Flower Beauty Shimmer & Strobe Highlighting Palette Review

  
I've been a fan of Drew Barrymore's makeup line Flower Beauty for a while now, but the new Spring 2017 collection has taken me straight from like to looove in one fell swoop. They are stepping up their game in a major way and kudos to Drew for creating affordable makeup that performs like high-end! I recently reviewed the new Flower Pots blushes (see that post here) so today I wanted to talk about the new Shimmer & Strobe Highlighting Palette ($12.98). It's an amazing quality palette at such an inexpensive price.

Let's take a look!

Flower Beauty Flower Pots Blush Review & Swatches

Flower Beauty has just released several new products for Spring 2017 and I went on a major haul yesterday at Walmart (see everything I got here). One of the first things that caught my eye was the Flower Pots Blush ($8.98 each). They reminded me of the Milani Rose blushes as soon as I saw them so I couldn't wait to come home and compare them! Let's take a look...

Flower Beauty Miracle Matte Finishing Powder Review

I've had really dry skin my entire life so I've always avoided finishing powders. Foundation sticks well to my skin and I don't get shiny at all throughout the day, so I just never felt the need for it. Then when I hit my mid-thirties, I noticed that the texture of my skin isn't as smooth as it used to be...I now have little lines and visible pores that give my skin a rougher appearance.

I wasn't expecting to like the Flower Beauty Miracle Matte Translucent Finishing Powder ($9.98 at Walmart) but it definitely surprised me!

Unlike traditional powders that use talc, this one is 100% silica. If you're not familiar with silica, it's a mineral that's very lightweight and has the ability to absorb things (oil, sebum) like a sponge (several times its weight and size). Silica particles are also round-shaped so they don't lie flat and stick together like talc does. That means no dry cakey appearance! It feels completely weightless and just seems to float on top of the skin without settling into fine lines and pores...in fact, it diffuses their appearance.

The first time I dusted this powder over my face I knew I was going to love it. It gave my skin a perfect, smooth finish without clinging to dry patches...it was completely invisible. I don't need it for the oil absorbing properties, but if you're oily I think you'll love that about it too.

The only con to using a 100% silica powder is "flashback". It's best to avoid using a product like this if you'll be going anywhere where you might be photographed with a flash because you'll be able to see the white powder on your face (google "silica flashback" and you'll see what I'm talking about). In real life, it's totally invisible and doesn't leave a white cast on your skin like some talc powders can...this problem only arises in flash photography.

This is meant to be used sparingly, as a light dusting all over your face to set your makeup and it produces an amazing result! It's an excellent dupe for the Make Up For Ever Microfinish HD Powder  ($20) and the Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder ($38) both of which are also 100% silica powder.

Overall, I think that all skin types will enjoy the Flower Miracle Matte Finishing Powder! It really makes you look finished and flawless without looking dry or cakey and it's also super affordable.

Grab it now at Walmart.com

Flower Beauty Hydrasilk Ultimate Lip Butter Review & Swatches

The Flower Beauty section recently got an overhaul at my local Walmart and there are a bunch of new products with really pretty rose gold packaging (see my post here for all the newness), while a lot of the old products are now in the clearance section. Replacing the old Lip Service Lip Butter is the new Hydrasilk Ultimate Lip Butter ($7.98), which promises to give lasting hydration & conditioning with a glossy finish. Let's take a look! 

Flower Beauty E.E. Erase Everything Ultimate Foundation Review

In my eyes, Drew Barrymore's Flower Beauty line can seriously do no wrong. Her products are high quality, made in the USA and cruelty free. I love the fact that they spend money on the putting the best ingredients into the products instead of spending it on advertising, and also that Drew herself is so involved in the creation of the products. I've been busy testing a slew of new Flower makeup that just launched for Spring 2016 (see my post here for all of the details) and I'm so excited about this one in particular I just couldn't wait to share it with you! 

It's called E.E. Erase Everything Ultimate Foundation ($12.98 at Walmart stores), but it's not really just a foundation...it's something totally new that I've never seen before. That's another thing I love about Flower Beauty...they have the coolest new formulas that no one else has (remember these powder-to-cream blushes? I'm obsessed!) So keep on reading and I'll explain everything...

Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color Review

Recently, I was at Walmart and spotted a ton of new Flower Beauty products (see my post here for all the details).  I couldn't wait to dig in and try everything I bought, especially these new Ultimate Eye Color Cream Eyeshadows ($7.98 each).  I assume that these are replacing the Color Play Creme Eyeshadows because they were no longer on the display (and are currently sold out online). Overall, I noticed a lot of new products in the display that seemed to be replacing older versions, so they may have decided to reformulate certain products. I do remember liking the Color Play cream eyeshadows, so let's take a look and see how these compare!

NEW Flower Beauty Arrives at Walmart

Yesterday, my pal Krista on Instagram (@mymonthlyobsessions) spotted a ton of new Flower Beauty products at Walmart so this morning, I went to see if my local store had anything new. Sure enough, there was a lot of new products and some of them seemed to replace older ones. None of the new releases are on the Walmart website yet, but there are quite a few Flower products on Rollback, which likely means they're being discontinued. Just a heads up in case you want to go check and see 

if any of your favorite products are going away. 

