RMS Beauty Defining Formula Mascara 

Thursday, December 18, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 9:03 PM
As a rule, I don't buy expensive mascara. I am a stickler about throwing out mascara after 3 months, and often do earlier than that as I have very sensitive eyes and often start getting irritation prior to the 3 month point. I do not buy $28 mascara.

But I love RMS Beauty. Love, love, love. I am pretty much obsessed with their eyeshadows, and awhile back they had a promotion that involved buying some products and getting a free Defining Formula Mascara, which normally costs $28. And I really wanted their new eyeshadows... so. I ordered this mascara from rmsbeauty.com. I usually buy RMS products from dermstore.com. I've now been using this mascara for almost three months and am sadly ready to part with it for a fresh tube of mascara... but I have to tell you about it first (because I may never own a $28 mascara again!)



The mascara is .23 oz. and comes in a slim metal tube. The shade is black, and it only comes in one shade but two different formulas, defining and volumizing. I was glad the promotion was for defining because the volumizing formula includes shea butter, which I definitely can't use near my eyes. Here's the ingredient list from rmsbeauty.com:

Water (Aqua), *Cera Alba (Beeswax), Stearic Acid, *Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Geraniol, Limonene, Parfum (Natural Fragrance). May Contain [+/-]: Iron Oxides CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
*Certified Organic
Gluten Free Formula

I was surprised to see that the RMS Beauty Volumizing Formula is rated a 4 at EWG. I went ahead and ran a report for the Defining Formula and it also rated a 4. This was surprising to me because I have very sensitive eyes and I have not reacted to this mascara.



As you can see the most unique thing about this mascara is that the wand is very thin. I really liked this wand because I felt like it was easier to avoid hitting myself in the eyeball with my mascara, and the design makes it easier to get it where you want it instead of all over your face. 

One coat (left only). 

Two coats (left only). 

Three coats (left only). 

Three coats both sides. 

With the high price of this mascara (have I mentioned that yet?) and the EWG rating of 4 I am unlikely to purchase this mascara again, but I'm really glad I got to try it! I think it looks great and stays on nicely. If I wear it a really long time - like, over eight hours - it can start to flake off and smudge under my eyes, but other than that it performs well. I really like the unique brush design and wish more natural mascaras had a brush like that. This doesn't make me love RMS Beauty any less, but I probably won't buy this mascara again. 

If you are interested in trying out this mascara you can purchase it here. 







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Mailbox: The All Natural Face November Holiday Box + SALE 35% off coupon code! 

Sunday, December 14, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 6:23 PM
Spoiler alert: If you start buying things from The All Natural Face, you will not stop. I have been purchasing from them for about a year and a half and have always wanted to try their beauty box but convinced myself not to. Since I knew I was going to Italy this summer and then moving it seemed logical to cancel any beauty boxes I was subscribing to, and I tried not to sign up for anymore when I got to South Carolina. Tried. It was a happy fail though, because I really like what's in this box!

I wasn't actually expecting to get the November box because I signed up so late in November, so I assumed I would get the December box. The box included 3 full size eyeshadows, a full size lipstick, a lip balm pot, a nail polish,  a pin, and a coupon code that I get to share with you!


The All Natural Face Eyeshadows in French Vanilla, Ice Fairy, and Dark Smoke. Top of swatch no primer, middle over The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer, bottom of swatch over The All Natural Face Vegan Eye Shadow Primer Black. The lipstick color is The All Natural Face Lipstick Cherries Jubilee.

This is two coats of Sweetheart Red nail polish with Zoya Get Even Basecoat and Armor Topcoat.


I'm wearing The All Natural Face Eye Shadows in Dark Smoke, French Vanilla, and Ice Fairy over The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer, RMS Beauty Defining Mascara, Lucy Minerals Lucy Light Foundation Light Medium, The All Natural Face Vegan Glow Pale Rose, and The All Natural Face Lipstick in Cherries Jubilee. 

Save 35% off your The All Natural Face Order from 12/20 - 12/27 with the coupon code Give Thanks! Yes, I am already planning... 

My thoughts are with Crystal and her family. 



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Mailbox: Lucy Minerals FTW 

Saturday, December 13, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 4:02 PM
This is my second order from Lucy Minerals, but today I decided to go ahead and share my first order as well, which was foundation samples plus a free eyeshadow and an eyeshadow sample. My second order was 3 full size foundations and 2 eyeshadows for $35 (their Black Friday special) plus a liner sample and a sample of the Vitamin C serum, which I will have to review later as I have not tried that yet.



