Milani Cosmetics Gel Powder Eyeshadows

Introducing the new Bella gel powder eyeshadows from Milani Cosmetics! Saw these at my local CVS store last week however they had a smaller display which only had some of the shades, I then went to Walgreens today and was able to grab a few more as they were on sale for $3.99, whereas CVS was $4.59 each. Since I hear these are permanent, I would wait until they have a BOGO half off or BOGO free sale (which they occasionally do). I believe there are a total of 19 shades.

I skipped on some of the other colors only because I know I would either never use them, or because I have something similar (do I really need another black eyeshadow?!??).

First impression: These are NOT gel, nor are they "gel-like", it's not soft and mushy like a gel, in fact I have actual gel-powder eyeshadows from Colour Pop Cosmetics to compare it to, and those are definitely gel, because as soon as you touch it, your finger feels somewhat wet to the touch, and the slightest touch causes the product to move similar to that of a mousse/gel.

These eyeshadows however, just feel like a soft, baked, finely-milled powder eyeshadow. They don't shift to the touch, and they feel very velvety and smooth. Some shades are highly pigmented, even on their own without a primer, some looked less pigmented with a primer for some odd reason, and some were not pigmented at all (Bella Cappuccino and Bella Caffe were the worst performing, they were so light and I really had to scrape a good amount of color just to swatch them), in all fairness though, it may be a good thing that they go on so light for those of you that have a heavy hand, because it will really give a more natural look then going on too heavy or borderline smoky. Bella Sand was also another one that was very sheer and light, however that was what I expected, and it makes a good highlighting color.

In terms of performance and staying power, I have not tested it myself as of yet since I just got these, from what I know with past Milani eyeshadows, a good eyeshadows primer is a must. They seem to fade very quickly when worn alone.

Below are the shades I bought, there are two swatches in each pic, for each color, the swatch on the left is the eyeshadow by itself, and the swatch on the right is with an eyeshadow primer (I used a Rimmel eyeshadow primer for these).

My favorite shades: Bella Gold, Bella Bronze, Bella Emerald, Bella Navy, and Bella Charcoal
Least favorites: Bella Cappuccino and Bella Caffe

Are you picking up any of these? Have you seen them yet at a store near you? Sound off in the comments below!

 

readmore »»

Milani Rainbow Palette

My sisters are in town (and have been since late July), so they have been keeping me busy since I am their tour guide and chauffeur. LOL. On top of that, we have moved offices! Same building, just different floor, and it's HUGE! So excuse the lack of posts, I think once my sisters go back to Washington at the end of the month, I will finally have a moment to chill at home and blog. Whew!

Anyway, I have had this Milani rainbow palette for awhile and barely getting around to reviewing it. My fiance actually bought it for me at CVS for $8.99, I was excited when I saw it because it was super bright, and after seeing Brit from Clumps of Mascara posted pics, I was curious to see how these were since I love Milani's other products. 

However, I was a tad bit disappointed because I found these to be too chalky for my taste, and they didn't stay on long, so highly recommend using an eyeshadow primer. I also didn't really like the color payoff as only a few of the colors were bright enough.  :(

I will definitely try and post a look soon!

Sisters reunited. <3

readmore »»

Milani Pretty Pair Lipstick & Lipgloss

Many of you have asked the nailpolish colors I had on in some of my recent posts so here they are; I hope to do a post soon with a bunch of nailpolish swatches:

- In the YSL Primer Post, I wore Nina's Ultra Pro Nailpolish (available at Sally's Beauty Supply Store) in "Sweet Nothings" (like a lilac purple).
- For my toes and nails (in the post where I had the strappy shoes from Target), it's Essie nailpolish in "No Boundaries".
- My sister's blue nailpolish (which was actually mine! LOL), is China Glaze nailpolish in "Frostbite".




Anyhoo, I recently went to Target the other day to get some body wash and was walking around the cosmetic aisle (because it's somehow euphoric and therapeutic to walk through familiar territory!) and I saw these new Milani lipstick and ligloss duos called "Pretty Pairs" ($6.99 at Target). Each shade name starts with a "Two", for example the one I bought is "Two Perfect", and examples of other shades are like "Two hot to handle" and "Two Cute".CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE COLORS.

Product: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Quality: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Shade I bought: Two Perfect
Additional shades available? Yes
Price: $6.99 at Target
Where to buy: Walgreens, Target, any retailer that sells Milani products
Would I buy again? Yes


They aren't anything like the stay on lipsticks such as L'oreal's Infallible lipstick, these are simply just a lipstick with a matching lipgloss in one with a pull out mirror on the back. They are pretty light-weight and tiny to carry around so it doesn't occupy a lot of space, the lipstick can be worn alone or with the lipgloss if you wish. It has NO SPF protection, but this is just a really basic lipstick and lipgloss set on the go, and at a nice price! The lipstick is creamy and easy to apply, the lipgloss is too and they both don't have a weird taste or smell (at least to me), the only thing I don't like is the lipgloss brush wand, it's stiff and super tiny; if they just tweak the brush wand it's perfect for me.

