Mini Heated Eyelash Curler- Sephora

Mini Heated Eyelash Curler

Anybody ever tried this product??

This is a Sephora brand product and it retails for $12 at Sephora stores and Sephora.com

What it is:

A travel-size heated eyelash curler.

What it does:

Keep your lashes looking lovely, even on the go, with the Sephora Brand Mini Heated Eyelash Curler. This handy little tool is perfect for curling stubborn straight lashes, anytime, anywhere.

It sounds pretty interesting to me. Also it is pretty affordable. So no harm in giving it a try!!

MAC Pigments...LOVE-HATE relation

Column 1 Top to bottom: Vintage gold, Golden Olive, Old gold, gold mode

Column 2 Top to bottom: Tan, Choclate brown, Cocomotion

Column 3 Top to bottom: Pink Bronze, Melon, blue Brown

Column 4 top to bottom: Violet, Teal, Fushcia, Cornflower

My love for pigments is not very old...its pretty fresh and new. In one of my last posts i had mentioned how a video on you tube impressed me with pigments.

I have a CCO nearby, so i bought my first few pigments from that place especially because i am new to piggies (i lovingly call them piggies) and secondly because i would never finish the whole jar in this lifetime...so paying something close to $20 per jar was kinda little "filled with guilt"...:). I do prefer buying pigments from CCO over the store.

I never used to ask for pigment samples at MAC store..infact i never used to ask for any sample...but then later i decided i would go ahead and ask for these.

I have collected close to 20 pigment samples in a short period of time, thanks to a lovely MUA at my local MAC.

What lovely colours and boy!!! The MA gave me pretty generous amount of each sample. I don't think i will ever need to buy any more piggies especially from the permanent line, simply because if ever i run out of them my MA will give me some more again....:)

I know this is bad! Samples are for trying out and later we are supposed to buy full size..but its ok...i have given my share of money lots a time to MAC and made them richer by few hundreds of dollars....guess i deserve it...:)

The only thing that i hate about pigments is their ability to mess!!! These are in powder form. So their is bound to spillage and stuff. Also, very difficult to travel with. A little negligence and you get a whole messed up vanity case.

But again, with soo many lovely colors, its worth taking extra care.

Due to their powder form, they can be mixed with other colours to make a totally new color. There are billions of permutations- combinations...the possibilities are endless!!!!

LOVE THEM!!!

REFINED MSF- LOVE IT OR HATE IT!!!

REFINED MSF (SUGAR SWEET COLLECTION)

This is one stuff i was pretty excited about when i saw the promos and adds on various beauty blog. Knowing the fact that MSFs accentuate my pores, I picked it, but honestly i am not liking it!!
Refined MSF is a warm, peach toned MSF.I really want to like this stuff, because it meets all the criteria that i search in a MSF.
Its finely milled, soft in texture, no over the top shimmers, no huge chunks of glitter...just the right amount of sheen....with soo many good qualities i am still not liking it!!!
WHY??
I tried this with various brushes like skunk brush, fluffy brush, blush brush. I tried it on its own, over 2 different colours of blush, as highlighter, as all over face colour...YES, all over the face. If you swirl a huge fluffy, face brush in the areas with less peach veining, it gives the face an all over sheen...this was probably the best way of application i liked on myself.
Well, Its OPAQUE!!! I found that using it over the blush as highlighter kinda changed the colour of my blush. It looked ashy!! This left a whitish residue on cheeks. This being opaque i think it works best as all over sheen powder type stuff.
But again, shine, shimmer, glitter its all subjective. It depends on person to person...something that didn't work on me, doesn't means it won't work on everybody...
Currently, i don't know what to do with this one....
swap...or keep???

http://xinarox.blogspot.com/search/label/Review has some lovely comparison swatches. The opacity of Refined MSF is easily visible in the swatches. Luckily it worked for this lovely gal...i wished it worked for me as well....:)
This definately is worth giving a try though!!!

STILA - Pretty face set

Pretty face set


The products

There is always something about these "kits", "sets" that attract me. I find this is one of the very good ways to try a new brand of make up or better add good quality make up in your stash.

Stila has loads of such kits and you can get them at bargain price on this site called beauty crunch.

http://www.beautycrunch.com/

I got this particular set by Stila called the Pretty face set from Sephora at JCPenney. My JCpenney Sephora has very unusual stuff, that i normally don't get to see at regular Sephora.

The one i picked is in medium shade.

