2023 Sephora Birthday Gift Review

Hi everyone,

It’s that time again, today I have for you a review of the 2023 Sephora Birthday Gift and not only that, but all of the options that you can choose from this year when your birthday comes around.

So, starting with what I got, I had a more difficult time picking this year, because I liked pretty much everything, but what I selected is the Ouai “The Ouai of Life” Set.

Packaging wise, it has the classic Sephora black polka dots, and on the front is has a gold ribbon, to give it the birthday feel.

On the top of the box it says ‘Happy Birthday’ in light pink. Under that it says ‘Joyeux Anniversaire’ which is Happy Birthday in French and below that it says, ‘Turn It All The Ouai Up!’

So, getting into it. This is a four piece set, which is the most out of all the sets and this set, unless I say otherwise, is available for all Sephora Beauty Insiders. It comes with a detox shampoo, a leave in conditioner, a body cleanser and a perfume.

First up, we have the Leave In Conditioner. This calls itself a multitasking product that will work all day to detangle, soften and smooth your hair. All while protecting against heat/other damage and reducing frizz and flyaways.

Next up we have the Detox Shampoo. This shampoo is made with apple cider vinegar and thus concentrated. It’s supposed to deeply cleanse away oil, dirt and any product buildup. It also has keratin, so while it’s detoxing, it’s helping to strengthen your hair.

The second to last product we have is the St. Bart’s Body Cleanser. This cleanser is exclusive to Sephora. It’s infused with the St. Bart’s scent, so it has notes of dragon fruit, orange blossom, tuberose and Baltic amber. It’s not the typical scent I would go for in a cleanser, but it smells pretty good and definitely has vacation vibes, which is great right now in the middle of winter.

And the last product we have is the Melrose Place Eau de parfum. This describes itself as a velvety rich rose fragrance with notes of bergamot, lychee, cedar wood and white musk. I really struggle with rose sometimes, it either has the perfect balance or it’s just so overpowering, so I was nervous to spray this. However, all of the other scents balance it so well, that it’s not overly rose, in fact it reminds me of another perfume, but it’s definitely a scent I would and will wear.

So, there are four other options you can have that are open to all Sephora Beauty Insiders. The first is the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Skincare Set. With this set you get the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops. This is a multiuse highlighting serum that visibly reduces the look of hyperpigmentation and hydrates the skin for a reflective, dewy glow. You also get the Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner. This is a gentle PHA and BHA infused watermelon toner that minimizes the appearance of pores and hydrates the skin.

Next we have the ILIA Makeup Set. For those that don’t know, ILIA are a clean brand, and I know a lot of people look for that in a makeup brand. This set includes the Limitless Lash Mascara in After Midnight. This mascara is supposed to lift, lengthen, curl and separate lashes without smudging or flaking. You also get the Multi-Stick in At Last which is a mauve rose color. The multi-stick is for cheeks and lips and gives you a buildable wash of color.

Next, you can select 250 Bonus Points. This is a great option for those who like to spend their points on the regular or are saving them up for a specific product because it adds an additional 250 points to your Beauty Insider account.

And the last of the available to all, is the Dior Fragrance Set. This one is a bit tricky though. It pretty much sold out the day it was released, so it is now an In Store Only option. But, from my understanding not all stores had it, that may have changed, but the best thing to do, if you really want it, is to call your Sephora store or the ones in your area if there are multiple, and ask them if they have it. But, this set comes with two fragrances, the Miss Dior eau de parfum, which they say describe as a colorful floral bouquet. It celebrates the sensuality of the centifolia rose, is heightened by fresh lily of the valley along with spicy peony and is enveloped by powdery iris. The second fragrance is Sauvage eau de parfum, which is described as a captivating blend of Calabrian bergamot, nutmeg and vanilla absolute.

The last Birthday Gift option we have is for VIB and Rouge members only, and it’s the Farmacy Clean Skincare Set. This set includes the Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm, a face cleanser that gets rid of even the most stubborn makeup, SPF, oil and dirt while leaving your skin hydrated with no residue. The Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer, an intense moisturizer that replenishes distressed, dry skin with lasting hydration while visibly plumping and improving the look of fine lines. And the last thing you get is the Honey Potion Plus Ceramide Hydration Mask. A warming honey mask that intensely hydrates, nourishes and strengthens the skin’s moisture barrier. This is the upgraded formula, so it contains ceramides, upcycled apples and cica.

That about wraps it up for this post, there are a lot of great options this year, and I’m really happy with what I chose.

Until next time, have fun choosing, and I’d love to know what you go for :).

-K

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Podcast: https://www.twitch.tv/theunlikelymotorsportsduo

Poshmark: KyraSage18

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Too Faced You Drive Me Glazy Review

Hi everyone,

Happy New Year! For my first post of 2023, I have a review and this time it’s a review of the Too Faced You Drive Me Glazy Gift Set. If you’ve been reading for a bit, then you know that around the holidays I typically pick up one of the Too Faced sets. Out of all the ones they released this holiday season I like this one the best and thought that I would get the most use out of it.

So, this set comes with the palette, a mini mascara and an eyeliner. Being called You Drive Me Glazy, it is donut inspired and you can see that with the packaging and the shade names. However, like Too Faced likes to do, it’s supposed to be glazed donut scented and it’s just not. It does have a scent that’s vaguely sweet, but not enough for me to say ‘Oh wow, that smells like donuts.’

