Review: Senna Mineral Eyes Trio in Satin Doll

I had been meaning to put up these reviews much earlier, but I'm easily distracted by new pretties. Senna Cosmetics sent me a bunch of products after reviewing their lipgloss here (dislike) and I've already reviewed their lipsticks here (love). I figured I'd finally put up reviews for at least one of the other products! I have a few others as well to put up.

One of the products in the super generous package they sent over was the Mineral Eyes Trio in Satin Doll. This was one of the products I was sort of 'meh' about. I love the idea of a compact that houses products to do a whole look with... if I can open it. It takes a bit of effort to open this compact and in the process of learning I've broken a few nails and dinged the product trying.

Satin Doll comes with 3 neutral shades and clocks in at $24 for .14oz or 3.9 grams of product (2.6x the size of a MAC eyeshadow for reference at 1.5 grams). Even though the price seems high, you are basically getting a little under 3 regular sized eyeshadows for $24 (or $8 an eyeshadow). There are a total of 4 different variations of these trios on the Senna website.

Senna described the shades in this trio as: matte pink, rose, and metallic plum. If you're planning on ordering this based on that description, I disagree.

Here are my descriptions (with swatches, of course - 3 swipes no primer)
Matte Ivory - This shade while soft, is not very pigmented and is just a shade or so lighter than my skin color.
Warm Chocolate Brown - This warmer matte shade was very soft but again, not super pigmented. I see no rose.
Slightly Bronze Metallic Brown - This was the more pigmented of the bunch and does have a metallic quality to it, however, I don't think it has enough plum in it to be described as a metallic plum. It does have a plum-like hue in the pan, but when swatched it's mostly just a medium metallic brown.

Even though the descriptions weren't color accurate, this combination gives a great neutral eye for those looking for a softer look. The shadows are soft but not crumbly. I did experience a tiny bit of fall out when using them to increase the intensity of the color. They are not the most pigmented shadows I have ever used. Definitely less so than MAC. I think that may be due to how hard pressed they seem to be in the pan. They lasted well throughout the day but I'm not sure I'd personally buy them myself. Great for traveling if you can open them. I wish the clasp wasn't so hard to get open!

Disclosure: These were sent to be by a representative of Senna Cosmetics. I was not paid. These are my honest opinions.

Giveaway Winner (Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pens)

The 3 winners of my Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen giveaway are...

CucumPear cucumpear(at)***.com
bhumika bhumika***(at)yahoo.co.**
nicolthepickle nicolthepickle(at)yahoo.**
I will be contacting you through e-mail as well. Please respond quickly, I didn't give a required time on the giveaway entry, but I'd appreciate 48 hours.

For those that didn't win (the majority of you all as there were over 100 entries!) there is the Eyeko Blush Giveaway still on and future giveaways planned.

Congratulations to the winners!

Pro Or No

I recently witnessed something on twitter that made me think. Lady of the Lane has a post written up about it and I am not interested in getting into that particular occurrence but it did lead me to think about makeup artistry. This post might be a bit piece meal but I've been thinking of it for a few days now.

The arts fields in particular are very cutthroat and I think everyone has a bit of pride in regards to their profession but when you create something, I think you get a bit more defensive of your trade. Many art fields require years of schooling and years of grunt work. It takes something special for someone to notice you and make you a viable living. For many makeup artists, schooling or not, it usually involves either highly marketing yourself and networking (knowing someone famous or a respected artist is also helpful) and or working at counters to develop further skill, which can produce a rather paltry salary. Back when I was thinking of making the switch from desk jockey to makeup artist in my own career, the salary of a counter makeup artist was depressing and if you wanted benefits too, you had to be married to a rich husband or living at home. So it's understandable how someone values not only their skill but the work they have put in to get where they are today.

I went to school for Architecture. It was insanely competitive even before we got there. The Architecture school of the college I applied to had a 9% acceptance rate, 9% - on par with the likes of Harvard. Competitions among students were often, the work was hard, sleep was rare. You had to be good enough to not get into the bottom few or else you were politely suggested to leave the program. Even though we were friendly, there was always competition; if it meant staying in studio till 5am instead of a classmate's 3am to make your bricks look more textured in your final pin up, you did it. Anything to live your dream and be great and potentially be the next great Architect.

That being said, many great makeup artists start off in a completely different field, some are self taught and then put themselves out there as helpers of more knowledgeable gurus (for lack of better word). It is my belief that most people that have creative bones in their body can do makeup. Sure, as most art professions go, it takes knowledge of history, trends, how to use products, etc. I don't think you need a school or a plaque on the wall to proclaim you are a makeup artist (though some countries/states require this). To be a makeup artist, you need to completely believe in yourself and be proactive. You need to do as many faces as you can. But you need to believe in your skills and dare I say, be a little cocky. You are the expert. Why would they pick anyone else when they can pick you? I was watching some IMATS footage, and I saw the body painting. Many artists can do that, makeup or otherwise.

