Random Product Review! Garden of Wisdom's Restore My Rosey Glow Mask

Purchased

Garden of Wisdom has a "purchase with purchase"-type program for sampling new products they are testing out: if you place a regular order, you can select one sample to add onto your purchase. When I was placing my last order with them, I bought a sample of the Restore My Rosey Glow Mask (0.25 oz for $1.25) since the ingredients looked great--my skin loves honey, aloe vera, clay, and hyaluronic acid. I wasn't too sure what benefit the ground rose petals might have, but they sounded luxurious.

Description from the website:
Before using a honey mask, it is important to apply a small amount of honey on skin to test for sensitivities or allergies as honey is a naturally derived substance from plant nectar and may contain trace amounts of pollens.

Method of Application
First, give yourself 10 minutes to enjoy this beautiful, healing and relaxing mask. Apply a thin to medium layer of this mask to your face and neck. Let dry or remove when still moist. Remove product with a soft washcloth and tepid water.

List of Ingredients
Aloe Vera Gel (Organic)
- soothing
- healing
- inhibits growth of some bacteria
Freshly Ground Pink Rose Petals (Organic)
- suitable for all skin types
- especially valuable for dry, sensitive or aging skins.
- soothing
- healing
- antiseptic
- antiviral
- astringent
- bactericidal
Rose Clay (true rose clay)
- Rose clay is rich in trace elements and excellent for sensitive skin! Detoxification properties are excellent. Rose Clay is very gentle and does not draw oils from the skin.
Hawaiian (rare) Organic White Honey
- moisturizing
- hydrating
- our supplier uses a cold, centrifugal, extraction process to get Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey from the comb into the jar. This cold extraction process allows the naturally occurring enzymes to remain intact and active in the honey.
- antiseptic
- antiviral
- astringent
- bactericidal
Hyaluronic Acid
- Hyaluronic acid is a well researched and tested active, known for its ability to hold over 1,000 times its weight in water. This characteristic makes it one of the best hydrators a person can add to their skin care routine. Hyaluronic acid also protects skin with a light film barrier, while allowing it to breathe. It causes skin to appear more plump, fills in fine lines, and dries quickly without leaving a sticky residue on the skin.
Leucidal SF
- is a probiotic-based preservative created by the fermentation of Lactobacillus in a defined growth medium. Lactobacillus is one of the species of microorganisms used to produce fermented products such as sauerkraut and kimchi, a Korean diatary staple from cabbage. Like many members of the lactic acid bacteria family, Lactobacillus is capable of restricting the growth of other microorganisms by acidifying its environment. However, in addition to acidifying its environment, Lactobacillus also produces novel antimicrobial peptides, also known as bacteriocins, that are capable of providing broad spectrum antimicrobial protection.

Unfortunately, I didn't find this mask to offer a very luxurious experience on the whole. It smells great (like roses) but when I opened the jar, my first thought was of olive tapenade. The mask is a chunky, moist brown mixture with a very unappealing look, rather like chewed food. In any case, after patch testing it with no issues, I decided to try it out on my whole face as directed.

Tasty on bruschetta

Applying this mask felt like trying to paint a wall with used tea leaves. I would take some of the mask out, attempt to smear it onto my face, and chunks of it would just kind of fall off. If I managed by some miracle to get some mask to adhere to my face, if I tried to smooth it down into an even layer, it would crumble off, sending large, damp, clammy blobs of substance down my cleavage.

Eventually, daubed with a patchy, piebald coating of rose-scented tapenade, I decided it was good enough and let it sit for 10 minutes as directed.

ABC face mask

The mask felt somewhat gritty and abrasive as I washed it off--it didn't bother me, but if your skin is sensitive to physical exfoliation, you should be aware that it's not all that smooth. It's pretty mild--nowhere near the level of St. Ives Apricot Scrub in terms of scratchiness, but definitely capable of roughing up sensitive skin.

