Superzero shampoo and conditioner review: Zero-waste haircare?

A few months ago, I got to try shampoo and conditioner bars from Superzero, a new zero-waste haircare line. I was sent mini versions of the products to test out, but this review is not compensated and contains solely my own opinions.

Thoughts on sustainability + “clean” claims

I’ve used shampoo bars before from Lush, but I never liked that their first ingredient was sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)—a surfactant (e.g. cleansing agent) that is very effective, but a little too harsh for my hair. (Aside from the potential skin irritation this ingredient can cause, it feels extremely out of step to me for a “natural” brand like Lush to include it—but that’s a whole other blog post I could write.)

To be clear, I don’t want to demonize SLS or synthetic ingredients in general; they all have their place! I just personally prefer to use gentler, sulfate-free hair products.

Sustainability has always been a priority in my life, and personal care products may be my biggest weakness in that arena. I love products! But I don’t love all the packaging that surrounds them. And aside from their plastic bottles, traditional shampoos and conditioners are especially egregious for being made up mostly of water, which makes them heavier and less compact than their solid counterparts. (More weight and volume = less efficient to transport. For example, it would take more fossil fuel energy to ship 100 bottles of shampoo than 100 shampoo bars the same distance.)

So I was excited to try Superzero, a gentle, vegan, plastic-free line of solid shampoos and conditioners.

Each bar arrived in a cardboard box, which can presumably be recycled (depending on your local municipality’s recycling program). I was initially worried that I wouldn’t be able to tell the bars apart in the shower, but the shampoo bar is round and the conditioner bar is a square-ish shape, alleviating that concern. Besides, their textures are pretty different: The shampoo has a rougher texture while the conditioner is smooth and creamy.

I used these bars for several months, washing my hair about once a week as I usually do these days. Overall, I liked how they made my hair feel, but I didn’t like the process of using them. I’ll get more detailed with this below, starting with the positives.

The good

Superzero says their products will give you “your lightest hair yet,” and I would agree that “light” is the best way to describe how my hair felt after using the shampoo and conditioner bars. It felt clean, but not overly stripped, and smooth, but not greasy or heavy. My (naturally wavy/curly) hair could probably use a bit more moisture than the conditioner bar provided; I believe they sent me samples of the “Normal/Oily Hair” line, so I bet I would have better success with the “Dry/Colored/Frizzy Hair” options.

I took photos of my hair on wash day and each day afterward during one hair-washing cycle to show how my hair looked over the course of a week. I took each photo in the morning and didn’t brush my hair or put in any other products (admittedly mostly out of laziness, but also out of dedication to this review, of course!), so you can see what just the bars are doing.

Wash day: My hair looks nice and wavy (not as curly as it used to be, but that has been an issue for me before and after I used the Superzero products, so I’m not blaming them). I may have put in a styling product this day, but I’m not 100% sure.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the performance of this shampoo and conditioner. They kept my hair looking nice for three days, and I could stretch beyond that with dry shampoo or styling. The bars also lasted longer than I expected them to—granted, I was only using them once a week, but the majority of each bar was still intact after a few months of use.

The bad

This longevity may be due in part to the fact that, as I mentioned above, I struggled with the actual experience of using the bars. The shampoo bar was not too bad: One, I was familiar with the process; two, it lathered up to an extent where I could be confident I was getting the product into my hair; three, since I was putting it on my scalp, I had a hard surface (my head) to rub the bar against to apply the product. But the conditioner bar was difficult for me: It took a long time to get enough product on my hair and I was never quite sure my hair was being conditioned properly. In addition, trying to rub the bar against the length of my hair, which obviously moves around quite a bit, was awkward and not very effective. Ultimately, it was a time-consuming and frustrating process, and the reason why I stopped using the Superzero bars after a few months of effort.

Would I recommend?

With all that said, I think the Superzero products are worth a try if you a) have shorter hair, b) have prior experience using shampoo/conditioner bars, and/or c) don’t mind putting in a bit of extra time and effort to make your haircare routine more sustainable. If you think the application process would overly frustrate you like it did me, then these may not be the products for you.

Price-wise, the minis (the size I tried) are $6 per bar, and the full-size bars are $18 each. Given how long even the sample bars lasted me, I think this is a pretty good value. While they are more expensive than your typical drugstore shampoo or conditioner, they are not exorbitant and I’d expect the bars to last you quite awhile (especially the full-sized ones).

Also, I have to give a shout-out for the brand for pricing their sample sizes at the same rate, e.g. 1/3 of the price for 1/3 of the product compared to the full-size bars. (Most brands don’t do this—they’ll charge half the price for 1/5 the amount of a full-sized product, just for the convenience of a sample size!) So, I would definitely recommend trying out the mini sizes first.

Let me know if you have any other questions about these products. Have you tried shampoo and conditioner bars? What do you think of them? (Personally, I have my eye on Ethique’s concentrates—I might be trying those next.)

What I got from the Sephora holiday savings event (vegan + cruelty-free affordable gift ideas)

Ho, ho, ho, ’tis the season for retailers to bombard us with near-constant sales! It’s absolutely exhausting, but it also gives us consumers a chance to score some major deals, including on brands that are rarely discounted.

