All Things Glam

Dolly Wink Rainbow Crystals

2012-02-01T22:16:00.000-05:00

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows me that I love all things Japanese. I lurk at my local Asian grocery store and take in all the beauty products they have to offer. I covet most of the make-up I see in the Taiwanese magazines I pick up. The packaging is always awesome and many of the products are quite innovative.

The product I recently picked up is a cream eyeshadow by Dolly Wink. OH, how I lust for more stuff from Dolly Wink. But for now, this will have to do. The cream eyeshadow I picked up is called "Rainbow Sparkles." Doesn't that sound divine?? Don't you want a rainbow of sparkles on your eyelids? I know I DO!

First things first, the packaging is very nice. The small compact is held onto a card by a small, clear box. The card folds out and has a lot of tips and info from Dolly Wink creator, Tsubasa Masuwaka. She's a cutie too.

Upon opening the eyeshadow, it looks like a basic white shimmer at first. Then when you look closer, you can see tons of tiny flashes of multicolored reflections (which, sadly, don't really show in the photos). Rainbow sparkle action. Oh yeah!

The photo below, with the product blended out on my arm, shows the best rainbow-sparkly-goodness I could capture with my camera. It's a really pretty effect.

This is a product I would recommend as a highlighter, whether on the brow or the face or as a stand-alone color for the eyelids. It stays creamy. There is some creasing, but it doesn't really bother me with light-colored cream shadows because it just takes a swipe of a finger to smooth it out. I am thinking this would be great for those summer days when you don't want to fuss with your make-up since you're going to the beach or the pool. It's quick, easy and very pretty.

You will have to shop around if you are interested in Dolly Wink. There are quite a few online stores that carry it. You will find some products on eBay. This particular product will be around $17 and $19.

Tinted Lip Balm Heaven

2012-01-25T16:42:00.003-05:00

Tinted lip balms are my favorite lip products ever!! They are tinted just enough to give you some color on your lips and you can apply them without a mirror! They make your lips feel good and moisturized without feeling heavy. I know there have already been tons of reviews on Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butter, but here's my take on them.

As soon as I saw these in the store, I knew I wanted at least half of them. I am a tinted lip balm junkie. And I love all colors: pinks, reds, nudes, berries, corals...you name it. I don't discriminate. And the range of colors they have are beautiful! But this time, I decided to stick my toes in before I jumped headlong into a stockpile of new lip products! Last week CVS and Walgreens had Revlon products "Buy one, get one 50% off", this week Rite Aid has that deal, if you are interested. So, I went and picked up a couple.I got Berry Smoothie and Strawberry Shortcake. And guess what? Yep, you already know. I fell in love with them. They are moisturizing, the color is subtle and there is o overbearing fragrance or taste. That's a big deal to me, if I find a smell or taste undesirable, I can't look past it. I'm out.

Have I mentioned the packaging? No?? Well, I love it. The tubes are silver and come up to the top of the lip balm, so it's not packaged like a lipstick there. But from the outside it looks like a lipstick. The cases are clear, with a frosty finish. There is a diamond pattern on two sides, with the other sides just plain frost. And the case is a color some-what representative of the color inside! Fabulous! Perfect for the "throw it in your purse before you run out the door" types. No one likes picking up a lipstick only to find it's not the shade they thought it was because the packaging was identical.

All in all, I have picked up a total of 7 of these. The colors are mostly pinks and reds, although I'm eyeing up Creme Brulee which is a gorgeous nude. But let's break down the colors I have:

Red Velvet - A deep, red with cool tones. Creates a lovely stain with a little more "oomph" or drama.
Berry Smoothie - If you want a pinky color that is a tad darker than Strawberry Shortcake, this is for you.
Pink Truffle - More of a nude color than a pink color. This shade is universal and would work on everyone.
Peach Parfait - A very sheery, shimmery coral.
Strawberry Shortcake - A very sheer wash of a basic pink that is not too bright.
Sweet Tart - A lighter, warmer, bright pink. Almost a coral, but not quite.
Lollipop - A really fun, bright, mid-tone pink with a blue undertone.

I love these and I think you will too. I am a huge fan of make-up that is quick and easy. These fit the bill perfectly. You will find these at most drugstores/big box stores for around $7. Some places are a little less, some are a little more. But you will usually find a sale at one of the drugstores around you, so be sure to check the weekly flyers.

Wholesalers and Discounters: Do or Don't?

2012-01-16T16:15:00.004-05:00

I've been lurking around various cosmetics discount and wholesale stores that sell to the general public. I've done my research and read blogs and reviews of sites. I've taken into consideration that most of the time, products are dead stock or testers. Sometimes the products may be sold because they are "scratch and dent" products or they may have the wrong label, be not quite the color they should be, there are any number of reasons products end up in the hands of these discount sites. Does this mean they are not usable? No. Does this mean they are beyond their shelf-life? Maybe.

I took a chance and ordered from AllCosmeticsWholesale.com. I came across their site and they have an incredible selection of stuff on clearance, there are like 47 pages of it! (I always check sale stuff first.) Some brands you may have heard of like Stila, Lola, Pop Beauty, Pixi and MAC. Other ones, like Gaultier's Le Male line (I am guessing it's make-up for men?), you may not have ever seen before. But with the great prices they have to offer, it's worth it (to me) to try something out. Nothing I ordered was over $6.99!!

I read some reviews about AllCosmeticsWholesale.com and the thing that worried me the most is that if you have any problems and need to deal with customer service, apparently it is a huge hassle and their customer service is sub-par. And if any of you are regular followers of my blog, then you know I am a magnet for problems when I place orders! So, I hoped Murphy's Law may kick in and I placed a small order. That way if there were any problems, I wouldn't be out a lot of money.

Now, to the good stuff. I placed my order on the 12th and it arrived on the 14th. Two days from Washington State to North Carolina is pretty darn good! It was packaged well, in a USPS Priority box which was inside a USPS Priority envelope. Once I opened the box, I found all the products securely wrapped in bubble wrap. It was great. Now, one gripe I have is that the shipping is EXPENSIVE. I paid over $10 in shipping and the small flat rate box mails for $5.25. And since they used USPS packaging, the only separate shipping expense they had was the bubble wrap, gas and time to take it to the post office. So, when you think about it, it's not THAT bad.

I got two mini Pixi eyeshadow palettes, a Pixi blush, three pots of Stila Barbie stuff, two Pop Beauty eyeliners and the Tokidoki eyeshadow Smashbox put out. Everything was pristine. The Pixi blush was labeled "tester", so it did not come with a brush in the little tray that slides out underneath. That bummed me out a little, but it's no biggie, it's not like I don't have any brushes of my own!

Overall, I had no issues with AllCosmeticsWholesale.com. The shipping was fast and packed well. The items were pristine. I think as long as you stick to powder products and some pencils, you really won't have to worry that they are going to expire. I would worry a little more about lipsticks and lip glosses. When they go rancid, you will know it and it won't be usable. When looking at these sites and reading reviews, I'd say go with your gut. I know ACW was very clear about if something was damaged or mislabeled, not all sites may be like that. If you feel like it's too much of a gamble, don't do it. But I tend to be adventurous when looking for deals.

Have you purchased from any discount site before? What sorts of experiences did you have? Please comment below.

24 Hour Color Tattoo For Eyes

2012-01-12T15:25:00.004-05:00

It wasn't that long ago that I read about this new product by Maybelline, called Color Tattoo by Eyestudio. On it's label, it touts that it lasts 24 hours. In my skeptical mind, I was thinking this is too good to be true, as these sort of things usually are. But I was intrigued and figured I would try a color out. The colors come in little glass pots and vary from light and neutral to very vivid and bright. I chose "Fierce & Tangy" because everyone knows that's a perfect description for me! Seriously though, I chose it because it was a lovely, orange color. I decided if I was going to review one, it should be a fun color.

I swatched the color on my arm around 3:00 on Tuesday afternoon. The color was bright, with good pigmentation. Then the waiting game began. I decided to take another photo around 12:20 AM. The color still looked great. In fact, I paid a little more attention and noticed that was a nice, soft sparkle to it. After that, I went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, it was faded, but it was still there! By this time, I was already sold on this product. And even though I had made up my mind, I figured I'd leave it on and see what happens. I can tell you it was still on at 3:00 Wednesday afternoon. What's even more remarkable is that it was STILL on my arm when I woke up this morning, which is Thursday. Granted, it's very faint now, but it's still there!


The 12:12 photo is under artificial light the rest are daylight.

With endurance testing like that, I decided I must go out and get the other colors I was interested in, so I went out and picked up some more. I got Too Cool (a white shimmer), Audacious Asphalt (a shimmery, dark gray) and Tough as Taupe (a creamy, neutral taupe). What I like about these is that they are fast and easy. Sure, I like to take my time and create some very elaborate looks that show off my skills, but it's not really practical on a day to day basis. I am a mom who is frequently rushing around from place to place. I love make-up I can apply and blend with my fingers. It's an easy way to get a nice, smoky look. Please take into consideration that the afternoon light was fading fast and we've had clouds moving in all day, hence the tone difference in the photos below.

Too Cool, Tough as Taupe and Fierce & Tangy

Too Cool and Audacious Asphalt

Victorian Disco Cosmetics Glitters And Shines

2012-01-04T23:31:00.001-05:00

Be forewarned, this post is going to have many photos!

It's been a while since I came across an indie mineral make-up company that I really wanted to try. But I came across a post on Beautylish.com and submitted my info to test some new products for a new line called Victorian Disco Cosmetics. I like the name, it sounds lush and sparkly. Then I started to see some sneak peek photos on their Facebook fan page and the colors looked fabulous! I was seeing color combinations I had not seen before with other indie brands. And Victorian Disco Cosmetics has mixed glitters! So many people sell glitters and they are exactly what arrives from the wholesale company, but these have multiple colors mixed together and they are gorgeous. These would be perfect if you're wanting to try out the new glittery eyebrows trend!

Cute Packaging!

My sample package arrived yesterday and everything was so professionally presented. The samples were all in a cute cellophane bag with a brand sticker sealing it shut. The envelope was quite large for samples alone, but it ensured that they arrived to me safely and I can completely appreciate that.


Pigment Swatches (top to bottom): Powdered Wig, Baroque, Revolutionary Ball, Sailor Saturn, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Pluto, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Uranus

The pigments are so very pretty. They are bright and what you see is what you get. I love that. The only color that did not perform 100% is Revolutionary Ball, the more you try to blend it, the more it rubs down and loses intensity. It sounds logical, but it doesn't just blend out, it disappears some. And for the record, I used Too Faced's Shadow Insurance and NYX's pearly white eyeshadow base and it only disappeared when I swatched it on my arm. It performed perfectly when I used it on my eye. I find the Sailor colors very appealing. The collection is actually quite large and I simply love the colors. There is also a really fabulous Star Wars-inspired collection too!

Now, onto those glitters!

Bling Pro is a lovely deep pink/magenta color. I used LA Splash's eye primer/sealer to set these. Simply apply the base and tap the glitter onto it.

Predator is stunning. It's not just another metallic gold or bronze. There is a subtle mix of both colors and it creates a rich finish.

ACR is my favorite glitter out of what I received. It's a great mix of a medium-purple glitter, silver glitter and I believe a touch of gold glitter. It's a beautiful, multidimensional color that provides a subtle, yet very glamorous pop of color.

Riot Shield is a straight purple glitter. It's almost a royal purple. A must for fans of deep, twinkling colors.

After swatching the products, I was more than ready to play!

Here is the first look I created with Victorian Disco Cosmetics:


Colors Used: Powdered Wig, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury

My next look was a more dramatic, smoky look:


Products Used: Powdered Wig, Sailor Saturn, Revolutionary Ball, Baroque and it's all topped off with ACR glitter.

All in all, I'm pleased with the samples I got from Victorian Disco Cosmetics. And I mustn't forget that they label all of the samples with the ingredients and if the products are lip safe or not. I look forward to trying out more!

A Palette Is A Palette Is A Palette?

2011-12-28T22:30:00.007-05:00

Are all palettes created equal?

I know that in the wide world of make-up, the answer is no. Not all palettes are created equal, but some are. But for the past few months, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about companies like BH Cosmetics, Crown Brush and Coastal Scents. These companies specialize in HUGE palettes. I had initially shied away because these reminded me of the large palettes I would buy as a teenager. They were cheap, not that pigmented and in my formative years, I had a knack for making myself look like a clown with these sorts of products.

With so many great holiday sales going on, I managed to snag a Crown Brush palette on HauteLook and a BH palette on sale. I am still waiting on the Crown palette to arrive, but I can say that the BH palette has great pigmentation. The colors are lovely and bright. It really surprised me.

Whilst shopping around online, it's easy to see that many of these companies offer palettes that are similar, if not identical. The main difference is the price. And then you have to factor in that these products are sold on Amazon and eBay too! I saw one 120-color palette for like $14 total on one site and over $50 on another. Same palette.

So, I decided to make a collage of what I found while surfing. What's funny is that most of these companies don't even try to make their product stand out. They simply call a collection "Palette #1" or "1st Edition." "Metallic Madness" is another palette I couldn't help but notice a few companies had. Basically, these people buy from manufacturers and wholesalers in Asia and slap their name across it and that's it. But enough of my rambling, let's see some photos.

Here's "Palette #1" or "1st Edition":

Here's "Palette #2" or "2nd Edition":

Then there's the 66-color lipgloss palette:

And last, but not least, here's a 180-color palette/set:

I threw the last one in for the fun of it. Crown Brush has this 180-color set coming out in January, but it only took me a couple of minutes to find multiple places that are already selling the same thing. It certainly does pay to spend some time and research when you are shopping around. Now the ONE thing I cannot find is a palette similar to the pink "Cosmo" palette shown in the Crown Brush photo above. :\ **Please note, little is shown from Crown or Coastal scents because they mostly sell 88-color palettes and smaller.**

And if you think some of these palettes are not the same, they are. Simply pick a row of colors and you will find it, identically laid out, in all of the palettes. Yes, some have different lighting and yes, some are turned around but I swear, these are the same palettes.

Do with this information what you will. I know my BH palette was made in China. Almost all of the sellers with identical products on eBay are from Hong Kong. I am willing to bet that all of the palettes shown in this blog came from China. So, I think I'm going to pass on names for now and shop around by price. I'll let you know what I turn up! (And of course, I feel compelled to own most of these now.)

What do you think? Do you have palettes from any of these companies? How do you like them? Have you noticed a difference between brands? Would you recommend these to friends? What are you looking for in a palette?

On a totally UNRELATED note, I'd like to add that I have a sale going on in my Etsy shop, Jewelry by Glamourpuss. Use the coupon code: NEWYEAR and get 25% off your order!

And I have posted quite a few goodies on eBay, just click ----> HERE!

I know it's shameless self-promotion, but I'd really appreciate it if you took a look, spread the word or picked a little somethin'-somethin' up! Thanks!

Nude, Naked, Natural Eyes & Such...

2011-11-24T00:28:00.005-05:00

For those who are not fans of bright colors, there are so many products geared towards natural looks. I suppose Urban Decay's highly sought-after Naked Palette was the one product that really got the snowball rolling this year. It's a nice palette, costs $48 and comes with a very nice UD brush. I picked one up. I think I've used it once so far. In my opinion, there isn't enough contrast between all of the colors and they tend to get muddy when blending them. Besides, after I read this blog by Affordable Beauty comparing the Urban Decay Naked Palette and E.L.F.'s Beauty Book Neutral Eye Edition, I am kicking myself over the $43 wasted. (But don't feel too bad, the E.L.F. Beauty Book is no longer available.)

I've picked up a couple of other neutral palettes I really like too. NYX Cosmetics has come out with some really great ones. NYX's Nude on Nude Palette is very nice. I like that there is a greater range of contrast, from white to black and everything in between. It's $25 and includes 10 lipglosses that slide out from underneath the shadows.

Most recently, NYX has launched their Butt "Naked" Eyes set. First of all, I did have a hard time getting past the name. "Butt Naked" just irritates me, in general. From what I have researched (sad, huh?) "Buck Naked" IS the original term, but was bastardized by the Yanks (that's us, in the States) to become "Butt Naked." Today, the terms are pretty much considered interchangeable. Although, I am having issues that it says Butt "Naked" Eyes on the actual lid of the palette.

But I'm rambling on a tangent, so let me reel it back in. I really love this set of shadows, blushes and highlighters. The shadows are great neutrals and the face colors are really wearable for most complexions. It is also $25, so it won't break the bank.

Now, if you really want a small collection of great neutral shadows, I recommend NYX's "I Dream of Jamaica" 5-color palette. I like browns and grays that are not too cool or too warm. If you use a brown that is too orange or has too much red, your eyes will look red and irritated. If your grays are too blue, you may get a look you weren't planning on. This smaller palette is gorgeous. If I could only recommend ONE palette of neutrals to someone, this would be it. There is a great shade for highlighting and great darks for creating a wonderful smoky look. And at $8.75, it's a steal!

I Have TOO Much Make-Up!

2011-11-16T15:19:00.015-05:00

So, I've been organizing my make-up lately and separating everything into bins so I can find things easier. I really have an obscene amount of make-up! There are quite a few things I've simply never used, duplicates that have never been opened and some products I've swatched then put away, never to use again.

I've decided to post everything here and if you are interested in anything, just comment on this blog or email me at glamourpuss_make-up@hotmail.com and we'll take care of it.

First off, I am selling SOME of my Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencils from the 15th Anniversary set. This is my photo, not someone else's.

The colors I am offering are: Rockstar, Mildew, Stash and Binge. None of these have been sharpened. These were tested on my hand and the point is rounded a tiny bit. $13 and the shipping is free.

