I Have a Problem With Glossier's New Lidstar Eyeshadows [quick TMO]

Sold in $30 duos. That does not make this a better deal than Stila. Because I still need to pay $30. If I had the option to pay $15 for one, than it would be a better deal. But I don't have that option. So even though it's more product, I am still making a more expensive purchase.

But there's more. Let's look at the colors:



These swatches...are not helpful. Besides the shimmery bronze, they all look the same. Ridiculously light.

Seriously. I would hope that the colors would be complex, vibrant, but we really have subtle washes here, folks.

It's quite boring, quite expensive, and to the magazines proclaiming one will want to empty their wallet for it is....repugnant.

I am not going to buy these because I have metallic shades. Because these do not impress me. Because I am not in love with the value, either. Hard pass.

Orange Sheen EoTD

I am very pleased with how my eye look turned out today, so I thought I'd share. Let's get right into pictures, and then I'll describe how I did this look.

 The first thing I did was primed my eyes with Wet 'n Wild primer.

Then with a fluffy/flat brush that is actually called an "Illuminator" brush, I took the Coloured Raine shade Angel Face and then blended that all over my crease and up towards the browbone.

Then, on the primed lid, I applied the shade Caramelized by Coastal Scents onto it with my finger.  I blended some even a little bit in the crease, too.

I then took Coastal Scent's Tangelo Tint on a medium-sized blending brush and blended that into the crease, making sure that all the shimmer in the crease was blended away.

On the outer corner I took the Coloured Raine Shade Empress and blended that into the outer corner, into the crease. I used a larger blending blush for this.

Overall, I was super pleased with this look! 

Thanks for reading!

Hard Candy Fierce Effects Lipsticks: Review and Swatches

I truly believe Hard Candy is a strong competitor to brands like Wet 'n Wild. I have vague memories of the brand during their non-Walmart days, but I think their acquisition by Walmart and recent releases have all been steps in the right direction.

For instance- take their Fierce Effects lipsticks. I have three to talk about today. I bought two of them for $5.00, and one was half-off for $2.50. Each contain 3.2 g of product. 

The shades on the docket for today are:

Bloodline, a red-toned brown

Nudist, a grey-toned light rose-brown

Purple Reign, a grey-toned medium purple (this is the one I bought on clearance) 

Here are some pics:

(l-r) Bloodline, Purple Reign, and Nudist. They are housed in a metal tube that has silver-toned divots. It is a very simple but eye-catching design. 

My swatches do not go in the same order. Below, from left to right they are Purple Reign, Nudist, and Bloodline. 

With/flash. Purple Reign looks a less pink in person. 

Without flash. 

In regular light. The photo below shows my arm after I wiped the lipstick away. There is some slight staining on each shade, even the lightest one.

 My review:

The creaminess of the formula of these long-wearing satin lipsticks is both a blessing and a curse. They are hydrating, formulated with Argan Oil, and smell like grape. The colors are super flattering for me, but I don't like the name of Nudist, because nude skin and what flatters nude skin varies from person to person. I love the strong grey tones of Purple Reign and Nudist because the colors are muted but still intense and don't make the teeth yellow.

Additionally, a little bit of the lipstick goes a long way. You can control how much pigment and intensity you get, and with a formula like this, you kind of need to.

The formula and colors belie its price point...but the packaging does not.

The issue is that the formula is so soft and creamy that the bullet of lipstick can't stand up straight in the tube. It can break off whatever keeps it attached to the bottom, and we run into problems like this:

The other two shades in my little collection are not as bad as this, but then again, this shade is the one I wear most often. 

So, either the formula has to change so the lipstick is not as soft, or the packaging has to change to prevent breakage. I don't know what the answer is. 

All in all, problems with the packaging are a little frustrating, but the price point is so reasonable that these issues don't prevent me from using and enjoying these products. 

If you are ever in need of a lovely lipstick, definitely check these out! Just be sure to be a tad careful with application.

Thanks for reading!! 

Brown Smoky Eye w/ BH Cosmetic's Zodiac Palette

Is that the Naked Heat Petite? Nope! 

The "Makeup Mess" Tag!

After watching a couple of people do this tag, including the person who came up with it- Spooky Lips and Fat Hips- I was very interested in doing this tag as well!

1) How often do you wash your makeup brushes/sponges?

I like to wash my brushes every two weeks. As for sponges, I kind of gave up on them because they required more frequent washing.

2) How do you organize your makeup collection? 

I feel like I have a pretty good organization system, though it could be better. I use a small plastic three-drawer case to store eyeshadow single compacts (top level), face powder compacts (middle level), and face powder palettes (bottom level). I then have an acrylic organizer on top of that which has different segments. In each segment I keep lipstick, foundation/concealers/, and primers/sunscreens.

Finally, I have a wider and flatter acrylic organizer where I keep my eyebrushes, palettes, face powders/cream products that I am using up, as well as my face serums and oils. I have a separate container for mascara and brow stuff. Then I have two containers that used to be candles that hold my face brushes. 

I dunno. There's a lot of moving parts when it comes to how I organize my collection. It is a little chaotic, but I do know where everything is. 

3) Do you put your makeup products away after you are done using them, or leave them out for tomorrow? 

I do my makeup in the morning, and leave everything in a great mess on my desk. Then at night I reorganize everything. 

4) Loose or pressed powders? 

Pressed. The only loose face powders I use are the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral powder, and the Coty Airspun. As for eyeshadow, the only loose ones I tolerate are Fyrinnae's. 

5) Do you ever fall asleep without taking your makeup off? 

I used to a lot, but I rarely do now. Once in a while I'll nap in makeup, but I'll never actually go to bed with makeup on.

6) What makeup “rules” do you like to break? 

I feel that, for me, I've been getting a bit more daring with blush placement. I'm not afraid to sweep it up higher towards my cheekbones.

I also really enjoy using a lighter, brighter color in my outer corner, instead of a darker one. I feel doing so makes my eyes looking bigger, instead of closing them off. 

7) Will you use a product even if it is cracked or broken?

Of course!

 8) Do you wait to pan a product completely before you replace it? 

Nope. I don't use products with the "replacement" mentality. That is, I have a lot in my collection and I try to use up what I have, and not worry about getting the same exact product. 

9) How do you feel about sharing makeup? 

Yeah, no. I am sorry. I don't consider myself a germaphobe, but I am not going to take risks. 

10) How do you feel about buying or trading used makeup? 

I've never done it, and I don't think I ever will. I think it's just a lot less stressful to buy the product. 

11) How often do you declutter makeup? 

Decluttering was once something I never even conceived of doing. Now it comes much more easily. Once a month, I'd day. Even if I did not buy anything that month. 

12) Do you use your fingers to apply makeup? 

Yes, in combination with brushes. 

13) What products, if any, do you hoard in your purse/bag/backpack etc? 

I bring to work one lip color, tons of lip balm (now that is a product I actually hoard), concealer, and Innisfree No-Sebum powder. Also deodorant, and Lavanilla rollerball perfume in Vanilla Coconut. 

14) What is your least favorite step in your makeup routine? 

Eyeliner :(  It is comparatively stressful and I am not good at it. 

15) What is your worst makeup memory?

Hm. Being in HS with foundation that was awful and not my color, and did nothing to cover blemishes (did not even know what concealer was at the time). 

Thanks for reading.