Berry Berry Couture: A Beauty Collective

Naked2 On Sephora!

2011-12-27T11:25:00.001-05:00

Hey, loves! Sorry for the huge lack of updates. I'm currently typing with one hand because I'm feeding my son. Soooo busy! I hope you all had a great holiday. My family and I had a wonderful Christmas. :)

Anyway, the Urban Decay Naked2 palette is officially up for sale on Sephora's website (it won't be in stores until the end of Janurary). HAPPY SHOPPING!! Be quick, it sells out fast!

Found image from here

November Favorites

2011-11-29T11:02:00.002-05:00

Happy belated turkey day! I love the holidays. The food, the decorating, fall weather, etc. My son is three months old already. I can't believe it! How the time flies, huh? Here's a few of my favorites for the month of November:

Forever 21 Earrings ($2.66, what a steal!)

Forever 21 Bracelet

MAC Face and Body N1

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium

Maybelline The Falsies Flared in 01 Very Black

Benefit Erase Paste

MAC Glitter & Ice Dazzleglass

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed

MAC Honeylove

A few new MAC lip products

2011-11-08T07:11:00.000-05:00

Happy November! Here's a few new lip products that I recently purchased from MAC:

MAC recently released their ridiculously huge holiday collection. As far as the color collection goes (Glitter and Ice), nothing sparked my interest other than a few dazzleglasses and a lipstick or two.

Double Spin (Cremesheen) and

Dressed to Dazzle Dazzleglass.

Double Spin

Dressed to Dazzle

Top: Double Spin, Dressed to Dazzle

Double Spin is a very pale, milky pink. It's so pale that it makes it a little difficult to pull off, especially because it's quick to show every imperfection on your lips (so make sure you exfoliate). I like to dab it into my lips with my finger. It looks more wearable on me that way. Naturally, I had to buy Dressed to Dazzle to compliment the lipstick. It's the perfect layering gloss to go hand in hand with Double Spin. This is a lip combo that I've been frequenting lately. I get three to maybe four hours of a wear before needing to reapply.

Glitter and Ice

Because I loved Dressed to Dazzle so much, I wound up buying Glitter & Ice too. If you're looking for a shimmery, glittery, nude gloss to layer of your nude lipsticks, this is what you need. I just got it today and wore it over Honeylove. Gorgeous. I imagine this will layer very nicely over Myth as well.

And I bought one more...

C-Thru

For good measure, I also purchased C-Thru lipglass. This is a permanent shade. I haven't gotten the chance to mess around with it yet but it's a gorgeous nude with subtle micro shimmer -- another nice layering gloss.

In the mail...

2011-10-26T13:52:00.004-04:00

Happy hump day! I got a few things in the mail today, one package from Sephora and one from MAC. Bear with me as I'm fiddling around with this Blogger app...

Edit: The Blogger app is a bust. Thank goodness I was playing with it at home because I had to run back to my mac to fix everything. All's well. :)

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ #25

Benefit Erase Paste in Fair

NARS Pokerface nail polish

Fresh mini mascaras

MAC Peachstock lipstick

FOTD

2011-10-22T15:34:00.001-04:00

Long time, no see! It's been sevenish weeks since my last update. Sorry about that. My kiddos take up the majority of my time these days but like I said before, I have no intention of giving up on this blog. Here's a quick FOTD. The quality isn't great since I took the pictures with my iPhone. Plus, my house doesn't have the best lighting for this sort of thing but it'll do... right? ;)

Eyes:

Tarte eye primer

MAC: Orb (all over lid)

Gift O' Glamour pigment: quick sweep over the lid, & corners of eyes

(also used a little Fix+ for the pigment)

Paradisco: just in the center of lid

UD Darkhorse (from Naked): outer v, contour

Make Up For Ever aqua liner in mat black

YSL faux cils mascara

Eye brushes used: MAC 239, MAC 226, Sigma SS224, MAC 266

Lips:

MAC Myth & Good Lovin' lipglass

Face & Cheeks:

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet foundation (#25)

mixed with MAC Face & Body (N1)

MAC Studio Sculpt concealer NW15

MAC MSF Natural (medium)

MAC Alpha Girl Beauty powder

Benefit Hoola (contour)

Life and Babies!

2011-09-06T09:29:00.000-04:00

This isn't a makeup related post but don't worry, I have one. I just wanted to let give a quick update on my life and why I'm not updating like I used to... you know, 9 months ago. I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy on 8.31.11. I'm very blessed to have my two kids but I'm also very busy (and tired!). This is a huge adjustment for all of us. I'm not putting the blog at a complete standstill. Despite having a new addition to our family, I try to keep some things the same. I think it makes the transition easier. And for me, I love my blog. I love makeup. It's a guilty pleasure that I'd like to hang onto for a bit longer. So while I won't be posting often, I'll still be here and hopefully you'll keep reading. Thanks for reading. :)

Catch Up Time!

2011-08-27T09:18:00.003-04:00

I've been such a naughty blogger, huh? Please bare with me, I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow. Baby is due anytime now so I apologize for not putting a lot of focus on the blog. Anyway, I quickly wanted to share some of my recent purchases with you...

MAC Parisian Skies and Hocus Pocus from Blogger's Obsessions

To quickly sum up my thoughts on the shadows, I expected to love Hocus Pocus more than I do. It's GORGEOUS, I just don't think it blends as well as I'd like it to. I still need to play with it more. Parisian Skies is a beautiful color. I'm not big on blue but this one is special. It's the kind of color that can work for a whole array of people. It's also very pigmented and the color payoff is excellent.

Parisian Skies

Hocus Pocus

Ulta: Seche Vite Top Coat, Butter London Nail Lacquer in Teddy Girl, Earth Therapeutics pumice stone and ceramic pedicure tool

Sephora: Benefit Legally Broze set, YSL Faux Cils mascara (deluxe sample), Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Jo'Mina, Happy Birthday, Beautiful! from Philosophy (my Sephora birthday gift!)

I already swatched the Legally Bronze set and I tested everything out, I just need to review it. Oh and I also bought something for the MAC Me Over collection that I can't wait to share with you guys. :)

I love value sets!

2011-08-14T15:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, so last year Sephora released the limited edition "Legally Bronze" set from Benefit. I lusted for it and I kicked myself later for not buying it because A) I loved everything in it (except maybe the Bad Gal mascara but I'd use it anyway!) and B) the price was a steal for what you were getting. Now it's back in stock.

Remember me??

Everything in the set is full size. That's right, full size. If you're no stranger to Benefit, then you know their prices are pretty up there. For example, High Beam alone is $26, Hoola is $28, etc. Also, Gilded is featured in the set. I have one that I received a long time ago from a gift with purchase. Without giving away too many details (saving them for a review), this pencil rocks but it's no longer available for purchase on its own. The set retails for $38. Yes, $38 USD. I just ordered mine last night. I wanted to give you ladies a heads up in case you wanted to get your paws on it too. I'll give a more in-depth review of each product after I receive it.

Buy it here

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! :)

Chanel Tweed Pink Blush

2011-08-12T10:56:00.000-04:00

Or also known by its proper name, Tweed Pink Tissages de Chanel. Let me first say this, I'm a blush fiend. I can't help myself. I love all kinds of blushes: pink, coral, peach, nude, matte, shimmery, frosty, whatever. I'll take it. Tweed Pink is one of the most beautiful blushes I have in my collection. Looking at it makes me happy.

This is also one of the most flattering pink blushes on my skin tone. It's pink without being too pink. Does that make sense? It's soft, blends well, and the color payoff is excellent. Though, for $45 USD a pop, that's what you ought to get.

So, based off the swatch it might look too shimmery for some people's tastes, but it doesn't give you disco ball cheeks or anything. I promise. Sometimes, a swatch can be deceiving. Tricky, tricky!

I tried to find some dupes in my collection and these were the closest (but not quite):

L-R: NARS Angelika, Chanel Tweed Pink, TheBalm Down Boy

NARS Angelika is a deeper, more intense blue based pink that imparts more glitter/shimmer. TheBalm Down Boy is completely matte and the formula is quite powdery. Like I said, they're a little similar but not quite...

Shoes!

2011-07-31T19:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday!! I just wanted to quickly share the new pair of heels I bought from Macy's (click here to see it online). I needed a new pair of cute black shoes for a wedding I have to attend next weekend. They were $89 but I got them for $69 with a $20 off coupon (winning!). I'm just praying my feet won't be throbbing by the end of the night in these suckers... ha.

Photo Finish: A Quickie Review

2011-07-25T11:19:00.000-04:00

I'm going to make this snappy because there's a million (and one) reviews on this cult classic product. I personally love this primer. Yes, yes I do. I think those with DRY skin will favor this because it gives the a skin a smooth velvety feel. It did not break me out. On the flip side, those with OILY skin may say this makes their face feel more greasy than velvety. For me, it keeps my makeup in place. I've put Photo Finish to the test in 115 degree weather and it upheld its end of the bargain. It also held up during my daughter's birthday party yesterday. I had a full face of makeup on for about 12-14 hours with minimal touch ups. I would definitely repurchase.

By the way, HauteLook is having an Ugg event today. Chances are, it's going to sell out fast.

Sephora Stuff

2011-07-20T12:07:00.001-04:00

Hey! Sorry for the lack of updates. I know that I've been an irregular poster since I got pregnant but life happens, right? Today is my daughter's SECOND birthday! Gahhhhhh, I'm so emotional right now! We're having a party for her on Sunday so this whole week has been incredibly chaotic so far.

Anyway, I just received a package from Sephora. I wanted to show you a few things I bought with my 10% VIB coupon.

Pictured:

Smith's Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm: I LOVE the original so I'm bound to love this too, right?

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner: I was reeled in by the brush. It looks like a winner for those who fail at applying liquid eyeliner (like me! haha).

Smashbox Photofinish Primer: I ran out of primer and although I have experience with a lot of them, I've never been formally introduced to the most famous of them all. I've tried a sample in the past but it was so long ago that I couldn't tell you what I thought of it.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara: A brand new mascara from Benefit. I'm almost nervous to try it because I never have much luck with the high end mascaras. I always buy mine from the drugstore (my favorites are The Falsies and Loreal Telescopic). I've bought Bad Gal in the past and hated the oversized brush. It did nothing for my lashes BUT I love Bad Gal plum for fall. I'll be sure to lend my two cents on this one, though.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray: I'm most excited and scared to try this. Mainly because it's $23 a pop and the bottle is TINY. It's suppose to give you textured beach hair. For the price, it better!

It's that time of year again!

2011-07-08T08:22:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! I received my order from MAC yesterday. I only ordered one thing from the new Semi Precious collection. Last year, I was all over In the Groove (okay, mainly Stereo Rose but I was loving all of the MSF's and lipsticks... and blushes). This year, eh... I could pass on most of it. I picked up one MSF for now, Semi Precious Pearl. Out of all the product photos I had seen on Temptalia, this one looked the most appealing.

I was instantly attracted to the raspberry, gold, copper, and white veining. Like most MSF's, this one is very shimmery so I think it works best as a highlighter. Although, lighter skin tones can probably pull this off as a blush (if you use a light hand). I tried it that way today and loved it. But like I said, I think most will appreciate this more as a highlight.

L-R: outside color, center, swirled together

The Junk Drawer: PP50

2011-07-06T10:45:00.002-04:00

I haven't done one of these posts in a while. This one is dedicated to a primer. Specifically, MAC Prep + Prime SPF 50. To my surprise, it wasn't that cheap. $30 for 1 oz. However, I typically don't mind paying the money for a product that works for me.

The first thing that bothered me about this product was the packaging. It comes in a hard plastic squeeze tube. For those who use it regularly, you might have a problem squeezing out that last bit unless you cut the sucker open. This ended up not being a big deal to me, though, mainly because I won't be finishing it any time soon.

The product itself does its job. Overall, I think it's an ideal primer. My makeup lasted all day -- even in the 90-something degree humid weather. I also liked that it had a lot of SPF in it. If your skin can tolerate it, you'd probably like it. The formula is like a lotion (because of the SPF, the regular P+P has more slip) and it has a slight, bearable lotion scent.

Unfortunately, this primer broke me out like nobody's business. I'm pretty sure I have never experienced a breakout like this with a makeup product before. I had small pimples all over my cheeks. No bueno, folks. Just to be sure, I discontinued use of the primer and sure enough, my skin cleared right up. To be EXTRA sure, I tried using it once more. And sure enough (again), I broke out like crazy.

So now it lies in my junk drawer. That is, until I ~~dump~~ give it to my bestie. Like I said before, I think it could be a great primer if your skin tolerates it well. I haven't had any breakout issues with their regular Prep + Prime formula (which I think is great, by the way).

Semi Precious is online!

2011-07-05T07:52:00.002-04:00

Good morning! Just wanted to let you know that MAC's Semi Precious collection is up for sale on their US website. However, you have to search for the products individually. Use the code "precious" for free shipping. I only bought one thing... nothing else about this collection caught my eye (sorry, just being honest!). Are you buying anything?

Tarte for True Blood Palette Swatches

2011-06-29T10:52:00.003-04:00

Jeeeeeeeez, there's so much going on with this palette that I'm going to have to break it up into a three part ordeal. The next post will be for the primer, liner, mascara, eye shadow dupes, and roundup. This is going to be very picture heavy...

By the way, if you haven't seen my first post with sneak peek pictures of the shadows and packaging, click here to check it out.

Row 1, 2

The Light, Fairy

Dusk, Dawn

Werewolf, Waitress

Nocturnal

Row 3, 4, 5

Charmer, Glamour Me, Stake

Bayou, Telepath, The True Death

Immortal, Moss, Legend, "V"

Ever hear the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover"? To be honest, I was put off by some of these shadows when I swatched them on my arm. The mattes, were by far, the easiest to swatch (and had the nicest formula). Others, not so much (a few kicked up a lot of dust -- mainly, some the shimmery shades). However, when used with a primer, I noticed a HUGE difference. For the sake of example, I swatched two of the shadows using the primer that came with the palette:

"V", Immortal, without primer

"V", Immortal, with primer

Yowza! Huge difference, indeed! As you can see, a primer is absolutely necessary or else you'll be very disappointed. Overall, I'm impressed. The only one I consider to be a dud is "Nocturnal". Out of all the shadows, it's the least pigmented.

