Collection| Swap Star

After a month of solid dedication to swapping, I've managed to amass a few select staples, in sizable chunks, with the intention of taking my makeup stash to the grave in mind. Here is my cosmetics collection after swap (sounds like it goes with frizzy hair, a cigarette, and a balcony view to Paris, jeez) with a nod to the creme de la creme of what I've bargained, pleaded, whined, interrogated, and negotiated for.

Behold, my new couch! From general  order of guess and check and common sense:

Urban Decay All Nighter XL setting spray. While greatly revered by many others, I've yet to try a finish/setting spray that wasn't completely a gimmick of a water and "essential oil" turd grease droplet mixture (AHEM FIX+). This spray prolongs my foundation wear time from decent (8 hours) to deceptive (10 hours) without the powdery look of well, powder.

A quality finishing and setting powder to use for the undereye area and overall to give a slight healthy glow with no shimmer. I'm talking about Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder. This sucker will probably last a lifetime.

A few foundations in NC20-NC25. Hopefully this LA sun will go away for about 2 months or so, at the least. I have finally gotten my hands on  MUFE's Face and Body foundation in #32 which is turning out to be amazingly lightweight and versatile.

Several blushes that will last me a generation. I've got MAC's Warm Soul and Happy Together on the way, but for now Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface and Natural Beauty have found their way back into my stash. I remember these were the first items I've ever swapped for way back when, and I miss their excellent staying power.

I've also managed to collect three brand spankin' new palettes, all neutrals! TheBalm Nude Tude, Bobbi Brown Navy and Nude, as well as BB's Ultra Nude Eye palette now sit pretty with the rest of my "boring eye" palettes.

Oh, did I mention that I'm currently on a quest to hoard cologne/perfume and bath myself in them to preserve my youth and increase my attraction pheromones, much like drinking sacrificial virgin blood inside of a moonlit pyre? No, not really. I don't have pictures because they've yet to arrive, but I've managed to find:

• Citron de Vigne/ Zesty.


• Versace Crystal Noir/Sexy Hooker.


• DKNY Be Delicious/Love Poetry Writing Teenybopper.


• Donna Karan Cashmere Mist/Elegant Grandma.


• Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue/Buff Shirtless Italian.


• And rollerballs of Coach Poppy, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Chloe, and Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit. I really enjoy these because they are so easy to carry around for touch ups and isn't a forearm workout to pick up and spritz. Also, does anyone understand how to defy laws of physics and carry a full sized bottle of perfume in your handbag at all times?

For now, my collection is completely restored. I've thrown out (aka given out extras) of products I haven't touched in 3 months or more, replenished my stash of blushers, added more neutral palettes while giving away bold ones, and downsized my foundation stash to just the best. That is to say....easily a third of my makeup stash comes from the swap world and I've pared everything down to either essentials, basic variations, backups, backups of backups, and a few drugstore dupes. Most of my drugstore items were also donated away. It really does help with the mental clutter when you have less to work with in front of you every morning.

The only downside is how many sample cards and packets I have....my samples bag looks like Carrie's prom night.

That's all for today, the job search is slogging through. I've been to at least 10 interviews now with terrible callback etiquette and no success. Must be the butch haircut giving lesbopunkrock vibes *EYE ROLL* Bye!

Be

Review| Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation

With most foundation for me, the only flaw is usually color match. My skin is decent enough that most foundations blend in well, stay on for long, and usually makes my skin look better, if not just "made up." With so many new foundations coming out in the market constantly promising flawless skin, it's easy to get caught up.

My review today is for the Marc Jacobs foundation (1 fl. oz. of product) which retails for $48 in Sephora. At first, the foundation didn't catch my eye...until I saw that they had Golden Light as an option. And damn, it is yellow! Perfect. Most foundations only lean yellow but never go all the way to jaundice level. The foundation apparently contains coconut water and a bevy of magic juice along with SPF 15. I hear that it photographs very well.  The packaging is very cute and sturdy, being a lacquered black plastic top with a glass bottle body.

I watched a few reviews and saw that it was a mixed bag. Some people said it was amazing and beautiful, and some said that it was flaky,patchy, and cakey. Since my skin is normal and clear, I decided that its natural/buildable coverage was worth testing out.

