Category: Beauty Review

I tried the Rare Beauty mascara, and my lashes are *very* grateful

Published on by Crystal LeeLeave a comment

REASONS TO BUY

  • +First of all, the packaging is gorg
  • +It elongates and fans out the lashes without being clumpy
  • +Lasts all day, no flaking to be found

REASONS TO AVOID

  • -Wish it came in a brown shade
  • -On the pricier side for a mascara…
Advertisements

I tried the Rare Beauty mascara as a lover of natural-looking, perfectly fanned-out lashes—and I think it deserves a bit more love and attention…

@heybriajones

Can only keep an eye out for Selener if the lashes are on fleek @rarebeauty #mascara #blackgirl #makeup #rarebeauty

♬ PRETTY BOY FLOW – STURDYYOUNGINN🥷🏽™️

It’s safe to say that finding your go-to, daily mascara is just as important as selecting your best non-comedogenic foundation or ride-or-die sunscreen for your face. It’s a very personal journey and one none of us beauty enthusiasts take lightly—especially when there’s so much choice.

Do you opt for waterproof, brown, lengthening, or super volumizing? And how can you tell which of the best mascaras will deliver lusciously long lashes, without that pesky mascara flaking all over your cheeks before you drop your hard-earned cash on them? All very important questions.

Advertisements

This is why I’ve done the leg work for you when it comes to the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes mascara, wearing it on the daily, seven days a week. And much like with the Rare Beauty products, I have some thoughts…

Advertisements

MY MAKEUP PREFERENCES

I keep my makeup pretty natural. For my base, I wear a glow filter (usually Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight), followed by Armani’s Luminous Silk foundation, eyebrow gel, blush, and highlighter.

Eye-wise, I keep it pretty minimal, just opting for mascara on a normal day—sometimes I pair it with an all-over eyeshadow, but I’m not an eyeliner gal, despite there being some great eyeliners for beginners out there. So, I rely on my mascara to make me look awake and somewhat put together, while still keeping it natural—so preferably, no clumps in sight

@realstephaniegreene

Taking the @rarebeauty perfect strokes mascara out for a spin tonight ✨ use code LASH23! today and get a free travel size mascara with a purchase of $40+ at rarebeauty.com to celebrate national lash day 😌 #rarebeauty #rarebeautygiftedme #beautytok #beautyreview #rarebeautymascara #rarebeautyreview #blackgirltiktok #blackbeauty #blackbeautyblogger #nomakeupmakeup

♬ just like magic – Ariana Grande

IS THE RARE BEAUTY MASCARA WATERPROOF?

Now, onto the key info, is the Rare Mascara waterproof? 

It’s described as having a ‘water-resistant formula,’ so theoretically it should be able to withstand getting caught in a surprise rain shower or a gentle cry sesh. Technically though, it’s not fully waterproof—but I prefer that as it’s easier to remove with a makeup remover or micellar water, without needing to be too vigorous.

HOW TO APPLY THE RARE BEAUTY MASCARA

To apply this mascara, I’d recommend curling your lashes first with your preferred eyelash curler, before then gently wiggling the mascara wand from side to side as you stroke up along your lashes, from root to tip. This side-to-side motion will feather out your lashes and will help to get an even coating on your lashes and avoid clumps.

WHAT’S IN THE RARE BEAUTY MASCARA?

This mascara is formulated with castor oil, which helps to condition and nourish your lashes—plus it’s vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, ophthalmologist-tested, dermatologist-tested, and suitable for anyone with sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers.

BEAUTYLEEBAR VERDICT ON THE RARE BEAUTY MASCARA

So, is this Rare Beauty mascara good? My answer is yes. It does everything it promises to do—it’s buildable, comfortable, volumizing, and lasts all day without smudging.

I’ve worn it every day, seven days a week, for over a month, and haven’t experienced any transferring or flaking. I’m also a big fan of its chunky tube, with its soft, matte pink finish. It feels expensive and looks soo cute in my makeup bag.

It’s also easy to apply, even with a slightly large wand, which I wouldn’t necessarily have gone for, but didn’t find it in any way messy or hard to handle. In fact, with every use, it leaves my lashes looking lengthened, voluminous, and curled up—and it lasts all day long, so everything you can ask of a mascara. The formula itself feels great on the lashes as well, not super stiff or brittle.

