Urban Decay has some pretty amazing products. This one is interesting. It's a lip balm that consists primarily of a few oils and honey along with coloring for the tint. I obtained Drizzle which is, as of this review, on sale and can be found at the link below.
It has no real color to it once you put it on. In the tube its a translucent purple pink color. Urban decay's description involves comments about how nourishing it is and how it helps keep lips soft and smooth. For the most part it does provided you can keep it on your lips that long. The on site description of the delight it will bring you and your make out partner is more accurate along with the tasting great. Its main ingredient is honey after all, if you like the taste of honey, you'll be licking it off fairly quickly.
As I don't have a make out partner, I can't attest to the validate of that statement. I can attest to the fact that it does taste great and my hair doesn't really get stuck in it so that's always a plus. Additionally, my lips are very slippery when I wear this so if you smoke or tend to put things in your mouth while you're working like I do, you'd best hold on with your teeth because it will slide right out from between your lips otherwise.
This is probably something you'll want to use after you exfoliate your lips, for those of us who find this necessary. It is rather thick and protective so it's great for protecting that new fresh skin. It might also be a good alternative for people who end up using heavier lip balms like vaseline based products during the winter months, which for some of us have already arrived.
I'm not sure honestly if I'd pay the retail price for the product. I have most of the ingredients for this, it is primarily all natural, at home so there's nothing stopping me from giving a little mix in my home kitchen and making up a batch but right now given that it is on sale it's probably a good time to give it a try. Check it out and comment and tell me what you think about Lip Love from Urban Decay.
http://www.urbandecay.com/makeup-sale/lip-love-honey-infused-lip-therapy/300.html
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Urban Decay - Vice 2
Hi guys,
I haven't reviewed a lot of mass produced products but I've starting getting into it because frankly, how many people only have homemade stuff in their makeup drawers. Reviewing all handmade stuff is great, I'll be posting more of those but I like to know how it compares.
I managed to get my hands on Vice 2 a limited edition palette released by Urban Decay with 20 new colors. I also received some of their primer potion, and eye liner and some lip treatment. In this blog post I'm going to be reviewing the palette. First, let me start by saying that these are my first Urban Decay products ever. I've never used anything by this company before. I can say that I love the colors. The palette has a good blend of neutrals in both shimmer and matte, some purples, some pinks, a blue, browns, grays, and metallics. It pretty much has a little something for everyone.
I was surprised by the size, for most people its probably not a surprise if you've picked up the 20 color palettes before but I was happy with the large size of the palette. I thought it was great that there was a little push button that let you release the catch and open the lid. The lid doesn't just flop open there's some resistance which I liked because it helps the lid to stay wherever you put it. This is a great feature when you want to use the mirror and you have horrible lighting to work with like I do.
I loved the mirror. Its huge. It isn't just this little square in the middle of the lid, it fills the whole lid and really gives you great space to work with and that's important at least in my book. I always hate having to stretch the mirror out as far as my arm just to see more than a little bit of my face to make sure everything looks good. This works out perfectly.
The brush is decent quality. I've gotten some that lose bristles as soon as you use them, these didn't dig into the eye shadows and really held onto the color but not so much that you feel like you're leaving everything on the brush and not getting it on your eye. I've had a few brushes like that too. I liked how they picked up and distributed the eye shadow.
The staying power is pretty decent. It's a little bit less than some of the loose powders that I have but its been on for a good six or so hours now and still looks fairly fresh despite the fact that since I decided not to wear my glasses today I've been rubbing my eyes constantly. There is very little I hate more than spending the time to do my eye make up and then rubbing it all off within an hour of putting it on so I love color with staying power. I've got a few pictures of the palette that I'll be adding to the post later. I wanted to do a complete set with a swatch of all the colors but I really wanted to do those pictures outside where I've got good natural sunlight. I'll be posting the pictures in the next day or so but you can check the palette out at Urban decay's website www.urbandecay.com
This is a limited edition and I do recommend it. It's a little pricey but from what I've seen well worth the investment.
I haven't reviewed a lot of mass produced products but I've starting getting into it because frankly, how many people only have homemade stuff in their makeup drawers. Reviewing all handmade stuff is great, I'll be posting more of those but I like to know how it compares.
I managed to get my hands on Vice 2 a limited edition palette released by Urban Decay with 20 new colors. I also received some of their primer potion, and eye liner and some lip treatment. In this blog post I'm going to be reviewing the palette. First, let me start by saying that these are my first Urban Decay products ever. I've never used anything by this company before. I can say that I love the colors. The palette has a good blend of neutrals in both shimmer and matte, some purples, some pinks, a blue, browns, grays, and metallics. It pretty much has a little something for everyone.
I was surprised by the size, for most people its probably not a surprise if you've picked up the 20 color palettes before but I was happy with the large size of the palette. I thought it was great that there was a little push button that let you release the catch and open the lid. The lid doesn't just flop open there's some resistance which I liked because it helps the lid to stay wherever you put it. This is a great feature when you want to use the mirror and you have horrible lighting to work with like I do.
I loved the mirror. Its huge. It isn't just this little square in the middle of the lid, it fills the whole lid and really gives you great space to work with and that's important at least in my book. I always hate having to stretch the mirror out as far as my arm just to see more than a little bit of my face to make sure everything looks good. This works out perfectly.
The brush is decent quality. I've gotten some that lose bristles as soon as you use them, these didn't dig into the eye shadows and really held onto the color but not so much that you feel like you're leaving everything on the brush and not getting it on your eye. I've had a few brushes like that too. I liked how they picked up and distributed the eye shadow.
The staying power is pretty decent. It's a little bit less than some of the loose powders that I have but its been on for a good six or so hours now and still looks fairly fresh despite the fact that since I decided not to wear my glasses today I've been rubbing my eyes constantly. There is very little I hate more than spending the time to do my eye make up and then rubbing it all off within an hour of putting it on so I love color with staying power. I've got a few pictures of the palette that I'll be adding to the post later. I wanted to do a complete set with a swatch of all the colors but I really wanted to do those pictures outside where I've got good natural sunlight. I'll be posting the pictures in the next day or so but you can check the palette out at Urban decay's website www.urbandecay.com
This is a limited edition and I do recommend it. It's a little pricey but from what I've seen well worth the investment.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Em Cosmetics - Life Palette Sample
Hi guys,
This review is of Em cosmetics life palette - you can find it at www.emcosmetics.com.
I obtained a deluxe sample not too long ago. This blog won't have pictures. This is because I'm not going to be reviewing the colors but the cosmetics themselves. I have to say I was pretty excited. I watch Michelle Phan's videos fairly regularly. I actually found them because there was a link from another site on creating anime looks with makeup. I started following and was happy to hear she'd managed to get her own cosmetic line.
I'd like to point out that I'm 32. I'll be 33 next year. I'm not a kid but that doesn't stop me from being willing to experiment and willing to try anything makeup wise from crazy to sedate. The one thing I noted about Em cosmetics is that there is definitely something for everyone. If you want to get wild and crazy, there are plenty of colors for you. If you want to go for the more sedate look, you'll find something as well. I like that because it means that I can stick with the same makeup line and don't have to worry about losing quality or trying to find the right quality to match with already existing products because as we all know sometimes finding the color you want might mean not having the quality you want.
Em cosmetics are pretty pricey for someone on a highly limited budget like me. Right now, I view everything in terms of the same amount can pay this bill or these bills. In the case of Em cosmetics palettes, its these bills. However, its well worth the money if you've got it to spend. The palette has got serious options. There are four looks included in each of the full sized palettes. This consists of a blush, two lip colors and six eye shadows. This means for a full sized palette you are getting 4 blush, 8 lip colors and 24 eye shadows. The price is $75.
I purchased a deluxe sample during a promotion because for about $30, it gave me the chance to try out a lipstick, the eye shadows from the palette and a water liner eye liner.
All that being said, on to the review. The colors are rich, not too rich. They go on smooth, easy to blend and definitely easier to control than some of the ones I've experimented with, I've had some where even though you are using only a small amount it feels heavy or doesn't blend well. Em cosmetics is perfect for layering, blending, it goes on smooth and easy and it provides a nice even coverage. I wear it with absolutely nothing but the eye shadow and it sees me through the day.
