IMHO, nothing ruins a good EOTD more than red, irritated eyes (no, I don't drink, LOL, just work on the computer a lot, which irritates my eyes despite taking precautions). After I shower, one of the first things I do is put one drop of Visine (just the original version; YMMV) in each eye and allow it work for about 30 seconds before I apply my eye makeup. Be sure not to use more than one drop or to use it more than once a day because it can cause "rebound" redness in the blood vessels of your eyes.
Product photo from drugstore.com
I've also heard that Visine also makes a good foiling medium for eyeshadow (better than water for some reason). I've tried it a couple of times, but since I found Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, I mainly use just that. However, when I did try it, I found that I had to wipe the brush off a little bit because just one drop made the brush too wet and caused the eyeshadow to get too runny. Bloodshot eyes are one thing; runny eyeshadow is another thing altogether, LOL :-)
My blog had three new followers this week whom I could get hold of, and here are their answers to my getting-to-know-you questions: (1) name three words that describe you best; (2) name three foods you like best; and (3) name your three "desert-island" cosmetic items.
First up is the saucy Hottie McNaughty (her Facebook page is here, and her blog is here). Hottie describes herself as sparkly, determined, and . . . ummm . . . sparkly! Can you tell she likes the shiny stuff? Just like a magpie, LOL [at least that's better than a goat who likes shiny tin cans, LOL]!
Hottie likes popcorn . . . all flavors and types. She just can't seem to get enough. Coffee is a lifestyle for her :-) Baked goods are her serious weakness, particularly home-baked bread (step away from the challah, Hottie!)
If she were stranded on a desert island, three items that Hottie couldn't do without are Aquaphor ointment for her lips because she can't live without lip balm, plus it's good for lots of other stuff, too. She would need Skin Actives sunscreen because, as her husband puts it, she gets burned by self-tanner, LOL. Her third item would be Marie LeVeau perfume oil from Conjure Oils (I assume because it's damn secksy).
Hottie's a "hotty" even sans costumes!
Next up is Holly B: Holly says she is kooky, creative, and obsessive :-) Her favorite three foods are sushi, carbs (any carbs, LOL), and dill pickle sunflower seeds (literally; "they're delicious," she says). Holly's desert-island look would be green/silver eyeshadow, black liquid-line pencil eye liner, and yummy lip balm :) She normally goes all out and does fun looks during the day, but if she's a pinch or just doesn't feel up to it, that's her go-to routine. Stop by Holly's blog, the Frilly Panda, and say "howdy," and can check out her Facebook page here.
Last, but not least, is my pal, Shelby G. of (Not) Making It Up. Shelby describes herself as silly (and not because she tries to be. She has some serious "clueless" moments (she just aged herself!), talkative, and laid-back. Well, she tries to be laid-back. Sometimes Moose (her preschooler) doesn't let her be as laid-back as she wants to be, LOL!
Sheby had no problem naming her three favorite food: sesame chicken, popcorn with a smidge of garlic salt (mmmmm, sounds good, huh?), and sushi. Well, sushi as long as there's no roe or octopus in it. "Blech!" she says.
Shelby's desert-island cosmetics would definitely be sunscreen (although she knows it's not technically a cosmetic), lip sugar scrub from Simply Sweet Skin, and Blinc mascara because it's the best she's ever used. After all, she's gotta look good for any mermen or pirates that come by, right? If the sunscreen doesn't count . . . she'd choose a bottle of OPI "Not Like The Movies" to make sure she has pretty nails [boy, that sure is a mermaid-y color]!
. . . Nicole W.! Congratulations on winning the sample pack of Lucky 107 Cosmetics eyeshadow samples! Nicole, you have 48 hours to contact me here or on my blog, or respond to my FB message or personal email, to confirm your prize, or I will choose another winner. Thanks also to Rebecca of Lucky 107 for sponsoring the contest :-)
To get a killer stiletto point on your eyeshadow pencil, place it in the freezer for 24 hours before sharpening. I find that the Sephora CollectionProfessional Dual Pencil Sharpenerdoes a good job of sharpening and accommodates many pencil sizes. It even has a flip-top cap so you can dump out the shavings easily. OK, don't poke your eye out now!
Sephora product image
____________________
If you'd like to submit a cosmetic tip for this feature and have a shout-out in the post, submit your tips to me at galgotcat@gmail.com :-)
This product was bought by me for my personal use.
