Beauty Quadrant: Yeah, Meh, Nah Summer 2023

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! It’s time for another Anti Haul!

Yeah, Meh, Nah: Summer 2023

Makeup has been releasing like crazy as usual and there have been new trends for this year and I have some thoughts on some of these releases and not sure if I will purchase them. I’ve been using what I have so far without buying any new shadows, lip products, but mostly got face products. I did return a foundation yesterday which is a first! This is what happens when you have sensitive skin. Let’s get into the makeup!

Urban Decay Hydro Maniac Dewy Blush

I feel as though Urban Decay has not been releasing as many products. I think the last thing I heard was a mini Naked palette based on some of their iconic shadow names and that was it. I noticed that some people have talked about their new Hydro Maniac addition which are the Dewy Blushes. Liquid blushes are in nowadays and seeing these are a bit of a meh at the moment since I have so many blushes and prefer the Milani Super Charged sticks, the Purlisse CC Blush which are pretty good for a cream and of course trying to pan two Mac blushes I had for years. These have six colors and they are $22. They claim to be blendable and buildable and are made with Kombucha. I am not sure, Wrecked and Unhinged seem to appeal to me since rose and berry tones are flattering on my skin and may get these but may wait for reviews since I seem to go impulse buy with some items. Let’s see what happens! I still like their tinted moisturizer which is on my favorites list.

ColourPop Smokin’ Hot Palette

Apparently, Colour Pop created their own dupe to the Naked Heat and Tarte’s dupe for it. It’s called the Smokin’ Hot Pressed Powder which features an array of burnt reds, rich browns, terra cotta shades, and golds. This definitely sounds like what Tarte had made since they featured twelve shades like with the Naked Heat. Color Pop is featuring thirty shades in their pallet and you can get it now. To me this is a nah because I already have the Tartlet Toasted and the Naked Heat pallets and I also have the Inferno pallet by Eleman which features nine shades and I used that for my Todoroki look, which was the fireside and trust me it was tempting to use either Naked Heat or Toasted for it. Yes, you pay more for both the Urban Decay and Tarte ones but I think Colour Pop is way behind on the fire shadows with this one since Toasted and Naked Heat came out at the same time in the mid-2010s. Sorry Colour Pop, you lost the game on this one!

Ulta Beauty Collection with the Little Mermaid

I loved the Little Mermaid when I was little and was surprised that they did a live-action version of the movie this year. I think Disney should not continue with the live-action versions because it takes away the magic of the animated versions in my opinion and they changed the story too much. Look at what happened with Mulan as an example. Anyways, Ulta collaborated with The Little Mermaid to release some products. You can get the items separate or the entire thing for $20 which includes an eye and face pallet, eyebrow stuff, some lip glosses, and a highlighter stick. This is a meh in my book since I haven’t bought any Ulta Collection stuff for a while since I have a ton of eyeliners since I love their gel liners, I am mad they haven’t re-stocked their lip primer, but I do love their shadow primer since that is the only one I like in the tube. I don’t think I will get any items from this collection since I haven’t gotten any collection items due to how they hardly post their shade names and color descriptions like with some of the sets. I do have some Ulta items on my radar but it’s not from this collection.

NYX Ultimate Eyeshadow Pallets

I love NYX but I have not bought an eye shadow pallet in forever and that is because they don’t put up pallet descriptions and that makes me sad. I still enjoy their Blur Tint Foundation, Slim Eye Pencils, and other products by them. They have recently come out with some new Ultimate Shadow pallets and they are the Warm Neutrals, Paradise Shock, and Blue Jean Baby. These contain sixteen shades with each pallet. I won’t get these since I don’t know what shadow colors are in these to justify it as a yeah purchase. Companies should have shade descriptions to help with purchase choices since the market is so saturated with shadow pallets, especially when some brands are copying off of each other with concepts even from years ago. Sorry NYX, this is a nah unless you post the shade names and their descriptions.

Nomad Cosmetics Okavango Safari Pallet

I love Nomad Cosmetics and have been buying them for a little while after getting their stuff in Ipsy. I know they just made another Europe inspired pallet but they have released one that kind of caught my eye and said yeah to! That is their Okavango Safari pallet which is a sixteen shade pallet inspired by the Okavango Delta. This is $42 and proceeds will also go towards charity as well since they do pair up with environmental related charities. I am definitely going to pick this up when I get some more funds under my belt since I do enjoy their products and want to continue supporting them.

MakeUp Revolution and Fort Night

The final item I want to talk about that got me to go “What!?” And Jen Love’s Reviews songoing, “Why!” That is MakeUp Revolution having a collaboration with FortNight. I think I am having Mac’s Sims vibes looking at this since Mac’s collaboration with the Sims did not go so well since it felt like a palette they already had. I guess they learned from their mistakes since their collaboration with Stranger Things was better due to using shades that fit with more of the franchise! I heard MakeUp Revolution had success with this because their shadow pallets, head band, and sponge trio did sell out. I love video games but this is a nah since I don’t play Fort Night but if they do a Pokemon inspired one then I would consider it.

I think I will stop there with my post since  there were some things I wanted to talk about. What’s next? Maybe it’s time for a favorites update since I haven’t done that for over a year! Let’s see what I have loved for the past couple of months!

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by moonleopard85 on June 4, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on June 4, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/06/04/beauty-quadrant-yeah-meh-nah-summer-2023/

Book Quadrant: My Image of You by. Melanie Moraland

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe. Time for another book review!

My Image of You by. Melanie Moraland

Disclaimer

This review is based on thoughts and opinions based on this book. Please respect the thoughts and opinions from the writer! You have been warned!

Synopsis

In this book, we meet Adam Cinwho is a famous photographer for a magazine in Toronto who ends up in the hospital due to a head injury. While being in the hospital, he meets Alex, a nurse, who becomes his nightingale throughout his time. After getting out, both he and Alex end up knowing more about each other including Alex’s past that deals with how she lost her stepbrother at a young age and has to be the scapegoat for her stepfather and mother to please them, marry a great man in their social circle, go to benefits, and just be prim and proper. Adam decides to break all that and get to know Alex for who she really is and have her live with him and things are great until Alex loses her true family member, Elena, her great aunt. After going to Africa for one final job, Adam comes home to find Alex gone and soon to find out that he was told to no longer see anymore except she was really in an accident and doesn’t remember him at all just the things that she has in front of her. Can he get her back to the woman he fell in love with and hope to marry?

