Another Makeup Junkie

My most extravagent makeup purchase: Dior Electric Lights quint

2009-05-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

Is everyone as happy as me that it's Friday?? I hope so! I thought it would be fun to share my most expensive makeup purchase to date: my Dior quint in Electric Lights.

This is a fairly new purchase for me, and I knew I had to have it after seeing swatches on Temptalia.com. I thought the bright blues would be great for summer. There are five shades, and in my opinion, the standout is the one in the middle. It's a gorgeous deep blue purple color - pretty unique. My main complaint are the other four shades - when on, the lightest two look too similar, as do the medium two. There isn't much difference - it's almost like you're getting three colors instead of five. I hope that makes sense. The colors themselves are all super frosty, smooth, and pigmented. The palette comes with two dual ended sponge tip applicators, and there's a nice mirror on the inside. The price for this was $56, and I got mine from Sephora.

Overall, I wouldn't say that this will be my last Dior purchase, but it'll take some super gorgeous unique colors to pull me in.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

The Kat Von D Gypsy palette

2009-05-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Today I'm going to swatch and review the new Kat Von D Gypsy palette. This is a limited edition item, and is available at Sephora for $34 - not a bad price for eight colors.

The compact itself is really cute - I love the design on the front. It reminds me of an anime cartoon or comic. It's really sturdy and on the inside is a nice, big mirror. It also comes with two small brushes that I really can't find anything nice to say about.

Inside are eight colors. They are (from left to right):

Luficer: A matte black - nothing special
Stryker: basically this is Club shadow by MAC or Lounge by Urban Decay - a reddish brown with green duochrome. A really cool color if you don't have something similar already
Frankie: A really pretty, wearable plum color.
Hawkwind: This is a really cool color. In the pan, it looks white. Swatched, it's a frosty white with major green/gold iridescence. It's kinda like a really kicked up version of MAC's Vex. It's really unique.
Brass Knuckles: This one is a cream shadow - I have no idea why they decided to put it in this palette. It's a super frosty light gold/yellow color, and I bet that it would work as a shadow or base. It's really thick and sticky, so I'm thinking a thin layer would be the best way to go. The color is great, I'm just not feeling the formula.
Birdcage: This is a light, shimmery yellow/green color. It's really pretty.
Ego Sum: This is maybe my favorite color in the palette. It's a super frosty medium green with a subtle golden sheen. Love it!
Gunner: This is a dark green with a good amount of glitter - not too much, but it's definitely noticeable.

All of the descriptions and swatches follow in the order of the palette from left to right, and the pictures are all clickable so that you can see them better.

Overall, I really love this palette. I think it'll be great for summer, and you could get so many looks out of it. The shadows are soft and pigmented, and it's a great deal. It's definitely worth checking out!

Swatches for Makeup Geek

2009-05-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

My Mother's day haul

2009-05-12T11:14:00.001-07:00

Hey junkies! Today I want to share the goodies I picked up on Mother's day. The hubby knows that instead of trying to surprise me with a gift, he's better off taking me shopping so that I can pick up what I want. He's cool with that - he doesn't mind shopping, and it takes the guess work out of it. It's a win win.

It was a nice day, so we headed to the CCO (cosmetics company outlet). It's about 40 minutes away, so I've only been there once before. For those of you not familiar, the CCO's sell discounted high end makeup brands including MAC. It's a crapshoot - there could be lots, or not much at all. I'd say it was in between, here's what I picked up:

1. Delphic fluidline - fluidlines are gel eyeliners that you can also use as eyeshadow bases. This one is a medium teal with shimmer. Very pretty. I think it was permanent, but is now discontinued.

2. Pink Couture shadestick - I have been loving my shadesticks lately, and was excited to find this one. It's a shimmery pinkish mauve color - I think it would look great on it's own or under any pink or purple shadow.

3. Passionate shadow - This is part of the permanent collection, but I hadn't picked it up yet. It's a vibrant, matte hot pink - almost raspberry color.

4. Take A Hint tendertone - Tendertones are yummy scented lip balms. It's in a little pot, so you have to apply it with your finger, and they have SPF 12. They're not sticky, but they don't add much color either - just a nice glossy finish with subtle color. They feel great on your lips, and are perfect for summer. Take A Hint is a medium pink with silver shimmer.

5. High Top lipstick - This was released with Fafi (That was before my addiction began, so I'm always happy to pick up something that I missed out on). It's a very unique color - purple with blue shimmer and sparkles. But because it's a glaze, it's super sheer. It looks scary in the tube, but is actually very wearable.

6. Sweet William blush creme - I've really enjoyed experimenting with cream and gel blushes lately. I had heard about this color on youtube, but MAC has since discontinued it. I'm glad I found it at the CCO, cause it's so pretty! It's a creamy rosy pink color with a small amount of pearl to it. I think I'll be all over this when it's 100 degrees out.

7. Female richmetal highlighter - To be honest, I had never heard of this product and had no idea what it was. I just loved the color - so I asked the saleswoman what it was. She told me that you could use it as a shadow base, an actual shadow, or a cheek/face highlighter. It originally came out in the Colour Forms collection. Female is a frosty pale pink color - very opalescent. The texture is weird - it feels like a powder, but applies like a cream. I'm not sure how I'll end up using it, but it'll be fun to play around with.

8. Colour Forms warm eye palette - This came out last summer in the Nordstroms exclusive collection. It includes:
Chillproof (frost) - frosty white
Tancentric (veluxe pearl) - frosty beige pink
Rolled Gold (lustre) - shimmering golden olive
Rustic (veluxe pearl) - frosted copper red
Fertile (satin) - dark blackened brown
There is also a mini 213, as there is in most of the palettes. All of the colors are very pretty and wearable, and you could create so many looks out of these five colors.

That's my haul from the CCO, but then I went to Macy's. From MAC I got a foundation pump - I'm almost at the bottom, and it's a pain to get out. I also stopped at Clinique and picked up the new shimmering stripes blush in Cabana Pink. It's gorgeous! There's four stripes of coordinating pink/rose/bronze shades that you can use separately as shadows or swirl together for blush. It didn't photograph well, but trust me - it's definitely worth checking out.

