Frugal Friday: Stocking Stuffers $20 and Under

With the holidays in full-swing (yes, we've already had one of them. Remember that day before Black Friday when we all ate pumpkin pie and scoured ads? That used to be called Thanksgiving. It counts as a holiday), now is the time of year when we have to come up with gifts for everyone we've ever met. Some of them even get more than one gift! In hopes of keeping everyone in their credit cards' good graces, I've compiled a list of some of the most giftable stocking stuffers, all coming in at $20 or less each. Hope this helps!

Photo Credit: Sephora

These pretty little blotting linens from Boscia are infused with peppermint essence to help you lift off oil and keep your cool. 100 sheets per pack, $5.

Photo Credit: Sephora

Be beautiful inside and out with this manicure set from Sephora, benefitting Breast Cancer Awareness. Cuticle pusher, nipper, and scissors included in the vibrant pink case. $20.

Photo Credit: Sephora

This is one of the best deals in the bunch, and it's already packaged in a gorgeous gift box! This set includes Tarte's gold eyelash curler (one of the best I've used) and a deluxe sample of their fabulous Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. $16.

Photo Credit: Real Techniques

If you haven't tried Samantha Chapman's line of brushes, you don't know what you're missing! This adorable set comes with a multi-task brush, shadow brush, and foundation brush, all in a multi-functioning case/display. $17.99

Photo Credit: Sephora

Looking for something elegant? Try L'Occitane hand cream in one of eleven gorgeous scents. Each comes in a tube designed to represent the fragrance inside. $10.

Photo Credit: The Body Shop

Here's another fantastic deal! You can get The Body Shop's shower cream, body scrub, body butter, soap, and a bath lily in luxurious Shea, and it comes housed in a lovely gift box. $20.

Photo Credit: Shopping.AOL

Got a polish lover? Treat them to Butter London's Yummy Mummy and a bottle of Powder Room polish remover. Added plus: the remover smells like baby powder! $15.

Photo Credit: Sephora

Another one for polish fans, but more for the color collector, Sephora by O.P.I.'s Tinsel Town set. Here, you get four mini polishes with Hollywood-themed names (Already Famous, What Film Noir You In, Dear Diary, and Metro Chic), packaged in an art deco gift box. $19.50.

Photo Credit: Bath and Body Works

For the gal on the go, try this glamorous lip gloss/perfume duo in Forever Red. Pomegranate and Vanilla Rum highlight the rich scent, while the non-sticky gloss will keep her pout the perfect shade of ruby red. $15.

Photo Credit: Beautylish

Finally, for that someone who has everything, give her a place to store it all. This Urban Decay mini palette comes with Melt (peach shimmer) and has room for three more of her favorite UD shadows, plus a gigantic mirror. $18.

Gilded Sugarplum: Holiday Eye Look Inspired by Zoya Daul

Yesterday, I posted about the new nail polish that is currently rocking my world. Well, today I decided that I just had to come up with an eye look to go with it. Here 'tis, folks:

I'm really loving this. It's rich and kind of mysterious, but there's nothing severe about it. There are no hard edges. It's not smoky, but it is kind of sexy. I think it would make for a nice date or holiday party look. Me? I wore it with a sweatshirt and jeans to work, because that's just how I roll.

Start by applying MAC Woodwinked all over the lid. Then, using a flat shader brush, place Urban Decay Freakshow in the outer corner, and work it across the outer third of the lid and all throughout the crease. Taking the same brush, apply the bright violet shade from Too Faced's Glamour to Go Dream Edition (or any bright violet, for that matter) over the Freakshow and blend out. Taking a small, flat liner brush, line the lower lash line with Freakshow, stopping as you pass the eyeball. Apply Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Zero from eyeball to outer corner, then just on the outer corner of the lower lash line. Using Benefit Sun Beam as a liner, line the lower lashline from inner corner to meet the Freakshow, then continue to outline the inner corner and color in the first third of your lid. Highlight the brow bone with the glittery ecru shade from the Too Faced GtG Dream Edition (or any sparkly bone shade). Apply Buxom Lash mascara top and bottom. Done!

I finished off this look with NARS Super Orgasm blush (gold sparklies!) and a sparkling golden rose lip gloss, which looked nice and kept the focus on my eyes. Of course, feel free to use whatever you want. It's your face, after all!

Have a lovely Thursday! It's almost the weekend!!!!!!!!!