So, getting into it, the mascara it comes with is a mini of the Too Faced Better Than Sex. I don’t even have to say anything here, Better Than Sex is a holy grail mascara for so many people, myself included. It has a permanent spot in my makeup collection and it is honestly one of the only mascaras you’ll ever need. So good, so iconic.

One of the things that drew me to this set is that it came with an eyeliner and I hadn’t yet tried a Too Faced liner. The one in here is the Killer Liner Eyeliner Pencil in Killer Black. This says it’s a 36 hour waterproof eyeliner and in the couple of times that I’ve worn it, I can see that. Once you put it on, it’s on and I really like it. I definitely recommend giving it a try if you haven’t.

Moving to the palette, they certainly went big with this one. The packaging is honestly so cute, the outside says ‘Too Faced’ in gold and ‘You Drive Me Glazy’ in white and gold. There’s little stars/snowflakes dotted around that are also gold, there are four different donuts, on the bottom there’s one that’s with white and has a chocolate swirl, next to that is one that’s pink glazed with little round sprinkles. In the top right corner is a classic chocolate glazed donut with multicolored sprinkles and one the left side is a mint glazed donut with chocolate sprinkles. And to top it off, there is a pink and white ribbon like you might see on a box of donuts. Too Faced always does a fantastic job with their packaging and the little details.

Moving to the inside of the palette, they carried over the theme from the cover. The donuts are the same, but smaller with more of them and ‘Too Faced’ is written in the center in gold.

When it comes to the pans for this palette, they kept true to the theme and made them round and compared to holiday palettes of years past, the pan size is pretty good for how many there are. One thing about this palette is it’s not just eyeshadow, it’s eye and face and the face palette comes in the form of four large pans at the bottom.

All of the face products have a nice little shimmer to them and you get a decent shade range. From left to right, the first shade we have is Pink Poinsettia which is a very light pink, that is on the peachy/pink side but because it’s on the lighter side it’s very buildable. Next to that is Drive Me Glazy, which is what I would call a light orange/peachy shade but it’s so pretty. A light dusting of this would add so much to any spring/summer look. Then there’s Kiss Miss and I’ve already worn this and it’s not as bright as it photographs and it blends out really nicely. And the last shade is Fawned Of You, now I did do two layers of this in the swatch because in person it was looking a little light, but it photographed SUPER orange. It’s not that aggressive, but you can definitely tell it’s that orangey/brown and it’s super pigmented.

Now, onto the eyeshadows. There are 20 of them and I swatched them in the rows they appear. The first shadow we have is Son Of A Nutcracker, five points if you know what movie that’s from. But this is a medium nude matte shadow. Next to that is Tinsel In A Twist, a lighter brown shadow. Then there’s Ho Ho-Nut. This one is so pretty, I’ve already worn it and I like it a lot, but it’s a metallic pink champagne/light rose gold. Second to last is Drummer Girl, which is a matte and I would call this somewhere between a blush and pink mauve. And the last shadow in the row is Maple Bar, which is another brown but it’s more chocolate toned than the Tinsel In A Twist.

The second row starts with Bake It Happen which is another matte nude, but this one is more pink based. Next to that is Such A Snowflake, a really pretty metallic light champagne shadow. Then there’s Rum Pah Pum Pum, a brown that tone wise is between the browns in the first row, but this one was slightly patchy when I was swatching it, so I’ll be interested to see how it is on the eye. The second to last shadow is Dough What Fun, which is exactly what it says, it’s somehow that perfect nude/dough color. And the last shadow in the row is Jam-Packed. While it is very pretty and I like it a lot because of the pink/berry shade, I have to say I’m not in love with the performance of this shadow. I wore this the other day and as the day went on it just eroded away, so when I took my makeup off at the end of the night, there was very little of the shadow left on my lid. I am going to wear it again and see if anything changes and I hope it does.

The third row starts with Butter Half, which is a matte yellow, but it’s more of a yellow/orange. Next to that is Chocolate Hunk. This is a deep chocolate brown, I have this on today, and I really like it. It blends well and it’s very buildable. Then there’s Santa Claws, which is a metallic copper, which is a color I always really like. The second to last shadow is O Hole-y Night, which is matte light brown, but it reads like there’s an orange undertone. And the last shadow in the row is Chestnuts Roasting, which is a chestnut brown with gold glitter. This one was also a little patchy on the swatch, so again, I’ll be interested to see what it’s like on the eye.

The fourth and final row starts with S’more To Love, which is a metallic deep brown with multicolored shimmer. Next to that is Fir Sure, another metallic, but this one is a deeper green with brown undertones, think tree if you will and it also has multicolored shimmer. Then there’s Twinkle Sprinkle, I’m wearing this today and I quite like it. It’s a metallic yellow/gold. The second to last shadow we have is Blueberry Blitzen. This is such a pretty and unique shadow. I like it a lot, but it gives me mermaid/peacock vibes and it has pinky/purple shimmer. And the last shadow in the row is To All A Good Night, which is a matte black and honestly it’s something that every palette, especially one of this size, needs so it was a good choice.

