Archive for the ‘FOTD’ Category

Hey Glossies,

One of my peeps asked me about the new  Maybelline quad palettes – Eye Studio™ Color Plush™ Silk Eyeshadow.  I had to check it out because I have never used Maybelline e/s before.  I picked up “Green With Envy” at my local Target, and I will say I was blown away by the texture, the color payoff, the shimmer.

The texture is smooth like…hmmm which word would be appropriate hmmm.  Aww yes SILK!   Creamier than some NARS shimmery single e/s. *I know, I know…believe it* There is no packing on the e/s, highly pigmented! *YESSSS!!!*  The shimmer in this product brings me joy, no glittery mess here!  The green shade is similar to MAC Golden Olive pigment and the Black shade is similar to Prescriptives Caviar e/s.

I definitely will be purchasing a few more palettes!! *Praying for a Maybelline BOGO Free*

Face

• Makeup For Ever HD Primer
• MAC Select Cover-up – NC50
• NARS Cadiz Sheer Glow Foundation
• NARS Benares Sheer Glow Foundation
• L’Oreal True Match – Nut Brown
• MAC MSF Natural – Medium Deep
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark

Cheeks

• MAC Ombre Blush – Vintage Grape

Eyes

• MAC Matte Gel
• Cosmedicine Medi-Matte™ Oil Control Lotion SPF 20
• MAC Moss Scape p/p
• Maybelling Green With Envy Quad Palette
• MAC Aztec Brick
• MAC Creole Beauty
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Black
• Urban Decay Zero e/l
• Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Mascara – Black

Lips

• MAC  Sweet Tooth t/t
• Revlon Matte l/s – Cocoa

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

I think most of us are looking forward to Spring (especially the colors – the yellows, corals, pinks, purples and even browns [tans]).

It seems that MAC is preparing us for said season. MAC Spring Colour Forecast collection was not really on my radar until a few days prior to the official date, well except for the ombre blushes. I saw the excited tweets and status messages, so I had to go check out the other items. One of the items that I did not want was the Colour #3 quad. The swatches on Specktra were underwhelming and I decided to opt out….until I saw it in person at Nordstrom. The colors are probably dupable, but I really feel in a strong like with Bruised Plum e/s.  (Yes, it is  Veluxe Pearl!!)

My other Nordstrom purchase was the Viva Glam VII – Lady Gaga.  The color is described as a light blue pink. I like this color and I think it can be women of color (WOC) friendly.  I used a mauve-colored liner to reduce the coolness of the shade.  I think this lippie is a “should-have!”

Face

• MAC Select Cover-up – NC50
• NARS Macao Sheer Matte Foundation
• Prescriptives Custom Blend Foundation (Base #5)
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark
• Prescriptives Custom Blend Powder (Base #5)

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Medi-Matte™ Oil Control Lotion SPF 20
• MAC Paint Pot – Artifact
• MAC Colour #3 Quad (Bruised Plum, Black Tulip, and Jungle Moon)
• MAC Colour #4 Quad (Manila Paper)
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Night Blue
• Lizzie Pour Moi duo mascara – Black
• Urban Decay 24/7 eye liner – Zero

Lips

• NYX lip liner – Mauve
• MAC Viva Glam VII – Lady GaGa

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

The saga continues….

I finally wore my updated Prescriptives Custom Blend (CB) foundation.  I have learned that Custom Blend is as good as the blender.  The second MA did a much better job than the initial MA.  The color shade is not suitable for my entire face, so I have decided to only use the CB Foundation on my Roseacea spots (parts of the cheek and jaw areas) and only using the powder there as well, unless I use MAC 162 brush for the apple area and above. I am resigned to the fact that one foundation shade can and will not satisfy my needs, which I already knew, but a lady can always dream, right?

Face

• MAC  Select Cover-up – NC50
• Prescriptives Custom Blend Foundation
• Prescriptives Custom Blend Powder
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil-Free Lotion
• Indianwood Paint Pot
• Urban Decay Secret Service e/s
• Wild and Crazy You Rock e/s
• TheBalm Shady Lady – Caught in the Act Courtney e/s
• Urban Decay Blaze e/s
• LA Girl Mark My Eyes liquid e/l
• Urban Decay Zero e/l
• Makeup For Ever Aqua Eyes mascara

Lips

• NYX pinky l/l
• Revlon Icy Violet (very pretty) (75% off @ CVS)
• MAC Hello Kitty Mimmy l/g

The Eye Shadow –

I am really like the Arissa Baked Eye Shadows.  They are similar to the MAC’s mineralized eye shadows. The pigmentation is pretty good and as I stated in the Baked Holiday Goodies post, that the shadows work best with a sponge-tip applicator.  The baked shadows really pop when used with MAC Paint Pots, L’Oreal HiP Color Cream Crayons and/or Stila Smudge Pots.

