Product Review: Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water

Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water 5 oz. - $12

I recently purchased my first Sephora brand skin care product, after I ran out of my Clinique toner. I was perusing Sephora looking for the OCC lip tars, when I stumbled upon the triple action cleansing water. I was intrigued. I wasn't sure what it was. Was it a makeup remover? Was it toner? What were it's triple powers? 

I asked one of the employees, and she basically said you could use it as a toner and a makeup remover. Needing a new toner, I picked it up. Then I went home and read about it. Here's what Sephora has to say about this product:

What it is:A no-rinse cleanser with a texture ideal for delicate skin.
What it is formulated to do:This product cleanses the face and eyes effectively in one simple step. Dispensed from a bottle with a clever pump design, its soap-free formula features cleansing spheres that effectively capture and eliminate impurities and makeup. It also includes HydroSenn+, a natural ingredient proven to deliver immediate and long-lasting hydration more effectively than hyaluronic acid.
What it is formulated WITHOUT:- Parabens- Sulfates - Synthetic Dyes - Phthalates- GMOs- Triclosan
What else you need to know:HydroSenn+ is a plant-derived ingredient that leaves skin feeling soft and luxuriously comfortable. This product is dermatologically- and ophthalmologically-tested. Suitable for sensitive skin, sensitive eyes, and contact lens wearers.

Alright, now that we know the claims. Let me tell you my experience. First things first, I love using this as a toner after I wash my face. It's definitely gentle and non-drying. And it smells fresh and clean. But don't worry, it's not at all overpowering or perfume like. The cleansing water does, in fact, feel gentle and refreshing on my skin without sucking out moisture after I wash my face.

I also love that you can use it even on your eyes. It's a great double duty product. I like using it to remove eye makeup. I typically use it after I wash my face to remove any left over mascara. I think that's a true testament to how gentle this is. I've had not problems swiping a dampened cotton round across my lids. No stinging. No tingling. Nothing. I have also used the exfoliating side of my cotton round dampened with the cleansing water to remove lip products that stain my lips and swiped it off without a problem.

As for using it as a makeup remover all on its own, it's a bit of a double edged sword. Yes, it works. It removes your makeup. But it seems to me that you're better off just using a makeup wipe. You'll use up a lot of product to try to remove all your makeup this way and a lot of cotton swabs (unless you buy the large cotton swabs - then you'll just use a lot of product dampening it enough to get your whole face). I went through six regular-sized flat cotton pads to get my makeup off. It does get your makeup off. If you're feeling lazy, it's much better than skipping your makeup removal.  But, I felt it was much more efficient and just as effective to use one makeup remover wipe, which has more surface area to get all my face anyway. Heck, if I'm feeling that lazy, the makeup wipe is already pre-moistened for me.

But here's the deal. While I got my makeup off, my face still felt sticky or filmy. There's just nothing quite like washing your makeup off (at I haven't found it). I still prefer my cleaning oil as my makeup removing method. A few minutes after I used the cleansing water as my makeup remover, I caved, and washed my face (using my regular cleanser). I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of my makeup had come off. Only the tiniest bit was left for my cleanser to tackle, similarly to when I use a remover wipe.

All in all, I'd definitely keep using this product as a toner and to remove eye makeup before or after thorough cleansing. It's gentle and hydrating, the price is fair, and I like the scent. I'm content and satisfied with my first Sephora skin care product.

Have you tried anything else from Sephora's skin care line? Do you have any recommendations? Will you be trying the cleansing water?

Tutorial: Voluminous Top Bun

Product Review: OCC Lip Tars

OCC lip tars have been all the rage on YouTube and across blogs for a few years now. And for those of you like me, who hadn't tried them out yet because you didn't want to order them online without being able to see the colors in person, you are in luck. Sephora is now carrying three popular colors in stores: Anime (neon fuchsia), Gradma (classic coral), and NSFW (true red). As soon as I found this out, I made a trip to my Sephora to pick them up. They retail for $16 each for 0.33 oz. of what I can best describe as liquid lipstick. While that may not seem like a lot of product, trust me, it will take a while to make a dent in these.

Seriously pigmented and quickly spreadable -- all you need are a couple of drops (I mean it, do not go all squeeze crazy on these little tubes or you'll regret it) to cover your pout. No joke, I add it to my lips one drop at a time, and apply more as needed. Otherwise, I make a hot mess. These are pretty great. I can see why so many people raved about them.

