Hey Glossies,

I have never tried Wet N Wild eye shadow.  All my beauty pals have all recommended various palettes to me, but I was not really interested in trying any of them. So when I was at my local drugstore, I decided to give a palette a try. Why the sudden change of heart?? I had a coupon for dollars off a cosmetic purchase. :p

There were so many choices, but I decided to get just one, “I Got Good Jeans” trio.

Wet N Wild I Got Good Jeans Palette

Of the three colors, I used 2 (the gold and navy blue).  To my surprise, the colors are pretty pigmented and vibrant, but I still used a primer with color to base the eye shadow (as it is my common practice.)

I think this palette is quite festive and could make appearances at several winter holiday functions.

In the look below, along with the Wet n Wild trio, I used MAC Treasure Hunt p/p, Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s, Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Black (M), Dior eye liner -Trinidad, Chanel Mascara.

I recommend the Wet n Wild ‘I Got Good Jeans’ palette to all the beauty mavens, as well as, to those who are on a budget.

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

I hope you had a great weekend. I had a super, great Sports weekend!!

I am still loving the Posh Paradise paint pots!! The new paint pots should not be sitting in anyone’s stash. Open them up and use them…NOW!!

In the first look, I used the Half-Wild paint pot as a base.  NARS Eurydice duo is pretty, but it is hard to work with because one side is a duo chrome of burgundy and blue and sometimes the burgundy shows up more or vice versa. I used the Half-Wild paint pot, in an atttempt, to punch up the burgundy, while neutralizing the blue.  Not sure if it really worked, though, but I love the look. Definitely had a soft smoky look.

In the other look, I used Nubile paint pot. Once again, I think this a must-have. I find that it applies better than Painterly paint pot.  It can be blended out to wear as is with no powder shadow. In the look below, I, mainly, used Inglot products.  The new Inglot mattes are like ‘buttah’…not chalky or blotchy at all!! I want more Inglot!!

How are you wearing your posh paradise collection or is sitting collecting dust?

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Recently, I acquired the Chanel Lilium quad from Chanel’s 2011 summer collection and I like it.  I have a few Chanel quads and I like all them because most of the colors are workable together and the shadows are pigmented.  Not all quads can boast that!  The only thing I don’t like is the light pink eye shadow in each quad that I have.

The Lilium quad consists of a light baby pink, a deep emerald green, light chartreuse, and taupe shadows.  I think this quad can be seasonless.

I think the light chartreuse is pretty, but I  wanted that POP of color on the lid, so I used the Pharoah paint pot as a base.

FOTD Products

Chanel Lilium FOTD Products by Pumps and Gloss on Polyvore.com

Chanel Lilium FOTD Products by Pumps and Gloss on Polyvore.com

Face

• Laura Mercier Primer
• NARS Cadiz Sheer Glow Foundation
• NARS New Orleans Sheer Glow Foundation

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil control lotion
• MAC Pharoah Paint Pot
• Chanel Lilum Quad
• Urban Decay Ecstasy e/s
• MAC Saddle e/s
• Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s
• Shiseido Accentuating Cream Eyeliner -  Black
• MAC Black Russian Pearlglide e/l
• Dior Lash Primer
• Dior Diorshow Extase mascara

Cheek

• NARS Torrid blush

Lips

• Chanel Scintillantes lip gloss – 146
• Chanel Organdi Rose l/s
• NYX Cosmetics Cocoa l/l

Hey Glossies,

I am ready for Spring.  Yes, yes, I know spring is here, but the temps do not feel like it.  So I decided to make my own Spring Fever magic, along with a few blogger friends of mine, Kia of Yummy411 and Nikkia of Silver Lips Beauty

My inspiration for the Spring Fever FOTD is the Spring/Summer  2011 color palette for one of my favorite stores.