This Black Friday, I exercised uncharacteristic restraint in the beauty department (though I sadly can’t say the same for…other categories of spending). Why? Because, my friends, I knew that this annual sale from Sephora was coming very soon. And now it’s here (until next Wednesday, Dec. 9)!

In years past, the deal was X dollars off a $50 purchase; recently, the minimum spend has increased to $75, which is a bit of a bummer but seems to be about on par for the way everything at Sephora is going these days. Because I’m just a lowly Beauty Insider, my discount (and yours, if you have or get a Beauty Insider account [it’s free!]) was $15 off of $75 with the code 2020SAVE. Assuming you put exactly $75 worth of products in your cart, that’s a 20% discount. Definitely not as steep as some other sites were offering on Black Friday, but for Sephora, that’s about the best a Beauty Insider can get — the few other discounts throughout the year are usually 10% or maybe 15% off, at most. And you can combine that with the seasonally inflated cash-back percentages from Rakuten (formerly Ebates) to sweeten the deal. (BTW, if you don’t have Rakuten yet, sign up now and thank me later! If you sign up through this link we both get $20 cash back the first time you use it — pretty cool.)

The first two products on this list, I was planning to purchase from other sources last weekend because they were more deeply discounted. But in both cases, I’d have to add items to spend $50 and unlock free shipping. Obviously, paying for shipping was just not an option — especially on this, the holiest of shopping holidays. So I was poised to drop over $100 on a bunch of things that I would have enjoyed, I’m sure, but they weren’t what I was really after, and I am trying to be more mindful in my consumption habits this year (though these delightful holiday sets make it HARD, as you’ll see below). So instead, I waited for this Sephora sale to combine my most coveted items in a single $15-off purchase — with free shipping to boot.

As someone who avidly seeks out vegan and cruelty-free beauty products, I think any of these items would make great gifts for a similarly environmentally-inclined beauty lover (or any beauty lover, honestly) on your gift list. Let’s get to it!

Herbivore Cloud Nine 5 Piece Favorites Collection

$54 $43.20

Herbivore is one of those lines whose branding realllly draws me in. It strikes the surprisingly difficult perfect balance between the eco-friendly, plant-based nature I always love and the genuinely chic and sleek aesthetic I have come to appreciate. This set combines a product I’ve used and enjoyed before (the Blue Tansy Mask, from this very affordable mini-set) with several I have been jonesing to try (the Pink Cloud Cleanser and Lapis Oil). The other two products — an AHA + BHA exfoliating serum and a luxe body scrub — are things that I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to buy, but I will certainly use and hopefully enjoy them. The cleanser is full-sized and $34 on its own, so at full price, this set gives you 4 decent-sized minis of pretty fancy products for an extra $20. Even better, the set is currently on sale at Sephora for only $43.20! If you, like me, are intrigued by Herbivore, this is a great way to try several of their products without breaking the bank. And if you’re looking for a gift for a skincare lover in your life, I think this would really do the trick.

Bite Beauty Creamy Matte Lip Crayon in Pavlova

$24

Photo source: Bite Beauty. And, okay, *technically* the full name of this product is “Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon,” but that just feels way too long to write in a header.

Bite Beauty was my first introduction to higher-end (as in, anything not from the drugstore) lip products, back in high school when I was a zitty teen obsessed with YouTube beauty gurus. Now a zitty adult, I’ve sadly had to throw those six-plus-year-old lipsticks away, but my love for Bite’s makeup remains. In fact, it’s increased exponentially, as a couple years ago Bite announced they were reformulating their whole line to be vegan (it had previously included animal derivatives like beeswax and carmine). To my knowledge, this move was pretty unprecedented in the beauty industry at that time, and it definitely impressed me — even if it was informed less by morals than by increasing consumer demand for vegan products (there are dozens of us!).

Anyway, all this is to say that I purchased a freshly-vegan lip crayon in this very shade from Bite last winter, only to lose it after a few weeks. I know, I know, an American tragedy! A full year later, it still hasn’t resurfaced, so I have accepted its loss and cheerfully bought its replacement. This shade, Pavlova, is a yummy bright-but-not-too-bold pinkish berry. It’s perfect for when you want to wear something like a red lip, but not exactly red, and it’s a great shade for winter in my humble opinion. I look forward to welcoming Pavlova back into my home very soon. Bite also has some great mini sets for the holidays — this one is on sale at Sephora for only $12.50.

Sephora Favorites POP Set

$15

Full disclosure: I picked up this mini set because it was the closest I could get to achieving the $75 coupon threshold without going too far over, while containing something I actually wanted to buy. That something would be the Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector, a beauty industry staple. I’m planning to bleach & dye my hair in a couple weeks (!!), so I wanted to try out a smaller size of Olaplex since it’s supposed to be a miracle worker for bleached or otherwise damaged hair. We’ll see how it goes!

The rest of this set, though, is not too shabby either. I’m curious to try the primer and liquid lipstick minis from Rare Beauty and Melt Cosmetics, respectively, neither of which are brands I’ve tried before. I’m sure I’ll use or (more likely) gift the Peace Out peel pads at some point, and having a mini moisturizer like this one from MILK on hand is always useful for when I inevitably run out. I got this set for the Olaplex + the coupon, but I’m not mad about the rest of it, either!

