Review: Sugarpill Pressed Eyeshadow Tako & Dollipop

Sugarpill's annual Black Friday Pink Weekend sale came along and I was hoping to snap up the Sweetheart palette but that was not in the cards for me sadly. It was more than I expected (I had a special budget!) this year, so I could only get two shades: Dollipop and Tako.

THESE BOXES! So cute ~

THE BLOG GOT A FACELIFT, YAY!

In just one night, I gave the whole blog a facelift. Amazing!

But it was hard to get things just right. Sigh.

Happy (Late) Holidays!

Happy (late) holidays! I hope you enjoyed whatever you happen to celebrate.

I'll be back (currently at Ze Boyfriend's from Christmas) with different things. I got my Sugarpill pieces from their annual Black Friday sale earlier this month and have to do swatches/photos. Have an update on my hair color and some more Greek god/goddess looks.

I'll be editing photos and maybe doing some facelifting on the blog with my new graphics tablet, which will have its own little unboxing post. The new, beautiful background/header I have in mind will hopefully be made without a problem. (Doing it all on my own with no one's help, just some stamp plug-ins for Photoshop.)

Anyway, I say bye for now! Ze Boyfriend came up with calling my readers "spooks" (for the guys) and "spookettes" (for the ladies). 

SPOOKEHDOOM

I'M YOUR DEVIL

I initially had a whole thing about this but no, I don't need it.

NO, THE BLOG IS NOT DEAD

It's not dead, I swear!

Hades: God-King of the Underworld

I was bored. I like Greek mythology.

I haven't been posting ~

I haven't been posting.

I know, shame on me. BUT! I hope to put something up to make up for it.

She does it again! Lavender → Teal (BONUS: Tutorial!)

Yes, I changed again. It's been  4  5 months (I can't count apparently! This is why you don't write and edit a blog post at 3 AM EST) since I bleached my hair and roots, which have gone pretty insane. I have a photoshoot to do as well as probably makeup and a show to perform in.

I'm doing Teal for these purposes!

An Odd Haul — Or What I Got at Dragon*Con

I'm back from Dragon*Con with a few pictures. Costumes were somewhat unremarkable! Not for lack of trying but there weren't many stunning costumes or characters that I wanted to stop the person and take a picture! Plus the one costume I wanted to see wasn't there sadly.

I do have photos with some musicians though as well as band merch, various shirts and things.

Stocking Anarchy Makeup ~

Here are photos of my Stocking Anarchy cosplay makeup.

Now (officially!) on Bloglovin'

I have noticed some of my traffic sources come from Bloglovin'. I personally never bothered to go on it but if you're coming from there, then I'll claim my blog! Link below ~

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Oh, and today, I noticed I had a Twitter link (t.co URL) under my traffic sources page for my SKIN79 BB post. Did someone tweet my post?! Wish I had known. Thank you whoever did!





Con post coming soon ~

SPOOKEHDOOM

Review: Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers Glitter Confetti in #124 Glitz

Every Halloween in the US, drugstore brands put out amazing Halloween collections. It's exciting!

I LOVE HALLOWEEN. BEST DAY EVER. (To me, at least.)

Brush Review: 12 Pc Brush Set Pt. 2

I didn't forget about this post! I just hadn't used all my brushes until now.

Let's get this finished, shall we?

Review: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Various Colors

I have so many of these and I will not lie: they're some of my absolute favorite eyeliner pencils even if they're $20 with tax (not that I go through them very quickly though!). They're all rolling around in my makeup bag and one tiny little stub of a pencil is in a drawer. Its just so cute I don't want to get rid of it.

I DO Have a Job!

No, the title isn't aimed at any of you. I'm sorry I haven't been posting, but I've been busy with getting ready for a con next week and have had to worry about burlesque troupe-related things.

I'm actually ticked with my parents. Its not viable for me to move out right now and my mom's awful boyfriend got upset just because I didn't load the dishwasher. I had things to do though. This led to a fight, for really no reason.

Anyway, I wanted to share the look I'll be using for troupe's show in November. It'll be blue when I do it however; I only have silver holographic glitter to use hence why it's silver!

Yeah, I know, I didn't do very good brows, you can still see the natural colors. You also can't quite see the glitter either.

I'll have con photos up after I get home. I'll be going to the Angelspit concert at said con.

If you're going to Dragon*Con, please feel free to say hi! I'd appreciate meeting a reader. Hopefully the stupidity here will end...

SPOOKEHDOOM

Circle Lens Review: Dueba/DollyEye Dreamy.i Blue from ISZO Circle Lens

Free lenses? That's funny! I can't get sponsored to save my life... This time, I bought my lenses from ISZO Circle Lens. The reason for buying from ISZO instead of PinkyParadise was cost... More on that later. Who wants to see some lenses?!

Just a little notice ~

I'll have a lens review up today Okay, so not "today" as of earlier Friday morning but it's up right here and I seriously hate USPS. My package sort of dropped off the face of the earth for some time... I also hope to finish up a review of all my eyeliner pencils. Yes, all.

Anyway, have a picture of a vampire I drew.

(I'm not dead, I swear.)

SPOOKEHDOOM

Wig Review: Stocking Wig (Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt)

I'm sorry I'm so slow. It's been a bad week; one of my other wigs I ordered alongside this one was terribly tangled when I received it (what the hell?) so I've been working on it. On another note...

Whoo! I got a wig! Yes, I, crazy hair lover, got a wig. My second* kanekalon wig to be exact. And it's from an eBay store I've been 'stalking.' I stalk it because they have all sorts of wigs, cosplay costumes and so many wonderful Visual Kei outfits/pieces. The store (and the account) is JC-Punk!

Review: Peripera Peri's Tint Water in No. 1 Cherry Juice & No. 3 Orange Juice

I think you all know I love Japanese and Korean packaging, products and other aspects ~ Well, with this love of their products, I watch haul videos when some of favorite YouTubers get back from vacation. This particular review you can thank BubzBeauty for!

