Urban Decay Catfight

The other day, I went onto the Urban Decay site to look at the new looks that they had put together for Spring 2009. Shockingly, everything that they put together and showed were way too dramatic for my taste and way too dramatic for many people’s tastes I would think. I decided to try and take one of the looks that I liked the most on the site and find a way to make it more wearable in everyday life.

The look that I am working with is called Catfight and it is based around dramatic eye makeup and glitter eyeliner. Here are the products that are used to create this look…

Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner
- Catfight
- Midnight Cowboy

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil
- Zero

Big Fatty Mascara

Deluxe Eye Shadow
- Sting

Lipstick
- Midnight Cowboy

The first change that I would make to this look is to not use Zero to draw on eye lashes way above the lash line. I would use a more dramatic mascara than Big Fatty (Phenomen’eyes) or even false lashes to get a huge lash look without drawing them on. The Midnight Cowboy Glitter Liner does not need to fully wing out under the eye and could be drawn on top of the Zero in that spot. The Catfight liner could be used as an accent to the Midnight Cowboy on top instead of being used to draw with the Zero “lashes”.

Toned down, this could a really pretty pink and gold look for the upcoming months. Or you could just be a rock star and wear it as they suggest…

photo courtesy of Urban Decay

100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream

Going off of the wonderful luck that I have had with the 100% Pure body products, I am deciding to expand my horizons into their skincare line. I looked on their website and I found some cleansers that look very enticing and a bunch of other products that I certainly mind having but I decided to zero in on one product, the Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. My B. Kamins Therapeutic Eye Cream is amazing for dark circles but doesn’t really wow me in the puffiness area. The other day, I looked in the mirror when I woke up and almost died when I saw my face. This was the morning after a stress related crying fit but that doesn’t change the fact that I looked terrible. Quite frankly, looking like I felt terrible made me feel 100% worse so I decided to start searching for a new anti puffiness eye product.

I have heard rave reviews for this product and just off of the top of my head, I can think of two people that I know that really love it. I already know that caffeine speeds up the cells of the body so whatever it can help to slim down and improve the appearance of cellulite. Based on this assumption, I would assume that it would work to reduce the appearance of the puffiness in the same manner. Here is the description of the product from 100% Pure, “Anti-inflammatory, caffeine rich green tea and coffee de-puffs and reduces swelling while increasing circulation to alleviate and brighten dark circles. Concentrated with potent anti-aging vitamins, antioxidants, and nourishing blackcurrant oil. Truly, 100% Pure.”

Reduces swelling, puffiness, and increase circulation all while being an organic product that is actually good for my skin?! This is coming home with me the next time that I am able to get to a mall that carries this line. And I think that I will be looking into more face care products from this line too.

photo courtesy of 100% Pure

LUSH MMM Melting Marshmallow Moment Bath Melt

The other night, I decided to try another LUSH bath product. This time, I used the Bath Melt in MMM Melting Marshmallow Moment. The Bath Melt look like kind of like bath bombs, but they dissolve slower and are more hydrating. This product has gotten really high ratings on Makeup Alley, so I was really excited to try it.

I must be in the minority for this product, but I didn’t find it to be all that great. First a description of the product from LUSH. This is for the product overall, “Drop a bath melt into a tubful of hot water to release its moisturizing oils, cocoa butter and fine essential oils. Highly recommended for dry skin or during the parched winter months, bath melts leave your skin soft and fragrant.” The directions were to drop it in hot water, let it dissolve completely, and then get in the tub and enjoy. First of all, it took forever to dissolve so I ended up getting cold and just got in the tub before it was finished. So I already didn’t begin my relaxing bath happy.

