Birthday Haul Update
I know this might seem like a bit of a long stretch since my birthday was back in January. But as I’ve mentioned before with my hauls, I always have every intention of posting updates on how each item worked out for me. Since I posted my birthday haul, I’ve been working on testing out each of these products and wanted to make sure that I used them as much as I could to really have a clear opinion on the quality of each. Now that it’s been a couple of months and I’ve had the chance to test everything thoroughly, I’m ready to bring you my full update. I have posted reviews on certain items and will link those for you accordingly.
Nars Lip Pencils: I got this same exact lip pencil set as my free birthday gift from Sephora last year as well, so I already knew what I thought of these pencils when I received them this year. It came with the colors Rikugien (satin light pink) and Cruella (matte red). They do feel nice on the lips and are two beautiful colors, I just wasn’t anymore impressed with them than I had been with similar products from the drugstore for a fraction of the price that these retail for. Read my full review of them here as well as pictures of how they look on the lips.
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara: I’ve mentioned a few times recently that I currently have more than enough mascaras open (seven) and definitely did not need to add anymore to that. So I wasn’t able to have a chance to try this mascara, but you’ll be hearing about it whenever I do finally get to open it.
Ulta Nail Polish (Life’s A Peach): I’ve expressed many times throughout my Mani Mondays that I’ve had really positive experiences with Ulta nail polishes and this one didn’t let me down. It’s a beautiful soft pastel orange that gives a subtle color to the nails. It lasts about six days with a base and top coat before it starts to chip and I was happy to see that it’s opaque enough to only need two coats, which can sometimes be rare in a shade like this.
Ulta Brow Tint (Medium): I’ve never used a brow tint product before, I’ve always only stuck to powders and fine-tip pencils. However, I thought that this would be something easy and quick to do on days where I don’t want to spend much time getting ready. The formula was nice and it doesn’t take too long to dry, but I didn’t reach for it as much as I was hoping because I think I got a shade too dark. Aside from getting the wrong color though, I do really like that the applicator is small for precision work on the outer corner of the brow and it didn’t look or feel heavy.
Ulta Rose Gold Palette: How many times can I mention this palette before it becomes too much?? It’s been in every favorites post and I think a few others before I actually wrote my full review on it. This has been my most reached for palette since I’ve had it and I still can’t put it down. I love it!!
Ulta Single Eyeshadows (Sable & Innocence): Since we’ve established from my love of the rose gold palette as well as my whole post dedicated to Ulta Single Eyeshadows, I think it’s safe to say that I love the Ulta brand and their eyeshadow formula. The quality is great, the shadows are smooth, and these two have been the perfect shades to pair with the rose gold palette. I also like using Sable with other cool-toned browns to add more contrast in an eye look.
NYX Prismatic Eyeshadow (Girl Talk): I fell in love with this color when I saw it in the store, but I was also a little worried because NYX eyeshadows can be hit or miss on the quality most of the time and this was a new formula of theirs. Thankfully, it turned out to be really smooth and highly pigmented, as you can see by how much light it’s reflecting in the swatch picture below. This is great for really brightening the inner half of the lid, for placing all over the lid, or for tapping right in the middle for dimension. It has good enough wear time (around 5-6 hours) and is easy to work with.
Maybelline Color Tattoos (Barely Branded & Creamy Beige): I really tried to like these, I promise I did. But they just weren’t doing it for me. I wrote a separate review explaining all the details including swatches and what they look like on the eyes, and I just couldn’t figure out what all the hype is about. Maybe this product just isn’t for me, but I can’t say that I’d recommend them. They were just too dry of a formula and not what I was hoping for.
bareMinerals Regal Wardrobe Palette: I’ve been pretty vocal about how I’ve never really been impressed with bareMinerals products before, mainly because of the mess that the loose products make which is the majority of their line. However, I was reallyyy blown away with this palette. Every single eyeshadow and blush was incredibly smooth and highly pigmented. They had average lasting time, like the Ulta shadows (about 7-8 hours) and were very easy to work with. Although this palette was limited edition, it’s reopened my eyes to the brand and their pressed products.
Sounds like a typical haul, right? Some stuff I absolutely loved and some stuff I was really disappointed with. But not every single product can impress every single person, so that’s why I like to stay so honest in letting you know my exact experiences with how everything performs for me. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful. If you’ve tried any of these products before, let me know your thoughts in the comments and I hope you have a fantastic day! :)
~Christina~
