Cosmetics & Skincare Talk

A Quick Look At... Ulta3 Nail Polishes

2010-03-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

Not quite as buttery or as smooth as my OPIs but for $2, these Ulta3 polishes cant be beat. Colour selection is wonderful with a good mix of pinks, brights, neutrals and ultra vampy shades.

These are just the six I've picked up at the moment but I definitely plan on going back to my Terry White Chemist for more

Baby Pink is similar to OPI Rosy Future, with its light, sheer, girly pink base with a slight blue flash. The flash is alot stronger in the OPI though and the Ulta3 polish is a slightly lighter pink. Very sheer on the nails but very pretty

French Pink is your stock standard milky light-mid pink which comes out alot sheerer than you hope it would. That said, I am still yet to find a shade like this that comes out completely opaque on my nails. Colourwise, this one falls in the middle of OPI Got A Date To-Knight! and OPI Pink-o De Gallo

Watermelon is a gorgeous peachy coral creme. Similar to OPI Back To The Beach Peach. Great colour for summer and spring

Bon Bon is a frosty pale pink colour, a shade that isnt depicted well in this photo. This photo gives it almost a lavender tone, but it is distinctly pink in real life.

Poppy is a gorgeous vibrant pink, much more vibrant and bright than this photo shows. It has a slight metallic sheen to it. Deeper than OPI Strawberry Margarita and less blue toned than OPI La-Pazitively Hot

Waterlily is a beautiful deep metallic eggplant with a fine gold and copper shimmer running through it. A little rough on application but nothing a coat of Seche Vite cant fix. Similar purple tone to OPI Yes... I Can-Can but with a warm shimmer as opposed to the silver of OPI

A Quick Look At... Urban Decay 24/7 Liners - Velvet Rope Set

2009-01-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

i know i know, ive been absent for ages and i have an awful lot products to take photos of. ive been super busy with uni and ive recently started up a full time job so there's been no time for cosmetic porn

anywho, here's a quick look at my latest purchase. i will be trialing these tomorrow on my upper and lower lashline which do not tolerate liners at all - i'm all racoony within 5 minutes, i kid you not

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/ud247.jpg

A Quick Look At... OPI Holographic Nail Polishes

2008-11-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

A Quick Look At... MAC Intriguing Scarlet: 6 Warm Eyes

2008-11-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

ughhh the palette picture is pretty dodgy so i'll take a better photo later.

am totally in love with this baby already - the textures are smooth and pigmented, the palette is neutral but also has a gorgeous burgundy and forest green shade

full review to come!

OPI Swatches - Part 3

2008-10-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

the last of my collection :) click links for full sizes

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun7.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun8.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun9.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun10.jpg

A Jewellery Post

2008-10-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

i know, i know, this is not an accessories blog, but I really couldnt resist showing off what I got in the mail today

i have been swooning over Blair's Garland Necklace on Gossip Girl for weeks, but am not exactly willing to fork out over $1200 for it. So instead, i've made use of the Alchemy feature on Etsy. I was really hoping for some good offers, but i never expected that i'd end up with a necklace as pretty as this.

i wanted something similar, but not identical to Blair's, which has WALDORF engraved into it. Instead, i wanted my initials MC on the oval plate, with a nice pretty decoration as a border

here's the original:

my request was answered and this is what I got in the mail today (for $30 mind you)

pretty cool eh? this has an extender chain on it, which im using in the photos, but i think i'll wear it everyday at collarbone height instead :)

interested? you can buy one from the link below. i notice that the price has gone up by $10, but $40 for a custom made necklace is pretty darn good if you ask me

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15949942

A Look At... Opi Holiday In Toyland Part 2

2008-10-09T20:53:00.001-07:00

You're A Doll! is a very unique muted baby pink with red flecks through it. It's almost like the base colour has been washed out with a hint of grey. The red flecks arent hugely noticeable on the nail unless you really look for them, but it makes the shade different to anything else I own. Love it.

Glamour Game is swatching alot more silver here than it does on my nails, although it's a difficult colour to describe anyway. The best I can think of is that Glamour Game is a fusion of champagne gold with pewter, and has gold flecks (same as the ones in Brand New Skates) scattered through. Very very pretty.

A Ruby For Rudolph is one of the glittery red shades from the Toyland collection, and boy it's a stunner. It's definitely glitter, not shimmer, although it's more finely milled than the likes of ChG Ruby Slippers. It's a christmasy red with red glitter.

Don't Toy With Me! is another of the glittery reds, although i'd consider it to me leaning towards a pinky berry. Instead of red glitter, Don't toy With Me! also has silver and pink glitter strewn through it

A Look At... SEPHORA by OPI

2008-09-24T05:44:00.001-07:00

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/sephora.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/sephora2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/sephora3.jpg

a lovely girl on MUA has asked me about the shade "Sunlight" in my photos and if it's very gold in real life.............i still havent quite figured out how i should answer her question yet

A Look At... Zoya

2008-09-24T05:41:00.001-07:00

my first ever Zoya polishes, woohoo!

A Look At... OPI Holiday In Toyland

2008-09-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

blogger has done an ok job with my photo sizes this time, except for a few, so the pictures that have been made smaller now have a link underneath them so you can see them in all their glory

obviously, these are only the grey shades from this collection, but i thought you'd all be interested in seeing them anyway

who knew that "Sheer" Your Toys! had red in it? and that Baby It's "Coal" Outside! had gold through it?

simply stunning

ETA: the flash is making some of these look blue. the most colour accurate photos IMO are the shots with 'no flash'

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/toyland13.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/toyland.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/toyland5.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/toyland8.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/toyland6.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/toyland7.jpg

OPI Swatches - Part 2

2008-09-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

Please click the links for the super detailed full sizes! I wish blogger wouldnt make my pictures so small :(

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun2.jpg

(mum stole my Suzi Sells Sushi By The Seashore, hence the blank nail!)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun4.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun5.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opisun6.jpg

And these arent even all my polishes! Hopefully I'll get around to swatching the rest of them, plus my Sephora By OPI shades, China Glaze shades and Essie shades. Not to mention the Zoya shades I'm expecting in the mail ;)

NOTD - OPI Moon Over Mumbai

2008-09-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

Not quite ready to try grey nail polish? OPI Moon Over Mumbai is a great way to ease you into the trend. It's a very pretty, opalescent white/dove grey blend, and is part of the India collection. Looks like an ordinary sheer nude to start off with, but upon closer inspection, there's a bit of grey in there!

My only nagging issue with Moon Over Mumbai is that it tends to be a streaky biatch, so you have been warned.....

A Quick Look At... Sephora By OPI - Run With It

2008-09-14T03:51:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: I was wearing OPI Bastille My Heart before this, hence the red-tinged cuticles. Also, in my rush, I have failed to cover my nail completely with top coat, as you can see on my ring finger. DOH!

One of the coolest shades ever? I certainly think so. Run With It is a beautiful dove grey shade, peppered with bronzey gold shimmer. I admit, I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first - I felt a bit...space costumey? But it certainly grew on me and is super unique. The shimmer through it stops it from being too cool, and adds to the whole crushed-pebble cement look

The formula was a bit thicker than my usual OPIs, although I suspect this may just be my bottle. A few drops of thinner has fixed this. Also, I had to give this a good mix before using it, as the shimmer wasnt very evenly distributed. This is something I've heard alot about on MUA - many other girls are finding colour ribbons through their Sephora polishes. Oh well, I guess they're fairly small concerns, especially when a good shake or a drop of thinner can fix it

Looking forward to receiving several more Sephora By OPI shades in the mail, including Charge It! which is meant to be a lovely alternative to Chanel Gold Fiction

stay tuned!