Now for the scent itself. The description from LUSH is right here, “Musky marshmallow body oils for the bath comforts without the calories. It looks like strawberry ice cream (or maybe a raspberry fairy cake) but it's really a sweetly scented, relaxing bath oil melt to place in a warm tub. Lie there languidly as you watch it slowly dissolve, sweetly scenting your body with marshmallow and marigold, and softening your skin with cocoa butter and almond oil. Mmmm…” It did turn my bath water a pale shade of pink which I really liked but overall it was a rather mediocre experience. I could smell a sweet scent with some hints of marshmallow but it was nothing fantastic. It didn’t dry my skin out, so that was a plus for the product. But overall, it took too long to work and I think I am just more of brightly colored bath bomb or bubble bar girl than anything else.

photo courtesy of LUSH

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss

Urban Decay has just released one of the most memorable lip gloss collections in my history of makeup collecting. When I first heard about this collection, I began laughing and couldn’t stop until I began to have problems breathing. The collection is called the Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss.

Here is the description from Urban Decay, “Undress our men with the flick of your wrist! Inside the cap of our custom tube is a photo of a yummy man. Tilt the tube back-and-forth to strip them to their undies! (We've even included front and rear photos.) Whether you swoon for a future senator or a tree-hugger, one of our men is sure to please you. Our guys make awesome gifts for bachelorette parties, baby showers, or b-days. And the gloss? This formula is so slick and cushiony, you would love it even in a plain ol’ tube. Each shade varies in opacity and finish, but all have a sweet crème brûlée flavor. The formula contains Hyaluronic Spheres, known to improve cellular function, prevent dehydration, and fill in lines and wrinkles. The brush applicator is ideal for blending. Need to lure a real man? Give the tube a rub to release pheromones into the air! Undetectable to the smell, pheromones enhance mood and sexual attraction. The flat tube slides right into your pocket!”

OMG, this is seriously amazing! I totally want this product! And since every lady has difference preferences, we have eight different men to choose from. Here are our choices…

David - milky mauve
- David is a hard-working man: at work, in the gym, and most importantly, in bed. After a grueling 60-hour week, he still has the energy to come over and put his 110% into you. Undress him to inspect your benefits package.

Doug - medium pink with iridescent sparkle
- Who doesn't love this guy?! Doug is cool. He has a closet full of clothes, a hard drive full of music, and loves making out on the street. Undress him to see why he's always smiling.

Eric - sheer true red
- American born, but schooled abroad, Eric retains many European sensibilities, including Italian bravado, French table manners, and German soccer skills. Undress him for a little Spanish fly.

James - hot pink with ultraviolet glow
- How cute is James?! You have the same favorite color (pink), the same hair (black), and the same size jeans (tight). And yet, he's still all man. Undress him to see if he's emo down below, too.

Jesse - blackberry with warm sparkle
- Jesse owns a dingy cave of a bar on the Sunset Strip, pouring whiskey and cheap beer for rock royalty. Undress him to see where his tattoos end and your one-night stand begins.

Julio - white with iridescent sparkle
- Is there anything hotter than a hot guy holding a baby? Julio is an amateur chef, a hot dad, and sweet as pie. Undress him and start fantasizing about the babies you'll make together.

Kirk - sheer nude
- When he isn't out running the trails with his two chocolate labs, enviro-activist Kirk is finishing his master's in sustainable architecture. Undress him when you two feel like getting eco-friendly.

Timothy - coral with pink glow
- An all-American and future Senator, Timothy is your mother's dream come true. Skilled at fencing, rugby and sailing, he is valiant and fun. Undress him and he'll make you the next Jackie O-oh-ohhhhhhh

HAHAHAHAHA…I am going to die of giggles here. So which ones do I want? David is my favorite by far. I love the color and this could be one of my ideal men. I also want Eric, Doug, James, Kirk, and Timothy…for the colors. Who do I want not for just the colors? A lady never tells…

photo courtesy of Urban Decay

CK One

There is one fragrance this spring that I really have an urge to purchase the hugest size imaginable of. That fragrance is the one and only CK One from Calvin Klein. He has re-released this fragrance in a special bottle that looks like it could be an anniversary edition of the fragrance. The first time that I ever smelled this was in an issue of Seventeen that I bought when I was just entering the sixth grade. This was the first fragrance that I ever remember really wanting someone to buy me but at the time, Calvin Klein had just released some rather controversial advertising campaigns so my parents would not allow me to own anything that had his name on it. Eventually, I did succeed in purchasing some of his t-shirts but I never did get my hands on this fragrance.

