aSoftBlackStar

Happy Valentine's Day with Nail Polish to Match your Lipstick

2012-02-14T14:32:00.002-06:00

Glamorous style icon Dita Von Teese says your nail polish should always match your lipsticks. It's a vintage style technique invented by Elizabeth Arden during the nineteen-teens (is that how you say it?) that she called her "Total Look." She recommended coordinating your lips, cheeks, and fingernails all to be the same shade. Now, this may not work for everyone, but it's certainly something to consider if you plan on honing your vintage style. Here are a few suggested combinations for you. Happy Valentine's Day!

Pale Pink: MAC Saint Germain lipstick, MAC Ice Cream Cake nail polish
Hot Pink: MAC Candy Yum-Yum lipstick, MAC Steamy nail polish
Red: MAC Russian Red lipstick, MAC Rougemarie nail polish

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Viva Glam: Nicki Minaj

2012-02-11T10:00:00.002-06:00

Viva Glam Nicki is due to be officially released on February 15th, but I received a special email invitation for early purchase so I can review it for you here! I had been stalking swatches of this shade online, but I have to say than none of the swatches I've seen really do this shade justice. It's a bright pink, almost neon, that's slightly coral with a satin finish.

MAC's Viva Glam program is such an amazing charity. Every cent of the selling price of MAC Viva Glam lipstick and lipglass is donated to the MAC AIDS fund. So far it has raised over one hundred million dollars to support HIV/AIDS programs around the globe since it was first created in 1994. This charity donates shoes to orphaned children, provides medical assistance, gives counseling sessions, educates, gives free testing, and provides nutritious meals to those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS in places like the United States, South Africa and the Caribbean.

Some of the celebrities MAC has chosen as its spokespeople have been Ru Paul, Dita Von Teese, Boy George, Fergie, Cyndi Lauper, Missy Elliot, Christina Aguilera, Pamela Anderson, and Lady Gaga.

All the Viva Glam lipsticks are in the permanent collection and are the same price as their normal lipsticks. They retail for $14.50.

Learn more about the MAC AIDS fund.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Shop MAC lipstick Giveaway: Quick Sizzle and Runaway Red

2012-02-07T12:57:00.010-06:00

Shop MAC lipstick Giveaway: Enter to win

Enter to win two lipsticks from the new Shop MAC collection. Quick Sizzle is a bright pink with a matte finish. Runaway Red is a rich blue-based red with a satin finish. You can see all the swatches from this collection in my review here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Vera Collection, Crushed Metal Pigment, Aloha, Strawberry Patch, Butterfly Party review and swatches

2012-02-05T13:27:00.000-06:00

"Flashy florals, butterfly brights, punchy patterns, and a light-as-air spirit fuse in a collection inspired by the art of textile designer, Vera Neumann. For fashion fanatics everywhere. Limited edition."

Crushed Metal Pigments - $34.00 for 12 g / 0.42 US oz
"Textile designer Vera Neumann's brilliant colour palette is translated into a limited edition set of four stackable jars of Crushed Metallic Pigment. Highlights eyes or skin with a striking colour wave of gold reflective metallic sparkle."

MAC released the crushed metal pigments with the Spring Colour Forecast in 2010. Each set has four shades and they're packaged in MAC's travel sized sample jars.

Aloha: Crushed Metal Pigment
Lantern Light: metallic gold/bronze (frost finish)
Campfire: rich copper (frost finish)
Shifting Sands: metallic champagne (frost finish)
Aloha: dirty cocoa brown (frost finish)

Strawberry Patch: Crushed Metal Pigment
Star Crystal: pink champagne (frost finish)
Rose Light: metallic yellow pink (frost finish)
Strawberry Patch: light blue pink (frost finish)
Moon Rose: bright dark pink (frost finish)

Butterfly Party: Crushed Metal Pigment
Butterfly Party: bright lilac (frost finish)
Dessert Cloud: deep blue purple (frost finish)
Rain Drop: metallic teal (frost finish)
Moss Garden: metallic silver green (frost finish)

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Shop MAC Collection, Shop & Drop Eyeshadow Quad, Lipsticks, Review and Swatches

2012-02-04T13:32:00.004-06:00

"Shop 'til you drop with a tongue-in-cheek collection that elevates the everyday into the extraordinary. Try and Buy our delicious, delovely assortment of Eye Shadow x 4, mouthwateringly Kissable Lipcolour and Cremeblend Blush. Check it out!"

The official release date for this collection is February 9th. I ordered all of these the day there were released on the pro site and two of the lipsticks have already sold out. They are Watch Me Simmer (bright coral) and Quick Sizzle (blue-based fuchsia) and they should be restocked again soon. My package came yesterday and I photographed everything today next to a large open window, but unfortunately it's been cloudy so my photos aren't as bright as they could be. I'm really pleased with everything here. During swatching, Quick Sizzle stained my arm pink.

Shop & Drop Eyeshadow Quad - $38.00
"A violet inspired quartet of shades to turn that shopping aisle into a high fashion runway. More than a snack, a colourful buffet! Comes ready to go in the signature packaging of Shop M·A·C. Limited edition!"

MAC offered three different eyeshadow quads and this is the only one I chose. When I opened the package I realized it looked a lot like the Colour 3 quad from the Spring Colour Forecast 2010.

MAC Shop & Drop eyeshadow Quad

Sugar snack: light pink (matte finish)
Hypnotizing: frosted greyed mauve (frost finish)
Power Booster: violet (veluxe pearl finish) This one has a lighter violet shimmer.
Shop & Drop: deep blue (satin finish) It has tiny light-reflective lighter blue shimmer.

I tend to gravitate to purples. When the Shop & Drop palette arrived I immediately though of my Colour 3 palette from the Spring Colour Forecast 2010, so I took a side by side photo for comparison.

Shop MAC Lipstick - $14.50

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Sugarpill MOTD, Afterparty and Midori

2012-02-02T13:31:00.002-06:00

I just adore the Sweetheart palette from Sugarpill Cosmetics! I used TFSI eyelid primer, then Midori on the lid and Afterparty in the crease. I used just a bit of Tako to highlight my browbone. On the lips I used Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner in Woodstock, on top of which I applied MAC's Pro Longwear lipstick in Love Forever. On the cheeks I used Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay blush in Adored. I used Diorshow mascara and MAC white eyeliner in my waterline.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

January Nail Polishes, Zoya Flect Effect, NOTD, NOTW

2012-01-31T18:50:00.000-06:00

These are just a few of the nail polish looks I've done this month.

This is a look I did on the day I got my new matching baby green sparkle Lux de Ville Cruiser Tote handbag and wallet. I used Zoya Bevin and Opal for this look. Opal is part of the holographic Zoya Fleck Effect collection for spring.

I was excited to use my new Zoya Fleck Effects shades, so I first I painted all my nails with Reece. Chloe is part of the holographic Zoya Fleck Effect collection for spring. I used it on my ring fingers only.

The True Collection for Spring has a beautiful metallic purple shade in the collection named Lotus! "Zoya Nail Polish in Lotus is a very soft, dusty blue-toned amethyst purple with colorful shimmer that reflects pink, red and gold A dreamy smoky shade for purple lovers that looks both soft and luminous." I used Zoya Julianne on the tips.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay long-wear Blush in Amused

2012-01-30T18:20:00.000-06:00

Amazonian Clay blush from Tarte Cosmetics is advertised as a long-wearing, solar-baked blush that lasts up to 12 hours. It comes in twelve gorgeous shades for a wide variety of skin tones. This shade, Amused is a highly pigmented bright pink shade. As you can see from my unblended swatch, this could easily result in theatrical cheeks if you're not careful! It is buildable, so start with less than you think.

These retail for $25/USD each, so if you're looking for a long-lasting blush, this is it. Maybe not 12 hours worth, but enough to get you through the day.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

5 Pink MAC Lipsticks: Angel, Bombshell, Politely Pink, Sweetie, Syrup, review and swatches

2012-01-28T17:09:00.007-06:00

These are a few of my pink lipsticks from MAC. I've been thinking about swatching my entire collection for a long time and decided I can't do it all in one go. It has to be spaced out a few at a time or I'll never get around to doing it! These are all part of the permanent collection. Bombshell, Sweetie, and Syrup are new tubes.

Angel (permanent collection) is a frost finish and described by MAC as a soft pink. It's a semi-sheer beautiful pale rosy pink shade. It's neutral toned and works well with either warm or cool undertones.

Politely Pink (permanent collection) is a lustre finish and is described by MAC as a dirty pink. Politely Pink is a cool-toned, soft pale pink.

Bombshell (permanent collection) is also a frost finish and described by MAC as a bright rosy pink with shimmer. It has a bit of gold to it, which isn't very noticeable. I was down to the nub on Bombshell, so this pretty new one is a replacement! I want to say that Bombshell was part of the original collection, but I'm not positive about that. Sometimes old shades are cut from the collection and new ones are added, but I think this was was an original...

Sweetie (permanent collection) is another lustre finish and is described by MAC as ultra-sweet pink. Sweetie is one of my all-time personal favorite lipsticks. It's a medium pink that's semi-sheer with plenty of shine! This one is also a replacement for one I used down to the nub! Sweetie may have been one of my first purchases from MAC.

Syrup (permanent collection) is also a lustre finish and is described by MAC as a cloudy pink. It's another medium pink cool-toned, blue-leaning pink.

Are you familiar with MAC's lipstick labels? They each have the finish and color listed and then there's also a number on each tube. That number tells you when each lipstick was manufactured. For example, if you look at Syrup, you can see it says AA1. The first letter is the batch number. The second number/letter refers to the month. September is month number 9, so October is month A because it can't be two digits long. Then the last number is the year, 1, which is 2011. Most makeup brands should have a label like this. I'm always disappointed when they don't.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Zoya Neeka Swatch

2012-01-04T23:28:00.001-06:00

Purple sparkles! I absolutely adore this Zoya nail polish. It was released in July as part of the Smoke and Mirrors collection, with Neeka being one of the Mirrors shades. Zoya describes it as "a greyed amethyst with subtle red duochrome shimmer and bright gold glitter accents. A fascinating, unique shade that manages to be glittery but not too flashy." I applied two coats here. Originally it was my plan to dedicate a post to each part of the collection, but my posts have been too sparse lately!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

New Flat Iron / Curling Iron Travel Cases from asoftblackstar

2012-01-02T09:15:00.004-06:00

Say hello to the first new item for my asoftblackstar 2012 handmade collection available on both Etsy and Artfire. I had planned on making these flat iron cases in August but I hadn't had the time to create and photograph them until now. It fits either a flat iron or a curling iron and has a silver heat resistant lining inside. Just slide in your iron, tuck the cord into the front pocket, and you're all set!

The case fits a flat iron, a 1" barrel curling iron or even a 1.5" barrel curling iron.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Happy New Year with fabulous nails!

2012-01-01T10:45:00.011-06:00

Happy New Year!

I've been so insanely busy this past month and a half that I've barely touched the blog! It's been a whole month since I've made a post and even longer since I've done a proper review. I do have a lot of posts coming up soon! Here's a quickie just to say hello and that I haven't gone anywhere.

I spent New Years Eve with my favorite lady friends drinking champagne, eating chocolate, and having gorgeous nails! The nail polish on the leftmost hand is OPI DS Classic (made with real diamond dust), the reddish-pink nails at the top are OPI The One That Got Away, and the dark nails are my own -- they're The Black Knight from butter London.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette Released Today

2011-12-01T12:25:00.004-06:00

I've been seeing previews for the Urban Decay Naked2 palette for about a week now, just waiting for their announcement. It came to my inbox today. It's very similar to the collection of colors in the first Naked palette. I guess they had such a success with the first one that they decided their fans would buy up a second one just as quickly. This is initially being released in only 5,000 pieces. Out of the twelve shadows here, five of them are new shades. Most of them have shimmer to them, a few are mattes. It comes with a limited edition double-ended, cruelty-free Good Karma Shadow/Crease Brush. I was hesitant to buy the first one because I really don't wear a lot of neutrals. These palettes are so similar that I personally only think I need one. What do you think? Will you buy the Naked2 palette?

Retail price $50.

These next two photos are from Urban Decay's Instagram:

Are you on Instagram? You can check out more photos and swatches from Urban Decay if you sign up!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Sugarpill Cosmetics Black Friday Sale

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

Do you love wearing bright and colorful eyeshadow looks? Is there someone on your Christmas list who does? Shop Sugarpill Cosmetics this weekend and save 20% off with coupon code PINKWEEKEND.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

asoftblackstar Etsy Sale, save 20% off

2011-11-26T00:22:00.000-06:00

Get 20% off your order at asoftblackstar.etsy.com. Use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY2011 at checkout. Place the code on the right hand side in the coupon code box and voilà! You'll save 20%!