I had a few new followers this week but wasn't able to reach them. I try to connect with them through Google Friend Connect, but when I "sign in," it takes me right back to the page that asks me to sign in or cancel, LOL. If the person has a blog, usually I can get them there, but not all of my followers have blogs, so . . . I'm going to shout out to my longer-term followers so you can get to know others in the beauty and scent blogosphere :-)
This weekend's shout-out is to Deb, a.k.a. Zillah, the author behind Midnight Poesy, a scent blog. I personally love her writing style, so pop by and check out her blog!
As to her answers to my three getting-to-know-you questions ([1] name 3 words that describe you best; [2] name 3 foods you like best; and [3] name your 3 "desert-island" cosmetic items), here they are:
Deb describes herself as sarcastic, imaginative, and. laid-back. Her favorite foods are "Does Pepsi count as a food?"; Italian (especially lasagna) and Chinese; and just about anything you can make with a potato (I'm Irish, what can I say?) Her three desert-island cosmetics would be moisturiser (something with sunscreen since I'll be on a desert island), foundation (Aromaleigh 2.0 Dewdrop 1WL mixed 60/40 with 00), and lip balm, lots and lots of lip balm, like, a 500 pack of Eos lemon flavour.
I decided to add a fourth question for scent bloggers: "What are your favorite three scents that you've reviewed in the past year?" Here is Deb's answer:
Concise, isn't she? And I wonder where that British spelling comes from? Zillah, I thought I knew you . . .
EDIT 2/19/12: I figured out how to sign in to GFC and shot off messages to my newest followers, so hopefully I'll be posting their answers next week :-)
Luna of Toxid-Lotus blog is having a fun giveaway of full-size jars of a Black Rose Minerals LE eyeshadow collection: Love Me, Love Me. There are three colors in the collection:
1. Lovefool is a chocolatey brown with a rose tinge and lots of golden sparkles.
2. Lovesick in the pot looks like a light coppery rose, but once you rub it out it is a deeper rose interlaced with copper and silver shimmer
3. Lovestruck is a pale frosty peachy rose with golden highlights sprinkled with blue and violet shimmer.
BRM Love Me, Love Me Collection
I haven't reviewed BRM yet, but I've tested a few of the samples I bought last summer and have been very impressed. Check out the contest, why don't you?
And be sure to enter the Lucky 107 Cosmetics contest here!
Yes, Dawn mailed samples of the Spring 2012: Flora and Fauna LE Collection straight into my hot little hands about a week ago. I haven't had a sunny day to photograph swatches yet, but I did manage to capture the collection nesting in their little baggies, LOL. Her swatches are gorgeous, so check them out here until I get mine up (hers are better anyway). I already have the list of full-size colors I'm going to buy: Redbud, Poppy, Pansy, and Green Tulip.
Dawn Eyes Cosmetics Spring 2012: Flora and Fauna LE Collection
Sorry to be a tease, but I couldn't help showing these to you. My next real review will be on these beauties :-) If you have any question about the how's and why's of these samples, please read the Full Disclosure tab on my blog. Stay tuned!
And be sure to enter the Lucky 107 Cosmetics contest here!
The owner of Lucky 107 Cosmetics recently told me that she's was redesigning her Web site. My suggestion is that she might want to take care to search out inconsistencies in her store’s marketing and branding “identity.”
First, the store is powered by Storenvy; I recognized it from a previous review I wrote and confirmed it during my recent order. So, it has all of the nice features of such, like great product photos and the cool four-frame divided close-up photos that show you what the product looks like in the pot and when applied. I have no problems with Storenvy! I think it has a great interface from a shopper’s point of view. It clear, provides room for lots of information, and is easy to navigate in terms of both shopping and checking out. The site also groups eyeshadows by color, a feature I particularly like; it would be great if there’s an option to group shadows by finish, too :-) I think these both, especially the latter, make shopping easier and help to further solidify a brand’s identity (i.e., identifies the store as being a major hitter with, say, glittery colors compared another that is strong in mattes, etc.).