Thoughts

I loved this book throughout the entirety of reading it on my Kindle. I think it was so good that it broke one of my ear buds and had to switch to one of my other pairs. Just kidding! My Tozo was not great with the Kindle where one of them kept on losing charge so now I’m using a pair of Raykons which connect a lot better. I wished I had read this book sooner since I am trying to keep up with my backlog and this was something I was not expecting with how it was written.

I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other. I found Alex and Adam the cutest couple from the start with how they had chemistry. I did not expect Alex’s back story to be a rich girl trying to please her family due to how they preferred her stepbrother over her. I know how she feels si9nce I am not the type who prefers flashy things nor fancy items, I prefer a pair of sneakers over heels any day. Adam did help her out with letting go of her mother and the guy who was wanting to get into her skirts and that he wanted her happy rather than being forced into what the mother expected due to social status. I did have a feeling that the mother did have something to do with Alex not remembering him since she hated Adam with every fiber of her being since he was not a doctor and he had tattoos which Alex got one and enjoyed his ink. It’s like the old stereotype of if you have piercings or tattoos then you can’t get anywhere in life or someone who would cause trouble. After getting my piercings, I stayed in school and kept working, my ears don’t speak for themselves so Adam’s ink is the same way since he traveled and took pictures for a living and had his own apartment, well entire building, motorcycle, and other things.

One thing though I did admit is wanting to slap Alex’s mother throughout the encounters Adam had with her. I felt that her attitude to things around her was something I didn’t enjoy. I remembered the part in the book when Alex made an appearance to an auction and QAdam donated a piece he made to it, not only Alex’s mom but her stepfather and the guy that was interested in her, Bradley, were not interested in art. They just gave glass looks. My Humanities Degree heart broke since even though I can’t see a painting doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the meaning and the artist behind it. I even just got a mug of the “Scream” by Edvard Munch recently due to how it was a reaction to Krakatoa’s eruption.

One thing I have noticed throughout the book is the loss that Alex had to face since she did lose her stepbrother in her back story and then her great aunt, Elena, who was the only other family member besides the brother who had loved her. While listening to the book, I heard Jane Lynch as Elena’s voice since it kind of ti due to her personality being sarcastic. I liked her since she was different from her son, which is her stepfather, and how Adam made her smile throughout the visits they were able to have. After the death, it felt as though the past was trying to be taken away from Alex due to how she found a connection with at least one family member and that Elena wanted to take custody. I think Alex wanted to hold on despite how much it hurt her even while her memory was lost for a bit. I did like how Adam used the money Elena had left him with a note about knowing what to do with it and was to help people in Africa with medicare services and that is what we need to see more of. 

Rating: 5 Shooting Star Paws Out of 5

I enjoyed this book from start to finish and almost cried at points, I think I had tears at one part myself. It had a great ending as well. It shows how you have to keep the ones you love closer and the ones you don’t far away. Adam had been there for Alex throughout everything with her family due to his love and didn’t want to lose her in the end which I knew he didn’t want to give up on her. If I was in her position, I would be suffocated by those around me and seeing Adam being that fresh air helped, even Emma, her friend, and Elena as well. I’m glad I finished another book in my NetGGalley backlog and onto the next!

That ends this review! I am onto the next book! I am up for another Yeah, Meh, Nah for summer! Stay tuned!

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by moonleopard85 on June 1, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Books

Posted by moonleopard85 on June 1, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/06/01/book-quadrant-my-image-of-you-by-melanie-moraland/

Tech Quadrant: Battle of the Braille Notetakers: Which One is Best for School?

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! It’s time for a technology post!

Battle of the Braille Notetakers: Which One is the Best for School?

As a Master’s student, being able to get through school with a powerful notetaker helps a lot. After having the BrailleNote Touch Plus and Braille Sense Six for two years, I have to say their power has helped me out so far. They both have the Android platform where the BrailleNote has Android 8 while the Braille Sense 6 has Android 10 and being able to use Blackboard and other apps for other tasks helped me out. Heck, I think my Six had a bigger workout with one of my final projects this semester that just ended. I bet you’re wondering, which one is best for the tasks in any college program? Let’s take a look, shall we? But first!

Disclaimer!

This post is based on experiences with the two devices that are being presented in this post. Please respect the thoughts from the writer of this blog. You have been warned!

Notes and Assignments

First up, I even asked this when being introduced to Braille devices in my old college days, how are they when it comes to taking notes and creating documents? Both do writing tasks pretty well. When I started in notetakers, I used a Braille Sense QWERTY Plus where I had a standard keyboard and this was way before Android was added. It made taking notes more convenient. With the switch to the Perkins Brailler style it brought a new learning curb for myself since I had to learn chords, especially with the ones on the BrailleNote when I got it all thanks to the FAAST loan here in Florida. When it comes to the BrailleNote, it gives you options as if you were on Microsoft Word such as Create, Open, Settings, and Emboss if you are in a place with an embosser for hard printed Braille. Once in the document, navigating is a little bit different since the only keys you have are the Perkins keys, cursor routing keys, and the thumb keys at the very front. What I like is that I don’t have to worry about hitting the Back key, which is the circle in the very center, like with my Chameleon at home or while being at conventions. Also, you could switch to touch braille with the touch screen as an option since the display what you’re writing from the tablet screen. When it comes to choosing formatting options, accessing the menu area with a simple chord opens it and allows different choices such as File Functions, Editing and Paragraph Styles. Good thing is that with most options like opening, creating new documents, etc. The chords are next to each option so you don’t always have to return to this dialog every time but there are times where it can be forgotten so it’s handy to go back into this dialog box when needed. While the Braille Sense Six, you have more keys at your disposal. Not only there are the usual Perkins Brailler Keys but also the Function keys which are F1, F2, F3 and F4. F1 acts as your main menu on a computer for the different programs like in the Windows Menu, F2 is your app functions such as File and Edit, F3 is Tab and F4 is escape. There are also two extra keys which are Ctrl and Alt but those are used on the Android side, which I will touch upon a little later.Even though getting to the Context Dialog on the Braille Note is handy but having the F2 key is bit easier since it brings a drop down list of the different options and get to learn the chords as well. Even though there are not many commands for formatting such as the bold and italics, they can be easily chosen from the layout dialog. I feel that the Word Processor has improved since its Polaris days and has been easier to use and being able to write a lot better. There is also, the Braille Sense has the Notepad app which can also take notes. I am thinking most of the time why have a separate word processor when the original one works well? I remembered when the Polaris Word Processor had issues where the cursor moved to a different part of the document and caused the user to type on top of something that was already there. H. I. M. S. decided to release Notepad as an answer. If the Six is out now, why keep it? Word Processor has improved and works well. Saving documents though, doing it on the Six is as if you’re saving on Windows where it’s easy to navigate with dot seven to change the saving destinations while on the BrailleNote, extra chords have to be used to navigate between drives and to save the document onto it with one more chord. The verdict here would go towards the Six. Yes, Notepad may not be necessary but it has improved with the Word Processor. Plus, saving on Google Drive gives it an extra leg if need be. I suggest having a big SD card just in case.