I have sort of forgotten about this fragrance even though Calvin Klein releases a special edition of this fragrance almost every summer (so it seems). I just always associated this fragrance with the 90s and the grunge movement, neither of which I am a fan of anymore. This fragrance was first introduced in 1994, so this year would be the 15th anniversary of its launch.

Why did I start rethinking about this fragrance? A fragrance strip of it was included in one of the many magazines that are delivered every month to my home and I resmelled it to see if I remembered it accurately. To my shock, I remembered it almost exactly and a new lemming was created. I don’t want the anniversary edition bottle, I want the original that I was never allowed to have circa 1995.

I have often wondered what this fragrance smells like and what notes allow it to be unisex and somehow smell almost the same on both genders. Here are the notes of the fragrance - papaya, pineapple, jasmine, green tea, and amber. I don’t smell any of the individual notes in this fragrance so it absolutely confounds me as to how they work together to create this unique fragrance. This is a mystery that I may never solve but at least now I am allowed to purchase myself of bottle of this fragrance. And it will be large one so I can use it even when its not popular or easy to find anymore.

photo courtesy of fragrancenet

Smashbox Spring 2009 Collection - Muse

I haven’t bought anything else from Smashbox since the disappointment surrounding the Bionic Mascara. I haven’t even really looked at everything from that collection since that purchase so I decided to look at the new collection from Spring 2009. The collection is called Muse and the collection is about bringing out your inner artist with makeup palettes, eyeliners, and lip paints.

Here is the collection…

Muse Artist Eye Palette - Inspire your inner artist with this one-of-a-kind mirrored palette with 10 stunning shadows plus a custom ARTIST EYE SHADOW BRUSH.
- contains the shades Biscuit, Chocolate, Soft Green, Dark Celery Green, Light Silver Blue, Dark Blue-Grey, Sheer Lilac, Deep Orchid, Rose Copper, Coffee

Muse Cream Liner Pencil Set - Four ultra-creamy, vibrant eye liner pencils to create a masterpiece all your own. Wear each shade alone, blended together, or smudged with shadow – experiment with color and get inspired!
- contains Deep Ocean Blue, Deep Violet, Dark Charcoal, Deep Gold

Hybrid 2 in 1 Luminizing Primer - Get instantly smooth and glowing skin and create a perfect canvas for makeup application with this revolutionary dual formula PHOTO FINISH FOUNDATION PRIMER and ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. It’s packed with vitamins, antioxidants and botanicals for added healthy skin benefits. Wear under foundation or alone for a gorgeous natural glow. Can be used all over face for a radiant complexion or blended over cheekbones, brow bones, the bridge of nose and chin to highlight.

Bionic Mascara - BIONIC is the first ionic mascara for longer, stronger, more voluminous super-power lashes! The specially engineered brush gently coats lashes with our revolutionary long-wearing formula for a high impact lash in just one sweep. Now in a hot black violet hue that’s perfect for Spring!
- Black Violet - black with a hint of violet

Muse Lip Paints - This rich, creamy lip gloss glides effortlessly over lips for soft color and brilliant shine. Create your own one-of-a-kind artistic hue by mixing and layering shades.
- Luminary - creamy nude
- Artiste - creamy berry
- Virtuoso - creamy pink

Muse Blush Rush - Get a gorgeous rush of color with this ultra-luxurious, long-wearing blush in a one-of-a-kind mirrored compact for glowing cheeks befitting any muse.
- Masterpiece - warm peachy coral

I wouldn’t mind trying the Lip Paint in Virtuoso, the creamy pink shade. It might be a nice change for me to get a lip gloss with a creamy finish instead of the shimmery one that I have been buying lately. I would also like to try the Hybrid 2 in 1 Luminizing Primer, I love the anti-oxidants and the promise of a natural glow. My face hasn’t really had much of that this winter and I would like it to happen this spring. The new color in the Bionic Mascara…let’s just not even go there…

photo courtesy of Smashbox

MAC Sugarsweet

The second new collection that MAC is releasing today is called Sugarsweet. This collection is full of spring pastels and at first glance, looks like it would be really fun to work with. Here is the description of the collection from MAC, “This spring, M·A·C is all temptation... frostings, finishes, fillings. Each of them whipped, creamy, deliciously stylish, as inspired by the world's most popular sugar-sweet desserts. Never has a season looked so eat-me-up gorgeous!” Now that MAC has given me makeup that reminds me of dessert, I can be 100% sugar sweet from head to toe!

