Taupes You Can't Have #3, Cargo Yukon Eye Shadow

As you may have noticed, Joeybunny and I are evil. Last month you all were treated to the 2nd in the monthly series of:

TAUPES YOU CAN’T HAVE!

We, being the sadists that we are, thought the idea of featuring a taupe eye shadow that is discontinued (DCed) and or hard-to-find (HTF) at the end of each month would be an absolutely delicious evil we could propagate amongst our readers. Joey and I have a large collection of DCed and HTF taupe eye shadows and we decided they deserved love and publicity. Now the fisrt month we featured MAC Innuendo and last month we showed you Shu Uemura ME Silver 945. So what is in store this month?

Cargo Yukon!

An extremely generous reader sent this lightly used eye shadow from Cargo Cosmetics. She was so sweet to send it because it was a taupe eye shadow I had been searching for and was unable to find. I do admit that I wasn't really searching all that hard, but hoping it would show up none the less. Why was I looking for this shadow after trying oh so many other items from Cargo with less than "amazing" results? Because Cargo changed the formulation of their shadows a few years back and with it they discontinued one of their best products, Cargo Yukon eye shadow!

The shadow itself is silky smooth and has an almost metallic cast to it. It is loaded with pigment and produces very little powder fallout. It is a cool grey brown leaning towards frosty. It can pull purple on some people but on me it's a pure brown beige taupe. The staying power on this shadow is quite significant and it rarely fades or creases on me. (I always use an eye shadow primer). The shadow looks wonderful all on it's own but can pop with a deep plum or funky forest green.

You can still find this shadow, used on makeup swap sites or unused on evilbay, but be prepared to pay a pretty penny. It's a whopping 3.5 grams (about the size of Benefit Velvet eyeshadow or twice the size of an Urban Decay or Mac shadow single) so you will get a lot of taupe for your money.

Bed Head Cyberoptics Eye Shadow in Taupe

Did you know that Tigi brand Bed Head has an entire cosmetics line?
Oh yeah?
You did?
OK. Then. I guess I don't have to tell you about their Cyberoptics line of eye shadows.
I guess you know all about how pigmented these shadows are.
I guess you know that they come in 17 different shades of shimmer and matte finishes.
Well Karnak The Magnificent. , did you know they have a shadow called "Taupe"? That is so close to the definition of taupe that there are no other words to describe the color other than TAUPE.
You did?
Oh fine. Then I guess you don't need to see a picture of the product........
like THIS:
Of really close up.......
like THIS:
I suppose a swatch picture is out of the question.......
like THIS:
And I guess you don't need to see what it looks like on my eye.......
like THIS:
or...................
like THIS:
Not so shocking the 5th time. I get it. You are road warriors of taupe eye shadow. Nothing surprises you anymore.
Fine.
Then I guess you know that they retail for about $14, but you can find it cheaper on Evilbay, like I did, for about $6.
I guess you, Ms. "Taupe Know It All", understands that this soft, silky, creaseless, non fading formula can be used wet or dry.
I guess there is nothing else to say.

AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel

image from amorepacific.com

I have gone through 2 large samples of AmorePacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel and I have not written a review. Why? Because I'm not 100% sold on the product, yet I keep using it. What The Fark? Maybe I should just write down the things I like and the things I don't like and that will help me decide.

What is it?

AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel is a non-abrasive exfoliating treatment for all skin types. It is a water-activated powder that uses plant-based enzymes to eliminate dead skin cells and congestion in the pores and seems to reduce the occurrence and appearance of blemishes and scars from blemishes. (At least in me) It does NOT contain Sulfates which can be harsh on the skin. It's also touted as a safe alternative to AHAs, BHAs, and physical exfoliation treatments (e.g. scrubs).

OK. Here is what I like:

1. It not harsh on my sensitive skin. I can even use this while being treated with Retin-A and not get adverse effects.
2. When I use it (2-3x a week) the skin on my face does feel smoother and my face looks brighter. The next morning my skin looks calm and seems to take foundation better.
3. It does exfoliate even though there are no harsh grains or chemicals to peel layers of skin off my face.
4. A little goes a long long way. I received 3 sample bottles at .2 oz each. About 1/4 of a teaspoon is needed for your entire face (that's about 0.04 oz...but of course that's fluid ounces and not dry ounces and since I don't know the density of the product I can't give you a true equivalent in ounces....plus I SUCK at math which I why I'm not an Engineer making hundreds of Thousands of dollars a year...but I digress)
5. After one month of solid use I noticed a decrease in the tiny bumps on my forehead. After two months of solid use some of my past acne scars started to fade slightly.
6. It's foamy (when the powder is mixed with water) and you can re-energize the foam by adding a bit more water. You can control the consistency to make it as thin or as thick as you like.
7. It rinses off cleanly and easily.
8. After I have rinsed it off my skin is NOT bright red like it usually looks after an exfoliation treatment.
9. Extractions (Gross blackheads & clogged pores) are a lot easier AFTER I use this.

Here is what i don't like.

1. It has a very, very strong fragrance. I can't put my finger on the scent, but it's very perfume-y. It can be a bit overpowering and down right offensive to those with sensitive noses.
2. It costs $60! That's expensive. I guess it's OK b/c you really only use a little each time, but still it crosses that $40 skin care threshold that makes me think twice about ordering a full size.
3. You have to mix it yourself. If you don't know what you are doing you could use too much water and end up with a soup of a treatment that doesn't want to foam or do anything.
4. 45 seconds isn't long enough to get this product to work. I leave it on for a good 2 minuets and I am lightly massaging my face the entire time...which makes my fingers tired.
5. Once rinsed off the skin on my face feels kinda tight and dry and I need to moisturize ASAP. I'm not sure I like that.
6. It's not a miracle product. While I did see an improvement in reducing clogged pores and some lightening of acne scars I can say for certain it was the AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel or the Retin-A or both.

