Tag Archives: eyeshadow palettes

Nov19

Buying Stuff: Episode 22

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Dianna

Current status: still freezing. But thanks for checking. I’ll just be over here wearing socks with my heels, sitting on a heating pad, holding my hand around my nose to keep it warm. Or, looking like an idiot, as it is commonly known.

Gratefully, the weather is supposed to get warmer in the next few days, so perhaps my pouting and whining will calm down a bit. Until the next polar vortex that makes it way through, that is. Me and Winter? We ARE. NOT. friends.

In brighter news, I bought stuff:

A little mini Inglot haul! I picked up a lip paint in shade 59 (in the purple family), a gel eyeliner in shade 82 (also in the purple family; kind of a dark periwinkle), and a pigment in shade 56 (a teal). I have decided that I love Inglot so much. The gel eyeliners are the creamiest and best I’ve ever used. They don’t set for 60 seconds, which works fantastically for me because I am never satisfied with my line on the first swipe. In fact, I need a good 20 minutes – but I’ll accept 60 seconds. I challenge you to buy one of these and then disagree with me. It’s impossible I tell you; they’re amazing. And if you think otherwise, well then you are WRONG. There’s no other way to put it.

I adore the pigments. I reviewed them in my Vegas haul if you’ll recall (and if you don’t, click here), and I still feel very much the same. They are stunning, vibrant, and beautiful. I now own four, and that’s a far cry from the zero amount I’ve owned in the past (i.e., my entire life) (i.e., forty years if you’re counting).

I’ve only purchased this one lip paint, and I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be a lipstick or a lip gloss. It’s a very pretty color, but it sheers out somewhat on the lips which makes me think it’s a gloss. But it’s not really sticky. It’s creamy, but not thick. Either way, though, I like it and I might end up buying some more.

More fun with purple. See below:

This is the Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow quad in Glamour Muse. I am so happy that Charlotte Tilbury is now being sold in the U.S. I don’t even know why, as I hadn’t even heard of her until someone on YouTube mentioned her one time. I’m gonna say it’s most likely cuz I wasn’t able to purchase her products that made me want to buy her products. Don’t tell me I can’t have something. That creates a panic in me so fierce that I could probably bend steel rods with sheer OCD force or something. Which I suppose is pretty genius marketing on their part. And also how I ended up with this quad.

Okay, I’m torn about it. At first glance, it’s super pretty. The sparkle is just right. But I bought this because I wanted something PURPLE not just purple. And the vibrant looking shade does not transfer that well onto your eyeball. How unfortunate, for me and for all of the world. Now, if you like a more subtle purple, by all means buy this quad with confidence. Do not be afraid. It will probably most likely be the perfect purple for you.

On a happier note, the longer I wore it (and the more often I stared at myself), the more I actually started to enjoy the eye look. So it turned out alright in the end. It just wasn’t what I was expecting in the beginning, that’s all.

And then! I bought this:

I love having a Color IQ number with Sephora because it tells me when new foundations come out that will match my skin tone. If you haven’t gotten your Color IQ done, I’m pretty sure you’ve stumbled upon this blog by accident, cuz anyone who’s everyone who loves makeup is (or should be) doing this. If you like taking out guesswork, making shopping easy, buying foundation from the comfort of your home without fear and while wearing pajamas, that is.

So here is the Dior Diorskin Star foundation in 32 Rosy Beige. For me, this is a really nice product. It’s pretty lightweight, probably about a medium coverage. Has a nice finish – not matte but not luminous – somewhere in between. It claims to be brightening, which I didn’t really catch, but that might have more to do with my horrid complexion to start with. That’s the problem with a lot of supposedly nice foundations. You can’t put them on top of skin like mine and expect fabulous – it just doesn’t happen very often. So, yeah, I wasn’t wowed or anything. It didn’t knock my socks off. It didn’t make me feel supermodelly (like the Guerlain Tenue de Perfection or Givenchy Photo’Perfexion does). So this foundation will be in my second tier – a high quality, better than average, no IT factor foundation.

I bought a brush:

A Wayne Goss #7 lip brush to be exact. I bought this to go with the Inglot lip paint, as I didn’t feel like going all hillbilly fingers into the pot. We use brushes like refined ladies in here, people. Or else.

What can I really say about a lip brush other than it applies lip stuff? Not much. But I will say the edges are very thin, so if you’re really good at using a lip brush I’d think this one would do a pretty good job for you. Other uses of this brush include gel or powder eyeliner application. I tried the gel version, and you know what? I really suck at gel eyeliner. But others who don’t suck might find this brush a dream. It has somewhat stiff bristles so they don’t go flopping all over the place and allows for some nice precision.

Look at this beauty:

This is the Marc Jacobs Sky-Liner Highliner gel eye crayons kit. Let me preface this by saying this kit is a limited edition. However, the eyeliners themselves are not, so even if it’s 17 months into the future and you are reading this blog, this review should still apply. Unless Marc Jacobs goes out of business, so in that case, kindly carry on.

I love these eyeliners. They are very creamy and easy to apply. The shimmer is beautiful. They last for a very long time on the upper eyelid or below the lower eyelashes. On my waterline, though, they did not last as long. Kind of went patchy in the afternoon. But I have very wet eyeballs so that’s probably the reason. I’ve yet to find an eyeliner with hardcore staying power – the Sumita Beauty one comes the closest, but I’m still on my mission. Regardless, though, these are some pretty, good quality liners and you should go ahead and throw them in your basket.

Whatever you do, do NOT buy the travel size of this item:

It’s the Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, and if you try it once you will fall madly in love, then wrestle with your conscience regarding the $105 full-size price. Or you can ignore yourself like I usually do. It’s your risk to take. But I swear, I have no idea what this stuff is made of – okay I do; it’s made of thermal mud from the Hungarian Moors – but it’s truly magical. Has an odd little smell verging on licorice, but I’m most likely conjuring licorice due to its black color. Anyway, I use a very small amount and apply it all over my face. The texture is soothing, soft, velvety smooth. Wiping it off is even better cuz then you are left with the skin of a baby’s bottom. At this point, you’re under its spell and your shopping hand starts to get itchy. Also, it removes makeup very well, but that’s beside the point now isn’t it?