After removing it, my face felt a little smoother than before, but also a bit dry and tight. Honestly, my skin feels better if I just use any of the individual ingredients that attracted me to the mask in the first place--I have manuka honey and hyaluronic acid serum from Garden of Wisdom, both of which I found more hydrating on their own than using this mask that combines them, and I use Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask from the drugstore if I feel like doing a clay mask.

Bottom line, I'd save your $1.25 and put it towards buying some honey or HA serum rather than this mask if you're looking for a deep hydrating treatment. Smells nice, but the application experience was kind of the clamshell packaging of self-care, and the mask didn't seem like it did anything in particular for my skin.

Although it's only a quarter ounce, the sample jar is big enough for probably three applications of the mask. I decided to try the mask one last time before finalizing my review. I walked into the room where my significant other was working; he looked at me and said, "You've got stuff all over your face."

"It's a mask."

"It's not a very good one."

"...yeah."

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Shiro Face Product Party!

Purchased, Free Sample

Hi everyone! Today I'm very excited to show you some fantastic face products from Shiro Cosmetics. I'll be swatching and reviewing all of the brand's blushes, both the bronzers, and the highlighter.

You're Making Me <blush>  loose blush sparkling in the sunlight!

First, I want to let you know that I purchased all of these products myself except for the Shine Sprite bronzer. Since I wasn't sure how it would work on my pale skin (and since samples weren't yet available), I requested Shine Sprite as one of my free samples in an order, and Caitlin kindly obliged. 

Next, let me tell you a little about the products in general. They all come in giant jars that, as I've been describing in makeup forums, will last you approximately until the sun explodes. Full sizes come in a 20 gram jar for $8, and 1/4 teaspoon samples are available for $1.50. With the exception of the Special Edition 10K blush, all of the products are safe for cheeks, lips, and eyes, which means you can use them as eyeshadows or order them as a custom lipgloss. The Special Edition 10K blush is not FDA approved for eyes or lips, so it is not available as a custom gloss. You can find the blushes in the Blush section, and you can find the highlighter and bronzers in the Highlighters and Bronzers section, naturally. 

Let's talk about the individual shades! This will be a photo-heavy post, so follow the jump if you want to read more...

Swatch Post! Madd Style Cosmetics : Sub Zero, The Winchester, Unicorns & Glitter, and Vortex!

Purchased

From the website: SUB ZERO is an icy, pale blue with gorgeous violet duo chrome shimmer!

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

This shadow is approved for use on eyes and face. 

This shadow is not approved for use on the lips. 

Personal Comments: A shadow on the more sheer end. It's almost white bu with slight blue notes 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: THE WINCHESTER is a plummy brown with a hot pink shift and a blingin' amount of hot pink and gold shifting sparkle

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

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

Personal Comments: A muddy brown shade. I didn't see very much of the plum but the contrasting shimmer stays apparent. 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: UNICORNS & GLITTER is a light pink with a warm gold duo chrome!

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

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

Personal Comments: The gold comes out strongly in this shadow but there are soft hints of a peachy pink 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: VORTEX is a navy blue with a green iridescence and pink glitz.

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

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

Personal Comments: Less of a navy and more of a blue-green to my eye. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link



Solstice Scents: Spring 2014 Review

Purchased

Solstice Scents has some new fragrances for this spring!

I love spring and summer scents - this is no secret! I already took a look at last year's Spring 2013 offerings in two parts (see part one and part two) from one of my favorite indie perfumers, Solstice Scents! This year some familiar faces make a return and there are a handful of brand new fragrances as well. 

• Blossom Tea Jam Cakes
• Cameo
• Cascade of Gold
• Chantilly Cream
• Chrysalis
• Courtyard
• Whispers in the Night

Here I'll be checking out the new fragrances I didn't sample last year: Cameo, Chrysalis, Courtyard (not new, but I didn't buy it in the past), and Whispers in the Night.

Cameo from Solstice Scents

Cameo

Full size: 0.35oz glass roll-on bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD

Almond, Rose, Yellow Cake, Tonka Bean, Coconut, Ginger and Green Orange

Cameo is a delicious gourmand fragrance blended with rose.  Almond, rose, yellow cake, tonka bean absolute, coconut flakes, creamed ginger and a light top note of bitter green orange EO combine to create a sweet feminine floral.  

