FOTD & Review of TBN Blackened Violet

Two Christmases ago I purchased a few samples from The Body Needs’ Blackened Collection. I’m not a huge smoky eye girl, so I’m just now getting around to using them. I opted for loose shadow, but TBN also sells BV pressed into a 26mm pan or a “crush pot” – NOT to be confused with Coastal Scents’ “hot pots,” LOL! The sample size costs about $2 and is about 1/2 tablespoon of loose e/s encased in a 0.5 gram sifter jar. This is the perfect size for someone who is interested, but not willing to make a commitment to the full size product.

What’s interesting about BV is that it takes on a different cast depending on what color base you use underneath the pigment. See for yourself…

swatches of blackened violet over black, red & white bases (using NYX jumbo pencils) – NO FLASH

Although the price & packaging of Blackened Violet are great, I was pretty underwhelmed by the actual performance of the product. I felt that I had to pack it on to get a decent color payoff and found that it had a lot of fallout.The color is so dark that you’ll need makeup remover or a wet wipe to keep from looking like you have dark circles under your eye or you got TKO’ed last night! I also discovered that blending out Blackened Violet will remove most of the shimmer, which is what makes it so pretty in the swatches on my hand. I even used a metallic base to help the shimmer translate, but the finished product was quite demure. For that reason, this s e/s was a fail for me (Overall score: 4). But if you’re in the market for a blackish-purplish e/s with a little bit of shimmer, then this may be the one for you. *kanye shrug* ONTO the FOTD…

DIY lipstick repair

If you watched my Update/2013 HG vlog, then you know that this year I fell in LOVE with NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in Thalia. It’s a brownish-pink shade, with a satiny finish. It can be applied sheerly with a little bit of gloss, or layered heavily for the full impact of the color… whichever floats your boat.

So one fine day I inadvertently left Thalia in my car. I took it out & allowed it to “rest” for 24 hours before using it again, hoping that it would solidify at its base. No such luck. A few days later, it broke off mid-stoke. Fortunately for Thalia, I  was able to catch her before she fell to her doom. And because I love her so, I continuted to use her BOOTLEG & ALL. Then a few days ago I decided enough was enough & I had to do something different.

Now I know what you’re thinking… “Sham Thalia costs $4.00, just buy another one!” And if I didn’t live 45-60 minutes away from the nearest Ulta, I probably would have. Instead I decided to salvage the remaining lipstick by de-tubing it, placing it in a jar & being applying it with a lip brush. Until I remembered that I already owned a color almost identical to Thalia. *SMH… this is a PJ moment* Seriously though, do y’all remember Trendy Mauve by Lancome? I reviewed it here last year. Well Trendy Mauve & Thalia are… TWINSIES 😉

Updates & HG products of 2013

We are lonnnnng overdue for a lil chat, so let’s get it poppin’ y’all…

 The items in this video are just a few of my faves (holy grail products) for the year 2013. Stay tuned because I have many more product reviews to come…

FOTD: Wisteria Lane

Hey Glams! Please pardon my earbuds, I was undoubtedly listening to my Musiq Soulchild Pandora station when I took these pics & couldn’t bear to part w/ the tune of the moment. I’m not a huge shimmer enthusiast, but I wanted to show you guys some pics of a look I created using the WNW Petal Pusher palette. To minimize confusion, I will refer to the colors in this palette as numbers. The left column top to bottom (1-4) & the right column top to bottom (5-8).

PRIMER: Coastal Scents Shadow Worx Matte e/s primer

BASE: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple

SHADOW: I applied e/s #2 (a pinkish lavender w/ gold shimmer) to my entire lower eyelid, stopping shy of my crease. Then I applied e/s #4 (a blue-toned violet w/ silver sparkles) to my crease & blended it into e/s #3 (a deeper frosty purple) at my outer v. Finally, I lightly dusted e/s #5 (frosty light pink) on my brow bone area.

OTHER DETAILS… I used CoverGirl single e/s in Smolder to fill in my eyebrows & L’Oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black on my lashes. I defined my upper lashline using Black Radiance Continuous Creme Eyeliner in Rustic Brown. I applied white eyeliner to the inner part of my waterline prior to applying Atlantis (a shimmery chartreuse green e/s) by TheBodyNeeds.

LIPS: Lancome Le Rouge Absolu lipstick in Pink Diamond + CO Bigelow lip gloss in Pink Mint

FACE & CHEEKS: Nada

And who doesn’t love a good love song? Enjoy…

FOTD: Turquoise Pearl

PRIMER: Mary Kay Eye Primer

BASE: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Rocky Mountain Green

SHADOW: I used NYX pearl mania loose e/s in “Turquoise pearl” over the majority of my lower lid. Then I used matte navy blue (from the WNW Pride palette) to darken the outer v. Next I used matte camel e/s (from the WNW Vanity palette) to highlight my browbone & fade out the turquoise. Finally I highlighted my inner corners with matte white e/s (also from the WNW Pride palette).

