Here are some MORE goodies I picked up in the UK to add to the prize pack!
All products are by MUA: two sets of false eyelashes, one of the NEW nail polishes just out, a gorgeous palette of metallic eyeshadows and a silver glitter eyeliner!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
NEW Goodies Added To My Giveaway!
If you haven't heard, I'm having a great giveaway! Please visit the blog before this if you haven't.
Here are some MORE goodies I picked up in the UK to add to the prize pack!
All products are by MUA: two sets of false eyelashes, one of the NEW nail polishes just out, a gorgeous palette of metallic eyeshadows and a silver glitter eyeliner!
Here are some MORE goodies I picked up in the UK to add to the prize pack!
All products are by MUA: two sets of false eyelashes, one of the NEW nail polishes just out, a gorgeous palette of metallic eyeshadows and a silver glitter eyeliner!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
MAJOR Giveaway!!
It's that time! Time to win some goodies!!
I have put together the greatest collection of goodies, with the help of SauceBox Cosmetics (http://www.sauceboxcosmetics.com) and Jesse's Girl Cosmetics (http://www.jessesgirlcosmetics.com) So far, the prize package includes:
6 of Jesse's Girl new lipsticks
7 Jesse's Girl loose pigment eyeshadows
1 Jesse's Girl brush roll (no brushes included)
1 Jesse's Girl eyeshadow primer
6 Jesse's Girl Frosted Gumdrop Nail Polishes (The full set! I don't even have those!)
1 Temptation palette by SauceBox Cosmetics
**The new UK goodies have been added to the giveaway!**
So, what do you have to do to enter? It's easy: follow my blog, like my Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/iamglamourpuss), like/comment about what product you're most excited about/share my giveaway announcement on my FB page. I will be checking to make sure all criteria are met.
You have until April the 14th at 12:00/midnight EST. Winner will be announced on April 15th.
I have put together the greatest collection of goodies, with the help of SauceBox Cosmetics (http://www.sauceboxcosmetics.com) and Jesse's Girl Cosmetics (http://www.jessesgirlcosmetics.com) So far, the prize package includes:
6 of Jesse's Girl new lipsticks
7 Jesse's Girl loose pigment eyeshadows
1 Jesse's Girl brush roll (no brushes included)
1 Jesse's Girl eyeshadow primer
6 Jesse's Girl Frosted Gumdrop Nail Polishes (The full set! I don't even have those!)
1 Temptation palette by SauceBox Cosmetics
**The new UK goodies have been added to the giveaway!**
So, what do you have to do to enter? It's easy: follow my blog, like my Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/iamglamourpuss), like/comment about what product you're most excited about/share my giveaway announcement on my FB page. I will be checking to make sure all criteria are met.
You have until April the 14th at 12:00/midnight EST. Winner will be announced on April 15th.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Flower Beauty Cosmetics
A few weeks ago, I came across an end cap display at Walmart, featuring a new line of cosmetics. Drew Barrymore is not only the face of Flower Beauty, she's the creator. This totally makes sense since her film production company is Flower Films.
This brand is considered a luxury brand. It's cruelty free. The packaging is unique and worthy of sitting on any vanity. The prices also reflect that this line is a luxury line. I'm not sure if the average Walmart consumer is going to want to shell out for a new, spendy line of make-up. I know it's taken me weeks to accumulate what I have.
The first items I got were a sheer lipstick and a lip gloss. The lipgloss is a gorgeous pinky-peach nude. I love it. It's a great, fresh color that can easily be worn on its own or over another color. The shade is LG1. I'm not sure of it's name, the sticker on the side of it had that and I am not one for leaving stickers on my products. The sheer lipstick comes in a cool, square-ish tube. It has a slight hourglass shade to it. The bottom part is off-white, but the top is transparent and the color reflects the shade of the lipstick. Again, the sticker had the name of the color. I peeled it off and there is no shade number anywhere else on it. I'm certain "snapdragon" was part of the name.
Next I picked up the BB cream and foundation stick. First if all, I was psyched that there are shades for my ultra-pale, redheaded self! I like to use a combination of foundations to provide as flawless a look as possible. The Skincognito foundation stick can be layered up to full coverage or blended out for more sheer coverage. But I found that the BB cream had amazing coverage and didn't budge. You can see in the photo how it really covered the freckles on my arm! I love it! The shade of the foundation stick is SF1. The BB cream is BB1.
Now, let me tell you, this line has some if the trendiest colors I've seen. I had to refrain from buying a neon pink because I already have a few by Barry M. So I decided to get a nice nude, Nude Narcissus, and a pretty pink/coral color called Pink Peony. The color is smooth and the coverage is quite nice. There is a slight floral fragrance, but it's not a dealbreaker for me. These lipsticks are called Kiss Sticks and have a glossier finish than the lipsticks in the off-white tubes that supposedly have more of a velvet finish.
Last but not least, you KNOW I love my tinted lip balms. These come in a roll-up, chubby pencil. And it's no surprise that I love them. Sheer Blossom is nude and has some wonderful sparkles! Lacy Lauel is a pretty, sheer pink. I adore these. They feel good, don't require a mirror for application and give just the right amount of color. I must have more.
