The Dark Side of Beauty

Top 5: Pencil Eyeliners (For the Waterline)

2013-05-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~

Like many of you, I am always on the search for the best eyeliners, especially eyeliners to wear on my waterline. I've found a few really great eyeliners in my search and I want to share my Top 5 favorite eyeliners for the waterline! Keep reading for more information!

*In order from Left to Right:

1. Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in 'Deepest Black'
This is the most recent find, and by far one of the best drugstore finds. The Prestige eyeliner is really affordable, but it does not lack in quality. It is an intense semi-glossy black that dries to a satin finish. This is particularly great for a smokey, smudged look~ You can of course use this on your upper lash line for a smokey look!

2. Milani Liquif'Eye Eyeliner in 'Black'
This Milani one is very similar to the Prestige eyeliner. This is also an intense semi-glossy black. I find that this one smudges a little more than the Prestige one though, so I prefer the Prestige one because it lasts longer on my waterline.

3. Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil Eyeliner in 'Perversion'
If you have trouble finding a black that stays on your waterline, you might want to try this super matte black. I personally prefer this particular eyeliner for neutral or classier looks. It is still really dark, but it is not as smudgy and rocked out like the Milani and Prestige ones. This one is a bit pricier, but definitely worth the price. If you are not willing to shell out the money for this one, definitely try out the Prestige or Milani eyeliners.

4. Rimmel ScandalEyes in 'Sparkling Black'
When a plain black eyeliner gets too boring for you, try this sparkly black eyeliner. It is a pigmented black loaded with silver sparkles. It looks insanely awesome on the lower lash line/waterline and the upper lash line. It stays surprisingly well on my eyes too! Such a great drugstore find!

5. Rimmel ScandalEyes in 'Nude'
The nude eyeliner is one of my recent beauty favorites. This Rimmel one is a cheaper alternative to the higher end nude eyeliners. I have to say that for $5, this nude eyeliner is freaking amazing. It is quite pigmented and long lasting. It looks so great for a wide-eye, natural look! Yet another amazing drugstore product! I used the eyeliner in THIS look.

There are so many more great eyeliners, but these are the standout in my makeup collection. If you have any recommendations for great eyeliners, let me know ^_^ I always love trying out new products!

Review: Revlon 'Juicy Papaya' and 'Wild Watermelon' Lip Butters

2013-05-18T18:31:00.003-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~

Revlon's summer collection, the Pacific Coast collection by Gucci Wetsman, included four new shades of the Lip Butters. This was exciting for me personally because I am crazy about Lip Butters. Most of the them and extremely wonderful: they are pigmented, moisturizing, and easy to touch up. I purchased two colors from that collection: Juicy Papaya and Wild Watermelon. These are supposed to be included in the permanent range, so if you missed out don't fret just yet!

Product Information

Product:	Lip Butters in 'Juicy Papaya' and 'Wild Watermelon'
Brand:	Revlon
Price:	$5-$7
Packaging:	Lip Butters come in a cute tube with a color-coded cap.
Color:	'Juicy Papaya'- sheer light peachy orange 'Wild Watermelon'- a bright and juicy pink-toned red.
Texture/Finish:	Both of these colors have a very smooth texture, very much like a lip balm. They also both have a very juicy, glossy finish.
Pigmentation:	Wild Watermelon is very pigmented, and I only need one swipe to get a great color payoff. Juicy Papaya is more sheer and more natural-looking.
Application:	Both apply like a dream. They do not emphasize dryness or look patchy.
Wear (comfort):	They are extremely comfy and not sticky at all!
Wear (time):	Because they are very moisturizing, their wear time is not very great. They probably last about 3 hours on me. But reapplying is a breeze!
Dupes? Similar products?:	'Juicy Papaya' looks a bit like 'Creamsicle', but it is a bit more orange and less nude than 'Creamsicle'. I actually prefer 'Juicy Papaya' more because it bring a bit more color to my face while still looking more natural than 'Creamsicle'.

Review

I LOOOOOVE both of these new lip butters. They are absolutely perfect. They make for an amazing alternative to lipsticks when my lips are dry. There is very little room for mistake with these because they apply like lip balm but have a really great color payoff. You can easily apply these without the use of a mirror. The end result is a moisturizing lip product that actually makes your lips look incredibly pouty and cute!

The only downside to these, and most lip butters, is that they do not last long on the lips. They usually last about 3-4 hours on me, at max. If you eat, you will definitely have to retouch. But like I said, reapplying these is insanely easy and it is not a a huge problem to just take this out of your purse and quickly put it on your lips again.

Swatches

Product In Action

Juicy Papaya (it's hard to see so I included a close up picture below):

Wild Watermelon:

Verdict

Even though these are not extremely long-lasting, I still absolutely love them ♥ I think the main reason I really love these is because they are moisturizing on my incredibly dry lips. It is so nice to have pretty lip colors that make your lips look fabulous and not a dry, patchy mess!

Rating: 10/10

FOTD: Revlon 'Wild Watermelon' Lip Butter

2013-05-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~! Today is a super lazy day, and I am not even wearing any eye makeup. During the busiest days of the week, I opt for wearing a bit of concealer or BB cream along with a bright lip color. On those days I usually wear my glasses and/or sun glasses to hide the fact that I am wearing zero eye makeup xD The best lip color for me during these days are very bright and moisturizing lip colors, such as the Revlon Lip Butters. Today, I used 'Wild Watermelon', and it is such as gorgeous lip color. It is redder in person than in the photo, but it still is very juicy and pink! Review for this Lip Butter coming soon :D

What do you think of 'Wild Watermelon'? Do you like the color?