Its definitely worth the money and I've definitely got it on my save up for list.
This review is of Em cosmetics life palette - you can find it at www.emcosmetics.com.
I obtained a deluxe sample not too long ago. This blog won't have pictures. This is because I'm not going to be reviewing the colors but the cosmetics themselves. I have to say I was pretty excited. I watch Michelle Phan's videos fairly regularly. I actually found them because there was a link from another site on creating anime looks with makeup. I started following and was happy to hear she'd managed to get her own cosmetic line.
I'd like to point out that I'm 32. I'll be 33 next year. I'm not a kid but that doesn't stop me from being willing to experiment and willing to try anything makeup wise from crazy to sedate. The one thing I noted about Em cosmetics is that there is definitely something for everyone. If you want to get wild and crazy, there are plenty of colors for you. If you want to go for the more sedate look, you'll find something as well. I like that because it means that I can stick with the same makeup line and don't have to worry about losing quality or trying to find the right quality to match with already existing products because as we all know sometimes finding the color you want might mean not having the quality you want.
Em cosmetics are pretty pricey for someone on a highly limited budget like me. Right now, I view everything in terms of the same amount can pay this bill or these bills. In the case of Em cosmetics palettes, its these bills. However, its well worth the money if you've got it to spend. The palette has got serious options. There are four looks included in each of the full sized palettes. This consists of a blush, two lip colors and six eye shadows. This means for a full sized palette you are getting 4 blush, 8 lip colors and 24 eye shadows. The price is $75.
I purchased a deluxe sample during a promotion because for about $30, it gave me the chance to try out a lipstick, the eye shadows from the palette and a water liner eye liner.
All that being said, on to the review. The colors are rich, not too rich. They go on smooth, easy to blend and definitely easier to control than some of the ones I've experimented with, I've had some where even though you are using only a small amount it feels heavy or doesn't blend well. Em cosmetics is perfect for layering, blending, it goes on smooth and easy and it provides a nice even coverage. I wear it with absolutely nothing but the eye shadow and it sees me through the day.
Its definitely worth the money and I've definitely got it on my save up for list.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
New Reviews Coming
I am changing how I do my reviews especially for eye shadows. Normally, I pick a single color from a single company and slather it all over, take pictures and tell you guys what I think. I rarely however, purchase single colors, I purchase in some cases, dozens of colors at a time. I tend to pick all the colors I like, at a given point, and then purchase them all at once. I, then, mix and match and contrast with some beautiful and some definitely only on Halloween results. In order to review everything I've collected for the purpose of reviewing, in addition, to the non-indie products I purchases to contrast and add depth to the reviews, I'd end up having to do five reviews a day every day for right around 3 years.
The idea freaked me out a little bit and sent me racing to Walmart for storage solutions to hold the massive amounts of cosmetics, which now no longer fit in the train case, the baskets, and drawers in the bathroom. They now have their own sliding drawer desktop storage and still there are baskets, bins, bags and boxes. This prompted a few changes. I'm going to review products from the same color that go together, put together sets, create looks, I suppose and then post the reviews up including these looks.
This accomplishes several goals, first, it shorts the amount of reviews I have to do, it provides more valuable information to my way of thinking, and gives you guys some things to try out. I'm not going to be doing fancy things I'm not Michelle Phan, I'm hoping to find unique ways to blend colors together, in some cases, colors you wouldn't think would go together, to create looks that everyone can wear everywhere.
I love Michelle Phan and I happen to love the EM cosmetic line, though its well out of my price range, but most of the stuff I've seen on her channel isn't stuff for everyday wear, it takes far too long. When I get up in the morning or, more often in my case, the evening, I do not want to spend twenty minutes on my makeup dealing with things like bb cream, concealer, foundation, then powder, primer, doing the eyes, the lips, then contouring, the cheeks, chin, and then set it. I want to throw on my face as it were, in 5-10 minutes at the absolutely maximum. I lean more towards the five minutes.
There is a very good reason for this, I don't like getting up any earlier than I absolutely have too and if I need to spend twenty minutes on my face, it means my hair will have to go with it and that's like an hour because I have very flat and very thin hair, to give it life requires washing, leave in treatment, volumizing product, hot rollers, etc. It is a lot of work and since I work from home it drives me crazy. You might now be wondering why I would bother putting all the effort when my job involves taking less than three steps from my bed to my office chair...literally. ( I can lean back in my chair and rest my head on my bed.)
It's because I'm a stickler for that sort of thing, if you do the fancy face, you have to have the fancy hair. So, that's what is going on with eye shadows and so forth.
As far as nail polish is concerned. I'm going to be adding to those pictures. I am going to include, the color under review and then I'm going to be adding things, like I might add a top coat from a different color. Things have been pretty crazy here which is why there was a break again in the reviews. I was going to move, packed to move, and then didn't move. I've been living out of boxes. I have decided to downsize my books and my manga collections. I'll be posting that information on the book review blog and share that information with all of you.
The idea freaked me out a little bit and sent me racing to Walmart for storage solutions to hold the massive amounts of cosmetics, which now no longer fit in the train case, the baskets, and drawers in the bathroom. They now have their own sliding drawer desktop storage and still there are baskets, bins, bags and boxes. This prompted a few changes. I'm going to review products from the same color that go together, put together sets, create looks, I suppose and then post the reviews up including these looks.
This accomplishes several goals, first, it shorts the amount of reviews I have to do, it provides more valuable information to my way of thinking, and gives you guys some things to try out. I'm not going to be doing fancy things I'm not Michelle Phan, I'm hoping to find unique ways to blend colors together, in some cases, colors you wouldn't think would go together, to create looks that everyone can wear everywhere.
I love Michelle Phan and I happen to love the EM cosmetic line, though its well out of my price range, but most of the stuff I've seen on her channel isn't stuff for everyday wear, it takes far too long. When I get up in the morning or, more often in my case, the evening, I do not want to spend twenty minutes on my makeup dealing with things like bb cream, concealer, foundation, then powder, primer, doing the eyes, the lips, then contouring, the cheeks, chin, and then set it. I want to throw on my face as it were, in 5-10 minutes at the absolutely maximum. I lean more towards the five minutes.
There is a very good reason for this, I don't like getting up any earlier than I absolutely have too and if I need to spend twenty minutes on my face, it means my hair will have to go with it and that's like an hour because I have very flat and very thin hair, to give it life requires washing, leave in treatment, volumizing product, hot rollers, etc. It is a lot of work and since I work from home it drives me crazy. You might now be wondering why I would bother putting all the effort when my job involves taking less than three steps from my bed to my office chair...literally. ( I can lean back in my chair and rest my head on my bed.)
It's because I'm a stickler for that sort of thing, if you do the fancy face, you have to have the fancy hair. So, that's what is going on with eye shadows and so forth.
As far as nail polish is concerned. I'm going to be adding to those pictures. I am going to include, the color under review and then I'm going to be adding things, like I might add a top coat from a different color. Things have been pretty crazy here which is why there was a break again in the reviews. I was going to move, packed to move, and then didn't move. I've been living out of boxes. I have decided to downsize my books and my manga collections. I'll be posting that information on the book review blog and share that information with all of you.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Update
Hi guys,
It's been a while. I've done some serious work over the past few months and have finally gotten things hashed out for the most part, which means it is time to start doing blogs again. I've been working on getting some better quality equipment and I've decided to make a few changes. While the majority of the blog will still be indie based products I'm also going to be reviewing commercial products and I'm going to be doing some compare and contrast.
In part because what makes indie products shine is their difference from the mass produced commercial products that line our drugstore shelves. A lot of the products I'll be reviewing are Avon and comparing too are going to be Avon products. This is because I can get my hands on them cheaply. I'd love to be able to review the indie products against companies like Max factor and some of the high end expensive stuff but honestly, I don't have that kind of money so, I'm going to be comparing the products that are homemade or made by smaller companies against the less expensive brands.
I'm also going to be putting in a tip post every now and then so you can get the most out of your products. I know that the standard industry talk is that you need to replace your makeup about every 3-6 months but seriously, in this economy who has that kind of money, to throw out products like that. In some cases, it might be necessary but for the most part, with a little effort, you can use your products until you use them up whether that is in 3 months or 3 years.
