REVIEW | Herbivore Jade Roller

Hi everyone! Today I'll be reviewing Herbivore's Jade Facial Roller. It's a beautiful tool, but is it just a gimmick? I wasn't sold on the idea of using one at first, but after doing some research and Reddit-lurking, I finally caved and bought myself one. This is what I think of mine so far. 

WHAT IT IS

The Jade Roller is a skincare tool that retails for $30 at Sephora. According to the product page on Herbivore's website, the origins of this beauty tool originate in China. It's made of Aventurine Jade (source) and gold metal. A number of brands sell facial rollers of varying materials; most commonly rose quartz and amethyst. As it's quite lightweight and small, the Jade Roller is travel friendly.

WHAT IT CLAIMS TO DO

- Tighten and smooth skin

- Help the absorption of product

- Support the lymphatic system

- De-puff skin and reduce fine lines, dark circles and undereye bags

WHAT WORKED?

1. It's undoubtedly relaxing – it feels really good because of how cooling it is on the skin. It's a happy medium because it isn't freezing, just refreshing.

2. It does help with de-puffing, especially in the morning when my face is slightly puffier than usual. Or when I'm retaining a little extra water.

3. I have noticed a reduction of fine lines. This is probably due to the fact that it helps moisturizer/facial oil to be better absorbed into the skin. Since you're using a stone to work product into your skin, you can be assured your fingers aren't absorbing a lot of the product.  

4. Overall, my skin feels and appears smoother. I don't think this is solely from the use of the jade roller (I'll get to that later), but it seems to be helping my skin look and feel more plump, hydrated, and softer. 

WHAT DIDN'T WORK?

1. I didn't notice an improvement in my dark circles. I've read that some people find success in reducing their dark circles after they started using a facial roller. I think mine are largely genetic and therefore here to stay. I'll just be over here drinking (hopefully) enough water and applying concealer. 

THE FINAL VERDICT

I've been using my Jade Roller for a few weeks, every morning and every night (eh, I might have missed a night or two). I'm pleased to say that I'm enjoying my time using this little guy. If you've been curious about getting one, I'd say it's worth the shot. Also, routinely massaging your face is good for your skin anyway. :P

The most important thing to remember is that the Jade Roller is a TOOl. It isn't magic! It's meant to work alongside a good skincare routine, plenty of water, sleep, and protecting your skin from the sun. If you buy a facial roller thinking it's the only thing you'll need for great skin, you'll be disappointed. A facial roller is best for someone who is diligent and serious about their skincare regime, however simple or meticulous it is.

If you're more lax with your skincare. but want instant results when you do do something for your skin, this won't be a product worth buying (thankfully, face masks exist). Unless of course you're working towards a good routine! 

Thanks for reading! I hope this was a helpful review if you are at all curious about this in vogue little tool. Do you own a facial roller? Do you love it or is it meh? Let me know. :)

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DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored post. I bought the reviewed product with my own money. As I am also not a dermatologist, this post is not meant to be used for medical advice. If you are struggling with your skin, please pay a visit to your dermatologist. 

Drugstore + High-End Makeup Haul | February 2019

Hi everyone! I hope everyone's Christmas/New Year/Everything-in-between has been swell (I know we're heading into March).It's been a minute since I've shared anything on here, so we're just going to get straight into things today. I'll be sharing some drugstore and high-end makeup purchases I've made throughout the month of February that I've been playing with. 

1.  PAT McGRATH LABS | LUST: MINI MATTETRANCE LIPSTICK TRIO (SKIN SHOW) ($25.00)

 

I've had my sights set on this little lip trio for a few months. It was always sold out on Sephora's website and in their store (at least the one I live closest to, which is a bit of a hike). A nude, matte lipstick is an everyday essential in my makeup routine; when I saw this was finally in stock, I picked it up. I've also never tried anything by Pat McGrath, so I grabbing a trio of these minis for $25 is a great way to try out the brand.
2.  TARTE | TARTELETTE IN BLOOM 2 PALETTE ($39.00)

This palette has been out for a while, but I don't anything by Tarte other than my eyelash curler which came with their Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. My thought behind purchasing this was to have a small, neutral palette I could take from day to night if I wanted to. It also pulls slightly cooler (yes, cooler) than shadows I generally use –this is me trying to branch out haha. 