That about wraps it up for this post, overall I really do like this palette and I’m excited to do more with it. Be on the lookout for a ‘Three Recent Looks’ post because that will definitely be happening at some point.

Until next time, have fun creating different looks and you can never have too many eyeshadow palettes :).

-K

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Podcast: https://www.twitch.tv/theunlikelymotorsportsduo

Poshmark: KyraSage18

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Sephora Favorites Holiday Lip Kit Review

Hi everyone,

Since we’re in that weird time between Christmas and New Years and no one has any idea what day it is, I thought that this would be the perfect time for a new post. I have a fun one today, and we’re going to be going through the Sephora Favorites Holiday Lip Kit. Every year Sephora brings out a new version of this kit, and I think it’s great. I don’t always love them, but this one went on my wishlist as soon as it came out.

This kit has seven lip products that include lipstick, lip shine, glossy lip balm and lip plumper. Two of the seven are full size.

The first product we’re going to start with is the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm in Nearly Neutral. This is one is full size. This is what I would call medium brown, almost chocolate, in color. When I swatched it it didn’t seem to be overly sticky and even though it’s a glossy lip balm, it doesn’t seem to be too sheer. You definitely get some decent color payoff. I also really like the packaging on this. Most tubes of lip gloss are just that, round tubes that roll everywhere, but this one is flat on the back and I really like little details like that.

Next up we have the second full size product, the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk. You guys already know, this lipstick is iconic. The hold that it has on the beauty world is absolutely justified, it’s an incredible lipstick. Goes on smooth, lasts all day and the color is perfect. Plus, the packaging is just beautiful. Pillow Talk will forever be part of my makeup collection.

Moving on we have the Nars Afterglow Lip Shine in Orgasm. This is a high shine, hydrating lip gloss that claims it lasts for up to eight hours (which I can confirm, because I’ve already worn it). This is in the shade Orgasm, which is the iconic Nars shade name and color and in this application it’s a very pretty peachy pink with gold shimmer. I really like this, definitely recommend if you’re looking for a really good lip gloss for your collection.

The fourth product we have is the Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper in Clear. This is also an iconic lip product, this plumper is the go to for a lot of people, including myself, and has been for ages. This has a high shine finish and is actually pretty hydrating.

Next up we have the Urban Decay Vice Hydrating Lipstick in Backtalk. This is a hydrating, long wearing lipstick in a very pretty mauve/nude pink shade. I’m wearing this today and I’m really liking it. It went on super smooth and it’s very pigmented. I definitely recommend if you haven’t given this lipstick a try. It’s also on sale right now at Sephora and they still have a few good shades left, including this one.

The second to last lipstick we have is the GVXE Anaheim Shine High Performance Satin Lipstick in Original Recipe. For anyone that doesn’t know, GVXE is Gwen Stefani’s makeup line. It made a lot of sense to me why this was in this kit when I saw the color because it’s a true red, and beauty wise, one of the things she’s known for is wearing a red lip. And I can honestly say, based on the swatch, that this is a really good red lipstick. It is high shine, which isn’t typically where I lean for a red, but the color is so nice that it’s piqued my interest and I’m excited to wear it.

And the last lip product we have is the Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Vendetta. This lipstick calls itself lightweight and richly pigmented with a modern matte finish. I haven’t worn this yet so I can’t comment on the weight of it, but just from the one swipe swatch I did, I can tell you it’s incredibly pigmented. It’s dark red in color and so pretty. It’s that kind of dark red that is starting to lean into berry but still maintains being red and I’m excited to try it out.

That about wraps it up for this post, I’m excited to wear all of these and I’ll let you guys know what I think when I do!

Until next time, I hope you’ve having a great holiday and I’ll see you in January :).

-K

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Podcast: https://www.twitch.tv/theunlikelymotorsportsduo

Poshmark: KyraSage18

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MCoBeauty Burgundy/Nudes Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hi everyone,

It’s been a minute but I’m back and I have a fun one! So, a little backstory, I did a care package swap with one of my close friends who lives in Australia. She sent me a whole box of goodness, and one of the things she included, because she knows me well, was the MCoBeauty Burgundy/Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. From what I understand about MCoBeauty is their whole thing is ‘luxury for less’ and they’re quite popular in Australia. I did find out that they have an international version of their website, so I’ve had a little look and they definitely have some items I would pick up.

But, back to the reason we’re here now, this is the Burgundy/Nudes palette and it is a nine pan palette with a mix of satin and metallic shadows.

I swatched these as they appear and these shadows don’t have names, so the first shadow in the first row is what I would call a light/medium metallic gold. What I noticed about all these shadows as I was swatching is they were all very smooth, seemed to be buildable and for the most part were nicely pigmented and gave you great color payoff. Next to that is a light rose gold satin and the last shadow in the row is what I would call a mix of a light/medium burgundy/a deep dusty rose. I quite like it.

The second row starts with a metallic copper and this one I did have to build up quite a bit to get the swatch that I did, so I’m interested to see this one on the eye. Next to that is a shadow that was in EVERY palette for a while. It’s that deep burgundy shade that has the gold undertones and I still think it’s a very nice shade. And the last shadow in this row is a deep rose gold metallic.

