I’m in love with all things hair, makeup, fashion and beauty. On this blog you can find anything from reviews on lipstick to supplements, as well as recipes alongside tips to protect your hair this summer! I’m your average girl. I get break outs, I have dry skin, and I like looking and feeling good. I hope I can help you by sharing what I love!
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I am so ashamed to admit something I did the other day, but I have to be real with you guys, and maybe you can learn from my mistakes.
You guys I talk about not purchasing high ends products from drugstores and super stores all the time. They are often fake or expired and I don't support it. Well I did it. I bought a high end item from a mass store and re-learned the lesson.
NOW in my defense, what I purchased was the Global Beauty Care Retinal Treatment Mask, and while this is a high end brand, they aren't huge yet, so I thought maybe they were stretching into retail a little, but found it odd for them to start.... I AM SO ASHAMED TO ADMIT WHERE I BOUGHT THESE!
Here it goes, I picked these up at the Dollar Tree 😖😖😖
So now that we have gotten over the initial shock I want to share with you what happened. I bought a pack of two of these for $1. They are normally 5 for $10. Why the fact that these were a quarter of the price, didn't set off a million alarms, I don't know. Regardless I picked on up and headed home. After my shower I decided it was time for my weekly mask. Tickled by my find I opened the product and put the mask on... I knew in seconds this was authentic.
It smelled like a cheap brand of kids bubbles. It was chemically and super soapy smelling. The originals were practically scentless. These were STRONG. Then I put it on. The mask itself was poorly constructed. The eye holes weren't torn out, so it covered my eyes, and there were just slits... that closed. It made no sense and was not functional. Plus the formula left in the bag said everything I needed it to. It was water-like. The original formula was definitely thicker.
One - I would have kept it on and my skin would be DRY and likely my pores would be clogged. Who knows what crap is in here, it's clear the packaging isn't truthful.
Second - I would have missed out on a great brand because I would have never purchased anything from them again!
Let me say it again. Only buy high end products from the company, from salons, or from high end retailers that match the level of quality the brand has.
I am a big fan of the Benefit BrowZings. The packaging got a 5, which was a debate for me. I like the silver, and I live the shape and size of it. I do not like the goofy looking carnival text on the front. However that is on-brand for Benefit so maybe I just need to get over it. I ended up going with a 5 because it as a mirror in it as well as three application tools, which is super convenient and nice.
I feel it has the perfect amount of pigment. The gel is slightly shear but still buildable. The powder is a little denser and heavier in pigment. Application is easy because they gel is so creamy and light, while the powder is super soft. The application tools are the perfect size to create lines and fill in eyebrows (one is rounded tip and the other is a slanted tip)
Wear and Lognevity go hand in hand a little here. A little goes a long way, and doesn't need reapplication (unless you swim or sweat a lot). So it lasts a long time, and is a steal compared to Goof Proof. All in all I highly recommend this product.
I was not impressed by this new lippie at all. I think that Urban Decay was trying to create an alternative to a liquid stain. I just am not a fan of this overall. Let's start with the packaging. It almost got five stars because it is sturdy and trendy. It's very on-brand for Urban Decay. But it comes with an "applicator tool" which is basically the weird foam eye shadow brushes you get for free in an Almay Palette or that you buy in a pack of twenty for a dollar. I felt it really did bring down the overall experience. A mini lip brush or foregoing the application tool altogether would have been better in my opinion.
When you touch it is super spongy and whipped, which is really fun. It is a little crumbly though which is a bummer, and it dries out quickly. It has very little pigment. It says it has "build-able" coverage but it's powdery nature makes building it up without it wearing off quickly nearly impossible. It is supposed to be water proof, but I definitely did not have that experience. I also felt like it wore off within an hour or two. I definitely did not get long lasting wear from this. I would pass on this if I were you.