I've been playing with my Lucy Minerals foundation samples for awhile now. I ordered them back in September and have been having a hard time deciding which shade was right for me because honestly, all the ones I tried seem to work fine. Lucy offers neutral shades and warm olives shades. I was worried about this because I tend to need cool, pink-based shades, but I think the neutral shades work fine for me. They do offer the shade Fair which is a cool shade but I didn't try it because I knew it would be too light. The shades I initially ordered samples of are pictured below:

Lucy Light foundations in Light, Cream, Bisque, Light Medium, Shell Beige, and Medium.

I stuck with the Lucy Light foundation because I tend to have very sensitive skin. I did order one sample of Light Medium original formula but I haven't tried it out yet. The Lucy Light formula works very well for me. I am incredibly impressed by how well it covers the redness in my face and how long it lasts on my face, as makeup tends to melt off for me. This is definitely the best loose mineral foundation I have ever tried! For my black friday order I got 3 shades of foundation in the Lucy Light formula: Bisque, Light Medium, and Shell Beige. I think the Light Medium works the best so I decided to go one up and down from there in the neutral category. The shade Cream is the only one pictured here that is a yellow-based shade. 

On the left is the liner shade Espresso, and then from the bottom up is Peacock, Sea Glass, Autumn Splendor, Whisper Pink. Nail color is Zoya Holly. 

Here are the eyeshadow shades. I chose Peacock as a free gift for spending $20 on my sample order, and got a baggie of Sea Glass free. In this second order I chose Autumn Splendor and Whisper Pink, and received a baggie of Espresso liner free. I absolutely love these shades. Autumn slender is a gorgeous cranberry shade with blue glitter. I'm also a huge fan of peacock as I love anything in the turquoise family. I don't generally use mineral liners as I find that very difficult but the Espresso shade is beautiful. 

I have only used Lucy Minerals for a brief time but I highly recommend them! First off, they are very affordable. A mineral foundation is $15 and a sample is $2.50. the samples come in eye shadow sized containers. My full sizes jars of foundation and eye shadow are packed full and they have have a lot of great promos as well as cheap shipping. The products adhere very well to the skin, have great coverage, stay on all day, and are gorgeous. The foundations are matte but the shadows are very sparkly. I did get quite a bit of fallout from Autumn Splendor but it's an amazing color so I don't care too much! You can purchase Lucy Minerals products here. 

In this photo I am wearing Lucy Light Foundation Light Medium,  The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer, Autumn Splendor Eye Shadow, Whisper Pink Eye Shadow, RMS Beauty Defining Mascara, The All Natural Face Vegan Glow Pale Rose, and Silk Naturals Card Shark Organic Lipstick. 


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Breakfast is Served! 

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 5:38 PM
Because cooking for me is still somewhat of a novelty and I get excited when I do it right... I have to share that I made Gimme Some Oven's Cashew Dark Chocolate Energy Bites and they are literally amazeballs. Literally, because they're actually spherical objects and they taste amazing. In the interest of full disclosure, I made them with peanut butter instead of cashew butter because as it turns out purchasing cashew butter is sort of like purchasing gold. Maybe next time, though, because cashews are rad.


These things are really delicious and filling, as well as easy to make, and honestly I wouldn't have known they had flax seed in them if I hadn't put it in there. Already contemplating when I will make this again... I should have taken a picture of it in my KitchenAid!

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Mailbox: Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Creme Foundation 

Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 7:00 PM
Remember Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse? Ok, maybe that stuff still exists. It's been a long time since I could walk into Walgreens and buy makeup. Anyway, I really miss mousse foundation. Over the summer I tried some samples of the Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Cream Foundation. I love the smell of the foundation and the feel of it, and it didn't cause any skin sensitivities, but it is possible that it may have created (or exacerbated) summer oiliness/acne. I've been wanting to try it again this winter so I ordered it this past week as it was 30% off. I did have to pay shipping but it wasn't too bad, and it was the best deal I have seen on this foundation, which normally sells for $27.

The shade is Neutral No. 30. I haven't tried the cool shades but I think this one matches me really well.
Pictured here is the Creme Foundation in Neutral No. 30 with samples of Peluche Lip Colour and Finishing Powder. 

Creme Foundation Neutral No. 30, Peluche Lip Colour, Finishing Powder. 

Overall this foundation provides sheer to medium coverage. I've used it the last two days with the finishing powder. It blends out relatively sheer. I am glad though because on my hand it seems like the wrong color but on my face blended out it looks pretty natural. While I do think this color works fine I will probably try a cool color in the future if I decide to buy this foundation again. This product rates a 1 on EWG. If you are interested in purchasing the foundation you can do so here. I did try samples first! 

