a week of beauty. sephora haul + review.

sephora recently had their beauty insiders 15% off ticket,

so i picked up a few products i've been wanting to try.

here's what i got:

- beautyblender [pure for my sensitive skin]

- bite beauty agave lip mask

- obsessive compulsive cosmetics lip tar / matte in black dahlia

beautyblender pure, $20

i recently switched back to liquid foundation, so i decided to invest in a beautyblender. it does a nice job of applying the foundation evenly, and the end result feels lightweight. i used to use flat sponges (typically the ones that come with your makeup) to press and drag the makeup into my skin. after using the beautyblender to "bounce" the product into my skin, i can comparatively say that the beautyblender is much easier on the skin. is it worth it? yes. life changing? no. similar sponges would give you the same result for less money like this one by sephora ($13) and this one by real techniques ($6).

tips for using:

some people say that they end up using more product with the beautyblender. the type of foundation you use makes a difference. the sponge will naturally soak up liquid, so choose a foundation with a thicker consistency. if you pour a dab of liquid foundation on your hand and it immediately drips or runs, the beautyblender will soak it up and less product will make it to your face. 

tips for cleaning:

two words....ivory soap. don't wash your expensive products down the drain...literally! beautyblender has its own liquid ($18) and solid ($16) cleansers, and i've heard some people use their pricey face washes, like philosophy's purity ($23). if you want a cheaper alternative, ivory soap is pure (no synthetics) and simple and washes out easily. i used to bathe my kids with ivory, and if it's good enough for my kids, it's good enough for my brushes and sponges! baby shampoo works, too, if you have kids (and shampoo on hand). otherwise, you can get 10 bars of ivory for under $4 and use it for bathing, dish washing, and laundry!

bite beauty agave lip mask, $26

i've been desperate to find a product that works for my extremely dry and chapped lips. after hearing youtubers rave about this lip mask, i had to try it. this stuff works and keeps my lips hydrated all day. no more peeling!

it looks and feels like an ointment, is heavy but not uncomfortable, and has a nice scent. some may prefer to use it overnight, but i use it like a primer in the morning and apply my lipstick over it when i get to the office. it has a nice long-lasting shine if worn alone. although it's pricey, a little goes a long way. this little smudge on my finger is too much product for one application. is it worth it? yes. life changing? yes.

occ lip tar: matte in black dahlia, $18

i've been wanting a dark vampy red lip color, and i heard black dahlia was it. the product in the tube is intimidatingly dark, but one coat produces a beautiful radiant orchid shade (above). these lip tars are buildable and will easily give you that deep red with a couple of coats. the lip tar has great pigmentation, and lives up to the matte name. perfect for an event, particular look, or the runway.

the bad? they are super drying! it's like i took two steps forward with the agave lip mask, and one step back with the lip tar. my lips instantly dried up and peeled after using. (i expected some dryness with a matte product). you definitely need to use a lip primer (occ has their own here), and i had to apply lip balm to keep my lips moisturized throughout the day. the color also needed to be touched up after a few hours. because of the multi-step process (apply lip primer, unscrew cap, apply to brush, etc...) it would not be an everyday lip product for me. is it worth it? no. if you are looking for a deep red, try jordana matte lipstick in merlot. if you have tried regular or metallic occ lip tars, let me know your thoughts on those.

have you tried any of these products?

do you prefer brushes or sponges to apply your makeup?

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