these.precious.things

Urban Decay strikes again! Book of Shadows 4 and dupes

2011-09-11T13:59:00.007-04:00

I haven't posted here in SO long, I thought it was time to share some of the goodies I've picked up lately. Any there are MANY! I probably wont be able to post often, but will try as I have time. Im just putting this out here because I have purchased many newer products with the help of other people taking the time to post swatches on blogs, so Im paying it forward!

I didn't originally intend to get the UD BOS4 when I saw the first pics of it on Facebook. It looked boring and gimmicky and too neutral. But, then I saw it at Ulta and knew that I couldnt resist. UD strikes again, stealing all of my cash and making my wallet cry. Plus, I do own all of the other BOS so I figured I had to continue the trend! I have no plans to use the speaker or QR codes, but it is really nice that it comes with a full sized Perversion liner (which I was already planning on buying) and decent sized samples of mascara and Primer Potion. Overall, this palette isnt super unique and exciting, but it has a few fun colors and some nice neutrals for days where you want to key it low key.

Urban Decay Book of Shadows 4

From the palette the most unique and fun are Crystal (a little sheer but an icy blue with gorgeous teal and purple shimmer) Hijack, Lost and Gravity. They remind me of Fyrinnae shades with their complex multi shimmer (except Lost).

Swatches:

Brown Comparisons:

Purple Comparisons:

Green Comparisons:

And now for some hair product reviews!!! Another looong post!

2010-04-07T13:49:00.010-04:00

Some backgroud info...until January I had completely virgin natural red hair. I hadnt colored it in over 5 years. Well, that got boring and therefore I decided to go for a bolder red. Mass chaos and purchasing of hair care products insued. So, here are some reviews of my trial and error journey to the perfect hair. Hardy har har.

And here are my reviews...for reference I have medium thick, mid-back length ,wavy, slightly dry and frizzy, red hair that I color and straighten.

Sulfate Free Shampoos and Conditioners:

Basically I really love Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner (~$20) because it is Sulfate free and supposed to be great at preserving hair color but decided to look for something cheaper. I try to get about 3-4 days between washes and Pureology, while it leans toward drying out my hair ironically enough, it gets it clean enough that it doesnt get oily fast.

L'Oreal Ever Pure ~$7 - didnt lather much even for a Sulfate Free and left my hair very weighed down

Biolage Delicate Care ~$15 - smelled super nice but also didnt lather much and left my hair weighed down

Hairtrition (Sally's Beauty) ~$8 - Im digging this a good bit. Smells very good, lathers pretty well and my hair stays clean a day or two longer than with the two above. Also got the deep conditioner and it made my hair really soft in the shower. I also shedded a lot less than I have been lately with this.

Dry Shampoos:

Baptiste (Sally's Beauty) ~$6 - this is my long standing favorite so far. While it is white and can leave lots of powdery residue on your hair, it drys super fast and doesnt feel filmy or weighed down.

Shampowder (Informercial, purchased at Target.com) ~$15 - I bought this in search of a tinted dry shampoo for my darker hair. I had read about Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder in red but its ~$30 so I tried this first. The application method is a pain in the ass. It comes in a hollow wand/brush applicator like some of the mineral foundations do. It took forever to get it open and working and then not much comes out at once. It does have a nice vanilla scent and does blend in better with my hair. Its only average on soaking up the oil and doesnt leave my hair filmy.

Tresemme Fresh Start Waterless Foam Shampoo ~$4 - I was really excited to try this b/c it sounded so strange and intriguing. The directions say to use 2-3 pumps and that was way too much! It was like a foamy mousse that you massage in. Well, unfortunately I didnt love this because it took forever to dry and then it left kind of a film on my hair.

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo ~$4 - again, smells very very good and citrusy. But again, unfortunately it took forever to dry. Baptiste usually drys in about 30 seconds to a very powdery finish but this took over 2 minutes to dry and also left a dull filmy-ness to my hair.

Heat Protection products:

Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide ~$5 travel size - This is a serum type leave in that you apply while hair is still damp. Seems to be similar to Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, but a little less greasy. So far I have been using it when I first wash my hair and I have no real complaints or comments. I guess I should notice it keeping my hair healthier eventually and not breaking off as much after flat ironing...

Tresemme Thermal Creations Instant Heat Tamer Spray ~$5 - I have been using this when I touch up my flat ironing on day 2 or 3. It smells nice and doesnt make my hair greasy or weighed down. Adds a little sheen too. Again though, it may take a while for me to know if it is working.

Curling Products:

Tresemme Curl Hydration Creme ~$4 - I wanted something to put into my damp hair to activate and tame my natural wave/curl. Again, as with all of the Tresemme products (Im on a kick lately!) it smells great. I do think I used too much the first time, probably about a nickel sized amount, and should have done about a dimes worth. In other words a little goes a long way! It definetely gave me soft controlled waves.

Tresemme Thermal Creations Curl Activator Spray ~$4 - Havent tried this yet, will update with a review once I have!

Hot Tools Gold 1 1/2 inch curling iron ~$30 - I got this to replace my *seemingly* old and worn out Conair Instant Heat 1 1/4 inch curling iron. Despite reading tons of good reviews I hated it! It had a funny plastic smell and the spring wouldnt clamp on my hair enough. My curls fell out in about an hour. I also think that it was slightly to big for my hair length and the desired medium loose curls instead od just waves. Back this went to Ulta!

Conair Instant Heat 1 1/4 inch curling iron ~$15 - Im not sure why I thought I needed to replace this orignally! I guess I should have headed "if it aint broke, dont fix it" because this thing is way better than the Hot Tools. Spring clamps down great on my hair and the curls last forever. I dont know why I thought it needed to be hotter because its perfect. It also heats up way faster!

