EOTD: Keeping it Green

I'm still in love with my new 30 eyeshadow palette, so here's a look I did using the 1st and 2nd row greens (left side of both), the matte gray, black, both browns, the tan (end of 2nd row/right side), the yellow (right side), and the shimmery gold (1st row/4th column). The mascara is MAC False Lashes Waterproof, the black liner is my trusty L'Oreal HIP cream liner, the purple on the bottom lashline is the lilac shadow from the purples in the top row, and I have NYX Milk pencil in the waterline. The more I use this palette, the more I'm digging it.  

I also have been using some new brushes, full review on them coming soon.

Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for your chance to win the 30 Eyehadow Palette here! And I hope you all have a happy Father's Day weekend everyone!!!

-Miss Brina

Smoke & Diamonds: FOTD

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

Well hello there! It's been awhile since I've posted, and since my goal is to give this little ol' blog of mine much more tlc/post more frequently than I did last year.... you get a FOTD!!! This is a look I wore  going out with the family for Papa Bear's birthday. It was a great night out and you all get to see a few new products that I've been trying out over the last few weeks that I'm absolutely loving! My camera wasn't picking up the true color of Smoke & Diamonds, but it is such a pretty silvery, smoked gray that looks AWESOME in a smokey eye look for all eye colors!

Products Used:

Ruby Kisses 3D Face Creator (review/swatches coming)

Ben Nye Banana Powder

NYX Stay Matte Not Flat Powder

La Femme Blush- Russet & Sienna

MAC Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow

Wet N Wild Vanity palette

Physicians Formula Creme Liner- Black

Sumita Intense Eye Liner- Black

Covergirl Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara

Wet N Wild Lipstick- Stoplight Red

Rimmel Lipstick- Bordeaux

Has anyone else tried the Ruby Kisses 3D Face Creator? It's been my go to foundation for the last 2.5 weeks :)

Have the most amazing of Valentine's Days everyone!

-Miss Brina

Labor Day EOTD

Hey Party People! I know it's late, but here's a simple look I did for a Labor Day picnic last weekend. My maxi dress was pretty busy, so I wanted to keep the eye look fairly neutral. Please excuse the tired eyes and picture quality, I took them at the end of the day with my phone when we got home LOL Hope you enjoy!

 

Products Used:

Inglot #90 AMC Gel Liner (top lashline & eyebrows)

Bobbi Brown concealer (prime lid)

NYX Jumbo pencil- Milk (shadow base)

Laura Geller Baked shadow duo- Biscotti & Toast

CS 88 Warm Palette- random taupe color (deepen crease), random cream color (hi-light)

Sleek contour Palette

Milani Baked blush- Illuminoso

Clinique lipstick- A Brand New Grape

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H foundation

MAC Zoomlash mascara

NYX: The Crimson Amulet Collection

While in Ulta the other day, I saw this palette and thought it was too nice to pass up.  I didn't swatch any shadows in store, and I had absolutely NO clue what Dark Shadows was at the time, but it had a nice assortment of shadows... and I am a sucker for full face palettes so in my basket it went! It retails for about $24, which isn't bad considering you get 24 shadows, 5 Blushers, an Illuminator, 4 lip glosses, a HD shadow primer and a liquid liner all in an artfully designed palette. 

 

The blushes all have very nice pigmentation, but I was kind of disappointed when it came to the shadows. I only swatched the darker half of the shadows to give you guys a basic idea of what I'm talking about. The deeper hues have decent pigmentation, while most of the lighter colors take an absurd amount of building on darker skin to show up as more than a simple wash of color/glitter. I might try to use them with a pure white base or the primer included instead of a fleshtone base to see if that will help any. 

NYX The Crimson Amulet Collection:  based on the movie Dark Shadows

 (Back of the Outter Box)

 (Back of Acutal Palette)

 (Shadow Half of Palette)

 (1st Part of Palette: Shadows and a Mirror)

 (2nd Half of Palette)

 (Swatches of Dark Shadows- This was after some building of the lighter shades)

 (2nd half of palette: Blushes, Primer, Liner, Illuminator, Glosses)

Overall, with a great base for the shadows and for only $24, it's certainly worth a try. I personally am in love with the artwork and details of the palette... I'm such a Helena Bonham Carter/ Tim Burton fan! When I opened my palette I had to google "Dark Shadows" to see what in the world this movie was about... and now May can't come fast enough (I'm sooooo in the theaters for this one)!!!

Random thought: How did we survive in this world before Google? LOL

If you all want a full palette swatch let me know! So now that you've read my initial review, what are you thoughts: grab or pass?

-Miss Brina

EOTD: Valentine's Day Look

Hey everyone! Here's my Valentine's Day look. I decided to keep it fairly simple on the lid and add a pop of color and some bright lips. Please excuse the hair, I was still in the process of getting ready :-) Have an amazing LOVE DAY and I hope you all like!