If you add all that to a delicious brunch, beautiful tulips, and plenty of time with the family, you've got a perfect weekend. Big kudos to my man and kids. :)

Organizing the Stash: brushes

2009-05-11T09:17:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday junkies!! I hope you all had a great weekend, and a nice Mother's day.

Today I'm going to do another organization and storage post. This one will focus on brushes. Again, I have a cheap, easy idea for you. It might not win any awards in the looks department, but it works.

I store my brushes in two pencil holders - one for eye brushes and one for face brushes. You can find these at any office supply store, Wal Mart, or Target. They will most likely range from $3-$6 each. I got mine at Office Max, and they're square which I like - I like that you can butt them up against each other nicely. The ones I picked are also divided into four sections so you can further organize the brushes.

This system works great for me - hopefully it gives you another idea on how to keep organized.

I'm working on another haul post - the hubby took me shopping for Mothers Day, and I want to share with you guys what I found at the CCO (cosmetics company outlet). I should have it up sometime tomorrow. See you then!!

Super duper exciting news!

2009-05-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

I was just on MAC's website (maccosmetics.com) and noticed that they are now selling the pro palette refills online, along with the actual palettes! Previously you could only get these items at a free standing MAC store. This not only saves you money (refill pans are $11 compared to shadows in pots that are $14.50), but in my opinion, it's a much better way to store and organize your MAC shadows. No more depotting for me! The price of the 15 palette is $12 and the empty quad is $3.50.

There are also blush palettes ($12) that hold 6 blush pans ($15). If you guys have any questions, let me know!

My new baby: The 2009 MAC cool eyes trip palette

2009-05-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Since I've only been "into" MAC for less than a year, I have a mental list of older colors that I want to get my hands on. These are colors that I have seen on other blogs/websites, or colors that everyone seems to love. Included on this mental list were Springtime Skipper (from the Barbie collection) and Waternymph (I believe from the Lure collection). Imagine my excitement when I found out that these two colors were going to be in one of the 2009 trip palettes!

I wasn't familiar with the trip collections until recently. It is an annual collection that is only available in duty free shops in certain airports. I knew I wouldn't be at an airport any time soon, so I figured I'd try to pick it up on Ebay or allcosmeticswholesale.com. Then I found a seller on makeupgeek.com who was willing to pick up anything you wanted, and ship it to you. I was so stoked - I ordered it from her immediately.
Let me say that I freaking love this thing. It's pure gorgeousness. Included are 5 colors. From left to right they are:

Prismique (lustre)
Springtime Skipper (veluxe pearl)
Waternymph (frost)
Knight Divine (veluxe pearl)
Flashtrack (veluxe pearl)

Prismique is a typical lustre - not great color payoff, and a gritty texture. Pretty good fall out too. Knight Divine is from the permanent collection. I already have this, but it's a wonderful color that everyone should have in their collection - I didn't mind having two of them. Flashtrack was in the permanent line, but was discontinued. It's a dark navy - very pretty, but I have others like it. So I basically got the palette for the two colors I wanted, and I'm totally okay with that. I'm so happy to finally have them in my collection, and I can't wait to play around with them.

My MAC Rose Romance haul part 3: lip products

2009-04-30T17:55:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! Here's the third and final part of my Rose Romance review, and today I'll be covering the lip products. There were a total of 9 lippies that came out with the collection - 3 lipsticks, 3 lipglosses, and 3 see thru lip colors.

The glosses: I got Virgin Kiss and Steal My Heart. I already had Magnetique from the Little Darlings holiday collection, so that's why it's smaller than the other two. Overall, the glosses are very pretty, but in my opinion, nothing different than what we've seen before. Virgin Kiss is a sheer pale pink with lots of silver glitter. It's not very pigmented, but the extra glitter is what makes it a little different from similar colors. It's comparable to Cherry Blossom from Cult Of Cherry, or Sugartrance from Fafi. It's very pretty, but I already have so many sheer pale pink glosses. If you're just starting your lippie collection, it's a great buy. Same goes for Steal My Heart - it's a color we've seen before (Wonderstruck lustreglass) but the excess amount of glitter sets it apart slightly. It's a sheer bright pink, and is actually more pigmented than I thought it would be. On my lips, it's pretty bright. Lastly is the most unique color, Magnetique. It's a deep berry color with shimmer, but no glitter. It's very pigmented, and while I love the color, it can be a bit much on someone as pale as me.

The lipsticks: I'm going to go against popular opinion here, and say that I don't really care for the lipsticks. I ended up getting A Rose Romance and Way To Love. The third one is Odyssey, and it is part of the permanent collection. It's a dark frosty plum color, and while it's pretty, I don't wear plum lipsticks very often. (On a side note, if you want a gorgeous plum lipstick, try Plum Dandy. It's beautiful) Don't get me wrong, the lipsticks are pretty - they're just nothing that I don't have already. Again, if you're looking to expand your collection they'd be perfect. A Rose Romance is cool medium pink with gold pearl, and Way To Love is a light nude pink. I was the most disappointed in Way To Love - on my hand I loved it - it looked like the kind of color that I always reach for. On my lips was another story - it was so sheer that it didn't really show up. Again, most people seem to absolutely love these lipsticks - this is just my opinion.

The See Thru lip colors: For those of you who are unfamiliar with these, they're basically lip stains. MAC has released these once or twice before, but I never got one. This time I felt the urge to try them out. I got Loving Touch (a sheer pearly light pink) and Tender Tryst (a sheer pearly plum). I passed on Secret Crush (a translucent red berry). As the descriptions imply, Loving Touch and Tender Tryst have a pearl like finish to them, while Secret Crush is just a flat color. I have to say that I don't care for these at all, but it's not do to the colors, I just realized that I'm not a fan of lip stains. They have a thin watery consistency, and they seem to need a few layers to build up the color. I don't like how they feel on my lips - I much prefer lipstick. I just don't see myself reaching for them. The nice thing about these though is that you can layer different glosses over them to get different effects (my friend Sara loves Virgin Kiss over Tender Tryst). I'm just not feeling this product - I feel like it's just to much hassle for mediocre results.

