Laugh, Love, Contour: Sistar Cosmetics

With so many cosmetic releases and brands to choose from, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and your bank account a little tight when you are trying to keep up with the latest trends. As a beauty blogger, I definitely understand wanting to pick up all the things as well as having to skip out when it comes to reigning in our beauty budgets. Thankfully, I know I can stretch my dollar a little further with Sistar Cosmetics and still have quality products to enjoy!

Press Sample

I had reviewed several items from the brand earlier this summer, and I am back this evening with their Glo Glitter Eyeshadows. These liquid eyeshadows are reminiscent of the popular Stila variety at only a small fraction of the price.

At the time of this posting, there are currently 7 shade options and a primer to help keep these locked into place. I saw Sistar Cosmetics teasing on their social media earlier today that there will be more shades coming out soon. There are a few gaps I would love to see filled with this formula, so I'm keeping a close eye on their IG page for a future announcement on more colours!

Indoor lighting

This collection of colours are a perfect fit for those hot summer days we've been having lately! As you can see, most fall predominantly in the warm shade category. As a warm-toned girl, that works for me, but I would love to see more cooler options join the product lineup. I have also included a swatch of the primer by itself. The dry down is lighter than my skin tone, but it isn't going to completely cover up a base eyeshadow look like a concealer would, just as an example. Another difference is this primer wears like iron- I have to use a really good makeup remover to get it off! That's not a deal breaker for me, especially since it really does allow the shades of the Glo Glitter Eyeshadows to pop more!

Sunlight

As for the Glo Glitters themselves, I had mixed feelings depending on the shades. While Ambitious, Bright Bronze and 24K had pretty respectable colour payout, I didn't get as much colour or sparkle as I would have liked from the rest. I used the flat doe application direct out of the tube and patted onto my skin for these swatches. The dispersal of the glitters wasn't as even as I would have liked, but this can easily be chalked up to my application technique.

I wanted to go outside my normal comfort zone with these, both in application technique and even shade preference. I opted to use 24K to complete my look.

Because the flat doe-foot applicator is a little on the wide side, I opted to use a bent eyeliner brush to remove the Glo Glitter from the applicator and place onto my eyes. Using this technique gave me more control than the Glo Glitter's applicator would allow, although using the bent liner brush was new for me. While I need to get a little more practice with that, I was quite content with my final look.

I wore this look all day, and I was rather impressed with how well the 24K Glo Glitter stayed in place! There were a couple stray glitter pieces that had fallen either onto my eyelid or under my eye, but that's something I would expect from a glitter product in general. Removal was easy too! I simply soaked a cotton pad with makeup remover, placed it a couple seconds on my closed eye, and wiped away. I then washed off the few remaining stray glitters with the rest of my makeup.

If you are a diehard fan of the Stila Glitter & Glow line, the Glo Glitters by Sistar Cosmetics may leave you wanting more. Just comparing my experience here with the few Stila shades I own, the Sistar isn't quite as pigmented, so you'll have to build up another layer if you like the intense glittery looks.

One major advantage of the Sistar Cosmetics Glo Glitter Eyeshadows is price. While Stila's are priced at $24 per tube, the Glo Glitters are only $8.99 each. Even if you do end up having to add a second layer in some cases to build up the effect, you're still going to save some money with these. I'm not personally a fan of the super blinged out look, so the more subtle effect some of these will give with a single layer is far more my style. The lower price point is also nice for when you want something like this for occasional use or you're trying out a colour you normally wouldn't wear. For only $9, I am happy to jump outside my usual comfort zones!

The Sistar Cosmetic Glo Glitter Eyeshadows are definitely worth checking out and adding into your makeup routines! The colours are beautiful and you can't beat this price tag! The current shade selections will carry you perfectly from summer into fall, but do keep your eye out for an official announcement on new shades! While I have no idea what to expect, I'm hoping to see more cooler options, and I would love to see a few darker shades, especially in a duochrome!

On a slightly different note, Sistar Cosmetics was at Cosmoprof North America this summer, and I did pop by their booth. They had not yet received all of their items for display when I was there, but I did get a peek at some gorgeous metallic lip glosses that should be launching soon. I'm excited to see what all they have coming out!

Have you used any products from Sistar Cosmetics? If so, what have been your favorites? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful night!
XO!

Helpful Links

Store: www.SistarCosmetics.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SistarUSACosmetics

Instagram: www.instagram.com/SistarUSACosmetics

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Purchased and Press Samples

Happy hump day, dear readers! For today's blog post, I wanted to share a bunch of goodies from Sistar Cosmetics! The brand had a booth set up at The Makeup Show in New York City during my last trip, and I had picked up several items from the affordable brand while there. Since then, the brand reached out and sent me their Signature Lip Colour Metal line to review. I've opted to combine my purchases and these press samples into a large review post, so be forewarned there are lots of photos and details to digest coming forth. First, let me fill you in a little more about the brand.

Sistar Cosmetics is a cruelty-free brand with items available for purchase both online and in over 500 stores worldwide. Their mission is to create a large and diverse multicultural community of makeup lovers and beauty enthusiasts. Through interactions, we come together as sisters and become the stars we're all meant to be, hence the brand name.

Let's jump in on today's post!

