Hi everyone! Welcome back! And I mean welcoming me back because I’ve been a little preoccupied and haven’t posted in a minute. So much is going on in my professional life and I haven’t had a minute to think at all. If you missed my last post, there are more updates there. But I’m so happy to get back to this blog, because it really gives me a lot of joy and a creative outlet. And to be honest, working hard on this helps me feel justified in all the money I’ve spent on my beauty products and boxes.
So this one is coming out first this month because it’s the Mega Drop Shop products I purchased in August. Yes, August. They came basically at the last possible minute, so I’ve been trying them out over the last few weeks and have found some great stuff to talk to you guys about.
Just as a reminder I have oily combination skin and a texture issue due to a lifetime of compulsive picking at my face. I have rough milia all over my cheekbones (due, I believe, do sun exposure). So a focus of mine is finding products that help me with my texture. If you’d like more info on my picking and tmi stuff like that, you can look at my post Insensitive Skin about my struggles with my mental health and my impulse control issues. But anyway, when I reference my texture, it’s usually about my milia or the scratched skin after I have an episode.
I haven’t picked for several weeks though. So things have been okay.
This is probably going to be a bit of a longer post; my initial plan was to write a post specifically about my Mega Drop Shop and save the actual post for the box contents, but I’m already not planning on using one of them, so why don’t we just do all of them in one post. And we can just start with the Mega Drop Shop because I’ve been working with those products for a hot minute already.
So I ordered a lot of stuff;
The product I was most excited about was the LYS Beauty No Limits Matte Bronzer in the shade Motivate (light). I’ve been getting products from this brand really often recently and have been liking their quality and packaging, as well as their price point, so I specifically ordered some to try out. The last product I got from them was a serum primer and I enjoyed that a lot, so I’m happy to say I like this too.
This brand’s packaging is some of the more unique I’ve seen, all triangular instead of square and rectangle. The unit carton is a cute pink and light pink mix, and the actual component is shiny and easy to open, and the pan is huge compared ot the packaging, like they don’t waste space. The component also stands on its own perfectly fine, unlike SOME bronzers I’ve used (looking at you, Kimchi >.>).
The pan is a triangle just like the packaging, of course, so my wide brush I use for bronzers might later on have trouble getting it out of the more narrow corners, but that’s a problem for the Dani of next year ^-^
The shade of this bronzer is very good for my summer skin, which I’m unfortunately losing – but I’m going to really enjoy using it when I get tanned back up. Right now I’m able to use it, but probably will have to mix it with my Complex culture if I want to continue later into the winter.
It’s a well-packed formula and there isn’t a major amount of fallout (*cough* Kimchi *cough*), I just have to tap the brush off pretty well before applying. It goes on smooth and doesn’t pull my liquid foundation up. Because it’s a little deeper toned than my preference right now, I tap back over the edges with my foundation brush and it works very well to ease out the lines and make it super gradual.
I ordered it for $6 and it retails for $18, so it was a good deal and I’d repurchase it for that price if I needed to, although I’d still prolly get the lighter shade (if there is one).
The next product I ordered is the Wander Beauty On-The-Glow Blush and Illuminator in the shade Bare/Nude Glow. This brand is one of the first luxury-leaning brands I came in contact with and I’ve tried a number of their products now. Although I’ve eventually come across brands that have better value, this brand’s quality does consistently shine through.
The fact that it’s two cream products tied together in such an easy-to-use format really enticed me, because I’ve been trying to lean towards more cream products for my texture. Powder products tend to cling more to bits of my face that are too dry or too wet, like peeling skin or open sores. Cream products, while they may highlight my texture in the long run because of their shine, make a smoother base and don’t feel like I stuck an m&m to my face.
That being said, cream products on a stick for your face isn’t the most hygienic, and I know it’s just transferring bacteria from me to the stick back to me. But I figure, as long as I’m good about washing my face, which these days I am moreso, it’ll be cool.
The texture of the highlighter was a little more forgiving and warmed up to my skin better, but the pigmentation was obviously with the blush. I can see these being good for travel, which the brand Wander Beauty tries to associate itself with.
I’ve experimented with using my finger and warming up the product and applying, like I do with my other cream blushes, and it doesn’t look much different, so I’ll just continue using it as intended with the stick. I typically apply dots from the start of my cheekbone and up around my brow, and then when I blend I’ll come back down towards my nose.
