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

Pinterest: Kyra Sage

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July 2022 BoxyCharm Unboxing

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I received my July BoxyCharm box and I thought that today would be the perfect day to go through it. We’re in the middle of summer, so the theme for this month is Out Of Office, which makes sense for a lot of people. It is vacation season.

The first item we have is the The Beauty Crop Liquid Eyeshadow Duo in Ginger and Prosecco. This is a double ended, long wearing liquid eyeshadow. One side, Ginger in this case, is a creamy velvet pigmented matte shadow and the other side, Prosecco, is what they call a dazzling liquid glitter. They say these are easy to blend, and they can be layered, mixed or matched. They have 6 of these double ended shadows in total, in a range of fun colors, which I appreciate. While I do like these colors, I don’t really wear liquid eyeshadow a lot and I didn’t swatch these because I’m going to give this to a friend who loves liquid shadows. I did get a code from The Beauty Crop and if you use BFA25 at checkout, you receive 25% off orders over $30 on their website and this is valid until the end of July. 

Next we have the Beauty For Certain Whole Lotta Mascara. This is a volume boosting, lash doubling, insta enhancing mascara. This is a brand that’s new to BoxyCharm and looks to be newer in general as they don’t have that many products on their website, but what they do have is looks like it might be good. I like the general shape of this brush and if I like this mascara, I’ll try more from their website and let you know what I think. 

Moving on, we have the Byroe Fig Renewal Oil. This is a nourishing dry oil that offers complete skin renewal that results in silky soft and effortlessly ageless skin. This has fresh fig, jojoba oil, pro floral concentrate and omega rich superfoods to revitalize and nourish. It’s lightweight and absorbs quickly into skin. So here’s my thing with this, it looks and sounds really nice, but I’m really thrown off by the fact that it says ‘Salad Infused Beauty’ on top of the box, that doesn’t sound very nice. Although, when you smell it, instead of it smelling like fig or something light and floral like you would think, it smell has that ‘lettuce with dirt on it’ smell, which might be where the whole salad thing comes in, but it’s weird to me. You also get 0.67 FL OZ/20 ML for $72, which is just outrageous to me. But I’ll use it a couple times and see what I think. I hope for all this, it’s incredible. The bottle is gorgeous though, so it has that going for it. 

The second to last item we have is the Alleyoop Stack The Odds in Sassy Pants. This was my Choice item for the month. This is a 3 in 1 stackable compact with a cream blush, bronzer and highlighter. This has jojoba and sunflower seed oil for a natural glow and when I swatched them they were smooth, creamy and seemed to be very pigmented. On the inside of the box it says ‘$10 on us, meetalleyoop.com/gift’ and if you go to the website, you put in your email and you get a $10 credit. 

I think the idea of a stackable compact is super cute and perfect for traveling/throwing in your purse on the daily and this one does have a little mirror. 

And the last item we have is the Eloise Beauty Prism Luxury Eye Shadow Brush Set. This set has four brushes made with synthetic fibers that seem very soft to me and a holographic prism handle. There’s no actual description of the brushes you get, but it looks like an angled eyeshadow brush, two flat eyeshadow brushes, and a really small eyeshadow brush, the type I like to use for putting shadow under my eyes. 

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

Until next time, enjoy your items 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 

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

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

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage

 

 

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 

June 2022 BoxyCharm Unboxing

Hi everyone,

I received my June BoxyCharm box yesterday and I thought that today would be the perfect time to go through it. The theme this month, as it’s Pride Month, is express yourself.

The first item we have is the DryBar Liquid Glass Miracle Smoothing Sealant. This is a heat activated spray that wraps an invisible shield around your hair to provide frizz resistance and leave you with silky, super glossy hair. It’s lightweight, lasts through 3 washes and protects from heat up to 450 degrees F/232 degrees C. I love things like this, my hair does get a little frizzy sometimes when I apply heat to it, so I’m excited to try this out. 

