NYC New York Color Eyeshadow Trio Tutorial

I received a NYC New York Color Eyeshadow Trio in the color 781 "Long Beach Sands" in my Jolly Voxbox from Influenster (more on that in a later post) and I was challenged to create a look and write a tutorial on how to achieve it! This is a very affordable product, especially for makeup beginners who are uncertain of which colors may look good on them (this is a good place to start), these retail for $2.99 in the US (prices may vary by country). It comes with a highlighter (the top shade), an all over lid color (the middle shade) and a crease tone (the bottom shade) as well as an applicator. The guides on the package are only meant to help out but you can certainly mix these colors around to achieve different looks. The texture of this is very fine and super blend-able so don't be afraid to try out various different shades in the product line.

I think a neutral eyeshadow look is one that will flatter many skin-tones, now obviously the darker your skin, the deeper the shades you should use and some of these colors may be too faint or the change in coloration may be too subtle. You can always opt for more contrast in your color choices so I always choose a very light shade and a much darker shade so that they pop more against each other (the top and middle shade of this trio work well together in that respect).

To achieve a subtle and daytime smokey eye with this trio of colors, use your darkest tone (or the middle color in the trio) closest to your lash line and sweep it across. Patting the color on with a fine tipped or thin angled brush will allow you to give the appearance of eyeliner.  Use the midtone (or the bottom-most color of the trio)  on the medium portion of your eye and then the lightest highlighter tone (the top color of the trio) on the crease of your eyelid. This will create a subtle gradient which is suitable for day time activities or night time fun!

DIY Nail Polish Tutorial

Have you ever seen a nail polish color on TV or on someone else that you really liked? And yet you haven't been able to find that shade and purchase it? Or are you just sick and tired of paying $10-$20 for a decent nail polish. Here's a quick way to make your own colors... the possibilities are limitless!

This tutorial might be just the thing you need to spruce up your hallowe'en look this year, too!

You'll only need some very basic materials:

1. clear nail polish or top coat (preferably one that you like and has staying power for best results)
2. eyeshadow color you really love (or more! You can mix these together for unique color combinations) - this can be a pigment or just an eyeshadow in a pan/palette
3. empty container (optional) - this is only if you're making smaller quantities and you don't want to use your entire clear nail polish for one DIY color
4. toothpick
5. funnel made from a rolled up piece of paper and taped together

Steps to Making Your Very Own Nail Polish!

1. First gather all of your supplies.
2. Use your toothpick to pick off some of the nail polish you have and mix different colors together to achieve what you like. In the photo above you can see pink and brown were mixed for a coral hue.
3. Transfer your pigment or powdered nail polish into the clear nail polish OR if you do not want to contaminate your clear polish, funnel the pigment and some clear polish into another container with a lid.
4. Close the container and shake.
5. Apply your fabulous new color to your nails!

I highly encourage you to give this tutorial a try, it's super simple and fun. You'll be so happy with all of the amazing compliments you get and the surprise answer you'll give people when they ask you where you got that beautiful polish!

Happy crafting, everyone!

Product Spotlight: Wet N' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio

These are an oldie but goldie. I know these shadows have been around for years but with the addition of new colors, formula improvements and such a low price-point (from $2.99-$3.49 in most drug or department stores) I feel that these deserve a detailed look. YouTube beauty gurus are constantly raving about how amazing these are and I just had to go out and purchase Walking on Eggshells and Silent Era Film as they looked to me like the most wearable neutrals. Silent Era Film is not in the regular collection, it's part of their new "Be a Runway Beauty" collection, so not every store may have this particular one.



I was pleasantly surprised to find that these colors swatch just as beautifully as they look in the pans! However, they don't have testers in the store (at least not at the Walgreens I picked them up from) so I had to just take the $3.49 risk that all would be as promised.

Exhibit A: Walking on Eggshells

This was by far the most wearable color combination, I think it works great for all skin tones, especially fair ones and I was very pleasantly surprised when I swatched these on my hand, as they really did appear exactly as the pressed color looks in the pan! I have seen this particular color combination reviewed many times so I didn't take any pictures of what it looks like on my eyes. I really like that the colors have stamped into them where they should be placed, this is a wonderful beginner's basic set. The colors are ever so slightly shimmery but I do not think that they settle into creases, especially with a nice base applied first. These are, however, very subtle colors, so if you do choose to apply them over top of your skin without an eyeshadow primer or base, you may notice that they will fade quite easily (all but the crease color which is the intensely pigmented brown). This was a great purchase, I can see why it is a staple for many in their daily makeup routine, it's probably going to become one for me as well.