So what am I really saying here? To be quite honest, I'm not entirely sure. I empathize with the artists who believe someone that didn't go through their own hardships to suddenly getting the fame or money they may have desired weren't well deserved. I know makeup is fun and everyone kind of wants to take part. I personally haven't done freelance work since my back troubles so I'm not 'in the field'. As I said, in any art professional, it is going to be competitive and your competitors aren't going to welcome you with open arms. You need to be your best marketer, your best PR, the face of "Sally Sue Makeup Artist".

Even after applying makeup on 100s of faces, I didn't have the guts to call up a local well known artist to shadow them. I knew no one. You need to know everyone.

Just some thoughts.

(Sorry for the ramble/long post)

If you came over to read this post, please read the comments too. I have some really awesome readers and they raise some really thought provoking points as well!

Weekend Beauty Reads

Phyrra tells you about Shadow Transformation. She compares four products: Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, Hi-Fi's High Impact Shadow Fix, Sobe Botanical's Stick It & Medusa's Makeup The Fix. See which one comes out on top!

Retrodiva has five different tinted moisturizers that can be used even with oily skin!

Monika from Painted Ladies reviews and falls in love with NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream in Sao Paulo.

Jeweled Thumb channels her inner geek and recreates a glowy look from the Firefly character Inara here.

Cinnamon Kitten's reviewer extraordinaire, Suziesaurus, takes a look at Olay's Refreshing Toner.

A Touch of Blusher highlights Aquagirl, a new Japanese beauty line.

NOTD: Revlon Top Speed Cloud

It has been so long since I've done a nail of the day post and I know I've gotten a lot of requests for them. To be completely honest, I haven't worn nail polish at all since my last one (not since October, holy crap) and I am very out of practice! But tonight I felt the pull to make my nails pretty so I tested out one of the new fast drying nail polishes from Revlon that I bought recently and of course I was pulled towards the blue-lavender-gray-eiges, Cloud.

This was 2 coats of Cloud and I coat of Seche Vite.

I found the formula on this a bit strange. It was a bit thin right out of the bottle, yet goopy when it got on the nails? And it did not dry fast. It was a bit streaky and required slightly thicker coats and I apologize for the sloppy application and any marks or bumps. It was not easy to apply!

Comparing it to polishes I already own, Revlon Cloud, American Apparel L'Esprit, Zoya Miley

Same order as above, Revlon, American Apparel, Zoya

The Revlon is more blue and American Apparel is more lavender, Zoya is the most sheer. This is much bluer than Essence's No More Drama. I think it may be similar to Essie's St. Barth's Blue, but I can't find the bottle to compare (thought the Revlon is definitely more opaque).

I don't know if it's my application, but I'm not a huge fan of this formula. Have you tried the new Revlon Top Speed polishes yet? Also, did anyone notice that these are roughly $1 more than the regular Revlon formula (I think sticker price was $6.49)?! Not cool, Revlon, not cool.

Beauty Blog Link Love - 1/29/11 - #26

Rachel finds out if a body lotion can be energizing with Liz Earle.

Makeup Morsels finally tries out those famous Urban Decay Liners.

Looking for a similar powder to the Magic Cool Powder from MAC? Look no further - Sleek Makeup have one for half the price!

Check out Audrey Dao's review of Zoya's Spring 2011 Intimate Collection along with photos and swatches!

Daily Polish shows off sneak pictures of China Glaze's Holiday 2011 Collection Let It Snow!

Phyrra tells you about Shadow Transformation. She compares four products from Fyrinnae, Hi-Fi, Sobe Botanicals, and Medusa's Makeup. See which one comes out on top!

Kelly of Gouldylox Reviews finds a new love at the drugstore. It's quickly becoming a foundation favorite!

What do you do when your bosses go on leave? Why, wear crazy turquoise fishnet nails to work of course - Musicalhouses did it!

Retrodiva shares her five favorite tinted moisturizers that can be used even on oily skin.

One palette; how many looks can The Lip Print create? It's a Palette Challenge!

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics bypasses Bella Bamba and goes straight for Benefit's Prrrowl and Magic Ink.

Jo at Music and Makeup finally had a play with MAC Club eyeshadow and liked the results!

Are China Glaze Channelesque and China Glaze Below Deck dupes or not? Check out this post at Beauty addict's blog to find out!

Big pores? You need this! Hellcandy shares her love for Benefit's Porefessional.

Craving the new Make Up For Ever Lab Shine lip glosses? Well, you're in luck because Krasey Beauty has swatches of the full collection!

Mz. More of The Glamorous Gleam tries out OPI Shatter Nail Polish. Is it all it's "cracked" up to be?

