Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick

I LOVE THESE!

I have seen these new lipsticks mentioned a few times on blogs and in a few youtube videos, and I snatched up two colors at Walgreen's today (They were having a BOGO sale). I purchased "Born With It" and "Pink Please". BWI is definitely my favorite.


Born With It: A pretty, neutral light pink color with very subtle silver shimmer. I can feel the shimmer texture a bit on my lips but it is not bad.

Pink Please: A light Pinky/ Peach cream color.

As far as the formulation is concerned, I really like these! They are shiny and creamy, without being too thin and slippery. I find that I dislike the finish of most lipsticks and tend to apply gloss over the top- but these are both opaque in color and a bit glossy at the same time, so I like this lipstick worn alone. On top of that, they stay in place- no lip liner is required! My only complaint would be the taste. They have a slight vanilla/ floral (non- sweet) waxy taste, that kind of reminds me of a generic bar soap. Not too bad though.


My opinion on the packaging is that it is very cheap and is liable to break if thrown carelessly into a handbag. The plastic base of the tube has a silver coating that is bound to chip off, and the cap is made of a translucent red plastic that I envision cracking and/or shattering easily.

48 shades are available. Make sure you look at the lipstick bullet because the color swatches on displays and stickers are always horribly misleading!

All in all, definitely worth it and highly recommended!

10 Random Facts Tag

I was tagged by Sparkling.Pink.Gorilla (go check out her blog!) to do the "10 Random Facts" Tag.

*A'hem* Here Goes:

1. I get really nervous seeing men shave their faces in movies. I start to feel queasy, concerned they will cut themselves. Recently I asked my BF if I could try shaving part of his face and I was so nervous I couldn't do more than a few swipes of the razor! I watched him finish and felt really uncomfortable the entire time- I guess I can't handle seeing men shave in real life, either! Funny thing is, I am not bothered by Gillette commercials. Perhaps it is difficult to take those buff, metro sexual topless dudes seriously.

2. I am double jointed in my thumbs. I had no idea about this until 3 years ago. I was sitting in class and my friend Ivo pointed out to me that my thumbs were bent backwards. I thought everyone could do that- apparently not!


3. My first youtube video was an 8- minute film I did for a film class project. It was called "Beauty Isn't Everything" and it was about this young rich couple wasting money on worthless art (essentially blank canvases). It was very very corny but a good experience- I learned the basics of movie making.

4. I really can't understand why the youtube beauty community seems to be centered around MAC products. I do think MAC makes many good products, but I think the brand is way over- hyped. Especially in the tools category. So far, I have not found a MAC brush I prefer to use over less expensive versions from other vendors.

5. My favorite shoe is the "Mary Jane" style. I have purchased several pairs of TUK/ Tredair shoes and I like them in both flats and heels. My first expensive pair, however, were Doc. Martens in 10th grade. They were wing-tip double straps in the color "peanut". I loved them so! The pair you see below I have had for about 5 years:


6. I lovvvveee to cook and for a time the only television I watched was the food network. I even contemplated submitting an audition tape for their "Next Food Network Star" show but the timing overlapped with my last term in school/ graduation. I also feel I am not experienced enough, so for now it is a hobby- possibly something I may explore more on youtube :)


7. I used to have reoccurring nightmares about my teeth. In some dreams they would shatter, in others they would fall out. After awakening, I would be so happy all my teeth were still in place!

8. I am not that big on online social networking. I made my myspace page in 2003 when I was 19, and before that I had livejournal. I think that having a very busy life prevents me from getting sucked in! Although I worked and went to school, I had a bit more time then. Now--- not so much!

9. I like to grow herbs. I used to have a blog on CasaSugar before they created the "OnSugar" Network, and a few of my posts were ongoing photos of the life and demise of some of my herbs.


