Pigment Frenzy!

Lately I have been on this pigment rampage and not just MAC, but with tons of mineral makeup companies. I personally think $20 for a bottle of pigments is a bit too steep for me especially because I am never going to use all of it or even HALF of it! A sample size (5grams) can last me a really long time. I can see the difference between MAC Pigments and NYX pigments; NYX has a soft, flour like texture to it, and MAC is a bit more gritty, yet both perform pretty well for me.

To be honest, the mineral eyeshadow pigments I have received are good dupes for MAC Pigments because they too are very vibrant in color, and are awesome wet (or foiled as one would like to call it). For me, I just love the variety of colors mineral makeup companies offer for eyeshadows, the possibilities are endless. MAC has quite an array of colors, but I haven't seen any that I couldn't find as a good dupe. But i've been storing them in my stacks (see above), and they keep on coming!

I personally love my "Viz-a-Violet" pigment from MAC because not only was it Limited Edition, but the color is my favorite lilac purple.

My good friend Lisa from My Mineral Bath and Body has been such a great help in recommending some awesome colors, I recently purchase the full size "Black Emeralds" which is shown in this pic a week ago, it's the Outer V:

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Reader Question: Swatches

Q: Hi. I love your swatches!! Can you please swatch more NYX shadows and lipsticks? You have the best quality swatches I've seen so far, but are you using a base with those shadows (i.e. wet or dry)?
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A: I am not much of a lipstick person so I don't have a lot to swatch that have not already been swatched. And NYX shadows that have been swatched are under the swatches label and those are the only ones I have. So basically if I have them, I'll swatch 'em. All my swatches are done DRY unless noted otherwise, I will be doing some wet soon with mineral eyeshadows and other pigments, but they are ALL done DRY. So it can give you an idea of how intense it would be if it were wet.

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Reader Question: Palettes

*sorry I put the wrong link, it's www.nixiecosmetics.com

Q: I was wondering. You may have mentioned it and I missed it. Do your MAC eyeshadows fit into the Nixie palette? Would Milani eyeshadows fit in it as well?
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A: MAC eyeshadow refills and Milani eyeshadows fit into the MAC Palettes, ONLY ULTA eyeshadows and of course Nixie eyeshadow refills fit into the NIXIE Palette only. To order the nixie palette, go to www.nixiecosmetics.com and enter code "1301" for 10% OFF YOUR ORDER!.

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FREE SHIPPING WITH MAC!

Use code: MATTE at checkout from now until October 6th! I love newsletter updates...

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These are a few of my favorite things.....

So a lot of people asked, "Vanessa, you have such a massive collection, which ones are your favorites?"

So here are my favs:

Moisturizer- Aveeno

Facial Scrub and Astringents- St. Ives Apricot Scrub with Salicyclic acid and Witch Hazel or Sea Breeze

Facial hydrator- I like Evian mist or this other one they have at Wal-Mart, I forgot the brand.

Face Primer- Laura Geller's Spackle Face Primer

Concealer: Physician's Formula Concealer Duo in Light

Eyeshadow- This one was hard, because I love so many of them, but I cannot live without MAC eyeshadow in "Vex".

Pigment- MAC's "Viz-a-violet"

Mascara- L'Oreal's Telescopic Mascara

Eyeliner- MAC's Liquidlast in "Point Black", it lasts ALL day even after a shower and it's quick and easy for touch ups! For PENCIL: I like Revlon's Colorstay Eyeliner in "Blackest Black"

Blush- MAC Blush in "Strada"

Lipgloss- MAC lipglass in "Underage" and NYX "Iced Orchid

Chapstick- Blistex's DCT

Lipliner- Sephora #206

Lipstick- MAC's "Sparks Can Fly"

Makeup Brush- Sonia Kushuk's Blending Brush, this baby works blending miracles!

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"Green with Envy" Tutorial

NOTE: I am not sure when the NYX Premium Brushes will be out, it doesn't mention any specific dates on their website, however they are coming out with 24 brushes from contouring to shaping, of course yours truly will keep you posted the SECOND I know exactly when they will be coming out!

Many of you requested a tutorial on the "Green with Envy" look, so here it is!

