I’ve been inspired by some beauty accounts I’ve seen on Instagram lately and decided to try to make a flat lay of my own. Here are some pink beauty grabs I’ve picked up recently and/or have been loving!
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SOME PINK GOODIES
TINTED BROW GEL FACEOFF: GLOSSIER ‘BOY BROW’ VS. BENEFIT ‘GIMME BROW’ VS. MILK MAKEUP ‘KUSH’
Happy pre-Thanksgiving! I’m so excited about today’s post because I feel like I am finally organizing all of these thoughts that I’ve had in my head for the past few weeks and publishing them down in a concise, easy-to-understand manner. Let’s get to it!
Today I wanted to compare three similar, mid-range tinted brow gels that are out on the market currently. We’re looking at the Glossier Boy Brow, Benefit Gimme Brow, and the Milk Makeup Kush brow gel.
Starting with applicators, they are all very similar. Each applicator is decently short, which allows you to fine tune your brow gel application and not get it on surrounding hairs or skin. Boy Brow is a bit more compact and dense of a brush than Milk, which is more compact and dense than Gimme Brow. I believe this does make a difference in applications. See below!
The three shades chosen were all mid-toned brown offerings from each of the brands. That being said, each brown is not created equal. Glossier’s Boy Brow in ‘brown’ is the lightest of the three, MIlk Makeup’s Kush in ‘Dutch’ is the darkest and Benefit’s Gimme Brow in ‘3’ was in the middle.
Okay, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.
One of the highest rated brow gels on the market right now is Glossier Boy Brow in ‘Brown’. I have owned this product in the past and have genuinely enjoyed it but due to Glossier’s limited online availability I never picked up a new one until I was creating this post. It’s different than the other two gels listed here in that it’s more of a pomade than a gel– meaning that it feels like it doesn’t truly dry all the way down. That being said, it does lend a more natural appearance and feel to your eyebrows. I find that Boy Brow is the best of the three products for making current hairs appear fuller (aka needing to fill them in less or using BB as a replacement for fill-in products!). If you have a decent shape to your eyebrows and just need help to get that extra mile, Boy Brow is your product.
Truly my “OG” in this category, next up is the Benefit Gimme Brow in ‘3’. I have absolutely loved this product for years and have repurchased numerous times. The reason that I like Gimme Brow is that you get the tint, you get the hold and you get the slight volumizing of your hairs. I’d say Gimme Brow does not volumize your hairs as much as Boy Brow but the formula of the product does allow it to dry down and not feel as pomade-like throughout the day. I also prefer the Gimme Brow brush the best over the others– it’s easy to use and doesn’t get product all over your face.
Milk Makeup Kush brow gel in ‘Dutch’ is the newest product for me in this trio. It is the most “brow gel”-like in the group, meaning it holds your brows in place the best. The ‘Dutch’ shade was a bit too dark and cool for me personally, but that is no fault to the actual product. One thing that I do find as a fault, though, is the brush. I can never seem to apply Kush without getting product all over my small facial hairs. If you’re looking for a brow gel that applies a tint and holds your hairs in place (ala Anastasia’s tinted brow gel) though, this is your product. If you’re looking for something that will assist your hairs in looking fuller, the other two products mentioned are yours!
I prefer the Benefit Gimme Brow the most, followed by the Glossier Boy Brow and the Milk Makeup Kush. I think I may buy that Milk one in clear to use as a brow setter instead 🙂 LMK your favorite tinted brow gels in the comments below! I did not include the Anastasia Beverly Hills gel because I personally use the clear and use it for a different purpose than these.
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CHARLOTTE TILBURY HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY HIGHLIGHTER + CONTOUR WANDS
Today we are chit-chatting about some fancy products. Specifically, some Charlotte Tilbury products.
These are the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Highlighter and Contour Wand in Fair/Medium. Both are tubed liquid products with a sponge tip applicator. Many have an issue with the applicator while I, personally, don’t really care. They aren’t the most hygienic of tips but that’s never stopped me from loving a product before (um, hello Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer, my love).