10. I used to think I hated cats- but no more! My boyfriend's cat, Grace Jones, has really grown on me. I did not grow up with pets; thus, I didn't understand how much value they can add to one's life. I am happy to have grown in this area of my life. I find myself appreciating more the cuteness of all kinds of animals I see out in the world :)



I tag:
Simply Suzy
Blue Bell

Coastal Scents Gel Eyeliner v. Wet'n'Wild Cream Eyeliner

Shown: Coastal Scents Gel Liner in True Black and Wet'n'Wild Mega Eyes Cream Eyeliner in Black.


Both are very dense, black liners, but the reason I love the Wet'n'Wild cream eyeliner is: long wearability. By the end of the day, the Coastal Scents gel eyeliner has rubbed off onto other parts of my eye, creating a rainbow below my brow bone (even when set with shadow). The formulation of the gel liner is too emollient to wear for a long day, whereas the cream liner dries and barely budges:
Only downside? You MUST use a waterproof eye makeup to remove the Wet'n'Wild cream liner. It will not come off otherwise! I also wish there were more colors available :(

Also! I used the cream liner in my waterline and it is THE BEST waterline liner I have used thus far. It covers all of my pink skin with opaque blackness once it dries and lasts a really long time. The packaging does not specify whether or not it is safe for the waterline, so try this at your own risk. Some would argue that NO eye makeup is safe for the waterline, however!

A Moonicure Experiment

The pictures speak for themselves! Here is a quick and easy new way to do a manicure- opps! It's actually called a moonicure... Ooh fancy!

I did this very very fast and did not apply a base or top coat, although I definitely would if this were more than an experiment. I think this would be a great way to extend the wear of an existing nail color, since color tends tend to chip at the tips first :)

Hope you like it!

Base coat- Sally Hansen, Made You Blush. Make sure this is COMPLETELY dry before moving on.


Cut Round Labels into quarters:


Place them on nails. Make sure to secure edges for a tight fit to create a seamless line.


Paint over with a second color. Covergirl, Luxw Lilac.


Peel off labels when the color is fairly dry- allow at least 15 minutes, depending on how long it takes the color to dry. Pulling labels off too early will result in a mess.

Done!


Next time I will make smaller moons- these are a bit dramatic for me!

Pressing Mineral Blushes and Eye Shadows- Oh Joy!

When I first heard about Everyday Minerals, I knew I had to try the brand. I had been using Bare Escentuals products almost exclusively for 9 years, and didn't think I would ever use another mineral line. At the time, Everyday Minerals offered free "try me" kits that included 3 foundation shades, one concealer, and one blush in sample sizes. In an attempt to find my perfect foundation shade I placed many separate orders for sample sized eye shadows, while also ordering the free sample kit. After many orders I had tons of sample size jars; cumbersome to store, open, and use, I thought I would forget about my lovely eye shadows. Solution?! Press them! Here they are in a 28- Pan palette I purchased from Auraline Beauty (The first 2 rows are eye shadow refill pans- not eye shadows I pressed- see labeling. There is also one ELF mineral eye shadow- see labeling).

Eye Shadows

Once I had the hand of pressing eye shadows, I decided to attempt blush. One benefit of pressing minerals is that the quality and texture of the finished product is often better than drugstore quality, and sometimes comparable or superior to high end brands (if you do it right!)

Blushes and Hilight colors pictured below are all from Everyday Minerals, unless otherwise specified (see labeling).

Blushes

I would really like to make a video on my pressing "recipe"! I used EZ-Prez (what a horrifying name!) pressing medium, 99% Isopropyl Alcohol, Tea Tree Oil, and Jojoba Oil in the blushes. Eye Shadows were pressed with EZ Prez and Alcohol, with approximately a 40% EZ Prez to 60% Alcohol ratio.

How I Store Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup tends to be a hard item to store. One solution I find to work perfectly for me is using this Sephora Metro Train Case to keep everything together:
I like that I can divide sections to make everything fit perfectly:


There are also trays below to store more product:


For a slightly cheaper alternative to this train case, check out this one at yazmo.com.

