Monthly Archives: June 2015

Makeup of the Day: Mad Max Edition

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…you know, I’m not going to list the products I used. I’m going to tell you what I did.

I took a 1″ paint brush and wet it, then made sure to saturate it with as much black eyeshadow as I could. I then closed my eyes and grabbed the brush and smeared it across my eyes with my eyes closed. I got the rest of the pigment off the brush by randomly dabbing it around my eye area. Then I put black eyeshadow on all of my fingers, rubbed my hands together, and wiped them across my eyes as though I was wiping sweat off my brow.

Heavily lined just the bottom of my eyes with a dull black eyeliner and dragged it out towards my temples. Then went back with liquid eyeliner to add the war stripes. 

Finally, I drew lines down my chin from my lips and filled in my top lip with black eyeliner.

Makeup ain’t always glamorous! Sometimes it’s FIERCE.

My NYX Memorial Day Sale Goodies <3

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At the end of May, I posted about NYX’s annual Memorial Day sale.  I took this opportunity to grab a few things I had really been wanting, but had not yet trekked across town to Ulta to get (especially considering our Ulta is not always well stocked and it is 20 minutes away).  It took quite a while to get my order, because this is a huge sale and it takes a while each year for them to process that many orders – but the savings are worth the wait!  I got all this for a whopping $20.00 USD:

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NYX Wicked Lippie in 01 Betrayal, NYX Primal Colors pressed Pigment Hot Black, NYX HD Blush in Taupe, NYX HD Concealer in Porcelain

Let’s take a look!  First up, the thing I’m most excited about, the HD Blush in Taupe.  I have been contouring for years with MAC’s Sculpt Powder in Bone Beige.  It is light and sheer enough for my porcelain skin, but it has a bit too much redness in it for my skin tone.  I make it work because it’s in a duo with a favorite highlighter (MAC Shape Powder in Emphasize).  I have been wanting to try a more taupe colored contouring product, though, because let’s face it…shadows are not brown.  I am pleased to say, this blush fits the bill for that purpose (there’s a photo at the end of this post of me wearing it.).  Plus, the compact is very slim and takes up very little room in my kit and has a cute bow on the the clasp:

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NYX HD Blush in Taupe

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Would you look at that?  It’s not orange!  Hallelujah and praise the makeup gods!

Next up, the product I’m almost as excited about, because pale concealers at drug store prices are a bit of a unicorn…the NYX HD Concealer in Porcelain:

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NYX HD Concealer in Porcelain

I’m also wearing this in the photo at the end of the post.  This is a great high coverage concealer that works wonderfully for concealing imperfections on the face.  It’s too thick and dry for using under my eyes; however, your mileage may vary.  I’m using NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer for that.  The NYX HD Concealer shade Porcelain is a lovely pale shade with a slight pink undertone that works great with my MAC Studio Fix Fluid shade in NW10.  It’s a keeper!

Next up, NYX Primal Colors pressed pigment in Hot Black:

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NYX Primal Colors pressed pigment in Hot Black

When I went to use this product today, I used it as an eyeliner with an angled eyeliner brush.  It performed extremely well, but I did have some fallout as I was applying, getting some black powder on my cheeks.  I sometimes forget this is an issue with pigments, whether they are pressed or not.  I would say use this product where you do your eyes first, then the rest of your makeup.  The great thing is, this is blaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.  Like, black like my soul black (hahahaha!!!).  It works great as liner and you could also use it to set pencil or gel liner.  I have not tried it as eyeshadow yet, but hey, goth night is coming up…oh hey, maybe I’ll wear it to the Voltaire show tomorrow!  (I am wearing it as liner in the photo at the bottom of this post, blended with Urban Decay Mushroom eyeshadow.)

All in all, I have to say that while NYX can be a hit or miss brand for me, I love everything I got in this order.  (I am also wearing the Photo Loving Primer underneath my foundation today – a long time favorite!)  I am wearing the concealer, blush for contour, and black pigment here.  I like that the contour is subtle, but I can go heavier for an evening look if I want to.  The only thing I haven’t tried yet is the purple lipstick, but the photos I’ve seen online are (wait for it) Wicked.

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Also shown:  Urban Decay Smoked eyeshadow palette, MAC Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre, Maybelline Lilac Flush lipstick with L’Oreal Extraordinaire Lip Color in Purple Prelude

What are your favorite NYX Products?  Have you tried any of the new stuff for 2015?

And now, your moment of fail

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I recently ordered some stuff from NYX from their Memorial Day sale.  Some sweet warehouse person saw that I ordered a black eyeshadow and threw in a freebie pencil brush – how nice!  As I was snipping off the plastic wrapper, the brush slid down in the package…


Well, it’s the thought that counts.  Sigh.

Have you ever had an un-boxing disaster?  This is not my worst one, by far.  I once stabbed a pair of scissors right through the fabric of a corset.  Luckily, it was a cheap one (giggle)!  Yes, yes, I know…each time I swear I will pay better attention!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade 

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MAC has released a few versions of this beautiful pressed mineral powder highlighter over the years.  I have the current version in the permanent line with the new magnetized compact (MAC, please do this with all your compacts – never another broken nail!).  There is a limited edition version where the powder top is texturized, but I’m not sure how it compares to this one.


MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade

The product itself is beautiful.  You can see ribbons of gold, blue, and peach swirled throughout the yellowish base.