A LOT of my friends and family have been asking me what I think about Monat and if I recommend it. So I wanted to test out some of the products and give you guys at home the scoop on Monat. But first I want to get something out of the way. This blog will reflect my own personal opinions, feelings and experiences with Monat. A lot of people may totally disagree with me and that is okay! I respect those who have the hustle to do Direct Sales, and I encourage you to support local business men and women by purchasing from them! These are my findings, concerns and thoughts. You are welcome to post your own experiences, concerns or opinions in the comments below.
The Story:
It's kind of hard to find the story of the brand, other than that it was started by and is still run by a family online. Their website has almost no information. Luckily I got my hands on some of the printed material for the company and it has more info on the story behind the brand. Luis Urdaneta (the CEO) grew up in Venezuela and founded Monat in 2014. Luis started doing direct sales for another company for 15 years and then broke out on his own and began ALCORA Corporation with his son. ALCORA has four companies within it, Project Beauty (a funky beauty product brand doing both hair and skin care), B&R Products (which is a beauty lab that develops products for companies), and L'eudine Global (another skin care brand) along with Monat. Monat is Luis' newest venture, but he is not new to direct sales or the beauty industry as a whole. ALCORA is still run by his family today, and he prides himself on having created a family legacy, which I do think is super honorable.
The Brand:
Monat stands out for it's sleek and sophisticated packaging. They tout to be Naturally Based and brand all of the products with the phrase "Modern Nature" on them. As a direct sales company their consultants are called "Market Partners". As a market partner you have the opportunity to build a customer base and get a commission on the sales you make. This means that as a customer you are helping a friend or family member or a local business person to support their family, which I can always get behind.
The Products:
I am going to do a few mini-reviews of some different Monat Products I have tried. Once again these reviews reflect my own personal experience with each of these products, and not anyone else.
Rejuveniqe Oil Intensive (pictured on the left) was not for me. To me it made my hair super heavy, greasy and filmy. I was not a fan, however I do feel it would be a great fit for someone with thick, porous textured hair, like what is commonly found in African cultures and those with naturally coarse and kinky hair. You can read my full review here and pick it up here.
The Champ Conditioning Dry Shampoo I loved this dry shampoo. It was a little on the pricey side for me, but I like the smell, texture, longevity and everything else about it! You can ready my full review here and get it here.
Rejuvabeads Split End Mender (pictured on the right) this product just wasn't for me. It did nothing to help my split ends, my hair felt dry after using it and also waxy. I just simply was not a fan and I do not recommend this product to anyone. You can ready my full review here and try it for yourself here.
Restore Leave-In Conditioner was another one I just didn't like at all. I just didn't feel like it did anything for my hair. It made my hair super dry and after using it for two weeks I was definitely done with it. You can try it here.
S3 Supplement Supportive System is a great supplement system. I feel it works as well as any other hair skin and nail supplement that actually works. I do recommend this one. You can learn more and get some here.
Eye Wonder Eyelash Serum I liked this serum, but didn't love it. I got results, but I have seen better from the Rodan and Fields Eyelash serum. Get more info and pick it up here.
My Experience:
So I also got to try a one of Monat's shampoos and conditioners. I got the Renew Shampoo and Revitalize Conditioner. The Renew Shampoo is supposed to be hydrating and the conditioner is volumizing. I also got a curl cream product that was apparently an exclusive limited edition item that is no longer for sale. I saw that they released this new curl cream, it is packaged differently so I'm not sure how they compare or if they are the same formula. I also had all the items I did mini-reviews for above.
I started with the shampoo and conditioner which were REALLY thick and heavy. My hair felt really weighed down and yucky after using it. Then I was told that it's because you have to shampoo your hair twice with this product. I mean, we have all heard the "wash, rinse, repeat" thing, but no one does it right? Regardless I try to use products as directed before reviewing so I did, and it made a big difference. You do have to add more water to your hair in order to emulsify it because it is like syrup! Regardless my hair got clean without feeling dry. The conditioner was easy to use enough. It did not add weight to my hair, but I did have to use a lot of it.
