Happy New Year!! Hope your New Year’s Eve was eventful.

One of my Beauty new year’s resolution is to rediscover products in my stash.  I decided it was time “rediscover” my purple e/s. The NYX Purple ultra pearl mania is one of my favorite purple e/s.  The shimmer is gorgeous.  I foiled it using MAC’s Fix +, which gave the shimmer, a more brilliant shine.

Another product that I discovered was the Waveline fluidline (f/l).  The color is similar to blue ink (with a slight purple tint.) I bought this product when MAC had the 15% Friends and Family sale.  I think the fluidlines are better bases than the paint pots because the crease factor is non-existent.  The only problem I see is that they can stain the skin, so I always use the matte gel as base for the fluidline.

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

• NW 43/ NC 50 Studio Tech Foundation
• Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Benefit Lemon aid
• Waveline Fluidline
• NYX Purple Ultra Pearl Mania (used with Fix +)
• Nocturnell e.s
• Glamour Check e/s
• Too Faced Shooting Star Baked e/s
• Tan side from the L’Oreal Hip Duo Adventurous
• Milani Color Brilliance Eye Pencil – Black
• Nouba Kajal and Contour #32 (Deep Purple)
• Stila Multi-Effect Mascara in Black

Cheek

• Neo-Sci Fi X-Rocks
• Neo-Sci Fi Spaced Out

Lips

NYX Tea Rose l/g
To Swoon For l/s (Adoring Carmine: 3 Rose lips)

Live abundantly,

Mix Maven

My home girl, Yummy411 , aka President of “The Pretty Committee”, called me out for being a Cherry Culture fanatic. I want to blame her because she exposed me to Specktra, where I learned about Cherry Culture. LOL!

One of my new favorite nail polish brands is LA Colors.  The bottles are shaped like OPI polishes at fraction of the cost ($2!!!) and less toxins. I found this product on my foray at the Cherry Culture website.  The LA Colors lacquer, Vibrant Violet,  was apart of my first purchase on Cherry Culture.  I was totally pleased with the brilliance of the color and purchased other colors from Cherry Culture. One of the Specktrettes (a Specktra.net member) discussed buying LA Colors products at her local dollar store.  I decided to head a Dollar Tree and I noticed that this store carried a few LA Colors products that I have seen on Cherry Culture’s website. (Unfortunately, no LA Colors nail polish…

Here is what I got:

LA Colors Shimmering Loose Eye Shadow – This product is similar to MAC pigments, which I love, but I find them to be somewhat chunkier than most pigments.  I am glad I only paid $1 and not the $3 listed on Cherry Culture.  The brush applicator is not favorable and I will find away to open the container (without too much fallout) to put in another container.  If you are starting out on the makeup scene, definitely check these loose shadows out, which is why I gave them to my cousin J to play with.  (Always remember to use a base when applying any type of eye shadow!)

LA Colors AutoLiner, Mascara and Liquid EyeLiner

I have not used these products yet, but I have heard rave reviews about the mascara and autoliner. These products range between $2.50 and $3.00 on Cherry Culture.  The liquid eyeliners are, somewhat, issued, because some may be opened and have a bit of dried liner liquid on the product (see photo) Hey, only $1!

My Cherry Culture Haul from the recent 20% off sale:

NYX Brushes

I like NYX brushes.  You know I still love my MAC brushes, (especially the black-bristled brushes).  As one of my friends says, “What’s better than money? More money!” I have the same feeling about brushes.  One cannot have enough makeup brushes. I have other NYX brushes and I use them alongside my MAC brushes.

I ordered: NYX Professional Blush Brush (I will use for foundation blending), NYX  Professional Eye Primer brush (similar to MAC 252) and a NYX Professional shading brush.

I also picked up one of my favorite low-cost eye shadow brands, Wild & Crazy.  This time I got “Favorite Pink” which is a dupe of MAC’s Da Bling eye shadow.  The texture is great and is blendable.  For the most part, I have enjoyed the Wild & Crazy eye shadows that I have, except for a matte.

I decided to try NYX’s nail polish in Barbie Pink. The pink is vivid and pretty. I cannot wait for my next manicure appointment. (which is very soon)

I also wanted to try the LA Colors metallic palettes. The palette is called “Serenade” a series of pink shades.  The shadows are pigmented, but the palette is smaller than I thought it was going to be.  I swatched a few of the shadows on my hand, so I think they will be fine.  For the $4 price, I am pleased, though, chances are I will not stock up on the other LA Colors metallic palettes.

Overall, I am pleased with my haulage. MAC has some good stuff coming out almost every month of 2008, so I am definitely bracing for that.  Happy Haulin’ to you!!

