My last Halloween Nail Art of the Year

I am both excited and sad that Halloween is coming. On one hand it is (as I've mentioned before) my favorite holiday. What makes it sad is that it will be gone so quickly. In honor of  October 31st, 2009 I present my last Halloween Nail Art:

This is sort of my Halloween collage--spiders, webs, bats and or course orange a black.

I hope everyone that celebrates has a safe and Happy Halloween!

Kat Von D Rock n Roll Palette- A Sephora Beauty Insider 500 Point Perk

A few weeks ago I did a little bit of Sephora shopping. I don't go to the stores all too often because I am generally annoyed by being asked 10 times if I need help. Like a true introvert I prefer to shop online the only problem coming when I want to smell something so off to the store I went.  What I came away with was the Philosophy Pumpkin Spice Muffin 3-in-1, the MUFE Shadow that I gave away here, Juice Beauty Green Apple Nutrient Eye Cream, and a Smashbox HD Concealor. As my 500 point Beauty Insider Perk I received the Kat Von D Rock n Roll Palette which contained four colors and a small double ended brush in a mirrored compact. This is so far my favorite 500-point perk. I also have the Sephora Deluxe Palette from a few months ago but I never opened it. Anyways onto the review:

So here is what the box and palette look like:

The case is rubberized similarly to her full sized palettes and NARS compacts. The shades are listed on the back. The compact also has a mirror on the inside which is makes the compact quite heavy. It measures about 3 1/2" long by 2" wide.

From Left to Right: Believer, Confessional, Groupie, Motorhead

Believer and Motorhead both contain glitter. Nothing all too annoying but just so you know. Beside those two shades being glittery all the shades are also frosty/shimmery. They are good traveling colors. Easy to wear for daytime (using the first three shades) and you can switch to a nighttime look by incorporating the black. Overall I am happy to finally have a better quality Beauty Insider Perk.

Here are the swatches:

Left to Right: Motorhead, Groupie, Confessional, Believer

Notice how hardly noticable the glitter is!

My MAC Blush Swatches

If you don't know this about me already then here it is: I am a blush addict! So I figured I'd share some swatches from my MAC Blush Palettes.

My first palette is more coral/miscellaneous shades:

Top Row: The Perfect Cheek, Cantaloupe (PRO), Blunt (contour)
Bottom Row: Milani Luminous, Spaced Out (neo sci-fi), Style

Here are the swatches:

Left to Right: The Perfect Cheek, Cantaloupe, Blunt, Milani Luminous, Spaced Out, Style

• The Perfect Cheek is actually an amazing blush. It looks nothing like the swatch when you apply it. It is hard to describe but it just lifts your complexion.
• Cantaloupe is PRO color. It is a creamy peachy/coral shade that just seems to melt onto/into your skin.
• Blunt is my contour color. Applied gently with a light hand is works very well with me skintone although I can't honestly imagine ever running out.
• Milani Luminous--I know this isn't a MAC blush but it fits in the palette so I depotted it. (Note: it is slightly smaller then the palette well). It works well to lighten a darker blush or as a highlighter.
• Spaced Out was a limited edition shade. I don't know of anyone that this shade doesn't look good on.
• Style is an orangey coral frost. I don't wear it often but when I do I buff it out to get rid of most of the shimmer.

My second palette is pink shades:

Top Row: Pink Swoon, Tippy BPB (Hello Kitty) Feeling (BPB)

Bottom Row: Azalea (PRO), Serenely (BPB)

Note: BPB means Beauty Powder Blush

Swatches:

Left to Right: Pink Swoon, Tippy, Feeling, Azalea, Serenely

• Pink Swoon is a bright soft pink if that makes sense. Looks great alone or works well to calm down a brighter color.
• Tippy was a BPB that I depotted from Hello Kitty. It is insanely pigmented and cool toned. Applying this one can be tricky but a stippling brush and a light hand can work wonders.
• Feeling is a toned down reddish brown. I don't wear it often but applied lightly it is a great fall cheek.
• Azalea is another pro blush. While in the pan it doesn't look similar, in the swatch you can see that Tippy and Azalea could be sisters. The only difference is that Azalea has a bit of duochrome goodness to it (shifts purple). It doesn't translate well onto the cheek but it looks great in the pan.
• Serenely is similar to Feeling but more red than brown. I wear it silimarly to Feeling too!

