Prettymaking

FOTD/EOTD: Simple & Natural Glow

2012-03-19T05:16:00.003-07:00

Hi everyone! On Sunday I didn't put on any makeup at all until N asked where I wanted to go to dinner. We decided to go to the Chicken Coop because I was craving fried pickles like there was no tomorrow.

The Chicken Coop is an awesome sports bar & grill which has two locations in Nebraska, where it originally opened, and they decided to put one here in Iowa as well! Word on the street is they are going to open a second location in Iowa. Maybe someday the Chicken Coop will grace you East and West Coasters. ;-)

Since I didn't put any makeup on until later in the evening, I didn't want to do anything super complicated. I kept the eyes simple and used a few MAC eyeshadows from my neutrals palette. (A post of my MAC palettes will be up sometime soon!) Then I focused mostly on the skin, and I decided to aim for luminosity. I was happy to put some of my under-loved dewy products to good use. Now that I think about it, Fyrinnae's "Romantique" Lip Lustre would have been perfect for this look. (Swatches of it can be found in this post!)

I had to use flash in these photos as by the time we left for dinner, it was 8:30 PM and there was no available daylight. I noticed that while I still prefer natural light, using flash properly can really draw out the texture of skin... for example, you can see a small scar (looks like a tiny indent) in the above EOTD where I used to have my eyebrow pierced!

What wimpy looking eyebrows. A combination of them being naturally thin and a few waxing incidents in my past has left them quite sparse. :-( I ought to practice filling them in better!

What I'm wearing:
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (all over as primer)
- Chanel Perfection Lumiere in Beige Rose 12 (foundation)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15 (concealer)
- Yves Saint Lauren Touche Éclat in "Luminous Ivory" (highlight under eyes / bridge of nose / chin / cheeks / forehead)
- MAC Lustredrops in "Pink Rebel" (highlight - cheeks)
- MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in "Truth & Light" (powder)
- MAC Sculpting Powder in "Sculpt" (contour)
- MAC blush in "Sunbasque" (blush)
- MAC Lip Pencil in "Dervish" (lip liner)
- MAC Lustreglass in "Instant Gold" (lip gloss)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC Paint Pot in "Bare Study" (all over lid)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Omega" (eyebrows)
     - Maybelline mascara in "Clear" (brow gel)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Shroom" (brow + inner corner highlight)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Phloof!" (all over lid, dropshadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Satin Taupe" (softly blended into crease)
     - MAC False Lashes mascara in "Extreme Black"

My First Fyrinnae Post! Swatches: Eyeshadows & Lip Lustres

2012-03-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! I am really excited to bring you this post. This is a super picture-heavy swatch post of seventeen Fyrinnae eyeshadows and two Fyrinnae lip lustres! Fyrinnae is an online-only, vegan, totally unique makeup company. There is no minimum purchase requirement, mini/sample sizes are available for almost all their products, and they ship worldwide.

Customer Service & Shipping:
This first thing I want to mention, before we get into the swatches, is that I was incredibly impressed by their customer service. My order was $49 USD, and shipping was $3 USD, bringing my total cost to $52 USD. I placed my order on March 6th. Then, on March 8th, I received an email back from them. Fyrinnae noticed I paid $52 total, and told me that all orders over $50 actually receive free shipping, so they offered to throw in an additional mini of my choice. I gladly accepted! I found it so considerate that they would notice something like that, and I loved that they took the time to contact me and offer an extra mini. My order was shipped on March 10th, and I received it on March 12th. All in all, from the day I ordered to the day I received my purchase, it only took 12 days, well within their stated turnaround time.

All right, enough with my rambling. Onto the pictures!

In all of the pictures I did my best to capture the color as close as I possibly could. I did not use flash in any of the photos. All swatches are done over Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy. I must also add a disclaimer that the shadows are breathtaking, a photo simply cannot capture how beautiful they are in person, nor can it capture the glitter, the shifts in color, or any other nuances. I just hope that my photos do them some justice.

Each swatch will fall under its color name, as well have the color description from Fyrinnae's site. You can click "Via Fyrinnae" to have a new window pop up and take you to where the product is located on their site.

**Note: Some of the more glittery or high-sheen eyeshadows gave my camera some difficulty in giving a sharp focus, so I am sorry if a few of the close-up swatch pictures are slightly out of focus.

Eyeshadows

Rapunzel Had Extensions
Via Fyrinnae: "Pale pink with a stunning brilliant light gold highlight. One of our top sellers since 2007."

Sugar Skulls
Via Fyrinnae: "Vibrant deep pink, leaning warm but not overly so, with a glimmering orange (not gold!) highlight that adds dimension. Slightly darker than it appears here."

Darling Misfit
Via Fyrinnae: "This is a shimmery magenta-pink with a contrasting aqua highlight."

Darling Misfit
Via Fyrinnae: "Vibrant pink-purple with gold shimmer and sparkle highlight."

Dinosaur Plushie
Via Fyrinnae: "A flamboyant, eclectic dinosaur covered in glitter, perhaps. Name is unrelated to shade...as usual. Dinosaur Plushie is filled with much more multi-colored sparkle, some of which can change hue in different light. Transparent over most primers or applied dry (don't apply this dry unless you're going for that all-over disco queen look), but over sticky base, like our Pixie Epoxy, it is a gleaming metallic with many flashes of colours."

Look at the different colored sparkles!

Faerie Glamour (Arcane Magic eyeshadow)
Via Fyrinnae: "Violet base with an aqua shimmer that changes to a bright pink when closer to light. Our most popular shade of the Arcane line. *Enhanced in 3/2010 for more vibrancy* Not lip-safe. As with most of the matte-purple-based shades, does not work well over Pixie Epoxy."

Over Pixie Epoxy... whoops! Should have just applied wet.

Digital Faerie
Via Fyrinnae: "Stunning deep sky blue with green shimmer. Not lip-safe."

Wicked
Via Fyrinnae: "Deep, dark purple with turquoise shimmer. Not lip-safe."

Electric Stardust (Arcane Magic eyeshadow)
Via Fyrinnae: "Electric Stardust is a bright, cheery, shimmery mint green. ... Brought closer to light, it changes to a lighter aqua then to a pale silvery blue. This shade's changes are subtle compared to most other Arcanes. ... The Arcane Magic shadows have highlights that change hue when moved closer to or away from a light source (lamps rather than sunlight). Angle does affect it, but you may not notice the change in a mirror as much as other people can from a short distance."

Are You My Mummy? (Arcane Magic eyeshadow)
Via Fyrinnae: "It starts out a vibrant, gleaming emerald green. Closer to light or at an angle this shade takes on a striking deep pink color, almost a maroon. It's not simply a highlight; the entire shadow's hues change.Halloween 2011. Contains Blue #1 and Yellow #5."

Straight on view. (Sorry for the blurriness.)

Another angle... not green anymore!

Týr
Via Fyrinnae: "(pron. "teer") Difficult to describe, this is a chartreuse-on-black. It has a distinct opaque black base, especially when applied wet, with a highlight of yellow-green. Somewhat more of a soft green when applied dry, but gives a striking acid-green appearance when applied wet or over Pixie Epoxy."

Love the warmth of the sparkles.

Dressed To Kill
Via Fyrinnae: "Glimmering, glowing deceptive gilded green, this shade is similar in hues to our Aztec Gold, but more vibrant, and with flashes of gold and green sparkle.Not lip-safe."

Aztec Gold
Via Fyrinnae: "Stunning deep metallic gold over an olive green base. Not lip-safe."

Conjuror (Arcane Magic eyeshadow)
Via Fyrinnae: "Soft burgundy-brick shade topped with shimmer that changes from aqua to bright crimson, depending on proximity to light."

Alchemist's Curse (Arcane Magic eyeshadow)
Via Fyrinnae: "This shadow is pink shimmer and sparkle on black, but closer to light or at a different angle and it becomes a vivid gold to green, the black base setting off the highlights. Halloween 2011."

Breathtaking!!! Would make a gorgeous, smoldering smokey eye.

Shinigami
Via Fyrinnae: "Deep, smoldering purple entwinted with a scattering of blue and crimson sparkle. Not lip-safe."

Purgatory (free sample)
Via Fyrinnae: "Almost metallic red shines over a black base, making this shade perfect for liner as well. It was intended to be a replacement for our old "Still Breathing" from 2006, but it is a much more velvety-red shade. Halloween 2011."

Lip Lustres

Type A
Via Fyrinnae: "Type A is a shimmery, rich garnet red."

Romantique
Via Fyrinnae: "Romantique is a semi-sheer soft warm pink with gold shimmer, similar to our "Rapunzel" eye shadow. "

From R to L: Type A, Romantique

Type A

Type A

Romantique

Romantique

And finally...

Pixie Epoxy

Whew! That was a lot of pictures! Fyrinnae gives such a generous amount in their mini shadow samples, and I looove that they come in little jars instead of plastic baggies. Anyway, I hope these photos were helpful for anyone who is thinking of purchasing from Fyrinnae and wanted some reference photos.

One final, quick question: What lip swatch did you like better?
The slightly sideways swatch, or the straight on swatch? I usually do straight on for my lip swatch photos, but noticed I get a sharper, better image when I take it at a slight angle. I am considering doing my lip swatches like that moving forward. What do you think?

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in "Everlasting" - Swatches & Review

2012-03-12T20:04:00.002-07:00

I posted at the beginning of this month a review of Covergirl's Lip Perfection in "Heavenly", and now we're moving onto the other little lipstick that snuck into my shopping cart that day as well: Covergirl's Lip Perfection in "Everlasting".

For about $5-6 USD depending on what retailer you purchase it at (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc...) this is an affordable and easy-to-find lipstick. "Everlasting" happens to be part of the Lip Perfection line, which Covergirl boasts upon by saying it can transform your lips in just 7 days thanks to the lipstick's formula being enriched with a "silk moisturizing complex."

"Everlasting" is a pretty medium-deep burgundy shade (almost like a bright merlot wine) that has pink glitter within it. Thanks to the glitter and the lipstick's sheen, it can almost look metallic when worn on the lips.

There is a bit of a downside to having the pretty pink glitter: it's not as smooth as the other Lip Perfection lipsticks I own. I noticed when applying it that I could feel the glitter in it. Another observation about this one's formula is that instead of gliding on very smoothly, it would apply a bit patchy. It's a beautiful color, but not one that you only need one swipe to be good to go. You may need two, or three.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention that it has that Playdough-esque smell like all the other Lip Perfection lipsticks. The one saving grace about that factor is the smell fades away fairly quick (thankfully).

The wear time on this particular shade is actually quite short. I put it on before running errands and ended up eating an impromptu quick lunch at Gateway Market. Even after using a straw and carefully cutting up my food, I found that eating and drinking had left me needing to re-apply afterward, even though I had only been wearing the lipstick for roughly one hour.

After my first re-application of the day, I decided (another impromptu decision, actually) to take a two-mile walk around the lake since I was actually wearing my Asics and some workout gear. After an hour of enjoying my walk, I was then on my way to get some groceries. While driving I noticed the lipstick had already begun to wear away again, so before I went in to the store I did my second re-application. I arrived back home another hour later, had a snack, and yes--you guessed it!--I was in need of another re-application.

When I "test run" lipsticks, I use nothing to help them: no lip primer, no lip liner, nothing. What you see in the swatch is just the lipstick, and during my test run all I wore was the lipstick. I did nothing different for the application of this lipstick, and for some reason this one just wore away quicker than any of my other Lip Perfection lipsticks.... as well as it wore away quicker than Revlon's Really Red, and wore away quicker than MAC's "MAC Red" lipstick.

I love the color, as I really like deeper and more interesting shades (this one has pink glitter, which adds interest!) but I didn't like the kind-of gritty feeling it had, nor did I enjoy the lackluster staying power. I'm sure that with the help of a lip primer and a lip liner, it would last longer, but that doesn't say much for the lipstick's actual formula. It's a funny irony that a lipstick with the name "Everlasting" just doesn't seem to last at all.

Have you had a different experience with this lipstick? Or do you own any lipsticks that are incredible colors, but don't last at all?

MAC Chenman Love and Water Reflects Blue, Photos & Swatches

2012-03-06T16:18:00.003-08:00

On March 1st in North America, MAC released the MAC Chenman Love and Water collection. The inspiration behind it is love and water, as you can tell by the title, and these subjects are represented by shades of pinks and blues. The website goes on to further describe the collection:

Official description:
East meets West. A sensual colour collection created in collaboration with Beijing-born fashion photographer, Chen Man, inspired by her infatuation with love and water, yin and yang, pink and blue.

It has beautiful packaging where the Chinese symbol for love is actually featured in Chen Man's own calligraphy.

The collection does have unique, limited edition colors (such as Force of Love and Budding Love for the lip products) but they also decided to include MAC Reflects Glitter in Reflects Blue. MAC Reflects are a permanent PRO product, so it's nice that it's temporarily available to those who may not have the opportunity to purchase this normally.

MAC Chenman Reflects Glitter in Reflects Blue retails for $20 (USD) for 4.5 g of product on maccosmetics.com, at MAC stand-alone stores, and MAC counters while available. I purchased this myself because I remembered hearing about how incredible MAC Reflects are and the fact it was Reflects Blue was very enticing, because I am a bit enamored with blue-based makeup right now.

You can remove the limited edition sleeve to reveal the traditional black MAC packaging.

NOW FOR A POSSIBLY IMPORTANT THING TO TAKE NOTE OF:

Many people post pictures of themselves using MAC Reflects Glitter to enhance eyeshadow looks. (Because really, who can resist a little extra sparkle in their eye makeup?) Reflects Blue happens to be listed on MAC's website with the eyeshadows, fluidlines, pigment, and mascara available in this collection.

However, it is a glitter product and there are sometimes glitter products which are not eye-safe.

I actually called and spoke with a MAC representative today to inquire if MAC Reflects Glitter in Reflect Blue was eye-safe since it was listed among all the other eye products for the collection. The representative told me that MAC does not endorse the use of this product for the eyes and that it is not intended to be used in the eye area, and then apologized for any confusion.

Glitter that is not eye-safe can scratch the cornea and damage the eye. Knowing this, and knowing that MAC itself does not endorse the product to be used on eyes, I will personally not use it in the eye area myself nor on the eyes of any of my clients.

Ultimately, my purpose as a makeup artist is to protect my clients as they trust me to do their makeup, and also to not mislead my readers when it comes to makeup products.

The choice is yours, the information is here. You can even call MAC yourself to confirm what I was told. There are other ways you can use MAC Reflects Glitter: to highlight your cheek bones, to add extra sparkle to lip products, to add shimmer to your decolletage, etc. If you choose to use it in your eye area, that is your personal choice. :-)

Whew. With all that being said, some swatches on bare skin:

Glittery goodness is sometimes hard to photograph.

Blurry, glittery sparkle

This product doesn't really stick well to skin, so if you are going to use it, some kind of fixative will do wonders -- some examples would be if you put down a pretty cream highlighter on the cheeks and top it off with Reflects Blue, or if you spritz your decolletage with Fix+ and then brush on some Reflects Blue.

Overall, I think the product is lovely and actually makes me think of little faeries who leave glitter wherever they go. (I mean, that's what faeries do, right? ;-) Haha.) I will more than likely use it on the upper planes of my cheeks quite often during the spring and summer for a kiss of something special. The pleasant thing about this glitter is that when it's worn it is actually not too childlike, but verges more on daydreams and whimsy.

Do you own any MAC Reflects Glitter? What are the ways you like to wear glitter?

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in "Heavenly" - Swatches & Review

2012-03-04T18:36:00.000-08:00

Hello, my friends! For the first post of March I thought I would do one based on a lipstick I picked up recently, Covergirl's Lip Perfection in "Heavenly". There are two drugstore brands that I feel have done a great job with lipstick formulas in recent years: Revlon and Covergirl. I have enjoyed finding a few treasures among their brands and am always open to letting more join my collection. So, aside from great formulation, these lipsticks also have a sneaky habit of always ending up in my shopping cart. But hey, what's a girl to do?

"Heavenly" escaped from the dreary shelves of Target and came home with me the other day in a burst of spontaneity. For about $5-6 USD depending on what retailer you purchase it at (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc...) it isn't a costly hit to the wallet by any means.

Lip Perfection lipsticks come with lovely packaging that I quite like, with a gunmetal-esque cap and an end which intends to represent the color of the lipstick held within. I find it to be a bit more helpful than the little stickers some lipstick brands use, which are supposed to represent the color, but still it's best to look up swatches and double-check if you have that capability. Or, you can be like me, and embrace the element of surprise! (Which can sometimes turn out well, or be incredibly disappointing.)

"Heavenly" is pretty enough on its own right. Being more on the creamy side, it applies about a medium opacity layer of color on first swipe. With two swipes (or more) it will reach a full coverage. This versatility is nice for women who don't want to spend time lining their lips and trying to ensure the lipstick application is perfect, as you can simply swipe it on your lips and go.

The color is a medium pink that steers more into neutral territory and appears to have a kiss of coral. This lipstick leaves a glossy finish. Thus, as the bane of most shiny, glossy lipsticks, its wear time is cut down. I found it wore away rather easily after eating and drinking and pursuing the day in general. I didn't find it to dry out my lips, but I also don't think it is moisturizing enough to replace a lip balm. One thing important to note, as well, is the scent: it's not super pleasant, for me it is reminiscent of PlayDoh with a hint of vanilla... not necessarily my favorite fragrance.

The price isn't bad and the packaging is nice, and it is an easily wearable shade. It's a pretty color, no doubt about that, but it is not my favorite lipstick by any means. I feel it is a "blue jeans, t-shirt" kind of lipstick, as I think it is so casual looking and decent enough for every day wear.

For my personal taste and preferences, however, I like lipsticks that stand out and would be seen on someone wearing a cocktail dress or in a high fashion ad (such as a beautiful red lip, or bold purples, strong pinks, etc.) The only "neutral" lipstick which has ever captured my heart is MAC's "A Perfect Day"... aside from that, I prefer my lipsticks to be statements on their own. I suppose I bought this because I was drawn to the idea of owning another neutral lipstick, thinking I would fall in love with it. Unfortunately, I didn't fall in love with it. I don't hate it, either. It honestly leaves me without any specific feeling.

I know now that this color doesn't fit me, but what do you think? Do you love this color? Would you wear it or would you leave it?

February End Of Month Poll!

2012-02-29T17:29:00.004-08:00

Part of my lip product collection

Happy February 29th! Since it's the end of the month, I wanted to do a poll to get a better idea of how I will plan out March's posts and what direction to take this blog.

Please take a minute or two and choose 1-3 of the listed choices. It's completely anonymous! This will help me know what to focus on and, hopefully, make my blog more useful and enjoyable to you. :-)

A few things to note:
- Tutorials (makeup or hair) would be picture tutorials but I could do videos if the tutorial warranted or required it.
- Posts featuring makeup collection would be items I currently own, either by brand or type or possibly what is in my professional kit, and be picture-heavy.
- Face of the Day/Eye of the Day would be as they always have been.
- Non-makeup related/personal posts would be exactly as stated... more involved with my personal life so you get to know me beyond what you see already.
- Question & Answer posts would be where I would earlier open up the blog to questions and then relay the answers in a follow up post.
- Other - if you have an idea for posts that I haven't listed here, please feel free to mention it in the comments!

FOTD/EOTD: Graves In May

2012-02-28T19:17:00.002-08:00

On days that I know I am going to be traveling quite a bit, I dislike wearing eye makeup that is too heavy. I want to feel fresh and not overly done. I try to ensure my skin is well-moisturized and I usually resort to a canvas of very clean-looking foundation. For the eyes, instead of a smokey look, I tend to focus on a nice blush and pop of lip color.

