OPI by Sephora Spark-Tacular looks great over my dark green Franken, too! This one's getting compliments from the adults at work.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
nails of the moment - it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
OPI by Sephora Spark-Tacular looks great over my dark green Franken, too! This one's getting compliments from the adults at work.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Nails of the Moment - 2nd grade seal of approval!
I think this looks like birthday cake. Funfetti, even.
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Lavender Cloud
OPI by Sephora Spark-Tacular topcoat
Essie Good to Go topcoat.
It's been 48 hours and so far still holding up well. Also, the girls at school were FASCINATED by it yesterday. If only my subject was so fascinating...
Thursday, December 1, 2011
November 2011 Used It!
I used up 14 things in November, 11 of them full size. Let me talk about a couple winners:
1. Silk Naturals Apricot Cleansing Oil. If you love the concept of the oil cleansing method but hate the idea of having to painstakingly steam oil and crud off your face, you probably should try this. Unlike most cleansing oils, this one has a rinsing aid added to it that allows it to rinse off with water.
This stuff is GREAT for getting off makeup, even eye makeup, without stripping your skin. I usually use it before using another cleanser, just because I like to make sure all the gunk from the day is off. The only reason I'm not buying a replacement is because I bought some of the emulsifier they use and am now making my own cleansing oils.
2. Desert Essence Daily Essential Moisturizer. I liked this a lot, for summer. I found that it moisturized my face and got rid of the post-cleansing "tight" feeling and did not break me out, make me an oil slick, or smell weird. Winner! I also like that it has actual moisturizing ingredients. I did not like the packaging - a jar, and also did not love how it seemed to almost leave me feeling still too dry after it started getting cold out. But I would recommend this to anyone looking for a basic, inexpensive night cream. It also makes a fantastic base for evening makeup, but don't use it during the day because there's no SPF.
Here's the complete list:
Garnier Nutrisse 3-way daily cleanser*
CVS brand non-acetone nail polish remover*
Crazy Rumors Mocha lip balm*
Silk Naturals Apricot Cleansing Oil*
Aromaleigh Glissade foundation 2W2L*
Neutrogena Sheer Liquid sunblock - spf 55*
Yes to Tomatoes Daily Clarifying facial cleanser*
Oily face serum sample
Fresh black tea age-delay face serum samples
Korres white tea cleanser sample
Korres yogurt aftersun lotion*
Garden of Wisdom Magic Lockes leave-in*
Ecotools Heel Cream*
Desert Essence Daily Essential Moisturizer*
1. Silk Naturals Apricot Cleansing Oil. If you love the concept of the oil cleansing method but hate the idea of having to painstakingly steam oil and crud off your face, you probably should try this. Unlike most cleansing oils, this one has a rinsing aid added to it that allows it to rinse off with water.
This stuff is GREAT for getting off makeup, even eye makeup, without stripping your skin. I usually use it before using another cleanser, just because I like to make sure all the gunk from the day is off. The only reason I'm not buying a replacement is because I bought some of the emulsifier they use and am now making my own cleansing oils.
2. Desert Essence Daily Essential Moisturizer. I liked this a lot, for summer. I found that it moisturized my face and got rid of the post-cleansing "tight" feeling and did not break me out, make me an oil slick, or smell weird. Winner! I also like that it has actual moisturizing ingredients. I did not like the packaging - a jar, and also did not love how it seemed to almost leave me feeling still too dry after it started getting cold out. But I would recommend this to anyone looking for a basic, inexpensive night cream. It also makes a fantastic base for evening makeup, but don't use it during the day because there's no SPF.
Here's the complete list:
Garnier Nutrisse 3-way daily cleanser*
CVS brand non-acetone nail polish remover*
Crazy Rumors Mocha lip balm*
Silk Naturals Apricot Cleansing Oil*
Aromaleigh Glissade foundation 2W2L*
Neutrogena Sheer Liquid sunblock - spf 55*
Yes to Tomatoes Daily Clarifying facial cleanser*
Oily face serum sample
Fresh black tea age-delay face serum samples
Korres white tea cleanser sample
Korres yogurt aftersun lotion*
Garden of Wisdom Magic Lockes leave-in*
Ecotools Heel Cream*
Desert Essence Daily Essential Moisturizer*
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wet'N'Wild swatches for your viewing pleasure
Nothing you haven't already seen, probably, but I wanted to play with my cheapie shadow collection. If you're trying to decide whether to buy these, I'd probably only wholeheartedly recommend the 8-pan palettes. Also, I tried something a little different with some of the swatches - faking the "look" the company recommends for their shadows.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Evil Shades Haul and Swatch Pics! Finally!
Something is wrong with my computer. Maybe age or a lack of RAM. And also I blew out my Internet and spent an inordinate amount of time monkeying with wires and resetting things before finally unplugging everything and letting it take a nap before I tried again. So here, finally, are the pictures! You may want to click on them for full effect - they're a little small on this page.
My haul. Mmm. Hauley goodness.
The lip swatches. I wrote the shade name on my hand before taking the picture. I think I NEED a full size of More Synth (the glitter one on the top).
The blush swatches. From left to right: Skon, Ravishing, Ceylon, Gossamer. I bought the middle two in full size, and I'm glad I did. I'm such a blush addict!
Eyeshadow swatches part 1. I think it's awesome that they have a shade named Wyvern. Wyvern is one of my favorite SyFy Original Movies.
Before I did these, I put a big stripe of the Vitrum spectrum pot I ordered on the left and a big strip of the Opal eye primer sample I also got on the right. So that's what these babies are swatched over.
The purples. Same deal on the primers as the first batch.
What do you think? Review to come.
My haul. Mmm. Hauley goodness.
The lip swatches. I wrote the shade name on my hand before taking the picture. I think I NEED a full size of More Synth (the glitter one on the top).
The blush swatches. From left to right: Skon, Ravishing, Ceylon, Gossamer. I bought the middle two in full size, and I'm glad I did. I'm such a blush addict!
Eyeshadow swatches part 1. I think it's awesome that they have a shade named Wyvern. Wyvern is one of my favorite SyFy Original Movies.
Before I did these, I put a big stripe of the Vitrum spectrum pot I ordered on the left and a big strip of the Opal eye primer sample I also got on the right. So that's what these babies are swatched over.
The purples. Same deal on the primers as the first batch.
What do you think? Review to come.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Flu
So, I finally have pictures of the Evil Shades stuff. It's all gorgeous!!!
I also have the flu, so it might take me a bit to go camera-cord scrounging.
Jello is a nice change of pace from saltines.
Don't get this!
I also have the flu, so it might take me a bit to go camera-cord scrounging.
Jello is a nice change of pace from saltines.
Don't get this!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Still here!
Has it been over a week since I posted already? Never fear, I'm working on a swatchfest with my new Evil Shades goodies. Also, I now own the (in)famous Naked palette¡ I'm going to have to tell you what I think about that.
How're you all doing? Hope you're well. I'm doing ok - just tired. Work seems to take a lot out of me.
How're you all doing? Hope you're well. I'm doing ok - just tired. Work seems to take a lot out of me.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
October 2011 Used It!
In October, I used up 18 things, nine of them full size. I would buy the alba facial cleanser, aloe gel, and tresemme conditioner again. Even though I would not buy them again, I can still heartily recommend Darling Girl's products.
1. Josie Maran Protect sunblock - spf 40 with argan oil. - Good, expensive enough I don't think I'll repeat, though.
2. Frankenlotion. The frankenlotion kind of sucked. So let's talk about the Alba Mineral Facial Sunblock spf 20 that went into it, and how goopy it was, or how good it would be if you were dressing up as Casper for Halloween. Or let's not.
3. Sahara eyeshadow from the Sephora Pure Wanderlust palette. Good basic shimmery beige. Can't repurchase.
4. Korres Guava Lip Butter. Eh. I did not like the pot. The product itself was ok.
5. Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake 3-in-1 (birthday freebie from Sephora). Decent shampoo, ok body wash. Nothing that special, though.
6. Liza's Lotions Blotch-Be-Gone with Salicylic Acid. A little sad that she's closed for the time being now. Get well, Liza!
7. Alba Botanica Sea Minerals Cleansing Gel. I might buy this again. But only if the cheapie I'm waiting to use doesn't work well.
8. VO5 blackberry sage conditioner. I need to stop buying this. It doesn't smell or condition that well.
9. CVS brand clear aloe gel. I will probably buy this again, if only because it's a pretty good hair gel/makeup remover/sunburn remedy, and it's dirt cheap.
I also went through some samples.
- Garden of Wisdom sulfur clearing mask (.25 oz size). Not bad.
- Biore nose strip. I liked it enough to swap for some more. Gunk be gone!
- Darling Girl Cosmetics Belle shadow sample. This was really pretty - don't need another pale shadow, though!
- Darling Girl Cosmetics Chimera shadow sample. Also really pretty, great texture.
- John Freida full repair shampoo and conditioner samples. Eh. I don't think it repaired anything. It did clean and help detangle my hair, though. But not so much that the sample worked.
- Too Faced absolutely flawless concealer sample decant - vanilla. I did not like the concealer because it creased. It does make me curious about the foundation.
- Tresemme "Naturals" aloe vera and avocado shampoo and conditioner samples. Did not like the shampoo. The conditioner is something I might pick up sometime.
- Silk Naturals Juiced sample shadow baggie. I don't think this is the best color for me, and I would have liked the sparkles to stay a bit longer.
- L'Oreal Youth Code day/night cream sample. This was fine. I'm pretty sure a pile of dimethicone is not going to do gene therapy on my face, though.
1. Josie Maran Protect sunblock - spf 40 with argan oil. - Good, expensive enough I don't think I'll repeat, though.
2. Frankenlotion. The frankenlotion kind of sucked. So let's talk about the Alba Mineral Facial Sunblock spf 20 that went into it, and how goopy it was, or how good it would be if you were dressing up as Casper for Halloween. Or let's not.
3. Sahara eyeshadow from the Sephora Pure Wanderlust palette. Good basic shimmery beige. Can't repurchase.
4. Korres Guava Lip Butter. Eh. I did not like the pot. The product itself was ok.
5. Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake 3-in-1 (birthday freebie from Sephora). Decent shampoo, ok body wash. Nothing that special, though.
6. Liza's Lotions Blotch-Be-Gone with Salicylic Acid. A little sad that she's closed for the time being now. Get well, Liza!
7. Alba Botanica Sea Minerals Cleansing Gel. I might buy this again. But only if the cheapie I'm waiting to use doesn't work well.