[Edit: I’ve actually been using these regularly; something about the texture has me excited to apply it. Still use my fingertip, but even the highlighter has grown on me. Highly recommend.]
This product retails for $38, which I would never pay for it, but I ordered it for only $9. I probably won’t buy it again, but I’m def gonna keep it in my travel kit.
In my travel kit – like I have a travel kit. But I’m gonna keep it >.>
Can I just add that it’s so nice to be writing about all this fun stuff again, like it’s just so nice and refreshing and I feel like I’m really working on something.
Anyway – next is the Dominique Cosmetics Blur & Moisture Serum Primer. I am in love with the FAB primer in last month’s box, but I figured it could be nice to try a new one.
The packaging for this primer is nice, it’s like a lil squeezy tube with a pump on one end and it stands on its head so it’s never just full of air. I like that design. The color scheme is very neutrals, beige and white and light brown, and it feels very modern and understated.
The texture is very smoothing but it wasn’t anything that wowed me – just a nice smoothing primer, like the ones that are super slippery and just have that texture to them. Like a whipped gel I guess? It was nice, but nothing that blew me away. I probably could find time to use it. I will say it is very tacky, so if you’re thinking you want something super gripping I recommend it. I smoothed it over my serums when I used it, but it did feel very heavy. Something I would maybe use if I didn’t already have such a thorough skincare routine.
This primer retails for $52 dollars holy shit. Am I reading this right? That’s absolutely insane. No way would I ever pay that much for this primer. Not to be rude like it’s fine but like, no way. I ordered it for $8 and I’d probably pay up to $15 for it. Planning to give it away or list it on my Poshmark.
A little bit of a weird one here – I ordered the Complex Culture Full Time Eyeshadow Palette Edit 3, and it came in with some weird texture on the center color.
So first off this brand is owned by IPSY, who just acquired BoxyCharm I guess? So like, this is a brand of the box brand, but the fact that I fell in love with it way before I knew that means I still respect the work that goes into it.
The packaging for their nine pan palettes has always felt really luxurious to me. The rows are organized and themed, so there’s an idea in the palette of what you’re gonna want to do with it, and I like that communication. The mirror is also nice and big, and these palettes just feel really well put together.
The mattes overall were powdery like usual and do have a bit of fallout, and as always I was impressed by the shimmers. They were buttery soft and went on like a dream.
The only thing is, the middle shade, the pinkish cranberry colored one, had these weird raised bits on it, like dust? Except they were definitely the shadow. It didn’t look like pilling, I didn’t know what it was. When I touched it, they just felt like bits of powder, so I used the shadow anyway.
The color scheme was pretty fall but not my favorite. ever, I really don’t have use for the darker shimmer shades but I might give them a go anyway as we move further through October.
I also bought a pair of cute lip liners, which I then received again in another box, which is hilarious. Need to put the extra set up online lol. They’re from Basic Beauty, it’s the Lip Liner Duo in the shades Latte + Cocoa.
They come in a little box together which is adorable. It’s beige, just like the actual pencil packaging, but I’ll be honest, since they’re plastic, I’m completely unsure how to sharpen them. Do I just use a regular sharpener? They don’t appear to come apart and they definitely don’t roll up like some lip liners do. Need to do more tests.
[Edit: no conclusion to this. Maybe I’ll try sharpening?]
The actual product is nice but a little waxy for me, so it slips and slides nice but doesn’t have that pigmentation and does feel like it’ll slip around on me a lot. It definitely budges, which I guess could be good for an ombre look, but isn’t perfect for what I’m trying to do.
They retail for $24, which I think is a little steep for two pencils but isn’t that bad, and I purchased them for $6, which I think is an obviously excellent deal. LIke I said though, the product itself isn’t super pigmented, so I probably wouldn’t purchase these again.
If you’re looking for something a little more sheer and forgiving, I def recommend these, and I bet they’d be great with some other techniques than the ones I use.
My next item is from Huda Beauty, which is a brand I haven’t tried much from but am interested in. I currently use their concealer on mornings when I feel like my undereye is too dark, but it’s not a daily thing and I think that’s all I’ve ever used from them. Anyway, this is their Demi-Matte Liquid Lipstick in shade Gamechanger.
