Jessica Revitte

The Urban Decay Summer 2016 Beached Bronzers and Highlighters Are All That and a Bag of Banana Chips

April 4th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

urban-decay-summer-2016-beached-bronzer-face — Wearing Urban Decay Sun-Kissed Beached Bronzer on my face (and on my eyes in the crease), Urban Decay 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighter in Sin on my cheekbones (and in the inner corners of my eyes) and Urban Decay 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighter in Fireball as a blush

When the fab, fashionable seven-year-old in my life (who recently made an editorial appearance in this important discussion about unicorns) saw the packaging for the Urban Decay Summer 2016 Beached Bronzer and Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter, she announced, “It reminds me of the Barbie clothes!”

And you know what?

She was totally right!

Urban Decay has an awesome early ’90s 90210/Baywatch vibe going on with these that makes me think of the hours and hours I spent playing with those oh, so early ’90s Barbie clothes — the same ones that my little lady now enjoys (although she says they’re “retro,” *cringe*).

I have such happy memories of my summers from that time that I’m all about this packaging, but as exciting as it is…the powders inside these terrifically tropical compacts are all that and a bag of banana chips!

Urban Decay Beached Bronzers and Afterglow Highlighters — Urban Decay Beached Bronzers and 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighters

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Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel and Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost

April 1st, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 13 Comments

Summer means warm weather, water and lots of sunscreen, even though I’m basically speaking from past experience right now because it’s still so rainy and cold here in Wisconsin that I can barely remember when warm weather feels like…

And as much as I LOVE a day filled with fun in the sun, there’s no denying that it can be rough on my skin. Even slathered in sunscreen, my complexion still pays a price for all of those products, that water and that sweat (it’s not glam, but that’s the reality).

Tarte thought of everything with the incredibly comprehensive Rainforest of the Sea collection, from your base makeup to highlighting to eyeshadow and, yes, even skin care. Loaded with antioxidants and marine-based ingredients, these two hydrating skin helpers here will keep your skin hydrated no matter how much fun you have in your bikini this summer.

The cornerstone of the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea skin care family is the Deep Dive Cleansing Gel ($25 for 5 fl. oz. bottle). Touted as hypoallergenic, it’s designed to be gentle enough to be used in the morning to freshen up your complexion before applying your makeup, and then again at the end of the day to remove your makeup.

Now, even though Deep Dive Cleansing Gel is, indeed, incredibly gentle, and it doesn’t strip and irritate my sensitive skin, it also doesn’t remove all of my makeup all by itself.

That isn’t necessarily a problem for me because I usually remove my eye makeup and as much of my cheek and lip products with a few swipes of micellar water, but if you like a one-and-done approach to cleansing, Deep Dive Cleansing Gel may not be heavy duty enough for you.

“Dive into a rich, lavender oil-infused lather with tarte’s skinvigorating™ daily brightening cleanser. The gentle makeup remover is great for all skin types, and removes excess oil, impurities, and all traces of waterproof makeup. Powered by tarte’s exclusive Rainforest of the Sea™ complex, this vegan friendly formula is fragrance free and sulfate free, and it helps balance and soothe as it cleanses, without disrupting skin’s natural moisture, which can cause acne and other skin concerns. It softens and hydrates without clogging pores, while vitamin C works to enliven and brighten through each luxurious application.”

— tartecosmetics.com

The other item here, Tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost ($39 for a 1.7 oz. jar), is an interesting concept that reminds me of French skin care (I’m thinking, more specifically, of La Roche Posay’s Cicaplast). It’s an incredibly refreshing hydrating moisturizer that has a cooling effect when applied and a perfectly pleasant lemony scent that isn’t overpowering (it dissipates almost as soon as the gel is absorbed).

“Treat yourself to a tall drink of H2O with this skin-quenching water gel. Powered by hyaluronic acid and tarte’s exclusive Rainforest of the Sea™ antioxidant complex, this cooling gel moisturizer helps restore skin’s natural hydration, while replenishing electrolytes for skin that’s fortified, refreshed and healthier-looking. The lightweight moisturizer sinks into skin, leaving no oily or greasy feel behind, while powerful marine antioxidants help skin defend itself from everyday aggressors. Vegan friendly and hypoallergenic, it also has powerful anti-aging and skin-balancing properties to help boost the appearance of firmness, tone and vitality over time – so all you have to do is ‘drink up!'”

