FREE Sephora Eyelash curler with $25 purchase!

Hi everybody!  This is going to be a super quick post that I'm really excited to share with you guys about!  If you  keep up with my blogs, you'll know that I recently featured the Sephora eyelash curler in one of my hauls and my June favorites!  I'm excited to tell you that you can actually get this curler FREE on Sephora.com with any $25 purchase (US/Canada only).  The promo code for this offer is TWITTER, and it's available as long as supplies last.  While you're at it, check out the sales section because there is a LOT of good stuff there!

If you purchase from Sephora through ebates (invitation link), you can score 4% cash back!

Happy shopping!

P.S.  I will share my mom's back flip story in my next post :)

FOTD: Dogon

Before I actually talk about the look, I want to say a few things.

One, is that I'm so glad that I have such wonderful people reading and commenting on my blog.  You guys know who you are.  I was have an utterly craptastic day but after hopping on blogspot and seeing a couple more people follow my blog AND some amazingly nice comments just totally lifted my spirits.  It doesn't sound like much but I pour so much time and effort into my blog that it makes me so very happy to see this sort of positive feedback.  So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so much!

Two, is that I fell on my face when my mother sort of tried to do a back flip over me.  My weight plus her weight  on my knees and my face kinda hurt, but I guess it could have been worse.  I have rug burn on the left side of my face, where one would typically apply highlighter.  I'm telling you guys this because I decided to skip face makeup all together until the skin heals.  What you guys will be seeing in the next couple FOTD posts will be more like EOTD posts.


I used NARS duo in Dogon, which I believe was part of NARS Summer 2011 Collection.  I hope to do a review on this some time next week.  I may not do anything much more than FOTD posts this week because it's the last week that I will get to spend with my boyfriend before he returns to Canada, and I won't see him for at least another 5-6 months =/

You can see the sparkles better in this picture :]

I have to apologize yet again because I am at my parents' place at the moment and was not able to take a picture of the products I used.  But they're all fairly well known so hopefully you guys know what they look like!

Eyes:

-MAC Painterly Paintpot

-NARS Dogon Duo

-Stila Smudgepot in Black

-L'oreal Waterproof Carbon Black Mascara

-Wet n Wild e/s in Brulee

Thanks so much for reading, everyone!  I hope you all stay sexy and kick somebody in the butthole.

[I have nothing to disclose other than I forget to do this disclaimer thing too often.]

FOTD: Burgundy Sky

Hello to all you sexy people out there!

I woke up not too long ago and am currently sitting on my bum, waiting for the bathroom to be free so I can take out my dentures (retainers) and clean myself up.  So I may as well finish my blog post from last night :D

Anyways, here is last night's look.  I didn't go anywhere special, just out to dinner with my boyfriend.  I seem to always lean towards the same eyeshadows so I dug through my baskets of stuff and grabbed some eyeshadows that I don't use nearly enough.  I settled for NARS duo in Eurydice.  I saw blue shimmer in the purple color in the duo so I grabbed a shimmery blue Inglot shade as well.  I was definitely disappointed when I applied the two together because none of the blue shimmer in the NARS purple shade showed up.  In fact, it looked matte on my lid.  I wasn't terribly happy with the look but I suppose it was okay.  On to the pictures!

As you can tell by now, I try to take pictures of the look with and without glasses because I know a lot of us out there do wear glasses :)

This pic was originally taken so I can crop my eye out but you can see
my face makeup a bit better this way.

Products Used: 

Face:

-L'oreal TruMatch Foundation in N6

-Smashbox Foundation in L3

-Laura Mercier Setting Powder

-NARS Laguna Bronzer

-MAC Mineralize Blush in Warmth of Coral

-MAC MSF in Crystal Pink
-MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC30

Eyes:

-MAC Painterly Paintpot

-NARS Duo in Eurydice

-Lancome e/s in After Dusk

-Wet n Wild e/s in Brulee

-Inglot e/s in 428P & 395P

-UD 2/7 Liner in Zero

-L'oreal Waterproof Carbon Black Mascara

Lips:

-YSL Rouge Volupte Perle in 104

And the bathroom is free!  Thanks so much for stopping by and dealing with my ramblings!

[I have nothing to disclose.]

FOTD: Lazy Day/Running Errands Makeup

Since school is finally over, my boyfriend and I played Maplestory up until 5 in the morning, and woke up at almost 2pm.  Then we spent the day playing more Maplestory before deciding that we should get out for some fresh air.  We just had to hit up Target for a few things, and I really wanted to slap on some makeup (because I don't use makeup as often as I would like) so I did something really quick.  What you see down below is just some thick, funky, navy eyeliner, a shimmery wash of color on the lid, and my usual summer face makeup.  Easy peasy and not a whole lot of hassle.

