mercurynin wrote:

OnlyInThisLight wrote:

all sorts of good advice, wowzers

Thanks for all the input! I knew I had good instincts about a few things, but that's a crash course I sorely needed. Having lived in a tropical climate for the past few years, I've let my makeup skills and know-how fall by the wayside because half the time it's just gonna melt off, anyway. But with this, I'm feeling encouraged to put forth an effort again.

So my mom is sending me the money instead, because she may have already gotten the money for the insurance claim (blah blah complicated insurance stuff). Long story short, I get to go to Sephora, etc. and see how things look on me. I'll post a pic of my haul and, once I'm comfortable using everything, a shot of me all dolled up.

Also, OITL, I understand why you confused me with Riri. It's the Wakaba avatar, isn't it?

OMG I DID CONFUSE YOU WITH RIRI YOU CAN LET ME DROWN NOW 



D: D: D: D: D: D: D:


EDIT:  I looked back through this thread.  Such a journey from timid nerd girl afraid of make-up to annoying make-up junkie know-it-all.  Who also likes hyphens.  Everything I used to hate or fear or avoid because I assumed I couldn't pull them off I now love wearing.  Okay liquid and winged eyeliner is still kinda difficult for me BUTS THAT'S ONLY ONE THING.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (08-16-2013 08:25:26 PM)

This is a rather timely post as I've just lost all of my makeup brushes, which were incidentally E.L.F.

I thought they were pretty damn good for a buck each, but as I am gainfully employed, if I can get better, I will purchase better. So...should I replace my $1 ELF brushes with more of the same or would this be a good time to branch out?

Raven Nightshade wrote:

This is a rather timely post as I've just lost all of my makeup brushes, which were incidentally E.L.F.

I thought they were pretty damn good for a buck each, but as I am gainfully employed, if I can get better, I will purchase better. So...should I replace my $1 ELF brushes with more of the same or would this be a good time to branch out?

ELF Studio Brushes, $3 each (11 piece collection plus bag, pictured below, is $30, and their complete 25-peice collection with a brush roll is $75)



Jesus Christ buy these brushes.  The quality is so fantastic, regardless of the cost, which is bananas cheaper than even other drugstore brushes.   I love my super-soft Real Techniques brushes*… but when it comes to grabbing and transferring product… these have ‘em beat.  However, I would wait until there is a sale to pick these up, as ELF typically has 1/2 off Studio sales, in which you can nab this set for 15$, or sales where you purchase $20-35 worth of products, and you get this collection for $3.  If you just want to try a few out to see if you like the quality, I recommend the:

Small Precision Brush: Smudging and powder lining the under eye
Contour Brush:  Crease shading and creating outer-v shapes with shadow
Eyeshadow "C" Brush:  An upgrade from the C shadow brush in the Essential Line.  Pats on powders for concentrated color.
The Small and Regular Stipple Brushes:  Great for cream foundations and cream blushes, and the smaller brush blends away under-eye concealers like a dream
Small Tapered Brush:  Great for contouring bronzer on the nose and temples, for setting under-eye powder, and for applying power shimmer to the high points of the face
Powder Brush:  Use the edge for a structured, clean line of bronzer, and the flat side to blend and buff.  Also is great for applying all-over setting powders, as it works quick and brushes off extra product.

*About $6-10 each, come in 3-5 piece $18 sets and can be found on Ulta, sometimes with buy one get one 50% off deals: I recommend the gold-handled Expert Face Brush, pink Stippling Brush and one of purple fluffy eye brushes.  These brushes are very soft and great for airbrushed looks, which is why I like to use them for blending eye looks and buffing in foundation, as they tend to hold pigment a little too well, and don't always transfer all the color.  They are also quite sturdy, with thick handles and the bigger brushes (face brushes) can stand on their own.  The only downside to this is they take up more space.  The other big names in brushes are Sigma and MAC, but you are looking at crazy high prices.

Ririkins wrote:

What's a good fall shade of eyeshadow for an ivory skinned and brown eyed woman? All the ones I use either don't show up or are too shiny.

