Put Your Best Brush Forward

Comparison: MAC 217 v. Sephora PRO #27

2012-02-02T16:42:00.002-05:00

The MAC 217, in my experience, is heralded to be one of the best blending brushes. Recently, Sephora Collection's PRO line of brushes came out with a pretty decent dupe!

Head past the jump for more comparison photos!

L: MAC 217

R: Sephora PRO #27

Sephora PRO #27: Oval Blending

Top: Sephora PRO #27

Bottom: MAC 217

Quick Comparison:
My MAC 217 is softer and the bristles have more movement to them. The Sephora dupe is still soft but it is slightly stiffer as well. This could be because I've had my MAC brush for 4 years (give or take) and I just purchased my Sephora one yesterday.
Both are made of white goat hair (which I love and hate...love because they're soft, but hate because they stain easily) and both are firmly attached to the ferrule and the handle respectively.
Both are domed oval shaped with the MAC 217 being slightly more full in the middle and the Sephora being a little more tapered (only slightly moreso than the 217).

It will be interesting to see over time how they perform against each other and I will let you all know how I feel about it after I've had some more time to play around with it and break it in.

First Impressions: Sephora Collection Brush Protectors

2012-02-02T16:18:00.003-05:00

The brush guard has been circling around the beauty community for a while now...I'm pretty sure that I first heard of them two years ago and I'm positive they were around before that as well...but I never bought into them because I didn't think I needed them.

I deep clean my brushes once a week and spot clean them between each use so I wasn't seeing frays, splaying, or any signs of damage to the actual bristles themselves. That is, until I looked at them last week and noticed the first signs of wear and tear. I'd say that considering some of my brushes I've had for about 6 or 7 years, that's pretty good! (at work, I'm prided on only having replaced 2 or 3 brushes in my belt in almost 2 years!)

I also never really got into them because I don't order a lot of things online (firstly because I'm cheap and secondly I hate paying S&H) so when I saw these in my local Sephora I got a little giddy!

Head past the jump for photos and my thoughts!

Ok. So. The premises behind brush guards is twofold. On one side, they are meant to go over your brushes as they dry thereby holding their original shape and keeping them from splaying out. On the other side they can keep your brushes safe during travel!

One thing to remember is if you're using these, you slip them on from the bottom of the brush handle, and remove them by taking them off the tops of the bristles. If you do not do this, the hairs will get stuck in the mesh and will get ruined (which is clearly the opposite of what you're going for haha). I also noticed it says to dry them bristle side down in a cup - so I did. I'm sure you could still get away with leaving them horizontally on the counter as well to dry.

the brush guards (a foundation and a blush)

putting them into practice

I wanted to try several different sizes and brush brands for this test

L-R: Real Techniques Buffing Brush, MAC 208, SephoraPRO Blending Brush, Quo Angled Blush

after removing the guards the next morning

Quo Angled Blush

after a bit of fluffing across my palm

Sephora Blending Brush

after fluffing

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

MAC 208

One thing I want to stress is DO NOT force a brush if it doesn't fit...it will rip the guards down the sides (no, that didn't happen to me personally, but you can feel the resistance if it's not going to fit).

I found this worked for the variety of brush brands and sizes I chose, so you can definitely use them with your non-Sephora brushes (I was worried about that in the beginning when I was looking at them - especially the liner/shadow guard...which I don't feel will work on shadow brushes in my opinion...you may be able to get away with the blush ones for shadow brushes - that's what I used on the blender brush)

Overall I think it's a good price, a good product, and I will be purchasing more of them to have more of the sizes available (I have too many brushes, but having 2 sets will be perfect for my use I think).

Have you tried these ones or the original Brush Guards? What do you think of them?

Product: Sephora Collection Brush Protectors

Availablility: Sephora.com, Sephora stores

Price: $8.00 USD

First Impressions: Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation

2012-01-29T14:08:00.001-05:00

I'll avoid the long, drawn out introduction to this blog post - instead I'll direct you to the previous post for that.

Onto the impressions!

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam

(shown in shade 240 - Natural Beige)

Head past the jump for my thoughts :)

This has to be the first time I've seen a print ad in a magazine that has made me so curious to actually go out and purchase the product the next day. (The February issue of Allure is where I saw it...I'm almost 100% positive it's running that ad in most of the major fashion/beauty/health mags right now...)

After mulling over it, I think the foundation is alright. Not a replacement for my NARS Sheer Glow, but I guess I had some pretty high expectations - and only basing them off a print ad, that was stupid I admit - but it does give decent coverage and it feels nice on the skin. Gives me a slightly dewey finish that can be muted down to a semi-matte with the addition of powder. It bears mentioning that as with all foundations (but especially drugstore ones) the addition of a primer will greatly increase the wear time of said foundation.

It's touted to be a nude foundation - meaning that you can neither see nor feel it on the skin - so super lightweight but still giving you coverage at the same time. I found this to mostly be the case.

