My La Femme Blush Palette Swatches

 Swatches on NC45 skin (no flash), NC55 skin (flash), NC45 skin (flash)

After rereading my last post as a blog reader, I thought 'what good is waxing poetic about the product if you can't see swatches for yourself?

Here are swatches in the same order as shown in the palette in my previous post:  (Click here to see the post and read a mini review on the blushes.)

Left Row-
Soft Beige- matte, warm brown-- on my skin tone it's a decent contour color
Flamingo Pink- matte, barbie pink-- bright, clean pink-- as you can see it's not great with flash on darker skin tones!

Mulberry-pink fuchsia
Purple Passion- matte, magenta love!
Grape- matte, reddened purple- definitely not what I expected from grape. I was thinking a pure bluer based purple

Right Row-
Naturelle-matte,  light tan. orangey shade, not for everyone
Golden Rose- shimmer, hot pink shade laced with gold shimmers
Terracotta- shimmer, terra cotta,orange and less red than sunkissed dawn, laced with gold shimmers
Sunkissed Dawn-reddish orange laced with gold shimmer
Golden Sunset- shimmer, deep orangey red laced with gold shimmer

These colors are so pigmented, they aren't  quite fool proof.  Be careful to blend!

Moment of Pride: La Femme Blushes in the Z Palette

Read below why I'm so proud of this palette and mini reviews of La Femme blushes and the Z Palette!

I've been a fan of the Z Palette system for a while--  sturdy casing with a magnetized, open space system for different sized makeup pans.   A definite must have when going to the trade shows! So perfect for your kit or personal makeup collection. I had one that I hadn't put to use, until I was going thru my stash, condensing it and trying to use up what I have. What better way to put my large, black Z Palette to use than to house my lovely collection of La Femme blushes in it!  This palette fit all 10 blushes!  The palette also came with thin, self adhesive, round magnets if you have cosmetics that aren't in a metal pan.  I didn't need them, but great to have!

I finally ordered my La Femme blushes from MakeupMania over the Spring of 2013 after stalking Devin's blog and Helena's blog aaannddd watching Tia work  her magic....using their purchases as guides.  At $3 per pan, what was taking me so long? I think I was apprehensive as I am with most online retailers when making my first purchase.  Once I received the blushes I wasn't disappointed.  These inexpensive, pigmented blushes pack a punch! MakeupMania shipped them in a decent amount of time.  I would definitely order from them again.  I didn't buy the 12 well palette that is designed for the blushes. so they sat in their shipping box for protection (they came as individual pans in little baggies in mini envelopes). The Z Palette was perfect for them!

I feel so proud of this palette. I wish I had done this before investing in my custom MAC blush palette.

I look at the colors and get excited for the possibilities!

Since Blogger refused to rotate my picture, I'll list the colors top to bottom, left row and right row:
Left Row-
Soft Beige
Flamingo Pink
Mulberry
Purple Passion
Grape

Right Row-
Naturelle
Golden Rose
Terracotta
Sunkissed Dawn
Golden Sunset
Check out my swatches here.   I hope to use the blushes soon in FOTD's!Do you have La Femme blushes?  What are your favorite blushes?

Adesign Brushes Holiday Sale 2011

Click on the image above to take part in Adesign's Friends and Family event.  A 30% discount on all items until 12/24/2011!!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar Box Sets

Check out OCC's newest sets that include a full size lip brush! OCC's Lip Tar Set offerings:

Passionately Pink: This collection of pinks runs the gamut from pastel pink to deep fuchsia and everything in between! It includes Lip Tars in Tone, Narcissus, Pageant, Pretty Boy and Strumpet, along side a full-sized OCC Precision Lip Brush #010, a retail value of over $83.00 US available now for only $49.50.

Ornamental Orange: A diverse and imminently wearable collection of tangerine tones, from pastel to coral, to neon and vivid fire engine red! It includes Lip Tars in Divine, Cha Cha, Banjee, Trollop and Reverb, and also includes a full-sized OCC Precision Lip Brush #010, a retail value of over $83.00 US available now for only $49.50.

Cute Shoes, Large Shoes, New Shoes, For You Shoes!