OPI Swatches - Part 1

2008-09-14T03:46:00.000-07:00

quick shots, taken with flash. will try to take some in direct sunlight for you as flash changes the colours slightly.

please click on the links for full sizes!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opi1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/opi2.jpg

Swatch Request for Nads (Vogue Forum)

2008-08-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

So how does OPI Baguette Me Not compare to OPI Don't Melbourne The Toast? Kreme de la Kremlin is thrown in for good measure ;)

I like to group these together because they're from the same family, but they're different shades. They're not quite sisters, but cousins

Once again, blogger is making my pictures super-small so click the link below if you want to see the full size in all it's glory :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/baguette.jpg

Got any swatch requests? Let me know!

Nail Wheel - Stuff from Head2Toe Beauty

2008-08-25T00:06:00.000-07:00

weeeee!!! so i finally got my head2toe order today so i decided to do my first ever nail wheel

i actually already owned Essie Bordeaux and Wicked but wanted to add them into my wheel anyway

currently rocking China Glaze Side-Saddle on my fingers and it's ridiculously sexy - think OPI Lincoln Park After Dark with molten gold *drools*

now because blogger makes my images smaller, please click on the link below to see the full size :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/wheel.jpg

NOTD - Random

2008-08-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

So of course, i've been playing around with my Konad Nail Art, so here's two quick shots of what Ive had on the last two days (yes I keep changing my nail polish)

Once again, I apologise for showing you the horror that is my biten fingernails *hides in shame*

Left: OPI Yes... I Can-Can! with Konad White Special Polish (m3)

Right: OPI Calendar Girl with Konad Black Special Polish (m57)

NOTD - OPI Calendar Girl with Konad Nail Art

2008-08-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

:: Not exactly an accurate representation of Calendar Girl, as it is darker and brighter in real life, but I wanted to take this photo so I could show off some Konad Nail Art!

:: This is a basic floral pattern from the m3 image plate, using the White Special Polish

:: I got my stamp/scraper in the mail today and far out....it makes it about 10x easier!

A Quick Look At... Konad Nail Art

2008-08-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

Now before I start, I should really add a disclaimer: I am a chronic nail biter. Yup, always have been and always will be. It's a terrible habit, and whilst iv'e grown out of it slightly, i'll start knawing at them again once im nervous or bored

So yes, my nails are very short and for this reason, ive avoided doing things like nail swatches. That said, I really couldnt resist showing you my latest addiction - Konad Nail Art

But what is Konad Nail Art? Basically, you have an image plate, which is a disc with patterns engraved into it. You paint some nail polish (Konad brand stuff is best because it's super thick and gives a really crisp finish) onto the pattern of your choice and scrape away the excess polish in a quick motion (so that you're only left with nail polish in the engraved section of your patten). You transfer the image onto a 'stamper' by pressing the stamper down on the polish, this transfers the detailed image onto the surface of your stamper, then you roll the stamper onto your nail, which transfer the image onto your hand.

Phew, got it? No? Ok well try this video:

http://www.konadusa.com/applications/demo_video.htm

Now I am exceptionally uncoordinated and I've been very nervous that i'd stuff this whole image transfer/rolling thing up, but it is easy as pie. AND I didnt even get a stamper/scraper with my order (accidently left out by the seller but is getting replaced ASAP) so i've improvised - using an old plastic library card as my scraper, and a silicon casing from my nintendo ds as the 'stamper'

So far, Konad Nail Art gets two enthusiastic thumbs up, although I'm sure I will love it even more when I have a proper stamper to use. I'm even planning to purchase more image plates and special nail polish already! All this, and im not even a nail art sort of person, but this stuff is fun.

Unlike some girls on MUA who wear a stamp on each nail, I think i'll have plain painted nails except for maybe my thumb or ring finger - I like the simple approach

So here goes.....my second attempt at using my improvised Stamper and Scraper

Colour: OPI Eiffel For This Color with Konad White Special Nail Polish (Image Plate m36)

Not bad eh?

Oh and just a tip - you really need to seal the Konad polish with a top coat, but try to use as few strokes as possible, or else the image smudges very easily

Preliminary Thoughts on OPI La Collection De France

2008-08-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Fancy that! My local David Jones had the entire France collection in today, and whilst I didnt buy any (I can't justify $20 a bottle when I can get it for 1/3 of the price from the U.S), I had a good look at all the colours - even earning myself some disapproving looks from the sale assistants

So here goes! No pictures of course, but I wrote down some brief notes. I was not able to swatch these, but I carefully looked at the provided swatches on the artifical nails, as well as comparing the bottles to other OPI shades that they had available.

:: Bastille My Heart - similar to Bogota Blackberry (same depth of colour too), but BMH is more berry toned. Wasn't sure whether I'd be getting this one or not, but now I really want it (as I adore BB)
:: A Oui Bit Of Red - lovely, bright red with a hint of shimmer. Struck me as similar to My Chihuahua Bites! but side-by-side, AOBOR is much more red toned. Similar depth of colour though
:: Tickle My Francey - Another one that I was certain I wasnt going to get....before today. I love my nudes and really couldnt justify getting another one, but TMF is slightly different again. Sort of similar to Dulce de Leche, but TMF is slightly cooler, and has a very slight mauve tone. Once again, similar depth of colour
:: We'll Always Have Paris - Described as coffee, but it's a definite berry burgundy. It's similar to Boris & Natasha, however WAHP is around 2 shades darker
:: Yes... I Can Can! - A shade that is surprisingly close to WAHP, despite the descriptions being COMPLETLEY different. Essentially, WAHP is the creme version and YICC! is a shimmery version. The only other difference, is that YICC! is perhaps slightly more purple toned
:: Eiffel For This Color - I've gotta say, this is one of the shades that I was most keen for. And whilst the colour certainly doesnt disappoint, EFTC was very similar to Black Cherry Chutney in the bottle. There is a slight difference on the nails though. I'd say EFTC is slightly more purple and sparkly
:: You Don't Know Jacques! - I've been on the fence about this one too. It is SUCH a unique colour and I couldnt compare it to any other shade at David Jones today - but I don't think it'll suit me at all. YDKJ! is a flat, medium grey/taupe shade, which is reminiscent of wet cement. Whilst I love creme formulas, I feel that if YDKJ! had a slight pearl to it, I'd be more inclined to purchase it because the shade itself is quite flat and blah. I can imagine someone with pale skin absolutely rocking this colour, but when I held the swatch up to my own skin (light-medium, yellow toned), it seemed to clash horribly :(
:: Baguette Me Not - A pretty, creme formulation which is similar to Don't Melbourne The Toast, however BMN is brighter and has an apricot tone to it
:: Crepes Suzette - Not really my sort of shade. It's almost along the lines of BMN, but CS is a fair few shades darker, and has a brown/orange tone to it
:: I'm Fondue Of You - A pretty shade but I'm not one for browns. If you do like brown polishes, this is a very nice one indeed. It has a hint of pink shimmer to it, which warms it up from being too chocolatey
:: Parle-Vous OPI? - Once again, not really my sort of shade, although I do think it is nicer in real life than in pictures. Like YDKJ!, this sort of shade clashes with my skin. If you're after a slightly greyed lavender shade in a creme formulation, you'll like this
:: Louvre Me Louvre Me Not - Not a shade I had any intention of buying, but now I'm not so sure. In real life, LMLMN is a gorgeous, vibrant violet shade with a very pretty pearl to it. I actually forgot to compare this to any other colour, but it seems unique enough. I don't think I'm brave enough to wear this on my fingers but I'm interested in trying it on my toes in summer, when I've got a tan

Hope that helped guys! I'm making an order on ebay for the following colours, and will review them once I've got them

:: Bastille My Heart
:: A Oui Bit Of Red
:: Tickle My Francey
:: Yes... I Can Can!
:: Eiffel For This Color
:: Baguette Me Not
:: Louvre Me Louvre Me Not

A Quick Look At... MAC Smoke & Diamonds vs. MAC Sweet Sienna

2008-07-30T04:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, I did this a week or so ago and have posted it on Specktra, but forgot to post it on here!