All because she bought the Peripera Peri's Tint in No. 1 Cherry Juice and if I recall correctly, No. 2 Pink Juice!

Swatches/Mini-Review: Brazen Comstics Liquid Lipstick Samples!

I have something exciting today! I signed up to get some samples of Brazen Cosmetics' reformulated Liquid Lipsticks, because they want swatches from fans.

Natural light yay

Let's see some swatches ~

Some Special Effects Works ****WARNING: GORE ALERT!****

I actually had to scrape together some works for a possible (seasonal) makeup job! I did the bruises on Saturday, after realizing: I didn't have my lash glue.

Well, crap.

Cute & Functional: DIY'd Pencil Pouch for Makeup!

I actually had started this DIY something like last year or early this year. I really don't remember! I just remember having the idea to make a pencil pouch into my own little personal makeup bag. This was after being fed up with not having a bag that fit my NAKED palette and I was tired of having to dig for my eyeliners.

Review: Maybelline Color Whisper in 30 Pin-Up Peach

I said I would review it in a post and never did. It's not something I grab often! Merely because of the frequency of my lips being dry and ew. And because I only like it when I have my face done.

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 015 Born With It

Every time I think of this lipstick, my brain wants to change the name to "Born This Way."

Yep. That Lady Gaga song. But no, this is not Born This Way, this is Born With It!

Update yay! :D (Why I haven't been "Bloggering")

"Bloggering" is Ze Boyfriend's name for when I'm writing up a post in preparation for photo taking. (I write posts between looking at the product, packaging, etc.)

On that note...

Review: Sugarpill Pressed Eyeshadow Love+ & Poison Plum

I love Sugarpill. Really love it. My two favorite shades?

Poison Plum and Love+.

Review: HbG x FAIRYDROPS Limited Edition Pink Mascara

Normally I don't buy limited edition products. It's just stressful. Annoying. Tracking down the product, hoping its in stock, hoping its not only available online.

Noooooo, thank you!

Store Review: Pretty & Cute

Yay! I got my HbG x FAIRYDROPS mascara from Pretty & Cute! It came today in a small cardboard box, shockingly enough (was expecting an envelope to be honest!). Before I review the mascara, I'm going to sort of review them.

Review: FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen

I only have three mascaras I've liked in my life. MAX FACTOR Vivid Impact (it was just okay; nothing spectacular! Was my first mascara), Avon Super SHOCK MAX (looooved it! Pretty great length and separation) and my beloved FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen. Today, it's all about the FAIRYDROPS.

Brush Review: 12 Pc Brush Set Pt. 1

This review is going in two parts, because I haven't gotten to use all of the brushes yet. This isn't a problem for me mostly because it's 12 brushes and I don't want to leave out any details.

 On to the review, da?

Circle Lens Review: GEO Princess Mimi Sesame Grey (Bambi series)

Obviously, I have PinkyParadise as an affiliate. I can't get free lenses though, because I'm one of those people who doesn't have enough followers, a YouTube channel with subscribers, blahblahblah.

BUT! If 5 of you make purchases through my link, I can get free lenses. With new lenses, I can give you a fresher review.

Sneak Peek: My New 12 Pc Brush set ~

FINALLY I GOT MY BRUSHES. GEEZ, USPS, COULD YOU TAKE ANY LONGER? Anyway...

I was looking for some other brushes, such as a duo-fibre brush (also called a skunk brush) and some other eyeshadow brushes. I can always use a lip brush too, which was included! I didn't want to spend more money buying single brushes and I think everyone knows how expensive makeup brushes can get!

Is it just me or is the US postal system achingly slow now?

Review: Physician's Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum

I've had this eyeliner for 3 years now. I had to search for this particular liner for a reason not unknown to you, my readers. For some awful reason, still unknown to me, many liquid eyeliners irritate my eyes when used along my lash line. But it's only liquid eyeliners.

This led to me searching for a hypoallergenic liner!

Can I call it a "Haul"? Tiny haul?

After failing to get to Ulta Sunday afternoon, I got there Monday afternoon. I was looking for two items and to get swatches, check stuff out. Do my usual thing when I go to Ulta.

THIS SHOT WAS DONE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AUGH.

But can I call the two small things I bought at Ulta a haul? Does it count? I don't really "haul" stuff... More in terms of the definition rather than makeup but here goes I guess?

Review: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Loose Colour Concentrate in Datura

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics.

Or OCC. They're the new kids at Sephora, who are making waves and an old favorite of many bloggers. I fell hard for their signature Lip Tars, a super pigmented liquid lipstick that dries to a semi-matte finish. One thing I always remind people: you only need the tiniest drop.

But I'm not reviewing Lip Tars today, though I have two on my list that I have fallen madly in love with.

Brush Review: Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil Blending Brush

Long time, no review! Sorry, ladies & gentlemen, but I now have seven (yes, 7!) furry creatures to feed. Five of which almost fit in my hand and the mom whose very demanding! The kittens are five weeks old now, and starting to eat wet food and explore. I haven't been able to get away!

But I think I can safely review something, to hold you over temporarily. It's the Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil Blending Brush.

Bored/Frustrated: Pastel Pink to...?

I didn't really get the effect I want and have been looking at lots of hair styling stuff. Humph.

Update + A Partial Review

It looks like I won't be really feeling better for a little longer. I can mostly breathe (still a little stuffy), but I'm still coughing up my lungs and have basically no energy.

Review: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils in 605 Strawberry Milk, 621A Pure Gold, & 604 Milk

I love NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. Melt on the lid and glide across the skin like butter in a hot skillet. Generally not that impressed by eye pencils but there are winners out there and these are among them!

Review: NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in 595 Strawberry Milk

I don't really like strawberry milk, I never really liked it as a child. I can't even drink milk anymore.

But this is a Strawberry Milk I can actually have.

Swatched & Tested: NYX Glam Liner Aqua Luxe Liquid Liner + Bonus Swatches

I stopped by Ulta today to pick up NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in 604 Milk, which is in a forthcoming review. While I was there, I swatched the Glam Liners that were available. As you've read, I can't wear these.

