Randomeness is Beautiful

What's Going On?

2012-02-21T17:24:00.001+02:00

Hey lovelies! I am having the toughest time ever, and I really do need to vent a little.

So, for starters, I've finished my first semester of my second year in college. I'm doing a BA degree in special education and learning disablities (in case you really had no idea) and exams are just a huge pain. I feel like I hardly have any time management skills at all, and no matter what I ask my uncle (who is a life-coach!) where I look online - I just can't find a system or tips that really work for me!

I'm seriously starting to get really depressed. My (now ex)boyfriend broke up with me a few days before Valentine's Day because he realized, after six months, that he doesn't actually love me - and frankly, I do agree that I'm better off with him. But it still blows. I just can't help but wonder if it's just me that's not good for other people, or if something's wrong with me - or that it really is that all men are stupid and need a brain transplant STAT. Ugh.

I've been having issues with my roommate too. We started the year off as really good friends and I really do still like her - but for the past few months things just went downhill. It started when I started seeing my ex (I guess she, like everyone else I know, really did not like him. At all) and we just got in petty fights and arguments. Living with her was just like hell. BUT! (luckily yes, there's a huge but right there!) When I told her I'm no longer with my ex, the atmosphere around the apartment was lighter again. We communicate again. We talk. We actually laugh and enjoy eachother's company.

I've been letting my blog go a lot, but I think it just added more pressure to me than fun, and I really didn't need another stress factor. I will try to write more, post more, review more and just get my thoughts together. I really do believe writing, even if no one reads it at all, is therapeutic. It's like having a diary (as in "dear diary", not like an agenda or whatever) only I guess sometimes people read it.

My addiction to make up and other beuty related stuff really kept me happy though. I got a whole lot of new products I still haven't reviewed and I need to, and I have a day or two that I let myself "off" - just to relax and do things that aren't study-related (although I do have a test coming up next week, but whatevs. I feel that if I start studying 4-5 I actually do it a lot more effectively. I think I might do a time-management post, too. Just to share, you know.)

Maybe if I'll be more active on the blogsphere I won't sit and mope around as much, as I'll have somthing to occupy myself with - like a hobby.

I'd love to know what you guys are feeling right now, and if you've got any tips or advice for me and for others who feel like me (but just don't share it with the enitre world like I do. I'm weird like that).

I'll start working on some new posts now!

Love always,
Shir.

Bourjois "Smokey Eyes" Review(+Swatch)!

2012-02-04T17:40:00.000+02:00

Well, hello!

I know I said I'd do this, like, a lifetime ago, but I never had the chance to. Anyways, this is a product review for the Bourjois "Smokey Eyes" eyeshadow trio. I own it in #o6 - Violet Romantic.

Boy, have I got stuff to say about this one...

On the company's website, they describe this product as:

"Contained in a modern and feminine compact case, are three hues of complementary intensity. At the back, professional make up artist tips will help you to achieve step by step a “classic smoky” or a “fashion smoky” eye look.

Manufactured with the same process which has made our Little Round Pots famous since 1863, these eyeshadows possess the same qualities of flexibility and softness: an ultra fine, silky, micronised formula for an amazing blend, lasting 8 hours.

The ergonomic, double-tipped applicator has been specially designed to outline your eyes according to your wishes.

And what’s more, its formula respects the delicate eye area :

- Enriched with mineral powders

- Free of fragrance

- Dermatologically tested

6 combinations of 3 shades are now available in store for a different smoky look everyday!"

On the other hand, my opinion of this product is that it is utter nonsense. I have to admit, I was more than excited to purchase this the minute I heard Bourjois finally launched in Israel since I've heard nothing but great reviews about their products. Also, I didn't really want to purchase a "Little Round Pot" without getting to know the products first - so the girl at the counter offered me this trio. I can't remember, for the life of me, how much it cost, but I do remember it was cheap. Thus, I walked out of the drugstore with a new eyeshadow trio in my favorite color (purrrrrrrrple...) and a skip in my step. Little did I know what I was about to find out...

When I got home I was more than happy to rip open the packaging and get in on all the fun. After I did "get in", however, I was SO disappointed to find out that all those great reviews I've heard about Bourjois' eyeshadows were either completely false or just biased. This is what the product looked like when I swatched it:

As you can see, the trio is based on a dark/medium/light color scheme. The dark color is insanely pigmented, I admit, but the other two are just a big blooper for Bourjois in my opinion. This was taken at daytime, by the window with NO FLASH. You can't see the medium and the light colors AT ALL.