The last row starts with another metallic and this time it’s what I would call a light/medium rose gold but with more pink in it. It’s super pretty. Next to that is metallic that is very similar to the one in the row right above it with the gold undertone, but a few shades lighter and the last shadow in the row and in the palette is a deep purple satin. This would be the perfect shadow to use an eyeliner or to use if you want to create a smokey eye with this palette.

That about wraps it up for this post, overall I’m excited by this palette and can’t wait to give it a try. I’ll probably do a ‘Three Recent Looks’ with it at some point for look out for that.

Until next time, I hope you’re having a great holiday season and you can never have too many eyeshadow palettes :).

-K

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Podcast: https://www.twitch.tv/theunlikelymotorsportsduo – *New Episode 12/18/22 at 2:30 pm PT*

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June 2022 Favorites

Hi everyone,

Happy Friday! As it’s the last day of the month, I thought it would be the perfect time to do my monthly favorites. I have a pretty good mix of stuff this month, so let’s get into it.

Starting with beauty, I have a couple of favorites from my June BoxyCharm box, and if you haven’t read that yet, I’ll link it below. My first Boxy favorite is the Chella Dual Liquid Eyeliner Pearl. This is a double ended liquid eyeliner, one side is blue, the other is black and they are formulated with pearl pigments to give them a nice shine. I have yet to try the blue, but I’ve been wearing the black and I like it a lot. The pearl doesn’t come through quite as much but I don’t mind. It’s long wearing, doesn’t smudge and because the brush is tapered, it gives you a lot of control over the size and style of the line you’re doing. I definitely recommend.

My next beauty favorite is the Violet Voss SunKissed Summer Eyeshadow and Pressed Pigment Palette. I am currently working on a Three Recent Looks with this palette, so I won’t say too much, but I do really like it. The formulation and pigmentation of the shadows is top tier. There’s quite a bit of diversity within the colors and you see that once you start swatching, so you have quite a few options when it comes to looks with this palette. I really like Violet Voss as a brand, I have a couple of their other palettes and they’re a mainstay in my eyeshadow palette collection. 

My second to last beauty favorite is the Yensa Tone Up Primer Essential Glow. I was slightly unsure if my skin would like this when I got it, but I’ve been using it since and I can tell you that both myself and my skin are very happy with it. It has 8 super powered skin loving ingredients, black sesame oil, black seaweed, black tea, shiitake mushroom, black rice, Korean black raspberry, nettle and chia seed. There is no parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, phthalates and it’s animal cruelty free. What this does do is makes your makeup last all day while minimizing the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles while having a satin-sheen finish. I can be kind of picky with what I like in a face primer, but this one has found a way into my makeup bag and I think it will be there for a while. 

And my last beauty favorite is the Volition Beauty Turmeric Brightening Polish. I’ve been using this since I got it and I like it a lot. This is turmeric based and it helps to brighten, smooth, tone and hydrate skin while helping to promote overall skin radiance and give you a natural glow. I think a good scrub is always a good thing to have. I use this on my legs when I shave and I’ve been seeing a definite difference. My legs are even softer than they were before and they are definitely extra hydrated. My only thing is because this is turmeric based, it doesn’t smell the best, but I can definitely overlook that because of the results. If you’re looking for a good body scrub, I would recommend giving this a try. 

Moving on, I have a book favorite and it’s Long Train Runnin’ Our Story of The Doobie Brothers by Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons with Chris Epting. I’ve mentioned before how much I love The Doobie Brothers, they are a band I grew up with, they were a HUGE part of my childhood, and I still love them just as much. So when I saw Pat and Tom where releasing a book I was incredibly excited and this is everything I wanted it to be and more. There were obviously some stories I knew, some I knew parts of and a lot that I didn’t know at all, it was incredibly interesting to read the different perspectives from the guys that were there and not just one long story. There were parts where I laughed, parts where I felt all the emotions, a lot of Tom when he was leaving the band, but I think what I did the most, what this book kind of forced me to do was go back and look at a lot of their songs in a different way. The lyrics, the arrangements, all of it. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it made me really, listen to the music. And I thank Pat and Tom for taking the time to write it down because The Doobie Brothers have such and incredible story and history and I’m honored to know more of it than ever before. If you are a casual or longtime fan of theirs or just love music history I highly recommend giving this book a read. You will learn so much and the pictures they included are fantastic. 

And my last favorite isn’t a music favorite, although there are some songs I am liking right now, that’s for next month’s favorites, but it’s a podcast favorite. My podcast. I mention my podcast The Unlikely Motorsports Duo each month because I feel like we grow so much every time we release an episode. We have a spicy one up at the moment on our Twitch channel from this week, go watch it (please and thank you!). And something else that’s exciting, we now have merch! We currently have mugs, can koozies, stickers and magnets. Also, if you are a driver, brand, company or involved in motorsports in any way and want to be represented on another platform, let’s do a merch swap! I always wear some form of motorsports merchandise during the show so if you have clothes, stickers, mugs, etc, reach out and we’ll do that! My cohost and I are having a ton of fun doing the show and we’re excited to keep growing. We actually have a fun motorsports based game night coming up, so keep an eye on my social media for the time and date of that! 

That about wraps it up for this month, if we have any of the same favorites let me know and if not, I’d love to know what your June favorites were. 

