Aren't You Supposed To NOT Sniff Paint?: Revlon Parfumerie Review

Last night, after putting together all of my music and altering most of my costume (that's another post, entirely), I had just enough time to do a quick and dirty manicure before bed. I had a producer's run on a show today, and needed vintage nails. Originally, I was going to use red, but it turns out, I don't own a red creme nail polish. Not one. I have red satin and red glitter, but no creme in all the gazillion bottles cluttering up my bathroom. Go figure.

 

Anyhoo, yellow was on the list of historically-accurate colors for the time period, and I'd just gotten my hands on one of the new Revlon Parfumerie scented polishes that I've seen advertised for so long, so I decided to take this opportunity to test it out. The color is Sunlit Grass, and the (freaking adorable) bottle was about six bucks at Walgreen's.



I told you it was quick and dirty. This ain't no pro job, that's for darn sure. In fact, there's still a little glitter left over from the last polish on my pinkie. Nice.

It is, indeed, scented. Whoo, boy, is it scented. I had actually used this before, but on my toes. I don't know about you, but I don't recall the last time I sniffed my own toes, so that wasn't exactly the most useful experience for review purposes. Now that I have the stuff on my hands...I kind of wish I didn't. It doesn't smell bad, but the scent is very strong, and my sinuses are very not happy with me right now. The fragrance is sort of a mix of floral and grass, and would probably be lovely as a spray or rollerball, where you develop a tolerance after wearing for a few minutes. In this case, every time I push my hair out of my face, the scent hits anew. Pretty as the color may be, it's coming off as soon as I can get to some polish remover.

As far as formula goes, I'm not crazy about it. It's streaky, patchy, and took forever to dry, even with a quick-dry topcoat. There are bubbles throughout. That said, the color is gorgeous, vibrant, and very true to what it looks like in the bottle.

Final Verdict: 4.44 out of 10. It's not the worst I've ever used, but it's not the best, and the gimmick is certainly not worth the price. Cute bottle, though.

Vintage Vixens: Historically Accurate WWII Era Makeup (1940s How-To)

Recently, I've had the extreme pleasure of working in an Andrews Sisters tribute trio with two lovely and talented ladies. We're still in the rehearsal stage, and only just ordered costumes yesterday, but I thought it would be fun to do a post on historically accurate makeup from the WWII era. Even if you're not Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy-ing, this might come in handy for Disney Dapper Day, Halloween, theatre, or if you just feel particularly glam one day and want to rock your inner Rosie the Riveter. At the end, I'll give recommendations for modern day product options. Now, come along with me on a Sentimental Journey. Who knows, maybe Grandma was cooler than you thought.

Let's start with the basics (and a good giggle): Face shapes. In the 1940s, the oval face shape was most desired. Great care was taken with hair, lipstick, and clothing choices to create the illusion of an oval shape if the natural bone structure could be considered round, square, or anything else other than oval. Here is a fantastic (and hilarious) vintage film tutorial on creating an oval shape. I'd embed, but it's been disabled. I'll just wait here while you go watch.

Go on.

Did you watch it?

Seriously, that made my day.

Next comes the actual makeup. Here is a simplified tutorial, hosted, again, by our friend in the red dress. The gist is that makeup was to be minimal, and only used to emphasize natural beauty. The entire routine shown in the film consists of moisturizer or light foundation, rouge that is blended out to near invisibility, lipstick (in a coordinating shade to rouge and nail polish), and powder. And that's it. No eyeshadow. No liner. No mascara. No freaking nothing. I can embed this one, so here you go:



The lipstick application process was surprisingly specific. They didn't mess around back then.

Now, these videos have been, well, adorable, but if you'd like to watch something a little more in-depth, here's a fantastic modern tutorial that retains the integrity of the era:



Glamour Daze is a fantastic site for figuring out a vintage look for everything from a Downton Abbey viewing party to a Woodstock reenactment, and Return2Style has a great guide with color samples. According to these sites, foundation should be slightly darker than your actual skintone, with powder just a bit lighter. The powder should also have a rosier cast to it if your natural skintone is on the yellow side, and, universally, blush should stay on the pink side, as well. Eye makeup is kept minimal, with only a light contour of gray, taupe, or brown to define the socket. Liner should be thin, if not altogether non-existent. The winged-out cat eye didn't gain popularity until the 1950s, so skip that. No eye makeup should be used on the lower lashline, but loads of clump-free black mascara should coat the top lashes. You can go the false lash route, but keep 'em natural.

Besides the lashes, the emphasized parts of the face are the brows and lips. Brows should be neat, but not overly plucked, and the definitively arched shape defined by pencil or powder in a shade that matches their color. A little vaseline or clear gel will hold the brows in place, as well as add glossiness. Lips should be well-defined, and the shape should yield the most attractive, full look possible. This might mean drawing slightly outside of the lines if your lips are thin. The upper lip was commonly exaggerated at that time. When choosing a lip color, any shade of red or pink, and even red-based orange would be appropriate, depending on how natural or bold you want to go. A dot of clear gloss or vaseline in the center of the lower lip will help achieve the shiny "Hollywood" look that was popular at the time, but is not necessary.

Okay, folks, here's where things get interesting: Nail Polish! For years, I've thought 40s polish had to be red or pink. Boy, oh boy, did I have that wrong! The popular style was a half-moon mani, with just a sliver of unpainted nail at the top, and the color matched your outfit and accessories. That's right. It matched the outfit. Revlon did release a line of coordinating lippies and polishes around that time, and that look became popular, too, but--believe it or not--there was some serious color experimentation going on with greens, blues, yellows, and even black.