8. VO5 blackberry sage conditioner. I need to stop buying this. It doesn't smell or condition that well.
9. CVS brand clear aloe gel. I will probably buy this again, if only because it's a pretty good hair gel/makeup remover/sunburn remedy, and it's dirt cheap.
I also went through some samples.
- Garden of Wisdom sulfur clearing mask (.25 oz size). Not bad.
- Biore nose strip. I liked it enough to swap for some more. Gunk be gone!
- Darling Girl Cosmetics Belle shadow sample. This was really pretty - don't need another pale shadow, though!
- Darling Girl Cosmetics Chimera shadow sample. Also really pretty, great texture.
- John Freida full repair shampoo and conditioner samples. Eh. I don't think it repaired anything. It did clean and help detangle my hair, though. But not so much that the sample worked.
- Too Faced absolutely flawless concealer sample decant - vanilla. I did not like the concealer because it creased. It does make me curious about the foundation.
- Tresemme "Naturals" aloe vera and avocado shampoo and conditioner samples. Did not like the shampoo. The conditioner is something I might pick up sometime.
- Silk Naturals Juiced sample shadow baggie. I don't think this is the best color for me, and I would have liked the sparkles to stay a bit longer.
- L'Oreal Youth Code day/night cream sample. This was fine. I'm pretty sure a pile of dimethicone is not going to do gene therapy on my face, though.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween! Nails of the moment
Happy Halloween! I did a couple nail looks this past week that are a bit Halloween-y. Aside from that, I'm not doing much for the day because my door's not easily accessible to trick-or-treaters, and my boss thinks marking the day during school hours is not conducive to learning. Both looks involve black crackle.
Milani Smoothee
Sinful Colors Charcoal
Sally Hansen Shattered Ink
Milani Glossee
Orly Bonder
OPI Tangerine Dream
Sally Hansen Shattered Ink
Orly Glosser
Milani Smoothee
Sinful Colors Charcoal
Sally Hansen Shattered Ink
Milani Glossee
Orly Bonder
OPI Tangerine Dream
Sally Hansen Shattered Ink
Orly Glosser
Saturday, October 29, 2011
NY Times science section on makeup!
A bit ago, the NY Times published an article about a study involving makeup. Specifically, how people at work perceive a woman differently depending on her level of made-up-ness.
Both "natural" (you are not obviously wearing makeup but look better than you usually do) and "professional" (enough to look polished, makeup is obvious, somewhat more defined eye and lip makeup) looks increased others' perceptions of a woman's competence, likability, and trustworthiness. Turns out also that people generally don't trust you if you're wearing a lot of obvious makeup.
On the one hand, people should just let women do what they want with their faces. I don't like how makeup is something else society can make up rules on, and then call rule-breakers freaks. I'm glad makeup isn't expected of all of us all the time (I've gone out for work and play barefaced).
On the other hand, I can understand why someone might want to keep the makeup subtle at work. I work at an elementary school, and kids notice everything. So at work, I tend to keep things neutral. I'll break my colors out over the weekend.
What do you think? Is your work look significantly different from your leisure look? Why or why not?
Both "natural" (you are not obviously wearing makeup but look better than you usually do) and "professional" (enough to look polished, makeup is obvious, somewhat more defined eye and lip makeup) looks increased others' perceptions of a woman's competence, likability, and trustworthiness. Turns out also that people generally don't trust you if you're wearing a lot of obvious makeup.
On the one hand, people should just let women do what they want with their faces. I don't like how makeup is something else society can make up rules on, and then call rule-breakers freaks. I'm glad makeup isn't expected of all of us all the time (I've gone out for work and play barefaced).
On the other hand, I can understand why someone might want to keep the makeup subtle at work. I work at an elementary school, and kids notice everything. So at work, I tend to keep things neutral. I'll break my colors out over the weekend.
What do you think? Is your work look significantly different from your leisure look? Why or why not?
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Look of the Day - classic retro
I wanted to do a more retro look.
I used the left-hand side of the WnW Comfort Zone palette and some layered mascara for the eyes - Cover Girl Lash Blast length works well as a base for me - and their eye enhancers for green eyes works nicely over that.
Lips are Raspberry Port lip crayon from Ecco Bella and a lip glaze from HiFi cosmetics that I don't know what it is because the label fell off the tube.
Instead of blush, I used some ELF studio golden bronzer around the edges of my face. Still pale!
Also, I do not apologize for anything about how I look here. (Bloggers really need to quit pointing out their imperfections. Like now.)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Nails of the Moment - Toronto sure is shiny!
This started out in kind of a weird way. I wanted to use up the rest of the glitter I'd sprinkled out from last time, so I put some Sinful Colors dark gray down as a base on my ring fingers and used up the glitter on that. Then, I did the rest of my nails with OPI Paint Your Toron-toes Rose, and decided that I didn't like the way the holo nails didn't blend in. So I did a strip of red down each ring finger. Looked bad. Milani Gems to the rescue!
Also, I'm still around - just been extra busy with work lately.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Nails of the Moment - Holo!
The webcam pic doesn't do this justice.
Orly Bonder
Sinful Colors Nirvana
Wet N Wild Fantasy Makers confetti glitter
Orly Glosser (2 coats)
I gave it a base of the Nirvana, then used a brush dampened with alcohol to apply the glitter. Then, I sealed the glitter in with two coats of clear polish. I love it. So did today's group of second-graders.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
September 11 used it!
September '11 Used It!
In September, I used up six full-size products and five sample sizes.
- SN Devoted cream blush*
Not bad - though the formula's recently been reworked to exclude the cyclopentasiloxane Karen used to use. I found it easiest to use with a duo-fiber brush: then it was fine over powder foundation.
- Garnier Nutrisse Moisture Rescue Gel Cream*
I used up some of this in my frankenlotion, and used the rest of it on my face as a moisturizer. It's ok, but I don't think I'd buy it again. I've tried other water-based serums that I liked much better.
- Sally Hansen (Carmindy line) luminizing face primer*
Don't waste your time. Even if you really want to look like a vampire from Twilight, there are cheaper ways to do that. It didn't even really help my makeup stay on. Instead of "Luminizing," it should say "contains chunks of glitter."
- Silk Naturals Oatmeal Serum*
I liked this better than the Green Tea and Aloe, but if I use their Awesome Sauce, there's not really a need to keep it around.
- Nuance Salma Hayek Volumizing Conditioner*
Worked fine, smelled a little "ripe" for my tastes.
- Garnier Fructis Intense Cleanse anti-dandruff shampoo*
Just slightly too harsh for me. I did enjoy the little scrubby beads in it, though.
- Aromaleigh seafoam pure matte eyeshadow sample
Nice pale blue.
- TanTowel (one)
First time I'd ever tried a self-tanner. My legs glowed for a couple days, but I was glad when it wore off because I didn't apply it super evenly, and it was nice to be the same color all over again. I think I'm fine with being super white and don't want to spend the time to look darker.
- Urban Decay makeup remover sample decant (new kind)
Does not smell as good as the old kind.
- Sample baggie Meow Pink Inc. Blush - Cashmere
I want a full size of this pretty badly - it's beautiful. Subtle, but leaves me glowy. Hard to overdo.
- Boots Naturals makeup remover sample decant
Fine. Nothing special.
In September, I used up six full-size products and five sample sizes.
- SN Devoted cream blush*
Not bad - though the formula's recently been reworked to exclude the cyclopentasiloxane Karen used to use. I found it easiest to use with a duo-fiber brush: then it was fine over powder foundation.
- Garnier Nutrisse Moisture Rescue Gel Cream*
I used up some of this in my frankenlotion, and used the rest of it on my face as a moisturizer. It's ok, but I don't think I'd buy it again. I've tried other water-based serums that I liked much better.
- Sally Hansen (Carmindy line) luminizing face primer*
Don't waste your time. Even if you really want to look like a vampire from Twilight, there are cheaper ways to do that. It didn't even really help my makeup stay on. Instead of "Luminizing," it should say "contains chunks of glitter."
- Silk Naturals Oatmeal Serum*
I liked this better than the Green Tea and Aloe, but if I use their Awesome Sauce, there's not really a need to keep it around.
- Nuance Salma Hayek Volumizing Conditioner*
Worked fine, smelled a little "ripe" for my tastes.
- Garnier Fructis Intense Cleanse anti-dandruff shampoo*
Just slightly too harsh for me. I did enjoy the little scrubby beads in it, though.
- Aromaleigh seafoam pure matte eyeshadow sample
Nice pale blue.
- TanTowel (one)
First time I'd ever tried a self-tanner. My legs glowed for a couple days, but I was glad when it wore off because I didn't apply it super evenly, and it was nice to be the same color all over again. I think I'm fine with being super white and don't want to spend the time to look darker.
- Urban Decay makeup remover sample decant (new kind)
Does not smell as good as the old kind.
- Sample baggie Meow Pink Inc. Blush - Cashmere
I want a full size of this pretty badly - it's beautiful. Subtle, but leaves me glowy. Hard to overdo.
- Boots Naturals makeup remover sample decant
Fine. Nothing special.
Friday, September 30, 2011
No buy is not for me, maybe.
I think "occasional buy" might work out better.
On Monday, I succumbed to the temptation of CVS's Nuance extrabucks offer. It would have been day 34.
I really wanted a full size of Nuance body firming creme because its chocolate scent is absolutely addicting and I loved it when I tried the sample packets they had available. That's 14.99. So I threw in a cream cleanser for my face (7.99) and went to the register. After a $2 off coupon, the damage was 22.45. But then I got $10 extra bucks!
Which I then spent on soup and granola bars that were on sale and that I was going to buy anyway. So both the lotion and the face wash together really only ran me 12.45. Not too bad, right?
But then I got weak again today. I was going to buy a small planner because I have a second job with occasional irregular hours I need to keep track of, and I also wanted the Fantasy Makers holo glitter. And the coupon machine had given me $5 in extra bucks. During my wander, I saw that Physicians Formula was spend 10 get 7 extra bucks. And the Happy Booster powder still had the $3 off coupon.
So, I went up with the powder, my extra bucks, and my coupon, and shelled out 6.62 for a 13.99+tax product.
Then, they gave me a total of 8 extra bucks (green bag tag!). I spent that on the calendar and glitter I was going to buy anyway, plus a couple snacks. That transaction cost me 62 cents.
For 29.69 total out of pocket, I got:
1. body lotion
2. face wash
3. powder
4. glitter
5. small planner
6. 12 granola bars
7. 4 cans of soup
8. 2 candy bars
Not bad?
