October favorites

I am getting back on track with posting my monthly favorites on a regular basis as I absolutely love product reviews! So here is what I fell in love with during the month of October:

Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser - described as a melting cleanser that gently removes impurities including all traces of makeup while enhancing radiance to the skin. This cleanser definitely delivers. I use it as a makeup remover before I use the Fresh Soy cleanser. I find that after I cleanse and when I start to tone I'm not left removing makeup with my toner because it's already gone! I purchased this product at Sephora.

Fresh Soy Cleanser - I featured this product in a past "products I've used up" post and at the time I noted that I liked the cleanser but I didn't find it effective. Well i repurchased it and I'm glad that I gave it another shot because it's amazing! It's gentle so I can use it twice daily without my skin becoming dehydrated. It's safe to use to remove eye makeup and it leaves my skin clean. I purchased this cleanser at Sephora.

 

Shiseido Facial Cotton Pads - I love these pads. I use them to remove my eye makeup, lipstick, and to apply my toner. These pads never tear or shed and they don't leave lint on my face like regular cotton pads. I purchased these pads at Sephora.

 

Sephora collection jumbo liner in matte brown - I featured this pencil on my Instagram last month. It is a close dupe for Bite Beauty matte crayon in Cognac & Lime Crime lip stain in Salem. It is intended to be used as an eye pencil but since the label does not warn against using it for lips, I approve! It lasts all day without budging and it is completely matte. 

Sephora collection jumbo liner in matte purple - I also featured this pencil on Instagram last month. It is similar to Pretty Zombie Cosmetics lipstick in Three Witches. It also lasts all day & stays matte. I get tons of compliments each time I wear it and when I wear it to sephora nearly every client wants to buy it. 

Boscia Cool Blue Calming Mask - Claims to cool, calm, & Moisturize the skin utilizing anti-inflammatory agent sea whip, soothing willow extract, & moisturizing ingredient aloe Vera. This mask delivers on its promises. I have used it when my skin was completely irritated or reacting to an unknown irritant and it instantly soothed my skin and calmed the redness and itchiness. I apply it and leave it on for about 25 minutes before peeling it away, and rinsing the leftover residue. I am left with calm & moisturized skin & I absolutely love it. This mask is available for purchase at Sephora and I think it is perfect for any season. 

Algenist Algae Brightening Mask - this mask claims to gently exfoliate, brighten, smooth and hydrate skin. I found that it does leave my skin feeling smooth and looking radiant after using it. I use this mask after washing my face and just before bed. The smell of the sea kelp reminds me of a cucumber melon fragrance, it smells delightful! This mask is available for purchase at sephora. 

 

Have you tried any of these products? Feel free to comment below. If there is anything that you would like me to specifically review please comment below or email me at jarfullofglam@yahoo.com. As always I thank you for reading and stay tuned for future posts!

March Favorites

Hello JFOG Readers!

March was busy so I didn't blog much. I also started a new position as a beauty advisor at Sephora! I am loving the journey! I have already had rich experiences and I have met some of the best and most talented/knowledgeable people in the beauty industry! I look forward to sharing with my readers valuable product knowledge and beauty tips that I learn! Here are the products that I loved during the month of March:

Ole Henricksen Truth Serum - I received a deluxe sample of this serum when I redeemed my beauty insider points at Sephora (100 points). I have recently learned how important serums are to skincare - they are considered the vitamins of your skincare routine. Serums are most effective when applied after cleansing and toning and just before moisturizing. I used it during the entire month of March but I haven't used it long enough to say that my skin has transformed completely thanks to this product. However, I feel comfortable saying that I noticed that my skin was visibly less dull after using this serum. I urge all of my readers to research skincare serums and to find one that works for you. This product is available for purchase in Sephora stores and at Sephora.com.

