Tweet "DIY" Colored Eyeliner - Using What You Already Have!

Running tight on money but really want that new colored eyeliner?

Happens to me all the time! im always lemming for new products, but in tight financial situations, just try to use what you already have and improvise! :D Im sure you all know this already, but i was playing around and felt like i could have saved a lot of money in the past if i did this more often lol.

all you need:

a small angled brush or fine tip brush

a gel liner or pencil liner

some eyeshadows!

selected few from wet n wild palettes

and then its reeeeal simple!

all you do is line your eyes like you normally would, and then afterwards, pick up some eyeshadow (any shade you want!) with a fine tipped or angled brush, and pat the shadow on top of the liner!

Not only does this create gorgeous colors giving you an instant colored eyeliner, but you're also setting the eyeliner so that it lasts much longer throughout the day!

for example...

liner by itself, various shades from wnw palettes on top of the liner

(dry swatch of the shade above)

liner by itself, various shades from wnw palettes on top of the liner

(dry swatch of the shade above)

liner by itself, various annabelle eyeshadows on top of the liner

(dry swatch of the shade above)

liner by itself, various annabelle eyeshadows on top of the liner

(dry swatch of the shade above)

please note

as you can tell, the wet n wild shades seem to give off a more vibrant look when applied on top of the liner.. this is because the shadow itself is much more pigmented than the annabelle shadows. Also, some of the shadows will give off a slightly different shade when placed on top of the black liner (or any other color) as their true undertones will show up more.

With this said, i would advise you to experiment with different shadows first so you know what the overall look would be :)

all swatches together

opps.. you can see my pajamas LOL

simple right?

I know this isnt any new discovery or what not, but i hope that it'll help some of you save some money in the future :) i think this is especially useful if you dont wear colored eyeliner often.. this way, you'll still be able to try out some fun colored looks once in awhile without sacrificing alot of money to buy new pencils every time :)

however, i will say that this method of course, will not replace some of the really good eyeliners out there. cause we all know the ones with super creamy textures and gorgeous shades are must-buys.. haha but since im trying to cut back on buying new makeup, this will do for now :) i hope you all have fun and take care!

Tweet MAC Satin Taupe $1 DUPE!

Dont you LOVE drugstore dupes of high end products?

Well, today i have another one for you :) This one is for my newest addition to my collection, MAC Satin Taupe :) This color is sooo gorgeous, and you can see my full review on it here. But if you're hoping to stay away from the expensive price tag, heres two other products you could pick up :)

MAC Satin Taupe

ELF Moondust ($1 Custom Eyes, online at
e.l.f. Essentials custom eyes)

Wet N'  Wild Nutty ($4 at drugstores)

photo comparison of all three

(as always, click to enlarge)

and of course, swatches!

in artificial lighting

with flash

with flash

Verdict?
as you can see, although wnw's nutty is somewhat lighter in shade compared to satin taupe, but elf's moondust is actually quite similar to satin taupe!! I think we have a dupe!! :D

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but just to make sure, here are the same three shades, blended out :)

Verdict?
as you can see, when blended out, both wnw's nutty and elf's moondust are almost identical to satin taupe! this is because satin taupe has a warm brown undertone, so when blended out, it loses some of its darker purpleish shade and therefore, is much more similar to wnw's nutty than previously.


What about the quality differences?
quality wise, I actually do think all three are similar in pigmentation, all are very very good! all three also have a very buttery texture although I have to say that both wnw and elf eyeshadows are almost TOO buttery, causing the eyeshadow to crumble easily. this is possibly one of the differences between drugstore and high-end.


in addition, I do think that satin taupe (when not blended) has more dimension and shine to it, looking more purple, taupe or brown in certain angles. elf's moondust is somewhat comparable as it does have a similar shade and sheen but it is not as multi dimensional as satin taupe.


overall
I would say that these two eyeshadows are definitely very good dupes! especially since they cost $1 and $3-4 (elf moondust and wnw nutty respectively) compared to $17.50 or $13 cad for just the refill! so if you're tight on money, I would highly recommend these drugstore dupes!

Tweet My Favourite Products of 2010

Hi everyone :)

Before i start reviewing and swatching all my new goodies :), i thought i should do a little post to wrap up my 2010! I know this is a bit late, but better late than never! :D so, here are my all time favourite products of 2010 :) I use most of these products on a daily basis, some i have even repurchased once or several times!


note: Since there are a TON of products i want to mention, i will try not to go into full details about each product unless it is one i have never reviewed on this blog. Otherwise, i will put links under the products i have previously reviewed that will direct you to the review post :)

Favourite Face/Skincare Products of 2010

1. Revlon Photoready Foundation in Nude
Im almost done my first bottle and i do plan on repurchasing once im done :) i know it does has some shimmer which some people might not like, but i dont think its too noticeable once applied. What i love about it is that is gives pretty good coverage, helps evens out my skintone and is very nice for photos :) i also LOVE the pump! its probably the best pump i've ever used as it allows you to pump out as much or little as you need <3

2. Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer
-review here-

3. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - translucent
Im already finishing my second compact, so you can really tell how much i love this lol i apply this daily with my ELF kabuki brush to set my foundation. What i love about it is that its easy to use (in pressed form so its not messy), does a great job of setting my makeup so i dont look shiny, keeps my oily tzone matte for the whole day, annnd its cheap to buy! I also use this with a small fluffy brush to set my concealer and it helps alot! :)

4. Clarisonic Classic in Pink
-review here-

5. Neutrogena Oil-Free Fresh Moisture
This is my all time favourite moisturizer!! I know im weird, but i dont like using creams or lotions on my face because it feels too heavy and oily for my already oily skin. so i tend to stick to only using gel moisturizers and this one is my HG. although its got a gel like consistency, it feels as moisturizing as any other cream lotions but absorbs much faster and leaves behind nice silky soft skin :)

i have repurchased this moisturizer so many times i have lost count and im almost done the tube i have now! so its about time i go repurchase another :) unfortunately, the last few times i went searching for this, i couldnt find it! i am SOO worried that its getting discontinued so next time i find one, im stocking up like no tomorrow!!

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Favourite Eye Products of 2010

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette
- review here -

 2. Wet n' Wild Coloricon Palettes
- review here -

3. Stila Smudgepot in Bronze
I dont normally venture outside drugstore products too often, but i am SO glad i did for this one! I love love love this product and have used up quite a big chunk of it lol (pretty much used it everyday since i got it!) i chose the shade bronze because black seems too heavy for day-to-day wear, but aside from color, the formula itself is amazing! super soft and creamy, but once its on, it stays on! i love it and will most definitely repurchase once im done!

4. Covergirl Lashblast Volume - waterproof
This has been my favourite mascara ever since i first started using it. Although it doesnt volumize as much as id like, it definitely lengths and darkens my lashes nicely. The best part about this, is that it holds my straight asian lashes in a curl for the whole freaking day! *yay* my lashes are so stubbornly straight that not alot of mascara can hold them up, but this one does and since its cheap & readily available, im not switching mascaras for awhile!

mascara runner-up : Loreal Voluminous in Black Brown
Sometimes when i want more volume in my lashes, i use this mascara first and then a layer of covergirl after. I really like this mascara as well because it really helps add volume and thickness to my lashes. I chose the shade in black brown so i could wear this on its own for lazymakeup days :) but overall, if covergirl never came out with their lashblast, this would be my mascara!

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Favourite Lip Products of 2010

1. Nivea Essential or A Kiss of Moisture
- review here -


2. Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine
Along with my nivea tubes, i also LOVE this stufff! It smells heavenly (like butterscotch *yumm*) and gives my lips just the perfect amount of moisture. I tend to use this in the morning after i wash and moisturize my face. then after im done applying makeup, my lips will be all ready and prepped up for any lipstick/gloss i plan on putting on for that day :) the only thing i dont like about this is the application method as it comes in a small jar.. so its not as sanitary as others. still, i love both the packaging and the product inside!

3. Maybelline Moisture Extreme in Nude Blush
- review here -


4. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipglosses - all shades
These lipglosses are the best lipglosses ever! Although i do have to say the pigmentation could be slightly better, and the color choices could be slightly wider, i absolutely love the formula! it is soo smooth and 100% not sticky! I know alot of people dont mind the stickness, but i for one cant stand it! So these lipglosses are perfect for me and currently, my favourite shade is Life's a Peach :)

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Favourite Blushes of 2010

1. Annabelle - Rapture
2. ELF - Candid Coral (swatch)
3. MAC MSF in Stereo Rose & Petticoat (swatch)

4. Hard Candy - Living Doll & Honeymoon (swatch living doll, swatch honeymoon, both applied)

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Favourite Nail Polishes of 2010

sparkling diamonds - LA colors

1. Sally Hansen - Silver Slightblade
2. Nailene french manicure - Petal Pusher
3. LA Colors - Mega Watt
4. Rimmel - Steel Grey (Swatch)
5. Revlon - Minted (swatch)
6. Nicole by OPI - Black to the future (swatch)
7. Sally Hansen - Gray by Gray (swatch)
8. LA Colors - Sparkling Diamonds (Swatch)

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Favourite Brushes of 2010

1. ELF Studio Powder Brush (review)
2. ELF Studio Kabuki Face Brush
3. ELF Studio Small Angled Brush
4. Ecotools Bronzer Brush (review)
5. Ecotools Crease Brush
6. Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush (review)
7. Sigma E30 Pencil Brush (review)
8. Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush (review)

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Favourite Skin Boosters & Serums of 2010

1. The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost
Great as a primer and a skin boost! This not only smells sooo good! (think oranges!) but also has a silky texture that is great for prepping your skin for makeup :) Plus, its supposed to make your skin less dull and i think its done a great job!


