Buzzy FotD

Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette strikes again!  I don't really know what that means.

Products:

Eyes:
   Urban Decay Naked 3 palette -- Buzz all over the lid
                                                 Limit in the crease
                                                 Nooner in the crease and outer v (used damp for outer v)
                                                 Strange under brow and inner corner
   L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly mascara

Buzz, Limit, Nooner, Strange

Cheeks: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed

Lips: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Rose Aurora (discontinued)

I am preparing to take care of my mom for at least the next week after she has shoulder replacement surgery.  She won't be able to use her right arm for 6 weeks!  My dad is there to take care of her, but he has professor type responsibilities, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to go help out.  My aunt and sister will be on duty after I leave, so she should be well cared for.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

A La Mode EotD

I have been enjoying the Too Faced "à la mode eyes" shadow palette lots lately.  There's something about the colors that seems perfect for this time of year.  Which is probably why it is part of their summer collection.

from the Too Faced à la mode palette:
     -- Jardin (pink with gold shimmer and sparkle) on the inner half of lid
     -- Cannes (copper with gold sparkle) on the outer half of lid
     -- Soleil (brown with plum sheen) in the crease
     -- Riviera (metallic light gold) under the brow and in the inner corner
     -- De La Mer (shimmery navy blue) as liner on upper and lower lashlines

Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Fierce Blue on the waterlines

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

from left: Jardin, Cannes, Soliel, Riviera, De La Mer

The names of the shadows make me want to brush up on my French.

Have a gorgeous day!

Gold Fit for Osiris EotD

Fyrinnae's "Book of the Dead" loose shadow is a ridiculously pretty gold with multi-colored tiny sparkles.

It becomes very metallic when used over a sticky base.

From left: dry, over no primer; over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Sparkles!

From their website:  A slightly aged gleaming, sparkling beige-gold, fit for Osiris himself (we could hope!), graced with flashes of sparkle in varying hues.

I used it with "glasswing" (matte tan brown) from the Kat Von D Chrysalis palette in the crease, and Prestige Total Intensity eyeliner in Fierce Blue on the lower waterline.  I used L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly mascara.

Check out my new sunglasses--

Gorgeous color, great name for a shadow.  Have a wonderful day!

Perfumes for the Week Days 11-21

Here is the next installment of the "Scent of the Day Challenge" Rebecca from Hello Pretty Bird created.

Day 11: Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf -- I liked this one but didn't love it.  It's a nice, warm scent.
Day 12: Narciso Rodriguez For Her -- A very warm floral that I like, although I may have over                                  sprayed it and given myself a bit of a headache.  It is quite sophisticated.
Day 13: Burberry Body -- I was kind of "meh" on Burberry Body Tender, but this one I really like.                             Like I want a full-size bottle like.  The dry down scent is warm and sensual.
Day 14: Tory Burch -- To me, this is a crisp, fruity floral that dries to a soft floral, and I liked it.
Day 15: Thierry Mugler Alien -- This one seemed fruity but warm, and was quite interesting.  I                                   wasn't sure about the scent right after I sprayed it (the mix of top notes, I guess), but I did like                       how it dried.
Day 16: Cartier Declaration -- So, I put this one on and immediately thought I had made a mistake                             and was trying a men's fragrance.  Well, I looked it up on the Sephora site, and                                                      discovered it was "Created for men, but also enjoyed by women".   It is very warm and spicy, but                               not overly masculine.  Really not a scent for me, though.
Day 17: Downtown by Calvin Klein -- I didn't really like this one.  The card that has the vial attached                        to it says " fresh florals and aromatic woods", and it seems like a complex fragrance.  It had                             completely disappeared on me by the end of the day.
Day 18: Versace Yellow Diamond -- I liked this one, but it didn't blow me away or anything.  It                                    reminded me of Lancome's Miracle (which is a staple in my fragrance wardrobe), but I don't                         like it as much.  It is a fruity floral to my nose.
Day 19: Vera Wang Preppy Princess -- I like this perfume quite a bit, but the name and marketing                            put me off.  The card says it's a "luscious, woody fruity fragrance."
Day 20: Gucci Première -- Another one I really like.  I put it on and actually said out loud "Whoa.                                   This is nice."  It seems sensual and warm.  It says on the card it is woody and musky.
Day 21: Marchesa -- This is quite a feminine perfume.  It smelled kind of powdery to me, and I did                                   like it.  It also lasted all day on me.

