Monday, April 30, 2012

Challenge!: Easy-To-Do Ombre Nails

These days, you can't shake a stick at the Internet (though why you would, anyway, is beyond me) without hitting on the ombre nail trend. It's everywhere. There's even a whole Tumblr tag devoted to it. Apparently, this is big. Who knew? I can't even pronounce it.

The thing is, nifty neato mosquito as it may be (the kids are still saying that these days, right?), all the tutorials I've found have been, well, complicated. As in, "there is no way in H-E-double hockey sticks I'm ever going to have the time, talent, or patience to finish even one nail" complicated. There had to be an easier way!

Well, folks, there is. During one episode of Quantum Leap (with no commercial interruption), I was able to remove my existing polish, paint my toes, ombre (is that a verb? Is now!) my nails, clean up my mess, and snuggle with my husband and puppy. Yes, it truly is that easy. The key: really, really, really sheer, sparkly polish.

Photo Credit: Kaboodle

I used "You're An Angel" from Nicole by OPI. It's a very bright, glowy, coral-y pink in the bottle and when layered over several coats, but a ridiculously sheer, almost unwearable color after only two coats. Most of the time, it just lays around in my polish bag, but now, I finally had a good use for it.

I painted each of my nails with one coat. Then, starting with the first nail I'd painted, added a second coat starting about a quarter of the way up (your half moon is a good guide). After all nails had been painted, I added another layer, starting halfway up my nail. The final layer started on the last quarter of my nail, where the white tip would normally go on a French manicure. I did go back and add a second coat to the last three layers, but really didn't need to in hindsight. Use your judgement on that. The sparkles in the polish work to camoflauge the lines between layers. Here's what I ended up with:


Mind you, that's just a first attempt, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Have any of you guys tried this trend? How'd it work out for you? Let me know in the comments, and pics if you've got 'em!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Frugal Friday: Help Me, Hautelook!

It's time for Frugal Friday!!!!!  Yay!!! Here are this week's major deals!!!!

Bath & Body Works: Take 20% off your total with code SPRING2050.

Wow...that was certainly anti-climactic.

I don't know about you, but these days, I am broke. B-R-O-K-E, broke. Most everyone I know is in the same boat, so I'm not beating myself up about it. I just have to tighten things up a bit and be smart about where my money goes. That said, I still like to shop, and still like to have nice things. What's a girl to do?

Well, this girl--a girl who was raised by a Grand Champion bargain hunter, who was raised by Lady High Ruler Of All Things Sale Related--has upped her game a bit, so to speak. You may have noticed me mention a site called Hautelook once or twice on this blog. If you are into designer...well, anything, this site's flash sales may be just the ticket for you.

To give an example: I love Urban Decay cosmetics. All of them. I've yet to use a UD product I didn't just love. Every now and then, Hautelook will run an Urban Decay sale. About a week prior, the announcement will be made. Then, the day of, the sale will start at 8AM Pacific on.the.dot. At that time, the products up for sale will appear onscreen, and they will be heavily discounted. I picked up an Urban Lash set, including a travel 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero, a mascara made specifically for false lashes, and a set of Urban Lashes in Minx for $7. The lashes alone are usually $15. That's what I'm talking about. (And yes, before you ask, I really did need the lashes. See yesterday's post for details.)

Now, not everything from the brand in question will be up for grabs. That is important to remember. You will only have a small selection of items to choose from. In the case of UD, all of the products offered were already on sale at the brand site. Still, the Hautelook price was cheaper. The products won't always be sale items, though. Recently, I picked up a Vincent Longo eyeshadow quad in colors I've been searching for forever. It normally retails for $42. I paid $15.

Stila, Kinerase, TanTowel, DKNY, Calvin Klein, American Apparel, Laura Ashley, Betsey Johnson, William Rast, NYX, Puma...even E.L.F. (and I didn't think they could get any cheaper!) are just some of the brands that host events on Hautelook. You do have to act fast with these sales, though. They only last a few days, and items can sell out quickly. Also, once you place something in your cart, you only have 15 minutes to checkout, so decide on everything you want before you snap up that first item. Shipping rates can vary, but mine have always been in the area of $5. Shipping will take for-freaking-ever (be ye warned!), but it's worth the wait for prices like these. Plus, it's like a mini-Christmas every time I see the Hautelook label in the mail. This site has proven to me that, even though I'm on a budget, I can still have my favorites and save a few bucks at the same time. I don't know how they do it, but I'm not complaining.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Polyvore Fantasyland: My Spring Recital Look

Next Friday, I'm giving a voice recital (*cue scary music and possibly some shrieks*). Since it's one of those rare occasions where I get to get all dolled up, I thought I'd share sort of what I'm wearing. I'll explain as we go along.
Spring Voice Recital

Spring Voice Recital by adorablenapalm featuring a shimmer blush

The dress is actually my dress. It's an Adrianna Papell that I think I may have possibly stolen from Belk, the sale was that ridiculous. It's hard to tell in this picture, but the bodice is covered in sequins and jewels. I feel a little like a mermaid in this dress, but in a good way. Oh--and that shawl is so not going around my neck. No, sir. Not no way, not no how.