I have since bought an Omorovicza travel kit that includes another jar of this balm. I’m hoping by the time I’m done with both jars, my fascination will have been satisfied and I will no longer feel the pull of buying the full size. Because honestly, I don’t WANT to pay that much for a cleanser. Although, I suppose I will if I won’t leave myself alone about it. I can be soooo super annoying sometimes.

If you like colorful eyeshadows, you should buy this:

Ack! I die. This Urban Decay Vice 3 palette is just lovely. That gorgeous green on the top row is what caught my eye initially. And the golds and purples. There are hearts in my eyes right now. I had no issues with pigmentation or blendability. Fallout was pretty minimal if at all. And it comes in a cutesy little iPad case to help make your shopping decision even easier.

So many stunning looks can come out of this palette. My favorite (other than the green of course) is using Lucky – which is the color of a new penny – all over the lid, then adding Alchemy – a bold raspberry – in the outer v. Of course, I’m sure some makeup artist could do it even better, but I was pretty proud of my invention. Pretty sure Urban Decay is about to call me. Or Vogue.

Behold, look what else:

Is your mouth hanging open? Mine is. It’s the new Gucci makeup, specifically the eyeshadow duo in Fume. It’s shockingly beautiful, very luxurious, fancy schmancy, and ooh la la. Practically too pretty to even use, what with all those little Gs stamped into the shadow. However, I did use it – just once so far – and lemme just say that sometimes I question my own makeup skills. How could something this lovely not turn out even more lovely once applied? There was more pigmentation in the pan than on the eye. What did I do wrong? I suppose I could’ve wet my brush first to see if that made it better, but putting something wet into something dry gives me anxiety, like there’s a never-turning-back event about to happen, and it stops me from doing it. That’s most likely the #1 reason I hate washing my hair. Which has nothing to do with this eyeshadow, but still.

I’ll keep playing with it. I’m determined to not give up. I’ll do it for my people (that’s you), so you will continue reading (and loving) this blog.

We’re at the end. You’ve made it. Now wasn’t that fun? Be sure to come back again and again cuz I write updates all the time. You won’t want to miss out on anything. Trust me.

Oct13

Buying Stuff: Episode 20

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Dianna

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I absolutely cannot wait to share my Las Vegas haul with you guys. The products I bought are what dreams are made of. Well, my dreams, that is. However, because I’ve been meaning to post some other products for several weeks now, I suppose I’ll do it first. So, presenting, THAT OTHER HAUL THAT ISN’T AS EXCITING. (But still awesome.)

I do love me some eyeshadow. I want to own every palette that’s ever been made. I’m addicted, I’m fully aware, but you should see it all. They are like my little eyeshadow children, and I love each and every one of them. These right here are no exception.

I would never guess I would love an $11 drugstore eyeshadow palette. But this Maybelline The Nudes one is awesome. Every color is wearable, blendable, colorful. It is, quite literally, one of my favorite palette purchases. Isn’t that strange that something so inexpensive – it was even on sale for $7 when I picked it up – could turn out to be more precious than my $50 palettes. Just goes to show you, luxury makeup doesn’t mean squat. Although you can forget I said that as soon as my Vegas haul is posted. Cuz money doesn’t seem like actual money when you’re in Vegas. I don’t make the rules, guys. It is what it is.

Aside from that, I recommend you pick up this palette. The concept is pretty cool because it’s strategically placed in pre-designed quads, trios and duos. So if you count in fours (two top, two bottom) that is considered your quad; if you count in threes (all top, then bottom), those are your trios; then count in twos (all top, then bottom), those are your duos. They make it super easy to put looks together. Of course, I rebel and mix all over the place, but that is what professionals do. I am a professional, just so we’re clear.

Another batch of really nice drugstore eyeshadows are the new Milani Bella Eyes. Even looking at them is pretty exciting – they look like little cookies that someone stuck their thumb in. Or maybe that’s just how I see them. In any case, I bought some neutral colors (shown above) because that’s all my local Walgreens carried. However, we got a brand new CVS, and you’d swear it was a Bloomingdale’s or something the way I was carrying on. I made a special trip clear across town to see what kind of makeup they carried. And wouldn’t you know it – the best Milani display I’ve ever seen. Hoards of different things in all the colors. So I picked up a couple more shadows because I really do like the texture. They call them gel powders, and I’m not even gonna pretend to know what that means, but the result is lovely. They blend into each other so naturally. If you haven’t given these a try, I recommend you grab a few.

And then I bought this thing:

It’s a Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick highlighter in Beige. In case you’re wondering: YouTube made me do it.

Well, you know how it is. Someone goes on and on and on about something, you start to feel like you’re missing out on the secret to life. I caved and bought one to see for myself. And yes, it does have a very lovely sheen. It’s not over the top sparkly by any means. Sometimes when I use it, I almost feel like I didn’t put on enough, that’s how subtle it looks on me. It comes in several colors, like a bronze, a pink and something else (besides the beige), so perhaps if I had gotten a different one, it would show up more pronounced. Or more likely than not, I just don’t know how to apply highlighter properly. Because when I swipe my finger through it, the color is just stunning. On my cheeks, however – just barely. It’s not my most favorite highlighter I’ve ever used, lemme just say that. Until I figure out how to use it the right way, that is.

Here’s my very first MAC lipstick purchase:

I think I picked a pretty good one for scrolling through a bunch of thumbnail color swatches on the Internet. I chose the MAC frost lipstick in the color Fluid, and it’s a plum brown. Perfect for fall. And the frost finish of it reminds of my first lipstick purchase in 7th grade. I don’t know if that’s a compliment to the lipstick or not, but I like it regardless.

Aside from all that, Ebates had like an 8% cash back or something at Macy’s, and that’s the only reason I bought this lipstick. I make absolutely no sense, I’m quite aware.

Last part of the haul came about from a Birchbox email that enticed me with a 25% off coupon. They know what they’re doing. Oh yes they do.

Sometimes when you’re forced to shop, it can takes days to figure out what you want to buy. There was no way I was letting a good coupon go to waste. I mean, there are starving people in China, for chrissakes.