I don't know if I have convinced you one way or the other to buy this product, I don't think I have convinced myself. I have more positives than negatives but I don't think it's a quantity over quality issue to decide. Know what I mean? I do know that I haven't been as diligent about using the AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel and some of my clogged pores have returned. I think I'll be real good, used it religiously for the next month and that will help me decide if I really really want to spend the money on a full sized bottle. I'm this close to buying one right now, but my finances won't allow it at the moment.

Have you tried this product? What did you think? What do you think about enzyme exfoliators in general?

Thursday Poll

Spring has sprung in my area and with the rising temperatures come the rising pollen count. For seasonal Allergy Sufferers the Washington, DC area is as close to living in hell as possible. This is all thanks to Lady Bird Johnson. Of sure. She might have been a wonderful First Lady, entrepreneur and lauded citizen of the United States, but her path of death and destruction in the Washington DC area is well known. You see. she was on this "Beautification" kick and wanted to make all cities beautiful. She lived in DC at the time of this insane phase in her life and basically brought almost every species of flora from the US to the DC area. While Washington DC is quite beautiful during the Spring and summer, it also means all sorts of non native pollens are floating around here almost year round. That means if you are allergic to one specific species of plant, tree or flower, you most likely will react to it here. In other words. You will have a stuffy nose and watery eyes from spring until late fall. Stupid allergies. I basically have has my seasonal allergies hit me full force last week. My body laughs at Claritin, Sudaphed and Zyrtec. I have taken almost every over the counter allergy medication and most prescribed ones too. It mostly doesn't help because the side effects of said "medications" are almost as annoying as the symptoms that lead to taking them. So what do I do? I basically stay inside as much as I can (which explains my alabaster pallor) and deal with it. No wonder I like winter so much. Big Fluffy sweaters, Red lipstick, Dry Skin and no allergies.
On To The Poll!

1. Blush Of The Day? - Chanel JC in Rose Satin. Ohh this is eons old. I swapped for this half used blush, with a serious dip in the pan, just so I could say I own it. A pretty, frosty, cool pink blush.

2. Do you have any allergies? - Yes. Aside from the seasonal allergies I'm allergic to walnuts. If I eat them I get inflamed taste buds on my tongue and awful sores inside my mouth. It sucks. But thankfully it's the only nut to do this to me...on occasion a raw almond or brazil nut might have the same effect, but mostly it's walnuts.

3. Current beauty obsession? - Well since I just purchased a new organizer for my nail polish collection I'm obsessed with getting an Ikea Helmer storage unit for my makeup. For a mere $39.99 I can store all my makeup in one place rather than having it in a plastic storage box and a large train case and scattered around various places in my home. My obsession is organization right now.

4. What is your favorite flower? - It changes, but as far as looks I would have to say the Tulip is my favorite. So perfectly minimal in structure, yet so colorful and fragrant. I still love roses, but as a walking around and looking at the spring flowers go, tulips can't be beat.

5. Most recent beauty purchase? - Illamasqua Cake Eyeliner in Zeal. A deep forest green. I have worn it twice this week. That's a lot for me consider how little green I normally wear. I sense a new eyeshadow color obsession coming on.

NARS Eye Shadow Duo In Taiga

According to Wikipedia (And we all know that Wikipedia is the foremost authority on everything and often incorrect, but go with me here.) Taiga is an ecosystem covering most of the in lands Canada, Alaska, Sweden, Finland, inland Norway, the Scottish Highlands and Russia (especially Siberia), as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States, northern Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia, and northern Japan (Hokkaidō), the taiga is the world's largest terrestrial ecosystem or biome. Although this biome is correctly named Taiga, the term Boreal forest is usually used to refer to the more southerly part of the biome, while the term Taiga is more often used to describe only the more barren northern areas of the Arctic tree line.

So what does this have to do with makeup?

image from http://www.taiga.org

Nars eyeshadow duos are named after places in the world. And The one released in the Holiday 2009 collection is named Taiga. Ah ha. However, when I think of an Arctic Tree line I think of blues and silvers and whites and cool colors. So how did Mr. Nars come up with this duo of soft champagne gold and warm smokey gold infused pewter? Well I think he saw the above picture by Andreas Barth taken in the springtime in the Taiga.

Now as far as the quality of NARS shadows. Let me first make this disclaimer. I don't own a lot of NARS products. Most things from that brand don't speak to me. I am not fond of the blushes, while high quality and well pigmented, the colors just don't do it for me, plus the names, Orgasm, Deep Throat? Crass. Cream Shadows. Ugh. They crease faster than linen pants worn by a fat woman on a crowded subway. Cream Blushes? I hit pan on Cactus Flower in my more tanned skin days. It's a color I have never seen replicated in powder form...just not right for my pale face now. Those velvet lip pencils did give me some sort of desire but I never acted upon them. Just never found the time or place to actually buy one yet...YET. Eye Shadow Duos? Those are pretty nice. Let's see. I had Tokyo and I liked it all right, but it was a bit chalky at times. I had India Song. It was pretty, but just not the right colors for me. But now there is Taiga. This duo has been speaking to me since December. I'm not sure if it is the gold infused pewter or the champagne or the smokey combination of the two, but something deep inside my soul said, "BUY IT!". I never want to deprive my soul of anything so I did what I was told.

I purchased Taiga and it sat in the Sephora bag for a week. Untouched, unlooked at, unopened. Was my purchase a mistake? No. My SOUL told me to get it. My soul can't be wrong can it? I fish the duo out of the bag and the simple black matte packaging mocks me. It says:

"HA! You are messy. My pristine NARS case will be smudged in seconds and NOTHING will clean it off. I'll never look as good as the day you bought me. No. Your Chanel and Guerlain and Bobbi Brown all look brand new, but me. I'll look like I was rolling around in a dusty bin at a discount beauty store somewhere deep off the Cross Bronx Expressway. The smell of Sancocho wafts up from the basement while a tired old JLo song crackles over the speakers and there I will sit. I, Taiga, will cackle at you because I know you will venture into the store and buy me... because we are soul mates. Paranoid, you pay the clerk who is speaking in Spanish to her friend on her cell phone. Her exquisite drawn on eyebrows display a permanent surprised and defiant look on her glass like forehead. Because you don't speak Spanish AND because you're incredibly self centered, you will think she is talking about you, saying something nasty or mean, but in reality she is giving her friend the recipe for the Sancocho that is simmering on the hot plate in the basement."

