The Dark Side of Beauty

What I've Been Up To

2017-07-22T21:10:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!

Before I get into posting some makeup related posts, I thought I would just talk about what I have been up to during the time I've been gone ^_^ Nothing too exciting, but there has been quite a few changes over the months/years.

1. I've gotten more into cosplaying and photography!

I cosplay pretty regularly and create more costumes than I used to! I also have been fond of doing more photoshoots of my costumes. The costume below is Tharja from the game Fire Emblem: Awakening~ I made the entire costume myself 💜

2. I've gotten in better health (lost weight, eaten better, etc).

I used to be super self-concious about taking pictures in cosplay because I felt like I was a little overweight. But over the past two years, I have shed about 15-20 pounds mostly from small changes in my diet (I can make a detailed post if you would like!). You will be able to tell a huge difference from the photo I am about to post below which was taken in January 2014 versus the photo above which was taken in May 2017:

3. I grew out my hair! And dyed it again~

My hair is the longest it has been in years!!! I also did a red ombre on it a while back 💓

4. My skin has improved drastically!

If you have read my blog somewhat, you might know that my skin (acne, clogged pores, scars, etc.) has always been a big issue for me 😐 My in the past year, it has improved a lot! I definitely want to do an updated skin care routine for you guys!

These are some of the biggest changes for myself (other than things in my personal life). I know I want to talk about these in more detail, so if you are interested in seeing something in particular, let me know!

Hello! After all this time...

2017-07-19T01:31:00.002-07:00

Hi to anyone that might still be around!

It's Nancy! Back from the dead, haha.

I'm sure the blogging world has changed much since I was last here but, but I was feeling the urge to create some new things lately! So you will be seeing some new content! ^_^ I've been quite busy being a cosplayer and mostly posting on my Instagram (@DarthNancy), so that is what I have mostly been doing with my time. For now, have my latest costume: genderbent 10th Doctor from Doctor Who~ It feels great to be back!

Bye for now, but much more to come~

Cosplay Makeup Tutorial: Candy Cane Miss Fortune/ Poison Ivy

2015-10-05T19:18:00.002-07:00

Hi hi, everyone!

I posted a makeup tutorial on my other blog for this look! If you guys want to see the tutorial, check out the tutorial on my other blog ^_^

http://www.generationofcosplay.com/2015/10/makeup-tutorial-candy-cane-miss-fortune.html

Cosplay Makeup Tutorial: Hyuuga Hinata (Naruto)

2015-08-30T20:31:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

*I posted this tutorial on my cosplay blog, but since it is makeup-related, I will post it here too!

Today I will be sharing with you guys a simple makeup tutorial for the makeup I wear with my Hinata cosplay. I have received tons of requests to do this in the past, so I am excited to finally share this! The makeup I wear could be way more complicated (I could wear lashes on my lower lash line or contour a lot), but I find that this makeup has worked the best for me. The white mesh lenses I wear are a little creepy, but I like how they make my cosplay look! Wearing lenses is totally up to you; don't feel like absolutely have to wear any. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the tutorial!

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

- ELF Undereye Setting Powder

- Lime Crime 'Lotus Noir ' eyeshadow (black eyeshadow)

- Wet n Wild 'Vanity' Palette (shimmery champagne and matte brown)

- Jesse's Girl liquid liner

- L'oreal Voluminous Mascara

- Ardel Lashes #105

- White Mesh lenses from Honey Color

Face & Lips

- Wet n Wild CoverAll Foundation

- The Body Shop Honey Bronzer

- MAC 'Pink Swoon' Blush

- Revlon 'Berry Allure' lip gloss

Tutorial

1. Start out by using a primer or concealer all over your lids. I used the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer to conceal any discoloration around my eyes and to act as a base for the rest of the makeup I will be using.

2. Use an eyeshadow or setting powder to set the concealer. I used the ELF Undereye Setting Powder.

3. Eyeliner is going to be your best friend with most anime makeup, so take a liquid eyeliner and line your lash line. You can make this as dramatic as you'd like. I went quite subtle with my eyeliner this time around! I used the Jesse's Girl liquid eyeliner.

4. Apply a generous coat of mascara. I used the L'oreal Voluminous mascara.

5. Apply false lashes. I used my favorite lashes, the Ardel #105 lashes.

6. Apply a bit of black eyeshadow on the end portion of the lower lash line (you can also go over that part with a bit of liquid liner).

7. Apply a shimmery champagne eyeshadow on the inner half of the lower lash line. This will brighten up and enlarge the eyes.

8. With a neutral light brown, contour the eye socket to add dimension to the eyes.'

9. Fill in your eyebrows with a blue eyeshadow. You can also cover the eyebrows and then draw them in (I personally don't like doing that).

10. If you are using contacts, now is the time to put them in! I usually put contacts in first, but I cannot see with them so I have to put them in last. They do sometimes make my eyes really watery and it can ruin my makeup a bit (like it did in this case!).