Drugstoreprincess on tumblr has a great post on the new cosmetics trends for this fall and winter, including the increasingly popular coral color for eyes.  Brown eyes look good with any color, really, but work especially well with purples (try an amethyst color!) and, unless you feel your skin is more cool-toned, light coral.  Bright, lacy pinks also look great on lighter skin, and a soft, light brown on the crease is a great way to add a bit of dimension to a pink shadow on the eye.

If the issue is that shadows are not showing up on your lids, you may need to try a new application method (pat down with a brush for color concentration, then gently blend it with side-to-side and circular swipes) or a primer that has concealing properties as well, as your lids may be translucent, and thus difficult to color (as are mine).  Benefit's Stay Don't Stray shadow primers provide a little coverage, and NYX's cream shadow pencil in Milk is a cult favorite eyeshadow base that will make any color stand out. 

If shadows are too shiny, try looking for shades that market themselves as satin -you get the richer color of a shimmer, but with less of the shimmer!  Or, after applying a shimmery shade to the lid, take a similar, but matte version of that color and blend it into your crease.  It'll add dimension and soften up the eye, so that your eyeshadow looks more like a color and less like a reflection.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (10-08-2013 01:51:04 AM)

MissMocha wrote:

For any of you ladies who are interested, Urban Decay is having an online sale -20% off everything, and free US shipping over $50. It goes through 10/12, and it looks like even their sale merch is eligible.

You are a dirty enabler and should feel dirty.   Their vintage 24/7 glide-on eyeliners are already only 6 bucks.  Damnit.

ELF is doing one of its specials.  Spend $25 and get a kit full of make-up for only $3.  Ends on the 13th. 



There isn't anything in it I find particularly stand-out other than the brushes, blusher/bronzer duo and the matte lip color ($11 for all six products if purchased separately)... ELF's large eyeshadow palletes tend to be pretty crappy; hit and miss at best, and way smaller than they appear online.  They make a lot of money selling them as gifts and relying on customers mistakenly assuming they are as good as their various individual shadows and smaller palletes, though, so they often push them.

MissMocha wrote:

I am and I do. Shopping with me is terrible; I am the little voice that goes "you totes need this, like air. necessary for sustaining."

I'm this person as well, mostly because it annoys me when I go shopping with people and they hem and haw and never buy anything, making me look like a spoiled, impulsive buttmunch because I wreck shop.  I don't shop (like, mall shop) very often, so when I do, I have goals in mind and money allotted.   If you wanted to window shop, you should have clarified beforehand.  Besides, nothing makes salespeople pay attention to and fawn all over you like a handful of shopping bags. It's why I always do a bit of shopping before I schedule any pedicures or hair appointments; they won't assume you are a poor tipper and will be very pleasant and attentive. I like getting good customer service, so having peeps along who bug the sales ladies with questions, look unhappy and never buy anything ruins my "I spend money so don't fucking ignore me" cred. 

It's like going to an amusement park with people who don't like rides.

MochaLatte wrote:

Edit: You can also find those palettes at Marshalls and TJ Maxx pretty frequently. I've never been impressed with the quality of the packaging, and I felt the pots were just too small, esp in comparison to the Coastal Scents ones. Good to know I didn't miss out on something amazeballs when I passed them up.

ELF has a lot of great stuff, but they also have some gimmicky crap, too.  Koff Koff the Disney Villain Make-Up Collections Koff Koff

Yasha wrote:

OnlyInThisLight wrote:

ELF has a lot of great stuff, but they also have some gimmicky crap, too.  Koff Koff the Disney Villain Make-Up Collections Koff Koff

Awww, you mean they suck? I was hoping to see if I could get someone to snag one of them for me, as we don't have Walgreens here...

Eh, they are not terrible, but I bought Cruella and The Evil Queen (impulse buy) and returned them both.

Pros:
-The eyeshadow are creamy and well pigmented.
-The packaging and concept is cool beans.
-The books are meant to give you a day and a night look.
-ELF Primer = awesome.
-ELF Shadow brush also =awesome.
-Everything is a separate, sealed and removable product, not an open pan glued to the packaging. 


