June 2014 Favorites

Jane Bronzing Powder in Give and Real Techniques Contour brush

Happy July, but let me talk about my June Favorites!  Let's start with a quick rundown:

1. Jane Cosmetics Bronzing Powder in Give
2. Real Techniques Contour Brush (comes in Core Collection set)
3. Jane Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Olive Branch (shimmer)
4. Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation in 2.1 Light Beige
5. JustFab Terryn in Black/White
6. JustFab Newportt in Nude (that's with two t's, Newport is a wedge)
 *JustFab Invite link

It's so rare to find a good drugstore bronzer that is TALC-FREE, but Jane Cosmetics offers this in four colors.  I picked this up in the shade Give, which is a matte, warm brown that's perfect for summer.  It also contains boron nitride, which gives it a smooth feel, and silica for absorbing oil.  (UPDATE: I added pics of Jane Dream bronzer below, which I now prefer over Give.)

I love applying this with the Real Techniques Contour brush, my number two favorite of the month, which comes in a set.  If you've used Real Techniques brushes before, you'll know the quality is very good; the bristles are super soft and the materials in the handle also meet a high standard. The brush is tapered and small enough to give a nice line in the hollow of your cheek.  I really recommend it!  I like to hold it at an upward angle so it blends out your contour line nicely. 

Talc-free pressed bronzing powder from a drugstore! =)

Jane Cosmetics shimmer eyeshadow in Olive Branch

 Number three on the list is Jane Cosmetics eyeshadow in Olive Branch, which is an antique green-gold shimmer.  It reminds me of MAC Sumptuous Olive.

Jane Give swatched lightly with contour brush (it's very pigmented, though) and Jane Olive Branch over Too Faced Shadow Insurance.

Jane Give and Dream bronzers

Jane Dream bronzer

Jane Dream bronzer

2.1 Light Beige on left, bottom and 2.2 Light Golden Beige on right, top

Number four on my list is Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear foundation in 2.1. (UPDATE: I now mix one pump of 2.1 and one pump of 2.2 together to get an NC27 color.)  As an oily gal, this is my HOLY GRAIL foundation that I've been using for more than two years now.  I'm sad that it gets no love or recognition by YouTube gurus.  At $42, it's very pricey but worth every penny to an oily gal like me.  Don't let the "hydrating" part deter you from this foundation if you're oily.  It just means it doesn't get dry and splotchy throughout the day.  Think of it as a high-end Revlon ColorStay (the original runny formula), but with more yellow or warm tones.  That was the problem with Revlon ColorStay liquid foundation; it was always too pink or too neutral beige/gray for me, and it made me break out.  So if you had problems with Revlon ColorStay liquid, I highly recommend Smashbox Studio Skin! For reference, I'm about an NC25 and use shade 2.1.  If you're an NC30, I'd recommend going with 2.2 Light Golden Beige.

Smashbox Studio Skin
PROS:
~Stays put, little transfer, long-wearing (note: I always use a primer)
~Comes in 12 different shades that aren't pinkish (pro for me)
~Controls oil
~Doesn't oxidize and turn orange
~Has a matte finish (which is a pro for me)
~Bottle has a pump
~Coverage is medium to buildable
~Doesn't make me break out, talc-free, oil-free, bismuth oxychloride-free

CONS:
~Pricey at $42
~Can cling to dry areas or flaky spots if you don't exfoliate or moisturize properly (I pat with a damp beauty blender after applying with Real Techniques Expert Face brush) 
~A little hard to remove (I usually use witch hazel to dissolve it off before washing my face with my cleanser and Clarisonic. My Clarisonic brush head is really stained afterwards, but if you clean it properly it's no problem.)
~No SPF

Smashbox Studio Skin foundation ingredients.  I had this box for 2 years so it may differ a little in order from the current ingredients.

You can see the formula is liquidy but not too runny.  I usually use one and a half pumps. One pump is pictured.

This is one pump, heavily swatched and still wet.

This is a thinner layer swatched and dried.  Notice the matte finish.

2.1 on left, 2.2 on right

2.1 on left and 2.2 on right for all swatches.  Quite a difference between one shade.