Thank you all for joining me and I hope this simple tutorial is helpful to someone out there ^_~

Mercenary Katarina (LoL) Cosplay Part 6: Clothes, Belt, Shoes, and Wig

2015-05-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

If you are new to my Mercenary Katarina Cosplay series check out the other posts first:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Breastplate

Part 3: Arm Bracers
Part 4: Pauldron

Part 5: Bracers Revisited

Katarina Smokey Eye

Hi everyone! Today, I am going to show you the clothing, shoes, belts, and wig I have for my Mercenary Katarina cosplay! So let's get right to it :D

1. Clothing

Mercenary Katarina's clothing consists of a green jacket, green pants, gloves and the breastplate. I already have a tutorial for the breastplate HERE. If you are good at sewing and want to make your own clothing, go for it! Unfortunately I am only just learning how to sew, and also I am really lazy. So I went with a different route: thrift stores! Thrift stores have so many great things for really cheap. I suggest hitting up a lot of thrift stores to see if you can find anything that works for your cosplays. I got really lucky and found a green pleather jacket and dark green tights at different thrift stores! You can then modify the clothing to fit your needs. For example, I will be adding some embellishments to the jacket and cutting the sleeves to make them shorter (still haven't done that!). I already had a pair of regular black gloves that I ended up using for this cosplay~

Green Pleather Jacket~

Olive green pleather tights

Black gloves

2. Shoes

Shoes were easy for me. I just used a pair of combats boots I already owned! Before you go out and buy anything, shop your own stash and see if you already own something you can use! If not, go to thrift stores. If I can't find anything at thrift stores, I will go to Target or Walmart, or internet shop, as a last resort.

Boots! Ignore the painters tape...this was when I was making the bracers.

3. Belts

Surprisingly belts were the hardest thing to find. I actually had two dark brown belts from Target that I already owned. Because of this, I decided to go with brown belts instead of black. I then needed to get another belt I could use to go around my chest and some smaller ones to go around my thighs. I could not find anything at thrift stores so I had to end up getting the belts from Target. I just cut one to make two smaller belts to go around my thighs and connect one full belt with a piece of another left over belt to make the belt that goes around the chest. The chest belt was really annoying to make. I had to adjust it so it fit around my chest well, and had to add the embellishments on it (as you can see below)

My chest belt with part of the pauldron. All the belts I have for this cosplay are this same color.

4. Wig and Contacts

Wigs are probably one of the things I hate the most about cosplaying. A lot of the wigs I have owned tangle easily, are difficult to style, and are overall an unpleasant ordeal. The own I bought for this cosplay was purchased at Evangeline's in Old Sacramento, CA. It is the only place around where I live that sells wigs. I really wanted to be able to see the wig in person and feel the texture of it. This wig is alright; I've seen worse! It is a long platinum white wig that does not tangle but that has a really rough texture. I bought the contacts from Honey Color. They are the EOS Dolly Green contacts!

If you have any other questions, please let me know in the comments!

Mercenary Katarina (LoL) Cosplay Part 5: Bracers Revisited

2015-04-21T21:56:00.004-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

If you are new to my Mercenary Katarina Cosplay series check out the other posts first:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Breastplate

Part 3: Arm Bracers
Part 4: Pauldron

Katarina Smokey Eye

It has been a while, guys! I haven't worked on this cosplay in foreveeeeeer! But there is a reason why I left this costume in storage until just a few weeks ago. I wore this cosplay during the summer of 2013 (ageeees ago) and it was just a huge disaster. Mainly the arm and leg bracers. I used Model Magic to make the spikes on the bracers, and boy, was that a huge mistake! Let me tell you this: Model Magic sucks. It really, really sucks! It might be good for some crafts, but it is not for a cosplay in which you have to move around a lot in. Right at the start of the convention I wore it to, the spikes on my bracers broke and keep braking off every time I brushed up against anything. Hell, they would break if I just so much as breathed while wearing them!

So after that one time wearing this costume, I knew I had to go back and fix the bracers. Fast forward nearly 2 years later...and here I am trying to fix the costume! Fixing these was fairly simple. All you have to do is skip using Model Magic and just Worbla instead. Worbla is just the most fascinating material and it sticks to itself sooo well. I know it is pricey, but you will have a very study and long-lasting piece of armor when you are done. But of course, it is better to get it right the first time rather than have to go back and fix it. So if you are reading this and want to build your own bracers, for the love of all that is good, stay away from Model Magic!

So, instead of filling the frosting tip spikes with Model Magic like I did the first time...

...fill them with heated up Worbla! The results will be 1000% better, trust me! See the picture below? I had to remove all the spikes and re-do them with Worbla!

I did the same thing for the leg bracers! When I was done, I primed the spikes with Gesso and painted them with the same acrylic paints I used the first time (all while watching anime, hooray!).

Making armor and cosplay props is a lot of trial and error. You make mistakes and learn what to do and what not to do. I learned NEVER to use Model Magic again D: I also learned to ALWAYS test a costume around the house before wearing it to a convention. I learned that the hard way!

Thanks for reading! ♥

Update: Long time no see!

2015-04-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well hello everyone!

It has been quite a long time, hasn't it? I have been out of the blogging sphere for quite sometime now, and I wanted to at least pop up and say hi! So hi xD

I haven't blogged in forever just because I have had a real lack of motivation and creativity. And honestly I have not been into makeup for a while now. I have been much more interested in cosplaying! I often post pictures about my cosplays on Instagram so you should check it out (@DarthNancy). I think I'll be posting on my blog more often about cosplaying and makeup for cosplays! I'll try my best to post more from now on!