This offer ends November 28th at 11:59pm.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Lux de Ville Black Friday Sale Nov 24th - 28th

2011-11-22T14:27:00.002-06:00

Lux de Ville is have a Black Friday 25% off sale this weekend! They just released several new styles in some gorgeous new sparkly shades and now's the time to pick out a favorite. Plus, they're offering a free coin purse with a chevron accent to match your handbag! The sale is from November 24th through the 28th.

See my What's In My Bag post here, featuring my black and lime green sparkle Sin City Motor Tote.

Coupon code for the free baby green sparkle coin purse: Green25
Coupon code for the free red sparkle coin purse: Red25

What's on my wishlist? This red and black cruiser tote with a matching wallet, both with the chevron accent.

Cruiser tote in black and red sparkle

Gateway sprakle wallet in red

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

LOTD: Urban Decay Naked Palette and a blog update

2011-11-20T15:21:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! November is the busiest month of the year for me and I'm not keeping up very well with the blog. I do have lots of things to post though. Also, I've calculated half of the entries for my MAC Mattene giveaway and hopefully I'll finish the rest of them this week if I have time.

This is a look I did on Friday and hurriedly snapped a photo of. Let's see if I can remember what all I used! It's the Urban Decay Naked Palette and I used Virgin, Hustle, Creep, and Gunmetal. I also used my Too Faced Shadow Insurance, MAC Select cover-up NC20, MAC Set Powder in Invisible, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade, NARS Angelika blush, and the lipgloss is MAC Love Alert from the Glitter and Ice collection. I don't remember what mascara/eyeliner I used.

Here's a preview of some blog posts to come:

I hope everyone is well! Thanks for reading!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Launch: Gareth Pugh Collection for Holiday/Winter 2011

2011-11-17T11:21:00.001-06:00

I just got the email for this new MAC collection, meaning it's now available for purchase in the PRO section of their website. It's official release date is November 23rd. Everything in this collection is Limited Edition minus the Technakohl Eyeliner. Pro discount is not applicable.

"London-based style subversive Gareth Pugh infuses his shadowy, esoteric vision into an exclusive collection for M•A•C. Shades, accessories and design - as stylistically daring as his reputation!" & "Challenge convention with this daring designer's collection of futuristic shades of infused with his style of subversion for Eyes, Lips, Face, and Nails in custom couture packaging."

Gareth Pugh for MAC Pigment - $32
Pigments exclusively shaded by Gareth Pugh for M•A•C. The square jar and black outer packaging features the collection's marque.
Deceit - Blackened plum w/ pink pearl pigments
Guise - Frosty grey

Gareth Pugh for MAC Metal X Cream Shadow - $32

Obscura - Frosty gunmetal grey
Ardent - Frosty blackened burgandy

Flight Lash - $18
A limited-edition lash designed to amplify the geometric intensity of Gareth Pugh for M•A•C. Highly sculptured, this dense, dark, triangle-shaped lash is designed for stylish drama.
Fligjt lash-dense, geometric triangle lash

Studio Fix Boldblack Lash - $15
Fashionflower girls' confidence stems from petal-light lashes that sprout dramatically with a new Mascara that's intensely carbon. A high-coverage, long-lasting formula matched with a molded brush. Get lashes that are blacker than black!

Gareth Pugh For MAC Technakohl Liner - $19

Greyprint - Rich pewter grey with frost
Graphblack - Rich graphic black

Gareth Pugh for MAC Lipstick - $22

Fervent - Glossy blackened berry
Restrict - Creamy greyed nude

Gareth Pugh For MAC Lipglass $22

Vacant - Sheer light lavender grey with violet pearl
Outrage - Sheer berry with blue pearl

Gareth Pugh for MAC Powder Blush - $30

Strada - Midtone nude

Gareth Pugh for MAC Nail Laquer - $23

Hyper - Deep blue with violet pearl

Gareth Pugh for MAC Square Handled Buffer Brush - $60
Dense, extra-soft; this ultra-full, dome shaped Powder Brush adds polish to all Powder and Pigment applications. The glossy black short handle with the collection's signature matte marque is distinctly and stylishly Gareth Pugh!

Gareth Pugh for MAC Makeup Bag - $75.00
Dramatic, dark, edgy. Everyone will know it's a Gareth Pugh for M•A•C! Organized with loops on the inside. Glossy black with matte on the outside. The key accessory of the collection. 6"x6"x2".

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Urban Decay Electric 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Travel Size Set of 5, review and swatches

2011-11-13T10:00:00.009-06:00

Urban Decay recently released their Electric 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Travel Size Set of 5 as part of their Holiday 2011 collection. It's always nice to stock up on Urban Decay eyeliner pencils when they're released in a set. Rather than buying a full size blue eyeliner that I might never end up finishing, it's nice to buy the travel sizes. They're super-pigmented, soft, long-wearing, and mostly smudge proof. This set is currently available through Sephora and Ulta. It is Limited Edition and retails for $32.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Travel Set

Junkie (sparkling bright green) green and gold sparkle, slightly teal
Radium (vibrant shimmery bright blue) bright medium blue
Woodstock (bright sparkling fuchsia)
Ransom (bright iridescent purple) slight reddish purple undertone
Perversion (matte darkest black) the blackest of black

*Woodstock, Radium, and Junkie are all new and exclusive.

Ransom required extra layering for even coverage as it's slightly more sheer than the other shades. This Electric set is the bright colored counterpart to Urban Decay's set of neutral shades for the holiday, which is the Naked 24/7 eyeliner set.

Wearing a brightly colored eyeliner really makes the eyes pop! To wear this look, keep the rest of your face neutral with a pale lid. False lashes look great with a bright eyeliner. Another thing to consider is to use a complimentary shade to your eye color. Brown eyes look great with green or gold eye makeup, blue eyes look great with brown or grey, green goes great with purple, and hazel eyes really pop with green eye makeup. There are no rules, so try what you like. Experiment!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Junkie

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Radium

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Woodstock

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Ransom

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion

The full size Urban Decay 24/7 pencils are about 5.5 inches tall and contains 0.04oz for $18 each. These travel size pencils are 4.5" (bottom of base to end of cap) and 0.03oz. This travel set has a value of $67.50 and sells for $32. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a deal.

Do you have a favorite here?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Sweet Tooth: Vegan French Toast

2011-11-12T15:52:00.004-06:00

A lot of people instantly object to foods where the word vegan applies. Fear not, gentle reader. Allow me to sit you down to a delicious breakfast. Vegan French toast has always been one of my personal favorite breakfast foods. When I was a child my mother made this for me regularly. It has to be made with hearty bread (none of that thin stuff!) and pure maple syrup. The serving size is up to you, but I don't think I can put away more than three slices.

Vegan French Toast
1 cup soymilk, or other non-dairy milk
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Whisk ingredients together in a bowl. Heat oil or any non-dairy butter in a frying pan. Dip slices of bread into the mixture and add coated bread slices to the pan. Fry until golden and crispy. Serve with pure maple syrup!

Have I mentioned I'm an avid tea drinker? I had loose chamomile tea with a bit of honey this morning.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Betsey Johnson Friends & Family Sale, 30% off ends 11/15

2011-11-10T10:45:00.000-06:00

I'm a sucker for anything from Betsey Johnson. Her feminine combinations of florals and animal prints are right up my alley. I just bought several new pairs of tights from her last sale, which are treating me nicely! She's having a 30% off sale right now through November 15th. Now's the time to pick up an item or two! No code necessary. Happy shopping!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

asoftblackstar Etsy Sale, save 15% off this weekend only

2011-11-04T20:20:00.005-05:00

Custom Leopard Print Makeup Brush Roll from asoftblackstar

The asoftblackstar Etsy store ♥SALE♥ Get an early start on your holiday shopping! Save an additional 15% off your order this weekend only. Valid until midnight on November 6th.

Enter coupon code during checkout: Nov62011

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Zoya Edyta from the Wicked Collection

2011-11-04T20:09:00.003-05:00

Zoya Edyta nail polish from the Wicked Collection Fall 2010

This is Edyta from Zoya's Wicked collection that was released for the fall of 2010. I've been loving the jewel-toned trend for fall and looked to my own collection for appropriate shades. This is a deep smokey grey/forest green with gold and green shimmer. I love shades with a little complexity. Its color alters under different light. It's an olive-green, a forest-green, and a grey-green.

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

New Inglot Launch: Metallic Copper Collection

2011-11-02T11:04:00.006-05:00

I've been wondering when and if Inglot was going to release anything new for the holidays. I've been searching for any info for a few weeks now and finally found their new Metallic Copper Collection! These are perfect warm autumnal hues like copper, ginger, and gold - perfect for tan or olive skin tones. It's not necessarily what I think of for collections released so near the holidays. It doesn't seem to have any promotional info to indicate it is for the holidays though, it's just a new collection.... So, are they releasing a holiday collection this year?

Inglot Metallic Copper Collection:
Liquid Eyeliner in metallic copper with a precision felt tip brush. #19, $11.00
Sleeks Lip Gloss in two new shades, both with a high dose of shine and nonstick formula. #27 and #28, $10.00
Lipstick offered in two new shades of the pearl formula with modern frost texture. #276 and #277, $12.00
Pearl Freedom System Eyeshadows #607P, #605P, #606P, $5.00
Double Sparkle Freedom System Eyeshadows #609DS, #608DS, $5.00

Available: November 2011. InglotUSA.com, INGLOT stores, Macy’s
INGLOT Store Locations – New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Newport Beach, New Jersey

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

MAC Dazzlesphere! Collection Holiday 2011

2011-11-01T17:00:00.005-05:00

The official release date for MAC's dazzlesphere mini kits collection is November 10th, but it's available today on the MAC pro website.

"Holiday giving goes outrageously festive with Dazzlesphere! Mini kits for lips, eyes and nails packed in clear, couture-future ornaments! Opulent and sure to satisfy all the nice (and naughty) girls and boys on your list!"

“Mini kits packaged in clear, couture-future ornaMents. Mini gloss kits are in coral, pink and neutral. Mini eye kits feature four stackable crushed metallics in smoky blue, plum and smoky berry. Mistletoe is mandatory with the petite nail lacquer ornament, housing four little nail lacquers.”

Dazzlesphere! Neutral Ornament - $32.50 US
Our ornament is ready, filled with holiday twinkle and shine! 2 Dazzleglass and 2 Cremesheen minis reveal the dash, dazzle and desirability of neutral. Limited edition.
Boy Bait - light neutral beige with pearl (cremesheen)
Bare Necessity - apricot with red and gold pearl (dazzleglass)
Over Indulgence - neutral brown (cremesheen)
Get Rich Quick - warm yellow brown (dazzleglass)

Dazzlesphere! Coral Ornament - $32.50 US
Festive coral! These 2 mini Dazzleglass and 2 Cremesheen mini glosses offer opulent variations with spicy, icy shimmer and shine! The couture-future ornament is dazzling and decorative. Limited edition.
Phiff!- shear yellow peach (dazzleglass)
On The Scene - light coral beige (cremesheen)
Richer, Lusher - peach coral (cremesheen)
Eurobeat - peach coral with gold pearl (dazzleglass)

Dazzlesphere! Pink Ornament - $32.50 US
Caught up in a silvery sphere of glam - 2 Dazzleglass and 2 Cremesheen minis in top seasonal shades of pink. The opulent couture-future inspired ornament is a gift in itself! Limited edition.
Fashion Scoop - pale cool baby pink with light pearl (cremesheen)
Petite Indulgence - mid-tone bright blue-pink (cremesheen)
Like Venus - bubble gum pink with red pearl (dazzleglass)
Rags to Riches - plum-pink with teal and red pearl (dazzleglass)

Dazzlesphere! Smoky Blue Ornament (pigments) - $32.50 US
Silver Sleet, White as Snow, Winter Sky and Dark Moon - 4 cool and smoky Crush Metal shades to shake up those holiday - and spring - looks! Tucked inside our couture-future ornament, ready to gift. Limited edition.
White As Snow - snowy white
Silver Sleet - medium grey
Wintersky - purple blue
Dark Moon - charcoal

Dazzlesphere! Plum Ornament (pigments) - $32.50 US
A futuristic ornament packed with four limited edition, mini-sized, stackable Crush Metals in a passionately perfect array of sultry, sweet and sophisticated plums. A dazzling gift for all. Limited edition.
Misty - pale silver
Seasonal Cool - sparkling taupe
Light Violet - light violet
Grape - grape

Dazzlesphere! Berry Ornament (pigments) - $32.50 US
Adding spice to our couture-future ornament: two shades of Roasted Chestnut and Spicy Smoke. Add Pearl and Rose Light to this mini-set of four stackable Crush Metals and see how brilliant your looks can be. Gift yourself! Limited edition.
Pearl - pearl
Rose Light - light rose
Spicy Smoke - dark strawberry
Roasted Chestnut - deep chocolate with gold pearl

Dazzlepshere Mini Nail Lacquer Ornament - $25.50 US
A must for that wish list! Inside the couture-future ornament, four mini-sizes of Nail Lacquer in seasonally-fabulous shades of Mistletoe, Dark Angle, Style Tip and Much Adored! Who can resist? Limited edition.
Much Adored - sheer white pink with pearl
Style Tip - soft pink nude
Mistletoe - pale gold
Dark Angel - goth romantic dark lilac

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Urban Decay Friends and Family Sale 20% off Nov 1 - Nov 5

2011-11-01T12:30:00.001-05:00

Urban Decay is having their Friends & Family sale from today until November 5th. It's 20% off everything including the Naked collection.