Bite Beauty Matte Lip Crayon in grape - I wore this lip color nearly everyday during the month of March. I love this lip crayon for several reasons. First of all it's matte! Hello I'm the matte lip product goddess! Secondly it's long-wearing! I can literally eat, drink, and shower and this product will still be on my lips. I remove it at night with waterproof eye makeup remover pads from Almay (the ones that are not oil-free). The Bite Beauty lip crayons are retractable so they last "forever" and are easy to apply. They smell soooo good - they have a fruity scent, similar to an orange creamsicle. They are organic so if you are more aware of ingredients in cosmetics these are on the safe list. The matte crayons are limited edition so be sure to get it now before they are gone forever! Bite Beauty focuses on lip products and the line also features permanent lip crayons, retractable lip liners, a lip masque, lip scrub, and lip glosses. Bite Beauty is exclusive to Sephora and can be purchased online or in stores. The crayon retails for $24. I did a comparison to Mac's Heroine lipstick on Instagram and included the pic below - I am wearing the Bite crayon in the pic on the top right side of the collage, and I'm in Mac Heroine lipstick in the pic on bottom.  

Glamglow Thirstymud Masque - this product just became available at Sephora in January and it is already one of the most raved about skincare products of the year! The masque is moisturizing, calming, hydrating, and multi-functional. You can use it as a treatment, where you apply it to clean skin and wear it for 20 minutes, rinse, and follow with your serum and moisturizer. You can sleep in this masque and rinse the next morning just before you complete your morning cleansing routine. You can apply GlamGlow ThirstyMud to wear while on an airplane to aid in preventing dehydrated skin that accompanies travel and climate/altitude changes. The masque can also be used as a moisturizer to be applied daily or under makeup. It is recommended that you use it at least twice per week and you may use it more if you prefer. I like to sleep in ThirstyMud two nights per week and I rinse the following morning before I wash my face with cleanser. It is a light, non-greasy creamy product that has a light coconut smell. It is safe for people with oily or combination skin. (I have combination to oily skin). 

Too Faced The Perfect Flush Blush in Something About Berry - I have worn this blush nearly everyday since Valentines Day. I focus on applying the blush from the hot pink section of the multi-dimensional blush. The light pink and golden colors can be worn as highlighters for my complexion but I have yet to try it this way. It is recommended that you mix the colors to create the perfect blush shade. I also sweep this blush into my crease on most days when I'm trying to do my makeup on the go and don't want to transport a ton of products. I purchased this blush at Sephora and it is still available at Sephora stores and Ulta. 

Mac Magnetic Appeal Mineralize Skin Finish - I purchased this MSF in December and just started wearing it in March. It offers a very pretty golden highlight to the high points of my cheeks and I also sweep it across my eyelid each day when I don't have time to do a complicated eye look. This product was limited edition but I believe that it will be repromoted this year so keep an eye out for it if you are interested. 

Makeup Forever Smoky Extravagant Mascara - I used this mascara during most days in March. It lengthens and adds volume to my short lashes. This mascara does not clump easily and the formula is extra black! I received this as a deluxe sample at Sephora and it is available online at Sephora.com or makeupforever.com as well as in Sephora stores and Makeup Forever boutiques. 

Darcy's Botanicals Deep Conditioning Mask - this is one of my favorite deep conditioners of all time. I don't keep it on hand regularly because it is pricey but I am considering adding it to my holy grail list. It makes my hair super soft and assists in helping my hair retain moisture between wash days. I purchased this deep conditioner online at darcysbotanicals.com. 

I hope you enjoyed my monthly favorites. Are you guys using or thinking of trying any of these product? Please let me know in the comments section below. If you have additional questions please email me at jarfullofglam@yahoo.com. Please stay tuned for more posts as I plan to get back into blogging more about fashion in the upcoming months. 

December Favorites - Product Edition

Here are my favorite items from the month of December. This post is long overdue and it's almost time for January favorites. I have already started working on that post so that I'm not so behind next month. Nonetheless, enjoy!

