L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick

I don't really watch TV except for a few shows online, on DVD, and a standing date with my BFF Lori Anne to see what happens on The Voice (exciting!!!).  I learned to live without it during college and never looked back.  This leaves me exempt from just about any TV commercial reference; you quote it and I'll smile and nod along, but I won't really get it.  Several consecutive nights of TV viewing recently affirmed how little I'm missing by not watching regularly (whew!), but I also realized just how susceptible I am to commercials and the shiny happy clever things they promise...

...which is how I found myself in Wal-Mart's health & beauty department at 11:17 PM trying to find this lipstick.



I've never cared much for L'Oreal lipsticks (they smell funny) but this, THIS!  Shiny beautiful long lasting Gwen Stefani red lips for less than $10?!  I couldn't get to the store fast enough. 

I purchased Refined Ruby, a gorgeous blue based red.  First impressions: it doesn't smell at all!  Yay!  The shiny clear and silver tube is very glam but a little unwieldy.  No matter; the color goes on rich and smooth.

But does it really last ten hours?  Can you really swipe your finger over your lips like Gwen does in the commercial with minimal need for touch ups?

Yes!  It does, and you can.  My Infallible Le Rouge lipstick lasted through cheeseburger and milkshake consumption with only the tiniest touch up required, just like a stain.  I was super impressed!  For the sake of experimentation I swiped my finger over my lips a la Gwen; a little color came off on my finger but the color also somehow magically stayed on my lips.

What's in this silver tube packs an amazing pigmented punch.  The vitamin E formula prevents dehydration, so my lips never felt dry.  They didn't shine like the commercial seems to promise, but I'm okay with that.  Overall, this is one of the most glamorous drugstore products I've ever purchased!

Have you ever bought anything after being sucked in by a television or print ad?  Did it deliver what you expected or were you disappointed?

Super Sale! Urban Decay Preen Shadow Box

Urban Decay is having a SUPER SALE right now on their website!  I'm talking $5 loose pigment eyeshadows, cream eyeshadows marked down to $8.50, and this gorgeous palette for only TEN DOLLARS!  It's marked down from $30, so this is a pretty big deal.  Urban Decay makeup at drugstore prices, you guys!  Go go go!  But first, take a look inside the Preen Shadow Box.  Could the peacock packaging be any more amazing?

In addition to six shimmer metallic eyeshadows, there's a little bottle of Eyeshadow Primer Potion and a mini 24/7 eyeliner pencil in Zero, the blackest black you'll ever find.

Top row from left: Snatch, Mildew, Flash
Bottom row: Painkiller, Smog, Toasted

Snatch and Painkiller are exclusive to this Shadow Box.  All the shades are super metallic, while Snatch has some extra gold glitter.  Here they are swatched over the Primer Potion.

Snatch, Mildew, Flash

Painkiller, Smog, Toasted

There are a million ways to wear these eyeshadows!  There are plenty of neutrals to mix with the bright colors and coming up with different looks has been a lot of fun.  And did I mention that this is only TEN DOLLARS?!?  This is too good to pass up!

NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Taiga

One of the most fun aspects of makeup is fantasy, wouldn't you say?  Its transformative powers have always appealed to me; I can channel anyone I want in seconds flat!  With kohl eyeliner I'm Cleopatra ruling an empire; with silver nail polish I can be a femme fatale out of a Raymond Chandler novel; with false eyelashes I'm Edie Sedgwick running around the Factory.  And with the Taiga Eyeshadow Duo from NARS I can be a fairy tale Russian princess.

Taiga is a Russian word to describe the ecosystem of forests that encompasses most of the country, in addition to Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.  The climate is harsh and cold but beautiful, and is the largest terrestrial biome in the world.  Fascinating, right?  I've always thought so.  I have a bit of an obsession with all things Russian, so the Taiga Eyeshadow Duo was a must-have for my makeup bag!