Isn't amazing how much an eyeshadow can say? Well NARS is special that way. What can I say?

So soft is the champagne side of this duo. My pale skin makes this shadow disappear so I need to be careful to not over apply it. On darker skin, like Joeybunny, this champagne looks amazing and glowy. So smokey is the pewter side of this duo. It sparkles, it shimmers and flashes taupe, grey, green and gold. It's wildly pigmented and a little goes a long long way. a dramatic smokey eye can be had using this duo and a smart olive liner (perhaps Kyoto).

Do you need this? Well if you ask Joeybunny, yes. If you ask me? YES! NARS Duos retail for $32 and can be found at Narscosmetics.com, Sephora and NOT in scary discount beauty supply stores off the Cross Bronx Expressway.

Illamasqua Eye Liner Cake in Danger

You know how I was gushing over the Chanel cake liners? Yeah. Remember how I said they were my holy grail of cake liners? Well they still are, but if I ever ran out of the Chanel liners or needed to recommend an almost equivalent in quality liner in it's stead, I would recommend Illamasqua Cake Eye Liner. Yes. It is that good!

First of all Illamasqua is a brand first introduced to me last year by my friend Ya Ya over at Worship At The House Of Blues blog. She sent me their catalog after she told me about the brand in which Front Man for The Damned, David Vanian, is a co-founder. For those that don't know who Mr. Vanian is, he is (From the Illamasqua website), "...the lead singer of The Damned, inventor of UK punk, a legend in alternative culture." I couldn't have said it better myself. Many a day of my youth was spent listening to his music so how could I not be interested in this brand. Mr. Vanian, along with Ms. Alex Box and Ms. Anja Huwe make up the creative team at Illamasqua. Now I'm not going to get all into the history of the brand and the influences they derive their collections from, but I will say that working with some Illamasqua products is akin to working with theatrical makeup, so if you have not had your hand in "the greasepaint" of the stage you might find this line a bit confusing to begin with. (Note. No actual greasepaint is used in this line, it's a figure of speech.) But it's not hard to master once you give it a little practice. So anyway. enough about the history lesson and my undying love for Mr. Vanian and the reason I had purple hair and shaved the side of my head all in the name of PUNK. Let's move on, shall we?

As you may already know I'm a HUGE fan of cake eyeliner. I like the control the cake style liner gives me. I like the staying power of cake liners and I like the fact that one cake liner may last you a good 10 to 15 years. Yes. THAT long. (I had a benefit Babecakes liner in grey that I finally threw out last month after 12 years of use) Honestly. The Illamasqua Cake Eye Liner in Danger, a deep and beautifully neutral Navy Blue shade may last me the rest of my life. A generous 0.15 oz is more than twice the weight of the Chanel cake liner and almost as good of a quality.

Danger is a pretty neutral Navy blue with a slight grey base. The Navy does not pull any purple at all or green as some can in cosmetics. This liner color is rare in the US. I'm not sure what it is, but finding a liquid navy liner is not easy here, so I welcomed it when it arrived at Sephora.com for purchase.

The liner comes in a smart little square black compact with tapered edges, the signature look of the Illamasqua line. A large mirror is revealed when you open the compact and the enormous pan of navy blue cake liner makes up the base. The surface has a slight texture from pressing the powder product, but it disappears once you take your damp liner brush to the product.

The consistency is slightly creamy. Not as creamy as Chanel but certainly not watery line some cake liners out on the market. One, which will remain nameless, literally soaks up the liquid from your brush leaving you with literally a whisper of pigment to work with ::CoughLauraMercierCough:: Not so with the Illamasqua. The liquid stays on the product, mixes well with your brush and forms a nice creamy base to collect the richly pigmented liner on your brush. Best thing. This liner, once applied lasts a good 10 to 12 hours without fading (using an eyeshadow base underneath)!

As you can see in the swatch picture I drew a large swatch so you all could see the color and then two lines for you to see how pigmented a swipe of the brush would be along your eye. The result?...In a word, Marvelous!

So do you NEED this? Well many of you are not big cake liner users, I hope to change that and convert you all one day, but I would say yes. If you found the price for the Chanel cake liner offensive at $45 you will find the Illamasqua $21 price tag an easier pill to swallow. After all, if you purchase the Black liner (Mislead), The Navy (Danger) or Deep Green (Zeal) It will probably be the last cake liner you ever need to buy. That's not too bad for only $21. So what are you waiting for? P.S. I'm getting the Deep Green one in the mail this week!

EOTD using Illamasqua Danger liner, Some random taupe eye shadow I don't remember the brand or name, and MAC Deep Truth.

Pan PRON

Today I bring you some pan porn. (Misspelled the title of this post intentionally as I'm sure people searching for pornography involving kitchen pans will find this post and be disappointed)

ANYWAY

I have posed the closed containers above so that if there are any children by the computer they won't be alarmed or corrupted by seeing the actual pan pictures below.

To non makeup addicts (and why non makeup addicts would be reading THIS blog is beyond me, but whatever) the act of "hitting pan" can be triumphant or sad or bittersweet. The mere fact that a makeup addict has used a product so many times so as to actually see the pan in which the product is held is an unusual and rare feat. Now finishing a foundation or a face cleanser is not as exciting as hitting the pan on a powder product. A powder product isn't as easy to finish (Powder foundation and pressed powder excluded).

Now the creme de la creme of hitting pan would be eye shadow, followed by highlighters, blush, powder foundation, pressed powder, etc. (This is just my list...yours could be different). I personally have never hit pan on an eyeshadow (Embellished for the sake of drama. I hit pan on eye shadow prior to developing my makeup addiction) but I'm sure it's possible...I have seen pictures...graphic as they may be. I like to refer to eye shadow pan porn as hardcore pornography.