Before applying Cameo, I thought I had it all figured out. "This is gonna smell like a whole lot of cake, then turn into a basic sweet vanilla-ish scent. Yep." I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Cameo was anything but dull! The almond notes at the beginning are VERY apparent. This is like a creamy almond pastry that smells good enough to eat, but it's not overly gourmand either.  The best part is that the cakey notes are unlike the other cake-themed indies I've tried in the past. The cake notes here aren't as fleeting, they are far more robust but not dominating either. It's an excellent complimentary pair with the almond.

The coconut here is more of a suggestion than "HEY GUYS, I'M COCONUT" and then assaulting you with a coconutty shampoo scent. It balances out the sweetness and blends so nicely that you might not even notice it. Everything is blended so expertly that it's challenging to pick out much beyond the almond and somewhat-cakey-cake notes.

Duration: After an hour or so of wear, something magical happens to Cameo - it turns into a creamy floral! I suppose I should have seen that coming considering the ingredient lineup, but for some reason it blindsided me. It turns into what I'd imagine a child's tea party smells like - no real tea to speak of, but a vase of flowers and lots of sweet, soft and fluffy cookies for feeding to your animal guests. At this point, Cameo has lost most of the almondy top notes and the rest is smooth, creamy sailing. After applying this at 7AM, I was still enjoying it come 4PM in the afternoon.

Score: 4/5
I'm not big on gourmand scents, but I like how Cameo somehow manages to transform from cookies to creamy flowers. Even better, it isn't an "aged" scent and would be an excellent perfume for someone young and just getting interested in fragrances. It's soft and gentle but the opening almond notes give it a bit of sass that make it more memorable compared to other creamy florals.

Chrysalis from Solstice Scents

Chrysalis (Premium Fragrance)

Full size: 5mL glass roll-on bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD

Orange Blossom, Grass, Bitter Green Orange, Vetiver, Patchouli, Amber, Yellow Mandarin, Rose de Mai Absolute, Sandalwood and Indian Attars 

Chrysalis is a fragrance to represent the emergence from a bleak winter into the bright season of spring, teeming with new life, warm sun and clear skies.  The first fragrances that permeate the air in our area of North Florida are sweet blossoms from a variety of citrus trees, primarily the orange tree, fresh cut grass and warm earth. 

I can always tell which offerings Solstice Scents is proud of by their descriptions, and I suspect they're all very pleased with Chrysalis. Having only spent a brief amount of time in Florida, I have no firsthand experience with what springtime ought to smell like. My own experiences in New England are far wetter and muddier! However, Chrysalis gives you a tantalizing glimpse into what life in Florida must smell like this time of year.

I love how Chrysalis manages to capture that sharp, bitter greenness that hovers in the air during a hazy springtime day. It's hot enough that it feels unusual compared to an average day, but it's not a summery burn. In many ways Chrysalis feels like a more outgoing and confident sibling to Haus of Gloi's Honeybelle from this year's spring release.

Where Chrysalis really shines though is about 30 minutes after the initial sharpness softens out. When I think floral perfumes, the first thing that comes to mind are creamy lilies and carnations. But Chrysalis turns into a different sort of floral. This is very fresh and green with just a whisper of gentle warmth that keeps things grounded. I suspect if I did have some experience with orange blossoms this might be more familiar to me, but this feels a little alien to me at the same time. I enjoy it, but I can't quite place it.

Duration: Chrysalis is probably one of the weakest fragrances I've tried from Solstice Scents. However, considering how intense many of their fragrances are on my skin, this is not a huge problem in the least. I applied Chrysalis at 7am and was struggling to detect much of anything come 3PM in the afternoon. It clings closely and would be an excellent "date night" scent to try if you want something that's bright and green to change things up without worrying about crazy silage.

