Review: Klara Cosmetics Kiss Proof Lips Box + Swatches

Karla Cosmetics Kiss Proof Lips Box

Klara Cosmetics Kiss Proof Lips ($29 AUD = $23 USD/8ml) are matte cream lipsticks acclaimed to have 24-hour wear. The collection offers both nude and bright shades that are made with 100% color pigmentation. Once applied, they dry within 60 seconds and last throughout the day without any bleeding or smudging.

Available in (14) shades: 01 Golden Rose, 02 Natural Pink, 03 Passion Pink, 04 Neon Pink, 05 Flaming Red, 06 Vintage Burgundy, 07 Sienna Nude, 08 Orange Tangerine, 09 Watermelon Kiss, 10 Madgenta, 11 Psycho Violet, 12 Lilac Lover, 13 Mix, and 14 Chocolate Temptation.

Kiss Proof Lips (left to right) Passion Pink, Watermelon Kiss, Flaming Red, Lilac Lover

Klara Cosmetics is an Australian owned and designed company named after founder, Klara Sabotkoski. Klara is known as the "Eau de Parfum of Cosmetics." As a true beauty professional she delivers a line of high quality products that are formulated with pure pigments. What you see is what you get with Klara Cosmetics. With such intense saturation in color, there is no need to pack on product several times to reach its true color potential.

If there is one beauty product I can't ever have enough of it would be lip products! What are my preferred lippies you ask? Lip lacquers and matte lipsticks are my all time favorites, so naturally you can imagine my excitement when I received the Kiss Proof Lips Box from Klara Cosmetics.

Klara Cosmetics puts out a limited edition Kiss Proof Box offering 4 of their various shades at a discounted price ($89 AUD - $70 USD). The box sent me to me included 03 Passion Pink, 05 Flaming Red, 09 Watermelon Kiss, and 12 Lilac Lover.


Passion Pink (03) is a warm neutral pink that compliments every skin tone. It is my most used and loved color of the bunch.

Watermelon Kiss (09) is a warm deep coral pink. It comes off a bit red in photographs but is more pink toned in person.

Kiss Proof Lips (left to right) Passion Pink, Watermelon Kiss

Flaming Red (05) is a true blue toned bright red. It is a complimentary red that goes with several skin tones. It is also one of my favorites.

Lilac Lover (12) is a blue toned lilac pink. These pinks are my least favorite as they don't really suit my skin tone.

Kiss Proof Lips (left to right) Flaming Red, Lilac Lover

Wet Swatches (left to right): Passion Pink, Watermelon Kiss, Flaming Red, Lilac Lover

Dry Swatches (left to right): Passion Pink, Watermelon Kiss, Flaming Red, Lilac Lover

Kiss Proof Lips are odorless and offer a pure matte finish which means they essentially make your lips feel dry. I highly recommend applying a lip balm on your lips prior to adding this lipstick to keep them feeling a bit moisturized. After applying, allow 60 seconds for the product to dry and you're set for the day. The lipstick does not bleed, smudge or transfer. Hence the "Kiss Proof Lips" name, they are 100% boyfriend approved!

With that being said, they tested to last 7 hours of wear but not because the product came off but because that was the longest I had worn it. I do believe they will stay put longer than 7 hours seeing as how they were a bit difficult to remove. A rag and water will not remove these lipsticks, you will have to use a quality makeup remover wipe or oil to get the product off. I can't tell you if the 24-hour claim is true because I don't ever see myself having the need to wear a lipstick for that long. But what I will tell you is that these lippies are definitely worth giving them a try.

PACKAGING
These pure matte lippies are housed in clear rectangular plastic tubes showing the actual product color and contain twist off black caps. The opening of the tubes contain a stopper that controls how much product is picked up by the applicator which is a plus in my book, this means no mess in the cap. The applicator itself is what I consider to be the best applicator available when it comes to highly pigmented lip creams. The flocked doe foot applicator is great for precision when using it on the edges of your lips and for an overall thin application. Remember, because of their intense pigment not much product is needed when applying. A little bit definitely goes a long way.

Wand Applicator

OVERALL THOUGHTS
The Klara Cosmetics Kiss Proof Lips are quintessentially the purest matte cream lipsticks I've come across in all of my years as a blogger and makeup artist. The intensity in color that these lipsticks provide is amazing and the lasting power will impress you throughout the day even during eating and drinking. The only con I have is the dry feeling but that is the common complaint of most matte lippies. And the other downfall is having to pay the expensive shipping to have products shipped from Australia. It would be awesome if Klara Cosmetics was easily accessible here in the United States. I would recommend all beauty junkies and makeup artists especially try out Klara Cosmetics. Its pure pigment does not disappoint!

