Kat Von D Esperanza Eyeshadow Palette

Firstly let me start by apologizing for my absence. 

It's been a rough and busy winter. As for the busy part, I've found that designing and sewing have taken up a great deal of my time - these bustle skirts aren't going to make themselves!
But, I have picked up a TON of new things lately that I can't wait to talk with you about!

But lets start with one thing shall we?

If you've read my previous entries, you'll know that I'm a lover of Kat Von D's makeup line at Sephora. Not so much a fan of her tattoo work - which, I believe to be mediocre at best, but her makeup line knocks my socks off!
My interest in her life or anything remotely about her personally, has very little to do with my love of this off shoot.

There's been a ton of new, and exclusive, limited time products added to the line recently and I basically need them all!
Tattoo foundation is still one of my most prized possessions, along with Trooper eyeliner which I adorn every single day as my go-to for the best goth girl eyebrows in the world.

Her shadows have never let me down and I was excited when Esperanza hit the shelf.
The colours are stunning and can be worn by anyone regardless of tone, age or preference between dramatic or neutral.
They have great shades that speak to those of us who are begging for spring to come join us.

The Esperanza Palette can be purchased HERE

As with all releases, they come with some unique names and none that will equal any kind of trouble like "Celebutard" caused. That situation still makes me laugh to this day due to how bloody ridiculous it is. Someone was offended by the word "Tard" being used in the name. When are we going to start boycotting delicious CusTARD?! Get over yourselves, trust me, there's bigger things to worry about. But that aside..lets get back to the topic.

There are a few things that make this palette unique - it has a great mirror - larger than any in my current palettes and I LOVE that. The shadows are rich with pigment. There is a bit of fall out if you're working in a sweeping motion with them, but I prefer to press with these ones.
They're also infused with rose extract.
Rose extract has some great benefits for the skin and especially the lids. It's known for its anti aging properties, also it helps to sooth and moisturize the skin. All great things.

Another thing that makes this palette fantastic is the transformer shade. It can be worn on it's own or over another shade to turn it into a whole other level of awesome.

I highly recommend that you pick this one up while it's available because it won't last long - that I can promise!

I also strongly recommend that you get yourself a tube of Transformer Liquid Lipstick. Pretty much one of the coolest things out there right now to pucker up your pout.

Formula X Nail Polish

The love affair between OPI and Sephora lasted a very long 5 years.
It had its ups and downs, but mostly ups and after the introduction of OPI GelShine, they decided it was time to part ways.

It was a tough go in the middle with OPI colours barely gracing the shelves of the newly implemented Nail Studios that graced the entrance of most Sephora's & leaving patrons who were dedicated to certain shades having to scramble to get the remains of their beloved polishes.
But don't fret! All the while as the love affair was on the rocks and coming to a close, Sephora had a new love on the side.
But they weren't quite ready to let everyone in on what was up....

They started to give people a piece of the action last fall when Sephora X launched into flagship stores in Canada. Only 3 to be exact - one being Chinook Centre in Calgary. Also you could find it in the Eaton Centre location and on the West coast. Still, it didnt' get the reception they were hoping for.
Reason? It still had some flaws.
They weren't the power couple we were use to like Sephora and OPI.

After tinkering, and playing with shades and top coats it was ready.
Formula X was ready to be unveiled to the world.

The big splash won't be happening until October 10th officially, but some locations have it out and ready to go.
Where do I start when I try to describe the new colours?!
Here's a bit of a run down on what we're dealing with here:

*62 Classics
*31 Neutrals
*5 Colour shifters
*14 Xplosive Topcoats
*12 Luster Polishes
*11 Transformers Topcoats
*12 Celestials
*12 Electric neons
*5 Brilliant ultra sparkles
*5 Tinted translucent polishes
*5 Superwatts glitters
*5 3D sparklers glitter
*5 Holographics
*5 super ultra shiny chromes

Not to mention that they also have a Matte topcoat, a high shine topcoat, basecoat and nail cleanser.

Do you think I could walk in and see all this and resist!?!?!?!?!
Impossible! The prices aren't that bad, still more than OPI - Classics and Neutrals are going to run you $13CAD and everything else I believe is $15CAD.
All in all...not bad...if they're as good as they seem.

I resisted the urge to fill my basket with every single one and choose only two.

Mind you, I spent entirely too long choosing and almost drove myself [and strangers nearby] insane.
I left with "Need for Speed" which is a classic chrome and "Volatile" which is insane glitter topcoat. I think it was from the Xplosive line.

Here's the result from the "Need for Speed" with ONE coat:

Pretty impressive.
It's ultra high shine - almost looked like there was tin foil on my nails. The photos never do anything as much justice as I feel it deserves. 