:: S&D is more pigmented than SS, has more silver/grey tones and lacks the copper/gold fleck that SS has
:: S&D has a really rich, smooth, metallicy shimmer to it, which SS lacks
:: If you like SS, you'll like S&D, however they are not the same
:: That said, they both have that barest hint of olive which doesnt translate as green on the skin

A Quick Look At... MAC Pleasantry Mineralize Blush - on the skin!

2008-07-21T01:18:00.000-07:00

:: Once again, applied VERY lightly with my 187. See? Don't let bright pink scare you - you can make it super subtle or very bright, depending on how much you apply

A Quick Look At... OPI La Collection De France

2008-07-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Please note, that all credit goes to ToestoGo @ Makeupalley. She took this fantastic photo - I have merely labelled them so it's easy to see which is which

For a really big shot of this (as the labels are barely readable at this size), just click the photo to enlarge it.

Or visit here: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/france-labelled.jpg

Eiffel for this Color: A Wine Shimmer
Baguette Me not: Swirl of Cinnamon
Crepes Suzi-ette: Caramel
Yes..I CanCan!:Jeweled shade of Eggplant
We'll Always Have Paris: Rich Coffee Shade
A Oui Bit of Red: Brilliant Red
I'm Fondue of You: Delicious shade of Chocolate
Bastille My Heart: Glimmer of Rich Burgundy
Tickle my France-y: Naughty shade of Nude
You don't know Jacques!: TAUPE!!!
Parlez-vous OPI: Smoky Violet
Louvre Me Louvre Me Not: Royal Purple

A Look At... MAC Nuance Mineralize Blush

2008-07-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

:: Yes, yet ANOTHER Sonic Chic Blush. This time it's Nuance, which is described by MAC as a 'Mid-tone peach with gold pearl', which is spot on.

:: Some people have said that Nuance is like a toned down verson of Dainty, but in the pots you can see that they're quite different. Dainty, whilst being a bright peachy/pink fusion, looks distinctly pink next to Nuance

:: Nope, it's not really similar to either of these MSFs! Glissade is paler and glittery, whereas Stereo Rose is more coral

:: Nuance is not similar to Torrid or Orgasm, but is quite similar to Luster and even the Barbie Loves MAC Pearl Sunshine Beauty Powder. Pearl Sunshine is lighter and less orange, whereas Luster is less orange and more bronze.

:: Same photo, but with flash ;)

:: Like the other Sonic Chic blushes, Nuance has great colour payoff and a buttery smooth texture that is not even remotely glittery. It swatches true to the colour in the pot

:: On the skin, Nuance is the most orange of the bunch. It is similar to Luster, however Luster is far more bronze and the gold pearl is more evident than the pearl in Nuance

:: Pearl Sunshine, whilst looking sort of similar in the pot, is much lighter and frostier than Nuance

:: Other shades dont really come close to Nuance

:: Nuance is very pretty, and those looking for a orangey peach will not be disappointed. The only thing I will say, is that Nuance may look very orange on some skintones. I'm yet to try this on my cheeks, but I'm sure this will be a lovely peach on warmer skintones, but more orange on cooler/paler skin

A Look At... MAC Pleasantry Mineralize Blush

2008-07-20T19:43:00.001-07:00

:: Pleasantry is yet another shade from MAC's Sonic Chic Collection. It is described as an 'Intense mid-tone blue pink with gold pearl', which I would agree with. In the pot, this is slightly cooler than I remember Dollymix being, but not too cool that warm skintones couldnt wear it. If anything, Pleasantry might be a better 'bright pink' for people who have redness in their cheeks - I found the red in Dollymix accentuated this on me

:: Dainty seems almost orange next to Pleasantry, and Gleeful looks really dark and sort of brown. The gold pearl in Pleasantry is more noticeable in the pot than the pearl in Dainty or Gleeful

:: Pearl Blossom is far lighter and more muted, whereas CARGO Catalina appears almost chalky in comparison. Pleasantry is brighter and glowier

:: Pleasantry swatches slightly lighter than it appears in the pot, so dont be put off by how bright it is when you open the packaging

:: Pleasantry is absolutely stunning on the skin - a light-medium pink with slight blue undertones (nothing too cool) and an amazing gold pearl. It has slightly less colour payoff than I expected, but I suppose this makes Pleasantry even more wearable

:: Warm skintones will have no problems wearing this, although it seems bright and too cool. The gold pearl warms things up nicely and the ability to layer the pigment means you can have it as subtle or as loud as you like

:: I'm very happy with this shade at the moment, as it is wearable yet fun - stay tuned for shots of it on my face later :)

A Look At... MAC Smoke & Diamonds Eyeshadow

2008-07-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

:: Smoke & Diamonds is soon to be released with MAC's new Starflash Collection. It is described as a 'frosty dirty taupe'. In the pot, Smoke & Diamonds is a very odd colour indeed - far more grey/silver than taupe, and perhaps the slightest hint of olive

:: In the pot, Satin Taupe is far more brown. French Grey is far less shimmery and more of a basic grey (with a hint of brown), whereas Magnetic Fields is sparkly and brown in comparison

:: The teensy bit of green in Smoke & Diamonds makes it look a bit like Club eyeshadow, however Club has a very strong green flash with a brown base colour. Smoke & Diamonds, on the other hand, appears to have a slight green tone in it's base colour, but no green flash/shimmer

:: Whilst Smoke & Diamonds is looking a bit green in these photos, it swatches far more grey with a hint of taupe. The finish of this shadow is a new finish called 'Starflash', and it is very smooth (like Veluxe Pearls) and very shimmery

:: Ahhh now this photo is more true to life! See how Smoke & Diamonds looks more grey, but with a slight warmth to it? It's almost like French Grey (which swatches as a warm gret with brown mixed in) eyeshadow, mixed with a silver shade like Electra (which i do not own, but I have seen photos of), and then with an ultra smooth pearl finish over the top like Coco Pigment

:: You can see in this photo without flash that shades like Club, French Grey and Magnetic Fields apply sort of patchy compared to Satin Taupe and Smoke & Diamonds.

:: Smoke & Diamonds applies just as easy, if not easier, than Satin Taupe

:: Smoke & Diamonds is a wonderful shade, although not what I was expecting. This is a cool toned shadow, one that is much more grey/silver than I am used to, however it is stunning. The hint of green in the pot does not translate onto the skin - instead you get an incredibley complex, shimmery smooth shade of grey, taupe and silver

A Quick Look At... MAC Gleeful Mineralize Blush - on the skin!

2008-07-15T00:55:00.000-07:00

:: MAC Gleeful, applied with a VERY light hand using my 187. I once again only used a single light sweep over the product, which coated my bristles enough to do both cheeks

:: Id say this is warmer IRL than in the photos - it's really hard to capture blushes without washing them out completely

:: It's a plummy pink, but with a warm coral tone to it. Really quite a complex shade which I imagine would look different on everyone!

A Quick Look At... MAC Dainy Mineralize Blush - on the skin!

2008-07-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

:: Im around an NC25-30 and I had absolutely no troubles getting Dainty to show up on me. In fact, a single light swirl of my 187 over the product gave BOTH cheeks a noticeably peachy pink shade

:: Of course, flash tends to wash colours out so Dainty is more noticeable IRL :)

A Look At... MAC Gleeful Mineralize Blush

2008-07-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

:: Ahhh Gleeful... a shade that no one has really been able to describe on Specktra. MAC describes it as a 'Deep, dirty-blue pink with gold pearl '
:: In the pot, Gleeful is a medium-deep pink with a hint of berry. It looks more shimmery in the pot than Dainty but is certainly not glittery

:: Hmmm well i cant really find any MSFs that compare to Gleeful! The closest I can think of is the pink shade that runs through Northern Light MSF

:: Stereo Rose is far too coral, So Ceylon looks almost brown next to it (despite being a lovely bronzed rose) and Northern Light is similar...but lighter

:: Just like Dainty, this shade has superb colour payoff. It is rich and creamy, shimmery but not glittery.