Plus, can we talk about the price? $15 is a great deal for all this stuff! This is a super-affordable grab bag that would make a great gift for any adventurous beauty lover. And even more impressive to me, each product in this set is vegan and cruelty free (or else I wouldn’t have bought it, of course). That’s unusual for these multi-brand Sephora trial sets; usually at least one product ruins the bunch in terms of veganism. I should say: I’m definitely not an expert in these certifications, although I do my homework. I am personally satisfied with each brand’s commitment to being cruelty-free and (at least in the case of these specific products) vegan. But of course, I encourage you to do your own research if you’re curious what the deal is. (Let me know if you’d like to see a post on that topic!)

That was my haul at this December’s Sephora sale! If we trust the “valued at” statements on Sephora’s website — which I usually prefer to double-check by doing the math myself, but honestly I’m far too tired for that right now — I got $144 worth of products for $67, plus tax. Not too shabby! (And that’s not including the couple of free samples and rewards bazaar items I picked up.)

I hope you enjoyed this post and found some inspiration from it! I compiled a few more items I’d gladly gift or receive below.

Other products I’d pick up as gifts from Sephora

(to give and/or treat yourself)

Fenty Beauty Lil Fly Stunna Mini Eye + Lip Set, $24

Fenty’s liquid eyeliner is one of the best I’ve used, and the Stunna Lip Paint is a truly stunning shade of red. I’ll be honest, it’s a little intense for me and my life. But if you need to slay any holiday Zoom calls, put on this liner and lipstick and go forth, queen. Plus….Rihanna. Enough said.

Tower 28 Mini Juicy All The Way Lip Jelly Set, ~~$20~~ $15

I’m so curious about Tower 28, I just don’t need any more lip glosses right now!

Ilia The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette, $38

I have this six-pan palette in Cool Nudes and I absolutely love it. It’s versatile enough for a range of netural eye looks, from barely-there to smoky, and it’s great for travel. (Oh, god, I miss traveling!) The Warm Nudes shades also look lovely.

Mentioned in passing in this post — in case you missed ’em:

Herbivore Mini True Blue Skin Clarifying Duo, $24

Bite Beauty Mini nude Lipstick Crayon Duo Set, $20

KOTN turtleneck review + 7 simple styling ideas

In the past couple years, I’ve embraced the appeal of turtlenecks. I didn’t gravitate toward them for a while—maybe because I wore them a lot as a kid and they held a childish association for me—but when I purchased a black ribbed turtleneck in a Midtown Goodwill on a whim, I learned to love this timeless cold-weather style. Since then, I’ve acquired a few more turtleneck shirts and sweaters, all from various secondhand sources. This season, I wanted to add one in a non-neutral, but still versatile, color.

Enter the fitted turtleneck from KOTN. I saw this piece on one of my favorite blogs, Style Bee, and thought it might be perfect for what I was looking for. I’m happy to say that it is!

Made of 100% cotton, the fabric is pleasantly soft, and stretchy enough to fit snugly without being too clingy. It’s slightly ribbed, but the texture is subtle enough that I didn’t notice it until I had it on. This top is opaque, but it is thin enough that I could see, for example, the outline of a bra strap or tank top.

Based on the size guide, I thought I should order a small, but I was worried that some pandemic weight gain would make that size too small. Luckily, the small fits just right! For reference, I’m 5’9.5″ and about 160 pounds at the moment. The hemline falls to my hip, so I can easily tuck it into a high-waisted skirt or pair of pants, but it might be difficult to tuck into a lower-rise waistband. The sleeves are a good length for me, too.

I chose the color Deep Sea, a dark forest green. The name made me think it’d be a cooler blue-green, but it’s actually pretty neutral—not too cool or too warm, which makes it even more useful in my wardrobe. I’d say the color as depicted on KOTN’s website is quite accurate to its true appearance.

Below, I’ve come up with 7 outfits I can (and very likely will) wear with this turtleneck. It’s super versatile, as you can see—this piece runs the gamut from formal (for me, anyway) to casual, appropriate for a wide range of weather.

Classic

turtleneck + high-rise skinny jeans + simple necklace + Chelsea boots + crossbody bag

This is a go-to kind of outfit for me: a colorful top; my favorite jeans, cuffed; and sturdy slip-on boots. I’d wear it for running errands, seeing friends (at a distance), or bopping around town.

Cute

turtleneck + checkered sleeveless dress + black tights + lace-up boots

I’ve had this stretchy sleeveless dress for ages and it’s now a bit to short to wear on its own, but luckily it works great for layering over tights and a long-sleeved tee. A short dress with chunky Docs is a classic combo in my opinion!

Collegiate

turtleneck + campus sweatshirt + black jeans + backpack + work boots

Wearing this sweatshirt always makes me feel so collegiate. (Which…I still am, but in grad school, the vibe is a bit different!) Wearing the turtleneck underneath, it only peeks out at the collar, but adds that extra layer of warmth to take this outfit further into the cold season.

