Swatch Post! Fyrinnae : Snow Leopard, Superstar, When I Grow Up, and Witchy Woodland Creatures!

Purchased

From the website: A soft, satiny warm brown-taupe shade that has subtle hues of rose. 

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristrate, 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 feel like I say this about all of Fyrinnae's neutrals but I really do love this color. It's a beautiful light brown shade with a golden 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: Superstar is a very bright hot pink, graced with a subtle blue highlight.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristrate, 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: A bold pink that almost flashes with a magenta glow. 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: This shade is a "glowing" multi-hue lavender.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristrate, 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: A sheer-esque light purple shade with a satin finish. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture inside under a daylight bulb. 

Purchase Link

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From the website: Glimmering, multi-faceted cocoa taupe. Shades of copper and silver, with hints of pink, gold, and green shimmer on a neutral taupe-brown base make this shadow suitable for a wide range of skintones.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Styrene/PVP Copolymer, Myristyl Myristrate, 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: A warm brown eyeshadow with a satin finish and a golden glow. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link



Company Overview: Notoriously Morbid

Purchased

Notoriously Morbid is another brand introduced to me by Kristin's swatches and after reading so many rave reviews online (particularly by Serenity, who recently named Notoriously Morbid as her Top Indie Brand of 2013), I had to try them out.

Packaging: 

The items I ordered were placed into a ziploc bag and shipped in a padded envelope. Since I ordered during a Halloween sale, there were also some cute little metallic green skulls and black spiders in the bag :)

Full-sized items are shrink-wrapped. Both full-sized products and samples contain a full list of ingredients, whether or not it is vegan and eye/lip/face safety.

Kristin adds: I purchased the Notoriously Morbid Black Friday Limited Edition set and it came packaged in sheer mesh baggie. For their Halloween 2013 collection, the eyeshadows and lip balm came in a "cute" little cardboard coffin (as far as coffins can be called cute I mean). Check out this post by Serenity to see pictures!

Selection: 

Notoriously Morbid currently sells eyeshadows, Ripper's Rouge blushes, and Coffin Kisser lip balms. 

Kristin adds: The eyeshadows are mostly straightforward "what you see is what you get" however, they've created some really beautiful subtle duochromes for their Christmas 2013 collection. Swatches of those are coming up!

Samples: 

Notoriously Morbid offers samples of all of their eyeshadows in sample baggies. There are also Sample Packs that contain a selection of samples based on theme or colour scheme.

Quality:

My favourite items so far are the Coffin Kisser and Ripper's Rouge. The Coffin Kisser (I have Terrified Mint Tango) is lightly scented and not too sweet,  I like to wear it at night because it's not too thick/greasy and the next morning my lips still feel soft. I have Mary Jane's Demise Ripper's Rouge which is nicely pigmented and easy to blend, it has a hint of shimmer but it's not disco-ball-y so it works nicely for daytime wear. I find the eyeshadow formula to be very good, but it didn't blow me away. I personally prefer to apply eyeshadows dry and over a regular primer, and these apply smoothly but not as densely pigmented as I would like. If you're used to applying loose eyeshadows over a sticky base (like Kristin does in her swatches), that will display the complete depth and complexity of the shades.

Kristin's swatches from the Save Me Collection Spotlight

Cost:

Eyeshadows start at $1.25 for samples (roughly 1/4 tsp), $2.75 for minis (roughly 1/3 tsp in a 5g jar), $5.50 for 5g jars. Ripper's Rouge blushes are $8.50, and Coffin Kisser lip balms are $3.00. They run sales occasionally and have a weekly deal called Free Day Friday (previous Free Day Fridays have included a free 5g eyeshadow, a free Coffin Kisser, and 2 free minis).

Customer Service:

I haven't had to contact customer service before, but they are very active on their Facebook page and there are lots of rave reviews on /r/indiemakeupandmore.

TAT:

On the Storenvy site, the current turn-around-time is 14-20 business days, beginning the next business day. In the FAQ on notoriouslymorbid.com, it says the TAT is normally 10-14 business days. My order was placed during a Halloween sale, and shipped 5 business days afterwards.

Shipping:

My shipping cost was $8.80 (from Notoriously Morbid headquarters in West Virginia to Western Australia) which is about average for me, considering my order contained a variety of full-sized products as well as samples. 

