Cherry Culture is having a 20% off sale from now until August 23, 2009.

The discount code is B2S20

Happy Haulin’

Mix Maven

Over the summer, I have really embraced vibrant color nail polishes.  I have wearing greens, purple, turquoise, yellow, hot pink and I have been enjoying every minute.  When I wear color I feel invigorated. Here are some NOTS (Nails of the Summer):

China Glaze In The Lime Light

Bareille Lemondrops Nail Polish

NYX Salsa Nail Polish

But with all that color and need to regain some balance by moving all the way to the very neutral.  I like this color because it is great for everyday, especially if one works in a conservative environment or going on a job interview.

NYX Yuppies Nail Polish

The next shade that I will try is NYX Cloud 9, a mauvey-pinky-purple. Definitely a year-round color.

NYX Yuppies (L) and NYX Cloud 9 (R)

Which colors are you rocking?  Are you into the Matte lacquers?

Keep it Glossy,

Mix Maven

Cherry Culture is having a 50% off  NYX Cosmetic products.  The sale is going on now until  May 15, 2009.  So stock up on all your fave NYX Cosmetics.  The online coupon code is NYX50 (US orders only).

Happy Haulin,

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

I have been eying Too Faced Beauty Mark for awhile. The duo is part “Black Foil” and “Gilded Rose”.  The “rose” side is a soft neutral color that could work well for day and night and is  similar to MAC’s Expensive Pink.  The color payoff is less gold on me than Expensive Pink.*I just love it*

Too Faced Beauty Mark Duo

I do not recall all the products that I used
other than Too Faced Beauty Mark.

So I have decided that, once and for all, I am giving the Pink e/s a rest (as in acquiring more).  For some reason, most brands, Too Faced and Nouba are the exceptions,  have healthy fall out.  Is there an ingredient in the color that does not agree with my skin…probably.

Anyhoo, if you are a WOC and like Pink e/s, I find the best bases for them are:

1. Benefit Pre-nup creaseless eye shadow – A metallic rose
2. MAC Nice Vice (from the Fafi collection) – A reddish purple.  (Hard to find, so check your local CCOs)
3. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil Hot Pink
4. HiP L’Oreal Color Rich Cream Crayon in Unmistakable (A deep pink)

Stay Pretty,

Mix Maven

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

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

But it is easy to wear green.  I love wearing green eye shadow.   I love shades of olive and emerald greens.  I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF COLOR.  What some fail to realize that green is a neutral color.  When starting out use a color on the lid, place browns and/or smoky versions of the color in the crease and outer v.

Anytime, I try a new brand of makeup, I must get a teal or green e/s.  So I decided to try Barry M dazzle dusts. I have seen swatches, tutorials and reviews, so I had to get some for myself.  I purchased from asos.com, a UK online retailer.  Asos lists currencies for 5 different countries, so the customer can see the price at the current exchange rate.  Over the last few weeks, the US prices have been lowering, even the shipping cost has lowered.  *Check them out!* (More on Asos in a future post)

I purchased three Barry M Dazzle Dusts, one of which was the Emerald.  The Dazzle Dusts, loose eye shadows, are similar to MAC pigments and NYX Ultra pearl mania.  I think the Barry M marketing photos suck.  I will say, despite the official pics, they are worth adding to the collection. *I will post some swatches soon* A little bit goes a long way.  (Sidebar: the Emerald green dazzle dust was mixed with Moss Scape Paint Pot, so if used with another base it will not look olive green.)

Face

• MSF Dark
• NYX Concealer in Nutmeg

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• L’Oreal De-Crease Base
• Moss Scape Paint Pot
• Barry M Emerald Dazzle Dust
• Purely Cosmetics CTP in Bronzed Brown and Copper
• Glamour Check StarFlash
• Brown side from the L’Oreal Hip Duo Forgiving
• Retrospeck (Highlight)
• Tan side from the L’Oreal Hip Duo Adventurous (highlighter)
• Stila Multi-Effect Mascara in Black
• Urban Decay Gash and Zero Eye Liners
• Too Faced Foiled Liner – Black Beauty

Cheeks

Stark Naked Blush

Lips

• Sweet Tooth T/T

Mix Maven