Coming out of the pump it is quite light and airy feeling. The can says to spray a walnut sized amount to cover your whole face. I say pay attention and remember this foundation acts just like mousse...you want the foam size to be walnut sized. Once the foam starts to "deflate" as you use it, the true texture of the foundation comes out and I was a little surprised to find that it's thicker than you'd expect it to be which leads me into the fact that it's not quite the "nude" coverage I was expecting. HOWEVER, as I prefer more coverage to my foundation, I actually wouldn't mind if that were the case. Surprisingly, it felt amazingly light on the skin (considering the texture being slightly thick) and yet it still manages to look like skin despite the coverage. Overall, impressed.

I thought that the line had a decent selection of color choices (I find this to be generally true of Maybelline foundations...and L'Oreal as well, incidently)...again with my issues of drugstores in America not having testers, I got a shade slightly darker than I anticipated (which, yes, I can work with...but it's still frustrating nonetheless)...I'd say this shade is about a MAC NW30ish (maybe 35) and I'm an NC/NW20/25 for reference (I can wear either shades if I've not mentioned that before).

If you want to see it in action (and hear my initial thoughts partway through), I used it in my latest YouTube video!

Product: Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation

Availability: Drugstores

Price: $10.49 USD

(prices will vary depending on where you live and where it's purchased)

First Impressions: Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation

2012-01-28T00:37:00.000-05:00

So I did it. I broke down and bought foundations from the drugstore.

[personal disclaimer]:

Now...before you start calling me out on the fact that I only use high end foundations...I'd like to justify my decisions on not getting drugstore ones to the fact that I already have around 8 foundations I've recieved from my day job that I rotate on any given day (although, three I purchased on my own [Clinique Even Better, Josie Maran, NARS Sheer Glow] and three of which only get rotated in the summer because they're tinted moisturizers [one of which I purchased myself...FusionBeautys...] and not heavy enough for my already super dry skin in Maine wintertime). So do I really NEED another foundation? No.

HOWEVER.

I'm also finding as I rotate my usual favorites that I'm dangerously low on a couple...and that my dear readers, is because of YouTube videos :)

Now again, don't get me wrong. I love making my videos and sharing them...I actually get very bummed out when I don't have time to film a video for the upcoming week or two...but I can't justify replacing my very favorite foundation until summer (and honestly it's only because it costs $42...of which I don't have extra of in winter...NARS Sheer Glow in case you're wondering). But this blog post isn't about that foundation. It's about my first impressions of:

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse

(shown in shade Light 3.5 - Nude Beige)

Head past the jump for my first impressions of the foundation and a photo of it on my skin!

Here's my issue with American drugstores.

THERE ARE NO TESTERS.

I realize that testers can be costly. I've worked in retail. People think they're entitled and steal them all the time...but I still wish that we could at LEAST have testers for the foundations on the shelves. It would make things so much easier.

Now I realize that as a makeup artist, I'm working around foundation colors all day, but I will be the first to admit that even I don't have the eye to exactly match myself without some kind of a reference (and by the way...the little shade guide they give you at the drugstore? It's complete crap. I don't know many people whose face matches the inside of their wrist...just saying....the best places to match [in my opinion] are on your jawline or your neck - or preferably your chest since you want everything to blend as one...) However, you can't do that in the drugstore and the jars are misleading and the swatches are about as good as the ones on MAC's website ;) (inside joke?)

So my shade (Nude Beige, Light 3.5) is just a hair too dark for me - but not so dark that I can't wear it...it makes me look like I've been at the beach for the day and gotten some sun...nothing that will leave the dreaded foundation line on my jaw.

The foundation blends like a dream! I haven't used a drugstore foundation since I was in high school and back then the popular one was Cover Girl and it was thick and cakey looking...SO not my cup of tea (also a little personal history for you...unless I was in a show, I did not start wearing makeup regularly until 2006! I was anti-makeup...especially if it meant more sleep!) So basically, I didn't have high hopes for this foundation because of my hang ups in the past with drugstore makeup.

I have to say that I'm glad I was wrong! I also had done a little bit of digging on the reviews for this foundation (mainly on makeup alley) and I found that most people say it doesn't last on their skin (a lot of the ones I read said they got a couple hours of wear out of it). I'm a huge advocator for prepping the skin properly and I'm willing to bet by looking at the ages of the reviewers that most don't use primer (most high schoolers probably can't afford primers or have to be more choosey on what/how much they're spending their money on...my advice is, save up and get one!) and I guess that at least half of those who don't are probably oilier skinned.

Now...Oilier skins need primers to block the oils from a) mixing with their foundations and oxidizing them (turning them darker) and b) making the foundation slip around on the skin, thereby making it longer lasting. That's not to say drier skins don't need primers too, but sometimes even I skip primer!

Armed with the knowledge of it not lasting on people's skin...I prepped myself properly with primer this morning (NARS SPF Primer if that matters - which I don't think it does) and smoothed the foundation on top using a Real Techniques By Samantha Chapman Buffing Brush (for the record, the foundation applies beautifully with fingertips too!) and then I set the foundation with a light dusting of L'Oreal TrueMatch powder.