I need to look up the prices again. The BB cream was around $13, the lip colors around $8 and the foundation stick was around $9. My main gripe is that the shades are on stickers I will be removing from the outside of the packaging. I don't care I'd there is a sticker on the bottom of a tube, but I cannot stand when something runs the length of the tube. The lipgloss had a sticker on the end, which is great. The tinted lip colors have the shade printed on them. Perfect! But there's nowhere else on the lipstick tubes for a shade sticker. Both ends are decorative.
Do I want to try more from Flower Beauty? YES! I can't wait! But sadly, I have to wait until my wallet allows.
This brand is considered a luxury brand. It's cruelty free. The packaging is unique and worthy of sitting on any vanity. The prices also reflect that this line is a luxury line. I'm not sure if the average Walmart consumer is going to want to shell out for a new, spendy line of make-up. I know it's taken me weeks to accumulate what I have.
The first items I got were a sheer lipstick and a lip gloss. The lipgloss is a gorgeous pinky-peach nude. I love it. It's a great, fresh color that can easily be worn on its own or over another color. The shade is LG1. I'm not sure of it's name, the sticker on the side of it had that and I am not one for leaving stickers on my products. The sheer lipstick comes in a cool, square-ish tube. It has a slight hourglass shade to it. The bottom part is off-white, but the top is transparent and the color reflects the shade of the lipstick. Again, the sticker had the name of the color. I peeled it off and there is no shade number anywhere else on it. I'm certain "snapdragon" was part of the name.
Next I picked up the BB cream and foundation stick. First if all, I was psyched that there are shades for my ultra-pale, redheaded self! I like to use a combination of foundations to provide as flawless a look as possible. The Skincognito foundation stick can be layered up to full coverage or blended out for more sheer coverage. But I found that the BB cream had amazing coverage and didn't budge. You can see in the photo how it really covered the freckles on my arm! I love it! The shade of the foundation stick is SF1. The BB cream is BB1.
Now, let me tell you, this line has some if the trendiest colors I've seen. I had to refrain from buying a neon pink because I already have a few by Barry M. So I decided to get a nice nude, Nude Narcissus, and a pretty pink/coral color called Pink Peony. The color is smooth and the coverage is quite nice. There is a slight floral fragrance, but it's not a dealbreaker for me. These lipsticks are called Kiss Sticks and have a glossier finish than the lipsticks in the off-white tubes that supposedly have more of a velvet finish.
Last but not least, you KNOW I love my tinted lip balms. These come in a roll-up, chubby pencil. And it's no surprise that I love them. Sheer Blossom is nude and has some wonderful sparkles! Lacy Lauel is a pretty, sheer pink. I adore these. They feel good, don't require a mirror for application and give just the right amount of color. I must have more.
I need to look up the prices again. The BB cream was around $13, the lip colors around $8 and the foundation stick was around $9. My main gripe is that the shades are on stickers I will be removing from the outside of the packaging. I don't care I'd there is a sticker on the bottom of a tube, but I cannot stand when something runs the length of the tube. The lipgloss had a sticker on the end, which is great. The tinted lip colors have the shade printed on them. Perfect! But there's nowhere else on the lipstick tubes for a shade sticker. Both ends are decorative.
Do I want to try more from Flower Beauty? YES! I can't wait! But sadly, I have to wait until my wallet allows.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Jindienails
I follow so many nail fanatics on Facebook and Instagram. It makes me insane, there are so many cool things out! And with my new interest in indie nail polishes, I've decided to try out a few. I've only had a couple before, so I don't have a whole lot to go on.
I came across Jindie Nails on Instagram. I fell in love with the a color called Candy Land (very left on the row of bottles below). It has large hex glitter and smaller hex glitter in a variety of neon, yet translucent colors, suspended in a white, jelly base. But once I started looking, I found a few more things I wanted to try. Since Jindie Nails sells mini bottles, that was the easiest way to try it out.
Below, you can see what each coat looks like. My pinky has Barbies Have More Fun on it. It layered alright, but I wasn't getting much of the pink glitter (more on that later). Candy Land is on my ring finger and as you can see, it took a fair amount of work to get some glitter on my nail. Talk Nerdy To Me is on my middle finger and it applied better than any of the others, despite my low expectations after the first coat. And last but not least, there's Dream In Color on my index finger. The first layer looked promising, but when I went to do the second coat, all the glitter got hung up on all of the dried glitter already on my nail.
The trick about these polishes is to remember that you cannot simply brush these coats on smoothly. You have to use a "dab and blend" kind of method if you want an even distribution of glitter. I think this is more of a user error rather than a manufacturer error, the glitters in some of these are pretty big. I did read on another blog that if you turn Candy Land upside down, you may have better luck getting more glitter out. Another thing was that a lot of glitter in Barbies Have More Fun stayed stuck to the side of the bottle. I shook it like crazy. Left it upside down for two days...and even then, very little has changed. Below you can see the way it's all stuck to the front of the bottle. There's a definite difference between the front and the back.