EOTD: Mint + Gold

I don't really like gold that much, but I do like mint. I'm not sure what exactly made me think of this, because I don't really look at eye makeup photos online that often or at color combinations. I don't have or use Pinterest (find it stupid personally).

I'm sorry, I have a sinus infection!

Normally, I would post and do my pictures. Get them cropped, maybe adjust lighting so its more accurate or sharpen the photo, and watermark them.

However! Friday, my energy level dropped 100 fold by the time I got to Ze Boyfriend's. Most of Friday, I was feeling okay. My nose was stuffed when I woke up but it cleared when I sat up in bed. Didn't think any of it but then the base of my skull, where it meets the top of my neck and spine, started to hurt horribly. Really tried not to think about it, went on doing my makeup (which I really want to post! I thought it was gorgeous and will work on various skintones!), and the pain went away.

Later on, as afternoon turned to night, I just got lethargic. My nose became stuffed up relatively quickly, my throat started to hurt, and I wanted to roll over and die. I haven't been much up to doing things, I had a tutorial I was going to do but it's being put off for the time being since I don't have the energy.

I will finish up whatever reviews that are waiting, one mainly needs photos and I need to watermark my photos from the look. I'm sorry, everyone. I don't normally get sick! I get a sinus infection maybe once a year and I don't have allergies.

I'll be taking it easy and working on getting better for the time being. Posts might be slowed. One good thing about this weekend: Ze Boyfriend had been to an arcade/carnival-type thing and won me two Hello Kitty plushies. They're adorable. One has a punk-y theme of black and pink, with striped stockings.

SPOOKEHDOOM

Please don't do everything you read on the Internet

Just please, don't do it.

There's a lot of bad information floating around the web. One such tip is using Vaseline as an eye makeup remover.

Affiliate: PinkyParadise Circle Lens Store

I've mentione before in maybe one or two posts that I have worn circle lenses and loved them. Like really, really loved them.

Well, now, I'm affiliated with PinkyParadise, my favorite and preferred lens store.

Review: Wet n Wild Spring Forward Going in the Wild Palette

URG. This palette! It's slightly frustrating... I like the colors. I like the brand. But application?

YAY FACEBOOK

Guess who just set up a Facebook fan page!

MEEEEE ~ I'm very excited for this. It means I can keep in touch with you in another form. The link is on my Contact page and will be right here. If you have suggestions, you can make them there if you aren't comfortable with the contact form.

And don't worry; Facebook actually has a translation function (though it isn't extremely accurate). I hope you make use of these options, my wonderful readers! I'm going to try and start giving the blog a "make-over." Maybe it's a make-better?

SPOOKEHDOOM

New Page: Conatct

Yaaaaay I finally got those pages up! I'm sorry, but Blogger has some silly presets in place. I had a few pages in place but were set to "don't show." How... Anti-helpful.

BUT!! I now have a contact page, which goes directly to my email (I had Ze Boyfriend test it), so you will be getting in touch with me directly by filling out the form if you don't want to leave a comment. You can leave feedback, recommend or ask for specific product reviews and make suggestions.

I hope you'll make use of it. I will reply personally to all emails unless I possibly get backed up on replies. Enjoy ~

SPOOKEHDOOM

Sample Review: L'Oreal Total Repair 5 (Shampoo, Conditioner & Damage Erasing Balm)

Yep, a sample review. Not because I received a sample to review, but because Ze Boyfriend had sample packets of the shampoo, conditioner and damage repairing balm lying around. My hair wasn't feeling so great after I tried a yogurt mask on it.

Moral of the story: don't use Greek yogurt on your hair in an attempt to do a moisturizing yogurt hair mask.

Sorry, Here's Some Art! Part 2

I'm sorry I haven't reviewed anything recently or finished up that Gatsby post. I've just been in a funk sadly.

I'll be picking things up to review and will review a Wet n Wild palette I have (one that is a bit of a issue for me but it's more like it needs the right primer!).

Telephone for Mr. Jay Gatsby! Flapper Eye & Lip Tutorial

I promise a separate tutorial on the eyes and lips and here it is! I'm sure from the popularity of my BB cream post that you all know I'm using only my BB cream and NYX's Stay Matte powder for my foundation.

Let's begin, shall we?

Telephone for Mr. Jay Gatsby! (An attempted 1920s Flapper FOTD)

Ze Boyfriend took me to see The Great Gatsby! I really like going all-out for certain movies (yes, this is weird. I don't care). Since this movie takes place in the summer of 1922, I knew flapper makeup would work wonderfully.

Dual Review: Benefit Watt's Up! Luminizer & They're Real! Mascara

I have my (second) birthday gift of the year!* It's from Sephora, being that I'm a Beauty Insider and very much enjoy it. Gifts are fun,especially little freebies from different brands.

This year, the gift is from Benefit, called "Real Birthday Turn-Ons." Oh Benefit...

Illamasqua Paranormal Collection for Summer 2013 (WARNING: Photo Heavy ~ )

SUPER NEWS for my UK- and European-readers! Well, it's super news if you like unusual colors, envelope pushing names, and stunning products.

Today, Illamasqua released their Summer 2013 Paranormal collection.

New Born Kittens!

If you've read my blog recently, you probably know about the pregnant rescue we've taken in. Well...

What's in My Makeup Bag

If you've ever wondered what a beauty blogger keeps in her makeup bag, here's your answer. This just my makeup bag, one of many makeup bags. I tend to overstuff my bag with stuff, and have never been able to find a bag that would fit everything. I also change out products pretty often. I will probably review all the things you see in my bag unless its already reviewed, has been reviewed everywhere else (sorry, I'm a little lazy) or is discontinued.

Tip my bag over, unzipped, and this pours out.

