It's fall

I love fall.  I love the smells, colors and the pumpkin scented everything.  This fall in Oregon has been weird.  Too warm, too sunny and not nearly enough chilly days to suit me.

Plus I have not had much time to do anything with makeup.  I got a cpap machine and had a reaction to the plastic for the nose... and even the forehead.  I looked and felt like a leper and it's only now starting to mellow out.  I even backed off using my Clarisonic, which I will never do again.  My face broke out like it used to in my late teens.

I am excited about a few things.  I was hesitant about the vice 3 palette but then I saw they were all metallic and then I fell in love.  I am not super excited about the packaging, which is a surprise...

That green on the top is so calling to me.  The palette is about 60 bucks which is pretty typical especially for Urban Decay and for as big as this thing is.  I saw it hit the social media circuit pretty hard a few weeks ago and the chatter has yet to let up.  I may find myself wandering into Ulta or Sephora before the month is out to grab it.  There has to be some reward for the crazy homework I have to do, right?

Where does the time go?

So previously I talked about the Unzipped by Lorac.  I've been using it all week pretty universally.

Obviously with primer is a much better bet, all of these performed well and so buttery without fallout.  A perfect palette for those in a business setting... Also very easy to take from a daytime look to something more night time appropriate in less then 5 minutes...

It's a subtle difference but can be deepened even more so for more drama depending on your wishes.  

All in all for a palette I bought on whim I am super impressed and its been a go to for my career type wear.  

I want all the things

SO much has been going on, my Facebook seems to see me more then any other social media... well that and Pinterest.  That place is like crack...

I've recently been quietly acquiring new product, and doing lots of research into new techniques and how to apply them.  It's been fascinating but I will tell you that while some of the Facebook boards have been chock full of information, sometimes its a scary place to be...

However I did pick up several goodies from Sugarpill, Lorac, Too Faced and NYX and cannot wait to share my thoughts.  Between them I have several fun looks as well as a few more day wear/business appropriate looks that still give some OOMPH!

First I'll talk about the Unzipped palette which is new to me and bought on a whim... and I am so happy about my whims sometimes.  I have to say I like this even more then the Original Urban Decay Naked palette which is crazy.  Urban Decay is a holy grail, but this... so buttery and no fall out and the pigments are just perfect, and easily blend able.

Tomorrow I'll show you swatches with and without primer as well as a great daytime look that with this palette can then be jazzed up for an awesome date night face.

Goodies! #TLC VoxBox

Sometimes you need the real world to drag you out of the norm.  Thankfully Influenster tends to send me little something somethings which makes me take some time for myself!!

The tissue with lotion I immediately passed to my husband because his allergies, with meds have been making his nose run and its been raw... he says the lotion has helped his face!  Yay!

I will say the Neosporin to go sounded silly but we've already used it three tines between the kids and myself.  Its been a blessing for the football accident that took out a huge patch of skin on the knee, a paper cut and a bit of rug burn.  The 14 year old totally seemed to love it and I may have lost it already.

I haven't tried the gas card yet but we're going to this weekend with all the errand running going on.  This will force me to leave the house and since I have to do makeup, I get to use the Avon Reversalist.  I love their packaging.  It slide down and there is a super clear reflective mirror on the top.  The texture is nice too.  I plan on seeing how it works with under eye wrinkles since I have two that are supah stubborn.

Then while on break from school I am totally using the Ivory soap to make liquid hand soap.  I love the scent and feel, the kids however are not nice to bars, and this will leave no mess.  The scent of Ivory does take me back. 

Don't you just love little packages in the mail to break up the monotony?
(yes I got this to review, but all the ideas and opinions are my own)   

Things that make you go hmm?

Doing someone else's makeup is so very interesting because you get to try new things... here's the before and after just hanging out and trying some new stuff.  Sometimes with depression doing some pampering can help your overall feelings.

This next term I'm only doing part time school in order to get a bit of a break.  I've been going full term for almost 2 years (with summers) and I still have work to do on my associates.  Some is due to extra classes for awards/new language and Math has always been a challenge. 

This next term I am hoping to do more makeup, more Weight Watchers, more swimming and walking and talking with my doc, and less stressing out!!  Part of that will be playing in my makeup! I ended up ordering the Electric Palette from Sephora (woot) so it should be here the day after my kids birthday (/squee).

Funny that, I got a call from Ulta yesterday.  They apologized and I guess the store gets their stuff out after the web, which doesn't make sense.  I get UD having an unveiling but having it stagger like that from UD to Online to Physical shop seems... like too much.

Looking forward to my Mary Kay shipment coming in soon as well.  They just came out with a BB cream and one a hell of a lot more affordable then my beloved Smashbox, so I cannot wait to see how it works out!!

One size fits all

I love makeup for so many reasons.  Trying to list them all would be exhausting because I find something new to appreciate daily.  Yesterday it was the fact that I got to be creative and try something new.  I rarely do a bold thick eyeliner, and decided to because I had run my budget and could afford the Electric Palette from Urban Decay.  I figured I might be able to pair the bold liner with a gorgeous new color and could hardly contain myself.  Once more, I had enough time to stop by Ulta and pick it up... only I was ignored by several staff as I looked up and down the isle to figure out where they moved the Urban Decay.

