Things are still on the mend around here, but I mustered up the energy to bust out a flaming hot eye. A little fun makeup time always makes me feel a little better.

Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Lid: Sweet Libertine Thai Silk

Outer Lid/Crease: L’Oreal Continuous Cocoa

Phyrra introduces you to a hidden jewel, Sweetpea & Faye Cosmetics.

Another look courtesy of my beloved Wet n Wild Lust palette!

Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Lid/Crease/Outer Corner/Browbone: From Wet n Wild Lust palette

Liner: Purple from Physicians Formula Custom Shimmer Strips Liner

Brows: NYX Eyebrow Cake in Taupe/Ash

Mascara: Revlon Photoready 3D [...]]]> By Sheila Arkee

Another look courtesy of my beloved Wet n Wild Lust palette!

Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Lid/Crease/Outer Corner/Browbone: From Wet n Wild Lust palette

Liner: Purple from Physicians Formula Custom Shimmer Strips Liner

Brows: NYX Eyebrow Cake in Taupe/Ash

Mascara: Revlon Photoready 3D Volume

Lisa heads a social marketing [...]]]> Editor’s Note: Things have taken a turn for the sick around PL headquarters, so today I’m featuring one of the very first posts to appear on this site. This informative review was written by Lisa Batitto, who is the fabulous person to come up with the name Painted Ladies!

Lisa heads a social marketing firm called Wail Lions. Check them out if you have any marketing needs! - Sheila

By Lisa Batitto

Like most women, my introduction to mineral makeup came from Bare Escentuals infomercials.  In them, women were transformed from “pretty with bad skin” to model-perfect in minutes by just fluffing it on.  The host/CEO Leslie Blodgett also explained in great detail how much better minerals were for the skin then liquid foundation.  I was sold.

The first order of BE comes with several brushes that provide different levels of coverage and instructions on how to apply: swirl, tap, buff.  My metamorphosis wasn’t nearly as exciting as the ones on television.  In fact, I looked shiny.  Hmmmm…well, maybe it needs time to settle in.  I wore it outside in the summer sun and that is when I found out I had an allergy to bismuth oxychloride – my face felt warm and itchy.  I ran back inside and washed it off.

Still the convenience of mineral makeup was hard to beat and I liked how it also eliminated the need for a separate powder.  I did a little research on beauty boards I visited and learned that I wasn’t the only one with a sensitivity to bismuth.  In fact, it was the reason that buffing was necessary in the first place.  Buffing helped tone down the shininess it caused.  Unfortunately for me, most department and drugstore minerals contained bismuth, and the ones that didn’t often contained talc, which made them similar to loose powder.  There were, however, many boutique brands that did not have the dreaded ingredients and most offered samples.  Samples are key for me because I usually wear the lightest or second lightest shade in a foundation line, and while I have warm undertones, I’m not very warm so sometimes a neutral shade is the better choice.  I ordered three to four samples each from Beauty Bliss Cosmetics, Everyday Minerals, Meow Cosmetics and Afterglow Cosmetics.

The first thing I noticed about mineral foundation that doesn’t contain bismuth is that the texture is lighter and there is no need to buff out the shininess.  All the foundations had more or less the same texture so the winner was crowned based on color match, how long it lasted, flexibility of coverage, and, of course, how flawless it made my skin look.  Some turned orange after a few hours so they were immediately taken out of the running.  I learned that sometimes the red tones used to create a foundation color are enhanced when your face gets moist (for lack of a better word).  At the end of the day, the winner was Beauty Bliss Cosmetics.  I’ve been happily using it for several years now.

I have friends who swear by Bare Escentuals and I am able to wear their eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks without any problems.  There is no one magical mineral formula for every woman, so be prepared to give a few brands a try before you find your perfect fit.  The convenience of minerals can’t be beat.

As much as I adore Wet n Wild’s shadow palettes, there’s no doubt they are extremely susceptible to crumbling. Le. Sigh. Here’s my beloved Comfort Zone palette paired with Walking on Eggshells.

Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Inner Lid/Browbone: Wet n Wild Walking on Eggshells

Outer Lid/Outer Corner: [...]]]> By Sheila Arkee

As much as I adore Wet n Wild’s shadow palettes, there’s no doubt they are extremely susceptible to crumbling. Le. Sigh. Here’s my beloved Comfort Zone palette paired with Walking on Eggshells.

Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Inner Lid/Browbone: Wet n Wild Walking on Eggshells

Outer Lid/Outer Corner: Wet n Wild Comfort Zone

Liner (upper lid): e.l.f. Liquid Liner

Liner (lower lid): Milani Color Brilliance in Green

Brows: NYX Eyebrow Cake in Taupe/Ash

Mascara: Revlon Photoready 3D Volume

Okay, ladies & gents, it’s time to dish. Pour the coffee, pull out the tiramisu AND cheesecake, we’ll be here for awhile.

So, say you had the opportunity to design your dream cosmetic product. Any specifications – color, texture, packaging – all up to you.

What would you design [...]]]> By Sheila Arkee

Okay, ladies & gents, it’s time to dish. Pour the coffee, pull out the tiramisu AND cheesecake, we’ll be here for awhile.

So, say you had the opportunity to design your dream cosmetic product. Any specifications – color, texture, packaging – all up to you.

What would you design and why?