Romantic

turtleneck + floral midi skirt + simple necklace + white sneakers (or boots if it’s muddy!)

Who said turtlenecks can’t be sexy? They may cover you all the way up, but I think they have a certain allure. I love this button-front midi skirt because I can unbutton it to show some leg, or keep it fully buttoned for a more modest look. (How many times can I use the word “button” in the same sentence?) I don’t think I have a pair of shoes that matches the vibe I was going for exactly, but I’d probably wear white sneakers if it’s nicer out or brown boots if the weather’s more gross.

Sporty

turtleneck + black mini skort + sneakers + ballcap

Now, of course I wouldn’t wear this top to play a sport, but I’d definitely wear it to watch a sport—assuming things like that were still happening (and I’m sure they will again in the future!). I could see myself wearing this outfit to a football game, or to watch my little brother play soccer. (In either case, the relevant mascot is a mountain lion/cougar. Same as my high school’s mascot, too…)

Scholarly

turtleneck + tweed blazer + jeans (or more appropriate bottoms if you’ve got ’em—I’d probably go for khakis) + oxfords

This vintage L.L. Bean blazer makes me feel like the academic I hope to (someday, maybe) be! The green woven into the blazer’s pattern actually matches the shade of this turtleneck exactly, and the oxfords complete the scholarly look. If I had a more suitable pair of pants, I’d wear them with this outfit instead, but all my dressier pants are gray for some reason.

Cozy

turtleneck + oversized cardigan + leggings + snow boots

The wintriest look of the bunch—this one will be on the back burner for another month or so at least (I hope so, anyway) while the weather stays unseasonably warm. I love the look of this oversized cardigan I scored on mega-sale at a fast fashion store ages ago, but it’s pretty itchy on my skin, so I always have to wear a long-sleeved layer under it. This turtleneck is perfect for that task, so this outfit is one I’d bundle up in whenever I have to venture outside this winter.

That’s it for this post! Let me know if you want more “fashion” content in the future. Which outfit is your favorite?

Note: This post contains referral links to get us both a discount if you choose to shop at KOTN.

Peachy green: A makeup look

Like many people, I think, I’ve been wearing less makeup during the pandemic. For me, that’s mostly been a product of the pandemic coinciding with my field season; I’ve never bothered to put on makeup for my annual tradition of 10-hour days of sweating in the middle of nowhere. When I’m not in the field, though, I’ve relished the opportunity to feel a little bit put-together amid a world of chaos. This look came together on one of those rare makeup days, and though I’d never thought to combine these two particular shades (peach and chartreuse) on my eyelids, I’m really pleased with the results. (My winged eyeliner skills could use some work, but that’s nothing new.)

Products Used

Face

Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define (shades 6.5 and 7)
Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder (Naked Light)
Milani Baked Powder Blush (Luminoso)
TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

Eyes

Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original)
Nabla Soul Blooming Eyeshadow Palette (Gea, Bolero, Chamomile, Philosophy)
BareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 in The Wild Thing (Icon)
KVD Tattoo Liner (Trooper)
Milk Makeup Kush Mascara

Lips

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss (Vintage Rose)

“Rain On Me”-inspired makeup

For the past several days, I’ve been jamming to Lady Gaga’s new song (ft. Ariana Grande), “Rain On Me,” pretty much nonstop. The song is amazing, and the music video is equally fabulous. This music release feels like it’s from another world—and certainly, the video must have been shot before the current global pandemic situation. If you somehow haven’t yet seen/head this masterpiece, here you go:

Gaga and Ari’s makeup/entire look in this video inspired me to glam up my own face a bit this Memorial Day. I just washed all my makeup brushes (long overdue—if you’re reading this, you probably should, too. Just sayin’) and they’re currently drying, so I only used sponges and fingers (mostly fingers) for this look, a fun challenge. I usually am a major brush lover, so it was refreshing to get out of my comfort zone application-wise.

Color-wise, though, this look was right in my comfort zone, which is to say, PURPLE. Whenever I’m wearing a non-neutral makeup look, chances are that it’s mostly purple. It’s my second-favorite color (yellow, unfortunately, is not quite as flattering on my face), and it makes brown eyes pop! I’m just obsessed. I used a combination of new and well-loved products to create this look and I’m loving the subtly space-glam vibe. Plus, no fussy application techniques, since again, I didn’t have any brushes to use. Read on to learn what products I used to create this look!

“I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive”

Yes, my eyebrows are fully two different shapes/sizes…one of the many struggles of quarantine. They say “your eyebrows should be sisters, not twins” but right now, mine look more like second cousins. Which one do you like better?! I can’t decide!

Products used

Face

Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup (Nude)
- sample; this shade was a bit dark for me
Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define (C6.5)
Covergirl Clean Fresh Cream Blush (390, Ripe & Ready)
Kani Botanicals Prismatic Highlighter (Rose Quartz)

Eyes

CoverFX Shimmer Veil (Amethyst)
NYX Faux Whites (White Smoke)
Nabla Dazzle Liner (Royal Blood)
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes
Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara

Lip

Bite Beauty Crystal Crème Shimmer Lip Crayon (Grape Glaze)

Rain on me, rain, rain

Thanks for reading!