Tarte for True Blood Palette (Sneak Peek)

2011-06-28T08:53:00.004-04:00

Happy Tuesday!! Here's a super quick (picture heavy post) of the limited edition Tarte for True Blood palette. Are you a Trubie? I sure as hell am! I have an appointment soon so I don't have time to swatch it until later. I must admit, based on Sephora's pictures, the shadows in this palette didn't look like anything special. Let me tell you, they're gorgeous in person.

Click to zoom

The packaging is slightly reminiscent of the UD BOS, no?

~~Keep on the look out for my swatches later!~~

Click here to see swatches of the eyeshadows!

You can purchase this palette ($52 USD) from Sephora.

A few favorite glosses

2011-06-24T09:46:00.002-04:00

So far during this spring/summer, I've really been into lip glosses. I'm usually more of a lipstick person but I like the change. Here's a few I've been wearing a lot lately:

NARS Wonder (LE)

I love this gloss because it's a nice way to wear orange without screaming orange. Does that make sense? Point is, this color is just right. It makes your lips look lush and juicy.

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi

Cyndi is one of my summer colors and one of the few "reds" I like to wear.

VG Cyndi lipstick on top, lipglass on bottom

Saving the best for last, my absolute favorite lipgloss is actually a drugstore gem, Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in Rose Gold.

I really like to pair this with a nude lipstick (something like MAC Honeylove), but it wears well on its own too. It's a perfect everyday color, especially for the summer.

Surf, Baby!

2011-06-06T08:49:00.000-04:00

I bought a few things from MAC's latest collection, "Surf, Baby!" that I wanted to share with you guys. Here goes:

My Paradise Cheek Powder

I've been wearing this everyday. I love, I love, I love. I would describe this as a warm matte peach with a shimmery gold overspray.

L-R: Peach color alone, Gold overspray, Mixed

Hibiscus Lipstick

This is such a fun summer color. It's a bright coral that pulls more red than orange, in my opinion. It lasted several hour without touchups. It has a Cremesheen finish.

Strange Potion Lipglass

Strange Potion was originally in Venomous Villains ('10). I regretted not getting it then, but I'm glad I got it this time around. It's a soft, corally (<--- not a real word) - pink, making it easy for most to pull off.

Good Lovin Lipglass

My favorite! It's a shimmery nude that has some pinkyness to it. I dabbed a little VG Gaga II (the nude one) over my lips, then applied this gloss. Perfection.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

2011-06-04T10:47:00.001-04:00

I have been sitting on this review for a long time because I've struggled with my thoughts on it. I don't think I have ever been so on the fence with a product before. You either like it or you don't and that's not the case here, said product being Laura Mercier's famous tinted moisturizer in Porcelain. So, although I had planned to write this review about a month ago, I decided to give it more time to make a better decision.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain, 1.5 oz., $42 USD

I bought this because I've been on the hunt for either a light coverage foundation or a decent tinted moisturizer. This is new territory for me because I have always worn medium-full coverage foundations. Nothing less -- even in the summer. However, I can't stand the heaviness of it anymore. Plus, it takes more work to apply a full coverage foundation and as a mom (soon to be mom of two), my time is precious. And, in the last few months, my skin has really been good to me. I figure it's time to put down my MUFE Mat Velvet + for a while.

Initial thoughts:

Being perfectly honest, I did not like this product at first. I can't say it was the product that was at fault, it was me not being accustomed to using something so light and sheer. The other thing I had a problem with was the packaging. If you're not careful, this stuff comes squirting out. It kills me to pay so much $$$ for a product that shoots out wasted excess.

I did, however, take notice to how moisturizing it actually is. I've used various tinted moisturizers in the past, but none of them did a thing for my dry skin. I'll be damned, a product that actually does what it's suppose to.

Application:

Being that I'm so accustomed to using a fuller coverage foundation, I'm a brush fiend. Aside from getting used to the sheer coverage of this tinted moisturizer, I also had to become familiar with using my fingers to apply. That's right, my fingers. I've tried brushes and sponges but in my opinion, fingers work best. I also noticed that I use less product when applying it this way.

It blends well into the skin while offering some coverage. It will cover mild discolorations and redness. It will not cover more prominent discolorations, scarring, and blemishes. I use concealer with this to cover acne scarring and redness around my nose. I also use MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Medium) as a finishing powder. Since this powder is a little heavier, it covers what the tinted moisturizer doesn't. I love it dearly.

Overall thoughts and recommendations:

This is one of the better tinted moisturizers on the market. It succeeds where others have failed. It offers some decent, but sheer coverage while also making my skin feel silky soft. I also love that it contains SPF (20). I used a primer with this and I have definitely taken notice to how it lasts through the day with little to no maintenance. This is a product I'd recommend to those looking for sheer coverage, SPF, and I would most definitely recommend to those with dry skin. Those who need to address special skin concerns like acne or prominent skin discolorations may not like this because the coverage will be lacking.

My only gripe (the whole reason I was sitting on the fence with this) is the cost. $42 is a lot of money for a tinted moisturizer. I'm just not sure if this is something that I'm willing to splurge on again and again. I like it, but do I like it THAT much? I'm not sure...

Smith's Rosebud Salve and a personal update!

2011-05-28T08:10:00.003-04:00

I picked this up when I was at Sephora in late April. If you have ever been, you notice that there's tons of product minis that surround you as you wait in line... ~~suckering~~ tempting you to buy something else. This salve was among them and I figured I'd try it for $6 USD.

Under normal circumstances, I get dry, cracked lips year round. Part of the problem was that I didn't drink enough water. Well, for the sake of my pregnancy, I stopped drinking juice entirely and vowed to only drink water. Okay well, that's kind of a lie because I do have a glass of orange juice here and there. Still, that's a huge step for me.

The other problem is that I had no lip care routine. At all.

Smith's Rosebud Salve

Since I purchased this salve, I was sure to use it everyday, and I still do. There is a subtle rose scent, nothing harsh or offensive. Every time I feel it's no longer on my lips, I reapply. And let me tell ya, it works. I noticed a difference on my first day of use. My lips were by no means cured within the first 24 hours or anything, but they felt noticeably softer. A few days (and a good exfoliating) later, I had healthy lips again. Hooray!

Sorry, I touched it!!

The thing is, I need to reapply several times throughout the day or else my lips begin to feel a little dry again. Nothing horrendous, though. I apply extra at night, before bed. I also noticed that it helps with other dry areas of my body as well. For example, my knuckles. My poor knuckles take a beating from constantly washing dishes. This stuff takes care of the dryness. I almost forgot to mention that in the description on Sephora's website, Smith's claims that it can be used for diaper rashes. I have an almost two year old who still gets them. I feel like maybe I should try it?? We'll see...

All in all, I think this is a fabulous product. $6 is a little hard to swallow for .8 oz. (in other words, a somewhat little tin) of product. I've made a pretty big dent in it already but then again, I use it frequently. But because it works so well for me, I would most definitely buy this again. In fact, I'd buy two just to have a back up. I'm going to try the strawberry balm next.

A little update on me:

I know I'm not a big poster these days, but life happens, you know? I can't believe I'm having my son in September! This pregnancy has gone by so fast. I'll be 26 weeks on Sunday. That means, I'll be officially starting my third trimester the following Sunday. YIKES!

That's my belly at 25.4 weeks and there's my daughter!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush and Lip Care Stuff

2011-05-18T11:41:00.002-04:00

On Mothers Day, I was able to goto Sephora but I was on a time limit. Luckily, I knew exactly what I wanted. A few posts back, I added Tarte's new Amazonian clay blush in Dollface to my wish list. Well, I got it! All of the colors are beautiful. I figured at $25 USD a pop, I would just buy one and if I liked it enough, I'd probably try out another one next time.

Contains 5.6 grams / 0.20 oz. of product for $25 USD

Dollface is the perfect light baby pink. It has a matte finish and for me, it lasts through the day. I can see this working on a variety of skin tones. It's nicely pigmented (though, I read that some of the other colors are even more pigmented) and blends easily into the skin. And, for those who love natural beauty brands, Tarte is right up your alley. Being completely truthful, organic / natural beauty brands don't affect my decision making. Meaning, I'm not overly concerned about product ingredients (or I'm not as concerned as I ought to be?). Anyway, would I buy this again? Yes, despite it being rather expensive, in my opinion. It's an over all great product with a small but eye-catching range of colors. There's something in this line for everyone. I'd like to try Blissful, Amused, and Flush next. What do you think? Have you tried it?

So, the lip care thing...

I'm going to start a new segment on lip care because I have chronic dry lips. Ten bucks says I'm not the only one. Flaky, icky, cracked, bleeding lips all year round. Kinda makes applying lipstick a bummer, huh? Although, that's pretty much my fault because I don't give them much TLC but I've decided to turn over a new leaf. I'm going to test various products ranging from drugstores to MAC to Sephora and whatever else I can get my hands on. I'm going to test each product on its own for a span of 3-4 weeks, then I'll report my findings to you. Sound good? I'm on a mission! Right now, I'm testing Smith's Rosebud Salve. I'll let you know the verdict in about two weeks.

I got it! I got it!

2011-05-11T08:06:00.003-04:00

I had such a fantastic weekend and an amazing Mothers Day. I can't wait until next year when I can celebrate with my two babies. Wow... two babies! I need to get used to saying that, haha. Anyway, I happened to be at Nordstrom on Sunday so I could find a dress for a wedding. I stopped by the MAC counter and whaddya know! They happened to have just ONE more tube of Ever Hip lipstick in stock. If you read my last post, I was grumbling because it sold out online and at my local counter. It was meant to be, I guess! So, here it is:

MAC Ever Hip (LE) (Cremesheen)

I'm so bad at descriptions but here goes...

Ever Hip is coral, but it has some definite pinkyness to it (which is why I found it to be easily wearable despite me being cool-toned). The finish is very creamy (hence, cremesheen) and opaque after some layering. Also, I found that it lasted several hours on my lips. Score!

I ~~can't~~ won't wear orange lipstick of any kind regardless of how 'trendy' it is (because I know I could never get away with it) BUT I am loving coral for summer. This lipstick goes hand in hand with Alpha Girl beauty powder, by the way.

Ever Hip lip swatch, I'm also wearing Alpha Girl beauty powder

Some dupes for ya...

2011-05-07T10:35:00.002-04:00

Looking through my lipstick collection, I'm noticing that I keep buying the same colors. Well, same colors with different names and finishes. I've become so redundant! Whatever, I love a nice blue-based pink.

So, recently I bought Snob from MAC. Just my kind of color... and finish. Lately, I've really been into Satin finishes. I did realize, however, that it kind of resembles Revlon's Pink Pout. MAC lipsticks are $14.50, Revlon is about $7-8 (don't quote me on that, because some places have different prices).

When comparing the two, I would say that Snob has more of a blue base to it and has an ever so slight sheen.

Then I whipped out I Like It Like That (In the Groove '10). Oh dear, I love this color. It has an amplified finish. So, it's not matte, definitely more glossy than the other two. Also, it's darker (and bluer) than Snob. Still, if you couldn't get your hands on this baby, Snob is a good alternative.

L-R: Revlon Pink Pout, MAC Snob, MAC I Like It Like That

And, for good measure, I figured I'd throw in an swatch photo from an old post featuring Viva Glam Gaga. That was all I wore last summer (made sure to buy a back up!). Gaga is discontinued, but will always be a favorite of mine. It has a glossy, lustre finish. It's not an exact dupe for any of these colors per se, but it does belong in the same color family. It's a lighter, brighter, blue-based pink.

Viva Glam Gaga

Snob and Pink Pout are the only two permanent colors. Gaga and I Like It Like That are limited edition, sadly.

Lusting for...

2011-05-05T09:45:00.001-04:00

Good morning! Just wanted to share a few things that I've been lusting for lately. What's on your list?

ModCloth "Eyes of Mars" sandal

Kate Spade baby bag

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners

Dolce Vita "Dakota" sandal

MAC Face and Body Foundation

Top Shop maternity dress

Let's discuss Fashionflower... and other stuff

2011-05-04T12:12:00.001-04:00

I completely cheated myself out of Ever Hip lipstick. I'm kicking myself hard. Actually, I had every opportunity to get it when I was shopping online but I forgot. And then it sold out.... my counter sold out too. Boo!

I've really just been picking and choosing things here and there from MAC collections. I haven't seen anything particularly eye-catching lately (except for Ever Hip... don't remind me). I did, however, pick up Alpha Girl beauty powder (from Heatherette '08). I love beauty powders... and blush... and anything cheek related.

The packaging is your basic black MAC compact but the product itself imprinted with a very pretty floral pattern. I would describe it as being a subtle coral that leans more pink. I love these kinds of shades for Spring / Summer. Alpha Girl isn't heavily pigmented. I get some decent color payoff on my skin but I'm an NW20. If your skin tone is very deep or dark, you may have a bit of a hard time with this one. Overall, I'm very pleased with it. Edit: I forgot to mention that it's not frosty or shimmery. I add a little By Candlelight MSF to my cheekbones because I like to get my glow on!

Some random MAC stuff!

2011-04-22T10:16:00.001-04:00

The cute little buttons came with my online order! Aren't they adorable?!!

So I picked up a few things from MAC (in-store and online)...

First things first, Blacktrack Fluidline. My old one was more than half way used, but it dried out like an old raisin so it was clearly time to replace it. The old jar now sits in my B2M collection of empties. I've been using fluidlines since I was 17 or so. I'm a loyal and devoted fan. This is by far, my most favorite eye liner of all time. Ol' reliable!