Score: 3.5/5
If Chrysalis lasted longer for me I think I may enjoy it more. But I really love how it manages to conjure up the "feel" of a warm and heavy spring day. I think considering that I've never even experienced spring in Florida, that's a pretty impressive feat!

Courtyard from Solstice Scents

Courtyard (Premium Fragrance)

Full size: 5mL glass roll-on bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD

Lavender, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Sweet Clover, Coriander, Lime, Labdanum & More

Courtyard is an all natural elegant sweet fougere blend consisting of the most exquisite Bulgarian Lavender Absolute which smells just like lavender buds and has no astringent or medicinal profile at all.  

Don't be misled - Courtyard might sound a bit girly to the untrained eye (or nose?) but this is very much a masculine scent. I'm not as well-versed in the masculine side of fragrances, but this is most certainly not a soft, feminine floral by any means!

Courtyard opens up with a jolt of sharp lavender on my skin. The lime gives it a bit of a biting edge. The scent reminds me of a teacher I had when I was younger - he was fresh out of college and meticulous about keeping a cleancut appearance. He would often wear a similar fragrance that smelled similarly and had that same "impeccable poise" and presence.

I expected the sandalwood to be strong on the drydown, but it melds into the other ingredients so expertly that I really can't pick it out. But I know it's there though because it reminds me of warm earth. The drydown tickles the back of my throat, which I'm not very fond of. Something about it reminds me of a spicy sachet to stuff in your sock drawer in hopes of keeping things smelling fresh, but that's for my socks, not for me--!

Duration: After an hour or so things finally "quiet" down, but Courtyard is constantly teeming. I know I use a lot of movement and motion-centric words when talking about fragrances, and I'd describe Courtyard as having a pulsating quality, as it feels like it sits on the surface of my skin and quivers in excitement. The sharper "lavender" stage is superior to the drydown, but overall I get about 6 hours of wear.

Score: 2/5
I would never buy this for myself, and I wouldn't be crazy about it on my boyfriend either. I admire it as a well-blended fragrance, but it just rubs me the wrong way and I don't find myself enjoying it very much.

Whispers in the Night from
Solstice Scents

Whispers in the Night

Full size: 0.35oz glass roll-on bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD

Jasmine, Tuberose, Vanilla Orchid, Coconut, White Amber, Sandalwood, Amber & Ylang Ylang on a base of Edge of the Night

The night breeze laced with the essence of jasmine, tuberose and ylang ylang, caressed by whispers of vanilla orchid, white amber, coconut and sandalwood blended with a light base of Edge of the Night and amber. 

My initial reaction to Whispers in the Night was not a very mature one. As soon as the applicator wand left my skin, a ripple of fear went up my spine. "I smell like an old lady mixed with a Kmart bathroom air freshener!" There was definitely a distinct "old lady white floral" element to this for the first few minutes. I was waving around my arms in a panic hoping that they were the top notes that would evaporate quickest.

Luckily, things turn pleasant after the first 30 minutes pass in a geriatric haze. In fact, this second morphing stage smells exactly like the lobby of a hotel I stayed at last summer in Orange County California - a clean, creamy floral with an underlying almost-smoky-but-not-in-the-tingly-way-you'd-expect scent.

I can definitely pick up the Edge of the Night base, but this is like a creamy floral version of it, all dressed up for a ladies night out on the town.  There are notes of amber wrapped up in creamy, vanilla-tinged flowers (lilies?) and the entire thing smells really lovely. Even after the second level of florals evaporates, there's still very much a feminine imprint left upon the Edge of the Night base, making it a unique enough fragrance in that family to stand alone.

Duration: This stuff lasts, man. I applied some around 4PM, took a shower around 8PM, woke up around 6AM... and I still smelled some on me. But then again, Solstice Scents holds the record for most robust fragrances I've encountered so far on my smelly journey, so this really doesn't surprise me in the least.

Score: 4/5
This is unique, robust, and very expertly blended fragrance that clearly has a lot of love that went into it. I don't think it's for everyone, and there's definitely that "old person smell" risk you take in the beginning depending on your nose's memories! I think it's a far more grown up and mature fragrance compared to something like Cameo, and it would make for a good scent to wear when out on a date...or bumming around the house playing video games in sweats. Which may or may not be how I tested Whispers in the Night.