Spring break packing list, pt. 1 (Makeup)

I’m typing this from the airport, waiting to board my flight for a week and a half full of spring break adventure (!!!) in places warmer than Vermont (!!!!!). I always love reading people’s vacation packing lists, so I thought I’d share my own! This post will focus on the makeup I brought, and I’ll likely do another about my clothes, too.

Now, listen: When I wear makeup, I like to wear a lot of it. To some people, this might seem like an excessive amount of makeup to bring on vacation. But for me, it’s…just right. I think. I hope. We’ll see!

This trip will involve a few days of hiking/outdoors adventuring, a few days of bopping around the city, a few nights out on the town, and a few days of just chillin’ ~~in Cedar Rapids~~. So the makeup I brought is pretty low-key, with a few choice elements to jazz things up into a more ~fun~ look. Read on for my thoughts on each product—they’re all ones I genuinely love!

Face

This has been my go-to combo of products lately for a fresh-faced…face, so I decided to stick with it for the whole trip.

Covergirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk (530, Fair/Light): I got this to try out recently after running out of my previous lower-coverage complexion product, NYX BB cream. And I’ve gotta say—I LOVE it. (The one thing I don’t love is this inexplicable trend of vegan beauty products including the word “milk” in their name. See also: Milk Makeup.) It goes on sheer, with buildable coverage; the finish is glowy, and it feels like nothing on the skin. I’m glad I got the chance to support recently cruelty-free Covergirl and their new vegan product line! I may do a full review of this product in the future, so stay tuned, but for now consider it a thumbs-up.
Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define (C6.5): This line of concealers has been my go-to for a while. They are affordable, blendable, offer good coverage without creasing, and come in a wide range of shades. What more can you ask from a concealer, really?
CoverFX Illuminating Setting Powder (Light): CoverFX is a brand that consistently impresses me. This setting powder is great and mattifies without flat-ifying. The travel size has lasted forevvvver and I bring it on basically every trip I take.
Covergirl Clean Fresh Cream Blush (390, Ripe & Ready): Another product from Covergirl’s new Clean Fresh line, and another win in my book! I’ve never used Glossier Cloud Paints, but I’ve heard this product is a dupe for them. This shade is opaquer and much more shimmery than other cream/liquid blushes I’ve used in the past, but once it’s on the cheeks it looks just like a lovely flush. The staying power is quite impressive, and this berry shade is the only blush I brought on the trip.
Kani Botanicals Prismatic Highlighter (Rose Quartz): I admired this highlighter from afar for months before I bought it, and I’m so glad I finally did! (Even better, I actually got it as a gift-with-purchase from a Petit Vour order.) The packaging is gorgeous and compact, so it’s perfect for travel; the dense yet creamy texture is easy to apply and blend; and the shade adds a lovely pinkish glow that’s not too over-the-top sparkly. If you’re looking for a cool-toned highlighter that feels luxurious, I would definitely recommend this one.

Eyes

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Original): This is the OG and still my favorite eye primer! It’s essential for me to keep eyeshadows from creasing. I’m almost done with this tube, though, and planning to try something more affordable next. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
Ilia The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette (Cool Nudes): I talked about this palette more in my something old, something new post, so I’ll give you the tl;dr version here: It’s a versatile, compact, beautiful, high-performing eyeshadow palette and I love it very much. There’s also a Warm Nudes edition if that’s more your speed.
Modern Minerals Eyeshadow (Cherish): Since the Ilia palette is, by definition, all cool shades, I brought along one warmer shadow that also happens to be my favorite for a super-quick wash of color all over the lid. This shade is seriously gorgeous and complex while still being subtle enough for any occasion.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow (Fishnet): I brought this purple shadow, along with a couple other purple products I’ll introduce you to shortly, to do a more colorful look for nights out on the town. Purple is my favorite bright color to use for makeup because it is just so dang gorgeous…especially on brown eyes. And this shade is a great iteration of it.
Fenty Beauty Flyliner (Cuz I’m Black): I’ve had this Fenty liquid liner for awhile and it’s now on its last legs, but I gave up buying beauty products for Lent, so it’s sticking around for a few more weeks. It’s a perfectly good black liquid liner and I love the triangular shape, but once it runs out I’ll probably try KVD Tattoo Liner now that the brand is finally (really) cruelty-free.
Stila Smudge Sticks (Vivid Amethyst and Vivid Labradorite): Sharpening eyeliner pencils is one of my least favorite things to do in this world—they always break or turn into a mushy mess, and I inevitably end up with eyeliner all over my hands—so I have embraced the convenience of twist-up liners. Stila’s is the best that I’ve found, and these grey and purple shades are go-tos for me.
Nabla Dazzle Liner (Royal Blood): This sparkly purple liquid liner is another product that I brought along for night-out pizzazz. I actually kind of forgot about it before I grabbed it for this trip (bad!), so I’m excited to play with it again.
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes: In the realm of mascaras, I usually rely on free samples that come with my Sephora orders, but when I found myself wandless a couple months ago I picked up a mini size of this go-to mascara. I’m #blessed with pretty long lashes naturally, so I don’t need a miracle worker, but this mascara always gets the job done and looks good doing it. And while I have…mixed feelings…about the packaging, it does fit in with the glittery purple theme of this post so I’ll give it that.
Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara: Clear brow gel! Does what it is supposed to do and keeps my brow hairs in line and out of trouble (for the most part).