Accessing Reading Materials

One big thing about college is being able to read articles and textbooks for classwork. These devices have different options to do so. When a new BrailleNote Touch Plus is purchased, Dolphin Easy Reader Plus is installed on the device and a student can access multiple libraries for books, which includes Bookshare. WHile the Six, on the other hand, Bookshare Download is installed on the device. Users can have the book read out by the built-in voice or can read the book by touch. PDF files can also be read on both devices since they are the most used for articles in this format. Different apps can be downloaded from the Playstore for required reading such as Bookshare Reader for the BrailleNote Touch Plus, both are able to have Audible, BARD, and Play Books. The verdict in this category is both! Both devices are able to access many reading materials and reading apps to access articles and textbooks. I didn’t mention Kindle since I only could get it for the Braille Note and it only read one page but with the Six, it’s best to use it as a Braille device with a tablet or phone and read the Kindle books that way.

Blackboard

Depending on the school that the person is attending, it may use either Canvas or Blackboard. My school uses Blackboard so I will talk about using it with this app since it was available  on the Playstore for both devices.. I feel that both versions have a bit of a learning curb in navigation. First letter navigation can be used in the different tabs and pages to make it easier to get to your destination.. Uploading assignments was pretty easy since it allowed the user to access their device and the buttons are labeled well. I did like the idea of having the attempts being labeled as well to access the upload. The only thing that is different is posting on a discussion board.. I found that the buttons were labeled on the Braille Note’s version of the app while the buttons were not labeled on the Six. This was very confusing since I accidentally posted something three times due to not knowing what each button was and I had to guess where it was posted, not only did I play some process of elimination until I found it. This can pose a problem since buttons with labels are important when it comes to navigating a page with a screen reader. I had heard you can create labels for items and I wonder if I can do that on the Six but now I will have to guess. If you have a notetaker and go to a school with Canvas, how is the app on your device? Are the buttons labeled well? I would like to know. The verdict has to go to the BrailleNote Touch Plus due to how well the app’s labels are placed for buttons and navigating is great with first letter navigation. A user can also navigate with the touch screen if they want as well.

Which One Is the Best?

Both note takers are equally powerful in what they can do. The Six has a very good word processor since the Polaris and it is faster but the BrailleNote has its own power and versatility and is able to access different ways of reading. It’s hard to say which one would be best for school but I would say it depends which one would be best for yourself. I would say though that having the Braille Sense Six is a good start for beginners in Braille devices due to how easy the layout is and being able to have easy to read displays and use different apps as well while the Braille note is more advanced and have to learn the chords have different commands and key combinations from the Six itself. It’s best to see them in action and look at the features and make the decision for yourself.

Well, that completes this post! It felt good to talk about technology. If there is another technology topic I have not touched upon, you can leave a comment or email it to blindtechquadrant@gmail.com 

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by moonleopard85 on May 19, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Technology

Posted by moonleopard85 on May 19, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/05/19/tech-quadrant-battle-of-the-braille-notetakers-which-one-is-best-for-school/

Book Quadrant: An Unsuitable Heir by KJ Charles

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I am back with a new review!

An Unsuitable Heir by KJ Charles

Disclaimer

This review is based on thoughts and opinions of the lead author of this blog. Please respect her thoughts on this piece of media. You have been warned!

Synopsis

In this book, we meet Mark who gets swept up in passion while looking for a lost Earl in Victorian London. Once he finds Pen Starling, he gets swept up in the majestic work of his trapeze performances he does with his twin sister, Greta. He knows he has to get him to take on his late father’s legacy but lose his lover in the mix. 

Pen Starling is a trapeze artist that enjoys flying in the air and tumbling until he meets Mark who sweeps him off his feet and tries to force him to take on his father’s earldom. He doesn’t want to take on the work since he enjoys the life he has and enjoys being himself by wearing dresses, heels, and his hair down. When a murderer comes after him and tries to kill him, he never thought he would have to take back Mark after being betrayed but prefers having his life saved and keeping his sister out of danger.

Thoughts

I didn’t know this was a part of a trilogy which I now have to go back and read. I am glad I got three credits on Audible so I can read them. I do notice how this book just stands on its own with the story by itself. I did enjoy and kind of blush at times during the love scenes. I admit, I am a Fudoshi, as in a fan of the boy’s love, and man I did enjoy this. I also did enjoy how there was a mystery tied in with this one too since the murderer was going after people who would be in line for the throne and Pen was not noticed until later on in the book when he ends up at his father’s home. I admit I like how Pen was able to defend himself by dodging the rock that was thrown at him, thank you tumbling practice since he and Greta did make a place for that in the home, and bruising the guy’s wrist while he was being suffocated. I guess being on the streets of London you have to defend yourself even while onstage. It even impressed Mark how Pen explained how he fended the culprit off.

Rating: 5 Out of 5 Shooting Star Paws!

This was a really good book even if it was the last in a trilogy. I will be using my credits on this trilogy to read them to get  a better idea of the series and how it came to be. I have a feeling the other two deal with boys’ love as well. I liked the characters and the interactions everyone had with each other throughout the book. I will update once I read all three over on Twitter! 

That completes this review! I am starting on the next book so stay tuned for the  next book. Next I will also be doing a technology post by going back to the Battle of the Braille Devices but this time in which would be the best for school work! Thought it would be appropriate since my semester is winding down and will be off for the summer! Stay tuned!

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by moonleopard85 on May 15, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Books

Posted by moonleopard85 on May 15, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/05/15/book-quadrant-an-unsuitable-heir-by-kj-charles/

Beauty Quadrant: What I Would Buy If My MakeUp Was Gone

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I am back with a new post!

What Would I Buy First If I Lost My Makeup?

I’ve been seeing this series of videos on YouTube where people talked about makeup they would buy first if they lost it in many ways. As in fire, earthquakes, or even what had happened to us with some of my makeup and that is flood last November. Thank goodness it was just ankle deep but I did lose some products and a lot of brushes! I did replace some things but what happened if that flood was even worse? Here is what I would buy to hold me over.

Face Wash: Tony Moly AM Gel Face Wash

If I were to buy a new face wash, since I am starting with skin care, definitely grabbing the Tony Moly AM to Gel Face Wash. I do use this in the morning and if I have to be in a hotel for a hot minute, I would grab this quickly. I like how it just activates when I first wet my face and just go in with my device to help it soak in, but if I don’t have my device then I would use my hands. 

