NOTD: Clown Vomit

Polish Me Silly Clowning Around over two coats of Sally Hansen White Out.

Help Big Cats With Makeup

Purminerals is partnering with National Geographic for Big Cat week with a new makeup collection. The 3 piece kit contains the limited edition leopard print Mineral Glow, full sized Liquid Precision liner in Cat Eye and a tube of Big Blink mascara. A portion of the proceeds will go to National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative.

I have never tried Purminerals makeup myself but checking fore reviews shows their products tend to rate well. I'm so not a bronzer person but that leopard print is calling my name! Might just have to splurge, it is for a good cause after all.

You can also go straight to National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative to donate!

PSA- Know Your Big Cats

I absolutely detest when I see an article of clothing incorrectly labeled as "leopard", "cheetah", "jaguar", etc. It's kind of maddening how often it happens too. Almost every time I see something marked "cheetah" or "leopard" it's WRONG.

this is not a jaguar, Forever21

I'm not going to feature every single species of big cat, as much as I'd love to it would just take too much time. This is just going to point out some of the cats that suffer from misidentification by the fashion industry.

An Ode to Wedge Sneakers

Wedge sneakers have been a fairly polarizing trend for a little while. Most people seem to hate them and they definitely haven't caught on where I live. I love them though. Yes, some are stompy, clompy clodhoppers and fug as hell but I can't help it. I get height with the ease of sneakers.

Tresemme Split Remedy Serum Review

Tresemme Split Remedy Serum is one of several Tresseme products that contain polyquanternium-28 and PVM/MA copolymer which make up the PEC complex.

As we learned from the PEC post (thanks to the Beauty Brains), the PEC complex is a proven winner for sealing split ends.

Despite knowing that the PEC complex works I was hesitant to try this product. I honestly do not have good luck with Tresemme products and I tried the Split Remedy Leave In Conditioning Treatment and HATED it (that product has the PEC complex too but made my hair feel disgusting).

This product was purchased by me at Walmart 

The PEC Complex- Hair Repair That Works!

Please visit this very informative post over at the Beauty Brains. Be sure to watch the video and see it in action.

Sugarpill Halloween Sale- Die Pretty

When: October 20 (12 am) -21(11:59 pm) EST

What: Cold Chemistry collection and Burning Heart collection will be 15% off with code DIEPRETTY

Where: Sugarpill

The Cold Chemistry collection contains some really pretty gothy colors. I haven't gotten my paws on any of them so I can't say too much on them. The Burning Heart collection has one of my all time favorite eyeshadows- Poison Plum. It's such a gorgeous purple

Fall Fashion is the BEST Fashion

I can't help but love this time of year! As the temperature drops we dig out our jackets, scarves, boots and thick socks- some of my favorite things. I love layering and bundling up and I feel so much more comfortable picking out outfits this time of year. I feel like crap all summer sweating in boring tank tops and shorts. I never quite know what to do with myself in June, July and August.

NOTD- Jolt-Bang-Sunburst!

Salon Perfect textured polishes from the Neon Collision collection in Jolt and Bang. They both contain the same matte glitter in hot pink and neon yellow but in different concentrations. To the eye they look orange and give a cool stippled effect.

Glasses!

 

Had to get glasses this week, but I don't mind since I can see better and have way less eye strain and headaches. The frames are black and have some tiny silver glitter in them. They are made by Bongo.

If you are wondering, my makeup is Missha Perfect Cover BB cream, Jordana Semi Permanent Eye Liner and Kate by Rimmel #14 lipstick (which is awesome btw, go by it). Necklace was purchased at XSRE on clearance for like $5! I think it was originally marked $21. It looks amazing with my Kreepsville skull collection necklace.

Milani Infinite Liquid Eye Liner in 01 Infinite Review

 

Hmm, I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this product. It promises up to 24 hrs of wear (which is a garbage claim that I'm sick of seeing) and says it is waterproof and wears comfortably.  

Picked this up at Walmart for about $6. There are 4 other shades available: black, bronze, green and purple.

