3.04.2019

Alter Ego Temptress Palette Review


Alter Ego just released their first palette. Temptress was inspired by the ABH Sultry palette. I'm always excited to try out a dupe because we all can't justify spending high-end prices. This palette has a variety of matte and metallic shades.  Most are warm but there are a few cool/neutral shades: Whisper, Stiletto and After Hours. It's only $16. Right now is the best time to order since there's free shipping and they are including a free 2 piece brush set!

Click here to use my code tinymoon for 15% off.

*Alter Ego sent me this product in exchange for an honest review


Packaging: The palette was in a bubble wrap sleeve and wrapped in black tissue paper. The box was put in a gold bubble wrap mailer.




Swatches:

These were shot outdoors in overcast lighting. My method for swatching will always be a swipe and a soft blend to mimic the way we apply to our eyes.

Whisper, Lust, Blush, and Uptown needed 2-3 finger swipes to show off the pigmentation. Metallic shades were good with one swipe. Stiletto looked really dark in the pan. I did several swatches to show off the buildability. 

My eyes are small so I've never used black eyeshadow other than for eyeliner. I was really interested in trying this shade out because super pigmented blacks are crazy intimidating. My first impression was that this particular shade was really patchy until I used a brush to blend.

Lace disappeared on my arm so I had to swipe a thousand times for it to show. I'm NC20 by the way.
After Hours also has two swatches to show off the buildability.


The brush set includes a shadow and blender brush. Since my eyes are too small, I was only able to use the large brush to apply a base color down. The smaller brush I used for creating a higher crease for my slightly hooded eyes. Both were surprisingly soft! Now to comparing... The smaller brush has a shape similar to my Hakuhodo eye brushes but is twice the size. The larger one is similar in size to ELF's Flawless Concealer brush but it's flatter. It's just too big for me to use to put down any crease colors.

The eyeshadows applied more pigmented with a brush. I used my finger for some of the metallic shades but Fix+ really made it pop. I used both of the brushes for all my looks including smaller eye brushes.


Base color: Lace
Crease: Whisper
Middle + Inner Corner: Sterling
Outer-V: Stilleto



I did a test of what I hate doing on myself. I can never pull off the blending for those silver dark looks. It always looks messy. These shadows made it easy for me to control. No annoying patchiness. I was really shocked since I always go overboard with the outer v portion but it built up nicely. I didn't want the black to be super pigmented so this is a super wearable look for me.

Base: Lace
Lid: Blush
Crease: Uptown
Middle + Inner Corner: Champagne and Seduction
Outer-V: After Hours

I used Blush for a soft pink look with a pop of Champagne in the center.  I had some minor issues with blending After Hours in the outer v. A little patchy but I went over with Uptown to help blend!


Wear Test:

I applied my makeup at 10am and wanted to see how long it would last at work. I was running around in a warm building for 5+ hours. Sometimes my makeup melts off. My eye makeup didn't budge or smudge for my whole night. It was still pigmented at 11pm.


Base: Lace
Lid: Uptown
Crease: Sterling
Middle + Inner Corner: Ritz (Fix+) and Seduction
Outer-V: Stilleto





If you need some reference to compare quality for dupe palettes. I prefer this Alter Ego palette over my Bad Habit ones. I don't want to have to fight to get shades to blend especially the matte ones. This palette will work for a beginner or someone who lacks techniques (like me!)

I really hope in the future, they will come up with their own color schemes and more brushes (smaller please!!!)


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Temptress is cruelty-free and paraben free. Retails for $16. Right now is the best time to order since there's free shipping and they are including a free 2 piece brush set for now.

Click here to use my code tinymoon for 15% off. 

*Alter Ego sent me this product in exchange for an honest review

1.25.2019

Style: Dear Darkness Doll Dress

This was my first purchase from Dolls Kill. I've been aware of the website over the past few years but it was out of my price range. I decided to reward myself after hitting my fitness goals. I didn't want to pick something simple like a plain black skater dress. Don't need an overpriced one of those! I couldn't find anything I really liked within a "budget" I set but then I went onto the next pages and found this. It's the Dear Darkness Doll Dress by Killstar. I bought it from Dolls Kill since they had a 20% off sale.



Killstar's size chart is here. I've heard mixed reviews about their sizing. My measurements fall under a size small but I decided to go with a medium instead. I would recommend sizing up to be on the safe side! It's a perfect size and I'm able to put it on over my head since I'm a lazy.

I was drawn to the lace, keyhole chest and ribbon tie. I haven't owned a satin dress before so this is very different to wear casually.   I randomly wore it one day and my boyfriend told me I looked like a witch.
Isn't that the best compliment???