The contour product is beautifully matte and semi-sheer, allowing you to layer as needed for depth and/or coverage. I have the lighter shade of this contour wand and find it to be very flattering on my skin tone. If you have a deeper complexion than me you may benefit from trying out the Medium/Deep shade. It really is sheer, though, so expect to build up a few layers to get solid payoff.
The highlighting wand is just…….. disco ball perfection. I wanted this highlighter for so long but put it off because of the price ($38 USD) and availability only at Nordstrom. That was until my fiancé finally bought it for me last Christmas!!! I’ve been using it religiously ever since. The best part about reading about these Beauty Wands now? Charlotte Tilbury is now carried in Sephora so you can rack up those Beauty Insider points by buying them. Solves any issue I had prior when I was holding off on picking up. I would not consider this highlight to be fully “glossy” (i.e. no base pigment and just reflectivity) and would say it’s partially metallic but when applied properly (a little goes a long, long way), it will look extremely beautiful as just an amplified, natural highlight.
Here’s a before, during and after photo. For the
If you’ve tried the medium/deep shade, let me know if it is just as sheer as this shade appears to be! If I had to pick a favorite out of these two Beauty Wands, I would absolutely go for the highlighter. That being said, if you’re willing to drop the $$ on both, do it. These are high-quality face products that will surely become staples in your makeup routine.
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EYELINER FACEOFF: FENTY ‘FLYLINER’ V. KAT VON D ‘TATTOO’ V. STILA ‘STAY ALL DAY’
Oh my goodnesssssSsss
Today’s post has been a WORK. IN. PROGRESS. lemme tell you. I could give you a short blurb why or I could just get into the post. Let’s just get into it. Today I’m comparing three very similar mid-range eyeliners:
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner
and Fenty Beauty Flyliner (new!)
As you can see, these liners are all felt/brush tipped and they’re all fairly equal in tip length.
My go-to for years and years (seriously. repurchase after repurchase) was Stila’s Stay All Day. If you look back on old Beautymunson posts you’ll see just how much I used it. I eventually replaced it with Kat von D’s Tattoo liner because of how quickly the Stila one dried out. I’ve been gung-ho on the KVD liner for years now but with the recent anti-vaxx debacle and the societal cancellation of her brand, I was curious what else was out there. Around the same time, Fenty Beauty dropped their Flyliner. The idea for this blog post was then born.
Each product is very black, for sure. That being said, these were all BRAND. NEW. liners and I was very confused by the Kat Von D swatches. That is a liner I have been using for a long time up until today and it’s never been that translucent before– I can only assume the batch I received is off or the formula changed? It was translucent when I applied it on the eye, too.
As for the Stila and Fenty liners, they were pretty even. Fenty’s was super duper inky, though. I consider that a positive. Stila’s, on the other hand, is more like a felt-tipped thin marker.
Please pardon the inconsistency in the lighting of the “test run” photos. I clearly took them on different days and it’s been rainy and dark this weekend/week!
Starting with Kat von D’s Tattoo eyeliner– again, it was not opaque upon first application but you can easily layer up two or three layers to get a deep black. What I personally dislike about the Tattoo eyeliner is the Satin finish but many of you may find that to be a good thing! It brings a little bit of life into your eye look. The Tattoo liner applicator is different than the other two in that it is more of a brush than a felt tip and I think that helps with its longevity. Tattoo liner lasts significantly longer than the other two– giving you a better value. (of course this is assuming for the Fenty liner but I can already tell it’ll act similarly to the Stila option)
Next is the Stila Stay All Day liquid eyeliner. This one is black, opaque and extremely easy to use. The only downside is the life of the product itself. It does dry out but will still give you months of solid performance. I really like how sharp the tip is because it makes it very simple to draw out a perfect wing. They even have a MICRO tip Stay All Day if you want an even more precise application.