Serum: Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum

If I had to grab a serum I would go for my all time favorite from Good Molecules due to how low cost it is and easy to use. I like how it soaks into my skin and it plumps it up. I do enjoy the Tony Moly one I have used and finished one so far but I would return to this if I am on a tight budget.

Moisturizer: Tony Moly Chock Chock Green Tea Moisturizer

Next up is moisturizer and have been a fan of the Chock Chock Green Tea moisturizer from Tony Moly since it works with my sensitive skin very well. It may be $25 but it’s a real favorite since I have used the Purlisse White Lotus one and enjoyed that one as well and may get that but now it would be Tony Moly.

Toner: Heritage Store Rose Toner

I tend to use the Heritage Store Rose Toner since it has been a great one for a long time for me. I do still enjoy the one from Thayer but the one from Heritage does act with my skin a little bit better and it’s easy to find at Target and Ulta. 

Brows: NYX Tame & Frame Pomade in Chocolate and Control Freak Clear Brow Gel

With brows, I have my two tried and true items which are from NYX and that is their Tame & Frame Pomade in CHocolate and their Control Freak Clear Brow Gel. THese two go hand in hand where I lay the pomade down first and brush through with the Control Freak gel. I would not try the brow glue because it scares me a little and some people say it dries down in a weird way. That is why I still go for these two! I did try the pencil version of the pomade a little while back but that is not a good product due to how it breaks too easily, so I went back to the pomade anyways.

Eye Shadow Primer: Mac Pro LongWear Paint Pot

Even though there are some good eye primers out there, the one I turn back to is the Pro Long Wear Paint Pots from Mac Cosmetics. I can see why these are amazing and they are even more amazing as shadow primers due to how well they lay down on top of it. THis past 21 Days of Beauty they have put out different skin tone shades I have not seen before I got one I am using and that is Art Therapeachy. It is a soft peach and it does work and I did get the classic ones that are well known which are Painterly and Soft Ochre and I did get Laying Low which is one I also get for myself as an eye primer. I will get either one of these if I  lose my makeup and need to run to the Mac counter in my mall.

Shadows: Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Stick

Another item in prestige is the 24/7 Shadow Stick from Urban Decay. I was hoping to use the navy one during RangerStop last November due to how well these stay put on my eyes on top of primer! I hope I get that chance this year since we are going for the entire weekend and I am also waiting for the press. If I did lose my shadow sticks, I would have started with the navy one which is called LSD since I love blue shadow. I didn’t get them while they were on sale during 21 Days because I feel like I was good with what I got but next time!

Face Primer: NYX Marshmallow Face Primer

Next up is face primer and the one I have been loving is from NYX and that is their Marshmallow Face Primer. This feels so good on my skin and it also smells like marshmallow fluff as I smooth it out on my face. It also doesn’t irritate my skin either since this is good for sensitive skin.

Foundation: Wet N Wild Photo Focus Dewy Foundation and NYX Blur Foundation

I have two selections for my foundation since I am also trying out a new one from Revlon. I have loved the Photo Focus Dewy Foundation from Wet N Wild since it feels good and cooling on the skin. I also enjoy the new blur foundation from NYX since I heard Lauren May Beauty talk about it.  The shades I use in each are Buff Bisque in the Wet N Wild while with NYX is Gold Light. 

Eyeliner: NYX Slim Eye Pencil and Ulta Gel Eyeliner Pencil

For eyeliners I would get colors from both Ulta’s Gel Pencil line and NYX Slim Eye Pencil line. I love how well these pencils glide without tugging. I do have to get other colors from other brands but if I need a quick purchase for a black or a nude then I would get it from NYX or Ulta.

Mascara: Mac Mac Stacks Mascara

Next up is a mascara and the one I get is the deluxe size of the Mac Stacks mascara from Mac Cosmetics. I love how my lashes feel with this mascara. It also doesn’t irritate my eyes without a lash primer like most of the others. I do like how the handle has a nice grip on it as well.

Powder: ELF Translucent Pressed Setting Powder

Even though I enjoy the one from NYX and have been using the one from CoverGirl, I like the one from ELF the most because it is very light weight and sets my makeup very well before I spray my face with my spray. I also re-purchase this one the most when I hit the pan. Plus, it doesn’t cost much like most of their products.

Blush: Milani Super Charged Multi-Stick

I enjoy the Super Charged Multi-Sticks as a blush. They are easy to blend once I apply them to my cheeks. They also smell pretty good in the stick packaging. I think I prefer these over the Trestique sticks since those are sometimes hard to blend while the Milani ones are easier.

Highlighter: Mac Soft & Gentle

While getting the Paint Pot, I would also pick up the Mac SkinFinish in Soft & Gentle since this has been a recent favorite of mine. I was suggested this one by someone at the pro store back in Orlando. I can see why since it is a soft gold and it blends well into my skin when applied.

Concealer: Smashbox Under Eye Concealer

This was one of the products I got for an Instagram photo post showing how Smashbox is a brand that has been forgotten by the looks of it. I used the Under Eye Concealer in light and it was pretty easy to blend with a tip of a beauty sponge.

Setting Spray: NYX Dewy Setting Spray

The setting spray I would replace is the NYX Dewy Spray. This feels so cool on my skin and I prefer it more out of most brands I’ve tried over time. Ulta does have a nice one I have used but I prefer the NYX one instead. Yes the size is a bit off but I don’t use it more than once a day though. It does last me pretty long for a few months.

Tools: Real Techniques Beginners Set with Sponge

Final thing is of course having tools with me. I would get the beginner set from Real Techniques. I am meaning to pick it up at some point because I did have the set before they made sponges and I did lose my brush collection in the flood waters. Boo! I am glad they made this set with the sponge since I have enjoyed the sponges. I did get a special of their four sponge set which was a BOGO special around November I believe. I’m glad I got new sponges to use at the moment.

Well, that is it for this post. It was fun coming up with items I would replace. I did have to replace some things in real life due to how the flood during Nicole made me lose some of my makeup. Thank you Mother Nature! I am not sure what post I will do next so stay tuned and stay beautiful!

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by moonleopard85 on May 7, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on May 7, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/05/07/beauty-quadrant-what-i-would-buy-if-my-makeup-was-gone/

Book Quadrant: The Space Between Words by. Michelle Phoenix

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! Just read another book in my major catch up!

The Space Between Words by. Michelle Phoenix

Disclaimer!

