Favorite Face Products!

1. MAC Powder Blush in Well Dressed ($20 for 0.21oz)
• My most used and versatile blush.  A beautiful pale pink color that is subtle but noticeable
2. Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette ($45 for 4 colors)
• A pretty palette of both warm (coral/brown) and cool blushes that wears wonderfully.  I think Tarina Tarantino's products are severely underrated.
3. YSL Anti-Cernes Multi-Action Concealer in 1 Ivory Beige ($35 for 0.07oz)
• A great concealer that applies beautifully.  Stick concealers have always been my favorites because of how easy they are to deal with but this is my favorite of those I've found.
4. LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation SPF 14 in SMS1 ($39 for 1.0 oz)
• One of the best foundations I've found.  Naturally it's not quite pale enough on it's own but it has one of the best formulations I've found for my drier skin.
5. Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($29 for 4.0oz)
• A nice solution to combat Dallas humidity.  Especially helpful for my t-zone.
6. Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in 105 ($34 for 1.0oz)
• This has been a life saver!  While I wish the formula wasn't so drying, it's what I add to every foundation I have until the shade I need.  Basically a white base.
7. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Long-Wear Flawless Fluid Makeup SPF 10 in 12 Beige Rose ($55 for 1.0oz)
• Naturally designer brands have more money and research to put into their products and this one is no exception.  Nothing buffs as seamlessly and effortlessly as this foundation.  Again, not pale enough but that wasn't a surprise.  (Even smells nice!)
8. Bobbi Brown Corrector in Porcelain Bisque ($22 for 0.05oz)
• Something that is actually pale enough for me!  Part of me balks at the stickiness of this concealer but I can't deny how well it works under my foundation.  My flaws, most notably, my undereye circles, are perfectly covered.

(In no particular order)

Le Monty!

Just felt like posting some pics of my buddy.  :)

"Do you come here often?"

This is a classic move.  I call it the "Warm Spot Swap."  It's where Monty takes my place in bed if I leave for something.  Maybe I should call shotgun?

This one is just goofy... lol

Favorite Eye Products!

In no particular order:

1. 1. NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base ($24 for 0.26oz)
• The best of any eye primer I've ever tried.  My shadow looks brighter and doesn't budge with this under it.
2. Urban Decay Primer Potion ($20 for 0.37oz/$30 for 0.85oz)
• My daily primer, not as quite as good as the NARS base but better bang for the buck and still a great primer.
3. Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner in Spark of Envy ($15)
• A beautiful teal-y green pencil that is wonderfully pigmented even in the waterline.  Gorgeous!
4. Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow in Pug ($18 for 0.12oz)
• Makes for a super-easy and perfect pewter grey.  It's a go-to for when I don't have much time.  I especially love how well the color sticks, how it blends into a perfect gradient and that it looks almost glossy on.  Can't say enough!  The colors "Schnauzer" and "Mutt" are also great.
5. NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Cleo ($34 for 0.14oz)
• Though it broke on me during travel, it's still a gorgeous color combo and very pigmented.
6. Inglot Eyeshadow Freedom Palettes (palettes vary on size; $5 per shadow)
• Ummmm…  Already gushed about these.  Amazing variety, pigmentation, quality, quantity, blah, blah… THE BEST!
7. Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Midnight Black ($22 for 0.1oz)
• The best black gel liner I've found yet.  Doesn't move.  I wish it was a little bit less dry so it would apply a bit smoother but better dry than creasing!
8. Make Up For Ever Eye Seal ($21 for 0.4oz)
• Incredible for turning pigments (Glamour Doll Eyes, MAC Pigments, Sugarpill) into eye liners or make them very vibrant.  They WILL NOT move!
9. Benefit's They're Real Mascara ($22)
• Still the best overall mascara I've ever used.  It's volumizing, curling and lengthening without being clumpy.  Just wonderful.
10. Fairydrops Scandal Queen Mascara ($24)
• My biggest lash concern is that my lashes are super straight which makes them look shorter than they are.  This mascara is very good at curling and has fibers for lengthening as well.
11. MAC Paint Pot in Painterly ($17.50 for 0.17oz)
• I use this for priming my lids occasionally or for a no-makup look.  Great product.
12. MAC Eyeshadow in Nylon ($11.50 for 0.05oz)
• One of the most beautiful highlight/tearduct colors I own.  (And one of the few MAC shadows I still use..)
13. Sugarpill Pressed Eyeshadow in Poison Plum ($12 for 0.14oz)
• My favorite purple shadow.  No comparison!
14. Sugarpill Loose Eyeshadow in Royal Sugar ($12 for 4 grams)
• The most beautiful deep blue pigment.  Le GUSH!
15. Inglot AMC Pure Pigment Eyeshadow in # 64/65 ($14 for 0.07oz)
• My favorite two pigments for making smoky eyes.
16. Dior 5-Colour Palettes ($59)
• Already gushed about these too.  Need I more?
17. NYX Jumbo Pencils in Milk and Black Bean ($4.50)
• The best inexpensive white and black bases!  Great for darkening or brightening any eyeshadow as well as helping them stick to my lids.
18. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin ($18 for 0.05oz)
• My favorite shimmery nude to add dimension to my eyes.
19. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion and Gunmetal ($19)
• My favorite all-around pencil liners.  Perversion is especially useful in the waterline.
20. Smashbox Limitless Liquid Liner Pen in Jet Black ($22)
• Best way to make a flawless winged liner I've found.  No bleeding and it stays put!