Until next time, enjoy your favorites and I hope you had a great June :). 

-K 

June BoxyCharm Post: https://kyranycoleblog.wordpress.com/2022/06/15/june-2022-boxycharm-unboxing/

My Links: 

Podcast Merch: https://streamlabs.com/theunlikelymotorsportsduo/merch 

Podcast: https://www.twitch.tv/theunlikelymotorsportsduo 

Twitter: @KNSage 

Instagram: Kyra Sage 

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage 

April 2022 BoxyCharm Unboxing

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I received my April BoxyCharm box and I thought that today would be the perfect day to go through it. The theme for this month is Spring Revival, which is very fitting as we’re in April and it’s officially Spring. I mentioned last month that my box arrived looking like it had been karate punched, and this one suffered a bit of the same fate. I don’t know if USPS hates me or hates BoxyCharm, but it definitely looks a little rough. Thankfully none of the products were damaged though, BoxyCharm does a great job with their inner packaging.

So, the first item we have is the StudioMakeup Hyaluronic Acid Rejuvenating Serum. This says that it’s a highly concentrated serum that works to reverse the effects of dehydration and the loss of elasticity while keeping your skin highly moisturized and looking youthful and radiant. This doesn’t say how concentrated it is which I would like to know, but all of the reviews I’ve seen are very positive and I do like a good serum, so I’m interested to try this and see how I like it. 

The next item we have is my Choice item for the month, the Beauty Bakerie Sour Ya Doin’? Eyeshadow Palette. This is a new release for Beauty Bakerie. You guys know me, if there’s a Choice eyeshadow palette, I’m most likely going to select it and this one seemed really fun. This is a nine pan lemonade inspired palette which is the perfect theme for spring/summer. Beauty Bakerie always has the cutest packaging and when FoodTribe was still up and running I would do a lot of posts on food and drink inspired makeup products, so I got to talk about BB a lot. 

This palette does come with a mirror in the top and it has a super cute boarder of pink with sliced lemons. 

Like I said, this is a nine pan palette and it has a range of colors and finishes. Upon first glance I did think the overall color scheme was more geared towards fall but after swatching, the tones of these shadows definitely read more towards spring/summer. I like the little details in palettes, so the fact that the area around the pans has the gradient from yellow to white is a nice touch. 

I swatched these in the rows they appear in so the first shadow we have is Pink Lemonade. Based on the name I did expect it to be more of a pink or at least a pinky/red, but this is more of a red/red. It’s still a nice shadow though. Next to that is Sangria, which one of those pinky/white shadows with a shift that makes a fantastic topper and the last shadow in the row is Sweet, which is a lighter orangey/brown. 

The second row starts with Refresher and my god this shadow is pretty. This is a metallic orange and it has so much shine. I cannot wait to wear it, the formulation and pigmentation is next level. Then there’s Bellini Me which is a true matte orange, very pigmented. And the last shadow in the row is Tart, which is bright yellow. Yellow’s can be difficult to formulate and this one is a little powdery and was a little patchy at first, but it built up pretty well. It’s definitely a workable shadow. 

The last row starts with Choctails, which is a medium/leaning towards dark brown. This one didn’t swatch very well. It was patchy and didn’t build as well as I would have liked, which you can see in the picture. Next to that is Sour, a matte nude and the last shadow in the row is Icy, which is another gorgeous metallic. This one is a yellow/gold and again, I can’t wait to wear it. 

Moving on, we have the Aesthetica Cream Contour Kit. This is a six pan palette with both three contour shades and three highlight shades. The pans themselves are removeable and refillable and this palette in particular is formulated for fair to dark skin tones. 

You do get a mirror with this palette, which makes it great for travel. 

I really never do cream contour but I’m not opposed to giving it a go. When I swatched the contour and highlight shades I did notice that they were very silky and creamy and seemed like they would be blendable. 

I swatched these in the rows they appear. So on top is the highlight shades and we have Heiress, Chandelier and Wanderlust. Then we have the contour shades, Honey Love, Summer Nights and Chic Parisian. 

The second to last item we have is the Dominique Cosmetics Creamy Fill & Define Lip Liner in Crush. This is a lip liner that has a very unique tear drop shape that is narrow at the tip for precision and wide at the bottom to fill. It’s infused with Vitamin E to protect from free radicals, smooth fine lines, boost circulation and keep your lips pillowy-soft. This is long lasting and in a demi-matte finish so it’s light on the lips. This shade in particular is on the brown side, which is the kind of lip liner I tend to go for. I’m already thinking of what lipsticks it would go well with and how it would be nice on it’s own as an all over color. I’m excited about this one. I also want to mention the Dominique Cosmetics packaging because I always really like it. It’s simple but very nice. 

And the last item we have is the Flirtacious Looks Cosmetics The Perfect Duel: Foundation Travel Set. This is an essential foundation tool travel set and I think it’s adorable.

The first took we have is the Mini Base. This is a travel sized, paddle shaped synthetic brush with a short handle for easier application. When I tell you this brush is incredibly soft, it is incredibly soft. I don’t usually use a brush for foundation, I like a sponge, but I like brushes like this for highlight so I’ll definitely get use out of it. 

