Danessa Myricks Lightwork VIII First Impressions/Swatches

 It's here! I went to pick up the palette yesterday.  Which means it's time to do some first impression/swatches and share my thoughts thus far.

This palette coming out might just be my favorite thing about the fall season. As soon as August hits, I was thinking about what we might get this year. I think this one came a bit later than last year...

As far as this years colors- I can already tell this will not be my favorite of my DM collection. The neutrals just bring it down for me. I know there are a lot of people excited for the palette because of the neutrals- which I can't say I understand at all. You can get neutrals anywhere and I'm sure most of the people happy about the boring brown/beige shades likely have shades very similar to these already. For the price of the palette I want it to be all special and unique shades like when she first dropped the Lightwork shadow palettes. That's really what drew me to the brand in the first place. I think if the trend continues and they continue to increase the amount of neutral shades I likely won't be purchasing Lightwork 9.  

Another thing- the price increase kinda bothers me. I have been watching just about every Instagram video I can on the palette as mine was making its way to me through the mail. I noticed a lot of micro influencers (that don't even wear colorful or interesting make up) received the palette in PR. That and the price increase just makes me side-eye them a little bit. 

And the last criticism I have before we get into the swatches- I like the Freedom palette system. But I don't think it's being used to its full potential. She doesn't sell single pans or refills. Nor the option to opt out of the plastic casing- I would very much like the freedom to choose just the special shades and opt out of the large plastic casing- since I have bought the palette every year I now have three of them. It's getting to be too many. 

Each shade is 1.2 gram. I was thinking there is not a lot of shadow in each (since I hit pan on one of the shades in my other palettes) but that's a decent amount considering a MAC shadow is 1.5 grams.

And now let's get into swatches and first impressions of the shades. 

Starting with the first palette.

Bedrock- I It's a boring brown. These type of shades rare a dime a dozen. Quality is nice--- but I really don't want these shades in this type of palette. 

Ember Glow- A beautiful sparkly red shade. I love shades like this- I'm not sure it will top my favorite red (Sonic from Urban Decay) but I'm excited to compare it. It's a bit of a more muted red. Very sparkly with a lot of gold shimmer/glitter. 

Molten Magma- I think this is one of the stars of the palette. It's is the most flippy shade. It is a super multi-chrome with a strong flip to a teal/green and some gold orange in between. It's stunning. I am going to wear it work tomorrow. 

Crystal Flame- We have a new finish here. This a red with a surprising lilac flip/marbling throughout. I can't wait to play with it more. If you just barely swirl it the colors can really stand out from each other. There is also a strong green shift. 

Canyon Clay- This is a better color neutral than the others in the palette. But I do have colors similar to it in other brands so I'm not too terribly excited for it. The quality is good though. 

Sahara Glow- A very pretty pink to gold shift. I think it will be a challenge to find how to pair this one...but I'm up for it. 

Island Sunrise- This has the most unique texture. You can really smooth it out and use it as a topper. Or you can keep some texture to it. I used it today and it's nice but I think it leans too white? I don't know how to explain it. I wish it showed up more pink on my skin. The shift is gorgeous though. Lot's of yellow/teal to it. 

Crystal Sands- Gorgeous. I feel like this might be one I can just wear with mascara and go. It has a pretty unexpected pearl (and muted purple) look to it. I can't wait to try it out. 

Horizon Kiss- Stunning. A marbled shade with copper and teal. Another palette stand out. I also cannot wait to wear this one. The teal also has a surprisingly strong shift to purple. 

Coastal Clay- A snooze fest. Boring clay/beige. 

Salted Earth- I think Salted Earth will be a favorite. The metallic/bright finish is stunning. And it's a color I can easily and happily wear every single day. The swatches don't do it justice. But it's not really doing any of these justice. 

Driftwood- A brown. So disappointing getting yet another snooze shade. I have no shortage of these type of shades in my collection....definitely didn't need another. 

Sparkling Glaciers: Stunning pink/green glittery shade. Most of the palette does have seem to shift to the same color is something I am noticing. It's still very pretty but something I am noticing and definitely worth noting. I would have thought with the theming of the palette we would get more blue- specially with a name like Glaciers. Or maybe the glaciers is the super subtle base color? 