This kit has :

1. Foundation sticks: 2 shades of foundation sticks. The shades have no name, just alphabets!! mine is 'c' and 'd'. One is light enough to work as a concealer and other one is perfect as a foundation for me. They are pretty creamy and work just fine. I use the Sonia kashuk's blue blender sponge to apply this one. Personally i hate any kind of foundation on my face, but then again, there are times you just can't get away with that!!!

2. Tinted moisturizer: The very famous Stila illuminating tinted moisturiser. It has SPF 15. The kit has shade in No 1. Personally, i find them a bit sticky. i don't hate it, but i am not a huge fan. I would suggets trying samples if possible, before buying the full size, as it retails for $32 i ges.

3. Mascara: Stila Major lash mascara. I have yet to try this one. I already have other mascaras open and in use, so didn't want to open a new one... or else it will dry out!!!

4. Stila Lip glaze: Lip glaze in Brown sugar. It comes with the pen kind of tube with a brush applicator. I personally like this color. Again, liking a shade of lipstick or a lipgloss is pretty subjective. It varies from person to person.

In all a good deal for all 5 products. $25!!!....not at all bad, knowing the fact that the moisturiser alone costs $32 and the lipglaze is a whopping $22!!!

Highly recommend any kind of sets/kits!!!

HAULAGE IS KNOWLEDGE...MAC!!

FLIP EYESHADOW


MARQUISE' D LIPSTICK


MAC 226 BRUSH

PRO-PALATTES AND QUADS

I was soo busy picking stuff from CCO in the past months, that i hardly had any money left for buying the fresh stuff/collection from the MAC stores. So i thought of giving a halt to my CCO purchases and instead check the new goodies.

Brunette, Blonde, Redhead was a very promising collection, but it didn't impress me much (because of the dupable collection) except for a few things. Hello Kitty was never for me. I really wanted at least something to like in that collection especially because i wanted to buy something for collection sake. It definately had the collector item stuff like those mirrors and stuff...but i just wanted some make-up with the packaging. I am eyeing FUN n GAMES blush from the collection, though i know its very much similar to SPACED OUT blush from Neo-Sci-Fi collection. As i use a lot of peach colored blush, i thought having a similar one won't hurt!!!

Anywho, there is something about these Limited edition (LE) stuff that MAC comes out with.

My past experiences have taught me that most of these LE stuff can be found at CCO after few months. If you are not some one who is like 'first day, first show' its good to have patience and wait. Ofcourse this is not applicable if you don't have a CCO nearby. I found that if a LE product is not unique or one of its kind, it just hits the CCO. If its really cool, unique..it sells out fast.

So the key is, read reviews, blogs and judge whats gona sell out fast...really fast. Those stuff can be bought by paying full amount, for the rest CCO....!!!!

Oh, the haul...

1. MAC eyeshadow in Flip (BBR collection)

2. Marquise'D lipstick (BBR collection)

3. 226 brush (BBR collection)

4. 15 eyeshadow pro-palatte

5. Empty quads

I didn't wanted to take any chances with the brush and flip eyeshadow. I knew these were selling like hot cakes!!!

Now my next target is gonna be B2M some empties. I have collected quite a few. Talk of saving some moolah by getting freebies!!!!

THE 'COUPON' TRAP

URBAN DECAY HALF-BAKED EYE SHADOW


STILA LONG WEAR LIP COLOR IN Rendezvous


STILA LONG WEAR LIP COLOR

OPI NAIL POLISHES

CHARMED BY A SNAKE

DON'T MELBOURNE THE TOAST

So, there is a BOGO 50% OFF... BOGO free...there is a $3.50 off coupon or FF sale...then there is a free shipping!!!

Every week a lucrative offer hits the major websites, beauty blogs or on YOU TUBE...it is very very tempting and equally difficult to restrain oneself from buying stuff during these offer days.

My lemming list is always overflowing...and in these difficult time of recession its hard to 'splurge' a lot of money on makeup and it is equally hard to 'curb the appetite for makeup'.

I am no exception to this and am a "victim" of this "coupon" trap!!!

I wonder how many of you feel this way??

Ok, so my recent 'coupon trap' tempted me to buy somethings which i really didn't need at all...a tiny haul!!!!

This is what i picked..

1. Urban decay eyeshadow in 'Half- Baked'

2. OPI nail polishes in 'Don't Melbourne the toast' and 'Charmed by a snale'. (these names!!!)

3. Stila long wear lip color in 'Rendezvous'

Believe me, i didn't need any any of this....I was just a VICTIM...OF COUPON TRAP!!!!

