An Honest Review of The @Marchbeautyword x Ofra Collab

July 19, 2019

I’m not sure how I found Samantha March on YouTube, but I am so glad I did. Samantha has quickly become a favorite YouTuber of mine, besides her awesome makeup channel, she has a book blog, and she’s also a published author. I look forward to watching her videos every week, and when I learned that she was doing her first-ever brand collab with Ofra, I obviously wanted to support her since I love her content so much. I am beyond proud of her, and I wanted to share with you a review of the products. Here’s her official video sharing the collection:

Although the items in the collection will only be sold until July 22, some of the pieces were pulled from Ofra’s previous collection, so you can purchase each item individually. So I am going to share the individual links with you as well as the collab links. I am familiar with Ofra formulas, so I was extra excited to try these. I do not have any kind of affiliate Ofra code but Samantha( @marchbeautyword) does, it’s just Samantha, and it will get you 20% off your purchase!

OFRA x @Marchbeautyword collaboration

The packaging was pretty traditional for Ofra, which I adore. I love how simple and chic the packaging is, It’s very minimalist as well, and we all know that I love style.

@Marchbeautyword Highlighter

OFRA x @Marchbeautyword collaboration @Marchbeautyword highlighter

This highlighter is a combination of Samantha’s tow favorite Ofra highlighters Pillow Talk and Star Island. In the pan, you can swirl your brush around and use both shades, but you also can use a smaller brush and use either shade. I am a huge fan of pink and icy highlighters, so this seemed right up my alley. I know, I can use these shades on their own, but I seriously love using both shades for my cheeks! I’m literally obsessed with this highlighter, the glow from it is incredible, and it’s extremely long-lasting and has survived 90 degree days on the NYC Subway. It also gives you a slightly icy glow, which I really loved.

To Buy:
Star Island
Pillow Talk

@Marchbeautyword Lip Set

OFRA x @Marchbeautyword collaboration @Marchbeautyword Lip Set

I like Ofra’s liquid lipstick formula, and I was excited to test it out because it’s been a while since I’ve really used one of the liquid lipsticks. The shades included in this set are Manila, Pasadena and Los Olas. According to their website, Manila is described as a neutral nude, Pasadena is described as a mauve pink-brown, and Los Olas is an amber nude brown. They can each be purchased individually or in the set at this point in time. I was really excited about the variety in this set, Samantha said she did this on purpose, to give buyers a taste of everything. The shades featured are some of her favorites. This product is extremely pigmented, and I adore this color story. It should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this product as well. The lipsticks are long-lasting successfully survived through my morning cup of tea and lunch.

To Buy:
Manila (a neutral nude)
Pasadena (a mauve pink-brown)
Las Olas (an amber nude brown)

OFRA x @Marchbeautyword collaboration

Overall, I was really happy with this collection, and I recommend checking out the products while they last. If you do miss the opportunity to snatch up these items, I’ve shared links to the non-collaborated versions above.

P.S. the fluffy brush was a free gift with my order!

An Honest Review of Maybelline Dream Urban Cover Foundation Makeup

July 15, 2019

When I was scrolling through Maybelline’s Instagram, I came across a post about this product, and I was instantly fascinated by it. At the moment, so many brands are launching a similar product, a light-weight full coverage foundation with SPF, but the Maybelline’s is the only one that captured my interest. It has the most extra name ever too, it’s the Maybelline Dream Urban Cover Foundation Makeup ( that’s a mouthful.) I thought this could be the perfect summer product, So I wanted to try it out and share my thoughts with you about it.

The packaging for this product is effortless, which is a big pro in my book. I love the font they chose for the graphics on this product. The packaging isn’t anything innovative, but it’s simple and chic, which I really enjoy. I also like how it very clearly says the shade name and the shows you the shade color.

This product has about 1,000 different claims, and I’m excited to see how it works out. Some of the claims include that this product is formulated to shield skin from environmental factors, covers your imperfections and evens out your skin tone. It’s supposed to be lightweight but full-coverage. The finish also promises to be a natural-looking as well. Sadly, it only comes in 16 shades, which I found rather disappointing. I hope they will be expending it in the future.

I picked up shade 112, natural ivory. When I was in my local Walmart, they only had this bottle another shade out. So, I honestly had no clue if it would be my correct shade or not, lucky for me; it’s the perfect shade match. This foundation formula is super lightweight and liquidy when applied. It had a tiny opening for the product which works for the texture of it. I find this is best applied with a beauty blender. It’s more so medium coverage, but you can build it to full coverage. It does have a beautiful natural finish, making it the perfect summer foundation. It lasts all day long and still looks good by the end of the day, trust me, I brought it through the wringer. Think wild thunderstorms, surviving over 10 hours of wear time and a sweaty commute. If you’re looking to switch up your thick foundation to a lighter foundation this summer, I highly suggest checking this out.

