Polish Pixie

The end of an Era

2011-01-19T11:03:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone

As you might have noticed, I haven't posted in a very long time.

On the 13th of January I became a mom to a beautiful baby boy. It has been a life changing experience, and it means that I no longer have the time or the desire to blog here. In many ways this is a wonderful thing, and I'm very happy.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to read and follow this blog. It's been a wonderful experience and I wish you all the best of luck. And before you ask! No, I don't think I'll be selling any of my stuff (though I'll probably give some away). It's just too much of a hassle. Hugs and kisses to you all <3

Travelling

2010-04-10T21:31:00.002+02:00

Hi everyone

I will be traveling for another week. I expect to be back posting next week after I return :)

Haul: Sephora

2010-04-05T15:18:00.008+02:00

I consider myself very lucky. In between mixing mad cool batches of nail polish; mademoiselle Frankenpolish (if you don't read her blog, I'm afraid you suck) had time to do a custom purchase at Sephora for me!

I got the Tarina Tarantine brush set, a cheapo Sephora travel brush set that was on sale, a Tarina eyeshadow, a Cargo bronzer, and a Korres eyeshadow.

The Tarina Tarantino stuff sure has a lot of packaging. It's pretty extreme and I find it wasteful. The brushes are placed in multiple layers of plastic and cardboard, and they are housed in something I believe is supposed to look like a book with a mirror:

Who would want to keep their brushes in that? Not me. The brushes themselves are pretty tasteless (as expected). I like that aspect. I haven't tested them enough to say for sure, but I don't think they are anything special. Not really worth the price.

I'm not terribly excited about the Tarina eyeshadow either. It's a bit blah though the packaging is very cute. The Korres shadow is nice. Very metallic, and I always love Cargo bronzers.

NOTD: Fingerpaints Model Colour

2010-04-04T21:01:00.004+02:00

I'm usually not much of a creme fan, but this is really a very good creme. Application is very smooth and not nasty-chalky like some cremes tend to be. The color is nice and bright. The picture almost makes it look coral, but it's a little more pink in real life.

EOTD with my Clarins palette

2010-04-03T21:12:00.001+02:00

I wanted to do an EOTD with my Clarins palette since I don't used it often. The reason I don't use it is that it sucks a little bit. I'm not crazy about the color combinations, and the pigmentation is just ok. It's very pretty to look at though. I combined it with a Clinique liner I also don't really like. It's very unpigmented.

Base: MAC paint pot in Fresco Rose
Shadows: Clarins palette
Liner: Clinique Cream Liner in Black Honey (aka teh suck)
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

EOTD: Brown and boring with my Estee Lauder palette

2010-04-01T21:05:00.003+02:00

I used the Lauder Christmas palette to do a boring, brown look today. I like boring, brown looks. I think they work well with my eye color :)

Base: MAC paint pot in Groundwork
Shadow: Estee Lauder palette
Liner: brown Smashbox cream liner
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Yves Rocher Fuchsia Excentrique

2010-03-31T20:57:00.002+02:00

Wow, I was sure this was going to be awful, but it's actually quite nice. The formula is a little thick, but application and coverage were both good.

EOTD what is it?

2010-03-30T18:15:00.000+02:00

Found this in my camera. I really like the color combination, but I don't remember any of the products I used. Bummer. I really like the purple liner as well, and I have no idea what it is....

NOTD: Color Club Worth The Risque

2010-03-28T17:14:00.002+02:00

Very pretty holo. Not particularly unique, but I love all holos :)

Haul: Sassy Samples

2010-03-27T15:32:00.001+01:00

I've heard a lot of good things about Sassy Minerals; so I made an order for some samples. I'll usually try to order full sizes as well, but I didn't want to have to pay the annoying custom fees (They start at like $40 and just go up from there). I'm really happy with my order though for some reason it took a month to arrive.

Look at the cute net:

and gorgeous colors (click the pic to enlarge). I love that the samples come in little jars like Fyrinnae.

Pink EOTD

2010-03-26T19:12:00.008+01:00

Just another look with pink. I generally like those, and I think they work with my eye color.

Base: MAC paint pot in Fresco Rose
Lid: Sassy Cosmetics Off Kilter (this is sort of a greyish purple. I love it)
Crease: Fyrinnae Darling Misfit
Highlight: Hi-Fi Cosmetics Unforgettable.
Liner: Fyrinnae Android Angel used wet
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: China Glaze Fly

2010-03-25T21:28:00.004+01:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. Work is being a pain. Hopefully I'll be back to my regular posting schedule soon.

Fortunately I'm loving this NOTD. China Glaze Fly is such a pretty shimmery pink color. Love it.

Haul: Evil Shades

2010-03-22T18:51:00.007+01:00

Gah, I've been so busy this week; I haven't really replied to comments. I'll try very hard to do so in the next couple of days! Today I'm posting an "oldish" haul.

I think I got it a couple of months ago and forgot to post. It's from the mineral makeup company Evil Shades.

I ordered the Multi Gift set with the three most popular lip and eye shades. I also picked up an eyeshadow in Mysteria and Devil's Bonfire. The owner (who was really nice and helpful when I e-mailed her) included a couple of samples.

The lip glosses are very gorgeous and very scary for someone like me!

The shadows had a lot of product trapped in the threads so I made a bit of a mess when opening (yes, I got some black shadow in the pink one, sigh).

The colors on the site don't seem totally accurate. The colors are a bit more pastel in real life. Still quite pretty though. I'll try to use them for a look soon and let you know what I think :)

NOTD: It's a Dooze Says Suzi

2010-03-21T14:48:00.003+01:00

God, I hate when OPI does the Suzi thing. I know the OPI lady's name is Suzi, but that's no excuse. I love the color though. I almost always like shimmery reds, and this is a nice warm red.

EOTD with Hi-Fi Cosmetics

2010-03-20T14:23:00.005+01:00

Love my Hi-Fi shadows. They are so bright and vibrant.

