Beauty &amp; Books

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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

First Impressions: July 2015 Starlooks Custom Subscription Box

**If you are receiving this post via email, you may want to check out my actual site as the email throws off the formatting**

A new subscription box (to me)! I’ve never received the Starlooks subscription box before. Starlooks is a company that carries cruelty-free, professional-level makeup. Full disclosure: Starlooks was kind enough to send me this box free of charge to review, so a big thank you to them!

This is a monthly subscription box that costs $12. You receive three “Perfect Size” Starlooks products and three gift cards. “Perfect Size” makeup is about ¾ the size of the full-size product, and is meant to be more transportable and easier to use up than a full-size product. You can also choose what goodies you receive ahead of time online, something that most subscription boxes do not offer.

The products arrive is a Starlooks box. The box and top will be good for storing makeup, like Birchbox boxes. The makeup products were contained within a mesh satchel and the gift cards came in an envelope. The box the blush came in was definitely too small for it and the product labels are off-center so some attention to detail is missing there, especially for a higher end product like this.

I’ve used each of the makeup products once (I just got the box in the mail) and wanted to give you my first impressions on them.

1. Lip Gloss in LG3 Mad Crush

I received the Starlooks lip gloss in “Cuddle” in my April ispy bag and really liked it so when I saw this lip gloss as one of the makeup options I knew I had to pick it. These are non-sticky lip glosses which is always a big bonus for me. Mad Crush is an opaque rosey-pink color. This gloss is a little thick, but you get good color pay off. The formula has a slight vanilla smell—very similar to how the original NYX butter glosses smell.

2. “High Life” Liquid Illuminator (Limited Edition; 1.3mL)

Liquid products and I, with exception of foundations, do not get along. I don’t normally gravitate toward liquid/cream highlighters, blushes, bronzers, etc., but I figured I would give this one a shot. This is a pinky champagne highlighter that is almost iridescent. It has a lot of shimmer to it and a little goes a long way. I applied a dab first to my hand and then used my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to pick up the product and pressed it onto my cheeks. It is a strong highlighter for sure, but not in a way that looks unnatural—your cheeks will have their glow going on. This has also worn well throughout the day.

3. Skin Perfecting Blush in SPB1 Rose Gold (Limited Edition; 2g)

The blush is a beautiful peachy-bronze. It is very pigmented and has a definite shimmer to it. I think it would make a pretty blush, bronzer, highlighter or eye shadow—this shade is a great multitasker. It applied easily and was blendable. As I write, I’ve had this blush on for over 10 hours and it is still performing well.

Swatches Left to Right:
Mad Crush Lip Gloss, High Life Highlighter, Rose Gold Blush

And here are the gift cards I received:

1. $20 Gift Card to Starlooks, not including celebrity lines

2. $20 Gift Card to Starlooks, includes celebrity lines

That’s $40 towards makeup from Starlooks—very exciting. I look forward to trying more of their products.

3. $40 Gift Card to ONYX XOXO

ONYX XOXO is a jewelry store (check out the site here). I was drawn do this store because the jewelry is unique and modern. It seems like their signature pieces are the ear cuffs they make. I’m excited to pick something out and try this jewelry line.

Total Makeup Value: $34

Total Gift Card Value: $80

_____________________

Total Box Value: $114

I’ll report back on what I get with the gift cards when I use them. Since the subscription box costs only $12, it really is a good deal—not only are the products you receive valued at more than $12, but the gift cards total almost 7 times the cost of the box.

What are your thoughts on the Starlooks Subscription Box? Let me know! If you’re interested in signing up for the Starlooks Subscription Box you can go through my referral link or hop onto Subscriptions.Starlooks.com.

Disclaimer: Starlooks sent me this Custom Starlooks Subscription Box free for review. However, all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I do not provide positive reviews for payment or free products. Products that work for me may not necessarily work for you. This post is not sponsored.

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Monday, July 27, 2015

Book Thoughts: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

**If you are receiving this post via email, you may want to check out my actual site as the email throws off the formatting**

In case you are unfamiliar with it, To Kill A Mockingbird is the classic novel by Harper Lee. It takes place is a small town in Alabama in the 1930s. This is one of those books you are supposed to read, but I never did so I decided better late than never, especially since a sequel, Go Set A Watchman, was published this month. These are Harper Lee’s only two books, published 55 (!!) years apart.