Annoying Frequently Asked Questions

Why are you so pale? 
I'm pale because it's genetic. Why are you [insert skin color]? I choose not to tan because I don't want to look like a leather couch in my 30s and the color of a basted turkey is just not flattering. Tans emphasize all my skin imperfections too. I scar easily and my body is covered in little round scars from bug bites and scrapes I got as a kid. They are REALLY noticeable even with a light tan.

Don't accuse me of wearing the wrong foundation or being sick. THAT IS RUDE, K. Don't harass me about it loudly in public places (especially when I'm at work) because you just look like a freakin dumbass to everyone else. Trrrrrust me, it is genetic. One side of my family is all ginger Swedes, we don't do tanning.

What did you do to your hair?
I dyed it... what do you think?

Why do you always wear nail polish?
My nails are in awful shape. Nail polish keeps them from peeling and breaking (well, more than they would with out). It also hides the discolored marks on my nails. The short answer, however, is because I want to and I like it.

Why are you so skinny?
I'm not even going to entertain this one, especially in public. It's a rude question. I am actually average weight for my height. I am not sickly and I don't have an eating disorder. Also, don't pinch my love handles looking for an ounce of fat, personal space please!





What ever happened to manners? If you feel the need to interrogate someone about their appearance DON'T. Take a deep breath, step back and think about why you're bothered by it. If you're just curious maybe try to phrase your question in a less obnoxious way like "how do you manage to keep your skin so light this time of year?" or "your hair is interesting, how did you do it?".

NOTD- Two-for-one

If I remember correctly this started with a base of Rimmel French Cafe, a nude jelly. Then it was Nubar Holographic on top. The tips were made using Nailene tip guides and Color Club Disco Dress which was then topped with Fing'rs V.I.Purple, a glass fleck with pink iridescence.

the polish is so glittery you need to wear shades

the glare is awful

This is all done over a base of Wet n Wild Spoiled Black Mamba, a grey glass flecked black. On the pinky it is topped with Orly Bubbly Bombshell, a fab fuchsia glitter. On the ring finger it is Pure Ice Wide Awake, a blue glitter. The rest have ncLA Sugar Fix, a gorgeous grey jelly with fuchsia and blue glitter. 

Tried hard to get a good picture of this but It's tough. This is super glittery and shiny and looks so much better IRL.

How to keep bangs/ fringe looking perfect with an oily forehead

Bangs and an oily forehead are generally not a good mix, having hair over your face can increase oiliness and result in greasy gross hair. With a bit of effort it is possible to avoid this.

don't let this picture fool you, my forehead could join OPEC

Start with your skin by applying an oil reducing primer or lotion. I'm fond of Clean and Clear Finishes Mattifying Moisturizer because it is not overly drying. After applying my makeup I finish it off with a mattifying powder like Fyrinnae Fluff, Mattify Cosmetics Mattify Ultra, Maybelline Dream Matte, etc. This will help keep the oil at bay for as long as possible.

Next, it's prepping the hair. If your hair is already greasy it's best to wash it, if not move along. My "secret weapon" of sorts is Fyrinnae Fluff, it's a silica powder for your face but I like to powder my bangs with it. It keeps them looking fresh ALL DAY with out the white cast that dry shampoo gives. Even when my forehead has become an oil slick Fluff helps protect my bangs from absorbing it.

Speaking of which, it is inevitable that your face will regain its oily shine eventually even after all this prep work. Blotting papers are one of the best solutions as they actually remove the oil from the skin. They are rather cheap and pretty easy to come by as well. After blotting away as much oil as possible I re-powder with whatever mattifying powder I have available (usually the now discontinued but amazing Hard Candy one since it lives in my purse).

While conventional wisdom says you can't have bangs with an oily face I say go for it if you really want them.

And now for something a bit different...

I haven't been blogging as much the past few months and I don't expect that I will be picking up the pace any time soon.

For the past year now I have found myself becoming increasingly more exhausted despite getting plenty of sleep, trying to eat better and focus on removing stress from my life. The past week or so my condition has worsened to the point where I become light headed after moderate work, I am losing weight, bruising easily and my upper arms feel sore and heavy. Typing has become the equivalent of a long bike ride up hill.

I am going to see a doctor... but I have to wait 6 freaking weeks for an appointment. Hopefully the doctor will get to the bottom of this quickly and I can get back to some sort of normal.

