Watermelon Eyes

Today's look brought to you by the sticky aftermath of a favorite summer treat -- watermelon. I actually had to try this look twice. I did it earlier this morning and thanks to my LOVELY head cold most of my shadow was streaked from tears. So I took a Sudafed and gave it a second go. It turned out much prettier the second time around and the Sudafed kept me from sneezing up a storm and ruining the look.

Colors Used:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion: All over lid and brow bone area.


• M·A·C Shadestick in Beige-ing (shimmery, subtle beige): all over lid.


• Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Lucious Lime (pale matte lime): inner corner of lid on top of Beige-ing. (The lighter Revlon matte shades go on easier using a dense brush. More coverage and less fall out!)


• Ulta Brand Eyeshadow single in Meadow (medium kelly green with very subtle shimmer): outer corner of lid on top of Beige-ing, blended with Lucious Lime and into the crease.


• LA Colors Palette in Eye Candy (shimmery bubblegum pink): light dusting as a brow bone highlight.


• Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Pink Innocence (matte baby pink): used over top of LA Colors pink to subdue the shimmer and mute the pink a bit.


• Bare Minerals Glimmer in Wicked (smokey green): used wet with homemade mixing medium as a top liner.


• L'Oreal HiP Eyeshadow Duo in Brazen (pink side): used wet with homemade mixing medium as a liner for lower lashline.


• Prestige Lash Matrix Mascara in Black.


• Urban Decay Brow Box in Brown Sugar.


• Jane Cosmetics Blushing Blush in Petal.


• L'Oreal HiP Presso Lip Color in Swanky.

The Results:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I tried out this look using a look by Leesha called Chocolate Covered Strawberries. It's a matte look using pink and browns and pretty easy, if you ask me. Mine doesn't look quite as pink as hers because she used the Coastal Scents palette and I tried to create a nice pink like hers using two colors. Mine looks decent but I really like hers better. (Mine Coastal Scents palette will, hopefully, be here next week at which time I will try this look again.)

Enjoy the V-day inspired, yummy look!

Colors Used:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion: All over lid and brow bone area.


• Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Pink Innocence and L'Oreal HiP Shadow Duo in Brazen (pink side) mixed together: all over lid.


• Bare Escentuals Eyeshadow in Cocoa (light, matte brown; pretty much the exact color of hot cocoa mix!): blended into crease almost all the way across.


• L'Oreal HiP Shadow Duo in Brazen (chocolate brown): blended into outer-V on top of Cocoa.


• Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil in Bourbon (brown with teeny gold glitter): liner for lid and lower lashline.


• Prestige Lash Matrix Mascara in Black.


• Urban Decay Brow Box in Brown Sugar.


• Jane Cosmetics Blushing Blush in Plum.


• L'Oreal HiP Presso Lip Color in Swanky.

The Results:

attack of the tidy bug!

A few days ago I got a tidy bug up my arse and decided to not only fold and put away all of our laundry but also organize my makeshift vanity. (My 'vanity' is actually our chest of drawers. There was nowhere else to put it where the cats wouldn't bother it so I "suffer" and stand whilst doing my makeup. Oh humanity!!! :P)

When I first started collecting eyeshadows and other various cosmetics I bought two of those Rubbermaid 3-drawer dealies to organize my makeup. And the drawers were organized for the most part; it was the surrounding area that was a disaster. I didn't have an empty drawer to store all of my brushes so they were strewn about precariously. I was constantly knocking stuff to the floor, etc. So I went out and found some cheap storage at Walmart in the form of cute Valentine's themed buckets (one I bought, one I got as a gift a couple of years ago from the girls at work) and a little votive holder.

Hooray for no more mess! It's too bad I didn't think to take a 'before' picture. :P

Everyday Minerals [Sampler] Haul

I'm going to have to give this stuff a fair trial before I switch from Bare Escentuals to Everyday Minerals. They offer a sampler package for the cost of shipping and it's a really great deal to try their products out. The cost of Priority Shipping was $4.50 and I got three 5g jars of my choice of foundations, one 5g jar of my choice of concealers, and one 5g jar of my choice of blush. I also opted to purchase a sample (5g jar) of their Start-to-Finish Sunlight finishing powder (kind of like Bare Escentual's Mineral Veil only better as far as I can tell from wearing it today), two sample jars of blush, and a sample of a different color concealer. Each sample was $2.50.



This is my second sampler package. Last time I did the sampler package I wasn't crazy about the stuff and immediately went back to my good ol' Bare Minerals. The Everyday Minerals just seemed to 'lay' on top of my skin and felt a bit too chalky for my taste. The texture simply didn't compare to Bare Minerals (most likely due to the fact that EDM does not put Bismuth Oxychloride in their products).

However, when I decided to get another sampler package (mainly for the Mint Green Concealer) I read up on the different foundation formulas. Last time I ordered the matte formula exclusively. This time I ordered one of the foundations in the matte formula (ideal for oily skin) and the other two in the 'Intensive' formula (ideal for all skin types). They also had more information regarding which colors to choose (because there are a TON of foundation color choices!) and I got the right colors for my skin tone this time instead of just guessing which would work the best. (After trying it out today I can see how this makes a world of difference!)