The FAQ states that most domestic orders take from 2-10 business days to arrive, while international orders vary between 2 and 12 weeks. I received my package a little over 3 weeks (17 business days) after I had initially placed my order. 

Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion, photographed in natural sunlight.

Kristin adds: I'm located in the US and when I purchased during a non sales period, I received a shipping notice within 5 days of making the purchase and it was in my hands 3 days later.

Personal Thoughts:

As the name suggests, Notoriously Morbid has a bit of a macabre theme and even though that's not really my thing, I do enjoy their products. For those who prefer more uplifting themes, fear not - there are other references. I am a bit of a Trekkie (Voyager being my favourite because it had a female captain!) so I had to indulge in Andorian and when X-Men came out, people would call me "Jean Grey" so Phoenix Flame was another name-based purchase. On a serious note, Notoriously Morbid has also created an eyeshadow called Jupiter Rain, in which proceeds are donated to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network), it's great to see a company produce a permanent item that gives to a worthy cause.

Kristin adds: I honestly wasn't overly impressed with the first order that I made with Notoriously Morbid. I'd picked up a couple shades with matte bases that were pigmented but a little patchy and I found the shimmer in some shades chunky and difficult to work with (like in Shoes to Kill for). I may have just picked the weird ones though because from my second order, I was really impressed by the quality of the Black Friday matte collection. They're smooth and look great (maybe NM will release them again and I'll have an excuse to post them?). And the recent duochromes are wearable and gorgeous.

Have you tried Notoriously Morbid? What are some of your favourites?

Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and/or follow us on BlogLovin to get all of our updates!

Swatch Post! Madd Style Cosmetics : In the Buff, The Silence, Weeping Angel, and Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey

Purchased

From the website: IN THE BUFF is a medium toned matte nude.

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

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

Personal Comments: A completely matte beige shade. In the Buff is just slightly orange but otherwise a really good match for my skin tone. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: THE SILENCE is a matte black.

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. Not quite as strong of a black as I'd expected but still a nice depth. The Silence is completely matte. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: WEEPING ANGEL is a deep, purple-toned matte grey.

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. A purple grey shade. Completely matte. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Dee's Nuts is a rich earthy brown with a beautiful golden shimmer.

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. A lavender with a strong purple influence. Completely matte. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link



Perfume Review: Darling Clandestine's Vortex

Purchased

Darling Clandestine's Vortex promises to have you smelling like the frozen abyss

Rarely does a new fragrance release get me this excited. I don't know if it's the concept, the shiny "pre-order" status, or the fact that I feel like I emotionally need this in my life right now, but there is been something so tantalizingly irresistible about Darling Clandestine's Vortex that seized hold of me from the moment I saw teasers posted for it on Facebook.

Darling Clandestine's Vortex

Just to back up for a bit, a sizable portion of the United States has been experiencing much colder temperatures and harsher winter weather than usual this year - the 2014 polar vortex. You can read more about it on Wikipedia if this tickles your inner meteorologist, but in a nutshell it's COLD!

Evonne herself is located in Chicago, which came close to breaking their all-time lowest temperature thanks to the polar vortex. So it's no surprise the recent weather has inspired her to try crafting something, hence one of the newest Darling Clandestine scents: Vortex.

Full size: 7.5mL chubby glass bottle for $11.00 USD

This winter is not your average winter, and Vortex is not your average "winter" fragrance. There's no evergreen, no mint, no "holiday" spice---just a vast expanse of cold, white and blue, frigid, soundless. Stark and invigorating, this fragrance is purely unisex.

I live on the northeast coast, so I have not been spared from the wrath of the polar vortex. I knew as soon as I read the description for Vortex that I needed it and promptly completed my most hasty impulse purchase to date. A winter fragrance that's not full of minty spice? In addition, it was listed at a lower price ($8) as a pre-order incentive. So not only was I being fancy by pre-ordering, but I was saving money! That's good, right?

Despite pre-ordering, I didn't receive my order until much later than I'd have hoped, and after others received theirs judging by the reviews left on Darling Clandestine's Etsy page. I suspect it was thanks to that rascally polar vortex, since harsh winter weather delayed a lot of mail carriers. So was it worth the wait?

