January Play! by Sephora: My Very First

My mother surprised me with a subscription to Play! by Sephora for Christmas this year, and I am so grateful. I've already been a longtime subscriber to Ipsy and Birchbox, but Sephora's popular subscription box seems so posh and exciting.

I received my first box at the end of January. I wish the boxes shipped sooner like Ipsy and Birchbox, but it at least gives me something to look forward to throughout the month. It included six skin, hair, and beauty samples, and all came in an incredibly cute drawstring bag with a "New Year, New You" type theme.

Also in the bag was a flyer describing each product and how to use it, which is pretty standard with subscription boxes. However, on the flip side of the flyer was a twelve month "challenge" calendar that gave a new idea for each month designed to improve one's beauty and spirit. January's challenge was to calculate the amount of water to drink every day, and February's challenge is to try a new, bright lip color.

I'm a beauty lover on a tight budget, so many Sephora brands are beyond my reach. What I'm looking forward to most with this subscription is being able to try more luxury brands that I wouldn't be able to otherwise.

One such brand is Make Up For Ever, where most of the brand is out of my price range. However, in the January Play!, there was a blush sample in the shade B302. This very flattering peach shade can also be used as an eyeshadow, and I love that the sample is the perfect size for travel (like most items in the bag).

GLAMGLOW is another brand that I've rarely had the pleasure of trying because of the price tag, but I received a sample of the GLAMGLOW SUPERCLEANSE Clearing Cream-To-Foam Cleanser. I always hear fantastic things about GLAMGLOW, especially its flagship SUPERMUD mask (which I'd love to try!), and I'm looking forward to testing out this cleanser. I'm always on the market for skincare items, since my skin is something that I struggle with, so this could be promising.

Another luxury brand I've enjoyed trying is Perricone MD and its Hydrating Cloud Cream. This moisturizer has a very interesting, light texture not found in other lotions, however it is a pretty typical hydrating lotion.

Clinique has been a trusted brand in my house forever, as it was my grandmother's HG brand (and she was a stylish lady). My very first makeup was the free gifts my grandmother would give to me from Macy's when she would stock up on her beloved Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+. In January's Play! box, I received Clinique's Pep Start Eye Cream which moisturizes and brightens the under-eye area. I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I'm getting older, so any sort of eye cream is a welcome addition to my routine. I love this eye cream, and I wish I had gotten a bigger tube! I may have to take a page out of my grandmother's book and start looking to Clinique for my skincare.

Smashbox has come out with so many different takes on primer, from traditional primers to waters and oils. Recently they released Primerizer which is a combination moisturizer and primer, a concept I've wondered for years why the beauty industry hadn't made! My skin has been so dry this winter, I think I'm going to like this concept very much.

The last sample was MOROCCANOIL shampoo and conditioner. I have received a sample of this brand's hand lotion in a previous subscription box and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to trying their shampoo and conditioner. My only complaint is the foil packet! Do foil packets annoy anyone else, or just me?!

Overall, I was impressed with the January Play! by Sephora box, and I just got my notification email that my February box has shipped! Let the anticipation begin.

What's your favorite subscription box service? Comment below, and be sure to like my page on Facebook to keep up with my shenanigans.

Brows On Point: e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Sheer Tint Brow Gel

Brow game strong. Isn't that what we all want to hear? I was fortunate to resist the overplucking phase in my younger years, so I have naturally thick eyebrows, but my black brows always seem a bit ashy and shaggy after makeup application. Brows have been the "it" trend for several years now, but I've never found anything that could help my dark, bushy brows. Now I've finally found a product that not only matches my hair color, but tames and darkens them. Sheer Tint Brow Gel from e.l.f. has quickly become a necessary part of my daily makeup routine to finish off my look.

e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Sheer Tint Brow Gel comes in four colors: clear, light, medium, and dark. I love that it has a dark shade, as my eyebrows are black and it's rare to find a brow product that matches. Usually, the deepest color is still way too brown and makes me look like I have multicolored brows (not attractive!). I was a bit concerned at first that the dark would still not be dark enough, but for $5 I was happy to give it a shot. The clear option did not interest me because my experience with clear gels is that they usually end up looking too shiny.

This brow gel features a long, thin brush with fine bristles. It can sometimes be a little too long to get the outer edges of the brows with precision, but with a light hand it is manageable. It promises a "soft hold for perfect everyday wear," and in general it fulfills that promise. If you put too much on, it can feel a bit crunchy, but I love how easy it is to apply, and create a defined and natural look without much effort. The gel lasts all day and does not flake off (I'm a photographer, so a camera is against my face for most of the day and it has yet to wear off or transfer).

Most importantly, it does exactly what I've been searching for a brow product to do: darken my eyebrows after makeup application, and even them out without adding bulk to my already thick brows. Most brow products on the market are meant to add volume to thin brows or fill in sparse spots, but I definitely don't need that. After applying my foundation and powders, my eyebrows pick up a lot of product and they look ashy and gray. Spoolies don't really get the excess product off, and I don't want to use makeup remover because that may ruin the makeup around my eyebrows. Enter the Sheer Tint Brow Gel! A couple swipes through each brow and each guy looks fresh, clean, and defined. The gel dries quickly, keeps my dark hair dark, and tames these wild beasties of eyebrows.

