'Luminous Fairy' EOTD- plus info for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation

Well my darlings, let me just tell you that I am one tired girl. Busy bee doesn't even being to describe me at the moment. But, with luck, everything should be back to some semblance of normalcy by next week. Now let me just say that nothing is wrong, we're just in the process of moving my grandmother, and my grandmother has a lot of stuff that she's accumulated over the years and it all isn't going to fit into a studio apartment. Fun times. But, we have been blessed by her move because she's given us lots of neat things- plus Gran loves Chanel, and she let me have a few items. I feel like such a big girl now. Ha!


Lucky for you guys, I had a free moment and was able to work on the blog. I don't know if you've noticed, but the layout has changed, and I have to say that I'm really liking it. You can never go wrong with black- it's a slimming color and should be a staple in every closet (that might explain why I have so many black tee shirts...). The purple is an added bonus, and it's just plain pretty. And there are bows. I love bows. They make me happy. Only thing missing is a skull or two...




Real quick I wanted to post a look featuring the Tarte for True Blood palette. It's actually based off of one of the face charts that came with the palette, and it's called 'Luminous Fairy'.


Please stay tuned to the end for more information about the banner on the right of the page


Roll the pics!

Face:

• M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid in NC15
• N.Y.C. Concealer
• 'Nerdgasm' blush by Geek Cheek Cosmetics

Eyes:

• 'Dawn', on the lids and towards the brow bone
• 'Bayou', in the crease
• 'Werewolf', in the deep crease
• emphasEYES aqua-gel eyeliner by Tarte in black
• 'Charmer', smudged over the eyeliner
• One by One Mascara on the top lashes
• Lights, Camera, Lashes! by Tarte on the bottom lashes

Lips:

• 'Nectarine Dream' (118) by Ulta- this lipstick is discontinued, but any orange/coral color will do

^o^ ^o^ ^o^ ^o^ ^o^ ^o^ ^o^  

Also new to the blog is the banner you see to the right. It's for the S.O.P.H.I.E. Lancaster Foundation. In 2007 Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend were brutally beaten for simply dressing "goth". The teenagers that did it had no reason what so ever, and were actually happy about what they had done. Sophie and her boyfriend were both put into comas due to the injuries they recieved, he pulled through but Sophie did not. She was 20 years old. The Foundation was started by Sophie's mother to educate teens that just because someone dresses or looks different than you do does not mean that they are any less of a person and should be treated with respect. The British makeup company Illamasqua is partnered with the S.O.P.H.I.E. Lancaster foundation, and even put together a tribute film in her memory. You can visit their page here to find out more information about the Foundation, and also about donations.


Stamp. Out. Prejudice Hatred and Intolerance. Everywhere.




Website for the S.O.P.H.I.E. Lancaster Foundation: http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/


See you soon, my freaky darlings.


<3

Tarte for True Blood - Comparisons/Dupes!

It's a bit of a quick post tonight. I thought I'd throw up a few comparison/dupe photos for the Tarte for True Blood palette.


So let's hop to it shall we?

Nocturnal (TfTB) vs. Solid Snake (GCC)

Both of these colors are fabulous, though for different reasons. As I stated in my Tarte for True Blood review, 'Nocturnal' is great if you just want a fabulous navy with a hint of sparkle, but for that "wow factor", 'Solid Snake' is the way to go. As you can see from the photograph, the punch definitely goes with 'Solid Snake', but 'Noctural' is still gorgeous none the less.

Bayou (TfTB) vs. Baked (UD) vs. Captain Tightpants (GCC)

Here we have three very similar, but still very different shadows. I love all three of them immensely (I'm actually thinking about doing an EOTD with all the shades, just to see what would happen.). 'Bayou' is an obvious third in pigmentation compared to the other two shadows- 'Baked' might be the winner on that one. 'Captain Tightpants' leans more to the bronze side, however, compared to the other shades, which lean more gold.

