Almay Intense i-Color Shimmer-i Kit in Trio for Browns Swatches, Review and EotD

Almay has three different kinds of eyeshadow trios: shimmer, smokey and bold nudes.  All three formulas come in trios that are meant to compliment your eye color.  They have sets for brown, blue, hazel, and green eyes.  I don't think the colors are particularly well chosen for the eye colors they are meant for, because the shadows actually match the eye color they are meant to enhance.  Contrasting colors work better to intensify eye color (like coppers and browns for blue eyes, not blues for blue eyes).  Anyhow, you certainly don't need to choose the trio based on eye color.  For example,  I chose to buy the Intense i-Color Shimmer-i Kit in Trio for Browns because of the pretty peachy gold lid color.

The plastic packaging feels pretty cheap, but I think the way the shadows are shaped like an eyelid is cute.

I wasn't expecting too much from this, honestly, but I was pleasantly surprised by how nice and blendable the shadows are.  The first time I used it, I over applied the dark brown color, but was able to blend it out easily.  The lighter colors aren't as pigmented as the dark brown, but they look more intense over a primer.  The lid color is quite soft and buttery.

The lid color is a golden shimmery iridescent peach.  The crease color is a satin (not completely matte) dark brown, and the highlight color is a slightly shimmery ivory.  The highlight seems to have a blueish pearlescence that makes it look almost white.  Beautiful!

However... even with a primer, the shadows crease on me slightly after a few hours.  Now, I do have rather oily eyelids, and a lot creases on me -- even shadows (with a primer) like Urban Decay, and the Maybelline color tattoos that seem to be bulletproof on just about everybody.  

Here's the eye of the day it created using the trio.  I placed the shadows how they are shown in the palette.

Because of the creasing issue, I can't give these a total thumbs up for oily eyelids.  I give it a thumbs up for everything else about it, though.  I think this trio would probably work just great on someone with non-oily eyelids.

So, the upshot of this review is: I think this trio is quite pretty and I definitely like it.  It just seems easy to use and great for an everyday neutral look.  The creasing doesn't really bother me because I'm used to it.  The Almay eyeshadow trios retail for around $7 USD.

St. Patrick's Day EotD with Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone Palette

Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone palette has a great green for a St. Patrick's Day look.

From the Comfort Zone palette: green "eyelid" color on the moving lid and lower lashline
                                               peachy "eyelid" color in the crease
                                               cream "browbone" color under the brow
                                               dark green "crease" color as liner
L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

All of these colors are quite shimmery, which I think looks kind of festive.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Sephora + Pantone Universe Rush Luster Cheek Sweep Swatches

I received the Sephora + Pantone Universe Rush Luster Cheek Sweep in the mail today, and I thought I'd do some quick swatches for you.

Radiant Orchid

Spanish Villa

Bridal Rose

These are supremely silky, and the radiant orchid color seems to have a little bit of a staining effect (at least on the arm!).

I love the names of the colors.

I can't wait to put these on my face!

Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm in Lilac Love Swatches and Review

It seems like Almay doesn't generally get too much attention or love for some reason.  Maybe they've had sort of average/boring products for too long.  I think they are really stepping up they're game recently, though.  I don't think they offered any lip products for a few years (correct me if I'm wrong), but last year they introduced a liquid lip balm.  I've been on the radiant orchid kick, and I had been wanting try one of these "balms" for a while because I'd heard good things about them.  I decided to try the color Lilac Love, which seems like a color that fits with the whole orchid color theme that Pantone decided would be the "color of the year".

The applicator on the wand is a standard slanted doe-foot tip.

It has pretty good pigmentation (although on the lips it has less pigment than the swatches), feels like a medium-weight gloss (not too thin, not too heavy), not at all sticky, and quite hydrating.  It has a fairly strong vanilla scent that lingers slightly after application.

daylight bulb

flash

natural light

one layer

two layers

Lilac Love has very very tiny blue glitters in it that aren't really apparent on the lips unless you are looking in a magnification mirror.

This "liquid lip balm" is, I think, just a more interesting name for a hydrating lip gloss.

I'm pretty impressed by this "liquid lip balm" and really like the color.

It matches Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in Punch Drunk quite nicely.

Have you tried any of these liquid lip balms?

Seven Days Later FotD

I couldn't come up with a witty title for today's face of the day, so I just named it after the silver shadow that graces my lids.

Eyes:  Seven Days Later loose shadow from Darling Girl Cosmetics on the lid
          Naked eyeshadow from Urban Decay in the crease
          Brulee shadow from Wet 'n' Wild under the brow
          Camp Blood loose shadow from Darling Girl Cosmetics in the tear duct area
          Tommy Jet Hyperliner eyeliner from Tarina Tarantino on the waterlines
          L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

Cheeks: Fresh Melon Be Matte blush by City Color

Lips: Rome Super Shiny Lip Butter by Ulta

from left: Seven Days Later, Camp Blood, Naked, Brulee, Fresh Melon, Rome

Seven Days Later loose shadow by Darling Girl Cosmetics

Signs of life in the garden!

Those pics were from yesterday.  It now looks like this:

Thanks for visiting!

Little Fashion Haul

I don't know if this really counts as a "haul" because it's just two things, but I had to show-off the new shoes and handbag that arrived this weekend.

The shoes are the brand Zigi Soho, and I bought them from DSW.

The purse is a Betsey Johnson "Hopeless Romantic" bucket bag that I bought from Zappos.

The colors of the shoes kind of remind me of neopolitan ice cream.

And Charlie had to check them out.

I am currently watching a Detroit Tigers spring training game on Fox Sports Detroit.  The Tigers are whomping the St. Louis Cardinals 15-0.  It's the 4th inning.  Too bad it's only a spring training game.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Technical Update

I have switched over to Disqus for comments because it's easier for you guys to tell when I have replied to your comments (I hope that's true anyway).

Unfortunately, I think Disqus was messed up last night, and I thought it was my fault and that I installed and imported it wrong, so I re-installed it and I think I lost the comments from friday's post.

I had put off switching to a comment system that wasn't part of the built-in system from Blogger because of my fear of something like this happening (plus, I'm not good with change).  It seems to have kept my old comments, probably because they were actually on Blogger and not just Disqus.

Anyhow, to anyone who commented on friday's Purple and Orange EotD post, thank you!!!  I'm not sure I got to respond to all the comments, so if you left one and I didn't respond, I'm really sorry.  I make an effort to write back to any and all comments, and I appreciate them all so much!

Here's a picture of Emma reading a gothic romance comic from the 1970s to make your day!

Thank you for your understanding!