Barry M Lipstick # 129 Palest Lavender

Barry M lipsticks come in a huge range of shades and are quite affordable.  I've only tried this one so far just because I have too many lipsticks I will never use them all!  It is # 129 and I had to look up that it's name is Palest Lavender.  It is an amazingly beautiful lavender and a great lipstick.

This particular shade might not be for everyone, but I really like it.  I was really impressed with the lipstick itself.  It is creamy and I found it quite pigmented as you can see from the lip swatch.  It isn't so stark lavender that it's unwearable in my opinion.  I'd like to pair it with a lavender gloss sometime to see how that turns out, but overall, I really like this lipstick!  

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

I was seriously trying to find a nail dryer, like a machine, some kind of lamp.  Since I have a small son who requires constant attention I always have to do my nails at night, and even that wasn't working cause I'd end up re-doing at least one or two nails from having to use my hands.  I also needed a quick drying one if I do stamping so it doesn't smear.  

I swore I wasn't going to buy any more Sally Hansen stuff but it isn't like I have a lot of options, and I really wasn't expecting much from it.  I used to use drying drops or Essie's "Good to Go", but  I can't find anything like that.  I tried essence brand drying drops but they really didn't work for me. 

This product really works!  It says your nails will be dry to the touch in 30 seconds, and I give it a minute or two, but they really are dry and even touching won't smudge it.  I don't get any bubbling or shrinking either.  It doesn't give your nails a glossy top coat type finish, but I am extremely happy with what it does do.

I might end up getting one of those lamps anyway though since it would help dry the base colour before I put the stamp on.

Rimmel Vinyl Max Lip Gloss

Since I have been having a really good streak of luck with the Rimmel products I bought, I've not lost confidence in them just yet.  They do have good prices and some really nice things if you choose carefully.

My latest fave is this Vinyl Max lip gloss.

This may sound silly, but I loved the tube- it is so huge!  I don't have anything like it in my lip gloss collection.  The colour is so pretty also, so I just had to try it.  The shade I got first is 301 Addictive.

The swatch:

And here is the wand compared to a normal one: 

On lips: 

I love this lip gloss.  It really has a glassy finish and it is really, really glossy when applied.  It is really pretty, and very smooth.  I noticed a faint tingle on my lips but it lasted only a few seconds, so I am not sure if it is supposed to have that effect or not.  The negative- it doesn't last more than 2 hours, but it's ok with me cause reapplying is easy, especially with such a big tube that's difficult to misplace in a bag.  It also has a strange melted plastic smell, but I didn't notice any taste on my lips.  

I bought two more since, here are swatches: 

I am happy that these are the same formulation as "Addicitive" and I really like them all!  

Two Maybelline Eyeliners

Since I rediscovered liquid eyeliner, I thought I'd look into getting a black one.  I got these two Maybelline ones.

This one is called Liner Express and it's a liquid liner but it has a pen tip.  

This one is "Liner Definer" and it's a pen too, but the marker type: 

I had completely different results with these.  The Liner Definer was so horrible I actually threw it out. Not only did it scrape my eye but it wasn't even black.  It was such a diluted colour it really was like putting a magic marker on my eye.  I haven't seen this product on the Maybelline site so I am hoping they discontinued it.  

Left is Liner Express, Right is Liner Definer: 

I actually liked the Liner Express, it was a bit liquidy when I first got it but it's perfectly fine now.  It is a really good black that shows well even over dark eyeshadows.  It is also easy to get a good line, and one really close to the lash line.  I use this quite a bit now because I don't have to use and was a brush.  Some of my eyeliner brushes are getting pretty worn out from washing and I even had to throw one out a few days back.  This liner didn't smudge or flake, and although it didn't last as long as some gel liners I've used I still got a good 8-9 hours out of it.  

A Few Barry M Swatches

I totally forgot about these little things!  58 and 98 are Dazzle Dusts, which are basically loose eyeshadows.  Incredibly pigmented and 98 is soooo gorgeous!  7 is a "Fine Glitter Dust" but it's not all that "fine" and it's not eye-safe, so I haven't found a use for it just yet.

Both of the Dazzle Dusts are just beautiful, and so smooth.  I made the mistake of applying them over a sticky primer like a pigment, but they don't need that at all, just a regular primer and they go on smooth.  

Inglot AMC Blush # 61

This is a Freedom system Inglot blush, AMC #61 and it's a bright pink:

It is 6 grams for around $11.  A good deal, but it is the refill so a palette costs extra if you don't have one already.  I really like Sleek blushes and they are $6 for 8 grams in a compact, and Flamingo is their bright pink shade.  

The swatch:

It is a really beautiful shade, but I have to use it with a light hand with a highlighting brush because it is so pigmented.  This one is a lot softer than #30 as well.  I really like it but for me it's not an everyday blush.  

Huge Catrice Haul and Impressions...

Ok, ok, so it's not exactly "huge"..... but huge was finding Catrice in the first place!  The nail polishes are great- I got Jade Is Not My Name, Am I Blue or Green?, Sunglasses At Night (really hard to read the bottle since the polish is almost black and so are the words), and a top coat called Prismatic Effects, which is says it makes any nail polish look like a "duochrome".  I tried it and uhh, no, but it does give a pearly/iridescent look to the nail colour.

