First Look

Trying Something New: Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes

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Recently, my husband and I got a Costco membership. Generally speaking, toiletries don’t tend to be the best values there (but I’m fine with buying things there for the convenience). It’s also fairly common knowledge that the in-house Kirkland Signature brand is pretty good quality, and items under that brand are often manufactured by major labels. Although I’m satisfied with the makeup removing wipes I’ve been using, I decided to try Costco’s Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes. So I decided to drop $11.99 for a box of 150.

Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes
Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes, $11.99, Costco

The 150 are broken down into six smaller packages as follows:

  • Four 30-count plastic pouches with flip-top lids
  • Two 15-count plastic pouches with resealable sticker lids

When you consider that I’ve been playing roughly $5 (though I do usually have a coupon) for 25 of the Simple branded wipes, and $4-5 for thirty of the Ponds ones, 2-3x as much for 5-6x the product is a great value; a no brainer if they work and don’t break me out.

The caveat, of course, of bulk buying is that it’s a pretty big commitment. I tend to use one wipe per day I wear makeup (which is not every day); if I wear it 5 out of 7 days in a week, it will take me upwards thirty weeks to get through these. Even if I don’t love them, as long as they don’t break me out I will use them up so I’m not wasting product.

I haven’t broken into them yet, but plan to this week. After I’ve had some time to assess their quality and performance, I’ll report back with a review.

Do you have any experience with Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes or other Kirkland Signature beauty products?

Urban Decay Vice 4

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If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I really enjoy Urban Decay. They’re produce reliable, quality products; I’ve never feared that I made a poor investment when I bought one of their products.

Despite their edgy presentation, they created a (wonderful) monster when they released the Naked palette (of neutrals that, ‘everywoman,’ can feel comfortable with) all those years ago. They’ve not only released four full, “sequel,” palettes…they’ve created an entire product line based on the success of that palette. They’ve been the inspiration for hundreds of dupes – damn near every brand has some sort of 10+ shade neutrals palette now. Admittedly, I was disappointed with the release of Naked Smoky; it just isn’t unique enough to stand on its own and be worth $54 (unless you’re just starting out and don’t own other similar shades already).

They also have their mega-palettes, the Vice line. So far, there’s Vice, Vice 2, Vice 3, and Vice LTD.

Five days ago, Urban Decay shared this…

and Wende Zomnir posted this…

A photo posted by Wende Zomnir (@udwende) on

Urban Decay Vice 4 Swatches

The timing isn’t inappropriate; LORAC just announced their mega palette (more on that next week) for this holiday season, but my point is…

Why?

The colors are not remarkably different from the previous iterations of Vice – just like my complaints about Vice LTD. Vice 4 will be the fifth Vice palette from Urban Decay and I just can’t help but think we’re beating a dead horse with these considering their contents are so similar

What are your thoughts on Vice 4? Props to them on the packaging (as always), but that isn’t enough.

First Look: Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation

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My sincere journey into makeup started with the classic bareMinerals by bareEscentuals (ancient post linked). At the time, I wasn’t wowed by the product, but I wasn’t dissatisfied, either. I used up my pot and did not repurchase.

Prior to that, half-assed attempts at evening out my complexion when it could use a little help were met with Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder. I haven’t used it since I started, “sincerely,” using cosmetics, but it is a good product (unless they’ve changed the formula sneakily; I don’t think they have).

At some point, I was curious about Urban Decay’s Surreal Skin loose foundation (long since discontinued), but I never got to check it out because there wasn’t an Urban Decay counter nearby and there was a dearth of Sephora and Ulta locations in my vicinity at the time.

So, what’s the common factor here? Powder. My early forays into makeup were solely about ease-of-use (even if it meant the color match wasn’t quite right, or that it didn’t wear super well). Not that I feel liquid or cream foundation difficult to use…they just take slightly more effort to blend in, usually. A few months back I went to an Urban Decay event at Sephora with a friend; there, they slapped their new Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation on me. I liked it, but wasn’t in the market at the time.

Naked Skin Ultra Definition - First Look - BoxNaked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation

A dear friend asked for some suggestions on something to help even her out, was lightweight, simple to use, etc. My experience with bareMinerals ended up being that it oxidized quite quickly on me – and other users report the same results, so I am hesitant to recommend it to anyone with more than a modicum of oil in their skin. Based on my experience with the Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder, I included that in my suggestions to her.

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Foreo Moda

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Following up Friday’s first look at the Issa is another Foreo post! The makers of the Issa toothbrush and Luna face contraption) emailed me two months ago(ish) about their newest device concept – the Moda. To jam it into a single sentence? The Foreo Moda is 3D printing meets airbrush makeup application in a single, consumer-use device.

Foreo Moda

That’s right. I squealed with delight when I read it because it is really freaking cool. If you’ve been around a while, you know I love the intersection at which beauty and technology meet. ColorIQ is such an amazing idea (even if it does have room for improvement), and it is so cool to see the worlds intermixing.

The Foreo Moda can apply a full face in three stages (primer, foundation, color) in approximately thirty seconds. THIRTY. Mind – blown.

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First Look: Foreo Issa Mini

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So, this happened…

Foreo Issa Mini - Packaging

We bought it.

I went for it during Sephora Love Note (their Spring sale) promotion, and that’s what earned me VIB (for the first time ever!).

Given that the regular Foreo Issa is usually $199, we opted for the Issa Mini (regularly $119) to save $70+ after the discount. The Issa Mini is set apart by the Issa in a few ways. It has:

  • A shorter handle
  • A smaller head (though they are interchangeable!)
  • Different Colors
  • Is geared towards kids

Speaking of kids, here’s how they make it fun: the brush rewards the user with a happy face when they have brushed adequately, and expressing disappointment with a sad face if too much time since brushing has elapsed. Despite having a smaller brush head, it isn’t too small for an adult to effectively use.

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First Look: Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Line

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If you’ve been reading for a while, you may already know that I’m still hunting for the shampoo and conditioner.

I used to have an obsession with Pantene Ice Shine (before it was discontinued and brought back with a different formula); but more recently, I’ve tried tried two flavors of Tigi products, tried a Suave option, tried Nexxus, tried a Neutrogena option. Most-recently been using a 39oz each duo of Tresemme’s Moisture Rich Shampoo and Conditioner.

I don’t hate the Tresemme products I was using. They aren’t really causing my hair to act up…but they aren’t really doing anything nice for it, either. I’ve also been seeing some light dandruff on occasion, something I never used to deal with – I’m not sure whether or not to attribute this to the Tresemme, but it certainly isn’t making me eager to repurchase.

I am now nearing the end of those monstrous bottles, so I decided to take advantage of a coupon for Dove haircare and give it a shot since it has been many, many years since I’ve used Dove hair products (love the classic bar soap, though).

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

Holly Ann AeRee routinely raves about Dove’s Advanced Hair Series Pure Care Dry Oil on YouTube – since I didn’t have anything in mind, I decided to give it a shot.

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