JustFab Terryn in Black/White

Number five and six on my list of June Favorites are a couple fashion items.  Girl, these Terryn heels in black and white are hot!  I only wish they were 4" instead because that's a comfortable walking height.  I find myself walking more slowly in these, lol.  They are advertised at being 4.5" in height but they're really about 4.75" in height, and with no platform, she may be too steep for some ladies. The zipper pulls are gold and kind of breaks the black and white theme.  I think silver would have been better.  I ordered a half size up since they're a little steep and your feet will slip forward more, causing "toe-leakage."  I just made that phrase up, lol.  But I put on my trusty Summer Soles with every pair of shoes, so I'm good to go!

JustFab Terryn. LURVE!

I also love this bag called Newportt in Nude.  It reminds me of a Michael Kors Selma bag, but with some added details- the stitching in the bottom corners and the two hanging rings.  It's nicely structured, has feet, a zip-top, sturdy twisted handles and striped fabric lining.  The handles are hinged, so they don't stick up by themselves, and it also comes with a crossbody strap.  I only wish there was a zippered pocket on the back, but all in all, this bag gets an A rating.

JustFab Newportt in Nude

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great July!

 Copyright © 2014, Lady Lostris Beauty 

Shoe HAUL: Forever 21, JustFab & Payless

Why hello there, fellow reader!  I thought it was about time to update my blog and I bring to you a shoe haul with reviews.  I recently went shoe and handbag crazy (an upcoming post).  Now let's get on with the pic heavy show!

DISCLAIMER: Please do not mind the grown-out pedicure. =) I also purchased all items myself and will give you my honest opinions.  All shoes are in size 8.

FOREVER 21

First up is the Night Moves Peep Toe Stilettos in black from Forever 21.  They are sexy and stylish but have ONE CON: the bottom of the shoes are so SLIPPERY!  Whose idea was it to put a suede or felt-like material on the bottom of the shoe so that you will slip and break your ankle and neck while walking on linoleum, marble or other slippery surfaces? Luckily, I had some non-slip grip pads from Payless laying around and that fixed the problem. I highly recommend those.

4.5" heel, faux suede, $36.80, comes in Black and Nude

I put on a pair of my trusty Summer Soles on these babies. Also, the flash washed out the goldtone hardware. Forever 21 has good pics.

My go-to heel height is 4", or 5" with a 1" platform. The extra half inch on these heels make a difference on my feet though- I notice a lot more pressure on the ball of my foot and the bottom isn't cushiony.  So after a while, they may hurt.

They fit my feet with some room to spare at the toe area and the material doesn't rub my feet raw.  I really like these!

PROS:
~Nice faux suede material
~Good fit; no need to size up or down

CONS:
~SLIPPERY BOTTOM (grab some non-slip pads from Payless for about $2)

JUSTFAB

Next up are a few shoes from JustFab (yes, I succumbed to the temptation).  Be aware that JustFab is a subscription service that charges you $39.95 each month but you are able to skip any month as long as you log in to your account between the 1st and 5th of each month and select the "skip" button. If you're interested here's my invite link where you can get 50% off your first purchase.

JustFab Gianna, 5.5" heel, 1.5" platform

Meet GIANNA.  I love the look of Gianna with her teardrop t-strap design and cork bottom.  But wait for the cons!

PROS: 
~Non-slip bottom! (A+ for that)
~Not too heavy
~Chunkier heel than a skinny stiletto 

CONS:
~Black DYE from felt-like material RUBS OFF ON YOUR FEET. After taking these shoes off after 10 minutes, I had black marks under my toes, on the side of my feet and on the back of my heels. It wasn't cute.
~Top part of the back of the heel irritates my skin and would rub me raw. I had red marks on the back of my heel just by standing in them. It wasn't because of the fit but the roughness.  I applied and trimmed some heel grips that I got from Payless to the inside of the heel and that seemed to solve the problem.
~Cork pattern may not match on both pairs.  Scroll down to the picture with an anomaly on the back part of the left heel.  There are two bold dash marks in the cork pattern that is noticeably different from the other shoe.  I'm not really happy about that but I can live with it.

The anomaly on the left heel that doesn't match the other shoe. It may bother your OCD.  In fact, it bothers mine, lol.

I like the design of the straps. It's like 3 U-shapes coming together at the center.

I believe they are still available in black in limited sizes but the Yellow is sold out.

Meet CAMBRIA in Coral and unfortunately, I believe this color has sold out.  It's a peachy coral that reminds me of orange sherbert.
Is it just me or is a really high wedge really wobbly, because I can handle a skinny, thin stiletto any day. 

