Hey Glossies,

Initially, when I embarked on the idea of doing my  lil’ cousin’s makeup for prom, J’s aunt (my cousin) and I had a nice conversation about which colors to use. My cousin had purchased some  MAC products as a starter kit for college. *What a wonderful aunty* One of the colors J received was  MAC Expensive Pink.  J really liked the idea of the Expensive Pink, which is a great color really, but it did not work well with her dress because of the gold undertones.  In the picture, below, we tried Springsheen blush, which melts my heart every time I see it.

First Idea

Her dress was a magenta pink, so I decided that Nouba 51 would be the best shade of pink rather than expensive pink, which, in my opinion, is just a fancy peach. She was tepid about wearing any kind of smoky look. But with her mom’s help (my cousin), we got her to understand the purpose of “smoking it out.” LOL

I used the Laura Geller Baked Cake Eyeliner Duo – Blueberry/ Dutch Chocolate  <– Blueberry side (as a shadow) in the crease and outer v.  I also used LA Girl Mark My Eyes e/l, TheBalm Mischievous Marissa (luxurious champagne gold) as the highlight (blended out to match her skintone), Covergirl LashBlast Volume mascara and NYX Barbie Pink l/g.

Second and Favorite Idea

J is a huge fan of the pink!! *I mean HUGE!!* So the Nouba 51 was a huge hit!! She was totally ecstatic about the Prom look we created.  It is a soft, yet sassy look.

Mix Maven

Who remembers the The Wu-Tang Clan’s song, C.R.E.A.M (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)?

In the FOTD, I tried the Cinema Secrets Hollywood Lights (loose e/s) in Dolla Bill.  This brand is popular among professional makeup artists who work in the theatre and/or movie/tv production .  The Hollywood Lights are similar to MAC pigments and Reflects Glitters (both of which I love!)  I prefer foiling the (non-glitter) Hollywood Lights as the color payoff is more intense.  The cost is 7.50/USD and be easily found on the web.

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

• NC 50 Studio Sculpt Foundation
• NW 43 Studio Sculpt Foundation
• Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Pharoah P/P
• Electro Sky P/P
• Purely Cosmetics Cream To Powder Bronzed Brown
• Smut e/s
• Signed, Sealed e/s
• Cinema Secrets Dolla Bill loose e/s
• Era e/s (highlight)
• Stila Smudge Pot – Black
• Black Russian Pearlglide e/l
• Milani Black e/l
• NYX Teal e/l
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

Cheek

• Warmed MSF
• Stark Naked Blush

Lips

• Sweet Tooth T/T
• NYX Mauve l/l
• Hello Kitty Cute-ster
• Cremesheen Glass Boy Bait

My Sassy Lips need an agent.

Mix Maven

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovers in the world.

Mr. Maven and I chilled out today.  We hung out with friends and met some cool folks.  We have decided to take out the Parents for Valentine’s Day because we love them very much and they have been quite helpful to us.

I love the Threesome mineralized trio eye shadows.  The medium pink is gorgeous and pigmented.  It is nothing like its recent ancestors.. so smooth.

So I decided to try the Studio Sculpted Foundation.  I really like this foundation.  The coverage is medium and build-able, similar to Studio Tech, but WOW oh WOW does it feel very light. At times during the day, I forgot I was wearing foundation. *Love it*

I am so in love with Blonde MSF.  Initially, I decided to bypass the Blonde Brunette Redhead collection. The collection looked quite dupable and I did not want to waste money on MAC colors that I already have.  So when I strolled into Macy’s, I had no intention of purchasing anything from the collection.  I swatched on my hand and it was smooth.  (I guess you can say that SMOOTH is the word of the day).  The color was brilliant and definitely would work as an eye shadow. I am glad I bought the Blonde MSF.  *Thanks Mama Maven for the Macy’s Gift Card*

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

• NC 50 Studio Sculpt Foundation
• NW 43 Studio Sculpt Foundation
• Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Benefit Lemon aid (More about this one later)
• Hip L’Oreal Crayon Unmistakable
• Purely Cosmetics Cream To Powder Bronzed Brown
• Outspoken Trio m/es
• Plum Dressing e/s
• Satellite Dreams e/s
• HiP Flare Duo (Tan Gold side)
• Phone Me side of Duo Pencil
• Urban Decay Zero 24/7 Eye Pencil
• Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Eye Pencil
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

Cheek

• Hello Kitty Tippy Blush
• Blonde MSF

Lips

• Hello Kitty Popster lip conditioner
• NYX  Salsa l/g
• Hello Kitty Big Bow l/s
• Neo-Sci Fi Naked Space l/g

I can be easily wooed by “free stuff” as in gift with purchase.  NARS Cosmetics had a promotion right before Christmas, if customer spent $60, said customer would receive one of four NARS eyeshadow duos.  Since, I was eying some blushes, I decided to pick up a few and a nail polish (the best nail polish I have ever worn).  My “free” gift was Belly Dance duo (a metallic green and an aubergine matte).  As many of you know, I love, love, love the green.  Definitely a good purchase.

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

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

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Benefit Lemon aid (More about this one later)
• NARS Belly Dance Duo
• Purely Cosmetics Cream To Powder Deep Purple*
• Outspoken Trio m/es (<— very pretty purples)
• HiP Sculpted Metallic Duo (Dark side)
• Revlon Make A Sheen – Espress’o Yourself (<— 50% off at CVS)
• Barry M Liner – Black
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

Cheek

• Barbie Fab Blush
• Petticoat MSF

Lips

• NYX  Salsa l/g
• To Swoon For  l/s

I really like NARS metallic shadows, definitely worth the money.

