Collection Spotlight : Broken Heart Trio by Innocent + Twisted Alchemy

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Eyeshadows and accompanying artwork

The Broken Heart Trio is a subset of Innocent + Twisted Alchemy's Hell Wonderland Collection. The Hell Wonderland Collection currently has a quartet and this trio but is intended to be a pretty large collection with multiple subsets. It's an interesting way of organizing which I haven't seen from other indies so far. 

The trio has three very earthy tones. Cardio Blemish is the brightest shade but still manages to have a cool look to it. The colors work really well together and it'd be pretty simple to create a gorgeous blended gradient.

As with most other Innocent + Twisted Alchemy eyeshadows, these are all glitter heavy with Spinal Affliction being the most glittery of the set.

Purchase Link

On to individual shades!

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 From the website: Blood red with an explosion of blue sparkles

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (77491, 1309-37-1), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Magnesium Myristrate, Zinc Oxide, Cetyl Dimethicone (77091, 0584276), Polyethylene Terephthalate

**SAFE FOR EYES, LIPS, FACE! VEGAN!** 

Personal Comments: As I said before, Cardio Blemish is a very bold red. If this were a crayon, you'd color hearts with this color. The blue glitter isn't overly blue but you can definitely tell it's glitter heavy. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Metallic chocolate brown with a red sheen and sparkles

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (77491, 77492, 77499, 1309-37-1-38-2, 1317-61-9), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Magnesium Myristrate, Zinc Oxide, Cetyl Dimethicone (77091, 0584276), Polyethylene Terephthalate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Silica (7631-86-9)

**SAFE FOR EYES, LIPS, FACE! VEGAN!**

Personal Comments: This shade really surprised me. It's much brighter than the swatch on the website looks. A very bright bronzey copper shade. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Medium taupe with a pink and grayish sheen. This color is extremely hard to describe.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (77491, 77492, 77499, 1309-37-1-38-2, 1317-61-9-67-7), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Magnesium Myristrate, Zinc Oxide, Cetyl Dimethicone (77091, 0584276), Silica (7631-86-9), Ultramarines; Pigment Red 259 (77007, 57455-37-5)

**NOT SAFE FOR LIPS! VEGAN!**

Personal Comments: Of the three, Spinal Affliction is the most unique (and my favorite of the set). The website description is really on spot when it says that the eyeshadow is hard to describe. It's a very glittery eyeshadow but the glitter almost makes the color look "creamy." Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

Swatch Post : Innocent + Twisted Alchemy

Nothing to Disclose

 

From the website:  blackened red with intense red shimmer.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7, 13464-67-7), Magnesium Myristrate, Iron Oxide (77499, 77491, 1309-37-1, 1317-61-9, 1309-38-2), Polyethylene Terephthalate, Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Silica (7631-86-9), Ultramarines (77007, 1317-97-1), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate (65997-17-3).

 

This product is VEGAN and NOT lip safe!

 

Personal Comments: This is a deep red/purple shade. Though it doesn't look like it, this eyeshadow does have plenty of glitter. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken inside under a daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Sheer baby blue

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13464-67-7), Mica (77019, 12001-26-2),Magnesium Myristrate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Silica (7631-86-9), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Magnesium Stearate (557-04-0), Ferric Ferrocyanide (77510, 14038-43-8)

 

This product is VEGAN and NOT lip safe!

Personal Comments: Poisoned Tears is a sheer pearly color with small hints of blue. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken inside under a daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Sugary baby pink with a subtle turquoise sheen and has red and copper sparkles

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019,12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Ultramarines; Pigment Red 259 (77007, 1317-97-1, 57455-37-5), Iron Oxide (77499, 1309-38-2), Ferric Ferrocyanide (77510, 14038-43-8), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Silica (7631-86-9), Calcium Aluminium Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax, Magnesium Myristrate

**NOT LIP SAFE! VEGAN!**

Personal Comments: This is part of ITA's Anniversary 2013 collection! It's a pretty, shimmery pink with a gold looking shine. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken inside under a daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Winter Dawn is a light salmon

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Magnesium Myristrate, Zinc Oxide, Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Iron Oxide (77492, 77491, 77491, 1309-37-1, 1309-37-1, 1317-61-9), Silica (7631-86-9), Copper (77400, 7440-50-8), Carmine (75470, 1309-65-4), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Polyethylene Terephthalate

This product is NOT VEGAN and eyes, lips, and face safe!

