eyeshadow

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Lovinah Skincare Takes on Cosmetics with an Incredible First Launch!

Happy hump day, dear readers! For today's blog post, I am excited to bring you not only a black-owned beauty business, but one that is all about clean beauty as well! Let's jump in so I can fill you in on Lovinah's cosmetic line!

Gifted Samples

Last year, I stopped by the Lovinah Skincare booth while at Cosmoprof North America, and I saw a sneak peek at something entirely new from the brand: an eyeshadow palette! I found the shades breathtaking then and swooned when I did a quick swatch on my arm. Lovinah officially launched their cosmetic line with two eyeshadow palettes and an eyeliner this past fall, and I recently got my hands on all three of them. Y'all, I own more eyeshadow than I could possibly use on myself, so it says a lot when I say these palettes immediately put Lovinah on my radar when it comes to cosmetic releases and I already know I want the next one sight unseen! Vegan and cruelty-free, these are nicely pigmented and blend to such a smooth finish. Let's jump in and get a closer look at all three products!

See No Evil Liquid Eyeliner

As someone with hooded eyes, eyeliner and I aren't exactly the best of friends. It probably wouldn't be so bad if my eyes were just hooded, but they get oily fast, and while my eyeshadow seems to stay put most of the time, the same can not be said for most eyeliners. There have been a handful that have stayed put, but they are far and few in between. In spite of my misgivings with eyeliners, I was still go hung about trying out the See Not Evil Liquid Eyeliner from Lovinah. Lovinah had promised me a matte, waterproof and long-lasting eyeliner that would apply without tugging or smudging. It's a tall order for an oily hooded lid gal like myself, but I am impressed- this eyeliner can deliver!


I found I could easily control the thickness of my eyeliner by adjusting the pressure. I didn't have any excess coming out on me and turning me into one sexy af raccoon (which has happened on me with a couple liquid eyeliners). The application truly was effortless! I am also happy to report that one swipe on an area yielded perfect coverage and pigmentation so there was no need to build it up either. I'm wearing this eyeliner in both my looks coming up below, so keep reading to check it out in action!

Retail: $21


Eye Magic Palette

If you are on the hunt for your perfect every day palette, the Eye Magic Palette may be just what you are looking for! A little bit nude, a little bit metallic, and a little bit of that something extra, this is the palette I want to be taking with me whenever I start traveling again. There are enough shade options in this palette to keep me creating multiple looks that look gorgeous, and it can easily take you from more natural daytime looks to more dramatic evening looks. While the colours are certainly gorgeous, what sets this palette apart from so many others I have tried is the formula. These eyeshadows are made with East African Shea Butter (Nilotica) and squalane, making each of these eyeshadows buildable and blend with ease. The colour payout is also phenomenal so you can create a colourful look quickly without needing to build up several layers.


I really enjoyed playing with this eyeshadow palette! And how amazing is the artwork on these products!



In addition to the Nilotica and squalane, these eyeshadows utilize a high percentage of pure pigment. Not only does that account for the pigmentation, it helps to keep the shadows in place for a longer period of time. The rockhound nerd in me is also excited that the formula also includes crushed gemstones like tourmaline, sapphire and amethyst and gold metal powder. I never would have guessed you could get gemstones to be so silky smooth, but that has been my only experience with these.


I created this look in the morning, and it did not budge until I removed it as part of my pre-bed nighttime routine. It's been hot here- well into the 100s, and that has not had any affect on the longevity of this eyeshadow. The only potential drawback with this palette is that it does not include a mirror. I personally never use mirrors that are part of my palettes so that has no bearing whatsoever for me, but it is something you should know. For a great price with several quality eyeshadows, it's easy enough to make sure you have a mirror handy for your makeup application.


Retail: $45

Goddess Glow Palette

While the Eye Magic Palette is more for your day-to-day looks, the Goddess Glow Palette is perfect for those who what a more dramatic look. Made with the same Nilotica plus squalane formula, the Goddess Glow Palette packs quite a punch.



While this isn't a look I would go for on the regular, I loved it so much that I might have to make this my go-to look for date night. How fabulous is this?!?



The Goddess Glow Palette also contains crushed gemstones, specifically tourmaline and diamond powder in addition to the gold powder. Oh yes, this baby is a little bit extra with that diamond powder, and I am here for it!


Like the Eye Magic Palette, the eyeshadows in the Goddess Glow Palette apply and blend like a dream. This is the palette you're going to want for that seamless blend you'll be checking out in your mirror ALL. DAY. LONG.