I'm not sure how I feel about Vortex. I'm a little torn. Despite the claims that it's a "purely unisex" fragrance, I simply can't envision my boyfriend wearing this. In the bottle it smells almost fruity, with a tingle that slightly pricks at the back of your throat. After sitting on my skin for a little bit it warms up into something a smidge more powdery that reminds me of flavored club soda crossed with fabric softener sheets. I know that sounds kind of awful, but it's really not that bad. For me it's reminiscent of pulling out a long-forgotten wool sweater stored away at the bottom of a bureau - it has a particular scent that's still lingering behind and feels like it's almost become woven within the very fabric.

One thing that stands out to me is that unlike several other Darling Clandestine fragrances I've tried, Vortex is very muted. I normally apply such small amounts, but I really dabbed it on heavy this time! It's not a strong scent, but I prefer it that way because I don't think a polar vortex should have a heavy smell. This seems doubly appropriate given that one of the reasons why odors seem less intense in cold air is because molecules slow down as temperatures drop.

Duration: Since Vortex isn't some super-stinky powerhouse, I was surprised that I got a good 5-6 hours of wear. The twinkling fruitiness fades first, but the sweet powder lingers in its wake.  You won't even notice it has worn off by the time it's gone (I suppose this would be a lovely spot to compare it to footprints in the snow quietly covered up by more snow) It's a pleasant "background" scent to ground your day. 

Score: 3.5/5

The power of suggestion is pretty strong. Vortex is a tricky scent, it's not like you're going to apply it to your wrists, slap your knee and exlaim, "Hot diggedy, this smells just like that frozen expanse outside my backdoor!" - in fact, I wager you could probably stick another label on Vortex and call it something wholly different (I dunno, "Vanity Whisper" or something ridiculous) and no one would probably question it. But calling it by "Vortex" and associating it with cold, frozen air creates a set of expectations.

Does that mean I'm disappointed? Maybe a teeny bit, but then again the coolness factor (no pun intended) of being able to pre-order it and the claim that it's a true, frozenly cold scent sans mint all built it up in my mind. Is Vortex a bad scent? Not in the least! It's a soft yet slightly prickly scent with a faintly powdery trail that hugs closely to your skin. In fact, the closest I get to it smelling like a true, crisp chilly day is if I inhale deeply.  So dab some on and breathe, it's definitely worth a try!

Bonus: Polar vortex-ing it up in my backyard

Swatch Post! Black Rose Minerals : Disintegration, Emerald City, Evil Hour, and Femme Bot!

Purchased

From the website: A grey base with blue undertones and aqua sparkles.

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

SAFE FOR EYES, LIPS, FACE AND NAILS.

Personal Comments: A pretty, sheer-esque grey shade with hints of purple. 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: Just like Elphaba of Oz knew, this beautiful green shimmers with silvery and slightly yellow highlights over a sagey muted green.

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

SAFE FOR EYES, FACE AND NAILS. 

NOT LIP SAFE.

Personal Comments: A darker green with hints of grey added in. Emerald City has a satin finish. 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: A light bronzy rose with golden highlights.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: copper powder, mica, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium myristate and carnuaba wax.

SAFE EYES, LIPS, FACE AND NAILS.

Personal Comments: A silvery pink eyeshadow with a satin finish and a shimmery gold overlay. 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: This matte pink borders on the mauve side but is not boring in the least!

Eye Shadow Ingredients: ultramarine; pigment red 259, mica, carnauba wax, ultramarines; pigment violet 15, iron oxide, magnesium myristate, titanium dioxide, magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide. 

SAFE FOR EYES, FACE AND NAILS.

NOT LIP SAFE.

Personal Comments: This matte shade came out to be more of a coral-y orange shade for me. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

Haus of Gloi: General Catalog Review (Elevenses, Litchi Milk Tea, Imp)

Elevenses, Litchi Milk Tea, and Imp from Haus of Gloi

What's your favorite kind of scent? Something you'd enjoy smelling all day without any complaints? Mine are sparkling, tart citrus scents, especially grapefruit (yum yum). Maybe it's because my mother was a tad bit neurotic with the orange-lemony cleaners growing up, but something about them is very comforting to me.

There's also some interesting (albeit debatable) research behind citrus scents: some studies say "clean" scents actually inspire people to be more charitable, and the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation claims that the scent of citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, cause others to perceive the wearer as being younger (although if you're blessed with a baby face and love grapefruit... this might be bad news to you).