Final Roundup

Spring 2014 Collection count:

• 8 sample vials 

Price:

• $19.50 for the full collection (excluding the Gardenia Enfleurage)
• $2.43 per sample (a little less than the $2.50 price per individual vial)

Worth it?

This is a decidedly more feminine collection this spring. Courtyard definitely is pretty much one of the only decidedly masculine choices. None of this is bad, but I do feel Spring 2013's offerings were a bit more varied. However, Solstice Scents makes up for this in offering some really magnificent new blends - Chrysalis and Whispers in the Night specifically have a level of depth that some other fragrance blends can only dream of achieving. Every new season gets me excited because it's clear the crew at Solstice Scents is dedicated to pushing the limits and experimenting, which can only end in good things for the rest of us!

Collection Spotlight! Lunar Sacrifice by innocent + twisted alchemy!

Purchased

innocent + twisted alchemy has always been all about the gorgeous artwork and the new Lunar Sacrifice images do not disappoint.

From the website:

Descent into the Garden is from the Lunar Sacrifice Collection which is inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Moon Goddess of Immortality.

There are several variations of the Chang'e legend but basically there was a pill of immortality that Chang'e took too much of and made herself not only immortal but also float up to the Moon where she now permanently resides.

The collection is a soft mix of colors with mostly pastel shades. Finishes range from shimmery to glittery.

Purchase Link
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From the website: Ascent to Heaven is a sky blue that has a coppery sheen and purple and blue sparkles

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Ferric Ferrocyanide (77510, 14038-43-8), Silica (7631-86-9), Synthetic Fluorophylogopite (77019, 12003-38-2), Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax

*NOT LIP SAFE! VEGAN*

Personal Comments: An icy blue with a soft silver highlight. 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: Banished by the Sun is a slightly metallic tangerine with a subtle red sheen and purple and blue sparkles

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Iron Oxide (77492, 1317-61-9), Copper (77400, 7440-50-8), Silica (7631-86-9), Ultramarines; Pigment Red 259, Synthetic Fluorophylogopite (77019, 12003-38-2), Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax

*NOT LIP SAFE! VEGAN*

Personal Comments: A bright orange with a slight golden highlight. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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Oops, name should be "Chang'e"

From the website: Chang'e is a bubblegum pink that has a soft blue shift and has yellow-green shimmer.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Ultramarines; Pigment Red 259, Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Silica (7631-86-9), Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax

*NOT LIP SAFE! VEGAN*

Personal Comments: A light pink named after the goddess herself. Chang'e has a silver 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: Descent into the Garden is a smokey gray that has a green and purple shift (depending on the light) and also has slight golden shimmers

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (77491, 77499, 1309-37-1, 1317-61-9), Ferric Ferrocyanide (77510, 14038-43-8), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Silica (7631-86-9), Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax

*NOT LIP SAFE! VEGAN*

Personal Comments: A black based eyeshadow with some interesting green notes in 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: Elixir of Immortality is a lavender with a golden copper shift and has green shimmers and orange sparkles.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Ultramarines; Pigment Violet 15 (77007, 57455-37-5), Ferric Ferrocyanide (77510, 14038-43-8), Silica (7631-86-9), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax, Carmine (75470, 1309-65-4)

*NOT LIP SAFE! NOT VEGAN*

Personal Comments: A light lavender with strong purple notes. 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: Spirit of the Moon is a smoky purple that has a copper shift and orange, purple, red, and blue sparkles. This is a very sparkly color.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Mica (77019, 12001-26-2), Titanium Dioxide (77891, 13463-67-7), Iron Oxide (77491, 77499, 1309-37-1, 1309-38-2), Ferric Ferrocyanide (77510, 14038-43-8), Tin Oxide (778161, 18282-10-5), Silica (7631-86-9), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate (65997-17-3), Synthetic Fluorophylogopite (77019, 12003-38-2), Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Carnauba Wax, D&C Black #2 (77266, 1333-86-4), Polyester 3

*NOT LIP SAFE! VEGAN*

Personal Comments: A steely silver shade with a brighter silver shimmer. In direct light, the soft brown notes stay hidden. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

Random Product Review! Darling Girl Cosmetics' Gel Candy Eyeliner!

