tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264471492024-03-07T21:00:43.145-06:00Yet Another HeatherThere are no rules to this thing....Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.comBlogger376125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-87271110977055133102018-05-26T16:23:00.002-05:002018-05-26T16:23:38.638-05:00Makeup ProblemA couple of years ago, I started another blog (this is starting to look like a bed a habit), about makeup, skincare, and cosmetics in general. Then, I sort of stopped writing and now Wordpress is about to charge me for another year, but there's no point in renewing it.<br />
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So, I'm moving all of the posts over here! For your reading enjoyment, the following are from my former blog, "Makeup Problem."Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-12703922172009694732018-05-26T16:22:00.004-05:002018-05-26T16:22:47.833-05:00Julep Maven Box<i>Originally Published 9/17/15</i><br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_195854.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150915_195854" class="size-large wp-image-271 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_195854.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
So a couple of weeks ago I posted that the Julep Maven Box was on special and you could get it for the cost of shipping. I got mine last week.<br />
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Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I wish I was more impressed. I've never used Julep nail products before. I received:<br />
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Oxygen Bonding Base Coat- I guess it's ok.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200001.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150915_200001" class="size-large wp-image-269 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200001.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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Nail Color in Fifi (top) and Whitney (bottom). Fifi is STREAKY. After three coats it still didn't cover. Whitney is a Greige (they describe it as a mushroom grey beige) color, and it's not bad. I wore it for a couple of days before it started to chip, and that's pretty normal for me. It reminds me of Below Deck by China Glaze. It's a hard color for me to pull off personally, but I really liked it anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200016.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150915_200016" class="size-large wp-image-268 aligncenter" height="880" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200016.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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Lip Gloss in Charming<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_195945.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150915_195945" class="size-large wp-image-270 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_195945.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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This is a pink toned VERY SHEAR lip gloss. It doesn't show up on me at all. It also doesn't stay on my lips for very long. I thought I must have something similar but I didn't find anything in my collection of similar colors that was a spot-on dupe.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200603.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150915_200603" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-266" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200603.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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As I was taking these pictures I realized there was no way to tell you which one is the Julep one, so I grabbed some black liner and circled it!<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200631.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150915_200631" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-272" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150915_200631.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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Overall, this box was a good deal for $5. I wouldn't pay $25 for it. The only thing I'll use is the Whitney polish. I think part of the problem was the profile I filled out. I said I wanted a classic/neutral look, and these three colors definitely apply. But to be honest I was pretty bored.<br />
I have holographic polishes on the way to me in the mail right now. I'll play with those and share them if they're any good!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-39677683829146986292018-05-26T16:19:00.005-05:002018-05-26T16:24:17.905-05:00Tweezers<i>Originally published 9/14/15</i><br />
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Now I'm going from a glamorous perfume post to a really-not-glamorous but super useful beauty tools post.<br />
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Let's talk about tweezers.<br />
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My first "good" pair of tweezers were from Tweezerman in the 90s and I loved them and I lost them.<br />
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My next pair of tweezers were form Tweezerman and I loved them and I dropped them in the late 2000s. Bye bye tweezers.<br />
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The next two sets of Tweezermans weren't that great. Instead of pulling out hair they tended to cut it off. The last pair I got at CVS and they are maybe the worst tweezers I've ever used.<br />
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I was going to get another pair until I realized that MAYBE I shouldn't buy from that brand anymore (I know, I'm a smart one). They used to be the best and I was buying them out of habit, but not anymore. I don't know what's happened in the past 5 years or so but the quality has fallen off and I figured there has to be something better.<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150913_101331" class="aligncenter wp-image-259 size-large" height="781" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101331.jpg?w=660" width="660" /><br />
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I logged on to Amazon and did a search for tweezers. <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Eyebrow-Tweezers-Stainless-Steel-Slant/dp/B00ZQH08RW/ref=sr_1_1?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1442255434&sr=8-1&keywords=classic+necessity+tweezers"> This pair from Classic Necessity</a> had 95% five-star reviews. And they were a third of the cost of my comparable Tweezermans!<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101359.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150913_101359" class="aligncenter wp-image-258 size-large" height="937" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101359.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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And guys, there are really REALLY good. Try them. The alignment is perfect, and they get the little bitty brow hairs, blond ones that I can't even see, and pull them out easily. I don't have to clamp down on the handles to get them to pull anything out like I did with my old ones. And they don't cut anything, they just pull.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101519.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150913_101519" class="aligncenter wp-image-260 size-large" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101519.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
I wouldn't normally rave about TWEEZERS, but seriously, these are great. And cheap.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101420.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150913_101420" class="size-large wp-image-257 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150913_101420.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-69947318365944185192018-05-26T16:17:00.001-05:002018-05-26T16:24:48.449-05:00Rose Perfumes<i>Originally published 9/10/15</i><br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173315.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150910_173315" class="size-large wp-image-248 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173315.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
Lately, I have been wearing mostly rose-based perfumes, so I wanted to highlight my top three today. As the weather cools down (ever so slightly), I have found that I can wear these more now than I could in, say, July. I used to think I didn't like rose, but it turns out that I don't like the flowers typically paired with roses in a fragrance composition. So let's look at some less traditional blends that won't leave you thinking of old Victorian ladies splashing powdery rose water all over the place.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.sephora.com/stella-P50714?skuId=1647510" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Stella by Stella McCarney</a></strong><br />
I'm only talking about the original, and not the relaunch (which worries me, more on that in a second). Stella has been my go-to perfume for YEARS. It is easy to wear because it is relatively light and not overpowering. While I'm sure it is possible to apply too much, I don't find that the intensity of this changes much as you spray on more through the day. This stays close to the skin, it's not knocking anyone over. But it does leave an impression. A rose, amber, peony, citrus concoction that is not traditionally flowery to me. I wear this any time of day, any season, and if I don't know what perfume to wear, I put this on. It's like a favorite dress. It just adjusts to whatever is going on, and I think that is thanks to the peony. If they'd put in something heavy like jasmine this would be hard for me to wear.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173515.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150910_173515" class="size-large wp-image-249 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173515.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
I have a roller-ball of this one because I have more perfume than I could ever get through in my lifetime. But seeing as I've gone through 2 full-sized bottles of Stella since 2003 (and that is, without a doubt, a record for me), I will probably get another big bottle once I use this up (and the two bottles listed below...) because I prefer a spray. The fragrance was relaunched with new packaging in 2014, and my favorite perfume reviewers are swearing that the juice changed slightly as well as the bottle. I'll have to give it a sniff and see if I can tell a difference. If so, I'll be watching eBay to see if anyone has the original up for sale.<br />
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A couple of other fragrances I have that share some characteristics with Stella are <a href="http://www.sephora.com/nirvana-white-P383912?skuId=1570233&icid2=_you%20may%20also%20like_p383912_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Elizabeth & James Nirvana White</a> (I guess they both have the peony and musky/floral thing going on) and <a href="http://www.sarahjessicaparkerbeauty.com/lovely-c129" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely</a> , a much more complex musk and amber and floral scent but really beautiful on its own.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/aerin-beauty-evening-rose-eau-de-parfum-spray/3692618?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=363.6363557547579" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Aerin Lauder Evening Rose</a></strong><br />
As I was wandering around the Estee Lauder counter, as one does, smelling everything and going "Eeeewwwww" as one does (except in the case of Private Collection Tuberose and Gardenia, which as far as I'm concerned is one of the most beautiful things Estee Lauder has produced) I came across the tiny display of more Aerin Lauder fragrances. It's like Estee Lauder can't decide whether or not they want to appeal to a younger crowd (okay, this is relative since Aerin Lauder is 45 years old, but I think their target market is around 70). ANYWAY a few of these smell wonderful, and I really loved the Evening Rose fragrance, but no way was I going to buy a huge bottle of it (and the bottles have a stone on top of the cap which I find sort of tacky).<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173447.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150910_173447" class="size-large wp-image-246 aligncenter" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173447.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
EBAY TO THE RESCUE! I found a 0.3 oz sample bottle on ebay for somewhere around $20.<br />
The notes in Evening Rose are rose, incense, Bulgarian rose, blackberry, and cognac. This is a warm creamy rose and I love the incense in the background. It's like wearing Stella in a cathedral. Deep, intense, and seductive, with a little bit of sweet dark boozy fruit to round it out. The average person who is more worried these things would probably wear it on date night and not in the office... but I want to smell it all day!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/jo-malone-velvet-rose-oud-cologne-intense/3584482?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=1636.3636008964104" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud</a></strong><br />
MY HOLY GRAIL OF ROSE PERFUMES. When I went to Nordstrom during their sale I paused at the Jo Malone counter, knowing full well I wasn't going to buy anything because holy SHIT that perfume is expensive. Just the normal perfume is expensive at $125, but this is the Intense line and at $170 a bottle it's way out of my budget. Anyway, I stopped. The dude talked up their candles (don't even get me started on small batch, hand-poured luxury candle prices) (<em>faints</em>), and stuck all sorts of lovely things under my nose to smell. I got two samples: Velvet Rose & Oud, and Tuberose Angelica, both of which are stunning.<br />