Either way, if your nose enjoys citrus scents, you're in luck!  Haus of Gloi offers several enjoyable scents with a citrusy tang, and they're part of the general catalog, meaning they're always around and not limited or seasonal.  My top three favorites are Elevenses, Litchi Milk Tea, and Imp.

Swatch Post! Dark Heart Designs : Fairytale, Hero, Perfect, and Plum Insane!

Purchased

From the website: A pale jade green shadow with blue and aqua sparkle.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (774499 1309-38-2), Tin Oxide (778161 18282-10-5), Blue 1 Lake (42090 68921-42-6), Hydrogenated Polybutene (68931-10-0), Palmitic Acid (57-10-3), Copernicia Cerifera Cera (Carnauba Wax 8015-86-9), Boron Nitride (10043-11-5), Magnesium Myristrate (4086-70-8), Magnesium Stearate (557-04-0) Zinc Oxide (77497 1314-13-2), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Silica (7631-86-9).

♥ Safe for ♥

Lips, Eyes, Face, Nails

♥ Vegan ♥

Personal Comments: Part of the Once Upon a Time collection. A sheer-er moss green color with slight hints of a blue shift. 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: A cloudy blue-grey shadow with blue sheen and blue sparkle.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (774499 1309-38-2), Tin Oxide (778161 18282-10-5), Blue 1 Lake (42090 68921-42-6), Hydrogenated Polybutene (68931-10-0), Palmitic Acid (57-10-3), Copernicia Cerifera Cera (Carnauba Wax 8015-86-9), Boron Nitride (10043-11-5), Magnesium Myristrate (4086-70-8), Magnesium Stearate (557-04-0) Zinc Oxide (77497 1314-13-2), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Silica (7631-86-9).

♥ Safe for ♥

Lips, Eyes, Face, Nails

♥ Vegan ♥

Personal Comments: Part of the Once Upon a Time collection. A pale blue shade with blue shimmer added. 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: A dark purple satin shade with pink and purple sparkle.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (774499 1309-38-2), Tin Oxide (778161 18282-10-5), Manganese Violet (77742 10101-66-3), Copernicia Cerifera Cera (Carnauba Wax 8015-86-9), Boron Nitride (10043-11-5), Magnesium Myristrate (4086-70-8), Magnesium Stearate (557-04-0) Zinc Oxide (77497 1314-13-2), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Silica (7631-86-9).

♥ Safe for ♥

Lips, Eyes, Face, Nails

♥ Vegan ♥

Personal Comments: Part of the Peacock-y collection. A solid plummy purple with added shimmer. The base is almost matte but not quite. 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 plum purple with mild shimmer and lots of color. 

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (774499 1309-38-2), Tin Oxide (778161 18282-10-5), Blue 1 Lake (42090 68921-42-6), Hydrogenated Polybutene (68931-10-0), Palmitic Acid (57-10-3), Copernicia Cerifera Cera (Carnauba Wax 8015-86-9), Boron Nitride (10043-11-5), Magnesium Myristrate (4086-70-8), Magnesium Stearate (557-04-0) Zinc Oxide (77497 1314-13-2), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Silica (7631-86-9).

♥ Safe for ♥

Lips, Eyes, Face, Nails

♥ Vegan ♥

Personal Comments: Mid-purple with a satin finish and added shimmer. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link



Company Overview! Down the rabbit hole with White Rabbit Cosmetics!

Purchased

My interest in White Rabbit Cosmetics was first spurred by the name and the cute jar design. I have a bit of a soft spot for bunny-themed goods and though I was hesitant to try a company that was a little pricier due to their UK location, I'm glad that I did!

Packaging: 

Everything came in a plastic Ziploc bag inside the packing envelope. Jars were neatly shrink-wrapped and sifters were sealed.

Though I wish that the jars would have been secured a little better - so they wouldn't bounce around in transit - there was no leakage and everything arrived in perfect condition.

Selection: 
White Rabbit Cosmetics is a smaller company. They opened in October 2013 and currently have 35 eyeshadows listed on their Etsy shop though they have produced other eyeshadow shades that have since been discontinued.