So Anyway. I'll shut up now and let you enjoy the pan porn. Please make sure you steady yourself and try not to make too much noise so as to not disturb nearby children, the neighbors, small woodland creatures, etc.

Thursday Poll

Spring starts this Saturday. Spring reminds me of Spring Cleaning. Spring Cleaning reminds me of cleaning out closets. Cleaning out closets reminds me of clothing. Clothing reminds me of the fact that I have nothing to wear. Nothing to wear reminds me of the TV Show What Not To Wear. What Not To wear reminds me that I so want to be nominated for this show. (My train of thought always comes back to shopping. Sad isn't it?) If you get on the show, you basically get $5,000 to go on a shopping spree in New York City. Of course you have to listen to the two hosts talk about fashion and what is the right "silhouette" for your body type and you get to hear Stacy, one of the hosts, say "Om-peer Waist" when she means "Empire Waist". It's quite amusing. However, with $5,000 you really can't get a whole wardrobe. You might be able to get a few key pieces to work off of but the hosts throw out all your clothing and you are supposed to start from scratch. Oh goodness they would have a field day with me. My shoes are straight up 1990's. Big clunky black clown shoes. My jeans are flared not "skinny" My shirts are baggy and the primary color in my wardrobe is gray. I would be humiliated on that show during the "360 degree mirror" critique. Oh but I have a plan. I would smile and nod and take their criticism. I wouldn't fight their advice. and when released on my own to go shopping I would have Joeybunny secretly meet me at Bergdorf Goodman. I would slide the credit card with $5,ooo on it over to her and have her buy me some Edward Bess, Paul & Joe and Le Metier de Beaute cosmetics and then have her pick up some Serge Lutens and Creed perfumes. With the remaining $2,500 I would get some random clothes from Macy's (on sale and all gray & black) and call it a day. Of course I would have to endure a terrible haircut from the haircut guy. That's OK though. Hair grows back. And I would have to endure Carmindy giving me her classic "smokey eye" and putting Maybelline Great Lash mascara on me (The classic and terrible pink and green menace) and I would hide my makeup stash from her because she would try to throw it all away or steal it. Yep. That's what I would do. But It will never happen. By the time I could get someone to nominate me, and actually get picked for the show they will have cancelled it. Plus I bet the would be pretty pissed that I spent $2,500 on cosmetics and perfume.
On To The Poll!

1. Lip Of The Day? - MAC Sweet & Single from the 2007 MAC Barbie Collection. Oh this is my favorite cool toned pink-plum-frosty lipstick. My cats got my original tube, which was almost finished and defiled it in a way that I cannot speak of on the interwebz. Thankfully I was able to swap for a new tube with a friend.

2. If you had $2,500 to spend on Cosmetics and Perfume, what brands would you buy? - Well aside from the Edward Bess, Paul & Joe and Le Metier de Beaute, I would also pick up some items from Chantecaille, Geuerlain, Sisley, Shu Uemura, Cle de Peau and La Mer.

3. Beauty item(s) you recently repurchased? - Soap & Glory Clean Mary face cleanser. I like this a lot. Reviewed it here, but obviously I have warmed up to it since my review. Kenzoki Barefeet Fantasy Massage Balm. Reviewed it here. I received the first as a press sample and purchased a second one when I ran out. This stuff saved my feet this winter!

4. Most Shallow reason for breaking up with a significant other? - I once broke up with a guy because he didn't know the difference between North, Central and South America. He argued with me that Canada was North America, The US was Central America and Anything from Mexico on down to Argentina was South America. Geography FAIL! I happened to be moving the next month and I just didn't give him my new number.

5. What is coming in the mail? - I just received my Laura Mercier Guilded Garden Mosaic (Shimmer/highlighter). I'm expecting my Chantecaille Les Dauphins Palette and also Kose Rose Of Heaven perfume!!

La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid

Again I have been struggling over writing this post about sunscreen for some time now. I'm not sure what it is that prevents me from writing about sunscreen. It's probably because all the articles I read about various sunscreens are like science journals. People writing reviews through out words like "Photo Stable" and "Avobenzone" and cite percentages and compare & contrast between various brands. All I know is that IF you want to read that you have come to the wrong place. I'll provide links to wonderful resources for sunscreen research, but honestly I'm just going to talk about what worked for me.

First of all, if you are not using sunscreen as part of your daily skin care routine you should. It's not an optional thing. Sunscreen prevents sun damage. Sun Damage causes wrinkles, freckles, and sometimes cancer. I am very fair. I just have to look at a drawing of the sun and I get a sunburn, so I wear sunscreen daily. I apply sunscreen not only to my face but to my neck and chest and the backs of my hands on a daily basis. Of course when I'm out and about for a day in short sleeve weather I apply it liberally all over.

I recently finished my Holy Grail Sofina Lucent Sunscreen and decided to try something new. You ca read my review of Sofina HERE. Since I have to go through foreign websites to purchase my Sofina I thought it might be easier to find a sunscreen that I can buy in the US. When The Skin Store sent me a 20% off code I jumped at the chance to find a suitable sunscreen there. I found La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid and knew this was the one for me.

Just telling you to buy a particular sunscreen on my say so is not good, so I posted some links below to some helpful sites. You can check them out, or not. I'll save space and you won't have to read 1 kazillion lines of text about the differences between physical and chemical sunscreen.
A few links about sunscreens:
Makeupalley.com Notepad on Sunscreens
The Melanoma Foundation Prevention Facts
Skincancer.org Sunscreens Explained
WebMD.com Sunscreen Overview
Skinacea.com Chemical versus Physical Sunscreen article

One site to avoid; The Environmental Working Group (EWG) Cosmetics Database is an alarmist group that actually suggests that sunscreen can actually be harmful to you. They do not site specific studies to back up their claims and I personally find it irresponsible to publish some of the information they do. The Skin Cancer Foundation has gone so far as to post a rebuttal about EWGs claims about Oxybenzone (which, by the way, La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid DOES contain Oxybenzone)

La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid is a lightweight sunscreen with a matte, translucent finish. It has a very high SPF and does not leave a greasy film on my skin. There is no scent to the product, which I like, and it is supposed to be water-resistant (NOT waterproof). I have been using this sunscreen for over a a month now and I have not noticed any breakouts from it. I have seen this sunscreen compared to Clarins Super UV Plus, but that stuff broke me out and didn't mattify as well as the La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid. This sunscreen is very liquidy and I need a good ½ a teaspoon for my face and neck and chest. I have to shake the bottle well before I use it and there is a little ball inside to help mix it.