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I trolled ebay. Someone put up a 40% full bottle and I sat on that listing when the auction was ending and snatched it up for less than $70.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173428.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="IMG_20150910_173428" class="wp-image-247 size-large" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150910_173428.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohhhh<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">look at my off-set artsy photography skills! Orrrrr that lid reflects EVERYTHING and it had to go...</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This perfume features damask rose, agarwood (oud), praline and clove. It is a smoky, heavy, spicy, full-bodied rose with a tiny bit of sweetness. I think this could be worn by men as well as women, although teenagers who wear Pink Sugar or another fruity gourmand perfume will probably find it a little too mature because it lacks the more approachable notes that are so popular right now. It lasts on me for hours and hours. If I put it on before I go to bed (totally normal, right?), I can smell it when I wake up in the morning. It stays on your clothes. If you didn't like this perfume but went wild with a test spray you'd be in a world of trouble because you're not getting rid of it for a long time. Even I don't wear this one to work- it is too much (well, maybe just one tiny 1/2 of a spray). It is gorgeous.<br />
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So, there are my roses. This is kind of like a wine tasting (wine and perfume have a lot in common), going from lightest to heaviest, simple to complex. Do you have a favorite rose that I should try?Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-29795566235982097052018-05-26T16:11:00.002-05:002018-05-26T16:25:07.775-05:00Maybelline Lash Sensational<i>Originally published 9/7/15</i><br />
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Today let's talk about my current favorite mascara. It changes all the time, but this one has been in rotation pretty consistently for the past two weeks. I bought it about six weeks ago, tried it out, didn't really LOVE love it, and stuck it in my drawer and forgot about it. Then towards the end of August, I was feeling kinda MEH about my mascara choices and pulled that bad boy out and WOW. Maybe it needed a month or so to dry out a little bit, I don't know.<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150907_182452" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-238" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150907_182452.jpg?w=660" width="660" /><br />
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This formula isn't too wet or dry, they call it a "liquid ink formula" but I don't find it to be wet or watery. It stays on without smudging or flaking, which is important since I wear contacts and mascara flaking into my eyes is horrible.<br />
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The best thing about this mascara is the brush. I love curved brushes and will usually smash any bristle wand I have against the opening of its tube to curve it if it doesn't come that way already. It makes for less messy application for me. This brush has plastic bristles and the little bristles on the inside of the curve get all of the little tiny lashes. The outside part of the curve has longer bristles, which apply a good coat of product to your lashes.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150907_182609.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150907_182609" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-239" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_20150907_182609.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
I usually use the tiny bristles first and then comb through with the longer ones. The application is great with 2 coats- any more than that and I have to comb through my lashes with another brush. You can see in the picture that the product isn't chunking up on the wand at all, so this isn't too much of an issue really. But when I need to, I like to use Cover Girl's Clump Crusher wand for fixing problems when any mascara has given me clumps or spidery lashes.<br />
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I need makeup remover to remove this- my regular face wash doesn't cut it. When I just wash my face this mascara balls up in little chucks, so you'll want to take it off before you do anything else or it will get all over your towels.<br />
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Lash Sensational is around $9.00 at Ulta.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-83676609475262576202018-05-26T16:10:00.000-05:002018-05-26T16:25:25.996-05:00Where Did I Gooooooo??? (Not "Goo", ew, "Go!")<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Originally published 9/2/15</i><br />
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<img alt="maddy_rf" class="aligncenter wp-image-232 " src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/maddy_rf.jpg?w=660" /></div>
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Okay so I barely started this dang blog and then I go all MIA for a minute. I'm back really quickly though to tell you that I've signed up (briefly) for another subscription box! This one is for<a href="http://www.julep.com/shop/new-arrivals.html"> Julep</a>, which is known for nail care stuff, but also has makeup and skincare products.<br />
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Normally the box is $24.99 a month, but I got it for free and paid $2.99 for shipping because I used a code and you can too! Click here. Yeah I think this gives me Julep points or something, I'm very new to this particular subscription. But you get to save $25.<br />
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USE THE CODE GIRL! USE THE COOOODE!<br />
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I'll be back with another Lorac palette review. Yes, as it says above, I do have a problem.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-70151186942400552892018-05-26T16:08:00.003-05:002018-05-26T16:25:44.198-05:00August Ipsy Glam Bag First Impressions<i>Originally published 8/20/15</i><br />
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Hey Chickadees!<br />
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So this was my first time ever getting an Ipsy Glam Bag, and IT WAS AWESOME.<br />
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First, it arrived in this very snazzy pink bubble envelope:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171127.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171127" class="aligncenter wp-image-215 size-large" height="480" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171127.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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Then there was the bag:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171143.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171143" class="wp-image-214 size-large aligncenter" height="470" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171143.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
Super fun little lined houndstooth vinyl makeup bag.<br />
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Next: the products:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171225.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171225" class="size-large wp-image-213 aligncenter" height="432" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171225.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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From what I can tell these are 3 full size and 2 sample size products. Let's start!<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171244.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171244" class="aligncenter wp-image-211 size-large" height="922" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171244.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
Eco-Beauty Good Night. Night Cream (sample- full size is $40) comes in this really cool packaging that I'm all impressed by. Less packaging, resealable, and easier to get everything out of it. Awesome.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171238.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171238" class="size-large wp-image-212 aligncenter" height="777" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171238.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a>This all-natural nighttime facial moisturizer is cruelty free. It has a very light botanical (cucumber?) scent and it doesn't have any parabens, sulfates, dyes, triclosan, artificial fragrances, or animal by-products. Trying it on the back of my hand it feels a little tacky but I don't mind that in a night lotion.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171318.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171318" class="aligncenter wp-image-208 size-large" height="403" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171318.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
Hikari lip gloss in Merlot. (Full size, $13 value.)<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150819_190719" class="aligncenter wp-image-219 size-large" height="423" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_190719.jpg?w=660" width="660" /><br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_190752.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_190752" class="aligncenter wp-image-222 size-large" height="488" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_190752.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a>A very pretty full-size berry-mauve gloss. Seems to have good staying power, and it is super pigmented! You need a mirror to apply this gloss. According to their website they do not test on animals.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171309.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171309" class="size-large wp-image-209 aligncenter" height="1024" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171309.jpg?w=649" width="649" /></a><br />
Fancy in-shower moisturizer from Divine (Sample, 9 oz. is $16). It seems like everything is in-shower lately. This one is unscented, I'll let you know how it goes. They <a href="http://albertiniinternational.com/test-bunnies" rel="noopener" target="_blank">don't do animal testing</a> either.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_185551.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_185551" class="size-large wp-image-220 aligncenter" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_185551.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a>Doucce Cosmetics Ultra Precision Eyeliner in shade 500. (Full size, $22 value) Made in Germany, waterproof, and looks like a really good dark black on the skin. They also do not test on animals (are you seeing a trend here??).<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171342.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171342" class="size-large wp-image-217 aligncenter" height="660" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171342.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a>Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Elegantly Wasted. It's LAVENDER.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171432.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150819_171432" class="size-large wp-image-221 aligncenter" height="637" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150819_171432.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a>I did a swatch on one nail last night and it will probably cover in 2 coats. It is 5 Free, vegan, and cruelty-free. (Full size, $15 value)<br />
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Overall I was SUPER IMPRESSED with the content of my first Ipsy bag. Really high quality products and the full size products were worth $50, not bad when you only pay $10 for the whole thing. I will definitely continue to get this one.<br />
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Do you subscribe to Ipsy? Do they always make it a point to include cruelty-free products in their bags? I stay on the lookout for products that don't to animal testing. It would be great if I could find replacements for some of my go-to products that are produced by companies that are not cruelty free.<br />
PS If you'd like to sign up for an Ipsy subscription through my referral link, please click here. If you think that's sketchy as hell and you aren't even sure why you read this blog when all I do is try to get points for my greedy self, you can just <a href="https://www.ipsy.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">click here</a>. There is usually a waitlist, but it shouldn't take long to get your invite via email.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-5169057630146459052018-05-26T16:05:00.001-05:002018-05-26T16:26:12.424-05:00For Jen: Bridesmaid/Wedding Makeup Advice<div class="gmail_default">
<i>Originally published 8/17/15</i><br />
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<em>Note: My cousin Jen is going to be a bridesmaid in a couple of weeks and asked me for wedding makeup advice. She lives in southern California and has three awesome kids who take up a lot of her time, so I knew that my ideas needed to be easy to follow and the products easy to find. Besides specific shades and colors that I thought would suit her coloring, here were my ideas- in no particular order.</em><br />
<em><br /></em> Wheeeeeee! You get to be in a wedding! Since weddings are all about pictures you want to make sure that your makeup looks just as good in pictures as it does in real life. Apply it in stages- if you use a moisturizer (that just depends on your skin), put that on and wait a few minutes for it to sink in. Then put on some primer (again, this depends on your skin type), and wait for that to dry before you put on foundation. While you wait for your foundation to set, do your eye makeup, and then go back to face makeup. Give yourself lots of time. Blend everything really well!<br />