For $5, e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Sheer Tint Brow Gel is worth its weight in gold. Nothing frames a face quite like well-done eyebrows, and this brow gel helps to finish off my makeup like the period to this sentence. What is your favorite brow product? Comment below!

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Bye Bye Breakout! New from IT Cosmetics

If you saw my previous post (here), you know I had the awesome opportunity to get a sneak peak of IT Cosmetics' fall line at their ExhibIT Beauty launch party. Already available on their website, and starting to be seen on Ulta's website, this line is full of exciting new products, and a few revolutionary ones! I fell in love with the Bye Bye Breakout Concealer, which I got to try out at the launch party and ordered on the spot. I've been trying it out for a couple weeks, so read on for my full review!

Explore IT Cosmetics Fall 2017 With Me: My First Launch Party!

This past week, I had the amazing opportunity to go to my very first launch party! IT Cosmetics, a brand I love and trust, held an interactive "ExhibIT" to announce and demonstrate their new items coming out this fall, and trust me there is some good stuff coming! These are some of my favorites from the night, and I've bolded the names of the new products so you can spot them within this long post.

Top 10 Gifts Under $10 (Beauty and Otherwise!)

With the holidays quickly approaching, and my bank account just as quickly shrinking, I love when I can find an affordable yet quality gift. My savvy shopper radar is always on the hunt for great gifts at fantastic prices. I want to use my powers for good and show you my Top 10 choices for great gifts under $10! Many of these are great to go along with larger gifts, or for those folks you're just not sure what to get (teachers, coworkers, neighbors, etc). All of the Top 10 are of my own opinion (and gift giving), I have not been sponsored to include anything. If you're friends with me in "real-life" stop reading, no spoilers!

Awesome Autumn Makeup Trends

The air is getting crisper, the leaves have turned golden, and it's time to break out all that makeup that wasn't "summer friendly." That's right, get your liquid foundations, your darkest lippies, and your boldest eyeliner out, because it's time to play. Fall is one of my most favorite times of year, primarily because I'm no longer sweating the second I step outside, but also because I get to use all my favorite makeup without fear of it melting off my face. Out of everything the fall brings, however, my favorite fall makeup trend has to be deeper eye looks. While summer is all about light and natural, anything goes in the fall!

My Concealer Routine

Hello, lovelies! Concealer is an incredibly important part of my makeup routine each morning. Not only do I suffer from acne, but I have dark circles under my eyes. What a wonderful combination! Foundation doesn't always do the trick, so that's where my hero, concealer, comes in to play.

New Favorite Foundation? Neutrogena SkinClearing Mineral Powder

Hello, loves! I'm a huge foundation addict, I have a ton already and I'm constantly buying more. There's a definite sense of excitement when I buy and try a new foundation: could THIS foundation be the perfect one? Is this the magic foundation that makes my skin look perfect? More often than not, the answers are no, continuing the vicious cycle where I keep buying new foundations. All makeup has its pros and cons, and different foundations will work for different people. Half the fun of makeup is trying new things and figuring out what's perfect for you, hence my huge collection! Did I find my new favorite foundation in the Neutrogena SkinClearing Mineral Powder? Keep reading.

Favorite Summer Blushes

It's getting so dang hot! Summer is definitely upon us once again, which means it's time to look at our makeup collections and switch things up! The heavier foundations are hibernating until winter, the deep berry lipstick will wait until November, and the just-in-from-the-snow look is traded for just-back-from-the-beach. The three blushes I've been reaching for as the weather heats up all remind me of the juicy strawberries, melons, raspberries, and apricots the season brings. Give me the fun, fruity colored blushes this summer, I'm eating them up! 

These three blushes are not only gorgeous, but are wonderfully pigmented and all from the drugstore so they're affordable! 

Winter Favorites 2016

Happy Spring, lovelies! We made it through winter in one piece, and while everyone is looking forward to the changing season and the spring makeup, I'd like to take a moment and reveal what were my favorite products this past winter. These beauty goodies kept me looking gorgeous this season, and come with the CKellyBlush stamp of approval.

The foundation I was reaching for during these cold months was the CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous. This is a fantastic foundation, providing great coverage at an affordable price.

I Love a Good Haul: Makeup Revolution

I gotta admit, lovelies, there's something super satisfying about reading haul posts and peeking into someone else's life to see what they bought (and adding things to my shopping list). I love sharing my own hauls with you all, too! 

Makeup Revolution is relatively new to the States, appearing first on Ulta's website and select stores. However, it seems like they've expanded their presence by installing beautiful new displays in most of Ulta's brick-and-mortar stores. I'm so excited, and I hope Ulta brings over even more products from the line. My first purchase when the brand became available was the Mermaids Forever palette, which I love (more details in my Favorite Fall Makeup 2015 post). Now that it's in my local store, I went a bit nuts and got quite the haul!