I've swatched the polishes, but I've not put them through the rigors of daily life. I cannot speak for how well they wear just yet. I did find that Dream In Color popped right off, in one sheet (a friend of mine complained of this but with other colors). BUT I didn't use a base coat for the swatch photo, so I have to try that again.
Now, for my biggest gripe. It is really difficult to buy polishes from Jindie Nails. There is an Etsy store, but most of the time it is vacant, until the next restock. And I participated in the last restock and I can tell you one thing...it was not easy. The store was supposed to be active at 1 PM Central time. So I made a point to be at my computer. Messages were being posted on Jindie Nails' Facebook page about how not all items were active yet and to please wait to make your purchases. So I sat. I waited. I added things to my cart. After a while those things got cartjacked by people who didn't wait. And somewhere in the debacle, I totally missed the listings for the two new colors she released. Like I wasn't lame and missed it because I couldn't find it...the listings NEVER showed up. Refresh, refresh...nothing. So, I snagged some mini bottles fearing I would miss out on those. The whole ordering/waiting/refreshing process took me 57 minutes.
There are other outlets for Jindie Nails products. You can buy them via Llarowe now and via Mei Mei's Signatures. Please note the prices are slightly higher on these sites, more so on Mei Mei.
I would also like to add that Jen from Jindie Nails is quite nice. I contacted her about a polish that got cartjacked and she offered to send me a mini one for free. Yet when my order arrived, it wasn't there. Feeling like a jerk, I contacted her about it. She had to have some extra correspondence via Etsy and Facebook to remember who I was, but once she figured it out she asked if I wanted it shipped with my next order. Well...that was thing. I didn't know if I wanted to order again or not. So I sat on it for a day. I felt like I'd be a real shit to ask for the freebie polish and nothing else, so my choices were to walk away altogether or buy something else. Against my better judgement, I bought Candy Land Remix (see below, upper-left photo), which has some micro neon glitter in it in addition to the large and medium glitter already in it. I am really hoping it is nicer than Candy Land. I REALLY love the idea of this polish, but the application is a massive headache...not to mention trying to fish out a blue piece of glitter...I couldn't do that once! I also got Live Out Loud which has some cool metallic dot glitters. You can see it in the photo below, lower-left corner.
At the moment, I am on the fence about if I will order from Jindie Nails again or not. I love the concept of many of her creations, but that's about it. I really love the color Swoon, which you can see below, it's the aqua one next to Candy Land. But if it applies anything like Candy Land, I'm sure I'll be frustrated. When I get my next order in, I will post an update.
I came across Jindie Nails on Instagram. I fell in love with the a color called Candy Land (very left on the row of bottles below). It has large hex glitter and smaller hex glitter in a variety of neon, yet translucent colors, suspended in a white, jelly base. But once I started looking, I found a few more things I wanted to try. Since Jindie Nails sells mini bottles, that was the easiest way to try it out.
Colors (Top L-R): Candy Land, Dream In Color,
Barbies Have More Fun and Talk Nerdy To Me
Below, you can see what each coat looks like. My pinky has Barbies Have More Fun on it. It layered alright, but I wasn't getting much of the pink glitter (more on that later). Candy Land is on my ring finger and as you can see, it took a fair amount of work to get some glitter on my nail. Talk Nerdy To Me is on my middle finger and it applied better than any of the others, despite my low expectations after the first coat. And last but not least, there's Dream In Color on my index finger. The first layer looked promising, but when I went to do the second coat, all the glitter got hung up on all of the dried glitter already on my nail.
The trick about these polishes is to remember that you cannot simply brush these coats on smoothly. You have to use a "dab and blend" kind of method if you want an even distribution of glitter. I think this is more of a user error rather than a manufacturer error, the glitters in some of these are pretty big. I did read on another blog that if you turn Candy Land upside down, you may have better luck getting more glitter out. Another thing was that a lot of glitter in Barbies Have More Fun stayed stuck to the side of the bottle. I shook it like crazy. Left it upside down for two days...and even then, very little has changed. Below you can see the way it's all stuck to the front of the bottle. There's a definite difference between the front and the back.
I swatched it again today.
I've swatched the polishes, but I've not put them through the rigors of daily life. I cannot speak for how well they wear just yet. I did find that Dream In Color popped right off, in one sheet (a friend of mine complained of this but with other colors). BUT I didn't use a base coat for the swatch photo, so I have to try that again.
Now, for my biggest gripe. It is really difficult to buy polishes from Jindie Nails. There is an Etsy store, but most of the time it is vacant, until the next restock. And I participated in the last restock and I can tell you one thing...it was not easy. The store was supposed to be active at 1 PM Central time. So I made a point to be at my computer. Messages were being posted on Jindie Nails' Facebook page about how not all items were active yet and to please wait to make your purchases. So I sat. I waited. I added things to my cart. After a while those things got cartjacked by people who didn't wait. And somewhere in the debacle, I totally missed the listings for the two new colors she released. Like I wasn't lame and missed it because I couldn't find it...the listings NEVER showed up. Refresh, refresh...nothing. So, I snagged some mini bottles fearing I would miss out on those. The whole ordering/waiting/refreshing process took me 57 minutes.