For now, I will leave you with a picture from my latest makeup test for my Hyuuga Hinata cosplay :)

So, how have you all been? really hope you have all been doing well! Let me know what kind of posts you would like to see in the comments!

FOTD: Pomegranate Punk

2014-10-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

This week it finally started to feel like autumn here in North California...finally. It has been so freaking, so the sudden onset of chilly days have been more than welcome. I cannot wait for it to get even colder! I am really not a summer person and I much prefer the colder weather~ Along with the autumn weather we start to see autumn trends, that including makeup trends. I wear dark makeup all throughout the year, but I wear it even more during fall and winter. Here is an easy purple/cranberry look using indie makeup and some drugstore items~ I really do need to use my indie eyeshadows more often! They are gorgeous!I hope you all like it ^_^

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

- Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Pomegranate Punk' (base)

- Shiro Cosmetics 'Task Force', (lid)

- Shiro Cosmetics 'Shinigami' (lower lash line)

- Shiro Cosmetics 'Little Bird' (crease)

- Lime Crime 'Lotus Noir' eyeshadow (outer V)

- Revlon Photoready Kajal 'Blue Nile' eye liner (waterline)

- Wet n Wild MegaLiner liquid eyeliner

- L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

- Ardell lashes

- Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

Face & Lips

- Wet n Wild CoverAll Foundation

- Hard Candy 'Living Doll' Blush

- Wet n Wild 'Lady and the Vamp' MegaSlicks Balm Stain

Thanks for reading! ♥

FOTD: Autumn Neutrals

2014-10-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

It has been a while guys! I am so sorry for being MIA! Life has been extremely busy for me (I am sure it has been for everyone!). I have had to juggle school, two jobs, and my social and home life. But mostly I have been lacking inspiration to do creative makeup and to blog, if I am totally honest. I felt really unmotivated to do any cool makeup looks or even to buy any new makeup. I have so much makeup that it makes me feel totally guilty about owning that much. But I decided to get back to blogging, even if it means just using the makeup I currently own. I can't believe my last FOTD was in July!!

The makeup look I am showing you today has been my sort of everyday neutral smokey eye. It just uses neutral bronzes and a pop of a smoked-out green eyeliner on the lash line. Keep reading if you want to know what products I used ;)

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

- Wet n Wild 'Nude Awakening' Palette (satin bronze, matter brown, beige, eyeshadows)

- Butter London Wink Eye Pencil 'Holland Park' (shimmery green eyeliner)

- Wet n Wild MegaLiner liquid eyeliner

- L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

- Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

Face & Lips

- Wet n Wild CoverAll Foundation

- Hard Candy 'Living Doll' Blush

- NYX Butter Gloss 'Creme Brulee'

Thanks everyone for sticking with me through this long hiatus! ♥

Thanks for reading! I hope you have all being doing well~

Giveaway: Maybelline The Nudes Palette

2014-08-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

I have been using this palette from Maybelline a lot recently so I thought I would give one away~ Good luck to everyone who enters!

Rules and Information

-You must be 18+ years or have your parent's permission to enter
-You must be a follower of The Dark Side of Beauty
-This giveaway is international, so anyone can enter :)
-There will only be 1 winner
-Fill out the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 5: Holy Grail Products

2014-08-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

For me, it has always been very difficult to label a product as a Holy Grail (HG). I use so many different products that it is hard to choose only a few to call my HG products. But, I thought about it and choose 5 products I can definitely label as HG. My criteria for HG products are products that 1) I really, really like; 2) that I used very often; 3) that are NOT limited edition and could easily obtain them; and 4) if I lost/finished them I would immediately repurchase them.

1. Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm 'Standout'

I have A LOT of red lipsticks. And by a lot I mean more than 10. Probably more than 15. Out of all my red lip colors, this Revlon one is by far my favorite. This actually stays in my purse because I am using it constantly; it is my go-to red and my favorite for a night out. This is compact, applies very easily, and very convenient to have in my makeup bag. The Revlon Matte balms are rich in color, vibrant, and non-drying. I also love that this has a minty scent (I love minty scents!). I find this to very a very long-wearing red. And even when it starts to fade, it has a stain-like look to it that actually looks pretty good. All in all this is a red that will be staying in my makeup collection. It is also a plus that this is not as expensive as high end lipsticks! Yay for drugstore makeup! A runner up red that is cheaper that this is the Wet n Wild Fergie lipstick in 'Saraghina' (they are not the same at all, but it is a red I also really, really love).

Review post of this product HERE.

2. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer 'Neutralizer'

Next up is a product I cannot live without. This undereye concealer is my favorite-est thing to use around my eyes. I cannot even tell you guys how much I love this stuff. I love this so much that I currently have three unopened tubes in my drawer as backups. Yup, THREE! I don't think I will find another undereye concealer I like as much as this one that is as affordable as this one. Let me make it clear though that I only love the shade 'Neutralizer'. I tried the one in the shade 'Light' and I disliked it. I don't know what it is about 'Neutralizer' that makes it so great. All I know is that this stuff brightens my undereye area, works wonderfully as an eyelid primer, and is the best thing to clean up eyeshadow on the lower lash line. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this~ Give it a try if you have not. Regrettably, I have no honorable mentions in this category. I hate every other undereye primer I have ever tried. Well, okay, that's a lie. Benefit's 'Erase Paste' is pretty good, but also quite different to this concealer.