Exhibit B: Silent Era Film

This color combination was more daring and the crease color really drew me in, especially because it did remind me of 1920's flapper style makeup. Immediately when I saw this in the store, I thought of luxurious fringes, The Great Gatsby and a flapper bob, so I just had to buy it. The light pink browbone is a wonderful illuminator and wakes up your eyes, the intense peach/coral is a pop of wow, and the deep gray is a wonderful anchor. If I saw these colors on their own, I would put the gray in the crease, the light pink on the inner corner of my eye and browbone highlight and the coral on the main part of my lid. I like that the way this was ordered forced me to think out of my comfort zone of placing the darkest color on the crease.

Here's what the suggested look turned out like:

I was extremely happy with the results, it was much more wearable than I had originally anticipated and I look forward to trying these colors in various placements.

In conclusion, I highly encourage everyone to purchase these Color Icon trios, they're magnificent! Even if you have higher end products, this is a great alternative and may let you hold onto your more expensive shadows for special occasions!

Maybelline Baby Lips, Napoleon Perdis and Skincare

Recently I stopped in a few stores and picked up a few essentials for my trip, but I also came across some new products that I was really curious to try out. I'll do a quick rundown, photos and review of each if you're curious about whether or not you should spend your money on these products. I do recommend that if you are traveling, it's the perfect time to try out new moisturizers, facial cleansers, etc. since I doubt most of us want to carry around all those liquid/cream products. Don't mind the hair ties, a girl's always gotta have some knotted hair-ties that look as good in your hair as they do on your wrist (I keep these in all my purses, in my makeup bag, in the bathroom - you never know when you'll have an up-do emergency)! I'm also uber-obsessed with the Yes to Blueberries Facial Cleansing Cloths, I picked them up for $5.99 and I think the scent is absolutely delightful. I was hooked on these when I got them in my Birchbox for the month of September.

NP Set at Target

"NP" Napoleon Perdis Eyeshadow Palette in Dublin - this is a green eyeshadow trio (comes in other colors as well) with nice pigmentation and flecks of shimmer. There are no huge chunks of glitter, but the shades are definitely far from matte. The tones remind me of olive-khaki and would be perfect for the fall. The texture is smooth and creamy. You can find these at Target, they retail for $20, but I got mine on sale for $5.06 because apparently someone had opened it but it was not swatched when I purchased it.

My favorite color is the one in the center as it brings the brightest pop,
the flanking colors are much more muted and neutral

Swatches are smooth, silver to golden flecks of sparkle can be seen
Color on the left swatches as a lighter version to right-most color
Swatched in daylight by a window on overcast day

I don't think that the NP Set colors are so extremely unique that they should be purchased for $20, as I know that Urban Decay has many dupes of the flanking colors in their Naked palettes. I do think that the center color is unique in this Dublin palette and I'm definitely glad I picked it up discounted because it's a set that is nice to have and I will use it. I wish the packaging was a little more high end for the price-point of these sets. It really reminds me of the ELF essentials collection packaging. The applicator is also totally useless as the sponge would pick up the color from your palette but not deposit it onto your eyelid properly. Definitely use a brush you already own to do your eyeshadow with this palette as with any other. You can purchase your set here.


Maybelline Baby Lips - These lip balms have intrigued me for a long time because I've seen them on YouTube as many of the gurus have had them on their "must haves". I only got one in "Peach Kiss" so my review isn't going to be as exhaustive here. I was pretty let down by these because when you apply them they literally feel like vaseline, but I will say that they have a much more pleasant smell. In terms of pigmentation, it's extremely light and when I apply it to my lips, it doesn't even appear as though there's product on them. It's fine for an everyday lip balm, especially since the price is low, but it's definitely not more spectacular than any other lip balm for moisturizing. I find that the product sits atop of my lips and doesn't sink in to moisturize. I'm sure over time I might pick up a darker color just to see if the pigmentation improves, but for now, I found this swatch of the collection, keep in mind this person is lightly pigmented and these colors going over an already-present lip color will be a lot less noticeable.

