sweet.

Ninety-six dollars' worth of Smashbox eyeshadow for only fifteen. Also, I purchased another Nicole by OPI polish (You're S-teal the One). It looks great after two coats, but I think I'll go in for a third later on... The color's a bit sheer, but the sparkle and color? Fantastic. I'm in love with this brand.

Expect a review on my Sephora order in a week and a half or so. In other news, I might be employed soon!

Revlon ColorStay!

     While I wasn't initially a fan of the first Revlon lip gloss I purchased (a sheer, opaque coral pink), I grew to love it. Its color enhances my natural lip tone, and it looks great with or without eye makeup. Being the adventurous type, I decided to try Revlon's ColorStay Mineral Lipglaze (in Timeless Nude).
     The formula is obviously different from the regular Revlon lip gloss. It's stickier... but not in a bad way, since it's that creamy, honey-like stickiness that allows the gloss to hang onto your lips for more than just a few minutes -- even through enjoying a beverage. Coverage is awesome; one dip into the bottle is enough to modestly coat the lips. Unless you're one of those gals who likes a thick, gooey layer of lip gloss, that is. Mwah!
     The formula's a bit drying, so be sure to wear some kind of lip moisturizer underneath. I've found that Carmex works the best, but EOS lip balm is also effective. (Carmex lasts longer, but there's a spot in my heart for the unique design of the EOS container.)

'Til next time!

ahem.

I'd like to clarify a few things about the type of beauty blogger I am; and to prevent my clarification from becoming a pedantic, two-page essay that most people would probably lose interest in after the first page, I'll shimmy everything into a list.

1. I'm not addicted to buying makeup. I don't ever purchase anything simply for the sake of being able to try it out and therefore have something to write about. Developing an addiction to shopping would be especially dangerous and stupid because I'm currently unemployed. Also, who really reads what I have to say? I have one follower on Blogger: my boyfriend. (Check out his blog, the Cinephile Vanishes!)

2. I only buy something when I really, really want it, and I'm very selective about what that occasional thing is. Another lipstick? Don't need it. I don't even wear the two that I own. The three products I purchase most often are lip gloss, eye primer, and nail polish.

3. Reading and watching films are my two main interests; I've yet to allow beauty and cosmetic concerns to usurp an unhealthy amount of my time. Hell, I don't even read magazines on the subject.

4. At the most, I'll probably try to update this blog at least two times per month. So if I ever do manage to attract any followers, my apologies! I won't be updating as frequently as other folks you're already familiar with.

5. My knowledge of makeup is still very limited. (See my first post!) What I now know I learned from watching videos on YouTube and reading other beauty blogs. And while I don't blatantly steal from these other learned sages of all things girly, I'd like to think that I've developed an appreciation for makeup through perusing their opinions.

Thanks for reading!

e.l.f., Essie, Nicole by O.P.I., and other general bits and bobs.

     Regarding my previous post about e.l.f.: It only took about a week to receive my replacement lipstick in the mail. Also, I didn't receive an immediate reply to my cry for help via their web site because G-Mail, for whatever reason, had placed their response into a spam folder. So yes, they did indeed respond quickly to my request for a new lipstick.

     Hi! Didja miss me?

     Anyhow... In the past four months, I've purchased a few new products. Not many, and they're not actually "new" per se. (New to me, yes, so obviously I'm going to have quite a few things to say about them.)

     Until I actually mustered the courage to pay a whopping (nigh) eight dollars for a bottle of Essie nail polish, I was endlessly fascinated by the many, many good things I'd heard and read about it. I'm sad to report, however, that I'm no longer awe-struck by its reputation. In fact, I'm quite confused as to why it has attained such a loyal, almost rabid following.
     Yes, Essie has the color variety that any successful nail polish brand should. Its packaging is attractive, simple, and makes Essie one of the most easily stored nail polished I've ever owned. Sounds great, right? And fine, I'll admit it: I was foolishly pulled in by all the raving and ranting over this beloved brand... But application of the polish quickly disillusioned me. It (application) is horrendous, owing mostly to a ridiculously thin brush that I had to fiddle with for at least thirty seconds in order to find out exactly how much polish it could (and should) hold. Wiping one side of the brush against the inside of the bottle's neck released too much polish, yet simply dunking the brush into the bottle and applying to the nail was similarly disastrous, allowing polish to pool and take an insanely long time to set.
     I also found that the formula was quite streaky. Which was annoying, because I'd heard so many amazing things about Essie's extraordinary texture.
     Needless to say, I won't be wasting another eight dollars on a bottle of Essie. Its reputation is overblown. I mean, I wanted to like it; I even gave it two chances, but it's just a pain in the ass to work with. A waste of time and money.

     If you want a great, long-lasting nail polish, try Nicole by O.P.I. Its brush is thick, wide, and intended to reduce application time. The brush also creates a smooth, streak-free coat. And the colors - while maybe a little too wild for some tastes - can almost match whatever Essie has to offer. Plus, the shape of the bottle (squat and boot-like) seems to prevent the possibility of wasting any precious polish. The brush almost touches the bottom of the bottle, so when your level of nail polish becomes critical, simply tilt the bottle a bit and voila! You've got a bit of extra polish that has hiding in the bulging "belly" of the bottle.