@nikkissecretxx

In honour of seeing @Selena Gomez last night @Rare Beauty event I HAD to try out this little hack😍 #selenagomez #selenagomezmakeup #rarebeauty

♬ original sound – 444.songss
Advertisements

This Rare Beauty mascara fends off moisture well (from tears and even sweat from a gym sesh) but comes off like a dream with a bit of micellar water.

My main gripe with this product though is that it’s only available in black—if this came in a soft brown shade, it would be a real game-changer. There’s also the question of the price…

This mascara will set you back $20 which is pretty pricey for a mascara. That being said—like with all of Rare’s line-up—the amount of product you get for the money is generous since the tube is pretty chunky.

Advertisements

So, my final verdict: it’s great and if you’ve been hunting far and wide for a mascara that is both gentle on your eyes but still delivers length and volume, this could be one to try. I will say this though, other mascaras out there are comparable and more inexpensive on the market, but if you’re a Selena stan looking to make another (or your first) Rare Beauty purchase, I’d recommend it for the cute tube alone!

Youthforia Blush Review: Clean and Fun Makeup

Published on by Crystal Lee2 Comments

Say what you want about TikTok, but it most certainly gets BeautyLeeBar credit for all of its beauty suggestions. Thanks to the app and our frequent 4 a.m. viewing, we have managed to be kept in the loop with some of beauty’s most viral products before they’ve sold out, including THE ICE FACIAL TOOL That Kourt and Kendall Love and now, the Youthforia BYO Blush.

Advertisements

The BYO Blush is the world’s first color-changing blush oil that is said to include all skin types and skin tones (you had me at inclusive). Its formulation reacts to the skin’s natural pH to give your cheeks a unique pop of color. It’s supposed to make your cheeks look naturally flushed and works with and without foundation. While it is a blush, it’s technically formulated as a makeup and skincare product, which is a double win. For context, the Founder; Lee has a dry-sensitive skin type which doesn’t cause her too many issues, however certain makeup products, whether powder, water, or oil-based can leave her skin with evident dry patches, or leave her skin break out instantly, particularly on her cheeks and forehead. But there wasn’t a day that she couldn’t go on TikTok to see this infamous blush so she decided it was time put the innovative $36 BYO Blush to the test to see whether it was as good as she hoped.

@thirteenlune

@Youthforia’s BYO Blush gets a 🤌🏾 from a black girl blush entusiast

♬ KU LO SA (Edit) – KV

Youthforia truly created some next-generation blush technology, but does it work as great as it sounds? Keep reading to find out if this blush oil does create an ideal, lasting shade.

Advertisements

Lee has been using her BYO Blush religiously for almost a week now and each time she is blown away by just how glowy and glass-like her cheeks look. A little certainly goes a long way with the application, and the brand recommends you start by adding two dots to your cheeks, wait a few seconds for the color to change, and then blend it out with a brush, sponge, or your fingers. Lee oscillated between her blush brush and fingers, with the latter being her preferred way as the blush looked extra glowy, and it felt much easier to control the application. However, using a brush is great for applying when out and about and when you don’t feel like coating your fingertips in a product.

@imkianajordyn

My summer blush💗 @Youthforia #blush #blushfordarkskin #youthforiablush

♬ original sound – kiana jordyn🤎🧿

The TikTok-worthy packaging includes a vibrant coral cap and transparent bottle, which unveils the green-Ish oil formula (it applies as a sheer oil and then instantaneously reacts to the skin’s pH to unveil a universally flattering shade) and is a nod to Youthforia’s super fun and playful brand message — which is exactly what founder Fiona Co Chan envisioned when creating the brand. Youthforia is a post-Covid company, and Chan tells BeautyLeeBar that she wanted the customer experience to be filled with constant excitement and optimism for all the upcoming occasions customers plan to wear their blush, whether that’s a dinner with friends, or like Lee, a long-overdue mooch around Target.