Travel Makeup

My family lives about 2 hours away from me, and during college, whenever I would visit, I would bring with me a huge train case from Sephora filled with makeup. I will be visiting my family again any day now as my brother and sister in law are expecting the birth of my nephew (yay!) but this time I waned to simplify and see if I could travel with the necessities:

Here I have:
Bare Escentuals Foundation, Full Size, Fair
Bare Escentuals Natural Light (Hilighter), Full Size
Tarte Tool Kit (Eye Brow Kit)
Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil (Travel Size)
NYX Concealer, Full Size, Porcelain
Urban Decay Primer Potion (De-potted into a travel jar)
Smith's Rosebud Salve (De-Potted into a travel jar)
2 ELF Studio Liner/ Shadow Sticks
3 ELF Brightening Eye Shadow Quads
Bare Escentuals Lip Liner, Nude
All the brushes I need to do my face and eye makeup.

I think I am going to have to find a replacement for my ELF Eye Shadow Quads (I hate them!) but all of the makeup in this kit stays in this kit- and I am having a hard time deciding what I should pull from my regular collection of makeup to replace them...

What do you bring with you when you travel? Do you keep it simple, or do you pack away as much as you can?

ELF Mineral Primer v. UDPP

I don't have oily lids, but I always use UDPP to make my eye shadow more vibrant, and yo make it last all day. I love UDPP and for this reason I have never tried any other, until I saw a .15oz tube of primer for $3 on eyeslipsface.com...



Immediately after applying:
Above I am wearing several NYX eye shadows, along with ELF Mineral Liner in midnight, set with a NYX shadow.


After 12 hours of wear:Above, very very minimal creasing occurs on the EMP side. Both sides show eye liner transfer, although it it slightly more noticeable on the EMP side.


The bottom line:
Both are sheer, light skin tone colors, although the EMP is a thinner formulation. The UDPP is more sticky; therefore, eyeshadow adheres to it more easily and appears a bit more vibrant in color. Based solely on performance, I prefer the UDPP. For those looking for a better buy, you really can't beat the EMP.

New ELF Studio Products

Single Eye Shadows in Sand Dollar, Pebble, and Amethyst:

Very Disappointed in the pigmentation of these :( With UDPP as a base, I applied about 4 layers of shadow to achieve the swatches below:




Blush in Mellow Mauve:

I know that my wrist looks like it is covered in a rash, but that is actually the swatch! I must say that it is actually a pretty satin finish mauve color, with middle of the road color payoff. Nylon 12 as an added ingredient helps to make this less powdery and smooth on more nicely.



Shimmer Palette:
I added this to my cart to get free shipping, and I had no idea I would like it so much! There are four colors, a white, a baby pink, an amber color, and a more vibrant pink color. They are very very sheer and are luminescent without too much shimmer.



Complexion Perfection:
I wasn't that impressed with this one. While it is mattifying, it doesn't have a very nice finish. The sheer colors provide the slightest sheer cover to disguise uneven skin tones.




Warm Bronzer:

This can be used even by the fairest skin tones! I must say I will not put this on my face due to the shimmer. It is nice when applied to the decollete and shoulders/ arms.

Inexpensive New Hair Products

I think it is important to rotate shampoos to prevent buildup on my hair, and I've been bored by my current shampoo and conditioner, so I decided to try something new, based on the positive reviews these products received on drugstore.com:

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo and Daily Deep Conditioner:


I've used this shampoo and conditioner combo twice this week and so far I am very impressed with the results! My hair is mixed texture; I have some baby-fine strands as well as medium and coarse strands of hair. This really seems to moisturize my hair and keep the frizzies away. I don't plan to use these every time I wash my hair, but probably every other time. These may not be suitable for those with fine, thin or oily hair, as they would probably weigh these hair types down.

