Favorites of 2010

Eye Products:

• E.L.F. Elements single e/s
• Pink Ice
• Ivory
• Moondust
• Sage
• NYX Trio e/s- Nude/Taupe/Dark Brown
• Cover Girl e/s quad- (name?)- shade names: deep ocean/blue Caribbean/misty seas/arctic glow
• Wet n Wild Color Icon palette- 249 Vanity
• Boots No7 Stay Perfect shadow palette- 45 Beside the Sea
• NYX e/s singles
• 106 Golden Dune
• 11 Iced Mocha
• 122 Morocco
• 55 Spring Flower
• 39 Slate
• 19 Flamingo
• Rimmel Three-Sum-110 Platonic
• E.L.F. Eye Brigtening e/s- Ivy
• Urban Decay deluxe e/s- Underground
• Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono e/s- Glam Ice
• Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero
• Stila Smugdepot- black
• Stila Smudgepot- Kitten
• NYX Jumbo e/s pencil- Milk
• L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara
• Cover Girl Lashblast mascara in Black Brown 
• Clinique High Impact mascara-black

Face products:

• Bare Minerals Prime Time foundation primer
• NYX Creme Rouge blush- 11 Boho Chic
• Maybelline Mineral Power foundation w SPF 18

Lip products (not pictured):

• E.L.F. Hypershine Glosses
• Blossom
• Joy
• Mark Juice Gems
• any shade
• Victoria Secret Beauty Rush lipgloss- Slice of Heaven
• Bath and Body Works Liplicious lipgloss- Whipped Vanilla
• NYX Round Lipstick
• Thalia
• Indian Pink
• Smackers lip balm stick- Strawberry 

Body products:

• Bath and Body Works
• Black Raspberry Vanilla EDT
• " " handcream
• Warm Vanilla Sugar body cream
• Dark Kiss body lotion
• Shakira EDT (there is a 2.7 fl oz. size for 50% at Walgreens in a gift set!)

Nail polish:

• Wet n Wild Color Craze- 231 Shield
• Essence Colour + Go- 27 No More Drama (only $0.99)

Love,

Christmas Haul 2010: Part 1

Hello, Lovelies! Haven't heard from me in a while? Sorry 'bout that. Not going to make excuses because we all know how life is, especially whil preparing for midterms (eek!). For Christmas, the only thing I asked for off the gift idea post was the Nars Beauty in a Box set, but it was no longer available when my mom told me to order it. I was so very disappointed. Then she told me I could buy something comparable, but from all of Sephora, I could not pick anything. I had wanted a variety of products and one lipgloss and an eyeshadow would not cut it. I looked at other gift sets, but nothing *really* caught my eye. So then I moved on to MAC's website and proceeded to shop the "Melissa" way by grabbing (or adding to my basket) every single thing I would like, which you can imagine took a good two hours. Then I went to my shopping cart and began to weed out slowly what was not absolutely, ahem, "necessary" (oh, materialism...curse you for my iniquities!). Finally after, no joke, hours spent agonizing on the perfect thing to get, I had my basket limited down to MAC Snob lipstick, MAC Contrast Eyeshadow, MAC Spirit lipstick, and MAC Dollymix powder blush. I could not limit that down to $50 for anything. It was too hard of a decision. Thus, I had the bright idea to look up NYX dupes for what I wanted most from MAC, as well as NYX versions of whatever my collection is missing. For examply, I know I want the MAC Snob lipstick, but I also generally want a bubble gum-toned blush. After completing my Cherry Culture order (a lot of NYX stuff was on sale so I was able to buy more- and I loveeeee that site), I felt pretty satisfied. So now I am waiting on that.

While I was still looking at the MAC website, I was looking up swatches on Google Images and saw a photo of a pigment called Vintage gold that was simultaneouly a bronze gold and green gold. It was a beauty. After research, I discovered it came out with the Cult of Cherry-Overrich Pigment Collection and was now only available at PRO stores. UGH. Never fear, I hunted it down across various reliable websites and managed to get my hands on it for $27 (it retialed at approx. $20). For some, I know I must seem crazy, but this jar will last forever. This will last me YEARS (5+ at the least). It's crazy how far the TINIEST dab will go. Crazy. It was my first pigment, and it is an Overrich meaning it's even smoother and more pigmented than standard pigments. I am so in love and so content with this purchase. It was worth every penny. It you are looking for some from this collection, I recommend Vintage Gold and Antique Greeen. Temptalia.com also has swatches of this collection which show the greenish hue better than my photos.

It reminds me of my favorite UD Eye liner shade- Stash

I bought this from makeuplover.ecrater.com. The shipping was superfast, and the packaging was really good. The seller also included this sample of MAC Cocomotion Pigment, which I don't know anything about. I think this color is very dupeable.

I also purchased two Victoria Secret Beauty Rush Glitter Eye Gels in Purple Pop and Strike Gold. I will have a review on these later. These are $7 each or 2 for $12.

