Have you heard of Pixi by Petra? It’s a super affordable, all natural makeup and skincare brand that can be found at your local Target or online. Surprisingly, I didn’t know about this brand until I became an ambassador for them a little over a year ago. I’ve obviously been living under a rock, but that’s a story for another time. Anyway, I originally intended to do a monthly review but got a bit behind, so in honor of the holidays and getting back on track, I am doing a roundup of my favorite Pixi beauty products for her and adding in a giveaway with 2 chances to win!
Get to Know Saints & Sinners Hair Care + Giveaway
I’m so excited to introduce Saints & Sinners! Saints & Sinners is a nutrient-rich hair care brand that can be found in select salons. All of the products are free of harsh chemicals, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free. I had the opportunity to test out their products and I loved them so much that I decided to do a giveaway!
Saints & Sinners Hair Care
Velvet Devine Leave-in Conditioner detangles and leaves my hair silky smooth and full of moisture. It also protects from heat (major bonus) and environmental damage and is ideal for all hair types. I would also like to try their shampoo and conditioner.
Velvet Divine Hair Masque eliminates damage caused by chemicals, heat, and environmental stresses. It’s also great for anyone who has frizzy unruly hair, curly hair, or damaged hair. My hair is very dry and is also relaxed (chemically straightened), so I definitely noticed a difference when using this product.
Divine Styling Potion can be used on wet or dry hair. It protects the hair from thermal damage and is humidity-resistant. I applied this product to dry hair and love the lightweight formula. It’s also very hydrating like all of the aforementioned products and provides great shine.
Saints & Sinners graciously provided me with all of these goodies but all opinions are my own. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below (US readers only) for a chance to win all three products. The giveaway ends on Monday, August 7th and the winner will be notified via email. Good luck!
馃摲鈥檚 by Luba Kochubey Portraits
Lancome Beauty Haul: 3 Must-Have Products
I recently had the opportunity to try three new Lancome products. All of them were top notch and deserve a proper review. I’ll definitely be repurchasing them in the future.
Lancome Beauty Haul
Lancome Official Visionnaire Crescendo Peel. For this one, I completed the full 28-day program. My pores appeared smaller and my skin looked smoother and brighter. If you have sensitive skin I would avoid this product though, as Phase 2 does leave a burning sensation.
Out of the two phases, I prefer Phase 1 which reduces pores, improve skin texture and radiance. The first 14 days I could really tell a difference, but I did break out a bit. Phase 2 reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. I have dark spots under my chin and was hoping to reduce those, but I鈥檓 not sure Phase 2 was as effective in this area. I should have taken a before and after photo, but I have enough product to try again so I might give it another shot.
Lancome Bienfait SPF 50 Sunscreen. This is the first SPF 50 I’ve ever tried. It shields the skin from UVA and UVB rays that may contribute to skin damage and premature aging. It’s also recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, which I appreciated. I love the oil-free, lightweight formula and how it didn鈥檛 leave my skin feeling greasy. It鈥檚 also formulated for all skin types, even sensitive. As an added bonus, no SPF smell! I honestly can’t say enough good things about this product.
Lancome Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick. The sponge-like applicator really helps with creating a precise application. I love the formula, it literally feels like a second skin! 馃檶 Another plus, no smudging or bleeding. However, it’s a bit on the dry side and could use a gloss. It’s definitely long-wearing though, which I absolutely love. I can’t wait to try the other colors.
Have you tried any of these products? Share your experience with me in the comments.
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*Influenster graciously provided me with these Lancome products, but all opinions are my own.
馃摲鈥檚 by 聽Luba Kochubey Portraits
Pixi Beauty Product Review + Giveaway
Have you tried Pixi Beauty products yet? Pixi is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand that is available at Target and Pixibeauty.com. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature light green and rose gold packaging is hard to resist.
I’m a bit behind in my monthly reviews and have acquired quite a collection of Pixi products. Some I’ve tried previously and others I haven’t. Unfortunately a lot of the products are oil-based or hydrating and not great for my oily skin, so what’s a girl to do but share the wealth and do a giveaway! It’s going to be a good one so keep reading.
Before we get to the fun, I wanted to share a bit about one of the packages I received. Hello, beauty enthusiast! It鈥檚 almost too pretty to use.
