Susan Woodall, the owner of Darling Girl Cosmetics, is the epitome of a “darling girl” (from Webster's: "very pleasing: charming"), so I’m assuming that the store name is eponymous :-) She’s a kind and classy lady who has a good business head, a kind and generous heart, and a creative imagination. I am glad to have gotten to know her through purchasing and through The RAT Pack Facebook page. So, without further ado, I give you . . .
Company name: Darling Girl Cosmetics
The Web Site Itself: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve never dealt with an eCrater store before or since my shopping experiences with Darling Girl (DG), so I don’t know how similar or different they may be from store to store. One is always limited by the design constrictions of whatever store “engine” one uses. The landing page has the adorable DG geisha logo on it as well as some product photos. I had almost no trouble navigating the site to place my order(s), but I must say that it is a rather skin-and-bones, bare-basics Web site. It gets the job done, but seems somewhat dry in doing so . . . until you start looking at all the loverly (a bow to My Fair Lady) product photos and swatches contained within. The products can be found in outline format under the tab “Categories,” and the list of products is impressively comprehensive! Susan is one prolific woman :-) Because I mainly crave, collect, and use eyeshadows, I buy them the most. You can look DG shadows up by collection or by color. However, the complete range of products ranges from eyeshadows to the well-regarded Hologloss lip glosses to body salves. Her Glitter Glue eyeshadow fixative is highly spoken of, although I haven’t tried it myself . . . yet. Theoretically, you could get just about everything you need for beauty and skin care at this one e-store!
Pricing: 5 of 5 stars
Pricing is uber-reasonable, plus you have three, rather than just two, sizes to choose from: sample (1/8-teaspoon in a 2" x 2" zip-lock baggie for $.70), mini (1/4 teaspoon in a 3-gram sample jar for $2.25), or full size (3/4 teaspoon in a 5 gram sample jar for $5.50). The only thing I thought was a little "off" is the pricing/size difference between the sample and the mini sizes. The mini is exactly twice the size of a sample, yet it costs quite a bit more than twice the price. Maybe it's because the minis come in a jar rather than a baggie? Whatever the reason, if you prefer your loose shadow in jars, it's worth it because these shadows are so good. If you prefer your shadow in baggies (like I do), you can save a little money by getting two sample sizes and combining them in one baggie.
TAT and Shipping: 5 of 5 stars
Most of the samples I'm reviewing here were purchased by me more than a year ago (I know; shame on me for taking so long to review them) or were received more than a month ago as payment in kind for some writing work I did for Susan. However, I *did* reorder some of the colors I swatched below, so I do have a "representative" TAT to report.
Ordered: 08/27/11 (Saturday night during a sale)
Shipped: 09/08/11
TAT:9 business days (but I've had faster TATs from DG during non-sale periods)
Shipping: Don't remember exactly, but it was reasonable (i.e., between $2 and $3)
Actual shipping: Not designated on eBay shipping label
Sale refund posted : 08/27/11
Personal shipping email: No
DC/Tracking:Yes
Invoice:Yes, through PayPal payment confirmation
Packaging/presentation: Samples were each in a 2" x 2.5" baggie, which was then enclosed in cute 6" x 4" zebra-print bag
Extras: Yes: DG geisha sticker, 2 Halloween preview colors (Witch & Famous, Pretty Plasma), free mini w/ $10 purchase (Peacemaker])
Packaging: Standard bubble mailer
Product: 5 of 5 stars
Colors ordered (formulator's description after colon, then my take in italics and my favorites bolded)
Photo key (left to right, top to bottom): Landry, Resolute, Santa Baby, Tragic Romance
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| Indoor with flash |
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| Natural light, no flash |
• Landry: Grapey brown metallic with pink shimmers This appears a bit lighter and brighter in real life; it's a great fall neutral NOT A REPURCHASE :-(
• Resolute: Coppered brown with interesting metallic sheen I'm not sure how I feel about this shade; I didn't get metallic from it at all, but that's relative isn't it? The tone on me was a warm camel satin. NOT A REPURCHASE :-(