(Think about that for a sec: Gra'ma could've rocked some b*tchin' goth nails.)

So, that's a lot of info on 40s makeup, but what should you use to recreate that style nowadays? Well, let's see what we can come up with:

Foundation
40s makeup calls for a flawless base, so you'll want something medium to full-coverage with a matte finish. I like CoverGirl Outlast 3-in-1 as a drugstore option. High end (well, higher end), MAC has something for darn near every skin type and shade, and an artist can help you color match.

Powder
Rimmel Stay Matte powder is a clear winner, with CoverGirl Oil-Control Pressed Powder meriting an honorable mention. I'm also a fan of E.L.F. HD Powder, but as a finishing powder over something else that actually sets the makeup. High End, I like Laura Geller Balance and Brighten Baked Color-Correcting Foundation (it's a powder foundation, but sets makeup beautifully when applied with a fluffy brush).

Blush
NYX does a great powder blush, and Dusty Rose, Rose Garden, or Bourgeois Pig (love that name) would all work quite well. E.L.F. Studio Blush in Pink Passion looks downright frightening in the pan (matte hot pink?! The heck?!), but gives a very natural pink flush to the cheeks. It's in my film kit now, actually. High end, I'm digging the new Julep blushes, so I'd recommend Petal Pink. (If you have the NARS One Night Stand palette, go for the hot pink one. I'm just not putting it here because it was limited edition.)

Eyeshadow
I only have one rec for this one, and that's the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. Either W.O.S. or Foxy all over, with Naked 2 in the crease. Done. You can also use Naked 2 or Faint in the brows, and the $27 price point for six shadows keeps this in the "affordable" realm. That's $4.50 per shadow, which is squarely in the middle of the price range for drugstore single shadows.

Liner
I'm going rogue and recommending Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Perversion. It's so dark that it looks like liquid, but you get the control of a pencil. MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack is another good option. Drugstore, you can't beat Essence gel liner. It's fantastic, and super cheap.

Mascara
Drugstore, Maybelline The Rocket. High end, Buxom Buxom Lash. Waterproof, in both cases. Benefit They're Real would be here if you could remove the stuff without ripping out your lashes. That stuff does look gorgeous on, so if you're feeling adventurous, go for it.

Lipstick
NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams are beautiful, inexpensive, smell delicious, feel good on, and last forever. Pick a color, any color. Revlon Kissable Balm Stains are another viable option. High end, MAC Russian Red. It's classic and doesn't budge. It does dry, though, so keep that in mind.

Nail Polish
Apparently, the sky's the limit. Pick a cream finish in a vampy navy or army green for a fun twist on a classic half-moon manicure. I'm considering Julep Kendra or Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Thinking of Blue.

Have fun getting all dolled up!

'Ip, 'Ip, 'Ooray!: December Ipsy Unbagging

Surprise!!! My ipsy bag came in before the end of the month!! Heck, it made it even before the middle! This month was a little hit or miss, but all in all, I can't complain (too much). Let's dig in, shall we?

For those of you just joining us, ipsy (and yes, it's all lower-case) is a monthly subscription sample service. It's ten bucks a month, and you'll receive a makeup bag filled with four or five (or sometimes six, it seems) deluxe- to full-sized items with a central theme. This month, there were five products, and the theme was "Celebration!"

Two products tied for favorite this month, and both were from beloved brands that have previously appeared in bags. The first was the Be a...Bombshell (the elipses are theirs) One-Stick in Girl Crush. Now, for some reason, the white balance on my camera decided that everything should be yellow. Yay. This is actually a pretty, cool, baby pink, shot through with lots of gold shimmer, and can be used on eyes, cheeks, and lips. Considering I'm day-glo white, it's a little too pale and frosty for my lips. It does, however, look gorgeous on the cheeks. It's creamy, pigmented, and blends beautifully. I used it as a base for a pink blush, and it worked wonderfully. My only gripe would be all of the gold glitter that it left behind, but I own NARS Super Orgasm. That sucker's a glitterbomb. I'm not allowed to complain about glitter on cheeks anymore.  

The other stand-out product was a NYX round lipstick in Iced Honey. Again, it's not anywhere near as dark and warm as it appears here. This is a frosty, neutral rose. Definitely a "my lips but better" kind of color. When I paired it with the One-Stick, my skin got all glowy and ethereal and pretty and stuff. It's not super long-wearing, but you can re-apply without a mirror, so that cuts down on maintenance problems. I haven't found it drying, and there's no noticeable taste or scent.

These swatches are a little more true to color. The top is NYX Iced Honey, and the bottom is Be a...Bombshell in Girl Crush.

Next, we have a POP Beauty eyeshadow trio in Smokin' Hot. The colors are pretty, and they swatched well enough. Unfortunately, I already have all of these colors in other palettes, and really don't use them all the much. As I've mentioned, I'm practically transluscent, and this color combo washes me out even more. This will probably end up going to my Mom or a friend.

Here's the trio swatched. They're not powdery, have decent pigmentation, and look like they'd be nice together...just on someone else.

Okay. I don't want to go hatin' on false eyelashes, because I don't want to be a hypocrite. Between theatre, theatre, and, well, theatre, I have worn more than my fair share of spider-legs in my day. If I needed to look like a doll (and I normally did), then out came the lashes. Were I in a stage production right now, I'd probably need a pair, and these are certainly dramatic enough. But...I'm not, and I don't. Even if I wanted lashes for a party, these are entirely too long and fake looking. They are perfect for stage, though, so I'll just put them up until I need them. I don't know what non-theatre people are going to do with them...