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<strong>#1 Tip</strong>:<strong> try not to use anything with a lot of SPF in it.</strong> (This is my most important thing about wedding makeup.) Sunscreen tends to bounce the light off of your face in unpredictable ways, so it can look like your face is ghostly or shiny in pictures. Not cute.<br />
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<strong>#2</strong> Use a foundation primer. It doesn't have to be expensive, in fact, a really well reviewed one (I have not personally tried it) is the Shine Control Primer from Neutrogena, which you can get at pretty much any drugstore. Get it, try it out and see if it keeps your foundation in place before the wedding, and if not, RETURN IT. Walgreens or Ulta are really good for returning stuff that doesn't work for you. This one could be worth checking out too.<br />
<a href="http://www.drugstore.com/neutrogena-shine-control-primer/qxp410660"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" src="https://pics1.ds-static.com/prodimg/410660/500.JPG" width="500" /></a><br />
#<strong>3</strong> Set your foundation of choice with a powder that isn't shimmery or anything (<a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=VP00144" rel="noopener" target="_blank">this one</a> is my favorite, Neutrogena makes a good one too but it is almost TOO matte for me- so use a light hand). If powder tends to look cakey on you, use a light dusting over your T-zone and then touch up through the event with blotting papers.<br />
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<strong>#4</strong> Once all of your makeup is applied, mist it with a few spritzes of a setting spray. This is like hairspray for your face and will help everything stay in place for longer.<br />
<a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod5050031&skuId=2254931&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&cagpspn=pla&CAWELAID=1816007896&catargetid=330000200000302249&cadevice=c&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6cCuBRCh4KrGoJ6LoboBEiQAwzYsdJ5R5IvWEEJASiluVLxI3hgs54Shq3jUFjajqm0aHjwaAtUw8P8HAQ"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" src="https://scene7.targetimg1.com/is/image/Target/15141140?wid=480&hei=480" /></a><br />
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<strong>#5</strong> If you want to cover up under-eye circles or darkness, the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer is awesome. They also have a brightener shade which is sort of pink and when used lightly brightens up your under-eye area making you look all fresh and awake and stuff.<br />
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<strong>#6</strong> Pinky-peachy cheeks and lips are always a classic look, don't pull focus from anybody else, and are probably a safe choice in Southern California since things tend to be casual and a little beachy there. Try to get a blush that has just a little shimmer to it if you want to, but absolutely no GLITTER. I like this one a lot for a hint of shimmer- I think I have it in rose gold. If you already have a blush you like, but feel like your cheekbones need some highlighting, you can lightly dust on a very light colored shimmery eyeshadow and blend it in really well. The Iced Latte shade from the Infallible Eyeshadows would work well for this. (No glitter for eye makeup either, but shimmer is ok.)<br />
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For lipstick I'm a big fan of the Rimmel Provocalips line- it's long wearing and at least on me it doesn't wear off in patches and look gross halfway through the day.<br />
<a href="http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=461743&catid=183545&cmbProdBrandFilter=5376&aid=338666&aparam=461743&kpid=461743&CAWELAID=120142990000070945&CAGPSPN=pla&kpid=461743"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="300" src="https://pics1.ds-static.com/prodimg/461743/300.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<strong>#7</strong> I have really oily lids so I always use an eyeshadow primer. If you don't already have one, the best one I have found so far is the Wet & Wild Fergie Take On the Day Eyeshadow Primer. It is just as good as the high-end ones, and keeps my eyeshadow on all day. It's at Walgreens and Target.<br />
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<strong>#8</strong> Find out if the other girls are wearing false eyelashes. If so, get some so your eyes stand out just as much as theirs do in pictures! This is an excellent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyIER9a2BHA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">video</a> about falsies. They're not hard to apply I PROMISE, but they do take a little practice. This could be way more glamorous than the wedding you're in warrants- it all kind of depends on the vibe. Also, if false lashes totally skeeve you out, skip them and put on several coats of mascara, particularly on the lashes at the outer corner of your eyes.<br />
<a href="http://www.target.com/p/ardell-fashion-lashes-natural-lashes-135/-/A-11064141"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" src="https://scene7.targetimg1.com/is/image/Target/11064141?wid=480&hei=480" /></a></div>
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<strong>#9</strong> Take your powder, blush, lipstick/gloss, mascara, and eyeliner with you. If you get there and all the other bridesmaids are way more "done" than you are, add more to your face. Way easier to add more than to tone it down!<br />
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<strong>#10</strong> Bring blotting papers so you don't have to keep applying powder and start looking all dry and cakey.<br />
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<strong>#11</strong> Get the maid of honor a glass of wine after her speech. :)<br />
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I hope you have fun! Some excellent youtube videos (I do love a video tutorial) for wedding/bridal make are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNLNFvWDVSQ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUa37lniu-Y" rel="noopener" target="_blank">here</a>. Remember it is more about technique and how they put the makeup on than the brands or even colors they use. Be sure to do a trial run of whatever you decide to wear at least a week before the wedding so you have time to see if it's all going to work the way you want it to. It's just makeup- so experiment before the big event and you will be completely confident in your look so you won't have to worry that your lashes are coming off or if you have lipstick on your teeth!<br />
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Let me know if I missed anything or if you have more questions! I started out with like 3 ideas and then it snowballed. HA!</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-23023391926915565612018-05-26T15:59:00.006-05:002018-05-26T16:26:33.665-05:00Birchbox July & August- a Hit & a Miss (Or Vice-Versa)<i>Originally published 8/13/15</i><br />
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Subscription boxes are so much fun and such a crapshoot. When they arrive in the mail it feels like Christmas and you get to open everything and it's all a surprise. And we know how surprises are- sometimes they can be a great thing, sometimes they are terrible. I have found that my potential for disappointment is proportional to how excited I get about a particular product. So I try not to think about subscription boxes until they arrive.<br />
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I renewed my Birchbox subscription in July so I got my July and August boxes within two weeks of each other. July was first.<br />
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I'll just get it out there now- while the boxes are always fun, I was not impressed with July.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172431.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_172431" class="aligncenter wp-image-179 size-large" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172431.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
Let's run through the products real quick, shall we?<br />
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That bottle turned on its side is Key West Aloe Save a Tan lotion. While it's very nice, I don't tan. Ever. And while the description on the birchbox website suggests that you achieve the glow you're aiming to preserve while wearing the proper SPF, as far as I'm concerned if you're tanning you're not wearing enough SPF. And tanning is aging and increases your risk for cancer. So the branding is ridiculous. The lotion smells very nice, but I'm not spending $12.50 for 6 oz of nice smelling lotion.<br />
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The tiny tube is Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35. It's way too dark for me. Fail.<br />
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I'm not sure that I have the correct hair type for amika Un.Done Texture Spray. This did nothing for my hair. I have texturizing powders that I use sometimes for volume, so I am familiar with the concept, but this did nothing for my hair. Nothing.<br />
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Jouer Daily Clarifying Treatment Oil seems like a good face oil to me. I'm not sure why it's $48 an ounce full size when the first few ingredients are grape, jojoba, rice bran, and sunflower seed oils, and a few of the other oils are potential irritants, but it felt nice going on and sinks in fast. Meh.<br />
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The biggest disappointment for me was the stila look at me liquid lipstick in the shade Beso. When you buy this it comes as a trio with 2 other colors. This stuff feathered like crazy on me! First lipstick I've ever had that did that, and I even tried it with lipliner. I've tried it three times now, and even when I use a little and blend it out, it bleeds out around my lipline What gives???? I think you can even see the feathering in this swatch on my hand toward the top.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172910.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_172910" class="aligncenter wp-image-178 size-large" height="528" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172910.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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The only thing I'll really get any use out of is this coupon for a mini of my favorite mascara if I buy something else from the brand on Birchbox. We'll see....<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150804_172219" class=" wp-image-181 size-large aligncenter" height="517" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172219.jpg?w=660" width="660" /><br />
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Whew, so that was July. And I was not that impressed. (Just in case you weren't fully aware.)<br />
Moving on! August was MUCH better! These are more like quick first impressions since this just came last week.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150808_130113.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150808_130113" class="aligncenter wp-image-186 size-large" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150808_130113.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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How stinkin' cute is that box???<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150808_130136.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150808_130136" class="aligncenter wp-image-185 size-large" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150808_130136.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
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This might be the cutest marketing campaign I've seen from Birchbox.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150808_130251.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150808_130251" class="aligncenter wp-image-183 size-large" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150808_130251.jpg?w=660" width="660" /></a><br />
Ok, here are the goods!<br />
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First up was Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap. This has shea butter and coconut oil towards the top of the list which aren't ideal for acne prone skin but it was worth a shot. You use this as a face wash/mask/scrub. This stuff has the texture of molasses, it's so sticky I couldn't get it out of the container very easily. And when I started spreading it on my face ohhhh the smell. This stuff REEKS. It was like I was spreading charred chicken ashes all over my face. Who comes up with this stuff? I MIGHT try it again but ohhh that smell. My skin did look nice the next morning.<br />
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Next was the St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion. I tried this once, but it's a gradual tanner so I didn't really see any difference. See above regarding total inability to tan... most self-tanners turn yellow on me but I'll see what happens here. I liked using it in the shower so there's less mess.<br />
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There was a can of the Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray. I'm assuming this is some kind of salt spray which I like to use for texture in my hair. I have yet to try it out but I won't be ignoring it because the rave reviews on Birchbox are from fine-haired girls like me.<br />
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Balance Me Congested Skin Serum seems like a good idea but there are a ton of ingredients in here that are skin irritants if they used the oils, ok if they used an extract of the flowers, but the ingredients list doesn't differentiate. It's supposed to be a spot treatment. I have low expectations for this one but we'll see. I might try it sometime.<br />
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As far as I'm concerned the best thing in this box is the sample of theBalm cosmetics Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush. This is a great color and not too shimmery as far as I can tell. It will be kind of a pain getting a brush into that TEENY TINY SAMPLE PAN, but I think it will be a good one. A long time ago I got a sample of theBalm's Bahama Mama blush and it was excellent quality.<br />
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So that's two months of Birchbox! If you'd like to sign up it is only $10 a month which I think is worth it. Usually the good products outweigh the not-as-awesome. If you'd like to sign up with my link, click here. (If you click there I get points to use on future purchases.) If that sounds like a shady scam and you now feel like this entire post was an advertisement for Birchbox because I gave it such a glowing review, just go here.<br />
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Do any of you get Birchbox? Do you think it's worth it? Any particular hits or misses for you?Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-50228497021416637862018-05-26T15:53:00.002-05:002018-05-26T16:26:59.556-05:00Na Nin Perfume Oils<i>Originally published 8/10/15</i><br />
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Ohhhh perfume. I love you so. I wear everything from Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely to Kate Walsh's Boyfriend (discontinued, I might get over it one day), to Stella by Stella McCartney and Chanel's Mademoiselle. Tom Ford's Black Orchid, Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black & White, Diptyque, Jo Malone... I love a lot of perfume. Most of what I buy now are samples or roller-balls (read: tiny) because I love to try new things. I haven't delved much into the niche world of perfumes, and to be honest (I'm going to sound like a total snob) I'm not sure that this counts as "niche" in the way I think of it. Maybe "independent" is a better way to categorize the brand, but that really isn't important. The oils are blended to match the feeling the perfume creator gets when she listens to certain songs tied to her memories, which I thought was a super fun concept.<br />
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There are several people I watch pretty religiously on Youtube, and one of them is Chelsea of ChelseaWears. She's funny, quirky, down to earth, and has a really unique sense of style that I find charming and entertaining. In one of her favorites videos a few months ago she said she'd been wearing Na Nin perfume oils, and you could find them in her online shop Anomie. Well, you better believe I stampeded on over there to investigate.<br />
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Soooo many choices and lovely sounding fragrances. There was a 4 perfume oil sampler set on the website but it was sold out. Not being sure if it would ever come to anything (would they restock?), I joined the email list to get notified if it ever came back in. And on July 30th the email came- it was back! I ordered it that day and impatiently waited because my curiosity was piqued.<br />
A few days later I received a lovely little package. These perfume oils are all natural, so they have dark glass bottles to keep the light out and little droppers for application, and you have to reapply often because they evaporate fairly quickly. If you order from the Na Nin website, the bottles are hand-blended when you order them, which I guess ensures freshness but makes me wonder if there is any variation in the fragrance.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171633.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_171633" class=" wp-image-166 aligncenter" height="324" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171633.jpg?w=300" width="601" /></a><br />
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Anyway, as soon as I opened the box I was hit with this scent that I can only call "Guilford"- the liberal arts college where I spent a year before I honed in on a major. Guilford is definitely a hippy school, or it was when I went there 16 years ago. My roommate sewed her own patchwork dresses and her best friend grew pot in the window of the basement in our dorm. Think patchouli, sandalwood, and vetiver, all of which are lovely in moderation but when they are combined in excess I get "dirty hippy perfume". There was a lot of trepidation when I took the little bottles out of their ziplock bag and gingerly cracked them open to sniff.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171444.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_171444" class=" wp-image-170 aligncenter" height="400" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171444.jpg?w=300" width="442" /></a><br />
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These fragrances are fascinating. When I put on Jolene, I was waiting to be hit over the head with musk but instead, this is subtle. It is a combination I've smelled before- on my college roommate who bought some perfume oil at a head shop based on her astrological sign. It smelled gorgeous on her. Anyway, the notes listed are black pepper, angelica root, mandarin, amber, rose, and musk. I'm a sucker for rose/musk/amber profiles, so that's why I tried it first. It smells amazing and different, I guess from the angelica root which is the only thing I didn't have on my notes spreadsheet until now.<br />
Yes, there is a spreadsheet of my perfume collection and the notes. I am training my nose. Shut up.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171559.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_171559" class=" wp-image-167 aligncenter" height="400" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171559.jpg?w=300" width="424" /></a><br />
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Next, I tried Cripple Creek. Described as a smoky pine scent with tobacco, pine, amber, vetiver, and cypress, I expected something manly and too woodsy for me. When I first apply it I get a lot of vetiver and cypress. But it is another beautifully blended fragrance that is light and subtle and won't hit anyone over the head. I love how the tobacco softens the astringency of the pine and cypress, and then the amber rounds it all out. Again, this is like nothing I have smelled before. The characteristics in this one come out as soon as I apply it, if you sniff every 5 seconds some new note is coming out until (on me at least) it calms down into a soft tobacco and pine.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171514.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_171514" class=" wp-image-169 aligncenter" height="400" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171514.jpg?w=300" width="438" /></a><br />
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The third perfume I tried was Farewell. Described as a country floral scent with notes of rose, geranium, basil, and lavender, all I got was a huge whollop of lavender, and then it was gone. I was pretty sad about that because I thought anything floral with basil in it would be really interesting, but I got nothing. I'll try it again in the fall and see if any other notes make an appearance.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171543.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_171543" class=" wp-image-168 aligncenter" height="400" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171543.jpg?w=300" width="400" /></a><br />
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The last was the Earth Momma of all Earth Mommas, Landslide. Obviously inspired by Stevie Nicks, this one has patchouli, cedarwood, rosewood, and sandalwood. THIS is where the hippy school notes were coming from, and when I wear it I'm pretty sure I need to be at a music festival wearing a lot of layers. Smoking something illegal. It is heavy on the patchouli, it is earthy, and it is STRONG. I don't love it, but someone who is more drawn to woods would probably appreciate it.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171356.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_171356" class=" wp-image-171 aligncenter" height="349" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_171356.jpg?w=300" width="600" /></a><br />
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Overall I'd say Cripple Creek and Jolene were my favorites of this sampler and I will use them up quickly. I don't see myself purchasing full bottles since they wear off so quickly. That might change in the winter- I'll have to try them all again in December to see if any of the notes change.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-84723975222768581932018-05-26T15:49:00.000-05:002018-05-26T16:39:24.925-05:00How the Heck Do I Buy Makeup?!<i>Originally published 8/6/15</i><br />
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I'm testing out my birchbox stuff that arrived yesterday, and new some perfume oils, so there's nothing to write up yet! That means a lack of pretty pictures. After this (these posts will be up next week!):<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_170843.jpg"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span> </a> <a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172110.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150804_172110" class=" wp-image-157 aligncenter" height="328" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_172110.jpg?w=300" width="426" /></a><br />
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Okay, so I can talk about makeup application, and colors, and textures, and palettes, and brushes, and all of that good stuff until I'm blue in the face (or my fingers fall off) but a good question to tackle right at the beginning is HOW DO I BUY THE STUFF?<br />
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I'm going to break this down for you in a few different ways, and unfortunately, due to my limited international experience lately, it will only apply to American shoppers. I know a lot of people aren't comfortable with makeup and find the entire purchasing process overwhelming, so they've been using the same mascara from 2 years ago, and I can't blame them (except seriously, throw that crap away, it's crawling with bacteria). There are so many options, so many brands, and depending on where you go, a lot of bright lights, loud music, and pushy salespeople. So here's the process I've developed over the years.<br />
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1. <strong><span style="color: purple;">DO YOUR RESEARCH</span>. </strong>You want a new mascara? Go find the best-reviewed mascaras and see what sounds good to you. You want a new moisturizer? Get thee to a good online resource for recommendations. I have two favorite websites for research.<br />
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<a href="http://www.makeupalley.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Makeupalley</a> (just sign up for a free account) is the place to go for millions of reviews by consumers about all kinds of skin, hair, nails, and cosmetics products. These reviews tend to be brutally honest. You can find the top reviewed products as well as the best value products by category. You can sort results and reviews by the age of the reviewer and their skin type, hair color, and eye color. I really like to sort by age because my needs aren't usually the same as those of a 19-year-old or those of a 60-year-old. You can sort reviews by most recent and most helpful. It is a massive database and I love it. I've been using it since 2004.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulaschoice.com/beautypedia/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Beautypedia</a> is run by Paula Begoun's company (in the 1980s and 1990s she wrote several editions of the book "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me" which was a great product review resource before the internet came around). Word is that now she's more into product development on her own skincare and makeup line (Paula's Choice) and a team of employees do reviews. Their reviews tend to be based more on scientific information and ingredient research. I personally find this to be great for things like moisturizers and treatments, but not so useful for eyeshadows or lipsticks. I tend to cross-reference whatever Beautypedia says about science with whatever Makeupalley users actually think of a product before I buy it.<br />
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Once you've selected a product you think would be good, the Sephora and Ulta websites also have user-generated reviews. Search for the products and start reading. They tend to have reviews on newer products before Makeupalley and WAY before Beautypedia since they do so much research.<br />
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2. <span style="color: purple;"><strong>PICK YOUR RETAILER.</strong></span> The patient among us can just do an online order from Sephora or Ulta or drugstore.com or even brand websites, wait a few days for shipping, and then try out new products in the comfort of their own home. Check around for special offers you can get when you buy online purchases and not in stores. Sephora will let you pick from a bunch of samples, and they have codes for other free sample/trial/travel sizes as well. Google is your friend.<br />
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I am not normally that patient.<br />
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High-End: Sephora and Nordstrom (if there's one near you, any other fancy department store should be similar) have a higher-end selection of brands, give out generous samples if you're unsure of a product (and if you're nice), and are intimidating as hell to a newbie- particularly Sephora with their loud music and slightly disorienting displays and lots and lots of lights and mirrors. Department stores also tend to have brand representatives in the store who will steer you towards their own product lines. That's fine if you're exploring but sometimes you don't feel comfortable doing your research on your phone right there with them talking to you about their own miracle product. These two places also have excellent return policies if you decide you hate something or have a reaction to it.<br />
