Tag Archives: beauty blogger

My Hair: FAQ

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HAIR FAQ

Is it real?

Yes, it’s real. I mean, most of it. Some of it is fake.

Wow, who does your hair?

I do it myself. Yes, color and cut. And the extensions too. No, I’m not a hairstylist. To be fair, my best friend gave me this sweet mohawk recently. No, he’s not a hairstylist either.

Can I touch it?

You probably don’t want to. But no, you can’t. Don’t be weird.

What’s that… Stuff?

Oh, I collect little bits of random things. I keep it in a box labeled “hair stuff”. Right now, you’re looking at Christmas tree lightbulbs, keys, a broken necklace chain, synthetic dreads, leather cord, and beads.

Does it hurt?

Only if I lay on it the wrong way. It’s much more likely to hurt someone else. That’s a really weird question, BTW.

How do you wash it?

I don’t.

What products do you use?

Yes.

No, really. What products do you use?

Okay, here is an abbreviated list of things that are or have been in my hair: Cheap hairspray, Elmers glue, playa dust, sunscreen, lotion, beeswax, salt…

How do you get your eyebrows to match?

They’re natural. I get it from my dad’s side of the family. 😂  Same place I get my awesome sense of humor.

Don’t be a smart ass.

I shave them off and paint them on freehand with a thin paintbrush. Currently I use a long-wear liquid lipstick that matches my hair. If it’s black I use liquid eyeliner. If it is purple I use either purple liquid eyeliner or a matching eyeliner pencil set with matching eyeshadow.

What does your hair look like usually?

Exactly how it looks right now, but probably pinned or pulled back instead of fluffy and everywhere.

Does it take a long time?

Sometimes. Usually I just wake up with my hair looking all weird and hairspray it so it’ll stay weird. When I have it up like in the picture, it takes at least half an hour, but I can really just mess with it forever if I want to.

…okay.

I’m glad we had this little chat.

DIY Hair? Sure, bring a friend!

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It’s relatively well known that I tend to have hair that is crazy, fun, weird, brightly colored, fake, or whatever else. What a lot of people don’t know is that I do my own hair. Dye, cuts, extensions, shaving, all of it. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when I can get to a stylist and let them go nuts with it, but I’ll be honest: I’m lazy.  

 My hair is a hot mess here. Pay attention, I’m about to talk about the gentleman on the right.
Well, I have been getting tired of my one-length, growing out, shapeless hair mass. So I enlisted the help of my BFF Kurt, (pictured above laking a very serious face for some reason ¯\(°_o)/¯)  and said “shave some of it off.”

…actually, hold up. Let me tell you about Kurt for a second because his hair is way better than mine.

 These are but a few of the incarnations of Kurt.

Kurt is a mythical creature with great hair and weird jokes. When I was 19 and had just discovered Information Society, my main goal in life became “Have hair as cool as Kurt’s.” Fast forward a bunch of years, anyway, and as a weird and wonderful twist of fate he’s my BFF and I trust him to use his completely nonexistent hairstyling training to make my hair look weird as hell. 

   
 

I had him shave off the sides and leave d everything long, well, long. It worked. Now I have a mane of long hair and the lame hair on the sides that was all kinds of different lengths is gone. 

 (Unplugged headphones were because I had not yet plugged them in, not as some sort of choad fashion accessory)



Thanks Kurt! ❤️

Do you cut your own hair? Would you let a non-hairstylist friend do it for you?

Makeup of the Day

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I bet you didn’t know my hair was this long. I’ve had it short since 2001, the longest it ever gets is about this length. When I dyed it recently, I couldn’t get all of the black out, but due to some stroke of luck I got enough out that it dyes burgundy when I hit it with the fuchsia dye I use (SpecialFX Virgin Rose).