Base: MAC paint pot in Bare Study:
Lid: Hi-Fi Rock & Roll
Crease + Outer V: Hi-Fi Kiss and Hi-Fi My Pain
Highlight: Hi-Fi Many Secrets
Liner: Smashbox cream liner in Caviar
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Sally Hansen #57 Lavender Marquis

2010-03-19T14:45:00.003+01:00

Wow, I really like this color. It's beautiful and very Barbie. Application was as atrocious as I expected. It dragged and it never really seemed to dry. I also think it's more pink than lavender.

Haul: More Hi-Fi Cosmetics

2010-03-18T19:20:00.002+01:00

LOVE!

NOTD: Chine Glaze Awakening

2010-03-17T14:40:00.003+01:00

I don't remember what collections this is from, and I have no idea why it looks so gross in the pictures. It's really gorgeous in real life. The prominent gold shimmer is beautiful.

EOTD with Fyrinnae

2010-03-16T15:15:00.005+01:00

I'm loving Fyrinnae Anemone. Such a pretty green. The pics turned out a little washed out unfortunately.

Base: MAC paint pot in Bare Study and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Lid: Fyrinnae Anemone
Crease: a pink Fyrinnae shadow... don't remember the name
Highlight.... I don't remember... I suck.
Liner: Smashbox creme liner in Image (Metallic Olive)
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Nubar Strawberry Punch

2010-03-15T14:37:00.002+01:00

How I wish I could rock sheers, but it's not really happening. They has very pretty shimmer though, so I still love it.

EOTD: Soft Purples

2010-03-14T15:04:00.004+01:00

The pics didn't turn out very well, but I likes this subtler look I did for work.

Base: MAC paint pot in Fresco Rose
Lid: Urban Decay Stalker
Crease: Urban Decay Aubergine
Highlight: MAC Hush
Liner: Smashbox cream liner in Caviar
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: OPI DS Extravagance

2010-03-13T14:34:00.002+01:00

I remember this being really popular when it was released, and I can definitely see why. I think it's a very unique polish and absolutely gorgeous. I recommend you grab it if you get the chance!

Stashtastic: Missha Shimmering Oven Blusher

2010-03-12T15:09:00.001+01:00

A stash post! I love to read about peoples nail polish and makeup collections; so I'm going to post some bits and pieces from mine. Today: Missha Shimmering Oven Blushers. I got these from ebay. The packaging is gorgeous, but very "fingerprinty". I hope no one will frame me for murder using the fingerprints in the pic below:

The products themselves are also very pretty. They are swirly domes like the MAC mineralized skin finishes:
I own #11, 12, and 13 and they look identical when I apply them: sparse chunky glitter. They don't really work as blushes or bronzer in my opinion, but they are ok as highlighters. I don't use mine much, but I like to look at the swirls and the packaging.

NOTD: Nubar Passionate Purple

2010-03-11T14:28:00.001+01:00

This is a bit more purple and less blue in real life. I think it's pretty nice. I did 3 coats to get good coverage.

Green EOTD with Fyrinnae

2010-03-10T14:47:00.000+01:00

I know the highlight looks super strange. The color only reflects at certain angles, so it ends up looking sort of weird in pictures.

Base: MAC paint pot in Moss Scape
Lid: Fyrinnae Anemone
Crease: Fyrinnae Tyr
Highlight: Fyrinnae Jade Ghost
Liner (upper lid): Smashbox Caviar
Liner (waterline): Urban Decay 24/7 in Stash
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Color Club Volt of Light

2010-03-09T14:36:00.002+01:00

How fab is this? It totally lights up my day :D I did a couple of coats of white first to really get that bright neon color. This has got to be one of my favorite yellows.

EOTD with Fyrinnae

2010-03-08T15:09:00.001+01:00

I had a lot of trouble with this. I found it very difficult to blend the purple without it turning grey and ugly. I still need to learn to blend these dark Fyrinnae colors properly.

Base: MAC paint pot in Fresco Rose
Lid: Fyrinnae Healer's Touch (I think, not 100% sure what I used)
Crease: Fyrinnae Android Angel
Highlight: MAC Hush
Liner: Fyrinnae Fyre and Ice (used wet)
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Sinful #836 Serena & Chloe

2010-03-07T15:02:00.002+01:00

This is a very nice summery polish. It warms me up just looking at it. I also like the shimmer and how glossy it is. The pictures is three coats.

EOTD with Stardust

2010-03-06T14:09:00.002+01:00

Just a basic everyday look for when I'm supposed to look serious at work:

Base: MAC paint pot Soft Ochre
Lid: Stardust Tom Boy
Highlight: Stardust Unforgettable
Crease and used wet as liner: Stardust Mystery
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

The shadows are all from the Stardust Facette de la Femme collection which I believe is LE.

NOTD: China Glaze Flying Dragon

2010-03-05T14:58:00.002+01:00

This has got to be one of my favorite China Glaze polishes. I love the color (purple with blue and red glitter), and I love that it's matte and the surface is kind of bumpy. I know a lot of people hate that, but I like it when a polish has texture.

Haul: Stardust Cosmetics

2010-03-04T15:02:00.001+01:00

I can't believe I forgot to post this Stardust haul! I love how well Jenna (the owner of Stardust) packaged everything. The reflective paper is so so pretty. Even my husband thought it was cool, and he is not a big fan of my hauls!

I got some shadows from the new LE collection Facettes de la Femme and some of the shadows that are being discontinued. Mostly neutral shades this time, cause I've been buying too many wacky colors that I won't wear often.

NOTD: Nubar Lavender + Sinful #831 Hottie

2010-03-03T14:53:00.001+01:00

I really like Nubar Lavender. It's such a pretty soft color. I think it looks quite nice with the Sinful polish on top.

I realize that I didn't quite manage to remove the pink from the last NOTD, but oh well. I don't care enough to go back and fix it :)

EOTD with Hi-Fi Cosmetics

2010-03-02T14:37:00.008+01:00

I used my purple Shiseido Hydro Powder eyeshadows as a base. This makes everything look amazing and glowy, and I always get compliments when I wear it because it's so vibrant!

