Beauty, Beauty on a Budget, High End Brands, Makeup, Mid-Range Brands, Skin

You didn’t think I forgot about showing you day 2 of Ipsy’s Gen Beauty NY? I wouldn’t do you like that, girl! It’s been a busy week trying to catch up on some much needed rest after spending the weekend in the city that never sleeps. But my tired body is finally coming around and recuperating from all the excitement Gen Beauty had to offer. The first day was pretty insane and incredibly overwhelming considering it was my only my second time going. Not to mention braving all those large crowds and massive brands on my own. Gen Beauty was still a magical experience though that may have initially left me drained but ultimately inspired.

You guys have no idea how much I’d love to spend every waking moment creating new content, looks and (in the future!) videos to share with my all time favorite people. There’s nothing in the world more inspiring and motivating than knowing that there’s other makeup junkies and divas who appreciate and can relate to my passion for beauty.

If I could, I would bring each and every one of you along the way with me so we could chat, vibe and explore a ton of new makeup, hair and skincare goodies together. Unfortunately, I don’t have that kinda pull just yet. But it’s coming boo! In the meantime, I’ll just give you all the deets on the new products I received throughout day 2 of Gen Beauty. Which I’ll be trying and sharing with you very soon. So let’s get started shall we?

All of the goodies I received during Gen Beauty were amazing but if I had to choose which day went better I’d say day 2 hands down. The first day was amazing but the second day I was a little more prepared and gave myself more time (and sleep) so I could explore more brands and chat with many more people. Not to mention, the goodies were pretty bomb the second go around. I received a lot of nice skincare goodies during the second day that I’m just itching to try including:

• Leaders 7 Wonders Amazonian Acai Anti-Pollution Mask
• Pur-Lisse Blue Lotus + Seaweed Treatment Sheet Mask
• Josie Maran Argan Balm
• Befine Skincare Samples
• Skinfix Foaming Oil Cleanser 
• Make Beauty Dual Phase Eye Makeup Remover
• Derma E Overnight Peel
• Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub

Now that I’m getting more into skincare, I have a ton of to try these days but I’ve already managed to crack open a least one Gen Beauty goody so far. As you probably know by now, I swear by the double cleansing method to thoroughly remove all of my makeup at the end of the day. I talk about double cleansing all the time because it’s incredibly effective and really helps to keep my complexion clear and blemish free. However, reaching for 2 cleansers can be a bit daunting on nights that I’m too tired to uphold an entire skincare routine. So I decided to crack open the Skinfix Foaming Oil Cleanser and see if it could double cleanse on its own. And it did! So far, I’m very impressed with the Skinfix Foaming Oil Cleanser. It has a lightweight, creamy gel texture that can be smoothed over skin dry to remove makeup and then lightly foams when you add water. I’ve used it with my hands and my trusty Clinique Sonic Brush with great results both times. My skin felt super clean and my makeup was completely gone. No eyeliner hanging around or left over lash adhesive sticking my cheeks. Skinfix did a pretty good job! I’m already looking forward to trying the sheet masks next!

There was a lot of variety at Gen Beauty NY including skincare, hair products and makeup. I loved that I was able to get a good dose of skincare knowledge and goodies but I was definitely happy to see all of the makeup. Mama loves makeup! There was an abundance of great brands in attendance like It Cosmetics, Pixi, Tarte, Too Faced and more. I was probably the most excited to check out some of my favorite brands like Milani, Too Faced and Tarte but it was nice to get a chance to explore different brands like Jouer, Essence and Doucce. I’ll definitely be exploring a lot of new makeup over the next few months including:

• It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara
• Pop Beauty Inky Purple Kajal Pen
• Elf Cruisin’ Chic Smudge Pot Cream Eyeshadow
• Essence 05 Chocolates All About Nudes Eyeshadow Palette
• Pixi Smoky Purple Lid and Line Eyeliner
• Pixi Medium Endless Brow Gel Pen
• Doucce 45 Lauren Freematic Eyeshadow
• Jouer Almond Eyeshadow
• Essence Forbidden Volume Macara
• Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara

I’ve already tried the It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara and absolutely loved it so I was bouncing off the walls to receive another deluxe mini that can hold me over until I purchase the full size. If you love long, luscious lashes with nice volume then you definitely need try Superhero! I don’t necessarily need more mascara but a girl’s gotta have options so I welcome the Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara and Essence Forbidden Volume Mascara with open arms. Who knows? They could end up being the holy grail mascara I’ve been searching for.

Besides the mascaras, I was really excited to try some of the other eye goodies I received. I’ve never tried any Essence eyeshadows just yet but I was rather impressed when I swatched the Chocolates All About Nudes Palette. It’s a mostly shimmer palette that’ll work well for most skintones that’s moderately pigmented and quite pretty. I have a feeling that I’m going to love it once I pair it with a good primer. I was also really impressed with the quality of Jouer’s Almond Eyeshadow and Doucce’s 45 Lauren Freematic Eyeshadow. Both were pretty pigmented and smooth and I really like the colors. Almond is a soft everyday creamy taupe with a teeny bit of shimmer that’ll work great as an all over lid shade. While Lauren, has a nice touch of shimmer and a bit more pigment that I think would make for one gorgeous smokey eye for fall.

