Beauty Round-Up

Cruelty-Free

FOTD

TIPS | Long Lasting Eyeliner for the Holidays! ✎

Hey everyone! With the holiday season coming to an end soon, I thought that this post would be great for those who have trouble keeping eyeliner where it belongs--on your eyes! Keep reading to see my tips for long-lasting eyeliner!
TIPS | Long Lasting Eyeliner for the Holidays
Photo courtesy of BodyJewelleryShop.com


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REVIEW| Kat Von D Triple Threat Tattoo Liners

 These are the last eyeliners that I'm reviewing for the eyeliner series! The Kat Von D Tattoo Liners are some of the coolest liners I've tried yet and I am so glad to be reviewing them for you today!

[Review] Kat Von D Triple Threat Tattoo Liners

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EMPTIES | December 2013: Part 3 (Makeup, Skincare, and Bodycare)

Hello everyone! Here's another batch of products that I've gone through--finally! I hope you enjoy!
cetaphil cleanser, neutrogena moisture shine lip sheers. boots shea butter body butter, review and empties
Excuse the number 2....got confused as to which was which >.<


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FIRST IMPRESSIONS| TonyMoly Aqua Aura Cooling Cushion SPF50+ PA+++

Hey everyone! Today, I'm going to talk about the TonyMoly Aqua Aura Cooling Cushion SPF50+ PA+++! This was a popular product during the summer but I decided to give them a try during the winter season. I'm a bit contrary like that, but hey, better late than never!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS| TonyMoly Aqua Aura Cooling Cushion SPF50+ PA+++



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REVIEW| Bobbi Brown BB cream with Broad Spectrum SPF 35

Still on the fence about whether Bobbi Brown BB cream is worth the money? Read on to find out my thoughts!

REVIEW| Bobbi Brown BB cream with Broad Spectrum SPF 35
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RE-DISCOVERY | Covergirl Exact Eyelights Brightening Liner

Hey everyone! I love navy eyeliners for those days that my eyes look a little tired. I hear that blue can help to counteract all the red and brighten the whites of your eyes (AKA Sclera); even if it doesn't and all that is just myth, I still love it. It gives me a pop of color while being dark enough to define my eyes. I have the Covergirl Exact Eyelights Brightening Liner in Radiant Sapphire (710).

RE-DISCOVERY | Covergirl Exact Eyelights Brightening Liner in radiant sapphire


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REVIEW | Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday! I just want to thank y'all for coming to read my blog even though you should really be spending time with your families. :P If you couldn't gather from the title, this post is going to be about the Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Navy.

REVIEW | Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner


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HAUL + REVIEW | Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette and China Glaze Nail Polish ♡

HAUL + REVIEW | Naked 3 and China Glaze
 So this post has been promised for weeks now (Sorry!) but here it is! the long-anticipated Naked 3 palette is the latest addition to the Naked range. It is full of rose-y tones that'll suit most skin tones. I also picked up some China Glaze nail polishes that I think are perfect for the holiday season!


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FIRST IMPRESSIONS | bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser and Purely Nourishing Moisturizer

Hey everyone! Today, I have some new skincare products to talk to y'all about. I've been on the lookout for some new skincare products because the ones I have now seem to be ineffective at preventing me from getting clogged pores and other face woes. I received samples of the BareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser and Purely Nourishing Moisturizer before and am glad to try them out again!

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REVIEW | Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil

Hey everyone! Here's another addition to the eyeliner series. Today, I have the MakeupForever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil up on the chopping block. Let's see how well it performs!

REVIEW | Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil
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HEART TO HEART | Sorry That...

...there won't be any posts this week. I'm barely starting my finals and have a long way to go and so I won't have time to make my daily posts. I know the Naked 3 post is highly anticipated but I will have to postpone it to next week. I'll try making 2 posts every weekday next week to make up for the lack of posts this week. I'm sorry if that's disappointing but academics is my priority right now. I hope y'all will understand. If y'all are also going through finals week, good luck! We can get through this together!