This next product--Nicka K nail polish in Classic Taupe--can best be discussed through a conversation between myself and Thomas.

Me: This is pretty. It looks kind of like my China Glaze Foie Gras. I love the bottle.

Me: (a few minutes later, while painting my nails) Ew. This sucks. I keep messing it up. It's just really thick. I'm just going to take this off and start over.

Me: (later, still painting nails) Well, that went poorly. It's just SO thick...and kind of stringy...

Thomas: Ew. That's gross.

Me: I know. I'm just...I'm gonna try this again.

Me: (later, still painting...) Yeah, this just sucks. I'm gonna call it and put on a top coat. This looks terrible.

Thomas: (looking at nails) It looks like it melted.

Me: You know what?

Thomas: It sucks?

Me: Exactly.

The picture below is after three tries and a top coat. It's terrible. The polish is thick, stringy, and glue-like in consistency. The color is a dead ringer for China Glaze Foie Gras, by the way. They're identical, as far as my eyes can see, so just get that one, if you can. On the plus side, it's already chipping, so I can take it off tonight (I put it on last night).

And now...the bag! I actually really like this month's bag. It's a definite step up in quality from last month, and looks like something I would actually carry as a clutch. The bag is a black faux patent leather with quilting detail and a red lining. I think it looks edgy and sophisticated. Thomas thinks it looks like the Governor's eye patch from The Walking Dead. To each their own.



Well, that's this month's ipsy bag. Two definite hits, a really nice product that's just not for me, a really nice set of theatrical lashes to put up, a definite miss, and a bag that can also double as an eye patch, in case Michonne shows up with her katana. I can't wait for January!

'Ip, 'Ip, 'Ooray!: October Ipsy Unboxing

Dear Lord, this month is flying by. It's ten days until Halloween. That's insane, y'all.

Over the weekend, my October ipsy bag made it in, and I thought I'd share what was sent. For those just joining us, ipsy (formerly myglam) is a monthly beauty sample subscription service. For ten bucks a month (less, if you sign up for multiple months at a time), you'll receive a makeup bag filled with four or five deluxe- to full-sized beauty products to play with, as well as a list of discounts to the participating brands. There's always a theme, and this month's was "The Art of Beauty". I was hoping for a Halloween-y, or at least, Fall-ish theme, but I'm actually surprisingly pleased with this choice.

No, the stuff isn't floating. I have a glass-top table, and didn't realize how weird that looked until just now. Oops.

This month, I received a full-sized Zoya nail polish, a most-likely deluxe-sample size of Be Delectable by Cake Beauty hand cream, a travel-sized set of La Fresh face wipes, a deluxe-sample size of Buxom lip polish, a deluxe-sample size of Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel, and, of course, the makeup bag.

The bag contents vary from person to person, but each subscriber received a Zoya polish in either Mason (fuschia), Neve (navy), or Giovanna (emerald). I ended up with Giovanna, and did a slap-dash manicure so I could show you swatches. Please forgive the god-awful job I did on these nails. There's not even a topcoat.

The color is what I would call a classic Christmas green. Emerald is the color of the year, and supposedly a hot hue for Fall, but you could definitely wear this one well into the holiday season. The formula is a little messier than I usually find with Zoya. It's very opaque, but I did notice some streaking, and sort of felt like I had to glob it on. It does look fantastic on, though, and seems resistant to chipping. I'll have to let you know for sure after a few days. Here, I'm wearing it with Deborah Lippman's Happy Birthday glitter on the accent nail. Above is an indoor shot, and below is in natural light.

Terrible manicure; gorgeous color.

Since we're talking about hands, let's move on the hand cream. I'd never heard of this brand, but I simply adore the scent. I got Coconut & Cream, and it smells exactly like coconut custard pie. I mean, exactly. That was one of my grandmother's favorite desserts, and she and I were the only ones in the family who liked it. This lotion stirs up a ton of memories, so for that, I give it two thumbs up. On it's own merits, though, as a hand cream...it's okay. It's about on par with Bath and Body Works, but not anywhere near as hydrating as the Eucerin my husband uses. Then again, this smells a heckuvalot better, so I guess it's a trade-off.

My camera hates shiny.

I was so excited to get this!! Buxom, as those of you who have been following for a while may know, is one of my all-time favorite brands for both lip gloss and mascara. Buxom lip polish in Clair is one of the very few glosses I've ever used up! This gloss is in the shade Dolly, which is a dusty mauve with itty-bitty, eensy-weensy, teeny-tiny gold shimmers. On me, with my day-glo white skin, it shows up as a shade or two darker than the natural flush my lips make when they've pressed together for a bit. On medium-light skin and darker, this would make a gorgeous nude. Already, this has become one of my go-to Fall lip colors.

The color is stunning, but the formula can be a deal-breaker for a lot of folks. It's a slightly sticky (stickier than E.L.F. mineral gloss, but nowhere near as sticky as MAC lipglass), super shiny, plumping gloss. There is a definite sting to this gloss when you apply it. It feels kind of like Icy/Hot, where it's ice cold, but still sort of burns. It can be uncomfortable to some people. I don't mind it, but I would recommend trying a sample size before plunking down the cash for a full version. It does earn points with me for smelling like vanilla mint.

Big Sexy Hair has been almost omni-present in ipsy bags, here lately. I've gotten three or four items since I joined in April, and I think that's the most repetition I've had of a brand. I certainly don't mind, because everything I've tried has been wonderful, but I feel like I need to put that out there for those trying to decide on subscribing.