Beauty is more than just makeup, its skin care, its jewelry, its fashion and its mindset. Beautiful is when we, as women and men, are feeling confident and good about ourselves and our appearance. That was one of the reasons I started out writing this blog and reviewing these products, I wanted to offer people wonderful alternatives that were healthy for them, for the environment and would provide them with excellent products, whether they are looking for soaps, skincare, nailpolish, lipstick, or eyeshadow.
Unfortunately, one company will not be reviewed any further on the site. Pixie Polish, due to health reasons of the creator, had to close its doors. I was greatly saddened by this since anyone who knows me, knows that Pixie Polish was one of my all time favorite brands and makes up probably half my nail polish collection. I am hoping that Pixie gets better and one days brings back these glorious polishes for us to enjoy.
I have quite a few companies to review so look forward to reviews coming soon.
Kaya
It's been a while. I've done some serious work over the past few months and have finally gotten things hashed out for the most part, which means it is time to start doing blogs again. I've been working on getting some better quality equipment and I've decided to make a few changes. While the majority of the blog will still be indie based products I'm also going to be reviewing commercial products and I'm going to be doing some compare and contrast.
In part because what makes indie products shine is their difference from the mass produced commercial products that line our drugstore shelves. A lot of the products I'll be reviewing are Avon and comparing too are going to be Avon products. This is because I can get my hands on them cheaply. I'd love to be able to review the indie products against companies like Max factor and some of the high end expensive stuff but honestly, I don't have that kind of money so, I'm going to be comparing the products that are homemade or made by smaller companies against the less expensive brands.
I'm also going to be putting in a tip post every now and then so you can get the most out of your products. I know that the standard industry talk is that you need to replace your makeup about every 3-6 months but seriously, in this economy who has that kind of money, to throw out products like that. In some cases, it might be necessary but for the most part, with a little effort, you can use your products until you use them up whether that is in 3 months or 3 years.
Beauty is more than just makeup, its skin care, its jewelry, its fashion and its mindset. Beautiful is when we, as women and men, are feeling confident and good about ourselves and our appearance. That was one of the reasons I started out writing this blog and reviewing these products, I wanted to offer people wonderful alternatives that were healthy for them, for the environment and would provide them with excellent products, whether they are looking for soaps, skincare, nailpolish, lipstick, or eyeshadow.
Unfortunately, one company will not be reviewed any further on the site. Pixie Polish, due to health reasons of the creator, had to close its doors. I was greatly saddened by this since anyone who knows me, knows that Pixie Polish was one of my all time favorite brands and makes up probably half my nail polish collection. I am hoping that Pixie gets better and one days brings back these glorious polishes for us to enjoy.
I have quite a few companies to review so look forward to reviews coming soon.
Kaya
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Island Soapery - Cherry Granade
Soap is one of the products I have difficulties with, my skin is so sensitive that finding a soap that works, works well and keeps working can be like searching for a needle in a hay stack. There are hundreds of options to choose from and unfortunately for me what works today might not work tomorrow.
It's one of the reasons why I enjoy reviewing soap as much as I do. I get to discover combinations that work for me, combinations that don't and have the opportunity to discover some amazing products and meet new people.
Island Soapery is an Etsy store. I found it while looking for soaps and asked for samples. I received samples of several different scents and soap products. The samples were generous. I've received some samples that last long enough to wash your hands once, basically they are just a thick shaving off a bar. I don't feel samples that small are 1. worth the money for them and 2. really give you the opportunity to test the product.
Unless there is immediate irritation it usually takes a week to two weeks for me to be able to tell if a product will really work for me. It's one of the reasons my reviews take a little longer to publish then others. I try to test the products in as many ways as I can before I write a review. Writing for Island Soapery was no exception.
The first product I tried was the Cherry Granade. I'd never seen a scent like this so I asked for a sample of it. I received a small square instead of the standard rectangle you expect soap to come in. I enjoyed the difference in size and it fit well in the palm of my hand. It also fit well in my son's. Cherry anything however, it's a boy scent so he wasn't thrilled with it.
The soap does not have a strong scent and barely leaves a trace on your hands. I'm of two minds on that. Sometimes I love to have the scent linger, other times I don't. I end up having a selection of soaps placed in different places on my sink to tell me which ones have linger scents and which don't.
The soap does not have a sweet scent, which I like. I don't particularly care for overly sweet scents in anything. It does however smell remarkably like the drink it is named after Dr. Pepper, cherry and just a hint of something else which in the drink would be brandy.
It is a delightful pinkish color which fits well with its name. It's definitely something interesting. Head over to Island Soapery at http://www.etsy.com/shop/IslandSoapery and check out it out. I'll be writing more on these products as I try them out.
It's one of the reasons why I enjoy reviewing soap as much as I do. I get to discover combinations that work for me, combinations that don't and have the opportunity to discover some amazing products and meet new people.
Island Soapery is an Etsy store. I found it while looking for soaps and asked for samples. I received samples of several different scents and soap products. The samples were generous. I've received some samples that last long enough to wash your hands once, basically they are just a thick shaving off a bar. I don't feel samples that small are 1. worth the money for them and 2. really give you the opportunity to test the product.
Unless there is immediate irritation it usually takes a week to two weeks for me to be able to tell if a product will really work for me. It's one of the reasons my reviews take a little longer to publish then others. I try to test the products in as many ways as I can before I write a review. Writing for Island Soapery was no exception.
The first product I tried was the Cherry Granade. I'd never seen a scent like this so I asked for a sample of it. I received a small square instead of the standard rectangle you expect soap to come in. I enjoyed the difference in size and it fit well in the palm of my hand. It also fit well in my son's. Cherry anything however, it's a boy scent so he wasn't thrilled with it.
The soap does not have a strong scent and barely leaves a trace on your hands. I'm of two minds on that. Sometimes I love to have the scent linger, other times I don't. I end up having a selection of soaps placed in different places on my sink to tell me which ones have linger scents and which don't.
The soap does not have a sweet scent, which I like. I don't particularly care for overly sweet scents in anything. It does however smell remarkably like the drink it is named after Dr. Pepper, cherry and just a hint of something else which in the drink would be brandy.
It is a delightful pinkish color which fits well with its name. It's definitely something interesting. Head over to Island Soapery at http://www.etsy.com/shop/IslandSoapery and check out it out. I'll be writing more on these products as I try them out.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Update and Apology
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to apologize because it has been almost a month since my last post. I haven't forgotten all the wonderful products I have to review. I'm an author and I'd just finished my first book when I heard of a great opportunity to submit to a publisher that doesn't normally take unsolicited manuscripts. I couldn't pass it up. If I manage to get selected ( highly unlikely on a first submission) it would save me considerable time since the normal process involves managing to land an agent first before submitting to publishers, at least for hard copy.
There are plenty of ebook publishers out there but I wanted a shot at seeing my book in print without having to pay a fortune to self publish. I've spent the last few weeks focused on that so I apologize that I haven't been posting here like I would have liked but I couldn't pass up that opportunity. The submission time has ended however, and after considerable rest, ( there were a lot of edits and last minute rewrites), I'm going to start posting again soon.
I have also started book 2 of the same series as my just finished book.
Thank you so much for continuing to check out my blog and for your patience. I promise more reviews are forthcoming.
Sincerely,
Kaya
I wanted to apologize because it has been almost a month since my last post. I haven't forgotten all the wonderful products I have to review. I'm an author and I'd just finished my first book when I heard of a great opportunity to submit to a publisher that doesn't normally take unsolicited manuscripts. I couldn't pass it up. If I manage to get selected ( highly unlikely on a first submission) it would save me considerable time since the normal process involves managing to land an agent first before submitting to publishers, at least for hard copy.
There are plenty of ebook publishers out there but I wanted a shot at seeing my book in print without having to pay a fortune to self publish. I've spent the last few weeks focused on that so I apologize that I haven't been posting here like I would have liked but I couldn't pass up that opportunity. The submission time has ended however, and after considerable rest, ( there were a lot of edits and last minute rewrites), I'm going to start posting again soon.
