Mark. stuff!

I got my shipment of goodies from mark. this week and was so excited to try them out. Here's what I got:

Clockwise from top left: Glow Xpert in Champagne Glow, Instant Vacation Fragrance Mist, For Goodness Face moisturizer with antioxidants and SPF 30, Hook Up with On The Edge liquid eyeliners in Lilith and Cleo, Hook Up with Glow Baby Glow Lipglosses in Peek-a-boo and Girly Girl, and Bronze Pro Bronzing Powder.

With each new product I get from mark., the more impressed I am. For the prices of these products, they are amazingly pretty. The Instant Vacation Fragrance Mist is like summer in a bottle; spritz a bit on and you immediately feel like you're standing on a beach, surrounded by plumeria and coconuts. It's wonderful for lifting your spirits on a dreary February day. And it's currently on clearance!

I've only tried For Goodness Face once so far, but I really like it. It doesn't smell like sunscreen and isn't heavy and thick like a sunscreen either, which is unusual given the high SPF. It has this really cool dispenser - it's like a pump, you push down on the top of the jar and the perfectly measured amount comes out from a hole in the middle of the top. Super neato!

My fave products so far are the Hook Ups. First of all, the whole Hook Up concept is great not only for keeping your favorite products together, but for portability as well. How great is it that you can pair up the items you want, throw them in your bag, and go? It's so convenient! Here are some swatches:

Clockwise from top left: GBG in Peek-a-boo, GBG in Girly Girl, OTE in Cleo, and OTE in Lilith

As you can see from the swatches, these products are - well, amazing. The Glow Baby Glow glosses are so pretty; the little vials are so cute and they smell like mint! The colors are gorgeous; Peek-a-boo is a sheer, sparkly gold nude and Girly Girl is a matte, sheer, "just pinched" pink. I am super pleased with the color payoff. The liquid liners are great as well; the brushes are super tiny and easily controled (I feel a ferosh cat eye coming on!) and these suckers do not budge. Once they dry, they really will not go anywhere; you'll likely need makeup remover to get them off. I particularly like Lilith - it dries to a really pretty bronzey, shimmery brown that I think will be perfect for spring and summer.

The bronzer is a staple; it's a pretty terra cotta colored, slightly shimmery bronzer that I think would work well for most skin tones. It applies pretty sheerly so is buildable; I tried swatching, but it didn't really show up (which is a good thing - I can add on layers, instead of looking like a clown!).

The Glow Xpert is a super fun product. It has a sponge tip applicator that's embedded into the twist-off cap. You dot the sponge on the places the light naturally hits your face (apples of cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin) for a subtle shimmer. I like that this product is so user friendly. Look at the cute applicator! (And pardon my unpolished, unkempt nails.)

I'm really excited about using this in some "fresh faced" looks for spring. And at $8, you can't beat the price. I tried swatching, and here's a pic, but I apologize if you can't see anything - as you know, my skin is so pale!


So there you have it. I didn't get a ton of products but I'm incredibly pleased with what I did receive. The price points of these items make them easy to indulge in as well; the Hook Up items were only $5 a piece and you get a free connector for every two you buy. Not bad at all! If you guys want to see more in depth reviews of any of these items, just request in the comments.

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday; it's a little cool and cloudy here, but I'm not at work so I'm a happy girl. :)

Katherine

Dazzleglass, Part Deux!

Photos & info courtesy of temptalia.com

OMG, you guys. I think I'm about to have an aneurysm. Dazzleglass is making a triumphant return - with seven new additions! I think the release of Dazzleglass was my favorite MAC release in recent memory, let me tell you. The first time I saw these babies in person I think I drooled on the MAC MA.

The new set of fabu-glosses is set to be released on April 30, 2009 in the US and will be dubbed "Double Dazzle." The glosses launched in the original Dazzleglass collection will return for this collection, and seven new shades will be added. I can't wait! My faves from the original release were Baby Sparks, Love Alert and Money Honey. Get your checkbooks ready, because they're retailing for $18 a piece - yikes!

