Size Issues...

All through my childhood and teen years I was naturally thin, and stayed that way until I hit my lowest adult weight two years ago- 112 lbs.  That might not seem that alarming, but it scared me into gaining back some weight.  Since then, the stress of college and marriage has caused me to steadily gain weight, until my recent plateau of just under 150 lbs.  This is the biggest I have ever been, and it has been hard for me to deal with psychologically.  I have a hard time exercising in a public gym, but I never get a difficult enough workout in my own apartment, and I am easily tempted by simple carbs and sweets (especially chocolate).  This may seem really trivial, but I think it relates to self-image and self-identity.  My body bears the scars of the choices I have made, but I realize that hating myself will only keep me from improving my health by exercise and proper diet.  Please realize that I am not telling women of the world to get skinny; I actually appreciate all body types.  I just know that I don't feel comfortable in my own skin, and I get physically ill quite often from bad nutrition and lack of exercise.  I can no longer justify living in a way that keeps me from doing the things I love, and makes me dump all sorts of negative feelings on my husband and friends.  That is why I am going to do a personal version of BatFit, and finally get healthy.  All my life, thin or not, I have never really been active and healthy.  That is going to change.

Meow, meow, meow, meow...

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.

Last week I received two full-size canisters of Pampered Puss powder foundation from Meow Cosmetics.  Let's take a look...

I got a jar each of Sleek Siamese and Frisky Siamese.

Not only do they hand-make all their products with no fillers or extra chemicals, Meow Cosmetics offers 85 foundation shades, with color bases being named for a cat breed (Siamese for neutral, Manx for warm, Bengal for beige, etc) and levels of lightness/darkness named for feline attributes (Sleek, Naughty, Slinky, etc.).  The website is a little unwieldy, but I think the enormous color range makes it worth it.

Each of these 85 shades comes in three foundation formulas; Purr-fect Puss (light/medium coverage), Pampered Puss (medium coverage), and Flawless Feline (full coverage).  I picked Pampered Puss because I have some acne and redness, but didn't want too heavy of a finished look.  All right, enough blabbing, picture time!

This is the unopened jar--it carries 1/4 cup of product rather than the standard 3 tsp in most mineral foundations.

Pretty lid!

This is the lighter color I chose, for my winter complexion (or whenever I feel like going pale)

This is one shade too dark for me now, but in the summer I think it will be perfect! If not, I can always use it as eye shadow or contour...

This is the two colors heavily swatched side by side. S is for Sleek, and F is for Frisky.

You can see that the Sleek Siamese looks too light for my hand, and that makes it perfect for my face.

For some reason it didn't show up on camera, but this foundation has a bit of shimmer under bright sunlight.

The shimmer doesn't bother me, as it is very subtle and helps to bring a bit of radiance to my dry skin.  Speaking of which, as long as I don't try to pile on the powder my skin is not dried out by this foundation.  I always put a layer of moisturizer and a layer of sun protection under my foundation, and the moisture from those products really helps the powder foundation both to stick effectively to my skin, and to not strip the oils from my face.

From ordering to reception, the process took about 2 1/2 weeks. Full-size jars of Pampered Puss foundation are $25.95, not counting shipping or sales tax.  Purr-fect Puss, being a lighter concentration, is $23.45, and the full-coverage Flawless Feline is $28.95 a jar.  Samples are a dollar, and each formula is also available in a travel-size Munchkin jar, which holds about a fifth as much as the full size.

Hope you found this helpful, and have a fabulous day.

All opinions are my own, and I was not solicited to do this review.

Detrivore's Mad Scientist Collection

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.

My set of Distorria's latest collection has finally arrived in my mailbox, and the colors are lovely!

Distorria states on the Detrivore website that this collection, which will be later expanded, was created from the same gray base and inspired by the "doom and gloom of winter."

All the pretties at once!

Here are the colors swatched over a stripe of Detrivore Original eyeshadow primer, in alphabetical order(descriptions in quotations are from the Detrivore website).

Apparatus: "satin gray with heavy purple shimmer" On my eyes, this translates as a pale, muted periwinkle

Hypothesis: "light taupe satin with heavy golden shimmer"  I love this shade--a cool, slightly pinkish taupe.

