Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts

Monday, August 22, 2011

Evil Shades Review + Swatches

First off I have to say that it is really awesome that Evil Shades has a blogger review kit. For $8 you get 4 eyeshadow, 3 lip products, and 2 blushes. And 3 free samples! AND free shipping!! Anyways, I was very excited to pick out my samples. (As if you couldn't tell!) I ordered and I paid through paypal. I waited the turnaround time stated on the website (5 days) but didn't get an email confirming my order, so I contacted the owner. She replied within 12 hours to let me know that she had been sick for the last couple days but did receive my order and it was going to be shipped in 1-2 days. While I would like to get an email confirming my order after I place it, I thought it was pretty awesome that she had been sick for 2 days and still managed to get my order out on time.


(L-R) 3 lip samples, business card, a double checked list of my order and hand written thank you, 2 blush samples, 4 eyeshadows and 3 free samples all packed in a cute satiny pink drawstring bag.



Evil Shades has two kinds of lip products, Deviant Lipstick "Deviant lipstick for deviant lips! These are non waxy creamy lipsticks, heavy with pigment and moisture. They are candy scented because I'm a kid at heart." And Hardcore Lips "Intensely pigmented gloss. Extremely pigmented opaque coverage but with the shine of a gloss." I had some issues with the Hardcore Lip gloss, but the Deviant Lipstick is amazing! So creamy and smooth! I'm completely in love with the formula. I have chronically dry lips and normal lipsticks make it a million times worse (and look really gross with chapped lips) but Deviant Lipstick not only feels and looks great, it's the first lipstick I've found to ADD moisture to my lips! They come in skinny tubes for precision application, or sample sized clamshells. The website says 2-4 uses per clamshell but I bet I'll get more like 10.

Hell Froze Over is described on the ES website as "Creme white with subtle violet/blue shift. (sheer, intended for layering and or lightening/cooling down other lip color" 

I would describe it as a white lipstick with a subtle shimmer to it. I didn't notice any particular color of shimmer. It wasn't as exciting as I was expecting, but it's a great lipstick.

Feline's Kyss is described as "Neutral soft pink with blue shimmer and crushed pearl flakes. (Semi sheer)"  

I would describe it as an opaque frosty light pink. I think there was something wrong with my sample though. In all the pictures I've seen it looks like a gorgeous semi sheer, pinkish/nude with subtle sparkles. The texture in photos looks super glossy and slightly thick without any stickiness. Mine was thick and I could feel the pigment on my lips. Like the glossy base and the pigments used to color it were separating or something. If I pursed my lips the pigments would clump together in the lines of my lips. Very strange... 

Primrose Path i described as "Pinkish coral with subtle green shimmer"

I would describe it as an orange toned pink with subtle green shimmer. I only wish the green shimmer was like "BAM! in your face!" crazy green shimmer. But still very pretty.



"Fluffy, creamy loose powder blush, in every color imaginable and some beyond imagination! These are not your traditional blushes. Note* Apply sparingly as most shades are far richer in pigment than they appear." Very true, these blushes are beautiful and come in a wide selection of colors. I've been using Pink Noise the most of any blush I own. Both Bronze Skies and Pink Noise look VERY shimmery in the clamshell but when applied they give your face a subtle sheen that looks light and feminine. 

Bronze Skies is described as "Bronze with violet shimmer and soft pink shift (The color of the summer sky at sunset over Two medicine lake, you should see it)"

I would describe it as a warm toned bronze with light pink and fuchsia shimmer. If applied heavily the pink shift/sheen in noticeable. 

Pink Noise is described as Rosy pink with soft orange to pink lit from within glow

I would describe it as a berry toned pink with orangey copper sheen and golden shimmer from a distance it looks as though you have a glowing ethereal flush. If rubbed down the orange/copper is much more obvious and makes the pink look more coral.