@rancobeauty

@erinduganjurchak @youthforia Has anyone else tried it? #blush #colorchangingblush #darkskinblush #learnontiktok #blacktiktok #prgift

♬ original sound – Rancobeauty
Advertisements

In terms of the ingredients inside this little tube of joy, it contains 20 plant-based antioxidant-dense oils that provide targeted treatment for your cheeks, including jojoba oil and Macadamia seed oil. It’s also fragrance-free, silicone-free, vegan, and cruelty-free, making it a great option for anyone prone to sensitive skin. Each Youthforia product is certified by USDA BioPreferred Program to contain 98% biobased content (meaning there’s only 2% of fossil fuels within the formula) which has helped to reduce the brand’s carbon footprint, which is pretty impressive considering the brand is still fairly new.

Advertisements

The Value: Pricey but a unique, worthwhile find

Youthforia’s BYO Blush is out of this world, and it’s the most unique product—it’s beneficial for the environment as well as your skin. At $36 for 0.22 oz., it’s a little pricey for a blush, but there’s nothing else like it on the market. A little goes a long way, so it will last you quite a while, plus the results are stunning, with a healthy, custom flush that complements any makeup or non-makeup look. The product is quite simple to blend, works wonders on Lee’s dry, sensitive skin, and heralds the beginning of something truly fresh in the makeup industry. BeautyLeeBar thinks it’s worth the investment, especially if you’re having trouble finding the right shade of blush for your skin tone.

Advertisements

Final Verdict

Overall, Youthforia’s BYO Blush is definitely worth the hype and is Lee’s new go-to blush (Rare Beauty, you still have our heart okay chica). The consistency and formula have impressed us far more than any other powder and liquid blush has before — and that’s coming from a beauties who loves to coat their cheeks in a liquid blush or two.

@themelanin.method

Replying to @dramadeja14 ABSOLUTELY! 💕 What do you think?! #youthforia #colorchangingblush #byoblush #darkskinblush #blushreview #liquidblush

♬ original sound – Erin | Licensed Esthetician
Advertisements

Youthforia’s BYO Blush Color Changing Blush Oil is the most unique and creative blush Lee has ever used. It goes on clear but quickly changes to pink on your cheeks. The texture is very smooth on the skin, and the unique technology provides the ideal natural glow appearance for your skin tone and gives your lips that natural rosy color. Youthforia’s BYO Blush works and builds beautifully. It doesn’t feel greasy, just hydrating and smooth. Oh, and the color lasts. Best lazy girl makeup product ever!

@sarah_novio

#stitch with @youthforia WOW 🤯 ✨✨✨ #youthforia #makeup #makeupreview

♬ Bundles (feat. Taylor Girlz) – Kayla Nicole
Advertisements

We hope that other brands will follow in the footsteps of Youthforia, which has paved the way for pH color-changing blush oils. If you’re on the lookout for a new beauty staple for the Fall/winter, then look no further than Youthforia’s BYO Blush.

@officialzeopatra

Trying the @youthforia blush #blush #nomakeupmakeup #easymakeup

♬ original sound – zeopatra
@kali.ledger

Hands down the easiest dewy blush, that actually lasts but stays dewy 🤭✨#greenblush #dewyskin #dewyblush #makeuptutorial #youthforia

♬ original sound – KALI
@nishabalsara

this is not an a d, I am just a chronic oversharer @youthforia also has some great videos on her Tiktok! #youthforiablush #colorchangingblush

♬ Wii Shop Channel – McTweet
@makeupbymonicaa

This is THE BLUSH for HOT GIRL SUMMER☀️💋 I’m obsessed ❤️😭 @Youthforia #blush#browngirlblush#summermakeup#glowymakeup#summer2022#hotgirlsummer#youthforia

♬ What your favourite curse word remix – Duke & Jones

Have my beauties tried TikTok Youthforia’s BYO Blush?! If so, what are your thoughts? Is this black/brown girl approved?

#HelloBeauties #BeautyLeeBar

DISCOVER DOSSIER PERFUMES NEW WORLD OF FRAGRANCE ONLINE

Published on by Crystal Lee2 Comments

Even before COVID-19 shuttered shops, online retail was replacing storefronts. Many people still wanted to feel the fabrics of their garments or take a few steps in their shoes before committing. Fragrances were another in-person must. Stopping to sample a new perfume and take it for a spin around the mall is a memory of a bye-gone era. Picking up a bottle of your favorite perfume duty-free is almost an act of self-care on a long layover. Dossier brings the best memories of discovering new perfumes to the ease of online retail.