In the past holiday season, they also partnered with Bunny's Beads to offer cute gift sets of an eyeshadow with a similarly-themed necklace. Though they're no longer offered, the collaboration put together some really cute combinations. Here are some pictures of the sets from the White Rabbit Cosmetics Facebook page.

Samples: 

White Rabbit Cosmetics offers 1/4 tsp sample baggies of their eyeshadows for $1.72USD

Quality: 

The products that I've tried have all been nice. Some of them are a little heavy with the chunky glitter but others -though still shimmery- have more fine glitter particles.

From a recent swatch post!

The eyeshadows seem to have more of a muted tone to them. Even the "brighter" shades are a little toned down and seem to have just a bit of grey to them. This isn't a bad thing. In fact it makes them more wearable but at the same time, it's definitely pretty different from the indie norm of bright and in your face with shininess. 

Cost: 
As I mentioned earlier, White Rabbit Cosmetics is a little more expensive for me since they're UK (specifically Glasgow) and the current GBP to USD conversion rate isn't very pretty.

Each shadow is currently priced at $6.87 USD and they also offer a 3 for 10 deal which is 3 eyeshadows for $17.17 USD. These prices may fluctuate as the exchange rates change. I'm not familiar with how Etsy handles currency conversions.

Customer Service: 
Nothing to report! I had no issues with my order and did not contact their customer service but from looking at comments on their Facebook page, it seems that White Rabbit responds quickly to inquiries.

TAT: 
The Etsy page states that items are "Ready to ship in 3-5 business days." I was really impressed by the TAT on this. I received a shipping notice 4 days after I initially placed my order and it was in my hands 9 days later. That's faster than I've gotten some packages from US indies.

Shipping: 
The shipping cost actually isn't terrible -a surprise I'll admit- each item ships anywhere (UK and internationally) for a flat rate of $4.46 USD with an additional $0.86 for each additional item. Also, White Rabbit Cosmetics has run free shipping promotions in the past. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for announcements.

Personal Thoughts: 
I was really pleased with this order. I paid for two "3 for 10 deals" and I was expecting to get six shadows but when the package arrived, there were 12 full-sized jars and several sample baggies! I'm not sure if I somehow revealed my blogging nature (I did write on my order to send their "favorite" shades) but it was a really nice surprise all the same.

Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and/or follow us on BlogLovin to get all of our updates!

Swatch Post! Silk Naturals: Bond, Charmed, Fairy Dust, and Element!

Purchased

From the website: Bond is the color of 24 karat gold- relatively pale, not too yellow, and with a nice shiny metallic finish. 

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Copper, Zinc, Silicone Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide 

Personal Comments: A pretty muted yellow-gold with a satin finish.. 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: Charmed is a light apple green with fun flecks of gold.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Myristate, Magnesium Stearate, Boron Nitride, Silica.  Also contains:  Iron Oxides, Tin Oxide

Personal Comments: A dupe for MAC Juxt. Charmed is a really interested pale green with a gold shimmer that looks almost like a glow. 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: Element is a deeper gold tone that's a true metallic.  

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Copper, Zinc, Silicone Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide

Personal Comments: A darkened, "antique" gold shade. It's very bright. 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: Fairy Dust is a muted tone with lots of complex interference colors made to resemble the inside fire of an opal. 

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Myristate, Magnesium Stearate, Boron Nitride, Silica.  Also contains:  Iron Oxides, tin oxide

Personal Comments: A very pale green/grey shade. The green is almost just a soft highlight. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link



Perfume Review - Darling Clandestine's Supernova Sway

Purchased

Prepare to blast off into space with Darling Clandestine's Supernova Sway

There's something exciting about receiving a free sample in your order. Don't deny it! I know I'm a huge sucker for that sort of thing. But the best thing of all is when you receive a free sample for something you'd have never ever considered buying in the first place - it's a chance to be adventurous AND it didn't cost a penny.

My last order from Darling Clandestine turned things up a notch - it arrived in the mail only a day after Evonne announced one of her newest fragrances, Supernova Sway - and my order of samples had a little Supernova Sway freebie tucked away inside.

Darling Clandestine's Supernova Sway

If "black metallic" had a fragrance, it would be this. I've been working on Supernova Sway for an age, under cover of night. Dark and bright and dark and bright again, deep musks streaked with mint, black resins with subtle flashes of orchid and buttery honeysuckle.

Evonne has a flair for the poetic, and somehow she manages to paint the most gorgeous pictures for her fragrances while being as far from literal as possible. I knew this was going to be interesting, but aside from the few hints she gives (deep musk, mint, black resin, orchid, honeysuckle) I really had no idea what to expect from Supernova Sway. Some consumers might be rubbed the wrong way by this - "I want to know all the different fragrance notes!" - but it's clever and a lot more fun this way because it lends an air of mystery.

So does Supernova Sway live up to the hype?

Remnants from an actual supernova

I'm still going through some big-girl growing pains when it comes to my perfumes. I cling to my bubbly, zingy fruit scents. When I first applied Supernova Sway my initial impression was, "OH NO! I HAVE TO WASH THIS OFF!" Describing Supernova Sway as "black metallic" is spot on. Black tar, steel, anise, and asphalt all came to mind, followed by my panicky backpedaling. (For the record, I even asked Evonne if there was anise in Supernova Sway - she said there’s bitter wood that may be teasing me into thinking it’s anise.)

Imagine you're blasting off into space, and put all your sciency mumbo jumbo in the back of your mind - the sky above is dark and the atmosphere hangs heavy as you're flying higher towards it. That thick black metallic scent fills your lungs right up until the moment you puncture through the atmosphere and suddenly it breaks and the sky is clear - endlessly black and scattered with brilliant flashing and twinkling stars. The opening notes of Supernova Sway might feel very heavy and metallic, that atmospheric cloud, but it breaks quickly and things become “darkly sweet”, if that makes sense - no one element stands out above the rest, and it’s not like you can clearly pick out the mint or honeysuckle, but they all bleed into each other to paint a really beautiful smell that’s vibrantly dark.

Duration: Out of this world! (haha...)  Seriously though, the silage for this fragrance is just right - it’s juuuuust enough of a trail to curiously tickle a passerby’s nose without slugging them in the face. I catch a whisper of it all throughout the day, and the doubly perplexing thing is that sometimes it smells dark and sometimes it smells light. I suppose that’s what Evonne meant by “subtle flashes”--! Similar to a dying star, Supernova Sway’s brightness softly fades by the end of the day, its few dying notes tinged with sweetness. This is the part where I feel like I notice the mint, but maybe my nose is playing tricks on me.

Score: ???
I don’t even know how to score this. Am I breaking the rules by not giving Supernova Sway a score? I have no clue, but I really don’t know how to even measure this fragrance because it’s so complex and strange - it’s unlike anything I own and anything I've ever worn. I feel it sits squarely within the “unisex” category and is completely genderless. I don’t dislike it, but at the same time it’s not like my regular rotation fragrances. If anything my feelings towards Supernova Sway are perplexed reverence. This is one crazy scent that should be respected (but not feared!) I've reached for it several times since purchasing, mostly because I feel like with each wear maybe I’ll understand it just a little bit better.

Collection Spotlight! Save Me by Notoriously Morbid

Purchased

This is one of Notoriously Morbid's older collections. The webshop doesn't clarify what the Save Me collection is based on but a Google search led me to either the book Save Me by Laura Cline or the Jack and Carly pair from the drama As The World Turns.

Assuming it's based on the book, Save Me is meant to be a romance between Jack and Carly. Works for me! Though the collection doesn't scream torrid love affair to me, I did really like how the shades worked together.

Purchase Link
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From the website: A chocolate metallic bronze.

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

** VEGAN**LIP SAFE*

Personal Comments: A bronze shade with a satin finish and strong hints of red. 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: A light burgundy/pomegranate with copper sparkles.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: magnesium myristrate, mica, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, carmine, calcium aluminum borosilicate, silica, tin oxide.

**NOT VEGAN**LIP SAFE*

Personal Comments: A pale red shade, not pink just a muted red with shimmer and a satin finish. 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: A metallic olive green with copper sparkles.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: magnesium myristrate, mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, ferric ferrocyanide.

** VEGAN***NOT LIP SAFE*

Personal Comments: A darker, mossy, green shade with added shimmer. The eyeshadow base is almost matte but not quite. 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: A dark brown with green, orange, and gold sparkles.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: magnesium myristrate, mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, calcium sodium borosilicate.