"Still", I told myself, "people DO talk very highly of these products. Try them on yourself!"

BIG MISTAKE.

I wanted to post an EOTD using this trio. I tried numerous times to create a look (that doesn't look like a 3 year old did my make up) - but success just wouldn't come. The fallout from this product is just insane. It doesn't blend well AT ALL. Also, brush-wise, I could pick up color with my brushes AT ALL. I tried the crummy applicator it came with - and things just went downhill.

I honestly think "hate" is a really strong word, so I'll just put it this way:

Bottom line? I INTENSELY DISLIKE this product. I feel like I threw my money in the trash with this. I will never ever purchase eyeshadows from Bourjois. I didn't even "rate" this product like I usually do because it's just NOT WORTH IT. I am beyond disappointed and pissed off with this.

Has anyone else had any problems with Bourjois products, eyeshadows or other?

Holy Crap on a Cracker! (EOTD)

2012-01-24T18:52:00.000+02:00

I am SO overdue with this one! I'm also SO sorry!

Anyways, I'm trying to catch up on everything going on in my life, midterms are right around the corner and I'm even more stressed out than before.
And then I found these babies lounging around my desktop, so I figured I might as well post them.

EOTD for, what, two weeks ago?

I can't remember (for the life of me) what I've used. Meh.

I'll go study some more and update as soon as I can.

Laters.

Huge Post Coming Up!

2012-01-08T10:25:00.000+02:00

Hello my beautiful, lovely readers!

I have to say that I am under a lot of stress, I have no time to take a breather, I'm having roommate problems AND I feel super overwhelmed.

However, writing and makeup soothes me. So this afternoon/evening I'll be working on a post containing (*drum roll*):

1. Bourjois review! YES! They finally came to Israel and boy, have I got things to say about them...
2. EOTD/FOTD. OF TODAY! Who would've thought I'd actually spare 30 seconds of the time I hardly have as it is just to show off my creation!
3. New year's resolutions. Better late than ever.
4. Jersey Shore rant (oh yes, they're baaaaack!)
(5. Wishlist for the year. I might not write in it this post necessarily, but I just wanted to write it down so I'll remember I said I would do it.)

Oh, Bloggie, I missed you so!
Later, dudettes. :)

Oops!

2011-12-25T18:32:00.000+02:00

Oh jeez, I hate how I always get so caught up in things and I just completely forget anything else!

I totally neglected my poor, poor blog! :(

Anyways, I figure I might as well have a little "review" on whatever's been going on in my life. (And it might bring me some inner-peace as well, I feel like I have a huge mess in my head!)

So here goes.

I started my second year (out of 3) at college. I'm doing a B.A degree in special education and learning disabilities, and I did not(!) expect this year to be so hectic! I have papers due, like, every goddamned day, tons of homework, lots of practical work in a youth-at-risk high school, and this semester's finals are coming up and I'm just trying to catch my breath and relax. Stressed out much?

I have a new boyfriend (yay!). We've been together for nearly 2 months now (and believe me, it's a huge accomplishment for me - I usually dump 'em after about a month.) and I absolutely adore him! He's the best ever! He's flying to South America for 5 months on February 29th, which sucks beyond words - but we'll manage. He's a year younger than me, we met while I was still doing my service in the Israeli army (about 2-3 years ago) and I've never been happier. He's the best ever!

I haven't done a lot of makeup purchases lately, but I've been doing lots of cool looks with it - I just never have time to take pictures before classes - but I'll try harder. I promise!!!

On a different note- I'm reading "A Clockwork Orange" at the moment and I'm having mixed feelings about it: on one hand I think that this book is extremely difficult to read - content wise - but on the other hand it's a freakin' masterpiece. And also, coming from a future educator's perspective, I think it describes the vicious, mallicious circle modern western society has got itself involved with but no one really does anything about it all. Bleh.

Anyways, I need to go study, study, study!
I'll do my best to update my blog more (with more pictures and all!)

Have a Merry Christmass, Happy Hannukah and the greatest new year ever!

Prada "Candy"

2011-09-27T12:48:00.000+03:00

Hello my pretty readers :)

I'm not a really big fan of perfumes and eau de toilettes, to be honest, but when I smelled this one I just couldn't resist and went ahead and bought it. I always have a hard time trying to find a fragrance that I like enough to acutally want to own - I'm actually the perfumed body lotion type of girl, but this one was just...