This blog has a breakdown of the specifics of each color, check it out if you want more info

POND'S Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream and Clarant B3 Dark Spot Correcting Cream - 

First of all, I absolutely love the scent of POND'S products. My absolute favorite so far is the Clarant B3 scent (in the rose tub) because it reminds me of cherry blossoms. I bought these in the small size of 1.75oz in the "travel section" of Target. They're the perfect trial size as they were only around $1. They're filled up generously to the top and it's going to take me weeks to go through these. Both of these creams absorb very easily into the skin and leave your face feeling very moisturized and soft. I apply both creams, with a wait of about 10 minutes in between to let the first one sink into my skin morning and evening (this is especially important if you use makeup wipes which typically contain alcohol and will dry out your skin). You really can't go wrong with these, the formula reminds me a little bit of the Nivea Light Repairing Night Cream, which is my favorite night cream/moisturizer. 

Jergen's Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer - This is a thicker formula moisturizer that is more saturated with oils because it takes my skin a much longer time to absorb. However, I would recommend this over the POND'S formula for dry to very dry skin and I apply it if I'm having a particularly dry skin day (this is for use on your body, it does not specify that it should be used on the face). It can feel a little greasy and the scent is not as pleasant. Again, if you want to try this out, pick it up at the travel section of a store near you and then commit to the larger size if you are pleased.

Lace and Fishnet Eyeshadow Designs

A really cool look that I'm fascinated with and have definitely practiced before is the lace and fishnet eyeshadow designs. When you do one of these looks, you have to be patient because it may not turn out exactly the way you want it to right away. These are great looks for when you want to stand out at a nightclub, if you're feeling quirky, or a Hallowe'en/masquerade party get-up. To do this design you have to own pigments or mineral makeup, otherwise it's going to be a waste of your eyeshadow pots because you'll have to keep packing on color to get your desired result. This is a great solution for any doilies you have laying around the home that you don't know what to do with and broken pairs of tights that your heart just doesn't want to throw out. As long as you clean it after makeup application, you can reuse your scraps for eyeshadow application again.



What you'll need:
- loose powder eyeshadows in the colors you want
- fishnet tights or lace (can be ripped up)
- scissors (to cut the lace to your desired size)
- magic tape
- translucent powder
- fluffy eyeshadow brush or blush brush

First you'll want to put your primer and foundation on so you have a good base for your makeup, this is to keep a matte surface to which the powder can adhere to. You'll need to place your lace or fishnet over your eyeshadow and make sure that you hold it in place, but do this with masking tape (make sure you're not allergic to it and it doesn't stick too much) so that your hands are free to apply the makeup. You have to think in reverse when you're doing this design because the colors that will get filled in are where the holes in your fishnet or lace are, so make sure you pick a lace design that is to your liking and imagine the 'negative space' on it being the design that will make it to your face. Using a loose blush brush or fat shader eyeshadow brush, pack in the color you're trying to get and make sure that you go a little bit at a time because it's very easy to overdo this pattern.


Try not to jiggle your lace or fishnet during this process because this will make the design appear blurry. The most difficult part of this application is the beginning because securing your patterned design and magic tape is really the most important part. Once you have the preparation done,  you'll get a great look! It's easy to clean up any fallout with a q-tip or makeup pad and sharpen your design, finish off with a translucent powder to set. To achieve a perfect cats eye design you will want to put your making tape in a straight line from the outer corner of your eye to the outer corner of your eyebrow. This will create that dramatic, sloped cut off of your colored pattern.

Be creative, be colorful and be inspired by your designs!

Eye Makeup Application Mistakes

Do you often make mistakes when applying your eyeshadow? Do you put too much on and it falls all over your eyelashes? Is your winged eyeliner a constant failure? I'm gonna share with you simple tips and tricks about how to make these mistakes work in your favor, straight from makeup artists I've worked with in the past.

