Category Archives: BEAUTY

MORPHE Palette/ Brushes | Review

**Here is an updated version of my thoughts on MORPHE a year later.**

https://theruteleblog.com/2017/07/18/i-gave-morphe-a-second-chance-my-honest-review-rutele/

I just want to start this post out with a little disclaimer…I am sharing my personal experience with the products. I do not mean to insult or offend anyone/the brand. I try to be a positive person and this post is not meant to trash the company. Also, in no way is this blog a way to spread negativity. If the products suit you, by all means keep using them. I just wanted to review the products honestly and hopefully help certain individuals save some time and money. Now with that being said, let’s get started.

When all of the big YouTubers, such as Jaclyn Hill, started talking about Morphe and how awesome the products were, I was really excited to try them out. They are so affordable and from what everyone was saying, they are great quality. As with every other big make up purchase, I did a lot of research online and surprisingly did not find any negative reviews of the brand, which should have been a red flag to me. There is no product that everyone loves…it just does not exist. Everyone’s tastes and preferences are so different, therefore for one brand to fit everyone’s needs…. is not very likely.

I went ahead and ordered an eye shadow palette (35P – 35 COLOR PLUM EYESHADOW PALETTE **NEW**), a makeup brush kit (SET 684 – 18 PIECE PROFESSIONAL BRUSH SET) and one single brush (M439 – DELUXE BUFFER). 

Let me just start off by complaining about the processing and shipping/ customer service. OH MY LANTA are they slow. It took on average 8 days to just process my orders and then an extra two weeks for the packages to get to me. My personal opinion is if you have such a high demand for your products, hire more people and get the job done quickly! This is usually something I can overlook if the products blow my mind, but this was not the case, so this just ended up being another negative to add to the list. Also, I ended up emailing the company about the slow processing and no one ever responded back to me…how nice of them right?

35P – 35 COLOR PLUM EYESHADOW PALETTE

I will start off by talking about the shadows. This is what the palette looks like.

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From the initial glance, these look like great quality eye shadows and the colors are very pretty (I will give them credit for that). They also swatch well and seem to be very pigmented, but oh boy is that misleading. These shadows aren’t pigmented at all, which makes it so hard to build the color to look like it does in the palette. The most annoying part of these shadows is the formula. They are so hard to blend!! Honestly who has the time to blend for two hours everyday? Overall, I would give this product a 2/10. This palette has been siting in my drawer for over six months without being touched. BOO!

SET 684 – 18 PIECE PROFESSIONAL BRUSH SET

Now  on to the brush set. Here is what the packaging and brushes look like.

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Again, from the initial glance, the brushes seem to look functional and fairly well made. After testing them out, I cannot say that they are. For starters, the pouch smells terrible which obviously made the brushes smell really bad too. Its hard to describe the smell, maybe a little like mold? The set includes natural hair and synthetic hair brushes. The synthetic hair brushes are okay quality, but the natural hair brushes are very rough and harsh on the face. The bristles are very frizzy and all over the place. I threw away most of these and kept maybe three of the synthetic ones to use when all of my other brushes are dirty. Overall, I would give this product a 3/10.

M439 – DELUXE BUFFER

Lastly, let’s talk about the foundation brush. Here is what it looks like.

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This is the only thing that I have liked from Morphe. It is a densely packed, synthetic foundation brush. I can honestly say that I do love it and use it every time I use a liquid foundation. The brush doesn’t adsorb much of the product and smooths it all over the face evenly and gently. Since it is quite large, it also decreases the time you spend on distributing the foundation, which is a huge plus. It is soft and easy to clean. Overall, I would give this product a 10/10. Cheap and functional!!

Have any of you used Morphe products? If so, how do you feel about them? Do you love any other companies that carry similarly priced products? Please do let me know!

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I woke up like this…FLAWLESS | Skincare

Mona, thank you for this awesome topic request! If you want flawless skin, keep on reading, I promise you will not regret it!!

I am thankful for the fact that I have been blessed with pretty peaceful skin. All throughout puberty I did not have many problems besides the mild breakouts due to hormonal fluctuations and those annoying blackheads. Although I didn’t have acne to take of, I was always very diligent about preserving my skins beauty. Your skin is something that you will literally live with the rest of your life, therefore making sure to take really good care of is essential in looking youthful and radiant.

I have combination skin, oily in the T-Zone and normal/dry everywhere else. Which makes it pretty difficult to find products that cater to both needs, but I think I have done a solid job. Just as with anything, gosh there were so many trial and errors, and with so many great products out there, its hard to stick to just one line. But below is my night and mourning routine. Enjoy 😀

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Night Routine:

  1. Using the Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing oil I break down all of the makeup on my face. I use 1 to 2 pumps and gently rub all over my face then rinse it with luke warm water. IMG_3270
  2. Using any make up wipe of your choice (I use generic ones from Costco, can be off brand, the residue off of the wipe will be washed off) I gently remove all of the eye make up.
  3. Using a pea sized amount of the Purity One Step Facial Cleanser I start my Clarisonic and work in the cleanser. The Clarisonic is programmed to be on for a minute. Use that minute to wash your face in soft, circular motions. Don’t forget the neck. IMG_3268
  4. I then wash my face with warm water and pat dry.
  5. Once a week or sometimes every two weeks I will use a blackhead strip. As I have mentioned in my Holy Grails post, I use the Dr. Jart+ strips. These could be used after washing your face with the Clarisonic or after a long and steamy shower. IMG_3265
  6. If I have break outs, I use the Out of Trouble Mask by Origins. This significantly reduces any redness or blemishes. If a blemish is being really stubborn, put a small amount on it and keep it overnight. By morning time, it should be less problematic. IMG_3267
  7. Then I apply a heavier moisturizer before bed. The skin works the hardest when you sleep, so might as well give it the nutrients that it needs. I personally use the A Perfect World by Origins. It is infused with White Tea which hydrates the skin like there is no tomorrow! IMG_3266
  8. Lastly, I exfoliate my lips with the Satin Lips mask by Mary Kay. I take a pea sized amount and scrub my lips with it. The cream should sit on your lips for about 5 minutes. Afterwards, I wipe it off with a makeup wipe and apply the Satin Lips lip balm. Voilà, after these steps the lips feel like fluffy pillows. IMG_3271