I guess what it boils down to for me, is that my collection of lip products has gotten so large that I feel like I didn't need any of these - lesson (hopefully) learned.

Thanks so much for stopping by - I really appreciate it. I hope you all have a great weekend - mine will be filled with baseball, movies, and family time. See ya next week junkies!!

A great sale: NYX

2009-04-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give you guys a heads up on a great sale - NYX cosmetics is offering you 50% off your entire order! And it lasts for two weeks, giving us plenty of time to stock up. NYX is a super affordable alternative to MAC and other high end brands. I own some of their single shadows, blushes, lashes, and jumbo eye pencils (these make great bases). Plus they have what seems like a million colors - something for everyone. I've also heard good things about their round lipsticks and lipglosses, but I can't verify that, as I've never tried them. With the 50% discount, their single shadows come out to $2.50, their regular powder blushes $3.00, and their jumbo pencils and round lipsticks are gonna run you $1.75. It's a win win for everyone - happy shopping!

FOTD: A soft Rose Romance look

2009-04-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I know I promised a review of the Rose Romance lip products - I am in the middle of writing it, and I promise it will be next! In the meantime, I thought I'd post a look I did the other day with many of the Rose Romance goodies. I know the pictures aren't great, but hopefully you get the general idea. It turned out nice - just a soft, simple look that could be worn for any occasion. I used:

Fresco Rose paintpot on lid with the 242 brush

Et tu Boquet over that with the 239

Of Summer blended in the crease with the 217

Shadowy Lady in the outer corner and blended slightly in the crease with the 217, then under lower lashes with the Sephora smudge brush

Mylar to high light with the 227

Macro Violet fluidline

Bare Essentuals buxom lash

Just A Pinch gel blush with the 109

Blush of Youth beauty powder over that with the 129

A Rose Romance lipstick

My MAC Rose Romance haul part 2: eye products

2009-04-28T13:31:00.001-07:00

Hey there guys! Today I'll be reviewing the eye products that came out with MAC's Rose Romance collection. To see my overall thoughts on the collection, please refer to part one (face products).

There were 7 eye products that came out in this collection - 5 shadows and 2 pigments. Let's start with the pigments.

Circa Plum - This was a repromoted item, which came out with the Colour Forms collection last year. I didn't pick it up then, so I did this time. It's a frosty lavender plum color with an almost grey undertone to it. It's very subtle and could be worn day or night depending on what you pair it with. It's a great color that anyone could wear. Personally, I love plummy shades so I was all over this.

Mutiny - This was also a repromoted item, and it originally came out with the Naughty Nauticals collection. Again, I didn't have it so I picked it up this time. It's a gorgeous shimmery sky blue color - a little intimidating, but I can't wait to play around with it. It's definitely an eye catching color and is a very unique shade. I think it'll be great to wear in the summer.

Of the 5 shadows that are in the collection, 3 are new and 2 are in the permanent line: Creme de Violet and Shadowy Lady. I won't focus on those - I'll cover them when I go over my permanent shadow collection. But basically Shadowy Lady is a matte blackened plum color and Creme de Violet is bright violet with lots of gold shimmer. I got all three new shadows and have had the chance to wear them all.

Silverthorn (veluxe pearl)- In my opinion, this is the must have shadow of the collection. But I might be biased because I love silvers and veluxe pearls. This is a very unique color - MAC describes it as a mid tone grey with silver pearl, but I also see hints of green and gold to it. It is smooth and pigmented, and looks great over greenstroke paint pot. I wore it the other day on the lid with Deep Truth in the crease - I was very happy with it. When I put it in my palette of greys and silvers, there's definitely nothing else like it. This junkie loves it!

Of Summer (satin) - This is probably my least favorite shadow of the three, simply because the color payoff isn't great. I also feel that satins can be a little on the chalky side - but again, that's my opinion. It's a very pale lavender color with no shimmer or glitter. I wore it in the crease today with Et Tu Boquet on the lid, and while it didn't add much color, it blended the other colors out nicely. It's not a must have, but I don't regret getting it.

Et tu, Boquet? (frost) - I know a lot of people weren't feeling this color, but I actually really like it. It's a light frosty pink with a slight gold duochrome to it. I wore it over Fresco Rose paint pot today, and I really like how it turned out. The texture of this one is a little chunky, but it didn't bother me when I used it. I really think it's a unique color and worth checking out to form your own opinion.

My must haves? Mutiny and Silverthorn. I feel that these are gorgeous, unique colors that you probably can't find dupes for. I apologize that the swatches aren't the best - it was a really cloudy day. Please click on the pics to see them better - are you sick of me saying that? If you have any questions or want me to compare something, let me know!! The lippies will be next - see you then!

An update to today's earlier post

2009-04-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hey again guys! I wanted to post an update - I used the gel blush today and wanted to let you know my thoughts on it. Overall, I really like it - it gave me a nice rosy cheeks look. On one side, I applied it with the MAC 188 and on the other I used the MAC 109. They both worked nicely, but if I had to pick, I'd go with the 109. I also found that I needed more product than the MUA led me to believe. Don't get me wrong - you don't have to use much, but I did dip my brush in a couple times. I put a little Blush of Youth beauty powder on top - it seemed to soften it a little, and probably helped set it. I also used it on my lips - not a huge fan of that. Like I thought, it did give them a nice pinky red stained look, but I don't care for the feeling of it on my lips. Just a personal preference I guess. All in all, this is a great product and I hope MAC puts out a few new colors. Hope that helps guys!! Next I'll go over the eye products from this collection. See you then!

My MAC Rose Romance haul part 1: Face products

2009-04-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

Hey junkies! If you're a MAC addict like me, I'm sure you know about the Rose Romance collection that was just released. I think it was hit or miss for most people, but for me it was a dead center hit. The colors in the collection are very soft and light - very feminine colors if that makes any sense. I'm super duper pale, so the products were almost made for someone like me. But that's not to say that those of you with darker complexions couldn't rock a lot of these colors.