Cons:
-The Lip Gloss colors don't really match the villain (The Evil Queen/Hot Pink, Cruella DeVille/Peach)... and I would honestly expect a matte lip color in there, not a gloss alone.  ELF has FANTASTIC matte lip colors and lipsticks.  :c  As is, all the colors look like they were chosen with 12 year olds in mind, not ferocious sea witches and businesswomen.  The formula itself was whatever. 
-The liquid liner and pencil liner are redundant.  You could argue that the pencil liner is for the waterline, but the cheap little pencils that ELF throws in these kits are too hard and sheer, and are really just thrown in to 'pad' the product.  A lip liner pencil would have been better, or a brow product. 
-I've only found one ELF mascara that I've liked, and the one is this look book ain't it.



So, out of all you get, the ELF Primer, Shadow Brush (each are only $1 when purchased on their own) the eyeshadows are really the only thing of any value.  The other products are kids' playstuff; filler.  For ten bucks, ELF could have packed in a lot more quality and value considering their product lines.  I also don't really feel that the colors chosen really reflect the style of (or even feel inspired by) each character, nor is there anything particularly special about the chosen shades.  I chose to return my Look Books mostly because I felt I couldn't create a look from them that resembled either character or personality; and I already have a decent collection of glosses and eyeshadows that shade match what they came with.

When I think of Disney female villains, I think arched brows and wine, orange and blood red statement lips, sculpted cheekbones and matte finishes.  Well, except for Ursula, who would rock some highlighter.  I do not think of neutral shadow palletes and baby pink lip glosses.  The other products, liner/mascara/primer, don't really contribute to a unique or defined look, which is probably why they seem to be the same in each book.

Still, the packaging is hella awesome, so they could definitely be a collector's item. Be wary, though.  I've heard rumours that some stores are selling the Villian books from last year.  2013's should be white, not black.

I've posted about it previously, but I love my Rimmel Glam Eyes mascara. It's pretty luscious, esp when warmed prior to application.


I've heard a lot about the villains collection this year, but most of it falls in line with what OitL is saying  -still, if you want it, Yasha, let me know. The Walgreens around the corner still had several of them earlier this week.

Last edited by MissMocha (10-10-2013 10:08:37 AM)

MissMocha wrote:

I've posted about it previously, but I love my Rimmel Glam Eyes mascara. It's pretty luscious, esp when warmed prior to application.

Putting my mascara tubes, especially the older ones, under running warm water is legit the best make-up tip I ever learned. 

My favorite mascaras (that cost all of the money) are the theBalm's What's Your Type: Body Builder($19) and Lorac's Multiplex 3D Lashes($22).



The Lorac Logos are shiny and make me feel fancy.

So Very Fancy.




Keep in mind, I tend to favor mascaras that separate, define and provide structure/curl.  I don't typically care about thickness or length, since my lashes are already thick (in number) and long.  Peeps raaaaaaaaaaaaave about Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes!  but it clumped on meh.  Drugstore mascaras work just fine too (Maybelline Full n' Soft/ Loreal's Schmillion Lashes or whatever), but my lashes tend to droop under their weight as they day goes on.

I think I stumbled across the Lorac mascara because it was part of one of their tutorial sets.  It came with a blush, baked shadow trio, the mascara, a liquid liner and a gloss, for $39.  I don't believe it's still available, but the mascara is.  Since prestige mascaras cost many bananas, I tend to try them out as parts of kits/collections.

Pratyeka wrote:

I found them by walking into a Don Quixote, seeing a large Sailor Moon sign, and then hearing a Sailor Moon soundtrack that led me to the makeup section. Good times.

That sounds like the beginning of an excellent and wonderful dream.

Also, as far as Anna Sui goes, I find that the body wash and eye make-up remover are both very affordable for how incredibly long they last me (using daily), and both have that rose-and-citrus Anna Sui scent that I personally love.

I really quite like Anna Sui, but her products are basically unknown around here. I don't know if it's just the cultural geography, or if they just don't distribute their products as widely in the US.