I just checked the website and can't find Up til Dawn or Bikini Baby. I suppose that means they're gone now that summer is almost over... But she did just give the website a makeover, so maybe she just hasn't put them up yet? Anyway these two were limited edition for the summer (if you couldn't tell from the names lol) And they are so pretty! Up til Dawn is the most beautiful eyeshadow I have ever worn. Dead. Serious. It's a dusty beige with intense light green shimmer. I haven't tried foiling it but the green is very noticeable no matter what primer or base you use.

Bikini Baby is a pale, green toned seafoam color with delicate orange and pale green shimmer. Also very pretty. Up til Dawn and Bikini Baby are sheer and can be layered, foiled or used on their own to make different looks. 

The last two eyeshadows are from the Arcane Collection. "The Arcane Collection is 11 shades full of mystery and magic! All beautiful shades on their  own but when foiled they transform into a world of depth and magic."

Dreamspeaker is described as "Soothing lilac with silver shimmer- summons an Icy dreamy lilac with silver sparks bursting through." I would say this is a very accurate description.
Dark Arts is described as "Dark dusty purple with multicolor shimmer- reveals strong eruptions of multicolored sparkle." This is also very accurate except I would say it's more of a plummy, red toned purple with gold/copper shimmer and multicolored sparkle.





First up of the free samples is the Evileyes Primer in Noir, "Black oil free eye primer. Evileyes primer is different than any I have found on the indie market. This is not oil or wax based like a lip balm but a light weight silky non oily silicone base. The texture is silky and mousse like. I made it this way to preform well on oily skin as well as to not dry out dry skin, so it's suitable for all skin types. The texture is "mouse like" and contains no oil at all." For me personally I find it to be too wet, but otherwise I really love the whipped texture. It looks lumpy in the clamshell so you kinda have to rub your finger in it to get it mixed up and smooth. Mine was a sample so maybe it has been sitting around for awhile or maybe it got hot during shipping? I don't know. It has the lasting power of a primer and the ability to 'grab' on to eyeshadow like a sticky base. And since it's black it really brings out the undertones and sheen in eyeshadows. At some point I'd like to get samples of the other colors (nude and white) to compare texture and consistency.

Deviant Lipstick in Caged Gypsy is described as a "Deep rose base with glowing pink shimmer. I'm going to call this a "suede" finish as it has shimmer but has no shiny/glossy finish like a matte."

I'd say this is more like a brick red with a slight orange/copper sheen and subtle pink shimmer. On the lips it has a reddish, coral look. (Marz says it looks like Martian sand lol!)

Now for my favorite sample in this whole review! The Spectrum Pot sample in Photonic Green! "Bright light green with aqua sparkle. Spectrum Pots are a wax based pigmented eye color with a slightly sticky texture to hold glitter & shimmer on the lid. They are water resistant (not rub proof). Spectrum pots intensify eyeshadow when applied over. They are made with no oils however as with any eye base each persons skin will hold them differently depending on skin type and texture. These are not a gel liner, the texture is waxier, more like an eyeliner or sticky base. They apply best with a stiff angled liner brush, sponge tip applicator, cotton swab or finger. They work very well as a base for eyeshadow though I have used them as liner as well. Vegan, paraben free and eye safe!"
 
This works amazing as a sticky eyeshadow base, the best base I've ever used in fact. It's safe for eyes and lips, so you could use it as a lipstick, a base for lip gloss, a cream blush, a base for eyeshadow or even as eyeshadow by itself! It doesn't crease or fade and has tons of gorgeous shimmer. I'm considering buying several of these (white, purple and a full sized green lol!). They come in 8 different colors for $4.50 each or $20 for a palette of 5.





I had lots of fun doing this review, hope it's helpful!

*This kit was bought and paid for by me from the Evil Shades website. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


ANA

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Massive Haul!

 

Yesterday we got back from spending three weeks in Los Angeles with my family. Shopping where my parents live is awesome because the stores are bigger and have nicely stocked makeup sections. The Rite Aid there is also really great at getting seasonal limited edition displays.

First up is Rite Aid!


