Ondine (Featuring Everyday Minerals "Tide is High" Shadow)

Ondine was a water nymph who gave up her immortality for love, but was eventually betrayed by her faithless husband. In vengeance, she cursed him so that he would cease breathing if he ever fell asleep. The story has no happy end, but the mythological figure has always been one of dark and elemental beauty for me.
This is in no way related to the movie of the same name (although I enjoyed it).

Lusterleaf Kitten Eye with Double-Lashes

When you wear a pale wash of color over the lids, it is very important to keep your lash line very dark and defined or your eyes could just "disappear".
If you want to keep the drama but aren't that great with lots of color and shading techniques, dramatic lashes are the way to go. You have the option of applying big, thick Showgirl-esque falsies like those below (I'm personally not a fan of

3 Favorite Budget Makeup Shopping Sites (Jul 2011)

This is a quick and dirty run-down of some of the web-stores I tend to get my budget stash from when I'm shopping online. I assess stores based on not just the product range and price, but also the overall service, and the cost of shipping.

1. Beautyjoint

Product range: Makeup, nail color, a little skincareMakeup brands: NYX, Milani, Jordana, L.A. Girl
PROS:
They have some of the best prices

Dawn Storm: Wet n Wild “Greed” Palette

I’m a little late on the Coloricon train, but I finally got a few from Nonpareil.com, and I’ve been loving them so far.
The first one I decided to try was the 6-color #246 Greed palette, below. I think the shades are gorgeous. The pigmentation of the matte shades is higher on touch, but if you apply them with a brush, over primed lids, the metallics perform just as well, and are really gorgeous.

MAC Face and Body Foundation Review and Tips (Warning: Long Post)

MAC Face and Body is a long-time celebrity favorite, used by the likes of Cheryl Cole and Jennifer Anniston, for its ability to even and correct, but also add the dewy glow back into your skin while remaining undetectable in harsh lights. A lot of people describe this as the lovely Lollipop26 once said, this is the foundation to fool your loved ones in.
What it claims:A water-based,

Leather, Silver and Denim: Neutral Eye for Day

For many people, neutral means "taupe", "brown", "grey", black", "beige". It means safe, reliable, and flattering for most skin tones.
Well, I wanted a departure from the usual combination of coordinated shades (like brown, on brown, on more brown), so I went for the colors of everyday items that we would consider as "neutrals" of a sort. Silver jewelery, dark blue denim, soft tan leather.
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MAC Colourizations Collection Swatches

*Be sure to check out my video review of my items from this collection at the bottom of this post.

Keep in mind, this is not the complete collection, just items I have.

MAC Colourizations Collection
Available July 29/August 2011

Double Feature 1

Double Feature 2

Double Feature 4

Double Feature 5

Double Feature 6

Double Feature 8

Quick and Dirty: Smoky Turquoise and Black Eye

When I say quick and dirty, I really mean quick and dirty. You will need a white/beige/pale-yellow liner (matte), 
false lashes or mascara, 
a deep charcoal grey matte shadow, and 
a satiny deep-turquoise blue.


Step 1: Apply the dark moss-grey matte shade in an upright triangle at the outer corner of the eyes. (Basically, do your outer V and then fill it in.)

Step 2: Apply a rich jewel-blue

New Eyeshadow Storage

Smiggle is an Aussie stationery store, and I love how bright and cheery everything is. I'm not about to throw out all my document folders and pen holders just for them, but I couldn't resist getting two of these beautiful three-tiered stackable tins for organising and storing my eyeshadows in.

They come in black, green, silver, white, fuchsia, aqua, blue, deep purple (and I think yellow but I

Glowing Colorful Summer Makeup Tutorial (MAC Semi Precious)

Products Used:
MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot
MAC Faux Gold mineralized eye shadow
MAC Mineral Mode mineralized eye shadow
MAC Rare Find mineralized eye shadow
MAC Gilded White pencil liner
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Lucky
Cover Girl Lashblast mascara
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
MAC False Lashes #36
MAC Pressed Amber mineralized blush
MAC Semi Precious Crystal Pink mineralize skinfinish
Make Up For Ever Lab Shine lipgloss in #52

Color of the Moment: Getting that Nina Ricci F/W 2011 Milky-Salmon Lip!