Laboratory: "satin light pink with heavy shimmer" This is a perfect cool baby pink or cotton candy pink.  Very springlike!

Lab Rat: "dark brown satin filled with heavy gold,  silver, and copper shimmer" This is a wonderfully understated shimmery copper.  By understated, I mean that it isn't overly bronze, red or orange in tone.

Specimen: "medium purple satin with heavy shimmer" This is a gorgeous violet, directly between lavender and royal purple.

Test Tube: "light blue satin loaded with different blue, white and violet shimmer"  This powder blue shade is pigmented, not chalky, and makes me think for some reason of Marie Antoinette

From left to right: Apparatus, Hypothesis and Laboratory

Lab Rat, Specimen and Test Tube

I think the names of these colors are fascinating, even if they aren't as murky or dark as I would expect from a "gloomy" winter collection.  In terms of formula, smoothness and pigmentation, I couldn't find one dud in the bunch--just make sure you use a cream eye shadow or sticky base if you want the full impact of the colors.  The collection in its entirety is selling for $19; individual colors are $4 each.

And now, the Mad Scientist look I wore today:

Hypothesis on the lid, Lab Rat in the crease

Closed eyeballs...

For foundation I wore my Meow Cosmetics Sleek Siamese foundation (review coming soon!)  with my L'Oreal gel eyeliner, Detrivore Lascivious blush and Maybelline The Falsies mascara.

Have a wonderful day!
All opinions are my own, and I was not solicited to do this review.

Morgana's Crypt Lipstick Review

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.

Hello everyone--I hope you had a fantastic Valentine's Day, whether you like the holiday itself or just had a normal Thursday.

Well, I have finally had a chance to not only receive two lovely lipsticks from Morgana's Crypt, but also try them out and see how they perform on a day-to-day basis. I apologize for the pictures; it was late at night and I had already removed my makeup, so I didn't want to show my entire face...

For my first order I chose Licorice, a simple black (with an optional licorice scent), and Absinthe, a nearly metallic shimmery cool green.

Licorice, unlike other black lip products from brands such as Rimmel and MAC, is completely opaque in a swipe or two and very creamy without being greasy or glossy.  There is no hint of red, purple or brown-just pure black.  I hadn't originally intended to order the scented version (licorice isn't my favorite candy by a long shot), but it turned out to be a sweet,unobtrusive licorice scent which dissipated soon after application.  This lipstick is not drying, but has very good staying power.

This photo does not do justice to Absinthe; in person, it is a deeper emerald green with intense metallic shine.  It is intensely pigmented, and even more moisturizing than the Licorice (be careful about keeping this one in your pocket or any warm place--the stick can become very soft).  However, it lasts just as long as the black, perhaps longer.

Both these colors, since they are so strong, take a little makeup remover or facial cleanser to remove completely. If I don't eat lipstick-destroying food (like sandwiches) and make sure to drink through a straw, this lipstick will survive lunch needing no more than a slight touch-up towards the inner lip and outer corners.  When I wear these colors, my lips feel silky and pillowy-soft--no dry waxes or nasty mineral oils here.  Also, each lipstick is handmade and completely vegan.  I give these lipsticks a 9 out of 10; the only reason I do not give them an outright 10 is because of their price.  The website lists each lipstick (not counting lip gels, lip glosses or lip palettes, for they all have separate prices) as $12 apiece, and that doesn't account for shipping or sales tax.  I ended up paying around $30 for two lipsticks.  Therefore, even though I think the formula is simply fantastic, I will get my more "mainstream" colors from drugstore brands and   only turn to Morgana's Crypt for my more unusual colors.

Have a wonder-filled day!

All opinions are my own, and I was not solicited to do this review.

Wake Up and Smell the...