Yesterday was one of those "travel makeup days," since I was headed back to Iowa.

I decided that Graves In May would be the perfect eye shadow to wear for a soft eye look, and in the Glamour Doll Eyes post I did here, a lot of you mentioned really liking the color when seeing it swatched. Now you can see it in action!

(Also, quick note: please pardon the sorry appearance of my eyebrow. Due to the time of day and where the natural light was coming in, I decided to photograph my left eye. I typically always photograph my right eye. You may be wondering why, so I'll tell you: I had my left eyebrow pierced for a long time, and I removed it eventually... but my left eyebrow has never been the same, as the piercing resulted a sparse area. I do my best to fill in my brows evenly but in my rush yesterday, I didn't do a very good job.)

In my typical fashion I (unsurprisingly) couldn't bring myself to wear just Graves In May. I have the curse of a true makeup junkie: no matter how soft I want my eye makeup to be, I cannot stop at only one eye shadow. I need to create some sort of depth and interest for me to be truly happy with my eye makeup.

Ultimately, I chose to add MAC's Shroom for a brow & inner corner highlight, and then just a smidge of MAC's Satin Taupe through the outer crease.

Graves In May is honestly one of the more interesting eye shadow colors I own, if only because I don't have any eye shadow like it. It is really pretty, because depending on how the light hits it, you will either see more of a grey-beige (greige?) tone, or a grey-pink. It is this subtle shift in tone that makes it really flattering to wear.

Worn over just a primer (like in my swatch post), the shimmer is very subtle which makes the color appear a bit flat, and you see more of a grey-pink tone. In this look, beyond just a primer, I chose to wear it over LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer/Base, which is my go-to for loose eyeshadows. When Graves In May is worn over the Sealer/Base, the grey-beige tones are enhanced and the shimmer is more pronounced. (Yay!) I truly love how it looks over the Sealer/Base because the shadow just catches light better, which adds more interest and beauty to what is otherwise a very soft -- and somewhat plain -- look.

What I'm wearing:
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (all over as primer)
- MAC Face and Body foundation in N1 (1 layer of foundation)
- MAC Studio Sculpt foundation in "NC15" (1 very sheer layer of foundation)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- MAC blush in "Warm Soul" (blush #1)
- MAC blush in "Gentle" (blush #2)
- MAC Lip Pencil in "Dervish" (lip liner)
- MAC Lustreglass in "Starnova" (lip gloss)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC Paint Pot in "Bare Study" (all over lid)
     - Trucco brow pencil in "Taupe" (eyebrows)
     - Maybelline mascara in "Clear" (brow gel)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Shroom" (brow + inner corner highlight)
     - LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealant/Base (as foiling medium for GDE shadow)
     - Glamour Doll Eyes eyeshadow in "Graves In May" (all over lid + dropshadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Satin Taupe" (softly blended into outer crease)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

EOTD/FOTD: When The Landscape Is Quiet Again

2012-02-26T21:23:00.000-08:00

I travelled to North Dakota for varying reasons this weekend, and decided to take some time today to play with some Glamour Doll Eyes eyeshadows (which I posted swatches of here) that I received recently.

Both photos: Pinky Swear blended into inner 1/3rd, Veteran blended through outer 2/3rds

Indoors, natural + fluorescent light

Outdoors, natural light

Veteran is quickly becoming one of my favorite blues and one of my favorite color combinations to do recently is pink with blue, which was kind of inspired by Jacqueline at A Brilliant Brunette from this post. (Even though they are completely different looks, the inspiration began there!)

I wasn't sure how I would feel about working with Pinky Swear. I was pretty set on using it with Taylor (a rich red) but changed my mind and grabbed Veteran. I'm glad I did because they blend beautiful together and Pinky Swear has a blue-base which was very complementary to Veteran.

While I had very little fallout with Pinky Swear, I did experience a lot of fall out with Veteran. It could be because I was being heavy-handed, but I applied both about the same on top of LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer/Base -- which, by the way, really brought out the intensity of the colors. Without some kind of base, Pinky Swear is very sheer and soft. The sparkle in Veteran was stronger over the base, as well, which I wish the camera could have captured.

I really am happy to have both colors in my collection but I see myself using Veteran far more than Pinky Swear. I've been wearing a lot of blue shadows every since I saw Maryam's post here featuring a blue smokey eye.

What I'm wearing:
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (all over as primer)
- MAC Face and Body foundation in N1 (1 layer of foundation)
- MAC Studio Sculpt foundation in "NC15" (1 very sheer layer of foundation)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- MAC blush in "Warm Soul" (blush #1)
- MAC blush in "Gentle" (blush #2)
- MAC Lip Pencil in "Dervish" (lip liner)
- MAC Plushglass in "Bountiful" (lip gloss)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC Paint Pot in "Bare Study" (all over lid)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Omega" (eyebrows)
     - Maybelline mascara in "Clear" (brow gel)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Phloof!" (brow + inner corner highlight)
     - LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealant/Base (as foiling medium for GDE shadows)
     - Glamour Doll Eyes eyeshadow in "Pinky Swear" (inner 1/3rd of lid + dropshadow)
     - Glamour Doll Eyes eyeshadow in "Veteran" (outer 2/3rds of lid + dropshadow)
     - MAC Kohl Eyeliner in "Fascinating" (lower waterline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Glamour Doll Eyes Eyeshadow Swatches - Graves In May, Pinky Swear, Taylor, Makin' A Scene, Veteran, and Jayne

2012-02-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Firstly: a new banner for my blog, thanks to Luna!! I am really thankful that she took the time to make a banner for me. Thank you again, Luna!

Anyway, awhile back I was contacted by Glamour Doll Eyes wanting to know if I would like to review some of their shadows and do a look. I was definitely interested since I have seen so many beautiful looks from other bloggers using their shadows.

This won't be the only post featuring these shadows! This post is going to be the swatch post. I will be posting again in the future doing some FOTD/EOTDs with these shadows as well, so stay tuned for that.

Glamour Doll Eyes began in November 2008. What is pretty cool about this company is not just the wide array of products, which have unique and interesting colors, but its involvement with its customers. Take a look at their product pages and you'll see colors that have been named by their customers, their label that you see on the product was created by a customer, and they even feature a special "how to" section which has tutorials and videos from their customers.

I chose six eyeshadows: Graves In May, Pinky Swear, Taylor, Makin' A Scene, Veteran, and Jayne.

Color descriptions from their site:
Graves In May: a grey with pink undertones and multi colored shimmer.
Pinky Swear: a bright fuchsia color with a fantastic pearl finish.
Taylor: a rich red with medium sheen that rubs down to an intense, almost metallic pink.

Graves In May

Pinky Swear

Taylor

Graves In May reminds me of a grey, healing bruise, Pinky Swear is very bright in the jar but sheers out to a pretty pink, and Taylor looks almost orange-like on the site's sample photo--it is actually a very rich red, and depending on how the light hits it, it has a somewhat pink sheen.

Graves In May

Pinky Swear

Taylor

Color descriptions from their site:
Makin' A Scene: a metallic silver.
Veteran: a shimmery dark navy blue with lots of red sparkle.
Jayne: an emerald green with aqua sparkle.

Makin' A Scene

Veteran

Jayne

Makin' A Scene is definitely a good metallic silver, Veteran makes for a gorgeous navy smokey eye, and Jayne is not as deep as it looks in the jar (kind of like Pinky Swear) but does create a nice, rich moss-like green.

Makin' A Scene

Veteran

Jayne

Anyway, those are the swatches for now. I hope you find them helpful, and I'm really excited to be using them for some eyeshadow looks during the next few weeks! I'll be making sure to include more in-depth reviews of each shadow as I get to using them in looks. :-)

I Did A Guest Post!

2012-02-16T23:15:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Luna recently asked me to do a guest post on her blog! I don't really do guests posts but I liked the idea of trying something different. I posted a FOTD/EOTD look on her blog here, and wrote a few little blurbs about my Valentine's Day.

If you're interested in seeing more pictures for the soft eye look above, or want to know what products I used, or if you want to see the very special gift my sweetheart got me, then click here to take a look. :-)

Anyway, along with more FOTD/EOTD and review posts that I normally do, I will have two new swatch posts coming up as well, one of Darling Girl and the other of Glamour Doll Eyes. So excited to show you some beautiful eye shadows from both of them!

FOTD/EOTD: Rather Natural

2012-02-08T15:51:00.000-08:00

This is the kind of picture that happens when you:
1) Have low light because you took a nap before photographing your makeup for the day and the sun is already beginning to set.
2) You are trying to work with a small window of natural light, while being indoors, while a florescent lightbulb is also on just on the other side of you.

Anyway! This is a rather natural look for me, using bronze and copper-like colors and trying to do foundation which has more of a glow than my typical matte finish. Needless to say, this kind of makeup is not my usual style. But that's alright, it's good to mix things up, and as a plus, I have my lovely little spider earrings to spice things up a bit!! ;-)

The yellow is the glow from the lightbulb, not makeup.

What I'm wearing:
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (all over as primer)
- MAC Face and Body foundation in N1 (1 layer of foundation)
- MAC Studio Sculpt foundation in "NC15" (1 very sheer layer of foundation)
- MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in "Truth & Light" (powder)
- MAC blush in "Subtle Breeze" (blush)
- MAC Plushglass in "Ample Pink" (lipgloss)
- Mac Dazzleglass in "Sugarrimmed" (lip gloss)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Brule" (brow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Omega" (eyebrows)
     - Maybelling mascara in "Clear" (brow gel)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "La La Orange" (all over the lid)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Scream Queen" (outer v)
     - Mac eyeshadow in "Smut" (outer v)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Patty O'Green" (all over lid/brow)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (outer upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

EOTD: Cut Right Through The Dark

2012-02-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

I was completely inspired to do a cut-crease today thanks to Meredith's Sodalite post here, on her blog Pigments & Palettes. I used black instead of blue, however, and gave a halo of purple to the black. It's nowhere near as pretty as hers, but then again I don't do cut creases very often so I was happy enough with the end result. :-)

Title of the post is a random lyric from the song "Indestructible" by Robyn. I've recently been listening non-stop to her 2010 album Body Talk. Why? Well, they kept playing her songs at work (although they played dance remixes of the songs, mostly) and they grew on me slowly until I just gave in and bought the album. Oh my goodness, I love it so much now.

Sorry the pictures are so dim. We've had snowy, cloudy weather unfortunately!

What I'm wearing:
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Omega" (eyebrows)
     - Maybelline mascara in "Clear" (brow gel)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Brule" (brow bone)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner in "Black" (to draw out & base cut crease)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Parfait Amour" (halo of purple on upper lid & dropshadow)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (over the Revlon liner-base, blended into "Parfait Amour" on upper lid & dropshadow)
     - I can't remember what nude shadow I used for my eyelid above the lashline. :-(
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (outer upper & lower lashline)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (over the Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Quick Mini-Giveaway: MAC, Naturally Lipstick in "A Perfect Day"

2012-02-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

I had so many positive responses on my swatch post for MAC's "A Perfect Day" lipstick that I wanted to do a "giveaway" (technical term would be a sweepstakes since the winner will be chosen at random) for it.

Read on if you are interested in winning this Limited Edition MAC lipstick. :-)

As stated above, I recently posted swatches of this lipstick and a lot of you expressed interest in this lipstick. Feel free to look at my swatch post linked above, and Google for reviews of it. This lipstick is incredible and at this point, it is by far my favorite nude lipstick!

It is sold out on MAC's website, as well as it is sold out at many MAC counters and MAC stores. Here are three pics from my swatch post:

Do you love it, too? Then here's your chance to win it and add it to your makeup collection.

THE PRIZE

One (1) MAC Lipstick in "A Perfect Day", a $14.50 USD value.

HOW TO ENTER

Mandatory: Must leave a comment in this post (with a valid email address) about one feature you love about yourself and why. (Example: "I love my slightly crooked smile because it's quirky like me"... etc.) - 1 entry
Additional entries:

Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect (GFC) - 1 entry
Follow me on Twitter (@atinymandolin) - 1 entry
Tweet about this giveaway using Rafflecopter below - 1 entry

You can have a maximum of 4 entries.
Please use the Rafflecopter widget to enter so I can keep track of your entries. :-)

THE DEADLINE

This contest starts officially today, February 5th 2011, and will end at 12:01 AM (CST) on February 11th 2012.
Any entries after 12:01 AM (CST), February 11th 2012 will be considered null and void.

OFFICIAL RULES

No purchase necessary.
This mini-sweepstakes is open to United States & Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States, exceptions: Alabama & Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Void where prohibited by law.
Winner will be chosen at random. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Winner must have a valid email address to win.
I will choose the winner at random based on the number of valid entries listed in the comments on this post.
Winner will be chosen on February 11th, 2012 at some time after 12:01 AM (CST). I will email the winner on that day. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen at random.

Have fun & good luck! I can't wait to read your comments! :-)

Back from Minnesota! (...again!)

2012-02-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Thought I would do a "what's been going on in my life" sort of post before I get back to posting reviews, swatches, annnnnd a little giveaway. (Hint: it will be for a product I have reviewed recently. Wink wink!) I just got back to Iowa yesterday (Wednesday) and thought I would share some photos.

So, on Sunday I drove up to Minnesota for my work to learn about brand new products, colors, and upcoming trends from the fashion runways that are slated for the Spring/Summer 2012 collections. I love Minnesota, as it is where I am from. I feel so fortunate that I was able to go back to Minnesota twice this month!

My work put me up in a cute hotel that I had never heard of or been to before, called Aloft. (I kept pronouncing it as ay-loft, but I'm pretty sure I was supposed to pronounce it as uh-loft.) Regardless, there's really only one word to describe this place: swanky.

Above is a shot of the bathroom area. Lots of mirrors and a blue/white colorway. It felt very modern and fresh with clean design and interesting details.

There are a lot more pictures and more descriptive commentary beneath the cut.

Guess what the amenities were? They weren't your usual Crabtree & Evelyn hotel amenities. In fact, I'm sure that if you've stepped into a Sephora before, you'll recognize this brand. The amenities at Aloft were provided by Bliss.

Kind of blurry, sorry!

That night I had to do two things before I went to sleep.

1: I needed to refresh the pink in my hair. No big deal.
2: Wash my makeup brushes so they would be ready to go the next day. This would not have been a big deal... had it not been for the weirdly shaped sink that made washing brushes messier than it probably should be.

The sink has a very modern sort of appeal to it in terms of design, but I like to rest my brushes on the side of the sink during washing so that the counter and floor don't get wet. There's no place to really rest them when it comes to this style of sink. Note to self: do not get this kind of sink when I buy a house.

Obligatory bathroom mirror photo!

The above outfit is pretty much the style of what I wear everyday, about 85% of the time. Black boots, black jeans, black top, black coat. Optional: black headband if my hair is unwashed; black scarf if it is cold.

Coffee, water, cute little ice bucket.

LCD television mounted on a carpeted (?) wall.

Comfy, plush beds with little mini body pillows.

For some reason there was a cow pattern on the wall. It wasn't bad, I suppose it's just an interesting choice when it comes to decorating.

Mooooo.

The open public area (lobby) was known as the re:mix lounge, and if you wanted a drink you could go to the w xyz bar. The lighting and music changed throughout the day to help set a certain mood and create ambiance.

Took this picture around 11 PM on Sunday evening.

Overall, the staff was very pleasant, the room was clean, and the decor was interesting and different from standard hotels. I definitely had a good experience and wouldn't mind staying there again in the future.

After a crazy busy day on Monday, I was so excited for my free day on Tuesday to just travel around the city and relax before needing to leave on Wednesday. The best part was that my sweetheart came up from Iowa in order to spend Tuesday with me in my home state. :-)

We had lunch at The Bulldog, a cool bar/restaurant in Minneapolis which has the most incredible burgers. (Wish I had brought my camera for that!) Afterward, we went and grabbed my camera before we stopped at a locally owned coffee shop called the Blue Moon Coffee Cafe.

Even though I am from Minnesota, it was my first time going to this coffee shop, but my guy told me he would go there all the time when he was working in the political offices up in Minneapolis. What I love most is the sign outside right above the door: "EVERYONE WELCOME" -- as soon as I saw that, I knew I would like this place.

Fun magnetic stickers on a horizontal freezer which was being used as counter top for cool postcards and mugs and whatnot.

The back area where people can go to enjoy their food or drink, on comfy mis-matched furniture. The entire place sort of reminded me of a quilt, with the different fabrics, textures, and styles of items used to decorate. I absolutely love that.

The coffee bar where you would order your drink from. Look at the lights and hanging moons and branches that they used to decorate with! How can you not fall in love with a place like this?

After that we did a bit more driving around the city just taking it all in and enjoying our time there. That evening we went to the casino to have dinner with my family. (It was T-bone Tuesday! How can someone resist?) I was sad to have to leave on Wednesday, but then again, I never want to leave Minnesota once I get up there. There are two places in the United States that I would move to in a heartbeat: either Colorado, or Minnesota. No where else.

Hopefully you enjoyed the pictures. I know it's different to not be posting about makeup or other beauty products, but I want to try and invite you guys into my life a little bit more by sharing more personal things like this every now and then.

Let me know if you liked this kind of post, or if there are other sorts of posts you would like to see along with the usual. :-)

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Correcting Powder Review

2012-01-27T18:22:00.000-08:00

I have actually had Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc Free Correcting Powder in my possession for quite awhile now... aka, I've had this since August. I guess the reason I am only just now getting to reviewing it is simply because I honestly am not that excited about it.

To preface: I think most of us who have dabbled in makeup know a little bit about color correction (to counteract redness, use greens; to counteract grey sallowness, use oranges; etc). I have seen this product in just about every drugstore, and ended up buying it out of sheer curiosity.

The Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc Free Correcting Powder (I don't understand why some companies utilize ridiculously long product names) retails for about $14 USD depending on where you buy it, so it's not expensive--but it's not super cheap, either.

Product description (via Ulta):

Versatile powder color corrects the most common skin imperfections, smoothes skin texture and evens out skin tone. All colors blend together to create a perfect canvas finish: Pink brightens, Green tones down redness and Yellow adds warmth. High-tech Japanese formula delivers a natural-looking finish that won't cake, crease or settle into fine lines.

Hypoallergenic. Fragrance Free. Paraben Free. Dermatologist Approved. Non-Comedogenic.

I picked up "Translucent" because I am really fair-skinned. I have to buy the lightest of any foundation, which is a challenge because sometimes even the lightest is not light enough. On top of that, most powders on the market are not fair enough for my skin tone, so unless I have a perfect match, I automatically default to "Translucent" powder if it's available. For me, the Translucent color was fine and was not too light. (To note, there is a "Creamy Beige" color offered in this powder for those who are so inclined.)

Needless to say, I don't like the packaging. It's bulky and it also comes with a very useless brush. Although each brush probably doesn't cost much individually, I think Physician's Formula would save themselves a lot of money if they didn't include them. (But that's just my opinion coming from the frugal part of my brain.)

The powder itself is just barely okay. It's not the softest powder I've ever used (unlike Dior's DiorSkin Natural Glow Fresh Powder, which I waxed poetic about here -- I haven't used it recently only because I have run out of "Ivory" and I am in desperate need for a new one! I am incomplete without it in my life). Ahem. Back to the Physician's Formula Correcting Powder... as I said, it's not the softest, but it's not awful either. It's just meh.

I would describe it as a bit chalky. If you use too much, it can end up looking quite cakey. There is no oil control with this powder, so without using any sort of oil-control product alongside it, my skin would have a sheen within the hour, which eventually would turn into an oil slick if left unattended. This powder does not look good if you try to touch it up when your skin is oily. Even if you use blot paper and want to reapply, the first application of powder ends up being blotted away with the oil and the re-application of a second layer of powder just looks gross.