• Santa Baby: Copper with pink undertones and if you look closely there is delicate blue shimmers Finally! A warm red I can pull off; it's not too cool-toned and not too orange. I REORDERED :-)
• Tragic Romance: Warm purple with loads of gold interference Something about this shade leaned too "grapey" for me even with the gold interference; it made me looked bruised, but it may work for gals with different skin tones than mine. NOT A REPURCHASE :-(
Photo key (left to right, top to bottom): Chaos, Chi Chai Monchan, Dr. Pepper Cake, Faren Hite, Fireside, LaLa
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| Indoor with flash |
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| Natural light, no flash |
• Chaos: Coppery brown pearl with purple undertones and subtle blue shimmers This shade made me look like I had been punched in the eyes; there's something about brown and blue that make my eyes look bruised (even MAC's Blue-Brown and Aromaleigh's
• Chi Chai Monchan: Metallic pink copper with gold flecks Hot damn; this color is a Barry White love song poured into an eyeshadow, smooth, silky, satin pink bedsheets and all! I REORDERED :-)
• Dr. Pepper Cake: Metallic plummy brown with red and multicolored shimmers This color makes me feel good just having it in my arsenal even if I never wear it (which, of course, I will). It's the kind of color you can just swatch and get lost in, it's that beautiful and complex. Great fall shade. I REORDERED :-)
• Faren Hite: Warm bronzey pink with subtle sparks of red Another great fall color for me. I'm a whore for anything pink and warm-toned, especially if bronze is mixed in, LOL. This shade is what I *wanted* MAC's Pink Bronze pigment to be, but this DG color is less "sharp" and gaudy and more well-blended. I DIDN'T REORDER BECAUSE I LIKED SANTA BABY AND CHI CHAI MONCHAN BETTER :-)
• Fireside: Earthy maroon with shimmering glints of metallic sparkles Again, too grapey for my liking but nevertheless a beautiful shade. NOT A REPURCHASE :-(
• LaLa: Sheer cool blue-ish purple with pink iridescence Although I can't usually pull off anything blue-toned, this gorgeous shade worked on me. The blue and purple were so nicely balanced with the pink iridescence, I liked despite my usual prejudice against such colors! PROBABLY NOT A REPURCHASE :-(
Photo key (left to right, top to bottom): Jeweled Taupe, Peacemaker, Pretty Plasma, Witch & Famous
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• Jeweled Taupe: Metallic bronzey taupe with multi-colored shimmers like jewels Despite the fact that this shade is not, IMHO, a taupe at all (taupe is a mix of grey and brown), it *is* a shimmery straw/hay shade that looks very nice on my eyes. Think of a sparkly hayloft at twilight, all a'glint in the setting sun, and you'll get the picture POSSIBLE REPURCHASE :-)
• Peacemaker (color of the week): NO DG description due to it's limited nature This color looked purple on my monitor, but it swatched as a lovely almost-navy blue. Not my color, but a unique one; you don't see too many navys out there. CAN'T REPURCHASE :-|
• Pretty Plasma (extra): Aqua blue pearl with contrasting black glitter. Not my color, but gorgeous nonetheless! NOT A REPURCHASE :-(
• Witch and Famous (extra): Plummy taupe with gold reflect DEFINITE REPURCHASE!
Skin Care Product Received
• SALVation: Susan sent me an adorable little tin of this balm, and I've been using it on my cuticles (almost) every night before bed. If I had had my wits about me, I would have taken some before-and-after photos. Take my word that it has worked well for me for this purpose. No longer dry and overgrown, my cuticles are smooth and tame :-) The only thing I would change is to offer it in a swivel-up tube as well as the tin because the tin's lid is hard to remove, especially if you have hand arthritis, deformed wrists, and a bumb thumb on the left hand! DEFINITE REPURCHASE :-)
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Salvation
FINAL SCORE: 5 OF 5 STARS
Would I buy again?
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Can't you tell yet after reading this glowing review, LOL?
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Please note that I purchased all of these products for my own use.
