Seasons come and go...Although I have been enjoying the summer period, I also think it is wonderful to be able to wear those autumny hues again.
As most girls, I am always on the lookout for a fabulous bag that adornes my shoulder. I have been checking various items on etsy.com lately, and I think I really like this bag. (on etsy over here)
It is made of faux-leather, has sophisticated design on the outside, but a feisty leopard print on the inside.
Ohh, and etsy always has a load of steampunk items. I had no idea what Steampunk was, until I saw some items on etsy.
Often I find Steampunk items to be really wonderful and technical, but I am not too fond of the silver aspects. This steampunk piece has a load of beautiful autumny colours. (find it over here)
I really like this piece, but it would be too expensive for me ($169.00). Perhaps I could make something similar if I find some steampunk-esque elements.
I love hair-pieces. This whimsical piece is so fairy-like...It is also being called Woodland Elf.
The warmer colours of the flowers are lovely and the berries give it a feeling of nature.
I could make a longer list of things I admire, however, I think these are such wonderful and rather unique items.
One and a half week ago I stumbled upon a shop with some fantastic home-deco items. I am not that much interested in homely stuff, but I was absolutely mesmerized by this cutest Marimekko toiletbag in lilac and purple colours.
It was not the cheapest makeupbag ever, as Etsy often has cheaper items. However, I think Marimekko is such a fab label and I am enjoying the flowering motives. Plus, the 30% discount was really luring me into buying it.
Marimekko is a Finnish label, so that is a part of the title.
I also received a suprise parcel from Finland as well. I was wondering if I had ordered something, but awwww...it was a genuine gift from Aileen from Amorevintage.
Awww, that has been such a sweet gesture.
The lipbalm is really lovely for moisturizing, while it is not too obtrusively overscented.
And I think her choice of stationary is absolutely brilliant. Marie Antoinette is such a iconic and contested figure (and beautiful too).
I hope that all my readers will have a brilliant sunday and a wonderful week.
I haven't been buying that much eyeshadows from Japanese Brands for a while. I haven't been buying much eyeshadows at all in the last couple of months. That was because I had a large collection shades at home, and lately, I could not wear eyeshadow because of sensitivity problems with my eyes.
However, my eyelids have improved and I was so happy to see some gorgeous new Autumnal collections popping up at my favourite Japanese makeup pusher-sites.
Let me present to you my new, beloved boxes:
Kanebo KATE Diamond Cut Eyes PU-1: a gorgeous palette with lilac and purple shades.
Shiseido Maquillage Alexander Wang BR 365: taupes and browns
Kanebo KATE Reflect Mirror Eyes GY-1: greys and taupes.
I also bought the supergorgeous Jill Stuart Blush Fresh Apricot 06 from Jamilla Camel.
Jamilla is such and inspiring and fantastic blogger who always has the best features in her blog.
Let's not forget her generosity....wowza. She was soooo sweet of sending me all of this:
A Mac eyeshadow in expensive pink, an eyeshadow pencil in brown and a Paul & Joe pencil in purple. Some decadent skincare sample from KenzoKi, sheet masks and other goodies.
Thank you Jamilla Camel, *HUGS*
My sweetest readers ♥ ♥, I will post some swatches of my newest colour next week (probably at the end of the week) so you will have an idea of how the colours would look like in real life.
I realised that I had to post some of my new things I ordered at camerareadycosmetics, as I have been putting the note on the side of my blog for more than a week ;p. Ofcourse, I ordered too, two too, two times...(*getting tongtwisted now*)
I like my Nix'ie cosmetics, although the colours on the chart can be quite alternative to what you get (post here). The discount of 40% off lured me in into ordering some more Nix'ie, and while I was putting some items in my card I also put in some of the raved Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars.
My first order was small, which had to do with the shipping policy. Ordering under $60 will mean that you have to pay $12 and from $60 it will be $29. I figured that I would have enough ordering once. It is also safer to order smaller amounts with the Customs policies and Tax department in my country: a package worthy of plenty dollars has a higher chance to be charged with tax, which is not the worst thing, but it will take sooo long for me to receive my items.
