Coupons & Gift Cards Galore!

Look my lovelys! I've posted again! This time the haul I got from the mall a couple weeks back, all in all I spent $25 for everything. I do <3 coupons and gift certificates. I mean just today I found lace up red and white plaid welly's that were fleece lined for 50% off. Just in time for snow!

 

So Sephora had a coupon a couple weeks back where if you spent $40 or more you'd get $20 off. Well...it so happened I had a $15 gift card as well for Sephora.

I love First Aid Beauty face wash and had heard excellent things about the eye roller (the moisturizer is just too heavy feeling for me...). I've used it once so far and have it with me while I'm celebrating the holidays with my family so I should be able to give a better review of it when I'm out of the whirlwind of the holidays.

My free sample was the Ojon Hair Sleek and Polished spray. I had gotten my haircut THAT DAY so I was looking for a way to maintain it. I....have NOT maintained it like I should but I'm kinda lacking on the hair skill and not entirely sure I want to add that to my 'let's learn' pile at this very moment. It's kinda teetering at the moment anyways.

I'm not usually overly impressed with all things Philosophy. I got a gift set earlier this season that was Peppermint lip gloss that was this gorgeous deep bright sparkley red...it came out clear with no real sparkle...I haven't tried the bath stuff yet. I got last years Snow collection for the holidays & that didn't impress me much either. Their lotions always feel waaaay too heavy. If I'm going to go for the beat the moisture into my skin route I'll go with Burt's Bee's. smells great and has helped clear up my really bad dry patches. BUT, yep, there's a but (not even MY butt....sorry...couldn't resist), I got Unconditional Love as it smelled quite nice and was only $8. It smells nicely. according to Sephora the smell tones are fruit and vanilla. I think it smells a BIT more floral than fruit. I love that it's a sweet but not too sweet smell that isn't overpowering. A lot of people have complained it doesn't seem to have staying power. I myself have not had that problem (I put it on at 9 and reapplied before going out around 7, I could still smell it, just wanted to brighten it up again)

I'm actually wearing 2 of these colors right now! I have Just A Fairy-Tale on my toes. I thought it would be a pale silverly blue. It's more an iridescent light, light, light purple that sheens goldish/green. I adore the color, though I think it'll stay a toe color until summer (I prefer wearing darker colors in the winter and lighter or bright colors in the summer on my fingernails). The other color I'm wearing is Leaf Him At The Altar. It's quite true to the color. It sheens with gold as well. I'll most likely try Handpicked For Me around New Year's (perhaps one of my other OPI's I haven't tried yet...depends on what we do). I'll update you!

 This is Bare Escentuals holiday kit for this year (it had a cardboard around it that made it look more present like). I just really liked the way it was packaged and have actually kept the box to use in the future.

 I haven't actually used or swatched the colors in the kit yet (I've been busy?) but I do have some of them with me and I'll make a point of using the rest soon. Promise!

Oh, it was also Friends and Family Weekend so I got 20% off. Woo hoo!

 

 I actually bought some things from MAC for 2 reasons. 1) I had a gift card and 2) I was actually acknowledged. I usually try and go in there (I've watched a MAC lipstick for AGES) but I get annoyed when I can't get anyone's attention! So...even though they didn't have the 1 lipstick I came in for (as well as to look around for a bit more) Cut A Caper - EVERYWHERE seems to be sold out of that. :(

I did end up getting 2 pencils there, Soar to go with my London Life lipstick and Cherry to go with my Cockney lipstick.

 

 I REALLY love London Life, such a gorgeous plum color on me, especially layered over Soar. Cockney I wore the day I got it, though I haven't worn it since (red's scare me to bit!) though I would love to. It's a bluer red than the 1 other red I own, which is a Sephora lipstick (I don't care for Sephora lipsticks, they such the moisture out of my lips...I need to find replacement colors for the ones I have...perhaps I'll post a HELP! post on that soon, pick everyone's brains.). Superior I LOVE, it's faintly tinted but sparkles away, so gorgeous!

 Top is Superior, it was hiding from the camera, it DOES have a slight pale pink tone but it sparkles like you wouldn't believe, so awesome! It's my total grab for everyday. The middle is London Life which I am also in love with and have worn several times excitedly. The bottom is Cockney which beyond wearing the first day I haven't worn. I need to fix this...

 

I got some MAC Prep + Prime for lip and Glamora Castle from this holiday's set. I really am loving the color. It's a rich pay off and can be a nice silver gray to a fantastic dark gray with a slight silver tone to it. Makes for SUCH an easy smokey eye.

 Swatch of Glamora Castle on the left. Then the top line is Cherry lip liner and the bottom is Soar lip liner.

EOTD December 15, 2010

I wore this look to go shopping with my mum and aunt down at Old Town. I wanted something a bit holiday looking, it really was more red in person, promise!

I sadly had forgotten my brushes over at my fiance's place so I used what I had left (which was a kabuki brush & my fingers...). Yes...I know I have really out of place make up on my one eye. I realized it after seeing the pictures and fixed...but didn't reshoot as I was then running late. Whoops! 

Also, excuse the unbrushed hair & pj's, I did my makeup first so if I dropped my lipstick (I did that once to my favorite shirt, GRRRRR) or other messy/disastrous substance it wouldn't be as big a deal.

