LUSH's Scrubee Body Butter and Exfoliant

The first time I had heard about LUSH’s Scrubee was in the summer of 2016, while interning at a small publication called Latin Glam. My job was to write short articles about trending topics, and on that particular day, the Internet was abuzz (haha!) over LUSH bringing back its limited-edition Scrubee as a member of its permanent lineup. 

First introduced as a Mother’s Day special, the Scrubee is the cutest little bee that’s also an awesome body exfoliant. It’s the perfect balance of ingredients that buff the skin but also moisturize. The exfoliator stripes of the Scrubee are made of ground almonds and coconut shell, while the moisturizing stripes balance the roughness with honey, cocoa butter, and shea butter. The formula is designed to melt into the skin (and it definitely does. Don’t leave it in the sun! Sincerely, someone who should’ve known better). 

After reading about the apparent cult favorite, I added it to my Christmas list, and I’ve never turned back. I completely understand the hype, and actually think it’s a bit underrated! Using the Scrubee is truly luxurious. Like a bee, it’s small but mighty. It fits in the palm of your hand, but sloughs away all those dead skin cells and bad vibes. After a lot of injuries and bug bites, I’ve been paying special attention to healing my copious leg scars, and the Scrubee has been super helpful: gentle, but effective. My scars are already fading after about three months of using the Scrubbee consistently. 

But this wouldn’t be a Clunkster review without mentioning the smell: it’s amazing. Like a powder-y fresh mix of honey and mild coconut that makes using a little bee on my skin intentional and caring. You already know it’s already at the top of this year’s list.

Fenty Beauty's Match Stix Contour Skin Sticks

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A couple months back, I went on a journey to find some new contour products. I’d been using Too Faced’s Cocoa Contour Palette for years now, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but I was getting tired of using the powder. I had seen so many videos on Instagram of people using liquid or cream formulas for their contour. It looked so much easier than powder, and I figured it was time for a change. 

Since I fell head over heels in love with Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Foundation, I figured Fenty would be a good place to start. Most of the videos I had seen used Fenty, and I trusted them. I was between the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer, Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer, and Match Stix Contour Skin Sticks.

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The Match Stix seemed like the “just right” amongst all of them, but my next hurdle was that I had no clue which shades I needed. Going off the Instagram videos I had seen, I knew I had to go a couple shades down and up, but I didn’t know how by how much. I bought these during the height of the pandemic, so I wasn’t able to go to Sephora and swatch the actual shades. Thankfully, Fenty had a Match Stix Trio available on their website. I could have purchased the trio with shades I picked, but because I was so confused, I decided to go with the Light 100 pack. It seemed to be the best match for my skin tone.

Though these shades work for me, they could be a lot better. Linen, the light shade, is basically my exact skin color, so it doesn’t make a good concealer. Amber, the dark shade, is a bit too dark for me. And Starstruck, the highlighter, just doesn’t complement my face. 

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Aside from the shades, I wasn’t super thrilled about the formula. From what I had seen on Instagram, it should have been as simple as swiping the sticks on the desired areas of my face and blending with a makeup sponge. I thought it would be a little softer and easier to blend, but I had a really tough time. I had to pull the sponge across my face to really make a difference.

Next, I tried a buffer brush, which made things a little easier. I was still disappointed with the look of the harsh lines. I knew that it would look a little sharper, which I wanted, but not so sharp it looked like I didn’t know how to blend. But the more I use the sticks, the more easily manipulated the formula is. I’ve seen some people rub it on the back of their hand before they use it, which I also tried, but I didn’t see much of a difference. 

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I’m really on the fence about these. They get the job done, but not in the way I want. I purchased Fenty’s Match Stix because I thought they were high quality and convenient. I wouldn’t say they’re low quality, but definitely not what I expected from Fenty. 

But it’s also important for me to point out my own naivete with watching those videos. Obviously, makeup artists put a ton of time and work into the looks they share on social media, and that includes editing. There’s a lot missing from those fifteen seconds you see on your phone. Just because it took them two seconds to get a snatched face with contour sticks doesn’t mean it was actually that easy. 

So unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’m leaving you with a recommendation, dear reader. All I can say is, don’t believe everything you see on Instagram, and if you’re buying a shade-specific product, just go to the store in person.

Act + Acre's Essentials

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Once upon a time, I stepped out of my shower and smelled something disgusting. I had just washed my hair and body, so it couldn’t have been me, right? Wrong! My hair smelled like a bottle of expired Nair. 

I quickly started Googling: “Why does my hair smell?” “Smelly hair after a shower” “My hair smells bad after shampooing.” 

Well, it turns out that my night-showering lifestyle had caught up to me. I knew that sleeping with wet hair could cause breakage, but it turns out that it can also cause *drumroll* mildew! 

Yes, you read that right! If you sleep with wet hair, there’s a good chance that you’ll grow mildew in your hair. In! Your! Hair! 