I ordered Nix'ie powder blush in Platonic Love, Nix'ie cream blush in Secret Love, Nixie Eyeshadow in Gypsy and my very first OCC lip tar in Grandma.
I made some quick swatches of the colours. I made the pics with flash, so the colours are less shiny or glittery in real life.
First, I have Secret Love for you. It is a glowy soft rose with a slight warm (coral?) undertone. I love it on my cheeks. When you blend it, it makes a highlighter kind-a-shade with a soft colour.
Platonic Love, more love in my life ;D. Platonic love is a tad too glittery for my liking, even though the flash of the camera makes the glitter more dramatic than actually true in real life. However, it makes an awesome eyeshadow shade for me, so it is a keeper. The colour is a soft roasted peach.
Gypsy, I expected more purple from it. It looks like an eggplant colour. It is very matte. I will probably use this as an eyeliner colour.
The CCC Grandma was a fabulous match for the Nails that I wore that day...I wore Essie Cute as a Button.
There have been tons of reviews written about this product, so I am hesitant to review it. However, I will give my two cents. If you do/did a google blogsearch, or stumbled on a review, you often see a very vivid and colour-tastic image. I also found it possible to make a light stain out of it! I find it a product that is easy to work with...but I have read other reviews that found it to be too difficult.
Moreover, the texture is suitable for mature lips! No colour shifting in the lines or a uneven colour for me.
Swatchey: My second order: I wanted a true purple so I settled with the eyeshadow colour in Grape. I also picked up a shade called Cerimony, also an eyeshadow, and added another brand in my cart: La Femme in purple.
I came to realise that I have a couple of light lipglosses that I would love to darken a tad, so I added the blaaack liptar in Tarred in my cart.
I love my Nix'ie Grape eyeshadow, such a lovely purple which will look flattering with my greenish eyes. Nix'ie Ceremony is a Mauve/Rose colour, and I actually think it is more suitable as a blush, although it is wonderful for a mauve look on the eyes as well.
La Femme purple is awful! It flakes, the colour is off, and it spreads so unevenly. Boohoo! Fortunately it was just $3, but what a waste...
I enjoyed the blush from La Femme, so why this monster of an eyeshadow?
I think that camerareadycosmetics has sold most of the Nix'ie right now. However, there were still some colours left.
I also wish they would sell OCC nail polish. OCC's official website does not seem to send them to Europe. I am still very enchanted by Wasibi or Blackboard. Check out Scrangie's blog to see what I am talking about.
I figured that it was time to look at one of the basic topics of my blog, which is, looking at the not-so-standard makeup. Actually, that sounds a bit odd, because when I venture to look at Japanese brands, I am pretty sure that, at least, millions of females have been applying them daily. But, when I say not-so-standard, I mean the not so very publicised brands (such as *cough* MAC, nothing wrong with MAC, but I see them sooo much on beauty blogs).
My regular readers have probably figured out that I am not that very content with the shape of my mouth. Moreover, to complain a bit more, I think that the vertical lines in my lips themselves are too deep. That means that lipsticks that behaves properly on 'normal' lips are often not that flattering on me.
Since Japanese brands are often very innovative and also aim to create a natural looking, kawaii, mouth, I have good luck with most brands/textures and shades, because they seem to blur the vertical lines in my lips and slightly give the illusion of dewy, youthful lips. Big bonus! Lately, Western cosmetic brands such as Christian Dior has been issuing some versions of the dewy lipstick/lipbalm hybrid as well: they often look flattering on me too.
But but but, I have a couple of lipsticks I bought online (blind) and they are too matte, too thick or too dry...no offense to the makers of them...it is just that I do not have Scarlett Johanson type of lips that can pull of anything. I have, unfortunately, a mature mouth.
So, this is where my review starts (finally, LOL). I have been wearing Maquillage Lip Essence Ex on a regular base since a couple of months, and it has been such a lifesaver for several kinds of lipsticks.