I have no words to describe it. If you're the delicate fragrance type of girl, I recommend this one, hands down.

Shana tova (happy (jewish) new year) my dear readers!

I Might Be Inlove with L'oreal Paris

2011-09-25T15:30:00.000+03:00

So, I was wandering around one of Israel's big drugstore/pharmacy chains with my mom and we went a little shopping-crazy. I'll divide the products into different posts (since they are from different brands) and I figured I might start the "series" with my new products from the "Luminizer" line by L'oreal Paris.

I came across a lot of review posts about these products while roaming the blogsphere and after sleeping on it for a while, I realize I had to have it for myself. One of my favorite posts is actually this one!
The entire line of products is based on black-colors (I know it sounds weird, but it really means it's a black with an undertone to it) and it's divided into "eyes" - each color matches a certain eye-color, like blue eyes, hazel eyes, green eyes and brown eyes.
I have a mixture of green and blue eyes (and one eye is actuallly bluer than the other!), and so I chose not to "stick" with the colors L'oreal thought would be best for my eyes and get the ones I actually liked best (purrrrrrple).

ANYHOO....

The stuff I got are twoVolume Million Lashes mascaras in Black Amethyst (black-purple, supposed to suit hazel eyes) and Black Diamond (black-brown, supposed to suit brown eyes) and two Superline eyeliners in Black Amethyst (black-purple) and Dark Sapphire (black-blue, supposed to suit blue eyes). Here are the pictures and swatches (excuse my surprisingly good camera though, I swear the hairs on my arms are NOT that obvious in person and out of macro-shooting mode!):

(Left: Dark Sapphire; Right: Black Amethyst)

(Top: Black Amethyst; Bottom: Black Sapphire)

Note how you can really see the blue "pop" when the light hits it. AWESOME.

(Left: Black Amethyst; Right: Black Diamond)

And here's the Black Amethyst mascara on my eyes (and unmade-up face. I couldn't be bothered wearing makeup today, I was having a moody morning...) *Look how much bluer my right eye is*:

I got the mascaras for 119.99 NIS each (equals about 33$) and the Superline eyeliners retail at 94.99 NIS each (equals about 25$) but I got them on a "buy-one-mascara-get-one-Superline-eyeliner-for 30 NIS" sale, so they really cost me around 8$ per eyeliner.

see y'all soon!

Guess Who's Back?

2011-09-25T12:10:00.000+03:00

No, I don't mean Slim Shady...

Hello my lovely readers! I'm finally back, alive and kicking! I've had a crazy intense month and no time for myself whatsoever, but I'll make up for it this week, I swear. I'm planning to make one post per day for the whole week since it's Rosh Hashana (jewish new years) and I don't have a whole lot more to do - and holidays means shopping so I've got loads of new stuff to show you and talk about.

And since the weather forecast is talking about having a pretty rainy week, what better time is there to blog?

So, lovelies, you'll hear from me soon enough, I promise!

Gosh I missed blogging!!!

Tulik.

2011-09-13T11:41:00.000+03:00

Hey everyone!

I was planning on making a huge review post and all, but plans have changed.

Last Thursday a friend of mine (a vet assistant) called me and told me about a new puppy that was brought in to the clinic just two days earlier. He's 5 months old and got hit by a car really bad - he has an open fracture on one of his front legs and he's just wounded all over with ugly scabs and scrathes from the pavement.

I went to see him and fell madly inlove. I volunteered to be his foster-mom for two weeks till he gets better and healthy enough for adoption, so life has been pretty hectic - it's just like having a baby around the house, seriously.

I potty trained him on my own and he is just the cutest thing I've ever seen. I won't be able to adopt him though, since my roommate hates pets (and he's only here because she's away on vacation abroad somewhere). I'm really sorry I haven't had any time to post and there's a lot going on in my life that I wish I could write and blog about, but I just don't have any time at all - I'm only blogging now 'cause Tulik, my puppy, is sleeping.

I'll be back soon enough with lots of updates, reviews and looks!

Well,

2011-09-09T10:12:00.000+03:00

I'm working on a new post. It's gonna be a long one and I'm really distracted by my new puppy, so it might take me a few days.

Don't worry, everything's ok. I'll be back writing asap!

Lots of love :)

FOTD/EOTD and Reviews

2011-09-04T13:05:00.000+03:00

Hello my lovlie readers!