Meet Masters Tea: A New Way to Bring Specialty Tea to You

July 8, 2019

I am so excited to share with you that today I have partnered with Masters Teas! Masters Tea is a sister brand of Adagio teas, and I am thrilled to share with you more about their latest launch. According to their website, Masters Tea was created, to “share the finest, freshest specialty teas direct from the farms where they grow. We invite you to get to know the artisans who tender them and learn their stories…” I love how Master’s tea intends to connect the users to the farmers. As someone who is learning to be more sustainable, I love how this allows you to connect to farmers, so much so that the site has mini-interviews and images of the farmers!

The website, also added, “Masters Teas is proud to offer you our 2019 fresh-from-the-field teas the moment they arrive. Each offering is a limited edition, small lot production.” I don’t know about you, but I cannot resist limited edition anything. I received these teas free of charge for testing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

There is so much to talk about, so I am not going to go into packaging details that much. I love that each of these packets of tea has a description of the tea, whether it’s the harvest time, a flavor or note on the style of leaves, it gives you a deeper understanding of each tea. Each of the Master Teas packets has the origin and harvest time of every blend.

The website provides the taster with in-depth knowledge about each tea. Although the bags do not mention the steeping time or how many infusions you need to get the full effect of the tea, this information is available online. The website also provides you with the farmer’s name, more information about the region and the elevation of the tea. I am going to share reviews with you on quite a few of these blends. I will be organizing this post via Harvest location.

India

Balasun First Flush

This tea was harvested in Darjeeling, India during April 2019. It is the first flush of Darjeeling tea for the harvest season. It promises to differ from traditional Darjeeling with the sense it promises to be light, floral, fruity, and crisp. This tea has a light amber to it. It’s super refreshing and mellow. It could be great for a morning cuppa. I really love this blend.

Japan

Shincha Genmaicha

This blend is from Shizuoka, Japan, and was harvested in April 2019. This version of the tea also has puffed rice to balance the flavor of the leaves. It has a nutty smell to it. When steeped it’s a light green amber almost yellow. It has a subtle nuttiness to it, and I think it could do with some milk. I’ve tried popcorn teas before but I just don’t love them, but I don’t hate them.

Taiwan

Formosa Ruby 18 Black

This tea was harvested during April 2019 in Longtan, Taiwan. It promises to have notes of licorice, caramel, and even a hint of vanilla. Since this is a black tea, the amber looks like an English breakfast tea. There’s not a strong scent to it. This is a bold and robust black tea, it has a molasses quality to it that reminds me of Fall. It reminds me of ginger cookies.

Ali Shan Speical

This tea was harvested during April 2019 in Ali Shan, Taiwan. This tea promises to be rich and buttery. This has a light amber to it. This one tastes almost like fall, it has a very complex flavor to it and notes spice a tinge of apple. I love this blend a lot, it is my favorite Master Tea at the moment.

Formosa Fancy Bai Hao

Another oolong tea, however, this tea was harvested during June 2018 in Wen Shan, Taiwan. This tea claims to have notes of peach and honey. This has a beautiful light amber to it, perfect for an oolong. This blend has a weird sweetness to it. I really enjoy how delicate the flavors are within this blend. The fruity and sweet lingering notes in this are incredible.

China

Jin Kong Que

This tea was harvested during April 2019 in Yunnan, China. This tea is said to have notes honey, cocoa, and even sweet potato. This is another black tea and had a medium amber. This blend is savory yet sweet, and it has hints of toastiness. It almost reminds me of fresh bread. The flavor isn’t overly strong or subtle. It’s somewhere in the middle.

Ancient Tree Green Pu’erh

This is the first pu’reh tea that I am sharing with you today. It was harvested during April 2019 in Yunnan, China. It claims to have notes of honey, apricot and a bit of smokiness. This steeped to super pale amber. It has a very earthy smell to it. This tasted very green and vegetal. I was not a huge fan of this, but if you love savory teas, you’re gonna love this one.

Da Fo Long Jing

This was harvested during April 2019 in Zhejiang, China. This tea promises to have chestnut and light floral notes. This is a super light amber for a tea. The flavor is very light, but it has a nice savory quality to it. It has a subtle light floral undertone to it.

Shi Feng Long Jing

This was harvested during April 2019 in Zhejiang, China. This also promises to have notes of chestnuts. This is a very light tea and smells of citrus. It has a very subtle flavor to it. It has a bit of nuttiness to it, which I liked.

Overall, I love the concept of Masters Tea, and I will be checking more blends from them as they come in. Please remember that even those these teas are available as of the day, they might be available for that much longer. Each batch is limited edition when it’s gone. It’s gone.

July 2019 Shop My Stash and June 2019 Update

July 3, 2019

You guys loved my shop my stash post last month, so I’ve decided to do another one. I am hoping I can make this a monthly thing! If you didn’t get a chance to read last months post, here’s what you need to know about shop my stash. The concept of it is that you go back in your collection and look for items that you haven’t used frequently but want to familiarize yourself with more and you spend the month trying to use them more. Here’s my update on last month’s shop my stash as well as the new items for July!