There were so many different items released with this collection - lippies, shadows, beauty powders, even a brand new product - a gel blush. I ended up with a lot, so I decided to break down my haul into three parts: face, eyes, and lips. Today's post will focus on the face - here's what I got:

Just a pinch gel blush - This was a brand new item for MAC. It's a gel formula that can be used on the cheeks or lips, and it comes in a little pot like their paint pots or tender tones. I haven't used it yet - I'm planning on wearing it today - but the MUA at MAC told me that a little goes a long way. He suggested applying it by dipping the 188 brush (I've also heard you can use the 109 or your fingers), getting a little on the tips, and then almost dabbing the excess off and working it into the bristles. Then start at the apples of your cheeks and blend. Depending on how much you use/blend it out, you can get just a light flush of color or a more dramatic rosy cheek. I think this will be a great product to use in the summer. I've heard that it looks great with a little Blush of Youth beauty powder on top. The MUA also told me that there's about 70 years of use in that little jar because you need such little product for each application. On your lips it gives an almost stained effect, and I imagine that it's super moisturizing.

Blush of Youth beauty powder - The beauty powders in this collection have a gorgeous embossed rose in the powder itself - and it's pretty deep into the powder, so it should stay like that for awhile. Blush of Youth is the lightest of the two - it's a warm dusty pink color with subtle gold pearl. I was able to use it as a light blush, but even on my pale self, I had to pack it on. It might be better as a high lighter or an all over face brightener. It's not matte, but it's not glittery or shimmery either. I think glowy would be the best way to describe it - it gives a healthy sheen to your skin. It's definitely buildable depending on what effect you want.

Summer Rose beauty powder - This one is the most popular of the two, simply because it's darker and therefore more people can work with it. It's a cool violet pink - violet shades are so "in" right now. I had no problem using this as a blush, and it has the same glowy finish. It's super pretty - definitely one of my favs in the whole collection.

Please click on the pics to see them better, and if you have any questions let me know!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Organizing the Stash: pigment samples and loose shadows

2009-04-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hey junkies!! Today I'm going to show you how I organize all the little jars I have - whether they're pigment samples, mineral shadows, or glitters. It's another simple, easy, and cheap way to keep the stash organized and accessible!

Basically, I use bead boxes. They're just clear, plastic, divided containers and they're available at any craft store (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc) or even most Walmarts. They're $2-$3 each and they don't take up much room. You can stack them (I have two now, but need a third), and label them easily. Depending on the size of the jar, you can put 2-3 in each section, holding a total of 36-54 jars.

Hope that helps you guys - let me know what you think of this idea! Until next time!

The Junkie's stash: Urban Decay lipsticks

2009-04-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hello again to my 4 followers! :) I hope you're having a good Wednesday, or hump day as we like to call it. Today I wanted to swatch my Urban Decay lipsticks for you guys. I think UD is best know for it's other products: shadows, liners, and primer potion to name a few. But I have to say that their lipsticks are my absolute favorite that I've tried. First off, I *love* the packaging. It is too cool - what other lipstick do you pull out with a tiny dagger?? The base is purple metallic, and the clear plastic cover is covered in purple swirls. When you twist the tube to get the product, the lipstick itself has a tiny dagger and the words Urban Decay imprinted into it. They're really high quality, you just have to check them out for yourself.

The actual formula of these lipsticks is a dream - creamy, pigmented, and long lasting. The finish of these varies from color to color, and the website does a good job of describing them. Some are more sheer, others have glitter, etc. There are a good amount of colors to choose from, and many of the names are really clever.

The only downside to these is the price - $22 each. When I bought my first one (Rush), I immediately regretted it. Then I got home and tried it - and the regret was quickly forgotten. Rush is my all time second favorite lipstick - I absolutely adore it. The formula of this one in particular is amazing. It's a nude color that I think would look great on anyone. It's perfection in a tube!!

The two that I swatched on the bottom are actually deluxe samples that UD sent me when I placed online orders. These are so cute - they're exactly like mini lipsticks - you take the top off and swivel the bottom to bring the lipstick up. They're definitely a great free gift with purchase.

My collection includes:
#1 Rush - a sheer creamy neutral pink with no sparkle
#2 Voo Doo - a full coverage dark pink with a glossy finish
#3 Trainwreck - a full coverage fuchsia with a glossy finish
#4 Midnight Cowboy - a sheer beige with shimmer
#5 Wanted - a sheer creamy warm berry with no sparkle
#6 Gash - a full coverage blood red with a glossy finish
#7 Sellout - a creamy full coverage warm neutral

On to the swatches - remember that you can click on the pics.

My top 5: Makeup Brands

2009-04-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!! I wanted to make a quick list of my favorite brands of makeup, and let you know why they made the list.

#1 - MAC. I think this isn't a surprise to anyone who knows me. What's not to love about MAC? They have an amazing selection of colors - shadows, blushes, lippies, liners, you name it. They also have a huge range of foundation shades - more than any other company that I know of. They're pretty much a one stop shop for all your makeup needs. From primer to mascara, nail polish to remover, they have it all. Their back to MAC program is awesome, and no other company does anything like it - it's a win win for everyone. Their Viva Glam campaign is ground breaking, and it gives us a guilt free makeup purchase. :) Their image is cool and edgy, and there's something for everyone. They're constantly coming out with new products and collections - my wallet hates this, but I love it. My favorite thing about MAC? The fact that their products are high quality, but also affordable. Out of all the brands on my list, MAC is the cheapest.
Stand out product: their brushes

#2 - Urban Decay. UD was the second brand I fell in love with. Their fun, vibrant shades pulled me in. The packaging is too cool, and the brand just screams fun. Their primer potion is amazing, and their 24/7 liners are the best out there. They also have many palettes, which are a great way to try their products. Their shadows are extremely smooth and pigmented, and I adore their lipsticks.
Stand out product: their eye liners