Personal Comments: A gold/orange color, the glitter in Winter Dawn is multicolored and makes it look extra sparkly. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link 

Company Overview : My Pretty Zombie

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11/25/2013: My Pretty Zombie opened their own website! Updated links

Let's talk about My Pretty Zombie! I'll admit, I was a tiny tiny bit freaked out when I pulled the plastic finger out of the box and I didn't really want to touch it but, dear readers, for you guys, I managed it. 

My Pretty Zombie does all of their sales through their Etsy Shop their website and they offer a variety of eyeshadows and 7 blushes (as of 8/13).

Swatch Post! Darling Girl Cosmetics : Delusional, Grown Men Cry, Palm Springs, and Fortune Cookie!

Nothing to Disclose

From the website:  Murky grey with flashes of silvery green to red violet

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Carnauba Wax, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Silica and Iron Oxide.

Personal Comments: A really complex color. Delusional changes color between grey and pink and silver depending on how you look at it. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Light baby blue with violet undertones

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Ferric Ferroycyanide, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines and Carnauba Wax.

NOT Lip Approved.

Personal Comments: One of those shades that almost glows. Grown Men Cry has plenty of glitter and it compliments the blue shade really well. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken indoors under a daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  soft, earthy, burgundy pearl.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Iron Oxide, Magnesium Stearate.

Personal Comments: A bold red with gold hints and glitter. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Sandy gold with green flash and soft rose shift.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Carnauba Wax, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Silica, Iron Oxide(s) and Managnese Violet.

Personal Comments:  A bright gold yellow with gold glitter to help make it even shinier. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

Solstice Scents: Spring 2013 Review (Part 1)

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The Spring 2013 selection offered by Solstice Scents has a little something for everyone.

You know what's fantastic about seasonal scents? The ability to be instantly transported to another season just with a small whiff! This is doubly fantastic if you live in an area where one particular season seems to stretch out longer than the others. I'm in New England, and sometimes it feels like winter never ends. The best thing I've enjoyed so far about exploring new scents are spring and summer scents because I know I'll be hoarding them come winter!

Solstice Scents offers all kinds of bath and body goodies like soaps, soaks and scrubs, but what they're most well-known for (as you may have guessed from their name) is their collection of scents. It seems a bit overwhelming when you first start browsing. However, they have a nifty master reference page that not only breaks down their scents by what kinds of fragrance families they live in, but it also gives you a peek at the different seasonal offerings.

Swatch Post : Madd Style Cosmetics

Nothing to Disclose

From the website: matte deep sky blue.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Iron Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Magnesium Myristate.

 

This shadow is approved for use on eyes and face.

This shadow is not approved for use on lips.

 

Personal Comments:  Part of the Dr. Who Mattes collection. Lighter than it appears on the website, Book of Spoilers is still a really nice light blue shade. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: matte orange shadow.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Iron Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Myristate.

 

This shadow is approved for use on eyes, lips and face.

 

Personal Comments: Part of the Dr. Who Mattes collection. Exterminate is a bright, pumpkin orange color. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: brick-red/reddish-brown matte shadow.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Iron Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Myristate.

 

This shadow is approved for use on eyes, lips and face.

 

Personal Comments: Part of the Dr. Who Mattes collection. Genesis Ark is definitely brighter than it appears on the website. More of a bold red than red/brown. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

 

Purchase Link

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From the website: a punchy (yet harmless) light blue matte.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Magnesium Myristate.

 

This shadow is approved for use on eyes and face.

This shadow is not approved for use on lips.

 

Personal Comments: A little more sheer than the others, Strax Attack is a soft sky blue. Part of the Dr. Who Mattes collection. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

 

A Beginner's Guide to Fragrances

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So many choices!  Where to begin? There are lots of indie companies that offer a unique collection of scents.

The magical world of  indie scents is an exciting thing to explore.  If you're like me, maybe the idea of a "perfume" (or "cologne" or whatever you like to call your smellies) is a little frightening.  You think back to all the times you encountered fragrances in the past: that one aunt whose baby-powder-lavender-kisses stick to your clothes, the teacher you had in middle school who thought he was hot stuff straight out of college and doused himself in a thick cloud of perfume that left the entire classroom in a spicy smog, that chick in your math class who thought she was fooling everyone when she sprayed herself down with "Tropical Breeze" after smoking in the bathroom...

