Tuesday, June 28, 2011

EOTD x Three- featuring Geek Chic Cosmetics

It's Tuesday! What does that mean? It means it's one day closer to Friday. See? I've given you a reason to rejoice.


So what's on the Peachy menu for today? Three looks that I cooked up featuring Geek Chic Cosmetics




I love this look. It's simple and easy, but is still edgy- and super fabulous. I got a lot of complements on this one- and the hubby loved it.





Eyes:
  • Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
  • Wet n' Wild Idol Eyes cream shadow in Envy (base)
  • Inevitable Betrayal (on the lid)
  • A Very Fine Hat (crease)
  • Captain Tightpants (inner corner)
  • Off white satin eyeshadow from the BH Cosmetics 120 palette (brow highlight)
  • Sephora Waterproof Kohl liner in Keep Black (waterline/tightline)
  • Maybelline One By One mascara in Very Black
  • Accent lashes
Face:
  • M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid in NC15
  • Translucent face powder
  • Nerdgasm blush
Lips:
  • It's not pictured, but I did wear Marquis'D by M.A.C. with this look.

Look Number Two! I went a little crazy with this one, I admit it. I was actually inspired my a look that Miss Chievious posted on YouTube last week (You can watch it here.). I just took it and ran with it. I told my husband that the look I was going for was "being punched in the face by David Bowie"- hence the glitter.






Eyes:
  • Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
  • NYX Jumbo Pencil in Slate (base)
  • Ambassador all over the lid, under the eye, and down on the cheek
  • Violet pigment from M.A.C. in the crease, and down over the cheek
  • Solid Snake along the top and bottom lash lines
  • Bright vivid pink on the center of the eye and slightly above the crease
  • Off white satin eyeshadow from the 120 palette on the brow highlight
  • Sephora Waterproof Kohl eyeliner (waterline/tightline)
  • Maybelline One by One mascara in Very Black
  • Dramatic accent lashes
Face:
  • M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid in NC15
  • Translucent powder
  • NYX Glitter Mania Glitter in Disco Ball
Lips:
  • Just Bitten Lipstain from Revlon in Midnight (used as a liner)
  • Victoria's Secret lipstick in Hot Spot

This is just a super basic smokey eye. I'll probably do a post just on smokey eyes in the future.




Eyes:
  • Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
  • NYX Jumbo Pencil in Slate (base)
  • Solid Snake on the lid
  • Little Albatross in and above the crease
  • Off white satin eyeshadow from the 120 palette as a brow highlight
  • Maybelline One by One mascara in Very Black
  • Accent lashes
Face:
  • M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid in NC15
  • Translucent face powder
  • Nerdgasm blush
Lips:
  • Ulta lipstick #118- Coral/Orange color

So there you have it. Three looks featuring Geek Chic Cosmetics

Spread the Peachy love, y'all.

Later My Freaky Darlings. <3



Monday, June 27, 2011

Geek Chic Cosmetics Review

*sighs a breath of relief*


Finally. I've finally gotten everything together to do this review, and believe you me I've been chompin' at the bit to get it up. 


Disclaimer: The following products were purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own.


I first leaned about Geek Chic Cosmetics when I was browsing Phyrra's Blog (y'all need to check it out), and I was instantly intrigued. GCC was started by two ladies, Chantel and Deb, who combined their love of video games and makeup. The result was Geek Chic Cosmetics, and I am in love. 


Their eyeshadow collections are inspired by everything from World of Warcraft to Zelda, from Mario to Portal, and from True Blood to Geek Culture in itself. But the collection that got me, pretty much hook, line and sinker, was their "Big Damn Heroes" collection. Why? Because it was inspired by one of my all time favorite shows: Firefly So, let's add that one to the cart.


But wait, there's more! Another of their collections is "The Single Player" collection which features eyeshadows such as "Chewy", "Newb", and "Katamari King." So which one did I order? "Solid Snake" of course! Metal Gear was pretty much a staple in my childhood. I look back fondly on the memories I have of watching my Dad play it, and laughing at him mercilessly when he died. I was a lovely child. "Solid Snake", is now officially added to the cart.


Of course, there's more. I had to pick a blush as well, and this one was an absolute must. As my best friend can tell you, every time I go into Sephora I have to swatch Nars "Orgasm" blush for two reasons: 1) the color is absolutely gorgeous 2) It's called "Orgasm". I'm pretty much in love with the color. When I saw GCC's "Nerdgasm", I rejoiced! It was not only the perfect dupe for the Nars blush, but it was very easy on the pocketbook. The Nars blush retails at around $34, whereas "Nerdgasm" is a lovely $9.99. Yeah, I was instantly sold.


