My Bare Minimum and a Bare Face!

I love wearing makeup (obviously).  I like the transforming effect it can have on one's mood, one's self-esteem, and even one's looks (think of how celebrities transform themselves using makeup).  I prefer they way I look and feel with makeup on, even if it's as simple as tinted moisturizer, blush, mascara, and lip balm. I don't think it necessarily takes courage to go bare faced out into the world,  but I certainly feel more secure and happier with at least a little something on.

Products:  Stila Tinted Moisturizer
               Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush
               Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara
               Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

Just for fun, here I am totally bare faced.

And here I am with a full face of makeup.

What's your bare minimum?

LORAC Tantalizer Baked Bronzer Swatches and Review

I finally feel like pulling out some of my darker bronzers since the last frost date for my garden has passed and it is really starting to feel like summer.  One of my very favorites for summer is the LORAC Tantalizer Baked Bronzer (I bought it last year I think).

This bronzer is packaged in a pretty substantial feeling compact and swivels open to reveal the bronzer and a wide brush underneath.  It is really cool.  It has a mirror on the underside making it fairly travel friendly (although it is fairly chunky).

The marbling in this is beautiful.  It has light and dark tan colors with lots of gold shimmer.  On the skin it reads fairly coppery.

This is a very shimmery, very pigmented bronzer.  It is gorgeous, and it works well for the face, but it is awesome on the body for a dark glow, and also makes a beautiful eyeshadow.

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natural light

Because this has so much shimmer and pigment, I have to be kind of careful with it so I don't end up looking like a bronze disco ball (I tend to be heavy handed with blush).  I like to apply this with the brush that comes with it because it isn't too dense.  I apply it to the tops of the cheekbones, the bridge of my nose and in the center of my forehead  (like you would for a highlighter).  I'll use a matte bronzer (like Too Faced Milk Chocolate Bronzer) to blend with it so that I get a little color on the rest of my face.  I bet this would look amazing on medium, tan, and darker skin tones.

Here, I applied it with the included brush (natural light).

I'm also wearing a Vinyl Bronze lipgloss by Rimmel (discontinued).

Using this as bronzer and eyeshadow makes a very pretty monochromatic look.

Milani came out with some baked bronzers for this summer that are packaged just like this.  I can't say if they are dupes of the color since I haven't tried them, but they sure look like they could be.

The full size bronzer is $32 and the mini size is $7.  (The mini is perfect if you want to use this as an eyeshadow primarily--price and size-wise!)

L'Oreal Color Riche Caress Lipstick in Sunset Angora Swatches

A few simple swatches of L'Oreal Color Riche Caress Lipstick in Sunset Angora.  This has a lovely balmy texture.

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no color

L'Oreal Color Riche Color Caress Lipstick in Sunset Angora

Thanks for visiting!

St. Tropez Self Tan Dark Bronzing Mousse Review

I am quite fair and like to self-tan my legs in the summer.  I just feel like they need some color so they don't blind everyone when I wear shorts.  I've been looking for a self tanner that I can use once a week that is long-lasting and doesn't smell too bad.

I've been trying out the St. Tropez dark bronzing mousse and spray, and I thought I would give you make thoughts on the mousse.

St. Tropez says:
What is it? 
This dark formula, inspired by our best-selling mousse, is an easy-to-apply advanced formulation that contains innovative melanin technology that ensures your tan is tailored to your individual skin tone.  Simply sweep on with an Applicator Mitt for a beautiful even tan. 

Who is it for? 
Anyone looking to get an intense, streak-free tan that dries in an instant. Whether you have pale or dark skin, our Dark Bronzing Mousse will tailor itself to your skin tone to give you a gorgeous natural-looking self tan.  Whether you’re a first-time tanner or a total pro, our dark-tinted formula will ensure you know where to apply your tan for a perfect application, everytime.

Why is it different?
St Tropez Dark Self Tan range is designed to provide our darkest, most intense colour yet. Extra skin conditioners and protective ingredients provide an even, streak-free colour that evens out your skin tone and lasts for longer without patchiness. This mousse contains our Aromaguard TM fragrance technology that helps to virtually eliminate the tell tale self tan aroma by up to 70%. 

The promise of longer-lasting color is what drew me to this one over the regular (any self tanner is going to make me quite tan relative to my normal, pale skin color).

