Illamasqua Gives Thanks ...and 50% Off!

I've already tweeted about it and posted about it on my Facebook page, but for a deal like this, I need to touch all of my bases! To celebrate hitting 50,000 twitter followers, Illamasqua is having a 50% off EVERYTHING flash sale. And flash it is- those who saw my updates earlier know the original sale was planned for this morning from 12pm-5pm GMT and from 12am-5am GMT this evening. Due to an overwhelming response, Illamasqua has had to shorten the second slot to only an hour.

Use code TWITTER50 from 12am-1am BST (that's 7-8pm for those of you in Eastern Daylight Time) and stock up on your favorite alternate-ego must haves! For those of you who just can't decide what to get, here are a few of my favorites:

Satin Primer

Great for drier skin, or anyone that needs to add a bit of a luminous glow to their skin. There's no shimmer or pearl in here, just a nice hydrating primer. Use it all over before applying makeup, or A mix a drop in to your foundation for a more sheer, dewy finish.

Skin Base Foundation

One of my favorite foundations, bar none. Flawless coverage, seamless blending, long wearing, and a shade range to beat all others. Check out my full review for more details and color swatches!

Nail Varnish in Speckle

Illamasqua's nail lacquers are highly coveted; one look at this dappled lilac and you can see why! I've even seen one particular high-end polish maven dupe these, so Illamasqua must be on to something...

So, did anyone out there take advantage of this morning's sale? What did you get?

In Search of Smudge:My Quest For the Perfect Eye Liner!

Is there no longer such a things as a smudge-then-set eyeliner pencil? 150 years ago (or perhaps somewhat more recently) my holy-grail eyeliner, a Victoria's Secret shade called Black Berry, was reformulated. Ever since then, I've been on the hunt for a replacement- to no good avail.

The list of attributes that I require for success on this mission:

• The Correct Color. Black Berry was the *perfect* shade. Definitely a plum-not-brown, but earthy enough that it doesn't quite read as "purple". Leans red, so it brings out the green in my eyes, but it's not so red that it made my eyes look tired or bloodshot. Deep enough for good definition. Just. Perfect.
• Smudgeable. It is essential to me that a pencil liner be smudgeable. Softening the harsh lines of a pencil is great for more natural looks, but it also lends a hand in creating dramatic, sultry, smokey eyes. A diffused line is also friendlier to those of us that have small or hooded lids- a thick, heavy line weighs the eye down and makes it appear closed and small. Not to mention, a little smudgery can virtually erase the flaws of a hastily drawn (and perhaps not quite, exactly, perfect) line. 
• Non-transferrable. As previously mentioned, I have hooded lids. That means that when my eye is open, my top lash line touches my upper lid. Too many liners stamp their imprint, leaving an arc of color just above my crease, where the two parts of my lid touch. Not sexy.
• Decent Wear. Does anyone out there touch up their eyeliner mid-day? I know I'm not going to. Just stay on there, eyeliner. 

So, really, I'm not asking for much (or am I?) Yet the perfect replacement for my old-faithful has eluded me for years now. Here are just a few I've come across in my search, and why they won't be taking that place of honor in my makeup kit.

From top left to bottom right:

1. Victoria's Secret Eyeliner in Black Berry (Discontinued): If they still made it, I'd wear it every day. I adore the color, and, as I believe the above swatches prove, the superior smudgeability. All of these strokes began as a 1/4 inch mark in the center of the swatch, which I then smudged out on both sides with my trusty Lancome #10. You can actually see that the original 1/4 inch on some refused to blend out, leaving an unsightly "line of origin", but not my Black Berry. It smudges out evenly, without disappearing, skipping over creases, or flaking. And this sample was taken with a stub that's (I'm guessing) 7 years old. 
2. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 1999 (Discontinued): This has been my go-to lately, but it's far from my favorite. The color isn't bad, but the shimmer tends to migrate when you smudge the liner. That is, *if* you can smudge it. There is a very small window of opportunity with 24/7 pencils: try too soon and you'll wipe it all away, too late and it won't budge (as evidenced by the blotch of unblended color in the center of the swatch). Oh, and when I went to add the link to this, I found out this shade has been discontinued, so I guess it's good that I didn't love it! 
3. Tarte skinny smolderEYES™ Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Golden Tiger's Eye: This is one of my newest acquisitions. The color is a little less vibrant/more brown than I like (which may have prevented my purchase, if the Ulta I visited had had a tester available). Of course, this isn't a strike against the pencil itself, it's just my personal preference. The liner itself smudges fairly well- evenly spreading the color without sheering out too much. My biggest gripe about this pencil is how damn soft it is. The tip broke off the first time I used it, and even after sharpening and reapplying with very little pressure, the lead was still smushed in to one side. Not totally a deal-breaker, but it definitely takes some adjusting.
4. NYX Retractable Eye Liner in Deep Purple: as you can see, this doesn't smudge at all, it simply wipes away. Color wise, I liked it, and the price is definitely nice, but if it fails the smudge test, it's not my holy grail.
5. Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Matte Black: This one is obviously not in my desired color range, but I felt it deserved comparison as such a coveted and well-known product. It's definitely intense pigmentation wise, and smudges relatively well. I recently ordered two of the plummier shades in the line, Shimmering Plum (4L) and Burgundy (18L), and I'm excited to see how they stack up!
6. Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Lionfish: Again, the shade isn't at all close to what I'm looking for, nor is there really one any closer in the range. But, since this is actually called SMUDGE stick, I had to try it. As you can see from the swatch above, the name is a bit of a fib. Yes, the pencil smudges, but not at all evenly- the original line will stay in place, and blending can get flaky and patchy where color pulls away from the skin completely. Boo.

