New Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Shadows

If you haven't seen, Maybelline has added a new, kind of off-shoot selection of Color Tattoos called Color Tattoo Metal.  Some of the colors looked really pretty, but the gold in that selection looked way too yellow.  I'm not into really yellow-y gold.  Anyway, I got the colors in "Barely Branded" and "Inked in Pink."  Both are absolutely gorgeous with pigmentation phenomenal and staying power impressive.

I'm not here to give you a full review of the whole new line or anything.  I really just wanted to give you a heads up because the color "Barely Branded" is similar to a limited edition color they did for fall called "Barely Beige."  You probably would guess that they would be similar because of the names.  That's what I thought, too.  So there I was, thinking it was going to be exactly the same thing with a different name... but it wasn't.  "Barely Beige" is a little bit pinker, while "Barely Branded" tends more to the gold side of things.  Still, if you put them on your eye lids, you wouldn't be able to see that much of a difference, if at all.  

So, this post is really for those of you that missed the limited edition fall collection of color tattoos, and for those of you who got those but are worried about what you're going to do when you run out of "Barely Beige." 

Later 'gator!

~Stacie

**Edit (12/31/12)**
I thought you would probably want a picture of swatches to make your own decision of how close the colors actually are to one another.  So here you go!  I tried to get different angles to show different lightings.  The middle picture shows how similar they look when the light hits them, and the other two show how they are slightly different.  The rightmost picture shows how Barely Beige has more of a pink undertone.

Happy New Year everyone!
~Stacie

Passing the Link Along: Beauty Broadcast

Emily Eddington for Beauty Broadcast!

To kick off my series of "Passing the Link Along," as I've decided to call it, I'm going to talk about my favorite beauty guru on YouTube: Emily Eddington. 

I can't remember the first video of Emily's that I watched, but whatever it was, it must've made an impression.  I've been watching Emily for years now.  It just really troubles me that I can't remember when I first found her.  I just like origins and beginnings for some reason.  It was after she had moved into her house and made videos in the pink room, I know that.  So maybe 2010?  Probably.  Being a sophomore in high school, that was when I was starting to scour the internet for help with makeup. 

Whatever she may have helped me with at first, she continues to be just as helpful today.  Emily has a way of delivering the information you need about a product or technique with a happy frankness (if that's even possible--she is making me invent terms!).  She will tell you the pros and cons of a product, and she's not shy about it.  But don't get me wrong when I say that.  She's not one to over prove her point; once the point is made, it's made.  When I say she's not shy about her opinion, I just mean that she's honest even when she's sent a product by the company.  I feel like some people feel like they need to be nicer about how they feel when they get a free product to try out.  Sugar coating a negative opinion doesn't help the company improve their product, and I'm sure that's what a lot of companies want to do (but maybe some don't, I don't know). 

Why to watch: She has a very friendly and bubbly personality that shines through in all of her videos.  She is able to deliver to-the-point information while remaining entertaining.  

More about Emily: She used to work as a morning news anchor.  Her approach to beauty vlogging is probably greatly influenced by her career as a news anchor.  Recent circumstances have allowed her to move away from that job and commit her time more fully to beauty blogging and video making.  I'm obviously thrilled because that means more videos more often.  I'm also really happy for her because this allows her to have a normal sleeping schedule, and do more traveling to see friends and family.  I'm so happy for you, Em!

Links: This beautiful person has a YouTube channel and blog under the same name--Beauty Broadcast.  Her YouTube username is emilynoel83 and the channel can be found by clicking here, while you can go to her blog by clicking here.  She also has a Facebook page for Beauty Broadcast, along with numerous other social networking tools that she uses to keep her fans up-to-date on new videos and blog posts.  You can find all those links on her blog and in the description bar of most of her videos.

That's pretty much it! I've added the links in the sidebar for easy access, and I'll continue to add links as the "Passing the Link Along" series continues.  I hope this was helpful.

Merry Christmas (in case I don't get a chance to post again before or on Christmas), and Happy Holidays to you all!

~Stacie

Pic credit (straight from her blog, ha!): https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2HfypY675b2aIT3pQR-qQQMfzbZu2u6YVOTn09_9FoiyQjwt4EMWX3ro04wnGYlobdgPnRl4LShpbrbKwspno5xtBsl6xhJCttu-hcOhsUTatBfMbTUPqWnsmjLFf2_GvzeqjoLgVAk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-10-03+at+1.57.10+PM.png

My philosophy for this blog

I like the idea of creating a beauty community. I know some (or many) people have already created that, and I would like to add to it. In my opinion, you can never have enough reviews on a product. There are so many factors that can affect how a foundation, mascara, blush, etc. works on a person, that it's good to get input from lots of different people so the chances are increased of you finding someone in a similar situation. So that's why I review things. Someday I'll have to get around to doing a reference page with my skin tone, hair color, lash type, etc. so you can compare it to yourself. 