:: The thing about Gleeful, is that it almost takes on a coral tone once swatched, compared to the plummy pink that it was in the pot. Gleeful becomes distinctly warmer once applied

:: Shades like Stereo Rose almost seem frosty compared to Gleeful, which has shimmer but one that is much more subtle than the MSFs
:: Gleeful is DARK compared to the other shades, although this would still be a very easy shade to wear if you applied it with a 187
:: Gleeful gets this really warm tone to it, once applied. It is still a plummy pink but with a hint of coral, or even red. I am interested to see how this looks on my cheeks as anything remotely red makes me look very sunburnt
:: This is a shade that is very different to anything else I own, but it is beautiful
:: To sum up - Gleeful is a vey pigmented medium-deep pink with hints of plum, then warmer coral undertones. It has a shimmer, but one that is very subtle

A Look At... MAC Dainty Mineralize Blush

2008-07-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

:: Isn't she beautiful? Dainty is a new mineralized blush from MAC's Sonic Chic Collection. It is described as a 'yellow pink with gold pearl'
:: In the pot, Dainty is a warm peachy pink, with no hints of glitter or sparkle - just a slight hint of gold

:: Dainty doesnt even compare to either of the Barbie Loves MAC Beauty Powders, so you can definitely justify owning this if you already have these two

:: Pearl Blossom is far too light, too pink and too cool

:: Pearl Sunshine is too orange/yellow and not nearly as bright as Dainty

:: Now in the pots, these three all look fairly similar however Orgasm has that really rich gold shimmer overlay, which Dainty lacks

:: Next to each other, Dainty almost looks like it could be the love child of these two but with more yellow tones

:: Hmm... despite what it might look like in the pictures, Dainty really isnt similar to ANY of these. It is alot brighter than Porcelain Pink, darker and peachier than Glissade (not to mention it has zero glitter, unlike Glissade), warmer and less berry than Northern Light and more pink than Stereo Rose

:: Dainty has fantastic colour payoff when swatched, although on the cheeks it may be a different story (i'll try it on later then update with a picture)

:: It is smooth, rich and very glowy. You get the slightest hint of gold but it is very finely milled. It took only one swipe of this product to get the colour payoff you see on my finger *drools*

:: You can always click this to enlarge it

:: On the skin, Dainty really isnt similar to anything....not even the two NARS blushes - Orgasm is really gold in comparison with almost zero colour payoff, whereas Torrid becomes a red coral shade

:: Dainty is instead a rich, smooth peachy pink fusion with a hint of gold, but it's barely noticeable. It reminds me of Funshine Slimshine but in blush form

:: Alot of people on Specktra have commented that this blush is really light/pale - uhhh......did we get the same blush? Dainty is like Stereo Rose in terms of depth of colour. It is not light at all, or at least not on my skin. Instead, Dainty sits happily in the middle and is almost bright compared to what I was expecting

:: I will be trying this on later with my MAC 187 to see how it goes....but so far, im completely smitten. Dainty is a beautiful shade, rich and smooth (not glittery) and will most certainly show up on my skintone

A Look At... MAC Warming Trend Eyeshadow

2008-07-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

:: Warming Trend is from MACs Cool Heat Collection and is described as 'a frosty light taupe (Veluxe Pearl)
:: Id say this description is accurate, as in the pot Warming Trend resembles a light-mid taupe with hints of gold and even olive
:: The photo below (taken without flash) is probably the most accurate, colour-wise

:: In the pot, Era is lighter, Woodwinked is similar but more bronze and slightly darker, and Bronze is deeper

:: When swatched, the frost in Warming Trend comes out, making it alot lighter than it seems in the pot.
:: The frost is both warm and cool at the same time - it looks gold but makes the shade seem cooler overall, almost like it has a hint of white or silver to it

:: On the skin, Era is similar depth-wise but pinker, Woodwinked is much darker and bronze, and Bronze is very dark in comparison
:: I'm yet to try this baby on my eye but at the moment, I'm not blown away by it. It is a fabulous veluxe pearl texture although i don't feel that it is as 'buttery' as Woodwinked upon application
:: I've heard Warming Trend is very similar to Patina although I unfortunately do not own this shade. I am aware though that Patina is a duochrome, whereas Warming Trend is a flat shade with frost
:: If you're like me and love all things neutral, this is still a nice shade although it's bordering on boring and is alot lighter when applied than I had expected

A Quick Look At... MAC Tendertone in E-Z Baby

2008-07-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

:: E-Z Baby has been one of the most popular new MAC Tendertones and it's easy to see why - this is by far the palest colour in the collection and is not similar to any other shade (compared to ones like Hush Hush and Honey Bare which essentially look the same on your lips)
:: It's pale, it's milky, and it has the signature gel/balm texture with the fantastic strawberry kiwi scent
:: E-Z Baby applies sheer like it's counterparts, but manages to lighten/mute your lip colour ever so slighty. It's great as a sheer nude without washing you out (night of the living dead comes to mind) or looking too pink or too beige
:: Great shade for warm and cool skintones :)

A Brow Tutorial... Keeping Them Natural

2008-06-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

ok folks, so i havent done a tutorial in a while. Brows are a big thing for me (ever since i saw photos of myself in high school where i had overplucked them to oblivion), and whilst i know i dont have the greatest brows in the world, I thought this tutorial would be helpful for people who want to fill in their brows without having them look fake

for starters, i feel that powder is the most natural looking product of all to use. it's light, easy to use, and gives the appearance of fuller brows without depositing huge amounts of colour. you can use a matte eyeshadow (please use matte shades - i dont know of anyone who has brows that are naturally frost or veluxe pearl) or powders that are designed specifically for the brows. I find brow powders to be a bit firmer and waxier than standard eyeshadows.

i use the MAC Brow Shader Duo in Maple/Soft Charcoal. I have very dark brown, practically black hair, so this shade works well for me. It doesnt have any red tones to it so it blends in with my existing brow hair easily. For a brush, any stiff, angled brow brush would work. I use a real cheapy - Cyber Colors Eyebrow Brush which i bought off sasa.com for a dollar or two.

ETA: i dont use the 'Maple' or highlighting shade unless i have eyeshadow on. it's pretty much the same thing as using Shroom as a highlight

so here is our brow powder and my el cheapo brush. what you want to do is get a bit of the powder on the brush by sweeping it over the product, and tapping the excess off

so this is one of my eyebrows. it has a bit of shape (please note ive never had them professionally shaped before so please dont give me too much crap about them *winks*) and whilst i have eyebrow hair, there's lots of gaps in between which can make them look non-existant.

basically, we're going to start at the bottom of the brow

the dashes represent the line of my eyebrow which im going to follow. im going to start off doing short quick strokes, following the arch. once ive done the entire bottom of my brow, i will join the dashes together with more little strokes.

why all these little strokes? im trying to replicate little eyebrow hairs

alright so here is the bottom outline of my brow done. you can see in the photo that ive filled it in but it doesnt look ridiculously obvious. next we're going to do the top outline of the brow.

now before i move on, i just want to say that i prefer the bottom outline of my brow to be ever so slightly darker than the top outline. i figure that when you get your brows waxed, the bottom outline of your brow is pretty much where the middle or bottom 1/3 of your eyebrow wouldve been, so it is the thickest section. i dont think that made any sense, but oh well. im sure someone out there is following me...........right? hellooooo?

ok so we're about to do the top outline of the brow. ive once again positioned my angled brush along my brow so i can draw hair-like strokes

not the most accurate dashes ever, but this is a rough guide of how im going to draw the top outline in. you can see from this picture that im actually going below some of the eyebrow hairs - im trying to keep my brows looking natural and i know that my brows will never be completely thick at the top, so im gonna start a bit further down and concentrate on a nice shape instead.