Giveaway: Chanel 'Taboo' Nail Varnish

2013-05-14T22:23:00.001-07:00

Greetings! It's that time again, giveaway time! It has been a while so I wanted to giveaway this awesome Chanel nail polish. One lucky person will get their own brand-new bottle of Chanel nail polish! All you have to do is read and follow the rules :D

Rules and Restrictions

1. You must be a follower of The Dark Side of Beauty

2. You must be 18+ years or have your parents permission

3. This is an international giveaway, so anyone can join ^_^

4. You must fill out the Rafflecopter form below

Rafflecopter Form

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck :)

Haul: Revlon Pacific Coast Collection + Nail Polish

2013-05-13T13:38:00.001-07:00

Hello ^_^

After completing the 15 weeks of the a low-buy, I am happy to report that I have actually been sticking to a low-buy. I have not purchased anything after buying the four L'oreal Infallible eyeshadows and a few new RBL polishes. I have been really stressed out these past few days though, so I gave myself a small break and went to Walgreens to do some hauling. I bought a few things from Revlon because there was a BOGO sale going on~ Woot! Sales are awesome :D

1. Revlon Gucci Wetsman Pacific Coast Collection Baby Sticks and Lip Butters
I love, love, love Revlon products, especially Lip Butters. I managed to score all three of the Baby Sticks ('Pink Passion', 'Sunset', and 'Tahitian') and two of the Lip Butters ('Juicy Papaya' and 'Wild Watermelon').

Swatches for 'Juicy Papaya' and 'Wild Watermelon'

2. Nail Polishes!!
I also picked up a few nail polishes. I purchased two from Sally Hansen ('Hot Lava' and 'Butterscotch'), one Sinful Colors Gel polish ('Bananappeal'), and two of the Revlon Pacific Coast polishes ('Seashell' and 'Sunburst'). I bought 'Butterscotch' and 'Bananappeal' because I have been looking for the perfect yellow nail polish. I have not tried these yet, but when I do I will make sure to show you guys what they look like :D

Series Overview: Diablo III

2013-05-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side :D

I recently just finished my Diablo 3 Series so I wanted to show all the looks in one post :D I really enjoyed doing this! It was so much fun!! It was also fun compiling all the looks together and seeing them all on the same page. Seeing them has made me see how my skills have either improved or stayed the same in the past year. Take a look for yourself. Here are the five Diblo III classes and the one support class:

The Witch Doctor look is my personal favorite! I really love this look and I have worn it a few times since I posted the look.

The Demon Hunter look is my next favorite after the Witch Doctor look. The look is not too heavy on eyeshadow and looks great for when you want to go to a concert~!

The Barbarian look one was okay. I liked it, but I wasn't wowed by it. It is a nice twist to a regular smokey eye though :D and a great way to incorporate a red eyeshadow into a look.

The Monk look was the very first post~ I would totally go back and re-do this look because it has been so long since I posted it. I do like this look though. It is neutral, but definitely not boring.

The Wizard look is the most colorful and dramatic look! It has blue, gold, and red~ This one is just so much fun and I really like it!

Finally, my most recent look, the Enchantress look. This was a very simple pink look. I like it, although I wanted to do something more dramatic at the same time. I do like, however, doing a different technique rather than doing the same eyeshadow techniques all the time. So I am kind of happy that I made this simple cut-crease kind of look that is different and really simple.

Thank you all for being a part of my blog :D

What was your favorite look of the Diablo III series? What was your least favorite?

*P.S. Now that I am done with Diablo III, I will focus my attention on my Game of Thrones Series and re-visit my Zelda series as well!

Diablo 3 Series: Enchantress

2013-05-09T23:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

I am happy and sad to announce that this is the last of the Diablo 3 looks! I was going to be done after completing the looks for the classes, but I really liked the Enchantress so I wanted to do an inspired look.

The Enchantress is probably one of the most colorful characters in Diablo 3. I liked her outfits and the voice actress' accent! I also thought she looked the most girly out of all the characters and I wanted to play around with that. She inspired me to do a very simple, yet slightly edgy look that is fun and different. I used peachy browns, pinks, and a bit of green to create this look and I hope you like it :D

A simpler look with just pinks

And a slightly more dramatic look with a bit of purple and black added

Products Used

-Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper

-Wet n Wild 'Greed' Palette (peachy brown, matter ivory, and matte black eyeshadows)

-Lime Crime d'Antoinette Pallette (pastel pink eyeshadow)

-Sugarpill 'Love+' and 'Poison Plum' eyeshadows

-Milani Color Play black eyeliner

-Rimmer ScandalEyes 'Nude' eyeliner

-YSL Faux Cils mascara

-Lioele Super Snail Gold BB Cream

-MAC 'Coygirl' Blush

-Revlon 'Sweet Tart' Lip Butter

-Pumpkin & Poppy 'Lady of Light' Highlighter

Tutorial

1. Use you handy-dandy eye primer! Starting off with a good eye base is always important ^_^

2. With a fluffy crease brush, apply a matte tan or peach toned brown eyeshadow on the crease and lower lash line. I used the peachy brown from the Wet n Wild 'Greed' Palette.

3. With the same brush, apply a matte white or ivory shade and apply it all over the lid (except on the areas you applied the brown).

4. With a small angled brush, apply a magenta pink color just above the crease. I used a mixture of Lime Crime's 'Royal Flush' (light pink) eyeshadow and Sugarpill's "Love+' (red) eyeshadow.

5. Use a shimmery iridescent green and very lightly apply it on the lid. I used Mon Ennui Cosmetics 'Saltwater & Seafoam' eyeshadow.