It contains:
- Shea butter
- Vitamin E & A
- Avocado and Jojoba Seed Oil

I LOVE the color I got, "Two Perfect, it's a nice nude-peach color in person, not super coral or orange, but a nice tinge of peach so it's pretty wearable and I think it complements a good majority of skintones nicely without being washed out or overpowering. I definitely want to check out the other shades they have soon!

PROS:
- Affordable, moderately easy to find in most stores here in Cali
- No weird taste or smell
- Love the shade I got!
- Has a pull out mirror
- Easy to tote around in your purse, not overly bulky or heavy

CONS:
- Lipgloss brush wand is a bit stiff and tiny
- Even though they currently have more shades, it's not a big selection, I think if they add more shades, that would be awesome!

Overall: Definitely like the one I got, and for you lippie lovers like me, definitely check it out the next time you are out and about!









Just the lipstick:


With the gloss:

readmore »»

Essence of Beauty Brush Sets for SALE & More Pure Luxe & She Space Minerals!

Ok so I had some requests to do a video on exactly HOW to blend eye colors, so I will be doing that soon using two and three colors, eyeshadows AND pigments.

I had a lot of people asking me if I was selling Essence of Beauty Brushes, I have only 3 brush sets left available for sale for $16 including shipping, SAME price for International residents, it's a 4-piece brush set with a brush bag.

Comes with: A powder brush, blush brush, eyeliner, and eyeshadow brush.

Email me if you are interested.



I got my personalized shirt today with my logo used on my business cards and site name.


Got more Pure Luxe Minerals and She Space Minerals!




I haven't had time to swatch the She Space Minerals yet since there are so many baggies...I will soon.

A reader requested swatches of the sheer lipsticks from Milani, again please include your email when asking a question if you are under "Anonymous", or do not have a blogger profile, if that's too much work then feel free to leave one in the Cbox :)

readmore »»

Milani Wet/Dry Eyeshadows VS. Vincent Longo's Eyeshadows

My good friend Izzy from Musemedia (who is such a sweetheart!) bought ALL of the Milani Wet/Dry eyeshadows and has done a thorough review on them comparing them to the very similar Vincent Longo Eyeshadows. She is so funny and has such an awesome personality!

Thanks so much Izzy!

CLICK HERE to see her awesome review!

readmore »»

EOTD: Black & Gold, More Milani, EOB Brushes, & Pure Luxe Mineral Eyeshadows

Here is my "eye of the day" (EOTD) I did a few days ago, I was in a hurry so I forgot to take a full face pic. I wanted to put my MAC Paint Pot in "Cash Flow" to some good use, so here is what I used:

- MAC PP in "Cash Flow" all over the lid up to brow bone
- NYX "Blondie" e/s all over the lid just above crease
- Milani "Storm" and MAC e/s in "Carbon" on outer-V (outer half of the lid) and crease
- Indelible Gel Eyeliner in "Black Out"







Swatches:




Quantities:

Mai Tai Blush= 1 available
Silver Charm= 3 available
Lily White= 1 available
Beach Sand= 1 available
Royalty= 1 available
Coffee Shop= 1 available

***SOLD***I am also selling a BRAND NEW long handled baby kabuki brush I bought from Lumiere's Pre-Buy Brush Sale last year, I had to wait months to get it and completely forgot about it, so I never even used it since I bought the MAC 180 brush! The website is selling it for $19, and I am selling it for $12 including shipping. The brush hairs are soft!


I also bought an Essence of Beauty brush set with brush wrap, all for $10! I found out that Essence of Beauty is affiliated with CVS Pharmacies, meaning it's a brand made specifically FOR CVS, which is why it's uber hard to find! It's only available at CVS!


My Pure Luxe Mineral Eyeshadow Samples arrived the other day as well, can't wait to do a fotd with them! I love their mineral eyeshadows!





No Flash:

readmore »»

VIDEO: Review on Milani wet/dry eyeshadows and MAC PRO Products...

This will help some of you with your questions, I talk about dupes for Milani Shamrock in this video, even though to me this is the best way to go because not only is it cheaper but because you can't get MAC Humid wet now can you!??? LOL jk. Oh and I'm NOT naked btw haha I was sporting a tube top!

I recorded this before my bedtime 2 nights ago, just a little review on my recent snagged items, so I apologize if I look a bit frazzled and have bed-head, LOL. I wish videos in general truly captured the actual color, that's why I hate doing vids, it drained out the color big time...sorry!



Upcoming Posts:

- Amuse Palette
- Depotting MAC Blushes

....and more!

I am trying to catch up to all of your requests, but I keep getting bombarded! So I appreciate your patience! Trust me ladies, everything you have requested have been in my mind, do a look using more of the Milani eyeshadows (the new ones), a look using Mai Tai (and like I mentioned in the video) seems similar to MAC "Hipness" blush, and a bunch of others I can't think of...they are on the way!

readmore »»

MAC PRO Store Field Trip & Haul (LONG post!!!)

After having a long weekend, I get back to my desk this morning and my tulips have blossomed! They are so pretty!