Like I mentioned, many beauty communities have already been established. What I'd like to do here is create kind of a series of blog posts talking about different sites that I like and why. I'll cover the bases I have now, and if things change, I'll update the list.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

~Stacie

Pre-Christmas Haul

And maybe the only haul? I don't know. Money is weird for this Christmas, so I don't know if this is pretty much all I'm getting or what. Anyway, I thought I would share this with you so you can maybe learn about something that hadn't caught your attention yet. I don't have swatches or anything right at the moment because I don't have a good camera or good lighting. Maybe soon.

So this haul was largely propelled by a search for dupes. I have recently found a blog called Nouveau Cheap and it's a great site for people who don't (or can't) spend a lot of money on makeup (like me). I went through all the posts on dupes and liked a couple of them; thus, my search began.

The first dupe was for Stila's "Kitten". The $1 dupe was from L.A. Colors, a Mineral Eyeshadow called "Beige."  You can get L.A. Colors from Dollar Tree, and some of the stuff can sometimes be found at Big Lots or places like that. I was kind of worried that I wouldn't be able to find it because it's not on the L.A. Colors website anymore. That's usually a sign that something has been discontinued (unless you're Wet'n'Wild and decide not to remove discontinued products from your site), but I wasn't too worried because makeup at Dollar Tree and Big Lots has a way of sticking around for a loooong time.  Well, I had to get an employee to get it from a high up rung on the wall, but it was there nonetheless! I was so happy. Still am. I can't wait to use it.

*I'll try to insert a photo later*

Since I was at the Dollar Tree, I saw some loose pigments by L.A. Colors and one looked kind of similar to "Beige," called "Honeysuckle". I figured, hey if "Beige" is being discontinued (and I bought the only one at that Dollar Tree), I should try to find something similar to it. It's the same company. Maybe they tried to do the same color in a different form. I don't think it's the same color. I'll look at it in better light and let you know, but the pigment is definitely much more sparkly than the pressed eyeshadow.

Next on the shopping tour was Big Lots. Nouveau Cheap said that some SoHo brushes and HiP pigments were there, and I wanted to check it out. Well, I didn't need the type of SoHo brushes they had, so I moved on to the pigments. The two I picked up were "Tenacious" and "Unashamed". "Tenacious" is a sort of pinky bronze and "Unashamed" is a deep, sort of diluted almost raisin purple. They're both lovely and they were only a dollar a piece. I was tempted to get the other color, but it was pretty copper-toned, and I don't really wear much copper. And this was a pretty red copper. Not for me. Since I was in the area, I also picked up a HiP concentrated shadow duo in "Sassy". It has a sort of purpley taupe on the left and a teal that tends more to blue on the right. HiP shadows have great pigmentation. I would've gotten more (since they were only $1.20 a piece), but the other colors didn't seem like things I would ever wear. Probably why they were discontinued.

Tenacious

Unashamed

Sassy

 Then my mom wanted to go to Target, so I decided to pick up the Brightening Eye Color quad in "Butternut". Apparently the section in the upper right corner is a dupe for MAC's "Woodwinked" (according to emilynoel83 on youtube). I did a quick swatch and I really do like the color. I think I'll get some good use out of this quad.

Butternut

And finally, we stopped at Meijer. I wasn't really planning on getting anything. I was just in the makeup section to see if Maybelline's new Color Tattoo Metal cream shadows had arrived, when I saw that a great deal of Milani was being clearanced. I don't think a lot of people buy it because it never goes on sale. Meijer just finally breaks down and clearances it because of protocol. I saw that the lightest shade of The Multitasker powder was half off, and I had to have it. It's apparently comparable to MAC studio something foundation. Sorry that my description is kind of ambiguous, but I haven't ever tried or owned a MAC foundation, so I really have no clue. The dupe was provided by emilynoel83, so definitely check out her channel! She is full of useful tips and dupe information. She's my favorite to watch at the moment.

Unfortunately, my face powder does not have the lovely design embossed on its surface like this. That may have contributed to the reason for its clearancing. Meijer was probably trying to move in a new, updated batch of face powders. Oh, well; I don't care. The pattern only gets worn away as you use it, and I'll be more prone to use it if I'm not afraid to get rid of the pretty design.

Well, that's all for now. I'm on Christmas Break, so I'll have more time to do what I want. If I can get my acne under control and find my camera, there might even be a video in the near future. Who knows? It's been a loooong time since I've done a video.