I have to say after only 5 hours of wear that I will be returning this, STAT! Boo for Marc Jacobs, his other products are quite lovely.

The first impression is that it's very jelly without being thick or heavy. A lot of people commented on a heavy chemical/floral fragrance, but it just smells very faintly like 4 day old Valentine Day's bouquets. I used two full pumps for my entire face and neck area, but it was a little too much. I did not try to build since I have no breakouts at the moment.

First of all, I applied with my usual skincare routine sans primer. (Since I usually am too lazy to prime.) This meant Aveeno Moisturizer with SPF 30 before and Rimmel Stay Matte powder after to set. The color went on very light for my NC30 at the moment. Okay, all well and good. I gave it some time to set. The color match seemed perfect. However, the first bad omen came when my Tarte blush applied very streakily... Thirty minutes later in the car, my face oxidized 3 shades darker! This never happens to any foundation of mine since my skin is not oily or acidic. I don't mind that it matched my shoulders, but it wasn't the color I needed for the upcoming winter. At this point, the foundation had set and the finish seemed natural and my skin was very pretty despite the oxidation.

Three hours later, the area around my nose was a hot mess! My nose area is my trouble area, so anything that looks bad on it is a dealbreaker even if my cheeks are absolutely Cherubian otherwise. The foundation caked around the bottom of my nose. It slid around on the sides of my nose even though I had set with powder. Every flake or dry spot was accentuated. And yet, it still looked oily!  On the rest of my face, the foundation was starting to slide and fade in patches. My face looked like Crisco on a Sunday dinner hamhock. Even though I have small pores on the sides of my nose under my eyes, this foundation put all of them front and center stage. I usually admire a satin finish, sometimes dewy, but this was just over the top.  You can look at these pictures for reference. Don't throw up.

*Excuse my nasty lips, I was trying out Shiseido Bordeaux and it was a little too dark for daytime wear, so I scrubbed it off*

One look at my nose and you should already think to pass on this one. I don't think this would work on anyone with even a hint of pores, lines, or godforbid nose flakes. Also notice how my face/neck is about 100 tanning bed measurements from my chest and decolletage.  It actually doesn't look half bad if you consider my face a Monet (from afar it's alright but up close it's a mess!) It definitely photographs much better than it looks in real life, but who buys foundation just to camwhore? (Oh wait, my mom....)

EDIT: I tried this alone by itself (no moisturizer/sunscreen, primer, or powder.) The results were much better (no oxidation, no patchiness, no caking) but still not impressive for the price point. It performed similar to my MAC and MUFE Face and Body but with even less coverage. I'd rather use my NARS tinted moisturizer if slight evening out was my goal since it also includes SPF 30.)

I guess the only pros I could list are:

• It may work better for oily skin types. Judy on YT as well as several oily skinned friends liked/loved it.


• It's very light feeling on the face despite being advertised as a "gel" foundation.


• The packaging and brand name is reason enough for some people to purchase.


• It photographs well. HD video captures it beautifully (check out Saaammage's recent YT videos to see it in action.)

Moral of the story, foundations can make your skin look even worse than it really is. *SHUDDER* I'm taking this back to Sephora immediately and stocking up on my trusty MUFE HD or NARS Sheer Glow in a winter shade instead.

Be

 

Blog Sale| I'm having a blargh sail?!

Hello everyboday.

After two months of grueling hard work and hours wasted at the post office for online swapping, I've managed to pare it down to mostly essentials and some high end delights. However, I still have quite a lot of things that came from swap or my own stash that I'm not 110% in love with. A lot of these items are like new or lightly swatched, and of course, genuine. And sanitized. That would be important. I'd love to sell them off as easily as possible, so I've made a list of things I no longer need. I'll update this list by either adding new items, deleting sold items, or adding perks and extras. Shipping is a flat 4 dollars for me (if you buy multiple items we can work out a deal) and is US only. I'm also trying to get rid of a lot of drugstore lip products, so you'll see a few surprises in your package too!

You can use Paypal and email me at minhvn29@gmail.com to inquire more about these items. Here goes nothing!

Makeup Forever La Boheme Palette, one shade swatched twice, rest is untouched. 39 retail. Asking 30. 