Eyes: Stila eyeshadows in Porcelain, Coffee and Bronze, Rimmel Soft Kohl eyeliner in Stormy Grey, City Color Be Bold mascara in Black

Lips: MAC lipliner in Spice, NYX lipstick in Thalia

Face: Wet n Wild Fergie Centerstage Mattifying Powder in Pedestal

Fragrance: Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs “Nemesis”

NYX and Stila Eyeshadow Swatches

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This is the Stila “Eye for Color” eyeshadow palette. It has 13 eyeshadows in it – a light and dark of six colors, plus a shimmery black.

  
They seem to overall be well pigmented, which is great! The Petal Pink color is pigmented as well, but it is very light and so is my skin. 😜

Top (L to R): Petal pink, burgundy, bronze, coffee, moss, green

Bottom (L to R): Blue green, navy, lilac, orchid, porcelain, bisque, black

  
There are the three NYX eyeshadows Rachel sent me — good god look at how richly pigmented these are! Wow. And go on silky smooth… I think I’ll have to do eyeshadow with these tomorrow.

Swatches (L to R): Rock, Bright Green, Lime Juice

Well COLOR me excited to try these out.

See what I did there?

Color?

Lol. 

Books and Shoes

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As if I wasn’t enough of a nerd, I store my two favorite collections (my Fluevogs and my amassed J. R. R. Tolkien reference library) in the same place. 

THE BOOKS

  

Left to right:

The Silmarillion (hardback)

The Silmarillion (trade paperback)

The History of Middle Earth vol. I-XII:

  1.  The Book of Lost Tales 1
  2. The Book of Lost Tales 2
  3. The Lays of Beleriand
  4. The Shaping of Middle Earth
  5. The Long Road and Other Writings
  6. The Return of the Shadow
  7. The Treason of Isengard
  8. The War of the Ring
  9. Sauron Defeated
  10. Morgoth’s Ring
  11. The War of the Jewels
  12. The Peoples of Middle Earth

The Children of Húrin (hardback)

The Hobbit

The Lord of the Rings

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle Earth

The Lord of the Rings (leather-cover)

The Silmarillion (paperback)

The Tolkien Reader (Ballantine Books compilation, 1st edition 1966) – it’s not worth anything but it was a cool thrift-shop find!

The Complete Tolkien Companion  (by J. E. A. Tyler)

…not that I’m a nerd or anything. I also own a couple of LotR related art books, including one that is an atlas, but I packed them away “to be safe” when I moved up to Seattle from California and still have some boxes which have not been unpacked – and I moved in 2012.

Let’s move on to the fashion-y part!

THE SHOES

  

I have a Fluevog “problem.” At this point I’ve managed to replace most of my other shoes with Fluevogs, because I’d rather own fewer shoes of higher quality than more that will fall apart. But now I have more Fluevogs than I had regular shoes… And I neeeeeeeed mooooooooore. I buy them pre-owned on the cheap and on sale – I don’t have the money to purchase new.

Left to right:

  • Friends Mae
  • Derby Swirl
  • Yunnan
  • Zaza
  • Hi Vanny
  • Moon
  • Vera Ellen
  • Angel Bill
  • Arabella (worn)

You can’t see my Defender boots in this picture because I wrecked them at Burning Man and I haven’t had a chance to clean and condition.

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen – FIRST IMPRESSION

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Well that’s a mouth full, isn’t it?

I got a sample of Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer with my last Sephora order.  I’m so pale that usually when I get a sample card of foundation stuff, I chuck it immediately; however, when I glanced at this, I noticed the “fair” shade was actually pretty fair.  I did just glance at the card, though, and I mistakenly thought this was a typical BB cream.  So, I sat down to do my makeup with this and just went a-slappin’ this all over my face.