So after about 3 days, and realizing that I clearly need more responsibilities in life, I finally decided on the Coastal Scents Revealed 2 palette and brushes kit. Oh man! This was such a big surprise to me. Normally I don’t go for palettes that have almost all similar eyeshadow colors (in this case, pink), but I took a chance on this one and I absolutely love it. Every look I’ve done with it has been so pretty. Shadows are blendable and pigmented. Well worth wasting 3 days if you ask me.

As for the brushes, these are pretty decent quality. I got a large shadow brush, a crease brush and some kind of angled blender brush. I can’t think of a feasible use for that last one, but I did like the other two. The crease brush deposits a nice amount of color in the outer v, then blends it out real good. I’ll continue to use them. However, probably not that angled one.

And while I was getting 25% off, might as well buy something else to make it even more worth my while. Decided to go with the Origins GinZing moisturizer, a product I was really curious about. This is an energizing moisturizer, meant to be applied in the morning when you’re halfway asleep, brushing your teeth with your eyes closed. It has caffeine in it to wake up your skin, and it has a nice, refreshing citrus scent. It is very light, and leaves my skin feeling very soft. Not sure if it really peps me up or not, but I can brainwash myself into thinking so.

That’s it for today. October boxes are rolling in so I’ll have those coming up this week. Plus of course the most fabulous haul of all time. Stay tuned, y’all. You won’t wanna miss it.

Sep29

Birthday Haul: Part 3

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Dianna

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I would tell you my 40th birthday celebration is over, seeing that it was about 30 days ago and all, but it’s not. Nope, I can stretch a birthday out for dayyyyyys, so it’s Vegas all next week to commemorate this milestone like a proper lady. May or may not involve male dancers.

Just kidding. But it will definitely involve shopping. And my husband’s credit card. Weeeee!

See below for the last bit of damage with said credit card:

I love all of that. That = happiness to me. Did I need all of it? Is the sky blue? Don’t ask stupid questions. Let’s begin!

Cashed in 100 Sephora points for the tiny Givenchy Le Rouge lipstick in the shade Rose Dressing. Even despite it’s miniature stature, it comes housed in a black box to make you feel like a fancy lady. I’ll be honest when I say I didn’t even care what color the lipstick was; I just needed that box. You know, so I could apply lipstick in public like a damn professional.

Lucky for me, the lipstick isn’t a horrendous pink. It’s not fuchsia or magenta or anything loud like that. It’s nice. The formula is very creamy, kind of matte but reflects a bit of light. I’d buy a full-size. Not because the full-size comes in a leather tube. But probably.

And of course I can’t sit around listening to every beauty guru on YouTube sing the praises of MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, and then somehow not go buy it. I bought mine in the same NW20 shade that is my foundation as I felt that makes the most sense. The coverage on it is really, really good. I’d say a healthy medium at the least. I don’t have massive dark circles, but I don’t have the undereye of a 14-year-old either (sadly). This concealer brightens me up and makes me look awake and fresh. A little goes a long way, however, so don’t overdo it. Unless you like cakey. Cakey, not cake, cuz that’s two different things and cakey is bad while cake is fantastic. And now I would like a piece of cake, so what was I saying?

Oh yes. I am happy I got this concealer.

Picked up a tube of the Lust for Lacquer lipgloss by Marc Jacobs. I chose the shade Shooting Stars because it seemed like a neutral but not a nude, which tends to wash me out. Also it is a full coverage gloss instead of a sheer, which is what I prefer. What is the point of sheer gloss I ask you? Anyone? Anyone? No, no one knows the point. Unless you are a 10 year old playing in your mommy’s makeup, no one knows the point.

But, back to the issue. I really like this lipgloss. It’s very shiny and the color is beautiful. The only issue is when the gloss starts to wear off, it leaves behind pieces of glitter on your lips. It’s not the worst thing could happen, but just wanted you to be aware. It doesn’t go away gracefully.

Another lipgloss found its way into my basket – this time in the form of the Hourglass Extreme Sheen in the color Siren. I didn’t even know if I wanted another lipgloss, but this vibrant red orange caught my eye. I swatched it and knew immediately I had to have it. It’s the color of fire, or a maple tree in the fall, or the sun as it nears the edge of the Earth. I’m not kidding you; it’s gorgeous. It goes on super metallic, but it does simmer down pretty quickly. It’s creamy, opaque and long lasting. I highly, highly recommend – this color or any color for that matter. It’s officially one of my favorites.

After talking myself out of purchasing an Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, I managed talk myself in again. The price isn’t that desirable ($35), and despite your impression of me, I can stall a little bit when it comes to price. But since it was my birthday and since someone else was paying for it, I went ahead and picked one up. There are six colors, and I decided on Mood Exposure, which is a soft plum. Now, you may have heard about these blushes and the magical powers with which they have been infused; however, I didn’t notice anything spectacular happening upon my face that I couldn’t have achieved with my NARS Orgasm blush. But if you are the type that is influenced by fancy words such as Photoluminescent, then by all means. I do admit I like fancy words too.

Having said all that, though, I do like the blush. The color is pretty and it does impart a bit of a sheen, which is most likely the magic I was talking about. It lasts for a long time on my cheeks, and even looks better as the day goes on. I like the premise of these blushes, how they are mixed with the Hourglass ambient powders to create something unique. I see how you can get sucked in by something like that. Out of 681 Sephora reviews, 481 are 5 star. So see? I clearly have no idea what’s fabulous. I need another one to be sure.

Picked up the new Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser because it’s an orange gel that looked fun to play with. That’s not a typo. (I am a child.) It starts out as a gel that melts into an oil as you massage it into your face. Then you add water to it and it turns milky. So of course after all that I had to throw it in the basket. I was about an inch away from finishing up a cleansing milk and absolutely couldn’t wait to be done with it. But then the cleansing milk kept replicating itself cuz it took about 2 more weeks to empty it. Urgh. Finally though – I started using the melting cleanser and lemme just say the idea of it is better than the reality. The gel part is fun if you’re big into texture like I am. It does melt nicely onto the skin, but once it turns to oil it loses that thick consistency and then I’m just over it. The milky bit is a non-event. However, most importantly, it breaks up the makeup like a champ so I suppose it you buy products based solely on whether they work or not, you’ll like this one. I, on the other hand, just like things that look pretty.