This is just a bright, natural look I have on right now.

*Face:
- Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
- Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation
- Sleek Makeup Translucent Pressed Powder (Mainly on my forehead to make it less shiny and sweaty looking)
*Cheeks:
- Sleek Makeup Rose Gold Blush
- Smashbox Soft Lights - Prism (Highlighter)
*Eyes:
- Smashbox High Definition Concealer
- Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
- Sleek Makeup Gift Basket Eveyshadow
- Sleek Makeup Organza Eyeshadow
- Sleek Makeup Bow Eyeshadow
- Sleek Makeup Noir Eyeshadow (I used it as eyeliner though)
- Sleek Makeup Waterproof Mascara
- Sleek Makeup Kohl Pencil Liner (Black, used it on my top waterline to make my lashes look super thick)
*Lips:
- Maybelline ColorSensational - Mauve Glam (Only used one coat though to make sure my face won't look insanely "made-up")

**********

Reviews:

First of all, I'd like to review Sleek Makeup's Waterproof Mascara. Just as a reminder, Sleek Makeup's Website says that this is:

"A long-wearing waterproof mascara with conditioning and softening properties. Defines the eyes without flaking, clumping, smudging or smearing and yet is easy to remove."

I'm having mixed thoughts on this one though.

Pros:

- It made my eyelashes super longer and more defined, which I loved.

- It only took two coats and it dried quite fast so there were no "accidents".

- Very comfortable wand - not too short, not too thin/thick.

- Has a whole lot of product in it.

- Very easy to remove

- Lasts forever under hot, humid weather conditions :P

Cons:

- Clumpy as hell - even after I wiped the wand with a tissue, it seemed to take out too much product on the wand.

- Because of the fact it's clumpy you need to "play" with your fingers on your eyelashes to make the chuncks of mascara vanish, leaving you with a hell of a mess on your fingers when you're done.

Overall:

Quality: 4.8/5

Packaging: 5/5

Price: 5/5

Will I Buy This Prodoct Again?: Probably.

Do I Recommend This Product?: Only for those who have lots of time on their hands to play with chuncks.

Next, I'd like to review Sleek Makeup's Kohl Pencil eyeliner. Again as a reminder, Sleek Makeup's website said that this is:

"An ultra creamy-matte formula pencil used to define the eyes. Can be applied on the lower and upper eyelid for long-lasting, stay-in-place colour which glides on effortlessly, to achieve a perfect look."

No mixed thoughts here. As a pencil liner, it's smooth, creamy, doesn't feel like it's about to hurt your eyes or "pull" on them and just does its job.

Pros:

Doesn't smudge unless you want it to.
Pigmented - you only need one stroke and it's perfectly applied.
Cons:
None :)
Overall:

Quality: 5/5

Packaging: 5/5

Price: 5/5

Will I Buy This Prodoct Again?: Sure!

Do I Recommend This Product?: Yes, yes yes!!!

**********

That's all for now, folks. Hope you liked my makeup and found my reviews interesting enough.

Have a beautiful day!

Sleek Makeup Haul and Swatches!!!

2011-09-02T13:41:00.000+03:00

(Can you tell I'm super excited???)

Hello my lovlies! This has been long overdue, I know... But since I had the package shipped to my folks' address and not mine, it took me a while to get to the package. :P

As far as the international shipment - I couldn't ask for more. I practically live halfway across the world from Sleek Makeup HQ and whatnot, and the shipping took EXACTLY one week to get here! The package came with the lovliest pink tissue paper (I felt it was so fancy, I took pictures of the products with it, lol...) lining the inside and bubblewrap on the relevent products. Most of the stuff came in smaller cardboard boxes though, inside a very nice sized (and pretty stiff) cardboard box - so nothing broke while it travelled!

My shopping list was:
Sunset i-Divine Palette ($10.00)
Molten Metal Gold Leaf & Pewter Cream Eyeshadow Duo ($10.50)
Oh So Special Palette ($10.50)
Kohl Pencil - in Black ($4.00)
Translucent Pressed Powder - in Light ($8.00)
Blush - Rose Gold ($6.50)
Waterproof Mascara - in Black ($6.00)
** I also got a Mini High Shine Crystal Glaze as a gift! **
International Shipping ($13.50)
- Total: $69.00 (Super worth it! Look how much stuff I got!!!)