 Dress- Dolls Kill / Tights- Dolls Kill / Boots - Unknown

1.14.2019

Fungal Acne Products (Part 2)

De La Cruz 10% Sulfur Ointment

Sulfur is an effective treatment against conditions like dandruff, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, etc. People have shared successful results with it so I decided to try it out. I applied it and left it on for 10-20 minutes. Obviously, this stuff smells but I don't particularly notice it.

Hada Labo Skin Plumping Gel Cream

I've bought this about 2 years ago and loved it. This gel-cream contains urea and squalane. Urea is known to treat skin conditions, it's very hydrating and inhibits fungal growth. If you remember my earlier post, I mentioned that squalene is a trigger. Squalane is actually the safe one! Most Urea creams contain esters so Hado Labo is a good option.

If you like Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Gel Cream then switch over to this.

Noble Formula 2% Phyrithione Zinc Bar Soap

I've used this in the past out of Curology's recommendation. Just don't choose the acne triggering one: Cocoa Butter. This soap has helped my neck/back. Noble's soap contains oils which could trigger fungal growth so YMMV!

Some people have used this to apply to their face but it's very drying. You will feel squeaky clean. I wouldn't recommend this as a daily treatment.


Stridex Pads Maximum Strength

I apply and leave it on for 20-30 minutes. I used it every other day to treat. This drastically changed the way my skin looked after one day. Salicylic acid is recommended to use since it's not as drying as Benzoyl Peroxide. It doesn't increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun either.

First-time users: Use it once a week then eventually move up to 2 times a week. I've used this product enough to know my skin. I did have sensitivity and dryness when I first started. Now I could use this several times a week with no tightness.

Hada Labo Hyaluronic Lotion

I've used this for over a year. It's a hydrating toner that most people use after cleansing or chemical exfoliants. I liked to put on my regular moisturizer first and then pat this lotion on top of it. It's super moisturizing. This version's consistency is a thin, liquid that you only need to use a small amount of. I don't find it sticky but some people do. There are 4 ingredients in it that are humectant moisturizers.


Hada Labo Premium Hyaluronic Lotion

The reason why I got the premium version is that it has 5 ingredients types of hyaluronic acid and urea. Since it's not easy to find safe products that contain urea, I'll take whatever I can! The consistency is thicker and you only need 2-3 drops. This lotion is also known to be a bit sticky for some people.

Nature Nate's 100% Pure Raw & Unfiltered Honey

I was inspired to try out raw honey due to this post: [B&A] I cured facial sebhorreic dermatitis using a raw honey mask!

I was desperate because my skin was extremely dehydrated, red and swollen. I left the honey straight on my face for about 3 hours. I was really shocked at how much my skin improved. I used this the next 2 days for about 2-3 hours. Redness was gone and bumps were disappearing.


Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

This is my favorite cleanser. It reminds me of Cerave's Hydrating Cleanser. It has a gel-like consistency. It's really gentle and lathers up better than Cerave! It removes any remaining makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft.


Monistat 7

I had found out through research that some people were using this product to clear their skin. My fungal acne was spreading rapidly to my neck and one of my earlobes. The bottom lobe was red, covered in tiny bumps and swelled up. It was also spreading behind my ear. I used Monistat 7 on my neck, ear and all over the face. My skin wasn't as inflamed and it helped it stop from spreading further. Only used this a few times and recommend it for those that have tried everything. I wonder if any anti-fungal cream could do?

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It's crazy how different my skin is after making all of these changes. I never once thought I even had fungal acne since it looked hormonal. The huge difference is the lack of itchiness I have on my face and neck. I had these breakouts going on for nearly 2 weeks straight then cleared up immediately within 2-3 days.

The products that helped me the most:

Moisturizers: Hado Labo Gel Cream and Premium Lotion (both contain Urea)
BHA: Stridex
Treatments: Raw Honey and Sulfur Ointment
Neck/body: Zinc soap


I noticed a drastic improvement by using Stridex and Raw Honey within 2-3 days. I alternate between those two and the sulfur to prevent breakouts. I love Hado Labo products so I'm not even mad about giving up my other moisturizers.

1.11.2019

Fungal Acne Skin (Part 1)

For 2 years, I had struggled with acne and nothing worked. I cut out possible triggers: certain ingredients, products, and food. It didn't feel like regular acne since I've always had the same type and this looked different. I had cystic acne as a teenager and mostly clear skin by my early 20's without any assistance. Not even a facial cleanser. I was lazy but I only had to deal with some hormonal bumps or whiteheads that would disappear the next day. I rarely ever broke out on my forehead. Those bumps would remain there for up to a week.

I believe the cause was due to switching to a different birth control pill. I immediately got bumps/whiteheads all over my forehead. I assumed it was a side effect and waited out 3 months with no improvement. I switched back to my regular pill and thought it would turn my skin back to normal. Nope! This was so itchy that I had to take Benadryl often.