This is no ordinary white and brown eyeshadow you're seeing; no, no, far from it!  Taiga is the makeup equivalent of a dense fairy tale forest when the last bits of sunlight shine through the trees and everything seems to magically glow.  The shade on the left is a cream colored shimmer that almost disappears into my skin, leaving behind the faintest hint of color imaginable, really more of a glow.  The shade on the right is the real showstopper.  I've been searching for the perfect pewter-green-gold-dark-khaki color and that's exactly, exactly what this is.  It's rich with a bit of gold shimmer but isn't overtly glittery, which I definitely appreciate.

On bare skin--you can just barely see the light shade, but it's there!

Over Urban Decay Primer Potion

Taiga is perfect for creating a subtle smoky eye that's guaranteed to smolder.  The lighter shade makes a great highlight, while the darker shade would look amazing blended into your crease or as eyeliner.  Another lovely wonder from Monsieur Nars!

NEW! Tarte For True Blood Collection

Don't even try to tell me that vampires sparkle.  I won't hear of it!  No, vampires live in the Deep South and own bars and rule kingdoms and cry blood instead of tears. Of course I'm talking about True Blood, and I couldn't be more excited that season 4 starts this weekend!

To celebrate the premiere, natural makeup giant Tarte has teamed up with the show's head makeup artist Brigette Myre-Ellis to produce a limited edition collection of beauty products.  In addition to iridescent red shades in Tarte's cult favorite Natural Cheek Stain and Lip Surgence Lip Tint, there's an enormous palette of eyeshadows with True Blood themed names like Fairy, Waitress, and Bayou.  The palette also comes with eyeliner, mascara, and eye primer.  For only $52 this is a pretty amazing deal!

 

The most unique thing about this collection is that each product is similar to those that Brigette Myre-Ellis uses for the characters on set.  She's revealed in interviews that she used Tarte eyeshadow palettes for character Maryann Forrester's exotic eyes and always applies a very dramatic red lip for Vampire Queen Sophie Anne.  Cheek stains also perfect for the dewy look of the human characters on True Blood; the humans are always "bronzed and sweaty (we spray them with water) to serve as contrast to the vampires, who are always cool and collected." 

Even if you aren't a fan of the show, these products are difficult to pass up!  The variety of matte, shimmer, and smoky shades in the palette will create so many gorgeous looks.  If you love red lips as much as I do, this Lip Tint is a must have!  And cheek stains are an essential item for summer because they'll last all day with no regard to sweltering temperatures.   The Tarte for True Blood collection is beautiful, wearable, and a genius collaboration!   

L'Oreal HIP Shocking Shadow Pigments in Intrepid

Intrepid from L'Oreal's HIP Shocking Shadow Pigments collection is one of THE coolest colors I've ever seen.  I've wanted it forever and I finally caved in and bought it!  I love Intrepid so much I'm willing to overlook the fact that it's a loose pigment.  At least the jar has a sifter, so the packaging is good.  And the little brush that comes with the pigment works very well, too, which I didn't expect.  But you came to see what's inside the jar, didn't you?  Here it is!

 

Isn't that cool?!  Intrepid is a beautiful reddish brown topped with a greenish-blue sheen.  It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but it works!  I don't know how, but it looks like magic.  In the pictures below, I blended Intrepid into the crease of my eyelids.    

The two-tone effect is way more noticeable in person (sorry the lighting is weird), but you can still see the shimmer along with the reddish-brown base.  I paired it with two shades from Too Faced's Natural Eye palette, with Push Up on my lids and Silk Teddy under my brow bone.  

You can prevent "fallout" from loose pigment eyeshadows by tapping the brush first to remove any excess powder and by holding a blotting paper or tissue underneath your eye.  If you do end up with colored powder under your eyes, don't brush it away with your finger.  This can pat the color into your skin and actually make it stay rather than removing it.  Instead, use a clean brush or a tissue to remove the color, and apply concealer last!