Color Inspiration

I like the use of the red and blue mixed together to create various shades shades of purples (plum, grey lavender, royal purple and subtle fuchsia)

FOTD Details

Face

• Laura Mercier Primer
• Shu Uemura Nobara cream cover stick foundation – 734
• Shu Uemura Nobara cream cover stick foundation – 504
• MAC MSF Natural – Medium Dark

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil control lotion
• MAC Nice Vice P/P
• MAC Little Minx e/s
• Urban Decay Ecstasy e/s
• MAC Twinks e/s
• Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s
• Dior Lash Primer
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner -  Midnight Blue (M)
• MAC Petrol Blue Pearlglide e/l
• Dior mascara

Cheek

• Revlon ColorStay Mineral Finishing Powder – Sunkiss

Lips

• Chanel Scintillantes lip gloss
• Three Custom Color lip gloss – Coral

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

I hope you had a great weekend and that the new week started off on a great note!

The beauty destination for today, I do not need a ticket or passport to enter this wonderful place…..my Stash.

I haven’t played with the Naked pigments since I got them in the summer.  I am glad that MAC has expanded the Naked pigment to include darker shades:  Nude Dark and Nude Deep Dark. I decided to play around with Dark, tan with a hint of beige.  Dark is similar to the Lithe pigment ( From the Fabulous Felines collection, LE), but Lithe has a significant amount of shimmer.

I was feeling extra naughty and sassy, so I decided to add red lip to the look.

FOTD Details

Face

• Primer
• MAC Select Cover-Up – NC50
• NARS Sheer Glow Foundation – Cadiz and New Orleans
• Clinique Blended Face Powder – Transparency 5

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil control lotion
• MAC Indianwood P/P
• MAC Naked Dark pigment
• MAC Go e/s
• Laura Gellar Baked e/l – Dutch Chocolate
• Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s
• Dior Lash Primer
• CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume mascara
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Black (M)
• MAC False Lashes mascara

Cheek

• MAC Gleeful Blush

Lips

• MAC  Chestnut Creme l/l
• NYX Sunrise l/g

My Swoon Look

Mr. Maven and I do not have any specific Valentine’s day traditions, but we do have favorite artistic works that we enjoy sharing with each other.

Mr. Maven loves Anita Baker and Sade.  Before we we started dating, we had been friends for a few years before taking the plunge.  He re-introduced “It’s Been You” to me and I think the song really fits our experience well.

It’s Been You – Anita Baker

I like to refer to myself as a former poet.  My poetry was scathing and bitter.  I know that will be shocking as I am such a wonderful person, paragon of perfection even. Ok, that  might be bit much! LOL

One of my favorite poems is “Perfumed Moments with My Man” by Dee Dee McNeil from the anthology, “A Rock Against The Wind” edited by Lindsay Patterson.  I found this book when I was in college and I had to add it to my library.  A definite must-have for poetry lovers who love love and passion.

An excerpt -

• Dip me.
• Flip me.
• Dew me.
• with the nectar that you spray.
• Taste my bouquet.
• Pollinate my day.
• Inhale me.
• De-rail me.
• Ride me like a train.
• Remember when I came
• time and time again?
• Quick as a hummingbird,
• Rowdy as a hawk.
• Dancing like the Jabber-Walk!

Dee Dee McNeil

Do you have any love traditions?

Mix Maven

McNeil, Dee Dee. “Perfumed Moments with My Man.” A Rock against the Wind: African-American Poems and Letters of Love and Passion. By Lindsay Patterson. New York: Berkley Pub. Group, 1996. 100-104. Print.

Hey Glossies,

Hope the weekend was full of fun and joy!

I have been a very good girl as far as my wallet is concerned. Ok, well not that good, but I have not purchased as much collection makeup as I have in the past.  When the MAC Peacocky collection was released, I was intrigued (as usual) because of my love for Veluxe Pearl and Starflash textured eye shadows.   So, I had to check out the new Mega Metal shadows. (And, Boy, they are mega and metallic!)  In-store, after talking myself out of purchasing Dalliance and Odalisque, I did purchase Unflappable, which reminds me of a deeper Moth Brown e/s (from the Barbie Collection).  So, I felt like a total winner. I may or may not have poplocked and shimmied as I went out to the parking lot.