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Mid Tier: Ulta and Kohls have some mid- to higher- end brands, and Ulta also has the brands you'd find in a drugstore or mass market retailer. Ulta is great for shopping both ends of the price spectrum at once and it is a quieter store with fewer employees to bug you. The flip side to that is that if you NEED help it is sometimes hard to find someone. Kohls has a lot of interesting brands you don't find anywhere else.<br />
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Drugstore: Walgreens, CVS, and Target are all good for drugstore brands of makeup (and hopefully dupes of what you'd get at Sephora!). You will always find Cover Girl, Maybelline, Revlon, L'Oreal, Almay, Physician's Formula and sometimes Rimmel, Wet & Wild, and Milani at these places. Very few store personnel are really going to be much help at discount chain stores, but there's a decent selection, the stores are convenient, and they do a lot of sales and Buy One Get One specials on certain brands. Make sure to check the aisles at the front of the store (or in Target's case, on the end caps in the cosmetics section) for displays of new products and sales. Personally I almost always shop Walgreens because they have an excellent return policy.<br />
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Walmart or Target is where I buy the basics that I use repeatedly. I wouldn't want to stand in line at Walmart to do a return, but their products can be found for less money than drugstores charge, by as much as a third.<br />
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3. <strong><span style="color: purple;">OMG I HATE IT!</span></strong> Well, if you have really done your research, you should have something you like and you're all set. But if you hate something- either the quality is terrible or the color is bad, see if you can take it back. No cosmetics company wants you stuck with something you hate and giving it bad reviews. I have returned foundation that was the wrong shade, nail polish that didn't cover well, and numerous products that have given me a rash. Drugstore brands don't have testers so it's hard to know if what you got was correct, while high-end stores will give samples and have testers in their stores in hopes that you don't wind up returning a very expensive product that they can't do anything with but throw out.<br />
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So that's it. My best ways of getting new products into my collection. I start with Makeupalley, move to Beautypedia, and don't forget that blogs,<em> much like the one you're reading</em>, and YouTube videos are full of great products too (keep an eye on some sponsored posts though- some of them are real reviews while others are just glorified advertisements). Google whatever you're looking for and someone has had SOMETHING to say about it, I promise.<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150804_170843" class=" wp-image-156 aligncenter" height="328" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150804_170843.jpg?w=225" width="249" /><br />
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Next week we're delving into perfume! EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-73766942486840286942018-05-26T15:43:00.001-05:002018-05-26T16:38:38.914-05:00MAC Face Makeup Mini-Haul & How to Use It<i>Originally published 8/3/15</i><br />
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Let's talk about my FACE! I have very sensitive skin that used to be dry but has gotten oilier over time. I'm also fair, so it's pretty obvious if I get red from products or the sun. My skin has been really fussy since I switched birth control 2 years ago- HOLY BREAKOUTS, Batman! I got cystic acne in my mid-30s and it was miserable. It didn't only look bad, it hurt like hell. Working with my dermatologist I have been on antibiotics on and off for a while, as well as tretinoin (retinol), but I think we have finally hit on spironolactone as my solution to acne. I'm 3 months in and things are a LOT better. The side effects haven't been too bad- my main complaint was a couple of weeks of breast tenderness (this is a hormonal treatment to block some of the testosterone that brings on hormonal acne).<br />
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In the past I didn't wear foundation much as it is really hard for me to get a foundation that is light enough for my skin-tone, and I didn't want anything on my face that would irritate my acne even more. But as time marches on, my skin has gotten blotchier and redder and I need something to sort of even everything out and cover the redness. There are a few foundations from the drugstore that I like (I'll cover those in a future post), and I have one from Clinique that I like ok, but I wanted to revisit MAC. The prices aren't bad and they have decent reviews.<br />
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So I wandered into the local MAC store on a Sunday evening and a very nice girl named Maritza helped me to find a foundation for my skin type and tone. We determined that Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 was a good fit for my skin type, then the adventure into color started. MAC's color system makes no sense to me so I would recommend just going to a store or counter and getting color matched. My skin is fairly neutral (it's got golden and pink undertones, at least under the redness). She tried C3.5, which was way too yellow, so we went with NW15 (my former shade from a good 12+ years ago), which was too dark, and landed on NW13. I couldn't believe that I've gotten paler with age (hello consistent sunscreen use, you're actually doing something!), but this is definitely a good match, as you'll see in a minute.<br />
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So hold on to your hats boys & girls, here's my face without a stitch of makeup on. Only sunscreen and some Olay Regenerist Serum that I use as a primer:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_065824.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150720_065824" class=" wp-image-142 aligncenter" height="496" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_065824.jpg?w=169" width="285" /></a><br />
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Pretty glorious, right? Some redness, some acne, some scarring, oh my GOD put some makeup on woman.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_070636-copy.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150720_070128" class=" wp-image-134 aligncenter" height="491" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_070128.jpg?w=169" width="285" /></a><br />
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So here I am with the new foundation on. I used probably 1.25 pumps and dotted it all over my face, then blended it in with a Real Techniques Bold Metals Triangle Foundation Brush, which worked really well. Not winning any beauty contracts or anything, but things are getting decent. I don't do heavy foundation, it feels gross on my face.<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150720_070636 - Copy" class=" wp-image-135 aligncenter" height="495" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_070636-copy.jpg?w=169" width="285" /><br />
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Next, I added a little concealer. Maybelline Age Rewind Instant Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in "Light" under my eyes, using a round brush to buff it in, and then Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in Shade 4 on any blemishes or redness that the foundation didn't completely cover. I know, I know, you're all like "What blemishes??"<br />
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HAAAAAAAAA!<br />
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I use a tiny brush to put concealer on any spots that need covering and then tap a fluffy brush right on top to blend it in.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_070742.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150720_070742" class=" wp-image-137 aligncenter" height="491" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_070742.jpg?w=169" width="285" /></a><br />
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Ok, then I topped it all off with powder. I got MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium (the MAC link is absolutely not working, so Nordstrom wins the link battle today), which has some coverage as well, and also MAC's Prep & Prime Finishing Powder (transparent) for setting concealer and my T-zone, which does a great job at mattifying everything. It has been in the mid-90s for weeks, with the heat index well into the 100s, so keeping everything in place is a challenge.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_071611.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150720_071611" class=" wp-image-140 aligncenter" height="491" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_20150720_071611.jpg?w=169" width="285" /></a><br />
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Oh, I should probably point out that powder alone didn't make my eyebrows darker, or my eye makeup all intense. But that's not the point of this post, and I'm sure I'll cover it all later. The point is... NW13 seems to be a good match. Here are the face products used:<br />
<img alt="IMG_20150719_112934" class=" wp-image-80 aligncenter" height="381" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150719_112934.jpg?w=300" width="502" /><br />
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And the brushes used to apply it all:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150719_113032.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150719_113032" class=" wp-image-82 aligncenter" height="375" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150719_113032.jpg?w=225" width="285" /></a><br />
Top to bottom we have an Elf Complexion Brush (for powder), Real Techniques Bold Metals Triangle Foundation Brush, Laura Mercier Camouflage Brush (for the setting powder under my eyes), Sephora Collection Blending Brush (for blending out concealer), Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush (for blending under-eye concealer), and a Real Techniques Detailer Brush (for applying concealer).<br />
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And ALL of the stuff I used on my face this morning, minus my big Lorac Pro 2 eye palette:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150719_112700.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150719_112700" class=" wp-image-81 aligncenter" height="375" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150719_112700.jpg?w=225" width="285" /></a><br />
I'm not going to list all of that, it'll get covered in specific posts later on.<br />
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I've had this foundation for a couple of weeks now and I've been really happy with its longevity and the fact that it hasn't broken me out. It doesn't feel like a mask but it seems to cancel out redness. Any questions? Ask Away!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-45363995459652220652018-05-26T15:39:00.005-05:002018-05-26T16:37:56.877-05:00Lip Products In My Purse<i>Originally published 7/30/15</i><br />
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This morning I cleaned my purse out, and here's what I had in there. I usually keep two lipsticks/glosses/balms in my bag but I always forget and throw in whatever I put on in the morning to touch up throughout the day. And then I never take it out, and then I add another one the next day, and suddenly my box of lipstick is looking kinda low and I'm like "Where the heck did all of my lipstick go?"<br />
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So here's what I found in in the bottom of my purse today:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150726_124704.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150726_124704" class=" wp-image-127 aligncenter" height="360" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150726_124704.jpg?w=300" width="522" /></a><br />
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Left to right:<br />
Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Honey Love ~$3<br />
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in 260 Rosy Future $8.29<br />
Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in N9 Copper Pink $20 for full size (Sephora sample)<br />
NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien (rose pink) $26 for full size (Sephora birthday gift)<br />
Estee Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Pink Parfait $26 (gift with purchase)<br />
Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 08 $5.79<br />
Clinique Chubby Stick (shudder, that name is awful) in 05 Chunky Cherry $17<br />
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 674 Coralberry $8.29<br />
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And what is so funny to me is that with two exceptions, these are all pretty much the same color (swatched in the same order as above):<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150726_124540.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150726_124540" class=" wp-image-128 aligncenter" height="602" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150726_124540.jpg?w=292" width="587" /></a><br />
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The Estee Lauder one is pinker than I usually go for and the Revlon Coralberry is very coral compared to the rest, although in my collection I have at least 3 other lipsticks nearly the same color.<br />
Otherwise, we're pretty strong into the neutral pinky/rosy/copper shades. Most of these I don't even need a mirror to apply because they are the color of my lips anyway. And since I use these all the time they are strong favorites but... I really need to venture out into some bolder lip products! What's in your purse?Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-61796406405120695832018-05-26T15:36:00.004-05:002018-05-26T16:29:09.852-05:00L'Oreal Paris Infallible Eyeshadows<i>Originally published 7/27/15</i><br />
