• xoluxe.com

    First Impressions with XOLuxe.com | #sponsored

    Hi Everyone!

    Update: This website is no longer accessible.

    This post is sponsored by XOLuxe.com, a Canadian-owned and operated company that sells a variety of different Korean Beauty sheet masks.

    Our philosophy? Beautiful skin begins with great skincare. Our ultimate goal? BARE SKIN CONFIDENCE. Because we believe that beautiful skin is the secret to beauty.

    I love their ultimate goal. I would love to be able to go out of the house without makeup on. My skin has been getting better lately and I’ve been wearing less makeup when I go out.

    XOLUXE has sorted all of their sheets masks into categories to help you choose which one will best suit your needs. They categorize their sheet masks by skin type, skin concern and by brand. You can also buy one of their kits or subscription boxes.

    Skin Type: Combination, Dry, Normal, Oily, Sensitive
    Skin Solutions: Acne Fighters, Age Prevention, Dark Spots & Brightening, Exfoliation, Hydration/Moisturization, Nourishment

    Kits: Rejuvenate, Refresh, Refine, Renew

    Subscription box (5 masks): 1 Month ($25), 2 Months ($47), 3 Months, 6 Months, 1 Year

    LengthPricePrice per mask
    1 month (5 masks)$25$5/mask
    2 months (10 masks)$47$4.70/mask
    3 months (15 masks)$66$4.40/mask
    6 months (30 masks)$125$4.17/mask
    1 Year (60 masks)$240$4/mask

    I think the kits or subscription boxes are great to try out new masks and save some money. Their masks have a price range of $4-6 with most masks in the $5 category.

    So, let’s get onto the reviews for the two masks I received. They were beautifully packaged in tissue paper and came with a little instruction sheet

    How to use sheet masks like a pro:

    1. Wash and tone your beautiful face first – a good cleanse will assure that your skin soaps up every bit of the mask’s serum. (If your pack includes essence apply it to face now)
    2. Place the sheet on your face making sure to align the perforations with your nose, eyes, and moth.
    3. Smooth the mask out to make sure there are no wrinkles for best fit.
    4. Keep mask on for 15-20 minutes, then remove and discard. Rub any remaining serum into the skin. (If your pack includes an eye mask apply it now)

    Enjoy!

    I was sent two sheet masks from the Acne Fighting category. I had never tried either of the brands, but I was excited to try them. So, I’ll be reviewing the Mediheal Teatree Care Solution Essential Sheet Mask EX and Dr. Jayjun AC-Solution Clear Mask.

    Mediheal Teatree Care Solution Essential Sheet Mask EX

    Refresh and Rejuvenate – Tightening, Soothing, Moisturizing, Cooling

    Suitable for All Skin Types

    A concentrated essence created using the natural and effective ingredients of the Tea Tree that efficiently rebuilds, repairs, and soothes irritated skin. It leaves your skin cool refreshed.

    My face was a little red on the day I tried this sheet mask. I usually have redness on my nose, under the nose and on my chin. I washed my face and put on this sheet mask. The mask was nicely soaked in the serum (it wasn’t dripping wet, but it was saturated). I was walking around while I was wearing it and it didn’t slide off my face at all.

    It smelled faintly of tea tree. I’ve used The Body Shop tea tree oil products which definitely have a strong tea tree scent. I couldn’t smell the mask when I was wearing it. I wore it for 15 minutes and then massaged the remaining essence onto my face. It does stay a little tacky, but it doesn’t feel greasy or oily. My face looked a little less red afterwards. I love tea tree oil products because they help dry out those painful underground pimples.

    Dr. Jayjun AC-Solution Clear Mask

    Bye, Bye Dullness!

    Moisturizing, Calming, Restoring, Toning

    Suitable for All Skin Types

    Calms and moisturizes the skin aiding in blemish relief by providing a heavy dose of moisture and essence with a rich blend of 8 indigenous botanical ingredients that help treat areas of concern and a blend of 13 indigenous botanical ingredients that protect against skin barrier build up.