Sample of Lucky 107 Storenvy product photo
However, the brand seems to be having a personality crisis regarding of how it’s being marketed. As I clicked from page to page, I was presented with a number of conflicting images. First, the store name, “Lucky 107,” makes me think of ranches out west with cowboys, cowgirls, and cattle, LOL. The home page banner tag line is “homemade goodies made with <3 (heart symbol),” which makes me think of grandma’s baking. It also has a horizontally scrolling series comprising a photo (sexy schoolgirl saying “Let us spoil you on your birthday”) plus two announcements: one for the Ladies of Luck membership-reward program (fantastic idea) and one for an “It Works!” distributorship, which makes me think of housecleaning (as per the description). When you click “Shop” on the top toolbar, a hot rocker chick appears on the banner, which makes me think of partying and rock and roll. Last, a special advertisement appearing on the “Shop” landing page is from December 5th, 2011, and this needs to be updated or removed. Because they are the virtual "store window," storefronts should always be kept current and fresh!
Branding Options
So, I get quite a few competing identities from Lucky 107 Cosmetics: (1) “down on the ranch,” (2) grandma’s cooking–type hominess, (3) sexy schoolgirl, (4) homemaker, and (5) rocker chick. The only thing that carries through brand-wise are the business card (“down on the ranch” theme) and the store’s horseshoe logo (“down on the ranch” theme again), which appears on the Web site, the business card, and the product labels. I think it would be great if Rebecca tied these identities together into one by choosing images that reflect one ”person.” I do like the banner tag line because granny can be on cooking on the ranch as much as anywhere else, but it would be more cohesive to change the sexy schoolgirl to maybe a pretty female ranch-hand in a cowboy hat and the rocker chick to something that ties in more with the homey-ranch theme, too. The “It Works!” distributorship advertisement on the home page is distracting. It looks fine on its “tab” on the top toolbar (although the tab takes me to the ”Shop” page, and this should be fixed), or it could even appear as a “product” button that would give you more information when you clicked on it. If Rebecca wants to keep the different identities, I think she should tie them together with a different logo, home page, and tag line. Identities, themes, and images can be changed; they just need to be consistent in “flavor”!
Lucky 107 Cosmetics business card with logo (sorry it's upside down)
Example of comprehensive labeling!
She’s Got Savvy
Having said all that, Rebecca has one savvy business head on her shoulders. She is the only indie company that I personally know of that has a membership-rewards program (Ladies of Luck), which generates brand loyalty. She also has a “press page,” (something I’ve not seen [or not noticed before] on other indie-cosmetics Web sites) that features beauty-blog reviews of her products. Some of the links are either not available or are open to “invited readers only” (whatever that means), and Rebecca should fix these, but in general having such a page is a very smart move.
Products Sold
Products include full-size eyeshadows is a large amount of colors, eyeshadow samples and sample packs, flavored lip gloss, lotion bars, crème blush, eyeshadow primer, lip “blush,” sugar lip scrub, mineral makeup remover, Lucky 107 T-shirts (with yet another confusing identity of pin-up girl, LOL), reviewer kits, and quite a few gorgeous full-size eyeshadow collections.
Packaging and Presentation: 5 of 5 Stars
Queen of Labeling
Rebecca is the Queen of Labeling as far as my experience goes with indie cosmetics companies. At Lucky 107, every single product is clearly and carefully labeled, from the Web site right down to the tiny sample-pot labels (I hear these are being changed to clamshells by customer request – another point in Rebecca’s favor). I was amazed to see on how tiny a label she could get the ingredients. Sometimes I had to squint to see them, but they were there, LOL. Lip- and eye-safe status, as well as vegan or non-vegan status, is well delineated.
Look at those teensy labels!
Pricing: 5 of 5 Stars
Full-size jars of eyeshadow (pigments are filled by volume, not weight; most contain approximately 0.05 oz, or 1.4 g, of product) are $5.00, andthere are several sample-pack options: (1) $4.50 for three shadow samples and a primer sample; (2) $4.50 for 5 shadow samples; and (3) $7.50 for 10 shadow samples. Other product prices can be viewed directly on the Web site :-)
TAT and Shipping: 5 of 5 Stars – Not applicable since Rebecca sent me these products for review. But based on how quickly she got the review products and prizes to me, I’m giving her 5 stars. However, I did recently order a 10-sample pack and will most likely update with TAT, etc., in a separate review.