What I've been told numerous times is that the more messy you are with your color application, and the more you blend it out, the better it will look. Does that mean you should apply a ton of color at once? No. It does, however, mean that you can apply whatever is on your eyeshadow brush fairly liberally without worry, as long as you're hitting your target area pretty closely (ie. if you're going for color on your eyelid, make sure you don't put the eyeshadow up to your eyebrows). This is someone anyone with basic motor skills can accomplish, but did you know how to fix your mistakes? If your color spills too much over your eyelashes, what do you do? Do you try to comb it out with a lash brush or pick it out with your fingers? You should do neither of these things because you are likely to irritate your eyes if you fidget with them too much. A simple and aesthetically pleasing thing to do is to get a good thin formula for mascara (such as Clinique or Lancome's mascaras) and apply it in thin coats over your eyelashes that have been covered in powdery eyeshadow. This seems like it would be a bad idea but it isn't because the powder will add much needed volume to your lashes, so rather than having to put on fake eyelashes, you can simply amplify your own this way. The powder will not budge once you have thoroughly coated it in mascara. Make sure not to over-apply the mascara because you don't want bulges and flakes of it.

I always apply my eyeshadow first so that I don't have fallout of whatever color I'm using (usually the darker toned colors are more problematic) on my cheeks after applying my foundation and blush. For this reason, it is always wise to do your eyeshadow first and your concealer, foundation, powder and blush last. You also want to be able to rest your hand on your face so you can anchor it steadily when applying your eyeliner as it will help with the accuracy of your application.

Do you mess up your eyeliner a lot when trying to get that winged look? My simple solution is using a q-tip dabbed in a little bit of makeup remover solution and cleanly removing it, waiting for it to dry, and re-attempting the wing. However, if you make a mistake over your eyeshadow on the eyelid portion of the eyeliner line, you are better off covering your mistake with eyeshadow and a very fine-pointed brush for precision, and then re-applying your liner in a cleaner way. I hope these simple tips helped and you will be less frustrated when making mistakes! You also shouldn't feel like you have to begin all over again because you've made one tiny mistake, there are always ways to fix it.

Lancome's Newest Collection: Roseraie de Delices

Lancome's latest Spring 2012 collection by Aaron De May, their artistic director who is known in the industry as somewhat of a beauty genius (although he somewhat resembles the crypt keeper, see below for reference images), is an absolute beauty to behold. I want every single item they have put out for the collection and I'll show them to you so you can 'oooh' and 'aaaah' yourself.

Crypt Keeper

Aaron De May - Artistic Director of Lancome

As if Lady Gaga hadn't already told us in her latest music video for 'Marry the Night', mint is definitely going to be the huge color trend for Spring 2012 (she had insider information from Calvin Klein, Chanel and the likes) and that's okay with me because it is a delicate, feminine and fresh color. Without further adieu, I present to you the fabulous 5 color all-in-one shadow and liner compacts in Vert Tendresse and Rose Romance!

There's so many options with these! There's lid, crease, shadow, highlighter and liner in each of these, you can mix and match the colors for many different looks and combinations. The rose palette consists of peach and rose tones with a burgundy liner, while the green palette containing mint and forest greens with a darker grayish green liner. I love all of the colors because they have a shimmery iridescence to them that feels youthful and joyous. However, the cost of these is a little steep (as to be expected with Lancome products) at $48 each.

Now, I present to you what *really* caught my attention in this collection, the illuminating smooth powder which is a mixture of rosy pink and pastel shimmers. It's an all-in-one product for the cheeks and face, so you can use it as your face powder and blush, as well as highlighter (the parts that are more shimmery). The cost is, again, steep at $42, but it is such a beautiful item that appears to look like a bed of roses that it almost makes it worth the price.

My least favorite items in this collection are their waterproof eyeliner pens in green and white, I'm not a huge fan of their formulation, it's a little greasy for my taste,  but some people like that. Also, they're expensive at $25.50 each and you can probably find something similar in a drugstore.

The lipstick in this line is kind of adorable because the limited-edition packaging for the cotton candy shade and the color itself are the cutest. However, the 'Le French Touch Absolu Nu' lipstick costs $35 because of the packaging, while the rest are $29, $6 for packaging, Lancome?? Really??? I know that packaging didn't set them back anything so why are they overpricing? 'L'Absolu Rouge Nu' comes in the colors 'Sweet Marmalade' and 'Rose Petal'.