MAC FACE CHART - FERGIE (VIVA GLAM VI)

EYES:
Lightly fill in brows with a mixture of Cork and Espresso Eye Shadows. Apply Constructivist Paint Pot all over eyelid and blend well as a base. Highlight the browbone area with Mylar Eye Shadow using 224 Brush. With a fluffy brush, such as 217 Brush, apply Bamboo Eye Shadow all over the lid. Then blend Saddle Eye Shadow into the crease with 219 Brush and run it lightly along the lower lashline. Line the top and bottom lashline with Stubborn Brown Powerpoint Eye Pencil. For the upper lashline, create a thicker line towards the out edges of the lashline, winging slightly upwards for a dramatic eye opening effect. Curl Lashes and apply two layers of Plushblack Plush Lash.

CHEEKS:
Dust cheeks lightly with a sheer veil of Well Dressed Powder Blush.

LIPS:
Line lips with Subculture Lip Pencil. Smooth Viva Glam VI Lipstick over lips and top off with the newest addition to the Viva Glam collection - Viva Glam VI Special Edition Tinted Lipglass.

MAC cosmetics Viva Glam VI SE

Its time to shop without GUILT!!!

Every cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM lipstick and lipglass is donated to the M·A·C AIDS FUND to support men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS.

In 1994, M·A·C introduced VIVA GLAM, an outspoken deep red that was universal in its appeal and its glamour. In 1997, a second lipstick was created VIVA GLAM II, a lightly pinked mauve. VIVA GLAM III, a foxy brown plum lipstick was launched in 2000. VIVA GLAM IV, a heartful rose charged with gold, was introduced in March 2002. In March 2004, Viva Glam V makes its debut, a clear, smooth, pure neutral pink with a delicious Lustre finish! VIVA GLAM VI, the newest member of the VIVA GLAM family, is a warm terracotta-plum with pearl finish. Wear it alone or finish it off with a coordinating coat of VIVA GLAM VI Lipglass. In the spirit of all Viva Glam, every cent raised goes to the M·A·C AIDS Fund to support the fight against HIV and AIDS.

A lavender-lovely Fergie asks us to enter a new kind of dream scape, to feel the “Yes we can!” of tomorrow, and to push forward on behalf of every man, woma n and child affected by HIV /AIDS

Lipstick ($14.00)

Viva Glam VI (Special Edition): Soft blue pink (lustre)
Viva Glam VI: Warm terracotta plum with subtle pearl (lustre)

Lipglass ($14.00)
Viva Glam VI (Special Edition): Soft pink-tinged mauve (frost)
Viva Glam VI: Warm plum with multireflective, mulitidimensional pearl (frost)

Visit: www.maccosmetics.com

Available in stores and online from March 19, 2009

GIFTS CAN BE FUN!!

Portable, retractable kabuki brush


Sephora's b'day gift...thank you!!!


Creme sample

B'DAY and B'DAY gifts are soo much fun. Whether its a surprise cake, flowers, insane number of COACH purses or free lipgloss set from Sephora. No matter where the gifts come from, who gives them, what they are...always appreciable and welcome....especially if its makeup!!!!
Recently i had been to Sephora to buy this lovely kabuki brush, as i was expected to travel and i never had any 'retractable' kabuki brush.
I found most of the retractable brushes, not so soft....as i had been lemming for the TOO FACED retractable kabuki, everything else seemed rough, hard...(hehe, as if i were made of cotton).
This particular kabuki is created with "TeddyBear Hair", that what the site says!!!!
Better read for youself....

"This one-stop shop of a brush is a serious multi-tasker! The Retractable Kabuki Brush is the ideal tool to apply bronzers blushers powders and shimmers flawlessly. Created with Too Faced world-famous "Teddy Bear Hair" bristles grab and blend color without any of the cruelty or hygiene problems associated with animal-hair brushes."

As said, this seriously is the softest brush i have ever seen...in this whole wide world....(my son keeps saying this 'whole wide world' very frequently...has learnt it new in school' )
I completed some 100 points i also got a Sephora creme sample, that smells like guava and passion fruit...very thick n creamy....:)

CRAZY 'COACH' CORNER

COACH CORNER...

