Imagine the disappointment when I woke up and discovered that Mr. DHL had tried to call me while I was visiting Nemo in Dreamland? I quickly checked my tracking information, just to discover the message: “address information needed, please contact DHL”, so I did. Luckily I’m blessed with a Mr. DHL that now knows my name and where I live, so that wasn’t really an issue, but I returned his call too late to get my shipment delivered today. Bummer! But as you all know, I already have the perfect man in my life. He doesn’t only bring me roses, chocolates and jewelery – he also brings me packages, and today was no exception. He went out, collected my package from DHL, and made my Monday perfect.

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We’re already one week into 2010, and I can’t say that I’m very pleased with the beginning of this new year. It’s supposed to become the best year ever and everything! It’s cold as crap, and my mood drops to the floor simultaneously with the temperature outside, and -18′C just isn’t humane. The one thing that picks my mood right back up is shopping, and Theo of course, but I can’t be shopping all the time. So, I’m comforting myself by reading blogs about what other people have been hauling, watching videos on YouTube and pictures on Twitter. I have some common sense, because when I’m not even sure what to shop, well.. then it’s the perfect time to refrain from shopping, instead of ending up with all kinds of unnecessary things.

And I’m really wondering where Mr. Postman has gone this time? Maybe he has taken to his senses and gone on vacation somewhere warm, but you know.. I would still very much appreciate to have my mail delivered. I’m thinking that he might have frozen to death, it’s very well possible, and that’s why I’m not getting my mail. I’m waiting for a few packages I ordered before the holidays, and I’m starting to get anxious that I’ll never see them. Maybe they’ve been stolen or lost somewhere, and that worries me. Previous experience, and so on. *sigh*

I’m also waiting for a package from my sweet Amira in France containing my new MUFE palettes, in addition to some other goodies. I’m so exited, and I can hardly wait to start organizing my M·A·C shadows into these two MUFE palettes. M·A·C in MUFE palettes? Outrageous, you say? Each of these palettes take 45 shadows, that’s three M·A·C palettes, and they have no stupid plastic insert. I can feel my inner OCD squealing out of pure happiness, seeing that I can now put ALL my brown eyeshadows together in one palette instead of splitting them into two (or more). Same thing with my purple ones! It’ll be so neat. In a way I’m all against putting my precious M·A·C shadows into other brands palette, but when MUFE has come up with a palette that fits 45 M·A·C shadows perfectly, magnetized and all – instead of M·A·C’s own 16 well palettes, there’s no doubt in my mind. Sure you can pull the plastic divider out of the M·A·C palettes, but it’s impossible to organize them well as they don’t fit properly without the wells, so my OCD just won’t allow it.

So please Mr. Postman, hurry up with my packages. Bring them to me quickly! Receiving mail makes me happy, and I’m dying to start organizing my eyeshadows. And fear not, I’ll post pictures of these beauties once I’m done. So sleek, so sexy, so genius!

Just when I thought the postman had forgotten all about me, and possibly also my address, he came and left two packages for me! I had almost forgotten about the two M·A·C palettes I asked a girl on Specktra to CP for me at the end of September. These palettes are from the Magic, Mirth & Mischief! holiday collection. Naturally I initially wanted all four, but decided on two: “Sorceress” and “Smoke & Mirrors”. A decision I do not regret for the colors are gorgeous in both of them! I’m usually not into any of the holiday items, but there was something about these palettes that caught my eye immediately.

The palette on the left is “Smoke & Mirrors”, and it consists of the following shades: Fire in Her Eyes, Wide-Eyed Wonder, Black Magique, Spell No. 9, Deception and Smoke & Mirrors. The palette on the right, “Sorceress”, contains these shades: White Rabbit, Hold My Gaze, Edge of Dark, Magnetized, Hypnotizing and Altered State.

In the second package I found my very first Stila products. Or, if truth’s to be said I already own the Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Onyx, although I hate it. It’s smooth, creamy and a dream to apply, BUT.. and there’s indeed a but.. on me it drops tiny specks of kohl around my eyes and down my cheeks. It doesn’t give me raccoon-eyes though, the specks just appear and when I try to wipe them away they leave an irritating black line or smear. I hate it! And I really don’t understand why people keep praising it. Can someone please let me in on the secret?