Review post of this product HERE.

3. Pumpkin & Poppy Cream Highlighter 'Lady of Light'

Here is another product that worked its way up to my top 5 HG products. This one really surprised me when I first purchased it. I did not expect to love this as much as I do, and it has become a staple in my makeup bag. I was really obsessed with highlighters for a while, but this trumps all the highlighters I collected. I think I love this so much because it 1) suits my skin so well; 2) is a cream that sets like a powder; 3) is inspired my The Lord of the Rings; and 4) it is a reasonably priced indie product. This lovely champagne highlighter is the icing on the cake...er...or should I say the icing to my makeup routine. The dose of shimmery goodness on my cheekbones adds the most beautiful iridescent, subtle glow that is definitely reminiscent of the Lady of Light (aka Galadriel). If you are into indie makeup at all, this is a must-try product! I did mention before that this was similar to Illamasqua's 'Aurora' cream highlighter but I actually prefer this P&P one.

Review post of this product HERE.

4. Hard Candy Baked Blush 'Living Doll'

Before I go on and on about this blush, I quickly wanted to mention my love-hate relationship with Hard Candy. I find that HC is a hit-or-miss type of brand. Most of the products I have tried are a definite miss. However, this blush (which was also my very first HC purchase) is one of the few hits I have found. This doll-like pink is so beautiful! It adds a nice touch of color and sheen without being too bright or too shimmery. If you love pink blushes, this is a really great one to try. Of course, if you don't like shimmer or sheen on your cheeks, stay away from this. And honorable mention in the blush category is MAC 'Pink Swoon', another of my favorite pinks. 'Pink Swoon', however, is a matte. But they are both really beautiful pinks!

I used this blush in THIS look.

5. Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water

My last HG product is a skin care/makeup removing product. I am sure you have all heard of the Bioderma cleansing water (which was my favorite for a long time). This Koh Gen Do cleansing water is similar to the Bioderma one. They both remove eye/face makeup really well, and they both have the feel wonderful on the skin. But, since I live in the US, Bioderma is hard to come by. Unless I buy it online, I cannot get Bioderma cleansing water. Then I found the Koh Gen Do cleansing water which I can buy at Sephora. It is a bit more expensive than Bioderma, but I actually like it better. It leaves my skin feeling more refreshed than the Bioderma one. Ever since I started using it, I cannot remove my foundation with anything else! I tried using makeup wipes but the wipes do not remove nearly as well as the cleansing water. This is definitely HG material!

What are some of your HG products?

Update!

2014-08-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

So...hi guys! It seems I have left my blog hanging for almost a month! Yikes >_<" I want to apologize for being so inactive, and not just on my blog but on all my social media. I was super busy with work, lazy, and (insert other lame excuse here). Honestly though I just did not feel inspired to write anything or create any makeup looks. In fact I have cut down on makeup-buying significantly and have been wearing pretty minimal makeup for most of July/beginning of August. I do want to get back on the wagon though and start writing again. I feel a bit more recharged after my mini blogging hiatus, so yay!

On other note, I totally did not do the July Series Challenge D: So I will be doing during this month (August). However, I will not be doing another Series Challenge giveaway since someone already won that prize. Look forward to seeing some looks from me this month!

Thanks for reading!

FOTD: Orange and Nude

2014-07-16T00:45:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

I'm not dead, I have just been a terrible blogger. And as usual, I blame both work and the fact that watching anime gets pretty addicting! I have been keeping my makeup quite minimal because of my job (and maybe you also noticed that my blue hair was quite short-lived!). I have been playing around with some of the new makeup I purchased recently and today I used the Maybelline The Nudes palette to create this eye look. I paired it with a very summery orange lip, Lime Crime's 'My Beautiful Rocket' lipstick~! I love pairing neutral eye looks with bright lip colors and Lime Crime lipsticks are always my go-to lipsticks for bright lips.

Thanks for reading!

July Series Challenge: League of Legends

2014-07-08T18:07:00.002-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

For an introduction of this Series Challenge, go HERE. Otherwise, welcome to another month of my challenge series! This month's theme will be: League of Legends! For weekly dates and inspiration pictures, keep reading!

*Every person can do one look per inspiration (so a maximum total of three looks per month).
*Share your weekly look by the end of each week on my Facebook Page, my Twitter, and/or by email (darksideofbeautyblog@gmail.com). You can do eye makeup, full-face makeup, or nails!

Inspiration Pictures

*These are not my photos. You can use the photos I will be using for inspiration or you can use a different photo of the same character if you wish.

Week 1: Goth Annie

Week 2: Jinx

Week 3: Mercenary Katarina

Contest Giveaway Prize

At the end of the month, all of you who have participated in the challenge will have a chance to win this: a $20-30 gift certificate of the store of your choice.

*Share your looks by the end of each week on my Facebook Page, my Twitter, and/or by email (darksideofbeautyblog@gmail.com). You can do eye makeup, full-face makeup, or nails!