Deep Conditioners/Treatments:

Joico KPAK Penetrating Reconstructor (Protien Treatment) and Joico KPAK Intensive Hydrator (Deep Conditioner) - Im reviewing these together because it was recommended on Makeupally that they work best together in this order. It was recommended that you do the Recon. for about 5 mins and then the Hydrator for 5 mins. This is supposed to be especially good *before* hair coloring, but should not be done right after or you will strip the color!! Just ask me how I found this out...So far, I have done this treatment 3x and it seems to be keeping my hair pretty healthy despite me coloring it a lot more lately. Im hoping it really helps improve me hair over time.

Hair Color:

Ion Demi Permanent Hair Color (Sally's Beauty) ~$5 - This was my first experience with Demi Perm. color. The smell wasnt too bad and this stuff make your hair SUPER shiney! Loved that about it...but it fades super fast too. For me, in about 2-3 works.

Ion Permanent Hair Color (Sally's Beauty) ~$5 - I decided to try this and see if it would last bit longer that the Demi...so far it mostly is. The level of shine is pretty close to the Demi. My hair is still pretty bold, but red still rinses out with every wash. Looks like I can get about 4 - 5 weeks with this.

That is all for now!!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows II Look :)

2010-03-29T22:48:00.009-04:00

Here is a fun look from the UD BOSII :)

Jinx on the lid, Misdemeanor in the crease, Sellout to blend and highlight. Generic black eyeliner on waterline. Flipside liner on top lid with MAC Peacocky glitter liner on top...enjoy!

Latest and greatest purchases :) LONG POST!

2010-03-29T22:09:00.029-04:00

None of these are super new items to the scene, but they are things I've picked up lately and am enjoying :)

First is the sparkly Sonia Kashuk Quads from Target! The browns quad is Showstoppers, and the purple is...

Basically, these are uber soft and shimmery/glittery and are something even the biggest glitter ho wouldnt wear often. This coming from a big glitter ho. The base colors are pretty sheer and dont blend together super well. But, they are pretty fun and would be great for a club/date night look! The best thing about these is that they are a cheaper ($10.99 each for a quad) and slightly better version of the new Urban Decay Stardust shadows. So, if you are lemming those, get these!!!

Hard Candy's new blushes in Pin Up and Honeymoon: These are great!!! Very shimmery/frosty, but they go on smooth and give me just the right amount of color without looking garish. Pin Up is almost bronzer like on my lighter skin and Honeymoon is a gorgeous light peachy shade.

Next is some of the Hard Candy Eyeshadows. These arent super pigmented, but they are all nice and smooth. I really like how the have almost micro glitter in them for added fun!

Next is my Kohl's/Flirt Beauty holiday palette! If your Kohl's still has these, go get one! This is the perfect bronzy/neutral palette. Im not usually a fan of Flirt stuff but the eyeshadows in this are right on par color and quality wise with a few Urban Decay shades (baked, half baked, twice baked). I can do comparisons on request!

Next....living proof that I am a UD junkie :) I finally obtained all 3 Book of Shadows palettes!!! Do not ask me how much I paid...Im still feeling a little guilty ;)

Now, I have a love/hate thing with these...Love: so many colors of UD even at the prices I paid, its a better deal than owning them all full size. Hate: the portability issue. These are so clunky!!! I had to go out and get a bigger makeup bag to bring this with me to work. Yes, I am guilty of putting my makeup on at work. Sorry, I love my sleep :)

Below I did some comparisons of the shades that you will find in them. Many are similar, and many are the same. You will find the most overlap between the BOSII and AIW.

If I had to choose 2 out of the 3, I would choose BOSI and BOSII. But, I LOVE Alice in Wonderland, so I had to have that one too :)

Comparisons...
First are the aquas L-R: UD Peace Deluxe, BOSII Jinx, AIW Alice
Peace is the boldest and most pigmented, Jinx has a duochromy tint similar to MAC Tilt and AIW Alice is in between.

Now the Greens L-R: UD Graffiti Deluxe, BOSI Absinthe, BOSII Homegrown, AIW Absolum
Again, Graffitti is the boldest, Absinthe follows and the other two are a lot more sheer and golden.

The golds...well I spaced out and totally forgot what I swatched now, sorry!

Im pretty sure that is enough for one post!

Again, I appear out of nowhere...

2010-03-22T18:08:00.002-04:00

It seems that I have completely abandoned this blog and all things beauty...until now! I cant promise that I will post here much, but I would like to post some things occasionally because I know that when people search "Fyrinnae Swatches" they will always end up here ;)

On a personal note I will say that the reason I returned is that I am much more into beauty related things than I have been in over a year! Sitting in your house alone for a year with no job can do that to you. I have however spent a lot of time growing my Etsy business and making that a success, so it was worth the break. I also finally got a part time office job so now I have cash to spend on makeup and whatnot again, YAY!

While I attempt to find pics of some looks Ive done recently, I will entertain you with some hair pics instead :) Here is my latest...bright reddish purple hair, joy.

Another month gone by!

2009-04-18T01:11:00.004-04:00

Here I am again, popping up out of nowhere! I have been really dedicated to Knittyandcolor lately so I have been out of the makeup world for the most part. I could not even tell you what MAC collections are out right now...shame on me!!! On little tidbit below...an EOTD that has gotten raves from friends and family :)

I know one pic is not much, but its all I have for now! The eyeshadow in this pic sucks and is not worth mentioning but I used the newer UD 24/7 liners in Flipside and then Graffiti beneath it and wow. Love at first sight!!!! Try this look, it is sure to please :) Until next time!

And now onto something completely different!