With the curl cream I loved the smell and texture and it was perfect. Volumizing, defrizzing, and everything I needed. I was a huge fan. However typically I put a serum or leave in on my ends. I was not a fan of the ones Monat offered, so I went with my own. Usually that serum keeps my dry porous ends under wraps, but I think the cream did a good job on it's own. Regardless I still put a little serum on them for saftey.
After a couple of week my hair felt dry and frizzy. I was told it was because with Monat you can't use other products (which I think it a load of crap) but once again I wanted to do things "the right way" before reviewing. I stopped using my other products (which were all high end products with great ingredients) and was exclusively Monat. This also meant no heat styling AT ALL because they don't have a heat protectant. One month later and my hair was DRY. It was AWFUL. And after talking to a few consultants my test ended.
I also found it super fishy that the company is not 100% genuine in
their marketing. In the printed material I read that Monat stands for
MOdern technology (or science depending on where I read it at) meets NATure. But no where on their packaging does it say
science. Everything is touted at natural, and it says modern nature
everywhere. But I think "Modern Nature" and "Modern Science meets
Nature" imply two very different kinds of products. You can see that
comparison below (both of those are pictures I personally took).
The thing I hated most was the weird stance that you can't use anything but Monat or the products don't work. That is not true. I could see not using cheap waxy products, but if you use other high end plant based brands like Phyto, you should be just fine. But that's okay, it's a common marketing tactic. The other thing that drove me nuts was the lie that it may take a few MONTHS for your hair to feel good using this brand. MONTHS? I understand detoxing hair and it doesn't take that long. Especially since I use high end , high quality and silicone free products. I was not buying it. I also hesitated when told I couldn't use other heat protectants because they weren't Monat, even though they don't make one. When asked about that I was told that my hair would be so much healthier I didn't need one... no. I am not buying that at all. As soon as they make their own heat protectant that tune will change and everyone will absolutely need a heat protectant I am sure.
The Controversy:
I can't finish this post without denoting some of the controversy. I am not going to say much outside of my personal experience, because of fear of repercussions, but I can legally share this news clip about the class action law suits being filed against Monat below.
I am pumped to finally be able to acurately review these facial cleansing wipes. One reason that these caught my eye is that most of these wipes are make up removers, and you then have to wash your face after. These professed to do both and said right on the label "no need to wash your face after". I am ALL for that! So let's get started by breaking down the ratings.
The packaging is perfect for this line. It's simple and looks organic and down to earth. It's a simple plastic packaging with a label that lifts up to reveal a hole where you can pull the wipes through. I didn't give a 5 because of two things, one, the hole is just a hole, there is no plastic enclosure at all so it is hard to keep the wipes from pulling to many through or slipping away. I also didn't feel it was particularly high end looking or sturdy overall.
Then there is the fragrance. I have tried 4 of these (there are 6) and likes all of the scents they chose. However they are to strong for my taste. I typically use the cucumber and sage ones, and the fragrance literally gives me a headache. It's just to much. I love the scent of the papaya ones, even though it is strong I just prefer that fragrance, but the papaya ones don't work with my skin as well, so I went back to the cucumber and sage.
They do remove your makeup, but they have a little struggle with mascara and waterproof liner. However the brand has a separate eye makeup removal wipe, so there is that. And I've never met a makeup removal wipe that can really get all of my eye makeup, so i guess I feel like this is typical. It got a good longevity score though because the wipes are large and sturdy, and I only needed one to clean my whole face.
As far as cleansing I saw a major improvement in my skin when I didn't rinse after using these. It took a few tries to find the right wipes for me, but I did and I am a fan. I highly recommend these, especially at only $5 each.