Product: 5 of 5 Stars
Swatches under natural light
Items Sent (my take in italics [favorites in bold]; all swatches done over UDPP and Fyrinnae PE [I got the best results with PE]; all swatches listed in alpha order as below)
• Backstabber: Deep purple with purple flecks I loooooved this color! It’s dark but very shimmery, which is probably why I was able to pull it off. It made me think of sugared plums or violets blooming in the shadow of a large tree. DEFINITE REPURCHASE! :-)
• Cliffhanger: Shiny gunmetal gray Super-shiny! Molten even.And this was just over Urban Decay Primer Potion, not anything like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. I can’t begin to imagine what this color would look like if I actually foiled it. It would probably make my head explode! DEFINITE REPURCHASE! :-)
More Lucky 107 goodness under natural light (you can see the moderate sparkle here)
Swatches under incandescent light (although they were more sparkly than seen here)
• Harkness: Shimmery purple made even more extravagant with a rainbow of glitter Although this color looked very shimmery when I first swatched it on my hand, it came out nearly matte when applied over UDPP. However, when I tried it again over Fyrinnae PE, I got a nice “glowy” satin finish.In any case, I didn’t get any glitter though (unfortunately because I like glitter). I like this color. It’s bright but not OTT. Note: Although not stated on the Web site, I detected a purple-pink duochrome shift in this shade! I MIGHT REPURCHASE IF I EVER RUN OUT OF IT! :-)
• Facepalm: Shimmery, almost white-beige I liked this shade. My eye picked up just the very faintest blush of peach, which makes it different from my mainly pink/white/violet/gray brow bone highlighters. I WOULD REPURCHASE IF I RUN OUT OF IT! :-)
• Maid Service: Shimmery, mahogany brown This color didn’t work for me at all, although swatched on my hand it was deep and rich; very good pigmentation. I just don’t do well with grapey-wine shades (think raisin), which is how it turned out on my lids over both UDPP and PE. UNFORTUNATELY NOT A REPURCHASE L
• mNg: Hot pink with punches of purple, teal, and pink glitter Again, this applied nearly matte over UDPP but became satiny when applied over Fyrinnae PE. I put it in the same finish category as Harkness. Note: Although not stated on the Web site, I detected a pink-purple duochrome quality in this shade from pink to blue/lavender! BTW, this color and Harkness look gorgeous together! WILL VERY POSSIBLY REPURCHASE WHEN I RUN OUT :-)
You can see a little color shifting of Harkness here
• Lotion Bar (vanilla): I've never used a lotion bar before, so I didn't know what to expect. I prefer light, almost runny, lotions because I find them refreshing. The "lotion" in )of?) the bar was heavy, thick, and waxy. It didn't sink into my skin but rather sat on top of it. The scent was fine. However, based on this one experience, I know that ANY lotion bar is not for me, LOL. WOULD NOT REPURCHASE :-(
Overall Impression
Although Lucky 107 states “glitter” in some of the color descriptions, it’s a relatively small amount of sparkliness. I think this is relative: My glitter “scale” is pretty extreme on one end with just about any brand of matte on the opposite end. From this particular experience with Lucky 107, I would give the “glittered” shadows a score of 4 to 5 on a scale from 1 to 10. However, I recently ordered 10 samples that looked more glittery on the Web site, and I’ll probably do a review of them, too. Here’s hoping!
Would I Buy?
Yes, I recently ordered a 10-sample pack! I can give you deets on the TAT, etc., after I receive them (I’ll probably do a second review). I got the following colors (in case you're curious): Scrum-diddly-umptious, Donna, Old Glory, Frisky, Lover's Quarrel, Single's Awareness Day, Zombie Bitch, Box of Chocolates, Lolli, and By Candlelight.
Overall Rating: 4.6 of 5 Stars! ____________________
Please note that the owner of Lucky 107 Cosmetics personally requested on January 19, 2012, that I review her store and freely sent me products to test, swatch, photograph, and review. Although I said that samples were fine, the owner selected the sizes and colors of the products she sent, some of which were full sizes. When I asked her if she would like to sponsor a contest to go with the post, she replied (and I quote from her FB message): "Oh that sounds awesome!" Read the "Full Disclosure" tab above for more information.
Urban Dictionary defines "jubblies" as (1) the most amazing, plump, round, juicy t*t# you can imagine and always look like they are going to pop out of any shirt; (2) lovely bouncy breasts; and (3) large torpedo-shaped breasts that jiggle a lot (I'm LOLing at this picture).
Just kill me now. I need two large cranes to pull my "jubblies" up where they belong and then two enormous flat-bed trucks to move (drag?) them from place to place. Sigh. This is the part I hate most about being in my early 50s: that I can viscerally remember having jubblies in my late teens and early 20s until I'm confronted by the reality of my actual (newly upgraded) bra size and the fact that I can practically tuck my boobs into my pants. How in the world did I make it to this age (and shape)? Ugh.