I have also started book 2 of the same series as my just finished book.
Thank you so much for continuing to check out my blog and for your patience. I promise more reviews are forthcoming.
Sincerely,
Kaya
Saturday, September 22, 2012
BonLogic - Sandalwood Soap
Sandalwood is a cleansing scent, more masculine than feminine, it has been used for centuries as incense. This aromatic wood is said to have properties that assist in meditation. It helps to create a peaceful space where the mind can relax and has even been stated to have properties which mark it as an aphrodisiac.
I requested a sample of BonLogic's sandalwood soap because there were two varieties, Sandalwood and Indian Sandalwood. I was curious as to the difference since I'd never seen the distinction before in a product. The scent itself is too masculine for me, I prefer lighter scents and this is a heavily scented soap so I decided to put it in the kitchen. I figured it would be a good place to let the whole family try the soap out.
We discovered some amazing things.
It's not just great for your hands, it's great for your dishes too. You can get quite a few dishes done with just one swipe of a sponge over the soap. We used it for about two weeks on hands alone before my mom used it on a dish. She found it worked great so we started experimenting.
What could this soap do in the kitchen? There are a lot of questions that go with that, can it replace standard quality liquid dish soap in all things? What about heavy baked on messes, greasy pots and pans, how about sugar based glazes?
I did my best to answer these questions. I started out trying it on small things, butter knives, the spoons used for peanut butter, a pan after cooking hamburger in it. I also tried it on a pan my mother used to make a peach glaze, the meat had been cooked in the pan as well so it was greasy and covered in baked sugar. The results, it works on just about everything.
I found that if I used a little of the liquid soap on the heaviest baked on pans I could use BonLogic's sandalwood soap on the rest and everything came up faster and with less hassles than if I'd used just liquid soap.
Normally, for these heavy baked on dishes I rinse them and put them in the dishwasher but for this review I washed them by hand. It works great on standard dinner dishes, plates, glasses, silverware, I tried it on a popcorn bowl it worked great.
I actually prefer it to the liquid soap.
In regards to amount. It's kind of hard to judge because one is a solid the other is liquid so I based the test on the number of times I had to reapply the soap. The liquid soap had more suds, in fact, it made loads of bubbles. BonLogic didn't make nearly the amount but you could tell there was still soap on the sponge with each swipe over the dish. I washed dishes until I couldn't tell there was soap. I had to go back almost 2x's as much with the liquid soap as with BonLogic's.
I was concerned about the residue that might be left, scent primarily on the dishes using such a strongly scented soap like BonLogic Sandalwood but I found that the scent doesn't linger particularly long on the hands and lingers for even less time when used on dishes, by the time the dishes were dry they no longer smelled of the soap.
It doesn't dry out my skin or my mom's we're the type that when doing dishes it's usually a good idea to consider rubber gloves. My skin peels or gets dry at even the slightest bit of abuse from hot dish water and most dish liquids. It is nice to pull my hands out of the hot water dry them off and not have to go find a bottle of lotion. Good for your skin and good for your dishes.
It also works great to remove the scent of garlic and onions from your hands. I rate it an A++++ across the board and would recommend it to anyone who had delicate skin.
My mother and I are already talking about making BonLogic a permanent part of our kitchen.
You can check out BonLogic at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BonLogic
I requested a sample of BonLogic's sandalwood soap because there were two varieties, Sandalwood and Indian Sandalwood. I was curious as to the difference since I'd never seen the distinction before in a product. The scent itself is too masculine for me, I prefer lighter scents and this is a heavily scented soap so I decided to put it in the kitchen. I figured it would be a good place to let the whole family try the soap out.
We discovered some amazing things.
It's not just great for your hands, it's great for your dishes too. You can get quite a few dishes done with just one swipe of a sponge over the soap. We used it for about two weeks on hands alone before my mom used it on a dish. She found it worked great so we started experimenting.
What could this soap do in the kitchen? There are a lot of questions that go with that, can it replace standard quality liquid dish soap in all things? What about heavy baked on messes, greasy pots and pans, how about sugar based glazes?
I did my best to answer these questions. I started out trying it on small things, butter knives, the spoons used for peanut butter, a pan after cooking hamburger in it. I also tried it on a pan my mother used to make a peach glaze, the meat had been cooked in the pan as well so it was greasy and covered in baked sugar. The results, it works on just about everything.
I found that if I used a little of the liquid soap on the heaviest baked on pans I could use BonLogic's sandalwood soap on the rest and everything came up faster and with less hassles than if I'd used just liquid soap.
Normally, for these heavy baked on dishes I rinse them and put them in the dishwasher but for this review I washed them by hand. It works great on standard dinner dishes, plates, glasses, silverware, I tried it on a popcorn bowl it worked great.
I actually prefer it to the liquid soap.
In regards to amount. It's kind of hard to judge because one is a solid the other is liquid so I based the test on the number of times I had to reapply the soap. The liquid soap had more suds, in fact, it made loads of bubbles. BonLogic didn't make nearly the amount but you could tell there was still soap on the sponge with each swipe over the dish. I washed dishes until I couldn't tell there was soap. I had to go back almost 2x's as much with the liquid soap as with BonLogic's.
I was concerned about the residue that might be left, scent primarily on the dishes using such a strongly scented soap like BonLogic Sandalwood but I found that the scent doesn't linger particularly long on the hands and lingers for even less time when used on dishes, by the time the dishes were dry they no longer smelled of the soap.
It doesn't dry out my skin or my mom's we're the type that when doing dishes it's usually a good idea to consider rubber gloves. My skin peels or gets dry at even the slightest bit of abuse from hot dish water and most dish liquids. It is nice to pull my hands out of the hot water dry them off and not have to go find a bottle of lotion. Good for your skin and good for your dishes.
It also works great to remove the scent of garlic and onions from your hands. I rate it an A++++ across the board and would recommend it to anyone who had delicate skin.
My mother and I are already talking about making BonLogic a permanent part of our kitchen.
You can check out BonLogic at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BonLogic
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Chaos Cosmetics - Bombshell Mineral Eye Shadow
Eye Shadow, it can be subtle, dramatic, it can be matte or
sparkle with every blink. The sky is the limit when it comes to colors and
imagination. Recently, I was having a pink day. I don't get many of them and
honestly pink is one of my least favorite colors but occasionally I dig out the
pinks and have a truly traditional girly day, skirts, pink, lace, ribbons, the
works.
While digging through eye shadows to complete my pink themed
ensemble I came across my sample of Bombshell. A lovely peachy pink color color
shifts to gold when the light hits it just right, I thought it would be the
perfect complement. I put on some primer because I really wanted my eyes to pop
with the pink.
I didn't put on any eyeliner or mascara I just let Bombshell
do its thing. I liked the color, it
satisfied my need for pink and it was long lasting. When I washed it off at 3
am, I had put it on about 6:30 am, it had barely lost it's glimmer and pop. In
part I figured its long life was due to having on eye shadow primer.
The next morning I decided to try bombshell again this time
without the primer. There wasn't as much pop to the color, which was fine
because I was going for something a little more subtle than the day before. I
got it and the eye shadow lasted just as long. I still had to wash it off at
the end of the day with minimal color loss.
The primer simply allowed the eye shadow to have a more
dramatic look and to keep that look longer. Either way I found that Bombshell
is a great color for those days when I want to go a little pink.
Here are a few pictures of what Bombshell looked like on me with the Primer. With my eyes close you can really see the shimmer and gold as well as the rich peachy pink.
Here's a picture with my open you can see a little of the shimmer
You can find Bombshell at http://www.bonanza.com/booths/ChaosCosmetics
Friday, September 7, 2012
D & R Apothecary Nail Polish- Cotton Candy
If everyone reading hasn't already guessed I practically live on Etsy. I'm constantly searching the pages, activity on my circle and everyone on my circle's circles so I'm constantly finding new products to try out. D&R Apothecary is one of those finds.
I was lucky to run across the store during a sale. Who doesn't love a good sale so I did some looking around and found that D&R had a few listings for discontinued colors. Stock they were shifting from the regular line up to custom orders, to make more room for more great stuff.
I've mentioned before I'm not a huge fan of heavy glitter polishes.