Packaging - 4 (very good)
Pigment - 2 (not very good)
Fall Out - 1 (bad)
Wear - 1 (bad)
Longevity - 1 (bad)
Overall:
I was so bummed out by this blush. I have used Kylie Cosmetics liquid lipsticks and velvets and highlighters and eye shadows and loved them. I really expected more from this blush to be honest, but I guess you can't win them all. Let's break down the ratings.
The packaging is actually not great. It's a cheap cardboard box, a solid color with KYLIE written really big on the front. Boring. I would have given it a 2, but it has two saving graces that gave it a few extra points. One is the mirror. Most blushes don't come with mirrors and this one does. That's one less thing I have to put into my makeup bag. The other is the magnetic capability of the blush container. All of Kylie Cosmetic's products are magnetic pallet compatible and this blush pops out with a firm push, a needle through the back or a depotting tool lifting it out. I love that.
Unfortunately this has almost not pigment. I actually got a darker shade that is bolder because I wanted pigment and had heard that this could be iffy. But even after 3-5 layers I could only see a whisper of product. This contributes to a few other scores like longevity - which is low because you have to use so much of it to see a result. The wear is also low because the lack of pigment and multiple layers just don't last long on the face. It's gone by lunch. It also has a lot of fallout (contributing to longevity) and that's a bummer. I simply don't recommend this product.
As a hair and makeup artist, I see pictures of hair and makeup from Pinterest ALL THE TIME. I love inspiration photos, because they are a really good way to communicate exactly what colors, shades or placements you'd like. But there are some issues with these photos as well. Try to keep the following things in mind next time you step into a salon for your hair or makeup appointment.
1- You are not the person in the photo
clearly. You know that's not you right? If you show me a photo of someone with super thick and long hair, but you hair fine shoulder length hair, it's not going to look the same. try to remember that we can teach you style your hair for fullness, but that unless you'd like extensions, it won't change your hair. Likewise, no amount of wearable contouring will make you look like a different human. There are all these crazy transformation videos out there, and they are GREAT, but they aren't wearable. Makeup should accentuate your look and maybe minimize problem areas, but if you have a square jawline and you bring me a picture of Kim K, you aren't going to look just like her in the end. You will have a similar look, but you will need a nose job, botox and jaw shave in order to look just like her (which by the way she needed two of those things to look like her too).
I also get people who bring in celebrity pictures all the time, hoping that this haircut or color would some how make them look different and more like Jennifer Anniston or whoever. The truth is, you have to love you. Hair and makeup should be fun. I love this stuff and I believe in self care. But they aren't everything. If you find that no one can ever get your cut to look like the person in the picture's, you should consider if you actually just want to look like the person, and already have the cut. Then work on loving you and your features, because we are all beautiful and unique in our own ways. And thanks to Tanya Hennesy for this wonderful clip, it is SO TRUE.
Also keep in mind that if you show me a picture with curl hair, you will have to curl your hair to get it to look identical. A haircut doesn't change texture or growth pattern.
2- You have no idea how long this took or how much it cost
A lot of people come in with magazine worthy looks, and want it for $50 in less than 2 hours. In reality a lot of these celebs see their stylists every week for a month to get the look they want and spend thousands. Even a Kardashian can't change science.
Listen to your stylist. I am not in the business of ruining hair. I have heard it all before. Saying "My friend's hair dresser did that" does not change the fact that I won't do that. Your friends hair may have been different than yours, and maybe her hair dresser didn't care about the hairs health as much as I do. But I care, a lot. So go see them, instead of me.
LISTEN to your stylist here people. Prices are non negotiable. And if your stylists says they can't do something, or that it will take multiple sessions, listen to them. If you pressure them into something they aren't comfortable with, your results won't be pretty.
3- Pinterest Photos are edited 90% of the time
Here is a favorite example of that, it's a picture of some hair coloring done by the incredible Rebecca Taylor (@rebeccataylorhair on Instagram). You can see in one picture it is more vibrant and fluid, and the other is also gorgeous, but different. It is IMPOSSIBLE to make your hair look like the picture on the left. That's hair filtered and blurry. You can get vibrance for sure, but not blurry.