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And now... some of my favorite drugstore eye shadows! If the Naked Palettes and Two Faced Palettes and Urban Decay shadows are overwhelming both in price and scope (how do I pick just ONE of 50+ $18 shadows?), I recommend wandering over to the other end of the price/variety spectrum and exploring the options in the L'Oreal Paris Infallible line. I have been using these for years, and I have yet to find one that I didn't think was top notch quality.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172813.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_172813" class="alignnone wp-image-112" height="251" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172813.jpg?w=300" width="640" /></a><br />
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These shadows are somewhere between a pressed powder and a pigment, so they come with a little stopper/presser thing to keep the product tamped down in place. I don't think they would make a mess if you dropped them or anything, but they say not to discard the presser, so I don't. Because they aren't so tightly packed they have a creamy feel to them and are easy to pick up and apply. I usually just rub my finger across the surface of the shadow, apply the shadow to my lid (I always use a primer for everything, I have oily lids) and then blend the color out with a brush to make sure the edges are even. You don't want to use too much. This stuff grabs on, and in the case of Amber Rush or Bronzed Taupe, you can get a VERY metallic look if you want to.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172434.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_172434" class="alignnone wp-image-116" height="266" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172434.jpg?w=300" width="640" /></a>Here are the colors in their containers. They are extremely pigmented.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172644.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_172644" class="alignnone wp-image-113" height="303" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172644.jpg?w=300" width="640" /></a>What would life be without swatches? From the left: Iced Latte, Amber Rush, Bronzed Taupe, Gilded Envy, and Perpetual Purple.<br />
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Here's some slightly different light:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172626.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_172626" class="alignnone wp-image-115" height="274" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172626.jpg?w=300" width="640" /></a><br />
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Here are the colors I own (there are way more):<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173059.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_173059" class=" size-medium wp-image-111 aligncenter" height="300" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173059.jpg?w=268" width="268" /></a><br />
Iced Latte is a neutral beige shimmer that I usually use as an inner corner or brow-bone highlight. Like all highlighters nothing in the world says you can't use it on other parts of your face, it would do very well. On me this is neither too pink or too gold. This is a good dupe for Beige in the Lorac Pro 2 Palette.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173107.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_173107" class=" size-medium wp-image-110 aligncenter" height="300" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173107.jpg?w=267" width="267" /></a><br />
Amber Rush is very coppery. I love this color and wear it a lot, especially in the spring and summer. It makes my blue eyes pop, but it isn't too bright. It is in my favorite bronzy/pinky/taupey category of eyeshadow colors. This is very similar to Rosé in the Lorac Pro 2 palette, but Amber Rush has more shimmer.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173116.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_173116" class=" size-medium wp-image-109 aligncenter" height="300" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173116.jpg?w=300" width="300" /></a><br />
Having said that, Bronzed Taupe was meant for me. I wear this shadow ALL THE TIME, it goes with everything. If I'm in a hurry and just don't want to bother thinking through what I'm going to put on my face, this makes for a neutral yet "done" eye in seconds. This happens to be similar to Chrome in the Lorac Pro 2 Palette, but Chrome is slightly more purple.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173124.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_173124" class=" size-medium wp-image-121 aligncenter" height="300" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173124.jpg?w=285" width="285" /></a><br />
Gilded Envy is a silvered green. On my eye it goes grey with a touch of silver shimmer to it. It is very pretty but not one I reach for very often because it is pretty dramatic.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173132.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_173132" class=" size-medium wp-image-120 aligncenter" height="300" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_173132.jpg?w=282" width="282" /></a><br />
Perpetual Purple is gorgeous and has some shimmer to it. I could not resist buying it. Unlike a lot of dark purple shadows, it stays purple on my skin, it doesn't just go dark gray on you. I don't wear this one too often but when I do I always get compliments.<br />
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The L'Oreal Paris Infallible shadows are sold pretty much wherever the brand is sold. I have seen them priced from $5 to $8, and different stores seem to stock different colors.<br />
These pair very well over the Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows, which I will have to dive into in another post.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172333.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150725_172333" class="alignnone wp-image-119" height="307" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_172333.jpg?w=300" width="640" /></a><br />
And yes I also need to do a Lorac Pro 2 review, because I've mentioned it in so many posts now. It's coming too!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-1519853396495445092018-05-26T15:33:00.004-05:002018-05-26T16:29:40.294-05:00Why Makeup? What Is This Blog All About?<i>Originally published 7/25/15</i><br />
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Some friends outside of the blog world have expressed surprise or confusion about my starting a makeup blog. I am not an obvious beauty junkie. I wear makeup, but not gobs of it (usually), and as I've gotten older my preferences have calmed down some. But I LOVE makeup. I read blogs, watch makeup videos on youtube, and read product reviews semi-obsessively. I try out all kinds of things and love getting to compare high- and low-ends of the spectrum. And I have a lot of opinions about what is good and what I think my money should be spent on.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_151727.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="this is the drawer of " class=" wp-image-87" height="291" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_151727.jpg?w=300" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This the drawer of "everyday" makeup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As expectations grow, and the market grows, drugstore brands have been forced to improve their products to stay competitive, which is good for us as consumers. There are a few things that I will buy high-end (skincare "treatments", shampoo, palettes), but there are many more things (I'm looking at you mascara) that I just can't justify buying high-end when I know there is (or has to be) a comparable product for not even a third of the cost. So something I plan to focus on will be high- vs low-end dupes (meaning they are interchangeable products). I'll also share drugstore makeup that I think is just awesome.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_151754.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Brushes! Tools!" class=" wp-image-88" height="291" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150725_151754.jpg?w=300" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brushes! Tools!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I plan to talk about feelings around makeup, particularly for those who have very little makeup experience. I want to talk about HOW to buy makeup, where to go to make your purchases, and what you should look for. I will talk some about application (which means yes, I am going to share my makeupless face for the entire world at some point), and different techniques to get the look you want. Like 99% of the population I have a face that is far from perfect, but I think it would be helpful to see how a non-model can use products to improve or enhance her appearance.<br />
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In addition to all that, I am a fragrance fanatic, so perfume will absolutely be a topic of conversation. As my nose has developed I have discovered that perfumes that smelled very "old lady" to me a decade ago are amazing works of art. Like any other art, it takes time to develop a palette and appreciation for something different.<br />
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All that said, on to the pretty! Please let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas- I would love to add them to my list.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-25751342062675639632018-05-26T15:30:00.002-05:002018-05-26T16:37:33.600-05:00Dupes! Kat Von D vs Physician's Formula Liquid Eyeliner Pens<i>Originally published 7/20/15</i><br />
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You know, one thing I never really thought I could get the hang of was liquid eyeliner. The little stubby brushes in the little pots of ink were a MESS on me. Gel liner was slightly better, and with the Essence Gel Liner and an angled brush from Sonia Kashuk, I could do a decent winged look.<br />
But it never stayed on completely. I have hooded lids or deep-set eyes or whatever we're calling it now. When my eyes are open there is very little to no visible lid between my lashline and my browbone. So liner will usually get oily and crease up and look really terrible within hours.<br />
Enter the Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum. (Whew, let me go recover from typing that ridiculously long name). It's a felt-tip pen. It is SO easy to use. And the liner stays put for hours.<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214310.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214310" class=" wp-image-33 aligncenter" height="201" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214310.jpg?w=300" width="699" /></a><br />
I love this stuff. I can't say that the "boosting serum" part has done anything at all, I'm only talking about the eyeliner properties. It's the only eyeliner I would use until... I was scrolling through Instagram, as one does, and Kat Von D posted pictures of her limited Edition Anniversary Tattoo Eyeliner. The packaging is GORGEOUS, and $1 of every sale goes to the California Wildlife Center. SOLD! (Thank you for helping me justify my makeup purchases, good causes.)<br />
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<img alt="IMG_20150716_214101 (1)" class=" wp-image-38 aligncenter" height="400" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214101-1.jpg?w=300" width="691" /><br />
<br />
Oh my goodness, it's SO PRETTY! Look at that packaging. And once you rip it open- the stars!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214142.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214142" class=" wp-image-37 aligncenter" height="194" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214142.jpg?w=300" width="678" /></a><br />
<br />
Then I got to looking at the product, and the similarities are striking:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214238.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214238" class=" wp-image-32 aligncenter" height="313" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214238.jpg?w=300" width="666" /></a><br />
<br />
Same size and pen shape...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214329.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214329" class=" wp-image-34 aligncenter" height="539" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214329.jpg?w=226" width="410" /></a><br />
<br />
No seriously....<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214339.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214339" class=" wp-image-35 aligncenter" height="380" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214339.jpg?w=300" width="425" /></a><br />
<br />
They look exactly the same. But how do they perform?<br />
<br />
Maybe 30 minutes after I applied both to the back of my hand (Physician's Formula is on the left, Kat Von D is on the right):<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150709_092310.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150709_092310" class="wp-image-42 " height="403" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150709_092310.jpg?w=300" width="403" /></a><br />
Pretty much exactly the same texture. Physician's Formula was a little blacker.<br />
<br />
Two hours later:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150709_110053.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150709_110053" class=" wp-image-40 aligncenter" height="335" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150709_110053.jpg?w=300" width="416" /></a><br />
<br />
Kat Von D is fading faster. 3 hours in:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150709_125948.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150709_125948" class=" wp-image-41 aligncenter" height="406" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150709_125948.jpg?w=300" width="438" /></a><br />