As I’m applying this, I’m thinking, “Uh.  What.  This feels like a primer.  With silicone.  And silica.  And it feels WEIRD.  What…….the…………HECK?” Yet, it has color to it.  The fair color oddly matches my skin tone, which is around a MAC N10 or NW10, which is crazy because that never happens.  The strange thing about it is that Tarte claims you can wear this alone as a BB cream/tinted moisturizer type thing, or under foundation.  I’m here to tell you that as a BB cream or tinted moisturizer, it has basically no coverage and a completely weird finish.  I did attempt to wear this by itself with just a bit of concealer (NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer) and the lame thing about that was, it didn’t play nice with the concealer…I feel like primers are supposed to make blending easier, but this made it harder to move the product around.  ANYWAY, as I was applying it, I looked at the sample card a little better and was like, “OHHHHH, you can use this as a primer, too.”  But the other thing about this primer is, it didn’t really seem to fill pores or blur fine lines, so I’m not sure why I would.  My Tarte Clean Slate Poreless primer does that in spades!

This product also has an SPF of 30 and the sample size has about the amount you would need for a full face to get that SPF…except there’s no way you could use that full amount without being a hot mess.  So, you’re not going to get the full amount of sun protection claimed when using this product.  You’re about to see where I’m going with this, but first, let’s see what the claims are on the Sephora website:

Indulge your skin with this powerful multitasker that works as a primer, moisturizer, light foundation, antiaging treatment, and sunscreen to give you a youthful-looking glow. Worn alone or as the perfect base for makeup, this 12-hour, age-defying, oil-free primer offers light-to-medium, buildable coverage that helps even skintone and other skin imperfections while diffusing light to minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and pores. The creamy, silky formula goes on smooth and blends easily, leaving you with a natural-looking, flawless finish with a broad-spectrum, chemical-free SPF 30 that offers ideal protection from the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays.

What else you need to know:
Beauty Balms or BB Creams were originally developed as a perfect post-procedure cream used to treat, hydrate, prime, protect, and camouflage the skin. Great for all skin types including those with sensitive skin, these versatile “five-in-one” formulas are designed to do it all: treat with high levels of active skincare ingredients; moisturize and smooth dehydrated skin; prime and perfect skin’s surface; camouflage and color correct the skintone; and protect skin from the sun with SPF. They can be used as a last step for their skincare benefits or used on their own as an instant beautifier.

This product is powered by tripleB complex, a proprietary blend of natural diamond dust, plants, and lipoamino acids that diffuses light and minimizes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and pores while improving the appearance of skin luminosity.

Research results:
In a consumer panel study:
– 100% of women immediately saw an improvement in the surface texture of skin for smoother makeup application
– 97% of women saw and felt smoother, softer skin
– 91% of women said fine lines appeared minimized
– 94% of women said pores appeared less visible after 4 weeks

Pretty hefty claims for a primer!

In conclusion, basically I have a beef with BB creams in general that are trying to be all things at once, and that is that they usually fail to do any of those things well.  Skipping steps may seem faster, but you’re going to lose out in the end – lose out on sun protection, coverage, the actual function of a good primer, and the skin care benefits you’d get from a great skin care regimen.  Products that claim to “do it all” rarely can.  Since this is a first impression, I cannot speak to the results over time, but I can say that it did not blur fine lines or fill pores and it did not hydrate my skin and I was not able to use enough to get good sun protection and the coverage was slim to none.  I have yet to try it underneath a foundation, but I can tell from the consistency I probably don’t need to…no need to fix what isn’t broken.  I’ll stick with my great skincare (including antioxidant serum, high SPF, and a badass primer) and take that extra 5 minutes to use seperate products rather than trying to use one product that’s trying to be all things.

For reference, here’s me wearing the product just after applying.  It’s hard to tell about the coverage, because I did go in and spot conceal because I just couldn’t stand it, LOL!  It didn’t really control oil and I did have to blot after about 2 hours.

IMG_7943

Your mileage may vary with this one, but I’m going to say DEFINITELY get a sample before shelling out $36 for 1 ounce!

Have any of you found an all-in-one product like this that actually works for you?