This next one has and edited color that is less than attainable.
Just be realistic you guys. That's all this boils down to. We can not make you look exactly like the person in the pictures, and your hair may not lay exactly like theirs with or without styling. Be mindful of photo shop and realistic about your hair. But most importantly hair is FUN. It also grows back and can be changed. So have fun with your hair but don't get crazy about your hair looking exactly like you are imagining. If you become so heartbroken you feel ashamed or disgusted because your hair isn't "perfect" you should consider talking to a therapist about the deeper issues that lie there. Therapy is awesome, and so is hair and life ♥
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
In August I plan on focusing on small businesses and indie brands! Throw me a message or comment below with which ones you'd like to see!
I am super excited to share this review with you! I have been loving this cleanser for the last little while, and even feature it recently on my post Travel Beauty Tips. So I am just going to dive right into it. I know a lot of you are probably surprised by my 5 star rating for the packaging. The simple with plastic container isn't usually my thing - and it's still not. I am unimpressed by the classic bottle, however it is sleek and functional, it is to plain and has a vibe like it's provided by a hotel. But one thing I love about this product is you can purchase it in pre-portioned packets that are super convenient for your emergency "stayed the night" kit, your boyfriends place, or your next vacation. These packets and super cute and come in a sturdy blue container for storage. I went ahead and posted a picture of that to the right (although the lid to the container is not pictured).
This is almost fragrance free, but what is there is pretty good. It's a little on the powdery side, but it is light enough hat I don't mind it. It has a faint papaya-tropical twist too that I like. My skin definitely got clean using it and it did remove my makeup and brow products for sure. My skin also didn't instantly dry out, which is common for me. I don't feel like it hydrated my skin, but it did protect it from getting drier.
This cleanser is actually a powder that you shake into your hands and add water, and then rub together until it foams before applying. The thing I don't like about it is I feel that there is a lot of waste. You cant really emulsify it in your fingers because it all slides through the cracks. But after emulsifying it in your palms you can't really massage it in using your palms. It's a little messy, but there is enough powder in each that if you use the full amount in your hands it works out. To me the real dynamite thing abut this product is it's travel convenience and not it's value as a every-day option.
I am not the biggest fan of this mascara over all. First of all the packaging is almost perfect, until they threw on these weird sparkly stars. It takes it from a luxury look to a kid's play makeup look.
The actual performance of the product is disappointing. This does add some length, but it flake of quickly. There is very little volume happening here, and what volume does occur comes in the form of clumps. It's just not a good product.
Recently Joico came out with a second purple shampoo. They have had their Color Endurance Shampoo for a while. Their color balance series came out in the last few years. It used to have a blue, red, copper and purple option. On their website there is no mention of anything but the blue and purple choices now, which makes me think the others aren't around anymore. I have had a few people write to me asking what the difference is between the two and which they should get.
The Joico Color Endure Violet is a thicker formula that is super hydrating and sulfate free. It has some weight to it, which creates a sleek, shiny and frizz free finish. It also deposits some violet toning color, but is made for consistent use. It also has UV protection in it that fights fading for all hair types and colors. The conditioner that accompanies it is my favorite part. Usually purple conditioners are a very light pastel purple, this one is not. It is still a rich toning purple, which makes for hydrated, cool toned and happy hair.
One the other side you have the Joico Color Balance purple shampoo. The biggest difference with this shampoo is it does have sulfate in it, so it is lighter weight and a little more drying. Those sulfates lift the cuticle a little more which also means it tones a little more powerfully.
So which one is right for you?
I have made a little chart below to kind of depict which one is best for various needs. I would go with which ever option fits more of your personal needs.
