Sunday 3 August 2014

FOTD: Winterberry Voilets

Hello there!

So a few months ago, I purchased the Fall Festival, Winterberry, and Think Pink palettes from Coastal Scents, which normally cost 13$ each. They had a 20% off promotion on their Combo Set #9, which retails for 30$, so I got 36 earleady incredibly cheap, full-sized, pigmented eyeshadows for 24$! I had stocked up on some other things too, to make shipping worthwhile.

Natural lip colour
Playful lip colour (Added 6 hours later)
The only problem with these shadows is that the shimmery/frosty ones always need a sticky base for the beautiful colours to show well... Which is fine now, because of my Glam Glue from Impulse Cosmetics. Seriously, I could probably get buckwheat flour to stick to my eyelids with this stuff. It needs Urban Decay primer underneath to keep it from creasing, but it works wonders to get shadows to stick well.

Anyway, I had fun playing with these. I'm always happiest with the turnout of an eye look when I combine warm and cool colours, even if the colour scheme is monochromatic. Scroll for the product list! :)

Face:
-Korres Mattifying Face Primer
-Body Shop All-in-One face powder #045
-Cover FX face powder #B15
-Cover FX cream foundations #B0 and #M30 mixed together
-MAC MSF Natural in Give Me Sun!
-MAC Blush in Pinch Me

Eyes:
-UDPP
-Impulse Cosmetics Glam Glue
-Coastal Scents eyeshadow in Regalia Purple (Fall Festival Palette, outer corners an crease)
-Inglot eyeshadow #493 (Blended in the crease)
-Coastal Scents eyeshadow in Amethyst (Winterberry Palette, main lid)
-Coastal Scents eyeshadow in Gunmetal (Fall Festival, ouver V)
-MAC eye pencil in Feline (waterline and lower lash line)
-Coastal Scents eyeshadow in Steel Grey (Winterberry, outer third lower lash line)
-Coastal Scents eyeshadow in Light Plum (Winterberry, inner two thirds lower lash line)
-Coastal Scents eyeshadow in White Silver (Winterberry, inner corners)
-Mascara

Lip #1
-Maybelline ColorSensation in Park Ave Peach
-MAC Lipstick in Creme d'Nude (center of bottom lip)

Lip #2
-UPDD
-OCC lip tars in Tarred, Traffic, and RX mixed to get a sea-foam green shade

I had quite a bit of fun with this, though I don't usually put satin or shimmery shades in my crease. I look forward to playing with these some more. Thanks for looking!

Lizzie xox

Friday 1 August 2014

Impulse Cosmetics Review and Swatches

Okay. First of all, I would like to say that Indie cosmetics, in my experience, have been AWESOME, but there has been some drama surrounding certain companies (and former companies) due to customer service issues and repackaging of TKB micas as eyeshadows. This is just something to be aware of, because independant cosmetic companies are often comprised of one or two women working out of their homes, and some are more legit than others. Before buying from an indie company, it is always a good idea to do a bit of research to decide if you want to support them or not. You can also find some different photos of swatches to give you a better idea of what products look like, because it can be a bit hard to tell from their webstore exactly what you're getting.

(Photo from Impulse Cosmetics Facebook page)

I have been very fortunate (thanks to Google searching heehee!) to have had NOTHING BUT GOOD EXPERIENCES FROM INDIE COSMETIC BRANDS. This is because I avoid companies that have scary customer reviews. While I generally believe in giving the benefit of the doubt, I don't want to waste my money. Some of you will understand why LimeCrime, for example, will never see a cent from me, despite how interesting some of their lipstick shades are.

We don't need LimeCrime anyway! Have you seen what companies like My Beauty Addiction,
Sweet Pea and Fay, Impulse Cosmetics, and Fyrinnae have created?!

Ahh, Impulse Cosmetics....


First of all, they have to most amazing, unique, long-wearing, awesome lip colours I've ever ever ever ever used EVER.
Another thing I'd like to say is that paying shipping sucks. This is why I got a couple of friends who wanted to order from Impulse purchase with me: so we could divide the shipping three ways. So no, sadly, this is not all mine.

THESE are mine!

Glam Glue is an eye base with Shea and Cocoa butters, which makes me happy. I only use a tiny but because too much makes the shadows crease. It helps to use UDPP underneath it. The foamy stuff you see on the surface is probably because it was made in a kitchen, emulsified at high heat with an immersion blender, so bubbles formed while the product was still hot. I guessed this because I make my own lotions and soaps and stuff and the same thing happens to me if I don't let the product cool to 100 degrees F before pouring it into the jars.
Cost: 5.50 USD


Bellatrix is a raspberry red with a craaazy blue and pink shift. I've never seen anything quite like it before.
Cost: 3.99 USD
 Ghoul's Night Out is a warm violet with lots of red and bronze in it, and a flash of cold shimmer. Yum!
Cost: 3.99 USD
 The Huntsman is a deep bronzy cold with green, yellow, and aqua sparkle....zomg.
Cost: 3.99 USD

Bombshell is a watermelon red/pink, with a touch of orange tone. It is MATTE. This thing just did not want to get off of my lips. In the swatch down below, I didn't use my usual UDPP on my lips first, it was just to see how the colour looked on me. I actually love it. It did settle a little in the tiny cracks in my lips, but I've found that happens a lot less if you apply less product. These are super pigmented, and you don't need to layer it on over and over like a drugstore brand lipstick, which are cut with tons of silicone, glycerine, and probably whale fat, too. It's easiest to apply with a brush because they come in classic lipbalm casing (which probably helps keep cost down). I really wish I picked up more lipsticks. Needless to say, I'll be ordering from Impulse again!
Cost: 6.99 USD

Swatcherinos :)

 The eyeshadows are in loose form with a sifter, and I was SHOCKED to find that I could use them as pigments (applied wet) and as regular shadow without much fallout!! I tried them on my eyes with the Glam Glue from Impulse (and UDPP as awlays) and they stuck to it like spitballs on a geek. *Shudder from middle school memories*
Drool....

I used a bit of cherry red lipliner with Bombshell and I am now in love.

Overall, I am very impressed with the eyeshadows and the lipsticks. We placed a fairly big order while they were having a sale, and it still got to my door in under two weeks. This is one happy customer who will return!!!!