Nuxe Réve de Miel lip balm – HOLY GRAIL STATUS!

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You guys, I’m a bargain shopper.  I hunt down deals like it’s my job.  I hate paying full price for anything and I love finding inexpensive, high quality items that get things done, or expensive items on mega clearance.  That’s why for years when I saw bloggers rave about this $20 lip balm, I rolled my eyes and figured this was just another item that gained cult status because it seems luxurious and special as it’s imported from France.  

I was wrong.

It’s fall in the mountains.  My electric heat is murdering my skin.  My lips looked something off the set of The Walking Dead.  All the amazing matte lipsticks I had finally been able to wear (improved creamy formulas like Maybelline Creamy Matte) suddenly were doing awful things to my lips.  I tried Eos (meh), Jack Black (fairly ok), Malin + Goetz (decent), and hourly slatherings of Aquaphor, including before bed.  I made sure my Sensodyne toothpaste was SLS free (it is).  I drank a ton of water. 

When the cracking and peeling turned to flat out bleeding into my mouth, $20 started to sound not so bad.  I mentioned the product to my husband, who works at Target, where they carry it in the import section.  Then I was like…”nah, I seriously cannot pay that much for lip balm!”  And then he came home with it the next day because he knew I was miserable.  (Did I mention he’s a keeper?  I gave him many “fancy imported kisses” yesterday!). The product is actually $19.00 at Target and double the size of most balms, at half an ounce, so that took some sting out of the price.

  
Nuxe Rève de Miel is not like any lip balm I’ve ever tried.  In the jar, it has this lovely creamy honey look.  It feels a bit stiff to the touch, but the magic happens when you warm the formula up.  That’s when the mix of beeswax, honey, and oils warms up and…what is this?  It actually penetrates into the lips to plump and hydrate them instead of just sitting on top of them!  Aquaphor and Vaseline are good for protecting, but this actually penetrates and that’s when the healing really takes place.    What’s so great about this is it lasts and lasts…hours later, even after drinking and eating, it’s still there.  I put it on before bed…still on 8 hours later!  Crazy!  And the fragrance is so light and delicate…like grapefruit and honey.  I’m extremely sensitive to smells because of migraines and this light and natural scent is delightful.  It doesn’t linger for too long, either. 

The most interesting thing about this treatment is that it has a matte finish, making it a good choice for men, as well, who need protection from the elements and don’t want glossy lips (FYI, the Jack Black balm is also matte).  The awesome thing about this matte finish is that if you use it sparingly, it makes a great base under lipstick without changing the color or finish of the lipstick.  Just try that over Aquaphor – you’ll end up a greasy mess!

At about 24 hours, the area of my bottom lip that has been jacked up for two weeks is finally healing.  I’d say by tomorrow, my lips should be golden.  This is staying in my winter dry skin arsenal along with my humidifier and Nivea cream.  Yeah…it’s that dry here! 

Nuxe Rève de Miel…I will find a place in my budget for you!  And bloggers…sorry I mocked your fancy $20 lip balm.  I admit it, YOU WERE RIGHT.  😀 

So, how do you care for your skin in the winter? 

Makeup of the Day 

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Kristin and I have been absent from the blog for a bit, having been victims of Stupid Life Stuff, but I have a couple of posts lined up that I am pretty excited about!  First up, a quick post about today’s look – a casual fall look featuring warm colors. 

  
MAKEUP:

FACE:  Smashbox Photo Finish Primer on T-Zone, Rimmel Lasting Finish foubdation in Light Porcelain, MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW10 to spot conceal, no powder, NYX HD powder blush in Taupe to contour, Benefit Dandelion Blush, MAC Lightscapade Mineralized Skinfinish to highlight

EYES:  Too Faced Shadow Insurance, MAC Vanilla shadow to highlight, INSPR eyeshadow in Carnival, Urban Decay Black Velvet 24/7 Liner, Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo Ebony with mini brow brush

LIPS:  NYX Nude Pink Lip Liner and Rimmel Kate Moss matte lipstick in 105

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I love this fall look because it’s warm, but still neutral enough that I can pull it off with my cool toned skin and hair.