Finally I had enough trying to hunt it down and centered myself in front of someone so I couldn't be ignored.  She shuffled me over quickly, and then stopped in from of the display eyeing me up and down. Being a fat chick I know the look.  I looked fine, I don't do slovenly or even run down when I step out the door, except maybe the midnight grocery run.  I had a lovely pair of slacks paid with a cami and overshirt.  My makeup was flawless.  The hair even looked cute.

She then told me it wasn't available when I asked where the palette was, and I was baffled to hear her say it wasn't available.  I know while beauty bloggers get mailed palettes first to review them and have us salivate, that I had an email and had been drooling over Urban Decay's website when I got the email that it was available.  I had even that morning checked Ulta.com to make sure it was for sale online to see if their price was different from Sephora's.  Hell it was even available at Sephora as well.  I dunno if physical stores get a different release time or what.  The rep even told me she knew when it would be at the store but seemed to gleefully let me know she couldn't let me in on it.  Which counter intuitive from a selling standpoint.

I won't pretend I wasn't bummed it wasn't available, even though it is online.  What bothered me more what that snobbery and strange love hate thing that goes on with these shops.  I have heard in the past others talk about Sephora like this, and to be honest because of my weight and knowing people only see the fat rather then a person, I tend to order online but I don't think that's going to fix it.  Regardless of my size, I will never fit the norm of perfect, and I shouldn't have to force a customer service rep to acknowledge me or even treat my with some civility.

Luckily for me, a little time with a palette like today can help shake off those things.  Too Faced "Totally Fetch" from the pretty little rebel palette can make everything awesome!  That pink is so highly pigmented a little seriously goes a long way.  I love it!  And sometimes I need that reminder to embrace Miss Piggy, a character who loves herself regardless of anyone else rather then pulling an Eeyore.

BB Wha?

                Recently had someone ask about the difference between BB & CC cream and it got me into research mode.

                Tinted moisturizers used to be the rage, light coverage as well as helping hydrate skin.  However they cannot compare to a decent BB/CC/DD cream that does that and a whole lot more…  I knew that BB creams were super popular in Asia and found themselves here.  Initially for those who used the imports for the US versions to be lacking.

BB (Beauty Balm)	CC(Color Corrector)	DD (Daily Defense)
Light Foundation/Blemish Correction	Light Coverage/ Blemish Correction	Buildable Coverage
SPF/Still Should Sunscreen Beforehand	SPF/Vitamins	SPF
Oil Control/Blurs Lines	Less Redness/Sallow Look/Spot Corrector (Much Lighter Than Bb Cream)	Less Redness/Sallow Look/ Spot Corrector
Primer	Lighter Feel Then BB Cream	Lighter Feel Then BB Cream
Hydrates Skin	Minimizes Pores	Anti-Aging Benefits/Diminish Lines
Less Wrinkle Depth	Hides Marks From Old Breakouts & Fixes Them Over Time	Brightens/Firms
Fixes Skin Texture	Oil Control/Blurs Lines	Redefines
Firms	Primer	Primes
	Hydrates Skin/Firms	Hydrates
	Less Wrinkle Depth	Matte Skin
	Fixes Skin Texture	Lightweight

                Really some like to use this when they want a natural look, others like to use it as a preface before using foundation. 

                For me I’ve tried a few and they all have their pros and cons.  I will say I like them because they do even out skin tone, and make it easier with or without adding foundation.  Typically out of the shower I SPF & moisturize the face then when I’m ready to apply makeup all I need is my primer and CC cream.  I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of difference between the BB/CC/DD debate or more about what brand does what.  Also it depends on skin.  Some find Garnier to be too oily.  I don’t, and in fact has a better foundation cover then some others.

                I will say there are several brands I still want to try because I’ve heard some amazing things about.  Especially Revlon, L’Oreal, and Mary Kay are looking good especially within a limited budget.  Smashbox is my personal fave right now, with Garnier right behind.  

Just a kiss

Its been damned hard to find the time to do more then Facebook some new looks and interests.  School certainly has taken up all of my time.

One of my favorite indie brands is shutting their doors.  Its normally a one person operation and apparently just too much.  BFTE is part of what triggered me into wanting to do more then just daily wear for makeup so I'm kinda bummed.

Nails have taken my interest as well.  However I find I am not as skilled in that medium as makeup.  It's hard to do good mani's.  Plus I am avoiding fake nails to try and strengthen mine.  KISS sent me some nail paint for being a top influenster, which was awesome.  I needed a quick pick me up in-between school assignments!

Beyond this I'm planning on picking up the Naked 3 palette (hopefully soon) as well as a few other odds and ends.  I wanna try some things from Essence and some new at Play stuff from Mary Kay.


Now to get back to my homework, that is never ending!




***While I got the product, I'm not paid nor requested to endorse them.  Just my opinions, which you would get regardless***