FingerPaints Gumdrops & Lollipops Swatches pt 2.

Here are the other 2 shades I have purchased from the FingerPaints Spring 2012 Gumdrops & Lollipops Collection so far. While the first two I showed you in my previous posting, (here), were creams, these two are shimmers.  

Grape Gumball - described as a Purple shimmer.  This is my favorite of the collection.  It is a mid-tone purple with a faint teal shimmer.  I did not experience any pooling with this formula.  It took 2 coats to achieve the bottle color.  

 

 

Next, here's Pop Rock Pink.  Remember Pop Rock Candy? Although described as a Pink Shimmer. This is definitely jelly also.  This is a cross between pink, red and orange with a gold shimmer. Very pretty.

This collection and the FingerPaints line can be found exclusively at Sally Beauty for $4.99 USD.

Liddies for the Latte' Ladies...(Corny, I know, LOL!)

I realize that none of these products are new, but I want to present then on a warmer skintone. Just to give you a look at these shadows, on another skintone (NW43 / MUFE173). Hopefully, seeing different shades on a different skintone, may help to determine how it might look on you.
I will start with a few of the Loreal 24 Hour Infallible Shadows.  Of the 12 in the collection, I have 4, Midnight Blue, Eternal Sunshine, Golden Sage, and Perpetual Purple. The application was smooth. They have both a powder and a cream consistency. However I can not attest to their lasting 24 hours as I have not worn them for that period of time. These are available anywhere Loreal is sold.





Another drugstore eye product I recently picked up was the Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in Too Cool, which is an ice shimmer, and Pomegranate Punk, which is a mauve-pink shimmer. These can be worn alone or as a base.  I purchased these 2 colors in particular to be worn not as base but as a full on shadow.  The Too Cool will be my tear-duct highlighter.  This is another case where I can not attest to their lasting 24 hours as I have not worn them for that period of time.  These shadows are available anywhere Maybelline is sold.

Lastly, I was recently enjoying one of my guilty pleasures, Basketball Wives, (don't judge me, LOL!) and one of the wives had this gorgeous purple smokey eye and I have been on the hunt for similar shadows ever since. I went by my MAC counter and picked up a few. From the Pro Longwear line, I got Plush to use as the overall lid color. Then I got Beautiful Iris for the inner eye area, and Contrast for the outter corner.  I also picked up Woodwinked to compliment my Blue-Brown pigment. I also picked up Saddle to use as a skintone transition color.  So hopefully I will be successful with the purple smokey-eye.  I have always bee a neutral girl but I am venturing outside my comfort zone just a little bit.


So what other shadow brands and shades do you like and would suggest?


Grace, Peace, and Blessings.


* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

FingerPaints Gumdrops & Lollipops Swatches pt 1.

From the first Press Release of the FingerPaints Spring 2012 Gumdrops & Lollipops Collection, I knew that I had to have them. This is a collection of 6 polishes perfect for spring & summer.  I had been searching for a pastel yellow and a peach.  This collection gave me just what I was looking for and a few others.


Let's start with the first two that I was certain I wanted:


Lemon Sour - described as a Lemon Creme.  With this formula of Lemon Sour I experienced pooling so be careful with loading your brush.  It took 2 coats to achieve the bottle color.  But this color is the exact shade of yellow I was seeking and will make a great spring/summer color.

Next, here's Circus Peanuts - described as a orange creme.  I call it a soft  peach.  I can't hear "Circus Peanuts" without thinking of a former co-worker that also brought Circus Peanuts whenever we would have an office potluck. That was just his personality, LOL! This formula was another that caused pooling so use a light hand.

Hope you like these shades.  How have you started getting ready for spring and summer?

This collection and the FingerPaints line can be found exclusively at Sally Beauty for $4.99 USD.

Today's Haulin'

Did just a little hauling today, LOL!

My day started at my local Icing Store, where I picked up two magnetic polishes: the blue and the gold; and two others: Golden Age of Glitter, and My Date with a Royal. Each were B1G0 50% off.

Then I went to Sephora and got four $OPI: Stop Stocking Me, Leaf Him At the Alter, I Only Shop Vintage, and Tempted By Teal ($5.00)

Then I went by local Sally Beauty, and hit pay dirt.  While they had the China Glaze Magnetic Collection, the Orly Romance Collection, the China Glaze Hungry Games Collection, and the FingerPaints  Gumdrops & Lollipops Collection.  I picked up Lemon Sour, the Circus Peanuts, Pop Rock Pink and Grape Gumball. 