I have always been a little bit of an oddball when it comes to perfume.  While I was growing up, I was discouraged from wearing any fragrance due to my mother’s sensitivity to it.  Since I hit college, however, I have never passed up a chance to smell some perfume or cologne that’s new to my nose.  I quickly fell in love with classic florals, rich orientals, and refreshing aquatic scents.  I love to wear rose-based perfume, as it is both classically feminine and, as a single note, appropriate for discerning guys.  I have gotten some flak in the past about smelling like freshly powdered baby butts or Grandma’s old dusty bowl of potpourri, but in the fashionable world rose is coming back as a sophisticated and versatile choice.  Inspired by an article in a popular women’s magazine, here are some of my top picks for anyone looking for rose perfume (especially if you don’t have $100 or so to drop on a department store bottle).

1. Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs

This is an online-only company with an enormous cult following and hundreds of perfume oils  to choose from.  The roses I have tried from their vast collection are Lucy’s Kiss, a soft, rich rose with warm spices and amber underneath, and The Rose, which smells exactly the way a fresh-cut rose bouquet does in person.  Samples (called “imps”) are $4 each or six for $22.  Full-size 5 ml bottles are regularly $17.50, though limited-edition scents are more pricey.      http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/welcome.html

1. Kuumba Made

Their scent Arabian Rose has been my go-to for a single-note rose scent which is fresh, warm and true to the flower without being overly harsh or screechy.  Kuumba Made makes roll-on perfume oils  of many different all-natural scents (including another rose scent called Tea Rose), and are available online or in stores such as New Frontiers or Whole Foods.  Each 1/8 oz (3.7 ml) roll-on is $9.50.  http://www.kuumbamade.com/store/index.php?p=home

1. Auric Blends

This is a company similar to Kuumba Made which I will be sampling as soon as my budget allows it.  They also make roll-ons of perfume oils (as well as solid perfume), but are slightly more accessible.  This range is actually famous for its incredibly popular scent Egyptian Goddess, which is more of an oriental musk, but I am interested in their Rose, Tea Rose, and Aphrodesia (rose with jasmine, sandalwood and vanilla) for the purposes of this post.  Auric Blends are available online, at health food stores such as New Frontiers and Whole Foods, and occasionally in small stores or boutiques.   Roll-ons are 1/3 oz (9.8 ml) for $7.50, and solid perfumes are $8.50 for a tub about the size of an eos lip balm.   http://auricblends.corecommerce.com/

Some other scents I would like to try sometime include Anais Anais by Cacharel ($30-$40) and Tea Rose by Perfumer’s Workshop ($20-$55).

Speaking of scents, my favorite “guru” to turn to in this respect is Katie Puckrik of the Youtube channel and print blog Katie Puckrik Smells.  She reviews everything from drugstore and celebrity perfumes to the most expensive, exclusive niche and luxury scents.  Plus, I love her witty, sarcastic humor; it brightens up nearly every review…especially for the scents she doesn’t like.  Have a wonder-filled (and wonderful smelling) day!

I was not paid, requested, or even contacted in any way to make this review.  Katie Puckrik does not know I exist.  All products mentioned have been bought with my own money or sniffed at a tester with my own nose. :)

Soft Lilac FOTD

The other day, after painting my nails lavender (SpaRitual Thunder Road), I decided to try my Detrivore Special FX blush as an eyeshadow...and it worked!

Here it is-

Beauty Stuffs:

Face:

Maybelline CoverStick Concealer in Light (my in-between while I wait for my Meow foundation to arrive)

Detrivore Pallor Mortis Dehydrating Powder

Meow Cosmetics Lush Blush in In-cat-uation (one of my samples from them-it's simply gorgeous!)

Brows:

Detrivore Fortress (a matte gray that still makes my brows look black...I don't know why. )

Eyes:

Detrivore Special FX blush in Conquest (on lid and blended out)

Maybelline Volum'Express One By One mascara in Blackest Black

Lips:

Revlon Colorburst lip gloss in Peony

And off to class I go!  Have a wonder-filled day!

SpaRitual Goodies (Pic Heavy)

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.

I ordered three SpaRitual nail polishes from Amazon.com, and managed to find colors I loved for $10 each with free shipping (score!).  Here are some bottle pics in natural light and an on-nail swatch of the one I'm currently wearing.