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

  

Upon initial examination, Tarte's Gifted Amazonian Clay "Smart" mascara looks pretty conventional and even a little boring, wouldn't you say?  The wooden packaging is nifty, but that brush looks like every other mascara wand I've ever seen.  Still, I was on the hunt for a new mascara when this fortuitously arrived in the mailbox as a surprise from my mom!  Who am I to turn down a brand new mascara? 

Then I actually tried it, and WOW!  My lashes are a mile long, curled, and still feel silky and light.  You know how some mascaras can make your eyelashes feel as though you have three pounds of gunky chemicals weighing them down?  And your lashes feel all gummy and artificial?  Yeah, that's what I'd started to experience with my former mascara, so Tarte's Gifted was like a breath of fresh air for my lashes!  This looks and feels so much better.  

And here's where the "smart mascara" effect comes in: Gifted contains Amazonian clay to rebuild and replenish your lashes.  It's true, it really works!  My eyelashes were looking brittle and sparse, due in part to sleeping with my face squashed into my pillow night after night.  After two weeks, my lashes are fuller, longer, and more plentiful.  Gifted is also formulated without parabens, synthetic dyes and fragrances, sulfates, and tons of other nasty chemicals.  My eyelashes are healthier! 

I'm telling you, there is magic in this tube. 

Living Just as Free as My Hair! Or: The Something New Summer Challenge!

I've had red hair for a week now and I still couldn't be more thrilled with it!  Understand: my hair has never been dyed before.  I've had highlights for years, but I've been blonde my whole life and going red was a HUGE change.  The new hair color has made me change other things, too, like my lipstick.

Turns out most of the shades that looked amazing on me as a blonde don't work so well now that I'm a ginger.  I realized I was wearing lots of bright red and pink lipsticks to make a bold statement and stand out.  Now my red hair makes a bold statement, so I'm comfortable experimenting with nude lipstick, more natural blushes, and even green eyeshadow.  I never dreamed I'd ever wear any of these colors, but it's also a nice change and it's definitely been fun to experiment.  Imagine this post soundtracked to Lady Gaga's "Hair" and check out my new discoveries!

From top to bottom: Ulta Shimmer Lipstick in Buff Shimmer, Ulta Lipstick in Moroccan Red, Revlon Super Lustrous Creme Lipstick in Rosewine, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Drop of Sherry, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Kasbah

Buff Shimmer is a perfect nude lipstick that looks good over my natural lip color and is just enough so that I don't look washed out.  Moroccan Red is a gorgeous deep blood red that's definitely a statement and is great for nights out.  Rosewine and Drop of Sherry are brilliant every day lipsticks and are my new go-to colors.  I can still wear pink(ish) lipstick!  Finally, Kasbah is a tawny brown and the best name for a lipstick ever.  I still can't believe these colors look good on me, but I asked my toughest critics for honest answers to be absolutely sure and they applauded my choices.

Just like I've never bought brown lipstick before, I've also never purchased blush that wasn't some variation of bright rosy pink.  Turns out they don't look so good with red hair either, so I frantically searched for something more neutral and came away with Physician's Formula Mood Booster blush in Natural.  There's the slightest hint of pink, but mostly it makes my cheeks look naturally luminous and glowing rather than blushed.  It's a very pretty, unexpected effect!   

I want to challenge all you lovely readers to try something new with your makeup!  Has your signature look become more of a rut?  Switch it up!  Try a color you wouldn't normally buy and ask your most trusted friend if it flatters you, just to be sure.  Break out some colored or liquid eyeliner, try matte lipstick or nude gloss, paint your nails navy or crimson or bright yellow!  Just try something different!  Even if it doesn't suit you after all (my green eyeshadow is going back to the store, for example), at least you tried and had fun!

What new makeup shade or product will you rock this summer?  Let me know!  And share pictures, if you've got them!

Spotlight On: Shiro Cosmetics

I'm obsessing over independent beauty companies lately, and Shiro Cosmetics is definitely a standout.  Founder Caitlin saw a market for girls with "geeky" interests like video games and Internet culture who also love makeup.  She filled a void in the industry with her eyeshadow collections inspired by Pokemon and the Legend of Zelda, a lo, a clever, unique company was born!  Her eyeshadow collections have since expanded to Internet meme-themed lip balms she calls Intertubes (ha!)  along with blushes and a brand new laboratory inspired Science shadow collection.  Most impressive, though: every single one of her shades is totally unique.