I find them to be overwhelming, rough and getting them off is a horrid prospect involving time spent with cotton balls and aluminium foil. I decided however, since they were on sale to give them a try. I received my purchase quickly and opened it with some excitement. I'm always happy to receive packages in the mail. Cotton candy has every shade I've seen in cotton candy, pink, purple, blue and green.
As the light hits it hints of red also come out and it's just as much fun to wear as cotton candy is to eat. You can layer it if you want to completely cover your nail. It only takes two coats to cover everything completely. I decided I wanted to try it with a solid undercoat and see how it worked with other brands. I was delighted to find out that it worked with everything I tried it with.
Overall, despite my general dislike of polishes that are filled with large amounts of glitter I enjoyed wearing this polish. I tried it with several top coats as well and found that it worked equally well with anything I tried. It's definitely a keeper. It adds a great sparkle to my nails. It's fun, and brings up memories of all the times I went to the carnivals with my grandparents. We always had cotton candy and always purchased the large bags that had every color. Here is a picture of what it looks like so you can see for yourself.
This is a picture of cotton candy over First Hyacinths of Spring by Pixie Polish. You can find D & R Apothecary on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/HitPolish
I find them to be overwhelming, rough and getting them off is a horrid prospect involving time spent with cotton balls and aluminium foil. I decided however, since they were on sale to give them a try. I received my purchase quickly and opened it with some excitement. I'm always happy to receive packages in the mail. Cotton candy has every shade I've seen in cotton candy, pink, purple, blue and green.
As the light hits it hints of red also come out and it's just as much fun to wear as cotton candy is to eat. You can layer it if you want to completely cover your nail. It only takes two coats to cover everything completely. I decided I wanted to try it with a solid undercoat and see how it worked with other brands. I was delighted to find out that it worked with everything I tried it with.
Overall, despite my general dislike of polishes that are filled with large amounts of glitter I enjoyed wearing this polish. I tried it with several top coats as well and found that it worked equally well with anything I tried. It's definitely a keeper. It adds a great sparkle to my nails. It's fun, and brings up memories of all the times I went to the carnivals with my grandparents. We always had cotton candy and always purchased the large bags that had every color. Here is a picture of what it looks like so you can see for yourself.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
BonLogic - Face Cream
Having sensitive skin is probably one of the hardest things to deal with, my skin in particular drives me absolutely crazy. I have eczema, acne, and keratosis pilaris. I'm also Irish with the complexion to go with it, which means every time there is a problem with my skin, it's right there for everyone to see, in stark relief.
It means my skin is rough, blotchy, red, itchy and a general irritation. I avoid pictures and cover make up like concealer and foundation just makes everything worse. So I did the reasonable thing and headed over to the dermatologist who unfortunately did the expected thing. He informed me that there was only one treatment option available for my particular combination of issues. I mean how often do you see oily skin that peels like excessively dry skin at the same time.
The treatment a lactic acid cream and a topical steroid. It's unfortunate for me that I can't use steroids in any form. Even the smallest amount creates raving issues in my system. I thanked my dermatologist and picked up my scripts ( I miss the days when everything was on paper). I have to say I didn't try the treatment for than a day. I had to give my doctor his due.
I then started looking for a solution on my own. I have to say I'm still looking for a permanent solution but I was lucky enough to stumble across BonLogic's Etsy store. One of the products I obtained a sample of was the day face cream.
I approach all face creams, lotions, body butters, and serums with skepticism. I have two boxes, file storage boxes filled with creams and lotions all of them promising that they'll help with the very conditions I have and most of them just made it worse.
The first thing I noticed about BonLogic's face cream was the lack of smell. Even perfume free stuff has a smell and sure BonLogic's cream does too, but it's very light. I don't notice it after a moment. I only had a small sample but I found that I only needed a small amount.
I put just a little bit on my finger, rubbed together to see how it felt, it wasn't greasy, it didn't stay on my skin and require a large amount of rubbing before it was absorbed. It actually only took a few swipes and I was good to go.
I tried it on my face, it wasn't heavy, I didn't feel like I'd just dipped my face in wax or spread grease on it, like I've experienced with other products. It was nice. It made my skin feel soft and so I used it, twice a day. First thing in the morning and again right before bed. Sometimes I'd use it a couple times more on the patches of my skin that tend to dry out.
At the time I didn't have a working camera so I didn't get pictures of my skin before and after. However, the dry, itchy patches of skin that peeled and plagued me slowly disappeared over the course of about two weeks. The heavy red mask that covered my cheeks and nose started to diminish and I saw a decrease in the outbreaks of acne.
All in all this is truly a wonderful product and I'm glad I found it. I did discover that if I don't use it regularly my skin starts to get worsen. The sample I've had for more than a month. it came in 1/4 oz jar and I still have a good 1/4 of the cream left so it doesn't take much to cover your face. I've already decided to order more. This time I have a working camera. I'm going to stop using it for a while, take pictures and then go back to using it so I can show everyone the difference. So check back for updates.
I definitely recommend anyone with the type of problem I have give this lotion a try. Everyone is different so I can't guarantee you'll have the same results I had but I've tried tons of products that say they'll work and they haven't. It's definitely worth the try and you get a lot of bang for your buck.
You can find the face cream at BonLogic's Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/BonLogic
I'm off to buy more.
It means my skin is rough, blotchy, red, itchy and a general irritation. I avoid pictures and cover make up like concealer and foundation just makes everything worse. So I did the reasonable thing and headed over to the dermatologist who unfortunately did the expected thing. He informed me that there was only one treatment option available for my particular combination of issues. I mean how often do you see oily skin that peels like excessively dry skin at the same time.
The treatment a lactic acid cream and a topical steroid. It's unfortunate for me that I can't use steroids in any form. Even the smallest amount creates raving issues in my system. I thanked my dermatologist and picked up my scripts ( I miss the days when everything was on paper). I have to say I didn't try the treatment for than a day. I had to give my doctor his due.
I then started looking for a solution on my own. I have to say I'm still looking for a permanent solution but I was lucky enough to stumble across BonLogic's Etsy store. One of the products I obtained a sample of was the day face cream.
I approach all face creams, lotions, body butters, and serums with skepticism. I have two boxes, file storage boxes filled with creams and lotions all of them promising that they'll help with the very conditions I have and most of them just made it worse.
The first thing I noticed about BonLogic's face cream was the lack of smell. Even perfume free stuff has a smell and sure BonLogic's cream does too, but it's very light. I don't notice it after a moment. I only had a small sample but I found that I only needed a small amount.
I put just a little bit on my finger, rubbed together to see how it felt, it wasn't greasy, it didn't stay on my skin and require a large amount of rubbing before it was absorbed. It actually only took a few swipes and I was good to go.
I tried it on my face, it wasn't heavy, I didn't feel like I'd just dipped my face in wax or spread grease on it, like I've experienced with other products. It was nice. It made my skin feel soft and so I used it, twice a day. First thing in the morning and again right before bed. Sometimes I'd use it a couple times more on the patches of my skin that tend to dry out.
At the time I didn't have a working camera so I didn't get pictures of my skin before and after. However, the dry, itchy patches of skin that peeled and plagued me slowly disappeared over the course of about two weeks. The heavy red mask that covered my cheeks and nose started to diminish and I saw a decrease in the outbreaks of acne.
All in all this is truly a wonderful product and I'm glad I found it. I did discover that if I don't use it regularly my skin starts to get worsen. The sample I've had for more than a month. it came in 1/4 oz jar and I still have a good 1/4 of the cream left so it doesn't take much to cover your face. I've already decided to order more. This time I have a working camera. I'm going to stop using it for a while, take pictures and then go back to using it so I can show everyone the difference. So check back for updates.
I definitely recommend anyone with the type of problem I have give this lotion a try. Everyone is different so I can't guarantee you'll have the same results I had but I've tried tons of products that say they'll work and they haven't. It's definitely worth the try and you get a lot of bang for your buck.
You can find the face cream at BonLogic's Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/BonLogic
I'm off to buy more.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Madison Street Beauty - Eye Shadow Primer
As mineral eye shadows become more popular so does the need
for primer. Cake or pressed eye shadow usually doesn't need it, but with
mineral makeup which is often a loose fine powder or has glitter in it, you
want something that is going to help the powder adhere to your eye and smooth
it out so that it doesn't clump and cause creases, uneven color or come off
easily.