Deck the Nails, Part 3: Zoya Daul

The search is still on for a sparkly, glittery, festive, Christmas red nail polish. I actually, just last night, tried one that looked promising. It, um, wasn't. I'm going to give myself a little time to get over the initial shock of it before I photograph it and post it here. Maybe it will grow on me?

Anyhoo, I decided to take a break from the mission and play with a pretty purple. Here's Zoya in Daul:



Photo Credit: Zoya

None of these photographs can really do it justice. Daul has a stunning royal purple base that is generously infused with gold glitter. It's not quite Dual Chrome, but the color does vary depending on the light.



Sunlight

 This reminds me of one of my favorite Mardi Gras gowns. It's a goddess-style draped gown in this exact shade of purple, and the fabric was woven with tons of gold shimmer throughout. When you dance in this dress, you absolutely glow.



Shade

 I say all of that, not so much to tell you about a nice dress, but to drive home the point that this is a celebratory shade, and one that appears to carry its own spotlight with it. The shade is so delicate, the best way to describe it is "gossamer". It's unbelievably gorgeous, and I can't stress that enough.



Partial Sunlight/Partial Shade

 As for the formula, I have no complaints. The polish glides on, and reaches full opacity in two coats. I applied three, just to be safe. The consistency is not runny, and the polish dries in minutes. I've been wearing it for seventeen hours with no chipping or flaking. I know that's not a long time, but I've been shopping, fumbling through my purse, and typing for a good chunk of that time, and none of that is easy on your nails.



Indoors

 In my book, this is a keeper. If you're looking for an unexpected nail color this season, I highly recommend Daul. $8, zoya.com.

Final Verdict: 10 out of 10. Gorgeous color and gorgeous formula at a not too shabby price.

Walkers On Aisle 7 (Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Mall)

So...this happened...


Credit: al.com

And all I could think of was this (turn your sound down. It's ...weird):


Credit: youtube

The first video was taken at a Wal-Mart in my home town. In fact, it's the Wal-Mart where I generally shop. The only reason--and I do mean only--that I was not there for this Black Friday massacre is that I was at another location closer to my house. The second is from AMC's The Walking Dead, and really makes me think that the zombie apocalypse is already upon us, and we just haven't noticed.

Yes. Yes, I went into the fray on Black Friday Eve (formerly known as Thanksgiving). It's not something I've ever done before, but Thomas and I have been looking to replace the prehistoric television (it's a box!) in our bedroom for some time, and Wally World was rumored to have one in the perfect size for the perfect price. It was kind of a now or never type of deal. There is no way I would have ever attempted to brave the store otherwise.

I can honestly say that I've never experienced anything like it, and I've worked Black Fridays in both a mall coffee shop and a New York chocolate boutique, not to mention a major department store. You could barely move inside the store. The aisles were filled with palettes of items to be sold only at specified times, and the few clear bits of aisle were taken up by people waiting in lines for those items. Periodically, uniformed officers would sweep those aisles to prevent impatient folks from tearing into the plastic wrap and taking what they wanted before the sales event began. They also served as armed guards for the poor employees who had to deliver the palettes to the floor. The actual departments within the store were roped off with caution tape, forming makeshift Disneyland queues through ladies' pajamas and produce. On top of that, all around, exhausted shoppers were sitting or lying on the floor, resting, while protecting their precious packages. I alsmost ran over one with a cart. It wasn't even my cart. I was just trying to squeeze past it, and didn't see a man slumped on the ground beside it.

The employees were wonderful, helpful, and even patient, but the patrons were anything but. I was stepped on, yelled at, and tugged on, and that was just trying to walk past the shoe section. I grasped onto Thomas' hand, just so we could stay together in the ebb and flow of the crowd. When we finally figured out where our queue began, we were issued a ticket for our item. On the ticket was the number 7 in a circle. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for that, but all we could figure was that was Wal-Mart shorthand for being in the Seventh Circle of Hell.

We got our TV. We even got to pay for it, even though that was another hour of trying to decipher where the lines began, and where they split apart again. The entire ordeal was a nightmare, even without the Romero reenactment.

The next morning, I picked my mother and brother up for our traditional 6AM Black Friday shopping at the mall. There was almost no one there. I walked into Bath and Body Works, and was at the counter within five minutes. The first 200 people at Customer Service received gift bags, and I was able to mosey up to the desk and get one. I honestly only did that to kill some time waiting on Mom to check out at Hollister. JCPenney's had some long lines, but the people in them were in good spirits and were polite and patient. What used to be the time for the "crazies" to fight it out over toasters and trinkets has now become, dare I say, quaint. Rising before dawn for Doorbusters is downright sweet, these days.

