Wander Beauty On-the-Glow Blush and Illuminator

Wander Beauty is a newer beauty line that recently became available at Sephora. The products are designed to be portable for travel or just carrying with you in your purse or makeup bag. I purchased the On-the-Glow Blush and Illuminator, which is a dual ended stick that contains cream blush and highlighter. It comes in 3 different shades currently, but I purchased the Coral Rose/Nude Glow option.

The color payoff on the blush is pretty buildable, which I like. I am not a fan of blushes that are too strong because I feel it is harder to sheer things out than it is to build them up. The blush is a sheer satin finish without any sparkle to it. The highlighter definitely has shimmer, but it is not overly frosty. See swatches below.

In direct sunlight:



Indoor lighting (no flash):

I really like having something full size that takes the place of two products, especially for travel. Performance on the blush is average, but the highlighter definitely has longer staying power. I did not use a setting powder with these, as I wanted to keep more of the glow. I am sure setting it would help with longevity, but I opted to just add a little touchup of the blush and keep the glowiness.

Overall, this was a winner for me and I look forward to trying other items from the line. The dual ended lipsticks look very promising and may be my next purchase from Wander. The On-the-Glow Blush and Illuminator retails for $42 and is available at Sephora and Wander Beauty. Have you tried anything from Wander yet? What are some of your on-the-go favorites?

Smashbox Double Exposure Eyeshadow Palette

The Smashbox Double Exposure palette is something I recently bought. It has 14 shadows inside the palette, which also holds a brush. The palette comes with a tester size of Full Exposure mascara. The Double Exposure name comes from the fact that the shadows can be used wet or dry. The box contains a packet for how to use the palette based on desired look and eye shape. I do wish they specified different shadow colors that could be used in creating the looks. I think it would be more helpful that way, especially for people needing some extra guidance. There is a sheet that details the color names and the manner in which the shades change when applied with a dampened brush. 

The colors swatch and apply beautifully, with no fallout. I definitely prefer shadows with no fallout, as I am someone who tends to do my eye makeup last and hate having try to clean up after. The only shadow I am not particularly crazy about in this palette is the white, which is called Blanc. It is the only one that, for me, was a bit chalky and harder to apply. Other than that, I am very impressed by these and love the application both wet and dry.

Staying power is great with the shadows and they lasted throughout the work day and evening without migrating or caking in the crease. Please note that I do always use primer because I have oily eyelids, so keep that in mind.

Below are swatched dry:

In direct sunlight:



In shade:



Below are swatched wet:

In direct sunlight:



In shade (with flash):

I saw some comments on the Sephora site regarding people not loving the brush and I do partially agree with that, particularly concerning the angled side. I find that the domed side is the more functional of the two and performs much better when wet vs. dry. It is not the best brush I have come across, but not really the worst either. I do feel the brushes in the Urban Decay Naked palettes are much better. I have had some Smashbox brushes in the past and know that they are usually better quality, so I am kind of surprised that this one was not better. Definitely do not take the quality of this brush and dismiss the rest of the Smashbox brushes as a whole - I assure you they are normally great brushes.

Overall, I think this is a really great palette. It has good color saturation, especially when wet, and no fallout. The texture of the shadows is nice and on par with other high end brands. True to the claim, the palette worked wonderfully after using the shadows when wet. This is definitely a purchase I am happy with and will use often.

The Smashbox Double Exposure retails for $39, although when I purchased it was on sale for $29. I purchased mine at Sephora, but it looks like it is also available at Smashbox. Have you tried this yet? What are some of your favorite palettes?

Besame Cosmetics Lipstick Matches - American Beauty

I bought the Besame Cosmetics Classic Color Lipstick Matches on a whim during the Sephora Rouge sale. The packaging is just like the name describes, an old matchbook. It definitely has an old Hollywood vibe (or a modern vintage, like Dita Von Teese). I purchased the color American Beauty, which is described as a cool berry red.




In order to use the product, you have to fold along the perforated edge and then tear off an individual stick, much like a regular matchbook. The compact size and style of the package makes it perfect for putting in a clutch for a night out.




The color payoff was surprising. According to Besame, each stick is one application. I think that is fairly accurate, as I used one match to swatch on my arm and test on the lips. I have to say that I was very surprised by the color payoff and the lack of any drying feel, even though the shade is definitely a matte when put on the lips (I did notice that it swatched a bit more creamy on the arms). The match was fairly easy to apply, but I do recommend prepping the lips first to ensure even application. It works wonderfully as a stain as well. The lipstick lasted a few hours for me and left a very nice berry stain after that I applied gloss over.

I pulled a few different shades in my collection to see how the Besame compared. The color looks much darker in the matchbook and on the stick than it does swatched on the lips or arm. See swatches below.

Outdoors in full sunlight:



Outdoors in shade:



Swatches from top: Besame Cosmetics American Beauty, Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Marc Jacobs Lip Creme in So Rouge Le Marc, L'Oreal Colour Riche in British Red, and Nars lipstick in Gipsy.

Overall, I think this was a really fun purchase and I love the vintage vibe of the line as a whole. I am interested in trying some of the full size lipsticks and do wish that they would expand the matchstick line to include a few of their other lipstick colors. Currently, they only have the matchsticks for their reds, but I would love this in some of the pink shades.

Besame Cosmetics Classic Color Lipstick Matches currently retail for $6 and are available in 6 shades. I found mine at Sephora and they are also available on Besame's website. Have you tried anything from Besame before? What is your favorite red lip?

Follow my blog with Bloglovin