This is hair gel. It looks like hair gel. It smells like hair salon (you know what I'm talking about). You run it through damp hair and blow dry. On paper, this is nothing special. In practice, it's freaking awesome. I've blown my hair dry with all sorts of gels, but this one gave me more volume alone than my other gels and mousses combined. I actually had to figure out how to de-pouf it before I could leave the house. I'm not 100% sold on it, but I'm definitely keeping my eye on this.

And then we have the La Fresh wipes. I just...I just really don't like these. I do like that they're oil-free. I do like that they're mostly natural and good for the environment. I don't like that they burned and didn't remove my makeup. I'm sure there are people out there who love them, and I'd be happy to try something else from this brand. I'm just not digging these wipes in particular. Maybe I can use them for removing swatches, or something like that.

Finally, here's the monthly makeup bag. It's a plain white bag made from an almost-rubberized fabric that I could not identify if my life depended on it. The bag is trimmed with a dark pink zipper, and bears an uncredited quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson. According to ipsy, the bag is mostly bare so that subscribers can add their own designs. It's a cute idea. I'm not going to do it, but I like the reasoning.

In conclusion, I thought this month's offerings hit a home run. Flat-out. For giggles, I'll leave you with a laughably horrible, low-res selfie I snapped a couple of hours after what I'm dubbing "The Volumizing Incident of 2013". By this point, I'd brushed and pinned it into submission, but the bangs were still standing out from my forehead, and the crown was a good inch higher than my scalp. I felt just like one of those poor kids on Toddlers & Tiaras, and I didn't even have to use my teasing comb. Where is my teasing comb, anyway? Huh...I probably need to find that...

Prettiest Pretty Princess: Pink Positivity

Today is not my favorite day. It's the twelfth anniversary of my dad's passing, and it really doesn't get easier. On top of that, I got to deal with some less than fun insurance excitement, and the puppy decided to get a tummy bug. It's been a banner day around the Smith house!

To fight the urge to curl up in a sock drawer and sleep for days (points for reference!), I've decided to focus on the positive. I like pink. It's not my favorite color--that's teal, if you were wondering--but it tends to make me feel all bright and cheerful, and darn it, I need that today. So, in honor of pink, I'm pulling out two of my current favorite pink products to review for you. Spoiler Alert: they're both really good.

First up is E.L.F.'s Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Summer Nights. This has become my go-to lip product for the Summer. It's so hot and humid that about all I can wear is a little tinted moisturizer and cream products, so the overall look tends to lean towards "farmer's market" or "I've had the flu, and you're lucky I tried this hard". My main goal is to avoid scaring small children, really. Anyhoo, this is the quintessential "my lips but better" lip color. It's glossy, non-sticky, extremely user-friendly, and feels very moisturizing. Yes, there is a little glitter, and yes, you can feel it, but not enough to make it a deal-breaker. The staying power is...well, laughable, but for two bucks and this much pretty, I can re-apply. It's not like you need a mirror (or even a steady hand).

How pretty is that gold shimmer? Oh...I just can't even...

The other product is Zoya PixieDust Professional Lacquer in Miranda. The Zoya site describes it as a "rose sparkle" in Mauve family. I'm describing it as an exact match to the hot pink bows on my favorite Hello Kitty pajama pants. Seriously, though, it's a warm, rosy berry with a freaking ton of sparkle. So much sparkle, in fact, that a male friend who has zero interest in nail polish commented on the sparklies from across the room. That's sparkle.

The wow factor, oddly enough, isn't so much the intense sparkle, but the matte finish and sugary texture. Rather than attempt to describe it (the best I could come up with was "raspberry sand dunes", and that sounds somewhat disgusting), here are some pictures:

Shade

Sunlight

See? It's like having microfine grains of sand glued onto your nails. Doesn't necessarily sound appealing, but it looks beautiful. I keep staring at my nails!

Now, it does chip a little, but touch ups blend in easily, due to the texture. Normally, a top coat would prevent this, but using one defeats the purpose of having a matte finish. I've kept an eye out for dings, and added extra coats as necessary. So far, I'm on day four (and probably coat four), and it still looks fresh and flawless. Two coats for full opacity, quick drying, and relatively low-maintenance. I haven't tried removing it, yet, and I'm anticipating it being a real pain in the rear--akin to removing glitter polish, which is the devil. A beautiful, sparkly, shiny devil--but for the utter beauty that this polish is, the extra effort is totally worth it.

Have a lovely Monday, folks! I'm off to eat a chocolate chip cookie because it makes me happy, and my newest bathing suit is a tankini, so who cares about calories!

Summertime Blues: Sally Hansen Mermaid's Tale

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime! It's now (unofficially) officially Summer! Kids are out of school, barbeques are aflame, and ocean-inspired tootsies are proudly on display! I don't know about you, but this time of year, I live in flip-flops. It's just too darn hot for shoes. Heck, today it was really too darn hot for the flippies.

The other day, I ran in Walgreen's for some sunscreen, and ran across this color from the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Summer Collection. It's called Mermaid's Tale, and is just gorgeous for the season.

Yuck. Foot picture. I am so, so sorry.

I can not apologize enough for the foot photo. I'm in the middle of "Wedding Season", so I'm having to keep the fingernails a little more subdued.

