "invisible," and I know that's a legitimate fear some people have regarding these eyeshadows. And while I may not complain about their overarching aesthetic, I will rant about another factor in this review. So, you know...fair warning.

Glossier Lidstars currently cost $18 each or $30 for any two shades. At 0.15oz per tube, they're the same size as most other liquid eyeshadows; you can compare them to the Stila Glitter and Glow Liquid Eyeshadows or the Make Up For Ever Star Lit Liquids. It's a plastic "test tube" sort of packaging with a doe foot applicator. Some people find it cute. I think it looks like a cheap tube of lip gloss from the 1990s, but hey, I'm turning 30 next month. Maybe I'm just an old fuddy duddy.

The real problem with this packaging isn't the appearance, though, it's the function. I'm not ashamed to say I was truly excited about these shadows when they launched, so imagine my frustration when I ripped open my pink bubble mailer and discovered that two of the six shades took a ton of effort to open. Slip took me a minute of twisting with a towel to finally open up, whereas Herb was stuck so tight, I had to enlist my mother to twist the tube one way while I twisted the cap in the opposite direction. After five minutes of wrenching, it eventually opened, but if you were somebody with reduced hand function, this would be a complete nightmare. When I complained about this on Instagram, multiple people messaged me and said they had the exact same issue, and one lovely follower pointed out that makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes (often featured by Glossier) had difficulty opening the tubes on an Instagram Live video. This is not an isolated issue.

On top of that, the lids for these tubes are really quite tiny. I have a tough time fitting my thumb, pointer, and middle fingers on the applicator, and I have relatively small hands. It hasn't been too much of an issue for me because I have full function in my hands and can grip the lid firmly, but it's definitely a bit awkward, and again, people who can't grip as well or as hard will likely find controlling the Lidstar applicator difficult. I think the fix for this is easy: make the lid longer, update the tube or the lid so that it's rubberized or textured, and/or update the packaging so that there's an edge to grip. Oh, and don't screw the damn things on so tight in the factory.

Natural light on top, ring light on the bottom.

Let's move on to the shades and performance of the actual liquid eyeshadow locked away in those obnoxious tubes. First, there are three very sheer shades: Moon, a champagne, Lily, a lilac, and Slip, an oyster pink. Then there are three more pigmented colors: Herb, a golden olive, Fawn, a taupe, and Cub, a rose gold. They all have a refined shimmer to them that thankfully doesn't flake off throughout the day.

Tin foil hat time: I find it very suspicious that, at the time of this review, Glossier's demo photos of the three sheerer shades don't feature anybody with dark skin. They have a video of Mekdes applying every color, but nobody darker than her seems to be featured. Will they actually show up on anybody who isn't as white as I am? I'm not sure. Darker skinned readers, please report back!

Glossier describes their Lidstar as "a wash of soft, glistening color that lasts all day...no need for primer." Now, "soft and glistening" is right up Glossier's natural glowing alley, but "lasts all day without primer" made me tilt my head. Their products are generally known for being easy to apply and barely perceptible on the skin, but not having the best staying power, especially if you have oily skin. I usually wear primer under all of my eyeshadows to prevent creasing, but I was so intrigued (and so lazy) on one particular work day that I decided to skip the primer. They also said that the formula is extremely blendable, even with fingers, so I paid close attention to that as well.

Here are macro shots of every shade except for Herb--feel free to zoom on. On the left, we have two layers of Slip (one layer is almost imperceptible), worn to work with no primer. Shockingly, I found that it did, in fact, stay creaseless for most of the day. There was one big crease in the middle of my eyelid after 12 hours, but you had to be decently close to see it, and the shadow hadn't broken up or smeared otherwise. These definitely stick, so you'll need a strong makeup remover to get them off.

The other two shots show Lily and Fawn, then Cub and Moon, over primer. I do prefer to wear them this way since it takes the creasing from 5% to 0%. Take a look at that middle shot, though, for a very obvious problem: Fawn applies patchy. When I put it on the outer half of my lid and tried to blend it in to Lily, it basically pulled away the shadow that was already there. I had to keep fiddling with it to get it to be visible, let alone decent. I had a similar problem with Herb: it applied very patchy and didn't blend well with other shades.

