Gothic Mermaid Makeup Tutorial

My first ever tutorial!!!  It's just a slideshow, but I hope it still gets the point across.  It showcases some of the eye shadows I've been busy making.

Products Used:
Face-
generic moisturizer and sunscreen
Maybelline Cover Stick Concealer in Ivory
Meow Cosmetics Purrfect Puss powder foundation in Frisky Siamese
Eyes-
Phoenix Blood Cosmetics loose eyeshadow in Shining Armor (silver), Lady of the Lake (aqua), Gloaming (dark teal), Leviathan (dark charcoal gray), and A Very Juliet Story (light beige)
Detrivore Original eye shadow primer
Wet n Wild Fergie Take On the Day eye shadow primer
Wet n Wild non-waterproof liquid eyeliner
Almay Get Up and Grow mascara in black
Lips-
Morgana's Crypt lipstick in Absinthe

My Etsy shop for makeup can be found here, and is called Phoenix Blood.  

Have fun everyone, and have a wonderful day!

Rainy Day FOTD

The rainy season has finally come to Arizona, relieving the heat wave and rejuvenating the earth.  For one, I also feel relieved and refreshed when the rain comes...I probably appreciate it so much because of the dryness of my home state.
Anyway, I was inspired to do my makeup in cloudy, rain-friendly colors.

Blurry photo is blurry...ick.

My hair is in desperate need of re-dying...please look away from the bad roots and humidity frizziness. :)

Inner thoughts- "Is it focused? Is it? Is it?  Oh heavens, don't blink!!!"

Eyeball closeup!



Okay, here are the materials:

Face: Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss foundation in Frisky Siamese
Brows: Black mascara.  I still need to get actual brow stuff...
Eyes: Detrivore eye shadows in Apparatus (lid) and Abyss (crease and lower lash line)
I just finished it off with mascara and (slightly crooked) liquid liner.

Also, here is as much of my outfit today as I could photograph.  The stripey shrug (originally Forever 21), black dress (originally a slip) and fancy short necklace were all thrifted.  The rosary was originally rose scented, and came from a stall that sells Catholic and Rastafarian items in the halls of my university's dining hall.

Have a wonderful day!

Covergirl Eyeshadow Quad Review-Drama Eyes and Blossoms

The other day I was at Walgreens, searching for last-minute items to add to a gift basket I was making.  Of course, I couldn't leave without visiting the makeup section, and there was a BOGO 1/2 off sale on Covergirl.  So, I came home with two quads.  I have been craving burgundy eyeshadow looks lately (no idea why) and the colors I already had just wouldn't go together the way I wanted them to. So, without further ado, let's get to what I tried.

This is Covergirl's Drama Eyes palette, number 222.  This palette has been reviewed and used in tutorials multiple times, I think because of its accessibility and the rather unusual (for the drugstore) burgundy shade on the far right.

Here are my swatches:

The bottom row is without primer, the middle row is with Detrivore Original eye shadow primer, and the top is with Wet n Wild Fergie Take On the Day primer.  The best shades in this palette are the burgundy and the silver, placed second to the right.  The black ( which has slight shimmer that basically disappears after the first swipe with a brush) is extremely sheer, but blends fairly nicely.  The white is sheer as well, but super frosty and would still make a formidable highlight.

This is one of Covergirl's newer palettes,  257 Blossoms.  I loved the mix of bright and muted pinks and purples, and knew that they could make a fantastic "bruised" smoky eye.

Here are the swatches-the primers are in exactly the same order as the Drama eyes: nothing, Detrivore, Wet n Wild.

As you can see, there is one extremely disappointing color in the mix.  The light plum second from the left is basically invisible, despite all the packing I could muster.  However, it does make a nice blending shade for black, dark brown, or purple eye shadows. The dark purple is okay, but primer really brings out its shimmer and depth of color.  The two pinks are just fine, though primer helps them a lot too.

Overall, I give these palettes a 3.5 out of 5-they are quite affordable and extremely easy to find, but they need some working with to really get your money's worth from them.  They range in price from $5-$6 or so, and are available just about anywhere that sells makeup.

Hope that this helps-now go have a fantastic day.

Wet 'n' Wild Fergie Take On the Day Eyeshadow Primer Review

This review is not sponsored in any way.  All products were bought with my own funds.
Eye shadow primer.  It's that extra step in the morning that keeps your look brighter, crease-free and, most importantly, on your face for the duration of the day.  In the past, eye shadow primer was basically a two-man show-Urban Decay's Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance.  Nowadays, though, ordinary drugstore brands are coming out with products that mimic the high-end ones to great effect.  Here, then, is my take on one of the newest- an extremely long-named item made by the very inexpensive brand Wet 'n' Wild.

Sorry-I forgot to take pictures of the packaging before I opened it.

Here is the back side of the packaging with the ingredient list.  The product itself does not include an ingredients list.

Here is the tube-it seems to me that the way the company could manage to sell this product at a low cost was to skimp on the packaging.  I have had this tube and used it fairly regularly for about 3 weeks now, and the print on the tube is sadly worn and hard to read.

Here is the business end with the cap removed.  For the first 10 days or so that I used this, the second  I took the cap off primer would start oozing uncontrollably from the tube.  I felt like it wasted product-plus it made an awful mess on the applicator.

Here is the actual primer. There are two dollops of this on the back of my hand-the left one is blended out.  It is  completely clear, with a bit of sheen until it dries.

