Review- The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit

Hey Lovelies!!!

(I'm thinking of changing my intro of my blog posts just because "hey lovelies" doesn't sound natural to me... Let me know what you think!)

I'm here today with a review!! I haven't done one of these in a while. That just shows how little spending I've done. But for getting through another semester at college, I figured I'd treat myself to something I've had my eyes on but was more money that I wanted to pay for it. And I'm talking about The Body Shop's Pink Grapefruit Medium Gift Set.

Now this set is usually $45 but was 30% off so it came to about $32. Although that might seem like a lot of money, it comes with the full-size of all the products so it's definitely worth buying as a set and saving quite a bit of money.

If you're unfamiliar with The Body Shop, it's a really nice shop that sells tons of different products to use on your body (hence the name). They have so many different scents too! And they all smell amazing so it's really difficult for me to choose just one. Since I'm relatively new to The Body Shop, I've only tried the Moringa and Pink Grapefruit scents, and I intend to try a different scent after I run out of this set (probably Satsuma since everyone seems to love it). Anyways, if you haven't already, go check out their store or website and try something out!! They have travel-sized products too which are perfect to start out with.

I'm really liking the box that this set came in. It's the perfect size for small storage. It would be perfect for storing extra makeup, nail polishes, or any other small things.

One thing that the set comes with is a bar of soap. I haven't tried this one yet, but I've heard good things about The Body Shop's soaps so I hope it's a good as it seems. And the soaps are only $4 when you buy them separately which I think is an amazing price.

Next product is the shower gel. This is $8 when you buy it separately. I love these shower gels! They have a pretty good lather and smell amazing! I use the shower gels with the shower pouf that this set comes with. And the shower pouf is really nice, not too abrasive but still gets a deeper clean. And it lasts quite a while too!

This is the body scrub-gelee. If you buy this separately, it will cost $20. This has got to be my favorite product in the entire set. I adore this stuff and it works better than anything I've tried! I like to use this before I shave. It really helps you get a closer shave and will leave your skin smoother than it's ever felt, I promise! I use this once or twice a week.

And finally, the body butter. Another holy grail Body Shop product. This also goes for $20 when sold separately. This body butter is unlike any others on the market. It's so moisturizing and leaves your skin soft for what feels like forever! And the scent of this lingers, so you will smell like Pink Grapefruit after using this, but what's wrong with that...?! A little goes a long way with this and because of that, it lasts quite a while.

And to finish up this blog post, I ended up getting the rewards card for The Body Shop. I totally love this store, and I can't wait to see my points increase! Starting the card does cost money ($10) but after a while, it will pay for itself in rewards. If you want to learn more about the "Love Your Body" rewards card, click here to go to the info page.

If any of you love The Body Shop as much as I do, let me know your favorite products so I can try them out next time! I'm already such a huge fan of the store and the employees there are always so friendly and helpful! And the store is always so clean and neat which is a major bonus in my opinion. Anyways, I'm going to go now, but I'll see you again in a week! Yay!! And until then, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Target Beauty Box

Hey Lovelies!!!

I'm back with a review for this week. I feel like it's been ages since I've posted a review... And, as you can tell from the title, I'm going to be reviewing the Target Beauty Box, so there will be a few different items that I'll be talking about. Yay!! And for those of you outside of the U.S. or who don't know what the Target Beauty Box, it's basically a box that comes with a few products that are "trending" at the moment. And at the price of $5.00 to get 5 products, either travel/trial size or full size, plus discounts on future purchases, you cannot possibly pass it up! Unfortunately, you can't order it any more, but keep your eyes out here in case they make a new one because it's totally worth it!

Here's what's inside:

A list of all the products and a short description as well as a coupon for $3 off a $15 beauty purchase at Target (which I'll definitely taking advantage of)

Promotion card for 20% off at Target's partner stores: DermStore (skincare), blush (makeup), and HairEnvy (hair).

Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $4.99 (on sale for $4.74 right now!!!)

I've recently become a huge fan of dry shampoos so I was really excited to see this one in the Beauty Box, since I've never tried it before. And I'm very happy with the results! I've been using the Dove Dry Shampoo and I like both the Dove and Herbal Essences for different reasons. I think the Dove Dry Shampoo absorbs the oil in your hair, but doesn't give too much volume. The Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo smells amazing first of all. It gives a lot more volume to your hair and is also transparent, so it won't make your hair look white. It also has no parabens which is a major plus, in my opinion.

Jergens BB Body Cream Light:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $11.99

I'm going to be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of BB Creams, but I gave this a try anyways. I've never even seen or tried a BB Body Cream, so I was interested in what it would do. Unfortunately, I don't think it really does anything... I've used it in the morning every day for at least a week and haven't noticed any change in my skin. It is a nice lotion though; it is a really nice consistency and has a light, pleasant smell. 