I hope you have a lovely day (or afternoon, or evening), and I'll talk to you soon!
~Stacie

Pic credit: Tenacious: http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/external/images/products/large/Cos41h_8_large.jpg
Unashamed: http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/external/images/products/large/Cos41h_7_large.jpg
Sassy: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=6533772
Butternut: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmS7e_7fqE88qvXP3CHv6bRHyEcN1OAmDdFRq2Q-qr_wytLF5fn-cizkYRuZpkZoALrvahWqbmpvYb5lCGBLQ8nHSU87-5DR3mB9dbp3MBPqUK3dxXF9P_j5QFojdflct32g8GDBGVYk/s1600/IMG_9173.JPG
Multitasker: http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/71/74/89/81/0071748981701_500X500.jpg

A way to help fend off dry skin

Last year I posted about how changing seasons can wreak havoc on your skin. It mentions some steps on how to combat the issues. I just wanted to mention two things that I've found to be really helpful.

1. Sunscreen!

I got into wearing sunscreen after noticing a tan begin to form during the beginning of my college times. I didn't realize that the trips I was taking to classes were exposing me to enough sun to get a tan. It was slight, but still, it was there. It really drove the point home that the sun's rays were damaging my skin. Now that it's colder, I wear long sleeves and pants, so my body's protected, but my face isn't. Wearing sunscreen on my face is a daily habit.

At first I was worried about wearing sunscreen because I have combination skin and I know that sunscreen has a tendency to be oily. I combated the problem by using milk of magnesia as a mask for 10 minutes to absorb the extra oil and then wiping it away with a damp cloth.

BUT, now that it's getting drier, I don't have to worry about absorbing the oil. The sunscreen is just enough to keep my skin from drying out like it usually does about now. Also, I have a sunscreen that's SPF 50, so I don't have to use as much to get an SPF equivalent of, say, SPF 30.

2. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Facial Lotion

This is a veeery rich moisturizer, yet it can still feel lightweight. It's really weird, but very cool. It's good at keeping your skin hydrated so winter doesn't ruin your face and not being too emollient so that it breaks down your foundation. I use it at night, but it can be used in the morning as well. It has a really interesting smell that I can't really describe, so that may be an issue for you. It's definitely not fragrance-free. Part of the smell comes from the cocoa butter, I think, and the other part comes from some kind of perfume they've added. I don't mind it, but you may. Just keep it in mind. Also, I like this picture because it shows the tube and the box. If you do go to buy this, look for the box, not just the tube.

I hope this was helpful. I just wanted to give you a heads up on some products I feel have been really successful lately at helping my winter skin stay away.

Have a beautiful day!
~Stacie

Pic credits: http://www.prlog.org/10710459-bottles-of-sunscreen.jpg
http://static.productreview.com.au/pr.products/a_4f3703901dc76.jpg

Haul!

Okay, so I just got back from a day of fun with some friends and we happened to go shopping. There's so much to tell, but I'm so tired and I just want to sleep. I'll just stick to the makeup stuff right now.

So first we went to Target and I got an e.l.f. studio blush in Pink Passion, an e.l.f. studio fan brush, and eos lip balm in pomegranate raspberry. It smells really nice. I don't know how it tastes because I haven't really used it.

Then later we went to Walgreens. The original objective of going to Walgreens was to get gummy worms, but I just watched a video by emilynoel83 talking about new eyeshadow palettes by Wet'n'Wild. I bought one, the one named Sparkle 'Til Morning. It's really beautiful. Since I signed up for the rewards system (I'm so annoyed that every store seems to be doing this now) in order to get a discount, I also got a bronzer in Ticket to Brazil. I thought it was similar to a limited edition bronzer I have, but I don't think so now. We'll see after I investigate further. Finally, I purchased three eyeshadow palettes that were only 99 cents a piece! They were in a display for special holiday makeup kits and such. The brand is called Profusion and they're specifically in the Halo--The Palette line. I'm bummed that there's no name on the backs of them to identify them.

That's all for now. I'm headed to bed. I'll either post again on the subject or edit this one.

~Stacie

PS Wreck-it Ralph is awesome! I totally recommend that you go see it. And the animated short "Paperman" would be worth seeing all on its own. I almost wish they could turn it into its own film, but that would be almost pointless because the short had just enough to it. LOVE IT! Have a nice night :)

Haha, nevermind?

Well, it would seem that the cure for crappy pincurls is to complain about them here and then just keep trying. Because after that post, I did pincurls twice and they both turned out better than before. I think maybe I was just making the pincurls too big and it wasn't enough to make them really curly.

The other issues still remain. My hair is frizzy on the ends because of split ends (that will be removed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The appointment has been made--yay!) Still, split ends weren't this noticeable when I was using softened water. Also, the part of my hair that has been highlighted feels absolutely awful. My hair never seemed this bad until hard water. Hard water just amplifies your problems. Okay, I'm done ranting.

I hope you have a beautiful day and that hard water doesn't get you down!

~Stacie