They are moisturizing (with hemp oil and vitamin E) and long lasting, which is great because so many long lasting lip products can be so drying. However, you do want to make sure that you moisturize and exfoliate your lips before you apply. They're not lip balm, and will not remedy an already dry and flaky pucker. Put lots of pigment on that, and yuck! You may as well just draw an arrow and put up a sign that says, "Look at my flakes." Not cute.

Here's what I do:

• Apply lip balm, then do my makeup. 
• Wipe lip balm off, then apply lip tar. 

This gives the lip balm time to moisturize my lips. When I wipe it off, I use an exfoliating cotton round (like these), to get rid of any dry flakes, and remove the balm barrier so the lip tar adheres to my lips. Then, with a lip brush (the lip tars each come with a little mini lip brush so you don't have to go out and buy one if you don't have one already), I apply the lip tar one drop at a time.

The lip tars are quite liquid-like -- not as runny as water, but not quite as solid as a gel -- so they will spread easily on your lips. I find that even using my one-drop method, I still need to apply with surgical precision, especially with NSFW. I don't know why, but I can make a real mess with red. Perhaps because it stains so easily when you get it on your skin. So, a word to the wise, these are not for a rushed application. Make sure you have time to apply carefully and have cotton swabs or tissue at the ready to clean up (and concealer if necessary).

The good news is that once you have it on you won't have to reapply for a while, making them well worth the application effort. Upon first application the color will be pigmented like a lipstick and shiny like a gloss. That glossiness eventually fades and dries down (as you sip your drinks and gab away the day) to look like a matte lipstick. Eventually it will fade to a stain, if you don't eat before then. It does not survive these eating test (at least it didn't for me). So, once you finally eat, you'll need to reapply. Unless you eat right after you apply, you can easily get a few hours of wear from your first application. Let's say you apply after breakfast and before work, you likely won't have to reapply until after lunch. Not bad.

Another pro: they contain peppermint oil, which is antibacterial and antimicrobial and gives them just a hint of a minty scent. I have nothing against minty freshness on my lips.

Check out my swatches below.

According to Temptalia.com Anime and NSFW should be available in Sephora stores nationwide through November 3, at which point select stores will be making more colors available. Check out here post here for more information.  For now, you can get additional colors on Sephora's website or directly from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics.

Have you been curious about OCC lip tars? Will you be trying any of these colors out for yourselves?

Lip Balm Obsession: eos Smooth Spheres & new flavor

Top photo from left to right: Melon, Lemon Drop, Sweet Mint, Medicated Tangerine, Strawberry Sorbet, Summer Fruit
Bottom photo: Medicated Tangerine

I have a confession to make. You might not know this, but I'm totally obsessed with lip balm. For all the makeup I buy, I have been a lip balm gal for a long time. After all, you need smooth, soft lips before you can adorn your kisser with color. I've got a barrage of lip balm, thanks to my husband who gladly feeds my compulsion. He often comes home baring new lip balms he thinks I might like. He's a lip balm guy himself, always keeping some form of Chapstick handy.  He keeps me fully stocked as well. 

Recently, he caught on to my love for the eos smooth spheres. You've seen them, they look like a rounder version of an Easter egg. I love them because they glide on smoothly, the shea butter is moisturizing, and their quizzical shape is easy to find in my bottomless purse. You know you've been there too, frantically searching for your tube of lip balm that has magically lodged itself in the most difficult corner to reach in your bag. 

These spheres have been popular for a while now, I've been smoothing them on my lips for a few years. But eos likes to put out new flavors every so often. When they first became popular, I was a huge fan of the Summer Fruit flavor (I went through two and these things last forever), then they released Lemon Drop and I was hooked (especially because it's the only one that has SPF). 

My husband noticed these curious little lip balms when he forgot his trusty Blistex at home and I happily handed him my little round gem. He gave it a curious look,  used it, and gave it a nod of approval. After that, he started gifting me with a new flavor whenever he went to the drugstore. How sweet of him, no? I may need to do a few blog posts dedicated to the lip balms he's gotten me. Why not? It's not always about lipstick and lip gloss, right? 

For a while, sweet mint had knocked lemon drop out of the limelight for me. I love the crispness of a minty lip product. Plus, it's always good to have something minty near your mouth (at least that's my opinion). The mint wasn't overwhelming and it was indeed sweet. I only wished it had SPF. I only wished all eos balms did, really. 