Code: FFHOLIDAY11

What's on your list?

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Cuteness: celebrity crush...

2011-11-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

What is it about English boys that I love so much? I recently mocked a friend's celebrity crush (Robert Pattinson) and then thought I should confess my own out of fairness. It's Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray from Bones. He's played by Ryan Cartwright. He played John Hooker on Madmen and most recently plays Gary Bell in Alphas. I like to pretend that he's incapable of growing facial hair, but that's not entirely true.

If you have the same infatuation as I do, check out Fuck Yeah Ryan Cartwright or his twitter.

My boyfriend is English. Is it a coincidence that my crush looks similar?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Happy Halloween / Caturday from my two black cats

2011-10-30T10:00:00.013-05:00

Happy Halloween & Happy Caturday from me and my two loveable black cats!

Did you know that black cats are the least adopted and most euthanized cat in the United States? Sadly, it's true. We can blame it directly on those absurdly superstitious Puritans who thought black cats were evil. Black cats are just as loveable and cuddly as any other cat and behave no differently. They're perfect for professionals who wear a lot of black. They're perfect for anyone who decorates their home in black or other dark colors. Really, they're miniature panthers -- what's not to love?

Mr. T's special trait: loves playing fetch with the plastic tab that comes off orange juice containers.
Ms. Z's special trait: loves being in my lap and occasionally purrs like a chirping bird.

Adopt, don't shop. Contact your local Humane Society. Always spay and neuter your pets!

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Urban Decay Holiday Collection 2011

2011-10-29T10:49:00.004-05:00

Urban Decay has a lot of new limited edition items out right now, but the one that's specifically promoted as a holiday item is their mini nail polish collection.

"Like rare gems, this set of deep, shimmering and electrified shades will amplify ANY holiday ensemble (in 6 just-the-right-size bottles to keep or give away)."

"Our kit is supercharged with 6 mini bottles of the season’s must-have shades and includes 5 new hues (along with returning-favorite Gunmetal). You get it all here: plush brown and gunmetal gray, ripe purple and shimmery fuchsia and rock star-worthy hits of emerald green and gold-toned sparkle. The big seeker of fashion in your life will love this, and they’ll tell you that each bottle is the perfect size. (Because let’s face it – if the bottles were any bigger, said fashion slave would be onto the next hot colors before they ever finished using these.)"

Included in this kit:

Barlust (deep shimmery brown)

Gunmetal (shimmery deep grey)

Hot Mess (sparkling fuchsia)

Mars (shimmery emerald green)

Wrecked (deep burgundy)

Ziggy (gold w/iridescent sparkle)

Available now from UrbanDecay.com for $28.00

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Deborah Lippmann Holiday Collection 2011

2011-10-29T10:35:00.005-05:00

These new holiday nail lacquers from Deborah Lippmann are fun disco-themed party time glitters.

DO YA THINK I'M SEXY? (new) risque red sequin (glitter)
SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING (new) full-on flickering gold (glitter)
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (new) iridescent icicle (glitter)
I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE (new) groovy graphite (glitter)
GLAMOROUS LIFE (new) Rolex rose gold (metallic)
GOOD GIRL GONE BAD bold cabernet glimmer (shimmer)

Retail price for the four glitter polishes: $18.00

Retail price for Glamour Life and Good Girl Gone Bad: $16.00

Available now at LippmannCollection.com/, Nordstrom, Barneys, and Neiman Marcus.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

OPI Serena Glam Slam England: Grape...Set...Match and Servin' Up Sparkle

2011-10-26T10:00:00.002-05:00

This is the Serena Williams Glam Slam England collection from OPI that came out last June. I can't believe it's taken me so long to getting around to reviewing it! Grape...Set...Match is a shimmery purple that's a little on the red side. It almost has a micro-fine holographic glitter quality to it on its own. Servin' Up Sparkle is a sheer silver-based multiple sized holographic glitter. The larger bits are hexagonal. It would be really pretty on its own with two or three coats. I applied two coats of Grape...Set...Match and then just one coat of Servin' Up Sparkle in this photo. I love this combination.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots in Half-Wild, Hyperviolet, Imaginary with Review and Swatches

2011-10-25T19:39:00.007-05:00

When MAC's Posh Paradise collection was first released in September I only purchased one paint pot in the shade Hyperviolet. That's because almost every shade sold out immediately and I had to wait for them to restock before buying any more. I already reviewed Hyperviolet but wanted to include it here again next to the other paint pots from this collection. They all have rich pigmentation, apply creamy and are easy to blend out. Personally, I like to apply with a brush and blend the edges with my finger, but it works without a brush too.

MAC Half-Wild paint pot with swatch

Half-wild is a redish-purple shimmery shade.

MAC Hyperviolet paint pot with swatch

Hyperviolet is deep burgundy and almost a brown shade. No shimmer.

MAC Imaginary paint pot with swatch

Imaginary is a deep blue-purple shade with a bit of shimmer to it.

MAC Paint Pots: $17.50 for .17 ounces

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Ice Parade Collection Launch for Holiday 2011: Exclusives

2011-10-25T18:21:00.003-05:00

These are the new Exclusive face kits from MAC's Ice Parade holiday collection. The official launch date for this collection is October 27th. Here is some promotional information from MAC:

"Ready to go snow-global! Our Holiday '11 face kits! Inside our iconic see-through bag: a spectacular double-layer Brow/Eye Shadow/Blush compact, Lipglass and three glitter-handled brushes. What a gift for the season!" Limited edition. $59.50 each

Fabulously Festive Face Kit / Wintercool
Ready to go snow-global: neo-nude shades and icy shimmer. Eyes, brows, cheeks and lips glide to a sophisticated finish. Three special edition glitter-handled brushes blush at their starring role. Gift or indulgence? Limited edition.
lipstick: Hot Gossip - Medium pink (Frost)
lipgloss: Emancipation - Creamy light pink
blush: Mocha - Soft plum-pink (Matte)
eyeshadow: Phloof! - Frosted off-white (Frost)
eyeshadow: Quarry - Soft muted plum brown (Matte)
eyeshadow: Dance In The Dark - Dark brown (Matte)
eyeshadow: Brun - Muted blackish-brown (Satin)
3 brushes

Fabulously Festive Face Kit /Warm
The festivities start! Gold and fleshtones mingle in soft, warm shades. Eyes, cheeks and lips await the shimmer. Three special edition glitter-handled brushes and our stunning snowglobe bag bring everything together. How fabulous! Limited edition.
lipstick: Mellowarm - Medium peach (Frost)
lipgloss: Join The Party - creamy pale peach
blush: Seasonal Appeal - Adobe clay (Matte)
eyeshadow: Golden Flurry - Nude sparkle (Lustre)
eyeshadow: Omega - Soft muted beige-taupe (Matte)
eyeshadow: Soft Brown - Soft golden peachy-brown (Matte)
eyeshadow: Carbon - Intense Black (Matte)
3 brushes

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Ice Parade Collection Launch for Holiday 2011: 6 Snowglobe Eye Shadows

2011-10-25T17:42:00.003-05:00

These are the new Snowglobe Eye Shadow palettes from MAC's Ice Parade holiday collection. The official launch date for this collection is October 27th. Here is some promotional information from MAC:

"The grooviest, glitteriest and most go-go glamorous selection of Shadows ever! Shakeable snowglobe compacts hold a festive flurry of six fun-filled shades! All the sparkle the season - and any fabulous frost-filled evening - needs is here!"

6 Snowglobe Eye Shadows / Cool
Shake it up! Cool reigns. Frost and smoke, grey and blue, mingle in this sextet of six high contrast shades. Their stunning showcase: our silver-domed snowglobe compact with white mini brush. Limited edition. $38
Snowball - White frost (Frost)
Howzat - Pale Lavender (Satin) (Repromote)
Illegal Cargo - Slate (Frost)
Idol Eyes - Silvered violet with gold (Lustre) (Permanent collection)
Warm & Smokey - Medium Purple (Veluxe Pearl)
Set To Dance - Dark royal blue (Matte) (Repromote)

6 Snowglobe Eye Shadows / Warm
Time to dress-up, go glam! Gaelic Gold lights the way followed by a warm & wonderful flurry of taupes, browns and a shimmering patina of frost. Six shades to shake up your look! That glittering snowglobe compact? Flaunt it! Limited edition.$38
Winterscape - Bright taupe pearl (Lustre)
Patina - Taupe brown with gold pearl (Frost) (Permanent collection)
Gaelic Gold - Gold (Veluxe Pearl) (Repromote)
Magical Mist - Sparkle concrete (Lustre) (Repromote)
Buckwheat - Dark brown (Velvet)
Midnight Flurry - Dark warm black (Matte)

6 Snowglobe Eye Shadows / Sultry

Our snowglobe-inspired eye compact of 6 Eye Shadows is choreographed for drama! Smoky blacks and two sultry plums score points. Plus, 2 fabulous highlights to add that glamour pop! Limited edition. $38

Lightfully - White with pearl reflect (Lustre)

Fun! - Pink Patina (Lustre)

Black Tied - Black with silver sparkle (Velvet) (Permanent collection)

Trax -Burgundy plum with shimmer (Velvet) (Permanent collection)

Festive Delight - Bordeaux wine (?)

Shadowy Lady - Blackened plum (Matte) (Permanent collection)

I feel like I would be more inclined to buy palettes if all the colors are new. A lot of these are either in the permanent collection or they're repromoted from old collections. There is also the fact that there is always, always one color in every palette that I just know I'm not going to use.

Each palette has a real snowglobe on the top of the palette with silver glitter suspended in liquid. What are your thoughts on keeping a glittery snowglobe inside your makeup bag? Potential disaster? I haven't seen these in person yet, but I did see a quick little video on youtube of someone playing with the snowglobe part. I can just imagine how upset I would be if it cracked and started leaking...

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

LOTD: Unknown Pleasures

2011-10-22T13:43:00.011-05:00

It always seems to be the case that when I do have a fabulous makeup look I might like to share, I tend to forget to take photos. So, I seem to be posting fairly simple ones. This is from October 8th and I have to tell you that I honestly don't remember what I used. The lipstick is definitely MAC's Unknown Pleasures because I've been so in love with it since it first came out. I have to assume that I'm wearing MAC's Studio Moisture Tint in Light, MAC Select Cover-Up NC20, and MAC Select Sheer/Loose powder in NC5. In the lower waterline is the white Fascinating Eye Kohl from MAC. Guessing the eyeshadow is the hardest part because it's in shadow!

Something else that I never seem to do is take outfit of the day photos. I love this little black dress I got from Modcloth, so I've put together an image on Polyvore of a few things I like. Note the Lux de Ville handbag! I always wear black, so I really like to accessorize with color. Who else loves red paired with leopard print?

Classic retro red and black by asoftblackstar featuring aldo shoes

Soda fountain black dress from Modcloth - $45
Hide-And-Seek baby deer earrings from Fable & Fury - $19
Red and Leopard Sin City Motor Tote from Lux de Ville - $82
Red bow belt from Modcloth - $24
Black polka dot tights from Modcloth - $15
Red peep toe pumps from Aldo - $80

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Blog Sale: MAC, YSL, Origins, OPI, Hello Kitty nail polish...

2011-10-20T19:52:00.003-05:00

I have some makeup lying around that I'm not using, so I thought someone else may like them instead. I have some MAC, YSL, Origins, OPI, and some Hello Kitty nail polish from Sephora. Most of these products were purchased in the past year or two. I've photographed and listed all the items and you can find it in the rightmost tab at the top of the blog. Details are listed there.

Visit this link for photos, prices, and descriptions.
Comment on that page for items you're interested in.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Sephora Friends and Family 20% off Sale 2011 10/20-11/02

2011-10-20T15:54:00.002-05:00

Sephora is having their Friends and Family sale this week! Go to Sephoralove.com/friends to enter your email address for your very own 20% off discount code. This sale lasts from October 20th until November 2nd.