Advertisements

There’s a new way to shop for your signature scent.

To minimize returns, a key ingredient of any sustainability strategy, Dossier sells samples so customers can try the perfume before opening the full-size version. They also include samples of new fragrances with purchases. Dossier’s products boast sustainability, shipping in 100% recycled and recyclable packaging as well as 100% recycled glass bottles. They have managed to reduce their plastic use to all but the pump in samples. Most importantly, the products themselves are clean, vegan, and cruelty-free, with “no nasty, useless, or harmful ingredient.”

Advertisements

Because many Dossier scents are inspired by familiar and famous scents. Making the switch from your favorite floral designer fragrance like YSL Libre, for example, is an easy way to make your daily routine more sustainable. What’s more, starting at $29 (less than one-third the price of their designer inspiration) Dossier perfumes are by far the more cost-effective choice.  

Advertisements

Fragrances are a key component of self-care. 

Advertisements

Dossier currently offers over 90 perfumes, focusing on transparency in each. It is easy to find information on the sourcing of materials and how they created their price structure, so you feel good about your purchase and the new addition to your self-care routine. Although the price point is lower, each bottle of Dossier is crafted in Grasse, France (the perfume capital of the world) with the highest level of quality. Additionally, Dossier is preparing to relaunch a line of candles with their outstanding scents and quality. To find your perfect fragrance, start with their online quiz here. Then use code LEE10 for money off with your order. 

Advertisements

Images Courtesy of Dossier

Perfume, the essential of the morning routine!

Published on by Crystal Lee1 Comment

Happy Friday! Can’t believe we’re almost done with 2022 already. We are hoping things slow down a bit so we can enjoy more of the year 2022!

Putting on fragrance is part of our morning routine. Even when we never left the house during quarantine. haha, we were super excited to try out Dossier fragrances. They are inspired by luxury designer scents but have a much more affordable price point.

Advertisements

We decided to try one inspired by Marc Jacobs’ Daisy, called FLORAL VIOLET. We still had some in a sample-size bottle of Daisy so we could compare the two. We put a spritz on each wrist. In the bottle, they smell different but once they dry on your skin, they smell identical.

It’s somehow both creamy and powdery at the same time, sweet without being too sweet, and simply gorgeous. This is perfect for any teenager; the scent isn’t too strong and isn’t too mature for the young ones. It’s a beautiful vanilla/violet that doesn’t overload the senses. It’s somehow both creamy and powdery at the same time, sweet without being too sweet, and simply gorgeous.

Advertisements

The other perfume we tried is the CITRUS GREEN APPLE, inspired by D&G’s Light Blue. We haven’t had it in a few years, but it smells exactly how we remember the D&G’s Light Blue in the bottle and on. This scent reminds you of summer in Italy or Spain all year long. The scent is fresh, airy, and sweet and you automatically smell the citrus. It is many people’s faves.

Advertisements

WHAT WE LOVE about Dossier

🍏 First off, their whole line is vegan, cruelty-free, paraben, and UV-filter-free!

🍏 The bottle is 100% recyclable and sustainable aside from the pump

🍏 The magnetized cover is genius, it’s so easy to remove!

🍏 They also have a unique risk-free system where you can try and then decide if you want to keep the perfume. Returns are refunded and donated to charity, which is awesome, so they don’t go to waste! 

🍏 They have a wide variety of fragrances for men and women inspired by luxury/iconic scents

🍏 The bottle is sleek, aesthetically pleasing, and just very Instagram-worthy.

🍏 We LOVE how they name their perfumes and how they smell like inspired scents.

🍏 SO AFFORDABLE 👍

Advertisements

Use Code Lee10 for an additional 10% off Dosser. co. Dossier has a welcome offer up to 20% on the website plus, free shipping on 3 or more items! So, in total, you will be getting up to 30% off by using the discount code Lee10 at checkout. We don’t know about you but that sounds like a win to us! Each fragrance comes with a sample size perfect for on the go too!

Advertisements

Hope you all have a great weekend and a good school year!
*Thank you to Dossier for gifting these fragrances. As always, thoughts & opinions are BeautyLeeBar own.