Going clockwise, the necklace and earrings are not mine. The necklace I'm wearing is vintage, courtesy of my grandma, but this is extraordinarily close. My earrings are also vintage from my Aunt Joy. They're crystal drops with gold filigree, so these are similar enough for Polyvore purposes, anyway.

Next is NARS blush in Super Orgasm (sorry, Mom!). I'm actually having my makeup done for the performance, but if I were to do my own, and if money were no object (hence, the Polyvore fantasy), this is the blush I would choose from all the blushes in creation. One day, I will own this, and I will own it. Basically, it's the same as the regular NARS cult fave, but with extra sparkles, and honestly, who couldn't use a little extra sparkle in their life?

Again, these are not my shoes. My shoes are a pair I've owned forever and a day. If I'm going to stand for an hour, I'm going to be comfortable. However, were comfort not a factor, and I had all the money in the world, these Steve Madden beauties would be gracing my tootsies.

My nails will be painted...some color...that I already own, probably. This is just one that I thought would really compliment the outfit, and a lot better than anything rolling around in my nail bag.

Okay! These actually are the lashes I plan to wear next Friday! I ordered them from Hautelook during their last Urban Decay sale, and they should finally make it to my doorstep today! I'll let you know if they're really that gorgeous in person.

Last, but not least, is the eyeshadow I would wear, were I doing my own makeup. Technically, I do own this. Technically. It's coming to me from Hautelook, as well, and hasn't shipped, yet. I highly doubt it'll be here for Friday. That said, the crystallized colors perfectly capture the easy-going, slightly bohemian look I'm going for. Yes, this is a recital of classical music, but who on Earth said it had to be stuffy?!

If you're interested in any of the above products, see below,or visit my Polyvore page and click on what you like. Thanks!

Necklace
$25 - rubylane.com

Crochet jewelry
$46 - en-gb.boticca.com

NARS Cosmetics shimmer blush
$28 - sephora.com

Urban Decay red carpet makeup
$15 - sephora.com

Opi nail
$8.50 - beautystoredepot.com

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Ulta Haul! Featuring NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

This is not the haul you're looking for. That would actually be an E.L.F. order that came in a couple of days ago. I needed some things for my film makeup kit, but I decided it would be best for me to review those items individually, once I've had a chance to play with them. It's mostly mascaras and eye primers, and I really don't want to open those any sooner than necessary, or they'll dry out. Sorry. In lieu of that, here's a bit of a piece-meal Ulta haul. I didn't get all of these things at one time, but sort of acquired them over a few paychecks. Enjoy!

1. Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil
One of these stays in my purse at all times. I talk and sing for a living, so my lips get pretty dried out. A swipe of this gives me a little bit of shine and a dab of color. This one, however, isn't for me. It's going in the film kit. See, we have a couple of guys in our film, and while I really don't want to put lipstick on them, they are going to need something on their lips to keep them from looking washed out, dried out, and, basically, zombied out. That might have been perfectly appropriate for our last movie, but not this one. This lip balm should do just the trick.

2. ULTA Extreme Wear Cream Eyeshadow
I haven't tried this. I haven't swatched it. I haven't even taken off the wrapper, yet. This was a free reward from Ulta, and I have absolutely zero expectations. I got the color "Premiere", which looks like a silvery taupe. Supposedly, this works as both a shadow and liner. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Here we go! I am so excited about this product! I picked one up a while back, then got two more during a 50% off sale (if it ain't half off, it ain't on sale). I've worn all three, now, and feel like I can honestly give you a full review and a whole-hearted recommendation.

First off, the colors I picked up were Stockholm (rosy nude), San Paulo (rose), and Monte Carlo (rosy red...notice a trend here? This one made me think a lot of MAC Berry Boost. I have no idea if they're dupes, but they're definitely in the same color family).

Stockholm (In low light. Sorry.)
San Paulo
Monte Carlo
These go on like a lipgloss, with a little doe foot applicator. As you can see from the photos, that's as close to a lipgloss as they get. These are opaque, highly pigmented, colors, and they last for-freaking-ever. After three hours of talking, eating, and drinking, all I need is a quick touch-up. They are drying, but I've found that I can swipe a little balm over the top and I'm good to go; no smearing, feathering, fading, or alteration of color.

My main cause for excitement, though, is the ease of application. I like a red lip (or a bright lip), and normally, to achieve that look I have to exfoliate, prep with a balm, line with a coordinated liner, line with a clear liner to prevent feathering, then apply lipstick with a brush, blot, re-apply, blot, re-re-apply, blot, and maybe coat with a gloss. That's a pain in the rear, and requires more time than I have. This...well, this I apply with the doe foot applicator...possibly while in the car...no liner, blotting, or whathaveyou needed.

