Giveaway! Mac Alice + Olivia Pigments

**I've amended the rules for this giveaway as well as extended it. Please check them out!**

As mentioned, I stopped by MAC recently and while I picked up a couple of goodies for myself, I also picked up a few things for my awesome readers!!! I will be doing not one, but TWO giveaways!!! This first giveaway is for the three pigments in the Alice + Olivia collection. From left to right they are If It Sparkles..., Partylicious, and Later.

The rules:
1. Open to U.S. residents only. Sorry to any international readers :(
2. To enter, simply leave a comment to this post saying ENTER ME.
3. You MUST leave an e-mail for me to contact you through.
4. All entries must be submitted by August 10th.
5. For an extra chance to win, become a follower!

Pretty simply, no?

DO NOT FORGET YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS. Or I won't be able to contact you if you win, and I'd have to choose a different winner, and that would be sad :(

The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator (this one).

GOOD LUCK!!!

Disclaimer: The products featured in this giveaway were purchased by me. I am not affiliated with MAC, any other cosmetic company, or PR firm.

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who participated!

I'm Back!

I know, I didn't even tell you I was leaving, but I was on vaca. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be posting some reviews and surprise surprise, another haul! I stopped by MAC before leaving and picked up a couple of things and I'll show you soon! I'm really excited because I don't usually shop at MAC. Anyway, my summer's going great and I hope yours is too!

Review: Calvin Klein Lip Gloss Trio

this is going to be a review for a trio of Calvin Klein lip glosses (two regular and a plumper) that I got in a set at Marshalls for only $10 (woohoo!!!). The shades that came in the one I purchased are, from top to bottom, Radar, Parfait, and Georgia. Georgia is the lip plumper, supposedly, and if you look carefully, it's tube is slightly larger than the other two glosses.


The packaging of these glosses is absolutely beautiful. I think I even mentioned in my other review of a CK plumper (here) that the lettering on the top of the cap reminds me a bit of the Chanel logo on the glossimers. Very simple, yet sophisticated.

Again, the shades I purchased:

(L to R) Georgia is a sheer peach with golden shimmer. Parfait is a matte sheer pink. Radar is a nude with silver, gold, and pink shimmer in it. Of the three, Radar is my fave, and you'll see why in just a bit!

The applicators:

Top to bottom: Georgia (the plumper), Parfait, and Radar.
You'll notice that the lip plumper has a brush applicator while the regular glosses have a standard doe foot. I like the doe foot applicators better. I feel that the brush applicators that come with glosses tend to deposit too much product and leave my lips feeling gooey and gross. This one is no different. I really have to be careful when I apply Georgia because I can very easily put on too much and feel really gross. I think that the brush applicator is also why you notice some "plumping." I don't actually think that Georgia plumps my lips, but they have the illusion of being larger because of the copious amount of product on them.

Some lip swatches:

Parfait. Parfait is nice in that it's a bit cool toned so t gives you a very fresh look and perks up the skin tone. It also evens out my natural lip color. My lips tend to be slightly darker on the outer edges than on the inside (especially on the upper lip), but this gloss evens them out nicely.


Radar. My absolute fave <3!


Georgia. Georgia is actually a bit more orange in person. It's ok except for that you need to be careful about not over applying.

I like these glosses. While the formulas are nothing special, the shades are absolutely stunning especially Radar. I've been wearing it practically non stop for weeks! I should warn however, that they can be a bit on the thick side and slightly tacky (although nowhere near as bad as MAC lip glasses, for comparison), so I'd advise wearing them over a balm. What's also good is that these are fragrance free so they won't annoy people who don't like scented glosses. These glosses give amazing shine! They have a very high lacquer finish, so even if you're wearing a light shade you can go easy on the eye makeup and still look made up. The only other complaint I have is that Georgia, the plumper, isn't actually a plumper. The gloss will give the illusion of larger lips like any gloss, but from the ingredients list as well as my experience with not one but tow different shades it doesn't actually (chemically) plump your lips. It's a great gloss, though! At $10 these are a steal. I only regret that I didn't get a few more shades, haha!

Info:

Price: $10 (for three at Marshall's-will probably cost more separately.)