This little palette, shown below, is by Colour Cosmetics. I have read that this is part of the Sleek family, but I cannot find definitive proof of this. Anyway, it's a smaller palette with lots of bright colors and is great for throwing into an overnight bag when you travel or it's small enough to keep in you purse if you want to touch up later in the day. I am asking $5 for it.Below, is this adorable set by Eyeko. The Rude Girl set has 3 glosses, cream blush, concealer, 5 eyeshadows, brushes and a mirror. $15

I also have the 3-in-1 cream by Eyeko. It's a shimmery gold moisturizer, highlighter and eye cream. $12

I am also a freak for fragrances. But I have some that I bought or was given and the fragrance simply didn't work with my body chemistry as well as it did on someone else. Hermes Eau des Merveilles is one such fragrance. It is a gorgeous, warm and spicy fragrance that is great for Autumn and Winter. The 3.3 oz bottle retails for a whopping $130 on the Hermes site. It has been used a couple of times, so the liquid level is down some, but no much. (If I get a chance, I'll take a quick snap today.) It is described as: Eau De Merveilles Perfume by Hermes, Launched in 2004, eau de merveilles by hermes is a warm, feminine scent for any woman. This feminine scent possesses a blend of vetiver, oak, cedar for the top notes. The heart of this fragrance is a lovely amber, finishing off with lemon, orange, pink pepper and elemi. I'm asking $50 for it with free domestic shipping.

I also have the first fragrance to be launched by Hard Candy. This is not the Hard Candy that is sold in Walmart. When the cosmetics division of Hard Candy was sold, the Hard Candy that was left under the same umbrella as Urban Decay decided to develop fragrances. I'm not sure why, this seems to just muddy the water and confuse people.

I any event, I have a brand new, unused, 3.3 oz bottle. Here is the description for it: The fragrance is made from white tea, pink peppercorn, rose, jasmine, caramel, vanilla and cashmere musk. It's fun, it's spicy, it's floral... it's hot. This bottle originally retailed for $55, I am asking $20 with free domestic shipping.

I am off to go search through more make-up! I'll let you know what I find, so please check back soon! Thanks!

Me + E.L.F. = It's Complicated

2011-11-04T13:33:00.005-04:00

It started out innocently enough. I was just an observer from afar. I can easily remember the beginning, when things were starting out and while there were some limitations, the interest was still there. Slowly, I tested the waters. I tried something new here and there. Flirting. Courting. Then things blossomed and I decided to take a leap of faith and make the investment in this relationship. I put in my time, did my research, paid my dues and saw wonderful things in exchange. But that's when things turned. That's when it got creepy. There were and still are multiple emails a day...I'm not good when things get clingy. Sure I could just delete them, junk them, block them and so on, but I'm a glutton for punishment and I'm curious about what goes on. Even though I'm toyed with, tempted with one enticing offer after another, I still stick around.

Is this an excerpt from a cheesy. Harlequin romance novel? No, there would be a lot more heaving bosoms and heavy sighs. This is basically what's going on with me and E.L.F Cosmetics or Eyes Lips Face Cosmetics.

I can remember back when they first appeared on the scene. Everything was $1. The range was nice, but somewhat limited. They have expanded so much and their sales are so good that I finally decided to place an order. Well, before I even got the order, I started getting "We Miss You" emails from them. What? You miss me? I didn't go anywhere! I haven't even had the chance to try out what I ordered! It's only been 12 hours! I know you've got it bad, but this is ridiculous! What Pandora's box did I open!!??

I jest, but it really is a poor marketing tactic. It's clingy, almost spammy. What frustrates me the most is that I get multiple coupon codes a day. Almost every one of them is GREAT, but there's always a catch. The coupon is only good on brushes or holiday stuff or their Studio line. I got one coupon that was for a discount on all holiday items including their new bath stuff! This would be the same bath stuff that isn't even on their site yet!! So, it makes that 48-hour coupon pretty useless if you are hoping to buy bath stuff. And nothing makes me angrier than shelling out my hard-earned money, only to get a better coupon emailed to me a few hours later!

But like any subway station around, just hang out for a little bit and another train (or in this case, coupon) will come along.

The MOST misleading one I've seen yet arrived in my inbox today. On the surface it looks great!

What was even better is that when I clicked the link, I was lucky enough to be "chosen" to have a whopping 50% off! Holy moly! That's not even shown as an option in the email!! Sign me up and fill my cart, I'm all over this! Well, it sounds too good to be true, so guess what? It is. If you look at the photo above, read #3 int he fine print. "Your personal secret discount will be applied to the first fifteen dollars in product and deducted from the total."

Wow, a whole $7.50 off is going to be the maximum you're going to get. That's not great at all. That's only slightly better than free shipping. While it's totally legal because of the fine print (which is much smaller in the email, I enlarged it for this blog), that doesn't make it any less tricky and deceitful. And that angers me. I can freely admit that I did not read the fine print at first. I went and looked at my cart (which keeps a standing list of things I am considering buying in it) and only saw the $7.50 deducted, I knew I was dealing with shenanigans.

When I find that I'm dealing with shenanigans, I feel like I have a responsibility to inform others. While I like E.L.F. just fine and would LIKE to order more from them, I really hesitate because of their business practices. They are counting on confusing customers by inundating them with tons of offers in hopes that the customer will not be informed and just go along with one because it says "50% off" when in reality it's only $7.50. Do they really think a customer is going to buy from them in 3 or 4 separate orders because the coupon codes are for different things? Who wants to pay shipping 3 or 4 times over? The more I think about this, the angrier it makes me.

What do you think?

Barbie With Pink Hair? And Tattoos? Oh, please.

2011-11-03T11:39:00.012-04:00

This topic has been gnawing away at me for the past few weeks. I know it's not about make-up, but it's about Barbie and I can't think of much that's more glam than that.

Recently, the Tokidoki Barbie was launched. I know BarbieCollector.com had had photos up for a few months prior to the release, so it was no big deal for me. Well, that is until I started hearing about the backlash over the doll. People are worried that we, as a society, have lost our way. Is Barbie having a midlife crisis? Her hair is pink! I've never seen that before! And tattoos!?!?! Shocking!!

But did you know that this is NOT the first Barbie to have pink hair OR tattoos? It's been going on for years. If people actually paid attention and didn't just jump on the hot-topic-of-the-moment-bandwagon, they would know this.

Way before Tokidoki, Barbies had tattoos. While researching for this blog, I discovered that the 1st edition, Generation Girl Barbie from 1999 had a heart tattoo on her ankle! And it was brought to my attention (thank you Kat Thompson) that there was the line of Butterfly Art Barbies released in 1998 and were apparently recalled very shortly after parents began to complain. Then there were the annual Hard Rock Cafe dolls. They were rock 'n roll all the way, their hair, their clothes and yes...their tattoos. (Please note, the 2008 doll does not have tattoos, but she does have questionable hair.) A couple of them have shoulder tattoos that are kind of large. One of them has a sleeve, another has a skull and crossbones and yet another has a barbed wire bracelet going around her upper arm. That one's pretty funny because it is so cliche! And what other famous person has an identical, albeit crooked, tattoo? Pamela Anderson. So do you think there is a subliminal message to kids about being like Pamela Anderson? If you said yes, you have bigger problems than this doll. You should be wondering why your kid knows who Pamela Anderson is. In more recent history, there's the Jacob Black doll inspired by the Twilight films and he bears his werewolf tribe's symbol on his upper arm. Oh and he's not wearing a shirt because when he becomes a werewolf all of his clothes are ripped off and he only carries spare shoes and shorts with him. Don't you think that's offensive too?

Pink hair has been around for years too. As a collector, I have a few dolls with pink hair. There were the Fashion Fever Barbies that were released around 2004. One had pink hair, that was cut long in the back and shorter in the front, not a mullet, but it looks like a bob in the front. She was also wearing a cheongsam dress/long tunic with jeans and platform shoes! Was she crazy?!?! Pants and a dress!?!?! Who does that?

Jewelry designer Tarina Tarantino helped design a Barbie bearing her name. Ms. Tarantino has pink hair, so naturally, her doll does too. (Please don't let the rainbow of hair colors below completely send you into a state of shock, Barbie's alternative ways are not limited to pink hair alone. OMG, green dreads!! AAAHHH!!!**with Muppet arms flailing wildly**)

Last but not least, the final pink-haired Barbie I'd like to discuss is based on the character who may have started the whole pink hair trend...Frenchie from Grease. There is a Frenchie doll with pink hair. But the character was so cute and sweet in Grease, I guess no one had a problem with it. If I were a nit-picking, whiner and complainer, I'd be more worried that Frenchie dropped out of high school AND beauty school! And while we're on the Grease dolls, let's discuss a couple of other things. There's a Marty doll, but wasn't she the tart who was coming onto the much older TV show host? There are at least 4 Sandy dolls, so pure and sweet, except for the post-makeover, bad girl Sandy. Oooh, what is that teaching kids? Dress like a hooker and you'll keep your man? Sheesh. Then there's Cha Cha, and she was just a mean, badass. Who wants a doll of a mean, badass? And we can't talk Grease without having Rizzo, the picture of grace and charm. Do you really want your kid to have a doll that promotes unprotected sex? I don't want my kid to get knocked up because there's a Barbie based on a character who thought she was! (And for those of you are hardcore Grease fans, have you ever listened to the words to "Greased Lightning"? YOU must be a terrible influence for exposing your kids to such filth! "You know that I ain't braggin', she's a real pussy wagon - greased lightnin'")

But that's not even the worst of it!! Tattoos, pink hair...these things don't compare to PIERCINGS!!! When the first Generation Girl Barbies came out in 1999, Chelsea had three earrings in one ear and only one in the other! And the most scandalous thing was that she had a nose ring!!! Gasp! Shock!! Horror!!! Apparently in the next edition, she only had one earring in each ear and the nose ring, but in the 3rd edition she had neither earrings or a nose ring. SEE, this just proves to all the naysayers that Mattel will sanitize it's products if you make a big enough fuss. But it's short-lived because the 2004 Hard Rock Cafe Barbie had a nose ring.

Another instance where Mattel self-censored for that part of society who doesn't understand that some of their dolls are for COLLECTORS ONLY would be the Farrah Fawcett doll. Take a look at the photo below and see if you can spot the difference, beyond the obvious mediocre likeness.

Did you find what makes one of these things not like the other? It's the thing(s) that made this poster so controversial. NIPPLES! See, if Mattel wanted to stick to historical accuracy, the doll would have nipples. Obviously this is a collector's doll, what kid would want a doll who can only sit, frozen in one position? Kinda limits the Barbie story lines that run through a girl's head. But because people are so freaked out by their own bodies and nipples are considered taboo, the doll is historically inaccurate. That should make you feel better. Happy?

At this point, I am not happy. It really bothers me how people are so quick to vilify something they have no idea about. It just perpetuates the notion that people are superficial and only care about what's on the surface of something. But only sometimes, right? There are the double-standards like tattoos being manly on men and trashy on women. Perhaps that's why there was no hoopla over the Jacob from Twilight doll. It's ignorance. It would only take a little bit of research to discover that other dolls have had all the things people are bitching and moaning about with the Tokidoki doll. But if we're going to get our knickers in a twist, then let's take a look at some other Mattel dolls from the past.

Totally Stylin' Tattoo Barbie came out a couple of years ago for Christmas. I know because my daughter wanted one. Basically, it has the water-transfer tattoos that you can use on Barbie's clothing or your skin. It also comes with a "gun" that holds the transfer in place and douses the back of the tattoo with water. Where were you whiners back then!?!?! See, I lead by example and rather than expecting the world to sanitize itself so I don't have to do my job as a parent, I simply stepped up and said NO to my daughter. And I didn't buy it. The end. It's just that easy, it really is.

Remember back when Cher had the "Turn Back Time" video and there was a huge uproar because she was wearing what was essentially a body stocking with some strategically places black strips of fabric? Oh, and don't forget that she's straddling stuff and fraternizing with sailors and acting in a way that's unbecoming of a respectable woman? Mattel made a doll of that too. Be sure to check out the doll with the throwback costume that pays homage to the "Half Breed" TV performance she did in the '70s. The sides are cut to where!!!???? Shocking. And I suppose if you really wanted to split hairs about whether Cher is a role model or not, you could delve into Cher's past and instead of looking at how she's overcome so many adversities, you could dwell on her romances, addictions, having a transgender child, etc.

These dolls were just recently released. One is Barbie dressed as Sinatra, the other is Barbie's take on Elvis. IF we were looking at these outside the realm of quirky collector's dolls, what message are these sending out kids? Is it saying it's okay to cross-dress? Is it acceptable to get famous, do tons of drugs, eat horrible foods and expire in the loo? (And I know I have simplified these things, but this is how ignorant people think, forget the stories that lay below the surface.)

It sounds crazy, doesn't it? Of course, I'm being facetious throughout this whole blog. But some people really think like this. And that scares me. Barbie is a doll. That is it. She is plastic, has sparkly and shiny things and has pretty hair to style. That's it. At least, that's the way I saw her as a child. I never considered her to be a role model. People are role models, not dolls. Parents should be role models. Don't expect the world to make itself a place where you can do nothing and "raise" (I use that term loosely when referring to these types of people) your child without something questionable popping up. That's what parenting is...being active in your child's life and aware of what they are exposed to. The fact is people are lazy, too lazy to monitor what goes on around them. Yet let them catch wind of something as ridiculous as a pink-haired doll with tattoos and watch them go wild! Imagine how much worse it would be if these people got hip and educated themselves!

The bottom line is Barbie is a plastic doll. Bratz dolls are even scarier and have a body type that is insanely unlike anything a human could ever have. The Monster High dolls are fashionable MONSTERS!! But what does this really matter when we are talking about kids, pretending to play, with TOYS!!?? It's pretend, not real. Give your kids some credit. I'm willing to bet they know the difference.

***Again, I would like to point out that this "hot topic" is moot since the doll is sold as a collector's doll, intended for adults. Most of the dolls mentioned in this blog are not intended for children either. The exceptions would be the Butterfly Art dolls, Fashion Fever dolls, the Generation Girl dolls and the Totally Stylin' Tattoo Barbie. I am solely discussing it to shed some light and provide new insight for those who don't know any better.***

Tinted Lip Balms

2011-10-27T00:40:00.000-04:00

It's pretty funny, I am a freelance make-up artist but when it comes to doing my own make-up, I usually opt for whatever is the fastest. I have two kids who usually don't give me any peace while I am getting dressed, so I don't usually have a lot of time to do something elaborate or overly artistic.

One of my favorite "go to" items is the tinted lip balm. It's quick and easy and some of them are sheer enough that you can apply it without a mirror. Back when I first remember seeing tinted lip balms, I tried Tarte's and Delux Beauty's. I am not sure how Tarte's are now, but about 12 years ago they were very dry and the color was pretty heavy. I bought two that I never ended up wearing. The package was a pain too because it was a plastic lip balm tube with a metal cylinder over it. My cylinder came off and when I tried to put it back on, I totally screwed it up. Delux Beauty's lip balm was a lovely rosey, pink. But again, it was more like lipstick in a lip balm tube.

Over the years, one of my favorite tinted lip balms is Aveda's Lip Tint. I'm not a huge fan of the flavor, but the color "Peony" is the most beautiful, shimmery pink that can be worn by anyone. For the longest time, it was pretty much the only color I'd use on brides. My only gripe is sometimes it can be a tiny bit gritty because of the sparkles, but it's not enough to keep me from going back to it time and time again. Although, to my dismay, it looks like Aveda no longer makes this product.

Aveda Lip Tint - Peony

A few months ago, I picked up a couple of Tokidoki's Gelato Lip Balm Stain. They come in fun colors, but there are only 3 to choose from and a clear one. They are all creamy colors, without shimmer or sparkle. I have Donutella, which is a coral/peach color and Pink Martini. The colors are nice and clear. I feel kinda like they are like the old mood lipsticks because they tend to get a little brighter on me after the initial application. But remember, I am a super-white redhead. Not many people are as pale as I am. I would still like to try Skeletrina which is a purple color. As for Ciao Ciao, I really don't see the point in paying $9 for a clear lip balm.

I recently picked up a new Baby Lips lip balm by Maybelline and decided to give it a try. I got the darker, purple one (grape) because I figured if it was sheer it would look nice. It was incredibly sheer. Great if you don't really want much color at all. It is light and feels nice on, but if you're looking for color payoff, this is not the product for you.

Maybelline Baby Lips - Grape

Last but not least, on my quest for tinted lip balms, I was sent the new World Balmination from Hard Candy. The packaging is hip and trendy, reminiscent of Tokidoki, but definitely in the Hard Candy style. The color I got is called Lovestruck and is a light pink. At $3.00 a pop, these are by far the most affordable tinted lip balms out of all of these. The texture is quite light and not sticky or thick. The color was very sheer. Now I have to take into account that it is a very light shade. There is a darker pink and a red that may have a little more oomph.

(On the right, Hard Candy. On the left, Tokidoki.)

(On the right, Tokidoki. On the left, Hard Candy.)

So here's the lowdown. If you want a balm you can just throw in your pocket and apply without having to look in a mirror, I'd say Hard Candy is the best deal. The Maybelline is nice, but is about $2 more and doesn't provide anything else for that added expense. If you want color I would have to suggest Tokidoki. Sure they only have three colors, but they are lovely! And $9 won't break the bank. I'm sad that Aveda no longer makes their Lip Tint, but there's nothing to be done about it except scour resources online for a good deal on leftover stock. And I don't really even factor Tarte in since I saw that the packaging has not changed. I really like some of Tarte's products, but I am so not a fan of their packaging. (I once had concealers by them and the names were on the caps, not the other ends of the tubes. So it wasn't hard to get them mixed up. No bueno.)

Bonus - When I got my Hard Candy World Balmination, I also got one of their new sparkly eyeliners, called Stay In Line. The color is a lovely chocolate brown with a lovely splash of sparkly glitter!

Halloween Giveaway

2011-10-24T21:10:00.005-04:00

Guess what time it is ghouls and boys? It's time for another Glamourpuss Giveaway! This time it is a really fun contest. The prize is the great new House of Horrors collection from Madd Style Cosmetix. As you can see in the photo below, these colors are really fabulous. The white has lovely, shimmery sparkle. The photo doesn't show much detail, but it's a beautiful color!