Now onto swatches!


Here's the whole shebang. They also sent me a sample baggie of "Matriarch" from their N7 collection

Here's the first shadow from the "Big Damn Heroes" collection. I absolutely love this color. It's super pigmented and goes on very smoothly, and it's just a gorgeous dark mauve.

Shadow #2. My camera just does not do this color justice at all. It's such a gorgeous smokey medium blue with a smidge of sparkle.

This is another one of my favorites from this collection. When I first applied it it reminded me a bit of "Cobra" from the Urban Decay Black Palette, but it's definitely its own shade- and thankfully noway near as dark. And the reflects glitter in it is divine.

Oh Captain Tightpants. First of, the name is friggin awesome- I mean seriously. As with "A Very Fine Hat", I was also reminded of an Urban Decay eyeshadow- Baked to be exact. But whereas "Baked" is pretty much gold, this shadow is a fabulous copper, and it makes a lovely inner corner highlight.

Yet another color that my camera does not do justice. This color is a great olive green color, and when applied over a pale green base it pops like nothing else.

Lets just take a moment shall we? Just to soak up the awesomeness of this color.
....
Yeah. It's pretty much amazeballs. "Solid Snake" is definitely my favorite of the eyeshadows that I ordered. It's just such a gorgeous navy blue with royal blue reflects glitter. Ugh. It's just so friggin awesome. Mmmm.

This blush is fabulous. The texture is quite lovely, and the color payoff is excellent. It is a loose blush, which I'm still trying to get the hang of, but it's all good.


Now to the nitty gritty.

Pros:
  • Affordable
  • Fast shipping, and the package was well packed- including pink tissue paper.
  • Excellent customer service. They sent an email out when the order was placed, and one to let us know when it was shipped. They even wrote out a personalized thank you on the invoice. Pretty awesome.
  • Excellent quality
  • Small ingredients list. All ingredients are listed on their containers as well as their website.
  • Cruelty free and Vegan (except for their lipsticks- beeswax)
  • It's a Geek centered makeup company. What more could you want?
Cons:

  • I wish the packaging was a bit bigger, but that's just because I love the products so much. :)



So. There you have it. Please go check out their website, trust me it's worth it.


*Just a note, all the eyeshadows were applied over E.L.F. Eyeshadow Primer.

Leave me some comments, and spread the Peachy love.

Catch you on the flipside, My Freaky Darlings. <3








Thursday, June 23, 2011

Mascara Madness!

Before I bring on the review/rave, I just want to say that I am stupid excited about Pottermore. Yes, I am one of those crazy Harry Potter fangirls. But, y'all know it makes me adorable. ;)


Now, on with the show!


I was asked today, by a very lovely lady, to do a post/recommendation on mascara. She asked and I'm delivering. 


Disclaimer: The following product was purchased by me, with my own money. The opinions expressed are my own.


Maybelline One By One Volum' Express Mascara



I absolutely adore Maybelline mascaras. I've tried other companies, Cover Girl, Mary Kay, what have you, and I always come back to Maybelline. Why? For me it's because they are the original mascara makers. Let me give you a brief history:

Once upon a time...In New York City, in the year 1915, a young chemist by the name of T.L. Williams noticed his sister, Maybel, doing something rather odd. She was mixing a concoction of Vaseline and coal dust and applying it to her eyelashes to make them appear darker. The wheels in his head began to turn, so off he went to his small lab to perfect his sister's brew. The result was Lash-Brow-Ine. It was a hit. But, something was holding T.L.'s product back from being a success: The Name. So, T.L. thought, and decided to name his creation Maybelline- after his little sister and the Vaseline she originally used. And thus, a makeup company was born...

And that is why I love Maybelline. It's kinda up there with Oreos- why buy an imitation, when you can have the original? Of, course Maybelline's modern formula is different now then it was in the early 20th century, and of course there are now a wide range of products to choose from.

The last mascara I owned was Maybelline's Falsies mascara, which was supposed to give your lashes the effect of wearing, as the name suggests, false lashes. Did it? Not really, but I thought it was still a good mascara. Then I found this one:

Ready for some closeups?


Boom!

First off, I love the packaging. It's super bright, and I like bright, plus it has a bit of a retro feel to it with the font. So, aesthetically, I approve.

This mascara is supposed to be anti-clump all the way around, from the formula to the wand. It's also supposed to provide oodles of volume. 

So does it? Heck yes.  

This mascara does a fabulous job of separating my lashes, and there aren't any clumps in sight- not even on the wand! Check it out:


That is the cleanest mascara wand I have ever seen straight out of the tube- also, keep in mind that I've have this tube for a few weeks now. Yeah. It's amazeballs.