Lips

I originally planned to bring twice as many lip products, then decided that was ridiculous as I will inevitably wear one (1) lip gloss the whole trip anyway. So I definitely don’t need this many lip products, but I love to have options—even if I won’t use them.

Rainwater Botanicals Tangerine & Grapefruit Lip Balm: Lip balm is a winter essential! This one has a lovely citrus scent and comes in eco-friendly metal tin packaging. It’s super moisturizing and the smell is an instant mood lift.
The Mikay Brand lip gloss (Baby): A current student at my alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, created her own lip gloss line and it’s great! Shiny, smooth, shimmery, moisturizing, and imparts a hint of color. The overall effect for me is similar to the Fenty Gloss Bomb (at a fraction of the price). Support a young woman entrepreneur and check out The Mikay Brand for all your sheer gloss needs.
Em Cosmetics Lip Gloss (Aurora Pink): I’ve been a Michelle Phan fan (a phan, if you will) ever since I read a feature on her in the pages of Teen Vogue—probably a decade ago at this point. She introduced me to the whole world of YouTube beauty gurus and inspired my lifelong love of makeup. Fittingly, I LOVE her brand Em Cosmetics that relaunched a couple years ago. This lip gloss is the perfect pink shade—not too neutral, not too bright—and its smooth, gel-like, cushiony texture is to die for. If I could only choose one lip product to bring with me to a deserted island (lol), this would be it.
Em Cosmetics Infinite Lip Cloud (Muted Mauve): I feel like the liquid lipstick wave has been receding for the past couple years, but if you find yourself in the market for a good LL, this formula is non-drying and overall pretty great. The moussey (not mousey!) texture reminds me of a classic, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, but Em’s iteration feels more luxe and goes on less patchily.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss (Venom): For the most pigmented lip gloss on the market, look no further than ABH. This rich, sparkly berry shade has the lasting power and color payoff of a lipstick with the eye-catching shine of a gloss. It’s special enough for a night out and still wearable enough for day-to-day.
Bite Beauty Crystal Crème Shimmer Lip Crayon (Grape Glaze): Bite Beauty recently revamped their entire product line to be 100% vegan, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier! I’ve always love Bite’s twist-up lip pencil/stick hybrid packaging, and now I can enjoy it anew. This shimmery purple lipstick is gorgeous and so much fun. I’ll definitely be wearing it in my night-out looks.

Brushes

I brought four face brushes (foundation, powder, blush, highlighter) and five eye brushes along for the ride. They’re a mix of Sigma, Real Techniques, e.l.f., and EcoTools.

That’s all the makeup I brought on my trip, and I think I’ll put it to good use! I hope you enjoyed this post, and please let me know if you’d like more packing lists or an in-depth review of any of these products.

Until next time!

-H

Review: Kristin Ess Signature Hair Gloss in Wild Berry

I’ve been a fan of Kristin Ess since the early days of The Beauty Department (RIP). Her beautiful bright red hair has always been #goals, and I’ve had my eye on her haircare line since it launched at Target a few years ago.

Since I’ve been on a curly hair discovery journey, I have resisted the urge to pick up any Kristin Ess Hair (KEH) products for awhile now, beautiful as they may be. But when it came to my attention that Kristin was launching an entire set of curl-specific products among her 2020 lineup of new products, it felt too good to be true. New year, new hair…new me?

The product that most intrigued me, though, wasn’t actually one of the curl ones. It was a new shade of KEH’s Signature Hair Gloss: Wild Berry!

Kristin describes this shade as a “deep rich burgundy” and recommends it for darker-haired folks looking to refresh or add burgundy tones to their hair. The beautiful shade on the box had me mesmerized from the moment I saw it, and it was only a matter of time (read: a few hours) until I picked it up at my local Target.

Before I did, though, I called the company to confirm that this product is vegan (the whole KEH line is certified cruelty-free by PETA). A real person answered the phone immediately and confirmed that all the hair glosses are vegan. A great customer service experience!

What is a hair gloss, anyway?

From the Kristin Ess Hair website:

I always recommend that my clients come to get glossed and toned between salon visits to extend the life of their color. I’m finally able to give them, and you, something that is easy to use at home. This in-shower treatment is formulated to instantly boost vibrancy and shine, while adding deep burgundy tone to color treated or naturally brown hair. It will help you keep your color looking fresh, shiny and healthy between appointments.

The way I understand it, it’s like a lip gloss, which adds shine and some sheer color to the lips—that, but for hair.

The transformation

Here’s my hair before: Very dark brown base/natural color, with some reddish highlights I got a couple months ago that are fading. (The colorist I went to actually used a gloss after bleaching for these, which is probably why they faded so quickly—glosses aren’t meant to be permanent.)

Annnd here’s the after:

All photos taken in the same location, wtih natural lighting (but at different times of day).