And now the moment we've all been waiting for... Pictures and swatches! I'll go by the shopping list order just to make it easier on both you and myself while looking at the stuff.

*Sunset i-Divine Palette:

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L-! The colors came nameless and I couldn't find their names on the Sleek Makeup website either, but here's the product description:

"The Sunset i-Divine palette contains 12 highly-pigmented complementary shades representing the sun, sea and sand. With a blend of shimmering golds, reds and blues, this palette is perfect for that sun-kissed look.

The velvet-touch consistency gives full and shimmering coverage to the eye lid for maximum effect. Each shade can be applied alone for a dramatic effect or mixed to create a personalised look."

Honestly, I couldn't agree with it more. The colors are insanely pigmented, the texture is smooth and light on the skin, and after dipping my fingers in for swatches the eyeshadows stayed put and the palette didn't get messy at all (unlike my Smashbox In Bloom palette that turns into a hot mess if you only breathe in its direction...). It also has a huge mirror which I like, even if I don't use very often. The applicator is quite useless in my opinion though.

Top swatches:

Bottom swatches:

* Molten Metal Gold Leaf & Pewter Cream Eyeshadow Duo:

These are just incredibly fun! I bought them so they'd use as base colors for my everyday looks or just go solo. I'm loving the shine and creamy effects they have. Their descripion on the website says:

"Molten Metal is a highly pigmented metallic cream eyeshadow duo.The palette consists of 2 gloriously rich and highly pigmented metallic creams that ignite the skin with intensity. The formulation is soft and fluid-like allowing easy application."

Again, Sleek are spot-on. Pigmented, creamy, intense and smooth eyeshadows. I do think the mirror is quite useless.

* Oh So Special Palette:

This palette comes with 12 "neutral" eyeshadows from dark to light colors. The description on the site says that:

"It’s the ultimate i-Divine that every woman should have in her possession, with 12 flattering on-trend shades to suit all skin tones no matter what the occasion, the Oh So Special palette will always deliver the perfect results.

Take your look from day time chic with matte browns and creamy beiges, through to sultry evening glamour with shimmering grays and smokey plums. A make-up bag staple and a must-have i-Divine you can rely on, so no matter where you are or what you’re doing you’ll look Oh So Special!"

I have to say that while taking the pictures after swatching, some of the colors looked a little "washed out". This is NOT how it is in real-life though: the colors really are so pretty and the texture.... I feel like a broken record repeating myself, so I'll go no further - you know what I'm about to say. :)

*Kohl Pencil and Waterproof Mascara:

I haven't actually tried these out yet and I want to try them and write a full review, so bear with me. Sleek's site says:

"An ultra creamy-matte formula pencil used to define the eyes.
Can be applied on the lower and upper eyelid for long-lasting, stay-in-place colour which glides on effortlessly, to achieve a perfect look."

and as for the mascara:

"A long-wearing waterproof mascara with conditioning and softening properties. Defines the eyes without flaking, clumping, smudging or smearing and yet is easy to remove."

We'll just have to wait and see.

*Blush - Rose Gold:

Sleek says:

"Aruba blush provides the ultimate colour of paradise, sweep on lightly for a tropical wash of coral or layer to build an intense holiday hue. Team with the Curacao i-Divine and Bonaire pout polish to complete your colourful Caribbean inspired look."

This blush is so pretty! It has a very golden undertone to it and when it hits the light it just shines and twinkles! So cute! The peachy color is also awesome, although when I swatched it it kind of made my arm look like I have a rash on it.

*Translucent Pressed Powder:

This is something I got so I'd have SOMETHING to set my makeup with and finish up my face after my whole routine. Living in hot and humid Israel DOES NOT do justice to the face, no matter how longstanding and high-end your foundation is. I'm tired to having my foundation melt off when I touch it after walking outside for more than 30 minutes. Sleek says it's:

"Suitable for light to medium skin tones, this ultra-fine powder provides an even, natural finish whilst ensuring make-up stays in place and eliminating shine. For best results use a large, clean powder brush and apply in light strokes over New Skin Revive Foundation."

Again, this is something I want to try out first and write a full review about it.

**********

All in all, for a first ever online shopping experience I have to admit I'm pleased. The stuff came within the time limit they said it would in tiptop shape and I totally feel like I got my money's worth. All I have to do now is wait for my MakeUp Geek's Stippling brush (which I ordered about two weeks ago and it still hasn't got here... *sigh*).