Next up we have the Chella Dual Liquid Eyeliner Pearl. This is a double ended liquid eyeliner with an icy blue liner and a black liner. These say they are longwearing, smudge proof and glide on effortlessly. The brush is tapered, it does give you a lot of control on the size and style of line that you want, which is always really nice. What makes these pearl liners is the fact that thy are formulated with pearl pigments, which you’ll see in the swatch, does give them a nice bit of shimmer. Based on the swatch alone, these look a little bit runny and the blue wasn’t as pigmented as I was thinking it was going to be, but that might change once it’s on the eye. I also think that this liner is a bit overpriced, I get that it’s a dual liner, but I think that $35.00 is a bit much. 

Moving on, we have my Choice item for the month, the Violet Voss SunKissed Summer Eyeshadow and Pressed Pigment Palette. This palette has universally flattering shades to help you create the most iconic summer looks, year round with it’s blend of matte and metallic shadows. I do really like the outer packaging, it had great summer vibes.

This is a 10 pan palette and though it’s a summer and sun focused palette, I think there’s a lot of room to create different looks. 

You do get a nice little mirror with this palette, which I always like, because you don’t always get that with palettes this size. 

Just from looking at it, I could tell these shades were going to be gorgeous. Violet Voss always does a fantastic job of formulating their shadows. The mattes are always very smooth and the metallics are incredibly pigmented. 

I swatched these in the rows they appear. The first shadow we have is Sandbar, which is a matte sandy shade. Next to that is Sunkissed, a metallic light gold that leans more towards the yellow gold area. Then there’s Sunsation, a light matte shade that I would say is like a mix of gold and a light caramel. Next to that is Gold Coast, another metallic gold, but this one is a deep gold. And the last shadow in the row is Heatwave, a really pretty metallic bronzey shade. 

The second row starts with Glow On, a really pretty metallic that I would say is a light peachy/gold. Next to that is Cool Down, a matte shadow that I think is kinda unique. It’s a mix of what I would say is rose and maybe mauve, it’s quite nice. Then there’s Sunnies Out, a metallic rose gold, which is always a great shade to have in any palette, especially one for summer. Next to that is Berry Hot, which is a shadow I like a lot. I would say it’s a deep cranberry in shade, but it’s a glitter, and when I swatched it the glitter didn’t fall everywhere, always a huge plus, but it was so pretty when it hit the light. I’m excited to wear this one. And the last shadow in the row is Tan Lines, a matte medium brown, which might seem a little boring in a palette like this, but most of the time when I do a gold look, I balance it with a matte brown shadow of some sort, so I was really happy to see it included. 

The second to last item we have is the Yensa Tone Up Primer Essential Glow. This isn’t just your average primer. This is infused with 8 super powered skin loving ingredients to help with minimizing the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles. It has a lightweight satin-sheen formula to create an invisible skin perfecting finish. The 8 ingredients it uses to help with this are black sesame oil, black seaweed, black tea, shiitake mushroom, black rice, Korean black raspberry, nettle and chia seed. What it doesn’t have is parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, phthalates and it’s animal cruelty free. I have this on right now, and so far I’m liking it. I’ll keep using it and let you guys know what I think after putting it to the test. 

And the last item we have is the Volition Beauty Turmeric Brightening Polish. This is an indulgent polishing scrub, powered by turmeric to visibly brighten and smooth, tone and hydrate and promote overall skin radiance to give you a natural looking glow. I do like a good scrub, and a nice, natural glow is always wanted, especially heading into summer, so I’m interested to try this out. 

That about wraps it up for this post, I do generally like a more makeup heavy box, but there are some good things in here. If you got any of the same items in your June 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 

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

Pinterest: Kyra Sage 

May 2022 BoxyCharm Unboxing

Hi everyone,

Happy Friday! Yesterday I received my May BoxyCharm box and I thought today would be the perfect day to go through it. The theme for this month is Super Bloom and with the fact that it’s spring and the whole, ‘April Showers Bring May Flowers’ saying, it’s a great theme.

The first item we have is the Kate Somerville Exfolikate Glow Moisturizer. This is a glow moisturizer that revives dull, dry and lackluster skin. It has powerhouse ingredients that remove the dead surface skin cells, whilst smoothing wrinkles and fine lines. This does have AHA in it, which could make your skin more sensitive, so they recommend using sunscreen, wearing protective clothing and limiting sun exposure while you use it. I personally like Kate Somerville, so I’m interested to give this a try. 

The next item we have is the Skin Inc Serum Glow Filter. This is a serum that acts as a primer, it has rare Gold Hibiscus extract to smooth and even your skin tone while helping to provide anti-aging and brightening benefits. It also helps with making your pores less visible and gives you a pearl finish. This has the Hydra Micro Capsules in it, which obviously has benefits, but it also looks cool when it’s sitting on your vanity. I love a good primer, and serum for that matter, so I’m excited to try this. 

Moving on, we have my Choice item for the month, the Item Beauty by Addison Rae Air Hug Concealer in 100. This is a medium to full coverage concealer with a lightweight formula featuring Carica papaya fruit extract which delivers a boost of antioxidants like Vitamin C and leaves a smooth and seamless finish. I’m always down to try a new concealer and honestly a lot of the “celebrity” or “influencer” makeup lines we see, tend to not be that great, but I was happily surprised by this. I wore it yesterday and I really like it so far. It has a really nice texture so it pretty much glides on and it blends into the skin without creasing. It also has a large applicator and I like that for concealer. 

The second to last item we have is from a brand that’s new to BoxyCharm, V Kosmetik, and it’s a Creamy Liquid Velvet Lipstick in Bubbly. This liquid lipstick is formulated to be lightweight, creamy and long-wearing and I can tell you that it’s all of those things. I wore this yesterday and I like it a lot. It goes on smooth and creamy, is lightweight, doesn’t feel drying on the lips and lasted very well through eating and drinking. This color is also gorgeous, it’s berry toned, but it’s one of those berry tones that works in both spring/summer and fall/winter. A very versatile tone. 

And the last item we have is the Yensa Skin On Skin Beauty Sponge. This is a multi-functional sponge that guarantees a full coverage, but skin like, streak free application. It has a precision tip and tapered edges, so you can get the perfect contoured look. This sponge is also paraben, sulfate, latex and phthalate and animal cruelty free. It does feel slightly hard, but I think it will soften up once it’s run under water. 

That about wraps it up for this post, this box was a little more skincare heavy than I typically like, but I think there’s some good stuff in here. If you got any of the same items in your May 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 

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

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

 

 

March 2022 Favorites

Hi everyone,

As it’s the end of the month, I thought it would be the perfect time to do my monthly favorites. I haven’t done one yet this year, so I have quite a bit to talk. Let’s get into it.

Starting with beauty, I have some favorites from both my February and March BoxyCharm boxes. My first Boxy favorites are from February, and they’re both things I’ve mentioned recently in Three Recent Looks posts. The first is the Wander Beauty Wanderess Escape Palette. This is a universal palette that has a range of colors and finishes and I think is a great option if you’re wanting something that is, universal or you’re someone who is starting their makeup collection. The pigmentation is high, the formula is great and this is definitely a palette I recommend.

My second February Boxy favorite is the Ace Beaute Glow Essentials Highlighter Palette. This is a six pan highlight palette with a range of shades. I’ve really been liking this a lot, all of these are really nicely pigmented and where you just swipe them on or you buff them out, you get a really nice glow. You guys know how much I like Ace Beaute and I think they really nailed it with this one. Plus the packaging is adorable.

Moving to my March Boxy favorites, we’re going to start with the StyleDry Coconut & Fig Hair Mask. This has coconut oil and murumuru butter which deeply nourishes to give you hydrated, healthy and glossy hair. I’ve used this once since I got it and I really like it. It smells incredible and it really did make my hair soft and glossy. I love a good hair mask and this is definitely a good one. 

My next Boxy favorite is the Earth Harbor Naturals Nymph Nectar Superfruit Radiance Balm. This balm has sea fruits and tropical super berries along with Vitamins C, A, E and K, amino acids, omegas and other bio-actives to help you achieve the best, bounciest and dewiest skin. I’ve been using this since I got it and I use it specifically after I shower. If I’ve taken a morning shower then I do a light layer like a moisturizer and if I take a night shower I put on a thicker layer and use it like an overnight mask and wash it off in the morning. I’m really liking it and I can see a difference in my skin already. This had really great reviews and I can see why, I definitely recommend it. 

My second to last beauty favorite and last Boxy favorite, is the Ofra Charm Your Cheeks Mini Mix Blush Palette. This is a six pan palette with a range of colors and made with Ofra’s liquid-to-baked technology. I really like the Ofra blushes I’ve tried, and am currently using, so I knew this palette was going to be good. The formulation is great, they’re all super pigmented and they mix super well together so you can great any blend you want. Plus this palette is magnetic, so you can easily pop out the pans and replace them. 

 

And my last beauty favorite is the makeup I did for St. Patrick’s Day. I like to do something fun every year for it, I am Irish, so that makes me want to do a little more for it and you guys know I love a festive makeup look. Overall I’m super happy with how it came out. 

Moving on, I have a food/candy favorite and it’s Life Saver’s Gummies. I really don’t eat candy that often, but when I do I really like these. They’ve been a favorite of mine for a long time and I always go back to them. I think the original are my ultimate favorite, but they have a berry one that’s good too. 

And my last favorite, isn’t a music favorite, but a podcast. My podcast in fact. If you guys didn’t know, I do have a podcast, The Unlikely Duo Podcast on Twitch. We recently went through a rebrand and I’m so happy with it now. Myself and my cohost are doing motorsports commentary on the Monday’s after race weekends, you guys may or may not know that I’m a motorsports journalist, and the fact that I can bring that into this project is really fun and something I’m enjoying a lot. So if you’re an avid Twitch viewer or just want a great podcast to watch/listen to, give us a follow. I just put up some merch in our merch store as well, so we have some fun drinkware options to choose from. 

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

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

-K 

February BoxyCharm Post: https://atomic-temporary-54204526.wpcomstaging.com/2022/02/23/february-2022-boxycharm-unboxing/

March BoxyCharm Post: https://atomic-temporary-54204526.wpcomstaging.com/2022/03/16/march-2022-boxycharm-unboxing/

The Unlikely Duo Podcast: https://www.twitch.tv/theunlikelyduopodcast 

My Links: 

Twitter: @KNSage 

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage 

 

 

 

March 2022 BoxyCharm Unboxing

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I received my March BoxyCharm box and I thought today would be the perfect day to go through it. The theme for this month is Game Changer and it’s celebrating game changers and boss babes in honor of women’s history month and I think it’s a great theme. There’s a ton of incredible women in the beauty industry and it’s great that BoxyCharm chose to shine a light on them.

The first product we have is the StyleDry Coconut & Fig Hair Mask. This has coconut oil and murumuru butter to deeply nourish and give you hydrated, healthy, glossy hair. Like a lot of hair masks, you gently work through your hair from root to tip and leave for 10 minutes then rinse. I love a good hair mask and this one smells really good, so I’m excited to try it out. 

Next up we have the Aceology Detoxifying Treatment Mask. This is a charcoal mask that draws out impurities and blackheads and clears clogged pores. Because charcoal has antibacterial and purification powers it’s not only one of the best detoxifying ingredients but it will protect your skin and leave a poreless and flawless texture. This is a peel off mask, so you apply, leave for 30 minutes then peel off. I really like the sound of this, so I’m interested to try it out. 

Moving on we have the Earth Harbor Naturals Nymph Nectar Superfruit Radiance Balm. This has sea fruits and tropical super berries along with Vitamins C, A, E and K, amino acids, omegas and other bio-actives to help achieve the best, bounciest and dewiest skin. This balm really ticks all the boxes, it’s plant based, holistic, vegan, cruelty free, sustainable, fair source, no gluten added, no soy added, small batch made, and to fit in with this month’s theme, woman owned. It has incredible reviews, so if you have dull/dehydrated skin, premature skin aging, environmental damage or loss of firmness this sounds like it will help immensely. You can use this as a moisturizer, a sleeping mask or a rescue repair treatment. It also says on the website it’s great for moisturizing lips and cuticles. This has so many good things going for it and honestly sounds incredible, so I’ll definitely be giving it a try. 

The second to last product we have is the Ofra Charm Your Cheeks Mini Mix Blush Palette. This is my Choice item for the month. This is a six pan blush palette made with Ofra’s liquid-to-baked technology and all of the shades are long wearing and incredibly pigmented. Like a lot of their palettes, this one is magnetic and refillable so if you hit pan you can easily pop in a new shade. I really like Ofra blushes, I think the formulation is great, so I was happy to see that this was a Choice option. This gives me very 80’s vibes with the pattern and I think it’s super fun. 

This doesn’t come with a mirror, but I don’t mind. I do like though that they carried the pattern onto the inside of the palette but changed the color from white to gray. 

Like I said, six pan palette in a variety of shades that would probably lend quite well to mixing if you wanted for even more versatility. 

I swatched these exactly how they appear. The first blush we have is Pink Satin, then there’s Mai Tai and the last shade of the row is Candy Apple. Starting off the bottom is Coral Crush, then there’s Fire Orange and the last blush we have is Rendezvous. 

And the last product we have is the Appeal Cosmetics Ultra Creme Liquid Lipstick in Muse (anyone else just think of “I was Josh Safdie’s muse when he wrote Uncut Gems” when they hear the word Muse now?). This is a luxurious creme lipstick in a satin finish with a rich color that lasts all day. I can’t tell exactly what shade this is, it looks to be a medium pink. I have quite a few liquid lipsticks in very similar colors already, so I didn’t swatch this and I’m going to give it to someone, but it is a pretty shade and I quite like Appeal Cosmetics. Everything of theirs that I’ve tried, I’ve liked. 

That about wraps it up for this post, if you got any of the same products in your March 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

Blogmas Day Eleven: BoxyCharm, A Year In Review

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Blogmas Day Eleven! Today I’m going to be doing a BoxyCharm Year In Review. I got a lot of great boxes this year and had a ton of favorite products, so I thought it would be good to put them all together and share what I really loved.

January:

The January box was a strong start to the year, and my favorite from this box was the Ace Beaute Bronzed In Paradise Palette. It didn’t feature in any of my recent looks posts, but I do like it and I do use it, it tends to fall to the back of my bronzer drawer, so I need to make a spot for it towards the front.

February: 

Ace Beaute made a really great impression in BoxyCharm this year, at least for me, and one of the things I loved in February was the Ace Beaute Nostalgia Palette. I use this all the time, I think it’s a super fun and versatile palette, in fact I talked about it in yesterday’s post. The other thing I loved in February was the Wander Beauty Double Date Lip & Cheek in Rendezvous/Swipe. I use Rendezvous solely as a lip product and I like it a lot. It’s a very pretty shade of pink. 

March: 

The March box had three items in it that I either loved already or have become staples in my makeup collection. The first of which is the Lime Crime Venus III Palette. This palette is super cute, it has some super pretty shadows in it and I love the versatility it affords. Then there’s the Too Faced Damn Girl Mascara which I’ve loved pretty much since it came out, it’s so good and always does my lashes good. The last product is one that I was initially unsure of because I don’t love rose in beauty and skincare products, but it’s turned into one of my favorites and it’s the Maven Beauty Rose Water Setting Spray. This locks in your makeup and you don’t feel sticky. Because of the rose water, it’s actually kinda refreshing. 

April: 

In April I received the Flirtacious Looks Monarch Lash Pack and these lashes are SO good! It came with two pairs, Baby Girl, an angled lash and Charmer, a round lash. The second thing I loved from the April box is the Eloise Beauty Get Gleaming Body Glow Illuminator in Champagne Rich. I used this a lot during the summer and it gives a great glow but is also buildable so you can have your desired level of glow. 

May: 

The May box saw me receiving two things that I have since repurchased and have talked about so many times since. The first is the Sophia + Mabelle Hydrating Hybrid Lipstick in Topless. This is a nude lipstick with the hydration of a balm and it’s so, so good. I honestly recommend, especially if you’re a nude lipstick fan. The second is the Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer. I mentioned this in my Winter Skincare post and it’s an excellent moisturizer because it not only moisturizes, but it protects against blue light which is perfect for me because I do spend a bit of time on my computer. My skin definitely likes Murad. 

June: 

The June box had two things that very much screamed summer to me, a bright lipstick and glowy skin. The bright lipstick came in the form of the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Famous Red, which has become a go to of mine in my red lipstick collection. The glowy skin came from the Touch In Sol Pretty Filter Glowdient Palette, I talk about this all the time, you guys know how much I love it. 

July: 

In July I got a great mix of great makeup and skincare. The Ofra Mini Mix Palette in Good To Go is something I already loved, so when I saw it was a choice item for July I picked it and it turned out to be a great choice because I just hit pan on the bronzer and because these are magnetic pans, I can just swap out the new and old ones. The BellaPierre Cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner in Black has become something I reach for a lot in my eyeliner drawer and I like it a lot, you have a lot of flexibility so you can do the thin precise line or you can do a thick and dramatic wing. On the skincare side, this is when I got the Mudmasky Vitamin Infused Eye Serum, I also talked about this in my Winter Skincare post and I love it, I can see a difference since I started using it. 

August: 

The August box featured what as become a go to eyeshadow palette for me, the Dito Cosmetics Venus Palette. I used this palette a lot during college football season and when I did my gold eye look for yesterday’s post, this is what I used to do it. I’m also a space nerd, so that made this palette extra fun for me. My second August favorite is the Volition Hibiscus Unspottable Correcting Oil. I have a couple of dark spots on my face, and this has helped tremendously, it’s a great product. Definitely recommend it you’re looking to get rid of any dark spots. 

September: 

I’m gonna be honest, this was not my favorite box of the year. I did and do like the GlamGlow YouthMud Glow Stimulating Treatment. This is the OG GlamGlow product that made it what it is today and when you use it you can see why. Obviously the more you use it, the more results you see, but when in the 10 or so minutes you have it on, you can tell a difference. The exfoliating properties give you smooth, glowy and soft skin. The other thing I liked in this box is the Half Caked 813, Duo Fiber Brush. I use this for blush, and it gives you an airbrushed finish. It’s also super soft and I like the colors, I don’t have a lot of brushes in this color. 

October: 

The October box was fantastic. I feel like as we got closer to the end of the year, the boxes got better and better. I’ve talked about this palette a number of times since getting it, but the October box gave me the Ace Beaute Falling For You Palette and I still love it so much. I used it yesterday and it’s still great, the color range, the mix of mattes and shimmer, the color payoff and the formulation are all top notch. This box gave me something I had never tried before, and that was the Appeal Cosmetics Adhesive Liner. I’ve worn this a few times and I do like it, I find it to be quicker and easier than messing around with lash glue, and we all know how much of a mess that can be. I also received a set of lashes that I love, they’re from Camara Aunique Beauty and they’re the Mary Lash. They do give you volume and that oomph that you want from a false lash, but it’s very natural. The last thing in this box that I love is the Tresluce Beauty Like An Artista 4 Piece Brush Set. I know that at the time I received this set the brand was fairly new, but for a new brand they seriously smashed it with the brushes. They’re all super soft, blend nicely and they’re nice to grip. 

November: 

In November I genuinely loved everything in the box, and I don’t know if that’s happened in the time I’ve been doing BoxyCharm. It started with the Ace Beaute Eyeshadow Amplifying Base in Light, I talk about this all the time, it makes your shadow last all day and it amplifies both mattes and shimmers without being too sticky and tacky. Then we have the Violet Voss Violet Sunset Palette. For being a smaller palette it has a lot of versatility and the colors are so, so pretty. I’ve been using this a lot recently. The Hanalei Beauty Company Matte Bronzer is one that has quickly made it’s way into the front of my bronzer drawer, I love that it’s on the lighter side so you can build it up as much as you want and you get that nice Hawaiian glow. The Luxie Pautips Por La Noche Brush Set was nice to see because I really like Luxie brushes and this came with a cute little pouch which is currently holding these brushes and all the random single brushes I had. The last product in this box is the Bodyography Makeup Brush Cleanser. I used this recently when I cleaned by brushes and having it in the spray bottle was so much quicker and easier and I feel like it didn’t take as much to clean them as it usually does. 