Press Sample

It's always exciting when an indie releases a new kind of product! Darling Girl Cosmetics has just added four colorful gel eyeliners to their lineup. Susan was kind enough to send me "Blue My Mind" to swatch and review but the liners also come in a dark brown, dark green, and bright red if those colors are more to your liking. Personally, I thought that this blue shade was gorgeous.

From the website:

Eye Candy gel liners have a smooth, creamy formula that is smudge proof, water resistant and long wearing.  Your Eye Candy will come with a mini angled liner brush and a zippered pouch to keep it in.

Blue My Mind - Royal Blue loaded with strong blue iridescence.

Removal works best with a creamy oil based makeup remover.

Packaging: 5g square jar with approximately .17 oz of product. 

Always keep the lid on and jar closed tightly when not in use to prevent the product from drying out.

Ingredients: Cyclopentaxiloxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Isododecane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ceresin, Carnauba Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Propylene carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerine.  May also contain: Iron Oxide, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Silica, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate and Synthetic Fluorophylogopite.

As you can see from the pictures above, the eyeliner comes in DGC's new eyeshadow jar (square as opposed to the previous round ones) and with a small slanted brush. The brush is pretty tiny and I probably wouldn't use it unless I was really desperate since I find the shortshort handle to be a little hard to control. However, if you don't have a gel eyeliner brush that you prefer, this included one isn't a bad place to start.

I did have a farther away swatch pic taken but I seem to have misplaced my camera in my recent move. Luckily, I think this macro shot shows everything that I wanted to point out anyway.

As to color, the shade is wonderful. It's a really pretty, vivid blue that draws plenty of attention on its own. I also really liked the formula. It stayed nice and put on my monolids without smudging. However, there's quite a bit of sparkle in this eyeliner and I did experience some uncomfortable fallout on initial application (read: bits of glitter in my eye). It also applies a little patchy on just a swipe so this may not be an eyeliner to pick on days when you're in a hurry.

Definitely a solid new product from Darling Girl. I'm interested in picking up the Chocolate Cherries shade but I'm a little wary of the glitter to be honest.

Readers! Have any of you gotten the chance to try it? Are you thinking about it?

Purchase Link















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Company Overview: Alchimia Apothecary Revisited MEGAPOST

Purchased

Alchimia Apothecary has expanded in a big, big way!

A brand new indie company hitting the scene is pretty exciting. But when a well-liked company closes up their Etsy shop, opens up their own online store, and releases multiple, brand new product lines with a grand re-opening... well, let's just say I did an awful lot of Facebook stalking when Alchimia Apothecary announced their exciting plans.

Swatch Post! Detrivore Cosmetics : Nymph, Courtier, Fortress, and Livor Mortis!

Purchased

Note: These swatches are from before Detrivore's integration with Shiro Cosmetics and formulations may vary slightly.

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From the website: Matte brick red.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: serecite mica, iron oxide, magnesium myristrate.

Vegan, Lip Safe

Personal Comments: This is marked as one of Detrivore's mattes but mine has a bit of a satin finish 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: Light matte tan base with subtle silvery flecks.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: serecite mica, iron oxide, titanium dioxide.

Vegan, Lip Safe

Personal Comments: The base eyeshadow is a matte cream shade but the added shimmer gives it a faint 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: Medium matte gray.

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

Vegan, Lip Safe

Personal Comments: A completely matte, stone grey. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

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From the website: Lightly shimmery deep mauve.

Eye Shadow Ingredients: serecite mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, carmine.