Valerie of Just Like a True Star has these awesome shoes in her possession. (This is her picture.)

Blame Kerris for this!  Not really.  I'm a shoe fanatic; I just don't blog about them and woes to find seriously cute shoes at size 11.  After sifting through emails, I happened upon these bowed babies: Jeffrey Campbell Garret Pump at Nordstrom.  (Im starting to love my Nordstrom emails as much as Sephora.. well, not quite.) I saw the pair in nude first-- and get this-- in extended sizes!!! Yes, 10,11,12, AND 13! The large and in charge, pump your fist! LOL... Then I saw other cute colors of aqua and red (with contrasting orange) are available too!  Now, I haven't seen this in person, but if you wear a large size like I do, you might be skeptical that the shoe isn't made to scale or it looks weird.  Let's keep our fingers crossed that they aren't.

NARS revamps their concealer!

Makeup! Orgasm... blush! LOVE! ( I remember saying LOVE to describe things that I wanted to equate to being orgasmic or like "love" on the beach, Eureka!) While I decided to use the more comfortable and more accurate LOVE, Nars makes the other sayings appropriate. There's a blush called Orgasm for goodness sakes!

I had a love or makeup orgasm moment when I saw that on September 1st, Nars Cosmetics would be releasing their new, revamped concealers. I'm a foundation and blush whore, but a concealer fiend as well. This news has me anxiously awaiting September 1st. Check out the news below!

NARS is giving a face lift to its Concealer! Along with a new slim packaging, the formula has grown its range from six to ten shades in order to reach a broader scope of skin tones. All shades boast the same lightweight, creamy texture, enriched with Vitamin E for crease-resistant coverage that stays in place all day.

• Chantilly – for fairest of complexions, true ivory (NEW!)

• Vanilla – for fair complexions, tiny cast of pink tones

• Honey – for light to medium complexion, warm peach tones

• Custard – for light to medium complexions, yellow tones

• Ginger – for medium complexions, golden tones

• Biscuit – for medium to dark complexions, natural balance of pink and yellow tones (NEW!)

• Caramel – for medium to dark complexions, yellow and golden tones (NEW!)

• Amande – for medium to dark complexions, golden olive tones (NEW!)

• Café – for dark complexions, warm red tones (NEW!)

• Cacao – for dark complexions, deep-gold-brown tones (NEW!)

Narscosmetics.com, ($22)

Are you as excited as I am???

CoverFx Needs You to Help Raise Money to Fight Skin Cancer During the Month of June!

Hey there!

As we are knee deep into Spring and Summer is fast approaching, many of you may be in search of a tinted moisturizer. With ninety degree weather upon us, less can definitely be more. Well, here's a new product that's worth a try. Cover FX has a new tinted moisturizer (Skin Tint FX Moisturizing Treatment & Tint SPF 30). Here are the claimed benefits of using this product: This lightweight, tinted moisturizer gives you a sun-kissed glow while moisturizing and protecting your skin from the damaging effects of the sun. The formulation is water resistant for long wear, which is great for Summer weather, and is oil and paraben free. It also contains anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, and skin repairing ingredients.

Cover FX has a new foundation primer as well, Brite Prep FX, which claims to brighten skin, diminishing the appearance of lines and pores, and protect against the damage UV rays can cause with SPF 50. The formula is said to create a great canvas for foundation blending and long wear.

During the month of June, Cover FX will donate a portion of sales for each unit of Skin Tint FX Moisturizing Treatment & Tint SPF 30 and Brite Prep FX sold to these skin cancer research foundations: The Skin Cancer Foundation, Skcin, The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund, and The Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity. So, try out these new products and support a great cause all at the same time. Be sure to let us know how you liked the products if you decide to try them!

I have yet to try these particular products, however, I have used and continue to use the Big Cover Up by Cover FX. I was pleasantly surprised with the great results I achieved with this product, and my clients also love it. So, I am excited about trying the tinted moisturizer and Brite Prep as well. I'll let you all know what I think. Stay tuned... :0)

SAY YES TO SKIN TINT!

SAY NO TO SKIN CANCER!

How are donations made?