Moss (TfTB) vs. Libertine (UD)

Lets face it, these two shades are pretty much perfect dupes for one another. The only difference being that 'Libertine' is the darker of the two, but only by a hair, and 'Moss' has a teensy bit more shine.

Legend (TfTB) vs. Black Dog (UD)

These two are practically interchangeable. Though I will say that 'Black Dog' is just a smidge more pigmented than 'Legend'

Glamour Me (TfTB) vs. Jet (UD)

Close, but no cigar. 'Glamour Me' is an obvious shade or two darker than 'Jet', but 'Jet does have 'Glamour Me' beat when it comes to sparkle.

All of the Urban Decay eyeshadows pictured are from the Black Palette.


I hope that this was helpful in some way, shape or form.


Keep an eye out for some EOTD's featuring shadows from the Tarte for True Blood palette.


Spread the Peachy love my freaky darlings.


<3

Tarte for True Blood - Review!

I think I deserve a reward for this one. Seriously. At least 100 photos sorted through, cropped, watermarked, and labeled, and one new piece of background material later I finally have everything done. I feel like my brain has liquefied and is about to ooze out of my skull- at least the zombie Apocalypse is scheduled, tentatively, for December 22, 2012, otherwise that might be worrisome.


I feel like I need to put a bit of a disclaimer on this one. While I love the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I'm not that enthralled with the 'True Blood' television series. As far as adaptations, while I have seen worse, this one is not that great, and I do have issue with some of the casting. Yes I'm being nit-picky, I know. But, I do love the casting for Eric, Pam, and Lafayette- they're great characters to begin with (especially Eric). But, from what I've read of season four thus far, I don't think I could stomach it. Thay just changed way too much for my liking. Aaaaaand end rant.


 Anywhos... Everything is finally ready to go, so let's just go on and get to the good stuff!


**Disclaimer: All products were purchased by me. All opinions are my own. 

Hello awesome sauce packaging! This just absolutely screams Fangtasia, and I love it.

This is such a well put together palette, and the attention to detail is just fabulous. A lot of thought obviously went into this design, and I think that Pam would even approve.

I tried to get a shot of the front of the little drawer at the front on the palette, but it was apparently not to be- just to let you know, it says "Open After Dark" on it. But it's what's inside that's important...

Nestled inside the drawer you'll find: 'Lifted' Eye Primer, 'Light's, Camera, Lashes!' Mascara, and 'EmphasEYES' Aqua Gel Eyeliner.

First up, the primer: I hate it. Yep. Hate. The first time I used it I put it through probably the most brutal test I could- I went out to a concert. 3-4 hours hanging out in a crowded theater in the middle of a hot and humid Alabama summer, with changing lights, and the heat coming off of the sound equipment. Yeah, heck of a test. Needless to say my eye makeup was shot to hades by the time I got home. But I wanted to give the primer the benefit of the doubt, so I used it again the following Friday before church. No later than 30 minutes and my eyeshadow was not only creasing like nothing else, but fading as well. Can we say fail?

^o^

Next up, the mascara: I actually really like this mascara. It's great for lengthening, but not so much volume. It tends to weigh my upper lashes down, which is a bit of a bummer, but I absolutely love it for my lower lashes. The wand is like the traditional mascara wand, not the plasticy ones, and I haven't had any issues with clumping at all.

Win.

^o^

Third, the eyeliner: I have a love/hate relationship with the eyeliner. We'll start with the loves: The formula is lovely. Though it's a retractable eyeliner, it feels like a liquid when applied. Weird, but true. It's very, very highly pigmented, and when it dries it does not move. Serious business, it is on there.

Now the hate: Well, it's not really hate.. Because of the initial texture of the product before it dries, I don't like it for the waterline. I'm not sure what it is about it, but it just didn't work for me in the waterline department.

Overall, win.