TONI&GUY Sea Salt Texturising Spray:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $4.99 (2.5 oz), $14.99 (6.8 oz)

I am a huge fan of the look that Sea Salt Spray typically gives to your hair. It's just such a nice, relaxed look. Unfortunately, sea salt sprays don't really do anything for my hair :( My hair is really smooth and straight so it doesn't easily hold shape, whether it's waves or curls. But I was able to get enough of a result to form my opinion.  I had high hopes for this product and, unfortunately, I was disappointed. This sea salt spray made my look really greasy/oily throughout even though it was freshly cleaned. It didn't give my hair the beachy look that you would expect from a sea salt spray. Overall, I would choose my Not Your Mother's Sea Salt Spray over this one.

Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Sizzle Gloss in Blind Date:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $6.49

I really don't like this product just for the amount of glitter in it. I enjoy the smell and it's a very smooth lip gloss even though it has glitter in it (let's be honest, nobody like a sticky lip gloss). The color of this is also really pretty. So I'm really disappointed because of the glitter. Other than the glitter, I know, for sure, that I would really love this lip gloss.

L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Butterfly Mascara in Black:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price: $6.89

I'm still not completely certain how I feel about this mascara. I'm not a huge fan of the formulation because it tends to clump, A LOT. But other than that, I really love this brush. It gives my lashes the exact look that I want: thicker on the outside and thinner on the inside. I just really wish that the formulation was different because that would make it so much better. But for now, I'm going to stick with my The Falsies Big Eyes and Clump Crusher.

I hope you liked this review. Even though I didn't like all the products, I don't regret getting the Target Beauty Box. And seeing the real prices of all the products compared to the $5 I paid to get the box, is crazy. How could anyone pass it up?! And I was able to test out some products that I wouldn't have otherwise. So, now I know, whenever there is a Target Beauty Box available, I will definitely be purchasing it!!

Oh, and tomorrow is the last day of March (crazy, right?!), so you know what that means!!! Monthly Favorites post!!!! So keep an eye out for that!! Until then, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Maybelline Baby Skin

Hey Lovelies!!!

I'm back one this wonderful Sunday with another review. And this is something I've seen many reviews on but I felt that I needed to get my opinion out there too! After weeks of searching for this product at Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, I finally got my hands on the very last one at my local Target. I was so excited to finally try this out. Although I heard very mixed reviews about it, I figured I'd still give it a try.

I posted this lovely picture on my Instagram (@megsmaquillage) as soon as I arrived home with it!

First thing... packaging: I adore this packaging. Mainly because it consists only of my two favorite colors: pink and Tiffany-ish blue. It sticks to the traditional writing that Maybelline features on Baby Lips, Dream Fresh BB Cream, and Dream Bouncy Blush. This actual display in stores, however, isn't anything special.

Next thing... first impression: like most pore erasers or primers, it feels very silicone-y. However, I do feel that Baby Skin is slightly more oily/greasy than most other similar products. On top of that, I didn't feel as if it truly erased my pores... maybe made them appear slightly smaller, but definitely not erased. I was impressed with how nicely my makeup, especially my foundation, went on after applying this. It was so smooth and looked flawless and even. However, after applying my foundation and concealer, it was clear that my pores were still visible from up close. After applying all of my other makeup, I left for classes and lunch.

Here's a picture of what Baby Skin looks like straight out of the tube. Notice that it's clear, unlike some other pore erasers, like Porefessional, that are a nude-ish color.

It doesn't look like much, but this is what it looks like after being blended in. Sorry about the hand as an example, my skin isn't in it's prime at the moment. :(

First impression continued: After wearing Baby Skin under my makeup for about 5 hours, I came back to my room to examine how it appeared to look and wear. Unfortunately, there was no real significant difference between what my makeup looked like with and without Baby Skin underneath. And, because I have oily skin, I have to reapply a mattifying powder half-way through the day. On this particular day, my skin was looking extra oily, especially in the areas that I applied the pore eraser. And even though this isn't a primer, and isn't meant to allow my makeup to wear longer, it seems as if it makes it wear for a shorter amount of time.

Final impression: I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this, even after trying it out for a week straight. It makes my skin look more oily but, at the same time, makes my makeup go on and look flawless. In my opinion, I think that Baby Skin is not made for people with oily skin (but maybe dry skin, possibly...?). Although it is considered to be a pore eraser, I don't think it did that at all (maybe the slightest bit). Now, compared to Benefit's The Porefessional, the price is much better, but that isn't saying much.

Overall, I don't think that I'll be repurchasing this after I run out. I'll continue to use it until I can completely determine how I feel about it. I think that after I'm done with Baby Skin, I'll try out some other pore erasers (hopefully drugstore ones... I just can't spend all that money on one product until I get a proper job). If any of you have tried this, please let me know your opinion. Maybe it worked for some of you... I just don't know. I was expecting much better considering it was so difficult to get my hands on.