Jenn over at Spiced beauty puts on her best glam face using BarryM Cosmetics!

theNotice chats about the new love in her life - that is, Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude lipsticks. Will you be picking up a tube before they're sold out?

Amy Antoinette reviews ELF's Studio Line blushes.

It’s all about glowing skin and pink hues this spring! Anita reviews (almost) the entire Guerlain spring collection over at Pleasureflush.
***
Beauty Crazed wants to solve your winter hair woes with $200 worth of Marc Anthony products! So enter the contest already!

Start the new year with a new you. Win a La Mav anti-age skin care pack and enjoy your new skin.

Help Cindy celebrate the one year anniversary of Prime Beauty. At this celebration the presents are for you!

Come by Jeweled Thumb to read a review of the Eyeko My Coral Crush Peachy Keen blush and also win one! Enter now to be one of the 2 lucky winners!

Socialite Dreams is hosting a giveaway of socialite approved goodies!

New Urban Decay Glide-On Shadow Pencils

I stopped by ULTA after work tonight for what I like to call "Blog Research". "Blog Research" always results in me purchasing stuff ""to review on the blog"". 

Anyway, I went to the Urban Decay counter area and discovered two things:
1. My ULTA had out quite a few of the new items from the Spring (?) collection (including the new Glide On Shadow Pencils) .
2. They had the Naked Palette in stock with the eyeliner duo

Of course now that the Naked Palette doesn't have the eyeliners, and instead the brush and is $4 more I desperately wanted to get my hands on one. Of course, this is long after it was  easier to find. But for some odd reason, my ULTA had not 1, but 2! So if you live near the Congressional Plaza ULTA in Rockville, MD, call to get the last Naked Palette reserved if they still have it (and yes, the price is still $44).

I stuck to swatching the products that I thought would last decently well on my hand between ULTA, Whole Foods and my house. I imagine that all the famous bloggers already have swatches of these posted, but I hope it is still useful.

Store lighting taken with my iPhone

Top Row
Barracuda - black with silver glitter
Mercury - metallic gunmetal
Rehab - medium brown with slight gray tinge
Morphine - metallic lilac/lavender
Delinquent - purple with what looks like pink glitter (it could also be light purple or silver)

Bottom Row
Clash - aqua with silver glitter (this one is super bright)
Clinic - forest green with glitter
Midnight Cowboy - peachy beige with silver glitter
Sin - metallic champagne

And two pictures when I got home.

These things have pretty good staying power and are super creamy - almost too creamy though they set and are budge proof. Too bad they are $20 - a bit steep for me. I do think Sin would be an awesome all over eyeshadow base, inner corner highlight or waterline brightener and maybe slightly more opaque than it's primer potion equivalent? I was disappointed with just how much glitter they put in these pencils. I know that's pretty common with Urban Decay but I'd be much more likely to buy if there wasn't glitter in almost all of them. Eventually, I think I'll pick up Rehab and maybe Sin.

What are your thoughts?

*Quick Edit*
After double checking my colors on the Sephora site, it looks like there are some other colors that my ULTA display didn't have and a lot of the others have no glitter so I look forward to trying those out!

Cherry Culture Sale

Use code VDS20 and take 20% off everything in their online shop from January 27th through February 1st!

Review: Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil

 

This item (Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil) is one of my new favorite things. I received it nearly a year ago in my Allure Beauty Box Bag and hadn't tried it. I think that might have been before Argan Oil really caught on and the idea of putting oil in my hair was a little off-putting. This mix of Argan, Olive and Lavender oils is absolutely fabulous on my dry curly hair (and especially when I wear it curly). It cuts down on the frizz without losing the curl, it's shiny and soft and I know people must think I'm crazy when I say this, but it seems to make my hair less huge (and this is a good thing). My curls tend to be more round (less like ringlets especially when it is shorter) and that gives me a ton of volume without necessarily doing anything. This flattens my hair a bit and makes it look like I've styled it (when I've only stuck a bit of this in it). 

The smell is slightly clean and fresh, but I can't really smell much of anything without sticking my nose near the product. I can't smell anything when it's in my hair. I doubt this product would interfere with any scents you were wearing.

As my hair is thick, curly and dry, I don't feel any greasy effects of the oil. My hair just feels nourished. At $20 for a 1.7oz bottle, it is on the pricey side but I think it's well worth it. Plus, the twist up pointed dispenser means you don't lose as much product as say, a flip top. 

Definitely give this product a try if you have a similar hair type. I adore it!

Holy Pigment Batman (A Review)

I've heard tons of raves over the new Revlon Colorburst glosses. The wand, the formula, the wand. Ok, really I've heard a lot about the cool wand. I stopped by CVS after work for a soda and peeked around the cosmetic area, big mistake, huge mistake (anyone get that reference?). Anyway, I saw the new Colorburst glosses and picked one up to try.