Yasha wrote:

Hey, can this be a perfume thread too? Cause I'm looking for another rose-ish scent, something musky or maybe peppery. Anyone got any suggestions?

Not that I don't love my old standby, though! Voleur de Roses is and always will be my favorite. I just want to change it up a bit.


(shut up I loved roses even before SKU Also srsly, Voleur's description:

The brutal yet tender collision of rose and patchouli

Voleur de Roses was composed by Michel Almairac and captures the chaos of a rose garden shattered by a thunderstorm. Regal and brutal, tender and long lasting.

plum, rose, patchouli


)

Speaking of Anna Sui, her classic scent and Forbidden Affair are both supposed to be musky and rose. And the packaging is right up the alley where Goth lite and Utena intersect (srsly, Forbidden Affair looks like it could be a tie in product). I can't speak to them personally, because I typically dislike patchouli, and I'm hit or miss on Rose. Aside from some mists from Savor, there's only two perfumes I rock, True Religion and Burberry Classic. It's not often I'm in the market for a new one because those two just wear so beautifully on me.


...Damn, just checked the site. You spend way more on perfume than me.

I tend to splurge on perfume. The bottle of Voleur I bought in 2007 or 2008 lasted until... um, I'm still using it, although it's almost gone. So it's a good thing to spend a couple hundred on, especially because I'm super picky when it comes to perfume.

I'll check out the Anna Sui and Demeter stuff for sure, they sound really interesting and I don't think I've run into either of them before. Gio and I sampled perfumes like mad at one point, getting little tiny vials of just about everything we could imagine, but I never found the other rose scent I was looking for. It doesn't really help that my taste runs more toward the vintage women's perfumes, the ones that were really more what we would consider unisex than feminine. People don't usually make perfumes like that anymore.

Also, no one asked, but I can't recommend L'Artisan Parfumeur highly enough. They have some absolutely amazing scents, including one called Passage D'Enfer that just happens to be the only time I've ever loved frankincense. Normally I hate the stuff like poison; when I was growing up, we'd go to Easter and funerals at the Greek Orthodox church my mother grew up going to, and for someone with a sensitive nose, the amount of incense they use is choking. I mean that literally-- sometimes I would have to leave the service because the smell was so thick I couldn't breathe.

I've never liked frankincense just because of that, but Passage D'Enfer is amazing. The description really sums it up:

The sheer incense note of Passage d’Enfer is cool, dry and haunting. It conjures up images of chilled cathedral walls, echoes of rituals and incantations. The name is dark and unsettling, but the scent itself is tranquil and contemplative. Lily and white musks sweeten the smoke, balms and amber glow in the darkness. For a moment Passage d’Enfer feels caught between heaven and hell, a fragrance of soft soothing light and flickers of fire.

frankincense, white lily, musky notes

And OITL, hon, never buy perfume the first time you try it. Test it, go out for lunch, smell it throughout the day, then go back the next day and buy it. If nothing else, you can always order online, and it's better not to drop a wad of cash on something that turns out wrong for you.

Also, those powdery notes? That doesn't happen much with top quality perfume. See if you can ebay a range of vials to test, that's totally a thing people do, and as an investment, a perfume you love is totally worth the money.

If you're going to be in NYC, L'Artisan has a shop in Soho! They'll let you test all that stuff.

I personally haven't smelled the absinthe one, but Piment Brulant almost got taken home with us, and while the Safran Troublant was gorgeous, it didn't sit well on Gio's skin or mine. Always test it first! You don't want to get stuck with something that you don't like or that burns your skin (I had that problem when I went to Hové in NOLA, not that they aren't great but they didn't agree with my skin).

Edit: Apparently the freestanding shops closed, but there's still a counter in Henri Bendel.

Henri Bendel, 712 Fifth Avenue (between 55th and 56th Streets), New York, NY 10019; 212-904-7990.

Edit the Second: When Gio and I go shopping for perfume in Manhattan, we're going to Aedes de Venustas, which again has a L'Artisan counter.

Last edited by Yasha (10-15-2013 09:14:45 PM)