The first thing I noticed was the packaging, because it is so creative and adorable. LIke of course, the lips around the lipstick is just a classic in marketing, but the way it’s presented horizontally and with the lips actually around the lipstick component, so it looks so integrated, honestly wowed me.
The component itself is also modern-looking, sleek, and thin, giving it more the feeling of a precision tool. The applicator is a really tiny wand that, again, makes it feel like you’re doing something very detailed.
While the color isn’t what I usually go for, I do plan to use this shade, which is a bold-ish red, into the holidays and at work.
The formula says demi-matte, but I’m unsure what that’s intended to mean because the slipperiness and shine doesn’t fade after application that I can see. It definitely transfers, which is fine it doesn’t claim not to, but demi-matte leads me to believe it should dry down a little.
I still like the lipstick and plan to use it quite a bit towards the end of the year though. It’s also only $12 retail, and I added it onto my box for only $5, so sweet purchase either way and I got a great deal. I would definitely add more of these if I see them, and may purchase myself some more tones I would wear year round.
Another brand I’ve been experimenting with, Earth Harbor, has been a repetitive name in my posts. I saw their Celestine Hydra-Plumping Peptide Serum as an option for the drop shop and thought well I like their moisturizer and mask, why wouldn’t I like the serum?
So this brand has really nautical, minimal vibe. Their packaging is that pure white with whimsical, nautical themes for names and very brightly colored and fragrant formulas. Their site online has some very steep prices imo, but I’ve been able to find them for significant discounts on these sites.
This particular serum comes in the standard white box and dropper bottle, and the dropper is a good one by the way, none of that hard to grip or hard to squeeze stuff. It’s a milky white texture and very watery, feels very much like just a lightweight essence. I like it a lot, and it layers really well with my other serums and has a fresh and awake fragrance, kind of lemony and fruity.
I’m honestly almost out of this product, I’ve been using it since I got it and it’s not a huge bottle, and I might look for more on poshmark.
So it retails for $45, but I was able to buy it for $9, which is a massive discount. I’d definitely repurchase it for this price, but probably not for the original price. My ASARAI serum with retinol is slightly less than this and works really well for me.
So I’ve never really used eye creams, but recently I’ve been thinking they might help with my undereyes. I try to keep these posts impersonal, but to be honest, I’ve been thinking about how I’m getting older. I’m in the second half of my twenties. Wrinkles are due any year now. My undereyes are gonna go first.
So I added on an eye cream to this box. It’s the Dr. Brandt Eye Cream. I couldn’t find a fancy name for it, the package just says Eye Cream. Maybe it’s one of those ‘nuff said’ types of things. Their products are generally very good and I’ve tried primers from them before, and I’m excited to have an eye cream from them.
The first thing I noticed here is the lack of fragrance. Even though it’s a very thick creamy formula, I couldn’t smell a thing. The texture is definitely not heavy like a cream with shea butter or anything, but still thicker than a serum. I apply maybe a pea sized amount and go in figure eights like I probably saw in some YouTube video….
Anyway. I started getting complimented on my makeup a lot a few weeks ago when I got this box, but one of the most common ones has been that my undereyes look like I’m wearing concealer. And most days I don’t. 🙂
I bought it for $8 instead of the $55 retail price, which is a great deal and I’m going to repurchase if I find it on any other drop shops.
And that wraps up the Mega Drop Shop!
The rest of these items are base box items, so I didn’t have to add these on, they just came in for the price of the box. All around I’m super happy with my purchases and can’t wait to keep using them.
First off, I’ve decided not to use or review the Tresluce Beauty Lucete Highlighter Palette; When I opened it I was immediately bored and noticed that maybe one of the shades would do anything for me. I couldn’t see any sparkle at all and initially thought it was a face palette but nope. It looked like there was no effort in it, and I felt like I had received makeup from FiveBelow or something. I was so repulsed by the entire vibe of the item that I just put it away. I’m not wasting my time on it.
Next item I am so excited to write about. This is an adorable palette from Ciate London, the Spice Palette. This has been so nice to use and I’m really glad I got it.
The packaging is some of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. It’s a very standard size for a 9-pan palette, easy to pick up and not super heavy, but absolutely adorable. It’s smooth and matte and gorgeous. There isn’t a clasp, perse, but the place where it opens is easy to grab and it’s a smooth movement to make.