My theories were adult acne, niacinamide allergy, dairy sensitivity or some other unknown allergies. I stopped the skincare routine I was doing (Cerave products, Retinol, BHA, sunscreens, serums) and only used super gentle products (Neutrogena, Hado Labo, and Vanicream). The bumps never went away but it was becoming less intense towards the last year. I kept using products that I had no issues with prior to the breakouts so nothing ever clicked.



I've been following r/skincareaddiction for years. It's where I found all the best product recommendations and routines. One day I stumbled upon a post about fungal acne but I never once thought it applied to me. It's not something you can easily search for pictures of and most websites said it was *only* closed comedones on the forehead. (I would get clusters of whiteheads on my forehead, temples, cheeks, jawline, and neck.) Eventually, it was my last resort because I had tried everything with no sustainable improvement.

I came across this post: Pityrosporum (Malassezia) Folliculitis Treatment: Kick Fungal Acne’s Ass (How to). There are many things that are considered triggers: fatty acids, oils, polysorbates, esters, yeast ferments, squalene,  amino acids + lipids together, and benzoyl peroxide. Possible triggers were ceramides, glycerin, and your own sweat!

*Some people reported that their diet was also a trigger. So it is possible that dairy was one for me.


This was extremely problematic because the majority of my skincare products contained those ingredients. Cerave moisturizers have fatty acids, ceramides, and esters while their cleanser had polysorbates. My gentle Neutrogena cleanser that I bought twice had esters/polysorbate. I started looking up the ingredients in everything else: sunscreens, body soap, shampoo, conditioner, and makeup.

Why was my acne improving during certain times?

Apparently, I already owned some fungal acne safe products. It's difficult to find products that are 100% safe to use. So it's a YMMV situation. I made a document to track all of my products. My favorite moisturizers, cleansers, and sunscreens had to go. Baby wipes that I sometimes used to remove my makeup were bad. This finally made sense why my skin would improve then later get worse.





How do you get it?

It's not acne since it's actually Pitoyrosporum Follculitis (Malassezia). It's caused by a yeast infection. It's also possible to get other skin conditions like dandruff, psoriasis, eczema, etc.

Prolonged use of antibiotics, steroid use, birth control pills 🙄, stress, fatigue, high humidity, hot weather, sweat, excessive occlusion and more.


If you have fungal acne, you can use Head & Shoulders shampoo as a facial cleanser. I decided to try out Nizoral Anti-Dandruff shampoo with Ketoconazole 1% since people had great results. There was an improvement by the next day so I kept it up. After digging around, I have noticed some people ruined their skin by using this product.

I made the mistake of using this too much. It irritated my skin so badly that it got dehydrated. Guess what? Damaging the skin barrier can induce growth for fungal acne.

The top photo shows a typical breakout on my face and neck. The second photo is a few days of doing treatments including Nizoral. THEN I dehydrated my skin so both sides of my face were badly inflamed, dry and covered more in bumps. This whole process took nearly 2 weeks. I tried some new products which ended up saving my skin within 3 days!


My skin has been itch free since January 3rd. Part 2 will be coming soon! I'm going to share what products I used to get those after results.

1.04.2019

My Lolita Dress haul


Last year, I wanted to try out a simple dress specifically for a future convention. I can't imagine wearing it in my daily life though. It makes me feel too much like a doll. I decided to go with My Lolita Dress.


I had a huge interest in Japanese street fashion when I was a teenager. Back when Livejournal was a thing, I would browse images on there from the magazine Fruits. I liked Decora's neon colors and a thousand accessories. All the various Kei styles always layered items together well. My top favorite style was Gothic Lolita since the darker colors could make the outfit simple, cute or elegant. I always wanted to try it out but I never had enough money or the right resources to find more affordable options.

DETAILS

Dress: Sweet Organza Tailored Lolita Short Sleeves OP Dress $57.99
I ordered this in size L.  My bust is 91cm and waist is 71cm. Nothing is tight and it's easy to get on over my head. I don't need to unzip it. The chiffon fabric

Petticoat: Diamond Honey A-line Shaped Super Puffy Lolita Petticoat $23.99
My first petticoat and this is a beast. It's for dresses that hit above the knee. It only comes in "average" sizing which goes up to 75cm.

Bag: Angelic Pretty Horror Bat Lolita Bag (Replica) $33.99
I remember when this bag came out and I wanted it but my wallet did not. I don't mind getting the replica at all!

💀 Shipping to the US was $48 ðŸ’€ 

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Other Outfit Details:
The wig is from Ebay  (Lolita Women Gradient Curly Daily Cute Japan Party Cosplay Wig Heat Resistant).
Stockings are Killstar's Neoma
Boots are Hot Topic
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