Review: CDB Lacquer

As a follow up to my introduction to indie polishes, I figured I'd review one of the first brands I purchased.  I happened upon CDB Lacquer when a follower on Instagram recommended it - and, of course, posted pictures of the fabulous colors.  5-free, handmade lacquers in tons of colors and glitters - if you're a fan of glitter in various shapes, textures, colors and finishes, you'll be thrilled with CDB Lacquer - I was excited.  

CDB Lacquer offers three sizes of nail polish bottles to choose from: petite, mini, and full size.  If there is a color you're lusting after but aren't quite sure it suits you, the petite bottles are ideal for sampling at a reasonable price.  The full size polish is 13 ML (the same amount as an Essie polish) and is pictured at top; however, CDB Lacquer has recently upgraded its bottles to a square shape with flat brushes for easier application.  

Pictured above is "Radiant" from the "Vivid Vixens" collection.  Gnarled cuticles aside, it's a yellow/gold shifting polish with a faint glitter sheen to it.  I purchased this in the mini size just to try out.  I used two coats of the polish with a clear top coat.  It applied buttery smooth and was not thick or lumpy in any way.  

Pictured above and at top is "Nothing is Impossible," a very pale white/blue crelly with turquoise and black glitter with larger iridescent/silver, circular glitter.  I was impressed with how smooth all of those various glitters laid once the polish dried!  I have tried some glitter polishes from mainstream brands (e.g. OPI, Essie, Sally Hansen...) and had issues with the glitter raising up or peeling - not the case with CDB Lacquer.  After a clear top coat was applied, my nails felt almost completely smooth to the touch.

The Pros:

CDB offers a reasonably priced lineup of very creative nail polishes.  Most full sized polishes are around $8 each.  They have sales pretty routinely and free shipping options all the time so you're sure to get a great deal.  The polishes are 5-free (see my previous post on what that means for you and your health) and have very little odor to them (you know, that "nail polish smell"). The glitter in these polishes didn't settle at the bottom, so there was no fishing to be done upon application.

The Cons:

If you prefer to shop for your nail polish in store or simply don't do any shopping online, you won't be able to get your pretty little hands on CDB Lacquer.  Shipping may be limited or unavailable depending on what country you're in.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality of these polishes.  They last for a good two weeks without chipping.  If you want to dip your toes into the indie nail polish waters - literally and figuratively - the many options at CDB Lacquer will make it a very pleasant experience.

Review: The Chequered Lily Apothecary

Handmade cosmetics are a wonderful way to support small business, avoid animal testing and find vegan friendly items.  Finding the cream of the crop can be tricky, but when you stumble upon a hidden gem, you know the search is worthwhile.  The Chequered Lily Apothecary, opened in 2011, offers various cosmetics, though I was focused on their 150+ eye shadow shades in various finishes and textures.  The pastry chef turned cosmetics creator touts cleanliness and ServSafe practices and labels everything to ensure you know what you're getting.

Of the countless shadows, I chose four; I was pleasantly surprised to find four complimentary samples in the pretty Alice in Wonderland-esque packaging.

The above swatches are the sample colors I received.  The picture was taken in natural light without a flash.  I do not Photoshop or filter any of the photos so as to properly represent the colors.  Additionally, these are swatched on bare skin - no primer or lotion.  The colors, from top to bottom:  #12 Snow, Glass, Apples, #64 Hyacinth, #10 Milky Way, #32 Seafoam.  #12 is perfect for a highlighter shade and brightens brow bones or the inner corner of the eyes.  There's a subtle shift in color from silvery white to pale blue and even green.  #64 is a princess perfect pastel purple.  #10 appears deep purple or gray depending on the lighting.  #32 is a surprisingly wearable pastel mint green to gold shift.

The colors I purchased from left to right: #128 Grimoire, #137 Midnight Show, #117 Moving On, #07 Caterpillar.  Each container holds 1 gram of product.  #128 is my favorite of the bunch.  Depending on how it is applied, tapped versus brushed or smudged, it can appear purple, magenta, brown or bronze.  It is gorgeous for a unique, smoky eye look.  #137 is a vivid dark purple, navy blue shift.  #117 cannot be photographed properly; this amazing, peachy gold color is so sparkly and is beautiful as a highlighter on cheekbones.  #07 is a pale gold, yellow, green that makes a fun base shade for any pastel look.