Eyes:
- MAC Paint Pot in "Rubenesque"
- NYX Chrome Eyeshadow in "Panic"
- Maybelline eyeshadow in "Antique Jade" (I use ALL brands!)
- Mineral Eyeshadow in "Envy"
- Covergirl Liquid Eyeliner in "Blackest Black"
- L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara
- ULTA eyeshadows "Gold Leaf" and "Shell" as the highlight

Lips:
- MAC Lipstick in "Sparks can fly"
- MAC Lipglass in "Underage"

* I put my foundation on before I did my eyes...

Step 1: Apply your eye primer, this prevents your eyeshadow from creasing as well as making your eyeshadow more vibrant. I use Urban Decay's Primer Potion.


Step 2: I then applied MAC's "Rubenesque" Paint Pot and NYX Chrome Eyeshadow in "Panic" to neutralize my entire lid.


Step 3: I then applied Maybelline eyeshadow in "Antique Jade" which is a gorgeous green a little above my crease.


Step 4: Then put my mineral eyeshadow in "Envy" over it to give it more of an "intense", shimmery look.


Step 5: I used Gold Leaf and Shell as my highlight.


Step 6: Line the eyes...mascara...and line the bottom, I did this with a small eyeshadow brush and just applied the envy eyeshadow on the lower lashline.


And voila!

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NYX is coming out with their new line of brushes!

NYX Cosmetics (one of my favorite lines), is coming out with new premium brushes comparative to some high-end brushes, so gals who are on a budget, these are a steal!

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MAKEUP REVIEW: Anastasia Eye Brow Gel (Clear)

4.5 out of 5 stars

I first received a sample of Anastasia's Brow Gel from Sephora when I racked enough Beauty points, and I loved it ever since! I have always used clear mascara gel from the drugstores, and let me tell you it doesn't work for me, it stays put the moment I apply it, but later in the day I see hairs that have escaped the shape and it bugs me!

PROS: It really tames my eyebrow hairs from straying away and keeps them in shape all day! No weird smell, no flakes, and isn't sticky or hard to apply to your brows, just comb and shape as you would normally and you're done.

CONS: It can be a bit stiff when you put too much on, or put too much in one specific area, not a hard stiff where it's not flexible, but it's like you can feel the gel when it's dry.

OVERALL: I really liked it! I am actually going to be purchasing the full size one! :)

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Adding to my collection...and my Fiber Duo Brush

As usual, I have a new MAC Haul; I bought 2 pigments I had to re-stock on, "Vanilla" and "Violet", MAC Lipglass in "Underage", and eyeshadow brush #239 since I lost the one I had. I saw the new collection, Matte2...and to be honest, I was a bit disappointed because they are kind of dull. I swatched some colors on my hand and it didn't amaze me...which is ok, because if it was utterly amazing I would have spent SO much! So it's refreshing to NOT like something by MAC!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the "Underage" Lipglass, it's by far my favorite because it's a pretty color on its own, no lipliner, nada. Lightswitch and C-Thru, the other Lipglasses I have are pretty too, but C-Thru makes me look washed out by itself, so I usually use it with a darker lip liner to add some depth. "Underage" is a pinkish/neutral beige with little shimmer, it's gorgeous!



I also received my Fiber Duo Brush from Everyday Minerals today and it's lovely, I played with it for a little bit and I love how soft and light it is! It picks up just the right amount you need for application.





Here are the lipglass swatches for "UNDERAGE" (request from Fei):

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Milani Lipsticks

I am such a nerd, but I actually watched the premiere of "Gossip Girl" on the WB (I read some of the books), and now I am hooked on it and I don't know why! Doesn't beat "The Hills", but I love shows like that haha...so now every Wednesday night is "Gossip Girl" night!

I have a MAKEUP TUTORIAL on the way, I have been getting so many requests, emails, etc. so I apologize if it's taking me awhile to do them, I am getting around to it! Including the "Green with Envy" tutorial, that's the one a lot of people seemed to like...

Anyway, I went to the CVS store and of course bought Glycerin to make my mixing medium, and ended up picking 2 Milani Lipsticks, "Amaretto" and "Dolce Vita" a sheer beige/nude color, and a soft baby pink color and I also bought Essence of Beauty Brushes, a contour brush, a fan brush, and the baby blending brush came with it. I love Essence of Beauty brushes! They are just so cute to me and I love how they have travel sizes to stick in my purse.





Swatches:


Brushes:

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