I highly, highly recommend this. Just keep some Burt's Bees on hand for the dryness.


See! In the car! (Not driving!)

This is not a review. I've only worn this mascara once, so I'm not 100% ready to give it a yay or nay...but I'm already impressed. Let me draw your attention to the above photo. You see my lashes? I think they speak for themselves. That's two coats, no falsies, and I didn't even curl them. Holy moly moist cake!

I'm normally a Buxom girl for evenings and performances, and a Tarte girl (not a "tart", Mom!) for normal, everyday wear. This is somewhere in-between, and is making me rethink my life choices. The brush, incidentally, is the revelation. It's a fairly standard brush, except for the top, which has a little bulb-like thingy (technical term) on the end, with protruding bristles. That little sucker gets every.darn.lash. Even those hard to reach inner corner ones. If I'm honest, I think I might be falling a little bit in love with it.

I got the mini-version for ten bucks because I ran out of both my Tarte and Buxom on the same blasted day. I figured I could try this out for a while until I could replace of my beloveds. If this continues to perform like it did today, I might just stick with this.

The Look: If you like the "I threw this on in, literally, the four minutes and thirty seconds it took for my frozen diet entree to microwave" look pictured above, here are the products used:

Too Faced Beauty Balm in Vanilla Glow
Benefit Bo-ing Concealer in Light
Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Eyeshadows in Tease (lid) and Busted (under eye)
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Whiskey
Benefit They're Real Mascara
E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium (Yeah, I know...I need shaping. What's new?)
E.L.F. Brow Treat and Tame in Deep
Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder (as blush)
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo

Monday, April 23, 2012

I'll Be Back...

Things are going to be a little light for the next couple of days. I've got a recital, short film, music convention, and a couple of writing projects all going on at once, and it's crunch time. As always, if something really cool comes up, I'll pop in with an update. There are also a couple of upcoming hauls to look forward to! Stay tuned, and I'll be back before you know it!

Thanks for understanding,
Erin

Friday, April 20, 2012

Frugal Friday: AAAAH! Real(ly Artistic) Monsters!

No codes today!! What is wrong with the world?! Down is up and round is square!! Oh, the humanity!!! As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!!!

*ahem*

I'm sorry. Please excuse my little outburst. It's been a very long morning.

Anyhoo, if any of you lovely readers out there are the artistic sort, I may have a fun project for you, courtesy of the folks over at Twisted Sifter. I was surfing around the interwebs today, and ran across this:

Photo Credit: Twisted Sifter, by artist Thyrza Segal
...and laughed my head off.

Thomas and I are frequent thrift store shoppers, and have spent more than our fair share of time digging through seemingly endless piles of bad "hotel room" still-life and "little old lady living room" landscapes. Most of the time, we're looking for frames or props, and the paintings are most likely discarded. These artists have taken those paintings and added new life to them by, well, adding monsters.

According to Twisted Sifter, the trick to making the work believable is matching the paint and texture of the original. The monster should look as if it has always been a part of the painting. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it's a really cool effect.
Photo Credit: Twisted Sifter, artist Chris McMahon
You know what, the next time I run across a deserted landscape in the bargain bin, I just might have to give this a shot. I'm nowhere near the artist these guys are, but if it turned out, think of the conversations a piece like this could start!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Do Vampires Need Illuminating Powder? Dark Shadows-Inspired NYX Palette

***Read my full review here!***

One of the last times I played around in Ulta (because, really, how is that shopping? It's like a grown-up girl playground in there), I ran across this palette from NYX that even made Thomas stop and say, "Oh, that's cool!"

Photo Credit: Musings of a Muse
It's the NYX Crimson Amulet palette, inspired by the upcoming Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie, Dark Shadows, and it is stunning.

***Please Note: This is not a review. I don't own this, and my entire experience with it was while standing around in a store. This is more of a heads up that this exists, just in case you want to check it out further yourself. ***

Okay, disclaimer's out of the way, so here are my initial thoughts:

The shadow colors I was able to swatch (and not photograph. Sorry) were very soft, creamy, and pigmented. NYX is known for having quality makeup, so I wasn't surprised. There's also a nice variety of hues to choose from.

The packaging is cute, if a little confusing. I'm not keen on the mirror's placement (you can't see it in this picture, but it, along with a "get the look" card, is placed between the shadow side and the blush/lip color side). I can only see it getting very dirty and difficult to use. The cardboard palette does seem sturdy, though. I think it'd be fine in an organized makeup bag.

I love that this comes with a eyelid primer and liner. Really, all you need is some foundation, powder, mascara and concealer, and you are completely set. It's one of the most complete palettes I've seen, and would be great for travel. In fact, if you prefer using shadow for liner, you could pop a deluxe sample size of mascara in the liner section.