Mix Maven

FYI, I am not a photograher…. ok

I love watching MTV’s (me watching is a rarity these days) Randy Jackson Presents American’s Best Dance Crew (Dang that is a long A$$ name . (Sidebar: this is the only competition show I watch… No Idol, no America’s Got Talent, No So You Think You Can Dance et al.) As of now, I do not have any favorite dance crews, but I am not feeling Fanny Pak.  I do think SoReal Cru is pretty good and the Detroit Crew was also good (yay for the deaf dancer.)  I am looking forward to the rest of the 2nd season.

I enjoyed hearing the heartfelt back stories of the dancers and the crews.  I wish all of them best and I hope they can parlay this show into something very successful.

Which dance crew is your fave?

I love me some Maroon 5.  Last summer I was rocking this album on a, seemingly, endless loop, so I was excited to hear about the release of the  Deluxe CD/DVD of “It Won’t Soon Before Long”  I loved this album because of the 80s elements, sexy lyrics and soft ballads.

I love the idea of Maroon 5 and Rihanna partnering in the song, “If I Never See Your Face Again”.  I did not even realize that Maroon 5 did a remix (kinda) with Rihanna. (Sidebar: I have been super, duper busy lately, rendering me unconscious to popular cultural happenings.)  I will say that Rihanna does not sound half-bad and her style and makeup (FLAWLESS!!!)   Adam Levine is definitely a looker, which adds to the mystique of the band.   Dangit, I am still PO’ed I missed them in concert last year.  And the upcoming tour date to my area is not even convenient.  Damn you, somebody! LOL No one to really blame.

I will be picking up the Deluxe CD coming out July 8, 2008.

Maroon 5 (and Rihanna) “If I Never See Your Face Again”

Keep Cool,

Mix Maven

Friends ask me all the time about which cosmetic brands, specifically which eye shadows, are worth checking out.  At first, I was all about the MAC, which I still am, but now I have added Urban Decay, Lorac, Ben Nye, CARGO. I want to add Too Faced to that list.

My Too Faced admiration started last year when I was looking for a shimmery chocolate eye shadow, which MAC does not have.  I ordered Too Faced “Dirt Bag” online from Sephora from the color description “dark chocolate with golden sparkles.” (Sidebar: There are about 2 Sephora stores close by my home and for whatever reason going to either store was not an option at the time.)  When the package arrived, I was pleased with the color and the product. Too Faced eye shadows are smooth and very blendable, which is something that should be available in all department store brands. Recently, I have added more Too Faced to my collection:

• Glamazon single (Silver fawn)
• Sitcom Siren single (Plum taupe shimmer)
• Cocoa Lily Duo – (rich metallic chocolate brown/ glimmering lilac rose) *Very lovely*
• George & Weezie Duo – (icy gold/ bronze pearl) *I bought this one because I liked the name*
• Rich Bitch Duo – (slate blue with golden sheen/ soft gold shimmer) *Basically, these are both gold in my opinion, the blue barely shows up.*
• Skinny Dip – (cobalt metallic/ iridescent sky) – - *The prettiest blue I have seen in a long time, the iridescent sky is too pretty…like a soft bluish purple hue*
• Shooting Star Galaxy Glam Eye Shadow – (black with galactic gold) *similar to MAC’s mineralized eye shadows, but with a better texture*
• Supernova Galaxy Glam Eye Shadow – (black with peach and pink)

The Galaxy Glam Eye Shadows are great for creating a smoky eye look.  I tried the Super Nova recently with Cocoa Lily and I liked the outcome.  (Please pray for me and my liner technique…getting better though.)

I also want to try the Liquif-Eye Set (eye shadow / eyeliner set). (See above comment)

Each eye shadow is very pigmented and has a buttery texture.  My only problem with Too Faced is that the brand needs more colors.  Too Faced, for the size, is a good deal as it is cheaper than MAC (when size is compared.)  MaybeI could break-up with MAC eye shadows for Too Faced (I love MAC too much though), but there is no other brand with the extensive eye shadow color range and textures.   I implore the Too Faced guys to come out with more colors.  I will be in the first one in line to snatch them up.

Definitely check out Too Faced products, I think they are definitely worth your time and money.

Have a beautiful day,

Mix Maven

Hope everyone is having a great Friday and looking forward to the weekend.

I hope that everyone got something from the MAC Family and Friends and the Cherry Culture sales.  I noticed that many retailers have been offering Family and Friends sales for the last couple of weeks. I am sure the government  stimulus checks had a lot to do with the sales.

As you know, I love British soul music.  I have been reintroduced to another singer, Jamie Lidell.  This dude has a wonderful voice.  I am too sad that Amy is cracked out right now and not living up to her full potential, so I was pleased when I saw him again on Late Night With Conan O’Brien.   The song, “Another Day” is so refreshing and wonderful.  Every time, I hear it I feel good.  I saw him for the first time on Jools Holland show on the FUSE network last year singing “Multiply.”

Please check out my new favorite song, “Another Day” from the JIM album.