The Pros:

I am always pleased when handmade cosmetics are so meticulously made.  Allergy warnings, ingredients, uses - all labeled clearly.  In addition, vegan and non-vegan products are kept separate to avoid contamination.  The shades are all vivid and highly pigmented, offering great color payoff at just $6.50 per pot.  There are so many colors to choose from, you're bound to find something to your liking.

The Cons:

If you're not a fan of loose shadow and prefer pressed, you won't find it at The Chequered Lily.  The packaging doesn't allow for stacking (e.g. interlocking lids or bottoms) so it'll test your storage space.  The darker shades, namely #128 and #137 can cause a bit of staining on the skin, but are easily removed with makeup remover.

Beautiful, well made and affordable: Take a trip through the looking glass and see what The Chequered Lily Apothecary has for you.

Review: My Beauty Addiction Cosmetics

I have a tiny obsession with lipstick, stains, glosses, etc.  I find lip cosmetics a simple way to update your look in a flash.  In my never ending search for fun and fabulous lip colors, I am always pleased when I stumble upon cruelty-free brands that offer various formulas and tons of color options.  I was delighted to find 5-year-old handmade brand MBA Cosmetics.  With over 600 items to choose from including eye shadow, body products and, of course, lipsticks galore, I was sold.  Lip sticks and glazes range from $4.75 to $7.50 - how affordable!  Not to mention bundle specials (5 for $20 on Sugar Babies? Yes, please!).

As pictured above, I purchased the Whipped Soap Souffle in "Hello Sugar," Petite Lip Paint in "Burlesque," and Sugar Babies in "Breathless."  The "Passionfruit" loose shadow was a freebie sample.  The souffle is the consistency of room temperature butter, all creamy and smooth.  The first two ingredients, glycerin and almond oil, are incredibly moisturizing and leave skin feeling soft even without a separate moisturizer.  Delicious!  But onto the cosmetics...

The HD lip paints are described as being the most highly pigmented lipsticks of the bunch.  Velvety smooth and hydrating, they offer superb, opaque coverage with a semi-matte finish.  The photo above is "Burlesque" and was taken in natural light, no flash and no filtering or editing has been done.

The Pros:

This little tube is packed with pigment and feels wonderfully smooth on the lips - no dry out!  I got wonderful coverage from just one coat and didn't feel the need for a lip liner.  There are so many colors to choose from; novelty colors like brilliant green and banana yellow, and nudes and pinks galore.  There are also various forms of the lip paint.  You can purchase the same formula in a tube or in a pot for application with a brush.  Depending on what you choose, prices range from under $5 to $7.50.  For the price, this is a must have.

The Cons:

The main issue for this lipstick is staying power.  Because this is a very hydrating formula, you may not get the longest lasting wear without a lip primer.  If cutesy packaging is a must for you, this very functional brand may not initially catch your eye - however, it appears from some of the photos on the seller's site that the packaging may be getting an upgrade to sleeker black tubes.

The aptly named Sugar Babies apply like a gloss but deliver the pigmentation of a lipstick.  They smell like a sugary vanilla cupcake and offer a shiny, non-sticky finish.  The photo above is "Breathless" and was taken in natural light, no flash and no filtering or editing has been done.  Depending on how the light hits it, it's a dark, stormy gray/blue/purple.

The Pros:

They smell sweet enough to eat and come in an amazing selection of colors.  Given the reasonable price tag, I wanted to try a color I'd never consider otherwise.  This jojoba oil based gloss is not sticky, yet delivers lots of shine.  This formula mixes easily with other lip glosses to boot!  At just $4.75 I could easily see myself stocking up on many of the colors available.  The coverage is quite impressive for a gloss, though not quite what I'd consider a liquid lipstick.

The Cons:

Again, don't let the simple packaging fool you - unless simple packaging just isn't doable for your personal collection.  This particular color, "Breathless," does temporarily stain my lips, but can be wiped away easily with makeup remover or plain old cleanser and water. 