All in all, I like it, and would recommend checking it out in person at your local Ulta. It's $24.99, and contains 24 shadows, 5 blushes, 4 glosses, 1 illuminating powder, 1 eyeliner, and 1 HD eyelid primer. I'd say that  has the potential to be a phenomenal deal.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Building Kits and Looking for Glitz

The indie film company that Thomas founded is filming in a few weeks. There's no crazy hair or makeup involved, and pretty much all of the actors and extras are taking care of their own. Still, I like to keep a kit on-set for touch-ups. Plus, there's always the possibility that someone will show up wearing either no makeup or way too much--I like to prepare for all contingencies. Now, I'm not a makeup artist (and if one would like to volunteer, that would be unbelievably cool and I'd love you forever and be your best friend), but I've been at this long enough to handle the basics to ensure folks show up on camera.

Of course, that doesn't mean I'm breaking out the high-end products. Good God, no! Along with figuring out that extra blush and bronzer are necessary to avoid being washed out by the lighting equipment, I've also learned that anything you bring on-set has the distinct possibility of being broken. You're in a crazed atmosphere, with people constantly bustling by, extension cords as far as the eye can see, and a lot of hurry, hurry, hurry. It's also not a big-budget studio setting, so I might be doing makeup off of a folding table, picnic bench, or, most likely, out of my car. I'm careful, and I keep a neat kit, but accidents happen. I know that if I brought my $25 NARS Orgasm (sorry, Mom) blush, and it was knocked off a table and broken into a million pieces, I'd be devastated. However, if the same thing happened to a $3 copycat...eh, I'd get a new one. Not a big deal.

With that in mind, I hit the drugstore around the corner to pick up a few staples. I have greasepaint out the ears, but my "normal person" makeup was severely lacking. I needed translucent powder, a couple of blushes, and a matte black eyeshadow (every kit should have a matte white, matte brown, and matte black shadow. Period. I've heard this from a few different places, and it's completely true. You'd be shocked how much you can do with just those three products). Rimmel makes a great translucent powder, so that was pretty much a no-brainer. Wet 'n' Wild had a pretty rose blush, along with a peachy pink that looked so much like my NARS it wasn't even funny (I'll have more on those another day), and a matte black eyeshadow that vlogger DivaMakeupQueen raved about recently. But it was while picking up the eyeshadow that I noticed this beauty:


Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon Single in Trashed

This made me think so much of Urban Decay Stardust in Void that I had to give it a shot. For two bucks, even if it was terrible, I wouldn't really be out anything.
Photo Credit: Urban Decay
It's not terrible. Not even close. It's also not even close to Stardust, but it's still a darn good eyeshadow. Trashed goes past "highly pigmented" into "scarily pigmented". Yesterday, I added just a dab to my outer corners, but it blended all the way through my crease, along my lash line, and added a little color to my lid. It didn't sparkle, though, which was a little disappointing. Today, I decided to go whole-hog and do a black lid, just to see how much glitter I could get, and it wasn't much.

I do want to point out that I did not use a shadow brush to apply this. I was terrified of how much fallout there might be from thickly packing on such a densely pigmented soft shadow. Instead, I used my blending brush to pick up enough for a thin layer, and applied two "coats" to each lid. There was almost no fallout from using that method, and I ended up with deep black lids with a lovely satin finish. There's just not very much glitter. Also, the packaging, while attractive, is insanely difficult to open. Like, "keep a butter knife handy" hard to open.
Lid: Trashed, Highlight: Stila Kitten, Liner: Urban Decay Zero,
Inner Corner: Urban Decay Sin, Lashes: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes,
Brows: E.L.F. Brow Kit (Med) and Treat and Tame (Deep),
Skin: E.L.F. Mineral Foundation Warm/Benefit Porefection/Benefit Bo-ing
Wow. That looks like a ton of makeup, but it really only took a few minutes. I keep a small stash of seasonally appropriate makeup on my counter, so I don't really have to think too much in the mornings. I'm not good at thinking in the mornings...

Anyway, overall, I'm really happy with my purchase. Sure, I was looking for more glitter, but for two bucks, I really can't complain too much. This one's not going in the film makeup kit. It's going on my counter.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. It's beautiful, it's pigmented, it's cheap as all get-out. It's just not glittery, and a pain in the rear to try to open.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

My Annual Sunscreen Soapbox Rant

Photo Credit: Sephora
There's an article circling through Facebook right now, and it's one I think we all need to read. The gist of it is a young woman, Glenna Kohl, passed away from skin cancer brought on by tanning. There's more to the story, including a misdiagnosis that played a huge role in her eventual death, but the long and short of it is that tanning--even in tanning beds--is dangerous, and not something to be messed around with. Now, I know it's Spring Break season, and Summer is just around the corner. I don't want to be a killjoy and tell you that you can't look pretty and golden in your new white sundress. What I do want you to do is be careful: wear sunscreen, and get your bronze from a bottle. Technology has advanced so much since the days of "Fake Bake Orange", and you can (really! I promise!) get a decent tan from a can. Lord knows, that's the only way this Irish lass avoids going from Casper to Lobster in .0001 seconds.