I decided to be daring and picked the fire engine red, well-named "Fire". Fire indeed. You see, waking up at 5am may have twisted my mind and I was tired. I was obviously not thinking.

Great, job genius.

Before I go any further, I'm going to share an important tidbit of information, well maybe more than one. First of all, this color looked like a blue-based red pulling fuchsia in my car driving home today when the sun was out when I sloppily and stupidly applied it on my commute home (now it looks warmer and more like a juicy tomato). Two, don't apply this gloss while driving. It needs a mirror and possibly a lip liner and separate brush. I found the "cool" applicator far too large and much harder to control which made this difficult to apply. It also applied color and then while blending it out, took color away and made the application a bit patchy.

Like an idiot, I did not take pictures after parking my car but I have some yellow-ish lighting ones to share. But I swear, this is a completely different color (a bit more flattering on my complexion anyway) in natural light but I'm not sure I can pull this off. I have enough reds that I rarely wear as it is. I might be returning this.

Wow, look at the lips and not the skin, please!

Fire blotted. Much better but not enough to keep I think.

Well, if you need a glossy red, here's your girl.

Rite Aid Up+ Reward Massive Deal!

I wasn't seeing things when I mentioned there was some sort of buy $100 at Rite Aid and get $20 in Up+ Rewards back stickers around the beauty department. It looks like they have now officially published it and the list is absolutely massive! Combine this with sales and coupons and you could be looking at quite a bit of savings. This takes place now through February 26th so there's just over a month to get in on the deal if you have a Rite Aid near you. Just a taste of what's included:

Almay Cosmetics
Physicians Formula
L'Oreal Cosmetics, Haircare & Skincare
NIVEA
Revlon Cosmetics & Artificial Nails
Organix,
Sally Hansen Cosmetics & Graphix
Jergens
Jessie's Girl
Burt's Bees
Prestige Cosmetics
Yes To Carrots
CQ, Color Fever, Chameleon & Petites Nail Enamel
Black Opal

and literally hundreds of other products (not just beauty)!
And you can see for yourself at the link here (just a warning, it opens as a PDF document).

Seems like the perfect opportunity to take part in all of the new spring collections!

Weekend Beauty Reads

Eek! Or shall I say weekend-ish? I knew I forgot something this weekend!

A gentle reader asks Retrodiva how to manage dry and brittle hair.

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for January is with Suds n' Sass! Learn all about the face behind the makeup and body products.

Sheila from Painted Ladies breaks down the Anatomy of Eyeshadow Application in a handy and informative Breaking Down Beauty.

Beauty and Fashion Tech looks at the best Make Up For Blue Eyes.

Cinnamon Kitten tries out and reviews Dermagenics Ultra-Intensive Anti-Aging Moisturizer.

Raging Rouge walks on the wild side with Estee Lauder Wild Fire and Wild Violet Pure Color Lipsticks!

Jeweled Thumb isn't usually a fan of MAC lipgloss but she's found a few she actual likes.

A Touch of Blusher reviews Simple Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser.

Review: Eyeko Cheeky Colour Blush Duo My Coral Crush + Giveaway

Similarly to my Graffiti Eyeliner Pen Review & Giveaway, I wound up with a few of the Eyeko Cheeky Colour Blush Duos in the shade My Coral Crush and thought I would review and giveaway the extras.

At $14 USD, this Limited Edition (according to the Eyeko site at least) blush seems a bit high for brand that seems more in line with drugstore prices, but for the much lower price I paid during one of Eyeko's epic grab bags, I got it a bit cheaper (though I also wound up with a few of the same color).

Anyway, enough talking, more picture showing.

The packaging is very cute, though one of my boxes got a little bent during shipping (since I'm awesome, those that win will get much more pristine boxes).

The blush is housed in a pretty bulky plastic packaging, it's thicker on the bottom as there is a brush on the bottom, even though Eyeko recommends that you use a fan brush. My Coral Crush/Peachy Kenny is a slightly more reddish coral shot through with gold shimmer. It is quite intense and pigmented and a little goes a long way.

The brush is a piece of crap (sorry Eyeko!). It's scratchy and mine was bent and really unruly.

Let's just say it isn't something I would want to put on my face. I'd rather have smaller packaging than the large lower portion holding a shoddy brush.

You can see how pigmented the powder is. It kind of reminds of the same sort of texture (even though it's not technically a baked mineral powder product) of the MAC Mineralized Blushes or the more pigmented skin finishes.

I actually tried comparing it to the infamous MAC Stereo Rose Mineralized Skinfinish. The Eyeko is a much stronger pink coral base but the gold sheen is very similar. They aren't dupes by any means and I actually find the Eyeko a bit more flattering as a full-on cheek color.

