november 2016: sephora play!

hi guys! it's been like what, a week or something since i got this box? i've been busy and then sick..i'm still sick..and then having to work when i requested vacation time... and my ipsy bag is still missing in action--quite literally. who the hell thinks it makes sense to ship something from texas to tennessee when i'm in louisiana? i don't see how that makes the shipping process any faster. just a thought. anyway, that's not what this post is about. this post is about the november sephora play! box, which i'm pretty excited about since it's got 2 favorites, a meh, and a few other things to try. (theme: the glow-getters/best in glow) ~Lin-chan ^.~

1. cover fx illuminating primer (.16oz--mini, $38 for 1oz [$6.08]) -- in a swatch, i see a slight illuminating effect, but if you wear a light-medium coverage foundation, you won't be able to see it. so what's the point?
   repurchase? no
2. estee lauder estee edit dissolve the drama 2 in 1 makeup remover and + cleanser (.5oz--mini, ret. $32 for 6.7oz [$2.39]) -- this is more or less a like a cleansing oil, which is not something i'm really into, so this will be passed along.
   repurchase? no
3. laura mercier caviar stick eye color in rose gold (.03oz--mini, ret. $29 for .05oz [$17.40]) -- i haven't touched my original one in a while, but this is one of my favorite shadow pencils. i do feel like it needs to be set with powder shadow, but that's just me. anyway, this'll get passed along for a friend to try.
   repurchase? probably other colors
4. glamglow supermud clearing treatment (.3oz--mini, ret. $69 for 1.2oz [$17.25]) -- i really like using these..but i can't bring myself to buy the full size jar because..yeah. that's a lot of money.
   repurchase? y u so 'spensive?
5. sephora collection gel gloss ultra brilliant ultra shine lip gel in pin-up pink (.1oz--mini??, ret. $12 for .11oz) -- this is getting passed along. haven't been in a gloss mood lately. 
   repurchase? probably not
6. stella mccartney pop (sample, ret. $50 for 1oz) -- i'm not a huge fan of this one. like it's in my neutral zone of like and dislike. like the card says tubrose and sandalwood..which i'm not a huge fan of floral, but i like earthier sandalwoody type scents..so that's why it's in my middle zone.
   repurchase? probably not
7. 'coupon' for an extra 50 points on the next in-store purchase

approximate product value: ~$55

review: diy makeup brush cleaner & ycc total immersion brush cleaning jar

hey guys! a review for you! this recipe was found on xsparkage.com (original post here), i have included a pdf of it in my "other" folder of my recipes (link above).

ingredients used:
2 cups distilled or filtered water
1/2 cup 91% isopropyl alcohol
2 tbsp leave-in conditioning spray -- use a thin, liquidy one; the one i used has the consistency of normal conditioner and doesn't dissolve very quickly..clumps.....
1 tbsp clear shampoo
1 tbsp dish washing liquid

additional items needed:
-large measuring cup or container with a spout that can hold more than 2.5c
-funnel (if needed)
-containers that can hold up to a total of ~20oz to store the cleanser

i made 1.5x the recipe to fit into these three bottles

in addition to using this diy brush cleanser, i've finally gotten around to trying out my ycc total immersion brush cleaner from sally's.

the dirties → the cleans..? (just to give you an idea of the beauty blender's size, dry & wet)

the results

the verdict: 

• brush cleanser: i think that this works great for larger brushes, when either powder or cream/liquid is used. works well on the beauty blender (i think the ud naked foundation stained it >.<). some brushes are more stubborn than others (like my concealer brush above, needed something more powerful after two washings with the DIY cleanser). but this cleanser is worth making and definitely less expensive than buying other brush cleansers/shampoos.
• brush cup: this cup is great for most brushes, containing powder or cream/liquid..with the exception of small brushes with concealer/foundation on them. like i said before, i believe the intent of this cup was for nail polish remover and nail art brushes (the brush drying holder part is very small), but it does work well removing foundation from my denser brushes. i don't like how the groves are are so high up, making you use more product. also, the cup is fairly small and short, so some of the liquid will come splashing out even if you're careful. it's height and circumference make it a little difficult to hold short-handled and fat-handled brushes in the cup and move them with ease. is it worth the ~$5? it's ok.

my thoughts on other brush cleansers/shampoos:

1. cover fx brush cleanser: this is my favorite liquid brush cleaner
2. london brush co solid brush shampoo: this is the best stuff ever. period. ever. the biggest problem is that it's so expensive!
3. blender cleanser (liquid): works great on brushes, but only ok on the beauty blender.
4. blender cleanser solid: i think this'll be my replacement for the london brush co solid shampoo!
5. mac brush cleanser: works ok, not my favorite. doesn't work super great on brushes with liquid/cream in them.
6. elf brush shampoo: pretty good for the price. definitely wouldn't mind picking up more.
7. sephora brush shampoo: pretty good shampoo. for the price and quantity, you could get the elf shampoo for less, so why not?
8. bare escentuals: my mom actually really likes this..or maybe it's just a keep-everything-the-same-brand kind of thing because she uses their makeup... i dunno. i didn't love it and, again, for the price and quantity, there's better alternatives.