And speaking of sponges, the other tool we have is a Quick Beat sponge. This is a latex free, foam beauty sponge with a sharp tip and flat edge for smooth application. This sponge seems a little bit on the harder side, and I’m surprised it’s latex free based on how it feels, but I’m sure once you get it wet it softens up nicely. I really like the Real Techniques sponges and that’s what I’m using right now, so I’ll be comparing the two and I’ll let you know what I think. 

That about wraps it up for this post, if you got any of the same products in your April BoxyCharm box let me know and if not I’d love to know what you did get. 

Until next time, enjoy your products and I can’t wait to see what I get next month :). 

-K 

BoxyCharm Referral Code:

Kyra-SVHKSETS 

BoxyCharm Referral Link: https://www.boxycharm.com/refer/Kyra-SVHKSETS 

My Links: 

Twitter: @KNSage 

Instagram: Kyra Sage 

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage

 

 

February 2022 BoxyCharm Unboxing

Hi everyone,

BoxyCharm has returned! I took a bit of a break from talking about it because January was crazy and I had a lot going on, but we’re back baby! With Valentine’s Day being this month, the theme for this box is Be My Glam-entine, and I think that’s super cute and a great way to combine to holiday with beauty. You’ll see in the pictures that my box significantly damaged, but BoxyCharm does a great job with their inner packaging so none of the products were damaged.

So, the first product we have is the Teami Blends Green Tea Detox Mask. This is a mineral rich mask made with organic matcha, lemon grass and bentonite clay that naturally detoxifies, rids pores of impurities and replenishes the skin. I hear a lot about Teami Blends on social media, so I’ve seen people talk about this mask and they seem to really like, so I’ll put it in the rotation and give it a try. It sounds nice, so I’m interested to see what it’s like. 

Moving on we have the Wander Beauty Wanderess Escape Eyeshadow Palette. This is a 10 pan eyeshadow palette that takes inspiration from everywhere, the sunsets in Santorini to the streets of Paris to create a universal palette. This has a mix of matte, satin and shimmer finishes with Hyaluronic Acid and rosehip seed oil to stay crease-proof and help the skin retain moisture. I really like that the shade names were chosen and voted on by the Wander Beauty Community. 

You do get a mirror with this palette, and even though it’s not the biggest, I used it today and it’s a great mirror. Because it’s the size and shape it is, you can really see what you’re doing.

Like I said, this is a 10 pan palette and you not only get the range of finishes, but because this is a universal palette, you get a decent shade range as well. 

I swatched this palette in the rows they appear in. The first shadow we have is Moonlit which is a very pretty warm champagne shimmer. Next to that is Enchanted, a nice, subtle matte mauve. Then there’s Flourish, which is what I would call and orchidy purple but it’s foiled and it’s so pretty. I’m excited to see how this one will look on. Then there’s Sunkissed, a matte light sienna brown and the last shadow in the row is Santorini, a satin deep gold/bronze.

The second row starts with Nude Beach, which is a matte beigey/nude. Then there’s Daydream, a super pretty foiled warm peach. Next to that is Stargaze, which is a true like 24k gold shimmer, then there’s Sea Glass, which is one of the shades that caught my eye immediately. It’s an aqua blue shimmer and it’s so pretty. This is another one that I can’t wait to wear and see how it is on. And the last shadow in the row is Overnight, a matte chocolate brown. I have a couple of these shadows on today and so far I can say that I really like them and what I got initially from the swatches, that they’re smooth, creamy and very pigmented, it continuing to be true. I’ll be doing a ‘Three Recent Looks’ with this palette, so look out for that. 

Next we have the Ace Beaute Glow Essentials Highlighter Palette. This is my choice item for the month. This is a six pan highlight palette with a vast color range to give you the seamless glow you want. I love the packaging on this palette, the rose gold with the white is super pretty and perfect I think, for a highlight palette. 

This palette does come with a good size mirror and you don’t always get that with a face palette, so I do like that. 

Like I said, this is a six pan palette and there is a vast shade range. The pans are a really good size and I definitely appreciate that. You see a lot of highlight palettes with skinnier pans and I feel like you hit pan of those so quickly. 

I swatched this in the rows they appear. So the first highlight we have is Icy, which is a very pretty white/silver. Then there’s Glowing, which I used today and it’s the kind of highlight I love, that soft lighter gold. Next to that is Poppin, this is a white base but it has a pink/purple duochrome shift to it. You could easily use this as an eyeshadow topper or on the inner corner of your eye and it would be super pretty. The first highlight in the second row is Radiant, and it’s a very pretty and soft, light pink and I actually use a pink highlight quite a bit, so I’m excited to try out this one. Then there’s Gleaming, a slightly darker gold, I also used this today and I think it’s going to be a good one to mix with. This one and Glowing together are very nice. And the last highlighter in the row and the palette is Beaming, which is a darker peachy/gold shade. All of these shades are very pigmented, you’re not left wondering where they are once you put them on, but you can also fluff them out and make them more subtle which speaks to the formulation. 

