 So Trina Turk is apparently a Clinique fan and she designs exclusive cosmetics bags for GWP offers. The latest Nordstrom one is AMAZING looking! Thank goodness I actually have a standard Clinique product that I purchase regularly now.
I stocked up on another tube of my mascara, and I was originally gonna just get two tubes, but then I changed my mind and opted for a Quickliner in Smoky Brown since I remember loving those from GWPs of yore. Here are the (allegedly $75 value) contents, in case you’re curious:
- 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula (1 oz.)
- Sun Face Cream SPF 30 with keychain (0.24 oz.)
- Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer SPF 20 (0.5 oz.)
- Travel-size Shimmering Stripes Powder Blusher in Peony
- High Impact Mascara in Black (0.14 oz.)
- Different Lipstick in Ice Bloom (0.14 oz.)
- Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Fire Berry (0.07 oz.)
Here’s hoping at least one of these freebie items is a new hit for me! But even if not, I’m mostly in it for the adorable makeup bag.
So last weekend, I volunteered myself as a wedding cake baker as well as a wedding makeup artist. This was for a very close friend’s lower-key wedding, but boy, it was still a surprisingly laborious labor of love! It really made me realize how being a makeup artist is totally different than being a savant regarding one’s own cosmetics applications. In the end, she was a beautiful blushing bride, but I think it had more to do with her naturally gorgeous features than with my touches!
I couldn’t get over how many of my pal’s features just behaved, well, differently than mine. When I was applying her eye shadow, the actual shape of her eyeballs kept throwing me off. Sounds weird, but it really did! And she required a much lighter touch than my usual makeup, which I knew she would, but it was still hard for me to gauge. (I was mostly using a Smashbox eye shadow trio in brown hues that I had gotten as a birthday freebie.)
I also couldn’t figure out how to make NARS Albatross work on her. I struggle with making it highlight my own skin properly, as I find it can cling weirdly and make me look overly gold. But magically, even though this stuff was super-pale gold, it somehow made her look darker and, like, inappropriately tanned and dark-circled! I can’t wrap my head around it, but we both decided it didn’t look right and just took it off. (Thank goodness I had thought to bring some Sephora makeup remover pads for easy on-the-fly decisions like this!)
Lastly, when I used my favorite shade of nude tokidoki lip stain on her, it just looked completely different, and the shape of her lips was so distinct from mine. The defined line that I tend to draw around my cupid’s bow looked awful on her, and I couldn’t figure out how to tell her to purse/pucker/flatten/pout her lips for an ideal application on top or bottom. We eventually got it working, but not for lack of effort!
All in all, I have vastly more respect for the challenges that makeup artists face now — it definitely is a trickier art than just working with the face you see in the mirror every day. Minute differences in people’s bone structure, fleshy bits, etc. really change the canvas, so to speak! It makes me eager to schedule my wedding trial run so I can put my mind at ease about how my makeup artist will handle my own face’s inevitable quirks… time to schedule that bachelorette shindig, I guess!
I sometimes feel like a bit of a chump for being a lip stain addict, because stains are probably the least natural cosmetic out there. (I’m sure some “natural” stains exist, but even the pretend-naturals like Tarte are chock-full of silly chemicals.) But ever since Grant started dating me, he has been horrified by the idea of kissing a glossy mouth. And I can’t say I blame him! Hence, Stain City.
Well, I’d never quite found the perfect product. The closest I’d gotten was Vincent Longo’s gel stains, but those shades are all way too dark for my fairer complexion — not into the Goth Lip look. Plus the packaging can be hell — while the wand applicator is great, I’ve had three tubes break in my purse and stain all of the contents. Ew! I’ve also tried TheBalm’s Stainiac, which is also wand based and is a bit lighter in pigment, but the formulation feels sticky and doesn’t last as long. And I’ve tried decanting Benetint and Lorac’s Sheer Wash into a wand tube, but meh.