JustFab Cambria in Coral, 5" heel, 1.5" platform

PROS:
~Fits comfortably with some room to spare
~The straps, material and inside parts don't rub and are comfortable

CONS:
~Bottom sole of the ball of the foot is REALLY SLIPPERY! It has a suede-like material there while the rest of it is a grippy rubber.  I don't know why they didn't just omit the slippery part.  So I put another pair of non-slip grips from Payless on the bottom of these shoes, as well.
~They're heavy but you'll expect that from a wedge.
~Raffia material gets frayed.  I had to trim off some stray pieces with scissors.
~My pair had a dirty black smudge on one of the straps of the left shoe that wasn't cute.

The super slippery felt-like bottom that my hair is sticking to.

The quick fix for the slippery bottom. Just run to Payless and get some non-slip grips. They're usually by the cash register.

The dirty smudge on one of the straps that I wasn't happy about. =/

This is RYDER in Chestnut and I haven't been able to wear her out yet because the weather got too hot.

JustFab Ryder in Chestnut, 1.25" heel, 15" calf circumference

PROS:
~The calves are not tight and the boots fit true to size.  They fit very snugly without being uncomfortable.

CONS:
~Cheap material and feel
~Boot zips up only half way instead of all the way up, which may be a disadvantage to some people but I have no problems with it.
~The back part that cups your heel feels like hard cardboard

All in all, I still like this boot.  It's cute and I got it on a BOGO so it was worth it.  I'm sorry I don't have a picture with the boots on but I will update if I get a chance.  These are actually the first pair of flat boots I own because all my others are heeled.  So welcome to the collection, Ryder!


This cute, 3 1/2" low wedge is called JACQUI. They were sold out in my size 8, but I heard they may run a half size too big, so I snagged a 7.5 and they happily work for me!  I just really love that snake texture with the mint- supercute!

Dat mint, tho!

PROS: 
~Comfy and lightweight

CONS: 
~The bottom sole is a nice, non-slip rubber but the ball of the foot is covered in a slippery felt-like material. It would've been better to omit that part.
~The end of the strap on one shoe is already fraying, or peeling apart somewhat, and I haven't worn them out yet.
~Gives me pinky toe cleavage!

Wearing JustFab Jacqui wedges in mint and Legacy bag in Poppy. Legacy is gorgeous and very Birkin-esque.

PAYLESS

The last two pairs of shoes I hauled are from Payless Shoe Source.
This shoe is called HASHTAG by Christian Siriano and it's a blue faux suede shootie. Don't step on them! Heh.  They are super cute but have a flaw.

Hashtag by Christian Siriano, 4" heel, split down the vamp

PROS:
~Nice faux suede material. Good quality of materials all around, even the inside pattern is fun.  I also like the different texture of the faux leather heel in contrast to the faux suede upper.
~Bottom sole is made of rubber so it's nice and non-slip

CONS:
~THEY FIT WEIRD. My heels with my usually size 8 were slipping out of these puppies, so I tried a 7 and a half but they were too short and tight in the toe area, but weirdly enough my heels were still slipping out of the shoe when I walked.  Maybe it's the curvature of the back of the heel that's too deep? I had to put some heel grips on the inside of the shoe.  Even though my right foot is a little longer than my left, I had to strangely put two pairs of heel grips in the right shoe to keep my heel from slipping. Odd, huh?    

Very sleek. I love them!

Had to add heel grips to keep my heels from slipping out

Image credit

And finally we have MAGGIE by American Eagle in brown.  I thought I'd finally get a lower- heeled, comfortable shoe and that's just what this shoe is!  I like to call this a "wedgie" because it's like a wedge bootie since it's high on the ankle.  A sandal wedgie.
I saw these online and just skimmed over them because I wasn't interested. But at the store, I tried them on and thought they looked cute in the mirror.  Then the comfort is what got me to buy them.

MAGGIE by American Eagle, 3" wedge heel, woven upper

PROS:
~Rubber, non-slip outsole
~Very comfy
~Lower heel is a plus for some

CONS:
~NONE

Where's my other leg? o_O

Image Credit

...And we are done! Thanks for taking the time to read or skim through this post.
My upcoming posts will probably be a handbag haul or a rave about Smashbox Studio Skin foundation that I've been using for a year and a half.  Until then, reader!
-Lady Lostris :D


Copyright © 2014, Lady Lostris Beauty