First Impression: Milani Bella Eyes Gel Eyeshadows

2014-07-08T17:33:00.001-07:00

I'm throwing another First Impression post your way because I actually did a bit of hauling this past week. I've heard quite a lot of things about these new Milani Bella Eyes Gel Eyeshadows so I had to try them out for myself. The name is not only really long but also a bit weird. Are they powder or gel eyeshadows? Let's find out! Here are my first thoughts on two shades I picked up as well as some swatcharoos of both shades.

I picked up two colors: 'Bella Champagne' and 'Bella White'. I wanted to pick shades that were good for multiple purposes and that were easy to wear. I am always looking for good white browbone higlighters and pretty rose gold shades so these two colors were perfect. They were $3.99 each at Walgreens.

I think I was completely trolled with these eyeshadows. I had heard a lot about them, but I never actually read reviews or looked at swatches. I expected these to be like cream eyeshadows or have a gel consistency, but they are just powder eyeshadows. They are really smooth, so I guess that is why they are "gel" eyeshadows. Still I feel like really stupid for expecting these to be cream eyeshadows >_<

Besides having a short derp moment, I actually am quite impressed with these. They are powder eyeshadows but they have a really amazing texture. They are really smooth and "lightweight" (it feels really airy and not heavy...er...that made no sense). 'Bella White' is described to have a "satin matte" finish which is a perfect description because it is almost matte but it has a slight sheen to it. 'Bella Champagne' is a gorgeous shiny rose gold that is perfect on the lid or as an inner corner highlight <3 an="" and="" are="" as="" both="" crease="" don="" easily="" eyeshadow="" eyeshadows="" find="" go="" gorgeous="" however="" i="" intensity.="" lid="" nbsp="" nicely.="" nicely="" on="" p="" pigmented="" primer="" really="" regular="" shade="" still="" t="" that="" the="" them="" these="" they="" to="" up="" use="" with="">
Overall I think these are worth the money. If you see a color you really like, I recommend you pick it up and give it a try. I will be posting one or more looks using these so you can see them in action!

Thanks for reading!

First Impression: Maybelline 'The Nudes' Palette

2014-07-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

I recently found this new drugstore palette from Maybelline and I was really excited to pick it up! I don't own the Naked or Naked2 palettes so I wanted to try this version of a nude palette. I have my first impression as well as some swatches in this post for you guys, and I will also be posting some eye looks using this palette in future posts ^_^ Has anyone else tried this palette out?

First off, this really wasn't that cheap. It was about $13 which is not necessarily the cheapest eyeshadow palette you could buy at the drugstore. But I went along with it anyway because I love trying new products. The packaging is quite nice: it's a slim, compact black palette with 12 eyeshadows. It is pretty good size for traveling and great to just have in your makeup bag.

The eyeshadows range in finishes and colors, but they are all quite wearable colors. I love that there is such a great mix of shades and finishes because you can combine them much better than say if you only had 12 shimmery colors or only 12 matte colors. This offers such great combinations that you can travel with this palette alone!

On a slightly more negative note, I find some of these colors a bit dry. They are not as pigmented as I wish they were and they are a bit difficult to blend. The colors I had the hardest trouble with are the darkest shades like the black and dark matte brown. Some other shades do have great pigmentation, like the dark bronze on the top row and the taupe on the bottom row. I still have to use this palette more to truly see if it is worth the money. For now I feel like it is a good cheap alternative to something like the UD Naked palette, but it is definitely not a dupe (UD Naked palette eyeshadows have better pigmentation and texture). I will keep you updated and post some eye looks so you can judge this palette for yourself.

Thanks for reading!

Kill La Kill Series: Fight Club Mako

2014-07-01T00:54:00.000-07:00

"Winning at friendship means winning at life!"

Mankanshoku Mako is by far my favorite character from Kill la Kill! She is so randomly awesome and cute! However, for a few moments in the serious we got to see her as a badass member of the Fight Club with her Two-Star goku uniform (the best uniform by far IMO). I loved seeing her in her goku uniform because she totally reminds me of some delinquent yakuza-ish anime character. Instead of doing something too neutral and cuteish, I decided to do a neutral look with a pop of blue, red, and a bit of black. This is a easy way to wear color AND it totally doubles as a subtle 4th of July look!

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

-Wet n Wild 'Nude Awakening' Palette (satin bronze, matter brown, beige, sparkly black eyeshadows)

- Lime Crime 'Fly Dragon Fly' eyeshadow (red eyeshadow)

- Urban Decay 'Chaos' 24/7 Glide On Pencil (bright blue eyeliner)

- Wet n Wild 'Vanity' Palette (shimmery white gold)

- Kat Von D 'Trooper' Tattoo liquid liner

- L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

- Eyelure lashes

- Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

Face & Lips

- Wet n Wild CoverAll Foundation

- The Body Shop Honey Bronzer

- Hard Candy 'Living Doll' Blush

- Lime Crime 'Coquette' lipstick

Tutorial

1. Prime your lids. I used my Maybelline concealer as a primer and to give my lids a blank canvas.

2. With a flat shader brush, apply your favorite neutral eyeshadow. I used a beautiful bronze shade from my Wet n Wild 'Nude Awakening' palette.

3. With a fluffy crease brush, apply a matte crease/blending color. I used a matte light brown from the same Wet n Wild palette.

4. With a matte or satin beige color, highlight the brow bone. I used a color from the same Wet n Wild palette.

5. Take a shimmering white gold eyeshadow and highlight the inner corner. I used a shade from the Wet n Wild 'Vanity' palette.