A few days later, after seeing a  Sex-pectations swatch online (even though I saw it in the store, and, obviously, did not want to purchase it), I decided I needed to have it. Even had a great blog title for the FOTD post. But when I received it, it reminded me of the cranberry/burgundy in NARS Kuala Lumpur duo. I went to the local Nordies to exchange the shade for another shade of the Mega Metal, Dalliance was calling me and still calling my name, but I got Paparaz-she instead.  I do not own many orange shadows because I am not a huge fan of the color, but this shade is pretty and metallic in a big way. lol

FOTD Details -

Face

• CoverFX Nourishing Foundation Primer
• MAC Select Cover-Up – NC50
• NARS Foundation
• Clinique Blended Face Powder – Transparency 5

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil control lotion
• MAC Paint Pot – Indianwood
• MAC Paparazz-she e/s
• MAC Coppering
• Laura Gellar Baked e/l – Dutch Chocolate
• MAC Flip e/s
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Brown (M)
• CoverGirl Exact Eyelights mascara – Black Pearl

Cheek

• Revlon ColorStay Mineral Finishing Powder – Sunkiss

Lips

• NYX Dark Brown l/l
• NARS Sex Machine Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
• Urban Decay Sparkler Pen Lip Gloss in Rocket

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

The beauty destination today is Kuala Lumpur. Not the KL of Malaysia, where the residents are called KLites, where many visitors flock to the Butterfly Park and where the National Textiles Museum is located (my top 5 of things to do in KL)….One day though! The Kuala Lumpur as in the eye shadow duo (Rose gold / Boysenberry infused with gold) by NARS Cosmetics.

I received Kuala Lumpur as a Christmas gift (from myself).   I like this duo, though not unique.  The rose gold side is similar to MAC Expensive Pink e/s and the Boysenberry side is similar to MAC Cranberry or Sex-pectations e/s except it has flecks of fine gold glitter.

I have stated this time and time again, NARS lighter eye shadow shades are, ofttimes, blotchy on me. My remedy was to wet the peachy pink side using MAC Charged Water – Renewal Defense, which made the shadow, as it should, more intense.  Truth be told, I am not always keen on wetting shadows because, depending on the shade, the process can exaggerate the texture of the skin on my eye lids.  Despite my issue with wetting, I think it turned pretty cool.

The Boysenberry side is great, blends well.  The glitter really isn’t that oppressive.  The flash of the camera really highlighted the stray glitter, but when I looked into the mirror or in non-flash pics, I could not see much or any glitter.

FOTD Details

Face

• Primer
• MAC Select Cover-Up – NC50
• NARS Sheer Matte Foundation – Macao
• Clinique Blended Face Powder – Transparency 5

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil control lotion
• MAC GreasePaint Stick – Brown, Now
• Purley Cosmetics – CTP in Bronzed Brown
• NARS Kuala Lumpar
• Too Faced Duo e/s – Beauty Marrk (Pink side only)
• Laura Gellar Baked e/l – Dutch Chocolate
• Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s
• MAC Charged Water – Renewal Defense
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Brown (M)
• MAC False Lashes mascara

Cheek

• LORAC TANtalizer Baked Bronzer

Lips

• MAC  Velvetta Creme l/l
• NARS Sex Machine Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
• NYX La~La l/g

Non-Flash

Me singing "I Want You" by Cee-Lo Green

I am planning for the next beauty destination, where will it be???

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Over the past few months, I have been excited by neutral looks. (Don’t get me wrong, I still love my greens, purples and pinks!) After listening to Beauty Talk with Illusions Cosmetics on Thursday, I wanted to try a more naked look than what I am normally do.

So a couple of years, I purchased NARS Voyage e/s.  The color is a soft sandy matte with flecks of gold shimmer.  I was rather excited about the possibilities of this shadow.  A great  shadow for a naked/neutral look.  Ok the problem…no primer/base would allow the shadow to NOT be blotchy looking.   I have sobbed a time or two in my face wipes mumbling “why can’t I make this shadow work?”  Then one day I heard a voice from on high or maybe it was Milan Rouge‘s post about using NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk that gave me inspiration. Four months later, I purchased pencil.  I finally gave it a go and it worked well. *Pop lockin’* Definitely a must-have!