— tartecosmetics.com

I have very dry skin, and this feels ridiculously refreshing. I mean, I literally had an “ahhh” moment at one point the first time I tried it.

More importantly, the formula helps keeps dry patches and flakes at bay, and because the absorbed product leaves a slightly tacky texture on the skin, it’s also a great primer — particularly when paired with Tarte Rainforest of the Sea ‎Water Foundation.

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Oh, Baby! Welcome the Benefit Dandelion and Hoola Minis to the Family

March 31st, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

Babies are so wonderful.

They’re the reason I’m here writing this post for you (thank you, Connor Claire!), and they’re the reason that my house is an insane but joyful mess.

Also, when you’re a makeup lover, they’re often the reason you might have yourself a little splurge from time to time, or, seize the opportunity to try a mini version of a normally expensive product at a fraction of full price!

Of course, now I’m not talking about the same kind of babies. Now I’m talking about baby-sized makeup, in all its glorious adorableness, and I know I can’t be the only one inexplicably drawn to “mini” makeup.

If you, like me, can’t get enough of terrific things that are tiny, the new spring 2016 Benefit Hoola and Benefit Dandelion minis are for you (and me!).

Benefit’s much-loved regular-sized 0.28 oz. $29 Hoola and Dandelion boxed powders have been around as long as I’ve loved makeup (years), and now these new smaller 0.12 oz. minis, which sell for $15, make it even easier to get to know this classic bronzer and rosy pink powder without committing to the full size. Or, if you already have a full-size Hoola or Dandelion, now you can add smaller emergency sizes too.

Benefit Hoola and Dandelion Minis ($15 and 0.12 ounces each)

Favorite thing about these is that Benefit didn’t change a thing about them other than their size, because a lot of the time with mini products, there’s something important missing, like a mirror that comes with the full-size version or a magnetized closure, but Benefit must have just pulled out their shrink ray. These have a mirror, a sturdy box, and they snap shut. The brand even went so far as to include teeny, tiny applicator brushes (not shown).

Benefit Hoola Mini, Benefit Dandelion Mini — Benefit Hoola and Dandelion Minis (0.12 ounces each)

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Tarte Drench Lip Splash Lipstick and Sea Quench Lip Rescue Treatments From the Rainforest of the Sea Collection

March 30th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 13 Comments

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Drench Lip Splash Lipstick

My first Tarte product ever was a twist-up lipstick in pencil form. Lipsticks like it weren’t widely available at the time, and it was so convenient to just pop the twist-up color in my messenger bag before running off to class.

Several years later I discovered Tarte pure performance glamazon 12-hour lipstick, and it remains my favorite lipstick formula to this day.

Needless to say, I have fond memories and high expectations for Tarte lip products.

The new Tarte Rainforest of the Sea collection has something special for Tarte lippie lovers in the form of two new formulas — the Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks and Quench Lip Rescue lip balms — both of which are incredible.

I mean, now I know what the sirens must have been applying to their lips in those famous Greek myths to lure in the sailors…

Each of the $22 Tarte Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks is housed in a beautiful purple and golden reminiscent of the other metallic packaging in the range. The packaging sizzles with style and practically exudes summer “cool.” Right now I’m fanning myself and dreaming of hot summer nights, but I digress… 🙂

On the other hand, the $19 Tarte Quench Lip Rescue lip balms take a more whimsical approach to the collection’s aquatic, summery theme. Colorful tubes in marine teal, pink and violet are embossed with sea life, and since I’m a sucker for packaging and these are too cute, I’m all aboard.

Equally adorable, Tarte’s $19 multitasking primer/moisturizer, Lipsaver Treatment Primer, features life preservers. Of course.

Like the packaging for all of these, the formulas could not be more different.

Tarte Drench Lip Splash Lipstick is 100% pigmented and matte (although I’d describe the texture as something akin to a suede, rather than the dried down velvet of so many liquid lipstick formulas that are popular now). Promising to protect your lips while delivering intense hues from nude to neon pink and blackened purples, it can be a challenge to apply (more on that later).