Do you have any must-have MAC blushes? Let me know in the comments--I am always looking for a new blush to love!

My favorite Red Lip Combination

We all know how "in" red lips are for fall and winter but I figured that I would share with you my favorite red lip combination. I have quite a few reds and berries that I have accumulated and while each has a purpose and a place this one is my all time, makes me feel confident, red lip.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick, and Gash 24/7 Lip Liner:

Swatches:

Revolution (Left) and Gash (Right)

This combination is what I am wearing in the tutorial below:

Red Leaf Handmade Bath & Body Products

I discovered a new Etsy shop that I am absolutely loving called Red Leaf. I initially stumbled onto their page when I was searching for Bubble Bath. Why might you ask did I choose this site in particular? Three words: Bubble Bath Dough--it's looks like playdough, smells fantastic, and makes the best bubbles I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying! They sell more than just bubble bath dough including, Soap and Shave Cubes, Room Spray, Linen Spray, Moisturizer, Face Spray, Lotion, Aftershave and Shampoo Bars. They have a limited amount of scents to choose from however the scents are all around favorites in my opinion.

In my first order, (I say first because there will definitely be more) I chose:

• Full Size (9 oz) Bubble Bath Dough (BBD) in Oatmeal, Milk and Honey ($12)
• Sample Size (4oz) BBD's in Black Tea and Lavender ($3.50 ea)
• Shampoo Bar in Plumeria ($11)
• Full Size (3.5 oz) Soap and Shave Cube in Beach ($5)
• Sample Size (1.5 oz)  Soap and Shave Cubes in Basil and Lime and English Coast ($3.50 ea)

There are also other scents offered like:
Orange Sherbert
Fresh Clover
Unscented
And specifically for Men:
Wasabi
Fresh Orange

So why am I so in love with the BBD:

• Bubbles like you wouldn't believe! Check out the video below to see what I mean!
• The bubbles last and last (in comparison to my Philosophy 3-in-1). After about 30 minutes I still have at least 1/2 of the bubbles that I initially started with in my bath. I usually end up emptying the tube with bubbles still in it!
• Moisturizing--I think that it is the sweet almond oil in the dough that makes my skin feel moisturized once I've dried off. I live in a hard water area so that is saying a lot.
• The Scents--Of the scents I purchased, Oatmeal, Milk and Honey is my favorite followed by English Coast. The black tea frangrance was the only scent that I wasn't thrilled with, not because it smelled bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting.
• It's not just a bubble bath! This product can also be used as a scrub--yay for multitasking!

In terms of the soaps that I tried:

• Scents lasted on the skin
• Felt squeaky clean (which can be good on bad depending on your preference)
• In terms of a shave cube I actually really liked this product (more so than as a soap). It provided a great slip and lathered nicely.

I am going to give you a bit of a breakdown on the scents I have:

• Oatmeal Milk and Honey--smells very reminiscent of almond extract, almost like marzipan. There are notes of Oatmeal and Honey (I don't know what milk smells of :) ) but the predominant scent is almond.
• Beach-- Instead of salty air I smell the sand and sunscreen. My mind does not immediately go to Beach when I smell this although it is very fresh and bright.
• Lavender--easiest one to review! This smells of fresh cut lavender.
• Black Tea--very woody scent, almost smoky. It reminds me of a wood burning fireplace and the middle of winter.
• English Coast--reminds me a lot of Irish Spring just not as strong. Again this scent is very fresh- a good wake up soap.
• Basil and Lime--I can't quite put my finger on this scent. But it is uplifting, light, and green.

For more detailed scent descriptions check out their etsy store here ShopRedLeaf.

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol II Swatches

After receiving my book of shadows I immediately started swatching. What can I say? I had to do it! I have some issues with misconceptions when it comes to texture, color payoff, and quality. If something is from a promising brand and expensive then the shadows have to live up to my expectations or I won't repurchase. I am serious! Sometimes it will take me years to retry a brand because of one bad product--I won't be having that problem with this brand. So far, everything that I have purchased I love!