First, when I received it, after reading some fabulous reviews on Fuzkitty and Lotuspalace, I thought it was lacking its promise. I expected a product that would function as a kind of Urban Decay Primer Potion type of product for lips: that is, a product that attaches the colour to the mouth. Maquillage Lip Essence felt too gloss-like...it sheered out the original colour of the lipstick...couldn't I just apply a random gloss and have the same effect?
After trying it a couple of times, comparing it with actual lipgloss-as-a-primer, and wearing it with the more-matte lipsticks, I found its purpose for me: TRANSFORMER LIPSTICK SAVER...
Pictures sometimes say more than words...
First, I did a swatch on the pale innerarm again. I kind of overapplied the gloss, so my apologies about the messiness.
Looking a bit closer: you can see the tiny shimmery parts inside. I see some reddish pigments and blueish pigments. It looks like a shimmering ocean...
Further on, it feels moisturizing on the lips. It is absolutely not sticky, but is different from an average lipbalm, who does not seem to hold the colour in such an extend.
It is, therefore, a wonderful buy for those who have lips who feel the need for a bit of the diffusing act. It also looks wonderful on the ones with perfect lips (yes, you Fuzkitty and Kathi from Lotuspalace).
It does not come cheap, but what does come cheap these days? I bought mine for appr. $23 on adambeauty, but they seem to be out of stock of it now. Another option is to buy it for $24.99 at Facial-shop.com. It is also available at gooddealer.com, ichibankao.com, bobodave.com, and probably on ebay as well. It is the one in the pinkish, white tube, and NOT the Pure Lip Base.
Etsy has become such a daily place to hang out. I have become smitten with the creativity of various sellers. Etsy is perfect for finding your bit of exclusivity for a often reasonable price. I often check out the section for the WEEKEND SALES, which often has a wonderful and irresistable deal lying around for me
One of the categories I enjoy most these days is jewellery! So, I would like to attend my fellow Etsy and jewellery fans that Etsy is having the weekend sales centered around....yes yes yes...jewellery. Read all about it here (and scroll down to the comments for additional deals).
Two weeks ago it was BOGO weekend, and I found that one of the stores I had listed as favourite in my wishlist, was having a true BOGO (Buy One get One....FREE). I leaped at the opportunity and ordered two gorgeous rings from Tinadee. It arrived last tuesday with free international shipping as well.
Left is the gold-filled ring I ordered. I added the Sterling Bud and Leaf Summertime Ring as the freeby.
They are mentioned to be as stackable rings, so they are thin and not too obtrusive, which I love. They have a delicate nature and do not clash with my other rings...they add extra dimension to it.
Tinadee is joining the weekend sales as well: 25% off sale this Friday - Sunday - just use the code "weekend deals". Honestly, it is not a smashing sale as the BOGO, but it is still a nice opportunity to pick an lovely piece of jewellery.
Check out some of the other sellers as well: at least, I filled up my cart again ;p
I have a couple of post I am planning to make, but I have to break it down in a couple of post to make it comprehensable...LOL. Otherwise this post would be overloaded with pictures and random chatters about etsy, Japanese makeup, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Nix'ie, Illamasqua, jewellery, etc.
Last tuesday I received a black envelope, which, I know now, is a Illamasqua order. I could not remember ordering anything from them during my last haul, although my subconcious self was dying to place another order. I already suspected myself of sleep-internetting, instead of sleepwalking...did I make a mystery order during my sleep???
Then, I read the card inside, and it said something about me having "clearly good taste" and "accept these little gifts": Ok, that is big flattery and I am a sucker for flattery...bring it on, LOL (click the picture for the whole text on the card).
I also remembered one of cosmeticcandy's posts where she was having a free gift from Illamasqua as well. I thought she was so lucky and she must have ordered a million things from them before (she kind of ordered a couple of thingies...). Or she might have mentioned them having a blog...or such. I had only made two orders, and have not mentioned anything about writing about them on a blog (honestly...you guys probably think I am selling out, aren't you?).
Anyway, I love the gift, but I will stay unbiased as far as possible...if something does not work for me, or my type of skin, I will say so as well. On the other hand, it makes it easy falling in love with a company who send you freebies. I hope I can stay honest (LOL).