MAC on the left and Eyeko on the right. You can see they kind of have the same effect when swatched (not the same color). I may dig around and see if it is a dupe for anything, I bet it is a dupe for one of the Mineralized Blushes or Skinfinishes as the effect and texture are similar (though MAC is a tiny bit softer).

This was applied before my husband and I went to lunch (sushi yum!) and it has lasted fairly well on my cheeks, however, let it be known my cheeks are on the drier side and most blush stays just fine throughout the day. I did touch it up a little to make it more vibrant for these photos since my camera seems to wash out any cheek color I have on!

 

 

Once again, I am giving away the extras. I have 2 of the Eyeko My Coral Crush Peachy Keen blushes to give away.

Please enter only once using the form below. Comments will not be counted (though they are appreciated)!

You must be a follower
You must be over 18 or have parental permission
This giveaway will end February 19th.
There will be 2 winners!
The giveaway is open worldwide.

Good luck. =)






My ambassador code is E11926 and if you make a purchase over $15 you receive a free gift and I get a few dollars of commission.

Review: MAC Lipglass Florabundance

I was going through my lipgloss collection, trying to weed out anything that has turned, remind myself of ones I previously loved but had forgotten and came across this. Before you say anything, yes, I have mentioned that I'm not a fan of the MAC lipglass but when I tried this I was honestly surprised. I like it. It's not as sticky as other MAC glosses I've tried, which is a little weird and it seems more moisturizing too (and it's a cream, huzzah!). Now, it is a little sticky, but I find it pretty manageable (especially if applied over a balm).

Honestly, I was surprised I had to write a post about it! Do you find this shade less sticky than other MAC lipglasses or did I get a bad good one?

Florabundance is a peachy pink cream and oh so pretty. It seems like it may be a dupe for the Revlon Peach Petal which of course I can't find to compare right now.

Purdy, right?

On an only slightly related note, I must not be the only person that is annoyed by how easily the MAC writing on the tubes wears off? I haven't even carried this around in my bag and the writing is almost gone! Thankfully, you can find the product information on the bottom of the tube but for the price, you'd think the writing would last longer, right?

Firefly Inara Look

I'm back home from my back appointment and feeling much better but pretty much forced to stay in bed nonetheless and thought I would have some fun! If anyone wants a proper tutorial for this look, let me know. I'll admit, I wasn't entirely tidy with it but it was so much fun to do even though I look nothing like her (she's stunning)! And this is so far from the look I normally do on myself (and of course it's much more intense in real life than the pictures show). My inspiration post is below or here. I did the first look in my post (clearly the gold and pink one!).

What I used:
[eye]
On upper and lower waterline* Milani Liquif'Eye liner in Black
Lid mix of Motives Goddess & Motives Bronze Beauty (a tiny bit of this on lower lid as well)
Crease mix of Jesse's Girl Baked Powder Eyeshadow in Cherry Blossom & Shu Uemera M Rose 140
mascara Revlon Beyond Natural in Black
(no false lashes, sorry to disappoint!)
[lips]
Sue Devitt Lip Intensifier Pencil in Waikiki
Becca Lipgloss in Daiquiri
[face]
Bare Escentuals in Fair


* The key for me for lining my upper and lower waterline and making it neat is doing it before I apply anything else so I can fix any mistakes as I have a tendency of blinking and tearing while lining any part of my eye

Nerdy Inspiration

I've been home today on (more or less) bed rest due to my back (again). For anyone that's been reading this with any regularity, you may know that I have two herniated discs in my back that have been getting treated with epidural shots that typically last 2 months. Well, let's just say my last shot wore off and my husband urged me to stay home till my shot tomorrow. So I was stuck in bed and even YouTube videos couldn't satiate my boredom (and there weren't enough of them to watch all day).

Well, I wound up watching a few episodes of the now defunct (tear) show Firefly and I happened upon some makeup inspiration with the character named Inara. She had the best costumes and makeup and I think I'm going to try some of the looks she has in the series. Her whole look during the show was awesome, really awesome clothing, makeup, and accessories (and especially the decorating on her area of the ship).

Anyway, if I feel well enough to stand up and perch near a mirror tomorrow, I think I'm going to try one of these.

Super smoky and or bright and she obviously wore tons of black liner and false lashes, should be fun! She's gorgeous (I don't have her looks) but at least I can replicate the makeup.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Why Brush Rolls Exist

Do you dust your brushes?

What do you mean?

Well, do you dust them? 
Why would I need to?
Well you have them sitting out in a (albeit pretty) Sephora-esque storage system, don't they get dusty?
 
Or

Do you dust your brushes?
Sure! I dust everything.
With the same dust poofy thing as everything else?

Oh crap.

