review

Rothy’s Sandals

Who loves Rothy’s?? I DO! I DO! I was introduced to this brand a couple of years ago and have been in love ever since. In case you don’t know about this amazing company, Rothy’s is a sustainable brand that creates the most amazing shoes and recently bags. I have a few of their shoes and I love them all. My favorites being The Loafer.

They recently came out with incredible sandals. I was so luckily gifted The Knot style in Candy Apple from a wonderful person in my life.

I had a really hard time deciding between these and The Triple Band. I was worried the knots wouldn’t fit as comfortable and slide out, but after walking around the house with them, I think they will be great! The straps hug my feet comfortably. They were a little snug but their material tends to stretch a bit and form your feet perfectly. I still have my eye on the Triple band tho!

Hot Pink Basket Stitch

The Triple Band

Why do I love Rothy’s?

Sustainability! Their signature thread is made from plastic water bottles, the outsoles are made from vegan leather and the footbeds are from plant-based materials.
Comfort. Every single pair I own is super comfortable and can be worn for hours. They are my favorite travel shoes!
Easy care! They are machine washable! Yeah, you heard that right. You can easily throw them in the washer and let them air dry. I’ve washed my loafers a few times and they look good as new every time.
Stylish! They have the most beautiful colors and patterns. Some of my favorites are olive and black camo.

The biggest con has to be the price. The sandals are $115 and the loafers being the most expensive at a whopping $165. I totally get why which is why I will continue to support this brand. I may or may not treat myself for my birthday in a couple of months! Maybe a handbag? AH! If only…

If you are a first time customer to Rothy’s and want $20 off your purchase, click this link here! Happy shopping!

XO, Diana

Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette by Mario- First Impression

Welcome back! The Master Palette by Mario just came out a few days ago and I was able to get it online at Anastasiabeverlyhills.com before it sold out. I wanted to do a post to tell you my thoughts and show you some swatches. It’s currently available online at Sephora, Macy’s, and Ulta. It should be sold in stores very soon. You can purchase it for $45.

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This is my very first Anastasia palette so I was very excited to try it. The packaging is very simple and practical, yet elegant. The eyeshadows are very creamy and buttery. There is only one shade that is not very pigmented and that is Hollywood. It is the very first swatch on the left and you can barely see it on my skin tone. I absolutely LOVE all of the matte shadows. The colors are just perfect. My favorites so far are Isabel, Violeta, Bronx, and NYC. The only bad thing I have to say about the formula is that it does have a lot of fall out. I noticed it especially when I used Bronx. I would just be careful when using. If you are using the darker colors, then I would do foundation and concealer last. The palette is also a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be.

with flash

I purchased this palette because I am a huge fan of Mario and I wanted to be a supporter. It’s a very beautiful palette. I would say it definitely reflects Mario and his style of work. Would I have purchased this if it weren’t a collaboration with Mario? Probably not to be honest. I think all of the neutral shades can be found in other palettes I have like the UD Naked. Claudia, Bronx, and Muse are probably the only shades I don’t have in my collection. If you love Mario and his work then I would definitely recommend purchasing. Especially if you do not have shades like the ones included. It’s a great all over neutral palette with the perfect shades to give you a pop of color.

I used Lula, Isabel, Violeta, Bronx, and 5th Ave.

Thanks for reading!

XO, Diana

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation Review

Welcome back, my loves! Today I will be reviewing the Make Up For Ever Ultra Hd Stick Foundation. I’m going to make this short and sweet because I LOVE this foundation. I received this product in my very first VoxBox from Influenster and I’m sooooooooooo glad I did! You can purchase this guy at Sephora for $43 and with 15 shades available, you are bound to find your shade.

Packaging:

The packaging is very simple. The lid snaps on and off easily and it has a little tab to keep the foundation fresh. All you have to do is twist up and apply! It’s great for traveling. You don’t have to worry about your foundation leaking.