December: 

I won’t be revealing my thoughts and favorites from the December box in this post, but I will be doing so in my monthly favorites like I always do. 

That about wraps it up for this post, if we had any of the same overall Boxy favorites let me know and if not, I’d love to know what you loved from BoxyCharm this year. 

Until next time, enjoy your products, I can’t believe Blogmas is almost over and I can’t wait to see what I get next year in BoxyCharm :). 

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

BoxyCharm Referral Code:

Kyra-SVHKSETS 

My Links: 

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Poshmark: KyraSage18 

Pinterest: Kyra Sage

 

 

 

 

 

Blogmas Day Three: Winter Skincare Routine

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Blogmas Day Three! Today I thought it would be fun to share my winter skincare routine with you guys. I used to do a skincare routine post every season because I was changing and trying new products all the time, but my skin got very mad at me for doing that. I had to strip it back to very few things and once that started working I added a few things here and there and that’s where I’m at with it right now.

So the first thing I do is take off my eye makeup and lipstick and to do that I used the Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes and Lips. This is a product I’ve been using for ages and I really like it. It has a gentle formula but it’s super effective so you’re not scrubbing and accidently ripping out your lashes.

The next thing I do is take off the rest of my makeup with the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel. I’ve also been using this for a really long time and I still like it a lot. It takes off all of the long wearing makeup and doesn’t leave anything behind. 

From there I move to the Volition Hibiscus Unspottable Correcting Oil. This is to help reduce the appearance of dark spots and discoloration along with hydrating and helping with moisture retention. I have a couple of dark spots and I can honestly say that this has helped tremendously with getting them to go away. I’m a little weary sometimes of correcting oils and such because I have used some that have done nothing, but this is not one of those. This is one I highly recommend. 

The next step in my routine is serum and for that I use the Mine Tan. Body. Skin. Hydra Glow Sleep Serum with Triple Action Hyaluronic Acid. This serum is so good! It’s fast absorbing, it’s incredibly lightweight and says it’s anti-inflammatory. Because it’s a triple action Hyaluronic Acid you get the instant hydration but it’s also time release so you get that as you sleep giving you hydrated and glowy skin in the morning. 

After serum comes moisturizer and for that I use the Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer. This is more than just your standard moisturizer. It does have nourishing botanicals to moisturize and plump while helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, but it also detoxifies the skin by neutralizing daily damage caused by pollutants and blue light. Which I really like because I spend a lot of time on my computer. This is also a slightly thicker consistency, which I like for winter and the colder months. 

The second to last thing I do is eye cream. I’ve been using two as of late. The first is one that I’ve been using for a while and really like, the Murad Hyrdo-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for Eyes. This deeply quenches and nourishes the under eye area, seals in moisture to restore smoothness and helps to reduce fine line and wrinkles along with dull and dry skin. The second is the Mudmasky Vitamin Infused Eye Serum. This has Vitamin C which is very refreshing and has an antioxidant effect. This also feeds, nourishes and firms the skin under the eye along with giving a vitamin boost and moisture boost. I like it a lot. 

And the last thing I do is apply a lip product. Right now, and for a bit, my go to lip product has been the eos Natural & Organic Lip Balm Stick in Sweet Mint. I find the eos lip balms to be super hydrating and this one smells really good. 

That about wraps it up for this post, if we use any of the same products in our winter skincare routines let me know and if not I’d love to know what products you do use. 

Until next time, enjoy doing your skincare routine and I’m glad you’re all liking Blogmas :). 

-K 

Twitter: @KNSage

Instagram: Kyra Sage

Poshmark: KyraSage18

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