Urban Decay Glinda Palette, also comes with lip pencil (swatched once), purple shade used twice, all other shades lightly swatched/untouched. 49 Retail. 40 Asking. 

NARS eyeshadow duos in Sandra, Carmargue, and Wicked. Please look at pictures for conditions. All were received in swaps. Shadows are like new or lightly swatched. 34 retail each. Asking 25 for each, or 60 for all. 

  Sandra.

   Carmague.

  Wicked.

Tarte Natural Cheek Tint in Achiote. Received in swap, I swatched twice. 26 Retail. Asking 15.



Urban Decay Glide on Cheek Tint in Score. Lightly used. 24 retail. Asking 15. 



NARS blush duo in Albatross and Orgasm. Lightly swatched twice. Like new. There is a chip at the top right of the packaging, cosmetic flaw only.  41 retail. Asking 35. 



Stila It Girl Palette 2 (Eve, Kitten, Americano). Like new, each shade used once. 14 retail. Asking 7. 



Rock and Republic Saturate Eyeshadow in Carat. Used about 5 times total. No dips or dents. About 85% to 90% left. 15 retail. Asking 7. 



MAC Prolongwear blush in Stay By Me. Like new, swatched twice. 25 Retail. Asking 18. 

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lip Gloss in Samantha and Full on Lip cream in Berry Blast. Used 4x max. 22 retail. Asking 12 each.



Estee Lauder lipstick in Pink Parfait and a small Shiseido extra. Please see pics for condition. 26 Retail. Asking 12 for both. 



Marc Jacobs Woman EDP, 3.4 oz. About 95-98% left. No changes in scent, received as gift from aunt. 96 Retail. Asking 75. 



Well, that's all I have at the moment. Here is my swap list if you're interested and would like me to private message pictures.  Email me at minhvn29@gmail.com. Keep in mind that this isn't even a fourth of my swap list! D:

MAC Foundations

-Studio Sculpt NC20 (about 75%-80% left) this runs a little darker than a true NC20 imo, I used it when I was NC25 in everything else
-Studio Sculpt NC30 (about 75 to 80% left)
-Studio Fix Fluid NC30 (about 50% left) comes with pump but no lid.
- Mineralize Moisture NC30 (about 75% to 80% left)
- Face and Body C2 (about 50 to 60% left) (this comes in the huge pro size bottle)

Also....this problem:

Revlon	lip butters lot	Lipstick
The Body Shop	Strawberry Body Butter	Lotions/ Creams
NARS	Satin lip pencil Yu LN	Lipstick
MAC	Studio Fix C40	Powder
NYX	Soft Matte Lip Creams	Lipstick
NYX	Butter Glosses	Lip Gloss
Urban Decay	Primer Potion in Eden	Eye Primer

BeneFit Cosmetics	High Beam	Highlighters
Becca	Loose pigment in Odette	Eye Shadow
BeneFit Cosmetics	BN Hoola Bronzer	Bronzers
Rimmel	Stay Matte in Sandstorm BN	Blush
NARS	BNIB E/s duo in Isolde	Eye Shadow
BeneFit Cosmetics	Porefessional BNIB	Primer/ Corrector
LORAC	Pro to go LNIB	Palettes
Clarisonic	MIA	Misc Beauty Tools
Sigma	E05 eyeliner brushes 2x	Makeup Brushes
BeneFit Cosmetics	Watt's Up	Highlighters
E.L.F.	Glow Powder	Loose Powders
Lancome	Definicils BN	Mascara

Shiseido	Ultimate Sun Protection Cream+ Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ F	Sunscreen
Urban Decay	LN Mildew, Flipside	Eyeliner
Marc Jacobs	LN Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer lot	Polishes
Make Up For Ever	HD Blush #3	Blush
Becca	BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector LN	Blush
Vichy	Dermablend LN 35 Sand	Liquid
Revlon	Balm stains lot	Lip Liners
Urban Decay	LN Heavy Metal Eye Gel in backstage	Eye Shadow
Smashbox	Hydrating primer BN	Primer/ Corrector

 

BNIB: brand new in box, BN: brand new, lot means you should ask me about the colors, LN: like new, etc...

Hope you guys are enjoying your weekend!