It's very messy for a pressed powder, as well. If you swirl a powder brush over the pan to try and pick up some product and you will have dusted everything you own within a 3 foot radius practically. How about the color correction claims? That would be about the one redeeming quality. Ignoring the chalkiness, the messiness, the lack of any kind of staying power... the color correction is acceptably decent for a drugstore product. Certainly not the best, but it's okay.

Would I buy it again, though? No way. It has been collecting dust in the woe-begotten Drawer Of Forgotten Makeup and I highly doubt I will ever try to use it again. It's fate eventually will be going in the trash bin when I get around to re-organizing my makeup collection. Do I even recommend this to anyone? I'm sure someone out there is in love with this powder and uses it regularly, but I simply can't bring myself to even recommend it to someone.

Have any of you used this powder? Did you have a similar experience, or are you one of the few who is getting their money's worth out of it?

My Three Favorite Drugstore Hair Products

2012-01-20T19:33:00.000-08:00

I thought I would do a post about three hair products that I have been using for what seems like forever. I love them not only for their availability and their price, but also because I like how they perform.

1. Suave Max Hold Hair Spray (Unscented)

I wear hairspray every single day, it seems. I go through cans of hairspray like it's my job. This alone can become quite expensive if one is committed to buying hairspray that is only sold in salons. Along with that, I've also noticed that a lot of fragrances in hairsprays can be irritating to me, or I just dislike it. This is where Suave's Max Hold Hairspray (Unscented) comes to the rescue. Not only can I find it easily in any drug store, it's a huge can of hairspray for just over $2-3 USD.

2. Herbal Essences Set Me Up Mousse

This is one of those products I use when my hair is still damp. I focus Herbal Essences Set Me Up Mousse mainly at the roots, as I feel it helps to hold my style and gives me a little extra volume when blow-drying. But the best part about this mousse is the smell, which the packaging describes as "Lily Bliss". It smells so good. I really can't describe how nice this stuff smells. The price point isn't too bad on the wallet either, at about $2-3 USD for a can.

3. Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray

It took the drugstore brands long enough, but Tresemme did an awesome thing when they came out with a supremely decent heat protectant spray: Tresemme's Heat Tamer Spray. Many of us tend to use some kind of heat styling tool daily, whether it's a blow dryer, curling iron or flat iron. This leaves our hair stressed and damaged if we don't take the extra time and care to protect it from the high temperatures of these tools. I've found this product's scent to be non-irritating, with it effectively adding shine while smoothing out the cuticle and protecting my hair during styling. I've gone through a countless number of these spray bottles ($4-5 USD each) since they first came on the market, with it becoming a staple in my hair products collection.

Well, those are my top three drugstore hair products that I use regularly and love. I'm sure quite a few of you are familiar with at least one of these products! :-) Do you have any favorite hair products from the drugstore you can recommend to me?

FOTD/EOTD: Evergreen

2012-01-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

Someone recently suggested I do a green look, and then a beauty group I am a member of on Facebook just had a green makeup challenge, so I decided to finally give green a go. I usually stick with greys and purples out of habit, but I really loved wearing this today. It really complimented and somehow warmed up my brown eyes. :-)

Today I also had the chance to wear my newest favorite scarf of all time: my skull scarf. It was a bit chilly and snowy today (hence the snow on my coat) and the scarf is not very warm, but I just can't not wear it. I love it so much! I was in Minnesota last week (as you may know already from my last post), and this is one of my favorite finds.

My other favorite find was a LEGO Stormtrooper key ring. (Yes, I am a geek. But I don't care... I love my new key ring!)

I had the flu the past few days, which meant I was confined to my bed and don't even bother with my hair or makeup since I felt/looked like death, so I was so glad to play with makeup again today. (Today was a MAC makeup day.)

What I'm wearing:
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (all over as primer)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15 (under eye concealer)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- MAC blush in "Ambering Rose" (blush)
- MAC blush in "Sweet As Cocoa" (blush)
- MAC lip pencil in "Dervish" (lip liner)
- MAC lipglass in "Fresh Air" (lipgloss)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Brule" (brow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Omega" (eyebrows)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Sumptuous Olive" (inner lid/drop shadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Mulch" (center of lid/drop shadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Club" + Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (blended together, outer lid/drop shadow)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Patty O'Green" (all over lid/brow)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (outer upper & lower lashline)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (over the Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

FOTD/EOTD: Home In Minnesota

2012-01-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to be home in Minnesota right now. It's been too long since I've had a chance to head up north and just relax with my friends and family. As with any trip, there was so much to do before heading out: everything from deep cleaning my apartment, refreshing the pink in my hair, checking my mail, etc. Nonetheless, everything got done (well, as far as I'm aware) and at this moment I am still in my pajamas, at home in Minnesota, watching documentaries with the dogs.

I was so excited when I checked the post office and saw I had a package from Darling Girl. The "Darling Grrl" collection will be released soon, and I was fortunate enough to be sent PR samples for swatching and have been subsequently falling in love with each color. Today I wanted something very soft and simple, and decided to use one of the colors.

I used "How Soon Is Now" from the Darling Grrl collection all over the lid. Then I highlighted the inner corner and edges of the shadow with "Shy Violet" from the Rainbow Brite collection, which has become one of my favorite go-to highlight colors.

On my lips I am wearing MAC's Dervish lip pencil all over my lips, and then a Dazzleglass in "Date Night", also from MAC.

Finally, a photo I took of one of the dogs earlier. His name is Hercules, and as a long-haired Dachshund he happens to be the smaller of our two dogs. (The other one is named Buddy, a large mutt who thinks he's a lap dog... although I am sure he weighs more than I do.) One of Hercules' favorite things to do is to sit in front of the fireplace and warm himself.

I hope you all are doing well and have had a lovely start to your year. Not even two weeks in and already I've been realizing the best way for me to enjoy this year is to just take it day by day and appreciate what is in front of me right now.

MAC Amplified Lipstick: "A Perfect Day" (Naturally Collection) - Swatches

2012-01-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

MAC released their Naturally Collection on January 5th here in North America, and I was fortunate to receive a few items from the collection. The one I am featuring in this post is of the lipstick "A Perfect Day", which has the Amplified formula.

The color is described by MAC as "light neutral pink", but I describe it to others as a light, creamy beige-pink. It retails for $14.50 USD and can be found at MAC counters, MAC stores, and online at maccosmetics.com--although when I checked, this has been sold out online already.

I'm not doing a full review as this post is intended to be a swatch post, but I will say this: in the past I have tried finding the "perfect nude" lipstick and have failed. (Remember my disappointment with Revlon's "Just Enough Buff" lipstick?) This nude lipstick impressed me, though. It's creamy, non-drying, and well-pigmented.

What do you think of the color? I really do love it. I'm planning on buying a back-up as this color is limited edition and I'm not sure if there will be re-promotes of it in the future.

Quick Mini-Giveaway: Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in "Rouge Byzantin"

2011-12-30T16:32:00.000-08:00

**This giveaway is closed. Thank you to all who entered!! Amanda from the Snowflake Says blog won!**

2012 is about to hit, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to do a quick little "giveaway." (Technical term would be a sweepstakes since the winner will be chosen at random!) Read on if you are interested in winning a Limited Edition Chanel lipstick. :-)

As some of you may recall, I have swatched and reviewed this lipstick before. (The post is here!) This is one lipstick I could truly find no fault in. It's beautiful in terms of packaging, color, and formulation. Need a quick reminder of this color? Here are two pics from my review post:

Yep. It's absolutely divine. Not only is it divine, but you can't buy it anymore--hence the term "limited edition"! So, here's your chance to win it and add it to your makeup collection.

THE PRIZE

One (1) Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in "Rouge Byzantin", a $32 USD value.

HOW TO ENTER

Mandatory: Must leave a comment in this post (with a valid email address) about the year 2012. It can be about anything. (Examples: Do you have a resolution picked out? Do you even believe in having resolutions? What are you most looking forward to in 2012?... etc.) - 1 entry
Additional entries:

Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect (GFC) - 1 entry
Follow me on Twitter (@atinymandolin) - 1 entry
Tweet about this giveaway using the following: "Visit http://t.co/zAlrvO1J for a chance to win a Chanel Lipstick in "Rouge Byzantin"! @atinymandolin" - 1 entry

You can have a maximum of 4 entries.
Please list in your mandatory comment any additional entries you have done (such as following my blog, for example).

THE DEADLINE

This contest starts officially today, December 30th 2011, and will end at 12:01 AM (CST) on January 5th 2012.
Any entries after 12:01 AM (CST), January 5th 2012 will be considered null and void.

OFFICIAL RULES

No purchase necessary.
This mini-sweepstakes is open to United States & Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States, exceptions: Alabama & Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Void where prohibited by law.
Winner will be chosen at random. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Winner must have a valid email address to win.
I will choose the winner at random based on the number of valid entries listed in the comments on this post.
Winner will be chosen on January 5th, 2012 at some time after 12:01 AM (CST). I will email the winner on that day. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen at random.

Have fun & good luck! I can't wait to read your comments! :-)

FOTD: The Static Of Your Arms, It Is The Catalyst

2011-12-19T16:43:00.000-08:00

Today I fully intended to do a FOTD with an EOTD attached, but I have been bad and have neglected to charge my camera's battery recently. My camera called it quits and died when I was taking photos for this post! Sorry about that. :-(

Today's makeup was fairly simple, however, with a nude lip, soft wash of color on the cheeks, and red eyeshadow that was not very "primary red" but more of a frosty, cabernet sort-of red.

What I'm wearing:
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (all over as primer)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15 (under eye concealer)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- MAC blush in "Ambering Rose" (blush)
- MAC blush in "Sweet As Cocoa" (blush)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Brule" (brow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Cranberry" (all over lid)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Red Butler" (inner corner/dropshadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Sketch" (outer crease/drop shadow)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (outer upper & lower lashline)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (over the Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

FOTD: Two Pictures

2011-12-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

Two pictures today.

The first one was in natural lighting (that is good) but I look so serious (maybe not so good).

So I tried to take some new photos indoors when I was on my break. I look less serious (good)... but the white balance is all off and the color is thus skewed (not so good). I look like I have blue-ish hair to compliment the pink. ;-)

See what I mean by the white balance being off? My eyebrows look like two totally different colors. Sad day!

I totally love how my makeup looks today so I am sad the pictures didn't turn out well.

MAC Tour De Fabulous: Lip Pencil in "Lasting Sensation" Swatches

2011-12-15T14:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a lip pencil from the Tour De Fabulous collection from MAC. These were given to me so they aren't out yet--they will be available at MAC counters on December 26th in North America, and then internationally sometime in January 2012.

This lip pencil is a fun, bright coral-like color, an unexpected twist in the overall "mood" of the other collection released, the Daphne Guinness collection.

Heavier on left, blended softer toward the right

This color is so bright and fun. In my lip swatch you can see a bit of my natural lip color peeking through/mixing with the lip pencil, creating an almost pink-tangerine tone. If I layered further it would be even more opaque.

What do you think of a color like this for the lips? Would you wear it alone, or pair it with something else to intensify it or tone it down?

Daphne Guinness For MAC: Blush Ombre in "Azalea Blossom" Swatches

2011-12-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

Hi friends. I received a few pieces from the upcoming Daphne Guinness for MAC collection, which is set to hit counters in North America on December 26th, 2011 and then internationally sometime in January 2012. I decided to do my swatches in installments this time around.

This post will start off with one of the two Blush Ombres that are being released. There is Vintage Grape, a mid-tone violet pink, and then Azalea Blossom, a light cool pink--which is also the one I have and is swatched below. Both will retail at $26.00 USD.

L to R: The pink, the soft violet, both blended together.

What do you think of this blush? I think the color is really sweet. Have you ever tried a Blush Ombre?

The next swatches you can expect will be an eye shadow quad, a (bright!) lip pencil, an interesting Pro Longwear Lipcreme, and a Cremesheen Glass. :-)

Where does the time go?

2011-12-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! We're almost half-way through December, which is hard for me to believe. It seems that it gets to be the busiest time of year, with trying to make plans, working maybe a little more than usual, and tying up loose ends in preparation of the upcoming New Year.

That being said, I'm sorry I haven't made a new post recently! I told myself I would have a goal of fifteen posts this month. Today I woke up and realized I had done... one post. On top of that, it's already December 12th. So I thought I would put together a quick little "hello" and let you all know that I haven't abandoned my blog. I have been taking a lot of pictures and cropping / watermarking them in preparation for a slew of upcoming posts I have planned (some that I've intended to do since September, actually! Yikes!)

So thank you for your patience! In the mean time, leave me a comment about anything. Do you have any posts you want to see? Any videos? What are your plans this Christmas? Anything special on your wishlist? Have you started thinking of New Year's resolutions? Do you even do New Year's resolutions?? I love getting comments from you guys because it helps me get to know you. :-)

FOTD/EOTD: Pink In My Hair!

2011-12-02T13:52:00.001-08:00

So, this was a two-night process. I had been itching to put pink back into my hair like I used to wear, and I finally decided to just go ahead and do it.

I used the same brand of color that I used before, but I don't know if they reformulated or something, because the panels of pink I put in my hair turned more bubblegum pink than hot pink. But I was tired and decided I would just re-do it the following day. So the next night I mixed some magenta into the dye, reapplied, and let it sit longer. This is what I got:

Sorry with how frizzy my hair looks in the picture above. I really do need a trim soon! Either way, I'm really happy with how the color turned out. :-) If it didn't turn out, I decided I would just color all of my hair pink and call it a day. Haha. ;-) I took the picture above this morning before I went to work. (I ended up putting some magenta lipstick on later and wish I would have had the chance to photograph that, as well!)

What I'm wearing:
- MAC Oil Control Lotion (all over)
- MAC Prep+Prime Refined Zone (t-zone)
- MAC Studio Moisture Tint in "Light" (tinted moisturizer)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15 (under eye concealer)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- MAC blush in "Plum Foolery" (blush)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Brule" (brow)
     - Some loose shimmery nude eyeshadow (all over lid)
     - MAC Pigment eyeshadow in "Violet" (all over lid)
     - MAC Crushed Metal eyeshadow in "Light Violet" (center of lid)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Shy Violet" (inner corner/dropshadow)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (outer crease/drop shadow)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (outer upper & lower lashline)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (over the Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

FOTD/EOTD: Soft & Grey

2011-11-25T17:10:00.001-08:00

This is the makeup I wore yesterday for Thanksgiving. It's probably the softest smokey eye I've ever done, focusing on matte shadows and neutral colors. It was sort of a MAC-makeup day, as well, as most all of my indie eyeshadows have some shimmer or glitter in them, and my only matte neutrals are MAC!

As someone who typically always does much darker looks, I really liked how subtle this was, surprisingly enough.

What I'm wearing:
- MAC Oil Control Lotion (all over)
- MAC Prep+Prime Refined Zone (t-zone)
- MAC Studio Moisture Tint in "Light" (tinted moisturizer)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15 (under eye concealer)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- MAC Mineralize Blush in "Warm Soul" (blush)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Brule" (all over lid/brow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Copperplate" (outer 3/4ths of lid/drop shadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Embark" (outer 1/2 of lid/drop shadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Sketch" (outer 1/2 of lid/dropshadow)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Print" (outer crease/drop shadow)
     - Revlon ColorStay Pencil Liner (outer upper & lower lashline)
     - MAC eyeshadow in "Print" (over the Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Chanel Perfection Lumière Review & Swatches

2011-11-21T16:48:00.001-08:00

I bought Chanel's Perfection Lumière back at the very beginning of October. I stalked the Chanel counter regularly until the day they actually received their shipment and I left with a generous sample jar. Aside from being a bit of a Chanel junkie, I was impressed enough by the sample that I ended up buying a full-size within a few days. I've had time to try it out, experience the foundation, and form some thoughts and opinions regarding it.

I purchased the shade 12 Beige Rosé, which is the fairest shade they have out of a total of 20 shades they released for this foundation. It retails on Chanel's website and at Chanel counters and stores for $55 USD, and you receive 1 fl oz of product.

It has the classic Chanel logo on the lid, the trademark simplicity of the brand, and of course looks lovely on any vanity with its frosted-glass & black cap design.

Official description:
Effortless to apply, with seamless blendability for a naturally flawless effect, this breakthrough foundation is the ideal all-day, everyday formula – suitable for all skin types in a diverse range of 20 shades.

Chanel discontinued their Pro Lumière foundation line, and Perfection Lumière is the foundation they chose to fill the void. I sampled the Pro Lumière briefly, and found that I did not really enjoy it, although I do know there were many people who were huge fans of it. My issues with Pro Lumière were that I found it to be a bit cakey on me, and it emphasized dry areas and did not provide coverage I liked... I do love medium to full coverage foundations, but want it to look natural. Pro Lumière unfortunately did not give me the flawless finish I wanted.

Anyway, back to Perfection Lumière: aside from the gorgeous packaging, I love that it has a functional pump, which is important to me. Nothing bothers me more than foundations that simply have an opening and require you to pour out your foundation, which causes waste and is not very sanitary.

Swatches / Pictures

For reference: the following swatches were taken indoors. The pictures of me actually wearing the foundation are all in natural daylight.

Perfection Lumière is a liquid foundation that does not have a thick consistency, it's rather thin, but it is not runny. The formula is designed to be buildable, and the finish itself is intended to be natural, like your skin. It is not matte enough to make you flat, but it doesn't leave a dewy look and there is no shimmer or sheen to be found. I would describe to be a finish that is the happy medium between matte and satin.

The formula is intended to be long-lasting, transfer-resistant, and help keep oily skin under control.

The color range is still not extremely extensive, although Chanel has expanded their range to include darker shades which is a step forward in my opinion. I am extremely fair with some pink undertones that I prefer to have neutralized. While the shade 12 Beige Rosé is their fairest shade, I would have liked for it to be a tinge bit lighter.

It's been known that this formulation does oxidize a bit, so I would highly recommend getting a sample and wearing it for a day or two before committing to a full-size jar of this foundation. See how it looks in day light as well as indoors.

Their Beige Rose shades run a tad yellow even though they have more of a pink undertone than the regular Beige line. For me, this isn't so much an issue because like I stated above, I have some pink undertones that I like to have neutralized. This foundation does a good job of that for me.

Something that could be an issue for some people is that there is fragrance in this foundation. It's intended to smell like roses. If you have any sensitivities to fragrances you will want to keep this in mind.

The picture above is where it's been blended into my skin using my fingers. You can see how it doesn't appear heavy or cakey, but is really natural--it looks just like skin.

Here are some pictures of me wearing the foundation from some past FOTD posts:

I am wearing the Chanel Perfection Lumière foundation and set it with a combination of Meow Cosmetics Top Cat Finishing Powder and Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory". Original post here.

I am wearing the Chanel Perfection Lumière foundation and set it with Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder in "Translucent". Original post here.

I am wearing the Chanel Perfection Lumière foundation and set it with a combination of MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" and MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder. Original post here.

Finally, if you want to see a video of me actually using the foundation and applying it, you can visit this post. It essentially shows a regular foundation routine with the Chanel Perfection Lumière and the brush I use to apply it. Products I use day-to-day may vary slightly but it's pretty much the same process even if I switch up the concealer, powder, etc.

Overall
What I really like about this foundation is that I forget I'm wearing it. I love that it doesn't hide my freckles, but it somehow manages to even out my skin tone and neutralize any redness I may have. It doesn't leave my skin looking too matte, but it helps keep my skin from getting oily throughout the day. While I wish the lightest shade was just a tinge lighter, it's still a fairly good match for me (but I can't say it's a perfect match, like NARS Pressed Powder Foundation in "Siberia").