What are you wearing this fall? 

Glad to be back!

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Well, Kristin is still out at Burning Man and I’m still recovering from being sick, but I’m so glad to be back on the blog!  It’s been nice to relax as a newly married old lady (heh), even if I have felt like crap, ha!  It feels even better to put my face on and feel like “me!”  I’ve also been experimenting with layering my necklaces.  I’m wearing 2 wax seal pendants from Plum and Posey and a hummingbird skull pendant from Skeletos; both sellers can be found on Etsy.


MAKEUP BREAKDOWN:

FACE:  MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW10, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, MAC Set Powder in Invisible, NYX HD Blush in Taupe to contour, Benefit Dandelion Blush, Guerlain Meteorites in Clair

EYES:  Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow in Bone, Urban Decay Eyeshadows in Skimp, Bordello, and AC/DC(Feminine Palette), L’Oreal Super Slim Liner Black, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Ebony, Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara black

LIPS:  Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lovecraft

What are you wearing today?

Stratton Convertible Compact and How to Depot Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

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So, I’ve been out for about a week sick!  But before I became ill, I did this fun little project.  You see, my cats stole my other vintage Stratton compact from atop my dresser and I have yet to find it.  My boyfriend and I have looked under all the furniture, etc.  We are completely mystified!  I decided to get another compact, this time something to keep in my purse.  This one is modern and holds pressed powder.  It’s a bit thicker so it will hold a modern powder puff (it did come with one that fits in the sifter, but I prefer the velour puffs).  It just so happens that there are only a few powders that fit in these and the ones that are actual refill types didn’t look light enough for me.  The two types that looked like they would work for my pale skin are Estée Lauder Lucidity and Rimmel Stay Matte.  Seeing as how the Rimmel has great reviews and is $3.99, it was the obvious choice.

So, here’s my lovely Stratton compact in the Art Deco design.  

  
Here’s my towel laid down to cushion my powder when I pop it out of the pan.  I used the candle method to depot my powder.  I don’t have to tell you to open a window and turn on a fan when you do this, right?  We are talking melted plastic fumes, here.  Hell, do it outside!  And BE CAREFUL.  I seriously have a friend who’s house burned down this week.  Be vigilant when messing around with fire!  Ok, Mom Moment over.

  
You can see on the back of the Rimmel Stay Matte that there are a couple of pin holes.  These aren’t really going to do a whole lot of good though.  The glue is in one blob right in the very center, so you can’t really push it out with the pin hole.

  
I held the candle over the label for a few minutes, using metal tongs.  DO NOT hold it with your fingers.  Burns hurt.  

  
WTF?  These old grilling tongs should be replaced, LOL!  Anyway, they’re good for something. 

I was able to peel the label off with ease. 

  
Then, I held the compact over the flame.  I was REALLY surprised at how fast it melted!  The glue is all one big dot under that cross area in the center.  You want to melt around that, and then you can slip a knife in under it and pop the pan out.  Don’t burn yourself! 

  
All out.  Nicked it with my nail, heh!  Pretty perfect, though. 

  
The circle of glue popped right off the back. 

  
A perfect fit!  My velour powder puff sits on top and when the compact is closed, it holds the pan perfectly in place, so there is no need for a magnet. 

These compacts seem to sell for $60-100, so I was shocked to find this new one on eBay for $10. Total cost for this project was just under $15.00.  Depotting is a pain, but this piece is so unique and fun to use!  And this huge pan of powder will last ages, as I am just using for touch ups.  

Have you depotted any powder makeup products before?  I also have done this with many eyeshadows and blushes, so I’m kind of a pro at it by now.  Putting stuff in palettes really saves room!