This is my first proper negative review... :( As much as I hate saying bad things about products or companies, I felt my readers should know my honest opinion, in case they were thinking of buying this. However, some reviews have said very positive things about this, so maybe it's just me and my annoying oily skin... Anyways, I hope you liked this post. And I'll be back again next Sunday for my weekly post. As always, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Maybelline Color Elixirs

Hey Lovelies!!!

My WiFi has been down for the afternoon so I'm posting on my phone so the set up may be slightly different until I can get on my computer to fix it. I'm going to try my best until then!

So, recently, I've came across one of my new favorite lip products!!! The title of the post probably gave it away, but they are the new Color Elixirs from Maybelline. They are stunning and I think they have great formulation.

("Mandarin Rapture", "Fuschia Flourish", "Petal Plush", "Celestial Coral")

I'm going to start by reviewing the presentation and packaging. To start, they are small square tubes that appear to be lipstick.

It's not until you twist the top to realize they are actually a lip gloss. The actual applicator is really nicely shaped and angled so it's very easy to get an accurate application all over the lips.

In addition to individual presentation and packaging, there are many colors to choose from (I believe time around 20) with colors ranging from red, pink, nude, orange, and purples in light, bright, and dark shades.

The product itself is quite fragrant and pigmented. I think the smell is nice but if you're sensitive to strong smells, this might not be the best product for you... As soon as you apply the product, you can see color immediately. It feels thicker than a lot of other lip glosses but it's not sticky at all! These are also pretty moisturizing. The color only last for a couple hours but leave your lips feeling soft and hydrated - a major plus even if it means reapplying. These aren't meant to be a stain, so it's not expected that these will last all day long.

I have gotten 4 colors in the last 2-3 weeks (no judging!) and I like all of them!

(I posted the same picture without flash above but I really feel like this picture captured the true color of the tubes)

And here are the swatches ("Mandarin Rapture", "Fuschia Flourish", "Petal Plush", "Celestial Coral")

As I've said, I love these so much and I don't have much to complain about for them. It would be nice if the color lasted a little longer, but I'm very satisfied with how they are now. And I would recommend them to anyone! (That means you!! ;)) Out of the colors that I have, my favorite is hands down Fuschia Flourish, which was the very first one I got!! It's a very pretty hot pink that looks very flattering and can be worn casually or formally as well.

If you try this product, let me know what you think of it! Also, if you liked this review please let me know so I can make more like this!! Until next time!! And, as always, stay beautiful!!!

❤❤❤

Review- Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polish

Hey Lovelies!!!

I'm sure most of you are aware of the tons of new products in the cosmetics section of the drugstore. I've recently picked up a few of them and still looking for a few that have been sold out. And I've set up an Instagram recently (@megsmaquillage) where I upload instahauls, outfit of the days, and a few miscellaneous photos, so be sure to follow me there!! I post there very regularly!!! But anyways, I hope to post a few reviews of the new products I've been trying out recently. Here's the first one for Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polishes.

Basically, these are scented nail polishes, hence the name, which make them so unique compared to other nail polishes on the market. And according to their website's product description, each color has a separate scent. The color/scent that I got is called "Bordeaux". It's a very beautiful deep red color and (I'm terrible at describing scents, but I'm going to give it a shot) fruity scent. The scent, however, doesn't show up until the polish starts to dry, so don't smell the polish in the bottle! I applied a base coat, 2 coats of Bordeaux, and even after applying a top coat, I could still smell the scent; a major bonus!! And even after washing my hands multiple times and showering, I could still smell the scent the following day! I should also mention how nice of a consistency and pigmentation/opaqueness this nail polish has... I probably could have gotten away with just one coat of the nail polish because it was so nice! The one thing I really don't like is the applicator handle. It's a little sphere in order to add to the presentation of the product to represent a perfume bottle. It's rather small and not the easiest to use.

I do want to say that I found it crucial to use a top coat! Not because the color polish isn't good quality or not shiny enough, but because the nail polish chipped only in the one spot that I missed with top coat. The top coat (Revlon Colorstay) really held the nail polish in place and strengthened it. And, like I said before, don't think that the top coat will take away the scent of the nail polish. And if it weakens the scent, it's very slightly.

Overall, I am very pleased with the product and will definitely be purchasing more in the future. The price, at $4.99 at Target, is very affordable, especially for the quality and uniqueness of the product. I'm very interested in seeing if the other colors in this line are just as high-quality as Bordeaux. I'm also interested to seeing the different scents of each of them. I'm anticipating other companies to start making scented nail polishes to compete with this line and it will be interesting to see how they compare.

I hope this review helped you out as it is my own complete and honest opinion. I'll talk to you all soon! Stay beautiful!!

♥♥♥