Colourpop Cosmetics Super Shock Eye Shadow in Liberty and I Heart This

When I placed my Colourpop order for the 4 Ultra Matte lipsticks I wanted I needed to put a few more things in my cart to get free shipping so of course I had to give their eye shadows a try!  I heard some good things about their Super Shock shadows and while I like my lips matte I tend to prefer my eyes to obnoxiously sparkle. Oh boy do these deliver.

I decided to get Liberty, a very metallic silver and I <3 This, a shimmery taupe.

Yes I <3 This does have the same name as the pink lipstick I swatched a while back.  It confused me too at first when I was looking up swatches. These swatches are with two coats over no primer.

Liberty is basically tin man silver. It is intense, its shimmery, and its oh so metallic. I love it. It really makes my eyes pop and while it is an intense true silver, I don't think it is all that crazy looking with a bit of a dark matte shadow blended into the crease. It provides a very wearable pop of metal! The formula itself is like butter.  You apply these using the finger so all it takes is to lightly swipe your finger in the shadow and then dab it on the lid.  

I didn't do my whole lid with I <3 This because this is the way I see myself wearing it most often, at the inner corner blended into another sparkly pop of color.  It is much more neutral and less intense and metallic than Liberty, but that also makes it an amazing every day shadow.  I was hoping it would be a bit more on the grey side, instead I think it is much golder than I was thinking.  I still think it looks great on me though so I will definitely be getting use out of it!

Overall these shadows are great and I will definitely be buying more if I ever make another Colourpop order!

Where to buy: colourpop.com

Price: $5

Ipsy Glam Bag June 2015

I was only partially looking forward to this month.  Most of the items could have been a huge hit or miss so I was pretty nervous.  Luckily luck was on my side as most of the bag this month is pretty awesome!

This month included a lip stain, an eye brow pencil, a face primer, a body lotion, and an eye shadow stick.  Once again this month is a really nice mix of things, allowing them to all easily be used together in one look.

The bag itself was gross.  The fabric was really strange and felt weird to the touch.  I threw it out.  I seriously can't stand the way it feels...

J. Cat Beauty Liptitude Hydrating Lip Stain in Hikilicous (LLS117)

"Highly pigmented, hydrating, semi-matte lip stain. A delightfully creamy and lightweight stain for any occasion. Silky, smooth and packed with Vitamin E and plants extract, this stain is your go-to glam tool for sexy. Liptitude will last 24/7 and give you some serious ATTITUDE."

4/5

I almost always give colorful lip products at least a 4 when I do these reviews but what can I say, I like my bright lips!

I fell in love with J.Cat when I got one of their lip paints in a past Ipsy bag.  Therefore I was definitely looking forward to this product.  As far as color it is kind of a pinkish coral.  It contrasts just a bit with my skin tone which really makes it pop more than it might on someone with a warm tone, however the coral is muted enough that I think I can definitely pull it off. It is easy to apply and goes on very creamy.  It is hydrating at first but I feel after a few hours it starts to get chalky.  I do not really feel that it is a lip stain in the traditional sense, it goes on very thick and transfers like crazy.  that's definitely my least favorite thing about this lip stain...it gets on my teeth and ANYTHING I put my lips up to.  It lasted all morning and through one meal.  After my second meal there was a slight stain on my lips with more pigmented product around my lips.  Definitely blot this out after applying to help it not be so thick!

This product reminds me of City Color Cosmetics new lipstick except it doesn't smell like paint (thankfully) which for me makes J.Cat's automatically better. I'm not sure if I'd buy another one of these unless they released some more interesting colors.

Where to buy: jcatbeauty.com

Price: $6

IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil

"Brow Power matches all hair colors and covers gray perfectly! The oval shaped tip is perfect for both thin and thick brows. The spooley end brush gives a natural polished look! Developed with leading plastic surgeons, IT Cosmetics' proprietary anti-aging technology infuses a blend of brow-conditioning ingredients including Saw Palmetto, Nettle Extract, Green Tea, Biotin, Lecithin, Vitamins A, C, E, Grape Seed and Panthenol. Their exclusive, transforming shade adjusts to every hair color based on how hard you press to give you a beautiful, natural-looking brow."