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REVIEW | Etude House Sweet Recipe Chocolate Smudge Liner✎

Continuing with the eyeliner series, I have Etude House's Sweet Recipe Chocolate Smudge Liner here today! I got them when they first released and am ready to share my thoughts on these liners with you today. :)
REVIEW | Etude House Sweet Recipe Chocolate Smudge Liner✎
02 Milk Choco Brown (left) and 01 Dark Choco Brown (right)
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RE-DISCOVERY | Tarte Cashmere Waterproof Gliding Liner

Hey everyone! This post is all about Tarte's Cashmere Waterproof Gliding Liner. I got these in a Christmas set from QVC last year and am still using and loving them this year! I have 4 shades: Orchid, Black, Black Brown, and Bronze. 

RE-DSICOVERY | Tarte Cashmere Waterproof Gliding Liner in orchid, black, black brown, and bronze


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REVIEW | Stila Smudge Crayons

Hello! I bet y'all can guess what this post is--eyeliner! Today, I have Stila's Smudge Crayons, which come in a variety of 9 shades, ranging from light pink and cult-favorite Kitten to dark blue and black.

REVIEW | Stila Smudge Crayons

I'm really into dark eye looks for the colder months and these crayons from Stila are perfect as a primer, liner or eyeshadows. They are smooth and creamy, gliding onto the eyes beautifully. I have three of them: Black, Smoke, and Umber. These set quickly and stay put throughout the day. They come in a variety of finishes: matte, shimmer, and metallic. They have a sharpener at the bottom to sharpen the tip if they get dull after use, which is a nice touch.
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RE-DISCOVERY | Tarte emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner

Hey everyone! I'm doing a whole series dedicated to eyeliners for the month of December since it's one of my favorite products! I don't use it as much as I used to but doing this series is really making me start using them again! This post is dedicated to Tarte's emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liners. ♥

I have two of these in shades Shimmering Black Night and Shimmering Rich Chocolate. These are super creamy liners with great pigmentations and sparkle.The added sparkle is a great twist on the basic black and brown liners. The sparkles are multicolor and give your eyes a great sparkle for the holiday parties!

RE-DISCOVERY | Tarte emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner, shimmering black, shimmering chocolate


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EMPTIES | December 2013: Part 2 (Makeup, Skincare, Bodycare and Haircare)

I'm back for another round of Empties! So these have been sitting here for a while now so I decided to get a move on and write about them already!

REVIEW AND EMPTIES NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE EYE MAKE UP REMOVER, CETAPHIL OIL-CONTROL MOISTURIZER, BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO IN ORIGINAL, ELF MAKEUP CLOTHES, PONDS MAKEUP CLEANSING CLOTHS, COVERGIRL CLUMP CRUSHER MASCARA, ELF EYE PRIMER, MAYBELLINE HIGHLIGHTER CONCEALER, PALLADIO OIL BLOTTING PAPERS, ST IVES OATMEAL AND SHEA BUTTER SHOWER GEL

First up, I used up two packs of makeup wipes. I've been trying to stay away from using them often because they aren't good for the skin. They upset the balance of the skin' pH and do not clean up every last bit of makeup as well as a cleanser or cleansing oil does, luring users into a false sense of cleanliness. However, there are those days where I want nothing more than to sink into bed as soon as possible.

REVIEW AND EMPTIES NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE EYE MAKE UP REMOVER, CETAPHIL OIL-CONTROL MOISTURIZER, BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO IN ORIGINAL, ELF MAKEUP CLOTHES, PONDS MAKEUP CLEANSING CLOTHS, COVERGIRL CLUMP CRUSHER MASCARA, ELF EYE PRIMER, MAYBELLINE HIGHLIGHTER CONCEALER, PALLADIO OIL BLOTTING PAPERS, ST IVES OATMEAL AND SHEA BUTTER SHOWER GEL

I have the elf Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths. They come in a pack of 20 pre-moistened cloths, which is nice. I found that they weren't as wet as other that I have tried and didn't remove my waterproof mascara completely. I had to rub my eyes area multiple times to get some of it off. Frustrated, I would reach for my Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover, which I'll get to in a bit. I always wear waterproof mascara on days that I do wear makeup so my makeup remover has to be able to remove that along with the rest of my makeup. The Cleansing Cloths did not dry out my skin or leave it tight feeling but my face did feel slightly sticky afterwards but it wasn't uncomfortable. It's a similar feeling to glycerin on the face. The scent reminds me of the towelettes the waiters would give you to clean up your fingers after you had some crab or lobster at the restaurant. It was only $3 so I didn't regret it too much,
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

