Skincare on a Budget: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I think budget skincare is kind of a double- edged sword. On one hand, I really love to save money whenever possible, but on the other hand, I have definitely found better results when I splash out a little more on my skincare. That's not to say that anything you get from the drugstore is poor quality, but it is logical that you might find more high- quality ingredients in premium prices. However, I have definitely found some gems at the drugstore after years and years of trying and testing.
One of my favorites is the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. My skin is combination/ oily and definitely acne prone, and this face mask works very well for me. It promises to dry out pimples, shrink pores, and reduce blackheads. The mask is light green and very thick, with a strong minty smell and feeling - it makes my skin tingle as soon as I put it on. However, for me, it doesn't dry my skin out too badly, but it does do a nice job of drawing out impurities. I don't think this mask would work for everyone - I think it would be too drying for dry skin - but it really does seem to help calm my breakouts and make my skin look a bit clearer. I use this about once a week, as it is an intense mask, but I think for $3.99 (the retail price at Walgreens) and an insane amount of product, this is a good deal.

Xxx Kate 

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Lush's Mother's Day Treats!

Mothers Day is a week away and if you are anything like me, you never quite have a gift planned ahead of time. This year Kate and I decided that we would sample Lush's special Mothers Day Collection and review it. Mostly because we both like bath products and a little bit because we need gifts for our mothers. So here we go....

First up is the bath bomb Secret Garden. According to the description from Lush, this ballistic is supposed to smell of rose and orange oil, I disagree. When I first dropped it in the tub the scent I smelled was more along the lines of grass, which I liked but not particularly one I would choose for a bath scent. As far as fizzing, the bomb lasted a lot longer than I am used to and I actually ended up speeding the process along. Once the green layer dissolves, the center is a bright yellow filled with wild flowers and did give off a faint floral scent. Again I was a little disappointed. There seemed to be more leaves than flowers in the small amount that was included in the center. Color-wise the water turned a dark green. Overall, I would pass on Secret Garden for my own mother. She would not appreciate the clean up of the flowers or the color of the water.


Next, I tried Wonder Woohoo, a bubble bar, which is the one I was most excited about due to the scent which is orange and sandalwood. However, I was also a little weary about the glitter due to many horror stories I have encountered about the clean-up associated with that particular add in (also I work in childcare and have experience in the persistence of glitter). Luckily, I had nothing to fear! This bar broke down in the water fairly easily, although a part of it was a bit more difficult to break apart than anticipated. The water was a sunny, golden yellow that shimmered prettily underneath a mountain of bubbles. The shimmer is a result of the inclusion of some of Lush's Lustre powder (a favorite of mine) according to the employee who sold it to me. I did have to rinse the tub quickly once the water drained but that was due to the glitter on the outside of the bar and none of it transferred to my person once I was finished. I am planning on making my mom try this one (and buying approximately 5 more for myself), she is definitely not one for glitter but I think she will make an exception this time.

The third item I tried was Rose, another bubble bar. This is probably the most mom-friendly of the three I sampled. The scent is rose and lemon, it's easy to use, and turns the water a pretty pink that is a few shades lighter than Lush's seasonal Prince Charming (I checked). The description online says this bar is intended for two baths and has "glimmer" which I don't necessarily agree with. I can't say that I noticed any sort of shimmer or glimmer when I used Rose. I also don't think that I would have been satisfied with the amount of bubbles that half the bar would create. But this was also an obvious yes for my mom.
--Now it's Kate's turn! xJenna
I also tried rose - I agree with Jenna that I didn't see a satisfying amount of bubbles or glimmer (which I wasn't fussed about), but the scent is really amazing. Apparently, the smell is the same as Lush's Amandopondo which is a part of their permanent collection. I don't think you can go wrong with rose scents for a mother - generally, it's a pretty safe bet.


I think the Mumkin bubble bar is so cute, honestly, which is definitely why I grabbed for it. Of course, pumpkin- themed items aren't very traditional for spring, but I just found it adorable and I knew that the colors would turn my bath a really gorgeous coral color (which it did). As for scent,  Lush describes it as raspberry with bergamot, lemon, and violet leaf. I couldn't pick out any of these scents specifically - unfortunately I found the scent to be extremely subtle. It did smell sweet and fresh, but I wish the scent had been more intense. As with any bubble bar, you want to crumble it in your bath while the faucet is on to get the maximum amount of bubbles. I was pleased with the amount of bubbles I got, but I hated the stem and leaf, which were made out of a material that was very difficult to break down in the tub, so it just lasted for ages.