4/5

This was another one I was worried about.  Universal does not always mean so but at least for my dark brows this pencil works just fine!

This is a pretty interesting concept, a universal eye brow pencil that can match blond to black depending on how hard you press down.  It is double ended, one end is the oval shaped pencil and the other end is a spooley.  I really like that it includes on, as it is a much better spooley than i currently have so even if the pencil runs out I can continue to use this end! In the above picture I included three swatches, each a varying degree of pressing power.  I have trouble only pressing that lightly so it may be difficult for heavy handed blondes to make this pencil work for them. However if you are anywhere from medium brown to dark brown this pencil should match just fine.  It is easy to use however even using the small end of the oval doesn't give as thin lines as I'd like which is why it loses a point.

Overall I like this pencil and I'm glad I can continue using the spooley even after the product is gone. The price is very high however and I have two brow pencils I like just as much for half the price.

Where to buy: Ulta, Itcosmetics.com

Price: $24 (~$12)

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer

"Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation, this best-selling, oil-free primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish."

5/5

It does what it should, no complaints.

This primer reminds me of the Mary Kay one I am currently using.  It's gel like and a little goes a long way, especially with this. It is oil free but does feel oily while applying.  I don't really notice a change in the appearance of my face such as pores or more even skin tone but it definitely makes me foundation stick and last for a long time! The first day I wore this I was sweating like crazy because the air conditioning in the lab wasn't turned on and when I went home my foundation was still flawless!  This definitely beats the Mary Kay primer as far as performance but the price is so insane I'll still be sticking with what I have. I think I'll save this sample for use on special occasions.

Where to buy: Ulta, Sephora, smashbox.com

Price: $36 ($9)

LAVANILA LABORATORIES The Healthy Body Butter in Pure Vanilla

"If you’re looking for instant hydration, this is it. This velvety smooth, all-natural body butter absorbs instantly for deeply hydrated, luxuriously soft skin. 100% pure Shea & Cocoa Butters blend with powerful antioxidants and essential oils for long-lasting hydration. Completely non-greasy, prepare for the ultimate indulgence.

About the scent: A grown up expression of vanilla. Its sensual blend of fresh Madagascar vanilla and tonka bean will leave your skin softly scented."

5/5

No complaints here, nice formula, lovely scent.

The last few body butters I got from Ipsy have smelled disgusting so I was so happy to see this one was simply vanilla. I love vanilla, it s my favorite scent so I was really hoping they couldn't mess it up.  This is a really nice body butter, it goes on smooth and makes my skin feel nice.  The scent is great as well! The vanilla is truly lovely, not sweet like a lot of vanilla lotions.  It turns me into a walking aromatic experience. 

I am a bit too in love with Fortune Cookie soap to purchase anything else from this brand however.

Where to buy: lavanila.com, Sephora

Price: $19 ($2.40)

tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon

"This amazing 12 hour eye shadow has customizable color that you can build from a subtle wash to intense vibrancy. It’s also super blendable with a crease free, smooth finish."

2/5

Its just meh.

First of all thank you so much to my mom for switching her pencil with mine.  I got brown. Ugh, why.  I have never worn a dark brown eye shadow in my life.  She was nice enough to trade the brown for this yellow shimmery color.  It was also available in a rose highlight...why oh why did Ipsy not give me that one....or even the green would have been cool....ugh.  Anyway.  The cap on this thing is the shape of a pencil.  My mom pulls it out of her bag and starts freaking out saying they sent it without a cap.....nope. You take off the crayon top and it reveals a stick shadow. It is easy to apply as a highlighter but I feel like I have to really try to get a nice even coat everywhere that I need it. This isn't anything really special and I suppose I'll use it on occasion as it is easy to apply to the inner corner.

Ipsy hasn't sent out an exciting eye shadow color in a really long time...I think we are definitely due.