On Monday, I succumbed to the temptation of CVS's Nuance extrabucks offer. It would have been day 34.
I really wanted a full size of Nuance body firming creme because its chocolate scent is absolutely addicting and I loved it when I tried the sample packets they had available. That's 14.99. So I threw in a cream cleanser for my face (7.99) and went to the register. After a $2 off coupon, the damage was 22.45. But then I got $10 extra bucks!
Which I then spent on soup and granola bars that were on sale and that I was going to buy anyway. So both the lotion and the face wash together really only ran me 12.45. Not too bad, right?
But then I got weak again today. I was going to buy a small planner because I have a second job with occasional irregular hours I need to keep track of, and I also wanted the Fantasy Makers holo glitter. And the coupon machine had given me $5 in extra bucks. During my wander, I saw that Physicians Formula was spend 10 get 7 extra bucks. And the Happy Booster powder still had the $3 off coupon.
So, I went up with the powder, my extra bucks, and my coupon, and shelled out 6.62 for a 13.99+tax product.
Then, they gave me a total of 8 extra bucks (green bag tag!). I spent that on the calendar and glitter I was going to buy anyway, plus a couple snacks. That transaction cost me 62 cents.
For 29.69 total out of pocket, I got:
1. body lotion
2. face wash
3. powder
4. glitter
5. small planner
6. 12 granola bars
7. 4 cans of soup
8. 2 candy bars
Not bad?
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Need opinions
In this pic, I'm wearing Morgana Cryptoria Peach Daiquiri lipstick. It's pretty light. Does it really work with my skintone? What kind of other makeup would go best with it?
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Frankenshadows!
I had a bunch of stuff sitting around that wasn't getting used. So, I played mixy-melty!
The project below is a mixture of TKB Rainbow Pops micas that I pressed into an empty eyeshadow compact with some zinc stearate and fractionated coconut oil. I purposely didn't blend super thoroughly so that it would look pretty in the pan. When worn, it's a steely (but not too cool) greenish blue color that makes a very nice crease.
This next project was even more fun.
On the right, I combined a bunch of things: ELF studio Ivory cream liner; Physicians Formula blue eyes trio brown cream liner; and Physicians Formula glam brown eyes trio gold cream liner. Result: taupe cream liner/shadow! This taupe leans cool and can be worn very sheer or more packed on.
On the left, I combined the leftovers from the first batch with Physicians Formula glam brown eyes bronze cream liner; UDPP Greed (half of a deluxe sample); and a squirt of Monistat Anti-Chafing powder gel. Result: golden taupe cream shadow/base. This actually works extremely well - I can put it on my eyelids and somewhat up into the crease, then use a lighter colored shadow from lashline to browbone, and it looks like I used more than one color but doesn't take any more effort than primer+color. It goes on thicker.
Top left: the more golden taupe. Pressed Frankenshadow in the corner.
Bottom left: Frankenshadow applied damp.
Top right: the cooler taupe with a liner brush.
Middle right: the cooler taupe.
Bottom right: Frankenshadow on bare skin.
The project below is a mixture of TKB Rainbow Pops micas that I pressed into an empty eyeshadow compact with some zinc stearate and fractionated coconut oil. I purposely didn't blend super thoroughly so that it would look pretty in the pan. When worn, it's a steely (but not too cool) greenish blue color that makes a very nice crease.
This next project was even more fun.
On the right, I combined a bunch of things: ELF studio Ivory cream liner; Physicians Formula blue eyes trio brown cream liner; and Physicians Formula glam brown eyes trio gold cream liner. Result: taupe cream liner/shadow! This taupe leans cool and can be worn very sheer or more packed on.
On the left, I combined the leftovers from the first batch with Physicians Formula glam brown eyes bronze cream liner; UDPP Greed (half of a deluxe sample); and a squirt of Monistat Anti-Chafing powder gel. Result: golden taupe cream shadow/base. This actually works extremely well - I can put it on my eyelids and somewhat up into the crease, then use a lighter colored shadow from lashline to browbone, and it looks like I used more than one color but doesn't take any more effort than primer+color. It goes on thicker.
Top left: the more golden taupe. Pressed Frankenshadow in the corner.
Bottom left: Frankenshadow applied damp.
Top right: the cooler taupe with a liner brush.
Middle right: the cooler taupe.
Bottom right: Frankenshadow on bare skin.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Detox update
Day 25 of 53 on my newest detox.
I have not bought any new makeup, skincare, haircare, or nail polish for 25 days. Only deodorant, toothpaste, and contact solution.
I'm doing ok with it. I really do have so much stuff it's not even funny. I have a job now, which is nice, but it means I need to be paying down loans for the most part. Instead of buying makeup and other ultimately consumable things, I'm trying to spend my little spending money on things I'll enjoy longer - shoes, some hair forks, and (hopefully) a new-to-me desk to do my makeup at. It'll be better to move my makeup from the bathroom anyway.
Project Use It is transitioning into monthly posts - so expect that at the end of September.
I've also been making franken-everything, and there are pics on my computer that I need to edit and upload.
I have not bought any new makeup, skincare, haircare, or nail polish for 25 days. Only deodorant, toothpaste, and contact solution.
I'm doing ok with it. I really do have so much stuff it's not even funny. I have a job now, which is nice, but it means I need to be paying down loans for the most part. Instead of buying makeup and other ultimately consumable things, I'm trying to spend my little spending money on things I'll enjoy longer - shoes, some hair forks, and (hopefully) a new-to-me desk to do my makeup at. It'll be better to move my makeup from the bathroom anyway.
Project Use It is transitioning into monthly posts - so expect that at the end of September.
I've also been making franken-everything, and there are pics on my computer that I need to edit and upload.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Morgana Cryptoria Lipsticks!
Before I went on my no-buy, I ordered three lipsticks from Morgana Cryptoria because they were on sale, and I couldn't resist. Or chose not to. Or whatever. I was feeling celebratory over my new job starting. This is my fourth order from them, and it won't be my last. The new ones in this order are starred in the bottom pic.
The first time I ordered, I got a full size of Azalea Blue and samples of Coraline's Kiss and Watermelon. Turned out that Azalea Blue just did not work for me - the texture was much drier than I expected, and it was too cool-toned for my skin. So I swapped it. I emailed Melissa, the owner, about the texture because I thought something was wrong with it. She told me that different colors have different textures due to the colorants varying from shade to shade, and offered me a store credit to keep my happy. Since I fell in love with the other samples, on my second try, I ordered those in full size. Love. Neither color is available anymore - but there's a similar color to Coraline's Kiss in the new lip balm formula, which I haven't tried. It's called Coraline's Doppelganger.
My third order was for Peach Daiquiri, Very Strawberry, and Roses and Violets. I have a bit of a struggle making Peach Daiquiri work for me as it's really, really pale, and my lips are fairly pigmented on their own. It's good for lightening other colors or using over a dark lip crayon. But, the other two are great. Anyone could wear Roses and Violets in even a very conservative office. Along with that order, I also got samples of Tangerine Twist, Gilded Lime, and Fire in the Sky. I instantly wished I'd gotten a full size of the TT, and had a bit of fun trying out green and blue around the apartment - then working them into frankens I'd wear outside the house.
Then, I won Just Peachy from Jill, at The Peach. Just Peachy is darker enough from Peach Daiquiri that I can wear it for a "nude" look.
A few weeks ago, I ordered the last three members of my Morgana collection: Violet Banana, Tangerine Twist, and Speakeasy (from the 1920s collection). Speakeasy was cooler and darker than I expected, but it ended up working really well. I'll be using a sheer wash of this as a stain. I'm thrilled to own Tangerine Twist, and even more thrilled to have gotten it on sale.
Violet Banana; however, is my surprise favorite. I knew ordering yellow was a big risk, but it seemed to come off more gold in other bloggers' swatches. So, I took the plunge, and I'm glad I did. On me, it's a multi-dimensional golden nude effect. Since my lips are so pink to begin with, the pink and the yellow make an orangey gold. It's also sheer enough that it can be worn really subtly. Nude lipsticks usually look somewhere between odd and awful on me, but this could cancel out some of my natural lipcolor without erasing them entirely. I have small lips, and a big face. I don't like it when my lips disappear.
Since anything with beeswax in it will cause blisters within minutes, it's really nice to have an option of fun colors of excellent quality that are vegan and safe. They really are worth the wait. I'm still waiting for an opportunity to order Plumeria, Dianthus, Gilded Cerise, Very Cherry (which has returned! Dang no buy!), and all of the sheer lip balms (they would be great for work!). I'm also sitting on my hands waiting for the gel lipsticks, which seem really interesting. Melissa has also just put out a bunch of lipglosses, and I think I want to try one - only thing putting me off it is that I detest wand style lip stuff.
She's back open tonight or tomorrow, so check her out.
The first time I ordered, I got a full size of Azalea Blue and samples of Coraline's Kiss and Watermelon. Turned out that Azalea Blue just did not work for me - the texture was much drier than I expected, and it was too cool-toned for my skin. So I swapped it. I emailed Melissa, the owner, about the texture because I thought something was wrong with it. She told me that different colors have different textures due to the colorants varying from shade to shade, and offered me a store credit to keep my happy. Since I fell in love with the other samples, on my second try, I ordered those in full size. Love. Neither color is available anymore - but there's a similar color to Coraline's Kiss in the new lip balm formula, which I haven't tried. It's called Coraline's Doppelganger.
My third order was for Peach Daiquiri, Very Strawberry, and Roses and Violets. I have a bit of a struggle making Peach Daiquiri work for me as it's really, really pale, and my lips are fairly pigmented on their own. It's good for lightening other colors or using over a dark lip crayon. But, the other two are great. Anyone could wear Roses and Violets in even a very conservative office. Along with that order, I also got samples of Tangerine Twist, Gilded Lime, and Fire in the Sky. I instantly wished I'd gotten a full size of the TT, and had a bit of fun trying out green and blue around the apartment - then working them into frankens I'd wear outside the house.
Then, I won Just Peachy from Jill, at The Peach. Just Peachy is darker enough from Peach Daiquiri that I can wear it for a "nude" look.
A few weeks ago, I ordered the last three members of my Morgana collection: Violet Banana, Tangerine Twist, and Speakeasy (from the 1920s collection). Speakeasy was cooler and darker than I expected, but it ended up working really well. I'll be using a sheer wash of this as a stain. I'm thrilled to own Tangerine Twist, and even more thrilled to have gotten it on sale.