2. Loreal Lash Serum

i lovee this stuff! you apply it day and night on your lashes and its supposed to make them thicker, longer and healthier! although i dont have crazy results, i do notice that my lashes are alot healthier now in that less fall off during makeup removal. Plus, i do notice slight thickening and lengthing and i am soo excited :D <3

3. My Beauty Diary Masks - Natto & Aloe Vera
- review here - 

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and i think that about sums it up :) theres probably  a ton of other products i wish i could mention and it took me a long while to narrow it down to the list i have above lol. but overall, im happy with the ones i chose :) Starting with next post, there will be a TON of new swatches and reviews :) i hope you're all as excited as i am! take care!

Tweet Birthday Haul :D

Today is my 21st Birthday!! 

*yay* I am now offiicially legal everywhere in the world :D haha feels pretty good!



Anyways, since im writing this post the night before, i cant really tell you what i did for my birthday just yet :p but here are some items that i hauled as a little present to myself hehe :D i didnt go too crazy because my new years resolution was to spend less lol so i told myself that after my birthday.. i will stop spending as much and restrain myself from purchasing items/products that i already have. hope it works out! lol

firstly, i picked up my free birthday gift from sephora

this year, the birthday gift is a vanilla birthday cake shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath from philosophy. Although i really wanted the gift from last year (which changed AFTER i got my bday gift) i have to admit, this stuff smells REAL good :D cant wait to try it!

Next, i stopped by MAC to take a look at their new collections :) I usually dont buy MAC even though i LOVE their products... cause they are pretty pricey and they add up FAST! lol but i swatched several of their products (i'll post swatches of the Peacocky eyeshadows i swatched in a separate post) and found two i really really liked! So i thought, why not :) i'll treat myself to a little birthday MAC gift hehe

i ended up getting the "let me pop" paintpot from the cham pale collection, as well as Dalliance eyeshadow from the peacocky collection.

Dalliance is a gorgeous white gold shade with green undertones.. i will do a separate post for review and swatches! but let me tell you, the peacocky eyeshadows are REALLY pigmented and buttery! plus, they are HUGE! haha much bigger than the normal eyeshadows :)

Let Me Pop is a gorgeous coral paintpot with gold shimmer. although i saw some reviews of the cham pale collection having gritty paintpots, i swatched this several times and so far, i think this ones pretty smooth! however, i do have to say it is very shimmery and not as pigmented as other paintpots.. still, i LOVE the color!

I also stopped by Zellers to pick up some more moisturizer since i was running low.. unfortunately, they didnt have any of my favourite in stock :( and i refuse to use any other! lol on the good side, i finally found wet n wild's LE holiday palettes! I was SUPER STOKED for these as im sure you know by now, these palettes are my all time favorite drugstore palettes :) and the new LE ones have such gorgeous colors plus many MAC dupes! *yay* i waited for these to come to canada for so long :D

i got 3 palettes out of the 4 :)  

 

golden goddess

 

sugar plum fairy

night elf

finally, to end off my makeup haul lol, i did stop by smashing cosmetica up in crossiron mills. For those who were a fan of this store like me (this was my fav store in that mall!), i am sad to say that they have now closed down that location :( if you're in the calgary area, the next closest smashing cosmetica will be in banff :( *boo*

BUT, good news is that before they closed, they actually had a pretty good sale! the majority of their products were all sold for $5!!! So i picked up several items i've been wanting to try :)

Firstly, i got thebalm shady lady eyehsadows! i've always wanted the full palette, but since they ran out of stock, i chose 4 shades which i loved :)

mischievous marissa, luscious lani

all about alex, just this once jamie

again, i will do a separate post to review and swatch, but i have to say, these are SOOO buttery and pigmented its crazy! i loveeeeee them and wish i tried them earlier!! <3

Along with the eyeshadows, i also picked up Becca's shimmering skin perfector.. which i think is like a highlighter :) this normally retails for (i think) around $50!! so picking it up for $5 is AMAZING! :D i've never tried anything from this brand, but this looks promising :)

Last item from smashing cosmetica was a stila lippie in olivia :) never tried their lippies but this shades looked like a pretty everyday shade so i couldnt help myself hehe

look at the pretty packaging!!

I also picked up a ring and a pair of suede gloves from H&M. i absolutely LOVEE the ring! and the gloves are pretty and classy hehe and they will keep me warm <3

love love love big ringss :D

warm suede gloves :)

Finally, the last two things i got are kind of random but i love them :) of course, i HAD to get my all time favourite cupcakes hehe these are the red velvet cupcakes from buttercream and they are sooo good! not too sweet but just the perfect balance between the cupcake and icing <3 love love love!

and then, i saw this pink hourglass at winners and i just couldnt not get it lol. i dont know.. it seems pretty random and all, but i just love it :) i think im going to put it on my bedside table and use it at night when i read. this hourglass is supposed to time 30 minutes so that should be a good chunk of time for me to relax before bed :)

 

So there you have it! theres my little birthday haul :D i will be doing separate posts for each makeup product and provide reviews and swatches as always :) my bf also just hinted to me that he has finished wrapping all my presents so i SUPER cant wait to open them up tmr! hehe :D hope you all have a good day and i'll be back soon with more goodies and reviews!