Emily Johnson

About the Muse

Isabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

That was fast. The latest Juilette has a Gun Perfume, Miami Shake, sold out in the travel-spray and 1.7 oz bottle. Gourmands are all the rage lately and this one brings us a sweet tooth in a bottle with notes of strawberry, ice cream cone, and vanilla. If you had the travel-spray on your wish it has sold out but have no fear you can actually grab a much better deal in the Juliette Has a Gun Mini Duo Coffret Set! It’s $32 which makes it cheaper than the travel-spray and has more fragrance! You get Miami Shake AND Not a Perfume in 0.27 oz dapper bottles. Plus, if you have a Sephora Savings discount starting tomorrow for Rouge save 20% off with the code SAVEMORE making it an even better deal.

Enjoy!

Where to buy

Sephora

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Can you smell colors? Am I weird because I associate certain colors with a scent? If I see pink anything I think of it as smelling like bubblegum! If I see yellow I think of it smelling like a yellow Starburst! If I see green I think of it as smelling like Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm. I swear Farmacy has singlehandedly made me think all things green smell like its cleansing balm! I love that smells! I can’t even describe it. It just smells green!

But hey, I realize not everyone is into fragrance in their skincare. You what? I’m sort of there too lately. At one time in my life I always felt fragrance in my skincare sort of added to the experience of using it but the older I get the more I appreciate fragrance-free skincare.

Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm has long been a favorite cleansing balm of mine and I know many, many of you use and love it as well. For those who don’t like the fragrance in it or perhaps avoided it because it was fragranced now is your time to shine. Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm is now available in a fragrance-free formula. Yes, that’s right. ZERO fragrance and same great formula. I never thought I’d see the day. Remove your makeup quickly and easily without the fragrance!

Your fragrance-free prayers have been answered.

Farmacy Fragrance-Free Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm is available now!

Where to buy

Sephora

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Ulta’s Spring Haul Sale ends TODAY! You can snag up to 40% off a variety of skincare, makeup, fragrance, and more! Pick up new drugstore picks like Revlon Super Lustrous Glimmer Gloss and Milani Keep It Full Glossy Plumping Balm at up to 30% off! Or stock up on essentials from Tree Hut, Cerave, and more!

Here’s some of what’s on sale:
Up to 40% Off Powder, Blushes, Concealers, and Foundations
Up to 30% Off Mascaras, Eyeshadows, Eyeliners, and Other Eye Essentials
Up to 30% Off Lipsticks, Lipglosses, and More Lip Essentials
Up to 30% Off Real Techniques and Ecotools
30% Off Pixi’s Entire Line
30% Off Revlon
30% Off Neutrogena
25% Off Cerave
30% Off Select Fragrances
30% Off Tree Hut
20% Off Touchland
30% Off Select Saltair
30% Off Byoma
30% Off Bubble

There are hundreds more deals on the site. This is a great sale if you want to stock on stapes before potential increases in makeup and beauty (let’s hope not!).

Enjoy!

Where to buy

Ulta

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I wasn’t sure how this year’s Sephora Spring 2025 Savings Event was going to go. We all the news, we all hear day in and day out how people aren’t spending, how inflated prices are, etc…etc…you’d think you’d see that trickle into brick and mortar stores but I can’t see I’ve seen that.

I went to Home Sense last night and I was convinced it was Christmas. It was literally out the door with people having packed carts. I just don’t see the whole “people are saving money” that the news keeps going on and on about. Restaurants are packed, stores seem to be thriving, and life is going on as normal.

As for the Sephora sale I keep seeing all these Tiktok posts about how much are spending. One girl, who didn’t have a huge following, proceeded to say it was her birthday and she’d be doing a $1000 haul because of that. Hey, I dunno her income situation and if she wants to treat herself that’s none of my business. However, I do think when the Sephora Savings Event rolls around they aren’t hurting for business. Somedays I think to myself, “gee the beauty industry must be hurting right now” but I see all these social media posts and it appears they’re thriving.

Of course, tariffs have been an ongoing debate the last several months and it finally seems to be happening. I do wonder how this will effect the Sephora Savings Event. Is everyone out there stocking up like mad demons before their favorite moisturizer goes from $30 to $60 bucks or people being even more reserved about spending.

I gotta say this might work out in Sephora’s favor. We’ll have to see what sells out! Who knows? Maybe this will be a bust for them! But I doubt it. The beauty is still spinning no matter how bad things are or how bad they get.

What do you think? Are the traffis going to make the Sephora Savings Event a great success or will makeup lovers be too scared to spend?