I already had the items I wanted on my shopping list, so I was well prepared! I don't know if the Urban Decay Naked Palette already sold out today or if Sephora pulled it during the sale because it's such a hot item. It's currently unavailable. Also unavailable is the NARS Danmari All About Cheeks Palette. I was able to pick up some Dior, Guerlain, and Urban Decay products I had been wanting.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

China Glaze Let It Snow Holiday Collection 2011

2011-10-20T12:15:00.003-05:00

Spend the holidays in style with the new Let It Snow collection from China Glaze! Introducing 12 festive shades sure to get anyone in the holiday sprit this season. Specifically created with the wintery season in mind, Let It Snow will have even the biggest Grinch feeling jolly all winter long. Not only a must-have for a holiday manicure and pedicure, Let It Snow is available in 12 seasonal inspired gift sets perfect for stocking stuffers, Hanukah gifts, Secret Santa, co-workers and Teacher’s gifts. China Glaze Let It Snow collection will be available at fine salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide!

Twinkle Lights : A mix of glittery shades to emblemize twinkling tree lights.
Champagne Bubbles : Sophisticated gold metallic with a golden shimmer.
Holly-Day : Looking for a bold color without the glitz? Holly-Day is a rich hunter green with out the sparkle.
Glittering Garland : A dazzling glittery green to match the holiday greens of pine trees, garland, and mistletoe.
Velvet Bow Rich red crème color inspired by your favorite red wine.
Winter Berry : Ceamy, cranberry-red perfect for sipping hot cocoa by the fire.
Ring In The Red : No Holiday season would be exact without this glittering redpolish for Holiday gatherings. Poinsettia : Ruby red crème inspired by the traditional holiday plant.
Blue Year’s Eve : Ring in the New Year with this lustrous, shimmering blue.
Tinsel Town : Bold silver, metallic glitter and the perfect match for sparkling night on the town.
Icicle : Smooth silver shimmer with a hint of flash and ice.

Snow Globe : Frosty white polish with flecks of snowy color.

I'm really curious to see Twinkle Lights in person. It seems like tons of other brands have been coming out with similiar rainbow glitter polishes recently. Have any of these caught your eye?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Ice Parade Collection Launch for Holiday 2011, Bags and Kits

2011-10-20T11:47:00.012-05:00

The new Ice Parade collection from MAC includes ten bag/kits. The official US launch date for this collection is October 27th, 2011. It is currently available for PRO members.

Iced Delights Eye Bag / Silver

Silver in the limelight! Sparkly, velvety blue, too! Lashes rise to the occasion. An entrance made fabulous by this combo's iconic crystal-clear bag! Zoomlash, Technakohl, duo-shadow compact and our mini 275 brush all take a bow! Limited edition. US$45.00
Silverwear - Metallic lavender (frost)

Blue Spruce - Marine blue with lavender sparkle (velvet)
Graphblack (eyeliner pencil)
Zoomlash Zoom Black mascara
275 SE brush

Iced Delights Eye Bag / Pearl
Sultry and soulful - this duet of two key shadows - Taupeless and Celestial Midnight! Joining them for the performance: Zoomlash, Purple Dash Technakohl and Holiday 11 must-haves - our glitter-handled 275 SE brush and snowglobe bag! Limited edition. US$45.00
Taupeless - Lavender pink (lustre)
Celestial Black - Rich blue-black with red pearl (velvet)
Purple Dash - Intense purple (eyeliner pencil)
Zoomlash Fast Black mascara
275 SE brush

Iced Delights Eye Bag / Gold

A chilling duet. Two shadows at play. Baby, It's Cold Outside and Woodsmoke compete for frosty finishes. Following their moves, a Brown Border of Technakohl and Zoomlash. The glitter-handled 275 Brush and chic makeup bag join in! Limited edition. US$45.00

Baby, It's Cold - Butter yellow frost (Frost)
Woodsmoke - Muted emerald green (Frost)
Brownboarder - Deep chocolate brown (eyeliner pencil)
Zoomlash Fast Black mascara
275 SE brush

Iced Delights Lip Bag / Wintercool
Showing off their high-fashion paces - our Cremesheen duo Fashion Whim and Crème de Nude along with promo-sized Stripdown Lip Pencil. Wintercool fleshtones and our clear snowglobe-inspired bag add to the delight. Limited edition. US$38.00
Creme d'Nude - Pale muted peach beige (Cremesheen)
Fashion Whim - Pink flesh (Cremesheen)
Stripdown - Creamy brown beige

Iced Delights Lip Bag / Sultry

A winning combination! The Cremesheen duo of Deelight & I Love Winter with promo-sized Boldly Bare Lip Pencil score haute marks in sultry! Joining them for the encore: our snowglobe-inspired bag! Limited edition. US$38.00
I Love Winter - Medium passionfruit (Cremesheen)
Deelight - Raisonette (Cremesheen)
Boldly Bare - Dirty red brown

Iced Delights Nail & Lip Bag / Rocking

Kanga Rouge Lipstick, Golden Blanket Lipglass and promo-sized Asiatique Nail Lacquer rock the night away with an amped up power-mix! Metal fans will love the pop-star flash & glam of our fabulous snowglobe-inspired bag! Limited edition. US$36.00
Kanga Rouge - Bright red (Amplified)
Golden Blanket - Translucent with silver pearl (Frost)
Asiatique - Bright cherry red (Cream)

Iced Delights Nail & Lip Bag / Pure Drama
Three of the most dashingly festive sugar plums in town: Frozen Lame Lipglass , Hang Up Lipstick, and mini-sized deep, dark Vintage Vamp Nail Lacquer. Tucked inside their snowglobe party bag the signal is clear: party drama is here! Limited edition. US$36.00
Hang Up - Deep berry (Cremesheen)
Frozen Lame - Frosty nude (Frost)

Vintage Vamp - Rich deep retro wine (Cream)

Make It Perfect Brush Kit / Essential
Glam up those every day applications with these chic special edition 129 SE, 190 SE, 275 SE, 266 SE and 226 SE brushes. With their glittering clear-as-ice handles and snowglobe-inspired bag, they're fashionably cool - highly giftable, too! US$49.50

Make It Perfect Brush Kit / Special Edition
Rare as a special edition: a chic collectible. With their glittering clear-as-ice handles and see-through snowglobe-inspired bag, this set of the 167 SE, 168 SE, 239 SE, 217 SE and the all-white 212 SE is a must for your wish list! Limited edition. US$49.50

Make It Perfect Brush Kit / Mineralize
An outstandingly chic set of four key Mineralize brushes: the 187 SE, 130 SE, 286 Duo Fibre Tapered Brush and 282 Duo Fibre Shader Brush. With glittering clear-as-ice handles and snowglobe-inspired bag, more than perfect; way cool. Limited edition. US$49.50

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

NOTD: butter London Bluey from the Autumn/Winter Collection 2011

2011-10-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

Bluey from butter London was named after "Vintage slang for a pornographic film. Ah, the good 'ol days." This came out with the Autumn/Winter Collection for 2011.

I used two coats here for full coverage. The color is described as "a slightly metallic dark peacock blue, perfect for fashionable birds." It's a sparkling blue-green teal.

$14.00 for .4 ounces

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Zoya Gems & Jewels Holiday-Winter Collection 2011

2011-10-18T15:59:00.003-05:00

Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new jewel toned metallic shimmer polishes and 3 glitzy, glitter glazes (featuring unique bar glitter) for an extra special holiday and winter 2011 season!

Rina - Gorgeous green glitzy, glitter glaze with unique bar glitter
Holly - Full coverage, rich green metallic shimmer
Kissy - Vivid pink glitzy, glitter glaze with unique bar glitter
Izzy - Full coverage, party pink metallic shimmer
Twila - Bold blue glitzy, glitter glaze with unique bar glitter
Noel - Full coverage, icy blue metallic shimmer

each bottle retails for $8
Zoya Gems Trio: $24
Zoya Jewels Trio: $24
Zoya Gems & Jewels Holiday Collection Sampler: $48
available now

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

OPI Holiday 2011: The Muppets Collection

2011-10-18T14:20:00.004-05:00

OPI's Muppets Collection is due to be released in November to coincide with the movie release.

Animal-istic - This wild red can't be tamed.
Meep-Meep-Meep - Don't miss out of this deep fushia.
Wocka Wocka! - A deep berry to make you merry.
Pepe’s Purple Paassion - The best purple ever, OK?
Designer…de Better! - Metallic bronze.
Warm & Fozzie - A feel-good shade of warm appeal.
Rainbow Connection - The rainbow glitter of your dreams.
Excuse Moi! - This pink glitter has something to say.
Gone Gonzo! - The blue glitter to take over the world.
Fresh Frog of Bel Air - Celebrating the greener things in life.
Divine Swine - The most fabulous magenta glitter
Gettin’ Miss Piggy With It! - Red glittery fun.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Butter London Holiday Collection 2011

2011-10-18T14:01:00.003-05:00

butter London's holiday collection includes three beautiful new limited edition shades.

"Our newest collection was created to charm and delight! This holiday season Founding Creative Director Nonie Creme wanted to revisit the feeling of excitement and awe we felt as children at this time of year. Even the most hardened shoppers will delight in our limited edition holiday nail lacquers. The bespoke colours of our Holiday 2011 Collection include The Black Night, Tart With A Heart and Fairy Lights. These three shades offer sophisticated sparkle and shine to take any outfit into party mode."

Fairy Lights

Be a beacon to bad boys and the life of the party in dazzling “liquid metal” rose pink. *Limited Edition* (Not available UK)

Tart With a Heart
Who says pink glitter can’t be girly AND sexy?! This pale pink parade of glitter carries a dash of grey to tone down the sugar and ramp up the spice. *Limited Edition* (Not available UK)

The Black Night
A dark dazzler from butter LONDON, this glitter fusion contains black, pink, blue, and silver suspended in a black base. *Limited Edition* (Not available UK)

$14.00 each

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

NARS Holiday 2011 Color Collection, Haute Couture Holiday Style

2011-10-18T13:29:00.005-05:00

NARS Haute Couture Holiday Style Color Collection

"Luxe metallic accents mix with the richest jewel tones for the epitome of opulence. Lids smolder with Arabian Nights Trio Eyeshadow, three exquisite moody black hues laced with red, purple and gunmetal pearls andshimmers. Revel in the sensual gold-flecked rose of G-Spot Multiple. Finish with Joyous Red Lipstick, a party-ready amber-red. Bring on the night." NARS Holiday 2011.

The Multiple - G-Spot: Rich gold-infused rose $39.00

Trio Eyeshadow - Arabian Nights:

Black with red pearls / Black with purple pearls / Black with gunmetal shimmer $45.00

Semi Matte Lipstick - Joyous Red: Amber red $24.00

Highlighting Blush - Miss Liberty: Soft, shimmering peach $27.00

Duo Eyeshadow - Mandchourie: Golden-infused denim / Rich navy $33.00

Cream Eyeshadow - Ponderosa: Mink $23.00

Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner - Campo de' Fiori: Antique brass $23.00

Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner - St. Marks Place: Bright violet $23.00

Opaque Nail Polish - Endless Night: Black grape $17.00

Shimmer Nail Polish - Space Odyssey: Aluminum $17.00

Lip Gloss - Albatross: Luminous glow $24.00

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Holiday Collection Launch: Glitter And Ice

2011-10-18T12:56:00.007-05:00

MAC's holiday Glitter and Ice collection had its PRO launch today. The Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir stars in the ads.

Lipstick - $15.50
Double Spin (cremesheen)
Whirls & Twirls (glaze)
Soft Sable (frost)
Eloquent Air (glaze)
Such Flare (matte)
What Joy! (satin)

Dazzleglass - $19.50
Pleasure Principle
Dressed to Dazzle
Glitter and Ice
She-zam
Love Alert
Spanking Rich

Mascara - $15.00
Opulash

Technakohl Liner- $16.00
Silver Skates
Going For Gold
Seasonally Spicy
Fancy Moves
Practice Makes Perfect
Smooth Manoeuvre

Mineralize Eye Shadow - $21.00
Snow Season
Hold That Pose!
Frozen Blue
Shimmermint
Winterized
Fresh Ice

Paint Pot - $18.50
Let's Skate!
Morning Frost
For Effect

Beauty Powder - $24.00
Snow Globe
How Beautiful!

Nail Lacquer - $16.00
Festive Finery
Unconditionally Fabulous
Get Noticed!

Lashes - $15.00
7 lashes

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade

2011-10-15T10:33:00.004-05:00

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade

Mac re-released their Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade with Cindy Sherman's Fall Colour Angel Flame collection last month. This is another one of those products that MAC likes to tease us with. It's always limited edition and everyone scrambles for it when it's repromoted. MAC's product description is: "A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on: adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks, or an overall ultra-deluxe polish to the face."