The second to last product we have is the Bali Balm Pineapple Lip Scrub. This sugar cane crystals for exfoliating, gently buffing and polishing away dead skin cells. It has coconut oil for hydration, cinnamon, orange and vanilla essential oils along with pineapple and it smells incredible. If it was candy I would eat it, that’s how good it smells. This is actually a new launch and it’s reef safe, paraben free, palm oil free, no animal testing, and it’s vegan. Bali Balm is running a deal right now on their website, which I saw when I was researching this, where if you use the code BOXY22, you get a 50% discount plus any lip balm free. I’ve received one other Bali Balm product and I did like it, so I’ll be interested to try this out. My only gripe is the price, it’s $23.00 which is the higher end of what you usually see for lip scrubs. You do get 15 ml which is a good amount and it’s pretty full, so it doesn’t seem like something you would have to repurchase on a super regular basis. 

And the last product we have is the Illamasqua Hydra Setting Spray. This is a lightweight mist that is supposed to lock in your makeup and give you a flawless dewy finish. It has a non sticky formula that dries fast and is infused with pea peptides which are rich in amino acids, and will leave your skin feeling refreshed and moisturized. I do love a good setting spray and I haven’t tried much from Illamasqua, so I’m interested to try this out. 

That about wraps it up for this post, if you got any of the same products in your February BoxyCharm box let me know and if not, I’d love to know what you did get. 

Until next time, enjoy your products and I can’t wait to see what I get next month :). 

-K 

BoxyCharm Referral Code: Kyra-SVHKSETS 

BoxyCharm Referral Link: https://www.boxycharm.com/refer/Kyra-SVHKSETS 

My Links:

Twitter: @KNSage 

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage 

 

2022 Sephora Birthday Gift Review

Hi everyone,

As it’s January, it’s my birthday month. In fact my birthday was yesterday and one thing I do every year around my birthday is do a little shop at Sephora so I can get my Sephora Birthday Gift. This year I picked up some sheet masks and I also had a look through the Birthday Gifts this year and there’s a great selection. I’m going to show you what I picked, then go through the rest of the options.

So for me when I was looking through the gifts, it was a mix of what do I want/is there anything that I need in my makeup collection, meaning am I running out of anything. And I always like to keep on top of my setting products, so with that in mind I chose the Laura Mercier set. This is a two piece set, and I always think the boxes for these are so cute. You get a preview of the product on the front, on the sides there’s black and white polka dots and on top it says, ‘Joyeux Anniversaire! Happy Birthday!’

Like I said, this is a two piece set and it comes with a setting powder and an eyeshadow stick. The setting powder is the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder in Translucent. I used this a while ago, for quite a bit and I really liked it, so I’m happy to have it back in my makeup collection. And this one is a decent size, so that’s a major plus.

The second part of this the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow in Strapless, which is a Sephora exclusive shade. 

Over the years I’ve tried a couple of the Caviar Sticks and they’re so good. This one is in a super pretty shimmery brown. This would be beautiful as an all over shade but you could also use this to create a more neutral smokey look. 

Next up we have Amika. Amika make some great haircare and all of their products that I’ve tried, I’ve liked. With this set you get three pieces, you get the Perk Up Dry Shampoo, Soulfood Nourishing Mask and a sample of the Flash Instant Shine Mask.

Moving on we have Tatcha. This is also a three piece set, with it you get the Rice Wash Skin Softening Cleanser, Dewy Skin Cream Plumping and Hydrating Moisturizer and a sample of the Liquid Silk Canvas Primer.

There will be four rotating gifts this year and the first is a two piece set from Olaplex. With it you get the No. 3 Hair Perfecter and the No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask.

If you shop from Sephora at Kohl’s or Kohls.com, you will see an exclusive gift and it’s actually the one I picked last year, a Nars set. With this set you get the Nars Laguna Bronzer and the Nars Afterglow Lip Balm in Laguna. You guys know that the Laguna bronzer is my go to and I’ve really been loving the Afterglow Lip Balm, so it’s a great option.

That about wraps it up for this post, which Sephora Birthday Gift will you guys be picking this year? 

Until next time, have fun shopping and enjoy your Sephora Birthday Gift :). 

-K 

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage

Powerpuff Girls x ColourPop Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hi everyone,

Today I’m back with another review and this time it’s of the Powerpuff Girls x ColourPop eyeshadow palette. When the collection came out I thought it was super cute and I loved the fact that they were bringing back something that was part of not only my childhood, but so many others. ColourPop is great at the nostalgic collabs.

I don’t normally take a picture of the box the palettes come in, but this one was too cute not to.

When you take the palette out of the box you see Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup flying with a trail of their signature colors behind them and various hearts, stars and flowers. 

Upon opening the palette you see that it has a nice size mirror on top. In the upper right corner you see Donny the Unicorn. In the bottom left corner you see the girls flying. 

This is a 12 pan palette, the pans are pretty good size, and you not only get a nice range of colors, but you get a mix of finishes. You have matte, metallic and glitter. 

I swatched these in the same rows they appear in in the palette. The first shadow we have is Townsville and that is a very pretty champagne/pearl glitter. The thing I like about the glitters in this palette is they aren’t super loose so they don’t go everywhere when you apply them. Next to that is Prof. Utonium, a light metallic pink. Then there’s The Mayor, which is a metallic peachy/gold and the last shadow in the row is Crime Fighting, which is stamped with a heart and is a matte warmer toned beige. 