Where to buy: trestique.com

Price: $26 (~$13)

Overall I'd give this bag a 4/5 as I liked everything except for the stupid boring eye shadow pencil. The total cost of this bag totaled about $42.40, this is an estimate as not all full sized products listed the product amount for conversion so I had to guess.

Also I just used 500 of my points for an orchid Buxom eye shadow! Yay!

Want an Ipsy bag for only $10 a month?

  

Hello Waffle Cosmetics Haul

I have placed yet another order with Hello Waffle Cosmetics! I didn't go too crazy however and only picked up a full size shadow, a half size, and a sample.  

The three shadows I decided on were Hisster Prynne, Catticus Finch, and Ethereal Voice. 

I have already swatched Hisster Prynne in a previous post but look at that art, how could I not show it again!? I love this color because it is right on the border between red and pink.  It can make an eye look go from normal to intense in 5 seconds. I love it! 

The halfing shadow I decided on was Catticus Finch.  This is a really really pretty light lavender with gold sparkles.  This is the hardest color I have ever tried to photograph.  In the container it looks grey and on my wrist it looks almost blueish. Whyyyy. It is light grey purple, I promise. On my eyes it loses the goldish shimmer and is mostly just a pale lavender. I was expecting a bit more from it so I'm glad I only picked up the halfling size, but even though I was a bit underwhelmed I like it nonetheless!

For my sample I asked to try Ethereal Voice and the company delivered! This is a very pretty dark purple shade with gold shimmer.  I will definitely enjoy using the sample however it is not quite as unique as I was hoping. I already have quite a few dark purples that look just like this when blended into my crease.  

Sorry about the strange lighting....I was at my parents house and didn't have the levels of natural and artificial light that I'm used to working with.

For this look I used Catticus Finch on my lid, Ethereal Voice in my crease, and Hisster Prynne on m lower lashline.  I love the combination of Catticus and Hisster.  I have been lightly dabbing Hisster over Catticus to create a really interesting lavender with red shimmer kind of shadow look.  

To get an idea of what Catticus Finch looks really like refer to the full face shot. I could not get it to show up correctly on the eye only pics.  I really wish it was lip safe!

On my lips is Maybelline Color Whisper in Plum Prospect.

Where to buy: hellowafflecosmetics.com

Price:

Full- $7.75 CAD (~$6.14)

Half- $4.15 CAD (~$3.29)

Ethereal Smokey Eye

Today's FOTD was completely unplanned.  I woke up and knew I wanted to do something dark but nothing too crazy.  I think I found the perfect combo between interesting, dark, and wearable.

I started by placing Urban from the Electric Palette all over my lid and into my crease.  I then patted Black Out by Urban Decay onto my lid and slightly blended it into the purple. I then attempted to create a slight halo effect by lightly dabbing Mother of Dragons by Shiro Cosmetics onto the center of my eyelid.  I love how it turned out!! Lightly putting Mother of Dragons over a matte black creates this really interesting ethereal shimmer on the eyes.  I will definitely be doing this again! It takes a dark look and makes a bit less heavy and a lot more enchanting.

On my lips is Ches Desire Cat by JCat Beauty applied lightly. 

Blackbird Cosmetics Haul

I had heard nothing but wonderful things about indie makeup brand Blackbird cosmetic's matte eyeshadow formula.  They recently started a new website blackbirdcosmetics.com and in celebration gave out a 30% off code.  I jumped at the opportunity and made my first purchase!

I bought a full size of their green Magic Trick Super Powder and matte eyeshadow in Vintage.  I also bought a sample of their matte eyeshadows in Imogen and Gravity.  Lucid and Dim Tradition were free!

I'll start my review with the green face powder.  I had bought NYX cosmetic's green concealer which is great for acne spots but when I tr to rub it on my face it gets in my pores and looks weird.  This powder is designed to be used all over the face under foundation or alone.  I was nervous to get a full size but the reviews I read were positive so I went for it!