So there are days 11-21.  I am really enjoying this challenge (which is actually encouraging me to use the samples I have accumulated), and I have discovered some new fragrances to put on my wishlist.

Favorites for the week: Burberry Body and Gucci Première.

(I'm sorry I'm so terrible at describing fragrances and notes and so on, but I did my best.  Hope it was helpful!)

One Proud Sister

My little sister graduated from the University of Wisconsin this past weekend!  My parents and I (my husband couldn't come) travelled to Madison to celebrate and take part in all sorts of graduation festivities.

This is my little sister, the graduate!

Commencement took place in Camp Randall Stadium.

She's down there somewhere.

She decorated her cap (and has a good sense of humor about her college career).

We had a really elegant breakfast party before Commencement (note the orange juice carton).

Red and white roses, of course.

After Commencement and on Sunday, we took a million pics of her in her cap and gown around the campus. (I'll only show you a few.)

With my parents in front of Lake Mendota

With the fighting badger in front of Camp Randall Stadium

And, with Abe Lincoln in front of Bascom Hall

Madison is quite a photogenic city.

Here was the view of Lake Mendota from my hotel room (and some roofs):

Here was the view of the capitol from my parents hotel room:

I also had to take some photos of the "Red Gym" (Armory and Gymnasium building) and Science Hall that my great-great grandfather designed.

And finally, just a couple of pics of the Dale Chihuly piece that hangs in the Kohl Center (where Wisconsin basketball games are held) because I think it is stunning.

I am so proud of my sister that I could just burst!

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Languages and Cultures of Asia with certificates in South Asian Studies and Environmental Studies.

Be Right Back

My little sister is graduating from college (!), and I will be away for the next several days celebrating, so things will be quiet here until I return on Wednesday or Thursday.

For now, here is a couple of kitty pics to entertain you.

Yes, Emma really is this cute.

Charlie wants to give you a fist bump!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Throwback Thursday with Sally Hansen

Ahhh, the Sally Hansen Nail Prisms.  Some of the most awesome nail colors ever.

This is my second bottle of Amber Ruby, which is why it is in better shape than Golden Cinnabar.
I don't want to use it so I can save it for special occasions, which will probably never happen.

Why oh why did they ever get rid of these?

Time for Turandot FotD

It was opera night in Detroit again on Saturday.  "Turandot" by Giacomo Puccini was what we saw this time.  It is the story of a princess, three riddles (actually four), love, and death and is set in ancient Peking.  The famous tenor aria "Nessun Dorma" is in this opera, and it was goosebump-inducing.  The whole opera was, in a word, spectacular.  The music, the staging, the costumes, the singing, everything.

I decided to wear my semi-new YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick #29 in Opera Rose, because it is called OPERA ROSE.  The color is described as a  "vibrant rose pink" on the Sephora website.  It's totally opaque with one swipe, and seems to stain the lips very slightly.  I kept my eyes muted and let my lips really be the focus of my makeup.  I let my hair air dry (except for the bangs) and kind of do it's own thing.

The lipstick isn't this purple...

Products:

     Eyes: Urban Decay Naked 3 palette --
                    Limit on the lid, Nooner in the crease, Strange under the brow
           Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner in Tommy Jet on the lower waterline
           L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

     Cheeks: NARS Laguna Bronzer
                 Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek palette -- cool pink with sparkle (don't know the name)

     Lips: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick in 29 Opera Rose

I wore a blue dress that has a knot across the middle, and glittery gold heels.

My husband tied his necktie into a trinity knot.

He is not a ring person, so he wears his wedding ring on a chain.

Chandelier!

Just to prove we actually attend the operas with my parents, here is a rare photo of them!

My dad is 6'4" and my mom is 5'2"!

I feel so fortunate I get to go to the opera so regularly with my family.  It's always so fun and such a treat!

There are four operas every season (two in the fall, and two in the spring), so this was the last of the season.  Next season will include Elektra, Madam Butterfly, The Merry Widow, and Faust.  I'm already looking forward to them!

They shine a "Detroit Opera House" light onto the side of the opera house that faces the parking garage.

I don't know why the lipstick looks so purple in the full face photos.  And it looks too dark in the arm swatch pic, too.  Grrr.

Thank you for visiting today!