Lip Swatches  (Top Left): Pink Passion, (Top Right): Lilac Lover, (Bottom Left): Watermelon Kiss, (Bottom Right): Flaming Red

Availability: Klara Cosmetics
Price: $29 AUD ~ $23 USD


Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions featured in this post as they are my own honest experiences with the product.   

Review: Rain Cosmetics Glam Lipstick in Socialite

Rain Cosmetics Glam Lipstick (Socialite)

Rain Cosmetics 'Socialite' Glam Lipstick ($20/.14 oz) is a creamy bright rose lipstick that provides full moisture to the lips. This paraben free lippie contains mango butter, grape seed oil and vitamin E that act as emollients that soothe and quench the lips throughout the day. This formula is available in both shimmer and matte shades.

Available in (13) colors: Socialite, Private Jet, Cocktail Hour, With the DJ, VIP List, Champagne Brunch, Penthouse Suite, Stretch Limo, Bottle Service, Velvet Rope, Red Carpet, After Hours, Very Hot Chocolate.

Rain Cosmetics is a Las Vegas based cosmetic company. The play on the city's nightlife is seen in the sexy packaging and in the names of the colors of their products.

Socialite Swatch

Close up Socialite Swatch

The Rain Cosmetics Glam Lipstick in Socialite was love at first sight! At first it seems to have a firm dry feeling but after a few swipes on the lips it warms up and becomes very smooth and creamy. It has the pigment and opacity of a lipstick but the moisturizing feel of a gloss, minus the sticky feeling! The color complimented my skin tone beautifully providing my lips with a bright but natural flush of color. The lasting power was about average of other lipsticks with normal daily activity of drinking and eating.

Sleek Packaging

PACKAGING
Rain Cosmetics has definitely put thought into the sleek packaging of these lipsticks. The product is housed in a light blue rectangular cube like tube and has a silver twist up. The quality of the tube itself is great and durable which provides a nice sturdy feel when twisting the product up.

 

The scent of this lipstick is the typical "back in the day" lipstick smell. Some people aren't big fans of this smell and say it reminds them of their grandma's lipstick but I have no problem with it. It is actually nostalgic to me.

OVERALL THOUGHTS
The Glam Lipstick in Socialite is a must have color for light to medium skin tones. It is the perfect shade of pink without being too blue toned for my medium olive skin tone. I recommend this lipstick to anyone who is looking for a great pink toned opaque moisturizing lipstick. I would have wished that it were more long lasting but there is not much you can do to find a moisturizing product that is also long lasting.

Wearing Rain Cosmetics Lipstick in Socialite

Price: $20
Availability: Rain Cosmetics / Store Locations & Salons


Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions featured in this post as they are my own honest experiences with the product.   

Review: Blvd. Cosmetics Brush Shampoo & Conditioner

Blvd. Cosmetics Brush Shampoo & Conditioner

If you find yourself reading this post then there's a high chance that you own a beauty blender. In that case you have probably tried or at least heard of the beauty blender solid cleanser. Well, Blvd. Cosmetics has brought us a cleansing product that sort of plays on the same concept. I introduce to you the BLVD Cosmetics Brush Shampoo & Conditioner.

Blvd. Cosmetics is a natural and organic cosmetic company that offers lip products from lipsticks, liners and glosses to brush cleansers, nail polishes and body soaps.

Blvd. Cosmetics Brush Shampoo & Conditioner ($16/2 oz) is a mild soap that not only cleanses but moisturizes your makeup brushes and beauty sponges. It is made with natural oils and contains antibacterial and conditioning properties that leave your tools feeling smooth and looking vibrant, all while keeping the bristles of your brushes healthy and long lasting. It is 100% vegan and biodegradable.

The brush cleanser is available in (3) options: Unscented, Lemon Grass Swirl, and Lavender Swirl. The brush shampoo I have for review is the Lavender Swirl. It contains a soft lavender scent that is not overpowering and leaves your brushes smelling fresh and cleansed.