Ingredients:

Plumping: Polybutene, Caprylic, Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Silica Silylate, Menthol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Capsicum Frutescens Resin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Atelocollagen (May Contain) Mica, Ci 15850,Red 6, Red 6 Lake, Red 7, Red 7 Lake, Ci 15985, Yellow 6 Lake, Ci 19140, Yellow 5 Lake, Ci 42090, Blue 1 Lake, Ci 45410, Red 27 Lake, Red 28 Lake, Ci 73360, Red 30 Lake, Ci 75470, Carmine, Ci 77491, 77492, 77499, Iron Oxides, Ci 77891, Titanium Dioxide

Regular: (not listed on packaging and I haven't been able to find them online. I'll post if I do.)

Disclosure: The products featured in this post were bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Have you ever had anyone follow/track you in a store to make sure that you didn't steal anything?

I stopped by Sephora yesterday and was shocked to find myself followed the entire time I was in the store. Now, I've been going to the same Sephora for years and recognize (by name!!!) almost everyone in the store, so for me to be followed is just insulting as I've been spending tons of money there for years. While I was browsing a woman was following me. I know the word following makes me sound paranoid, but every time I turned around she was a few meters behind me, watching me. My eyes made contact with hers several time as well and she would quickly look down. Later on she asked me about a couple of teal Urban Decay eyeshadows I'd picked up, compared, and put back. She was like, "You put them back? You didn't like them?" The entire time she's looking down at my clothing to see if maybe I pocketed one of them. Ugh, so blatantly insulting. I know that I probably shouldn't feel insulted as she's just doing her job, but she treated me as if I'd already stolen something, and made me feel so uncomfortable. I almost felt pressured into buying something just to prove that I don't steal. Has this ever happened to you?

Review: L.A. Colors 12 Eyeshadow Palette in Chic

This is another L.A. Colors review for the same 12 Eyeshadow Palette, but this time in the shade Chic, a palette of purples. I have to say that I was really disappointed with this one. Yes, it was only $1, but based on my experience with the Traditional palette (reviewed here) I was expecting more :(

The shadows:


Some closeups:



I was really excited by some of the shades in the palette, especially the third one in (from the left) on the bottom row as well as the last in the bottom row. I've got a lot of really dark purples, but not too many mid-toned shades. These LOOKED good, but unfortunately, as you'll see below didn't swatch well at all.

Some swatches:

**excuse my creepy veins, haha**
Like with the Traditional palette they were swatched on my bare hand, no primers/bases. They barely show up at all, so unless you need a palette of, for the most part, highlighters, skip this one.

I also tried applying some of the darker shades over Urban Decay Primer Potion, but even then they applied just a teensy bit better:

**again, excuse the creepy veins**
Overall, a big disappointment for me. I mean for a dollar you really can't go wrong, but still I wouldn't recommend this one. I still like how the palette includes a variety of different finishes and textures and how soft and silky the shadows are, but there's really only one or two shades that I would be able to use with decent pigmentation. Anyway, there is also a blue version of these palettes which I may check out in the future. You can try this one and see if you can get better results (perhaps apply wet?), but I really think it's a waste of money, even a dollar, unless you're looking for a palette of highlight colors.

Info:

Price: $1

Ingredients: (Not listed on packaging and I haven't been able to find them online. If I find them, I'll post them.)

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Another Quick EOTD Using L.A. Colors 12 E/S Palette in Traditional

Just another quick EOTD using my L.A. Colors 12 E/S palette in Traditional, which was super cheap at $1(!!!). just to show how versatile it is, I went opposite of the last one. Last time I showed a bronzy day look, very warm toned. This time it's a smokier look that is cool toned, with lots of liner!

I've really been getting more use out of my Lancome Art Liner in Smoky. It's super easy to apply and isn't a pain to remove like other liquid liners. Not that it doesn't last, but it doesn't feel like I'm taking sand paper to my eyes when using a cloth to remove this one. I'll do a review on these liners one of these days. I've got quite a few of these.

Anyway, products used:
L.A. Colors 12 E/S Palette in Traditional
Lancome Art Liner in Smoky
CoverGirl Professional Super Thick Lash Mascara in Black

Quick EOTD: Bronzy Look Using L.A. Color's $1 12 Eyeshadow Palette in Traditional

Just a quick EOTD. Ignore the smudged mascara (I was in a hurry :/ ) and my gross brows. I've since gotten them waxed and trimmed. The shadows in this palette are really good. I did this look without a primer in only two or three minutes. It's very quick an easy when you have all the colors you could possibly need/want right in front of you. You don't even have to think, haha! Again, I highly recommend!