6. Apply black liquid liner.

7. Apply a nude or white pencil liner on the waterline. I used Rimmel's ScandalEyes 'Nude' liner (which is amazing BTW).

8. Apply mascara :D

*To make the darker look, just add a dark purple (Sugarpill 'Poison Plum') on the outer part of the crease and a little bit of black eyeshadow on the lower lash line.

Hope you enjoyed this simple and edgy look inspired by the Enchantress!

Thank you all for reading and for supporting my blog ♥

Rescue Beauty Lounge 'Smile'

2013-05-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

Hello darlings ♥

You might know that I absolutely love Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes, they are a huge guilty pleasure of mine. They are really pricey, but completely worth the money (in my opinion). Recently RBL released a long-awaited collection called Emoting Me. I had been expecting the collection for months, so I put aside some money and I pre-ordered some of the shades. One of the colors I picked up was 'Smile' :D

'Smile' is a bright pink-red creme with fine gold shimmer. The color looks more red in the pictures than it does in person. In person, it even seems to change from a darker pink, to a brighter coral-y pink. The color is absolutely perfect for summer~

The formula is amazing, as usual. I have two coats of 'Smile' with no top coat. It would probably look even better with a top coat, but I am ran out of mine :( I also noticed that this dries extremely fast, much faster than most RBL. That is a huuuge plus for me!! ^_^ I love when nail polishes dry quickly~

This polish really does make me want to smile! The name just reminds me that no matter what happens, just smile :)

Rainbow Polish 'Artoo'

2013-05-04T22:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you ^_^

In the spirit of Star Wars Day, I applied a Star Wars inspired nail polish~ This is Rainbow Polish's 'Artoo' nail polish.

Artoo has a transparent base with chunky white and blue glitter, and rainbow colored sparkles. I used two layers on my bare nails, but you can always layer this over another nail polish. My nails look a but yellow in the photos, sorry about that >_<" It looks amazing in person though :D I love it!

I hope all you all had a great Star Wars Day!

Review: L'oreal Miss Candy Infallible Eyeshadows

2013-05-03T23:17:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

I finally found the L'oreal Miss Candy collection at my Walgreens the other day, and I was super excited to see the new four limited edition Infallible eyeshadows! I will be reviewing them for you today :)

Not my image. Found on Google Images.

Eyeshadows

Strawberry Blonde

With A Twist

Cherie Merie

Dive Right In

Review

I am not particularly a huge fan of the L'oreal Infallible eyeshadows, but I do own a couple; the only shade I really like is 'Golden Emerald'. I was really excited to see these new colors which I was actually curious about. The shades are unique, colorful, and a big standout in the various spring/summer collections. I was originally only going to buy 'Cherie Merie' (the coral one), but the other three looked so beautiful that I could not resist going home with all four shades.

These all have the same formula and texture: the soft, almost creamy, powder eyeshadow. 'Cherie Merie' is definitely the most pigmented, followed by 'With A Twist'. 'Dive Right In' and 'Strawberry Blonde' are a little more sheer but definitely have a more beautiful iridescent glow. All three apply very well and I am extremely happy with all of them.

The only one that gave me a problem was 'Strawberry Blonde' because it is slightly crumbly. But I can blend it out just fine, and it looks great in the end :D Also all of these (except for Cherie Merie) have a little bit of sparkle fall out, but it is nothing too bad.

Although I wouldn't say I am a fan of the Infallible eyeshadow line, I am really in love with these four. The colors are perfect for a bright candy-like look~!

Swatches

Products in Action

Here I have all four shades on my eyes. I did notice the fallout on my lower lash line, but I still think they look so pretty! :D

Products in Action

This line of eyeshadows might not be my favorite, but I am really in love with these shades. They are sparkly, bright, iridescent, and juts magical! They do have fallout and are not the most pigmented eyeshadows in the world, but they will give your eyes a beautiful shimmery color. I recommend you look into these if you like iridescent or bright colors~

Rating: 8.5/10

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Sandy Shores'

2013-05-02T14:44:00.004-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

Product Information

Product:	Color Tattoo in 'Sandy Shores'
Brand:	Maybelline
Price:	$4.99-$7
Packaging:	The cream eyeshadow comes in a sleek jar.
Color:	This one is quite a unique color: a cool frosty gold with a green iridescence.
Texture/Finish:	The consistency of this shade is most like 'Waves of White'. They are both sheer with a iridescent shimmer. They are also both a bit patchy and hard to work with.
Pigmentation:	This is a sheer color, but it has a pretty good color payoff.
Application:	The application seems easy, but it dries patchy and uneven.
Wear (comfort):	For me, Color Tattoos sit very nicely on my eye lids. This is not greasy and it wore on my lids all day.
Wear (time):	With a primer, this lasts all day on me.With and without a primer, this one wore very well (except for the part where it was a bit pachy).
Dupes? Similar products?:	N/A

Review

Out of the whole Summer 2013 collection, this was my least favorite color initially. The color is unique, but I just did not think this would look good on my skin tone. After using this a few times, I am still not completely sure about the color. The gold is much too cool for my liking, I definitely prefer warmer golds (and this one is way too yellow too). My favorite thing about it though is the green iridescent shimmers; they sparkle in the sunlight! However, the color from far away is not very flattering on its own.

The other thing I hate about this is that it is patchy, like 'Waves of White', maybe evern patchier than that one. As a color on its own, it is not all that great. It makes me look like I have some horrible disease or something. As an eyeshadow base, though, it is nice. It gives a pretty yellow-green cast to the colors I put on top of it.

Swatches

Product In Action

On its own

Here is two looks I made using 'Sandy Shores' as a base. You can still see a bit of the yellow-gold color around the edges. Also, the green in Sandy Shores made the crease color look really green, even though it is actually a dark reddish color.