I also used up a travel sized Pond's Luminous Clean Wet Cleansing Towelettes. It came free with the full-sized pack I bought a while ago. I had been saving this for whenever I traveled somewhere and didn't wan to carry a bulky pack but I was in a bind when I ran out of my usual face makeup remover. Again, this did not remove my waterproof mascara at all and I had to really rub my eye to remove the waterproof eyeliner. It is textured which is great for getting light makeup off. I also used the unused areas to spot clean my eye makeup brushes and it did remove the shadows and gel liner. I don't recommend it to those who oppose fragrance being in their products as these do have quite a strong scent.
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

REVIEW AND EMPTIES NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE EYE MAKE UP REMOVER, CETAPHIL OIL-CONTROL MOISTURIZER, BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO IN ORIGINAL, ELF MAKEUP CLOTHES, PONDS MAKEUP CLEANSING CLOTHS, COVERGIRL CLUMP CRUSHER MASCARA, ELF EYE PRIMER, MAYBELLINE HIGHLIGHTER CONCEALER, PALLADIO OIL BLOTTING PAPERS, ST IVES OATMEAL AND SHEA BUTTER SHOWER GEL

I don't know how many bottles I've used over the years but I have another Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. I keep going back to this after I've tried others because it does the job well with minimal rubbing. I just soak a cotton round in it and gently press it to my eye for 30 seconds, rubbing very slightly to loosen the mascara. When I remove the cotton pad, mostly everything is gone and I touch up with a cotton swab to remove the leftover mascara and eyeliner. I love how it comes in the big 5.5 oz size (152 mL) now. Unfortunately, the cap came off of a 2oz travel-sized bottle I was using the time I flew home and it leaked all over my clothes. I was pretty sure I had closed it very tightly because I always check the caps of all my products so the airline must've forgotten to replace it when they opened it up to check what was inside. So technically, I didn't use up the entire thing but it is now all used up!
Bottom Line: I will be repurchasing after I finish the one by L'Oreal.

I used up another pack of cotton rounds by Studio 35, the generic brand sold by Walgreens. The come in a pack of 80 and are textured. I'm not really sure what else I can say other than that I use them for applying my toner, removing my eye makeup and my nail polish. I got it in a three pack so I have one other pack waiting. I have already opened up the second pack and am down to about half >.<
Bottom Line: I will be repurchasing it!

REVIEW AND EMPTIES NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE EYE MAKE UP REMOVER, CETAPHIL OIL-CONTROL MOISTURIZER, BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO IN ORIGINAL, ELF MAKEUP CLOTHES, PONDS MAKEUP CLEANSING CLOTHS, COVERGIRL CLUMP CRUSHER MASCARA, ELF EYE PRIMER, MAYBELLINE HIGHLIGHTER CONCEALER, PALLADIO OIL BLOTTING PAPERS, ST IVES OATMEAL AND SHEA BUTTER SHOWER GEL

I had the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in shade Medium for quite a while. It was the first eye concealer I had ever tried and it made such a difference in my under eye circles, brightening my entire face. I stopped using it for a while for some odd reason. Recently, I picked it up again and found that it didn't dispense product anymore. You can read more of my struggle here. Needless to say, I fell back in love with it and now it's gone. (╥﹏╥)
Bottom Line: I will definitely be repurchasing it! ♡

Next up, I have the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Beige. After the success I had with the Maybelline Rewind Concealer, I was very excited to try this out. However, this concealer has such a strong pink undertone that when I applied it underneath my eyes, it made my eyes look swollen and weird. I tried using it to cover my blemishes and that looked a little bit better, but you could still tell that it didn't match my skin tone. I dislike the brush tip applicator so I dispensed it into a plastic container. I don't know what to do with the rest of it so it's kind of just sitting there. So this isn't technically an empty but yeah...
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing it.

Since we're on the topic of eyes, I'm going to jump right into the elf Essentials Eyelid Primer in Sheer. This was the first eyelid primer I had ever tried and thought it was a miracle! It made my eyeshadow look vibrant and prolonged the lasting power of my eye makeup. However, I was not entirely satisfied with it. I have very oily eyelids and have a hard time with my eye makeup staying put. By the end of the day, I would have mascara smudges on my lower lash line and eyeshadow creasing and other makeup woes. I have tried many other eye primers by this stage and love those a lot more! If you don't have oily eyelids like I do, this is a great cheaper alternative to those by Too Faced or Urban Decay.
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing it.