Products Used:
L.A. Colors 12 E/S Palette in Traditional
Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara in Soft Black

From the pictures I bet you can tell what I think of the Define-A-Lash-Volume Mascara, which I tested a few times. What volume!? I have like ZERO lashes in the first pic! :(

Review: L. A. Colors 12 Eyeshadow Palette in Traditional (Only $1!!!)

This is the first review of the bunch of products I showed in the haul post. It's for, obviously, the L.A. Colors 12 Eyeshadow Palette in Traditional, basically 12 browns and highlights. I also got a similar one in purple, but I'll review that one later. I've gotta say that while I love experimenting with different colors, I always come back to my neutrals. They're the colors I go through the most often and reach for just about on a daily basis. And this palette is a must have for anyone who doesn't have that much time in the morning and needs a good selection of neutrals for work. It is sooo convenient to have all the colors that I need in one palette, one very light and compact palette that easily fits into my purse. For the $1 I paid for it, it's a steal!

Here's the inside:

As you can see, there are 9 shades of brown, ranging from very light to very dark, and then three highlight shades (a white, a peach, and a pale gold).

Closeup pictures:



I've been using this palette for the past week just about every day.

Some swatches:



I know that the top row looks like it isn't very pigmented, but they really are. They are just the lighter shades and the midtoned shades. Keep in mind that I usually wear them over my UDPP, but here they are swatched on my bare hand. The consistency of these shadows is great. They are very silky soft. A bit on the powdery side, but not too bad. I didn't have much of an issue with fallout when I did my makeup in the morning. They go on smooth and blend very well. With other discount palettes the shadows tend to go on bright and then turn muddy/wash out when you start to blend, but not with these. They stay fairly vibrant through the blending. As far as wear, you will need a primer. Because they are more powdery than more expensive eyeshadows they will crease faster so be sure to wear something that they can stick to. As far as shade selection is concerned, I like the range. You get a variety of finishes and colors. You get some shades that have some very fine shimmer and others with some glitter, which is nice, I think, because I like glitter. There are also a couple of shades that look like they have shimmer in them but really apply almost matte, which is helpful for an understated look. I only wish that there was a black as that would come in handy so that I could use it as a liner with a damp brush. Overall, at the cost of $1 (!!!) your really can't go wrong with this palette.

Info:

Price: $1 (I got mine at Family Dollar, but I'm sure that you can find it at other retailers.)

Ingredients: (Not listed on packaging and I haven't been able to find them online. If I find them, I'll post them.)

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Sneakpeak: NARS Fall 2010 Collection!!! Gorgeous!

I saw these pictures and I almost swooned!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!! Then again, though, I do have a bit of a Nars shadow addiction.

Here's what I'm eyeing:








Stunning, aren't they!?

Review: Korres Eyeshadow in Silver

I got this eyeshadow primarily because it was on sale for $7 at Sephora. Not that Korres products are that expensive (compared with other high end brands), but other than their lip butters I hadn't tried any of their products and was a bit disappointed by some of the color choices. They just seemed so ordinary compared to other brands like Nars or Urban Decay. But when I saw this baby on sale I had to get it cause I don't own any shade of eyeshadow even remotely close to this one! I'm really really glad I got it!


The shade I got it in is silver, but it is a greenish silver, almost like a very light seafoam color. I ind that if you want a little bit of color during the day this shade works very well.

The actual shadow:

As you can see, I've already tested mine out a couple of times. I love the formula of this shadow. It's very smooth and velvety. I don't even have to rub my brush across to pick up a good amount of product. I just press my brush down and am ready to go. A little goes a very long way. Even though the packaging seems kind of small, you get a good amount of product inside. I actually really like how compact the container is.

And a swatch:

It looks a bit more green in real life, but just as shimmery. Fair warning: if you don't like shimmer you won't like this eyeshadow. It is uber shimmery. Except for my Jemma Kidd eyeshadow in Vintage, it's just about the shimmeriest I own. I like shimmer, though, so it's not a problem. I've been wearing this shadow with a blue liner from CoverGirl and the effect is gorgeous. It makes my eyes seem sooooo blue it's amazing. I would highly recommend this to anyone with blue or grey eyes. The green tones really go well with my blue eyes. The staying power is about the same as other eyeshadows even though they claim to be long wearing, so wear a primer. Other than that, the only negative I can say about this eyeshadow is that I don't like how the container doesn't have a mirror. I know, it's tiny to begin with, but it actually does come in handy in a hurry. I've got other singles that come with a mirror, like the ones from YSL or Nars. I think what bothers me is that it doesn't have a clear top. I opened it and kind of expected that it'd have a small mirror just because it didn't have the clear top, and then was disappointed when it didn't. It's not that big a deal though. It is an awesome shadow! I also like how Korres is an eco-conscious brand. They shy away from harmful, unnatural ingredients, which is an added plus for anyone looking for more eco-friendly makeup. I don't know if Sephora's still got these cause I didn't see them on the website, but on the Korres website they are also on sale for $7.

Info:

Price: $16 (I got it on sale at Sephora for $7.)

Ingredients: Ingredients for shades 12, 18, 22, 24, 34, 42, 44, 46, 54, 74, 64, & 82: Talc, Nylon-12, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PTFE, Zinc Stearate, Synthetic Beeswax, Zeolite, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, [+/- (may contain) Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Manganese Violet, Ultramarines, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Bismuth Oxychloride, Carmine, Chromium Oxide Greens, Chromium Hydroxide Green, Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake]. Ingredients for shades 10, 27, 51, 77, & 84: Talc, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil Glycerides, Calcium Gluconate, [+/- (May Contain) Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Manganese Violet, Ultramarines, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Carmine, Chromium Oxide Greens, Chromium Hydroxide Green, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 1 Lake].

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Take A Minute To Enter Susie's "KISS" Giveaway!

Here's the linke: http://susies1955.blogspot.com/2010/06/enter-my-kiss-giveaway.html
Good luck!

Quick EOTD: NARS Tokyo and Stila Sajama

Just a quick look. Sorry for the one picture. I didn't have much time this morning :(

Products Used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Nars e/s Duo in Tokyo
Stila e/s in Sajama
Nars e/s in Nymphette
Lancome Artliner in Smoke
Maybelline Defina-A-Lash Volume mascara in Soft Black (upper lashes only)

Collective Haul!

I haven't really been shopping all that much in the past 4 to 5 months, mainly because I wanted to finish many of the products that I've already got. But this past month or so, I've been buying a lot, so I thought I'd share with you!

First things first: Skincare!

L to R: Cosmedicine Medi-Morphosis Self Adjusting Exfoliator, Cosmedicine Medi-Matte Oil Control Spray, Non-Coated Aspirin (not really skincare, I know, but I figured since I'm going to try making an aspirin mask it counted), Clarins Eye Revive Beauty Flash, and DDF Ultra-Lite Peel.

Face makeup:

L to R: Almay Nearly Naked Loose Powder in Light/Med 200 and Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick in S6, Champagne Flush.

Eyeshadow!!!

Clockwise starting with: Maybelline Eye Studio Eyeshadow in Lawless Lavender, L.A. Colors 12 Eeshadow Palette in Chic, L. A. Colors 12 Eyeshadow Palette in Traditional, Korres Single Eyeshadow in Silver, and Sophia Milano Eyeshadow Compact (no shade/palette name listed).

Mascara:

Top to bottom: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume in Soft Black and Cover Girl Professional Super Thick Lash in Black. I got the Define-A-Lash mascara at the Christmas Tree Shops store at the mall. They had a whole bunch of Maybelline stuff clearenced. It was only $1.99! I'm not really a big fan of the spiky plastic brushes that have become so popular lately, but I figured that at this price I couldn't help but give this one a try.

Lips:

L to R: Clavin Klein Plumping Lipgloss in Georgia, CK Lipgloss in Parfait, CK Lipgloss in Radar (all three came in a set for $10 at Marshalls!!!), Philosophy Lip Shine in Blackberry Bubbly, Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush, and Nivea Kiss of Shimmer Lip Balm.

Nails:

L to R: Wet n'Wild nail polish in Black Creme, Sinful Colors nail polish in Mint Apple, and Wet n'Wild nail polish in Caribbean Frost.