Verdict

This is quite a patchy and dry-looking product, and that is why I prefer this is an eyeshadow base. It is actually quite interesting to put eyeshadow on top of 'Sandy Shores' because it changes the way they look though. I'd say I like this color a bit more than I did in the beginning, but I am not completely sold on this color.

Rating: 7/10

Day to Night FOTD: Iridescent Smokey Eye

2013-04-30T23:25:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well and perhaps enjoying better weather conditions (it is insanely windy here in North California!). I wanted to play around with some of my indie makeup, so I created a day look which I later transformed into a darker night-time look. Stick around if you want to see the transition :D

Day Look

This day look is by no means a neutral or conservative look. This is still quite bright and dramatic for some people! But I really love wearing dramatic eyeshadows and I like to wear them during the day. But notice that the rest of my makeup is very neutral and so the eye makeup is not too overwhelming. Of course, you can wear whatever you like whenever you like. Don't let the day/night makeup "rules" stop you!

Products Used

-Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper
-Maybelline 'Sandy Shores' Color Tattoo

-Victorian Disco Cosmetics 'Angry Church Drivers' eyeshadow (lid/inner corner)

-Victorian Disco Cosmetics 'Angry Italian Vampires' eyeshadow (crease/lower lash line)

-YSL Faux Cils mascara

-MAC Pro Longwear concealer

-Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain Balm in 'Darling'

Night Look

For the night look, I basically just added an extra color and made it look darker. I also added a bit of color on my lips and some false lashes~

Products Used

-Shiro Cosmetics 'Attercop, Attercop' eyeshadow (crease/lower lash line)

-Milani black eyeliner (waterline)

-L'oreal Lineur Intense liquid liner (lash line)

-demi lashes (I can't remember what brand these are!)

-Pumpkin & Poppy 'Lady of Light' cream highlighter

-L'oreal Riche Lip Stain 'Endless Red' (just a dab of this)

Thank you for reading!

And thank you all for your sweet comments and your constant support ♥

I love you all!

FOTD: Sand, Seaweed, and Sunshine (Ft. Glamour Doll Eyes)

2013-04-29T16:04:00.003-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~

Summer is basically already here! It has been really hot in North California, and I have been inspired to do my eyeshadow with greens, yellows, and oranges. Today, I used GDE eyeshadows to create this green and yellow look that reminds me of the beach~ I toned down the rest of my makeup so that the eyes would be the main focus.

Products Used

-Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper

-Glamour Doll Eyes 'Mighty Maiden', 'Fiji Mermaid', 'Dazzle Me', and 'Electric Lemonade' eyeshadows

-Milani Liquif'Eye eyeliner

-YSL Faux Cils mascara

-MAC Pro Longwear concealer

-Maybelline blush in 'Golden Fuse'

Thanks for reading~ See you all next time!

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Waves of White'

2013-04-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

Now that the new Summer 2013 Color Tattoos are arriving at most drusgtores, it seems the perfect time to finish up reviewing the remaining shades. This next shade is called 'Waves of White', a pretty sheer white with a multi-colored shift. If you are interested in this shade, then keep reading~

Product Information

Product:	Color Tattoo in 'Waves of White'
Brand:	Maybelline
Price:	$4.99-$7
Packaging:	The eyeshadow comes in a sleek jar.
Color:	This is a sheer, iridescent frosty white with a multi-colored shift (blue, purple, and green).
Texture/Finish:	The consistency of this shade is most like 'Seashore Frosts'. Both have a sheer base color, but are full of iridescent colors. It is not as creamy and opaque as 'Lavish Lavender' but it still has a very smooth texture.
Pigmentation:	This is a sheer color so it does not show up very well. But it is not meant to be pigmented but rather a sheer iridescent color. For what it is, the pigmentation is decent.
Application:	As much as I love the color, the application can be difficult. This color can be quite patchy and difficult so it takes more effort to make the color look even.
Wear (comfort):	For me, Color Tattoos sit very nicely on my eye lids. This is not greasy and it wore on my lids all day.
Wear (time):	With a primer, this lasts all day on me.With and without a primer, this one wore very well (except for the part where it was a bit pachy).
Dupes? Similar products?:	I thought this would be similar to my Tarina Tarantino cream eyeshadow in 'Starchild Odyssey', which is a sheer white with an iridescent blue undertone. But this one is much more complex because it also has purple and green tones that are very hard to capture in photos.

Review

I really, really love the color of 'Waves of White'. I was not expecting the green and purple color shift of this eyeshadow, and it was such a nice surprise. The color looks so magical on the eyes, and it looks like the color of opal and of a winter wonderland!
However, the formula kind of sucks. It does not crease, but it applies patchy on my lids. It made me quite sad because the color is insanely beautiful. If you wear this under another eyeshadow, the patchiness won't be a problem, but if you wear it on its own it will definitely look very patchy.

Swatches

Product In Action

The first two pictures show 'Waves of White' on its own. It looks much prettier in person, but you can still see that it is a bit patchy.

I used it under my MAC 'Daydreaming' eyeshadow and it made it look so complex and iridescent. This will be a great base for plain eyesahdows and it will give eyeshadows a completely different look.

Verdict

This is a perfect base eyeshadow, but it is not so great on its own. The color is simply divine, and yet the formula leaves much to be desired. If you do not like cream eyeshadow bases and prefer to use them alone, then I probably would not recommend this. If you just love the color then just try it out, it might not be patchy on your lids.