(Left to right, top to bottom) Wet n Wild fast dry "9.0.2.1.Orange", L'oreal limited edition Summer Siren "Yellow Seahorse", Sinful Colors Adventure Island "Open Seas", WnW fast dry "Buffy the Violet Slayer", Revlon limited edition Sweetly Seductive "Grape Fizz", WnW Megalast "Blackmail", Maybelline summer limited edition "Brightside" 8 pan palette, WnW "Sweet as Candy" trio, Maybelline Eyestudio limited edition spring quad "Alluring Almond" and " Mythical Mermaid" (from CVS actually) and WnW Coloricon Shimmer eye pencil "copper".


Next is Target!


(Left to right) Hello Kitty mirror, ELF eyelid primer, Maybelline Line Stiletto liquid liner, Revlon "Extra Curl" eyelash curler


Bath and Body Works!

I'm a total Liplicious addict... as if you couldn't tell lol! I think you can pretty much read the names on the tubes.

 
Signiture Vanillas Cherry shower gel and Signiture Vanillas Berry fragrance mist.

And Ulta!

(Left to right, top to bottom) Proclaim Argan Oil intense hydrating masque, Maybelline waterproof Lash Stiletto mascara, Maybelline Eyestudio Color Explosion "Blue Blowout" and NYX Glitter Mania "Disco Ball".

Lastly Dollar Tree!


(Left to right, top to bottom) L.A. Colors Color Craze nail polish with no names... Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadow in "Mint Dream" and Blue Heaven", L.A. Colors mascara, L.A. Colors auto eyeliner and Covergirl Shadow Squeeze in "Latte".



Phew that was a lot! I'll have swatches and reviews soon too!


ANA

Monday, June 27, 2011

I'm so excited, I just found the limited edition (spring?) 2011 Maybelline Eyestudio quad eyeshadows at CVS! Ive been to every Rite Aid, Walgreens and grocery store looking for these. And to top it off they were buy one get one half off. I got Mythical Mermaid (sparkle teals and greens) and Alluring Almond (shimmery nudes and beige) I'll have swatches soon!



ANA

Thursday, July 15, 2010

SHOES

     Lately I have been so obsessed with shoes, It's unbelievable. (Well... actually it is lol.) I really love neutral colored shoes, tan, beige, cream, nude... Lovely! These are the top 8 I've found and want!

     Bocce Heel from ModCloth- $64

     Diamond Heart by Clarks- $90

     Bombay Lights by Clarks- $100

     Country Meadow by Clarks- $90


     Noral by Sofft- $107

     Sprinkle by Born- $130
     Boogie Woogie by Seychelles- $90



     Watching the clock by Seychelles- $90




                             -Ana

Friday, July 9, 2010

Shoes shoes shoes

While browsing online I came across these adorable shoes! And all of them are on sale for $15!!! The brand is Bella-Vita, I've never heard of them before but they are way cute!







                             -Ana

Monday, June 28, 2010

Well then

     There are lots of personal sale shopper websites out there, but I really like Ideeli. I don't have the budget for expensive designer things so this site is perfect for me. everything is authentic and brand spankin new but at a sliver of a fraction of the cost. I get email updates for when brands I'm on the look out for go on sale, I'm the first to know and jump on it! If you're on a tight budget and don't have time for eBay, but want designer or name brand things for cheap cheap cheap this is definitely a website you should check out. (This is my HONEST opinion, not paid opinion.)


                              -Ana

Oops!

I was so excited about my new lipsticks I completely forgot to talk about the new fabric I bought!
 These three were on clearance at Joanns and will all end up being pretty, fluffy full skirts! My favorite is the purple flowers, I was thinking of making a yellow sleeveless blouse to go with it. I'm already working on a white shirt sleeve button up blouse for the other two skirts.
The aqua gingham and cherry print were so pretty I had to buy them, and they will be dresses. Gingham has become my new favorite fabric. If it is in the wrong color it can look kinda picnic tablecloth-ish though. I think the aqua is subtle and delicate and will be pretty as a dress. I was thinking something along the lines of Vivien of Holloway's 1950's halterneck gingham dress. I first saw it on The Freelancer's Fashion Blog in yellow and loved it. I'm not about to pay a crap load of money for a dress though. Especially not the same one another blogger has. So I figured I would make my own! And not in yellow since I already made a yellow gingham skirt. (I'll do a post on that later.)