Violet Banana; however, is my surprise favorite. I knew ordering yellow was a big risk, but it seemed to come off more gold in other bloggers' swatches. So, I took the plunge, and I'm glad I did. On me, it's a multi-dimensional golden nude effect. Since my lips are so pink to begin with, the pink and the yellow make an orangey gold. It's also sheer enough that it can be worn really subtly. Nude lipsticks usually look somewhere between odd and awful on me, but this could cancel out some of my natural lipcolor without erasing them entirely. I have small lips, and a big face. I don't like it when my lips disappear.
Since anything with beeswax in it will cause blisters within minutes, it's really nice to have an option of fun colors of excellent quality that are vegan and safe. They really are worth the wait. I'm still waiting for an opportunity to order Plumeria, Dianthus, Gilded Cerise, Very Cherry (which has returned! Dang no buy!), and all of the sheer lip balms (they would be great for work!). I'm also sitting on my hands waiting for the gel lipsticks, which seem really interesting. Melissa has also just put out a bunch of lipglosses, and I think I want to try one - only thing putting me off it is that I detest wand style lip stuff.
She's back open tonight or tomorrow, so check her out.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Nails of the Moment - Warm Gray
Orly Bonder
Gray franken
Sally Hansen silver crackle on ring fingers
Orly Glosser
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The "making of" the green lipgloss franken
Avocado butter, meadowfoam seed oil, green lipstick sample, clear gloss.
Melted and mixed together!
Let's add some mica!
All mixed up!
Result: Also, I added some red lipstick and red blush to half of it to get a red gloss with green reflects.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Inspired by Jill - DIY lotion combo!
Jill, the lovely lady behind Just Peachy, recently inspired me to try my hand at combining lotions.
So I did! I didn't take pictures, but I could snap one of the resulting product, if you want!
I combined:
~ 2.5 oz. of Alba Botanica Mineral Facial Sunblock Fragrance Free SPF 20
~ half a jar of Garnier Nutrisse Refreshing Gel Cream oil-free moisturizer
and a 2 oz. travel-size Ecotools Body Lotion.
The result is a somewhat runny lotion that still has some heft to it and also provides an initial cooling sensation upon application. The sunblock itself was way too thick, pasty, and white for even my pale face, but I figure the zinc oxide in it is good for calming irritated skin. The body lotion was just nothing special, and the gel cream, well, I'll talk more about that when I finish the other half of the jar. It's ok, but I still think I do better with a serum or hydrating mist under an oil-containing moisturizer.
So I did! I didn't take pictures, but I could snap one of the resulting product, if you want!
I combined:
~ 2.5 oz. of Alba Botanica Mineral Facial Sunblock Fragrance Free SPF 20
~ half a jar of Garnier Nutrisse Refreshing Gel Cream oil-free moisturizer
and a 2 oz. travel-size Ecotools Body Lotion.
The result is a somewhat runny lotion that still has some heft to it and also provides an initial cooling sensation upon application. The sunblock itself was way too thick, pasty, and white for even my pale face, but I figure the zinc oxide in it is good for calming irritated skin. The body lotion was just nothing special, and the gel cream, well, I'll talk more about that when I finish the other half of the jar. It's ok, but I still think I do better with a serum or hydrating mist under an oil-containing moisturizer.
One-year anniversary of Project Use It!
And I've used 200 products total, and 73 of those were full-size products. :D
I will probably be continuing this as a biweekly or monthly thing, but thanks for coming along for the ride on this! I've also bought new stuff, so my collection is still huge, but now I'm not buying anything until October 15th at the earliest.
*Shiseido SPF 60+ sunblock liquid for face and body. Sample size. Would buy again. I like zinc-based sunblocks and trust them to keep me safe.
*First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (sample packet). Eh. I think there are cheaper ways to cover myself in oatmealy goodness.
*Milani Eye Tech liquid eyeliner pen - black. Fine product, now I'm onto the Physicians Formula one. Liquid eyeliner pens are the best form of black eyeliner for me, because I can get the line down really really thin and precise.
I will probably be continuing this as a biweekly or monthly thing, but thanks for coming along for the ride on this! I've also bought new stuff, so my collection is still huge, but now I'm not buying anything until October 15th at the earliest.
*Shiseido SPF 60+ sunblock liquid for face and body. Sample size. Would buy again. I like zinc-based sunblocks and trust them to keep me safe.
*First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (sample packet). Eh. I think there are cheaper ways to cover myself in oatmealy goodness.
*Milani Eye Tech liquid eyeliner pen - black. Fine product, now I'm onto the Physicians Formula one. Liquid eyeliner pens are the best form of black eyeliner for me, because I can get the line down really really thin and precise.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Yes! I will use up 200 things in a year!
So maybe I'm reaching and using up sample packets and other easy-to-use things. But so what? If I finish off 3 more things by Friday, I'll have dispatched 200 things in a year. And that would be amazing.
*Nuance Salma Hayek cocoa coffee body firming cream sample (x2). This smells like a mocha latte! I have to acquire a full size or two of this at some point, because it really is like rubbing the best part of morning on my skin.
*John Frieda Root Awakening smoothing cream sample. Eh. This may have even made the hair by the nape of my neck tangle more than usual.
*Barielle intensive hand cream. I wasn't impressed by this, it's an unnatural light blue color, and contains a lot of petrochemicals. I also didn't care for the fragrance. But it was free from Meg's, and I couldn't seem to swap it away, so I used it.
*GOW/Camellia Rose sample - Perfect My Eye-ris gel. If your main (only) problem is lines, this'll probably plump them up real well. This had a bit of a "tightening" effect, and almost seemed uncomfortable at times.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
197 items gone
72 full size items gone
*Nuance Salma Hayek cocoa coffee body firming cream sample (x2). This smells like a mocha latte! I have to acquire a full size or two of this at some point, because it really is like rubbing the best part of morning on my skin.
*John Frieda Root Awakening smoothing cream sample. Eh. This may have even made the hair by the nape of my neck tangle more than usual.
*Barielle intensive hand cream. I wasn't impressed by this, it's an unnatural light blue color, and contains a lot of petrochemicals. I also didn't care for the fragrance. But it was free from Meg's, and I couldn't seem to swap it away, so I used it.
*GOW/Camellia Rose sample - Perfect My Eye-ris gel. If your main (only) problem is lines, this'll probably plump them up real well. This had a bit of a "tightening" effect, and almost seemed uncomfortable at times.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
197 items gone
72 full size items gone
Sunday, August 28, 2011
200th post!
And kind of a random one, at that. I used up some more stuff. And I'm gonna see if I can go until October 15th before buying anything new (including makeup, skincare, haircare, nail polish). I need to shrink my collection some. Or a lot. It's time for some major detox - I had a stressful summer and compensated by buying things.
Using things up feels good, but it's also a methodical process that keeps me away from a lot of my collection.
And, it's 5 days away from when Project Use It hits the yearlong mark. I wonder if I can get to 200 products by then? After the year, I don't know what I'm going to do about keeping track of stuff - maybe a monthly or biweekly post?
Things that are gone now:
*SN Bubbly GWP eye shadow - can't buy it again, but it was lovely. I even got a compliment on it from the lady at Ulta! I'm kind of looking forward to moving onto something else now, though. It was a tan champagne shade with lots of sparkles.
*Meow Pampered Puss foundation sample - Sleek Persian. I did like this enough to get a huge tub of it at their recent sale. Probably could have waited some more, as I still have an Aromaleigh full size and a tub of adorned with Grace. Oh well.
*Nuance Salma Hayek Tinted Moisturizer samples - Light. I took three of these, because they're really only good for testing the color if you only have one. Turns out three of these are also not enough to test out coverage. I ended up piling my normal stuff on top of it, because it was like it didn't do anything.
*Neutrogena Instant Nail Enhancer. This claimed to be a way to make your nails look better without polish. I say it's basically a very thin, very fast drying clear nail polish. I also say it's not worth the effort, which is why I had it sitting around for years and had to make a conscious effort to use it up so I could harvest the silver balls for a Frankenpolish.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
192 items gone
71 full size items gone
Using things up feels good, but it's also a methodical process that keeps me away from a lot of my collection.
And, it's 5 days away from when Project Use It hits the yearlong mark. I wonder if I can get to 200 products by then? After the year, I don't know what I'm going to do about keeping track of stuff - maybe a monthly or biweekly post?
Things that are gone now:
*SN Bubbly GWP eye shadow - can't buy it again, but it was lovely. I even got a compliment on it from the lady at Ulta! I'm kind of looking forward to moving onto something else now, though. It was a tan champagne shade with lots of sparkles.
*Meow Pampered Puss foundation sample - Sleek Persian. I did like this enough to get a huge tub of it at their recent sale. Probably could have waited some more, as I still have an Aromaleigh full size and a tub of adorned with Grace. Oh well.
*Nuance Salma Hayek Tinted Moisturizer samples - Light. I took three of these, because they're really only good for testing the color if you only have one. Turns out three of these are also not enough to test out coverage. I ended up piling my normal stuff on top of it, because it was like it didn't do anything.
*Neutrogena Instant Nail Enhancer. This claimed to be a way to make your nails look better without polish. I say it's basically a very thin, very fast drying clear nail polish. I also say it's not worth the effort, which is why I had it sitting around for years and had to make a conscious effort to use it up so I could harvest the silver balls for a Frankenpolish.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
192 items gone
71 full size items gone
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Frankenlippies!
Last weekend, I turned this...
Into this:
Top left - orangey gloss made out of a mixture of a bunch of stuff (SN gold lipgloss, clear lipgloss, Morgana Gilded Tangerine sample, HiFi cosmetics lip glaze sample, and some leftovers from the other products). This is way too glossy for the tube I put it in, so I have to transfer it to a jar soon.
Top middle - Pink shade made out of some ELF mineral lipstick, an NYC lipcolor compact, various micas (mostly TKB interferences), and the leftovers from the Top Right shade.
Top right - red shade made with a Pink Quartz minerals stick, some avocado butter, red glitter, and a squirt of meadowfoam seed oil.
Bottom - gloss pots made out of clear gloss I got at the dollar store, avocado butter, meadowfoam seed oil, Morgana Gilded Lime sample, green Sparks and Hilite micas from TKB. Then, I took the green gloss, divided it in half, and added some red blush samples and red lipstick to that.
*****************************************
These are my first two attempts at frankenlippies. The red one is a couple slimline tubes (one from SN and one from Crazy Rumors, and Morgana Fire in the Sky sample. The pink one is a couple pink ELF Minerals lipsticks and a bunch of purple, green, and gold hilite micas.
