Creations By Jerilyn- Jewelry Review

Recently I had the pleasure of receiving a beautiful handmade necklace to review from a small indie online jewelry shop that I am following on facebook. I was drawn to her designs because I feel that they are very unique but also are affordable for the quality and materials used. I like that she utilizes crystals and natural stones in a way that is a bit more modern and distinctive than what one might expect. I've always been a fan of wire wrapped crystals, but let's face it..they are all pretty similar for the most part. However, I find Creations by Jerilyn to be just a bit more eye catching than that while still appealing to those of us who like the look of natural stones, glass and crystal.

The necklace I received was is a copper and rose quartz Tree of Life necklace. Each of these necklaces is a little bit unique as they are handmade. Mine came with a deep brown multi-strand cord necklace with a particularly pretty copper clasp.

Back of the necklace. I love the tree 'roots'.

Depending on the light the stones can either look pale pink or clear.  

Packaging and business card.

First of all I would like to note that this particular necklace design comes in several styles and colors. It usually retails for about $35. I have noticed that this shop often has sales and promotions though, so if you're on a budget it's definitely worthwhile to watch out for those. Her jewelry ranges in price from around $10-$130. The Tree of Life necklace can be purchased  HERE. or HERE.

The quality of the necklace itself was impeccable. None of the crystal beads are loose or cracked, the clasp is very secure, the cord is nice quality, and overall is a very nice piece of jewelry. I also liked the length of cord. I've worn this out and about several times and have gotten many compliments each time! It makes a statement without being gaudy or too large and flashy.

Her shipping was really quick, less than a week for me. I thought that her packaging was not only very secure, but also suitable for gift giving without any additional wrapping. I like the custom stickers and tags this shop uses a lot. I think this adds a professional polished touch to the jewelry.

Other than that I found the owner to be very sweet and easy to work with. I am confident that any problem with an order would be treated with excellent customer service. The web store is easy to navigate, and the etsy shop is also stocked with plenty of jewelry to choose from. If you live in Florida you may be lucky enough to catch this store at a craft show or in a brick and mortar boutique. If you're really, really lucky you may have even received one of these at the Academy Awards as part of their celebrity gift lounge ;)

Overall, I really enjoyed my total experience with this shop and plan to continue to be a customer. Whether you're looking for a jewelry piece for that special someone or just something pretty for yourself, Creations by Jerilyn is definitely worth taking a look at. Check out her Etsy store HERE and her facebook like page HERE.

I will be wearing this necklace in my next makeup tutorial so keep an eye on my Youtube channel if you want to see this beauty in action :)

XOXO- Kaitlyn

Something sweet : Cupcake Cosmetics haul

 Recently my friend Celeste requested for me to review Cupcake Cosmetics. Since I wasn't lucky enough to participate in the NYX sale (Lol.. kinda like 50,000 other people??) I had a little money for product set aside, and went ahead and ordered.

After the NYX fiasco i've really been wanting to patronize more independent businesses. There is a few reasons for this. One being that a small business that's trying to get off the ground could really use the sales, and reviews more than large companies who have advertising campaigns. Other than that I feel that small businesses often have wonderful products waiting to be discovered. Cupcake Cosmetics is no exception.

I picked out the 5 shades I was most intrigued by, and I can't say I am disappointed with any of them. The pigmentation, and color payoff is good. They are very shimmery & sparkly! The texture of the makeup is powdery, yet it applies very nicely. The thing that stands out the most for me is that the shades are UNIQUE. These are not just repackaged minerals.  If you've been spending $12-$15 on mineral eyeshadows (brands like Lime Crime & Naked cosmetics) I highly suggest that you give these a try. At a mere $4.50 a piece there's not a lot to lose if you don't fall in love with the colors.

It came neatly (and cutely!) wrapped, nothing floating around

Every bottle was sealed, ,and properly labeled.

From L to R: Dreamsicle dry & wet. Absinthe dry & wet. Mermaid, dry & wet. Natural lighting. 

L to R: Miss Vida Boheme dry & wet,  Frenchy dry & wet. Natural Lighting.

With a flash

With a flash

Dreamsicle

Absinthe

Frenchy

Mermaid

Miss Vida Boheme

I will be putting up a few looks using this makeup later on tonight, I just wanted to hurry up and get my swatches online. So far I am loving these eyeshadows & will definitely be ordering more :)

UPDATE: here's my eye makeup looks for these eyeshadows :)

Absinthe & Mermaid

Yes, those are my real eyelashes

Miss Vida Boheme & Frenchy & Dreamsicle (with a tiny bit of MAC my dark magic in the crease)

Ignore my gross eyebrows

Just Frenchy & Miss Vida Boheme

Oh, and other than the fact that this makeup is seriously cool- it shipped in only 2 days. I think that's just fantastic. I'm already thinking about which colors I want next.









Much ♥-
Kaitlyn