L'Absolu Rouge Nu in Sweet Marmalade

L'Absolute Roughe Nu in Rose Petal

Limited Edition - Le French Touch Absolu Nu in Cotton Candy

Urban Decay NAKED 2 Palette Review

If you know me, you may know that I am a huge fan of the original Urban Decay Naked palette. Such a huge fan, I've been using it since it first came out and love it so much that I try to use a bare minimum of the colors so I don't run out (I realize it's now back in stock, but it wasn't for a really long time at one point!). So imagine my excitement when there was an announcement on Urban Decay's website about something new arriving to do with the Naked line. I instantly rushed to the conclusion that they were going to have another palette, as did many of my fellow makeup junkies. However, many called up the company and were repeatedly told that it would not be another Naked eyeshadow palette. They were lied to. Behold, the new Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay:

Extras that come with the Naked 2 palette

Let's start with the main differences: The Naked 2 palette comes with a dual-sided brush, one side is a shader and contour brush, while the other side is a regular (but very well made) eyeshadow brush. These brushes are of the highest quality and they are from the Urban Decay Good Karma brush line, consisting of the Crease brush and Eyeshadow brush, I have provided links if you are interested in purchasing them separately. This is a nice touch over the dual-sided liner that you got with the original Naked palette, just because people are likely to purchase both and you don't really want to double-up on liners, especially since almost all of their palettes come with the 24/7 pencil eye liner. You also receive a travel-sized lipgloss from their Lip Junkie line in the color 'Naked', this is a really cute added bonus and fits perfectly in your purse for on-the-go touchups. Online, I received a free sample with the order and it was a mini 24/7 glide-on eye pencil in ElDorado. I'm happy about this eye liner because it's a shade I've never tried and am excited to experiment with! However, you won't be getting this necessarily, you may get other samples or colors if you order the Naked 2 online (Sephora won't be giving out free samples with purchase when it hits stores).

If you're looking for a giant change in this palette, you won't find it. The colors are not astonishingly different, they are in the same line of products for a reason. There is an overall neutral theme, but Urban Decay claims that there are more taupe and greige shades in the new palette. I wouldn't say that this is true, however, because the most prominent color is probably bronze (as 5 of the colors learn more towards bronze). There is most definitely a movement away from the overwhelming bronze overtone of the original Naked palette. I will go over every new color and tell you what the comparison is between the new and old one. Foxy is a new and unique shade and is not duplicated whatsoever. Half Baked, unfortunately, is exactly the same in both palettes (this was kind of a cop-out in my opinion, they could have attempted to make a new color here). Booty Call is very similar to Virgin from Naked 1 but it might be a tad more on the peach side. Chopper is orangey and does not appear to be similar to anything other than a lighter cross between Half Baked and Suspect. Tease is a brand new taupe and is matte, but it would be very similar to Sin (Naked 1) if it was shimmery. Snakebite appears to be a shade in between Half Baked (Naked 1) and Smog (Naked 1). Suspect appears unique like a slightly less glittery version of Sidecar (Naked 1). Verve and Pistol appear to be unique colors, they are lighter and are more along the greige spectrum Urban Decay was looking for. YDK is like a mixture between Sidecar (Naked 1) and Toasted (Naked 1). Busted is really just very similar to Hustle (Naked 1) but slightly more maroon. Blackout is unique because it is a matte black eyeshadow and Creep (Naked 1) was sparkly.

Naked Palette (Original)

Naked Palette 2

 I hope you found this review helpful when considering if you would like to purchase this palette or not. It retails for $50 and it really is a great deal because you're getting 12 full-sized eyeshadows (which normally retail for $17/each from Urban Decay), two eyeshadow brushes (which each retails around $26), a free lip gloss, and a free sample from their website. The deal on this is phenomenal and it would make a great Christmas or Hanukkah present for that special girl in your life. I promise you nobody would be disappointed if they received this as a gift. I am ecstatic, my husband purchased this for me as a birthday gift and I couldn't be any more over the moon. I'm a long-time fan of their original and I love this one too. These shades are really practical and you will use this palette every day because it is so versatile.