The Peluche Lip Color is pretty but makes my lips peel, presumably because I am sensitive to shea. Both the foundation and the lip color smell amazing. I hadn't the foundation to David and told him to smell it and he thought it was gross, but I still think it smells delicious, like raspberries. The Finishing Powder was really nice for setting the foundation. 


I took some pictures in the car and they all turned out blurry. Oops. I also had a sample of this in a lighter color so I used that under my eyes. 

Wearing Lauren Brooke Creme Foundation Neutral No. 30, Lauren Brooke Creme Foundation Neutral No. 10, Lauren Brooke Finishing Powder, Lauren Brooke Peluche Lip Color, The All Natural Face Cherry Blossom Vegan Glow, RMS Beauty Lunar Cream Eye Shadow, and RMS Beauty Defining Mascara. 

Current nails: Zoya Holly 


And because I feel like sharing: our Christmas tree :) 





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The Giant "I'm Going to Start a Blog" Empties Post 

Sunday, December 7, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 3:43 PM
I've been saving these up awhile knowing I was planning on blogging. It just took awhile. Now they're taking over the bathroom, so it's time to get rid of them! This is empties from September, October, AND November. Stars: * = Meh ***** = Holy Grail




  • Real Purity Velvet Glove Theraputic Hand Creme 2 oz. ***** Repurchase? Yes, and I already have. And then bought 3 more as gifts. I work at a school and am an obsessive hand washer, so this stuff is magical and necessary. 
  • Real Purity Facial Food Creme 2 oz. *** Repurchase? Maybe. I like the ingredients and I didn't have any problems or reactions to it, but my finicky sensitive skin wanted more moisture. 
  • The All Natural Face Vegan Aloe and Crystal Deodorant Stone Roll-On Lavender Lemongrass Rosemary 2 oz. ***** Repurchase? Yes, and I already did. This is the deodorant I took to Italy this summer, and it lasted me the whole 50 days and I still have some left. It worked really, really well, and I have also repurchased, but my body has started to adjust to it so I've had to go back to other deodorants. Even when I find a good one I still have to rotate, so this is still HG for me. 
  • Yes to Coconut Hydrate & Restore Cleansing Wipes 25 Wipes ** Repurchase? No. I really need to stop buying Yes To products. Most of them have shea butter in them and the ones that don't still seem to always irritate my super sensitive eyes. These took awhile to irritate but eventually did. They do have an amazing coconut scent and remove eye makeup nicely. 
  • Trader Joe's Micellar Cleanser & Makeup Remover 20 Towelettes **** Repurchase? Yes. These work much better for me. They remove makeup effectively and cause minimal irritation. I Have a bunch of makeup wipes at the moment but I'm sure I will get these again in the future. 
  • Giovanni Refreshing Facial Cleansing Towelettes ***** sample & Giovanni D:Tox System Purifying & Exfoliating Cleansing Towelettes*** sample Repurchase? Yes, I would definitely get the Refreshing Facial Cleansing Towelettes and they were some of the least irritating makeup wipes I've ever tried. I got these samples on my first ever trip to Whole Foods!
  • Zoya Remove + Polish Remover Color Lock Step 1 1 oz. & Zoya Remove + Polish Remover Color Lock Step 1 2 oz. ***** Repurchase? Yes. I should buy stock in this stuff. I don't need to buy any for awhile, believe me. 
  • Zoya Armor Topcoat/UV block mini .25 oz. *****Repurchase? Yes. As if I haven't already. This stuff will keep your polish on 7 days easy when your nails are in good shape. Today is day 8 for me and most of it's still on, and my nails are NOT in good shape. I tend to only get results that good using it with Zoya polish, but most of my polish is Zoya, so. 
  • Real Purity Disguise System Medium Full Size Repurchase? *** Maybe. The size of this isn't listed on the website anymore but it is very small. I originally purchased this in Light and it was way too light for me. I still have that one and use it under my eyes only. Medium is a great match for me but I really just want this to be a foundation. It's light and creamy and very natural looking, but I used it up really fast because of the size. 
  • Au Naturale Lipstick Spanish Rose FS **** Repurchase? Yes. I told myself I had to use this up before I could order Au Naturale's Organic Lip Palette which I ordered during all the black Friday business. This color is dark enough to be bold without being vampiric. I like vampire colors too though. 
  • Real Purity Mascara Black FS ***** Repurchase? Yes, I've been through a few of these. This is the mascara I took to Italy and it lasted me another month after that. I use mascara until it irritates my eyes. I rarely make it to the 3 month mark, but this one lasted almost that long. 
  • Herban Luxe Aubergine Waterproof Vegan Mascara .3 oz. * Repurchase? No. I absolutely love Herban Luxe black mascara's but this color didn't show up on me. As you can see on my hand this one is pretty dry (although it has been open for awhile). I should probably just stop buying mascaras that aren't black because I never end up liking them. 
  • Real Purity Papaya Masque Sample x 2 Repurchase? Probably not. I think I actually used both of these to cover my face as the samples were really small. This was not harsh, but just the tiniest bit too harsh for my sensitive skin. 
  • Real Purity Toothpaste Cinnamon sample Repurchase? Maybe. I actually just ordered the mint one because mint I always pick mint. As a nine year old dentist's would offer me bubblegum flavor and I would ask for mint. 
  • Real Purity Eye Shadow Vanilla sample **** Repurchase? Yes, I already own it in a duo. Excellent highlight color, and Real Purity's shadows are the absolute best - no irritation, pressed so they're not messy, and pretty colors. Vanilla is a highlight color it is not super pigmented. 
  • Silk Naturals N30 HD Foundation **** Repurchase? This foundation, yes. This color, no. The cool shades work much better on me. 
This is Au Naturale Lipstick Spanish Rose, Real Purity Mascara Black, Herban Luxe Waterproof Vegan Mascara Aubergine, Real Purity Disguise System Medium