I used the colors from this collection for the sugarskull photos I shot for the promotional materials for Madd Style Cosmetix. I can tell you from firsthand experience that these colors blend well and look wonderful over a white eyeshadow base. I used NYX eyeshadow base. It really makes the colors pop!

So, what do you need to do to enter? It's very easy. I want you to be creative with make-up. Use whatever you have on hand and go wild. I would prefer that the photos you submit be new ones, not ones you've used from the past. Email the photos to: glamourpuss_make-up@hotmail.com. What I will do after that is post the photos in another blog. From there people can comment and "vote" on the one they like best. The photo with the most votes will win. Very simple, very easy.

You have until Wednesday at midnight EST to submit your photos. I will have the photo blog posted shortly thereafter and voting can begin once it is posted. Voting will end on Friday at midnight EST. The winner will be announced very soon after voting ends.

Have fun with this! I cannot wait to see what great creations you come up with! Thanks and good luck to all!

Giveaway Winner!!

2011-10-07T11:34:00.003-04:00

I am so pleased to announce that Angela Antagonist Grujičić won my very first Glamourpuss Giveaway!

Angela requested some colors that will work for daytime looks, so I put together a great collection of neutral products from Ruby Kisses Cosmetics. (Although I did have to add a really fun, purple-y lipstick!)

All in all, the giveaway was quite successful! I want to thank everyone who participated and I hope you had fun. I do have another really awesome giveaway in the works, there will be more details about that next week. But start thinking "Halloween Looks!"

I am working on some new product reviews to post soon, so be sure to keep an eye out and spread the word!

Prettia Bubble Hair Color

2011-10-04T14:44:00.008-04:00

Something has been going on with me lately...it's exciting for me and annoying for my friends, I am finding. I am pretty infatuated with my local Asian market. Anyone who knows me knows that I love all things British and Japanese. When I went to Japan a couple of years ago, I took an empty bag so I would have enough room for whatever neat goodies I'd find!

But I digress. This market that is near me is FANTASTIC. It's the nicest one in the Charlotte area, that's for sure. There is a great selection of food, drinks, spices...CANDY...but the best section of all is the health and beauty section! There is such a huge selection of haircare, bath stuff, skin care...it makes the mind boggle! Then they have hair dyes. They have a few different varieties by the brands Palty and Prettia. There is also a men's line called Gatsby. I love the packaging. The models are so cute and the faces they make are a trip!

I decided on a brand called Prettia, because they had a color that was closest to what I have been looking for. I wanted a nice, bright copper. I figured since my hair was closes to the lightest shade on the box, this would be a sure thing!

Contents: Gloves, Conditioner, Toner, Nozzle & Developer

The Nozzle, Toner & Developer

This was a nifty think (above). This was the card that was around the gloves. I couldn't figure out what the circle was for until I looked at the instructions. While I couldn't actually read them, I figured out that they tell you how to mix a drop of toner to two drops of developer for a patch test. This circle is where you'd do that. There was a depression within the circle so the liquid wouldn't just run everywhere.
I think this is a VERY smart idea.

Mixing the toner and the developer.

Here is the mixed toner and developer, with the nozzle screwed on. There are a couple of important things to note: when mixing the color, you just tip the bottle forward and bring it back upright. You do that a few times, but you do not shake it. And the nozzle is not a pump. It is completely stationary. To get the color out of the bottle, you simply squeeze the bottle. It's very simple and easy.

Here's what the foam looks like.

All in all, it was a very nice hair color. It was extremely lightweight. I didn't even use half of what was in the bottle and my hair falls below my jawline. You leave the color on for 20-30 minutes and then you rinse. For there to be such an ample amount of hair color, there was the tiniest amount of conditioner to use after you rinse. I did have to supplement it with conditioner I already had. The color rinsed out easily, there was no running or traces of color left. When the water ran clear, it was clear...my pillowcases were spared! And the best part is that my hair didn't feel absolutely fried. It felt very nice, not like I had colored it at all.

Now, how was the color? Let's see...

The color wasn't all that I had hoped for. I was hoping for a richer color, but Prettia really didn't do much at all. I think it is a hair color that is best suited for people with darker hair or super-bleached hair. The hair color I really long for is what you see below. The two photos on the left are of this great photographer from Poland. The photo on the right is a customer appreciation photo for Pravana Vivids hair color. I've been wanting to try it for ages, so I am going to have to resist the urge to buy things because of cute packaging and hold out for the things I really want.

GIVEAWAY!! 400 Fans on Facebook!!

2011-10-03T00:31:00.004-04:00

So, it's happened! I have 400 fans on Facebook! If you haven't checked out my page, you may want to do so now because I am planning a fabulous giveaway!

http://www.facebook.com/IAmGlamourpuss

All you have to do is "like" my Facebook fan page and then comment on this blog post with your Facebook username (I will make sure you have "liked" the fan page) and what the sort of colors you like to wear or would like to try out because I am going to customize the prizes around what the winner likes or requests! From there I will use a random number generator to choose the winner.

That sounds easy enough, right? I'm not a fan of the contest that have a list of things you must do like it's some sort of wild scavenger hunt. So I wanted this to be sweet and simple.

I figure a couple of days is enough time to give everyone a chance to enter...so, you have until midnight EST on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning to get your posts posted! I don't think that's such a long time that people will get impatient. Then I will have the winner chosen before the end of the day Wednesday. The way I see it, this will be all wrapped up and winnings will be out in the mail this week!

I really look forward to this. I have some great products to put together for you, I will include items to create an entire look! And if all goes well, I have plenty of ideas for future giveaways.

Thank you so much for your time. I do appreciate each and every one of you checking out my fan page and now, my blog. My goal is to provide useful and informative information and to have some fun.

Thanks again!

The Inaugural Eye Shadow Tutorial

2011-09-19T00:05:00.009-04:00

I've been asked many times to do tutorials. Honestly, I'm pretty goofy, which is why it may take me a while to dip my feet in to the video tutorial pool. But for now, I got some make-up I am excited about and decided this would be a great time to start working on photo tutorials. Now, I will take you all the way from the totally naked eye to a really gorgeous finished look.

Please bear in mind, I am always open to your ideas. It's the feedback from my readers that lets me know what I need to do for you! So feel free to let me know what you are thinking or what you'd like to see. Thanks!

So, let's get down to business!

Here are the products I used:

1.) Here I am without make-up. Yes, I completely lack eyebrows. Shocking, I know. That's just in my family's genes.

2.) While I am putting on my concealer, foundation and powder, I have Too Faced's Shadow Insurance already on my lids. Once I am done with the face products, the primer is set and dry. The next pressing issue is my lack of eyebrows, so I fill those in right away with Gosh's eyebrow pen and NYX brow pencil. Then I add the NYX, pearl base primer. I do this simply to even out the color of the lid.

3.) Here are the shadows I am using today. This is the Palette #1 by Paul and Joe. I've lusted after something, anything, Paul and Joe for some time now. I found a great deal on this and snatched it up!

4.) I take the lightest shade from the palette and brush it right beneath my brow. It creates a lovely, not too white, not too light highlight. Then I start placing that delicious peachy color across my lid. When I am placing color that I really want to "pop" on my lid, I use a brush, but I pat the color on, rather than sweep it across. The color is placed on in a more concentrated fashion and the colors end up being closer to what you see in the palette. A lot of times color becomes more of a wash when it is swept across the lid.

(It's really difficult to get a clear photo with your eyes closed.)

5.) Now, I start to add the dark brown. I start at the lash line and then I bring the color up and over towards my crease. Again, I am tapping the color on so I get the biggest color payoff. It's not super pretty or blended...yet.

6.) Next, I establish what I am going to do with my eyeliner. I usually grab an older one and lightly draw out how I want my liner to be (today, that was Barry M's liner pen.) I used Essence's eyeliner from the Fairytale collection that was out in the Spring.

8,) It's time to start tweaking the details. I go back over the eyeliner pen (with a new my upper lid. Then I blend out the lower line. I even take the time to blend out the eyeliner pencil on the lower lid too. I add my first couple of coats of Falsies Mascara. (I forgot to add that in my photograph of the products used.)

9.) Now I take a few seconds to make sure all of the tiny details are perfected. Make sure the liner is perfect. The shadow has to be blended flawlessly, I love to blend...you simply cannot do it enough. My quick trick for that is to run my finger across the crease and make sure the sharp lines and edges are gone. I finish it off with a couple more coats of Falsies mascara and that's it! Done and done!

(There are some subtle differences between these last two photos.)

I hope you have enjoyed this. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to get in touch!

The JulieG Nail Polish Collection by Jesse's Girl

2011-09-08T16:06:00.004-04:00

In the past I have picked up a few items by Jesse's Girl Cosmetics. After I read another blog, I had to pick up the gorgeous nail polish called Firefly. It's really lovely and reasonably priced.

Well, I have a penpal and we exchange beauty products that we cannot get where we live. She most recently asked me to send her the color JulieG by Jesse's Girl. Once I started researching it, I discovered there was a great collection of colors coming out and it turns out that they were all done in conjunction with JulieG. These colors retail for $3.99 which is $1.00 higher than the regular polishes Jesse's Girl has to offer. BUT you can take advantage of the offer on their website and get all 8 colors for $25. I like a company that bundles products at a discounted price! (Jesse's Girl does this with a few other items too!)

I went ahead and placed an order. The shipping was fast and the products were superbly packed. It's the small details that can really make or break a shopping experience.

So, let's get down to the colors:

Left to Right: All Things Girly, Beauty Guru, Party Dress & Stiletto

All Things Girly is a really pretty, light peach color. Beauty Guru is a deeper color and is more of a light burnt orange, if that makes sense. Party Dress is a deep coral color. I've heard it described as a red, but I really wouldn't call it that. Stiletto is the perfect neutral for Fall. It's a beige with a hint of lilac undertones and it's got a beautiful silvery-shimmer.

Left to Right: Mermaid's Lagoon, Girls Night Out,
Fashion Friday & Cupcake Frosting

See below for a full description of Mermaid's Lagoon. Girls Night Out is a great medium-toned blue. Fashion Friday is a lovely purple with red undertones. And last, but not least, Cupcake Frosting is the perfect, girly pink. Think Barbie-pink, but a with a little more blue in it.

And if you'd like to see them all together:

But the breakout star of this show is Mermaid's Lagoon. It's very similar to the iconic Tiffany blue and it has the most beautiful golden shimmer to it. While I like glitter and glitz, this is nice and subtle, which makes it very wearable.

And last but not least, I picked up this really cool, discontinued nail polish for $1.50! It's called Confetti!

Overall, I had a great experience with my first order from Jesse's Girl Cosmetics and I cannot wait to try out all of these gorgeous colors!

Poreless Powders

2011-08-21T00:54:00.005-04:00

These days, there are lots of products that are called "HD" or high definition. There are also products that claim to make your pores disappear. But what does this really mean? How can a powder give the appearance of super smooth skin that would look amazing, even on an HD tv?

Well, I tried Too Faced's Primed and Poreless face primer and LOVE it. It's a cream that goes on with a matte, velvety-feel. And somehow, magically pores and lines are diminished and your skin looks really nice! There is also a powder that is put out by Too Faced called Primed and Poreless loose powder. It's a translucent, white powder that is so fine and goes on so smoothly, it put other powders to shame.
The only catch was that I could not afford it. To get the primer and the powder, you are going to drop at least $54.oo.

Recently, I've had the good fortune to be able to try out products by Ruby Kisses. Today, I used their HD Set N' Forget powder at a photo shoot. The first thing I noticed was that it was pretty much exactly the same as Too Faced's powder. But, it's really cool because it comes in four shades...one is the white translucent, another one is called Banana and has a yellowish tone to it. The last two are darker colors that are great for tanned and darker skintones. And this powder makes skin look equally amazing. The BEST part is that it only costs a fraction of what the Too Faced version costs. It's only $5.99...not $28.00!

So there you have it. If you want to try a cool product that makes your skin look great, but you don't want to break the bank, then Ruby Kisses is perfect for you!

DEMAND Better Customer Service - Part One

2011-07-23T01:37:00.011-04:00

I am a consumer. Boy, do I consume! Let's face it, we ALL do. And often there are times when we don't always get what we pay for. Whether it's the quality of an item, the quality of the customer service or the quality of the shopping experience altogether.

If you're laying out your hard-earned money, you want quality, great customer service, clean stores, clean/sealed packaging and ease of shopping. If something goes wrong, every consumer wants an exchange or refund that is quick and easy. The concept is pretty simple. I give you my money, you give me a product, product does not meet expectations, I bring product back to you and you give me back my money. It seems easy enough right? It's amazing how many different ways that can get botched up! Then add to the mix the complications of mail order and online ordering. It can become such an ordeal...enough to push someone to the brink of madness.

Recently, I have had quite a few instances of poor customer service or shopping experiences. Over the summer we stayed at a hotel that ended up being right near a fire department, the cable went out around 11:00 pm and in the morning, I was the only one in the family to have bug bites all over my ankles. I immediately filed an online complaint. But we never heard anything back. Once we got home, my husband started making calls and it turns out the hotel manager has already sent out a letter of apology to us (which never arrived). And it only took a few more weeks of back and forth between my husband and the hotel people before finally they were ready to kinda make amends by giving us enough points on their rewards program to stay a night or a voucher to stay a night. And that's when my husband steps up and said "Or you could just refund the money to my credit card."

I know, once a company gets you money, they don't want to lose it. So they will make offers and substitutions...anything they think will placate you. Sometimes it works. Sometimes you just want your money back.

While this discussion does apply to all areas of consumerism, I have seen a few strange things go on in the world of cosmetics...and since that is my favorite world to play in, I'm going to focus on these incidents.

Back in May, NYX Cosmetics was planning a phenomenal, never seen before, sale that would be like no others! To celebrate their 12th Anniversary, all of their products (apart from a select few) were going to be ONLY $1.20!!! The sale would go for 12 hours. This seems pretty straightforward and simple, right?

I suppose there just wasn't enough foresight, and NYX has so many fans and followers, overloading the servers was inevitable. The site wouldn't load properly at all! Refresh, refresh, refresh. Still nothing. Then they'd give you hope that they'd be up to speed at 8 pm, but guess what? CRASH! They even extended the sale another 12 hours to help people get their orders in. But the process was maddening, you could only buy 2 of an item and sometimes when you're refreshing so much, you are adding things and not even knowing it! And you could go and adjust the contents of the cart. You'd have to delete all of that item and then manually put the item back in again. I stayed up all night, managed to get a handful of items in my cart and was lost in the doldrums of refreshing, refreshing...

I had been up over 23 hours. There were only a couple hours left of the sale. NYX had made a statement that anyone who wasn't able to get through would be issued a 50% off coupon after the sale was over. Well, that's all well and good, but all of us who stayed up all night took that as a slap to the face.

So I called them.

The first customer service rep was pleasant and explained that I should just keep on trying and refreshing. I explained that that technique had done nothing for me for the past 22 hours so the odds were slim I'd get my order in in the last 2 hours of the sale. But she kept going on about trying and refreshing, blah, blah, blah. I asked to speak to her supervisor.

The next woman I spoke with was quite pleasant. She pretty much said everything the first customer service rep said, but she added on that they really appreciate their customers and they want to make customers happy, but if you can't get through online....oops, sorry. Around then, I started feeling my pulse go up. The tiny burn of blood rushing to my face making me completely upset and flushed. I told her that if they REALLY cared for their customers, then she'd take my order by phone, email or fax. She said they weren't set up to do that....which I completely shot down since I know of many cosmetics companies that take orders that way. Then she started to ramble on about "the best they could do", "appreciate customers', blah, blah, blah. So I asked to speak to her supervisor.

It was that point when I finally found a human and not some comsetibot to take my call. I mean, I'm human, I fully realize that the whole sale experience was a nightmare. People were throwing fits online on all social media outlets. People had taken to the phones, just as I had. It had to have been very stressful to take a call in the NYX office that day. I am not excusing what happened, just saying I understand.

The woman on the other end of the line had a position higher than the csr's. I explained to her that I had recently gotten my pro membership information from them and that I had been looking forward to placing my first order. But once this deal came into play, it's obviously a better deal and I want to take advantage of it. She then proceeded to give me her direct number and told me that if I didn't get through in the last hours to call her back.

At Noon, when the sale ended, I called her back. She asked how many items I had. I hadn't counted so I didn't know, but I did know it was a lot and that's what I told her. She then told me to print the list out and fax it to her. (Fortunately, while I had been waiting for 24 hours with no sleep, I was compiling the list of items I was going to order.) I did just that. It took over a week to get it totally processed and out, but it did happen.

This situation was frustrating for so very many reasons:

NYX was not prepared for the traffic on their site.
Some of their posts were snarky and sounded like the consumers were doing something wrong if they couldn't get their orders through.
NYX never really apologized for any of the mess.
Their stance seemed like "Too bad, so sad...but here, have a coupon."
There was no genuine feeling of concern for the consumer.
I'm sure the people who called got the same sorts of interaction as I did, but they just let it go after the one person they spoke to blew them off.

It was also a poor move on NYX's part because it created a massive schism between their fans. It was ugly. I saw it first hand.

So, what should you do when you are dealing with a situation like this? Some conspiracy theorists claim that this was an old "bait and switch" tactic. Or only orders with small quantities got through and all others would be left with the 50% off coupon. That way as few as possible people could benefit from the 12th Anniversary sale.

I don't know if this is true or not. I do know that one of the first things I was asked when I got on the phone with the last woman was "How many items are in your basket?" So, that makes me pause for a second.

In any event, if you are working your way through the maze of telemarketing customer service, always remember that the person you are speaking with is not the final authority, there is always someone else. You may have to say, "May I please speak with your supervisor?" over and over again. And all the while, you need to remain pleasant. Getting angry and using profanity gives them an excuse to end the call. Eventually you will get to someone who can answer questions. Many times these are the people who can make decisions to deviate from set plans.

And sometimes everything doesn't work out so rosy, but the fact of the matter is that this company was looking for sales. Were they really going to want you taking your money anywhere else? Your money can be your voice, especially if you are planning on making a large purchase.