Treated myself to a bit of luxury as well. Passed the Chanel counter on the way out the door when the Les 4 Ombres quadra eyeshadows stopped me in my tracks. The one in the display was the Tissé Gabrielle, and it was absolutely stunning. Shades of grey and mauve. They look very sparkly in the pan, but when applied to the eyes they shimmer but not in an overly glittery way. Like I could wear it to work and not feel flashy. But that’s coming from the girl who wore a record in her hair in 7th grade, so you can’t always measure wearability by me.

I dunno, guys. I just really loved this quad. Out of all my luxury quads, it’s my favorite. Maybe because it goes well with my brown eyes. Maybe because the name Chanel makes me feel like a princess. Maybe because it’s the latest one I bought and therefore the most new and exciting. Whatever the case, I am happy I picked this up. They blended well, and the term ombre really suits the shadows as they are all (with the exception of the white gold) variations of taupe/grey.

The Chanel lady also tossed in a set of freebies in the form of a serum, foaming face wash, and eye cream. I’ve used them all but the serum, even though I’m most excited about the serum. It’s next, though, as soon as my current serum is empty. I’ve got about an inch left in the bottle, but we all know how long an inch can last. What I have tried – and still currently using – is the face wash, or face mousse as Chanel likes to call it, is wonderful. It’s a pearly white, moussey consistency (aptly) that smooths over the face nicely. The smell is pure luxury, like perfume but a clean, fresh version. But the best part is wiping it away. It comes off so perfectly and completely and leaves behind soft, moisturized skin. Like, I’ve never had a cleanser do this. I want to buy a full-size, but it’s $45 and I’m not sure cleansers should cost this much. I dunno, but I’m really really thinking about it.

The eye cream is okay. The tiny sample tube has lasted me a month so far because you need so little of it. I think there would be great value in your money here if you have a thing about eye creams. Unfortunately, I don’t, but of course I can never love anything that makes economical sense. So I am going to enjoy this while it lasts as I know I won’t repurchase. It is a pretty thin eye cream, but I prefer thicker. Although it does sink in super fast, and that’s important to me. However, I don’t have a love affair with eye cream, so I’m just gonna move on with my life now.

Here’s what I got with the gift card my sister gave me:

It’s the Guerlain Tenue de Perfection foundation and IT. IS. LOVELY. First of all, the packaging. Looked not-so appealing on the website, but in person – Ack! This speaks luxury at top volume. The bottle is super heavy glass and feels so substantial in your hand. The cap is black plastic, however, the top of the cap is inlaid with a gold Guerlain logo that’s so so so pretty. I chose this foundation because for one I didn’t have to pay full price ($61) due to the gift card, and two, there is a color match for me based on the Color IQ scan Sephora did for me last fall. I am in the shade 13 Rose Naturel, and it fits me perfectly. The finish is matte, and the coverage is almost full (on me). I love everything about this foundation. Everything. My face looked the most flawless it’s ever looked, and that’s saying something as I don’t ever look flawless. I prefer this foundation over every single one I own, even the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, and that hurts me a little to say that. In fact, if something happened to this foundation due to theft, damage or natural disaster, I wouldn’t blink an eye to repurchase immediately. So now you know the depths of my love. It’s a pretty big deal.

Last bit of the birthday haul has arrived. It’s the free mascara Ulta gives you:

Yes, the quality of my photos surprise even me.

So if you’ve ever been curious about the CK One mascara, let me ease your mind. This is an average one. I’ve had worse and I’ve had better. Which is pretty much the definition of average. (Shhhhh, I know.) The wand on this one twists up and down to give you two styles of lashes: up for length and down for volume. I admit it did make a difference when I applied both wand versions. But how annoying is it to do all that? (Very.) Just give me a wand that does both, please and thank you. The result, like I said, was average. It didn’t make me wanna stare at myself in the mirror very long, let’s just put it that way. On the bright side, it’s free. The day I start complaining about free stuff is probably the day the Universe stops giving me free stuff, so we don’t wanna put all that negative energy out there no do we? No, we do not.

Okay, friends. You’ve made it through all three parts of my Birthday Haul (assuming you’ve read part one and two). Give yourself a little pat; you deserve it. I’m gonna go read a book, eat some Cheez-Its and zone out. Var var busy, as you can see.

Aug1

Buying Stuff: Eyeshadow Edition

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Dianna

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Welcome to August! Otherwise known as My Month-Long Birthday Celebration! Therefore, everything below is immediately and forevermore JUSTIFIED. Because if you’re that person who can deny a girl her birthday treats, then how can we ever be friends? It’s nigh on impossible.

So here’s a bunch of eyeshadow stuffs for you to love:

That’s the Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow 2.0 in the shade The Vision. I have never tried Bare Minerals eyeshadows before, and can I just say how lovely they are? I probably shouldn’t have gotten started now because do you know how many colors they have? Like eons worth. This particular one has a mint blue/green on the left (you know, the one completely washed out by my camera), and a duo chrome teal blue/brown/green collab on the right. They go on very smooth, color shows up brilliantly, and they blend out like a dream. I heart them so much! Pretty sure I’ll be picking up a few more of these very very soon. Or else someone needs to be gifting these to me like stat. Have I mentioned this is my month-long birthday celebration? Wellll, it is.

And then comes this thing:

If you don’t know what palette this is, then you have been camping in the Siberian Wilderness for far too long. It’s the Too Faced Chocolate Bar, and I’m about 97.95746% certain I’m the last person in the world to own it. Well, except for the cavewomen and nomads. But after them, definitely the last.

I went back and forth for months deciding if I should or should not buy it. At first glance, other than the obvious few colors, it looks like a bunch of brown eyeshadows. And I didn’t need a palette full of brown eyeshadow. However, my sister got it, then my best friend got it, and then I started to feel like I was missing out. Fiiiiiiinnne. I bought you.

And now I love you. Dammit.

This palette is officially one of my most favorite ones. The colors are beautiful, and I can actually get quite a few looks out of it despite all the brown. And honestly, the browns are very different from one another anyway – much more different that I initially thought. There’s a mix of shimmers, mattes and glitters and every last one of them smells like chocolate. Not fake, artifically flavored chocolate, but real cocoa powder. I don’t know if that’s the green light to go on and eat the dang thing, but I guarantee someone’s dipped their finger in and took a lick. And don’t be looking at me like I’m guilty cuz I have too much hypochondria in my brain to be sticking my tongue in eyeshadow.