 

This is Crystal Waters, contained in the Cool Contraltos section of the SpaRitual website.  It is a fantastic, glowy aqua shimmer which is slightly more blue than green.  It is fairly thin, but not runny, dries quickly and is opaque in 2 coats.  I tried 3 to see if the color deepened, but all it did was fill in any slightly thin areas I had missed when painting the first 2 coats.  Be warned, though--use a base coat with this or it will stain your nails and cuticles.  No bueno.

Bottle shot! Soooo pretty...

 

Street Smart is an intensely black, glossy cream listed as part of the Earthy Low Notes on SpaRitual's site.  Mine was a little thick, so I added a few drops of nail polish thinner.  This color is completely opaque in two coats, and dries nearly as fast as Crystal Waters.  I have tried many black nail polishes, and this is by far the darkest, truest black I have ever seen.  It is also glossy enough on its own that I didn't even need a top coat.  This also isn't quite as stain-prone as Crystal Waters.

This picture doesn't show just how dark this color is on the nail.

 

This is Thunder Road, a medium lavender cream, part of the Cool Contraltos.  I first heard of this color, and the SpaRitual brand in general,  via Grav3yard Girl on YouTube.  I love lavenders and purples, especially in cosmetics, and have been looking for a replacement for my Planks A Lot Pirates of the Caribbean polish from OPI.  I even made a color comparison on my polish inventory cards:

 

Thunder Road is slightly lighter and brighter than Planks A Lot, but it's close enough on the nail for me to be satisfied.  Plus, the formula is pigmented, creamy, and flows well without being runny or gooey.  And now, 2 coats of Thunder Road on my nails with Beauty Secrets base coat and Rush 60 Seconds top coat.

My fingers look a little too pink here, but this was the only lighting I could find that gave an accurate representation of the color.

To finish, I am extremely satisfied with these colors.  The only problem I have now is making sure I can restrain myself from buying a whole bunch more!  They cost about twice as much as I would normally pay for a nail polish, but they can last up to 5 or 6 days, which is amazing for me, and the vegan formula is noticeably less stinky and drying than my 'regular' polishes.  Two thumbs up!  These polishes are available at Ulta, Amazon.com, and spas/salons all over the US.

All opinions are my own, and I was not solicited to do this review.

Sooooo impatient...

I have ordered the makeup stuff I mentioned in my last post, and am currently grappling with my adolescent need to have things NOW!  I do this every time; I order something online, get my hopes up that it might arrive in a week or so, then have to wait for 2-4 weeks for things to come in.  Honestly, I'm like a little kid when it comes to this sort of thing.

Not to worry, though; as soon as things start coming to my little mail box, I will swatch, photograph, and start wearing them.  I can't wait to get weird looks in the library again for wearing black lipstick...

Oh, the Horror! And assorted things to come.

Hello, I am back--this year was my very first Christmas, and it was awesome/crazy/wonderful and all those good things.  Somewhat recently I discovered the Skin Deep Database, which rates nearly all known cosmetic and personal hygiene products on a toxicity scale of 0 to 10 (0 being perfectly harmless and 10 being, "Holy bats, how is my skin not peeling off?!?").  Anyway, my interest was piqued and I immediately began searching for all the products I use and checking their toxicity levels.  Much to my chagrin, a large portion of my already fairly-small stash was rated at a 5 or higher, and personally I only feel comfortable using products rated a 3 or below, 4 at the very most.  This does mean that my red lip review series will be much shorter than expected; Covergirl Lip Perfection lipsticks, which have wonderful texture, pigmentation and lasting power, are rated a 7.  I don't know about you, but I know that some of my lipstick is definitely going in my mouth, and I just didn't want to risk it.  Shame, though.  On the up side, I will be trying mineral foundation from Meow Cosmetics, and will tell you guys all about it.  They have over 70 shades of foundation in 3 levels of coverage (light, medium and total coverage) along with coordinating concealers and skin-balancing primers.  The foundations range from pure white (definitely an awesome Goth or Halloween option) to the deepest rich browns.  I'm pretty excited, especially since I have always really liked powder foundation but have never really had the guts to shell out for mineral foundation.  I will also be trying some SpaRitual nail polish and possibly Morgana's Crypt (formerly Morgana Cryptoria) lipstick.  Thanks for your patience, and here's hoping that 2013 is your best year yet!