One Palette Look: Wet n Wild "Coming In Latte" Tutorial

Hello, my beauties! One thing I get really excited about is getting a new eyeshadow palette. All the beautiful colors and finishes gathered and poured into one little spot makes me so happy. Sometimes just the look of a palette is too good to spoil by actually using the eyeshadows (but I always manage to get past that!). I'd like to start a series on my blog exploring the potential of some of these eyeshadow palettes, with each tutorial creating a look using shadows coming from only one palette. I'm by no means a professional nor an expert, merely an enthusiast who enjoys playing with makeup! I also find taking photos of my own eye incredibly difficult, so forgive me as I continue to figure out the best methods! We'll learn together.

The 90s Are Back: My First ColourPop Haul

Hello, beauties! ColourPop is all the rage among makeup lovers like myself, but since it's not sold in stores, I've never tried it before. I'm always very hesitant to spend my money online if I don't know whether I'll like the product or not. But a few weeks ago, ColourPop was having a sale that I just couldn't resist, and I'm so excited to talk about my first ColourPop Cosmetics haul!

Laura Geller: Yummy or Crummy?

Every year, I eagerly await the release of all the beautiful holiday value sets put out by my favorite cosmetics brands. Makeup is my sport, and the holidays are the World Series and Superbowl rolled up into one. In 2015, some were great (bareMinerals) and some were a rehash of previous sets (Benefit), but one caught my eye to a brand I really hadn't thought about before. Laura Geller is known in the beauty world mostly for the beloved Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey, but I generally didn't take notice of her other products. Her holiday collection, however, stood out to me and I knew I had to try it. So Scrumptious, purchased at Ulta, is a 6 piece collection of full sized products that can be used to create a close to complete face look. Although it's a holiday set, I want to talk about the products themselves, since they are all best sellers of the line.

Massive 2015 Holiday Beauty Haul

Happy New Year everyone!! As you may know, the holidays are the absolute best time of year to buy makeup. Not only are there holiday gift sets galore, which are usually the best bang for your buck, but also companies are releasing new products and putting the old products on clearance. If you play your cards right, you can get so much makeup for very little investment. As I've taken advantage (quite a bit) of the deals this holiday season, I've gathered some of the standouts from my haul to share with you.

Top Five Repurchased Beauty Products

It's rare that I actually empty out a product, whether it's makeup or skincare. I get super bored and I tend to mix things up after a while. I'll buy a beautiful new blush, for example, use it for a week straight and then not touch it again for a month before I go back to it. There are a few items in my arsenal, however, that I cannot live without, that work for me so well, and that I will always repurchase. I've narrowed it down to my top five for you!

Influenster VoxBox: Curel Itch Defense

Hello lovlies! I got my second Influenster VoxBox recently (freebies, woo!), and I received a complimentary bottle of Curel's new Itch Defense Instant Soothing Moisturizing Spray, as well as a sample of the matching body wash to try for review. I was so excited to get this box because I've always been curious about the spray lotions but have never tried one before.

Favorite Fall Makeup 2015

It's that time of year again, where we can ditch the light and bright makeup of summer, and change to the deep, gorgeous hues that reflect the changing leaves and the colder weather. It's fall! I did a similar post last year, but fall is such a rich tapestry of colors that I've decided to do a 2015 edition as well.

In the summer, heavy makeup often looks out of place. My favorite eyeliners, lipsticks, and shadows usually begin to collect dust because they just don't fit the mood of the season. Fall, however, is a great time to show off that winged liner, huge lashes, colorful eyes, and deep lips.

Austerity August: My No-Buy Goal

Hello my beauties! Have you heard of a No-Buy period? I sure have, and the words are usually terrifying to my shopaholic ears! However, I recently organized my makeup collection (yet again), and the size of it made me proud, but also made me realize I should probably take a break from adding to it for a while. Not only will it help ease some pain on my storage capacity, but it will also help ease some pain on my wallet!

This is going to be hard, I'm not going to lie. I love buying makeup! We all need a bit of retail therapy sometimes, and for me, buying makeup is the best kind. There's something magical about the possibilities that a new, unopened product provides. It's kind of like the thrill I get from a blank sheet of paper, full of untapped potential. Maybe this is the product that puts all others to shame, I think every time, maybe this will be my holy grail of makeup.

Spring 2015 Haul Part 3: Lippies

Hey, I know it's not spring anymore, but I just had to finish my ginormous spring haul series with the final chapter: lip products! This is probably my favorite category, as I just can't get enough lipsticks, lip glosses, and lip balms. My collection is extensive, alarming, and ever-growing, and this spring was no exception as six beautiful lippies joined my makeup family.

I'm already a huge fan of the NYX Butter Gloss, but recently they've come out with Intense Butter Gloss featuring "extreme color."