Happy Thanksgiving!

6:46 AM

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  What a whirlwind - I can't believe it is already the end of November!  I will be out of commission due to the holiday and traveling.  Hopefully when I get back I will get the rest of the posts together that I have planned.  

I hope that you all have a great holiday and enjoy time with your family and friends!

Bare Escentuals

Swatches - Bare Escentuals Champagne Diamonds Kit

8:00 AM

As I posted earlier, I ordered the Champagne Diamond Bare Escentuals kit on QVC a few weeks back when it was the Todays Special Value.  This set is composed of a 3 eye colors, 1 radiance, 1 blush, mineral veil, 3 brushes and a lip color (not shown because it is in my purse!).


The three brushes are great.  On the far left is their new liner brush, which I am obsessed with.  It reminds me of a detailed brush for painting - it is somewhat stiff, has nice long bristles and is thin and flat, so you are able to get a precise line, or a bit of a thicker line if needed.  The second brush (middle) is their crease brush, which I haven't tried yet, but I am so excited about. The third and final brush is their soft cheek brush, which is on the far right.  This reminds me of a bit smaller and less dense version of their old flawless face brush.


The blush in this set is called "Rose Diamond".  This is a beautiful cooler toned coral color with a hint of shimmer due to the crushed diamonds.  


My new HG and favorite highlight is Flawless Diamond, below.  This is literally the color of mineral veil in the container, with tons of sparkle/shimmer.  If you apply it dry, this adds a sheer shimmer to any color.  Once applied wet, it is an intense ivory with sparkle.  Absolutely perfect!


Smokey Diamonds is their eyeliner/shadow.  This color is beautiful!  Perfect if you don't want black, but need a dark liner.  The color is a deep charcoal color with tons of sparkle.  If you apply it dry, the sparkle isn't so evident.  If you apply this wet as a liner, it is a beautiful dark shimmery charcoal.  This is perfect for creating that beautiful smokey eye that is so it now.
 

Cognac Diamond is the other eyeshadow that comes in this set.  In the pot it is a beautiful deep chocolate with gold shimmer.  Once you apply, it transforms into a color that compliments the gray/charcoal of the Smokey Diamonds.  Together, the two make a perfect smokey look.  The Cognac is a bit more warm and the Smokey Diamonds adds such a beautiful depth of color in the corners and around the lower lashline.



Champagne Diamond Radiance looks a bit intimidating in the pot.  I thought, "Wow, this is going to be dark!", but in reality it adds the beautiful glow that one needs, especially this time of year!  I think this would also make a great blush, if applied liberally, and a beautiful eyeshadow.


Swatches are below - these are all applied dry, but two times on each so you can get the color.  Obviously, as with any Bare Escentauls product, you don't need a lot to get such a beautiful payoff!! 

I will be doing some EOTD's/FOTD's later this week with these gorgeous colors!


Swatch - Avon 8-in-1 Neutral Palette

12:06 PM


A few days ago I posted about the Avon 8-in-1 palette I received.  I finally got my swatches uploaded, so you can see them below.  The colors are very pretty, some are matte-subtle shimmer, and there are a few with a bit more shimmer in them.  The color payout has been pretty good, and when I use my Urban Decay Primer Potion, I have no worries about any fading.  


For the NYX lovers out there....

8:00 AM


...Cherry Culture is having their private sale, which is 25% off of all NYX items.  I absolutely love these, and definitely need to try some of their lipsticks, so I think I know where my next online purchase will be made!

NYC Sparkle Loose Eye Powders - Metro Metals!

8:00 AM

I think this is the last installment of the new line that came out for NYC Color, Metro Metals. I saw these, and although I was a bit leery of the "roller ball" application, decided to splurge the few dollars to try them out. Once I got home, I swatched them, which can be seen below.


The swatch is done with one pass, no primer, dry on my wrist.