As you can see, my highlights took on that lovely burgundy tone! My base color is pretty much the same, which I more or less expected because it’s so dark. The overall effect is not too in-your-face, but not invisible—when I saw my friend the next day, she immediately asked if I had colored my hair.

Read on for the process of applying the dye and more photos of the results!

The process

This gloss is supposed to be applied to wet hair and then washed out. As suggested, I lightly shampooed my hair beforehand because it was pretty dirty.

Then, I put on the included gloves—Kristin recommends doing this before getting in the shower because it’s hard to put gloves on wet hands, which is a pretty great tip!—and got back in the shower with the two bottles of product.

You basically mix one bottle into the other, then apply all over your hair and leave for 15-20 minutes. I did just that, and it felt pretty foolproof! The instructions were very thorough. One word of warning, though—this shade of the gloss does look a lot like blood when you’re applying it. When I was rinsing it out, my shower looked like a crime scene.

Kristin recommends doing a face mask while you’re waiting to rinse the gloss, but I didn’t plan ahead and bring one into the bathroom with me. Next time!

I was concerned about the ~~blood~~ gloss staining my skin and/or shower tiles, but it didn’t at all—it just wiped right off.

After rinsing out the gloss, I shampooed and conditioned with the new KEH curl line. I may review those products soon once I’ve used them a bit more.

The results + final thoughts

I’m now a couple weeks out from my first at-home gloss adventure, and I’m glad I did it! Kristin Ess created an approachable product that I felt comfortable using, and I plan to use it again in the future, whenever this round of the gloss fades out.

I’m happy with the results—as I expected, it didn’t do much for my natural hair color besides a bit of burgundy glow in the sunlight. But it colored my highlights quite well. So if your hair is super dark like mine and you don’t have any highlights or naturally lighter bits, I wouldn’t expect more than a subtle effect. I also didn’t notice much of a difference in the overall shininess of my hair, so I can’t really speak to that. But if you’re looking to add or revitalize some red-violet tones in your not-the-darkest-brown hair, I think this is a fantastic product!

Here are a few more photos & videos to show you what the color looks like on my hair:

On the bus- you can see the purplish glow from the sunlight here!

Let me know if this review was helpful or if you have any questions! Have you tried a KEH hair gloss? Will you?

Something old, something new

Hello, friends! Long time, no blog. It’s been a busy month so far—I was traveling for a week, and then I jumped right back into classes, work, and NaNoWriMo(!). Balancing all of these commitments has been no easy feat, but this weekend I have a bit more time to relax and decided to get a blog post up.

I’ve bought some new things recently, as I am wont to do, and have been getting a lot of use and enjoyment out of them, both out of town and in. But I didn’t want to do a post dedicated solely to new stuff, so I am mixing them in with three “old” belongings that I’ve been using and enjoying just as much. I’ve had each of the “old” things for at least a year, and bought each of the “new” things within the past month or so. Without further ado, let’s get started!

Old: Doc Martens Vegan 1460

I’ve always loved the look of classic Doc Martens patent boots, but I don’t love the leather they are traditionally made of. Luckily, Dr. M has us vegans covered with a whole range of animal-free boots and accessories. I bought this classic style, the 1460, in black vegan leather over 2 years ago and they show no signs of wear so far. I wear these boots at least a few times a week through the fall and winter, and I look forward to keeping them for many more years.

New: Rifle Paper Co x Corkcicle water bottle

Over the years, I’ve collected a number of water bottles (and lost a fair amount of them). But somehow, I found myself at the beginning of this school year with several bottles, but none that didn’t leak in my backpack. I put off getting a new bottle because I already had a few, but the leaking was getting to me. Then I stumbled upon this beautiful bottle in Birdfolk Collective, a delightful gift shop near me that I will definitely be returning to for my holiday card purchases. The bottle is by Corkcicle, and it’s designed by Rifle Paper Co, a company that can take my money all day, every day with everything they make. (What can I say, I love well-designed, whimsical floral prints!!!) I have had a bit of an aversion to the color pink for most of my life (internalized misogyny, anyone?), but I liked this bottle so much that I decided to go for it. And I love it! It’s so pretty, the shape is easy to hold, and it DOES. NOT. LEAK. If you’re in the market for a new water bottle that’s a bit more elegant than the tried and true Hydro Flask or Nalgene (no shade—I still love those brands, too), check out this collection!

Old: My makeup bags

The first makeup bag I ever used was a gift-with-purchase one from the Clinique counter at Boscov’s when I first started wearing makeup. It was a loud pink-and-orange floral print, and not exactly my style. It served me well for years, but I’ve since acquired a few makeup bags that are much more personal and that I love to use. One is from a gift shop in St. Louis (it’s on the Delmar Loop, but I don’t remember the name!), and it is made of a fabric with animals and cacti all over it. Delightful! (Upon recent, closer examination, the brand seems to be called Danica Studios.) The other was a Christmas gift from a friend while she was in the UK, and it features…wait for it…the periodic table of elements. It’s an unexpected combination, and it tickles me every time I use it! This bigger bag is primarily for toiletries, and I use the smaller, printed fabric one for makeup. They’re the best travel companions.