Tomorrow I'll try on the eye pencil, mascara and some of the eyeshadows and the blush and powder (and take pictures, of course!) and let y'all know what I think.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Eyes, Eyes, Eyes!!!

2011-09-01T15:22:00.000+03:00

Hello my lovelies! Long time no see!

I am loving the makeup geek life, my dears. Last night I went out on a second date (ooh, how exciting!) with someone, and we went to this fancy restaurant and I decided to make my eyes up accordingly!

So... Here it is:

I used my Smashbox stash for this look, and I finally managed to master the liquid eyeliner! YAY!!! Also, I didn't use false eyelashes. Those babies are all mine :) Sorry that the pictures aren't top quality, I had to use my cell's camera, but they didn't turn out that bad at all.

Also, I went home to visit my folks for the weekend and get my Sleek Makeup package from the mail (*squeel*) so I decided I'd do my eyes for that occasion as well:

I'm still LOLing at the last picture - deer in the headlights! I used my Smashbox stash for this one, too.

Bottom line, I used my Smashbox In Bloom eyeshadow palette for both looks, and more specifically Pink Lilly, Golden Rose, Shimmery Copper and Bone for the "evening" look and Bone, Pink Lilly and Golden Rose for the "daytime" look. My mascara is Revlon Colorstay in black and my eyeliner is a random eyeliner I stole from my mom by Jade, also in black.

See This Face? (FOTD maybe?)

2011-08-28T12:52:00.000+03:00

I went out a few nights ago and did my make up like that ^.

I have to admit, I didn't like it much at first and I was in a rush to go out (my friends and I have this thing where we don't know we're going out till about 5 minutes before we leave). This picture isn't top quality, but I lost my digital camera (renovation sucks, I hope I didn't throw it out by mistake. That would be devastating).

This is an all Smashbox face - from the primer to the finishing powder. I have NEVER seen my face look so smooth before in my life - and it's not like I have bad skin or anything! It just rocked!!!

Anyways, the renovations are now DONE and I can go back to posting! Woohoo!!!!

Catch up later :)

I'm Not Slacking Off! I Promise!!!

2011-08-25T12:25:00.000+03:00

My aparment's under a little bit of renovation, so I hardly have any time or some peace and quiet to write/take pictures of myself for new posts. So sorry.

I'll be back in a few days, I promise!!!

Oh dear...

2011-08-23T11:57:00.000+03:00

I have never been happier! Lol

My horrible roommate has FINALLY moved out! YAY!!! So for the next few days I'll be busy cleaning up the mess she left behind (and boy, what a mess...) so I don't know if I'll have too much time to blog, which kinda blows.

But ya gotta do whatcha gotta do. (->Read this with an Italian accent. :P)

Stay beautiful, lovely readers :) I'll be back soon enough - with pictures of my cleaaaaan apartment and everything!!!

Smashbox In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette - Swatches and Review!

2011-08-21T13:46:00.000+03:00

Ugh, I'm not having a good time at all today. It's one of those days when nothing seems to work, you know? How frustrating is that?!

So! I've decided to swatch and review my Smashbox In Bloom eyeshadow palette (ahem, Jess *wink wink*) just because I love it so much and it is simply friggin' awesome. If you can't recall what palette I'm talking about, here it is:

This palette features 10 matte, soft shimmer, satin and matellic soft shimmer powder eyeshadows in lovely, delicate colors that I think will go great with just about anything.

As for the swatches:
From left to right: Pink lilly, Lavender Grey, Golden Rose, Warm Taupe and Bone:

Again, from left to right: Soft Orchid, Iris Blue, Shimmery Copper, Moss and Nude:

*** Pros:
- Beauuuutiful colors!
- Quite neutral, so they really would go with just about anything
- The palette is vertically coordinated, which means that if you combine one eyeshadow from the top line and one eyeshadow from the bottom line - you'd get THE most amazing combo ever.
- Variety of styles (shimmer, matte etc.)
- It comes with a normal eyeshadow brush in it - meaning NOT a crappy sponge applicator, which is a great plus.
- Very good quality!

*** Cons:
- Extremely powdery. I wouldn't applying makeup on your whole face before you apply the eyeshadow, you'd have to clean those cheeks up after the application or else you'll look like a hot mess.
- Not cheap - it cost me around 48$ (equals about 175 NIS)!
- The case is a little hard to open since it doesn't have a spring mechanism and whatnot. It took me a while to figure it out, lol.