This review is based on thoughts and opinions of the lead writer of this blog. Please respect her thoughts on this particular media that is being reviewed. Also, this is a Christian work where she may have some beliefs that she follows, so also respect that as well! You have been warned!

Synopsis

This book is a combination of historical fiction and current events at the time of this book. We meet Jessica who was traveling to France with friends while one of them, her roommate Patrick, has been living there for the entire semester while in college. When her friend and other roommate, Vanda, suggest going to a concert on their last night in Paris, their time of partying gets shattered by a terrorist attack and Jessica gets injured and Patrick is killed outside. Once she survives and is abandoned by her friend, Vanda, she continues the trip in France to a small town in the south and stays at a family Airbnb where she visits a flea market that leads to her a mysterious sewing box from the 17th century that holds a mystery inside its confines. Jessica believes that this is something Patrick wanted her to solve with the help of Grant, Mona’s brother, in order to find what had happened to Adeline and her family when they escaped from the king’s clutches and able to show that one event not only wrecked her life but find the courage to move on and solve what’s in front of her with a treasure that was brought to her by spirit.

Thoughts

I have to say that this book was very wholesome in how it was written. At first, I was a little confused since Paris did go through those terrible terrorist attacks and it did make sense to write a current event into your pages and how it would affect a character as we read through with Jessica. Of course, we did get to see the past in this one with Adeline and her family going through the purge of the Huguenots in France in the 17th century.. It showed how the past meets the present and how mysteries can bring two people who have been damaged together.

I was reading through when Mona, the head of the B&B, talked about how people thought she and Grant were married but her husband left and Grant came to help her out due to something taking place. When Jessica told them the truth about what had happened in Paris, he didn’t know what to think since he went through trouble with his home flipping business which caused someone to be injured to fire. It showed that he and Jessica were able to work together despite their hardships and solve their mystery. I liked how it went from France to England since I did my own research and that the Huganots were a group of Protestants in France and believed in the teachings of John Calvin and when the Catholics came after them at the time a lot did flee throughout Europe, which included England. I did like how both the sewing box and a pencil roll that was made for Julie, Adeline’s sister, were used to hide scripture pages the both of them carried. It did say earlier in the book that their scriptures did get confiscated and burned and Adeline’s father did have the only Bible they read from and separated the pages so they could hold onto their teachings even if some of them fled. It did take some guts for Adeline to stay behind since she did teach children in the village but I wonder what did they do exactly to where she was hiding? Did they burn the blacksmith’s forge or did she reveal herself? I have a feeling she turned herself in since the last frew diary pages that Jessica and Grant read that they were hurting her family’s friend, it would make sense since the sewing box was found somehow in the loft.. 

I did notice towards the back of this book that there were discussion questions, I have a feeling that this book would be read in either middle or high school since it would be something that would be discussed in a history or literature class and I like that idea. I remembered when I first joined NetGalley one of the books I read, Lilac Girls, had a bit of a book club revolving around it but I would assign this one and that one, Lilac Girls as books to read during school since they did show parts of history we rarely get to see.I did find annoying with this file though is that I couldn’t navigate chapter if I miss something while falling asleep at night. When I read at night I do fall asleep since I have to wake up early at 5 for work and trying to find my way back was really annoying with this book so I had to continue from where I was earlier to finish up the book. I think the final release at the time would have been better where someone could use the Go To feature with chapters.

Rating: 5 Shooting Star Paws Out of 5

I enjoyed this entire book and I was glad to have it in my NetGalley list since I do enjoy reading historical fiction books. This was one where I got to learn more about other religious groups that existed in history and how they were ousted out of their homes. I know I have tons more on my shelf I have to get to and it gives a nice work out for my Kindle since I am not letting it gather dust. Glad I got to read this!

That completes this review! I am glad to read another back and got to delete it offf afterwards so I can save some room on my paper White. I do have the next book on my shelf ready to go! Next post will be a technology one since I gave my Braille Sense 6 and Braille Note Touch Plus a work out this past semester with Black Board! I figured it would be appropriate since my semester is winding down! Until next time, stay beautiful!

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by moonleopard85 on May 1, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Books

Posted by moonleopard85 on May 1, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/05/01/book-quadrant-the-space-between-words-by-michelle-phoenix/

Book Quadrant: A Jot of Blood by.. Catherine Bayliss

Book Quadrant: A Jot of Blood by. Catherine Bayliss

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I decided to not do the celebrity brands bit because I already mentioned the ones I buy from already from my subscription days but I do have a new book review!

A Jot of Blood by. Catherine Bayliss

Disclaimer!

This review is based on thoughts and opinions on the media that the lead writer of this blog either read or watch. Please respect her thoughts and opinions! You have been warned!

Synopsis

In this book, which is a start of the Coventry  series, we meet Lira who is a clairvoyant who has to cover her skin or if someone gets contact with her or she touches an object she sees the memories of that person. She is an outsider to many all thanks to certain bullies she knows, like her former best friend that lies about her blackmailing anyone and a teacher that makes her go to the front of the class to retrieve some color coded papers. Her life starts turning around when she meets Cal Mars and Zack Carter, in which Cal is a werewolf and Zack is an Occultum. She finds out they are really at the school to solve a kidnapping of two werewolves that are family to Cal and find someone has been murdered, a famous sorcerer, during a night that Lira had to do a dare in order to prove herself. Can she and the others be able to solve this murder and find the missing?

Thoughts]

I loved this book and when I saw it was a part of a series, I want more of this series!!! I love the characters and how they interact with each other. I felt like I was there with them every step of the way and experienced the book since it was well detailed. Heck, I would go for a grilled cheese since I found it interesting that Clairvoyants in this series are more vegetarian, or at least Lira since she ends up meeting another at the end. I have tried searching to see if there were more books written since 2017n and there are other series Bayliss has written but hasn’t continued this one. I am not sure if this one sold well or not but I still want more. I want to see if other Clairvoyants come into view and want to learn more about other ancient sorcerers that may be in danger in this series, like one had in this book. THere are other species of magical folk that get mentioned and want to see how they play into this series and if Cal and Zack come back and meet up with Lira again and may involve her new buddy, Deidra. I hope we get more in the future since some writers tend to take breaks in between and come back to some series to keep working on them. I hope there is another one in the works since this was on NetGalley over six years ago from what I could see. Who knows!

Rating: 5 Shooting Star Paws out of 5!