Pros:

I have struggled to find the perfect full coverage foundation for a while. A lot of foundations claim to be full coverage but they’re not. This is not the case. This foundation can totally be built to FULL COVERAGE. Usually the more coverage foundations have the more matte or cakey they are. I love this because it leaves a very natural dewy flawless finish. It does not get cakey at all. My skin is extremely dry at the moment from the weather transitioning to Fall. This does not cling on to my dry patches as much as others do, so for me that sealed the deal. I’d say this is more of a winter foundation rather than a summer. It’s also great for any special occasion where photos will be taken.

Don’t be afraid of the full coverage. This can also be used as a light everyday foundation.

Cons:

I think the price of $43 is a little hefty, especially since you only get 0.44oz. The average size of a foundation is around 1oz. The biggest negative about this foundation is that it really sinks into your pores. Like bad…. And I don’t really even have big pores! To fix this problem I use a primer. The MUFE Smoothing Primer does the trick. I would not recommend this to very oily skin. You could probably get away with it if you have combo to oily, but you would definitely have to set it with powder.

How I apply:

For a lighter coverage, I apply a couple swipes on my cheeks, one on forehead and chin, and sometimes I’ll add a little bit more around my nose. Then, I’ll add a few sprays of Fix Plus to a buffing brush. The blending process is fairly easy after that. Setting powder isn’t necessary for me when I do this.

Lighter coverage

I like to use my beauty blender for a full coverage look. I prefer to apply the foundation in layers. Apply, blend, apply, blend, etc.. etc.. I lightly apply my Kat Von D loose setting powder (review here) all over my face after I set my concealer.

full coverage

There’s not much of a difference in both photos. That shows you just how good this foundation photographs!

A huge thank you to Make Up For Ever for allowing me to try this amazing product! I hope you enjoyed!

XO, Diana

Colourpop Love Bug, Lumiere 2, and Limbo Ultra Matte Lipsticks

Hello everyone! I made a purchase a few weeks ago during Colourpop’s Labor Day sale. I purchased three Ultra Matte Lips for under $12! For every $10 you spent you got a free lipstick. I already own a handful of these, but I wanted a couple more options for Fall. I purchased the shades Love Bug, Lumiere 2, and Limbo. Love Bug was the shade I got for free.

Love Bug

Love Bug is described as a Terracotta red. Call me crazy, but I don’t think I have anything like this. I love this color! This is definitely my favorite out of the 3 I purchased. It appears much darker on the lips once its dried. I wish it was more similar to the actual shade of the tube, but I still love it! The formula of this one is also very different. It’s thicker, easier to apply, and not watery like the others.

Lumiere 2

This shade is a dusty mauve. I don’t have the original Lumiere but I believe it’s lighter. The only color similar from my collection is Too Faced Queen B. Lumiere 2 is a bit darker. You can check out my review on Queen B here. Even though the formula to this one is watery, it’s not difficult to apply.

Limbo

Limbo is a deep chocolate brown. For the longest time I was not a fan of brown lipsticks. I finally decided to give one a try and before I spent over $20 on one, I decided to go with a more affordable one first. I actually disliked this one the most. It was SUPER watery and soooooo difficult to apply. It took me three tries to finally get it right. I liked how the color looked with my eyeshadow, but I don’t think I will ever use this one again. I have my eyes on Too Faced Naughty by Nature or Smashbox True Grit.

Overall, I would recommend Love Bug and Lumiere 2. Love Bug for sure! It’s a great shade for Fall. Colourpop is so affordable and they always have a $5 coupon that practically covers shipping.

Thanks for reading!

XO, Diana

Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder vs Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

I’m back with another review. Today I’m comparing the new Kat Von D Setting Powder to the super popular Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder. Both of these products are translucent once they are blended into the skin, so they are perfect for all skin shades.

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I’ve had the KVD powder for a little over month now. This powder is described as, “A weightless translucent loose powder, formulated with Micro-Blurring Technology™, to set and perfect for a flawless, locked-in finish.” The product is very much what the description says.

Price:

I purchased the Kat Von D powder at Sephora for $30. The LM powder is a little more expensive for $38. However, you do get a little more product in the LM, 1.0oz. The KVD contains 0.67oz.