Clearly these aren't personal experiences of mine (ahem), but just like makeup can be intimidating if you haven't been exposed to it properly ("Oh no, I don't want to look like a clown!"), scents can be equally if not more daunting to the inexperienced.  But unlike makeup, where you can check out swatches and watch YouTube gurus teach you application methods, fragrances stray into that intangible, nebulous grey area, where you really only have an ingredient list, someone's written explanation, and your own nose to pass judgment.

Collection Spotlight : A Boy And His Dog by Pixel Bunny Cosmetics

Nothing to Disclose

 

Hi everyone! A couple of days ago I told you about Pixel Bunny Cosmetics, a promising newcomer to the indie makeup scene. Today I'd like to tell you about their first collection, "A Boy And His Dog", inspired by the characters of the American television show Adventure Time. Here's a look at the sample bags of the full collection, which I purchased myself:

Top row: Why'd You Eat My Fries?, Bacon Pancakes, I Steal Jewels

Bottom row: Fresh to Death, UNACCEPTABLE, Mathematical

In general, I think this is an impressive starting collection! I appreciate the mix of neutrals and unusual bright colors, and the quality is quite good - the pigments are finely milled and well blended. The shadows are clearly labeled with ingredients and a note as to whether they're lip-safe, which makes them informative and professional. I would strongly recommend using a sticky base with these shadows, though - all the colors look gorgeous, opaque, and not at all patchy over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, but are fairly sheer and quickly blend away to nothing when worn on bare skin or even over standard silicone primer (I tested them with Urban Decay Primer Potion). That said, I believe the extra step is worth it for this beautiful collection!

From the website: Opaque, satin black with a deep red sheen and red sparkles. 

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide.

Why'd You Eat My Fries? is lip-safe and vegan!

Personal Comments:  Part of the "A Boy And His Dog" Collection. Though they're too shy to show up easily in photos, this shadow is full of sparkles that appear pink in person and make it more complicated than your average satin black. As with pretty much any dark, loose shadow, beware fallout during application, for it will get everywhere. The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, and taken outside in direct sunlight.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Shimmery golden-pink champagne. 

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide. 

Bacon Pancakes is lip-safe and vegan!

Personal Comments:  Part of the "A Boy And His Dog" Collection. I don't see the pink mentioned in the official description, but I do see subtle sparkles that make this neutral a little more interesting. The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, and taken outside in direct sunlight.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Pale, icy, silver-blue with a slight white shimmer.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, ferric ferrocyanide.

I Steal Jewels is NOT lip-safe, but is vegan!

Personal Comments:  Part of the "A Boy And His Dog" Collection. The official description is very accurate to my eye. It's a pretty blue, and a little more unusual in the indie world, I believe. The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, and taken outside in direct sunlight.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Shimmery, slightly red-toned violet with golden sparkles.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, ferric ferrocyanide.

Fresh To Death is NOT lip safe, but is vegan!

Personal Comments:  Part of the "A Boy And His Dog" Collection.  This is another beautiful neutral that leans a little plum-colored. The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, and taken outside in direct sunlight.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Opaque, true yellow with a pearl finish. Slightly shimmery.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, yellow lake #5, tin oxide. 

UNACCEPTABLE!!!! is lip-safe and vegan!

Personal Comments:  Part of the "A Boy And His Dog" Collection.  I think this is a great and somewhat unusual shade; it would be the first recommendation that came to mind if a friend were looking for a non-shimmery yellow shadow. The finish is beautiful. The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, and taken outside in direct sunlight.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Difficult to capture on camera! A sky blue base with a strong golden-yellow shift (like Finn's beautiful hair!) and golden sparkles. Can appear a light teal (more green) or a more blue teal.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, yellow lake #5, tin oxide, ferric ferrocyanide, ultramarine blue.

Mathmatical is NOT lip-safe, but is vegan!

Personal Comments:  Part of the "A Boy And His Dog" Collection.  This is a bright and beautiful green, but I noticed a slight stain on my arm while washing off the swatch. I recommend wearing this over a base (such as NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk) to help avoid staining your eye. I also didn't see the golden-yellow shift from the description. The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, and taken outside in direct sunlight.