** VEGAN**LIP SAFE*

Personal Comments: A red-based brown with a subdued finish. Another almost-but-not-quite matte shade. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link



5 Ravishing Reds

Purchased

Welcome to the continuation of our Colors of the Rainbow series! Last week, we showed you some of our favorite pinks and today we're showcasing the first color of the rainbow, red.

Kristin's pick - Fyrinnae's Purgatory 

We first posted Purgatory in a swatch post last August. It's a beautiful blackened red with shimmery red notes that seem to glow. It makes a fantastic liner and as an eyeshadow, well, Fyrinnae makes some of the best.

The eyeshadow is very pigmented and when used over a glitter glue (like Pixie Epoxy), the results are dramatic and bold. If you haven't tried Fyrinnae's eyeshadow formula yet, I'd highly recommend Purgatory as a great starting point!

Valentine's pick - Shiro's Unforgettable

Shiro's Unforgettable, from their Hunger games-theme Tributes collection, is described as "Hot pink-toned shimmery red with bright red sparks. Lip-safe!" I wouldn't personally describe it as a pink-toned red; I see it as more of an orangey russet red with generous doses of fine hot pink shimmer. Sheered out, the shimmer brushes away and the almost brownish russet base comes out more, making it look warmer and more matte, while applied full strength, the pink sparkle makes it appear like a cooler-toned, glittery, more intense red. This means it's a great option for making your eyeshadow look more complicated than it is--lay down a wash of Unforgettable on your lid and blend up into the crease for a gradient that shifts from cool to warm and sparkly to matte. (The swatch was done over Urban Decay Primer Potion and photographed in direct sunlight.) I haven't tried it on my lips yet, but if you're a fan of shimmer in your lip products, this would be a great option for either DIY lip color or a custom lip gloss.

AG's pick - Shiro's Red Wedding

As much as I admire the classic red lip on other people, I prefer my reds a little darker. When I'm in the mood for a seriously glossy red, Shiro's gloss in Red Wedding from the Seven Kingdoms Collection is my absolute favorite. It's opaque enough to give a lovely, rich color, but has just enough translucency to give it depth and interest. And as I've raved many times before, Shiro's gloss formula is absolutely top notch! If you want to read my full review, along with a look at the rest of the collection, you can check it out here.

Lisa's pick - OHWTO's Tea Rose Mimosa

What does "red" smell like? Maybe cakey red velvet, or sultry red musk - but a classic "red" scent to me has to be roses! One Hand Washes the Other (OHWTO)'s now-discontinued (but sometimes making a surprise appearance in the shop) Tea Rose Mimosa is described as, "Red Tea, white rose, and raw honey; brewed, cooled, and splashed with sparkling champagne and served upon an antique wooden tray. A soft, delicate scent- rose haters, this one might just steal your heart." (Humorously enough, the roses in this fragrance are specifically identified as white, but the tea is red!) While I don't consider myself a rose hater, my skin chemistry doesn't tend to cooperate nicely with rose fragrances.

However, this rose scent is so unlike the others I've tried! The fizzy champagne serves as an excellent companion to the roses and adds a very fresh, almost-soapy-but-not-in-a-bad-way twist, keeping it from turning way too floral. I can pick up a bit of sweetness, and red tea by nature has a bit of a natural sweetness to begin with. The fantastic thing about Tea Rose Mimosa is that it's never too floral or too sweet, and as it wears on neither really overwhelms the other. I find even after 12 hours I can still pick up soft traces of it on my skin, and it hugs just close enough that I'll catch a wisp of it every so often. Classy, feminine and romantic, I hope it makes a comeback in the shop's lineup someday!

Jeannie's pick - Dreamworld Hermetica's Elven Sky

Elven Sky Magick Lip Wand is a deep brownish-red liquid lipstick. On the Dreamworld Hermetica site, it's described as a "deep dark burgundy with shimmers throughout," and even though it looks quite red in the tube, it definitely appears more burgundy when applied. I received a full size of this in my $5 promotional kit (read about Valentine's experience here). I was expecting a red, shimmery lipgloss and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a thinner, opaque, liquid lipstick consistency and very comfortable to wear. The shimmer is fine so it doesn't feel gritty, and even though it's not everybody's favourite, I do like the metallic sheen that it gives off at certain angles.

What are your favorite red indie products? Let us know in the comments!

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