Be

Review | L'oreal True Match LUMI

Now that fall is coming, I am back to my glowy skin obsession. I picked up L'oreal True Match LUMI foundation at CVS about a month or two ago and think now is the right time for a review.

Before trying this out, I Googled through pages and pages of review. It seemed like a mixed bag. Some people were saying it transferred. Others loved the natural glow. Some people bashed it like an LA street rioter on the hood of a car. I had to figure out if it could hold its own as a drugstore foundation.

I like the line's concept of offering a color match in actual warm, neutral, and cool tones. Most drugstore foundations always run too grey or pink on my very yellow toned skin and I have the worst time finding a color match in stores, especially since I don't believe in opening the packaging just for my own selfish intentions, hah. However, I remembered that I was a W4 in the original formulation, and hoped it would be a match now. W 1-2 was much too light while W3 was a worthy opponent. I figured it was better to go darker than too light. The W4 color is now a spot-on match for my NC35 tone at the moment, but it was a good fit for NC30 a month ago.



The LUMI foundation, pictured above, is a light to medium coverage formula that applies well with brush or fingers. (Excuse my awful nails.) It comes with a pump bottle and I use one full pump for my entire face. For the most part, I have well behaving skin that is currently slightly combo. I like using a brush since it is slightly liquidy and my RT brush gives me the most coverage and control with this foundation. Note that I do not have major discolorations, scarring, or acne.   I don't need concealer for any spots, and it gives a satiny natural finish rather than any obvious glow to the face.

Unlike other reviewers' testimonies, this foundation lasts a full 8 hours on my skin sans powdering. I do get greasy around the nose and general T-zone if I do not powder. Coverage fades into a natural skin finish by 6 hours. The best thing about this foundation is that it doesn't slide right off the face or cling to dry patches, despite being a luminous finish. Be careful to stay away if you are oily or even have a very oily T-zone. This will work wonderfully for dry-skinned gals, especially for the fall weather that's supposedly coming up.



I used this for the entire month and longer and I did not get clogged pores or acne. Notice how it does get messy around the top of the nozzle. Nasty nasty, not for germaphobes.

LUMI gives a dewy and natural finish and would work well if you're on a budget. I picked mine up for only around $10.25 at CVS. Overall, I've been reaching for this on a daily basis even in the hot weather because it is very lightweight. It's a great liquid foundation when paired with other skin-prepping products and performs at a  solid drugstore quality level.

Be

PS: OMG OMG OMG I am running out to Target right after this post and picking up L'oreal's new limited edition Le Matte and Le Laque lip colors to do a review for you guys! OH MY GOD!

First Look | Hot Off the Press (Marc Jacobs, Urban Decay Revolution, NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation, LORAC Pro To Go)

With some help from a Groupon gift card (should have bought one more with the husband's account...) and some thorough research, I was able to locate my local Sephora. Sadly, this one is located within a JCPenneys and has some major restrictions. Including the fact that I have to personally call Sephora to add the points to my VIB account. Sigh, first world problems.

First, I made sure to haul a few good things that I already know I love, aka UD's Revolution lipsticks, this time in two shades:

• Fiend is a muted rose color that translates to a MLBB color. I am not a fan of layering on lip products that have no real color payoff, but this color gives my pout a nice sheen and a rosy color.


• Catfight is a pink-fuchsia with slight red undertones. This means that it's a little punchier than Anarchy and perhaps more classy, too. I would love to rock this into the fall season.

But really, I'm just collecting all of the colors slowly and surely at this point. Don't mind me. Again, these retail for $22 dollars each.

         

Second, I picked up two things from Marc Jacobs' line: a nail polish ($18 retail)  and lip balm ($22 retail). Because I already have cult favorites in other brands, I figure I should expand my horizons and try some things I usually do not splurge on.

• The Enamored Hi-Shine Lacquer in 134 Lola seems like a bright red that isn't too vampy or teeny-bopper. I don't like dark gothic reds on the nails. It may have a slight pink undertone.


• The Lip Lock Moisture Balm is raved about by Fashionista804 and I am always looking for something to fix my chapped lips. It is rather overpriced, but since I can't even finish a cheapie lip balm (they end up  fossilizing into dinosaur eggs) I figure this may be a good investment.