(Oh yeah, there are mascaras too [Dazzle Lash, $12], but they just aren't as exciting to me.)

Drugstore: Product of the Week

Happy Friday, ladies! I hope you've had a great week. It's pretty warm here in VA, but it's clouding up - of course, today (a work day) it's clear and warm, and tonight and the rest of the weekend is supposed to be in the 40s and rainy. Pfft!

Anywho, this week's Drugstore Product of the Week is L'Oreal's HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner in Black. It comes with the little brush needed to apply it and goes on smoothly and easily. To get a natural, lush-lashes look, I load the brush up with the product and place it as close to my upper lash line as I can get it and then gently wiggle. You'll get the Angelina Jolie effortlessly-fabulous look, and you won't have that obvious "liquid eyeliner" line either (I hate that). Add two coats of mascara and your lashes will be outta control!

Disclaimer: I recently found out that L'Oreal (among other drugstore beauty brands) conducts animal testing. Therefore, I likely won't buy this product again; bummer!

I also got in a large mark. order today so I'll like post reviews, photos and swatches over the weekend. I got two awesome hook-up liquid eyeliners that I can't wait to try; perhaps tonight for my hot date with the BF? We're getting Mexican, how classy.

TGIF, girls!

Katherine

Oscar Beauty 2009

Did you watch the Oscars? I watched a bit - the first part, like I do with most awards shows. Then I get bored, I can't help it. I did watch all of the E! News red carpet coverage because I'm a sucker for pretty dresses. I have to say that my hands-down favorite of the evening was Natalie Portman.

From the makeup to the dress to the hair - she was complete perfection. The pink color looks great on her lightly tanned skin and the shimmer silver and purple makeup looked gorgeous.

So did you guys watch? Who was your fave?

- Katherine

Review: MAC Cremesheen Lipglass

I know it's a little late, but I did get two of the Cremesheen Lipglasses a week or two ago and figured I'd do a little review on them. I didn't think that I would like these lipglasses because I usually tend to gravitate towards sparkly glosses, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Top: Melt in Your Mouth, Bottom: Partial to Pink

I (naturally) chose two of the pinker colors on the collection. Melt in Your Mouth has no shimmer to it at all, it's just a creamy, semi-sheer peachy pink. Partial to Pink does have just a touch of shimmer when the light hits it (just tiny flecks of glitter here and there), but it's barely noticeable.

PROS

- Great texture. These glosses are thinner than MAC's permanent lipglasses, which is good, because I think the lipglasses can be a bit goopy. I think the texture of the Cremesheens is actually my favorite thing about them.

- Pretty colors. Both of the shades I chose are (for me, Miss McPaleface) "your lips but better" colors. Since they have little to no shimmer, they're wearable for every day as well.

- Size. The vial for these glosses is the size the Dazzleglasses came in; they are bigger than the permanent lipglass vials.

CONS

- Price. At $18, I think the price point for these is a bit steep. It is just a lip gloss, after all.

And here are some swatches (you gotta love swatches!):

L to R: Partial to Pink, Melt in Your Mouth (with flash)

L to R: Partial to Pink, Melt in Your Mouth (without flash)

FINAL VERDICT: I liked these. They're wearable and comfortable on the lips, and you do get a lot of product. However, at $18 a tube, I likely won't buy backups. I would say that I'm not sorry I bought them, but they don't necessarily excite me either. They're just okay-to-good, not fabulous.

Hope everyone's having a great weekend,

Katherine

Drugstore: Product of the Week

This week's product is a must-have for those nights when you're too tired to wash your face and really just want to fall into bed. Girls, I'm telling you - you must remove your makeup before going to sleep. It's bad for your skin to have that gunk sitting on it all night (plus, it gets all over your pillowcase). It only takes about two seconds to swipe one of Neutrogena's Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes ($8) over your face, splash it with a bit of water, and curl up into your comfy PJs.