Foundation freshly applied with a dusting of powder and some blush/bronzer

I loved the application of the foundation, and even more so I love the finish it gives my skin! It's glowy and dewey without being sparkly (something I find in a lot of dewey finishes). My favorite way of describing it is that it looks like you've just gotten out of the shower and blotted your face with a towel so that there's still some moisture left on the skin...EVERYONE'S skin looks good after getting out of the shower (don't believe me? take a look in the mirror next time!)

[insert working for 9 hours here]

So from initial application to removal I've had the foundation on for approximately 12 hours with little to no difference in wear time from my NARS Sheer Glow or my Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker foundations (both of which are very similar in finish which is why I am mentioning them!) I had no issues with it moving around or looking like it had worn off, and the finish was just as good before I washed it off as it had been this morning. I found that I was slightly shinier on my T-zone (forehead/nose) than I normally am, but that can be overlooked in my case as I am so dry that it looked natural on me.

All things considered, I think it's a great foundation and if you prep your skin properly you shouldn't have any issues with it lasting. I'm looking forward to testing it out a little more :)

Product: Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation

Availability: Drugstores

Price: $9.79 USD

(prices will vary depending on where you live and where it's purchased)

Thoughts: Benefit's Finding Mr. Bright

2012-01-21T23:42:00.003-05:00

Finding Mr. Bright is a cute and kitschy set of 4 mini products and a MANual housed in an obnoxiously bright pink box (and I'm not using the word obnoxious in a completely negative connotation here...just to set the record straight! Haha.)

Head past the jump for all the details and a photo of the contents!

Contained within the box are 4 minis of some of Benefit's best selling complexion perfection items as well as a MANual that explains each of the products and the best ways/places to apply them.

Girl Meets Pearl: A golden pink liquid pearl that can be used all over the face (or body) to give you that gorgeous J-Lo glow that every girl lusts after (and don't tell me you don't...I know you do!) I especially like to mix this in with the original BeneTint or with...

Posie Tint: A poppy-pink tint for your cheeks and lips. It's got a consistency much like ChaCha Tint which I described as a liquidy cream-gel hybrid. Just a few dabs on the cheeks and blended out will give you a gorgeous tint of color. My favorite way to apply this is with a stippling brush (see my Quick Tip video on how to do this on my YT Channel)

High Beam: A liquid highlighter for anywhere your little heart desires. High Beam is a pink tinted highlighter with a strong silvery undertone (it also has a brush applicator!). It looks gorgeous on cheekbones, under the brow, lightly blended on the inner corner of the eye, and right on the cupids bow. Personally on my skin tone (MAC NC25) I much prefer Moon Beam or the new Sun Beam, but this is a pretty highlighter to have in a kit for my fair toned clients!

Erase Paste: Benefit's best selling under-eye brightening concealer in a cute little mini pot. It conceals darkness and discoloration and you only use a tiny dot. I'm a huge fan of the size of this pot too as I feel the original size goes bad before you can use it all. Erase Paste is super creamy, easy to blend, and comes in three shades (the shade in the kit is #2 which is universally flattering for most light to medium skintones)

*A small disclaimer here: I was given this set from my job (which has no bearing on my mentioning it here or any of the opinions I give). With that being said I personally I think that the price of the kit is severely steep. Originally $36 and marked down on Benefit's site right now to $27.99 seems kind of high for 4 mini products...I think if they'd tossed in even a mini Powderflage and/or a mini Eye Bright that the kit would have been a bit more reasonable...but the products are fantastic nonetheless.*

Product: Benefit's Finding Mr. Bright

Availablility: sephora.com, sephora stores, benefitcosmetics.com and where benefit is sold

Price: $27.00 USD on benefitcosmetics.com as of 1/21/12

Rave: Inglot Duraline

2012-01-03T00:21:00.002-05:00

Let's be real here. I love eyeliner...but I have a problem. I'm rubbish with pencils (unless it's specifically for lining the waterline) and nine times out of ten I just can't stop the slight shake in my hand that you get when you're using a liquid...so I've been living off of my cream and gel liners!

(for the record...personal favorites for cream/gel liners are: MAC Chromaline, YSL Gel Liner, Clinique Gel Liner, and L'Oreal HiP gel liner)

MAC does a mixing medium - both water based and others (I own the water based) which is great and I love using it for pigments to foil them onto my lids...but it just doesn't hold up to my sneezy, itchy, watery, allergy prone eyes (aka, it's not waterproof).

Dear Stupid Allergy Eyes: meet Inglot Duraline (clear bottle on the right).

Head past the jump to hear my thoughts on this [fantastic] product!

What is there to say about this small unassuming bottle of AMAZING?!
Pretty much everything.

Inglot Duraline is 9ml of pure awesome. It's got a pretty strange consistency in that it looks like it would be thicker than it actually is...when you dispense some out of the convenient pump cap, it comes out a cross between watery eyedrops and those thicker gel eyedrops that you get when you're eye is acting wonky...don't look at me like that...you know who you are wonky eye'd people ;)

So anyways - Duraline is along the same veins as things like Too Faced Liquif-eye and the Shadow Transformer Potion from Urban Decay...it's meant to be mixed with eyeshadows and pigments to turn them into a waterproof liquid eyeliner.