I like this book and I found it more entertaining than most school setting stories, especially the ones with magic. Who needs an invisible train platform when you have airplanes? I like the mixture of different types of magical folk and of course there was one explanation of a fight between normal people with magical folk at some point and I did like how Lira explained her own magic. I hope another book does get written since this series should continue from what it left off. I couldn’t close up my Kindle since I was so invested in this book. I may read the other series Bayliss has written at some point in time but in the meantime I am catching up with everything I’m behind with!

That completes this review! I just started on the next book in the list so you will be seeing that review soon! I may do a technology post on top of it! Stay tuned and stay beautiful!

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by moonleopard85 on April 26, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Books

Posted by moonleopard85 on April 26, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/04/26/book-quadrant-a-jot-of-blood-by-catherine-bayliss/

Music Quadrant: Baby Metal the Other One Review

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe. I am back with a new review!

BabyMetal the Other One Review

As you know, Japanese pop and rock have been two of my favorite music genres.I still enjoy Asian Kung Fu Generation, L’arc~en~Ciel, Dir en Gray, and one band of course, Baby Metal. I was introduced to these guys through some people while doing my work experience who were into Japanese culture and anime. They talked about Baby Metal and decided to listen to them. I fell in love with their songs “Karate” and “Mijutsen” the most, I do also enjoy “Hand Banger” as well. So, years passed and it’s 2023 and I see advertisements through YouTube Music of new album stuff and have heard some of the newer music through Pandora and Amazon Music, including their song with Bring Me the Horizon, “King Slayer.” Even though the album released last month, I did purchase it and I have thoughts but first!

Disclaimer!

This review is based on thoughts and opinions from the lead writer of this blog. Please respect her thoughts on the media ahead. You have been warned!

About the Album

The Other One is the newest addition to Baby Metal’s collections of albums. THis album shows a new side to the band with ten new songs including “Metal Kingdom,” “Monochrome,” and “Mirror Mirror.” With these new tracks comes a new mature sound to the band that no one has expected. 

Thoughts

I was not expecting this album to be different from what they have been before. When I heard of them the first time, they were happy and having fun with most of their music but this album shows that they decided to change it up with more of a mature sound to their metal, even add some electronica with one of their songs, which should be used for Electric Daisy Carnival at some point. I felt that after hearing “KingSlayer” for the first time that it was a complete change from their usual sound. I agree it shows they have grown as a band since they were introduced to the U. S. shores years ago, which included Jimmy Kimmel where they performed “Gimme Chocolate.” Also, when they did their duet with Judas Priest at an award show. I do enjoy the album but my favorite tracks happen to be “Metal Kingdom,” “Monochrome,” “Mirror Mirror,” and “Time Wave” because it showed more of their sound evolution, especially with “Time Wave” and :Monochrome” the most. It does bring me back to their old tracks, “Metal Resistance” which “Time Wave” reminded me of the most with how that song started and “Monochrome” did have the same sound as “Karate” with the softness and mellow sound it gives off. Also, in some of the tracks, they do sing a little more in English with this album. I think it’s due to how popular they have been in America for a few years and they are touring this year, which they do have dates for Orlando. I guess they want to add some of that and they also did it with “King Slayer” where their lyrics were mixed with Japanese and English. I am thinking of purchasing their last album, Metal Galaxy, which features “Star Light” which was put into Rock Band 4. So, yeah, this album is pretty good!

Rating: 4.5 Shooting Star Paws Out of 5

This album is pretty good to listen to and I’m glad that the girls came out with some new music. I was not expecting the change in their sound from happy metal to more of a serious and grown up sound. I think no one has either since we were used to hearing them singing about head banging with an up beat sound. I guess a Japanese band needs to grow in sound since most of them have changed, even Asian Kung Fu Generation did change their sound a bit when they came back doing a new version of “Re: Re:” for the anime Erased. All in all, this was a pretty good album and I would say give it a listen with anything else that has been released by BabyMetal.

That completes this review! I am thinking my next post will be my top favorite celebrity brands because I was inspired by Jen Love’s Live Chat yesterday since they didn’t seem accurate with a list she had mentioned. I am going to be talking about a few of them! Until next time! 

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by moonleopard85 on April 17, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Music

Posted by moonleopard85 on April 17, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/04/17/music-quadrant-baby-metal-the-other-one-review/

Beauty Quadrant: The Beauty Community is Not DEAD!

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! Time for a new current topic!

The Beauty Community is Not DEAD!

I know it is weird to see this post but I wanted to put in my two cents into this because Jeffrey Star went on a few podcasts talking about the beauty community being dead according to him. He talked about the people he lost as friends and I do have some thoughts since I feel it’s not dead, it’s a different factor I believe that caused something. But first!

Disclaimer!

This post is based on the thoughts and opinions of the lead writer of this blog. Please respect her thoughts on the subject ahead. You have been warned!

What Does Jeffrey Think?

So, Jeffrey talked about how the beauty community on YouTube died due to Tati and James Charles. If you remembered around 2019, Dramageddon 2.0 took place where Tati created a video called “Bye Sisters” talking about a situation with James Charles hitting on straight men and wanting them to become gay to be with him. Apparently, according to Jeffrey, this caused the beauty community to die and he talked about other people that also was part of it that included Laura Lee, who he believed stabbed him in the back since he helped her get the information to start her brand and meeting the places to help with labs to create the makeup. Also, talked about Kat Von D with how they were friends for a long time and that she caused a scandal and she wanted people to be vegan like her. I did kind of see that since she was pushing a documentary onto her audience during her house tour video, I did watch that, well half of it and I could not stomach it. I am not vegan, I need my vitamins and minerals in meat. Apparently, he said Kat left Los Angeles to another state? And then to himself, he believed he is honest and that he tells the truth. Ummm…let’s look at what I think!

What Do I Think?