Last up is the product that I am currently conducting the hype train for– the Fenty Beauty Flyliner. It’s SO dark and opaque and applies beautifully. It’s as if the product just flows into a line on your eyelid. I was nervous when I purchased because a lot of the reviews state that it transfers but I assumed correctly when I assumed it wouldn’t be a problem for me because my lids don’t usually have transfer issues.
All three of the eyeliners are good. I appreciate that they aren’t thick or clumpy and don’t flake. I like this style of liner pen because it saves your lashes from getting all goopy right before applying mascara.
Now, I have a question. Have you “cancelled” Kat von D? If so, what product(s) have you had to find replacements for? If not, let me know what your favorite eyeliner is! It doesn’t have to be in pen form like these. Have a great day and I’ll talk to ya in the comments.
I have done a handful of face-offs, check them out here:
MASCARA | BRONZER (coming soon!)
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MY FAVORITE FUNKY LIPS
OG Beautymunson signing on!
Today we’re talkin’ FUNKY lip colors! My favorites, to be specific. Scroll below to see my thoughts on and swatches of these three lippies.
From R to L…
Lime Crime Velvetine in ‘Squash’
Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid in ‘Vivid Violet’
Smashbox Always On liquid lipstick in ‘Chill Zone’
ALRIGHT.
First up, we have the most beautiful orange shade ever. This liquid lipstick from Lime Crime makes my complexion look so bright and my teeth so white. Who could have ever thought a tangerine lipstick could make you look so good? I had lusted for a shade like this for YEARS and determined I would have to make it myself because it didn’t exist. Then I found Squash. I love the color and I love the formula of Lime Crime’s Velvetine lipsticks. They’re thin and last for-EVER.
Next is Maybelline Vivid “Matte” liquid lipstick in Vivid Violet. Let’s just start off by saying this formula is not matte. Not in any way, shape or form. Once you get that expectation out of your head you can fully enjoy this lipstick for what it is– a beautifully plush, vibrant purple that makes a super impact. The formula is a bit streaky but I’ve learned over the wears that the more you try to even it out with the applicator, the less anything changes. This plush formula works best when you apply and then rub your lips together. It does transfer but this purple, you guys. It’s soooooo pretty. I don’t even care!
Last up is what was ONCE my favorite liquid lipstick formula, Smashbox’s Always On liquid lip. I say ONCE because when these lipsticks are brand new, their formula is unbeatable. It’s thick (in a good way), opaque and the applicator gets every corner of your mouth covered in one fell swoop. and once the product was on? Didn’t budge. I bought so many of these lipsticks but now I’ve learned time does not bode well on them. They’ve now gotten thick (in a bad way) and are difficult to apply. That being said, their longevity still stands true and if you just thin out the formula with some Fix+, you’re back in business. Chill Zone is a super “cool girl” grey. Like, come on. Who rocks grey lips? You’ll become instantly cool, er, chill, while still feeling like this warm taupey grey is wearable.
Would you wear any of these crazy colors? Let me know below what your “go-to” funky lip product is.
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BECCA COSMETICS LILAC GEODE HIGHLIGHTER + GLOSS
Happy Friday everybody!
Today I’m sharing some quick swatches of a product I saw in Ulta last week and randomly decided to buy– Becca’s Lilac Geode Duo.
I hadn’t seen this highlighter release up close and was really pleasantly surprised when it swatched slightly duochrome-like with a pinky base and gold reflect. It was insanely wearable and right up my alley (I love anyyyyything gold/pink ESPECIALLY when both colors are involved). The lip gloss was similar with a warm pink base with gold glitter that, much like Becca’s Liquid Crystal Glow Glosses that I liked the formula of, was not gritty.
The swatches barely do these products justice and what really won me over for this duo was the price tag. Both of these come for only $25! $25 for a full sized lip gloss and a mini highlighter– and a mini is all you need in a funkier shade like this, anyway.
Next time you’re in Ulta, give these a swatch and see how you like them. I’m sure you will.
