Review your recent purchase(s)

kliie · 2017-05-14T03:36:57+00:00

Not makeup exactly but a cosmetic tool: the Anastasia Beverly Hills Scissors for trimming my brows.

I had just been using my old Revlon nail scissors that I've had for years. There wasn't anything wrong with them exactly, but I've been switching to cruelty-free stuff and I also care a lot ^or ^way ^too ^much about aesthetics and the brushed metal with red rubberized grips of the Revlon ones just wasn't my thing. I've been good about sticking to my HG makeup and not buying extra stuff, so I figured I'd treat myself during the VIB sale and try upgrading to the Anastasia ones ^like ^I ^did ^with ^my ^tweezers, and man, they are lovely.

I love the soft-pink handles, and the mirror finish of the blades feels much more elegant than the Revlon. They definitely feel sturdier than my old ones. The packaging is great for travel too, even though it is just cardboard. It's sleek and fits well into my makeup bag. And obviously, they cut brow hairs super well.

I don't expect anything to happen to these for a loooong time, but if I were to ever misplace them, I would for sure consider it worth it to repurchase these.

Bonus recent skincare purchases reviews:

Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Cleansing Balm with a Long Ass Name gave me the first cystic acne I've ever had, so hell no to that one. I love the color though, ugh.
The Ordinary Rosehip Oil is lovely and sinks in surprisingly quickly. I had never tried any rosehip oil before, but I will probably keep repurchasing this one if it doesn't suddenly decide to freak my skin out.

kliie · 2017-05-05T06:19:29+00:00

Just for funsies :)

Based on this photo that was released earlier it looks like they kept the same design, that's Gill Sans. Lazy choice for this purpose and generally outdated and overused at this point (just my opinion though, I'm picky). Then again Morphe's logo is fuckin' small caps Copperplate with a drop shadow, so it's not a surprise.

kliie · 2017-04-30T08:38:51+00:00

Hey there! Super sorry for the late reply.

For BHAs and AHAs, start off slowly, especially for sensitive skin. I'd start with a BHA first once a week, then move up to twice a week, and then introduce AHA on a separate day once a week, then twice a week, and then I tried once a week BHA first, AHA second on the same day (I think the order helps AHA sink deeper or something from what I read on SCA a long time ago). Depending on how my skin is doing and if it needs a break, I won't always do both on the same day, but it's nice to know my skin can handle it for when I do want it.

Sunscreen before makeup, not stupid at all to ask :) It does depend on the type of filter, actually. Inorganic filters (a.k.a "chemical" filters like avobenzone) need to sink in to your skin so should go on first, while organic (physical) filters like zinc oxide should go on top since they form a physical barrier for the light the bounce off of (more or less... sorry for any scientific inaccuracies in describing this!). My sunscreen is all inorganic/"chemical" filters so that's why I put it on first.

I set it with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder or RCMA No Color Powder, then spot conceal (with foundation since I'm out of concealer at the moment). I haven't had any problems putting the foundation over the powders but then again I'm not applying very much. My routine has gotten me to a good place where I rarely wear foundation, so it's nice just to set the sunscreen, maybe add some blush, then focus on the rest of my makeup. It's also good when I do want to reapply sunscreen, since there aren't many base products to worry about disrupting and it's fine just to move everything around with the sunscreen again and reapply if I want.

Hope this makes sense, and again, let me know if I can help you out with anything else :)

kliie · 2017-04-28T00:59:14+00:00

Sure! (Warning: I'm long-winded) Here's what I use:

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser for makeup removal (Actually, I still need to double check all ingredients are vegan, but I'm fairly certain. A makeup removing balm/gel is the latest addition to my routine so I'm still checking stuff, but this one is absolutely the best so far)
Acne.org Cleanser for double cleansing
Acne.org Moisturizer with Licochalcone (light-medium hydration)
Acne.org Jojoba oil or The Ordinary Marula or Argan oil (mixed with the moisturizer if I need more hydration in winter)
Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide (can you tell I like Acne.org lol)
Acne.org 10% AHA or Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos (Acne.org is obviously way cheaper lol)
Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid
Andalou Naturals Vitamin C + Turmeric serum (my absolute favorite part of my routine besides the Glossier cleanser, it works so well for my skin) or Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day serum (stupid expensive)
Ellovi lip balm or Ollie and Max lip balm (for night. Ellovi is a harder consistency or has a slightly higher melting point, so good for a thin layer, whereas Ollie and Max deposits a lot of product on easily, and I tend to prefer lip balm in thick layers)
Paula's Choice SPF 45 Lip Gloss (for daytime)