A post shared by Renee (@reneesanatomy) on Mar 11, 2018 at 10:30am PDT

Here's the full FOTD with Moon and Cub.

By contrast, the sheer shades applied smooth and even, even if I added another layer for more impact. Cub ended up being somewhere in the middle. One layer was very "meh" and slightly patchy, but two layers was smooth and beautiful.

I also tested blending these with a brush. Fingers definitely work best because they set so fast, especially on that first layer, but you can certainly use a fluffy brush to smooth out edges or spread the product evenly. Just be sure to use the lightest touch possible--too much pressure will pull the shadow up and leave you with bald spots.

 I'd love to round my Lidstar score up from a 3.5 to a 4. While Herb and Fawn are letdowns, the other shades are really lovely, and the claims that they will look soft and stay on are totally true. But I'm sticking with a 3 because of that packaging. Ignoring my personal dislike of the actual look of the tubes, they just aren't as functional as they could be. Glossier listened to their customers before when there were complaints about the Generation G tubes; hopefully, they'll listen here, too.

RATING: 3 out of 5

Glossier products are available at their website. Affiliate link: Glossier.

 These products were purchased from Glossier.com using store credit earned through referrals.

REVIEW: Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses

If a cream shadow is going to impress my lazy, I-don't-really-wear-eye-makeup self, it's got to give me tons of impact with minimal effort. For years, that's meant relying on the cruelly discontinued Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows, which look like actual metal on my lids. I never thought I could find anything that could truly compare. Then Lyn posted this swatch and Ulta had its 21 Days of Beauty sale. I was armed with a gift card, friends, and I was desperate for a new cream shadow love.

I ended up buying two of the Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses, which were half off during 21 Days of Beauty but normally retail for $24 each. I decided to buy the blue-brown duochrome Lyn had swatched, Oil Slick, and Unicorn, a newer shade comprised of pastel glitter in a clear base. The pots look tiny to me, but they actually contain 5.5g of product, which is pretty standard. For comparison, a MAC Paint Pot contains 5g of product and a Maybelline Color Tattoo contains a little less than 4g.

The pots are hard plastic. Inside, you'll find a little plastic cover with a tab that covers the shadow; you'll want to hold on to these covers to keep the air out. In fact, you'll want to keep the covers and screw your lids on tightly, since cream eyeshadows dry out quickly in general and I'm told these shrivel up super fast.

I did try to do old fashioned hand swatches of these cream shadows. Unfortunately, while they looked great on Snapchat and Instagram Stories, I couldn't seem to capture a decent still photo. Oil Slick looked flat and Unicorn disappeared completely. What gives?

Well, these aren't really eye glosses, insofar as they don't stay wet on your eyes and give them that "glazed" look. They're actually super sparkly cream shadows; up close and in some photos, you'll see straight up glitter. But the shimmer is refined enough that, from a distance, these actually look glossy.

Since they wouldn't swatch on my hand, let me show you some full face photos to give you a better understanding of what I mean.

On the left, we have two layers of Oil Slick. On the right, we have one layer of Unicorn on top of the Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadow in Unforgettable Oriole. (I always use Too Faced Shadow Insurance as well, since my eyelids can get very oily.) In both cases, I used the tiniest amount of product possible and blended it with my fingers. And in both cases, I think the Butter London product is the standout. Look at that shine! Look at that GLITTER! They're even prettier in real life.

Here's an obligatory blurry shot to better demonstrate the glitter in Unicorn:

There are other benefits to this formula beyond the sheer sparkly goodness. It has a very thin, gel-like texture that's weightless on the eyes. The Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses also dry down almost immediately, which means you'll have to work fast, but the upside is that they don't really crease and there's next to no fallout. Unicorn did drop a couple of specks on my face throughout the day, but when it comes to glitter, "a couple of specks" is nothing.