A Little Update: Sephora, Benefit, & Why I HATE Foundation Swatching

I popped into Sephora today, to claim my free birthday gift from Benefit called "Real Birthday Turn-Ons" and to swatch products while my mom looked for nail polish. While I was there, I wanted to peek at the OCC Lip Tars they had available near the checkout counter. I'm trying to find a pink Lip Tar that I like and will look good on (ugh).

GASP! New Hair: Platinum + (Nearly) Pastel Pink

Two weeks later... I couldn't hold out. Nope.

Yeah.. I'm pretty weak but you know what? I pretty much always baby my hair: if I'm not going anywhere for some days, I let my hair just relax and get oily but if I'm going somewhere then I use some dry shampoo. Heat? Only once a week, with a nice heat protecting serum. Lots of conditioner piled on in the shower. I plan to do a moisturizing DIY treatment for it.

Anyway...

Shoe Review: MAX★STAR C50 7-Holes Zipper Platform Sneakers in Mint

I love shoes. I admit it. Shoes are fun! I have a serious love for all Converse and some converse-style shoes. I am big on platforms (maybe because I'm short? Only about 5'4") and love platform sneakers even if that sounds a little silly. My first platforms that were sneaker-like were a pair of "vegan leather," black Demonia creepers with the signature Coffin Compartment. Soon after I found platform sneakers and wanted them!

I found MAX★STAR last year and fell madly in love.

Hair Update: Platinum + Pastel Pink

I needed a change. Badly.

I'm turning 20 soon (May 10th) and have had 6 different colors in my bangs over the course of last year. Only once was it an all-over, two-color combination. I don't do my whole head merely because I would need a stylist at a salon to do the back/part of the sides or a friend and maybe three packets of bleach to do my whole head at home. Anyway, I'm also trying to clear out my medicine cabinet and have been pretty into pastel hair as well as wanting something "natural," meaning platinum blonde bangs.

Review: Lady Gaga FAME Holiday Gift Set

One day, when I had no idea what to review next, I asked Ze Boyfreind what I should do. He suggested the Lady Gaga FAME Holiday Gift Set I had bought in February from Sephora. You might think I'm completely nuts for asking Ze Boyfriend, who isn't much interested in my makeup, about reviewing makeup. Worry not, he gives some pretty good advice haha.

Review: Neutrogena SkinClearing Liquid Foundation

It's suddenly very hot here. I don't like it! Sure, I disliked the cold but sudden heat? Blegh! Weather is so ridiculously bipolar. Cold one day, hot the next, and I can't get much of an accurate forecast. I hate weather! (By the way, it's staying relatively hot.)

Wear and tear on the label

So with the sudden heat, I have to change foundation products from this mask-y feeling foundation to my BB cream. I thought I should review it now, since I won't be wearing it for much longer (until about August).

Review: NYX Glitter Mania Loose Cosmetic Glitter Hot Gold & Pink (Discountinued)

Glitter.

Glitter, glitter, glitter. I love glitter. I don't know how any of you feel about glitter, but I love it. I'm pretty okay with glitter eyeshadows, never like the amount of fall out I can get when I don't use the appropriate primer/primer-type products. I don't use plain loose cosmetic glitters often, but I use them for special occasion-type looks.

Pink (GP04) & Hot Gold (GP08)

It's kind of hard to find plain cosmetic glitter in stores that can be used in the eye area and NYX had them. I don't think they're available any more sadly! They were discontinued... It won't stop me from reviewing though.

Unable to review & wear: NYX Glam Liner Aqua Luxe Liquid Liner

Sorry to say this, but if you were hoping I would pick up and review the Glam Liner Aqua Luxe by NYX, I won't be.

Review: The Brush Guard Variety Pack

I got brush guards! This is amazing! Wonderful!

You might have no idea what a brush guard is!

Sorry, Here's Some Art!

Sorry!

Review: SKIN79 Super+ Hot Pink BB Cream

I prefer much lighter foundation products for the spring and summer. In both, it starts warm to blazing hot. This means my combination skin goes from combination-dry to combination-oil slick on my T-zone as well as the area closest to my nose! Really, really gross. No amount of powder will quell it for long. Its like an angry sea monster: once it's been angered, it is the biggest challenge to calm it. With all that oil and the heat, my liquid foundation melts off areas quickly and it can feel like a mask. Ewwww.

Even now, in March, my face feels a bit oily. Its also been much warmer than usual at the moment.

Review: Urban Decay The Ammo Shadow Box (Original)

This was my very first makeup palette. Ever. It was also my first Urban Decay product. This is the original formula, as Urban Decay reformulated their eye shadows last year (or was it in 2011?) and has revamped the Ammo palette and gotten rid of some others. It's actually, in all honestly, one of my favorite palettes. I used it pretty frequently, as you can see from the photos haha.

Face-washing Mishap TT-TT: Why I Hate Proactiv Face Wash

I hate Proactiv. I really, really do. I did think about trying it out at one point and when I was really tired of pimples, oiliness on my T-zone, blackheads and whiteheads, and dry skin. I decided not to buy from them directly and looked at eBay. I also looked up reviews while I was searching through eBay.

The reviews were pretty much the same: not for sensitive skin, extremely drying, one of them might have said not effective and another that it made their issues worse. That left me with this idea: Proactiv dries out skin → produces more oil → more pimples → more product used = more money lost to Proactiv. A vicious circle.

Well, I don't really have sensitive skin. I know from comments on other blogs, the girls (and guys) with sensitive skin have a lot of issues with makeup and cleansing products. I don't use harsh stuff on my face (looking at you, burning Oxy pads) and use things that are recommended for combination skin such as foaming cleanser, facial scrubs and a lot of moisturizer. I hate you, dry, flaky bits of skin...

SORRY! No picture! Blogger is acting up now.

I started to use Bioré Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser last year. I LOVED the stuff. Didn't dry out my skin horribly, would wick away the excess oil on my nose and leave it more balanced feeling. It's a sort of thick, slight cloudy liquid that foams up like mad. I use it every time I wash my face, followed by witch hazel toner and then two Proactiv moisturizers. One is to clear skin and help pimples, the other is just a moisturizer with SPF 15. They work better than my last one by Clean & Clear that did nothing, had no SPF and my liquid foundation doesn't have SPF either. I stole both  mousturizers from Ze Boyfriend's medicine cabinet since they were neglected. I like them both.

