[ENDED] Lucky 107 Cosmetics Review and Contest!

Company name: Lucky 107 Cosmetics
Web site : http://www.lucky107cosmetics.com/

The Web Site Itself : 3 of 5 Stars

Identity Crisis 

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, and there 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!
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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.

NOW ON TO THE CONTEST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How Lovely Are Your Jubblies?

Product: LUSH Lovely Jubblies Breast Cream

Web site: http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/body/hand-and-body-creams/lovely-jubblies

Price: $24.95 USD for 3.5 oz. 

Ya gotta give it to LUSH for their hilarious ads

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 Ingredients

• Meadowsweet Infusion (Spiraea ulmaria)
• Fresh Rose Petal Infusion (Rosa damascena)
• Organic Cold Pressed Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis)
• Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao)
• Organic Cold Pressed Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis)
• Stearic Acid
• Glycerine
• Organic Cold Pressed Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis)
• Organic Cold Pressed Avocado Oil (Purse gratissima)
• Orange Blossom Honey (Citrus Aurantium dulcis)
• Triethanolamine
• Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon citratus)
• Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata)
• Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum
• Beeswax (Cera alba)
• Phenoxyethanol
• Cetearyl Alcohol
• Tiger Lily Petals (Lithium candidum)
• *Citral
• *Geraniol
• Benzyl Salicylate
• Benzyl Alcohol
• *Limonene
• *Linalool
• Perfume

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."

"Smooth a generous amount of Lovely Jubblies over your décolletage area to tone down the wiggle and leave your cleavage smelling like a fresh floral bouquet of orange blossom, rose, jasmine and ylang ylang."

My Experience

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.

Saturday Shout-Out! to Rebecca M.

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!

Here's a Girl Scouts Thin Mints recipe (I can't vouch for it since I've never made it, but it has good reviews)!

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!

And We Have Winners!

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 :-)

Saturday Shout-Out! to Li'l Ber and Others

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!

Insane Price Reductions at Aromaleigh v. 2!

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.

Here's the link to shop your heart out:  http://www.aromaleigh.com/ :-)

[ENDED] Dawn Eyes LE Valentine's Day 2012 Collection and Giveaway!

Company name: Dawn Eyes Cosmetics
Web site: http://dawneyescosmetics.com/

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 J  WILL 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:-)
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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!

Saturday Shout-Out! to Christie B.

Yep, I'm starting a new weekly feature . . . giving a shout-out to all new followers who joined my site during the previous week. I'm starting with this past week only, so first I have to say "WELCOME" to my past "subscribers." Without you, I'd just be a gal playing with makeup by myself. Now I get to play along with you all :-) So, thanks so much for "following" my blog! 

I'm going to ask new followers to tell a bit about themselves by answering some standard questions: (1) describe yourself in three words: (2) name three foods you like best; and (3) name three "desert-island" cosmetic products.

This weeks shout-out goes to Christie B., who joined on January 26th, and here are her answers:

1. "I would say I am very family oriented. For me I feel that family is not just about blood relation, so my friends are as much my family as my blood relatives. I think I am a strong person. This is something I am doing my best to instill in my daughters as well. I want my girls to know that with a little hard work they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. I think I am a very open-minded person. I like to think of every person, place, and situation as a way to learn something new and grow as a person."

2. "This one is very hard for me to answer with just 3 answers. I love to cook and to bake: It is one of the things that makes me the happiest. Cupcakes make me happy: baking them, icing them, eating them, pictures, anything cupcake! I even have a cupcake tattoo. Chocolate: I am the biggest chocolate lover EVER! And chicken and dumplin's, made from scratch, rolled, not the drop kind, are one of my favorite meals ever since I was young. I think part of it is the memories of standing in a chair helping my mom make them and now teaching my girls how to make them. I love anything grilled or BBQ'd, I prefer charcoal over a gas grill, just something about the flavor it gives is so much better. [LOL :-) Chicken chocolate cupcakes, anyone?]

3. "Nail polish; I can't live without it; flavored lip balms, they can be used for moisturizing all over the body as well; and soap; I hate to stink!"

And here's cute, family-oriented, strong, open-minded Christie chillaxin' in the pool on her floatie after enjoying a meal of chicken and dumplin's and chocolate cupcakes! Christie's blog, Cupcake's Quirky Corner, can be found here.