re-fill your brush with a tiny bit of powder (less is more people!), tap off the excess and go to town...

woohoo! the outline is complete! once again, you can see that ive done an outline but it is still fairly natural

but now ive got all these gaps to fill in. once again, using a bit of powder (tap the excess off!), im going to do some hair like strokes. you can see in this picture that my dashes are going to be following the direction of my natural eyebrow hairs.

ahhh! finally! my brows have been filled in, but they arent screaming out "HEY YOU! DO YOU LIKE HOW IVE DRAWN MY EYEBROWS ON TODAY?". just so you know, i think many many people can rock darker, more 'obvious' looking brows, but unfortunately am not one of them

ok so this step is completely optional. sometimes, i like to go over my filled in brows with some clear mascara/brow gel. once again, im sweep this on by following the direction of my eyebrow hairs. why use mascara/brow gel? well...

a) it helps my brow hairs stay in place
b) the mascara/brow gel smooths down the powder, and the bristles on the brush help blend the powder into hair-like strokes

and now for the before/after shots...

please note i took this photo straight after i applied my clear mascara so my brows are looking a tad 'glossy' but once the gel sets, it looks au naturale

see a difference? the filled brows are more defined, more full looking, but without looking like ive stuck someone elses brows to my face

hope you enjoyed this tut!

kirk van houten: "im sorry we're late, lou-anne had to put her face on. she doesnt want anyone to know she's got no eyebrows"
lou-anne van houten: *strange look, one eyebrow wonky and the other straight*
kirk: "what? you dont!"

A Quick Look At.... MAC Tendertones - New Shades

2008-06-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

Just pictures for now, guys! Reviews and hopefully swatches coming soon (although taking Tendertone swatches can be ridiculously frustrating as they all tend to look the same on camera, however I assure you they are different in real life!)

A look at... MAC Gentle Simmer Slimshine

2008-06-01T20:54:00.001-07:00

:: Gentle Simmer is the newest permanent addition to the MAC Slimshines Collection and is described as 'Light clean yellow-pink with white pearlized pigments (Frost)'.
:: In the tube, this shade is very similar to Funshine, but less creamy and more pearly. Funshine has a gold pearl through it whereas Gentle Simmer has a definite pearl coloured sheen.
:: Next to Missy, Gentle Simmer is much more pink, more shimmery, and far less orange

:: On the skin, Gentle Simmer is very sheer compared to the other two, which surprised me. I expected more colour payoff from this one

:: On the lips, it is also very sheer although it gives an incredible pearly glow

:: Gentle Simmer is slightly disappointing in that it hardly shows up on me at all, however the pearly glossy finish is to die for

:: If you find either Funshine or Missy to bright to wear, Gentle Simmer would be perfect for you

A Look At... MAC Magnetic Fields Eyeshadow

2008-05-29T00:09:00.001-07:00

Magnetic Fields is a new eyeshadow from MAC and is described as "Black brown with silver pearlized pigments". There has been some controversy over what sort of texture this eyeshadow has - it is labelled a veluxe pearl but is apparently a mislabelled lustre. I find this eyeshadow to be smooth and pigmented - perhaps not as buttery soft as a VP, but certainly not flakey and horrible like a lustre. I'd say Magnetic Fields is like a frost or satin, with the tiniest hint of a velvet.

On the skin, Magnetic Fields is a deep, cool, shimmering brown with touches of charcoal. There is the slightest fleck of silver through it, but nothing glittery. This tiny fleck of silver is what makes it similar to a velvet eyeshadow.

Magnetic Fields has been associated with Mulch, however I dont find them similar at all. Mulch is lighter, browner and has far more red tones. Sable & Bronze are also too light and brown to be compared to Magnetic Fields

In the pots, Magnetic Fields and Satin Taupe look verrryyy similar, with Magnetic Fields looking slighter darker, more charcoal and less plummy/taupe.

Fortunately, on the skin, Magnetic Fields is like no other eyeshadow I own. It has a good amount of colour payoff, smooth application, and is by far the darkest and most smokey eyeshadow I own.

I'm very happy with Magnetic Fields as it is a unique colour and the texture is not like the dreaded lustre. And just so you know, the packaging is indeed a neon orange. I'll be depotting this baby ASAP ;)

A quick look at... MAC Slimshine Lipsticks - Additional shades!

2008-04-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Ahh yes, I've expanded my Slimshine collection since the last time I posted about these beauties. MAC added some new shades when they made these lipsticks permanent (thank goodness! *happy dance*) so naturally I bought them.

My favourite out of the shades I bought? Definitely Missy, which is a fabulous creamy peach that sits somewhere between Funshine and Ardor. Urgent! is also a favourite - offering a sheer, juicy red shine.

Least favourites out of the new bunch? I was really looking forward to Grenadine, but unfortunately it is way too blue-toned for me and turns bright fuschia as a result. Also not feeling a whole bunch of love for Intimidate - a creamy plum pink which I'm sure would look fabulous on other girls, but is a touch too cool for my skintone

A quick look at... MAC Mattene Lipsticks

2008-04-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

My first ever matte lipsticks! I have to say though, these dont feel like regular matte lipsticks - MAC Mattenes have this incredible smooth, almost powdered feeling to them. They're ultra pigmented and super sexy.

For simple, everyday lips, I've gone for Poise (a soft peach) and 40s Pink (soft neutral pink). I was very close to picking up Composure (appeared to be a slightly more browned shade of 40s Pink) but managed to show some self-control (yes I do have self-control on the odd occasion)

A quick look at... MAD Minerals Indelible Gel Eyeliners

2008-04-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! I've been missing in action! But i've been really busy with uni work - that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it *winks*

I bought two of the Indelible Gel Eyeliners off MAD Minerals and I have to say, I am impressed. They are more firm and not as 'wet' as MAC Fluidlines (making it a bit more difficult to get a smooth line) but once they're on, they stay on for the whole day

So here are some pictures of the two shades I picked up - Marcasite (a deep shimmering gunmetal with a hint of blue tones, but not much, so girls with yellow tones will still be able to wear this) and Black Cherry (a stunning black with maroon and berry sparkles)

A look at... MAC N Collection MSFs

2008-01-25T23:26:00.000-08:00

Light Flush
:: base colour is similar (shade-wise) to Porcelain Pink (but depth-wise, Light Flush is a shade or two darker) with a copper tone mixed in, and a pink pearl (same sort of pink pearl that Porcelain Pink has)

:: texture is the same as Porcelain Pink, so no glittery/flaky bits

:: on skin, same depth of colour as Northern Light, but Northern Light looks more peach, whereas Light Flush has a pink pearl

:: more copper and less mauve toned, compared to Petticoat (which seems quite cool next to Light Flush)

Warmed

:: very interesting in the pot! sort of like a warmer So Ceylon but with cream veining

:: on the skin, it takes on a far more vibrant tone - like someone blended So Ceylon with Gold Deposit. texture is ultra creamy

:: swatched, Warmed looks very gold next to the milk chocolate/rose/mauve of So Ceylon

:: appears to be similar (depth-wise) to Global Glow/Shooting Star, but far more gold toned. has almost a metallic sheen because it's so finely milled

:: approx 3-4 shades lighter than Gold Deposit, and quite neutral in comparison, despite having strong gold tones (though it looks almost neutral in the pot)

A Quick look at... MAC Tendertones (Swatches)

2008-01-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

A quick look at... MAC Slimshine Lipsticks (Swatches)

2008-01-13T17:03:00.000-08:00

A look at... MAC French Grey Eyeshadow

2007-12-19T16:43:00.000-08:00

:: Ok first of all, I just want to apologise for the absolutely SHOCKING depotting job of French Grey. There was soo much glue on the bottom of this eyeshadow that I had to pry it out, causing some loss of product :(