The color scheme is beautiful and has a lot of variety; there’s two matte tones that are very close to my skin color, a slightly deeper and neutral transition shade, and then a bunch of matte crease shades. They blend and apply really well. Then there are three shimmer shades, and they’re a great variety, one super bright and silver, a deeper gold, and then an even deeper shade of maroon.
It just comes off like someone really thought about the colors and going from light to dark while staying within the color and style they wanted. I was really happy when I opened it.
The mattes are a little dry but they blend very well and while they’re not overly pigmented, this just makes them a little more accessible in my opinion. Sometimes I want something that’ll go on a little lighter and that I can build up.
The shimmers are actually a little different than I’m used to. Their texture is a little – smoother? Like it feels like instead of heavy granules, when I rub my finger on it, it pills up into balls less. Maybe this is because it’s also a little drier? But it’s not like powdery. Like, you get no fallout.
Agh! I’m trying to figure out how to explain it. Basically they’re beautiful and when you apply with your finger, they don’t ball up on your finger, they stay super smooth and silky. They also are very easy to layer on top of each other.
I love this palette and will use it until the first snowfall.
The next item I got in my base box is the Fleur + Bee Eyes Eyes Baby Eye Cream. What a name. I’ve never tried anything from this brand before, so I took a little look around their website. It’s not incredibly exciting or anything, but they do make some claims; they’re vegan, which is cool no issue there. They definitely lean into the CLeAn bEAutY thing, which in my opinion is a little overdone, but they also have a little blurb about sustainability and giving back and that’s nice.
The packaging for this little eye cream – and I guess for every single item on their site actually in some form – is a dark orange-ish red jar with a white lid. It’s not that cute but does come off as matching their all natural, clean vibes.
The product itself is a nice rich cream, definitely a thicker and more heavy cream than the ones I’ve used in the past. It felt a little cool going on and I’ve been using it overnight. It doesn’t really smell like much.
The only thing is, about a week into consistently using this and the other eye serum, I did develop a breakout on my left eyelid and that really made me unhappy because it’s such a big red blotch I can’t even really do my eyes right now. I let up on that cream and maybe will try to just use it when I’m feeling extra dry, or as a night mask for the rest of my face or something.
Next is the Dew of the Gods Tahitian Breakfast Dewey Collagen Primer. I got an item from this brand a few months ago and loved it, so I have been excited to try this out too.
The packaging is very similar, tropical, jungle, very garden of eden, venus flytrap, pink sky kind of vibes. It’s a squeeze tube that’s easy to open. Obviously squeeze tubes are harder to control, but it’s not rocket science.
The product has a strong fragrance of berries, like red fruit juice. But it’s not strong like your eyes sting just like whoa this smells like what wine should taste like if it tasted nice. It’s a thick and creamy formula, but I might not have let it dry down enough or maybe I combined it with too much of my skincare routine, because I did notice my foundation went on patchier with this one. I’ve tried it with a little less product underneath and it seemed to work better. It’s definitely not a wow product but I think it would be good if I was in a hurry and didn’t want all my skincare, just a primer.
And the last item I got in my box is the Monoi Milk Leave in Conditioner from a brand called Playa. Not a brand I’ve ever tried before, and I don’t do my hair super often, so this is a very surface level review. It comes in a sizable spray bottle with a spritz cap instead of a squeeze, which I don’t love as much because my hair is long and curly. It would take me days to get as much product into my hair and into all the layers with a spritz bottle, and just being upside down for more than a minute is a pain.
The product itself has an excellent texture and fragrance, nothing heavy, my hair didn’t feel sticky or overdone – maybe because I couldn’t get as much product in it as a I would have wanted – and I wrapped it up in a towel for about a half an hour before bed, and I woke up to super smooth hair. Still frizzy like always, my hair is always frizzy no matter what. But smelled and felt nice and noticeably silkier. It wasn’t really something I could get good photos of, since it’s a spritz bottle for my hair.
And that’s everything! Box items and Mega Drop Shop items. Thanks so much for reading, I have enjoyed trying these products out and I’m excited to keep going for the rest of the year. Sorry for the long post, which is going to be the new norm, but things have been so busy with my new position at work and I haven’t been coming home with as much time or energy to write and play around.
See you for the IPSY post later!
Dani