2009-03-17T11:17:00.006-04:00

So, in my makeup downtime I have picked up a new hobby that has become more and more important to me lately and I wanted to share that with everyone :) I am a fiber artist!!! What does that mean, you may ask? Well, I have learned to handspin and hand dye my own wool. I know that sounds like a strange hobby, but I really enjoy it! Its another way for me to express my love of bright colors. I always enjoyed knitting, but never found yarn that I liked in conventional stores. So, I started to make it myself!!

I know that not everyone who likes makeup is also crafty, but I just wanted to share some of my work with those of you that are. Here are some products from my new Etsy store Knittyandcolor.etsy.com

I also have a blog that I will link to here Knittyandcolor.blogspot.com

Cerulean

Dying Love

Clementine

Grapes of Rath

Caspian

Solar Flare

Anyways, thanks for looking and letting me share my new creative outlet with you :)

Early St. Patty's EOTD with ebay 88 color palette!

2009-03-14T00:10:00.005-04:00

Well, I did this a few weeks back...but Im contemplating recreating it for St. Patty's day!! I know its a bit wild, but you only live once, right? I primarily used the 88 color palette from ebay and some other things that escape me right now. I know, how helpful to the reader, LOL! I know that I used MAC Minted Kohl and NYX Green Glitter Eyeliner too :)

I never did a full review of the 88 color palette, but maybe I will manage that some day soon. Overall there are some super cool colors and some crappy ones but its still a great deal! Im looking forward to getting the 88 Ultra Shimmer palette in the future because I think its more "me".

New Urban Decay swatches with EOTD!

2009-03-03T16:24:00.004-05:00

So, new Urban Decay stuff....my ears perked up immediately when I got word so I got in the car and drove to my nearest Ulta, where I found it all! Here are my swatches:

New Cream Eyeshadows

New 24/7 Eyeliners

Initially I bought Cream Shadows in Grass, Mushroom and Asphalt. These are the exact same formula and packaging as they were back in the day. The colors are just better and more unique. Grass is a very nice deep emerald green. Mushroom is a grayish taupe with loads of shimmer. Asphalt is black with uber glitter. I mean uber!

While I liked them as eyeshadow bases, they are not suitable to be worn alone (except Mushroom) and in the end I returned them because it felt like $17 each just to make my eyeshadow more vibrant wasnt a wise choice for me right now. I somewhat regret that and somewhat dont. If you have the money and intend on using these under eyeshadow, then go for it!

I also purchased Graffiti and Flipside eyeliners. These are pretty! Graffiti does have tons of silver microglitter that is visible on the lashline so beware. Flipside is the perfect marriage of MAC Blue Peep Fluidline's color and UD Electric's shimmer. I actually sold my Blue Peep after getting this. I thought I would love Ransom, but it just bored me IRL.

Anyways, here is an EOTD I did with Grass Cream Eyeshadow and Graffiti Eyeliner:

Also used:
UD Graffiti E/s
MAC Humid E/s
Jane Twilight Zone E/s

Thanks for reading!

It''s Alive!!!! Again!!!

2009-02-05T18:23:00.007-05:00

Yes, I again have dragged myself out from under a rock to blog to my very small, if still even existent, audience! I hadn't even logged in here in a while because I was sure no one missed me, but a few people seem to!! I feel so loved :)
I'm not typically one to dig on sob stories, but I've been MIA for a while because life has been very crazy! In October I was laid off from my job...albeit this was a life-sucking, soul crushing, stab yourself in the eye daily kind of job. I was lucky enough to get some severance money so it was a blessing in disguise. Shortly after that my husband's grandmother lost her battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis at the young age of 72. And the kicker...I had an unfortunate accident while snow-tubing (sledding but with a tube) and nearly broke my ankle! Two months later I still look like I have elephantiasis of the ankle. So, here I am...still jobless but finally able to walk, clean house and SHOP!!!! You may ask yourself "how can she shop if she doesn't have a job?". Well, thanks to my massive makeup collection and my dearest Clearance Bin on Specktra I can finance the occasional shopping trip :)
ETA: I began writing this a long time ago, but published it on 3/2/09

Phewwwwww, no onto the stuff that everyone wants rather than my blabbering, MAKEUP!!!!

Here is my Valentine's FOTD

Yeah, I got a little fluffy after spending over a month on my couch :P This pic is post dinner and post lip color.

I think I used:
UD Hotpants e/s
MAC Accent Red pigment
MAC Milady Duo red (in crease and to line bottom)
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

So, more updates to come...probably right after this one :)

Urban Decay Book of Shadows!!

2008-09-26T20:45:00.001-04:00

First off, this things is HUGE. Totally not portable!

The brushes are just ok...

Scratch vs. Scandal

Absinthe vs. Graffiti...I love them both!

Scratch vs. Scandal and Absinthe vs. Graffiti - Absinthe has more gold shimmer, and makes Graffiti look more kelly green.

Ransom vs. Mayhem

Ransom vs. Mayhem vs. Ashyxia - Mayhem has more icy blue to it IRL , it is the lovechild of Ransom and Ashphyxia

Protest vs. Mildew

MAC Humid vs. Mildew vs. Protest

Underground vs. Gridlock vs. Sidecar

and for fun, because I never noticed this in the Deluxe palette...so cute!!!

So, overall this is a very good value palette and would be a great purchase if you dont own any/many UD shadows. There are def. some repeat colors...but there are also some nice new colors in here! Even the repeats have some subtle differences that just dont show up in pics. I didnt get to swatch them all yet but Perversion, which does not look matte, looks really pretty. Also, dont expect to tote this around with you though. Its large and heavy and the drawer is a PITA to slide out.

My God where have I been....where have I beeeeeen??

