makeup review Archives - My Inner Shakti

Sephora Sale Picks

So I’m going to preface this by saying that our expense have been cut way down over the past few weeks. Essentially, we spend $$$ on food and that’s it. I don’t see the point in going into the ‘sale’ rabbit hole until we know when this is all going to be “over.”

The Sephora sale is a bit different in my book. Skincare is a huge priority for me…quarantine or not, and a lot of the products I use are pretty pricey, so an extra 20% off is VERY helpful. And I’m not going to lie, I added in a few non-skincare things in the bag because…why not? In my defense, makeup that performs like skincare is so intriguing to me…

With that, here are my picks…

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer – IMO, this is the holy grail of moisturizers. It’s not greasy, it’s light, and helps balance my skin perfectly.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum – If you’re looking for that extra bit of hydration, especially during drier months, this is the serum you need. It also supposedly helps other DE serums perform better.

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil – This is one of my top 3 favorite DE products. It’s such a luxurious oil that absorbs beautifully into your skin for that perfect level of moisture. I never thought an oil would be a part of my skincare routine, but I was wrong. This is essential!

If you want to read more about my thoughts on other DE products, check out these posts – daytime and nighttime routine and retinol.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – So I still love my DE chap stick, but I’ve heard such good things about this lip mask that I have to try it out. I will report back ASAP.

Tatcha The Liquid Skin Canvas Primer – Ok, so I know this is pricey for not being skincare, BUT I’ve been looking for a good clean primer for some time now and thought I would bite the bullet with the sale. Even though I hardly wear a full face of make up anymore, I want more staying power. Regardless of what I wear, I definitely get that spotty, end of the day look whenever I do. I want to see if this helps with that. And the Tatcha brand is well known for being good for your skin. Will report back!

Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation – This was not a planned purchase, but after seeing a few people on IG talk about this as a must have, I had to try it. I love that this is makeup that serves as skincare, and the concept sounds so cool. I’m really trying to let me imperfect skin shine through, so anything full coverage is a no go for me. I’m not quite sure how well this will work with my skin type and texture, so will share more after I try it out a few times.

bareMinerals BARESKIN Complete Coverage Serum Concealer – I’ve been searching for the perfect concealer that I can use for those no foundation days, and I’m not quite sure if this is the one, but I’m going to give it a try. Hopefully, it works out!

NUDESTIX Blend and Buff Brush – I’ve been searching for a good concealer brush to help me apply concealer on the face. This brush caught my eye because it has a foundation side and a concealer side – 2 for one?! Again, we shall see how it works out!

ANNNND that’s it in terms of what I ordered. I was going to share other picks I would’ve gotten were we not in quarantine but decided not to because there’s no way I can share my actual thoughts on them at a later time (because I won’t actually use them).

Let me know if you have any questions! I love everything skincare and makeup :).

Recent Beauty Finds and Favs

written by Parita 2 Comments

As you all know, a beauty blogger I am not. However, this does not mean I don’t try my fair share of products. In fact, Vishnu claims Sephora is my favorite store. He may be on to something!

I don’t know what it is, but as of late, I’ve tried and loved quite a few new-to-me products. These aren’t things I was necessarily looking for now, but now that they’re in my possession, I can’t let go! With the exception of one item, the rest are samples (the majority from Sephora ironically). Two of the samples even resulted in full size purchases!

With that, here are a few of my recent beauty finds and favs…

First up we have the one and only Beauty Blender. I can’t tell you why I jumped on the BB train so late, but all I can say is I’m glad I’m here now. This little sponge is a time saver AND applies makeup as flawlessly as I’ve ever seen (on my face at least). If you’re a brush only girl like I was, I highly recommend trying the BB. The hype is real, people! This thing is pretty magical.

Next on the list is the Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer spray. I first received a sample of this hair spray in a recent Influenster box. From the very first use, I saw a huge difference in how my hair felt and looked – less tangles, smoother, and silkier. Experience told me I should give it a few more tries before hyping this stuff up too much. And guess what…after many more uses, I still LOVE it. My crazy post-partum hair looks and feels pretty good, and I attribute much of that to this spray. This is one of those samples turned to full size purchase. While you can buy this at a lot of places, the best deal I found was on Costco.com. So if you or someone you know is a member, I definitely purchasing from there. A must have in any hair care arsenal if you ask me!