I also picked up the new NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Stromboli/Medium 3 ($38 retail excluding the compact). I have seen way too many blogger promotions to not try this out for myself. I have been fearing liquid foundations in this heat and hope that a lighter layer of cream foundation does a better job in regards to coverage and staying power. I'm also surprised that Stromboli is a better match than Punjab, and with 22 shades to choose from I had fun swatching while the reps glared. Hehe.



Finally, the main reason of my adventure was to find the new LORAC PRO To Go Palette ($38 retail). I own and love the original LORAC Pro, and this portable little guy also has cheek products. I'm all for low maintenance 2-in-1's and portable packaging especially when it comes to traveling. I'm willing to bet that the consistency of the eyeshadows is smooth like butter and that the cheek colors will be universally flattering.

Now, time for me to go cry tears into my bank account in hopes of replenishing my funds. Actually, I have a few interviews lined up for next week, and I'm really excited to show off my chops. Can't collect makeup and buy groceries at the same time without a job, now can I?

Bye bye for now, make sure to watch out for reviews to come within these next two weeks for these items, excluding the NARS Cream Compact. I will need more time to see if that little guy brings his awkward third wheel friend "Cystic Acne" along.

Be

Review | Urban Decay's Revolution Lipsticks

This seriously sounds like a recipe for love. Twenty two shades, 22 dollars, 22 reasons why I will be broke very very soon. I've seen beauty bloggers rave and obsess over this for the past month, and for some reason, I just wasn't that interested. Bright shades? Pass, I've seen brighter. Creamy and moisturizing? Lies, no such thing. In all honesty, I don't need another lipstick, even if it blows everything I own out of the water. Even if it cooks breakfast every morning, or does my laundry, or please me better than ice cream.

I resisted, I really did try.

Then I went to Sephora and the display case captured and enraptured me. "Swatch F-bomb, doooo it!" a voice whispered. I shivered with hesitation. Oh, it was the makeup consultant. Yes, yes, I swatched quite a few until my hands were crazy with colors. How creamy it is indeed, I thought. Look at all of these beautiful nudes and brights, I thought. Slowly, against my very will, I picked out Anarchy and made my way to the checkout. Then the rest happened in due time.

Sigh.

I've always been a fan of UD's makeup, from their primer to eyeliners and eyeshadow palettes, but I never knew they even had a lipstick line to revamp. Apparently, the Revolution lipsticks are part of their Fall 2013 collection and will be a permanent addition. Let's get right into the review!

Color: With such a great range, you are sure to find a couple shades to love and covet. Check out Phyrra's swatches here. Even before hitting the store, I was eyeing most of them with the dedication of a sex offender. Pigmentation is opaque and strong. I picked out four colors:

• Anarchy, a hot pink/true fuchsia


• Streak, a slight coral pink (it's a pity that there were no other true corals in the line)


• F-Bomb, a true classic red with no discernible undertones


• Shame, a deep berry (looks disgusting in the picture right? It's actually the shade on the UD's model's lips...perfect for fall!)

Pricing: At 22 per lipstick, this is definitely smack dab in the mid-range of lip products. Now, if only they were a little cheaper to facilitate my hoarding obsession....I wouldn't say this is a strange price point, especially for UD products. There isn't too much product for the price but this is never a problem as I've never been able to finish any lipstick. I got mine at Sephora and Ulta.

Packaging: A lovely silver bullet, big enough to kill vampire-werewolf mutants with style. The inside is UD's iconic purple, and the tube slides shut with no click but a tight feeling. I'm a huge fan of how the lipstick bullet itself is a little more slender than others with no pointed tip. It makes application a breeze! A clear label adorns the bottom for you to identify.

Wear: It is indeed creamy without having too much slip to bleed. Wear time is about 4 hours, typical of most lipsticks. However, the best part of this lipstick is how it doesn't flake! It almost feels like YSL's Rouge Voluptes without the pricepoint. For the most part, many of my fuchsias and hot pinks tend to dry out my lips no matter how much I scrub my lips raw or layer lip balm. These wear comfortably for about 4 hours and start to stain/fade after that time mark. There is no ugly ring around your lips even after a meal. My favorite thing about these is that they do not crack or chap your lips! I have encountered many a high end lipstick that do so (ahem, NARS...)