You know what? You can keep your camping out at Best Buy and your 10pm Wal-Mart zombie attacks. Who needs Midnight openings when you can enjoy a well-earned Turkey coma? I'll just stick to being quaint, thank you.

Black Friday Down

Wow. I'm not as crazy as I thought. Oh, I'm still plenty nuts, but I discovered today that there are folks out there who have downright lost it! See, I thought it was insane for me to hit Walmart with Thomas on Thursday night, then do my internet shopping at midnight (exactly), then pick up Mom and Curt at 5am for Mall shopping on Friday--and it is! That's certifiably crazycakes. However, it could be worse. I could be in line at Best Buy. Now. Monday.

And I wouldn't be alone...

I'm not looney enough to give up sleep, warmth, three days of vacation time, and turkey with my family to save a few bucks on some electronics. If it's something that is really and truly a necessity, and camping out is the only way you can get it, then more power to you, and may the odds be ever in your favor. I'll see you at dawn on Friday.

As it is, heading out into the fray on zero sleep is going to be a challenge. Then, of course, you have to factor in that everyone you have ever known is going to be out and about, too, and you are going to run into them. There's no question about that. If there is one person in the entire world that you don't want to see you in sweats with no makeup, rest assured that you will run into them first. I refuse to give them the satisfaction of seeing me looking like a swamp witch, so I'm planning ahead. If you'd like to join me in strategizing, please read on.

1. Lay It Out
My main tip for Oh Dark Thirty shopping is to lay everything out the night before. And I mean EVERYTHING. Sure, I'll pick out what I plan to wear. Then, I'll pull out shoes, socks, underwear, and any accessories, but I won't stop there! Makeup and hair products can be selected and placed on the vanity or bathroom counter, so you don't have to deal with fuzzy thinking and poor judgement after forty-five minutes of sleep. Lastly, I'll make sure there's a bottled Frappuccino and a power bar in the fridge, ready to go.

2. Keep It Simple
No one is expecting you to look like a supermodel for Black Friday shopping. If you're like me, the look you're going for is less Cindy Crawford and more Not the Wicked Witch of the West. Skip the full face of makeup, and focus on glowing skin and soft, neutral colors. For hair, skip the wash and spritz in a little dry shampoo for volume and freshness, then toss it up, up, and away. My pick: a trendy and super-simple messy topknot for cute and easy hair, and Too Faced Beauty Balm for luminous, yet effortless skin.

3. Make It Last
The last thing you want to have to deal with is touching up your makeup. For one thing, who wants to lug around a makeup bag when you have so many other bags to schlep? Pick products that are known for their staying power. My picks: Buxom Stay There Eyeshadow in Collie (sparkling champagne), Lip Tarnish in Mug Shot (nude pink) or Scandal (mauve), and NYX powder blush in Pinched (shimmering rosy peach). Good Luck!

Deck the Nails, Part 2: Essie Leading Lady

We're filming a follow-up to The Night Shift over the holidays, which means I get to reprise my role as Claire, and I am beyond excited! In addition to being a really fun, strong character, she's also rocks a kooky, kitschy, neo-pinup style, and I'm  more than ready to start pulling out the red lipstick and nail polish. Because the film is set at Christmas, and because the nail polish we used for the original doesn't exist anymore, the director wants Claire's nails to be a festive, glittery, ruby red, so I'm on a mission from gahd to find it.

Photo Credit: Essie.com

This isn't it.

Well, it might have to be, but only because I'm running short on time. I'm sorry, but I really, really hate this nail polish. It's pretty, but it's a royal pain. Allow me to explain:

The first coat that I put on was a streaky, jelly-like, non-glittery mess. Seriously, only maybe one to two pieces of glitter made it onto each nail, and it looked like I'd dipped my hands into cherry Kool-Aid. It was bad.

To make the glitter show up, I had to kind of pile on the second coat. It was goopy, gritty, and just not fun to deal with. It did dry quickly, though, so that's a plus. To make matters worse, after less than 16 hours--eight of which I spent asleep--the polish had already begun to chip. Granted, I hadn't used a topcoat, but that's because I wanted to see how it did on its own. Not too well, apparently.