Side by side comparison of Naked 2 palette (top) vs. original Naked palette (bottom)

Black Friday madness

So, after am enormous Thanksgiving meal, those of us dedicated to shopping, haul our fat butts out the door and waddle on to our store destinations. We do this, hoping against hope that we'll be amongst the first ones there. This is almost never the case, as people have been camping outside of the most popular stores (like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy) for days in advance even in suburban localities outside of Seattle. So without any hope of ever reaching a cash-register within the next 12 hours at any of these stores, my husband and I moved onto ULTA. This store was the complete opposite, it had cutesy deals, very few ladies inside, no pushing or shoving, and we could easily reach the cash register. To me, the decision was simple, I'm a much larger fan of cosmetics than I am of technology anyway, so I picked up a few things.

They had this collection of items which were all just $1, so I grabbed 5 CHI Silk-infusions bottles for $5 because I love the way these make my hair feel (a small bottle usually retails for $14). Then, I purchased a mint lip-balm, swirl lipgloss and 3 ULTA nail polishes for another $5. Most of the items are $3 each, so the savings is of 66%. I purchased two Stila eyeliners in a pack, one being gold (named Koi) and one being silver (named Silver Dollar) as this was on special for $10 when the regular value is around $40, you can still get this deal here. I thought it was a great deal and Stila's smudge stick eyeliners are absolutely fabulous. The pigmentation is strong and they glide on very smooth and easily, they are absolutely perfect for the holiday season. I spent $20 in total on these items and ULTA gave me $5 Bonus Cash, which can be redeemed on the next $25+ purchase at their store. I was very happy with the overall experience.

Colors: The Jungle Look, Alter Ego, Scene Steel-er

I was drawn to the nail polish because the color was very pigmented and festive, also the price was right and I was looking for more colors to perform my 'water-marbled nails' look! This is a fun and funky way to set yourself apart from everyone else.

The next day, armed with new ambition and rigor, we headed out to Southcenter Mall in Renton, Washington. This place was controlled chaos. The parking lot was chock full of cars, there were tons of security guards throughout the mall, but if you can stand feeling claustrophobic, it was a fine shopping experience. The lines to cash out were not that long, especially at MAC. I went to use their BACK2MAC program where I recycled 12 containers and got 2 eyeshadows of my choice, in the colors Brown Script (matte2 finish) and Swish (frost finish). These colors are both very beautiful, and best of all, they were free! The color pay-off is great, as with all MAC eyeshadows and you can de-pot them (which I did) and then recycle these containers as well when you have 6. I only purchased a 15-color palette to house my colors.

MAC's Brown Script (Matte2)

MAC's Swish (Frost)

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving and I would love to hear about your Black Friday deals! Stay tuned for our IKEA haul in an upcoming post!

Sephora Mini-Haul and Product Reviews

Lately, I find myself drawn to a particular texture of makeup rather than one brand or another: silky. Silky means that if you rub the makeup mixture in between your fingers, you feel as though your fingers are coated in the finest layer of silk with no bulges, imperfections, or obtrusions. I think powders with this texture will give the most airbrushed makeup look that you can achieve without actually using an airbrush (or even better than an airbrush, depending on which one you have). I used the VIBDREAM sale at Sephora for the holiday season (20% off all items purchased for Nov. 11-14th) for Very Important Beauty Insiders (people who have spent $350+ in a calendar year at Sephora). I was part of this program because my husband bought me the TEMPTU airbrush system as a wedding present, although we ended up returning it multiple times because of all the defects it had, but that's a story for another time.

I bought myself a tried, tested and true favorite: Diorskin Shimmer Powder by Dior, and then I decided to replenish my depleting quantity of Urban Decay's Grifter, feeling adventurous I purchased Kat Von D's Saint palette and the elusive Korres' Wild Rose Compact Powder (because Sephora is usually out of these). I'll be posting photos of all the products and swatches, as well as my impressions of all of them.