#3 - Nars. I am somewhat of a Nars newbie, but my collection and love for them is growing. In my opinion, their products are the best out there, but they also come with a hefty price tag, which is their only downfall. What junkie doesn't love their Orgasm blush? It's definitely a staple in many collections. Their night series of shadows is amazing - I've never seen anything like them. Make sure you swatch their products - many of them look blah in the pan, but amazing when you swatch them. Most of their products are extremely, extremely pigmented - a little goes a long way, which means they last longer. Their product names are crazy and they like to push the envelope - Nars condoms/lip gloss combo anyone?
Stand out product: their blushes

#4 - Stila. If you haven't tried Stila's shadows, you must do so soon. I think they are the most finely milled, blendable shadows out there - great quality. Their kajal liners are amazing too - so soft and smudgable, and the best for your water line. I love their lip glazes too - they smell wonderful, and are not sticky. I hear great things about their smudge pots, but I haven't tried them yet.
Stand out product: their shadows

#5 - everyone else. I know this is a cop out, but I really couldn't pick the last one. There isn't another brand that really sticks out to me after these four, so it's going to be a combination of Bobbi Brown, Too Faced, Benefit, and Smashbox. I love Bobbi Brown's shimmerbricks, Too Faced's shadows, Benefit's lipsticks, and Smashbox's glosses.

There you have it folks, my favorite makeup brands. I'd love to hear what you think - if you agree or disagree, and what yours are. Thanks for reading junkies!!

The Junkie's stash: Benefit lipsticks

2009-04-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

Hello again junkies!! Today I'm sharing my collection of Benefit lipsticks with you. These lipsticks come in two formulas - silky finish and full finish. I have a couple of each, and I greatly prefer the full finish formula. I have three (La La Land, Ladies Choice, and Thrillin Brazillian) and they're smooth, creamy, long lasting, and the pigmentation is great - exactly what a lipstick should be. The silky finish ones (I do I do I do and Swoonderful) are more of a gloss/lipstick combo. They are much more sheer and have a glossy effect to them. The ones I own also have glitter, which is pretty, but makes for a much grittier consistancy. The five I have are:

1. La La Land - full finish - a nude rose color

2. Ladies Choice - full finish - a pink based nude - one of my all time favorite lipsticks of any brand

3. I do I do I do - silky finish - a sheer coral with glitter

4. Swoonderful - silky finish - a silvery pink with silver glitter

5. Thrillian Brazillian - full finish - a spiced chai brown based neutral

Benefit lipsticks are $18 each and available at Sephora or Benefitcosmetics.com. They are a little pricier than MAC lipsticks, but in my opinion, they are superior in quality (at least the full finish ones). My absolute favorite is Ladies Choice - I think it would look great on anyone, and is one of my top 5 favorite lipsticks. Hope this was helpful junkies!!

Why not haul on a gorgeous Friday afternoon?

2009-04-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

What's up junkies!! I wanted to share with you the goodies I got when I was shopping yesterday. It was a gorgeous afternoon, and my sister took my kids to her house. I had hours to myself, and decided to do a little shopping. I went to Sephora first, then I headed over to the MAC counter at my local Macy's. Here's a list of the things I picked up:

1. Cargo beach blush in Cable Beach. This is my first Cargo blush, and it probably won't be my last. This thing is gorgeous! It has 4 stripes of color that you can swirl together, and the end result is this beautiful peachy coral shade with a gold sheen to it. It's similar to Orgasm by Nars, but darker. It also comes in the cutest little tin. I can't wait to use it! $26

2. Lorac shadow in Celebutante. This shadow reminds me of MAC Parrot or Steamy. It is a shimmery teal blue with a gold shift to it. The texture of Lorac shadows is really smooth and blendable. It will be perfect for spring and summer. $18

3. Kat Von D autograph eyeliner in Proud Peacock. This is my first liquid liner (besides the penultimate by MAC). I've been really into colored liners lately, and the Sephora sales person said these are really nice. You unscrew the top, and attached is a tiny brush. The color is a dark, dark emerald green - the swatch doesn't do it justice. $16

4. Benefit full finish lipstick in La La Land. I am a big fan of the Benefit lipsticks, especially the full finish ones. La La Land is a nude rose color. I tried it on last night, and I love it. I think it would look good on anyone, and the formula is so smooth and creamy. $18

5. The MAC 116 brush. This is a tapered blush brush, and I've had my eye on it for awhile. I have a few pics comparing it to the 129. The 116 is smaller, more dense, and softer. I think it will deliver a more precise application - perfect for blush, contour, or high lighting. I love MAC brushes, and I think they're a great investment. I try to buy one every so often to keep my collection growing. $32

6. MAC prep and prime transparent finishing powder. This is a new product which came out with the colour ready collection - but it will be permanent. I haven't tried it yet, but it has rave reviews. It is used to set your foundation, and it gives your face a soft diffused look. It also minimizes the look of pores and other imperfections. It comes in one universal shade that will work on all skin tones. I'll let you guys know what I think of it after I use it a few times. $21

As always, please click on the pics to make them bigger. Let me know if you have any questions - catch ya next time junkies!!

My first time: Nars velvet matte lip pencils

2009-04-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday junkies!! Today's post is a review of the Nars velvet matte lip pencils. Marlena at makeupgeek.com used one recently in a tutorial, and I knew right away that I would love these. I was right! I couldn't decide which one to order, so I ordered three. Typical junkie behavior, but I digress. These babies are wonderful - they are smooth and creamy - not at all drying. You use the same pencil to line and fill, and you can put a gloss over them. They last a long time, and come in many colors. The only downside I see is the price tag - $24 each. They are available anywhere you get your Nars fix - for me that's narscosmetics.com or Sephora. The three colors I got are:

Bettina: natural beige
Roman Holiday: pastel pink
Sex Machine: pink mauve

Overall, I adore these and can't wait to add a few more to my collection. Like I always say, you really can't go wrong with Nars. Have a great weekend!!

Organizing the Stash: lip products

2009-04-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hey there junkies!! Today I'm going to show you how I organize all of my lip products (aka lippies). I have way too many - which is funny considering that when I started buying makeup, I wasn't into them. Needless to say, I am now.