If color and value are important to you, look no further than MBA Cosmetics.  I am quite sure I'll be placing another order in the near future. 

Review: Eslor Soothing Refiner & Cleanser

When it comes to facial cleansers, I might as well be Goldilocks: I can never find the cleanser that is "just right."  I consider my skin combination dry, where my cheeks can stay dry and even flaky, yet I can end up with an oil slick across my forehead.  For me, the perfect cleanser has to remove makeup, suck up the oil so I FEEL the clean, but prevent the tightness and dryness you can often get when you rinse.  Some cleansers left my skin feeling greasy, others left my skin dry and visibly tight. 

Once upon a time, there was Eslor skin care.  Created by a pharmacologist for his wife who, like me, was seeking a natural skin care line, Eslor offers aloe based products for various skin needs.  If you've checked the labels on your cleanser, you'll probably find a plethora of ingredients.  However, Eslor is being praised for what is NOT in it.  Instead of harsh cleansers like sodium lauryl sulfate, there is almond meal, earth kaolin and seaweed extract which help suck up dirt while leaving skin moisturized.  Eslor's Soothing Refiner and Cleanser draws out impurities while cleaning surface dirt away.  Aloe soothes red, irritated skin while glycerin and hops are natural moisturizers.  With only a handful of ingredients, this cleanser proves less is more.

The Pros:

Finally! I've discovered the perfect balance; my face feels clean yet very soft.  Even without immediately applying a moisturizer, this low foaming gel is a combination cleanser and toner in one step.  I've noticed my skin is smoother after about a week of use, too. There's no fragrance or dyes, so this could be an excellent option for sensitive skin.  In addition, there are no harsh cleansers, no parabens, no sodium lauryl sulfate and no sodium lauryl ethel sulfate (both rough cleansing agents.)  This is the first cleanser I have found that has actually improved my skin without any additional product use!

The Cons:

At $32 for a 2 ounce bottle, it isn't a budget-friendly option for some.  It cleans well, but may not offer enough oil control throughout the day for individuals with particularly oily skin.  Finally, because this cleanser is designed to draw out dirt and oil deep within your pores, you may notice a pimple or two in your first week or so of use.  (This is common with face masks and products with kaolin clay, which is a natural detoxifying agent that may bring impurities to the surface.)

This truly is a high quality cleanser and I can only imagine how effective it would be combined with Eslor's other skin care products.  You can receive free samples with purchase on the Eslor website and as a bonus, there are men's skin care products as well.  It's worth a look.

Review: Organic Haircare Doctor Argan Oil Treatment

Summer temperatures are already here and for us gals dealing with intense heat and humidity, a soothing, moisturizing treatment for long hair is a must.  From sweaty ponytails to messy sort-of-buns that can rough up the hair's cuticle, (that outermost layer of your hair that looks sleek or otherwise) our hair is going through a lot.  Most of you have already tried deep conditioning treatments, but Organic Haircare Doctor's Moroccan Argan Oil Restorative Treatment Conditioner is a value priced gem that recently caught my eye.

Organic Doctor is an environmentally friendly brand based in the UK.  They offer a variety of lines for skin and hair including Manuka honey, dead sea mineral, and royal jelly.  Each line offers products for skin, hair; even deodorant and toothpaste.  All of their products contain at least 70% organic ingredients that are responsibly sourced - but on to the Restorative Treatment Conditioner!  The conditioning treatment is free from parabens, artificial colors and phthalates and, in addition to nourishing Argan oil, contains plenty of softening oils like olive, clove and rosewood.  

The conditioner itself is a shiny white paste the texture of a body butter that has an herbal, minty fragrance to it.  It melts quite easily into the hair and has a silky feel about it.  I leave the amount you should use up to you, as longer, thicker hair will inevitably require more product while shorter 'dos need less.  For my hair (pictured up top) I'm sure I used a good silver dollar size dollop or more, but given the nature of the conditioner, it works quite easily through hair.  The directions suggest leaving the treatment on for about 5 minutes, so I suggest you slather it on before shaving your legs or engaging in other beauty treatments.  