Unfortunately I don't have my old Lightscapade to compare this to, but it seems less colorful than what I remember. It could just be the individual one I received has less blue and pink veining in it. Either way, this is lighter than I remember. It still has a beautiful subtle shimmer that's perfect for highlighting.

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade swatch

Has MAC changed the formula here? Does anyone else have an old one to compare this to?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline

2011-10-12T10:57:00.010-05:00

MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline

MAC recently re-released the Feline Kohl Power Eye Pencil with Cindy Sherman's Fall Colour collection. It's one of those products that's always limited edition that everyone scrambles for because it's such a great product. Feline is the blackest of black eyeliners. Its intense pigmentation is why everyone scrambles to buy it. I applies smoothly and it doesn't require layering to achieve that solid black coverage. If you want a beautiful intense smudged or smokey look, this is it. Sometimes a black eyeliner can start to appear blue when smoked out, but this one stays black. It can be used either on the waterline or the lid. The longevity of its use in the waterline may differ from person to person. I can wear it for three to four hours before it starts migrating out to the corners. Other people can get around six hours of wear. When wearing it on the lid you can set it with a black eyeshadow such as Carbon from MAC.

Retail price is $15.00 for 1.45 g / 0.05 US oz

Have you tried Feline? What are your thoughts?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

[CLOSED] Giveaway: MAC Mattene Lipsticks and Makeup Bag from asoftblackstar Etsy

2011-10-10T18:09:00.014-05:00

Contest Closed

I am absolutely in love with MAC's Mattene Lipsticks. I've been wearing Unknown Pleasures almost daily. You can see my review and swatches here and here. Part of the reason I love these so much is the dark shades offered. Autumn is my favorite time of year and I always looks forward to rich dark hued lipsticks. If you're looking for a few brand new fall lipsticks I think you'll be pleased with this giveaway! This time there will be three winners!

FIRST PRIZE:
5 MAC Mattene Lipsticks from the Posh Paradise Collection:
Eden Rouge - bright blue-based red
Deliciously Forbidden - berry pink
Unknown Pleasures - a dark blue-based red (named after the 1979 Joy Division album)
Potent Fig - deep blueberry/grape purple
Seeds of Desire - dark brown red

Also included in this giveaway is one makeup bag, handmade by me, in the color/fabric of the winner's choosing from my Etsy store. Please visit my Etsy shop, asoftblackstar, for fabric choices and fill out the form below with your favorite fabric.

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

SECOND PRIZE:
1 x MAC Mattene Lipstick
1 x MAC Eye Kohl Pencil in Feline
1 x handmade makeup bag from asoftblackstar

THIRD PRIZE:
1 x MAC Mattene Lipstick
1 x Eye Kohl Pencil in Feline
1 x handmade makeup bag from asoftblackstar

This contest runs from October 10th until Monday, October 31st, 11:59PM CST.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Enter to win five MAC Mattene lipsticks & a custom makeup bag
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The approximate value of the grand prize is $85.50.
The approximate value of the second and third prize is $42.50 each.
This prize is non-transferable. There are no cash or other substitutes of prizes by winner. asoftblackstar reserves the right to substitute similar prizes of equal or greater value in the event the above prize is unavailable for any reason. Individual, parent, or legal guardian of the winner is solely responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes with respect to the grand prize. Prize will be mailed to the winner’s physical mailing address. Please allow six (6) to eight (8) weeks for delivery.
By entering or accepting the prize in this contest, winner agrees to be bound by these Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions and to conform to all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
No purchase necessary to enter or win. This contest runs from October 10th, 2011 through October 31st, 2011 at 11:59PM CST.

Eligibility

Open to anyone with a valid and active email address. Contestants younger than the age of 18 may enter with the permission and assistance of a parent or guardian who is older than 21. Contest is void where restricted, taxed, or prohibited by law. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parent or legal guardian on their behalf. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Eligible participants are allowed to enter up to one (1) time, as per the section above.

How to Win

Three (3) winners will be selected through a random drawing from all eligible entries after contest closes. In the event that the original winner does not meet eligibility requirements or he/she forfeits the prize, the prize may be awarded to the next randomly drawn eligible participant. All entries must be received on or before October 31st, 2011 at 11:59PM CST. The winners will be notified via e-mail or message (as applicable). Winners will have 48 hours to claim prize after initial notification. If winner fails to claim within 48 hours, an alternative winner may be selected.

Haul: MAC Posh Paradise Mattene Lipstick swatches (Part II)

2011-10-10T10:00:00.004-05:00

MAC Posh Paradise Mattene Lipsticks

Naked Bliss, Delectable, Seeds of Desire

When MAC's Posh Paradise limited edition collection was released in September, I picked up five out of the ten Mattene lipsticks offered. I blogged about them in Part I here. Then recently I picked up three more because I loved them so much. The consistency is fabulous and I've been wearing Unknown Pleasures almost daily.

MAC Mattene swatches: Naked Bliss, Delectable, Seeds of Desire

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Styledriven Pro Longwear Eyeshadows Fresh Flare and Plush

2011-10-09T10:00:00.005-05:00

The Styledriven Collection from MAC was released in September and I'm just now getting around to uploading these photos. I was initially really excited about this collection when the info and press photos were released, but when the collection premiered I only picked up these two items. The Pro Longwear eyeshadows have silky, creamy texture and are supposed to last up to eight hours. They come in the larger size compact that the Peacocky collection came in last January.

MAC Styledriven Pro Longwear Eyeshadow in Fresh Flare, swatched

Fresh Flare is a bright kelly green shade with a frost finish.

MAC Styledriven Pro Longwear Eyeshadow in Plush, swatched

Plush is a vivid purple grape color with a satin finish. It isn't an intense color and I layered it here in the swatch for extra oomph.

$20 USD, 3.4g / 0.11 ounces

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

NOTD: butter London Wallis from the Autumn/Winter Collection 2011

2011-10-08T12:13:00.004-05:00

Wallis from butter London was created "In honour of the Saucy Yank who ran away with the king’s heart. A tarnished, metallic olive gold, as mysterious and regal as its namesake." King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in December of 1936 to married the twice-divorced American seductress (Bessie)Wallis Simpson. They lived out the rest of their lives in exile as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII

Initially I had hoped this would be more green that the online photos I had seen. It's more dirty olive, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I adore this shade. Metallics and jewel tones are a big trend this autumn.

$14.00 for .4 ounces

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Handmade Jewelry: Fable and Fury

2011-09-30T10:25:00.003-05:00


Victorian Framed Rosehips and Leaves

When I found Fable & Fury's shop on Etsy I probably added half the store to my favorites list immediately! All the pieces are laser cut stainless steel with excellent detail. They come in black or silver with a few red pieces here and there. Last May I picked out five necklaces and two pairs of earrings for myself. Shipping was fast and the packaging was all beautiful. I ordered all of the necklaces with a shorter chain, which is a considerate option provided in each listing. I haven't found much information about the person behind Fable & Fury, but these are hand-crafted wonders! Here is a little descriptive info:

"Fable & Fury silhouettes depict distinctive yet symbolic imagery, woodland and sea creatures, iconic portraits, and the curious concoctions that inhabit our imaginations."

Curio Cameo Siamese Twin Silhouette Deer

Victorian Silhouette Raven earrings

Fable & Fury also has a wonderful selection of portraits. There's Vincent Price, Vampira, Bela Lugosi, Frankenstein and his Bride for horror fans. There's Alfred Hitchcock and John Waters for movie buffs. There's Morrisey, David Bowie, Johnny Cash and Tom Waits for music lovers. The only problem is deciding which to get!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Makeup Storage: Helmer from Ikea

2011-09-29T21:14:00.002-05:00

The Helmer drawer unit from Ikea seems like it was specifically made to store makeup in. Is it? Most likely not, but that doesn't stop us makeup lovers from snatching them up. Is this the holy grail for makeup storage? Possibly. It's inexpensive at $39.99 compared to other storage units and holds an amazing amount of product. It slides right underneath my makeup table to conserve space. It comes in red, white, or silver. It comes flat with instructions on assembling and bending each sheet into drawers. It was easy to put together, but took a little time. Its six drawers are each tall enough for most foundation bottles and nail polish bottles. There is a drawback to this lovely unit though, and it's that there isn't a catch at the back keeping you from pulling the drawers completely out if pulled quickly. I would hate to drop a full drawer of makeup!

I promised myself I wouldn't have more makeup than what can fit inside just one Helmer...

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Haul: MAC Fall Colour: Wild Colour, Eyeshadow Swatches

2011-09-24T18:01:00.012-05:00

MAC recently teamed up with the brilliant photographer Cindy Sherman for their new fall color collection. It includes over fifty products split up into three sections: Midnight Blue, Angel Flame, and Wild Colour. I purchased the five eyeshadows. It's due to be released in the US on September 29th.

MAC Fall Colour Eyeshadows: Wild Colour

All five eyeshadows are limited edition. Shock-a-holic is a re-promote from the 2010 Dare To Wear collection. Passionate is a re-promoted from the 2007 C-Shock collection. Without realizing it, I already had Passionate in my collection, so check your stashes for that one! I swatched all of these over bare skin. I felt that Shock-A-Holic was driest and applied poorly, but it might do better with a primer. Three Ring Yellow is the only shimmery one in this collection, all the others have a matte or satin finish. I'm really taken with Three Ring Yellow. I know it'll go great with Gorgeous Gold or Lucky Green, which are two of my favorites!

Three Ring Yellow eyeshadow (veluxe pearl) yellow-green, swatch

Passionate eyeshadow (matte) mid-tone red, swatch

Blue Candy eyeshadow (satin) clean blue, swatch

Royale eyeshadow (matte) clean violet, swatch

Shock-a-holic eyeshadow (satin) deep purple, swatch

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Haul: MAC Posh Paradise Mattene Lipstick swatches (Part I)

2011-09-18T11:00:00.012-05:00

MAC Posh Paradise Mattene Lipsticks

Rare Exotic, Eden Rouge, Deliciously Forbidden, Unknown Pleasures, Potent Fig

MAC's Posh Paradise limited edition collection was released on September 15th with ten mattene lipsticks, eight paint pots and two nail laquers. The PRO release is a few days before, so if I'm on my toes I can get everything I want ahead of time. This time I couldn't make a decision if I wanted to get everything or just a few things. I like to see swatches before I buy! I purchased five of the Mattene Lipsticks.

See more of them in Part II here.

I love the consistency of these. They're Mattenes, but the boxes all say Semi-Matte. They're not as difficult to apply as MAC's true matte colors, like Ruby Woo, which tug and pull at the lip. They apply with ease and are still quite moisturizing. The pigmentation is great too. I can't express how pleased I am that MAC re-released the Mattenes. It's such a tease that it's only in the limited edition collection though. Love these.

MAC Posh Paradise Mattene Lipstick swatches

Rare Exotic - bright blueish pink
Eden Rouge - bright blue-based red
Deliciously Forbidden - berry pink
Unknown Pleasures - a dark blue-based red (named after the 1979 Joy Division album!)
Potent Fig - deep blueberry/grape purple

MAC Posh Paradise Mattene Lipstick swatches

Half the paint pots sold out on the first or second day they were available. It is a mad dash for MAC addicts everywhere to get their hands on new paint pot shades. Since I procrastinated, I only ended up getting Hyperviolet, a beautiful deep purple shade, and didn't want to pay regular price if I ordered from Nordstrom.

MAC Mattene Lipsticks: $14.50 for .17 ounces
MAC Paint Pots: $17.50 for .17 ounces

Most of them are already sold out on the MAC website, but some are available through Nordstrom.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Beauty Icon: Marlene Dietrich, and LOTD

2011-09-17T12:30:00.015-05:00

self portrait

I don't know anything about photography, but I do know that I love the use of shadow in portraits. I set out yesterday morning to capture my FOTD, and ended up with this instead. I have a spotlight in my house set up to showcase my vintage Harry Clarke prints and I took this photo underneath it. I had in mind a specific photo of Marlene Dietrich from Shanghai Express in 1932. She's one of my idols.

Marlene Dietrich

Her nails are sharpened to points and the tips appear white. Her eyebrows are tweezed as thin as possible, sometimes shaved completely off and drawn back in. Both of these trends were extremely fashionable in the 1930s. She was obsessed with lighting and the way a shadow was cast under her nose if the lighting was positioned above her, a trick which she learned from cameraman Lee Garmes on the set of Shanghai Express. Just look at her gorgeous cheekbones. I adore everything about her. I could go on and on about what an amazing woman Marlene Dietrich was and the various ways that I am enamored of her, but I won't here.

