Tinted Lip Balm Heaven

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?

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

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

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?

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...

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!

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

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?