There are other outlets for Jindie Nails products. You can buy them via Llarowe now and via Mei Mei's Signatures. Please note the prices are slightly higher on these sites, more so on Mei Mei.
I would also like to add that Jen from Jindie Nails is quite nice. I contacted her about a polish that got cartjacked and she offered to send me a mini one for free. Yet when my order arrived, it wasn't there. Feeling like a jerk, I contacted her about it. She had to have some extra correspondence via Etsy and Facebook to remember who I was, but once she figured it out she asked if I wanted it shipped with my next order. Well...that was thing. I didn't know if I wanted to order again or not. So I sat on it for a day. I felt like I'd be a real shit to ask for the freebie polish and nothing else, so my choices were to walk away altogether or buy something else. Against my better judgement, I bought Candy Land Remix (see below, upper-left photo), which has some micro neon glitter in it in addition to the large and medium glitter already in it. I am really hoping it is nicer than Candy Land. I REALLY love the idea of this polish, but the application is a massive headache...not to mention trying to fish out a blue piece of glitter...I couldn't do that once! I also got Live Out Loud which has some cool metallic dot glitters. You can see it in the photo below, lower-left corner.
At the moment, I am on the fence about if I will order from Jindie Nails again or not. I love the concept of many of her creations, but that's about it. I really love the color Swoon, which you can see below, it's the aqua one next to Candy Land. But if it applies anything like Candy Land, I'm sure I'll be frustrated. When I get my next order in, I will post an update.
These photos were posted by JindieNails on Instagram
Monday, January 14, 2013
Great Things Ahead...
In case you haven't noticed, I have a new widget to the right that isn't quite formatted to fit the column. BUT what's going on is very exciting! I am going to start my own nail polish business! The indie cosmetics business is very tricky and quite competitive. But after years of buying indie and watching businesses come and go, I've decided there's a better way. There simply has to be.
My frustrations come from vendors that do not plan ahead, worry about supply/demand and have no idea how to handle the traffic and sales they generate when they have a big launch. Oftentimes these businesses come out with so many new things at one time, I know that I cannot afford to get ALL the things I want, so I'm sure I'm not alone on that. Then by the time I can afford to, they are gone forever or I have to wait an indefinite amount of time for a restock. The system is flawed. I want to create something different, with a totally different business model.
I have so many ideas! But first there is some fundraising to be done. I have to get supplies, packaging, bottles, shipping supplies, not to mention source the materials I want, look into names and trademarks. It's pretty daunting and pretty scary. So, I've started a GoFundMe page. I have set in place some pretty nifty incentives. I would appreciate it if you could take a look or pass it along and help spread the word. If you could donate, that would be wonderful. But times are tough, so I understand if you can't. Thank you so much for your time!
My frustrations come from vendors that do not plan ahead, worry about supply/demand and have no idea how to handle the traffic and sales they generate when they have a big launch. Oftentimes these businesses come out with so many new things at one time, I know that I cannot afford to get ALL the things I want, so I'm sure I'm not alone on that. Then by the time I can afford to, they are gone forever or I have to wait an indefinite amount of time for a restock. The system is flawed. I want to create something different, with a totally different business model.
I have so many ideas! But first there is some fundraising to be done. I have to get supplies, packaging, bottles, shipping supplies, not to mention source the materials I want, look into names and trademarks. It's pretty daunting and pretty scary. So, I've started a GoFundMe page. I have set in place some pretty nifty incentives. I would appreciate it if you could take a look or pass it along and help spread the word. If you could donate, that would be wonderful. But times are tough, so I understand if you can't. Thank you so much for your time!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
The Great Glamourpuss Giveaway Winner REVEALED!
All you need to do is watch the video!
Thanks to everyone who entered!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Facebook Giveaway - ENDED
THE CONTEST IS OVER! THANKS
TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!!
**DO NOT USE THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET!** PLEASE follow the instructions on the screenshot from my FB page, below. Rafflecopter glitched out on me, but I don't want to delete it yet and lose those entries. Thanks!!**
So, here's what I put together for my giveaway! As you can see there are: Ardell Double Up lashes, a mini Hard Candy nail polish, nail polish remover pads, a cool mottled Rimmel single eyeshadow, SauceBox Cosmetics mascara, Hard Candy's 5-piece eyeliner set, an Essence multi-colour blush, Philosophy's Supernatual palette, a super-sparkly E.L.F. lipgloss, a compact mirror and a C.O. Bigelow lip balm in Spearmint!!
I'm so excited that I surpassed 550 fans on my Facebook page! I tried to keep the giveaway simple, so all you can choose what you would like to do to enter, via rafflecopter! The contest ends Friday at 11:59 pm. Good luck and spread the word! Thanks so much for your support!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Deal Of The Day
Well, I hit up another Walgreens to see if they had the eyelashes I bough the other day on sale. Turns out they had them, but they weren't on sale. BUT, they did have these "Double Up" lashes on sale for $1.50! I had never seen these before, but they have two rows of lashes per eye! Pretty nifty!!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
SauceBox Vs Sugarpill
I've been so excited since I came across SauceBox Cosmetics! Their colors are bright, they are very affordable and they even give one of my favorite companies, Sugarpill, a run for their money! Ever since I got my last order, I decided I needed to do some comparison swatches. I knew it wouldn't be long before people started asking about it. So here they are.