Lastly, I went to Walgreens, they had the Sinful Color Heartbreaker Collection (repromotes), the Cast Away Collection (new colors), and the Pedal Pusher Collection (repromotes) and the St. Patrick’s Collection.  I had already purchased Neptune, and Zeus last week so the only thing I purchased was Green Ocean.

I really must go on a no-buy and get to swatching.  Lately, I have been shopping like a maniac. LOL!  I don’t think that there are really upcoming collections that are really calling me. So hopefully, I will be able to restrain myself. LOL!!!

What kind of "damage" did you do this weekend?

Lippies for the Latte' Ladies...(v.1)

When I first starting blogging about make-up, I found the number of women of my skintone (NW43/ MUFE 173) presenting shades of makeup that would compliment our skintones lacking. So I set out to do just that.  While I can find tons of nail polish and makeup swatches on many different women, I would like to see more women of my complexion so that I can get a better feel for how certain makeup and nail polishes would look on me. So this is not necessarily to show you anything new but just to give you another view. I hope that this and future postings will help someone.

So let's get started...While my past lippies have been MAC, I decided to start exploring other drugstore brands also. I had seen the Cover Girl and it's Queen Collection but had never really taken a serious look at it until recently.  I started with Au Natural (Queen Collection) and I also picked up from the regular collection, Smitten. As you can see from my swatches below, Au Natural is a pinky-nude shimmer whereas, Smitten is a more plum cream lippie.  I was impressed with the coverage as well as the moisture levels from both items. The one thing that will turn me away from a lip product, no matter how much I love the color is dryness.  I really do like this line and will definitely be purchasing others.  Cover Girl is readily available. These lip products run less than $10 each.

As I mentioned, most of my previous lip product have been MAC. Whereas, I normally purchase the lipsticks, I recently purchased one of their Sheen Supreme Lip products. These are not as opaque as their normal lipsticks, but it gives good coverage and shine.  In my opinion, it can be layered with a lipstick or worn alone.  This is Quite The Time!, which is described as a deep blue plum. Again, I like the moisture level of this product. It can be purchased at any MAC counter, store, or on-line for $14.50.
Lastly, on a recent trip to Walgreens, I spotted the Black Radiance line of lip glosses.  I will be honest and say that I have been a brand snob and that Black Radiance was a brand that I did not wear.  But again, I am trying to incorporate a wider range of brands into my makeup and nail polish collections. So I spotted these lip glosses and had to give them a try.  The names intrigued me, Prismatic (Illusion) Color and Shimmering (Radient) Color. At only $3.49 each, I bought one of each color they had left. I will need to find the others.  I like that they are sheer but still deliver good color.


So that is it for now, but rest assured, I will be on the hunt for other Lippies for the Latte' Ladies. 


Grace, Peace, & Blessings.



* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

A Hauling I've been a goin'...

Although my laptop was out of commission, I was still hauling. With the recent $0.99 Sinful Colors sale at Walgreens, I found it to be a great opportunity to stock up on some new colors.  In a previous post, I shared with you Cinderella, Kissy, Blue By You and Forget Now.  Now I would like to share with some a few other Sinful Colors as well as some Essie and Pure Ice I've recently added to my collection. 

Just so happens, when I was about to make my purchase I noticed a new Sinful Colors collection called Cast Away. So from that collection, I added two more to my purchase, (Zeus and Neptune).  So in total from Sinful Colors I added Almighty, a beautiful sea blue with a green shimmer, Neptune, a lighter blue with a pinky-purple duochrome, Midnight Blue, a deep blue shimmer, duppish with Essie Aruba Blue.  From the purple family, I bought Purple Diamond, a medium, lavender shimmer, Zeus, a lavender-blue duochrome, and Amethyst, a medium purple cream.

Although, I had not worn many Essie polishes, I added a few to my collection.   I love my sales associate at my local Walgreens.  She always tells me which brands she has coupons for. Just so happens she had a coupon for Essie. Buy 2 and save $2.00. So I bought some of the core shades; Splash of Grenadine, a pinky-purple cream I had been spying for a few years, Trophy Wife, a teal blue green shimmer, Tart Deco, a peachy coral cream, and Jamaican Me Crazy, a magenta pink duochrome.