Angel (left), Snob

Snob (top), Angel (bottom)

I'm so in love with these two!!! Both, in my opinion, are perfect pinks. Snob is the kind of pink that does all the talking. I wear nothing more than a little Stila Kitten on my lids with some Falsies mascara, Summer Rose beauty powder on the cheeks (it matches this lipstick nicely), and that's it! I love it.

Angel has a frost finish but it doesn't look very frosty at all (I like that). It's a lovely shade of pink for Spring, extremely wearable, and versatile. I imagine this will be the color that I use up the quickest.

Finally, the Naked lipliner (LE) from Quite Cute. The collection as a whole did nothing for me. I know a lot of people were psyched about it, but I wasn't into it. I did, however, notice the Naked liner. I haven't gotten around to trying it yet but something tells me I'll like it.

Vanilla Truffle and Baby News!

2011-04-09T08:21:00.000-04:00

Seriously. I can't get enough of the stuff. The nude of all nudes, I think. This is my first lipstick ever from Estee Lauder. Actually, the last time I ever bought anything from the brand was in high school. It was a bronzer... a loose bronzer and I remember loving it. Since then, I haven't shopped from them.

Vanilla Truffle is limited edition in the US and it carries a quasi-hefty price tag of $24. The color itself is gorgeous. I would say that it leans on the peachy side but I still found it to be flattering on my cool skin. The formula is very creamy, opaque, and long wearing.

The problem? Well, for starters, I'm not into the packaging. It looks more tacky than luxurious, in my opinion. Not a huge deal, though. It sure and heck didn't prevent me from buying it. The thing I really didn't like about it was the smell/taste. It has that cheap floral-play dough smell that you'd usually find on a drugstore brand lipstick. In all fairness, I usually don't get too offended by stinky cosmetics. It's not something that would keep me from using the product if I really like it so I'm thinking that my increased sense of smell (since being pregnant) has something to do with it. I'm not completely sure. Still, when paying $24 for a lipstick, I expect the smell to be something glorious.

With all that said, the good and the bad, I would buy this again just for the fact that they nailed the color AND the formula. Maybe they could just work out the smelly smell.

I also wanted to tell you guys that I'm having a BOY!!! A little boy!! We're so excited. Now we have a complete family. Isn't he cute?! ;)

Just a little update!

2011-04-05T18:05:00.001-04:00

I am so sorry I haven't been an A+ blogger. I've been so exhausted through this pregnancy which is why I think I'm having a boy. I was like Superman when I was preggo with my daughter and now I'm beat! Either way, I get to find out Thursday at my ultrasound. I'm so excited! :)

Anyway, I have some cool stuff I wanted to share with you guys. Like the Estee Lauder Vanilla Truffle lipstick that I have coming in the mail maybe tomorrow. I've been dying to get my hands on this sucker from the moment I saw in featured in so many blogs. So many UK blogs. Unfortunately, it's not a permanent color in the US, but it's LE right now so I snatched it up!

I'll be posting more soon, promise!

theBalm Down Boy

2011-03-18T10:27:00.000-04:00

I'm in a ridiculously good mood today. It's going to be 71 and sunny today. Spring, AT LAST! I even started getting back into some of my Spring makeup. Remember Lazy Day from "To The Beach"? Yep, I'm wearin' it! In fact, I'm wearing it with my new blush, Down Boy from theBalm.

It's the most perfect pink, no?

theBalm Down Boy, $21 USD

I love the packaging: very cute, very glam, very fun. First impression? I loved the color. Just kind of pinky-pink I like. As far as blushes go, I'm not picky about the finish. Matte, frost, shimmer, whatever. I take 'em all, but this little beauty has a matte finish. The only thing I thought might be troublesome, was that it got pretty powdery when I was swatching it with my finger. It left me wondering if this was going to make a mess on my face.

....but it didn't. Although very pigmented, this blush blended onto my cheeks effortlessly. I was left with a nice pink flush without looking too pink, you know what I mean? It didn't look overdone at all. I'm a huge fan and I highly recommend.

Stuff I wanna show you!

2011-03-15T12:39:00.000-04:00

My mom gave me a gift card for Sephora so I used it... right down to the last dollar! This was an online purchase, by the way...

From left to right:

Sample of Daisy by Marc Jacobs

Urban Decay Shadow Box

Sample of Tarte ReCreate primer

Down Boy blush from theBalm

Deluxe sample of Tarina Tarantino's primer

I tried everything except Tarina's primer. My daughter somehow got her hands on it and now I have no idea where it is. Boo! I photographed and swatched the eyeshadows and the blush so I'll get that uploaded in a bit. I'm particularly excited to share the blush. I'm becoming quite a fan of theBalm. ;)

How you can help Japan

2011-03-15T11:48:00.001-04:00

My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to those who were affected by catastrophic events that recently took place in Japan. I just wanted to let my readers know that there are simple ways that we can help aid the relief.

*First, check out this site. They'll show you seven different ways in which you can help via the internet.

I'll let you read the site for yourself, but one of the easiest ways to donate is through a simple text message...

The American Red Cross has raised over $20 million for Haiti through their text to donate service. If you would like to donate to the Japanese relief, all you have to do is text "REDCROSS" to 90999. Your donation of $10 USD will aid the Red Cross in their efforts to help those in dire need.

Also, to my readers who live outside of the US, please check out my friend's blog. She is from Japan. Through her blog, she is trying to reach out offer ways that you can help too. Thank you!

Viva Glam Gaga II

2011-03-12T10:58:00.001-05:00

Okay, I so bought this about two or three weeks ago and I'm ridiculously late with this post... eek! Sorry!

In the last year, I have become such a huge fan of nudes. If I remember correctly, in one of my very early posts, I said that I couldn't wear nudie colors like Myth. And now, I LOVE nudie colors like Myth! It's not always about what you wear. Rather, it's about how you wear it. If I lathered on Myth without thinking twice, I would look like a ghastly little freakazoid. I've seen so many negative reviews of VG Gaga II and I couldn't understand why... but then I remembered that I was once that girl who thought that I could never pull off a nude. Why? Because for many of us, they're scary. Just as scary and intimidating as red may seem.

Another reason (remember, these are just my theories) why I think VG Gaga II didn't sell out like the first one did is because the first one is such a bold, statement color. It's a spotlight-loving pink that people were instantly attracted to (very Gaga-esque), whereas, this nude looks downplayed in comparison. I think people (like me) were expecting the second coming of a crazy, bold lipstick. In my opinion, though, nudes can make the same kind of statement as that flashy pink.

I love this color. I need to do some swatch comparisons for you guys because I think I have a few similar shades. I like the formula (Amplified) and I didn't find it to be overly-drying. The best part? Every cent goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. Can't beat that!

Have you tried it? Tell me honestly, do you love it or hate it? From what I gather, it's that kind of color. Love it or hate it, that is.

My BIG announcement!

2011-03-10T10:26:00.001-05:00

I cannot tell you how badly I feel for putting my blog on hold. I kept hinting that there was a really good reason for my absence... and there is! I'm a little pregnant!!! Okay, not a little pregnant, I AM pregnant! I'm expecting my second baby in September so my little girl is going to be a BIG sister!

So this is why I've been so neglectful to you guys and I'm very sorry. I was extremely exhausted through my first trimester but I've slowly been getting my energy back these last two weeks or so. And again, this isn't my first baby. I have the responsibility of keeping up with my home while chasing around a 20 month old. Believe me, she's not easy to keep up with! Also, from being so drained, I haven't felt good about my appearance -- with or without makeup. It's hard to feel inspired when you look like crap, hah.

HOWEVER, I have all of these news goodies that I want to share with you. I just want you to know that this blog isn't going anywhere. I haven't forgotten about it or you. :)

Sorry!

2011-02-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

Hey, lovelies. It's been a WHOLE week since I last posted. Eeek! My daughter came down with the flu so I've been spending this last week just cuddling with her and pampering her. I have a new post for tomorrow that I'm excited about. It's a lipstick.... here's some hints: it's MAC, it's nude, it's new, and uh... I love Gaga! Any guesses? Haha! Enjoy your weekend! :)

Eager to get my hands on...

2011-02-18T14:27:00.000-05:00

I was just snooping around on Sephora and came across Tarte's clay blushes. The colors are dupes for the gel blushes, except in powder... er, clay form. The same names still apply. This fascinates me because I la-love the color selection of their gel blushes but eh... cheek stains aren't for me. The sad part is, I made that realization four stains later. So far? I want them all. Don't worry, you read correctly. I want them ALL (being the little blush freak I am). I just wish they had Flower Child but I know it was a limited edition shade. For $25, you're getting a mere .2 oz. Is it worth it? I guess I'll have to find out, eh?

Viva Glam Gaga II now available!

2011-02-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

VG Gaga II is now available at online at MAC (US). Use the code "gaga" for free shipping. :)

Grammys 2011: Favorites and not so favorites!

2011-02-14T10:08:00.008-05:00

Goooood morning! So, I watched the Grammys last night (mainly for Gaga, Mumford & Sons, and Eminem, but I also like to see what everyone's wearing). I'm not going to cover everybody, but I just wanted to share a few photos of celebs who stood out to me in a good... and not so good way. Before we begin, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!! <3

Glee's Diana Agron was in my opinion, one of the best dressed, from head to toe. You can't really go wrong with a rocker-chic look, a smoky eye, and nude, glossy lips. Oh, and how could I forget the little black dress? Nope... you can't go wrong there.

Kim Kardashian's makeup was GORGEOUS (as always) but I don't know what to say about her dress. I'm not crazy about it. Okay, here's some honesty. The more and more I look at it, the more more and I wonder what she was thinking. Worse, those shoes were a bad choice, I think. I still adore her and I love her fashion sense, though!

Is is just me, or does Bruno Mars have fantastic hair? I loved his performance too, by the way. Nicki Minaj.... okay, so I don't necessarily agree with her hair, choice of dress, and lipstick, but I did fancy her eye makeup!

I wasn't completely sold on Katy Perry's dress. It looked more like a Halloween costume than anything else but I will say, the girl has beautiful hair. The makeup? Slightly overdone, but her eyes were dazzling.

I loved Jennifer Lopez's look! Seriously, I loved it! I'm not completely in love with her dress, but she has the body to rock it flawlessly. Jennifer looked absolutely fierce. And from watching her, I completely forgot that she's 40. Her skin looks incredible!

I find it odd that Gaga showed up to the Grammys in an egg but that's okay because she was born this way, right? I loved her performance. Maybe I'm not 110% crazy about the song, but she knows how to put on a good show. What do you think of her shoulders?!

This is a dress, that under normal circumstances, I would definitely scoff at. HOWEVER, Rihanna owns it with her bold red hair, soft eyes, and red lips.

So dish... who were you long and not so loving from last night's Grammys?

Sources: All pictures were found via Google search.

Um... gorgeous, much?

2011-02-13T11:21:00.000-05:00

I am LOVING this promo picture from the Make Up For Ever Tres Vichy collection! Normally, I'm not the type to wear bright, bold colors but I'm feeling inspired! What do you think?

The Junk Drawer

2011-02-12T11:12:00.000-05:00

I was cleaning out pictures on my camera last night that date back to August. I came across products that I totally forgot to review or mention. Today, I'll be sharing with you two MAC shadows: Nocturnelle (frost) and Black Tied (velvet). Both colors are gorgeous but they're both in my junk drawer as well.

I purchased Nocturnelle online and the moment I received it, I was so sure that I was going to love it. In fact, I was so sure, I tore open the box and threw out the receipt. I'm not necessarily a 'think before you do' type. Anyway, it's absolutely gorgeous in the pan but the color payoff is less than fabulous and it's not as pigmented as I expected. I mean, you really need to work this color to make it work for you but when paying $14.50, it should be so hard. I still love this color and who knows? Maybe I'll whip it out and see if I can play with it a little more.

I actually like Black Tied but I like Urban Decay's Creep BETTER. The color is similar, but the textures are different. Creep is smoother than Black Tied with nice color pay off. Again, I like Black Tied but Creep is in my Naked Palette (which I use a lot) so it's also a matter of convenience.

Make Up For Ever Concealer Palette No. 1

2011-02-06T09:02:00.002-05:00

Woo hoo! I finally took the plunge and bought the MUFE concealer palette. I've wanted this for a really long time but I was hanging on the fence. I read countless reviews on products that tend to be more pricey before investing in it. However, I had a hard time with this one because the reviews were so mixed. I would hate to spend $36 on a palette that does nothing for me, you know? Besides, I think TheBalm's TimeBalm concealer is some fierce competition. I had the pleasure of going to Sephora a few weeks ago. Seeing the palette in person sealed the deal for me.

Make Up For Ever concealer palette, #1

The biggest complaint about this palette that I have read from people who didn't like it was that the formula was very dry. I have to disagree here. If you're used to using liquids or ultra creamy concealer, then yes, this will seem dry in comparison. However, I found that these were creamy, blendable, and easy to work with.

My biggest complaint? Being a very fair-skinned woman, only the first two shades (and the green one, of course) work for me. With that said, shades three and four will be very useful in the summer, when my skin is tan -- so not all hope is lost on those!

The green concealer is very pigmented and very useful for canceling out redness in the skin. For me, this would be the area around my nose.

In my opinion, these concealers offer exceptional coverage. When looking for a concealer, I like something with fuller coverage. It needs to be able to hide blemishes, scars, and redness. And, it's a perk if it can be full coverage AND work for the under eye area. I like this a lot for under the eyes, actually. All you need is a tiny bit though, or else it will look cakey if you pack on too much.

For $36, I'm very happy with my purchase and I imagine it's going to take a while to use these up.