  

OTHER DETAILS… I used matte blackened purple e/s from the WNW Lust palette to fill in my eyebrows & L’Oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black on my lashes. I defined my upper lashline using Wet N Wild cream liner in black & my waterline using Wet N Wild pencil in lilac. I used “Deep Grape” e/s (from the Coastal Scents Hot Pots collection) to set the purple eyeliner.

FACE: Estee Lauder pressed powder in Deep (05)

CHEEKS: Black Radiance sheer finish blush in Soft Honey

LIPS: Lancome Le Rouge Absolu lipstick in Pink Diamond + CO Bigelow lip gloss in Pink Mint

*      *      *

What’s going on with my wig?

I know they look more like coils, but this is a four day old flexi-rod set. For some reason my curls tend to get tighter over time, instead of staying the same diameter as the original rod. Anyway, my edges were fuzzy, so I brushed & smoothed em using Ecostyler Olive Oil gel. Then I secured it with a banana clip.

 

FOTD: Berry Burst

In case you’re wondering, I am trying my best to post my backlogged FOTDs in the order they were taken (hence the retroactive dates). I apologize for any confusion this may cause. 😉 Enjoy…

PRIMER: Mary Kay Eye Primer

BASE: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Cherry

SHADOW: I applied a matte pastel pink e/s (from the Wet N Wild Lust palette) to my tearduct area.  I blended the light pink into Neon Red (a matte pinkish red e/s) from my Coastal Scents Hot Pots palette. Then I used my Sonia Kashuk large crease brush to apply Maroon Berry (a matte burgundy e/s, also by CS) to the outer portion of my lid.  Finally I used Puce (a matte pinkish tan e/s, also by CS) to highlight my browbone & blend out the reds.

OTHER DETAILS… I used CoverGirl single e/s in Smolder to define my eyebrows & L’Oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black on my eyelashes. I defined my upper & lower lashline using L’Oreal H.I.P. cream liner in Teal.

CHEEKS: Black Radiance sheer finish blush in Soft Honey

FACE: Estee Lauder pressed powder in Deep (05)

LIPS: Lancome Le Rouge Absolu lipstick in Pink Diamond + CO Bigelow lip gloss in Pink Mint

FOTD: Hello Kitty

Hey Glams!

    My friend Nisha suggested this color palette a few months ago. It’s been awhile since I did a cartoon-themed look, so I figured February was the perfect time to try a Hello Kitty look. The little girl in me wanted to don Fuchsia Fever lipstick that day, but the adult in me decided to play it safe & go with Trendy Mauve, so that way cut crease can get the attention it deserves, LOL! Enjoy…

PRIMER: NYX HD e/s base

BASE: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk

SHADOW: I applied matte white e/s (from the Wet N Wild Pride palette) over the inner two-thirds of my lower eyelid. Then I applied matte hot pink (from the Shany 120 palette) to my outer v area. Then I went back in with a lighter shade of pink to help blend the hot pink into the white e/s.  To create the cut crease, I used my pencil brush to draw a line of matte black e/s along my crease (WNW Greed palette). I used my Sonia Kashuk large crease brush to blend the black into matte peach e/s on my brow bone (also WNW Greed).

 

OTHER DETAILS… I used CoverGirl single e/s in Smolder to define my eyebrows & L’Oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black on my eyelashes. I defined the inner rim of my waterline with Wet N Wild eyeliner in white & used Wet N Wild cream liner in black on my upper lashline & outer waterline.

CHEEKS: Ulta single e/s in “Sparks” on the hollows of my cheeks & Black Radiance sheer finish blush in Soft Honey on the apples.

FACE: Estee Lauder pressed powder in Deep (05)

LIPS: Lancome Color Design lipstick in Trendy Mauve + CO Bigelow lip gloss in Pink Mint

Stay tuned for the tutorial video…

FOTD: Rockstar

This song was HOT during my freshman year in college, LMBO! I know the video is awesomely bad, but admit that the music gets you in a “rock” mood. I had forgotten all about this song until I heard it in a Samsung commercial last week. TOO FUNNY! Anyway… let’s talk makuep! Today’s look is pretty simple, I didn’t wanna draw too much attention to my eyes, so I did a simple smoky look that allows the bright pink lipstick to pop.