It's not all bad. I mean, I do adore the color. It's a deep berry red, and the glitter reminds me of Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. It is sparkly and merry, and all of those happy adjectives that describe the holidays, and the name, "Leading Lady", is so on-the-nose for what I need it for that I actually squealed in the store. Plus, the price isn't terrible. It was less than $8 at Target. I can't see myself using this for anything other than filming, but if you're looking for a red glitter, and are willing to put in some serious work, you might be happy with the results.

Me? I'm gonna put my sunglasses on, hop back in the BluesMobile, and keep on the mission.

Deck the Nails: Sephora by O.P.I. Looks Like Rain Dear

This may not be a new nail polish, but it's new to me, and I thought it would be perfect for the holidays.

Direct Sunlight

Shade

This shade is called "Looks Like Rain Dear" by Sephora by OPI, and is described as an opaque gold with fine and chunky glitter. I call it one stop shopping. In one nail polish, you get the equivalent of a solid base coat, fine glitter polish, and a holographic sparkle top coat. This would make for a fabulous accent nail, but is neutral enough to be used as a primary polish. The above pictures show approximately two and a half coats: two full coats, and then a light coat applied just to the tips to seal them. I didn't bother with a clear top coat, and the manicure still lasted for about three days before slightly chipping.

My only gripe is the formula. It's extremely runny, so I suggest multiple light coats to ward off a mess. You could probably reach full opacity in one coat--which would be awesome--but the polish is too liquidy to allow it. Still, the pale champagne color is so gorgeous, it's worth the fuss. $9.50, Sephora.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. This stunner is a little too pricey to be that runny.

Pour Some Sugar On Me: Too Faced Spun Sugar Glamour To Go Review

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I'm a church musician. My life is no longer my own. Folks, I haven't had time to swatch and photograph this palette properly, but I was so excited about it that I had to go ahead and post! I picked up the Too Faced Limited Edition Spun Sugar Glamour to Go during the Sephora V.I.B. sale, and I really want to share it with you. I think it would make a fantastic stocking stuffer for any makeup maven on your list--but especially the younger, teenaged set.




Photo Credit: Too Faced

 Now, if you don't like sparkle, stay away, 'cause there's not a matte shade in the bunch. When they called it spun sugar, they meant it. Everything is shimery and glittery, including the bronzer--but that has both pros and cons, and we'll get to them in just a bit.

As an all-encompassing palette, this doesn't work. It's not a full-face look, by any stretch of the imagination, and the fact that it's completely glitzy doesn't help matters. You're not going to toss this in your travel bag or purse and be glamourously good "to go". However, much like spun sugar, this makes a beautiful topping to your usual makeup routine. The shadow colors are all neutrals, and the bronzer and highlighter are very natural-looking shades, even if they are loaded with shimmer. The gloss can be worn alone or on top of another lip color, and is long-lasting and slightly sweet.

So, here's the good, the bad, and the ugly:

The Good:
This is the first Glamour To Go palette that seems to have honest-to-goodness quads. Past palettes have had coordinating shades, but these are clearly grouped into golds and silvers, and the colors are absolutely gorgeous. I'm also completely in love with the highlighter. It's crazy-sparkly, and makes me think of sugar cookies and snowflakes, but is an easy and grown-up way to get away with a little glitter, even during the day. It really lights up my face, and I adore it. The bronzer can be used to add a little flush to the face, or as a contour, as the shimmer is minimal compared to the rest of the palette. The gloss is an almost clear gold, and is packed with sparkle. Basically, all of the colors are fabulous, wintery, and wearable.

The packaging is another plus. Like all other Glamour To Go palettes, it's constructed of a durable hard plastic, and is about the size of a credit card holder. Unlike other Glamour To Go palettes, the face is a pretty gold. It looks beautiful in my makeup drawer. There's also a mirror that spans the length of the lid, and is pefectly functional for touch-ups. The $22 price makes this a great value, and just right for gift-giving.

The Bad:
The shadows. Unfortunately, as wonderful as Too Faced shadows normally are, the ones in the Glamour To Go palettes tend to pale by comparison. They're not terrible! Not by a long shot! But they're not nearly as great as the singles or duos. The pigmentation is a little lacking in some, and others are a bit chalky. As soon as I get a free moment, I'll swatch them and update the post. Again, they're not bad shadows--they're just not as good as I know they could be. I've used them for a few days with very little trouble. Here's how the golds look together:

Hey! I finally did my brows!