Incredibly hydrating Tarte Quench Lip Rescue lip balm is like a cousin to Drench…only it likes to swim a lot more. It leaves lips looking wet while moisturizing them with essential oils to keep them plump and healthy. Only slightly tinted, Quench would be an ideal lippie for on-the-go application without a mirror.

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Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation and Aquacealer Concealer: For a Complexion as Smooth as the Smoothest Seashell

March 29th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 23 Comments

If there’s one piece of mythical holy grail makeup that I’m basically always on a mission to find, it’s The Perfect Foundation. Although I’m not one to buy several different foundations at once, I do delight in testing new formulas whenever I finish one (you’ll almost never catch me using the same foundation twice).

Formulas are always described as being “out of this world,” and in many cases I think they actually are quite innovative. That’s one of the things that excites me about foundation. On top of that, a great foundation and concealer can make all the difference in the world to really set off your makeup.

The new Tarte Rainforest of the Sea collection includes two fabulous, unique base makeup formulas with their Water Foundation and Aquacelaer concealer.

First, Tarte Water Foundation ($39 for 1 fl oz. bottle) will have you ready for summer fun in the sun because it contains SPF 15.

I tend to apply additional sunblock products beneath my foundations, even the ones that have SPF, because you can never be too careful with your skin, but it’s also a relief to know that my base products also have me covered (ha, see what I did there?) when.

Although the formula is full coverage, Water Foundation contains as much as 20% water, which is meant to hydrate skin while also covering redness, blemishes, unevenness and dark spots. The applicator (shown down below on the left) is a pipette-style dropper that picks up a fair amount of product from the bottle. One “pump” of the dropper sufficiently covers my full face, but I find that it works best when I put one full pump on the back of my hand first, and then pick the product up with a brush from there to blend on my face.

As for Tarte Aquacealer Concealer ($26 for a 0.34 fl oz. bottle), the luminous and creamy formula is like a serum in that it feels emollient while blending and sets to an incredibly hydrating, refreshing finish, particularly around my under-eye area.

Formulated to conceal and brighten under the eyes, as well as cover blemishes and a whole gamut of other skin concerns, Aquacealer is a high-coverage workhorse when it comes to hiding skin unmentionables.

And I love the GIANT doe-foot applicator! I mean, seriously, it’s like Tarte took a growth ray to one of your favorite lip gloss applicators and grew it threefold! Why aren’t all concealers equipped with this kind of doe foot?!

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Make These Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Palettes “Part of Your World!”

March 29th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 32 Comments

Whenever I think of constantly craving gorgeous makeup products…I always picture that meme of Ariel singing about adding cosmetics to her collection instead of “whoozits and whatzits.”

It’s even more on my mind when I look at the totally gorgeous palettes Tarte released with their new Rainforest of the Sea collection. Each one has its own style and comes with a mirror. They’re marine chic done eau, so right.

Along with the three Rainforest of the Sea palettes — a color-correcting complexion perfector, a classic nude shadow palette and a gorgeous highlighting palette — Tarte also released a waterproof eyeliner (because of course it has to be waterproof in this collection).

Diving into the first luxurious golden palette, Tarte’s limited edition Wipeout Color Correcting Palette ($45) contains six pans of color corrector and concealer. The hues in Wipeout approach color correcting differently than Becca’s Color Correctors. Tarte’s take on the trend is yellow and green based, which seems more approachable for a wider array of skin tones.

I love that Tarte thought ahead and included a handy how-to guide (showm below) with suggestions on where to place each shade. Orange shade #1 is intended to counteract the darkest places on the face, while green shade #2 neutralizes redness, deep shade #3 defines and sculpts, #5 conceals, and the yellow shade in the center brightens.

The consistency of these concealers is similar to Laura Mercier’s much-beloved Secret Camouflage formula (a favorite of mine that I’ve repurchased time and time again). They’re waxy but emollient and easy to blend, and I love the mix and match capabilities that this palette provides.

Unfortunately, though, the lone concealer shade is intended to be “one size fits all,” and it may not suit all skin tones equally.