New: Ilia Beauty Necessary Palette in Cool Nudes

I’ve been eyeing this Ilia palette for months and months, and I finally ordered it a few weeks ago. It’s a wonderfully compact range of shades that I will actually use, and the cool tones are perfect for winter (and for making brown eyes pop!). I appreciate Ilia’s commitment to ethical, cruelty-free beauty, and I am really loving this palette so far. It’s perfect for travel and everyday use. And if warm shades are more your speed, they have a “Warm Nudes” palette, too.

Old: girlfriend collective leggings

Girlfriend makes amazing activewear out of recycled plastic water bottles. How neat is that?! Not only is it a great, sustainable concept, the pieces are wonderful (and come in a size-inclusive size range, too). I’ve acquired three pairs of girlfriend leggings in the past several years—the first I tore a hole in during an overly enthusiastic game of volleyball at the Y, so I bought an identical pair of the standard black leggings to replace them. (I still have that first pair with a hole in them, but I might be sending them in soon to take advantage of the reGirlfriend program. This company puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to sustainability. Oh, and speaking of sustainability, I got both of those leggings gently used on thredUp for a fraction of the retail cost. Score!) The classic black leggings are probably my most-worn bottoms; I wear them at least a couple times a week and they are durable, stretchy, comfy, flattering…truly, what more can you ask for in a legging?

New: Everlane Cheeky Straight Jeans

Like the Cool Nudes palette, I’ve been eyeing these jeans for months. For the past year or so I’ve only had a pair of dark-wash skinnies and a stained, distressed pair of boyfriend jeans in the denim department, and I’ve been craving a middle ground—something that’s not skinny, but still fitted and flattering, but also comfy. These Cheeky Straight jeans from Everlane fit the bill perfectly, and I loved my first pair so much that I got them in another color, too (Washed Black and Sky Blue). I was compulsively checking PoshMark multiple times a day to see if a pair had popped up in my size and preferred color, and luckily, they did! These jeans are versatile; I wear them from the office to the field to a night out with friends, and they handle it all with style and ease.

I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my “old and new” favorite things! What have you been loving lately, whether it’s a new find, a rediscovered treasure, or a tried-and-true standby? Let me know!

Quick + easy fall makeup look

Normally, I’m an eye makeup fiend. Shadow, liner, you name it—the more, the better! Lately, though, I’ve been drawn to this simple look that’s easy on the eyes (literally!), focusing instead on flushed cheeks and a bold lip. Keep reading to hear about the six products I used to get the look.

BareMinerals Original Foundation in Fairly Light: An oldie but a goodie! BareMinerals is still an excellent powder foundation, and one I’ve been reaching for more often lately in the morning rush. It’s pretty foolproof —no dreaded foundation lines—and gives better coverage than you might expect. I also find that it’s more forgiving of the flaky skin patches I have been getting from both acne and drying skincare products. It does a nice job of evening out my skin tone; my spots aren’t completely covered with this product, but that’s quite alright with me.

Pure Anada Pressed Cheek Colour in Sweet Pea: This lovely mauve is my go-to everyday cheek color. I applied it a bit more heavy-handedly than I might if I was wearing eye makeup. Plus, I love a flushed cheek in the fall and winter. Pure Anada is a really awesome, cruelty-free, affordable brand, and they have a great sample program if you want to try out any of their products.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana: This shade has been my go-to subtle highlighting powder for years, and I’m so bummed that Wet n Wild is no longer cruelty-free. 😦 Still, I’ll use this up while I have it! I applied this highlighter along the tops of my cheekbones, under my eyes, and along the bridge of my nose for a subtle warm glow.

Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara: Being blessed/cursed with dark, bushy eyebrows, I rarely use more than a clear gel to tame and shape them. Essence’s offering is a relatively new one for me, but it’s quickly become a staple! I have used the e.l.f. Clear Brow & Lash Mascara for years, but a new tube would always give my brows an over-gelled, crunchy look. Definitely not ideal. Essence’s clear gel is a bit of a softer hold, so it avoids the crunchiness. It’s a dollar more, but the tube seems to be lasting me longer than e.l.f.’s usually did, so I’ll take it!

SheaMoisture 100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil: I combed this castor oil through my lashes to give them a bit of shine and nourish them, too. Normally, I wouldn’t apply this heavy oil during the daytime because it could interfere with the rest of my eye makeup, opting instead to use it as a nighttime treatment. But today, I don’t have on any other eye makeup, so my lashes get a treat! It’s quite nice not to worry about mascara flaking or smudging throughout the day.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Budapest: Another tried-and-true classic product! I’ve been switching up my lip color the past few days, but today I spotted this one in my drawer and felt drawn to it. It’s a great fall color—a rich, warm berry that’s still appropriate for pretty much any occasion. Unfortunately, this product isn’t vegan because it contains beeswax. Otherwise, though, I love it.

That’s it for my simple fall makeup look! Six products is wayyyy fewer than what I usually use, and it feels nice to do this look in just 5 minutes during a busy month. Clean, groomed brows and lashes, flushed cheeks, and a dark lip make for a great combo. What colors or products are you loving this season? Would you like to see more makeup looks? Let me know in the comments! 🙂