“Like” Cover FX on Facebook = $0.25 donation

Buy Cover FX SkinTint FX SPF 30 = $0.25 donation

Buy Cover FX BritePrep FX SPF 50 = $0.25 donation

Do all three and make a $0.75 donation!

SkinTint FX SPF30 $42 and BritePrep FX SPF50 $45 and Cover FX products are available in:

United States – Select Sephora stores, Sephora.com, Naimies, Dermstore.com, Skinstore.com and CoverFX.com

United Kingdom – Select Harvey Nichols, Harveynichols.com, House Of Fraser and houseoffraser.co.uk and CoverFX.com.

Canada – Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, Murale, Jean Coutu, select The Bay and Sephora stores, Sephora.com, TheBay.ca, Ebeauty.ca and CoverFX.com.

Cover FX will also be making donations to skin cancer foundations in the United Kingdom and Canada.

.

Urban Decay's Roller Girl palette

One of the latest items online to send us makeup lovers into a frenzy was Urban Decay's Rollergirl Paleette! I mean.... the black girl with an afro on skates? I wanted it like yesterday! It felt like 1/3 of my naked palette with a pink shade thrown in for fun and my love...Whiskey liner? It was a winner for me! I scored it during a recent Sephora sale ;)

Check out my thoughts on the palette and how I wore it for the first time.

Suspect on the lid
Verve on the inner corner (and highlights-- nose, top of the cheek, cupid's bow)
Woodstock in the crease
Darkhorse on the outer corners with some Whiskey liner
Whiskey liner to line with some liquid black liner
MAC Zoom lash mascara
Lip Junky lip gloss (included with the palette)







And POW! I punched it up a bit changing my lip color to Stila's Caprice!

Do you need this palette?
Let's be real. None of us needs any more makeup. With that aside, you still don't need it. This palette houses a few good neutrals, but we all have a few good neutrals that we can live with or without.

Why you may want this palette:
-#blackgirlzrock... How many makeup items do you have with us as the imagery?? I have a boat load for the next few lifetimes and this is THE only product that has a picture of me my cousin on it.
-You want some bang for your buck while adding to your UD stash. Maybe you don't own a lot cosmetics by Urban Decay. This little palette gives you four of their shadows, a liner and a lip gloss!
- You want a neutral palette that can fit in your purse., Compared to all of the palettes I have by Urban Decay, this is the only one I feel is reasonable enough to carry around. It's small! As small as an iPhone.

Overall, did I need it? No. Glad I got it? Yes (as a makeup collector, hehe)

Did you get it? How do you like it?

Welcome Spring with Crabtree & Evelyn

After a relaxing shower, I indulge my skin in Crabtree & Evelyn's Lily Body Cream ($33). The luxurious cream makes me think of wearing a long flower dress, a sun hat and prancing through an English garden to have a bit of tea and biscuits, sniffing a flower on the way... a girl can dream right? While I'm not in an English garden, I carry the scent and those thoughts with me daily from using the cream. It's the little things people, stay with me, lol.

Fall weather is my favorite and I've definitely gotten used to wearing my comfy winter boots, but this lotion has helped me to embrace Spring... sun, summer flowers and the outdoors. Funny how aromatherapy can do that right?

The scent smells very natural and not synthetic, nor cloying. The delightful fragrance is just the half. The cream is very moisturizing, never greasy or tacky. Just right!

Here's how Crabtree & Evelyn describes the cream:

"Pamper your skin with this exquisitely blended body cream infused with spirited Lily scent and formulated with moisturising shea butter along with rose hip and evening primrose oils, which are rich in essential fatty acids. Extracts of lily of the valley, peony, white magnolia, and elderflower help condition the skin.

• A blend of grapeseed, jojoba, and wheat germ oils moisturise the skin.
• Absorbs quickly and imparts a velvety feel to the skin.
• Free of parabens, phthaletes, propylene glycol, and mineral oil.

Fragrance: A heart of lily of the valley blended with dewy greens, woodland mosses, musk, and ylang ylang."

Find this cream. other bath and body products and home accessories in their new floral collection featuring scents of: Rosewater, Lavendar, Lily and Iris.