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Pacifica Gossamer Wings Iridescent Palette New Stuff Review Target Exclusive 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 4:42 PM
This is my first makeup product from Pacifica. I've been wanting to try their cosmetics for ages. This palette is a Target exclusive and retails for $11.99.


I never save packages but this one is so pretty! Here are the ingredients: 


I ran this palette through the Cosmetic Safety Database and it rated a 1 - I try to stick to products that rate 2 or less, so that is great! 



Strangely the name of this palette and the name of the colors are not on the palette, soooooo... I have a Sharpie. 



This is Glow, Silver Wing, Butterfly, and Treasure. The top of the swatch is on my bare hand. The middle is over The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer. The bottom of the swatch is over The All Natural Face Vegan Eye Shadow Primer Black. 

I absolutely love Glow and Treasure. They are very easy to work with and very pigmented. Silver Wing and Buterfly are more difficult. You can see I did some digging in the pans to get these to build up. 


Here I am wearing Silver Wing over The All Natural Face Vegan Eye Shadow Primer Black with Glow highlight and RMS Beauty Defining Mascara. 


My makeup has worn off a bit from when I took the photo. Also wearing Silk Naturals C50 HD Foundation, The All Natural Face Vegan Glow Cherry Blossom, RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, and Silk Naturals Say No More Slick Stick. 

And just in case you didn't know...



You can buy this palette at Target.com for $11.99. I do think it is a good buy. Even though two of the colors are difficult to work with they are all wearable and gorgeous! I will definitely be reviewing more Pacifica items in the future! 




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Happy Thanksgiving! SkinFood Super Butter Creamy Mask Sheet Review 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 4:44 PM
I have two sisters - Megan, who lives in South Korea, and Joelle, who lives with our parents in my hometown in Missouri. Megan visited them recently and while I was sad I did not get to see her, I was glad I got to go this past weekend to visit the rest of my family in Missouri.

I visited Megan in Korea and quickly became enamored by Korean beauty brands, many of which emphasize their use of natural products. Unfortunately, being unable to read Korean, it's pretty difficult to know what I'm actually using. My favorite Korean brand is SkinFood. Walking into a SkinFood feels a lot like walking into a Lush. Megan used to live in Seoul but recently relocated to Busan. If she continues to live there I will eventually visit again.

In any event, for Thanksgiving I journeyed to Missouri for family and food! Also I really missed this guy:


Megan left some goodies for me from Korea (!!!) with Joelle so we decided to break into some face masks while I was there. Unfortunately she had no desire to be pictured on the Internet wearing a face mask. I, on the other hand, have no shame. 



Now, I can't read the ingredients list, but I can tell there is Shea butter in there. I don't use Shea frequently as it can sometimes make me itchy, but luckily I did not react to this mask at all. 


We'll just go ahead and keep that picture small on account of how ridiculous it looks. 

If you've never done a Korean face mask before, they can be a bit of a surprise as there is an actual mask sheet soaked in the treatment that is made to fit your face. Some fit my face better than others and clearly this one kept ending up in my mouth! This one was very, very wet. I kept it on my face for about twenty minutes. I planned to rinse it off but it dried down and was actually pretty comfortable and softening after that. I have other masks that I will review later. Thanks Megan! 






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