Also, in the heat of the moment, when you are upset and want to throw around the names of government agencies and groups that deal with consumers, know this:

The Better Business Bureau does nothing more than keep your complaint on file. They do not mediate any issues between client and company.
The Federal Trade Commission acts almost identically in the same way as the Better Business Bureau.
The State Attorney General handles problems between businesses and unsatisfied consumers (they do mediate too).
If it's a local business you can always go to one of your local newspaper, television or radio consumer watchdogs. The reporter's who are looking out for the little guys...you know the ones.
And in a SELECT FEW cases the FDA can be contacted, depending on your situation.

Now that I am seeing how long this post is, I will start a second post, telling the other tale I have about demanding better customer service.

If you do not demand it from these vendors, then you are excusing what they do, which leads to even more consumers having the same problems. I don't know what it is about where we are today that makes it so easy for us to shrug something off. "Incorrect change, eh, whatever." "My food's not right? Well, I'll just pick whatever I don't like off." "The shirt was never worn, still has tags, but they are only giving me store credit? Okay." So, people of Consumerland, I have to ask, "Where's the fire in your belly?!?!"

I Can't Live Without...

2011-07-22T23:33:00.006-04:00

When I was in London a couple of years ago, I can remember seeing these odd hair brushes, called the Tangle Teezer. They had no handle, fit in your palm and allegedly didn't pull hair. I thought they were pretty cool looking, but they were £12-£14 each. That's like roughly $18-$20!! And what was really funny was that the smaller, compact size was more expensive, of course! I just couldn't justify spending that kind of money on a hair brush.

But since the last time we were in England, my daughter Tate's hair has gotten insanely long. It went from being right at her shoulders to falling towards her lower back. It's the thickest hair I've ever seen! She hates tending to it. Washing it is most definitely a chore, but the torture comes in when it's time to detangle it and comb it or brush it in the mornings before school. There were many mornings last year when Tate headed off to school looking like a ragamuffin.

I was quite surprised on this year's trip to London, when we went to Hamby's toy store and someone was demonstrating this brush. Of course, I did everything I could to launch Tate in the path of the woman doing the demonstrations. I was quite skeptical that even this magical brush could keep her from wincing and whining. And once the woman started brushing Tate's hair, I found I was completely wrong! Tate didn't make a peep. So, my first thought was that she was keeping it in because she didn't want to whine in front of this woman, so in my state of disbelief, I was given the opportunity to see for myself. And as I brushed through Tate's hair...there was no sound. I was stunned. I know this sounds melodramatic, but it was life changing. I was on the verge of having Tate's hair chopped off, it had become so unbearable to deal with. Blinded with amazement, I took a brush, headed to the counter and shelled out £12 for it.

The Tangle Teezer has pretty much eliminated the need for detangler after bath time too. It does really well on wet or dry hair. The only thing I could possibly think of to complain about is that it only gets the outer layers of Tate's hair. BUT her hair is so thick that we pin up the top half, brush the bottom half, then unpin the top to brush it. I don't think many brushed could get through her hair in one stroke. So that is really more of a thick hair problem than a brush problem.

Here's where it gets really good, my fellow beauty lovers! The Tangle Teezer is now being sold in the US! I just picked a second one up at Sally's Beauty Supply today for $9.99!! That's like £6!! You cannot beat that! Same brush, almost half the price! Look for yourself, here's the *LINK*!

I promise you, this is a product you didn't even know you needed. It's much gentler on my thinning hair than a regular brush. I no longer need the huge detangling comb after I wash my hair. It really is great. And the US price is right, whether you get one for your kids or yourself, you will be glad you got one!

On one last note...if you are an Angliophile and are familiar with the show "Dragon's Den", the creator of the Tangle Teezer, Shaun Pulfrey, was on that show in 2007 and turned down by The Dragons! Imagine that! They seriously misjudged that product! That, and I still want the two-toned compact one!! Wonder when they'll be Stateside?

UK Style

2011-05-05T12:44:00.004-04:00

I know this post has taken quite a while to publish and I know a lot of you have been enthusiastic to read it. I had a lot of material to digest and work with, hence the delay.

While I was in London, I saw quite a few trends. Some are the same as what we see here, some are not. I really wish I could've gotten photos of everything!!

Fake tanning is really big over there. I know it's better than getting a tan from the sun and risking your skin to skin cancer. But doesn't it defeat the point to have a nation of people who basically look like Oompa Loompas? I saw some very VERY orange people. They could be spokespeople for Tropicana orange juice. I once heard the term "mangerine" to describe a guy with an orange tan, this would be an appropriate term for some of the people I saw over there. You'd think with the self-tanning being such a big business, even Stateside, that a company could FINALLY come up with a color that is not orange. I would rather see a pasty white Anglo any day!

Another trend that is REALLY big is false eyelashes. If you go to the drugstore, there is an entire wall of eyelashes. Way more than you see here! It's funny because they have Sex and The City-themed lashes. Are you a Carrie? A Samantha? A Miranda? Or that other boring chick played by Kristen Davis? There is also a line of day and night lashes that are based on the UK girl band, Girls Aloud. I know Boots also has their own line of lashes, from low-end to high-end. Some have glitter, some have sequins, some look like furry caterpillars resting on your eyes. There is a time and place for lashes and I'd say 75% of what is sold there should not ever be used for anything outside of a photo shoot.

Neon is another trend that has stuck around in the UK. Neon shoes, clothes, accessories. Neon make-up and nail polish. While I like neons and own some neon make-up and nail polish, you have to be a pretty special person to carry off neon clothing. The same thing goes for lace, there is a lot of lace clothing over there. And some people should just NOT wear it...ever. I did think it was funny to see the resurgence of jelly shoes.

Ridiculous hosiery is something else I saw. I took my daughter to a concert and the girl in front of us was wearing these ridiculously short cut-off jean shorts. She had these hose on that looked like she was wearing thigh highs and a garter. Well, it took me a minute to work it out, because there were no connectors and the garter looked like hosiery. But the skin wasn't showing through cut outs. So, it was all one piece and the nude color was so good, it was almost undetectable. But when the poor thing turned around, you could seriously tell they were hose because you could see the crotch of the hose peeping out from under her shorts. And she was wearing a blousy, chiffon shirt. What an odd mix. And someone asked me, "Where was her mom?" She was right there with her. Yep, faux garters on kids is apparently acceptable there.

Glitter make-up is something else that is HUGE over there. Many lines of make-up have glitter liners, eye shadows and lip glosses. And they are affordable. At the moment, I can only think of one or two drugstore lines that have glitter liners here. Glitter is fun. I, for one, LOVE sparkles. But like the lashes, there is a time and a place. Not midday on a workday, on the train, just above your overly-full. '60s throwback, false eyelashes. No, no, no.

But while I sit back and reflect on some of these trends, there is one thing that I can say that is positive. At least the women in the UK are NOT afraid of being trendy and trying things that are risky and fashion-forward. I was even inspired to buy some insanely bright lipsticks I would never have considered before. While there were situations where the fashion SWAT team needed to be called in, I can't help but commend these ladies for taking a chance! We should take note and not be afraid to try a new, bright splash of color or something we may not usually try.

The UK Trip 2011

2011-04-27T09:55:00.002-04:00

I had hoped to blog while I was in London. But this trip was so busy, I usually crashed out when I got home. So, now that I am back Stateside, I figured I'd give you a taste of the goodies I picked up! Most of these lovelies are already spoken for. And I didn't even include everything I bought for myself!! There is some really good cosmetics shopping in London!! As you can see, the majority is by Sleek. I love their new True Color lipsticks! But I also developed a renewed love for Barry M too! And I'm giving Eyeko a go too! I threw in the OCC lip tars as eye candy, I got them here. More to come soon, I promise!!

Splurge Vs. Steal

2011-03-30T21:14:00.004-04:00

Wow, this is really amazing.

I just saw this on the front page of Etsy:

The price tag on the above necklace is $1350. Below is a watermelon tourmaline and sterling silver necklace I have had in my shop for $50. I know there are some differences. The watermelon tourmalines seen above are thicker, but they have tons of fissures (cracks), not just flecks, full on cracks across the stones. My necklace only has 6 stones, hers has 7. She has also set them in 14K gold and the chain is gold. But $1300 more?? Watermelon tourmalines are expensive stones and I'm sure that bezel-setting each one in gold was time consuming. Although it will also be harder to repair should one of the rings on the bezel break. Anyway, my mind is just boggling over this and I'm thinking out loud.

Essence Beauty...I NEED MORE!

2011-03-30T15:26:00.006-04:00

I am currently in the midst of a trade with another beauty blogger from Slovenia. I came across some cool nail stamping plates by the German company Essence (US site here), but they are not sold here in the US. Some friends of mine reminded me that Ulta sells Essence. And I recalled writing about them in my blog entry about Konad nail stamps. So, I went to my local Ulta to check it out.

Just my luck, my local Ulta is being renovated and everything was moved around. I looked and looked. Finally got to see a good selection of NYX products up close. Came across another line I had never seen/heard of before. But I couldn't find any Essence. I was on my way out the door when I noticed the display on the end of an aisle.

It was a little overwhelming because the line offers so many different types of products. Fortunately, there were no nail stamping products, so my international trade is still justified! But there were nail polishes, lip stuff, eye colors and liners, face products...you name it! And the prices are BEYOND reasonable! If there isn't an Ulta near you, the products are online too! And right now there is a coupon for free shipping on a $25 purchase!

Here's the breakdown of what I got:

Quattro Eyeshadow Quad - Chic-ify and To Die For $2.99 (Not on Ulta's site)
Color and Shine Eyeshadow - Bling Bling $2.99
All Eyes On Me Mascara - $1.99
2-In-1 Kajal Pencil $1.49
Black Mania Eyeliner Pen $2.49
Lip Liner - Honey Bun $0.99
Smokey Eyes Set - So What? $2.49
Nail Art Freestyle & Tip Painter - Silver Surfer $1.99

I am really impressed with ALL of it! The prices are better than Wet and Wild. The packaging is cooler! I was so overwhelmed, I forgot to pick up a lipstick and a gloss! I really like the double-ended eyeliners. And the nail art polish is SUPER-metallic...chrome-like, even!! The shadows aren't insanely pigmented, but are fine for everyday use! I can't wait to try out more stuff. I just wish there were more places to find Essence in the US. Their European site doesn't even list places in England where it's sold. I mean, they have magnetic nail polish that has designs depending on where you wave the magnet over your nails!! How cool is that??

After I swatched my colors and washed them off, the Smoky Eye Set is STILL on my arm! You should definitely check this line out. It's fun and inexpensive!

Monday Means I Can't Live Without...

2011-03-28T19:04:00.002-04:00

This week, I am going to tell you about my favorite facial scrub. It's Olay's Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System. You can get it at pretty much any drug store or big box store, the price varies from $20 to $26.

It's a two-part system. The first part comes in a jar. It's the scrub. It's bright yellow/orange and smells very pleasant and goes on with a very warm sensation. You scrub it on your face (I do my neck too) for around a minute. Then you grab the bottle that has the activator serum and you squeeze out enough to put a layer on your face. You scrub around for another minute, you'll feel the crystals of the scrub dissolving. Then you rinse your face with warm water.

Once I get out of the shower, dry my face and apply moisturizer, my skin feels so soft and amazing. I haven't really noticed that this does much for little acne scars or anything, but it really makes my skin feel vibrant. I use it around two times a week or whenever my skin feels a little dry or dull.

I highly recommend this!!

I Can't Live Without...

2011-03-21T19:36:00.004-04:00

I've decided to add a new feature where I showcase I product that I love, even though it may not be new.

For this first installment, I'd like to talk about Vichy's After Sun Lotion. I got my first sunburn of the year this week and I was really wishing I had some of this!

Back in 1999, I traveled to Europe by myself. My plans were to go to Ireland and Italy. The most affordable destination for me to land was Paris. From there I had to take a train to the coast and get a ferry to Ireland. Turns out my book about the EuroRail had some outdated information. I missed my ferry at Calais and ended up losing a day to trek almost all the way back to Paris so I could get another train to Cherbourg. Once I got to Cherbourg, I had like 8 hours to kill before the ferry left. So I wandered around, drew pictures, did some vacation accounting and sat...for a long time! I got scorched!! Being a fair redhead, I am sure you can imagine that I don't do well in the sun.

When I finally got to Ireland, caught a bus to Dublin and finally found a place to stay, I was in serious pain. I was red, like a lobster! I immediately set out for the nearest chemist to see if there was something to help. After they gawked at me and couldn't believe I wasn't in hospital, they recommended Vichy's After Sun Lotion.

I LOVE this stuff. It smells good and is lightweight. It moisturizes well and doesn't make me feel all sticky and gross like aloe gel does. It's also suitable for faces. I have managed to keep some of this on hand over the years, but I'm currently out. So guess what I'll be buying when I go to London in April!?!

Shop For A GOOD Cause

2011-03-15T22:09:00.005-04:00

I have a friend, Kim, who is an amazing artist. She does "Día de los Muertos"-style pieces. I've seen her makeover dolls, pez dispensers, you name it. She rocks. And not only is she a wonderful artist, she is a really sweet and kind person too. We met on Facebook in a group because we shared a common interest and I have really enjoyed learning more about her.

One thing that has broken my heart though, was to find out that she has uterine cancer. At this point, her oncologist appointment is scheduled for the 22nd. They aren't sure if it has spread to her lymph nodes or not, but her case is labeled "urgent." There is a history of cancer in her family. And Kim, like so many people, does not have insurance. I've spent most of my life without insurance, neither of my parents have insurance and my Dad was just in the hospital for 3 weeks recently, so this comes very VERY close to home for me. Currently, I'm a struggling artist and the only reason I have insurance is because I'm married.

So what can you do? Well, I'm glad you asked, there are a few things. Kim is part of a nifty group of artists known as the Glitter Bitches. I know a good many of them and they are all feisty, kind and wonderful. They have put some items up in their Artfire shop to help raise funds for Kim or as it is known, the "Teal Ribbon Fund." CLICK HERE!

Become a fan of the Glitter Bitches on Facebook. CLICK HERE.

Kim has a great shop on Artfire, you can buy one of her pieces directly from her! CLICK HERE!
You can also "like" Kim's page on Facebook. CLICK HERE.

And I am going to add one of my own jewelry pieces (see below) into the mix to raise money for the "Teal Ribbon Fund." I will donate 100% of the proceeds to Kim. I will even show you the receipt of payment if you need verification. CLICK HERE.

This is something I feel passionately about and cannot just sit and watch happen. I have been touched by cancer too many times in my life...I've lost friends, family and pets to this insidious disease. So, I am truly asking you, from the bottom of my heart, please help. Just look at some of the pretty things you can pick up:

Revlon Colorstay Aqua Mineral Foundation

2011-03-15T14:03:00.004-04:00

I am a huge fan of mineral make-up. I haven't used a liquid foundation since I was in my teens. I've gone through a few brands, both department store and drug store varieties. I like Bare Minerals just fine. Most recently I used MAC's mineral foundation, since they finally added an "extra light" shade that works for me. I've also used Physician's Formula, but while it looks good at first, it doesn't last very long.

So, once I heard about Revlon's new Colorstay Aqua Mineral Foundation (retails around $13), I knew I had to try it. Ages ago, Prescriptives came out with an illuminating powder that was water-based and had the cooling effect. It was very cool, so I figured I would like this.

First of all, the brush included is superior to any drugstore brush I've encountered. It's soft, tapered, applies the powder well and provides decent coverage.

I've heard complaints that the powder is shimmery, but it's not like night club glitter. And I find that once I powder over it to set it, I don't see the shimmer at all. The foundation feels great going on and looks nice too.

Now, here are a couple things I noticed. First of all, your skin has to be in good condition to wear this. If it is not, it accentuates every pore, blemish and flaw. Secondly, in the past, when I have used mineral foundation, I put on my concealer afterward so it the powder foundation doesn't get dark where it is applied. This foundation is different. You have to apply your concealer first. It is next to impossible to do it after.

All in all, I am quite pleased with this product and as long as my skin stays nice, I will totally use it.

I Am Still A Glossaholic!

2011-03-10T17:25:00.004-05:00

So, I FORGOT to post swatches when I picked up Fireball and Tipsy! So, here they are! Neither one are heavily pigmented. I like that Tipsy has the sparkly glitter in addition to the opalescent flecks. I could just look at it all day! And for $5 a pop, you really can't go wrong if you're looking for a tasty gloss! If you would like to read a more in depth review of these glosses, please refer to my previous post: http://iamglamourpuss.blogspot.com/2011/03/hard-candy-glossaholic.html

Hard Candy Glossaholic!!

2011-03-03T15:33:00.007-05:00

Here's the shade line up: (l-r) Fabulous, Lush, Gorgeous, Fireball, Fairy, Tipsy, Chill Out, Rise & Shine.

I am not usually a fan of glosses. Sure they are pretty, but they are often sticky, my hair gets stuck in them, my lips feel goopy and it is just a high maintenance item. There are only a few glosses that I really love. Most recently added to the list: Hard Candy Glossaholic ($5).

Here's the description from their site:

"SUPER HUGE MEGA WATT LIPS - One dip covers your lips! Ginormous applicator with gloss cup deposits gloss to your whole mouth in one swipe! These super lustrous lip glosses are infused with prisms of color that make lips appear fuller and plumper. Out of this world hyper-reflective prisms of pearl make lips sparkle like crazy! Feeling tired or wired? Two Glossaholic sparkling clear top coats are infused with mood altering elixirs to help you Chill Out or Rise & Shine! – You can wear alone or as a top coat."

I got two of them, Chill Out and Fabulous. Chill Out is vanilla-flavored and infused with things that are supposed to relax you. I have to admit, I've been pretty mellow today, but not sure that it's as a result of the gloss! Fabulous is a deep, muted red color. It's nice because it's not screaming bright. With that said, I do think I want Fireball, the bright red and Tipsy, the bright pink!