Have a totally awesome weekend,

Mix Maven

Hey Pumps and Glossy Ones,

Who all is ready for summer?? I know that I am. This summer will be quite busy for me, so I probably won’t have too much time to go to the beach. But if I had time to go to the beach, I would definitely keep the following options in mind.

I love this Gottex swimsuit. I love the swirly pattern and the one-hook strap. It is quite elegant…nice for a lady who does not want to show too much skin.

I like this one-piece bandeau. If the lower frills were removed, I would definitely love this Juicy Couture one-piece. The shade of green adds a feminine flair.

Victoria Secret’s Tankini is something that most women can wear. This particular top has a miracle bra, so if you are not big-busted, you can keep the girls up and ready for action.

Baby Phat has some cute swimwear. Baby Phat’s feels that women should “swim sexy” and all of the swimsuit options are sexy. The “Glamour Jewel Bikini” is super hot. This bikini is made for women who are very fit and work out on a regular basis, so if you do not fit in said category, please back away from this bikini. (Said with love. )

Baby Phat’s St Bart’s Belted 1 Piece is totally hot. This one-piece reminds me of a Bond Girl swimsuit. I absolutely love it!!

What are some of your favorite swimsuit/bikini looks?

Here is the quintessential summer song….

Feelin’ Hot

Mix Maven

I am not sure what is in the water in the United Kingdom, but the Pond is churning out Soul (RnB) singers faster than Motown. You have:

• Corinne Bailey Rae
• Terri Walker
• Amy Winehouse
• Lemar
• James Morrison
• even Natasha Bedingfield.

Well, let me add Duffy to that list. She is a 23 year old* Welsh soul singer-songwriter. Duffy has been racking up number 1s on the UK charts. Many people are comparing her with Amy Winehouse, but they do not sound the same to me. (No one confuses Aretha Franklin with Mavis Staple!)

She sounds like she has been under the tutelage of Aretha Franklin (that is a lot of tutelage) and the Stax Records catalog. Her voice sounds like she has been honing the soul. She sings deeply, yet effortlessly.

It would be nice to see more young American artists singing in the Soul tradition. Unfortunately, these singers are not as popular as they should be. The music industry must realize the reason why sales are down because it keeps on pumping out mediocrity.

Anyway, check out Duffy, tell me what you think of her style and sound.

Mercy

Cover of The First Cut is the Deepest

* If she is 23, I am 21 and a half.

Listen Up,

Mix Maven

As many of you know that Mix Maven loves her MAC products, especially the new paint pots and the mineralized skinfinishes. (This product is a must have!!!)

The uber-trendy brand has been rolling out new limited editions faster than young Hollywood go to rehab.

Specktra and my homegirl Yummy411 turned me on to NYX Cosmetics. A cheaper, yet quality cosmetic brand. I was impressed with a photo of fellow Specktrette’s haul. She got tons of the NYX Ultra Pearl Mania, which is similar to MAC pigments (loose color powder), among other NYX lip products.

I hightailed myself to CherryCulture.com to check out the prices. (Sidebar: After I purchased online, I realized that I can purchase NYX Cosmetics at my local Ulta store.) I was impressed by the prices and I bought a couple of pearl mania loose powders in purple and black. I was totally impressed with the pigmentation.

I also purchased a couple of the eye brushes. The brushes range from $4.99 to $18.99 a fraction of top high-end brands. I was too pleased with the quality and softness of the bristles. If you cannot or do not want to spend tons of dough buying MAC or NARS beauty tools, get NYX brushes, including a professional line, you will not be disappointed.

The next item purchased was the NYX (Felt) Pen Eye Liner. If I can use this pen liner, anyone can. The line looks quite impressive, so if you know how to do a well-done eye line, you will want to have multiple pens. The pens are available in 3 colors, Jet Black (I have), Dark Brown (On order) and Extreme Black. If you love the Amy Winehouse winged eye liner, use NYX (Felt) Pen Eye Liner to achieve this look.

Overall, NYX Cosmetics is a great brand. I am not saying that you should walk away from MAC, NARS, Urban Decay or other related, but know that if you have limited funds, NYX Cosmetics is a great and quality alternative. Check out a few swatches of NYX eye shadow on Yummy411.

Enjoy Maroon 5’s ‘Won’t Go Home Without You’

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6voJ1sgY_0]

Mix Maven

Who knew…

 …when Soulja Boy says “Superman that ***,” he was referring to this.  YUCK!  I am too mad about that.

…Nicole Richie would join the crowd of celebs who name their kid(s) “off the beaten path” names?  How’s that for tactful?

…Janet Jackson’s new song “Feedback“ would be so hot?

…Charlie Wilson would come back with a song produced by T-Pain?  It’s hot – check out “Suppa Sexy.”

…The Simmons Sisters (Rev. Run’s daughters) would have such a big hit with Pastry Shoes?  I like these the best.