Out of all the progress photos, the making of the green gloss turned out the best. I'll save that for another post! Between the three project sessions, I ended up with seven new products, and disposed of a greater number of full size containers and 8 or so sample pods.
Into this:
Top left - orangey gloss made out of a mixture of a bunch of stuff (SN gold lipgloss, clear lipgloss, Morgana Gilded Tangerine sample, HiFi cosmetics lip glaze sample, and some leftovers from the other products). This is way too glossy for the tube I put it in, so I have to transfer it to a jar soon.
Top middle - Pink shade made out of some ELF mineral lipstick, an NYC lipcolor compact, various micas (mostly TKB interferences), and the leftovers from the Top Right shade.
Top right - red shade made with a Pink Quartz minerals stick, some avocado butter, red glitter, and a squirt of meadowfoam seed oil.
Bottom - gloss pots made out of clear gloss I got at the dollar store, avocado butter, meadowfoam seed oil, Morgana Gilded Lime sample, green Sparks and Hilite micas from TKB. Then, I took the green gloss, divided it in half, and added some red blush samples and red lipstick to that.
*****************************************
These are my first two attempts at frankenlippies. The red one is a couple slimline tubes (one from SN and one from Crazy Rumors, and Morgana Fire in the Sky sample. The pink one is a couple pink ELF Minerals lipsticks and a bunch of purple, green, and gold hilite micas.
Out of all the progress photos, the making of the green gloss turned out the best. I'll save that for another post! Between the three project sessions, I ended up with seven new products, and disposed of a greater number of full size containers and 8 or so sample pods.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday mind dump
Hello, all.
Just dumping a few things from my mind before I forget them! Survived the first two weeks of my new job!!! Now, I'm enjoying a can of beer at 5 p.m. on a Friday, because I'm a grownup and I can. :D In other news, I will probably be asleep soon, because with me it doesn't take much.
1. My collection is overflowing. I'm gonna go for a 50-day detox. Today is Day 3.
2. I made a bunch of lip frankens over the weekend. I took pictures. I'll post sometime soonish.
3. I used up more stuff.
- EDM lavender everyday everywhere. This is something they don't make anymore. Too bad. It's almond oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and a botanical agent. This one was lavender. It was good for my lips and for really dry skin. It was also really old, like I'd had it for over 3 years, so using it up seemed wise.
- Epically Epic Soap fragrance sample - Tropical Peach. I don't use perfumes, so I added this to some plain body wash. It made showertime very aromatic for a few weeks. I think I liked it, but it was a bit too "ripe" for my taste.
- Frankenfoundation, Jr. (envelope SN original ivory, medium ivory, 12ish scoops Warm Gold, plus a 10g jar of some zinc oxide and mica blend I had laying around). This actually ended up being ok! Who knew? Unfortunately, I have no concrete idea on the proportions, so I won't be making it again... Not that I need to, I have three more loose powder foundations, two liquids, a pressed powder, and a mousse. I'm good for a bit, I'd say.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
188 items gone
69 full size items gone
Just dumping a few things from my mind before I forget them! Survived the first two weeks of my new job!!! Now, I'm enjoying a can of beer at 5 p.m. on a Friday, because I'm a grownup and I can. :D In other news, I will probably be asleep soon, because with me it doesn't take much.
1. My collection is overflowing. I'm gonna go for a 50-day detox. Today is Day 3.
2. I made a bunch of lip frankens over the weekend. I took pictures. I'll post sometime soonish.
3. I used up more stuff.
- EDM lavender everyday everywhere. This is something they don't make anymore. Too bad. It's almond oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and a botanical agent. This one was lavender. It was good for my lips and for really dry skin. It was also really old, like I'd had it for over 3 years, so using it up seemed wise.
- Epically Epic Soap fragrance sample - Tropical Peach. I don't use perfumes, so I added this to some plain body wash. It made showertime very aromatic for a few weeks. I think I liked it, but it was a bit too "ripe" for my taste.
- Frankenfoundation, Jr. (envelope SN original ivory, medium ivory, 12ish scoops Warm Gold, plus a 10g jar of some zinc oxide and mica blend I had laying around). This actually ended up being ok! Who knew? Unfortunately, I have no concrete idea on the proportions, so I won't be making it again... Not that I need to, I have three more loose powder foundations, two liquids, a pressed powder, and a mousse. I'm good for a bit, I'd say.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
188 items gone
69 full size items gone
Saturday, August 20, 2011
another used it! (And I liked over half the stuff!)
Hey everyone! I got a job! I'm working with elementary school kids and teaching them Spanish. So, I've been pretty busy this week.
Anyway, I've used up some more stuff.
*Silk Naturals Vitamin C Peptide serum - Good stuff, though I'm going to be trying out the new Awesome Sauce as a replacement. I used this in the morning under my sunblock.
*Meow Flawless Feline foundation sample - frisky chartreux. I wanted to try the Flawless Feline formula, and was able to get this as an extra in a swap. I think Pampered Puss is still better for me, as this was a bit thick and cakey on me. My skin's improved since I started reviewing foundations, so now I don't need them to have as much coverage.
*adorned with Grace Minerals Animated blush sample - This is a good shade for fair ladies to add a natural-looking flush. Strangely, on me, it actually worked like a cross between bronzer and blush. There's no brown in it at all, but the peachy shade worked to give me a just-been-outside look. I might order this next time I order from there.
*Bliss Steep Clean mask sample. I got this at Sephora. There are two packets, one with blue gel and one with a yellow cream. You mix the two to make a slimy green paste, which you then apply to your face, let sit for five minutes, and rinse off. I'm really not sure this did more than stink and burn my eyes with the fumes. Bleh.
*Kiss My Face Face Factor SPF 30 sunblock. I would consider buying this again, too. It wasn't my Holy Grail of sunblocks, but it met most of my specifications (zinc oxide, nothing I'm allergic to, no noticeable fragrance). Even if I used a lot, it seemed to sink in within a few minutes.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
185 items gone
67 full size items gone
Anyway, I've used up some more stuff.
*Silk Naturals Vitamin C Peptide serum - Good stuff, though I'm going to be trying out the new Awesome Sauce as a replacement. I used this in the morning under my sunblock.
*Meow Flawless Feline foundation sample - frisky chartreux. I wanted to try the Flawless Feline formula, and was able to get this as an extra in a swap. I think Pampered Puss is still better for me, as this was a bit thick and cakey on me. My skin's improved since I started reviewing foundations, so now I don't need them to have as much coverage.
*adorned with Grace Minerals Animated blush sample - This is a good shade for fair ladies to add a natural-looking flush. Strangely, on me, it actually worked like a cross between bronzer and blush. There's no brown in it at all, but the peachy shade worked to give me a just-been-outside look. I might order this next time I order from there.
*Bliss Steep Clean mask sample. I got this at Sephora. There are two packets, one with blue gel and one with a yellow cream. You mix the two to make a slimy green paste, which you then apply to your face, let sit for five minutes, and rinse off. I'm really not sure this did more than stink and burn my eyes with the fumes. Bleh.
*Kiss My Face Face Factor SPF 30 sunblock. I would consider buying this again, too. It wasn't my Holy Grail of sunblocks, but it met most of my specifications (zinc oxide, nothing I'm allergic to, no noticeable fragrance). Even if I used a lot, it seemed to sink in within a few minutes.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
185 items gone
67 full size items gone
Saturday, August 6, 2011
used it! (skincare, conditioner)
*Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner. This is either the third or fourth of these that I've gone through. It seems to be my go-to drugstore conditioner. Cheap and works - who can complain?
*100% Pure foaming cucumber face wash. I got this in a swap, and it was nice and gentle for morning, but not nearly strong enough to get makeup off.
*Supergoop everyday spf 30 sample. This came in the Sephora Suncare kit. It was ok. Nothing special. It had some strange white chunks in it that I didn't like.
*Supergoop sunblock swipe. This is also from the Sephora Suncare kit. It was also ok, nothing special, and kind of annoying to use because I had to go into the packet to squeeze/scrape out the rest of the product so I could actually get both arms. Just the liquid by itself would be better.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
180 items gone
65 full size items gone
*100% Pure foaming cucumber face wash. I got this in a swap, and it was nice and gentle for morning, but not nearly strong enough to get makeup off.
*Supergoop everyday spf 30 sample. This came in the Sephora Suncare kit. It was ok. Nothing special. It had some strange white chunks in it that I didn't like.
*Supergoop sunblock swipe. This is also from the Sephora Suncare kit. It was also ok, nothing special, and kind of annoying to use because I had to go into the packet to squeeze/scrape out the rest of the product so I could actually get both arms. Just the liquid by itself would be better.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
180 items gone
65 full size items gone
Saturday, July 23, 2011
used it!!!
*EcoTools body lotion - full size, ok, not great, takes a while to sink in, smells like Kool-Aid.
*Brazen Cosmetics Jinx shadow sample - this sample lasted a lot longer than I thought it would - I probably got at least 20 wears out of it. Now I'm looking forward to not wearing purple again for a while! This was a light blurple. Brazen uses carnauba wax in their formulations, so it goes on really smoothly.
*Liza's Lotions 1/3 oz. blotch be gone lotion - I think I might like this more for winter than for summer - it's a bit sticky for this humidity, but it's still great stuff.
*Silk Naturals Protein Deep Treatment (1 oz. size) - I have waist-length hair, and there is a lot of it, so this was good for about two treatments for me. The verdict's still out on this - I'm not sure it really made my hair that much better, but I'm also not sure I needed a protein treatment, either - I got this in a swap and thought "why not?" It smells nice, feels great, and has a nice texture. Like most (well, the one other) protein treatment I've tried, this isn't a replacement for conditioner.
ES project pan - 16/20
Lip project pan - 7/10
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
176 items gone
63 full size items gone
*Brazen Cosmetics Jinx shadow sample - this sample lasted a lot longer than I thought it would - I probably got at least 20 wears out of it. Now I'm looking forward to not wearing purple again for a while! This was a light blurple. Brazen uses carnauba wax in their formulations, so it goes on really smoothly.
*Liza's Lotions 1/3 oz. blotch be gone lotion - I think I might like this more for winter than for summer - it's a bit sticky for this humidity, but it's still great stuff.
*Silk Naturals Protein Deep Treatment (1 oz. size) - I have waist-length hair, and there is a lot of it, so this was good for about two treatments for me. The verdict's still out on this - I'm not sure it really made my hair that much better, but I'm also not sure I needed a protein treatment, either - I got this in a swap and thought "why not?" It smells nice, feels great, and has a nice texture. Like most (well, the one other) protein treatment I've tried, this isn't a replacement for conditioner.