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DOSE OF COLORS ‘SLINKY’
Happy Friday everybody reading this!!! On a Friday!!!! or just happy day if you’re reading this any other day!!!
Today’s post is highlighting a single eyeshadow I recently picked up by Dose of Colors. This is my first product from Dose and so far, so good.
This is ‘Slinky‘ from their Block Party shadow collection. I have heard good things online about these shadows for a few months so when I passed by them in Ulta the other day I knew I wanted to pick one up. Okay, well, because I had heard good things but also because I had heard you should buy in-store because the formula and/or press of these shadows makes them very breakable and they supposedly always break in shipment when you order online.
So, to reiterate, I passed these in-store and knew I wanted to try them but also figured I was in the store so I may as well pick one up!
Jokes on me. First one I bought was shattered– had to go back to exchange so even if you’re buying at an Ulta store, check the shadow before driving away!
‘Slinky’ is a muted grey-brown with silver reflective sparkles in it. What I like about this shade in particular (can’t speak for the entire collection) is that upon application, the base and shimmer are melted together as one (read: no glitter fallout) HOWEVER, when I wiped away the shadow from the various parts of my body when I was swatching it out, the sparkle fluttered away easier than the taupe base did. Knowing that, I would suggest only applying these shadows as your final pop in a look that requires you to blend minimally.
I’m going to rock this shadow so much this season and into next because it walks the line between warm and cool and it’s so powerful while still coming across fairly understated.
Below are two photos to showcase the movement and dimension of this shade between different lightings:
This is such a stunning eyeshadow and if you’re willing to splurge $20 on a product that will truly transform a look, splurge on a Block Party shadow. I will 100% be trying out more shades from this range! Have you tried any of the Dose of Colors shadows? Let me know below if you have any recommendations for me.
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MASCARA FACEOFF: HOURGLASS ‘CAUTION’ VS. MILK MAKEUP ‘KUSH’
Happy Monday my friends!
Today I’m comparing two newly-released mascaras. Kush by Milk Makeup and Caution by Hourglass Cosmetics. If you would like to hear what I have to say in video format with a side-by-side on-the-eyes demo, scroll to the bottom of this post to watch my YouTube video on these products!
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| Please ignore the beat-up packaging.. it just goes to show that I’ve actually had these in my makeup bag and purse for the past few months! |
I bought these mascaras fairly close to one another.. kind of.. (Kush on May 10th and Caution on August 24th) but at the time of their respective releases, they were each highly raved about online. I have never purchased a full-sized mid to high range mascara because I’ve never been unhappy with my drugstore Maybelline faves. I decided to give these both a go because of the hype and I feel that one of these were a waste of money while the other was not! See the below photos to try to guess which mascara matches with which response…
To further explain what’s going on in the above photos, both mascaras are fine. They both lengthen and give body to the lash. The main differences are in 1. how much length they give, 2. clumpability and 3. depth of color.1. Length — The Hourglass Caution mascara ($29) gives my lashes a bit more length than the Milk Makeup Kush mascara ($24)
2. The Kush mascara clumps SIGNIFICANTLY more than the Caution mascara and is unable to get those clumps out.
3. The Caution mascara is a deeper black that stays true all day.
I much prefer the Hourglass Caution mascara because it applies beautifully and is never finicky, doesn’t flake and stays a deep black all day. The packaging of the Hourglass mascara is sleek and pretty while the Kush mascara is heavy and clunky. The two mascaras are about the same amount of product (.34 oz Kush versus .33 oz Caution) with dissimilar price tags but if I had to choose one of these mascaras to repurchase, I would splurge the extra amount to buy the Hourglass for the formula.
I reviewed these mascaras side-by-side in a YouTube video, too! Check it out below:
I would love to know if you’ve tried one or both of these mascaras and what your opinion is on them! Mascara is such a personal choice– I’m always interested in how one formula could work so well for one person and horribly for another. Let me know!
I have done a handful of face-offs, check them out here:
EYELINER | BRONZER (coming soon!)
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