I apply the sunscreen AFTER my moisturizer and wait a few minutes before I apply my primer and my makeup. Some days I can even use the La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid as a primer for my makeup but I believe in the summer I will need a separate primer. My foundation goes on smoothly even without my regular primer underneath, but I must wait for the sunscreen to dry before I apply my foundation or else I find that it starts to pill up under my foundation. Ideally, you should reapply sunscreen every 4 to 6 hours and after intense exercise (sweating or swimming) alas, I cannot do a full face a makeup more than once a day so I don’t really rely on it to protect me from direct and intense sun exposure unless I do reapply. If I were going to the beach or lake or just sitting out in the sun (which I don’t do anyway) I would blot then reapply the sunscreen and then powder.

Where to purchase and how much?
Many on line retailers (Skinstore.com, Dermstore.com, etc. ) sell this sunscreen as well as some CVS stores.
I purchased the 1.7 oz bottle from The Skin Store for $27.50 and received a 20% discount so it only cost me $22

If wearing sunscreen or a makeup with sunscreen I is HIGHLY recommended using an oil cleanser to remove the product. I think this may have been the problem I was having with the Clarins Sunscreen. I hadn’t started to use an oil cleanser on a regular basis until after I purchased the Sofina Lucent Sunscreen, and I still use it today. The oil cleanser will help remove the Zinc Oxide found in the sunscreen and other "water resistant" ingredients. Make sure it’s an oil cleanser not just an oil. Rubbing olive oil on your face is not the same as a oil cleanser like DHC or Shu Uemura.

According to La Roche Posay the Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid is/has:

* Recommended for all skin types, especially normal to combination
* Matte finish
* Fast absorbing
* High UVA protection (PFA 26) and SPF 60 for outdoor use
* Photostable, longer-lasting protection
* Water-resistant
* Helps protect the skin from UV-induced skin damage
* Fragrance-free, PABA-free
* Non-comedogenic
* Tested on sensitive skin

La Roche Posay also claims:
"This ultra light, fast absorbing sunscreen fluid provides SPF 60 and broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection with the breakthrough Cell-Ox Shield, to protect your skin, even at the cellular level. It's excellent for use outdoors and at the beach.
The advanced UV filtering system of Anthelios 60 is a unique association of photostablized sunscreens for broad-spectrum and longer-lasting protection, with advanced efficiency against UVA rays. Anthelios 60 also uses a powerful anti-oxidant complex called Senna Alata, a tropical leaf extract known to defend skin cells."
Meh. I'm not so sure about the antioxidant properties but I just need the sunscreen to protect my face from sun damage, which it seems to do, so I'm happy.


Does this sunscreen replace the Holy Grail that was my Beloved Sofina Lucent? Hummm. I don't know. It sure is easier to procure, which is a plus...but perhaps there is room for two holy grail sunscreens in my life...perhaps.

Ingredients:
ctive Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Oxybenzone 6%. Inactive Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Nylon-12, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylparaben, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium EDTA, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Dodecene, Poloxamer 407

Urban Decay Stardust Eye Shadow in Diamond Dog

The other day someone asked me if there was a taupe eyeshadow that I DIDN'T like. Well I have a surprise for you all. YES.

Now I don't think I have ever HATED a taupe eyeshadow (Maybe MAC Magnetic Fields) but there are a few I just don't like. Some I don't like for the quality, some I don't like for the price and some I don't like for both reasons. Urban Decay Stardust Eyeshadow in Diamond Dog is one of those shadows.

Let me explain.
Diamond Dog is a cool toned brown taupe with tons of silver shimmer. This shadow is incredibly sheer and is meant to be used as a wash of color to give a wet/shimmery look to the lids.

Stardust eye shadows by Urban Decay touts "prismatic sparkle set against a wash of captivating colors" They claim that the Stardust Eye shadows have 40% more glitter than the most sparkly shadows from Urban Decay. Now I know MANY people do not like the glittery shadows from Urban Decay so why did I purchase and attempt to review a shadow with even more glitter? Because I'm a masochist....obviously.

This shadow does not have "Prismatic Glitter". It's plain old silver glitter with no prismatic (rainbow) effect whatsoever.

Urban Decay claims that the shadow has a silky texture and you get a sheer wash of color with teeny bits of iridescent sparkle upon application. Again. FAIL. Yes. You do get a sheer wash of color. DO NOT get this shadow if you want pigmentation....but iridescent sparkle? No Just plain old silver glitter.

Urban Decay claims that there is no fall out and no chunky glitter. - Well. FAIL-ish. I agree the glitter isn't chunky and my shadow does sparkle when it stays on, but I have to say there is some glitter fallout. I personally think it's unavoidable with glitter shadows. That's just me. I used Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy as a base so this may be the reason that I didn't experience as much fallout and I expected.

Sadly, I truly believe more attention was paid to the packaging than to the formula or color range. According to Urban Decay "The futuristic, squeeze-open case holds over two times the amount of product than other Urban Decay eye shadows." OK. I didn't read that last part when I purchased this shadow and I was fiddling with the silly case for a day or so until I noticed the spring on the top of the flip top lid.