Purchase Link

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What do you think of this new company and their debut collection? Do you like to try products from brands that have just launched, or do you prefer to wait until you hear good reviews? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Swatch Post : Fyrinnae

Nothing to Disclose

From the website: Smoldering warm red and a touch of chartreuse mingle in a deep base. The green appears more blue at angle or with light changes. Somewhat of a "vampy" earthtone.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane. May contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Manganese Violet, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide, Copper Powder, Bronze Powder, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Silica.

Personal Comments: I honestly can't get over how much I love Fyrinnae. Every shadow that I've ever tried has been an awesome experience and everything has been completely gorgeous. Bonfire Spirits is like a smouldering fire. Like a campfire that's been going for awhile and finally it's dying down and there's the Bonfire Spirits color. I didn't see any of the blue from the description but the tiny bits of shimmery green did catch my eye. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Vibrant Kelly/emerald green shimmer on black. Great over regular primer, but over a sticky base it's a gleaming jeweltone metallic green. (as for the name, just look it up. We're not really sane here)

  

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane. May contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Manganese Violet, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide, Copper Powder, Bronze Powder, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Silica.  

Not lip-safe.

Personal Comments: This shade is everything that youv'e ever wanted in a deep green color. I don't think the pictures show off the depth of color but this green is like staring into the Amazon. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. These pictures were taken indoors under a bright daylight bulb.

Purchase Link



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From the website: (spelling is intentional) Cuddlefish is a vibrant violet, loaded with varying hues of purple and blue-violet sparkle, and is slightly cooler than it appears here. You'll definitely want a sticky base or sealant with this shadow. Replaces our old Neo Universe, but with even more color saturation and sparkle. For a similar shade, but more vibrant and with shimmer instead of sparkle, see Parental Advisory.



Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane. May contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Manganese Violet, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide, Copper Powder, Bronze Powder, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Silica.

Not lip-safe.

Personal Comments: Geeze with the purple. It's like the color you'd see painted over dancers at a disco. It's shimmery and gorgeous but it's the kind of shade that'd be scary for neutral lovers. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. These pictures were taken indoors under a bright daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Bright sparkling blue, a little deeper than royal, but brighter than sapphire. More glimmering and rich than it appears here. Endangered, 2012
(honestly, with several species of sharks being endangered, we couldn't pick just one)

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane. May contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Manganese Violet, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide, Copper Powder, Bronze Powder, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Silica.

Personal Comments: This shade is a lot brighter than the picture on the Fyrinnae site. Instead of looking like a deep ocean, it's more like paddling in a shallow pool. Not that it's a bad thing, just a different look. Part of Fyrinnae's Endangered collection. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. These pictures were taken indoors under a bright daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

Pixel Bunny Cosmetics: A promising newcomer

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Hi everyone! Today I'm going to tell you about Pixel Bunny Cosmetics, a newcomer to the indie makeup scene.

I first heard about Pixel Bunny Cosmetics (link to the Etsy shop) about a month ago on reddit.com/r/indiemakeupandmore. I believe the shop opened not long before that. Pixel Bunny is run by a young woman named Nessie, and it seems to be off to a great start. The shop is 100% vegan.

Selection: Limited so far, but hey, the shop has only been open for a month! The stock currently consists of one Adventure Time themed collection containing six shadows. I got sample bags of all six. You can purchase sample bags, mini sizes, or full sizes, which is a great range.

Vegan shopping experience: The shop is 100% vegan!

Customer service: My order went smoothly, and my receipt had a sweet note written on it. No complaints here. I can't speak to how the shop deals with problems because I didn't encounter any.

TAT: Speedy! My order shipped three days after I placed it and arrived quickly. We'll see how the TAT changes as the shop's sales increase, but for now, it's very fast.

Availability of samples: Very good. I was able to buy samples of the full collection, and shoppers receive a slight discount from individual pricing for buying the group all at once.

Bonuses: N/A. Since I ordered everything the shop makes, I can't reasonably expect to have received any freebies. Though the package did come with very cute notepaper and hard candies, which you'll see in photos below.

What I love: This is a great collection! UNACCEPTABLE is probably the most interesting and unique, but I'm happy I own all of them.

What could improve: For better or worse, the shadows seem to be somewhat sheer and blend away to nothing when worn over bare skin. They turn gorgeously opaque and work beautifully over Pixie Epoxy, but may not be the best option for anyone who wants to just slap on some color without a base and have it look perfect.

Overall, this is a cute new brand, and I'll definitely be watching for upcoming releases! Here are some photos of my order. You can look at swatch photos of each individual shades in this set's Collection Spotlight post.