Morning Routine:

  1. Using the Checks and Balances face wash by Origins, I wash my face with cold water (using my hands). This gently removes any access oils and also wakes me up.IMG_3269
  2. I then immediately apply any lightweight moisturizer that I have.

On top of these daily steps I do go get facials every 6 weeks. Makeup, stress and pollution all play a vital role in clogging the pores therefore it’s important to go to a professional. I usually go with a microdermabrasion or even a very slight face peel. If live in SWF, I have the best esthetician, ask me and I will give you the details!

I would love to hear your tricks and routines too! I am always looking to improve this routine. Let me know down below!

XOXO, Ruta.

MACaholic? I say yes! Must have brushes!! | Review

Photo on 3-11-16 at 10.23 #2

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Aren’t these just exquisite? So classy and sophisticated. I have been looking for the perfect brushes for a very long time, and I mean a veryyyyyyy long time…and that must have been harder than finding a pin in a haystack. It was exhausting to say the least. Sometimes I wonder why I didn’t go to MAC earlier (always read positive reviews), my life would have been a lot easier and to be honest I would have saved some money. Now I know that MAC brushes are not cheap by any means, but if I were to add up the money that I spent on other brand’s brushes…it would equal more than what I have paid for my high quality MAC brushes. I have picked out the brushes that I use on a daily basis that I really could not live without! This is the perfect set to have whether you are just starting out or use make up on a daily basis.

FACE BRUSHES:

MAC 138 Tapered Face Brush

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This is the perfect brush for setting powder underneath the eyes and all over the face. It is dome shaped so it gets really close to the eye and it’s fluffy enough for all over the face. It can also be used to blend out contouring, blush and/or highlight that is too strong.

MAC 129 Powder/Blush Brush

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Perfection when it comes to bronzer and blush application.  Use it to bronze with this all over the face and then contour with a different, more precise brush. It doesn’t hold on to makeup so you can go ahead and use the same brush to apply blush right after. Two birds with one stone! WOO!

 

EYE BRUSHES:

MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush

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Best blending brush that was sent down from Heaven! It is so fluffy and round and somehow still perfectly fits into the crease. It doesn’t hold on to pigment so you can be as sloppy as you want with the transition colors. It blends everything out so impeccably. Also, can be used as a highlighting brush!

MAC 217 Blending Brush

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A smaller and more precise blending brush. This is more of a flat brush that fits right into the crease. Very easy to apply a good amount of pigment and keep it in the crease, without going up too far and making your makeup look crazy.

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush

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A flat brush used to apply eye shadow all over the lid. It picks up a lot of pigment which is great!! Its also very flat and densely packed so its easy to make sharp lines with.

MAC 275 Medium Angled Shading Brush

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If you love creating an outer V, but have trouble doing it with other brushes, this will be your new best friend! This has a slanted shape which makes working  eye shadow into the outer edge of your eye a piece of cake! Also the perfect brush for highlighting under the brow and in the inner corner.

MAC 210 Precise Eyeliner Brush

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This is probably my favorite brush in the history of man kind. It is the best eye liner brush!!! I love how tiny it is because it helps with precision. I was never able to get a hang of the angled brushed, could never get a sharp point but those days are over!!! Use this with some gel liner and you are going to have the fiercest cat eyes ever!

Overall, MAC brushes get a 10/10 rating from me. They are hand made with the highest quality of hairs, which makes them extremely soft and long lasting. It is absolutely worth the price for something that will last you about ten years (if you take care of them properly). I wouldn’t trade these babies for anything!

 

I am always willing to try other brushes so if you have any suggestions, leave them down below and as always, please subscribe!

XOXO, Ruta.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit | Review

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Well here we are….now that I have fallen in love with this palette and how versatile it is, its time to swatch this baby.

 

This is what the Gleam Kit looks like. The colors range from darker up top, to lighter at the bottom. It is geared towards lighter skin tones. IMG_3192

Hard Candy and Mimosa are for slightly darker skin tones. They have that golden shimmery effect that looks ahhhhmazing on tan skin. So you can use these in the summer time to enhance your sun kissed skin.

Starburst and Crushed Pearl are for lighter skin tones. They both have a silvery effect that really makes a more pronounced highlight.

IMG_3206I am a fairly light, but do have more of a yellow undertone to my skin. On my skin tone Hard Candy appears to have more of pinky look. It would be to die for mixed with a light peachy matte blush! Mimosa has a  gorgeous golden sparkle. It would be perfect paired with a bronzed face! Starburst has a light pink, silvery finish and Crushed Pearl is very silvery and white! This is perfect for porcelain skin tones but would also look flawless if you are going for a cool tone look.

These shades are unbelievably pigmented and creamy! They do actually stay on all day without transferring and the best part is the fact that you can these as eye shadows too!

Happy Glowing guys and gals!! Have you tried this palette? Got any other favorite highlighters? Comment down below and subscribe! Thank you loves!

 

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