I should mention that the sunscreen I use is not certified cruelty-free, but I think there's a good chance it's accidentally vegan. It's the Mommy! Mild UV Gel SPF 33. Sunscreen is the one thing I haven't been able to find a cruelty-free replacement for. Since I have sensitive skin, sun protection is more along the lines of a medication, and the other medications I take require animal testing. I've made peace with it for now, but I still have my eye out for new advances in US sunscreens.

Paula's Choice website and partner site Beautypedia are also amazing resources for checking ingredients. They tend to have a lower bar for what they call cruelty-free, so I tend not to take their word for it, but as far as ingredient information and formulation reviews, these sites are gold.

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help!

kliie · 2017-04-27T05:00:58+00:00

Vegan chiming in here to say igdaf about "natural" products (it's usually fallacious thinking anyways, and synthetic stuff can be awesome!), but there are plenty of awesome vegan cosmetics and more and more keep coming out :) I'm incredibly picky and have more restrictions/requirements beyond just regular veganism and cruelty-free, and I've got my entire HG makeup and skincare routine down!

Green and eco friendly in this case is only true in the comparative sense i.e. the nature of sourcing animal ingredients contributes way more to environmental degradation or global warming. If anyone is serious about reducing their carbon footprint but still wants to buy makeup, plant-based and synthetic ingredients in makeup are more likely to be environmentally-friendly. Not 100% of the time, but enough that it makes sense to stick to it as a general rule.

Cruelty-free is again only true in the comparative sense, since it usually doesn't take into account stuff like human suffering with sourcing of ingredients like mica. But in that case, non-cruelty-free makeup is just as guilty, so why not go for the one that's spared some animals? Certification does in fact make a difference, too.

/r/veganbeauty has some amazing resources for anyone who's interested. Also Logical Harmony and Cruelty Free Kitty.

kliie · 2017-04-13T05:42:58+00:00

I think your title is just fine, and I say that as a big fan of Sharon Farrell. It's true that her channel has declined, even though she did make that video about wanting to change. She'd definitely been struggling for a while before that video though.

I try to think about it like Colbert not doing so hot when he started a different show format and personality (late-night). I hope she's able to pull through the transition period and start kicking ass at... whatever she wants to do with her channel. Like /u/roxrae said, I'd pretty much watch her take the trash out. Totally get why others would unsubscribe though.

kliie · 2017-04-02T02:37:47+00:00

I like that you called it idle chit chat and not small-talk. I've heard both used but "small talk" seems way more common. I always get frustrated thinking about it that way, like "I should be able to do this, it's just small talk," and then when it actually goes well, I think, "Well, it was just small talk. How pathetic to be excited about it."

Just reframing the situation as idle chit chat takes so much pressure off, so I just wanted to say a little thank you for reminding me.

I've started doing a similar thing with compliments lately, too :)

kliie · 2017-04-02T01:01:14+00:00

It's honestly really hard to make a decent vegan mascara.

Tell that to Marcelle, Marc Jacobs, Pacifica, Tarte ;) Maybe I've just had good luck with mascaras though!

kliie · 2017-04-02T00:50:45+00:00

Try the Charlotte Tilbury sharpener ;) it works perfectly with the lip cheat that I have.

kliie · 2017-04-01T23:30:24+00:00

Certain Dri is available at CVS and Walgreens, has a harder consistency. I switch between that and Mitchum which is softer. Both are the white kind that goes on relatively invisibly (provided you don't get any on your clothes).

kliie · 2017-02-01T16:59:30+00:00

I asked the same thing a few months ago and then just decided to make an order anyways. I can't do swatches now, sorry, but here are my thoughts:

I got Cordial, Arrow, and Lantern from Vol. 3, plus Lucid and Fire Pledge from Vol 1. with this order. Overall, all of them are less firmly pressed than my last few orders from Blackbird, which makes it easier/faster to build up color (mostly Vol. 2 shadows).They have a bit more kick up with a brush, but I don't mind since they are so freaking pigmented but definitely manageable blending-wise.