Melon felt a little lackluster to me, scent wise I just wasn't sold, but it moisturizes well, like all the rest of the spheres so I keep it around, although I don't reach for it as often. But, if you're not partial to strong fruit smells in your lip balm, then melon is a good choice (if you can't find mint), since it's scent is very faint.  Strawberry sorbet is sweet and light, a good contender if you're a fan of summer fruit. But then came medicated tangerine. I. Am. Hooked.

I must put this out there, in case you've never seen my Body Shop hauls. I'm a complete fool for the fresh and sweet scent of oranges. I die for Satsuma (yes, I know, technically it's Mandarin, but in the orange family nonetheless). I just love it's crisp and sweet scent. So, I was thrilled to see an orange-flavored sphere. I'm pretty sure I squealed with delight. 

Now, I must confess, while the tangerine scent is nice, it doesn't totally mask the medicated scent. But, I don't care. It basically smells like a mix between medicated Blistex and oranges. The medicated scent isn't the best, but I like the benefits it boasts:

• It's antibacterial
• It has Vitamins C&E, antioxidants, zinc oxide, shea butter, and jojoba oil

I can see the benefits of antibacterial properties. I'm happy to keep bacteria off my lips. Vitamin C is great for exfoliating and brightening, while Vitamin E helps with skin healing. Shea butter and jojoba oils are great moisturizers. Zinc oxide is used as an SPF.

Yay! Another eos sphere that protects your lips against the sun! It was about time! 

I saw online that eos has regular lip balm sticks. I may need to mention that to the Mr. see if he surprises me by finding them and bringing one home. I need something more portable I can fit in the pocket of my skinny jeans for days I'm not carrying my big purse. 

Have any of you tried the tangerine lip balm? Do you like it?  What's your favorite eos smooth sphere flavor? What about their other products? Are you a fan?

Manicure Monday: Cynthia

It's a moody Monday and today's manicure helps vamp it all up. Zoya Cynthia is a gorgeous shade of nearly-black teal that's perfect for fall and winter's dark nail hues. If you love black polish as much as I do, but want to be able to change it up from time to time without giving up the chicness of an über dark shiny polish, then Cynthia delivers.

It's such a dark teal you can scarcely tell the difference from far away. My husband certainly thought I was wearing black polish. But upon closer inspection, you can see the hints of blue and green. It's the nail equivalent to blue-black hair. You get it under the right light and the colors shine through to give you a pleasant surprise.

If you apply one thin coat, the teal is easier to spot, but then the polish is nearly see through and a bit streaky. Cynthia is meant to be a mysterious teal. She wants to surprise her admirers, so don't be stingy. Apply two coats for a shiny, smooth, opaque, patent-leather-like finish.

I'm happy to have Cynthia in my arsenal. Planning to keep this polish on a steady rotation. What do you think of this sultry teal? Do you like black polish? If so, will you consider nearly-black shades of polish as an alternative?

Manicure Monday: XOX Betsey

 

This week's manicure brings you another nude polish. I found this lacquer (XOX Betsey)  in the sale bin at Sephora for $5. Not too bad. I picked it up thinking it was a bit of a nod to Mod About You by OPI, just a dustier version of it. To my surprise, it was much more of a nude. Not quite creamy or beige toned as Essie's Sand Tropez. XOX Betsey is more of a pink-based nude.

This color is opaque and applies easily. I didn't experience any streaking, as can sometimes happen with milky opaque colors. 

What do you think? Do you like nudes for fall? I think it looks pretty on hands, but I definitely couldn't do it on my toes. I feel like it makes my toes look too long, like I could peel bananas with them. 

Give Yourself a Great Manicure

Earn Double Rewards at CVS

For any of you out there who love earning your CVS extra bucks, here's a little something you might want to take part in. You can earn double points on your purchases from 9/16-12/15, and all you have to do is sign up. For those of you who aren't using your ExtraCare card, what are you waiting for? They have all sorts of great offers on beauty products every week where you earn extra bucks immediately on your purchases. You can take advantage of sale prices when you show your card. And you earn extra bucks at the end of each quarter on all your purchases. You can scan your card each time you enter the store at the ExtraCare scan machine, and it will print up coupons for you. I've taken home items nearly for free by using my extra bucks. It's kind of a fun little thrill.

While your signing up, don't forget to become a member of the Beauty Club so you can earn additional extra bucks and coupons that are beauty specific. 