Mountain Peak- Earthy color with cool toned shimmer. This reminds me of a color in past light work palettes. I'm not sure I will love it- I like warm shimmer in my warm colors but I'll reserve true judgement for when I try it on my eyes.

Crystal Sky Lagoon- Another of the marbled finishes. It appears to be a pink purple but it shifts to teal/gold and looks stunning. Another one I can't wait to get on my eyes. Looks very similar to Glaciers in the picture-- but they seem different enough in person.

Twilight Sky- The name is really confusing me on this one. Maybe the glitters/micro shimmers are reminiscent of the night sky? But not the base shade. I do really like this one though because the color pairing is very unique. Haven't seem anything similar to it...

Indigo Glow- This is another stand out in the palette. I love a good purple and this type of was missing in past palettes. It is stunning. I have no shortage of purple shades to match this with. I did brush it over what I was wearing yesterday but it diluted so I can't wait to wear it on its own and see if it's as flashy as it looks in the pan. It also shifts to green.

Night Rock- Another snooze of a color. It can provide depth but I have similar colors and really wish she had included something (anything else) it's in place. I really wish she swapped these boring shades out with a fun color matte. Maybe a blurple. Or an earthy forest but still bright green. Or a deep lilac. As is, this shade is my least favorite of the whole palette. 

All of the shades of pigmented, super smooth, and easy to apply with a brush/fingers. The only thing that kinda concerns me is that after swatching them- I'm not sure the shades are different enough from each other and I feel like maybe there could have been more variety. Feels like the looks I make will all end up looking more of less very similar? And it is starting to feel like all of the shades shift to a green/gold although the greens are slightly different.  I'll have to play with it more though. 

And now...a look at all my Danessa palettes. Maybe I'll do a ranking at some point after I get to know this palette This picture makes me so happy. 

I just love colorful, sparkly shades 😍😍😍

Troy Johnson

                                    

It must be quick post Sunday. Today I just have one song to share. I kinda get this artist mixed up with another. I hoping there was at least a live version of this song. 

It's an underrated bop though. It's that 80's sound that I can't get enough from in music from that decade. 

I was really hoping he had more that hit like this one but this is def worth a listen. 

Burt's Bees Lavender Vanilla Lip Balm Review

I feel liked the rainy cold weather really just came out of nowhere. Which means it's time to stock up on the lip balms to chase the chapped lips away. There was a time when I was trying to buy and review all of the Burt lip balms.  I love a more natural lip balm- bonus if it has my favorite ingredient: Beeswax. Burt is one of the most widely available beeswax/natural lip balms. Usually they have very boring scents and flavors but from what I can see they seem to be branching out. Not that Lavender Vanilla is a very unique scent...

Burt's claims:

Burt’s Bees Lip Balm softens and hydrates your lips to help prevent dryness, cracking or chapping. Infused with nourishing oils, butters and responsibly sourced beeswax, the moisturizing lip balm hydrates dry lips for up to 24 hours. It glides on smoothly, leaving behind a tint-free, matte finish and soft, supple lips. The soothing embrace of lavender mingles with sweet vanilla in this Burt’s Bees Lavender Vanilla Moisturizing Lip Balm. 

• One 0.15 oz. lip balm tube of Burt’s Bees Lavender Vanilla Moisturizing Lip Balm

• Burt's Bees Lavender Vanilla lip balms are infused with responsibly sourced beeswax, nourishing oils and butter to deliver up to 24 hours of moisture

• The soothing embrace of lavender mingles with sweet vanilla in this delicious flavored lip balm

• Flavored lip balm glides on smoothly and leaves behind a tint-free, matte finish

I've tried a lot of lip balms over the years- but never a Lavender one. So when I saw this I definitely wanted to try it. A lot of Lavender scented things in the drugstore don't even come close to the actual scent of Lavender. This does. It smells like they scented it with real Lavender Oil. The only thing is- I don't pick up any vanilla. They should have just called this Lavender. 

It works just like any other Burt lip balm. If you like the original and want to try other scents I think this is almost just as good as the OG. I do think the original hydrates better though- maybe it has more beeswax? I do find I have to re-apply though. I wouldn't say it drys my lips but it doesn't stay all day. That's OK though because it's like I am having a mini aromatherapy session each time I apply it. 