Blvd. Cosmetics Lavender Swirl Brush Shampoo & Conditioner

I have always cleaned my beauty blenders and brushes with good ole dishwashing soap mixed with a bit of extra virgin olive oil in order to disinfect and moisturize them. This cleansing method has worked for me thus far but it is time consuming as the soap creates lots of suds in my beauty blenders and brushes. The great thing about the Blvd. Cosmetics brush shampoo & conditioner is that doesn't create suds. The soap washes out very easily while removing all the product left in your tools.

Another positive factor in this shampoo is that it leaves the hair bristles on my brushes looking brighter and feeling softer. Whereas using Dawn with the olive oil feels a bit too greasy on the bristles. And let's not forget, less suds equals less time spent trying to squeeze them out. I can't tell you how many times I've thought I got every last bit out to realize that I had to take my tools back to the sink and run them under water. The joys of deep cleaning makeup brushes! (Enter sarcasm here)

Before & After on brushes & beauty blenders using Blvd. Shampoo

PACKAGING
The soap is packaged into a plastic tub with a twist on cap and contains a small round loofah. In this case the soap itself is not removable, instead you take your wet brush or beauty blender and swirl it around in the tub. In my opinion this saves the amount of soap you use when cleansing your tools as opposed to using a bar like the Beauty Blender solid cleanser. Let's not forget to mention, the Blvd. Cosmetics brush shampoo contains 2 0z. of product, double the amount of the BB solid cleanser. I was a little skeptical about scrubbing my brushes on the loofah but when you run it under water it will expand and become soft, aiding in removing any leftover product in your brushes. I suggest allowing the loofah to dry completely before trying to store it back in the tub (it won't fit if you don't).

Top view: twist off cap

Side view: 2 oz. of product

Round loofah included in packaging

Dry loofah included w/ Brush Shampoo & Conditioner

Instructions

Demo using dirty brush w/ shampoo

Wet Loofah - expands & softens when wet

I'm all for simplicity when it comes to deep cleaning my makeup tools and that is exactly what I get with the Blvd. Cosmetics Brush Shampoo. Wet your brush swirl it in the tub, gently scrub it against the wet loofah and rinse. Then lay your brush flat to dry. I don't get my hands as wet as with any other method meaning I don't dry them out with soap and water and the process doesn't take as long.

OVERALL THOUGHTS
The Blvd. Cosmetics Brush Shampoo & Conditioner is a must have! It helps cut down my brush cleaning in half all while leaving them clean and moisturized with a light fresh scent. At double the amount of product compared to other cleansers out in the market and the fact that it is made with natural ingredients wins in my book! Blvd. Cosmetics is on the rise and I'm sure it will become a well known brand in the beauty community. Make sure you check them out & follow on Instagram - @blvdcosmetics


Availability: Blvdcosmetics.com
Price: $16 (2oz.)

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions featured in this post as they are my own honest experiences with the product.    

Gorgeous Cosmetics 'Soft Grape' Shimmer Dust Review + Swatches + Makeup Look

Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dust in Soft Grape

Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dust ($25/3g) is described as luxurious loose powder pigment, which dusts lightly over eyes, face and body.  Highly pigmented and super silky soft.  Simply alter your application technique to create a gorgeous soft sheen, an intense colour effect or anything in between.

Available in (18) colors: Antique Gold, Antique Pink, Aqua, Burnt Copper, Forest, Gold, Luminesence, Minty, Ms Vegas, Mysterious, Plum, Purple Berry, Sand, Seriously Violet, Silver Suede, Soft Grape, Starlet, Suede.

Soft Grape is a soft purple with pink undertones. It's a great color for those who are scared to work with purples on the lids. Layer it over other purples or mix with browns, blacks or greens for a nice pop of color!

These highly pigmented loose pigments blend smoothly and are easy to build intensity when layering them. To build a saturated color on the lid they can be used with a wet brush, I like to use MAC Fix+ on my brush to make the pigment color pop even more. Used over an eye primer, this pigment has a  lasting power of around 7 hours. Use a very light dusting with these shimmers on the body as well for a very pretty glow.

Soft Grape Swatch (1 layer)

Layered Swatch (2 layers)

 

Wet Swatch (1 layer)

PACKAGING
Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dusts come in a round matte black plastic container with a see-through twist cap. The shimmer itself is covered by a sifter which allows you to control the amount of product you need. At 3g (11 oz) of product it might seem a bit small for the

price but remember, when working with pigments a little goes a long way. Pigments come in small amounts no matter the brand. The shimmer dusts come with less product for a few bucks more than the MAC pigments ($21/0.15oz).