ES project pan - 16/20
Lip project pan - 7/10
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
176 items gone
63 full size items gone
Friday, July 22, 2011
Blog sale!!!!
Updated 9/18/12
Stuff for sale! General "rules"
- I'll ship anything anywhere as long as it's legal.
- If you're outside the US, you agree to accept a photo of the receipt from the post office as proof of mailing.
- You pay cost of shipping, which I'll estimate based on weight of the package. If it's drastically different than my estimate, we'll work something out.
- Payment is by paypal. You pay fees or send as gift. Send your paypal info to emilys dot livejournal at gmail dot com.
- First come first serve!
Maybelline Color Tattoo - white. Est. 90% left. $4
Maybelline Color Tattoo - bronze color. Est. 95% left. $4.50
Physicians Formula felt tip brown eyeliner. New in box. $6
Stila Daydream palette. A few colors used once. Case is a little scratched. $12
Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear blush - Rose. Used twice. $5
Physicians Formula Organic Wear tinted moisturizer - Ivory to Fair. 95% $5
Physicians Formula Youthful Wear foundation - fair - 80% - $4
Physicians Formula Airbrushing Pressed Powder - Translucent Light - 75% - $3
AeroMinerale spray bronzer - Malibu. New, sealed. $7
Tamanu oil - 75% left of a 2 oz bottle. $4
The Balm Plump Your Pucker lipgloss - Tutti My Frutti - sealed, new! - Goes for $15, I'm asking $9!
Julep Daylight Defense SPF 15 Lip Balm - new, sealed. Julep charges $6, I'm asking $3!
Sally Hansen Natural Butter lipgloss - Nectar - new and sealed - $2
Rimmel smoky lipstick topcoat. Used 3x. $2
Tokidoki by Smashbox quad - Modella - swatched 2x. $4
Nuance Salma Hayek gel pencil eyeliner - black - sharpened 2x. $4
Jaguar Luxury Cosmetics Charcoal eye pencil - new, sealed, $1
Hard Candy concealer pencil. Unused. $1
Sheer Cover refillable brush - condition as shown. $4
Bare Minerals refillable compact for loose powder. $4
Brown Faux chubby blender brush. Great condition. $5
AbbaMart duo fiber blush brushes. $2 each
Ecotools angled blush brush. Great condition. $4
Sonia Kashuk contour brush. $4
Ecotools retractable foundation brush. Great condition. $4
Freestyle palettes I made. Email if interested - I'm asking $7 each.
Stuff for sale! General "rules"
- I'll ship anything anywhere as long as it's legal.
- If you're outside the US, you agree to accept a photo of the receipt from the post office as proof of mailing.
- You pay cost of shipping, which I'll estimate based on weight of the package. If it's drastically different than my estimate, we'll work something out.
- Payment is by paypal. You pay fees or send as gift. Send your paypal info to emilys dot livejournal at gmail dot com.
- First come first serve!
Maybelline Color Tattoo - bronze color. Est. 95% left. $4.50
Physicians Formula felt tip brown eyeliner. New in box. $6
Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear blush - Rose. Used twice. $5
Physicians Formula Organic Wear tinted moisturizer - Ivory to Fair. 95% $5
Physicians Formula Youthful Wear foundation - fair - 80% - $4
Physicians Formula Airbrushing Pressed Powder - Translucent Light - 75% - $3
AeroMinerale spray bronzer - Malibu. New, sealed. $7
Tamanu oil - 75% left of a 2 oz bottle. $4
The Balm Plump Your Pucker lipgloss - Tutti My Frutti - sealed, new! - Goes for $15, I'm asking $9!
Julep Daylight Defense SPF 15 Lip Balm - new, sealed. Julep charges $6, I'm asking $3!
Sally Hansen Natural Butter lipgloss - Nectar - new and sealed - $2
Rimmel smoky lipstick topcoat. Used 3x. $2
Tokidoki by Smashbox quad - Modella - swatched 2x. $4
Nuance Salma Hayek gel pencil eyeliner - black - sharpened 2x. $4
Jaguar Luxury Cosmetics Charcoal eye pencil - new, sealed, $1
Hard Candy concealer pencil. Unused. $1
Bare Minerals refillable compact for loose powder. $4
Brown Faux chubby blender brush. Great condition. $5
AbbaMart duo fiber blush brushes. $2 each
Ecotools angled blush brush. Great condition. $4
Sonia Kashuk contour brush. $4
Ecotools retractable foundation brush. Great condition. $4
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Nails of the Moment - Black and Gray
So, my teacher training program was brutal, and I wasn't doing well at all. It was time for me to consider other options. So far, I'm a lot less stressed out overall, and I think having something between insanely stressful 11-hour days (and that's just outside the home) and minimally stressful 3 hour days would be ideal.
Since I'm no longer supposed to be available for a job interview at any minute, I did my nails up a little darker. It kind of matches my somewhat melancholy (but so much more stable) mood.
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine
Wet N Wild Gray's Anatomy
Sally Hansen black shatter
Milani Gems on ring fingers
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine (again)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Nails of the Moment - sparkle sparkle!
Orly Bonder
Clinique Fuchsia Fusion - 1 layer
Wet N Wild Waves of Enchantment - 1 layer
Milani Dazzling Diamonds - 1 layer
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine
Sad to say, this chipped pretty quickly. But while it lasted, it was super sparkly funtimes!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
used it!!
Chagrin Valley Castile and Calendula sample soap - not bad, better for softer water.
Boscia Oil Free Moisture SPF 15 - stinky, questionable uva protection
Darling Girl Midnight Train Aqua Liner sample - pretty!!!!
Big in Japan glycerin soap sample - not bad - glycerin soap must be superior to other soap. This smelled a bit floral for me.
10g jar full of a mix of Physicians Formula Airbrushing powder in creamy natural, a sample of Bare Minerals mineral glow, and a sample of adorned with Grace smoothing powder. - counting this as two samples - ok mix, though sometimes I looked a bit yellow.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
172 items gone
62 full size items gone
Boscia Oil Free Moisture SPF 15 - stinky, questionable uva protection
Darling Girl Midnight Train Aqua Liner sample - pretty!!!!
Big in Japan glycerin soap sample - not bad - glycerin soap must be superior to other soap. This smelled a bit floral for me.
10g jar full of a mix of Physicians Formula Airbrushing powder in creamy natural, a sample of Bare Minerals mineral glow, and a sample of adorned with Grace smoothing powder. - counting this as two samples - ok mix, though sometimes I looked a bit yellow.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
172 items gone
62 full size items gone
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Still alive...
Teacher training is sucking my energy dry.
Today I kind of did some unnecessary makeup buying - I got Milani Gems nail polish, a new Cover Girl mascara (exact eyelights - black ruby), UDPP Sin, a random hot pink lipstick, and a free tiny size of Josie Maran argan oil. I also bought Milani Diamond Dazzle polish a bit ago. Woot!
Now back onto my no-buy (except an SN order)
Today I kind of did some unnecessary makeup buying - I got Milani Gems nail polish, a new Cover Girl mascara (exact eyelights - black ruby), UDPP Sin, a random hot pink lipstick, and a free tiny size of Josie Maran argan oil. I also bought Milani Diamond Dazzle polish a bit ago. Woot!
Now back onto my no-buy (except an SN order)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Used it!!!!
* Crazy Rumors Vanilla lip balm - good, basic stuff. I think I like Susan's new Darling Girl formula better, though.
* UDPP Sin sample decant - I really kind of want this in full size. It's perfect for a quick look that's somewhat more put together than nothing, and a little shadow in the crease makes it look like it's a lot more complicated.
* TFSI Candlelight sample decant - I'm on the fence about this - it's a bit yellowy for my taste.
* DDF mattifying oil control moisturizer spf 15 - I'm not sure how "mattiying" this was, but it was ok. If they'd ramp up the spf to at least 30, I'd be more interested.
*Cover Girl Lash Blast Luxe mascara - black platinum. Full disclosure, there was still some left, but it was dried out and yucky, and I wasn't getting my lashes coated as nicely anymore. I could either do a light coat or end up with clumps, so I gave up. It lasted about 5 months of daily use before I threw it out this morning. When it was new, it was a lot nicer. I think I like the orange tube better - I don't remember that having dried out as much.
ES project pan - 15/20
Lip project pan - 7/10
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
166 items gone
62 full size items gone
* UDPP Sin sample decant - I really kind of want this in full size. It's perfect for a quick look that's somewhat more put together than nothing, and a little shadow in the crease makes it look like it's a lot more complicated.
* TFSI Candlelight sample decant - I'm on the fence about this - it's a bit yellowy for my taste.
* DDF mattifying oil control moisturizer spf 15 - I'm not sure how "mattiying" this was, but it was ok. If they'd ramp up the spf to at least 30, I'd be more interested.
*Cover Girl Lash Blast Luxe mascara - black platinum. Full disclosure, there was still some left, but it was dried out and yucky, and I wasn't getting my lashes coated as nicely anymore. I could either do a light coat or end up with clumps, so I gave up. It lasted about 5 months of daily use before I threw it out this morning. When it was new, it was a lot nicer. I think I like the orange tube better - I don't remember that having dried out as much.
ES project pan - 15/20
Lip project pan - 7/10
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
166 items gone
62 full size items gone
Request for technical help:
So, I'm taking this class. Technology is a main part of this class. For this blog, I use my primary Google account. This class has a blogger blog, too, and all I wanted was to hide my profile from that blog and its viewers - which, because it's shared, I don't have access to the settings. I love makeup blogging, but my professional world doesn't need to know that.
I've managed to hide my "official" profile from the entire Internet and replace it on here with an Emily's Makeup Box-specific profile (hence the previous post), so you can still see a bunch of my info, and I can now tailor it more specifically to you.
However, by having hidden my profile entirely, nobody can click on my name when I post comments on other blogs and find anything out about me, or learn about my makeup blog. Does anybody know a way to work around this? Like is there a way to have clicking on my name/photo lead to the blog itself? Or should I start using a signature on all my comments? How do I do that easily?
Stupid Internet.
I've managed to hide my "official" profile from the entire Internet and replace it on here with an Emily's Makeup Box-specific profile (hence the previous post), so you can still see a bunch of my info, and I can now tailor it more specifically to you.
However, by having hidden my profile entirely, nobody can click on my name when I post comments on other blogs and find anything out about me, or learn about my makeup blog. Does anybody know a way to work around this? Like is there a way to have clicking on my name/photo lead to the blog itself? Or should I start using a signature on all my comments? How do I do that easily?
