Berries!

Ohhhh la laaa, I've been all over berries this summer. Aside from making delicious blueberry, strawberry and raspberry protein smoothies every other morning, I've been all over berry colored lippies. I decided to have a little fun and showcase them by categorizing the intensities: low, medium and high color concentrations.

Sound too technical? HA....well, hopefully my silly pictures make up (get it...make-up? *crickets*) for the professional word usage.

First up. let's start with the loooooow.

[LOW]
L'Oreal HIP Jelly Balm in Luscious

.....what's better than a MAC Tendertone? Nooo, I'm just kidding. I've actually never owned the Tendertones but I don't feel like I'm missing out. Especially since I got them 2 for $8.99. I find these perfect for a little color tint. Like when I'm at work and don't have time to run to a mirror.

[MEDIUM]

CoverGirl's Wetslicks AmazeMint #625

I absolutely love this lippie. This has to be one of my favorites! The color in the tube isn't as dark on my lips so it works out beautifully. The minty taste doesn't hurt either. It isn't too powerful but it is absolutely pleasant applying on the lips. This is a great "gotta run into the mall" or "out to eat with the co-workers" look.

I'm a nut for giving that lipgloss

its own photoshoot, uh? HA!

[HIGH]
NARS Afghan Red

If you are lookin' for a serious berry-licious look, I'm thinkin' that a highly pigmented lipstick is the way to go. NARS Afghan Red is seriously one of my favorite lipsticks. I know, I know. I say that about all of my products, but this baby here has me goin' around pokin' my lips out every time I wear it. It is great for ladies' night out!



How do you feel about berry lipsticks? Yay or nay?





[image source: http://www.inforochester.com]

Mascara Monday-4/28/08

Hi beautiful people! Excuse my silence this past weekend. I had a great amount of posts up my sleeve, but would you believe that I had zero internet service in my hotel room? The horror! No worries...I have lots of goodies this week, but fiiiiirst, it's time for another edition of Mascara Monday.

Yesss, Mascara Monday is where we review a new mascara in attempts to find THE BEST MASCARA EVER!

Now here’s one that I haven’t heard many beauty bloggers talk about. L’Oreal HIP is most known for their eyeshadow color payoffs. But how does their mascara stand up?

You ready to find out?

Price: 2 out of 5
Packaging (Brush Wand): 2 out of 5
Overall: 2 out of 5

What it claims: " Unique combination of an increased new ultra black pigment and a volumizing formula ensures you will get your darkest lashes with maximum impact.


The truth: Well, it does give a little bit of drama, but not HIGH DRAMA. I wish that it could have given me a little length but nahhhh, not a lick of that. The consistency was pretty decent, it didn’t clump and noooo.....it certainly isn’t waterproof. But the black is really black; which I like!

What I loved about it: My lashes did look thicker and more prominent. And I love how it lasted throughout the entire work day.

What I didn't like: It wasn’t enough. I was looking for HIGH drama, but I don’t feel that this mascara gave me that.

Overall: I don’t think this mascara is THAT bad. It definitely isn’t one of my favorites and I don’t think I would purchase it again. However, I’m thinking that this would be perfect when paired with one of my other HG (holy grail) mascaras; namely one that gets my lashes out there. The wand is just “eh”. Nothing innovative or fun about it. It’s not the best wand, but I’ve seen worse. It gave me decent control. You can snag this at most drugstores where L’Oreal HIP is sold. However, this baby runs at regularly priced at $9.99 which I think is a bit steep for a drugstore brand. Better BOGO this one. If you need a good volumizing mascara, check this one out….but only if its on sale.

What do you think about this mascara? Have you tried it and liked it?

[photo courtesy: palacinka.com]

Review & Ish....

My FOTD is blah again. I need some help. Some nice neutral colors....I'm really sad. Someone help me!


Okay....I'll be aight. Been tryin' some new non-MAC things and thought I'd give some quick reviews because I don't know 'bout yall, but I learn about what's hot and not from other folx like myself. Thanks Ms. Riss----I inspire you, you inspire me!

So....top 4 mention-worthy cheap non-MAC steals would be:

(1) Loreal HIP's gel liner:

Yeah yeahhhh, I know it's not MAC's Fluidline. But it's just AS good. I think I only spent $7.99 on it. I do think it's more expensive than that, but I got a deal. I got the black (similar to MAC's Blacktrak) and it was niiice. Put it on with my watercolor brush, nice texture and strong color. I would purchase again. But only if Walgreen's or CVS have a BOGO sale. If you buy it regular price, you should jus gon and spend 2 mo dollars and get MAC. Ya know?

(2) Milani compacts & quads

Some beauty folx trash talk brands like Milani but no matter how much I love MAC, I will never discredit this brand of products. They are great! The color payoff is incredible and one color compact is...get this, $2.99! Now c'mon....even if you don't like the color/quality (which, I'm sure you will) you can't complain too much because it's only $3. Say whatcho want.....I'm buyin' Milani 'til the day I die. Or 'til I can't afford MAC anymore. Which ever comes first. OH---and their quads. So worth the price.