Marlene Dietrich inspired

face:
MAC Studio Moisture Tint Light
MAC Matte, undereye area
MAC Select Cover-Up NC20, undereye area
MAC Set Powder Invisible

eyes:
MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study on lid from lashline to eyebrows
MAC Greasepaint Stick in Black, upper lashline, smudged out with 219 brush
Inglot Eyeshadow D.S. 494, applied over Greasepaint Stick and on lower lashline
MAC Eye Shadow in Creamy Bisque as browbone highlight
MAC Fluidline in Midnight Blues to both upper and lower waterline
MAC Fibre Rich Lash Mascara
MAC Zoom Lash Mascara
MAC Eye Shadow in Sketch for eyebrows

cheeks:
MAC Blush in Well Dressed
MAC Blush in Pinch O'Peach

lips:
MAC Lipstick: Rebel

I think that's it. You can see my black-on-black nails here. I wish the contrast had shown up in the photo!

...and Happy Caturday!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

NOTD: Black on Black

2011-09-16T09:00:00.011-05:00

I recently picked up a couple of matte polishes from Zoya and I've been dying to put this look together. I applied two coats of Zoya's Matte Velvet Lacquer in Dovima and then applied OPI's Black Onyx polish across the tips. I wish I had a matte black polish when I was fifteen -- it's so perfect for a teenage goth.

A few weeks ago I found an image of nails just like this on Pinterest that I promptly pinned to my Nail board. I followed the watermark to the original post on Chloe's Nails.

Sure, my photos aren't as fabulous as hers. This is what I get for zero photography knowledge and an old camera. I'm hoping to upgrade in the next few months to something substantially better. But will I learn how to use it? ...

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Haul: Mac Blogger's Obession Review and Swatches

2011-09-15T10:34:00.004-05:00

No one loves MAC more than a beauty blogger. MAC handpicked nine bloggers to fly to their headquarters in Toronto, Canada last January to create their own unique eyeshadow and lipgloss colors. These were released on June 21st as part of the MAC Bloggers Obsession collection. I was on vacation when they were released and by the time I was home again, they were all sold out! Fortunately, MAC re-released them in July and I was able to pick up all four shadows.

Sparkle Neely, Sparkle & Hocus Pocus

Sparkle Neely, Sparkle by Amber of Beauty Blogging Junkie
Catch the reference to Valley of the Dolls, anyone? This color was a pleasant surprise for me. I didn't expect it to be so beautiful! It's a medium rust brown with velvet finish with gorgeous gold sparkle. It looks so brown in pan that I didn't expect all that gorgeous sparkle!

Hocus Pocus by Lianne of The Makeup Girl
This is a charcoal color with a satin finish. It creates a beautiful smokey eye perfect for a wide variety of skintones. It's a pewter shimmer.

Jealousy Wakes & Parisian Skies

Jealousy Wakes by Christine of Temptalia
This is the kind of green that I'm always looking for. I gravitate towards rich greens and this is it!

Parisian Skies by Lesley Ellen of Lipstick Powder N Paint
This muted grey-blue was inspired by a Monet painting.

Sparkle Neely Sparkle, Hocus Pocus, Jealousy Wakes, Parisian Skies swatches

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

8 Classic Red Lipsticks

2011-09-14T10:00:00.009-05:00

I know there are many, many people who swear they don't look good in a red lipstick -- but that simply isn't true! Anyone can rock a red lipstick, it just might take some time and effort to select the right shade for your skin tone. Maybe you need something on the pink side, or maybe you need something on the orange side. I know, it's a challenge if you don't know where to start. Also to be considered is the type of finish that you like. Here is a selection of reds to think about.

1. MAC Viva Glam I - Described as an intense brownish blue-red, this is not only an amazing shade, but 100% of the purchase price goes to HIV/AIDS charity!

2. Bobbi Brown Hollywood Red - This is a semi-matte full coverage lipstick described as a bright candy red.

3. MAC M.A.C. Red - Possibly my all time favorite primary red.

4. Lotus Organic Cosmetics Classic Red - This long-lasting blue-based red has super hydrating shine.

5. Urban Decay Gash - Gash has a sheen finish and described as having a light-reflecting glossy lustre.

6. MAC Ruby Woo - This lipstick is super matte. Consequently it pulls the skin and is not the easiest to apply.

7. Bobbi Brown Vintage Red - This one is definitely on the orange side. It's also a semi-matte full coverage lipstick in fire engine red.

8. Aveda Poppy - This is another blue-based red lipstick. It's extremely moisturizing and I love the spearmint scent. It makes it feel so refreshing.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

8 Dark Red Lipsticks for Fall

2011-09-13T11:49:00.012-05:00

For the past few weeks I've been picking up dark red lipstick shades here and there. It's been all I think about makeup-wise. In the past few days I've been wearing Kirsch. I love the Mattenes and wish they were part of the permanent collection. I think the slender tube makes for a more precise application. The new Posh Paradise collection just came out and includes a range of the Mattenes. I'll share them when they arrive!

1 MAC Kirsch - is a Mattene lipstick was released with the Cult Of Cherry Collection in August 2008. It's a beautiful blackened cranberry.

2 MAC Prince Noir - is a Matte lipstick that was released with the MAC Me Over collection last month. It's a dark burgundy. It's the darkest of the shades I've selected here.

3 MAC Musky Amethyst - is a Frost lipstick that's a great go-to when I want something dark but not as bold.

4 MUFE Rouge Artist Intense 48 - is a dark satin black currant shade.

5 MAC Dark Side - is an Amplified creme lipstick in deep burgundy.

6 MAC Rebel - is a Satin lipstick in vivid pinkish-purple. This was also just released with the MAC Me Over collection and was added to the permanent line. Yes, this is much more pink than red.

7 MAC Hang Up - is a Cremesheen lipstick in deep berry. On the MAC website it looks it's darker than Prince Noir, but here you can tell it isn't.

8 MAC So Scarlet - is an Amplified lipstick also from the Cult Of Cherry Collection in 2008 that's a clean grape burgundy.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

OPI: Five Reds

2011-09-09T11:30:00.001-05:00

Five OPI red nail polishes in direct sunlight.


A Oui Bit of Red, An Affair to Remember, Peru-B-Ruby, Bogota Blackberry, Bastille My Heart

Now that it's nearly fall and I'm in the spirit of the season, I'm thinking all about rich reds. I pulled out five reds from my OPI collection of polish to share with you. I switched the second and third polish in this photo of bottles from how I apply them. The second to the left is actually the middle finger color. OPI's nail polishes all come with the wide flat brush for superior application. Their website doesn't list color descriptions or finishes, which I find irritating.

A Oui Bit of Red

A Oui Bit of Red (creme finish) is part of the Classic Collection and also came out with the Fall 2008 La Collection De France. It's a brilliant, primary, cherry red and has a creme finish.

Peru-B-Ruby

Peru-B-Ruby (shimmer finish) is a pinky magenta red. It's a reddish-pink with shimmer.

An Affair In Red Square

An Affair In Red Square (shimmer finish) is from OPI's Russian Collection from 2007. It's a shimmery satin red.

Bogota Blackberry

Bagota Blackberry (frosted finish) is an OPI fan favorite from their Classic Collection. It's listed in the pink collection on their website, but it's dark enough to be a purplish-red. It's a berry red with shimmer.

Bastille My Heart

Bastille My Heart (creme finish) is also from the 2008 La Collection De France. It's a deep burgundy/wine red.

Bastille My Heart is currently my personal favorite of OPI's dark red shades. Do you have a favorite?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Tarina Tarantino for Paul Mitchell: Sparkle & Style straightening iron and hair dryer

2011-09-08T10:42:00.003-05:00

I recently got a peek at a Paul Mitchell catalog featuring Tarina Tarantino's new collection for the brand. She designed both a smoothing / flat iron and a hair dryer with super cute patterns featuring cameos of pretty pink-haired ladies! I couldn't find any photos online yet though, so this comes straight from the video on this website. This special holiday collection will be released in November.

image from Tarina Tarantino/Paul Mitchell

It looks like these are the regular Paul Mitchell formulas with pretty packaging, but I can't say for certain because the images are too small. The hair dryer looks like it's the Express Ion Dry TurboLight model. The smoothing iron looks like the same model as their their Express Ion Style. Unfortunately I don't have any further information about this collection.

Would you purchase the hair dryer or the straightener? Do you use Paul Mitchell products?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Me Over Nail Polish Swatches, Deep Sea and Purple Majesty

2011-09-04T19:01:00.002-05:00

MAC Deep Sea

MAC Purple Majesty

Autumn is the season for rich plums and dark natural hues. I'm a bit late uploading these new MAC nail polishes. I'm a busy lady! They were released on August 25th as part of the MAC Me Over collection. These are limited edition. Each photo has two coats of polish. I feel that both of these shades are perfect for fall!

Deep Sea is a deep teal shade and Purple Majesty is a rich burgundy plum. They're both a creme finish.

Retail price is $15.00 for .34 fluid ounces.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Viva Glam: Lady Gaga 2 Lipstick & Lipgloss

2011-08-29T08:00:00.004-05:00

MAC's Viva Glam program is such an amazing charity. Every cent of the selling price of MAC Viva Glam lipstick and lipglass is donated to the MAC AIDS fund. So far it has raised over one hundred million dollars to support HIV/AIDS programs around the globe since it was first created in 1994. This charity donates shoes to orphaned children, provides medical assistance, gives counseling sessions, educates, gives free testing, and provides nutritious meals to those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS in places like the United States, South Africa and the Caribbean.

Some of the celebrities MAC has chosen as its spokespeople have been Ru Paul, Dita Von Teese, Boy George, Fergie, Cyndi Lauper, Missy Elliot, Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, Pamela Anderson, and Lady Gaga.

All the Viva Glam lipsticks are in the permanent collection and are the same price as their normal lipsticks. They retail for $14.50.

Learn more about the MAC AIDS fund.

♥ ♥ ♥

"No Bad Romance here. We’re unveiling a hot new shade inspired by Lady Gaga and her passions, in both Lipstick and Lipglass. And by now you know every cent from the sale of MAC VIVA GLAM goes toward the MAC AIDS Fund.

Pro discount is not applicable.

The VIVA GLAM and Lady Gaga collaboration takes off again with a shade as enigmatic as the Diva’s star persona. A light warm beige with an Amplified finish, the look is as cool as only she can be. All monies raised go the MAC AIDS Fund to help support people living with HIV/AIDS. Limited edition."

These boxes were slightly smashing in shipping, but the products are fine.

My skin has light neutral cool tones. In MAC products I'm about an NC15, so these colors are slightly darker than my lips, but I think they're both fabulous. Honestly, when these were first released I just wasn't interested. Lately I've been reaching for more neutral shades, when I'm not reaching for blue-based reds, so I picked this up with my last MAC order. The lipstick is fairly dry, so intend to use a moisturizer with this before applying it.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Haul: Lotus Organic Cosmetics, Review and Swatches

2011-08-28T11:00:00.003-05:00

A month ago I was randomly checking Hautelook when I caught a glimpse of my name among the brands. I had never heard of Lotus Pure Organics cosmetics before, but I gladly picked up a couple of things! This is a brand that literally has my name written all over it. I instantly envisioned myself applying this lipstick in a mirrored compact with a tube of "personalized" red lipstick. I've never in my life owned anything with my name on it, because I have such an uncommon name. When I was a little girl I always wished I could have my name on something like my friends all did. It's completely silly, I know. But, secretly this is me making up for my lamentations from being a child with a weird name!

Lipstick: Rose Berry & Classic Red

Lipstick swatches: Rose Berry & Classic Red

Here's what the official website has to say about their lipsticks:
Lipstick offers naturally vibrant colors blended with essential oils and shea butter to moisturize, plump and condition lips. Our lipstick is a long-lasting formula that provides maximum coverage with effortless application, leaving lips feeling soft and smooth all day. Our Lipstick is a super hydrating formula loaded with antioxidants and is 100% natural lipstick with color derived from fruit pigment.

Strawberry Lipgloss

Melon Lipgloss

Lipgloss swatches: Strawberry & Melon

Pressed Eyeshadow Palette - Seduction

Honestly, this eyeshadow quad was a huge disappointment. On the official website their eyeshadows are described as "soft, creamy formulation of pure pigments." The colors are poorly pigmented with a really hard, stiff texture that makes the application impossible. Maybe that's why it was on sale? I don't know since this is the only eyeshadow from the brand I've ever tried.

four eyeshadow swatches, one blush swatch

Cream to Powder Blush - Rose

Here's what the official website has to say about the Cream-to-Powder Blush:
Cream To Powder Blush is made with all natural ingredients, applies like a soft cream but finishes like a silky powder. Antioxidant-rich botanicals help moisturize the skin, while natural pigments provide long-lasting color for a healthy, radiant glow. Cream to powder blush offers a sheer finish.