Lastly, during my past few Walmart visits, I found some gorgeous Pure Ice shades.  These four had a metallic foil finish. They are Celestial, a royal blue, Bite Me, a goldish bronze, Not Now, an emerald green, and First Time, a foam green foil.  So if are like I use to be, a brand snob, you must change and give Pure Ice a try. You won't regret it.


Those are some of the polishes I have recently acquired. As I wear them, I will be sure to post my review. If you would like to see any in particular let me know in the comments and I will be sure to post that polish sooner.

Remember, treat your nails as jewels, not tools. Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

Soho Beauty: Beauty Sponge Review

So I had been hearing about the Beauty Blender® for quite some time however, I was not interested in spending almost $20.00 for a single make-up sponge.  Prior to now, I had used the common triangle sponges found in any drugstore, but was not satisfied with the streaky finish I would often get.  I started looking for something comparable but more in line with my budget. As fate would have it, one day I was in Walgreens and I came across a line of brushes I had never seen before and what did this line include?! A beauty sponge that looked very much like the Beauty Blender® but was more along the price I was willing to pay.  

Before I go into the review of this beauty sponge, allow me to tell you a little about this product line.  I am new to the Soho Beauty line. But it appears that they are making themselves known more beyond their website, http://www.sohobeauty.com.  In addition to Walgreens, I have also recently spotted their products in Walmart.  They currently have two brush lines, professional and silk. They also have beauty cases, cosmetic bags and a few acrylic holders.  To date, I have purchased their Beauty Sponge, the Retractable Kabuki Brush, All Over Eyeshadow Brush, and the acrylic Duo Cosmetic Brush Holder. I look forward to future additions to the line.

OK, on to the product review of the Soho Beauty Sponge.
  
Appearance: Although I have never tried the  Beauty Blender® , I can say on sight, the only difference I can observe is the band (ring) around the center of the Soho Beauty Sponge. I can see no other physical difference.  

Usage: Just like the BB and other similar make-up sponges you saturate the sponge with warm water and squeeze to remove excess water before using.  Another similarity, they both increase in size after. The dry Soho Beauty Sponge is about 2.5" and after soaking with water, it increased to over 2.75".



Application: I have been using the Soho Beauty Sponge for about 4 weeks and I really do like the finish it gives my face with applying my liquid foundation. I haven't experienced any of the streaking that I would get with the traditional sponges.  It left me with an airbrushed, well-blended complexion.  The smaller tip allowed me to blend the more difficult areas, such as around my nose and under my eyes.  The larger area allowed to blend the rest of my face for a smooth finish.


Clean-up: Is easy. I clean it daily with a small amount of my facial cleanser and allow it to air dry until my next use.


Price:  As you can see from the picture above, I bought the Soho Beauty Sponge from Walgreens for $7.99 as opposed to the regular price for a single Beauty Blender® for $19.95.


Overall Opinion: The Soho Beauty Sponge is worth the money and in my honest opinion removes the need for any other beauty sponge.  It gives a flawless and smooth finish to my complexion.  I would and will repurchase.


YouTube Review:    
Soho Beauty Sponge, Do I have to spend $20?

5 Star - Excellent

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.


* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

PRESS RELEASE: SpaRitual Introduced Water 2012 Nail Lacquer Collection

SpaRitual Introduces Water 2012 Nail Lacquer Collection

Portion of proceeds donated to Surge Benefits Clean, Safe, Drinking Water

SpaRitual is pleased to introduce Water 2012 for spring, which is inspired by the creative flow of energy that travels through us, much in the same way water travels throughout the earth. The collection encourages us to listen to the undercurrents of our subconscious that allows positive thoughts, emotions, and creativity to rise to the surface of our conscious mind. Each nail lacquer also serves as a gentle reminder that protecting our natural resources for generations to come is vital.

The global water crisis does exist and as SpaRitual ritualistically supports an organization that is aligned with the brands environmental, health, and wellness platform, this spring they have chosen to collaborate with the organization Surge. 20% of proceeds of the Water nail lacquer collection will be donated to the organization whose mission is to deliver clean drinking water to those who are in need.

Surge, co-founded by Chicago-based activist Shilpa Alva, is a U.S. non-profit organization that improves access to clean, safe water for communities around the world that need this resource for drinking and cooking.  Surge increases public awareness of the global water crisis through education and investment in sustainable solutions that can alter peoples’ lives worldwide.