Welcome, Christie!

Woo to the Hoo!

The owner of Lucky 107 Cosmetics, Rebecca Masters, asked me to do a review of her shop because I "was so thorough"! Glad what I'm aiming for is coming to pass. Anyway, I am just beside myself with excitement. I've swatched all the colors on the back of my hand so far, and the results were scrumpdillyicious! Stand by for a new review as soon as I get some good light here for photographing. I can show you the wrapping and containers and such, but what sort of fun would that be without swatches? There will be a Lucky 107 giveaway, too :-)
 

Luck 107 Cosmetics Harkness

After that comes Dawn Eyes Cosmetics Valentine's Day 2012 LE Collection review and another giveaway! Stay tuned to this station!

DEC Valentine's Day 2012 LE Collection

Pollen Review and Flash-Sale Code

Company name: Pollen {fresh handmade bath and beauty}
Web site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/pollencosmetics

Flash sale code for 30% off entire order: flash30

The Web Site Itself: 5 of 5 Stars

I like the Web site a lot, including the minimalist shop banner :-) It’s quite navigable, and easy to find what you’re looking for. • Product selection: Despite the tag line stating “bath products,” the only thing carries at this point is eyeshadow, which comes in a very good color selection ranging from light to dark and muted to very bright. Under “Shop Info,” there is a link to click if you want to request a custom color. The shadows are very clearly marked in the opening description text if they are not vegan. • Product photos and info: The way in which the products are imaged are the very best possible in my humble opinion: One shot shows the jarred product up close; then there’s a shot of the product swatched; and last there is a shot showing the bottom of the jar/sample baggie with the company name and product list. Also, I‘m just about at the point where I will not buy anything unswatched unless I have read numerous good reviews of it, so this step is crucial to me. The photos also look very professional with good use of a close-up lens. The product list is also on each product’s main page. The descriptions are more than adequate and often even describe the opacity of the product, which is very helpful. • Products to come soon: Finishing powders, foundations, and bath bombs :-)

FS jar of Rare Find

Rare Find swatch

Bottom of Rare Find showing product labeling

Pollen samples showing product labeling

Pricing: 4 of 5 Stars

Prices are as follows: $1.25 for a 1/8-teaspoon sample; 10 samples for $8.50; 6 samples for $5.00; $5.50 for full-size, 3 FS jars for $15.00, and 5 FS jars for $23.00. I think the samples are priced a bit high compared with those of other indie cosmetic companies, but it still works for me. You actually get a more reasonable deal with the sample sets, which knocks the individual sample prices down a bit. The FS jar prices are quite reasonable, especially when purchased in “bulk.” Current sales include a flash sale now through Friday (1/20/12) for 30% off your entire order (code: flash30), and the winter holiday collections are on sale, too!

TAT and Shipping: 5 of 5 Stars

Ordered: 10/02/11

Shipped: 10/03/11

TAT: 1 day!

Shipping: Free (for individual samples) and $1.50 for six samples (I did not price out the 10-sample option). I find this odd because it does not cost $1.50 to send 6 small samples in a standard mailing envelope; you can mail that for $.44. Perhaps she sends them in a bubble mailer. Otherwise, it almost begs one to order 6 individual samples and save on shipping J

Actual shipping: $.44

Shipping email: Yes

Personal shipping email: No

DC/tracking: No (sent in standard mailing envelope; however, my FS order, which was sent in a bubble mailer, did have this feature)

Invoice: Yes

Packaging/presentation: Standard mailing envelope, no business card

Sample packaging: Small 2” x 2” baggies in slightly larger baggie (my preferred scenario)

Extras: Yes (x 4 [I offered to review them; I received one sample when I placed another FS order later])

Product: 5 of 5 Stars

Colors Ordered (my take in italics) [swatches shown in order of descriptions, right to left and top to bottom]

Pollen swatches under direct sunlight

Pollen swatches under incandescent lighting

• Future Sunrise (extra for review): Soft sheer pink with strong golden reflect I love almost anything composed of gold and pink, but this shade had too much gold in it for my coloring. I would have definitely bought a full size if those two components had been more evenly balanced or if the light pink had been slightly stronger than the gold. ALAS, NOT A REBUY :-(