On my wishlist I gave to my parents, I also asked for L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black, which is my favorite mascara. I finally finished mine. I will have a review on that in two weeks, because that's how long it takes to really work. The effect is pretty now, but much better in two weeks. The first time I bought it I thought, "This is crap!" But I pulled it out two weeks later and wow! I will put pictures of it now and two weeks from now. The second mascara I asked for was L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes. I like it a lot, but I want to wait to review it because it might thicken also.

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes is really neat in a few ways. I really love the glam gold packaging. Also, it has this design where it wipes extra product off the brush to reduce clumps (as seen in the picture above). Third, it clicks when fully shut, which is really satisfying for some reason haha.

I hope you enjoyed this! Please don't take it as bragging. I love to read these posts because they sometimes introduce you to products you haven't seen before or haven't given a second glance.

Much love,

Harvest LOTD

Here's my toasty look for fall-

Step 1: Use a warm brown base. I used Loreal HIP Creamshadow Paint in 817 Heavy. Apply from upper lashline to just above crease, using ring finger.

Step 2: Apply a warm orange shade all over lid. I used the shade numbered "1" in this photo of the Coastal Scents Metal Mania Palette.

Step 3: Apply a medium toasted brown, such as the shade labeled "2" above all over where the orange was applied.

Step 4: Apply a deeper toasted brown to the entire crease, such as shade "3".

Step 5: Apply a lighter golden orange such as shade "4" to the inner corners.

Step 6: Apply a matte cream like shade "5" to the highlight and blend. Do not apply this to the inner corners.

Optional step: Use a dark brown such as NYX Dark Brown or black such as Urban Decay Perversion to outer crease and outer corner to darken it to your preference. I did this lightly.

Step 7: Apply concealer,  eyeliner and mascara- I used L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black

The finished look:

Pre-eyeliner and mascara: 

                                                    

Completely Finished:

Love, 

Melissa the Dilettante

LOTD

Yesterday I went to the local park with my boyfriend, and we took some cute pictures. I wore a cranberry sweater and tied my makeup look to compliment it (not match it).

And before the next photo, let me fill you in. I tried to do those super huge anime buns ( I really wanted to do something different), and they looked good but very bizarre. They were just too over the top for the outfit, day, and occasion.

Cute, but I felt like Maleficent.

 Here is what I transformed that teased mess into:

The products I used are:

Maybelline Pure Makeup Classic Ivory Light 2

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer samplie in NW20 (using a damp concealer brush)

Jane Eye Zing in 02 Dazzle

NYX Eyeshadow Trio in Nude/Taupe/Dark Brown (I used Nude and Dark Brown)

Origins Halo Effect Illuminator

Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Rockstar and Zero

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Maybelline The Falsies blackest black

Urban Decay Primer Potion

A Few Looks from Last Week

I used the Wet n Wild Palette in Vanity for these. I've really really been enjoying it for multiple looks.

For this look, I actually took the pictures after nine hours of wear so sadly, it's not nearly as pretty as when it was first applied for this look I used:

• Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation in Light 2 Classic Ivory
• Stila Smudge Pot in Violet
• MAC E/S in Beautiful Iris
• MAC E/S in Electra
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer sample in NW20
• Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in zero
• Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black
• Maybelline The Falsies in blackest black
• NYX e/s in Morocco
• Almay Blendable Eye Pencil in navy(?)
• 
  

March Favorites 2010

It's that time! Sorry it's a day late from when I promised it... Here are the products I repeatedly reached for in March 2010:

Secret Scent Expressions Invisible Solid Deodorant in Cocoa Butter Kiss

This smells fantastic. It reminds me of summer, and I just cannot emphasize enough how good this smells.

MAC eyeshadow in Phloof!

I love this as an inner corner and browbone highlight!

Revlon Colorstay Foundation Combo/Oily Formula in shade Sand Beige

One word: Perfection

Mark. Just Pinched instant blush tint in Cheeky

Makes me look fresh and cheery!

Essie Nail Polish in Shelter Island LE

This color reminds me of the ocean. It's so pretty. I have it on my toes right now, and it was so cute at the beach!

Loreal Voluminous in Carbon Black

Lush lashes

Wet n Wild Lash Intense Mascara

perfectly volumized and separated  and easy to remove

E.L.F. Studio Kabuki Brush and Powder Brush

These brushes are great quality. So soft!

Mark. On the Edge Liquid Eyeliner

The brush is so thin which makes it easy to maneuver and control and allows perfect precision. It's buildable so a large number of looks are attainable, and this baby does not budge!

Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Underground

These shadows feel like silk, and the color of this one makes it the most beautiful and unique neutral. They are so soft that it really makes it a pleasure to wear these.

NYX Eyeshadow Trio in Nude/Taupe/Dark Brown (what an original name...)

Great for on the go. The middle shade is really interesting.

E.L.F. Nail Polish Remover Pads

They work. The last time I ordered these (two years ago) they were horrible and smelled disgusting. I wouldn't say these smell great, but they are much improved in scent. This time they work perfectly.

Hope you enjoyed!