And I'm so glad I did! I love it! I dusted it over half my face with a kabuki brush and instantly noticed my skin looked smoother and a bit less red.  You can build up the powder on areas that need extra coverage and it reduces the red even more.  I'm pretty sure I could wear this alone because I could not see any noticeable green, just reduced redness. So far I'm loving this!

It was kinda hard to get a good picture of this stuff in action.  The place I could see the most noticeable difference was on my nose.  The top image is my bare skin with moisturizer and primer.  The bottom is with the addition of the green powder.  Less red and more even skin tone! I'm so excited to use this every day! I put on my liquid foundation and usually I finish with a powder foundation but I had so little red showing through I didn't even feel that I needed to.

Next up are the eyeshadows!  I needed to have vintage as it looked like a super beautiful matte purple.  I also picked Imogen and Gravity because they also looked to have purple in them and I love cool toned mattes. I put a strip of eye primer down the middle so you can see the difference between the shadows over bare skin and primer.

I swear these are the most butter smooth easily blendable mattes I have ever used in my life.  Usually putting a matte shadow in my crease results in patchy blotchyness.  Nope. These are amazing and perfect. I'm so glad I finally understand what the hype is about.

This was a freebie.  I don't really have a use for a matte white as I already have two but oh well.  It is actually pretty light and barely shows up on my skin.  Maybe I'm too pale? I kind of like it as an under my eyebrow highlight as it isn't too obvious.

Imogen looked to be a nice matte pink, which it is.  On my eyes it looks much lighter than when  heavily swatched on my wrist. If I place another order I think I will be getting a full size of this. Its simple, cute, and pretty.

I got a sample of Gravity as it looked to be a taupy purple.  However once its on my skin it is mostly just taupe and loses the purple.  I was a bit bummed until I decided to try it as a contour.  Wouldn't you know it works pretty well with my skin tone.  I may experiment more with this and if I like it enough I might get a full size to use as a contour because it is so hard to find good colors for cool toned pale skin.

I bought Vintage in the full size and I have no regrets! It is a very beautiful deep matte purple.  It is half way between natural and vibrant.  I feel it could easily go both ways depending on what its paired with.  I love this color and can't wait to use it in more eye looks.

Finally, Lucid is a matte black and was another freebie.  Once again I already have two matte blacks so I didn't have a need for this. I may keep it at my parents house so I have an emergency matte black if I need to do my makeup back home.

And here is a quick look I threw together using all my eyeshadows!

On my lid is Imogen, in my crease is Gravity, under my eye and as a crease definer is Vintage, the liner is Gravity, and I used Dim Tradition as a highlight. Gravity is also being used under my cheekbone as a contour. 

I'm loving these shadows and I can't wait to use them some more!

I think next time I'm getting a sample of Ruca, that deep red looks gorgeous.

Where to buy: blackbirdcosmetics.com

Price:

Magic Trick Super Powder: $12

Matte Eyeshadows:  $6.50

Indie FOTD With Hello Waffle Cosmetics Hisster Prynne and Detrivore Cosmetics Livor Mortis

Alright! So I've been using Indies for quite some time but for whatever reason I havn't been using them much lately.  I think its because since getting the Urban Decay Electric Palette I've been basing a lot of my looks off of the colors it contains.  Well not today! Today I wanted to do a look featuring two Indie samples I have not tried before.

Here is Hello Waffle Cosmetics Hisster Prynne and Detrivore Cosmetics Livor Mortis.  Hisster Prynne I got with my first Hello Waffle Order (more about that at the end) and Livor Mortis was given to me by a friend who already had a sample in this color.  Anyway, I love purple and red together so these are the perfect pair for me.  Kinda strange that Hello Waffle doesn't put their brand name on their sticker.  I had gotten some full sizes as gifts for friends and they kept asking me to remind them what brand it was.  Also I just realized both of these are lip safe....awww yes!

They swatch beautifully and as you can see even more so when put over a primer.  Hisster Prynne is a nice bright slightly light red.  Livor Mortis is a deep to mid toned purple.  Both are slightly shimmery but are not filled with chunky sparkle.