Rating: 8/10

FOTD: Purple and Orange (Ft. Glamour Doll Eyes)

2013-04-25T22:20:00.001-07:00

Greetings my lovelies ♥

If you took a look at my makeup collection, you might notice that I own way too many purple eyeshadows and lipsticks, as well as orange lipsticks. Purple and orange just seem to be my favorite colors when it comes to makeup. I thought it would be interesting to do a look and used both these colors and see how it would turn out! You can see the result for yourself~

Products Used

-Glamour Doll Eyes 'Picture Whore' (lid), 'Typical Girl' (crease), and 'Infectious' (lower lash line)

-L'oreal Lineur Intense liquid liner

-Milani Liquif'Eye black pencil eyeliner

-YSL Faux Cils mascara

-Lioele Super Gold Snail BB Cream

-Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro #401

What do you think? Is this a color combo you would try out, or is it too much for your preference?

Project No-Buy Conclusion

2013-04-25T02:52:00.001-07:00

Hello my beautiful readers!

If you have followed my Project No-Buy, then you know it has been 15 weeks since I started it. It was not so much a No Buy, but instead a low-buy. I wanted to try this out to try and lower the amount of money I am spending on makeup while trying to stick to my New Year resolutions. This was such a great experience, and I am so glad I tried it out. I know many of you guys went ahead and started this too, and that makes me so happy!

After doing this for 15 weeks, there is a couple of things I have noticed about my spending habits:

1. I spend most of my money on drugstore makeup.

This is not bad, but it is astonishing. I have this mind set that because drugstore makeup is cheaper, I can buy a lot and not spend too much. This is so not true. Even if they are cheaper than high end items, the prices accumulate and I end up spending $50-$100 every time I go to the drugstore. This happens often because I constantly check drusgtores for limited edition collections.

Fix: Only go to the drugstore to search for limited edition items I really, really want and don't buy something because it's "cheap". Avoid trips to the drugstore or to cosmetic aisles.

2. I tend to buy items, not because I wanted to try them out, but because I want to review them on my blog.

This is great, but I do this very often. I have to stop doing this because it makes me spend more money than I have to. And, more often than not, I don't end up reviewing the product anyways and it becomes a waste of money.

Fix: Because I'm a blogger I will always have this tendency, but I should focus more on products that I really want. If the thought "these would be great to review on my blog" comes to me before "this product would look so great on me" (o something like that), I should probably not buy the product.

3. Around 75% of my makeup purchases are impulsive buys.

Most of the things I buy are impulsive buys, or in other words, last-minute irrational purchases. Most of these purchases I tend to regret. I am learning to do my research before investing the money on products (especially the more expensive ones).

Fix: Look for swatches or reviews of that product and then really think about whether I really need or want it.

Cutting down the amount of spending I do has been hard, and it will still be hard in the future. But I know that I can give myself challenges in order to "earn" the right to spend money on makeup. This is what I have been doing these 15 weeks; awarding myself a budget for makeup according to how many goals I achieve. This is something that I will be sticking to because it has actually worked. I'd say my spending has been cut down at least 40% these past 15 weeks. I don't think I could cut down my spending completely, but 40% is a good start! I will do some updates in the weeks to come to just talk about the long-term effects of this low-buy. I hope these habits will stick and that I can slowly decrease the amount I spend!

I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did~! And for those of you who are currently doing this challenge, I wish you luck!

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Lavish Lavender'

2013-04-24T16:30:00.002-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~!

Sorry for being MIA for the past days. My internet has not worked at all! But I am finally back with the second review for the Maybelline Color Tattoos, and this time I am reviewing the shade 'Lavish Lavender'. Initially, I was not wowed by this color, but perhaps my mind has changed! Keep reading for more ;)

Product Information

Product:	Color Tattoo in 'Seashore Frosts'
Brand:	Maybelline
Price:	$4.99-$7
Packaging:	The eyeshadow comes in a sleek jar.
Color:	This is a dark grey-toned, jewel lavender. It is really different to what I would expect a lavender color to look like because it is darker and less pink-toned.
Texture/Finish:	This is a cream eyeshadow and so it has a creamy texture. This one feels more creamy to me than the original Color Tattoos. It is also more frosty.
Pigmentation:	The pigmentation is great on this particular shade and one swatch it really pigmented.This does offer a bolder color than most of the other shades in this collection. If you are looking for something you can wear on its own without any other eyeshadows, this would be your best option.
Application:	The application is easy, but you can definitely mess up. Make sure you apply this with thin even coats to avoid it looking clumpy.
Wear (comfort):	For me, Color Tattoos sit very nicely on my eye lids. This is not greasy, in my opinion and it wore on my lids all day.
Wear (time):	With a primer, this lasts all day on me.With and without a primer, this one wore very well.
Dupes? Similar products?:	N/A

Review

At first I did not really like this shade because it looked very dark and grey for a lavender color. However, once I actually used it on my eyes, I ended up really liking the color. I like this even more because it is quite pigmented. It is a bolder color than 'Seashore Frosts' so it looks better on its own.

IDefinitely be careful that you blend it, or else it will clump up and crease. That happened to me when I first wore it and I learned my lesson.

Swatches

Product In Action

These are not going to be the best pictures because I did not blend out the Color Tattoo and it clumped up. However, you can see how the Color Tattoo is very shiny and reflective! It almost looks like dragon scales when it clumped up, haha.

With 'Lavish Lavender' and the blue eyeshadow from the Sephora+Pantone Universe Emerald palette.

I was wearing this look in the Music Tag photo I took~

Verdict

I definitely like the color much more than I expected because it applies like a silvery grey-lavender rather than the darker color I expected it to be. It is pigmented and pretty on the lid too. But, it is really annoying that it can clump up. It is long-lasting though, so if you apply it correctly (blend it and pat it in so it wont clump up) it makes for an amazing eyeshadow!