"Water is a necessity that no one should have to live without and together we hope to make sure that everyone has access to clean, safe, drinking water. This is a valuable partnership for us because SpaRitual sees the importance of expanding our reach to enable clean water to be part of every community. “– Shilpa Alva, www.surgeforwater.org

“The Water Collection represents the importance it has for our physical wellbeing (up to 70% of the human body is composed of water) and our emotional health (it’s a proven fact that water provides soothing benefits). Sadly, communities around the world lack access to clean drinking water,” says SpaRitual founder, Shel Pink. “We’re pleased to be involved with Surge, and to support the foundation’s efforts to help provide clean, safe, drinking water worldwide.’’

As a philosophy-driven brand, SpaRitual is deeply committed to helping one person at a time whether it is through direct support of safe drinking water or by sourcing safe ingredients. SpaRitual’s Water 2012 lacquers are free of DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde, and Formaldehyde Resin, and are formulated to compliment slow-beauty practices.

Water shades include Hidden Reef, a shimmering coral, Deep, an iridescent reflection of moonlight, Ripple Effect, a creamy & dusty mauve, Lucid, a lilac blue hue, Undercurrent, a dark blue like the ocean floor, Ebb & Flow, a light aqua like the sky. The complete collection is available February 1, 2012 and will retail for $10.00 each in fine salons and spas nationwide, including Spa Halekulani, Canyon Ranch, and the Mandarin Oriental. SpaRitual products are also available online at skinstore.com, beauty.com, and skincarerx.com

For more information, please contact Kera Morgan or visit us online at www.sparitual.com.

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About SpaRitual - Founded by lifestyle futurist Shel Pink, SpaRitual fuses a mind, body, spirit connection with healing spa traditions to create a world of Slow Beauty. Specially sourced vegan, certified organic and fair trade ingredients from around the world are used to create SpaRitual products for body, hand and lifestyle. Our natural formulations never use synthetic dyes or parabens, and our vegan Nail Elixirs and Lacquers are also free of toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and DBP. SpaRitual stays on the pulse of sustainability issues to ensure our products; processes and packaging are as environmentally responsible as possible.

Our brand philosophy encourages women to understand beauty as a holistic connection to oneself and to the environment. Only by slowing down, can we allow our inner beauty to radiate outwards.

Small Sinful Colors Haul & Comparison

OMG! If feels like it has been forever since I have been able to post anything. Let me just say that there is a special place in hell for hackers and malware developers.  They could be so much more a benefit to society if they would just use their evil for good. Anyway, at least from all their evil, I am working on a brand new laptop. Nonetheless, I am back and can honestly say that I really missed you guys.  If it had not been for my Blackberry, I truly believe that I would have lost my mind. LOL!!!


But the dust has settled now and I can get back to one of my favorite things, spending time with my fellow polish- and makeup-aholics.  I have so much to catch up on. But to start I am sharing with you some of the recent polishes I have purchased from the new Sinful Colors Collection.  


I was constantly reading on MakeupAlley about this Sinful Colors polish called Cinderella. I had not noticed it but my curiosity was peaked. So I found and purchased that and a few others. Below are some bottle spam along with comparisons to other polishes I have in my collection. I hope you enjoy.  Each is 2 coats with no top coat.


BTW for the week of 2/12-2/18/2012, Walgreens has Sinful Colors on sale for $0.99 each. So be sure to stock up.

Sinful Colors Forget Now is a hot, raspberry, fuchsia pink with a lighter pink glass flakie glitter. It is in the same family as China Glaze Ahoy & Strawberry Fields.  Ahoy is a shade deeper but still close.  Sinful Colors Blue By You is a gorgeous Royal blue with a dense teal glass flakie glitter. It is very close to Orly Royal Navy (1 of my favs).

Then there is Sinful Colors Kissy; a teal blue green flakies, which bears a striking resemblance to    Wet n Wild Teal of Fortune, Essence Choose me, & Zoya Charla. All of which are gorgeous. But not necessarily all required. Lastly, & the reason I went shopping, is Sinful Colors Cinderella. This is a powder blue with pink glass flakies & is the color of the famous ball gown.

Well that's all for now. But I can promise that there will be more. During my downtime I was still shopping and taking photos. So hold tight. 


Thanks for visiting my blog.  And as always, treat your nails as jewels, not tools. 


Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

PRESS RELEASE: FingerPaints Gumdrops & Lollipops

 Spring is on its way!!!