Favorites Series

Though I have been absent, I haven't been (completely) idol.  I have another series in the works involving favorite products.  My foundation routine recently changed again so I might have to do an updated entry on that.  Might also do a "On My List" series too.  :)

And I'm back!

I'm not under any delusions that I have people waiting with bated breath to read what I have to say next but I feel badly for having been so neglectful of my blog this month.  I have some valid excuses but not enough and I don't plan on boring anyone with them.  So, in short, sorry blog!  And I will try to be better. :)

Naturally LUSH :)

To start this out, I smell like patchouli.  I don't particularly like that scent as much more than a background note.  It's a little too stereotypically hippy and just…  not me.  The reason I smell like the 1970s is that I'm trying out some of Lush Cosmetics' hair products.  Namely, their Trichomania solid shampoo and Jungle solid conditioner.  This is my first use of both so these are just initial reactions.  I was turned on to Lush products by Leesha of xsparkage.  I'd walked past the Lush storefront in my mall many times without giving it much thought.  But watching Leesha's hauls and reviews of my new favorite eco-friendly brand intrigued me.  And now the Twilight and Blackberry Bath Bombs as well as the Green Bubble Bars are favorites with me.  I'm a bath lover so adding to that experience just makes me happy.  I also like their cuticle butter, Lemony Flutter, as I'm a nail polish junkie with very dry skin.

I recent saw Youtube's missglamorazzi was raving about their Seanik solid shampoo.  I was (and thus far, still am) quite skeptical but thought it was worth looking into since I happened to be out of my normal shampoo (John Frieda's Root Awakening Nourishing Moisture for Dry Hair), the Lush shampoos and conditioners were about the same price and I'm going to be doing some traveling this summer.  Not to mention, we all want to be more organic, green and generally more globally responsible nowadays, right?

My hair is color treated, porous, a little wavy and not terribly oily.  Knowing this, the Lush employee (with the awesome blue hair) steered me to the Trichomania which is Lush's coconut-based solid shampoo for hair that needs added moisture.  It's not, to my relief, too strongly scented, just a mild coconut smell.  It was a bit of a hassle to work with, as you have to basically break a small piece off of the stuff and slowly work it into a lather with warm water between your hands before you can start rubbing it into your hair.  Thankfully the Mr. Blue Hair was thoughtful enough to demonstrate for me.  On a more positive note, my hair seems just about as clean as when I use regular shampoo which worried me since it didn't have  a very soapy consistency.

The Jungle conditioner wasn't something I was in the market for but I thought I might as well after the Mr. Blue Hair showed it to me.  I must have missed the patchouli in it while being pampered in the store because I'm fairly certain that would have been a deal breaker though, to be fair, it's not overwhelming.  It's lauded on the website for it's fruitiness and doesn't mention any herbaceousness.  (Screw you, Spellcheck!  That is too a word…)  But the jury is still out.  I haven't quite made up my mind on either product.  Is it worth the extra effort to know that I'm using organic and fair trade products?

That being said, I'm pretty excited to try other Lush products.  I'm very interested in the Skin Drink facial moisturizer and various Body Butters.  I think I might be sneaky and get my Mother's Day present there and have mom test some things out for me…  Does that make me a really good or a really bad daughter?  Anything anyone can recommend?

My Lil' Man!

Because I felt like it...  Enjoy!

Monty in his natural environment

At the park.  (The catlike blur is a Mexican Hairless named Mr.  Burns.)

Making friends!  With a Great Dane?

Just looking goofy 8-D

No Bull, Just Brand Vol. 2

Dior was probably my first great makeup love.  I'd certainly enjoyed cosmetics since I was too young to do more than watch my mother and girl cousins apply hers and used many brands before Dior such as Clinique, Almay, Revlon, Covergirl, etc.  But there was something about getting my first Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette in it's sleek sapphire-hued compact with it's buttery shadows felt both incredibly decadent and sophisticated.  Like wearing your first real cashmere sweater.

That being said, I don't think of myself as a person who is too influenced by how a brand is perceived.  For example, I don't understand people's obsession with Louis Vuitton at all.  Why would I pay $$$$ for a boring brown handbag?  Why would I pay someone to advertise for them?!  I understand that they are nice in the sense that they are handmade and premium leather but so are many, if not all, other designer purses.  But I digress…

My point is that "designer" doesn't impress me.  Quality and creativity do and that's always been my experience with Dior.  Also, great service is a very big issue with me and I've never had a bad experience with this brand.  But mostly it's been how happy I still am with Dior products after I take them home, days after the afterglow and counter makeover is gone.  No buyer's remorse, despite the considerable price.  That is not to say that the products are perfect.  I think that Dior should put  something like a miniature brush into their palettes rather than those basically useless sponge applicators for example.

Just to further clarify, I'll probably never purchase a Dior nail polish as I have a hard and fast rule about paying over $20 for a polish.  Same goes for their lipsticks or glosses but I've been (or in the case of the shadow palettes, still am) the happy owner of their Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen in Candle Light, three of the 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palettes in 441 Garden Pastels, 470 Spring Bouquet and 259 Electric Lights, and DiorShow Black Out Mascara, among others.  And while most of my makeup is composed of other brands I tend to cherish my Dior.  In fact, in lieu of getting Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette, I am holding out for a new Dior one instead.  (And some of their skincare products.)  Well, enough gushing.  Have a wonderful day and treat yourself by going to a Dior counter!

Can't beat that packaging!

Obviously my palettes are well-loved ;-p

The first and still my favorite!

I just remembered that I kinda "borrowed" this one from my mother...