In my opinion, he was the root actually to this and that the community is not really dead. First, if you can rewind towards Armageddon 1 after his documentary with Shane Dawson and how you saw his human side and everything. He talked about the same items in there and yes I did believe the documentary and what he said and did buy his makeup, which I did have to replace two of the pallets due to flood water and seeing that the common root is him. Laura, Manny MUA, Gabriel Zamora, and Nikita Dragon had a photo where they were giving the Middle Finger Salute towards Jeffrey talking about how success is better without them? This brought up their pasts about having racist comments and that led to their apologies, minus Nikita, but I do find it funny that they have been successful with their own brands. Manny and Laura the most since they have stopped hanging out with Jeffrey, which I will get to next. The Dramageddon 2 happened and he was also involved with James and Tati and he didn’t apologize for that, he just stayed quiet and left to live in Wyoming. Tati did come back with her channel and she is flourishing again and now James is about to come out with his own makeup brand which he did sneak peeked earlier this week. Now, with all that happened, I think the people who were involved with these bits of drama events have turned around and moved on without Jeffrey. How so? Well, Manny and Laura have their brands, Laura Lee Los Angeles and Lunar Beauty, and their own podcast called Fool Coverage which is a fun listen. Also, Tati has come back with her channel and now lives in Seattle since after the crap she went through with Dramageddon and what took place with her lawsuits that were outside of this and had to deal with that. So, yeah, Jeffrey lost his friends after what had happened and he said they couldn’t hang with the scandals that he goes through but most people don’t like drama. Another thing is that their reputations while hanging with him were also being looked at. I remembered a saying from Benjamin Franklin where you hang with someone that is considered wrong then you will be seen the same way as them, as being like them too. I think the reason why Laura and Manny left him behind is that they were releasing errands that they want their fans to enjoy and have new people come to them as well. If they stayed with Jeffrey, people would research him and would not want to buy their stuff if they hung with him still. People were also worried about Tati hanging with Jeffrey and what had happened to her opened her eyes and she did have his lipsticks in the background and took them down afterwards. THen with James, there was nothing going on from what I saw in their videos together, they were just enjoying each other’s company, especially with their video of burning their own pallets with a flamethrower. It’s weird that hearing how he is “soulless” and yes being someone who goes after straight guys even the young ones is bad, he did reveal it on his own channel that he will be better. I haven’t been watching much of James lately but I have seen his process of his makeup brand which is a good thing.

Seeing these people change has been the best and they’re thriving. I guess leaving Jeffrey behind was the first step for them and they may not be at the pedestal status for most people but they have been better since they have their own brands to work on, also Tati is back on YouTube doing what she does best with buying drugstore and luxury products and reviewing them and showing how well they work for a day. You can see how well they moved on. Which brings me to the next point!

The Beauty Community Still Exists Even On Other Platforms!

The beauty community is still alive and thriving, even on Instagram and Tick Tock! I even have been posting on Instagram using new stuff I picked up at Ulta and other places on the web. I just posted a look with the Secret pallet from Nabla Cosmetics this afternoon. I think with the internet being so expansive, we can grow a community in social media. YouTube was the first place for beauty content and it did help me in looking for new items to try out by looking in WalMart. I remembered being asked how I knew about these products they didn’t know about, I said on YouTube of course! Of course, Laura, Manny, and a few others are not as big as they were before but smaller personalities have been on YouTube still. I still watch Jen Luvs Reviews for information on new releases, I also enjoy Lauren May Beauty since I picked up some things due to her like the new NYX Blur Foundation I’ve been enjoying, also the Essence Baked Blushes, and I remembered Kelly Gooch also having good recommendations as well. People have been on Tick Tock doing reviews, even Jeffrey, but they are starting to be mistrusted a bit so they turn back to YouTube of course, and Instagram even. I did come to YouTube for the reviews on the Telescopic Lift Mascara which I do enjoy now and my lashes look beautiful when I use it! I would say just go for the more honest people if you are looking a great review on a product, I tend to watch more than one review outside of the big influencers, even though I feel KathleenLights is one of those who are also honest, heck I did buy the L’Oreal Glowing Bronzer years back all thanks to her and a few people who reviewed it. WHich brings up another point.

Following the Trends to Be Relevant!

Another thing that Jeffrey talked about is how he reviewed Road Skin Care and he just threw it out without trying it. He just didn’t give it a try, Tick Tock didn’t like the video though. He did mention how he was Team Selena since Hailey Beaver and Slena Gomez were having a bit of a time where Hailey was copying her. Angelica Owls made a good point that he was saying that Hailey’s skin care is not great that he is Team Selena due to how a lot of people were Team Selena as well. So, he was following the crowd. I would try Road Skin Care if it was sensitive skin friendly, I did see some video clips in drama videos that people had bad reactions and that is a real reason for me not to try, it is bad reactions and I don’t want to experience that myself. I have my favorite skin care products already. When I try something, I give it a chance for a bit before saying I like the product or not. It takes a little longer with skin care of course since I have to see how well my skin reacts and if I have any reactions due to the ingredients. I feel the same way with foundation if it blends with my skin tone since I’m light to medium with neutral undertones. I did say above, I do like to try new things some people have tried and all thanks to Lauren May Beauty I have a new foundation I enjoy with my favorite Wet N Wild Dewy foundation and the Urban Decay ones. Just following a trend is not usually the way to go and doing something because it’s popular, like throwing out skin care items after purchasing it is also not cool. If they are going to watch for an honest review, then do the review.

Conclusion

So, yes, the Beauty Community is not really dead. Like I said before, the internet is still expensive and people can find reviews on products by going to YouTube or Instagram to know what is up. People are still thriving with their own things by being themselves whether it’s doing a podcast or still working on YouTube. I think the pandemic really caused a major shift for beauty where people wore masks and they could only do eye makeup and brands did release mask friendly lip products as well. No matter what, makeup will still be purchased, reviewed, and also looks being made for Instagram. So, it’s not dead!

That completes this post! Next up is a review on the new BabyMetal album! Yes, I am returning to music reviews!

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by moonleopard85 on April 16, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on April 16, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/04/16/beauty-quadrant-the-beauty-community-is-not-dead/

Beauty Quadrant: Subscription Brands I Buy Regularly!

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe. It’s time to have a new beauty post!

Subscription Brands I Buy Regularly

Glad to touch upon this but when I unsubscribe from most subscriptions, there are brands I do love and have been curious about which leads me to pick them up. There are some brands I already pick up but there are others I got into all thanks to being with Ipsy, BoxyCharm, and Glossy Box. I am going to announce that I have rejoined Allure because I did enjoy their box the most because I get random things to try and they do choose times randomly and I would like to see what the editors do enjoy. I won’t post about them because I feel it’s boring to do that every month and it’s really tedious using Convenient OCR on one computer and having to type on the other since WordPress is better on Chrome OS. So, I will get the box but won’t post about it. I may do Favorites again or talk about what I have liked quarterly. I will see what happens. Anyways, let’s see what I have purchased all thanks to subscriptions!

Formula 10.06

First up is Formula 10.06, which I sometimes purchase. I remembered trying these guys when I got their grapefruit exfoliation scrub in my second bag when I got back to Ipsy. One thing I did enjoy was trying more of the independent skin care brands and getting to see the ones that are more sensitive skin friendly. I did buy some other products from them through Ulta which was their Rescue Me and a post blemish serum but they don’t carry them anymore but I do go to their website now for that. I do want to keep getting the scrub and the wipes because they are more affordable than Murad and I do like the wipes since they are so gentle.

