Saturday, May 28, 2016

Sephora Haul

*All Products In This Post Purchased By Me

Sephora Haul

Hello my lovelies! I hope everyone is having a beautiful day today. Today's post is different than any other post I've done before. While I have done many product reviews, I have never before done a haul post!  Strange right? I know. I generally like to thoroughly test out a product before sharing it with you. However, I decided to write this post, because these are brands that I am familiar with. Plus, I thought it would be fun to give you all a little insight into my mini shopping trip the other day, and show you exactly what types of products grab my attention when I go searching for awesome new beauty products. The purpose of this particular haul, was just to go in and pick up a few items that intrigued me and I have been wanting to try. None of these products are new to makeupland, but they are new to me. 

# 1 BeautyBlender Blotterazzi:  You may think that I have been living under a rock, but prior to my shopping trip at Sephora, I had never heard of this product!  I'm sure most of you are familiar with the egg-shaped original beautyblender sponge that applies foundation like a dream.  Well, the same company that brought us that little pink gem, now brings us Blotterazzi!  The name of the product, and uniqueness of it, are what caused me to purchase this item. Blotterazzi is meant to replace blotting papers (thin sheets of sheer tissue paper used to blot excess oil from the face) in a reusable, less wasteful fashion. The product looks like a slice of the original beautyblender sponge.  It is flat, and meant to be used dry. Housed in a plastic compact, there is a thin sheet of protective paper inside which separates the two flat sponges inside.  This allows you to use one, but have another clean one underneath for days when you are extra oily.  The case has air vents on the bottom to prevent mold or bacteria from growing on the sponge. The package also came with a sample size of their beautyblender cleanser so that you can wash the Blotterazzi flat sponge after use. With the weather getting warmer, I am excited to see how this performs.  Having to wash something like this after each use may not be as convenient as traditional blotting papers that you can just throw out after each use, but I would have to imagine that it is better for the environment, in the same way that using real ceramic dinner plates versus paper plates is.  Some factors that will play into my decision to repurchase this item include; how long the sponge lasts before I need to repurchase, how effective it is at blotting oil without disturbing my makeup, how much time I have to clean the bloterazzi and how practical it is in everyday use. After I use this a bit more, I will likely write a full review on the product.

Here is a closer look at the BeautyBlender Blotterazzi ($20):




Above: Blotterazzi case, which holds 2 sponges, and sample size of blendercleanser



Above: Inside, you have 2 sponges, separated by a thin protective sheet.  The second photo shows the Blotterazzi size, compared to the original beautyblender sponge. 



Above: Blotterazzi size compared to a traditional blotting paper. The second photo shows the case venting on the bottom of the compact. 

 # 2 BeautyBlender Micro Mini:  From the same brand, I also purchased these adorable little baby beautyblenders known as "Micro Mini."  Honestly, I just bought them because they are cute! Like the original beautyblender, this pair of egg-shaped sponges is meant to be used damp, but it's super tiny size is intended to help get into small, harder to reach areas, such as the inner corner of the eye, around the nose, and anywhere that you might need something a bit smaller to blend with.  When using makeup brushes, I generally select the brush size based on the size of the area I am working on. I assumed the same concept would work here when deciding to purchase these little cuties. You get 2 micro minis in the package as well as a little fold out pamphlet explaining the different uses for them. I did actually use these yesterday, and due to their almond-like size, found them a bit difficult to use with my large hands. However, I do see where these can have a place in someone's makeup routine. If you have smaller hands, and find the original beautyblender is difficult to use in certain smaller areas of the face, this may be worth a buy.  However, if you already own the original beautyblender, and don't have the extra money to spend, this isn't a game changer for me the way the original beautyblender sponge was. 

Here is a closer look at the BeautyBlender Micro Mini ($18):




Above: beautyblender micro mini package contains two tiny, almond-shaped neon green sponges


Above: beautyblender micro mini size comparison, dry on the left, damp on the right. 



Above: beautyblender micro mini size comparison (from left to right) micro mini dry, micro mini damp, original beautyblender sponge dry





Above: beautyblender micro mini package included a fold out pamphlet with suggestions for use including linear highlighting, diffused highlighting and sharp, controlled shaping and contouring. 


Above: beautyblender micro mini in action.  I used it to blend out my under eye concealer.  It fit very nicely into the corner of my under eye area.  However, I found the size of the sponge almost too small, and a bit awkward to use. I think I would like this product better if it were just a tad bit larger. 



Above: beautyblender micro mini after one use the sponge soaked up a lot of product and was difficult to clean. Compared to the new, unused one, this already seems to be discolored. It seems that I will need to really deep clean this if I have any hope of it returning to its original color. 


# 3 Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick:  I am SO EXCITED about this product!! As the title suggests, this squeeze tube houses a liquid lipstick that is long wearing. The color I got is Melted Coral, a beautiful orange shade. I wore it yesterday, and got a good 6 hours out of it before the color started to fade. From what I understand, these are frequently sold out, and a bit difficult to find, so I consider myself very lucky to have snagged this lovely lippie to rock as the weather gets warmer. If you are looking for a lip product with a satin finish, in a bright beautiful color that only needs one swipe to get full-on rich pigment, this product is for you. You just squeeze the tube until a little of the product is dispensed from the sponge tip applicator, and apply it directly to your lips. I did not find the application to be messy, nor did I find the product to be sticky.  The product itself is quite comfortable on the lips, so much so, that I actually forgot I was wearing it, until I wiped some color off with my napkin at dinner. This is seriously one of the best, if not the best liquid lipstick I have ever used. I also think the color is pretty unique. Coral lippies that I have in my collection range from orangey-pinks, to light salmon, but this shade wears much more orange-toned on me, which I really like.  

Here is a closer look at Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Coral ($21):





Above: swatches photographed with and without flash (just one swipe from tube)



Above: applied to the lips over concealer to show the true color of the product.  Photographed with and without flash.  The product glided on smoothly, and the texture felt weightless on my lips. 



Side Note: The other items pictured in the first photo of this post were not purchased by me.  They were free samples given to me by Sephora for being a VIB Rouge, so I did not include them in my haul as I did not buy them, and am unsure of their cruelty-free status. 

If you are not already subscribed, please don't forget to do so. This way, you will never miss a post! I would love to hear your thoughts on my very first haul post. Do you want to see more posts like this?  Have you tried any of the products mentioned in this post? 

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*All products in this post were purchased by me.  I do not get paid to write product reviews.