I close the lid (which I had been prying open with my fingernail) and squeezed the sides and POP! goes the top. It flipped right up. You just give a gentle squeeze to the black plastic frame and the lid pops right up. Ugh! I can't believe how obtuse I was about opening a shadow. Regardless. I show this to Mr. Sith and he figured it out right away. He then pronounced. "You totally know a guy created that." And you know what? I think he's right. No offense ladies, but I don't think we would worry so much about the gadgetry of an eye shadow so much. I think women would be MORE CONCERNED with what's inside and how well it works, not so much with how it opens. So I have to agree with Mr. Sith (This one time). Lame.

OK so if the glitter fallout isn't all that bad and the color is decent but sheer why don't I like this shadow?
I'll give you a few reasons.
Urban Decay put more into the construction of the eye shadow container than in the formula
Unless you use a primer like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy you won't get much color at all and you will get a TON of glitter fall out.
The Price. It's $20. OK. you do get more than twice the amount of shadow that comes in the regular Urban Decay shadows (0.12oz versus 0.05oz) but since you get 1/2 the pigmentation in the Stardust shadows $20 is a bitter pill to swallow. Sooo not worth it. Sorry Urban Decay.

This Shadow line is nothing but a gimmick. If you want shimmery shadows buy Urban Decay's regular line, pr better yet pick up some Fyrinnae eye shadows when you buy your tube of Pixie Epoxy. You can find shadows with shimmer that isn't just silver and still have wide range of taupes to choose from.

Do you need this? Heck no. If it goes on sale for like 75% off the price, then pick one up just to see what it is like...otherwise. Skip this.

Kevyn Aucoin The Expert Lip Tint in Poppia

image from kevynaucoin.com

Sometimes cameras don't take the right pictures. sometimes computer screens don't show the right color. This my dear readers is one of those times.

Kevyn Aucoin The Expert Lip Tint lipstick in Poppia is a difficult one to photograph. This "basic" red lipstick is more than just a basic red. It is a bright and vibrant red that is a true neutral. I don't find it pulling blue or pulling yellow so this is really a true red. But beyond Poppia's redness is the fact that it is bright. Bright red. I just couldn't get the camera to capture it well enough. This is the kind of red that those with Alabaster skin and light colored eyes could wear and all anyone would see is those two red lips coming towards you. This is a red that those golden hued lovelies with green or dark eyes could wear and men would melt at first sight of the gorgeous lip. This is a red where dark skinned ladies could slick on and pull together a classic and ploished look with little or no effort. Yes. this red is that versatile.

Kevyn Aucoin's The Expert Lip Tint Lipstick formula is slick and shiny. It is well pigmented and applies like a dream straight from the tube. There is a slight waxy/crayony smell that I detected, but that could be me and my sensitive nose. I don't smell it once it's applied, just when it's in the tube.


The Kevyn Aucoin website describes the Expert Lip Tint as such:
• Gorgeous, long-lasting color for plump and smooth lips.
• Provides rich pigment without becoming heavy
• Moisture-rich texture
• Use alone or under your favorite lip gloss
• Packaged in a sleek, square lipstick tube
• Poppia is a sheer, true red shade

Yeah. That's all I can say here without retyping what the Kevyn Aucoin website already said. The formula is slick and lightweight. It is a lip tint but I find it to be the most opaque lip tint I have ever used in my life. The formula is moisturizing. I never felt a need to reach for lip balm to help out dried lips. The lipstick tube is in the signature burgundy to black fade colors in a nice square shaped tube. but it's nothing to write home about. It's functional. that's about it. These lip tints retail for $23 each, however I was lucky enough to purchase this from a recent hautelook sale for about $6.50.

I know some of you may be afraid of wearing red lipstick. I honestly understand. I used to be afraid of it too. I think it was that I just didn't have the right red to wear. As there are about 94,756,904,376,908,476,807 different shades of red lipstick out there. I think that there really is a red that will work for you. Find a red lipstick you like and wear it for a week straight. Then find another red and wear that often, next thing you know you have 37 red lipsticks and wondered how you ever left home without one. Can I get an amen? (Looking at you Sara M)

Do you NEED this? Well It is a unique red. I'll give them that. But I'm not sure if it's worth $23. Maybe it's because I already own 1,938,456 red lipsticks I have become jaded. I think I need to try this in another color to say for sure if this is a must buy. I do like the formula very much. I'll give you that. And this red is very very close to my Besame lipstick in Besame Red, which is one of my favorites....so maybe you do need it. But maybe wait until you can find a sale. I dunno. The whole Daylight Savings time thing is playing tricks with my mind. Oh screw it. It's a red lipstick. YES YOU NEED IT!

Rant by Joeybunny - The Mystery of Mascaras

(Image from eyeinfo.files.wordpress.com)

If there’s any one makeup item that is harder to review than others, it would have to be mascara. Granted, all makeup experiences are inherently personal and personalized - what works for me won’t necessarily work for Elvira, and what works for Elvira might not work for you, etc. Skin texture and skin color/lip color undertones do something to how eyeshadows, blushes, lip colors, foundations, and concealers appear and work on an individual person. But we all have eyelashes, right? And eyelashes are all made out of hair, right? Ok, so some people have fairer eyelashes than others, but one would really think that mascara would be the one product that people can generally agree on. It makes sense, no?: Everyone has the same starting base (eyelashes) so mascaras *should* theoretically respond the same on everyone. So why is it that when you ask the MakeupAlley Makeup Board girls to list their favorite mascara, you get a ton of different responses and hardly anyone ever ‘seconds’ a given product?

I have no flipping idea.

Honestly, why is a holy grail mascara so hard to find, and why can people never agree on a given mascara? I don’t know ladies, you tell me what you think. Personally, I think that we all have different lash “looks” we aspire to achieve when we do our makeup. For example, I love having really thick, long, and exaggerated lashes. Think falsies, but without the glue. Now, I know that’s not the look everyone else goes for, but it’s what I like. Some mascaras are better at giving this effect than others, just as some mascaras are more ‘quiet’ and give a natural effect.