This book centers around the Finch family; Attitcus, a lawyer, and his two children Scout (the younger sibling, and the book’s narrator) and Jem (the older sibling). Since Scout is the narrator, the world is framed from a child’s point of view which is obviously the point that Lee is trying to make. More on that later…

To me, there are three parts to this book. The first part set up the characters that live in the town and points out the differences between its inhabitants. During this section, Scout and Jem also wonder about Boo Radley, who lives on their street, and never comes out of his parents’ house. He is an enigma to them so they try to look inside the house, pass Boo notes, etc. This part of the book was very slow to me as it was mostly the children playing and going to school. I was getting impatient…

The second part of the novel picks up a bit and focuses on the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, with Atticus Finch appointed as Tom’s lawyer. In particular, the court scene and dialogue between lawyers and witnesses is what finally drew me in. Not only was the content interesting, but the novel really began to address racial inequality, tension and outright racism that was ingrained in the South. Don’t worry, I won’t give away the outcome if you haven’t read the book yet.

The third part of the novel dealt with the aftermath of the trial and served as commentary on race relations during the time. We also finally learn more about Boo Radley bringing the book back around full circle.

This book was published in 1960 and seeing as race is still a sensitive topic in 2015, I can’t even imagine the controversy and conversations it stirred when it was first published. To Kill A Mockingbird highlights a town’s struggling to overcome racism (well, some of the townspeople) and how prejudicial thoughts are passed through generations. In an especially poignant moment, Scout is talking to her brother Jem about how there is just one type of people in the world, not the various types that Jem thinks there are—essentially that we are all just people. Jem comments that he used to think that, too. Food for thought.

I would recommend this book, not only is it a classic but once you get through the first part of the book the writing is really well thought out. I will be reading Go Set A Watchman once I can get it from the library! I got my copy of To Kill A Mockingbird at the library--your local library will most likely have it since it is a classic novel.

Have you read To Kill a Mockingbird? Let me know your thoughts on the book if you’ve read it!

Referral Links:

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http://features.peta.org/cruelty-free-company-search/index.aspx

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Friday, July 24, 2015

Cruelty-Free Cosmetic Brands

**If you are receiving this post via email, you may want to check out the actual site as the email throws off the formatting**

In this post, I’ll list some of the more prominent companies that are and are not cruelty-free. I got my information from two main sources: Leaping Bunny’s cruelty-free database and PETA’scruelty-free database. For those of you who missed my post on switching to cruelty-free cosmetics, you can read it here, the post includes the differences between Leaping Bunny and PETA cruelty-free criteria.

I’ll mark if the brand is cruelty-free based on Leaping Bunny standards (LB) and/or PETA’s standards (PETA). Brands marked with an * denote brands whose parent company is not cruelty-free; I do my best to mark these brands. This list is by no means exhaustive, and if there is a brand not mentioned, I recommend searching for the brand in one of the databases. Keep in mind that just because a brand isn’t certified by Leaping Bunny or PETA that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not cruelty-free. I suggest checking the brand’s website or emailing their customer service. Also, a quick Google search of “Is THIS BRAND cruelty-free?” usually yields results. Let’s get into it, shall we?

Brands That Test On Animals (According to PETA)

Almay

Aveeno

Benefit

Bobbi Brown

Caudalie

ChapStick

Clean & Clear

Clinique

CoverGirl

Dove

Estee Lauder

Kiehl's

L'Oreal

Lancome

L'Occitane

MAC

Maybelline

Olay

Organix

Origins

Pantene

Revlon

Secret

Shiseido

St. Ives

Stila

Tresemme

Vaseline

The good news is that there are a lot of well known brands that are cruelty-free!

Cruelty-Free Brands

Acure (LB, PETA)

Alba Botanica (LB, PETA)

Anastasia Beverly Hills (PETA)

Ardell (PETA)

BareMinerals* (PETA)

Bellapierre (LB)

BH Cosmetics (LB)

Bite Beauty* (LB, PETA)

Burt's Bees* (LB, PETA)

CAILYN Cosmetics (LB)

Cover Fx (PETA)

Dr. Bronner's (LB, PETA)

Dr. Dennis Gross (PETA)

e.l.f. (PETA)

EcoTools (PETA)

Flower (PETA)

Formula X (PETA)

Hourglass (PETA)

IT Cosmetics (PETA)

Jack Black (PETA)

Jordana (LB & PETA)

Josie Maran (PETA)

Kat Von D (PETA)

Lavanila (PETA)

Marc Jacobs (PETA)

Milani (LB, PETA)