I have it on good authority from Inglot as well that you can use your Duraline concoctions on the waterline as well as on the lips!

Though I will mention that Inglot is not responsible if the other brand's product is not tested for those purposes ;)

I have been testing this on and off since I received it on December 3rd (for the record, I purchased it myself during their black friday sale!) and I have to say, I'm already jonesing to order a backup...this stuff really is awesome you guys! It mixes famously with both crushed shadows (I have some that cracked that I had previously pulverized into jars) as well as pigments and mineral makeup! The possibilities are endless...

Do you know what else this product does? Oh, you know, it just revives dried up liners... :D

What I've discovered that you only need one drop and then scoop a bit of your pigment or dried liner out of the jar and then mix on your hand or palette of choice...if you mix directly in the liner jar it'll ruin the product because of the properties of the Duraline.

As for wear, it holds up to my allergy prone eyes, and I take that as a pretty serious test. I don't have a problem with it fading or moving around (I also prime my eyes every day with an eye primer!) and I have gotten up to 17.5 hours of wear from it (wore it one day I worked a double between my 2 jobs).

Purple liner in the photos is Inglot AMC Matte Gel Liner #74

Blue is Glamour Doll Eyes VETERAN mineral mixed with Duraline!

Yes, these are the photos from when i initially received my order...I've been lax about taking pictures of my makeup lately...sorry!

All in all I can say that this is definitely a product worth investing in - it's not that expensive and a tiny bit goes an incredibly long way! Props to Inglot for another fabulous product!

Product: INGLOT Duraline

Availablility: inglotusa.com, freestanding Inglot locations

Price: $9.00 USD

Haul: Inglot Round 2!

2011-12-03T18:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Inglot,

Why must you be so amazing. Rarely do I find a cosmetic company that every time I order something new to try, I love it. Thanks for being so awesome.

Love,

Head past the jump for photos and opinions of my new (small) haul!

So firstly, I got a sample of Inglot's YSM Cream Foundation (Shade 41). It's a cream formula but it's so light and airy that it doesn't feel like any cream foundation I've ever worn...It looks phenomenal on my skin and doesn't irritate it...which is good :) It also looks like SKIN which is something I love in foundations...I don't mind coverage but if you can give me coverage AND look natural, I'll love you even more...and this foundation delivers!

The photo above is me wearing the cream foundation...it even photographs beautifully! Note to self: Must invest in this foundation, but in a slightly darker shade...probably shade 49... (though, I will still use the sample until it's gone with a nice dose of bronzer!)

Above are the AMC Gel Liner in #74 (Matte plum) and DURALINE

Sorry that I didn't take a photo of the gel liner before I'd used it - I was too excited to see the color in person (I've not found very color accurate photos online of most of Inglot's stuff...save for Temptalia...but she doesn't have liner swatches, just the shadows) Granted, I know I don't take the most phenomenal photos but I always try to get as color accurate as possible and if not I let you know.

So for the record, the most color accurate for this liner are the swatches on my hand!

You can also find a more in-depth review of the gel liner (and their shadows) HERE

The photos below are of the DURALINE - it's a kind of mixing medium but it's so much more than just that! You can use it to revive your drying fluidlines (or any gel liner), or you can mix it with pigments to make waterproof liquid liners!

I mixed the clear Duraline with Glamour Doll Eyes mineral in Veteran to make a dark blue liner. Veteran has red sparkles in it but I think that you tend to lose some of that sparkle when you mix it...or maybe I didn't mix enough...I'm still getting the hang of it ;) I'll have to remember to do a proper review of it at a later date!

On Eyes:

UD Virgin Shadow (lid)

YSL Burgundy Shadow (crease)

MAC Phloof Shadow (highlight)

INGLOT #47 liner (plum)

GDE Veteran mixed with Duraline (blue)

Collection 2000 Glam Crystals silver glitterliner

NAILS: Illamasqua "Phallic" Nail Varnish

2011-11-27T22:06:00.001-05:00

Do you like nailpolish? yes.
Do you like vibrant colors? yes.
Do you like a variety of finishes? yes.

Illamasqua is pretty well known in the makeup community for having some of the most versatile and pigmented makeup on the market today. It *is* makeup for your alter ego after all and it holds true straight through to their nail varnishes.

They are long wearing and chip resistant (although admittedly I've yet to find a chip-resistant nail formula working 2 hardcore retail jobs...) and come in a huge range of colors from white all the way through to electric purple and blood red to black.

Phallic is definitely one of my favorite nail polishes in my collection - it's pretty unique to my collection, though I'm sure you can find something similar in other brands. It's a deep midnight blue with blue and purple shimmer shot through it -- one color I did recently purchase is Sephora by OPI's "Countdown to the Kiss" which is an opaque royal blue with shimmer shot through. Close, but not a perfect dupe.

Head past the jump for the photos and more information!