Final thoughts:

Pros
  • Zero clumpage
  • Separates my lashes pretty well
  • No clumping on the wand
  • Waterproof. I ALWAYS buy waterproof, because you just never know...
  • Three shades to choose from: Very Black (pictured above), Black, and Brown/Black
  • Affordable- runs about $6-ish dollars here in the States
Cons:
  • Ummm..... None. 

I highly, highly recommend this mascara. It is hands down, and without a doubt, the best mascara I have ever owned ever. I will definitely be a repeat buyer on this one.


If there is anything that you want my opinion on or if you have any questions at all, leave me a comment below and I'll get back to you. Also, there's going to be some fun stuff coming soon, including a review of Geek Chic Cosmetics (I'm so excited about this.) So, spread the word, loves.

Later My Freaky Darlings. <3












Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Urban Decay? Yes please! **sale**

If you have ever wanted to try Urban Decay cosmetics, there is no time like the present. They are running some fabulous deals right now, seriously. When I saw this I literally had a "holy crap on a stick" moment.


Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes typically run in the range of $30-$36 dollars, which is a good deal to me. Why? UD palettes come with 6 eyeshadows (individually priced at $17), a travel eyeliner (the full size eyeliners are priced at $18), and a travel sized Primer Potion (full sized Primer Potions are priced at $19). So, if you just bought 6 individual eyeshadow it would run you about $102. Yeah. Urban Decay Palettes = a freaking awesome deal.


But right now on their website they are featuring the Preen palette for $10. Yes. You heard right. $10! I don't know how long this sale is going to last, so I'd seriously suggest that y'all check it out. They are also running some good deals on some of their other products as well.


Like I said, if you've been wanting to try out some Urban Decay, now is definitely the time to buy.


Preen Eyeshadow Palette


Other Great Urban Decay Deals


*Also, Urban Decay is a cruelty free company.


Happy shopping, my freaky darlings.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Foundation Saga, it ends at last! + REVIEWS!!!!

Today was the first "official" day of Summer. Whoop-de-friggin-do. Well, at least from here on out it will slowly get better. What do I mean by that? I mean that after today the days will start getting shorter. In other words, the count down to Autumn has begun! Of course down in the South that doesn't really mean much. Our weather tends to be on the schizophrenic side.


Weather and solstice mini rant aside, I bring you my first review!


Wow. This is kind of exciting. It's like I'm becoming a big girl or something. Who'd have thunk it?


First off, here's the disclaimer: The following products were purchased with my own money, and were not sent to me by any company. The opinions expressed are my own.




Now then, let's get started.


M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid




This is the first M.A.C. foundation that I have ever purchased, and I can say with full confidence that it is my favorite. I was definitely one of those women who viewed hunting for the perfect foundation like I was searching for the Holy Grail. Foundation shopping was always a saga for me. It always seemed to include staring at mega mart makeup aisles for what seemed like forever trying to decide which was the right shade/formula/you name it for me. Now, I'm not hating on drugstore brands, not at all, but one of my main complaints about them is that you can't swatch them. Swatching is what makes going to makeup counters fun- you can essentially try it before you buy it. Another advantage to hitting up makeup counters is that you can talk to the makeup artists on hand and really find out what is the best fit for your needs.

That is exactly what I did. I bit the big one, put on my big girl panties, and headed to the mall. My original intentions were to visit both M.A.C. and Clinique, because I figured that they would have not only slightly more budget friendly options, but what I needed skin wise. First stop: M.A.C. I told the girl at the counter exactly what I wanted: Light to Medium coverage, matte finish, and a SPF. And she definitely delivered, and it was love at first swipe. Needless to say, I didn't make it to the Clinique counter.

Here are my Pros and Cons:

Pros:
  • I don't have to use a lot of product at all to get the light coverage that I need, but it is still very buildable for those days when I need a bit more coverage.
  • SPF 15- Gotta protect my fair skin
  • Silicone based*, so it applies very smoothly
  • Long lasting, even more so with a base**
Cons:
  • Price. A bottle runs for $26.50, but compared to other high end brands it's not too bad. And it's only expensive to me because I'm used to just buying drugstore brands.
  • The pump costs extra. It's $6 for the pump, which bummed me out, but I much prefer to have a pump- you can control the amount of product you use, plus it cuts down on germs
* If you are allergic to silicone, you may want to avoid this product. Just a heads up.

** As far as bases go, I'm about to fill you in with the next review.

L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional- Magic Perfecting Base

Geeze Louise that's a stupid long name.