By Sheila Arkee

So, what do you do when you have a lackluster eyeshadow and you can’t imagine dealing with it again? Repurpose it on your lips (or cheeks, for that matter!). Here’s Wet n Wild’s Sellout single shadow with MAC’s Plum liner and NYX’s Smile Brightening gloss.

*NYX provided for consideration. [...]]]>

By Sheila Arkee

So, what do you do when you have a lackluster eyeshadow and you can’t imagine dealing with it again? Repurpose it on your lips (or cheeks, for that matter!). Here’s Wet n Wild’s Sellout single shadow with MAC’s Plum liner and NYX’s Smile Brightening gloss.

*NYX provided for consideration.

via http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenekelly/477688683/

Redheads are blessed with shiny, radiant hair that brings a touch of sophistication to their look. However just like everyone else these beautiful divas should generally follow a guideline of colors to use or they can look washed out. Here [...]]]> Guest Post by Aleya Bamdad

via http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenekelly/477688683/

 

Redheads are blessed with shiny, radiant hair that brings a touch of sophistication to their look. However just like everyone else these beautiful divas should generally follow a guideline of colors to use or they can look washed out. Here are a few tips that guarantee that you’ll always look your best.

Natural Beauty

This technique will allow your features to standout without over or underwhelming you in the least. Using a nude colored lipstick will make your appear to be fuller while pink or brown eye shadow will make you look more alert. You should also use as little foundation and concealer as possible. Keep it simple.

Flawless Skin

Before you apply any sort of makeup be sure to slather on the SPF to give your skin extra protection from the sun. Follow this up by applying a heavier moisturizer during the colder months and a lighter one during the warmer ones. If you’re planning on wearing foundation or cover up be sure to go for a light beige palette so that you’ll get the most natural looking results possible. Remember your goal is to make your skin appear flawless so make sure that the makeup that you choose will blend seamlessly with your coloring. Hiding freckles is not a priority. After all those cute dots are a part of who you are.

Smoldering Eyes

Using brown eye liner and mascara will make your eyes appear wider and more alert. You can go heavier depending on the look you want to capture. As far as eye shadow goes, try pink, taupe, gold and different shades of brown to bring out your eyes. For a more fashion forward look you can experiment with green but stay away from purple.

Blushing Goddess

Using a blush that gold based rather than pink or coral will lend a beautiful glow to your skin and it will play off the natural shimmer of your hair beautifully. Although you can wear gold all year round, peach is a nice alternative that will give you a warm glow.

Channel Your Inner Bombshell

Many redheads feel that red lipstick is a big no-no. However this isn’t the case at all and more and more celebrities with red hair are showing off a gloriously red pout. Since you have such fair skin, the color red will actually look very sophisticated on you so go ahead and try a few shades until you find one that you love.

Once you know which colors work best with your skin and hair you really can’t go wrong. Just remember to always try new and different colors and be sure that when applied they create a symmetry between all of your features. Good luck and stay beautiful.

This post was written by Aleya who is the owner of Spontaneous Chick which is a beauty blog offering beauty product reviews and tips.

Two years ago I collaborated with Sarah, the owner of Sweet Libertine Mineral Cosmetics, to create an exclusive shadow for Painted Ladies. Called Sweet Lady, it’s a gorgeous gold that works beautifully as a highlight or lid color.

Ever since I’ve wanted to create two companion shades for Sweet Lady. I [...]]]> By Sheila Arkee

Two years ago I collaborated with Sarah, the owner of Sweet Libertine Mineral Cosmetics, to create an exclusive shadow for Painted Ladies. Called Sweet Lady, it’s a gorgeous gold that works beautifully as a highlight or lid color.

Ever since I’ve wanted to create two companion shades for Sweet Lady. I carefully selected a sparkling turquoise and rich brown. It took a while to make this happen, but I’m so glad the complete set is finally here.

Here they are in action!

The colors in this exclusive, limited edition set are:

- Sweet Lady: A light gold.

- Sassy Lady: A sparkling turquoise.

- Painted Lady: A rich, shimmery brown.

We’re selling these colors as a set, and they’re only available via Painted Ladies. The price is $21 for the set, $7 individually, with an additional $3.50 for shipping & handling. Please allow up to 5 business days for shipping.

More sets will be available, but for the first offering, we have 20 sets available. First come, first served.

Without Flash

With Flash

To purchase the shadows as a trio:

To purchase the shadows individually:

Colors

Sweet Lady (gold) $7.00 USD Sassy Lady (blue) $7.00 USD Painted Lady (brown) $7.00 USD

Last month I had an unfortunate incident that left  two lines etched in my upper lip line. It’s not the end of the world, and it’s easy enough to cover them, but part of me says … that’s my lip! I’m a perfectionist! I can’t!

It’s a lesson in the Japanese practice of “wabi-sabi”, [...]]]> By Sheila Arkee

Last month I had an unfortunate incident that left  two lines etched in my upper lip line. It’s not the end of the world, and it’s easy enough to cover them, but part of me says … that’s my lip! I’m a perfectionist! I can’t!

It’s a lesson in the Japanese practice of “wabi-sabi”,  in which beauty is viewed from the following standpoint: “nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.”

This is a Wet n Wild Long Wearing lipstick. I find the formula a bit dry for my lips, but if you’re in the market for a matte that won’t crumble on your lips, you’re in luck.