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We should probably form a circle group, hold hands, and try to meditate on how any of us are even Sephora Rouge again. I BARELY shop at Sephora. I’ve been an Ulta girl 100% lately. Sephora could never! The cashback rewards at Ulta are far more superior. No Sephora, I don’t want ninety nine cents off my order in exchange for 10,000 points. In all seriousness, about 95% of my beauty purchases are done at Ulta. They’ve added so many brands to their line up not to mention have so many amazing coupons, sales, and deals and great rewards on top of that why bother shopping anywhere else? The only thing Ulta is lacking is a good fragrance department. They’re very mainstream where as Sephora does have a few niche brands under their belt and Ulta is busy selling bottles of Clinique Happy.

Nonetheless, somehow, someway I made it to Rouge. I haven’t the time but I should go back and see what it is I purchased at Sephora the past several months to get here because I can’t recall doing that much shopping there. Well, good news, I can shop the Sephora Sales Event today and I did a smallish order. I’m not sure if I’ll go back for anything else. Yeah, the tariffs are coming and maybe I should considering stocking up on skincare but I have so much to get through right now I’m not really bothered to do any backups right now. I may regret that if prices get really insane but let’s hope things don’t get to insane in the next few months and years ahead. I live in New York so I’m used to paying high everything over here. Once you see eggs at $17.99 a carton you become immune to anything else that gets a crazy dollar amount slapped on it.

My Sephora Savings Event cart was small but mighty. There are things in it I didn’t need but I ended up purchasing them. Let’s start there. I didn’t need both of the new Fenty Beauty Hot Cheeks Velour Blushlighters. I have a feeling Cherry Pop is going to be too dark on me but 1. I love this formula and 2. I feel like maybe I can use it as an eyeshadow if it doesn’t work as a blush. So yes, guilty of buying both!

I told myself I WOULD not buy the new Sol de Janeiro Body Mists. I think some of the recent LEs have been a little uneventful but sadly, they got me. I ended up hauling Flor Mística, Dança Mística, and Água Mística. It’s an absurd purchase on my part because I have a feeling they aren’t going to be all that special but let’s see how it goes…!

I had to refrain myself from doing three bottles but I did get two bottles of the Quai St Bart’s Leave-In Conditioner. They’re killing me with the damn, “THIS IS LE!” I know it’ll probably be back and permanent at some point but I’m illogically thinking, “Oh my god it may disappear!”

I also, snagged a bottle of The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner! It’s an affordable pick up and I thought I could use it after a cleanse!

I got a small mist of Ellis Brooklyn MARSHMALLOWS Hair and Body Fragrance Mist. I’m not an idiot. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me! I’ve learned my lesson about overhyped fragrances. Thanks for educating me Tiktokers because you guys overhype things to the max in the perfume community and the dishonesty is out of control about how certain fragrances smell. I’ve blind purchased a bit too many bottles thanks to Tiktokers and many were not what was described. Marshmallows is one of those OH MY GOD IF YOU DON’T BUY THIS YOU’LL DIE fragrances. This is one that comes across my feed often and my curiosity got the best of me. I decided I’d purchase a smaller bottle and thanks to the sale it’ll be a better price so if I am disappointed it’ll be my own fault but at least it wasn’t a terribly expensive mistake.

Speaking of fragrance I got the new Brown Girl Jane Perfume. I went with a Travel Spray for now! It’s getting some rave reviews and the notes of Espresso Affogato, Golden Rum Cake, and Almond Foam sound delicious!

I also grabbed a Rare Beauty Brown Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel to keep these brows in place and and of course, I caved, I got a Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush because everyone keeps asking how the formula is!

And that’s it…! I’ll probably do another order at some point if something else pops up that looks good but I don’t really need a lot at the moment. What did you get?

Where to buy

Sephora

I feel like I’ve seen everything there is to see in the beauty world after nearly twenty years of being a beauty blogger. Crazy trends, unusual beauty products, tons of new products, etc…etc….! It’s been a wild ride that I’m grateful for everyday of my life because not only do I get to speak to all of you everyday but also, I just love beauty and I love doing this even after all this time. I dunno how long I’ll be doing this but I can’t imagine a time I won’t be doing or don’t want to do it. The beauty world and community has changed so much over the years and it’ll only change further in the years ahead but I do hope no matter what happens they’ll I’ll be here for it and hopefully, you’ll be here with me too.

I know I’ve learned a lot over the years. I mean, I still don’t know how to apply makeup correctly LOL! But I think I learned a lot about people and why they love makeup, about products and how to use them and what they do, about ingredients, and I also, learned how to love myself and not to be so critical about myself. With growth, experience, and a little self love I also find myself not caring or sweating the small stuff.

In nearly twenty years of beauty blogging these are the things I don’t about anymore.