My next recent find is the belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb. I’m still using the sample I received with one of my Sephora orders. I love how hydrated and smooth it leaves my under eye area. I know it’s doing what it needs to because when I use it regularly, I see a difference in how my concealer applies and stays put. Now I just need belief (or any other brand for that matter) to create something to erase dark under eye circles!

Rounding out my list are a few lip products. First up, the Nars Velvet Lip Glide. My coworker and good friend Thea gifted me a mini of this gloss for Christmas, and I immediately fell in love with the color (Bound) and feel/texture. The color is a great nude/neutral for brown skin tones and the feel/texture is very light compared to other glosses I’ve tried. It’s perfect for work and/or daytime errands. I plan on swatching other colors during my next Sephora visit and hopefully making a fun purchase.

And last but certainly not least, on the lip front, I’ve been loving a lip brand called BITE Beauty. Thea introduced me to BITE (duh!) when I was pregnant and looking for more natural makeup. I love them and the products for a few reasons – the color payoff is amazing, many of their shades complement brown skin tones, and the products are made with food-grade ingredients. To that last point, I don’t feel too guilty when I get a little bit of lip balm/lipstick on Kaiden’s cheeks!

So that’s a little BITE background, and now, here are a few of the products I’ve tried and loved…

Agave Lip Balm – this stuff is magical. I kid you not. I’m notorious for having super chapped lips in the wintertime and not doing anything about them. Vishnu gets on my case all the time. This balm not only feels good and gives my lips some well-deserved plumpness, but it’s one of the most moisturizing lip products I’ve ever used. I apply it throughout the day when I remember and always use it at night before bed so I can wake up to the smoothest lips ever. Happy lips, happy husband!

Amuse Bouche lipstick in Chai – Creamy, moisturizing, and nicely pigmented. This lipstick is a dream, especially for someone who prefers glosses to other lip products. And the color Chai is the perfect bolder nude for brown girls as it truly complements darker skin tones. Love!

Matte Lip Crayon in Glace – I’m not a matte lip product kind of girl. I prefer something creamy and moisturizing. Up until I tried this lip crayon, I never knew I could have both. This product has a beautiful natural finish and really leaves my lips feeling hydrated and not dry. And again, the color Glace is perfect for brown skin tones, as delivers the right amount of color in a very pretty shade. Love!

*Pro (ha!) tip – Both the Amuse Bouche lipstick and the Matte Lip Crayon pair perfectly with the Agave Lip Balm.

And that’s all she wrote! Like I said, I’m no beauty blogger. I am, however, a mom who now prefers to use products that will give me the biggest bang for my buck. And these beauty favs and finds really do deliver!

Your turn – any new/fun products I should know about???

No portion of this post is sponsored. However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links. Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Beauty Essentials – New Bronzer + Finishing Powder

written by Parita 4 Comments

I don’t run a beauty blog that’s for sure. But I LOVE trying new makeup, skincare, and hair care products. There’s a caveat to that though. I always run my decisions by my close friend Thea. Always. She’s my go to when it comes to these things, and truth be told, she’s saved me from myself a few times. I’ve switched up my purchases based on her recommendations and always end up happy when I do.

So a few months ago when I randomly decided I was ready for a new bronzer and finishing powder, I obviously went to Thea for some help. I wrote down what she suggested, went to Sephora, made my purchases, and never looked back once!

If, like me, you want/need to upgrade your makeup bag, keep reading.

First up is the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Chocolate. If you follow beauty YouTubers, you know this stuff comes highly recommended and is loved by pretty much everyone.

Personally, I love the matte finish as I’m kind of over shimmery makeup with the only exception being eyeshadows. I don’t have the most even skin tone, but a little bit of this bronzer applied over my foundation and concealer with a big fluffy brush gives me the ultimate healthy glow. I can’t speak to using this for contouring (although I know you can and lots of people do), but if you’re looking for an all over the face bronzer, this stuff is the jam. AND it’s made with cocoa powder, which means it smells like CHOCOLATE.

If the ~$30 price tag sounds too high for you, remember a little goes a long, long way. I’ve been using this stuff for months and haven’t made a dent yet. A must have product if you ask me!

Next we have the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light. If I had to pick a few ‘can’t live without’ makeup products, this would definitely be in the top three.

I apply this over my bronzer with a big fluffy brush and love the radiant finish it gives my skin. As my long time readers know, I suffer from acne, and with acne comes scarring. This powder helps to blur and soften my imperfections while also providing a photo ready glow. And while it looks shimmery, it’s not at all (see above). In fact, it gives my skin a dewy, natural look. You guys, this powder is a GAME CHANGER. It will take your makeup game to the next level.

And again, if you’re not impressed with the price point, purchase the mini size. Not only does it cost much less, but it’ll give you the chance to test out the product before splurging on the standard size. I have the mini, and it’s still going strong.

I highly recommend adding these two products to your makeup collection. If nothing else, your face will thank you!

Your turn – as far as makeup goes, what are your top three favorite products? For me it’s definitely the two I talk about in this post + the NARS soft matte complete concealer.

Review: NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer

written by Parita 3 Comments

I’m no beauty blogger, but I can say with absolute certainty that my NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer is a must have product. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it’s the one product I can’t do without.

I can’t take the credit for discovering this little gem. That goes to my close friend Thea. She’s my go to girl when it come to makeup, skincare, and hair care product recommendations. When I told her I was looking for a good quality concealer that truly blends into my skin and provides all day coverage, she suggested we go to Sephora after work and check out the NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer. Well, we checked it out, and ultimately, we both ended up buying one. That was a few months ago, and we still talk about how that was the best purchase ever! We even introduced our other coworker to it, and she’s hooked too!

It’s magical I tell you.

Anyways, enough rambling. Let me get to the heart of why every woman should own this product.

COVERAGE
First things first, the coverage is incredible. I have dark acne marks all over my chin area, and this stuff covers them up and evens out my skin tone unlike anything I’ve ever used. During the workweek, I layer my foundation over the concealer, but on the weekends, I often just use the concealer with a little bit of powder and bronzer. Good to go.

On the same note, my under eye circles are problematic these days. As you all know, sleeping through the night has been a huge problem for me throughout my pregnancy. This concealer covers my dark circles and creates a much needed evenness. A mom-to-be’s dream!

TEXTURE
The second thing I love about this particular concealer is the texture. It’s creamy, velvety, smooth, non-drying and like I said earlier, super blendable. The best way to describe the way it feels on the skin is…comfortable!

FINISH
As the name implies, the concealer does have a soft matte finish. However, it definitely applies like a cream.

PACKAGING AND SHADE SELECTION

Generally speaking, I’m not big on product packaging. In this case, I really love the ‘pot’ container the concealer comes in. It makes the application process that much easier in my opinion (I use my fingers).

And finally, I really like the range of NARS concealer shades. There’s literally something for everyone. For example, the shade ginger is perfect for my skin tone.

There’s not much left to say except if you’re looking for a solid concealer, this is the one for you. What are you waiting for?! Go get it now!

Persona Identity Eyeshadow Palette

written by Parita 4 Comments

If you’re looking for the PERFECT eyeshadow palette, look no further because I have just the one you need. Perhaps the only one you need!

Let me start off by saying that this is not a sponsored post, as I was gifted this palette for my birthday by my friend Thea (thanks, T!). I truly love this product and wanted to share, as I know how hard finding a versatile eyeshadow palette with all the right colors is.

With that being said, let me share a little more. Persona Cosmetics was founded by beauty blogger Sona Gasparian of Simply Sona, and the Identity Palette is her very first product. I’ve followed Sona for years now, and absolutely love her makeup tutorials, product reviews, etc. Because of this, I had every intention of buying this for myself, but Thea got to it first!

First things first, check out the packaging…

…it’s BEAUTIFUL! I love the artwork, and as silly as it sounds, looking at it every day is kind of inspiring. When you open up the palette, you have a fairly large mirror on one side and 12 eyeshadows on the other.