The second row starts with Pokey Oaks, which is stamped with a flower, and is a matte almost rose/coral-ish shade. Next to that is Frenemy, and this is a gorgeous shadow. It’s a metallic with a duochrome finish that’s orange/coral to gold. I can’t wait to wear this one. Then there’s Chemical X, a bright metallic yellowy green, it almost looks chartreuse and the last shadow in the row is Superfriends, which is a gorgeous light blue glitter. 

The last row starts with Girls Rock, a matte, bright coral. Next to that is The Fanshionistas, a matte pink that’s super bright, it’s almost hot pink but not quite. Then there’s Silico, a matte lime green and the last shadow in the row is Rowdyruff Boys, a matte blue that looks like what I imagine it would look like if cobalt and sky blue had a baby, it’s a super pretty shade. 

That about wraps it up for this post, I am going to do a ‘Three Recent Looks’ with this palette so look out for that. 

Until next time, have fun creating different looks and you can never have too many eyeshadow palettes :). 

-K 

Twitter: @KNSage 

Instagram: Kyra Sage 

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage

Too Faced Christmas In London Review

Hi everyone,

Happy 2022! I hope you all had a great holiday season enjoyed your break. I definitely enjoyed mine, but I’m excited to be back. For my first post of the year I thought it would be fun to do a review of one of the makeup items I got for Christmas and that is the Too Faced Christmas In London limited edition makeup collection.

Because this is a London themed collection, the outside of the palette has a London winter scene. A classic London taxi, Big Ben in the center with a bow on it, the London Eye in the background and two buildings. One has the Union Jack on the top with people having a Christmas party inside and the other has a chimney sweep on top and inside it’s more chill. Of course Santa and the reindeer can be seen flying across the top. In addition to the palette, you get a mini mascara.

The mini mascara you get is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. This is a holy grail product for a lot of people, myself included. The formula is great, it doesn’t clump, flake or transfer. The brush grabs all of your lashes and it gives you the perfect amount of volume and length. This is always a mascara I recommend. 

The palette itself is interesting and I say that because in it you get 4 different blushes and 20 eyeshadows. This palette is also scented, it says it smells like English Toffee, which I don’t quite get, but it does have a pleasant sweetness to it.

The top of the palette looks very similar to the outside with the exception of the London taxi.

With the blushes and the eyeshadows there’s a mix of finishes, you have mattes and shimmers, as well as a good range of colors. The pan size of the blushes is pretty good and while the eyeshadow pans are smaller, it doesn’t seem like they’re small when you’re dipping into them. 

Starting with the blushes, the first shade we have is The People’s Princess, which is a medium shimmery pink. Then we have Pretty & Punk, which is a more true pink. Next to that is Carnaby Sweet, a peachy/orange shade. I mixed Carnaby Sweet and Pretty & Punk together when I was testing the palette and it created a very pretty color. And the last blush we have is Spice Girl, which is a darker pink. And since we’re on the subject, I’d love to know who our favorite Spice Girl is because at one point we all had one. 

Moving on to the shadows, I swatched these in the rows they appear in in the palette. The first shadow we have is Chrimbo Vibes, which is a very light white/nude shadow. Next to that is Christmas Queen, a light/medium matte brown. Then there’s Figgy Pudding, a pinky/purple shimmer with pink undertones and pink/purple/white flecks in it. And the last shadow in the row is Tea At The Ritz and that is a matte chocolatey brown. 

The second row starts with You Can’t Hyde, a matte mauve shade, that I did build up a bit in the swatch, and I do really like. Next to that is Tower Of Lovin’, a matte peachy/nude shade. Then there’s Saville Bow, a matte lilac and the last shadow in the row is Butter My Biscuit, a super pretty gold shimmer. 

The third row starts with Too Faced At Carnaby, this is probably one of my favorite shadows in this palette, it’s a light pink shimmer. So pretty. Next to that is Piccadilly Thrilly, a matte, dark rosy pink. Then there’s Boxing Day, a rose gold shimmer. And the last shadow in the row is Mulled Wine, which is that shimmery maroon with the gold shift that was in so many palettes in 2021. 

The fourth, and second to last row, starts with Abbey Snowed, a matte nude. Next to that is Baking In The Tent, shoutout to my fellow GBBO lovers, which is a a matte similar to Christmas Queen, but a shade or two deeper. Then there’s Press For Champagne, a shimmery white with a purple shift that would be perfect as a topper or for highlighting under the brows or in the inner corner of the eye. And the last shadow in the row is Father Christmas, which is a shimmery copper. 

The last and fifth row of this palette starts with Christmas In The Cotswold, which is a light matte brown. Next to that is London, Actually which is a lighter gold shimmer. Next to that is Last Christmas, a super pretty green shimmer that I can’t wait to try because it just seems like one of those shadows that’s going to be gorgeous on. And the last shadow in the row is Spotted Dick and that is a matte, super deep chocolate brown. 

That about wraps it up for this post, if you got any new makeup for Christmas I’d love to know what you got. I will be doing a ‘Three Recent Looks’ with this palette, I might do two, one with the neutrals and one with the other colors. So look out for that. 

Until next time, enjoy creating different looks, you can never have too many eyeshadow palettes and here’s to a great 2022 :).

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage