December 2016 Favorites

Hey everyone! It's time for my last monthly favorites of the year, and (spoiler alert) it is quite heavy on the eyeshadow palettes this month. Also, before we get started with the favorites, I was wondering if y'all would be interested in a "Best of 2016". Basically I would create a post that details the items, in each category, that I feel were the best products of 2016. Let me know in the comments section below if this would be something that you would be interested in. Alright, well now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's get to the good stuff.

1.) Tarte Tarteist PRO Amazonian Clay Palette -$53

I'm not going to go into full detail with this palette, simply because I did a full swatch and review on my blog earlier this month. However, between this one and the other two palettes, I have been using it non-stop. It is very easy for me to get bored with a palette, which is why I generally switch to a new one in my collection after a week. Plus it gives me the chance to show all of my palettes love. I never got tired of this one though, and it literally pained me to have to put it away. The shadows are nicely pigmented, and I was able to do completely different eye looks every single day with it. 

It blends like a dream, and there is very little fall-out with the shadows. Here are a few swatches of the mattes in the palette, and below are swatches of the shimmer/duo-chrome shades. 

I would highly recommend getting your hands on this palette!

2.) Urban Decay All-Nighter Makeup Setting Spray -$31

I have used this product for several years now, and regardless of whether I try other setting sprays out, I ALWAYS come back to this one. I recently wore it to a out-door wedding, and it helped my makeup last all afternoon and night. Plus if I ever get a little too over zealous with my powders, this helps to soften things out, and I avoid getting "cake-face".

I love the nozzle on this, because it has a nice spray that doesn't "punch" you in the face with product. If you haven't tried this before, you NEED to. I promise you won't regret purchasing this. 

3.) Urban Decay Naked Palette -$54

Okay, so I will be the first one to admit that I am late to the game with this one. I just added this palette to my collection at the end of November. I always told myself that I didn't need it, because I already have so many colors like the ones in the palette. Well I'm glad I threw that out the window, because this thing is amazing! There is a reason why everyone loves it. 

This is another palette that I have used that I never did get tired of using it after a week, so again, it broke my heart to have to put it away. The shadows are buttery, pigmented, and blend like an absolute dream. There are endless eye looks that can be created with it, and it's a nude lovers dream!!

Here are a few shadows swatched from this palette. Don't be like me, if you haven't purchased this yet, get it. NOW.

4.) The Body Shop Mini Body Butter Sampler Kit -$30

This is actually an item that I had on my Christmas list, and my wonderful husband purchased it for me. We each opened a gift earlier in the month, because our heathen fur-babies refused to allow Christmas to happen in this house. Since the wrapping paper on this was already torn to shreds, I decided I would end it's suffering and just finish unwrapping it. Well I'm glad I did, because this stuff is AMAZING! This is another brand that I have never really tried much from, so I figured this would give me the chance to really try and sample several of their body butters, without spending too much money. 

This kit came with 5 different scents, and I've already made my way though several of them. The formula is thick and creamy, and it absorbs quickly into my skin, without making me feel like a greasy hotdog. My favorites so far have been the shea, satsuma, and coconut. I will definitely be purchasing more of the full-size body butters in the future. Plus Ulta.com has them for buy one, get one 50% off from time to time. 

5.) Too-Faced Sweet Peach Palette -$49

Y'all may have already seen this one coming, since I did a full swatch and review of this palette earlier in the month. I raved about how amazing the shadows were, plus I had been dying to get my hands on this for nearly a year. 

I have now been using this palette for a week and half, and I'm no where near ready to put it down. As I just said, the shadows are nicely pigmented, blend like a dream, and have little fall-out. There are countless eye looks that you can do with this palette! 

This palette appears to be here to stay, so if you haven't added it to your collection yet, you need to. It's amazing, and I swear you won't regret it!

6.) Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment -$105

This stuff has been on my wish list for a long time now, and I finally sucked it up and spent the money on it during the Sephora VIB Rouge event in November. I'm so glad I did because it has done wonders for my skin. I have always had issues with breakouts and cystic acne, and many items in the past just never worked for me. Well this, in combination with my current skin care regimen, has really helped clear up my skin. 

My skin feels nice and soft, and I have definitely noticed a difference in my acne scarring.  This has been my saving grace, and I would HIGHLY recommend it! You can get the Good Genes by itself, or you get it in two different kits, which come with several other amazing Sunday Riley products:

Sunday Riley Power Couple Duo: Total Transfomation Kit -$85

Sunday Riley #Squadgoals Skincare Essentials Kit -$90

This is the kit that I purchased, and I literally LOVE everything in it. It's pricey but it's the best thing I have ever found that works for my skin. 

Alright everyone, those are all of my favorites for the month of December. I hope y'all enjoyed them, and hopefully I peaked your interest in some of these amazing products. What products were you loving this month? Let me know in the comments section below, and also be sure to let me know if you would interested in a "Best of 2016"post. Also be sure to subscribe to my blog, so you don't miss out on future spoilers, unboxings, and favorites. 

Spongelle Product Review

Many of y'all probably haven't heard of Spongelle before, so let me give you a quick run down on the company. Spongelle is a bath company that offers unique body wash infused bath sponges and lotions. They have many different scents and sponge styles to choose from. A few months ago, Boxycharm subscribers received a Spongelle product in their box, and that was the first time that I was introduced to the Spongelle brand. I was intrigued by their products, because it was something that you don't see everyday, or at least I don't. I reached out to them several months back, and they so graciously sent me some samples to try out and share with y'all. 

Each body wash infused sponge is good for up to at least 14 uses, and as previously mentioned, comes in many different scents. Spongelle sent me 3 different ones to try out and review for y'all.

1.) Spongelle Boxed Flowers in Coconut Verbena- $16

I love just about anything that is coconut verbena scented, so when I saw this, I was super excited. It has a nice smell that lingered on my skin several hours after using it. 

Not only does it have the body wash already infused in it, but the sponge itself helps to exfoliate the skin, and leaves you feeling nice and soft. 

There are the directions on the back of each box, that tells you how to use the product. Basically you wet it, give it a few squeezes to get the lather going, and then use it like you would any bath loofah or sponge. 

2.) Spongelle Zodiac Collection in Earth- $20

This particular sponge has a lavender and sea salt scent, and is good for up to 15 uses. 

I LOVE the way this particular scent smells. It is so calming and relaxing. I will keep it by my bath for those days when I really want something nice and calming. 

I also love that Spongelle sent me this one, because I'm a Taurus, and my stubborn self needs that calming effect from time to time. This leaves my skin feeling nice and soft, with a wonderful scent that lingers on my skin for hours after I use it. 

3.) Spongelle Shimmer Collection in Radiant Amber- $20

This sponge has a warm amber scent, and is good for up to 15 uses. This one though has glitter on the outside of the sponge, claiming to make you glow.

I will admit that I was skeptical when I saw it for the first time. Me and glitter rarely get along with one another. I consider it the craft herpes of the world. But for sampling purposes, I tried this out. The glitter on this sponge is basically just a coating on the outside, and after the first couple of uses, will be gone completely. 

It made a huge mess in my shower; however, it was very easy to rinse away. As for it sticking to my skin, very little, if any did. For a glittery product to not permanently stick to everything it comes into contact with is a HUGE plus in my book. 

Here is a closer look at the glitter on this sponge. The scent is amazing, and again, it lingered on my skin hours after using it.

I hope y'all enjoyed this blog post. If you are interested in any of this products, definitely check out spongelle.com. If you use the code Katie15, then you will get 15% off your purchase. 

Also be sure to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss out on future postings.

Too-Faced Sweet Peach Palette: Swatch and Review

Hey y'all! I have been waiting for what feels like a year to sit down and do this review for y'all! I missed out on the first launch of the Sweet Peach Palette from Too-Faced, so when it relaunched earlier this month, I stayed up extra late, so I could get my order in. Well I finally got it! Thank ya Jesus! Now I can finally review this for everyone, and my poor, sweet husband can finally stop hearing me talk about this palette....maybe.

I ordered this December 1, when it had a early relaunch on the TooFaced.com website. I received it on December 7, and I couldn't open it up fast enough!

The packaging is absolutely adorable in my opinion! I love the ombre effect on the outer and inner packaging. 

The outer packaging has a matte feel to it, with gold detailing, and a cute little peach on the front. 

The palette also comes with a little insert that gives you detailed on instruction on how to achieve 3 different eye looks using this palette. I love it when palettes have these, especially on those days when I'm just not feeling that creative. The entire palette smells just like peaches, but it's not over powering. I personally love the way it smells!

Here is the Sweet Peach palette next to the chocolate bar palettes. As you can see the peach palette does not come with the 2 large shadow shades. Instead you receive a total of 18 shadows, whereas in the chocolate bar palettes, you receive 16 shadows. 

Again, here is the exterior packaging on the palette. It is so cute with the little peaches, and the ombre effect. It feels very sturdy too, which would be great for travel. 

On the inside of the palette, you get the 18 different shadow shades and a mirror. The mirror is just okay in my opinion. There are certainly better ones out there.  So now lets get to the best part of this blog post, the swatches!!!

I will be doing finger swatches AND brush swatches of every shadow in the palette. When I do the brush swatches, I will lay down a base of Urban Decay Primer Potion. I will be using a Coastal Scents Concealer Brush to apply the shadows. I will also be cleaning my brush off on my Sephora Color Switch by Vera Mona between shades. 

(First Row) Starting from the bottom to the top, the colors are as follows:

White Peach (Matte Vanilla Cream)

Luscious (Pearl Peach Champagne)

Just Peachy (Shimmering Peachy Pink)

Bless Her Heart (Golden Moss)

Tempting (Bronzed Black)

Charmed, I'm Sure (Matte Medium Cool Brown)

These swatches are finger swatches, done with NO primer on underneath.

(First Row) Starting from the right to the left, the colors are as follows:

White Peach (Matte Vanilla Cream)

Luscious (Pearl Peach Champagne)

Just Peachy (Shimmering Peachy Pink)

Bless Her Heart (Golden Moss)

Tempting (Bronzed Black)- As you can see above, there is some patchiness with this shadow when applied with a brush

Charmed, I'm Sure (Matte Medium Cool Brown)

The picture shown above is the brush swatches.

(Second Row) Starting from the bottom to the top, the colors are as follows:

Nectar (Pearly Peachy Cream)

Cobbler (Peachy Pink Bronze)

Candied Peach (Matte Coral with Violet Shimmer)

Bellini (Gilded Peach)

Peach Pit (Satin Raisin)

Delectable (Matte Smoky Amethyst)

These swatches are finger swatches, done with NO primer on underneath.

(Second Row) Starting from the right to the left, the colors are as follows:

Nectar (Pearly Peachy Cream)

Cobbler (Peachy Pink Bronze)

Candied Peach (Matte Coral with Violet Shimmer)

Bellini (Gilded Peach)

Peach Pit (Satin Raisin)

Delectable (Matte Smoky Amethyst)

The picture shown above is the brush swatches.

(Third Row) Starting from the bottom to the top, the colors shown are as follows:

Peaches-n-Cream (Matte Milky Peach)

Georgia (Matte Peachy Pink)

Caramelized (Dark Gilded Bronze)

Puree (Metallic Dark Bronze)

Summer Yum (Matte Gingerbread)

Talk Derby To Me (Shimmering Black Violet)

These swatches are finger swatches, done with NO primer on underneath.

(Third Row) Starting from the right to the left, the colors shown above are as follows:

Peaches-n-Cream (Matte Milky Peach)

Georgia (Matte Peachy Pink)

Caramelized (Dark Gilded Bronze)

Puree (Metallic Dark Bronze)

Summer Yum (Matte Gingerbread)

Talk Derby To Me (Shimmering Black Violet)

The picture shown above is the brush swatches.

There is very little fall out with any of these shades, and they all blend like a dream, including the more purple shades. The only shadow that I don't particularly care for is the Tempting shade. It is a little patchy when you apply it with a brush. I have now been using this palette for nearly a week and a half, and I am no where near ready to put it down. I would highly recommend getting your hands on this, if you can. 

It is available now on toofaced.com, sephora.com, and ulta.com. It retails for $49, and is totally worth every penny in my opinion! 

December 2016 Boxycharm Unboxing

Welcome back everyone! It's time, once again, for another Boxycharm unboxing. For those that don't know, Boxycharm is a $21/month beauty subscription service that sends 5-6  FULL SIZE beauty products each month. Nearly every box has a total value of over $100 worth of product in it. They also offer a rewards program where you can earn full sized products for free. This box does lean more towards the makeup side of beauty; however, they do include skincare/haircare, as well. Keep reading below to see what I received this month. This post does contain referral links. 

Each month, your box comes with a little card that details all of the items that you received, and lists the full retail value of each item.

1.) Ofra Metallic Liquid Lipstick in Napa Valley -$19.90 (in every box)

I absolutely adore the Ofra liquid lipstick formula. It's long-lasting, and it isn't too drying on my lips. I was super excited at first to be receiving this, until I saw the color. I'm a huge fan of vampy lips, but this color is a touch too purple for my liking. I sadly will be passing this along to someone that will enjoy it more than me. Swatches are below. 

2.) IBY Beauty Lip Liner in Blush -$14 (variable item)

I actually really like this lip liner. It's a beautiful color, that will match plenty of lipsticks that I wear on a daily basis. The formula is also very nice. It's creamy and doesn't tug at my lips, which is always a plus. Swatches are below. 

Above are swatches of the IBY lip liner, and the Ofra liquid lipstick. 

3.) butterLONDON Nail Lacquer in Ruby Murray -$15 (variable item)

I really like the butterLONDON nail polish formula, and this one is no different. It is a beautiful deep berry color. It's opaque with two coats of polish. It lasted for several days on my nails before it chipped. This is definitely perfect for the holiday season. 

Here is the butterLONDON polish on my nails. 

4.) Makeup Eraser Mini Makeup Eraser -$12 (variable item)

I was not happy about receiving this in my box this month. The whole idea of this seemed a little gimmicky to me; however, for the sake of testing purposes, I tried it out anyways. And I must say, I was too quick to judge this product.  

I tried this out for the first time last night, and I must say, it did an excellent job of removing the majority of my makeup. I did have to go back in with some eye makeup remover to get everything off, but this removed EVERY. BIT of my facial makeup. I'm tempted to order the larger one now. 

5.) Pure Cosmetics Buff Eyeshadow Palette -$50 (in every box)

I was super excited to be receiving yet another palette from Boxycharm this month. This was the first product I pulled out of the box this month, because I was so excited to swatch it. Well when I pulled it out of the box, this is what I was presented with. 

I was so disappointed, because as any makeup lover knows, broken makeup just plains sucks. I emailed Boxycharm about the issue, and they told me they did not have any palettes in stock to replace mine. However, they did add some Charms points to my account, that I can use on different items in their online shop. 

Luckily I was able to patch it up; however, even after fixing the palette, I was still disappointed in it. The packaging felt cheap, and even after removing the clear piece from the mirror, you can see mine was still very hazy. The shadows themselves were nicely pigmented; however, there was a TON of fall-out with each and every shade. Considering the price of this palette, I would skip this one and just go with the Naked 3 palette. 

Here are shadow swatches from the palette. 

That is everything that I received in my Boxycharm this month. The overall value of this month's box was $110.90. How did you like the box this month, and did you receive something different? Let me know in the comments section below! Also be sure to subscribe to my blog, so you don't miss out on future spoilers and unboxings!

Here is a spoiler for the January Boxycharm!

https://boxycharm.com/refer/Katie-NXJHUJFS