Backstory
I was elated when I saw that a LUSH store had opened at King of Prussia Mall. A friend and I were shopping, and I dragged him into the store with much happy commotion. I usually use only the bubble bars from LUSH (yes, I'm a long hot bath person), but I took a look at the skin products I had flagged for checking out in the Christmas edition of LUSH Times. I had read the reviews of Lovely Jubblies Breast Cream in the LUSH Times and on their Web site, and although the reviews were mixed, they were generally positive. Of course, I didn't "swatch" it in the store (what horror!), nor will I regale you with terrifying photos here (although I'm chuckling at the thought, but I would never do that to you). Although I was mainly concerned about the scent, I was especially curious about whether the cream would decrease the crepiness on my neck, just about the only part of my skin that give away my age, because some of the Web site reviews had said the cream had helped that area, too. When I sniffed it in the store, it seemed innocuous enough, so I bought that damn-cute little tub of cream. Here are the ingredients (from the LUSH Web site).
Product photo from LUSH Web site (via Google search)
Product Description and Directions for Use
From the LUSH Web site: "Introducing our brilliant breast cream, packed full of tightening meadowsweet infusion and firming tiger lily petals to help your girls fight the forces of gravity. We add heaps of beeswax and organic oils like almond and avocado to soften your melons (and to make it even harder to keep the boys at bay!) We think everyone deserves a pair of lovely jubblies."
I used the product daily from January 16 through February 11, 2012, and then I could take it no more! Although the cream itself is great in terms of texture (exactly like Fair Trade Foot Lotion) and moisturized quite well, alas, the scent ended up being extremely strong after applied and completely interfered, for hours (how inconsiderate), with any fragrance I had the audacity to think of applying (I didn't even try and ended up using the cream before bed). The scent was suffocating me! It was everywhere: my bathroom, my bedroom and sheets, my jammies, and my clothes. For someone who is not a big floral person, I'm surprised I made it almost a whole month. Although it felt wonderful to give some attention to that part of my body, and it was fun to hope it might actually work, I ended up not using it faithfully.
Final Verdict
I couldn't take the scent long enough (I'm just guessing; there's nothing on the product label that advises how long to use it before seeing results) to give it a chance to (maybe) work. Don't waste your money unless you like the scent. It may not work as advertised, but if you like floral scents, it would make a very lovely (and inexpensive) body cream/cream perfume when dabbed on judiciously. For me, it just ended up being a somewhat expensive (unproductive) lark :-( However, I would certainly give it another try if LUSH were to make an unscented version! ____________________ Please note that I purchased this product for my own use.
No, this post, as well as the soon-to-come review and contest, were not "fixed" :-) Soon after Rebecca M., the owner of Lucky 107 Cosmetics, asked me to review her store, she followed my blog, so the three (including the contest she is sponsoring along with the post) just coincided. So, here are Rebecca's answers to my three getting-to-know-you questions: (1) name 3 words that describe you best; (2): name 3 of the foods you like best; and (3) name your 3 "desert-island" cosmetic items.
Opinionated: The way I see it, the truth is going to hurt whether you are told it now or later, so why not get the sting of the truth out now? Caring, maybe just a little TOO much. This always gets me in a load of hurt ): Loyal: Same with caring; too much so for my own good ):
Lean bean 'n' cheese enchiladas (recipe from Hungry Girl 200 under 200). They are soooooooooooooo yummy!!! Pancakes, but they HAVE to be from Wawa (oh, Wawa, how I miss you!) or IHOP or made by my daddy. And Girl Scout Thin Mints cookies! Those things are the bane of my existence.
Since Rebecca didn't send me any photos to include, I'm posting one here of Thin Min's and giving you a recipe for them I found on the Web, just to whet your appetite, LOL. And I've added that Hungry Girl recipe book she mentioned above to my Amazon wish list!
A couple of other people followed my blog this week, so here's a shout-out for them, too (either I couldn't reach them or they didn't answer my email): Melissa B. and Adz :-) Welcome!
The Rafflecopter widget will display only one winner, but there were two winners of the Dawn Eyes LE 2012 Valentine's Day Collection sample set: Amanda Ruth (displayed on the widget on the original post) and Christie Brooks! Congratulations, ladies. I have already sent each of you an email, or you could respond to this post here to acknowledge your prize. Please reply within 24 hours, or another winner(s) will be chosen :-)
I call Kimberly M. "Li'l Ber" in my mind, so I thought I'd share it in the blogosphere, too. I have purchased gorgeous items from her store several times, and she has always been sweet and generous with excellent customer service. Since she just followed my blog this week, please welcome . . . my li'l be(a)r! I'm honored that she decided to join us!
