Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow in Beach Sand: Swatches and Review

I have heard the buzz about these new Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows and seen them on Sephora.com, but when I saw them in person, I just had to play with them. Call me curious, but I really wanted them to be something special! Were they? Let's find out!

After playing with them, I was pretty impressed, and decided to pick up the color Beach Sand. This is normally not a color I gravitate towards. I would have picked up the brilliant green, but I need to round out my stash a bit more and a dark bronze is something I am missing.

For $18, you get .16oz of color in a little bottle that remind me of the LUSH cosmetic bottles. It comes with a cap and then you replace it with the brush top, which I like, so I KNOW no one has used that brush. As you can see in the first picture, the color is separated and in the above picture it is mixed together. You have to shake this before each use otherwise is separates into color and coconut water/argan oil mix.

This color is stunning...a rich chocolate...and is formulated without all the bad stuff (as per usual Josie) and is supposed to be a bi-phase shadow with the first layer being a nourishing coconut water and the second being argan oil that makes your eyes look younger. I have to be honest, I thought this would be a hot mess on my oily eyes...especially since reviews of the new cheek/lip creamy oils were pretty terrible.

But before I get into the wear time...let me show you my swatches of all the other colors taken in Sephora:

Don't you love that Rainforest Green?! I am still in love with it!!

Here is another swatch of my color, Beach Sand. I love that it is darker and has a nice depth/almost metallic look to it. Now, let's discuss application and wear.

Good:

You only need a drop per eyelid---saving product

Buildable if you so wish

It feels cooling and refreshing

It dries down quickly

It didn't budge on my oily eyes (with primer) for 9 hours!! (And then I took my makeup off)

Comes off easily without any special makeup remover

Bad:

Dries almost TOO Quickly

A bit hard to blend out

Brush it comes with is hard to use

Not waterproof

Now, the fact that it isn't waterproof isn't bad. It wears like iron as long as you aren't going swimming, so do not worry about some tears, etc. I would also be hard pressed to use this in any other situation other than a complete wash of color on the eyelid because it is already panic-inducing to blend. You have about a second or two!

So, if you want something to lock onto even the oiliest of lids and give you a gorgeous, good-for-you dose of color, I love this!! Stay away if you dislike application that has a steep learning curve. Or maybe I am just very klutzy. Either way...

Overall, I am really happy with this and will probably purchase the green! What do you think? Yay or nay on coconut water eyeshadow?

The Fair Foundation Files and My Take on a Classic Look for Spring

The extensive testing process is over and I have come to a lot of conclusions about Rimmel's Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in shade 010 Light Porcelain (retail $4.99 at Ulta, but I received it complimentary from Influenster).

So, what does this wunderkind have to offer us?

• Cheap price tag at around $5 depending on location
• No added fragrance as far as I can tell
• Totally matte
• Fun mousse texture
• Lots of light shades

It claims to offer 'lightweight shine control' as well, but we will get to that claim.

The texture of this is a mousse and is very fluffy, so you will think you need more when you actually don't. A little goes a long way---a lot gets cakey fast. This can be used with fingers, a BB, a flat brush, or a round foundation brush. I have tried all methods and they all basically work the same.

Here is me wearing Stay Matte in Light Porcelain all over my face. It almost covers my hardcore cheek hormonal blemishes, but a little dab of concealer fixes them right up. I just wanted to show you with only this product.

You really need to moisturize and prime well. Even if you have oily skin, this will get into every pore and every fine line. But if you prep well, this can have great results.

My results have been nothing less than spectacular. For over a week, this foundation (Clinique moisturizer and primer underneath) has keep me completely shine/oil free for 12-15 hour days. I have worn this during busy work and school days and I also wore it to a 95 degree day at the Huntington Library (for you non-Californians, it is beautiful, but mostly outside and was hotter than the sun that day). No shine whatsoever. 

But before you go running out and buying this, I have a few words of advice....

This may work for me, but I feel this will probably be a seasonal product for me. It takes a ton of prep time for me to look flawless with it (I have larger pores and my cheeks run drier). Also, I do not see this as 'lightweight'. It certainly isn't heavy, but I would say you can feel it on your skin.

Also keep in mind that this tends to oxidize in my experience about half a shade. If you have a chance, try a test patch on your skin first. Ulta let me return the first shade I bought before the Influenster box with no problem (that shade was Light Ivory, the next one up from this, and ran too yellow).

Overall: If you are drier on at least 50% of your face or have a lot of fine lines, this might be a nightmare for you. Oily girls...grab this and throw away your blotting linens forever.

Now, onto the fun stuff...I decided to make a look for Influenster and @RimmelLondonUS for the #StayMatteSwitch movement.

This is my twist on a classic look---for Spring! Substituting my normal red lip for something pinker and of course, matte skin!