All of my MAC lipglasses, lusterglasses, and plushglasses are in a wicker basket that I got from Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I know they're not as organized as some peoples, but I kinda like digging through the basket to find one that works.

Everything else is organized into two Sterlite containers that I got at Hobby Lobby, but I'm sure you can find something similar at Target or Walmart. They each have three drawers, and I stack them on top of each other.

#1. What my "lippie tower" looks like. (I set my basket on top of it)
#2. What they would look like if you set them next to each other.
#3. The first drawer - this holds all my lip pencils, lip exfoliators, MAC Tender tones, MAC lip conditioners, and my MAC lip gelee.
#4. Second drawer - all my non MAC lip sticks - Mostly Urban Decay and Benefit.
#5. Third drawer - all my non MAC lip glosses - lots of Stila and Nars.
#6. Fourth drawer - all my misc MAC lippies - Dazzleglasses, Cremesheens, and Slim Shines.
#7. Fifth drawer - all my MAC lipsticks from the regular line and any Viva Glam ones.
#8. Sixth drawer - all my limited edition MAC lipsticks.

With this system, I feel like I finally have all my lippies organized in a way that I like - and I always know where everything is. Plus, the whole set up cost me less than $20 - you can't beat that. Hopefully this helps some of you who are stuck on how to organize your stash. Later junkies!!

Nars swatches for Sara

2009-04-15T12:57:00.001-07:00

My friend Sara was wondering what the difference between these two colors was, so I figured why no show her? As you can see, Ashes to Ashes has poor color payoff. I literally had to dig my finger in there to get it to show up at all. It also has a more metallic/shimmery look to it. Ondine has better payoff, small gold glitter (not the really chunky kind, but not the really nice kind either), and is a darker color all around. I'd say go for Ondine Sara. :)

FOTD: Nars neutral eye

2009-04-15T07:34:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! Today I'm sharing another look I did. This one is more of a neutral eye. I used:

-Nars Bellissima duo (shimmering beige and grey brown) the lighter on the lid and the darker in the crease

-MAC Espresso to darken the crease

-MAC penultimate liner

-Bare Esentuals Buxom lash mascara

-Bobbi Brown Washed Rose shimmer blush

-MAC Lollipop Lovin lipstick (LE)

Thanks for looking - see ya tomorrow!

My first time: MAC Lip Gelees

2009-04-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to start a series I'm going to call "my first time". This is where I'll review a product that I haven't tried before. Today's featured product is MAC lip gelees. For some reason, I think that these are not one of MAC's most popular items. Everyone (including me) focuses on their lipsticks and various lipglosses. While I have much love for those, I thought it was time to try something new. MAC describes these as "a soft jelly-textured glosser for the lips". I couldn't agree more. The texture of these is wonderful - not sticky at all, just a thick glossy consistency. The color I bought is Moonstone (silver pink with sparkles) and it is beautiful. However, I'm not sure if it was the best one to represent the whole line, as it doesn't add much pigmentation to my lips. The jury is still out on these, but I'd definitely try another one - maybe something darker. Here are my final thoughts:

Pros:

- These are a great bang for your buck - there is more than twice as much product in these puppies for the same price as a lipglass

- They're easy to apply - you can do it one handed - no dipping the wand back in for more

- Not sticky at all - they feel great on your lips

Cons:

- These are pretty sheer (at least the color I bought), if you're looking for a lot of color, you'd need a lipstick underneath

- They didn't seem terribly long lasting on me

- There are not many colors to choose from - the MAC site has seven - a tiny number compared to the amount of lipsticks and glosses

I'd definitely say that these are worth your time looking at, but up to you whether or not they are worth your money. If you are a gloss kind of girl, you're probably gonna love lip gelees. FYI - I believe that you can back 2 mac for these at freestanding locations. Until next time junkies!!

The Junkie's stash: Urban Decay 24/7 liners

2009-04-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

I love me some Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner pencils. I have collected all but 3 of them (Lucky, Honey, and Flipside), and I will have them all one day! These are rich, creamy, long lasting, and come in a ton of neutral and vibrant shades. There's bound to be several that catch your eye. They are great on the waterline too. These were one of the first items that I bought when I started buying higher end makeup, and I absolutely love them. My collection includes:

1999 - plum with tiny gold glitter
Baked - bold bronze
Bourbon - brown with tiny gold glitter
Covet - peacock green
Deviant - bold blue
Dime - very metallic silver
Electric - bright aquamarine
Graffiti - bright medium green with silver sparkle
Gunmetal - gunmetal with tiny silver glitter
Lust - deep purple with subtle silver sparkle
Ransom - bright iridescent purple
Rockstar - darkest eggplant
Stash - dark green gold
Underground - metallic taupe
Yeyo - metallic white
Zero - black

I really and truly love all of these colors. Zero is a definite must have, but I love having the option of so many colors to choose from. Like I said, there's something to complement any look. And remember that until Friday April 17th get 30% off your order from Urban Decay online by entering the code FNFS9 at checkout. That makes these liners about $11 each (normally $16). Remember to click the pics to make them bigger.

FOTD: Dame Edna Wisteria trio

2009-04-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday junkies!! I hope you're all doing well. I decided to post my first face of the day (FOTD). I'm a little nervous, but I figured that I better prove that I use all this makeup that I buy! I wore this out the other night when my friend Sara and I hit up the MAC store for the Double Dazzle release. I used:

Rollickin paint pot (LE) on the lid with the 242 brush
Wisteria (from the Dame Edna trio) on the lid with the 239 brush
Divine Knight (from the same trio) in the crease with the 217
Mylar (perm color) to high light with the 227 brush
Blacktrack fluid line
Bare Esentuals buxom lash mascara
Pink Swoon blush (perm color)

I also had on B-Babe lipstick from the Blonde, Brunette, Redhead collection. I think this is a fun look, but not too over the top - I hope you agree. Until next time junkies!

The difference using bases can make

2009-04-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

I thought this would be a great follow-up to the paint pot and shadestick posts. A picture is worth a thousand words, and these pictures are evidence that your stash definitely needs some bases.