Shop now for 20% off everything on the site. Sale ends 3/28/2011. Free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Use code: ACTNOW at checkout, Crabtree & Evelyn

*Product provided for consideration for review.

Sephora's Spring Discount for Beauty Insiders!

Are you a Beauty Insider at Sephora (looking to the left)? Yeh? Great! Save 15% off 4/12-4/19! You know you'll be shopping anyways, so take an opportunity to save!

You can only get this deal if you are a Beauty Insider. You aren't a Beauty Insider (looking to the right)? No? Well what are you waiting for? Sign up here to get more amazing deals like this one in your inbox and when you shop Sephora!

Curls with Loc Loops

I was gifted some Lock Loops * and other goodies from Muthasfynest after she cut off her locs....(Don't gasp. I've accepted that some people just need a change after being with a style for so long). My sister maintains my locs, so she felt at liberty to try the Loc Loops on herself first. Gorgeous curls right! Look at how she colors her locs.. she dyes them every 3 months or so! I need to be more daring.

My turn!
All rolled up!

The next day I wasn't completely dry so I wore them tightly coiled. Now I see how people get their hair this way! LOL!

All dry and plucked out:

*Site linked as a reference. I don't know where she ordered hers from.

Now that I've tried my first style, I'm ready for more. What are some other DIY styles that you love?

Sally Beauty Supply for the professional-- Client Profile Book

Makeup artists need to present a professional image when dealing with clients. During a consultation, you collect information that you need to reference later on. Stay organized! To do that, one of these little babies from Sally Beauty Supply comes into play-- a Client Date Profile Organizer. ($12.39)
This refillable binder comes in black, as well as with an alpha index option. (These pics were grabbed from Sally's site, but I don't remember seeing the 'client data profile organizer' emblazened on the front)

Organizer refills ($8.69) Refills are custumized for different clients: nail, skin, and hair.

This was such a neat find! I have a leather porfolio that I carry to consultations with client profile sheets, cards, a notepad and pen. If I didn't have that already, I would have definitely picked this up!

Go further! Grab a Gift Certificate booklet! ($6.59)

Are there other companies that you like that offer similar products? Let me know!

Urban Decay Nail Polish: Apocolyptic Nail Kit

Urban Decay has brought back their nail polishes! I'm glad as they are the major accessory to their makeup line! In the Apocolyptic Kit, there are seven miniature bottles of the hottest shades to sample.

White Widow (white sparkle)

Gunmetal (gunmetal sparkle)

Apocalypse (black-purple)

Grunge (metallic peacock)

Meltdown (royal purple)

Big Bang (sparkling hot pink)

Fbomb (true red)

Can't wait to try them out! Have you tried them? Looking forward to trying them?
The Apocolyptic Kit is available at UrbanDecay.com for $26.

Urban Decay's 30% Off Friends & Family Event

Fab sale! The sale goes on now through the 20th. Use code FNFF1 at checkout to get the discount. What are you getting?

Check out some fab reviews for help!

Karen of MBB's review on the new Ink for Eyes Liner

Amy/The Beauty Chick's swatches here and here (second link to the Pocket Rockets)!

The Muse dishes on Urban Decay

Illamasqua Swatches for Brown Beauties

Excited about Illamasqua being sold in the U.S. and coming to Sephora?

Check out some awesome swatches provided by one of our favorite UK bloggers, Her Royal Poshness.

Bonus! the swatches are on chocolate brown skin! Thanks Mariya!

New Features on MAC Cosmetics Site!

Have you been on MAC's site lately? Here are two new features to take note of!

The Brush Finder *click on the picture to be directed to the site*- You want a new brush or want to know what brush would be best for a particular product. This section will get you to the right answer! You can select the elements that you are looking for in a brush- a crease brush, use with powder products and MAC will find you the best choices. So cool! Also a great way to find out about brushes that you didn't know about.

MAC Artistry Focus (live video tutorials!) *click on the picture to be directed to the site*- You've seen all the the artists on YouTube taking over the scene? MAC grabs their own experts and adds videos right to their site (not YouTube, so no annoying buffering and stops during the play of the vid.) See tutorials for lips, sculpted eyes, false lashes and more!