Emerald Greens

Hello, I hope everyone's holiday season has been a good one so far.  I got sucked into the stress of college finals, then the start of the holiday season, and have been sadly neglectful of this little blog.  However, I am back with some pictures of another Detrivore look I did, this time with some new colors which I will review more fully soon.

Picture time:

The color of Putrid is somewhere between the pics above and below.  It's not quite as yellowy as the top pictures show, but brighter than the lower one shows.  Darn you, camera!

Shadow from camera hand...eep.

Pardon the bad eyeliner; this was the first time I had worn contacts in weeks!  I had gotten used to putting on makeup essentially blind, half an inch from my magnifying mirror.  :)

The list of beauty stuffs:

Face:

Revlon Colorstay foundation Normal/Dry formula in 110 Ivory

Detrivore Pallor Mortis Dehydrating Powder (not actually dehydrating, but more on that at a later date)

Brows: Jordana Color Effects eye shadow duo in 08 Perfect Team, the matte black side

Eyes:

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer

Detrivore Original Eye shadow Primer

Detrivore loose eye shadow in Putrid (bright green on lid), Plague (dark green in crease), Abyss (little touch in outer V to darken) and White Chapel (for brow and inner eye highlight)

LA Colors loose eye shadow in Snow White to intensify highlight (I do not recommend this shadow; I got it at the dollar store and it is essentially fluffy white Mylar-esque glitter that goes everywhere. )

L’Oreal Infallible 24 hour Lacquer Liner (gel eye liner) in 171 Blackest Black  (I have to get a thinner eyeliner brush...I'm always making a mess with the one that came with the eyeliner.)

Maybelline Great Lash Big mascara in Blackest Black

Cheeks:

Maybelline Single Eye shadow in Pink Petal (I don't know what possessed me to buy a pale pink eye shadow, but I have since salvaged it by using it as a soft, subtle blush.  Hey, it works.)

Lips:

Rimmel London Lasting Finish lipstick in 070 Airy Fairy.  This is slightly pinker and more muted than my natural lip color, so it's great for days when I don't want my lips to be the center of attention.

Also, I was reminded this week why I should stay away from waterproof mascara.  I have only one tube, which I keep for days spent at the beach/pool or dealing with heavy rain or snow.  Flagstaff had its first major snow a few days ago, and since I knew I would have to be out in it I decided that it was an appropriate day to bust out the waterproof.  As usual, (why do I keep doing this to myself?) when I tried to remove it, it stuck to my lashes so badly that I ended up with six little eyelashes broken into stubs and blobs of mascara still stuck in the roots.  Not good.  Next time, I either have to try the Vaseline/olive oil removal method or just deal with runny mascara.  Oh, well.

Have a wonder-filled day!

A New Series...

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to a series of posts which may or may not interest you, but stem from a phenomenon I discovered in my makeup bag.  Red lipstick is an absolute classic, and can evoke an image of anything from sweet, fresh vintage 40's makeup to sexy night-out looks to mysterious, vampy Gothic makeup (which do you think is my favorite....).  I have managed to accumulate quite a few red lipsticks, mostly because a) there have to be 20,000,000 different shades of red and b) I always buy a new red lipstick when I'm about to run out of the one(s) I already have, and then the other tube(s) never get fully used up.  I thought it might be neat to run through the lipsticks I have, which are from various drugstore-available brands, and let you know how they are in terms of color, texture, wear length, and effect on the overall health of your lips.

The first lipstick on my list is a new one that I mentioned in an earlier post: Certainly Red by Revlon's Super Lustrous line.

Here is the stick itself all exposed in natural light.

This is a cream finish lipstick, not matte but entirely without sparkle, shimmer or frost.  It's a very classic, super-strong blue-toned red.

Lips in direct sunlight.

Lips in the shade.

I love Revlon lipsticks (the cream finishes, anyway) because they are smooth, soft without being prone to breakage, and fairly well pigmented.  The pigmentation level does depend on the individual color, but Certainly Red does not lack in pigment whatsoever.