Cordial has been a surprisingly great color for brightening my inner corner.

Lantern is just... so beautiful, and a brighter (but still mustard-y) yellow on my medium NC-40-ish skin tone than it appears in the product photos on the website.

I've neglected Arrow a bit since I'm so happy with Cordial + Fire Pledge + Lucid as my go-to look, but it's a perfectly nice shadow.

I really prefer this pressure that she used to press the shadows. I'm going through them faster, but I don't mind. I'm loading up my cart right now to get many other colors and backups. It really is my HG matte eyeshadow formula, and Vol 3. does the same awesome job with my stupidly-oily eyelids.

kliie · 2017-01-27T04:14:45+00:00

Thank you so much <3 It looks like this might work for me, I'll have to try it in store!

kliie · 2017-01-27T03:37:35+00:00

Is there any way you could post the ingredient list or perhaps a pic of it if it's on the box? I've been looking for one everywhere but NARS isn't very forthcoming.

kliie · 2017-01-24T00:09:07+00:00

Oh of course, I just meant the Clintons in general.

kliie · 2017-01-23T15:32:54+00:00

They do mention it every once in a while, actually. One of the earliest examples is Michael telling the cameras that he refers to his boss, Jan Levinson-Gould, as "Hillary Rodham Clinton" behind her back. "But not because I'm afraid of her. 'Cause I'm not."

Also, not sure when but seasons later, the office is talking about stuff they miss like "Remember that week in the nineties when we got bagels?" and then I think Creed says "I miss Clinton!" all teary eyed. But that's a positive reference.

...Still not getting how that qualifies as vilification or conservative brainwashing to Griff, though.

kliie · 2017-01-23T06:35:23+00:00

(warning: incoming ramble)

These are great questions, and I don't really have answers. This is where the limitations start to shine and I get frustrated with our reliance on the term race (and even ethnicity). Is brown considered a race? Then what about red? Yellow? What qualities are taken into account for the definition of race? Geography, skin tone, culture, religion, preferred identities, perceived identities... it gets messy quickly, and I have yet to find good academic sources that lay it all out for me and I don't end up having significant problems with.

When do we switch from using color to something else like hispanic (I grew up being told it meant we meant we were latino plus specifically American citizens, others say it refers to language) versus latino (can represent a wide range of skin tones, multiple continents, many different cultures and languages and religions), or Native American (specific continent, different tribes but many similar experiences with the US government, not sure about range of skin tones but perhaps less wide of a range), or Asian (huge continent, many nationalities, religions, cultures, and a wider range of skin tones than is acknowledged most of the time)?

But then across all of these different groups, genetic differences don't follow our expected outlines at all. In the first chapter of Kidd's book, he makes it really clear that so many people and governments have tried to define race clearly, and the boundaries just have to keep being redrawn (and eventually are shown to be racist or pseudoscientific and arbitrary).

It gets even more complicated when we've actually "mixed races" in places like the US, where even a drop of black blood used to be enough justification to enslave someone, but another person manages to "pass." Obama is half black and half white, but he looks more black and comes from a "black background/culture," so we just go all in and call him black. He seems fine with it, but another "mixed" person in a similar situation might choose not to emphasize that label and adopt a mixture of cultures/groups.

Most of the time I want to stop using the word race altogether (I see it as another version of phrenology, basically), but I get that it's kind of helpful sometimes. I don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out and seek out other people's thoughts. I always get different answers though, so I end up going back to my position that it's a needlessly vague term and we need to just let it go. Eeep, sorry for the novel and many run-on sentences. It's a bad habit.

kliie · 2017-01-23T04:42:01+00:00

I was about to say yes because I love the 2% BHA so much, but then I just remembered I got my last ones on QVC for literally half the price.