It's safe to say that this foundation is currently my favorite foundation right now, effectively replacing my Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist and Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ foundations, which are still (in my opinion) great foundations, but I just like the Chanel one more. The only thing keeping the Chanel foundation from being a "Holy Grail" product for me is the fact that it's not an absolute, perfect color match.

Have any of you tried this foundation yet? What do you think of it?

FOTD: Geek In The Pink

2011-11-16T13:40:00.001-08:00

Tried to make sure my fringe of hair wouldn't cover up my eyebrows for this picture. :-)

I technically wore this yesterday... I was calling it my "monochromatic" look (due to wearing hot pink in eyebrows, on eyes, and lips) but if we want to be really technical, I did add some purple into it for interest and variation... gradient brows were too hard to resist!

I have worn colored eyebrows for photography-only beauty looks, so up until yesterday, I hadn't worn them in public doing regular, everyday things. It was a first for me, but it was actually really fun so I know that I'll be doing it again.

I love the Chanel foundation so much. I'll be doing a review of it soon, since now I've had time to really try it out, but I want to say this: I love how it provides incredible, natural coverage but it doesn't hide my freckles.

What I'm wearing:
- MAC Oil Control Lotion (all over)
- MAC Prep+Prime Refined Zone (t-zone)
- Chanel Perfection Lumiere in Beige Rose 12 (foundation)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15 (under eye concealer)
- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in "Light" (powder)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Dollipop" (blush)
- MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder (finishing powder)
- Morgana Cryptoria Lipstick in "Totally Tubular" (on lips)
- Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Poison Plum" (lightly blended into outer corner of lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Dollipop" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Poison Plum" (blended through crease/outer drop shadow)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (over the Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"
- Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Poison Plum" and "Dollipop" (used in eyebrows)

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Really Red" Review & Swatches

2011-11-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to post a review on this lipstick because I find that I really have fallen in love with it. I have done two other Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick reviews already: one for "Just Enough Buff", which disappointed me, and "Gentlemen Prefer Pink", which I really liked.

What made me excited to try out "Really Red" was the fact it has a matte finish. The other two Super Lustrous Lipsticks I have reviewed were a creme and a pearl finish respectively, so this was my first experience with a matte lipstick from Revlon. This lipstick retails for about $5-6 USD depending on the retailer you purchase it from.

Wendi of Makeup Zombie made a post that had Revlon's "Really Red" in it, and that night I went straight out and bought the lipstick. For some reason this is the year that I fell in love with red lipstick and became comfortable and confident in wearing it. There is something so glamorous about a rich, red lip and it can evoke so many feelings--mystery, a certain sexiness, even a nostalgia for a different era.

This is a beautiful lipstick. It's creamy, non-drying, and has great staying power. The fact that it can be found in the drugstore and is quite affordable makes this practically a no-brainer... I think it is worthy of buying a back-up, just in case Revlon ever makes the error of discontinuing this lipstick.

Let me elaborate a little on the staying power of this lipstick: on Sunday (early evening) I was scheduled to fly to PA for work, which involved a layover between two flights. I applied some lipliner (MAC's Lip Pencil in "Brick" and then my usual three-layer lipstick routine (a layer of Revlon's "Really Red" + blot with tissue + second layer + blot again + final layer). By the time I was at my hotel and getting ready to wash off my makeup, it was about 1 AM on Monday.

The lipstick never bled, it remained vibrant, wasn't drying to my lips, and even after some beverages and snacks, required no reapplication. That was when I really knew that I loved this lipstick.

The lip swatch below is just Revlon's "Really Red" over my lips, no lip liner.

My one caveat with this lipstick is the packaging. My other two Super Lustrous lipsticks have different packaging (as you can see here and here). In the first two pictures in this post, you can see everything is securely connected and how the lipstick looks when the cap has been removed. Then, after one day of me carrying this around with me in my purse for the day:

The lipstick was fine and undamaged (thank goodness), but it was just irritating that I had carried it in my purse for one day, but it disassembled when I went to remove the actual cap and apply it. I know that the lipstick was inexpensive, so I hate being nit-picky on something that didn't impact the performance of the actual lipstick. However, I didn't have this issue with the other two Super Lustrous lipsticks I own, so I can't help but wonder if it is due to the new packaging, since I know Revlon can do better than this.

Anyway, time to set that aside! Ultimately what matters most is that I love this lipstick and the color and formulation have greatly impressed me. Do any of you own "Really Red"? What is your absolute favorite red that you own?

Darling Girl Cosmetics "Rainbow Brite" Collection - Swatches

2011-11-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts. I'm currently in PA for work so I haven't had much time to blog or read through any new posts from the blogs I follow & love, so I am sorry about that!

Here is the next swatch post for Darling Girl: the "Rainbow Brite" collection! (The collection is available in the shop currently!) These are awesome because of the sheer amount of shimmer, sparkles, and duochrome to be seen! The best part is that these are transformer shadows -- they look very light and delicate on their own, but over a black base they are incredible.

From L to R: Canary, Patty O'Green, Lucky

This is how the following swatches were done: I have primed the skin with Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Each color is in a set of two, the left being on its own over the TFSI and the right being swatched over Maybelline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in "Blackest Black". This way you can see the duality the color contains, simply based on application method.

From L to R: Canary, Patty O'Green, Lucky

Canary

Canary

Patty O'Green is a gorgeous shade that almost reminds me of a beetle--it's has a stunning duochrome that I tried to capture in pictures for you.

Patty O'Green

Patty O'Green

Patty O'Green

Lucky

Lucky

Lucky

From L to R: Buddy Blue, Shy Violet, Indigo

From L to R: Buddy Blue, Shy Violet, Indigo

Buddy Blue

Buddy Blue

Buddy Blue

Shy Violet

Shy Violet

Indigo

Indigo

From L to R: La La Orange, Red Butler, Rainbow Brite

From L to R: La La Orange, Red Butler, Rainbow Brite

La La Orange

La La Orange

La La Orange

Red Butler

Red Butler

Red Butler

Rainbow Brite

Rainbow Brite

Now... for my favorite shadow of the whole batch. ON-X: the most rainbowy, glittery, beautiful charcoal/black shadow I have ever seen or worn.

ON-X

ON-X

ON-X

ON-X

ON-X

So, there are the swatches! I hope they've been helpful to you. My favorites include Patty O'Green, Red Butler, and most definitely ON-X. Have you ordered anything from this collection yet?

FOTD/EOTD: Please Understand That I Don't Answer The Phone

2011-11-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

Well, it's November, which meant turning the page on my calendar and listening to the song "November" by Azure Ray. I think time feels like it speeds up at the end of the year, and soon we'll be looking back and wondering where all of 2011 went.

Feeling sort of carefree-- wearing messy second-day hair and simple makeup for the day. Well, simple to me, at least. I told myself this morning I would only do mascara, but as soon as I sat down at my vanity and saw all my makeup in front of me... I couldn't just do mascara. I never can. I love the act of putting on makeup far too much to not indulge myself.

What I'm wearing:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Chanel Perfection Lumiere in Beige Rose 12 (foundation)
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush)
- Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder in "Translucent" (correcting powder)
- Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in "#2 Golden Praline" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - No name nude pearl eyeshadow (brow)
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics eyeshadow in "Moon Dust" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in #14 (winged-out liner on upper lashline)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (smudged out on lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Darling Girl Cosmetics "Diamond Dusts" Collection - Swatches

2011-10-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Today shall be a swatch post featuring Darling Girl's upcoming Diamond Dusts collection. Susan was kind enough to send me samples of the collection so that I could go camera-happy on them. (Kind of like how I was camera-happy with the Halloween collection post.)

If you like sparkly eyeshadows, then you are in luck, because these are all quite sparkly. I wish cameras could really convey how beautiful an eyeshadow is. When I was swatching, I kept "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" over how pretty these all are.

(All are swatched over Too Faced Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer.)

L to R: Verdant Green, Totally Teal

Verdant Green

Totally Teal

L to R: Verdant Green, Totally Teal

Verdant Green

Totally Teal

L to R: Lucy In The Sky, Dark Crystal

Lucy In The Sky

Dark Crystal

L to R: Lucy In The Sky, Dark Crystal

Lucy In The Sky

Dark Crystal, one angle

Dark Crystal, another angle

L to R: Flare, Moon Dust

Flare

Moon Dust

L to R: Flare, Moon Dust

Flare

Moon Dust (sparkle city)

Moon Dust (more sparkles!)

L to R: Sushi Flower, Wood Sprite

Sushi Flower

Wood Sprite

L to R: Sushi Flower, Wood Sprite

Sushi Flower

Wood Sprite

I hope you all enjoyed the swatches. I really love Dark Crystal, Flare, and Moon Dust.

I'll be publishing a swatch post of Darling Girl's upcoming Rainbow Brite collection soon as well. I'm thinking a lot of people are really going to like that collection, the shadows are awesome! So stay tuned for that! :-)

What shadows do you like the most?

FOTD/EOTD: Digging To The Rhythm & The Echo Of A Solitary Siren

2011-10-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted a FOTD or EOTD, thought it was about time to do a new one! So, here is my makeup from today. Title of the post is, once again, from a song lyric.

This look was definitely inspired by two other beauty bloggers. I haven't worn a red eyeshadow look in awhile, but when I saw Anna's recent blog post, The Devil On My Shoulder, I knew I had to incorporate some red into my next look. Hers is much more stunning than mine today, so tomorrow I may do another red/black look and intensify it further.

My second source of inspiration was Helen from Faeries Stole My Lipstick. I typically do very "rounded" shapes when it comes to eye makeup, but she consistently has the most beautiful winged out eyeshadow looks. So, today, I decided to try a different shape. I think winging out eyeshadow gives a very "lifted" appearance to any makeup look.

What I'm wearing:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Chanel Perfection Lumiere in Beige Rose 12 (foundation)
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush)
- Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder in "Translucent" (correcting powder)
- Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in "#2 Golden Praline" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - No name nude pearl eyeshadow (all over brow/lid)
     - Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in "Mirifique" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Some red loose eyeshadow--ages ago I transferred it from a baggie to a jar but forgot to label it! (inner third lid/inner third dropshadow, blended outward)
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics eyeshadow "Jack's Lantern" (blended transition from red shadow to Mirifique)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Review: HANA Professional Flat Iron 1.5"

2011-10-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of September, Brian from Misikko.com contacted me regarding the opportunity to review one of their flat irons, the HANA Professional Flat Iron 1.5", which is by the brand HANA. I wanted to give myself some ample time to try out the iron before writing a review.

As someone who, in the past, worked in a professional hair salon actually doing hair, I have had the opportunity to try tons of flat irons and personally owned three at the time when I was first contacted by Brian. I've used and owned CHI, Rusk, GHD, and Hot Tools flat irons... as well as varying other heat-styling tools, but since this post is going to focus on flat irons I won't delve into that. I had never tried a HANA flat iron before receiving this one.

Below you will see pictures, a description of the iron's features, and then before & after pictures from styling my hair with this iron.

One of the most important things I look for in a company is the quality of their customer service. Since this flat iron was sent to me, I can't speak unbiasedly on the turn-around time and shipping costs, etc., but I will say I was impressed with the politeness and professionalism that Brian approached me with.

I visited the website to get a feel for what they were about. I found Misikko.com to have a very clean interface which was easy to navigate, and noticed right away that it boasts of "free same day shipping nationwide"--which is not something every company offers. They are essentially an online salon boutique that offers a large selection of blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons, including the ever popular Original CHI flat iron (which is actually one of the three flat irons I've owned for a few years). They also sell a variety of other products, including a selection of skin care and makeup products (like Model In A Bottle).

When I received my package, there was more than just a flat iron included. There was a travel heat-proof pouch, a heat-proof silicone mat, and a tin case that the flat iron came in. Among those extras, there were some cute little unrelated items, like a HANA sleeping mask and rose-scented fake pink roses, which Krystal informed me are soap!

The silicone mat, showing the cute pink roses that came with.

I actually kept the fake roses on my vanity because I like how they look.

The tin that the HANA iron came in.

Upon opening the tin, I saw that the flat iron was in its own little carrying case.

This flat iron is actually the largest one I have now. All my other flat irons have 1" plates, whereas this one has 1.5" plates. The HANA iron has floating ceramic-tourmaline plates which are very smooth; the edges are curved for those who want to "flip" or attempt curling their hair with it. 1" plates are usually ideal for fine hair types that are easy to straighten... if you have hair that is a bit more difficult to straighten, whether due to texture or the thickness of the strands, then choosing a larger-plated iron like this may help make styling easier for you.

The nice thing that the HANA iron offers is the ability to adjust the temperature. My CHI flat iron does not offer that, but my Rusk iron does, which is why I always preferred my Rusk iron to my CHI. The HANA flat iron gives you the ability to go between 140-450° F by rotating the dial that you see pictured above. It also features an LED light that will blink when the iron has heated up to the desired temperature.

Now, for some before and after pictures.

I have fine hair--meaning each hair strand is not thick or wiry, but rather is fine and easily manipulated. If left to air dry, it is not perfectly straight--it has waviness throughout it, but more so on the bottom layers compared to the crown area. (This is really common for people who do not have bone-straight hair.)

Since my hair is easily manipulated, the first picture is after I blow-dried my hair and straightened as best I could using just my hands to brush through it while drying. You can see that the end result is not very sleek, my hair appears dull, and it's overall just messy.

Not straight the way I like it to be.

This next picture is after flat-ironing my hair with the HANA iron. You can see the hair appears shinier, it lays smoother, and is "less poofy."

(I wonder if I got an uneven haircut? Either that, or I'm standing at a weird angle, or the curve of the hair is giving the illusion that it's uneven... anyway!!)

Overall, this flat iron gets the job done, which is good. It heats up quickly and will let you know when it's done heating up; it allows you to choose a temperature appropriate for your hair; and it has smooth plates that didn't snag or pull on my hair. I'm not the biggest fan of a 1.5" plate on my own hair, but part of that is because I've only ever used a 1" plate on myself and my hair is not difficult to straighten. Keep in mind that even if that isn't my preference, some women will find better results with a 1.5" plated flat iron.

Thinking back, I would say the most annoying thing for me was the cord. It does have a swiveling 360° cord, however I found that when I used it, the cord would wrap up amongst itself and I would have to stop and unwind it before I could comfortably use it again.

At the time of this review, the HANA Professional Flat Iron 1.5" is retailing on the Misikko website at $132.99 USD. Since it's over $75, standard shipping is free.

(One very nice thing about this company is that you can also exchange or return the item within 30 days if you aren't satisfied--all of their policies are easily to understand and explained on the website.)

Do you guys flat iron your hair daily? What's the best flat iron you've ever owned?

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were provided for consideration; I did not purchase these products. There are no affiliate links and there is no financial compensation included in this post.

"Zombie Prom" Costume & Pictures

2011-10-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

So, Saturday I went to an event we have in Des Moines called "Zombie Prom", which is basically a "prom" with adults dressed as zombies and enjoying live rockabilly and ska-punk music. Here are some pictures from the night.

For my costume, I took a baby-doll summer dress I've had for years (and honestly never wear at all) and destroyed it. I took matte brown shadow with a bronzing buff brush to dirty up the white (the picture doesn't show that very well, unfortunately) and tore up the hemline and layers. I also made it quite bloody, which contrasted nicely with the white.

Here is a closer, more detailed shot of the hemline.

For the shoes, I picked up a simple pair of dyeable, white strappy heels. I chose a dyeable shoe so I could stain them with fake blood. The picture above shows that I stuffed them with paper towels--that was so I wouldn't ruin the cushioning of the shoe.

I actually really like the shoes, so I am planning on keeping them. Who knows when I might need them again? ;-)

I stuck with the white theme and also picked up a pair of white tights. I was planning on giving all my visible skin a white pallor, so by wearing white tights it saved me time on not having to worry about doing make up on my legs.

Here is a (horrible) body shot of my costume in the bathroom mirror at the ballroom where the event was. I wish I had a better shot of the full-body costume, but I was running so behind that I didn't have time to take many pictures after I was fully in costume. :-(

This is a shot my friend took of me sitting down after one of the bands finished playing.

For my makeup, I went really simple this time around. My goal wasn't to do anything crazy or with any "special effects"... I just gave myself a ghostly, blood-drained pallor on my skin, and contoured like crazy for very sunken cheeks and sunken eyes. I also contoured my clavicle/neckline/sternum to give a very emaciated form, as I imagine a zombie would have.

Finally, I added a red lipstick (Chanel Rouge Byzantin, my current favorite!) and since I was in a bloody costume, I added fake blood around my mouth and onto my arms/dripping onto my chest.

One last picture that my friend took before heading to the event: I needed to fill up the tank on my car.

FACTS:
1. I am petite.
2. I drive a big SUV.
3. People give zombies weird looks when they are in public places.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post. I had a lot of fun on Saturday. I think the part I will remember most is after one of the bands got off stage, I complimented the lead singer on his shirt. (He was wearing a shirt that said "Marla Singer." Marla Singer is the dissolute female character in the book/movie Fight Club, which is why I thought the shirt was awesome.) Not too long afterward he found me and said, "You're the one who likes my shirt, right?" and then gave it to me. Haha!

New Tattoo: Compass Rose

2011-10-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. If you have followed my Twitter recently, a few of you may know I've started my side piece. :-)

I've been getting some requests for pictures, and since some of the swelling has gone down finally I am ready to share.

I've tried to keep it tasteful so I hope that no one minds this picture.

The pain wasn't too bad at all, and I am planning on expanding it eventually.

Sugar Skull Necklace from Molly the Pirate's Bit O' Shine Etsy Shop

2011-10-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

I recently received my second piece of jewelry from Molly the Pirate's Bit O' Shine shop on Etsy. I can't stress enough how sweet Molly is. I originally ordered some skull earrings from her (which you can see in this post) and expressed my love for "skull jewelry" in the comment box when I placed that order.

Molly kept this in mind, and when she got a lovely sugar skull pendant, she let me know. She showed me a "rough draft", you could say, of the necklace she was making around the sugar skull pendant. I loved what she had started with and made a few requests as I told her what I look for in jewelry (such as that it is black or metal-toned--silver, gold, brass, etc.) and she also added a second chain when I suggested it.

I love how open Molly was for making changes and adjustments to the necklace until we got to the finished piece. I think that shows a lot of care she has for her customers, especially as individuals. I honestly felt her appreciation for me (for lack of a better way to describe it?) because of how she remembered my proclivity for skull jewelry! :-)

After shipping, the total cost was $21.85 USD. I ordered on October 8th (a Saturday), and it was shipped on October 11th (the following Tuesday). I can't remember the day I checked my PO box, but I received it just a few days after it shipped... I think it may have been October 13th, that Thursday.

Like the first time I ordered, the necklace came in an adorable little box with a skeleton key stamped on top, which you can see in the first photo. I can't bring myself to throw away a box so cute, so I have kept it to keep little knick-knacks and what-nots in.

I love this little necklace. :-)

If you haven't checked out her shop yet, I definitely would encourage you to take a peek around. The pricing and cost of shipping are extremely reasonable, the turn around time has been quick each time I've ordered, and I really love the range of jewelry pieces she offers; some are quirky, some are delicate, some are tough, etc. There's a little bit of something for everyone.

What's your favorite Etsy/ArtFire/independent shop for jewelry online?

Updated Foundation Routine Video - Chanel Perfection Lumière

2011-10-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! If you follow me on Twitter then you will know by now that I recently bought Chanel's newest foundation, Perfection Lumière, in the shade Beige Rose 12... I have been completely bewitched by it. I love it.