Stupid Internet.
About Me
Hi! I'm Emily, and I'm into makeup, hair, women's rights, and not being a weakling. I like "organic" stuff, to a point, but not so much so that I'm stopped from some more conventional stuff.
My blogs:
Emily's Makeup Box
In Search of Fitness
Places I shop (and recommend)
adorned with Grace Minerals
Darling Girl Cosmetics
Fyrinnae
Hi-Fi Cosmetics
Liza's Lotions (email her for more info)
Meow
Morgana Cryptoria - Awesome Lipsticks!
Silk Naturals
TKB Trading
My blogs:
Emily's Makeup Box
In Search of Fitness
Places I shop (and recommend)
adorned with Grace Minerals
Darling Girl Cosmetics
Fyrinnae
Hi-Fi Cosmetics
Liza's Lotions (email her for more info)
Meow
Morgana Cryptoria - Awesome Lipsticks!
Silk Naturals
TKB Trading
Sunday, June 26, 2011
sparkly nails of the moment.
I took off the earlier nail look today - they'd been on since Wednesday and had started to chip. So now, I have something different. I'd mostly use the holo glitter over darker polishes before, so I hadn't known how red the base really was.
Orly Bonder
Essie Sand Tropez
California Colors sheer red with holographic glitter
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine
Used it! (goodbye, frankenfoundation)
*Murad essential c day moisture spf 30vitamin C spf 30
Got this (sample size) in the Sephora suncare kit. I don't like that it doesn't protect against all UVA rays, but I did really like the texture and the creamsicle scent. Probably will not buy again because I'm not sure if it's as effective as I want.
*Frankenfoundation
This was a mix of three Physicians Formula Mineral Wear products that didn't work great for me on their own: pressed power in Soft Green, translucent facebrightener, and powdered concealer (the one that comes in a little pen brush) . I was having trouble with the two pressed powders, so I broke them up and mixed them with the concealer in a jar. It actually worked ok, but I'm not sad that it's gone or anything.
*Silk Naturals Argan and Goji moisturizer
I very well might buy this again in the winter. It's a nice, basic cream, and a little goes a long way.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
161 items gone
60 full size items gone
In other news, I'm on Day 9 of a no-buy forced upon me by utter brokeness, because the training program I'm in doesn't give me my stipend until I'm done.
Got this (sample size) in the Sephora suncare kit. I don't like that it doesn't protect against all UVA rays, but I did really like the texture and the creamsicle scent. Probably will not buy again because I'm not sure if it's as effective as I want.
*Frankenfoundation
This was a mix of three Physicians Formula Mineral Wear products that didn't work great for me on their own: pressed power in Soft Green, translucent facebrightener, and powdered concealer (the one that comes in a little pen brush) . I was having trouble with the two pressed powders, so I broke them up and mixed them with the concealer in a jar. It actually worked ok, but I'm not sad that it's gone or anything.
*Silk Naturals Argan and Goji moisturizer
I very well might buy this again in the winter. It's a nice, basic cream, and a little goes a long way.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
161 items gone
60 full size items gone
In other news, I'm on Day 9 of a no-buy forced upon me by utter brokeness, because the training program I'm in doesn't give me my stipend until I'm done.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Nails of the Moment - more neutral fun!
Orly Bonder
Essie Sand Tropez
Sally Hansen Fractured Foil crackle
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine topcoat
Sand Tropez is going to be a big one in my rotation, I think. It'll be a way to wear sheer and clear with sparkles type colors without displaying the white parts of my nails - it seems to be a really nice nude base. I'm not sure I'd ever use it on my own, but I can't wait to put it under some holo glitter!
My nails are tiny - so I don't have much room to work with (or patience for) fancy nail art, but layering different stuff is a good way to get something more interesting without extra effort.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Nails of the Moment! lavender dream
Orly Bonder
Wet N Wild purple pastel
Sinful Colors You Just Wait (pretty pale pink with green sheen)
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine
I just took this off, but had it on from Friday to today.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Used it! (and consolidated a few things)
*Coastal Scents Key Lime shadow sample. A nice pale lime green, not quite as pigmented as I usually like, but maybe that makes it more suitable for professional dress codes.
*UDPP Eden sample decant. I used to think I really wanted a full size of this. Thanks to the nice ladies at Sephora and their generous sample decant policy, now I won't be stuck with something I don't like - this stuff is just way too yellow for my taste, and I end up having to cover the entire application with shadow, which, IMO, defeats the purpose of having a tinted primer.
*Walgreens spray sunblock. No UVA protection! I almost wish I didn't have another one of these lying around - I bought it out of desperation hoping to be able to protect myself during a surprise long drive, but it's not the best. It gets points for portability, but not much else.
*Almay makeup remover wipes. I like having wipes around. They're great for when I'm tired - they make it a lot easier to wash my face because I don't have to be as careful to get all the makeup off. That said, these ones kind of sting.
ES project pan - 15/20
Lip project pan - 6/10
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
156 items gone
56 full size items gone
Also, I took some products I wasn't crazy about and consolidated them.
I detubed the following: SN Bisou, Crazy Rumors HibisKiss Coral, Morgana Cryptoria Fire in the Sky sample, and tiny bit of homemade lip balm, melted it all together in a shot glass in the microwave, and now I have a single tube of a sheer berry color.
Then, because I got a good deal on some powder dispensing brushes, I mixed a full size of Aromaleigh Ultra Resolution Silica powder - Peaches and Cream, with half a 10g jar of Aromaleigh Divine Radiance powder - Magnolia Blossom, and a bit of zinc powder. It's in my purse now for those "ack! I have shinyface!" moments.
*UDPP Eden sample decant. I used to think I really wanted a full size of this. Thanks to the nice ladies at Sephora and their generous sample decant policy, now I won't be stuck with something I don't like - this stuff is just way too yellow for my taste, and I end up having to cover the entire application with shadow, which, IMO, defeats the purpose of having a tinted primer.
*Walgreens spray sunblock. No UVA protection! I almost wish I didn't have another one of these lying around - I bought it out of desperation hoping to be able to protect myself during a surprise long drive, but it's not the best. It gets points for portability, but not much else.
*Almay makeup remover wipes. I like having wipes around. They're great for when I'm tired - they make it a lot easier to wash my face because I don't have to be as careful to get all the makeup off. That said, these ones kind of sting.
ES project pan - 15/20
Lip project pan - 6/10
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
156 items gone
56 full size items gone
Also, I took some products I wasn't crazy about and consolidated them.
I detubed the following: SN Bisou, Crazy Rumors HibisKiss Coral, Morgana Cryptoria Fire in the Sky sample, and tiny bit of homemade lip balm, melted it all together in a shot glass in the microwave, and now I have a single tube of a sheer berry color.
Then, because I got a good deal on some powder dispensing brushes, I mixed a full size of Aromaleigh Ultra Resolution Silica powder - Peaches and Cream, with half a 10g jar of Aromaleigh Divine Radiance powder - Magnolia Blossom, and a bit of zinc powder. It's in my purse now for those "ack! I have shinyface!" moments.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
For Sale
Anyone want to buy a very nearly new tube of Urban Decay Urban Defense tinted moisturizer in Bodyguard (the second lightest color)?
I used it on one half of my face. It's too dark. It's the new purple squeeze tube. New, it goes for $30. How does $25 including US shipping sound to anyone?
Help a sister out of a bind!
I used it on one half of my face. It's too dark. It's the new purple squeeze tube. New, it goes for $30. How does $25 including US shipping sound to anyone?
Help a sister out of a bind!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Non-makeup update!
In other important life things besides what I do with my face, hair, and nails, I started a new training program yesterday that I'm really excited about, and I submitted the second (of three) chapter of my thesis today!!!
Neutral yet funky Nails of the Moment
Orly Bonder
Sinful Colors Nirvana
Sally Hansen Crackle - Antiqued Gold
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine top coat
Job-interview (crosses fingers) appropriate, but the crackle gives it a bit of an edge.
The edges will clean up after I take a shower.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
All UDPP and all TFSI - comparison!
I have a full size TFSI, a mini size UDPP Greed, sample decants from Sephora of UDPP Sin and Eden and TFSI candlelight, and I had a sample card of UDPP. So, I did some swatches. On top is Silk Naturals Lime, a matte shade, and on the bottom is Hi-Fi The Hydra, a shimmery blue.
Left to right:
1. Bare skin
2. UDPP
3. UDPP Eden
4. UDPP Sin
5. UDPP Greed
6. TFSI Candlelight
7. TFSI
Out of the "clear" primers, I like TFSI better - I think it does a better job enhancing the shimmer shade.
I do not like Eden too much - it leaves a much too yellowish cast for my taste. I'd like it better if it were a very pale peach.
Out of the "gold" primers, I like UD Greed better. Candlelight seems to wash out the shimmer shade too much, and even if it does make mattes a little sparklier, it also makes them paler.
Sin is a unique shade, and I like it. It washes out the colors more than Greed, but I like it on its own as a quick and easy work cream shadow. I have the shadow pencil in the same color, but that creases on me a little - but if I had the primer for my lids and the pencil for the lower lashline, I'd look a lot more awake in not a lot of time.
Out of the six of them, TFSI, Greed, and Sin are the ones I think are worth having.
So there's my thoughts on the eye primer leaders.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monster Used-it post!
*L'Oreal Ever Strong shampoo and conditioner samples - rosemary and juniper.
These made me smell like dude. I'm not a dude. I wasn't wowed enough by the formula to overlook the dude-smell.
*Lumene Eye Makeup Base
I got this in a swap a while back, and it lasted me almost a year - it's a thicker consistency than TFSI or UDPP, and a bit more sticky. It worked pretty well, but it was a pain in the ass to use later - I had to cut the squeeze tube open and put it in a jar because it got too thick to squeeze out. Then, because it was in a jar, it got super thick and hard to spread.
*Aromaleigh heels on fire hi-fi matte sample (dark bubblegum pink)
I did like this - it worked with a duo-fiber as a blush, too, which I thought was nice. If I could find a somewhat less bright version of this, that might be good.
*Liza's Lotions Un-Clog Me Mask
I have mixed feelings on this. I used it three times because that's how much I got out of it. Once, it seemed to provoke my pores to create more oil. I used it last night, and when I woke up, my forehead and nose weren't shiny at all. I think it might just be my inconsistent skin, though.
*Giovanni Smooth as Silk shampoo sample packet
Hard to lather, smelled nice, wouldn't buy.
*Giovanni Root 66 conditioner sample packet.