While shopping for foundation I was introduced to the concept of bases. Now, it wasn't like I had never heard of using a base, I had just never tried one before. As I was being swatched for foundations at the M.A.C. counter the makeup artist applied a base to one side of my face so that I could see the difference. Yes. There was a difference. While the side without the base looked great, the side WITH the base looked incredible. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford M.A.C.'s Prep + Prime Skin base that day- it costs the same as the foundation ($26.50). But, I remembered that L'Oreal made one. 

So, what exactly is a base? Quite simply, all it does is help to smooth out your skin, and essentially create a good canvas for your makeup.

I picked up the L'Oreal base at my local Ulta store (as I did have a coupon with me at the time). The L'Oreal base runs at about $12.99- a steal compared to M.A.C. 

One of my first thoughts about it after taking it out of the packaging was: Gee, this is small. And compared to the M.A.C. base, it is. The L'Oreal base contains only .05 fl.oz. of product, whereas the M.A.C. base contains 1.0 fl. oz. So, now that I'm thinking about it, it really wasn't that much of a steal.

Over all, I'm pleased with it. It does its job, so I can't complain too much.

Pros:
  • Affordable
  • Available in most mega marts and Pharmacies
  • Does indeed help my foundation stay on longer
Cons:
  • Not a lot of product
  • Feels a bit heavy on the skin at first
*This product is also silicone based.

I do want to make a quick note of this: L'Oreal is not a completely cruelty free company. They have stated that they do not test there finished products on animals, but they do test their ingredients on animals. To be honest, it's hard not to buy L'Oreal products as there are several companies that fall under their umbrella such as Garnier and Maybelline, just to name a few. Just wanted to give a quick F.Y.I.


There you have it. My first ever product review. I hope that I was helpful to someone. If you have any other questions, leave them in the comments!

See you later, My Freaky Darlings.






Sunday, June 19, 2011

I'm A Goal Oriented Little Monster, Aren't I?

Small post tonight, my darlings. But don't worry, it's worth it. 


So, as I stated in my first post, I am in the process of losing weight, regulating my blood sugar, and just plain getting healthy. It's been two weeks since I've started this regime, as it were. I've cut out pretty much all carbs and sugars, though I do still eat fruit- some days I feel like I'm becoming a rabbit. I've also been going to the gym four days a week and doing between 45-60 minutes of cardio- though I am shooting for five days. In these past two weeks I've dropped seven pounds! That's just amazeballs- especially considering that it is typical to drop 1-2 pounds a week. So yeah. I'm gonna pat myself on the back for that one. 


I have two goals set for myself: 1) to loose 30 pounds by the High Holy Days (September-October) and get my GED. My reward? Most likely some new clothes and a Nook color. I am so determined to do this, it's ridiculous. 


In in odd way, discovering that my blood sugar was a bit out of whack was a blessing. It was like G-d was telling me (well, more like yelling at me) "Hey! Get off your bum and fix this! You're 22 years old, you shouldn't be like this!" So I said, "Yes, sir." and immediately changed my eating habits and joined the local gym. And here I am, two weeks later. Though I am still over weight, I'm beginning to feel better- healthier. I have more energy, and I've pretty much gotten over my carb withdrawals. Yes, I still get the cravings (especially at the birthday party I went to last night, those cupcakes looked super yummy), but I just have to fight through it. I actually think that I'm starting to develop a low tolerance for carby foods- I had a cookie Friday night and I noticed that a few hours later my stomach was hurting. Yeah. Not really worth it anymore. 


My overall goal is to loose 50 pounds- hopefully the majority of it lost by my birthday in December. Then after I get my GED, it's correspondence courses for me as I intend to become an herbalist. 


It's a busy and exciting time for me, but it is still challenging. I know that I'll get through it just fine, though. I do have the Creator of the Universe on my side after all. That thought alone is enough to make me smile.


"I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13



I said it was going to be short tonight. 

By the way, the outfit in the above picture is my Outfit Of The Day. I love that feeling you get when you put on an outfit and it just makes you feel awesome. Today's outfit was one of those, and, as you can see, it was awesome.

See you soon, my freaky darlings.

Friday, June 17, 2011

War Paint...Ooh La La...

Well, what do ya know, it's the weekend! Hallelujah, lock and load! 


If you are currently reading this it means that you've lived through another week. So, pat yourself on the back and snuggle up on the couch- heck, you may even want to grab a drink if it floats your boat. You have now entered that lovely bubble of time known as the weekend, so take my advice: Don't move unless it's absolutely necessary until Monday. That's what I try to do, though sometimes that practice can bleed over into the week... It's a terrible habit...


Anywhos...