Now, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure has never been my favorite polish--not by a long shot. The formula is a little streaky, and can require about a gazillion (okay, three or four) coats to reach opacity. This shade is no different, turns out. The base color is a navy blue jelly. It's very sheer, and a little gloopy. The glitter and the overall effect make up for the effort you have to put into this, though. The glitters are a fine bright blue and a chunky, hexagonal teal. Applied, the color truly does have an ocean water/mermaid's fin kind of vibe that I...well, I just really dig. This color is. just. beautiful. The wear time is really good, too. I've had it on for over a week, and haven't seen any sign of chipping. Granted, my toenail polish tends to last longer than my nail polish, but I've been working out in the yard in flip-flops, pouring cement and laying pavers. If it was going to chip, it would have.

Mermaid's Tale retails for about eight bucks, but I got mine on sale at Walgreen's for five.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. It takes a little work, but it's worth it.

'Ip, 'Ip, "Ooray!: May Ipsy Unboxing

Well, kids, it's that time again...time for the monthly Ipsy unboxing (un-bagging? un-pouching? Bueller?)

For those unfamiliar with Ipsy (formerly MyGlam), is a sample subscription service. For ten bucks a month, you'll receive a little makeup travel bag containing four or five full- or deluxe-sized beauty items, more or less customized to preferences you choose on a profile quiz. This month's bag's theme was "Spring Fling", and came packed in a precious Missoni-esque, teal and orange striped bag. Several item variations were possible, and mine contained:

St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion (deluxe-sized)
Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff (full-sized, I believe)
Zoya Nail Polish in Blu (full-sized)
Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink (deluxe-sized)
Mirabella Colour Sheer in Pixie (full-sized)

I also received the April makeup bag, as mine wasn't included in last month's shipment due to a problem with quality assurance. I was given a generic floral bag instead. The April bag is super cute (white with pink trim and lining). Neither bag is of the highest quality, but they'll be great for purse travel. Actually, the May bag is most likely going to find a home in my pool bag. It's perfect for holding the hair ties and lip balm that normally end up floating around in the bottom of the gargantuan tote.

I've had a little time (okay, a few hours, most of which were spent asleep) to play with several of the items, and I'm really pleased with them. Let's take a closer look at Ipsy's selections:

Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff: This is actually a brand I've had my eye on for a while. I've been looking at it for my film kit, partly for the fantastic range of shades, and partly for the lower price tag. This concealer has a thick consistency (much like Benefit Boi-ing), and covers well. Luckily, this shade is a perfect match for me, so it's going into my personal Unii palette. I'm going to work with it some more, though, before I make any buying decisions. I also don't see myself giving up my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for daily use anytime soon.

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink: This is a lovely, non-sticky, super sheer gloss that doesn't leave a lot of color, but does give you one heck of a shine. They weren't kidding around with "reflecting"! I haven't been able to wear this for an extended period of time, but I had to scrub a little to remove it after trying it on. That's a good sign. The packaging is beautiful, and I absolutely love the orange scent. This is my first experience with Juice Beauty, but I like what I've seen so far.

St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion: I wore blue jeans today, so I haven't been able to test this out, yet. It's a rub-on/wash-off tanner that (supposedly) doesn't transfer. I've heard wonderful things about St. Tropez, so I'm anxious to give it a shot.

Zoya Nail Polish in Blu: This is the first blue nail polish I've owned in...gosh...eighteen years. The last time I wore blue nail polish was on my fifteenth birthday. I had a costume party (in June--I'm weird), and wore the cutest little hippie outfit. The bell-bottoms and vest had an American flag motif, so I painted my nails bright blue to match...and immediately looked like a corpse. I made an adorable little dead hippie, and haven't worn blue nail polish since. However, Zoya is one of my favorite brands, and this is a gorgeous Robin's Egg blue cream. I may just have to give blue nail polish a second chance. (Maybe just my toes to start...)

Mirabella Colour Sheer in Pixie: This looks terrifying. My first thought was, "Well...it'll look great for pin-up looks. Maybe I can use it the next time I play Claire?" In actuality, this scary red-orange applies as a sheer wash of glossy coral. It's absolutely gorgeous. Honestly, it reminds me so much of the Flower Beauty lipgloss in Pretty In Petunia, that I may use it as a topper next time I wear this. On its own, this is moisturizing and wears well. Plus, the packaging is just beautiful, and has a nice heft to it.

Left to Right: Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff, Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink, Mirabella Colour Sheer in Pixie

For fun, I put together a look this morning using the Yaby Concealer and the Mirabella Colour Sheer. As I said earlier, I expected this lipstick to be crazy bright, so I kept everything else very subdued. Instead, the lip color ended up being very "wearable" (isn't everything "wearable"? It just depends on your comfort level, really), so the entire look is just fresh and natural. It's good lazy day makeup.

Won't bore you with product details. If you want to know what I used, leave a comment and let me know.

That's this month's Ipsy bag. I have no idea what the total value is, but the Zoya retails at $8, and the Mirabella at $22 (yipes!), so I more than got my ten smackeroos' worth. This was a great month, and now I can start the countdown to June's bag! Have a great day!

"Arrest"-ingly Beautiful Polishes (Even If You've Never Actually Seen a Chicken)

A friend of mine on Facebook posted a while back that Arrested Development's return after seven years of cancellation sounded like a joke that would be on Arrested Development. I agree, and am looking forward to lauging along with the Bluth family's absurd sense of humor once more. So, imagine my delight when an Etsy surfin' safari led me to a store selling handmade nail polishes, inspired by the show!

The Lady Varnishes (I love that) store boasts several different collections inspired by movies and television shows. The "Huge Mistake" collection features polishes with names like, "Light Treason" and "Denim Cut-Offs", which are sure to be a hit with any AD fan. My favorite of the group? "Slut Shirt", of course. I'm a sucker for red glitter.