There are dozens if not hundreds of eye shadow primers on
the market today. They come in a variety of different formulas. I'm a big fan
of mineral eye shadows. I love the feel, the way they last, the brilliant
colors and the way they blend. An eye shadow primer can go a long way to making
the perfect base for whatever you want to do for your eyes.
I have highly sensitive skin and when I find a product that
works, which is difficult. I stick with it even though there is no guarantee
it's going to keep working for me. I'd never actually used eye shadow primers
before I picked up MSB's primer. I had been using eye shadows for a while, was
looking for new colors and stumbled onto their Etsy site.
I started out
purchasing this primer.
It's actually the first primer I've ever purchased so I
didn't exactly know what makes a good eye shadow primer. I did a bit of study
on the subject, the internet being the great thing that it is and came up with
a list of the things that people look for in a primer. The elements I found that are most sought
after included how well it blended in, how well it worked as a cover up to
smooth skin tone and provide a good base to place your eye shadow on. A few
other things that were also important were how well it prevented creasing and if
it lent anything to creating eye shadow that popped.
Here is what it looks like on my finger with just a little, the normal amount I use and what it looks like on the eye.
Madison Street Beauty's eye primer works well on preventing
creases and does do a good job when it comes to blending. It feels a little
oily but it wipes off quickly and has no negative impact on my skin. It's also
light weight. It holds a fair amount of eye shadow and does a good job of
keeping it there but it isn't a stay put product so if you rub you'll get eye
shadow on your fingers it does come off.
It does hold enough shadow however that at the end of the
day you still have to wash your makeup off. It also doesn't leave a build up in
the corners or a smear on the side of your face if you rub your eye.
All in all MSB's eye primer is definitely one I'll continue
to use and definitely a good introduction to the world of eye shadow primers.
Finally, Here's a picture with me using the primer with MSB's Antique Rose Eye shadow which I'll be reviewing in a later post.
You can find Madison Street Beauty's eye shadow primer and
their whole line at http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadisonStreetBeauty
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Pixie Polish - Elphaba
Pixie Polish - Elphaba
One of the best things
about being a product reviewer is the
opportunity to review things no one else has seen before. I got that
chance with Pixie's Elphaba. It is a Green Linear holo that is simply amazing. It
is pretty much a one coater. I like to put on two because I love a little
deeper color.
It is a green base, so
it works well by itself as a nail color but also works great as either a top
coat over a darker color or as a base coat. In one experiment, I tried it as a
base coat with D & R Apothecary's Forest, a color I will be reviewing
later. Forest is a semi clear green polish and Elphaba gave it real depth. I
also put it over Emerald City Extreme wear nail polish and it added a definite
pop.
It is long lasting, I
had it on for 14 days with only a small amount of wear. I have not met a Pixie
polish that does not outshine commercial products in terms of durability. I am
hard on my nails, lots of typing, hot water, soaps of all kinds, I use my nails
to open letters and packages. Keeping nail polish for longer than a few days, a
week at the most was a challenge, not so with Pixie's polish.
I can do everything I
need to do and the polish keeps up with me. I definitely would recommend this
polish for people who love color, love the holographic effect, in the Elphaba
it gives a beautiful gold color when it holo shifts that goes well with the
green and makes it perfect for everyday or special events.
Here you can see some of the holographic effect that Elphaba gives as well as the slight bluish green the holo can give the polish in the right light. This was taken under standard lightbulbs. When I cropped it. I did auto adjust to compensate. 
Here's a good picture of the color when the holo isn't in effect. It's still absolutely stunning.
One of the great things about Pixie is that she never disappoints. Each of her polishes excellent, superior quality, they work well with each other, and are great with most mass production commercial store brands. You can check her out her Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMusesAlchemy
Monday, August 13, 2012
Tater Round Beauty Country Rose - Mineral Eye Shadow
Eye shadow is probably one of my favorite things outside of nail polish, at least when it comes to cosmetics. I love livening up my eyes, going from subtle to distinctive and dramatic provides me with a way to express myself. The right eye shadow can change your entire face with just a swipe of color.
One of the things I always do is try before I buy, if at all possible. I've got sensitive skin, it doesn't always react well with cosmetics. I have an entire box filled with makeup I've tried and not been able to wear. That's why I shifted to mineral eye shadow. They usually don't have the heavy chemicals my skin doesn't seem to like and they come in colors you'll never find in pressed eye shadow. It also has a few other benefits. A little goes a long way.
I generally use less mineral for the same effect than I use pressed. It blends easier and it's smoother.
Tater Round is one producer that I've found that makes delightful mineral eye shadows. Country rose is a delightful color. It appears darker in the jar than on my eyes but I found it absolutely perfect for just a little color, a little sparkle and just a hint of pink. It was beautiful and worked really well on a day that I wanted understated color.
Here is what Country rose looked like on me. With my eyes closed you can see the color and the sparkle but it's understated and perfect for a day at the office. I've also included an eye open picture so you can see the color and what it looks like that way. It went on smoothly, stayed all day. A real winner in formula, coverage, longevity.
You can find this color and a wonderful selection of others at Tater Round Beauty on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/TaterRoundsBeauty
I've got other colors to review so stay tuned for more reviews on those colors, how they look, feel and how long they stay on.
One of the things I always do is try before I buy, if at all possible. I've got sensitive skin, it doesn't always react well with cosmetics. I have an entire box filled with makeup I've tried and not been able to wear. That's why I shifted to mineral eye shadow. They usually don't have the heavy chemicals my skin doesn't seem to like and they come in colors you'll never find in pressed eye shadow. It also has a few other benefits. A little goes a long way.
I generally use less mineral for the same effect than I use pressed. It blends easier and it's smoother.
Tater Round is one producer that I've found that makes delightful mineral eye shadows. Country rose is a delightful color. It appears darker in the jar than on my eyes but I found it absolutely perfect for just a little color, a little sparkle and just a hint of pink. It was beautiful and worked really well on a day that I wanted understated color.
Here is what Country rose looked like on me. With my eyes closed you can see the color and the sparkle but it's understated and perfect for a day at the office. I've also included an eye open picture so you can see the color and what it looks like that way. It went on smoothly, stayed all day. A real winner in formula, coverage, longevity. I've got other colors to review so stay tuned for more reviews on those colors, how they look, feel and how long they stay on.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Pixie Polish - Linear Holo Top Coat Part 1
Pixie's Linear holo topcoat is probably, hands down, the best polish I've ever seen. This polish is an absolute magical elixir. I received my first bottle, I assure you it won't be my last, about 3 and a half months ago. I promptly painted my finger nails and just for the heck of it I painted the toes of one foot. Just one. It's a clear top coat but I wanted to see how it held up to someone who is known for being rough on their feet. My feet are constantly covered in bruises and scratches and I almost never wear shoes, let's be honest, I never go anywhere to need them. The rare times I do my feet still get battered and banged.
My toes probably receive the most abuse and so nail polish has never really lasted very long on toe nails that are constantly being banged up, scratched, smashed or broken off. ( horrid sounding isn't it but wait the good part is coming)
I wasn't holding any high expectations after all it's only nail polish not some kind of miracle. However, at 3.5 months, my toes still have Pixie's top coat on them. I decided after 2 weeks to see how long they'd stand up to the constant abuse my feet go through. So far I've clipped more off in standard routine maintenance than I've lost to chips, bangs, scraps or dings. My big toe still has half the toe covered despite clipping and growing.
I decided to leave it on until I'm positive there is no more polish. I want to see just how long this polish can be. There will be several parts to this review. I'll be reviewing this top coat by itself on my nails and mixed with several store bought nail polishes, a few of Pixies polishes and perhaps a few others. I want to see how this amazing top coat, which not only has amazing staying power but also helps to hold broken nails in place and heal nails after a particularly bad polish.
I've used almost a 1/4th of the bottle I received just from using it as a top coat over other polishes and using it in between polishes to help heal my nails which often peel, break and chip. So check back regularly for more on the Linear holo topcoat from Pixie Polish.