Here’s what I got:
- Get The Look ItsEyeTime Eyeshadow Palette
- Get The Look ItsLipTime Lip Colour Palette
- Strobe & Sculpt (Highlight & Contour Palette)
- Strobe & Bronze (Glow & Bronze Palette)
- Strobe & Sculpt Brush
- Eye Accents Precision Mascara & Clear Brow Gel
- Glow-y Powder Highlighter in London Lustre and Santorini Sunset
- Glow-y Powder Cheek Powder in Rome Rose
- Double cleanse Solid Cleansing Oil and Cleaning Cream
Since there are so many items in this package, I am only going to review the Get The Look ItsEyeTime Eyeshadow and Get The Look ItsLipTime Lip Colour palette. These two products were created in partnership with ItsJudyTime. If you’re curious about Pixi, check out my other posts: Capture Your Natural Beauty With Pixi by Petra, The No Makeup Look with Pixi by Petra, and Bedtime Ritual with Pixi Beauty.
Get The Look ItsEyeTime Eyeshadow. This neutral eye palette is a good mix of mattes and shimmers. You can easily apply it with your fingers, but some people do prefer a brush. Before I did my eyes I applied my favorite lid primer. I swear by this primer, it keeps my eyeshadow on all day. However, within 6 hours the color starting lifting. I have oily skin and don’t have this problem with my other shadows. This is is a major strike against this palette. The finished look, however, was pretty but not better than other shadows I own. I will continue playing with this set and look to YouTube for inspiration and how-tos.
Get The Look ItsLipTime Lip Colour Palette. The color palette itself is beautiful, great neutrals for every day. But for some reason, most of the shades were too light for my skin tone. I think this palette would work best on someone with fair skin. The last row in the palette does work for darker skin, but I still would not recommend this product. I also prefer a tube instead of using my fingers/brush to apply my lip stick.聽
Pixi Beauty Giveaway
Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the giveaway! There will be three winners. Here’s what’s up for grabs:
Grand Prize Winner: (everything in the photo except the Eye and Lip palette).
- Strobe & Sculpt (Highlight & Contour Palette)
- Strobe & Bronze (Glow & Bronze Palette)
- Strobe & Sculpt Brush
- Eye Accents Precision Mascara & Clear Brow Gel
- Glow-y Powder Highlighter in London Lustre and Santorini Sunset
- Glow-y Powder Cheek Powder in Rome Rose
- Double cleanse Solid Cleansing Oil and Cleaning Cream
1st runner up:
- Glow Mist with Propolis & Argan Oil
- Beauty Sleep Cream with Mango Butter & Chamomile
- 24K Eye Elixir with Gold & Collagen
- Glowtion Day Dew with Lavender Oil & Mica
2nd runner up:
Hello Rose Highlighting set includes:
- Liquid Illuminator
- Blusher & Highlighter
- Glossy Lip Plumper
- Lengthy Fiber Mascara (not shown)
- Endless Brow Gel Pen (not shown)
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below (US readers only). The giveaway ends on June 6th and the winner will be notified via email. Good luck!
*Pixi聽by Petra provided me with these products, but all opinions are my own.
4 Setting Powders that Work聽
In junior high, a boy asked me why I was sweating after looking at my face, but I wasn’t sweating, my skin was just oily. I was mortified! I have always had oily skin and have trouble keeping my makeup in place, which is why I’m so obsessed with having a shine-free complexion. Having a good skincare regime helps a lot, but a great finishing powder is what can really make a difference. I know that when I get older I will appreciate my oily skin, but for now I still like to use products that keep my skin matte.
If you are looking for a way to make your makeup appear flawless or you struggle to keep your makeup in place, this is the post for you!
4 Setting Powders that Work
- Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder: I recently tried this powder via Influenster. It’s one of the first translucent medium deep setting聽powders for dark skin. My first thought was, it’s a translucent powder why the heck does it need to be brown! I have to admit, though, having a powder that matches my skin does make it easier to blend and not have to worry about residue. This powder is long wearing and keeps my makeup matte. It also comes in the standard Natural Finish for all skin tones.
- Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Setting Powder. This was the first finishing powder that I tried. It is amazing! It absorbs oil, mattifies the skin, and minimizes the appearance of pores. It comes in a compact and loose powder option. I prefer the compact (less mess).
- Pixi Quick Fix Powder. The Pixi powder is an inexpensive alternate to the Tarte powder and provides a flawless matte finish. I really can’t tell the difference between the two, and for $12 dollars less, it’s a great choice. If you want to learn more about other Pixi products check out: Capture Your Natural Beauty With Pixi by Petra, The No Makeup Look with Pixi by Petra, and Bedtime Ritual with Pixi Beauty.
- Est茅e Lauder Perfecting Loose Powder: I am a huge fan of Est茅e Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation in addition to the Double Wear powder so I decided to try their translucent powder. It does control shine and helps minimize imperfections, but for the price, I feel the aforementioned brands are a better option.
What setting powder do you recommend? Let me know in the comments.
馃摲鈥檚 by Luba Kochubey Portraits