Have you found some good tips on their site? What do you think about these new features?

Cherry Culture Now Sales Milani!

So many people have trouble fining Milani. Trouble no more my loves, Cherry Culture to the rescue! They even have the throw back single pottted shadows that made Milani famous!

Followers and My Foundation Saving Secret!

Hi family!

I wanted to take a second out to say hi and thank you to all of my new followers! If you guys are returning love, found me in passing, whatever.. I'm glad you are here, taking the time out to read my content and following my blog. A big thank you to you all and I hope you enjoy! I love to hear what you guys think, so comment, let me hear your thoughts and let's talk makeup!

Next, I wanted to tell you guys about my star product this week: Ben Nye Translucent Face Powder!

From Theatrical Makeup Supplies: "Ben Nye Face Powders absorb oil, moisture and gently set creme makeup. Ben Nye Powders are silky smooth and contain just a hint of color to naturally soften contours. All are translucent, with the exception of Super White Face Powder. Available in sizes ranging from 1.5 oz/42gm. Shaker Bottle; TP 1.75 oz./49 gm Shaker Bottle; 3 oz./85gm. Shaker Bottle; 3.5 oz./99gm. Shaker Bottle. 8 oz./226gm. Jar. EXPECT 35 - 100 APPLICATIONS PER OUNCE."

With all the foundation and makeup shopping I did at The Makeup Show, I got a few hits and misses. While all of the foundations I found were incredible in application, consistency, coverage and wear, most of the shades were off by a touch (a bit too light, a bit too pink or gray). Bummer! Because most of these companies aren't accessible other than online, I can't exchange, but can only.. work it out! I would have added some darker foundation, but didn't want to change the impeccable consistency. I've used liquid bronzer, but I do better using it at different high points of my face than all over. Lastly, I resorted to my finishing powder. I usually use my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, but putting a mineral silver sheen over already too light, gray, or pink foundation doesn't work.

I had to resort to my makeup kit and see what I had or to recall how I would remedy these situations during a shoot or any other scenario. I remembered one of my favorite face powders- Ben Nye in Topaz (for my MAC NC40 skin tone). Just yellow enough to give me the tint I needed to correct the color in the foundation, but translucent enough not to cake up my face. Works like a charm every time! My BECCA, Face Atelier, and Bobbi Brown foundations that I didn't love (the color matching) are now awesome thanks to my Ben Nye powder!

A pro artist fave, one of my kit staples, and my hardest working makeup item this week. All of the claims are true! Oil absorbing, flawless finish and color range are the reasons that I love this product. This can set any foundation, not just cremes. I especially love it with my BECCA tinted moisturizer. Need it for your kit? I have the small bottles, but the product can definitely be transferred to stackable sifting jars for ease with packing your kit. I usually don't like loose products, but this I can tolerate and I don't have any loose cap issues with these jars. Also, since I've added this to my kit over a year ago, I'm not close to replacing any of the jars (granted I'm not on a gig multiple times a week). Must mention that THE PRICE CAN'T BE BEAT!!! (I've also found this remedy in IMAN finishing powders, even her ultra pigmented blotting powders!)

Have you tried this powder? What do you think of it?

*Links I provided are for illustration purposes. I have not personally used any of these online sites, though Alcone Company is a reputable source.

Pop Nail Polish Sale!

Remember you can also use code Yummy411 at BeautyTicket.com for 10% off of your entire order now through 6/15/2009!

B*Slap Cosmetics vs. B'Lush Cosmetics

B*Slap Cosmetics Paint Wheels

(All over YouTube)

Highly popular all over YT, interesting, and owner of the line Kathy is a master with the brush and a face.

THEN there's...

B'Lush Paint Wheels

(Makeup Mama's Review)

I guess I'm late! Ha! B*Slap vs. B'Lush. I knew I wasn't crazy! LOL I guess it's like choosing one makeup artist over the other, a drugstore product vs. counter (not saying that one line is inferior to the other, but similar and comparable products are being sold in the drugstore and behind the counter). You have to decide which you will use.

Kathy's is quite compelling though....