And here is the look I did with the two colors!  I decided on a purple and red halo eye because why not. I think putting NYX Milk under these would make the colors even greater!

Oh! Good news! I worked my first day as a teaching assistant for a chemistry lab and two of my students  told me they loved my makeup! :D

On my lips is NYX Matte Lipstick in Tea Rose.

I also decided to swatch these colors against a similar color just for comparisons sake.  Against Livor Mortis is Shiro Cosmetics Not Very Effective, a favorite of mine for use as an eye liner.  NVE is much darker and is filled with very chunky sparkles while Livor Mortis is lighter and more shimmery than sparkly.  Both are great!

I didn't have another Indie red at my apartment so I swatched it against BH Cosmetics Aphrodite from the Galaxy Chic Palette.  Aphrodite is a bit darker and more rusty colored while Hisster Prynne is lighter and more on the pink side. I will be getting a full size of Hisster Prynne because I really want a nice red that isn't confined to a palette.

Thanks for reading!

Final Thoughts:

Detrivore: I have now tried two shadows from this brand and I love them both.  Bruise works great as a special effect kind of shadow for...well..bruises.  Livor Mortis could also be incorporated into zombie or halloween makeup effects and just worn alone of course.  I could see this being used as an eyeliner as well, however I probably won't buy the full size.

Where to buy: shirocosmetics.com/products/detrivore/

Price: $1-$6

Hello Waffle: The shadow I got to try is great and because of this I will be ordering again, but I am a bit bummed regarding my last purchase.  On Facebook before Black Friday she had posted that for a day only she was having a buy 3 get one free sale.  This was perfect as I wanted to get three of my friends shadows and then one for myself because I am totally allowed to get Christmas presents for myself!! Anyway I stated in the comment section that I wanted Hisster Prynne as my free shadow as per the Facebook instructions but instead all I got was the sample size. :(

I'm not sure if I just misinterpreted the Facebook sale or if she didn't understand my note.  Either way it was a sad day opening the package.

Regardless I'll be buying the full size this weekend along with Ethereal Voice and maybe something from the Composers collection.  My friend will be placing a joint order with me so at least shipping won't be so damaging.

Where to buy: Hellowafflecosmetics.com

Price: $3.84-$7.09 CAD,  $3.08- $5.70 USD

USD could change based on the current conversion rate at purchase.

MAC Rocky Horror 3D Black Glitter and Its Various Uses

Because the MAC Rocky Horror 3D Black glitter was so insanely pretty I had to snag it!  However I didn't really think about the fact that I have never used loose glitter before. Luckily my mom had a lash glue she wasn't a fan of so I've been using that to apply it, but I've since ordered Urban Decay's Bondage which works much better. Anyway, I've been experimenting with some different things and wanted to share my crazy antics! These techniques can easily be used with any loose glitter out there, doesn't have to be this one. Enjoy!

Here is the glitter in all its awesomeness...so pretty.  It has black, silver, green, red, blue....you name it, it will shine that color depending on how the light hits it.  I love it!

First up is simply using it as an eyeliner!

If you do this BE VERY CAREFUL. You do not want glitter in your eye it will suck very badly.  Just please be careful when using glitter around your eye....

This glitter can really glam up an eye look in an instant. So fun! However I think it prefer it under my eye rather than above. To do this I put glitter adhesive on my winged liner and patted the glitter over top with a small brush.

I find it much safer to use the glitter as an eye liner under the eye to minimize the chances of a spec damaging the cornea.

Next I'm going to use it as an eyeshadow enhancer.

I picked up Urban Decay's Bondage in order to use this glitter more effectively and discovered that it also works fairly well to create an all over sparkly eye shadow effect. I'm sorry I didn't do any close ups for this but up close it just looks...strange.  From a normal distance covering your eye lid in this glitter creates a super enchanting look.  However getting up as close as my camera does it looks very strange. 