:: Upon first seeing French Grey, the shadow doesnt really seem very grey at all - more of a dull, satiny brown

:: Next to shades like Mothbrown and Gentle Fume, it looks like a boring taupe shade

:: Next to shades like Satin Taupe, it looks like a subdued greyed brown

:: On the skin, French Grey becomes suitably more grey toned, with a soft satin sheen overlaying the warm grey/brown base colour

:: The texture is very typical of a satin eyeshadow - smooth, decent colour payoff, easy to work with, and a slight sheen which makes it suitable for the workplace, without being matte

:: French Grey is a very unique colour, which would probably not get a second glance from people in the pot. But on the skin, it is a subtle, but gorgeous warm grey shade. It's not often that you come across a warm grey, but the brown and taupe tones in this eyeshadow make this colour something different and indivual. It appears to be a shade that would show up a bit greyer or a bit more taupe depending on your skintone

:: French Grey is certainly a more subdued shade, but I feel that it would be a staple shade for any warm toned girls that have difficulty wearing greys

:: It works fabulously as a lid shade with Mothbrown in the crease, or even as a crease shade with something like Shroom Eyeshadow or Your Ladyship Pigment as a wash. I'm keen on pairing it with Sweet Siena Pigment

:: Thumbs up for French Grey - a shade which blurs the line between grey, taupe and brown

A quick look at... MAC Brown Eyeshadows

2007-12-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

:: Era (S) - Smooth, light neutral brown/beige. Perfect for a soft wash colour over the lid. Has a soft, satin sheen over the base colour
:: All That Glitters (VP) - Light, peach/gold/beige. Has a smooth, almost gold pearl. Great shade for brightening up the eye. Would work well with taupes, browns, peaches and golds. A colour that would be fabulous on blue eyes. Typical amazing veluxe pearl texture
:: Sable (F) - Medium bronze/brown with slight plum undertones. Darker and more red/bronze than the plum/taupe of Satin Taupe Eyeshadow. Good colour payoff with a smooth sheen. Would work well in the crease
:: Bronze (F) - A dark, golden bronze shade. Has a slight gold pearl overlaying the base colour. Once again, another smooth shade that would work well in the crease
:: Mulch (V) - A dark, golden bronze shade but with red tones. Unlike Bronze, which has a smooth gold pearl, Mulch has a very tiny gold fleck. It isn't glittery and it is easy to wear. Darker and less gold than Bronze. More red-toned compared to the strong gold undertones of Bronze. Works very well in the crease with shades like Era, All That Glitters etc.

A quick look at... MAC Grey/Blue/Green Pigments

2007-12-11T19:44:00.000-08:00

(argh the picture has come out really small, so see the full size here: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/mezzamy/pigment-greybluegreen.jpg )

:: Softwash Grey - Appears as a slightly flakey, shimmery blue/grey in the pot. On the skin, it doesnt apply with too much trouble, but becomes more of an opalescent purplish blue rather than a grey

:: Dark Soul - A deep, steely, gunmetal in the pot. On the skin, it is a deep grey, with slight blue tones, and a subtle silver shimmer overlaying the base colour. Fairly smooth and easy to use

:: Deep Blue Green - A deep, blackened, blue/teal in the pot. On the skin, there is a matte black base colour, with fine blue and green pearl over the top. Very pretty and makes a lovely liner shade

:: Forest Green - Looks shockingly similar to Deep Blue Green in the pot. On the skin, it is identical but has only the green pearl, whereas Deep Blue Green has both blue and green

:: Teal - Vibrant, green-toned teal in the pot. On the skin, it is smooth, vibrant and nicely pigmented. The colour on skin is very true to the colour in the pot

:: Night Light - A khaki, olive shade with slight gold pearl in the pot. Pretty much identical on the skin. Very smooth and easy to use

:: Golden Olive - Similar to Night Light, but is lighter and more green-toned. Less muddy than Night Light. Another smooth shade

:: Chartreuse - Vibrant, yellow-greenshade in the pot. Almost identical on the skin, but with a brighter green pearl. Yet another smooth pigment

:: Pastorale -A very pale minted green which appears almost matte in the pot. On the skin, it has the slightest silvery pearl but not much at all. Pigment is not fantastic (took me a few applications to get it to show up on camera) and I imagine it would look chalky on some complexions

:: Old Gold - An interesting colour. Appears as an antiqued gold with a very strong green duochrome in the pot. Very similar on the skin. The pigment is smooth and easy to apply. It looks fabulous over black eyeliner, giving a green, beetle-like iridescence

A quick look at... MAC Pink Pigments

2007-12-11T19:22:00.001-08:00

:: Maroon - On of the best quality pigments MAC has ever made. Looks like a fairly standard shimmery maroon shade in the pot. On the skin, it is soft, densely pigmented and has this gorgeous, rich, slightly pink shimmer over the top of it. It makes green eyes pop like nobodies business and very little of this product is needed to get maximum colour payoff. It is also, by far, the most wearable maroon shade I've ever come across
:: Rose - I still think it is criminal that MAC made one of it's prettiest shades the most difficult pigment to ever work with. In the pot, it is a heart-breakingly gorgeous mauved-pink with strong flecks of gold. Just by looking at it in the pot, you can see how ridiculously flakey this one is. On the skin, it is a patchy mess of pink, but predominantly gold glitter. The flakey texture means more sticks to your finger than your arm when trying to swatch it. Very difficult to work with unless you blend it into a lipgloss or gel (to make a blush)
:: Apricot Pink - Soft, peachy pink in the pot. Smooth on the skin but not very pink. Sort of a shimmeryness with a hint of pink
:: Pinked Mauve - Looks like the base colour of Rose Pigment but more purple. On the skin, it is fairly true to colour, but perhaps slightly less vivid. Easy to work with
:: Helium - Another criminal mistake by MAC. A stunning baby pink in the pot which is also a horrible flakey mess. If you manage to get it to stick to your skin, it is a beautiful opalescent pink - like a more vivid version of Pink Opal Pigment. I've found this shade works well as a cheek highlighter if you buff it in with a kabuki

A quick look at... MAC Brown Pigments

2007-12-11T19:04:00.000-08:00

:: Tan - Shimmery, soft tan in the pot. Very true to colour on the skin, with a finely milled warm tan shimmer. Great shade to use as a wash over the lid. Can look almost wet or metallic due to the finely milled shimmer
:: Sunpepper - Red toned brown with lots of chunky silver shimmer in the pot. On the skin, the red tones are more evident, and the brown sort of fades away. It was difficult to capture the base colour on camera because the silver flecks are so overpowering. Flakey sort of consistency makes it more difficult to work with
:: Coco Beach - Very warm, red toned bronze in the pot, sort of similar to MAC Mulch Eyeshadow. On the skin, it is a vibrant, smooth, coppered bronze with some red tones. Very densely pigmented and a pleasure to work with. The red tones make the green in eyes pop without making the eyes look sore or irritated, like I find Sunpepper does to me
:: Gold Stroke - Sort of looks like a fusion of Chocolate Brown and Maroon Pigments in the jar. On the skin, it is a softer, lighter Chocolate Brown. It is smooth, not overly shimmery or metallic (like shades such as Tan can be), so a very easy shade to wear. A warm, mid-toned brown
:: Chocolate Brown - Warm, chocolate brown in the pot. Very smooth on the skin and is very densely pigmented. Has a slight pink flash to it, but nothing obvious. Easy to work with shade like Coco Beach

A quick look at... MAC Purple Pigments

2007-12-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

:: Kitchmas - Light silvery, lavender in the pot. Sheer silvery shade with the barest hint of lavender on the skin. Flakey in texture, making it difficult to work with, as it doesn't adhere well to the skin
:: Lovely Lily - Similar to Kitchmas in the pot, but slightly brighter and more pink toned. On the skin, it is less vivid but still fairly true to colour, with a gorgeous light pink flash. Smooth texture makes it easy to work with but I wish it was a purple as it appears in the pot
:: Viz-a-Violet - Mid-toned cool purple in the pot, with purple shimmer. It is darker, more purple and blue than Lovely Lily and has a slight purple-blue pearl. Another smooth pigment to work with, and fairly similar to the shade it is in the pot
:: Violet - Mid-toned cool purple in the pot, deeper than Viz-a-Violet, and with more blue tones. On the skin, it is a shade darker than Viz-a-Violet, and has a blue pearl rather than the purple-blue. Quite vivid on the skin, and easy to work with
:: Grape - Very similar to Violet in the pot, but a shade or two darker. It has a more matte base on the skin, but with a vibrant purple and pink flash over the top. The base colour is almost blackened. Slightly harder to work with than Violet due to the more matte base, but still a very easy shade to work with. Would make a fabulous liner shade
:: Deep Purple - Very deep, blackened red-purple in the pot. On the skin, it is practically black but with a crimson-eggplant pearl over the top. Not quite purple and not quite black, but a stunning shade nonetheless. Would also make a fabulous liner shade

A quick look at... New MAC MSFs?