I have to say, these may be one of my must-haves, especially the City Citrine, as it is a beautiful and shimmery high light color to be used with any of the warm shades you have. City Citrine is a shimmery version of MAC's Vanilla pigment in my opinion, and definitely going to be used a lot by me in my day to day looks. Amethyst, although the name implies would be purple, is actually a beautiful mica color. It is very warm undertoned, with hints of purple and silver in the shimmer. The Amethyst color is a bit "chunkier", but still goes on very smooth. Once I have applied the shadow with the roller ball, I use a shadow brush to blend it all over the lid, or in the area that I am using the color for. I tell you, though, if NYC comes out with more colors in these roller shadows, I am definitely going to buy more, because the quality is great, the staying power is fantastic, and the pigmentation I would put next to any high end product I have tried thus far. Even more, if you don't like the roller ball application, it is easily popped out and the color could be added to an empty pigment jar for easier application with a brush.

Bare Escentuals

My Sephora Friends and Family 2008 Purchases

8:00 AM

So I did some major damage this year with the Sephora Friends and Family event. How could I not, with free shipping and 20% off, I was ready!! Although I debated about the Urban Decay Book of Shadows, which I really wanted, I decided to downsize my cart ($$$) and ordered the Urban Decay Primer Potion instead (which I am thrilled about!).

As you can see below, I ordered the UDPP, Bare Escentuals Extreme Glimmers, Bare Minerals Ruby Collection and the Nars Super Orgasm Blush. I also received my QVC Today's Special Value, the Bare Escentauls Champagne Diamonds collection at the same time, so I've included it in the picture, as well. The samples I received were some perfumes, none of which were really for me once I wore them, but I'm glad I tried!

I swatched the collections tonight, but don't have time to upload the pictures, so hopefully tomorrow I will do that - they are beautiful!



I am definitely a glitter girl, and absolutely fell in love with the Nars Super Orgasm. I know that a lot of people don't like chunky or glittery items, so if that is the case, you probably want to stick to the basic Nars Orgasm blush, as it still has the shimmer but doesn't have the "glitter" that you see in the picture below. The color of this blush is stunning, though. It is a really pink/coral color with golden shimmer undertones, and it definitely blends right in and is beautiful on. Everyone is right about Nars blushes, though - they are wonderful!












So I did some major damage this year with the Sephora Friends and Family event. How could I not, with free shipping and 20% off, I was ready!!

Avon

Avon 8-in-1 Neutral Eyeshadow Palette

9:34 AM

Not only did my Sephora Friends & Family order come, but I also got my Avon order in the mail this past weekend. Something I ordered because it was on sale was the Avon 8-in-1 Neutral Eyeshadow palette. I had read that it is similar in color to the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette, and figured it was worth the try.

I took a closeup of the palette below, but my camera battery died before I was able to swatch it for you all - so I am definitely charging so I can work on that tonight.


I did wear this palette the other day, and the colors were great, especially if you are looking for a basic line of neutrals that can be worn everyday. The colors went on really smooth and the pigmentation was better than normal for Avon eyeshadows, in my opinion. Swatches soon to follow!

NYC Chrome Eyeshadows - Aquamarine & Tiger's Eye

1:11 PM

These two shadows are so pretty! Both have about three colors swirling through them. In the case of Aquamarine, it has silver, navy and a bright turquoise swirled through, with tons of shimmer. Tiger's Eye is mostly ivory, with chocolate brown and gold swirled through.


The color payoff is a little bit less than desired, but if you apply them wet, there is much more of a reward. I applied the swatches, below, dry. Aquamarine is absolutely stunning as a deep turquoise liner if applied wet. Tiger's eye is a great base, but I think depending on how much gold and chocolate is running through, it will adjust the color to be a bit darker compared to mine.


I liked these a lot, and for the price, about $2/shadow, you can't really beat the product. Hopefully they will come out with a few more colors in their upcoming season.

NYC

N.Y.C. Color Chrome Face Glows

9:53 AM

I charged my camera so I could upload the pictures of the NYC Color Chrome face glows. I think these are stunning, especially for the price (not to mention, the are HUGE!).