I figured this would be a good time to do an updated foundation routine video since the way I apply Chanel's Perfection Lumière is quite different than how I prefer to apply Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist, which I filmed in this video back in May.

(I do my eye makeup before foundation, which is why my eyes are already finished at the start of this video. Also, some of you have been requesting videos of me actually applying the makeup you often see in my FOTD posts! So here's the start to that!)

Hope you enjoy the video. Please let me know if you have any questions, requests or suggestions!

NOTD: Sally Hansen Salon Effects, Skull & Crossbones Pattern

2011-10-17T04:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a week! I came down with something and pretty much hardly left my bed for an entire week. Thankfully that has passed, so we are getting back on track with everything.

Here is my current NOTD, using Sally Hansen's Salon Effects nail strips, which I really like--I've posted a few past NOTDs featuring them. This time around I used the limited edition skull & crossbones pattern that they released in time for Halloween!

I think these are a lot of fun. My only gripe is I wish the background of the nail strip would have been black, and that the skull & crossbones would have been white. Hopefully next year they will switch it up?

What are you wearing on your nails right now? Anything fun for Halloween?

FOTD: Alternative 1920s Makeup

2011-10-11T05:42:00.000-07:00

This makeup is inspired by the 1920s era, but I wanted to make it a bit darker and more alternative. So... here is what I came up with. I have been under the weather this week and so when I wasn't able to sleep, I did this to keep some sanity. I did film it as well, so I will work on getting a time lapse video of the makeup put together. (ETA: Here is the time lapse video for doing this makeup!)

Color version beneath the cut.

Also, as an FYI, I did take some liberty in editing out my natural eyebrows so that the drawn on ones would be the only ones you'd see. I thought it fit the aesthetic of the image better that way.

Hope you like it. :-)

What I'm wearing:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Chanel Perfection Lumiere in Beige Rose 12 (foundation)
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Stila eyeshadow in "Mahogany" (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Living Doll" (blush)
- Meow Cosmetics Top Cat Finishing Powder (finishing powder)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (light dusting over finishing powder))
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - No name nude pearl eyeshadow (all over brow/lid)
     - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in "Blackest Black" (base of eyeshadow to create shape/drop shadow/eyebrows)
     - Smashbox eyeshadow in "Obsidian" (over Maybelline Eyeliner base/drop shadow)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Barracuda" (lightly in crease & inner corner/drop shadow)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" (heavy in crease & inner corner)
     - Wet-N-Wild Idol Eyes creme shadow "Pixie" (bottom of inner corner)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Apparition" (over WnW's Pixie)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black" (mascara)
- Lips:
     - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in "Blackest Black" (drawn on lips)
     - Wet-N-Wild Idol Eyes creme shadow "Pixie" (center of bottom lip)
     - Darling Girl eyeshadow in "Apparition" (over WnW's Pixie)

FOTD/EOTD: What Parts Of You Were Daydreams

2011-10-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

Woke up sick as a dog today. I stayed in bed as long as my body could stand, but it's probably good that I got up eventually because when you don't keep busy, you'll find that you're alone with all your thoughts, which can drive anybody crazy.

I needed to go to the post office anyway so I cleansed my face, did a very simple eye, and put on some bright lips with the hope that they would make me feel a little sunnier. (Yet somehow I chose the wrong powder for doing my brows. I'll just claim it's because I am only semi-coherent today.)

What I'm wearing:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Chanel Perfection Lumiere in Beige Rose 12 (foundation)
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- NARS Blush in "Amour" (blush)
- Meow Cosmetics Top Cat Finishing Powder (finishing powder)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (light dusting over finishing powder)
- Morgana Cryptoria Lipstick in "Totally Tubular" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - No name nude pearl eyeshadow (all over brow/lid)
     - Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in "Mirifique" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in "Fairytale", Review & Swatches

2011-10-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

This is a color I had always considered picking up, but for some reason never did. But then I saw Nymphette wearing it in this post, and I headed out to pick up Covergirl's Lip Perfection in "Fairytale." I already own Covergirl's Lip Perfection in "Divine", which I think is a fabulous color, so I was hoping this would wear nicely on me as well.

The Lip Perfection lipsticks retail for about $6-7 USD in drugstores such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. The packaging is very clean and quite sleek for a drugstore lipstick. I counted 45 available shades on the official website here, which also lists this description for the lipsticks:

Official description:
Bright, gorgeous color that can transform your day and your lips. Enriched with a silk moisturizing complex, our formula helps sustain moisture levels and helps create soft, smooth, beautiful lips in just 7 days.

This shade is a creme and has no shimmer or glitter within it. I found the color in the packaging and the lipstick bullet to be a somewhat bright, warm pink that, once applied, leans coral. Also surprising was when it was applied, it actually was brighter on the lips than anticipated. (I think it pulls more pink/fuschia on Nymphette, and on myself it pulls more pink/coral.)

Have you ever watched a very old movie which uses "Technicolor" to add color to the film? If so, you probably recall how bright and almost-neon the lips of the actresses can appear. That is what I thought of instantly when I applied this lipstick.

Swatches

The wear time was impressive to me. I applied it, ate lunch, then went to a coffee shop and enjoyed some expresso drinks. I checked myself in the mirror 4.5 hours later, and while it did not have the same shine as it did initially, the color was still as pigmented on my lips as it was when I first applied it. So, while I could have, I didn't find any need to re-apply the lipstick.

Another thing to note: because of its high pigmentation, it does end up staining the lips slightly, which could be considered either a pro or con depending on your outlook. (Personally, I don't mind lip colors staining my lips for the day.)

I don't find this lipstick is especially moisturizing as the website claims, but it doesn't dry out my lips. The scent of these lipsticks is something I have seen people complain about often. For me, it smells a bit like playdough, but when applied the fragrance wore away quickly and I didn't notice it any longer. It certainly doesn't smell or taste delicious like my Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss, but for the inexpensive price the most important things to me were: that it had good pigmentation (it does), and that it wears well (it does).

Overall, considering the price, I'm quite pleased with this lipstick and am glad to have a bright color like this in my collection.

Do you have this color, or any other colors from the Lip Perfection line?

Random Photo Post #002 - "Bumble Bees"

2011-10-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I take pictures of things other than makeup and/or my face. Shocking, I know. ;-)

For the second installment of my Random Photo Post, these are just some pictures of bees I took when I was in Golden, Colorado.

Let me know if you guys would prefer I post pictures like this someplace else, a separate blog or something. Otherwise I'll will occasionally make "Random Photo Posts" on this blog every now and then.

FOTD: I Am A Zombie.

2011-09-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

So... not much else to say except this is me as a zombie, after I've risen from the dead.

Added note: There has been much debate on whether this is "zombie" or not. I say it can be, but if you think it looks like something else, then that's no problem. Use some imagination. It could be that my zombie was a burn victim, or maybe mine has freshly risen and the blood hasn't entirely drained. It is what it is, so let's just leave it be. :-)

I should have added some "rotting flesh" to my chest and arms, but this was just the first attempt at zombie makeup. There will be another attempt since 1) apparently I failed to film the very end of this makeup, as I was intending to post a time-lapse video of it... and 2) it didn't turn out like I initially planned. Oh well!

Anyway, it will be hard to list the makeup I used in the order and how and whatnot, but I will say: I used Sugarpill's "Love+" & "Buttercupcake" for the bloody-looking and jaundiced-looking bits of flesh, as well as Darling Girl's "Crypt Keeper" for adding some green tones, and "Jack's Lantern" for depth and shading... along with various other shadows including Urban Decay (Black Dog, Libertine) and Stila (Mahogany) for other shading effects.

Review & Swatches: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Just Enough Buff"

2011-09-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

This is the second Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick that I am posting a review on. The first one was for the color "Gentlemen Prefer Pink", which has a pearl finish. You can read that review here.

Today's review and swatches will be focusing on the color "Just Enough Buff", a creme finish in their Super Lustrous line.

So, what do you think when you see the word "buff" in the name of a lipstick? You would probably imagine a soft, nude color. Then, when something is named "Just Enough Buff" (as this lipstick is named), you are led to believe it's a nude color that is not so much that it becomes concealer-esque, but it's also not so little that it is like a tinted lip balm.

This definitely does not apply like a concealer, but unfortunately I own some tinted lip balms that have better pigmentation than this lipstick.

In the store when I tried making out the color as best I could in the tube, it looked like it might work as a nude lipstick. I had my fingers crossed and was quite hopeful. When I finally opened the package, I began to begin doubting it this would work for me. This lipstick retails for about $5-6 USD depending on the retailer you purchase it from.

When swatched, I found that against my skin it appeared to be more like a coral peach than a buff nude. Despite being listed as a creme finish, you can see within the lipstick bullet that there is the slightest golden shimmer, but that is not noticeable upon application. Unfortunately, I had to swipe this lipstick about five times before I could get a good swatch as it applies very sheerly. When I say sheer, I mean sheer as in "less tinted than a tinted lip balm."

Swatches

Now, for some lip swatches. The lips in the first picture are my natural lip pigmentation for reference. The second picture is with the "Just Enough Buff" lipstick applied, which was a pain since I had to apply and apply and apply to get even some color. Even after that effort, it still applied somewhat patchy even when it seems to only leave a wash of color.

Natural lip pigmentation

"Just Enough Buff" applied

Overall, I don't find this was the appropriate kind of nude lipstick for me. I found myself disappointed, as I had such a good experience with the other Super Lustrous lipstick I tried. I found the sheerness of this one to be off-putting along with some other areas in which it was lacking: I want even coverage, great pigmentation, and (for me personally) a "buff" color that has more neutral or pink undertones, as the orange undertone of this lipstick simply doesn't work for my preferences. To top it all off, the wear time was less than 2 hours on me. I won't be re-purchasing this shade.

Have you tried "Just Enough Buff"? What is your favorite nude lipstick?

Fauxlash: "Alexia" Style, Pictures & Review

2011-09-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

“I owe my career to false lashes. They're the makeup artist's best-kept secret. They make the eyes wider and more dramatic. They're an instant face-lift.” ~ Gina Brooke

I am so excited to finally be getting started on a little series of posts I have had planned for about a month now. It was just this past August when I became acquainted with Fauxlash via Beautylish (you can see their profile here.) They had posted in the forums on Beautylish, and I commented on some of the styles that I thought were very nice. Sterling followed up with me and graciously offered to send a PR kit. I was thankful for the offer and happy to accept.

I received a beautifully wrapped package that contained two of their styles--the Alexia and the Roxy. I was very excited that those were the two lashes selected for me, as those were two that I had my eye on from the beginning.

This particular post is going to focus on sharing the Alexia style... future posts I have planned will contain their other styles. (In the above picture, the Roxy's are in the top box, the Alexia's in the bottom box.)

So, what should you know about Fauxlash? For starters, they are focused on quality over quantity, which explains why their selection is not excessively huge... but that doesn't mean you will be limited: they've chosen styles for each and every personality, as well as eye shape. These lashes are individually hand-knotted, using only 100% sterilized human hair and high quality synthetic blends. To top that off, each pair of lashes is inspected before they are sent to your doorstep.

The Alexia style I am showcasing in this post is listed at $16 USD. Depending on the style you select, the prices range between $9 (like the Roxy lashes for example), to the $24 faux+Dev lashes (check out the industrial glamour of those lashes!).

Look how plush those lashes are. If you want length and volume, these are the lashes that you want. I find these are perfect for anyone who wants to add some "sultry glam" to their look. In fact, when two of my clients saw this pair in action on me, they knew immediately that they wanted some pairs for themselves.

The lash band on this pair is not flimsy at all. It's quite sturdy, which is good for those who want to wear them a couple more times before disposing of them. That being said, you want to make sure to place it perfectly along the lash line for a seamless appearance since the band is not one that could be considered "invisible thin."

They have such a beautiful criss-cross pattern. Not only that, but the varying thicknesses grant these lashes an almost feather-like quality. They do have a perfect transition from shorter-to-longer-to-shorter lengths amongst the lashes. The Alexia's are really stunning and, to be quite honest, my current favorite pair of lashes.

I had a FOTD on August 24th where I was wearing them. I will post the pictures here for you, and if you want to know what makeup is being worn etc., click the provided link for that information:

A picture says a thousand words, doesn't it? I am in love with this style and really haven't found any other lashes that makes me feel quite as vixen-ish as these do. While this pair was provided to me at no charge as part of a PR kit, I have since purchased from Fauxlash with my own funds and have used this brand on my own clients. (If you are a professional makeup artist, I really encourage you to check out their FauxPro program--it is a great benefit to any professional makeup artist if you want to have some amazing luxury lashes on hand to use on your clients.)

Have you ever used Fauxlash? What is your favorite style out of their collections??

FOTD/EOTD: It's A Long, Slow Slide

2011-09-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday, and I actually really liked my eye makeup... I liked it so much that I decided to recreate it today. This is fairly neutral compared to what I usually do, but still has a smokey element to it, which I like. Also: please disregard the messiness of my second-day hair. :-)

Let me also add that I really am loving my Darling Girl products from her Halloween collection. My favorite shadow is by far Jack's Lantern!

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder in "Translucent" (correcting powder)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Darling Girl Cosmetics Kiss You Off Balm in "Wicked Game" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Venomous Cosmetics loose eyeshadow in "In Orbit" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer (all over lid on top of "In Orbit")
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics loose eyeshadow "Apparition" (inner third of lid/drop shadow)
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics loose eyeshadow "Jack's Lantern" (outer third of lid/drop shadow, blended inward)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Darling Girl Cosmetic's "A Darling Ghoul Halloween" - Swatches

2011-09-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

I hope you guys are ready for this.

No, really... I hope you are ready. This post contains TONS of pictures. If you don't like looking at beautiful things, then this might not be your post. But for my fellow makeup-lovers, you will be lemming after quite a few items after this post, I'm sure of it.

Susan of Darling Girl Cosmetics offered me the chance to pre-order from her Halloween collection, "A Darling Ghoul Halloween" (adorable, right?!) after I kept gushing about the preview pictures she was posting on Twitter. I jumped on the opportunity, and let me tell you: this collection is amazing. I love it. It will be divided into three sections: Spectral Shifts, Loose Eyeshadows, Kiss You Off balms, Holo-Glosses, a Lip Jelly, and Blushes.

Should we just get to the pictures and swatches already??

Look at the cute sticker that she included in the package... it's the Darling Girl all Halloween-ified!

All the traditional loose eyeshadows are swatched over Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Every other product--Spectral Shifts, Kiss You Off balms, Holo-Glosses, a Lip Jelly, and Blushes are over bare skin or bare lips.

Oh, and I included the "gift with purchase" (GWP) products as well, just because. They are notated.

I did not use flash in any of the photos.

Spectral Shifts

L to R: Corpse Candle, Ghost Light, Will-O-Wisp

Corpse Candle

Ghost Light

Will-O-Wisp

L to R: Corpse Candle, Ghost Light, Will-O-Wisp

Corpse Candle

Ghost Light

Will-O-Wisp

Loose Eyeshadows
These first three are the full-sized shadows.

L to R: Scream Queen, Thriller, Jack's Lantern

Scream Queen

Thriller

Jack's Lantern

L to R: Scream Queen, Thriller, Jack's Lantern

Scream Queen

Thriller

Jack's Lantern

These remaining ones are Petit sizes.

L to R: Dream Scream, Apparition, Crypt Keeper, Bat's In The Belfry

Dream Scream

Apparition

Crypt Keeper

Bat's In The Belfry

L to R: Dream Scream, Apparition, Crypt Keeper, Bat's In The Belfry

Dream Scream

Apparition

Crypt Keeper

Bat's In The Belfry

L to R: Witch & Famous, Zombie-body To Love, Pretty Plasma, Sparkling Luna (GWP)

Witch & Famous

Zombie-body To Love

Pretty Plasma

Sparkling Luna (GWP)

L to R: Witch & Famous, Zombie-body To Love, Pretty Plasma, Sparkling Luna (GWP)

Witch & Famous

Zombie-body To Love

Pretty Plasma

Sparkling Luna (GWP)

Kiss You Off Lip Balms

L to R: Pumpkin King, Wicked Game, Poisoned Plum, Devil's Dance

Pumpkin King

Wicked Game

Poisoned Plum

Devil's Dance

L to R: Pumpkin King, Wicked Game, Poisoned Plum, Devil's Dance

Pumpkin King

Wicked Game

Poisoned Plum

Devil's Dance

Holo-Glosses

L to R: Bewitched, Magic Potion, Poison Orchid

L to R: Bewitched, Magic Potion, Poison Orchid

Bewitched

Magic Potion

Poison Orchid

L to R: Vampire's Kiss, Going Batty, Poison Apple

L to R: Vampire's Kiss, Going Batty, Poison Apple
(sorry for the blurriness!)

Vampire's Kiss

Going Batty

Poison Apple

Lip Jelly

Ghouls Gone Wild

Ghouls Gone Wild

Ghouls Gone Wild

Blushes

L to R: Secret Star (GWP), Just Bitten

Just Bitten - blended on right

Just Bitten

Just Bitten

Secret Star (GWP) - blended on right

Secret Star (GWP)

Secret Star (GWP)

WHEW.

Well... there you have it. My little Halloween haul from the Darling Girl Cosmetics' Halloween collection! These are not all the products Susan is putting out. For others, you can visit Wendy's blog here-- she has the whole collection and has posted swatches as well, which includes the other colors I did not purchase. She also posted prices, as well as very nice color descriptions for each item!

FOTD/EOTD: Drugstore Face & Darling Girl Eyes/Lips

2011-09-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Second-day, dirty ponytail hair because I'm getting a hair cut today!
My bangs are wayyyy too long!

Jane asked me via Twitter to do a FOTD using Revlon Colorstay foundation, and I was happy to oblige. I realized almost every FOTD I post is using Yves Saint Laurent foundation, or Make Up Forever, or some other high-end brand.

I decided I might as well do my entire face with drugstore products. So the foundation, concealer, blush, contour, and finishing powder are all products you can find at the drugstore. Doesn't look much different than when I use high-end products, does it? It just goes to show you that you can achieve a great finish for a fraction of the cost.

(PS: Sorry you can never see my blush in these pictures. I don't know why it washes out in photos. :-( I guess I don't wear it heavy enough.)

For my eyes, I am using eyeshadows from Darling Girl Cosmetics Halloween Collection, Darling Ghoul. (What an adorable collection name!!) I looove Thriller, which is actually more red-based, but when put over a black base it takes on more of a wine cabernet tone.

My next post is going to be a swatch post of the products I pre-ordered from her Halloween collection. It will be filled to the brim with pictures!! (EDIT: Here is the swatch post!!)

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Oily/Combination in "110 Ivory"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- NYC Bronzer in "Sunny" (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush)
- Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder in "Translucent" (finishing powder)
- Darling Girl Cosmetics Kiss You Off Balm in "Poisoned Plum" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Smashbox nude eyeshadow from LE palette (all over lid)
     - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in "Blackest Black" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics loose eyeshadow "Thriller" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics loose eyeshadow "Jack's Lantern" (outer crease/drop shadow)
     - Darling Girl Cosmetics loose eyeshadow in "Apparition" (inner corner)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" from The Black Palette (over Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Random Photo Post #001 - "Packed Vanity"

2011-09-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

So, I am currently working on a whole slew of posts right now, with the current one on the docket being swatches of products from Darling Girl Cosmetic's Halloween collection.

