Eye Candy

Hey everyone~

In the past few months I have been accumulating quite a bit of makeup.  As a blogger of course, I try to take pictures of new products before actually using them so that I have a clean product to show you guys.  Unfortunately, the makeup is piling up and the blog posts most definitely have not been being written.  I thought I'd try to shame myself by gathering all the BRAND NEW IN BOX (unopened and sealed) products I had purchased in the last few months and take pictures in hopes that I will remind myself how much stuff I have.  Here are the results:

Terrifying yet glorious at the same time, right?  The plan completely backfired.  I got more excited about the new goodies I had to play with and only feel ever so slightly ashamed.  Problematic.

In case you guys were wondering, some of the products are for my kit, some are products that I need, some I'm not sure if I want to keep, but all of it was acquired to satisfy my sick lust for makeup.

And let's not even go through the brand new, unboxed makeup I have lying around.

Cosmoprof Haul: Essentials and More

Hey ladies and germs--

I hopped into a Cosmoprof store (beauty supply for licensed professionals) to pick up some more black bobby pins and dry shampoo...and walked out with a whole bunch of other items that weren't on my list.  Ladies, you know what I'm talking about.

At this time of the year, big salon brands always pink-ify their products for breast cancer awareness and to raise funds for research.  I picked up extra products and tools for my trade--almost all of which are pink!

I was able to hold back from going product crazy as I usually do, and just picked up stuff that I know I would actually use.

Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Harder for my hairstyling clients, Bed Head Rockaholic Dry Shampoo for my newly bleached hair, and some more Big Sexy Hair Weather Protection to try.


I also picked up some clips and bobby pins.  I've been using butterfly clips and duckbill clips but I need these heavy duty clips for my girls with super long and thick hair.  Seems like a lot of the girls I cut hair for have monstrously thick hair and I need some strong clips to keep it in place!

Yes...that is a whole pound of bobby pins.  They get used up fast!

I did get a few hairstyling tools.  I've been needing a 1" curling iron, and this crimper was on sale so I snatched that up too.  I also got a set of clippers and trimmers to keep at home, since I always leave my set at the salon when my brother comes home from school and wants a haircut.

I also got this nifty pink bag that comes with a $50 purchase.  Needless to say, I surpassed that amount.

I can't wait to start playing with everything!  Do you guys have questions or comments about anything?  Please let me know!

First Look: NEW Make Up For Ever Artisan Brushes

The new line of Make Up For Ever Artisan brushes launched Thursday, September 5th.  Exactly one week before, MUFE boutiques had a flash sale on these brushes and offered a 50% off discount to pro members that purchased 10 or more brushes.  Since I could not make it to a boutique that day, I placed a phone order with the Los Angeles store.  I had a hell of a time getting the brushes and I'm still in the process of trying to fix the order, but I will have to save that for another post when everything has been resolved.

Anyways, let's turn our attention to the brushes, shall we?  The new line of MUFE artisan brushes are made from synthetic fibers.  Each brush has a chiseled end to make scooping out products easier.  I have been told from one of the MUFE makeup artists that the new line will replace the old line of brushes, which will slowly fade away as they sell out.

Listed below are the 10 brushes I ordered.  The descriptions are from Temptalia, where you can read about the full range of brushes.

• 3 x #226 - Medium shader brush ($25)


• Type of fibers: Straight
• Description: A medium, flat, tapered brush that is thicker at the bottom and slimmer on top. Its width is used to quickly apply and blend all types of eye products on the eyelids and brow bone with moderate to intense product payoff.
• Recommended textures: Creams, loose and compact powders.


• 1 x #134 - Powder fan brush ($46)
• Type of fibers: Wavy
• Description: This large, rounded, fan-shaped brush with supple, yet firm wavy fibers is most often used to enhance the neckline and illuminate the face by sculpting light and shadows. It can also be used to remove excess powder from the face and body.
• Recommended textures: Loose and compact powders.
• 1 x #150 - Precision blush brush ($52)
• Type of fibers: Wavy
• Description: A very firm, supple brush that is beveled to sculpt the face with precision. This professional tool can be used to sculpt and transform the face using shading and highlighting.
• Recommended textures: Loose and compact powders.
• 1 x #156 - Flat round blush brush ($37)
• Type of fibers: Wavy
• Description: Classic flat and rounded brush adapted for all types of blush application. Its flexibility makes it easy and quick to create a healthy, natural looking glow.
• Recommended textures: Loose and compact powders.
• 1 x #270 - Angled eyebrush ($21) 
• Type of fibers: Straight
• Description: A short and firm angled brush that is used to fill in eyebrows with precision, as well as blend brow pencils for a natural result.
• Recommended textures: Creams pencils, compact powders.
• 1 x #106 - Medium foundation brush ($36)
• Type of fibers: Straight
• Description: This is the classic “foundation brush” used by make up enthusiasts. It is a small, tapered, flat brush with wide bristles ideal for applying and blending cream or liquid foundations accurately and quickly for an even result all over.
• Recommended textures: Cream and liquid foundations.
• 1 x #128 - Precision powder brush ($52)
• Type of fibers: Straight & Wavy
• Description: Long and flat brush with a tapered tip designed mainly for use on the face, neck and upper shoulders. Ideal for precise powder application with a flawless result thanks to its layered and oval head.
• Recommended textures: Loose and compact powders.
• 1 x #152 - Medium highlighting brush ($37)
• Type of fibers: Wavy
• Description: This medium, supple, rounded brush is a basic tool used to highlight the face and body. Its shape and soft fibers offer generous product collection for moderate to high payoff.
• Recommended textures: Creams, gels, loose and compact powders.