Below are closeups of each of the face glows. First up is Moonstone, a beautiful shimmery pink.
(NOTE: For some reason the blog is cropping my pictures - please click to see a larger image)

Secondly is Sunstone, a beautiful warm coral with lots of gold and mauve woven through:



The swatches are below. I definitely had to use a heavey hand on the Moonstone to get the color to pick up, but it is a great color. I found that when I use my Bare Escentuals angled blush brush, I have the best success with this because it picks up ALOT of color.


The eyeshadows and shimmers are to follow!





Sephora Beauty Insider - Free Shipping Code!

8:10 AM

Just a little PSA for the holidays - if you are a Sephora Beauty Insider, there is now a free shipping code for orders over $25.00, which isn't hard to do at Sephora! Enter code ShipFree25.


NYC

NYC Color Chrome Color - Lip Gloss - 24KT

8:00 AM

So, the other day I finally came across the NYC Color Chrome Face colors that I have been reading about online so much.  The colors, especially the face colors, are very similar to the MAC Mineralize blushes and shadows, so I was anxious to find it here locally.  I looked at Walgreens, which I had read as carrying the brand, but ours didn't have them.  Instead, I found the colors at our local Meijer grocery store.

Below is one of the lipglosses, called 24KT.  This is a beautiful, sparkley, yet not too pigmented gold.  I really liked it on its own, but I could definitely be used as a layer over lipsticks to enhance the color.




You can see the swatch below - notice how it just adds a hint of color.  This would be beautiful with all the warm browns of fall!

Bare Escentuals

QVC TSV - Bare Escentuals Champagne Diamonds 10 pc. Kit

11:01 AM

So, leave it to me to order the Today's Special Value yesterday, which was Bare Escentuals Champagne Diamond 10 piece kit.   It is absolutely beautiful and has crushed champagne diamonds infused right into each color.  More importantly, they are going to have three more kits made with diamonds (Canary, Pink and Black diamonds) over the course of the next year (spring, summer and fall)!  This was also the launch of their new, all natural, mineral lip gloss, which looked absolutely beautiful in the presentation.  I will definitely swatch all of these once I have the kit in hand (soon I hope!).


6a00e54f9af1068834010535e2cb9b970c-pi.jpg

Bare Escentuals

FOTD - Fryinnae Halloween Orange/Green

10:20 AM

For Halloween this year, I knew we weren't going to a costume party, so I decided to be festive for the day with my makeup. Unfortunately, I had to work as well, so it had to be something relatively work appropriate. Since I had just received my new Fryinnae order, I decided to use some of my new colors in the look. I absolutely love their eyeshadows, so this was an easy look to achieve!

Face:
Neutrogena 3-in-1 Concealor "Light"
Bare Escentuals Foundation "Medium"
Bare Escentuals Feather Light Mineral Veil
Everyday Minerals Blush "Theme Park"

Eyes:
L'oreal DeCrease Eyeshadow Primer
Fryinnae "Red Panda" - inner corner of lid
Taylor Made Minerals "Sage" - outer corner of lid
Fryinnae "Newcastle" - crease
Fryinnae "Polar Bear" - high light
Fryinnae "Little Red's Pet Wolf" - lower lash line
Maybelline Colossal Mascara "Glam Black"





Fryinnae

Fryinnae Lip Lustres - Kitten Ears

10:15 AM

I received my order from Fryinnae last week - I ordered quite a few neutral eyeshadows, but also wanted to try out a few of the Lip Lustres, as I have been quite intrigued by the colors online. One of the colors I picked was "Kitten Ears", which is a beautiful bronze/gold color (see below).

I wore this on Halloween, with some orange/green eyeshadow combos (which I will post in a bit). The color is absolutely beautiful! It lets the natural color of your lips show through, but adds a beautiful bronze shimmer over the top. The color payoff, and lasting ability, of the Lip Lustres is fantastic, and for the $2.50 a piece, I definitely will repurchase!

VOTE!

8:49 AM

I know I've been a bit MIA recently, but let me take this time to remind you all to go cast your ballot!

Regular posts to resume shortly...

Popular Posts

Like us on Facebook