First off, this goes on GREEN.  Like acid lime green.  I'm not sure why they made the indicator color so green, but because of this, the only time that makes sense to use this is right before bed, so long as you have sheets that you don't mind getting green.  Also, St. Tropez recommends not getting wet or exercising for 4 hours after application, and leaving it on for 8 hours for the best results.

This also has a strong fragrance when applied.  I'm terrible at describing scents, so I'm just going to say it smells kind of tropical or something.  It is quite distinctive, and I'm guessing it is part of the "Aromaguard" technology.

It claims to dry instantly, but I feel like I stay sticky for about 30 minutes.

I can't really say how long it takes for the color to develop because I always leave it on for 8 hours before washing off the guide color, and the guide color masks the color of the tan.

You can see the color isn't too dark on me (after one application).  I guess I would call it a medium tan.  The mousse claims to have "innovative melanin technology that ensures your tan is tailored to your individual skin tone" so that might be why.  It does give me a beautiful, natural, not at all orange color.  Unfortunately, while I do love the natural look and color, because it isn't very dark, it is pretty much either faded or gone by day 4 or so, and I was hoping for a longer-lasting color (like a full week).  I think it is hard to create a long-lasting self tanner because every day your top skin cells (the ones that are affected by the tanner) are sloughing off, so just about every self tanner is going to be very faded by day 3 or 4.

This leaves no funky self tan smell on me, even when I smush my nose up against the skin.

I think this is quite a good self tanner because of the beautiful natural tan (not orange) color it gives and the complete lack of self tan smell (although it really depends on personal chemistry, so it might have a noticeable smell for others).

I do recommend using the applicator mitt that they sell (or another mitt) since it makes application much easier blending-wise.  I wear a mitt on each hand, and it prevents me from getting any self tanner on the palms of my hands.

I have also been trying the dark St. Tropez spray and hope to have a review of that soon.

This costs $44 for 6.7 oz.

Do you have a favorite self tanner?

Zoya Rica vs. Spoiled Shrimp on the Barbie

I try not to buy nail polishes that are similar to ones I already own, but since I am drawn to the same color over and over, it is inevitable I will eventually end up with some dupes.  I think I have found a Zoya Rica dupe in Spoiled's Shrimp on the Barbie.

Shrimp on the Barbie is a little bit pinker in the bottle, but on the nails I don't see a discernible difference.

They both have a dark hot pink base with a ton of fine gold glitter.  Neither apply or remove like a gritty glitter polish.  The glitter almost seems like sparkly shimmer.


For these photos, I have Zoya Rica on my index, middle, and pinkie fingers, and Spoiled Shrimp on the Barbie on my ring finger.

natural light

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indoor light

I don't think my photos show just how pretty and sparkly these polishes are.

Zoya nail polishes are $8, and Spoiled polishes are $1.99 at CVS.

Shimmery Green with Urban Decay

I used some shimmery, glittery green shadows from Urban Decay'a Ammo Palette on my eyes today, and gave my skin a little warmth with Milani's Illuminating Face Powder in Amber Nectar.

You can see some of the glitter fallout in this pic!

Eyes:  NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
          Urban Decay shadow in Maui Wowie on the lid
          Urban Decay shadow in Mildew in the crease
          Urban Decay shadows in Mildew and Oil Slick combined as liner
          Wet 'n' Wild Eyeshadow single in Creme Brulee
          E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner in Black on upper and lower lash line
          Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner in Tommy Jet on waterline
          Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara in Very Black

Brows:  Lorac Creamy Brow Pencil in Auburn

Face:  Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer in Bare
          Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Light
          Milani Illuminating Face Powder in Amber Nectar
          Maybelline Age Rewind Treatment Concealer in Fair (under eyes)

Lips:  Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural lipstick in N1

From Left: Urban Decay Shadows in Maui Wowie, Mildew, and Oil Slick, and Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural lipstick in N1

The city is doing some serious digging in the street in front of my house.  They are replacing some water mains, so they are using some big machines!

Yep, my house has some awesome gargoyle statues in the fromt!

Have a beautiful day!

What's Blooming Today?

I have some new flowers blooming in my garden.

Heuchera (aka Coral Bells) with a Hosta in the background

Peonies next to the red Japanese Maple

Salvia (which is in a small bed in my backyard)

This one was actually a weed in my grass in the backyard, but I thought it was so cute that I moved it into the bed.  It will probably spread and cause lots of problems!

Tiarella (aka Foam Flower)

Purple Petunias in one of the pots with annuals

Spiderwort

Foxglove (which is one of my all time favorite flowers!)

What's growing in your garden?