Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Perfume

Since it is summer and my perfumes have started running out on me, I have recently been doing a lot of scent shopping. I've also been trying to explore some new brands for you guys. One of the new brands I have been getting into lately is Pacifica. They natural and cruelty-free which is why my friend who acquainted me with this brand loves them. I'm trying to get into more natural and cruelty-free beauty so I'll be posting a lot more of those kinds of products this summer.  Anyway more about Pacifica and my perfume...

I actually have a lotion from the company that I got in a beauty subscription box that smelled AMAZING so I was keen on trying more of their scents. My local Ulta had testers of a few of their perfumes (Whole Foods carries them too), so I smelled a few and settled on the Tuscan Blood Orange Perfume. It literally smells like I have started peeling a fresh orange or like I have walked into an orange orchard. It is quite refreshing for summer in my opinion. The bottles are pretty cheap for a perfume ($23 for 1 fluid oz), which is actually good since I find the scent fades on my skin after two hours. However, when I spray it on my clothes, it lasts the entire day and sometimes into the next. :)

What are your thoughts on Pacifica and their perfumes? Any other scents I should try?

Disclaimer: MakeupandMasala was not compensated in any form for this post. All opinions expressed belong to MakeupandMasala. Products in this post were purchased by MakeupandMasala

Trust Fund Beauty Beach Vibes Swatch

This polish is a great polish for summer. It looks EXACTLY like you stuck your hands in the sand at the beach. The two coats went on smoothly with no problem. The polish is currently not in stock on their website, but I encourage you guys to check them out since they have some great quality polishes; I've never had a problem with any of mine.

What polishes have you been loving this summer??

Disclaimer: MakeupandMasala was not compensated in any form for this post. All opinions expressed belong to MakeupandMasala. Products in this post were purchased by MakeupandMasala

Sephora Face/Eye Sheet Masks (Pearl, Rose, Orchid) and Tony Moly Rice Sheet Mask Review

So I've been really into sheet masks recently since my skin was craving some extra hydration and my eye area was looking a little dark and dull. I ordered a bunch of Tony Moly masks on Amazon (10 masks for $11), and got a few masks from my local Sephora as well ($6 for face masks, $4 for eye masks). On to my thoughts...

SEPHORA EYE MASKS

I tried two Sephora eye masks (one in the Pearl and one in the Rose). I had one really big issue with both of the eye masks I bought which was quite disappointing to me. I couldn't figure out which way to place the mask on my eye!!! The way the backs were placed on the mask for removal were either a mistake or both of my packets contained two lefts (rights?). Has anyone else had this issue? So basically when I was wearing the eye masks, I didn't know if I had the essence side to my skin or not. Sad times. 

On the positive side, the masks were really wet so I could be sure the product absorbed into my skin. I think Sephora recommends that you wear the mask for 15 minutes. I actually wore it for 30-40 minutes since I wanted to see some really noticeable results and soak all the product in.

The PEARL eye mask is supposed to brighten your eyes. I felt like my eyes were a bit brighter and more hydrated after wearing the mask and I didn't really feel the need to wear my dark circle eye cream for a week afterwards so I would consider this mask to be a success.   

The ROSE eye mask claims to be a moisturizing and brightening mask. It smelled a lot like roses and I found the scent pleasant (similar to Rose Jam by Lush). I also felt like it kept my eyes hydrated and brighter so that I didn't have to wear my dark circle eye cream.

SEPHORA FACE MASKS

I tried two Sephora face masks: Orchid and Rose. The Orchid mask smells like orchids/floral and thre Rose mask smells like roses.  The Orchid mask in particular claims to reduce wrinkles and bring moisture to skin. Both made my skin very hydrated and nice smelling. Since starting to use more sheet masks (I use one a week now), my skin has been very hydrated and smooth. When I touch my face, it's as soft as a baby's bottom! I can't say that the Orchid mask got rid of my wrinkles (I don't have to many), but I can say that I don't notice the ones I have as much possible since the extra moisture plumps up my skin cells a bit more than usual.

TONY MOLY RICE MASK

I used this one for 30 minutes on my face. Afterwards, it was still really wet. I know some girls save the mask and reuse it the next day so that is quite possible with this one. I didn't really notice anything miraculous happening, but it did keep my skin hydrated so I would consider it a success.

Overall, I think sheet masks are great if you want a little extra hydration in your skin care regime. I think the real test for many of these will be in the winter so you can really see how the hydration shows up.

Have you tried any of these masks or any sheet masks? What are your favorites?

Disclaimer: MakeupandMasala was not compensated in any form for this post. All opinions expressed belong to MakeupandMasala. Products in this post were purchased by MakeupandMasala

NOTD: China Glaze Let The Beat Drop and Julep Raegan

Here's a little NOTD I did with some polishes I got at IMATS! Hope you enjoy! Also, I'm not sponsored by Suja just FYI.