<br />
Both looking a little faded. Physician's Formula held up slightly better, but they're both still very good. On my eyes the Kat Von D starts to break down after about 5 hours, and the Physician's Formula will stay put for at least 8.<br />
<br />
The Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner and Serum is available at Ulta for $10.99. The Kat Von D Five Fearless Years Limited Edition Tattoo Liner is available at Sephora for $24.00. I know which one I'll be repurchasing....Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-10672633739212678952018-05-26T15:28:00.004-05:002018-05-26T16:35:39.022-05:00Urban Decay Naked Smoky - SWATCHES!<i>Originally published 7/18/15</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_1127411.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150718_112741(1)" class=" wp-image-56 aligncenter" height="350" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_1127411.jpg?w=300" width="658" /></a><br />
<br />
Following up yesterday's post, here are some swatches of all of the shades from the Urban Decay Smoky Palette! (I needed good light, and some help from my lovely assistant... my boyfriend.)<br />
Without further ado, here they are! (Click pictures to make them massive.)<br />
<br />
<strong>The Shimmers:</strong><br />
<img alt="IMG_20150718_112741" class=" wp-image-57 aligncenter" height="410" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112741.jpg?w=300" width="556" /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>High, Dirtysweet, Radar, Armor</em></div>
<strong>The Satins:</strong><br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_1127412.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150718_112741" class=" wp-image-63 aligncenter" height="435" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_1127412.jpg?w=300" width="547" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Slanted, Dagger, Black Market, Smolder</em></div>
<strong>The Mattes:</strong><br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112935.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150718_112935" class=" wp-image-59 aligncenter" height="327" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112935.jpg?w=300" width="526" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Password, Whiskey, Combust, Thirteen</em></div>
<br />
Radar does not have great color payoff- you have to work with it more than the others to get it to show up. Thirteen is there, I promise. It is a matte white so it doesn't show up on my NW20 skin in photos at all. I hope the swatches are helpful! Let me know if there's anything else you'd like pictures of.<br />
<br />
Picture taking is a super classy affair done on my back porch with a pile of baby-wipes and me going "The sewer cap isn't in the picture, is it? Ehhh I can just crop it out..."<br />
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<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112940.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150718_112940" class=" wp-image-60 aligncenter" height="499" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112940.jpg?w=225" width="379" /></a><br />
<br />
Like my nails? ME TOO! The color is Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Blue Bombshell.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112957.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150718_112957" class=" wp-image-62 aligncenter" height="394" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150718_112957.jpg?w=288" width="379" /></a><br />
<br />
Happy Saturday! I'm off to Nordstrom for the sale and MAC for a good browse.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-33903081099539026072018-05-26T15:26:00.002-05:002018-05-26T16:34:30.574-05:00Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette Review and (Near) Dupes<i>Originally published 7/17/15</i><br />
<br />
The Urban Decay Palette Machine has cranked out yet another huge and expensive palette for the masses, but this is no ordinary Naked Palette.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_213625.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_213625" class=" wp-image-17 aligncenter" height="392" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_213625.jpg?w=300" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I purchased the first Naked Palette when it debuted in 2011. I was on a lengthy Sephora waiting list, back when they came with eyeliners instead of brushes (the pencils were the hold up in production, they have since been replaced with what I can only assume are easier to manufacture brushes). It finally came to me for the then-exorbitant price of $44. I like the palette, but I realized over time that I only really used 4 colors out of the 12: Sin, Naked, Hustle, and Toasted. I found myself wishing that it had more matte shades and not so much fall-out on the glitter.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to yesterday when I was standing in line in Ulta at 11 am, clutching my new Naked Smoky palette the morning it hit stores, and realizing that two women behind me also had one each. Urban Decay has created a monster! I'm sure it was gone by noon. And the price has increased by $10 to $54.<br />
<br />
Over the past few years, I have looked at the various iterations of Naked, the Naked2 (too similar to the first one), the Naked3 (way too trendy & pink), the Naked Basics (both of them), Naked On-the-Run, and none of them really held my attention for long. Until I got the email last week for the Naked Smoky Palette. The four years since my first Naked purchase have taught me a lot of things, the most important (well, as far as makeup is concerned) being that a palette must have:<br />
<ul>
<li>a light shimmer for highlight</li>
<li>a light matte for more highlight/blending</li>
<li>a medium matte shade for transitional color</li>
<li>good neutral-toned taupes and greys</li>
<li>a black</li>
<li>a brown</li>
<li>minimal glitter</li>
</ul>
DING DING DING! Winner winner chicken dinner!<br />
<br />
Ok, I think that the name is dumb. The entire concept of Naked was that it would be natural and fairly neutral, so Naked Smoky? Dumb. A long time ago I bought the Urban Decay Smoked Palette, but this one is completely different from that too.<br />
<br />
So, to the pictures!<br />
<br />
The Shimmers:<br />
<img alt="IMG_20150716_213634" class=" wp-image-24 aligncenter" height="602" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_213634.jpg?w=300" width="746" /><br />
<br />
The Satins:<br />
<img alt="IMG_20150716_213646" class=" wp-image-25 aligncenter" height="535" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_213646.jpg?w=300" width="749" /><br />
<br />
The Mattes:<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214441.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214441" class=" wp-image-21 aligncenter" height="622" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214441.jpg?w=300" width="755" /></a><br />
<br />
Comps:<br />
The Lorac Pro 2 palette and the Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette have a lot of similar shades.<br />
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_215833.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_215833" class="alignnone wp-image-23" height="954" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_215833.jpg?w=194" width="619" /></a><br />
There aren't any true dupes in any of these.<br />
Lorac Pro 2 Similarities:<br />
<ul>
<li>Password is similar to Cool Gray in the Lorac Pro 2 palette, but not as purple.</li>
<li>High is the same color as Beige (LP2), but the texture is different- High has more sparkle</li>
<li>Radar and Mocha (LP2) are almost dupes, but Mocha is slightly more red-toned.</li>
<li>Radar and Rosè are similar, but Rosè is more peachy while Radar is brown.</li>
<li>Slanted has more black to it than Silver in the LP2 palette.</li>
</ul>
Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Similarities:<br />
<ul>
<li>Smolder is similar to Voulez-Vous in the Boudoir Eyes palette, but Smolder has more black.</li>
<li>Combust is more pink than Fuzzy Handcuffs in the Boudoir Eyes pallete.</li>
<li>High is slightly lighter toned than Sugar Walls.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214620.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20150716_214620" class=" wp-image-22 aligncenter" height="554" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/img_20150716_214620.jpg?w=300" width="761" /></a><br />
There are some similar shades in the Balm Nute'tude palette too:<br />
<ul>
<li>High and Stand-offish are VERY close. Stand-offish might be slightly more gold and High is a touch more pink, but they're definitely interchangeable.</li>
<li>Armor and Selfish are the same color, but Armor has a little more sparkle.</li>
<li>Black Market and Serious look the same on the skin.</li>
</ul>
Overall the texture and color payoff are exactly what I expect from an Urban Decay palette- excellent. The only shade I don't love is Armor, because it has so much sparkle in it. I wouldn't call it a <em>GLITTER</em>, but it does push into glitter territory more than the other shimmer shades do.<br />
<br />
The packaging for the Naked Smoky palette is the best I've seen so far in the Naked Palettes. It is a solid plastic case with the name in raised silver letters. The palette has a marbled (smoky!) look and the back is translucent. It has a nice big mirror on the inside lid and closes with magnets.<br />
<br />
I always forget to talk about brushes because they seem like an afterthought, but the brush in this palette isn't bad. It is double ended with a pencil brush on one side and a fluffier blending brush on the other. The pencil brush was fine and did the job. The blending brush was slightly floppier than I like and a little scratchy on my lid, but that might improve with washing. I used my trusty Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush.<br />
<br />
The Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette is available at Sephora, Ulta and Urban Decay's website.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-39816580468077116462018-05-26T15:25:00.000-05:002018-05-26T16:31:40.430-05:00Stay Tuned!<i>Originally published 7/16/15</i><br />
<br />
There will be content here soon! Pretty, lush, sparkly, creative content.<br />
<br />
<img alt="logo" height="225" src="https://makeupproblem.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/logo1.jpg?w=858" width="400" />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-92119598701853962192015-11-20T09:05:00.000-06:002015-11-20T09:10:35.866-06:00FOMO<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This has been running through my head lately and I need to put it somewhere so it's going on my old blog (despite blogging being a dying art- no one wants to take all that time to READ, heavens!- but I can't sum this up on a meme for Instagram) and on Facebook. It initially started as a Facebook post but then it just kept snowballing. Now it feels like Jerry Maguire's Mission Statement.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 14pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I lived in London nearly 18 years ago (seriously, I had to work that out on the calculator because when I did the math in my head I was like there is NO WAY it has been that long- but the little kids I looked after back then are grown up and traveling the world and getting married and who knows what else) social media didn't even exist. It cost money just to check my email on a computer in the bookstore basement, and only one (very rich) girl I knew had a cell phone. That year was a time of massive personal growth for me, and I would not have been as completely immersed in the experience of living in another country as I was if Facebook had been tying me back to the friends I already had back home. How would I have met new people if I had my nose in my phone scrolling through Facebook on the train to school? How would I have joined up with the crazy Australian girls (pretty much a college travel requirement) in York if I had been distracted by a text conversation with friends from high school? Would I have been as engrossed in the history of Hampton Court Palace if I was trying to take (and filter) the perfect picture for Instagram while I was there?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does social media hold us back from participating in new experiences? How are we making room for new things in our lives when what we're being presented with is a blue/white (it's black and gold!) dress or a red cup that has to be analyzed immediately, with opinions formed instantly, and the entire episode discarded from the collective conscious within a day? The "info-edu-entertainment" variety of social media is isolating and insulating. Don't get me wrong- Facebook and the like are amazing tools (and I'm using those tools RIGHT NOW, I get the irony). But I want to explore how I can use them to open my world up instead of making it smaller. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fear Of Missing Out on social media is literally causing us to miss out on our very real lives. We are distracted because we want to share everything with everyone. We can't just enjoy what we're doing, can't live fully in the moment, because many of us are wondering how we can share that moment with everyone who sees our feeds, and be validated that we're doing something worthwhile by the number of likes we get. Do we even know how to be completely present in the moment without that validation? And how many times do you look at someone's "perfect" online life and wonder where you went wrong? It is hard not to compare yourself with posts from celebrities on Twitter, let alone Pinterest and Instagram. Don't think for a minute that those "candid" pictures of the perfect house, perfect car, perfect garden, perfect body, perfect meal, and perfect vacation, which can make you feel completely inadequate, aren't heavily staged and edited. No one needs more pressure to live up to expectations so unrealistic that they require 3 apps to make an image post-worthy. Make sure what you're comparing yourself to is REAL.