Back to business: I received a cream eyeshadow in Captivate. It can be described as a white colour with a grey cast: it looks like a cloud on a sunny day, somewhat ominous (with possible showers/rain inside). It is my first cream eyeshadow from them, so I am happy to look how it delivers, compared to MAC, Kose Esprique cream eyeshadows and other cream eyeshadows I have.
I also received my first Illamasqua powder blush in Beg. Beg looks really vivid in the pan, as a deep rose.
I have to think about this song when I think about Beg.
It is rather a deep colour for a blush. The next swatch is the unblended version of Beg.
Still, it is really a 'me' colour: not too warm or orangy, and not a cool pink or icy mauve shade. I blended it a bit and got a lovely pop of rosiness. Again, it contrasting on my white innerarm, but my face is darker.
I also swatched Captivate, which I would not have picked myself. However, I like this colour. I had an obsession with steely grey eyepencils for a while, and this is a type of colour a bit lighter. I applied it in my waterline, and it made an alternative for a white eyeliner. I also dotted a tiny bit in the corner of my eyes when I wore a smokey eye, which was also a nice solution when I do not want to wear shimmery white highligher in the inner corners of my eyes.
I also want to test it as a base product for my cooler eyeshadows. It might even look good with a warmer shade of eyeshadow, but that is still a testing opportunity ;p
Now I have been the procastinating blogger: I haven't blogged for a full week. Ok ok, I was in Liverpool for a couple of days, and celebrated my birthday afterwards...But I could of have blogged a bit in the weekend. Oh well...
I received my second Illamasqua haul. I ordered it the 23th of July and received it exactly a week later. Nice...I ordered the medium pencil in Exert and Obscene, nail polis in Hectic, Powder Eye Shadow in Fatal, 4-Colour Lip Palette in Test, Scandal, Brink, Tramp. Also the sheer Lipgloss in Enchant and the powder foundation in PF210.
Shiny and sleek black boxes....
Those pencils are Exert (steely grey) and Obscene.
The sheer lipgloss in Enchant
Nail polish in Hectic: I love the moody, murky colour of Hectic...It will be a wonderful colour for fall!
The lip palette in Test, Scandal, Brink, Tramp (not in the right order). Mmm, I have been testing these, but I am not that enthousiastic....they are definitely MATTE. I am probably too spoiled with smooth and dewy Japanese lipsticks to appreciate these fully. The colours are wonderful, though.
I also made my second order at Unearthed, which is an Etsy store that specialised on cuffs with special skins (animal skins). My first order from them had been in 2007. I went to visit their shop again, and fell in love with this bright, pink fishskin cuff....how original and summery.
There is nothing fishy about this cuff (except that it is made from fishskin), he he.
Hello my pink fishy!!
Everything arrived meticulously packed and in a beautiful shape.
I bought three eyepencils, one mac and two of Giorgio Armani. Sweet Betsy included a pencil sharpener ánd a gorgeous, glowy Armani eyeshadow as well!!!
Ohhh, I like all of those pencils. ♥ ♥ ♥ THANK YOU BETSY!!!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
Continuing the pencil-mania: I also picked up the September edition of the InStyle Uk edition: it came with 2 free Body Shop pencils in black and another colour. I picked the Silver grey colour, but you could also pick the teal or purple.
I do not buy InStyle that often, because it is often crammed with Celeb-mania. I prefer beauty-mania and fashion-mania over the celeb-obsessed. However, the content of InStyle Uk september is pretty good as well: they have some wonderful previews of Autumn fashion and some refreshing beauty tips...
Do the Japanese magazines publish lots of previews of autumn during this period (mid summer) as well? I should visit my Japanese bookstore soon to find out myself ;P
Alright, a healthy dose of self-spoiling! My reviews on the Illamasqua will be posted this week. I also want to review the Jill Stuart Lip jelly in 15 as well, but I am not sure it that will be this week.
I really like this piece, but it would be too expensive for me ($169.00). Perhaps I could make something similar if I find some steampunk-esque elements.