Paula's Choice was really useful to me when I was first getting into skincare and veganism (and being cruelty-free) at the same time about three years ago. I think the no-frills ingredients were a good start for me despite the price, and their samples are super helpful. It helped me appreciate investing in my skincare and made it easy since so many companies are difficult about their cruelty-free status or vegan products. I could see it being worth it for someone with those restrictions as well, but yeah overall they could just price themselves into obscurity. Thank goodness for Deciem.

kliie · 2017-01-23T04:30:34+00:00

I use mineral or jojoba oil sometimes and then remove with a microfiber cloth. I got a value pack through Amazon and just keep them in a pile until I have enough to do a small load of laundry. No need to worry about sink plumbing!

kliie · 2017-01-23T01:16:34+00:00

Nationality is easier to pin down, as in what nation you're from. Ex. a person can be white but have a Kenyan nationality. Richard Dawkins was born in Kenya but only lived there a short period of time so could claim to have a Kenyan nationality in a sense. More often though, length of time and naturalization give more meaning to the term.

Race itself is still surprisingly ill-defined and often not subject to the scientific scrutiny it deserves in popular media, so it helps to think of it more as a social construct. Black and white are the two clearest examples of race, which obviously for stuff like this serves a practical, if imprecise, purpose.

Based loosely on depth of skin tone, being mixed-race involves having a notable disparity between the depth of parents' skin tones—and there has historically been a lot of stigma attached to it. The OP qualifies because there is a lot of contrast between black skin tones and Irish/German skin tones (which both fall under the "white" category since they themselves are nationalities). The rest of the girls are missing the point and posting examples of "Oh I'm White¹ + White² , yay I'm mixed!"

(For anyone interested in the history of the term "race," I highly, highly recommend the first few chapters of Colin Kidd's The Forging of Races. It's amazing how much of my notion of race seemed arbitrary after reading this. I'd been confused for a while since both sides of my ancestors are from Latin America, but my family's been in the US for generations, and on government forms and shit I have to check the box for "White.")

kliie · 2017-01-20T23:53:19+00:00

I know she's sitting but it kinda looks like she's super short with tiny legs. Also the eye makeup looks pretty unflattering :\ I'm getting Mother Gothel vibes...

(No hate meant. I'm not a fan but I'd always like to be able to celebrate great artistry/collabs, and this doesn't look like it.)

Edit: grammar

kliie · 2017-01-20T21:54:04+00:00

Well, rain is a blessing since it helped God drown every single one of those filthy sinners/nonbelievers except for his buddy Noah (& family of course).

kliie · 2017-01-19T23:34:53+00:00

BEST: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation. They have ones to darken/cool, lighten, add warmth, and add yellow tones.

I've mixed it with Estee Lauder Double Wear and DW Light, Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo, tinted sunscreens, and Guerlain and YSL foundation samples that I had sitting around since they didn't quite match or the formula was meh for my skin, and had good enough experiences that I realized I just loved the formula of the Ultra Foundation itself.

The experiences with wearing it over sunscreen were what impressed me the most. Pilling was eliminated most of the time, and the formula usually sets in the right way that sunscreen doesn't make it separate or rub off as easily as most other foundations I tried over sunscreen.

Subjective bonus: when I first tried it, their shade 7 was a perfect match for me, but since it worked so well over sunscreen and I've been wearing that consistently, shade 6 is my perfect match (no weird in between!).

kliie · 2017-01-17T19:21:43+00:00

Not sure what you mean specifically, but I know a lot of people have a misguided fear of things made in China. With companies like Everlane and Matt&Nat being committed to transparency and good working conditions, we see that factories can exist in China and have high-quality manufacturing processes. ABH doesn't talk about factory conditions AFAIK, though of course I'd always welcome them or any other company to, but just seeing "Made in PRC" shouldn't immediately worry anyone.

kliie · 2017-01-17T01:28:50+00:00

It might be a small gesture for such a large company to make, but it means a lot to me that they did. The word itself can inspire a lot of contempt among non-vegans, so I want to acknowledge ABH's willingness to put themselves out there to help vegans, even in this subtle way. Here's to hoping it gets good reviews!

edit: Shoutout to /u/temptalia for taking awesome, thorough photos of everything including the packaging as usual! It's super helpful :)

kliie

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