I fell completely head over heels in love with the Gap's leather moto jacket. The buttery soft leather is what did me in. There are some stellar pieces to help give your fall wardrobe a boost without breaking the bank, so swing in next time you find yourself near a Gap. Here are a few of my favorite items:
Every October I expect the amazing artists at M.A.C. to amaze me with their Halloween transformations. This year they naturally had a little bit of fun with the holiday, taking three of their artists and putting them to the test. After all, there is nothing like a good old fashioned competition to get your creative juices flowing! Each artist has three hours to create their look, so check out the intense webisodes on M.A.C.'s YouTube Channel to see what they come up with!
If you can't bring yourself to commit to fresh ink, but love to admire well designed tattoos, these new temporary tattoos might suit you very well! And at $25, these will only cost you a fraction of the cost of Chanel's temporary tattoo set.
This UD sleeve in progress is pretty cool! What a great way to freak mom out when you come home for the holidays! Haha :) Check out more tattoo designs below:
Pick these up at Urban Decay for $25! While you're there be sure to check out the holiday catalog featuring the Book of Shadows Vol. III (NYC), and some lickable powders (ahem!) among other things!
O.P.I.'s Black Shatter is a black top-coat that crackles as it dries producing a unique leopard-print effect on your finger tips. Check out the top coat in action in the O.P.I. video below. They also swatch some of the other upcoming shades from the Katy Perry & Serena Williams collaborations in the video so you have an idea of what they will look like on your nails!
The Katy Perry + O.P.I. Collection:
Last Friday Night, Not Like The Movies, The One That Got Away, Teenage Dream all by O.P.I.
I can't wait to try Black Shatter out on my nails! It is a definite must for me! What do you think?
The first image of the Lanvin + H & M collaboration has appeared and if the photo is any indication the clothes will be fabulous! I will definitely be fighting the crowds when the line hits stores. Until the fashion show debuts online (scheduled to appear on November 2nd), watch the H&M + Lanvin teaser videos below:
I love the versatility and ease loop scarves offer, so I've been on the look out for cozy chunky knits that will carry me through the cold season. I spotted two this morning that are both warm and fashionable, so bring on the layers!
Lately, I've been collecting rings- some large statement making pieces, while others are small, simple, yet unique. Odette has several rings available I simply adore...
Getting new art supplies has always made me supremely happy. I was the girl pleading with my parents to get the 96 box of crayolas for school when the standard 8 count was on the school provided list. (Seriously, how did they expect my creativity to be constrained to only eight shades?!) I suppose the Faber-Castell 250th anniversary box set is the grown up version of Crayolas 96 count box. There are only 1761 sets created available only at Colette for a staggering $1,761. I, like most people, will have to admire it in its virtual form. It is amazing though, and I would surely cry with happiness if it magically appeared on my doorstep! :)Add a comment »
I am getting married next April, so all things "wedding" have taken over my life. (Yes, I've become THAT girl). But honestly, who can resist "oooing" and "awwing" when beautiful wedding gowns like the one Christian Siriano designed for his sister, Shannon, pops up on your radar?!
Fall has arrived in NYC. It is cold & dreary, but Rebecca Minkoff's lookbook video puts a smile on my face! Watch below, but beware your wishlist is bound to grow...
I am smitten by O.P.I.'s Winter Burlesque Collection. The glitter, foil shimmer, and duochrome polishes are perfect for the upcoming season. As for possible or near dupes: Mad Hatter & Absolutely Alice come to mind when looking at the glitter shades Simmer & Shimmer and Sparkle-iscious, and M.A.C.'s Bad Fairy comes to mind when looking at swatches of The Show Must Go On! There is plenty of original shades to please even the most jaded glamazon. I can't wait to get my grubby paws on Teas-y Does It!
{top} Simmer & Shimmer (glitter w/ hints of blue); Show It & Glow It!(fuchsia glitter), Sparkle-iscious (multi-colored glitter), Let Me Entertain You (fuchsia foil shimmer), Ali's Big Break (red foil shimmer)Teas-y Does It (vampy dark burgundy w/ foil shimmer)
{bottom} Bring On the Bling (gold glitter), Glow Up Already! (green glitter), Extra-va-vaganza (orange glitter), Rising Star (shimmering gold), Take the Stage (warm orange with shimmer), The Show Must Go On! (deep shimmering pink w/orange duochrome).
Yesterday, I ran my first half marathon out in East Hampton & finished *pats self on back*! I'm very excited about that, almost as excited as I am about the M.A.C. & Disney collaboration: Venomous Villains! Okay maybe 13.1 miles surpasses the Villains collection for a few reasons. For one, I can't mask my disappointment that the Little Mermaid's villain Ursula wasn't one of the "chosen ones". Even so, I still found plenty of items to spend my hard earned cash on. I didn't buy Carbon or Melon Pigment because I already own them. I didn't buy the following products because I either owned dupes or near-dupes, or dupes are readily available in M.A.C.'s permanent collection:
Oh So Fair beauty powder-- I own Barbie's beauty powder in Pearl Blossom, while not an exact dupe (Oh So Fair is more pigmented with less of a silver sheen) I felt they were close enough I didn't need another super light pink Beauty Powder in my kit, but if you don't have anything similar and are fair skinned I would recommend it.
Strange Potion lipglass-- This is such a beautiful shade, but I already own Mimmy lipglass (Hello Kitty Collection) and Pink Lemonade Lipglass...swatched next to one another they are all in the same color family, and while not exact dupes, too similar to justify coughing up an extra $15.50
Innocence, Beware! Lipstick--I found it to be very similar to Hue Lipstick in M.A.C.'s permanent line
Her Alter Image eyeshadow--Beautiful Iris e/s in M.A.C.'s permanent line is a dupe
De-Vil eyeshadow-- Coppering e/s in M.A.C.'s permanent line is a dupe
Sweetjoy eyeshadow--I found this to have a number of possible dupes, Creme Royale from Hello Kitty's collection is very similar, Nylon e/s is in the same color family
Vainglorious eyeshadow--I found that Cranberry e/s to be very similar to this
She Who Dares mineralize eyeshadow- I own Blue Flame (from the Style Black e/s) which is pretty similar to the blue side of this e/s so I opted not to purchase.
Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty):
I purchased Briar Rose Beauty Powder, My Dark Magic Mineralize Eyeshadow, Formidable! Nail Polish, & Bad Fair Nail Polish. These are probably my favorite purchases out of the collection. I had previously planned to purchase the Revenge is Sweet Lipglass, but found it to be too sheer and too glittery, but if you can pull of Violetta lipstick (a MAC PRO shade), this lipglass would add a little glittery punch).
Maleficent Haul & Packaging
Briar Rose Beauty Powder
I LOVE Briar Rose Beauty Powder! It is very pigmented, so I can use it alone as a blush. It is the perfect shade of violet pink!
Briar Rose Beauty Powder
Briar Rose Beauty Powder, Heavy, Heavy Blended Out
Bad Fairy, Formidable! Nail Polish
The nail polishes are amazing. But, Formidable! & Mean & Green (not pictured) are dupes of two Orly polishes: Orly Galaxy Girl (Formidable!) & Orly Space Cadet (Mean & Green) Even so, I couldn't resist picking up Formidable! I love it that much!
Bad Fairy Nail Polish
Formidable! Nail Polish
Formidable Nail Polish
My Dark Magic Mineralize Eyeshadow
My Dark Magic Mineralize Eyeshadow
Props to M.A.C. because in the past year they have improved the formula of their mineralize eyeshadows. They are sooo much easier to work with. The color pay-off of this shadow is fantastic when applied wet. With just a little bit of Fix+ this shadow really pops. I swatched this duo with different bases below and photographed them in natural light
My Dark Magic Mineralize Eyeshadow in Natural Light (shade) Over French Quarter, Over Blacktrack, Applied Dry over Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Applied Wet with M.A.C. Fix + and no base
My Dark Magic Mineralize Eyeshadow In Direct Sunlight: Over French Quarter Greasepaint Stick, Over Blacktrack Eyeliner as base, dry over Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Applied wet with Fix + and no base
Venomous Villains FOTD:
Lips: Hot House Lipglass toned down with Strange Potion lipglass Eyes: My Dark Magic Mineralize E/S (fuschia side center of eye) purple side outer corner and crease, Stars & Rockets e/s inner half of lid (blended with fuschia side of My Dark Magic), Nylon e/s as highlight, Blacktrack eyeliner top lip winged out in a cat-eye shape, Smolder Eye Kohl on bottom lash line, followed by Lancome Mascara Face: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Natural Cheeks: Briar Rose on cheeks as blush blended out.