This palette includes 16 shades, eight of which are exclusive. The exclusive shades include:

• Perversion
• AC/DC
• Nylon
• Mushroom
• Sphynx
• Jinx
• Homegrown
• Misdemeanor

Onto the swatches!

So here is a reminder of what shadows were in the palette (you can click to enlarge):

Here's the top row:

Left to Right: Perversion, Gunmetal, Ecstasy, AC/DC

• 
  
  Perversion is a basic matte black and truthfully not too impressive. This is with several swipes--I prefer my MUFE.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Gunmetal is an amazing charcoal gray with shimmer and glitter. Luckily it isn't crazy glitter-ful or I'd be completely turned off by it. The picture is with only one swipe, so it is very pigmented. The consistancy was soft not chalky. I'd love it more if there was no glitter but that's how it goes.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Ecstasy is a lilac-y purple/pink it is quite sheer but a great soft shimmery color to have.
  
  
  
• 
  
  AC/DC is a high shine purple. Nothing too remarkable but there is a tiny bit of duochrome to this color.
  
  
  

The second row from the top:

Left to Right: Nylon, Sellout, Mushroom, Sphynx

• 
  
  Nylon is a light gold very similar to Blonde's Gold from MAC. A good all around lid color that would be great for a neutral look. This shade is frosty!
  
  
  
• 
  
  Sellout is a shimmery champagne color--another good basic
  
  
  
• 
  
  Mushroom is a taupey brown. Mushroom is similar to MAC Satin Taupe but less plumy. Again this is a shimmery shade.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Sphynx is the glitter bomb in this row (there is one glitter in each of the first three rows). Like Gunmetal from above is not all too glittery so the fallout isn't tremendous but be aware it is there.
  
  
  

The third row:

L to R: Half Baked, Twice Baked, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, YDK

• 
  
  Half Baked is another great gold. A shimmery, frosty mid tone yellow gold is the best way I can describe this one. It is one of my favorite golds that I own.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Twice Baked is an intense chocolate brown. Less frosty then the other shades but similar to Gunmetal in pigmentation. One swipe gave me the intense brown pictured above
  
  
  
• 
  
  Midnight Cowboy... I hate this shade! How is it that this is the shade that UD is most known for?!?! It is a crazy glittery mess. I have no idea how to wear it without have glitter all down my face. I tried it with paint pots, cream shadows and spraying it with fix+, anyway I do it I am a glittery mess. After this swatch was done I wiped my arm clean and, even while writing this I still have glitter on me. GRRR!
  
  
  
• 
  
  YDK is a similar to mushroom except that is actually has the plum to it the Mushroom lacks. This shade is a bit sheer but still beautiful.
  
  
  

Last Row:

L to R: Jinx, Flipside, Homegrown, Misdemeanor

• 
  
  Jinx is a frosty light blue. It is sheer but over a base looks amazing.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Flipside is a bit more teal than Jinx but similar in texture, pigmentation and hue.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Homegrown is a leaf green, frost. I actually don't have a color that is the least bit similar to this one so it is a nice addition to my collection. It is a deeper, brighter Juxt (MAC) eyeshadow (if that makes sense).
  
  
  
• 
  
  Misdemeanor is a great duochrome. Similar to MAC's Club but the shift is not quite as bright green. Again this is a shimmery shade.
  
  
  

What are some of your favorite Urban Decay Shades?

Urban Decay and Secret Swap Goodies!

In addition to nails, nail polish, nail care and nail art I am a total makeup addict. The two sort of go hand in hand naturally but with me I can't seem to have one without the other. Usually when I get in a nail funk, I get in a makeup funk and vice versa. You all should be happy to know I am happy in both realms currently. So onto the goodies--starting with the Urban Decay!