Urban Decay Perversion Eyeliner - I purchased this liner as part of the Urban Decay Ocho loco set. I use this one most often. This is the perfect creamy, jet black eye liner. Perversion is pigmented, glides on smoothly and it is easy to use in both your water line and on your eyelid to create a winged liner effect if desired. This is one of the smoothest, most gentle liners that I own. Sometimes I even use Perversion in my crease area to add dimension to an eye look, as it blends easily. This product can be found anywhere that Urban Decay products are sold and it retails at $19 when purchased alone.

Mac Indigo liner - I received this liner as a gift from one of my Instagram friends. This eye pencil is perfect for your water line and I love it for everyday looks. When placed in the water line it shows up like a black shimmer, kind of like the Chanel stylo yeux eye pencil in black shimmer. It reminds me of the color navy blue, where you personally know the item is blue but it is not as obvious to others, making it the perfect way to slightly glam up your daily beauty routine.  I believe that this liner is discontinued, however, you can probably find this indigo eye pencil at your local CCO (Cosmetics Company Outlet). 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - I love this brush for applying cream products. This is the only brush that I use to apply my Mac studio tech foundation, which I wear during the day. It helps me to blend the product seamlessly and it is super soft! If  I did not start building my brush collection with MAC brushes several years ago, I would have began with Real Techniques. These are quality, affordable brushes and I like most of their brushes that I own. Stay tuned for a full post about purchasing makeup brushes.

Elf Mineral Primer - for years Mac's Prep and Prime primer has been my go-to product. I discovered this ELF primer during my November haul and I have been wearing it with nearly every makeup look. It helps to prepare my face for foundation and helps to keep my makeup matte during the day. The product has a clear, serum-like consistency and it feels like a dry powder once applied to the skin. I recommend this product for oily skin types and for those with sensitive skin. I have very sensitive skin and in the past Mac's Prep and Prime was the only primer that I could wear without irritation, until I discovered this one. I am purchasing another bottle of this primer to add to my freelance makeup kit. 

Lorac Pro Front of the Line Liquid Liner - I shared with you guys back in November that I was looking for a liquid liner. I tried a few drug store products but I discovered that they dried out too quickly, had a brush that was difficult to work with, had formulation issues, irritated my eyes or just left much to be desired. This product came in the Lorac set that I purchased at Ulta during the holidays. I absolutely love this liner! Front of the Line is intense, dries matte (I hate wet formula liner), super easy to work with regardless of your eye shape or the size of your eyes. This product is for everyone, however, I specifically recommend this liner for ladies with small eyes, hooded eyes, sensitive eyes, and beginners who are afraid of liquid eye liner. 

Mac Nightmoth lip pencil - I have worn this liner with almost every single lipstick during the autumn/winter season. In the pic below, I paired it with Mac's Smoked Purple lipstick and it was a winning combination! I have used this liner with nearly every color from reds to pinks to purples to nudes. It is one of the most versatile lip pencils in my collection and if you are looking to start or expand your lip liner collection this one is a must have. You can look for dupes as well but Mac liners are the only ones that I prefer. I find that a lot of drugstore liners lack pigmentation and are not as creamy as Mac liners. Your lips are amongst the thinnest skin on your body, so be gentle with them and treat them well. I do not recommend that you cut corners by applying rough products that do not apply easily. I have an upcoming post about where to save and where to splurge when it comes to makeup products, so stay tuned. 

Mac Smoked Purple lipstick - When I posted a picture wearing this lipstick on Facebook and Instagram last month, I received several compliments and questions about where to purchase. This is a Pro product from MAC Cosmetics so it is only available at Mac Pro stores (we do not have a PRO store in Houston) or you can purchase it online at maccosmetics.com. This lip product goes on matte and I found it easy to apply. It is pigmented and it appears the same on your lips just as it appears in the tube, true to color.

Thank you for allowing me to download with you about my favorite products from the month of December! I hope that you found this review helpful. If you have any additional questions or comments please feel free to leave them below.