For now, I'll only show you pictures of the brush I am keeping:

L-R: 226, 152, 150, 156, 106, 128

First Impression:

The brushes themselves look very professional and sturdy.  I can't say I'm completely pleased with how they feel, however.  All the bristles feel very smooth and soft.....and fake.  I'm not sure how to describe it but something just feels a little off.  128 and 152 feel much too soft and not nearly dense enough to pick up and apply powder.  106 is soft to the touch but I have a feeling that it will leave streaks when put to use for liquid or cream foundation.  156 is wonderfully dense but so very small for an angled face brush.  152 is the most impressive of the bunch because it seems promising for liquid and powder products.  226 is the one of the biggest disappointments of the bunch.  I ordered three of them thinking they would be exactly like MAC's 239 flat shader brush, yet it looks more like a concealer brush as the bristles are much longer.  

As you can see, 134 and 270 are not pictured in this post.  Why?  134 was not sent to me at all, and 270 is simply unusable so I am sending it back.  Again, I hope to get this issue resolved soon so that I can write a complete blog post about this experience.  Overall, I am pretty unhappy about the brushes, and I'm hoping that they perform better than they feel.  I NEVER buy new products before doing my research first, but I made an exception this time because I expected the best from Make Up For Ever.

Since I can't return the other brushes, I'll wash them and test them out very soon.  Do look forward to seeing reviews on this blog.

What do you guys think of the brushes?  Would you purchase any? And if so, would you guys be interested in a mini post on tips and things to look for when placing a phone order? Let me know!

Retail Therapy: MAC

This is one of quite a few hefty makeup hauls I have to share with you, as I've been doing some serious retail therapy lately.  I've left the makeup untouched, as I wanted to share pictures (and hopefully swatches.....) of everything before I start seriously playing with them.  At this rate, I have a loooooong way to go.

But in any case, let's start with some MAC (well actually I started with MUFE but that's okay).  I received a gift card just because from somebody who is dear to me and understands my makeup whoring.  Funny thing is, I didn't really see anything that caught my eye from MAC but the more I looked, the more items I picked up.  Here's the damage:

I'm trying to expand my collection of lip liners, as I tend to use them a lot on clients.  I work on many different complexions and skin tones so I'm working on getting a variety of colors.

Half Red

Beet

Cherry

I also picked up a couple lipsticks that I've had my eye on for a while, but decided to skip each time I made a trip to MAC.

Here's Love Joy, a mineralized blush, that I picked up on accident because I thought it was from one of the summer collections.  Not sure if I'll keep it.

 

When I went to the register, I noticed a beautiful sparkle on the MUA's lids and asked her what she had on her lids.  That's when I got suckered into buying two pressed pigments.

I've been working on a post about these babies, actually.  I don't see them in store anymore but hopefully you can still find them online.

I think I picked a couple of cult favorites here.  Have you guys tried any of these?  Let me know!

MUFE LA Haul

Hey everyone!

I hope you guys enjoyed my last post, which was a picture tour of the Makeup Forever Boutique in Los Angeles, California.  Of course, I did some major damage here.  I entered the store knowing for certain that I wanted some brow gels and the gorgeous purple eyeshadow everyone in the online beauty community knows about.  But I definitely walked out with a lot more stuff.  Check it out!

First up, I got some brow gels for my kit.  I started doing more wedding makeup so I wanted something that was waterproof, long lasting, and natural.  I've also been curious about these for a while so I definitely intend on using these for myself as well.

L-R: 30, 25, 10 ($20 each)

I don't have a whole lot of lip liners, and again I wanted something waterproof and long lasting so I picked up a few colors that I thought I would get a lot of use from.  Forgive me for not photographing them properly.  I'll have to do a separate post on them.

10c, 14c, 19c, 16c ($19 each)

I went straight for the eyeshadows afterwards.  Besides the green and the purple, there weren't many that really caught my eye so I just went for some neutrals that I thought I would get a lot of use out of.

164, 76, 98, 19, 91, 92 ($15 each)

Even though I have a ton of empty Zpalettes, I wanted a proper MUFE case to house the eyeshadows in.

$21

Not particularly happy with this palette, as I found out it is NOT magnetized.  I'm not sure if I'l be keeping it.

Grabbed this MUFE Boutique exclusive little kit of shadow pencils for $38.  Great deal seeing as theese are $20 a piece.

$38

Last, but not least, I grabbed this handy dandy looking pouch.  It folds out and seems to hold a lot of stuff...I just haven't figured out what to put in it yet.