I used the foundations today (Cool Multi-tasking Neutral - Intensive formula; Beige Light Medium - Matte Formula) along with my Mint Green (on red splotches) and Sunlight (for under-eye circles) concealers. I also used the Sunlight Start-to-Finish powder with Kaolin Clay (supposedly superb at oil absorbtion). I haven't tried the blush yet, though I am eager to give Corner Office a go. I think the Sunlight Start-to-Finish worked wonderfully today but I'll have to continue using it before I give my final 'verdict' as to whether its the one for oil control. I thought I found the one in Urban Decay's De-Slick Mattifying Powder but after continued use it proved to be no better at controlling oil than my Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil. (Not to mention it was pricey for the quantity! I'm already down through the middle of the compact and I've only had it two months!)

Stay tuned for updates! Who knows, I may just be an Everday Minerals convert! (Which would be nice since Everyday Minerals is a LOT cheaper than Bare Escentuals!)

Gold Digger

I'm calling this look 'Gold Digger' because I used Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Liner in Midnight Cowboy (gold) as a liner. I don't use this stuff often because I just don't find it something suitable for every day wear. It's very similar to yesterday's look because I used Roach for both looks. But, whatever.

Colors Used:

• Urban Decay 'Sin' Primer Potion: All over lid and brow bone area.


• Urban Decay Half Baked (subtle, lustrous bronze): all over lid; used wet as a liner for inner half of lower lashline.


• Urban Decay Roach (brown with reddish sheen): outer corner of lid, blended into crease.


• Bare Escentuals Glimpse in Queen Phyllis (shimmery vanilla): brow bone highlight.


• M·A·C Shadestick in Gentle Lentil (shimmery medium brown): lower liner on outer half of lashline.


• Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Midnight Cowboy (gold glitter): liner for lid.


• Prestige Lash Matrix Mascara in Black.


• Urban Decay Brow Box in Brown Sugar.


• Jane Cosmetics Blushing Blush in Petal.


• L'Oreal HiP Presso Lip Color in Fashionista.

The Results:

Light My Fire

Today's look brought to you by the warmth and glow of a flickering flame (and by The Doors). ;)

I have the beginnings of a cold so my full face pictures are not great. It's all I can do to keep makeup on my eyes with them watering the way they are. Not to mention the raging sinus headache. UGH. I really like this look. The combination of colors really makes the color of my eyes pop.

Colors Used:

• Urban Decay 'Sin' Primer Potion: All over lid and brow bone area.


• M·A·C Shadestick in Corn (shimmery yellow-gold): all over lid, blended just slightly above the crease; applied to inner corner of lower lashline.


• Urban Decay Roach (brown with reddish sheen): outer corner of lid, blended into the crease.


• L'Oreal HiP Shadow Duo in Flare (shimmery orange and matte gold): orange applied to middle of lid and blended just barely over top of Roach on the crease. Matte gold applied to inner corner of lid, blended with the orange.


• Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil in Bourbon (brown with gold micro glitter): lower liner for outer half of lower lashline; applied to waterline also.


• Bare Escentuals Glimpse in Queen Phyllis (shimmery vanilla): brow bone highlighter.


• L'Oreal HiP High Drama Volumizing Mascara in Ultimate Black.

The Results:













So apparently the year+ that I've had to practice playing with my eyeshadow has paid off. I looked at a picture of a look that was nearly identical to this one and WOW. I have certainly learned how to blend since then!

Goodbye Blue Sky

I decided to try out one of my new Revlon Matte Eyeshadows today. I think I will be advocating for this stuff! It is highly pigmented and goes on oh-so-smoothly. It's almost like a cream and not a powder; it is that silky! I must say that I am definitely not hating the 'matte' look. If only I could afford to snatch up Urban Decay's matte eyeshadow line. Instead, I am saving myself for the Coastal Scents 88 Color Palette which has a lot of matte colors in it. It's going to be my Valentine's present from The Monkey. Yay!

Okay, so enough yammering already! Today's look is called "Goodbye Blue Sky" as it's a combination of blue and white. (Plus the Pink Floyd song has been stuck in my head all day.

Colors Used:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion: All over lid and brow bone area.


• Sally Henson ColorStick in Heavenly White (shimmery white): inner corner of lid, blended well. This acts as a base to make the matte white shadow 'pop' a bit more.


• M·A·C Paint Pot in Otherwordly (pale, matte aqua blue): outer corner of lid, blended into the Heavenly White. This too acts as a base to hold the color and create a more dramatic look. Also used as the base for the lower liner.


• Urban Decay Asphalt Trio (white shade only): applied over top of Heavenly White ColorStick; blended up into brow bone. Applied over top of Otherworldly on the lower lashline to create a very soft, muted blue.


• Revlon Matte Eyeshadow Single in Venetian Blue (bright matte aqua): applied over top of Otherwordly; blended with white and into the crease. I then blended a small amount of the white on top of the Venetian Blue to kind of 'mute' the color on the lid so the color in the crease looks more vibrant. Also applied over top of Otherwordly on the outer corner of lower lashline.


• Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil in Zero (blackest black): applied to waterline.


• Max Factor Stretch & Separate Mascara in Rich Black.


• Eyebrows: Urban Decay Brow Box in Brown Sugar


• Cheeks: Jane Cosmetics Blushing in Earth Sheer (peachy-nude with subtle gold shimmer).


• Lips: L'Oreal HiP Color Presso Lip Gloss in Snazzy (shimmery pinkish coral and matte coral).

The Results: