Wednesday, December 10, 2014

ColourPop Cosmetics First Impression and Swatches

Ever since YouTube beauty bloggers KathleenLights and CoffeeBreakwithDani posted videos on their ColourPop eyeshadows and lippies, I became obsessed. I had to convince myself for a good few months to get some of my own and see if its really worth the hype. The shadows texture have been compared to Maybelline bouncy blushes while the color pigment has been compared to Maybelline Color Tattoos. I had to see for myself if the claims were true.


The packaging was a bit excessive in my opinion for five little things. It came a giant brown box and this Colorpop box was in it. To my surprise they left a cute little message for me. I really appreciate the personal appreciation the company shows for their customers. How cute and thoughtful!


ColourPop Eyeshadows
Top row from right: Game Face, I ♥ This
Bottom row from right: On the Rocks, Liberty

Lets not waste anytime and get right to the swatches!

ColourPop Lippies: Lumière (left) Frida (right)

ColourPop Lippies: Lumière (right) Frida (left)
These two lippies are one of the reasons why I was easily convinced to order. KathleenLights loves warm tones for the eyes and cool tones for the lips as I do. Her makeup style is very much in line with mine which is why I was super excited she created this shade. It's perfect for everyday as is Frida which was made by CoffeeBreakwithDani. Lumiere is matte finish cool tone mauve while Frida is a satin finish warm tone pinky-peach. Both are gorgeous for everyday wear, glide on like a charm, highly pigmented, and moisturizing which is great for this winter season. I do recommend exfoliating your lips with a scrub or sponge and prepping them with lip balm before applying.



Now for the shadows!

This has to be the most versatile one of the group. It's a shimmery taupe shade with specks of glitter and makes a great all over lid shade, perfect for any look.

ColourPop eyeshadow: I ♥ This
ColourPop eyeshadow: I ♥ This
  
This is probably the most beautiful copper eyeshadow I have laid eyes on, my goodness I'm going to cry! I can't tell you how much I love copper tones and how great they look on most people especially colored eyes. It reminds me of an amped of version of Maybelline's Copper Craze. So amazing! I see myself using this the most.

ColourPop eyeshadow: Game Face
ColourPop eyeshadow: Game Face

These are one of those gorgeous surprise shades. It's a brown with violet glitter specks in it. Very unique and a beautiful crease or all over lid shade. Can't wait to try this one out!
ColourPop eyeshadow: On the Rocks
ColourPop eyeshadow: On the Rocks
Last one is Liberty, a super metallic silver shade that literally looks like foil like omg super pigmented, I'm going blind. This is great for dramatic looks, definitely not everyday wear.

ColourPop eyeshadow: Liberty
ColourPop eyeshadow: Liberty
Here are all four swatches together so you can tell the difference between them. I took pictures from many angles so you can get a better idea of what they look like. Now that I look at the swatches, I kind of wish I could have bought something out there like a blue, purple, or green. I wanted to be safe and buy something I'd wear everyday but the two middle shades look very similar. I guess trying them on will give me a better understanding of how they are different. Can't wait to start using these!

ColourPop Eyeshadow Swatches
From right to left: I ♥ This, Game Face, On the Rocks, Liberty

ColourPop Eyeshadow Swatches
From right to left: I ♥ This, Game Face, On the Rocks, Liberty

ColourPop Eyeshadow Swatches
From right to left: I ♥ This, Game Face, On the Rocks, Liberty

ColourPop Eyeshadow Swatches
From right to left: I ♥ This, Game Face, On the Rocks, Liberty

The swatch video!




Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Bollywood Top 5 of the Month




Not bollywood, it's actually from a Pakistani drama set in the 70's starring Humsafar's Mahira Khan. The title song is sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and anything he sings is pretty much gold!   

Drawing Ellie Goulding

I love all things art but I hate anything time consuming. I've always loved painting but the set up and clean up time takes more effort than drawing. The most enjoyable and quickest way to satisfy my art craving is to doodle on my little sketch pad. Enjoy!


Friday, September 26, 2014

OOTD: Green Cardigan Casual Work Wear





Cardigan: Ann Taylor // Top: Old Navy // Pants: Ann Taylor // Purse: Michael Kors // Shoes: Urban Outfitters // Necklace: Charming Charlie // Ring: Buffalo Exchange 

I normally wear flats to work and layer. I had bought this cardigan which has a unique leather border a few months back. When I went to exchange it because of a minor flaw they were having a sale! Half off! So I got two for the price of one! I got the deep burgundy color and a forest green because those two colors are hard to find when it comes to good quality cardigans. I paired it with my favorite black felt flats that have a bow on top and a new top I just got yesterday. The silky material is great for layering since it doesn't bulk up. Overall silhouette is simple, safe, and has some pattern and a pop of color to make it interesting.  I'll be doing a review on the hair color soon!

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Ebay Jewelry from India!

I'm going to try to keep my posts short and sweet. I've been really wanting to expand my desi jewelry collection... since I'll be a married woman and all soon ya know. I don't expect to go to many post wedding gatherings nor do I expect to wear real jewelry all the time, which is why I got this beautiful set off Ebay for only $19.90! Got it shipped directly from India FOR FREE. Is it good quality? Time will tell. I haven't worn it yet so you can expect a follow up/ OOTD (outfit of the day) post later.

The set comes in 7 beautiful colors. I'll be posting pictures of the one I have soon so you know what to expect. Here is the link so you can get one yourself! You're welcome ;)

Link to set 

Bollywood Top 5 of the Month










Monday, September 22, 2014

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick Swatches

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Lovecraft 
Kat Von D Studded Lipstick Packaging 

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Lovecraft

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in L'ecole Des Femmes
Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in L'ecole Des Femmes

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in L'ecole Des Femmes

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick Swatches- Indoor lighting- L'ecole Des Femmes (top) and Lovecraft (bottom)

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick Swatches- Florissant lighting- L'ecole Des Femmes (top) and Lovecraft (bottom)

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick Swatch in L'ecole Des Femmes
Kat Von D Studded Lipstick Swatch in Lovecraft

When it comes to the formulation of this lipstick, either people love it or hate it. I'm one of those who happened to love it. Not particularly in the way it makes my lips look but more because of how long it lasts. I was hesitant in picking one up because it's $21 at Sephora. I decided to give it try anyway.

At Sephora, I normally pick up a colors I can't easily find at a drugstore, however I decided to pick up the cool tone mauve shade for my engagement party. Thought I might as get something I can make use of soon. The application wasn't as smooth as most lipsticks I've tried nor as moisturizing. I recommend using a lip scrub of some sort to get rid of any dead skin hanging around to get the best results. THIS WILL ACCENTUATE DRY LIPS! Here I have on both shades, without a lip balm. I wanted to go with an orange shade since I usually stick to mauves, browns, and cool toned pinks. Is it too late in the season to go orange? Maybe, do I care? Heck no, I couldn't resist! I definitely makes my teeth look whiter and it isn't as bold as a red but still makes a subtle statement.

As far as the packaging goes, it looks great.  The packing resembles black studs to go with the name "studded" and I love the Kat Von D etched in the lipstick itself. Unfortunately the cap just doesn't stay on in my purse. Also, the tube is heavier than most lipsticks.

Overall I give it a A- because it's the longest lasting lipstick I've tried, the lipstick line has an interestingly unique shade range, but it doesn't have the best finish, leaves lips feeling dry, and has ok packaging.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

New Product Review Teasers

Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Lovecraft

Urban Decay Flushed Palette  
Kat Vond D Monarch Palette

Why Do Women Wear Makeup?


For many makeup is seen as a way to enhance natural beauty, for some it's just seen to "cover up". Wearing makeup isn't anything new and majority of women wear it, but it comes with many misconceptions and opinions. Some people look down upon women who wear makeup at all while others prefer women to wear makeup. Is is a bad thing?

I personally wanted to address some remarks made about makeup and share my opinion on it.

My blog's purpose is to share product reviews for women so they can wisely choose their products, see if it's event worth it without having to buy it, test it, and return it. It's way too much of a hassle and if product reviews and swatches are available online for free, why not make use of it? Cosmetics is a giant industry, about $40 billion is spent on makeup each year. That to me is crazy. 

I can see how people could see makeup as a shallow topic but my blog isn't meant to bring about discussions on worldly/ profound topics. Its based off of something I love to do. Makeup...why do they need it in the first place,why do women use it, and why am I encouraging women to try out these products? Granted society has a lot to do with it. We don't paint our faces for nothing. Imagine a world were women didn't even know what makeup was and walked around bare faced.  Every woman's appearance would be judged off of what they really look like. Would there be competition then? I think so, I'm sure someone would come up with something to make them look nicer. It's natural! People want to look good. Everyone has different standards but for centuries people have done things out of their comfort zone, maybe even painful to look more attractive. Scientifically,  women's faces look more feminine with contrast.

I have heard different views on makeup all my life, mostly negative.  I wanted to take time out to address some points. My responses are based on my opinion. I can't talk for all women. If you disagree or agree, comment down below. I would love to hear your thoughts. 
  • I don't need makeup, it's sad some women become dependent on it.
All women are different and yes there are those who don't find themselves attractive without makeup and even go as far is not wanting to leave the house without it...ever. So yes, it is sad. But not wearing makeup doesn't make you any better of a person, you just chose not to and that's ok.  If you're happy, great, I'm happy for you. Unfortunately, nobody is perfect and a little makeup won't hurt anyone. There is no need to let anyone down because of it, if anything they need encouragement to embrace themselves as they are. I personally believe women should love and be comfortable to walk out without it. It's makeup ladies, just makeup! Go without it for a day or two see how you feel. Ashamed? Are you hiding behind your sunglasses? Don't, embrace it, trust me you will feel much happier when you do. I remember a YouTube tag called the "No Makeup Challenge" where makeup gurus on YouTube tagged other users to go bare faced for a video. I initially thought it was a bit silly, but if you see it as a challenge, TAKE IT! Let your skin breath and feel comfortable with it. But let me just say this again, there's nothing wrong or anything to feel ashamed about wearing makeup. It is

  • Why do women wear makeup. Does it have to do with confidence?
Every woman has a different reason why they choose to wear makeup. I do believe most women do it for that boost of confidence. When you're looking flawless theres no stop in you. You look fab! Ladies...you know that feeling, ain't nobody letting you down today. I too feel more confident when I have makeup on. Do I feel ashamed not wearing it? No. Am I not confident to be seen without it. No. Some women may be so I can't talk for all women but the misconception that women wear makeup because they don't have the guts to go without it isn't the best way to go about it.
Majority of women can point out at least three things they wish they could change about their appearance.What will it take for a woman to realize she is beautiful? I've met cancer survivors for interviews for the paper I work for who are so so confident and accepting of who they are and how they look. Eva DeVirgilis, an actress and makeup artist, also mentioned that she has met elderly women and cancer survivors who have been very at peace with themselves and one of the people who don't apologize in her 
makeup chair. I'll link her TED Talk down below. 

"To be confronted with the prospects of illness or death, is that what it's going to take us to appreciate what we have?"

To answer the question, what makeup really comes down to is making yourself look slightly more attractive...surprised? I think not. This isn't rocket science y'all :)





Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Custom Coastal Scents Palette Review

I don't know about you but I get butterflies in my tummy from excitement when I see a new package at my door. I'm a sucker for great deals on makeup especially dupes for higher end brands like MAC. I've been on a hunt for an affordable custom eyeshadow palette that not only has a great color payoff but is also easy to travel with. I got a great deal on this Labor Day weekend, getting half off each Hot Pot (eyeshadow singles) from Coastal Scents. They always seem to have sales going on. The website has a range of shadows from light to dark, smokey to neutral, shimmers to matte finsishes. Each Hot Pot was packed individually in a clear plastic case and put into a blue net baggie with coupons. The total was about $19 including the palette case. As much as I was looking forward to a vibrant purple shadow, Deep Grape, it was sold out so Coastal Scents ended up giving me a refund for it. The customer service was fabulous.

As far as the pigmentation goes, the formula is different for each finish. The matte shades are a bit more sheer than the shimmer shadows but that's not a problem with a dab of eyeshadow primer (I'll do a review on it later). I'm just impressed that the matte shadows actually show up. Most cheap matte shadows come out chalky like talc powder mixed with color.

 I wanted to get a range of shadows that I could wear on a daily basis as well as some I'd love to play around with. Notice I bought two Octoberfest eyeshadows. Why? I've been obsessed with warm toned browns ever since I picked up Brown Script by Mac. It really enhances green/hazel eyes and works great as an all over lid shade as well as a great transition shade to warm up any look. I tend to gravitate towards matte brown shadows on a daily basis so I figured I'd get more of something I'd actually use and to no surprise I have been loving it and using that shade the most.

Oatmeal Tan is a soft warm brown shade that I got mainly to use as a transition shade. This shade gives a natural depth to your lids, it's clean, simple, matte, and beautiful.

Tuscany is great for a clean natural look. I personally love to use this all over the lid with a bit of mascara. Some people use their blush color as they eye shadow to tie up their look and make the shadows of their face look uniform. Tuscany does just that. Use it as a blush and an eyeshadow and you'll be glowing.

Light Apricot could have been a great highlight shade for under the brow bone if it didn't have a peachy sheen to it. The peachy tone to it darkens the shadow making it better lid shade than a all over highlight shade. This shadow is perfect for the inner tear duct area and great to pop in the middle of the lid to finish off a look. This trick will wake up tired eyes. Adding a highlight in the middle of your lid gives it dimension giving it an illusion of having rounder, bigger eyes mimicking where the light would naturally hit your lids.

Note the red shadow, Venetian Red,  is actually a blush. I've been looking for a true red blush ever since I saw Nars's Exhibit-A blush in Sephora. I fell in love with the color because it was so bold. Apparently red blush, if applied sparingly, mimics the natural flush of your skin versus a pink blush. So even though a red blush looks a bit dark are heavy for the skin, it actually looks more natural than other shades. Tip: try to use a fluffy soft bristle brush that isn't too dense for the red blush to avoid splotchy application.

New Penny is a gorgeous orange, warm, copper shade. I'd compare it to Maybelline's Copper Craze and Mac's Amber Lights.

While Light Bronze may look similar it's a bit darker. It's a neautral toned bronze which gives your eyes a hint of radiance.

Rich Walnut is shimmery brown shade with a hint of red which works well to darken the crease and as a great all over lid  shade to for a smokey look.

Golden Avocado has to be my second favorite after Octoberfest. It's a great everyday shade with a pop of color without being overdone. It gives your look a bit of edge without too much color and it works great with hazel eyes picking up the hues in colored eyes.

Electric Blue was a disappointment. Although it wasn't chalky, it came out splotchy and sheer and certainly didn't give me the vibrance that I expected. I'd compare it to the blue shade in the $5 elf palette with less fallout.

Teal Green is a pretty vibrant aqua shade that works well with a warm transition color.

Overall, all the shadows are great, finely mild, pigmented, and comparable to higher end shadows however, the vibrant colored matte shadows didn't impress me as much as the other shadows. The matte shadows actually stained my skin a bit. With the range of shades and finishes, there's seriously something for everyone on Costal Scents and the looks you can create from these shadows are endless!  I'd give this palette an A-


Hot Pot - Oatmeal TanHP-0571
Hot Pot - Venetian RedHP-0991
Hot Pot - Golden AvocadoHP-1951
Hot Pot - Rich WalnutHP-2881
Hot Pot - OktoberfestHP-3172
Hot Pot - TuscanyHP-3201
Hot Pot - Deep GrapeHP-CM071
Hot Pot - Electric BlueHP-CM101
Hot Pot - Teal GreenHP-CM111
Hot Pot - Light ApricotHP-ME171
Hot Pot - Light BronzeHP-ME221
Hot Pot - New PennyHP-ME231
Interchangeable Palette: 12 PiecePL-052
Here's a snapshot of the order which includes the names along with its item number. Check out the deal I got below! #iliveforsales

ItemSkuQtySubtotal
Hot Pot - Oatmeal TanHP-0571$0.98
Hot Pot - Venetian RedHP-0991$0.98
Hot Pot - Golden AvocadoHP-1951$0.98
Hot Pot - Rich WalnutHP-2881$0.98
Hot Pot - OktoberfestHP-3172$1.96
Hot Pot - TuscanyHP-3201$0.98
Hot Pot - Deep GrapeHP-CM071$0.98
Hot Pot - Electric BlueHP-CM101$0.98
Hot Pot - Teal GreenHP-CM111$0.98
Hot Pot - Light ApricotHP-ME171$0.98
Hot Pot - Light BronzeHP-ME221$0.98
Hot Pot - New PennyHP-ME231$0.98
Interchangeable Palette: 12 PiecePL-0521$2.98
Subtotal$15.72
Shipping & Handling$7.15
Adjustment Fee$18.89
Grand Total (Excl.Tax)$0.98