The first thing you notice when you open them is that the applicator is HUGE, they weren't kidding when they said "GINORMOUS!" It is. And it does have the nifty recessed area on top that holds the gloss. Now, for why they call it Glossaholic...it tastes WONDERFUL! It is like cake icing or marshmallows. I prefer the regular Glossaholic flavor over the vanilla flavor of the Chill Out. I can't stop licking my lips...so there you go...my name is Courtney and I'm a Glossaholic.

The colors are lovely. There's glitter of varying sizes in them. The Chill Out looks like an opal and the Fabulous gloss looks like a fire opal. Mesmerizing.

Out of the new Spring 2011 products I have tried from Hard Candy, these are my favorite!

Molten Metal by Sleek

2011-03-01T22:26:00.003-05:00

Yes, I had issues with Sleek. Have they been resolved? Eh, not so much. Their idea of making amends was to send me the Molten Metal compact. It retails for $10.50. I consider that to be a tiny token, but whatever, let's get to the product.

You have to admit, it's pretty cool. The gold isn't too yellow and while it would make sense for the other color to be a silver, the lighter gold shade is quite nice for all skin tones and not too cool or blue, like a silver could be.

As for Sleek...what can I say? I ADORE their products. I have a stash waiting at my mother-in-law's house for me to get when I go to London in April. I plan on buying from Superdrug while I am over. Will I order from them again, I can't say I will. I'd rather give Superdrug a cut of the money than hand it all over to Sleek. And that will just have to tide me over until next year...when I go to London again. I have half a mind to take the box with the drawing in it to their offices, which are only a few subway stops from where I'll be staying.

I LOVE Tokidoki

2011-02-17T13:09:00.007-05:00

I can remember when Smashbox had a collection that featured Tokidoki a couple of years ago. It made me insane with envy that I didn't have the means to snatch it up at the time! I have always been a fan of his work, even making a doll that was inspired by him a few years back! So once I saw Sephora was carrying a Tokidoki line of cosmetics, I KNEW I had to try them!

I read a lot of reviews. They really do help me decide what I will and will not purchase. Amazingly, the reviews were really good! And we all know I am a sucker for great packaging, so I was already sold on all of this stuff. It was nice to see a line that can actually be cute and make a solid product, as well. All too often something is cute, but the product is lacking or vice versa, something is really great but the packaging is so incredibly generic.

I ordered the Chromatico Eyeshadow Palette in Mozzarella ($25) and the Perfetto Eyeliner pen ($16) in Sabochan/Black.

The eyeshadow palette appealed to me because I love to mix bright colors and neutrals! My ONLY gripe about the palette is that the container is bulky. It has the eyeshadow and then below it, there is another compartment with a charm in it. While it's all ridiculously cute, it's just not practical. I wish I could detach the additional compartment, that would be ideal. For that reason, this won't be an eyeshadow you can throw into your make-up bag. This is more for a kit or for display on a vanity. As for the actual eyeshadows, they went on flawlessly. Some shadows look like they are painted ON the skin, these do not...they blend perfectly. Of course all of these colors are shimmery, so that helps. The only other thing that was minutely disappointing is that the brown shadows look more like a gray-brown on the Sephora site, when in fact the colors are warmer. I've read some hit or miss reviews on the matte shadows, but I will have to wait until I can get my hands on one to form my own opinion.

Now, the eyeliner. I love liquid eyeliner. I always feel more polished when I am rockin' some cat eyes. This pen is a little pricey. BUT there is one thing that sets it apart....the nib of the pen is rounded to a soft point AND is chiseled. This gives you some options when drawing your lines. Most eyeliner pens either have a nib like a felt-tipped pen or a brush pen. This is definitely different. I like it. The color is nice and opaque, but dries with a bit of shine. I just ordered Mostro, which is a green color because it's on sale at Sephora for $10!!

Tokidoki in action!

Tokidoki on left, Hello Kitty on right

And I hate to ask, but if you enjoy my blog, will you please spread the word? Obviously, the more followers I have, the more seriously cosmetics companies will take me. Thanks!!

Hard Candy Cosmetics

2011-02-09T14:53:00.006-05:00

Imagine my excitement when I received a FedEx box in the mail yesterday from Hard Candy! Once I opened it I found these:

Eye Def in Sequin

Plumping Serum -
Fat Pout Lip Gloss
in Nude Beach

Hide & Glow Cheek -
Cheek Tint Duos
in Hot Date

First of all, I love the Eye Def shadows. They are overflowing with glitter and are so easy to use! I always look for products that are quick and easy. The color is a really pretty purple color, the texture is creamy and dries nicely. I do find that the color stains my skin a little bit. BUT as you can see, I am insanely fair. I don't find that to be so problematic that I wouldn't use the product. As you can see in the photo below, I used the Eye Def in Algae in the inner corners of my eyes and it looks fabulous!

The Plumping Serum - Fat Pout Lip Gloss was a gorgeous color. Nude Beach is a gorgeous neutral color with lots of sparkle. This shade would be really easy for anyone to wear. It made my lips all tingly too! I used the gloss with MAC's lipliner in Subculture. As for plumping, I've always had a pouty lower lip, it's my upper lip that is challenged!

Last but not least, there are the Hide & Go Cheek - Cheek Tint Duos. I really like these. The colors looks a little dark when you first look at Hot Date, but once you get them on the skin, it really is a sheer wash of color. Again, I love products that are easy to use and this is. Just swipe on your cheeks and rub. And there is no need to panic or rush, like there is when you use a liquid cheek stain like Benetint. This doesn't stain upon first contact, so you have some time to blend it out nicely.

All in all, I really like everything they sent me! I know I definitely want to pick up the Eye Def in a few more colors. And I know that Hard Candy is going to be releasing a lot of NEW products sometime this month and I look forward to trying them. (Especially their Lash Ink, a mascara that tints your lashes for 4 days!)

Now, I know some of my readers are Anti-Walmart and this can turn into a heated debate (Hard Candy is exclusive to Walmart). For some it's just the experience of going to a Walmart store, for others it's feeding into the big box store that has taken over areas and put a lot of small businesses out of business. If it's the prior situation and you just don't like going there, you can order Hard Candy products on their website with FREE shipping. If it's the latter...there really isn't anything to say. I understand the stance and respect all views on that subject.

**Oh, and for my vegan readers, here's a list of vegan products Hard Candy makes:

http://www.hardcandy.com/updates.php?a=69 **

EOS Lip Balm: Smooth Sphere

2011-02-07T19:20:00.007-05:00

We all know that I am a sucker for packaging! When there is something that is different or cool looking, I am most likely going to try it.

When I first saw the EOS Smooth Sphere lip balm, I was intrigued. It took me a couple weeks to pick one up. The flavors I was finding were mostly Sweet Mint and Lemon Drop, neither which appealed to me, so when I came across the Summer Fruit flavor, I snatched it up.

The sphere is a matte finish, which makes it easy to hold onto and open. Once you do open it, there is a semisphere of lip balm! It doesn't twist up or do anything fancy like that, it's just a semisphere of balm. It's different, it's interesting...but maybe not the most practical thing. It's a little bulky. It would be best suited as the lip balm I use before bed time, rather than one I throw in my purse.

Using it is kinda interesting. The sphere of balm is kinda big, so I felt silly rubbing it on my mouth. It's almost like you should just pucker your lips, hold it up to them and twist, like you're juicing an orange. The directions on the website say, "Twist off top. Pucker up. Smooth on. Smile.", so I guess I wasn't too far off the mark.

I'd say it's a lightweight lip balm. I put it on and about 15 minutes later, my lips were soft, but the product was pretty much gone. With that said, here it is 5 hours later and my lips are still soft. The Summer Fruit scent/flavor was quite nice...very peachy.

I went to the EOS website to learn more about them and there are some interesting facts:

"eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth."

The lip balm is also gluten-free, paraben-free, petrolatum-free and phthalate free.

They also make a stick lip balm, if this isn't your cup of tea. The packaging for the hand cream is kinda cool too.

Want FREE Stuff For Valentine's Day??

2011-02-07T13:53:00.003-05:00

Who doesn't, right?

Well, the amazing Glitter Bitches have put together a "VD Survival Kit" Giveaway! And if you like handmade, crafty items (like I do), then this is for you!

Each of the Glitter Bitches have contributed a cool item(s) to the mix! Check it out and enter today, what have you got to lose??

http://glitter-bitches.blogspot.com/2011/02/giveaway-bitchs-vd-survival-kit.html

New Glittersniffer Products

2011-02-02T18:17:00.007-05:00

Okay, so there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Glittersniffer Cosmetics over the past few months. It is a very heated topic that people feel passionately about, whatever their opinion is. This blog is strictly a review of the new products that I received today. I'd like to keep the drama at a minimal, if not non-existent level, please. I'm strictly going to discuss the product, packaging and my experience today.

First thing I noticed is that there is a lot more detail to packaging. There were bows tying up the bubble wrap. Extra touches like the "whipped cream" tops and charms are very cute. I can tell you my 8-year-old daughter was chomping at the bit to try to get her mitts on them.

The next thing I noticed is that two of the stacks had containers that were not properly sealed. the same thing goes for the random pot that was included, but fortunately in it's own bag, because it leaked. I didn't fix them because I wanted to photograph it first. BUT as I was lying on my bed taking photos, the Carnival Collection container came open and dark gray powder spilled out all over. The Valentine's Collection also spilled out onto the ribbon that was on it. I'm not going to lie, this really annoyed me and started off my process of photographing and swatching the colors with a bad taste in my mouth.

Now, onto the collections:

The Carnival Collection

The rainbow colors of the Carnival Collection appealed to me.
They are bright, they are pretty. The textures were nice and seemed to blend well.

The next two collections didn't have names, so I named them. They are NOT GS names. FYI.

The Browns Collection

The lightest color and the next lightest color blended the best. The next color looked like a medium tan, but started to show a lot of red, the more that I rubbed it. The next darkest color was fine. The next to darkest color was very gritty. The darkest color was slightly smoother. I dabbed the color, rather than rubbed so the glitter would stay in place.

The Valentine's Collection

It looks like the white color has some pink iridescence to it, but when I swatched it, I didn't see it. The silver is pretty, but started to get darker the more that I rubbed it, you can see in the swatch. The lavender, burgundy and pink are pretty.

The Unicorn Collection
The colors here are quite nice. The textures were comfortable on the skin.
The colors were consistent, without any odd rubdown.

The Random Pot

The Harajuku Collection

These are my favorite colors of the bunch, it's a shame I only got samples. I did not swatch them today, I find baggies to be messy and I had already had enough mess today. Will swatch soon.

Random Samples

The top photo is of a couple random samples I got, the bottom photo is of the ingredient list on the back of the Harajuku Collection bag. It was the only ingredient list included in this shipment.

All in all, I can see the Glittersniffer is trying to step up their game and I believe that they are on their way, but there are still some recurring issues that need to be taken care of. Sifter stickers are critical. It makes a customer feel like their product is safe, not wasted and sanitary. For me, this is especially the case when dealing with stacks of pigment. (I am not a huge fan of stacks, in general.) I know that it is an added expense to get sifter stickers and then there is time invested in placing them on the sifters, but I'd much rather spend the money on that and not have an accident, rather than cute packaging. I mean, you don't even have to invest in the stickers companies put out which are intended to go on sifters, basic round price stickers work just fine at a fraction of the cost. It just feels so awful to have a mess and waste product before you ever get to use it.

As you read in the review of the pigments, there were a couple that were a little gritty, so I would hesitate before using those, simply because I fear they would irritate my contact lenses.

I look forward to seeing Glittersniffer continue to step up their game.

Zoya, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways...

2011-01-29T01:02:00.006-05:00

Recently, this fabulous nailcare company, Zoya, had a promotion on Facebook. If their fan page got over 25, 000 fans, they would give away three bottles of nail polish (retail value $21) to whoever ordered and had the special coupon code. All you had to pay was $6.95 shipping!

Of course I had to partake! I had such a hard time choosing colors, they have so many beautiful ones to choose from. Pastels, brights, sparkles, glitters, creams, mattes, duochromes...you name it, they've got it! It was like nail polish overload!

I decided that to make the most of this opportunity, I needed to get the widest variety of polishes I could. I chose Veruschka, which is a beautiful matte, yet sparkly, emerald green. Then I chose Shawn which is a creamy, hunter green. Last but not least, I got Adina. Adina is a duochrome and has a purple base. When you look at it in one light, it has an aqua/green shimmer to it. Shift your hand slightly and it has a pink shimmer. It's a real stunner!

When the polishes arrived today, I was so excited that I couldn't wait to swatch the colors. I had already planned to drive to my Mom's house for the weekend, so I swatched a nail every time I had a few moments at a stoplight. Now this is a practice I do NOT condone or advocate. Do as I say, not as I do, right? As a result, the polish job is a little messy. Adina went on the easiest, but it's more of a sheer color, so you have some room for error. Veruschka was the next easiest. It's so interesting to watch the color dry down to the final matte finish. Shawn took the most coats (3) and required the most concentration. In the end, the color is beautiful and I'm sure that it was purely my painting my nails in my car that was the issue.

My Mom got in two of her polishes today. They are lovely! I will swatch those and post photos later this weekend.

In the end, Zoya's promotion was a great success. I am curious to know how many orders were shipped out as a result of it. It's a lot, just gauging from their frequent Facebook posts of how another 10,000 orders were shipped out.

Would I recommend Zoya? Oh yes. They have such a wide variety of colors, there is something for everyone! You can also get on a mailing list to be made aware of new promotions and deals. Here are a few things you should know about Zoya, from their fan page:

"Zoya Nail Polish - Formaldehyde, Toluene, Camphor and Dibutyl Phthalate Free Nail Polish and Treatments. Choose from over 300 fashion shades. Zoya is the new color of fashion."

Veruschka, Shawn and Adina

The colors I got are the top row.
My Mom got the ones on the bottom row.

Sunny and Jordana

Adina (Detail)

Covergirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balms

2011-01-26T18:01:00.004-05:00

I am a huge fan of colored lip balms. I like to be able to apply a color that doesn't look like it's wearing off, when it is in fact wearing off. I like to be able to just grab a tube and apply, without the aid of a mirror. So, when I saw the new Covergirl Gloss Balms, I figured I'd give them a shot. I wasn't really drawn in by the "NatureLuxe" name. I have a hard time thinking anything put out by the major companies is all that natural. But that's just me being cynical.

The two colors I got are Coral and Sandstone. They both are colors that would look natural on, of course Coral is more of an orange shade and Sandstone is a warm, medium pink.

Sandstone applies with a lot more pigment than Coral. It also has a good amount of sparkle too it that makes it feel a little bit gritty on the lips. Coral was barely visible when I swatched my fingertip. I had to rub and rub to get it to show up. In a way, this sounds exactly like what I want from a colored balm, but I expected a little more. Perhaps I should've tried a darker shade like Clove or Peony. It's just such a gamble trying to figure out if a company is going to make something too sheer or too pigmented. I'd say Sandstone was the closest to a happy medium.

If you like washes of color, then this is for you. If you want a more tinted balm, then I would recommend shopping around. I know Madd Style Cosmetics makes some lovely ones, as does Sleek Make-Up, MAC, Tarte and Deluxe Beauty.

Sandstone

Coral

Sandstone on the top finger.

Coral on the lower finger.

Hello, Hard Candy!

2011-01-21T00:43:00.003-05:00

I have been coveting this adorable make-up bag from Hard Candy for a while now, so I recently broke down and bought it. I love the zipper pulls, the fabric, the zip pocket inside the top and the size. It's bigger than what you would carry in your purse, but not overwhelming. Perfect for a vacation.

While I was at the store, I came across these beauties, Eye Def cream eyeshadows. The green color, algae, totally sold me! It's full of sparkle and shimmer and once you put it on, it pretty much stays in place! I got the neutral brown so I would have a foolproof basic, but there is an aqua color I see myself owning sometime soon! You apply the color to your lids with a wand, very much like a lip gloss wand. It's quick and easy and dries really fast. I even used my finger to blend it out before it dried completely.

Hard Candy is one of those companies that is reasonably priced, but there are SO many nifty things, I am not sure when I will get around to trying them all! (Hint, hint if you'd like to send some product my way, Hard Candy!) And for you nail buffs, I noticed that they have a clear top coat that makes any polish matte, which I know is a big trend right now. I can't wait to give that a spin!

It's really funny, I was looking at new make-up today on Sephora.com and while I my interest was slightly piqued by Tokidoki, Hello Kitty and Kat von D, I found myself even more excited about my latest Hard Candy acquisitions. I'm all about bang for your buck. And I really adore my sparkly, Eye Def shadows. I do believe that there are drugstore companies that give boutique companies a run for their money and Hard Candy definitely falls into this category.

Last but not least, I've been wearing my Sleek nail polish on my toes for almost 3 weeks now and it still looks awesome...so while I have some issues with Sleek as a company, I still have to rave about their products.

Madd Style Cosmetics Part II

2011-01-18T21:27:00.003-05:00

So, I got another order from Madd Style Cosmetics last Saturday. I was very excited for this shipment! I got a few different lip bombs, a lip gloss, a lip scrub and the pigments inspired by the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

As you can see the colors are really phenomenal. The black has a multi-colored sparkle in it that is so stunning in person, you can see some of it in the photo, but the photo doesn't do it justice.

Above, you can see the Chibi Moon lip gloss and it is the most beautiful rosey-gold color. It smells wonderful and has a slightly fruity flavor too! Below are the lip bombs! I got one tinted one called Miss Muffcake. It's a very pretty, wearable color for most skintones.

And in this shipment I got a free clamshell of a new color! You can't beat freebies! I am so excited to be getting more stuff from Mo Love, the fabulous mastermind behind MSC. The colors are always fun and playful. And once I get some, I crave more. SO watch out, it is habit-forming! But only in the very best way!

Response from Sleek

2011-01-13T07:33:00.001-05:00

Here is an email I received today:

"Hi Courtney,

Thank you for your email.

I have investigated this with all employees in our warehouse and cannot find any evidence to suggest that any member of Sleek staff was responsible or involved. All employees within our warehouse have been with the company for many years and thus are known to be wholly responsible individuals. During the period your package was shipped we were extremely busy therefore there was even less opportunity for such an act because of the volume of packages being shipped. The entire warehouse is also covered by CCTV and thus I am confident that this image was not drawn at Sleek.