6. If you need to, fill in your brows. I used my Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit.

7. Line the waterline with a pop of bright blue. I used the UD 24/7 pencil in 'Chaos'.Mako's regular school uniform is blue and I wanted to incorporate the color in this look~

8. Next, take a red eyeshadow or liner and apply a little bit on the corner of the lid. I used the Lime Crime red eyeshadow. Mako's goku uniform has red spikes and I really wanted to add another pop of color to this look.

9. Apply a bit of black eyeshadow on the lower lash line. I used a color from the Wet n Wild palette. Her coat and hat are black, and this just deepens this look ever so slightly.

10. Add mascara, liquid liner, and lashes! You should not have a neutral look with two pops of bright colors! OOMPH!

Final Look

Here's the final look! Oh and if you were not aware, I dyed my hair blue! I have no idea how long I will have the blue for, but for now, enjoy~ Also, don't mind the lipstick. It really washed me out in the photo for some reason even though in real life it looked just fine!

Thank you for reading!

Weekly Favorites #5

2014-06-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

If you have not noticed, I've been pretty lazy as far as posting makeup tutorials and reviews on my blog. I have been really minimal with my everyday makeup, which explains why I haven't posted many reviews. I have been sticking to foundation, powder, mascara, and a bit of lipstick/gloss for the past weeks; nothing too exciting as far as makeup is concerned. This week I stuck to the same routine for the most part but I changed up a few of my products. For starters, I purchased a new CC cream, the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream. I heard really great things about this CC cream on Youtube videos and I decided to pick it up at Ulta for a hefty $38. So far, I really like it but we will see if it lives up to its hype. While picking up this CC Cream, I saw the IT Cosmetics Tightline Mascara Primer. I remember hearing great things about this one too so I got it as well (damn Youtube making me want to buy stuff!). I've used it a few times this week and, holy cow this stuff is great! This is awesome for people who want a non-white mascara primer that makes the lashes look freaking amazing. I am really starting to like IT Cosmetics! These are my first two products from this brand and so far I have great impression!

Besides the two new makeup products, I started using two other products that were already in my collection: the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in 'Diffused Light' and the NYX Butter Gloss in 'Merengue'. I stopped using 'Diffused Light' for some time because I completely forgot about it, but I fell in love with it again this week. This is a great setting powder for yellow-toned skin as well as a beautiful subtle highlighter. This is really pricey, but the product is amazing and the packaging is superb. I also starting using one of my least used NYX Butter Glosses in 'Merengue' and I can't believe I haven't used it more. It is a cool pink with lavender undertones that looks really good on my skin tone. All NYX Butter Glosses are beautiful and I love them so much ♥ I used this shade in my latest tutorial.

My last favorite of the week is actually not a makeup product, it's a book! And not just any book, it is the newest addition to my Tolkien collection! This is the translation of Beowulf by J.R.R. Tolkien and now published by his son Christopher. I really liked Beowulf back in high school and it is really great to read it again~ I am really excited to read this classic piece and have translations and comments from Tolkien. It's also so fascinating reading one of the things that basically inspired Tolkien to begin to create his own myths and stories, which basically lead to him creating what we know as Middle-Earth today!

Thanks for reading!

Kill la Kill Series: Harime Nui

2014-06-21T23:58:00.001-07:00

"All memories are lost the moment a girl changes her underwear."

Ah, Harime Nui. You were a delightfully bat-shit crazy character in Kill la Kill. Without giving any spoliers, I'll say to not let her cute appearance and demeanor fool you. She is insanely cute, and insanely...well, for a lack of a better term, insane. She was a very refreshing character and I enjoyed seeing her scenes because she has a hilarious personality! For this look, I wanted to do something kind of cute, but also a little edgy and fun (just like her!). And for the fun of it, I decided to add her signature purple eye patch ( it is in the shape of the Japanese katakana character for the sound "nu" and "i" combined, cleverly forming her name). It is so wearable (note: sarcasm)! I'm totally going to work like this xD

Not my image.

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

- Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper

- Lime Crime 'Royal Flush' eyeshadow (pastel pink)

- Lime Crime 'Goldfish' eyeshadow (shimmering yellow-gold)

- Sugarpill 'Dollipop' eyeshadow (hot pink)

- Sugarpill 'Tako' eyeshadow (matte white)

- Sugarpill 'Poison Plum' eyeshadow (deep purple)

- Maybelline Master Drama Chromatics 'Mighty Magenta' eyeliner

- L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

- Wet n Wild MegaVolume Color Up! 'Retro Pink' mascara

- Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

Face & Lips

- IT Cosmetics CC Creme

- Hard Candy 'Living Doll' blush

- NYX Butter Gloss 'Merengue'

- Pumpkin & Poppy 'Lady of Light' hihglighter

Tutorial

1. Start off as usual by applying a primer.

2. With a flat shader brush, apply a light pastel pink to the lid. Here I used the Lime Crime eyeshadow in 'Royal Flush'.