So do the Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses replace the Josie Maran liquid eyeshadows? Technically, no. The Josie Maran product is very metallic, whereas these are very sparkly. But are they absolutely beautiful and highly recommended? Uh, yes! Dummy proof, long lasting, absolutely gorgeous glittery cream shadows? I am ready.

RATING: 5 out of 5

The Butter London Glazen Eye Glosses are available at Ulta.

1P2L: Liquid Eyeshadow with Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows

I'm re-using this photo from a previous post because I think it encapsulates my feelings re: Josie Maran's Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows: they are a treasure. I love them. I adore them. I worship them. If they were a human being, I'd consider dumping my fiance and marrying them instead (but of course, I'd make the right decision in the end). Apparently, because Josie Maran hates happiness, they're being discontinued. I've complained about this before, so I'll resist the urge and will simply point out that this should work with any liquid or cream eyeshadow.

To demonstrate how versatile these can really be, I tried to create two looks with different tones and a different number of liquid eyeshadows. Obviously, I'm boring and not a makeup artist, so the one major difference is the color scheme...but I tried.

On the left, I used all three of my Josie Maran liquid eyeshadow shades, using the lightest (Playa del Pink) in the crease, the brightest (Rio de Rose Gold) on the lid, and the darkest (Beach Sand) smeared in to the lashes. Paired with Besame Portrait Peach lipstick and Glossier Beam Cloud Paint, it's a very warm, orange-heavy look that I actually enjoy.

On the right, I applied a base layer of Wet n' Wild Brulee eyeshadow all over my lid, then carefully applied Beach Sand as an eyeliner. This would actually be much easier if you had a thin brush that you dipped in the product, but I don't have any super thin brushes anymore, so I just used the tip of the applicator. My eyes are deepset, so you only get that peek of Beach Sand.

Again, you can do this with most well-formulated liquid and cream eyeshadows. Matte cream shadows can also be brushed through the brows like a pomade, provided they're the right shade and a suitably dry formula. Creamier shadow formulas can double as blushes or highlighters.

Here are the products I used for the above two looks. In both, I'm wearing the Maybelline Dream Cushion foundation, partly because I'm testing it for a review and partly because I'm aiming for slightly glowier skin on-the-lazy in these looks. In fact, a lot of the products double up in these FOTDs: Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer under the eyes, Glossier Boy Brow for a bit of texture over those shiny eyes, a cream highlighter, a bright blush...I'm not that creative.

Photographing both of these looks has reminded me that I still need to find a replacement for these Josie Maran eyeshadows. I've yet to find another I love nearly as much, so perhaps that will be my quest for 2017. That, or nag Josie Maran so much that she puts these bad boys back in to production.

I Miss the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows

Sometimes, when I'm wasting my time eating ramen and watching Keith Olbermann videos instead of grading papers like an adult would, I start thinking about things I usually avoid thinking about. And I realize that I whine a lot. I can be borderline nasty when it's not entirely warranted, and I probably spend too much time ranting about my weird pet peeves. I admit this about myself--nobody is perfect. But I don't think it's wrong for me to whine, yet again, "Why u discontinue dees, Josie Maran?!" They're so flawless that they deserve a monthly post, if not a weekly one, I swear.

The Coconut Watercolor Eye Shadows are one of two eye shadow products I've loved, the other one being Wet n' Wild's Brulee eyeshadow. That's it. In all my years of wearing makeup, even when I wore plenty of eyeshadow, there were certainly products I liked, but none that I borderline worshiped like these. They're easy to use (slap it on and go) and so fantastically metallic that I get asked what I'm wearing every time I use one. Also, unlike many frosty cream shadows, these have a super-thin, watery formula that feels weightless on the eyes.

And yet Josie Maran is discontinuing them.