Now today... I don't use makeup remover, I just wash my face and call it a day. I use eye makeup remover when I screw up my eyes during application but it doesn't belong to me. I used to use e.l.f.'s makeup removing wipes and liked them but its kind of a pain to find them at Target, especially mine where the display is usually pretty vacant. Well, I took a shower and since I don't have my Bioré face wash, I decided to use the bottle of Proactiv Renewel Cleanser. Thick, white, grainy. It also contains Benzoyl Peroxide at 2.5%.

OW.
MY FACE...
IS BURNING!!!!

I was rubbing my face like I normally do with cleanser and then my right cheek started to burn. A lot. No spots are on my cheek though. No open pimples, nothing. My current problem spots are on my forehead. I immediately washed it off but it didn't really subside for a few minutes. I've never used a Benzoyl Peroxide product on my face, nor have I used it at 2.5%. That was incredibly harsh! Very painful. Part of the whole reason I won't recommend Proactiv cleansing & toning products to people. If they're already using it, whatever. If they ask, I'll recommend something else based in their skin type and what they can tell me about their skin.

I supposed I can't use that cleanser on my face if I happen to leave my Bioré at home. So frustrating.

SPOOKEHDOOM

Dolly Dearest: A China Girl Inspir'd Look (from Oz: The Great & Powerful) FOTD

No, I haven't seen the movie. No, I don't want to see the movie.

I am not a Mila Kunis fan. There's just something I don't like about her; I guess part of it is I can't take her seriously as an actress. Not saying she isn't talented, she plays Theordora and looks pretty spectacular (berry is really her color!). Most people have done Theodora or Glinda looks, since those two are more prominent characters but why not a wearable China Girl look? She's adorable!

Quick tip: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream as Blush

If you have these, try them as a blush! Seriously. I used Tokyo in a forthcoming post on my cheeks and it turned out quite nicely. I dotted on 4-5 dots on the apples of my cheeks and along my cheekbones and tapped my fingers over it before swirling it around and blending it up to my temples. Didn't bring it all the way up, but it left quite a nice bit of color and since it was sheered as well as matte, left a nice finish and overall look.

Poll: What would you like to see on the blog?

Since no one will leave comments (please?), would you atleast give me your opinion on what you would like to see more of? Please. Its just a few clicks.

Thank you.

What would you like to see on the blog?

Review: NYX HD Studio Photogenic "Stay Matte But Not Flat" Powder Foundation

I am running out of HD powder! My beloved MAKEUP FOREVER HD Microfinish Powder!
GAH, THE WORLD IS ENDING!

Review: NYX Gel Liner & Smudger in Samantha

Gel liner has been the latest and greatest thing to come about recently, as well as potted cream eyeshadows, such as MAC's infamous Paint Pots, Maybelline's Color Tattoos that make some nice Paint Pot dupes and Estée Lauder's recent "Paint Pot" dupes as well. NYX has joined the band with their gel liner AND smudger combo (admittedly, people have been smudging gel liner and using it as a base long before but hey, these colors are pretty nifty). Yay for crazy colors!

Quick review: NYX Glam Liner Aqua Luxe Liquid Liners

I headed to Ulta today because I need more powder but don't want to buy more MAKEUP FOREVER HD powder because: 1) The one I bought in 2011 is a .35 oz jar, 2) They now only have a .3 oz jar for $35, 3) There are cheaper alternatives.

Wait, what? .3 oz of silica powder over .35? Really, MUFE? Really?

Review: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam, Monte Carlo & Tokyo

It takes a certain person to like and wear mattes. I don't really care much for matte, because of the drying factor and my lips tend to be dry without them. I only have one matte lipstick that I like but its quite drying. Matte looks great and really reminds me of the vintage 1950's look: barely-there shades of eyeshadow, cat wing eyeliner and sexy red lips. Its the perfect minimal look! Rather than using drying matte lipsticks, I bought NYX's Soft Matte Lip Creams. These won Temptalia's Editor Choice Award for 2012, so you know these have to be great.

L to R: SMLC01 Amsterdam, SMLC03 Tokyo, SMLC10 Monte Carlo

Review to Come: SKIN79 Hot Pink Super+ BB Cream

I LOVE BB cream! I mean it! Specifically, I love Korean BB cream.

Review: Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying Clay Mask

I already reviewed the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque (read here) previously, in hopes of clearing my pores and getting the nastiness of my nose. This particular mask has had some great reviews, it's been said to work more at clearing pores. People have also said it can leave the face red after washing it off, due to the fruits in the formula. It's pretty much a "Don't use directly before a big event! You might still be red faced!" You should be able to get away with using it the night before your event. My face didn't become red after using this, only a bit splotchy when I used a wash cloth to remove the product but immediately the redness went away.

Why is this so cool in my world?

Review: Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Raindrops

You know, I had this review half-written, waiting in the wings. It was partially written because I had written out my story with finding and obtaining the product, talking about how I said I wouldn't do nail swatches, and listing the dupes I believed were close based on swatches done by other bloggers and product photos. Now that I have my package, I'm numb. Numb with excitement. Weird feeling but onwards!

Review: NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in 513 Electra

Confession. When I originally started using makeup, I seriously hated lipstick. Just hated the stuff. I only wanted pigmented glosses. I don't specifically remember what changed my mind, I think it was the nude lip trend. I went out and got Viva Glam Gaga II lipstick from MAC, and really loved it. Later something possessed me to find my perfect red lipstick. Well, my perfect reds are blue-based reds and I picked up NYX's Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in Electra.

The tip of the bullet was already worn down when I got it, but it definitely hadn't been used.

Apology & Getting Back On Track

I'm sorry I have let the blog fallen by the wayside, but I've been a bit busy and things are also crazy here. I hope to have things back on track some time tomorrow. I'll hopefully get swatches done and have finished up some posts I've had waiting in the wings. I'm also still working to get my special FOTD up.