Packaging
I used to gush over packaging. It was a massive factor in my beauty purchases. I admit, I’d make a purchase if the packaging was good and the product inside wasn’t even all that special. Beautiful packaging was something I adored. But I’ve found in recent years it’s really not as important to me as it once was. I’m really more concerned about the color, the formula, and how the product performs. Does it come in a cheap plastic compact but has the smoothest, most beautiful finish? Sign me up! Does in come in a fancy, heavy gold compact with beautiful diamonds accenting it but the formula is sheer and applies patchy? I’ll skip thanks every so much. On a rare day, I’ll get excited about packaging but it’s very, very rare I do. It’s just not something that I look for in beauty anymore.

Critical comments under the guise of being helpful
Thank you for your help but telling me I look old because of my blush shade or some other backhanded comment under the guise you’re helping me out isn’t something I care about anymore. I used to take comments to heart but I find myself caring less and less about them nowadays. If you want to help me out I’ll happily accept your criticism but not if it’s in a backhanded way. I just feel like there’s a way to offer help without being a d*ck about it.

Ok, Say What You Want
I don’t get this one a lot anymore because I’m surrounded by so much love on this website but occasionally I’ll get a snarky, mean spirited comment. And of course, I’ve been Reddit famous a time or two with plenty of hate coming at me for how I do my makeup, to how I swatch, to the way I do my hair, or dress, etc… When I first started blogging this would upset me and I was sort of shocked anyone would want to direct to much hate to someone they didn’t know. A lot of it was excused with, “Well, she puts herself out there so she deserves this hate!” I understand it a little bit better now that I’m older and I even sort of get it to some extent. Do I like it? No. Who wants anyone to hate on them but hey, it is what it is and as you get older I find that you care a lot less what people are saying about you particularly ones that are either strangers or just not apart of your life. I just don’t care anymore and I focus on the good not the bad.

Boxes
This one probably should be grouped in with packaging but I do think it deserves a separate discussion. No one told me that when I got older I’d want things to be simpler. I remember as a makeup lover and collector that I’d say every single box and most times I was even storing stuff in the boxes. I’m talking about even the most basic of basic boxes like my MAC Eyeshadows I’d have them all in the boxes. It was a little absurd and perhaps OCDish of me. The last several years I simply don’t care about boxes anymore. SOMETIMES I’ll keep a box but even my LE boxes are just tossed out. I don’t need all these boxes and it’s absurd I ever thought I did. I don’t care about boxes and keeping makeup in their boxes anymore.

No Concealer? No Problem!
There was a time in my life I wouldn’t leave the house without makeup on. It made me feel confident and happy. The older I get the less I wear and sometimes I even go out without any at all. Why am I hiding my skin? I have good skin why am I piling foundation, concealer, blush, and more on when I look perfectly fine (and even younger) without it all? I just don’t care about having a face full of makeup on when I go out anymore.

Brand Pleasing.
I say what I want when I want about who I want. I’m not here to spare the feelings of beauty brands. At one point, in my blogging life I felt like I was being to brand pleasing and I regret that terribly because it did my readers a disservice. I’m not here to brand please. I speak my truth and my mind and if brands don’t like that too bad. This blog is about being honest, telling reader’s what I really think and feel, and not about saying great things about a mediocre product. I simply don’t care about brand pleasing.

This is my beauty life and I just don’t care about certain things anymore and that’s ok because I feel better about things. When you are dwelling on the weird or bad stuff you have more time to embrace the good. And that’s how life should be!

Thank you for being with me here for this journey. I appreciate you all!

It’s time! Head over to sephora.com and use code SAVEMORE to save 20% off your order if you’re Rouge plus save 30% off the Sephora Collection! The sale starts now. Let me know what you grab! Looking forward to hearing what you get. Don’t forget to read my Shop the Sephora Savings Event Like a Pro Post before you dive in!

Enjoy!

P.S. If you’re using any of my links to shop thank you! It really helps to maintain this website which has gotten considerably expensive over the years to keep up and running due to the host fees that keep going up! I appreciate you!

Where to buy

Sephora

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Did I buy the Sephora Favorites What’s In My Bag: Makeup, Hair and Body Value Set just for the bag? Yes. Am I carrying stuff around in it? Yes, I am! Don’t judge your girl it was too cute not to get. Sadly, it sold out but I did manage to find it at two Sephora stores locally. If you want it, I’d highly recommend calling your stores to ask or checking online. They’ll be nice enough to hold it for you as well if you call your fav store and they have it.

If you still can’t find it after all that work there are still two other new favorite sets to take advantage of.