Stuff I used:

Face:

-Aveeno Tinted Moisturizer in Medium

-Laura Mercier Setting Powder

-NYC Matte Bronzer in Sunny

-Benefit Blush in Coralista

-Benefit Erase Paste in Medium (not pictured)

-NARS Multiple in Copacabana 

Eyes:

-Stila e/s in Kitten

-L'oreal HIP eyeliner in Midnight Blue (I LOVE this stuff!)

-UD 24/7 Liner in Zero

-L'oreal Waterproof Carbon Black Mascara 

Lips:

-CoverGirl Lipperfection l/s in Romance

Actually, my real lazy day/running errands makeup is no makeup at all.  I'd say half the time, my makeup is very minimal or no there at all.  Dare I still call myself a beauty blogger?  Why, yes. :)

What is your lazy day/running errands makeup?

FOTD: Strut

I've been so in love with my Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Strut lately that I decided to use it again before heading out to see Harry Potter today.  I have used Strut a few times in the past on its own, but it wasn't as opaque as I wanted it to be, so I slapped Inglot eyeshadow in DS500 on top of it.  The following pictures were taken after the movie, some tears, and random face scratching (I know, attractive.)

Stuff I used:

Eyes:

-Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Strut

-Inglot e/s in DS500

-Stila e/s in Kitten

-The Body Shop Boho beauty palette #3 e/s

-UD 24/7 Liner in Zero

-L'oreal Waterproof Carbon Black Mascara

-Stila Smudgepot in Black

- Wet n Wild e/s in Brulee

Face:

-Aveeno tinted moisturizer in medium

-Laura Mercier Setting Powder

-NYC Matte Bronzer

-NARS blush in Oasis

-Benefit Erase Paste in Medium

-ELF Bronzing Powder in Luminance

The movie was quite good by the way.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Super Haul! Sephora, Lancome, MAC Semi-Precious, and more!

This is going to be a super quick post on a collective haul that I've been meaning to post for a while!  I have delayed doing so because I had things coming in through the mail here and there in addition to instore purchases so I thought I'd just throw them all together like an odd flavored salad.

From Sephora....

I got this wondrous mini Benefit Kit for $10 just so that I could try the erase paste.  There is actually quite a bit of product in that little tub, and I'm also looking forward to using the creaseless cream shadow in RSVP.  I also got two other creaseless cream shadows in strut and skinny jeans, so I have knocked those off my wish list.  The eyelash curler you have seen from previous blogs, and the mini MUFE kit is a special GWP for VIB members at Sephora.

From DF & CCO...

I went to a discount fragrance and makeup store called DF&CCO.  The Lancome eyeshadows were less than $5 each (originally $18).  The lipliner I got for $10 (originally $23) and the lipstick I got for $10 (originally $25).

From MAC.....

 I got these guys from Nordstrom, a MAC store, and a Macys.  I snagged MSF in Crystal Pink, and all the Mineralize Blushes (Pressed Amber, Feeling Flush, and Warmth of Coral).  I actually only bought Warmth of Coral, and my boyfriend spoiled me by purchasing the others.  So far I'm in love with ALL of these!  I hate to say this.....but I think I am addicted to MAC now.

From The Body Shop...

This seems to be a new product from The Body Shop, and it's a liquid concealer/highlighter.  Reminds me of the YSL Touche Eclat.  I liked the light coverage I got from it when I tried it on at the store, so I will be testing this out and doing a full review on it.

From Nordstrom....

Ah, my first YSL lipstick.  This is the Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick in 104.  I tried this on on a whim and absolutely loved how it looked on my lips.  My boyfriend loved it too and bought this for me :)

That's all for now!  I can't wait to be able to use everything and do reviews, reviews reviews!  Thanks for stopping by :D

Review: Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder

Ladies and gentlemen--

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite setting powder.  Alas, all setting powders were not created equal, and this one is by far one of superiority.

I purchased the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder a couple months ago because summer was upon us and my Cover FX Setting Powder in Light started to look chalky on me.  I then saw the benefit to purchasing a translucent powder that I could use all year round.  At the time I also started doing makeup on other people, so I also thought it would be wondrous to use one setting powder on all skin tones, especially one that would photograph well.  Thus, I marched into Sephora in search of the best setting powder they had.  Of course, this product is what I ended up with:

Packaging: 

For $34, you get 1 ounce/ 29 grams of product.  While the price seems a bit steep, you actually get a lot of product for your money.  The packaging is very sturdy plastic with a screw on top.  The product comes out in a sifter, which does not let too much product come out at once no matter how you shake it.  Mine is stored sideways and travels with me a lot so I can totally vouch for this.  At the same time, you don't need to shake it like a shake n bake commercial to get product out.