I believe Madame Butterfly bubble wand was my favorite product that I tried. While the bubble bars retail for about $4 and you can only get one bath out of them max, madame butterfly retails for around $7 and you could get 2 or 3 (if you were being stingy) baths out of this. I absolutely loved the scent - again, the primary scent is rose, but this bubble bar boasts the same scent as Lush's Rose Jam bubbleroon, and Ro's Argan Body Conditioner which is rose and lemon oil. So, if you know your mom loves rose scents, I think it would be a great duo gift to get her madame butterfly and the body conditioner for a nice pampering set! I was hesitant to buy this despite my love for the scent because I haven't had luck with the bubble wands in the past - I swirl them around in the bath and nothing happens. The sales girl at Lush gave me some advice which changed my life - you want to stick the bubble wand under the running faucet as your tub fills up! I tried that, and was amazed at the amount of bubbles and scent I got. I seriously didn't use much of this at all, but I had a bath I really enjoyed. I can't wait to have another bath with it later on, and I think I might repurchase this before the mother's day collection leaves Lush's stock.

We hope that this post gives you some great ideas for mother's day, or even for a pampering night of your own!

Xx Kate and Jenna

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Quick Review: April Glossybox!

Today was my favorite day of the month!
Just kidding, it's finals week. So this is going to be a super quick review, but I have to say, my day was brightened when I checked the mail and found my April Glossybox waiting for me! Just in time!
For those of you that don't know, Glossybox is in my opinion the best beauty box subscription you can buy. For 20- 21 dollars a month, you get at least five luxury beauty products, and at least two are full- size. The other three are usually also a very generous size. People have done the math on the Glossyboxes, and there's always around 100 dollars of product that you're actually getting, so in my opinion, it's an unbeatable deal. Plus, I have been getting Glossyboxes since January, and I have never ran into a product that's a total dud.
Anyway! Onto April! In this month's Glossybox I received:

- deluxe sample of Aqua Spa body créme in lavender & chamomile - I haven't heard of the Aqua Spa line before, but I immediately put some of this on my hands and it smells so good. It's a really authentic lavender and chamomile scent that's super relaxing, so I can't wait to use this tonight! (did I mention it's finals week?!) My hands smell and feel great.
- deluxe sample of Caldrea body wash in coconut fig leaf - admittedly the last thing I need is another body wash (I literally have four in my shower right now) but this smells so good! I would definitely say that the scent is more fig leaf than coconut - it definitely doesn't smell tropical or super fruity, but it's fresh, clean, and not overpowering.
- full size Ciaté London paint pot in beach hut - this polish is orange with orange microglitter. Ciaté describes it on their website as "blazing orange," and I would definitely agree. I unfortunately have a shade like this already, so when I look at the color options available, it kind of bums me out that I got this shade. However, Ciaté is one of my favorite luxury brands of nail polish, and this polish alone costs $15, so that's 75% of the box already paid for!
- full size Bellápierre Cosmetics supergloss in vanilla pink - so again, you go to Bellápierre's site and learn that this exact gloss retails for $24.50! Woahh. That being said, I wouldn't pay that much for this. The color isn't what I would have picked - it's a neutral pink, but the copper shimmer in it makes it look ridiculous on the lips if you apply too much of it. This is made with natural ingredients, and has a different consistency than most glosses - it's definitely not sticky, and something about it just makes me want to load up my lips with it. Not sure if I am a fan of this, but I will definitely keep it.
- full size LASplash Cosmetics eyeshadow sealer/ base - this is a brand I haven't heard of before, and that's one of my favorite things about Glossybox - I always discover new brands! This is a very affordable makeup brand based in LA, and I like the look of some of their products after a browse online. I'm excited to see if the eyeshadow base is effective. As I just for this product today, I haven't been able to test it for the 12 hours of wear that it promises, but I swatched it and loved that a) there was no poor scent and b) it was completely undetectable. I currently have an urban decay eyeshadow primer potion in greed, and I am absolutely not loving it because it is metallic and I would prefer something neutral when I am trying to use it as a base. This is $9, and I have read some positive reviews on it, so if I like this, I will definitely be purchasing this over my current Urban Decay one (which is around $20 what the heck).