I always apply 2 coats of nail polish to my nails :)

So you can see from the photos that Phallic is definitely darker than Countdown To The Kiss...and I prefer it when I want a vampy (but not black!) nail transitioning from late fall into winter!

Product: Illamasqua PHALLIC Nail Varnish

Availablility: Sephora.com, Illamasqua.com, and wherever Illamasqua is sold

Price: $14.00 USD

Thoughts: Sephora Jumbo Liner 12-Hour Wear Waterproof

2011-11-19T21:34:00.001-05:00

The very first thing I have to say about this product is that the name is SO DARN LONG and I never remember what it actually is. Haha. Bad me.

The Sephora Jumbo Liners are akin to many jumbo shadow pencils (Tarte has some, MAC at one point had a lovely range shadesticks, and we can't forget the ever infamous NYX Jumbo Pencils). Akin to the Tarte pencils, and differing from the MAC and NYX ones - these ones really do live up to their claims of 12-hour wear, and they're waterproof. Did I mention they're waterproof? Because they really are - I can't get them off without a dual-phase remover (think Lancome Bi-Facils or Clinique's Take the Day Off)

I have a handful of these - not only the three pictured after the jump but also a grey and a deep purple as well (I took these photos before the tragic loss of the original blog posts *tear*)

They are creamy and easy to apply, but don't fall apart when you try to sharpen them - at least - not in my experiences. You do need a larger sharpener (and I'd like to interject here with a tip that the best pencil sharpener I have is a NARS one - best $6 I've ever spent in my life!) but they don't mush into the chamber as you turn the pencil against the blade!

I still like to use mine over a primer (and I've got an upcoming blogpost about favorite primers!) but they wear anywhere between 12 and 15 hours on me without one (please note that I have a fairly normal eyelid...I don't have oily lids at all...oilier lid types may still want their primer of choice underneath as oil melts makeup)

They're super affordable at $10 a liner and come in a bunch of amazing shades ranging from a shimmery white to the blackest black I've ever seen!

Head past the jump for photos!

Khaki

Champagne

Turquoise

Product: Sephora Jumbo Liner 12-Hour Wear Waterproof

Availability: Sephora stores and Sephora.com

Price: $10.00 USD

Vintage FOTD: Dustin Hunter Inspired

2011-11-13T20:31:00.001-05:00

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO DUSTY IS...please click the following BLOG link and YOUTUBE link and follow/subscribe now. Best. Life. Decision. Ever.

Haha. (alsoyoushouldorderhiscdorbuyitonitunesbecauseitsamazing....justsaying.)

Here's Dusty's original youtube video on the look, and then my interpretation of the look can be found past the jump! :)

Vintage FOTD: Tokidoki Inspired (Mozzarella)

2011-11-13T20:11:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Time for another vintage FOTD - this one was from late spring/early summer 2011.
---------------

Tokidoki (or "sometimes" in Japanese) is a lifestyle brand created by Italian artist Simone Legno back in 2005.

The line includes apparel, footwear, accessories, jewelry, toys, and makeup among other things!

You may have noticed the cute characters or the trademark heart-and-crossbones logo of the brand (which, by the way, I think is super cute! I'll have to pull out my Smashbox Fusion Lights that Em Wyllie (youtube) gave me that has the logo on it sometime!)

I think that the characters are adorable and they're fantastic for makeup inspiration -- head past the jump to see my interpretation of the character Mozzarella. (photo for reference if you don't know who he is)

Colors used should be listed in the youtube video below :)

Fun Finds: Beauty Investigator

2011-11-06T01:18:00.000-04:00

If you guys follow Lisa Eldridge...or her blog...you've probably already seen the link to the Beauty Investigator Website. If you don't...GO THERE NOW!!!

Super interesting photos/images/history...definitely worth a look around!

http://thebeautyinvestigator.com/

First Impressions: INGLOT Cosmetics

2011-11-02T22:34:00.001-04:00

The internet has been abuzz for many many months now with a company that I'm sure you've all heard of by now - INGLOT Cosmetics. (the website in that link is Inglot's USA site!)

They've been promoted heavily by gurus on youtube as well as being present at the many variations of highly anticipated makeup shows that go on throughout the year (i.e.: IMATS, The Makeup Show...)

If I'm correct in recalling my information, it's is a Polish brand and something like 95% of their products are produced in the European Union - which I think is amazing - I'm not going to get started on debates about where makeup is made and why [insert country of origin here] is good/bad....but I just think it's awesome when a company has a direct handle in the products they manufacture.

For us in the USA it's also awesome as there is now a flagship store in Chelsea, NYC and plenty of other locations to find their amazing products (Vegas, Jersey, Costa Mesa, Chi-town, SanFran just to name a few)!

I finally broke down when I realized that my beloved MAC Chromaline is drying out (I mean, I've had it FOREVER and it's just now starting to get to the point where it's a pain to work with) and I wanted to try something new...

Head past the jump to see my purchase and my thoughts on the products I received!