In the 10+ years that I’ve been wearing makeup, I’ve experimented with quite a few different mascaras. I’ll try to list the ones I can remember:

Maybelline Great Lash

Maybelline Thick and Soft

L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black

L’Oreal Telescopic

Rimmel Sexy Curves

Rimmel Glam Lash

Chanel Exceptionnel

DiorShow

YSL Faux Cils

Clinique Naturally Glossy

Bourjois Pump Up The Volume

L’Oreal Lash Serum (I forget what it’s actually called)

Armani Eyes to Kill

Maybelline XXL (there are different versions and I’ve tried them all)

Cover Girl Lash Blast

That’s all I can think of, but there’s definitely a lot more I could add to this list. There are some I would never repurchase (my hatred of CG Lash Blast might be legendary to some of the old-time MUAers, and Maybelline Great Lash and Thick and Soft are crap). There are some that I have returned to over and over again (L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black, Rimmel Sexy Curves). There are some that I would bathe in if it weren’t for the exorbitant price tag, like Chanel Exceptionnel (Rimmel Glam Lash in the original black and pink packaging is an excellent dupe) and Armani Eyes to Kill. Right now I’m currently using the L’Oreal Lash Serum mascara, and it’s just ok. My darling and beloved ladyboss actually brought me back two tubes of the new Maybelline The Falsies Volum’ Express mascara from London last week. It’s supposed to be the latest UK drugstore mascara craze, and I am so excited to be able to try it since it’s not available here. I’ll definitely report back with pictures and a review once I start to use it.

So what do you think? Am I stupid for expecting us all to agree on a mascara? What mascaras have you tried lately, and what do you think of them? I’m curious to see what you all think!

And The Winner Is.....

The winner of the Dr. NV Perricone No Foundation, Foundation is.....

Audrey,
who said: "Your skin is your canvas and I love trying new products to try for my own canvas."

Audrey has been sent an e-mail to verify her entry and collect her address. If she does not respond before close of business on Friday the 19th, a new winner will be selected.

Thanks for all of your entries. Look for a special contest coming up next week for ALL readers.

Audrey's name was randomly selected from the Contest Machine widget. There were 73 entries and 1 disqualifying entry. The disqualified entry was a relative of mine, had they won, the contest would have looked suspicious so I decided to disqualify them....sorry Mom...but you'll have to buy your own No Foundation, Foundation.

Thursday Poll

I wrote this poll while all hopped up on cold medicine. I forgot Joeybunny was doing the poll last week, and then once I remembered I figurered I would just finish it anyway. So enjoy my cold medicine induced ramblings. See if you can follow along.
-Elvira
P.S. I'm feeling much better now.


Meteorological Spring started on Monday, March 1st. There are still mountains of snow in front of my house and taking up good parking spots at the office. No worries. I just slapped on some Ineke After My Own Heart perfume (Lilacs) and went along my merry way. Then it hit me. Like a Mack Truck. No not a truck full of MAC cosmetics I'm talking about a Semi/18 Wheeler Mack Truck..with the bulldog on the front. Yeah. I got a cold. Damn it all to hell. Why to little children have to be such horrible transmitters of disease. I have had more colds in the last three years than I have had in my entire life. You would think that with all the advances in science they would find a cure for the common cold...oh wait. We aren't that technically advanced. We have no cure for Cancer, AIDS, Ebola, Zombies. We have no Flying Cars, no Jet Packs, No sass talking robot maids. We are basically living in the dark ages...with an Internet connection. I'm kinda like Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka. I want it all NOW! I want my cure for the common cold. I want my meal in pill form, I want my sass talking robot...OK. I don't want a robot because I have an irrational fear of robots. Ever since I saw that movie AI I have been terrified of them. Don't ask me why. It was a terribly sad movie and a bawled like a baby at the end...which brings me back to my original point...why are children such terrible harbingers of disease? You see how mu mind is totally wacko when I'm sick? I make no sense, I think in circles and non sequiturs. I'm gonna lay down now and nap. You answer the poll questions. I'll be fine.
On To The Poll!

1. Lip Of The Day? - L'Occitaine 10% Shea Butter lip balm. Does this wondrous lip balm deserve a review here on PinkSith? Nah. but it sure is soothing and waxy..just perfect for keeping chapped lips at bay as I sleep with my mouth open because I can't breathe though my nose.

2. What is one of your Phobias? - I shared Robots with you but I'm also afraid of insects and orange foundation.

3. Beauty item (Type & Brand) you realized you can't live without? - I cannot live without my trusty La Mer Loose Translucent Powder. I used another powder the other day and I was a chalky cakey mess. Ah La Mer. If they ever discontinue this item I will but 20 of them before they disappear.

4. When you were 10 years old, what futuristic item did you think we would have by 2010? - I for sure thought we would have a colony on the moon...or at least robots to fight our wars. Skynet, terminators, etc.

5. Beauty item (Type & Brand) you realized that you would be better off without? - I do not need MAC Golden Bronzer. I never need to use this abomination in powder form on my face ever. I look like an oompa loompa that spent too much time at the strip club and now is covered with glitter.

Glitter Nail Polish Removal Made Simple!

I was hesitant to use glitter nail polish for so many years. My last run in was with an Urban Decay polish (I forget the name, but it was hot pink with a TON of silver glitter in it.) that refused to come off after soaking and soaking cotton ball after cotton ball in nail polish remover. When I finally got the polish off my nails were wrecked. they were scratched (in the nail bed area) and dry and looked like I had been doing construction rather than removing nail polish. I vowed to never use a glitter polish again. Oh but it was so hard. Glitter polishes are so shiny. I'm like a toddler. I'm attracted to bright and shiny things.

Then one day I saw the light. A polish blogger had linked to a picture or a youtube video or something and I finally found the perfect way to remove glitter polish. Now since I have the short term memory of a Fruit Fly I forgot who this blogger was. If you are that blogger and you are reading this post: A) THANK YOU and B) Let me know so I can give you credit please! [EDIT!! THANKS TO MY LOVERLY REDERS THEY POINTED ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. IT WAS LIPGLOSSIPING.COM THAT POSTED THIS AWESOME TUTORIAL. YOU CAN SEE HER ORIGINAL POST HERE. ] So this method for removing polish is so easy and quick that I have now added 3 glitter polishes to my collection just because I know I can remove them easily.