As you can see they are quite similar. I find SauceBox's Jungle green to
be more yellow and a lighter shade of green than Sugarpill's Midori.
Now, Oh La La was brighter and a smidge lighter than Dollipop.
I found the blues to be apples and oranges.
I don't think any are substitutes for another.
But all of the colors are lovely.
Now, the oranges. I think SauceBox's Wildflower
is less pink/red than Sugarpill's Flamepoint. It also
has a less chalky appearance on the skin.
Her are two that are altogether different from Sugarpill.
Spy is a lovely, shimmery vanilla shade, great for
highlighting the browbone and cheekbones.
Killer is a mid-tone, warm gray and I love it.
It's not blue-based and its very easy to use for
a smoky eye and NOT overdo it.
Now here's the price breakdown of each. Sugarpill's single shadows are $12 each. SauceBox Cosmetics' single shadows are $8 each. A quad palette from Sugarpill is $34. A quad palette from SauceBox is $26. And a 6-pan palette from SauceBox is $35-$38. While some things are not similar, other things are. And you know me, I am always looking for the best deal around. I am quite happy with all of my shadows.
Blooper Sale at SauceBox Cosmetics!!
In any event, now is a FANTASTIC time to try SauceBox at a great price! If you like the berry color scheme, then they have a palette for you called Forbidden Fruits! It usually retails for $35.00. But they've gotten a batch from the factory that has slight imperfections. By that, I mean small scratches or smudges. And because of this, they are selling them for only $20!!!
http://www.sauceboxcosmetics.com/sbpage/store/products/forbidden-fruits-production-bloopers
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Find Of The Day!
I found these AWESOME Ardell lashes I've been wanting to try for $2.29 at Walgreens. They are on clearance, with orange tag and will no longer be available once they are gone!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
China Glaze - Whirled Away
As you saw in my last review, I recently picked up "It's A Trap-eze" and "Whirled Away" by China Glaze. These polishes are from their Cirque du Soleil collection.
"Whirled Away" is very similar to Cover Band Lacquer's polish "Sticks 'n Stones." Again, I'm glad that a big league company is taking cues from indie brands, which also makes the polish more affordable and easily accessible, but I dislike taking business away from indie companies. It's a catch-22, for certain.
"Whirled Away" has a clear base with large, white, hex glitter. Then there are the little black strips and medium-sized, black, hex glitter. I found the application to be pretty tricky. Because the brush is black, it's difficult to gauge how much black glitter is on it. And because the glitters are so large, you have to think strategically when placing them. As you can see on my middle finger, when I simply brushed the polish on the way I usually would, all the glitter got hung up on the middle of my nail. Part of me thinks it would be easier to have loose glitter and manually apply it.
Overall, I like the look. As soon as I saw it, I thought of the Formica tabletops from the '50s, so I decided aqua and pink would be awesome as base colors. I used NYX Girls "Kinky Pink" on my pinky and thumb. Then I used Sleek's "Turquoise" on my ring finger. Barry M's "Bright Pink" on my middle finger and Barry M's "Flamingo Pink" on my pointer finger. On my thumb, I sandwiched the two polishes. I kinda like that effect, but I think I prefer "Whirled Away" as a topcoat.
Last but not least, it took around 3 coats of Seche Vite to create a nice, smooth finish...which, in turn, made the polish like a tiny piece of armor that came off in one sheet a few days later. :/ Darn that Seche Vite!
"Whirled Away" is very similar to Cover Band Lacquer's polish "Sticks 'n Stones." Again, I'm glad that a big league company is taking cues from indie brands, which also makes the polish more affordable and easily accessible, but I dislike taking business away from indie companies. It's a catch-22, for certain.
"Whirled Away" has a clear base with large, white, hex glitter. Then there are the little black strips and medium-sized, black, hex glitter. I found the application to be pretty tricky. Because the brush is black, it's difficult to gauge how much black glitter is on it. And because the glitters are so large, you have to think strategically when placing them. As you can see on my middle finger, when I simply brushed the polish on the way I usually would, all the glitter got hung up on the middle of my nail. Part of me thinks it would be easier to have loose glitter and manually apply it.
Overall, I like the look. As soon as I saw it, I thought of the Formica tabletops from the '50s, so I decided aqua and pink would be awesome as base colors. I used NYX Girls "Kinky Pink" on my pinky and thumb. Then I used Sleek's "Turquoise" on my ring finger. Barry M's "Bright Pink" on my middle finger and Barry M's "Flamingo Pink" on my pointer finger. On my thumb, I sandwiched the two polishes. I kinda like that effect, but I think I prefer "Whirled Away" as a topcoat.
Last but not least, it took around 3 coats of Seche Vite to create a nice, smooth finish...which, in turn, made the polish like a tiny piece of armor that came off in one sheet a few days later. :/ Darn that Seche Vite!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
It's A Trap-eze, Baby!