The Pros:  

Ringing in at just $12, you can't beat it.  It is a great moisturizing treatment for hair and it does help to tame flyaways.  I did not flat iron my hair in the picture (top) and simply combed it out and let it dry after using the treatment.  I can say my hair felt softer even without extensive heat styling.  I believe this product would be even more effective if left on for a longer period of time.

The Cons:

Unfortunately, this product did nothing to help detangle my dry, color-treated locks.  Perhaps had I taken a wide toothed comb into the shower while this product was on?  Maybe next time.  Also, be sure to rinse thoroughly or fine hair may be left feeling weighed down.  It was ideal for my fine, dry hair, but if you are normal or normal to oily, you may want to use the conditioner as a pre-shampoo treatment instead.      

So, great value, environmentally responsible company, and great for frizzy, malnourished hair.  Why not give it a try? I am not at all surprised it is a current best seller.  Organic Doctor is available at Vitamin World stores or on the Vitamin World website.

Review: Impulse Cosmetics Lipsticks

The moment I saw bold, bright, matte lip colors come strutting down the runways early this spring, I was sold.  From neon hues to pretty pastels, there were colors galore and colors to suit everyone.  I suddenly wanted to try every possible shade, but found many mainstream brands just hadn't caught my rainbow fever and were playing it safe with bright pinks and peaches.  Enter the wonderful world of "Cult Cosmetics" - the relatively unknown but much loved cosmetics lines available for sale online.

One of the first "Culties" (read: my word for internet cosmetics brands you need to know but haven't met yet) I came across in my search was Impulse Cosmetics. Based in Pennsylvania, PA, Impulse Cosmetics offers a range of products from matte and metallic lipsticks to eye shadows and glitters.  The Impulse Cosmetics shop on Etsy boasts almost 4,000, 5-star reviews and over 16,000 happy admirers.  Of their 30+ lipstick shades, I purchased 6; 2 from their metallic finish, Metaluxe line, and the other 4 from their Opaque Matte Finish line.   

The Colors:

Note that all photographs are not Photoshopped or filtered so as not to alter the colors shown.  In addition, all photographs were taken using natural light at the same time, in the same place, to give you the truest possible depiction of the shades.

The Pros:

These vegan lipsticks, whether metallic or matte, apply smoothly right from the tube with minimal drag.  They don't feel excessively dry, and they boast a long wear time - "TEXAS TEA" lasted me an entire dinner without reapplication.  These babies pack major pigment so brights are very bright and pastels are very pastel.  BIG color payoff!  Another plus?  At under $7 a tube, you can afford to try several shades without breaking the bank.

The Cons:

As with any matte lipsticks, dryness and peeling can be an issue.  This is actually one of the least drying formulas I've tried, however.  If you're a girl who loves fancy, girly packaging to your beauty products, you will be disappointed with the very basic, very homemade plastic tubes these lipsticks come in.  

Application Tips:

At first these super-pigmented shades can seem a bit daunting as they are opaque and don't have the shiny, glossy quality you may be familiar with in lipsticks.  For the best, most even application, exfoliate your lips prior to application (I use a warm, wet washcloth and simply rub in a circular motion until dry skin is removed).  If you have a lip primer you love, use it.  Have trouble with lipsticks that bleed or settle into fine lines around your mouth?  A clear lip liner, or lip liner in a similar shade, would work wonders with these lipsticks.  Unfortunately, Impulse Cosmetics does not offer lip liners in corresponding shades at this time.  

The Bottom-line:

I have had a lot of fun with these colors and at such a reasonable price, I can play with runway-worthy color.  Impulse Cosmetics ships in safe, durable packaging and all orders come with tracking information.  Although Impulse Cosmetics seems to be swamped with orders at this time, the 4 to 7 day turn around time is reasonable in light of all this seller offers: high quality, highly pigmented, cruelty-free cosmetics in a wide range of colors and finishes.  Trust me, you'll be glad to add Impulse Cosmetics to your beauty routine.

Impulse Cosmetics can be found at: Impulse Co on Etsy.