It’s not a party without lipstick and gloss! Day 2 brought a handful of nice lippies along for the ride and I’m actually loving them all. The lip goodies included:

• Doucce 765 Gloss Wear Lip Gloss
• Elf In the Nude Moisturizing Lipstick
• Make Beauty Magnolia Silk Satin Lipstick
• Essence Golden Gates Mini Lip Gloss Set

I’ve said it a million times and I’ll probably say it a million more but I do not care for red lips. LOL! I don’t know what it is about red lipsticks and glosses but I’m rarely a fan. At first sight, the Doucce 765 Lip Gloss just seemed too red for me in the tube but I was kinda digging it after swatching it. I don’t normally do bright reds but the pigmentation was so unbelievably insane and the formula was so creamy and buttery that I’m actually looking forward to trying it. With a vampy lip liner to tone it down though, of course. I was also blown away with how smooth and creamy the Make Beauty Magnolia Lipstick and Essence Lip Glosses turned out to be. The Make Beauty Lipstick has a very soft, creamy texture and the Essence Glosses feel surprisingly very good on the lips without feeling sticky or heavy. I think I’m going to like these a lot!

There were a few more face goodies in my first goody bag but the quality of the second round was pretty darn impressive. I had to wait in some pretty long lines to get a chance to try some of these beauties and chat it up with the brand reps. But it was well worth it! I ended up receiving:

• Too Faced Born This Way Concealer in Dark
• Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
• Jouer Poppy Tint
• Jouer Crystal Creme Highighter

I’ve tried the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer a couple times and I thought it was pretty decent. I’m curious to see how I like it now and see how it pairs with my new Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick. I have a feeling it could be an addicting dynamic duo that I’m going to love. I was super ecstatic to finally get my hands on the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer because I absolutely love the foundation and I’ve been waiting forever to receive it as gratis from work. I’ve tried the Born This Way Concealer on quite a few guests at work and it always looks flawless, radiant and natural so I’ve been dying to see how I like it and how it’ll pair with my Born This Way Foundation. I also got a big kick out of the Jouer minis because they looked absolutely beautiful on brown skin and I could see them actually lasting for a while despite their tiny size. The Poppy Tint is right my alley as I love orange toned blushes to give me a soft natural flush. The Crystal Creme Highlighter is a little more out of the box for me as it’s a pale lilac highlighter but I have a feeling that it’s going to work beautifully on the cheeks, eyes and lips to have me glowing all over. I can’t wait to create a look with it!

I didn’t get a chance to check out too many hair brands this time around but I managed to hit Eva NYC since I’ve been hearing such good things about their products. Especially the masks. My hair is super dry and always in need of a little TLC so I’m always on the lookout for some good moisturizing products. I received 2 minis including:

• Therapy Session Hair Mask
• Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner

I live for a good mask so I’m dying to try the Therapy Session Hair Mask when I wash my hair this weekend. I’m also super curious to see how I’ll like the dry conditioner. I’m a leave-in conditioner junkie because I like the extra moisture boost it gives my hair and the fact that most are lightweight enough for everyday use. On the rare occasion that I straighten my hair, I’m a little leery to use leave in conditioner because it can be a little too emollient and cause some sections to revert if I’m not careful. I think the dry conditioner may be the solution I’ve been looking for. Time will tell!

I also received an Essence I Heart Trends Nail Polish in Nude Sweet Nude that’s quite pretty. It’s a shimmering bronzy rose gold that’s perfect for fall and has a nice flair to it. I don’t normally wear this kind of color but I’m curious to try it and see how it looks. I think the shimmer will make it a great accent nail color for a matte nude mani. Or even a beautiful nude mani on its own. Either way, I think it’s going to look nice against my brown skin.

Last but certainly not least, I received a couple brushes and some compact mirrors that will definitely come in handy. I’ve lost times how many times I’ve awkwardly pulled out my phone and opened Snapchat or my Camera to use as mirror when I’m trying to apply my lipstick (or falsies) on the go. A girl can never have too many mirrors so I appreciate Peek and Style Code for tossing one in for me to keep one in my purse and work bag. Super convenient!

I was also very happy to finally get a chance to try a Luxie Brush considering that they receive so many great reviews these days. I scored the 522 Tapered Highlighter Brush that’s incredibly soft, fluffy and dense. I think it’ll make a wonderful highlighting brush for applying highlighter on the cheeks and down the bridge of the nose or setting under eye concealer. Essence also tossed in their Smokey Eye Brush which was perfect because I’ve been smudging out my bottom lid these days with different eyeshadows and I can never have enough brushes on hand to give me that perfectly smoked effect. Essence has really surprised me with their products because they seem really great for the price. The Smokey Eye Brush is actually quite soft and not too flimsy so I can see it working well to really blend and smoke shadows. I can’t wait to share my full review with you!

Pixi Medium Endless Brow Pen, Pop Beauty Inky Purple Kajal Pen, Pixi Smoky Purple Lid and Line Eyeliner, Elf Cruisin’ Chic Smudge Pot Cream Eyeshadow, Doucce 45 Lauren Freematic Eyeshadow and Jouer Almond Eyeshadow

Essence Chocolates All About Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Doucce 765 Gloss Wear Lip Gloss, Elf In the Nude Moisturizing Lipstick, Make Beauty Magnolia Silk Satin Lipstick and Essence Golden Gates Mini Lip Gloss Set

Jouer Crystal Creme Highlighter, Jouer Poppy Tint and Too Faced Dark Born This Way Concealer