^o^

The palette also comes with these handy dandy face charts, and all of the looks were designed by Brigette Myre-Ellis, who is the head of True Blood's makeup department. 

Fancy pants.

Let's just take a moment here, shall we? Let's just soak it all in before we go through them individually. 17 eyeshadows people. 17! *sighs*

I know you're probably thinking the same thing I did when I first saw this palette: Wow. For a palette based on a vampire series, there sure are a lot of neutrals. 

Yep. There's are lots of neutrals. But in all honesty, it fits the series. True Blood vampires are not Dracula knockoffs who only favor red and black- unless they're on duty at Fangtasia, then it's just for show. Pam, for instance, is a pastel favoring vampire- she's also a vampire who favors Nars' Lip Pencils.

All of the shadows have just an absolutely amazing texture. They just glide on, and it's wonderful. It's like buttah.

Let's get on with the individual shades. 

You might want to grab some popcorn and a bottle of True Blood for this, we do have 17 shadows to get through.

*All eyeshadows were swatched over NYX eyeshadow base in 'Skin Tone'.

This is one of my faves. I know it's a bit hard to see, but it's a gorgeous golden champagne color. It is very sheer, but it makes a fabulous highlight.

Like, 'The Light', this one is also a bit hard to see. Where 'The Light' was a golden champagne, this one is a pink champagne. And, like 'The Light', it makes a great highlight color.

'Dusk' is a matte tan color. I am a fan of matte browns (lucky for me this palette has two). Why matte browns? Because they are great for doing vintage and pin up style makeup- which is my go to quick look. While shimmery shadows are fun and modern, there's just something about mattes that just scream classic beauty and sophistication.

I love this color. Love it. It's just gorgeous, and I do believe that it has become one of my favorites. I will be posting a look featuring this eyeshadow very soon. 

Remember the other matte brown that I mention? Well this is it. I love this color, not just because it's a matte, but because it's called 'Werewolf'. Yeah. I'm a nerd. Shut up. But it was correctly named, in my opinion- it does seem like a very Alcide color. One of my new found favorite uses for this color is as a brow powder. It's actually the right shade, unlike the E.L.F. one I had been previously using- which was just way too red and too light. 'Werewolf' is also an great color for the deep crease, it gives excellent dimension to any look.

'Waitress' is an interesting color. It's a gorgeous mauve/gold color with tons of glitter. And when I say tons of glitter, I'm not exaggerating. This is definitely a color that you would want to pack on the lid. But because of the size of the glitter you are going to get some fallout- it's inevitable. Just keep that in mind if you're going to wear this shadow on a night out.

When I first saw this color it immediately reminded me of 'Solid Snake' by Geek Chic Cosmetics. But, while this is indeed a gorgeous navy, it doesn't have the wow factor that 'Solid Snake' does. If I want drama and shine, I'm going to reach for 'Solid Snake'. If I want just a navy blue with subtle sparkle, I'm gonna reach for 'Nocturnal'.

'Charmer' is another that is becoming one of my favorites. It's also one of those interesting colors. A salmon pink goldish color thing-a-ma-jig? Who'd have thunk it?

'Glamour Me' is a cool color. Not cool as in cool toned, but cool as in cool. I know that in the photo it looks like a blue undertoned purple, but it's really more of a neutral purple. It's one of those neat shades that could really go either way, warm or cool. I like versatility in an eyeshadow.

Another matte! Woot! A matte gray is a staple eyeshadow, in my opinion. It's a versatile and useful color, and 'Stake' is no exception. 

Guess what? This is another favorite! Bet you didn't see that one coming, did ya? And let me just say that it looks fabulous when paired with 'Dawn'. Serious business.

'Telepath' is an eyeshadow much in the same vein as 'Waitress'. Huh. Is it a coincidence that they are inspired by a certain telepathinc waitress? I think not. But I digress. This is the more pink counterpart to 'Waitress', but like 'Waitress' this shade does produce massive glitter fallout. Just be warned.