Rating: 8.5/10

MAC Haul: Hayley Williams Collection

2013-04-20T19:56:00.002-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

MAC recently collaborated with Hayley Williams, singer of the band Paramore, to create a four-item collection. All the items are in the collection are orange (except for the MSF). I love orange lipsticks, eyeshadows, and nail polishes so I was really intrigued by this collection. I am not a fan of Paramore, but if you are this might be a really awesome collection for you!

1. Sounds Like Noise Lipstick ($15)
This was the item I wanted the most out of this collection. I own plenty of orange lipsticks, but I have been looking for a true orange lipstick that does not have any red or pink undertones. This definitely is ORANGE. It does not have any red undertones, yay! It is also has a matte formula, which I actually do not like because it makes the lipstick dry. I wish the formula would have been more like the matte formula of the MAC 'Ronnie Red' (Ronnie Red has an amazing matte formula). I do really love the color though, so I will deal with the dryness by making sure my lips are exfoliated and moisturized.

Here are some swatched with colors I thought would be similar. Wet n Wild's Carrot Gold lipstick seems to be the closest. I just threw in MAC Betty Bright as a comparison because that one is a pinky coral and yet compared to the rest it is really pink.

2. Daydreaming Eyeshadow ($15)
This is the other product I really wanted because I don't have very many orange eyeshadows. I was surprised to see that this is not as orange as I thought it would be. It is a soft coral with a strong pink duo-chrome. It is actually more wearable than other oranges because it has such a strong pink tone. The eyeshadow is really nicely pigmented and blends out amazingly. I really like this, and it looks amazing worn alone on the eyes!

Here is what it looks like on my lids. I wore it alone without primer, with liquid liner and mascara.

Products in Action

Here how both items look on me. The Sounds Like Noise Lipstick looks really washed out, but it is much brighter and more orange in person.

That was all I bought from the collection. If I could recommend one thing, it would be the eyeshadow. I like the lipstick but it is really drying on my lips. But maybe you would all have better luck with it!

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Seashore Frosts'

2013-04-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~!

The new Maybelline Summer 2013 collection brings many new shades into the Color Tattoo range. It seems that the color 'Seashore Frosts' has been all the rage so I decided to go ahead and review this Color Tattoo first!

Product Information

Product:	Color Tattoo in 'Seashore Frosts'
Brand:	Maybelline
Price:	$4.99-$7
Packaging:	The eyeshadow comes in a sleek jar.
Color:	This color is so hard to describe but it looks like the inside of a sea shell. It is a bluish, pink, brownish color. It is really unique!
Texture/Finish:	This is a cream eyeshadow and so it has a creamy texture. This one feels more creamy to me than the original Color Tattoos. It is also more frosty.
Pigmentation:	The pigmentation is great on this particular shade, but it is a soft duo-chrome color. Don't expect a high impact color because it is really soft. You only need 1 application for good coverage though.
Application:	The application is easy. The eyeshadow blends in easily without any problems.
Wear (comfort):	For me, Color Tattoos sit very nicely on my eye lids. This is not greasy, in my opinion. Be careful though. I find that this shade is not as long wearing as the other Color Tattoos, and it did crease on me when I did not use a primer.
Wear (time):	With a primer, this lasts all day on me. But without a primer, it creased after an hour. I can get away without using primers for the permanent Color Tattoos, but not for this one.
Dupes? Similar products?:	N/A

Review

This is my favorite shade of the 2013 Summer collection because the color is just really different. The color almost seems more summery than the rest of the colors in the collection because it was a warm undertone to it, while the rest are very cool-toned. This shade looks beautiful on the eyes and I can wear it under a lot of different eyeshadows to create a beautiful look or on its own for a subtle and pretty eye look! The only thing that I don't like about this is that is actually does crease. This was surprising for me because Color Tattoos wear so well on my eye lids. If you have very oily eye lids, definitely don't skip the eye primer.

Swatches

Product In Action

Below, I used a small amount of 'Seashore Frosts' on my lid. The camera does not capture the color at all, so this is not a great photo! The result is a bit darker, very much like the inside of a sea shell.

I used it in the look below as a base for Mon Ennui Cosmetics 'Seafoam & Saltwater'. It gives the powder eyeshadow an iridescent look that is really pretty!

Verdict

Overall, I think this is a really great addition to my Color Tattoo collection. The color is divine and the formula is decent enough. Out of all the shades in the collection, this reminds me most of the beach and of summer. Mostly because it does look like the inside of a sea shell! I recommend this for those of you who want a unique color and who love Color Tattoos (like myself!)

Rating: 9/10

Music Tag

2013-04-16T22:52:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side~

Katie from Oh To Feel Pretty posted the Music Tag a few days ago and tagged me. I absolutely love music and it is such a huge part of my life so I am really excited to do this ♥

What’s your favorite type of music?
Rock, without a doubt. My taste in rock music varies widely though and I think I like most subgenres in rock. I particularly love heavy metal, screamo, post-hardcore, and visual kei. On the other hand, I also really love classical music.

What’s your least favorite type of music?
It is hard to say, I tend to stay away from the music that I don't like. But if I had to pick, I would say rap and hip hop. Some songs are catchy, but they are just not my style.

What’s the best gig you’ve been to?
Since 2008, I have been to many, many, many concerts. I can't even tell you how many, I have lost count. Oddly, the best concert I have experienced was the very first concert I ever went to in October of 2008. I saw Chiodos and Silverstein in San Francisco and it was mind-blowing. I can't describe why it was so amazing, it just was. To this day my friends and I agree that it was the best, most memorable concert we have been to.

Besides that concert, the System of a Down gig I went to was one of the best experiences of my life!

What albums are you listening to at the moment?
Pierce The Veil's Selfish Machines and Metallica's Black Album I think are my most listened albums this past month.