The Ugly:
Nothing. It's just a really good palette.

Earlier, I suggested this might make a nice gift for the teenager in your life. While a lovely palette, some with fine lines may find that the shimmer enhances them, and that's not necessarily flattering. Teens and younger folks tend to love the pretty-shinies, and can wear them more easily. Plus, the shades are perfect for those just beginning to wear to makeup, making this a terrific learning tool.

Final Verdict: 9 out of 10, and only because Too Faced can do, and has done, better shadows.

Magic Bag O' Samples: GlamGlow Mud Mask

I'm about three and a half weeks out from filming in High Definition. That means that I need to 1) learn my lines (whoops...), 2) lose about ten pounds (not happening), and 3) get my skin HD ready. I might actually be able to do that last one.

About a week ago, I was able to get my hands on a deluxe sample size of GlamGlow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask. It's, supposedly, this miracle product that you slather on, and when you rinse it off fifteen minutes later you're Christie Brinkley circa Uptown Girl. Yeah...right.

Here's what Sephora has to say about it:

This mud mask leaves skin noticeably radiant and glowing. It activates moisturizing collagen synthesis, provides gentle resurfacing exfoliation, and helps to leave skin smoother, brighter, and softer. While providing tighter skin texture and tighter pores, it provides a more youthful appearance and absorbs impurities without removing natural oils.

And GlamGlow, themselves:

Designed for Hollywood’s Entertainment, Music, Fashion and Award industries for camera-ready soft glowing skin. Dredged off the coast of Southern France, home to glamorous Cannes, St. Tropez and Monaco. GLAMGLOW is an amazing rapid gentle exfoliant mud mask for men and women, high in ancient volcanic pumice rock, super antioxidants and minerals.

Those are some serious claims! I figured, I'd try it now, and at worst, I'd break out and have a month to get over it. At best, my skin might look nice for Thanksgiving, and I might save the rest of the tube to use before filming for a little extra oomph.

Um...I bought a jar.

Well, to be more specific, Thomas and I went in together on a jar, and we got it through Amazon for about half the retail price. I'm sorry, but the day I shell out almost seventy bucks for a face mask is the day you can cart me off to the looney bin. Not that it isn't worth it, but I just don't have that kind of money. Anyhoo, back to the story.

I put on the mask, which is very pleasant and natural-smelling, and has large bits of green tea leaves scattered throughout. It's very scrubby, and left a lovely cooling feeling, but I wasn't seeing any magic, yet. After fifteen minutes, the mask was very dry, hard, flaky, and downright uncomfortable. In fact, it had begun to itch, so I ran back to the bathroom to rinse it off. That's when I saw it. The pores on my nose were, dare I say, clear! Actually, all of the skin on my face was clear, save for one pimple that showed up as a result of the mask, and was quickly dealt with (with an extractor! Be careful, folks!). I could tell an immediate difference in the look and feel of my skin, and even ran into the living room, yelling for Thomas to feel my face. Why he puts up with me, I'll never know...

The effects lasted for almost three days. I did feel the need to do a "touch up" mask after two days, but probably could have gotten by without it. Thomas has trouble with the pores on his nose clogging up, so he used a little just in that area, and was really happy with the results. After a couple of days of discussing it, we decided to go in together on a jar.

This is, easily, the best mask I've ever used. I have a fancy-schmancy one from Basin, the tried-and-true Queen Helene Mint Julep, and have slathered on more strawberries and avacados than you can shake a stick at, but this one tops them all. My skin is smoother, brighter, more supple...it glows. I'm still a little too young to be able to tell if it tightens or helps with wrinkles, but even if it doesn't, it's still worth trying out--especially during holiday party season! My advice: go to Amazon. Prices are considerably cheaper, the sellers are generally reputable (mine came from Amazon, directly), and you can find smaller sizes.

Final Verdict: 9 out of 10. The price is the only thing keeping this from being a freaking 11.

Week of Naked 2 Challenge!: Day 5

Woohoo! It's the last day! I made it! Five different looks, using different combinations of shadows, showing each shadow at least once. Y'all may not be impressed, but I'm ridiculously proud of myself. This was harder than I expected it to be.

For those just tuning in to our blog, already in progress, I've been field-testing the Naked 2 palette for range and versatility over the past week. Some people may be looking into purchasing one for themselves or as a gift, given it's the (ridiculously early) holiday season. Swatches are nice, but sometimes it's more helpful to see things in action. Hopefully, this helped.