Ion Color Brilliance Powdered Lightener and 30 Volume Sensitive Scalp Developer Reviews

Previously when I bleached part of my hair I used a Manic Panic Flash Lightening Kit because it was what was available where I got my Manic Panic hair dye. I was never that fond of the MP bleach kits and I had a hard time lightening my hair with it. Since I had nothing left of it I decided to hunt for something better to do my roots with and touch up the parts of my hair that were still rather dark...

I turned to Sally Beauty this time and picked up two products from Ion, Color Brilliance Powdered Lightener and Color Brilliance 30 Vol Sensitive Scalp Developer in the giant sizes since they were on sale for like $5 a piece. I also got a giant bottle of the Ion Color Defense conditioner, which is a bit silicone-y but does seem to make my hair dye bleed a lot less.

The Ion Color Brilliance bleach and developer work so so so so much better on my hair than the Manic Panic bleach. Instead of being a slightly green light brown after a freaking hour my hair is golden after 30 minutes, roots are platinum in 15 minutes. Ion Color Brilliance makes my root touch ups much less daunting since I am able to be done in about 10 minutes.

These products are safe for on scalp use, but it's still bleach and 30 vol developer and this needs to be done carefully. I try to keep it off my scalp as best as possible because chemical burns are no joke. So far I have done 4 root treatments and I have not had any redness, flaking, weeping, burning, tingling or any other issues. My hair doesn't feel gummy or fried directly after rinsing but it is noticeably dry, this is to be expected with bleach though. After I finish with conditioning Manic Panic dye my bleached hair feels about the same as the virgin hair at the nape of my neck (this hair doesn't get dyed, teased or straightened).

Over all, I can't recommend this stuff enough. My hair typically resists lightening but the Ion products do the job and don't leave me with muddy and patchy results. I widened the red-orange section of my hair and didn't get any greenish or brassy bits down the length of my hair, it was such a pretty bright golden color I almost didn't want to dye over it.

NOTD- Summer Blues

The lovely matte blue on the ring finger is ZOYA Phoebe. The glitter bomb is Pure Ice Wide Awake.

At 3 coats each Phoebe gives the better performance but sadly chips like crazy. Wide Awake wears well but needs a colored base for full opacity. Wide Awake is also an extremely difficult one to remove. Soaking with pure acetone barely made a dent in it. Don't put this one on unless you're committed!

this post was typed on my phone so I apologize If it is a mess. It was very difficult bc blogger seems posessed and is inserting words and letters in random places.

This is NOT ok

Iron Fist "Injun Curse" Shirt

I understand it's so totally trendy right now to bastardize Native Americans, their various cultures and art... but it's not cool. It's totally super racist, bad, no good, very lame and stupid!

Iron Fist, fuck you. Did you not even think to Google the term "injun"?

http://nativeappropriations.com/

Small Update: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream

Just a wee update here.

I really am impressed with this BB cream! My nose is typically very red across the bridge and plagued with huge dirty looking freckles after even a smidgen of sun exposure. It has always been something that drove me crazy. I really don't like smothering my nose with thick concealer but it was really the only way to cover that persistent strong redness. Missha Perfect Cover seems to have fixed that for me now! This BB has good sun protection to prevent my giant freckles (I really wouldn't mind them if they weren't the size of a pencil eraser and I had them on my cheeks to match) and it has also eased my redness. It's virtually non existent beyond a broken capillary.

The redness on my cheeks hasn't been reduced, but rosacea is very difficult to treat and I don't expect a BB cream to do anything for it.

New Hair

60-40 mix of Manic Panic Electric Lava and Pillarbox Red with just about a quarter sized amount of Ultra Violet in the front. The back is Pillarbox Red over faded Raven.

Did just the front mainly because I didn't have enough bleach for the whole head and partly as a test to see how it would look. I haven't done red since 2006, and that was a very dark red. I kind of like the two-tone look though.

As I remember from years ago my hair doesn't like to bleach. Took a total of 4 hours with 30 vol bleach to get it to that golden orange shade and I didn't bother going any lighter because I wanted orangey red to begin with.

Jordana Semi-Permanent Liquid Eyeliner Review

This tiny liquid eyeliner is a personal favorite. I find liquid liner to be hard to use but this one isn't too bad.