You can sign up for an ExtraCare card in stores or here.
Sign up to earn double rewards here.

Manicure Monday: Rain Storm

 

I'm on a bit of a blue polish kick. Last week it was Ocean Side, a pretty bright fall blue with a hint of dustiness to it that made it a great transition polish to come into fall. This week, as promised, I have a much darker and more fall-like color. Dare I say, I think it's dark enough that it could also work well in the winter, whenever you want to veer away from the black and greys an add a little color to your life. Rain Storm fits the bill and I just absolutely love this color. It's a beautiful steel blue. It has just enough of a grey tone that it lets the navy blue show through so it isn't confused with black. But it's still dark, so it's not screaming, "Look at me!" 

This polish is a grown up blue that can pull off a double-duty personality. It  would fit in nicely in a conservative office - giving you a little edge that still blends in well with you business attire. And it would look great on the weekend. No need to make a choice between an office mani and a weekend mani with this one. Rain Storm will take you from a Saturday night out with friends to Monday morning at the office without raising any eyebrows. 

It's funny, I just love my bright polishes when spring and summer roll around and have a momentary pang of sadness when I start to phase them out for fall and winter's darker hues. And then I realize that I'd just forgotten how much I love a sultry, edgy nail after so much fun gallivanting with the brights. But it's true. I love the mystery and edginess that a dark polish brings to any look. And since its fall, you know what that means for my polish... that's right, Zoya Kelly is coming back out to play.

And since I'm feeling a bit daring with my office-friendly rock n' roll blue polish, I'm going to go ahead and put this out there: I think Sinful Colors Rain Storm is the blue-based sister to Zoya Kelly. If you're a fan of Kelly's dusty grey purple, then you'll probably love Rain Storm as well. I have a feeling these two polishes will be competing for my attention. 

Incidentally, what is it with me and choosing to wear nail polish colors whose names so appropriately seem to go with things happening in life? I did my nails on Sunday, which started off and ended with some pretty fierce storms here in the bay area. Just a little something I've noticed.

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow

I am a huge fan of cream eyeshadows. I just love how you can build them up or use them as a wash, and that most of the ones I've been partial to are long wearing. They are great when you are in a rush, delivering fantastic pigmentation, gliding on smoothly, and staying in place all day. At least, the high-end brands I've tried (Bobbi Brown, Make Up For Ever, Benefit) have yet to disappoint. I also like that you can use them as a long wear eyeliner.

Naturally, when I stumbled upon the Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow by Maybelline, I was excited at the prospect of a long-wearing, creamy eyeshadow, at a fraction of the price. I picked this up at CVS for $6.99 -- quite the bargain for someone who is used to paying upwards of $20 for a single shadow.  I chose the color Rich Mahogany. I love a good brown shadow, it's neutral, goes with everything, and makes my blue eyes stand out.

What's absolutely beautiful about this color is that is has a gorgeous pink iridescent sheen that isn't picking up on camera in my swatch (below), but you can see better in the photo of it on my eyes. I didn't notice the pink iridescence until I started wearing it. It's subtle, but it's there, and it looks really pretty. I like using a dusty pink as a blending crease color with this shadow - it works really well, especially with the pink undertone.  You may be able to see it if you squint at the picture below, but it's really quite subtle and doesn't compete with the brown at all.

Using my finger, this product swatched quite easily and that performance translated to the brush. I like to apply my cream shadows using a stiff blending brush. Some options include the MAC 217 and its dupes from Coastal Scents (read my reviews here and here) or the Sonia Kashuk crease brush. You can also apply it with a flat synthetic brush and then blend it out with a fluffy brush -- although I find that its quicker and easier to just go with a stiff blending brush because it can pack on color and blend simultaneously.  I did notice that my Sigma E25 was a bit too fluffy (more on this later). Or you can always use your fingers, it's just my preference to use a brush.

I've road tested the eyeshadow both on its own and with primer and I noticed some differences that you might want to know about:

• With and without primer, and applied with my E25, I got a light wash that eventually faded by the end of the day. I was nearly ready to give up on the shadow, but decided to give it another shot using a different application tool.
• Without primer and using stiffer blending brushes or my finger the shadow applied smoothly and I got a deeper color (obviously because I packed on more product). The shadow glided onto my lid, and blended well but felt like it moved around on my lid a little before it set. I had to keep building to get the depth I wanted. But nothing major that would detract me from using it. 
• With primer and using the same stiffer brushes or my finger, it still applied smoothly and blended well, however the product didn't move around as much so I felt like I had to dip into the jar less to get the same effect. In fact, I got a little more color pay off with the primer underneath. 