You can see for yourself how the bases make the colors so much more vibrant. Aquavert shadow is a gorgeous color, but it has pretty poor color payoff. Or in the case of Club, the paint pot actually changes the color - it brings out the blue undertones of the color. 100 Strokes can be a muddy mess when applied by itself, and the beautiful burgundy color gets lost. But over the paint pot, it is gorgeous. And Stars and Rockets just pops over the shadestick. See junkies, bases are wonderful additions to your stash and the possibilities are endless with how to use them. So either start experimenting with the ones you have, or consider picking a couple up next time you're hauling. Have a great weekend!!

The Junkie's stash: MAC paint pots

2009-04-09T06:18:00.001-07:00

Aaah, MAC paint pots. My love for these babies has grown by leaps and bounds lately. These are cream shadows that most people use as bases under regular shadows. They are used similarly to shadesticks, but I prefer these. They are creamier and easier to apply. You can use your finger, but I prefer a brush. I've tried the 217 (which some people swear by to apply these), but for me the winner is the 242 or 252. Each delivers a precise application, and like shadesticks, a thin layer works best. If you want a more intense color, apply two thin layers. Paint pots are great for making colors more vibrant and intense, and they also make shadows last much longer. When I swatch these on my hand, I have to scrub like crazy to remove them.

My collection includes:
Artifact - burgandy with red pearl

Bare Study - soft beige with gold pearl

Blackground - black grey with mulit colored pearl

Cash Flow - green gold with gold pearl (LE)

Constructavist - metallic brown with red pearl

Deflt - deep teal with gold pearl

Girl Friendly - rich ruby fuscia with pearl

Greenstroke - mint green with gold pearl (discontinued)

Indianwood - metallic antique bronze

Moss Scape - green with gold pearl (discontinued)

Painterly - nude beige Rollickin' - aqua blue green with white pearl (LE)

Rubanesque - golden peach with gold pearl

I copied the color descriptions straight from MAC, and the only one I completely disagree with is Girl Friendly. You can judge for yourself from the swatches, but I'd describe it as a matte medium pink/mauve color.

You can purchase most of these paint pots wherever MAC is sold, and they are $16.50 USD each. A great place to find discontinued ones is allcosmeticswholesale.com.

As far as my favorites, I'd have to go with Delft, Cash Flow, Rubanesque, and Bare Study. But I love them all - it's like making me choose between my kids. Can't do it.

I am dying for MAC to introduce new paint pot colors, and I know I'm not alone. A purple one anybody? Silver? White? A girl can dream. Here are some swatches to help you decide which paint pots you need in your stash. As always, click on the pics to see them better. Until next time junkies!!

Nars haul and swatches (this one goes out to my girl Sara)

2009-04-08T11:32:00.001-07:00

Hey Junkies! Today was what I like to call a happy mail day. The hubby and I decided to each take a small portion of our tax refund (doing our jobs to stimulate the economy) and of course I spent mine on makeup. I've been really into Nars lately - which can be a very bad thing. The quality of their products is outstanding, but the price tag is pretty steep. I decided that this would be the perfect time to add to my Nars collection. After much deliberation, I decided to order the following duos:

Demon Lover (iridescent storm blue and deep indigo)
Violetta (smokey lavender and soft metallic violet)
Cleo (seafoam and rich teal)
Jolie Poupee (vibrant violet and pearlesent purple)
I also got the Tropic single shadow from the new summer line (matte teal with silver sparkles).

I ordered on Friday and got free 2 day shipping. I received my order today (Wednesday) and was so stoked to open the box. Imagine my disappointment when two of the shadows were totally shattered. Tropic and Cleo bit the dust sometime during their journey to their new home. I was pretty upset, but I called Nars right away and they're sending me replacements. Thumbs up to Nars customer service.

The colors are gorgeous and vibrant, but that is to be expected from this amazing company. I once said that I would never buy Nars shadows, but I have since put my foot in my mouth. The price tag is high, but if you want to splurge, Nars never disappoints this junkie.
In the swatches, the first one is Demon Lover, next to that is Jolie Poupee, and on the bottom is Violetta.

The first pic is Violetta, followed by Demon Lover, then Jolie Poupee. In the pics, Demon Lover and Jolie Poupee look similar. In real life, Jolie Poupee is much more vibrant.

I also included a photo of my sad, sad broken shadows and a swatch of Tropic. I can't say for sure yet, but so far I am a little annoyed by how big and chunky the glitter is in this. Final judgement to come. Please click on the pics to make them bigger.

The Junkie's stash: MAC shadesticks

2009-04-08T09:43:00.001-07:00

Today will be the first post of the series called "The Junkie's stash". I will post my collection by category, and today's will be my shadesticks. I don't have many, so I thought it would be a good first post.
I use shadesticks mainly as bases under my regular powder shadows. They make the colors more vibrant and long lasting. Sometimes they even slightly change the color of the actual shadows - this happens mostly with duochrome shades. You can wear them alone, but honestly I haven't tried that yet.
I have heard that MAC is discontinuing the shadesticks, but I have yet to verify this.
The old formula of the shadesticks can be a little hard, and they tend to pull your eye when you apply them. MAC released 5 new shadesticks with the Sugar Sweet collection last month, and these are much creamier and blendable than the older ones. They also changed the packaging slightly - the entire container is similar to the color of the shadestick. You can apply them to your lids either by "coloring" directly on the lid, or you can get some product on a brush and then use the brush on your eye. I find they wear best if you use a thin layer and they are also the perfect size to smudge under your lower lash line. My collection includes:

Sharkskin - a very dark grey (almost black) with minimal shimmer
Beige-ing - a very shimmery champagne color
Fresh Cement - a medium brown-taupe with medium shimmer
Red Velvet - a dark pinkish red with medium shimmer
Cakeshop - a very unique color similar to Greenstroke paintpot. It's kinda silvery, pewtery, and greenish and it is almost glittery
Penny - a vibrant copper - the name says it all

Sharkskin would look best for a dark, sultry eye - Red Velvet is great for any pinks, reds, and even oranges - Cakeshop is perfect for blues, greens, and teals. Try it under Club too. Click the pics to make them bigger.

