blush

Glossier's Cloud Paint

August 15, 2020Beauty, Beauty Review, Cruelty-FreeKristenComment

The Clunkster Glossier Cloud Paint Puff.jpg

I have a very weird relationship with blush. I used to wear it a lot when I was a dancer, but I never fully understood what it did, other than help your face stand out on stage. I didn’t think it was something I needed to wear every day.

One night a few years ago, I mentioned to one of my makeup-savvy sorority sisters that I felt like I needed to redo my makeup before we went out, and she told me that I just needed a little blush to brighten up my face. She put some on me and it made so much of a difference. So, I bought some e.l.f. blush (which was one of my very first reviews on The Clunkster :’) ) and an angled brush to apply it. But I still never had much luck with it. I always felt like I looked like a clown.

I stopped wearing blush for a bit, but felt so washed out. I have very high, prominent cheekbones, so blush really does make a difference for me. But no matter what I did, I always ended up putting on too much or too little.

Then, I took a trip to the Glossier HQ in Manhattan and started playing with some of the Cloud Paint they had on display (this was pre-Corona). I really liked how it made my cheeks look lightly kissed by color, and how easy it was to apply. So, I bought a tube of Cloud Paint in Puff.

If you’re unfamiliar with Cloud Paint, it’s basically a tube of blush color, like, well, paint. You squeeze a bit out of the tube and lightly dab it on your cheeks. It gives me a lot more control over how much I’m applying. If I pick up too much, I can just wipe it off. Even if I end up putting too much on my face, I’m usually able to fix it with a tissue. Regardless, I usually swipe my cheeks with a clean blush brush to blend it just a bit more naturally.

The shade that I bought, Puff, is perfect for me. Since it’s summer and I’m wearing a lot less makeup, I’ll sometimes put on just a little bit of Cloud Paint on my cheeks and nose for a sunkissed look. It lasts throughout the day, and I don’t look like a clown!

Cloud Paint has quickly become one of my ride-or-die products, like Boy Brow and Milky Jelly. Trust me when I say that it’s worth the hype.

have a gay day!

June 25, 2019Outfit of the Day, StyleKristenComment

jacket. tank (similar). shorts. sneakers. sunglasses (get 25% off your order with my code CLUNKSTER25!). perfume.

concealer. foundation. blush. eyeshadow (from a Sephora Collection palette). mascara. lipstick. setting spray.

Hello, cutie patooties of all genders and sexualities! Happy last week of Pride Month! This year was the first time I attended a Gay Pride Parade, and I had SO much fun.

For the most part, I kept my outfit pretty basic. I wore my jean shorts and denim jacket (love a good Canadian tuxedo) with a basic black tank and Converse. I really went ham with my makeup! I’m bisexual, so I decorated my face with the colors of our flag. I used pink eyeshadow on my lids, lined my eyes with purple eyeshadow, and wore bright blue lipstick. I wore my hair in two half-up-half-down pigtails, which looked hella cute, but gave me a nasty scalp sunburn!

I know Pride is a time for us to run through the streets and be proud of who we are, but let’s not forget the people who fought to get us to where we are today, like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, and the people whose lives have been taken because we haven’t come far enough yet. Go for it, hug your gay friends, but take some time to educate yourself on our history today.

Did you do anything fun for Pride? Let me know in the comments!

Makeup Monday

August 14, 2017Cruelty-FreeKristenComment

When I first started using brushes to apply my makeup, I used to spritz some e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner on them whenever I was done. But one day, I ran out, and I never purchased it again, not because it was bad, just because I kind of forgot. And now that I think about it I haven't actually cleaned my brushes for about three months, which is disgusting. It may be the reason I've been breaking out a TON lately. So, I decided to try a product that I've had in my makeup bag for a while, but have never had the chance to try, e.l.f.'s Brush Shampoo.

Today, I cleaned my foundation brush, blush brush and concealer brush, which are all made by e.l.f. The directions on the bottle say to wash them in warm water and work a small amount of the shampoo from the base of the bristles up, and that's exactly what I did. Since the concealer brush is super small, I didn't really have a problem cleaning it, and my blush brush didn't seem to be that dirty.

My foundation brush was a whole other story. As I was washing it, caked up foundation started oozing out of it, which I figured was a good thing! But I was washing this brush for like ten minutes, and old makeup was still spilling out of it. I put it to the side and tried again, and it just kept coming. Now that all of my brushes are dry, I realized that the shampoo really didn't do anything for the foundation brush. When I fan out the bristles, I can still see my makeup in between them, and I get crap all over my fingers.

So to be honest, even though I love e.l.f.'s products, this one was definitely a disappointment for me. Maybe I'll see a bigger difference when I use my brushes to apply my makeup, but I'm kind of afraid to use my foundation brush now knowing that there's still so much stuff in it. I feel like I should just buy a new one. I'm extra disappointed because I used a shampoo made by e.l.f. on e.l.f. products, so I thought they would work really well together. I guess I was wrong.

Now that I've had this unfortunate wakeup call, I'm on the search to find a brush cleaner that actually works. I heard that coconut oil is a good one! At least this brush shampoo is cruelty-free, though. If you’re interested in going cruelty-free, check out PETA’s Searchable Database and Cruelty-Free Kitty’s alphabetized list of cruelty-free brands. If you have any cruelty-free recommendations, please comment them below!