• Jenna Anne Marie (extra for review): Sweet peachy tan with medium sheen and medium opacity “Jena Marie” is the name of my eldest niece, so I was prepared to like this color, LOL, and I did. It truly is a sweet color without being saccharine, and it has a smooth sheen to it. Very nice non-ordinary neutral: Not completely brown, but not completely peach either. POSSIBLE REBUY :-)

• Rare Find: Grey taupe with smoky undertones and plum highlights I melted a little when I first applied this color. You know the feeling when you first put on a shade, and before you even get to covering your entire eyelid, you think, “This one’s a keeper!”? Well, this one was, so I bought an FS jar! ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

• Violet Me Go (extra for review): Bright true, clear purple with low sheen and medium/high opacity As you probably know from past reviews, I don’t do very well with bright mattes. Maybe it’s my age (51 yo), but it’s more likely my coloring: very pale porcelain with pink undertones. They end up just looking harsh on me. I need brights to have at least a touch of shimmer, if not full-on sparkle, to pull them off. Women of color would probably wear this shade very well. I would have ADORED this if it had had a strong satin sheen or even a slight shimmer. UNFORTUNATELY NOT A REBUY :-(

• Forever Green (extra for review): Bright, true green with low sheen and medium/high opacity Oh, dear. I can’t pull off greens very well at all, especially the lucky-clover shade and a low-sheen finish to boot. It’s a very bright color, so if you can pull those off, I say go for it! NOT A REBUY :-(

• Scouts Honor (extra for review): Deep blackened forest green with flecks of turquoise green and medium/high opacity This is more my shade of green: deep, shadowy, and moody. The turquoise flecks keep it from being an ordinary dark green. Plus I’ve always had a soft spot for men in uniform! POSSIBLE REBUY :-(

Customer Service
I didn't have any issues with either of my Pollen orders, but I did email Lindsey several questions both before and after buying my two orders as well as in preparation to write this review. Every single time, she answered me promptly and in a friendly, helpful manner. I'm inclined to believe, just from these experiences, that she would quickly and fairly resolve any disputes about her products :-) 

Would I Buy Again?

Yup, and I already have! I particularly want to try some of the muted pink, tan, and cream shades, and I’m considering asking her to make a custom variation of Future Sunrise :-) Check it out now while the 30% sale is on (through 1/20/12)!

Overall Rating: 4.75 of 5 Stars!
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Please note that I purchased Rare Find, and the other samples were provided to me by the company owner for review purposes.

Dawn Eyes Chrome Collection With Video Swatches

I owe Dawn an apology for taking so long to write this review. I've had the product for several weeks but had a really hard time photographing it. I finally decided to do videos (yes, it's the dreaded "stump hand" plus background noises), which meant I had to learn how to use my camera's video feature and upload videos for the first time on YouTube. Please be gentle with me, y'all :-)

Company name: Dawn Eyes Cosmetics
Web site: http://dawneyescosmetics.com/ 

The Web Site Itself: 5 of 5 Stars

So as not to reiterate, you can see my review of the Dawn Eyes Cosmetics Web site here. As far as I can tell, the only thing different is that raw photos of LE collections are grouped together in one pop-up window so you don’t have to open a window for each color. I like this feature, and I still use it to select which colors I plan to buy. It’s invaluable!

Pricing: 5 of 5 Stars

Again, nothing has changed from my initial review except there is a now a paltry $2.00 shipping charge (for orders <$10.00) after having had free shipping since DEC opened. Shipping rates for international orders have increased by $1.00 for all categories. Orders >$10 (USD) will continue to be shipped for free in the United States. This does not apply to priority mail shipping or international shipping. However, the site does not say if there is free or reduced shipping on orders >$10 going overseas. Can’t complain about anything here! It’s about time Dawn started charging shipping to deliver her lovely goodies to our doorsteps:-)

TAT and Shipping: 5 of 5 Stars

Ordered: NA since it was sent to me free of charge for review purposes

Shipped: NA (ibid)

TAT: NA (ibid)

Shipping: $2.00 (for orders <$10.00)

Actual shipping: Not shown on package (but I know from shipping my own 2-oz. US packages that PayPal shipping with DC is $1.75, so Dawn’s price is entirely reasonable)

Shipping email:  Yes

DC/tracking: Yes

Invoice: Yes

Packaging/presentation: My samples were all contained in a slightly larger zip-lock sample baggie, which was wrapped in pretty tissue paper (marbled pattern in red, orange, and gold shades)

Sample packaging: Very small (cute!) zip-lock sample baggies

Extras: Yes (x 3)

Product: 5 of 5 Stars

Colors Received/Ordered (my take in italics with favorites bolded) (the Chrome Collection was sent to me free of charge for review purposes, but – as Dawn already knows – all opinions are my own!)