I've already posted about most of these products before, so I'll just link to my original thoughts. These are some fantastic ways to stay safe without having to sacrifice style.

Sunscreen: For face, I'm digging Walgreen's Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Lotion. Normally, I wear makeup that contains an SPF, but if I'm laying out by the pool (ha! Like that happens often), this is one that doesn't clog my pores. Oddly, I've not reviewed it. I thought I had. Whoops. For body, my absolute favorite is Hawaiian Tropic Shimmer Effect. Yes, it smells like suntan lotion, and that's unfortunate, but it looks so darned gorgeous on that I can deal.

Sunless Tanner: The best self-tanner I have ever had the pleasure of trying (and there have been a lot) is the Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Instant Self Tan Lotion With Tint. There's practically zero odor, and you end up with a light shimmer instead of disco glitter, and a beautiful natural bronze that you see right away, but deepens over the next few hours. It's also very reasonably priced. You can't beat it.

Airbrush Tanner: Again, I'm going with Victoria's Secret. This is body makeup, not self-tanner, and it will wash off in the shower. If you're looking for a temporary tan, this is your product. As with the Sunless tanner, there's no offensive odor, and you look naturally bronzed. This is a great way to knock the chill off your legs for shorts or skirts.

Lip Balm: Pick your poison on this. I looked up "Lipbalm SPF" on drugstore.com and got 98 results. There is, literally, something out there for every preference. Just do me a favor and wear it. Lips are so often overlooked when slathering on lotion, and they burn so easily. I've witnessed a lip sunburn up close, and it's not pretty, but it is unbelievably painful. Just put something on. Anything.

For the Undecided: Lastly, if you have no clue what you're looking for in suncare, and my choices just aren't doing it for you, Sephora has an amazing kit for you: a train case filled with 14 deluxe samples of every kind of sun protection and tanner imaginable. It's $30, which is five dollars more than last year's, but you get three more samples and a nicer case, so it's worth it. I'm about to order one, myself. The samples are perfect for travel and purses. Bonus: 100% of profits benefit the Skin Cancer Foundation. As my Mom always says: Pretty is as pretty does.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Profusion Review: Naked 2 and Midnight Emergency Dupes

Okay, today's post is going to be crazy long and ridiculously picture-heavy, but please stick with me, because I think you'll find it's worth it.

Backing up, on Friday, I posted about some 99-cent palettes at Walgreen's. Basically, I said they didn't suck, and that 12 shadows for a buck was a deal too good to pass up. They're about the same consistency as MAC shadows, are wonderfully pigmented (considering the cost, anyway), and looked like they might possibly contain some Urban Decay dupes. I also said that they looked uber-glittery in the pan, but that it didn't seem to show up as sparkly on skin. So far, that's the only thing I've been wrong about.

These suckers are beyond glittery. Sometimes, that's a good thing. Unfortunately, I'd planned to use these for film, and glitter doesn't usually work for that. Plus, they fallout something awful. Still and all, I have to recommend these. There are ways of getting around fallout, and my UD Midnight Emergency is just as bad, if not worse. Also, I should point out that not all of the Profusion Cosmetic Colour Me Glow palettes are glitter palettes. Since my last post, I've picked up two more. Palettes 05, 06, 07, and 08, have chunky glitter. Palettes 03 and 04 are shimmer only. I tossed those in my film makeup kit and called it a win.
*Please note: there are no matte shades. Only shimmer and glitter.

Saturday, I decided to give the shadows a test drive. I used three colors from palette 07:

Left side, top: all over/highlight. Middle section, #2: lid. Left side, bottom: crease
Here's how that came out:

Yeah, I know, my brows are a mess. Also, I was standing under a vent for that first shot, so my hair's going all over the place. The first shot was indoors, and the second was in sunlight. The shadows feel awesome going on, blend well, and are nice colors, if a little sheer. Some hues need to be packed on, and some are incredibly pigmented. It's just hit or miss, but for a buck, I can deal.

I applied them over a sticky pencil primer (I used UD Sin, but NYX would be a good choice, too), and they held up fairly well. These shots were taken a couple of  hours apart, and there's no creasing. There is, however, a ton of glitter, obviously, and it took some serious cleaning up to be able to walk out of the house without feeling like a disco ball. That said, I wore UD Midnight Emergency colors on Sunday, and had the same experience.

I'm not going to rate this on a scale of 1-10, like I usually do. The shadows are just too varied for that. There are enough really good, quality, pigmented shadows that I can confidently say you'd get more than your money's worth. Heck, if you find just one that you love in each palette, you're ahead of the game. When in Walgreen's, do yourself a favor and grab a couple. You'll be glad that you did. 

And...as I mentioned before, there were a few Urban Decay Midnight Emergency and Naked 2 dupes. A couple aren't exact, but are really, really close. A couple, however, are spot on. Let's take a look at Midnight Emergency:


Here, we have on the left, Midnight Cowboy and a close imposter from Profusion palette 06. It's not right on the money--a little too pink, not enough gold--but I'd put it at about 75%. On the right, though, are Midnight Rodeo, and a dead ringer, also from 06. In fact, they're right next to each other in the pan. They're the third and second shadows (respectively), in the middle section of the palette.