The Perfect Care Package: Sister/Girlfriend Edition

During some holidays throughout the year or to say "Just Because I Love You" to my sister or girlfriends, I like to send out care packages. These are a great idea for if your friends live away from you, the Christmas season, or a sorority gift exchange. I have a few examples of what I sent my sister and sisters-in-law this Valentine's without breaking the bank. I got everything at Target since they have a lot of cute bits and bobs for a very affordable price (this post is NOT sponsored by them--they just really fit the college girl budget)

I purchased a makeup bag($17) to pack all of my little gifts in and some elastic cloth hairties ($4) in girly/Valentine's colors.

Since all the girls are into makeup and I wanted to go with a pampering/spa theme, I got them a small makeup palette from NYX ($8), Fiji nail polish from Essie ($9), Pacifica body lotion ($15), and of course candy for Valentine's! The Pacifica lotion brand is a bit expensive, but I know a few of the girls are into all-natural products so I tried to buy a lotion that would accommodate their desires.

The last few gifts came mostly from the dollar section at Target: Valentine's socks, facial tissue (great for a purse or school bag), and a relaxing mud mask ($2).

I hope you were inspired by this post. What do you typically get your friends as gifts for care packages? I'd love to know in the comments! :)

My Beauty Essentials: Purse Essentials

So I am collaborating with the Glossier to bring you today's post. They wanted to know what my natural/minimalist beauty favorites are that I use when I want to look natural or have a minimal makeup day. Below you will find my purse favorites that I keep on hand every day.

The bag: I'm always on the look out for ways to re-purpose tiny makeup bags that I get from subcription boxes.  One of my favorite things to do is to use my old Ipsy bags as mini makeup bags that I can toss in a school bag or purse. This method helps me stay organized and have the ability to contain a spill if one of my products leaks or breaks.

L'Occitane hand cream: I LOVE this stuff. The super small size is easy to carry on the go and it keeps my hands hydrated through out the day which is perfect for me since I frequently get dry hands from lab chemicals at work and frequent nail painting.

NYX blotting sheets: I tend to rotate all the different types of blotting sheets NYX has throughout my various purses depending on my skin at the moment. I have oily skin most of the time, and these sheets help absorb the excess oil while helping keep my foundation in place. Alternatively, in the summers when I don't have a foundation, they keep me from looking like a walking oil slick in the desert heat. 

Marc Jacobs Daisy and Diptique Volutes: I always have a few perfume samples in my bag or a roller ball. After work, riding public transportation in the summer heat can get smelly and disgusting. I like knowing that I smell good despite the heat. Personally, I hate rollerball applications and wish everything came with a spray nozzle, but since Daisy didn't have that option, I carry the rollerball.

Clinique All About Eyes Depuffing Serum: I have the sample size and it's running out. Time to get a new one! This stuff is amazing. It helps depuff tired eyes and I use it whenever I've had a long night or just need a refresher. It's also great when I'm on a plane and need to hydrate my under eye area.

Burts Bees lip balm: Drinking coffee chaps my lips severely so I cannot last the day without applying a lip balm to my lips. This one is my current favorite after my EOS lip balms left me with chipped cracking lips.

Tic Tac mints: Lots of coffee can make a girl's breath smell NASTY!!! I keep these mints on hand so I can pop one in my mouth before a meeting for fresh breath or when I just want to reach for a nice piece of candy/gum. This particular kind is the peach + lemonade flavor.

What are some of your everyday natural must haves?

Formula X Patrick Starr Polish Collection

Formula X has teamed up with a blogger/influencer for every month of 2016 to bring users exclusive polishes curated by the blogger/influencer. Patrick Starr's collection with be available in stores in February. The collection of 3 polishes are perfect for Valentine's! 

My favorite is the pale pink. What is yours? Leave your response in the comments! Also let me know if you would like me to post swatches!

Maple Holistics Shampoo Review: Sage

 So for the past few months, I have been using a new shampoo I received from Maple Holistics. It's a sage scented shampoo that is said to prevent dandruff. It's made from natural ingredients, and sulfate free. This particular product also contained jojoba, argan and tea tree oils. I was particularly excited because I had just highlighted my hair and it was perfect for color-treated hair.

I have to say it was one of the best shampoos I tried. I like using natural, sulfate-free products on my hair so that I minimize any damage I'm doing to it. Also in the dry, winter months my scalp tends to get itchy and irritated due to my eczema so this shampoo was amazing at keeping my scalp hydrated. The scent is not over-powering, but I can see how someone who is not fond of natural scents would dislike it.

I would purchase the product again. However, the only drawback I can see is the price. The small bottle (the quantity of shampoo isn't listed on the bottle) is quite a bit pricier than my regular shampoos coming in at $14.95 a bottle on the company's website (mapleholistics.com). 

Have you tried Maple Holistics products? What are your thoughts?

IMATS Haul: Ittse Makeup Part 2

Currently Ittse makes eyeshadows and blushes/bronzers/highlighters.