$19

I hope you guys enjoyed this post!  Let me know if you have any questions or comments about any of the above items!

Post Beauty Buying Ban Sephora and Stila Haul!

I never truly wrapped up my beauty buying ban, did I?  I was doing really well actually.  From January 1, 2013 to mid April, I refrained from buying ANY makeup for myself.  I did invest in some some foundation and pressed powder palettes for my kit which are FREAKING amazing and I really should share with you guys.  

So what happened?  Like I have mentioned before, I had no set end date when I started the ban.  But I did allow myself to buy products and goodies at the annual CosmoProf Hair Show in San Jose.  Maybe I allowed myself to buy a little too much, and you can judge for yourself if you want to have a look at my haul here.  What ended up happening was that I also started buying makeup around that time too and I went a little nuts.  I think the damage rendered my beauty buying ban somewhat pointless.

During Sephora's 15% off sale, I picked up the Urban Decay Wizard of Oz Palettes and a set of lip tars.

Aren't these palettes freaking gorgeous?

Theodora

Glinda

The Urban Decay palettes I've been lusting over during my entire beauty buying ban and I decided not to let them slip through my grasp.  

Liptars I am just very fond of.  This set was a very good deal since they now retail for $18 each, and this entire set was $49.

Stila had a 50% off sale recently.  I grabbed some palettes that really appealed to me (like I need anymore eyeshadow palettes....) and some lip products to try.

In the Moment eyeshadow palette

In the Light eye shadow palette

Afterglow Lip Color in Party Pink

Afterglow Lip Color in Vivid Violet

It's so exciting to buy new makeup again!  My wallet is not particularly happy with me but it makes me happy!

I actually haven't touched any of the makeup shown here yet because I enjoy seeing them in their pristine condition.  Have you guys tried any of these?  What do you think of them?

CosmoProf Spring Style Show 2013 Haul

Okay  y'all.  This was definitely one of the most exciting parts of the show--buying STUFF.  Maybe a little too much stuff.....

Below are pictures of everything with product names.  I originally had all the prices listed but I did get everything at wholesale prices, which is available to licensed professionals only.  I'll say a little more about where you can purchase these products at the end.

Here are all the bags...

Free products provided by It's a 10.  

Olivia Garden set of 4 round brushes. 

Ardell lashes and Duo glue. 

Beauty Blenders from Muse Beauty Pro.  

Obviously....I invested a lot in Aquage.

Best of Aquage Set
Silkening Shampoo & Conditioner
Finishing Spray
Beyond Shine
Uplifting Foam
Beyond Body Silk Infusion
Silkening Oil Treatment Sample
Teasing Brush
2 Hairstyling DVDs
MUSE Editorial Magazine

Best of Biomega Set
Firm and Fabulous Hairspray
Up All Night Volume Foam
Voluminizing Shampoo and Conditioner
Behave Smoothing Elixir
Styling brush
Haircutting DVD

Biomega Firm & Fabulous Hairspray
Medium and Large boar bristle round brushes

Seche Viche polishes

L-R: Aristocrat, Lumiere, Bella, Debutant, Contemporary, Enamored

Kenra Moisturizing Shampoo, Moisturizing Conditioner, & Dry Shampoo

OPI Expert Touch Polish Remover
L-R: Liquid Sands Get Your Number, LS Can't Let Go, LS Stay the Night,
A Rose at Dawn...Broke by Noon, Mod About You, Makes Men Blush

Venique polishes, Top Coat, and Base Coat

L-R: Diamond Kisses, Skating on Thin Ice, Down the Carpet, Bootie-Licious,
Naked Sandal, Safety Fuze

A plain black apron for the salon

And this is what everything looks like put together....

I hope you guys enjoyed this terrifyingly massive haul.  I guess this means that my beauty buying ban is over. Technically, I didn't break it.  I did allow myself  to buy products at this show when I first made the commitment.

Now let's talk about where you can access these products.  For hair products, you can find them at some beauty supply stores (local or chain) or at certain salons.  You will have to do some research to see which salons in your area stock these products, as different salons carry different brands.  

I know that some of these brands are available at places like CVS and Target, and even amazon.  HOWEVER--professional products such as Kenra, Paul Mitchell, Aquage, It's a 10, etc are only guaranteed when sold at a salon.  Professional products that you see at Target and drugstores are often the same price or more expensive than what you would pay at a salon anyway.  Have you ever seen the Chi products at Target?  Before I went to beauty school I've always wanted to try their stuff but it always looked old and tampered on the shelf so I avoided them.  As for Amazon, I love this site to death but not when it comes to beauty products.  Amazon, just like drugstores, are such huge companies that they don't regulate how long the products have been sitting on the shelf.  Salons more or less get their products all from the same wholesale stores, which are for professionals and only available to professionals.  Therefore, the turnover for the products is a lot faster than say Amazon.  

All right enough preaching.  I just wanted to get that out there since it seems not a whole lot of people know about it.  Do let me know your thoughts and such.  I'd love to hear from you!