I don’t care for balm-based stains like Laura Mercier or tarte, since the whole point is kissability; and most pen-style stains like Styli Style tend to dry out much faster than other packaging styles. I started an EDS thread to solicit others’ input, and it definitely helped, but I was still searching for better shades that were less Goth or garish. I’ve tried the in-between Stila brush-pen-balm-thing as well as the Sephora Lush Flush in 2 shades… what can I say; I leave no stone unturned!
 But finally, here’s the good part! Today’s Sephora package brought me a new nude/beige stain by tokidoki that actually looks fab, even though nudes usually wash me out. (Sadly, though, this stuff tastes terrible!) And I also got both color combos of TheBalm’s For Keeps, so I can mix and custom blend colors that work better on me, and dilute them to soften the look. (Plus I simply adore the innovative formulation and charming packaging!)
AND, I now see that a Josie Maran stain pen just came out, which I am, like, contractually obligated to purchase at this point. And I never did try the Givenchy stain pen. At least cosmetics companies have clearly realized that there is a market for stain… now here’s hoping we get some SUBTLE stains out of this epiphany soon! ‘Til then, a combo of, yes, ALL of the above will be what colors my lips. Grant certainly can’t complain that I haven’t tried to find a good kissable-yet-glam solution!
Pun totally intended.
I started using Jurlique Rose Silk Dust a couple years ago on my face, and I discovered that it was a bit too drying to use often. But, of course, I was unwilling to waste such an expensive product! So I started using it on the wispy hair bits around my face that tend to get greasy thanks to my cleansing cream and my DIY facial oil blend that I use to moisturize. And thus begun my love affair with hair powder!
 Not only do I have coarse, drier hair, but I also have hair that tends to look WAY better when unwashed for a couple days. And since it’s dry, it tends to look fine unwashed except right at the scalp or around my hairline. So the advent of hair powder as a common beauty product has been an almost-ideal solution… except that some hair powders are AWFUL.
I tried a travel size bottle of Ojon Rub-Out, and HATED it. Greasy, stinky (but not in their usual signature yummy Ojon scent) and flaky-looking. I’d been using Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder as a very different type of styling aid, but I found it didn’t translate well to scalp use AT ALL. (The brown turns your scalp brown and the white just looks like chalky dandruff, and both irritate the skin while failing to make you less greasy-looking after a long day.) And don’t even THINK about brushing your hair with either of these products in it, unless you want to spend an hour on brush cleaning afterwards. Ew. So I opted to avoid spray formulations and just go for straight up powder… powder. Continue reading The Hair Powder Shakedown
 As I recently whined on my Twitter Feed, Nordstrom Beauty announced a Smashbox gift with $50 purchase ONE DAY after I had made a $49 Smashbox purchase. (In case you’re wondering, I got the Complexion Perfection Kit to try out as wedding makeup — it’s out of stock in my shade at every other vendor.)
But I cried to their Customer Service people online, and they happily shipped me the gift, separately, for free, no questions asked! (Okay, a few questions like “what was your order number” and “what is your shipping address” — so no annoying questions asked.)
 And THEN I saw on Smashbox’s site that they have crazy good Let’s Do Lunch deals twice a week, in which you get a free gift for buying ANYTHING during a certain time period, no minimum purchase required, and free shipping. WTF?! Why aren’t all vendors that awesome? So I stocked up on brush cleaner (which I’ve been needing anyway) and… got a free duo lip gloss, IN ADDITION to a sample of the tinted moisturizer that I ALSO wanted to try out as wedding makeup.
AND THEEEEENN I got one of them automated Sephora emails telling me a product was back in stock — and it was the new TheBalm Lip Stain I’ve been wanting to try out (also as wedding makeup. Sensing a theme here?), which had been out in the color I wanted. And I discovered that ZOMG I now qualify for my first-ever 500 point bonus gift there (currently a Tarte giftapalooza with gloss, 2 mascaras, eyeliner, primer, etc. etc.). Kinda terrifying that I’ve spent enough cumulatively to qualify, but whatevs. And they ALSO have a bunch of samples that I’m totally into right now. SO I think I’m gonna order my wedding lip stuff and stock up on the big freebie there too.