As I was working through the photos, I found this picture in the mix. I had no idea it was taken, but I thought it looked kind of cool and wanted to share it. Pardon how PACKED my vanity looks and think of this post as a bit of a fun "filler" until we get to an epic swatch post. :-)

FOTD/EOTD: I Was Burned, But I Call It A Lesson Learned

2011-09-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Once again, due to lack of creativity, I have made an obscure song lyric the title to this blog post.

In other news, it is getting brisk out here! Just last week we had some 90 degree weather, and now it's become overcast and hanging out in the 50-60 degree range.

Anyway, today I went for a somewhat "neutral" look using some indie eyeshadows I haven't used in awhile. I wish that you could see the green glitter from the Darling Girl shadow "Hades"--my camera just couldn't capture it. In fact, it looks better in person than it does in pictures. The cloudiness of today made capturing the colors really hard and it also looks a bit crepe-y and dry, which is not the actual case. BOO. :-(

Annnnd I think I filled in my eyebrows a wee bit dark. Whoopsy-daisy.

Also... I straightened my hair today with a new flat iron and shine serum/heat protectant, testing them out and so forth. I took a picture from behind to see how it looks... and my goodness! I didn't realize my hair had gotten so long! Time for a haircut?

I spy one of my tattoos! Do you see it? ;-)

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- NYC Bronzer in "Sunny" (contour)
- Too Faced Full Bloom Ultra Flush Blush in "Sweet Pink" (blush)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in "#2 Golden Praline" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Smashbox nude eyeshadow from LE palette (all over lid)
     - Smashbox chocolate-colored eyeshadow from LE palette (crease)
     - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in "Blackest Black" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Darling Girl loose eyeshadow "Hades" (all over lid/drop shadow)
     - Meow Cosmetics loose eyeshadow "Shoplifting" (outer crease/drop shadow)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - Bourjois Ombre Paupieres eyeshadow in "Noir Precieux" (over Revlon Colorstay liner)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

NOTD: Revlon Nail Enamel #940 "Facets of Fuschia"

2011-09-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I picked up a few new nail polishes recently, and this was one of them: Revlon's #940 "Facets of Fuschia" Nail Enamel. It was just over $5 USD at my local Walgreens.

This polish is the drugstore answer for all those who love Deborah Lippman's "Bad Romance" nail polish but either a) can't find it, or b) don't want to spend $18 USD on a polish! Not sure what "Bad Romance" is? I don't own it personally, but here--take a look at the picture on Lipglossiping. Not a bad dupe, Revlon. Not bad at all.

"Facets of Fuschia" is part of Revlon's Expressionists Collection for Fall 2011. If you like what you see here, you better buy it before it sells out!

This polish has a jelly base with hexagon-shaped glitter, surrounding by smaller glitter. The color is a bright fuschia, and really stands out against a dark base. It's really gorgeous and pretty much a dead-on dupe for "Bad Romance" and, best of all, costs less than 1/3 of the price of a Deborah Lippmann polish.

So, here's my NOTD for you guys. I've only had it on one day and have already had people asking me what I'm wearing. Win!

What I'm using:
- 1 coat CND's "Stickey" (base coat)
- 2 coats Sonia Kashuk's "Starry Night" (black)
- 1 coat Revlon's #940 "Facets of Fuschia" (glitter)
- 1 coat Seche Vite's Fast Dry Top Coat (top coat)

Eyeshadow Dupe: MAC "Club" & Wet N Wild's "Definer" from the Comfort Zone Palette

2011-09-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

Before we start, this is my 100th post on the blog. Wow! :-)

Anyway, moving on. Today I am going to share a swatch comparison between MAC's "Club" eyeshadow (which is a great duochrome that I featured in my last EOTD here) and the "Definer" shadow on the right-hand side of Wet N Wild's "Comfort Zone" palette, the drugstore dupe of MAC's "Club."

MAC's "Club" - It looks pretty beat up. It's just well-loved.

Wet N Wild's "Comfort Zone" Palette, Definer (right side) - Well... it *used* to say Definer.

The MAC shadow retails for $15 USD (or $11.50 USD if you purchase the refill pan), and can be purchased on MAC's website or at MAC standalone stores and counters. The Wet N Wild "Comfort Zone" palette (which has 8 shadows) retails for $4.99 USD and can be purchased at drugstores such as Walmart, Walgreens, etc.

Below are a series of swatches. The first set is swatched over Too Faced Shadow Insurance (original) alone, and the second set is over Too Faced Shadow Insurance (original) but with a black base. I used Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner as the base, in "Blackest Black." In all swatches, the Wet N Wild shadow is on the left, and the MAC shadow is on the right. My thoughts comparing the two are summarized after each set of swatches.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance alone

Left: Wet N Wild, right: Mac

Wet N Wild

MAC

MAC's "Club" has a softer brown base, where as Wet N Wild's has a strong, very terracotta-red base. At the same time, the shift of green in Wet N Wild's shadow over just a primer is far stronger with more iridescence than MAC's, where the green shift is more subtle and it has a muted sheen. Wet N Wild's is easily the more pigmented of the two, where MAC's does take some building up to get some opacity. However, some may feel that MAC's is more wearable for day-to-day due to how it is the quieter of the two. For a final note, MAC's is softer and more finely milled than Wet N Wild's shadow.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance + black base

Left: Wet N Wild, right: Mac

Wet N Wild

MAC

Here it becomes more difficult to see any difference between the two. When over a black base, the green duochrome really stands out in both the shadows. What stays the same is that Wet N Wild's maintains a stronger sheen to it, and is shinier-looking than MAC's "Club." The green between the two is very similar, with a deep, jewel-like green. The Wet N Wild shadow seems to have some subtle blue and yellow glitter within it (as seen in second picture) but it is hardly noticeable from a distance. MAC's does not have glitter like that and remains the softer shadow in texture.

Do I have a preference between the two? If I were to wear them without a black base, I prefer MAC's... but over a black base, you could really go with either. I really like how blendable and subtle MAC's "Club" is, and it has the better texture overall... but there is also no denying that in terms of price, Wet N Wild wins out. (I mean, come on, $4.99 and you get eight highly-pigmented shadows!)

I hope these swatches were helpful. :-)

EOTD: Club

2011-09-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

Really creative title, I know. ;-)

Anyway... I forgot how much I really like MAC's "Club" eyeshadow. It is a lovely duochrome which, when layered over black, transforms into a beautiful green hue... and where there is no black beneath it, it fades into a coppery brown. It also brings out the color of my brown eyes really well. (Always a plus.)

In other news, I'm still having issues with the domain name and getting it to point back to the blog. I need to call the IT team soon and get that fixed. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Boo-urns! :-(

What I'm using:
- Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Original (all over lid/brow)
- Sugarpill eyeshadow in"Tako" (brow bone)
- Stila eyeshadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
- Smashbox eyeshadow, unnamed nude color from LE palette (all over lid/drop shadow)
- Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in "Blackest Black" (all over lid/drop shadow)
- MAC eyeshadow in "Club" (all over lid/drop shadow)
- Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner in "Black" (top & bottom lashline and waterline)
- Urban Decay eyeshadow "Black Dog" from The Black Palette (layered over Revlon Colorstay)
- L'Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black (mascara)

Wet N' Wild Fantasy Makers Lipstick in "Black" Review & Swatches

2011-09-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

Halloween is upon us, which means all sorts of fun makeup and beauty-related items to play with! I was at Ulta yesterday when I stumbled upon Wet N' Wild's Fantasy Makers collection, which includes a black lipstick. This lipstick retails at $1.99 USD, so I picked it up as it doesn't really "break the bank."

All of the black lipsticks seemed to have a "dotted" texture on them, as though they were really warm at one point which created condensation, which then dried and left those spots. I'm not sure if that is what happened, it's really only me making a guess, but none of them had a smooth, unspotted surface.

This lipstick actually becomes extremely creamy, to the point where I would describe it as oily. This means that yes, it does apply very smoothly, but it doesn't have good pigmentation. It swatched well on my arm, but was difficult to work with when it came to wearing on my lips. I attempted to apply straight from the tube, but could not really get an even application. My second attempt involved using a lip brush, but that also left it streaky. I eventually resorted to patting the color on with my fingers and doing my best to keep a clean line.

You can see in the lip swatch that I could not get a solid, black lip. It looks like I took motor oil and slathered it on my lips... yuck. Not the look I am going for.

Would I recommend this if you are looking for a high-quality black lipstick? Not really. It's not as pigmented as I would like, and this lipstick never seemed to set so it's not long-lasting, either. It wears away quickly. If you are looking for a cheap black lipstick to have in your collection to toy around with, then maybe pick this up, as long as your expectations aren't too high. If you want a quality black lipstick though, that you can wear all night and not have to worry about it feathering or wearing away, then this is not the lipstick you want to get.

In other news, I picked up these awesome eyelashes. I'm trying to think of a great look I could use them in. They are just so fun looking.

LA Splash Diamond Dusts & Crystallized Glitter Swatches

2011-09-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

Top row (L to R): Nude Diamonds, Trance, Golden Tangerine, Russet, Enchanted Forest
Bottom row (L to R): Phenomenon, Passionate Plum, Premium, Golden Smoke

Be aware: this post is picture-heavy, chock full of shimmery and glittery goodness.

I often use LA Splash's mineral eyeshadows to either layer over other shadows or to enhance skin or hair, depending on which shade I am using and its approved usage. They have varying finishes: some are full-on glitter, others are more like a pigment that has glitter particles within it, and others are like loose shimmer.

Some of them are so light-reflective that although you can see the detail of the texture of my skin in the swatch photos, the product itself looks blurry.

These are a mix of Diamond Dusts and Crystallized Glitter. This is how my little collection breaks down:

Diamond Dusts: Nude Diamonds, Russet, Enchanted Forest, Premium, and Golden Smoke

Official description:
Blended With Diamond Dust Mica To Create An All Natural High End Pigment. Diamond Dust Mineral Shimmers are specially blended to achieve an ultra shimmer application.

Diamond Dust Mica is an all natural, high end mineral pigment that gives off a diamond like gleam. With 36 colors, these mineral eye shadows will have you starry eyed and twinkling all day and night.

Crystallized Glitter: Trance, Golden Tangerine, and Phenomenon

Official description:
Blended With The Finest Cosmetic Grade Glitters and Diamond Dust Mica. Immerse yourself into a cave of wonders with our new Crystallized Glitters.

The Crystallized Glitter colors are all blended with at least two different types of fine cosmetic grade glitters and Diamond Dust mica, which is a highly reflective pigment found in only the most prestigious products out there. Use With our Sealer Base for Flawless 12 Hour Wear.

I purchased these at my local Ulta, and both the Diamond Dusts and Crystallized Glitter retail at $9 USD online, but you can find them at Ulta for around $6 or $7 and sometimes with a "buy one, get one 50% off" deal. The descriptions are from LA Splash's website.

Time for swatches!

I did not use flash in any of the photos. They are just that sparkly and shimmery. They are all swatched over LA Splash's Eye Shadow Sealer/Base.

L to R: Nude Diamonds, Trance, Golden Tangerine, Russet, Enchanted Forest

Nude Diamonds

Trance

Golden Tangerine

Russet

Enchanted Forest

L to R: Phenomenon, Passionate Plum, Premium, Black Smoke

Phenomenon

Passionate Plum

Premium

Golden Smoke

I love LA Splash's Diamond Dusts & Crystallized Glitter because they allow me to add a spin to any makeup look, and depending on application I can do anything from just a touch of extra sparkle to full-on drag sparkle. My favorites are Nude Diamonds, Enchanted Forest, Passionate Plum, and Golden Smoke.

Do you own any products from LA Splash? Which are your favorites?

FOTD: Nymphette's Challenge Calendar (for Sept 7th) - 7 Deadly Sins, "Vanity"

2011-09-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I want to share with you the look I did for Nymphette's Challenge Calendar for September 7th (which was yesterday). You can see the calendar here. The theme was 7 Deadly Sins and I chose to do a look based on Vanity.

The idea was to take what we do every day in makeup, and make it more extreme. So I did a heavy contour, I took gel liner to draw exaggerated "eyelashes", over-drew the lip outline, took shimmery powder to white-out my face and give a heavy "glow", and added skin gems for some extra modification. What I used is listed below the photo.

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Sugarpill pressed eye shadow in "Poison Plum" (contour)
- Urban Decay eye shadow "Black Dog" from the Black Palette (contour)
- Sugarpill pressed eye shadow in "Love+" (blush)
- LA Splash mineral eye shadow in "Nude Diamonds" (highlight; forehead, cheeks, chin, bridge of nose)
- Sugarpill pressed eye shadow in "Love+" (lips)
- Sugarpill pressed eye shadow in "Poison Plum", "Love+" and "Flamepoint" (eyebrows)
- Skin gems from Icing by Claire's
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill pressed eye shadow in "Tako" (brow highlight, all over lid)
     - Sugarpill pressed eye shadow in "Poison Plum" (crease contour)
     - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama gel eyeliner in "Blackest Black" (exaggerated liner)
     - Fauxlash lashes in style "Chloe"

Skull Earrings from Molly the Pirate's Bit O' Shine Etsy Shop

2011-09-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Let me share with you a quick summary of how I came across the newest addition to my jewelry collection. To begin, I was on the hunt for skull earrings. I love jewelry that incorporates skulls and bones, so I tweeted about what I was looking for. Ki (whose blog is here) replied to me, suggesting an Etsy shop, Molly the Pirate's Bit O' Shine, and even linked me to a great set of earrings. I was sold instantly.

I placed my order on August 31st. The earrings were $11.00 and shipping was only $1.85, bringing my total order to $12.85 USD. On September 2nd she sent me a Tweet and an Etsy conversation letting me know that she had shipped my order. The post office was not open on Monday due to Labor Day, so I stopped by today instead and my package was ready and waiting for me. I'm sure that if I hadn't ordered on a holiday weekend I would have received my package even sooner.

The earrings were packaged in an adorable box (which you can see in the very first picture of this post). They were held steady among little paper ribbon-strips. (PS: Sorry the lighting is so dark in the first two photos. I took the pictures in the evening and didn't realize I hadn't adjusted my camera for proper lighting.)

I love them! They are a burnished golden color, with little roses that hang from the skulls. The back of the skulls have a rose design in them, adding continuity to the design.

I mentioned my love for skull jewelry to Molly in my initial checkout (because you can leave messages for a seller), and I told her that if she had any other skull jewelry I would buy it in a heartbeat. In her Etsy conversation with me on September 2nd, she actually inquired what finishes of jewelry I like and told me she would keep me in mind when she finds little skull pieces she can incorporate into jewelry.

I love them so much. I was not disappointed, and you can be sure that I will be purchasing again. The pricing is right, the shipping is fast, Molly is personable and attentive. I love the eclectic touch that her jewelry has. Her jewelry pieces are incredibly interesting, fun to look at, and range from whimsical to elegant to slightly decadent. She has great photos of the products in their listings, and you can be sure that what you see is what you will get.

Do you have any Etsy stores you really like?

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in "Rouge Byzantin" Review & Swatches

2011-09-04T19:57:00.000-07:00

I want to share the newest pretty in my lipstick collection with you guys: Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in "Rouge Byzantin." I first became aware of this lipstick after Anna wrote a beautiful post on her blog, Fenua Beauté. (If you don't already read her blog, I encourage you to take a look. Her photos and style of writing are gorgeous.)

After I saw the amazing pictures she posted, I knew that I had to have this lipstick in my possession. I knew it was important I acted quickly, as this lipstick is a part of Chanel's pre-fall 2011 collection, Byzance de Chanel--meaning also it would be limited edition. I rushed to my local Chanel counter, where they told me only select Chanel counters were carrying the collection, and none in Iowa would have it. Determined, I went to Chanel's website and found that I would be able to order it online.

Shipping was incredibly fast. I ordered it on August 25th, it shipped on August 27th, and I received it August 29th. It only took 4 days for me to get this lipstick! I am really quite pleased with the speedy delivery. I don't think I've ever received anything I've ordered online that quickly!

Rouge Byzantin retails for $32 USD. With my order, I also received two sample fragrances. Information from Chanel's website:

Official description:
The lipstick icon – renowned for its lustrous colour, sensational comfort and fabulous wear – debuts Rouge Byzantin, an iridescent ruby red with a hint of sapphire, for a rich, jewel-toned lip look. Limited Edition.

The packaging is so sleek and luxurious. Simple black with the "Chanel" emblazoned subtly in white at the bottom, and then--of course--the iconic double-C! (No Chanel product would be complete without it.) To open the lipstick, you simply press down on the gold cap at the end, and it clicks open, allowing you to remove the gold end which holds the lipstick bullet

It's really a lovely color, absolutely brilliant. A rich ruby shade, with faint marbling and tiny flecks of iridescent pink shimmer. To be honest, it was difficult for me to even want to swatch and wear this lipstick, because it looked so beautiful straight out of the box. But, at the same time, it is too beautiful to not wear out and about.

As for the wear time--it wears wonderfully. Literally hours of wear. The first time I wore it, I did my traditional application method: I applied it, blotted, applied, blotted, and applied one final time. (That is my habit with any and all lipsticks.) It is creamy in texture and did not dry out my lips at all. I wore it without a lipliner, ran errands for a couple hours, then ended my day at a coffee shop where I ate and drank. Afterward I inspected my lips in a mirror, and was amazed--I hardly needed to re-apply it, only on the inner-most center part of the lips.

The swatches below are one swipe of the lipstick. (A second and third layer intensifies the color and gives you a richer ruby tonality.) The lip swatch is how it appeared after I did the apply-blot-apply-blot-apply method.

And here is one final photo of me wearing it during one of my recent FOTD posts:

I love this lipstick. When I wear it, I feel incredibly confident and beautiful. It's a strong color, and gives its wearer an air of elegance. This lipstick is absolutely bewitching and I am planning on ordering a second one for "back up", because I know I will be wearing this color quite a bit this fall and winter.

Have you ever owned a Chanel lipstick? If so, what is your favorite shade?

FOTD/EOTD: I Can't Say That I Don't Love The Light And The Dark

2011-09-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

I don't have any rules for "day makeup" and "night makeup"... my only rule is to wear what I feel like wearing. That being said, I wanted to wear a super dark eye today. I honestly love how black eye makeup looks.

I love Chanel's "Mirifique" because of how it sparkles--it takes black and amps it up. (Side note: I can't believe I have successfully posted three FOTD/EOTDs in a row. That is a record for me. Also, I'm not sure why, but it always looks like I have one super dark section of hair in my bangs in these photos. But I don't. So bizarre.)

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush #1)
- NARS Blush in "Amour" (blush #2)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in "#2 Golden Praline" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Stila eye shadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow, "Black Dog" from The Black Palette (all over lid)
     - Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in "Mirifique" (all over lid)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"
     - Fauxlash lashes in style "Chloe"

FOTD/EOTD: We Dream In Color, Others Color Their Dreams

2011-08-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

As a few of you may have figured out by now, red is my favorite color. I love wearing red in my makeup, whether on the eyes or lips. It's a very strong color, bold and dramatic and intimate. Sometimes it hints at a bit of danger.

Today I wanted to wear a red lip. I chose to wear Chanel's Rouge Byzantin, which is a LE lipstick for Chanel's pre-fall collection. This lipstick has quickly became one of my favorites.

If my skin was sparkling you might think I'm a Cullen.

Sorry, I couldn't resist the Twilight reference. Kudos to whoever caught it. ;-) I'm just so fair-skinned and wearing the black shirt/red lips just seemed to emphasize that.

