Intermission

Been in south for a while now - skin is peeling off on the cheeks. I look like a bloody raccoon because of the sunglasses, skin around the eyes is still flawlessly white.
I tell you - LA sun beats the hell out of MMU. Get some proper sunscreen of SPF 50 if you can get it. The downside is they stick all sorts of nasty goo in those sunscreens... petrochemicals topped up with assorted preservatives. They get you coming and going... the icky feeling of vaseline on my face - eeeeeeek.

Btw - LA is not as hot as I imagined. San Francisco was cold and windy as hell but the Sun is powerful enough to burn you through the windshield.

Cali is GREAT. Everything is blooming. And I mean everything.... from succulents to trees, jacarandas are just coming in bloom. Hills, mountains, ocean... a wonderful place. Reminds me alot of the Mediterranean. Mexican food is a genuine disappointment (potatoes, beans, greasy meat.... eeeeek) but Vietnamese pho and Thai fresh springrolls were ok.

EOTD browns

Am going away for a while but here's the last couple of days' worth of EOTDs:

The first one was random pick of 4 colors from the Archetype's box (over 50 samples there) and the colors do not match perfectly, but they are OK, I guess. One point of the blog being an information source on how different colors look on different folks in different lighting, I'll post them anyway:

On the lids all Archetype:
Dungeon all over lid
Corpse Candle in the outer V
Little Gray Kitten to blend the crease
Kitten Toes as blush (almost invisible)

first 3 indoors during the day, last one in evening sun

Then second patch is a try at colors that seemingly do not go well together: TKB's Moonstone (subtle brown - all over lid) and Breath of Spring (light green - blending the crease) - look actually quite nice together. Simply Naturals' Cafe Satin is the liner, wet.

I am standing right next to the window when taking pics and the TiO2 in the foundi is shining like there's no tomorrow. Sorry about that.

I
LOVE
MMU
- ideal for the fair maidens - makes me absolutely positively glow.
Just wish it would not dry out my skin.
Need to buy really expensive moisturizers... :S

S. continues to review her collection: EDM, Dermoshop, Philosophy

This is me using other ppl's personal experiences in my blog, again.
S. continues her series by commenting on the rest of the products she has tried.

Philosophy puuder on saadud paar aastat tagasi ja pole tegelikult Eestis müügil.

I got Philosphy's powder a couple of years ago. I don't like Philosophy's Supernatural 4-in-1 mineral makeup at all. It's too yellowish and too heavy for my skin and it caused me some skin problems (itchiness and break outs). It contains bismuth and parabens. Maybe they've changed their consistence for now, but this one that I got, has scary so-called other ingredients' list.

Information from package:
Active ingredients: zinc oxide(5,196%) Other ingredients: bismuth oxychloride, mica, titanium diocide, iron oxides, silica, triethoxycaprylylsilane, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben. And last but not least - this product is too expensive as well.

Dermoshop/Dermosil is a North-European cosmetic brand from Finland and it is one of my favourite skincare brands. I like their mineral make up products as well. Negative side is really narrow or even non-existent selection of colors - they have only two foundation shades. Dermoshop mineral powder in darker shade is quite nice, especially in summer, when I've tanned. But again- it's a little bit yellow or too dark for me at the moment. I haven't tried their new lighter powder yet but I definitely will. I suppose that mix of these two Dermosil powders could be a good match for my skintone in wintertime and in early springtime. Dermosil powder is in my opinion really lightweight and haven't caused me any skin problems.
Active ingredients:
Kaolin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol +/-(might contain? other ingredients): MICA, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 7749 Kaolin content products are really good for my skin.

I must say, that Dermosil mineral blusher and eyeshadows are discontinued for nowadays, but I'll say some words about these products anyway. Dermosil blusher is really beautiful shimmering rosy color in the jar, but on my face it transforms into peachy. It's actually my overall problem with mineral blushes - I want pink cheeks, but what I get is peachy or even worse - orange cheeks. Eyeshadows are nice colors for everyday use, but in my opinion - not so good quality as for example EDM or PureLuxe.

I also have Dermoshop's kabuki brush- I was quite pleased with it until I got EDM brushes. Compaired with EDM brushes - DS's one is scratchy and rough, but definitely better than some so-called mineral make up brushes sold in stores.

EDM eyeshadows: My favourites are Cypress and Dandelions. Cypress is awsome silver-greenish color for everyday eye make-up. Dandelions are bright shimmering white and it's great for highlighting (for example inner corner of the eye or under the brow). Mystic Night is really mysterious deep dark lilac shade and as the name says- it's more suitable to make evening/night make-up for special occasions or clubbing tour. In my opinion.
I really like EDM eyeshadows- they are long lasting and quite easy to work with (easier than PureLuxe pigments or Dermosil powdershadows). I already added some other EDM eyeshadows to my wishlist (In The Garden for example).
About Snuggle blush. Product information on the website says: it's a radiant pink with flattering peachy undertones and it should be suitable for any skin tone. But... It is not right for me- it's not pink at all on my cheeks, it's more peachy or rather orange on my skin tone. Disappointing. :(

(Liis: I have the same problem - ppl sell stuff that's not pink at all, i.e. MAD Minerals Just Pink - actually totally beige on me)

EOTD Taupe: Madam Terpsichore

I do not know what color Archetype's Madame Terpsichore actually is - looks light grayish-brown in the baggie but when applied, shines like a bag of diamonds.