So, today's even-more-casual-than-usual Friday at my job, so I tossed on some jeans, a Doctor Who tee, and a hoodie. I look freaking fifteen years-old. Seriously, I ran by the mall, and security watched me like a hawk. I felt very uncomfortable. However, because I was dressed so casually, I kept my makeup looking very natural. In fact, I'd call it a "no-makeup" look. Light foundation, concealer, minimal cream blush on cheeks, tinted lip balm, brows, and this eyeshadow look with mascara. Easy peasy.

Indoors

Natural Light

This was done by simply applying Foxy from lid to brow, then Tease in and just above the crease. I used a flat brush to wiggle blackout along my upper lashes, not really focusing on a line, but mostly filling in-between the lashes. I ran Tease along the lower lashline. Mascara is Buxom. No highlight. No inner corner. Done.

Seriously, I hope this helped somebody. I've got another really fun palette to show you next week--inexpensive, and a great stocking stuffer!--and a glittery holiday nail polish to review. Stay tuned!

Week of Naked 2 Challenge!: Day 4

If you're just joining us, I thought I'd spend this week field-testing the Naked 2 palette, so that any of you guys interested in possibly purchasing it could see in action before plunking down your cold, hard, cash on one. These aren't necessarily tutorials or "looks". This is, literally, just me putting my makeup on for the day. It's about as "Reals World" as you can get. Anyhoo, I hope this helps you decide if the range of colors and versatility are what you're looking for.

I spent today singing, so I went for a vaguely theatrical Fall look.


Indoors




Natural Light

 Yes, I will clean up my brows! Okay, for this look, I used Snakebite all over the lid, then Suspect just above the crease, then Half Baked over the Suspect, Busted on the outer corner and lower lashline, and Blackout in the crease. Once that was blended, I dusted Bootycall on the browbone and in the inner corner. Liner is UD 24/7 in Zero. Mascara is Buxom. And that, folks, is half the palette in one look.

Week of Naked 2 Challenge!: Day 3

As I said yesterday: As a public service to my lovely readers, I thought I'd test the range of the Naked 2 palette by using its shadows exclusively for a whole work week. That way, anyone interested in picking up this popular, yet pricey item can make an informed decision on whether or not to plunk down fifty bucks, or use a rare holiday coupon on it. These are not tutorials. This is strictly real-world field testing, and I hope you find it helpful.

Today, I thought I try a quick, slightly more dramatic eye.

Natural Light

Indoors

For this, I used Verve on the lid and inner corner, Busted in the crease, Foxy as a brow highlight, and then drew a cat eye with Blackout, and brought it below the bottom lashline. Liner and Mascara are Buxom.

Week of Naked 2 Challenge!: Day 2

As a public service to my lovely readers, I thought I'd test the range of the Naked 2 palette by using its shadows exclusively for a whole work week. That way, anyone interested in picking up this popular, yet pricey item can make an informed decision on whether or not to plunk down fifty bucks, or use a rare holiday coupon on it. These are not tutorials. This is strictly real-world field testing, and I hope you find it helpful.

Yesterday, I wanted a no-fuss look. Today, I wanted something slightly more sophisticated, but still not over-the-top.

Inside

Daylight

For this, I used Bootycall all over the lid and as an inner corner highlight; then Pistol in the crease, outer corner, and up to the browbone; Blackout in the outer corner and crease; Verve as brow highlight. I ran Pistol under the lower lashline, then Blackout just under the outer corner of the lashline. Eyeliner and Mascara are Buxom.

Week of Naked 2 Challenge!: Day One

It's that wonderful time of year, when the temperatures drop, caloric consumption explodes, and high-ticket items can be purchased with coupons! Ah, Christmas!

Seriously, though, Sephora will be sending out coupons, most likely, and Ulta has already started. If you have any "you've got to be kidding me" items on your shopping list, the holiday season is one of the rare times you might be able to snag it at a discount. Now, I know that one of the crazy popular items last year was the Naked 2 palette, and that its popularity hasn't really waned. Some of you are probably eyeing it, but wondering if it's worth the money, or if you could use it.

I can't tell you.

See, the shadows are amazing, but color preference is up to the user. I like it a lot, but that doesn't mean you will. In an effort to help any of you who are curious about the versatility of the palette, or how the shadows look in a real world setting, I've decided to field test the palette for a week, with a different look each day. That's how much I love you guys. These are not tutorials or even looks you might want to copy. This is just to check the range and appearance of the shadows, and see how well they work together. Also, is it even possible to get a week's worth of different looks with the palette? I don't really know. I've never tried.

