Sneak Peek: IT Cosmetics Hello Beautiful!

IT Cosmetics: Hello Beautiful!

Grab your smart phone and pull up your calendar. Type in QVC under March 18th, because this upcoming Monday, IT Cosmetics will be offering this cruelty-free kit at a "special" price for ONE DAY ONLY! IT Cosmetics, which stands, for Innovative Technology has packaged a 5-Piece Anti-Aging Color Collection filled with everything you need for a full face.  Luckily, I have the inside scoop, so you can see if this is the kit for you.  This collection which is called, "Hello Beautiful!"  was developed with leading plastic surgeons to infuse the products with ingredients that are actually good for your skin. Rather than just masking imperfections, these products will actually help to improve your skin over time. Over the past few months, this brand has really become a go-to brand for me. I'm in my 30s, and the fine lines are starting to show. Also, winters in Connecticut, really lead to drier skin. While I have a good skincare routine, using makeup products that are good for your skin and provide extra anti-aging benefits is something that really appeals to me personally.

The total retail value of this kit is $155. However if you tune in to QVC or visit QVC.com on Monday, March 18th, this will be offered at a "special" price for 1 day only. When you are thinking about purchasing some higher quality items, it's really nice to be able to do it in value set, this way you really get the most bang for your buck while being able to try a nice variety of products from the brand.

What's Inside:

Celebration Foundation- I am amazed with how pigmented this powder is! Also, if you have drier skin, this is the powder foundation for you. I find it extremely hydrating for a powder product.  While many powder foundations can accentuate any dry patches or flakiness, this one doesn't. It glides on smoothly leaving a fresh even looking canvas for the rest of your makeup. You really only need a tiny bit to get good coverage out of this product. Initially, when I first opened this kit, I thought if they included a concealer it would be a full face kit. However, wanting to really put this foundation to the test, I used it without any concealer. Instead, on areas where I needed extra coverage such as blemishes, or under the eyes I took a little bit on my finger and patted it on.  This provided me with enough coverage that I was able to skip concealer completely!  However, if you are a liquid foundation wearer, you can still use this as a setting powder for added coverage.

 The Celebration Foundation will be available in 5 shades: Fair (pictured), Light, Medium, Tan or Rich

The compact includes a mirror, and a puff for touch ups on the go. However, to start my day, I applied the foundation with the included brush. There is no question about it, this is a full coverage foundation.

Heavenly Luxe Buffing Airbrush Foundation Brush- This is a flat top buffing brush that contains more than 80,000 hairs packed tightly into one brush for the perfect airbrush application. I really find this style of brush is best to apply mineral foundation. However, if you do tend to wear liquid foundation, you can use this brush for that as well since the bristles are synthetic. Like other brushes from IT Cosmetics, the brush comes with a rubberized handle, making it very comfortable to hold.

The foundation itself is full coverage, but when applied with this brush, it really helps maximize the amount of coverage you get as well as providing that airbrushed look so many of us strive for with our foundation routine. 

Tightline Full Lash Length Black Mascara Primer-I have never seen a product like this before! This is a newer offering from IT Cosmetics.  It's actually very innovative as it lets you tightline so easily.  For those of you unfamiliar with tightlining, it's applying eyeliner to your upper waterline or the lash line right at the very root of your top lash line.  This gives the illusion of thicker, longer lashes. However, for many people, the idea of taking a pencil to that area is quite troublesome. Problem solved. IT Cosmetics created this mascara primer with super fine brush that lets you gently press the brush right where your lashes hit your eye lid and it creates that effect for you, no pencil required.  I also pulled the product through my lashes as I would any mascara to prime my lashes and give them a nice black base. This product is ideal for those with smaller eyes, or anyone who struggles with eyeliner. 

I really love this product, because it's just such a great idea! I am always looking for products that make my life easier, or cut down on the time it takes to get ready in the morning. Although I don't have a problem with tightlining the traditional way, I find this method quicker and more effective. Plus it's a 2 in 1. In addition to tightlining it also primes my lashes. I do normally use an eyelash primer, so this saves me the added step.

Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Mascara- This mascara is clinically proven to quadruple the volume of your lashes, using IT Cosmetics' proprietary blend of lash-enhancing and conditioning ingredients. Due to the unique wand shape, you can use this brush both horizontally and vertically to get more volume and lift. What I really love about this wand, is the ball end of the brush makes it super easy to get the inner lashes as well as coat the bottom lashes. I've actually been looking for a good cruelty-free bottom lash mascara as the wand I use for my regular mascara is just too big to coat the bottom lashes. This the perfect solution. 

 Above: The Tightline wand compared to the Mascara wand to show size difference.