The eyeshadows I purchased from Ittse are very buttery with high pigmentation payoff making them very WOC friendly since the color still stands out on pigmented skin without a nude base on the lid. The buttery feel from the finely milled pigment particles is very noticeable if you swatch multiple brands at the same time. After swatching at Ittse, I actually swatched eyeshadows at another IMATS booth and the difference in quality was immediately noticeable to me. The quality is even more astounding when you consider the price of the shadows: $7.99 for a pan that is the same size as a MAC shadow. Why would you even go anywhere else for eyeshadow? It doesn't make sense to shop at a MAC or Bobbi Brown or whatever when you have access to prices like these. Obviously, the one thing these brands have over Ittse is that you can actually swatch a Mac or a Bobbi Brown shadow in a local store. I hope Ittse can soon be found everywhere. Till then, most bloggers will be posting swatches for readers to get an idea of the color of the product, and maybe Ittse could post a swatch on a light and dark skintone to the website?

Each shadow comes packaged in a recloseable plastic case so that if you want to store a shadow outside of your palette for whatever reason, you can do so without damaging the shadow.

I love the gold script on the plastic. It's just an extra touch that makes the product even cuter!

Finally, Ittse is a paraben-free, gluten-free, cruelty-free company. 

On to the swatches and shadows...

Each pan has the name of the eyeshadow or blush written on the back of the pan so that when you run out, you know exactly which color to get. The last two shadows I have swatched, The Castro and Obsidian, are Ittse's signature shadows ( my own terminology). They are the style of shadows that make the brand unique. You would be hard pressed to find a shadow of the same shade in another brand.

My filled palette (9 shadows + 2 blushes). You can also fit 12 shadows in one palette.

The row furthest left in my palette.

Ittse's signature shadows

Finally, I have swatches of one highlighter, Barbados, and one bronzer, The Sunset. Barbados is perfect for all skintones and reminds me of Jaclyn Hill's Champagne Pop because of this. The Sunset would be a nice blush or bronzer on my fair skinned girlies. I prefer to use it as an eyeshadow.

Ittse is also offering a coupon code so you can save some money!!!! For those of you who are concerned about this, just so you know: I don't make any sort of commission off the coupon code if you do make a purchase.

Hope you enjoy Ittse as much as I do!!

IMATS Haul: Ittse Makeup Part 1

I'm sure many of my readers have seen that Anna and I went to IMATS  Los Angeles recently if you've been following me on Instagram and Twitter. It was our first time and we had a blast. I'll be reviewing our IMATS experience in an upcoming blog post along with tips and tricks for making it out alive and within one's budget. For now, I just want to talk about an amazing new makeup company I discovered while there: Ittse.

Ittse is a San Franciso based makeup company that is trying to revolutionize the industry by giving the makeup enthusiast the ability to customize their makeup experience. Before I launch into anything about their product, I want to take a minute to discuss their amazing and personable customer service. The minute Anna and I walked up to their counter at IMATS, Ittse's staff and owner were very friendly and helpful. When they found out that we were the bloggers behind MakeupandMasala, they were able to recall the exact posts we had shared with our readers on Instagram. Needless to say, we were flattered they knew who we were and what we had posted, but we were more amazed that they knew what we were posting and were keeping up with it. It's nice to know that there are brands in the makeup world that not only notice when people are talking about them, but also remember and actually use that feedback. If this is how they treat all of their customers from bloggers down to regular makeup enthusiasts, I have high hopes for the company. You see I like buying from companies that take the time to talk to me and make me feel like a valued customer. I have tried to buy from larger, well know brands, only to be ignored because I'm not the "ideal" customer because maybe I'm too young, don't have enough money, they aren't interested in the WOC demographic, etc. If I feel like I am wanted and valued when I try to make my purchase, as a consumer, I'm more likely to buy your product.

The second thing, Ittse has going for them is their fun and girly website decor and packaging. I love their artistic vision.

I mentioned previously that Ittse is all about customization in the makeup experience. Because of this, they have magnetic palettes where you can place all of your product. The color of the palette can be customized (I chose their newest color gold, but a coral and teal palette will debut sometime in the spring). The palettes can fit 12 eyeshadow pans or 9 shadows and two blushes. The pans can be easily removed to move around colors so if you want to only take a few shadows for a weekend trip like I often do, you can removed the ones you don't use that frequently. Also since you can move the shadows around in the palette, you can visual see which shadows pair well with each other and try combinations you wouldn't normally be keen on trying. When you glance at the palette, it had the tendency to seem flimsy. However, they are HIGHLY durable, come with a film that separates the mirror from the shadows so the mirror can stay clean, and have a very strong magnetic clamp on the edges to keep the palette shut at all times. You could toss this in your school bag or tote because of the size and you don't have to worry about have makeup spill everywhere because the magnetic clamp is THAT good.  

The newest palette color

Stay tuned for the second half of my review where I will be swatching all the products I bought!

IMATS Haul/Currently On My Nails: China Glaze Seduce Me