Base: Shiseido Hydro Powder in Violet Vision
Lid: Hi-Fi Kiss
Crease: Hi-Fi Tainted Love
Highlight: MAC Vanilla
Liner: Smashbox Caviar with Hi-Fi Eye Glitz in Fat Tuesday
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Sinful #307 Tokyo Doll

2010-03-01T15:05:00.003+01:00

I believe this is one of the more popular Sinful Colors. I think it's gorgeous. The pink shimmer is so bright and vibrant.

EOTD, haul, and review: Sugarpill

2010-02-28T14:11:00.009+01:00

You get a three-for-one review, haul and EOTD today. I know there are like a million reviews of Sugarpill already, but I still wanted to add mine. Don't worry; it'll be short. I LOVE THIS! I didn't get this stuff for free; I paid for all of it; and I want to go back and buy more! The quality is very high and packaging, pigmentation, blendability (is that a word?), and wear are all amazing.

I got:
Loose eyeshadow: Goldilux (if I wasn't married already; I'd marry this eyeshadow. We are in love)
Loose eyeshadow: Hysteric
Loose eyeshadow: Lumi
Palette: Burning Heart
Pressed eyeshadow: Tako
Lashes: Dewdrop Kisses

And the EOTD:

Products used:
Base: MAC paint pot in Soft Ocre and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Lid: Sugarpill Goldilux
Crease: Sugarpill Poison Plum (from the Burning Heart palette)
Highlight: Sugarpill Taco
Liner: Smashbox cream liner in Caviar and Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: L.A. Colors Antique Rose

2010-02-27T15:02:00.002+01:00

I know I wore this recently, but it's just such a nice, non-offensive polish to wear to work.

Tokidoki at Magic: Sephora Collabo!

2010-02-26T19:04:00.004+01:00

OMG you guys!

Tokidoki at Magic: Sephora Collabo!

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Hi-Fi Cosmetics Haul and Glam Rock Eye Glitz swatches

2010-02-26T14:31:00.005+01:00

I recently placed another order with Hi-Fi Cosmetics, and I wanted to show you what I got:

I am so in love with her Glam Rock Eye Glitz. They are a gel based product with chunky glitters. The product feels very gently. I haven't experienced any irritation using these on my eyes. I own 5 of them (click the picture to enlarge):

Drama Queen, Candy Shop, New Age, Fat Tuesday, Pyrotechnic

The two on the left (Drama Queen and Candy Shop) are less dense than the others. They are also quite similar; so you don't really need both. I love using these on top of black or colored liner.

NOTD: China Glaze Tickle My Triangle

2010-02-25T14:59:00.001+01:00

Nice job on the naming again, ChG.... The polish is lovely though. I love my holos.

EOTD with Guerlain Fleur de Feu

2010-02-24T14:52:00.007+01:00

As soon as I saw this palette; I knew I wanted it! The packaging and the pattern was seriously pretty (it's gone now of course), but the colors are really nothing special. The dark brown is especially chalky and unpigmented.

Base: MAC paint pot in Fresco Rose
Inner lid and highlight: The light pink from Fleur de Feu
Outer lid: The dark Pink from Fleur de Feu
Crease: The brown from Fleur de Feu
Liner: Clinique cream liner in Deep Brown
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Sinful #56 Pink Diamond

2010-02-23T14:36:00.003+01:00

This is such a gorgeous polish. It has a really nice duochrome and gorgeous shimmer as well. I used three coats for complete coverage.

EOTD with Stardust and Hi-Fi

2010-02-22T14:25:00.002+01:00

I don't often wear blue eyeshadow, but I really like Rock & Roll from Hi-Fi, so I decided to try it on the lid.

Base: MAC paint pot in Bare Study + Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Lid and lower lashline: Hi-Fi Cosmetics Rock & Roll
Crease: Stardust Mysterious (this has a really amazing duochrome, and it's less red than it looks in the pic)
Highlight: MAC Krisp (I think this is DC'ed)
Liner: MAC glitter liner Pewterpink
Mascare: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Nubar Brass

2010-02-21T14:16:00.001+01:00

I wouldn't call this color brass. It seems more like a shimmery, reddish brown to me. Still pretty nice though. The picture is three coats.

EOTD with Detriovore Cosmetics

2010-02-20T15:11:00.001+01:00

I wanted to create a look with my new Detrivore shadows. As you can see, the shadow in my crease (Disturbance) is supposed to be a metallic red, but it's more like a reddish brown. I still really like it though; since I love my browns.

Base: MAC paint pot in Perky (limited edition from Fafi)
Lid: Detrivore Swine (this is a very nice, almost matte pink color)
Crease: Detrivore Disturbance
Brown Highlight: MAC Vanilla
Inner Corner Highlight: MAC Hush
Liner: MAC glitter liner in Embronze
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: China Glaze Lets Do It In 3D

2010-02-19T14:14:00.001+01:00

Oh you China Glaze and your dumb ass names for nail polish. At least the polish itself is gorgeous. A scattered dark grey holo. Beautiful.

Haul: Detrivore Cosmetics

2010-02-18T15:01:00.001+01:00

Detrivore has both an etsy shop and a website. They have a pretty interesting "about me" page on the website. I ordered 4 shadows and a primer, and she sent some extra samples:

The shadows I got are:
Disturbance: Metallic red shadow - Not sure this is red, more like a bronze color
Gorgon: Metallic purple loose eye shadow - Really pretty
Saprophyte: Light purple loose eye shadow - DO NOT TRUST THE PICTURES. IT'S NOT THAT BLUE
Swine: Pink Eye Shadow- Love the name of this

I love the little creepy crawlers that are pictures next to the names of the shadows! The shadows are very pretty as well. I will definitely be coming back for more.

NOTD: China Glaze Custom Kicks

2010-02-17T14:34:00.001+01:00

I've worn this before when I had longer nails. Wearing it again sort of makes me want long nails, but at the same time I like short nails as well. I do with my nails were a little more square in shape, but it's such high maintenance.