I love this product because it's affordable, travels well, and is easy to use. The towelettes also work. They remove the toughest eye makeup, including waterproof mascara, in one swipe. They're a staple in my beauty basket and are like my own personal saviors when I'm feeling lazy - I can pass out guilt-free because I've done my duty to my skin. You can also buy a little blue plastic holder for the pack of towelettes, but I find that it's easier to access them if they're not in the little tub (this is a sign of my supreme laziness). So - no more excuses! Remove that makeup and wake up to beautiful, healthier skin.

Tagged - for the very first time!

It's Friday, yay!

And I've been tagged for the first time - thanks, Posey!

Here are the questions, along with my hopefully non-crappy answers:

What’s your favourite eye shadow color to wear? I'm going to have to go with anything gold or bronzey. I love a little bit of natural-but-better shimmer on the lids with some nice smudged brown liner. Looks great on my pale, freckled skin!

What’s the one product you wouldn’t leave your house without? Lip products, definitely. My friends laugh at me because I have one makeup bag that always has at least three glosses in it. They are usually one or all of the following (all by MAC): Flusterose, Viva Glam IV, or Peroxide.

What’s your favourite makeup look – high drama OR natural? Hm...this really depends on my mood. I would say that the look I wear most is more natural but with a twist (see above re: bronzey, smokey eyes).

Which feature do you play up the most? My eyes, for sure. I have unnaturally long eyelashes, which sounds great, but can actually be a pain. Imagine spending ten minutes doing your eyes only to ruin it all when your freshly-mascara-ed lashes hit your eyelid!

Which feature do you try to downplay/cover up? I have a slightly crooked nose - but I can't exactly cover it up, haha.

Your favourite makeup brand, if you could pick only ONE to exist? This is a really hard question. I know that probably everyone says this, but I would have to say MAC since their products perform consistently well (with a few exceptions).

Which product have you re-purchased OVER and OVER again? I'm not a big fan of buying one thing multiple times. I'm more of a "let's try out as much as possible!" kind of gal (ok, so maybe that means I'm a makeup whore). I would have to say though that after I finish this vial of MAC's Select Moisturecover, I will probably repurchase again and again. It's amazing.

Which product would you NEVER repurchase again and why? MAC's Penultimate liquid liner. I'm returning the one I have now. I know a lot of people love this stuff, but I wore it for the first time yesterday (flicked up at the ends for a pretty cat eye) - disaster. I barely brushed my eye while adjusting my glasses and it smudged. I'm talking black all over my eye. Not cool.

One beauty treatment you would always PAY to have done? I can do pretty much everything myself, including eyebrows, but I really suck at anything hair-related. Any cuts, colors, or treatments I would have to pay for, because I simply wouldn't know where to start. I've never been a "hair" girl, I usually just throw it up in a ponytail.

One beauty treatment you would NEVER pay to have done? I would likely never pay to have my makeup done. I remember having it done as a teenager at kiosks at the mall and thinking, "This person doesn't have a clue what they're doing." Nobody ever did it the way I liked. (I was once at a Clinique counter and the lady working there put orange shadow on my lids - yes, orange shadow on a pale, freckled blonde. You do the math.)

One beauty trick you can share with everyone? If you want to foil loose shadow and don't have any mixing medium, spray some Fix + on your brush and then dip it into your pigment. It works great, and is a lot more convenient than having to make homemade water and glycerin mixing medium every couple of weeks. Oh, and a second tip (I find this one invaluable) is to lean your head back when applying mascara. This helps keep the brush away from your eyelid so you don't end up with little black marks next to your lash line.

Best advice you've ever been given regarding beauty and makeup? Take care of your skin, for sure (this includes moisturizing and staying out of the sun). My mom gave me this advice. She's 53 and has the best skin I've ever seen on a woman her age. (Hi, mom!)

