Mansa Fashion

Category: Beauty

  • review: rare beauty blush and glow four piece mini set

    review: rare beauty blush and glow four piece mini set

    Rare Beauty is not a brand that I have tried a lot from, but everything that I have tried so far has been stellar. Something I love about the holiday season is the fact that there are normally different sets released. This year, the brand had the Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set available. It came with two liquid blushes and two liquid luminizers. Since my previous experience with those products was positive …I decided to treat myself to this holiday set.

    The Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set from Rare Beauty came with two different mini versions of the Positive Light Liquid Luminizers. There was Magnetize (described as a set-exclusive light gold liquid highlight) and Transcend (described as a rose gold liquid highlight). Both are gorgeous and add such a beautiful glow to the skin. Magnetize, the golden luminizer, has been the one most used by me so far, just because gold looks wonderful with lots of different seasonal makeup looks. That being said, I can certainly see myself using Transcend, the rose gold luminizer, a lot in the spring and summer months. These are nicely pigmented, blend effortlessly into the skin, and last all day. The quality is super impressive and I just adore the finish.

    Also included in this Rare Beauty set were two mini versions of the Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes. Since a little goes a long way with the liquid blushes (no…really…use these sparingly, because the blushes are ultra pigmented) the mini versions are actually preferable. This Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set came with the shades Wisdom (described as a set-exclusive mauve plum) and Virtue (described as a soft terracotta). Though both are beautiful, my favourite is Wisdom. I love a mauve coloured blush and had been looking for something that colour for ages. That shade was actually the reason I decided to purchase the set. It was exactly what I had been searching for. The liquid blushes are very pigmented, blend well, and last all day long.

    See what I mean about pigmented? These Rare Beauty products really deliver. Not only are they beautiful, colourful, and easy to use…but the products are vegan and cruelty free. Additionally, the brand states that both products are free of parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, sulfates SLS and SLES, triclocarban, and triclosan. The products also contain less than one percent synthetic fragrance. As for the Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set, it cost $46 CDN. Though it is a little pricey, it is not too bad for four different products. Since a little bit goes such a long way, the minis are all that I really need, so this set works especially well for me.

    Have you tried any Rare Beauty products? What do you think of the items included in the holiday set?

  • testing out the bebe born to glow 10 color glow palette

    testing out the bebe born to glow 10 color glow palette

    Did I need another face palette? No. Not at all. Not one bit. Despite that…the Bebe Born to Glow 10 Color Glow Palette was a little too tempting for my makeup obsessed self to resist. The palette above was another shopping trip find at one of the discount stores we stopped in. For just $7.99 USD all ten of those tempting cheek products were mine. Curious about this warm and wearable palette? Here is everything you need to know about the Bebe Born to Glow 10 Color Glow Palette.

    It is always hard to know how a cheek palette will perform. I’ve tried some blush palettes that were not all that impressive and some that knocked my socks off. The Bebe Born to Glow palette is closer to the latter. This affordable release has an assortment of highlights, bronzers, and blushes to put to good use. According to the brand, these are “smooth and blendable colors that are ideal for a radiant and defined complexion.” There are certainly some pros and cons to consider with this palette. Let’s start with the cons: the packaging and the glitter overspray. The packaging is an ultra flimsy plastic. It is not sturdy whatsoever. Then there is the glitter overspray. The gold and white highlighters have a glitter overspray, which means that the top layer is ultra glittery and gorgeous, but the product underneath that is not. This was so disappointing, because the product underneath is not useful. Thankfully, there are only two products in the palette that have the glitter overspray, but it is definitely a letdown. As you can see from the swatches above, there is a lot of gorgeous shimmer and glow in this palette. It is just frustrating that two of the products in the Bebe Born to Glow 10 Color Glow Palette cannot be used fully. Now for the pros. The blushes and bronzers in this palette are excellent. They are warm, easy to wear, and work well with a lot of makeup looks.

    As you can see from the look above, this is a really fantastic palette for the eyes and the cheeks. I used a variety of the Bebe products in the palette on the eyes to create a warm and shimmery makeup look. Then there was a warm glowy blush on the cheeks. I absolutely love the way most of the products perform in this palette. If the glitter overspray situation hadn’t happened, this would be a near perfect palette in terms of the actual product. (The packaging could definitely be improved.) Ahh well, at least there is still a lot to love here. It has been fun to add some warm and wearable colours to my collection.