Speaking of the eyeshadows, how gorgeous are these colors?!

There’s literally something for everyone here, in fact, there’s more than just something. This neutral palette would flatter most skin tones/eye colors, especially brown eyed gals! There are six matte shades and six shimmery shades, and each one is buttery and so pigmented. As you can tell from the picture above, I’ve done my fair share of experimenting over the past few weeks!

Not only is the color rich and true to what you see, but there’s no fallout! My favorite part of all. I hate applying eyeshadow only to then have the same color all over my cheeks. There’s none of that with this palette. Super impressed by that.

My favorite colors include Charming (for the crease), Audacious (for the lid), Bossy (for a bit of extra depth), and Fearless (as a liner). The other colors are just as beautiful, however Charming and Audacious are my daily go to shades for that simple neutral look.

I cannot rave about the this eyeshadow enough! And for what you get, the $32 price tag is 110% worth it, as you can go from day to night with a single palette.

I know there are a million products like this one out there, but trust me, this is the one you want and need.

Your turn – do you have a go-to eyeshadow palette?

New Beauty Favorites – Tarte BB Primer & Physicians Formula Bronzer

written by Parita 12 Comments

When you have acne prone skin like I do, every beauty product you buy goes through a rigorous process – research, read reviews, buy, test, cross your fingers and toes, keep/return. It’s pretty scientific!

A couple of months ago, I randomly started looking into BB creams. After reading a few reviews, I came to the conclusion that they just weren’t for me. I need something that provides lots of coverage and has staying power. And from what I was reading, BB creams equaled tinted moisturizer and not the kind of product I was looking for.

I put the idea of BB creams behind me and went to Sephora to buy some new foundation. And as it goes every time I step inside that store, I started browsing. And that’s when I came across the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer with Broad Spectrum SPF 30.

To make a long story short, I started talking to one of the associates about my skin, beauty regimen, etc., and she recommended I try this particular Tarte BB treatment/primer. Based on customer reviews, she was convinced I’d love it. The worse case scenario, as she explained, is that I end up going back to return the product.

I obviously bought myself a tube and called it a day! And guess what, I didn’t end up having to go back and return it!

You guys, I LOVE this stuff. And that’s saying a lot because my skin is not in the best condition. It’s definitely clearing up, but I still have lots of scars. This BB treatment/primer does a really good job covering up imperfections. I would even go as far as saying it’s just as good if not better than most foundations I’ve tried. In fact, 99% of the time I use it as my foundation! Not only that, but it has a very light consistency and feel. It’s not creamy at all, yet it goes on super smooth. And trust me, I get it. When I first saw this tube, I was like, “This is going to last me all of 30 days.” But little did I know, you don’t need a ton of product to get the look you want. A little really goes a long way! And it lasts all day too…in Florida heat and humidity. Magical!

Finding the right shade can be a little tricky. This particular BB treatment/primer comes in five shades, ranging from light to tan. I use the medium tan shade and it’s a little light on my summer skin (while the tan was way too dark). I would highly recommend trying the product in store and going from there.

If you’re wondering how I make the slightly lighter shade work, keep reading!

After buying and trying the Tarte BB treatment/primer, I quickly realized I needed a bronzer…pronto! I wanted something that provided a hint of color and that extra glow. BUT I was not going back to Sephora to find it…my wallet said NO!

That’s when I got back on my computer and started researching. I quickly learned that Physicians Formula bronzers are great for people with sensitive skin. And so I went to CVS…

…where I found this Physicians Formula Nude Wear Bronzer.

And again, I LOVE this product! It gives my skin the warm natural-looking color it needs. And while there is a bit of shimmer, it’s not overpowering at all. I wanted something a bit more subtle, and this delivers. The perfect complement to my Tarte BB treatment/primer!

I know BB creams and bronzers are more of a summertime thing, but I’m convinced this duo will work for me year round. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy with the way my skin looks – more natural, less caked on mess!

If you’re looking to change things up/try something new or just want a more natural look, I highly recommend you check out my new beauty favorites. I’m very happy with my purchases, and that’s saying a lot, especially when you take into consideration my rigorous process! Smile