June Recap

Kylie Cosmetics Bronzer in Khaki – Decluttered. This product just didn’t work for me. I tried it so many times, but honestly, I just don’t like it.

Urban Decay Born To Run Palette – Decluttered. So many people loved this palette, but it just didn’t inspire me. I found it a bit overwhelming since there are so many shades. I also just didn’t love the formula.

TheBalm Blush In DownBoy– I fell in love with this product! I’ve been using a lighter hand with it when it comes to applying and it’s been a game changer for me!

Beautyblender Bounce™ Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation in 1.50– My feelings didn’t change on this. I like it, but I much prefer other foundations. I didn’t declutter but probably will soon.

Laura Mercier Mood Lights Face Illuminator Trio– I honestly didn’t really use this product a lot, I kind of forgot about it.

Products For This Month

Shop my Stash July 2019

Sephora Pro Palette in New Nudes

Shop my stash July 2019 Sephora Pro Palette New Nudes

I decided to put this in my shop my stash because it is the most expensive eyeshadow palette that I own and I rarely use it. I love the color story, but I just don’t reach for it. I am hoping by making myself use it more, I get my money’s worth. I bought this because one of my favorite YouTubers swears by it.

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Make Every Moment Count Cheek Palette

I’ve had this in my collection for a few months because I got it as an Ipsy add-on. I adore Tarte’s blush formula but don’t really reach for this, so I am hoping to use it more and remind myself why I fell in love with this formula.

Chrissy Teigen x Becca Cosmetics Glow Kitchen Set

So this was an entire set but the only thing still in my collection is the Glow Soufflé which had Glow Soufflé Eye Shadow and highlighter in Cinnamon Churro. ( I might still have the lipstick.) I loved the idea of this collection so much, but it’s not as interesting as some of my other products. Who knows, maybe I’ll fall in love with it this month?

Laura Lee Los Angeles Highlighters

It’s been a minute since we talked about Laura Lee. I’ll be honest, I’ve fallen out of love with her content at the moment, but I still love a majority of her products. I am not a loose highlighter kind of girl, but I’m trying to be for Laura Lee. These two shades survived the epic declutter I did, but I don’t use them. So I am planning on using them more frequently because they are basically untouched in my collection. The shades pictured are Sweet & Saucy and Sugar & Spice.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Palette

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Norvina Eyeshadow Palette

I’ll be honest, I really didn’t realize how similar the shades in this and the Sephora palette’s color story is, so my bad. I wrote a review about this palette and didn’t love it, but since I’ve hit pan in another ABH palette, I figured why not try to hit in this one too?!

What’s in your shop my stash this month?

3 Drugstore Foundations I’ve Been Loving

June 28, 2019

I used to only shop for higher-end foundations, but after my experience at Covergirl’s flagship store, I decided to do a dive in drugstore foundations. I used to be concerned, they aren’t as good as the higher end or had some funky ingredients in them, but I’ve since learned they do not. So I am very excited to share with you guys 3 drugstore foundations that have helped changed my perspective on drugstore foundations.

Three Favorite Drugstore Foundation 2019

Covergirl Outlast Active Foundation

Covergirl Three Favorite Drugstore Foundation 2019

I picked up this foundation at the Covergirl flagship around the time it launched. I got color matched for it in like 5 minutes, which honestly was a shock for me. Even workers at Sephora struggle to help me find the right shade. The only thing with this range is the color are a little off. Usually, I’m in the fair range, but this time I was “Buff Beige” which was a bit surprising for me. This foundation is a little warm for me, but I still love it. It does a great job of wearing well all day long. I’ll be honest, the shade range isn’t great, but there’s room for improvement. The coverage in this is also medium to full!

L’Oreal INFALLIBLE® Up to 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation, Lightweight

L'oreal Three Favorite Drugstore Foundation 2019

The craziest story about this product is that I almost didn’t get it. I went to Ulta and wanted the concealer, and it was a buy one get one free, so I had someone help me color match super quickly, and my shade wasn’t even out, but the woman at Ulta went in back and handed me the shade. I went for this foundation also because I had heard Tati rave about it. I fell in love with this almost right away, it’s more medium coverage but buildable, it has a beautiful natural finish and lasts all day. I also think this foundation probably has the best shade range out of these three foundations.

Revlon PhotoReady Candid^™Natural Finish Anti-Pollution Foundation

Revlon Three Favorite Drugstore Foundation 2019

I wrote a full review of this product on my blog. This is a medium to full coverage foundation with a natural finish. It looks stunning on my skin and does an excellent job of lasting all day long. However, sometimes towards the end of the day, it looks a bit cakey. My only big complaint is the product is that it does not have that much product in it. There is also room for improvement in the shade range department.

What’s your favorite drugstore foundation?