Murad (PETA)

NYX* (PETA)

OFRA Cosmetics (LB, PETA)

Ole Henriksen (PETA)

Pacifica (PETA)

Physicans Formula (PETA)

Smashbox* (PETA)

Supergoop! (PETA)

Tarte* (PETA)

TATCHA (PETA)

The Body Shop* (LB, PETA)

Tom's of Maine* (LB, PETA)

Too Faced (PETA)

Urban Decay* (LB, PETA)

Wet'n'Wild* (PETA)

Observations

I was surprised at the number of brands that market themselves as all-natural/more of the peace, love and happiness type of brand that are not cruelty-free (I’m looking at you, Origins—you broke my heart). I’m also happily surprised at the options still left in terms of buying cruelty-free. The majority of my lip products and skin care are not cruelty-free so that is disappointing. It is going to be hard to replace a lot of my Holy Grail items (why, Origins, why??). And as with most things, you usually get what you pay for so a large number of drugstore brands are not cruelty-free, however there are some solid choices such as e.l.f. and NYX that are cruelty-free but won’t break the bank.

I’m going to be gradually working toward having only cruelty-free cosmetics and home care products (ideally, Leaping Bunny approved since their criteria are more stringent). It will be a gradual change because this can be an overwhelming process. I think I might work on switching over one or two items at a time. I’ll also try my best to make anything new I buy cruelty-free. I’ll keep you updated on my progress!

What are your thoughts on going cruelty-free? Let me know in the comments.

Sources:

http://www.leapingbunny.org/shopping.php

https://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/LeapingBunny

http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/companies-that-still-test-on-animals/ & two PDFs from this webpage: Companies That Don’t Test on Animals PDF Format and Companies That Do Test on Animals PDF Format

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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

First Impressions: ipsy Glam Bag July 2015

**If you are receiving this post via email, you may want to check out the actual site as the email throws off the formatting**

ipsy is a monthly subscription box company created by Michelle Phan and is $10 a month. You get a mix of makeup, skincare and hair care items, usually 4-5 full- or deluxe sample size products in a makeup bag. When you sign up for ipsy, you take a quiz in order for the bag to be customized to your skin type/tone and your general preferences. You can retake the quiz as many times as you like. You can also review each product in your bag to help ipsy further customize future bags and earn points to purchase products. You also receive points when people sign up for ipsy through your referral link.

This month’s theme is “Summer Lovin’” and I think the products definitely reflect that theme. The bag this month is an abstract colorful chevron pattern, with the usual vinyl lining inside.

Product #1: City Color HD Powder (0.141 oz.)

This is a loose finishing powder and is a little over half of the normal product size. The powder is white but goes on colorless (on me). The powder doesn’t seem super finely milled so that could cause issues with blending/caking. I used this once to try it out and it was okay. I feel like my foundation actually broke down faster where I had the powder, but I will give it a few more tries. City Color is PETA-certified cruelty-free.

Value: $3.50

Product #2: be a…bombshell Lip Balm in French Kiss (0.16 oz.; Full-Size)

This is definitely a lip balm and not a tinted lip balm. The color is a very, very light pink with some shimmer, but nothing that is really noticeable. If you put it on top of a darker lipstick you can notice the color/shimmer. The texture is nice and isn’t drying. The blog Kitty Approved Beauty wrote be a bombshell to ascertain if they are cruelty-free and they are. You can read her post here.

Value: $14

Product #3: Octavio La Playa Sea Salt Spray Infused with Algae Extract (2 oz.)

This product is supposed to create texture in damp or dry hair, I’m assuming to give you a beachy wave look. Ironically, is smells slightly of sunscreen. This is a really good size sample for not being full-size (full-size is 4 oz.). The bottle is labeled “No Animal Testing” and the ipsy website says that this is a 100% cruelty-free product.

Value: $7.75

Product #4: Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator (20 g)

I received this product in my April 2015 Birchbox so I was not excited to see it again. I haven’t tried it yet. It is supposed to exfoliate your skin to smooth and brighten all skin types. This post by blogger Hotashi outlines the response received when Vasanti was emailed about their cruelty-free policy. The Vasanti website also says that they do not test on animals and that they test products on human volunteers.

Value: $5.67

Product #5:. Essie Nail Lacquer in Fashion Playground (Full-Size)

This is the only product in my ipsy that isn’t cruelty-free. I’m bummed because this nail color looks gorgeous! It is a mint green with heavy iridescent glitter throughout. I think this might be a discontinued color because I couldn’t find it online anywhere (the links to this color died).