The process of getting rid of them seems to be taking a while. As mentioned in my last "Whhhhhhy?!" post, linked above, these disappeared from Sephora some time last year. But yes, they are definitely fading from the public eye. Here is the Josie Maran "Good Buys" page as of today; of these listed shades, three are still available, including this purple shade I want for no apparent reason. I haven't bought it yet because it's purple and I need more makeup like I need a hole in the head, but there's a little voice inside me screeching, "GET IT BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS YOU WILL REGREEEEET THIIIIS!!!"

Why is Josie Maran discontinuing these if they're so beautiful and I'm a one-woman marketing campaign? I have a few guesses:

1. Josie Maran Cosmetics is having trouble selling their makeup. I've noticed that people buy up their skincare, particularly the argan oil, like it's going out of style, but I heard very little about the makeup. Check their Good Buys section and you'll notice that quite a lot of their makeup is heavily discounted. 
2. The applicators kinda sucked. Don't get me wrong, they apply the shadow decently, and the packaging is visually appealing. But the doe foot applicators in the lids quickly earned a reputation for snapping off, something I soon experienced myself. When I contacted the company, they sent me three replacement lids, which was amazing. Still, can't they just improve the packaging? Do they have to throw the  baby out with the shimmery bath water?
3. Some people found them tricky to apply...? I guess? I know the Beautypedia review complains about how hard it is to get a "blended" look with them, and I'm so used to applying them that I maybe don't think about the learning curve. That said, you actually CAN get a soft look with them if you know what to do. Personally, I apply the product all over my lid first, then--as the last step--I run a little in my crease. Immediately after placing the shadow in my crease, I use a soft shadow brush to blend it out and fade it in to my skin. These do dry quickly, so you have to be strategic, but again, it's not impossible to do it.

Regardless, they're definitely discontinuing the Coconut Watercolor Eye Shadows, and I'm still trying to make my peace with the decision. I've poked around the web looking for viable replacements, but the closest possibility I've found--the Milk Makeup Eye Pigments--have been quickly shot down by others. Most of the people I've spoken to who have tried them have said that they're "pretty, but you can feel them on your eyes." Eh, no. That's not the same. I'm still waiting for a replacement.

So I've got two things on my mind. One, I'm going to try fiddling with eye makeup a bit more to try some new things and break out of my comfort zone a little. It's likely going to be atrocious, so please don't judge me too harshly. Two, if you have any recommendations for a viable replacement product, please tell me!

Moderate Stash: Eyeshadow

If you've been here for a while, you've probably noticed that I'm not big on eyeshadow. I don't own a ton of it, I never really review it, and I'm rarely wearing more than one shade on my lids in Face of the Day photos. There was a time when I was really in to eyeshadow, when every bright color and flashy finish felt like the best way to express myself. But as I've gotten older, I've gotten lazier. I've also fallen more and more in love with lipstick. At the end of the day, I admit that I love to emphasize my cheeks and lips, but my eyes? Meh. Too much effort.

I do keep some eyeshadows around, however, for the occasional fancy look. Creams and liquids are my go-tos for quick and easy washes of color, and my small assortment of powder shadows has me covered for smoky eyes. All of these were swatched over Too Faced Shadow Insurance, my favorite primer. I did not swatch two specific things: Wet n' Wild Brulee, a single eyeshadow that is nearly the same color as my skin, and my depotted Urban Decay Book of Shadows II, since loads of swatches are available via a Google Image search.