Overall, this wasn't my favorite box because I feel like the color selections really aren't blowing me out of the water, and I didn't particularly need a new body wash or lotion. The product I am most excited about is the eyeshadow sealer/ base from LASplash. However, I most definitely wouldn't say that I am disappointed with this, and I know next month is going to be great because it's curated by Bergdorf's! I would still definitely recommend this subscription service, especially over Birchbox or Ipsy!

Would you consider getting a Glossybox subscription started??

Xx Kate

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Quick Look: OCC Lip Tar

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) can be found at Sephora or online in a myriad of colors ranging from sky blue to sunny yellow to bright pink to inky black. The display is small but interesting and I have always been interested in the idea of a blue or black lip. After many weeks of sampling all the colors in the display, I decided to go with a matte lip tar in Black Dahlia. The OCC website describes this color as the "blackest, blackened red" and was the obvious next choice for me in my pursuit of Gothic lips.

Black Dahlia at its darkest (bit blurry!) 

Each lip tar comes in a small, plastic pouch with an applicator brush and instructions for application. They recommend that you put a small bead of tar on the brush and apply from the middle of the lip out. Application is pretty simple but I am a little less skilled with a brush than I am with a wand or tube of lipstick, so that did take a bit of adjustment. However, it was easy to use and didn't gush out of the tube and was very spreadable. Color pigmentation is true to the tube. My lips looked black, which is what I hoped for but not exactly practical for my job. Luckily this color is very versatile and easy to sheer the color out.

Lightest version

I've found that Black Dahlia has about three different shades that I can achieve. First is obvious the black red that it is advertised as being, second is a dark purpley-red, and the last is a nice deep red. You can expect to have your lips go through these three shades as your day progresses if you are like me and are a little lax about reapplication. Despite this expected lightening, color did remain all day once it settled on red.

The one complaint that I have is that it is very easily transferable. Anything that came in contact with my mouth came away colored and was only solved by removing the lip tar completely.

I can definitely deal with the transference and am interested in trying more of the line to see if all colors are as versatile as Black Dahlia. Anyone else have an opinion on OCC Lip Tars? xx Jenna

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Quick Look: Benefit's The Big Easy

Benefit's new foundation, The Big Easy, came out a few months ago and, after reading some pre- reviews of the project, I was so eager to try it. The reviews for this "Better Than BB" product promised good coverage that felt lightweight on your skin. One of the unique innovations with this product is a 'liquid to powder' formula that was supposed to be especially nice for oily skin. I personally do have oilier skin, and I feel like a lot of foundations are good for dry skin, but few that are targeted to oily skin. Benefit does claim that this foundation is good for all skin types, though. I quickly purchased it and have been trying it out for the past few weeks. Here are my thoughts.

The application of this product is relatively easy. It's one of the few foundations I feel comfortable using my fingers to apply it, but it also yields a very nice application with a foundation brush and with my beauty blender. It's really quite user friendly.

The Big Easy really does sink into my skin well and feels incredibly lightweight. However, I think that it feeling lightweight logically means that it will be lightweight. I would say that this coverage is light to medium. It's great for me if I'm having a relatively good skin day, but sometimes I prefer a fuller coverage alternative. I'm not saying that this doesn't cover things nicely, but I struggle to build it up to full coverage. Here is a picture of this foundation on my skin not blended (left) and blended (right). I don't even detect it on my skin once blended out.


The Big Easy has an SPF of 35, which I was really excited about, as I love protecting my skin. I have five other foundations with SPF, and they are all 15 or lower. SPF 35 is very significant, and I know that this is going to give me great protection, which will definitely be beneficial in the long run. I know some people do shy away from SPF in your foundation, as it tends to have a "white out" effect on your face when you take pictures. I was aware of this, so I made sure to test this out for The Big Easy. I took a picture of it with flash, and I was very pleased to see that it didn't seem to blanch my skin. However, because of the SPF, there is a detectible "sunscreen" fragrance. It's extremely mild, and I didn't notice it until I actually consciously smelled it, but it could be something to keep in mind if you're sensitive to smells.

enjoying the sun with The Big Easy!

This product hasn't broken me out, and I find that I can wear it all day and my skin doesn't get as oily. I don't feel that I need to set the foundation with powder, as the liquid does change to powder, so that saves me a step on rushed mornings. Overall, I do really enjoy this product. I will admit, it's not my holy grail, as I do like a foundation that I can build up to fuller coverage easily. I would recommend this product for anyone with oily skin who doesn't struggle too much with blemishes or dark spots. This is an excellent foundation to have during the summer when SPF and oiliness are even larger concerns, so I do look forward to continued use.

What's your holy grail foundation?

Xx Kate

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Orchid, the Color of the Year in Blush

2014's color of the year, according to Sephora+Pantone Universe, is "Radiant Orchid." Kate was very excited about this since the announcement while I only realized it was happening about a week before it was released in the store. So naturally, when it was finally in stores, Kate was on vacation and I went to Sephora for concealer but left with the new orchid blush palate and a cute make-up bag that was a free gift with purchase.

The purple blush was to enticing for me to pass up but I was also hesitant about actually putting the palate to use because my previous feelings toward blush had been more of the 'well hopefully no one can tell this is here'  variety. But that is more to blame on my general lack of makeup knowledge than anything else, I have since been introduced to the combined efforts of blushes, bronzers, highlighters, contouring, etc. That being said, this blush is a lot brighter tone than I was used to working with in general.

There was a definite learning curve involved with application, which I should have expected because I also own a bronzer from the same brand and it has to be parsed down before application unless I want to look like Attack Of The Self-Tanner. This is an attempt one morning before work that was a bit brighter than originally planned (but also I tend to apply make-up without glasses/contacts so...) (additionally ignore this weird expression, it was before 6 AM).

This photo is more recent and toned down to a level that I prefer. The times that it is too bright/much for me, it is necessary to remove all makeup and start again because I've found that trying to blend down does not work as efficiently as I would like but does attest to the staying power of the color. That being said, I do really love the brightness of the purple and the level of pigmentation. I find that its really suitable for Spring and a lot more fun than the duller mauve-y tones I had previously be more inclined to purchase. I definitely recommend giving the palette a shot while it is here.

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Why You Should Own a Lime Crime Lipstick

I'm a massive fan of lip products lately, and I have been buying way too many. It's gotten to the point where, in my makeup collection, I now have an "overflow" storage space designated solely for lip products. So, when I finally impulse- bought lipsticks from Lime Crime at 1 am, I was convinced I had made a mistake. After all, I have way too many lip products, and they're all great quality. Despite the positive reviews I have read about the products, I was convinced that there was no way my investment had been a smart idea.

I was wrong.

I am a huge fan of these lipsticks. I might be the number one fan, in fact. Honestly, I might go buy some more of these lipsticks once I'm done writing this post, because all I can think of are the shades I don't have but definitely need. Let's break down why these lipsticks are the best.

First, it's worth pointing out that Lime Crime lipsticks are vegan and cruelty- free. I'm a massive fan of that, and it always makes me more willing to buy a product that has some natural, good- for- the- planet formulation behind it.

Second, this product has made me a complete packaging whore. Never in my life have I been so dazzled by the packaging of a product. And it's not just the adorable lipstick packaging itself: all the packaging - even the box it came in - was completely fantastic. In a sea of boring black tubes, my Lime Crime lippys always stand out - and I love that. If you pull this lipstick out in public, you will get people fawning over the package. It's just amazing.

Third, this product smells like vanilla. It's absolutely delicious, and I always want to lick my lips or reapply it when I'm just hanging out around my house, because I love love love this smell.

Fourth, the formulation is just perfect. Not only does it deliver very high- pigmented color, it lasts a shocking amount of time. I wore my red Lime Crime lippy ("Retrofuturist") this weekend when I went to grab drinks with Jenna. I left a red lip mark on my glasses, and yet I noticed my lips still maintained that gorgeous red color. When I got home, my lips still looked awesome, and when I washed my makeup - the color was still there! I was shocked. In addition to the awesome color and incredible lasting power, this lipstick is very hydrating, not at all sticky, and very easy to apply. It goes on like butter and stays on like glue.

from left to right - Chinchilla, Retrofuturist, Geradium

Are you convinced yet? :) I can keep going. The shade range is so cool. They have really unique colors - some I would never be brave enough to try (yellow? green?) but I did try Chinchilla (a grey- purple) and was shocked at how much I love it. They also have classic reds and pinks for those that are feeling less adventurous. The lipsticks retail for $18. I considered this an investment, as I am a massive fan of less- than- $10- at- the- drugstore lipsticks, but I would honestly pay this price again and again. It is very clearly worth the price to me, and it's definitely not that steep when you consider Macs retail for $16 (and I am not a massive fan of their formulation) and many designer lines retail for up to $30 easily.

I honestly cannot wait to try more of the Lime Crime line, and I hope you are excited to as well! You can purchase all the products on their website, and I don't think they sell in stores. Get buying! :)

Xx Kate

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