If you'd like to check it out for your self you can get the linear holo topcoat from Pixie polish at http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMusesAlchemy
My toes probably receive the most abuse and so nail polish has never really lasted very long on toe nails that are constantly being banged up, scratched, smashed or broken off. ( horrid sounding isn't it but wait the good part is coming)
I wasn't holding any high expectations after all it's only nail polish not some kind of miracle. However, at 3.5 months, my toes still have Pixie's top coat on them. I decided after 2 weeks to see how long they'd stand up to the constant abuse my feet go through. So far I've clipped more off in standard routine maintenance than I've lost to chips, bangs, scraps or dings. My big toe still has half the toe covered despite clipping and growing.
I decided to leave it on until I'm positive there is no more polish. I want to see just how long this polish can be. There will be several parts to this review. I'll be reviewing this top coat by itself on my nails and mixed with several store bought nail polishes, a few of Pixies polishes and perhaps a few others. I want to see how this amazing top coat, which not only has amazing staying power but also helps to hold broken nails in place and heal nails after a particularly bad polish.
I've used almost a 1/4th of the bottle I received just from using it as a top coat over other polishes and using it in between polishes to help heal my nails which often peel, break and chip. So check back regularly for more on the Linear holo topcoat from Pixie Polish.
If you'd like to check it out for your self you can get the linear holo topcoat from Pixie polish at http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMusesAlchemy
Bon Logic Dragons Blood Soap
I've got sensitive skin so I'm always on the look out for something I can use that isn't going to make me break out, itch, dry out, or turn funny colors of red all over. I also have a fondness for a variety of different scents so my cabinet is filled with all kinds of scents. Sometimes I change the scents daily depending on my mood. I have never before seen Dragonsblood scented soap so I had to try it.
First I have to say it's a beautiful color, it comes shrink wrapped, very professionally and even has the BonLogic name carved into just like you seen in store bought mass produced products.
The scent is wonderful, strong, and earthy. It isn't a floral scent so it's great for guys but still nice enough for girls to enjoy. I personally put it out gave it a try, definitely liked it. My skin is smoother and I don't have red splotches everywhere or itch. for me that's a definite plus. The scent also lingers for a while. That's a definite plus when you have a 9 year old boy.
I put it out for my son, he enjoys the scent because it isn't girly and I can always tell if he's washed his hands.
It lathers well even in heavier water. I've had some soaps not lather at all in our water. You can find this scent at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BonLogic
First I have to say it's a beautiful color, it comes shrink wrapped, very professionally and even has the BonLogic name carved into just like you seen in store bought mass produced products. The scent is wonderful, strong, and earthy. It isn't a floral scent so it's great for guys but still nice enough for girls to enjoy. I personally put it out gave it a try, definitely liked it. My skin is smoother and I don't have red splotches everywhere or itch. for me that's a definite plus. The scent also lingers for a while. That's a definite plus when you have a 9 year old boy.
I put it out for my son, he enjoys the scent because it isn't girly and I can always tell if he's washed his hands.
It lathers well even in heavier water. I've had some soaps not lather at all in our water. You can find this scent at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BonLogic
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Chaos Cosmetics Hex
Chaos Cosmetics products are, in short, amazing. Hex is a beautiful brownish plum color. It also contains silver and a blue green color shift. Pam, owner of Chaos Cosmetics, creates products that are free Petro-chemicals, parabens, dyes, oils, bismuth, talc, sulfates or synthetic fragrances.
Her products are completely homemade 100% natural. Hex is the first color I've reviewed and I have to say it's amazing. These eyeshadows can go on wet or dry and work well with a primer.
This is Hex. I used it over MSB, Madison Street Beauty's primer. I'll be reviewing it in a later post. I got it today however, and I absolutely had to try it. This picture really shows the plum and brown and you can also see a bit of the silver and blue green right on the edge and inner corner. You just need a little bit on the edge of your brush. I used it dry right over the primer.
I wanted to add a soft eyeliner effect so I swiped the edge of my eye first along the edge and outer side and then the upper crease before sweeping it into the middle and inside.
Here is an eye open picture. it still shows some of the great brown, plum and blue green silvery shift. is was taken in indoor lighting.
One of the things I love about mineral eyeshadows is that it takes only a little bit to get some serious color. This means a little goes a long way. It also goes on smoothly with solid color and it has the versatility. Most mineral eyeshadows can also be used to mix with clear nail polish to create custom pigmented polishes. This works great when you want to match eye and nail color for a special event.
Chaos cosmetics mineral eyeshadows go for a little under $6.50 per 5g jar. It has a few benefits over traditional eyeshadow. It does not have chemicals found in normal eyeshadow. It won't go bad, dry out or become hard. You do not have worry about throwing it away in 6 months because it has gotten too hard to use. This makes it a great buy allowing you to make full use of all the product.
Overall, I rate this color and the product A+++ and would recommend it to anyone who wants beautiful color and a long lasting economical product. Look forward to further reviews and pictures of more colors from Chaos Cosmetics. check out this and other colors at Chaos Cosmetics booth at Bonanza.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Handcrafted Jewelry and other things
I haven't always been a jewelry fan. For the longest time I wouldn't wear any jewelry except for maybe a ring and then only one. I'd put in a pair of stud earrings and forget I was even wearing earrings. Sometimes, I'd take them out, forget to put them back in and not wear earrings for a year or more at a time.
It wasn't until recently that I decided to wear jewelry. Part of it was necessity, I started to have to wear the new fashion statement jewelry called medical ID. It got me thinking, I already wore skirts 90% of the time, blouses instead of tee-shirts and it made me realize that I was missing that little extra something ( like makeup) that could really just make me feel better about myself.
However, I couldn't find anything I wanted in store bought options. They were either not my style, too expensive, too fragile for long term wear, (I'm sure everyone has enjoyed those ultra thin chains that break the instant you catch them on anything and that delight in tangling and knotting no matter what you do). I actually got frustrated, here I was, finally reaching the place of wanting to wear jewelry all the time and I couldn't find anything I wanted.
The solution was relatively simple, make my own or start looking at hand crafted jewelry. Here was something I could work with, I could make pieces I knew I would want to wear, I could make them out of materials that were unique, green because I'd be recycling some of my materials, and that would suit whatever my style or mood was at the moment. ( these change regularly)
I decided I'd rather make my own than purchase from someone else. This isn't always the case, there are some artists I do buy from, but for the most part I enjoy making my own. There is something relaxing about sitting with the bead board, the boxes of beads, jump rings, crimp beads, focal pieces, in glass and semi precious stones and putting something beautiful or cute together.
The process itself is something I have found I enjoy as well. Nothing I make is random or just thrown together but most designers will tell you when they're designing the materials tell them where they want to be, how they want to go. You can have a rough idea or even a complex finished one in your head until you get down to the materials and then they'll tell you what they want to become. It's a satisfying experience to put everything together, work out a pattern and then create it.
It's a little like magic. I never buy store bought anymore. I prefer purchasing handcrafted, homemade, preferably made in America, and if I can find it ( I most often can't online), local products. I've found I enjoy talking with people who create homemade, hand crafted items. The jewelry has slowly taken over my jewelry box, the soaps and lotions have slowly taken over my bathroom, the hand dyed, hand woven yarns and flosses are slowly taking over my sewing basket and I, myself have slowly started creating more handcrafted items.
It was kind of amusing when I first realized it. Two centuries ago, purchasing a finished item at the store was something done rarely. More often than not, you purchased the materials and made the items yourself. It was done on an individual home basis or a community basis where everyone pitched in to make what was needed. Then we became industrialized, we shifted from handmade to storebought. Now people are beginning to treasure those things created by hand. The idea that someone took the time to make it, those little imperfections that make things homemade instead of machine made have become all the more precious. It is almost like the more advanced we become as a society the more we crave those simple things we left behind in the pursuit of progress.
It wasn't until recently that I decided to wear jewelry. Part of it was necessity, I started to have to wear the new fashion statement jewelry called medical ID. It got me thinking, I already wore skirts 90% of the time, blouses instead of tee-shirts and it made me realize that I was missing that little extra something ( like makeup) that could really just make me feel better about myself.