2008-09-26T14:17:00.002-04:00

Sorry, quoting new UnderOath, which completely owns me. But Alas, I have fallen off the face of the earth and returned again. Work has still been crazy and life sucking and there have been some possiblities of some interesting doors opening in my life which I cant tell you about now, but hopefully in a week or two :) I've also become completely engrossed in knitting scarves (again) as well as the art of spinning! I ordered my first drop spindle this week so I should be spinning soon ;)

So, here are my contributions from the past few weeks...

Here is what I used...which I did not photograph the labels and now forget what all of the names are :( I know that the Fyrinnae greens are Leif and Elven Dagger...

Next...yay for fancy hair and falsies ;)

And in case you dont have supurb vision...MAC Kitschmas, Violet and Entremauve, forget which falsies Im wearing...

Thats all for now, but stay tuned because I have some new UD goodies....including the Book of Shadows palette which is waiting on my doorstep now!

Nothing new to post, so here is something from the archives!!!

2008-08-29T22:57:00.006-04:00

I've been having some eye irritation issues (this is like a quarterly thing for me) this week so I wasnt able to even wear makeup until yesterday. So, instead of posting something new, here is an EOTD from a while back. I dont remember everything I used but Im pretty sure it involved Fyrinnae Ink in Makeup Sex as a base and some Archetype colors on top. If anyone is really desperate to know what I used, let me know and I will try to recreate it! Hopefully I will get some time tomorrow night to produce something new :)

Mermaid-ish and Coppery Peach EOTD's

2008-08-22T22:34:00.005-04:00

Yay for early release Fridays from work! The only time I actually get around to doing fun makeup. Too bad today was my last one :( Anyways...on to the goods...

used:
MAC Sharkskin as a base
MAC Teal pigment all over lid
MAC Eyepopping in middle of eye
MAC Blue Peep on upper lash line (kinda jacked it up a little)
Archetype Oceans Of the Night in Outer V
MAC Jewelmarine over outer v

used:
MAC Perky Paint Pot as base
MAC Pink Bronze in inner 1/3
Archetype Yowie the Night Beast in middle of eye
Archetype Integra's Dog II in outer v and to line bottom
MAC Blacktrack to line

The story of my second Archetype order...

2008-08-15T11:21:00.006-04:00

Two new posts....and all in one day?!?!?! Amazing! So, here is what happened with my second Archetype order. My original order date: May 21st. Resolution in paypal reached: June 30th. My order was received in middle to late July!

Basically after all of the emails I sent Archetype none had been responsed to at the time my money was refunded. Then, oddly, other people on MUA had the same happen but started to receive their orders anyways. The same happened for me! Then, even more strangely, someone responded to my emails about the order and offered me 10 more free samples! I got those about 12 days ago.

All in all, what a weird experience. I ended up with about 50 free samples about 2 months later. Do I feel bad that I got them all free? Somewhat. But was it my fault that they got so behind? No. Would I recommend that you purchase from them? Unsure. I personally think that there is no excuse, other than death or extreme illness, not to respond to emails from customers for such a long time. But, they did do the right thing in the end. Also, I have to say it again...some of these colors are beyond unique and gorgeous.

I havent gotten around to swatching all of the second order, and Im not sure I will for a while so I decided to swatch my favorites from both orders below!

L-R: Conjunction, Papaver Somniferum, Erotic Underground, Savage Garden (looks just like Papaver Somniferum but they are pretty diff. IRL), Deep Sunless Sea, Oceans Of The Night, Angel Of Indulgence

L-R: Alexandria, Sunset Spice, Yowie the Night Beast ( I finally have it!!!!), Valley of Kings, Dead Roses, Call of the Bunyip, Oleander

My absolute must haves are Oceans of the Night (gorgeous deep foresty green with dark greenish teal shimmer), Call of the Bunyip (vibrant pinkish red with a blue flash but it has a coppery undertone and flash) Yowie the Night Beast (love the name the color is pretty too! copper with loads of coppery, red and pinkish shimmer) and Valley of the Kings (foily gold with blue and green shimmer/glitter)

Some HIP Duo swatches and dupes

2008-08-14T08:49:00.016-04:00

Finally something new and interesting to post, and time to do it!!!! Weeee! I just want to say thank you to the people who continue to read this and give me support to move forward. Its really really nice to know that some people actually find my pics and info to be valuable!

Moving on to the good stuff...I guess I just had a hankering for a cheap haul so I picked up some of the new HIP Duos at Walgreens for BOGOF. I got Gunmetal, Guilded and Sculpted as well as Saucy from the regular collection. Total of $15 and change. I had purchased some HIP Duos in the past and thought that the quality was great but that I had MAC dupes of them all so I always just used the MAC and put the L'Oreal aside.

Clockwise from top left: Saucy, Gilded, Gunmetal, Sculpted *note, I have not done EOTD's with these so my below reviews are based on swatching only, however I feel I can make a good judgement on wearablity after swatching.

Accidently switched the order on these L-R: Gilded, Saucy, Scultped, Gunmetal

Here I decided to swatch the HIP duos against what I thought were dupes. From left MAC Beauty Marked, the dark shade from Scultped, Fyrinnae Still Breathing, MAC Apricot Pink Pigment, light shade from Sculpted.

Honestly, I think that the dark HIP duo shade is better than Beauty Marked! It was more smooth and the pinkish red shimmer showed up more (couldnt get a good shot of it). Still Breathing has a much blacker base and has redder rather than pink shimmer. Apricot Pink wasnt as close as I thought once I swatched it, its much lighter.

Here are my dupes for the Guilded Duo...dark shade from Guilded, Archetype Ornaments of Gold (there also may be a Fyrinnae dupe, but I didnt have time to look), light shade from Guilded, UD Deluxe in Honey. Honey is way more yellow and less bronze than Guilded. The Archetype dupe is waaaay more sparkly than the HIP.