I have yet another mascara for y'all. This is the one makeup product that I consistently run out of very quickly. I do use one at a time so that also explains why it goes out so quickly. I have nothing but good things to say about the Covergirl Clump Crusher Water-Resistant Mascara. It does smudge very slightly underneath my eyes at the end of the day but it's nothing compared to others that I've tried. This is one of my holy grail mascaras and I have a full review of it here on my blog!
Bottom Line: I have already repurchased it and will continue to purchase until they discontinue!

This is another holy grail product of mine. The Palladio Rice Paper Oil-Absorbing Sheets in Translucent and Warm Beige are amazing! They absorb all of my oil with just one sheet and leave my face a natural matte finish for at least two hours without any other kind of oil control product. I love them for no makeup days because I don't have to carry around a brush and powder to control my oil anymore! They are bigger than those I've used from other brands ye packaged in a nice, small container. Sometimes, they tear if you pull too roughly or two sheets come out instead of one, but even these little snafus wouldn't stop me from loving them! The outer packaging is also pretty cute and I always get questions when I pull these out of my bag. I think I prefer the Warm Beige sheets over the Translucent because I find that it does better at leaving my face matte but the Translucent doesn't make my face look orange. It isn't that noticeable but when I stand under harsh lighting, my face becomes a different color and that doesn't happen with the Translucent shade. These come in a variety of three shades: Translucent, Natural, and Beige. If you want to find out more, I have a full review of these Rice Papers on my blog here. You can find it on the Palladio site for $4, Sally Beauty for $2.99 or at Ulta for $3.99.
Bottom Line: I have repurchased in Translucent and will continue to do so! I might try out Natural next since Warm Beige made my face look darker than my neck.


REVIEW AND EMPTIES NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE EYE MAKE UP REMOVER, CETAPHIL OIL-CONTROL MOISTURIZER, BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO IN ORIGINAL, ELF MAKEUP CLOTHES, PONDS MAKEUP CLEANSING CLOTHS, COVERGIRL CLUMP CRUSHER MASCARA, ELF EYE PRIMER, MAYBELLINE HIGHLIGHTER CONCEALER, PALLADIO OIL BLOTTING PAPERS, ST IVES OATMEAL AND SHEA BUTTER SHOWER GEL

I finally finished my Cetaphil Oil Control Moisturizer. It has a great SPF 30, is lightweight, and formulated for acne-prone skin. I noticed that it didn't cause any blemishes while I was using it but it certainly didn't improve my skin condition. I love how it's in a pump bottle because it is easy to dispense product and keep it sanitary. It also lasted a long time--about a year for me with daily use. This moisturizer contains 4 oz (118 mL). It got hard to pump out the product when I got to the last inch so I poured out as much as I could into small plastic container and used it up that way. I couldn't get all of it out and I couldn't cut the bottle open because the plastic is so durable and strong (which is good for traveling!) so I still have a very tiny bit left. When I turned the bottle upside down to let gravity do its work, it moved the product to the bottom (which is the top) but when I unscrewed the top, it all poured out like a waterfall so I don't recommend doing that. The formula is on the watery side which makes it easy to spread evenly across the face and neck. I like how it has the expiration date printed on the bottle so it makes it easier for me to keep track of it. My only problems with this product is that it made my face even oilier after application. It didn't do anything for oil control on my face. It also had a really weird scent that disappeared after a while (or maybe I got used to it). If you buy it, know that it might not control your oil very well but in terms of SPF, it's phenomenal for a drugstore brand! I do have a product smackdown on it here on the blog if you wanted to know more!
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing it.

I have loved St. Ives since high school and was so excited when I found the St Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Moisturizing Body Wash. I love the scent as it is warm and inviting. It isn't moisturizing (but I haven't encountered a body wash that was O_O) but it didn't dry out my skin like the Bath &Body Works shower gels do. It doesn't contain parabens or phthalates but does contain sodium laureth sulfate and fragrance, which are irritants. If you want to know more, here's a website that'll hopefully answer your questions. I'm still on the lookout for body washes without SLS or SLES so if you know of any, let me know!
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