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- NARS Blush in "Amour" (blush)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Chanel Rouge Allure in "Rouge Byzantin" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Too Faced Shadow Insurance (primer)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Stila eye shadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
     - Smashbox eyeshadow, unnamed nude - from LE quad (all over lid)
     - Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in shade #14 (liner on top lashline)
     - Revlon Colorstay Pencil Liner (smudged through bottom lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

FOTD/EOTD: And The Sky Was Made Of Amethyst

2011-08-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

It's raining out, the sun is hidden behind the clouds. I tried flat-ironing my hair but it's starting to get fluffy and frizzy, which I knew would happen but I decided to try straightening it anyway... oh well. Today I just feel feisty. I decided to wear a red smokey eye using my favorite red, Sugarpill's Love+. I love how intense red eye makeup can be. It catches people off-guard when you look at them.

(Also, "awesome points" for whoever recognizes the title of this post!)

This picture was awkward to take.

We have an event called "Zombie Prom" coming up in the city of Des Moines during October, so I am going to try and practice some zombie makeup soon in preparation for that. I promise to post pictures when I do. ;-)

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush #1)
- NARS Blush in "Amour" (blush #2)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Some no-name brand of nude lip liner on my lips.
- L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in "800 Fairest Nude" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Urban Decay Primer Potion in "Eden"
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Stila eye shadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Love+" (all over lid/dropshadow)
     - Sugarpill eyeshadow in "Flamepoint" (inner corner)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow "Black Dog" from the Black Palette (to deepen outer crease/outermost dropshadow/upper & lower lashline)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"

Review & Swatches: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Gentlemen Prefer Pink"

2011-08-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Here we are again with another post about lipstick. This time the lipstick I'm featuring is a drugstore one, easily accessible and fairly cheap as well. It's Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in the shade Gentlemen Prefer Pink.

This lipstick retails for about $5-6 USD. Their Super Lustrous lipstick range has a few finishes--this shade has a pearl finish, but in this line you can find also find creme and shimmer finishes. Revlon's website proclaims this line is "infused with mega-moisturizers to seal in color and softness. Find your lip color amongst a dazzling array of 72 fabulous, fashionable shades!"

The packaging is not incredibly beautiful, but it's simple and sturdy. I do like the "classic Revlon" element that the black gives the lipstick tube.

Don't be fooled by how pink this shade appears in the tube. Due to the pearl finish, it goes on somewhat sheer, which is to be expected--and exactly what I was looking for. Sometimes you just don't want a completely opaque lipstick... you just want something you can throw on and go. You can also see there is a slight lavender iridescence to it, which I really like.

These lipsticks don't have a weird smell or odd taste. They don't dry out my lips, either--which is always a plus. As far as lipstick formulations go among drugstore brands, this is great. Revlon seems to have excelled where the other brands have failed, and have a great range of lipsticks for a very affordable price point. If you haven't tried a lipstick from their Super Lustrous line, I would suggest just going and picking up one. There are 72 shades, so you're bound to find one you like, and it won't break the bank.

Swatches

When I went to the store I was wanting a baby-pink with a somewhat frosty finish, and this color delivered exactly what I wanted. I really like how this shade looks against my fair skin. (Also: I totally forgot to line my lips before I applied this lipstick for the lip swatch. Whoops. Looks so messy... :-( sadness.)

What is your favorite drugstore brand for lipsticks?

Review: Dior Diorskin Natural Glow Fresh Powder

2011-08-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you one of the products I use every day without fail: Dior Diorskin Natural Glow Fresh Powder. It is the finishing step after I've done everything else. It is the product that brings everything together; if we were talking about cupcakes, then this would be the frosting. (Please disregard how beat up my Diorskin looks in the above picture. It's just well-loved.)

That being said, sometimes you don't realize how much you love something until you realize it could be taken forever from you. That was the experience I had today when it comes to this powder. I went casually to my Sephora, where I purchase this powder, and could not find it. I politely asked an employee where it had been moved to. She checked with the floor, and told me the product was discontinued.

For a moment, it was as if the sun had disappeared from the sky and as if the world had stopped spinning. Panic made my mind race: What would I do without this powder? How much longer could I make my current one last? For a few minutes I was in survival mode. In the same way people prepare for shortages of food and water during a natural disaster, I began to plot how I would begin stockpiling this. I was calculating how many of these I would be able to snatch up and hoard before prices on eBay would sky-rocket, as can happen with some beloved makeup items that are discontinued.

In that moment, I realized how I really feel about this product. It is absolutely one of my most favorite makeup items, ever. In my last FOTD, as well as previous ones, a few of you had commented that my skin has a glow about it--it's all thanks to this powder.

When I regained some of my composure and had a brief moment of sanity, I realized I should do a quick search online to see if maybe I was misinformed by the employee and if this product can still be purchased. First stop: Dior's website. When I saw it was still listed on the site, available for purchase, the sun broke through the clouds and angels sang in unison and I realized not all was lost. (Am I being melodramatic? Maybe.) I was mislead by the sales representative, it was not discontinued... Sephora just was no longer carrying it. Hurrah!

This powder retails for $46 USD. What makes it so special?

Official description:
This loose powder foundation contains nearly 20% water and offers the skin the sensation of freshness upon application. Water acts as a veritable moisturizing and energizing cocktail for the skin. The complexion glows with radiance and with daily use the skin becomes more and more luminous. Apply after fluid foundation or alone for a silky and transparent finish.

I'm going to try and elaborate quickly why I love this product: It makes my skin glow. It's finely milled and blends seamlessly. When applied, there is a hard-to-describe cooling sensation (not menthol-like, but just refreshing). It has never dried out my skin. In fact, if my skin is feeling or looking dry, it hydrates it. (Literally, it really does.) The shade #10 Ivory is a perfect match for my fair skin. It has never broken me out. It looks natural and fresh. It gives the skin a soft glow. It's lightweight and not heavy. It never looks cakey.

Do I love this product? Yes, I do. Will I repurchase? As long as I am able to. My makeup routine just doesn't feel finished until I get the chance to use this powder, that's how vital it is to me. Someday, if it were truly discontinued, I'm sure I would move on eventually... but I'd rather not think about that. I'd like to imagine this will be available forever and always.

What's the one makeup product that you can't imagine being without?

Morgana Cryptoria Totally Tubular Lipstick & Sheer Cherry Lip Balm Swatches

2011-08-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

I recently received my first ever order from Morgana Cryptoria. I was so overwhelmed with the sheer number of colors and products to choose from (she has the most incredible selection) that I limited myself to one lipstick and one lip balm.

For the lipstick, I chose to order Totally Tubular, which is a gorgeous hot pink. It was $12 USD and is one of her new shades for 2011. Some people have called it a dupe for MAC's Candy Yum Yum... I just think it's a fantastic color.

The lip balms are a new addition to Morgana Cryptoria, and when I had the chance, I counted 51 different shades to choose from. So just imagine how hard it was for me to limit myself to one balm, trying to choose from all the choices she had to offer. I settled on Sheer Cherry, which is $5 USD and is described as a "semi-sheer red."

Swatches!

Sorry for my sloppy application :-(

The lip balm is pigmented enough that it's almost like you are wearing a sheer lipstick. It does apply a little more pigmented in some spots than others and can look a bit "patchy," but you could just blend it out for a more even application using your fingers or apply with a lip brush. (For the above picture, I just applied straight from the tube and did that lip smacking thing.) It's a very pretty shade, subtle but with enough color to enhance your lips.

Totally Tubular might be my new favorite lipstick color that I own. I want to always wear it around, always. It's matte in the sense that there is no shimmer, glimmer, sparkle or glitter... but it does have a nice sheen... just a beautiful, creme finish. It is heavily pigmented, in such a way that it does stain the lips after being worn. (In fact, even though I used an oil cleanser to remove the arm swatches and scrubbed, I could still see the faintest spot where Totally Tubular was.) But isn't that color just so, so, so awesome?!

Anyway, I have been having a lot of fun with these lip products, and I hope you enjoyed the swatches. I will definitely order again in the future from Morgana Cryptoria.

If you have ordered before, do you have any colors that you can recommend for me?

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

FOTD/EOTD: What Is And What Should Never Be

2011-08-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Been awhile since my last FOTD or EOTD so I decided to do a quick one of both! I didn't have a real reason for the title of this one except I love Led Zeppelin and I was listening to the song "What Is And What Should Never Be" when I was trying to think of a title. So, there's that.

My hair looks a little wild in this picture. I didn't roundbrush or straighten it so it's not as smooth and put together as usual.

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- NYC Bronzer in "Sunny" (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush #1)
- NARS Blush in "Amour" (blush #2)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Some no-name brand of nude lip liner on my lips.
- Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in "#2 Golden Praline" (on lips)
- Eyes:
     - Urban Decay Primer Potion in "Eden"
     - Sugarpill eye shadow in "Tako" (brow highlight, inner third of lid)
     - Stila eye shadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
     - Victoria's Secret Silk Eyeshadow in "Champagne" (inner third of lid/dropshadow)
     - Victoria's Secret Silk Eyeshadow in "Provocateur" (outer third of lid/drop shadow)
     - Urban Decay eyeshadow "Black Dog" from the Black Palette (to deepen outer crease/outermost dropshadow)
     - Revlon ColorStay eyeliner in "Black" (upper lid/lower waterline/tightlined)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"
     - Fauxlash lashes in style "Alexia"

Non-Beauty Related: Is 80% Good Enough?

2011-08-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Today I actually had a really interesting meeting at work in which we touched upon the idea of quality. There was a nice handout that involved some numbers & figures that I felt were thought-provoking, so I wanted to share this with others.

The reason why I want to share it is because all too often in our lives we are okay with settling for less than the absolute best. Is that acceptable? I think we justify that it is, based on... lack of understanding, or circumstances, or even sheer laziness. But take a quick read and consider how you feel about it afterward.

"We live in a world where 80% is an acceptable level of quality. But is that ever good enough?

Consider if 80% were good enough...
Your phone would be out of order for almost 5 hours every day

4 million people a year would receive the wrong medication because their prescription was filled incorrectly

700,000 newborn babies would be dropped during delivery by their doctor each year

The U.S. Postal Service would lose 34 million pieces of mail every day

Your home would be without electricity for 144 hours every month

Each year your drinking water would be unfit for human consumption for 73 days

If 99.9% is acceptable...
12 newborns would be given to the wrong parents every day

291 pacemaker operations would be performed incorrectly

2.5 million books would be sent with the wrong covers

114,500 mismatched pairs of shoes would be sent out per year

315 entries in Webster's dictionary would be mispelled

5.5 million cases of soft drinks would be produced flat each year

2 airplanes departing from O'Hare airport would be unsafe each day

Makes you think, doesn't it? I know that I don't want to be someone who only aims for 80%... I want it to be 100% the best I can possibly & capably give. Of course, it's easy to get burnt out, but this was a good reminder to me of the importance of me taking pride in the things I do.

Anyway, I know I don't usually post things like this, and we'll be back to regular beauty-related posts this week. For some reason though, I just wanted to share this! What about you guys, what do you think?

Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in #2 Golden Praline Review & Swatches

2011-08-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

This is one of the newest pretties to be added to my makeup collection: Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in the shade #2 Golden Praline. When I arrived in Colorado, one of the first places I went to was the mall they have out here. Which, of course, also meant a visit to the makeup counters, which included Chanel, Bobbi Brown, and my beloved YSL.

I went to the counter and told the YSL saleswoman very specifically that I was looking for the perfect gloss... a gloss that would be "my lips, but better"--one where I wouldn't have to think too hard when applying, just swipe and go and look fabulous afterward.

Of course the packaging is beautiful, it's YSL. I wouldn't expect anything less. I do like the square-ish shape, which sets it apart from your typical round lip gloss tubes. One tube is .20 fl oz and will cost you $30 USD, and you can choose from 28 shades at this time. (Only 12 shades are available on Sephora's site, and the full range is available on YSL's site.)

After the saleswoman selected a few shades for me, I settled on Golden Praline, in which Sephora's website describes the color as a "rosy mauve." She attempted to sell me on a few other items, but I knew exactly what I wanted from each makeup counter, including the YSL counter. (Fact about me: once I have my mind set on something, then I am determined to have it--absolutely determined. It's hard to get me to stray from that.)

This first thing you may find interesting about this gloss is that it actually has real 24 carat gold in it, making it true to the product's title of Golden Gloss. Below is the description from YSL's site:

Official description:
Worth its weight in gold, this gorgeous gloss dresses lips in a sophisticated, high-shine shimmer that’s truly precious. Sparkling 24 carat gold flecks (0.2%) create a mirror-like effect for guaranteed glamour, while a complex of nourishing oils protect and hydrate for optimal comfort. Scented with a subtle hint of Mango that’s utterly irresistible.

The description states that there is a "subtle hint of Mango," but my first reaction to the scent and taste was that of a fruity, sweet daiquiri. Which I was not opposed to. ;-) I actually quite enjoy the taste and scent, but some people do not enjoy that so it is something to be aware of.

The feel of this gloss is not sticky or tacky, which is very nice. Additionally, the use of gold flecks in this gloss is quite flattering on the lips and gives the most luxurious appearance--it practically radiates glamour. There is not one hint of graininess or grit that can sometimes be present in lip products that carry any shimmer or glitter. This formulation is incredibly smooth.

The applicator is a soft brush, not too large and not too small. You don't need a ton of this product to achieve an even application. A great thing about this gloss is the wear time is quite decent--I easily get several hours of wear. Even after the gloss has worn away, tiny golden flecks remain on the lips, which is really lovely.

This is a lip gloss I am incredibly happy with and I definitely want to add more to my collection. (I have my eyes on #18 Golden Lavender, #38 Golden Champagne, and #40 Golden Impertinence. Want!) If you can get yourself past the price tag at $30 per gloss, then these might be a great option for you if you're looking for a sophisticated, fun, luxurious lip gloss.

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

Review & Swatches: Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner #14

2011-08-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I haven't posted for a little while as I am in beautiful Colorado right now. It has been amazing, and from the moment I saw the mountains in the horizon, I knew I had found where I belong. (Yes, that means I am planning on eventually moving out here!)

I figured I would put up a post about one of my favorite liquid liners: MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Liner, more specifically in shade #14, which is described as "black with multicolor sparkles."

MUFE's Aqua Liner retails for $23 USD. There is a huge range of colors to choose from, 15 in all. That means if you want more than just your basic black or brown, this is a good liquid liner to consider.

Official description:
Aqua Liner is a high precision waterproof liquid eyeliner. Rich in pigments and polymers, its formula guarantees intense color and an outstanding waterproof result. Its ergonomic applicator lets you easily apply an ultra precise line to create an eyeliner makeup look. Aqua liner is available in a wide range of vibrant shades with matte, iridescent and diamond finishes. Easily remove with waterproof makeup remover.

The applicator is fairly stiff, meaning for a liquid liner novice that sort of applicator may be easier to draw a line with. However, that being said, it isn't the easiest to get a super-thin line that other finer, more flexible applicators may allow. Personally, the applicator for me is a non-issue and doesn't negatively impact my opinion of the liner.

I love this shade. It looks like a beautiful, glittery oil slick. Depending on how the light hits, the black can appear mostly black, or the light will glisten off it and really show off the multi-colored sparkle. I think this is a fun liner to wear either alone or with any makeup look you want to add a little "zing." The nice thing is also that as I wear it, I don't experience any "cracking" that some liquid liners occasionally go through as they wear down.

Speaking of wear time... I knew the wear time was great from the beginning. In fact, just go to a Sephora, swatch it on your hand, let it dry... then try rubbing at it--this liner will stay put! But I want to explain how I really was impressed recently by it. After trekking through Colorado everywhere from Buffalo Bill's grave site, to the Coors brewery, to a nice steakhouse for dinner that evening, this liner still looked as fresh that night as it did when I applied it that morning. This liner is awesome when it comes to staying power. (You definitely need makeup remover to get this liner off.)

The one thing I think could be improved: the formula--this shade is a little watery. What that means is from when I've applied this liner, I don't have a "first-time final" application. I end up having to go over maybe a second time if I want to build up the opacity. But, I love this color and the sparkles so much that I am willing to overlook this.

Regardless of that somewhat watery consistency, I am still very happy with this liner and would repurchase it in a heartbeat. Now, time for a few swatches! :-)

Swatches

Blurry on purpose to show the sparkles!

Anyway, I hope you guys have been having a lovely week! Feel free to leave any questions or comments in the comment section below. :-)

(Also, did you notice I am trying a new style when it comes to product pictures? Do you like the clean white background, or do you prefer my vanity and random items in the background? While these have a more professional vibe, I can't decide what I like better.)

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

Review: Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

2011-08-16T05:17:00.000-07:00

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with the Organix brand. More than likely, you have purchased (or thought of purchasing) one of their sets. If you haven't, many of you have at least seen them in retail stores, ranging from Walmart to Ulta.

That being said, I'm sure plenty of you have also heard of Moroccan oil and argan oil, thanks to name-specific brands such as Moroccan Oil, and Josie Maran's products which feature argan oil as its star ingredient.

The Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner set are paraben-free, sulfate-free, and it also states that they don't test on animals. All of these are great features that many consumers are looking for, as they become more aware of what they are putting on their hair and as they begin wanting to become more aware of how the product was produced.

The appeal of Organix goes also beyond it being sulfate- and paraben-free: it is not quite as expensive as salon-exlusive brands. That being said, this specific shampoo and conditioner set from Organix is still a little bit pricier than their other shampoos and conditioners. Each one will cost you anywhere from about $7-9 USD, depending on where you purchase it from. I have listed the ingredients below. You can see there is added fragrance, so if this is an issue for you, then you may want to steer clear. (Speaking of fragrance, it smells just "okay"... it has that drugstore shampoo/conditioner smell, if you know what I mean. Nothing amazing.)

Shampoo ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Dimethicone Copolyol, Cocamide DEA, Glycol Distearate, Argania Spinoza Oil (Argan), Cacao Extract (Cocoa Butter), Parfum, Theobroma Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado), Aloe Barbadensis Extract (Aloe Leaf), Panthenol, Polyquaternium-11, DMDM Hydantoin, Cetyl Alcohol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-23M, Red 40, Yellow 5

Conditioner ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Parfum, Argania Spinoza Oil (Argan), Theobroma Cacao Extract (Cocoa Butter), Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado), Aloe Barbadensis Extract (Aloe Leaf), Panthenol, Tetrasodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Red 40, Yellow 5

The packaging has some pretty high claims. It promises to make your hair some kind of "soft, seductive, silky perfection"! Sounds pretty nice to me, and I think most would agree. Not only that, it also suggests this product will penetrate your hair and offer UV and heat-styling protection. That would lead some of us to believe we can then cut out a heat-protecting product from our daily hair routine, which would be nice! But does it actually live up to its claims?

The shampoo: I actually liked the shampoo better than the conditioner, and it's usually the other way around. I usually go 2 or 3 days before shampooing my hair, so I like a shampoo that can give me a clean slate, so to speak, and get rid of any styling product or dry shampoo that is in my hair. It lathered up quite a bit and it did leave my hair feeling clean and fresh. The fragrance was fine. Not my favorite, but it wasn't awful.

The conditioner: This was a huge disappointment for me. My favorite part of cleansing my hair is the conditioner, and I love a conditioner that can coat the hair and leave some "slip," since my hair is fine and can tangle very easily. Unfortunately, while upon initial application it felt thick, it always left my hair feeling dry after rinsing it out. I use a pick to comb through my hair after I get out of the shower, and even with a pick I had a hard time combing through--my hair was a tangly mess every time I used this conditioner. It left no slip whatsoever. Even worse, my scalp started to become dry after I had been using this.