Here’s the result of some late night YouTubing:

Good lord. Did I need this?

(Yes. The answer to that question is always yes.)

This is the Tarina Tarantino Floriculture palette. First of all, your eyes are not deceiving you. The eyeshadow pans are ginormous. You get a lot of value for your money with this one. The shades are also very pretty, delicately shimmery, perfect for my old lady eye skin. The only complaint would be the absense of a matte crease or matte highlight; however, I’m not peeved enough to never use this palette again. Plus, the fuschia floral packaging is beautiful and looks ultra fancy sitting in the wicker basket on the back of my toilet.

It is limited edition, but I’ve been seeing it around for awhile so not sure how long it’ll still be available. I’d say play it safe and go ahead and put it in your shopping cart immediately, because although the palette may stick around for a little longer, the apocolypse could happen any day now. And you need this to help get you through.

Lookie, more Makeup Geek eyeshadows:

These are my absolute favorite eyeshadows in all the land. That’s not an exaggeration. I own about 25 single pans now (all expertly arranged in my Z-Palette), and every single one of them is amazing. I haven’t had fallout issues, blending issues, pigmentation issues. In fact, if these were people, they’d be your best friend, your partner, your lovahhh. Serious. That didn’t get weird there for a second, did it?

Anyway. I highly highly highly suggest a shopping trip to MakeupGeek.com and buy a few of these. I challenge you not to be impressed. Plus, for the mere price of $5.99, I can’t imagine you wouldn’t want a hundred of these. Well, wait, that’s $600. So maybe not a hundred – at least not all at once.

On a side note: math. Twenty-two years since graduation, and I. STILL. GOT. IT.

Last item is this thing:

I’m not sure when this debuted but I’m thinking it was just a few weeks ago. It’s the Amrezy palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills. Isn’t it lovely? Those jewel tones though. I die. I die! I haven’t used all the colors yet cuz it literally came in the mail two days ago. But so far everything works great. At first glance, I thought the Caramel shade would be too dark for my crease, but it actually went on very natural. I’m hoping the Morocco (orange) shade is just as good. I’m wearing the Topaz on my lid today with Deep Plum in the outer v, and I swear if Vogue isn’t calling soon, then something is wrong with Vogue.

Well, that’s it guys. Are you tired now, cuz I am. It’s pajama time! Have a great weekend.

Jun3

Buying Stuff: Episode 14

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Dianna

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So while I’ve been posting one box review after another, it may appear I have not been out shopping for new goodies. Hahahahahaha. Do you even read this blog? Lemme just put your mind at rest.

Birchbox had a little shipping delay and they were unable to get my box out on time with the rest of the world. They felt horribly guilty (as they should), so I was given $10 worth of Birchbox points to help make up for it. I will accept your apology, and buy myself this Cynthia Rowley eyeshadow with it:

These shadows were very powdery, but kind of in a good way. I thought they blended well and looked very nice on my eyelids. Perfect spring shades, even though we are now coming up on summer. But who follows tradition? Not me! I will wear my white pants in December if I feel like it. Even though they are a size too small now so probably shouldn’t do that. White pants are very unforgiving in a lumpy-thigh-skin sort of way. And if they cling to you like they are holding on for dear life – well, that’s not a look anyone should embrace. I mean, maybe supermodels, but then after that, NOBODY.

What am I going on about? I dunno.

Look at this little piece of artwork I made:

I have too much time on my hands.

I saw this beautiful purple and olive green NARS combo at Sephora and knew instantly I had to have it. If there are two colors more suited for each other than purple and green, please let me know. But also I have brown eyes, and if I’m not mistaken, purple and green are great complimentary colors for brown or hazel eyes.

Aside from all that, these are nice eyeshadows. Not extremely pigmented on me, but really, what do I know? Everyone else in the world disagrees, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I am very hard to please. We’ve established this already.

Speaking of pigmentation, or lack thereof, I present to you:

It’s Marc Jacobs blush. Should be amazing. Color in the pan looks to die for. Color on the cheek … not so much. I swear, I about got carpal tunnel swirling my blush brush over this thing, trying – desperately – to get it to release it’s beautiful lilac pinkness. I don’t even have dark skin. In fact, I’m on the lighter side of medium, and this barely showed up on me. No, I wasn’t expecting straight up purple cheeks, but come on! You are $30; now dadgum act like it.

If you’re curious, this color is called Outspoken. And I will say, once I sort of swirled enough of the ribbed impression off the top of the blush, the pigmentation increased a bit. Not gonna go out of my way to sing any praises or anything, but it did get better. Thank goodness, because y’all know I can’t be bothered to return anything back to the store.

Next up is this thing:

Now that I am a Sephora VIB Rouge, I get included on the secret emails that promote exclusive freebies with purchase. Never one to disregard an exclusive freebie, I got a sample of the Dior Dioraddict It-Lash mascara. I had it for about two seconds before I decided I needed a full tube. This stuff is awesome. It fans my lashes out like butterfly wings. I just love it. You can get your own tube now; it’s not just for VIB anymore. And I highly recommend that you should. Just do what I say. I am the boss of you.

Along with the Dior mascara, they had another VIB Rouge sample promo going on where I could pick three free deluxe trial sizes of an array of products. The next three photos is what I chose.

Why would I buy Urban Decay makeup setting spray? Cuz I don’t own any and I was curious if it actually worked. So I used it and honestly I can’t tell much because I don’t ever feel as if my makeup has fallen off. I don’t even know what that would look like. My face always has makeup on, and it always looks the same all day long. Do people actually have issues with their makeup just melting away as if nothing ever happened? Am I being naive? Am I being a butthole? Probably both.

I will say, however, that if I use a matte setting powder (currently It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores) then spray this on, my t-zone oil is less apparent. Like right now I just came in from outside where it is 90 degrees and hideous, and my forehead, nose and chin feel very dry. The good kind of dry. So perhaps there is something to this setting spray thing. I am going to do a scientific experiment tomorrow and use my setting powder and NO spray and see what happens. Because before I spent $30 on a full size bottle of this stuff, I need to know if it actually works and it’s not just the psychological brain trickery that seems to haunt me at every turn.