PRIMER: NYX HD e/s base

BASE: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk

SHADOW: I applied this dark pewter (metallic finish) from the Wet N Wild Lust palette over my entire lower eyelid. On my crease I used matte dark brown from the Wet N Wild Vanity palette, then I used matte peach e/s (WNW Greed palette) to highlight my brow bone area.

 

OTHER DETAILS… I used CoverGirl single e/s in Smolder to define my eyebrows & L’Oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black on my eyelashes. I defined my upper lashline & waterline with Wet N Wild cream liner in black.

CHEEKS: Wet N Wild blush in Heather Silk

LIPS: Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color in Fuchsia Fever + CO Bigelow lip gloss in Pink Mint

FACE: Estee Lauder pressed powder in Deep (05)

I received a friendly reminder that I haven’t been posting FOTDs lately… Sorry guys! The product reviews & acquisitions & Giovanni have kept me pretty busy. Speaking of Giovanni… My hair is day 3 of a twist-out. It looked a ham this particular morning, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to test out the banana clip faux-hawk. No gel on the sides this time, just a little Mane-N-Tail Leave-In conditioner before brushing it back. I excluded the hair in front from the banana clip, to give me a bang. Here’s the side view…

Product Review: Fuchsia Fever by Maybelline

“Why you’ll love it? It has crisper color from pure pigments & a creamier feel from nourishing honey nectar & comes in 54 captivating shades.”

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color

Price:             1   2   3   4   5   6   7   ●   9

Packaging:  1   2   3   4   5   6   ●   8    9

Efficacy:       1   2   3   4   5   6   7   ●   9

        Overall score: 7.5

I purchased Fuchsia Fever at Walgreen’s for about $4 in a Post-Thanksgiving Sale. At regular price, a tube of Color Sensational will set you back about $6, which is pretty reasonable for a worthwhile drugstore brand lipstick. I hate to gas you up, but Maybelline wasn’t lying about this stuff! The color is really pigmented. My lips are kinda on the dark side, so (when I do wear colorful lipstick) I fill them in w/ a corresponding lip liner first.  You may use lip liner or primer to help your lipstick last, but with this product, you won’t need it to help the color stand out. Oh, and it’s SUPER creamy! I am in love w/ this particular aspect, because I hate that dry, cakey feeling that most lipsticks give you. Wouldn’t call it long-wearing, because it only lasted 2-3 hours, but I’m sure that’s due, to the creaminess. Hey, you can’t have it all. The packaging is a typical, square lipstick case, but I gave it a few extra points because it’s is both functional & aesthetically pleasing. I also like the fact that the cover matches the lipstick inside. Maybelline breaks down the shades into 4 different categories: Pinks, Naturals, Plums & Reds. With 54 colors to choose from surely you can find one to suit your kisser! I recommend this product & look forward to trying a few other shades. I’ve only worn Fuchsia Fever 3 times, because… well, it’s BRIGHT PINK! But I’m glad that I can finally say that I’ve found a brightly colored lipstick that’s appropriate for my complexion. Trust me, it was no small feat! 

FYI: It’s not this shiny, I’m wearing clear lip gloss on top

FOTD: New Year’s Eve

HAIR – These loose curls are the remnants of a dry roller set on jumbo rollers after several days of wrapping it at night. My bang area was looking kinda wonky (half curly/half straight), so I pinned it back & came up w/ this hairdo…

Now onto THE MAKEUP!

  

PRIMER: NYX HD e/s base

BASE: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Yogurt

SHADOW: I applied matte pinkish-burgundy e/s (from the Shany 120 palette) to my crease, using my Sonia Kashuk crease brush & used sparkly, blackened purple e/s (from the Wet N Wild Lust palette) to deepen my outer v. Then I used matte peach e/s (from the Wet N Wild Greed palette) to highlight my brow bone. I used a flat brush to pat this pewter-ish glitter dust onto my lower eyelid. I’m 87.3% sure that it’s one of the LA Splash Diamond Dusts, but I don’t know which one. See I broke the original jar ages ago & transferred it to this generic container, so there’s no label. So let’s just call it “moondust” LOL!

OTHER DETAILS… I used Wet N Wild Arch Envy brow wax & CoverGirl single e/s in Smolder to define my eyebrows & L’Oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black on my eyelashes. I defined my upper lashline with Wet N Wild cream liner in black & my waterline with Ulta glitter eyeliner pencil in Silver. I also used Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Undereye Concealer (in CA8010for light to medium complexions).

CHEEKS: Black Radiance sheer finish blush in Soft Honey

LIPS: Lancome Color Design lipstick in Trendy Mauve + CO Bigelow lip gloss in Magenta Mint

FACE: Estee Lauder pressed powder in Deep (05)

Did you get glammed up this weekend? What’d you do to celebrate the new year?