This was the first eyeshadow that I used from this palette. Needless to say, I love it. This has to be the most rich and pigmented silvers I have ever seen. It's just simply gorgeous.

'Immortal' is a lovely matte black with silver glitter. Luckily, unlike 'Waitress' and 'Telepath', the glitter is not chunky and fallout happy. 

I love this green. It's just. Ugh. Fabulous. And it goes fabulously with 'Inevitable Betrayal' by Geek Chic Cosmetics. Just saying.

'Legend' is a great matte black- it even has the same intensity in pigmentation as 'Black Dog' from Urban Decay, which surprised me. I love using this color smudged along the lash line on those days when I don't want the harsh, precise lines from regular liner.

Last one. 

This color is delicious. And I will venture to say that is my absolute favorite from the palette. I just absolutely friggin' love it.

So, let's get down to the nitty gritty.

Pros:

• 17 eyeshadows, primer, mascara, and eyeliner for $52.00- fabulous price for the amount of product you get.
• The quality of the eyeshadow is great, smooth and highly pigmented
• Packaging is adorable
• It's inspired by True Blood, works for me

Cons:

• The primer is sucky.

I also have several comparison photos for the eyeshadows, but I will do a separate post for those since this one is getting rather long winded. Also, I will be posting several EOTD/FOTD's featuring the eyeshadows and such- so keep a look out!

Let me know your thoughts!

Spread the Peachy love, my freaky darlings.

<3

EOTD - Starring Double Feature 3 and Stars and Rockets

Just a quick post today, and all featuring the M.A.C. products swatched in the last post.


So here we go!

Face:

• M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid foundation in NC15
• NYC concealer in 'Light'
• 'De-Slick' matte powder by Urban Decay
• E.L.F. eyeshadow primer

Eyes:

• NYX Jumbo Pencil in 'Milk'
• M.A.C. Double Feature 3, Brown eyeshadow in the crease
• 'Stake' (matte gray) eyeshadow from the Tarte for True Blood palette in the deep crease
• 'Stars n' Rockets' eyeshadow by M.A.C. on the lid
• M.A.C. Double Feature 3, Teal eyeshadow on the outer fourth of the lid
• 'Fairy' eyeshaodw from the Tarte for True Blood palette on the inner corner and brow highlight
• NYX Studio Liquid Liner in 'Extreme Smokey Gray'
• One By One mascara by Maybelline on the top lashes
• Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara by Tarte on the lower lashes
• E.L.F. brow gel form the 'Medium' duo
• 'Werewolf' eyeshadow from the Tarte for True Blood palette as brow powder

Cheeks:

• M.A.C. Cream Color Base in 'Madly Magenta'

Lips:

• 'Style Curve' by M.A.C.

Now I'm off to work on swatch pics for the Tarte for True Blood palette. Fingers crossed, it will be up tomorrow.

Spread the Peachy love, my freaky darlings.

<3

Mini M.A.C. Haul / First Impressions

Not exaggerating one bit when I say mini. I actually only purchased two items, but it was three eyeshadows total. So, that brings my total of M.A.C. items to eight. Woo hoo! 


I'm actually pretty excited about what I bought, because it's technically my first regular eyeshadow purchase. I say regular because the first eyeshadow that I ever bought from M.A.C. ever was 'She Who Dares' from the Venomous Villains collection, and it is a mineral eyeshadow. There is a difference, trust me. 


The first item I picked up was from the Colourizations collection. This collection features eight eyeshadow duos, which are aptly called Double Features. The eyeshadows, individually, are not named (which is a bummer in my opinion) so you basically just have to go by number. I picked up Double Feature 3, which is a teal and brown combo. 

The first shadow is a teal and it has a matte finish. I really love the color, though I will say it is a bit difficult to blend, but it isn't really all that surprising considering that it is a matte.  The color payoff, overall, is quite good.