It's U Skin Smoothing Primer

Prepping the skin for makeup application is important, and for many, the first step is using a primer. This primer is a little thick and has a slight slip due to the addition of dimethicone as an ingredient. I've used this primer many times, and it definitely helps to smooth some areas on my face with fine lines and over my pores. It isn't as slippery as other dimethicone primers I have used, and actually leaves the skin with a slight tacky sensation, no matter how long I would leave it. I didn't notice my foundation catching into patches in spite of the tackiness. Overall, I was pretty happy with this primer. It "dries" to a matte finish and sits nicely on the skin. Fortunately dimethicone products don't seem to bother my skin, although I know it is a concern for some others. I'm not particularly crazy about the tacky texture, but it isn't enough to keep me from continuing to use this primer

Retail: $8.99

It's U Skin Perfecting HD Concealer and HD Color Corrector

The HD Concealer is a star product for the brand, so I naturally had to pick one out! I picked up the Skin Perfecting HD Concealer in the shade Golden Beige. It is a close match to my skintone.

I also picked up the Skin Perfecting HD Color Corrector in the shade Orange. Rather than attempt to cover up my dark under eye circles with more natural colours and ending up with pale circles that give it away, I'd rather neutralize them before my foundation step.

Both the Color Corrector and Concealer have an angled applicator with a hole in the center. This allows the applicator to pick up more product from each individual dip in the tube.

Here is a look at both shades swatched on the underside of my forearm.

I have used both the HD Color Corrector and the HD Corrector on my face where I need more, well, concealing and correcting, before stippling on my foundation. I really liked both these products and will be continuing to use them. I apply a little setting powder to prevent creasing and these have stayed in place for me all day.

Retail: $5.99 each for Concealer and Color Correctors

Lit & Glow Luminizer Palette

I love to glow year round, but there is something about the summer that just demands it. I occasionally am in the mood for blindingly bright highlighters, but for the average day, I like the look of a sheer glow. The soft shades in this palette caught my attention, and I naturally had to purchase one to test out!

One of the first things I noticed with this trio is the shades are quite natural and not drastically different from each other. If you are content with a "one and done" type highlighter, this may be more than you have in mind, but if you appreciate the subtle nuances, this palette may appeal to you. I'm a fan of having the difference options, particularly because I like to create a range of looks with my eyeshadows and lipsticks. Just one luminizer just isn't going to cut it for me!

I used all three of these shades in my look here. The paler shade on the left side of the palette I placed on my browbone, the center shade on my cheeks and nose, and the soft peach on the right I put on my eyelids for this simple look.

I found all of these to be soft and smooth, and I love how they applied to the skin. The only issue I take with this palette is the packaging itself feels cheap and flimsy. While the makeup itself is the most important aspect for me, this is something to keep in mind when traveling or if you keep makeup in your handbag or gym bag. I feel like the packaging will crack easily if you aren't careful, so I don't want to take this with me on my adventures.

Retail: $16.99

Signature Lip Colour Metal

Sistar Cosmetics offers several options in their Signature Lip Colour lineup. Metallics have gained in popularity, and I have all six shades in their "Metal" line. As much as I enjoy metallic lips on others, I've been really hit or miss with the intensity of them on myself. The Sistar Cosmetics metallics are more subtle and more my speed, and I have been delighted to try them out!

All six shades contain metallic flecks that coordinate beautifully with their respective base shade. From golds to reds to bronze, they add that little extra something to make your lips sparkle and stay on trend without taking away from your overall look. These lipsticks offer a beautiful pop of colour to the lips. They do have a rose scent, which is something I generally avoid as I am not a fan of this scent. In spite of it, I still enjoy wearing these lipsticks. While certainly present, the scent isn't as strong in these as in others I have tried, and I do love these lipsticks enough to tolerate the smell.

Ambition (outer) and Princess (center)

Witchcraft (outer) and Mystical Sunrise (center)

Mystical Sunrise is the only shade I wasn't crazy about. The shade is very sheer, and the little colour I would get on my lips seemed to collect in the grooves of my lips, leaving an unevenly finished look. I haven't completely written this shade off yet and think it would best be used with a single swipe for some added sparkle rather than trying to impart colour onto the lips.

This is the colour combination I wore in the full-face photos above. Witchcraft it definitely my kind of colour!

Chestnut Jam

These are "regular" bullet type lipsticks, so you will have to reapply every few hours or after eating and drinking.

Retail: $5.99 each

It's U Setting Spray

Since setting spray is my final step in my makeup application, it felt appropriate to place this purchase at the end of this post. While the packaging of the luminizer palette felt thin and flimsy, the packaging on this setting spray is solid! It is also made of plastic, but the walls are thick and I cannot get this to bend in spite of some serious squeezing!

The It's U Setting Spray uses a pump-style push nozzle. I'm happy to report that once sprayed, the setting spray comes out in a fine mist. You're not going to have this collecting on your face! Compared to some other settings sprays I have used, the spray disperses in a wider circumference, covering more of my face with each individual spray. It does have a scent, but I've not been able to definitively place it. It just smells fresh and clean to me. With my current schedule, I've only been wearing makeup for up to 9 hours in a day, and this spray has been keeping it nicely in place until I choose to wipe my face clean.

Retail: $7.99

I'm really glad this brand had a booth at The Makeup Show so I could pick up a few things to try out, and I am glad they sent me these metal lipsticks to try out! I can definitely see why their concealers are a big hit, and I adore the shades of their Signature Lip Colour Metal line. While I cannot attest to the setting power of the setting spray for long periods of time, I cannot deny that my skin has remained looking good for the 8-9 hours of wear I have been getting. It has also kept my makeup set through my comings and goings on these 110°F days. It is too early for me to give it rockstar status since I haven't tested it as much as I would like, but so far, it is anther brand favorite for me as well.

You can purchase products online from Sistar Cosmetics here. If you prefer to do your shopping in person, check out their Store Locator to see if they retail in a store near you. There are two in my area!

Have you used any products from Sistar Cosmetics? If so, what were your favorites? Is there something in particular you would like to try? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!