Vitality Flush 4-in-1 Reviver Lip & Cheek Stain Stick- When I saw this product in the kit I already knew I was going to like it as I already own the Vitality Lip Flush from IT Cosmetics in the same shade.  This is very similar to the lip flush, but rather than coming in a lipstick type format, it comes in a chubby flat stick, making it easy to apply to both cheeks and lips. If  you are not familiar with this product, it's a natural looking stain that is extremely hydrating. The color is called Je Ne Sais Quoi which in the tube appears to be a clear light pink, but once applied warms up to a nice pop of youthful color. This product in lipstick shape form has made my monthly favorites list (as you may have seen on my Pinterest boards) in past months. I purchased the lipstick shaped version of this a few months back, and was amazed at how it didn't bleed up past my lip line and lasted all day without drying out my lips. The same goes for the product in this format.  It's a really long wearing flush of color, that provides pretty color without drying your skin. What I didn't expect was how much I was going to love this as a cheek color. It gives a lovely dewy finish to the cheek, which makes it double as a highlighter. You can apply this straight from the tube or with a brush. Many of you may be wondering if it is OK to apply a cream product after you've applied a powder foundation. The answer is yes. Because the powder is so "creamy," it actually works quite well. You can apply this to your cheeks with your fingers, or straight from the tube, but I liked it applied with a small stippling brush, just pushing the product over the foundation onto my cheekbones, then blend edges with the included buffing brush. For the lips, I used my finger and lightly patted the color on where I wanted it. 

 Overall, I am very impressed with this kit. The products are high quality and ideal for those

 concerned with aging. I would say this kit is great for those who favor a natural look, which is going to be a prevalent look this spring. This kit is everything you need for a full face. To really show you how the kit works solo, I photographed myself wearing nothing else other than what is in the kit. I did not bring in any outside concealers, primers or setting sprays. This is just everything in the kit, and the foundation was applied with the included brush.  It is important to note, that I do have blemishes and acne scars. I mention this because, while I didn't feel comfortable showing a before photo, I do want you to understand the full coverage nature of the foundation included in this kit.  The below photos are unretouched.

 I hope you enjoyed this early look at the IT Cosmetics Hello Beautiful Anti-Aging Color Collection.

To order you can call 1-800-345-1515 or visit www.qvc.com 

*The products seen in this review were sent to me for consideration by the company. This in no way alters my review. I do not accept money in exchange for writing reviews. I do not get any money if you buy this kit. I write reviews in hopes of helping you make good purchasing decisions. While I did not purchase this specific kit, I have purchased products from IT Cosmetics in the past with my own money, and will continue to buy and use their products as I enjoy the brand.

 

IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush

IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush 

Today, I want to share with you a look at my new IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush.  This is a newer brush to my collection, but it has become a fast favorite. Since, I got this brush, I've been using it every single day to apply my powder products. It works great with both pressed and loose powders, and even buffing on bronzer. 

What makes it so special?

This brush is just so soft, and the bristles are so extremely dense, that you get a perfect airbrushed application with every use!  It even works with liquid foundation if you prefer to buff on  your base, this brush will do it with ease.  Due to the large head of bristles, this brush also cuts down on the time it takes for your foundation and setting powder routine. When I first got this brush, I just couldn't stop rubbing my hand over the bristles! Yes, it feels that amazing. The rubber handle provides the perfect grip.   The best news? This super plush brush is 100% cruelty free!  There are so many bristles in this brush, that it really helps with an even distribution of product, no matter what medium you are working with. 

Here is a closer look at the brush:

As you can see from the above photo, it fits perfectly in my hand. The shorter handle is nice, if you like to sit close to a mirror when applying your makeup, as you don't have to worry about the handle bumping up against your reflection.

I read once that if your makeup skills are average, but you add in a superior quality brush to your routine, that alone will step up your makeup game. I am always looking for ways to make my makeup application easier, and save me time in the morning. This brush really helps with that for sure.

I hope you can really see from the above picture just how dense these synthetic bristles are. They pick up the perfect amount of product every time, and blend like a dream. I would certainly say "Heavenly Luxe" is an appropriate name for this luxurious powder brush.

If you are interested in purchasing this brush, you can do so at QVC or QVC.com for $48 in the United States. If you are in Canada, this brush is available at The Shopping Channel & theshoppingchannel.com

I hope you enjoyed this look at my new favorite powder brush!  Do you own this one? If not, will you be picking it up?


*Note: This brush was sent for consideration by the company. This in no way alters my review. I do not get paid to write reviews. I promise my readers that all opinions are my own. I am recommending this product because I truly love it, and I hope you do too!

Spotlight: Kiss My Sass Cosmetics

Kiss My Sass Cosmetics

As you may have read in a previous post of mine, this year I vowed to review more independent makeup brands. I first saw Kiss My Sass Cosmetics used in a YouTube tutorial by another beauty blogger/YouTube makeup artist. She mentioned that the brand is cruelty-free and offers many vegan options, which is why I decided to try it. Luckily, the brand was kind enough to offer me a discounted sample bundle for purchase where I was able to pick out several shades to try. Over the past couple of weeks or so, I've been testing these loose shadows both dry and with the use of a mixing medium, and I am very pleased with the brand. 