    What are your favourite cheek products? Be sure to share your recommendations in the comment section below!

  • disney villains eyeshadow palette (#fotd and review part three)

    disney villains eyeshadow palette (#fotd and review part three)

    It is time for the third and final post related to the Disney Villain Swivel Shadow Palette from Townley. This themed eyeshadow palette is dedicated to different Disney characters (Maleficent, Ursula, and The Evil Queen) and features a wide variety of colours and finishes. Now? It is time to take a look at The Evil Queen section. Like most Disney Villains, she scared me as a child, especially on the Snow White ride that used to be at Walt Disney World. (A version of the ride is still in Disneyland, for the record.) Her intensity, her jealousy, and her desire to be first no matter what was more than a little terrifying. If nothing else, The Evil Queen taught me that being beautiful on the inside is more important than being beautiful on the outside. Ready to take a look at the final section of the Disney Villain Swivel Shadow Palette? Keep reading for swatches and a #FOTD….

    Unlike the other Disney Villain sections in this swivel palette, The Evil Queen section is easily the most wearable for everyday looks. There are lots of warm metallics to choose from – and a few pops of colour as well. Though it would have been nice to see a red colour included in here as well (to represent the apple or her red lips) the shimmery metallics are stunning and really represent her crown well. These shimmers are richly pigmented, apply well, and look absolutely gorgeous worn alone or in combination with some of the others. I have been using these shades a lot lately for quick one-shadow looks. The glitter included in this section is a beautiful gold, but like the other glitters, it requires a glitter glue in order to work well. The colour payoff for the green is not as impressive, but the blue shadow absolutely wows. There is a lot to love about this section.

    For the #FOTD shown above (which was created before my husband and I left to stay in a spaceship themed room for a few nights)…it was all about those warm metallic colours. As you can see, these shadows are ultra shimmery and have a lot of colour payoff. The middle colour in the top row was applied all over the lid and a bit of the middle colour in the second row was added to the center. Then some of the darkest metallic colour was added to the crease for some extra definition. The lightest shimmery shade was applied to the inner corner and under the brow bone. The darkest metallic shade was applied along the lower lash line for extra drama. Though the Maleficent section was my favourite overall (those purple shades are hard to resist) this particular section was a close second. I love how warm the shadows are and I just adore the shimmers.

    What do you think of this #FOTD? Are you a fan of the colours in this section of the Disney Villain palette?

  • brown lipstick mini reviews (kvd, smashbox, and morphe)

    brown lipstick mini reviews (kvd, smashbox, and morphe)

    What is it about brown lipstick? It seems that I cannot get enough. It is no secret that I am obsessed with a lot of 90s trends and all things nostalgic…so perhaps that is one of the reasons that brown lipstick has become an absolute staple in my makeup collection lately. Between the 90s inspiration and the recent popularity of the latte makeup look, it seems that many are obsessing over brown lipstick at the moment. At least I am in good company! Over the last little while, I have been on the hunt for the perfect brown lipstick. I wanted something warm but still easy to wear. Did I find it? No, but it has certainly been fun putting a few different lipsticks to the test. Keep reading for a few mini reviews of KVD, Smashbox, and Morphe products.

    Smashbox Be Legendary Prime and Plush Lipstick in Caffeinate. The first lipstick that I tried was from Smashbox. This is a band that I have tried a few things from over the years, but isn’t something that is always on my radar. That being said, it is difficult to resist a rich brown lipstick. Caffeinate is a deep chocolate brown. Though it wasn’t the exact colour I had in mind…it looks fabulous. I absolutely love this lipstick. It is dramatic and warm. It has a nice amount of colour payoff and feels nice on the lips. This is more of a traditional lipstick (it even has that traditional “makeup smell” that I can’t quite seem to describe) with a nice solid and stylish tube. All in all, this is brown lipstick was a winner. It adds just the right amount of drama to a makeup look.