The second shade is a brownish grayish color and it is a satin finish. This color goes on a lot smoother than the teal, and the color payoff is just as good. Overall, I really like the color.

The duos retail for $25.00. I know it seems like a lot, but it's actually cheaper than buying the eyeshadows individually- they are $15.00 for individuals.

^o^  ^o^  ^o^  ^o^  ^o^  ^o^

It's a bit of a funny story with this one. Well, not really, but we're gonna just go with it. I originally went to the M.A.C. counter with the intention of getting 'Blanc Type' eyeshadow which is a matte light skin tone color. But, as luck would have it, they were out. While I could have kept in the same neutral vein with other shades like 'Cork', 'Shroom', or 'Vanilla', I decided to go in a completely different direction. Hence why the color above is a gorgeous pinky purply shiny bit of awesomeness. 

'Stars n' Rockets' is a color that I've been drooling over for a while now, and I am so excited to finally have it added to my stash. It's a very sheer, but buildable, color and I am so in love with it. I just can't wait to play around with it some more- especially over some different bases like 'Milk' and 'Slate' from NYX.

So there you have it, my mini haul. I have a feeling that I'm well on my way to becoming a M.A.C. whore now, and I'm so excited. Ha!

Spread the peachy love my freaky darlings.

<3

'O Positive' True Blood inspired look- GCC Contest entry

So, you guys want a teaser? Of course you do! 

This is a two fold post: a preview for the Tarte for True Blood palette review/swatch-a-paloosa, and to show off my entry for Geek Chic Cosmetics contest (currently being held on their Facebook page).

So, be prepared to drool because these colors are delicious.

The stipulations of the contest were to take whatever geeky thing that you are inspired by at the moment (comics, video games, or what have you) and create an EOTD or a FOTD based on that inspiration. Since I've been on a Southern Vampire Mystery (the book series that the HBO television show 'True Blood' is "adapted" from) kick for the past few weeks, so you can guess what my inspiration was. I straight up went with a bottle of True Blood to determine my color scheme, plus I really wanted to play with 'V' from the Tarte for True Blood palette. 

So, there you have it. What do I call this look of fabulosity?

'O Positive'

Aren't I the creative one?

Products Used:

Face:

•  L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional- Magic Perfecting Base
• M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid in NC15 
• N.Y.C. Concealer in Light
• E.L.F. Eyeshadow Primer

Eyes:

•  'Slate' Jumbo Eye Pencil from NYX, blended on the lid and up to the crease and also on the lower lash line  
• 'V' eyeshadow from the Tarte for True Blood palette, packed on the lid up to the crease and also on the lower lash line 
• 'Cherrybomb' eyeshadow by Ulta, on the crease and blended up and also blended down under the lower lash line 
• 'Ambassador' eyeshadow from the Big Damn Heroes collection by Geek Chic Cosmetics, blended in the crease  
• 'Glamour Me' eyeshadow from the Tarte for True Blood palette, in the deep crease 
•  'Fairy' eyeshadow from the Tarte for Ture Blood palette, as the brow bone highlight
•  'Captain Tightpants' eyeshadow from the Big Damn Heroes collection by Geek Chic Cosmetics, in the inner corner and lower lash line 
• 'Keep Black' kohl eyeliner from Sephora, in the water line and tight line 
• 'Legend' eyeshadow from the Tarte for True Blood palette, smudged on the upper and lower lash lines  
• 'Lights, Camera, Lashes' mascara from Tarte, on the lower lashes  
• 'One By One' mascara by Maybelline, on the upper lashes

Eyebrows:

• E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit in 'Medium' 

Cheeks:

• 'Cherrybomb' eyeshadow by Ulta, as the contour
• 'Central Park Pink' by N.Y.C. on the cheeks

Lips:

• Carmex lipbalm
• 'Marquis 'D' by M.A.C.