Overall experience:

This shampoo & conditioner set didn't live up to the claims of leaving my hair softer or shinier.
While the shampoo did cleanse my hair nicely, the conditioner always left my hair tangly and it felt "dry" afterward.
The fragrance wasn't a favorite of mine, but it wasn't horrible.
I'm not a fan of the packaging--I prefer when the cap is at the bottom, that way I am not trying to shake the product out.

I won't re-purchase this product. In fact, if you want a better drugstore shampoo & conditioner and actually want to save some money, I would recommend L'Oreal's sulfate-free shampoos & conditioners (i.e., EverPure, EverSleek, EverStrong, etc.) instead.

Have you tried the Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner? If so, did you have a similar experience to mine, or did this work for your hair type?

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

Mini-Series: Drugstore Eyeliners! Part 3 - Maybelline Unstoppable

2011-08-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry I am late on this one, guys! This was supposed to be posted on Saturday, but we are just finishing up classes for the summer term and that, combined with tallying up the giveaway winners yesterday, ate up quite a bit of time. But no worries, as we are back on track!

Maybelline's Unstoppable eyeliner is the second of three eyeliners I am reviewing in this mini-series. (Last week I reviewed Revlon ColorStay.) What I have been doing is wearing each eyeliner for the span of a week in different ways to see if it actually lives up to its claims. The goal is to find an amazing, affordable drugstore eyeliner.

In terms of appearance, Maybelline's Unstoppable eyeliner is like the doppelgänger of Revlon's ColorStay. It has very similar packaging (the sleek, black pencil) and the product itself appears the same upon first glance.

This eyeliner will run you about $5-7 USD depending on the drugstore you go to purchase it from. It comes in 6 shades, and of course I purchased Onyx, which is their black shade. Maybelline's website explains why we are supposed to love it:

Official description:
• Smudge-proof, stay-put, waterproof formula won't budge until you want it to
• Self-sharpening packaging swivels up and down so point is always sharp and ready to define
• Safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, ophthalmologist-tested

In terms of the product itself, the packaging is fine. No qualms about that. Like Revlon's ColorStay eyeliner, it's easy enough to use since it is a pencil, so that is good for those who are novices with lining their eyes.

I do believe that Maybelline's Unstoppable eyeliner lives up to the claim that it is a good eyeliner for sensitive eyes. Sometimes certain eyeliners will make my eyes slightly irritated upon first application, causing them to water and look a bit red--this product doesn't do that, which is something I do like about this eyeliner.

Unfortunately, I didn't find that I liked the product itself very well. This is less creamy than the Revlon ColorStay--it doesn't glide on as easily and is not quite as "soft", which leaves me feeling like I have to apply extra pressure or drag it a little bit heavier on my eye to get color. The color is slightly blacker than Revlon's ColorStay, but I have to apply extra pressure to get that darker pigmentation. Because the formula is drier, this eyeliner snaps easily, which feels like a waste and is disappointing.

For the first few days when I was testing this product out, I wore it without any kind of base: no primer, no eyeshadow, nothing. I would put it on my upper and lower waterline/lash line and found that it migrated to the corners of my eyes within the first 1-2 hours. That is pretty disappointing. It could just be me and maybe I just blink a lot or something, but that is why I am looking for a long-lasting eyeliner to begin with.

For a couple days I did my eye makeup (which means a primer and eyeshadow on my eyelid and a drop shadow by the lower lashes) and then applied the liner. I would apply Maybelline's Unstoppable on the upper and lower waterline/lash line. The eye makeup as a base increased the staying power, but the liner didn't apply cleanly. It kept giving me an uneven line (thanks to the drier formula which makes it less creamy and a bit more difficult to work with). It stayed about 3-4 hours but after that it began to fade, migrate, and require re-application. Not to mention it broke easily and left me with black pieces falling to my face. Blah!

Finally, I tried the eyeliner with eye makeup and then setting the eyeliner with Urban Decay's "Black Dog" eyeshadow, which is a matte black. This is usually my go-to trick to make any eyeliner last longer. I applied the Unstoppable eyeliner to my upper and lower waterline/lash line, set with the black eyeshadow, and found that it finally lasted about 6-7 hours, although there was still migration to the corner of my eyes within the first 3 hours. Dislike.

Overall experience:

This liner isn't as smooth of a product as Revlon's ColorStay. It is drier and does not apply as easily.
It is gentle on the eyes and did not irritate them or cause any redness, which is a very positive thing.
The color is okay. It was blacker than Revlon's ColorStay, but I had to apply extra pressure to get the darker application and its not as black as I would have liked.
I wouldn't call this liner waterproof. My experience with this liner was that without any kind of base, it faded/wore away within the first 2 hours, with a base it lasted a bit longer at 3-4 hours, but setting it gave it the longest lasting time at 6-7 hours--ultimately, it always migrated to the corners of my eyes regardless of what application I had done.

***

There we go! Two eyeliners down, one more to go: NYC Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Black. This next eyeliner is the cheapest of the three, but the important thing is how it performs. We'll see! Next week I will be posting my experience with the NYC liner.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them below. :-)

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

And the winner is...

2011-08-14T23:59:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I'm happy to say we have a winner for the giveaway that I was holding. In total, there were 800 entries!! Thank you to all who participated.

I do want to say that if you did not win this giveaway, know that this was just the first and there will be more to come. (I'm actually thinking of holding one once I hit 500 followers!)

The first thing I did was tally up all the valid entries. I tallied by name in the order entries were posted (oldest to newest), and after each name I notated what the entry was for (i.e.: GFC, Twitter, Beautylish, etc). I made sure this was a numbered list. Then I used Random.org's True Random Number Generator, to randomly select a number between 1 and 800.

After Random.org chose the number, it was just a matter of pulling up the numbered list and seeing whose name was next to it...

Our winner is Danielle Grant!!!

Congrats Danielle! You are the lucky winner of the Urban Decay Naked Palette, as well as the other beauty goodies. (Danielle happens to also be a blogger as well--her blog is called The Scoop by Danielle!)

Once again, thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway. The response was incredible, I was really shocked to have had so many entries! It definitely puts me in the mood to throw another giveaway soon, like I stated earlier. I'm going to start brainstorming on some ways to make the next giveaway even better. (Also, if you are a company and you want to be a part of the next giveaway, let me know!)

Time for me to get to bed! I'm heading to Colorado this upcoming Tuesday for a week, so I need to rest up! Monday will be busy, busy, busy. :-)

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in Ébloui - Review & Swatches

2011-08-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Oops, I did it again. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

What I mean is... I went and bought a second Chanel eyeshadow. Just a few days ago I posted about their shadow Mirifique, and I saw (and wanted) this one when I was at the counter. I resisted buying it on the day I bought Mirifique, but could resist no longer. I needed Ébloui.

This shadow is a part of Chanel's Fall 2011 collection, and retails for $36 USD. To refresh your memory, or if you didn't get the chance to read the previous post about the Illusion D'Ombre shadows, Chanel's website describes them as such:

This intensely shimmering long-wear eyeshadow offers true versatility. An innovative gel texture that is both soft and cushiony allows it to be worn as eyeshadow or eyeliner. Includes a specially designed shadow/liner brush, developed specifically for this unique formula.

When you open the box, as you can see in the picture above, it lets you know that the brush that comes included can be used to apply Ébloui as an eyeshadow, or that it can be used to apply Ébloui as a liner.

Since this is the second D'Ombre shadow I have purchased, I now have two of these little brushes. Although they are one of those "free with purchase" brushes, they are actually quite nice and--best of all--usable! I gave the brush a test run finally when putting on this eyeshadow today. It works quite well with the texture of the shadow and really allows you to apply it evenly, blend it out, and build it up.

I have an intense love for red eyeshadows. I think red is such a beautiful color to wear on the eyes, and this burnished, brick red shadow can easily be worn on its own or with other shadows. I recently posted an EOTD where this shadow was the focus:

It blends out so beautifully and is easily worn during the daytime, or it can be applied with a more dramatic hand to wear in the evening. I consider this a very sultry color.

My favorite part of any makeup post... time for swatches!! They are swatched without a primer, with a light hand on the left, and a heavier hand on the right. Depending on the lighting (indoor vs outdoor) and how the light hits the shadow, the red can come through very strongly, or it the brown undertone may take center-stage. It makes me think of terracotta. Ébloui is a bit of a chameleon like that.

Natural light

Natural light

Well, there you have it. My newest beloved. Everything from the consistency of these shadows, the long wear time, the SPARKLES... ahhh, I just love what Chanel came up with when they came up with these.

I hope you found these swatches helpful! :-)

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

FOTD/EOTD: Ébloui Means "Dazzle, Stun, Blind"

2011-08-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a FOTD in forever (well, a month to be exact), and it's been awhile since I did an EOTD as well. So here is a quick post with both. I used my newest Chanel acquisition, Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in Ébloui. Love love love. Expect a swatch post of it soon. (Edit: Here is the post!)

I am not a master of the French language, so I looked it up. According to an internet translation site, ébloui means to dazzle, stun, or blind. Fancy!

I am wearing my favorite lace hoodie in the FOTD picture above.

Does it keep me warm? NO.
Do I love it? YES.

What I'm using:
- Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
- Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat in "Luminous Ivory" (highlight)
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in "15 Alabaster"
- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in "Light" (under eye concealer)
- Physician's Formula Magic Mosaic Multi-Colored Custom Pressed Powder in "Light Bronzer" (contour)
- Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Pin Up" (blush #1)
- NARS Blush in "Amour" (blush #2)
- Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder in "Ivory" (finishing powder)
- Some no-name brand of nude lip liner on my lips.
- Eyes:
     - Urban Decay Primer Potion in "Eden"
     - Sugarpill eye shadow in "Tako" (brow highlight)
     - Smashbox eye shadow - unnamed, part of LE quad (all over lid)
     - Stila eye shadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
     - Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in Ébloui (all over lid, drop shadow)
     - L'Oreal Voluminous in "Carbon Black"
     - Ardell Fashion Lashes - Demi #102

Mini-Series: Drugstore Eyeliners! Part 2 - Revlon ColorStay

2011-08-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to post this yesterday, but I've been given the pleasure to be doing makeup for some new clientele, so my weekend has been packed with that! So, I am sorry about the delay, but better late than never, right?

Anyway, last week I posted a mini-series that I am doing regarding drugstore eyeliners and my quest to find one that is affordable and long-lasting. After reading through the comments I decided to start off with Revlon ColorStay.

Revlon ColorStay will run you about $7-8 depending on what retailer you choose to purchase it from. I've had good experiences with the ColorStay line to begin with (the liquid liner and the foundation, to be specific) so I held some high hopes for this eyeliner.

Official description:
Revlon® Colorstay™ Eyeliner glides on adding drama and definition to your eyes. Waterproof formula won’t smear, smudge or fade for up to 16 hours.

Being someone who doesn't wear brown eyeliners and prefers a darker, smokier eye, I purchased this eyeliner in the color Black. Their website says this eyeliner is available in 8 shades. (However, when I was looking at the shades under the "Choose a Color" section, I only counted 7 shades. An oversight from Revlon, perhaps?)

I gave this eyeliner a test run for an entire week.

The consistency is smooth and the liner is what I would describe as soft, so I didn't have to push too hard or pull or tug to lay down any color. In the swatch about you can see that it's not a pitch black color but more of a soft black. I would prefer the color to be ever deeper and more of a true, pitch black. Of course, since this is not a gel or liquid liner, that preference may be easier said than done for a pencil liner.

One of the first things I tested was a couple days where I just wore the eyeliner and no other eye makeup--no primer, no shadow, no mascara. I would line the waterline and tightline my upper lashline. Unfortunately, the liner did end up wearing away within 3 hours of initial application leaving simply a ghost line of where it was initially. Also, it did smear during that time, which gave me some unfortunate looking raccoon eyes. (This was without me touching or wiping in the eye area... the liner just traveled and raccoon-eyed on its own.)

The second test run I gave this liner was wearing my usual primer, eyeshadow, and mascara, and then lining my waterline and tightlining. With the other products in place, I did not experience any of the raccoon eyes that my no-eye-makeup experiment allowed for. But, I found that it did wear off within 5-6 hours and required re-application, primarily on the waterline.

My third little test was using this eyeliner as I typically wear my eyeliner, which is eyeliner that is set with a black shadow. So I did my normal primer, eyeshadow, and mascara routine, lined the waterline, tightlined, and then set the liner with black eyeshadow (Urban Decay's "Black Dog"). Of course the liner lasted far longer with this application method than the prior two test runs, and this allowed me to go an entire day without worrying about re-application or fading, and of course, no raccoon eyes.

Overall experience:

Would I say that this glides on and is smooth, per the official description? Yes, I would.
Would I call it waterproof? Not necessarily. It may be slightly water resistant, but it's definitely not waterproof as I would have liked. If there is nothing as a base (like a primer or shadow), it will smear due to the skin's natural oils (of course, you may not experience this if you have dry skin perhaps).
If there is a primer/shadow, I didn't experience it smearing or giving raccoon eyes.
In addition, with a primer/shadow base, if applied on the upper or lower lash line it will smudge nicely on initial application but once it sets, it will stay fairly well.
I found the waterline requires re-application unless you set it. Then re-aplication was not necessary for me.
I did not find this to last on me up to 16 hours... the liner alone was around 3 hours, liner with a base was about 5-6, and if the liner was set with a black powder, roughly 8-10 hours of staying time before I see fading. But I don't like wearing eye makeup for more than 10 hours to begin with, so this is almost a non-issue for me.

So, that is my official first "report" for this mini-series. I hope this was helpful to anyone who is considering Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner.

This week I am going to be testing out the Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in the color Onyx. I will hopefully actually post that one on time, this upcoming Saturday. :-) The week following that will be NYC Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Black... then I will finally be posting which eyeliner, out of all three, I consider the best for the price per my experience with them.

Feel free to post any comments or questions below!

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Eyeshadow in Mirifique - Review & Swatches

2011-08-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

Never have I been so smitten with a makeup product. Never. I bought this as my little reward for making it through my No-Buy for the month of July. Technically I bought it on 07/30, but that was close enough for me.

So where do I even begin?

Do I begin with the glamorous packaging? The distinctive Chanel logo emblazoned over solid black? The fact I can hardly pronounce the name and somehow I convince myself that means it's super fancy? (Because I understand how very fancy things work, obviously.)

The Chanel counter manager lovingly wrapped up my shadow (which I am tempted to call "my Precious" in a Gollum-esque way, that is how obsessed I am with it!) and included a sample of the Démaquillant Yeux Intense, a bi-phase eye makeup remover. Again, the name reminds you that it is super fancy. Heck, even the little eye liner brush that was included with the eye shadow has beautiful packaging!

Here's what Chanel says about the Illusion D’Ombre eye shadow:

This intensely shimmering long-wear eyeshadow offers true versatility. An innovative gel texture that is both soft and cushiony allows it to be worn as eyeshadow or eyeliner. Includes a specially designed shadow/liner brush, developed specifically for this unique formula.

The color Mirifique is part of Chanel's Fall 2011 collection, which is chock full of beautiful metallics and subtle dusky colors. This terribly beautiful jar of eye shadow will cost you $36.

You know, the description is pretty spot-on. It does have a cushiony quality. Lightly tapping your finger on top of the shadow makes you aware that it's almost mousse-like, however upon first glance it does not look to share the extremely smooth quality of a mousse.

You can see the texture in the pictures above. It looks almost grainy. To be honest, when I first looked at it, it made me think of black pavement on a hot day. The kind of pavement that was freshly laid and the summer sun is so hot that you can see the heat emanating off of it.

Here is the first swatch I did of it. I wasn't sure what do expect, so I just took what I thought was a little amount... I quickly found out that you actually need less than you think you do. It has a spongy feel to it, and somehow maintains its sponginess while remaining somewhat gel-like and moussey. It's so bizarre to try and describe what it feels like.

But look at those sparkles!! How pretty is that? The best part is that with this shadow, appearances can be deceiving. Did it look too grainy in the pictures above? Well, it smooths out like a dream. No roughness or graininess to be found! This shadow catches light and could practically make a disco ball jealous.

Here, take some time to swoon while looking at the pictures below. I did a sheer application on the left, and a heavier application on the right, so you can see how versatile the shadow can be.

This one is in natural daylight.

The day I bought this, I immediately washed off whatever eye makeup I was currently wearing and put this on. Oh, it is gorgeous!! I wish I would have got a good picture of me wearing it. But trust me, there will be an EOTD post soon showcasing this shadow. There will probably be many, to be honest.

I wore it out that night for drinks with a friend (which can sometimes be a real test drive for a shadow, if you ask me!) and it stayed put and didn't budge one bit. In fact, I think I probably could have fallen asleep in it and woken up and it would have looked just as good as when I initially applied it.

Oh, and did you know it can double as a liner? This knocks all other cream eyeliners out of the ball park.

Do I love this shadow? Yes I do. I haven't felt this way about eye shadow since Urban Decay released the Black Palette, which I bought two of because I was told it was limited edition. (Yet somehow it's still on shelves. But, I'm nervous that eventually it will disappear. Contemplating buying a third, just in case.) What I'm trying to say is that I am tempted to buy a second to have as my back-up... and seriously, I know I can't be the only person who buys back-ups!

***

So what do you guys think? I hope the swatches were helpful to anyone who may be curious about this eye shadow!

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

EOTD: "Panda" Eyes

2011-07-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

This is actually what I wore yesterday. I wanted something super dark, similar to what Taylor Momsen (of Gossip Girl and more recently, the band the Pretty Reckless) has been sporting recently (I attribute it mostly to teen angst she must be experiencing).

I decided to add a little flare by layering two blacks: Urban Decay's matte eyeshadow "Black Dog" from The Black Palette, and then on top of that LA Splash's loose mineral eyeshadow in "Golden Smoke", which is where the golden flecks are from.

My goodness. I don't know why I don't do this more often. I love black eyeshadow!

What I'm using:
- Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden (all over lid/brow)
- Sugarpill eyeshadow in"Tako" (brow bone)
- Stila eyeshadow in "Mahogany" (blended through crease)
- Urban Decay eyeshadow in "Black Dog" from The Black Palette (all over lid and drop shadow)
- LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer (all over lid on top of "Black Dog", lower lash line)
- LA Splash mineral eyeshadow in "Golden Smoke" (patted on top of lid, drop shadow)
- L'Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black (mascara)

Mini-series: Drugstore Eyeliners! Part 1

2011-07-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today I am presenting the first official mini-series on the Prettymaking blog. The goal? To find a fantastic drugstore eyeliner.

Well, more specifically, I was getting really tired of my Urban Decay 24/7 pencil liner in "Zero" not living up to the standards I had expected. I kept telling myself that there has to be a liner that is affordable, readily available, and performs awesomely.

I chose to search for a "pencil" liner because I want one that I can use on my waterline and also for tight-lining. I know that lining the waterline, regardless of the liner used, will always require re-application, just due to our eyes naturally watering and our constant blinking. But, that being said, there has got to be a liner that lasts longer than others.

The three I chose: Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black, Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Onyx, and NYC Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Black.

So, what I will be doing the next three weeks: I will start this Sunday. I will wear one liner exclusively for one week straight, and on the Saturday of that week I will post my thoughts and experience with that liner. After I've had a chance to really try all of them, I will make a final post on what liner worked the best out of the three to conclude the mini-series.

You tell me: what liner should I start using this upcoming Sunday??

Full Disclosure Policy: All products mentioned in this entry were purchased by myself.

During the month of March, what would you like to see more of?
	Tutorials for makeup - natural
	Tutorials for makeup - dramatic
	Tutorials for hair
	Posts featuring my makeup collection
	Face of the Day/Eye of the Day posts
	Non-makeup related/personal posts ("Day In The Life", etc)
	"Question & Answer" posts
	Other - Describe in comments