...and there you have it! A scary look into the mind of a beauty addict, hehe. I would tag some other folks, but since the blog is so new, I'm not sure who may be reading this that actually has a beauty blog of their own. That said, if you are reading this out there and want to post your own answers, please leave a comment!

Hope everyone is having a fab Friday. The weekend is upon us!

Katherine

Mark. Mini Haul

Hey guys!

I finally got my mark. rep starter kit today. It came with: satin mini train case (so cute), mini brush set, Make It Big mascara, Juice Gems in Fig, i-mark eyeshadows in Nomadic and Tiki, Good Glowing blush in After Glo, Mezzo SnaptoIt case, Dew Drenched lipstick in Toffee, and a Flip For It palette in Sydney. Unfortunately, the mascara and lip gloss were a bit funky (mascara was dried out and lip gloss had separated) so they are being returned or replaced if possible.

Here's the Snap to It case with the blush and two shadows in it (it's magnetic!):


I really love all the colors in this palette. I see this as being every day material. I had After Glo in college and wore it like, every day. It's the perfect blush for a "natural glow." It looks a lot like NARS Orgasm, too, as I mentioned in my previous post. Here are side by side comparisons:


NARS Orgasm might be slightly more finely milled, but when you look at the two side by side they're almost identical. I'd definitely say that when you compare price ($25 vs. $6) the choice is clear. Here are swatches (I apologize for my crusty winter hands):

L to R: Orgasm, After Glo

As you can see, Orgasm might be slightly peachier with more gold, whereas After Glo has larger chunks of glitter and is maybe a bit pinker.

I also think that the i-mark in Tiki is a great dupe for MAC's Bronze. Here's a side by side shot (without flash):

L to R: Bronze, Tiki

Side by side, they also look nearly identical. The MAC shadow goes for $11 a pop plus tax (you also have to have a palette in which to place it, it has a magnet on the back) and the mark. shadow retails for $4. Pretty big price difference for items that are so similar - and the mark. eyeshadow is bigger!

Here are swatches:

L to R: Bronze, Tiki (without flash)

L to R: Bronze, Tiki (with flash)

See? Pretty similar!

The last item that I'm really excited about is the Flip For It palette in Sydney. It's such a clever idea - one portable palette that includes two shadows, a blush, and four lip colors (two lipsticks, two glosses). Genius! I'm not sure how much I'll actually use the lip colors because they're maybe a bit dark for my super pale skin, but I love the neutral, wearable colors of the powder side of the palette. They're pretty similar to the items in the SnaptoIt case (but the blush here is matte). At $20 retail, this is a great buy.

All in all, I'm really impressed with the items I received. They're wearable, affordable, and downright pretty. When you think about it, isn't that what makeup is supposed to be?

I look forward to buying more products from this brand. After spending nearly $500 on MAC products in the past month (yikes!), I am looking forward to getting my beauty fixes in a less painful way.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Katherine

Tuesday "Blahs"

Hey ladies.

Today it has finally hit me - I will have to clean out my makeup collection this week. I am still hoarding some cheapo Cover Girl eyeshadows that I've had since high school, that's how bad it is. I think it's high time that they be pitched, along with my separating nail polishes and discolored lipsticks (egad!). It's so sad to throw away cosmetics, though - the collection should get bigger, not smaller! It's obvious that I am running out of room, and some of the stuff I have is downright ancient, so it's a necessary evil.

I am also feeling kind of icky because I didn't wear any makeup today. It was that kind of morning - a cold February Tuesday where I just didn't feel like making the effort after taking the dog out, being late, etc. Some days you just have to go au naturale! I like to think that I am letting my skin breathe.

Some exciting news though: I just renewed my mark. cosmetics rep account so I'll be getting a "rep starter kit" in the mail with some of their best selling products. (Their "After Glo" blush is almost an exact dupe for Nars Orgasm for like, 1/5 the price.) Photos and info to come!