More photos:

1, 2

3, 4

1-5
For reference, my skin is NW20 in MAC, #115 in MUFE HD, and #125 in MUFE Mat Velvet+

Pictures and Info of Viva Glam II

2011-01-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

I just saw the new pictures of Lady Gaga's Viva Glam II lipstick and lipglass on Temptalia. Each product will retail for $14.50 USD and both are simply called 'Nude'. VGII will launch in US and Canada on 2/17/11 and internationally, it will launch on March! Are you as excited as I am? I'm a sucker for good cause who happens to love Gaga.

Source: Tenptalia

Mail!

2011-01-25T14:36:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share with you guys some goodies I received in the mail. I'm pretty sure I received both orders from Zoya and Sephora, about a week or two ago.

First, I received my Sephora order. I found out the Naked palette was back in stock so I ordered it... AGAIN. I feel absolutely insane for buying a 'backup' of something I already own that is supposedly permanent. I never thought of myself as 'that girl', you know, the one who buys into cosmetic hysteria. Yet, here I am. I love the Naked palette. I'm such a sucker. Anyone else out there who is a sucker for this thing too?

Also, to qualify for free shipping, I ordered 'Teal We Meet Again' from Sephora by OPI. I haven't tried it yet, but it sure is pretty!

Next thing: I received my order from Zoya. I picked out three polishes for FREE, thanks to their 20k fans on Facebook promotion. I did buy one extra, though. From left to right: Miley, Gweneth, Daphne, Charity. The shade I was most looking forward to (Miley), I was most disappointed by. It's pretty in the bottle but it's sheer. I mean, SHEER. With that said, the other three are absolutely gorgeous. To my surprise, Gweneth ended up being my favorite. I'm not necessarily a 'red' girl, but I may become one now!

Ah, and that thing in the upper right corner? I bought a new computer this past Sunday. I'm officially an Apple user! It took me a good while to figure out how to cut and paste, but I'm getting the hang of it. :)

Yash Lipstick, from MAC and Mickey Contractor

2011-01-22T10:58:00.001-05:00

Hello, lovelies! I'm excited to tell you guys that I finally got my camera back. I'm sorry that I've been a naughty blogger. As I've said before, the focus of this blog is based around my pictures so if the quality isn't up to par, it's difficult to put my heart into it.

As you may or may not know, the Mickey Contractor collection is only available online -- which is a shame because I think it deserves to be sold in stores too. Before the release of Cham-Pale, I've been pretty disappointed with MAC collections. Releasing one like this has restored my love and loyalty.

MAC Yash: $14.50 USD

Yash is a darkened peachy-nude. I would say that because it's a little on the dark side, it'll be a more favorable color for its versatility. I think Yash will be exceptionally complimentary on warm / deep skin tones. On me, it looks like a dark nude because I'm so fair but I think it adds nice contrast. Also, this lipstick has a matte finish but I didn't find it to be terribly drying. Just don't forget to exfoliate your pucker! So far, most of this collection is sold out. Have you gotten anything?

Unflappable Mega Metal Shadow

2011-01-18T14:18:00.001-05:00

I picked up Unflappable from MAC about a week ago. It's one of the new limited edition mega metal shadows from Peacocky. Each shadow retails for $19.50 USD which is significantly more expensive than the regular shadows which are $14.50. However, mega metal shadows are 3.4 grams and the regular shadows only offer 1.5 grams. In essence, you're getting a good bang for your buck.

Out of all the shadows, Unflappable is the most played down color. By that, I mean all of the other colors are very bold and metallic. According to MAC, it is a "frosted black with purple pearl". On the eyes, it doesn't look very frosty or very black. In my opinion, it's more gray with plum. Though, this is one of those times when I wish I had my normal camera because this one can't pick up on the plum (sorry). Anyway, I think it's a great color, especially for smoky eyes. I definitely want to try the other colors!

Benefit's Bella Bamba: A Quick Review!

2011-01-12T08:26:00.001-05:00

So, I ordered Bella Bamba a few weeks ago. From looking at pictures online, it looked like the perfect pink. My idea of the perfect pink is a color that can suit cool and warm skin, light and and dark. Benefit describes it as "A watermelon-pink blush laced with shimmering gold undertones". They claim that it "creates the illusion of sculpted features". For $28 USD, you're getting .28 oz. of product versus their other collection of boxed powders which all have .35 oz. of product.

I think the packaging is very pretty and nice to look at. One of the first things I picked up on when I opened this was the watermelon scent. It's DELICIOUS! The blush itself is very pigmented. I mean, VERY pigmented! I can't stress that enough so use a light hand with this, especially if you're very pale. I found that this blush gave me a perfect flush. Looking at it in the pan or when it's swatched on my arm, you might think this would be way too shimmery but it doesn't transfer that way onto the face. Overall, it's a pretty color and I definitely recommend. Though, I do feel like the price is a little steep for a blush but you get a lot of product.

New favorite eye liners!

2011-01-11T10:16:00.001-05:00

Before I get started, I'm so sorry for not posting as often as I usually do. I'll work on that, I promise! It's frustrating to not have my good camera right now. Every time I make an attempt to pick it up from my grandma's, a snow storm hits. Yeah, seriously. For now, I'm stuck with my regular Nikon digital which is great for taking pictures of people, not so much for photographing your makeup. It just sucks because the main focus of my blog is swatching for you guys. Sorry in advance if the quality isn't up to par.

Anyway, I've been loving my eyeliners lately. Particularly, the ones I picked up from MAC's Cham-Pale collection: Feline and the NC15/NW20 Chromagraphic Pencil. I'll be up front and say that the real star of the show here is the chromagraphic pencil. I've been LUSTING for this since its release in the Pret-A-Papier collection. It sold out before I could get my hands on it. I know I could've ordered it from the MAC store, but I figured it'd be back around again.

Feline on top, NC15/NW20 pencil on bottom

Feline (14.50 USD, limited edition) is an ultra black kohl power liner. Seriously, they don't get much blacker than this. It's the perfect eyeliner to smudge or blend out with a smoky eye. Normally, I never wear liner on my waterline because I have small eyes, black liner just makes them look smaller. Still, I tried Feline on my waterline just to tell you guys what I thought of it. I didn't like it. It didn't wear long at all and it migrates quicker than the birds who fly south for the winter. After an hour or two, there was more liner under my eyes than there was on my waterline. I think it's safe to say that this is better for the upper lash line.

The NC15/NW20 Chromagraphic pencil (14.50 USD, limited edition) is top notch. I like to wear this one on my waterline because it makes my eyes look bigger, brighter, and refreshed. This works well when I'm doing the 'no make up'-make up look because it looks natural and pairs well with just a hint of mascara. I also love this when I'm doing a smoky eye with thick liner on the upper lash line. Apply a little mascara to your bottom lashes (just be careful not to hit your waterline) and you'll get that doll-eyed effect. Love it. The best part about this is that it wears for an exceptionally long time, like the chromagraphic pencils are suppose to do. Another thing I think this pencil would be good for is when you're doing red lips. Ever hear that trick about how you should take a concealer brush and some concealer then apply a little around the outside of your lip line to make your red lips pop? In theory, I imagine this would be perfect for that but I haven't tried it yet.

Feline (left), NC15/ NW20 pencil (right)

Both pencils are down right awesome but I'm especially pleased with the NC15/NW20 pencil. I noticed that MAC online is out of stock on both of these pencils. If you can get your hands on them at a store or counter, go for it! You won't be disappointed!

We have a WINNER!

2011-01-06T09:05:00.001-05:00

First, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in my first giveaway. I thought this was a really fun way to give back to my readers. I'm sorry for being a lousy blogger lately, but I have a good reason. I promise! If you didn't win, don't feel bad because I have another giveaway coming up soon.

FYI: this picture is from *my* palette!

For this giveaway, the winner was chosen at random via random.org:

CONGRATULATIONS TO CHIC GEEK, NUMBER 28!

I'll be sending you an email shortly!

FREE Zoya Nail Polish!

2011-01-05T09:35:00.002-05:00

Did you know that you can get THREE bottles of Zoya nail polish for FREE?! Because Zoya has reached 20k+ fans on Facebook, they're offering three complimentary polishes to their customers as a thanks. Don't quote me on this, but I believe that it's only available to their US customers. All you have to do is pay shipping, which for me was $6.95. The code is 'fb2011' and this offer expires on January 7th.

Each bottle of polish is $7 USD so you're essentially paying $6.95 for what would normally be $21+ shipping and taxes. Pretty awesome, yes? I picked out Miley, Gweneth, Daphne, and Charity. I bought an extra one. :)

To my American / Canadian readers...

2011-01-04T12:43:00.005-05:00

The Naked palette is up for sale at Sephora. If you want one, I suggest you buy it right now! Before I purchased mine at Ulta, I tried to buy it from Sephora and it was removed from my cart AS I was checking out (back in August)! So hurry! Click here for a direct link to the page.

~~The Naked Palette is out of stock again. Boo!~~

Now for another edit, the Naked palette is still in stock. I think there was a temporary hold put on it but you still can get your hands on this as of 7:30 pm EST.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Good luck and happy hunting!

On another note, I'll be announcing the winner of my giveaway on Thursday! Have a great day! :)

Happy New Year! Giveaway ends TONIGHT!

2010-12-31T19:18:00.001-05:00

Hey girls, Happy New Year! I just wanted to let you know that my giveaway ends tonight. Also, I wanted to apologize for being a bad blogger in these recent weeks. I have a really good reason but I can't talk about it yet!

This year has been amazing for me. New home, my daughter's first birthday, her second Christmas, and the privilege of having the best friends and family. Also, 2010 is the year that I really got into beauty and all that it entails. I discovered beauty blogs and blogging and through this process, I have met some wonderful people. Thanks to the beauty community, I have learned so much: tips & tricks, brands I never heard of, and BRUSHES. Yeah, brushes! I never used them and I now know that I've spent years doing makeup the hard way.

In this upcoming year, I'd like to spend more time dedicating myself to this blog. More posting, more topics, and more giveaways!

Anyway, I hope you all have a FABULOUS year in 2011!

MAC & Sephora Goodies :)

2010-12-29T14:51:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I picked up a few things at MAC from the Cham-Pale collection (now in stores and online in the US). I also saw the Stylishly Yours collection. I wasn't wowed by anything in particular, but overall, I liked what I saw. I'm a golden, sparkly, neutral lovin' woman so Cham-Pale was right up my alley. Then today, I received my package from Sephora.

Click the picture to zoom in

I'm sorry if the picture quality isn't fantastic but I'm using my backup camera until I get my baby back! So here's what I got:

Benefit - Bella Bamba

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ (Shade: 25)

MAC Special Reserve Highlight Powder in Rose Ole

MAC Fix+ Lavendar

MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20

I'm excited to test this stuff out, except for the foundation because I already know how fantastic it is. However, I would like to formally discuss in a future post my personal opinions on Mat Velvet+ versus the HD foundation. As for the Chromagraphic pencil, I wanted that sucker since Pret-A-Papier but it sold out before I could get my paws on it. I'm also interested in Fix+. From what I read, it's like a love / hate thing. I've never used it before but I hear that you either can't live without it or it's just nothing more than special water. I haven't used Bella Bamba yet, but it smells just like watermelon. Seriously, it's yummy! I was just surprised by how small it was compared to the other boxed powders. Last but not least, the highlight powder. Originally, I was going to buy both of them (the other being Chez Chez Lame) but I don't think it's worth having both. They're really pretty, but not essential. I think I was drawn in by the pretty design but I'll give you a better review when I try everything out.

Four days left!

2010-12-27T11:38:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I know I did! My daughter had such an awesome Christmas and it couldn't have went any better. So, here's the bad news. I went to my grandma's for Christmas and I left my good camera there! Booooo! She lives about 45 minutes away and we just got hit with a blizzard so I probably won't be able to get it back until this weekend. Unfortunately, I had pictures on it for the blog that I didn't upload yet. The good news? I have a back up camera so I have plenty of things coming up this week!

In other news, there's just four days left to enter my giveaway before it ends on Friday, December 31st! If you haven't entered yet but would like to, CLICK HERE!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T08:48:00.002-05:00

Good morning! I just wanted to wish my lovely readers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Currently, I'm waiting for my boyfriend to wake up so we can open our presents. I have to make the coffee first. It's like he can smell it brewing so he knows it's time to get up. I'm excited to watch my daughter open her gifts. Last Christmas, she had just turned four months old, so this year will be a lot more fun for her. We have a few places to go and a lot of people to see so I better start getting ready. Before I end this post, I'd like to share a picture of my daughter in her Christmas dress (her hair was still kinda wet!). She's such a cutie!

Loving Honeylove

2010-12-23T10:21:00.000-05:00

I picked up Honeylove over this past weekend. It's my first matte lipstick from MAC. The color itself belongs in the 'my lips but better' category. Once I tried it on, it seemed very familiar to me. That's probably because (color wise) it's very comparable to Hug Me and Jubilee (both Lustres) -- two colors that I've talked about on this blog before.

Described as a "light beige toned with rose", $14.50 USD

The great thing is, I love matte colors because it creates a balance when I wear shimmery shadows (which is almost every day). Honeylove, in particular, is long wearing and the color will flatter many. It applies smoothly and evenly with amazing color payoff -- very pigmented and opaque. I would say that I had 3 hours of wear. In all fairness, by hour three, I was eating so maybe it would've lasted longer if I hadn't.

The bad? At first, it felt rather moist on my lips but after the first hour, they started to feel dry. As I always say on this blog, you MUST exfoliate first because this lipstick will put every dry, cracked area of your lips under the microscope.

Swatches:

Honeylove on its own

L-R: Hug Me, Honeylove, Jubilee

My recommendation: If you like matte finishes, can handle the dryness, and fancy the 'my lips but better' colors, then Honeylove is a winner. If you don't really like matte finishes but you prefer the color, I'd check out Hug Me or Jubilee.

Hello, hello!

