Kelley Quan Pocket Spa

 

Kelley Quan Pocket Spa

*This post contains samples sent for consideration

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!  I am super excited to share a new product from one of my favorite brands. If you have been a long-time follower of my blog, you have read my many posts raving about Kelley Quan's cruelty-free makeup brushes. They are my favorite brushes in my vast collection of beauty tools, hands down. However, today I am not sharing my review on her wonderful brushes, but instead, I am sharing with you an AMAZING new beauty "secret" that has quickly become a daily staple in my skincare arsenal. As a makeup artist, I love makeup. However as any good makeup artist will tell you, the foundation for a beautifully created makeup look, starts with great skin. I am obsessive about my skincare routine, and wish that more people took time to pamper their skin the way it should be treated. So now it is confession time. I have not been very nice to my skin lately. I was living in Connecticut, relocated to the U.S. Virgin Islands for a year and a half, and have recently relocated to Chicago, IL. For those of you not familiar with the climate here, winters are HARSH! My skin was so mad at me. The move from the hot and humid climate of the VI, to a cold dry one left my skin dry and literally flaking off of my face. While I took the time to bathe my skin in creams and exfoliate, my skin was still hating me. Luckily, Kelley Quan came to my rescue. She sent me a quick e-mail asking me if I would be interested in testing out her New Pocket Spa, and her message to me could not have come at a more perfect time. I have been testing out this product for a few weeks and have truly been surprised at the results.

 

At first glance, I was skeptical, because I am skeptical about any beauty product that claims benefits that sound almost too good to be true. However, my skin was in desperate need of some TLC, and I was willing to try just about anything to fix the Freddy Krueger-like situation going on with my face. Knowing that Kelley has only ever put out quality products, I kept an open mind, and put this new resource through all types of tests.  

 

What is a Pocket Spa?  The product itself is a small white cylinder that is about four inches high.  It comes with a cord for charging and when filled with water, the button on the front of the device must be depressed to release a micro-fine mist of hydration onto the skin.  

 

 

 

This mini portable skin hydration system delivers a big bang for your buck.  For those of you not familiar with Kelley Quan's brand, all of her beauty tools are cruelty-free and professional quality products. I return to her brand time and time again because I know I will always be purchasing a high-quality product without ever causing harm to animals. The Pocket Spa is very easy to use. After charging the device (just like you would charge your cell phone), you simply unscrew the cap and fill it to the "fill line" with a minimal amount of water, then pop the top back on.  Push the center button down, and a super fine mist is dispersed onto the skin creating instant hydration.

 



 

 

The blue light indicates the device is working. As the water lightly mists onto the skin you will realize that this product does not compare to any other facial spray on the market. Rather than the harshness of a makeup setting spray, this mist is very light and soothing.  The mist is dispersed for 30 seconds, before shutting itself off, leaving your skin with a light coat of hydration. 

 

How did I test this product?  I used it in a variety of ways. First, I tried the product at night, before my facial cream. This added the light layer of hydration to my skin, allowing for better absorption of the skincare product I placed over it. At first application, I did not notice anything different or special about my skin.  However, when I woke up the next morning and looked at my skin in the mirror, I immediately noticed my skin looking more healthy and hydrated. Since I am a highly skeptical person, I realized that it could just be wishful thinking and therefore needed to continue testing this product in a variety of ways. The following evening, I used the Pocket Spa after my night cream to lock in that hydration, similar to locking in your makeup with a setting spray.  However, to truly test out the product, I only did this on one half of my face so that I would have a basis for comparison.  To my surprise, the next morning, the side of my face where I used the Pocket Spa was noticeably more supple, and hydrated versus the side where I had only applied my nightly facial cream.