I have chronically dry skin and chapped lips, so the drying potential of a lipstick is a large factor in whether I like it or not.  While this lipstick will not soothe and heal a badly chapped lip, it will not exacerbate it or emphasize dryness or lip lines.  Also, being a red lipstick, the staining power of this lipstick is pretty good and keeps lips looking powerfully red for hours.  Personally, though, I like to reapply or touch up after drinking or whenever I feel that my lip has lost most of the product; I'm probably just one of those oddballs who actually likes the feel of lipstick on the lips.

If you're curious, this is what I paired my red lip with on this fine Veteran's Day:

This is Milani Runway eye shadow in 11 Beach Sand with some Detrivore Vulture in the crease; my regular eyebrows and eyelashes (Jordana) with my L'Oreal Infallible gel liner in 172 Navy in the waterline.  No blush today...I was lazy.

Full face!

All right, that's all I have for now.  Have a wonder-filled day!

All opinions are my own, and I was not solicited to do this review.

Detrivore Dark Lips

Here is another look involving Detrivore, but without the dramatic eyes I used last time.  The lips can be kind of fussy, requiring more upkeep than a solid color, but I think it's worth it on a day that needs that extra punch.

Eyes closed to show eyeshadow better...

Eeeeeven clooooooser...

So, here is the list of beauty stuffs.

Face:

Revlon Colorstay foundation Normal/Dry formula in 110 Ivory

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder in Translucent 070-24

Brows: Jordana Color Effects eye shadow duo in 08 Perfect Team, the matte black side

Eyes:

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer

Detrivore Original Eyeshadow Primer

Detrivore loose eye shadow in Vulture (on lid)

Jordana Color Effects eye shadow duo in 08 Perfect Team, the matte black side (to deepen crease) and the matte white side (as highlight)

L’Oreal Infallible 24 hour Lacquer Liner (gel eye liner) in 171 Blackest Black

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara in 301 Black

Cheeks:

Detrivore blush in Lascivious

Lips:

Wet 'N' Wild Color Icon Brow and Eye Liner in 651 Black Black (used as liner and blended in)

Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in 625 Are You Red-dy (to fill in lip)

And, of course, no look is complete without my everyday glasses (I have awful eyesight) and my favorite drink, black tea with milk and honey.

Have a wonder-filled day, everyone!

Marketing Wearable Sex

Ha, got you, didn't I?  I was just thinking about a little tidbit I picked up from Women's Health Magazine.  Yes, I know Women's Health isn't even close to being alternative and is full of leggy bronze women and perfume ads.  I subscribe to the magazine for the exercise and diet tips, which I definitely need.  Anyway, in the November 2012 issue the mag stated that women are more likely to buy a lipstick that has a romantic or provocative color name rather than the exact same product with, say, a number or actual color (like mauve, ick) as the name.  That idea floated down into the back of my mind and hid in the shadows until I started researching new red lipsticks today.  Yes, I am nerdy enough to actually research makeup before I buy it, especially color photos of it on.  During this process I started to notice that all the lipsticks I put on my wishlist (except for a couple of older colors) have some pretty insinuating names.

For instance, I love the Covergirl Lip Perfection lipsticks, though I managed to try out the formula by accidentally buying colors I almost never wear (hence the research...).  The three colors I am now interested in are called Hot, Burn (ooh, la la) and Enamor.  Hmmm.

The lovely Temptalia's swatch of Hot

Temptalia's swatch of Burn.

Temptalia wearing Enamor.

I also like Revlon very much, but their color titles are pretty tame, such as Certainly Red, Wine With Everything, Black Cherry and so on.

Certainly Red from Revlon, swatched by Abbey Karson

Honestly, I think it depends on the particular slant the company wants to take with their product.  For instance, Goth-directed brands like Manic Panic and Morgana's Crypt, formerly known as Morgana Cryptoria (which I want to try someday; they're supposed to be fantastic) have color names like Raven, Blood Red, and Hell's Bell's (Manic Panic) or Twist of Fate, Love-Lies-Bleeding, and Medusa (Morgana's Crypt).  I couldn't use any pictures of Morgana's Crypt lipstick (you'll just have to look it up :) ).