Not Vegan, Lip Safe

Personal Comments: Much more shimmery than the website swatch shows. This is a medium purple with added pink 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



Perfume Review: Smell Bent One

Purchased

Smell Bent is an LA-based perfume company I first became aware of from random freebies thrown in with perfume swaps I had done. I would say it's aligned more with the niche fragonerd perfume world than with the indie perfume oil world, and has been written up in a number of high-profile mainstream fashion publications like Vogue, Lucky, and WWD. One is a perfume that was created for their first anniversary in 2010... and not to be confused with One or The One.

Price: The following sizes are available:

• 4 mL EDT spray for $6.50
• 5 mL perfume oil roll-on for $15
• 8 mL perfume oil for $20
• 50 mL EDT for $45

I own the 4 mL EDT travel spray.

Samples: Available for $3.75.
Shipping: Domestic shipping starts at $3.50 and international shipping starts at $5.50. Free domestic shipping on orders over $75.
Description from the website:
"aging paperbacks buried under cardamom, dark vanilla, dry wood and sweet musk"

My thoughts:
(Please read through this review, and then read through it again in the voice of the Queen of England.)

One goes onto the skin quite spicy, with a fairly dry cardamom and wood overtone, but quickly mellows out to something much sweeter, a creamy and ever-so-slightly fizzy-smelling vanilla bean note.

One smells pretty delicious when wafting by, but I get an interesting dusty-musty bitterness on the back of my tongue from the paper note if I smell One too closely.

One has a comforting wool-sweater and used-bookstore coziness; depending on which way I think about it, I get a warm, creamy, cardamom-infused chai latte; or a moldering old book with yellow, crumbling pages; or unlit cigars, redolent of moist, toasty tobacco; or drinking Calpico in a woodshop.

There is a certain fizzy brightness to the top notes and that dry, woodsy, papery bitterness I mentioned, and these take the edge off the vanilla-milkshake sweetness at the heart of the scent.

I always think of One as a book perfume when I'm mentally categorizing it in my collection, but every time I wear it, I'm reminded that it's actually much more of a milky vanilla chai tea scent than a straight-up paper scent. For me, One lacks the verisimilitude of BPAL's Burning Book, but captures a certain rainy-day nostalgia for afternoons spent reading in coffeeshops in the days before the constant, shiny distraction of smartphones: zeitgeist more than detail.

EauMG has a great review of this scent as well, as does Muse in Wooden Shoes.

Note: Smell Bent does not offer information on the site on the vegan status of all their perfumes, but they do offer to provide the information if you contact them.

Swatch Post! DreamWorld Hermetica : Once Burned, Spellbook, Vampire Heart, and Vampire Lust!

Purchased

From the website: A blend of different orange colors that created a nice metallic bronze with undertones of green throughout

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Tin Oxide; May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI  77491, CI 77492)

LIP SAFE

Personal Comments: A bright orange with a yellow-gold highlight 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: is a deep burgundy with multiple shimmers to indicate the spells that were used

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Tin Oxide, Magnesium Myristate, Boron Nitride; May contain: Mica, Iron oxides, Titanium dioxide. 

Personal Comments: From the Hocus Pocus collection. A dark purple-red with a shimmery 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: Deep purple color with irridescent pink undertones

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Tin Oxide, Lauryl Lysine; May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI  77491, CI 77492) 

LIP SAFE 

Personal Comments: From the Queens of the Night collection. A purple with a strong red base 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: black, gold undertones, white and gold glitters

Eye Shadow Ingredients: Not Listed

Personal Comments: From the Chaos collection. An antique gold with plenty of added shimmer. Applied over Urban Decay Primer Potion and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. This picture was taken outside in natural light.

Purchase Link

Random Product Review and Sale Alert!

2 coats of CGA, swatches photographed in direct sunlight.

Purchased

Last month, Pretty Serious made the tough decision to discontinue some of their older shades of nail polish since it was becoming too costly keeping two warehouses stocked with over 60 different shades of nail polish. The good news is the discontinued polishes have been discounted, down from $9.95AUD to $5.95AUD!