 

Over the past few weeks, I have tested the Kelley Quan Pocket Spa both in the morning and evening, under and over moisturizer.  However, my absolute favorite way to use this device is over makeup. Yes! OVER makeup! With the brutal Chicago winter, my skin can get very dry and flaky. There is nothing worse, than spending time creating a beautiful makeup application, only to have that powdery look after, which emphasizes every crease and fine line.  Once my makeup application is complete, the 30-second mist applied over top from the Pocket Spa, calms the skin down, and creates a barrier of hydration to help settle the makeup, and create the finishing touch to any makeup application.

 

 

Putting pictures of myself on the internet without any makeup on my face isn't exactly my favorite thing to do. I rarely leave the house without some level of foundation on.  The Kelley Quan Pocket Spa truly revitalized my skin, and got it back into a condition, where I feel comfortable enough to share the above photos with you. Rather than the dull, flaky winter distressed skin I started with, my skin is now smooth and supple.  If I got these results in just a few short weeks, I can only imagine what long-term use of this device will do for me. While this device is recommended for use with plain tap water, Kelley was kind enough to include a bottle of her Aquasol re:generate floral water (to be diluted for use with the Pocket Spa). I found plain tap water to be super effective in the use of her device. However, if you want to kick things up a notch, her Aquasol which is designed specifically for dry skin helps add a nice scent and invigorates the skin. It is important to note that the Pocket Spa is not intended to be used with any waters with oil as it will inhibit the device from working properly.

 

Another great use for this product is carrying it with you while traveling. The dry air on planes often leaves skin severely dehydrated and dull. I have seen other women carry those Evian water spray cans to use on the plane. However, those spray a full on hairspray-like fog over the face, rather than the soothing micro-mist dispensed by the Pocket Spa. 

 

To use the Pocket Spa properly, hold it about 10-15 centimeters away from your face, and just let it do it's thing!  It really is like having a mini spa in your pocket!!

 

I would once again, like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Kelley Quan for allowing me to try out her amazing beauty tools and share them with all of my readers.  While her products and talents are loved by many A-list celebrities, you don't have to actually be one to enjoy the benefits that Kelley Quan has made available to everyone. 

 

This product sells for about $85, and will serve as a permanent fixture in your beauty kit. If you are someone who has to deal with harsh winter weather, dehydrated skin, travels a lot or is dealing with any other number of environmental factors, this tool is a worthy investment to refresh and revitalize your skin.  It's tiny size makes it super easy to toss in your purse for hydration on the go.

 

For more information visit: www.thepocketspa.com or www.kelleyquan.com

 

Please leave any questions for me on the product below!

 

*This post contains a sample sent for consideration. I do not get paid to write reviews.  All opinions are my own.

 







Furless Black Beauty Makeup Brush Set - Review

This post contains products sent for consideration

Furless Black Beauty Makeup Brush Set

For the past two weeks I have been testing out some new brushes from the brand Furless. For those of you not familiar with the brand, Furless is a company based in Australia, but they ship allover the world.  All of the brushes they carry are completely cruelty free (made of synthetic bristles).   I'm no stranger to this brand, and have several brushes from them in my collection.  I was honored when they offered to send me a set of their new Black Beauty Makeup Brushes to test out and review.  I have been using these brushes exclusively for approximately two weeks now, including washing them to really test out their durability, and different uses for each brush.  

The Case:

The case that houses these brushes is nice and compact. It is actually quite surprising as this is a full set of brushes with full length handles, making it ideal for traveling or fitting in your makeup kit. It has a faux leather-like texture with the name "FURLESS" embossed on the cover. The case zippers open to reveal both sides filled with brushes, eight of them in total.  Closed, the case is under 10 inches tall, and under 4 inches wide.

The Brushes:

The first brush, the brand calls their "Multi-purpose Blending Brush."  I absolutely love this brush for applying foundation. Because of the large brush head, I can apply foundation to a full face very quickly. I used this to apply cream foundation on a bride and it got the job done faster than any other foundation brush in my collection. It applies and blends out the product quickly and effortlessly. I tested this brush with both liquid and cream foundations.  The tapered head also makes it great for contouring with cream products.  This is my favorite brush in the set.  The quality is unbelievable. It reminds me of the Marc Jacobs foundation brushes available at Sephora if you are looking for a quality comparison.