The polish is a very pretty, bright polish with nice subtle shimmer. I think it's great for making a dark winter day a little warmer and more fun :)

EOTD with Fyrinnae

2010-02-16T14:54:00.001+01:00

Base: MAC paint pot in Fresco Rose and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Lid: Fyrinnae Conjuror (holy shit this is amazing!)
Crease and used wet as liner: Fyrinnae Avenging Salem
Brow highlight: MAC Vanilla
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Misa Girls' Night Out + Maybelline Colorama #3 Tutti Frutti

2010-02-15T14:30:00.001+01:00

I must admit that I love this combo. The Misa polish is a nice bright pink creme, but blue shimmer from the Tutti Frutti makes it look absolutely amazing. I think Tutti Frutti is one of the more popular of the Maybelline Coloramas. I can definitely see why.

NOTD: Nfu-Oh #173 + Sinful #220 Green Ocean

2010-02-14T11:46:00.002+01:00

My Nfu-Oh cremes seem to have seperated, and I can really shake the white color back into the colored polish :( Application is pretty poor too. I don't like the brush shape. I bought these right when Nfu-Oh introduced the creme series. Hopefully they have improved by now.

I decided to spice the manicure up with Sinful Green Ocean which is a more crappy version of the Nfu-Oh flakies:

Haul: Rescue Beauty Lounge and new comment system

2010-02-13T14:26:00.000+01:00

I'm playing around with a new comment system that will make it easier to reply. The downside is that you'll have to click on the post to comment. Let me know what you think!

I also changed the blog layout. I was getting a little tired of the dark colors. I'm considering getting a custom template.

Anyway, on to the actual post!

This haul is way overdue. It's from the Rescue Beauty Lounge 50% off sale of 2009. A lovely lady in the US was kind enough to pick up a couple of polishes for me (she even included a bottle of Sinful polish which I love). They are my first RBLs. The price usually keeps me from buying them (and as some of you know; I don't like square bottles).

I love the cardboard packaging they come in. Very chic.

I got Teal, Scrangie (love her), and Frugilista. Scrangie and Frugilista are limited edition; I believe.

I'm excited to see if they are as long wearing and easy to apply as people claim!

NOTD: OPI DS Jewel

2010-02-12T15:02:00.002+01:00

Usually I love the OPI Designer Series polishes. A lot of them are holos and they generally have great coverage and wear well. This one is sort of lame and sheer. I had to use 4 coats to give coverage. The lovely Asami told me that hers were sheer too, and that it looked nice layered over black, so I'm going to try that.

EOTD Purple Smoke

2010-02-11T15:12:00.000+01:00

I don't often do smokey eyes since it seems to bring out my dark circles and my eyes are quite sensitive so lining the waterline is a challenge.

Base: MAC paint pot in Nice Vice + Smashbox cream liner in Caviar
Lid: Fyrinnae Fyre & Ice
Crease: Fyrinnae Delvian
Highlight: B Never eyeshadow in Burke
Waterline: Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves + Clinique High Impact

It's a lot darker in real life. The pictures make it look a little washed out

NOTD: Color Club Revvvolution

2010-02-10T15:09:00.000+01:00

This is a really cool black/grey holo. Love it.

NOTD: Nubar Hot Lime Green

2010-02-09T17:27:00.003+01:00

A lot of you that commented on the Sigma post seemed to like this polish, so here is the full size pic:

Hot Lime Green is pretty sheer. I had to use four coats. I got a couple of comments at work. Most of my colleagues did not like it :(

Review: Sigma makeup and brushes.

2010-02-06T19:14:00.023+01:00

I know there are a gazillion reviews on Sigma brushes and makeup, but most of those are by people who have received the items for free. There is nothing wrong with that (heck, I wish I got stuff for free); I just figured that there might be interest in a review where I used my own $$$$ to pay for this.

I'm very torn on Sigma makeup as a company. On one hand; I like that they are offering more affordable alternatives to MAC brushes, on the other hand they raise their prices while giving bloggers lots of stuff, and they send out a "news letter" pretty much every day, and there is never anything new in there.

Oh well, on to the brushes. I bought them when Sigma was still new (and their brushes were a little cheaper). I got the complete set, but opted out of the brushroll. In general; I think the brushes are quite good. Mine are well made and don't shed much. The ones below are the ones I find myself using a lot:

224: Great for blending and for applying a diffuse brow highlight. More fluffy than the MAC version
252: Awesome for applying shadow on the lid. I don't own the MAC version.
239: Maybe even more awesome for applying shadow on the lid. Love this more than MAC.
219: Great for detailed crease work. Like this about the same as the MAC one.
190. I like the for cream blush. Don't own the MAC version
150: Amazing for bronzer. Don't own the MAC version.

I also forgot to include the 209 in the picture, but I love it for cream eyeliner:

These are the ones I don't find myself using much:

109: I tried this for blush, but I like the Illamasqua blush brush better. Tried it for foundation, but I like my Sephora Platinum #55 better. I don't much like the MAC version either.
188 & 187 I use these for very pigmented cream and powder blushers. A little less dense than the MAC versions.
266: Don't like this kind of eyeliner brush. Don't own the MAC version.
275: Don't like this shape of brush. Don't own the MAC version.
217: I like the shape and feel of the MAC version better. Still a good brush though.
194: About the same as the MAC version. I just don't really have any need for this type of brush.

Overall; I recommend these. I do find the quality comparable to MAC. On to the makeup. You can see what I bought here:

The cardboard packaging is really cute. It has cupcakes and bows and crap like that:
When I first saw the makeup; I thought it looked really great. The palette with room for 4 eye shadows/blushes looked like it would be perfect for my travels. The palette is quite nice. It has a large mirror, and it's easy to open and close. Unfortunately the eyeshadows/blushes pop out easily, so you need to be careful.

The black plastic look sort of cheap. Like a discount version of Bobbi Brown packaging. The single shadows/blushes are really hard to open. I hate packaging that breaks my nails.

The singles have a tiny mirror that's not really useful. I would like to put them in one of those magnetized palettes, but the pans are plastic as well, so I don't think they'd stick. They come with an annoying sponge tip applicator that sometimes prevents you from closing the container. I find it sort of funny that a MAKEUP BRUSH COMPANY will give you sponge tip applicators.