Here are swatches of the Arissa Baked Eye Shadows:

Mix Maven

The holidays are drawing to a close and I hope that all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year.

This year we attended some great holiday parties.  For one event, I wanted to create a different look, so I picked up the Arissa baked eye shadows in Twilight (a champagne pink), Outer Space (a midtone blue purple) and Black Hole from  CherryCulture.com @ 4.99/ea. (Sidebar: Cherry Culture is having a 20% Sale off until December 30th, 2009. Coupon Code is SALE20.) The Arissa baked shadows are awesome.  I suggest for a better color payoff of this product, use a sponge-tip applicator. I selected the Outer Space as the lid shadow and I love it because the color is not too shimmery yet not matte. (Don’t get me wrong, I still love my shimmers!)

If loving Cosmedicine Medi-Matte™ Oil Control Lotion SPF 20 is wrong, well, I don’t want to be right.

This product is my new HG e/s base.  The oil control lotion does not allow my eye shadow to crease at all!!  The texture is smooth yet semi-sticky, so powder and cream eye shadows  can easily adhere to the product very well and makes them more blendable, especially the cream shadows! Sephora sells it for $42, but I got a sample from one a recent purchases from Sephora, so always check out the samples section. *Awww yeah*

Face

• Napolean Perdis Foundation Stick #7
• Napolean China Doll Foundation #6
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Medi-Matte™ Oil Control Lotion SPF 20 (Base)
• MAC ElectroSky (McQueen collection) (Base)
• Arissa Outer Space baked e/s
• NARS Stage Beauty duo -Copper side
• Too Faced Vixen e/s
• Urban Decay Blunt e/s
• Shu Uemura Painting Liner – Night Blue
• Barry M Kohl Pencil – Black
• Makeup For Ever Aqua Eyes mascara – Black

Lips

• Random L’Oreal lip gloss

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Recently, I went to the first holiday party of the season.  It was fun times with fabulous friends!!

I planned to do a smoky look with my newly-acquired NARS Night Breed, but I decided to use the L’Oreal HiP Duo in Electrified. Electrified duo =  plum-infused silverish-taupe and metallic plum.  I love this combo!!!

I also wore the FACE Atelier Diamond Pink lipstick.  I love pink lipstick because every woman, regardless of skin tone, can wear a shade of pink.   I like the Diamond Pink color because it is sheer yet buildable. The texture is great and when the color, finally faded, my lips were left soft and supple.

On my face, I wore

• MUFE HD Foundation 177
• Clinique Clinique Perfectly Real Liquid Foundation – 47
• Napolean Perdis Foundation Stick #7
• FACE atelier’s Ultra Loose Powder – Translucent
• MAC MSF Natural – Medium Deep

I really liked the FACE Atelier Loose Powder. A little goes a long way, so to my Women of Color, do not fear this product does not ash.  Since the MSF Natural products do not reduce shine, I suggest wearing the Loose Powder under the MAC MSF Natural.  The Loose Powder kept shine at bay for hours and I love that. My skin is not oily in general, but since the weather has turned cold, the heat goes up and the sweat can begin. lol

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

NARS and I are becoming BBFs (Best Beauty Friends).  I have been very pleased with the products, especially the mid-tone and darker eye shadows and the nail polishes. So I decided to pick up NARS Balthazar e/s duo.  From the first time I swatched it, I know that we were going to get on well.  In the post, “NARS Attacks”, I talked about how I would probably not purchase NARS again, but the possibility of changing my mind is always there.  Well, I am really enjoying NARS. :p I think that Balthazar would be flattering on all skin-tones.

I got a chance to see the NARS premiere show on QVC (<—my new must-see TV) and, of course, I was impressed with products that I have still have not tried (fo shame!)  i.e. the multiple sticks and e/l stylos. So I mozied on over to  Sephora to see swatch the stylos.  I am impressed with them. I left the Sephora and ran a few more errands the liners on my hand did not budge!

FOTD

Face

• Clinique Supermoisture Makeup – Amber
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark

Eye

• MAC Matte Gel
• MAC Constructivist P/P
• Purely Cosmetics CTP in Copper and Bronzed Brown
• NARS Balthazar (both sides)
• MAC Mystery e/s
• LORAC Superstar Trio (gold)
• Shu Uemura Painting Liner  – Black
• L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara

Lips

• Urban Decay Wicked l/l
• MAC Pink Manish l/g

Mix Maven

I am really enamored with Young Punk m/es to the point that I compare everything to it.  So I noticed that the Black Violet side of NARS Brousse has tiny flecks of pinkish/purple glitter.  I thought, “Wow, this color looks like it could be Young Punk’s distant relative.”

I really got frustrated with this duo until I decided to use the Black Violet side all over the eye and used the Sable (brownish-taupe side) underneath the highlight color.

FYI, the lip color is really not that red.