Here's a pretty spot-on dupe for AC/DC, also from Midnight Emergency:


The dupe is on the left, and AC/DC is on the right. The Profusion shade is a little brighter, but so close that I'd put it at about 90%. It's in the middle section of palette 04, and is the fourth shade in that row.

It's the one in the center, next to the pink.
Okay, now on to Naked 2 dupes. There are three, and they're actually three of my most used colors:


I was so excited over this one! Chopper is one of my favorite colors out of Naked 2, and Profusion has a near exact dupe. Chopper has a little more depth to it, but I'd call this about 90%. It's in palette 03.


Suspect (also in the Rollergirl palette) also has a reasonable dupe in palette 03. It's a little warmer, and again, lacks some of the depth of it's UD counterpart, but I'd give it a solid 85%.

Chopper's dupe is the middle shade on the left side of palette 03. Suspect's imposter is the one right below.

This dupe (on the left) for Busted (on the right) is, possibly, a smidge cooler, but it's about a 95%. You might get some glitter with it (I didn't here, but you could), but I was shocked at how similar these were. It's in palette 05, middle section, fifth shade.

The one in the center, here, next to the light beige.
I really hope this has helped some, and that you've enjoyed this little search for cheap alternatives. Let me know what you think (and how you think I did!) in the comments.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Frugal Friday: Colour Me Glow 99-Cent Awesomeness

Charlotte Russe: 13% off every order, plus 13-cent shipping. Today only. No code needed.
Smashbox: Pick 3 deluxe samples with every order. Ends Sunday. No code needed.
Old Navy: 13% off any online order with code ONFRIDAY13. Today only.

I am so excited about today's find, I can barely stand it! This is not a full review, since I haven't gotten a chance to try this out, but more of a head's up. /End of disclaimer

So, one of my favorite beauty vlogs, Glow My Way, had a terrific review of some (pardon the expression, but it's the only one I can think of to properly convey the sheer insanity of this) redonkulously cheap drugstore makeup. Since it's about time to start filming again, and I usually end up doing a good bit of the actors' makeup, I was already on the hunt for products to restock my kit. These 99-cent palettes from Walgreen's* seemed to be worth looking into.

Like I said, I haven't had a chance to wear any of the colors, but I did swatch one of the four Profusion Cosmetics Colour Me Glow palettes I bought, and color me impressed! Each palette holds twelve shades, so I just picked up 48 eyeshadows for four bucks. Sure, there are some duplicates among the pack, but even if you factor those in, that's still a ton of product for less than some specialty drinks at Starbucks.


With ballpoint pen for scale
 The palettes I picked up were 05,06, 07, and 08, and I didn't realize I'd done that until I went to type this. 05 and 08 are almost entirely neutral (05 has a pop of pink), and 06 and 07 are a mix of brights and neutrals. They are billed as metallics, but I'd call them all shimmers with chunky glitter. Don't let that glitter scare you, though. As you'll see in the swatches, it doesn't really transfer from pan to skin.

Now, onto the swatches. This is palette 06. I was interested in the bright turquoise and pink.
Left to Right: First three-left side of pan (bottom to top), Second three-right side of pan (bottom to top)
Last five-top row of pan (left to right)


I ran out of arm. This is the last one on the top row of the pan. The coppery one.
And yes, my hand was clean.

As you can see, these shadows are nicely pigmented. They're not quite up to Urban Decay's level, but they're not far off. Of course, they also don't cost anywhere near UD's prices, either.

They're not super-soft shadows, like UD or Stila, but more along the consistency of MAC, which are...I'm going with "sturdier" here. MAC's shadows are amazing and gorgeous, and I love them, but they're not soft, and I hate to use the words "hard" or "dry", since they have such negative conotations. They're sturdy. There.

If you look at the swatches, you will see one or two bits of glitter, but nothing compared to the sparklies in the pan. In my book, that's a good thing. I do love my glitter shadows, but not for film, and that's what these are, ultimately, going to be used for. I do see a couple of shades in here that could be dupes for UD's Midnight Emergency palette (sans the glitter), so I'll test that out and follow-up if that proves to be the case. It sure would be nice to dupe an expensive eyeshadow for about eight cents.

Left Side of Pan

Middle of Pan

Right Side of Pan
I'll try these out over the weekend (most likely), and have a full review for you sometime in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, if you're feeling adventurous and have an extra buck, pick one up for yourself, and be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments.