Now, it’s not confirmed that I was actually growing mildew in my hair. But the thought was enough to scare me into switching up my routine. I remembered a brand I used to sell at Naked Retail: Act + Acre. The focus of their products was all about scalp health. I knew from reciting my shpiel to customers that they were truly an amazing brand. So, I ordered a pack of The Essentials and excitedly awaited my ticket to non-smelly hair.

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Act + Acre is a brand created for all hair types with the Earth in mind. Usually, shampoo and conditioner are made by mixing all the ingredients in a huge vat and using lots of heat. This method boils out all the nutrients in the ingredients that are essential for your hair. 

Instead, Act + Acre uses a cold-processed method, which involves - you guessed it - cold water and high pressure. This consumes 90% less energy than the typical heat method. It’s better for the Earth and better for you and your hair. 

The cleanse (aka shampoo), conditioner, and scalp detox that I purchased smell freakin’ amazing. It’s a very subtle, natural scent of ylang-ylang and basil. Of course, their ingredients are as high-quality as their eco-friendly ideals.

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I was most excited to try the Scalp Detox because I had never heard of anything like it. It’s made to get all the product buildup out of your scalp. This helps your hair grow more since your hair follicles aren’t clogged with the crap in dry shampoo and other products. Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp! 

On the days I wash my hair, I start with the Scalp Detox. I section my hair off and apply the oil directly to my scalp. Sometimes I put some in my hands and rub it on harder to reach areas. 

I leave the Detox on for about twenty minutes. In that time, I’ll do my skincare routine, brush my teeth, take my vitamins, and scroll through Instagram for a bit. By that time, I’m all set to jump in the shower and wash it out of my hair with the cleanse.

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The Cleanse works like a normal shampoo, but it’s really important to rinse and repeat. The first application doesn’t suds up as much, but the second time around, holy moly, do you feel clean. And that’s without sulfates, which is usually what makes a product suds up! 

The Conditioner is pretty standard as well: apply it mid-shaft to ends and leave for five minutes. I’ll usually wash my body and shave my legs while it’s setting. 

Across all the products, a little goes a long, long way. I’ve had all of these for around six months and I’m barely a third of the way through all the bottles. Moderation is key with the Detox, since using too much may make your hair oily. But for the Cleanse and Conditioner, all you need is a quarter size and a lot of water. An added bonus is that your hair stays cleaner longer, so you wash less. I typically wash my hair once a week, but I’ve been able to let it go a little longer while using Act + Acre. 

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I can confidently say that my hair is twelve times healthier after using Act + Acre. No exaggeration! Sometimes I’ll look in the mirror at my hair and I’m actually amazed at how good it looks when I haven’t done anything else to it. It’s wild.

And the best part? My hair doesn’t smell anymore! Act + Acre is for a sure a ride or die brand for me. I highly recommend it!

Danessa Myricks Beauty's Waterproof Cushion Liner

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I have a love-hate relationship with eyeliner. I used to wear a lot in high school (didn’t everyone?) but as time went on, I realized that it made my eyes look a lot smaller than they already are. So I ditched it for a bit.

Recently, I’ve hopped back on the bandwagon. Sort of. I use black eyeshadow on my lower lid, and sometimes some liquid liner on the top. I’m still getting the hang of getting the look I want. I get uncomfortable with the way I hold the eyeliner, what angle I’m coming at it from… I have to get extremely close to my mirror to be somewhat satisfied. 

I bought some white liquid liner when everyone else was using it to recreate the “Rain On Me” looks. I really liked the way it looked on everyone else, and I figured it would help elevate my ~makeup game~ just a bit. So I decided on Danessa Myricks Beauty’s Waterproof Cushion Liner in Cloud Control. 

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Danessa Myricks is pretty fucking iconic. Just take a scroll through her Instagram and you’ll understand why. Her looks are the epitome of artistry. She even teaches other makeup artists at Danessa Myricks University. And her line of makeup is elite. 

Basically, I’m obsessed with this eyeliner. I absolutely love the formula! It goes on flawlessly, it’s buildable, and perfect for creating graphic liner looks. I like to use it as a base since it really makes the colors pop. I apply it to my lid and go over it with the eyeshadow of my choice.

The angled brush that comes with the eyeliner is also amazing. At first I was a little nervous using a brush to apply liquid liner since I never had before, but I was blown away by how effortless my wing was, largely due to the brush. I felt like I had a lot of control over where the liner was going. 

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The only con, at least for me, is how quickly the liner dries. Its product page boasts that the Waterproof Cushion Liner is “immovable when dry,” which is 100% true. It lasts forever and doesn’t smudge at all. However, this makes it harder for me to fix my mistakes. But like I said before, the angled brush makes mistakes few and far between. 

So if you’re looking for some new liquid eyeliner, Danessa Myricks Beauty is the way to go. I’ll definitely be buying the Waterproof Cushion Liner in more colors! 

Glossier's Cloud Paint

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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.

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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. 

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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.