Tag: Smashbox

Beauty Reviews, Clinique

What’s In My Bag! (see what’s in my purse & beauty bag!)

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I love the “What’s In My Bag” posts so I decided to do one myself. I just got the Vera Bradley Mandy Shoulder Bag in Santiago for Spring! I love how many pockets this purse has.

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What’s In My Bag?

I don’t carry too much in my purse and I try to stay organized. I like to clean my purse out at least once a week to get rid of receipts and loose change.

Here are my must have items:

  • Bath & Body Works Coupons
  • Bubble Yum Bubble Gum Original Flavor
  • KIND Bar
  • Eyeglass Repair Kit
  • Sewing Kit
  • Harry Potter Hogwarts Wallet
  • Tylenol
  • Bath & Body Works Hand Cream
  • Bottle Of Water
  • iPhone
  • Brush
  • Make-Up Bag (Check out my video to see what’s in my bag)
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Beauty Box Reviews, Beauty Reviews, Birchbox

January 2018 Birchbox Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I’m back with Birchbox in 2018! I decided to reup and my box this month is nice and I got a mini MAC Lipstick for coming back.

*Spoiler Alert! I’m showcasing the January 2018 Birchbox (this is my Birchbox referral code) today.

January 2018 Birchbox products.

  • Avene Hydrance Intense Rehydrating Serum – Full-Sized Price $38
  • Matrix Total Results Brass Off Shampoo & Conditioner – Full-Sized Price $13 each
  • Smashbox Cosmetics Always On Liquid Lipstick – Full-Sized Price $24
  • The Beauty Crop Express Yourself Eyeshadow Trio – Full-Sized Price $29.50

The eyeshadow is really pretty and I’m curious about the Brass Off Shampoo & Conditioner!

Also check out my January 2018 Birchbox unboxing.

Beauty Reviews, Clinique, Kat Von D, Smashbox

3 Awesome Black Eyeliners!

Queen of the Girl Geeks

This Summer I’ve been wearing black eyeliner a little more to define my eyes and I’ve been rockin’ these high end 3 brands. These are all samples I have gotten in my beauty boxes this past year! I have so many sample eyeliners I may never have to buy one again.

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Smashbox Always Sharp Liner – This soft waterproof eyeliner comes in 8 colors and I love that it’s a twist up. It’s very smooth and looks great on my “older” eyes. Price: $21

Clinique Skinny Stick in Shimmering Black – This is the thinnest eyeliner I have ever seen but it works great on my waterline. It is also Ophthalmologist Tested, Allergy Tested. and 100% Fragrance Free. On sale for $17

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper – This black liquid liner is waterproof and transfer-resistant. I love the bold look and it’s so easy to apply. It also comes in Mad Max Brown, Price: $20

Beauty Reviews, Smashbox

Smashbox Brow Tech Shaping Powder Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I’ve been using a sample of the Smashbox Brow Tech Shaping Powder in Taupe for about a month now and I am so impressed with it. The powder also comes in Dark Brown, Brunette and Blonde. The Full-Sized price is $25 and it’s Made in Germany.

What’s to love?

Brows are never too exciting to me for some reason. Maybe it’s because I tend to wear my hair with bangs and they usually get hidden. The reality is I really should be paying more attention to making my brows look more shaped and the Smashbox Brow Tech Shaping Powder has gone a long way with helping me achieve this.

This brow powder is super fine and has amazing pigmentation. I just swipe a little on with the tiny applicator and my brows look very professional and full. I also like that it never gives me that Grocho Marx look.

I’ve read some reviews wear people have said this product is messy but I have not experienced that at all. The powder is very, very fine and the tiny foam tip applicator gives me just the right amount of coverage. I also love that I can “spot fill” areas where my brows are thin.

Overall I am truly impressed with the product and I imagine the full-sized tube will last forever. A little goes a long way.

Beauty Reviews

I Just Turned 47 So I Decided To Do A Makeover (Before & After)

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I just turned 47-years-old and it’s pretty scary to see all the changes my skin is going through. I have several problem areas including combination skin, large pores. dark eyes, uneven skin tones, hooded eyes and a some sagging. It’s actually quite interesting (and frightening) to take a selfie with zero make-up on, I debated putting this photo up but decided to be brave about it.

The bottom line is that we all age and just need a little help to regain a youthful appearance. I love make-up, it makes me feel good to experiment with new products and shades. There’s something very cathartic about buying a new lipstick or palette.

I believe that anyone can learn how to choose and apply make-up, it just takes a little practice and I learn new things everyday.

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Here’s a list of the products I used for my makeover:

Eye Primer – My eyes need a lot of help so I used a combination of Maybelline Dream Brightening Creamy Concealer, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment for Dark Circles, and Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Eyes – I used the purple shades in the Grav3yard Girl Tarte Swamp Family Palette. I also used the Clinique Chubby Mascara in black. On my brows I used the Smashbox Eye Brow Ultra Tech Shaping Powder Mimics which is a neat product.

Face – I used the BECCA Backlight Priming Filter on my forehead, chin and cheeks first. Then I used the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed (I just got this) and the Bye Bye Pores Blush. I really love both of these products. I contoured with the It Cosmetics Sunshine In A Compact and highlighted with the Perfect Lighting Luminizer.

Lips – I can’t believe how pale my lips look bare. Geesh! This reminds me that I should never leave the house without lipstick on. I used the Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lipcolor in Desert for todays look.

 Also check out my Over 40 5 Minute Make Over Challenge on YouTube!

 

Beauty Reviews, Smashbox

Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I got a sample of the Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick and while I’m not always a fan of matte this one feels nicer than most I’ve tried.

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What’s to love?

I’m a huge fan of the Smashbox brand so it’s no surprise that I like the Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick.

This long-lasting matte is very easy to apply and dries quickly without feeling super dry on my lips. Like I said usually matte liquids dry and shrivel my lips but this one looks nice and plump which I love. The pigmentation is also amazing. I had zero patchy spots and compete coverage in one swipe.

The lip gloss smells like cookies which is nice and it’s free of Parabens, Sulfates and Phthalates.

The funny thing is I have no idea what shade this is! I got this sample last Summer and the shade is not listed on the tube. However I think it might be Deep Orange which is sold out at Sephora so it might have been a Summer color.

Overall I think this is my new favorite matte liquid!

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I do like the look of the matte texture but just for fun I added a little Eclissare Color Eclipse ColorGlass Lip Gloss for some shine. I think both looks are nice.

Full-Sized Price: $24

Beauty Reviews, Smashbox

Smashbox L.A. Lights Blush & Highlighter Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I picked up the Smashbox L.A. Lights Blush & Highlighter today in Malibu Berry. You get Plum, Rosy Plum and Berry Pink with Gold Shimmer as the highlighter. This trio is awesome!

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What’s to love?

Normally I have such a hard time choosing a blush. It’s easy to go too dark or too orange or too sparkly and you end up looking like a clown. Luckily Smashbox makes it easy to be goof proof with their L.A. Lights Blush & Highlighter sets which come in a trio of beautiful complementary colors.

I choose the Malibu Berry set because I love the darker pinks on my fair skin. It also comes in Pacific Coast Pink and  Culver City Coral sets.

I love that you get 3 colors to play with. The Berry Pink with Gold Shimmer is amazing as a highlighter and really brought out the depth in my cheeks without being too sparkly. The product itself is super pigmented and smooth. I use a large blush brush to apply and it so easy to blend.

Overall I am super impressed with this blush so far and although Smashbox tends to be on the pricey side I know this palette will last a really long time. It’s also a relief to have finally found a blush that I love so much right from day one. I usually buy blush, get it home and then decide it’s not so great. Not so with the L.A. Lights Blush & Highlighter. Love this one!

Beauty Box Reviews, Birchbox

July 2016 Birchbox Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

*Spoiler Alert! I’m showcasing the July 2106 Birchbox today.

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I love the pretty colored box and seeing as how I save boxes I may need to add on to my house to store them.

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Here’s what I got in the July 2016 Birchbox!

The Birchbox subscription is $10/month and you get a card with 6 items.

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Shiseido ULTIMUNE Power Infusing Concentrate – Back in the 80’s they sold Shisedio at the make-up counter at May Co. and I loved it. So it was great to be reintroduced to the product today. This cream smells really nice and claims to improve your skin so I’m definitely excited about giving it a try.

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Shisedio ULTIMUNE Eye – You also get a “one use” sample of ULTIMUNE eye which I can’t wait to try.

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Coola Sport SPF Classic Sunscreen in Fresh Mango – I’m excited to try out this organic sunscreen as I have such a problem with any sunscreen. It smells really nice, like suncreen mixed with mango. It’s hypo-allergenic and water resistant so I’m hoping to have a great experience with it.

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Smashbox X-Rated Mascara – This high-end super volume mascara is a nice addition to my collection. Gives me huge lashes without clumping.

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Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – This is an interesting product that says you can spray it on your hair to absorb oil and impurities. It has a nice smell (it’s Sea Buckthorn Berry) but I’m not a huge fan of aerosol sprays so I’m not sure how much I’d use this but it’s a neat idea. They do have a really artsy website!

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Supergoop Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35+ – The final product is from Supergoop. This CC Cream goes on really smooth and feels light on my skin. I’ll absolutely use up this sample.

Overall I’m happy with the July Birchbox. I give it a 9 only because I probably won’t use the aerosol hair spray.

Allure

July 2016 Allure Beauty Box Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

*Spoiler Alert! I’m showcasing the July 2106 Allure Beauty Box today.

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Today was like Christmas at my house as I got the Allure Beauty Box and Birchbox! I’ll get to reviewing the Birchbox next but the Allure one really got me excited so it goes first.

Here’s what I got in the July 2016 Allure Beauty Box!

The cost of the Allure Box is $15 per month. You also get a really nice full-color booklet describing each product in detail.

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GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment – I was super excited to get a GlamGlow product. I’ve been wanting to get some but it’s a bit pricey at $69 for 1.2 oz. The mask is black and contains Eucalyptus but to me it smells like licorice in the bottle.

You get about 2 application in the sample. When you spread it on your face it’s pretty thin and burns a bit (but to me that means it’s working). It dries into a clay and when I washed it off my pores were noticeably smaller. I LOVE this mask!

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Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair – I haven’t used a night repair serum in ages and I’m excited to try this one out. It’s another pricey sample that costs $62 for 1 oz. You get .24 oz in the sample which would cost $15.50, that’s more than the entire cost of the box.

It’s supposed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles so I’m all in for that!

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Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry – A few weeks ago I reviewed the Chubby Stick Baby Tints and was wishing they were a bit darker. I got my wish! This Chubby Stick is definitely darker and provides max mango and shea butter moisturizing. It’s a twist up too!

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Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer – Here’s another high-end product. This Smashbox primer is oil-free and it’s supposed to reduce the appearance of fine lines for a flawless finish. Can’t wait to try it.

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La Mer ‘The Moisturizing Soft Cream’ – The final item in the box I had never heard of! This super high-end cream is sold at Nordstrom and sells for $85 for a .5 oz. WHAT! This sample is .11 oz. so you get a nice amount to try out.

The cream has an amazing earthy/floral scent and my 71-year-old mom gave it two thumbs up. Instantly made her skin feel softer.

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So how do I feel about my first Allure Box? I give it a 10. I really felt like this was well worth the $15.

Beauty Reviews, Smashbox

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara Review

Queen of the Girl Geeks

I probably have over 10 mascaras that I switch back and forth through. I always seems to get them as promotional gifts or with sets and they’re fun to try out. I really love the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black that I got in a set.

What’s to love?

First I have to say that the wand for this mascara is HUGE so I was a little bit afraid that it would clump or be goopy but not so. Despite the large wand it’s super easy to apply and I was really pleased with the results. I paired the mascara with the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Quad in Rust for a great look.

The Smashbox Full Exposure formula is smooth and gives you volume without making your eyes look over processed. I didn’t apply a second coat, one worked just great.

One of the problems in women over 40 (like me) is that too much mascara or dark eyes can really magnify aging so you have to be careful about going too dark unless of course your going to an Alice Cooper concert, then it’s fine to have really dark eyes.

It’s funny, I read that women over 40 should avoid mascara on their lower lashes but I totally toss that tip out the window. I think as long as you apply carefully it can really enhance your eye.

So Yay! for the Smashbox Full Exposure. This one is going in my “daily use” box.

PS – The one great thing about getting mascara as a sample or as part of a kit is that you’re not getting too much product. I’m completely OCD about only keeping my mascara for a few months, then they get tossed. So the smaller sample tubes work better for me.