There are numerous shades of eyeshadow offered in a variety of finishes.  The brand also offers other color cosmetics, which I plan on buying in the future. 

Here are the shadows I tested from KMS Cosmetics:

Pictured Above (from left to right): Sandcastle (vegan), Beach Sand, Sahara (vegan)

Sandcastle is an awesome highlight color. It's a matte cream, that is very pigmented, and works great just under the brow or as a base color for other looks. Beach Sand is described as a pale nude with a peachy-pink undertone. To me, it looks like a light champagne color with very subtle shimmer. I use it as an inner corner highlight, on a very small brush, just under the brow bone, or sheered out over the lid for a wash of color. Sahara is a matte clay color. I love this as a transition color when doing a smokey eye to add some warmth.

Pictured Above (from left to right): Tea Rose, Bubbles (vegan), Blossom (vegan)

Tea Rose is a peachy pink with subtle golden shimmer, perfect for an allover lid color. Bubbles is a matte light mauve. This is a great spring color, that can be washed sheerly over the lid, or built up with darker colors for a smokey eye.  Blossom is a matte peachy pink. It's similar to Tea Rose, minus the shimmer though Tea Rose leans more on the peachy side than Blossom. 

Pictured Above (from left to right):  Cocoa (vegan), Nutmeg (vegan), Chocolate Truffle (vegan)

Cocoa is a medium matte brown. I used it to create the below brown smokey eye by blending it into the crease of my eye. Nutmeg is a medium warm brown, that I packed on the lid for the eyeshadow look below. Chocolate Truffle is the reason I wanted to check out this brand. The tutorial I watched used this color, and I was blown away by the richness of the shadow. This is a darkened brown with with pink, red and copper shimmer. The color has a lot of depth to it, and looks extra beautiful when used with a damp angled brush as liner.

Pictured Above (from left to right): Charcoal (vegan), Negligee (vegan), Cemetery Gates (vegan)

 Charcoal is a matte slate gray, perfect for a smokey eye, or liner. Negligee is a muted plum/purple with colored shimmer. I actually love these 3 shadows used together to create a smokey eye with a little added interest because of the plum shadow. Cemetery Gates is another favorite for me. It's a metallic silver, with a green sheen to it. This color really helped bring out the light gray flecks in my eyes when I wear it.


All of the shadows I tested were true to the descriptions listed on the site. I found these all to blend well on the eye and the matte shadows are true matte, while the shimmer shades, all have very fine sophisticated shimmer rather than chunky glitter.

Here are swatches of the shadows:

 Pictured Above (from left to right): Beach Sand, Nutmeg, Chocolate Truffle, Cocoa

 Pictured Above (from left to right): Charcol, Negligee, Cemetery Gates, Sahara, Sandcastle, Bubbles, Tea Rose, Blossom

And here is a closer look:

 First picture above: Charcol, Negligee, Cemetery Gates, Sahara, Sandcastle

Second picture above: Sahara, Sandcastle, Bubbles, Tea Rose, Blossom

Here is a brown smokey eye I created using the brown shadows from my sample pack:

To start, I used Sandcastle as an allover base, highlighting more strongly with it under the brow and on the inner corner and inner 1/3rd of the lid.  I then patted Nutmeg onto my lid using a flat stiff brush.  I swept Cocoa into the crease for added depth. To deepen the look further, I used Chocolate Truffle on the outer corner of my eye, in the crease, and then on a dampened angle brush as liner. For added warmth, I swept Sahara where my crease and highlight color met just to soften and ensure a smooth transition. On a very small brush, I took Beach Sand and put just a touch around my tear ducts and on the inner corner of the eye, and just a little bit right under my brow. 

This brown smokey eye works with all eye colors and was very easy to create, as the shadows blend quite smoothly.

 If you are interested in purchasing full sizes of any of the shadows seen in this post, you can click here: 

http://kiss-my-sass.com/Kiss My Sass

I hope you enjoyed this peek at Kiss My Sass Cosmetics. I also just want to add that the owner, was super sweet to deal with, and I personally like giving business to nice people, so I will buying more from this brand for sure! 

If  you like what you've read, please do not forget to subscribe! It's free, and subscribing helps support the site, and let me know that you enjoy my posts!  xoxo LNC

 

Spotlight: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders 

If you've read my January Favorites post, you'll know that I have really been enjoying the new Ambient Lighting Powders by Hourglass. With six beautiful colors to choose from, you may be wondering which is right for you. Luckily, Hourglass put out something for everyone!  While I don't have all six, I do have five of them. Some of you have been asking to see swatches, so I thought I'd include swatches, better descriptions and which brushes I prefer for application.

