spectrum cosmetics

matte, highly pigmented eyeshadows in a variety are hard to come by at an affordable price.
my secret is spectrum cosmetics.
this little etsy shop is run by Erica out of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
these are mineral based shadows in virtually every color of the rainbow!
and even better: no bismuth-oxychloride in the major of her colors.
i am so impressed with the color payoff that it is totally worth it.
at $3 each for the small, and $5 for the larger size, it's very affordable to pick up the full collection of mattes.
(which I did)
i'd like to try out some of the other finishes she offers in the future.
some thoughts on applying these:
these are loose pigments so it can get messy and it can/will stain clothing, brush bristles, etc.
expect fall down, so use shadow shields or don't finish your base until your done with the eyes (this trick is actually pretty standard among pros)
when layering over cream shadows use a patting motion with a flat shader brush the blend with a fluffy brush.
without a cream base, it's a good idea the lay down a skin tone matching eyeshadow as a base; a dense fluffy brush works best for this.
these can be used wet or dry and can be mixed together for unique shades and it plays well with other brands.

whish non-foaming shave cream

Totally slacked off on getting this review done!
I had it ready then life happen and I spaced it.
But this was my favorite item from the March 2013 Birchbox.
I had a feeling it would be.
It rinses clean, the smell isn't too much, and it works with any kind of razor.
It is fairly concentrated, meaning i didn't have a lot to cover so it should last a awhile.
I don't notice anything really moisturizing about it, though.
If you don't have a go to shave cream solution, it definitely worth a try.
People with drier skin types should still use a good lotion post shave.

yes to tomatoes towelettes

I picked these up a couple weeks ago to try out and I am pleasantly surprised. In fact they are now what I reach for in the mornings to wash my face gently, effectively, and most importantly with out stripping my skin or leaving a film. They contain a touch of salicylic acid (beta hydroxy acid), which is a mild chemical exfoliate ideal for the occasional breakout or up to some cases of moderate acne. The Yes To brand is cruelty free, which is a big deal to me. They believe in plant based, eco-friendly, sustainable products that don't skimp on performance, and being affordable. The only this I do not love is the smell. The scent is horrible; it's medicinal and unpleasant. Yet, the good out weighs the bad.

it's a 10

i am normally a fan of multitasking products because typically you lose efficacy and performance with every additional task. for example, a mascara that does 2 things will only do those things half as good as 1 specialized mascara. hence, most in the know layer different specialize mascaras.
i found an exception: it's a 10. a multitasking hair care line that continues to wow me. the miracle leave spray conditioner was my first dip and I was blown away that it was so lightweight and effective. did what it said it was going to do, smelled good and did weigh anything down. my hair has multiple personalities: color-treated, a slight natural wave, slight oily scalp and dryer ends from heat tools and the horrid winter ends; so to have 1 product that can tackle all of it is really just a gift. my other favorite thing is that there are several collections that they offer for different hair needs. i love this because i can switch out collections as my hair's needs change, which tends to happen seasonally.
the best part is that they are cruelty-free, a *very* important thing for me. performance and critter-friendliness so go so well like this all the time.