Packaging:

Kat Von D’s packaging NEVER fails. She always has the coolest designs on her packaging. Overall the packaging is pretty similar. They both have a screw on lid. Sometimes the KVD lid can be a little tricky to screw on. I think it’s because the jar is made out of pretty durable acrylic. Both products are easy to spill on lid to dip your brush or sponge.

Texture:

Laura Mercier

Kat Von D

They are both pretty finely milled but I think the KVD may be even a little bit more finely milled. The LM looks like it’s a tad bit more yellow. If you look closely in the KVD you can see tiny shimmery particles. When swatched it looks like it has more of a silky finish. The LM looks a bit chalky when swatched and compared to the KVD.

Left LM, Right KVD

Application:

I usually only set my under eye area with powder. I prefer to use my beauty blender when doing so. If I apply on other areas of my face then I use a fluffy brush and gently dust on face. In the picture below, I am wearing KVD on the left and LM on the right. As you can see they have a very similar finish. They both also blend into the skin very well. I have not experienced a white cast in flash photography with either of these products. Also, neither one of these oxidize or alter the color of your foundation.

The biggest difference in these is that the LM clings on to dry areas. Since I have dry skin, I have definitely experienced this before. For that reason I cannot use the LM in the winter. KVD on the other hand doesn’t really do that. The picture below is close up and unedited. You can clearly see the right side looks a bit more dry/crusty than the left side.

Left KVD, Right LM

Overall:

I personally prefer the KVD because I have dry skin. If you already own LM then you don’t need to purchase the KVD unless you have super dry skin. If you don’t own either, I think I’d still go with KVD because of the texture and satin finish. The LM is definitely more matte so if thats what you like then go with that one.

I love camo… can you tell?

The KVD is also great for everyday use. I used the Erborian BB creme in the picture above. I also used the new KVD concealer. That review will be up next.

Thanks for reading!

XO, Diana

Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops- Review

Hello, my loves! I’m back with another review. I’m sure you’ve all seen or heard about the new Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops. I’ve had mine for about a month now. They have been out of stock at Sephora for a while, but they are finally back in stock!

These retail for $42. The price is a bit hefty for 0.5oz. They are available in 6 different shades. I believe they have four highlight shades and two bronze shades. I have the shade Sunlight. I would say this shade is like a metallic medium gold. These things are SO crazy pigmented. All you need is 1 drop.

There are several ways to use this. My personal favorite is mixing 1 drop to my foundation for dewy look. I also like using it as a highlight. One of the best things about this is being able to use it on top of powder. It does not get cakey at all. You could also mix it with your moisturizer on a no makeup day to add a little glow to your skin. You can see in the pic below once it’s sheered out, it gives a nice subtle glow. I used only one pump for the swatch.

Let’s talk about the application… I feel like it was a little difficult to apply at first. It dries super fast so you have little time to apply. The good thing is that once it’s dry, it’s not going anywhere. Even on the hottest day. I’ve tried applying it with my finger and using a small stipple brush (by E.L.F). I think I prefer using the brush. I apply a drop on the back of my hand and then blend my brush in circular motions. I then apply it on my cheekbones and other areas I want to highlight. I do these steps as fast as I can to make sure it blends well. If I want a stronger highlight, then I use my finger to dab more on those specific areas.

In the picture, I mixed one drop with my Erborian BB Creme. For my undereyes, I used the new Kat Von D concealer and loose powder (review coming soon). I used the drops for my highlight as well. I did not apply a highlighting powder on top.

Overall, this is a beautiful product. It’s very versatile and there isn’t any other product on the market out there. The only thing I dislike about this product is the price tag. Other than that, I would absolutely recommend to everyone. So, if you are a lover of highlights and if you loving glowing like JLO 24/7, then go pick one of these up ASAP.

Thanks for reading!

XO, Diana

Play! By Sephora- Is it worth it?

I recently subscribed to the Play! By Sephora monthly box. I just received my first box (July 2016) about a week ago. I made the decision to subscribe because I get the majority of my cosmetics and skin care from Sephora. I like the idea of receiving items from one store and being able to purchase all of the items from the same store. Other subscriptions do contain items that are sold at stores like Sephora and Ulta, but a lot of them aren’t so you have to order online.