Value: $8.50

Overall Value: $39.42. I’m excited that 4/5 products are cruelty-free in some form. This isn’t my favorite ipsy because I don’t think I will use these products much. I won’t use the nail polish, and probably won’t use the hair product (I never do). The lip balm and setting powder seem okay. I’m yet to form an opinion on the exfoliator since I haven’t used it.

If you subscribe to ipsy, what did you get in your bag?

If you’re interested in signing up for ipsy, feel free to use my referral link J

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Monday, July 20, 2015

Cruelty-Free Makeup

**If you are receiving this post via email, you may want to check out the actual site as the email throws off the formatting**

What Does Cruelty Free Mean?

Cruelty-free can mean different things to different people and companies. In its strictest form, cruelty-free means that in the making of a product no ingredient, finished product or form of the product was tested on animals and that the company and its suppliers do not test on animals. Some companies consider themselves cruelty-free if the finished product is not tested on animals, but that is likely to mean that ingredients in the finished product were tested on animals. Or, if a supplier tests on animals but not the seller of the product the seller considers themselves cruelty-free because someone else tested their product on animals.

What is Animal Testing?

Animal testing is just as the name implies—testing a product or ingredient/compound/etc. on an animal. This can mean that products are put into the animal’s eyes, stomach, etc. Symbols marking cruelty-free products are often bunnies because a lot of animal testing is done on bunnies. Animal testing in terms of cosmetics (from lipstick to shampoo) and cleaning products is not required by U.S. law. It is required by law in China. So, when a company wants to sell its products in China, it has to submit to animal testing. Most major brands sell in China now, hence why they can no longer be considered cruelty-free.

Who Determines What Makeup Is Cruelty Free?

From my research, it seems that there are two main organizations that deem products cruelty-free: Leaping Bunny and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Participation in both programs in voluntary.

Leaping Bunny (http://leapingbunny.org/indexcus.php)

The Leaping Bunny program is part of The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics. It claims to be the only program that verifies a company’s cruelty-free status based on standards and is international. The standards include: an application, verification that no ingredients/products were tested on animals at any point (including suppliers), independent audits and an annual renewal.

Some companies are not Leaping Bunny certified because they are not cruelty-free or do not intend to be, or may not be aware of the program and how it can help them market their cruelty-free brand. Brands that have a logo depicting a leaping bunny are certified. The fee to use the logo is on a sliding scale. You can also search for Leaping Bunny certified companies on their website.

PETA (http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/)

PETA’s “Beauty Without Bunnies” program is less stringent than the Leaping Bunny Standards. It requires that the company looking to be certified as “cruelty-free” from PETA fill out a questionnaire and sign a statement saying that they are cruelty-free. The fee to use PETA’s cruelty-free logo (a bunny face with heart-shaped ears) is $100.

I should note that just because a brand isn’t recognized by Leaping Bunny or PETA as cruelty-free doesn’t mean the brand is not cruelty-free. These certification programs are voluntary. A lot of brands have information on their website as to the “level” of cruelty-free they are and a lot a bloggers have emailed companies and asked specific questions in order to ascertain whether they brand is cruelty-free.

Why I’m Making Changes

The simple answer is: I like animals. After seeing “cruelty-free” come up over and over again on makeup packaging and blogs/videos, I decided to investigate what “cruelty-free” in regards to makeup actually means. As a lifelong vegetarian and on-again off-again vegan, I’m upset at myself for not paying attention to this issue earlier. However, it’s difficult to navigate the “cruelty-free” world when most major brands in the stores are not cruelty free.

This is going to be a gradual process for me and I know I can’t promise myself that I’ll never use a product that isn’t cruelty-free. But change starts with awareness, and small steps are better than no steps in my opinion. I’m going to try my best to only purchase makeup that is cruelty-free going forward. Once I have that down, I’m going to work on skin care and then cleaning products, etc. When I purchase something new out of any category, I know that I will go into it with more awareness and seek out cruelty-free products.

I’ll still be doing normal product reviews, skin care routines, etc., I’ll just also include whether or not the product is cruelty-free. I hope you’ll stick around for the journey and learn with me along the way J And maybe you’ll be inspired to make some changes too!

I’ll post soon what brands are and are not cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny or PETA certified), especially those that I’ve talked about on my blog and those that I will have to give up in order to go cruelty-free.

Sources: leapingbunny.org and peta.org

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