Color Endure:
If you have porous or extremely damaged/brittle hair
If your hair soaks up color
If your hair is super dry
If your hair is thick, coarse and frizzy
Color Balance:
If your hair is fairly healthy
If your hair is resistant to toners and purple shampoos
If your hair is moisturized and can handle a little sulfate
UPDATED: When I first wrote this review I had been using the Emu oil for 2 weeks and this was my new favorite thing in my beauty regimen. I could not say enough good things about Emu Oil. That has changed and the rating has been adjusted.
The packaging of this Emu oil is a 3. It isn't high end looking, in fact I think it looks like a cheap bargain item. Regardless it comes in a sturdy glass packaging (I dropped it MULTIPLE times) and has a functional dropper lid that I love. But it doesn't seal unless you twist it TIGHT so if it gets knocked on it's side it's a mess.
This stuff HYDRATES. My skin has never felt so soft or been less flaky. On top of that I expected it to clog my pores and make me break out. At first it didn't and I was so happy, but then I started noticing black heads on my nose, which is something I have never had struggles with. I changed up a few other things in my routine (because I am constantly trying new skin care) and went back to my "normal" baseline regimen, which now included the oil. My skin got worse and worse. As soon as I stopped using the oil, my skin got WAY better. It is definitely a pore clogging product.
A little goes a super long way. It WILL break down your makeup though. So I only use it at night, and a little after the shower. But after a shower I wait a full hour before applying makeup, otherwise it really will break it all down.Because of it's comedogenic quality I don't recommend this product over all.
Packaging - 5 (excellent)
Scent - 3 (average)
Hydration - 4 (very good)
Wear - 2 (not very good)
Transfer - 2 (not very good)
Overall:
This is going to be a pretty straightforward review. The packaging for the Smashbox Be Legendary Cream Lipsticks is beautiful. It's sleek, it looks high end, it's functional and sturdy and I love it. There isn't really any major scent happening with this, but what is there is nice. It's not particularly drying, the Matte counterpart can be a little on the dry side, but not the cream. I'd say the cream is slightly hydrating even. However when wearing it I had to reapply several times, even after setting and with a primer it didn't stay put. And it transfers A LOT. There is no way to keep this off your significant other. For that price point I expected more and I will not be repurchasing.
So I have been really debating about writing this post. Why? Because I don't want to hurt other people and I don't want to hurt their businesses. BUT upon learning about this I felt it needed to be shared. But first a little back story.
If you are a regular reader to my blog you know I love Direct Sales. I don't do them, but I love to support women who have the hustle to do them, because direct sales are HARD. I have been a part of three MLM companies before. I learned a lot about Multi Level Marketing and there are companies that have left a bad taste in my mouth. One reason is that their products are usually pretty sub par for a high end price. There is (in my experience) usually a handful of products that work well and are worth your time and money, and the rest are kind of awful, but are peddled as incredible by their reps. My experience with Tyra Beauty was the worst. I feel that the reps we were lied to consistently, from day one. Even Tyra's motivation for starting the direct sales line of the company was exposed. I felt hurt and also frustrated, because she was an idol of mine and I was seriously upset that she was not who she professed to be.
But the number one thing I hated about Tyra Beauty was that we were always in competition with the company itself. If you go the Mary Kay website and try to order products it will direct you to find a consultant. You literally can't purchase these products without choosing a consultant, this is typical of direct sales companies. But that was never the case with Tyra Beauty. You could buy directly from the company and they said a portion of that money was redistributed as a bonus for the higher ranking reps. But only a portion. And with a rep making only 20% I am unsure why they thought it was necessary to do this to get us bonuses. Oh, because it's not. Anyways the whole company was a mess and they closed their direct sales line before they hit their 3 year mark. Regardless I find it super dishonorable when a direct sales company is in direct competition with their representatives.
So back to Color Street. What does this have to do with them? You can't
buy Color Street direct from the site without a rep (if you do, they
send the commision to the rep closest to you) and you've never seen Color
Street on store shelves. Or have you? I love Color Street. It's easy and
long lasting and cute. I do my nails with their products all the time.
You can read my full review about them here. I liked this company and even considered joining because they are just one dynamite product, and don't have a bunch of crappy items I'd feel a lot pressure to sell. Then my sister came to me and told me she has seen a lot of competitors pop
up, that were also 100% nail polish strips. I thought that to be odd
because Color Street is supposed to hold the patent for these kinds of
strips. But while I was at Ulta I saw the Incoco polish strips and
picked them up to compare. That is what I do on this blog after all.
But something struck me as odd right away. The strips are packaged similarly. Both Color Street and Incoco nail strips also come with the same files and little nail prep pads that have almost identical packaging. All I had to do was go to Incoco.com to learn the truth.
Not only are these two products the exact same formula and technology, but there is even a THIRD line.
Incoco (the parent company) has Color Street, which admittedly has the largest selection of the three. Then they have a second line, Incoco (their namesake). Incoco is a less expensive option with different patterns and designs. With color street costing a steep $13.00 for their designs and $11.00 for their solids, and Incoco is $7.99 for their designs and only $5.99 for their solids. These can be found in stores like Ulta. But that's not all. They have a third Budget Option that sells at Walmart called Coconut. Coconut appears to have the smallest range and only has patterned designs, no solids, ringing in at $4.95.
While they don't have repeating designs, some of the solid shades are exact matches. Take for example the picture on the right which is Giza Sands from Color Street on top of the solid shade Second Nature from Incoco. When it comes to patterns, I haven't found any that exact, but many that VERY similar. Check out this comparison of Coconut's Steal the Show next to Color Street's Safari Chic below. If you like Safari Chic you can snag it at Walmart for less than half the price AND without paying for shipping.
So here is the deal - if you love color street, I still recommend you buy from your friends who you'd love to support. But I'd be lying if I said I am not going to start snagging Second Nature instead of Giza Sands (my go-to right now) because it's cheaper, more accessible, and doesn't require me to pay shipping. If you've been wanting to try it but can't spend the money go to Walmart and grab some Coconut ones. Plus they all have different patterns. There are some patterns in Incoco you can't get in Color Street that are SUPER cute. As for becoming a rep, I was honestly considering it with Color Street. I have a lot of friends who sell it and I love the product. Unlike other companies, this one only needed one dynamite thing, because they only sell one thing. I thought this could be it for me, but I was wrong. I am so bummed that the company competes against it's own reps like this.
If you've read any of my other Karity reviews, you already know that I am a fan of this brand. But not every brand has 100% top notch products in every area. This primer was a let down. Let me start with packaging. It is sleek and gorgeous. The cap is flat so you can stand it upright, it has a squeeze tube which makes it easier to get all the primer out of and doe foot applicator. However I feel that to much product comes out on the doe foot, which is to big in my opinion.
I feel like a little doesn't go a long way, but you don't have to use an exorbitant amount, it's longevity is average. The application with the doe foot applicator is fairly easy. Usually when using a doe foot you'd swipe the product on, but in this case you have t dot on only a little a use your finger to spread it out.
The real bummers are in the wear and effectiveness. First of all I felt the product was hydrating but it is also pretty oily and greasy. It made my lids shiny for sure. This likely contributed to it breaking down my shadow, creasing and not doing much to make my shadows stay all day long. It was better than no primer at all, but not even my favorite budget option on the market.I'd skip this if I were you.
This
sun screen is great for not just your face but your body too! No more
need to pack tWo types! With SPF 50 (the recommendation is 15) you will
be blocked from the suns rays all day long! It does have that
sunscreen-smell, but it is faint and covered with a twist of mint. It
doesn't feel heavy after application (you know that feels like you are coated in lard),
and there is a bit of shininess to the finish that comes with most sun
screens, but it looks natural and dewy, not greasy. This a great moisturizing sun screen I think, and a good addition to your beach bag.
I am so ashamed to admit something I did the other day, but I have to be real with you guys, and maybe you can learn from my mistakes. 