So far I’m really liking what I received in my box. Like all of the other services, the first thing you do is fill out a questionnaire. The products you receive are based off of the answers you put in your profile. I have normal to dry skin which explains why I received the products I did. Now to show you what I received in my July box…

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer– One of my favorite primers. Especially in the winter. Right now I am loving the Photo Finish Light for summer. I do not own the full size because I always get them as freebies with points. Glad I get to add another one to my stash.

First Aid Beauty Cleanser– The only product I have tried from this brand is the Ultra Repair Moisturizer. Although that product wasn’t hydrating enough, I’m excited to try this one. It’s perfect for traveling purposes. The 1oz is actually sold online and it is $5.50. There goes half your box!

Benefit Dew the Hoola– I wasn’t too excited about receiving this product. Even though I love liquid/cream products, this one seems a little orange. I have yet to try it on my face but we’ll see. The reviews online are def not the best.

Ouai Haircare Wave Spray– This is the item I was really excited to try. I’ve been wanting to try these products ever since they came out. The prices have been keeping me from trying any. I’ve used this a couple times already and I like it. Enough to buy it? I’m not sure… It smells great and gives the hair just enough texture to get that beachy look. Again, great for traveling or even my gym bag.

Blotterazi by Beautyblender– My friend has this and she loves it! It’s been pretty hot in Seattle lately (believe it or not) so my nose has been quite on the oily side. I will have to try this out. I like the fact that its reusable. It also comes with a sample of the liquid cleanser.

Nest Citrine Eau de Parfum– I LOVE getting perfume samples, especially if it has a spray top. I used to hate receiving perfume samples. One day I decided to put them in a really cute glass container in my bathroom. It’s so easy for me to dig my hand in the jar and actually use the samples. I also love to use them when I travel! I LOVE this smell. It’s the perfect blend of citrus and flower. I wouldn’t mind owning the full size.

Now I want to talk about the pros and cons of this subscription box…

Pros

high end brands
brands you are familiar with
items great for traveling
easy access in-store/online
online how-to videos
one-on-one tutorials in-store with play pass card
50 extra beauty insider points when you scan play pass card with any purchase

Cons

chance of receiving products you dislike
some samples are really small

Overall, I think Play by Sephora is the way to go. I used to be a subscriber for Ipsy and Birchbox years ago, but I got tired of receiving crappy items from brands I wasn’t familiar with. With the Play box, you at least know you will be receiving items from prestigious brands. I have created a chart below comparing other July boxes from Birchbox, Ipsy, and Boxycharm.

July 2016
Play! By Sephora $10	Birchbox $10	Ipsy $10	Boxycharm $21
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer .25fl oz ($36)*	Balance Me Radiance Face Mask 0.5fl oz ($34)*	Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in No Filter ($15)	OFRA Magnetic Palette with 6 OFRA Eyeshadows ($59)
First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 1oz ($5.50)	Marcelle 3-in-1 Micellar Solution 1.7fl oz ($21)*	Shray Queen Bee Mask ($6)	Mally Beauty Rounded Blender Brush ($15)
Benefit Dew the Hoola .16oz ($28)*	Smashbox Cosmetics X-Rated Mascara ($22)*	Shray Ms. Amazing Mask ($6)	Noyah Lip Gloss in Melbac ($16)
Ouai Haircare Wave Spray 1.7fl oz ($26)*	Raw Spirit Fragrances Mystic Pearl Eau de Parfum ($40)*	bareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor in Swag ($18)*	PYT Hair Oil Treatment ($30)
Blotterazi by Beautyblender ($20 for 2)	MDSolarSciences™ Mineral Crème SPF 50 Broad Spectrum UVA-UVB Sunscreen .25oz ($30)	Mellow Cosmetics Baked Eyeshadow in Plum ($8 full size included in bag)	Mally Waterproof Eyeliner ($18)
Nest Citrine Eau de Parfum .04fl oz ($68)*

*price for full size items

Birchbox– Contains most items that are sold at Sephora. The good thing is that all of their items are sold online at birchbox.com. I also like their point system. You earn points by reviewing the products you receive. One hundred points equals $10, so thats a big plus!

