March 2014 Favorites

Yep.  I'm late with this.  But here they are in no particular order: my March favorites.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant -- This salicylic acid liquid treatment has made a huge difference in the size of my pores on my nose.  I use it after cleansing on my nose every night.  I find that I have some dryness if I use it all over my face, so I stick to glycolic acid for exfoliating everywhere besides my nose.  Kind of odd to have one product specifically for the nose, but we use products specifically for the eyes and lips, so why not the nose?  Enough about my nose.

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (review) -- I'm so impressed by the length and drama this mascara gives my lashes.  The brush is fun to look at, too.

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Blush Glow (review) -- I like how moisturized my lips feel while I'm wearing this lipstick.  Blush Glow is such an easy to wear pink that goes with everything.

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Blush Glow swatch

Clinique Cheek Pop Blush Pop in 01 Ginger Pop -- Everyone and the kitchen sink has been raving about the Cheek Pop blushes, and for good reason.  So smooth and near impossible to over do, killer presentation, a decent price ($21 for a non-drugstore blush seems decent).  Ginger Pop is a slightly reddish coral that gives a satiny glow to the skin.

Clinique Cheek Pop Blush Pop in Ginger Pop swatch (heavy swatch for some reason)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush -- Another very popular product this spring are the Ambient Lighting blushes.  Luminous Flush is a pinky coral that leaves the skin with a "lit-from-within" sheen.  The glow factor is more subtle here, with no discernible shimmer.  It's a beautiful blush to look at in the pan, too.  I was actually surprised that the packaging was a little lightweight.  I was expecting a heftier metal packaging, but it is just plastic.  Nice and shiny plastic, though.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush swatch

Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses -- I have moved on from Junior Mints to dark chocolate kisses.  Science has shown a little dark chocolate is good for the heart.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette -- I've been using this lots lately.  My favorite colors at the moment are Nooner for the crease, Limit to blend out the crease, Buzz or Trick for the lid, and Blackheart as a liner.

from left: Nooner, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Blackheart

What are your recent favorites?

LORAC PRO Palette Eye of the Day

Bright colors on the lids are fun, but neutrals are beautiful, too.  Especially when they come from the LORAC PRO Palette.

LORAC PRO Palette:  Pewter on the moving lid
                                       Lt. Bronze patted over Pewter
                                       Espresso in the Crease
                                       Black in the outer corner and outer lower lashline
                                       Gold on the lower lashline
                                       Cream under the brow
                                       Nude in the inner corner
Liner: Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black
Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly

from left: Pewter, Lt. Bronze, Espresso, Black, Cream, Nude, Gold

Fantastic palette!  Have a splendid day!

bareMinerals "The Dream Sequence" Swatches and EotD

So, bareMinerals used to only sell loose powder products.  A few years ago, they branched out into skincare, then added pressed eyeshadows and blushes.  Now they have a liquid foundation.  So much for the "only powder for the skin because it has no binders and no pore-clogging ingredients!"  I don't mean to rip on the brand, but they were awfully fervent about their powders.  In any case, they do make some good stuff.  Case in point: their pressed "READY" eyeshadows.

Pardon the grubby packaging.  I've had this for at least 2 years.

The Dream Sequence is one of their "READY Eyeshadow 4.0" eyeshadow quads.  It contains a satin cream called 500 Thread Count, a purple-y taupe called Romp, a purple with blue duochrome quality called Bourdoir, and a dusty dark purple called Nightcap.  The names are fun, aren't they?

With the exception of the cream color, which is a little sheer (which I find acceptable because I really only use it as a highlight color), the shadows are soft and well pigmented.

from left: 500 Thread Count, Romp, Boudoir, Nightcap

Here is the eye of the day I created using the quad.

I used:
   Romp (shimmery purple taupe) on the moving lid
   a mix of Boudoir (bright purple) and Nightcap (dark purple) in the crease
   Nightcap on the outer third of the lower lashline
   500 Thread Count (satin cream) under the brow and in the inner corner
   Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara (one coat)

This is a really pretty set of eyeshadows, and I'm impressed by the quality.  The bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 quads are $30 USD.

A View from the Detroit Opera House FotD

It was opera night in Detroit for me and my family on saturday.  We saw "A View from the Bridge", which is a modern opera (written in 1999) by William Bolcom based on the play by Arthur Miller.  It's the story of a dockworker named Eddie from Brooklyn and his niece Catherine who falls in love with an illegal immigrant who is a cousin of his wife.  Essentially, Eddie isn't okay with it (he is inappropriately attracted to and therefore overprotective of Catherine) and it all ends tragically.  What a story!

I love the Detroit Opera House.

I think my hair and makeup held up well.  The following pictures were taken at the end of the night, as I didn't have time to take any before we left.

Eyes:
     from the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette -- Nooner in the crease
                                                                Limit to blend out the crease
                                                                Strange under the brow
     BFTE loose shadow in Orchid on the lid
     L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara
     Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner in Tommy Jet on the lower waterline

Cheeks:
      NYX Powder Blush in Taupe to contour
      Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush

Lips:
      Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Rose Aurora (limited edition from 2012)

from left: BFTE Orchid, Urban Decay Nooner, Limit, and Strange, NYX Taupe blush, Hourglass Luminous Flush blush, Elizabeth Arden Rose Aurora lipstick

In case you were curious, I wore a black sheath dress with slitted sleeves (the sleeves are elbow length, but have slits in them from the shoulder to the elbow, if that makes sense -- I think it's called a cold-shoulder style or something), and snake print pumps and a snake print clutch.

I wore Color Club Nail Lacquer Cosmic Fate on my nails.

My husband wore a gorgeous necktie.  (I matched my eyeshadow to it...)

Let's take a closer look at that Eddington knot!

The opera was quite interesting and intense, and rather different from most of the operas produced by the Michigan Opera Theater.  Wonderful evening!

Me and my husband!

Next month is Puccini's Turandot.  I'm already planning my makeup and outfit for it...

First Flowers of Spring

Snowdrops!

Crocus!

Okay, I cheated.  Those are in my neighbor's garden.  My crocuses are still pretty wee.  My neighbor's garden seems to get just the right amount of sun, and this particular spot always has the first flowers of spring in the 'hood.

My tulips are coming up nicely.  The leaves are poking up through the leaves on the ground from last fall.

See that?  They are actually piecing the leaf!

What's growing in your garden?

Godzilla Green Face of the Day

Go, Go Godzilla loose eyeshadow by Darling Girl Cosmetics is an emerald green that simply glows.  The color is described as "Slightly bluish green with a shift from brilliant bright green to gold and color shifting aqua sparkles!" (from darlinggirlcosmetics.com).  I wore this on Sunday for the Spartans basketball game.  They lost, so they are out of the NCAA Tournament, but it was a great year for MSU basketball.

Eyes: Darling Girl Cosmetics loose eyeshadow in Go, Go Godzilla
         Urban Decay eyeshadow in Naked in the crease
         Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon eyeshadow single in Brulee under the brow
         Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner in Ultra Black
         Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner eyeliner in Tommy Jet
         L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

Cheeks: NYX Powder Blush in Taupe under the cheekbones to contour
            Clinique Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

from left: DGC Go, Go Godzilla, Urabn Decay Naked, Wet 'n' Wild Brulee

from left: NYX Taupe blush, Clinique Ginger Pop blush, Revlon Peach Parfait Lip Butter

Gorgeous Go, Go Godzilla green!

Thank you for visiting today!