3. With a small brush, apply a shimmery golden yellow on the inner corner. I used Lime Crime's 'Goldfish' eyeshadow.

5. With a pencil brush, apply a darker pink on the outer V and on the crease. I used Sugarpill's 'Dollipop' eyeshadow.

6. With a small crease brush, blend out the hot pink slightly using the same pastel pink you used on the lid.

7. Apply a pink eyeliner on the waterline. I used a hot pink liner by Maybelline (although it looks kind of red in the photos...but I promise it is pink!)

8. With a small brush, apply an intense purple on the lower lash line. I used Sugarpill's 'Poison Plum' eyeshadow.

9. With a clean fluffy crease brush, go over any areas that need to be blended a bit more.

10. Apply mascara.

11. Optionally, you can apply a pink mascara on the lower lashes. I used a Wet n Wild pink mascara...I think it was limited edition though :(

Final Look

Thank you for reading!

Review: L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

2014-06-17T23:33:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

Today I bring you a review for a product that has been gaining some serious hype in the beauty community as of late: the L'oreal Miss Manga mascara. If you want to know my thoughts on this drugstore mascara, please keep reading ^_^

The L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga mascara is a mascara that comes in a black and hot pink tube. This is marketed as giving you manga/anime-like eyes; in other words, this mascara will give you a wide-eyed type of look. I was suckered into buying this as a huge anime/manga fan, but I have also been really obsessed with trying new mascaras so of course I had to try it! Since this is from the Voluminous line, I first expected this to just be a volumizing mascara rather than a lengthening one.The brush is tapered (thinner on the end and thicker at the base) but it is a slightly messy brush that picks up too much product.

Before and after with just the mascara alone. I did not curl or do anything else to my lashes besides using this mascara.

The Good:
This is a drugstore mascara so it is fairly affordable; that always makes my wallet happy! I also really love the packaging of this mascara, more so because it is called "Miss Manga",which I think is such a cute name (as you can see I am really suckered into this product because of the packaging!). The mascara definitely gives a wide-eyed look as it really lengthens the lashes. But I am very pleased that this also gives the lashes a really volumized and dark look. This mascara does not flake or smudge on me at all, which honestly I don't tend to have a problem with anyway. Overall, I pleased by the way my lashes look when I wear this mascara!

The Bad:
The first notable con for the Miss Manga mascara is the brush. I do not care much for the brush because it is flimsy and it picks up too much product. It is not the worst mascara brush I have used, but it is something to keep in mind . The next con is the fact that the formula of this was too wet in the beginning and it was prone to clumping my lashes for the first few uses. I think this is one of those mascaras that will be better once the formula dries out a bit. Because it is a watery formula, you can get spider lashes really easily. I don't personally mind spider lashes (in fact sometimes I like the look), but I thought I should mention it just in case any of you hate the spider lashes!

This is a cute mascara that is affordable and that actually works quite well. It is not a perfect mascara, but I do love that it gives my lashes both volume and length. This definitely opens up my eyes more so than other mascaras I have been using lately, and because of that I give this mascara a huge thumbs up!

Thanks for reading!

A Few Updates: Series Challenge, Graduation, Anime Expo, etc.

2014-06-16T17:20:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

I wanted to come in a give you all a few updates. This past week was a super insanely busy week. I had to work, prepare for my graduation, and prepare to say good-bye to one of my best friends. As such, I did not post my Week 2 look for the June Series Challenge, but it will be posted up by at least Wednesday. Since I will be posting this look late, you are also welcome to post Week 2 and Week 3 looks by the end of Sunday.

My best friend of almost 7 years is moving away to Boston tomorrow morning and I want to spend these last few hours with her. It would be an understatement to say that I am devastated by her moving away, but I am also happy to see her doing something new. I have plans to visit her in Boston and go to New York in the fall so that will be really exciting! If any of you are from the Boston or New York area, please let me know of any thing I must absolutely visit!

In other news, I officially graduated this weekend! I had my commencement ceremony for UC Davis on Saturday and it was a really exciting day for me. My family and friends were there and I was just so thrilling to see everyone cheering for me. Thank you to everyone who supported me through my college years! ♥ I had a fantastic 4 years at UC Davis and I will remember them for the rest of my life!

I think I have already mentioned this a few times, but I will be going to Anime Expo July 3-July 6! I am still working on some of my cosplays, but I just recently decided to dress up as Konan from Naruto. I haven't gathered all the stuff I need for this cosplay, but I have gotten a few things. It is going to happen though :D I will keep you guys updated with my cosplays and I will do my best to get the posts up for my cosplays before Anime Expo!

Thanks for reading!

Kill la Kill Series: Matoi Ryuuko

2014-06-07T21:32:00.003-07:00

“To hell with your opinion! I'll take my own path no matter what anyone else says!”

Matoi Ryuuko is the main protagonist of the anime KILL la KILL. She is a tomboy who arrives at Honnouji Academy searching for the other half of her scissor blade, a clue that will help her find the person who murdered her father. Throughout the series, Ryuuko is a freaking badass character! I really loved her as a character and enjoyed seeing her in the show. She is a tomboy at heart, but she also displays a heartwarming girly side. For this Ryuuko inspired look, I decided to go for a darker blue and red look, since blue and red are her signature colors. I also added a bit of yellow from the yellow of her outfit (aka Senketsu's eye). I hope you enjoy this look!

Not my image.