I never really played a video game proper till college, but come on, you don't have to be a geek or a gamer to appreciate these beautiful eyeshadows.  I ordered a set of ten samples, a rainbow of shades and four shimmery neutrals from the Super Effective and Legends collections.  They came packed in a little muslin bag along with extra random eyeshadow samples and chocolate!  Yay!

Each sample packet contains 1/4 tsp. of product and a sticker stating the name of the shadow, a list of ingredients, and whether or not it's lip safe.  Very nice!  The colors can be as bright or as subtle as you like; each shadow can be blended out or layered depending on your preference.  I also found it helpful to press some of the shades into your skin, rather than sweeping them, to minimize fallout and increase the vibrancy of the color.  Now, the SWATCHES!

Seaking, Charmander, Pikachu

Bulbasaur, Gyrados, Ratatta

Small Key, Ocarina, Likelike

Articuno, Temple of Time, Puzzle Cube

The last three colors are SPARKLY and perfect for blending with the brighter shades.  Here's a look I did with Articuno, Ratatta, and Likelike.  I love how Ratatta blends; the swatch above is the only one that doesn't do the color justice!

I was so pleased with my samples, I will definitely be ordering more from Shiro Cosmetics.  I especially want to check out the Science collection!  I also want to start playing the Legend of Zelda games again...

You can purchase Shiro Cosmetics at Caitlin's Etsy shop or the official Shiro website!

My Own Fragrance Library

Since I'm still looking for my own elusive signature scent, I've accumulated quite a little collection of different perfumes.  There's a lot of variety here; I like to switch it up depending on my mood or the seasons.  For example, Prada Infusion d'Iris makes me feel very grown up and proper while Gwen Stefani's L is more fun and relaxed.  Here's a look into my own fragrance collection. (P.S. I made the "tower" myself out of candle holders and cheap aluminum trays! It's pretty much my only successful DIY project and I'm proud.  Please admire.)

Lately Tocca Brigitte, YSL Parisienne, and BPAL Marie are what I wear the most.  Parisienne is the epitome of expensive French florals and makes me feel like a fancy well-to-do lady, while Brigitte is inspired by Ms. Bardot and is sexy and playful.  Marie is violet and tuberose with darker bottom notes so it's not sickeningly sweet, which I LOVE.  In the back is Betsey Johnson's signature perfume, which I no longer wear but still keep around because the bottle is so pretty. 

Prada Infusion d'Iris is way more powdery than I expected.  I didn't like it at first, but now I find something about the scent to be weirdly comforting.  Like I said, it makes me feel grown up and I'll spray it lightly before important meetings.  The pink bottle is an old Cynthia Rowley for Avon fragrance that smells like honeysuckle and Southern summer nights.  Sometimes I'm in the mood for that sort of scent, but it's rare, so I mostly keep it for the bottle too (see a trend here?).  G is the only Harajuku Lovers perfume I own.  Don't laugh.  I couldn't resist the adorable-ness, plus the scent is like a day at the beach.  It's all coconuts and deliciousness and smells especially nice layered with Gwen's signature L fragrance.

I haven't worn Marc Jacobs Lola in a while, actually.  I need to spray it on more often.  Again, it's the bottle that really sells me.  I have a feeling I'll have this for a long time!  The tiny bottle is Bobbi Brown Almost Bare.  It's a cast-off from my mom and I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, but it's very light and clean.  I don't usually go for that in a perfume, but it's worth trying anyway.