     All right. On to better things! Namely, watching the remaining two hours of Seven Samurai.

     Adios!

  


  

  

say what?

For the past few days, I've been awaiting a response from e.l.f.'s customer service department due to the little mishap involving one of the lipsticks I ordered from them; so naturally, I've been checking my inbox every day. Disgruntled by not having received a response yet, I logged into my e.l.f. account only moments ago to find that they're already sending me another lipstick, free of charge! No shipping charge, no charge for the cost of the lipstick. This, in my opinion, is amazing. I couldn't be more surprised by the quality of their customer service. And although it would have been nice to get an e-mail reply back to the message I initially sent asking about my options, I have to say that I'm still pleasantly surprised.

Thank you, e.l.f.! 

e.l.f. excitement!

From left to right: Bubblegum Pink, Coral, Innocent (nail polishes, $1.00 each); a free sample of e.l.f.'s Butternut eye-brightening shadow; Natural Nymph, and Runway Pink (mineral lipsticks, $5.00 each).

     As of today, I've tested one of the nail polishes, both lipsticks and the (free!) eye shadow. So! Here we go.

From left to right: Innocent, Coral, and Bubblegum Pink.

Bubblegum Pink after two coats.

     The nail polish I couldn't wait to test first was Bubblegum Pink; so after some studying and a little relaxing last night, I prepped my nails and attacked. The nail polish itself is a very bright, solid color, and is almost an electric pink. Not quite as bright, however. It dries rather quickly, and although it takes two coats to achieve opacity, the final result is impressive. My only problem with this product is its brush. I really, really wish that more of the major cosmetic lines would consider redesigning their brushes! The brush for Rimmel's line of Lasting Finish Pro polishes is fantastic; it's wide, thick, and allows flawless coverage. 

     The eye shadow is fantastic. The color pay-off is sublime, especially since e.l.f. eye shadows cost $1.00 each. The color I received, Butternut, is a quad of natural brown tones flecked with medium-sized glitter. It applies smoothly and creates very little fall-out. Layers are required to create a bold look with this particular shadow, but watch out! Don't over-blend, or you'll end up with a soupy, hazy mess all over your eyelids.

Natural Nymph and Runway Pink.

     The mineral lipsticks are.. interesting. Although they appear to be matte colors in this photo, they're actually quite sheen. The lipstick is pleasantly smooth and light, and not at all waxy or dry.. but not creamy as I had hoped it might be. Coverage is decent, though both of these colors settled into the small lines in my lips. Perhaps if they'd been creamier this could have been avoided? Most importantly, though, my Natural Nymph has already broken! I was extraordinarily dismayed when this happened, as I only received these products in the mail yesterday. Yep. *sigh*

     While barely applying any pressure during application, Natural Nymph broke, hit the floor, and crumbled. Faulty product, maybe? Or was it the cold Wisconsin weather that caused this? In any case, I contacted e.l.f. immediately via e-mail, so we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll be writing a review of their customer service in a few days.

     All right. I think I've spent enough time rambling. Thanks for reading! 

e.l.f. cosmetics and a review of L'Oreal's gel liner!

     I've never actually tried any of the e.l.f. products, but after watching a few YouTube vlogs on the quality of their myriad products (and being lured in by the insanely low price of their lipstick), I decided to order a few things off of the web site. which I was, admittedly, reluctant to do, as e.l.f. eye shadows, lip glosses, and blushes are sold at my local Target. my Target, however, doesn't carry much of a selection! no lip stick, no nail polish, and only a few palettes. I was also hesitant to purchase from the web site due to the fact that they charge $6.95 for shipping (yeesh). but since I rarely buy anything for myself anymore, I forged ahead and made a purchase of three nail polishes (Coral, Bubblegum Pink, and Innocent) and two lipsticks (Runway Pink and a Natural Nymph). in addition to these products, e.l.f. also sends a free gift if you're able to refer three friends to their web site; which I hastily did, 'cause who doesn't like free stuff? anyhow, as soon as my order arrives, expect a review of at least one of the nail polishes and both lipsticks!

     and now, onto an actual review of a product!

     although it's only a drugstore product, L'Oreal's HiP gel eyeliner is on the same level as high-end products. the formula is creamy, long-lasting, and waterproof. sadly, the same cannot be said of the first gel liner I ever purchased, an Avon disaster containing sparkles. in contrast with L'Oreal's product, Avon's product is dry, sticky, and often crumbles during application. the only thing that I do not like about L'Oreal's liner is the brush that is included. it is extremely useless! its bristles are hard, plastic, and do little to facilitate application. you're absolutely better off simply throwing away the brush immediately after purchase, as it will only scrape your eyelids, causing irritation and frustration!

     one more tip regarding the L'Oreal liner: be sure to apply some kind of primer to your lids prior to application. although the liner's staying power without primer is miraculous and appreciated, I would recommend a primer to decrease the likelihood of smudging, particularly if you're an individual with oily skin. also, some kind of make-up remover is a must for this gel liner, as you'll likely spend more than a quick moment attempting to scrub it away when your day is over.

     to the few people who do read my blog, thanks for perusin'!