Another sample is this cutie pie:

It’s Benefit Fake Up Concealer. I got the shade medium and it seems to be a good choice for me. I have been using it for the past few days, and I may consider buying the full size. I like the way it blends out with my concealer brush. I probably already have a concealer that does this, but you don’t end up with hoards of makeup with that kind of logic. So we’re just gonna push that thought out of our heads immediately. And also, please disregard the fleshy hand. Who knew you could gain weight there?

You can never have too many cleansers. Here’s proof:

At one point, I owned the Boscia black illuminating mask, which was a super fun peel-off kind. Thought I’d give the matching cleanser a whirl. I haven’t used it yet as it’s in line behind 3 other cleansers, but hopefully I will use it before the end of the month. One thing to note about this cleanser, and perhaps its most endearing quality, is that it warms up as soon as you put it on your skin. I used to have a mask like that a long time ago, and I loooooved it. The warming sensation feels way better than a cooling sensation, so I’m really excited to give this a try.

Big nerd alert. Sorry.

Okay, this next item is the must luxury of all the items I’ve ever purchased:

Ummmmm, Tom Ford. That’s almost all I need to say about this, and you’d be nodding your head saying, Yes, girl, I know. Cuz that’s why you’re reading this blog: you understand. But for those that need explicit instruction, I will oblige.

Glossybox had $25 gift cards to Bergdorf Goodman in their May boxes, which I told you about (if you’ve been reading this blog like a proper human being). Well, I could have gone on their site and found something for $25 and end up getting it for free, but like a true makeup addict, I lose all sensibility and decide to buy something horrendously expensive so I could get a $25 discount instead. I mean, honestly, when would there be another chance to get a Tom Ford eyeshadow quad for $25 off? Never. These things don’t end up in the reject bin. It was my only chance.

So now I’m feeling pretty good about myself. I used it once (Silvered Topaz is the name) and it was very pretty as expected. It now rests inside it’s little brown velvet pouch inside my makeup drawer next to the Dolce & Gabbana and Dior eyeshadow compacts. Will I use it again? Probably. But more importantly, I own it. And that’s all that matters.

Below is a little Sephora haul:

Do not even ask why I bought that super dark burgundy metallic OCC Lip Tar. You already know the answer. In an effort to own all the things I had to get it as I didn’t have any OCC in the stash. But this color is gorgeous. I tried it on in the store, and wowza! If it was October and I had a big ol sweater on, this dark lip would’ve put the entire world in its place. It’s stunning. Plus, you only have to use a pin drop in order to get a full application. That’s not even an exaggeration. I will own this tube for at least 15 years. Talk about value for your money.

And if you’re of the curious kind, the color is Black Metal Dahlia.

Next item is the Buxom lip polish in the color Gabby. I love these things. I own three now. They have an addictive cool tingle that feels awesome on your lips in the summer. It literally makes you stop sweating. They don’t advertise that, but they should.

Ran out of makeup remover, so thought I’d give the Sephora brand a try. I always get the waterproof version because I feel it gets my mascara off way better than the regular kind. I’ve been using this for a couple weeks now, and I really like it. Does a great job. I think I will most likely repurchase this if I’m already in Sephora and I need some. However, for about $4 less, Ulta carries the Lumene brand and it works just as good. Never mind that Ulta and Sephora are in the same mall and I could easily go to either one to pick up eye makeup remover. I make up my own rules and exceptions to those rules, so just let it go. It’s a puzzle only I can figure out.

Last item in the Sephora haul is the new Bare Minerals Bareskin serum foundation with brush. I got a little sample of this and no sooner did I get it on my face was I out the door and standing in front of Sephora about 15 minutes before they actually opened. This is the most beautiful foundation I own, better than the Chanel (I’m sorry!) or the Shiseido (am I actually saying this?). I don’t even know if I can explain it properly, but here is my best effort:

If you have normal or dry skin, cancel all your plans today and get to Sephora or Ulta immediately. If you have slightly oily skin, get a sample first to see how it wears for you. The formula of this foundation is very liquidy and has a slight slick texture that may seem oily although it’s oil free. I have an oily t-zone, and I still love it, but I do set it pretty good with my transluscent powder. If you have oily skin all over, you may not like this. Again, try a sample and give it a shot.

The finish is just unreal. My skintone has never looked so even, and I have a very splotchy naked face. It’s not matte, and it’s not dewy, just somewhere in between. It’s lovely. Just lovely. I don’t even know why you are still reading this and not in your car on the way to the store. What are you waiting for?!

It does have an accompanying brush that I bought because it is quite unique. Looks like a flat top kabuki, but instead of it being completely flat top there is a little divot in the center, or a “well”, to drop the liquid into. I’m not sure of it’s purpose, honestly, so I think you could probably use any brush and get a great application. I will say that every time I’ve used this brush, it’s shed on me. Boo.

See below:

It’s a Z-Palette. At the time I bought this, I had nothing to put in it. I was just preparing to put stuff in it. I wanted some Makeup Geek eyeshadows, and all the beauty gurus put them in a Z-Palette. What’s good enough for them is guaranteed good enough for me. I’m easily influenced.

So I got my first batch of Makeup Geek shadows:

Picked out these colors cuz I felt they were very summery and fun. The green is called Appletini, then there is Yellow Brick Road, Last Dance is the purple-y shade, Frappe is a matte brown, and Mango Tango is the coral. These babies blend like a dream and I heart them sooo much! And now I’ve addicted myself. I have 5 more shadows on their way to me as we speak. In my defense, my Z-Palette holds 27 shadows and hell if I’m having a half empty Z-Palette. How tacky and gauche that would be. Pffft.

Last thing in the haul is more eyeshadow palettes because I can’t control my shoppin’ hand:

These are both from Sleek Makeup and they come straight from jolly ole England via the Royal Mail. Next up: lunch with the Queen. I know; so fancy! Anyway.

These i-Divine palettes are very inexpensive, about $12. There are several to choose from, and I feel I got the most varied of them all. The first one is called Snapshot and the second one is apparently limited edition (did not know!) called Lagoon. I used a few of the colors today, and they seems to be alright. I did feel like I was blending longer than necessary, but perhaps I was off my game this morning. But also I was trying to mix a yellow with a teal and a black, so maybe those need extra TLC anyway. Can’t wait to play around more and try out some very fun looks. If I go to work looking like a clown, it’s all in the name of research.