L to R: Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer in Alabaster, Peachful Breeze, Made You Blush, Pink Twist, Arabian Night, and Addicted to Red. I've already showed you Pink Twist and Arabian Night, but the pics last time were horrible cell phone pics so I figured I'd include theme here. They had them 2 for $1 at the Dollar Tree!!!


OPI Nail Polish in Royal Rajah Ruby, Black Cherry Chutney, A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find, Midnight in Moscow (the one with the sticker), Do You Lilac It, and Baguette Me Not. Sorry for the weird pic. I could barely get them still long enough to take the picture. They kept rolling :( The order is L to R in kinda two rows, the second beginning with the polish with the sticker on it.

NOT PICTURED CAUSE I JUST PICKED THEM UP AN HOUR AGO:
Pangea Organics Ecocentric Lipcare Pyyrenees Lavender Lip Balm with Cardamon
L. A. Colors Moisturizing Glossy Lips Sheer Lip Color in Sweet Melon
Cover Girl LiquilineBlast Eyeliner in Violet Voltage

So that's it. I'll start posting reviews on these items soon!

Disclosure: The products featured in this post were bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Review: YSL Ombre Solo Double-Effect in Brun Vision (Mink Brown)

I haven't done an eyeshadow review in a while, so I figured it was time! This one's from YSL. It's one of their double effect shadows, where one side is shimmerier and lighter than the other


I have #4, which is Brun Vision (or Mink Brown). Its more purple, really.

And of course, as this is YLS, the packaging is superb! Even if it does show every single little smudge and fingerprint :(






The actual shadow:

So a shimmery lilac on one side, and a less shimmery purplish taupe on the other.

Some swatches:



I applied them without a base. With a base, they are a lot more pigmented. I noticed that the lighter side is a lot softer than the darker side, which leads me to believe that I'll go through it faster. I wish it was the opposite, that they have more of the light and less of the dark because it's usually the lighter shadow that you finish first. But oh well. Both shadows go on very smooth and blend easily. It is very easy to get a smoky or a day look. Lately I've been pairing the darker side with a black shadow for a smoky eye. The effect is really nice because of the purple tones. I love the shade. I have an addiction to purple shadows, and this one definitely counts. I like that it's more subdued because I can get more wear out of it on a daily basis. It also comes with a really tiny sponge tip applicator that's basically useless. I just apply with a brush. I obviously like the packaging (I mean, come one, who wouldn't!!!), and I'm really happy that it comes with a mirror. Even though I almost never use, every now and then it comes in handy. I really love the YSL shadows, and this is no exception. I really wasn't expecting to like them so much when I first tried them a couple of years ago. Of course, it does take some time to justify the hefty price tag, but if you can afford them, they really are great. Do you need this one? Probably not. Do you want it? Yes!

Info:

Price: $28.50

Ingredients: ZINC STEARATE . POLYETHYLENE . ACRYLATES COPOLYMER . SILICA . DIMETHICONE . DIMETHICONOL . TITANIUM DIOXIDE . ISONONYL ISONONANOATE . CETYL TRIETHYLMONIUM DIMETHICONE PEG-8 SUCCINATE . PTFE . DIISOSTEARYL MALATE . POLYPERFLUOROMETHYLISOPROPYL ETHER . SYNTHETIC WAX . AQUA (WATER) . TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE . CELLULOSE GUM . TOCOPHERYL ACETATE . SQUALANE . LAURYL METHACRYLATE/ GLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER . CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE . METHYLPARABEN . GLYCERIN . DICAPRYLYL ETHER . CASSIA ANGUSTIFOLIA SEED POLYSACCHARIDE . GELLAN GUM . POLYGLYCERYL-2 DIPOLYHYDROXYSTEARATE . [+/- MAY CONTAIN : CI 77019 (MICA) . TALC . CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) . CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) . CI 77491 (IRON OXIDE) . CI 77742 (MANGANESE VIOLET) . CI 75470 (CARMINE) . SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE . CI 77499 (IRON OXIDE) . CI 77492 (IRON OXIDE) . CI 77510 (FERRIC FERROCYANIDE) . CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE . CI 19140 (YELLOW 5 LAKE) . CI 42090 (BLUE 1 LAKE) . CI 77289 (CHROMIUM HYDROXIDE GREEN) . CI 77000 (ALUMINUM POWDER) . CI 77163 (BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE) . CI 77288 (CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS) . TIN OXIDE . ]

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.