Here are the duos I had from the past not pictured above...Showy and Roaring. L-R: MAC Parrot, Teal shade from Showy, Blue shade from Roaring, MAC Deep Truth. Basically, if you never got your hands on Parrot, Showy is perfect. I do however like the Blue from Roaring almost better than Deep Truth. Its much deeper and brighter but has less sheen. I've heard its also very similar to UD Deluxe in Adore. I didnt swatch the matte shades in those duos because I honestly dont love the colors.

Here are my overall thoughts: L'Oreal really has some great MAC dupes here. The frostier/shimmery shades are very smooth and pigmented. The matte shades are just ok IMO. But, if you are on a budget and dont already own a ton of MAC, these are really a great choice!

Where am I?

2008-08-04T11:22:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I wonder if this blog thing was ever meant to happen on a full scale...First with the laptop fiasco and now I am just so busy with my friends wedding this weekend, work and my own personal funk that I have been in that I just havent made the time to post anything new. I apologize and will try to do better, but I wonder if I will ever post things often enough to keep people interested in coming here...

IM REALLY BACK!

2008-07-23T10:45:00.054-04:00

I finally have my laptop back!!!!!! I really never thought the day would come...its been over a month since I broke it! Luckily it is now repaired, but is missing a screw and now smells very strongly of cigars and patchouli. But at least I have it :P

A while back, I mentioned that I had swatched and photographed all of my Fyrinnae collection mainly because I had gotten a bunch of new colors since I had swatched them a long time ago. So here they are! I know this isnt terribly exciting, but its all I have for now. Each set has a pic showing the names in the same order as in the swatch pics then a shot taken in direct sunlight and one taken with a flash.

On a related note, I finally figured out how to upload pics directly to Blogger rather than Photobucket so that you can see pics at but larger...but now when you click on them they are WAY too big. So, I will try to adjust that. In the meantime enjoy :)

In the meantime

2008-07-13T18:05:00.004-04:00

Looks like Im getting my dearest laptop back middle of this week...I will believe that when I see it. In the meantime, Ive been considering getting some colored contacts just for shiggles. I had some turquoise lenses in high school and it was always fun to change my eye color according to my mood. So, here are some colors I chose on Freshlookcontacts.com. Im not sure how to do a formal poll thingy, so feel free to comment on which you like the best! I like so many of them, I may get them all...ok maybe 2 or 3?

Update again....

2008-07-07T14:10:00.002-04:00

This whole laptop fiasco is really getting out of control. So, a new power cord was not the solution. Now, after many phone calls I found a place that can look at repairing it by the end of the week. Just to look at it. Then, who knows how long before they can repair it. I am so sad/angry with myself for dumping the stupid thing on the floor. Anyways, in the meantime, I finally took the time to swatch and take pictures of my entire Fyrinnae collection. I actually spent almost 3 hours on this over the weekend. Can we say pathetic?? So, either I wait until I get my laptop back to post them or I try to do it on a Mac. Honestly, for me it may be faster to wait ;)

In the meantime I just wanted to share my newest obession. As always, me = late to the party. While picking out books to read on vacation I picked up Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Here we are 8 days after I began reading it, and I've read it, New Moon and Eclipse...and have begun to read Twilight again. Ok, I like to read...but I am not the type of person who reads at every spare moment and constantly has their face buried in a book. Honestly though, I could NOT put these down. I am already counting down the 25 days until Breaking Dawn is released. And yes, I know this is supposed to be young adult fiction. Yes, I am 26 years old. So what!!!! Im not even into the fantasy genre...no Harry Potter for me.

At this point you are either thinking 1 of 2 things.

1) Wow, she really does catch on late...I read Twilight like 2 years ago!!!
2) WTF is she talking about?

If you are thinking the first thing...hey, at least I found out what I was missing eventually!!! If you are thinking the second...here is a link:

Stephenie Meyer - Twilight Series

In closing, if there are any looks you would like me to try or any things you would like swatched...please feel free to ask. Im low on ideas, and since I have nothing to do but sit around and reread Twilight...oh wait, I want to do that ;)

Help may be on the way!

2008-07-02T13:43:00.002-04:00

So I ordered a new power supply for my laptop and it should come tomorrow or Saturday...then hopefully thats all it needs. If not, I need to start saving some cash. Cross your fingers for me that that will fix it! Otherwise, as Derek put it, my computer is nothing but a brick.

Im back!!!! Sort of...

2008-06-29T15:35:00.003-04:00

Well, I am back from my glorious week vacation at the beach. We had a great time just laying around and reading!!! The reason why I say Im only sort of back is that I dropped my laptop this morning and totally jacked up the power supply. I am currently typing this with only about an hour worth of battery left. After that Im SOL. So, until I buy a replacement charger or find out that its a worse problem and I need to replace the laptop all together, I will have to share with my husband and use the computer at work :( So, until I figure out a plan I wont be able to post many new pictures at all. In the meantime I will try to figure out something clever to babble about...so stay tuned!

Fyrinnae Endangered is here!!!!

2008-06-20T20:36:00.005-04:00

Ok, quick and dirty like...here is what I ordered from the new Fyrinnae Endangered Collection. Not a disappointing color in the bunch, not that there usually is. Im so glad these came before I leave tomorrow!!!! I am pretty sure that the guys at Fyrinnae have a deal with the Post Office...these shipped on Wednesday and arrived here today, from 2000+ miles away! I really look forward to doing some FOTD's with these when I get back.

Javan Rhino and Bali Mynah look the same but they definitely arent!!! Yes, you need both ;)Im really glad I got Orca because its way prettier than I thought it would be.