That’s it guys. Ginormous haul. But I got paid today so don’t worry, more is already on its way. I waste no time. In fact, if I’d treat every aspect of my life in the same way I treat my makeup addiction, I’d probably be President by now.

Toodles!

May8

Buying Stuff: Episode 13

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Dianna

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Oh look, someone went shopping. Someone needs the internet taken away. Someone needs an intervention.

Not me, but someone, probably.

Picked up this pretty little Josie Maran kit:

I’ll admit, I was tempted primarily because of the floral packaging. I was not enticed much by buying a box full of argan oil. However, since it’s here, we’ll make the most of it. There is a hair oil, which I will use on my ends as I’ve been doing for almost a year now; a cheek and lip tint, which is a pretty pinkish coral; a whipped body butter in the Vanilla Apricot scent, which I haven’t smelled yet, but I can only imagine it is kittens with angel wings floating on clouds; a cleansing oil, which has been used and it works pretty good breaking down makeup but the smell could use some assistance; and their claim-to-fame product, argan oil, which I’ve also used a couple times and was just okay with.

See what packaging does to you? You buy things you don’t really want or need. Because I really didn’t want more oil stuff. I have plenty to last the rest of my life. But since someone put this in a kit and boxed it up all pretty-like, I immediately MUST HAVE! In fact, it becomes quite a one-track-mind situation and I won’t rest until I have it in my hot little hands.

Having said that, I do think the cheek color looked nice on me and I will absolutely get use out of it. And the body butter too. So was it all for naught? No. Purchase = justified. Next!

Whoever came up with the Kohl’s Cash promo deserves a reward, because it is genius. My hubby and I bought some luggage a few weeks ago (like responsible grown-ups) which earned us $60 in Kohl’s Cash. They might as well have told me I won the frickin’ lottery, as much as that excited me. Sixty dollars?! Oh, the mind was turning already.

Well, apparently, my husband assumed half of that was his because we’re in the store and he’s gone off to shop. I’m sorry, what? Since when does he go shopping? Since Kohl’s gave us $60 for free, that’s when. I’m trying very hard to let it go, since technically it’s only fair (according to etiquette books; I looked it up), but there was all this emotional turmoil happening and I was on the verge of poking somebody’s eye out. I mean, I wouldn’t, but I was on the verge. The very very verge.

Do you know how hard it is to limit yourself to $30? What am I going to buy for $30? Even Jesus couldn’t turn all the fish into bread for $30 (Was that a thing? I don’t know what I’m talking about.) But here’s my best effort:

This is the theBalm Shady Lady palette. Pretty neutral purples, grays and browns. I now own every theBalm palette they are currently selling, so I feel like I’ve completed a collection or something. Which is a time to celebrate (by sending gift cards) if you ask me. This palette came with a sample tube of the Put a Lid On It eyeshadow primer. I used this over the weekend and I like the texture very much.

At this point, my purchase has totalled $40. I honestly don’t know what hubby is going to do with the $20 I’ve left him.

Next thing I picked up is this eyeshadow duo by Simply Vera Wang:

This is duo #409 and is a matte rose with a coppery rose metallic. They are really pretty, but honestly, they looked better in the pan. I paired it with a cool brown crease color (Bobbi Brown matte shadow in “Toast”), but it looked all muddled together. I’m going to try again though, do a gray or a purple in the crease for a better contrast. Maybe do a black on the outer V for further contrast. I’m very into contrast if you can’t tell.

So now we’re up $20 more dollars, and my purchases officially total $60. I have no idea what the hubby is going to buy with no money left.

Remember about a week ago when I said I was trying to ignore myself from thinking about purchasing the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation? Look how awesome that turned out:

Well! I’m very happy right now and that’s all that matters. I’ve been wearing this foundation all week, and I’m just in love right now. It’s so pretty, the color is a good match, and it’s also Chanel. As in Chanel. I’m an extremely shallow person.

I’ve bought yet another kit of travel skincare to take with me on my trip to Chicago next weekend. At this rate, I’m going to need another carry-on.

This is the 29 Cosmetics kit that I got at Target. It includes a cleanser, serum, day cream, night cream and three toner pads. I wanted this kit primarily because I have no travel-friendly toner – all mine are over the 3oz maximum. So naturally, I had to buy an entire kit of stuff. This makes perfect, logical sense to me. Don’t even try to argue.

Last batch of goodies is this haul from Beauty.com:

I got an email from them saying they have free sample jars of the cult classic By Terry Baume de Rose lip balm, and that they’d send me one if I buy $25 worth of stuff. Well, number one – call your product a “cult classic” and my cat ears perk up immediately. Number two – that lip balm is $60 in it’s full-size form and I’m almost certain I’d never buy it because it’s freaking lip balm for $60. And number three – I don’t own anything from By Terry. Okay, done! I’ll sign up.

So you can see in the picture my itty bitty baby jar of lip balm. Isn’t that the preciousest? I’ve used it a couple times, and the texture of the balm is very soft and lovely. Definitely a rose smell. Not hint of rose, essence of rose, or aura of rose. It’s ROSE. If you don’t like that smell, don’t buy this. I feel it’s very nourishing to my lips though. I’m testing it out (in a very scientific manner) to see if it will keep my lips from peeling every single day. If it does, I don’t care if it’s $60, I’m buying the full size because that right there would be a dadgum miracle.

Now for what I bought in order to get the free sample is the prettiest packaged thing I’ve ever gotten. It’s a skincare duo by Le Couvent des Minimes, also in a rose theme. I got the micellar water (fancy name for toner) and the moisturizer. Do I need this? Is the sky blue? Don’t ask stupid questions.

Well that’s all for now. Thanks for hanging out with me once again. I do have another batch of goodies to share, but that’s for another day. I also have 4 boxes waiting on my porch right now, and I can’t concentrate for shit. Have a great evening everybody!

Apr16

Buying Stuff: Episode 11

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Dianna

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I’m starting to think I’m in need of an intervention. I buy a lot of stuff. It’s getting ridiculous. Well, not for me, but for my husband. His stink eye is getting tired.

I, on the other hand, am having the time of my life. It’s fun to own all the things. But I can’t rule out the possibility of an intervention. I got my eyes peeled for a large gathering of my family appearing out of nowhere. In fact, I’m getting very suspicious about Easter.