This was one crazy day with many crazy 'Coach' bag. It was my b'day and like every time i sub-conciously wished to get Sephora gift cards or MACY's gift cards as gifts. Its altogether a different story that i don't have too many things from Sephora in my "buy" list...

Anyways, i never was crazy about COACH handbags. They are nice, good leather..but then many brands have cool, high quality leather bags. Its the "brand" name that counts...Fine to own one..buy crazy 5!!!

I had been to the COACH factory outlet and picked a couple of good one...old, traditional prints...Then like a good wife, i went in to take my hubby's opinion, coz he was the one gifting that to me....he picked 2 for me. I reluctantly agreed to buy 2..i wanted one....i was eyeing other one from Juicy couture...lol!!! Anywho, he sent me out of the store on pretext of taking my son to use the restroom..(its pain shopping with kids around...they never have the necessary patience)

To cut the long story short, when i returned home, i was surprised to see not 2 but 5 COACHes...enough to make a train....to my luck, all are different shapes, different size and different colors!!

I honestly feel, i don't need sooo many...ever...ever...ever...!!!

HAPPY ST.PATTY'S DAY

HAVE FUN...BE SAFE!!!

MAC - SUGAR SWEET COLLECTION ONLINE

Dear cupcake eyeshadow (one i need to pic)

Tri-color lipgloss

Shadesticks

MAC is BACK!!! with other collection named SUGAR SWEET....its all just too sweet!!!...better hear what the MAC site has to say:

"This spring, M·A·C is all temptation... frostings, finishes, fillings. Each of them whipped, creamy, deliciously stylish, as inspired by the world's most popular sugar-sweet desserts. Never has a season looked so eat-me-up gorgeous"

The collection has:

Lipstick ($14.00)
Sweet Thing : Mid-tone magenta with multi dimensional pearl (Lustre)
Bubbles: Sheer frosty white beige (Glaze) (Repromote)
Touch: Peachy cinnamon (Lustre) (Permanent)
Lollipop Loving: Mid-tone coral with subtle green and gold iridescence (Glaze) (Repromote)
Saint Germain: Pastel pink (Amplified Creme) (Repromote, Perm international)

Tricolour Lipglass ($17.50)
Tasty: Top Sheer blue pink with reflects, Middle Mid-tone blue pink with duochrome pearlized pigments, Bottom Dark creamy red pink
Just Dessert: Top Sheer yellow pink with reflects, Middle Mid-tone yellow pink with duochrome pearlized pigments, Bottom Mid-tone creamy yellow pink
Simpy Delicious: Top Sheer peach with reflects, Middle Pale coral with duochrome pearlized pigments, Bottom Creamy mid-tone coral
Triple-Yum: Top Sheer gold with gold reflects, Middle True gold with duochrome pearlized pigments, Bottom Mid-tone bronze
Consume Me: Top Sheer white with reflects, Middle Pale mint with duochrome pearlized pigments, Bottom Creamy light peach with pearlized pigments

Eyeshadow ($14.50)
Sugarshot: Pale frosty beige (Lustre)
Dear Cupcake: Mid-tone pink coral with gold pearlized pigments (Satin)
Aquavert:Soft mint with white pearlized pigments (Veluxe Pearl) (Repromote)
Stars n Rockets: Lavender with red/pink reflects (Veluxe Pearl) (Permanent)
Club:Muted reddish brown duochrome with green opalescent shimmer (Satin) (Permanent)

Shadestick ($16.50)
Cakeshop: Frosted light neutral beige
Butternutty: Frosted pale white gold
Lemon Chiffon: Frosted pewter
Red Velvet: Frosted mid-tone pink
Penny: Light pinky copper (Repromote)

Mineralize Skinfinish ($27.00)
Perfect Topping: Pink/peach/lavender melange
Refined:Tan/peach/coral melange

Mascara ($12.00)
Zoomlash

Nail Lacquer ($11.00)
Peppermint Patti: Creamy mint green (Cream)
Seasonal Peach: Creamy pale peachy pink (Cream)

Lash ($12.00)
34 Lash

The collection is online now. I kind of have a love-hate relation with shadesticks. So i might love to atleast check these out. The only eyeshadow i am interested in is the pink one, Dear cupcake. Those tri-color lipglosses are just 'eh'...many stuffs are re-promotes. As usual MSFs, don't work for me.

So i am happy...money saved!!!

check this for some swatches:

http://www.temptalia.com/mac-sugarsweet-collection-exclusive-sneak-preview

credits: bjooti.net, temptalia.com

CORALISTA...my new LOVE

CORALISTA my love!!!