OK, so let's get started...there's a lot to cover!

Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream Blush Review & Swatches

Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream Blush is an innovative formula that allows you to get a soft-focus flush of color with a powder that turns into a cream. Keep reading for my full review and swatches!

I was at Walmart the other day checking out what's new in their beauty department and came across one of the most interesting products I've seen in a long time...maybe ever! It's from Flower Beauty, which I'm sure you're aware by now is Drew Barrymore's line. I regret not reviewing more of their products because it's actually a great line and I love their philosophy. They use high end ingredients that are found in luxury makeup lines but they keep their prices down because they don't pay for advertising...Drew takes care of promoting the line on her own which is really cool. For me, that means it's not just "another celebrity makeup brand"...she's actually involved with everything. Plus, they don't test on animals which is another plus. 

When I saw the Transforming Touch Powder-to-Cream blush I knew I had to buy it, even though it's a little pricey for a drugstore blush at $12.98. I've seen cream-to-powder blushes, but seriously, what kind of witchcraft is involved in turning a powder into a cream?! That's a question I've asked myself a lot since using this, but at the end of the day, I don't even care because it's just awesome.

Flower Beauty Glisten Up Highlighter Review & Swatches

Flower Glisten Up Highlighter Chubby ($9.98) is a sheer, illuminating highlighter from Drew Barrymore's makeup line that I recently found at Walmart. These have been out since last year, so they're not new, but I don't go to Walmart all that often so they're new to me.  I decided to grab all three shades to review and swatch for you guys, so let's take a closer look! 

Flower Glisten Up Highlighters in Pearl Shimmer, Gold Coaster, and Honey Bronze

New Flower Products Spotted at Walmart!

Yesterday, I spotted some new Flower by Drew Barrymore products at Walmart and the entire display had been changed around and cleaned up.  Last week when I was there it looked so empty and was a complete mess of clearance products mixed in with regular, I was wondering for a minute if the line was going to be discontinued...there was hardly anything there.  But good news!  They must have been clearing out old products to make way for some new ones.  I posted a few of these on Instagram last night, but here's the full list. Let's take a look! 

First I saw 5 new brushes.  A lot of you have mentioned seeing these over the past couple of months so they're not brand new, but this is the first time I'm seeing them at my local Walmart.  

There's a Powder Brush, a Liquid Foundation Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Eyeliner Brush, and Lip/Concealer Brush.  They look really nice but I wasn't able to feel them so I'm not sure what the quality is like.  I'd love to hear from you if you've tried them, so please leave a comment below if you have!

Next I spotted the Daily Brightening Undereye Cover Creme ($8.98). There were four shades and they appear to be rollerball-style concealers.  Typically concealers in this type of packaging are lightweight, but I'm curious because these are called "Cover Creme" which makes me think that they have more coverage.  I purchased one, so we'll see soon enough!

Flower by Drew Barrymore Fragrances Review

Flower Cosmetics has just released three fragrances this month at Walmart: Cherished, Radiant and Sultry. I first posted about the launch early last month and I spotted them yesterday at my local Walmart (in the fragrance aisle, not with the Flower cosmetics). Let's have a look!

What it Is: Three new fragrances from Drew Barrymore's Flower line.
What it Does: These scents are meant to "capture the joy of life and love, in all of its meanings". They can be layered together also!
What it Costs: Rollerball, $9.98, 15 ml $19.98, 30ml, $24.98
Where to Get It: Exclusively at Walmart
Quick Rating: Love one, like one, dislike one.

Flower by Drew Barrymore BB Cream Review and Swatches

One of the things I was sure to pick up last week on my Flower haul was the BB Cream. So far, all of the drugstore versions I've tried are basically tinted moisturizers, offering little coverage (with the exception of Physicians Formula Super BB).  

So how did the Flower version stack up?  Well, lets have a look shall we?

There are four shades, and I chose the lightest one, since other BB's I've tried have come out too dark on me.  This was a bit too yellow for my pink undertones, but after I blended it well, it wasn't too noticeable.  

The coverage is excellent, and much closer to what the Korean BB Formulas are like.  I would say this gives medium coverage and has a thick, creamy texture. 

What I disliked about this product, was the dryness of it- it has a matte finish that seems to accentuate the dryness of my skin, clinging to flakes and sinking into lines.  Not everyone will have this problem, of course- if you have an oily to normal skin type, you might truly love this, especially if you'd like more coverage out of your BB.  In the photo below, you can see how my hand looks after I blended it in.  If you look closely, you can see how it clings to dry patches, especially on the right side of my hand.

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me, but it's a step in the right direction for BB Creams. I have to admit, I was amazed at how perfect my skin looked if I stood back from the mirror a bit, as it covered every bit of redness and created a perfect blank canvas for applying color.  But close up, it just looked too dry and flaky.  

Flower's BB Cream costs $12.98 at Walmart.

Has anyone else tried this, especially those with skin types that are different than mine?  What are your thoughts? 

Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara Review

The other night, I headed to Walmart for a pretty big Flower haul.  My local store finally got the rest of the line in stock, and I was super excited to pick up some more products, since I really liked the Extreme Measures mascara and the Lip Service lip butter.  

I'm in the process of testing everything, but the first thing I tried was the Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara.  It retails for $7.98 at Walmart.

This mascara has a really interesting brush that goes from straight to corkscrew with a twist of the cap.  Here's the description from the Walmart site: 

Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara transforms lashes to appear dramatically longer, fuller and defined. A unique adjustable brush lets you customize lash volume and length.

Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara:

• D-panthenol helps to smooth lashes and stimulate growth
• Naturally derived gellifying agent for ease in application
• Rice wax for smudge-proof color
• Helps to strengthen lashes

The brush has a twist cap at the top and the brush basically contracts when you twist.  The straight position is for lengthening and separating the lashes, the middle position (slightly twisted) is for curling, and the full corkscrew position is for volumizing. 

I've read some really great reviews of this mascara, but I have to say, I'm not overly impressed by it.  The brush worked best in the lengthening position, but the other two brush styles seemed to make my lashes clump up.  The formula gave me only average length and volume, even after applying multiple coats.  The good part is, it gave my lashes some curl, and didn't smudge all day.

 Here are my before and afters...I'll post it to the Wall Of Mascara, so you can compare my results to other mascaras I've tried.  

Overall, I'm not really sold on this one.  People may think I'm crazy, especially with all the great reviews I've seen so far, but oh well. 

Flower by Drew Barrymore Lip Service Lip Butter Haute Honeysuckle LB5 Review

I was really impressed with the first Flower by Drew Barrymore product I tried, Extreme Measures Mascara, so I went and picked up some more products.  I'm a huge fan of lip butters/tinted balms as an alternative to lipstick and lip gloss, so I was drawn to the Lip Service Lip Butters right away.

The shade I chose was Haute Honeysuckle, a pinky-nude shade.  

The packaging is cool and funky, and the lip butter itself is a pretty thin tube (think of L'Oreal's lip butters as opposed to Revlon's which are a bit chunkier). 

This goes on smooth, and is actually pretty thick in consistency, giving it good staying power.  It's also nicely pigmented and leaves behind a pretty stain after the balm wears off.  

Here's the description from the WalMart website: 

Flower Lip Service Lip Butter has a buttery-soft texture that glides on easily, leaving leaves lips looking smooth and full. The rich texture provides an optical plumping effect and has a high percentage of emollient oil for a super-smooth, shiny finish.

Flower Lip Service Lip Butter:

• Superior shine
• Non-tacky
• Buttery-soft texture
• Plumping effect

Above is the swatch on my hand- this was taken in daylight (outside).  

Here is the shade on my lips: 

Again, another score for the Flower line!  I love this lip butter, and Haute Honeysuckle is the perfect Your-Lips-But-Better shade.  It's long lasting and moisturizing- what more could a girl ask for?  

Have you tried these yet?  Or any products from the Flower line?  I'd love to hear about it. 

Flower By Drew Barrymore Extreme Measures Mascara Review

I've been back and forth to my local Wal-Mart the past few weeks, checking to see if the new Flower line by Drew Barrymore had arrived yet.  Finally, my local store put out a small display, but it's not the whole line, unfortunately.  They only had the nail polishes, lipsticks, lip balm, lip glosses, liquid liners and 2 mascaras- a thickening formula, and a lengthening one.  On Wal-Mart's website, there are so many more products that I was excited about, but were not in my store, like the cream eyeshadows, Ultimate mascara, BB Cream, and foundation. Oh well, hopefully they're coming soon!
So...I ended up purchasing a tinted lip balm, and the lengthening mascara, Extreme Measures.
I'll be reviewing the lip balm in a later post, so for now, it's all about mascara!

This formula comes in a sleek black tube with bronze lettering stamped on the side.  It's really high quality packaging- so I'm impressed so far!

On a side note, I love that this line is made in the USA.  Not too many things are these days, and I always feel great spending my money on something made in this country, if I can.  

Here's the description from Wal-Mart's website: 

Flower Extreme Measures Lengthening Mascara lengthens and nourishes your lashes with red seaweed for elasticity. Shiny polymers add shine, luster and condition. Vegetal polymers provide easy application and superb adherence for all-day wear.

Flower Extreme Measures Lengthening Mascara:

• Smudge-proof color
• Helps to strengthen lashes
• Prevents lash damage
• Ophthalmologist tested

The brush is a figure-8 style brush that's really easy to work with. 

The formula is easy to layer and build without any clumping at all.  It's wet, but not so much that it gets goopy- just enough that you have time to build coats without it drying up on you.  Once dry, my lashes have felt super soft all day- as if I have no mascara on at all!  It also didn't smudge or flake on me at all.  

As for the end results, this is a true lengthening formula, as in, it doesn't really build volume.  But I did get nice flirty length with this, and I was really happy with it!  I'm thinking I could even layer it with Flower's Lash Knockout volumizing formula for added oomph.  

Here are my before and afters:

At $6.98, this is a great buy, and so far, I'm impressed with Flower! Have you tried anything from the Flower line yet?  What did you think?