Photo Credit: The Lady Varnishes

Polishes in this collection run $8.50 for .5 oz. They are all hand mixed, and each bottle comes with a charm. Order four polishes at one time, and receive a chain for your charms.

Have a great day, guys, and remember: there's always money in the banana stand.

Ip, Ip, Ooray! April Ipsy Glam Bag

I missed my Glossyboxes. Granted, they were ridiculously expensive, and more often than not, a little disappointing. Still, I loved the anticipation of not knowing what I was going to get, and the fun surprise of finding a little happy in the mailbox.

I'm a child. I know. I'm okay with this.

The Glossyboxes had to go. That was the hard truth, and one of the things that sucks about being a grown-up. They just didn't make the cut on my scale of fiscal responsibility. But...I still really wanted them.

Enter ipsy. Like Glossybox, they're a monthly subscription service that sends deluxe sample and travel-sized products to your door. Unlike Glossybox, they're only ten bucks. I can do ten bucks. Plus, each month's selection comes in a cute little makeup bag. That's a heck of a lot easier to reuse than the pink box. (I loved the pink boxes, and found ways to repurpose most of them, but a few still ended up in the trash, and that hurt my soul a little.) It should be noted that the ipsy products aren't quite as prestigious as the ones in the Glossyboxes, but let's be honest: was I ever really going to purchase a full size of the $100 moisturizer I sampled? Sweet fancy Moses, not a chance! Even if it was miraculous, there's no way I could ever swing that. Might I purchase a bottle of the $22 hair treatment from ipsy? No idea, but if it's miraculous, there's a distinct possibility, especially if I have an Ulta coupon.

Anyhoo, each month is themed, and this month was "Pretty in Pink". It was my first ipsy Glam Bag, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. Turns out, it was a pretty darn great bag.

The first product I tried out was the Mica Beauty mineral eye shadow in Earth. The shade is a lovely muted rose with a ton of sparkle. As with any loose mineral shadow, it helps to have a base for the product to stick to. Here, I have it layered over the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink. They're almost the exact same shade, so the pairing works nicely. The mineral shadow has good staying power, and I haven't experienced any creasing, even after hours of wear in high humidity. The size I received was 2g, just shy of the 2.5g full-sized version. The full-sized runs $14.95.

Next, I found a full-sized bottle of Sation by Miss Professional nail polish in the color Of Corset I'll Call You (that's adorable). The shade is a stunning sheer blush pink with a hint of lavender. Please note: it is very sheer, but not in a watered down, streaky way. I would call this less of a nail color, and more of a nail flush, and it would make for a gorgeous French manicure. In this picture, I'm wearing three coats, because, honestly...I'm a klutz. I kept making one nail darker than the one before it, and kept adding coats trying to even them out. Adding to the klutz factor: this is the only finger photographed because this is the only finger I didn't totally destroy immediately after applying nail polish. It has nothing to do with the polish, itself. It has everything to do with the fact that I've been out of town at a film festival, trying to buy a house, and hold down a job. I haven't really slept a whole lot, and am a little bit of a walking zombie, right now. Also, I may have had a slight case of food poisoning, as well. I'm a mess, y'all. But that's beside the point. Back to the polish! It's beautiful, goes on smoothly and evenly, and has a fantastic brush. Best of all, it's only five bucks for a bottle. I may have to pick up a few more

And it's blurry, too...I rock...(ugh...)

I'm really excited over the next product! Unfortunately, I'll have to wait a little longer to really play with it. Included in each bag was a full-sized (read: $16) Be a Bombshell blush. Mine was in the color Sweet Cheeks, which is kind of a bright mauve with a slight sheen. Sad to say, it broke in shipping (as did many others, according to Facebook), but a brand new one is on its way to me.

Cute, cute, cute packaging! It's about the size and shape of a MAC mineralized blush.

My heart hurts.

In the meantime, I did my best to work with what I had to, at least, give you an idea of the color and what it would look like on. Here it is on my cheek. While it might look a little scary in the pan, when applied with a fluffy brush, it appears as a natural flush on the skin. The sheen is so light that it just gives you a little glow. It's highly pigmented, not powdery, and I love the finish. Now, I really can't wait until the unbroken one arrives and I can really see what it can do.


See? There's a little color, but it doesn't look like I'm caked with blush. Also, I need a face mask. And to not photograph this close up. 

 Here's a shot of me with the blush and eyeshadow. The rest of the makeup is very minimal (mascara, eyeliner, beauty balm, concealer, lip balm, and a little pressed powder), and I think these products help pull together a very fresh and natural Spring look.

The last product in the bag was Sexy Hair Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment. (That's a mouthful.) I haven't tried it yet, but as soon as I do, I'll give you a verdict. The sized I received is a good travel size, so I should get several uses out of it.

Part of the ipsy Glam Bag experience is the little makeup bag (the Glam Bag, itself, I suppose) that holds all of the products. This month's appears to be a simple white bag with a pink zipper, but I won't know for sure until next month. There was a problem with some of the bags, and those of us who were to receive those bags were sent a different one, with the assurance that our correct bag will arrive in our next shipment. The one I ended up with is cute, though. It's Springy and floral--not the highest quality, but whatever. It's not the one I was supposed to get, so I'm reserving judgement.

So, is ipsy worth the ten bucks a month? I think so. I've been impressed with the products I tested out, and really impressed with the customer service. I don't know how long I'll subscribe, but for now, it's a fun, inexpensive treat.