(3) Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner

[WARNING] I'm 'bout to have a WG Moment. OMG, I like totalllly love this stuff. It's freakin' awesome in every way! [Return to Black vernacular] No seriously, this is my staple eyeliner. It's thin, you don't have to sharpen it (I've cut my eye on damn eyeliners) and it stays on foreeever. I've gone to sleep in this stuff and have arisen to eyes that still look pretty decent. Not raccoon eyes. I love it and plan on writing my prenuptial vows for this eyeliner. Another BOGO product from your local drugstores. Regular price I believe is no more than $6.99. Lasts foreveeeer!

(4) Burt's Beeswask Lip Balm

Sooo, before I got into this whole make-up thing, I actually wore nothing but natural products that my Mom, the herbalist, made for me. Now, I looove me some Burt's Bees! With a passion. This stuff not only soothes ya lippies, but the menthol keeps them tingling soft and oh so kissable. Ehhh, can't remember the price. My Mom tried to duplicate the same product and she did a great job. But please get up on this stuff here!




4 is such a random number, I know, but that's all that I could think of. Also worth mentioning is Loreal HIP's Mascara. Ummm, so good. And Ms. Riss, that Loreal Voluminous mascara is pure greatness. I purchased it yesterday and loved it!!


Also heard Milani's loose powders are pretty decent. Completely threw away my Isa Dora stash...was I the only one really into that drugstore brand? I mean I really reallly loved them. I look back at when I used to be a Beauty Advisor at Walgreens and realize how much I did NOT know. So sad. But then again I worked in a neighborhood where the standards were kind of low. If you know what I mean.


But ahhh welll.....off to a meeting. Check out my Beauty Marks (to the left!) I'm getting a collection of so many great blogs. If you know any more, lemme know!

Peace and piece of mind.

Practicing-attempt 1 (pics)

Sooo, I find myself thinking about make-up A LOT. I'm so excited. I wish I had $300 just to spend on items that I want so I could really do the things I want to do. I only have limited colors and that....well, that sucks. I only have 10 MAC colors. Can't do much with 10 and I have Isa Dora, Revlon, Loreal HIP and Milani shadows and the only ones that come CLOSE to MAC's performance is Milani.

Everyone else is terrible.....well, the ones listed above.

So I played around yesterday and came up with TWO hot designs called Parisian Dream and Too Fast. I love them!!

Here goes.....

Look @ Too Fast!

I absolutely love this combo. I probably should not have taken Electric Eel all the way over. I should have done half and half. But I'm lovin' the look!!

Yaaaay, I love this!!! Gotta perfect it, but I think the blending looks good and I'm absolutely in love with the colors. I wish that instead of Trax that I had MAC's Parfait Amour. I hear that's the BEST purple ever and has a great consistency.

Here's what I used: Electric Eel/Trax on lid-----Swimming on Crease-----Vex on eyebrow-----Amberlights on eyeliner. HOOTTTT!

Now introducing....

Parisian Dream!

Hi lovely look. I'm likin' this one too.....

I really hope you're clicking on the actual picture to view because it looks 10x better. The thumbnails don't give the pics much justice. Yaaay!! Lovin' it!

I used: Tilt/Swimming on lid-----Amberlights on crease-----Vex on brow-----Tilt/Swimming on eyeliner. Check me out with both looks.

.....Couture, right? LOL....and check this OUT...

Me and Barbie are rockin' fros....now ain't THAT fly?

Punk Rockher

June 12, 2007

My blending is getting so much better! I wish I could take a picture of my design today. It’s a little “over the top”....got people in the library starin’ at me like I’m crazy, but you know I don’t care!

I’m wearin’ a hott pink shirt so I matched today’s look with the color. It’s called Punk Rockher. So I used Loreal HIP’s hot pink colors on my eyes and some of their pigment on the top. Blended it together perfectly and topped it off with MAC’s Blitz and Glitz fluidline makin’ cat eyes. I took the color allll the way out to my hair line too. On purpose. Just to make it look even more dramatic. I love it. When I get some batteries, I’ll take a picture.

I need to write down all of my designs so I can re-create them.
So far I have....

Iraqian Blues
Jay's Array
Genie
Punk Rockher

Gettin' up in it...

June 8, 2007

I’ve joined a website called Specktra.net. And I’ve learned a lot already!! I’m so excited that I am devoting more time to this. I’m going to go to MAC today and grab 2 new colors and get to work.

Today’s eye design is (and I wish I could upload a picture, but my camera phone is terrible) called…..

Iraqian Blues

....simple but different technique I used on this one.

Products:
Loreal HIP
MAC
Milani
Revlon

I used a Loreal HIP’s gold and dark bronze for the outside and put in circle of MAC’s blue (I’ll learn the EXACT colors one day) in the center. Topped off the upper lid and lower brow with HIP pigment. And then Revlon’s eyeliner and Milani’s liquid eye liner.
Very nice look. I’m proud. More to come….