GENERAL CAVEAT FOR THE CHROME COLLECTION: All of the shades in this collection are dramatic and complex and thus defied my capacity for description. Unfortunately, in most cases, the shades were (1) either too pale or too bright for my pale alabaster/pink coloring and/or (2) way too pigmented for me to use as a brow-bone highlight. I did not have the vision, the lighting, and/or the camera finesse to see (or capture) the trichrome nature of the shadows as descried below per the Dawn Eyes Cosmetics Web site. Pity for me because they are truly stunning. Depending on your skin tone, your mileage may vary wildly (I hope).

• Chrome no. 01: Blue to gold to green I generally can’t pull off any blue shades (with very few exceptions), and this color was not the exception unfortunately. It’s brightly chameleon-colored though, if you can wear those shades. NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 02: Pink to lavender to blue to green I loved this color so much I ordered more of it despite my current no-buy! It’s pale, but it was in my range of color preferences/suitability. ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

• Chrome no. 03: Green to pink to lavender Way too light and/or bright for me. Just showed up bright light green without the pink and lavender (to my eye anyway). NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 04: Coral to lavender to bright green I couldn’t see the coral at all in this shade (and I was hoping it would work for me because I adore corals) plus it was way too bright for me. I even tried it two times over different bases, and I still couldn’t get it to work with my coloring. NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 05: Lavender to pale orange to blue I would have thought this one would work for me given the particular trichrome color range, but alas, it didn’t.  It mainly showed up light bright blue on my lids. NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 06: Light blue with traces of lavender Way too light (that darn blue again) and/or bright for me. NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 07: Medium blue undertone, purple mid-tone, pink/gold overtone Now we’re talking, Dawn! This is the exact saturation level I need. These (nos. 7 through 9) were the only mid-tones in the bunch (too bad for me, huh?) If I had my druthers, Dawn would remake all of the other shades to be in this range. ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

• Chrome no. 08: Bright pink overtone, deep fuchsia undertone I don’t know how I missed ordering more of this scrumptious shade on my first go ‘round (perhaps the word “fuchsia” in the description scared me off [I usually can’t wear anything with cool undertones]), so I just ordered more during the current sale (which has been extended to 01/06/1012 BTW). It’s neutral enough that I can pull it off. ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

• Chrome no. 09: Bright copper with a rose overtone and a green/gold undertone Love, love, love this shade. It’s right up my alley with lots of warm pink/copper tones. ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

• Chrome no. 10: Fawn undertone with brilliant blue/teal overtone Again, this shade pulled mainly blue on me. I’m starting to wonder if it has something to do with skin pH or other chemistry? I’m also not entirely sure that the fawn counts as part of the duochrome description because I couldn’t see if in the applied color at all (just in the baggie). NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 11: Fawn undertone with brilliant green overtone If you want a dominant bright grass green duochrome, this color is for you! Unfortunately, it made my fair/pink skin look sallow. NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 12: Medium blue undertone with golden overtone (ordered more) This color worked on me despite the fact that I can’t usually wear blues shades. I think it was the generous helping of gold shimmer. So, of course, I promptly ordered more(no-by be damned)! ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

• Chrome no. 13: Light blue to lavender to bright pink I wanted to like this shade so much because of the description, but it showed up mostly blue on me, so I nixed it. NOT A REBUY :-(

• Chrome no. 14: Light bright pink/lavender to copper/orange to coral Oddly enough, this was the one shade in the collection I can wear as a brow-bone highlight if I really sheer it out. ALREADY REBOUGHT :-)

Would I Buy Again? 
Heck, yeah, as I stated above ;-) I don’t just willy-nilly break a no-buy for just any old cosmetics company. I’m trying to convince Dawn to keep this collection in the permanent lineup, so if you’ve tried it and want it to be permanent, too, don’t hesitate to leave a comment here, and I’ll pass it on to Dawn.

Overall Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
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Please note that all of these samples were provided to me by the company owner for review purposes.