This blog is not a cut and dry nail polish review, a few factors came to mind when writing this. (Just so you know.)
First of all, I've been wanting to try a polish like this ever since Nails Inc came out with their "Sprinkle" collection. And there are many indie sellers who have created similar polishes. This is where my internal struggle comes into play.
As an artist, I want to support small, indie sellers. But it's a struggle when there is not enough supply to meet the demand and a lot of these sellers burn out from the rush of business and then fall off the radar for a while. It's tricky, at best.
I can appreciate that China Glaze is taking notice of the indie trends and came up with two polishes that reflect those trends in their new Cirque du Soleil collection. In this review, I'm only reviewing "It's a Trap-eze", but I will be writing a review for "Whirled Away" too.
The polish is lovely. It has a milky white base and is PACKED with glitter. The glitter is made up of a rainbow of colors and various sizes. I was surprised to see it was a shiny glitter and not matte. I've heard this polish described as thick and chunky, but I think that's only as a result of all that glitter!! I really had no problems with application.
I decided to swatch this polish three different ways: on my pinky there was no base color, my ring finger had a link base and my middle finger had a baby blue base. In my opinion, I like the pinky the best. I like the layered look, where the glitter isn't so sparkly and metallic. I also found that the other two fingers did not get a smooth finish, even with multiple coats of Seche Vite...
which brings me to my next dilemma.
For the first time ever, the SV shrank my polish. The middle and ring fingers were the worst, but you can see it on the pinky too. It made the polish look think and awful around all edges. And of course, a day or so later, the whole thing peeled off in one piece. :/
Despite my various difficulties, I think the polish is quite pretty. I only plan on using it over the regular color of my nails and work in light, thinner layers. If you've wanted to try a translucent polish with glitter, but haven't or can't afford to get your hands on an indie polish, this is an alternative.
First of all, I've been wanting to try a polish like this ever since Nails Inc came out with their "Sprinkle" collection. And there are many indie sellers who have created similar polishes. This is where my internal struggle comes into play.
As an artist, I want to support small, indie sellers. But it's a struggle when there is not enough supply to meet the demand and a lot of these sellers burn out from the rush of business and then fall off the radar for a while. It's tricky, at best.
I can appreciate that China Glaze is taking notice of the indie trends and came up with two polishes that reflect those trends in their new Cirque du Soleil collection. In this review, I'm only reviewing "It's a Trap-eze", but I will be writing a review for "Whirled Away" too.
The polish is lovely. It has a milky white base and is PACKED with glitter. The glitter is made up of a rainbow of colors and various sizes. I was surprised to see it was a shiny glitter and not matte. I've heard this polish described as thick and chunky, but I think that's only as a result of all that glitter!! I really had no problems with application.
I decided to swatch this polish three different ways: on my pinky there was no base color, my ring finger had a link base and my middle finger had a baby blue base. In my opinion, I like the pinky the best. I like the layered look, where the glitter isn't so sparkly and metallic. I also found that the other two fingers did not get a smooth finish, even with multiple coats of Seche Vite...
which brings me to my next dilemma.
For the first time ever, the SV shrank my polish. The middle and ring fingers were the worst, but you can see it on the pinky too. It made the polish look think and awful around all edges. And of course, a day or so later, the whole thing peeled off in one piece. :/
Despite my various difficulties, I think the polish is quite pretty. I only plan on using it over the regular color of my nails and work in light, thinner layers. If you've wanted to try a translucent polish with glitter, but haven't or can't afford to get your hands on an indie polish, this is an alternative.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Saucebox is Awesomesauce
I always keep an eye out for cool, new make-up. Factors I like to consider are: quality, uniqueness, packaging and most importantly, value. As a freelancer, I live the "feast or famine" lifestyle. When times are good, they are amazing! When times are slow, it's beyond sad.
Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE color! I love great pigmentation. I've really enjoyed bright eyeshadows by Sugarpill and Sleek. But I've had my eye on a company I've never tried before...Saucebox.
I came across Saucebox via Facebook. The colors looked amazing. The prices are more reasonable than Sugarpill and easier to get your hands on than Sleek, the first chance I could, I placed a small order with Saucebox. I ordered their classic, neutral, Creme de la Creme palette. I also picked up a single shadow they have a hard time keeping in stock. It's a fantastically bright, neon pink called Oh La-La.
The package arrived very quickly via first class USPS. From California, it took 3 days! The box was a very lovely pink and once I opened it, I found my items carefully wrapped in pink tissue paper. Sure enough, there was my CdlC palette and screaming pink shadow. But wait, there's more! I also got a mascara! Very cool! I love extras!
But before I get to the actual review of the products, I want to touch base on something that I take very seriously when it comes to my dealings with companies: customer service. In my eyes, customer service can make or break a business. I bet you think I'm about to go off on one of my rants, but no. I was so pleased to find that the people at Saucebox were so welcoming and helpful. I had questions that were answered thoroughly and in a timely fashion. I established a great rapport with the company representative I was communicating with. It was a top-notch experience...from before the order took place until I received my order. I cannot praise them enough.
Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE color! I love great pigmentation. I've really enjoyed bright eyeshadows by Sugarpill and Sleek. But I've had my eye on a company I've never tried before...Saucebox.
I came across Saucebox via Facebook. The colors looked amazing. The prices are more reasonable than Sugarpill and easier to get your hands on than Sleek, the first chance I could, I placed a small order with Saucebox. I ordered their classic, neutral, Creme de la Creme palette. I also picked up a single shadow they have a hard time keeping in stock. It's a fantastically bright, neon pink called Oh La-La.
The package arrived very quickly via first class USPS. From California, it took 3 days! The box was a very lovely pink and once I opened it, I found my items carefully wrapped in pink tissue paper. Sure enough, there was my CdlC palette and screaming pink shadow. But wait, there's more! I also got a mascara! Very cool! I love extras!But before I get to the actual review of the products, I want to touch base on something that I take very seriously when it comes to my dealings with companies: customer service. In my eyes, customer service can make or break a business. I bet you think I'm about to go off on one of my rants, but no. I was so pleased to find that the people at Saucebox were so welcoming and helpful. I had questions that were answered thoroughly and in a timely fashion. I established a great rapport with the company representative I was communicating with. It was a top-notch experience...from before the order took place until I received my order. I cannot praise them enough.
Now, for the good stuff!!
The awesome contents of my order!
Creme de la Creme Palette
I found the eye shadows in the Creme de la Creme palette to be very smooth and velvety. There is GREAT coverage and pigmentation. The black is probably the blackest black I have ever used. It goes on evenly and does not require layering, like other black shadows do. The rest of the colors in the CdlC palette are beautifully shimmery. There is a gorgeous light color that is not a cool white and is perfect for a natural highlight under the brow bone. You can see in my swatches that the next to the lightest color almost blends perfectly in with my skin tone. I love that. Not only can I use it on my eyes, I can use it as a natural-looking face highlighter too. The browns are very easy to blend and I love the gray because it is not too cool. It won't be turning blue on anyone. I have to say, I think that the CdlC palette is an essential neutral set that every woman needs to have. It is $35 and can be found here.
Oh my...Oh La-La!
Now, I was SO happy to get my hands on Oh La-La! This is a color that is frequently out of stock. It is a brilliant pink. So very pink, that it is hard to photograph because the camera goes all loopy trying to capture all of the awesomeness. The color is matte and glides over the skin. The coverage is great and is not chalky at all. While it's not for the faint of heart, it is a lot of fun. And don't forget that it is possible to mix a flash of an ultra-bright color in with a basic neutral eye look and not have the color be overbearing. Don't be afraid of color, ladies...it's too much fun!! The single shadows are only $8 and can be found here.
Surprise! Mascara!
I have not tried out the mascara yet, but as soon as I do (most likely the next time I do my make-up), I will tell you all about it.
Swatches!
More swatches and the look I did with the shadows for Halloween!
In conclusion, what else can I say about Saucebox? Well, I really really want everything else they make. I need to possess every eye shadow in BOTH my own personal stash and in my professional kit. In their collection of single eye shadows, there are many that can also double as blush. I haven't wanted to gush about a company so much in a LONG time and I really can't wait to get my hands on more products.
So, yes, fine powers that be at Saucebox, should you ever feel the need to sponsor a working make-up artist, then I'm your girl! I'm not just a blogger, I'm out there working events: doing commercial work, editorial work, work that gets published, anything I can to get get my hands on faces and make transformations happen! :)
Friday, October 26, 2012
New Work
Here's some very recent make-up work of mine. The model's name is Megan Scott. The hair guru is Larry Webb. And the photographer is Michael Church.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Jewel Box Eyeshadows by Kleancolor
I recently made a quick visit to a local, independent beauty supply store. I came across a treasure trove of pretty eyeshadow palettes that were inexpensive too!
One of the ones that caught my eye was this sparkly palette by Kleancolor. I got palette 01, which has lovely greens and purples. The color pigmentation isn't the best I've seen, but the shimmer is gorgeous. And for $1.99, I think it's a great find.
One of the ones that caught my eye was this sparkly palette by Kleancolor. I got palette 01, which has lovely greens and purples. The color pigmentation isn't the best I've seen, but the shimmer is gorgeous. And for $1.99, I think it's a great find.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
My Wicked-Awesome Nail Art Kit
After looking at so many cool photos of nail art, I decided it's time I put together a collection of supplies to play around with. And I did so for under $20! I'm going to tell you how.
First, you have to decide what you want? What kind of nail art do you like to see? What's your skill level? I really fell in love with the Konad stamping sets about 2 years ago, but honestly, I stink when it comes to using them. This is frustrating since SO many people use them and they look great. I don't know if I don't have the patience or if I simply don't have the knack for it. And while I would like to invest in some of the awesome, HUGE plates I've seen, it's just not worth it for me.