What I Used:

1. Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in Light Porcelain ($4.99)

2. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Creamy Natural ($4.99)

3. Clique Cheek Pop blush in Peach Pop ($21)

4. Benefit They're Real Mascara ($23)

5. Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Fair ($20)

6. Nude browbone shadow from Wet N Wild 'Drinking a Glass of Shine' Palette ($4)

7. NYX Collection Noir Liquid Black Liner ($5.99)

8. Benefit Gimme Brow in Light/Medium ($22)

9. Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Chase ($22)

This is a routine I rely on for early morning to still feel fun and fresh

1. Prime, get that foundation on your face---any way you like---and then conceal!

2. Set with powder

3. A little blush on the apple of your cheeks. Something dewy works well!

4. Curl lashes and apply mascara

5. A nude matte wash of shadow on your lid is simple and a no-makeup look

6. A liquid liner baby cat eye keeps things classic

7. A hint of brow keeps things looking put together

8. And a glossy coral pout keeps things fresh!

What is your go-to Spring look?

Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Fair: Swatches and Review

It's a new year and the search for the perfect concealer continues!I think I just have stubborn under-eyes. I'm just gonna go with that, alright?For Christmas I was gifted Josie Maran's Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Fair ($20).

What I like about this is that it is really creamy and paraben free...I am really trying to move into a no paraben zone, so this is important in my everyday products.

Really pale girls rejoice! It is hard for me to find a concealer that is neutral and very fair. Most of them lean yellow on me, and thus look a bit too dark and not brightening.

This is very creamy and stays dewy. It isn't miraculously moisturizing, but it feels nice on the under eye and doesn't tug when blending. The fair color brightens up my face, but without serious prepping and a primer, this thing creases like crazy, probably because of the creamy consistency.

Please excuse my very sad sick eyes that are puffy and red and sans other makeup. As you can see, the concealer did a fair job making my under eye look even and not as tired as the rest of my eye. This works even better on blemishes and dark spots, but of course, under eyes are my goal here.

I love Josie, and I like this for the brightening and the hydration, but I am still on the lookout. I have a few more in the bullpen to try out...so we shall see!

Have a happy days guys :)

Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Fair: Swatches and Review

It's a new year and the search for the perfect concealer continues! I think I just have stubborn under-eyes. I'm just gonna go with that, alright? For Christmas I was gifted Josie Maran's Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Fair ($20).

What I like about this is that it is really creamy and paraben free...I am really trying to move into a no paraben zone, so this is important in my everyday products.

Really pale girls rejoice! It is hard for me to find a concealer that is neutral and very fair. Most of them lean yellow on me, and thus look a bit too dark and not brightening.

This is very creamy and stays dewy. It isn't miraculously moisturizing, but it feels nice on the under eye and doesn't tug when blending. The fair color brightens up my face, but without serious prepping and a primer, this thing creases like crazy, probably because of the creamy consistency.

Please excuse my very sad sick eyes that are puffy and red and sans other makeup. As you can see, the concealer did a fair job making my under eye look even and not as tired as the rest of my eye. This works even better on blemishes and dark spots, but of course, under eyes are my goal here.

I love Josie, and I like this for the brightening and the hydration, but I am still on the lookout. I have a few more in the bullpen to try out...so we shall see!

Have a happy days guys :)

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40 Review

Even though I am only in my early 20's, I have learned that good skincare is worth every penny. Although I am not ready to invest in $300 eye cream just yet, I am loving Josie Maran's products because of their natural ingredients and because Argan oil does wonders for my acne-prone skin.

 

 

The Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer with Natural Broad Spectrum SPF 40 ($35) is a great daily moisturizer and skincare all in one, without any greasiness or odd smells typically associated with that high of a sunscreen. 

 This is marketed for all skin types and has Argan, Apricot, Jojoba, and Pomegranate oil along with Chamomile and Green Tea Extract and Aloe. So many good-for-you ingredients along with no parabens or synthetics and is vegan and cruelty free. 

 This is pump-style application and although is comes out white and a little watery, it does not leave a white cast on the skin, photographs just fine, and sinks into skin quickly. My only qualm with it is that I wish it were a bit easier to distribute all over my face, because the argan oil sucks into your skin so quickly (at least on my face). That isn't a deal breaker though, because you don't need a thick layer of this to get all of the benefits. Also, this may be common knowledge, but I tend to rub my eyes from allergies---don't do it with this! It will transfer from your face into your eyes and burn like sunscreen. Which is obvious, I know. So now I have to kick my habit of touching my face. But for this product, I think I can. I really love this moisturizer and I highly recommend it, especially for oily skin because argan oil does wonders to regulate that oil production and doesn't irritate acne. Panda Approved 

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40 Review

Even though I am only in my early 20's, I have learned that good skincare is worth every penny. Although I am not ready to invest in $300 eye cream just yet, I am loving Josie Maran's products because of their natural ingredients and because Argan oil does wonders for my acne-prone skin.

 

 

The Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer with Natural Broad Spectrum SPF 40 ($35) is a great daily moisturizer and skincare all in one, without any greasiness or odd smells typically associated with that high of a sunscreen.  

  This is marketed for all skin types and has Argan, Apricot, Jojoba, and Pomegranate oil along with Chamomile and Green Tea Extract and Aloe. So many good-for-you ingredients along with no parabens or synthetics and is vegan and cruelty free.  