What's your favourite bands/artists & favourite albums?
I have a lot! Metallica, System of a Down, The Used, Chiodos, Pierce The Veil, and Nightmare (Japanese band) would be my top picks. Metallica and System of a Down have been my favorite bands for a long time and I have been listening to for them for a long time. The Used is my favorite screamo band and I was totally obsessed with them when I was in middle school and high school. Nightmare is a Japanese visual band that I have loved for a long time now too. Nightmare is different and awesome and I love them. Pierce The Veil and Chiodos are my favorite post-hardcore bands! They are both amazing bands with amazing vocals, lyrics, and sound. My favorite albums are Bone Palace Ballet (Chidos), Selfish Machines (Pierce The Veil), Metallica (Metallica), In Love and Death (The Used), and Anima (Nightmare). For classical music, I really like Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven.

If you could instantly know how to play any instrument, what would it be?
The cello or violin, most likely the cello. Bach's cello suites are one of my favorite pieces of classical music. They are beautiful! I also love the addition of the cello and violin pieces to rock music, which is one of the reasons why I love Chiodos so much.

I tag all of you! Or who ever wants to do this :) It is fun and really makes you think about what your favorite music is. I listen to so many different bands, but I have a small number of bands that I listen to on a daily basis ♥ In fact, I listen to them every night before I go to sleep. It is my ritual and something I have been doing for the past 8 years. First I used a Walkman, then an iPod shuffle, an iPod nano, an iTouch, and now my iPhone. How time has passed and technology changed!

Diablo III Series: Barbarian

2013-04-15T21:37:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

Are you ready to see the last look for the Diablo 3 classes? This last one is inspired by the Barbarian class, the "savage wanderers who never flinch from close-quarter combat" (http://us.battle.net). The colors I used to represent the Barabrian are grey/silver/black (for their armor and weapons), tan-brown (skin and background), and red (color of the background and for the rage that fills the barbarians).

Not my image. From us.battle.net

Products Used

-Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper
-Victorian Disco Cosmetics 'Death Star' and 'Millennium Falcon' Eyeshadows
-Wet n Wild 'Nude Awakening' Palette (matte tan brown and shimmery black)
-Sugarpill 'Love+' Eyeshadow
-Milani Liquif'Eye black eyeliner
-YSL Faux Cils mascara
-Ardell #102 Demi Lashes

-Hard Candy C.C. Cream 'Fair'
-MAC Pro Longwear concealer
-NARS 'Casino' Bronzer
-Pumpkin & Poppy 'Evenstar' Lip Butter
-Jemma Kidd 'English Rose' Lipstick

Tutorial

1. Start this look by applying a primer or eyeshadow base.
I used Lime Crime's Eyeshadow Helper, my favorite eyeshadow primer.

2. With a flat eyeshadow brush, apply a dark grey eyeshadow on the lid.
I am using Victorian Disco Cosmetics 'Death Star' eyeshadow.

3. After that, get a fluffy crease brush and apply a matte tan brow just above the grey and blend.
I used the tan brown from the Wet n Wild 'Nude Awakening' palette to blend out the grey.

4. With the same crease brush, apply a red just over the brown that you just applied (mostly just on the outer part). The result should be a gradient of brown to red blended just above the grey.
I used Sugarpill's 'Love+' pressed eyeshadow.

5. Apply a black eyeliner on the waterline.
I used Milani's Liquif'Eye eyeliner.

6. With a small brush, apply a black eyeshadow on the lower lash line. I used the black from the Wet n Wild 'Nude Awakening' palette.

7. With the same small brush, apply the matte tan brown you used on the crease earlier and apply it just below the black on the lower lash line. This will create a smokier effect.

8. Add a touch of a lighter grey/silver on the inner corner. I used VDC's 'Millennium Falcon'.

9. Apply mascara and lashes.

Finished Look

Thank you so much for reading!

Until next time~

Project No Buy Update: Week 14

2013-04-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

And welcome to the round up for Week 14 of my No-Buy!

Week 14 (April 8-April 14) was tough because I encountered a certain limited edition display of Color Tattoos, which I absolutely love. To see how I did this week, keep reading~!

If you are new to my No-Buy, please check out my past posts:

-Project No Buy Introduction and Rules

-Week 1 Round Up

-Week 2 Round Up

-Week 3 Round Up

-Week 4 Round Up
-Week 5 Round Up
-Week 6 Roundup
-Week 7 Round Up
-Week 8 Round Up
-Week 9 Round Up
-Week 10 Round Up
-Week 11 Round Up
-Week 12 Round Up
-Week 13 Round Up

Week 14's Purchases

Money is Makeup Bank before Week 14: $27.16

1. Summer 2013 Maybelline Color Tattoos ($4.99x6)= $29.94

Total Money in Makeup Bank after Purchases = -$2.78x2= -$5.56

Oh no! I went over my budget :(

Week 14's Rewards

1) Weekly goals:

Goal #1: I will finish the Diablo 3 Series with the Barbarian look (re-try).

[Failed!] I completely forgot about this. I was trying my best to keep up with school so I really got behind in my blogging! (+0)

Goal #2: I will go to class everyday, be on time, and have all my readings/work done the night before it is due.