I think, so far this month, I may actually receive more in free product than actual monetary purchases. Guess the entire cosmetics industry figured out it was almost my birthday or something! ^_^
Sort of. I’m working on it. And when I say “I” I mean “mostly my awesome fiancé Grant” and when I say “working on it” I mean “whining at Grant for him to help realize my undescribed, vague, yet somehow passionate vision for this new version of an existing blog”…. so… yeah. We’re working on it! Check back soon please. And follow me on Twitter in the meantime!
I can’t believe how long overdue this is. A recent Daily Candy newsletter pinged 3floz.com, a new website that only sells TSA-approved toiletries. For months now I’ve been scratching my head when I see 2- or 4-ounce bottles of “travel” shampoo at the drugstore — didn’t anyone get on this and think, gee, maybe we ought to capitalize on TSA’s restrictions?
The main thing I love about 3floz.com is that they carry higher-end stuff that can be much harder to track down in travel-friendly portions. That and the little travel-friendly quirks, like shipping your stuff internationally to have it waiting for you, or waiving the overnight fee if you prove your urgency with an itinerary. So cool!
My only complaint so far is that they ONLY carry the high end stuff — sometimes a girl just wants a (travel-friendly) stick of Secret, ya know? Hopefully they will continue to expand their offerings as they gain popularity… especially since TSA has made it clear they plan to keep the restriction on for the foreseeable future.
I just got this kit from Sephora, and I like it but wish there had been more info available on it (since they didn’t carry it in stores at first). So I figured I’d go ahead and provide some details! Overall, this turned out to be a really good impulse splurge for me, as they are all products I will use in my regular rotation. I just hope they sell the pencil separately at some point!
Waterproof Eye Shadow Palette — The colors are fairly neutral; not my total ideal as I’m into grays, but they’re mostly brown-toned. There is one matte ivory, one champagne shimmer, one medium golden brown-olive shimmer, one plummy shimmer and one dark brown matte. You have to use a really stiff brush to get the product up (and the brush that comes with this set is very tiny with stiff natural hair that is uncomfortable on my sensitive eyelids — but it does the job better than my many softer brushes). I haven’t really noticed them being significantly more long-wearing on my eyelids, but when I applied them to my hand to test they really seemed to stick. I think my eyelids are just kind of oil slicks.
O-Gloss Shimmer — I was worried that ‘shimmer’ would translate to ‘waaaay too opaque/pearlized’ but it does not. It’s a lovely soft shimmer and a nice balmy texture that looks shiny when more product is worn. Doesn’t get all that pink though, but it’s very subtle and good for “no makeup” days.
Lash Detailer Mascara — the brush is great, but the formulation is a little lacking, and the tube is smaller than it seems. But I will likely wash off the brush and use it with other mascaras once this one is used up. It’s easy to wash off and doesn’t smudge too much, but is a bit dry and doesn’t go on all that easily. I could also use more volume in relation to how much it lengthens. But still, it’s a good product. I just prefer waterproof formulations.
Cheek Stain — even though this looks like a really blendable gel-stick, it’s actually just as tricky as the liquid stains in that the color gets deeply deposited right where the bulk of the product first touches your skin. So you have to be kind of crafty to get an even application; it’s not just an easy swipe. Still, I like this packaging and formulation better than other liquid or gel or cream cheek stains I’ve tried, and the color is a nice rosy flush (pretty much identical to Sephora’s Wine Lip & Cheek Stain or Stila’s Pomegranate Crush — a very cool-toned shade IMO).
Poured Photo Op — Never tried the liquid version, but I do really like the silky balm texture of this stuff. On sight it looked like it would be too dark for me, but it almost doesn’t seem to show up at all when I wear it, color-wise. It does make my under eye area look kind of greasy/shiny so I have to do a bit of powder on top sometimes. I think it’s meant for people with really dark circles/saggy-looking eyes, but it does seem to make me look more awake without the weirdness or heaviness of wearing under-eye concealer.
