Review: Kat Von D for Sephora Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick

So OBVIOUSLY I'm a makeup addict, especially for the KvD for Sephora line. As a lipstick lover I was pretty psyched to hear about the Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick; a super long wearing lipstick with awesome color pay off. I grabbed two of my favorite shades that already existed in the other two lipstick ranges Kat has, but there are some new shades out with the liquid lipstick as well. Lolita from the painted love lipstick range; a matte, dusty, rosy pink/neutral AND Adora from the Foiled Love range; a bright red with a metallic finish- very nice for winter!!
So, first I swatched these shades on my hand, it takes a while for them to dry which leaves some room for correction if you make any mistakes which is nice. It has a wonderful dry-down with amazing color pay off, even more lustrous, opaque color than the traditional lipsticks! But be warned, once this stuff dries, IT DOES NOT MOVE, do make sure you're satisfied with how it looks before you let it set. It's also really hard to remove, soap and water don't seem to do the trick so I'd suggest using an oil based remove or something like olive or castor oil to get the stuff off instead of scrubbing your lips red. I really love these lipsticks, the only complaint I have is that the advertising claims its super hydrating... Its not, like most long lasting lipsticks it can be very drying and even crumble after a while, especially when eating and drinking. Fortunately since it has such great staying power you can apply a gloss or balm over it without worrying about compromising the opacity of the color. These would be really great for work, school, long days of running errands but I don't think I would wear them out to eat or on a hot date due to the drying/crumbling aspect, you don't want someone eating bits of your lipstick when they kiss you! Overall, a 4 out of 5 stars!
-CW

Review: Tangle Teezer Original Detangling Hairbrush

Rating: ULTRA thumbs up! 👍👍👍

This product is LIFE CHANGING!!! The first time I saw this weird looking hair brush was at a photo shoot for www.VanityOverkill.com, I asked the hair stylist what it was and she had nothing but good things to say! I had to have one, I immediately ordered one as soon as I got home.
The flexible little bristles don't tug, yank or rip the hair, meaning you can use it when hair is wet too and never worry about damage! It's been designed to "teeze" out knots and stubborn tangles without ripping, breaking or damaging hair, all while making hair shinier and healthier by pulling oils from the scalp down through the length of the hair, much like a boar hair brush. This thing has been a total blessing, especially since I'm currently growing out my hair! Keeps my hair healthy and shiny, stimulates the scalp and doesn't damage my hair like most brushes do! This thing is perfect!!! It's around $22 and comes in some really cool shapes and colors, there's even a travel sized version! The only downside is it's hard to clean hair out of, which isn't a huge deal if you're only using it for personal care, but if you're a stylist I'd imagine this issue could be a pain in the ass.
-CW

Review: EOS Smooth Sphere lip balm

Rating: Thumbs up! 👍

EOS- Evolution of Smooth lip balm is something I've seen more and more over the past few years, in class, on the street and in beauty mags. I figured people like it mostly because of the cool and original spherical packaging, which I'll admit, is why I shelled out $4 for this little green pod. It's smooth, fun to play with, fits right in your hand and easy to find in my super messy handbag filled with lipstick tubes when other lip balms would blend in with the rest. The only downside is that it's not really made to fit in your pocket.
What I didn't know but was pleased to find out when I purchased this cute little pod was that the ingredients are 95% organic and 100% natural with some amazing ingredients- olive oil, beeswax, coconut oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E, Shea butter and stevia for a little sweetness. Super moisturizing an lasts long, perfect for overnight use and travel! The feeling is super smooth, not sticky and not tacky. If you're concerned about bases, allergies or preservatives; EOS lip balm is paraben, petrolatum, phthalate, gluten free.
I will definitely be buying more of these little guys, looking forward to collecting colors and flavors.
-CW

Review: LUSH Gorgeous Facial Moisturizer

Rating: Ultra thumbs up!!! 👍

The first time I tried LUSH was a few years ago, and doing what many of us do, I ignored the sales staff, didn't want their help, bought what I figured was good for my skin and left. I was unhappy with the products and figured it was the company's fault. WRONG. Some time later I went back, let the staff help me and guide me to products that were better suited to my skin... Now I'm completely in love.
At LUSH, the sales staff are super friendly and genuinely want to help you instead of just sell you stuff, keep in mind that they are not commission based there either, so there really isn't any reason for them to shove useless products down your throat. They're suggesting things to you based on what you tell them because they think it will help satisfy your needs and because they actually believe in the product!
That being said, I'm not going to lie, this moisturizer is the most expensive item in LUSH's skincare range. It's a 45g pot that costs $85.95CAD BUT it's 45g of pure magic!!! Not to mention since it has no fillers a little bit goes a long way, I've seen people stretch one pot out for a full year! So it's not that expensive when put into perspective. The Gorgeous Moisturizer was made for pretty much everyone, it has renewing ingredients for people who are starting to think about their skin aging, it's not greasy incase you're oily, and it's certainly not drying. It absorbs very quickly into the skin so you don't have that slimy, filmy residue so many moisturizers leave behind. It's really good at calming skin irritations and brightens me right up!!! I've noticed dark spots fading, distressed patches disappearing and over-all evening of my skin! It also feels healthier and more toned than before. I don't suffer from them but friends have told me it does serious wonders for scars from cystic acne as well! So if you're willing to make the investment, you won't be disappointed! Plus it smells like fruit loops!
Also, of you're not sure about spending that much on a moisturizer you've never tried before, ask for a sample! LUSH staff will be more than happy to give you one!
-CW

Review: Kat von D for Sephora's Lock-it Foundation.

Rating: thumbs down. 👎
Anyone who knows me knows that I really love the makeup line Kat von D released with cosmetics giant Sephora. It's the perfect mix of dramatic and practical with packaging that really appeals to the Goth in me while still being slick, elegant and tasteful. I've been in love with Kat's Tattoo Concealer since it came out and was DYING for her to release a foundation. Finally that day arrived and I rushed out and bought it. Due to my history with Kat's products I had very high expectations for this, and couldn't wait to get home to try it.
The packaging is absolutely stunning; foundation in a sleep pump-tube with Kat's signature black filigree design around the bottom and top all encased in a thick clear plastic. Unfortunately, this $41CAD foundation is nothing but nice packaging.
When I tried it it was WAY too thick! It felt like I was applying a face mask! It was impossible to blend into my skin and seemed almost patchy. After I let it set and went back to look in the mirror I was shocked by how badly the dry-down was; it made me look like I had wrinkles... I'm 22!! I can't imagine anyone with even slightly mature skin using this, it would make them look like the crypt keeper! and to top all that off the foundation never fully settles into the skin, it's still very smudgy hours after you've applied it and it's not something I would use powder with in fear that it would become cakier than it already is!
I hate to say it, but the quality of this is just awful!!! You would be better off buying foundation from the dollar store, which I do not recommend. So disappointed in this product, EPIC FAIL!
-CW