Face

• Clinique Perfectly Real Liquid Foundation – 46 (N)
• Clinique Blended Face Powder – Transparency 5

Eye

• MAC Matte Gel
• MAC Groundwork P/P
• Purely Cosmetics CTP in Bronzed Brown
• NARS Brousse (both sides)
• TheBalm ShadyLady Mischievous Marissa e/s
• L’Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner – Black
• Tarte lights, camera, lashes! mascara – Black

Cheeks

• NARS Torrid blush

Lips

• Stila Lip Glaze – Fruit cake

Mix Maven

My birthday wish list included the Photo Realism quad, and thankfully, I received this item as a gift. *Woop, Woop!!* I usually do not like pre-made quads because I usually only like one or two colors, but with this quad, I like them all!!

The light green – Fresh Approach reminds of what Warm Chill E/S (from the Cool Heat collection) should have been.  The texture of the shadows are great, even the Frosts.  I have been off  MAC Frost e/s lately because I find them to be hard.

Products used:

Face

• Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Even Finish Compact Foundation in Warm Walnut
• MAC Concealer
• MAC Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• MAC Matte Gel
• MAC Greenstroke Paint Pot
• MAC Photo Realism Quad
• MAC Heatherette Trio – Cloudburst e/s only
• L’Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner – Black
• Urban Decay Zero e/l
• L’Oreal telescopic explosion mascara (my new favorite mascara!!!)

Cheek

• NARS Torrid blush
• Revlon Colorstay Mineral Finishing Powder – Sunkiss (Must have!!!)

Lips

L’Oreal lip gloss

Overall, the colors are tres pretty…definitely a must-have for the true beauty aficionados.

Mix Maven

As summer winds down, I am still clinging to my the bright summery colors… So I finally played with the L’Oreal HiP Duo (Matte) in Perky.  The colors are a mid-tone green (similar to MAC Wondergrass) and slate blue (maybe charcoal).  You know the Matte and I do not get along as a lid color, but I heart green, so had to purchase it!!

The green side is not that dark as it appears to be.  I used HiP Color Rich Cream Crayon in Authentic (Green) as base.  The color is forest green.  I like the Color Rich Cream Crayons because they do not budge at all!!

Products used are:

Face

• Revlon Custom Creations in Deep (#4)
• MAC Natural MSF in Medium Deep

Eyes

• MAC Matte Gel
• HiP Color Rich Cream Crayon in Authentic (Green)
• HiP Duo – Perky e/s (Both sides)
• MAC Patina e/s
• Lorac Starry-Eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trio in Star Style – The Lightest Shade
• L’Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner – Black
• Barry M Kohl Pencil – Black
• Tarte lights, camera, lashes! mascara – Black

Cheek

• Revlon ColorStay Mineral Finishing Powder – Sunkiss

Lips

• NYX Barbie l/g

I think the result is cool, but I am going to try Delft and Pharoah Paint Pots to see if Perky (green side) will have a different look.

Well, I found some new music that also has me feeling perky because even though with all that craptasticness that is out there, I am glad to know there is good music still being made.

My new favorite British singer is Gary Go.  He is a melange of ColdPlay, Sting and U2. One reviewer called him a one-man ColdPlay.  His sound is broody and moody, voice mellow…Lyrically he is solid.  The song that sucked me in is ” Wonderful”:

And all your ammunition’s gone
Run out of fuel to carry on
You don’t know what you wanna do
Cause what you want does not want you
If what you want does not want you
And you’ve got no pull to pull you through

Say “I am”
Say “I am”
Say “I am wonderful”

Just amazing lyrics.

I love the quietness of “Black and White Days.”  The chorus reflects “You color my black and white days. /Color my black and white days. /You do. You color my black and white days. /Color my black and white days.”

Gary also takes on Lady Gaga.  He rearranges “Just Dance” from the high-octane dance frenzy to a reflective, haunting ballad.  I am looking forward to him having a wonderful career.

Gary Go’s cover of Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance”

If you like good music, Gary Go is a must have!!

What is perking you up these days?

Mix Maven

More L’Oreal HiP Duos.  One of the e/s I picked up at the Ulta BOGO Free sale (Still going on @ Ulta) was Mischief, a champagne gold shimmer and smokey grey/black matte. (There seems to be debate on the dark color).  I find this duo to be quite blendable and pigmented.  The champagne gold has the right amount of shimmer. I think it can be used as a highlighter or lid color.

In the FOTD, I used the lighter color on the lid. Because of the shape of my eyes, the lid color turns a soft smoky champagne hue. I like it.

Face

• Makeup For Ever Full Coverage Concealer #14
• Revlon Custom Creations Foundation – Deep
• Natural MSF – Dark

Eyes

• MAC Matte Gel
• MAC Painterly Paint Pot
• Makeup For Ever Matte Brown e/s
• L’Oreal HiP Duo – Mischief (both sides)
• La Femme e/s – Beige Pink
• Barry M Kohl Pencil – Black
• L’Oreal Voluminous mascara – Black

Mix Maven