Thank you, for hanging around still. I'm doing my best to get things up.

Edit: Every time I look at my stats, like page views and audience, I feel so special! Seriously, please, drop a comment, even if its not in English. I will do my best to translate it. I love that I have a world-wide readership! You guys are all very awesome and I appreciate you.

SPOOKEHDOOM

Quick note to you readers...

I have to take a small break from the blog, mainly from taking photos for reviews. The reason is because I strained my elbow Saturday and today, doing two reviews, taking photos, cropping them and all the typing I did has actually made it hurt to do my everyday activities. Even now typing this hurts. This doesn't mean that it will be silent for long.

I have an FOTD and a sort of video "tutorial" that should be up this weekend. I wanted to do it this past weekend but I couldn't because of small distractions and other problems. I wish I could have had it posted this weekend! I hope you all like what I have planned and I know what you all are looking at (I have a view count for posts so I know what's popular). I have one request: would you please leave comments? I want to hear from you! Even if they aren't in English! I know I have a relatively tiny amount of readers in Germany, thanks to the Audience feature. I want to hear what you would like to see or your thoughts on things. I don't want to feel like my efforts are being wasted.

Thank you for understanding. I should have some swatches and reviews up for products I've already used and know well later on, but nothing real big for the time being. No new product usage for now, I ask you be patient for my FOTD and for my elbow to stop hurting. I'm really trying for you, the readers.

(You know, I'm kind of worried that you're laughing at how I look in the Queen Helene Mint Julep review. You all have looked at it a lot.)

SPOOKEHDOOM

Review: real Techniques Powder Brush

Why, packaging, do you not have much info?

I have four three (WTF?) powder brushes to be honest. One is the tokidoki Kabuki brush, one is a mini of bareMineral's Full Coverage Kabuki brush, and the real Technique's Powder Brush. You might be wondering why I have all these brushes. Well, the tokidoki one I bought because 1) I love tokidoki. I love tokidoki so much, I wanted the collaborated phone, 2) it is insanely soft and pretty! It does work for applying powder, don't worry. One complaint I do have is that the handle is square, so its a tiny bit of a pain to hold. The bareMineral's brush came in a sample I got from Sephora and I positively hate it. It is so incredibly scratchy! I also hated the foundation that came with it. It made me orange! The Mineral Veil was okay, didn't do it what it said it would: absorb oil. Now the last brush, the real Techniques brush is a godsend to me.

These really easily slide out of the box even though the brush head is snug in the box.

These brushes come in a sort of long, rectangular box with the tops rounded slightly. The top just pulls off and your brush can be slid out. Easy! The packaging is also pretty simple, doesn't say a lot about the brush on the front. A little more on the back, with a blurb from Sam(antha Chapman).

Pretty useless blurbs

As for the brush itself, let me tell you why I bought this one. I had a very generically labeled "face powder brush" I had had since I started using makeup. It was cheap and it was the only one I could find that was nice scratchy and fluffy. It was turned a little gray from the mineral makeup I used to use and I never actually thought to wash it. When I stopped using mineral makeup (God, how that stuff dried out my skin but I also didn't know about facial moisturizer or exfoliating) and switched to liquid, I decided to wash my brush. Black dye ran out of it as well as the brush sucking up water and soap. It was disgusting. Well, sometime later when I was washing it again on a separate occasion, the wood handle came away from the ferrule. Not cool. We re-glued it and all was fine until this past January. It happened again and I was annoyed more so now, because I thought I would try using conditioner on the brush to soften the bristles. Waste of my time! I went to Ulta's website and went hunting for a decently priced brush that wasn't going to be scratchy. I liked the size of the real Techniques' brush and happily bought it after feeling the one on display.

Stands up on its own! Great for when you might be using your brush, keeps your bristles clean.

I should tell you now that real Techniques has a few brushes that will supposedly work for powder. The Powder Brush, the Kabuki Brush and the Setting Brush and they even suggest using the Stippling Brush for powder. I didn't see the kabuki in person but it's got angular bristles and is apparently "2-in-1." It can be opened and used flat. Neat, but I don't want/need it. The Setting brush's head is also small. Very small and it resembles their Blush Brush. I personally associate stippling brushes more with liquid foundation, cream foundation and cream blush. I just can't imagine a stippling brush being really effective for powder application! I picked the Powder Brush because its fluffy, flexible yet dense and applies powder like a dream.

real Techniques logoing

Nice and fluffy! You can tell I've used mine recently.

These brushes are made with Taklon fibers, so they're just oh-so-touchably soft. I could spend hours petting my brush (pretty sad, huh?). Sadly I can't get it to fit in my makeup bag so I pop it back in the packaging to protect it while I travel. This brush picks up powder nicely and disperses it evenly, as well as being so gentle on the face. It washes well, super light and can be stood up on its own. Yay for a new, nice brush!

The only other words on the brush hand are "Powder Brush," no numbers to remember. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of it.

If you're in the market for a new brush and don't or can't spend a fortune on something like Crown, Sigma or even MAC, check out these real Techniques brushes. The Powder Brush is $9.99 from Ulta and I used one of their "$3.50 off $10" coupons, dropping the price to $6.50 before tax. Woohoo! Most will run you about $7.99 to $9.99 before tax, which is a sweet price for how delightful they are to use. The travel sets are more costly for 3 to 4 brushes, at about $17.99. Not too bad if you have a daughter or someone else just getting into makeup and needs some decent starter brushes, as the sets come in a case that can be stood up on its own. Since I already have a foundation brush I'm happy with and a powder brush, I won't be picking one up.

(Heads up, the person behind these brushes is Samantha Chapman, one of the Pixiwoo girls on YouTube. I don't watch Pixiwoo since I am utterly unimpressed by their looks. The links to "About Us" and "About Sam" on the real Techniques' site don't work. Dead links!)