Spring Sophistication: Easy Coral and Gold Manicure

It's Spring (-ish), and that means it's time for pretty bright colors! It also means that it's wedding season, and I'm (thankfully) ridiculously busy. I needed a nail look that's cute, classy, and quick. Here's what I came up with:

I'm digging it. The most time consuming part was the coral base coat. I used Flower Beauty Nail'd It in What's the Daffodilly-O, and it takes about three coats for full, streak-free opacity. The gold tips were made with Urban Decay nail polish in Superfreak, from the Rollergirl palette. That palette has been discontinued, but you can still find it on ebay. A more readily-available option is Essie nail polish in Good As Gold. The topcoat is Finger Paints. I knocked this out while I watched TV Monday evening...and took the picture today. Friday. That's three solid days of wear without a single chip. I can't vouch that the Essie will be as chip-resistant, of course, but the Flower Beauty has great wear time on its own. This may be my new go-to look for the season.

Got any nail looks you want to share? Leave 'em in the comments!

Bohemian Rhapsody: Flower Beauty Haul and Review UPDATED!

For a week or so, now, I've been hearing about Drew Barrymore's new line of Walmart-exclusive, cruelty-free cosmetics, Flower Beauty. The website claims that it's supposed to be as good as high-end, but at a drugstore price. I thought that seemed a little too good to be true, but decided to give it a shot. I needed a travel-friendly foundation, and saw a stick formula that looked promising, so Thomas and I made the trek to the nearest Walmart that carried the line...and were sorely disappointed. Not only did they not have the full line (just a measly endcap), but what was carried was almost entirely out of stock, save for a few opened products that had been tossed back on the shelves. At this point, Thomas proved just how much he loved me, and suggested we go all the way out to the other Walmart--out in the boonies, technically in the next town--to see if we fared better. Luckily, that Walmart had the entire line (in a beautiful display that I wish I'd taken a picture of), and I was able to get not only my foundation, but a few other items that caught my eye. The prices are incredible, and I figured that I needed to grab more than one thing to justify the trip. Yeah...that's it...justify the trip...

I picked up the Skincognito Stick Foundation in SF3, which is a dead-on match to my MAC NW15 skin. This is a freaking miracle, because there is absolutely no way to colormatch from the packaging or the little swatch photo on the display.

I'm a fan of the concept, and I love the dewy, but not greasy, finish that it leaves on my skin. The foundation doesn't feel heavy, and it doesn't fall into my pores. I've tried this with and without a primer, and have been happy with both results. However...

...it doesn't cover a darn thing. This is definitely a light coverage foundation. It also has a tendency to go on a little patchy. It also has a penchant for wearing off in patches, as well, but only after several hours. I don't recommend this for oily skin. That said, if you are looking for light coverage (like I was, thankfully), and have dry to normal skin, this might be an option for you. There's also no SPF, so it's fine for photography. 

Here's a shot once I'd added some concealer (Maybelline Age Rewind) and powdered down (Rimmel Stay Matte). I also threw on some eye shadow, but that's irrelevant. Again, I really like the texture and slightly luminous quality this gives. The packaging makes it perfect for travel, as well. All in all, I'm giving it a 5 out of 10. I'm happy with it because it looks nice on and I needed something light for an upcoming trip. This fit the bill. There are better choices for daily foundations, though.

***UPDATE! Application is the key to this working well. I originally used a brush, and that was a mistake. It led to patchiness and uneven coverage. This foundation really needs to be applied with clean and sanitized hands. That way, your body heat helps melt the product into your skin, and also allows for a much more even application. Since switching to this method, the foundation has given me none of the above problems, and has become an everyday favorite of mine. I do suggest using it over a primer, though.

I don't know why I even bother buying blush anymore. I always gravitate to the same darn color! I now have NARS Orgasm, NARS Super Orgasm, a NYX peachy-pink with no name, Benefit Coralista (more peach, but still), Wet 'N' Wild Pearlescent Pink, and now, the Ready, Set, Glow Blush/Bronze Duo from Flower Beauty in Beachy Keen. (I don't have a big blush collection, either. What I listed is about 90% of it. I need a peachy-pink blush intervention!) I really love this blush, though. It gives a soft, ethereal glow, and looks totally natural.

The bronzer is a winner, too. It's very pigmented, so you need a light hand, but it's not too orange and not too dark. It is shimmery, but the shimmer doesn't really show on the skin, so you can use it as contour or as an all-over bronzer. Here, I'm only using it for contour, and the blush is applied to the apples and swept toward the hairline.

The packaging is precious, and I love the rose gold accent. I honestly have no major complaints with this product, and am giving it a 9 out of 10.

This Shine On Lip Gloss is the shining star of the products I've tried. I chose Pretty In Petunia, which is showing up red in this picture, but is really a gorgeous peachy-coral cream with micro-shimmer. Oh, Pretty In Petunia, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

1. The packaging. Oh, the packaging! It looks high-end. I adore carrying this around in my purse. It's just so pretty!
2. The color. Oh, I wish these pictures did this color justice! It's juicy and shiny and opaque and pigmented and just plain delicious-looking! It brightens up my face for Spring, but doesn't look clownishly, crazy bright. It's very natural and totally gorgeous.
3. The scent. The Scent. That's probably my favorite thing about this gloss. It's not sickly sweet or candy-like. It's actually floral, but not in a grandma way. It smells exactly like fresh cut flowers. You put this on, and are transported to a lovely English garden on a breezy Summer day. It's glorious, and just adds to the high-end traits of this product.