The contents of my envelope from Pixel Bunny Cosmetics. The toast at the bottom of the photo decorates a folded packet with the shadow sample bags inside.

As an example of product packaging, here's the sample bag for the shade UNACCEPTABLE, a beautiful satin yellow. Each sample bag is clearly labeled with the brand name and logo, the shade name, a list of ingredients, and a note as to whether it is lip safe.

Swatches of all the eyeshadows. Swatches were done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. Photo was taken outside in direct sunlight. From lower left to upper right, shade names are as follows: Why'd You Eat My Fries?, Bacon Pancakes, I Steal Jewels, Fresh To Death, UNACCEPTABLE, Mathematical

Sale Alert! 30% off at Darling Clandestine with code MOONBABY

Darling Clandestine is having a 24 hour flash sale with the code MOONBABY! It was posted 9 hours ago so it should be good until at least 1PM 8/22!

Link to the store!

Swatch Post : Black Rose Minerals

Nothing to Disclose

 

 

From the website:  This beauty from the deep sparkles with golden blue and green shimmer. When dry, it can be sheer or not depending on application. Best worn wet or with a sticky base to truly showcase the depth of this color.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, titanium dioxide, ferric ferrocyanide, silica, polyethylene terephthalate, carnauba wax, magnesium myristate and magnesium stearate.

 

SAFE FOR EYES, FACE AND NAILS.
NOT LIP SAFE.

Personal Comments: An ocean-esque green/blue color. Sirena is shimmery and very glitter heavy. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  An iridescent violet. Wear it dry for a sheer violet shine. Wear it wet to get this color to really pop. We definitely recommend wearing this wet to get the full benefit, it definitely seems to glow when foiled.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, titanium dioxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, magnesium myristate and ferric ferrocyanide.

 

SAFE FOR EYES, FACE AND NAILS.
NOT LIP SAFE.

Personal Comments: It looks almost glowy even without being foiled! This is a bright purple/pink shade with just a bit of glitter to it. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Inspired by his dark hair with a bit of silver running through it as noted in the books and the movie. A dark brown black with silver sparkles running through it. Great coverage wet or dry.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: iron oxide, mica, titanium dioxide, carnauba wax, myristic acid, magnesium hydroxide, boron nitride, D&C black #2, polyester 3, calcium carbonate and methicone.

SAFE FOR EYES, LIPS, FACE AND NAILS.

Personal Comments: From the One Collection To Rule Them All collection. Strider is a matteish black base with silver glitter. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website:  Sweet but fierce, this shimmery hue has just enough bite, but can still rock the neutral look. Wear it dry for a more neutral peachy tan with just a touch of pinky red spakles. Wear wet for a slightly deeper tone with a red sheen.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, carnauba wax, synthetic fluorophylogopite, silica, magnesium myristate and calcium carbonate.

SAFE FOR EYES, LIPS, FACE AND NAILS.

Personal Comments: From the Meow Meow Meow collection which, as it sounds, is inspired by individual cats. Tiger Lily is a really pretty orange gold. The glitter isn't overly obvious but you can tell it's got a little bit of a pink shade to it. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

Perfume Review: Paintbox Soapworks The Blushing Heart solid perfume

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The Blushing Heart was a limited edition scent from Paintbox Soapworks, sold in Spring 2012 and Late Winter 2013. It is not currently available, but if you're interested, you may want to contact Paintbox Soapworks to see if there's backstock or a custom listing you can get your hands on instead.

Price: This particular scent is no longer available, but Paintbox Soapworks' solid scent balms are currently priced at $9 per 0.6 oz tin. (My tin is 0.5 oz/14g.) Shipping starts at $3 for the US, $8 for Canada, and $12 everywhere else.

Samples: Samples are not available for the solid scent balms, although customizable sample sets of soaps are available (5 0.7 oz soap tablets for $6), and I believe all the scent balm scents are also available as glycerin soap, so for $6 you can check out five different scents in soap form.

Description from website: "Coy rose petals & sweet milk hide an exotic heart of fragrant lychee & pink grapefruit"

Ingredients: Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) Butter, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Apis mellifera (Yellow Beeswax), Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil, Fragrance Oil.