Today I'm showing you CGA, here's the description from the Pretty Serious site: "Let your nails take you back to when Magenta and Cyan went hand in hand and changed the way we saw our computer screens forever. CGA pays homage to the humble beginnings of colour computing and the simpler times of a four colour palette! Anyone up for a game of Alley Cat?" It is from the Hello World! Collection, Pretty Serious' first collection inspired by computers (other shades from the collection I have are BSOD in lipgloss form and Morning Java in eyeshadow form, both now discontinued). CGA first appears to be a pretty pinky lavender, but the blue shimmer reveals a flash of magenta in the light. The brush and formula were very easy to work with, I could have gotten away with one coat but I added a second because I wanted it to be a bit darker and bring out the magenta more. And the photo you see above was done without any nail polish remover cleaning up messy cuticles, a first for me! Assuming the formula is the same across the entire nail polish range, I highly recommend picking up any shades that catch your eye before they're gone!


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Chinovi OMG Tutorial

Purchased

The day has finally come where I have run out of brands to write Company Overviews for! So I have decided to try something a little bit different, a picture tutorial! This is my first tutorial so please let me know if there is anything I can improve on. Kristin's amazing Collection Spotlight post convinced me I needed Chinovi's Limited Edition Oh My Gods! Collection, and I've decided to use 3 eyeshadows from that collection for this tutorial: Hermes, a soft, light gold; Apollo, a warm, yellow gold; and Ares, a coppery, reddish brown.      

1. Apply your favourite primer, here I'm using Urban Decay's Primer Potion. 

2. Apply a sticky primer/base, I'm using Femme Fatale Cosmetics' Shadow Magic. I have hooded, oily eyelids and Urban Decay's Primer alone doesn't prevent my eyeshadows from creasing anymore so I have to double prime! 

(P.S. My nail polish is Contrary Polish's Santorini, recently featured in our 5 Incredible Indie Indigos post). 

3-5. Apply Hermes to the inner 1/3rd of the eyelid with a small, flat stiff brush (I'm using a Real Techniques Detailer Brush) using patting motions to minimise fallout.
6. Apply Apollo to the middle of the eyelid.
7-8. Flip the brush over and tap between Hermes and Apollo to blend.

9-11. Apply Ares to the outer part of the eyelid.
12-14. Take a fluffier brush and blend so there are no harsh lines between the three colours.

15. Apply a matte medium brown to the crease, I'm using Chinovi's Brow Powder in Medium Brown.
16-17. Use a clean blending brush to blend out the brown.
18-20. Re-apply any of the original eyeshadows if intensity was lost during blending, then blend again, rinse, and repeat!

21-24. Apply eyeliner. Here I'm using a limited edition Gel Eyeliner by Essence in All Night Brown from the Sun Club collection with a Sigma E65 brush. I didn't want to take the focus away from the eyeshadows so I opted for brown instead of black, and I kept it in a thin line along my lashes following the shape of my eye. My technique is to do the out half of my eye first, then the inner corner, then connect the line in the middle. 

25-26. Take some of the same eyeliner along the lower lashline.

27-28. Smudge the eyeliner on the lower lashline with some of Ares on a pencil brush. 

29. Clean up any fallout, I also like to use this step to sharpen the eyeliner on the lower lashline. Since my eyes aren't very big, I find smudge-y eyeliner on my lower lashline that's blended too far down is not very flattering.
30. Curl eyelashes. My eyes are not very rounded and I find the most comfortable eyelash curler for me is the Shiseido Eyelash Curler (the curve of the Shu Uemura Curler would sometimes pinch the outer corner of my eyelid).
31-32. Apply your favourite mascara(s). My eyelashes are pitifully straight, sparse, and short, so I layer volumising and lengthening mascaras together.

Done! If you want, you can add an inner corner and browbone highlight, but I try to avoid doing that in every look just to have some variety and I didn't want to take away from the warm, golden look. In person I found this looked much more dramatic, I think my lighting and camera has taken away a bit of the intensity. 

Have you created any looks using the OMG Collection? We would love to see what you created, and if you choose to re-create this look, please send us a picture!