All Archetype on the eyes this time:
Madam Terpsichore all over lid
Burlesque Revival to blend in the crease
Oil Slick (wet) as upper liner (I seldom wear liner on the lower lid)

Foundation is EDM's Sandy Beige and Pearl Sunlight under the eyes.
Photos are made in the morning, couple of hrs after application.

EOTD Brown: Empty Heart

Empty Heart is a great neutral brown. With bluish-purple sparks. Warmly, warmly recommend.

Colors used:
Archetype's Empty Heart all over lid
blended upwards with Luna Sidhe (sparkling bluish-purplish color)
Simply Naturals' Sandlewood as liner
TKB's Dusty Rose as blush
Foundation is EDM's Sandy Beige in intensive and
Pearl Sunshine is used as the concealer under the eyes.
The brow bones are highlighted with foundation.

As usual: pictures are taken in the evening, at 18.00, the makeup was made at 08.00.
So: after 10 hrs. The foundation is fading a little, as visible on the pic's.
Dry application, except the liner.

Also had the eyebrows sculpted last Friday - the change is unbelievable.

Maybelline's Define-A-Lash mascara

Color - dark brown: good
Texture - thin, runny: excellent
Scent - barely there: excellent
Applicator - too bendy! it is too bendy to handle my eyelashes and bends back, ruining my eye makeup in the process: total crap


Lumene's applicator is soooo much better. Although Lumene costs twice as much, will get Lumene Volume Mascara next.

Pure Luxe review by S. (PureLuxe põsepuna- ning lauvärvitestrid)

Tänud S.-ile kes tegi swatchid oma Pure Luxe testritest.
Riputan pildid tänuga üles ja lisan ka tema kommentaarid.
:)


Moon Glow ja Vanilla on tegelikkuses kenamad, fotole jäid nagu määrdunud valged plärakad.Luminous ja Femme Fatale on tegelikkuses mõeldud olema lauvärvid, kuid mulle tundub, et põsepunana funkaks nad ehk paremini- isegi paremini kui tegelikud põsepunad Babydoll ja Blushing Bride.Minu lemmikud on siiski pruunikamad toonid teiselt pildilt, aga ka näiteks English Ivy, Serenity ja Ghost Mist.
Black Cat'i ja Glory-t kasutaksin pigem laineritena.


Swatchid on tehtud niisutatud Artdeco lauvärvipintsliga. Mõnede lauvärvide (matid eriti) kandmine oli kuidagi keerulisem. Samas näiteks kerge sädelusega pruune swatche oli lausa lust teha. (Swatches made wet using ArtDeco eyeshadow brush)

Tellida iseenesest oli lihtne (välja arvatud orienteerumine tohutus värvivalikus ning enese pidurdamine, et ostukorvi täites mitte päris pankrotti minna), lihtne oli ka maksmine (paypal). Aega võttis pisut kauem, kui nt EDM tellimus. Aga see võis tuleneda sellest, et nad polnud varem vist Eestisse pakke saatnud (nii võis ühest meilist aru saada). Umbes 5 päeva peale tellimuse esitamist saadeti mulle meil teatega, et pakk on postitatud ja USPS tracking koodiga, aga see kood näitas ainult seda, et pakk on mingis USA postkontoris vastu võetud- ülejäänud paki teekonnast ei tea ma hetkeni, mil postkastist pakiteatise leidsin, midagi.:) Pakk jõudis Eestisse umbes nädalaga ehk.
Kokku läks tellimuse esitamisest kuni tellimuse kohalejõudmiseni umbes 2,5-3 nädalat, ma arvan - just nimelt arvan, kuna olen asjassepuutuvad meilid praeguseks kustutanud ja ei saa oma väiteid kontrollida. Tegin arvutused ja ühe testri maksumuseks sain umbes 15 EEK. Ühe testri hind oli 1 dollar ning postikulu tuli minu mäletamist mööda umbes 7-8 dollarit. Testrites on minu arvates piisavalt toodet - samas mõnes rohkem, mõnes vähem. Meeldis, et nad on topsides.

(Took the order 2,5-3 weeks to arrive to Estonia, from ordering to arrival; shipping cost was 7-8 USD, S. loved that the samples were in jars)

December 2009

I've been reading from various blogs that PureLuxe might be a repackager?