Then you see Gwen Stefani's L.  I don't care that it's now available on super discount shelves at stores like TJ Maxx, I still love it and always get compliments when I wear it.  I think I'll head to TJ Maxx and stock up!  In the back is Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue, which I starting wearing when I was sixteen or seventeen and is what I consider my first "real" fragrance (Tommy Girl doesn't count!).  I've outgrown it now but I'll wear it occasionally when I'm feeling a little nostalgic.  It's another fresh clean scent that was perfect for my teenage self!

Now, though, I'm gravitating toward grand, fiery statement perfumes (pink pepper and cinnamon are my two new favorite elements) and "floral with a dark twist" kind of scents.  I'm also seeking out more unique, non-mainstream fragrances.  My signature scent probably won't be available at Sephora!  But you know what?  I'm definitely okay with the search.  I'll keep you all updated as the hunt continues :)

How to Find Your Signature Scent Part 3: Buying Unique Fragrances

Once you start learning what sort of scents you like, it's easier to pick out notes and elements and find different, more unique fragrances than the examples I gave in my last post.  Those scents are great, don't get me wrong, I own several myself, but I think the elusive Signature Scent™ should be something a little more unusual, don't you?

Black Phoenix perfume oil and Imps

One of the greatest resources for unusual, unique fragrances is The Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.  I've written about them before and am still loving my Marie perfume oil.  It's violets and tea roses and I get complimented on it all the time!  I'm not sure it's my signature scent (I think I want something a little more in the oriental family), but I'm definitely enjoying it.  Go check out my BPAL article for more information about this fantastic company and the amazing fragrances they offer.  A great way to test their perfumes is to order "Imps", a tiny little sample of the perfume oil for only $3.  You can order up as many as you like and experiment to your heart's content without a real commitment!  Plus they'll also send Imps at random when you order a full size perfume.  Clever!

Lucky Scent samples: Le Labo Rose 31 and Commes de Garcons Daphne

 Another amazing resource for unusual perfume is LuckyScent.com.  I've never even heard of most of the brands and perfumes they offer, so you're guaranteed to find something unusual that no other woman will be wearing.  You can search by fragrance family or notes if you're stumped by the unfamiliar names.  LuckyScent also offers sample sizes of most of the perfumes for $3-5 so you can try before you buy!  It's particularly great because what they offer tends to be on the more expensive side.  I was okay with ordering up a $25 perfume oil from BPAL before I actually tried it, but I definitely wouldn't be cool with dropping $270 on the perfume Daphne Guinness created without trying it first (I did try it, and I think it's for the sort of woman who wears Chanel No. 5, which unfortunately isn't me...yet).

The best way to get a truly unique fragrance is to mix scents with wild abandon!  Layer two or three fragrances at once for a fragrance to suit you and only you.  This isn't for beginners and will require even more experimentation, but how fun would it be to have your very own unique blend?  I've loved Demeter's Fragrance Library ever since I read about them when I first started obsessing over magazines (quite a long time ago!).  They have scents for almost anything you can imagine, and are designed to be layered and mixed.  Personally I'm thinking Lava Rock plus Kamikaze would be a winner for me, but you could literally come up with thousands of combinations.


So tell me!  What are your favorite scents?  Have you found a signature yet, or are you still looking, like me?  Do you remember your very first fragrance? (Mine was Tommy Girl.  And some perfume from The Gap! Oh yes!)  Do you relegate scents to certain eras in your life? (Tommy Girl will always smell like 6th grade, while I wore Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue during high school).  What perfume would you never, ever wear again?  I wanna know!

My Favorite Redheads

 

Ann-Margret

 Rita Hayworth

Paloma Faith

Ella Morton

Miranda Hobbes/Cynthia Nixon

Joan Holloway/Christina Hendricks

AND NOW ME!  Surprise!

How to Find Your Signature Scent Part 2: All About Fragrance Families

A fragrance counter can be tricky to navigate if you don't know what kind of scents you like.  Perfumes usually fall into one of four major families: floral, woody, oriental, and fresh.  Many fragrances overlap categories, too.  Here's what it all means:

Floral scents are pretty self-explanatory.  These are the most traditionally feminine fragrances, and popular notes include rose, lily pf the valley, peony, orchid, and tuberose.  Other variants are white florals, which typically have notes of jasmine, gardenia, or freesia to create a grand statement; and soft florals, which include elements of iris, vanilla, or citrus to create a fresh or powdery floral fragrance.  Some great floral scents to start testing are Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb, Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne, Michael Kors Very Hollywood, Robert Piquet Fracas, Prada Infusion d'Iris, and anything from Marc Jacobs.