*** Overall:
- Quality: 5/5
- Packaging: 4/5
- Price: 4/5 (it's damn good quality. totally worth the price, but it's still expensive)
- Will I buy this product again: I doubt it, I think it was a limited edition - but I'm addicted to Smashbox, so I'd go with HELL YES.

Nail polish swatches and review!

2011-08-20T13:25:00.000+03:00

Woo! My first swatches/review post!!!

So, I decided to play around with one of my unused nail polishes today. (Excuse the messy nails, please, I had shakey hands for no reason and I REALLY wanted to post the review already so I couldn't be bothered touching-up and stuff. I'm a lazy, lazy girl!)

I got this nail polish for about 10 NIS (equals to 2$-3$!) at a random store where I live. (I tend to hunt for bargains, huh?) It's from an Israeli brand called "GK Professional" and it doesn't have a color "name" - but it DOES have a number, which is weird... But anyways, I used #762 today. Here it is with flash:

And without flash:

It's just this pretty purple-pinkish color. It looks great on the nails - HOWEVER... It does have a few issues:

- Too much polish comes out on the wand and the brush. It almost looks like someone watered it down.

- The application IS NOT smooth. I have no idea why - this has NEVER happened to me before, shakey hands and all! It was sort of rough and "bubbly". I had to put a top coat on it.

- I also had to put at least 2 coats of it before it gave me a full cover, which sucked.

- It dries SO SLOW. I had to go to the loo at one point and the nail polish hadn't dried yet so I had to do my pee-pee dance for like 15 minutes before I could use the toilets without worrying about my nails turning into a hot mess.

***Final thoughts:

Packaging - 5/5

Price - 5/5

Will I buy this product again?: I think I will. I got what I paid for, after all...***

Which brings me to the next product I used on my nails: Sally Hansen No Chip Acrylic Top Coat. For those of you who aren't familiar with the brand, here's what it looks like:

On the Sally Hansen website it says this top coat is a "Super acrylic top coat against chipping!" and it's used as "an anti-chip top coat that seals nail color to a smooth, hard, high-gloss finish".

The reviews on the website are really, really bad though. Girls asked for full refunds and said it destroyed their nail polish and whatnot. From what I just experienced, I can say this much:

- It is SUPER SMOOTH when applied

- It dries up in a heartbeat

- It "smoothed out" the bumps I just told you all about.

- It all nice and shiny!

It costs about 4$-5$ on Amazon, you can get it right here: Sally Hansen No Chip Acrylic Top Coat, 0.45 Fluid Ounce

Bottom line? It made my nail polish look SO much better. The reviewers on the Sally Hansen website said the nailpolish "just popped off" after they showered - so I'd have to update my review later on today after I'll shower and see what's the deal - which means I'll add the final thoughts on this one later on today!

On that note: Later, folks! :)

What I Wore for Mom's Birthday Bash

2011-08-19T22:11:00.000+03:00

Hey guys!
I know I said I'd post pics of my makeup, but I honestly hated it and it sucked for skittles tonight, so I'll skip it and just focus on my attire.

Anyhoo, I wore this dress:

I got it from a small local store where I live here in Israel, it cost me about 20 NIS (which is about 6$ - such a good find!) along with these shoes:

My Grandmother bought them for me on her last trip to Germany (She just got back a few days ago, so that explains why the tag's still on and all.). I love having a fashionista for a Grandmother. She has original YSL vintage clothing and whatnot. Going through her wardrobe is like dying and getting to heaven!
My hair was nothing special either - I like it long and free :)
As I said - my make up sucked for skittles (which means it sucked BAD), so I ended up taking it off and just applying some black eyeliner and mascara and a little bit of blush since I was in a hurry to go and I kept everyone waiting just for me...

Jersey Shore Rant

2011-08-19T13:56:00.000+03:00

I warned you this might happen!

If any of you are watching that show and saw last night's episode, can we all just stop whatever it is we were doing for a second and ask ourselves "WHAT IS THIS FUCKERY???"

Honestly, I couldn't understand what was going on for the life of me. Sammi and Ronnie are back together? AGAIN? For real? Why?!
Deena decided she's "bi-curious" and fought with Vinny over a girl - who wasn't even that hot? What?!
Snooki and Mike - HUH???
And what the hell was Jenni doing, humping Pauly in the club? She was riding him like a unicorn! WHAT THE HELL? SERIOUSLY, MTV??
Also, I think Vinny might have a crush on Pauly and Deena, Deena has a crush on Pauly, and Pauly might have a huge crush on Jenni (first season dejavu, anyone?). Gosh, I miss the good ol' days when Snooki wanted to bang Vinny, Sammi and Ronnie were far from being lovey-dovey and Mike was just the heartless moron he usually is.