So, without further ado, here's today's look. I wanted an "I just threw this on" look today. I've been cleaning house all morning, and was only going to wear jeans and sweatshirt to record today. My hair's in a ponytail, and I went with tinted moisturizer instead of foundation because I'm currently broken out to heck and back. I'm pretty. A full-on eye look would just be silly.


Right Eye, Indoors



Left Eye, Outdoors

For this look, I used Tease from lid to a little over the crease, YDK on the outer third of the eye and crease, Busted on the outer corner, crease, and under the lower lashline, Chopper on the browbone and inner corner. Liner and Mascara are both Buxom.

One day down, four more to go!

Attack of the Deadly Spider-Lashes!!: KISS False Eyelash Review

Well, Halloween happened, and I think the neighborhood kids enjoyed Mom's spooky front-yard cemetery. A very confident little Harry Potter made the low-lying fog "expelliarmus", and at least one mom thought Thomas' Batman was "sexy". Me? I fought my false eyelashes all night.

Note to self: Do NOT try something new on a day when you will NOT be able to do anything about it if it sucks. 

Okay, so a couple of weeks back, I received the Beauty Blogger Influenster VoxBox, which was filled with products for me to play with and report back to you on. For the most part, I've been impressed with the items, and even gave some mini-reviews on my box opening post. However, I decided to save the KISS false eyelash kit to use on Halloween...'cause I'm an idiot. 

I should have known better than to wait until the day of to try out a foreign object that must be attached to my eyes with glue. I mean, seriously, there are way too many things that can go wrong! Yeah...idiot...

Luckily, for me, the glue did not irritate my eyes. It's actually a very nice glue. There was a slight odor, but, as I said, no irritation, and the stuff really held. I wore these lashes for twelve hours straight, with no worries of the lashes coming off. That said, they did remove easily, and the glue wisked away with a little makeup remover. My only complaint with the glue is that it took ages to dry enough to apply, but I can deal with that. 

The applicator was a nice idea. It didn't work as well as a pair of tweezers, and I ended up just using my fingers, anyway, but it was helpful for clamping the lashes to my natural lashes. 

The lashes, however, were terrible. They looked fine when worn, but the strips were ridiculously stiff. Normally, I flex my strips a few times to help them contour to my eyes, but these wouldn't flex. I had to bend them in half--so that there was a crease and a point--before I could attempt to apply them. On top of that, I still couldn't get the inner corners to lay flat. I tried bending, I tried trimming, I tried yelling obscenities at them (that probably worked the best, believe it or not), but nothing did the trick. I spent the next twelve hours checking, clamping, re-checking, and re-clamping. On top of that, they were so heavy that they weighed down my natural lashes and impaired my vision. I had to close my eyes, from time to time, just to have a rest from the weight! Let me tell you, it sucked. When the last trick-or-treater exited the graveyard, those furry little spider lashes went straight into the trash can. I'll reuse the glue, and I'll hang on to the applicator, but I'm not bothering with any more of those strip lashes. 

Final Verdict: 5 out of 10. You can make 'em work...just don't plan to wear them too long. 

They look fine, but they just don't feel good. 

In unrelated news, I'm starting a challenge Monday! It's self-imposed! 'Cause I don't have enough on me, already! 

It's, ready or not, the Holiday season. I know a lot of you will be looking for makeup gifts to either give or put on your own lists, and I thought this might help you out. Last year, my "had to have" item was the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. I didn't do a review on it because it seemed unnecessary. We all knew that the shadows were fantastic quality, the packaging was amazing, and the brush was pretty darn good for a freebie. The colors, themselves, were completely open to debate, but it all boils down to personal preference. Me? I love it, and use it a lot. Other bloggers...not so much. The main complaint I run into is that it's not versatile. I haven't really run into that, but that could just be me. So, as a public service, I am going to wear and photograph a different eyeshadow look, made exclusively with shadows from the palette, every day for a week. God, help me. Then, you can judge for yourself if you think that the palette is versatile enough for you or your loved one. I know it's still a very popular, wished-for item, but it's also a fairly pricey item. I'd hate for anyone to spend the money on it, only to be disappointed. Conversely, I'd hate for anyone to miss out on something that would really enhance their routine. After all, 'tis the season for coupons and sales.