"Gorgeous Cosmetics is an prestige cosmetic brand, founded in Melbourne, Australia in 1999. From face primers to contour powders and lipsticks they offer a variety of cosmetics. The brand is a one stop shop in creating a full flawless look from start to finish. Enriched with anti-aging and healing ingredients such as Chamomile, Aloe Vera and Vitamins A & E, the Gorgeous Cosmetics range embodies quality to create a complete Pro makeup collection." Gorgeouscosmetics.com

Overall Thoughts
These finely milled shimmers are beautiful pigmented products to work with. They are so simple to use and apply to the eyes. Amp up a simple eye look with a shimmer dust. Applying them wet builds the intensity of your look. The packaging, quality and lasting power of them are well worth the price. I can't wait to get my hands on more colors!

Gorgeous Cosmetics 'Soft Grape' Shimmer Dust on center of lid

Gorgeous Cosmetics 'Soft Grape' Shimmer Dust on center of lid

Availability: Nordstrom / Gorgeous Cosmetics
Price: $25
 
Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions featured in this post as they are my own honest experiences with the product.   

L.A. Girl PRO Conceal HD Concealer Review + Swatches

L.A. Girl PRO Conceal HD Concealer

L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer ($5) is described as crease-resistant, opaque coverage in a creamy yet lightweight texture. The long-wearing formula camouflages darkness under the eyes, redness and skin imperfections. Provides complete, natural-looking coverage, evens skin tone, covers dark circles and minimizes fine lines around the eyes.

These cruelty-free concealers by L.A. Girl Cosmetics have been raved about all over social media and for good reason at that. We all know that finding a great long lasting concealer with little to no creasing and at an affordable price is hard to come about in the beauty market. Look no further my beauty enthusiasts, these gems are here to stay! 

The Pro HD Concealers come in (18) different colors: Classic Ivory, Natural, Creamy Beige, Nude, Medium Bisque, Pure Beige, Warm Sand, Medium Beige, Almond, Cool Tan, Toast, Warm Honey, Fawn, Toffee, Espresso, Chestnut, Beautiful Bronze, and Dark Cocoa.

With a vast array of color options to choose from, rest assure there is a color to fulfill your needs. Whether you are looking for a highlighting, concealing or contouring color,  LA Girl pro concealers have got you covered. From the lightest ivory to the deepest cocoa shade the variety in colors make these concealers a hot item for any makeup artist's kit; allowing them to have options for their clients' needs at a reasonable price.

Reviewed here are two of the shades in the collection. I use Creamy Beige to highlight and Toast to contour. When choosing your shade, it is a bit difficult to easily find what you are looking for through the website as they are not actual swatches. I recommend you try looking up real swatches on blog reviews such as this. I got lucky and chose the two that ideally met my needs. Creamy Beige is a bit light to match my foundation but it works perfectly for highlighting my face (mid forehead, bridge of nose, under eyes, cupids bow and chin) which is what I wanted it for. Toast is the perfect color to contour my face (temples, cheekbones and nose) with. I always go for a contour color about 4-5 shades darker than my skin tone and just blend blend blend into my foundation and highlight for a flawless contoured look!

Creamy Beige used as highlight / Toast used as contour

PERFORMANCE

Naturally I have dark circles that have always been an issue for me when trying to find a product to cover them up. I also have fine lines under my eyes that always tend to cause creasing when I apply concealer. The problem indiscovering the perfect concealer is finding one that would not only cover my dark circles but prevent creasing and is long wearing all at the same time. It wasn't until I started using MAC Pro Longwear Concealer ($19) that I had found a solution to my dark circle trouble. I vowed to never try another concealer again but when I came across the Pro Conceal HD Concealers and the raves about them I knew I had to give them a try.

Left to right: Creamy Beige - Toast

Just like the infamous Pro Longwear, they are very creamy and opaque, concealing my problem areas without having to use much product. Although they are creamy and blend easily, you will have to work a bit quicker with these concealers because they do dry a bit faster. I use a beauty blender or stippling brush to help blend out the product effortlessly. Thus far the concealer has stayed put for 10 hours without any creasing. 
 