Not only did it give me full coverage with one swipe, but holy hell did it dry fast!!!!
I'm use to sitting and waiting for at least 20 minutes before I can touch anything....a little under 5 minutes and I was good to go. Impressive!

But heck, there's no way I could just leave em like that....we need a little bling on there...

That's better!
It seriously looks like a disco ball the second light hits my nails!
Again, ONE coat! How is this possible!? 

Okay...I have to say, my love for OPI has officially been replaced. 

If you're a nail junkie like myself and you have more polish at home then you could ever possibly use - you need to at least see these. I can't guarantee you're going to be able to leave without at least one. 

CIATÉ Feathered Manicure

Oh Ciaté, what will you come up with next in the innovative world of nail art!?

I remember how the craze started last year around the fall when they released Caviar nail sets. Admittedly, they looked stunning...but good luck keeping them like that for 10 minutes after you did them. There would be tiny coloured balls bouncing everywhere and randomly plunking off my nails all day long. 
Needless to say, an hour or two later and it looked like complete crap. 

I played around with it a bit and realized if you owned a gel shine kit, you could actually "seal" in the "caviar beads" with a top coat and setting the polish. Good luck trying it with a basic clear topcoat - the rainbow caviar bled everywhere!
Unfortunately for me, I simply couldn't handle the grainy texture on my nails and proceeded to pick the entire thing off. 

Next in line were the Velvet manicure sets. 
Great idea, really, it was...until you washed your hands. Ever seen wet velvet or suede?I ended up using the loose "velvet" with a glitter adhesive and applying it as an eyeliner.
It looks stellar!

Then they graced us with the sequin manicure set - which was very similar to the caviar set in the sense that it had giant chunks of glitter that you adhered to the polish. Again, terrible texture and personally didn't enjoy the look. I just took the glitter and used it with my make up.
After that....the very colorfoil manicure set [don't you love the play on words there?]. These were a great idea and actually looked fantastic...if you were lucky enough to get a set where the glue either wasn't fucked up or dried up completely. I ended up just taking the foil pages and using them with the Lip Rock adhesive on my lips. It basically looks amazing.

"Corrupted Neons" kinda came and went and is still lingering around but no one really seemed to care a whole lot. If it was a "glow in the dark" type of thing that might be interesting..but black light? Where the hell am I going to be where there are black lights everywhere?
I'm what you would consider a goth gal - I'm not hitting up any raves any time soon. 
Oh yea...and there was those "chalkboard" nails in there too somewhere. Almost forgot about those guys. Cool idea, though I found the pen tips too large to do anything cool with. Gel pens worked about the same though.

And finally this fall, we've arrived at Feathered Manicures. 

I was automatically intrigued.
I'm not sure if it was by the idea of having real feathers on my nails or if it was that this girls eye makeup was gorgeous.
Regardless, I had to see what it was all about.

You can get the whole kit for $25 CAD, which really is kind of a good deal since the kit comes with everything you need to make this happen...and again and again if you take the time to hit up a dollar store for more feathers or your local Michaels.

Here's what you get inside:

Despite it seeming like something simple, I still like to make sure I'm doing things by the instructions so that if I screw it up, I don't write a review blaming a product for not working properly when it's actually just me having done it incorrectly.
There's even a handy youtube video out there.

Base coated my nails.
Painted them a rather neutral shade [unlike me].

Applied the feathers. 

Cut em'

Filed em' 

and waited for it to fully dry. 

Then came the top coat. 

Now, this might seem like a simple idea, however, the feather is laying towards my cuticle. 

And I'm apply topcoat from my cuticle to the tip. 

Meaning, it's going against the grain of the feather. 

After struggling and feeling useless with my right hand [I'm right handed]. There's something that never crossed my mind about cutting with tiny scissors with the wrong hand. Luckily, I still have 4 fingers and a thumb on my right hand. 

This might be something to do with friends so they can help you. 

Anyway...here's what the end result was [and yes, this is the good hand. You dont' want to see the other one. Trust me!]

It's not bad.
I dont' hate it. 

I don't love it. 

I probably won't do it again. 

Now...to wait for the next cool thing to come through....
And off topic...any of you still rocking the newsprint nails?
I LOVE those!
Every time I do my nails like that I get nothing but compliments & a lot of "How do you do that!?" which I happily oblige them with the answer.
YAY for making friends with strangers!

Stila: Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow

There's something about Stila that always pulls me in - mostly it's because they usually are the first ones on the innovation train when it comes to products.

I started as a fan when I first tried the One Step Correct Primer. You could say I'm cursed with the ability to blush at the drop of a hat...or at least it can look like I'm blushing by the redness that often swallows my cheeks and nose. I loved the consistency, and what it did to even my texture, colour correct & even reduce the visibility of pores.