Swirled together, they come out to a very light champagne color, a light shade leaning slightly warm.  This highlighter is actually light enough to highlight fair skin, which is hard to come by!  I’m a MAC NW10 and this is perfection on me.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade swatched heavily

This product can be worn heavily for a metallic sheen, or applied lightly for a barely there glow that’s suitable for daytime.  It’s shimmer without glitter; this will not emphasize imperfections in the skin like something that’s frosty might.


I wish my iPhone could show how it looks on me…I will get my fancy camera out and get a photo in the sun!  I’m wearing it here, but my house was so dark, it’s hard to tell. 😉


Lightscapade on high points of the face, worn with Urban Decay Bittersweet Blush and MAC Up The Amp lipstick

This compact comes with a whopping 10 grams of product.  It’s going to take ages to go through it, which is one reason I allowed myself to shell out $32.00 for a highlighter.  Next, I’m going to try it as an eyeshadow highlight.

MAC makes this great product in other gorgeous shades for darker skin tones and even colors that function like bronzers.  Do you use the Mineralize Skinfinishes?  How do you like them?  For me, I’ve found a new daily staple.  I only wish I had splurged sooner!

Makeup of the Day

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Five minute makeup!

  

Eyes: MAC eyeshadows in Nylon, Ricepaper and Aquadisiac, Wet n’ Wild MegaLiner liquid eyeliner in Black, Urban Decay Perversion mascara

Face: Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo Powder Foundation in Light 44, NARS cream concealer in Chantilly

Lips: Rimmel Provocalips lip paint in Dare to Pink, Cailyn lipgloss in Love Affair (I think – rubbed the name label off)

Guys, serious alert here on the face stuff! If you have desperately pale porcelain skin like mine, these are fantastic. The powder foundation isn’t heavy and cakey like some powder foundations, it actually looks really natural… And te concealer is hands down the best concealer I’ve ever used.

Product Review: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish

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Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in “Combustealble” with Top Coat

Being a barista is very hard on one’s hands. You’re constantly getting your hands wet, prying things open, exposing them to heat, getting them covered in coffee, and generally putting them through lot of wear and tear. For that reason, I constantly am in search of nail polish that can take the abuse – I love having them polished but even if I’m careful, my manicures rarely last more than a day without becoming unwearable.

A while back, however, my bestie down under Dina’s mother Niki posted to FaceBook that she’d tried a product I’ve been skeptical about: Sally Hansen’s “Miracle Gel” line. She says:

  

I didn’t expect that my 50s would include keeping my nasty nails covered. So that’s why I am uncharacteristically calling out the best new product that I learned about in a magazine. (I can’t remember which one, but HEY! That’s another thing about my 50s.) The new Sally Hansen Miracle Gel (2 steps, no special lights) is the best thing I have ever put on my nails. Those who know me well know that this is proven by the fact that my nails look this good after five days (including a bike ride to Ojai, time on the beach and a major pepper roasting/peeling session). This stuff is better than salon gel or shellac, IMHO, especially since it comes off easy-peasy with my nontoxic Zoya remover.

“Well hot damn,” I thought, “If this stuff can stand up to the beach and peeling roasted peppers, It might work for me!”

When I stopped in at my local drugstore I gravitated towards my favorite nail polish color — shimmery teal — and decided to give it a go. To wear it, you put on a couple coats of the color itself, let it dry, and then use the top coat to “activate” it. The idea here is that instead of curing the polish with a UV light like you do at the salon, it finishes like a regular nail polish and is further “cured” by natural light.

  
Coffee grounds not included – add your own to get this look

I used three coats rather than the suggested two, because this shimmery shade goes on a little bit streaky. The color itself already gets s A+ in my book! It also dries fast so there’s less of a chance to smudge or chip it. The top coat applies like any old regular top coat. It’s not quite as glossy and “hard” as my standard Seche Vite.

  
Don’t judge my cuticles, I just told you what I do to my hands!

This is after working two full shifts. As you can see there is minor edge wear on my pinky finger, but I’d have been floored if not – I got it stuck in a metal grate while cleaning an espresso machine. My regular manicure is usually ruined by now and in need of redoing.

I think in the future I may try putting a top coat like Seche Vite over it once everything has dried and had a chance to “cure,” but for two days in this is pretty good! It advertises up to 14 days, but with my job that’s likely impossible.

I’ll check back in in a few days with an update, but given that by now my nails are usually wrecked, I think it’s fair to say that this may indeed live up to being called “Miracle Gel”. If it can take a few days on the hands of a professional barista, it’s got a lot going for it.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polish can be found at most drug stores for between $7.99 and $9.99 per bottle, but I have seen it as a “starter kit” of one polish and the topcoat for $12.99-$14.99.

Thanks for the tip, Niki! 😊💅

Bargain Alert! Costco has Maxis!

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Solid black maxi by Design History, Pink & black maxi by Fever Clothing

I went to Costco today and was killing some time, browsing through their clothing section. There on a rack: Rows of really on-trend maxi dresses! Solids, prints, flattering cuts and get this: I’m only 5’1″ and the size S – look, I can see my feet! To be fair, that’s because I have a substantial rack and it helps hold the hem up by a few inches… 

  
But at $17.50 or so each, these are a steal. Some of the available colors are above but there’s a heavy emphasis on stripes. They are made of soft knit fabric that is just perfect and breezy for summer, but I bet a sweater or hoodie would make them lovely for spring or autumn. 

I’m going back for more! I never miss an opportunity to stock up on stripes – fun, flattering, and a little edgy! Of course the solid black ones are timeless flattering looks too… Look at that awesome braided and gathered neckline!

  
Being that it’s Costco and their inventory changes, your store may not carry them. And if they do, jump on it! They might be gone next time!