The Squirts

In honor of my upcoming blog post on terribly named beauty products, I decided to do a post with an atrocious title. 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: Reviews on this are a dime a dozen—and for good reason. I love it but because of the smell I keep trying others. The minty scent is definitely refreshing, however, the rest of the mix kind of smells like urine to me. That said, it does a great job of hydrating your skin better than other facial mists I've tried. It has a really fine mist that doesn't require any blotting afterwards and it doesn't leave your face feeling tight like Evian other brands. The 1 oz. size is perfect for carrying around in your purse but with daily use each bottle only lasts 2-3 months at best. I use it sometimes to set powder makeup and while it doesn't really help the makeup last, it does keep it from looking powdery. I'll frequently use it as a toner after washing my face and follow with a moisturizer. I'm on my second bottle and will likely continue to repurchase. ($18 for 1 oz. at Sephora)

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater: This is by far the best value at $7 for 4 oz. and a close second favorite to Beauty Elixir. I love the distinct rose smell, but it lacks the oils that are in the Beauty Elixir and isn’t as hydrating—still a little more than Fix+. Again, this is good for spraying as a toner or after applying powder but it doesn’t really make your makeup last longer.  

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Face Mist: Claims to be an energizing, clarifying anti-oxidant tonic, hydrating, pore minimizing, and anti-aging. It definitely has a pomegranate/tea scent and in that sense, it’s refreshing but I don’t feel that it’s done much for my skin. This one leaves your skin feeling slightly sticky. I’ll use this up, but it’s not exactly a joy to do so. ($28 for 4 oz. at Sephora)

Mac Fix+: Another facial mist that gets quite a bit of attention. I love how versatile it is and I think it does a good job of setting and extending makeup. I’ll occasionally apply this to apply makeup “wet”.  The light scent is really pleasant and I’d imagine most people would enjoy it. ($21 for 3.4 oz at Mac)

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist: This smells terrible. I blame the Ylang Ylang but it’s so much worse than that.  It’s also the stickiest of the lot. I guess if you wanted to turn your face into flypaper—it might be just the thing for you. ($22 for 6.75 oz. from Juice Beauty online)

 What are your favorite beauty mists?

Beauty Subscription SmackDown: March 2013

Beauty subscription boxes are relatively new to me and while some months are better than others-- it's a great way to get your hands on new products without committing to buy them. I've been subscribed to Birchbox and Ipsy (formerly Glam Bag) since this last December. If you use or prefer other subscriptions I'd love to know what you think!

In general, I like the brand selection of Birchbox as well as the fact that you can accrue points and use them in the Birchbox Shop. Ipsy definitely gives you better sample sizes and I like that everyone basically gets the same bag. 

Birchbox Samples

Twistband Headband in Silver: This definitely isn't a groundbreaking product, and I still struggled to keep it from slipping but I'm happy to have this. I use it to hold my hair back when I'm putting makeup off and on. 

Madewell for Birchbox Nail Emery Board: If nail files excite you, then I guess this is perfect. I'll definitely use this, but it's kind of the equivalent of giving me a roll of toilet paper. 

Whish Shave Cream in Blueberry: Definitely my favorite thing in the box so far. Smells great, semi-moisturizing, and allows you to get a close shave.

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer: This has a slight tint to it, which I really like. I haven't tried it enough to decide if it does a good job of holding eyeshadow but it did seem to make it appear a little more pigmented. 

Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum: I'm in love with my Origins Super Remover but I'm happy to try this little baby out. 

Ipsy Samples

(Left to Right: So Vein, Sand Dune)

LA Fresh Travel-Lite Makeup Remover Wipes: If you love a fiery burning sensation in your eyes these may be perfect for you! I rarely react to products but this had me running to the sink to rinse my eyes out. A feat which was exceptionally hard to do with tears streaming down my face.

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist: This was refreshing enough but had a smell that was even more "herbally" than Caudalie's Beauty Elixir. So far I feel kind of neutral about it.

GlamRX Mini Freestyle Palette: I'd actually been wanting to try a Z Palette for awhile so I'm glad I got this. I like that in includes a mirror and while it's small it would be able to hold a few essential pots. It's worth noting that the Coastal Scents eyeshadows in last month's box aren't metal and don't stick to this. I figured this out after completely crushing two of them :(

Yaby Eyeshadow Refill in So Vein and Sand Dune: Not impressed by these. Similar in consistency to NYX's single eye shadows but with less color-payoff. 

Overall, I think I preferred Birchbox this month (which is a first). Still, I love the concept of beauty subscription boxes and trying out new products that I most likely wouldn't have come across.