The full set comes with a little instruction book with different looks. I think that's great. It's not great that all the pictures in the booklet were clearly created with makeup that's not from Sigma......

All the shadows are very shimmery and soft. They remind me a little of Dior Iridescent shadows. I quite like the texture, but they are a bit fragile, so I would not travel with them. I think it's a problem that they did not include any matte eyeshadows (there is one matte blush). It makes it SO difficult to create complete looks with the palettes.

All the shadows are 4g. That's a lot of shadow. MAC shadows are 1.3g-1.5g. Honestly I'd rather they were cheaper and I got less, but at least it's not likely I'll ever run out of these!

Neutral shades:

A good set. Wish one of the dark browns were matte, and that there was a lighter highlight shade. I did this look with the Neutral Shades (these shadows don't photograph well with flash because of the shine:

Base: MAC Soft Ochre paint pot
Lid/Highlight: Sigma Angie
Crease: Sigma Brown Sugar
Outer V/Liner: Sigma Brown Eyed Girl
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

Fun Colors:

HAHA FUNNY. Not really. These aren't particularly bright or fun, but they are nice wearable shadows. I did this look with some of the "Fun Colors":

Base: MAC Rubenesque paint pot
Lid: Sigma Play With Fire
Crease: Sigma I Got The Blues
Highlight: Sigma Shine a Light (from the Smokey Eyes)
Liner: Smashbox cream eyeliner in Caviar

Smokey Eyes:

This one is pretty nice. You can easily make a classic silver smokey eye with it. Wish it had some matte shades.

Blush and Highlighter:

I'm a blush and highlighter junkie, and I have to admit that I love these. Nice variation, and really nice texture and pigmentation.

Overall; I'm a little meh about these. I'm not sure who they are aiming these towards. It seems like basic collections would be useful for makeup newbies, but the lack of matte shadows means you need to combine these with your existing collection to get good results. The palette design and "Beauty on the Go" name makes it seem like you should use them for travel, but they are too clumsy and a bit too fragile for that.

Personally I'm glad I got them. They are not terribly unique but the texture is nice, and I like shimmer. If you are makeup junkie like me; you'll probably like them. If you're only going to get one palette; I recommend the Blush and Highlighter. I think that one is my favorite.

And the pictures in the booklet still piss me off :(

EOTD Boring Neutrals

2010-02-06T15:58:00.000+01:00

Everyday makeup. I do love my neutrals:

Base: MAC paint pot in Groundwork.
Lid: MAC Wedge
Crease: Stardust Glimmerbark
Highligt (inner corner) MAC Shroom
Highlight (browbone) MAC Vanilla
Liner: Clinique Deep Brown + MAC Embronze
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Revlon #480 Firecracker

2010-02-05T15:37:00.000+01:00

Very nice glittery red. I used two coats, and it was still a bit sheer.

NOTD: SpaRitual Solitude

2010-02-04T15:35:00.000+01:00

There was a lot of buzz about this color when it was released. I absolutely hated it while putting it on. It looked like the nastiest, streakiest brown. In brighter lights it's actually quite lovely and very unique. Sort of like a very dark eggplant.

Sorry about the cat hair. The stupid animal insists on sitting on my lab while I'm doing my mani.

EOTD with Stardust

2010-02-03T15:38:00.001+01:00

Probably not the best color combination, but oh well. I must say though that it looks better in real life! Not as washed out.

Base: MAC Painterly Paint Pot
Lid: Stardust Silky
Crease: Stardust Light Glow (this has an AMAZING green duochrome, love it!)
Highlight: Stardust Lace
Liner: Clinique Creme Liner in Deep Brown
Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves

NOTD: Nubar Autumn Sunset

2010-02-02T15:33:00.001+01:00

Warm shimmery red. I love it!

Haul: Sigma Makeup

2010-02-01T14:19:00.001+01:00

I got another of Sigma Makeup's spam mails the others day (seriously, do they have to e-mail EVERY day) telling me that there is a 25% discount on their makeup. I think it's a Valentines offer or something. That reminded me that I had already bought the collection, but hadn't even unpacked it.

It comes in a little box (I also bought a 224 brush and got a free travel sized 217). Their brushes are very nice:

Lots of stuff:A palette you can customize:

3 blushes (2 shimmery and 1 matte) and a highlighter:

Nautral shades. These look very wearable though I wish one of them had been a matte shadow:

Fun colors. Not sure what is "fun" about them, but they are also quite wearable:

Smokey eyes. I think these are great for a classical silver smokey eye:

Unfortunately; I was too lazy too swatch them, but there are swatches here: Vampy Varnish

NOTD: Maybelline Colorama #22 Jelly Bean

2010-01-31T14:39:00.000+01:00

I think this was one of the more popular Coloramas (do they still make them). I know I love it. It has some absolutely amazing shimmer that is very difficult to photograph. If you do find it; I recommend you grab it immediately!

EOTD with Stardust and Fyrinnae

2010-01-30T16:54:00.000+01:00

Base: MAC paint pot Fresco Rose, Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Lid: Fyrinnae Healer's Touch
Crease: Stardust Draco
Highlight: MAC Hush
Liner: Smashbox cream eyeliner in Caviar set with Fyrinnae Fyre & Ice
Spider Lashes (aka mascara): Rimmel Sexy Curves, Clinique High Impact

Haul: Etsy and Book of Lemmings

2010-01-29T14:33:00.000+01:00

I first saw these kitteh images on Citrines Blog (Citrine is da bomb btw, I read her blog religiously), and decided right away that I had to own the "kitteh with pearl earring" notebook. I found a nice seller on ebay and bought the notebook and a passport cover (which clearly is very appropriate for business travel).
When the book arrived; I decided to make it my "lemming book" sort of what like Citrine describes in her post. When I see something I want; I write it in the book instead of buying it immediately. My husband thought it was a great idea and requested a page in the notebook for his lemmings. I have generously given him page #2 (he wants a GPS, a new mouse matt, and a head for his shaver - BORING!).