The collection…

Eye Shadow - Highly-pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well.
- Dear Cupcake - Mid-tone pink coral with gold pearl
- Club - red-brown with green pearl
- Stars N’Rockets - purple with pink pearl
- Sugarshot - pale frosty beige
- Aquavert - soft mint with white pearl

Sugarsweet Shadestick - Shadestick Eye Shadow specially packaged for the Sugarsweet collection. Features colour-matched casing and packaging. Available in a selection of five cupcake-inspired shades.
- Lemon Chiffon - frosted pale white gold
- Penny - light pinky copper
- Cakeshop - frosted pewter
- Red Velvet - frosted mid-tone pink
- Butternutty - frosted light neutral beige

34 Lash - Dramatically long. Wispy. Features a long, winged-corner edge. M·A·C Lashes are handmade to exact specifications. Each pattern and design is perfectly shaped and arranged to give a striking effect, whether the look is natural or dramatic. Available in a variety of shapes and densities.

Zoom Lash - This instant volume mascara power-lifts the lashes into length, curls them up...builds them faster than you can wink! Precision control wand glides smoothly down lashes to provide a gorgeously silky upward “sweep”. Smudgeproof and long-wearing!
- Zoom Black - rich black

Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous.
- Bubbles - shimmery warm white
- Touch - peachy cinnamon
- Lollipop Loving - clean mid-tone coral with subtle green with gold iridescence
- Saint Germain - clean pastel pink
- Sweet Thing - mid-tone magenta with multi-dimensional pearl

Tricolour Lip Glass - A colourwave of three stacked shades with varying pearl combinations in one Lipglass vial. Each layer smoothly gradates into the next. Applied color may vary slightly with each application. Comes with its own applicator. Limited edition.
- Consume Me - clear with gold pearl
- Tasty - sheer raspberry pink
- Just Dessert - sheer frosted silver pink
- Triple-Yum - sheer golden beige
- Simply Delicious - sheer frosted golden peach

Mineralize Skinfinish - A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on: adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks and brows, or an overall ultra-deluxe polish to the face.
- Perfect Topping - pink/peach/lavender mélange
- Refined - tan/peach/coral mélange

Nail Lacquer - Revolutionary new high gloss formula. Three long-wearing finishes - Cream, Sheer, and Frosted. Visibly different. Provides no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection.
- Peppermint Patti - creamy mint green
- Seasonal Peach - creamy pale peachy pink

I really like the whole collection and would be more than happy to own the whole thing but I will force myself to pick out several favorites from the collection. Let’s be realistic for a second, if I actually purchased the whole collection, I might not even get to many of these products until next spring will all of the makeup that I currently have started. My top picks are in the eye shadows, the shadesticks, the lip glosses, the Mineralize Skinfinish, and the nail lacquer.

From the eye shadows, I really want Dear Cupcake, Sugarshock, and Aquavert. I have never tried the Shadesticks, so these will also be a new product for me. From this line, I want the colors Lemon Chiffon, Penny, Red Velvet, and Butternutty. From the Tri-colour lipglass, I want consume Me, Tasty, Just Dessert and Triple-Yum. I want the Perfect Topping Mineralize Skinfinish, I haven’t gotten to try this product either but I have heard so many raves about it that I am really excited to get one now. Lastly, I really want the Peppermint Patti Nail Lacquer (already sold out on the MAC website). My “narrowing down” of this collection really didn’t do all that much for me, so it looks like I will be getting most of the collection.
photo courtesy of MAC