I had a lot of fun at the MAC Pro Store on Robertson Blvd., sound familiar? That's the infamous street where all the paparazzi lurk waiting for celebrities to come out of shops and cafe's. Luckily there was no chaos yesterday, so it was nice and calm around Beverly Hills.

I even got awesome parking, right in FRONT of the store! I swear I felt like I was in heaven walking in there, SO many products, every color and product you can imagine! I was in awe by how many things they had!

Some of you asked me about the difference between MAC PRO, MAC Freestanding Stores (the regular MAC stores in your local mall), and the ones in department stores such as Nordstrom's and Macy's. So here is the breakdown, it MAY vary from State to State:

Department Store MAC's: They have LIMITED items, they DO NOT sell pigments, brushes (only the ones that come out with a collection), mixing mediums, PRO colors, palettes, refill pans, chrome cakes, lip erase, etc. They just sell eyeshadow pots, concealer, lipsticks, lipglasses, blush pots, skincare, cleansers, foundation...

MAC Freestanding Stores: They sell the palettes, refill pans to put in the palette, full range of brushes, accessories (sponges, jars, eyelashes), pigments (not PRO pigments), as well as everything mentioned above. You can also return items bought at a MAC Freestanding Store to a PRO store and vice versa.

MAC PRO Stores: They have EVERY MAC Product imaginable! Mixing mediums with alcohol, gel, water, for the body, eyelash, multi-purpose (like foiling pigments), all the pigments (inc. PRO), PRO lipstick and Eyeshadow shades, newest collections, accessories, brushes, eyelashes...the reason MAC PRO items cannot be purchased online is because it's designed for those who are true makeup artists, going to school for it, and/or those who contribute to the makeup industry such as photographers, models, actors. But you can still buy PRO things in person at the store or the 800 number on the macpro site. There is no difference in price, the pigments are the same all the way around, for some weird reason certain colors are PRO while others aren't (for every MAC product) I have no clue why...lol. PRO stores just offer more in terms of color range, variety, and quantity but prices are the same, so for example there is no difference in price between a regular lipstick or a PRO lipstick.

They already had the new Beauty Powder Blushes out, I didn't walk out with any because the colors seemed whatever to me or they were similar colors to some blushes I have...although I think I liked two of them. Sorry I didn't get any of the blush names, I didn't want to get caught with my camera!




Chromeacakes (PRO only, used for theatrical makeup, fake tattoos, etc by professional makeup artists):


Being stuck in traffic for MAC was well worth it, LOL!






The MAC Stand at MACY's:


I really wanted to get the PRO eyeshadow in "Bio-Green" but they were sold out in both the refill pans AND the pot! Argh I was so disappointed! I guess i'll just put in an order over the phone...



I bought: Lip Erase in "Dim", Pigments: Emerald Green (PRO), Bright Fuchsia (PRO), and Fuchsia, as well as Fafi Blush in "Fashion Frenzy", and Lipstick in "Show Orchid".

- Lip Erase: Neutralizes the lip color so that you can really see the color payoff of your lipstick and lipgloss. Also great for doing a neutral/nude lip. You can also use concealer, however most of MY concealers are yellow-based so I bought this so it's more of a neutral color....

- Bright Fuchsia Pigment: Super bright, almost red but with a nice pretty shimmer, reminds me of "Flammable" Paint. Can stain...

- Emerald Green Pigment: Bought this solely for MAC Pigment Samples so it WILL be available soon!

- Fashion Frenzy Blush (Fafi Collection): I exchanged "Hipness" Blush for this simply because the "Hipness" blush wasn't working for me, it would concentrate so much color on one spot no matter how lightly I applied or what brush I used. Then I realized that I already have some blushes that are orangey so I figured id get Fashion Frenzy instead which I like a lot!

- "Show Orchid" Lipstick: I love, love, love this lipstick! I KNOW, ANOTHER HOT PINK LIPSTICK!!!! Talk about the PERFECT HOT PINK! I tried "Chatterbox" and "Girl About Town, as well as "Impassioned", "Immodest", etc., and out of all the amplified creme lipsticks, this one by far is the perfect hot pink! It's just so gorgeous and definitely wearable! Gezebel, you know you wanna try this one!!! This one maybe IT! Hehe :)

Swatches:


Fun N' Sexy Lipstick & Show Orchid Lipstick (PRO Color):


Wearing "Show Orchid" Lipstick:








I also went back to CVS and bought more of the Milani Eyeshadows while they were on sale, I also picked up Milani blush in "Mai Tai" to "replace" my Hipness blush, LOL! They actually look similar...






Fashion Frenzy on my cheeks (lips: MAC Slimshine in Bare):


Swatch of NYX Round Lipstick in "Pandora":


Some MAC PRO Lipstick & Eyeshadow Swatches:

From L to R (top row): Lipsticks- Impassioned, Up the Amp, Violetta, Show Orchid, Girl About Town, Chatterbox
(second row): ? forgot.., Bright Sunshine e/s, and Grape Pigment
(bottom row): Pink Pearl Pigment, Blue Calm e/s, and Atlantic Blue


Swatches of Milani WET/DRY eyeshadows, ones depicted with an * are my favorites!

readmore »»