Tapir is also way prettier than I thought it would be, its very velvety smooth.

A close-up of Monarch Butterfly because its so pretty!

And I ordered these in addition because I didnt have them yet, surprisingly! Oberon is way more purple and sparkly IRL. One Night In Belfast is 10 times prettier than the swatches on Fyrinnae.com!

Since these are smaller and harder to read: AM Archmage, One Night In Belfast, Oberon, AM Conjuror

Updates...

2008-06-19T08:53:00.003-04:00

Sorry that I havent posted anything new since Monday. A) I have no idea how many people are actually reading this besides Kay ;) and B) I have been busy preparing for a week vacation that begins on Saturday (praise the Lord). Im hoping to post some new things when I return.

About my Archetype situation...I contacted Holly 4 times via email and never heard back so I filed a Paypal dispute. I then gave her an additional 4-5 days to respond and still heard nothing. So, this morning I escalated to a claim. I really hate to do that, but really, why not just respond to me and say that she is really overwhelmed etc. and will get my stuff to me eventually? I would have accepted that. I think the saddest part is that I now do not get to own "Yowie the Night Beast". I really loved the name of that eyeshadow!!! I think that that would be an appropriate nickname for my cat Charlotte. Anyways, once I hear anything else I will be sure to post it here.

One more thing, my latest Fyrinnae order shipped yesterday. I got about 80% of the new shades and a few old ones. I am crossing my fingers that it will come tomorrow so that I can do some quick and dirty swatching but we will see.

Teal and Brown FOTD, with falsies!

2008-06-16T09:25:00.007-04:00

Here is my first full FOTD...I dont do those often for many reasons, but here goes! Sorry that I skipped the blush and lipcolor. I just didnt get around to it. I got this look from someone on youtube that does some really amazing FOTD's and I will post a link to her if I get her approval. My first time using false eyelashes too :) Enjoy the metric asston of pictures. FYI, my hair isnt quite as bright red IRL, for some reason the flash really makes it look bright :)

Without Falsies

And now With...

What I used:

NYX Teal Glitter Liner
MAC Shimmermint Shadestick
Clique Cream Shaper Duo in Mink
WnW Palette (bottom color in middle, palette is upside down though)
Stila Palette (middle and dark eyeshadows)
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
MAC Teal Pigment
MAC Grain Eyeshadow
Ardell Lashes - Demi Pixies (I think)

My 2nd Archetype Order :(

2008-06-15T09:52:00.003-04:00

Well, I ordered over 3 weeks ago and have nothing. I understand that some people have waited much longer, however, I have emailed them with a question about my order 4 times now with no response. I dont think that is a good sign! I hope it doesnt sound like I've jumped the gun but I filed a Paypal dispute today. I hate to have to do that but it sounds like she has disappeared on more people than just me and I want to make sure I get my money back before its too late. Anyways, I will post updates when I have them. I guess now I have to see if she answers at all or if I need to escalate the claim. Poo :(

Sites I love :)

2008-06-13T10:57:00.004-04:00

Just thought I would take a moment to give more info about the sites I love...just for the heck of it!

Makeupalley - I have been a member now for almost 5 years! If you have never visited it is the most helpful and damning website for those who love cosmetics. Between the reviews, pictures, message boards and swapping...what more could you ask for?!?! By the way, I am Angel2247 there :)

Specktra - I love Specktra because there is a slightly edgier vibe and because many of its users predominantly use MAC as well. There are some super talented girls and guys there! I am Deathcabber there.

Threadless - I collect a lot of things...and Threadless t-shirts are one of them. I currently own over 20! I love the entire concept of the public designing shirts and the public choosing which are best. Also, anything limited edition usually lures me in ;) One negative for me though...recently Threadless starting using their own shirts rather than American Apparel and they do not fit my spare tire as well. Guess thats my problem, right?? ;)

Fyrinnae- I think my love for them is obvious! They offer such a wide range of bold and neutral colors that are always unique and rarely boring. Not to mention that they actually have fun names for their shades...no Dusty Rose here!!! And finally, the guys who own it are truly top notch.

Etsy - there are no words for how awesome Etsy is. Truly. Anything handmade you can dream up is probably already for sale...and usually at a very affordable price! Not to mention, if you get really crafty yourself, you can sell there too. I have bought bath and body products, jewelry and other accessories there and never been disappointed!

The Animal Rescue Site - Finally, this is my daily attempt to be charitable...If you click just once a day you can provide .6 bowls of food to a shelter animal! Now, I know that sounds like a scam, but lets hope not. So, save this link in your favorites and click for pets!!!

Smoky Purple EOTD

2008-06-13T10:13:00.001-04:00

Here is my attempt at a bold yet smoky purple EOTD!

What I used:
WnW cream E/s - pink - as a base
Fyrinnae Sennyo - lower 1/2 of lid
Fyrinnae Lemmus Sibiricus - upper 1/2 of lid
MAC Grain - blended up to brow
Fyrinnae Fyre and Ice - crease
MAC Parfait Amour - lower lash line
L'Oreal HIP Eggplant - top liner
Jordana Blackout - bottom liner

***note, I did photoshop a little of this because I did a really messy application, just wanted to be honest about that!

Yellow Eyeshadow Swatches

2008-06-12T18:26:00.004-04:00

Today I got a request for a recommendation for an eyeshadow that is similar to MAC Chrome Yellow but with shimmer...so, I decided to swatch all of my yellow eyeshadows :) I apparently own a few, and I didnt even venture into gold. Hey, you never know when you need to wear yellow!

