REVIEW: Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Warm

Physcians Formula is a brand I've never tried. Surprising as half my cosmetics collection consists of drugstore brands.

I finally decided to try it out by taking advantage of one of their very generous rebate offers, a $9 mail-in-rebate off of the Happy Booster. Already on sale from $15.99 to $11.99 with $9 was a small price to pay to try out this cute product. Plus, it came with great reviews on various beauty blogs and Makeupalley.com

Plus, I'm just a sucker for adorable packaging!

The Happy Booster™ Glow & Mood Boosting Blush contains multi-reflective pearls providing soft iridescence and radiance to highlight and contour the cheeks. It also contains their "Happy Boost Blend" featuring Happ Skin and Euphoryl, a natural plant extract that is purported to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effects of Endorphins and protecting the skin from environmental stress. The blush is violet scented and gives a feeling of joy upon each application.*

The square packaging is quite of deceiving. I was expecting a MAC sized blush but it's actually smaller and thicker (with the added brush holder side) and fits perfectly into the palm of my hand.

It's just so cute! If nothing else, the packaging alone puts a smile on my face!

The brush is just as adorable as the rest of the packaging, coming in a duo pink/red. It is wide and soft enough to use in a pinch, (unlike the ones in the Covergirl Cheekers compacts) although I still find it a tad scratchy. You're better off using an actual blush brush instead of this flat style.

Since I've never tried this product, I chose the universally flattering Warm, which contains various shades of pinkish brown. This blush is also available in Rose, Pink, and Natural.

The color applies more pink than brown on my medium tan (MAC NC35 / Revlon Golden Beige) skintone and has medium shimmer. The color payoff is average and it is sheer. I imagine as the blush flattens out you'll pick up more product. However, I would say it is the same as most drugstore brands while the 3d affect is still in place and it's certainly nothing to write home about.

I apply with a round blush brush, swirling it on the blush a few times to blend the various shades together, then lighting tapping on the lip before application. Since the hearts are various colors, a heavy hand without swirling can cause unevenness when applied to the cheeks.

I've used this blush a few times now and I like it but I don't love it. There's nothing really negative to say about it because it's a flattering blush with just enough shimmer. And because it's kind of sheer, it is dummy proof and easily layered.

But on that note, I wouldn't buy it again even on sale, unless there was another amazing $9 rebate offer. There are other drugstore blushes that work better. Rimmel with their excellent color payoff, lasting power, and compact packaging at a fraction of the Happy Booster's retail price comes to mind. At $15.99 retail, that to me is just too much to pay for a drugstore blush. And even at the sale price of $10-12? I'd rather pay a little more for a single buttery soft, extremely pigmented blush from Nars or two well pigmented, easy to use Rimmel blushes.

I guess at the end of the day, I was expecting a product that WOW'd me as much as the packaging did and it just fell a little short.

*Taken from www.physiciansformula.com product description

REVIEW: Sephora Beauty Insider Tarte Amazonian Try It Kit

Per my post last Saturday (read it here), I picked up the latest Sephora 500-point perk recently. The offer was for a 5-piece Tarte Amazonian Clay "Try It" kit. This post is a review of each product within the kit.





Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess - 0.11oz
(Full size is 0.32oz for $29US/$38CDN)

This bronzer is oil, talc, and fragrance free. Park Avenue Princess is a pearly golden tan and absolutely gorgeous. The same color also comes in a waterproof matte version and there is a third color called Hotel Heiress, which is a dark shimmery bronze.

This is such a beautiful bronzer! The color is perfect for that sunkissed look - it is more golden than orange. The powder goes on as a pearly shimmer without any glittery or chalky fall out (which I've certainly experienced with other mineral-based bronzers before). Because the powder is finely milled, it's quite buildable. Several light layers creates a very natural but luminous look.

I'm liking this over NARS Laguna bronzers because it's slightly more subtle. The less velvety texture of this bronzer allows you to pick up just enough product whereas I find it's easy to pick up too much with the NARS if you're not careful.

This is a powder I would definitely consider repurchasing...although I think the generous sample size will last me quite a long time.

On another note, isn't the bronze croc embossed packaging just gorgeous?!





LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Tint in Lively - 0.1oz
(Full size is 0.1 oz for $24US/31CDN)

I absolutely love the LipSurgence line. There are 3 types - Natural for creamy color, Luster for shimmery color, and Matte for a flat finish. All provide excellent payoff and the colors ranging from subtle to extremely bold are all absolutely gorgeous and on trend.

As the name implies, the LipSurgence line focuses on providing a generous dose of moisture along with color. This Matte one in Lively is no exception.

The color is stunning. It is a very intense hot pink. Seriously, a jump off my lips kind of pink! I don't think I'm brave enough to wear it out but I thoroughly enjoyed prancing around the house with it on because it is H-O-T!!