Ipsy– The July bag contained only one item I’m familiar with. I would’ve been disappointed if I received this box. The Ipsy website does not sell items, but they do provide links to the designated website. They also have coupon codes for each website.

Boxycharm– This subscription box costs more, but it also has a value of at least $100 every month. The items in the July box are pretty good. I just can’t see myself spending 20 bucks a month. I’d rather use that money towards an item I really want. They also include brands I’m unfamiliar with. I honestly don’t think those brands are worth what they are retailed for. That goes for the items included in Ipsy and Birchbox as well.

I think if you are a beginner and have zero makeup, you can’t go wrong with any of these subscription services. My top choice would have to be Play! by Sephora, then Birchbox, Boxycharm, and lastly, Ipsy. There is also the Allure Beauty box ($15) and Glossybox ($20). Those may be worthy of checking out as well.

Thanks for reading. I hope this was helpful! Let me know what your favorite subscription service is!

XO, Diana

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquified Lipstick Review- Queen B

I’m back with another liquid lipstick review. This time around I’m reviewing the newish Too Faced liquid lipsticks. I was lucky enough to pick up Queen B in store at Sephora. I think this is one of their most popular shades and I can totally see why because it’s beautiful! I’m currently obsessed with nudes and mauves so of course I had to get this one.

You can purchase these at the price of $21. This shade is always out of stock everywhere, but it’s currently in stock at Ulta.com. I LOVE this packaging. It’s very different from the typical liquid lipstick packaging.

Queen B is described as a “matte soft mauve.” This has a slight warm undertone. It has the perfect amount of pink and mauve. The closest colors I have to this are Dose of Colors Stone ($18+ shipping) and Kat Von D Lovecraft ($21). You can check out the comparison below.

Queen B, Stone, Lovecraft

I like this formula because it is light and comfortable. It’s less drying than KVD. I’d say it lasted on me for about a good 6 hours. I found this really easy to apply. The applicator is very similar to the Kat Von D liquid lipsticks. I also didn’t noticing any transferring.

Based off of this lipstick only I can say I really like these lipsticks. I would definitely recommend trying at least one. I’m curious as to how the brighter and darker shades wear. I have my eyes on Mrs. Roper and Naughty by Nature. I will update you guys once I try those shades.

XO, Diana

Becca X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette

A few days ago I happened to be scrolling through Instagram at the perfect time. Sephora had a pre-sale for the Becca X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette. I believe it was up for about an hour before it sold out. The palette along with the rest of the collection will be available online 5/26 at 9am PST and in stores on 6/16.

Packaging– Beautiful, very elegant. It reminds me of YSL because of the gold. It’s also very sturdy. It’s about the size of my hand. I think the size is perfect, especially the mirror inside. It is a little bit thicker than I’d like, but I still love it.

The palette comes with two highlights in Champagne Pop and Proseco Pop (.19oz), a luminous blush in Rose Spritz (.10oz), and two mineral blushes in Amaretto and Pamplemousse (.12oz). When comparing these to the full size, you get about half of the amount. The cost of this palette is $52. On the website it has the value at $136, but if you are only getting half of the amount the value should be around $70.

Highlights

Champagne Pop is the only permanent shade included. I purchased this highlight when it was first released. Champagne Pop is considered a “soft white gold with a peachy pink undertone.” I’d really recommend this palette if you don’t already own this highlight.

Proseco Pop is a medium warm gold. On the website it states this highlight was inspired by “liquid gold.” I would definitely agree. This shade is beautiful! I love gold highlights. I think this palette is worth purchasing just for this highlight. You can see in the picture below its very gold. The other highlights have more of a bronzey tone.

Left to Right: Proseco, Laura Geller Gilded Honey, MUFE Pro-Sculpting Duo 2, MAC Oh Darling

Blushes

Rose Spritz is a beautiful peachy pink with pale gold shimmer. I’ve been wanting to try out the luminous blushes since they first came out, so I was really excited one was included in this palette. This blush gives such a beautiful glow. It also blends beautifully with the highlights.