You can see the difference in the photo below, which also picks up the pink undertones of the shadow (I took the picture on the bottom right after application and the top photo about four hours later). 

Wearing the shadow yesterday (one side primed, one not) was my last ditch road test before I decided whether to give up on this shadow or not. I have to say, I'm happy to report this one is staying in my collection. I was hoping it would. Here's how each side performed after I wore the shadow for 11 hours  (mind you, the product claims 24 hour wear, but I'm not road testing it that long because I just don't ever wear my makeup for 24 hours so it's not realistic):

• No primer: I didn't experience any creasing and only had minimal fading, nothing to really complain about. 
• Primer: I also had no creasing, but didn't experience any fading. In both cases I think that packing on more product helped it last a lot longer than just applying a light wash of color. 

Overall, I think Maybelline did a great job with their Color Tattoo shadow, but I don't think it was meant to be subtle, since I got much better performance when I packed on more product. But that's fine with me, I'll accept it as a high-impact shadow.

What do you think of Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadows? Have you tried the brighter shades? Have you experienced similar performance? 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Left to right: Precious, Honey, Sweetheart

I am obsessed with these tinted lip balms from Revlon. I know I'm late to the party talking about these, but I am glad I finally jumped on the bandwagon. These are a great go-between if you shy away from lipstick in favor of lip balm, but really want something with more of a color pay off.  I bought Precious, Honey, and Sweetheart.

They resemble the chubby sticks by Clinique, although I've never used them, so I have no idea how they compare to each other. I see no reason to pay extra when I'm so happy with the Revlon ones. At least, I see no reason to do so, yet. I am a beauty junkie after all, so you never know, I could eventually give in. 

These give your lips a lovely color, while simultaneously providing moisture, staining your lips, and providing the slightest bit of sheen for a light gloss effect. Say goodbye to the days when you applied a stain, only to get a splotchy result because your lips weren't properly exfoliated. While you are at it keeps  waving goodbye to the times when you had to choose between lasting color and lip balm. At least, if you opt to use Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain sticks instead. They do all that and have a light minty taste, nothing overwhelming, but a nice touch. They really do stain your lips too. It's more noticeable to me when I wear Honey and Sweetheart than it is with Precious, but they definitely leave color behind after the balm has worn off your lips. 

• Precious is a lovely nude hue
• Honey is surprisingly a flesh-tone pink
• Sweetheart is a bright fuchsia pink

By the way, don't take a sharpener to these, they actually twist up -- just twist the bottom when you need more like you would a regular lip balm or lip stick.  

My collection of lip balms is starting to get a little jealous. If you keep up with me on Twitter you know my husband has been showering me with EOS and Burt's Bees  lip balms since he knows I love them so much (and added another one to the collection this weekend) - I've amassed a small collection. But, I keep reaching for these instead (as much as I adore all my lip balms). 

I'm happy with this purchase and I'm sure you will be too. Grab these when you see a good sale to sweeten the deal a little more. 

What do you think? Have you used Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains? Are you as obsessed with them as everyone else is? Are you curious about them? Do you have any colors you love or want to try? 

Manicure Monday: Ocean Side

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! Hoping everyone is enjoying a little time off and relaxing over the long weekend. Since this weekend usually marks the end of summer, I decided to sport a color that straddles the seasons. This pretty blue isn't as bright as it's spring and summer counterparts, it's got a tiny bit of a dusty quality (though not as dust-grey-blue as the color I have waiting in the wings for you next week). Plus, it's name, Ocean Side, is apropos for the weekend, seeing as that's where most people flock to down here in Florida for Labor Day weekend. I got quite a few compliments as I wore it this weekend too. This one's definitely a keeper. I'm pretty sure this one is also part of their permanent collection, so you won't have to worry about having a hard time finding it in stores.

As with most of my Sinful Colors polishes, this went on like a dream. It's opaque, pigmented, and doesn't streak. I'm wearing my typical two coats.

What do you think of this color? Is it dusty enough to still wear in the fall? It's a bit tricky to get into the fall spirit down here in the land of heat and humidity, since we really don't get much seasonal change. We tend to have to put a little twist into fall style to keep it bearable in 90 degree weather, which can make it a bit hard for me to let go of colorful polishes.