I purchased this product in 04 Endless Black with my own money.

Still Alive!

I've been very busy lately and haven't been able to type up any blog posts but I do have a few things in the works.

- New hair color
- A review of my favorite liquid eyeliner (that also happens to be insanely cheap)
- An update on Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream.

BB Cream Swatches

click to enlarge!

Holika Holika Peach Girl is the darkest and most grey looking, however when applied to the face it actually really brightens skin. It has a natural looking finish, but definitely needs to be set with powder. This one doesn't last quite as long as the others and doesn't control oil as well either.

Skin Food Red Bean is a favorite of mine, the color is slightly pink and it dries to a perfect natural finish. It is one of the best BB creams I have tried for covering pores.

Skin Food Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea is rhe same color as Red Bean but dries to a totally matte finish. It doesn't quite last as long as Red Bean but is better for my oily T-zone.

Missha M Perfect Cover in 21 is a good match for my arm but too dark for my face and has pink undertones. It's almost as dark as Peach Girl when swatched heavily. 13 on the other hand is very yellow and the palest BB cream I have. It does warm up a bit after it sets but tends to make me look sallow if I wear it alone. These ones give me the best oil control and have the best lasting power.

Missha Cosmetics Sale at RoseRoseShop.com

RoseRose Shop (where I buy a lot of my BB creams) is having a 20% off sale on all in stock Missha Cosemtics items.

20 ml Missha M Perfect Cover BB creams are only $6.24!!!

The Difference Between Western and Asian BB Creams

I have blogged a wee bit about the difference between Korean and American BB creams and how they are really very different products, but I haven't myself reviewed any American offerings or done any one on one comparisons. The reason for that is I know that I won't enjoy the American offerings and can't bring myself to purchase one just to write a negative review. I know that many enjoy them but they just don't have anything to offer me.

I'm going to provide some links to better explain how these products differ...

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream Review

I have two tubes of Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream that I purchased with my own money for the purpose of trying this product. I have in the smaller 20 ml travel sized tube, shade 21. In the larger 50 ml full sized tube is shade 13.

The Divorce

For many years I have been completely devoted to Too Faced Shadow Insurance. It kept my eyeshadow looking flawless from morning to night no matter how hot and sweaty I got in the dead heat of summer. Until now that is.

I know many people complain about this product separating but I never had an issue with it. Sometimes I would get a tiny bit of separation, like maybe 0.005 ml of liquid before the product came out, not enough to be a concern or effect performance.

Well, now Too Faced Shadow Insurance has completely separated and I am filing for divorce. It has let me down completely and left me with creased, faded and smudged makeup for the last time. This last tube is so separated it has become useless, no amount of kneading seems to work so I'm done.

I have replaced it with Lorac Behind the Scenes. At .53 oz for $21 compared to Too Faced with .35 oz for $20 it's a better buy (note, the Sephora website lists the Lorac primer as .47 oz, my tube which I just purchased from Sephora.com a few weeks ago is .53 oz).

So far, everything is going just fine with Lorac Behind the Scenes. My eyeshadow applies so much easier, no creasing, no separation, no problems. Even MAC Deep Truth (the only MAC eyeshadow I still have around) that frustrates me with its patchy application and tendency to fade a mere 2 hours after being applied, lasts all day with this primer. It applies almost like it's butter at room temperature which is remarkable for a shadow that has the hard yet crumbly texture of cheap chalk.

A formal review is coming when I get around to taking pictures.

Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation Review

Wet n Wild Coverall Cream promises all day wear, medium-to-full coverage, light weight satin-matte finish and claims to reduce the appearance of wrinkles with their trademarked VisiBright complex.

Does it live up to its claims?

I purchased this product in shade 815 Fair with my own money for the purpose of this review.

Things I'm Currently Liking

Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation
I plan to formally review this after more wear testing. The lightest shade is actually a pretty good match for my skin. I like that it blends easily and the finish is a natural looking matte. It reminds me a bit of a true BB cream.

Eden BodyWorks jojOba monoi All Natural Hair Oil
This is a blend of multiple oils and comes in a spray bottle. The bottle is aluminum so you can't see how much is left but it's great for recycling. I like it because it hydrates my hair and scalp really well. It's fast absorbing and doesn't contain added fragrance.