Woody scents have strong, intense fragrance elements like amber, sandalwood, cedarwood, or patchouli.  These scents tend to be bold and spicy.  Dry wood fragrances include tobacco, leather, and a little citrus to keep it fresh and from being too overpowering.  Mossy woods typically evoke forests and include green or citrus notes as well as oak and other wood scents.  Oriental woods tend to be the most sexy, with notes of amber and sandalwood.  If you want to test a woody scent, spray Narciso Rodriguez For Her, Gucci Rush, Donna Karan Cashmere Mist, the original Lolita Lempicka, or Prada Amber to start.
 

Oriental fragrances tend to be exotic and sexy.  The very first oriental scent was Guerlain's Shalimar, which was developed in the 1920s and is still available today.  Fragrance elements mix spices like cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla with heady florals like rose and orchid.  Other elements include sugars, nutmeg, cardamom, and sweet spices.  There's a lot of variation among the scents in this category; "gourmand" is the term given to scents that contain foody elements like sugar and spice (and everything nice!) .  Some great oriental or gourmand fragrances to start testing are Aquolina Pink Sugar, Vera Wang Princess, Gucci Guilty, Burberry Brit, Georgio Armani Code, and Tocca Brigitte.

Finally, fresh scents are clean and energizing.  Common notes are lime, lemon, grapefruit, and mandarin.  Fresh green fragrances will have notes of leaves, herbs, or green tea, while fresh water fragrances will incorporate elements of ocean breezes or fresh dew.  Some will have an added element of amber to give the scent a little sexiness.  Some fresh fragrances you can try out include the DKNY Be Delicious fragrance line, Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue, Issey Miyake Eau d'Issey, and any scent from the aptly named brand Fresh.

These are meant to be general, overall guidelines.  Not every fragrance fits into one distinct category.  Most will have elements from two or even three fragrance families.  One of my favorite perfumes, L by Gwen Stefani (which is also one of the only celebrity fragrances I really like), has elements of both floral and fresh notes.  To see how fragrances blend and fit together, consult the Fragrance Wheel!  It's perfume's answer to the color wheel and was developed in 1983 by Michael Edwards.  It's extremely helpful to have a visual representation of how this all fits together.

Try a few scents from each category to learn what fragrances most appeal to you.  Once you discover a preference for oriental florals or dry woods, selecting a perfume becomes that much easier. 

Part 3 of selecting a fragrance is all about how to find the most unique scents, coming soon!  You don't want to miss it!

How to Find Your Signature Scent Part 1: The Basics

MoonBelle Photography

Fragrance is undoubtedly one of the most personal beauty products a person can own.  Scents react to your own body chemistry, so what smells amazing in the bottle or on someone else just may not work for you, and vice versa.  Whether you're looking for a Signature Scent or want to build up a fragrance library of perfumes for different moods and seasons, Applied Glamour steps in to assist and eliminate confusion!  This three part series on perfume will take you through every aspect of fragrance selection, from the initial sniff to exactly what "woody oriental" means to where to find the most unique scents.

First, some terms to decode:  Top notes refer to the fragrance elements you smell immediately after the perfume is sprayed.  They're strong and will be your first impression of the perfume, but they also tend to evaporate fairly quickly.  Middle notes are what you smell after the top notes have faded, usually up to an hour later.  They're the "heart" of the fragrance and the main elements of the perfume.  The base notes are what add depth and complexity to a perfume, since it's the element that lingers long after the top and middle notes have faded.  You can start detecting them as early as thirty minutes after applying the perfume, but they often take much longer to appear.  This will affect how long your fragrance lasts.