Efficiency-ie, whether it actually does what it's supposed to.  Well, both of these swatches are the chartreuse color from the Physician's Formula Shimmer Strip in Fashionista Eyes.  The left side (primer) is more shimmery and more vivid than the right side ( no primer).

I have started using this primer every day, even if I wear my Detrivore primer (hint-the Wet 'n' Wild goes underneath) because the Wet 'n' Wild wears like iron.  Not only does my eyeshadow not crease, it's darn near impossible to remove without serious cleanser.  So, despite the bad packaging, I will continue to reuse, and possibly repurchase, this.  I give it a 4 out of 5.  This primer costs $5 both online and in drugstores.

Hope this review was helpful-now go and have a great day!

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

Iron Man III Tribute FOTD

A day or two ago I went to the movies with my hubby and mom-in-law to see Iron Man III.  It. Was. Awesome!  The Avengers is still my all-time favorite comic-movie adaptation, but IMIII was tons of fun to watch.  The day after, I had a jones to wear red and black eye shadow.  I kind of wish I had thought to wear this to the theater, but that's the way things go, I guess.


(iPad pictures aren't so great in low light-sorry, guys.)



Whenever I curl my eye lashes, they look invisible when I close my eyes...

Anyway, here is the list of
Beauty Stuffs:

Face:
Nivea Creme (my fave moisturizer-I have super-dry skin)
Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss powder foundation in Sleek Siamese

Brows:
Black brow mascara
Detrivore loose eye shadow in Abyss

Eyes:
Wet N Wild Fergie Take On the Day eye shadow primer (review coming soon)
Detrivore loose eye shadows in Vitriol (lid) and Abyss (outer V)
L'Oreal Infallible Lacquer gel liner in Blackest Black (thin line on upper lid, medium line smudged pretty far down on lower lash line, plus tight-lining)
L'Oreal Voluminous Original mascara in Blackest Black (on curled lashes)

No blush or lippie, I ran out of time!
Thanks for stopping by, and have a fantastic day!

Sparkly Silver Nails Tutorial-and Bonus FOTD

Hey everyone,
I have damaged nails.  I have a habit of occasionally picking off my nail polish instead of using polish remover, and a lot of times I forget to moisturize my cuticles until it's too late and they look all dry and kind of hurt.  So, I have had to chop them off and start over many times.  This time, at least, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel; I should only have to chop once or twice more, and then I will be able to start growing long vampy nails (mwah ha ha!).
While my nails are extra short, I try to paint them lighter colors so that their tiny size isn't so painfully obvious.  Therefore, I wanted to share with you my favorite light nail look-sparkly silver glitter.

Step 1: Clean your nails, attend to all cuticles and possible hangnails, and brush on a base coat.  To mend my nails and help them grow in better, I'm using Nail Life Nail Revitalizer in the non-formaldehyde formula.

Step 2: Paint nails with two coats of your favorite frosty or shimmery white.  Here I'm using Finger Paints Well Cultured Pearl, which is glowy and awesome.

Step 3: Top it off with two coats of a silver glitter topcoat.  I used Pure Ice Beware, which consists of a clear base with heavy amounts of small silver glitter.
Now you're done!  I added these next two pictures to show the difference in shine between direct and indirect light.

Indirect light-sparkly

Direct light-blinding! Well, to my camera, at least.

To finish, I'll leave you with a little FOTD featuring Detrivore's Lab Rat eye shadow (part of the Mad Scientist collection) and Maybelline ColorSensational lipstick in their  new shade Deepest Cherry, which I am testing and will review shortly.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonder-filled day!

Amethyst Butterfly FOTD

Hi there!
This look was from a day or two ago, when the weather was very soft and springlike.  I felt it was definitely time to bust out the pink eye shadow.  I named this look after a great friend of mine suggested that the extended crease gave the impression of butterfly wings.

Beauty Stuffs:

Face: Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss powder foundation in Sleek Siamese

Detrivore blush in Lascivious

Brows: Detrivore eye shadow in Fortress 

Eyes: Detrivore Original eye shadow primer

Detrivore eye shadows in Laboratory (lid), Livor Mortis (crease and lower lash line), and Apparatus (to blend)

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies mascara in Black Drama

Lips: Revlon Color Burst lip gloss in Bordeaux

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonder-filled day!

Gloomy Blues FOTD

Hi all,
Today I was inspired by the hail and snow outside to do a look with gray and blue...it turned out a bit brighter than I expected, but I still like it.

Beauty Stuffs:

Face: Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss foundation in Frisky Siamese
Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in 127 Honeymoon

Brows: Detrivore loose eye shadow in Fortress

Eyes: Detrivore Original eye shadow primer
Detrivore eye shadows in Test Tube (Light blue, on lid), BSoD (Bright blue in inner crease), and Apparatus (soft gray in outer crease)
Detrivore Pallor Mortis white face powder to blend and highlight
Milani Runway Eyes eye shadow in 02 Black Out (as liner)
L'Oreal Voluminous Power Volume 24H mascara in 681 Blackest Black (review coming soon!)

Lips: Revlon Color Burst lip gloss in 008 Peony

By the way, I just finished performing in a production of Così fan tutte at NAU, and my hubby brought me some lovely orchids I just had to share.

Aren't they pretty?  Anyway, thanks for stopping by, and have a wonder-filled day!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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!