Then I was drawn to their new Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer. I'm not even sure where to start about why I love this. It's everything right there. The concealer in the correct shade [takes out the guess work and also forking over the dough for a separate concealer for those days you might need one]; which even has a tiny mirror in the lid!
The fact that the foundation is not delivered by a pump! It's actually a tiny spoon so you can scoop out just what you need and even get right to the nitty gritty at the bottom when you're just about out but are convinced there's enough for "one more day".
The darn thing even comes with a brush!
Awesome.

And then they released thier CC creams.
One of the best out there if you're looking to primarily address redness in the skin and aren't searching for something to even out hyper pigmentation [such as Smashbox's CC cream]. I enjoy the first application, where you rub the green onto your skin and watch the tiny pigment pockets turn it to a perfect shade. It's even okay for us oily folk.

But onto the real reason we're talking...the biggest and newest thing to hit the world of eye shadows.
Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow!!!!
When I first laid eyes on them, I was in love.
I hadn't even touched them yet and I knew they had to be mine.

What each package comes with:
ONE 0.07 oz eye shadow
ONE 0.06 oz special primer
ONE metal mixing pan
And you get it all for $42 CAD

You start by scooping out a tiny bit of the shadow which isn't a solid - it's more of a cream texture- and put it on the metal mixing pan.
Put a very small drop from the special primer and mix them together.
And BAM! You have this beautiful liquid metal right in your hands!

You can apply it dry without adding the primer if you like - but it'll be a more muted effect.

If you're looking for a more opaque effect, try patting it on with your fingers or with a small concealer brush. The primer not only turns your cream shadow into magic, it also works to provide a crease proof, waterproof finish.
It's also fantastic as a liner when applied with a liner brush...or heck, pop some on the your lips over a matte lipstick or stain [that's what I've been doing]

I know what you're thinking when you look at this - you're thinking the exact same thing I did - what the heck happens when all of the magic liquid primer is gone? Is this just a boring old glitter shadow then?

Can I purchase more magic primer on its own?
The answer to the question is no.
No you can't.
Very clever Stila....clever indeed...

But dont' fret! I've seeked out an answer and did a little trial and error [no, water will not work].
I tried a few different things - but the winner, by far...and even better than the magic primer you get with the shadow is Hard Candy's Show Girls Secret glitter adhesive

And it's yours....the whole freakin' bottle for just $5

You can get this amazing shadow in 12 different metallics and they're exclusive to Sephora.

And just to give you an idea of what they might look like in real life...on real skin without any fancy photography - just a silly camera phone - here you are:

The Colours featured above are:

                                                                                            Comex Platinum

Comex Gold

Metallic Merlot

Metallic Emerald

Kitten - nude pink

Too Faced: Air Buffed BB Crème Complete Coverage Makeup

I know, there's TONS of BB creams out there on the market.
And we're slowly getting the invasion of CC creams.
But how do you really ever pick one and what's the difference between a BB cream and a tinted moisturizer anyway?
Lots, but that's another bag of apples.

I've tried most of the ones that are out on the market - some I like, some I hate.
The big deal breaker for most is the texture, the colour and last but not least, how they handle shine on oily/combination skin.

So, you're asking, what makes this one any different?
A lot.
Let's start with the basics.

SPF 20:  We all know how important sunscreen is and we know the dangers of the sun on our skin.
              We know it can cause cancers, sunspots, and advance the aging process [something we all
              are wanting to avoid in today's society]. Luckily, products like this give us the option not to
              layer with a sunscreen and also are great for us forgetful folks who always seem to miss that
              vital step.

MATTIFIES: For us oily folks, this is amazing.
                I put it to the test on one of my work days. I wear my foundation for approx.11 hours under
                florescent lights. It's the true test of any product claiming to mattify.
                Even by the end of my stressful day, I was still 100% shine free!!!!

PRIMER: No need to add the additional layer to your  face - it's built right in!
               Great for days when you're running behind and don't have the time you need to get everything
               done.

MOISTURIZER:  Combination/normal/dry skin? No worries. This formula is designed to work with ALL
               skin types!!!!


Another unique aspect of this BB cream is that it's a cream to powder formulation. It goes on smooth and dries down to a beautiful flawless soft powder finish. It also comes in 5 shades, so even if you're a pale gal they have one for you! [I wear "snow glow"]

So what do I put it on with?
They have you covered there too! Snapped right on the very top is Too Faced's own buffing teddy bear brush! [And to put any of your thoughts to rest, it's not "real" teddy bears. You're laughing, but I've actually had to explain this before. Teddy Bears are NOT real animals. This is vegan friendly!]