Due to the inclusion of beeswax, my particular balm is not vegan, but it appears that these have been reformulated--for example, the ingredients for Moundshroud solid perfume are now listed as "Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) Butter, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil, Fragrance Oil"

I purchased this out of an obsession with the rose-and-rhubarb-scented Hermes Rose Ikebana. I thought lychee and rose sounded like a similar heavenly, fruity-floral combination, so I ordered one of the solid scent balms to give it a try.

It's not a dupe by any means, though it's nice in its own right. Rose Ikebana is a soft and subtle scent that's more fruit than floral, inoffensive and very wearable, with a clean, grassy, citrussy mellowness. The Blushing Heart is far more floral than fruity, and way more aggressive than Rose Ikebana--a powerful, heady, slightly powdery rose note wallops you in the face the instant you put it on, and drifts around the room, bullying lesser scents into submission.

The lychee and grapefruit notes are subtle, but definitely present as a grounding fruity, almost melon-like sweetness under all the rose petal. The longer the perfume wears on my skin, the more evident the lychee note becomes relative to the rose scent, making it softer and more wearable--it turns into a very pretty lychee-centric fruity-floral after an hour or so, instead of a rose-dominant bully.

I do not smell the listed milk note, which is fine by me, as milk and cream notes often make me nauseated after a while.

Solid perfumes are nice and portable, very travel-friendly. However, I admit I had some difficulty with the packaging--it took me ages to pry it open, and now I usually leave the lid a little ajar because I'm afraid I won't be able to get it open again. They're now listed as screw-top tins, but mine appears to just have a little raised ridge around the middle that you can use to grip the bottom and pull off the top (no threads on the edge of the tin)--I'm unsure if the packaging has changed since I bought this. You can see in the photos that in wrangling with the tin, I unfortunately managed to get the perfume balm all over the outside labels, making it look oil-stained and messy.

The scent balm is very soft and creamy, and like Bryl-Creem, "a little dab'll do ya." This particular scent, at least, only requires a tiny dab to melt into your pulse points and leave you smelling lovely for hours. If you have issues with scents changing on your skin due to skin chemistry, you can also dab the solid perfume into your hair. It's not safe for lips, but the moisturizing ingredients make it a nice balm for your cuticles. It has a wonderful texture, and I'm sure it would also be a lovely hand cream if the scent weren't so concentrated.

In this particular case, I'd recommend using the balm directly on skin to allow the rose topnotes to evaporate and fade a bit, letting the lychee heart notes emerge, rather than wearing the scent on hair, where the rose notes in the perfume will linger. Since they are not as warm as one's skin, applying perfume to hair, clothes, or scent lockets will increase the longevity of scents, but decrease the complexity and transformation of scents over time.

Paintbox Soapworks' solid scent balms are very reasonably priced, long-lasting and with great sillage, and I like the formula a lot--while this particular scent is no longer available, if you see a scent you're interested in, I would recommend picking up a tin to try out.

Swatch Post! Darling Girl Cosmetics : Basket Case, Firefly, London Calling, and My Little Pony!

Nothing to Disclose

From the website:  an indigo base with heavy red shift.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Carnauba Wax, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Silica, Copper Powder, Silicon Dioxide and Ferric Ferrocyanide.

NOT Lip Safe.

Personal Comments: A very deep red/purple color, this eyeshadow has a very muted shimmer finish with red glitter. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken inside under a daylight bulb.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Bright purple with turquoise shift and gold sparkles.

Eye Shadow Ingredients:  Mica, Carnauba Wax, Manganese Violet, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorophylogopite, Tin Oxide, and Ferric Ferrocyanide. 

NOT Lip Safe.

Personal Comments: Isn't this color change fantastic? It completely changes depending on the light. The color in the shade is an almost glowing blue but it's a strong purple in direct light. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. The top picture was taken outside in natural light. The bottom picture was taken outside in the shade.  

Purchase Link

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From the website: Firefly is a dusty lavender pearl

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Magnesium Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate.

Personal Comments: This shade was definitely more pink to me than purple. It's a very bright pink with a bit of a silver sheen and glitter. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: At first glance it looks like a pale, pastel lavender with green shift and aqua and pink iridescence, but hold it close to a light source and it takes on a coppery rose color.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Serecite, Carnauba Wax, Boron Nitride, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate and Ferric Ferrocyanide.

NOT lip safe.

Personal Comments: The website description is pretty accurate in this case. It's a pinky purple with plenty of glitter (because of course, the My Little Pony eyeshadow would definitely have a lot of glitter) and hints of other color shifts. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link