I would point out that in our entire company history (over 20 years) we have NEVER had such an incident or even anything remotely similar where an order or packaging was scribbled on or defaced in way. We ship thousands of packages each month and recently many orders have been shipped to the US and not one package has been defaced. On the contrary we regularly receive compliments on the careful packaging. Something we have spent much time and effort on training our staff on.

I can understand your alarm at the image however for the reasons stated above I can assure you this was not the work of any Sleek employee.

As a gesture of goodwill I will be sending you our new Molten Metal Eye shadow which has just been released.

Regards
Saif Pathan
General Manager"

Thoughts?

(I am currently at the hospital while my dad has surgery, so I will reflect more on this when I am in a better frame of mind.)

Need A Graphic Designer/Illustrator Extraordinaire?

2010-12-23T22:59:00.004-05:00

After the past few blog posts, I've decided it's time for some good news.

I have this nifty friend who is a wonderful graphic designer and illustrator. His name is Matthew Wilson and he is the bee's knees. You need a poster, he's your man. Need a t-shirt design, he can do it. Website designs? Yep. You name it, if it can have a design on it, he can rock it.

And the best news is that he is accepting freelance work!

Check out his work:

Sleek Make-Up, WTF?

2010-12-23T15:52:00.007-05:00

I finally got the order I placed in November today. This is the order I placed during Sleek's 50% off sale.

I ordered 3 palettes: the Good Girl, Acid and Storm. But I received the Sparkle palette too, which wasn't even available when I placed this order. I had to place another order the following Wednesday for the Sparkle palette. Now I have two!

Then I ordered some of their nail polishes. I got Barbie, Lilac, Florida, Turquoise and Princess.

When I opened the box, everything was pretty much as it should be. Once again, they packed things impeccably well. I got a free mini lipgloss which is adorable.

BUT the Florida nail polish has polish on the lid. Has it been opened? Has it been used? This is bad, Sleek....bad.

BUT IT GETS WORSE! After I take everything out, I glance at the box and see this:

WTF? Is this supposed to be funny? Is this simply a case of a disgruntled employee playing a game of "Let's Screw With the American?" I have to say I was absolutely speechless. And the more I think about it, the more I pissed off I get. This COULD be construed as a threat. And that's really ridiculous seeing as how the UK is almost constantly under the threat of a terrorist act. You'd think they'd be more sensitive.

This irks me because despite their shipping issues and silly terrorist doodles, I really love the product. These new palettes totally kick ass. The polish colors are nice, despite the questionable Florida bottle. Ugh, why are make-up companies frustrating me so much these days!?!?

**Added Note: I'd like to add that I do not think the package was tampered with in customs. All the original tape was in tact and the box is flat black on the outside, so if it had been tampered with, I'm certain I would've been able to see it. I have posted this on Sleek's FB page and I've tweeted it. I don't expect to hear anything from them until Monday the 27th at the earliest.**

Disenchantment Part III

2010-12-20T03:15:00.003-05:00

Well, the fit has really hit the shan. Turns out there was such dissension and turmoil with the mineral make-up company I've been blogging about that they have gone on an indefinite hiatus to sort their business out. In the meantime, they have said if you've made any purchases, even if it was 5 minutes ago, to file a dispute with PayPal.

Seems like it would be easier to just go through and issue refunds. But what happens if your dispute is over 45 days old or isn't listed as paying for "goods" or "services" since it was paid with via the iPhone app for PayPal? Well, you can put in a request for an out of pocket refund which you may or may not get.

And I am annoyed because I emailed the owner about that craptastic bag I got that was supposed to make up for the multiple collections I never received and here is the reply I got:

"I'm sorry you are disappointed. We have revamped our company policies and procedures, so we hope we never run into this situation again. XOXO"

WTF is that? Like I'm going to give an opportunity for this to happen again? Especially now that she isn't even bothering to fulfill paid orders and just says "file a dispute"?

Ugh, I am very frustrated and upset. I know it seems like a no-win situation for the vendor. She's allegedly trying to improve her business, but people are questioning her products and practices. There are people wanting their orders and then there are people not wanting what may or may not be safe for their eyes. Cutting people off when they are expecting packages for Christmas is just another wrong to add to the pile. Not fulfilling orders is yet another one to add on. But sticking your head in the sand and waiting for it to pass is simply unacceptable.

So, I can sit here and firmly declare that I do not endorse Glittersniffer Cosmetics in any way. Should the company ever regroup, I would still advise you to steer clear.

Disenchantment Part II

2010-12-17T15:07:00.015-05:00

This blog is a little update to my previous blog.

First of all, my second order from Sleek, the one that shipped on the 26th came in today. The one that shipped on the 25th (the larger order) has not arrived yet.

Secondly, I got my products from the mineral make-up company I wrote about. I accepted a deal to make good on the collections I had not received. Not to sound like a Debbie Downer, but I am still not pleased.

I had gotten my hopes up when the vendor posted photos of the process of packing and shipping these orders. A collection I had ordered was being put together, so I had hopes of receiving it! But now I'm just annoyed to see that they posted photos of a decent-sized quantity of that collection and I didn't get one.

When I get a package, I almost always document (with photos) how it arrives, how it is packed, the contents and anything else worth noting. I think that blogging about the entire experience, not just the products, is very important.The first thing that caught my eye is that one of the pigments got loose and was all over one corner of the vinyl bag everything was packed in. Then I noticed a clamshell pigment was not closed properly.

A lot of the colors I received are similar. And the two vials of glitter that were sent were identical. There is a soap and something that looks like wax tarts. There's a mini-stack of pigments that is barely half full. There are some cheapie lip brushes. A full sized chrome serum was included. There's also a make-up bag, a button and some samples. Oh, and a 20% coupon on the next order.

I don't know what I'm going to do with this stuff. I suppose I'll post on the message board for this company and see if anyone is up for a trade.

Here are the pics:

(My hands are dirty from simply unpacking this parcel.)

This is a waste of sending me a container...there isn't even enough product to fill half of it.

Disenchantment (What Goes On?)

2010-12-15T11:54:00.026-05:00

As a consumer, I've had some less than satisfactory shopping experiences lately. In an effort to provide as much insight as I can and create awareness, I am writing this blog for you.

First of all, Tate really wants these ear muffs from Justice for Christmas. They are furry with sequins on them. I became cautious when I went online to buy them and they were nowhere to be found. I went to three local stores that never received them. I can only assume there was some issue with the supplier and these will simply NOT be available via any avenue. It really stinks because Tate's the typical kid who wants what she wants. Yet this is a gift I cannot buy.

Secondly, I am having problems with Sleek Make-Up. I wrote a blog about my last order from them in May. My final conclusion was that while they may take a while to ship, the products are so great they are worth the wait. I'm not so sure about that now.

I placed an order with Sleek before Thanksgiving. They had a huge 50% off the entire site sale and they simply were NOT prepared for the avalanche of orders they received. It took a week for my order to get confirmed so I could pay for it. And ever since, I've been waiting...waiting. I stupidly placed another order the Wednesday after Thanksgiving because they launched a new Sparkle eyeshadow palette. That order went off without a hitch, but again, I have not received the product...and it's a Christmas gift for me, from the fam.

I have emailed Sleek relentlessly, yet not gotten a reply. I have tweeted to them about it, but no reply. They have disabled posting on their Facebook fan page, which I consider worrisome. But people are still posting on the most recent comment they made, so I did that. Again, no reply. Sleek is a company that is very popular and widespread in Europe. I cannot fathom that these issues from this 50% off sale have crippled them to the point of completely shutting off all customer service. BUT that appears to be the case.

This really stinks because I really do LOVE their products. They are insanely affordable and the quality is top notch. I actually ordered some palettes for my work kit this past order. I suppose the next step will be to dispute the payments. I suppose I can only truly love them when I am in the UK and can buy their products first-hand with no middle man.

***UPDATE: I just got an email from Sleek. The first order was shipped Nov. 25th, the second November 26th. They said they would email me the tracking info tomorrow. We'll see.*** (Guess what? No email today!!)

Last but not least, there is a mineral make-up company that I've been dealing with for about a year now. I really wanted to love this company. They used to sell on Etsy, but this fall they launched their own website. I had been holding off writing a review of their products because I had had a couple of disappointments and hoped for some redeeming gesture to right all wrongs.

I ordered a couple of things earlier this year. I got a pastel collection of colors that were quite nice. I ordered a "Wizard of Oz" collection, but was disappointed because some of the sifter seals were not secure and product had gotten loose. I ordered these tiny vials of cosmetic grade glitter, but was disappointed that there was no consistency in quantity. Some vials were kinda full, some were only half full. The price I paid was kinda ridiculous and I would feel like an idiot if I told you. I also ordered 3 random "pay it forward" offers she had going once and only got 1 set of pigments. (The listing listed the various things you could get if you bought one and they varied from her bath line to a set of pigments, with no stipulation about quantity of purchases.) At the time, I did consider the possibility of starting my own mineral make-up line because I thought I could provide better customer service, consistency, packaging, etc. The fact is that the market is saturated (with both decent sellers and hacks) and I already contend with that with my jewelry, so I am not about to start again in what could be a fruitless effort. I may end up ordering some stuff and making things just for myself, but that would be it.

After my extended stay in the hospital this fall, I went home to recover, got back online, became a fan of this mineral make-up company's Facebook fan page and really got excited by what I saw. There was a constant stream of new collections with eye-popping colors! There was newness every day! I did start to grow suspicious of things when posts would be made for suggestions for new collections and by the end of the day, there they would be! Yet there would be an 8-day turn around time. Were these already made up or not? I am a make-up artist, this is my career. It is of utmost importance that what I see is what I get.

So, I ordered more stuff to treat myself. I had had a rough couple of months and felt I deserved it. Well, I added to my stress because orders didn't come in. I sent emails. A few were ignored, but as you know, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. The owner and I began corresponding. There were promises of having thing shipped with extra goodies for my troubles. But I'd get no tracking number and nothing would arrive. After a month of this nonsense, I sent an email stating that I don't spend my money just to throw it away, I expect what I ordered in return. She said she'd personally see to it that it got shipped and that she'd include extras and one of her new make-up brushes. Well, that didn't happen for another week. I finally got the package. It contained parts of the two orders I was missing. But NOT everything. This concerns me because she allegedly sent out the first order, although I am skeptical because the tracking number says that the USPS received the info, but has not picked up the package. In short, the package wasn't sent. But the package I received had some things and a ton of extras, yet NO brush. I was a happy camper, although after a chat with the owner I was wondering if she was trying to confuse me with the extras so I wouldn't know what I did or didn't have. I know exactly what I'm missing, now that I've gone through photos and emails, but I have opted to take this big "deal" she is offering, for people who have missing orders, where a package allegedly stuffed full of products will be shipped out in lieu of what you originally ordered. While I wanted what I originally ordered, I currently just want to be done with it all. In the meantime, things have gotten so out of hand, the seller has basically shut down the shop for a week to catch up on orders and make customers happy.

The USPS is a frequent scapegoat for this seller. And while I know the holidays are hectic, I can't believe that her local USPS is soooo bad that dozens upon dozens of orders are lost. There are countless posts on the FB page about missing or late orders. It was a relief to know I wasn't the only one, but it made me sad at the same time to see that others were going through the same thing. I guess it also makes me sad to see that a seller allows this to happen.

**EDIT: As of today, the owner has posted pics of the progress of packing up orders and getting them shipped out. Looks like she is really trying to save face. And I think there's a good possibility the Sanrio collection I originally ordered is in it. But there are no tracking numbers for these parcels since they were all packaged by hand and not labeled via Paypal. I will keep you posted.**

Since then, there has been a mass exodus of fans, with them each making statements about their experiences. Some question if products are just directly repackaged, as they are, from the supplier, with no art of color mixing at all. Others question if the products are actually vegan. And I read an alarming blog (and did the follow up research) that found that some of the pigments I ordered are soap dyes and not approved for cosmetic use!! This is pigment that should be diluted in a soap or some other from, then diluted again when mixed with water on your skin...not applied directly to it! I know from my experience with MAC that not all colors are approved for eyes and lips, so I was skeptical, but thought there may be something I didn't know. Silly me.

The die hard fans are holding firm and defending to the death and that's fine. I wanted to have that enthusiasm too. But I've found another vendor for some identical products at a fraction of the price and I will be using that vendor for future purposes. I think this is simply a case if growing too much, too fast...or perhaps it's just plain, old greed.

If you'd like to read some of the blogs, here are some links:

Aijuswhanakno

Phyrra

Macismycrack

Julie Says...

VeggieBeauty (YouTube)

Krissi's Art Studio

Brandy's FB Note

**The whole FB thing has turned into some serious drama. There are rumors of the owner making threatening phone calls and sending angry emails to people. You can hear one of the voicemails HERE. Please be forewarned there is inappropriate language. I also find this practice concerning.**

***UPDATE - Here is what was posted by the owner of the mineral make-up company posted today:

"To all my customers and friends,
It’s with much humiliation and regret that I need to address you on several matters. In the past year I have made an unbelievable amount of changes to my business. Unfortunately, not all have been beneficial ...to GS. In my desire to “take it to the next level”, I have unintentionally let major aspects of this company decline in quality. I wish to apologize whole-heartedly to all the great ladies who have recently decided to leave the page and the company. I do not have hard feelings and realize I would probably have done the same thing I’m sad to say. I also wish to apologize to all the newer ladies for having to see all this hashed out on my fanpage. I take complete responsibility for all the negative comments made of late. I am not proud, but I am enlightened. I have had complete tunnel vision, looking ahead and not around . All those women who left were friends, not just customers. I would like to think I would never treat my friends in the manner as I did those whom I took terribly for granted. I will say on my behalf though, I never sold things with out intending to deliver them. I did however oversell things and then have to scramble to get them, though that was not intentional as some have implied. My actions from this point will be scrutinized and that is to be expected. My plan is to take it slow and get back to the roots of what GS is. I intend to stop selling before product it is stocked. I intend to ship orders within 5 days of receipt. I intend to email people immediately if, for some reason product is not available and give an estimated ship day. I’m going to need to limit the time I spend on emails. The new policy will be to email me if your order has not shipped in 5 days of payment. I will ask people to please not email me unnecessarily, so I can focus on the other aspects that need my attention to better serve you. Please don’t take this as I don’t want to be emailed, take this as I won’t be getting all the emails because things are running smoothly .The last few days have been a real wake-up call for me and very difficult. I guess the biggest lesson was no matter how “better” I made up for shortfalls, the fact is, people just want what they ordered, and no amount of extras, etc. can make up for that. I again apologize to current and past supporters of GS.

♥ Lela"

It seems heartfelt and thought out, unfortunately it seems that many think that it's simply too little, too late. Perhaps she can turn her business around.***

The bottom line is that people simply want what they pay for. That's what I know I want! And I don't want to have to be jerked around to get it. I don't want substitutions, if you don't have it, refund it! Don't sell items you do not have ready to ship! I pay the money on the spot, so my order should be treated with the same diligence as the vendor expects payment. I am talking about ANY vendor, not just the ones mentioned in this blog. Apart from my unexpected stay in the hospital in September, I strive to get any orders I get out in the mail on the day or the very next day at the latest. I know what it's like waiting around on the receiving end...waiting and waiting...

So do your research, read reviews and blogs and be informed before you make any purchases. It pays to be informed.

Madd Style Cosmetics

2010-11-12T12:53:00.004-05:00

Lately, I've been steering away from big cosmetic companies and I've been trying out more things I find on Etsy. The latest shop I have tried is Madd Style Cosmetics. The shop offers a wide range of loose pigments, lip balms called "lip bombz", lip glosses, fragrances and a few other odds and ends.

My first order was for pigments. I ordered 6 and got a variety of candy colors. If you're going to get pigments, they should at least be fun colors! You can see for yourself:

I really love the pigments. My favorite so far is "Waffle", a sparkly aqua-blue. When I wore it the day these came in, my daughter told me my eyes looked like the sky, except sparkly. Gotta love that!

I even got a freebie sample of a color called "Oz", a dark emerald green. Yay for free samples!

My second order from Madd Style was just Lip Bombz. I ordered three...Holy Grail, Frankencake and Sweets-n-Stuff. I gave Tate, my 8-year-old daughter, Holy Grail because she was having a serious issue with chapped lips. She even had a place that had cracked. But after using Holy Grail for a day, I'm happy to report that her chapped lips are gone! I kept Frankencake and Sweets-n-Stuff for myself. Frankencake smells and tastes wonderful and has a pretty shimmer to it. Sweets-n-Stuff is heavily pigmented...almost a rusty red, which works perfectly for me since I'm a redhead!

So, all in all, the products are lovely. The transactions were smooth and flawless. And if you follow Madd Style on Facebook, you can see products that are in the works, add your input and even find out about deals and contests in advance!

WOW! It's Been a While!

2010-10-26T14:37:00.004-04:00

So, I haven't forgotten about this blog. And I haven't forgotten that I've promised cool product reviews for the future. I just had a temporary set back in September. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks, you can read the whole story on my other blog, Holy Stoltz!

As for reviews, there are some good ones coming!! I've been waiting a while to write my review of Glittersniffer Cosmetics because I wanted to see how the transition, from an Etsy shop to it's own private entity, would go. I can tell you one thing, the products look nifty. And there is bath stuff too, although I am not sure when I will get a chance to try that.

Another Etsy shop I'll be reviewing is Madd Style Cosmetics. Their colors are also very fun and I am most excited to try their awesome lip bombs I've read so much about.

I hope you enjoyed the Konad nail blog. I plan on getting in touch with the China Glaze people to see if I can get a couple of bottles to try out with the Konad plates.

OH, and before I forget, I won 4 AWESOME shopping bags from Bungalow 360! I just answered a trivia question on their FB fan page and the rest is history! I love the bags! Already putting them to good use! (Be sure to check out their website for bags that are only $10 or $15!!! You can't beat it!!)