CREAMS AND LIQUIDS

• Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eye Shadows in Rio de Rose Gold, Playa del Pink, and Beach Sand. In my opinion, these are the rulers of Liquid Eyeshadow Land; no other product is as pigmented, as smooth and easy to apply, or as beautifully metallic. These are so shiny and pretty, they actually look foiled when the light hits them! I like all three shades: Rio de Rose Gold is a copper, Playa del Pink is a soft champagne, and Beach Sand is a rich brown. Unfortunately, it looks like Josie Maran might be discontinuing these absolutely flawless little babies. :( Maybe she's bringing them back with new packaging!
• MAC Shadestick in Heirloom. Yes, this thing is ancient, and no, they don't make Shadesticks anymore. But while I've busted through the remaining few in my collection, tossing them in to my Back 2 MAC bag with a muttered "Good riddance," I cling to Heirloom. It's this wonderful frosted antique pink, and it works well on its own and as a base for purple and pink powder shadows.
• Charlotte Ronson Liquid Eye Shadow in Sky. Yet another discontinued product because I suck! This liquid eyeshadow has an extremely thin, very liquidy formula; the tube needs a lot of shaking before you apply. Sky is a translucent pink shade with tons of microshimmer. While it's very beautiful and flattering, I don't wear it nearly as much as my Josie Maran liquid shadows, so I'm considering destashing it.
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils in Black Bean and Milk. These super-creamy, very opaque puppies had a Moment on YouTube a few years back, but while many bloggers right them off today, I know a lot of drag queens who still keep these babies in their kit. The stark matte shades are great for dramatic highlighting and lining, and if you spread them out over a primer like Too Fashed Shadow Insurance, they make great bases that can amp up the drama for your other shadows.

 Natural light on top, flash on the bottom.

MAC POWDER SHADOW PANS

• Matte shades: Wedge and Truce. Wedge, a medium brown with some slightly warm leanings, is a staple in many collections. I used to use it as a brow shade, but nowadays I like it best in my crease. The same goes for Truce, a gray putty shade: it makes the perfect crease color to emphasize my deep set eyes and cast a shadow. Both are decently smooth and opaque, though being mattes, they require a bit more blending to get a soft effect.
• Frosted/Metallic shades: Satin Taupe, Woodwinked, and Vex. Satin Taupe and Vex are both relatively cool-toned shadows; Satin Taupe reads, as the same suggests, as a taupey purple and makes a great all-over-lid shade for smokey eyes, while Vex is a sheer duochrome that makes a great transition or crease color. Woodwinked is in a whole other ballpark, though. It looks brown in the pan, but applies as a warm, coppery gold on your lids, especially if you buff it out. It has one of the smoothest powder eyeshadow formulas I've ever felt!

 Natural light on top, flash on the bottom.

Time to Say Goodbye to Chanel Illusion d'Ombres

I'm not a big eyeshadow person, but when I fall for a little pot of pigment, I fall hard. The love I've felt for Chanel's Illusion d'Ombre shadows has been the stuff of romance novels, full of endless praises and poetic waxing. (Shit, look how purple my prose is now.) I've been loyal to these babies for four years, and in the ever-changing world of beauty blogging, that's saying something.

But there are two problems. The first is that I don't wear eyeshadow often, especially sparkly eyeshadow, so these only get worn on the weekend or when I'm going out to a club or a special event. The second is that these dry out quickly; I've replaced my favorite shades, Illusoire and Epatant, three times in the span of four years. If you aren't using even half of something up before it needs to be discarded...well, there's a problem. The return on investment isn't being realized. The love is unrequited.

Illusoire on left, Epatant on right

I was downright thrilled when I rolled "show something more love" for my current round of Beauty Roulette, because I figured it'd be the best excuse to rock my IdOs. And sure enough, I used both shades several times in several months, and my love for them was reignited. Just look at how beautiful they are! One shadow gives you a fantastic, multi-dimensional look in less than a minute! Photos do not do them justice, truly.

But I have to admit it: without Beauty Roulette, these aren't getting used. I really am too lazy to put on eyeshadow for work most mornings, so despite my best intentions, they are still only for weekends or nights on the town. And they deserve better than that.

I figure I'll sell or swap these off to a more loving home. Maybe somebody who has never tried them will finally get their chance. It'll be hard to say goodbye to something so pretty, something that's been like an old friend for years. But for now, at least, I think it's wise to leave these to the eyeshadow lovers and sparkle fanatics of the world.

Josie Maran Slew o' Reviews!

A few months back, Sephora had their yearly VIB 20% off sale. I was a good girl (aka, somebody who doesn't make a lot of money), and I held off buying anything in the hopes that many of the winter kits and clearance items would go on a deep discount later on. Sure enough, Sephora reduced the price of many-a-sample-set AND added a 20% discount on all clearance items. I was able to get the Josie Maran Winter Dreams kit for $28, plus 20% off, instead of the original $34.

Here's the original packaging for the Winter Dreams kit. It contained the following items:

• Coconut Watercolor Eye Shadow in Rose Gold, 0.16oz (full size); retails for $18.
• Argan Black Oil mascara, 0.17oz (deluxe sample); full size is 0.27 and retails for $22.
• 100% Pure Argan Oil Light, 0.5oz (full size); retails for $16.
• Argan Illuminizer, 0.5oz (deluxe sample); full size is 1oz and retails for $28.
• Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Oil in Limitless Pink, 0.16oz (deluxe sample); full size is 0.5oz and retails for $18, OR you can get a box of 2 deluxe samples for $16.

Straight off the bat, I think this set was great value for money. Any two of these products would equal well over the original $34 purchase cost, and considering I got this thing for roughly ~$20? Talk about a steal!

You probably noticed a ton of coconut and argan in Josie Maran's product names. This is because her line is famous for containing "nourishing oils," primarily--you guessed it--coconut oil and argan oil. In fact, the line got famous for its original Argan Oil, which a lot of people use on their skin, hair, and cuticles. I, however, am not particularly interested in Argan Oil; at the time of this posting, I actually have the bottle from this set up for sale.

The header image also includes a deluxe sample of the Infinity Lip and Cheek Oil in Timeless Coral, which is not included in this set. I actually purchased it in aforementioned deluxe sample duo several months back. (The other shade in the duo, Everlasting Honey, is part of my current giveaway prize!)

Because these products are all quite liquidy and contain oils in the base, you'll want to shake up or knead the bottles/tubes before usage. Otherwise, the pigment may separate from the rest of the formulation.

Enough of the technicalities--let's get on to the products!

Argan Illuminizer -- This is an incredibly creamy and pigmented liquid highlighter. It has a distinct gold color--compare it to the slightly pink MUFE Uplight #11 and the outright white Becca Pearl--and plenty of luminosity. Despite the fact that it looks very opaque and kind of scary in this swatch, it's actually very easy to sheer this product out: just use the tiiiiiiniest amount, or mix it with a bit of foundation. That can be a bit hard to do, however, because the pump is difficult to control, and even the half-a-pea size drop of product it produces on each pump is way too much. This is definitely a "sheeny" highlighter, with some very faint sparkle that can be detected in bright sunlight. I think it's GORGEOUS...but unfortunately, that warm gold color never looks quite right on my pale skin. :( This shade is more suited to medium to dark skintones. If they make more shades of this product, I'll definitely consider purchasing a full bottle. 5 out of 5.

Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow in Rose Gold -- Holy crap, where have these been all my life?! Granted, I have a weakness for liquid and cream shadows, but these are particularly phenomenal. Rose Gold is more of a coppery shade on me than an actual rose gold, but it's still very beautiful, and I could see it working on a lot of skintones. The product takes about 30 seconds to set. On the bright side, this gives you time to get in there with a brush and blend out the shade. On the bad side, if you blink too soon, the product can crease. Even after drying, this product maintains a wet, foiled look that photographs never do justice to. This is a great product for people like me who like "one eyeshadow looks" and a glossy sheen. Just one word of caution: people with oily eyelids will want to use a primer. 5 out of 5.

Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Oils in Timeless Coral and Limitless Pink -- These got a lot of bad press when they were first released. Reviewers claimed that they had zero lasting power and faded quickly from both the lips and cheeks. Some people also stated that they were incredibly greasy. I have to disagree on two of those three counts. First of all, the texture of these is really beautiful: they're similar to the newer Becca Beach Tints, but even creamier and smoother. A small dab goes a long way, and they apply to my lips and cheeks with incredible ease. I think that a lot of the initial reviewers had oilier skin types, and this is definitely a product for normal to dry skin: even though my lips and skin are even dryer than usual in the winter, these sit comfortably on my skin and maintain a bit of a glow. They do not parch my lips or emphasize the dryness of my cheeks. That being said, I get a good 6 hours of wear out of these on my cheeks...and maybe 2 hours on my lips, if I'm lucky. Bonus points, though, for being one of the few products designed for lips and cheeks that actually works for both. 4 out of 5.