  This is pump-style application and although is comes out white and a little watery, it does not leave a white cast on the skin, photographs just fine, and sinks into skin quickly. My only qualm with it is that I wish it were a bit easier to distribute all over my face, because the argan oil sucks into your skin so quickly (at least on my face). That isn't a deal breaker though, because you don't need a thick layer of this to get all of the benefits. Also, this may be common knowledge, but I tend to rub my eyes from allergies---don't do it with this! It will transfer from your face into your eyes and burn like sunscreen. Which is obvious, I know. So now I have to kick my habit of touching my face. But for this product, I think I can.   I really love this moisturizer and I highly recommend it, especially for oily skin because argan oil does wonders to regulate that oil production and doesn't irritate acne.   Panda Approved  

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée in Paradise Poppy: Swatches and Review

Hi Pandas! I have a product I picked up on my trip to Maui that I could not love more even if I tried! Josie Maran's Coconut Cheek Gelées are getting rave reviews everywhere, and I had to see about the madness for myself! 

 I picked up the gorgeous coral pink color called Poppy Paradise ($22) even though it was so hard to decide between colors! 

 

According to Josie Maran's website, these Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelées are 50% coconut water, have the amazing benefits of Argan oil, and are a hybrid cream/gel stain that can last up to 14 hours.

 

And yes, these definitely stain. Even if it is on your fingertip for .03 seconds, it will leave a stain, so there is power in this formula, which is great for those long days!

 

 

I think the color itself is incredible: so vibrant and juicy looking and I didn't want to even dip into it because it was so pretty! Now, let me tell you all the other amazing things about this cheek gelée. All natural ingredientsRecyclableParaben freeNo synthetic fragranceVeganGluten freeCruelty free Um, that is pretty amazing! Not only are you wearing a product that is great for your skin, but it healthy for the environment as well and I totally support that. Go Josie! 

 Here is the tiniest amount of product (this will last you a lifetime) on the back of my hand. The color is a warm pink with a hint of coral and I love it. This is also really easy to blend because of the high coconut water content.  

 On cheeks it gives the most natural flush of color. I know what I will be wearing the rest of the summer! Panda Approved Have you tried these amazing pots of joy? Do tell! 

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée in Paradise Poppy: Swatches and Review

Hi Pandas! I have a product I picked up on my trip to Maui that I could not love more even if I tried!   Josie Maran's Coconut Cheek Gelées are getting rave reviews everywhere, and I had to see about the madness for myself!  

  I picked up the gorgeous coral pink color called Poppy Paradise ($22) even though it was so hard to decide between colors!  

 

According to Josie Maran's website, these Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelées are 50% coconut water, have the amazing benefits of Argan oil, and are a hybrid cream/gel stain that can last up to 14 hours.

 

And yes, these definitely stain. Even if it is on your fingertip for .03 seconds, it will leave a stain, so there is power in this formula, which is great for those long days!

 

 

I think the color itself is incredible: so vibrant and juicy looking and I didn't want to even dip into it because it was so pretty! Now, let me tell you all the other amazing things about this cheek gelée.   All natural ingredients Recyclable Paraben free No synthetic fragrance Vegan Gluten free Cruelty free   Um, that is pretty amazing! Not only are you wearing a product that is great for your skin, but it healthy for the environment as well and I totally support that. Go Josie!  

  Here is the tiniest amount of product (this will last you a lifetime) on the back of my hand. The color is a warm pink with a hint of coral and I love it. This is also really easy to blend because of the high coconut water content.  

  On cheeks it gives the most natural flush of color. I know what I will be wearing the rest of the summer!   Panda Approved   Have you tried these amazing pots of joy? Do tell!  

I'm Back!

I missed you guys, and I (hope) some of you missed me too! If you were wondering why I stopped posting, it was because I went on vacation! I want to show you a little round-up of my amazing trip with my family. 

 If you wanna see more pictures, just click the jump!All of the photos of Hawaii are not photo-shopped (except for the text and watermarks, obviously) so you guys can see that I can actually take decent pictures!  

 

I am pretty sure this is one of the most beautiful places in the world!

 

 

 

 

It's a turtle!!

 

 

We had a gorgeous view the last night of our trip!

 

 

Now, a sneak peek of what I bought...just a few of the things. Reviews on the cosmetics are coming up!

 

 

The gorgeous earrings on the left are called Job's tears, and they are harvested in parts of Maui, and were made by a local woman. Super pretty. And of course I had to stop by the Walgreens to see if they had anything different/cooler than California. I found this green apple and caramel chap stick! The tassel necklace is a yoga necklace I picked up in upcountry.

 

 

There are too many cute Hello Kitty things in Hawaii to not impulse buy! I also love the little handmade Hamsa and infinity bracelets I bought.

 

 

Look at the super cute Panda scrubby brush my momma bought me! Perfect for the blog! I also picked up a ton of earrings and another bracelet.

 

 

This is not Hawaiian at all, but I picked up the Josie Maran Argan Moisturizer and Cheek Jelly because tax in Hawaii is SO cheap!

 

I also picked up a few more local cosmetic items that I will be showing off soon. Glad to be back! Have you ever visited the islands?