Anyway, there was no Kajal Eye Liner in my package. On the contrary it contained Stila Smudge Pots! I’ve heard so much wonderful about these smudge pots, and I’ve been drooling over the LE Stila Smudge Pot Collection for a while now. When I discovered that a girl on Specktra was selling her brand new backup of this set I jumped on it, and even got it for a few dollars less than retail. This set contains mini smudge pots in the colors “Black” (intense black), “Kitten” (shimmering nude champagne), “Violet” (bright shimmering ultraviolet) and “Starry Night” (deep shimmering navy). Each pot holds 0.07 oz, or 2 grams, contrary to the regular sized ones at 0.14 oz, or 4 grams – which I think is a good size for a product like this. I know it’ll last me forever. This set also comes with a mini eye liner brush, and it’s super cute! She did also have one of the Barbie Loves Stila Smudge Pots up for grabs, in the color “Purple Pumps” (purple with pink shimmer), so I got that one too.

Thank you so much, Mr. Postman!
Today you put a smile on my face.

Photo © M·A·C Cosmetics and Stila Cosmetics – edited by Shamini Thevarajah ‘09

I’ve been looking for a rack like this for some time now, but all I could find was those ugly plastic displays. I had almost decided to buy one like it (the AWM-90) from Trans Design Inc., but seeing that the shipping alone would be $118.75, I quickly changed my mind. Now I guess you’re wondering why I would want a rack like this, since I’m not a nail technician or anything like that, but I have the habit of reading beauty blogs and large makeup forums and collecting ideas from other people. I’ve stumbled upon the genius idea of using a rack like this for pigments jars, and I really love the thought of having my precious M·A·C Pigments mounted on the wall, organized properly according to color!

(Click to see an enlarged picture with all the color names)

I found the perfect rack, and most importantly.. it’s made from metal, not plastic. It arrived in the mail yesterday, and Øyvind was kind enough to mount in on the wall, just above my vanity. Now I’ve arranged all my pigments by color, and if you click on the picture you’ll have all the names as well. I know I’ve said it like a million times before, but seeing a broad range of colors like these makes me happy, and I enjoy waking up to see the colors of the rainbow on my bedroom wall. As the picture shows it’s got 6 shelves, and a sign on top which originally says “Nail Center”, which I chose to turn against the wall. I’m thinking about removing the top part of the rack, so that it’ll start with the top shelf instead of the ridiculous sign.

Very decorative, yet perfectly functional!

Photo © Shamini Thevarajah ‘09

My new found love must be M·A·C Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. I’ve heard a lot of these Paint Pots from all over, and they are generally loved as an eyeshadow base. The first one I got was Painterly, another infamous Paint Pot, but I didn’t fall in love with it, and so it kinda disappeared into a drawer. When Soft Ochre came with the N collection, I didn’t even know what M·A·C was yet, but when I discovered that it was a more yellowish natural base available from M·A·C Online, I decided to try it out. Do I regret giving Paint Pots another chance? No, not at all.

Some people say that these Paint Pots can be used as primers, but if you like me have oily lids you will be disappointed. The Paint Pots will not keep the eyeshadow from creasing, unless you use a primer underneath, like Urban Decay Primer Potion, Too Faced Shadow Insurance or even Benefit Lemon Aid. Needless to say, I have always used UDPP ever since I discovered it, and I can wear a look for a whole day without any creasing at all. I don’t know if you understand which one I mean, but there’s a look called “Sunset Eyes” which always makes me drool. It consists of yellow on the inner half of the lid, light orange on the rest, and deep orange or even pink in the outer corner and crease. To me it’s a truly gorgeous look IF you manage to find the correct shades. I’m fairly new to building the color so mine turned out rather pale, but in daylight it still looked nice. I naturally started with UDPP, put Soft Ochre on top as a base, before I moved on to pigments in the colors Golden Lemon, Melon and Rose in that order. I did not foil them, and I was not satisfied with the intensity at all, so I used M·A·C Firespot in the outer corner and crease for a little more color. Soft Ochre made a really good-looking base, and I can truthfully say that I’ve found “my base” in it.

The Verdict:
The common mistake people do is believing that this is a primer that will prevent creasing. It’s not, it’s a base. If you’re lucky you might be able to use it without a primer underneath, but I can’t. Since it’s clearly stated that this is a base, I’m not going to let it affect my decision when grading, even though it would have been nice if it acted like a primer as well. Soft Ochre gives my lids a light lemony color, and it works perfect with my skin tone. Since it’s slightly sticky it helps keeping both pigments and eyeshadow in general in place, and it didn’t feel heavy at all. It kept my look just as nice as when I put it on still after several hours of wear, and it gave my lids a very soft, velvety feel. What can I say? M·A·C Paint Pot in Soft Ochre is absolutely worth the money, and I’m in love.

Get your M·A·C Paint Pot at Glasmagasinet in Oslo for 160,- NOK, or order it online from ACW for $15.99 USD.