2010-12-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

Hey lovelies, I just wanted to touch base with you. I haven't been paying much attention to my blog in the last week but it's because (as I said in my last post) getting ready for Christmas has been extremely hectic. I'm a last minute shopper... that's totally my fault. Anyway, I took some pictures for a little review but I'm not telling you what it is! Okay, I'll give you a hint. It's a MAC lipstick from the permanent line. It is a 'my lips but better color' and it has a matte finish. Any guesses? :)

Hello Kitty Beauty for Sephora

2010-12-18T13:27:00.006-05:00

Sephora is having an exclusive two-day private event for beauty insiders (it's free to sign up!) where you can purchase from the line of Hello Kitty Beauty. The event starts today (December 18th) and ends tomorrow night at 11:59 PST. The line of cosmetics will officially release in stores and online sometime in mid-January. Click here to shop!

The line consists of lip products, mirrors, eye kohls, nail polishes, eye shadow sticks, blotting papers, fragrance, a mini brush set, a blush stick, and more. Maybe I'll buy something but I'm not sure yet. Some of the prices seem fair and proper except for the blotting papers. $12 USD for blotting papers. Really? However, I have my eye on the apple cheeks blush stick and the set of mini eye kohls. I'm just a little hesitant because MAC's HK collection was nothing short of amazing. I'll try not to let my partial bias stand in my way though. Are you buying anything?

Source: Info and images from Sephora

PS: Sorry I haven't posted in over two days. With Christmas sneaking up, I've been so busy. I STILL have to wrap my daughter's gifts BUT I have to wait until she goes to sleep. Sadly, she doesn't go to bed until late so when she passes out, so do I. I feel like I never have time on my side!

Beauty Resolutions

2010-12-15T12:25:00.001-05:00

Beauty Resolutions 2010

This is the time of year when we take a moment to reflect on our lives, how quickly it's passing us by, and how we can make it better. I'm 110% guilty of conjuring up unrealistic resolutions for myself. This year, I decided to take a deep breath and set small goals for myself. For example, I'd like to find a part time job. Not just for the extra cash, but to better myself and make new friends. I also have a short list of beauty related resolutions. Here's my list of things I'd like to rectify:

I need to do a better job of washing my brushes. It's a bad habit to let them go for long and it's unsanitary. I use brush cleanser between washes but seriously, I need to step up on this. By the end of the day, however, it's the LAST thing I feel like doing.
I need to broaden my horizons with color. In 2010, I discovered lipstick. All of the colors, formulas, brands, everything. Now it's time to play with eye shadow a little more. I'm guilty of being a neutrals kind of girl, which is perfectly OKAY! However, I think it's time to experiment more with my individuality and just have fun rather than hanging onto my earth-toned safety net every single day.
I need to stop torturing my hands. My poor hands. They're so dry and cracked. The problem worsened when the cold weather rolled around, but constantly washing dishes and handing bleach (among other cleaning supplies) is where the problem started. Aside from that, I don't give them much TLC other than occasionally using hand cream.
I need to give my skin a break more often. I wear makeup every day, 'nuff said.

So, that's my list. Is there anything on yours?

Source(s): Image is from self.com

Urban Decay: Book of Shadows III

2010-12-13T10:03:00.001-05:00

When I originally posted my giveaway for the UD BoS III, I only bought one for a giveaway on this blog, not for my personal use. Then I received a $5 coupon in the mail from Ulta and I decided to invest in one for myself! I don't own any of the previous BoS sets but since I truly LOVE New York (and I have a newfound affinity for UD shadows since having the Naked palette), I figured I should get one. And, I saved $5. Five bucks is five bucks, right?!

Retail price: $54 USD

The Tech Specs

-16, 0.03 oz. eye shadows (full size = 0.05 oz.)

-2, 0.03 oz. 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils in Random (bright purple) and Zero (black) (full size = 0.04 oz.)

-.13 oz. mini eye shadow primer potion in Original (full size = 0.34 oz.)

Let's begin with the packaging:

Notice in the above picture that you can see the shadow of my hand. Why? Because I had to hold it open with my finger or else it would slam shut. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the mirror and pop-up portion of the palette to hold its own (maybe this is just a problem with mine?). With that said, the details are very pretty and nice to look at (my daughter loved it, haha). The lights were an interesting touch too. This however, wasn't my favorite part of the palette -- in fact, it was my least favorite. One of the reasons I love the Naked palette so much is because of the sleek, simple packaging. There's no fuss, no muss, just an easy to store, light weight palette. Still, I know a lot of people love these palettes and collect them all because of the tricked out designs and the limited edition factor. I just wonder if it'd be significantly cheaper if the set up were more basic and simple.

The Contents:

Click the image to enlarge

Perversion: matte black

Uzi: metallic white with chunky silver glitter

Loaded: sparkly emerald green

Kush: green metallic with silver glitter

Midnight Cowboy Rides Again: golden beige with glitter

Last Call: plum Punch

Rockstar: deep red-purple with metallic base

Money: metallic light green

Haight: deep teal

Maui Wowie: medium gold with silver glitter

Smog: deep coppery bronze

Bordello: pale pink-purple

Radium: bright blue

Snatch: pale peach with golden sparkle

Suspect: sheer sparkly beige

Psychadelic Sister: vibrant purple

The shadows are magnificent. Smooth, buttery, vibrant, and richly pigmented. Midnight Cowboy Rides Again and Uzi are the two most difficult shadows to work with being they have a more gritty texture with fall-out potential (when using them, I patted down the shadow with a flat brush (like a MAC 239); this helps to combat some of the fall-out). A few others were slightly gritty but still very smooth and easy to work with (Kush, Money, Maui Wowie, and Snatch). Perversion is the smoothest of all the shadows because it's the only one with a matte finish. All in all, they apply like a dream. My personal favorites are: Money, Snatch, Psychadelic Sister, Bordello, Suspect, and Smog.

I love UD's 24/7 eyeliners. They're smooth, pigmented, long-wearing, and they don't drag across the lid. I know they include Zero in almost all of their palettes but I don't mind the extra black liners. It's not like they'll goto waste, unless you don't like them. I also liked that they included Random, a pretty purple liner. The mini primer potion is another item they add to almost all of their palettes. I own the full size primer and I really like it a lot so having mini backups is fine with me!

More Product Photos:

Swatches:

Eyeliners: Random (left), Zero (right)

Shadows

L-R: Perversion, Uzi, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Last Call

L-R: Loaded, Kush, Rockstar, Money

L-R: Haight, Maui Wowie, Radium, Snatch

L-R: Smog, Bordello, Suspect, Psychadelic Sister

Recommendations:

This is a GREAT palette. I can see why the shadow boxes are a cult favorite. As a girl who typically wears neutral, earth-toned shadows, I love experimenting with these bold, vibrant colors. The only matte shadow is Perversion, while the rest are shimmery and / or glittery. I wouldn't recommend this if you don't like the glitz but if you do, this is right up your alley. And, as far as the texture, pigmentation, and application of these shadows are concerned, I prefer many of them over my MAC ones.

Don't forget, I'm holding a giveaway for this palette that ends on December 31st! Click here to enter!

Lady Gaga continues to represent VIVA GLAM!

2010-12-09T12:53:00.007-05:00

That's right, folks! I just read on Temptalia that Lady Gaga will be representing MAC's Viva Glam campaign for a second year! There isn't much information available yet other than she was photographed by Nick Night and styled by Nicola Formichetti. I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED!

EDIT: Here's a direct quote from MAC Cosmetics via Facebook:

"Today, M·A·C Cosmetics confirms Lady Gaga will be the next VIVA GLAM spokesperson launching in early 2011. Lady Gaga was previously a VIVA GLAM spokesperson in a campaign with Cyndi Lauper in the most successful ever for the M·A·C AIDS Fund. Since 1994 the M·A·C AIDS Fund has raised over $190 million for the cause"

Sources: Temptalia, WWD, MAC Cosmetics

Emma Stone as a blonde?!

2010-12-09T11:38:00.002-05:00

Personally, I love watching how celebrity hair styles evolve, whether it's a total hit or a train wreck that you can't stop watching. The thing about hair is that it has the potential to completely transform your look. I know that when my hair is auburn, it not only changes the way I do my makeup, but it changes my wardrobe too. Same rules apply when my hair is highlighted or when it's just plain brown. Other factors are statement worthy too, like cutting your locks or growing it out, sporting new bangs (or do they call it a fringe now?).

I've always admired Rihanna's bold choices with her hair. She rocks it effortlessly.

So, Emma Stone went blonde for her new role as Gwen Stacey in the upcoming Spider Man film. I think she's actually a natural blonde! I love her auburn hair. It really brings out her natural beauty and makes her look glamorous. However, I can't help but to love her blonde hair too! Her makeup coordinates perfectly with her her new do, giving her a edgy-chic look. This light shade of blonde though is going to require some extra attention to her makeup so it doesn't wash out her fair skin. What do you think about Emma Stone's blonde hair? Thumbs up or down?

So excited!

2010-12-07T12:14:00.001-05:00

The UPS man just arrived at my door not even five minutes ago with a package! I wonder what's inside?

It's the Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. III, of course! I was actually surprised because they didn't send a tracking number or anything. Oh well, at least they ship FAST!

The first thing I noticed was that this sucker has some weight to it! Anyway, I just got really excited when it came. I lovelovelovelove shopping for others. I used my 100 point beauty perk to get a deluxe sample of the Make Up For Ever HD finishing powder (that one's for me! haha). I'm afraid it's going to dry me out because it's made from 100% silica, but I'll let you know how it goes...

Anyway, make sure to enter my giveaway! Click here!

Revlon Pink Pout Matte Lipstick

2010-12-07T09:44:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Revlon for reigniting my lust for finding drugstore gems. They won me over with Soft Nude from the Color Burst line. Now I wanted to try the mattes. I've noticed on this blog that I rarely talk about drugstore cosmetics and I think it's because I've been disappointed so many times. And, since I dove into the world of high end cosmetics, I feel very put off by drug store lines. Once you go MAC, you never go back, right? Well... sort of.

About $7 USD. (It's pinker in person)

The color I felt instantly attracted to was Pink Pout. It's a more subtle blue-based pink. Just by looking at it, you can tell it's a winner among the masses for being so versatile. I was a little afraid of trying this though because it is a matte. I expected it to be very dry, perhaps even chalky. To my surprise, it wasn't like that at all. It applied smooth and evenly. It didn't feel drying and the color was very opaque. Trust me, it doesn't take much to achieve full coverage with this lipstick. I got a decent amount of wear out of it -- maybe 3 hours or so. I do recommend exfoliating before applying. However, I suggest doing this before putting on ANY lipstick.

This swatch most accurately represents the color,
but I still say it's just a little pinker (and bluer) in person.

I really like lipsticks with matte or satin finishes. I fancy shimmery shadows so a matte lip brings balance to my look. One thing I really liked about this line in particular is the packaging. It's a simple design with an ingenious little window at the top which allows you to see the lipstick inside. The thing that bothers me about drugstore makeup is that there's no testers and relying on the colored sticker as an indicator doesn't always work in my favor. Ever buy makeup from Walmart? People just open up the lipsticks and swatch them right then and there. Ick! Anyway, that's just a little perk that I appreciated.

Although Pink Pout is on the cooler side of the spectrum, this can definitely work for warm toned gals too. Have you tried this one yet? I've heard mixed reviews about this color but I really like it and I'd actually buy it again. I'm interested to know what you think!

A Berry Berry Awesome GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

2010-12-04T11:59:00.012-05:00

In honor of the upcoming holidays, I'd like to offer you a little gift and a big thank you. I started this blog to talk about things other than my life. I love makeup and all that it entails. I'm not an artist, I kind of suck (no, I really do suck) at applying eyeliner, but I love it all anyway. This place is my little refuge to talk about superficial little treasures. Along the way, on my short journey, I've had the pleasure of chatting with some amazing ladies in the beauty community. Through my own words, I've watched how my opinions on things have evolved or changed completely. Everybody has been so kind to me and for that, I'm truly grateful.

So, without further adieu, I present to you the Urban Decay Book of Shadows III (UD Loves NYC) palette (limited edition, $54 USD). With this palette you get: 16 eye shadows, two 24/7 eyeliners, and a mini Primer Potion. Did I mention that it lights up too?!

Click here for additional info!

The Rules:

I thought about this for a while. The rules are going to be very simple. Everyone gets one fair shot at this palette. Believe it or not, some people don't have Twitter or Facebook or a blog, for that matter. I don't think it's fair to offer extra chances that only some people are able to partake in. Aside from that, I don't expect you to go out of your way and advertise my blog for me. I appreciate it, but I don't expect it. I don't care how many followers I have, I'm just grateful that some people find my blog worth reading.

However, you must be subscribed to this blog in order to participate because this giveaway is after all, my thanks to you. Just enter a comment saying anything. You can tell me what your favorite shadow is from this palette or your favorite mascara ever. Anything. Just include your name and email so I can contact you if you win. Besides, since I have so few followers, this boosts your chances of winning! Pretty cool, eh?

**This contest is open to ALL**

The deadline for this giveaway is Friday December 31, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST. GOOD LUCK!

Disclosure: This giveaway is hosted by me. I purchased this product myself.

My Favorite Fall / Winter Mascara!

2010-12-03T11:25:00.003-05:00

My favorite mascara to whip out during fall and winter is Benefit's Bad Gal Plum. Plum mascaras are like gold eye shadows, they compliment all eye colors beautifully. I know Urban Decay has some really pretty colored mascaras and one of them is similar to this. However, I couldn't find it on Sephora so maybe it's discontinued? Anyway, if I remember correctly, their version was more reddened than this one.

Sold separately, these retail for $19 USD but every year they release a (full size) combo pack of the original (black) Bad Gal mascara and the plum for $29 USD. Good deal, no?

My only problem with the Bad Gal mascaras is the MONSTER brush! I don't get the "beautiful and bodacious" lashes they claim to offer and frankly, I find the big brush hard to work with and maneuver. That aside, it doesn't really matter with the plum version since I use it on my lower lashes and I coat the tips of my upper lashes. This works well with black and brown mascaras. I suppose you could wear this alone and it'd look really neat, but I just use it to add effect with black mascara.