The wallet is from Etsy seller THlENTHANH. I wanted a travel wallet where I only put the cards I'm going to need on my trip. My stuff tends to be stolen or get lost a lot (which is why I currently don't even have a passport), so I have to minimize the damage. The seller was very nice. I did not like the little bell charm that came with the wallet, so I asked her for another and she was happy to oblige

NOTD: Misa Double Date

2010-01-28T15:53:00.002+01:00

Gosh, this is a lovely polish. It's such a gorgeous soft purple shade. I had to do three coats to get good coverage, but I think it's worth it.

NOTD: China Glaze B-Girlz

2010-01-26T16:07:00.002+01:00

The weather is pretty depressing at the moment, so I wanted to wear a BRIGHT nail polish. I decided on B-Girlz from the Kicks collection. This is a lovely bright pink with very subtle shimmer. I was a little disappointed in how sheer it was. I needed three coats, and even then it wasn't completely opaque.

EOTD

2010-01-25T15:53:00.005+01:00

This is a pretty simple EOTD. I pretty much just used two shadows over a base of MAC Painterly paint pot: B Delight on the lid and Fyrinnae Delvian in the crease and outer V. I lined with Smashbox cream liner and set the liner with Fyrinnae Fyre & Ice.

Products used:

NOTD: Revlon Coconut Crush

2010-01-24T15:54:00.001+01:00

Behold my NOTD with Revlon ~~Stink-a-Doodle~~ Coconut Crush. A kind lady from the US sent me this. It smelled SO BAD when I applied it; I thought I was gonna die, but fortunately the smell was very weak when dry. It didn't bother me at all. I used three coats. This really is quite pretty!

Haul: Stardust Cosmetics

2010-01-23T17:21:00.009+01:00

The Twats who follow me on Twatter might know that I am on a no-buy. It's mostly cause I have way too much stuff. I ordered a lot of stuff in December because I rediscovered mineral pigments. They are fun to play with. One of my orders was from Stardust. Look at how nicely it was packaged:

I really like the little pots. The logo is pretty:

And they come with sifters (<3):

Some of her colors repackaged micas with additives. Those are marked with a * on the website; so people who might already have them can stay clear. Since I don't have a large collection; I can buy those without getting duplicates of what I already have.

My sample packs and free samples:

I've tried out a couple so far, and they are very nice. The color is true and they blend well. Since I had such a positive response (thank you!) to my crappy makeup application. I might even post a few looks :)

NOTD: Nfu-Oh #65

2010-01-22T16:24:00.002+01:00

I have yet to find a nail polish more holographic than the Nfu-Ohs. They are the most gorgeous polishes I have ever seen. They are also a pain to apply, and they don't wear very well, but I'm ok with that.

Just look at that holo!

Fyrinnae Haul, EOTD, and questions

2010-01-21T10:08:00.003+01:00

Just before New Years I ordered some stuff from Fyrinnae:
As you can see, these look amazing in the pots:
I must admit I am having trouble applying some of them. Some of the darker colors (which is most of what I bought) seem to go grey on me. I've tried patting them carefully over Pixie Epoxy, but they are still just grey. I tried to use the gorgeous copper shadow that in the front on the pic in my crease today, and it turned dark grey too. I then tried using it wet, and that made the color more true, but also much more difficult to use. Sorry about the eyebrows and the flash. I'm really no good at these makeup pictures.

You can sort of see the foiled shadow in part of the crease, but it was very hard to control, so I didn't apply very much this way.

I used MAC Bare Study Paint Pot as a base, Fyrinnae Species 8472 on the lid and Fyrinnae Fire Opal in the crease and outer V, MAC Shroom on the inner corner.

If anyone has Fyrinnae application tips; I would really appreciate it. This doesn't seem to happen with other loose shadows.

NOTD: GOSH Chocaholic

2010-01-20T16:29:00.002+01:00

Love this name of this polish! It does look exactly like a layer of chocolate on the nails lol! I used three coats to get opaque coverage.

NOTD: China Glaze Admire

2010-01-18T16:25:00.000+01:00

My nails aren't doing so great at the moment so chrome polishes like this one really show how uneven they are. I still love this polish though. Did I meantion that this is one (1!) coat?

NOTD: Nubar Orange Crème + Nfu-Oh #58

2010-01-16T16:03:00.003+01:00

Wow, this almost turned into a major disaster. When I applied the first layer of the Nfu-Oh over the orange creme; it turned into a disgusting orangy brown poopy color. I was horrified and very tempted to grab the polish remover. Then I realized that I was way too lazy to redo my manicures, and I just did a couple more coats of the Nfu-Oh instead. That turned it into a more rusty brown manicure and a minor disaster instead of a major one. I'm not having much luck getting the green aspect of the flakies to show, but the bottom photo does show them a bit.

NOTD: Nubar Orange Crème

2010-01-15T10:00:00.000+01:00

I've done a NOTD with this before, but I found it in my stash, and I figured it would make me feel a bit warm. I think it's a lovely color.

Hi Fi Cosmetics Etsy Haul

2010-01-14T17:52:00.009+01:00

Just got this haul from Hi Fi Cosmetics on etsy. I think it's lovely. I haven't bought mineral eyeshadows in a very long time, but I'm really starting to love them again. I'll try to make a post with links to some of the blogs that inspired me to haul :D

Everything came packed in cute snow man paper:

I got a pretty wide selection of stuff:

The "Cheater" trio of mineral eyeshadows:

Paparazzi Flash Powder in Doomsday, eyeshadow in Many Secrets and Glam Rock Eye Glitz in Pyrotechnic and Candy Shop:

Shimmering Bronzer Gel in Amber Energy, Gel Blush in Amore, and Star Glimmer Gel in Shooting Star:

Because I just missed the BOGO sale by one day, the owner was kind enough to include two eyeshadows: Rock & Roll and Wild Thing:

I'm absolutely in love with everything, and I can't wait to wear it! I'm especially excited about the gel products. What a great idea!

NOTD: Nfu-Oh #87

2010-01-13T17:56:00.003+01:00

I think the Nfu-Oh #80-90 are quite sheer. This one is pretty sheer, I needed 4 coats to get nice coverage. The shimmer in this is so pretty.