Evil Queen:
Evil Queen Packaging
Bite of an Apple Blush
I thought this blush might be too similar to Hipness or the dark side of Marine Life beauty powder from M.A.C.'s too the beach collection, but Bite of an Apple is less orange and more red then Marine Life and much darker (not to mention matte) then Hipness. The blush is very pigmented, but when blended out even my fair skin tone can pull off this shade!
Bite of an Apple Blush
Hot House LIpglass This was a re-promote from M.A.C.'s Strange Hybrid collection and initially I thought it would be a dupe for Hello Kitty's Sweet Strawberry lipglass, but Sweet Strawberry is very sheer and pinker in comparison as you can see in my swatch below.
Hot House Lipglass
Bite of an Apple Blush Blended, Hot House LIpglass
Hot House Lipglass
Hot House Lipglass, Sweet Strawberry Lipglass (from Hello Kitty Collection)
Bite of an Apple Blush, Hipness Blush, Marine Life Dark Side, Marine Life Light Side, Bite of an Apple Blush
Dr. Facilier:
Thoughts on the collection:
I was really excited about trying M.A.C.'s Magically Cool Liquid Powder, and while it was a lot of fun to play with at the counter, I found it to be incredibly gimmick with very little usefulness. I played with Truth & Light...it seemed too light, it didn't really apply evenly and seemed to dry with a near chalky texture that I didn't really care for. The effect wasn't worth the effort, but is certainly a cool product to play around with in store! Definitely not worth hard earned cash!
I already own Melon pigment, but if you don't, I highly recommend it. There were two other pigments re-promoted from the Make Up Art Cosmetics collection: Brash & Bold and Push the Edge, neither of which I loved in the first place so I skipped.
I am a fan of M.A.C.'s greasepaint sticks, and while I was hoping they would re-promote Style Black's Black Greasepaint stick because of the subtle purple shimmer, instead they re-promoted Slick Black from the Art Supplies collection which is easily replaced by M.A.C.'s Blacktrack fluidline. I did pick up the French Quarter Greasepaint stick because I previously only purchased the Below Ground Greasepaint stick and not 'Dirty' If you already own Dirty, then I would recommend you skip French Quarter as they are very similar.
French Quarter Greasepaint Stick
French Quarter Greasepaint stick, Melon Pigment, Melon applied over French Quarter
I love how using French Quarter as a base with Melon over it completely transforms the look! Beautiful!
Below Ground Greasepaint stick vs. French Quarter Greasepaint stick
Cruella de Vil:
I've already discussed the possible dupes and eyeshadows with this collection above, but I must pose this question: When did Cruella ever wear copper eyeshadow? Didn't she wear green!? Yep, on my lipglass illustration she is wearing GREEN eyeshadow. FAIL!
As stated before, carbon eyeshadow is a must-there is no better black eyeshadow. If you don't own it, buy it twice.
I love a good red lip, and Cruella does it better than most. I have swatched Heartless next to my favorite red M.A.C. lipstick Ruby Woo, and guess what, I may have a new favorite! Heartless is terrific!
Wicked Ways is a super bright red-- not for the faint of heart! If you are looking to wow, pick it up! As you would expect it looks great over Heartless
Heartless Lipstick + Wicked Ways Lipglass
Over all, I really liked the collection-the lip colors, nail polishes, and cheek powders were the cream of the crop. The packaging was good, but not still has not surpassed Hello Kitty standards (stamped kitty lipsticks will win every time). I would have like to see more original eyeshadows and pigments. And Ursula would have been way better than Dr. Facilier! I demand a Little Mermaid + M.A.C. collection now. Seriously, I'm lobbying M.A.C. and Disney starting now!
Posts