Apparently nobody takes pictures of themselves actually wearing Manic Panic lipstick, but this is a pic of Blood Red in tube. Amazon.

Have any thoughts on the subject?  Don't be afraid to leave a comment and start a conversation.  Have a wonder-filled day.

Detrivore Dark Eye

This was one of the more obvious looks I thought to do with my new Detrivore eyeshadows (see last post for review and swatches).    I also thought that, to satisfy curiosity, I would list the other things I used on my face.

     Yep, this is me.

Eyeball closeup...

List of Beauty Stuffs:

Face:

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Concealer in Ivory,  Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation (SPF 20, win!) in Natural Ivory 20

Brows:

Jordana Color Effects eye shadow duo in 08 Perfect Team, the matte black side

Eyes:

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer (yes, this is a foundation primer, but it helps keep other stuff from creasing)

Detrivore Original Eyeshadow Primer

Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in 711 Black Magic (the shimmery black used as a color base)

Detrivore eyeshadows in Abyss (lid) and Vulture (crease)

Jordana Color Effects eye shadow duo in 08 Perfect Team, the matte white side (highlight)

L'Oreal Infallible 24 hour Lacquer Liner (gel eye liner) in 171 Blackest Black

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara in 301 Black

Cheeks:

Detrivore Special FX blush in Conquest (applied very, very lightly)

Lips:

Alba Botanica Coconut Cream Clear Lipgloss

Well, there you have it.  Thanks for stopping by!

Detrivore Cosmetics Review

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.

So, my order from online indie cosmetics store Detrivore Cosmetics just arrived 6 days ago (after about 5 weeks; I would have had them in 4, but they were shipped to the wrong address and I requested a replacement, which came lighting-fast), and I have had some time to try out the products and have some fun.  I decided to give this company a chance because

a) there is a huge selection of lovely colors

b) all the names and collections are rather gothic/horror inspired, and

c) these handmade, unique shadows are only $4-$5 apiece (depending on whether they are part of a special collection), and blushes are $6.

Be warned, I have quite a few pictures.

Eyeshadows come in a 5 gram jar and blushes in a 10 gram jar, both with sifters which makes them slightly less messy.  I didn't realize how tiny these jars would look until they arrived.

This is a blush and an eyeshadow.  All jars came wrapped in plastic with ingredient lists, great for checking for allergens.  The samples (of which I received two) came in little baggies with labels and their own ingredient lists.

Eye shadow bottom label

Blush bottom label

Sample baggie

Sample ingredient list

Anyway,  I picked three matte shadows, two shimmery ones, one shimmery blush (the standard formula) and two matte blushes from Detrivore's Special FX collection, as well as the original (clear) eyeshadow primer.

The actual primer inside is yellow, but if you put on enough to see the color, that's way too much and it will crease very badly.  Less is definitely more here.

Eyeshadow descriptions( swatched over stripe of Detrivore primer), starting with those closest to the knuckles, from left to right:

Abyss: matte charcoal black

Fortress: matte gray.  stone over primer, light dove gray by itself

BSoD (Blue Screen of Death): matte bright blue over primer, soft powdery blue by itself

Vulture: medium/light cool shimmery brown

Vitriol: shimmery deep bloody red

Wrist (samples):

Top: Acid Test: shimmery chartreuse-tinted gold

Bottom: Hack: shimmery faded reddish salmon-pink

These shadows are very pigmented, but they really need a sticky cream base to show their full color (hence the primer).

Blush Swatches (left to right):

Conquest: matte medium purple (from the Special FX collection)

Ironborn: matte medium/dark gray (from the Special FX collection)

Lascivious: shimmery light cool-toned pink with silver and pink sparkles

Here's a closer look at Lascivious. It's very close to my skin tone, but very pretty for a natural/subtle blush.





So, to finish, if you are willing to wait about a month to get it, these are lovely products at a lovely price.  I recommend it highly!  Looks made with these products are coming soon.

All opinions are my own, and I was not solicited to do this review.