Swatches: Now for the good part. These are all two coats, with Anarchy being one single swipe, and indoors.

This is in natural but dim lighting.

This is under yellow lighting from a fluorescent light. Sorry for the carpet, seems like I love hoarding dog hair more than I think. Gross.

And these are in direct natural sunlight from the window. You can see that Anarchy has very intense pigmentation, and Streak is much more pink than online pictures suggest.

Overall, I am really pleasantly surprised by the quality of these newly launched lipsticks and would love to collect a few more. I'm eyeing 69, Bang, Liar, and Naked 2. Forgot to tell you they have rather naughty names!

Are you thinking of trying out a few? I've seen quite a few bloggers hoard up on these, and I mean HOARD. As in, 10 shades and counting sort of irresponsible. UD is doing another thing right.

Be

How To | Bronze and Glow

I think there's a cult out there that has successfully convinced many that using bronzer with glitter is on the same level as consorting with the devil.
Seriously.

Here's the thing, a contouring shade should NEVER have glitter, no matter how finely milled or microscopic. Contouring is the same as creating an illusion of deeper set shadows on the face, and shadows never sparkle. On the other hand, a bronzer with glitter does its job beautifully. Have you ever noticed how Victoria's Secret Angels all look like they practically live on a co-op lesbian yacht in the South of France? They always have an angelic glow/tan that is healthy rather than fake bake, and their skin is always on point even before Photoshop. (Btw, bless Photoshop for their wonky crease-less knees and elbow joints, too.) For the most part, this is due to the witchcraft of bronzers with a hint of shimmer. When shopping for a bronzer, I usually gravitate to VS sales to stock up for the year. Their bronzers are always surprisingly top notch since makeup is not their specialty.

My go-to bronzer at the moment is Victoria's Secret's GLOW Pressed Mineral Bronzing Powder, available in 3 shades and retails for 16 dollars. My shade is Riviera, which accompanies light-medium to medium skin tones very well. They all have a yellow undertone and some warmth, rather than straying to an ash or cool tone. The quad has four shades that can be used separately (as highlighter) or together for an awesome glow (hur hur, hence the name.) The best part is, this product is so subtle that it's hard to over-do and can be built up. There is also another bronzer line that VS does, but it contains too much shimmer for my taste and would best be used as a straight highlighter, similar to MAC's Soft and Gentle.

 

 

You can see that the colors lean a little cool-toned or warm under direct sunlight. You also can't see the shimmers unless you look very, very closely.

My husband noticed that my skin looked "radiant." Little did he know...

Before bronzer, I always like to have the rest of my face, eye, and lip makeup on first. This way, it's easier to gauge how much product is needed. I often pair a bronzed face with minimal or neutral eye makeup and a soft nudey pink lip so that my complexion takes the spotlight.

When applying a powder bronzer, I use a denser but fluffy face brush, like Sigma's F40 or powder brush and swirl in into the product. I then focus the product on the highest point of my cheeks, across the bridge of my nose, and straight onto my forehead. I also apply any left over product onto my chin and down the sides of my vocal cords (LOL, this sounds awful but it does slenderize your neck.) The effect you're going for is how your face would look on a print ad of glamorous women on boats. Please note that this procedure is completely different for applying contouring products. You could possibly take it on the edges of your hairline or under your cheekbones, but I'm not a fan of the look. Sparkling hairlines are so not vogue.

After the initial application, I like to take a clean face brush and blend/buff everything out so that there are no noticeable lines or demarcations. That's it!

I love using bronzers to warm up a foundation shade that's a tad too light, or just to warm up my complexion in the wintertime. While I adore a porcelain skin look in the winter, the dry air often sucks up the hydration on my skin and makes it look dull and flat. Bronzer often takes this away, and if done right, shouldn't be obvious in the least bit.

For a matte bronzer that also works as a natural contour, I recommend Urban Decay's Naked Flushed palette. Another great bronzer is any from the Physician's Formula line. For a high end pick, I would go with NARS Laguna. The most important part isn't the price point, but how finely milled their shimmer particles are. We don't want obvious chunks of glitter now do we?

That's all for today. I hope you guys found it helpful!

Be