Konad Nail Art

2010-08-04T21:48:00.005-04:00

I've been promising this review for a while now and here it is!

If you go to Konad's website, they describe their product as follows:

"Konad Stamping Nail Art ™ is a new and innovative nail-imprinting kit that allows you to stamp beautiful pre-designed images on your nails in minutes! Our kits do not hold back on quality, it delivers beautiful delicate images that hand painting cannot achieve.

Not only are the kits cost effective and time saving, but they are also versatile; You can also use them on accessories like sunglasses, cell phones, earrings, and almost anywhere you wish!"

I came across this in Las Vegas at the Adventuredome in Circus Circus. Of course, my daughter Tate was immediately taken by the idea of stamping a super-cool, intricate design on your fingernail in a matter of seconds! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued too.

The process is relatively simple. The patterns are etched into stainless steel plates. You take nail polish and brush over the design you want. Then squeegee the excess polish off and press the blank stamp into it so you can transfer it onto your nail.

Tate got a very pretty butterfly. I got a french manicure tip with a scrolly sort of design over it (see below).

And I have to say, it was simple and the results are fabulous!

So, suckers that we are...we bought a set. Now I realize you may be asking yourself some questions now. The basic set we bought comes with a plate of 7 designs, a small white nail polish, the blank stamp and the scraper you use to squeegee off the excess polish.

No, not just ANY nail polish can be used. I've read that if you cannot get the Konad special polish, then there are thick "china glaze" polishes that do well.

The set we bought was kinda steep, $30. I've seen the same set on eBay for around $17-$20. There are many imitators, so be aware of that. The biggest difference I can tell about the imitators is that the design plates are not as intricate and the designs aren't as sharp and clean as the Konad set.

BUT to try it out, I would recommend getting the set they have on Ulta.com for $2.99. The only thing it doesn't include is the polish. From there you could decide if you liked it and could invest in more design plates from Konad...I firmly do think they are the best. And they have new plates that have designs that cover the entire nail in one stamp!

When it comes to the special polishes, I think the two "must have" colors are black and white. You can work with any base color if you have those and they look great on your natural nail.

Now, let me tell you this. The key to being successful with this product is SPEED. I cannot stress that enough. If you don't get the polish scraped fast enough, it will not transfer to the stamp. If you do not get it from the stamp to the nail fast enough, the design will not transfer to the nail. I found that my first time out with my daughter, I had about a 50% success rate. While it was frustrating, I know the more I do it, the better I'll get.

I just need to keep an eye on eBay for some reasonably priced polishes...this small bottle isn't going to last too long while I'm working by trial and error!

The bottom line is that once you get it mastered, it's fun and relatively easy. I like that the designs are so intricate and precise. You can't get that with airbrush or hand painting.

Twilight Beauty - Hip or Hype?

2010-07-12T02:02:00.004-04:00

For Mother's Day, I decided I wanted some pieces from the Twilight Beauty collection (http://www.twilightbeauty.com). Instead of hitting them up for products to review, I had my husband place an order the old-fashioned way.

Sure, I like the Twilight series alright...but I'm not one of these crazed fans that must have everything associated with the franchise. What stuck out about this collection were the mini palettes and the lip stains. I really like sheer lip colors and mini palettes always rock.

I ordered the "Bella Beauty Set" that had a mini palette of nude shades called "Bella", a glittery, fragrance spray that smells like vanilla and one of the infamous Lip Venom's by DuWop (but with a new twist, a splash of glittery red color). It's a really good deal because you save over a third of what these items would cost if ordered individually. I also ordered a reddish staining balm called "Just Bitten".

Well, the order was placed on May 3rd. I didn't figure I'd get it in time for Mother's Day, but that's really no big deal to me. On May 5th, I got an email explaining that the palette I ordered was out of stock. I could either wait a week or so for the new stock to arrive or substitute another palette. I decided a week or so isn't so bad, so I'd wait.

I waited and I waited. I finally emailed on June 2nd to find out what was up. I explained I've been a make-up artist for 18 years and dealt with many cosmetics companies, but this really takes the cake for poor service. I also explained that I write reviews about products straight from the box. The response I got explained the delay as a mix-up with the manufacturer and that my package would be mailed out the next week. My last email correspondence was on June 10th.

This was good news, I recently moved and was reassured the package would show up before I actually left the address they had.

The bad news is they shipped it to my husband's house, which was the billing address...not to my place, which was the shipping address. This was bad because when it arrived, he was at my place helping me get packed up. So, my goodies sat out in the NC heat for 2 days. I got the package way beyond a month after I placed the order.

The lipstick was a tad soft from being in the heat and had indentations from the tube on the sides of the bullet. That made me pretty unhappy. I get really anal retentive when it comes to my make-up.

As for the products, I really like the staining balm. It's a great, wearable red that anyone could wear. The palette is very neutral, which is foolproof for people who are afraid of make-up. There's not a lot of color to the eyeshadows, the lip glosses have almost no color, but the blush is quite nice.

I can remember when DuWop's Lip Venom was the latest and greatest in make-up. They were the trailblazers with the whole lip-plumping product trend. But, somehow, I managed to never try it. I have quite a full lower lip, but my upper lip is challenged, so I was definitely curious to see what it would do. The consistency is very thin, almost like an oil. But it's not slick or oily. It dries and leaves just the stain of color, which is not too different from Benefit's Benetint. I personally do not like those kind of stains. The color tends to be uneven and you have to work with them very fast because once they set, they are impossible to blend. There was a little burning which I suppose is to make my lips feel fuller, but they weren't. I even had to apply the staining balm over it because it's just not sufficient to wear by itself.

I really struggled with writing this review because I hate having a bad experience with something. I really hung in there hoping for some sort of redeeming factor to pop up, yet while the staining balm is cool, it's not cool enough to counterbalance everything else. The bottom line is that overall, the products are fair, the customer service is poor and if I had to do it all again, I would've canceled my order and gotten something else.

**My next review will be of Konad's nail stamping products!**

A Quick Tip...

2010-05-26T13:25:00.002-04:00

What do you do when you're at a make-up counter and are facing dozens of lipsticks? What urges do you feel? I'm willing to bet that you mark up the back of your hand with tons of little color swatches...no?

Well, the most accurate way to test a lipstick without actually putting it on your mouth is to put the color on your fingertips! It's messier, yes, but will give you a better representation of what the color will look like on your mouth, with your skin tone!

So carry a pack of purse-sized wipes with you (but any good counter will have supplies for you to clean up) and have fun!

Hard Candy's "Hot Smudge" - Hot or Not?

2010-05-19T15:29:00.005-04:00

The latest product I've picked up is Hard Candy's "Hot Smudge" cream eyeliner. Sounds sexy doesn't it? It's in a sleek case that's about 1" x 4". The hinge is on the short side.

I'm not sure if many of you know this, but a couple of years ago, the cosmetics part of the Hard Candy brand was sold. While the fragrance part was not sold off, the cosmetics are no longer part of the same company as Urban Decay. You can now find Hard Candy at (get ready for this) Walmart...GASP!!

The change isn't necessarily bad. Some of the packaging has remained the same. The nail polishes still come with a plastic ring. There are more products with glitter than you could imagine! Glitter eyeliners, eyeshadows, mascaras, glitter pencils, body glitter, etc. The colors are trendy and fun. The packaging on the new products is pretty nifty! The lipstick tubes have old school-style tattoo flash art on them! And the line is expanded beyond what Hard Candy had available when it was sold in department stores. See more at www.HardCandy.com.

But back to the item at hand. The duo I got is called "misfit" and is number 291. The first thing I noticed when I opened the case is the brush. It's double-ended with a sponge for smudging on one end and a PINK flat, angled, nylon liner brush on the other end. BUT what I noticed was odd...the pink end of the brush was seriously OILY. I've tried to think of a reason to justify this, but have failed to come up with one. I immediately grabbed a paper towel and cleaned that off.

The colors seemed pretty safe, one is gray and the other is an olive green. But how wrong was I!! Once I started using the brush in them and working down the top layer, the colors are quite sparkly and metallic! I only tested them on my hands today because I am not feeling so well and did not feel like doing my make-up.

The colors applied smoothly and the nylon brush did a great job creating nice sharp lines. Unfortunately, I hate to report that unlike other gel liners by Bobbi Brown, Stila, MAC, etc., this liner doesn't set to an indelible finish. I left the lines on my hand for a few minutes and when I went back to see if they would smudge or not, I was disappointed to find that they totally wiped away!!

So, my final verdict is this: I like the idea of this product. I don't think it's fully there yet. I would recommend using this as a base to apply shadow on top of...but I have a feeling it is going to crease, just because the product is so creamy. Therefore, I would say use it to accentuate your regular eyeliner. Use a black or a black/brown eyeliner and use this to smudge it out for a smoky look with a pop of color. These eyeliners are available in a wide variety of colors, the most interesting being a royal blue with a clear, glittery counterpart. I'm sure that would make for a very cool look.

More From Sleek Make-Up...

2010-05-13T17:05:00.008-04:00

When I was in London, I wrote a blog about some fabulous deals I found. The products I was most excited by were from Sleek Make-Up. They have intense colors that are packed full of pigments and perfect for all skin tones! And their prices are out of this world!

So upon my return, I was showing my Mom my purchases and she commented on really liking the iDivine Eye Shadow Palette called Storm. I figured I would order her one and a lipstick or two for Mother's Day.

The site is pretty much the same, but with prices for the US market which are slightly higher than the British prices....even after you take the monetary conversion into consideration. While I was slightly peeved by that, the products are just SO good that they are worth the extra couple of bucks.

I ended up ordering the Storm Palette for my Mom and the Chaos palette for myself. It has a lot of bright colors, but they are all matte. This is unusual for me, because I don't usually use a lot of matte products. I also ordered 3 of Sleek's Sheer Cover lipsticks in the colors: Cashmere, Organza and Calico.

Let the review begin:

First of all, I placed the order on April 27th. It didn't get shipped until May 5th. I received it today, May 13th. Shipping was just over $13, which I consider reasonable, because I know that mailing parcels via the Royal Mail is quite pricey. I am finding more and more companies have a longer processing time. I can understand if it's a small, grass roots company. But I suppose I'm just spoiled from shopping other companies with faster turnaround times, the best being Amazon Japan who always gets me my goods in 3 days with their standard shipping. (On a sidenote, my Mother's Day presents were ordered from DuWop cosmetics the weekend before Mother's Day and while I knew they wouldn't arrive in time, I was disappointed to get an email on May 5th informing me that something was backordered. Really? It took half a week to notify me? And they still had the product listed as in stock on their site. That's just NO BUENO in my book.)

But I digress. Because I like Sleek's products so much, I am willing to overlook the extended time it took to get the product to me. This is also not totally uncommon, you can read quite a few shipping inquiries on their Facebook fan page. I just know not to order with any time constraints. I would also recommend waiting and placing a large order or going in with friends to place a large order, so that way the shipping is not as much of a sting.

So, what is so great about Sleek? Why am I willing to look past this and that? The colors are fabulous. The prices are beyond the deals I get with various industry discounts. Sleek seems to have a very loyal following worldwide. They ARE doing something right. They are staying cutting edge, winning over new fans with limited edition items. They have products that rival the great cosmetic companies out there...and in some instances exceed the rivals. For example, I picked up Sleek's tinted lip balm and I love it so much more than MAC's. I've tried to like MAC's over and over again, but the flavor is just off. Sleek's is sweet and tastes like dessert and the colors are very wearable. Win win!!

When I opened the box, I have to tell you, I was most impressed. Sleek does something that NO other make-up company I've dealt with does. They reuse the boxes product is shipped to them in. So instead of the way MAC does it, where they put the products loose in a box with lots of black tissue paper, Sleek put the 3 lipsticks I ordered into a box that they receive lipsticks in. The 2 palettes were placed in a box that usually holds 3, so they put some bubble wrap in to take up space. That's very smart. More companies should take note.

My only other gripe, which is common when ordering and NOT being able to test something before hand...the color representations of the lipsticks online is far from accurate. The site shows Calico as being darker than Cashmere. Not so. Cashmere is darker and Calico is the color of cafe au lait (see photo above of Calico). I know my Mom loves browns, so I took a chance and figured I would wear the one she thought was too light. Now the online swatch for Organza was pretty much spot on. I had not tested these when I was in London, because I didn't see them when I was out and about.

And did I mention you get a FREEBIE? Yep, you can choose a color of their teeny, tiny, mini lipgloss!

My final verdict is...ORDER from Sleek. Remember the processing time and shipping may not be as fast as some other companies, but it in the end the cool products are worth it. I cannot see how any fashionista will be disappointed with these products.

**Photos by Glamourpuss**

Congratulations!

2010-05-01T13:41:00.004-04:00

Congratulations are in order for @ByHandGiveaways!!

Danelle, you won the Mother's Day Giveaway! Here's a screenshot of the random name picker I used (I found the cutest one that looked like a slot machine!):

Thank you so much for following my blog, my tweets and spreading the word about my promotion! I will be in touch with you shortly to get your information so I can get the necklace out in the mail to you ASAP.

And thank you to all who participated, I really appreciate your feedback about my shop!

Splurge vs. Steal

2010-04-28T15:43:00.003-04:00

You know how the fashion magazines have their "Splurge vs. Steal" sections? Well, I've got one for you today!

When it comes to eyebrows, I am follicly-challenged. My dad has sparse eyebrows and my mom MAY have a couple of hairs framing each eye. Being a redhead, I am further challenged because what little brows I have are blonde.

So, over the years I've always had to pencil them in. I've hated using cream pencils because it just looks too ridiculous...too cartoony. So, I can remember when I came across Le Crayon Poudre for brows, by Lancôme, I was smitten. The pencil was a soft powder that could be blended easily and didn't look too harsh or cartoony. The downside was that the powder pencil lead broke frequently and at $24 a pop, I simply couldn't afford to keep using it.

Than I came across N.Y.C.'s Browblender Brow and Liner pencil and decided to give it a try. It is also a powder pencil, so it has all the benefits of Le Crayon Poudre. AND I find that it doesn't break as often...occasionally the tip breaks off after it is sharpened, but that's it. And seeing how I can pick it up at Walmart for around $3...you can't beat it.

My trick for making the brows look nice is to apply the pencil, then powder over it with loose or pressed powder. After that, go back and fill in any areas that need extra defining with the pencil.

Mother's Day Giveaway

2010-04-23T12:57:00.002-04:00

With Mother's Day rapidly approaching, here in the US, I decided it was time to do my very first giveaway. Here's a little bit about the piece I am giving away:

The necklace is an organza ribbon necklace with some silver and stone accents. The vesuvianite (idocrase) drop and the lemon quartz rondelle are both beautifully faceted.

The necklace measures 16" and has a 1 1/2" extender chain.

**Please note: The findings on the organza necklace (the lobster claw clasp, extender chain)are NOT sterling silver.**

But all other metal work on the necklace IS sterling silver.

NOW...what do you have to do?

1.) Subscribe to my blog and refer 1 friend. (Have them leave a comment that you referred them. You can refer more and you will be entered again, for each person referred.)

2.) Follow me on Twitter: Glamourpuss15 and tweet/retweet about the giveaway.

3.) Check out my Etsy shop and tell me which piece of jewelry is your favorite and why.

The contest will end on April 30th to ensure I can get the piece to you or your mom in time for the big day.

Thanks so much! Spread the word!

Fun UK Finds!

2010-04-08T17:52:00.009-04:00

Okay, so whenever I visit my in-laws in England, I know they all think I am totally insane because I always go and waste lots of time and money in the local drugstores. Boots used to be my favorite, but over the years, I have found Superdrug to be far more interesting. It's less pretentious and their brand of products are pretty good. (Tate only uses their sparkly strawberry and tutti frutti toothpastes! And their kids shampoos and bath products have scratch and sniff labels with cute illustrations of monsters on them!) This trip, after each trip to the shop, I have been given these cool vouchers to complete a survey online and get 25% off Superdrug brand items and 10% off everything else. I'm saving like CRAZY!

So far I've been to three locations of Superdrug...Loughton, Marble Arch and The Strand. The Strand location has been my favorite. I found some fabulous eyeshadow palettes. And despite dropping a tester and getting a death stare from the cosmetics sales associate who thought I was a weirdo looking at make-up for people with darker skin tones than mine, I found and purchased some cool things! (Take note, if you have a lighter complexion you should not rule out make-up designed for darker skin tones. The eyeshadows, blushes and lipsticks usually have more pigments in them than what you would get from Maybelline or some other drugstore brand.)

What I like about the drugstore cosmetics here is that it is risky...there are bright colors and lots of sparkles. I mean, just look at the gorgeous colors in the eyeshadow palettes by Sleek MakeUP! (Although I am not-so-secretly lusting for a grayscale palette they had called "Graphite", but it was limited edition, last year.) And while you run the risk of TONS of fashion "faux pas", it's really fun! Sure, I've seen plenty of people who could use a visit from the fashion police, but at least they are taking the chance. I find that many Americans are afraid of color. But the fact of the matter is that you can wear any color you like, it is all in how it is applied.

Anyway, here are some photos for you to feast your eyes upon! Sometimes the packaging is really fun too!

(Photos by Glamourpuss)

Beauty Tip #3

2010-04-07T06:59:00.002-04:00

I was recently reminded of the phenomenon where women feel compelled to leave their mouths gaping open while applying eyeliner or mascara. I can only compare it to a tightrope walker holding his arms out for balance. And it really doesn't make our eyes wider, just our mouths! It is quite bizarre and one day I decided I was tired of looking silly so I put a plan into action to end the "o" face.

The easiest way to do this is to tilt your chin up, like you're looking down the end of your nose at someone. Hold your mirror up and go to work. Please note: a hands-free mirror makes this even easier!

The main reason I wanted to break the habit was that I found myself making THE face when I was applying make-up on other people. I felt it was seriously unprofessional to leave my mouth agape while working! What a no-no!