PACKAGING

These squeeze tube concealers are reminiscent of some lip gloss tubes which some may not like but I love. I prefer this packaging over any jar or hard plastic tubes that come with a wand or brush... meaning less mess and more hygiene care. This also means no product gets left behind in the tube. We all know what a pain that is when you still have enough product leftover for a few more applications but there is no way of getting it out of the packaging. I do favor the pump that the MAC Pro Longwear comes with but the problem with pumps is that they make it difficult to control how much product you are dispensing; once you do there is no putting any leftover back in the container.

Holding .25 oz of pigmented product means they will last you quite a while. MAC packaging holds .30fl oz and lasts a long time. A little goes a long way with both concealers so not much is needed for one application.

There is one minor downfall to the packaging of these concealers, that being the tip has a brush applicator. Bacteria can grow in the brush from the leftover product after using it directly on your face. Even if you are using them for personal use, it's not too sanitary. I suggest squeezing out some product and transferring it onto the back of your clean hand or a mixing plate. The brush does make it a bit messy though..

Brush Tip Applicator

PRODUCT TIP - HYGIENE CARE

Here's a tip! When I received my concealers I took a pair of pliers and pulled out the brush applicators. This way I can just squeeze out the amount I need without the mess all while using the most sanitary care possible with this product. I also always wipe down the opening with alcohol to prevent any bacteria from entering the tube.

Top: toast / Bottom: Creamy Beige

OVERALL THOUGHTS

I'm happy I got my hands on the L.A. Girl Pro HD Concealers, they certainly do live up to the hype! The non-creasing long-lasting formula makes for a perfect concealer to fix problem areas as well as for highlighting and contouring the face.

At about a quarter of the price of MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, the Pro Conceal might just replace my previous favorite. A slight downfall to these concealers is the availability of them. I've heard some say they can be found at your local beauty supply store but I have yet to see them. They can be found online on the L.A. Girl website at $5 a piece or about $3 at iKatehouse.com. I need to get my hands on all the shades to add to my kit. These concealers are recommended by yours truly to everyone, especially makeup artists wanting to stock their kit with high quality products at an affordable price.

Availability: L.A. Girl / iKatehouse / Drugstore.com

Price: $2.29 - $5.00 
  

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions as they are my own honest experiences with the product.

Vera Mona Color Switch Duo Review

Vera Mona Color Switch Duo

The Color Switch Duo by Vera Mona ($20) is by far the most genius makeup tool I've come across in a while. It is every makeup artist/enthusiast's dream come true! This tin can contains a round black coarse sponge that allows you to change the last color used on your eyeshadow brushes without using liquid products to clean them. All you have to do is sweep the used brush around in the sponge and it instantly removes traces of the shadow from it for the next color-application.

The Duo also comes with a smaller white sponge in the middle that can be used for a wet shadow application. I haven't tried using this part of the Color Switch because I don't use water when doing a wet shadow look. I like to spray my brush with MAC Fix + or Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray because I find that they help create a more intense color application.

You could use a liquid brush spot cleaner in between colors but they are expensive and require more effort whereas the Color Switch is pretty much effortless. I especially recommend this product to makeup artists who are constantly changing shadow colors when working on a client. Using the Color Switch as opposed to brush cleaners is not only time-efficient but cost-efficient as well.

It can be used on both sides for up to 3 months in which case you should then get a refill sponge as it will begin to wear out and lose its effectiveness. A refill costs about $6-$7 compared to a 8oz bottle of Cinema Secrets brush cleaner which will run you about $30 and lasts about half the amount of time.

Clean-up for Vera Mona products embody the true definition of simplicity. Everything about them screams EASY! It will make your life that much easier when applying shadows to your eyes. Cleaning the sponge inside is just as easy as washing a beauty blender. You simply remove the sponge from the tin and wash it with soap and water then allow it to air dry.

Keep in mind that you are not disinfecting or conditioning your brushes with the Color Switch like you would be with a brush cleaner. It simply removes leftover eyeshadow from your brush and depending on the hair color and shade of the shadow it can still look dirty, but the shadow residue has been removed. At some point it is a good idea to spot clean your brushes in between deep cleanings.

Overall, I've really been enjoying the Color Switch as it's made makeup application just a bit easier. It has definitely become a staple product in my makeup kit.

Vera Mona Color Switch Duo

Availability: Vera Mona / Shop.com / Amazon / Naimies / Frends
Pricing: $20


Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration by the manufacturer. This does not affect any opinions as they are my own honest experiences with the product.