Products Purchased:

3-Pan Square Palette (Freedom System) $7.00 USD

AMC Matte Gel Eyeliner #77 (Matte Black) $12.00 USD

AMC Shine #15 (orange with gold shine) $5.00 USD

Pearl #422 (brown pearl) $5.00 USD

Total+Shipping: $36.00

(total time from placing order to delivery at my house was just over a week as I placed my order late friday night)

The AMC Matte Gel Eyeliner is FREAKING AMAZING. It looks like it's going to be of a denser consistency than it actually is when you see it in it's little pot...don't let it deceive you! If you see the texture on my finger, it's quite creamy and it almost feels like it's in a slightly melted state - it's interesting - no need to jam a brush into the jar - and a little goes a LONG way.

You can see by the swatch that it's a very dense black - and in my experience since I've been using it I've discovered a few things:

It's a true black - it doesn't lean either red or blue on me...which I think makes it especially good for using with all different color combinations (and yes, I feel this is important to point out because I've tried a lot of gel liners in my day and there have been occasions where they've leaned too warm or cool to use with certain looks)
A little goes a very long way - in the photos above I only took enough to show you and I could have spread that swatch around to a much larger spot!
It is amazingly waterproof. If you don't wash it off your brush when you're done lining your eyes, you'll probably have to deep clean the brush because it doesn't all come out with just spot cleaning (or maybe it's just me...anyone have any opinions on that one?)

Will this completely replace my Chromaline or is this my HG (holy grail if you weren't aware of the abbreviation) black gel eyeliner? Only time will tell...I feel like I cannot make that decision until I've gone through a whole pot :)

(for anyone who doesn't know, my BlackBlack Chromaline from MAC totally wins against Fluidline which I now only will purchase if it's in a decent color...which sadly doesn't happen often anymore.)

AMC Shine #15 (Orange w/ Golden Shine)

Pearl #422 (brown with pearl finish)

Firstly I need to apologize for the photos...I need a new lightbulb because I think the one in my lamp is not a daylight bulb...*annoying* The swatches are a little more accurate as far as colors go...

I need to also say that online swatches are a terrible thing to rely on anyways because when I ordered Pearl #422 I thought it was more of a grayed taupe with a brown pearl...and it's more like a milk chocolatey brown with a matching pearl in real life...but I'm happy with it nonetheless!

AMC Shine #15 is so gorgeous! I'm a sucker for oranges and peaches and I still haven't quite figured out why yet (for the record, Urban Decay Freelove is one of my all time favorite colors on the face of the planet...but that's a story for another post) It's a gorgeous medium orange with a yellow gold sheen over the top...I die just looking at it.

These shadows are amazing to work with - so buttery and soft - they have a much better texture to me than a Dior eyeshadow or even a Yves St. Laurent eyeshadow - and I feel that says something considering those two are such Luxe brands! I'd say their texture falls somewhere between a MAC Veluxe and a Veluxe Pearl...considering that I got two shimmery colors, I can't speak for their mattes until I order them...and yes, I will be ordering more!

The shadows, though shimmery, are not overly shiny nor do they have any kind of glittery fallout. I always tap my brush before putting it to my eyes and I noticed no more than any kind of average fallout I receive from shadows.

I'll just say it right now, if their other products are as good as this, I'm going to have a very tight pocket when I have extra money...I've already got my sights set on getting a 10-pan palette and their re-activator for gel liners (let's see if I can't fix my chromaline, right?)

Roundup: Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T21:44:00.001-04:00

So if you do read my blog, you'll have no doubtedly noticed the teaser post for Halloween 2011. Originally I was going to blog each look each day (basically, I like to do Halloween for a week at my jobs and since they're so awesome they both let me!) but a power outage in the middle of it kind of ruined things.

THEREFORE

If you head past the jump, you'll be privy to all of the 2011 Halloween looks (and the youtube video I slapped together of them!)

Fierce Eyes (Monday) - drag inspired cut crease with glitter liner to make it stand out!

Zipper Eye v. 2011 (blogpost)

Peacock-Inspired Mask w/ Paperself Lashes

Cheetah Face recreation of Jasmine's video

Galaxy-Inspired Mask w/ MAX lashes

(Tina got them for me in Holland...I'm not sure how to get ahold of them!)

Rocky Horror Frank-N-Furter look on Halloween Day!

(no, not black swan thank you very much...long story)

Halloween 2011: Zipper Eye

2011-10-27T19:54:00.001-04:00

This is a look I've done 2 other times - the first in 2007 when MAC first released the facechart (which we do not talk about anymore...I painted the zipper on my face...and it was atrocious) and then 2010 (wherein I glued a zipper to muh face!) and then finally, NOW!

Head past the jump for more photos and a list of products I used to create this creepy look!