My next challenge is to make NARS Night Star.  Stay tuned!!!

Face

• Primer
• Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse foundation – Caramel
• NARS Sheer Glow foundation – New Orleans

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil-Free Lotion
• NYX Jumbo eye pencil – Milk
• NARS Voyage
• Purely Cosmetics CTP – Bronzed Brown
• NARS Mekong
• Tarte EmphasEYES™ Waterproof Clay Shadow / Liner – Black
• Maybelline Falsies mascara

Cheeks

• Natural Glow

Lips

• Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick – Wild Plum

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

I was reading the current issue of Glamour magazine and I spotted an ad with Kim Kardashian rocking a smoky brown eye look.  My favorite thing about Kimmie  is her makeup because it always classic and flawless.

A smoky brown look

I am so all about using color and having fun that I forget about the dignity and elegance of brown.  I decided to recreate a softer look using NARS Pleasures of Paris palette.  (Sidebar: I love NARS palettes because the colors are quite functional for daily use.  I believe that Francois Nars really thinks about his customers (clients) and packages colors that they can really use.)

NARS Pleasures of Paris Palette Swatches (no base)

Fez e/s is a “velvety cocoa”  which is a tad deeper in person.  Mekong e/s is an “espresso infused with gold.” <— is my favorite dark brown shadow.  When it come out in the Fall ’09 collection, I scooped it up right away.  Definitely a must-have for all eyes!!  The Cordura e/s in the palette is actually part of a duo.  I think it is similar to Mekong (slightly redder and darker than Cordura).

FOTD

Face:

• MAC Select Cover-up – NC50
• Iman foundation stick – Earth 2 / Clay 5
• MAC MSF – Dark

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil-Free Lotion
• MAC Indianwood p/p
• NARS Fez e/s
• NARS Mekong e/s
• NARS Nepal e/s
• Maybelline Gel Liner – Black
• MAC Haute and Naughty mascara

Cheeks

• Lorac  TANtalizer Baked Bronzer

Lips

• Random Sephora lip gloss
• MAC Corps-de-Ballet lipglass

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

I can never underestimate the power of good skincare.  There can be no real beauty without proper, effective skincare.  After getting a facial during Spaweek, I realized that I need to up the ante on my skincare regimen.  A great regimen allows for better application of beauty products and YES, healthy looking skin! Always remember that skincare as an investment.

So I decided to try LancerX Extremely Pure Cleanser and AM/PM Nourishing Treatment for a week.

The LancerX products have a light citrus scent, which, thankfully, is not oppressive on the nose.  The cleanser has a light foam, which is great because I love to see suds when I am washing my face.  The cleanser felt refreshing against my skin and did not cause any tingle (that is a huge deal for my uber-sensitive skin). The AM/PM Nourishing Treatment is a light cream, non-greasy!

After my week long use of these products, I will say that my face was super soft and supple. I also had a wonderful glow to my skin (I could see my halo)  …not greasy…not shiny.  I also used the Murad Sensitive Serum between the cleanser and the nourishing treatment on a few days and there was no decrease in softness and suppleness of my skin.

I definitely would definitely want to invest in these products.

Stylish Move FOTD

Face

• Iman Second to None Foundation – Clay 5
• MAC Select Cover-up – NC50
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Medi-Matte™ Oil Control Lotion SPF 20 (Base)
• MAC Brown Now Greasepaint Stick (LOVE IT!!)
• Dior Stylish Move Quint
• Shu Uemura Painting Liner – Black
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil- Zero
• Clinique High Definition Lashes Brush Then Comb Mascara

Lips

• Random Sephora lip gloss

Mix Maven

LancerX products were provided for review from the manufacturer. Please see Pumps and Gloss disclosure policy for more information.