When I first created my look, I wasn't quite feeling the pinky nude lipstick I had originally selected with my eye look, so I opted to tap the shade Divine from this palette onto my lips. Now THIS was more like it!


I am obsessed with the formula of these palettes, and I find that I keep wanting to grab for them again and again.


Obviously you do you, and if that means creating a more simple look with just one or two shades, go for it! I've not been going my makeup frequently with my health issues, but when I'm feeling up to wearing it, I am a QUEEN.



Retail: $45

To say that I am awestruck with Lovinah's entry into the world of cosmetics is an understatement. All three of the products performed incredibly well for me and just feel luxurious. The eyeshadow palettes are in delightfully textured cardboard packaging, and the metallic artwork is stunning. You can really tell a lot of thought went into all the facets of the eyeshadow palettes and the eyeliner, and you will not be disappointed in the quality.

These are currently the only cosmetic items from the brand, but Lovinah has given a tiny peek of another eyeshadow palette that will be launching sometime next month. I believe it was called the Desert Goddess Palette (but don't quote me on that!), and this desert-living (and loving) girl is beyond excited to see it! I've not seen any other new products coming yet, but be sure to keep your eye on their social media account so you can stay informed!

Are you a fan of clean beauty products? Have you tried any products from Lovinah, either the cosmetics or their skincare line? Which of these appeals to you the most? I'd love to hear from you!

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

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

Doubledown Cosmetics: A Philanthropic Indie Brand that Delivers Incredible Glow

Greetings, dear readers! It feels like it has been forever since I have sat down and written up a blog post, and looking back at my scarce number of posts thus far this year, I'm not far off on this judgement call. This year has started out rough, including my 10+ year old laptop deciding to stop charging and working properly for me. As a result, I've had to get a new computer and start the long and daunting process of transferring files over to my new one. On top of that, which was and still is pretty painful, I have had to attempt to learn newer programs. It's a little embarrassing to admit how far behind I was when it came to updating software, so I'm just going to say it has been awhile and the learning curve has added into the delay of posting to my blog. Thus far, I've been unable to get any of my photos from the past 8 months to transfer easily and have had to manually worth through them all. I still have a lot to do, but here is hoping I can get the last of it sorted out this weekend and start February out on a more positive note. If you've been following me on Instagram, you may have seen in my stories about some skincare issues I've been having this month; needless to say, January has not been my friend! Please cross your fingers for me as I've been losing my mind and my mental health is at an all time low lately. I really try to keep things positive here on my blog, and I just don't have much left to give at this point. Now let's jump in on something pretty to help lighten the mood!

Gifted Samples

Last month, when I was getting over the flu, I received a package from Doubledown Cosmetics with a few items to try out. I've been following the brand on Instagram for a little while, and even before trying the products, I already had warm fuzzy feelings for the brand since I stumbled upon them. Founded by husband and wife team Marvin and Kristen Speller, I found myself connecting to the brand with Kristen's openness about her experience with domestic violence. Doubledown Cosmetics gives back to their local LA community to help those impacted by domestic violence, homelessness, and addiction. I love brands that give back, and this is one of many reasons I've been following the brand. I've definitely been eager to try out some products, and they did not disappoint! Let's check them out!


Doubledown x Medeaij
The Confidence highlighter and The Concise eyeshadow

Doubledown Cosmetics collaborated with UK Beauty Influencer and Content Creator Medeaij to create this beautiful loose powder duo. The Confidence has a sifter with a slide over closure, which I greatly appreciate to keep my powder from going crazy when I have it tossed in my bag. The Concise also has a sifter. although it does not have a sliding seal. I've not had any issues with The Concise making a big mess, and I'm sure it's larger due to the smaller overall packaging size.

I have these swatched on the skin with another Doubledown Cosmetics highlighter coming up in this post, so let me show you how I wore these two products first.


My skintone falls in the medium category, and most makeup brand put me towards the lighter side of medium. In spite of wearing sunscreen and reapplying, I tan really easily and my skin gets a little darker during the summer. Because I got these products in the winter, I'm currently at my palest state. While The Confidence was created as a highlighter, it is too dark for my skintone to be used as one. I might be able to pull it off as a highlighter when my skin gets darker, but even then it still may be too dark for me. This is definitely not a deal breaker for me as I was all too happy to use both these shades on my eyes!