However, I couldn't find anything I wanted in store bought options. They were either not my style, too expensive, too fragile for long term wear, (I'm sure everyone has enjoyed those ultra thin chains that break the instant you catch them on anything and that delight in tangling and knotting no matter what you do). I actually got frustrated, here I was, finally reaching the place of wanting to wear jewelry all the time and I couldn't find anything I wanted.
The solution was relatively simple, make my own or start looking at hand crafted jewelry. Here was something I could work with, I could make pieces I knew I would want to wear, I could make them out of materials that were unique, green because I'd be recycling some of my materials, and that would suit whatever my style or mood was at the moment. ( these change regularly)
I decided I'd rather make my own than purchase from someone else. This isn't always the case, there are some artists I do buy from, but for the most part I enjoy making my own. There is something relaxing about sitting with the bead board, the boxes of beads, jump rings, crimp beads, focal pieces, in glass and semi precious stones and putting something beautiful or cute together.
The process itself is something I have found I enjoy as well. Nothing I make is random or just thrown together but most designers will tell you when they're designing the materials tell them where they want to be, how they want to go. You can have a rough idea or even a complex finished one in your head until you get down to the materials and then they'll tell you what they want to become. It's a satisfying experience to put everything together, work out a pattern and then create it.
It's a little like magic. I never buy store bought anymore. I prefer purchasing handcrafted, homemade, preferably made in America, and if I can find it ( I most often can't online), local products. I've found I enjoy talking with people who create homemade, hand crafted items. The jewelry has slowly taken over my jewelry box, the soaps and lotions have slowly taken over my bathroom, the hand dyed, hand woven yarns and flosses are slowly taking over my sewing basket and I, myself have slowly started creating more handcrafted items.
It was kind of amusing when I first realized it. Two centuries ago, purchasing a finished item at the store was something done rarely. More often than not, you purchased the materials and made the items yourself. It was done on an individual home basis or a community basis where everyone pitched in to make what was needed. Then we became industrialized, we shifted from handmade to storebought. Now people are beginning to treasure those things created by hand. The idea that someone took the time to make it, those little imperfections that make things homemade instead of machine made have become all the more precious. It is almost like the more advanced we become as a society the more we crave those simple things we left behind in the pursuit of progress.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Pixie Polish - SueFoo
From Pixie's Description - emi-sheer raspberry sherbert reddish purple-blue duochome jelly-like polish with green/glue/purple iridescent glitter
I'm a total fan of Pixie's polish. This is an amazing color. It's a bit transparent, which just increases it's versatility in my book. If you want to use it like a slightly colored top coat on plain nails it works. As you can see in the picture on the left, you can can faintly see my nails through the polish. It's a good color for more conservative situations. The glitter is understated when you use it this way. It works really well if you want a little color, a little glitter, a little shine.
I love the jelly aspect of it because it glides on really smoothly and leaves a very smooth finish.
If you want something more intense you can put a base coat on or you can layer this color. I recommend waiting for the layers to dry before putting on the next one. Not just tacky dry but completely dry. It's just personal preference on my part but I've found that the polish wears a bit longer and handles the end wear that constant typing like I do, better than if I paint consecutive coats with only to the touch drying in between.
The first picture was taken outdoors, single coat. This is a triple coat taken inside. However, you can see that with three coats you can't see my nail anymore underneath and its a darker raspberry color. Part of that is the lighting. I was hoping to get some good shots outside of the multiple layers but it's rained forever and been overcast. I also wanted to show the difference between indoor and outdoor lighting.
The great thing about Pixie's polish and this seems to be across the board is that they wear incredibly well. Several weeks usually a minimum of two weeks and for me, usually I only have end or tip wear when I finally take the nail polish off and switch colors. This would be great on top of a variety of different colored base coats reds, purples, blues and pinks would probably all go well with this color. I'll add picture posts if I decide to mix it up and add a base coat. A holo topcoat or heavy glitter will look good as well. You can layer it up or leave it as a single layer and get a variety of looks.
You can check out this color and more at http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMusesAlchemy
I love the jelly aspect of it because it glides on really smoothly and leaves a very smooth finish.
If you want something more intense you can put a base coat on or you can layer this color. I recommend waiting for the layers to dry before putting on the next one. Not just tacky dry but completely dry. It's just personal preference on my part but I've found that the polish wears a bit longer and handles the end wear that constant typing like I do, better than if I paint consecutive coats with only to the touch drying in between.
The great thing about Pixie's polish and this seems to be across the board is that they wear incredibly well. Several weeks usually a minimum of two weeks and for me, usually I only have end or tip wear when I finally take the nail polish off and switch colors. This would be great on top of a variety of different colored base coats reds, purples, blues and pinks would probably all go well with this color. I'll add picture posts if I decide to mix it up and add a base coat. A holo topcoat or heavy glitter will look good as well. You can layer it up or leave it as a single layer and get a variety of looks.
You can check out this color and more at http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMusesAlchemy
First Post
Nail polish is one of my little splurges. I love all kinds of colors and while I tend to be hyper conservative with my clothing I let my hair and nails show the wild, crazy chick lying under the skin. I'm always looking for something new and I used to spend hours in the Beauty section trying to find a color that jumped out and screamed "WEAR ME". After a while though there just wasn't anything that attracted my interest. I wanted things that just weren't available.
The same thing happened for my eyes. I wanted things I just couldn't find in the stores. When I did find them they wanted way more money than the products were worth. I'm disabled. Bright colors, sparkly shades and loads of glitter were things that brought and still do, a smile to my face. I got lucky. I have probably the greatest brother in the world. He decided to post a request from a friend of his on his Facebook page and a whole new world opened for me.
He introduced me to Pixie. Pixie has probably got to be one of the greatest people in the world and I'm not just saying that cause she makes amazing and cool things. She's a genuinely amazing person. At the time she was getting her company Pixie Polish started up. It was the answer to my prayers. She made nail polish. Not just any nail polish but the kind I was looking for, bright, bold, and most importantly SPARKLY.
I instantly decided to help her out. It didn't require any thought. I donated what I could and I've been lucky enough to get a bottle of a good portion of her stock. She keeps coming out with new things and I keep enjoying the trill of waiting for this new color or mix to come out so I can buy it and try it.
In turn through Pixie I found a great deal of inspiration. I'm a writer by trade. When I get stuck I look down, stare at whatever color happens to be on my hands, spend a few minutes letting the light catch the glitter and enjoying the sparkle and when I look up, whatever was causing my brain to stick on a particular thing has taken flight driven off by bright lights and colorful happiness.
I created this blog to post places I find like Pixie's that offer great homemade products, to review tons of stuff and let people know how it is and just for the heck of it. Look forward to my next post!
Kaya Sarin myLot User Profile
The same thing happened for my eyes. I wanted things I just couldn't find in the stores. When I did find them they wanted way more money than the products were worth. I'm disabled. Bright colors, sparkly shades and loads of glitter were things that brought and still do, a smile to my face. I got lucky. I have probably the greatest brother in the world. He decided to post a request from a friend of his on his Facebook page and a whole new world opened for me.
He introduced me to Pixie. Pixie has probably got to be one of the greatest people in the world and I'm not just saying that cause she makes amazing and cool things. She's a genuinely amazing person. At the time she was getting her company Pixie Polish started up. It was the answer to my prayers. She made nail polish. Not just any nail polish but the kind I was looking for, bright, bold, and most importantly SPARKLY.
I instantly decided to help her out. It didn't require any thought. I donated what I could and I've been lucky enough to get a bottle of a good portion of her stock. She keeps coming out with new things and I keep enjoying the trill of waiting for this new color or mix to come out so I can buy it and try it.
In turn through Pixie I found a great deal of inspiration. I'm a writer by trade. When I get stuck I look down, stare at whatever color happens to be on my hands, spend a few minutes letting the light catch the glitter and enjoying the sparkle and when I look up, whatever was causing my brain to stick on a particular thing has taken flight driven off by bright lights and colorful happiness.
I created this blog to post places I find like Pixie's that offer great homemade products, to review tons of stuff and let people know how it is and just for the heck of it. Look forward to my next post!
Kaya Sarin myLot User Profile
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