Have you tried this one yet or the ones from Urban Decay? Do you know of any other brands that offer colored mascaras that are worth the mention?

By the way, HAPPY FRIDAY! Any weekend plans? I'm doing chores, chores, and MORE CHORES today! I have to get my home ready for the tree and sparkling for Christmas. Oh, happy day! (<--- a bit of sarcasm for ya)

World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T11:16:00.014-05:00

Today is World AIDS Day. The fight against AIDS is a cause that I advocate and feel extremely passionate about. I wanted to take the time and share some facts and statistics with you about HIV / AIDS.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is what causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The virus cannot replicate on its own. Instead, it invades the CD4 cells of the immune system. Your immune system works to fend off viruses and infections. HIV replicates itself inside of the CD4 cells and once it completes the task, those cells die -- leaving the immune system defenseless. When the number of CD4 cells drops to a certain level, a person then has AIDS.

Although researchers have made great strides in recent years with drugs like antiretroviral medications (which suppresses the virus), there is still no cure. There is no vaccine. There is still a lot that we don't know about the disease. Your best defense against HIV is to educate yourself with knowledge and means of prevention.

In 2009, 2.6 million people have been diagnosed with HIV and there are roughly 33.3 million people who have the virus. Among those 33.3 million, many already have full blown AIDS. Since AIDS was identified in 1981, more than 25 million people have died.

Global HIV / AIDS statistics from the end of 2009:

http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm

How the beauty community can help:

The MAC AIDS Fund had raised over $190 million for the cause. The Viva Glam campaign is the backbone of their fund. Every cent of profit from the lipsticks and lipglasses ($14 USD) are donated to those who are affected by HIV / AIDS. Here's a breakdown of what ONE lipstick provides:

23 female condoms or 233 male condoms
18 personalized birthday cakes to be hand delivered to a person living with HIV / AIDS on their birthday
14 blood glucose monitoring strips
8 individually tailored, nutritious home-cooked meals
2 emergency boxes filled with non-perishable food
2 hours of childcare for a woman's children during her doctor appointments
1 personal nutrition counselling session with a registered dietitian
1 week's supply of groceries for 2 clients
1 Maxi-Pharmadose medication organizer
1 therapeutic recreation session
1 rapid oral HIV test
1 pair of school shoes for a child orphaned by AIDS
1 party pack for a child's Christmas, Easter, or Birthday
1 month of public transportation for a woman to travel to and from doctor's appointments
1 school stationary starter pack for a child orphaned by AIDS
1 vegetable seed starter pack for a community garden

So, when you purchase a Viva Glam lipstick or lipglass, perhaps a Sir Teddy or Viva Glam bag, remember the the cause behind it and remember how your purchase helps to further those affected by the disease.

Sites of Interest:

AIDS.gov
Avert.org

MAC AIDS Fund

worldaidsday.org

worldaidscampaign.org/

Sources: MAC AIDS Fund, Avert, Temptalia, AIDS.gov

Revlon Soft Nude 070

2010-11-30T11:46:00.002-05:00

Rarely do I find a drugstore brand that I like. I know, that sounds kind of snobby, but it's true. I find that I'm often more disappointed than impressed. However, I do come across some gems from time to time. I heard a lot of buzz surrounding Revlon's lipsticks. Specifically, Soft Nude 070. So, I bought it! By the way, I originally talked about this color in my favorites post, but I wanted to save the details for this one.

I purchased mine for about $8 USD. I heard a lot of mixed reviews about the packaging. Some say it's cute, some say it's just a rip off of NARS and Dior. Frankly, I don't really care. When it comes to packaging, I expect the product to be durable. The cute factor is just an added bonus. What I did find interesting though, is the price tag. $8? Really? Drugstore cosmetics aren't as cheap as they used to be. So for my $8, I expect to get a bang for my buck.

The color is a warm-peachy nude. If I had to compare, I'd say the finish is similar to MAC Lustres or Cremesheens. The finish is glossy but it has a nice color payoff that is quite opaque and buildable. The downside? It's not long wearing. I felt the need to frequently reapply. This lipstick clearly cannot last through a meal. However, most of my lipsticks can't so I'm used to this.

The other problem, well, not really a problem but... I can't wear this on its own. I have to apply MAC Lip Erase before using this. As I've said before on this blog, I have very red, pigmented lips. On its own, this color doesn't look so hot. The lip erase is just an extra step but it's worth it for me.

The thing I like a lot about this lipstick is how versatile it is. I'm a cool, NW20 and this, at first glance, would look better on someone with warm or perhaps even darker skin. This nude actually suits me very well. Truthfully, I didn't think I'd like this when I first opened it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Thumbs up!!

The only thing I dislike about buying drugstore lipsticks is that there's no testers. Have you ever bought a lipstick based off of the color on the sticker at the bottom? Then you go home, open it up, and say "What the hell?". It's happened to the best of us. On the top of these lipsticks, there's a hunk of plastic with the coordinating color. I must say, it was pretty true to color. I've seen their line of mattes, and you can see through the top of the lipstick which is pretty ingenious.

Would I buy this again?

Sure! It's a great nude and though the prices have gone up, it's still pretty affordable. I'd like to try other colors from the line as well. The longevity of the lipstick is really the most I can complain about but again, most of my lipsticks wear off after an hour or two. **I forgot to add that it is kind of drying so be sure to exfoliate before applying!

Have you tried Revlon's lipsticks? What do you think? I'm going to try the mattes next....

Lusting for...

2010-11-26T08:36:00.004-05:00

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! I had a great holiday. It was nice to sit back with the family and stuff my face, haha. I'm feeling quite tired today so I'm glad I did all of my housework yesterday! Anyway, I compiled a list of things I'm lusting for right now. More likely than not, I probably won't get any of these things any time soon. Still, I can dream, right?! Don't forget to tell me what's on your list too!

Viktor & Rolf: Flowerbomb

I've never had the pleasure of smelling this but I heard only good things about it.

NARS Etrusque

So, remember how I said I probably won't get any of these things? Well, maybe I'd invest in this eyeshadow. It's my dream gold.

NARS Bougainville

In a nutshell, it's a pretty berry gloss. I'm not a huge gloss lover but this is an exception. I've heard bad things about NARS glosses. The smell, in particular. I have a NARS gloss and yes, it does have that plastic smell but it doesn't bother me!

Guerlain Rouge G: Gardenia

Hello, Rouge G! I've wanted one of these lipsticks for the longest time. I just can't justify the price. They're about $46 USD. That's a lot of cash to drop on just a lipstick. The only makeup item that I invest extra money into is my foundation. Maybe someday I'll take the plunge and treat myself to it.

YSL Rouge Volupte #2, Sensual Silk

This one boasts a $34 USD price tag, but I'd be less hesitant to buy this than the Rouge G. Isn't she pretty? Yes, I said "she".

Clarisonic Mia

Last, but never least, the Clarisonic Mia. I need one of these -- with the sensitive brush heads, of course! I have dry skin. Very, very dry skin with blemishes. These are suppose to clean the skin really well and rid dead skin cells. Sounds like a miracle worker! Does anyone own one of these? What do you think of it?

Marcel Wanders collection is UP!

2010-11-23T08:22:00.001-05:00

Good morning! I just wanted to give you a friendly reminder that the MAC Marcel Wanders collection is now for sale on the US website. Click here to shop! Free shipping code: "WANDERS".

Are you buying anything? I *might* get that 'Martha' lipstick, but I don't know. I really wanted the 187 brush until I saw the ridiculous price. In the end, for me, it's all about the performance of my brushes versus the aesthetics. It would've been nice to have, but I'm definitely passing.

Top 5 MAC Blushes for Fall / Winter

2010-11-22T13:48:00.000-05:00

Hello, lovelies! I'm in a surprisingly good mood considering it's Monday. Maybe it's because the weather is gorgeous and it's about 64 degrees, oh yes!

I wanted to share with you my top five favorite MAC blushes for fall / winter. Not all of these are your basic blushes. There's an MSF and two beauty powders as well. For this time of year, I tend to fancy colors that add warmth to my face because I'm very pale. However, when I'm doing a smoky eye look, I love cool colors that almost lean purple. Either way, I think all of these colors set the tone for the season.

1. Summer Rose Beauty Powder

2. Petticoat MSF

3. Peachykeen Sheertone Shimmer

4. Buddy Up (Too Fabulous)

5. Pinch Me Sheertone

What's your favorite blushes for fall / winter? Do tell! I'm sorry to say, but I have a blush fetish!!

MAC Warm Thrillseekers Pigment Swatches

2010-11-19T09:32:00.003-05:00

As promised, though a little late, I took pictures of the Warm Thrillseekers pigments. Supposedly, these are geared toward warmer skin tones but I think these can work for a whole array of people. Each set is $32.50 USD.

L-R: Gold Mode, Gilded Green, Most Darling, Gift O' Glamour, Reflects Bronze

L-R: Most Darling, Gilded Green, Gift O' Glamour, Gold Mode, Reflects Bronze
All pigments were swatched when wet.

Descriptions:

Most Darling - medium brown shimmer

Gilded Green - mint ice cream

Gift O' Glamour - pale metallic pink (though it's more of a champagne pink)

Gold Mode - peachy gold shimmer

Reflects Bronze - peachy orange glitter sparkle

By the way, I'm sorry my arm has goosebumps. It's FREEZING in here! I hope it doesn't distract you...

Favorites... and not so favorites!

2010-11-17T10:19:00.004-05:00

Here's my most up to date favorites and not so favorites for the fall season!

Favorites

1. Rain, you say? No problem! I've been loving my Barbie rain boots! I bought them from Target online for about $25 USD. I bought them this past March. Sadly, they aren't available anymore...

2. I've also been loving warm blushes. I don't know if there's some rule that states cools go with cools and warm goes with warm. Hopefully, I won't be damned for my love of rule breaking and warm blushes. I think that colors like Pinch Me (MAC) and Peachykeen (MAC) add necessary warmth to my skin -- especially during these winter months.

Pinch Me (MAC) (Permanent)

3. Revlon Soft Nude 070 was something I bought as an impulse buy. I did NOT like this at first, but I'll talk about that in another post because I'd like to review it. Plus, I may have found the best lip combo ever for this lipstick.

4. My favorite perfume of all time is Dior's Hypnotic Poison. Sadly, I ran out of this a while ago so I have to buy a new one, but I always associate this perfume with the fall & winter.

Picture found via Google image search

5. My absolute biggest favorite of all is my UD Naked palette. I believe this product lives up to the massive hype surrounding it. I love neutrals. I love smoky eyes. I love shimmer. I love the Naked palette, forever and always. I received this as a birthday gift and let me tell you, I've used it almost every single day since. My MAC shadows barely see daylight since this bad boy came into my life.

Favorites that aren't beauty related...

Warm apple cider and cinnamon sticks -- I love this on a cold night!
Hoodies and yoga pants
My iPod. This will forever be my most prized inanimate possession. My life would never be right without it!
Morning coffee. My life would never be right without this either...
House! I LOVE to watch House!!!
Supernatural -- just can't get enough of those Winchester brothers!
Macaroons. I only buy them from Wegmans (a grocery store located in New Jersey and the tri-state area). They make the best macaroons ever. I have a recipe to make them and it's a simple recipe too, but I'm afraid they won't be as amazing!

Not so Favorites.... if that makes sense!

I go through a lot of phases with my makeup and other stuff and here's the routines I'm currently over:

Pink lips. It's not that I hate them... I love them but outgrew them. It was a big phase I went through over the summer. Don't worry VG Gaga, I'll always have love for you!
Liquid eyeliner. I've been into deep smoky eyes with smudged eyeliner. Preferably, MAC's pearl glide liners.
Lip gloss. I've been loving nude lips sans gloss.
Bright pink blushes. As stated before, I've been into warmer colors.

So, what's your current in and out's?

By the way!! I got that Warm Thrillseekers set of pigments in the mail yesterday. I'm going to swatch them later so you can see what they look like up against a cool skin tone. Frankly, I think almost anybody can rock these.

When I'm Sad I...

2010-11-13T20:13:00.001-05:00

BUY PIGMENTS!

Okay, well I'm not sad, just very bored! My daughter fell asleep early, all of my housework is finished, my boyfriend is busy making furniture. There's just nothing to do! Okay, okay, in all fairness my days are always hectic. Even as a stay at home mom. I rarely get to sit, there's always something to be done or someone who needs me. That's not a complaint, I love it! It's just that when I finally get that 'me' time, I don't know what to do with myself!

So, I started thinking about how MAC released the Tartan Tale Chapter 2 pigment sets this past week and I really wanted the 'Smoky Thrillseekers' set. Or so I thought, anyway. I started to look at swatches on Temptalia of all three sets to make sure that's what I really wanted. Then I began to have second thoughts when I saw 'Dark Soul' and ' Blue Brown'. When I look at Dark Soul, I immediately picture more of the pigment on my face versus my eye due to fall out. When I look at Blue Brown, I can't help but to think that it'll look like I got punched in the eye. In this set, Jigs and Jive is the only color that is LE and new. The rest are permanent. I only truly appreciate two of the five colors (not big on the Reflects Blackened Red either). Skip!

Smoky Thrillseekers Pigments / Glitter Set (image from Temptalia)

And skipping over the 'Cool Thrillseekers' set as well...

But! But! But! I adore the 'Warm Thrillseekers' set. This is what I ordered tonight and I'm sure I won't be regretting it either. These colors look like versatile and very wearable, yet the Gilded Green color adds some fun to the mix. The Reflects Bronze is really pretty and very holiday-esque, if you ask me.

Warm Thrillseekers Pigments / Glitter Set (image from Temptalia)

So this is how my Saturday night is going so far. Not bad, but not glamorous either! I hope your weekend is more exciting than mine! Have you gotten anything from A Tartan Tale yet? Do you plan on getting anything?

**Click here to see the swatches from this set!

The Junk Drawer: Part II

2010-11-11T11:56:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello! I'm sorry that it's been almost a week since my last post. Now that the holidays are coming, everything has been crazy busy but I have a lot of new things to talk about so stay tuned!

Okay, so this will be part II of my 'Junk Drawer' series. I'm actually loving this because I'm going through things that I never used but I'm starting to get happily reacquainted with. Remember that Stila Major Lash mascara I talked about last time? Still not my favorite, but it's good for when I'm opting for that 'natural' look. So yes, I'm liking it more than I did before but I still don't recommend it for sky high, blow your mind lashes.

Today, I've been looking at my paint pots from MAC. Generally speaking, I LOVE PAINT POTS. They are hands down, my favorite bases. However, I have two that I just don't use. Keep in mind, this series isn't just about products that I dislike; it's also about things I genuinely like yet can't seem to make it work for *me*.

Groundwork, Coral Crepe

The two paint pots that I'm talking about are Coral Crepe (LE) and Groundwork (Permanent) from the Pret A Papier collection. Overall, I didn't like that collection because as I remember, all of the colors were more complimentary to warm-toned gals.

Frankly, I have no idea why I bought Groundwork. It's not eye-catching or special. I think it was just an impulse buy. Coral Crepe is gorgeous. I think that Paradisco is the perfect mate for this color. Absolutely beautiful, I just never used it like I thought I would. However, I now feel more determined than ever to make this work. I think you could make a nice smoky eye with this using colors like Smog or Dark Horse from the UD Naked palette.

I'll let you know how it turns out in my next 'Junk Drawer' installment.

NARS Little Darling Lipstick

2010-11-05T09:29:00.002-04:00

I'm excited about this one because it's my first NARS lipstick ever. I have a few things from this brand. It's something that I occasionally treat myself to because it is pretty expensive. However, I was so captivated by their holiday collection this year. I literally want everything!

Decribed by NARS as a "nude-beige", $24 USD

First Impressions

I always like the sleek black packaging, I just don't like how it's quick to get dirty because of the rubbery texture. Aside from that, I noticed that the lipstick is darker than what was pictured in the promo. Keep in mind, I ordered this from Sephora, before the F&F sale ended. I tried to buy it at my NARS counter, but they didn't have it yet (at the time). There aren't too many in-depth reviews of this lipstick right now because it's new so I just had to hope it was as awesome as I thought. Just by looking at it, I was a little scared because it looked a bit too brown for my taste. I gave it a whiff and didn't notice any scent. However, I do have a little cold so I asked my boyfriend to confirm my opinion and he didn't pick up on any scent either (he's such a good sport! haha).

My Thoughts

This lipstick has decent color payoff although it's sheer, yet pigmented, with a glossy finish (so don't get turned off if you think it looks dark). In all honesty, had this color been more opaque and matte, I wouldn't have fancied it. I think this color is extremely versatile for a wide array of people. Oh, and as for scent... though I didn't pick up on one before I applied it, I noticed one after. It was very light, subtle, and pleasant but it didn't linger. I didn't find this formula to be drying, but it gave me a decent amount of wear. Don't expect it to last too long before reapplying because it does have that glossy finish. I happen to love nudes, but I have to make them work for me. Generally, I dab them in lightly so it doesn't wash me out but I have to make sure I apply enough because my lips are quite red by nature. With this, I don't have to do anything. It just works as it is. I think this is because it's a little darker than most of the nudes I own so it's not so quick to wash me out.

Bottom Line & Recommendations

I couldn't have picked a better color for myself. I can't think off hand of any dupes to compare it to. Although the color may seem typical, I don't think it is. This color, in my opinion, would be very flattering on warmer skin tones, though it has the potential to work for a lot of people across the board. If you like nudes, you'll probably like this. Especially if you can't wear colors like Myth too well. Don't feel bad, only a handful of people can wear that color and wear it well. I'm not one of them. Also, I think think is a nice shade for fall / winter. It leans on the sheer side, yet has depth. As far as I know, this color is permanent.

A Few Tips About Foundation

2010-11-03T15:46:00.000-04:00

Finding your perfect foundation can be a really tedious process. It involves finding your perfect shade, picking which formulation suits you best, while accommodating your skin's needs. Foundation, in my opinion, creates the canvas for your makeup. Therefore, this is a key item in your makeup collection that you should invest in. Though not everyone wears foundation or needs it, for that matter, I know there's people out there who do. For me, it makes every bit of difference in how my makeup looks and feels. This is going to be long. I tried to make it short and sweet, but it didn't work out. However, I tried to be as informative as possible!

The first thing you need to do is educate yourself about your skin. What is your skin's undertone? Are you cool or warm? Typically, if you're cool, the veins in your forearm appear to be blue. Those who have cool undertones tend to feel more comfortable wearing silver jewelry. On the flip side, those who are warm toned will most likely have green veins on their forearm and tend to feel more comfortable wearing gold jewelry. Of course, there's the possibility that you're neutral which means that you're both cool and warm. Those who are truly neutral have a lot more options available to them. If you still can't decide what your skin's undertone is, I recommend getting color matched.

In this case, I'd goto MAC. Even if you don't like MAC, their numbering system is practically universal. If you know your MAC foundation match, that knowledge can go a long way when finding your match in other brand's foundations. For example, Make Up For Ever uses different numbering systems. In Mat Velvert+, I am a 25. In their HD line, I am a 115. Confusing, much? With MAC, I will always be an NW20. However, keep in mind that if you tan, your shade will change as you become darker and paler.

There's countless articles on the internet that explain MAC's numbering system so I won't get into great detail but here's a quick breakdown on MAC's system (quoted directly from MAC):

"If your skin looks more Golden Beige, you match with Neutral Cool or NC shades.

If your skin looks more Pink Beige, you match with Neutral Warm or NW shades.

If your skin looks more Yellow-Golden Olive, you will find those undertones in the Cool or C shades.

If your skin looks more Beige, you will match with the Neutral or N shades.

If your skin looks more Pink, you will find those pink undertones in the Warm or W shades."

The number denotes the depth of the shade. Speaking in terms of MAC's regular foundations, the numbers range from 15-55. The bigger the number, the darker the shade. For more information pertaining to MAC's system, click here. This is the best explanation that I've come across so far.

Okay, so anyway. Where were we before I ran off track? Oh, I remember! Once you discover what your undertone is and you find your shade, the next thing you need to do is figure out what your preferences are. There's so many different formulas to choose from (liquid, powder, cream, gel, etc.). However, you also need to think about your skin's concerns. Ask yourself these questions:

Is my skin dry, oily, combination, normal, acne-prone, or maturing?
Do I need a fuller coverage foundation or something more sheer?
Which formula would best accommodate the needs of my skin?

Take into consideration that you may not want a foundation with a dewy, natural finish if you have oily skin or you may not want a powder foundation if you tend to have really dry skin. Oil free foundations are best for those with oily / acne-prone skin and those with dry skin should definitely avoid foundations with mattifying properties.

Most counters at department stores allow you to sample. I know that at MAC, so long as it's something that can be poured into a jar, it can be sampled. Don't feel funny for asking! This is how you learn. Even if you get matched at a counter, ask for a sample anyway. The lighting inside those places is much different than your lighting at home or outdoors. You also want to see how this foundation works for you since you're the one who is investing in it.

Here's my last piece of advice. This is helpful when purchasing foundations online or in person. Remember when I said that knowing about your skin and your MAC match would be extremely helpful? Temptalia has what's called a "Foundation Matrix" (a truly ingenious idea). You input your under tone and your skin tone, then it offers a list based on the MAC numbering system showing an endless list of brands and foundations with your potential matches.

I'll show you how I used it in my personal experience.

1. I put in the requested information. FYI: According to the Foundation Matrix, NW20 starts in the 'light-medium' range.

2. I search for the foundation I need. For the sake of example, we'll use Make Up For Ever's HD foundation. Just match your MAC shade to the brand. Whatever's highlighted in blue represents what I should be looking for.

3. So there's four different possibilities. Looking at the shade range of this foundation on Sephora should give me some further insight.

4. Based on the picture above, I can infer that 115 is my perfect match since I have light skin with pink undertones.

So, this is all I can think of for now. I hope this can in some way aid you in your search for the perfect foundation. How can can you make this article more helpful to others? If you can, comment on what your favorite foundations are and why, based on your skin tone, undertone, and your skin's concerns. Thanks!

*All images were found on Sephora.com and Temptalia.com

Uggs & Jimmy Choo

2010-11-02T10:29:00.002-04:00

Question: What do you get when you cross a pair of Jimmy Choo's with a pair of Uggs?

Answer: A small line of boots ranging from $495 to $795 USD. (<---No, that wasn't a joke.)

I saw these online last night. I was thinking of replacing my current pair of Uggs (not with those, the classic ones, haha). They're over two years old and they've taken a good beating.

Based upon my own observations, people either love or hate Uggs. There's really no grey area. Personally, I love my Uggs. They're crazy comfortable and go with just about everything. I'm not a big shoe person. Don't get me wrong, I like shoes. I just hate the idea of spending a lot of money on them when they just get ruined anyway. I mean, think about it. You buy a new pair of Chloe heels so you can walk around New York City and unintentionally plant your foot in someone else's gum? I'd rather have the handbag, thanks. Hey now, If I had that kind of money, it wouldn't peeve me so much. There's some honesty for ya.

The one pair I actually liked but I still pass.

Anyway, there's only one pair from the line that I actually like. The rest come packed with too much bling. And yes, the hefty price tag is a turn off. I think I'll pass on these. What do you think? Would you buy these? Check out the collection here.

*All the pictures were found via Google image search while the first image was integrated together by me.

The Junk Drawer: Stila Major Lash Mascara

2010-11-01T14:03:00.000-04:00

So, 'The Junk Drawer' is going to be a new series on this blog, documenting the things that collect dust. I'll talk about products that I bought but didn't like, products that received a lot of hype but didn't work miracles for me. Also, I'll mention products that I genuinely like but never seem to use. I have a hard time throwing things away (unless they're gross). I like to tell myself that maybe someday I'll find some use for it. Maybe this'll help me get rid of those things and clear some much needed space in my linen closet!

Okay, so this product is the epitome of what this series is all about (for me). I didn't buy this, but I won it in a raffle at my sister in law's baby shower. Stila Major Lash mascara was part of a set from the Glam in a Can (Can Couture). This was the only thing I didn't like from the set. It doesn't do anything for my lashes. I have short, thin lashes that requires something that packs a bigger punch. I'm not sure if it's the formula or the brush or maybe both. It doesn't lengthen or thicken. Loreal Telescopic knocks this one out of the park!

As far as I know, Stila discontinued this mascara (probably why they threw it in the can). It's now called MAJOR Major Lash mascara which is suppose to be better. I hope it is.

My Halloween and blog stuff!

2010-11-01T10:13:00.001-04:00

Hello, beautiful people! How was your Halloween? Did you dress up or do anything? I had every intention of dressing up, but I just didn't have time. Yesterday was a very busy day for me. I had house work, house work, house work up until 3 pm, then had to get my daughter fed, bathed, and into her costume so we could goto my mother in law's for a get together. I will say that for the sake of festivities, I put on some extra eye makeup. I thought I looked like a hooker. Wasn't happy about that. Anyway, we had some family over and Kristen's little cousin, Dino, who is five months old. We took them for a little trick or treating. It was a lot of fun! Kristen ended up being a butterfly. A cute butterfly, I might add!

Kristen from this morning, haha

Anyway, I decided to start a new series on this blog. I don't want to tell you what it is yet, but I'm hoping that you'll like it! First post will be up later on today. Enjoy your Monday! Or at least try to... hahah.

MAC: A Tartan Tale, now online!

2010-10-27T12:39:00.001-04:00

Sir Teddy

Well, most of the collection is at least (on the US site only, as far as I know)! I've been skipping a lot of MAC collections lately. I got two things from Venomous Villains and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was Disney. I'm more than certain I am one of the few people who doesn't give a flying fig about Disney flicks. Well, Beauty and the Beast was cool, but whatever. Anyway, I've seen a few things that I like from this collection, like the pigments (oh my, the pigments!!!) and the Viva Glam offerings (because I'm a sucker for a good cause). I'm actually going to buy the Sir Teddy for my daughter. I thought he'd make a cute stocking stuffer and the proceeds goto the MAC AIDS Fund. Can't beat that! Still, I have my eye on the NARS holiday collection this year. Yum! A Tartan Tale will release at stores and counters on the 28th of October (tomorrow) but as stated before, you can purchase most of the collection online now. See anything you want?

And don't forget to check out the second episode of the MAC Face-Off, if you're interested! Don't forget to cast your vote on Facebook. Just click the Halloween tab.

MAC's Halloween Face-Off: Episode 1

2010-10-25T12:27:00.000-04:00

I posted last week about MAC having a Halloween face-off amongst three of their artists. Well, the first episode is here, check it out:

Everything Ombre!

2010-10-21T13:48:00.000-04:00

I'm under the impression that 2010 was a big year for the ombre trend. I'm just not sure how I feel about this -- specifically, ombre hair. I've seen it on a few celebrities who wear it well and then I see others who can't carry the trend without looking kind of silly. It's a hit or miss thing, I suppose.

I have accidental, unintentional ombre hair and I hate it! This is because I didn't color treat my hair during pregnancy. Before that, every time I colored it brown, it always turned auburn (I'm cursed!). I've colored my hair just one time since I had my daughter, and that was back in August of 2009, so my hair has obviously grown out a bit since then. My roots are a medium brown color and the rest is auburn-ish. My accidental ombre look isn't as pronounced as others since I didn't do this on purpose. Frankly, I was always embarrassed by it and I never would've thought it would be 'trendy'. I'm not trendy. Really, I'm not. I'm a jeans and hoodie type of gal, hence, why I love fall!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not completely knocking ombre hair. I've seen it done where it looks really nice! Still, it just seems like something that's really easy to get bored with.