The retro cherry dress is very common and kinda stereotypical. I really like it though, lol but I want to do something more unique than a halter or wiggle dress. The will be a red midriff and the bodice, short sleeves and circle skirt will be the cherry print.




                               -Ana

Backkk

After spending three weeks in Los Angeles with my family I'm feeling a bit blog deprived! I have TONS of new things to post, and I'm hoping I'll get alot of it done tonight. I'll start by talking about what I bought (cuz we all know I cant go anywhere or do anything without buying something haha!). I found some really wonderful lipsticks on clearance at Albertson's grocery store for 99 cents!

Both are Revlon, the red one on the right is Revlon ColorStay Sheer 125 Sheer Coral. It is fabulous if you want a sheer, bright pop of color but don't want a thick, obvious lipstick look. Sheer Coral has a very light chapstick feel and smells like vanilla extract! How awesome is that??

The second lipstick is Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Creme 616 Wink for Pink. I had my eye on dusty rose and peach color lipstick, but I wasn't sure how well I could pull it off. For 99 cents though I decided to try it anyway. Let me tell you, I love this color. It's a dusty rose but has a slight peachy-pink undertone and it also has a gold shimmer. Wink for Pink is very silky and lustrous. And surprisingly it doesn't smell at all!
I like that Wink for Pink isn't real noticeable but makes my blush stand out. I definitely want to get my hands on more colors in these lines!


                               -Ana

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Something of Interest


I came across this website, Heaven's To Betsy Vintage, and good gracious! all the beautiful patterns!!! I was itching to get my wallet! There are over THREE HUNDRED patterns from the 1950's, and many more from various decades! They're a bit pricier than what I'm used to spending on a single pattern, but I do love to help out independent companies.

 "  Heavens To Betsy Vintage sells a full range of vintage, retro and out-of-print sewing patterns from 1930's to 1980's and select newer patterns. We also offer vintage jewelry, vintage handkerchiefs, children's books,  fashion related ephemera and an eclectic variety of collectible smaller items. We have over 8,000 items listed online with over 6,000 sewing patterns. All of our sewing pattern pieces are counted and guaranteed complete. All vintage patterns are stored in acid-free polypropylene sleeve protectors and cardboard backings in a temperature controlled environment."


 These are the beauties that caught my eye!


(Lovin the pink polka dot with the bow)

Vintage Scalloped Neckline Dress Pattern Bust 36                           $48.00
Vintage Simplicity Slenderette sewing pattern 3045.  Dress with scalloped, V shaped neckline and short kimono sleeves. Flared skirt with soft pleats or slim skirt with back kick pleat. Self fabric or purchased belt.
Size 16; Bust 36; Waist 28; Hip 38.
Pattern is uncut, complete and in original folds.
Copyright 1959.

Vertical gathers on the neckline...DARLING

Wide Neckline Gathered Bodice Dress Pattern Bust 32                  $38.00
Vintage Simplicity sewing pattern 3920.
Dress with wide neckline and bodice softly gathered at upper edge. Small buttons close the dress front. Sleeves are cut in one with bodice. Full skirt is gathered at waistline. Size 14; Bust 32; Waist 26.5; Hip 35. Pattern is uncut and complete and in original folds. Envelope is aged; old store markdown sale price in red pencil on front. Copyright 1952.