[Completed!] Yay! I am happy that I could do everything in my power to finish all my school work on time!(+5)

2) Grades:

I just finished my second week of my Spring term and I got back a few of my first assignments~! I have been doing pretty well so I am really happy! :)

UWP112A Diagnostic Exam: A- (+15)

UWP11A 1st Quiz: A (+20)

SPA154 1st Quiz: 88% B+ (+10)

3) Reading:

-We Think the World of You by J.R. Ackerley, 209 pages (+7)

-My Dog Tulip by J.R. Ackerley, 190 pages (+5)

-In the Company of Animals by James Serpell, pages 1-88 (+5)

-Animals and the Human Imagination, pages 200-306 (+5)

4)Language Learning:

I have been so busy with school that I have had to free time to study any languages :(

(+0)

5)Empties:

I made an updated Empties post where I included empties of the past three weeks. Two of those empties were from this week! (+2)

TOTAL REWARD MONEY EARNED WEEK 14:

-$5.56+5+15+20+10+7+5+5+5+2=

$68.44

Week 15: Weekly Goals

These two goals are my weekly goals for next week. These two goals must be completed by next Sunday in order for me to earn reward money.

*Week 15 might be the last week I do this, but I am not sure yet. I want to keep limiting the amount I spend on makeup or at least keep track of how much I am spending a week!

Goal #1: I will finish the Diablo 3 Series with the Barbarian look (re-re-try, LOL).

Goal #2: I will post at least 5 product reviews this week (Maybelline Color Tattoos, Wet n Wild palettes, etc).

See you all next week ^_^

Blog Love: Oh To Feel Pretty & Simple Beauty

2013-04-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side and welcome to another Blog Love post ♥

Today, I want to share with you two awesome beauty blogs, and two beautiful and sweet bloggers.

The first blog I want to give a huge shout out to is Oh To Feel Pretty. I have not been following Katie (the writer for this blog) for a long time but I already feel like I know her. Maybe it is because we have very similar characteristics, but I can really relate to her blog posts! It is really interesting to read another blog and just be amazed at how much you can have in common with another person. Katie has really great geeky makeup looks that I absolute love (if you are a My Little Pony fan you must check out her MLP makeup looks!)! Definitely check out her blog and show her some love!

The other blog I wanted to share with all of you is one that I have been following for some time now, Simple Beauty. Like with Katie from Oh To Feel Pretty, I also feel connected with the writer of Simple Beauty, Taylor. We like similar brands of makeup (particularly indie brands) and she also likes a lot of the same geeky things that I like. She has a lot of reviews for indie nail polishes, which I really appreciate because I have been trying to get more into indie nail polishes. She recently started a Game of Thrones makeup series, so if you are a GoT fan definitely check those posts out!

March/April Empties

2013-04-13T21:55:00.002-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

Here are some empties from the past three weeks. I have kept all the empty containers, but I really want to throw them out now! But before that, I want to show you what I have used up and what I think of these products now that I am finished with them :D

1. Clear Total Care Conditioner
I LOVE this brand of hair care! I have already purchased numerous bottles of the shampoo and conditioner and I am not switching any time soon. I have noticed a huge difference in my hair since I started using this brand. I love it so much! I will definitely be repurchasing!
2. Batiste Dry Shampoo in 'Blush'
I have owned this stuff for ages, and it is hands down the best dry shampoo I have tried (granted, I have only tried 2 or 3 others). It is affordable and it works. I actually already repurchased it it the scent 'Cherry'.

3. Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper (old packaging, sample)
I found an extra sample of the Eyeshadow Helper so I used it up. I really like this primer! It is the best primer I have tried, though certainly not the cheapest.
4. Wet n Wild Turn Up The Volume mascara
This mascara was okay. It was not that impressive and it did not make my lashes look fantastic. I will not be repurchasing this mascara.
5. Maybelline Mega Plush mascara
I actually liked this mascara a lot. It was not super amazing HG status, but it was rather exceptional. I think I would repurchase it, although it is difficult to say. I don't tend to buy the same mascara more than once unless I really like it. In fact the only mascaras I have repurchased are the Prestige ones.

6. Simple Cleansing Wipes
I recently tried to find makeup wipes that could replace my Bioderma cleansing water. I love Bioderma but it is expensive and I have to purchase it online. I want to have a second option to a makeup remover. Makeup wipes are usually too harsh for my skin, but these are actually really great. They remove makeup gently, and leave my skin feeling clean rather than itchy and red. I bought them for less than $3 and they lasted me for a month. I will definitely repurchase these!
7. Dead Sea Elements Cleansing Wipes
These were the other makeup wipes I tried and I HATE them. They irritated my skin so much!
I even used them on my hand to remove some makeup swatches and it left the skin on my hand with red bumps. Sadly, these just were not ideal for my skin type so I will not repurchase.

8. John Frieda 3-Day Straight Styling Spray
This is another product I have had for ages! I have a love/hate relationship with this. I like it because it does actually keep my hair really straight for more at least 2 days (I can't stand to not wash my hair for more than two days!). On the other hand, I hate this because it gives my hair a weird feeling. It makes it feel dirty and sticky. It definitely does not agree with my hair completely. Because of that, I don't think I would repurchase this.
9. Gelous Base Coat
This is my favorite base coat! That's really all I have to say! I have already repurchased this because I love it!
10. Artistry Soothing Creme
This is the face cream I use day and night. I have been using this for years and it works just fine for me! I always have a backup handy for whenever I need it.

FOTD: She Sells Sea Shells on the Sea Shore

2013-04-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Hello my darlings!

I've been so busy lately, and it has been difficult to remember to take photos of my daily makeup. However, I did remember today! I tried to do something simple that was still a bit bright and fun! Keep reading if you want to know what products I used for this look :)

Products Used

-Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Seashore Frosts' (base)

-Mon Ennui Cosmetics 'Seafoam & Saltwater' eyeshadow (lid/lower lash line)

-Fyrinnae 'Housework Pearls' eyeshadow (crease)

-YSL Faux Cils mascara

-Wet n Wild Carrot Gold lipstick
-Hard Candy C.C. Cream

I hope you are all having an awesome weekend!