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

- Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper

- MAC 'Blue Sheen' Mineralize Eye Shadow

- Inglot #79 Gel Eyeliner

- Mon Ennui Cosmetics 'Red Velvet Cupcake' Eyeshadow

- Wet n Wild 'Vanity' Palette (matte medium brown and matte ivory)

- Revlon PhotoReady Kajal 'Blue Nile'

- L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

- Ardell lashes

- Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

Face & Lips

- Wet n Wild CoverAll Foundation

- The Body Shop Honey Bronzer

- Jemma Kidd 'English Rose' Lipstick

Tutorial

1. Prime your lids very well. I used a bit too much of my Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper here!

2. With a flat brush, apply a generous amount of a navy blue eyeshadow. I used the MAC 'Blue Sheen' baked eyeshadow because it has beautiful sparkles!

3. With a fluffy crease brush, blend the blue on the crease and upwards. You can use a matte medium-toned brown to help blend. Honestly, this eyeshadow was quite difficult to blend!

4. Apply a matte skin color light beige on the brow bone to help blend everything out. I used the matte beige in my Wet n Wild 'Vanity' Palette.

5. With a red gel liner and/or red eyeshadow, line the lash line. I used my Inglot red gel liner and a Mon Ennui eyeshadow in 'Red Velvet Cupcake' to make this liner. This represents Ryuuko's hair streak~

6. Line the waterline with a blue eye pencil. I used the Revlon PhotoReady Kajal in 'Blue Nile'.

7. Line the lower lash line with blue and red eyeshadow. I used the same colors I used on my lid.

8. Apply a yellow eyeshadow on the inner corned. I used Lime Crime 'Goldfish' eyeshadow.

9. Apply mascara and lashes.

10. Finish the look by applying an undereye concealer to clean up the lower lash line. I used my Maybelline Instant Age Rewing Dark Circle Eraser!

Final Look

I don't know what's going on with my hair...so just ignore it xD

Thank you for reading!

June Series Challenge: Kill la Kill

2014-06-01T23:24:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

For an introduction of this Series Challenge, go HERE. Otherwise, welcome to another month of my challenge series! This month's theme will be: Kill la Kill! For weekly dates and inspiration pictures, keep reading!

*Every person can do one look per week based on that week's inspiration. Example, you can turn in a Harime Nui inspired look anytime from 6/02-6/08. After June 8th, you can no longer turn in a Harime Nui look unless I give an extension. You can also turn it in before the assigned week if you wish.

*Share your weekly look by the end of each week on my Facebook Page, my Twitter, and/or by email (darksideofbeautyblog@gmail.com). You can do eye makeup, full-face makeup, or nails!

Inspiration Pictures

*These are not my photos. You can use the photos I will be using for inspiration or you can use a different photo of the same character if you wish.

Week 1: Harime Nui

Week 2: Matoi Ryuuko

Week 3: Mankanshoku Mako

Contest Giveaway Prize

At the end of the month, all of you who have participated in the challenge will have a chance to win this: a $20-30 gift certificate of the store of your choice.

*Share your looks by the end of each week on my Facebook Page, my Twitter, and/or by email (darksideofbeautyblog@gmail.com). You can do eye makeup, full-face makeup, or nails!

Road Warrior Miss Fortune (LoL) Cosplay Part 3: Guns

2014-06-01T16:34:00.004-07:00

Greetings from the Dark Side!

If you are new to this cosplay series check these posts out first:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Pauldron

This post is solely focusing on the Miss Fortune's guns. I've really loved the guns from this artwork compared the guns that she actually has in-game. These guns are more intricate and look way more awesome! I have been in love with them since I first saw them. I wanted the guns to be super cool and to be pieces I actually could have on display in my room, so I did not make them myself. I employed someone else to make them for me. This is where GS Props comes in. I basically commissioned the guns from a prop maker. GS Props has made some really awesome props so I decided to spend a little money to get some really cool guns. The result was amazing! I am so happy with how they turned out. The handle is real wood and everything else is made of...well I have no clue but it turned out really well!

The guns are pretty big (about the length of my arms) but they are very lightweight! I received so many compliments on them when I went to Fanime! I need to look for a good picture of me holding these so you can see how big they are! But for the mean time I leave you with the picture above from GSProps!

Thank you for reading!

FOTD: I Dyed My Hair Red...Sort Of

2014-05-31T00:57:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Long time no see! I have been such a terrible blogger >_<" I wish I could say I have been really busy, but I have actually been really uninspired lately. Also I have been binge watching Netflix and Crunchyroll! I have a few quick updates to share with you all. First of all, I dyed my hair red. Kind of. I lightened my hair a bit because I want to dye it blue when I go to Anime Expo (July 3-July 6), but I hated how it looked as a really light brown. So I decided to dye it red in the mean time. Why not just dye it blue right now? Well I can't have blue hair at work, but apparently red is acceptable xD

Next sort of update is that I will be having my regular Series Challenge for June! I skipped May because I was being lazy but I will be continuing that! Anyway here is my FOTD for today!

Products Used

Eyes

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 'Neutralizer'

- Wet n Wild 'Vanity' Palette (shimmery pale gold)

- Kat Von D liquid liner

- L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga mascara

- Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

Face & Lips

- Wet n Wild CoverAll Foundatiin

- Revlon Matte Balm 'Standout'

Thank you for reading!