Brow Wax Pencil — LOVE it! Just like what I imagine Givenchy’s Mister Eyebrow is like, but cheaper. :) It’s a lovely, non-messy formulation but I imagine it’ll be gross to sharpen. Worth it though! I stroke it on both brows and then use a mascara spooly brush to shape.
Back when I did my Great Mascara Review earlier this year, I fell in love with three top seeds: Clinique Lash Power, Too Faced Lash Injection Pinpoint, and the non-waterproof but still excellent DiorShow. If I learned *anything* from testing out that many different mascaras, it’s that you should stick with what works!
But lately Wedding Mode has kicked in, which means I’ve been trying out all sorts of makeup products I’d normally never touch in order to find the best long-wearing formulations. So when I ran out of Lash Power and saw that Dior apparently had a new, awesome, better-than-ever waterproof formulation called Black Out, I opted to give it a try instead of restocking my Holy Grail of Clinique.
This Black Out mascara, however, is BULLSHIT. (Please pardon my French, but Dior friggin’ deserved it.) It is the WORST formulation I have EVER tried on. It makes lashes stick together and look super clumpy/spidery, it doesn’t really lengthen or volumize, it smears and rubs off very easily, it drips when WATER hits it, and I couldn’t get it to come off with a cocktail of FOUR different makeup removers. (And I broke a capillary in the process trying to rub it off.)
Needless to say, I went straight back to Sephora and exchanged it for a fresh tube of Lash Power (and put the $10 I saved towards a bottle of bliss lid + lash remover — maybe I can learn to love my Too Faced more for longer-wearing events if I can take it off properly without breaking out.)
In conclusion, screw you, Christian Dior! You get no stars and no more of my dollars.
 I’ve been eyeing Cargo’s stupid, long-winded new lip gloss (aka blu_ray™ High Definition Lip Gloss with Timestrip® Technology) for a while now.
Not because of the name or the stupid gimmicky time strip crap or the amazing BLU-RAY plumping power (WTF? There is absolutely nothing “blu-ray” about it), but because the Panama shade PERFECTLY matches exactly what I’ve been searching for in a gloss — just a shade darker and pinker than my lips, with no shimmer. But because my fiancé cannot stand kissing my beglossed lips, I haven’t been very spendy in the goopy lip color department. A free gift certificate, however, was just what I needed to push me over the edge and splurge.
Well, I must say I have mixed reviews. First of all, I preemptively hated the idea of the stupid time strip from the get go, and I was not wrong to judge this book by its cover. The whole idea is that it’s a ‘freshness indicator’, but here’s the thing — either this thing dips into your gloss to check its freshness, thereby breaking the seal and allowing germs IN and making it go bad even faster, or it doesn’t actually test the real product at all and is just a stupid extra hoaxy hoax hoax. Grr.
Beyond that, the packaging is just annoying… check it out! You get way less gloss than the tube size indicates, because the test tube with actual gloss is encased in an outer shell, from which it immediately became detached. And now whenever I try to open it, the test tube spins uselessly inside the casing, so I have to pull it out and look like I’m doing a science experiment on my lips.
Which I kind of am, because man, that plumping technology is WEIRD. And tastes BAD. And TINGLES. And doesn’t really plump, so is generally just kind of annoying all around.
Sigh. At least it’s minty (and at least it was free for me). One reluctant star.
*1/16/10 ETA — UGH! This stuff started to leak all out of the tube where the join is with the cap. I took it to Sephora to exchange it for a new pristine one, but 1) they’re all on clearance because I guess they’re no longer carrying Cargo products, and 2) the tube for which I was trying to swap it started leaking gloss all over too, even though the casing hadn’t come off. No wonder they’re being discontinued! Save your money.
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