 I should preface by saying that I do no own any UD palettes or eye shadows...until now. I caved and purchase the UD Book of Shadows Vol. 2. It has many of the shades that I've wanted to try as well as some specific to this palette--I am VERY excited to used this! The palette also comes with  mini Zero (black) and Bourbon (brown) 24/7 Glide on pencils both of which I own in full size and have mini's of so basically, I will never run out! There is also a mini Primer Potion which will be great to travel with (dog show coming up). Aside from the palette I also ordered Deviant 24/7 Pencil which is a few notches down from a royal blue. It is a color that I do not own already and it looks wonderful as I love blue shadows. Next, I purchased a two pack of the UD Big Fatty Mascara. A single mascara is $19 and the two pack is $29 so that was just a good deal :). The final thing is a 24/7 Lip Pencil in Wallflower. It is a great nude. I already own Gash and Envious and they definitely live up to their name, I'd give these 5 stars! They also threw in a sample of Gash Lipstick which I already have several samples of...time to switch out the free sample Urban Decay!

Here's a view of the palette open minus the mirror. The inside opens to reveal a Look Book which is full of fun looks that can be recreated with the palette!

Here's an up close look at the shadows!

Today was also the day that my Secret Swap came in. Now honestly I wasn't expecting this package until closer to the end of the month but I couldn't be happier to have it now! A big thanks to CourtinHawaii (Court) for organizing this swap! I've had a lot of fun shopping for my person and receiving something that you don't expect is alway fun!

Here's what my secret swapper Vicky sent me:

Included was a Laura Mercier Cosmetic Bag, Duwop Venom Gloss in Tulip, Hard Candy Gloss, mini Juicy tube in Beach Plum, mini UD XXX Shine Gloss in Quickie, Smashbox Soft Lights in Highlight, Smashbox Blush in Publish, and Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights in Guru.

Everything is wonderful and I am excited to try a few new things. As a funny little side story--Publish was the first blush I ever owned and I still love it (kinda of nice that I now have a backup) at the time I didn't know about purchasing backups. Oh, to be a newbie again!

What I Was And Am Currently Wearing 2

If you don't follow me on twitter, or watch my youtube channel then you may have missed out on the Halloween series that I have started. The first design I did was inspired by several "Dark Fairy" looks that I found while searching around youtube--oddly enough my video never made it to youtube because the footage and contrast of colors was too dark to be seen easily. It is however pretty self explanatory!
Dark Fairy/Angel Nails:

If you've seen the videos that I have seen then this generally idea is what most of the "Dark Fairy/Angel" tutorial's have consisted of.

Next, I painted my nails with Zoya Trixie (most amazing silver ever!). After a day of plain nails I moved along in Halloween series to do cobweb/spiderweb nails. Here's what that looked like:

Yet again, an easy to do look that is fitting for the holiday and not too crazy.

What I am currently wearing is what I am calling my "Friendly Frankenstein" nails. This one was inspired by cartoon frankenstein as they are one of my favorites! Here's how this one looks:

He's just so cute!

I hope you've enjoyed this What I'm Wearing....let me know what you think of the above designs, or request something you'd like to see!

MUFE No.92 Giveaway Winner!

So today I used random.org to determine the winner of my comment giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered, I had a blast reading all your halloween plans/or no plans as it goes. My favorite thing to do for Halloween is decorate; I go all out--carved pumpkins, spiderwebs, lights, spooky theme music and then I dress up and hand out candy. ( In case you wanted to know) Out of 22 eligible comments, random.org chose number 3. So the winner is Supergirl43837! Congrats to her! Stick around for more contests in the future and have a Happy Halloween!
To the winner, please email me your info at: szuchnic@yahoo.com

Make Up For Ever Giveaway!

Recently I posted swatches of my Make Up For Ever(MUFE) Palettes. Number 92, the most amazing bright purple was the color that started my love of these shadows and created the collection I have now. So in an effort to start someone else's love of this brand I am giving away (1) Make Up For Ever eyeshadow in No. 92. This is a great opportunity to try this product with no risks--if you don't like it then take it back to Sephora and exchange it for something you love--or swap the color for one you don't have! If you'd like to enter to win this shadow leave a comment on this post telling me what your plan on being for Halloween (or if you aren't a costume person then what are your plans for that evening). Good luck to everyone! The winner will be posted here on Friday October 9th so make sure to follow my blog to keep yourself updated!

Just FYI--my camera is not doing this color justice!

If you comment as Anonymous please leave your name in the comment or I won't be able to enter you.