3.  FLOWER BEAUTY | LIGHT ILLUSION LIQUID FOUNDATION ($13.99)

Pretty soon, I plan to write a background story post on why I bought this foundation. The Flower Beauty Light Illusion Liquid Foundation is one I've had in the back of my mind for some time. I'll be playing mixologist when I use these, as I picked up the shades M4 Tawny and M5 Caramel. This is a supposed to be a radiant finish, which is another out-of-the-box purchase for me, considering I gravitate towards matte finish foundations.

I hope everyone's having a fantastic Thursday! I want to get better at posting more often. This almost five month hiatus was a big oof. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS | Fenty Beauty Universal Lip Luminzer + Mattemoiselle Matte Plush Lipstick

The nearest Sephora is about 40 minutes away from where I live, so I don't go there too often. When I was there a couple days ago, I went in with the intention of swatching the Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks, and possibly their Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer.

The only Fenty product I owned before was the Pro Filt'r Foundation. I was so excited about it, and ended up hating it. This stuff separated in areas where my foundation never has that issue, made me break out every time I used it, and created dry patches on my skin that I didn't even know existed. To be honest, I would have tried to make it work if the dry patches and separation were the only problems. But the second I realized it was making my skin unhappy, I knew I couldn't use it any longer. To this date, the Pro Filt'r Foundation has been the only item of makeup I've ever returned. 

Just because one product from a brand was awful, it doesn't mean you should avoid everything altogether. I actually ended up purchasing one of the lipsticks, as well as the lip gloss from. Side note: Rihanna made me buy lip gloss. I don't even wear lip gloss (I guess I do, now).

1. MATTEMOISELLE PLUSH MATTE LIPSTICK IN FRECKLE FIESTA
In the bullet, Freckle Fiesta appears to be a deep terracotta, but against my skin, it looks like a bright red-orange. I can't complain, though; it's a beautifully punchy, pigmented colour that I think would flatter a variety of skin tones. It's also one of the most highly pigmented lipsticks I own. The wear time is good, too. I ate meals and sipped tea with this on. Unless you're eating messily (like a toddler), this stuff has a good chance of not budging. I love that while the formula is matte, it's comfortable and I don't feel like all the moisture is being sucked out of my lips. I may have to pick up a different shade. Maybe. 

1. GLOSS BOMB UNIVERSAL LIP LUMINIZER
This is heavily scented. The website description states it's actually vanilla-peach, but I think it smells like strawberries. The Gloss Bomb is in a universal shade, supposedly designed to flatter all skin tones. It's a beautiful rosy color with flecks of gold and lilac (unless my eyes are lying to me) shimmer. It does lend a tint to the lips, but overall I feel like it's on the sheer side. You can use it alone, but this would be a pretty lip topper as well. The formula doesn't feel extremely goopy, although I do think it's quite dense. I like that it feels hydrating, rather than feeling like it's a layer of product just sitting on my lips and drying them out. One thing I don't like about the Gloss Bomb is that it's tricky to apply in small amounts. The applicator collects a lot of product, so if your lips are on the thinner side, just be careful when using it so it doesn't look sloppy. 

My (Kind Of) Everyday Makeup | DRUGSTORE + HIGH-END

I'll admit this: I'm not a BB Cream, one-step makeup routine person (if you are, that's honestly great!). Even if I'm not going anywhere, I tend to wear a full face of makeup every day. I actually enjoy the time in the morning I get to apply my makeup, because I just feel so much more put together after that. 

I titled this my "kind of" makeup routine, because I don't use the same products every single day. Below, I'll be sharing what is typical for me to use (give or take a few products). Some of them are recent finds; others I've been using for a while. I don't like to cut corners with my makeup, so it's a pretty well-rounded list. 

1. BASE: WET N WILD PHOTO FOCUS MATTE FACE PRIMER | $4.99

After moisturizing my face (I use the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion) and waiting for roughly five minutes, I prime my face with a pea-sized amount of Wet N Wild's Photo Focus Matte Face Primer. I focus mainly on areas where I get oily throughout the day. 