The second brush is the Black Beauty Powder Brush. I actually think it's quite difficult to find good quality synthetic brushes in this size and shape. The tapered head and size of the bristles make this a great brush for powdering the face, especially if you like to just powder the t-zone or powder with more precision. You could also use this to apply blush or bronzer. The bristles are super soft, and I love the sleek black handles on all of the brushes in the set. Each of these brushes is also sold individually.

The final "face brush" in this set is the Angled Contour Brush. This works great for powder and cream contouring as well as blush. The angled shape makes it easy to apply product with one end of the brush while blending with the other. I also used the tip to add powder highlighter to the face.

Eye Brushes: 

The first eye brush in the set is the Mini Angled Eyeshadow Kabuki Brush. I love using this brush to apply eyeshadow primer, cream eyeshadow, or concealer under the eye. The angled head makes it easy to get into the corner of the eyes and the bristles are soft enough for the delicate eye area. 

The Black Beauty Eyeshadow Brush is a flat paddle eyeshadow brush which is perfect for packing eyeshadow color onto the lid. The bristles are staggered bringing the brush to a nice tapered tip.  This brush picks up powder eyeshadow with ease, but can also be used to apply primer or apply cream eyeshadow. 

The Blending Crease Brush is probably my second favorite from the set. I love a good blending brush, and this one is a really nice size.  The brush head isn't overwhelmingly large as many blending brushes are.  I found this brush to work well on a variety of eye sizes and shapes. The tapered bristles fit perfectly in the natural socket of the eye, and I was able to get a perfect blend with this brush.

The Angled Liner Brush is thin enough to use with gel eyeliner, and also works great for filling in brows. I am really happy with the size and shape of the bristles on this particular angled brush, because it's narrower head allows you to get a much more precise line, especially if you want to use it for winged liner.

If you are a gel eyeliner lover, this Precision Eyeliner Brush is a must have! The bristles are long and thin enough to get very close to the upper lash line. I also used this damp with powder shadow for a softer lined look. 

Overall, the Black Beauty Makeup Brush Set is an amazing value. The quality of the brushes is extremely high end, and absolutely professional. While the case is compact and it appears to be a travel set, all of the brushes have full length handles.  This set would work great for a professional makeup artist, or anyone looking for a very high quality brush set.  You can purchase the set here:

http://furlesscosmetics.com.au/

Furless was also kind enough to send me 2 eyeshadow brushes, a lip brush and a stippling brush.  They are all pictured in the first photo of this post, but I wanted to give special mention to the stippling brush, because this size is something I get asked about a lot. 

 Left to right (above): Bdellium Tools 955, Furless PPF3,  Zoeva 125 Stippling (short handle)

The PPF3 Stippling brush is a smaller sized stippling brush.  This size is somewhat difficult to find in high quality synthetic brushes. It's great for applying cream blush, foundation, or highlighter. For size comparison, I pictured it above along two other stippling brushes in my collection. It has a long sleek black handle with the Furless logo stamped on it.  If you like stippling brushes, this is a great one to have in your collection. I think a cruelty-free brush of this circumference is difficult to find.

 Above: The lip brush inside the case is nice and compact

Furless also included the above Lip Brush (PL1) which is a must have for makeup artists. The cap snaps to the end making it a nice full length brush. The brush head comes to a sharp point making it easy to get into the corners of the mouth when applying ab lip product.

I was also sent the PE2 eyeshadow brush, which is a purple fluffy eyeshadow brush. It's more narrow than the Black Beauty Eyeshadow brush, with longer bristles. This is a good brush to apply and blend eyeshadow if you are looking for something multipurpose. 

I was also sent an eyeshadow brush from the Furless Perfectly Pink line. This brush has shorter denser bristles making ideal for smudging shadow or liner along the lower lash line. This brush is called a Stubby Blending Brush, which is exactly the perfect way to describe it!