Besides the powder eyeshadows I also got a gel eyeliner, which oddly enough was the only product marked up double from what I was expecting, which was so disappointing, but I really wanted it.  To make it even more disappointing though, I hate it!!  It is like black water, incredibly hard to use!  I made the mistake of trying it on my waterline when I first got it and despite holding my eyes open waiting for it to dry it still got all over my eyeballs which was so gross and unhealthy I will definitely never do that again, thank God I didn't get an infection or anything!  

I also got a cream eyeshadow and a face primer which says it makes "pores and fine lines invisible". Um, not exactly, but it's an ok product, even though I think it's pretty much like L'Oreal, it's even the same nude pink colour.  

I haven't tried the cream eyeshadow yet but the pressed ones seem to be hit or miss... the quad palette I had to throw out cause none of them were any good.  The gold one, "Walk Like an Egyptian" is incredibly patchy but works decent over something else.  

I like the Catrice website, www.catrice.eu they do have nice descriptions and pictures.  I'd like to try the lip tint and a blush but they didn't have those at all and unfortunately they don't stock things here very often.  

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Brown Eyeliner

The very first You Tube makeup video I searched for was how to apply the MUFE foundation.  I went back to the store three times to exchange shades, and the third time they convinced me that I was using the wrong application method, even though they applied it on my face in the store and I went home every time only to look in the mirror and be unhappy with it.

I found so many videos about that product, and I haven't been off the internet since!  When I first got into other websites (like MUG) I realised one of the main things I needed help with was eyeliner.  I had been using a Dior pencil for all of my made-up life, I didn't know about winged liner, I don't even think I knew what "waterline" meant.

So.... fast forward to today when I've tried dozens of eyeliners, probably thousands of products, and although I can't say my eyelining skills are above average, they've certainly improved.

Normally I use gel eyeliner but the brown one I have isn't all that great, plus, this one was on sale.

The brush is really thin, and the product is a good consistency.  

I don't know why I didn't do a better swatch, the line can be a lot thinner if you like.  I mainly wanted to show the colour. 

I like this eyeliner.  It is really easy to use, and the colour shows up very well.  It lasted all day on me without any problem.  I also liked that it dried fairly quickly without transferring to my upper eyelid.  For a budget liquid eyeliner, I think it's pretty good!  

Suggestions?!?!

I haven't been feeling very well lately although I am ok, so my thought is if I already feel bad, I don't want to look bad too!  But I have just been doing a really quick makeup, so boring.... I know I need to find a better blush and my eyebrows are really bad.  I've been a little shakey so sometimes I've just been using a pencil on them rather than my usual powder.  I know my brows are fake ok, but the pencil makes them look fake uber drawn like an etch a sketch or something which I don't like at all.  I've tried all those brow serums but they just won't grow, so I don't know what to do.  I am officially trying to grow them, I haven't done anything to them in a month and it's driving me crazy seriously, I think tomorrow I am finally going to break out the tweezers!!

too sparkly eyes 

too naked lips 

Any suggestions for me?  

Max Factor Dip In Eyeshadow

This is the other Max Factor product I purchased with the lip gloss.  The saleslady didn't describe it to me and there was no tester- I thought it was a cream thing, it has a really long top like an eyeliner.

This is the sponge applicator, which is attached to the long lid: 

The shade is called Ultra Violet.  It is really pretty, it reminds me of Urban Decay's Fishnet, but just from memory since I don't have that one anymore, it seems a little pinker and sparklier.  

The product itself is ok- it's fairly pigmented and lasts with a primer, but the sponge applicator and the way they packaged it is really stupid in my opinion.  I couldn't get any other brush in there.  It is a loose powder, and I've poured mine out into a little container to use it rather than stick with what it came in, which I found to be a lot more effective.  

Honestly, I am not impressed with Max Factor at all and I won't be buying from them again.  

Baby Foot Easy Pack Feet Exfoliating Product

I know I've reviewed a ton of foot products, but this one is a little bit different.  These foot packs are popular and a few different brands have them.  I can't tell if Baby Foot is the brand of this one but it says "Made in Japan".

I was really confused about what the product actually is.  I thought it was some kind of gel or powder and you mix it or something.  I also thought the photos of peeling, cracked feet were the "Before" photos, and since mine were just rough and hard, not peeling, I thought it would work well.  

It is actually sealed bags filled with a gel substance that you cut open and put on your feet, then leave them in place for two hours.  

The directions are a bit confusing, it says not to "forcibly remove" dead skin but it also says to assist in removal by rubbing with your hand.... which one is it??  

Here is how it worked for me: 

Day 1- applied product.  

Day 2- nothing.  

Day 3- heels and around toes started to peel lightly, at night.  I did nothing.  

Day 4- started to peel a lot.  Rubbed feet in the shower, and tons of "skin balls" (yes, eeeeewww!) started to come off.  Sleeping in socks. 

Day 5- still peeling.  feet are in a mild state of discomfort.  Socks again. 