Argan Black Oil mascara -- I was incredibly excited to try this mascara because it promised a creamy, pitch black formula, and that's my favorite kind of mascara. And the formula is, indeed, quite creamy and dark; it feels luxurious to apply it to my lashes, and it makes them incredibly black. I get some length and volume out of this product, and it does hold a curl. However, I think most of the volume is a bit of an optical illusion, ie, "My lashes look thicker because they're so dark." Still, it's a really beautiful look, and I'd gladly continue wearing this mascara if I could. Unfortunately, this thing flakes like crazy. I have no idea why, because it isn't a dry formulation, but the Black Oil mascara starts to flake while I'm applying it. I have to dust off the fallout with a powder brush. Within 4 hours, I have black smudges all around the corners of my eyes and plenty of dark, dark flakes. So sad. 2 out of 5.

Here's a photo of me wearing one layer of the Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow in Rose Gold, the Lip and Cheek Oil in Limitless Pink on my lips and cheeks, the Black Oil mascara, and the Argan Illuminizer on my cheekbones and under my brow. As you can hopefully see, these products all sit very nicely on my dry skin. None of them dried me out or emphasized my parched skin, which is absolutely phenomenal. They're very effortless, natural products, the "easy" stuff I'd wear on a day-to-day basis. The only disappointment for me is the Black Oil mascara, but I have plenty of other mascaras I adore, so that's not a total loss.

I will note that I think the Josie Maran line is geared more towards dry-skinned people. This is great news for me, of course, but oily-skinned people may want to look elsewhere for their "natural look" products. (Pssst: I would suggest trying Becca or Bobbi Brown.) That being said, the liquid eyeshadows will probably impress plenty of people with their great texture and beautiful finish, and anybody who wants a glow could try out the highlighter.

Josie Maran products are available at Sephora.

Drugstore Reviews and Re-Views

I know that I'm pretty bad at reviewing drugstore products, and I apologize. It's not that I don't like them, and it's not that I think luxury products are inherently better. There are a number of drugstore gems I couldn't do my face without. I just don't think to review a lot of those products. Furthermore, drugstore foundations aren't exactly known for their shade ranges--finding something pale enough for me that isn't Pepto-Bismal pink takes a lot of effort.

Recently, I've been testing out two products that are new to me (L'oreal True Match foundation and Flower Beauty Color Play Creme Eyeshadows) and re-trying two products I always liked, but haven't used in ages (Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Black Cherry and Maybelline Full n' Soft mascara).

Here's the HD "face of the day" utilizing all 4 items:

Straight off the bat, I think we all can tell that Revlon Black Cherry is just not that flattering on me. I'm actually wearing it over MAC Beet lipliner to make it slightly more pink, but still, it just doesn't work with my skintone. It also makes my teeth look oddly yellow.

Now, let's be clear here: I recommend the Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick line often because the formulations are creamy, decently long-lasting, and relatively fragrance free. But over the years, I've come to prefer a more matte, long-wearing lipstick, so the Super Lustrous line no longer fits my needs. I give the overall formula a 5 out of 5, but I'm purging Black Cherry because it looks awful on me. I'll probably replace it with something more purple than plum, and in a long-wearing formula.

The Flower Beauty Color Play Creme Eyeshadow in Good As Marigold has been an absolute, 5 out of 5 love of mine for the past two weeks. The formula is extremely wet and creamy, sort of like a whipped mousse texture. Hence, the jar can be a bit messy. Flower staves this off by putting a little plastic lid inside the jar (to prevent the product from slopping everywhere). Actually, I think the packaging is pretty stellar overall; you can see the actual product through the bottom, the lid is air-tight, and the whole thing looks relatively sleek and pretty. A little goes a long way with this stuff. You'll definitely want to use an eye primer under this product, given how creamy it is, but I always use an eye primer anyway.