You have everything right in the palm of your hand to create a flawless complexion quickly. so for you busy folks, this is a huge time saver and by the looks of your face, no one will ever be the wiser!
It's also great if you travel often [like myself]. It cuts down on the amount of products you're packing and it's also a heck of a lot less mess compared to some powder and liquid foundations.

Want your own?
You can pick it up right here at Sephora for $48 [CDN]!

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara

Dior is the master in the world of mascara.
If it's out there, they've done it and perfected it.

I've never been a huge fan of the original Diorshow mascara since I've always been a microbrush fan and never really enjoyed the big teddybear style brush.
Though, there is a method to their madness.
Just as a tidbit since your'e reading, the reason behind the brush style, the formula and the name of Diorshow is exactly as it sounds it would be.
It was originally used on the Dior runway as a replacement for false lashes. They were able to build and build without it getting hard and crusty. It's able to closely mimic the fullness of false lashes as well as the length due to it's buildability [is that even a word? It should be]. Due to the shortage of time between looks and prepping for the next walkway, MUA's actually started using toothbrushes to do a quick full application of the mascara; hence the brush design.

But we're not here to talk about Diorshow.
We're talking about their brand new Overcurl mascara.
Personally, I'm in love with it.

I'm lucky to have a fair lash length- but nothing that can compare to what this mascara can do.
Not only are you getting incredible length and separation  you're also going to get one heck of a curl; and that's without using an eyelash curler.
I didnt' find it as volumizing as some of the other mascara's in the Dior line, but it's not stingy either.
I know what you're saying; "Sure a curling mascara. I've never seen that before. Give me my "They're Real""
But here's the differences.
Partially it's to do with the brush shape. It's slightly curved meaning you can use it either way to give maximum curl to the lashes and maximum coverage. I personally use it curve side up [meaning the bend is downward] since it find it easier to apply that way.  It makes it easier to get at your bottom lashes as well.

The other point of difference is in the formation. It's made with a K-Polymer which is basically the same thing you find in flexible hold hairsprays. It lifts and holds the curl without making your lashes hard and crusty. You still have nice light flexible lashes with a curl that stays all day long with no need for a curler.

It is currently only available in black- but I'm sure with its success they'll allow it to join the ranks of their other mascaras with a blue, brown and a waterproof formulation.
As a sidenote, if you're concerned about its lack of waterproof ability, try grabbing one of Anastasia's lash genius waterproof topcoat. Trust me, it works! I tried and tested it through both rain and snow and I came out with everything running but my mascara.

Another great thing to pair with this and one of my favorites is Diorshow Maximizer Lash plumping serum. It works as an amazing primer and to help strengthen lashes. I often put a coat on before bed as well to give my lashes a little more support since I often wear large false lashes and constant wear can be tough on your lashes.

*This is with TWO coats applied and no eyelash curler.  My apologies for the unfixed slip up on the bottom lid. Dammit for close photos! I obviously need more sleep*

You can pick yours up exclusively at Sephora

Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector™

A new primer on the block promising us oily folks some shine relief, but can it deliver?
All the reviews across the world of the internet say yes, but I'm not that quick to believe.
So, I had to try it for myself.

I've never been a fan of the silicone feel of most oil combating primers and find them relatively heavy on the skin. This one is a little different.
It doesn't have that slickness that you find with most silicone/dimethicone primers.
It goes on and doesn't move.
It promises I'll be matte for 8 hours.

First things first, I start with my daily cleaning routine.
Cleanser, serum, moisturizer.
Take a small amount [pea size] of Becca primer and work it in your hands.
You can apply it to the entire face or just to the t-zone if that's where you're primarily oily.
Wait about 30 seconds to one minute before applying your foundation.
If you find that it's piling [balling up and rubbing off your face], then you've put too much on.

Another great trick with this primer is if you're exceptionally oily in the |T-zone or just have oily eyelids, you can also use it as an eyelid primer for your shadow.

My skin was automatically matte.
No questions about it.
But then I noticed a slight tingling over my skin and bit of tightening.
I assume this is how it helps to reduce pore size [most products that claim to reduce the visible size of pores use a warming and cooling effect. It opens the pores and cools quickly to cause them to shrink]. Remember, nothing can physically change the size of pores. We can only change the visible appearance of them.

I wanted to take a closer look into the ingredients since I'm curious what causes this effect. Unfortunately  there appears to be little information. I'll get in touch with Becca and when I find out the answer, I'll share it with you.
Despite being silicone free, it isn't paraben free.
That doesn't matter a whole lot to me, but I know it's a buzz word out there among consumers and something I get asked about often.

I put it through the test- my work day.
I arrived home 11 hours later and was still shine free.
No touch ups, nothing.

I officially LOVE this primer!!!!

If you're looking to pick up some of your own, you can get it directly from Becca or from Sephora