It is definitely dryer than the regular lip tints, but like my favourite Revlon Matte line, it is still way more moisturizing than some of the other ones on the market. I recommend using a waxy lipbalm as your base, like classic Burt's Bees, if you want to keep the shine down but add more hydration to the lips.

I also find the chubby pencil style applicator really easy to use. Just twist to get more product. You won't get the wobbly lipstick (you know, where it gets all over the sides of the tube? Ick!) nor smooshed cap (another ick!) problem here.

I am definitely repurchasing more LipSurgences after the positive experience with this one. Perhaps I'll try one of the Lusters and Natural ones next.





EmphasEYES High Definition Inner Rim Eye Liner in Black - 0.001oz
(Full size HD eyeliner is 0.001 oz for $18US/$23CDN)

This pencil is tiny! I doubled check the size on Sephora to confirm that it's full sized but they do not sell this specific product. There's the regular HD eyeliner which is the same size and price. However, Tarte's own website does have this product but as Devildeb89 commented on my previous post, that one is 0.002 in size. However, that one pictured had a black "cap" on the end of the eyeliner which I suspect makes up for the larger size. We both suspect this may be an older version of the product.

It is meant for lining the inner rims of the eye so I guess the very thin core is appropriate.

The product comes up via a click and twist method but a word of warning. It does not allow you to retract. Unfortunately, I had twisted up a little too much and had to break it off.

It contains silicone and is supposed to be "super creamy, long wearing designed specifically for the sensitive inner rim". Unfortunately, I did not find this to be the case.

The pencil is dry, similar to some cheaper drugstore lines. I found a light application barely put any color on my inner rims but a heavier application hurt the sensitive skin in that area. Dry and difficult application, miniscule amount of product, and bad packaging? I would definitely not buy this again.



ReCreate Silicone-Free Primer - 0.3fl oz
(Full Size is 29.5ml/1oz for $32US (couldn't find price in $CDN))
This primer is the counterpart to the ReCreate foundation which has the same Wrinkle Rewind technology. It claims to smooth skin, minimize pores, and of course, tackle wrinkles. It's appropriate for sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin.

I always take in anti-aging claims with a large dose (or more accurately, a bucket) of salt. But as a primer? This one is pretty awesome.

I really like that it goes on like a light moisturizer instead of that slippery cloaking feel silicone-based primers give. On that note, it's quite moisturizing so I recommend letting it settle for 10-15 minutes before applying foundation, particularly if you use powder.

Despite it's moisturizing qualities, it isn't oily so while I don't find it particularly mattifying, it certainly does not create shine.

Would I purchase this again? No but really it's just because I have so many primers already, both sample and full sized.

I would recommend this if you have dry skin but at the same time, are prone to shine during the day.


Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder - 0.07oz
(Full Size is 0.32oz for $28US/$36US)

This is a translucent powder meant for application post foundation to mattify and minimize pores. It can also be applied over concealer to prevent it from "migrating into fine lines, wrinkles, and dried, damaged skin."

My first reaction to this powder was surprise at just how finely milled it is. It's incredibly silky and weightless.

I never use finishing powder over my foundation. Heck, I rarely even use powder but I tried this today and it held up wonderfully. It kept my t-zone matte for a few hours (Which is quite good, IMO!) and did not emphasize the dry areas on my face. I took a photo of myself with flash and did not get the dreaded powder face a la Nicole Kidman (Hust google it. Will give you a giggle!). It's a very easy to blend powder.

Because it's so finely milled, the full size should last you forever. I won't repurchase just because it's not a product I use but if you do? This powder not only does the job but is also great bang for your buck.

And to finish off this post, here are swatches of each product. I didn't blend in the primer or finishing powder so that you can see the product. Once blended, it is clear.

Sephora Beauty Insider 500 Points Perk: Tarte Amazonian Kit

If you're a Sephora Beauty Insider member and have 500 points in your account right now? Walk RUN to your nearest Sephora right now.

I received an email yesterday morning promoting a new 500 point perk. These usually don't interest me because Sephora's 500 points perks are usually just a few sample sized items, half of which I won't even use. However, the Tarte Amazonian Clay Kit made me do a double take. It promised not one, but two full sized items!

I called ahead and went on my lunch hour to pick it up. I'm glad I did because the displayed 500-point perk was yet another one of those uninteresting ones (two mini Sephora by OPI nailpolishes, sample sized polish remover, etc.) and I wouldn't have known this was also available.



The kit includes the following items:

-LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Tint in Lively (FULL SIZE)
-EmphasEYES High Definition Inner Rim Eyeliner in Black (FULL SIZE)
-Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
-ReCreate Silicone-Free Primer
-Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder







If all 5 products were full sized, the retail price would be $131US

But even with two full sized products in the Try It kit? Their combined value is already at $42US, not taking into account the value of the other 3 generously sized samples. Not bad at all for a freebie!

Were you able to obtain one of these kits? What did you think?

My review of each product to come shortly!