Additional Makeup: Urban Decay Half-Baked, Smog, and W.O.S. eye shadows, Urban Decay Rehab 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil, Urban Decay Whiskey 24/7 Glide-On Pencil, Buxom Lash Mascara, Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter, Anastasia Brow Wiz in Brunette

4. The feel. It's like buttah. This is super-moisturizing (I swear, it's so super, it needs a cape), comfortable, and non-sticky.
5. The wear time. For a non-sticky lippie, it sure doesn't go anywhere! Hours of talking, singing, eating, drinking, and it's still there!

I'm probably going to shock a lot of folks by saying this, but this gloss looks wears, and just all out performs like a MAC Lipglass. It's just got the added bonus of being non-sticky and a fraction of the price. 10 out of 10. Heck, I'll give it an 11. I can't stop wearing it, and I want to buy more shades.

The last item I picked up was this Nail'd It cream nail polish in What's The Dafodilly-O. Again, this product did remind me of a high-end counterpart. In fact, I would wager to say that this formula is spot-on the same formula as Illamasqua (at least, the one Illamasqua polish I own, Purity). The application is identical, and the finish is the same shiny, slightly rubberized finish. The problem is: I really hate the application of the Illamasqua, and my hatred of Flower's is also identical. It's streaky and patchy, and takes three and a half (yes, a half) coats to cover the nail. That said, once it's on and even, the color is incredible, and it wears really well. I've had minimal, easily covered chipping after two days, which is better than normal for me.

So, yeah, it's identical to Illamasqua. The difference is: I'm not buying another Illamasqua. For fourteen dollars I expect better application. I will buy another Flower, though, because the finished product is amazing, and the less-than-five-dollar pricetag is a lot more wallet-friendly. 6 out of 10.

To sum up: If you're in the market for some makeup, and want high-quality on a budget, this is definitely a brand to try. I'm really excited to see what Drew comes up with next!

February Favorites!

IT LIVES!!!! IT LIVES!!!!!!!

Believe it or not, guys, I'm still not 100%. I'm not quite zombified anymore, but I'm still kind of "meh", so I apologize again for the lack of posting. However, I'm up to typing today (saints be praised!), so here we go with the February Favorites!!

In keeping with the I-feel-drugged-and-horrible-so-why-bother-with-anything theme, I've been going around with just enough makeup to keep from scaring small children. The thing is, I'm honestly loving this more natural look, and am thinking of keeping it for Spring and Summer. It's too hot for a full face of makeup around here, anyway, and the humidity just melts it off. I'm also finding that I look younger and more glowy with the lighter, fresher looks. Considering I've been sick since, oh, Thanksgiving, I'm taking this as a trade-off. So, without further ado...

Eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded
I'm crazy pale (MAC NW15--yes, it really goes that low), so this is basically skin-tone on me. It adds a light shimmer to my lids, and also makes a beautiful inner corner highlight. I do recommend using this over a primer, as it tends to crease.

Urban Decay Glinda Palette in South
This, again, adds a beautiful shimmer to the lids, but in a much deeper color than the Color Tattoo. This is a gorgeous taupe shade, with oodles of silver microglitter. There is some fallout, but the wow factor this gives as an all-over lid color is worth the hassle. I like to use it on the lid only, then fill in the area from crease to brow with Foxy or W.O.S. from Naked Basics.

Lips
Burts Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil
For those days when all you need is a little moisture. I used a really drying lipstick one day, and paid for it the next. One day of giving my lips a break and only using this fixed me right up. I just keep one in my purse at all times now.

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in Strawberry Fizz
I love this gloss. It's just a darn fine tube of lip gloss. The color is barely there, but the shimmer is out of this world. On top of that, the gloss isn't sticky, but feels like butter on your lips. It's fairly long-wearing, and smells like candy. Actually, according to Thomas, it smells exactly like Dennis the Menace cereal from when he was a kid. I didn't know that existed, so I can't vouch, but he's pretty set on that opinion. So, there you go. In case you were wondering, VS Strawberry Fizz smells like Dennis the Menace cereal. *cue "The More You Know" rainbow and music*

Face
Josie Maran Argan Oil Color Stick in Love
I've raved about this enough. It blends beautifully, feels amazing, and is DEAD-ON the same shade as my skin's natural flush. It also travels easily and doesn't require a brush. There just aren't enough good things I can say about this.

Benefit Watt's Up
Yet another product I just can't shut up about. The color is a stunning light champagne, so it's not too pink and not too white. There's shimmer, but it's not glitter. It's such a fine shimmer that it's really more of a glimmer, and leaves the most natural looking glow on the skin. Again, it travels like a dream, and no brush is required. Stunning!

Hair
Got 2B Smooth Operator Hairspray with Cashmere
I used to use this daily, and then I moved and it was packed up and forgotten about. I recently rediscovered this product, and am hooked again. The hold is soft and touchable, but it does hold. It also smells heavenly. One of my little voice students even commented on how pretty I smelled. The scent's not overpowering, though, so you don't have to worry about knocking people over as you walk by. The spray is also anti-humidity, which is a necessity down here in the Ninth Cir--um...Deep South.

Nails
Zoya Wednesday
This came in the first Glossybox I received, and I've been in love with it ever since. It's the perfect beachy color--seagreen with a tinge of blue, and a little bit dirty. Love, love, love, love, love!

LA Colors Cocktail
I picked this up on a whim at the Dollar Store. I thought it looked similar to O.P.I.'s Teenage Dream. It's close--nowhere near as opaque, and the pink base is lighter, but for a buck, I'm not complaining. I used it over Zoya Wednesday, and received more compliments on the combination than I think I've ever gotten on a polish! They look like they were made to go together.

Zoya Wednesday with LA Colors Cocktail Overlay

That's it for favorites! Have a great day, and I'll see you soon!