Hempz

I have bought their stuff for a little while when it came to their lotions and body scrubs. I need to get their sensitive skin lotion at some point again because I have major dry spots on my legs. I do like the idea of hemp seed oil in skin care and it does help with dryness. I did like the scrubs and I think I may have one somewhere amongst all of my body care.

Urban Decay

I have been a fan of Urban Decay after trying out a sample of their Perversion mascara and have bought it a few times. Which reminds me, I need to re-purchase due to the flood hitting my Caboodle with most of my makeup. I have purchased their products over time and wish they come out with more of their grunge colors since it feels like they are not being as inspired as with their original Naked pallet. I did pick up some of the single shadows during 21 Days of Beauty to come up with some eye looks and glad I got more Way Around stickers. I do enjoy their eyeliners the most despite the price.

Tony Moly

Another skin care brand I have been enjoying and tried througbt5fv4rh Ipsy is Tony Moley. I have enjoyed some of the face masks and got some of their products over time like their Chock Chock Green Tea moisturizer, their Banana Milk Hand Cream, and my true favorite is the AM Gel Morning Face Wash that I always put on my face tool in the mornings before I head to work. I just recently got into their serums and am glad that they are still going and carried in Ulta.

Purlisse

A brand I wish Ulta carried, well brands but I mostly buy from this one, is Purlisse. I love how Jennifer Yen came up with this brand all thanks to her skin hating heavy stage makeup. I wish Ranger Stop gets her as a guest because I want to interview her so badly! I do have her bronzer from her beauty brand, Yensa, but I have more products from Purlisse. I just finished the Blue Lotus moisturizer and loved how calming it was on the skin while using it every morning and night. It didn;t really irritate anything. I did just pick up a few of her BB Blushes since I lost one and I do like the formula of those blushes since they just go on smoothly. I will definitely get the bronzer from Yensa again since that blends pretty well.

Marc Anthony Hair Care

I have not bought from this brand since I have stopped using them due to issues with some product packaging. They are good for the price but wishing the packaging didn’t suck. I was sad that their coconut hair mask was not in a plastic pouch because it’s easier to handle with a tube.. I would say that packaging needs to be improved with this one.

Eva NYC

I’m glad that Ulta carries this brand and the first time I tried them was through my very first BoxyCharm at the end of 2014. I have gotten a small flat iron and it does help out with touch ups but the one I tend to get is a leave in cream and it has worked wonders for my hair both wet and dry. It also smells so good! I’m glad that this product came with a pump too and they don;t cost much either.

Mac Cosmetics

Even though they are in Ipsy, they are a go to for lipsticks and blushes when I need to replace something. The item that I always get over and over is both the Pro LongWear Paint Pots and the Mac Stacks Mascara in the deluxe size. I use the paint pots as shadow primer or wear them solo if it’s the Taylor Gray or Ground Work shades, I even just got a rose gold one. WHile the Mac Stacks make my lashes amazing! Again, who needs falsies when mascara really does the trick.

Fentie

I’ve been getting Rhiana’s brand here and there after getting one of her mascaras in my Glam Bag X when it was really good at the time. I really want to try her newest one since I’ve heard it pop up on YouTube. I did get one of the concealers during 21 Days of Beauty to see how her complexion products work out. I did get a bronzer which is growing on me. And I am getting a lipstick from her brand in my Allure Beauty Box this month. I am so excited!

About Face

I also tried out Halsy’s brand through Glam Bag X and I loved what I have tried out so far. I enjoyed the powder highlighter I got, I also got a small bundle through the Ipsy Deals and then I picked up an eyeliner. I like how smooth it went on and planning to get more shades even if it is an automatic one.

Ana SUey

All thanks to ScentBird, I have purchased a few perfumes from some of the brands and one happens to be Anna Suey. The first perfume I’[ve gotten happened to be Cosmic Sky which is a jasmine scented perfume and it smells really good. The bottle is interesting where you have to flip it over to spray. I did just get the newest one in their Fantasia collection which is Fantasia Surprise Pop and when I got it, I was not expecting to have a unicorn on the bottle but what drew me in was that the bottle has a color scheme and they were inspired by Andy Warhol. Besides Vincent Van Gogh, I do enjoy ANdy Warhol’s artwork on the Campbell’s soup cans. That one smells interesting since it is sweet with the jasmine kick. I am thinking of getting the mermaid one next.

Floral Street

Another brand from the ScentBird area is Floral Street. I got into this brand all thanks to getting a thirty day supply of Electric Rhubarb and fell in love with it. I wished it wasn’t so pricey since I did get not only this one but also Wonderland Peony and Sunflower Pop as Christmas gifts from dad last year. I originally wanted Rhubarb and Peony but while shopping on the site I saw Sunflower since it was inspired by Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings. They smell so good, I do have London Poppy on my queue for this year and can’t wait to smell that one! I did find a bit of a dupe through Dossier for Electric Rhubarb which is Floral Rhubarb. I am torn about it though but at the same time, you can splurge at certain times.

Confessions of a Rebel

Last brand is Confessions of a Rebel and it is also from ScentBird. When I first subscribed to ScentBird, their perfume Let’s Be Real was my first one. I did use a credit card to get the full-size since this brand is also really pricey. I would say to wait for a 20% off code from them which I did around Black Friday which I got a scent that reminded me of Sonic Death Monkey from Lush. I am not kidding about that name, it was a mocha scented shower gel they discontinued years ago. And of course, I have the one that some of my favorite YouTubers who get sponsored enjoy from them and that is Bite Me. I finished up my Scent Bird samples of this one which is a strawberry scented perfume which smells amazing! It’s like a strawberry shortcake with a hint of alcohol almost but it is supposed to have apples, which I hardly smell. I am eyeing Get a Room, Bitch Please, and I think another one but those are two other scents that I also like. Will have to see as time goes on.

I think that is it for this post. I’m glad to try these brands during my time in subscriptions and missed how fun it was but now they have changed with Ipsy and Boxycharm, it has not been the fun I remembered. I am glad to be back with Allure though. I will still buy the skin care items I enjoy from these brands, heck I saw some of my favorites from Tony Moly on sale on the Ulta app and picked them up. I forgot to mention Color Club which is one brand I also buy for nail polish but with my nail polish post you already know I love that brand as well. I haven’t bought many nail polishes as of late. Anyways, my next post is going back to serious land with why did the beauty community “die?” I am using the word die loosely since to me there is some semblance of a beauty community which you will read those thoughts next!

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by moonleopard85 on April 14, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on April 14, 2023

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2023/04/14/beauty-quadrant-subscription-brands-i-buy-regularly/

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