NARS Deep throat, MAC Springsheen, Benefit Coralista

Its MAC Grand duos everywhere...MAC lovers are raving about it...all major blogs covering every tiny bit of details about these and not to mention, the lovely swatches. Me on other hand always knew from the day i saw the promos, that these were not for me...Why?? Simply because they don't work for me. They are way too shimmery and crumbly for my taste. I am not a huge fan of MSFs or mineralize blushes. They make my pores look big and, i seriously don't have any visible pores...does that makes sense??
Anywho, i was torn between my lemming for CORALISTA blush by Benefit and all the hype about MAC grand duos. The reviews and people's love made me think shud i try the Mineralize stuff again?? I am glad i didn't go by the hype and instead agreed to listen my heart...

I bought CORALISTA...its a lovely lovely colour...yay!!!

The blush has crazy cute packaging, but definately not a durable one. It also has a tiny bit of scent, but thats pretty mild.This comes with a tiny brush which is of no use....I tried swatching, but with my horrible art of cliking swatch pictures, it turned out crap...and i chose not to put them on blog...just didn't want to pass on bad pictures for this lovely goody....amazing soft texture, not OTT shimmers and lovely peachy pink color!!!!
I did post a comparison picture of Coralista with NARS Deep throat and MAC Springsheen. None of these are similar in person...which definately is a good news!!!!

Love my Coralista!!! Highly recommended for people who love coral/peachy/peachy pink blushes....

Haulage is Knowledge...CCO!!!!

Royal Asset collection


Royal asset Smokey eye palatte

Springsheen Blush

Springsheen sheertone shimmer

Yeah...CCO again....This is bad...n definately not a good sign in times of recession!!!

The stuffies i picked were mostly the things i had seen hugely in many blogs and the ones that scored pretty good in makeupalley reviews. I always wanted them.

First one is Springsheen blush, which is a sheertone shimmer blush. It is a lovely coral color. I knew its similar to other NARS blushes. Many said its close to Deep throat..but i find it darn close to Torrid blush.

The second thing i picked was a Smokey eye palatte from the Royal assets collection. This was the 2007 Holiday collection. Now my CCO had both the smokey eye palatte from 2007 and 2008. I was in dilemma as to which one to pick. But as i had satin taupe and a black eyeshadow i opted for the 2007 palatte. It has more grey shades...which i love. Also the packaging is gorgeous enough to atleast own something from that past collection.

MAC- GRAND DUOS ONLINE

'CREEPY' PROMO PIC








THE DUOS


Grand Duos: Mineralize Blush with a marbleized mélange on one side, and a complementary mono-shade on the other. Its like blush/mineralize skin finish in one.

The seven duo shades are:
Moon River : Blue pink mélange / Pale yellow pink
Love Rock : Gold violet mélange / Bright blue pink
Grand Duo : Copper pink mélange / Plum
Light Over Dark : Orange yellow mélange / Deep brown
Earth to Earth : Purple bronze mélange / Yellow brown
Hot Planet : Copper yellow mélange / Mid-tone plum
Intenso Pink : gold mélange / Terracotta rose

The swatches can be found on every leading beauty sites. I personally am least interested because MSF make my pores look larger, especially the ones that i put on cheeks as blush. They are way too shimmery for my taste.
Many people love them though!!!

Pic credits: Temptalia

Haulage is Knowledge...CCO!!!!

BRUSH SET


LIPSTICK in BUOY O BUOY


SOFT and SLOW lipglass

FLUIDLINE in SWEET SAGE

FLUIDELINE in BRASSY

Fluideline swatches

Daily ritual of visiting my CCO (a bad ritual, i must admit). This time they didn't had much of the stuff. Many things were repeated, nothing that interested me....but then again, i can't come back empty handed...that too from CCO!!!!!

Stuffies i picked,

1. Fluidline in Brassy and Sweet Sage. I think these will make lovely bases for 'pop' of colours.

2. Brush set from some random holiday collection or i guess from those special editions of Nordstroms. It had 187 SE (my main interest), 219 SE, 212 SE, 275 SE, 168 SE. This brush set will need another post for review.

3. Lipstick in Buoy O Buoy (back-up)

4. Lipglass in Soft and Slow (This colour was re-released in Neo-sci-Fi collection).

It was my favourite collection by MAC in 2008. I had voted for the same in Temptalia's poll...:)