Naked face on left, one layer of L'oreal True Match in W1 on the right.

I purchased the L'oreal True Match foundation in W1 on a whim: it looked like it was pale with cool-yellow undertones. That's a tough find at the drugstore! And I'd heard good things.

I tried applying this product two ways: once with my fingers, and once with a damp Beauty Blender sponge (which is shown above). Using my fingers was a major fail. This product doesn't have a ton of slip to it, so it's hard to blend without some added moisture. The damp BB made things much easier; I'd assume this product would also work better over a layer of moisturizer. The shade W1 is darker than my neck, lighter than my face, which puts it in the N10 range.

You can get light to medium coverage with this foundation, depending on how you apply it and how much you layer, and the finish is relatively natural. It also feels pretty light-weight. But I noticed three bad things about this product:

• it can transfer, if you put enough pressure on your face,
• the SPF causes some flashback in flash photography, and
• it's full of microshimmer.

The microshimmer and flashback are both visible in this SD photo--take a look at my forehead:

I look terrifying, I know...sorry.

L'oreal True Match's shade range is what's really impressive. And I've heard it's a great "mixer" if you're trying to thin out other foundations. But I personally wasn't wowed, and I've yet to love a foundation that's got shimmer in it. I'd give this one a 3 out of 5.

Last, but most certainly not least, I've been retrying Maybelline Full n' Soft mascara. I've been trying to figure out why I stopped using this stuff. The answer? I got distracted trying a lot of other products. While CoverGirl Clump Crusher is still more dramatic and more iron-clad against rain and humidity, Full n' Soft has reclaimed its place as my favorite "natural" mascara. I can put on one thin coat for a "is she wearing mascara?" sort of look, or layer it 3-4 times for a bit more drama with next to no clumping. Gorgeous stuff, definitely a 5 out of 5.

5 Ways to Use Chanel Fantasme

The Chanel Illusion d'Ombres are much-loved, particularly on this blog. But there's an oddball, much-maligned member of the group: Fantasme. The fact that it has a clear base and not-so-fine glitter makes it one of the least loved IdOs out there. However, I find it to be quite multi-purpose; you just have to be open to a little shimmer. Here are 5 ways I use Chanel Fantasme.

1. I tap it on top of my eyeshadow. The clear base means that Fantasme is basically suspended glitter, which is great for adding sparkle to eye looks, especially since I'm not huge on sparkly powder eyeshadows. I get the teeniest amount on my finger, then tap it across my lid. There will be fallout, so save this for night, and consider using some clear tape to pluck extra shimmer particles off of your skin.

2. Use it as an accent liner. I rarely put heavy eye makeup on the lower part of my eyes because it's not attractive to me. But if I want a glimpse of glitter without coating my eyelid in it, I'll use a thin angled brush to apply a line of Fantasme to the outer corner of my lower lash line. Think of it like the shadow of my cat eyeliner flick, just sparkly!

3. Tap it on to your lips, then add a layer of clear gloss. This is a bit much for me, but I know a few drag queens and highly-painted ladies who love the added dimension!

4. If you're REALLY in to an over-the-top look, try it as a highlighter. I rarely want that much noticeable shimmer on my cheeks, but for parties? It's absolutely adorable. This trick is best avoided by those with large pores, but if you don't have that problem, it can make you look like quite the pixie. Used super-sparingly, it's quite lovely in photographs; my friend wore it on his cheeks to his sister's wedding and it photographed like a dream.

5. Swipe it on your ear lobes in place of earrings--my favorite! I rarely wear jewelry (I lose it and it's uncomfortable to sleep in), so when a Chanel Sales Associate dusted some Fantasme on my friend's earlobes, I totally took notice. It may not be for everybody, but I think it's a chic and adorable way to add some shimmer to your face!