Mix Maven

The Makeup Show is a must-attend for all industry professionals and students.  The Los Angeles show will be held from March 15-16, 2009, 9:30am-5:30pm, Daily. (Sunday and Monday)

THE MAKEUP SHOW L.A.
CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER
110 EAST NINTH STREET
LOS ANGELES, CA

Advance Tickets
1-Day: $35
2-Day: $50

At The Door Tickets
1-Day: $50
2-Day: $80

Some brands that will be featured at the event are Lancôme, P&G Beauty, Smashbox, Mario Badescu Skin Care and Kissable Couture, Shu Uemura, Billy B Beauty, Embryolisse, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Pencil Me In, Make Up For Ever, Senna Cosmetics, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Three Custom Color, Linda Mason Elements, and Alison Raffaele Cosmetics.

The keynote speaker will be Billy B, Makeup Artist Extraordinaire.  He will be speaking on A Career in Makeup.

The show will also include workshops, seminars, individual hands-on workshops, business forums (touching upon beauty techniques and applications, skin tones and makeup products, tools of the trade and the business of the beauty industry), and product demonstrations.

The Makeup Show LA is proud to announce it’s palette of beauty authorities from today’s top celebrity makeup artists:

Billy B, Ve Neill, Scott Barnes, Napoleon Perdis, Maurice Stein, Ronnie Specter, Marvin Westmore, Crystal Wright, Joe Blasco, Robin Siegel, Elke Von Freudenberg, Sharon Gault, Eve Pearl, James Vincent, Orlando Santiago, Michael DeVellis, Jon Hennessey, AJ Crimson, Kevin James Bennett, Johnny Lavoy, Patty and Farah Bunch.

For more information about the Makeup Show LA 2009, check out the General FAQs and Travel Info.

I will be attending this event, so I do hope to see you there.

Mix Maven

Discount Code VD20

Cherry Culture is having a 20% off (on any order) sale for Valentine’s.  The sale is going on now until January 31, 2009.  So stock up on your fave beauty brands, including NYX Cosmetics, LA Colors, Kleancolor.

Happy Haulin,

Mix Maven

Smashbox is having a Beauty Blowout Sale in the Curtain Call section. Discounts range from 25-50% off.  Free shipping and samples with every order.

Happy Haulin,

Mix Maven

Seymone, make-up artist extraordinaire, told me about La Femme products a few months back.  At the time, I was looking to purchase some blushes.  She told me the quality and prices were good. La Femme is a discount cosmetic brand that is quite popular among Professional MUs.  Seymone pointed me to MakeupMania.com.

I ordered a few e/s pans ($3), a couple blush pans ($3)  and some sparkle dusts, which are similar to MAC pigments and Ben Nye’s Lumiere Luxe Powders.  The  sparkle dust’s color payoff sans base is intense.  A jar (no sifter) contains 4.5g.

Ordering from MakeupMania.com was a delight.  There was a slight problem with the order and when I called to make changes, the customer service rep  answered on the first ring.  She quickly made the changes and the remaining order was shipped.

Here are swatches of La Femme’s Sparkle Dust I found on YouTube, which contributed to my purchase.

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

• NC 50 Studio Tech Foundation
• Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Benefit Lemon aid
• Greenstroke p/p
• LaFemme Khaki pressed e/s
• Purely Cosmetics Cream To Powder Bronzed Brown
• Embark e/s
• Neo-sci Fi Magnetic Fields e/s
• Eyeko Honey e/s (from the Makeout Girl Manga Book)
• Soba e/s
• Milani Color Brilliance Eye Pencil – Black
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

Cheek

• Warmed MSF

Lips

• NYX Tea Rose l/g
• Pink Manish l/g

MAC Sale 25% off Everything* (Except Viva Glam) Discount Code is MACFF09

Save 25% off everything* online. Use offer code MACFF9 at checkout. Excludes VIVA GLAM products. Offer is valid through 11:59pm EST on January 8th, on orders shipped to US and Canadian addresses only.

*Offer valid at maccosmetics.com (not valid at M·A·C Stores and M·A·C department store locations). Valid from 1/6/09 – 1/8/09 only on maccosmetics.com. Valid for shipments in the US and Canada only. May not be used in combination with any other offer or discounts. Valid on in-stock merchandise only. Not valid on purchase of gift cards or egift cards or VIVA GLAM products. Not valid on pending purchases or purchases made before 1/6/09 or after 1/8/09. All purchases are subject to bank authorization prior to processing. Only Authorized purchases will be processed and shipped. We reserve the right to cancel any order due to unauthorized, altered, or ineligible use of offer and to modify or cancel this promotion due to system errors or unforeseen problems.

Happy Haulin’,

Mix Maven

Being without Internet access can be brutal. I was without the access on Christmas day, which is why I am posting the EOTD today.

MAC products unless stated

• Constructivist p/p
• Artifact p/p
• Cream to Powder Gunmetal
• Reflects Blackened Red
• Femme-Fi e/s
• Milani Blackened Pink e/l
• Nouba Black Eyeliner
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

I am very impressed with the Nouba products that I have. The Nouba eye liners are smooth to apply. I used the Nouba e/l on my waterline and the color was quite rich.  Must-have for all Beauty enthusiasts (will no longer use the word “addict”).

So during the summer, I purchased the Reflects Blackened Red on a whim at a Macy’s counter that always has old collections in stock.  I planned on using the products during the holiday season.  The shimmer in this product is absolutely gorgeous.  The photo does not really bring out the awesomeness of the shimmer.  Another must have.  Get a sample jar and it will go a long way.