And to hopefully reverse the effects of Tuesday "Blahs" -


Hope everyone's having a good week,

Katherine

MAC Hello Kitty!

I finally made it out to my local MAC store to get in on the Hello Kitty madness. My unbelievably awesome boyfriend got me a MAC gift card for Valentine's Day (love!) so I was able to get pretty much everything on my "lust" list while I was there. So here's what I got:

I was pleasantly surprised by this collection. Collaborating with Hello Kitty is pretty great in the first place, but the products themselves are fabulous. There were a few things that I knew I definitely didn't want after swatching them, but the things I liked I really liked.

Beauty Powder Blush in Fun & Games

Fun & Games blush is a gorgeous peachy blush with gold flecks of glitter in it. I chose this over the other pink blush (Tippy) in the collection because I have the Dress Camp palette and the colors were almost identical.

Lipstick in Cute-ster

Cute-ster is a sheer neutral lipstick with a hint of peachy pink in it and some gold and pink sparkles. I originally thought I was really going to want Big Bow lipstick, but even after swatching it, I found that it was just too bright for my super pale skin.

Lipglass in She Loves Candy and Nice Kitty

I'm an unashamed lipglass addict. If it's pink and sparkly, I'm all over it. I chose these two colors specifically because the others were just too intense for me. Again, I have super pale skin so I have to be careful what colors I choose. I just wasn't brave enough to try orange or purple on my lips!

Tinted Lip Conditioner in Pink Fish

Ok, so I love this lip conditioner. The pink is absolutely gorgeous, especially on pale freckled skin! It has SPF 15 which is great, and the packaging is uber-cute.

Glitter Eyeliner in Her Glitz

I'm usually not one for unwearable glitter, but this stuff is amazing. I wore it yesterday with neutral eyeshadow, and it looked great. The bronzey color works well for everyday and the glitter isn't so intense that you look like a disco ball. I just got a subtle sparkle when the light hit my face. Fabulous!

Eyeshadow Quad in Lucky Tom

I love this quad. I chose it over the Too Dolly quad because for me, the colors are much more wearable. I thought I would like the Too Dolly quad better but after seeing it in person, I really didn't care for it. Yogurt didn't show up on my skin at all and I found the other shadows pretty chalky. I am loving the Lucky Tom quad though - all of the colors have a silkier finish (I think - my favorite finish is Veluxe Pearl, yay smoothness!) and are more wearable for me on an every day basis (except maybe Stylin', the bright purple).

Overall, this collection was pretty impressive. Everyone at my local MAC boutique was super excited about it and the accessories (brushes and holder, mirror, doll, bags) were also adorable. Plus, I got an awesome re-usable Hello Kitty for MAC bag - score! My friend Lindsay also got one even though she didn't purchase anything from the collection because I evidently buy there "all the time." Ha!

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. :)

Drugstore: Product of the Week

This week's product: Nivea A Kiss of Moisture Hydrating Lip Care SPF 4. I'm a lip product junkie, so it's only natural that I'd have ten trillion kinds of lip balms. I really like this one, though, and for $2.50 a tube, I don't feel like I've indulged too much.

While lipglosses are great (who doesn't love some sparkle), sometimes it's nice to just go in your bag and grab a great lip balm and smooth it on without any muss or fuss. The packaging for this product is sleek and functional and the light blue tube makes it easy to spot in my makeup bag. I also like the fact that the top snaps on to the white, twisty-bottom part, so I know it won't come apart in my bag and turn into a huge mess.

The balm itself goes on smooth and silky without feeling like I've just slathered on a layer of wax (ahem, Burt's Bees). It has a light feel to it and I'm not overly conscious of the fact that I'm wearing a lip product, which is nice. My lips stay moisturized, though the product sinks in fairly quickly and if your lips are really dry, you may want to keep the tube handy for re-application. I consider this lip balm to be a must-have, especially for this pre-spring months when the weather gets so wacky. Here in Virginia it's been freezing one day, and near 80 degrees the next!