Marilyn Monroe's cherry dress in The Misfits??
Parade Dress Pattern, Deep V Neckline Bust 34              $26.00
 One piece, sleeveless dress has a full circle skirt from a fitted waistline. Bodice is gathered from the Deep V-neckline which is finished in bias trim. Optional bows accent the shoulders. Size 16; Bust 34; Waist 28; Hip 37.Pattern is unused and the pieces are in original factory folds. Pieces are factory pre-cut to exact size and have no printing. All directions are on the enclosed instruction sheet. Envelope is in exceptional condition. Not dated; circa late 50s' to early 60's..
 You should go over and take a sneaky peek! Ya never know what perfect pattern you'll fall in love with!



                     -Ana

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

shoesss

Angie at youlookfab wrote a post on two new shoe companies that caught her attention, and naturally, they've caught my attention too. Now I feel the urge to obsessively troll Ebay looking for them! I've also added some other summer shoes that I adore. And best of all, they all have a vintage flare!

 Born "Jocelyn"


Clarks "Diamond Heart" pump
Seychelles "Eyeliner" pumps
Clarks "Revel Hop" sandal
Seychelles "Thank You Note"
 Sorry for the random placement of the photos. I couldn't for the life of me get them to cooperate!


                         -Ana









Retro Swimsuits!

Today was cold, dreary and rainy. Oh how I cannot wait for summer to be here! I love the warm sun and the lazy clouds by the pool... the hot sand and cool waves at the beach... Sandals, sundresses, floppy hats... Most of all though, SWIMSUITS! For vintage gals there are quite a few places to choose from. Yet, it seems as though the options are all rather similar. Or is that just me? Although I find the silhouettes to be flattering and pretty, the pattern choices are about the same everywhere I've looked! Red and black polka dots, cherry print or solid colors.


While Modcloth has some attractive colors, half the swimsuits look as if they are made of tacky, shiny, cheap material. Maybe that's just the lighting in the photos??? Modcloth also has really ugly swimsuits like the cheetah one to the right. (On another note, I don't understand monokinis. I personally don't find them attractive or flattering. Kinda makes me think your dog or hamster chewed a giant hole in your swimsuit.) From what I have seen online there are three major brands that have the cutest retro swimsuits available: Jantzen, Pinup Couture, and Esther Williams.

 Jantzen recently celebrated it's 100th birthday!!! (January 27, 1910 to January 27, 2010! Talk about standing the test of time!) On the Jantzen website they have a time line of Jantzen's history:

"In 1910, Portland Knitting Company began in downtown Portland, Oregon, with a few hand-knitting machines above a tiny retail store. Little did founders Carl Jantzen, Roy and John Zehntbauer know that they would achieve both fame and controversy as swimwear pioneers. Producing a wool suit for a rowing team they began offering “bathing suits” in their catalog. Early advertisements guaranteed the famous rib-stitch “gives that wonderful fit”."

 Jantzen's 2010 swimsuit collection is inspired by the "bathing beauties" of the 1950's. Here is a link to see the new collection. The average price range for a Jantzen swimsuit online is between 80 and 150 dollars. A bit pricey if you ask me, but very well made, comfortable and long lasting swimsuits.


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This is where I would write about Pinup Couture, but their website is down for maintenance... So I'll have to leave that for another time.


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Esther Williams Collection of swimsuits was started by Esther Williams herself, along with an above ground pool business after her "swimming movies" career was over.



"Esther Williams set multiple national and regional swimming records in her late teens as part of the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics because of the outbreak of WWII, Williams joined Billy Rose's Aquacade. It was at the Aquacade that Williams caught the attention of MGM scouts. After appearing in several small roles, Williams made a series of films in the 1940s and early 1950s known as "aqua-musicals", which featured elaborate performances with synchronized swimming and diving."

 Esther Williams Swimsuits are classy and authentic looking, while their prints give you the option to stay authentic looking or venture into more modern prints. 
The prices are much more affordable than Jantzen, ranging from 60 to 90 dollars. Now I can't attest for the quality or durability of their swimsuits, but the styles are VERY similar to Jantzen. So I would recommend it as an alternative if you can't afford a Jantzen swimsuit or can't get your hands on one!


                     -Ana