 

 

 

Used (in order):

FAB Detox Eye Roller (I'll review it after I've used it a couple more times)

BM Golden Fair (W10)

BM Escape mixed with BM Fauz tan matte

Lorac's Perfectly Lit in Spotlight on the top's of my cheekbones

BM Brightening Gold Mineral Veil (to help warm up my face so the blush/tan didn't look out of place)

UDPP original

Mac Glamora Castle all over the lid (I LOVE the easy blendability and dark gray of it, EASY smokey with this)

BM Shantung on outer edge and in the crease

AL Crucio! patted over Shantung

Stila Smudge Pot Black

Fresh Firebird Mascara for top lashes

BM Flawless Definition for bottom

Mac Prep Prime Lip

MAC Soar pencil all over

MAC London Life

The Painted Mask Is Having A Giveaway

I have loved following The Painted Mask blog, it has great EOTD, reviews that list the pros and cons, plus tutorials for those of us still learning and growing. So, I have to say I am super excited that she's doing 4 giveaways. The first giveaway is up! It's red themed and oh so pretty. I am nervous about reds (though I bravely bought myself some red lipstick recently - more on that later) so it would be lovely to get someone else's 'top choices' on red products. So shoo my minions! Go fly to her blog and look around. Perhaps even subscribe like I did. Oh...and expect 3 more posts, I need me some entries!

Make Your Own Palette Tutorial

I really wanted to help get all my assorted single eyeshadows (and some of the more ridiculously packaged sets) all in one place and not stacked all on top of each other. I LOVED the Z Palette I mean, they're fantastic and awesome! But....I refuse to pay 16-20 bucks for some cardboard and magnets. So...I made my own!

These are the supplies needed:

A plastic container (I found it at Joann's on sale for $2), some glue that works well on plastic ($3), and sheets of magnets (mine was $6 for 6 sheets & I used 2 sheets in total). I got computer paper that has magnets on it, I SHOULD have gotten craft magnet sheets. That is my suggestion to you. Mine work perfectly fine, they just don't stick as nicely as I'd hoped.

Step 1:

 

Discover how the magnets stick to one another. Would HATE for you to glue everything together and discover (much to your dismay) that you glued them the wrong way.

Step 2:

 Fit the sheets inside your chosen container. Mine took 1 entire sheet and part of another. Keep all scraps of magnets for later use.

Step 3:

 Glue the magnets down! Spread the glue over the entire surface (don't leave it swirled like mine) to get an even secure seal.

Step 4:

 

Press the magnets in firmly and make sure you don't have any corners attempting to pull back up. Let dry completely before putting anything on it.

Step 5:

  

 Take your depotted eyeshadows (I'll do a tutorial on how to do the plastic ones. The cardboard ones you basically just carefully peel the casing off AROUND the eyeshadow...I thought to document the process AFTER I'd torn everything apart, whoops....) and smear a pretty good dose of glue on the back. You're going to be lifting it up off the magnets that are sticking together. So make sure you glue accordingly.

Step 6:

 

Put all the eyeshadows onto the proper side of the magnet leaving space to get your scissors in there to cut them apart. The alternative method is to cut the magnet sheets to the size you need BEFORE gluing them onto the eyeshadow. Use either method that's easiest for you.

 Step 7:

 I cut out my first one (it's a Lorac shimmer powder from their Christmas kit from...errrr...2 years ago? if you were wondering...) to make sure the magnets were facing the right way and everything was sticking properly.

These are all the eyeshadows I had depotted in prep for putting in the case. You'll notice I have writing on some of my magnets. I like to know what I have (so I can rebuy if I like and can state what I used in a look) so I wrote down what was what. I suggest if you want to do that as well, if taking apart palettes you take a picture of the thing still whole and write down everything as well. It will make your life easier.

Hopefully my tutorial will at least give you a starting point to make your own. Mine has plenty of room to also store other things in there while traveling and securely latches (which was a concern with the cardboard ones...I'm a klutz, with my luck I'd trip and everything would go flying...)

I have an EOTD to post a bit later (you'll have to excuse the less than perfect application, I left my brushes at my fiance's house by accident and was using scrounged objects...)

The Long Awaited Black Friday Swag Post! (Photo Heavy)

From Joann's:

It's an adorable reuseable bag (LOOK at the birdies and other sketches, how could I NOT get it I ask you!) Then a pretty good sized book of scrapbook paper. The paper inside is actually incredibly glittery. I'm thinking of using the paper to make pendants for jewelry for my Etsy store. ...Which is once again empty from my lack of attention...

The tin is actually from Dollar Tree and the delicious cookbook (I know it's delicious since I've cooked from it already) is from Borders, the 1 purchase from there in fact. The plastic bags in the lower right are candy bags that were too cute to pass up.

Beads, beads, beads! ...yeah, that's all I got...

The cute lunchbox is from Dollar Tree as well (Why YES I DID have fun there...) and that light was an incredible steal. $19 for a $90 lamp. I'm planning on using it for make up and the pictures that go along with that. But...I haven't figured out how to incorporate it in since I'm applying my make up in a hand held mirror while sitting on the floor.

The art didn't come included...I just got so excited at having frames for some of the art I've collected I had to frame immediately! Top was art from Fanime '09, left is Amy Brown, and right is Steve Argyle.

It's a BIG Steve Argyle (also, in case you weren't paying attention, all my Argyle stuff is signed! SQUEE!!!)

All art from Fanime '09. The right and left ones are from the same artist. I'll update with better artist info when it isn't so early in the morning.

From Dollar Tree:

(not counting the stuff already mentioned....)

From Aromaleigh:

I had always heard good things about the company and was sad to hear about it being shut down. I'd gotten a few samples from there...but to be honest I never used them because of the samples coming in little bags instead of a container that was easier to use. I understand her reasoning, it's saving the environment (which is it...). But then she came out with a collection based on Harry Potter and mythology. I was sold...

Spells!

Mythos!

The 3 extra FULL SIZE eyeshadows that were included. w00t!