2007-12-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

:: 4 new shades of Mineralize Skinfinishes? Or repromotes? Apparently these are coming out with the new N Collection

A quick look at... Barbie Loves MAC Mothbrown Eyeshadow

2007-12-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

:: Mothbrown is certainly a difficult colour to capture on camera - in real life, it appears as a deep gunmetal grey with the slightest lavender pearl through it and on the skin, it is a complex fusion of a dirty brown, gunmetal grey, silver and lavender pearl

:: Mothbrown is one of those colours (like MAC Sweet Sienna Pigment) that is difficult to describe as it is composed of so many different shades. It has an ability to change shades when paired with different eyeshadows e.g. Mothbrown appears more grey when used with smokey colours, it appears slightly blue when used with cooler steel blue shades, it appears to be a smokey dirty brown/grey when paired with taupes

:: It is this ability to shift colours that makes Mothbrown so versatile because it can be paired with a number of shades and never look wrong. I'm not really one for lavender pearl but as I tend to only wear neutral browns and taupes, Mothbrown never looks purple, but instead a dark brown/grey blend

A quick look at... Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

2007-12-04T01:53:00.000-08:00

:: Apologies for the sloppiness of the application, but I figure this would give you an idea of how Lash Blast works

The amazingness of moisturising with oils

2007-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

:: Many people are sceptical when it comes to using oils on your face and I find that completely understandable. For years, we have been told that oils are bad for your skin, causing blocked pores and horrible breakouts. Most moisturisers market themselves as oil-free and in our minds, if it's oil-free, it's better for our skin
:: The truth is, your skin needs oil. The best skincare moisturising regime will consist of a

Water Phase

Oil Phase

:: It is water which provides our skin with hydration, so any product which is mainly composed of water, such as a hyaluronic acid serum or 10% glycerin blend (see the post on this further on in my blog), will constitute the water phase
:: The oil phase is needed to hold the moisture in and condition the skin. Without the oil phase, the hydration provided in the water phase is useless. The oil phase could consist of plain carrier oils (such as jojoba, sweet almond etc.), an oil-based serum or even a moisturising cream with oil in it

Will oils cause me to break out?

:: The trick to using oils is picking the right one for your skintype. Generally, any light, quick-absorbing oil will not cause acne. Please keep in mind that light and quick-absorbing doesnt necessarily mean that it wont be nourishing enough - many people with dry skin benefit from camellia oil, just as people with oily acne-prone skin do
:: Here is a quick oil guide for skintypes (credit goes to http://www.gardenofwisdom.com/):

Dry/Maturing Skin

- Almond Oil

- Avocado Oil

- Borage Oil 20%

- Camellia Oil

Carrot Seed Oil

- Emu Oil

- Meadowfoam Oil

Normal/Stabilized Skin

- Almond Oil

- Camellia Oil

- Emu Oil

- Kukui Nut Oil

- Meadowfoam Oil

Oily/Blemish Prone Skin

- Camellia Oil

- Chardonnay Grapeseed Oil

- Emu Oil

- Hazelnut Oil

- Kukui Nut Oil

- Parsley Seed Oil

Irritated/Sensitive/Inflamed Skin

- Calendula Oil

- Emu Oil

- Meadowfoam Oil

- St. Johns Wort (Hypericum) Oil

:: I have combination/dehydrated skin (oily tzone, prone to breakouts, but lots of dry flakey skin on the surface) and have had big succes with jojoba, camellia, kukui nut, hazelnut and passionfruit oil

How do I use the oils?

:: The easiest way to use oils is to add a few drops of oil (I'd start with 2 drops for the night, 1 for the day) and blend with a few drops of your water phase (whether it be a serum, water-based cream, 10% glycerin blend etc.) in the palm of your hand. Spread over a damp face after cleansing

:: It is important to only use a small amount - a drop or two is more than enough to cover your face, although some people may find they need more. Generally, you use a bit more of your water phase than your oil phase

Where do I buy these oils?

:: I purchase all of my oils from Garden of Wisdom, although basic oils such as jojoba and almond can easily be bought from health stores. I find that Garden of Wisdom has the best range and wonderful prices. http://www.gardenofwisdom.com/

A quick look at... Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzer

2007-12-04T00:53:00.000-08:00

:: I dont own this anymore, so there are unfortunately no swatch photos

:: Whilst the Pink Leopard Bronzer is gorgeous in the pot (a blend of soft pink, soft bronze and a soft beige)....it didnt show up on my light-medium skin at all!

:: Many girls on MUA have expressed that this baby is way too light to wear as a bronzer, but I was convinced I'd be able to make it work, but alas no - Pink Leopard is so light that it could only work as a highlighter on even the palest of complexions

:: I'm sure there are some girls out there who could wear this as a blush, but it was just so light not to mention REALLY shimmery. Pink Leopard doesnt have the soft glow of the MAC Beauty Powders but instead more of a really strong, frosty shimmer

:: I'm sorry, but I just couldnt love this one

A look at... Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Bronzer

2007-12-04T00:37:00.000-08:00

:: Ahhh this is officially my favourite bronzer ever! Everything about is awesome, right down to the packaging:

:: Tarte Park Avenue Princess is in a secure, leather case, which is shut by magnets. There is a square mirror embedded into the lid

:: The product itself is smooth and glowy, without any hint of orange or glitter/sparkle. The shade is quite a neutral, light bronze with gold pearl

:: On the skin, Park Avenue Princess is glowy without being over the top

:: It is on the lighter side (I believe it is the same depth of colouras NARS Laguna) so those with very dark skintones may have difficulty using it as a bronzer. I think it would suit light-medium skintones best

:: What I love about Park Avenue Princess is that it NEVER looks orange and it NEVER looks as though I'm wearing bronzer, but it still gives my skin a light kiss of colour

:: Unfortunately, this little sucker can be difficult to get your hands on! Your best bet would be ebay, a CP from the US (bought at Sephora) or a swap/purchase on MUA

:: Often the other shade of mineral bronzer pops up on ebay, which is called Hotel Heiress. Whilst this shade is meant to be darker than Park Avenue Princess, it is meant to be quite red toned rather than bronze, and most girls on MUA use it as a blush rather than a bronzer

Quick comparison... MAC Northern Light Mineralize Skinfinish vs. MAC Glissade Mineralize Skinfinish

2007-12-04T00:24:00.001-08:00

:: Just as when Gold Spill came out and there were comparisons to Shimpagne, when Northern Light came out, it was supposed to be similar to Glissade....and once again, it isnt

:: Northern Light is much darker and pinker, with a smoother finish compared to the flakes of glitter which plagued Glissade

:: Glissade is much lighter, peachier, but unfortunately with minimal colour payoff. It isn't pink like Northern Light and on the skin, it doesnt have much of a colour at all. There are hints of gold glitter flakes through Glissade