*Yes, I know this website isn't Walgreen's, nor does it list the palette for 99-cents. Walgreen's site doesn't show them at all, but they are priced at 99-cents in the store. You'll just have to trust me on that, I guess.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Steal of the Century! Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil Stash Review

Seriously, this is about as no-brainer as it gets. Urban Decay has their 24/7 Shadow Pencil Stash (Holiday 2011) on sale right now. You get five travel pencils for nine bucks. Regular price was $34. That's a ridiculous deal. However, if you really want the math on this, here goes:

1 full-sized UD Shadow Pencil (.10 oz) = $20
5 full-sized UD Shadow Pencils (.50 oz) = $100
1 travel-sized UD Shadow Pencil (.088 oz) = $17.60 (not available separately, so don't worry about it)
5 travel-sized UD Shadow Pencils (.44 oz) = $88

Therefore, what should cost $88, and was originally Holiday-priced at $34, that I picked up for $12, is now on sale for $9. You're getting five pencils for about half the cost of one. Excuse me for a second...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry. I, quite literally, had to stop typing for a moment to laugh at the utter insanity of that price. And the thing is, all but one of the colors in this set are available separately in the $20 full size. My brain is having a hard time wrapping itself around this one. If you like smoky eyes, glide-on liners, cream shadows, glitter shadows, highlighted inner corners, or are just too lazy to use a brush (like me this morning), do yourself a favor and pick up one of these sets. Heck, pick up two or three. Give away any colors you don't like, and you'll still end up way ahead of the game.

Right. Now, onto the review:

I picked this set up a while back, when I snagged the Rollergirl Palette, and have been borderline obsessed with it ever since. You might have noticed. Anyhoo, let's look at this thing.

Packaging: The set comes in a very sturdy, shiny cardboard holder. I've been keeping my pencils in the holder, and shoving the entire thing into a drawer in my bathroom. After a few weeks of this, the holder is still in practically mint condition, and my pencils have stayed nice and organized. The first time you go to take them out, though, you better have a screwdriver on hand. Those suckers are in there tight! I'm also a fan of how the outside of each pencil is the same color as the shadow, itself, and the names are clearly printed on each. Caps are clear, and appear to be thick enough to avoid breakage. 10 out of 10.

Colors: From left to right: Delinquent (glittery dark purple), Juju (frosted taupe), Rehab (bronzed brown), Sin (shimmering champagne), and Clash (glittery bright turquoise).
Photo Credit: Urban Decay
For me, the most wearable are Rehab and Sin, and I often use them in combination. I spread Rehad across the lid and under the lower lash line, and highlight my inner corners with Sin. I've also used Sin as a cheek highlight with nice results. Delinquent is a much more wearable purple than you might imagine, though I do tend to tone it down with a neutral crease color. Clash is an absolutely divine turquoise. It's not an everyday kind of color, but for those times when you want a serious pop of color, this is unspeakably beautiful. I've found myself planning outfits around it. Juju is the only clunker for me. It's probably the perfect color for somebody out there, but I just can't wear it. It's so close to my skin tone that it just makes me look ill and a little pasty. 8 out of 10.

Quality: I just want you to look at something really quickly:

Top to bottom: Delinquent, Sin, Juju, Rehab, and Clash

Each of those colors (and please, ignore my hairy arm...) was swatched ONE TIME in only ONE DIRECTION. That's how smooth and pigmented they are. Also, if you're a glitter girl, like I am, this is the only way to do glitter. There is zero fallout when applying. Wherever you put this is where it stays, glitter included. Blends like a dream--even with fingers--with color payoff in spades. 10 out of 10.

Wear: This is my eye after six hours of wearing Delinquent:

Makeup Used: Delinquent on lid, UD Busted shadow in crease,
UD Bootycall shadow on browbone, Sin on inner corner,
Tarte Lights, Camera, Action Mascara
It's still there, and it's still really purple. The glitter is exactly where I put it, with maybe one or two flecks of fallout. There is some creasing, but considering the heat and humidity of my current climate (think: Sauna in Hell), and the fact that it's been on six hours without primer (oh, yeah, did I forget to mention that? No primer needed! One less step in the morning!), I'd say that's doing pretty darn well. 9.5 out of 10.

Final Verdict: 9.4 out of 10. For this price, buy as many as you possibly can. Trust me, you'll use them.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Random Observations

I think Michael Stipe is trying to decorate my house. Either that, or Andy Kaufman is punking me from beyond the grave. In two days, I have been in two different home decor shops (Kirkland's and Bed Bath & Beyond), and both times I have been haunted by REM's Man On the Moon. Now, don't get me wrong; I really, really like that song, and was a big fan of the Jim Carrey movie (robbed of an Oscar! Robbed!!), but I haven't heard it in any rotation, much less heavy rotation since last century. What is going on, and should I be on the lookout for a skinny, bald man bearing throw pillows?

Yeah...I've officially gone off the deep end. I think I need a vacation.

In other news, the Adorable Napalm Facebook page (why aren't you following it?) has gone Timeline. I have no idea if I like that, or not, but it did give me the opportunity to put a snazzy picture at the header. I thought, today, I'd go through that picture and let you know what was what in that (actually, very organized and artfully arranged) chaos.