Here is a closer look at the shades I have:

 From left to right: Ethereal (white), Diffused (yellow), Luminous (champagne), Mood (lavender), Radiant (golden beige with shimmer) - Above with flash, below without.

 These were somewhat difficult to swatch because the shades are sheer. They are not highlighting powders, but rather meant to be worn allover the face as a setting powder. Therefore, they are not heavily pigmented like an eyeshadow, but rather bathe the face in a sheer cloak of light. 

Ethereal Light is a sheer opalescent, cool white powder. This is ideal for those with very fair skin and is meant to mimic a moonlit glow.  If used on a darker skin tone, it could work as a subtle highlighter rather than a setting powder.

Diffused Light seems to be the best match for my skin tone. It's a soft warm pale yellow which is great for those who wish to neutralize any redness in their skin. This is my favorite of the ambient powders because I feel like it really has some corrective properties in addition to setting my makeup.

Luminous Light is a champagne shade that will work best on those with a medium skin tone. However, I feel that of all of the shades available, this one is probably the most universal. Keep in mind the finger swatches are deceiving, because when applied with a brush, you get a light sheer effect, not the concentrated one seen in the photo below. I felt it was important to show a more concentrated version, to give you a better idea of the colors. This does appear to have some super fine shimmers in it, but the shimmer is undetectable on the face. Luminous creates the illusion of a candlelit glow on the face.

Mood Light is a sheer lavender/pink. Don't be scared of the word lavender. It's very light, and creates a brightening effect on the face. This is best for those who suffer from a dull or lackluster complexion. If you are looking to use some of the powders together, this one also looks pretty over a cream or powder blush just on the cheekbones. I also like this dusted lightly on the eyelids for a more awake appearance.

Radiant Light is a good choice for those with darker medium complexions to deep skin tones. This is the powder I reach for when I am going for a super bronzed look. I love this over a bronzer or self-tanned skin dusted lightly along the perimeter of the face. This really enhances deeper skin tones beautifully, and for those with lighter skin, it can help enhance the appearance of a faux tan.  This is the only powder with real noticeable shimmer in the pan and in the swatches. However once applied to the face, the shimmer is so subtle, it creates more of a satin finish than anything, but certainly does not look like glitter on the face by any stretch of the imagination. This is a very warm toned powder and the most pigmented of the ones I have.

Dim Light (not pictured) is a mix of warm and cool tones. It is a neutral peachy beige powder that I didn't purchase because I simply feel it would be too dark for my complexion and I don't think I would get much use out of it. However I am very happy that Hourglass Cosmetics included shades for everyone. It is rare that brands take all skin tones into account, so I commend them for doing so.

Now that you know the available shades, you are probably wondering how to apply this beautiful powder! I did purchase the Ambient Powder Brush (sold separately) which comes in a convenient pouch to carry in your purse without it getting dusty or damaged. I originally thought this powder would work with any large powder brush. However, I've had these for a few months now, and find they apply best with a flat brush that allows you to paint the product on rather than using a buffing type motion. 

These are the brushes that I have found work well to apply these powders:

 Pictured Above: OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) Large Powder Brush

 Pictured Above: Cozzette S125 Oval Powder Brush

 Pictured Above: Purely Pro Cosmetics Vegan Brush - Large Pointed Face

 Pictured Above: Everyday Minerals Kuuki Brush

 Pictured Above: Eco Tools Tapered Blush Brush

 Pictured Above: Hourglass Ambient Powder Brush

I am not saying you have to run out and buy one of the brushes I've mentioned. However, I do feel this product is best applied with a flatter brush rather than a round bronzer type brush to get the full effect of the product. I tried to include brushes in every price range as I realize the powders are a bit of a splurge, and adding the cost of the brush is not feasible for everyone. 

The texture of these powders are amazing. They are finely milled, not chalky at all, and just blend so smoothly. These powders are housed in a mirrored gunmetal-like compact, which is the signature packaging of Hourglass Cosmetics. They come with a warning that they are fragile, but I am pretty clumsy and haven't had any mishaps yet (knock on wood). These miraculous powders have the ability to control shine, yet add luminosity, a task not easily mastered by any other makeup product in my arsenal. These are not highlighters, so if that's what you are looking for you may want to try another product. Like all Hourglass products, the price tag can be a bit of a shock at first. However, I think these are a worthy investment. If you are going to splurge on one makeup product this season, this should be it. These are unique, they do what they claim to, and most importantly, they really help you look your best. I am in love with these and really happy I purchased them. 

If you end up picking one of these up, I'd love to hear about it! Drop me a comment in the box below. As always, comments are approved individually, so don't worry if you don't see your comment right away. 

All products and brushes seen in this post were purchased by me. I never accept money in exchange for writing a review. As always, all products seen in this post are cruelty-free!