Quick comparison... MAC Shimpagne Mineralize Skinfinish vs. MAC Gold Spill Mineralize Skinfinish

2007-12-04T00:11:00.003-08:00

:: Ahhh..... no, these are not similar. But when Gold Spill first came out, there was talk of it being comparable to Shimpagne.... and it's not. The closest thing between these two is that they could both be used as highlighters

:: Shimpagne is very frosty on the skin, and quite cool toned, despite the warm beige base colour. The silver pearl is very overpowering and is pretty much all you see on the skin

:: Gold Spill is less frosty on the skin and I would consider it to be warm toned. There's no real strong pearl like there is with Shimpagne, instead there is a subtle glow, which I'd say is slightly peachy

:: Whilst Gold Spill is very light, it could probably be used as a pale blush on lighter complexions

Quick comparison... MAC Global Glow Mineralize Skinfinish vs. MAC Shooting Star Mineralize Skinfinish

2007-12-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

:: Wow what can I say? These two are reaaaallly similar and very difficult to tell apart. I really dont think you need one if you already own the other, but if you're a obsessed with MSFs like I am, then I dont blame you for buying it!

:: If I could detect any sort of difference, it'd be that Global Glow is slightly warmer and slightly more gold, whereas Shooting Star is a bit more of a neutral bronze

:: Other than that, I've got nothing folks!

Quick comparison... MAC Freckletone Lipstick (lustre) vs. MAC Jubilee Lipstick (lustre)

2007-12-03T23:53:00.000-08:00

:: Both are lustres, and both are almost identical in terms of depth of colour

:: Jubilee is more pink toned whereas Freckletone has more orange tones

:: Both make for beautiful, sheer, glossy nudes

:: I unfortunately dont have a good shot of Jubilee on the lips, but here is one of Freckletone

A quick look at... MAC Forest Green Pigment

2007-12-03T23:48:00.001-08:00

:: Forest Green is a beautiful blackened bottle green. Very very similar to MAC Deep Blue Green Pigment, which has both green and blue pearl (Forest Green has only green pearl)

Quick comparison... MAC Other Worldly Blush vs. Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Bronzer

2007-12-03T23:29:00.001-08:00

:: In the pots, Other Wordly is much more gold toned with slightly orange undertones. It has a smooth metallic look. Park Avenue Princess on the other hand, is far more neutral and less shimmery. It almost looks as though it has a touch of fawn

:: On the skin, Other Worldly is much more metallic and has a very strong gold overlay. Park Avenue Princess remains more matte and more subdued. I would not recommend using Other Wordly as a bronzer because it is waaaay too metallic

Quick comparison... MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow vs. MAC Subtle Pigment

2007-12-03T23:22:00.001-08:00

:: Satin Taupe is slightly deeper, and has stronger plummy tones. The intensity of this eyeshadow can be varied, from a soft taupe to a smokey plummed crease shade
:: Subtle is a touch lighter, with a stronger silver pearl finish (Satin Taupe is more of a subdued neutral sheen). It is more metallic compared to Satin Taupe and whilst it has some plummy tones, they are no where near as strong as Satin Taupe's

A look at... NARS Luster Blush

2007-12-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

:: A gorgeous, softly bronzed apricot with gold pearl

:: Same sort of depth of colour as NARS Orgasm but bronzed, and with no pink tones whatsoever

:: Luster shows a lovely gold pearl when swatched and appears very peach next to Orgasm

:: Here is a comparison shot of Luster with NARS Orgasm, Barbie loves MAC Pearl Sunshine Beauty Powder and Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Bronzer

:: And last but not least, a shot of how Luster looks on my light-medium, warm skin with yellow undertones

:: Luster is a very warm peach with strong gold tones, so those with a cooler complexion may not love it as much as I do. It's a fabulous colour for the summer

Moisturising with Glycerin + Water?

2007-12-01T04:25:00.000-08:00

I'm sure some of you have seen this mentioned before (most likely by me *blush*) and I thought i'd shed a bit of light on it, as a blend of glycerin and water has saved my skin

How does it work?

:: Glycerin is a humectant (i.e. it attracts water) so it hydrates by drawing moisture from the environment to your skin

Who is this moisturiser good for?

:: A blend of glycerin and water is a very simple mix, that has no fillers or potential irritating ingredients in it. Because of this, it is great moisturiser for all skin types, from acne-prone to sensitive
:: The blend is particularly helpful for those who have issues with dry, flakey skin. I have noticed a vast improvement in regards to flakes after using this moisturiser

Where do I find glycerin?

:: Glycerin, also known as glycerol and glycerine, can be found in the supermarket (often in the cake-making section as it is used as a sweetener) or in chemists (where it is used for making moisturisers or even as a laxative). It is usually around $6 for 200ml
:: I am currently using vegetable glycerin from http://www.gardenofwisdom.com/

How do I make this moisturiser?

Ingredients
:: Distilled water. You could also use hydrosols (whichever one suits your skin)
:: Glycerin
:: Optiphen (preservative) - optional
:: Amber dropper bottle (or any suitable container for this serum. I recommend one with a dropper as the blend is very thin, just like water)

Steps
1. Measure out 9 parts water/hydrosol and add to your container
2. Measure out 1 part glycerin and add to your container, to make a 10% blend
3. Add 1-2 drops of preservative
4. Shake well

:: This recipe makes a 10% blend which I have found to be the most ideal blend for me. You can always add more or less glycerin, but I find anything above 15% becomes very sticky and heavy. Start with the 10% and see how you go
:: Not sure how to calculate the 1 part glycerin? Try the following site, which will convert most measurements into drops. Want to make 10ml of a 10% strength? 1ml = 15.4 drops of glycerin. http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/conversions.htm#c%20o%20n%20v%20e%20r%20s%20i%20o%20n
:: The preservative is optional, so if you dont have any, I would recommend only making a very small amount of moisturiser (enough to last you one week). Id say about 10ml worth of product
:: The final product is very thin, so it will feel like you are rubbing water into your skin when applying
:: You only need a few drops for your entire face - I would not recommend using over 6 drops. The glycerin is a very good humectant so too much moisturiser will leave you feeling sweaty
:: Dont be afraid to add other ingredients in, such as actives and vitamins
:: Seamollient, sea kelp bioferment or aloe vera gel are great ways to thicken up the blend. These are all water based and will therefore be considered a part of the 9 parts of water. So if you add any of these ingredients, dont then add another 9 parts of water. Consider how much of the ingredient you have put in, and then add however many parts of water you need to make a total of 9. Example. A 10% glycerin blend of 3 parts aloe vera gel, 6 parts water and 1 part glycerin

GOOD LUCK!

A look at... NARS Torrid Blush

2007-12-01T04:03:00.000-08:00

:: A bright coral with orange tones in the pan
:: Stronger orange tones compared to NARS Orgasm, which has more pink tones
:: A gold fleck through the product rather than the strong gold pearl overlay of Orgasm
:: Perhaps a shade darker than Orgasm

:: Base colour is quite pigmented (unlike Orgasm, that shows up more gold than the peachy pink base) so the shade you see in the pan is very similar to what you get on the skin, but perhaps slightly subdued

:: A comparison that I have done for a friend is NARS Torrid vs. MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish
:: Whilst Torrid is not a substitute for Stereo Rose or vice versa, they are both from the same family and if you like one, I'm sure you would like the other

:: On the skin, Stereo Rose is smoother and has an almost pearly sheen, whereas Torrid is brighter, slightly more red-toned (I'm someone who steers clear of red-toned products because it makes my cheeks look ruddy, but Torrid is very flattering on me) and has gold flecks through it

:: I would recommend using a MAC 187 or any sort of 'skunk brush' with Torrid as it is one of the more pigmented blushes, and the 187 would allow for easily layering of colour