Remember the gorgeous creamy-salmon lip color on the Nina Ricci F/W 2011 catwalk every magazine editor was raving about?
Pat McGrath just disclosed the formula. Mix concealer with a coral shade to get that perfect blend. I used MAC NW25 (it's more pink than an NC, and it has the best opacity and texture for the lips) with 2 coral-ey colors. One is more peach and one is more pink. It just

I Hit Pan!!! (And the Reasons I Started a Makeup Blog)

MAC Patina shadow, above
To many an obsessive makeup hoarder/collector, that image signifies Satisfaction. (And I must say a bit of disbelief that we actually managed to use anything often enough to see the pan.)
I am one of those people who cycle between envy at those who manage to make a significant dent in their makeup items, and also terror at the thought of running out of the things I love.

Lip Mix: Getting Revlon Stormy Pink and Peach Petal to Work!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Peach Petal (left), Revlon Matte Lipstick in Stormy Pink (right)
Anyone would tell you these look like 2 of the most gorgeous shades in existence. Peach Petal has been likened to MAC's Underage and Florabundance Lipglass, and Stormy Pink to Pink Nouveau.But after I picked these up, I found the textures to be really hard to work with. 
Peach Petal tends to settle

Blue-Black Vinyl Eye

Was thinking of doing a strong black eye with a twist.Then I ended up doing it with TWO twists; deep blue on the inner corners, and gloss in the center of the lid. Be forewarned: This look can smear all over if you aren't careful and touch your lid while wearing it.---Step 1: Apply a black base to the lids, about 2/3 of the way in. You can use MAC Blackground Paintpot, or any cream liner, but

Smoked Silver-Violet with Peach-tinted Cheeks and Lips

This is a look that composed of a tri-color eye, combining soft purple, grey, and navy, and the color combination is not only flattering for most skin tones, but also wicked on brown eyes.
In contrast, the cheeks and lips are a warm coral-peach in tone.
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Step 1: Apply the soft purple to the inner 2/3 of the lids.

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Step 2: Apply a soft grey to the outer half of the lids, blending into

Multi-tasking: Revlon Colorstay 12 Hour Shadow #01 Copper Spice

Revlon Colorstay Shadows are a bit of a hit-and-miss with me because I find they are all one texture. There is no contrast between mattes and shimmer and glitters. All of them are the same satin finish, and you don’t always get great color payoff.But one of my favorites is Copper Spice, which consists of a champagne, a peach, a coppery-russet, and a dark cocoa. Nude Elements is popular, but I

Pretty Little Liars Makeup Tutorial: Aria (Sigma Bare Palette)

I LOOOVE Pretty Little Liars. The book series, the show.... everything. This look is based on Aria, the character played by Lucy Hale in the show.

Products Used:
Smashbox Photo Finish lid primer
Sigma Beauty Bare Palette
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
Cover Girl Lashblast mascara
MAC lipstick in Fabby
MAC lipglass in Electric Fuchsia














my silly attempt at the opening "shh" of the show....

MAC Semi Precious Collection: Photos and Swatches

*Be sure to check out my video review of my items from this collection at the bottom of this post.

I'm really loving my items from this collection so far! Keep in mind, this is not the complete collection, just items I have.

MAC Semi Precious Collection
Available July 7, 2011

Mineralize Eye Shadow
l-r: Jade's Fortune, Dark Indulgence, Smoked Ruby
(swatches in same order below)

Mineralize Eye Shadow
l-r: Rare Find, Mineral Mode, Faux Gold
(swatches in same order below)

Mineralize Blush
l-r: Feeling Flush, Pressed Amber
(swatches in same order below)

Mineralize Skin Finish
l-r: Semi Precious Crystal Pink

(Semi Precious Crystal Pink)
left- outer ring, middle- inner section, right-mixed

(Semi Precious Pearl)

left- outer ring, middle- inner section, right-mixed

Lipstick
l-r: Lush Amber, Musky Amethyst

(swatches reversed below...oops)

MAC Cremesheen Glass
top: Looks Like Sin, bottom: Pure Magnificence
(swatches below: l-r- Looks Like Sin, Pure Magnificence)

Products were sent for consideration

Lip Mix of the Day: Revlon Pink Pout + MAC Lavender Wind Lipglass

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Pink Pout is a beautiful and affordable soft-mauve which is sheerer than you would expect most matte lipsticks to be. And on some skins,

Nails of the Moment: Matte Orange Creamsicle

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I’ve had my eye on creamy pastel orange/coral with a slight hint of pink for some time. The only thing more gorgeous than that is a MATTE

Sea Storm Eyes with Pink lips and cheeks

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This is a look featuring Sephora’s Colorful Palette #13 Jungle Chic, and NYX's Matte Lipstick in Summer Breeze (slightly warmer dupe for