I use The Confidence on my lid and inner half of my lower lash line. The Concise is on the outer half of my lower lash line and carried out to create a wing. Even though I didn't wear these shades as they were created, I love having them paired together to create this look! I have mixed feelings on the wing, especially since I opted to keep it lower than usual due to my hooded eyes. I know this is a style recommended for us hooded guys and gals, but I'm still on the fence about how I feel about it on myself. Feel free to leave a comment below if you like the lower placement!


The Equation highlighter

In addition to The Confidence, I was sent The Equation, another gorgeous highlighter and face illuminator. The colour is different from The Confidence, but it is also too dark for me to use on my face with its intended purpose. Again, I opted to use it on my eyes. Check out my look below!


For this look, I wanted to skip eyeliner (which I'm known to do. I do enjoy eyeliner from time to time, but it's just not my go-to when it comes to creating makeup looks). I opted to pull in a few neutral mattes from Natasha Denona's Biba palette into my crease and outer corner of my eye to add some more definition to my eyes. I swept The Equation on a large area of my eyelids as I would a shimmer eyeshadow.


Here is another look at my eye makeup so you can see how The Equation glows on my lids. I don't intentionally tan, nor do I use fake tanning products, but I'm looking forward to wearing this beauty on my face this summer when my skin is darker and more compatible with this depth of colour. Out of the loose powders I was sent (the two highlighters and the eyeshadow), I believe this one is my personal favorite. All three are gorgeous, but the more golden hue really speaks to me and what I tend to wear most often. On a different note, keep this photo set in mind because we'll be back to it soon with a focus on the lips. 

As promised, here are swatches on my skin so you can see how all three of these shades compare.

Top: The Equation
Bottom: The Confidence and The Concise

The Equation: a beautiful warm toned bronze face glow product

The Confidence: a cool toned bronze shimmery highlighter

The Concise: a gorgeous, russet pearlescent, bronze eyeshadow

These apply so beautifully to the skin, and while the highlighters are too dark for me to use as a face highlighter, I find all three shades flatter my skintone nicely. I'm definitely thrilled to have all three in my cosmetic collection and will be incorporating them into more makeup looks!


I was also sent the Doubledown Cosmetics lip balm lineup to try out. All three shades are organic. The clear lip balm is also vegan. Please note the tinted shades contain beeswax and are not vegan.

Top to bottom: The Punk, The Present, and The Future

The Punk: a nude, earth toned pink, with a hint of shimmer for an everyday look

The Present: a clear vegan lip balm with spearmint essential oil

The Future: a buildable cool toned red, with warm overtones

I do want to note that The Punk and The Future contain peppermint oil and The Present also contains rosemary extract. Based on conversations with some of you lovely readers and comments you have left for me throughout the years, I know a few of you are allergic to these particular ingredients. I'm sure you already look closely at ingredients yourselves anyway, but I did want to draw your attention to the ingredients. The Present definitely gives my lips a tingly sensation. I notice it a little with the tinted lip balms, but it's much less noticeable and I no longer notice it with the tinted balms after a very short period of time.

I really enjoy these tinted shades in particular as they impact colour to your lips but still keeps your lips looking natural. Don't get me wrong, I totally rock some dark and intense shades on my lips, but I love these to keep in my purse for no makeup days to add just that little something extra to help me look put together. Given how crazy the past several months have been for me, I definitely can appreciate that!


Remember the look I said we would be getting back to? Here we go! I have used The Future on my lips to give a pop of colour.


For this and the following photo, I have used The Punk. I have built it up with a few layers to give it more intensity; a single layer is much more subtle and leaves my lips looking a little frosted.


After trying out these products by Doubledown Cosmetics, I can say with certainty that I am a fan! I knew I liked the brand based on principles alone, but at the end of the day, we want products that are beautiful to look at that also perform well on the skin. I am happy to report that I loved all these products, and I certainly am not the only one! Doubledown Cosmetics won not one, but an astounding five Indiemood Rewards this past December. These awards include the following:

Best Loose Highlighter- Editor's Choice
Best Loose Eyeshadow- Editor's Choice
Best Loose Eyeshadow- Audience Award
Best Blush- Editor's Choice
Best Giving Back Award Social Justice- Editor's Choice

Congratulations to Doubledown Cosmetics for your incredible achievement! I have thoroughly enjoyed the products I have used, and I definitely have my eye on a few others!

Dear readers, if you are looking for quality indie products from a brand that gives back, Doubledown Cosmetics is here to deliver! I’m looking forward to seeing where the brand goes from here! If you have tried their products, please let me know what you've loved!

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


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