As always, make-up should be fun, so go play and enjoy it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Beauty Tip #2

2010-03-27T14:35:00.000-04:00

In all honesty, there really are not any long-lasting lipsticks that I like. They all end up wearing off in the middle and leaving a line around your lips. And I've tried many kinds, from drugstore to pro store brands.

So when you have an event where you may not be able to touch up constantly, I recommend a tinted lip balm or lipstick that is not too far off from the natural color of your mouth. There are many companies that make some great tinted lip balms now and it's the sort of product you can apply on-the-go, without a mirror.

I know it's a simple and basic concept, but sometimes those are the best ones!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Beauty Tip #1

2010-03-25T13:57:00.001-04:00

With the busy wedding season approaching, I wanted to offer a bit of advice to brides.

If you want to wax your brows (or any other facial area, for that matter), do so about a week before your bridal portraits or wedding day. If you wax almost immediately before the event, make-up doesn't sit the same way on totally hairless skin, so you end up with these weird patches, which are usually shiny and somewhat resistant to make-up.

So, I repeat, wax a week before and take the time to manually tweeze the stray hairs that are problematic. It will look more natural in photos and your make-up artist and photographer will love you for it!

Holy Stoltz! There's a NEW blog!

2010-03-23T22:47:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! I've moved the blogs about my trials and tribulations with my daughter and her recent diagnosis of ADHD to my new personal blog: Holy Stoltz!

This blog will only feature the fun things I do when it comes to my work! I will do product reviews, post photos of projects I'm involved in and discuss anything and everything beauty-related!

Please follow my new blog, if you feel like it. Thank you so much!

St. Patty's Day May Be Gone...

2010-03-23T22:35:00.005-04:00

But these fabulous photos of Jenn Ryan with Deanna Dangers adorable St. Patty's accessories will live on forever!! I know it's a different genre for me, but I like the finished results!!

Alyse

2010-01-10T16:27:00.004-05:00

These are from my shoot yesterday with the lovely Miss Alyse!

The Happiest Girl in the World

2010-01-10T14:14:00.004-05:00

It's about damn time!

I've had a really rough year and I'm working on making this one a better one. I'm finding things are going well so far, even though we're less than 2 weeks into 2010.

I received the BEST news today. The Glamour Puss Boutique in Charlotte closed it's doors around 6 months ago or so.

Why is this good news, you may ask? Well, one day in September 2006, I got an email from a photographer friend of mine congratulating me on my new shop. My new shop? This was news to me since my business, Glamourpuss Make-Up & Hair is a mobile service consisting of one employee...me. It didn't take a lot of time to investigate and discover that the proprietor of this shop was a local make-up artist who works with a photographer I have collaborated in the past. This photographer kept my business cards in her reception area, so it doesn't take much of a leap to figure out how all of this came together.

This was particularly frustrating for me because people were already confusing the businesses and the store wasn't even open yet. I decided to take the next logical step and get a trademark lawyer. I own the rights to the name "Glamourpuss" in NC. This has been my business name since 1999, it's the business name that is use when I file my taxes. Even if I didn't have the formal documents, I still had common law rights to the name because I had used it so long, just like a common law marriage. The trademark lawyer was insanely expensive. The retainer was the most money I've ever invested in my business.

Through the lawyer, multiple letters of cease and desist were sent. The owner of the boutique pulled the old ostrich manoeuvre for a while and did nothing. Then, one day we got a letter stating that she had plans to build a brand and expand into a line of accessories and clothing, which really wasn't the best idea anyway, since the owner of the federal trademark of the name has a clothing store and I'm sure she would've had no problems getting this little boutique closed. Long story short, she didn't want to have to re-brand and get new business cards and store signage and all that jazz. Which of course was a load of bull.

And what was most frustrating is that even though I was completely doing all of the things necessary to protect my business, it wasn't enough. Even though I had legally staked my claim on that name, it didn't matter. She could sit there with her head in the sand as long as she wanted and I couldn't do a thing about it. And if she lawyered up with a lawyer who was not completely familiar with trademark law, it could get drawn out for a very long time. My lawyer explained that if we took the next steps necessary and started actually going to court, the expenses could grow to $250, 000 at the very least.

I am only one woman, with a very small business. But I have spent a decade building my name and making sure that it is equated with nothing but the best. It is my baby, it is a part of who I am. I really hated the idea of giving up on my baby. Dominic and I discussed proceeding and looking back now, I really am amazed that he was ready to fight if I wanted to take it there. The risks were high. We could've lost way more than my business...could've lost the house, the cars...everything. But because he believed in me, he was ready to go. At the time, I was a few months pregnant with Jack and I just knew that I would not be able to go through a lengthy legal battle and stay healthy and keep Jack safe. The stress up to that point was so high already.

The only way I could rationalize it was by saying that it would be a flash in the pan business and probably wouldn't last more than 3 years...5 years, tops! Although I did find it insanely aggravating every time I heard about someone going there to look for me or someone calling to get in touch with me...and it happened more than you'd think. Then the shop started placing ads in local publications and airing TV ads and that made things even more annoying because it churned up all this stuff again and every time someone would ask me about it, it was like nails on a chalk board. And this added an extra element because I could not do any real promoting for my business because there was NO WAY I was going to accidentally send customers their way! They offered make-up artistry services...I'm sure they would've been happy to snatch up anyone looking for my services!

So, imagine my surprise when the wardrobe stylist, who was at the shoot I did make-up/hair for today, told me the shop had closed!! It was like the heaven's opened up and great rays of light shone down on me, I could even hear the angels singing! I know...melodramatic, but I cannot remember the last time I received news that pleased me so much! It's funny because I'm not really getting anything out of it, apart from my business name, but that is a really HUGE thing for me. I'm not sure what the circumstances of the store's closing were, but at this point I don't care. Glamourpuss Make-Up & Hair has endured a few years of madness but is still left standing. My name is my own again and it feels great! I love watching karma in action.

Most Recent Shoot

2009-12-19T01:14:00.004-05:00

I recently got together with one of my favorite subjects, Jenn Ryan, and we had a fun day of shooting. We were limited with locations, but I feel like we really worked what he had!

Here are the fruits of our labor:

Return to Glam...Sorta

2009-10-26T13:36:00.011-04:00

Finally...blog with a glam edge to it! I know it's been a while!

A couple of months ago, I got a voucher in the mail from MAC cosmetics to take any one "master class" they offer their clients with MAC Pro memberships. The really good classes I am interested in are usually taught in NYC, so I've never been able to take any. This time around there was a cool class offered in Atlanta, so I decided to take advantage of it! The class was about recreating legendary icons...you know, like Jean Harlow, Lucille Ball, Diana Ross, Madonna, etc. I am always inspired by things from the past, so I figured it would be right up my alley! This 2-hour class was $100 and that money was redeemable for product at the end of the class. With my voucher, I only had to pay for gas for the over 500 mile trip (round trip). Cool!

I got there early, despite having a couple of unrelated issues on the road. I wanted to have some time to get really "hands on" with the products, I like to feel the products on my skin and see how they blend and what the texture is like...usually by the end of this, my arm looks like an abstract painting! This also gave me some time to create a list so I had some idea of what would work with my budget and it would make it easier for the employees to pull the products I wanted.

I had to wait an hour from the time the store closed and the time the class started (7 o'clock). A LOT of people took this class, it was standing room only. Fortunately, I managed to get a chair about 3 rows back. The woman teaching the class oversees the training of employees for ALL of North America! She was super-nice and knowing her background and a little bit about her credentials gave me very high hopes! I always look for an opportunity to learn something.

Some of the info was common sense. If you have a project with a specific icon in mind, one major advantage is to get a model who resembles the icon. Check. And you should know your history to know what was going on in the world and what factors were influencing the trends of the time. Check. At this point in time, I was realizing that my love of make-up, quest for knowledge and the very intensive training I got when I worked for the very first Sephora store in the US had covered pretty much all of this. So, I thought that watching the hands-on demonstrations would be exciting.

Well, I was sad to discover that one model was completed before we even showed up. She was made up to look like Diana Ross from her days with The Supremes. She had the frosty, light lips and played up eyes. The next model came out and I was hoping to see the transformation from clean face to finished icon. But...no. The second model was about 80% done. She was echoing the strong look of Joan Crawford. The foundation was on, blush and eyeshadow. The strong brows were already completed. That means I only got to see her lips be done and the false lashes applied. Woo.

There was a question and answer part (I realized later was just to fill up time). I asked a couple of questions. One was if the make-up artist preferred being hands on when applying foundation rather than using an airbrush. And she does. She said that by the time she sets up the compressor and gun that she could have a face done by hand. (FYI - It takes me about 2 minutes to set my airbrush equipment up. Ask my models.) As long as you clean your gun after each use, set up is a breeze. Then I asked her if she carries around every single shade of her two or 3 favorite formulations of foundations or if she has a few shades she prefers and uses to mix for a range of shades. She said that she does carry every color for her favorite types of foundation, she just transfers them to smaller containers for her kit. But for 2-3 varieties of foundation, that's at least 60 colors. Maybe she does...but my gut thinks not.

After she was finished with the class, she turned us over to the employees so we could load up on products. I had paid no attention to the time, but even after I had to wait FOREVER to get waited on, I ended up walking out of the shop at 9 o'clock. That class was NOT 2 hours. It could not have been more than an hour of actual instruction because I waited a very long time to get my products...so much so that I almost walked out empty-handed. But I know that ordering online or by phone is a toss up with what products are in stock...usually the limited edition items don't last long that way. Of course the essentials I wanted were NOT in stock. No problems with the limited editions, just the good ol' basics.

I find that make-up artists either love MAC or hate it. Some don't want to pay the annual fee for the discount. Some feel very strongly because whenever MAC is recruited for a fashion show or an event, they send out their hourly employees, which ultimately takes away work from freelance make-up artists like myself...and lowers the value of what a make-up artist is worth. Why pay by a half-day or day rate when you can get someone for $10 and hour?

Politics aside, I use MAC because I don't get to NYC enough to really load up on products from the companies I truly love...Make-Up Forever and Face Stockholm. If need be, I can run to one of the MAC counters in Charlotte and get my "hands on" fix with new products. I cannot do that as easily with MUFE and Face because they aren't local. Then there is also the fact that most non-industry consumers really trust the brand. "What brand of make-up do you use?" is a question I get asked frequently. One of my personal complaints is that many times, even their lightest colors in foundations/powders/concealers are not light enough for me. I contemplated trying the liquid mineral make-up since it looked so good on Rachel when I did her make-up for MTV's My Super Sweet 16 show. But as the make-up artist who was helping me pointed out...it was too dark for my pale self. Yet they cannot keep the shade of Studio Fix I use in stock...seems like someone somewhere would get the hint.

I felt like this class was one big advertisement for MAC. Like watching an infomercial live. And even if that WAS the ultimate goal, not education, they still fell short because they did not have enough of the products on hand that the make-up artist used. It seems to me that if you have these classes around the country, then you should have an idea of what you are going to do, what products you plan on using and see to it that the stores have ample stock for the number of attendees...just in case! Sure they were getting a shipment in today, but that does me no good since I am not in Atlanta. It's highly likely that I was the only one there from out of state.

Back to the make-overs. The Diana Ross was pretty good. My one critique would be that when she was with The Supremes, she wore heavy liquid eye liner. I consider that to be her trademark from that period in her life. Here is the main image the make-up artist used as inspiration alongside the finished model. In the larger photos of the finished model, you can also see that in the inner corner of her left eye the fake lashes are coming loose.

As for the Joan Crawford, there was a brief time when she had such angled eyebrows. Most of the time she stuck with rounded arches as you can see in the photo below which was the inspiration for this look. The lips were spot on! BUT when the make-up artist got around to applying the eyelashes, she realized that she had inadvertently switched the ones she meant to use and the Diana Ross model was wearing the ones intended for the Joan Crawford model. Instead of getting another pair to complete the look from this era, she went ahead and decided to use the overly-exaggerated ones intended for the other model. This threw the look entirely. She also opted to NOT use the heavy liner that you can plainly see in the photo she used as inspiration for her Joan. Was this just laziness? It seems to defeat the purpose of recreating an icon if you're going to just fudge it to make do. It's not like we were short on time.

An interesting tidbit is that the artist referred to Joan Crawford's hair style (as seen above) as a "pageboy". A pageboy is usually a short bob, traditionally with bangs more often than not. There are some examples of that classic Breck girl hairstyle that can be referred to as a pageboy, but they are smooth and curled under on the edges.

Another inaccuracy was when she was referring to there always being extremes in make-up...the yin and yang for every era. Well, that's not exactly true. I would say the extremes really started to happen in the late '60s when there were the mod looks, the natural hippie looks...that sort of thing. And that HAS continued since then. She referred to the '80s when things could be so over the top, but then a company called "Ulta II" launched a huge line of nude lipsticks. No, there is a current store called Ulta, but the company she was referring to was called Ultima II. (And the lipsticks were fab...I had 2 of them!) It just irked me since this woman was a self-proclaimed trivia geek when it came to make-up.

Let me just state, I don't know everything...I don't claim to. If there is ever a time in my life when there is nothing else to learn, then I don't want to be around. I just had high hopes taking a "master" class...but was disappointed to find that it was geared towards novices. I'm glad I didn't travel to NYC to take any classes.

And here's a bit of fun. For those of you who only think of "Mommie Dearest" and wire hangers when you hear the name Joan Crawford, here are some images of what a stunning beauty she was before she hit the pinnacle of her career.

Hello Kitty + MAC = LOVE!

2009-02-16T16:56:00.014-05:00

So, my lovely pretties from MAC arrived today. I missed out on their fabulous Barbie line of products a few years ago and refused to miss out on the Hello Kitty goodies!

Sometimes MACs collaborations are all over the place...from Diana Ross to Emanuel Ungaro to, very recently, the grand Dame Edna! (Not to mention MANY others!)

Overall, I'm really pleased with this collection. The compacts are black with pink glitter embedded into it and the HK logos are really cute! There were two color palettes for this collection, one was "wild" and the other was, you guessed it, "mild". I was disappointed in the eyeshadow quads they had for each palette. One was made up of cool colors like blues and aquas...the other one had a gold, bright orange and black...I can't even remember the fourth color. I was hoping for colors that were more candy-inspired.

I love the lipsticks and lipglass colors. That one BRIGHT pink one reminds me of that neon pink-blue color of Superstar Barbie's satin dress. I seriously doubt that it ever touches my lips, I feel like I am currently to frumpy to be fashionable, so why draw attention to myself...but it will come in handy in my kit. (And I'm not fishing for compliments...just "keepin' it real...we'll talk about this again in 50 lbs time.)

The beauty powders are really cute, HK's head is imprinted in the powder. I love the colors of the blushes, they are so pretty.

The nailpolishes are cute. The pink reminds me of a color they already have called "Steamy", it's just a hot pink cream polish. The other one is indeed gray. Tate's been wanting a gray shadow and now she has one!

I like the glitter eyeliners...they are so easy to use and really add a little extra oomph when used over your regular eyeliner. The lipglasses are quite lovely too. The one that appears bright orange isn't the shade of coral I thought it would be, but I can live with it. The peachy-pink one is my favorite and it's called "Mimmy" who is HK's sister. I am also really liking the tinted lip conditioners. I used to use MAC's lip conditioner way back when it had different packaging, but always found it too greasy and the packaging too dull. (I'm a packaging whore...make it pretty or cute and it's mine!) Last year I tried their tinted lip conditioner in a stick/tube form, but wasn't wild about the amount of color on the lips, which was VERY little. But these are really nice, the coral one is very bright in the pot, but subtle-yet-visible on the lips.

Last but not least is the glitter. It's called "reflects very pink" and that it does! I was expecting something different thought. When MAC started doing the "reflects ______" names, the glitter was clear with a colored shine to it. This is just straight up pink. And I love that MAC has started making their glitter super-fine, almost like a powder...like their pigments. That keeps it from looking tacky/overdone and makes it easier for the average consumer to use. No one wants to run around looking like a disco ball!

Oh yes and the lipstick has the sweetest little imprint of HK on the side! Enjoy my photos!

**My only gripe is that I couldn't use my industry discount for this special line. :( **

Fun Fabrics!

2008-12-03T16:45:00.004-05:00

I got some new fabrics yesterday! I'm going to start making some bags. I'm also working on making Tate some dress-up clothes for Christmas! But I HAD to share these because they are SO cool!

An Introduction is in Order...

2007-11-03T20:44:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'll admit it, my interests are seriously varied!

I'm a make-up artist. I love make-up. I love pink and aqua together like cotton candy. I love glitter and all things sparkly. I love the ability to take someone and change them completely. It's so rewarding to be able to make someone see themselves in a new way. You can see my work here.

From my love of make-up artistry spawned my love of photography. I've worked with many super-talented photographers. But there were some images I just couldn't find someone to capture for me. So, I decided to start learning what I needed to know to be able to take really cool pictures. I am far from knowing everything there is to know, but I am constantly growing as a photographer. You can check out my photos here. I've just recently discovered a passion for shooting concerts...so I am feverishly seeking shows of bands I like. More about that later.

I am also a jewelry designer. I use sterling silver and gemstones. I try to make pieces that are something I would wear. I love using color and finding the most unique stones with unique cuts and facets. I sell my jewelry on Etsy and I have a MySpace page for that too. There are many aspects that I love about Etsy. There are some truly fantastic artists who sell there and I've been lucky to buy and trade with some of them! (I love trades!)

There are plans to open a second shop on Etsy for all of my non-jewelry items. I like to sew, draw and dabble in all sorts of other things! I have these painted dolls I make that are pretty cute! Once I build up enough inventory, I'll open the new shop.

I attended art school at the Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I have a degree in Museum Studies because I thought it would be more practical than a sculpture degree...yeah, right.

But I ramble on and on.

Oh, I am a sucker for adorable Kawaii goodies from Japan! I just can't have too many memo pads, stationery sets and pens. Not to mention all of the wonderful Japanese candy...ramune-flavored ANYTHING is worth trying!

I promise my future posts will be a tad bit more focused. I just wanted to give you an idea of who I am and what I'll like to blog about.