Here are her shout-out answers to: ([1] describe yourself in 3 words, [2] name 3 favorite foods, and [3] name 3 desert-island cosmetics)
Laid-back: My days consist of taking care of my home, raising 4 children (ages 1 to 8 years), attending business school, and running my cosmetics company, RockABetty Beauty. It can seem like a handful, but I have learned to roll with the punches, so to speak. In my younger days, I spent a lot of time stressing out about things that I could not control. I have now learned that I can't control everything; that things don't always go according to plan; and that life has a crazy system all it's own. Being able to take things (both good and bad) in stride helps keep me patient and available to my family, my friends, and my customers. Family-oriented: I come from a huge and close-knit Irish Catholic family. I grew up surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins galore. We would pack ourselves into my grandma's tiny condo or lounge around my aunt's 3-story home. It didn't matter where we were, or how cramped it was, as long as we all were together. I adore the big, close family mentality and I hope that I can instill that sense of togetherness and all-encompassing love in my own children. Psychobilly: I'm not even sure if that one needs to be said, LOL. Anyone who is familiar with RockABetty Beauty know that I am the perfect mix of retro pinup and creepy-cute fear. I also like to consider my products "horror glam."
My all time favorite food ever is cheese fondue. My mom would make cheese fondue for our family when we were younger, and it was the one meal where we were allowed to eat in the living room. My mom, dad, brother, and I would gather our bread, veggies, and apples and watch a movie together while enjoying our meal. Now that I have a family of my own, I love sharing this tradition with them. My husband preps veggies while the older kids help me add the cheese to the pot and stir to melt it. This meal has become as much a part of our family time as reading at bedtime and riding bikes, and everyone looks forward to "Cheese Fondue Night."Salmon is my favorite protein ever. Nothing beats a perfectly cooked salmon fillet, which, thankfully, my husband knows how to do. COFFEE! My days run on coffee, LOL. As unhealthy as it sounds, I usually drink about 2 (or more) pots of coffee per day. It's a ridiculous amount, I know, but it works for me. And kids, please don't try this at home: I I am a trained professional coffee-drinker :-)
I am addicted to lip balm. I probably have about 50 tubes that I use on a "regular" basis. Well, as regular as one CAN use 50 different lip balms! I love trying new formulas, textures, flavors, etc. I really love the balms from Ella Dean at http://www.etsy.com/shop/elladean?ref=seller_info. Although I feel incredibly awkward choosing one of my own products, but I am going to have to say Suck It Up! Oil-Absorbing Powder/Primer. I actually created this product for myself to help combat my oily skin and keep my makeup (or bare skin), fresh and slick free. You can check it out here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/77101334/suck-it-up-oil-absorbing-powderprimer. Last is a fragrance from Darling Clandestine named Circassian. It smells so amazing: I wish I could bathe in it. I highly recommend this scent and her products in general: http://www.etsy.com/listing/91415576/circassian-handcrafted-fragrance-oil-12.
Ber M. being her cheesy, goofy, laid-back, family-oriented psychobilly self. Watch out!
I love it when my "shout-out" give shout-outs to other tried and true cosmetic companies :-)
Also joining us this week is Elizabeth M. She describes herself as mother, warrior, and goth. [I myself think you need to be a warrior to be a mother in the first place!] Her three favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, fried okra, and cheese enchiladas [hmmmm, another cheesy follower!]. And her three cosmetic items she would want most if she were stranded on a desert island are CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion in Very Black, Medusa's Makeup black kohl eyeliner, and Revlon PhotoReady foundation [she sure sounds like a slayer to me, LOL]. If you want to check out her blog, it's called Bethezda's Preoccupations and can be found here:www.bethezdaspreoccupations.blogspot.com.
We also had a couple more followers this week, "B." (just mysterious "B."), whom I couldn't reach for the mini-interview, and Smurfette, whom I'll try to get next weekend since it's getting to be my "veggie-out-on-the-couch" time soon :-) Don't forget about my Dawn Eyes contest here :-) Bye for now!