Recommended Use:

I like to use this product on my face after applying liquid foundation with either a kabuki brush or a blush brush.  You can either tap off the extra before applying of just smack some powder over different parts of your face to blend out later.  I do a little bit of both :)

Overall thoughts:

I'm not going to go over the pros and cons because there are no cons, and you can only expect so much out of a setting powder.  

I really love how fine and smoothly this applies.  It is not at all difficult to blend all over your face and avoid patches of chalkiness.  I have been using this product since June, so it has been featured in all my FOTD posts since then.  There is no ghastly glow when photographed, a problem I have heard MUAs complaining about MUFE HD Powder.  I really do feel like it sets my makeup properly without looking powdery and caked on.  I would definitely come back to this powder after experimenting with a few other ones!

You can purchase this at Sephora, Sephora.com, and Nordstrom.

FOTD: Denim Smoky Eye ft. INGLOT

On Friday I busted out one of my INGLOT palettes and did a quick smokey eye look.  I was in a hurry so I didn't get to take pictures of the products I used.  I also slapped my eyeshadow on after applying eye cream so the eyeshadow look slightly blotchy in some places.  Overall, I was very happy with the look because it was easy to do and I freaking loved the blush I used.

Face:
-Aveeno Tinted Moisturizer in Medium
-Laura Mercier Setting Powder
-NYC Matte Bronzer in Sunny
-MAC Mineralize Blush in Feeling Flush
-MAC MSF in Crystal Pink

Eyes:
-UDPP
-Inglot e/s in AMC Shine 47 (Shimmery denim grey), 365P (Pearly Champagne), 365M (Matte beige for highlight), & AMC 63 (Matte Black)
-UD 24/7 Liner in Zero
-L'oreal Waterproof Carbon Black Mascara

Lips:
-Quo Lipgloss in Pout

Thanks for stopping by :D

P.S. I'm trying to make time to do reviews and swatches on my inglot eyeshadows.  I have a final and a speech this week so it's going to take some time :(

The scramble for MAC Semi-Precious goodies (A rant)

Crystal Pink MSF, Feeling Flushed, Pressed Amber

This is going to be a post of ramblings about how I have become addicted to MAC, and my efforts to obtain two of the mineralized blushes from the MAC Semi-Precious collection.  You have been warned.

MAC's Semi-Precious collection came out earlier this month, so really not that long ago.  So why is it that I have to scramble around like a crazy bear to obtain some of these items?

First of all, why am I even scrambling for MAC products?

Confused?  Let me fill you in.  I don't own a whole lot of MAC products for a number of reasons.  One, they are quite pricey.  Two, it's difficult for me to get to a MAC store or a Nordstrom and the return policy for the online store requires me to get to an actual store.  And finally, MAC stuff NEVER goes on sale (like Sephora items do).

Well, since I got my GPS, and since my boyfriend has come to visit and is willing me to accompany me, I am now able to drive myself to the next city which actually has a mall.  The town I go to school in is actually quite small, so to get anywhere, you have to go out.  Since I can get myself to the mall, that means I am able to look at products in person, and hence get hooked to products more easily.

And that's how I have extended my makeup addiction to MAC products.

I went into to a MAC counter at Macy's on Monday with no intention of buying anything, not even the items from the semi-precious collection, because I have read Temptalia's reviews on the new products and they were quite critical and somewhat negative.  However, I have always longed for a beautiful MSF that I always see a lot of bloggers using, and I fell in love the baked blushes upon swatching.  Reluctantly, I decided to buy some goodies, and even more reluctantly, I narrowed my choices down to a MSF in Crystal Pink, and a Mineralized Blush in Pressed Amber.  I marveled over these two beautiful items I acquired (my boyfriend happily bought them for me :D) and instead of carefully putting them away in my drawers and forgetting about them like with most of my new makeup, I couldn't wait to use them.  That night, I decided that I must acquire the other two mineralized blushes.  It became an obsession, really, to the point where I tried to order them online.

When I checked MAC's website the next day, Warmth of Coral was already sold out.  Mind you, the counter I went to was fully stocked on Monday.  I tried to purchase Feeling Flushed, but the website flipped out on me and I couldn't put anything in my cart.  On Thursday, my boyfriend suggested that we hit the mall (again!?) to grab the two blushes before they ran out.  He knew it was becoming an obsession for me, and he is my number one supporter for my beauty blog and channel.  Naturally, he would be 100% behind me even though I wasn't supposed to be spending any money.