2. FOUNDATION: BECCA ULTIMATE COVERAGE COMPLEXION CREME IN BAMBOO + MAYBELLINE SUPER STAY FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION IN SUN BEIGE | $44.00, $11.99

Once my primer has set, I use a mixture of the Becca Ultimate Complexion Crème foundation in Bamboo, and the Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage foundation in Sun Beige. These are both very full coverage foundations, so I apply them in thin layers and find that I don't need to use a lot. 

3. CONCEALER: MAYBELLINE FIT ME! CONCEALER IN MEDIUM | $6.99

So, it turns out I forgot to include this in the picture! As stated above, the foundations I use are both full coverage, so they can sometimes make my face look pretty flat. I like to use concealer to highlight areas which need brightening. 

4. SETTING POWDER: MAYBELLINE FIT ME! LOOSE FINISHING POWDER IN LIGHT MEDIUM | $7.99

To set my foundation and concealer, I use a damp blending sponge to press the powder into areas of my face where I'm most likely to get oily. 

5. BLUSH: NYX BAKED BLUSH IN IGNITE | $6.99

This blush has a subtle gold shimmer, so I like to sweep this over my cheeks and towards my temples. The nice thing about this blush is that even though it has shimmer, it's so understated that you can also use a highlighter with it.

6. HIGHLIGHTER: BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR POURED IN PROSECCO POP | $38.00

I use this on high points of the face: my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and sometimes my cupid's bow. It also works well as a brow highlight. 

7. EYESHADOW: NYX NUDE MATTE EYESHADOW SINGLE IN BLAME IT ON MIDNIGHT | $4.99

This eyeshadow single from NYX is one that I love using in my crease to give my eyes some depth. You can use it as a way to contour yours eyes, which is what I do every day. Sometimes I'll highlight my brow bone with a matte eyeshadow in a vanilla type shade. 

8. EYEBROWS: ESSENCE LASH & BROW GEL MASCARA & ELF EYEBROW KIT IN DARK | $2.99, $3.00

I comb the Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara through my eyebrows to hold them in place before defining them a little more with my Elf Eyebrow Kit. I already have dark eyebrows which don't need a ton of filling in, so I don't go to town with this stuff. It's just nice to have a little more definition in my eyebrows because they frame my face better that way. 

9. LASHES: ESSENCE GET BIG LASHES! VOLUME CURL MASCARA | $3.99

I use two coats of this on my upper lashes and then a gentle coat on my lower lashes. For an everyday look, I don't do any dramatic eye looks, so I love my lashes to be full and curled. 

10. LIPS: NYX SUEDE MATTE LIP LINER  IN LEON & NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM IN LEON | $3.99, $6.49

I'm a huge fan of NYX's soft matte lip creams paired with their lip liners! I use either this combination or their SMLC in Rome with their lip pencil in Mahogany. The SMLCs aren't long lasting, but they're so comfortable to wear and they smell like cupcakes. :) 

The finished look! Using many products does not equate to an "overdone" face.

REVIEW | Becca First Light Priming Filter

  

I've been warming up to more hydrating products in the past couple months. As I mentioned in my highlighter collection post, my skin is oily/combination – but it still needs moisture!

I recently bought the Becca First Light Priming Filter during Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty sale. I wanted to try this product for a while, and it was only $19 on the day the price was marked down. Regularly, it retails for $38, which is way more than I can afford on a normal day. This primer was released last year, and I know it's been a popular product among people who love makeup.

I have many more high-end brands to experiment with, but Becca is quickly becoming one of my favourites. 

PACKAGING: The First Light Priming Filter packaging is classy and elegant, but also has a modern air to it. It's a medium frosted glass bottle, which comes with a glossy cap and a pump to dispense the product with. The top of the cap is metal, and has the Becca logo on it. I love how solid the bottle feels. As with all Becca products I own, there is nothing flimsy or cheap about the packaging (which I would expect from a luxury brand). 