If you have no idea where to begin, just pick up a perfume bottle that appeals to you and see how you like the fragrance inside.  Ideally, you want something aesthetically pleasing as well as smelling amazing.  It's completely okay to judge a fragrance by its bottle.  Alternatively, pick a fragrance to test from a fashion house whose clothes or accessories you admire.  If you have a collection of Pucci scarves, try Miss Pucci or Vivara perfumes (the bottles are stunning, too).  If you dream of a Chanel handbag, see how you like Coco Mademoiselle.  It's not completely foolproof, but it's a great place to start.

The best way to find a fragrance you love is to test it on your own skin!  Try one scent on each wrist at a time and wear it around for a while to really get a feel for the top, middle, and base notes, determine how long the scent will last, and most importantly, how it smells on you.  It can be time consuming, yes, but the process is ultimately worthwhile. 

Stay tuned for parts two and three on How to Find Your Signature Scent!  Coming soon: all about fragrance families and secrets for finding truly unique perfumes.

Beauty Bloggers Create Shades for MAC!

via

 Uhm, how cool is this?!  Nine beauty bloggers were recently approached by MAC to create a unique line of eyeshadows and lip glosses!  The Divine Nine visited the MAC lab in Toronto and each developed a signature shade.  This Bloggers' Obsession collection will be available exclusively online (how fitting!) starting June 21.

Lip Glass shades range from shimmery light pink to deep violet, and the four eyeshadows are Sparkle, Neely, Sparkle! (rusty brown with champagne sparkle), Jealousy Wakes (emerald green with teal and gold), Parisian Skies (subtle grey-blue), and Hocus Pocus (sooty grey with silver).

Each piece is priced at $14.50 and will only be available for a limited time.  I definitely plan to pick up at least one (I'm thinking Hocus Pocus); this collaboration is exciting and I want to support it!  Here's to future beauty blogger/cosmetic company collections!  Hopefully there will be many more to come.

Sharpening Up Your Look with Pencils! For Your Eyebows, Lips, & Everything in Between

Lately I can't get enough of pencils! From my eyebrows to my lips, pencils are my new favorite way to apply my makeup. I've never been a big fan of them before, but these four products have completely changed my mind. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in DEA ($18): The pencil that started it all!  This concealer is creamy, blendable, and gives thick full coverage without that gunky "Ugh I have a ton of makeup on my face" feeling you sometimes get with other full coverage products.  It's my favorite formula by far, and even though I'll occasionally obsess over another concealer, I always come back to this one.  I wore my old Urban Decay concealer pencil down to a nub and recently acquired this shiny new pencil!  When someone buys a product twice, you know it's gotta be good.  

Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil in Strawberry Delish ($12): I adore patent/vinyl anything, but I despise stickiness on my lips.  This incredible lip pencil gives my lips all the vinyl shine of a gloss I could ever want without the gross stickiness.  The glossiness does eventually wear off, but unlike lip gloss, this pencil leaves color behind so my lips aren't completely pale within two hours.  It's also fabulously moisturizing.  I definitely want more of these!

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in Jet Black ($4): I've been devoted to my cheapie liquid eyeliner for so long, I forgot how glorious eyeliner pencils can be!  This one is perfect for smudgy sexy eyes and looks great on my waterline and lower lash line in a way that no liquid liner ever has.  And because it's super black kohl, it makes me feel like an Egyptian princess.  Bonus!

NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Velvet ($4): I initially purchased this as beige eyeliner, but quickly discovered it looks way better on my eyebrows!  I never thought an eyebrow pencil could be such a perfect match, but this is almost exactly the color of my hair and looks so natural.  For a while I considered having my pale-to-the-point-of-non-existent brows tinted, but changed my mind after using this pencil!  I swear, it's that good, and NYX has such a ridiculous variety of shades available, there's something to suit anyone.

L to R: Urban Decay Concealer, Sephora Lip Pencil, Rimmel Eyeliner, NYX Eyebrow Pencil