I am beyond confused.

That is all. Sorry for yelling, but that episode was just... wrong. On so many levels.

I am SO SUPER HYPED!!!

2011-08-19T12:53:00.000+03:00

Hey y'all!

I just ordered some new makeup stuff online, from Sleek Cosmetics. Here's a link to their amazing site!
They weren't too pricey and I've heard nothing but great reviews about them!
The products cost me a total of 69.00$ (including shipping - they ship worldwide!) which is equal to about 245 NIS (Israeli money folks!). For 69$ I got loads of great stuff, including two eyeshadow pallets, AND a free gift!

I am SO excited!!! Can you tell? (;
I can't wait for the stuff to get here already!!! *Squeels*

I'll check back in later with my outfit and make up for my Mom's birthday party. My dearly beloved, beautiful, insanely pretty Mom will be 53 tomorrow and we're throwing a nice, cozy family party for her.

Anyways, I'm off to go bounce off the walls with excitement!
Later, dudettes :)

My Makeup Gear!

2011-08-18T16:50:00.000+03:00

As I promised, here's my makeup gear:

Brushes:
Smashbox Tapered Shadow Brush (#7)
Smashbox Blush Brush (#16)
Smashbox Double Ended Smudger Brush (#20)
Smashbox Face & Body Brush (#19)

Primers:
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer

Foundation and Concealer:
Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation - Fair (#F1)
Smashbox High Definition Concealer - Fair

Bronzer and Powder/Blush:
Smashbox Bronze Lights - Sunkissed Matte (#53012)
Smashbox Soft Lights - Prism (#52711)

Lips:

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss - Sheer Color - Pop (#56101)/Pulse (#56192)/Radiant (#56127)

Maybelline Watershine - Rose Diamonds (#278)/Spiced Diamonds (#160)

Maybelline ColorSensational - Mauve Glam (#230)/Crazy Pink (#180)

I also have two lipsticks from Estee Lauder and Clinique that I got as samples:

Mascaras:

Two more samples from Estee Lauder and Clinique:

Eyeliners:

Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner - Golden Ivy (#50765)/Smoke (#50776)

Eyeshadows:

Smashbox In Bloom Eyeshadow Pallete

Samples from Estee Lauder, Clinique and Shiseido

I hope I didn't forget anything... But that's it so far. What do you think? :)

First Post - An Introduction

2011-08-18T15:34:00.000+03:00

Well, first time blogging and I have to admit I'm pretty excited. I feel like on a first date, when I don't want to give out too much about myself, but then again I have a really bad case of rambling on and on and I just can't stop... I guess awkwardness in social situations manifests itself online as well.

Anyhoo, here goes. I'm Shir, 22 from Israel. I'm doing my B.A in Special Education and Learning Disabilities and I'm starting my second year (out of 3) this fall. I live alone in an apartment with a roommate (conveniently named Shiri, ha) and I come to my parents' every now and then to see my beloved dog. I also have a Twitter account, if you were wondering (follow me: @shmagical).

As for my current addictions?
TV-wise: Jersey Shore. Yes, it's trash. Yes, I know that watching the show only makes them shoot more and more season and the circle will never break. I know all that stuff... And still, it's like watching a disaster as it happens: you know you should stop, but you just can't! So if I'll have a Jersey Shore weekly rant, please forgive me.
Music-wise: I love all music. For realsies. So nothing much to say about that.
Fashion-wise: I have an obsession with shoes. High heeled, killer shoes. I never loved them before, but I guess that I'm "becoming a woman", as they say, and frankly - I'm tired of looking like a 12 year old all the time. People should stop asking for my ID when I'm at a bar. Seriously.
Makeup-wise: Smashbox. 'Nuff said.
Otherwise: (Lol, see what I did there?) Purple. Anything purple. I love purple. I can talk about purple for DAYS.

I guess that's it for now, although I'm giving y'all a headsup: I will be posting pictures and details of my makeup gear later on today, which I promise will be very amateurishy for all you pro's out there. I'm very good with getting critique and such, so please - any tips or comments or just thoughts are more than welcome!

Love you all!