I knew I wanted to get some brushes. Since I tend to complain about a lot about some of the cheapie brushes that come in the lids of some nail polishes, it seemed like a logical choice. I also picked up some striping brushes. That seems like something I can do. I've been coveting the dotting tools that have the acrylic handles with swirly colors in them.
I decided I wanted to get some striping tapes. I don't know that I'll actually use them for striping, but I like the idea of using them to make patterns, paint over and peel off. But that didn't stop me from getting them in almost 20 colors!
Then I began to think of other things to stick on nails. The options are endless. There's glitter, teeny steel balls, dried flowers, rhinestones, fimo slices, stickers, stencils, you name it! Anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for sparkly, so glitter and rhinestones? Yes, please! I also picked up some wheels with dried flowers, teeny steel balls (like you see in the "caviar" photos), rhinestones, pearls and some adorable pearl bows! The glitter I got is AWESOME! I got two sets. One has fine glitter, the other one has large, hex glitter.
One thing I learned while shopping on eBay is that there are a LOT of companies that sell these things! All are from China. I got MANY items for under $1, including shipping! I think the most expensive thing I got was the wheel with the pearly bows. BUT definitely keep an eye on the things on your watch list or in your cart. I had a couple of sets of glitter go from $1.40 to $25.00 overnight! Fortunately, it only takes one search to find more listings!
Here are just a couple of photos. I'm on vacation at the moment, but when I get back home, I will add a photoblog of the rest of my stash!!
First, you have to decide what you want? What kind of nail art do you like to see? What's your skill level? I really fell in love with the Konad stamping sets about 2 years ago, but honestly, I stink when it comes to using them. This is frustrating since SO many people use them and they look great. I don't know if I don't have the patience or if I simply don't have the knack for it. And while I would like to invest in some of the awesome, HUGE plates I've seen, it's just not worth it for me.
I knew I wanted to get some brushes. Since I tend to complain about a lot about some of the cheapie brushes that come in the lids of some nail polishes, it seemed like a logical choice. I also picked up some striping brushes. That seems like something I can do. I've been coveting the dotting tools that have the acrylic handles with swirly colors in them.
I decided I wanted to get some striping tapes. I don't know that I'll actually use them for striping, but I like the idea of using them to make patterns, paint over and peel off. But that didn't stop me from getting them in almost 20 colors!
Then I began to think of other things to stick on nails. The options are endless. There's glitter, teeny steel balls, dried flowers, rhinestones, fimo slices, stickers, stencils, you name it! Anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for sparkly, so glitter and rhinestones? Yes, please! I also picked up some wheels with dried flowers, teeny steel balls (like you see in the "caviar" photos), rhinestones, pearls and some adorable pearl bows! The glitter I got is AWESOME! I got two sets. One has fine glitter, the other one has large, hex glitter.
One thing I learned while shopping on eBay is that there are a LOT of companies that sell these things! All are from China. I got MANY items for under $1, including shipping! I think the most expensive thing I got was the wheel with the pearly bows. BUT definitely keep an eye on the things on your watch list or in your cart. I had a couple of sets of glitter go from $1.40 to $25.00 overnight! Fortunately, it only takes one search to find more listings!
Here are just a couple of photos. I'm on vacation at the moment, but when I get back home, I will add a photoblog of the rest of my stash!!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Nostalgic Nail Lacquers
There has been a lot of buzz about artisan nail polishes for some time now! Some people call them indie, but since they are hand-blended and do vary, I prefer the word artisan.
I managed to snag a couple of new polishes from Nostalgic Nail Lacquers. I have been wanting to try some matte glitter polishes and I found a couple I really liked from their "Clueless"-inspired collection. I got "Rollin' With The Homies" and "Way Harsh."
RWTH has a clear base with white and blue matte glitter. It applies easily and the glitter distribution is pretty good. I found two coats to be sufficient for good coverage. I played with the color over some sparkly blues, cream colors and even a matte polish. I like the idea of mixing up textures, finishes and colors.
I managed to snag a couple of new polishes from Nostalgic Nail Lacquers. I have been wanting to try some matte glitter polishes and I found a couple I really liked from their "Clueless"-inspired collection. I got "Rollin' With The Homies" and "Way Harsh."
RWTH has a clear base with white and blue matte glitter. It applies easily and the glitter distribution is pretty good. I found two coats to be sufficient for good coverage. I played with the color over some sparkly blues, cream colors and even a matte polish. I like the idea of mixing up textures, finishes and colors.
WH has a clear base, with really fine pink and black, matte glitter. This polish took a little more work to get an even distribution of glitter, but it's pretty! I really love the mix of it and the turquoise nail polish. Reminds me of the '50s formica countertops.
Both of these polishes dry down to a matte finish. I had to use a couple of layers of Seche Vite to get a good smooth shine.
These polishes are fun and creative. There are not a lot of companies that make polishes with matte glitter. I have seen quite a few artisans start a business, then get overwhelmed by the high demand for such products, thus creating the need for a hiatus. It's a shame because once polishes like these do go on sale, they usually get bought up right away!
As for Nostalgic Nail Lacquers, I would definitely use more of their polishes. The shipping was fast, the items were packed well. Everything went off without a hitch and you can't beat that!
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