If you haven't tried Furless brushes yet, I highly recommend them. The shipping is surprisingly fast and affordable, and their selection of cruelty-free brushes is among the best I've seen.  I've been very happy with not only the brushes I tested above, but also brushes I've purchased from the brand in the past. 

Their full selection can be seen here:

http://furlesscosmetics.com.au/

Thank you Furless for sending me these brushes to test out and review for my readers!

*This post contains samples sent for consideration.  I did not get paid to write this review, nor did I promise a favorable review.  All opinions are my own, and completely honest.

Gloss48.com Haul

This post contains products sent for consideration

Gloss48.com Haul

I recently discovered a fun new beauty site called Gloss48. This site features some of the top beauty brands offering special sales, exciting brands and a blog too!  If you love shopping for makeup, you are definitely going to want to check out this site. They feature different beauty brands at a special price each week so that you can try out that new lip gloss everyone is talking about at a fraction of the price.  Gloss48 was kind enough to send me a gift card so that I could pick out some products to try and review for you guys. The site currently features a large variety of cruelty-free brands that I love such as Christopher Drummond Beauty, Senna Cosmetics and Armour Beauty. 

Above look using Senna Cosmetics Palette

and Armour gloss in Lucy

My shopping experience on the site was fun and simple. You can search by brand or product type, and each product has a description as well as a little blurb about what makes the item unique and special. I purchased 2 items from the site so far.  The first item I got is from Senna Cosmetics. Their Haute Nudes Sultry Multi Makeup Palette includes 6 eyeshadows, a blush, a highlighter, mirror and 3 brushes for application. I've used other products from this brand before and everything is professional quality. If you aren't a pro, don't worry, this palette comes complete with a guide showing you how to create two distinct looks. There are a lot of "nude" eyeshadow palettes on the market, and I probably have most of them. I can honestly say this is one of the best nude palettes out there. You get five matte shades, and one shimmer shade for eyeshadow choices, all of which are super pigmented and blend like a dream. The palette also includes a sheer matte blush and powder face highlighter.  While I don't typically  use brushes included with palettes, the ones included here are actually usable and especially helpful for travel.  The small eyeshadow brush is quite nice to apply eyeshadow along the lower lash line, and unlike most palettes, they included a brush for lining the eyes if you want a bolder look.  I think this palette is especially useful for women over 30 years old, like me who have a need for more sophisticated makeup choices.   Again, I can't express how easy the eyeshadows are to blend. It can often be difficult to find good matte eyeshadows that are of this texture and pigmentation. The color selection chosen here really allows  you to create an effortless look for day or night.

 Everything you need in the palm of your hand!

 Eyeshadow colors from top left to right: New Moon, Sand, Tiger Lily, Palomino, Tigress (shimmer), Havana

Bottom left: Blush in Passion

Top left: Sunkissed highlighter

The second item I purchased is from Armour Beauty. I own several lip gloss colors from this brand, and they are by far my favorite lip gloss of all time. The color I chose is called Lucy. It's a brightly pigmented orange that wears more like a high shine liquid lipstick. The color is long lasting and when it does eventually fade, I noticed that it fades evenly leaving a flattering stain on the lips. This is THE color for Spring & Summer and will look good on just about every skin tone. If it is too bright for your personal taste, you can sheer it out for a light stain of color, but I think the pop of color on the lips just brightens up the whole face. 

 My order arrived nicely packaged with the Gloss48 logo on the box and a little personal note.

The first picture, and the picture above show me wearing Lucy gloss applied to bare lips. 

Overall, I am very happy with my first shopping experience with Gloss48, and I look forward to trying out more exciting products from this site. For a full list of brands offered by the site you can click here: 

http://gloss48.com/brands  

Have you checked out Gloss48 yet? Share your beauty buys in the comments below. 

*I was provided with a gift card to explore the site. I chose the products myself, and all of my reviews are completely honest. I do not accept compensation in exchange for positive reviews.