Diorskin Shimmer Powder
The original retail value of this shimmer block is $44, which is quite a hefty price, but it was definitely worth it with my discount. I personally buy the Rose Diamond set because of my skin's undertones, since it comes in either pinkish hues or beige/tan hues. Photos do not do this product justice, it is extremely stunning and flattering. This is one of those products that you can wear every day, even though it is shimmer, without looking like you belong in a nightclub. When applied to the cheeks as blush and above for a highlighting effect, it allows your cheekbones to stand out and people will wonder how you're so naturally beautiful. The sign of a great face product is that it looks natural when you put it on, and this is exactly that. The texture is soft and the color payoff is amazing, the colors are not too bright, like some of the Tarina Tarantino or MAC colors tend to be, it is the right amount of color and there is no fall-out or waste. The product is a generous size and there are four shades of color to choose from. There is a highlight white tone, a ballet-pink shimmer, a mauve-rose blush and a fuschia pink blush. However, the fact that you can mix them all together in whichever way you want allows for uniqueness and creativity on your part. I highly recommend this product, it's one of those that get 100% from me.

Urban Decay Grifter Eyeshadow
This is one of my favorite eyeshadows. You have to realize the gravity of that statement when I say this about an eyeshadow that is not from MAC. Urban Decay's color payoff in this shade is brilliant, you get exactly what you see, you can wash the color out a little bit by applying it with a light hand or you can increase its potency by using a mixing medium or Visine when you apply it. Regardless, this is a product that looks great on fair skinned girls with brown eyes. It's got a quite a bit of pizzazz, some may not be comfortable wearing it at work because of the glitter inside of it. The glitter speckles can be quite large and if you have sensitive eyes, then I do not recommend this eyeshadow. I'm lucky enough to be able to wear it and I love it. This product isn't quite as silky smooth as the others I bought this haul, but it's not bad either. It's a good product for a good price ($17 retail) that you will get a ton of usage out of (I get hundreds and hundreds of applications from one of these pots). Just because it might not be for everyone and it's not from the best company ever made, I'm giving this product an 85%, but I would definitely recommend this to you.

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint
Not particularly liking Kat Von D's style in general, I was reluctant to purchase her makeup and that's why I've waited until I completed my thorough research and asked as many opinions as I could about her products. Can I just say that I was blown away by the quality of this palette especially when comparing it to the price (it retails for $35). The similar predecessor of this palette is Urban Decay's Naked palette, which I also have, and the difference here is that Kat Von D's formula is a lot softer to wear while the colors are vibrant and beautiful, you probably have to use less of this product to get the color you want than of the Urban Decay one. Don't get me wrong, I love them both, but this palette seems a little more practical to me because it has a lot less glitter-specks (only the color '<3' and 'bookworm' have them) and they are very sheer. The palette also comes with her autograph pencil liner in black and this formula is comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner. This palette gets a 95% on my scale and it only doesn't achieve perfection because I wish there were even more colors and the palette was a little larger. However, the packaging is darling, the tin is made of metal and not cardboard like most palettes out there. I do wish that 'Pray For Me' was a little darker when swatched and the camera did not pick up the intensity of '<3' but trust me it really does look like the color you see in the palette.

Korres Wild Rose Compact Powder

I have read stellar reviews on Korres products in general but I've never been drawn to them until I randomly was walking through Sephora and touched this powder out of curiosity. Swatching this item feels like you are running your finger through a cloud. It most certainly is a far cry from MAC's studio-finish powders which are a little harsh to the touch. I don't yet know what kind of coverage this gives, but I tend to use my powder after foundations and this will work perfectly for me. Another bonus is that their 02 Golden Fair color is exactly my skin-tone and I rarely find my exact warmish pinkish hue in any makeup brand. I'm thrilled to try this out, you basically can't even see the powder on my skin in the swatch, but I assure you it is there. I give this product an 80% so far because I have yet to try it and I wish it had a little bit of shimmer in it for an even healthier glow (although I realize it's not practical to wear shimmer everywhere, I'm going to try to impress upon you that we should all always be wearing a bit of shimmer). Also, this didn't rate as high on my scale because I just can't get as excited about a powder as I can about eyeshadows, and the packaging was just bland. It opens up to reveal a little sponge underneath the product, which thoroughly annoyed me, because I thought there was going to be a lot more product (as the case would lead to believe) than there truly is. However, this is one of those products that is healthier than the rest because it is formed without parabens, aluminums and other nasty chemicals we shouldn't be putting on our faces, so I guess beauty and quantity suffer for health. It has a pleasant scent, sheer coverage and reduces shine, all bonuses when it comes to powder compacts. It's also $28 which is not quite as much as some of the other powders on the market.