I went to the MAC store first, but it was packed and the two girls working there were too busy.  The display case already showed that Warmth of Coral was sold out.  So I ran off to Nordstrom, which still had all the testers in tact, so I asked for the two blushes.  The makeup specialist went to retrieve the blushes for me, only to come back empty handed.  He was able to order Warmth of Coral for me, but not Feeling Flushed.  After paying for that, I ran back to the MAC store to ask for Feeling Flushed.  One of the MAC girls looked through at least 8 drawers before finding the product.  Boy, was I relieved.  Again, the BF whipped out his credit card to pay for the blush.  I daresay, I feel quite spoiled.

MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC.  I was able to avoid its preying talons for so long, but now I am caught.  All I can say is, I can't wait till I'm professional so I can apply for the MAC pro card and get some hefty discounts :)

Review: Lise Watier Bora Bora Palette

(If you watch the video till the very end, you'll hear my boyfriend's testimony on behalf of Quebec what Lise Watier's general image is there.  Just for the lulz.)

This beautiful limited edition palette came out earlier this year (April, I think) as part of the Lise Watier Summer 2011 palette.  I wanted this palette so badly despite the fact that I have swatched Lise Watier eyeshadows in store and was not particularly happy with the pigmentation.  That's because I missed out on the Jingle Belle palette which was part of their holiday collection.  My boyfriend (who lives in Canada) happily grabbed this for me the day after it came out to ensure that I would not miss out again.  Thanks babe :)

Packaging:
It comes with a large mirror, two double-ended sponge applicators, and 5 eyeshadows.  This palette holds 10 grams or .35 ounces of product.  While it is sturdy enough to throw in your purse, you shouldn't jostle this around too much.

Top Row: Swatches over bare skin.
Bottom row: Swatches over Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Swatches over Painterly Paintpot

Color breakdown:
I just want to start by pointing out that all the colors are shimmery.


1. This is a shimmery white color that will only serve well as a highlight color because it is the least pigmented of the bunch.  Neither Too Faced Shadow Insurance (TFSI) or MAC Painterly paintpot could coax more pigmentation out.

2. This is a deep grass green, almost emerald color that thankfully is a little bit more pigmented than the white. A bit of primer will help with making it more vibrant.

3. This is a lovely blue violet shade, and it's too bad that it doesn't apply as vibrantly as it looks in the pan.  The pigmentation is on par with the green in this palette.

4. This green yellow color is the second to least pigmented color in this palette.  I would not use this as a lid color unless you only want a light dusting of color, or you have a matching cream shadow to use as a base.

5. This bronzey taupe is the most pigmented color in this palette.


Recommended use:
I found that the eyeshadows work best with an eyeshadow primer AND cream eyeshadow base.  MAC painterly paintpot usually does wonders in bringing out colors, but not with this product.

Eyeshadow over UDPP only

Eyeshadow only UDPP only

UDPP + NYX JEP in Horseradish

UDPP + NYX JEP in Horseradish

UDPP + NYX JEP in Horseradish

For a list of products used, please see my FOTD post here.

Overall Thoughts:
I have some mixed feelings about this palette.  I was hugely disappointed by the pigmentation of the eyeshadows at first, especially as somebody who loves bright colors.  I don't know why I thought the eyeshadows in this collection would be better than the ones in Lise Watier's regular line.  It definitely takes a bit more effort for the colors to show up on your skin, and the end result looks very little like the model's makeup.  I do acknowledge, however, that not everybody is game for crazy bright makeup, and that this may be the perfect amount of color for some people.  It is actually very easy to pull off a bright lip with a look for this palette because the colors are so toned down, and you could even wear this at the office for some subtle color.  The glitter is very fine, so you don't look so much like a discoball upon application.

Pros:
-Compact palette that you can throw in your purse or use for travel.
-The glitter is very fine and not overdone.

Neutral/Cons:
-The colors are very wearable/not terribly pigmented.  There are many drugstore brands with better pigmentation.
-The palette is somewhat expensive.

Final Verdict:
If you care about limited edition products and name brands, and you want a palette with wearable colors, this is a lovely item to have in your collection.  If you're used to rocking the brights, feel free to skip this palette completely.

Where to buy:
For the most part, Lise Watier products are only available in Canada.  If you're Canadian, you can buy it from The Bay, Shoppers Drugmart, Jean Coutu, and wherever Lise Watier items are sold for $39 CAD.  If you live in the U.S. or elsewhere, you can actually get this at naimies.com for $38 USD.  Keep in mind that this is limited edition so I don't know how much longer you can grab this.


Ok, this is sort of a tangent, but my boyfriend tells me in Quebec, everyone makes fun of Lise Watier because apparently she's an old lady who wears too much makeup. Maybe that's a sign that I should start trying the face products.

[I have nothing to disclose.]