So, that's it for now. Of course, I have others that I've tried, but these were the notables. I will definitely post an update when I get my new Make Up For Ever liners, and my internet search has told tale of a Cover Girl liner that may fit the bill- that's going on my list too!

What's your favorite pencil liner? Is smudgeability a factor for you, or is something else your make-it-or-break-it trait?

Missha 2013 Friends & Family

The title and the graphic say it all: Missha is having a huge Friends and Family Sale. All items are at least 30% off, including my favorite BB cream of all time, Missha's Perfect Cover. Figure in a sizeable 50-70% off clearance section, free gifts with larger purchases, and free shipping on orders over $40, and it's a full-fledged event.

If you haven't taken the BB plunge, or have yet to try an authentic Asian BB cream (a totally different animal from the over-hyped US versions), I can't suggest Missha enough!

Julie G Frosted Gumdrops on Groupon!

I have been lemming these polishes since my friend Courtney (aka. Phyrra) introduced me to them.  These textured varnishes are a Rite Aid exclusive and are so reasonably priced a 3rd grader could grab one with her weekly allowance ($3.99/ea)! They've been sold-out online almost since they launched, and since the only Rite Aids I know of are 230 miles away, I was totally preparing to send my loving out-of-town Mama on a wild goose chase to get my hands (talons?) on these babies!

Then Phyrra came to my rescue with the alert that the entire collection of 6 shades is available on Groupon- for just $12.99!!! If you've been wanting to try the glittered-sand, textured polish trend, you really can't go wrong here- even with shipping (a couple bucks unless you spend $15, then it's free) you're looking at less than $3 a bottle! Needless to say, I snatched one up, so you'll be seeing my swatches & thoughts on the collection as soon as my fleet-footed mail person can get these to my door.

What are your thoughts? Are you a fan of the new gritty craze?

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Quick Tip: Re-purpose Your Rejects!

Anyone else have a shelf in your linen closet (a basket under the sink or a drawer in your room counts too) of lotions and potions sitting around that just didn't make the grade? I know I'm never going to put *that* stuff on my face again, but somehow I just can't bring myself to throw out a perfectly good (maybe, possibly, for someone else, not me) product.


If you're in the same boat, don't just let those bottles and jars sit around wasting space. Just because a product didn't work for its prescribed use doesn't mean you can't use it at all. Give new life to your castoffs: use facial cleansers, body washes or shampoos as hand soap (decant them into a pretty pump bottle and no one will ever know). Hair Conditioner makes a great hydrating shave cream, and believe it or not, that dud of a makeup primer might work better at smoothing down spilt-ends. Oh, and that $60 jar of moisturizer that turned out to be not quite for you? Stick the jar next to your kitchen sink or on your bed stand and use it as hand cream. In the end, you'll feel pretty and pampered while actually saving money and helping the environment- you might possibly even have a neater house when all is said and done!

Do It Yourself...Safely!

Mold growth on unpreserved body cream. Photo courtesy of Soap Queen.

Those of you that follow me on Facebook may have noticed a post recently, in which a friend shared this link to blogger Cara's recipe for DIY eye shadow primer. I checked it out, because I'm all about Do-It-Yourself lately (blame Pinterest). I am, however, also very concerned with safety and sanitation, especially where the eyes are concerned, so when I read the recipe (a mixture of Chapstick, liquid foundation and cornstarch) a warning bell went off.

As I explained on my Facebook page (and in the comments on MaskCara), cornstarch has a very high sugar content. Bacteria and fungus love sugar, so cornstarch is essentially an all-you-can-eat buffet for them, which means they multiply. Of course, it did occur to me that any commercial foundation used in the recipe would have a certain amount of preservative, but I wondered: is that amount enough to preserve the entire batch and keep the eyes safe from creepy-crawlies?

Without knowing the exact foundation, preservative & concentration, my research abilities were limited, so I decided to go straight to the experts. Through the modern miracle of social media, I posed the question to a few cosmetic chemists that I know- the fabulous Kelly Dobos, Chemists Corner's Perry Romanowski (author of The Beauty Aisle Insider and Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?) and UK based cosmetic scientist, Colin Sanders. To say there was a consensus would be misleading, but I think it's safe to tell you that the chemists agreed that a DIY primer formula was not without its risks. While Kelly and Perry felt like the cornstarch-based formula was chancy (especially around the sensitive eye area), Colin wasn't quite so conservative, saying he felt the risk, in reality, was very low. The whole discussion prompted Colin to cover the topic on his own website, and of course, I had to share.

Now, I'm not just tooting my own horn here (OK, maybe a little). I'm sharing Colin's post and our discussion with you because the issue goes well beyond one blogger's post on eye shadow primer. For many beauty-obsessives, the temptation to DIY is strong. The popularity of mass-market "natural" cosmetics is at an all time high, and the explosion of social media has given handmade indie brands the potential to reach millions. Do a quick search on online marketplaces like Etsy or ArtFire, and you'll find literally thousands of listings, for everything from eye shadows to soaps to wrinkle serums. Many of these products are unique, effective, high-quality, and most importantly, safe- but some...aren't.

When brands use readily available ingredients, and in some cases mix them up in kitchens just like ours, the logical conclusion is "why shouldn't I just make this myself?" Often you can (I'm doing exactly that this week for my daughter's birthday party favors). It's important to understand, however, the many considerations you need to make if you're going to whip up your own formulations. Just because a product is natural doesn't mean it's without risks (or, for that matter, a better choice than synthetics) and DIYers need to be savvy before playing chemist.

As always, I want to thank Kelly, Colin and Perry for so openly sharing their knowledge, and of course, big thanks to Karen, who originally posted the primer post on my Facebook page!