The bottom line is that shadesticks are a great, multi-purpose item and this junkie recommends that you have a few in your collection. They're $16.50 USD each and available where ever you get your MAC fix. And if the new ones interest you, you better get them while you still can.

Organizing the stash

2009-04-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

Every makeup junkie I know is constantly looking for ideas on how to organize their ever growing stash. When I first started, everything was organized in containers under my sink. Then I found that I needed a traincase. Then said traincase didn't hold everything. And it was a pain to drag out. And I could never reach the items on the bottom, so I wasn't using my stash to the best of it's ability. Finally my hubby took me to Ikea, the organizing and storage super store. I found this wonderful wooden cabinet that matched our bathroom perfectly. It has 4 smaller drawers on top, followed by two larger drawers. At the bottom is the biggest drawer, which actually rolls out on casters. It has been wonderful - there is plenty of room for growth, and everything is accessible. I finally have my stash organized in a way that works for me, and I want to share it with my fellow junkies. I've had it for a few months now, and I still get butterflies when I look at it. :)

First pic: The very bottom drawer. It holds my pigment samples (organized in bead boxes), my brushes (organized in pen and pencil holders), my mirror, my large palettes, my brush cleaner, and anything else that doesn't fit somewhere else.
Second pic: This is the first of my medium sized drawers. On the left is a basket that holds all of my eyeliners and mascaras. Next to that is another basket that holds my paintpots, shadesticks, NYX jumbo pencils, etc - basically any bases. Behind that are my MAC palettes that hold my depotted Urban Decay shadows.
Third pic: This is my "face drawer". It holds any foundations, concealers, powders, blushes, hi lighters, etc. It's all a jumble in there, but that's how I like it. This drawer makes me happy.
Fourth pic: Here is the first of the four smaller drawers. It holds my MAC premade quads and palettes, MAC pigments, and MAC mineralized shadows.
Fifth pic: This is where my palettes from all other brands go.
Sixth pic: This is my miscellaneous drawer. It holds my lashes, perfume, some nail polish, my hair stuff, my old BE foundations, and my eyelash curlers. And I can't seem to part with the box from my Kitty Kouture dazzleglass so it's in there too.
Seventh pic: This is where all my single shadows are. My MAC single shadows are depotted in palettes, but that's another post.
Eighth pic: Here is a picture of the whole schabang. Isn't it beautiful??
If you guys have any questions, or want to see something close-up, let me know! Later Junkies!!

A great sale

2009-04-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you all know by now, Urban Decay is having an amazing sale - 30% your entire order! They offer free shipping over $50 too. What are you getting? I placed my order yesterday - I'll post pics and swatches when I get it. If you haven't tried them out yet, now's a great time to do it. Their products are fun and really high quality. I personally recommend the book of shadows - 16 amazing shadows for $45 (that's before the sale) and the 24/7 eyeliner pencils. Happy shopping Junkies!

The progression of my obsession

2009-04-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

I fell for makeup like I fell for Edward Cullen - fast and hard. Truth be told, it's only been about 10 months since I entered the world of makeup obsession. Before that I wore makeup, but not often. When I did wear it, it was the same Clinique brown duo. For the life of me, I cannot remember where I placed the two colors, or what I applied them with. I think I have blocked out the awfulness of only using the same two neutral shadows every day. I shudder to think of it.

In June of 2008, my hubby and I were going to a fancy schmancy wedding in downtown Chicago. He was standing up in the wedding, and we were going to be gone for three days without the kids - imagine that. We went to the mall to do some shopping and to find some shoes I could wear to the wedding. I decided that I should visit the MAC store for some new mascara. I was only slightly familiar with MAC at that time, and only owned one product - Oh Baby lipgloss. But we were walking by the store, so I figured I'd stop in. I met one of the MUA's there - Julia. Like most of the MUA's there, she had kick ass makeup on. When I told her that I was there to find some new makeup for a wedding, she immediately started to do me over. When I looked in the mirror, I was amazed. I looked great! What I really noticed were my eyes - she used several different colors and applied them in a way that brought depth to them. I was hooked.

You know, I'm not really sure what I bought that night. But I do know that I walked out of there with a little black bag and a lot less money.

Two days later I ended up unexpectedly in the hospital for 9 days - damn gall bladder. When I finally got home, I was stuck on the couch and unable to do anything for weeks. Needless to say, I spent lots of time on the computer. Somehow I stumbled across makeupgeek.com. If you haven't checked out that site yet do it ASAP. I fell in love with the tutorials and message boards. I spent hours watching Marlena explain the art of applying makeup, and I couldn't get enough of it. I was like a sponge - trying to absorb everything I could. Then I found youtube, and it was all downhill from there.

My collection has grown by leaps and bounds since then. I would say it's about 75% MAC (my first love) and the rest is Urban Decay, Stila, Bobbi Brown, Nars, and Smashbox. I love all brands and colors, and will try anything once. I rarely find a product I don't like, and am a sucker for anything "limited edition", grey/silver eyeshadow, and pink lipgloss.

I know there's lots of others out there who are just as obsessed as I am, and who will understand how I feel. To us, makeup is like a drug - you can't go to long without it. Not that I'm into drugs, but you get the point. So fellow makeup junkies, thanks for reading and withholding judgement. Peace out junkies.

Hey there Junkies!

2009-04-07T17:39:00.001-07:00

So I've decided to start a makeup blog, and I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Kelly and I am completely and totally addicted to makeup. But you probably could have guessed that by the blog name. I wanted to create this blog as an outlet for me - to share my thoughts, hauls, my collection, and, if I get brave, some makeup looks. I could talk about makeup all day, and I figured that there's got to be someone out there who wants to listen.

If you stumble across this blog, I hope you stay awhile. I hope you find it helpful and informative, and I'm sure I'll be an enabler for some of you. Believe me, I know how it goes. Thanks for stopping by!