There you have it. Yay for teasers! [insert evil laugh here] 

I had meant to have swatch photos and such up by the end of the week, but I've been having background issues. The background issues have been rectified and I will be taking swatch and comparison photos this weekend. Hopefully I should have everything up hopefully no later than Wednesday- if the L-rd's willing and the creek don't rise. 

So, spread the Peachy love, my freaky darlings. <3

Boots, UK

Being one of those crazy people that sits and watches a ridiculous amount of makeup tutorials, reviews, and make up collection videos (I have a morbid fascination with those..), I've come to the realization that I need more money. Why? So that I can fly across the pond to London and buy the products that I can't get here (well, some of them I can, I just don't want to pay shipping). Yes, I am very aware that this is a very absurdly, not to mention expensive, roundabout way of getting things. Just let me have my dream, alright?


But in the mean time, a British pharmacy chain has made some of their products available to us Westerners by way of one of my absolute favorite, and frequently visited, stores: Target. And what pharmacy chain would that be? Why Boots of course! When I first saw the Boots section in the Health and Beauty department in my local Target, I had to restrain myself from having an all out squee moment. Serious business.


Thus far I have purchased three products from the company, two of them being from their Boots Original Beauty Formula line, but more on that in a second, and I absolutely love each product.

First up we have the Skin Tonic from the Boots Original Beauty Formula collection. Before I address the product, let me first address the line. This line was created with the intent of capturing the look and feel of skin products of old, but with all of the modern, and safer, formulas. The two products that I have (so far, I know I'll be buying more) from this line have been in glass bottles with metal screw top lids- and let me just say that they look fabulous on my dresser lined up next to my perfumes and such. Needless to say the packaging is brilliant, and if you're like me and are someone who loves that Victorian look, then these might just be for you. But, as with all products, DO NOT BASE YOUR BUYING DECISIONS SOLELY ON THE PACKAGING. That's just silly.

Now, on to the product itself. I'm sure that the fact that it's called Skin Tonic is probably throwing you for a loop, but keep in mind the design aesthetic here. This is actually a toner. I had been needing a toner pretty bad before I purchased this one. The one that I was using before was just awful, it dried out my skin and the seemingly ridiculous amounts of alcohol in it made my eyes water- even though I completely avoided my eye area.  Not the case with this product. It is so incredibly gentle and it has a lovely light musky scent, and it just makes my skin feel loved.

Total winner.

U.S. retail- approx. $7.99

Next is the Overnight Skin Cream. This is another product that I've been wanting, in general. Again, the packaging is absolutely lovely. The product itself? Heavenly. It has such a smooth and creamy texture, and it just glides right on my skin. It's pretty much like instant hydration. The scent is light, and I love Bergamot in general- it's fruity, but not overpowering. This product also contains Almond extract, so if you're allergic you may want to steer clear. But the bergamot paired with the almond smells divine, I must say.

U.S. retail- approx. $11.99

Last one. This one isn't from the Boots Original Beauty Formula collection (obviously), but from their Expert line. This line features many products for sensitive skin, as well as products for shine control, blemishes, and redness. Now, I wouldn't necessarily label my skin as sensitive, but I have had reactions to eye makeup removers in the past, so it's a case of "better safe than sorry". The product is really gentle and light weight. It does leave a bit of a greasy residue though, but it honestly doesn't bother me since I wash my whole face with Noxzema after removing my eye makeup. I can also say that this is the best eye makeup remover I've used. It gets rid of everything. Stubborn waterproof mascara? Gone. Seriously, I do not wake up with raccoon eyes after using this stuff, unlike other products. Yeah, I'm in love.

U.S. retail: approx. $5.49

So overview:

Pros:

• Very affordable for the quality
• Aforementioned quality is superb
• Packaging is absolutely lovey
• It's British, and therefore I love it. :P

Cons:

• Eye makeup remover is a tad greasy, but it's really no big deal

There you are!

Spread the Peachy love my freaky darlings. <3