SPOOKEHDOOM

Illamasqua, International Delivery & Royal Mail

I like Illamasqua. I like Illamasqua a lot, even if I can't always afford their products. I also like that they changed carriers so anyone outside of the UK can buy and receive their nail varnish. I don't like that they haven't full integrated with their new carrier to provide a tracking link but that's fine since I know its a process. I've had tons of things go without tracking numbers that arrived just fine and things with tracking numbers that did nothing but still arrived safely. The US postal service doesn't update tracking status as often as I would like.

But oh, geez, ladies, chill out. If you go on the official Illamasqua Facebook page and look at "Posts made by Others," you'll probably see women going insane on their page and if you dig deeper, could probably find people freaking out over the Christmas campaign. These women apparently expect instant gratification when the company had a relatively small issue when packages were delivered Royal Mail only to be destroyed. Royal Mail does not ship nail varnish, but they didn't return them to Illamasqua (which I personally think would have been a better idea). As for the Christmas thing, if you saw it, let me know what you thought. If you didn't, not a big deal. I noticed it was entirely Caucasian women saying the ad was "racist" but more said it was just art, which it was. Lots of people decided to stop buying from Illamasqua over it and I said that was a silly thing to do on another blog. Another blogger decided I was saying the girl's opinion was wrong (I think it should be one strike against Illamasqua but not something to get ridiculously upset over). That's why I have so few female friends, because so many women in the US just want something to call racist or something to complain about.

Anyway, back to issues I have with the current international delivery company. As I said, I like Illamasqua. I do appreciate that they changed carriers so more people could buy their beautiful varnish in Raindrops. Raindrops is special because it was limited edition and Christine at Temptalia started a huge search for it! She raved about it and its not hard to see why. I fell in love when I saw it swatched.

(Product image from Illamasqua.com)

See what I mean? I tried to find dupes, but couldn't because nothing truly matched it. I got happy news about December, when both Illamasqua and Christine announced that Raindrops would be brought back with the Broken Heart collection for Valentine's Day 2013. The collection was released in January and the varnish sold out quickly. It sold out a few more times but has stayed in stock recently and I decided to buy it after Illamasqua announced they had changed carriers to be able to fulfill the requests of their customers who are outside of the UK. Sadly, Sephora still doesn't carry Raindrops but Illamasqua is trying to get the varnish in store.

I made my order 9 February 2013. I received the shipping confirmation 13 February 2013. I am super eager to get it! I emailed Illamasqua about getting a tracking number but they still don't have one. It bothers me a little, but they did update the shipping FAQ for the US. 15 to 20 business days. I have no idea if its in Alaska or maybe New York, it travels through either one of those two places when it reaches the US but I don't specifically remember where it enters the US from the UK. I hope its not being held by customs or something and will get here. Really eager to review the product for you!

If you want to get this yourself, its available at Selfridge's in the UK, as well online at Illamasqua.com and from their stores. I'm the unlucky person who can't buy it in person. Check out Christine's review as well!

(My cat Ralphy, an orange and white striped tabby, says: f78or 988888888888888[p;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;\
The little stinker walked over the keyboard while I was typing.)

SPOOKEHDOOM

Review: NYX Nude Matte Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit

Ah, NYX. I love NYX. They're cheap. They have stunning quality. I have found products I love, since there are so many! Today, however, is focusing on one. There aren't many reviews or swatches for the Nude Matte Eyeshadows and I really wanted to know whether or not I was getting a good product before I went searching for it at my local Ulta. I finally (FINALLY!) found a review and swatches from VampyVarnish, who I love. Her blog's name and the fact she's just a bag of awesome. You can read her review here: VampyVarnish

Review: Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush

Pretty cute, right?

I said it in my pre-Valentine's Day post that I would be getting this beautiful product as a gift from Ze Boyfriend. I already said I don't buy or use blush and its true. Its a step I skip in my makeup routine normally. I may use a little of the blush that came in my Glamour To Go Dream Edition palette that came out in 2011 for nights when we go out. Why do I normally skip it entirely? I don't want to find my Smashbox travel-sized Angled Blush Brush, a little freebie from Ulta when Ze Boyfriend's mom bought some cosmetics. I also don't want to sweep, tap and then sweep-blend the product onto my cheeks either. I am lazy. I am aware of this.

Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

Some people do masks. Some people don't. Some people use the popular Japanese and Korean 'sheet masks', while others use clay masks. I think I can say a lot of us don't use any masks. I'm very guilty of this. I don't want to find and buy sheet masks (I'm very impatient on waiting for things to ship!), and the Asian grocery store only stocks Missha masks. Would love some by My Beauty Diary but alas, they shan't be mine. Instead I will use clay masks! This particular mask is said to reduce pore size, rinse away blackheads and dries out pimples.

Oh boy Valentine's Day is coming!

Honestly, I hate Valentine's Day. It was okay when I was in elementary school but now? Its one of those "I hate this month, can we just skip it?" months. I feel this way about a couple of months. I've been with my boyfriend, who I call Ze Boyfriend, for three years now. Normally, we don't do much. We somewhat do little things during the year. Somewhat.

As for Valentine's Day though... I might not even see him. He got in trouble, making a few mistakes but he's human. We're all human, we make mistakes and they suck. Its frustrating, since he had this idea we would have a picnic, maybe see a movie. Okay, here's the first problem: we already saw Mama (I'm a HUGE Guillarmo del Toro fan!). I don't like a lot of movie genres, personally I hate romcoms. Problem two: we'd most likely be having this picnic at a park that we have to walk to. I don't mind the walk, but I do mind the cold. I don't want to walk in the cold in one of my favorite dresses. I don't like walking in the cold because its this weird combination of I'm too hot to have my jacket zipped up but its too cold to take off my jacket. Super unpleasant and no way to spend my Valentine's Day.

This year, we were also going to give gifts. I was going to give him paracord so he could make his own bore snake (he's a gun owner; more specifically, a rifle owner). He was going to give me the Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush ($29.00 @ Sephora & Ulta) from their Boudoir collection. I'd been raving over this blush, because its cute and I can wear it. Heart-shaped, striped with rose, coral and pink, and a baked formula that's wonderful.