Seemed to work fine, but not wonders or anything.
*Sample card of UDPP
These are really one-time use things, because the stuff dries out after the first use. I'm still on the UDPP/TFSI fence.
ES project pan - 6/8
Lip project pan - 1/5
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
152 items gone
54 full size items gone
These made me smell like dude. I'm not a dude. I wasn't wowed enough by the formula to overlook the dude-smell.
*Lumene Eye Makeup Base
I got this in a swap a while back, and it lasted me almost a year - it's a thicker consistency than TFSI or UDPP, and a bit more sticky. It worked pretty well, but it was a pain in the ass to use later - I had to cut the squeeze tube open and put it in a jar because it got too thick to squeeze out. Then, because it was in a jar, it got super thick and hard to spread.
*Aromaleigh heels on fire hi-fi matte sample (dark bubblegum pink)
I did like this - it worked with a duo-fiber as a blush, too, which I thought was nice. If I could find a somewhat less bright version of this, that might be good.
*Liza's Lotions Un-Clog Me Mask
I have mixed feelings on this. I used it three times because that's how much I got out of it. Once, it seemed to provoke my pores to create more oil. I used it last night, and when I woke up, my forehead and nose weren't shiny at all. I think it might just be my inconsistent skin, though.
*Giovanni Smooth as Silk shampoo sample packet
Hard to lather, smelled nice, wouldn't buy.
*Giovanni Root 66 conditioner sample packet.
Seemed to work fine, but not wonders or anything.
*Sample card of UDPP
These are really one-time use things, because the stuff dries out after the first use. I'm still on the UDPP/TFSI fence.
ES project pan - 6/8
Lip project pan - 1/5
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
152 items gone
54 full size items gone
Monday, June 6, 2011
Darling Girl Haul!
So, as you may know, I broke my no-buy with a Darling Girl haul, made twice as large by the generosity of Just Peachy's Jill, my no-buy buddy. Here's pics of (almost) everything, plus the three items I had from my first Darling Girl mini-haul last fall.
Last fall, I ordered two eyeshadows and a blush - Wicked, Chocolate Cosmos, and Impetuous. All wonderful. A month or so ago, I got a sample pod of Midnight Train Aqua Liner in a swap. I ordered four shadows (petit size), a cream blush (sweet coron), two lip balms (chocolate orange truffle and caramelized mango), a dry oil spray (citrus green), a lip scrub (chocolate orange truffle), the glitter glue, and Mermaid Tails aqua liner.
All - left to right
Top: Mermaid Tails Aqua Liner; Midnight Train
Middle: Wicked; Chocolate Cosmos; Chimera; Belle
Bottom: Clusterfluff; Magic Dragon; My Little Pony; Polaris
Left: Impetuous blush. Right: Sweet Coron Sweet Cheeks Cream blush.
The shadows are beautiful and creamy. The texture is wonderful, and everybody needs My Little Pony, especially if you're a fan of Urban Decay's Asphyxia - this is a paler, less pink version of that - lavender with a pale green sheen.
The lip balms are flavored, but not in an overpowering sort of way. I like the two I picked. I'm undecided on the lip scrub - I think I like it, but the grains are super huge.
I haven't had a chance to use Sweet Coron or the glitter glue yet.
Mermaid Tails is BEAUTIFUL. I love it. Flat out.
The dry oil is harder to use than I wanted it to be - you really can only get a nice, fine mist out of an aerosol can, and an indie company just can't do that. The oil itself is very moisturizing and sinks in fast.
Have you tried Darling Girl? What did you think?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
My first foray into actually doing something with essential oils!
Ok, so I've had my lavender, peppermint, lemon, and sweet orange essential oils for a while. And I recently got my very first Garden of Wisdom order. And, I had an empty glass rollerball from when I used up my Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick (terrible, terrible, stuff).
I also suffer from migraines and tension headaches. And one of the ladies over at the Mineral Makeup Forums posted a thread about making an essential oil blend for headaches. And I already had the lavender and peppermint, and I decided to order some lemon eucalyptus oil from GoW, along with some meadowfoam oil to use as a carrier.
So, I took my rollerball, and put 2 drops of lemon eucalyptus EO, 2 drops of peppermint EO, and 5 drops of lavender EO in it. Then, I filled it up the rest of the way with a mix of fractionated coconut oil and meadowfoam oil.
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it aside from smelling it or rubbing it on my temples, but it does smell really nice.
It kind of makes me wonder what other smells I can formulate - this is a big step beyond merely adding a couple drops of one oil to something to make it smell better, or making lavender spray for my hair.
I also suffer from migraines and tension headaches. And one of the ladies over at the Mineral Makeup Forums posted a thread about making an essential oil blend for headaches. And I already had the lavender and peppermint, and I decided to order some lemon eucalyptus oil from GoW, along with some meadowfoam oil to use as a carrier.
So, I took my rollerball, and put 2 drops of lemon eucalyptus EO, 2 drops of peppermint EO, and 5 drops of lavender EO in it. Then, I filled it up the rest of the way with a mix of fractionated coconut oil and meadowfoam oil.
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it aside from smelling it or rubbing it on my temples, but it does smell really nice.
It kind of makes me wonder what other smells I can formulate - this is a big step beyond merely adding a couple drops of one oil to something to make it smell better, or making lavender spray for my hair.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Used it - The good, the bad, and the ugly. And also the "meh."
The good:
SN Beach Bunny bronzer sample
This actually worked pretty well on me. I'm learning that bronzers don't work for contour, because they're usually sparkly and warm toned, and contouring products should lean cool and matte. But if I try this as bronzer, it warms my face up pretty nicely without looking orange or dirty. I still have minis of a bunch of pressed bronzers, but it's on my short list.
The bad:
Pantene volumizing shampoo for fine hair sample.
I got this in the (in)famous Target sample bag. First off, it's floral. Second off, volumizing usually means "roughs up the cuticle to make it fluffy." Third off, it (again) seemed to only work when diluted or when I used an entire palmful (this stuff is thick). I'm not sad to see it go.
The ugly:
Neutrogena Mineral Sheers undereye concealer.
This is one of those things where my inner packaging whore got the best of me. It comes in a pan built into the lid of a jar for powder. In theory, you're supposed to be able to dot the cream concealer on your undereye, then set it with the included powder. Well, that didn't work. The concealer was almost the right color (too yellow, but right lightness), but the powder part was way too light. So I tried the powder as a light dusting all over my face, see if I could get rid of it that way. Nope. Chalky ghost face even with a fiber optic brush. So then I decided that the trash can was the best way to get rid of the powder. I used up a bunch of the concealer as a sticky eye base. Mostly, I think that was an unnecessary additional step to the routine. So then I mixed the dregs with some Monistat anti-chafing power and used it up as a "tinted primer." I will not buy this product again. Now, I'm using the part where the concealer was for a depotted eyeshadow that's just the right size, and I'm keeping powders I do like in the bottom. Eventually, it'll make its way into a travel/after gym type kit.
The meh:
Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer spf 30 sunblock sample
I got this in the Sephora Sun Care kit. This stuff was ok - not great, not bad. I probably won't buy it again because I'm not convinced that the avobenzone is photostable.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
145 items gone
52 full size items gone
SN Beach Bunny bronzer sample
This actually worked pretty well on me. I'm learning that bronzers don't work for contour, because they're usually sparkly and warm toned, and contouring products should lean cool and matte. But if I try this as bronzer, it warms my face up pretty nicely without looking orange or dirty. I still have minis of a bunch of pressed bronzers, but it's on my short list.
The bad:
Pantene volumizing shampoo for fine hair sample.
I got this in the (in)famous Target sample bag. First off, it's floral. Second off, volumizing usually means "roughs up the cuticle to make it fluffy." Third off, it (again) seemed to only work when diluted or when I used an entire palmful (this stuff is thick). I'm not sad to see it go.
The ugly:
Neutrogena Mineral Sheers undereye concealer.
This is one of those things where my inner packaging whore got the best of me. It comes in a pan built into the lid of a jar for powder. In theory, you're supposed to be able to dot the cream concealer on your undereye, then set it with the included powder. Well, that didn't work. The concealer was almost the right color (too yellow, but right lightness), but the powder part was way too light. So I tried the powder as a light dusting all over my face, see if I could get rid of it that way. Nope. Chalky ghost face even with a fiber optic brush. So then I decided that the trash can was the best way to get rid of the powder. I used up a bunch of the concealer as a sticky eye base. Mostly, I think that was an unnecessary additional step to the routine. So then I mixed the dregs with some Monistat anti-chafing power and used it up as a "tinted primer." I will not buy this product again. Now, I'm using the part where the concealer was for a depotted eyeshadow that's just the right size, and I'm keeping powders I do like in the bottom. Eventually, it'll make its way into a travel/after gym type kit.
The meh:
Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer spf 30 sunblock sample
I got this in the Sephora Sun Care kit. This stuff was ok - not great, not bad. I probably won't buy it again because I'm not convinced that the avobenzone is photostable.
(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
145 items gone
52 full size items gone
Friday, May 27, 2011
Nails of the Moment, and Face of the Day!
Brought to you by my webcam from my favorite café, where I am trying but failing to work on a lesson plan.
Nails - 3-4 coats of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Lavender Cloud. Sticking to professional colors in the meantime, and this was only two bucks at the CVS clearance sale. I purposely did not use a base or top coat because I wanted to see how long it lasted on its own.
Face: Frankenprimer, Frankenfoundation mixed with Aromaleigh Divine Radiance in Magnolia Blossom, Tarte Park Avenue Princess bronzer
Eyes: Lumene eye base, some sticky concealer, Aromaleigh heels on fire on lid, same color mixed with Brazen Cosmetics Jinx in crease and to line. Cover Girl Lash Blast (red tube) in some mostly black but with "silver shimmer" color.
Lips: Fyrinnae Lip Lustre - Puppy Love
Nails - 3-4 coats of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Lavender Cloud. Sticking to professional colors in the meantime, and this was only two bucks at the CVS clearance sale. I purposely did not use a base or top coat because I wanted to see how long it lasted on its own.
Face: Frankenprimer, Frankenfoundation mixed with Aromaleigh Divine Radiance in Magnolia Blossom, Tarte Park Avenue Princess bronzer
Eyes: Lumene eye base, some sticky concealer, Aromaleigh heels on fire on lid, same color mixed with Brazen Cosmetics Jinx in crease and to line. Cover Girl Lash Blast (red tube) in some mostly black but with "silver shimmer" color.
Lips: Fyrinnae Lip Lustre - Puppy Love
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