To me, this looks more like their "apricot" shade than it looks like a rose. I would wear rose, but this isn't exactly my cup of tea. I love the compact design though.

Hautelook sale prices:
Lipstick: $9.00
Lipgloss: $7.50
Eyeshadow Quad: $12.00
Blush: $12.00

All purchases are non-returnable. If they were, I would return the eyeshadow quad because of its poor pigmentation and quality.

Here is a little more information about the brand that I took from the Hautelook page:

Lotus Pure Organics was founded by Dr. Joan Husain, a practicing internist with both a personal and scientific appreciation for the benefits of a natural lifestyle-- from the food we eat to the products we use every day. And for how they affect the overall health of our bodies and the planet.
However, Dr. Husain discovered that many personal care products sold as natural or organic still contained ingredients that were neither natural nor organic. While others sacrificed the more luxurious benefits of high-quality skincare and cosmetics.

Lotus Pure Organics combines the best of both worlds: an elegant line of 100%-USDA-certified organic products that deliver exceptional results. But without the use of synthetic preservatives, petrochemicals, parabens, fragrances or FD&C dyes. And which have never been tested on animals.

Guided by passion and knowledge, Lotus is committed to researching and developing 100% organic and bio-mineral beauty products that are safe, healthy and effective.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Haul: MAC Me Over Collection Review and Swatches

2011-08-27T14:09:00.015-05:00

I'm very excited to be sharing this new collection from MAC! The Make Me Over Collection is separated into three sections, pairing two models each. I personally prefer the Shirley & Nicole products, which is most of what I have reviewed and swatched here.

Runway Red (satin), Rebel (satin), Prince Noir (matte), Smoked Purple (matte)

My MAC order was delivered on Friday while I was out of the house, so it was left outside in the heat for some unknown amount of time before I could bring it in. As a consequence, these lipsticks all had beads of sweat on them. The effect looks the worst on Prince Noir.

My Swatches: Runway Red, Rebel, Prince Noir, Smoked Purple

I am very pleased with this collection of four lipstick colors. The limited edition colors are Runway Red and Prince Noir. Both Rebel and Smoked Purple are in the permanent collection. Smoked Purple is not what I expected with purple in the name; it's very brown. It's also very dry since it's a matte. Rebel goes on opaque.. My favorite here is Runway Red, as I love blue-based reds.

Fluidline: Avenue, Dark Envy, Midnight Blue

I decided to skip the fluidline in Dark Diversion because it looked more brown than I wanted. I was hoping for a rich purple fluidline in this collection, but no. Avenue has a bit of gold sparkle to it.

Deep Sea & Purple Majesty, both creme finish

From the Rachel & Ian collection I picked up the lipstick in Secret Lover, a beige color with lustre finish, and the eyeshadow in Creamy Bisque, a beige with a frost finish. I didn't get anything from the Xee & Sharon collection, although I really did like Xee's look.

Secret Lover (lustre) finish

Secret Lover swatch

Creamy Bisque (frost finish) eyeshadow

I only picked up one of the eyeshadows from the collection. Creamy Bisque is a frost highlight perfect for browbones and arches on pale skintones. Will it replace Vanilla as my favorite go-to brow color?

Although I was really excited for the Evil Eyes eyeshadow quad, I passed it up because I had read such negative reviews.

Retail prices:
Lipsticks are $14.50
Nail Polishes are $15.00
Fluidlines are $15.00
Eyeshadows are $15.00

I purchased all of these with my PRO discount, as usual.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Make Up For Ever Lipstick Rouge Artist Intense #48

2011-08-25T12:17:00.004-05:00

It's almost the season for vampy lips again! In my hunt for the perfect new deep red lipstick for fall, I recently picked up Make Up For Ever's Rouge Artist Intense #48 from Sephora. The color description is a satin black currant, but it's not printed anywhere on the packaging! It's a creamy, moisturizing full coverage lipstick. The shade is a gorgeous rich dark red. The pigmentation definitely isn't lacking on this product, it's supposed to be 50% more pigmented than the average lipstick. Rich colors like this are perfect when paired with a neutral eye and a retro winged eyeliner.

The color listed on Sephora's website is inaccurate. Since I purchased this in-store it didn't have an effect on my purchase, but it's still frustrating if I had wanted to buy it online. It looks more like a deep magenta on Sephora's website, but I assure you it is not! It's a vampy, dark blood red.

Do you find yourself gravitating toward darker colors in the fall?

These sell for $19 each for 0.12 ounces.

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Cuteness: pink orchids and comments

2011-08-24T22:39:00.002-05:00

Dear Reader,

I've been quite busy lately and haven't had the time I need to dedicate to all the posts I would like to make! I have a list of beautiful new things to review and share -- more MAC! My readers have been so lovely when I post new EOTD photos that I hope to include them more often in the future. I have gorgeous new nail polishes to share with you as well.

What kind of posts do you look forward to reading? Are you enjoying the Cakes and Crafts posts as well as the Cosmetics? I've been playing favoritism lately with the Cosmetics, I know! Do you want to see more of my pink hair? Are you interested in cute shoes? Let me know in the comments section below!

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Shoes: Irregular Choice Bow-Belle & Flick-Flack

2011-08-22T12:00:00.003-05:00

Irregular Choice shoes are so over-the-top cute that I have a hard time resisting them. They're the most cutesy, eye-catchy, girlie brand I know of. Fortunately, they have lots on sale right now. I just bought myself a birthday present -- okay, two birthday presents! I saved $60 off regular price! I'll be thirty next week, so why not treat myself to something absolutely adorable, right? Which shoes did I get, you ask?

I bought another pair of the Flick Flack shoes. Really, I would have them in any color combination. These are the "black suede heels with button and printed fabric trim."

The second pair of shoes I bought are the Belle Bow "mid heel court with cute bow, button feature and wood effect glossy heel. Pretty perfect for everyday wear." Court shoes? Yes, this is a British brand and they call their pumps "court shoes." I really wanted a low heal that I would feel comfortable in every day. Clearly, this is exactly what I need!

♥ ♥ ♥

Lotus

Winner: MAC Semi Precious Collection Giveaway

2011-08-19T10:37:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered and promoted my MAC Semi Precious Collection giveaway! What a lovely bunch of followers I have. There were five chances to win for everyone who entered and I was so surprised that not everyone took advantage of this! Tallying all the entries took me about two hours! Winner was selected with a list of email addresses provided and chosen with the Random.org generator.

The winner is: Kaizoku Mousy! Congratulations! Winner has been contacted and responded so I can ship this package out in the next few days! If you entered but didn't win, there will be future giveaways! I can't say when, but stay posted.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Sugarpill Review and Swatches

2011-08-17T13:01:00.010-05:00

Addicted To Pretty is right! I can't say enough good things about Sugarpill. It's a bold makeup-lovers dream come true, created by Amy Doan of Shrinkle and inspired by the vibrant colors of Kryolan.. This super-kawaii, instantly recognizable packaging was illustrated by Miss Kika.

When Sugarpill first launched in February 2010 I was keeping a close eye on the company and reading all the rave reviews. I was hesitant to dive right in to a brand new company with a large order, so I waited. I placed my first order a few months later, selecting one loose eyeshadow in Absinthe and one pressed eyeshadow in Midori.

Ladies and gents, I was not disappointed! I recently purchased both of the pressed eyeshadow quads, but haven't had very much time to use all these amazing colors.


Burning Heart quad:

Flamepoint (orange)

Buttercupcake (yellow)

Love + (red)

Poison Plum (purple)

Sweetheart quad:

Dollipop (pink)

Afterparty (blue)

Midori (green)

Tako (white)

Swatches on bare skin.

Of these swatches, I think you can see that Afterparty (blue) and Midori (green) have the most sparkle. The cases are made from heavy cardboard with a strong magnetic closure. They also each contain a mirror, which is very considerate. The mailer it came in is also branded with the Sugarpill logo. Included with my order was a sticker and a free sample of loose eyeshadow in Magentric. Another thing I like about the packaging is that Amy writes a handwritten thank you note on the order form. What a sweet girl!

These quads are priced at $34 each.
Single pressed eyeshadows sell for $12
Single loose eyeshadows sell for $12

The website also clearly labels which of their items is vegan, which is much appreciated by discerning animal lovers. These are products that I definitely recommend to friends and readers. I look forward to future lines and more products!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Semi-Precious Giveaway Last Day to Enter

2011-08-17T10:56:00.003-05:00

♥ Sign up for my MAC Semi Precious Giveaway if you haven't already! ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

This contest ends today at midnight (EST), so enter while you still can!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Aveda Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Color Poppy Review & Swatch

2011-08-15T12:23:00.008-05:00

I love Aveda. I used to work at an Aveda salon and adored all of their products. I recently purchased their Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Color in a beautiful bright red shade, Poppy (721). Aveda's lipsticks all have a refreshing organic spearmint with vanilla flavor. Two key ingredients used to create this lipstick are coconut and raspberry. The application is smooth, and the color is long-lasting. It's moisturizing and doesn't dry out.

Their lipsticks all come with a small, clear plastic cap. You can buy this refillable brown lipstick case for $4.00. It's made from recycled aluminum and natural flax fibers. Their packaging is minimal, eco-friendly recycled materials.

These lipsticks are priced at $15.00 for 1.2 ounces.

What's so special about Aveda as a brand? It's made from all natural, plant-derived ingredients. This is a brand that I wholeheartedly believe in and want to support.

They don't offer their professional discount to hairdressers who don't work in their salons, which is a bummer because I would still be using all their haircare, skincare products, and cosmetics if I could get that pro discount.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Urban Decay 15 Year Anniversary Eyeshadow Collection Review & Swatches

2011-08-14T14:00:00.006-05:00

I'm usually reserved about buying eyeshadow palettes because I know there is always going to be a color or two I won't end up using. However, I've been wanting to try more Urban Decay eyeshadows lately, and I thought I'd go ahead and buy their 15 Year Anniversary Eyeshadow Collection. It has beautiful purples, and each color seems so incredibly vivid. None are re-releases either! It's fifteen brand new shades.

The packaging is so posh! It's purple velvet. The tray lifts out, and underneath there is space for jewelry or other small items. I found it difficult to photograph because the piece that the eyeshadows sit in is mirror reflective. The collection consists of five neutrals, five brightly pigmented colors, and five dark shades.

It's mirrored all over, so it does become smudgy with fingerprints almost instantly.

Here are all fifteen eyeshadows swatched on my arm. All have been applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion.


Chase, Flow, Vanilla, Midnight 15, Midnight Rodeo

Chase (metallic bronze)
Flow (peach shimmer)
Vanilla (white gold shimmer)
Midnight 15 (pearly shimmer)
Midnight Rodeo (metallic brown and gold glitter)

Deep End, Evidence, Omen, Junkshow, Tainted

Deep End (bright teal shimmer)
Evidence (dark metallic blue)
Omen (metallic purple )
Junkshow (pink fushia duo-chrome)
Tainted (matte lavender)

Half Truth, Blackout, Ace, M.I.A., Deeper

Half Truth (smoky purple)
Blackout (black)
Ace (gunmetal grey shimmer)
M.I.A. (shimmery dark brown)
Deeper (shimmery golden brown)

The price for this palette is $55 for fifteen 0.05 ounce eyeshadows. That's $3.67 per color. Individually their shadows run from $17 to $20, so you really are getting a deal here even if there's a color or two in the collection you don't think you'll be using!

I think Deep End is my favorite color in this collection. Do you have a favorite?

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Guerlain Rouge Automatique Samsara

2011-08-13T12:32:00.004-05:00

It's been years since I've used anything by Guerlain and am so pleased to share this with you! Several years ago someone purchased a whole collection of Guerlain products for me as a gift. I remember loving the scent of their products. Their lipsticks are scented with perfume quality violets.

This is their new Rouge Automatique lipstick in Samsara, 124, a "passionate red." These launched last spring and are available through Saks Fifth Avenue Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, and Sephora. The design of the tube is fantastic. A slider on the side opens a flap in the top, revealing the lipstick. It's a fluid motion and doesn't feel cheap or flimsy. If you've ever had a cap come off a tube of lipstick inside you're purse, you will know how amazing this little mechanism is. Also, you can apply it with just one hand!

It's a long-lasting formula that's still very moisturizing. The color isn't a bold pigmentation, but more of a sheer coverage. It feels incredibly smooth and doesn't dry out after a hours of wear.

The swatches on both the Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora look wrong to me. It's neither of the shades they've provided. Of the two, it's closer to the Saks Fifth Avenue color at the bottom here. It's more of an orange-red than a wine.

