Dysfunctional yet Charming
26Mar/100

Organizing Reorganizing

M·A·C Blush Ombre Vintage GrapeI didn't think of my already planned rendezvous with Mr. DHL when I said that I didn't expect much more mail in a while, and I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to lie to you. He came knocking on Monday, and the shipment he brought me contained items from my latest M·A·C splurge, which I mentioned briefly here. It was mainly a Give Me Liberty of London-haul, but the package also held one Blush Ombre Vintage Grape and the Eye Colour 3 quad (Mink Pink (veluxe), Bruised Plum (veluxe pearl), Black Tulip (frost), Jungle Moon (matte)) from Spring Colour Forecast, Naked lip pencil from Too Fabulous, powder blush pro palette refill pans in Pinch Me (sheertone) and Dollymix (sheertone shimmer), four empty M·A·C palettes, and least but not last my Stila haul.

It also held a few items that I'd agreed to CP for someone else, and I really enjoy making others happy whenever I have the chance. It's also a nice way of saying "thank you" for helping me getting my hands on products I couldn't have gotten elsewhere when someone has done a CP for me a couple of times. I'm happy to help!

Now I'm doing some organizing again, trying to sort out what I have and what I might need. Who am I kidding? I don't need anything. I've decided to reorganize my M·A·C palettes once again, and update my pictures - I have added a few eyeshadows to my collection since the last pictures were shot. When that is done I'm planning to use one palette for the 15 colors I use most frequently, and that way I don't have to bring out three or four different palettes every time I'm doing my makeup. See, I'm smart (I wonder how long it actually took me to realize that that would be a good idea). I'll just leave open spaces in the different color palettes, and this makes it easy to pop them back into the correct palette when I decide to switch them around a little, without having to reorganize everything once again. The problem returns whenever I buy another eyeshadow pot which requires depotting, and therefore also a space in a palette, and I have to rearrange them all to make room. Why do we bring these problems down on ourselves?

My latest lemming is the NARS Sheer Glow in Stromboli, although I'm not completely sure that Stromboli would be the correct color for my skin tone. I'm thinking that I'll check it out when I go to Paris in July, at least I can have it matched instead of ending up buying the wrong color online - and flushing the $42 down the drain. If anyone has something to add, maybe a tip or two on choosing the correct color, please slip me a comment.

Photo © M·A·C Cosmetics

19Feb/104

Shopping Spree of February

In late October last year I wrote about the gorgeous palettes from Kat Von D for Sephora. I posted pictures of three of her palettes, "Beethoven" and the two LE "Metal Orchestra" and "True Love", which I was lemming very strongly at the time. I later caved, and ordered them all three through MyUS - and I adore them all of them, even though I must say that "Metal Orchestra" is my absolute favorite. When I suddenly noticed that she had launched another LE called "Memento Mori" - "Remember you are mortal" - and it showed up on Sephora as "sold out", I instantly felt so sad and disappointed that I had missed it. These palettes sell for a small fortune on eBay, and I'm not really tempted to go bananas anymore. I guess the fright of getting fake products when paying for the real thing has overcome the joy of an insane eBay-spree.

KVD True Romance Memento Mori"Memento Mori"

As I'm sure you've already noticed each of these palettes contains 8 eyeshadows. From left to right they are called True (cream shadow), Solitude, Meditation, Agatha Pink, Sugar Skull, Peggy, Hard Luck and Tijuana. The one cream shadow is perfect to use as a base for the other shadows, but please remember to use a primer underneath to prevent creasing. xSparkage has posted a very cute tutorial for a look based on this palette on YouTube, and you can watch it here.

There's nothing very special about the colors in these palettes, and I'm sure most of them can be easily duped by other brands. I still love the whole look and feel of these palettes though, which is why I own three of the palettes. I'm also a big fan of Kat Von D and her art, and I think it's cool that she's implemented her tattoos on the packaging of her own makeup line. The one thing I would have changed if I could is those hideous sponge applicators, they should have been replaced with miniature editions of her brushes instead. Luckily I discovered that it was back in stock at Sephora, so soon it will be mine!

Miss SixtyNow I'm sure several of my female readers will shake their heads at me for actually buying the following item, but what can I say? I'm don't have the heart to walk away from insanely cute things, and therefore I just had to get it. Isn't it just the cutest little coin purse you've ever seen? Apart from being insanely cute I found it to be very handy for the days that I don't want to carry a handbag around with me. I'm not the handbag-carrying-kind-of-girl, even though I must admit that I enjoy buying them every once in a while. I don't like handbags big enough to house me and a small town! Anyway, this cute little thing is from Miss Sixty, a brand for teenagers I know, but what do I care. It's perfect for carrying some money and the necessary credit cards around, and seeing that it's too easy for a random bystander to rob me (when I'm keeping my wallet in my lap), it's assuring that it comes with a chain for wearing across the body.

Insanely cute!

After discussing a lot back and forth with my sweet Amira, I went on a hunt for Stila Diamond Lil' (grayish taupe with golden shimmer), an eyeshadow very similar to M·A·C Smoke & Diamonds - which is one of M·A·C's most popular eyeshadows. Naturally it's a LE, and therefore close to impossible to get your hands on, unless you were one of the lucky ones when it was repromoted in the Love That Look collection earlier this year. Anyway, I was supposed to write about Stila. I also wanted to try out the infamous Kitten (nude pink with shimmer), and seeing that Stila had extended their promotional offer of a free Precious Pearl Palette with any order of $40 or more, I pretended that no one saw me as I quickly added Black Cat (soft black with shimmer) to my cart before I checked out.

I'm hoping Mr. Postman will find his way to me soon, and shower me with packages from all over the world. Oh.. and in a few days Mr. DHL will come bearing gifts as well, because I got a mail from MyUS telling me that a shipment is on its way to Trondheim, Norway!

Photos © Sephora and ASOS - edited by Shamini Thevarajah '10

13Nov/097

Does our postman read my blog?

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.

MAC Smoke & Mirrors and MAC Sorceress

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?

Stila Smudge Pot CollectionAnyway, 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