    The sheet mask was very thick. The tea tree scent was stronger than the other mask, but it wasn’t overpowering. When I used this sheet mask, I had an angry pimple on my chin – It was red, but still underground and hadn’t reared its ugly whitehead. After removing the sheet mask, the mask felt warm because it’s so thick, it trapped the heat under it. I massaged the remaining essence onto my face. The essence from this mask felt a bit more oily than other ones I’ve tried. It stayed tacky and it also felt like I had product on my face. My chin pimple looked a little bit calmer. My chin was still a bit pink, but it didn’t look as bad. 


    I would definitely consider buying one of the kits that XOLuxe offers. It would be a good way to try different brands. I don’t use sheet masks that frequently, so the kits or buying them individually would be the best option for me.

    Do you love sheet masks?

    Love,

  • Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush 106S vs. Arbonne Liquid Foundation Brush vs. Sephora Liquid Foundation Brush

    This or That | Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush 106S vs. Arbonne Liquid Foundation Brush vs. Sephora Liquid Foundation Brush

    Hi Everyone!

    Today I’m doing a 3-way This or That because I had three different brands of foundation brushes. Each of the brushes I bought as part of a set:

    • Sephora- to be honest, I can’t remember what this brush came with and it’s not in my order history. I think it was a travel brush kit. This brush from the PRO collection looks the most similar out of the brushes they currently offer.
    • Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation + Smoothing Skin Equalizer Customizable Set | $83 CAD
      • Step 1 Skin Equalizer smoothing primer
      • Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation (your choice)
      • Artisan Brush 106S (the brush is a short version of the 106)
    • Arbonne Cosmetics Brush Set #7098 (6-piece brush set) | $47 CAD

    The only reason I have a MUFE foundation brush is because it came in the set. I prefer applying my liquid foundation with sponges, so I probably wouldn’t buy a liquid foundation brush on its own.

    sephora brush.PNGSephora liquid foundation brush

    I do have another Sephora foundation brush, but it’s a little worse for wear. It is softer than this travel-sized brush, but performs about the same.

    arbonneArbonne

    100% vegan and cruelty-free

    Liquid Foundation / Flat Brush: Great for liquid foundations
    and concealer for proper blending; features a rounded head to match the natural contours of the face such as the corners under the eyes.

    mufeMake Up For Ever Artisan Brush

    This is a larger variation of a foundation brush for applying and blending ultra fast for an even result with fuller coverage. It can be used with all types of foundations and features straight fibers.

    brushes

    I used the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Foundation for the swatches (the swatches are aligned with the picture of the brushes- top swatch is Sephora, middle is Arbonne and bottom is MUFE). I pumped once directly onto the brush just to see how much product it absorbed. The swatches are after two swipes of the brush. As you can see, the Sephora swatch on the top is shiny which means the foundation was still wet. When I did the second swipe, I did my best to go directly on top of the previous swatches. The Sephora brush fanned out a bit when it touched my skin. The Arbonne brush is denser/thicker (the other two are flatter). The Make Up For Ever brush is the widest and the swatch above shows that. The Sephora brush’s bristles aren’t as soft as the other two. Out of the three, the MUFE one is the softest, but it absorbs the most product.liquid foundation brushes.PNG

    I wanted to do swatches on a flat surface that wouldn’t absorb product, so I used a foundation palette. I pumped three equal-sized dots of Maybelline’s Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation and I swiped the brushes twice to see how much product absorbs into the brush. Again, the swatches are in the same order: Sephora (top), Arbonne and MUFE. The Sephora one is the darkest and MUFE is the lightest swatch because the Sephora brush barely absorbs any foundation and the MUFE one absorbs the most. The Sephora brush has the stiffest bristles which reminds me of a paintbrush. The Arbonne brush is okay, but it’s not as wide as the other two, but it’s denser which means a lot of product gets lost in the brush. The MUFE brush is wide and flat and the bristles are soft. That’s why I have to give the win to the MUFE brush.

    WINNER: Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush

    Do you prefer sponges or brushes to apply liquid foundation? What’s your favourite brand for brushes/sponges?

    Love,

    jen