NOTD: Nubar Unfaithful Red

2010-01-11T19:06:00.000+01:00

Wow, this has got to be one of my favorite reds. It's metallic with a golden undertone. It pretty much covers in one coat (I did two for my NOTD), and it's just gorgeous!

I got some new shoes in the January sale. Love them :)

NOTD: Sally Hansen Chestnut + Konad m65

2010-01-09T19:02:00.000+01:00

OMG, sorry for the crappy application. It's not the polish; it's me. The polish is amazing. Unfortunately I was really hungry and the food at dinner was way too good, resulting in me eating WAY too much. It actually made me feel a little sick. Not really the best way to get a good manicure, and certainly not the way to Konad! I also think I need to file my Konad stamper a bit. It's not transferring the images well :( I used China Glaze Admire for the stamp.

China Glaze Summer 2010 Poolside

2010-01-09T16:41:00.004+01:00

Looks like a pretty neat collection. I could use a few more neons.
Source: China Glaze

Estee Lauder Holiday Set

2010-01-08T11:46:00.000+01:00

Ah. so here you were thinking that I was done with the Christmas presents that I bought for myself. You were only partially wrong. This was not really a Christmas present. It was more like an upset-about-bedbugs present. I also bought it because I knew with 100% certainly that noone else was going to buy it for me.

I would also like to add that my sister bought a present for herself and actually had it wrapped and put under the tree for Christmas! I am not alone.

The kit comes in a pretty nice red bag:

It contains an eyeshadow palette, 4 lippes, mascara and mascara primer, a blush/bronzer palette, 3 eyeliners and some crappy brushes:

Resolution for 2010: Buy more makeup from Old Lady brands like Estee Lauder.

NOTD: Nubar Hot Blue + Orly Prisma Gloss Silver

2010-01-07T16:43:00.003+01:00

Nubar's "Hot Blue" doesn't really look blue to me. More like a nice deep teal creme. Still hot though. The Orly glitter/shimmer topcoat is sort of a nightmare to use. I have to shake it like mad to disperse the glitter.

NOTD: OPI DS Original

2010-01-05T16:35:00.001+01:00

I've wanted this one forever, so I had to wear it right away. <3

Transdesign Haul

2010-01-04T19:55:00.001+01:00

Since I can't get China Glaze from Head2Toe Beauty anymore; I decided to shop at Transdesign. Unfortunately I had to pay custom fees, so that doubled the price, but I'm still happy with my haulage.

Orly Purple Velvet, China Glaze C-C-Courage and Good Witch?

OPI: DS Original, Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees (Suede), You Don't Know Jacques! (Suede), Barefoot in Barcelona, Over the Taupe, Shim-mery Chic.

And here is a picture of the sushi themed dinner we had for New Years. YUM!

Top 10 beauty stuff from 2009

2010-01-03T12:11:00.001+01:00

With the enormous amount of crap I've bought in 2009 you'd think there were a million candidates for favorites, but the truth is that I tend to not use the new stuff before using old stuff up, and that takes a while...

The stuff on the list might not be from 2009. I'm a bit behind at times, so I'm sure a lot of it was released earlier.

10. Coraline Konad Sets
I like the funky images from the Coraline Konad plates though they are a little harder to use than regular konad. I also absolutely love the polishes. From OC Nailart

9. Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Pure White
My eyes are weird. Most pencil eyeliners (like the Urban Decay ones) don't seem to apply any color to my waterline. This one from Rimmel is cheap and makes me look awake. From your local drustore.

8. Laneige eyeshadow trios
I love the packaging with the reflective lid and I love baked eyeshadows in general. I often bring the brown one with me when I travel since it's one finished eye look in a very small package. From ebay.

7. Sigma Brushes
There was a lot of hype regarding Sigma in 2009. A lot of people felt that they were bribing youtube gurus and giving away too much stuff. I bought the full brust set, and I think it's lovely. From Sigma

6. Pupa Baked Blush
I think I love baked blushes more than any other cosmetics item. These one from Pupa are impossibly cute, and they look nice on the skin. From Sasa.com

5. OPI Purple with a Purpose
Gorgeous purple polish. An absolutely must have in my opinion. From your local OPI pusher.

4. Eyeko Tinted Creme
This looks disgusting in the container. Like super nasty and dark. After you get the hang of applying it, it's absolutely lovely. It gives such a nice glow. I use it on my legs too. It's halle cheap as well. From Eyeko

Eyeko Cream - My pic does make it look a little grosser than in real life

3. Skinfood Peach Sake Pore Serum
I don't really know what's in it, but this stuff really works for me. I have oil skin and large pores, and this really does seem to help keep my skin looks good during the day. I'm usually not a fan of scented product, but this smells nice. From ebay

2. Sephora #55 Airbrush
OMG, I didn't really believe the hype, but it's true. This brush applies any kind of foundation SO WELL. Love it! From Sephora

#55 and friends

1. Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara
I've been using Clinique mascaras for year, and while I still like them; I'm very happy I've found a cheap alternative that work. Rimmel Sexy Curves is my favorite 2009 product. From your local drugstore.

NOTD: Kleancolor #146 Real Garnet + Response #40 w/ Maybelline Colorama #24 Gold Wash

2010-01-02T11:35:00.003+01:00

Phew, that title is a mouthful. So is this mani and I can't believe I'm going to leave the house wearing it lol. The green applied very sheerly and unevenly which is why I added the Colorama top coat. The red was a pretty standard red creme that needed three coats.

Happy New Year, Dyrberg Kern Sale and EOTD

2010-01-01T16:02:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year! Hope you guys had a fun night :)

I was out shopping a bit yesterday, and discovered that one of my favorite makers of jewelry is having a sale (online as well as in the stores): Dyrberg Kern. All the autumn/winter collections are discounted. I had gotten a bit of it for Christmas, and I picked up a few pieces in the sale:

The two necklaces on the left are from the Caviar collection while the bracelets are from the Cushion collection. Both collections have a 40% discount on the website (I'm not affiliated though I totally wish I was!). Sorry about the crappy pics. The ones on the website are way better.