Here are step by step instructions:


1) You will need 10 cotton pads or balls, Nail Polish remover, 10 Strips of Aluminum Foil cut into 2" x6" strips.


2) Take the cotton pad and generously soak it in nail polish remover. Place the pad on top of your nail.


3) Take one aluminum foil strip and put one end over the cotton pad. Then wrap it around your finger completely.


4) Crimp the edge at the tip of your finger so that no air can get in and dry out the pad.


5) Repeat process for the rest of your fingers on ONE hand.


6) Wait 3 minutes or longer if you wish. Then with a twisting motion, take the foil/pad combination off your finger...concentrating on twisting on the nail where the polish is.


7) Viola! Clean nail. No scratches. No Glitter! Repeat for other hand.

Its' easier to use do one hand at a time as 2 hands full of foils is a bit awkward. Some glitter polishes may take more time to remove. The aluminum foil acts as a barrier to the surrounding air and allows the cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover to remain wet rather than evaporate before it can remove the polish.

So what do you think? Easy? Neat?

Mr. Sith looked at me the first time I tried this and shook his head. I asked him if he wanted to know what I was doing. He rolled his eyes and said "No." so I didn't bother. It's nice to have some mystery in the romance.

OPI - Mad As A Hatter Nail Polish

I have to admit that glitter nail polish is NOT appropriate for my conservative office but when I saw the glitter bomb that is OPI Mad as a Hatter I HAD TO get it. No seriously. The nail polish was fighting with Absolutely Alice (A bright blue glitter) to take it home with me. The two polishes were causing such a ruckus in the store it was embarrassing. People were starting to stare and whisper. I relented and Took Mad as a Hatter home with me. Actually I was waiting for Darthypie to get his hair butchered at Cartoon Cuts in the mall and while I was waiting OPI Mad as a Hatter started calling to me from inside my purse. As Children cocked their heads to the side like confused puppies I took out the blabbery nail polish and started to paint it right over my dark purple manicure. I figured that by using the polish it would STFU. Seriously. The polish has no idea of manners. Very rude!


So when I got home to took the polish off. (Check out my post tomorrow about removing glitter polishes) and repainted my nails with OPI Mad as a Hatter on bare nails. That is what you see in the picture above. OPI Mad as a Hatter is a total glitter nail polish with Silver, Gold, Purple, Hot Pink and Green glitter in a clear base. It only took 2 coats to get the opaque look to my nails so you know this is jammed packed with glitter. The wide brush that OPI uses also makes for quick and easy application. alas, with many glitter polishes the finish is rough. It took two thick coats of Seche top coat to make my nails somewhat smooth. Plus I had to file down the tips a bit so I could get rid of the sharp glitter hanging over the edges of my nails.

This is NOT a low maintenance nail polish. After 2 days my nail polish chipped. I used a base coat and 2 top coats and this sucker still chipped. Nothing will make you look like an emo, angst ridden teenage girl than chipped glitter nail polish. Seriously. The second this stuff chips on you remove it or fix it.

Do you NEED this polish. Well it certainly is sparkly and it would look awesome over a silver polish or purple polish or green for that matter but I don't think it's a MUST HAVE. It's fun for a party or a night out, but nothing I can see myself wearing every day...but that's OK. It's good to have a few of those "night out" polishes even if your night our consists of running up to the grocery store because you forgot sour cream and apples.

Guet Review by GoBraves47 - Chantecaille Les Dauphins Palette

image from chantecaille.com

Hello Readers. I am proud to bring you a review from GoBraves47 from Makeup Alley. She has impeccable taste in cosmetics (Guerlain, Chantecaille, Chanel, etc) I am super envious of her stash and hope that she invites me over to play one day. So without further blabbling from me, I bring you Gobraves47.
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When I first saw that dolphins were going to be on Chantecaille’s Spring 2010 palette, I was a little let down. It just didn’t seem as pretty as the embossed roses of Sylvie’s palette or the pretty fish swimming in the Protected Paradise palettes. However, all my disappointment was thrown aside when I saw the gorgeous eye shadow colors in the spring palette. I could tell that this palette would get some use.


It arrived from Bergdorf Goodman in a sweet beige satin palette cozy. The shiny palette opens to reveal 4 pans, a blush and 3 eye shadows, with two colors sharing each pan. The colors seem like they would be universally flattering, but I’m pale and quite cool-toned, so your results may vary.

Once the overspray is swept away, the shadows have a lovely almost-matte finish and the same quality that I’m used to from Chantecaille.



The first pan contains two subtle beige-y highlight colors. They’re very similar to each other and can be blended together to make either a brow or inner eye highlight that would work for everyone.


The second eye shadow pan has two gorgeous shades of a taupe-y milk chocolate brown--perfect lid and crease colors. These are lighter shades of brown—not ultra-pigmented dark brown.


The next pan is my personal favorite; I’m a sucker for silvers and grays. One half is a light/medium gray and the other is a deeper gray. The dark side is very pigmented and smooth. They work together perfectly and can be toned down for everyday or amped up with some black liner for a gorgeous gray smoky eye.


The remaining pan is a rose/pink (with a hint of peach) blush. When applied, the colors blend and it brushes on as a pale slightly warmish pink. It is fairly light in color and may not show much on tan/dark skin tones.

Overall, I’d say the two best features of the palette are the brown and gray pans. Those colors are beautiful and versatile. Although adequate, the highlight color and blush may be slightly disappointing in comparison. The palette is also refillable, so the colors can be popped out and switched with other Chantecaille pans to make a customized palette for travel.

In addition, 5% of the purchase goes to save the Dolphins in Greece. Ok, not much, but that should make it a tad easier to drop $77 for the palette. If you can handle the price and are a neutral lover, then this would be a great addition to your makeup bag.
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Hey all. Elvira here again. Want to see swatches of this palette? Check out KarlaSugar's blog HERE