Products Used (foundation/eyes/lips):

Tarte Clean Slate Primer

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (Santa Fe)

Fresh Face Lustre (Seventh Veil)

MAC Harmony Blush as contour

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Dollface)

Make Up For Ever AquaEyes #8 (red - lip)

Buxom Lip Polish (Betty)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

MAC Carbon Eyeshadow

Korres Grey Eyeshadow

MAX False Lashes (from Holland)

Products Used (zipper/blood):

Zipper from Michael's - extra fabric and length cut off

Ardell Demi Wispies Lashes

MAC Flammable Paint

Sleek Sunset Palette (red and black shadows)

Mehron Spirit Gum

Mehron Fake Blood

Basically to achieve the look, you want to make sure you measure your zipper to the appropriate length and width to your eye...trace the inner space with a white liner as a guideline then fill that area with the Flammable paint (go a little outside the lines to get the color under the edge of the zipper as well.

Then I filled over the top of that with the red and black shadows to add some depth to the "wound". Once all that is done, apply the zipper using spirit gum. *A Note On Spirit Gum: I've found over the years that if you're looking to do something more heavy duty like this zipper or more advanced SFX looks, you really want to invest and get theatrical grade spirit gum from suppliers such as Mehron, Ben Nye, Graftobian, Make Up For Ever, or Kryolan...the stuff from the good old Halloween Store that pops up once a year in many towns just won't cut it in my experiences.*

Once the zipper has fully dried, add effects such as skin ripples, shadowing, and lastly, the fake blood! (and there's really no limit here to how much you can add...the more the better!)

I like to apply all that before I do foundation so that the zipper and glue can adhere to my skin. No fears, I also have spirit gum remover which makes taking it off painless! Follow the instructions included with your choice of adhesive/remover. Then I go at my foundation/eyes/lips and I'm done!

Thoughts: Tarte for True Blood (palette)

2011-10-16T21:21:00.001-04:00

I will admit. I did read Twilight when I was living in Florida (I mean, I literally had nothing better to do with my time) and despite it's angsty teenage terribleness...it threw me back into the VampHype that was going on at the time -- and is still going on...

Which leads me to True Blood. I started watching the show before I'd ever read any of the books and I adored it! I literally craved the next episode when the first one was over. True Blood was also something Florida offered me that Maine wouldn't have (we don't get HBO in our cable package here - but when I lived down there my roommate was a TV-holic and so we had super premium cable). Then I read the books...and goodbye tv show (I think I made it through all of season one and part of season two and I haven't watched it since). The books far outshine the show. But that's not what this review is about is it?

Head past the jump for thoughts, photos, and my ever helpful rambles about the TARTE FOR TRUE BLOOD palette!

I can never say enough for the value of a Tarte palette. Really guys, the brand has done such a fantastic job at taking something everyone loves (multiple shadows in one convenient package) and smashing it together with something ELSE everyone loves (saving money).

If you do some research on the brand's site, you'll notice a few things. One is that they are vegan friendly, cruelty free, and a natural brand. The other is that while they mostly focus on palettes when it comes to shadows, they do sell some single shadows - and they ring in at around $17 a piece. Just file that away in your head for a moment :)

I give you - the Tarte For True Blood palette. A makeup arsenal full of goodies to transform even the minimalist makeup wearing waitress into a sultry vamp for the evening. Ok, I know, lame. Moving on.

The palette comes housed in a box that is fashioned up as a corset (awesome!) and it has a pull out drawer just underneath (Open After Dark) that houses a deluxe sized Lifted Eye Primer with Firmitol (which helps firm eyelids when used over time), a deluxe sized Lights, Camera, Lashes in black, and a full size EmphasEyes Aqua Gel Eyeliner in black. (mine are not pictured because the mascara and liner are long gone and the primer is somewhere in a drawer...haha).

I won't hesitate to say that I'm not a huge fan of the drawer to begin with because I feel that it makes the package quite bulky...and whereas I'm storing multiple makeup palettes, the slimmer the better. In my opinion of course.

But now I'm just rambling and everyone just wants to see the shadows anyways, right? (the pictures are clickable and get quite large and I keep them that way because I like larger photos on blogs personally...) Color descriptions follow the photo and are based on my own personal experiences with them, not what the brand or any other review has previously noted.

The Light is a soft shimmering vanilla peach. It looks quite peachy in the pan, but on the skin it comes of whiter.

Fairy is a close cousin to The Light. It's a soft shimmery pink with a slight opalescent overtone.

Dusk is a matte pale fawn color. To my eye it has a slightly grey undertone and for a matte shadow has excellent color payoff and blendability.

Dawn is a shimmering soft yellow gold.

Werewolf is a matte chocolatey brown that leans cooler toned

Waitress is a glitter infused frosted peachy champagne. To me, it's got a slightly grittier consistency and in my experiences with it, if you pat the color onto a stickier base, the fallout is greatly minimized.

Nocturnal is a shade I was totally pumped for, and yet...I was unimpressed with application. In the pan it looks like a deep navy with blue micro shimmer and on my skin it's a matte black with barely noticeable blue micro shimmer.

Charmer is a frosted copper shade with a more golden tone than most coppers I've used.

Telepath is a pretty mauve with silver glitter. The texture and payoff is similar to that of Waitress.

The True Death is a straight up metallic silver. This color is awesome in the fact that it looks foiled when you use it dry!

Immortal has the exact problem that Nocturnal has. Only difference? This one is black with silvery golden micro shimmer.