Sorry, I don't mean to insult anyone, but if you don't have a fair amount of cult-loved old-Aromaleigh's eyeshadows, or if you don't have any at all, I might have to declare you officially insane if you don't buy them at these prices, LOL: as low as four full-sized eyeshadows for only $10.00!
Old collections (i.e., Aromaleigh v.1) include the following: Wonderstruck, Spells!, Mythos, Valentine 2011, En Pointe, Les Papillons, Satin Petals, Eye Plush, Cosmetic Glitter (i.e., Sonic Rocks! Glitter) , and Pure Eyes Matte.
Aromaleigh En Pointe Collection
New collections (i.e., Aromaleigh v.2) include the following: Fall Tapestry, Starry Night, and Holly Days.
Aromaleigh Starry Night Collection
Colors in some collections are limited, so act fast if there's something you're looking for. Please give one or two alternates for each color ordered do your package isn't delayed with subsequent negotiations. Although I have almost every eyeshadow Aromaleigh ever made that looks good on me, I'm still tempted by these prices!
The sale also includes Pure Cover Concealer, Elemental Lustre Cheek Glisten, Coquille Illuminating Corrective Finishing Powders, and Voile Mineral Foundation.
Colors Received for Review (my take in italics [favorites in bold text]): Colors shown in photos were swatched over ELF primer and Fyrinnae PE and appear in the order shown below.
DEC V-Day Collection in natural light
• Be Mine: Color-shifting shade runs from pink to coral, to gold with a greenish cast My absolute favorite of the bunch. It leans orange, but not too orange, so an overall coral, although not super-coral, shade appears. As always with Dawn’s creations, it glitters like sunlight on still water. Yummo! WILL DEFINITELY BE GETTING MORE OF THIS SHADE :-)!
• Candy Kiss: Whites, bright whites, silvery whites, gleaming whites . . . glitter, purple one way, pink another, then blue . . . brilliant golden sparks I really think that brow bone highlights can make or break a lid shade, so I like to have a full arsenal of them on hand, including this one. A lovely glittery and gleaming white-based iridescent shade, it sets off cool lid shades nicely. WILL DEFINITELY BE GETTING MORE OF THIS SHADE :-)! (Candy Kiss look very gray in these photos, but it goes on true white.)
DEC V-Day Collection in indoor light
• Mi Amore: Light purple which shifts blue to lavender to pink and then pink to gold . . . enhanced with sparkles of blue to purple to pink and pink to gold. Purples can go either way on me depending on the undertone, and luckily this one is neutral enough that it looks great on me. Think neutral purple with a slight cornflower blue undertone. DESPITE ITS BEAUTY, I’M NOT SURE IF I’LL GET MORE OF THIS COLOR :-|
• Red Red Rose: Deep vibrant red pearl, with a matching matte undertone and a color shifting glitter that ranges blue/green/pink. Reds throw me for a loop. They usually make me look like I’ve been crying. This one is fairly warm-toned, though, so I gave it a try. Put on the outer lid with Be Mine in the inner lid, I was able to pull it off, and together they had a absolutely gleaming finish, which I LOVE! I was truly stunned when I checked myself in the mirror several hours later JWILL DEFINITELY BE GETTING MORE OF THIS SHADE :-)!
DEC V-Day Collection in natural light
• Sweetness and Light: Color shifter ranging from pale blue to sweet lavender to pale pink to bright pink to coral gold Although this shade is gorgeous, I’m not quite sure how to wear it. It’s far too light for my lids. In fact, when I tried it, my lids looked “Day-Glo”! And it’s way too pigmented for a brow-bone highlight (unless I want them to look like they’re in headlights, LOL). If you can pull of light, bright shades, go for it! I DON’T THINK I WILL GET ANY MORE OF THIS GORGEOUS, ALBEIT UNWEARABLE-FOR-ME COLOR :-(
This photo really shows the color-shifting quality of Sweetness and Light (bottom right)!
Would I Buy Again?
Yes, I’d definitely buy several of the shades again before they disappear after Valentine’s Day:-) ____________________ Please note that all of the tested samples, as well as the prizes, were provided to me by the company owner for review/contest prize purposes.
GIVEAWAY! DAWN HAS GENEROUSLY GIVEN ME TWO SAMPLES SETS OF THE VALENTINE’S DAY 2012 LE COLLECTION TO GIVE TO TWO LUCKY WINNERS. SEE THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW FOR EASY INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER!
And Girl Scout Thin Mints cookies! Those things are the bane of my existence.