So everyone has gone out and made their brushes look like the displays (which btw - do get dusted daily if not twice a day at Sephora). And then they are so meticulous about keeping all their makeup clean and tidy and throwing away old sponges but completely forget about the brushes. Are you allergic to dust? Or I mean, seriously, you are potentially rubbing the same stuff you find in balls underneath your cupboard all over your face.

There's a reason brushes come in a roll!

This is brought to you by someone who kept her brushes on display and then furiously hid them away (after cleaning them all) when they became dusty!

Also, I had this thought after watching Youtube makeup collection videos where everyone and their mother has prettified brush displays.

MAC Lipgloss I Do Like

If you've been reading Jeweled Thumb with any regularity, you would know I dislike sticky lip gloss. I'm just not a fan, so it comes as no surprise that MAC lip glasses are not my favorite formula. I've been whining about trying to use up a Plush Glass and I do have a few of the original formula that I'm trying to get through as well. However, I do enjoy other MAC lip products. And today I'm going to share my favorite formulas in the line (not including their lipsticks).

My favorite formula from MAC?

The lipgelee

Whether you pronounce lip-jel-eh or lip-jelly, this gel formula is perhaps the most moisturizing of the MAC glosses. It's slightly thick, generally less opaque than most other lipglosses but feels wonderful on the lips and used to come in both cream and shimmer formulas but lately all I've seen new is shimmer. The lipgelee is also the most value for money of any of the MAC glosses. I'm showing a sample size that came in a gift set but generally this gloss comes with .5floz of product for $14.50 (lipglass is .17floz for $14.50) and unfortunately, the staple range is now unavailable from MAC but lipgelees seems to pop up in limited edition collections. I sincerely hope MAC does not discontinue this formulation as it's lovely and by far my favorite (and bring back the creams!). My guess is there will be quite a nice selection at your local CCO if you are interested.

And runner up?

The lustreglass

Another gloss that I was slightly worried MAC was getting rid of (as they don't tend to pop up in new collections). Lustreglasses come in the normal MAC tube, however they have a brush in lieu of a doe foot applicator. The lustreglass is non-sticky, slightly sheer and they generally have a subtle shimmer to them. These tend to be only slightly stickier than the lipgelee but still stop from being overly sticky and maintain moisture on the lips. I have 3 of them, Beaux, Instant Gold and Wonderstruck.

Swatches, from left to right: Beaux, Instant Gold, Wonderstruck and Glosspitality (lipgelee).

What's your favorite MAC lip gloss formula?

Empties

It's been a super long time since I last did an Empties post but I swore there would be a few makeup items in it and as usual, things take a lot longer to finish than they may appear (for example that ELF TM seemed to last forever even with daily use and it's tiny). As always, I include kind of mini final reviews of the products and I'll link if I've reviewed them in the past. I have received some questions regarding my attempts to use up my stash so I thought I would answer them.

Are you doing a Project 'X' Pan?
No, limiting myself on makeup purchases doesn't work for me as I will just go and spend money on something else (or eat too much). Thankfully, I have the means to splurge occasionally on myself and it makes me happy. I don't have makeup related debt (just some student loans and a mortgage - I recently paid off my car, yay!) so I don't feel guilty about my makeup purchases. My husband buys video games and comics so it's nice to have my own girly vice.

Then why the tracking?
I have this fear that the makeup that I have will go bad and I will have wasted money on products I couldn't enjoy or use (I already have a problem with not using things that are "pretty"). This is my attempt in making sure that my makeup gets loved and finished (and it feels awesome to see what I've used and finished for some reason)! This is also why I love having giveaways and/or blog sales. I've been into makeup since the late 90s so even with limited purchases, I still have enough for quite awhile (obviously I throw away anything expired)!

Anyway, enough rambling, the evidence:

* Fruitopia No More Flakes 2-1 dandruff shampoo + conditioner: I've mentioned I suffer from some scalp issues and this was on sale at CVS and smelled good so I tried it. It seemed to work pretty well and definitely smells better than the tea tree oil equivalents. I'd repurchase when it's on sale.
* The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care: One of my Holy Grails. Smells like ginger ale and works for the flakies/dermatitis. I have no idea what number bottle this is, but I've been using this for several years. This was in my 2010 Favorites and in several hauls last year. Will continue to repurchase.
* Urban Therapy Twisted Sista De Frizz Conditioner: I reviewed this for Beauty Debutante and this was my favorite of the products I received from the Twisted Sista line. It's super cheap and works pretty well. The tube went pretty quickly on my long hair but now that it's short, I bet it would last a bit longer. I haven't seen this in any stores but if I did, I'd (re)purchase.
* Darphin Conditioning Care with jojoba: I have no idea how I got a hold of this product but it's pretty nice, very thick and super moisturizing. I'm not even sure if Darphin still makes this. The only thing that put me off was the slightly floral scent. I'm not sure I'd repurchase. I bet it's really pricey.