Hask Henna 'N' Placenta Conditioning Treatment
I was a bit grossed out about putting placenta on my head but this stuff works so well. It smells like berries. My hair feels conditioned with out being weighed down and the effects last 5-7 days, I can brush straight through my hair with out the comb getting stuck in my damaged ends.

Out The Door Top Coat
I have no idea why it took me so long to try this. It has everything I love about Seche Vite and nothing I hate (the shrinkage, the smell).

FTC Guidelines, blah, blah, blah, legal disclaimer crap

I'm sure by now you've seen quite a few posts about the new FTC regulations for bloggers...

All items I review have been purchased by me with my own money.
I do not accept free items/ press samples. Please do not e-mail me and ask me if I want to try your product.
I do not do paid reviews.
All opinions expressed are my own and reflect only my own experience with the product.


I don't think I'll go so far as to make a graphic to declare my reviewed items as purchased or press sample but I'll do some big bold text. I'm too lazy to make a stupid graphic right now and I don't have any reviews in the works at the moment. I haven't had anything to blog about in ages (lies, lol, I'm just really tired and lacking in free time) any way.

L'oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner: Final Thoughts

In follow up to this post

Now that I have used this product several times I'm comfortable finalizing my review.

Revlon Liquid Quick Dry Review

I've had this product for years but never got around to formally reviewing it. Well, here goes...

How I Do Winged Eyeliner/ Cat Eyes

I'm not talented enough to just take a liquid liner and do a flick. I've tried the scotch tape trick and failed. My eyes, like most are not even but they are really uneven at the outer corner where the wing goes and I've always had trouble getting them to look even.

My method is a wee bit time consuming but it works wonderfully for me.

Tools:

• angled eyeliner brush (I use one from Medusa's Makeup)
• 2 small pointed brushes (I use the one that comes with Maybelline EyeStudio gel liner and the Medusa's Makeup smudge brush)
• eye shadow
• gel liner (optional)
• liner seal (I use the one from Medusa's Makeup) (optional)
• glitter liner (optional)
• Q-tips/ Cotton buds

NOTD- Dita

Essie Forever Yummy, a deep but not dark blue based red is layered under Man Glaze Matte is Murder, a matte black with subtle shimmer. Striping tape was used to create the design.

L'oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner: First Impressions

 L'oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner is an alternative to shampoo. The idea behind washing with conditioner is to strip less moisture from the hair and leave it softer, shinier and less frizzy.

Neutrogena Shine Control Powder Mini Review

This powder claims to instantly reduce shine, last all day, and layer invisibly over makeup with a matte finish.

The compact is sleek and black with a matte finish and comes with a thin foam pad applicator. It's very sturdy and snaps closed securely with out being difficult to open. The mirror is nice and big and will stay in whatever position you angle it in. Aside from the crappy applicator it's nice packaging. Unfortunately the thin piece of junk it comes with is all that will actually fit in the compact. If you want a puff or a brush you'll have to store it separately.

Does it instantly reduce shine? Yup, sure does but unfortunately my skin instantly looks dry and flakey when I put this on. My skin looks really terrible and this alone makes me regret this purchase. My skin isn't dry, it's greasy and well exfoliated. It was quite a shock when I put this on.

Does it last all day? Not even close! In less than an hour my skin is oily and gross because this seems to slide off and clump up.

Does it invisibly layer over makeup? Nope, this gives a ghastly pallor suitable for goth clubs and Halloween shenanigans. While I do dabble in this look quite frequently it's not what I go for while working. It's pretty rare for powders to make me look paler.

Does it have a matte finish? Yes, but again it's more of a "dry lake bed" kind of finish. Not the look I want.

Unfortunately this product doesn't work for me at all. It's uncomfortable to wear and doesn't flatter. I see a lot of rave reviews for this but I don't recommend it in the least.

Quicky NOTD- Beetle Juice

Hard Candy Beetle and Pure Ice Bite Me gradient.

Beetle is a neat multichrome that switches from violet to gold to green. This color is a dupe for Orly Space Cadet. If you like Beetle you better head to your nearest Walmart quick because Hard Candy is discontinuing all the nail polishes as well as many other products.