Ombre Fail:

Ombre WIN:

*I found these pictures in a Google image search.

MAC Halloween Face-Off!

2010-10-20T12:05:00.002-04:00

Ha! So, MAC took three of their own artists, to compete against each other in a Halloween-themed makeup challenge with only three hours to complete the task. The first 'episode' airs on Monday, October 25th at 10:00 AM. Here's a preview:

PS: Sorry my posts have been so MAC oriented lately. I know some people love it or hate it, but no worries, I have a lot of other stuff to talk about!

MAC: A Tartan Tale (Official Photos & Info)

2010-10-14T12:28:00.003-04:00

Hey, ladies! With all of these new holiday collections coming out, I'm sure to go broke! I just saw the official information and photos from Temptalia and I thought I'd share!

Image from Temptalia

This collection will be released in the U.S. on October 28th, 2010 and it'll launch internationally sometime in November 2010.

"Do you hear the bonny bagpipes on the moors, or Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols? One in each ear? We’re telling a slightly twisted Tartan Tale to celebrate holiday 2010, in all its posh, punk, ancestral, anarchic, noble and naughty glory. Royal and raunchy, colours and patterns collide, fantasies come true, punk faeries take flight, with poetic new looks for Eyes to gaze long upon Glamora Castle: Dazzleglass Creme like Radiant Jewels; Lipstick kisses from The Faerie Glen; Black Swan Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner; Family Crest Pigment; My Highland Honey from the heather in Powder Blush; Sexy Style Clan Nail Lacquer; and forever Zoom Fast Black Lash mascara, for the Dark Prince, or Princess. Enter A Tartan Tale, and be transformed!"

Image from Temptalia

Christine has the official list of product information and images listed on her site. I just wanted to give you ladies a heads up.

Click here to read about the info and color story
Click here to read about A Tartan Tale: Ch. I
Click here to read about A Tartan Tale: Ch. II
Click here to read about A Tartan Tale: Viva Glam for Holiday

Another Sneak Peek for NARS Holiday 2010

2010-10-13T16:34:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to share another promo for the NARS Holiday 2010 collection which will be officially released on Friday, October 15th. See anything you like?

NARS Holiday 2010 Campaign (Sneak Peek)

2010-10-11T11:03:00.002-04:00

I saw this on Facebook and I wanted to share. Frankly, I'm just curious as to what your opinions are on this image:

I feel intrigued by it, but the model's brows are a little Star Trek-ish to me and yet, I kind of like it? I think? Either way, I love NARS and I'm definitely excited about the holiday collection. Did you hear about the Bento Box set? I want that!

Goodies :)

2010-10-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

Back in the middle of the summer, I entered a Make Up For Ever giveaway on Temptalia, and I won! This was a big shocker for me because I'm typically not a winner (and yes, I'm also a cynic). I received my prize today which was so awesome since I was having such a hellish day. This definitely cheered me up! I'll be picking up my little pumpkin from her grandma's soon (I miss her!!), so I'm just going to show you what I received and I'll do the swatches and whatnot in the next few days.

Diamond Shadow: #310 (Diamond Green)

Aqua Cream: #11 (Gold)

Lip Gloss: #10 (Peachy-Pink)

So yeah, that's about it. Like I said, I'll be swatching those soon. I hope everyone has a good Friday and a great weekend! :)

MAC Venomous Villains: Briar Rose Beauty Powder

2010-10-04T15:20:00.000-04:00

I bought Briar Rose a few days ago, so of course I was dying to blog about it! First of all, this beauty powder is from the Maleficent sub-collection and you can pick one of these up for $25 USD. I was lucky to get mine, so if you see it and you like it, grab it before it's gone!

Briar Rose is a medium blue-based pink. Just the kind of color I love for fall. I think this pairs really nicely with I Like It Like That from In the Groove. They're soul mates, I reckon! However, this color reminds me a lot of Summer Rose beauty powder only this is more pigmented and a little darker. Seriously, use a light hand with this, pale ladies!

Briar Rose

Summer Rose

Swatch:

Recommendation:

I'm happy to have Briar Rose in my collection of beauty powders and blushes. It's soft, but quite pigmented and it's fabulous for fall. If you love Disney and you like this color, go for it! I can't say for sure how I think this would look on those with warm tones, but I believe you can make it work!

By the way...

I just wanted to say how proud I am to have reached over 50 followers! I didn't expect this in the least. I started this blog for complete and utter funsies. I never went out of my way to advertise it, but you've found it! I'm very grateful and I'd like to give you my sincere thanks. Hey, if I can reach 100, I'd love to have a giveaway! Tell me in the comments what you think would be a good giveaway!

MAC Venomous Villains: Innocence, Beware! Lipstick

2010-09-30T13:37:00.001-04:00

I ordered a new lipstick the other day from the Venomous Villains collection. I opted for Innocence, Beware! (Cremesheen). The prices have gone up in this collection, I believe due to licensing agreements and fees. The lipsticks are $15.50 USD.

The packaging is cute, in my opinion! The graphic design is not printed on the box itself; it's just a sleeve. I'll take this opportunity to say that packaging isn't everything to me. Don't get me wrong, I just love pretty things wrapped in pretty things but the quality of the product is the first thing I consider when buying.

Innocence, Beware! is from the Cruella de Vil sub-collection.

This color is a beautiful pinky-nude. There's no shimmer or glitter, it's not entirely opaque, though it has decent color payoff. The finish is soft and glossy which makes this a very wearable shade.

Swatches:

If you're looking for a dupe, Hue (Glaze, permanent) is PERFECT:

Hue (top), Innocence, Beware! (bottom)

If I had to guess, I'd say that Hue is ever so slightly more opaque than Innocence, Beware!, but they look like soul mates, eh?

Recommendation: This is really pretty nude! If you like nudes and you like Venomous Villains but don't have Hue in your collection already, definitely check this one out. If you already have Hue, you might want to consider passing. The other three lipsticks in the collection make this color seem fairly ordinary, to be honest.

Just Curious...!

2010-09-29T20:52:00.001-04:00

Hey ladies, sorry I haven't posted yet this week. Busy, busy, busy! Anyway, I'm just curious as to what everyone is doing for Halloween. This will be my daughter's first trick or treat outing and I'm VERY excited. I don't know what she'll be yet, though. I was thinking Minnie Mouse, but I KNOW (for a fact!) that she will not wear the ears without a fight so I'm thinking of doing something else. You just can't be Minnie without the ears... right?!

As for me, I was thinking of being Lady Gaga, but in a more conservative way (I'm a mom for cryin' out loud!). I don't know if my boyfriend will be coming. He's 26 and though he won't directly say it (because he knows I'll be disappointed), I don't think he wants to go because he thinks he's too old. I'm curious; how do you guys feel about this? Are you ever actually too old for Halloween or is it just a mentality? So, if you're going this year, what will you be? I'd love some suggestions, I'm not 100% on my idea yet!

**Oh, but I would like to add that I'd like to go bananas and have some fun with makeup this year, since I'm definitely a neutrals gal on a daily basis. Whatever I come up with, I'll share the look!

P.S.: I got a lipstick from the Venomous Villains collection, I can't wait to get it so I can swatch it up for you guys! Aw, I just love swatching! :)

MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lipglass

2010-09-23T20:40:00.003-04:00

Viva Glam Gaga Lipglass ($15.50 USD)

So first off, I'd like to be completely honest with you. I'm not a big fan of lip gloss (GASP?!!). I know, I know, shame on me. I tend to use a lot of shimmery shadows and because of that, I prefer to keep my lips shine / gloss free. I don't like them completely matte, but I don't like stickiness or chunks of glitter on them either. Still, I really wanted to try this out.

Anyway, the color is just the same as its companion, the VG Gaga lipstick (Lustre), a bright blue-based pink. The consistency is thick and creamy. It applies evenly and the color is opaque, but be forewarned that you should exfoliate your lips first or else it'll accentuate the dryness. I applied the lipstick, followed by the gloss and then I decided to take the combo for a test run on a ham an cheese sandwich. While in the process of obliterating this ham and cheese sandwich (I was really, really hungry!), I noticed that with every bite I took, the color was just slipping off onto the bread. Afterward, I noticed that there was still some color left on my lips, but it was very patchy and sloppy. Clearly, it needed to be reapplied. Did I expect it to last through the torture of devouring a sandwich? Heck, no! I pretty much saw that one coming. Still, I love the color and I'm very happy with my purchase (the profits go directly to the MAC AIDS Fund. I'm a sucker for a good cause!). I'll definitely pick up the Cyndi version next time I'm at MAC. Actually, I'm buying backups of the lipsticks and glosses. They're only available until February or March 2011, I believe.

VG Gaga lipstick on top, VG Gaga lipglass on the bottom

Lip swatch of VG Gaga lipstick AND lipglass.

By the way, my favorite way to wear this so far is on its own! I just dab it on my lips lightly, with my finger. The result is a subtle pink that's much more wearable for every day. I like to pair this color with a blush like Hang Loose (LE, from In the Groove) or Summer Rose beauty powder (also LE).

What's In My Makeup Bag?

2010-09-19T16:12:00.000-04:00

Okay, so before I start off, I'd like to offer you a tip. If you're an online shopper, like myself, sites like Sephora and Ulta offer three free samples with every purchase. Take advantage of them! Samples are great because they fit so nicely into makeup bags. Even brands like MAC and NARS offer free samples from time to time, though you usually need a promo code to get them.

1. Makeup Bag: It's just the right size for me. I got it from Walmart for maybe $2 USD. Cute, compact, AND cheap?! Oh, happy day!

2. Some kind of lip color: Whether it's gloss, lipstick, balm, whatever, I always like to have something for my lips. In this case, it's been MAC Hue lately..

3. Mascara: This mascara is MAC Zoomlash. For months, they were given as a free sample with purchase (using a promo code) when you shopped online. I have quite a few of these to sock away for my makeup bag / mascara 'emergencies'.

5. Concealer: This isn't always a must for me, but I do throw it in when I get a breakout -- especially when I know that I'm not going to be home all day and my face might require a quick fix. This concealer is from Physician's Formula. It came in a set of three (concealer, yellow concealer, and eye brightener).

4. Stila Convertible Color in Peony: Again, this is also sample-sized -- perfect for a makeup bag. This came with the Glam-In-A-Can set. I don't know if this color in particular is permanent but it's a gorgeous pinky-nude that works well for lips and a blush. A tiny multi-tasking product = awesome. This color is extremely similar to MAC Hug Me.

6. Perfume: This is Kat Von D's Sinner perfume that I picked as a sample from Sephora online. Again, tiny and perfect for on the go. (And, it smells nice too!)

7. Benefit's Some-Kinda-Gorgeous: As a foundation? Heck, no! I like a more fuller coverage / polished look. However, I do like this for quick touch ups. You know, when it's the end of the day and everything's faded. It's very light (coverage) and dries to a powder finish. Again, this is a sample size that I received with the Benefit to Go set from Sephora ($10 USD).

8. MAC (Hello Kitty) Beauty Powder in Pretty Baby: Gosh, I thought I'd never find any use for this. It's so LIGHT! However, if my skin get's oily, a light dusting with this does the trick (without turning my whole face pink). And, it comes with a mirror, so that's cool too.

9. Last but not least, a kabuki brush! I don't like to throw my good brushes in my makeup bag and plus, they're too big. This is a mini kabuki brush from Eco Tools (Ulta, Target). It's inexpensive but it's also a great brush.

Some things to consider when taking makeup with you:

Think about how much makeup you actually need. Preferably, I like to take a light cover up, a powder, mascara, and some kind of lip color. It helps to bring a compact or something with a mirror so you can see what you're doing. If you're the kind of gal who likes to line her waterline, bring an eyeliner. If you were blessed with fabulous skin, you can probably skip on bringing any cover up. I usually bring extra bobby pins and a hair band because they're always good to have on hand, ya know? I also keep Colgate Wisps (mini toothbrushes) on hand because you never know when you might need them... right?

What's in your makeup bag??

FOTD: UD Naked Palette and MAC

2010-09-14T11:30:00.002-04:00

Ha! My first FOTD, whaddya know?! I still have to figure out a better lighting situation that really allows my camera to pick up on my shadows. Funny, it zeros in on my breakouts, but not on my shadows. Go flippin' figure.

Anyway, this was from yesterday but I never got a chance to post it. This is has actually been an everyday look for me since I really love a subtle smoky eye for the daytime in fall, paired with a nice nude lip. It's quick and easy, which is convenient.... being a mom and all. I've been showing my Naked palette A LOT of love since, if your a neutrals gal (like myself), this is all you really need to pull off any look -- whether it's subtle or dramatic.

Please excuse my messy, pinned up hair, haha

Eyes

- MAC Paint Pot in Painterly (though, Bare Study helps the colors pop better)

- Colors used from the UD Naked palette: Sin (all over the lid), Half Baked (on the inner corners of the eyes and in the center of the lid), Dark Horse (just a little bit on the outer crease but it's hard to see because this is what I meant by my camera not picking up all the color, also applied on the outer third of the lower lash line with a pencil brush (like the 219)).

- UD liner in Zero, applied to the upper and (outer third of the) lower lash line. I typically don't apply liner to my waterline, unless I'm going for something really dramatic, since it makes my eyes look smaller

- Loreal Telescopic mascara in Black / Brown

- NYX eyebrow cake powder in Taupe / Ash

Face

- NARS primer

- MAC Studio Sculpt NW20 (mixed with moisturizer)

- TheBalm, TimeBalm concealer (Lighter than Light)

- Rimmel pressed powder in 01 Translucent

- Light contouring with NARS Laguna

- MAC MSF in Petticoat, just a little bit!

Lips

- MAC Hue (Glaze), the lightest nude I can pull off without looking washed out. I just dab this to my lips instead of applying it the normal way because then it looks too unnatural.