Sephora Favorites Vacay All Day Beauty Value Set $48
Vacay vibes with four full-size products? Yes please. This set includes a full-size Mario Hydrating Supershine Lipgloss, a full size Merit Day Glow Dewy Highlighting Balm, a full-size Glosser Balm Dot Come, and a full-size Rare Beauty Melting Cream Blush! WHAT A DEAL! Plus all these deluxe goodies:

• Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray (Deluxe) 0.5 oz
• Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Noir 0.06 oz
• Ouai St. Barts Hair and Body Mist (Deluxe) 0.84 oz
• Patrick Ta Major Glow Luminous Bronzing Body Oil 0.33 oz
• Innisfree, Daily UV Defense Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 36 Sunscreen (Deluxe) 0.33 oz

Sephora Favorites Clean Me Up Makeup and Skincare Value Set $50
Another jammed packed fav set with a full-size Kulfi Beauty Free The Brow Volumizing & Laminating Brow Gel, Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara in Jet Black, and Lawless Forget The Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss in Cherry Vanilla!

Plus:

• Olehenriksen Banana Bright+ Instant Glow Moisturizer with Niacinamides and Vitamin C 0.25 oz
• Glow Recipe, Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Serum 0.16 oz
• Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence with Hyaluronic Acid + Tamarind 1.7 oz
• LYS No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick in Courage (neutral/olive undertone, natural finish for tan skin tones) 0.09 oz
• Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush in Stockholm baby pink 0.16 oz

These are available now!

Where to buy

Sephora

Ok, so, facts is facts it’s still puffy season. It’s rainy and cold in New York today and I put on a lightweight jacket today thinking, oh, they said 70 degrees. Yeah, but no..! It’s sort of brisk out and def not 70 anything. I would also, like to mention Simon Lian did a little fit check (if I’m honest his whole little video was giving dad vibes not “I’m a celeb” but, ya know, I loved on it!) today in his puffer and replied to my comment on Instagram about it. So, yeah, I’m some kind of famous in my head right now that my C-Drama crush replied back to me. Stop this insanity what will my boyfriend think. We better break it to him I’m leaving him for Simon. This is how parasocial relationships start (Simon, doesn’t know he’s my iPhone wallpaper let’s keep that between us ok?)! In all seriousness, I guess everyone around the world is just dealing with whatever weird weather thing we have going on at the moment.

But Summer is coming…! We’ll get there. Sooner or later! While we wait for the humid, hot days (that we’ll proceed to b*tch about because as a New Yorker we oh so love discussing the weather) let’s talk about skin tints! They’re everywhere lately aren’t they? And I’m here for it. I’m not a heavy duty foundation girl. A dot or two here and there does me just fine. I prefer tints, tinted moisturizers, and lightweight foundations. I just don’t want to go around applying a mound of foundation like Meredith Duxbury. Also, I don’t really need it. My skin is in good condition and the only real issue I have is it looks sort of dull and lackluster. A little coverage to brighten up and even my complexion out is all I need. For many, many years Josie Maran Argan Protect & Perfect was my go to for the Summer. It had SPF, a light, sheer peach tint, and it was just perfect for a little bit of coverage that gave my skin a natural yet polished look. It was perfect. They discontinued it sadly. But since that time many, many brands have being going very sheer and natural with their base product launches lately. It seems like Gen Z and Alpha are more about simple, natural looks and I don’t mind at a single bit as I get older.

We have tons to choose from at the moment but the two best skin tints I’ve tried recently would have to be…

First up we have a WINNER of a release from Make Up For Ever. I admit you’ve been off my radar a little bit lately, Make Up For Ever. But you’re back and badder than ever (bad in a good way, of course!)! Friends, let’s hear it Make Up For Ever Super Boost Lightweight Moisturizing Skin Tint with Hyaluronic and Polyglutamic Acids! I purchased this a few weeks ago and I am in love. Super duper lightweight, absorbs in a single flash (faster than Superman leaping talk buildings), and has JUST the right level of pigment to brighten, smooth, and even out skin tone. It looks beautiful, natural, yet still has the “I’m made up” look but in a natural way! Outstanding product. I’m very much in love with this one.

Next we have Milk Makeup Hydro Grip 12-Hour Hydrating Gel Skin Tint and she’s your girl if you have dry skin! Not only is this moisturizing but it’s a formula that goes to keep your skin feeling like it’s perfectly hydrated all day but not greasy or shiny. It does have that sort of initial tackiness the primer has which actually works in the user’s favor because it makes it last longer. Very natural looking on my skin as well not to mention it’s a formula that isn’t going to adhere to drier areas or breakdown around the sides of your nose in dry icky patches. It sticks to skin like glue. It’s also oddly pigmented for a tint. I mean, we’re not talking crazy levels of pigment but there’s enough coverage here you’ll feel like you’re look fresh and awake. This one is a winner as well!

I’ll review both soon but what are your fav tints? Simon was not harmed or stalked in the making of this post.

Where to buy

Sephora