(Product Image from Sephora.com)

I was pretty meh about it initially, reading the reviews by my three favorite bloggers and I honestly don't buy, use or wear blush. I find blush tricky. I'm very pale; I don't know my shade in terms of MAC foundation but I'm 0.5 in Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation and probably the lightest shades of every single high end brand. The only blush I could wear safely? Illamasqua's Powder Blusher in Katie, "soft candy pink, matt finish." Its a very cool-toned, pale pink. Its like cotton candy/fairy floss colored. The closest dupe I could personally find was NYX Nude Matte Shadow in Birthday Suit (I almost totally wrote "B***h Suit"), called "soft lilac" yet it went on pretty white as a blush. Makes a great eyeshadow however, and its really a very nice pink.

But back to the blush and Valentine's Day. Every blogger has said it would work better for fairer skin tones (DINGDINGDING!!), would make a nice highlight on medium complexions but wouldn't do anything for darker tones. On Sephora, a lot of reviewers are complaining that its too light. I noticed many of them said they were medium or olive. A few of my fair ladies said it didn't work for them as a blush but really, as someone whose fair, do you need a pigmented blush? It can get bad very quickly with pigmented blush on fair skin. I tried a dupe of NARS Orgasm and swatched it, tried a dupe instead. It really doesn't work for me but many say its a universally flattering shade. While I was in Ulta on an unrelated trip, I looked at the Too Faced selection. I liked their No Makeup Makeup palette but wouldn't buy it for myself; its something I'd rather receive as a gift. While I was drooling over the uber-girly packaging (I am by no means uber-girly!), I decided to swatch the Sweethearts blush they had on display. I was suddenly hooked.

I plan on getting this at Sephora very soon and as soon as Valentine's Day rolls around, I'll be tearing it open and wearing it. If you haven't figured it out, Ze Boyfriend won't be buying it. Its his money I'm using though. He doesn't like going to Sephora but he goes with me when we're at the mall. You can't really send a guy into a makeup store and expect him to get the right thing. That's okay. I don't mind going to Sephora, because I'm also grabbing Lady Gaga's FAME Holiday Gift Set, on sale at Sephora for $45 (marked down from $57!) as a very early birthday gift to myself using the last of my Christmas money.

As to Valentine's Day... I hope it goes over okay. I hope I see him. If I don't, I do have a back-up plan. I will sit at home with my Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, a few movies on Netflix and will finally do a real review for several things.

Yep. What a fun February, huh?

***I will be reviewing the Sweethearts blush, the NYX Nude Matte shadow, and the Queen Helene Mint Julep mask!***

EDIT: I get to see him!!! I get to see him! WHOO! Unfortunately, its been rainy here and we might not actually have our picnic.

SPOOKEHDOOM

A (sort of) Introduction

This is literally a sort of introduction. Its not even a real introduction in my opinion. I've only been a reader, never a blogger. What does one say in their first post? I guess I should tell you what you'll find if you actually stay and read my posts (when I make them, that is).

Here's some real info about me, aside from the weird lovely words I left in my "About Me" section (you can thank Ze Boyfriend for that)... I really love makeup. A lot of people say I don't need it. I don't wear it because I need it, I wear it because I enjoy the application and artistry that goes into it. My favorite looks tend to be very "extreme." For me, its another art-outlet. I normally do drawings, rarely ever paint anything but fabric and I also do DIY stuff for me. Makeup was only another adventure I wanted to go into and I can say, its been a successful one so far. People have asked for my help in makeup application, have given comments such as I'm "really good." Its certainly fueled my personal work. I am not, nor claim to be, a makeup artist. I'm just someone with lots of time on their hands with a lot of imagination to work with. I like doing makeup, and I like working with it. Its all just fun for me.

I'll post the looks I really like and that I think are worthy of the Interwebs. I'll do tutorials for looks. I'll do swatches and reviews of products I already own and products I love to use daily, as well as products I'm interested in. I'll also post my DIY stuff and include any links to tutorials if I used one or I'll make a tutorial for it. I will also post any art I've been working on or really love. I might do the occasional YouTube video, for looks that need a more visual video tutorial that can't be explained in words alone. Might do giveaways too. I haven't exactly figured that out yet (haha).

A very big part of this blog will be about me changing my hair color. Its a subject I always enjoy helping people with and advising on, though I am definitely not a hairstylist! I'll talk more about my hair in another post, as well as my skin and makeup. If there's anything you ever want me to review or swatch, just ask!

Here are some brands I just won't do/can't do:

• MAC - They're quite expensive, pretty overhyped and they got a huge backlash from the makeup community when they started to do animal testing in 2012.
• CHANEL - Honestly, I can't afford CHANEL! Its a luxury brand for a reason, and I know two lovely blogs that do review CHANEL products.
• Dior - Same reason as above, I can't afford it! They also don't put out products that really catch my attention.
• NARS - I like NARS, but their products don't speak to me enough that I'd buy them consistently. They also tend to have the most duped colors. (Talking about you, Orgasm.)
• YSL - Oh god, I would LOVE to review YSL but its another one of the brands I can't afford and the products don't all speak to me. I do love their tiny potted blushes, just so cute!
• tarte - I do adore tarte products but their prices? $40 for a tube of foundation! Kill me now!

I also won't be doing nail polish swatches, since my nails are pretty ugly sadly. I might review perfume, since I do get a lot of perfume samples, heehee. I love perfume so much, its kinda sad.

By the way, the background and these colors are all temporary! Just until I make myself a background. I hope to have my first reviews and things up soon. I also hope I get readers... Worst thing ever: to spend my time using a product, determining if I like it or not, and then writing up a review and taking photos only for no one to read what I write. That would suck.

I'm done rambling now, and if you really sat through all of this and want to stick with me, thank you. I appreciate it.

SPOOKEHDOOM (for now)