1.   Stila One Step Primecolor, Pop of Pink
2.   Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick, San Fransisco
3.   Stila One Step Makeup, Light
4.   Urban Decay Rollergirl Palette
5.   Hermione Granger's Wand
6.   Buxom Stay-There Eyeshadow, Mutt
7.   Beauty and the Beast Figurine
8.   Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
9.   Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation, Fairly Light
10. Stila One Step Primecolor, Kitten
11. Buxom Stay-There Eyeshadow, Cocker Spaniel
12. Urban Decay Primer Potion, Sin
13. The Tenth Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver
14. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow, RSVP
15. Buxom Lips, Clair
16. MAC Eyeshadow, Woodwinked
17. Mini Stormtrooper Helmet
18. MAC Lipstick, Russian Red
19. Buxom Lips, Trixie (I know you can't see it, but that's what it is)
20. LORAC Eyeshadow, Sand
21. Stila One Step Primecolor, Capri Coral
22. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow, Strut
23. Sephora By O.P.I. Top Coat, Traffic Stopper Copper
24. Urban Decay Primer Potion, Eden
25. LORAC Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder, Spotlight
26. Urban Decay Eyeshadow, Free Love
27. China Glaze Nail Polish, Riveting
28. Owl Keychain (it screeches!)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Challenge!: Cooking Out with Tangerine Tango

For fun, I thought I'd put together a little fantasy outfit for all those Summer cookouts I hope to attend. To make it a little more challenging, I used Pantone's color of the year, Tangerine Tango, as inspiration. Let's take a look, shall we? Again, all links are at the bottom, except for a couple I threw in with the descriptions.
Summer 2012 Pool Party



Beginning in the middle, I chose this two piece from Old Navy for two reasons. 1) It's the right color. 2) It's an extremely flattering design, with full-coverage bottoms and a wide-banded halter top. Even if you're (like me) not exactly a supermodel but still prefer a two-piece, you can most likely get away with this. I actually own this one and another just like it in a print, and they're very comfortable and very forgiving. Oh--one more reason (sorry!): it's really inexpensive. That's always a good thing. 
The white dress to the left didn't show up well on Polyvore, but it's a beautiful, all-over eyelet with delicate ruffle trim and empire waist. It's dressy enough to wear to an outdoor cocktail party, yet casual enough that you could toss it on over the bathing suit and still look adorable. Also from Old Navy, and also really inexpensive. Again, always a good thing.

One more from Old Navy! The wedge shoes pull the white from the dress and orange from the suit (or just add in the orange, if you want to skip the suit), but tone down the brights with smooth, milk chocolate leather. A bonus to wearing a wedge to an outdoor event: your heels never sink down into the grass.

Moving to the left, these earrings by 1928 were another inexpensive way to bring in the orange color of the season. I also liked that the hematite accents worked to keep the pop of color from being an explosion.

Directly beneath the earrings, we have our splurge. This bracelet, by Vince Camuto, is $78, and way more than I could ever justify. However, this is a fantasy outfit, so what the hey? I loved that it echoed the triangular shape from the earrings, as well as the striped pattern in the shoes, all while showcasing that gorgeous tangerine in an elegant, yet fun way. If I were going to spend almost eighty bucks on a bracelet, this would definitely be a contender.
Okay, hopping over to the far right (don't you love my haphazard directions?), is the 24/7 Shadow Pencil Stash from Urban Decay. If you don't have this, snap it up. Like, now. In fact, you can get it at HauteLook (until tomorrow, anyway) for $9. NINE DOLLARS!! You can also snag it after tomorrow at the Urban Decay website for $12. I'll do a full review on it soon, but what I'd suggest for this outfit is Rehab all over the lid and smudged underneath the lower lash line. Add Sin to the inner corners to highlight, pop on some mascara, and call it done.

Moving down, this is the NARS Albatross Cheek Trio. This is a little on the pricey side, but I added it here because it gives you a self-contained blush, bronzer, and highlighter that you can simply toss in a bag and be ready to go. It's perfect for traveling, and the colors are amazing. You get Orgasm blush (sorry, Mom), which is a complete cult fave, and one of my go-to products; Laguna bronzer, and Albatross highlighter.

In case you hadn't noticed, we've kept the face fairly neutral and natural, thus far. That's because we're going to kick this look up a notch with Sephora+Pantone's Color of the Year Cream Lipstick in Tangerine Tango. Yes, it's orange, but an incredibly sexy orange, and a Summery twist on the classic red lip. $18, Sephora.
I hope you enjoyed this challenge. Feel free to follow me on Polyvore, and "Like" this if you, well, liked this.

Old Navy smocked dress
$35 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy bikini swimwear
$18 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old navy swimwear
$15 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy platform wedge heels
$30 - oldnavy.gap.com

Vince Camuto enamel bangle
$78 - zappos.com

1928 vintage earrings
$17 - 1928.com

Urban decay makeup
$39 - macys.com

Nars blush
$55 - neimanmarcus.com

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