The next product I bought is an inexpensive replacement for Ojon's Leave- In Glossing Cream. I love Ojon, but one tube is $30, so in an attempt to get similar results from a more affordable product, I purchased Frizz Ease's Secret Weapon:


Secret Weapon is used on dry hair to smooth out the ends and provide a bit of shine. The scent is kind of a generic, clean scent, which I like (although it does not compare to Ojon's Leave In Glossing Cream, which smells like an Orange Creamsicle!). I am happy with this so far, and it will probably last a really long time since I don't have to use very much product. There have been a few days this week that I've been walking on the beach with my hair down, and the wind has really ravaged it! When I get home I brush my hair and apply a pea size amount of Secret Weapon and my hair is tamed again!

These are definitely worth trying. I picked up all 3 for less than $20. If you have tried them or have other inexpensive hair product recommendations, please let me know!

Eyes Lips Face Mineral Lipstick

I've had several of these lipsticks and initially I was a bit disappointed as the colors were not as I expected and very similar. I recently picked up two new colors, Natural Nymph and Runway Pink (although mine says "RunAway Pink"!). I think that Runway Pink is one I will wear a lot. It is a neutral light pink/ beige color that looks nice on its own. Natural Nymph almost comes across as concealer on my lips since I have such fair skin. I have paired it with darker colors and am pleased with the outcome, but I don't think I'll be inclined to wear this one solo.

Nicely Nude is a popular light pink shade, and I do like it, although I prefer Runway Pink since it is lighter, without shimmer, and has more opaque coverage.

Overall, I do like these lipsticks. They are moisturizing, come in pretty colors, are packaged nicely, and are very affordable. I ordered two more of my most recent purchases- I think that shows how much I like them!

Bare Escentuals Matte Foundation is Here!!!

The Matte foundation was put on display at Sephora on Friday, July 31st. Since I have used Bare Escentuals original foundation for 9 years, I was eager to try it and couldn't wait- so I had to purchase it immediately!

Price: $28 at Sephora
My Shade: Fair
My Skin Type: Sensitive combination with persistent acne.

Read below for a complete review of my experience over the last three days trying it...


The new jar is much improved as compared to the original foundation jar; there is a twist- lock sifter that prevents spillage:



The ridges provide a grip for fingers to twist the sifter to the open position for the foundation to flow through:


My Experience

Application/ Coverage/ Color:
The matte foundation doesn't provide as much coverage as the original. I used more product (probably about 50% more product) to get the same coverage as I would expect from the original foundation. I found that the color was slightly more yellow intone as compared to the original.

Wear:
The first day I wore the foundation, I used it alone (without any setting powder) and after a full day wearing it, I went on a 4 mile walk/ hike. At the end of the hike, the finish was still almost completely matte. One thing to point out is that for those who have any skin texture issues, this is a great foundation since it does not draw attention to varying textures the way a dewy foundation would. I found it slightly reduced the appearance of my acne scars.

Treatment:
This foundation has ActiveSoil, a proprietary ingredient that is also utilized in RareMinerals (a skin treatment that I have also used). Because it containes this treatment, I find it helps to reduce inflamation in my skin (redness, irritation). In just the last 3 day I note that my skin appears more even and smooth. Bare Escentuals claims it reduces the pore diameter and increases cell turnover. I did not find this to be the case with RareMinerals, but perhaps I will notice some changes using the matte foundation.

Would I Reccommend It?
YES! But very dry skin types may find this doesn't work for them.

My Final Thoughts:
I think that many people will continue to use both the original and matte foundations. I am sure that some will use just the matte in the t-zone (or other oily areas) and the original on the jaw line, cheeks, etc.

Fast Easy Messy Updo

NYX Caribbean Collection Palettes

I Dream of Jamaica



I Dream of St. John



I Dream of St. Kitt



Depotted and placed in a 15- pan palette together:
(Top to bottom: St. Kitt, Jamaica, St. John)



My thoughts:

I really like all of the palettes. Although some of the colors are similar, they are all a bit different. The finishes are mostly satin, some having a bit of shimmer and some frost. The darker shades fall between a satin and a matte finish in that they are smooth and non- chalky. Definitely worth checking out!