Day 6- still peeling, now tops of feet are peeling also and a little dry.  Soles of feet are a tad softer to the touch where some skin has peeled most of the way off.  Applied foot balm sparingly in the a.m. but only to tops. 

Day 7- peeling seems to be subsiding, but some slight redness on both feet.  I noticed I still have two callous spots.  

Day 8- almost no peeling, and only one rough spot remaining, arch areas of feet are softer than before application.
Day 9+ no peeling, feet seem pretty normal, not especially soft.

I still have a couple rough spots that I just have to use a pumice on daily, and I do regular foot soaks and daily creams as well.  Soooo, although this product did produce temporary results, I did not like the excessive peeling at all and I don't think it was worth it just to have my feet back almost the same as they were just ten days later.

Maybelline Super Stay 24hr Concealer

I got this together with the Super Stay foundation, which for some reason, I must have misplaced.  It is a true concealer, rather than a highlighting/illuminating one.

I got it in the lightest shade I they had, which was Light/Beige 2: 

On the right is blended: 

It dries up super quickly and very matte.  It also is quite waterproof, heatproof, and sweatproof- it's great!  It comes out on the applicator a lot more liquidy than when it's actually on your face and blended.  I only needed one layer for full coverage, and even though it was matte it wasn't cakey.  

I have several red spots on my face that are not acne but I forgot what they call them, I think something blood vessels.  Anyway, they are more pronounced at times than others, and this concealer covers them wonderfully.  I've worn it alone and under foundation with no issues at all.  I wouldn't particularly use this for under-eye brightening, but for everything else, definitely.  

Max Factor Max Effect Lip Gloss Cube

I haven't purchased a Max Factor product since probably the 90s.  The only thing I remember from them is the Pan-Cake face thing.

Swatch:

This lip gloss did absolutely nothing for me.  It was sticky, not pigmented, and has a bad texture.  Good thing it was only $10 or I'd have something worse to say.  The only positive about it is that it has multi-coloured glitter flecks, which you can't really tell from the photo, but people did notice it on my lips, which was pretty cool but I am not really into glittery lips anymore.  So it is ok for layering over a lipstick but I really don't need another lip gloss laying around in a drawer.  

Skin Food Nail Vita Polish

I went back to see if I could find any other Skin Food polishes, and unbelievably they had even less of a selection this time!  They had maybe 7 shades in the store, it was really bad.  The lady said their shipments take a month or two to come in, so they're waiting too.

I picked up just one, this very lovely gold shade:

So beautiful!  This one works well with stamping.  

One other thing I did not mention when I posted about the other one- these have incredible wear times!  I had to force myself to remove the purple one after 12 days on my toes with almost no evidence of wear, and I've worn this for over a week now (yes, it's that pretty!) and only needed to touch up the tips.  

Inglot DS Eyeshadow Swatches

These are swatches of the DS Inglot eyeshadows I have.  I have Pearls and Mattes left to swatch, which is the majority of what I have, so it might take me a little while longer to get to those.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

I was looking for something to replace my old Hard Candy Welcome Matte pressed powder, and this one seemed to get a lot of good reviews.  I got it in Transparent.

I couldn't believe this myself, but I actually hit pan on that Hard Candy powder: 

Even though the Rimmel looks darker, it's really that the Hard Candy is almost white.  The Rimmel applies nearly invisible.  It was really impossible for me to get a swatch of it but this is what it looks like: 

Because I read the reviews, I was expecting really crappy packaging, but I don't care too much about it.  The lid does not stay on, I don't even get the point of it having a twisty thing cause it just pops right off. But I also have a Rimmel bronzer that is the same exact way.  

The powder itself is really great.  It sets foundation without caking up and I've also worn it alone and my face stayed shine-free.  Even when I applied it alone with a foundation brush it seems like it would be too thick, but it wasn't.  Even though you can get a lot of good loose powders, I've always liked pressed powders. 

This was incredibly inexpensive, I don't know if it was on sale or that's the normal price, but I got it for less than $7, so I bought two.  It's something I know I will use all the time, and I really like it. Performance wise it is almost exactly like the Hard Candy, but I think that one was a little smoother of a powder.  It also was a bit too light because if I applied too much I'd look all pasty.  

If you are looking for a matte pressed powder with a low price tag I'd definitely give this a try.  As for Rimmel, I think I'll just accept the fact that they've got good, bad, and everything in between. 

Sleek 20% Off Sale

Sleek Makeup is having a 20% off sale, and they've lowered their shipping prices!

I didn't buy anything (yet- the sale is on until the 5th), although the Snapshots palette looked interesting, I figured I have all those shades already, plus I just threw out over 50 products so no need accumulating more....

September Birthstone: Sapphire

Sapphire is so gorgeous!  I know there are other colours but the blue has always been my fave.

I don't know any women with September birthdays, only men, and I really don't know if they're interested in Sapphires.....

I've searched all of my blue makeup- nail polish included- and although I have a lot of blue things, I don't have anything called "Sapphire", so I'm afraid I'm empty-handed on that end, but Happy Birthday for everyone in September!