Moss is a shimmering forest green and I feel as though there is an underlying golden/chartreuse micro shimmer in there...it's one of the standout colors of the palette and very unexpected

Legend is a matte grey toned black. Think Clinique's New Black Quickliner in eyeshadow form.

"V" like Moss is another standout color from the palette (what? i really like color ok? haha). It's a shimmering burgundy (the micro shimmer in this one is fuchsia! soooo pretty!) and like every other shadow in the palette, has fantastic color payoff.

I think overall, Tarte has delivered once again with their palette. Not only is there an impressive range of shades and textures as well as finishes, the palette far outshines all others in it's value.

The palette contains 17 [full size!] eyeshadows, 2 deluxe size products, and a full size eyeliner and retails for $52. Recalling earlier that Tarte shadows on their own are $17, you can see why I tout the brand for their value.

Product: Tarte for True Blood Palette

Availability: Limited Edition from Sephora.com and tartecosmetics.com

Price: $52.00 USD

*The product mentioned in this blogpost was received from my job. This has no bearing on what I write about any brand/product, nor am I being compensated for anything I write on my blog. Integrity is far more important to me than money and I will always give an honest opinion about everything I write about.*

Vintage FOTD: Peach Pop (Summer 2011)

2011-10-13T21:38:00.000-04:00

*I feel it necessary to begin this post with a disclaimer of sorts...because of all the past blog posts that were deleted not to long ago (of which I am still seething about mind you...) I may not remember the exact products that I used. Some of these photos are almost a year old! However, I do promise to give you as much information as I can remember...so if you don't see something listed in the VINTAGE FOTD posts, please know it's not that I'm not listing it, I just may not remember...*

Head past the jump for the FOTDs and a list of products!

Brows:

MAC Eyeshadow "Dark Edge"

Face:

pimer

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation "Light/Medium"

MAC Blusher "Harmony" (contour)

blush (if i had to guess, probably Benefit's "Bella Bamba")

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Korres Eyeshadow "66 Pink"

MUFE Eyeshadow "5 Peach"

Urban Decay Eyeshadow "Buck"

Sassy Minerals "Sensible Shoes"

Lips:

MAC Lipstick "Crosswires"

MAC Lipgelee "Valentine's"

NAILS: "Stop Stocking Me" - Sephora By OPI Holiday 2011

2011-10-11T15:28:00.000-04:00

I came to be in possession of a bottle of polish from the FABULOUS upcoming Holiday collection from Sephora By OPI (aka, I spent my last $ on it! No guys, really...I paid in quarters...haha)!

Stop Stocking Me is a gorgeous metallic golden plum color, perfect for the upcoming holiday season as it's neither too vampy nor too pastel (think Sin-Cerely Violet from this past fall collection from the brand...it was so out of place amongst all the deep vampy colors). On my nails it hovers somewhere between a more grayed-blue-toned plum and a more royal-blue purple...and being that I'm a HUGE purple lover, I fell in love with it just from seeing it in the bottle!

Head past the jump for photos and more details!

no flash

(this one is most realistic to true color)

flash

Sephora by OPI polishes are touted to be long lasting and chip resistant as well as being free of DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde. On days when I don't work both jobs and am not massacring my nails (both are retail centered), this former claim is most definitely true. I can get a week with a manicure (again, if I'm not at work haha).

As far as the formulation goes for these polishes, they seem to be a tad (and we're talking the slightest of variances here) more liquid than the original OPI formula. The brush is also the standard polish size that you see on many different brands rather than the OPI wide "professional" size brush - which for my nails works best.

The polish was opaque in 2 coats and being that it is a metallic shade there is a hint of brush strokes...but I can see past that because the color is just so gorgeous. Dry time is going to depend on how thick you paint on your coats...for a thin coat maybe a couple minutes? I like to give each coat 4 minutes at the very least so that I know I won't smudge anything.

You can probably see more of a slight golden shimmer on my ring finger...and there's good reason for that - I've put my favorite glitter topcoat over the top of that nail...Wild About Shimmer from Sephora by OPI which will ultimately have it's own love-fest post (seriously you guys, it works over almost EVERY color AND on it's own...and it's not a P.I.T.A. to remove!)

If you're a purple lover, definitely check out this color - it's quite unique to my personal collection (everything else is either too pastel or much deeper and more red based)

Product: Sephora By OPI: Stop Stocking Me

Availablility: Sephora.com and Sephora Stores

Price: $9.50 plus any applicable tax

*The product mentioned in this blogpost was purchased by me. This has no bearing on what I write about any brand/product, nor am I being compensated for anything I write on my blog. Integrity is far more important to me than money and I will always give an honest opinion about everything I write about.*

Whoops!

2011-10-08T21:34:00.003-04:00

I honestly have no idea how it happened...but somehow I managed to accidentally delete ALL my photos from my blogger/wherever it was they were stored...so therefore that meant every post was moot.

Over the next couple months I hope to re-blog some of the bigger blogs like the reviews...and hopefully the blog will be as informative as I hope it can be!