L-R: Fyrinnae Banana Mochi, Fyrinnae Magic Missiles, Taylor Made Minerals Sunflower, MAC Chrome Yellow, Fyrinnae Leo

These are all a bit more shimmery IRL, but the pic doesnt show it!

Green and Yellow EOTD

2008-06-12T10:54:00.005-04:00

My offering for today...an uninspired Green and Yellow EOTD. I tried 4 different looks last night and didnt like any of them that much...this was the best. Sometimes you just don't have it!

Used UD Graffiti, Fyrinnae Leif, Fyrinnae Dragonmagic, MAC Chrome Yellow and Clinique Cream Shaper Duo in Mink/Sable (Love this!!!!)

I really wish Clinique would make the colors in the CS Duos permanent...they are so nice!! I got 2 Mink/Sable and I'm very glad I did. These are so creamy and they last pretty well too.

Brushes

2008-06-11T09:01:00.004-04:00

I've been asked to post what brushes I use...so here goes! I really thought I had a ton of brushes until I laid them all out, now...not so much.

(brand unknown, from Ulta) flat liner, (brand unknown)liner, Japanesque(from travel set), (brand unknown, from Target)taklon concealor, Sonia Kashuk eyeshadow, SK eyeshadow, SK Blender (has a pointier tip all though it doesn't look that way, SK Blender, SK Special Edition Blender, MAC 219, MAC 217, MAC 187

Out of all these brushes, my must haves are the SK Eyeshadow, SK Blender and the MAC 219. I use these for every eye look. If you have trouble defining your crease due to eyelid shape like me...the MAC 219 is a lifesaver. I really need to own 2!

Fyrinnae EOTD - Aztec Gold

2008-06-10T08:37:00.002-04:00

Just thought I would share a gratuitous EOTD that I did last night. I am thinking of sending it to Fyrinnae as another gallery submission :)

Here is what I used! I need to upgrade on my teeny sample of Choco Cake Mix!!!

Eyeshadow Primers and Bases

2008-06-09T09:20:00.006-04:00

Today I thought I would take some time to write about using various products as a base for your eyeshadow. I've found that to get the most staying power, color and opacity out of your eyeshadow you must use a primer and a base. I know this seems like I'm adding an extra step but in my experience it really can help! Now, what do I mean by this?....

First, choose an eyeshadow primer that works for you. This is the product that will keep oil from causing your eyeshadow to smear and evens out the tone of your eyelid. For me, these only slighty even out my eyelid color as I have very dark eyelids. I personally have tried MAC Paint in Bare Canvas, Too Faced Shadow Insurance and the almighty Urban Decay Primer Potion. In my opinion UDPP is the best, however it can be very drying to eyelids and subsequently can cause eye irritation for a very select few people, such as myself. However, as you will learn, my left eye is sensitive to EVERYTHING. For everyday use I have been using the TFSI. So far, so good, it just doesnt last quite as long as UDPP.

Secondly, I choose what I call a base for color. There are tons of products that can be used for this. MAC Paint Pots, MAC Shadesticks, MAC Fluidliners, Fyrinnae Inks, and even things like Wet N Wild Cream Eyeshadows. You may ask, why do the first step and not skip right to these? For me, wearing any of these alone is just asking for creasing about an hour later.

So, the complicated part to this....not all bases work with all eyeshadows. I know, pain in the arse. Luckily Ive used trial and error to take the guess work out of it for you! Here is a list of what works with what the best. You will note that Fyrinnae and Taylor Made Minerals are the main eyeshadows that doesnt really work well with some things. Their unique texture is the culprit. Do to them being more powdery, they bind too much to things especially Shadesticks and you will not get even color.

MAC Shadesticks - MAC pressed eyeshadow and pigments, UD pressed eyeshadow, The She Space, Archetype
MAC Paint Pots - MAC pressed eyeshadow and pigments, UD pressed eyeshadow
Fyrinnae Inks* see note below - Fyrinnae, Archetype, Taylor Made Minerals
Wet N Wild Cream Eyeshadows - MAC pressed eyeshadow and pigments, UD pressed eyeshadow, The She Space, some Fyrinnae, Archetype, Taylor Made Minerals
NYX Cream Eyeshadow Pencils - MAC pressed eyeshadow and pigments, UD pressed eyeshadow, The She Space
Rimmel Shake it Up Liquid Eyeshadow - MAC pressed eyeshadow and pigments, UD pressed eyeshadow, The She Space, Fyrinnae, Archetype, Taylor Made Minerals
Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliners *not completely tested as of 06/09/08

So, there you have it. By no means are these rules, they are pointers...please feel free to try whatever works for you! As you can see below, sometimes it makes a difference and sometimes not...sometimes the camera just doesnt pick it up either :P

Left is MAC Bitter - bottom swatch on skin, middle on TFSI, top on MAC Pharaoh Paint Pot
Right is MAC Parrot - bottom on skin, middle on TFSI, top on MAC Sea Me Shadestick

Left is Fyrinnae Shallow Sleep - bottom swatch on skin, middle on TFSI, top on Fyrinnae Turquoise Tease Ink

Right is Fyrinnae 1.22 Gigawatts - bottom swatch on skin, middle on TFSI, top on Fyrinnae Captivating Cobalt ( I actually like this better just on TFSI)

Left is Fyrinnae Finnegans Wake - bottom swatch on skin, middle on TFSI, top is on Fyrinnae Charismatic Cream

Right is Fyrinnae Optimism - bottom swatch on skin, middle on TFSI, top is on Fyrinnae Lewd Lavender

** When using Inks: the Color Changing Inks are a lot more oily and do not work as well. With the standard Inks, make sure to pat them on the lid, let them dry a little and then apply the eyeshadow while the Ink is still slightly tacky.

