Friday Finds + Iluminate Essentials Giveaway

Update: congrats to Tabitha W. for winning this giveaway.

Aw lordy lordy, this week has been a crazy one for me. Hence the lack of blogs from me this week and posting this blog at a ridiculously late time Friday night. But it’s all good in the hood — it’s better to post at 11:30pm est than not to post at all, right? Today’s post is all about make-up (and one additional “skin prep” item). And of course in keeping with #FridayFinds tradition, there will be a giveaway at the end of the rainbow. So here we goooooooo…

Actually, before we move on to my fave list, the rubes at FTC requires me to let you know that there may be affiliate links below. Also the items below are gifted to me unless stated otherwise.

1. Elizavecca Hell-Pore Clean Up Mask
There are two “peel off” K-beauty trend that I’ve been wanting to try. One is the semi-permanent lipstick and the other is the blackhead remover mask. I’m not sure if I have the patience to leave the lip gel on and not talk or move my lips for 15-minutes. But I can probably stand to have the blackhead remover mask sit on my nose for that long. So when I saw the Elizavecca Hell-Pore Clean Up Mask while shopping in SoHo, I knew I had to snag it. Aside from wanting to try the product, how can I pass on up the packaging. It’s just so gosh dang cute. The Koreans definitely know what’s up when it comes to package design. I sometimes have trouble with the pore-strips as it doesnt get on the nook and cranny of the side of my nose, so I was really excited to try this. What’s the verdict? For pain level, peeling it off hurts about as peeling pore-strips would. I’m not seeing results as well as those crazy YouTube videos of the homemade Elmer glue one one, but I would say it works pretty well. Maybe next, I need to try to make my own.

2. Bare Minerals barePro
As a blogger, one of the ways I gauge how good a product is, is by whether or not I re-buy the product with my own money. Well I not only re-bought the product, I got three more before I even ran out of the freebie I got one to keep in the office, one for my gym kit, and one for my travel kit. I’ve been a fan of Bare Minerals from the beginning, back when you see them on infomercials late at night (repeat after me: swirl tap and buff). I love their powders, but not gonna lie, they can make a mess sometimes. Raise your hands if you’ve ever had it spill in your bag (me, me, me). So when I heard they were making a pressed powder, I was ecstatic. These babies provide great coverage and work just as well as the O.G. powder, but without the mess.

3. e.l.f. Cosmetics Intense Ink Eyeliner
Cat eye is 100% my go to look, so trust me when I say I have gone through A LOT of liquid eyeliner. I’ve tried every kind there is out there, from the skinny pencil one, to the one that has a tip that looks like a highlighter (which by the way sucks). After I search high and low, I think I’ve finally found my favorite in e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Intense Ink Eyeliner. The shape of the pen is thick enough to be handled easily (can you say ergonomic), and what’s most important it has a no fuss pen tip that has the perfect hardness/softness level. Even better, it only cost $3! SAY WHAAAAAT?!?

4. e.l.f. Cosmetics Highlighting Dewy Drops
We’ve got two items from e.l.f. Cosmetics that’s making it on the list today. I’ve recently gotten into highlighting and my experience with it can be summed up pretty well with this video. JEEBUS, I FRIGGIN LOVE IT! I also find that the dewy drops is a lot safer than the powdered kind, as it’s nearly impossible to put on too much.

4. Iluminate Essentials 4pc Rose Gold Oval Make-up Brushes
I’ve been seeing these “funky” shaped brushes all over the internet. They look more like hair brushes than make-up brushes. Just the shape alone makes me want to try them. Then fate intervened when I got an email from Iluminate Essentials, asking if I wanted to try their 4pc Rose Gold Oval Make-up Brushes. Of course I said hell yeah. These brushes are sooooooo soft. And the shape makes them easier to handle than a regular make up brush. Want to try it to believe it? Well you’re in luck because I’m giving away a set to one lucky reader.

Now time for the giveaway!

All task entry below is optional; do as many as you like. The more entry you complete, the higher your chances are to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Not so little fine prints:

• No purchase necessary. A purchase does not improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited.
• Entrant must be 18 years old as of sweepstakes start date and a legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia as of start date.
• Sweepstakes begins Friday, June 2, 2017, at 12:00 a.m. EST, and closes on Saturday, June 17, 2017, at 12:00 a.m. EST.
• Each entrant selected as a potential winner must comply with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all such requirements. Winners will be selected by random drawing. If a potential winner cannot be contacted within fourteen (14) days after the first attempt to contact such potential winner, an alternate entrant will be selected in his or her place from all entries received.