* Essence of Beauty Eye Makeup Remover Non-Oily: Love these. These take off the most waterproof of eye makeup and they don't sting. Pretty inexpensive at CVS - though I haven't seen them in stores for ages they were available online last I checked.
* Clinique Take The Day Off For Lids Lashes & Lips: Awesome stuff that doesn't sting. Only negative is the price and the need to use a Q tip (what can I say? I'm super mega lazy and near blind without specs or contacts). I request these if I buy at the counter or as extras in swaps. I love the portable size as well, less mess if you accidentally knock it over and spill the whole bottle.
* Missha Super Aqua Cleansing Tissue: These were ok till they dried out and didn't remove any makeup without the assistance of another makeup remover. Did decently well with eye makeup when the cloths were actually saturated. These are on clearance for $6 on the Missha website if you want to see for yourself but I'd go with a drugstore version if I were you.

(Holy Skincare!)
* Avene Thermal Spring Water: Lovely as a refresher, a bit over priced but nice to have around. Really awesome in the summer as the water stays cool without refrigeration.
* Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: After I received this for review, I quickly fell in love and so did practically everyone I had try it. My husband stole the bottle for about a week and then I bought him his own. My mother in law loves it since she works outside a lot and needs to wash her hands often. She loves that it sinks in quickly. DH has reserved my back up bottle for his own use at work. He's even gotten his boss hooked on this stuff. It's pricey but lasts forever. It works on soothing the skin (eczema, razor burn, etc) as well as keeping the skin hydrated but never greasy due to over washing. It does have silicones so if you are sensitive to them I wouldn't recommend it, but if your skin doesn't mind them this stuff is awesome. Since my review, I've bought 6 bottles for our house and friends and family. 
* Cellnique B-Liv line: After my review, I started liking this line a little more, specifically the Submerge Me Lotion and the Shrink & Tighten Complex. I still don't think the Off With Those Heads did much of anything for me. However, the price still puts me off. I did notice a difference when I stopped using the routine, however my skin seems to like many different lines (H2O being one of them). I may (re)purchase the two items I liked in the future but I'm drawn to easier and cheaper lines that I can buy in person.
* H20 Sea Pure Deep Moisture Cream: Is anyone surprised that I've used this up? I love this stuff though it's just as well that I've run out since my skin is freaking out after the threading I received this past week (I'm broken out in little bumps everywhere she threaded). For now, I'm using some more harsh skincare to hopefully get rid of the bumps but I will be so ready for this when my replacement comes in the mail...

* OPI Expert Touch Nail Polish Remover: Doesn't smell horrible, works pretty well, slightly pricey but will probably repurchase. This 4oz bottle was $6. In my opinion, it's worth it to pay a little more than cheap acetone at the drugstore to not deal with a horrible stench and something that dries out your nails and cuticles especially in the cooler months!

* Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Waterproof: LOVE! Probably my favorite mascara of 2010.
* Bourjois Pump Up The Volume Waterproof in Brown: It was ok. I prefer the Maybelline and in general black mascaras. It also smudged when I teared.
* Cover Girl Lash Exact: Again, not as good at the Maybelline and blue. In the review, I said I would repurchase but next time I'll try the black version!
* The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick: I really love The Body Shop, if you can't already tell and I'm a big fan of most of their lip balms (other than the vitamin C orange one that tastes funny). This I've already repurchased. Super creamy and great for fall and winter and smells delicious.
* MAC Plush Glass in Posh It Up: I dislike MAC lipglosses but continue to buy them for their color selection and the hype. I will try to use up more MAC lip products in 2011 and then will trade them in for something other than a lipglass! A guess that would be a New Years resolution?
* ELF Tinted Moisturizer (regular $1 line) in Ivory: I've reviewed and featured/worn this countless times in 2010 and really like it. I will repurchase for sure but not until I've used up a few more tinted moisturizers in my stash. I love the price of this and the coverage is actually pretty good. After months of using it, I finally got used to the orange soda scent. For $1 it's definitely worth trying if you like tinted moisturizers. A plus, it comes in a shade that matches fair skin!


Wow, this post was epically long. Hope it was helpful at the very least. Have you used anything up recently?

Weekend Beauty Reads

Phyrra battles it out with powerhouse MAC Feline vs. Urban Decay Perversion. See which one wins for the deepest, longest wearing black pencil eyeliner!

A Touch of Blusher reviews Lavshuca's Star Decoration Eyes BR-1.

Confused about concealer? Sheila from Painted Ladies breaks down how to choose the correct color concealer for your problem areas.

Retrodiva was inspired by Kim Kardashian's bouffant hairstyle at the People's Choice Awards, and put together a simple tutorial on how to do it at home easily.

Jeweled Thumb finally cuts and donate her locks (all 12 inches of it) and reviews her local Bubbles Salon.