I feel like I'm still in the introductory stage with this blog, which is just not flying with me. So, we'll get this entry started by introducing one of my hobbies: makeup. It all started when I was a toddler and I discovered my Grandmother's makeup drawer. True to Aimee form, the first thing I grabbed was a tube of red lipstick. This might explain my affinity for the color as an "adult", the world may never know. Not only did I smear it all over my face (If I could remember my exact thoughts as a three year old I'm pretty sure that I would have thought I looked awesome), but I also decided that Gran's white carpet needed to be that shade, too. Yeah. I'm gonna blame the Gypsy blood for that one. Who cares if that logic makes sense or not, I'm going with it. 


Thus, my love for makeup was born. As I've gotten older I've discovered that there is more than what is in the makeup aisles of local mega marts and pharmacies, that you didn't have to use the little sponge applicator that comes with your eyeshadow (which you probably shouldn't anyways), and that it is perfectly fine to use more than three colors of eyeshadow at once on your eyelids. Shocking, isn't it?


In keeping with this introductory makeup post, I thought I'd put up a few pics of my set up and collection. Now, you may think I have a lot of makeup after looking at the pictures. Trust me, I don't. If you're ever feeling froggy look up some makeup collection videos on YouTube, that'll definitely change your mind. Though I do aspire to, one day, have an insane collection of makeup, it hasn't happened yet. I'll get back to you when I win the lottery and have a bigger house.


So pics! Woot!


This is my basic set up located on my dresser. Yes, that is hand sanitizer- you should ALWAYS have clean hands when applying makeup, or touching your face in general. The squirt bottle on the front right is homemade brush cleaner. A clean brush is a happy brush, and a happy brush is germ free.


Brushes! See, no sponge applicators here! Why am I hating on the sponge applicators? Simply put, they're just way too harsh on the eye. The skin around your eyes is very sensitive, and using a sponge applicator tends to not only scratch the eyelid, but pull it as well- and that can cause wrinkles in the long run, ladies.



This is my small collection of eyeshadow palettes. From left to right we have: 120 Palette from BH Cosmetics, a random palette that I bought a few years ago and use on occasion, the Urban Decay Black Palette, and the Urban Decay Fun Palette. Also shown are just plain ole moisturizer and translucent face powder.


If you have ever visited the Red Ajah of Dragonmount.com and witnessed a "prettying", then you've probably heard me mention my "Makeup Case of Doom Wonders". Well, I wasn't making that up. Here it is folks. Behold it's glory, and tremble in fear Warder aspies!



So there you have it. My collection of War Paint. 

War Paint. It's such a fitting description. Women are tough, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. We can put up with a lot of crap and then turn around and be just as loving as anything. We always have on our game faces, because, let's face it, we have to. Yes, I know that not all women wear makeup, but that doesn't mean that we don't wear our War Paint. Just because you may not be able to see it doesn't mean it isn't there. So tread carefully gentlemen, tread carefully.

Well, that's blog post number two in the bag. I feel like I need to cap this off with a video like I did for the last entry, so here you go:

Paris (Ooh La La) - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals




Catch you on the flipside, my freaky darlings.




Thursday, June 16, 2011

Howl

Wow.


I'm writing a for realz blog on a for realz blogging site. Yay go me. You know, I must say that this doesn't look too shabby. Not to shabby at all.


So. What am I blogging about? Hell if I know. Ha! I kid, I kid. But, I have a feeling that it will be a bit of everything. So if you've ever wanted to venture into the realm of "What the heck is that girl thinking?!", here's your chance. Chances are that you'll find everything from makeup looks that I've concocted (just wait until October when I can get away with doing special effects work), recently watched movies, my fangirl obsessions *cough*HarryPotter*cough*, music I'm currently annoying my husband with because I play it all the time, and other things in that vein. You can also expect to see me talk about my writing, spoiler free of course, and how I'm progressing. Who knows, this blog thing may even help with that nasty little thing called writer's block that likes to rear it's ugly head every once in a while. And, since I'm in the process of losing weight, getting healthy, and keeping my blood sugar at a normal level, you'll probably hear about my progress and also about how I'm craving [insert carb filled food here].  There. Now you know.


As for the title, Peaches n' Scream, the origin of that it quite easy: It's my roller derby name, or it would be if I played roller derby. Either way, it's awesome so I'm keeping it.


Now that I've gotten the intro spiel out of the way, lets talk about something else! Yay! 


The title of this entry is Howl. Why? Because it's the title of the song that I have stuck in my head at the moment. I'll be nice and include a video for it at the end of this entry. So, since this is pretty much it for tonight, here you go!








See you soon my freaky darlings.