    Morphe DripGlass Drenched High Pigment Lip Gloss in Drip Coffee. The next brown lipstick on this list is actually a high pigment gloss. I do like really pigmented lip glosses from time to time, like the Kim Chi Chic Beauty High Key Gloss. The Morphe DripGlass Drenched High Pigment Lip Gloss comes in a fairly basic clear plastic tube with a clear plastic topper. Nothing too wild or interesting happening in terms of the packaging. As for the product itself, this is really pigmented, goes on smooth, and has a gorgeous finish. Though I like this milk chocolate kind of colour in general, it doesn’t necessarily look amazing on me. I think in future, I have to be really mindful about the kind of makeup that I pair with this particular gloss to make sure it looks as flattering as possible. It is a really nice product and the colour itself looks fantastic…just maybe not fantastic on me.

    KVD Everlasting Hyperlight Liquid Lipstick in Calytrix. Now for my favourite of the three. This KVD liquid lipstick was something that I used an old Sephora gift card on. (Gift cards always seem to encourage me to try something different.) I loved the old liquid lipstick formula that the brand had and was curious about the newer releases. This light brown shade called to me. Though the colour was not quite what I expected at first…it is something that I have come to love. This is a nice light brown and pairs well with a lot of different makeup looks. It is a really beautiful neutral. As for the formula? So impressed. It is good to know that the KVD line still has a fantastic liquid lipstick formula. I just wish that they would expand their colour selection a little more, because while there are a few colourful offerings, the old brand had some really fun and daring options.
    There you have it…some mini reviews of brown lipsticks from a variety of higher end brands. There was an awful lot to love overall and it has certainly been fun incorporating lots of brown lipstick shades into some of my more recent makeup looks.

    Have you tried any of these lipstick shades? Are you a fan of brown lipstick?

  • isney theme week: minnie mouse x revolution palette

    isney theme week: minnie mouse x revolution palette

    I love makeup. I love Disney. Put them together? It is an unbeatable match. When the All Eyes on Minnie Palette from Revolution was at Winners (always Winners…what can I say…I love a good deal) for $9 CDN, it only made sense to add it to my cart. Though I didn’t know what the palette would actually look like or what colours were, it was Minnie Mouse inspired, and that was enough. Curious about this face and eye palette? It is time to end this theme week here on the creation of beauty is art. with a Disney inspired makeup review. Here is everything you need to know about the All Eyes on Minnie Palette.

    When it comes to the theme, this palette is pure perfection. I love the Minnie Mouse inspired polka dots, the cute picture on the front, and the Minnie Mouse shaped pans inside the palette. Revolution really committed with the Minnie Mouse theme and that absolutely thrills me. Everything about this release is adorable. There are seventeen different pans inside the palette, with twelve eyeshadows and five face products. As for the colour story, the eyeshadows range from pinks and reds to warm golds. There is also a fantastic glittery topper (Bows and Kisses) that looks beautiful layered over one of the matte shadows. The pinks and reds have a nice amount of pigmentation as do the beautiful golden colours. The only downside is that there is not a darker colour to make this palette ultra versatile. A nice rich brown or a black with golden flecks of glitter would have made this colourful but wearable palette even more impressive. That being said, the quality is good and there are some standout shades. My absolute favourites of the eyeshadows are Bows and Kisses (glitter topper) Bring The Drama (matte red), Forever Classic (warm gold), and XOXO (matte dusty rose). There are some really gorgeous colours to choose from.

    As for the five face products in the All Eyes on Minnie Palette, these are beautiful highlights. These have a nice amount of pigmentation, but are not pigmented enough to be worn alone as a glowy blush. The products look best layered over another blush or bronzer. As much as I love these highlights (and I do) it would have been nice to have two highlights, two blush shades, and a bronzer, or some other mixture of products. Since it is a described as a face and eye palette…different face products would have really made this palette extra special. It was a bit of a missed opportunity with the repetitiveness. All that said, these are really lovely highlights. I especially like Camera Ready (lilac highlight) and Show-Stopper (warm pink highlight).

    The look above made the most of the neutral mattes and the different gold eyeshadows in the palette. On the cheeks, the highlight Timeless was layered over a bit of bronzer. Though the pink and red eyeshadows in this palette are my favourites overall…it is nice that it is possible to create something warm and easy to wear as well. The pinks and reds are great for days when you want something a little bit bolder. The golds are ideal for those quick and easy makeup days. Overall, this is a solid palette from Revolution. I love the Minnie Mouse theme and all of the products. While there was room for improvement (a little more diversity in terms of the colour story and face products) it was still an excellent find and there is a lot to love.
    What do you think of this Minnie Mouse themed palette? Do you like Revolution products?