The ingredients are 100% natural. 

Ingredients: 

helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, beeswax, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, flavor(2), lanolin, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, tocopherol, rebaudioside A, glycine soja (soybean) oil, geraniol, limonene, linalool (2)natural flavor

Overall a solid scent. Just don't expect it to have any vanilla scent. If you like lavender (real Lavender)  and you like Burt's Lip balms, I would recommend it. 

Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread and Red Velvet Cupcake Donuts

 Just a quick foodie post today since I have already finished making my two new things for the week. Mostly baking recipes. And baking recipes are usually super easy for me. 

I haven't made a savory cornbread in years but I always have corn meal on hand. So I was happy to finally give it some use. Originally this recipe is a cheddar bacon cornbread- but I have a feeling I wouldn't like bacon so I replaced it with Jalapeños. I didn't have fresh peppers- because I forgot. So I just used the canned ones. I really like the flavor it had- except the cheddar. I don't think the cheddar really made any difference. And I did feel like this recipe was missing butter. But it was still good. Just not the best cornbread I have ever had.  Served with chili. Because what goes better with cornbread? 

It wasn't browned enough in the picture so I did bake it a bit extra after I took this picture. Also..my bad. You can barely see it. Not sure what I was doing that day when I took the picture (and a bite of the bread). 

Then red velvet cake donuts. Finally...another reason to use the cake donut pan I bought ages ago and barely ever use. I don't really get the point of cake donuts though. A slice of cake or even a cupcake are far superior and a bit less fussy since you don't have to pipe it into the pan. Also...I love red velvet cake but it never translates over well into anything else I've tried it in. Like waffles or cookies. But maybe it's just me and the recipes I've tried. This was OK. But I would rather have/make the cake. It tastes significantly better if you let is sit a day. Also...they came out so ugly. And the icing was a little lumpy because the butter refused to incorporate. Oh well.

So ugly...

I guess it was just my week to bake all the ugly things. And now I'm off the go hide the cake donut pan in the very back of the cabinet and hopefully ignore it for an another couple of years. 

Aunt Jackie's Don't Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel Review

I bought the new Just Dance over  the weekend..which is a little bit early for me since I usually wait until Black Friday to buy it. But I saw it available to purchase and decided to just go for it. The new adventure mode really reminds of the story mode in Dance Central Three..with dancing through the decades. They really ripped it off...and you would think they would have made it better. But NOPE. I played all the way through it and it was struggle because it was so boring. As are most of the songs. They should have just kept the same concept or went back to how they did 2023. I'm currently playing through the songs again. But so far..definitely my least favorite. I guess that will clear me up to purchase Grand Theft when it drops next month- I already pre-ordered it for my sister as her birthday gift. I've just been debating on whether I want to buy it when it drops for myself. 

But...we are here to talk hair gel.

Aunt Jackie claims: 

Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel gives beautiful stretch to shriveling curls without flaking or caking. This special blend of moisturizing conditioners, flaxseed, shea butter, and extra virgin olive oil will give dry, shriveled up curls and twists a nice, elongated stretch. With nourishing omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has been widely used as a natural remedy for hair growth, anti-thinning, and overall scalp health. Regular use leaves hair soft without a crunchy, tacky feel. 

Helps achieve beautiful stretched and defined curls

Prevents dryness and flaking  Won't weigh hair down

•  For wash-n-go styles, apply as needed, raking through hair with fingers, then finger-styling hair into place. Air dry or use a diffuser on a light setting. 

  
  
  For twist and coils, apply to sections of hair, distributing to each area and combing through from roots to ends (use more for thicker/longer hair). Prepare each section according to desired style (twists, braid outs, Bantu knots, etc.). Allow hair to completely dry, then take down each section. Style as desired.
  
  
  
  
• 
  

Most of Aunt Jackie's products I would avoid for one ingredient or the other. I try to avoid micro-plastic ingredients. It is hard to avoid them because most ingredients are up for debate whether they are micro-plastics. From what I can tell- this doesn't have any.

Another thing I like to look up when purchasing hair products from the "ethnic" hair aisle is if the products are black owned. This is not. The founder and creator of the line is a black woman however. 