The Makeup Divas shares photos and swatches of MAC's Stylishly Yours collection.

Raging Rouge is all about lashes in a New Hue for 2011!

Beauty Blog Link Love - 1/15/10 - #25

Jellyminx introduces some Spring colours to get over the Winter blues in her latest look.

At Beauty Reflections, Tracy tests the redness reducing power of Smashbox Halo Yellow Color Correcting Hydrating powder. See the results for yourself!

Angela at DO WANT Makeup reviews her newest favourite, Hard Candy Baked Blush in Pin Up.

Vonnie of Socialite Dreams test runs the famous NAKED palette and shows a simple, sexy look.

Rae checks out Urban Decay's cult-favourite Primer Potion in Sin, over at theNotice... but can't decide if she loves it or not. What do you think?

Phyrra battles it out with powerhouse MAC Feline vs. newcomer Urban Decay Perversion. See which one wins for the deepest, longest wearing black eyeliner.

Need to take a photo for a professional shoot, or a resume photo? Musicalhouses shows you some makeup tips for professional photos that should come in handy!

Over at The Glamorous Gleam, Mz. More gives us a sneak peak of Sleek MakeUp's Scandalous Blush from the upcoming Limited Edition Stiletto Collection.

Retrodiva takes a look at some of her skincare favorites for 2011, including PREP by ybf to get a good start on the year.

LaaLaa Monroe over at Dolce Vanity experiment's with home-made wax hair removal to try & save the pennies for 2011.

Jenn from Spiced Beauty makes neutrals pop with the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips for Blue Eyes palettes.

Rachel reviews Bourjois' 10 hour sleep effect foundation over at Queen of Turquoise - but is it up to the job?

Sugarpill gets some love all the way in Trinidad! Check out this FOTD by Teaserhi using the Burning Heart Palette.

Amy Antoinette trials some natural looking false eyelashes.

Lipgloss86 dives into the world offacial oil.

Curious about MAC's newest collection, Peacocky? Well, Krasey Beauty has the scoop, complete with swatches!

K at Beautifully Addicted To gives you a look at a lesser known but stunning MAC Lippie in Syrup.

It's a dry shampoo showdown at Eyelining Obsessions.

Hot Beauty Health shares 8 effective beauty tips for glowing skin.

Emma reviews Max Factors 'Weightless' Foundation over at BirdsDecorateBranches. But is it really weightless?
***
Happy Blog-o-ersary to Prime Beauty! Help Cindy celebrate the one year anniversary of Prime Beauty.She is hosting a giveaway EVERY DAY in January! Stop by every day to see what's up for grabs and enter to win!

Beauty Crazed is giving away over $400 worth of Make Up For Ever products so one of our lucky readers will really have enough makeup to last forever!

Come by Jeweled Thumb to read a review of the Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen and also win one! Enter now to be one of the 3 lucky winners!

Check out Anita's lipgloss collection and enter her giveaway to win some great goodies.

Office Depot Deal (good only Jan 14/15)

I tweeted about this deal already but since I found a proper link so that everyone can print this coupon I thought I would share. As you know, I've been at a loss for makeup storage and even though I knew the 10 drawer carts aren't built well, I still thought it would be easier to get a hold of and put them together than any of the IKEA cabinets. Knowing that they were expensive, the last thing I wanted to do was spend $60 or more dollars on plastic that I knew wouldn't last long.

This deal is only good today and tomorrow, but if you have an Office Depot store near by, print this coupon and you'll be able to get this storage cart for $36. This deal is only good in store and only till tomorrow, January 15th so act fast if you've been wanting a cheap(er) makeup storage solution!

Edit: I would not recommend this for nail polish. I'm not sure the bottles would fit and the drawers are far too flimsy to deal with the excessive weight.

Small HE Lippie Sale

I stayed home today due to a monster migraine this morning and a little while ago, I felt a bit better and decided to go through some of my makeup. PS I discovered the fragrances that make my headaches worse (a note: not all of these are fragranced and they haven't turned). Anyway, these were used minimally, I'm going to say under 5 times each and I just want to be rid of them so I am selling them for $10 USD each. Shipping depends on where you live. These will go to the blog sale area of Jeweled Thumb if I don't get any bites. All fairly new purchases.

left to right
SIB Shiseido Perfect Rouge PK 303 (orig $25)
SIB Chanel Rouge Allure #59 Nude (org $32) pend
SIB YSL Pure Lipstick in #144 Silky Apricot (orig $30) pend
SIB YSL Rouge Volupte #13 Peach Passion (orig $34) sold
Lancome Le Rouge Absolu Classique Pink (orig $26)
Estee Lauder Signature Hydra Luster Apricot Sun (orig $21)

Thanks guys and sorry for the odd post. I'm going to go take some more Excedrin Migraine now.