Hope you're all having a great Friday!

Katherine

Review: Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara

I'm always on the prowl for new, potentially awesome mascaras. I'm particularly into cheap-o drugstore finds since it's recommended that you throw your mascara away about every three months or so (otherwise you risk an icky eye infection, ew). After going through the pain of chucking my $24 tube of DiorShow, I decided - no more! Affordable mascaras from here on out. So naturally, I couldn't resist the $8 tube of Maybelline's Colossal Volum' Express mascara in Glam Black when I was in my friendly neighborhood CVS the other day.

The first thing that caught my attention was the bright yellow and purple packaging. It's so cheery! The big fat tube is appealing too - it makes me envision my soon-to-be big fat lashes!

So here's the low down:

PROS

- Big fluffy brush gets even the tiniest lashes.

- The length this stuff provides is pretty phenomenal.

- The formula (it has collagen in it!) goes on very smoothly. The brush sort of glided over my lashes with no pulling or tugging.

- I can distribute mascara to my tiny lower lashes without looking like a racoon. Major plus! (Usually I have to awkwardly maneuver the brush to avoid hitting my skin.)

CONS

- The first thing that struck me after opening the tube was a strange smell. It seems to have dissipated after a day or so, but man, that first application nearly knocked me on my feet.

- Sadly, like most cheaper mascaras, this one had a bit of flake-age after only a few hours. Nothing I can't handle (I've seen worse) but it's not ideal either.

FINAL VERDICT: Give it a try. It's not the best, but it's certainly not the worst. I think I would buy this again before I buy another $24 tube of mascara I'll just have to throw away in a few months. As of right now, however, the best drugstore mascara I've been able to find is Maybelline's Full 'N Soft!

Drugstore: Product of the Week

I give you - Dove Deep Moisture Facial Lotion! This is a great little moisturizer on the cheap (a little over $5 a pop, depending on where you're buying from). It does its job well; that is to say, it moisturizes without feeling heavy or greasy, or leaving an icky, shiny film behind. There is little to no scent (that I can detect) and I think it's a great alternative to pricier moisturizers. (One of my personal favorites for night time moisturizing is The Body Shop's Vitamin E Night Cream.) A plus is that it has SPF 15, so you've even got sun protection!

This is one my favorite drugstore skin care products because of the incredible value. Unlike some cheaper moisturizers, it did not irritate my skin, and all I have to do is touch my face to have it turn red, so that's amazing. I've almost finished my first bottle and will definitely be re-purchasing, if only to have a moisturizer with SPF for day always on hand.

I definitely recommend trying it out!

Itso for Makeup Storage

After wrestling with my warped plastic Sterilite containers for six months, I finally decided to go on a quest for new makeup storage. I searched high and low for small dressers, chests, vanities, and drawered units that would neatly and prettily house my collection. My search seemed to be in vain - either the pieces I found were too expensive or not quite what I was looking for. And then came Target!

I strolled through the home storage aisle and saw the Itso products stacked up on a shelf. I decided that it might be possible to build my own piece of furniture with the modular cubes and bins. What I came up with is below:

I think the piece of furniture itself looks pretty nice, especially since I was just looking to upgrade from plastic. I think the piece overall is pretty sturdy and is definitely strong enough to hold all my items. Instead of getting four individual cubes I got two 2x1 units with shelves and added my own bins. From left to right, starting in the top left corner, the bins hold the following: lip products, eye products, face products (foundation, etc.), skin care products (moisturizer, eye cream, etc.), hair products, and body care products. Everything fits!

I also got some of the organizer trays to go in the bins so everything wouldn't be dumped in together, bumping around. Here are my lip and eye bins, organized with the divided trays:

Overall, I'm very satisfied with my purchase. It's functional storage that looks great (I think) and neatly organizes and houses all my makeup. A girl couldn't ask for more!

Is your makeup organized? What are you using? Let me know!

Katherine