This line kinda reminds me of Miss Jessie's. The curl la la curl custard just looks like a Miss Jessie's product- especially being that it is called a "custard" and the product is purple. Of course the price point of Aunt Jackie's is cheaper. 

Also...Aunt Jackie has a LOT of product. I didn't realize quite how many until I went to their website. 

I thought I would start with their best selling hair gel. 

One of the most important things to me in a hair gel or any hair product is the scent. Scent can make or break a product and luckily this one smells nice. It's a fresh scent- not terribly unique. I feel like I have smelled this exact scent in other hair gels. But it's pleasant, it's fresh. I like it. It's not strong though and I don't notice it lingering around.

It doesn't dry my hair out. Some gels you use can literally feel like they are drying up your hair as you are applying and I have not had that problem. Even when it dries my hair doesn't feel crispy and dried. I do usually use a leave in conditioner with it though.

As for curl definition. Sometimes. Sometimes I use it and the curls are stretched out and defined. Which is nice. Most gels encourage extreme shrinkage. I can see the elongation with this and I appreciate it. On the other hand- there are some days I apply this and it doesn't do much of anything. You really have to get the foundation right. What you did beforehand matters. I'm sure I would get consistent results if I sectioned the hair and combed it through with a curl defining brush. But...I rarely ever do that. 

I've had some decent hair days with it though. And then some not so great hair days. 

I havne't noticed any flaking- which I did watch reviews from other people and they did have problems with that. It might make a difference what you are using underneath it though. It may call for some experimentation. 

Another thing I've seen people point out- if you are expecting a real flaxseed gel this isn't it. You probably need to get in your kitchen for that. This just has flaxseed oil  in it. It's not the same. 

Ingredients: 

Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, PVP, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 20, Parfum (Fragrance), Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Orange) Peel Oil, Hexamethylindanopyran

Overall, it's not bad. Not bad at all. Especially for the price. I see it right now on Amazon for under $7.00 and I am positive I paid less than $10.00 in my local store. Definitely worth trying!

Molton Brown Neon Amber Bath and Shower Gel Review

 I was off today so I thought I would take another ride around to see if I could find the new iPhone in Burgundy. This is the second trip I've made out and I have had no luck whatsoever. I'm so tired of looking at my cracked phone screen at this point and I am so ready for an upgrade. Hopefully I can get my hands on one before Christmas. In the meantime -I got through another Molton Brown shower gel from my sampler kit.

Molton Brown claims:

Add intriguing warmth to your bathing ritual with our dynamic opulentbody wash, distinct with bright elemi, a sensual overdose of tonka absolute and contemporary twist of salty ambroxan.

Usually you can tell what a Molton Brown scent will be from the name- but Neon Amber doesn't really tell me a whole lot. So I had no idea what to expect. There is a descirption- but you can never really get a sense of what something will smell like based on the description. At least not in this case. It's supposed to be elemi (I have no idea what that smells like), Tonka, and ambroxan. Ambroxan is everywhere and in everything and I don't think it's a note that does anything for me. 

What this actually smells like is a men's cologne. Not a generic men's cologne. It's unique- at least to me. I don't have a lot of experience with men's cologne. I'm not sure how to describe it. It just smells like a nice men's cologne with a little dustiness to it (not in a bad way.)  

It's a nice scent. And very intoxicating in the shower but doesn't really hang around afterwards. It's not for me at all. I like a unisex scent in the shower...but not really so much into cologne type scents. But that's OK. Not everything has to be for me. It's a good quality scent and I imagine it would make a nice gift for those that love these type of scents. 

Other than that...it's Molton Brown. So it's pricey. But it works well, lathers nicely and rinses clean. It also sticks to the skin a little bit which most soaps do not.

I have the tiny size which is good for about 2/3 uses since I bought the sampler pack. It's the perfect way to try a bunch of their scents without committing the cash on the scent I may or may not like. I really like the size and the bottle has the same feel as the full size- just at a better price.

Ingredients: 

Water/Aqua/Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance/Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Laureth-7 Citrate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Polyquaternium-7, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Tocopherol, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Ppg-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Blue 1/Ci 42090, Caramel, Red 4/Ci 14700.*

Overall,  nice quality. The scent is nice...it just isn't for me.