Anyway. Look what I got!

It’s a Hautelook haul, y’all. That site is so evil. Tempting me with half off prices and stuff. If you gonna flaunt all that in my face I can’t be blamed for what ensues. I think it’s written in the intervention guidelines somewhere.

I picked up these four lovely little things from the TheBalm event last month. I love TheBalm so much. First off, the packaging is super adorable. But then the products are pretty nice too. So it’s a winning situation whatever way you look at it.

First thing I got is the Balms Away eye makeup remover. I just wanted to try something other than a liquid remover. And to be honest, I prefer liquid. Despite that though, this balm works pretty good. It’s just yucky having black mascara smeared Dalmatian-style all over your eye while you’re trying to remove it. But it does remove it, which I suppose is the point.

Next, I picked up the Schwing liquid eyeliner. I used to use liquid eyeliner in brush form like this, but switched to the pen form as I felt it was easier. But I figured I’d try Schwing to see if I could still master the brush. Annnnnnnd … I can’t. It’s not like riding a bike; I forgot utterly and disastrously. I remember the good ole days when it took like 5 seconds to swipe this stuff on. Not anymore, friends. Good thing I have 1.5 hours set aside in the morning. Otherwise: tragedy ensues.

I love TheBalm’s eyeshadow palettes. They are cute as pie. I own four of them now. I think the shadows are nice quality, pigmented and easy to blend. This palette is the Balm Jovi one, and the colors are very wearable. I’ve been using it all week and it’s safe to say we’s best friends. Yes, I said we’s. It’s that serious.

Plus, not only does it have lovely eyeshadows, but it includes a very pretty blush, a champagne highlighter and two lip glosses. It’s practically all you need in life.

Just kidding. You need wayyyyyy more than that. At least I do, hence the intervention.

Last item I got was the Dandelion Brightening Moisturizer. I haven’t used this yet as you know I keep buying moisturizers that may never see the light of day. But I’m trying very hard to make a dent. I do have an entire line of TheBalm skincare so if there’s ever an excuse to move this one to the front of the line, this be it.

Ok, I’m done for tonight. I have more hauls and boxes coming up so GET. EXCITED. Why, you ask? Is this your first day here? Cuz I am the boss of you, that’s why.

Good night!

Jan28

NARS NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Dianna

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Oh, NARS. What have you done?

Made me spend $79 on an eyeshadow palette, that’s what.

I have never in my life spent that much money on eyeshadow. Granted, I just started getting into makeup a mere five months ago, therefore never spending any money on any makeup is more like it. Now, however, I will drop $40 on foundation without a blink, $22 on lipstick with nary an eye twitch. I’ve been desensitized to high-end makeup prices. It’s because I want to own all the things. We’ve discussed this already.

Anyway, saw the NARS NARSissist eyeshadow palette on the internet somewhere, and immediately fell in obsessive stalkerish kind of love. Look at all these beautiful neutral, smoky colors:

Gah! I die.

The colors are not displayed on the palette itself, or even the box it comes in. So I stole this information off the internet. Top to bottom, left to right, the names are All About Eve I, Madrague II, Fez, Bali, Coconut Grove, Madrague I, Nepal, Ashes to Ashes, Brousse II, Mekong, Bellissima I, Lhasa, Bad Behavior, Dogon II, and Pandora II. I’m not ashamed to admit I printed out the names on my label printer and stuck them to the back of my palette. Big dork, right here, y’all. Sorry. (Not sorry.)

I am an obsessive compulsive, anal retentive, perfectionist. Just putting that out there as a disclaimer for all the weird crap I do in future blog posts. Cuz there be several. Guaranteed. And don’t worry about me destroying the sanctity that is the purity of the NARSissist palette. The labels are in extremely tidy, kempt rows, evenly distributed and pleasing to the eye. In fact, I think I’ve actually improved the aesthetic of the whole thing. Trust me, it’s perfect.

Anyhoo, back to my point.

I received this in the mail over the weekend after an insanely long one week and one day wait. It was absolute torture, believe me. So much torture that I even told my husband I was expecting it any day now, and therefore admitting I bought more stuff. I think we’re still married, so all is well for now.

One thing about this palette is that these shades are not new. They are all part of the NARS collection, so if you are a die-hard NARS fan, you may already own these either in singles or part of a duo. The benefit of owning this palette would simply be a nice, neat place to keep these all together (OCDers, rejoice!). Or, if you are like me and do not own any NARS shadows, you can purchase this kit without reservation and enjoy.

So I’ve been using this palette for the past three days, mostly in the blue/pewter or taupe/purple family, throwing in a matte beige for the crease and deep black for emphasis. And I swear I’ve been trying very hard to do such a good job but I tell you what, if you want to spend light years blending in your eyeshadow, then you’re in for some fun. I was quite literally running a big fluffy brush through my outer V for about 20 minutes and still not satisfied. So I gave up, accepted it for what it was, and moved on.

Can’t say I’m unhappy with this palette. I still have several other shades to try which I will get to later this week. I just feel slightly bummed that my expectations got the best of me. And that I’ve been extra late for work two days in a row. If they only knew what was happening in my bathroom in the morning. Blending, blending, blending, napping, blending, blending, blending … It’s a nightmare.

Maybe I need to practice my eyeshadow skills in general before attempting to use this palette. I mean, I’m no expert. Sometimes I attempt those fancy manuevers you see on You Tube only to be left with a prostitutey mess. I will say after purchasing some proper brushes, I’ve gotten better but still feel I have miles to go.

So take this review with a grain of salt. I am a beginner, and I might have reached for the stars too soon. If NARS wants to be a little complicated, then by all means go for it. Perhaps my definition of complicated is simply from a newbie’s perspective and I should just zip it. I dunno. But if you are a master of makeup, and you’ve tried this palette, I am interested in hearing what you think.

Snacks On Rotation

surprisingly, not a food blog

Tag Archives: eyeshadow palettes

Buying Stuff: Episode 22

Buying Stuff: Episode 20

Birthday Haul: Part 3

Buying Stuff: Eyeshadow Edition

Buying Stuff: Episode 14

Buying Stuff: Episode 13

Buying Stuff: Episode 11

NARS NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette

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