FORMULA: The primer itself is lilac and has a delicate pearlescent sheen to it (I wish I could find a nail polish in this shade, haha). This colour sounds odd to put on your face, but once the product it blended out, it becomes transparent. There is a light citrus scent that lingers until you start applying makeup over it. I would say the consistency is like a thinned out moisturizer. It feels lightweight on the skin, but it's thick enough that it doesn't run everywhere once dispensed. I like that it feels slightly tacky as it is being blended out, because that means it'll hold foundation in place. 

APPLICATION + FINISH: After moisturizing my skin (and waiting at least 5 minutes), I apply one pump all over my face, blending it in with my fingers. It takes a couple minutes to soak in. Although it blends and dries transparent, there is an obvious difference in the appearance of my skin after application. It delivers a fresh and hydrated radiance to the skin. I know that some people like to wear this on its own for that reason; this would work really well for those who have naturally great skin. I personally prefer to wear this with foundation because I have dark circles and acne scarring. In my experience, this primer doesn't help areas of discoloration, acne scarring, etc. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: I like this product. It's a pretty decent primer; it preps my skin well for makeup application, and holds onto my foundation for most of the day with minimal separation, even in my problem areas. It smells lovely and is light, but nourishing. I feel like I'm doing something good for my skin when I use this. I do find myself having to blot a little more than with a mattifying primer, but that's to be expected using a hydrating product with a luminous finish. I think dry skin types, and combination skin types would enjoy using this product. 

My Highlighter Collection (Drugstore + One High-End)

Two years ago, I purchased my first highlighter. My skin is pretty oily, so I initially wasn't keen on adding anything "glowy" to my face. I'm so glad I did, though. If you're anything like me and prefer foundation with a matte finish, you'll know that it can easily appear to be too "makeup-y" and two-dimensional. I love highlighter because it has the ability to add dimension to your face, and make your skin look fresh and naturally radiant. 

While I don't care too much for the blinding highlight that's popular with a ton of beauty bloggers, highlighters have snuck their way into my everyday makeup routine – even the makeup bag I have in my purse. 

The picture above is of my entire highlighter collection. It isn't much, but they are all different brands and different textures. I'll discuss them, clockwise:

MAYBELLINE FACESTUDIO MASTER CHROME METALLIC HIGHLIGHER IN MOLTEN GOLD | $9.99

This is a gorgeous, highly pigmented peachy gold powder highlighter; definitely a well-loved product in my small collection. I have reached for this many-a-day in my makeup routine. I find the feel and texture to be comparable to high-end brands because it's super smooth and buttery to the touch. I like to apply it with either a brush or my fingers onto my cheekbones and on the bridge of my nose. 


BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR POURED IN PROSECCO POP | $38 

My first high-end highlighter! I purchased this off of a sale on HauteLook about a month ago, and I've been using it pretty much every day since it came in the mail. The poured version of Prosecco Pop is a rich champagne shade. This has the most natural looking finish of all the highlighters I own because it has no glitter in it. This highlighter works really well for a subtle lit-from-within glow. I use my fingers to apply this to my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and my brow bone. 


NYX AWAY WE GLOW LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER IN DAYTIME HALO | $6.99

Also a subtle highlighter, Daytime Halo by NYX is a pale gold shade that I bought at Ulta a couple months ago. While it's called a liquid highlighter, the formula kind of reminds me of a lip gloss in the way that it's a tad bit goopy (also could be the packaging and doe foot applicator). The finish is a pretty glimmer on the skin, and is best applied using fingers. 

*MAKEUP REVOLUTION LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER IN LUMINOUS GOLD | $9.00

Makeup Revolution's liquid highlighter in Luminous Gold is more of a rose gold shade. This can be applied on top of foundation, but I find it to perform at its best when I mix it with either my primer or foundation. This is great for when it's the dead of winter and your skin needs some life in it. Even if worn under medium to full coverage foundation, the effects of this highlighter are still visible. My only gripe with this product is that it has an oily feel to it, and there are sparkles in it. 

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*The packaging of the Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter looks different in the picture above because I accidentally ripped the plastic wrapping off of it. :(