Rouge Automatique lipstick costs $35 for 0.12 ounces. The ridiculous pricetag is it's most daunting feature. If you find this to be an investment, I recommend selecting one of these in person instead of buying them online. Plus, in a store you'll get to swatch them all yourself!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Urban Decay Primer Potion VS Too Faced Shadow Insurance

2011-08-05T20:54:00.003-05:00

Two of the top selling eyeshadow primers used in the makeup community are Too Faced Shadow Insurance (TFSI) and Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP). Which is better? Let's compare.

Q: What do I need an eyeshadow primer for anyway?
A: The purpose of an eyeshadow primer is to enhance the eyeshadow color and to prevent your eyeshadow from creasing, fading, melting, or basically becoming a mess after a few hours of wear.

The argument used to be that the bottle design of UDPP didn't allow the wand to reach all of the product. The genie bottle was pretty, but consumers were either throwing away half their product or cutting the container open and transferring the contents into another more useful jar. Also, the doe-foot applicator seemed ineffective at retrieving all the product. Since TFSI comes in a squeezable tube it has a sanitary design that allows full use of the contents inside. That has changed now that Urban Decay has released theirs into a squeezable tube form as well. That has leveled the playing field considerably!

TFSI retails for $18 for 0.35 ounces
thicker formula, need less, less drying, easy to blend, smooth, lasts all day

UDPP retails for $19 for 0.37 ounces
thinner formula, need more, slightly more drying, easy to blend, sometimes patchy, lasts all day

Both products look similar and are a light creamy beige. UDPP feels a bit more oily and TFSI is a little thicker. I have occasionally found that UDPP can become patchy if not smoothed out properly. The general consensus seems to be that UDPP is best for oily lids, while TFSI is best for dry lids. I personally prefer TFSI, as I do have dry lids. I think it's ever so slightly more shimmery than UDPP, which I generally prefer for myself.

I hope you've found this information useful!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Zoom Lash Mascara: Plum Reserve and Green Is Green

2011-07-31T15:00:00.002-05:00

MAC has colored mascaras, didn't you know? Zoom Lash Mascara comes in several colors: Plum Reserve, Green Is Green, Blue Charge, and High Esteem. Why does it tickle me that the tubes are the same color as the mascara? The formula is a thick one that coats the lashes well and has a good consistency. The wand separates and defines well as it should. It's thick without being clumpy.

MAC Zoom Lash Mascara: Plum Reserve and Green Is Green

I have Green Is Green and Plum Reserve. Of the two, I prefer Green Is Green. I have brown lashes, and the green shows up better I think.

Zoom Lash Mascara retails for $14.00 for 0.28 ounces.
♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner and Activator

2011-07-30T15:00:00.002-05:00

Laura Mercier's Cake Eyeliners are like a magic potion. Tightlining is an eyeliner technique that creates thicker looking lashes by applying product directly on the lashline, not the waterline or the eyelid. Laura Mercier's Tightline Cake Eyeliner and Activator are a waterproof solution, so it stays where you apply it. The combination of the two products takes a little time to get to know the proper ratio -- trial and error. It comes in a variety of colors. The packaging says to apply a bit of the activator on the back of your hand and then add the cake liner to your brush, working it into a paste. Use a flat eyeliner brush to dot or press between the individual lashes. "Wiggle" the brush into your lashline. It lasts all day, and appears to last forever because so little product is required.

The website says: "Laura Mercier Eye Liner is an easy-to-use, mistake-proof eye liner that delivers long-lasting, pure colour. Long-wearing, smudge resistant and colour-true, Eye Liner adds brightness and life to the eye with its light-reflective pigments."

Practice makes perfect for this technique. Take your time. After it's dry it becomes difficult to blend out. Once set, they don't fade or smudge. You can achieve a smoky effect if you blend it out and work quickly.

It comes in Black Ebony, Bleu Marine, Mahogany Brown, Plum Riche, Charcoal Grey, and Forest Green.

Tightline Cake Eye Liner retails for $22.00 for 0.05 ounce.
The Activator retails for $20 for 0.25 fluid ounces.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

MAC Prep+Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 35 review

2011-07-29T20:34:00.003-05:00

I've been trying different beauty balms here and there and when I read that MAC was coming out with one I just had to try it. It was sold out for the longest time and I had to add my name to their waiting list to get it. It just arrived yesterday. Perhaps it's because I really got my hopes up for this miracle product that I'm a little disappointed. I love MAC and want to love every product, but that doesn't always end up being the case. This is not a traditional Asian Beauty Balm.

MAC's website says: "Prep + Prime Beauty Balm is lightly tinted in a nearly sheer beige tone to work on an array of complexions, it creamily re-texturizes the skin and then goes on to excel at being a face primer with high everyday UVA/UVB SPF 35 defense."

If you haven't heard of Beauty Balms before, you can read all about them here from Musings Of A Muse.

MAC's has a lightweight sheer coverage to wear either alone or as a primer with your regular foundation. Whereas traditional Beauty Balms have skin lighteners and anti-aging ingredients and even out your skintone, MAC's is more like a regular tinted moisturizer. It only comes in one shade, and it's for fair skintones only. For now, this only comes in pale beige color. As a dollop, it looks quite pink to me. It does give my skin a fresh look like other tinted moisturizers do.

It provides a light hydration and protection from sun exposure. I personally do not enjoy the smell of sunscreen and this does smell a bit like it. It's SPF 35 and because I do want to protect my skin I accept the smell.

The retail price is $30 for 1.00 fluid ounce.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Red Hot Leopard Etsy Treasury

2011-07-29T19:52:00.001-05:00

Etsy Treasury: Red Hot Leopard

I'm loving this rockin' collection of red and animal print on Etsy! You know it's classy if Bernie Dexter's involved. Check out the adorable pill-box hat on her!

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

LOTD: Simple Everyday Makeup

2011-07-25T17:08:00.005-05:00

It's hot as a mother out there. On sweltering summer days like these I keep my makeup fairly neutral and have my hair in a ponytail or bun, although I prefer to have it down. This look is from last Saturday night's party. After dark, having my hair down isn't a problem like it is in the oppressive July sunshine.

I got my black rose hair clip from Andy's Eye Candy on Etsy. This rockin' tattoo flash dress by Hell Bunny came from Crash Bang Boom in Philadelphia.

Eyes:
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
MAC Eyeshadow in Vanilla on browbone
MAC Eyeshadow in Hush on lid
MAC Eyeshadow in Clue in crease
MAC Eyeshadow in Scene in eyebrows
MAC Liquidlast Liner in Point Black
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
MAC Plush Lash in Plushblack

Cheeks:
MAC Cream Colour Base in Tickle Me Pink
MAC Cream Colour Base in Luna
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish: Semi Precious Rose Quartz
MAC Shaping Powder in Emphasize

Face:
MAC Matte
MAC Select Cover-Up NC20
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

Lips:
Urban Decay Lip Pencil in Gash
Urban Decay Lipstick in Gash

Did I say simple?
♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Urban Decay: Gash Lipstick and Lipliner

2011-07-24T15:50:00.004-05:00

Urban Decay's Gash Lipstick

I hold a certain nostalgia for Urban Decay's Gash color. While in high school I was obsessed with this nail polish after coming across a full page advertisement for it in some magazine. I've searched and searched online for that ad with no luck -- I wish I could share it here! Basically, the ad image was a smear of blood red nail polish across a white surface with a manicured hand flaunting Gash nails. Super goth, right? I used that color constantly.

Recently I purchased Urban Decay's lipstick and lipliner in this same color after frustratingly searching their website for the polish, but to no avail. Their website doesn't sell individual nail polish bottles, and for some reason the set collections of polish don't list the names!

In addition to the lipstick and liner you can also find Gash eyeshadow.

Urban Decay Gash 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil

Sometimes when I'm using a dark lipstick I like to use a lipliner to line my lips and bring the color in on each side to where only the central third of my lips are liner-free. Then I apply the lipstick in the center but not all the way to the corners of my mouth. Depending on the shade, it adds a highlight to the center.

In direct sunlight

Urban Decay lipsticks are described as having a "crème caramel scent and flavor." I've read reviews that say the smell is off-putting, but I can't say that I agree -- it's not exactly caramel though. It does have a slight artificial smell, but not really a taste. Different brands have different subtle scents added to their lipsticks. MAC smells like vanilla, Chanel has a floral rose smell, Guerlain smells like violets, and Aveda has a minty smell just to name a few.

Lipstick: $22 for 0.13 US oz
Glide-On Lip Pencil: $18 for 0.29 US fl oz

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Urban Decay Cosmetics does not test on animals and has a wide variety of vegan options. Each of their vegan items has a small purple paw next to the item on their website. All of their lipsticks and lipliners are vegan. Their official website has that information clearly listed. Ulta's website has that info in the Specifications tab. It doesn't say it on Sephora's website.

MAC: Me Over Collection for fall

2011-07-21T12:25:00.004-05:00

I am utterly thrilled about the MAC Me Over Collection for fall. It's full of deep red lipsticks and smokey eyeshadows. My favorite time of year is autumn, and it's the best time for new fashion and new makeup collections. Basically, it's the most gothic time of year! I can start wearing tights again, I get to wear sweaters and scarves, and I go on the hunt for the perfect new lipstick. I look forward to it all year long.

Lipsticks: Runway Red, Rebel, Prince Noir, Smoked Purple

Evil Eyes Eyeshadow Quad

Nail Polish: Deep Sea and Purple Majesty

Fluidline: Avenue, Dark Diversion, Dark Envy, Midnight Blue

This collection has many more products available, but I'm just sharing the ones I'm excited about.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

[CLOSED] Giveaway: MAC Semi Precious Collection

2011-07-18T14:12:00.005-05:00

♥This contest has ended. No further entries will be accepted.♥

Here's your chance to win six items from MAC's recent Semi Precious Collection. I finally have over 100 subscribers now that I've been blogging more frequently! So, to thank each and every one of you, I'm giving away a few new products. You can see more photos of the collection in this post I made. This above photo includes all six products in the giveaway. They are:

Mineralize Blush: Warmth of Coral

Mineralize Blush: Pressed Amber

Semi Precious Colour Lipstick: Musky Amethyst

Mineralize Eyeshadow: Blue Sheen

Mineralize Eyeshadow: Mineral Mode

Mineralize Eyeshadow: Dark Indulgence

Total Value: $120.50

If you're interest in winning these items, please enter my giveaway by doing the following:

Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (required to enter)
Follow my Twitter +1 entry
Tweet my giveaway +1 entry
Like my Facebook page +1 entry
Blog about this giveaway +1 entry
Post giveaway image on your blog's sidebar +1 entry

Once you have completed any of the above, be sure to comment on this post. Copy and paste this list and fill it out in the comments section:

first name:

GFC name:

email address:

links to where you followed/promoted:

You have one month to enter. Contest ends on Wednesday, August 17th. One winner will be announced on Thursday, August 18th. Winner will be emailed directly. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours I will notify the next in line. Don't forget to leave me your email address! This giveaway is open both domestically and internationally. Multiple spam-comment entries will be disqualified.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus

Make your own eyeliner with MAC mixing medium, pigment, and glitter

2011-07-17T14:52:00.004-05:00

Work with what you have on hand. It's not always necessary to buy the latest and greatest limited edition products. Make your own liquid eyeliners. I bought two Makeup Forever eyeliners and wanted to share an alternative to these. I occasionally make my own using MAC's Eyeliner Mixing Medium in combination with various pigments and glitters. Mixing mediums are PRO products from MAC and not available on the regular website. The eyeliner medium is $12. If you're a makeup hoarder, then chances are you have all of the following items on hand.

MAC Eyeliner Mixing Medium
MAC Pigment in Grape (choose any shade safe for eye use)
MAC Glitter Refects in Transparent Pink (optional)
MAC palette and metal spatula (optional)

I use a metal palette from MAC along with a clean metal spatula to remove product from these pigment containers. It's important to maintain sanitary practices, especially if you plan to use your products on other people. You don't have to have a palette, the back of your hand will work just fine -- if it's clean! Use the back of an eyeliner brush to mix your products together. Mix to a consistency you like and add more or less of each product to get the desired shade you want. I wanted to create a color that was similar to MUFE's #8. I used MAC's 210 eyeliner brush to apply.


LEFT: MAC mixing medium and pigment RIGHT: MUFE #8

MUFE's aqua liners are waterproof and smudge-proof. This MAC substitute doesn't have the longevity that the aqua liners have, but it is a good substitute if you don't want to buy something you can create yourself. The #8 has a more blue-base than what I created because I added pink glitter. My concoction came off when I washed my hands with soap and water, but the MUFE stayed put. The only limit to the colors you can make is the number of pigments you have.

♥ ♥ ♥
Lotus