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Get Cheeky With These Hard Candy Cheeky Tints

March 24th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 11 Comments

Anything with the phrase “cheeky” in it is particularly nostalgic to this beauty lover, given the name of my blog, Getting Cheeky, which I nurtured for several years before “retiring.” So, of course, when I heard that Hard Candy had released a cheek product for spring 2016 called the Cheeky Tints, I was all ears.

Hard Candy was the cool girl makeup brand that I couldn’t get enough of as a tween, and it’s been fun to watch the brand’s style evolve over time.

I remember treating myself to their nail polishes with babysitting money (I won’t tell you when that was…because it will make me feel ancient) and lovingly collecting the rings that came with the polishes in a coordinated hue.

Hard Candy’s Cheeky Tints are part of the “new wave” of high quality makeup that’s fun, but doesn’t break the bank. These tints are available in six shades and, at only $6 each, you can definitely treat yourself to a fair few of them without dipping into your spring break fund.

I tested the Cheeky Tints both with a brush and with my fingers, and while the brush application looked lovely, I suppose I just like finger painting for grownups and favor my god-given applicators.

To avoid letting the product dry down too quickly and ending up with one splotch on each cheek that’s darker than the rest (liquid blush and stain, ladies; we’ve all been there), I make sure to dispense the product onto my hand before picking up the color with my finger and blending into my cheek. I’ve found that with all of the shades, this works best to control the pigment.

Hard Candy’s Cheeky Tints are water based with a thick gel formula that’s easy to control, both when squeezing the product out of the tube and applying. The consistency is incredibly easy to blend and lasts (I kid you not) all day.

I’ve been favoring Goddess applied heavily underneath my foundation to warm up my overall appearance, or on top of foundation for a lasting bronze that helps me look a bit less like I’ve just spent the entire winter in the “arctic tundra.”

But Geisha has been my favorite blush of late. It’s an incredibly natural flush that reminds me a bit of Benefit’s classic Benetint.. It’s perfect and so natural for spring.

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A Face of the Day With the New LORAC Spring 2016 Releases

March 23rd, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 10 Comments

LORAC Color Source Blush and Alter Ego Lipstick, LORAC Soft to Smokey Eye Collection — LORAC spring 2016

What is it about spring that makes me want to bust out different products and start experimenting?

Could it be that spring cleaning is in full swing; the windows are finally wide open to let in a sweet smelling breeze; it stays light out well into the evening and (at least where I live) after a long white, dull winter, the whole world seems to be colorful again?

It’s finally sunny on a regular basis where I’m from! — a land I will lovingly refer to as “the arctic tundra.” (We’re not that far north. I’m just being dramatic.) Of course, for me, this means that I need to start bringing out my BRIGHTEST clothing, like my yellow cardigan and purple silk blouse. You name it — if it’s bright, I’m gonna wear it to celebrate the season.

For that reason, I like to keep my spring makeup a bit more understated, and LORAC has a wealth of new spring 2016 products to help.

LORAC released some truly fabulous blushes and lipsticks, two of which I’m wearing above. The Color Source Buildable Blushes ($22 each) are pigmented little pops of color in a beautiful array of hues from neutral to electric purple.

They’re 100% matte and smooth as butter, given their lack of shimmer. My worst nightmare in a matte blush is a product that deposits color on the cheeks but then blends poorly due to a stiff texture, and I’m happy to report that LORAC Color Source Buildable Blush blends like a dream! The pigmentation is intense, and these blushes blend incredibly well, allowing for layering to varying degrees of intensity.

I paired the bright pops of color on my cheeks with a nude lip, the new LORAC Alter Ego Lipstick in Exhibitionist ($17, exclusive to Kohl’s). When I think of a classic lipstick formula, these Alter Ego Lipsticks have it. Thick but smooth and easy to apply, they’re highly pigmented and, although not marketed as long-lasting, stick around on my lips for several hours.

LORAC Color Source Blush and Alter Ego Lipstick — LORAC Color Source Blush in Chroma and Technicolor and Alter Ego Lipstick in Exhibitionist (Kohl’s Exclusive)

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