I think this is the second Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original that I've run out of and I'm also out of the Blush scent (not depicted). I love this dry shampoo! This is the third brand I've tried after using SexyHair and Tres Semme, which didn't give me the effect I desired. This gives me the look of naturally clean hair that I can still run my fingers thorough. It doesn't over dry my hair and gives it slight volume. There's no white cast and it absorbs oil very quickly. I think this will be the only brand I will ever use! The only con is that the scents are not my favorites. I could tolerate the Original scent--I got used to it over time and it sorta smells like lemon sherbert. It isn't too strong of a scent. The Blush scent is pretty bad, reminiscent of this carpet cleaner my mom used to use at home. To be more accurate, it smells like a heavy rose, old lady perfume, which isn't what I want my hair to be smelling like. It's also a very strong scent so I don't like it at all. I am almost out of it, thank goodness. You can buy it here!
Bottom Line: While I love the formula, I'm not particularly fond of the scents. I have repurchased the Original but I am kind of sick of the scent. The Blush is definitely a no-repurchase. I have Paisley and Cherry on its way. I am interested in trying the Refresh and Wild scent if I don't like Paisley or Cherry.

Lastly, I used up a travel size Head & Shoulders Shampoo in Classic Clean. I've been using Head & Shoulders shampoo for three+ years now. It didn't do much in terms of controlling my dandruff but it did leave my hair very clean. I think it dries out my hair too much, making it tangled, frizzy, and static-y. I am reusing the bottle for my bigger sized shampoo. Decanting it into the smaller bottle makes it easier to carry into the shower. I have a family size one in Eucalyptus but once I finish that, I think I'll look for a better option for my hair.
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

And that's a wrap, folks! I hope y'all enjoyed this post. I hope it helps y'all decide whether or not you need these products or not. Talk to you soon in my next post!
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥

XOXO,
MWAH ♡

MWAH Musings♥
  • I've been doing my Christmas shopping for the past two days--I still need gifts for three more people >.<
  • My friends and I are doing White Elephant and I'm really excited for it!
  • I have two final papers due (technically 3) and I haven't even started on them yet!
 •´`•.¸.» •´`•.¸.» ¸¸.•´°•´`•.¸.» •´`•.¸.» ¸¸.•´°•´`•.¸.» •´`•.¸.» ¸¸.•´°•´`•.¸.» •´`•.¸.» ¸¸.•´°•´`•.¸.» ¸¸.•´°•´`•.¸.» •´`•.¸.» ¸¸.•´°



Disclosure Statement: All products mentioned were purchased with my own money. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above and was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Links are not affiliate links and are provided for the readers' convenience. Products marked with an asterisk (*) were either given to me as a sample or gift with purchase or given to me by my friends and family.


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REVIEW | Covergirl Ink It! Eyeliner

Today's post is about Covergirl's Ink It! Eyeliner. It was released some time last summer. This liner claims to glide on smoothly and easily without skipping, dragging, or pulling while lasting all day. Ink It! comes in 6 colors: Black Ink, Charcoal Ink, Cocoa Ink, Silver Ink, Gold Ink, and Aquamarine Ink.
REVIEW | Covergirl Ink It! Eyeliner
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REVIEW | YesToGrapefruit Dark Spot Correcting Body Creme

Hey everyone! Today's post is all about the YesToGrapefruit Dark Spot Correcting Body Creme. It promises to help diminish the appearance of dark spots and make skin feel firmer, more resilient, softer, and smoother.


REVIEW | YesToGrapefruit Dark Spot Correcting Body Creme
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RE-DISCOVERY | Maybelline Master Drama Eyeliner

Eyeliners were really hard for me. It was difficult to make an even line and getting them not to smudge or smear everywhere because of my hooded eyelids. Upon discovering the Maybelline Master Drama Eyeliners changed my (makeup) life!

[Re-Discovery] Maybelline Master Drama Eyeliner REVIEW


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REVIEW| Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

Having acne prone skin, I have suffered from hyperpigmentation scars for a very long time. Nothing I did seemed to lighten them. Hearing about the Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector piqued my interest. I have used it since January and am now ready to share my results with you!

REVIEW| Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
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REVIEW | Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15

Hello Everyone! Even though it's well into the autumn season, my skin still produces so much oil >.< If someone could just tell my skin to calm down and just be normal, that would be great. In the meantime, I've been using the Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 in an attempt to control my oiliness!

[Review] Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15

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RE-DISCOVERY | Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer

[Re-Discovery] Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer
So if it wasn't apparent in the title or with the picture, this post is dedicated to the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer! I'm a huge concealer junkie and was immediately intrigued when I heard about this.


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