Amaretto is a mineral blush described as a “toasted almond.” I think this could be used as a bronzer if you have lighter skin. I would use this as an everyday blush on its own with no bronzer.

Pamplemousse is a super bright coral pink. This shade is perfect for a nice pop of color on the cheeks. I love their mineral blushes. They are very pigmented. Matte blushes can sometimes be blotchy but not these. Nope!

L to R: Champagne Pop, Proseco Pop, Rose Spritz, Amaretto, Pamplemousse

I love this palette because all of the shades are so pigmented. To be honest, I expected nothing less from Becca. All of their products are amazing and this palette is no different. I have been a lover of their highlights and blushes for a while now. I think $52 for five Becca products is worth it.

I don’t have very many blushes so it justified my purchase a little bit more. I do have a lot of highlights, but lets be real, is there really such a thing as too many highlights? Never! I’d def recommend this palette based on the quality and the shades. I think the shades are suitable for all skin types. This palette would have been even better if it included a bronzer (or if Amaretto was a bit darker). But I still think it’s a great palette to travel with. Mine came just in time for my trip to Mexico!

I used Amaretto and Rose Spritz as my blush and Proseco as highlight

I hope this gave you an idea of what to expect from this palette. I don’t think it’s an absolute must have, but it is a nice palette to have in your collection, especially if you are a makeup artist. Let me know if you plan on purchasing!

XO, Diana

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick Review

As you all know liquid lipsticks are my friggin jam. I’m excited to share these with you. I own two shades: Unicorn Blood and Masochist.

First, can we talk about the packaging??? LOVE! I think these liquid lipsticks have the best packaging. I mean, who doesn’t love pink and rose gold? The container itself is excellent quality, very sturdy. The price is average, similar to others at $18.

Now we can talk about the formula. I love these because they super pigmented and opaque, and matte of course. They also aren’t as drying as other liquid lipsticks, you can still feel the moisture on your lips.They last for hourrrrsss, even after eating greasy wings. They also do not feather so a lip liner is not needed.

Now on to what I don’t like… They are a little sticky. I have the habit of closing my lips together, and it really bothers me when my lips stick together. They also transfer a little bit at first. I’d suggest blotting your lips until the transferring stops. Masochist definitely has a thicker formula than Unicorn Blood. That one is pretty watery.

Lets go back to the packaging for a bit. It has the normal doe foot applicator. However, the applicator on these lipsticks are bigger than normal. So this causes the wand to pick up a lot of product. They are also fuzzier (if that makes any sense). It makes it difficult to get that precision. Both of the lipsticks I own have the fuzziness, especially at the very tip. I have to use a lip brush to get a perfect application. First, I use a lip brush to line my lips. Then, I use the applicator to finish applying. I tend to go back with a lip brush to blend it all out. You can see in the picture below where I compare it to another lipstick.

Left: Kat Von D, Right: Jefree Star

Masochist:

This color is what let me to make a purchase to begin with (not the name, I hate the name). It’s a beautiful medium bright pink. Like a raspberry shade. I love colors like this. They are my favorite kind of pinks to wear.

Unicorn Blood:

I purchased these lipsticks last Fall so of course I had to buy a vampy shade. This one is a deep reddish brown. It’s a pretty shade to have if you don’t have anything like it! I don’t normally go for brown shades.

Overall, I’d rate these an 8 out of 10. These lipsticks would be perfect if they were easier to apply and less sticky. I definitely recommend using a lip brush to apply. I’m sure all of the other colors are just as beautiful and opaque. If you are a beginner at apply lipsticks, these may be a challenge for you. Using a lip brush can be a bit challenging as well, but it’s easier than what you get in these. I’m dying to purchase Androgyny and Gemini.

Thanks for reading!

XO, Diana

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Love Bug

Lumiere 2

Limbo

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Pros

Cons

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Highlights

Blushes

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Masochist:

Unicorn Blood:

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