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I worry about how focused we have become on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">every. single. tiny. detail</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. that is brought to our attention. Think for a moment about who determines what those details are. There is a lot of very broad, shallow knowledge out there. Can we determine for ourselves what is really important anymore? On a darker note, our focus is being pulled in a million different directions by advertisers and influencers who continue to get more and more subtle in their ways of getting into your head (and your wallet). All that yelling on “news” programs? They know that "fight" gains them attention, and therefore more advertisers. When two of their actors (sorry, I can't say anchors) go toe to toe about an issue, do you really think they're sharing their honest opinions, or the opinion that is likely to get the most clicks when it is summarized in a piece on an aggregate website and shared on Twitter? The media loves a crisis. Elections will probably be won or lost based in part on someone losing their cool on a campaign stop and getting recorded on a 7th grader's cell phone and that video going viral within hours. There is no time to edit. There is no time for reflection. The only response we see is reaction.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are so quick to judge and slow to forgive.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-6f62f856-2569-3d3e-1239-27c9a813612e"><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the world we live in. Do I want to stop my involvement? No, I would be completely out of touch with many things I find important. Do I feel overwhelmed by all of the STUFF coming at me? Absolutely. Don't we all?</span></span>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-38286698194528742272014-06-18T13:10:00.002-05:002014-06-18T13:13:54.706-05:00Sexism. It's Everywhere.<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/08/lisa-kudrow-scandal-speech_n_4241191.html" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">THIS</a> is a fantastic commentary on a wonderful speech about sexism on the show “Scandal” of all things. Lisa Kudrow does a great job as a woman who is trying to get the nomination for president. She completely dresses down her opponent, the interviewer, and the network for the every day subtle sexism that plagues the lives of women everywhere.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I don’t know how long this link will work, but I hope it isn’t pulled before you get to see it.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/N1oyIEgDWAQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Originally posted 11/11/13.</span>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-82167150428571435642014-06-18T13:08:00.000-05:002014-06-18T13:14:30.702-05:00"EXCUSE"???<div style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.themilitantbaker.com/2013/10/my-excuse-im-glad-you-asked.html" style="border: 0px; color: #414141; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">This</a></em></strong></span> brilliant piece of writing is in response to <a href="http://www.celebitchy.com/329567/maria_kang_superfit_mom_doesnt_get_why_youre_not_superfit_too_whats_your_excuse/" style="border: 0px; color: #414141; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">this obnoxious</em></span></a> photo.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I wish that there wasn’t a need for those who aren’t fitting into society’s mold to list their reasons why, but I know it is necessary. Until people understand there will never be acceptance. And when it comes to body image, fat acceptance, and ending the desire to cover bullying criticism with “concern”, understanding is the only way to go.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">What the hell is so scary about fat people?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">One of the comments on the post pointed to this excellent, and very moving, TED talk:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://embed.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes.html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="560"></iframe></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I’m not saying anything new, I just want to put it out there and share.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Originally posted 10/31/13.</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-32070640446407159782014-06-18T13:05:00.003-05:002014-06-18T13:15:08.159-05:00Break the Cycle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8WvC21S8tRQ/U6HUyDK-_gI/AAAAAAAACrI/E2XUSY2B4Qo/s1600/yin-yang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8WvC21S8tRQ/U6HUyDK-_gI/AAAAAAAACrI/E2XUSY2B4Qo/s1600/yin-yang.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I recently had a conversation about race and labels that really set the wheels in motion about the bigger picture. I’ve been thinking about it for days.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">It made me feel like a tree-hugging hippie too. But sometimes I <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">am</em></strong> a tree-hugging hippie.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I went to dinner with some friends of mine last week, and the issue of race came up. It wasn’t so much the issue of race as it was the issue of labels. Specifically, the word “nigger”. (I have to admit that just typing that made me feel like a horrible person. But it is the point of this post so I’m not going to gloss over it by saying “the n-word”. That would take the power from the word.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">So, the person talking about this grew up in the deep south. He and his friends have no problem using the word “nigger” and other derogatory terms for black people. He laughed it off like it’s not a big deal. He pointed out that black people use that word with each other all the time, so why is it any different when he says it?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Then he said that where he’s from black people hate white people just as much as white people hate black people, so what is the problem with using words like that when they’re just as racist as we are?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I can’t even describe the thoughts that race around my head when conversations like this come up. I am going to try to put them in order but it gets messy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">#1 Labels. Words hurt. My friends and I can sit around and joke about my fat white ass, but if a stranger talks about my fat white ass that’s a WHOLE other thing. It goes from casually laughing with friends to being targeted for an aspect of my physicality. If I call my close female friends “tramps” or “hookers” it is from a place of silly fun. I never mean it, and the irony is that if I did mean it I would certainly never say it. And I would NEVER label a stranger with a word like that. I have a feeling that being called a nigger would feel about 1000 times worse. I have no exact frame of reference, since I am a white person, but being a woman can be marginalizing as well. So maybe I do have a hint of understanding about this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">#2 While I’m sure that I have subconsciously racist tendencies just like everyone else, I really don’t like being put in the “us” versus “them” box when people talk about race. If “we” hate black people, and “we” are hated by black people, I don’t want to be a part of your “we”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">#3 Stereotypes. Generalizations. I am sure that not every black person in Mississippi hates white people. And vice versa. Groups of people may share some attitudes, but there are always exceptions. There are always going to be those who don’t identify with a group they inherently belong to. And there will be those who are actively trying to change perceptions and relations.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">#4 Which ties directly to this: telling yourself that an entire group of people hates you gives you an excuse to not bother trying. This is cowardice and laziness and fear. <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t get to know people who are different from you, they’ll hate you anyway. Don’t waste your precious time helping your neighbor, they won’t want your help because they hate you.</em></strong> When you examine Muslims vs Christians, Rich vs Poor, Black vs White, Gays vs Whoever Hates Gays (for whatever reason), there is an underlying idea that the few represent the whole.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Are all Muslims terrorists? Of course not. If those who hold hate towards all Muslims did some research they would be shocked at how peaceful the religion is. I can’t think of one religion where killing is condoned, but all religions have some extremists who use their faith as a front.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Are all Christians right-wing conservatives? Of course not.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Are all poor people lazy good-for-nothings and all rich people greedy republican snobs? Again, of course not.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Do all black people and all white people hate each other?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I hope you see where I’m going with this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">And here’s where I turn into a hippie. We are all citizens of this planet. We are all people with the same feelings, hopes, and fears. We all want our children to have better lives than we do. Nothing makes us better or worse than anyone else except for maybe being close minded and indifferent. The world won’t be a better place if we don’t put aside our differences and come together in the spirit of understanding and bridge-building.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">If you want to be Christian about it, Jesus taught about acceptance, and loving your enemies while praying for those who persecute you. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do you want people to hate you? No. No one wants to be hated. So you have to be the one who turns the other cheek and practices what you preach.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Be a rebel! Be the one who goes against the grain and questions hatred and prejudice. Am I getting preachy? Yes. Because I truly believe that intolerance and a lack of compassion or understanding are where the world’s problems come from.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I will leave you with quotes! I have heard these so often since I was a child that they feel familiar as breathing, but when you really REALLY think about them, they are profound.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">“Nothing in this world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandi</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love, it is the prerogative of the brave.” Mahatma Gandi</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Originally posted 10/30/13.</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-88858026430987061532014-06-18T13:04:00.000-05:002014-06-18T13:15:34.247-05:00Oh Balls<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; line-height: 23.272727966308594px; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/29/world/meast/saudi-arabia-women-driving-cleric/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.15s ease-in-out; border: 0px; color: #278dbc; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.15s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">“We find that for women who continuously drive cars, their children are born with varying degrees of clinical problems.”</a></div>
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No word yet on the effects it will have on the testes.<br />
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Originally posted 10/1/13.</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26447149.post-48088659347177415392014-06-18T13:02:00.003-05:002014-06-18T13:16:44.121-05:00Shaking My Head<div style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.wsmv.com/story/23106598/tenn-judge-changes-infants-name-from-messiah" style="border: 0px; color: #414141; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This story</span></a></span> made the news last month. A judge ruled that a couple couldn’t name their baby “Messiah.” She made them change it, even though the case she was working on pertained to the baby’s last name, not the first.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.wsmv.com/story/23468005/tenn-judge-parents-can-name-their-baby-messiah" style="border: 0px; color: #414141; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Problem solved</span>.</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I’d like to point out that there are a number of names that also mean Messiah or “Anointed”. A quick Google search brought up: Christian (and it’s million variations), Emmanuel, Shiloh, and Seth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I am constantly amused/bewildered/outraged by Tennessee and wonder what those who don’t live here must think of the people and politics. <span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.wkrn.com/story/23517152/new-conservative-pac-has-not-registered-with-state" style="border: 0px; color: #414141; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sometimes</span></a></span> it is <span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.wkrn.com/story/23505439/tea-party-beat-lamar-groups-demand-gop-chair-ouster" style="border: 0px; color: #414141; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">baffling</span></a></span></span>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Originally Posted 9/24/13.</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03929341637572551277noreply@blogger.com0