Products Used:

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

UltraFlesh under eye concealer duo

Milani Rose D'Oro blush

NYX HD pressed powder

NYX Milk Pencil

Sleek Redstone shadow (Avoir peche palette)

Inglot gel liner #73

Stila Stay al Day liner (black)

Essence Gloss liner (black)

Stila Topaz liner

Essence I love Black mascara

Laura Geller lip spackle

Covergirl lip liner in Smokey

NYX Xtreme Lip cream in Strawberry Jam

I touched up the smudges later but forgot to take close ups...

-Miss Brina

Haulin' in 2012: LA Colors Jumbo Eye Pencils [swatches]

First and foremost, Happy 2012 to all you lovely people! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, so obviously, my New Year’s Resolution is to give my blog the love & attention it deserves LOL. That being said, I’ve completed my 1^st haul of 2012!!!! I’ve got a few [inexpensive] goodies to show you guys over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for some great finds and swatches!

I’ve seen and heard great things about the NYX Jumbo eye pencils over the years. And after noticing it in a couple million youtube videos, I even picked up one in Milk after realizing that a good base works wonders for eyeshadow color payoff and longevity. Did I like it? Yeah. Was it life changing? Not really. Did I buy more? Nope. Call me crazy, but I’d rather splurge and drop $20-$30 on a primer like Nars’ eyeshadow base  [which I can use on every look] rather than drop $4 for a colored pencil that only really helps if I’m using something in that particular hue. Now, I’m no mathematician, and it may even prove cheaper to go the pencil route, but I always choose convenience [i.e- Nars’ primer, UD shadow insurance, etc.] over what’s trending.

So… I’ve said all of that to bring us to this review of an alternative to the NYX jumbo pencil that is just as great [maybe even better] and much cheaper!

I give you the LA Colors jumbo eye pencils!!!!

L-R: Tropical Bliss, Vacation, Sun Kissed, Popsicle, Caribbean, ,Summer Love, Summer Time, Limeade.

So colorful, so creamy, so pigmented…. so VERY affordable! I’m talking $1.50 a pop! Yes, I said $1.50 per pencil… not on sale…. that’s regular price… have I got your attention? Good. There are currently 24 shades to choose from, and if they all are like the 8 I picked up then I’ll end up with the entire collection for sure.  They smudge and blend very well, and were crease free for about 4+ hours when used over my Nars base.

 Enjoy the swatches!

 

L-R: Tropical Bliss, Vacation, Sun Kissed, Popsicle, Caribbean, ,Summer Love, Summer Time, Limeade.

Have you all tried any of these pencils yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts on these or any other bases that work wonders for you.

~Brina

Subscriber Giveaway: WINNER

I want to thank everyone who reads this blog, as well as all the beautiful ladies who entered the giveaway. And without further adieu, the winner is.....

StealMyHeartLove

Congratulations! Check your inbox for further details

Subscriber GIVEAWAY!!!

 

Good Afternoon everyone, just popped in to express my gratitude to to all my beautiful subscribers and everyone who reads this little ole blog of mine! I know 25 doesn't seems like alot to most people, but I truly appreciate all of you. That being said, I'm having a GIVEAWAY to say THANK YOU to all you lovely readers!!!

I figured what better way to show my appreciation than to pick a product that I actually LOVE,  so I am giving away 5 NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream colors of YOUR choosing.

To enter the giveaway is simple, you just have to be a follower of this blog, and leave a comment (with your email) telling me your favorite LIP product/color, and why it's your favorite... easy, right?

You can enter as many times as you would like from NOW- March 31st (11:59 PST), and the winner will be chosen & posted, via random.org on April 1st.

Good luck to everyone, and thank you again!

- Miss Brina

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Review + Swatches

I know 2011 just started, but I think I've found my favorite lip products of the new year. NYX has been steadily becoming one of my favorite cosmetics brands over the last year or so, but they've really outdone themselves with their new Soft Matte Lip Creams. It currently comes in 11 different shades, and leaves a beautiful creamy, matte finish on the lips. The color is opaque, and unlike most mattes, this product is non-drying when applied with the doe tip wand. I love the packaging, it's very simple and slim (about 3.5- 4in long), so it will fit in your pocket or bag without taking up much space. The lipstick is true to color in the tube... but the swatches online are garbage!!!!!! I'd suggest you either do the research and find some real swatches of the actual product or buy them in store to avoid being disappointed because the color you ordered looks nothing like the image online. For instance, Monte Carlo looks like a deep rust color in the online swatch, yet in reality, it is a deep crimson color.... this color discrepancy is true with at least 4 other shades as well. But at $6 a piece, you can't be too upset if the colors don't match up because they are still lovely shades that compliment everyone. And they have pretty decent staying power too!!!

So far, I'd have to say Abu Dhabi (which is the perfect nude for NC44-45 ish tones), Antwerp (a gorgeous peach shade) and Sao Paulo (a vivid pink) are my absolute favorites! Now, that the formalities are done... on to the swatches!!! Enjoy!



Lip swatches in same order as they appear in the above photo.