Ok, enough shopping for now. I get asked a lot why I don't do FOTD (face of the day) or EOTD (eye of the day) with all the makeup I buy. There are several different reasons. I generally don't do very dramatic makeup. Quite often it's boring neutral looks. I don't have the time to take good pictures of my makeup. I do my makeup in the morning when, and it's often pretty dark. Finally I have horrendous, uncoverable undereye circles and wrinkles from using contacts not very gently for 15 years. Because of the circles, anything but light eyeliner on my lower lashline makes me look extremely sick and tired.

That said, here is an EOTD that I was actually pretty happy with. The phono didn't turn out so hot, but oh well!
I used MAC Bare Study as a base with MAC Ricepaper all over the lid, MAC Expensive Pink and Sketch in the outer V and crease, and MAC Vanilla for my brow highlight. MAC Embronze glitter liner on the upper lashline and Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara. You really can't see all this stuff on the eye; can you?

Senna Cosmetics Haul

2009-12-31T20:07:00.000+01:00

Another one of those Christmas presents to me from me. I heard about Senna Cosmetics from Risa on youtube. I decided to get some of the items that were on sale. I also got a brush that I've already misplaced. They shipped very quickly and included a lot of nice skincare samples.

Face Sculpting Kit ($10) and Burnished Bronzer($8):

When I first saw the bronzer; I thought it was very dark, but it's not as scary when applied. I like how the brush isn't placed directly on top of the powder. There is a plastic cover like a lot of asian brands use.

The "Envelope" palette in Neutral ($50):

The envelope palette is my favorite item. I think $50 is a really good value for what you get. The palette is really big as well. I thought it would be like a MAC 15 pan, but it's much, much bigger. It's made of some weird plasticy material that does tend to get a bit dirty. Because of the size I probably won't travel with it, but I really like it for doing my everyday boring makeup. It's available on their website in more colorful versions as well. Most of the shadows are very nice quality though some do have glitter that transfers to my cheeks during the day (a co-worker asked me why I had silver on my face...)

NOTD: Oops! J Gallexy NL G14

2009-12-30T19:55:00.002+01:00

OMG, it really is called "Gallexy". How awesome! The polish itself is awesome as well. Different sized multicolored glitter in an opaque dark blue base. Friggin amazing. It's like a starry night WITH fireworks. What is not awesome is the state of my nails at the moment. I'll have to take care of them in the new year.

I'm really not sure where you can buy Oops J! and if it's even available anymore. I'd love to get some more.

NOTD: Nubar Sphinx Purple

2009-12-29T14:29:00.003+01:00

Not really purple, more like pink. I like it, but I don't think it's very unique.

Winter

2009-12-28T18:11:00.000+01:00

I was trying to post this a couple of days ago, but blogger ate my pictures :(

Hope you all had a lovely holiday.

It really is winter. This is what I see outside my window:

and this is what it looked like a few months ago:

NOTD: Precision Shiny Disco Ball

2009-12-24T18:06:00.000+01:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you get some lovely presents and a good time with your family.

I think this is a lovely holiday polish! Very shiny. I had a few issues with application and drying time, but that's just cause Precision polishes hate me.

NOTD: Orly Cashmere Cardigan.

2009-12-22T18:02:00.000+01:00

Another pre-bedbug NOTD. I had a hard time finding the name of this one since I had to hide all my polished in the closet when the exterminator was here. I didn't want him to think (know?) that I'm nuts. Anyway, it's called Cashmere Cardigan. It's more of a dusty lilac than the picture shows. I really like it. Got a ton of compliments on it at work as well (yay).

Nivea Beauté eyeshadows

2009-12-21T17:57:00.003+01:00

Picked these two up in the supermarket. The light one is Rosebud/88, and the dark is Stone/89. Color payoff isn't great, but they might be nice for someone who is new to makeup since they are almost fool proof. The MAC shadow is for size comparison.

Swatch:

NOTD: OPI Purple With a Purpose

2009-12-20T17:54:00.002+01:00

The exterminator was here today. He said he thinks we should be able to get rid of the bed bugs pretty easily since we (or actually I) have brought them home so recently.

In other news, I found some pre-bedbug infestation NOTD pics. This one I love. Pretty much a perfect shimmery purple. Love!

NOTD break :(

2009-12-17T20:37:00.003+01:00

I'm going to have to take what I hope is a small break from posting NOTD. Apparently I brought home bed bugs after my last travel, and it's a total nightmare. My arms and hands are covered in disgusting bites. The exterminator is coming to kill the little bastards on Sunday. I cannot wait for this to be over :(

This (much cuter than real life) bed bug is from http://www.giantmicrobes.com/

NOTD: China Glaze Entourage (with and without Nubar "FOR MEN" topcoat)

2009-12-16T20:09:00.000+01:00

Something about this color just isn't working for me. I think it might be the shade of green, or maybe it's just the time of year. I took three coats to get good coverage, but application was pretty painless.

With macho basecoat:

Head2Toe Beauty Nail Polish Haul

2009-12-15T20:02:00.000+01:00

It sucks that you can't buy Chine Glaze from Head2Toe if you aren't located in the US. Oh well, it means that I ended up with a couple of polishes from other brands.

Orly Prisma Gloss Silver, Orly Prisma Gloss Gold, Misa Double Date, CND Effects Amethyst Sparkle, Orly Cashmere Cardigan, Orly Pixie Dust, Color Club Love 'Em Leave 'Em, Color Club Vivid Top Coat.

I don't know why, but I've always read those Orly topcoats is "Plasma Gloss". I'm sort of disappointed now that I know they are called "Prisma Gloss".

Check out Karianne's blog for great pictures of the CND effects.

NOTD: Depend Nr. 138

2009-12-14T19:59:00.002+01:00

I wore this for the company christmas party. It's the perfect christmas polish: red with gold shimmer. Application was absolutely perfect. I could probably have gotten away with only one coat, but decided to do two just in case. My only complaint about this polish is that it chipped with the speed of light. I'm used to being able to wear a manicure for at least one day before I end up with a chipped mess.