Archetype Cosmetics Review

2008-06-05T10:47:00.006-04:00

Just thought I would take some time to write my thoughts on Archetype Cosmetics. I head about them on MUA about the same time as most people and was tempted into an order around mid March. They have samples availale for .25 cents that come in a zippered baggy, they are about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Many people hate getting sample baggies but I never find them messy to use I just forget I have certain colors!

Anyways, as far as customer service I think that there are some problems. Archetype was flooded with orders around when I first ordered. My order came within 2 weeks, but many people waited between 3 weeks and a month with little or no communication from the owner (even when they sent inquiries!). Archetype also does not send out any confirmation that your order has been shipped, which I personally do not like but I digress. For some reason I have been tempted into ordering a second time...we will see how that goes!

When I got my order I was over and underwhelmed all at once. The sites swatches and descriptions aren't terribly accurate but the colors are still very pretty and unique. Many have a duo color quality to them and/or shimmer that makes them unlike most colors you have ever seen. Make no mistake, these are not for the faint of heart or for those who insist on being "work appropriate" at all times, they are SUPER sparkly. My only qualm is that these really need a colored base under them such as a MAC paint pot or Fyrinnae Ink to really bring out the depth. So, after all that blabbing here are the swatches.

Persnickety, Torn Fishnets, Zeljana, Back to the Sea, Bengal, (not sure), Unseelie Court, Spook, The Oak King, Old Eire, Obssidian Butterfly, Full size color (not sure of name)

Poison Pen, Smoking Mirror, Queen of the Nile, Fool In the Rain, Seelie Court, The Gargoil Trees, St Alia of The Knife, Mausie

Child of Hounds, Erics Song, Venus Fly Trap, Ornaments Of Gold, Spook (for the second time apparently, oops!), Integras Dog II, Liliths Daughter, Red Death

Exhisit Corpse, China White, Autumn Leaves, Black Dahlia, Weeping Willow, Green Fairy, Dark Ouija, Twilight Aeval

Betties Bangs, Momento Mori, Turquoise Serpant, Ghost Dance, Katerina, Sly, Burning Water, Fuschias For Simon

Silumtoo, Midnight Aeval, Feathered Serpent, Cicatrix, Sex and Candy, Papaver Somnifer, Corpse Candle, Integras Dog I, Soap Bubble

Fyrinnae Endangered Collection Preview

2008-06-05T09:29:00.003-04:00

Here are swatches of 2 of the new Fyrinnae Endangered collection. I got them as freebies for sending in a pic using only Fyrinnae products which will hopefully make it to their gallery! (shown below) Thanks so much guys at Fyrinnae!!! I cant wait to purchase most if not all of the other colors once they are all up. I really cant wait to get Javan Rhino and Blue Whale...and of course it is pretty cool that they are donating a portion of the price of these to WWF!

Sea Turtle is very similar to Oil Spill (discontinued) but is a little sheerer and more shimmery.
Okapi is pretty unique!

What I used for the EOTD, the Ink was used as an eyeshadow base. I will post some thoughts on that later!

Fyrinnae Swatches

2008-06-04T13:55:00.004-04:00

Now, these are horribly out of date, this is only about half the colors I own but this is the best I can do for now. Many of these colors are discontinued as well. I will try to get a comprehensive list together of what I own soon!

Blues

Browns

Greens

Light Aquas

Light Pinks

Peaches

Pinks

Purples

Reds

Teals

Silvers

Yellows

Stash

2008-06-04T10:28:00.004-04:00

Now that I have introduced myself, I thought that I would introduce my stash :) Most of these are not completely labeled properly because I was too lazy to do it, so please let me know if there are any questions! These pics are about a month old so I have acquired some things since then that desperately need swatching!

where its all stored, unit designed and built by my husband

inside

blushes

misc lippies

mac lippies

L - R: MAC Zonk Bleu, UD Flipside, MAC Chillblue, MAC ClarityMAC Meadowland, MAC Parrot, MAC Plumage, MAC Deep TruthUD Mildew, MAC Humid, UD Asphyxia, MAC Satellite DreamsMAC Swimming, MAC Velvet Moss, UD UVB

Listed by palette, clockwise, and L - R beginning at the top of each palette :UD Rust, MAC Chrome Yellow, UD Blunt, MAC GrainJane Magical Mushroom, MAC Twillery, Milani Antique Gold, Jane Twilight Joneempty, MAC Mothbrown, MAC Thunder, MAC GraphologyUD Hotpants,MAC Nocturnell, MAC Beauty Marked, MAC InventiveUD X, UD Jones, Milani Sun Goddess, Milani Java Bean

eyshadow palettes, 4 MAC to be depotted: Freshwater, Bitter, Parfait Amour, Aquavert and MAC Milady Duo

all eyeliners, glitter eyeliners and eyeshadow bases

MAC pigment samples

ALL 128 Fyrinnae samples :)

All of my mineral e/s...Fyrinnae, TaylorMade Minerals, The SheSpace (sample baggies), Archetype Cosmetics (sample baggies)

Hello!

2008-06-04T09:57:00.001-04:00

So, this is my first post on my first blog ever. Yes, I am behind on the times....it happens. I created this blog as kind of a landing space for all of my beauty related reviews, pics, swatches...you name it. I have been into beauty for about 5 or 6 years and have been a member of various makeup related sites over the years such as MakeupAlley, Specktra, ICompact and so on. Be it a blessing or a curse, these sites took an interest and molded it into an obsession! I am a big fan of MAC and Urban Decay as well as mineral makeup brands like Fyrinnae. I also have some drugstore favorites here and there. Im also a total nail polish and bath & body junkie. While I may not post here daily, I plan to try and keep it semi updated as a resource to fellow beauty junkies ;)