To do this I lightly coated my entire eyelid with Bondage using the brush in the lid.  I was able to put it right on top of the eyeshadow I was already wearing and it didn't mess it up at all. Next I took a eye shadow brush and lightly dipped it in the glitter then carefully patted it onto my eyelid.  It suck really well and didn't budge until I took it off with makeup remover!

This glitter can seriously glam up an eye look in an instant. So fun!

Moving away from the eyes, next up is glitter lips!

A little less practical...but super fun nonetheless. Just be careful not to eat too much of it.  I did not put a lip gloss on top but if I ever wore it out I probably would in order to keep the glitter from going in my mouth or on my chin.

Mmm look at those sparkles.  To do this I put the 3D Black over NYX's Simply Vamp Lipstick in Temptress. To apply I simply patted the glitter onto my lips with my finger. This may be more practical if you use less glitter with some lip gloss.

And finally the last use I have for my glitter is as a nail polish.

This is super easy to do and the results are amazing.  I love my nails right now. To keep with the theme I put the Rocky Horror glitter on top of my Rocky Horror nail polish in Bad Fairy. 

To do this simply mix the glitter and a top coat or clear nail polish on a piece of plastic, then paint away!  I would recomend doing this with a cheap clear polish as you tend to have to use a lot, it also wastes some glitter, but there is so much of it in that jar I'm not really worried.

I hope you now have some fun new techniques to try with your loose glitter.  Have fun and don't get it in your eye!

Jesse's Girl Cosmetics Pure Pigment Eye Dust Swatches

I recently placed an order at Jesse's Girl cosmetics because Ipsy was offering a coupon code and I NEEDED another liquid eyeliner.  I should do a review of that liner because it is seriously my holy grail liquid liner.  Anyway with my order I received a bunch of little sample baggies from their new eye dust collection which I will now share with you!

Here they are! I was so stoked because it was almost like receiving a Shiro Cosmetics order.....except these aren't as awesome as Shiro shadows but we will get to that.

Here is every shadow with its respective name and number. After swatching I was especially drawn to Rogue Flambe, Sunset Blvd, and Ultra Violet so those are the colors I ended up doing a look with.  These were all fairly easy to swatch and as you can see some of them look a lot better over primer than they do alone.  However after walking around with these on my arm the colors faded alarmingly fast except for Brown Sugar which was the least sparkly of the bunch.

Close up of Pixie Dust (gold shimmer), Starshine (silver shimmer), Sunlit Cactus (interesting yellow with slight green shimmer), and Sunstone (orange shimmer).  The first two sound like they could be the names of characters from My Little Pony.

Brown Sugar (brownish orange), Rogue Flambe (rusty red), Sunset Blvd (pink with gold shimmer)

Ultra Violet (purple shimmer), Troublemaker (cyan shimmer), and Majestic Green (green shimmer)

Here is the look I created with Sunset Blvd on my lid, Rogue Flambe in my crease, Ultra Violet on my lower lashine, and Starshine on my inner corner. I love Sunset Blvd it is probably my favorite shadow of the bunch just because of the unique color the gold shimmer adds to the pink.  If I make another online order I think I'm going to pick it up.  Rogue Flambe however is not that great.  It was difficult to get good pigmentation even over primer.  As you can see even though it's supposed to be red it looks way too similar in color to the pink on my lid. Ultra Violet was nice but I already own a million purple eye shadows.  Starshine was INSANELY shimmery.  I will not be using this as a highlight again, it's just too intense, it will have to be a lid color from now on.  I sent a selfie to my boyfriend and he thought I was crying. Anyway, I did not put primer on my lower lashline to compare wear.  After about 2 hours the purple was almost completely gone but the red and pink looked great until I took it off about 8 hours later.  So wear these over primer or else they will not last at all.

Overall these are nice but with so many Indie brands like Shiro offering loose shadows with longer staying time, better pigmentation, and more unique color options these can't compare.  However if I get the chance I would pick up Sunset Blvd, the most unique of the bunch.  There are about 3 times as many color options online.

Where to buy: Jessesgirlcosmetics.com, savemart, rite aid

Price: $4.99