China Glaze Up and Away NOTD

Here is my attempt to recreate my favorite NOTD: polka dots!!  I used two varnishes from the China Glaze spring 2010 collection Up and Away.  I've always loved reading nail blogs and this is my attempt to recreate Steph's Closet famous polka dotted NOTDs.  She is seriously the queen of polka dotted manicures.  Go check out her gallery!
For the base I used Grape Pop and Light As Air for the polka dots.  I haven't had a chance to go to Sally's to pick up a dotting tool so I had to use a tooth pick.

My polka dots aren't uniform in shape which bothers me.  With more practice hopefully I'll become better at polka dotted mani's.

Battle of the Book of Shadows

adies and gentleman: may I present to you a swatch comparison of two Urban Decay Book of Shadows!

Volume 1 vs. Alice in Wonderland

In the corner to my left we have Book of Shadows Volume 1 

And in the corner to my right we have Alice in Wonderland

All swatches on the left are from Volume 1 and swatches on the right are from Alice.  All swatches were done without a base. Please click on the pics to enlarge.  The swatches look better this way :)

Here are the same swatches in the sunlight.  You can see the gold shimmer in the greens in this shot.

These last three swatches are from Alice in Wonderland.  There aren't any colors that I can compare them to in Volume 1 so I swatched these so you can see how pretty they are.  I love how taupey Mushroom is and White Rabbit would be perfect as an inner corner color.  

 Overall I love Alice in Wonderland.  The payoff is great and there are a few more original colors that were released in this book that we haven't seen before in previous palettes.  I think this palette is worth the splurge if you don't own any other Urban Decay Book of Shadows.  I hope these swatches helped you.   xoxo

Urban Decay and China Glaze haul

Hello my lovelies!  I have a really exciting haul to share with you today!  My Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows arrived in the mail!  UD began selling it on their website last Friday, Jan 15th so I ordered mine right away.  It sold out online in one day!  It hasn't hit Sephora shelves yet however they are taking phone orders at 1-877-SEPHORA or (1-877-737-4672).

It comes with travel size Eyeshadow Primer Potion, 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Flipside and Zero.


The China Glaze Up and Away spring 2010 collection also became available to purchase last week so I placed an order with Head2Toebeauty.com.

From L-R: Peachy Keen, Lemon Fizz, Re-fresh Mint, Four Leaf Clover, Something Sweet, Light As Air, Grape Pop, Heli-Yum


I've been so excited for this collection to come out ever since I saw promo pics around Thanksgiving last year.  These colors are perfect creamy pastel shades for spring and I can't wait for the warm weather!


So now I'm off to do my nails with Four Leaf Clover since it's a shade I sadly cannot get away with at the office. :( 
Next week I think I'll rock the Re-Fresh Mint or Peachy Keen for work.   I hope you all have a lovely weekend!  Ciao for now XOXO

China Glaze Up & Away Collection

I just placed my order for the China Glaze Up & Away Collection!  I'm so stoked.  It's available at Head 2 Toe Beauty and will be available at Sally's Beauty Supply soon.

These are the colors I ended up getting.  (click to enlarge)

You can see beautiful swatches over at Scrangie's blog <-- click it!
I can't wait for spring and these gorgeous creamy pastels take my winter blues away.   Will you get be getting anything from this collection?

MAC Give Me Liberty of London

I'm so stoked about the Give Me Liberty of London Collection by MAC!  The packaging is super cute.  I really hope they're not just stickers.  This Spring 2010 collection will be launched in the U.S. on March 11, 2010.  The international launch date is April 2010.

I want it all!  I'm such a sucker for cute packaging.  What are you lemming from the collection?

Image & info credit: Temptalia

Daily Makeup Survey

Hey guys!  Happy new year!  I saw this over on ChefCaffy’s blog and it looked like fun so here it goes!

1. What time did you do your makeup today?
7:00 AM

2. What's the least expensive beauty item you used?
Either the Maybelline Dream Mousse concealer or Dream Mousse blush in Rose Petal.  I’m not sure which one is cheaper but they’re both under $10.

3. What was the biggest problem you needed to correct?
My eyebrows need a little attention at the mo

4. Did you apply false eyelashes?
Nope

5. Did you do anything while applying makeup?
I always listen to Elliott in the Morning on DC101 while I get ready for work.

6. Biggest makeup mishap today?
No mishap.  Makeup looks good today 

7. Did you have a makeup inspiration in mind?
Nothing specific I just went for something neutral and pretty.
8. What's the most time-consuming part of your makeup routine?
The application of face serum, moisturizer, eye serum, foundation & concealer takes up the most time.

9. What's part of your routine is the most fun?
Choosing the eyeshadow, blush & lippie combination.

10. What part of your makeup makes the biggest difference in the way you look? Eye makeup

11. Neutral or colorful eyeshdaow?
Neutral

12. Liquid or mineral foundation?
Liquid BB Cream

13. Do you do your hair or makeup first?
Makeup

14. Did you pack a makeup bag to take with you for the day?
Everyday!  As a matter of fact I was going through both of my makeup bags when I got to work (yes, I pack two bags!) and I was appalled at how many lip glosses I take with me on a daily basis.  *runs off to take inventory* Currently I have 3 lip balms, 3 lipsticks & 12 lip glosses in my makeup bag smh.  TWELVE!  Seriously?!

Whiskey

Tango

Foxtrot

15. When did you finish your makeup?
7:30 AM

Happy Hauliday!

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope you all had a lovely holiday!  There was some talk on Twitter this morning about how a few people don't like to see hauls of what they got for Christmas but I thought I'd share since I got a few beauty related items.  
My mother in law got me two gift boxes from LUSH!  She must have talked to my husband about what she should get me because you all know how much I love LUSH.
She gave me the Best Wishes Holiday Gift box and the Happy Christmas Holiday Gift box.

Contents of Best Wishes Holiday Gift:
Li'l Lush Pud Bath Bomb
Mr. Butterball Bath Bomb
Satsumo Santa Bath Bomb
So White Bath Bomb

Contents of Happy Christmas Holiday Gift:
Jingle Spells Bath Bomb
Snowcake Soap
Satsumo Santa Bath Bomb
Christmas Eve Bubble Bar
Cinders Bath Bomb
Karma Soap

Everything in both of these boxes smell amazing!  I love it!!


My sister in law gave me a bunch of goodies too!  She gave me Bare Minerals Lustworthy Lips & Lashes (mini mascara & gloss duo).  The lip gloss is super cute and smells like strawberries!  Yum!
She also gave me: 
ULTA Shower Smoothie in Berrylicious
ULTA Smoothies Body Swirl in Berrylicious
Stila Divine Shine: Kitten Lip Glaze & all over shimmer liquid luminizer
Viva la Juicy rollerball (my fav perfume!)

She also got me this super cute jewelry holder mannequin type thing.  Isn't that cute?!  Love it!

The in laws know me so well.  :)  They're the best.
Has anyone tried the Stila all over shimmer liquid luminizer?  Do you put it on your cheeks as a highlight?  The brush applicator is pretty big so I assume it's to cover a large area of your body like maybe your arms & décolletage.  Please let me know if anyone has tried this.  Thanks!


So I'm saving the best for last.  Are you ready??


Huz got me a new camera!!  I'm so freaking excited.  It has a dual LCD screen so I can take better FOTD's for you guys!  It's the Samsung TL220 that has 12.2 mega pixels and I can record videos in HD now.  I've been playing with it non stop.  

I decided to play around with my Make Up For Ever shadows and I came up with a bright magenta pink/purple smokey eye.  This could be a New Years look maybe?  I took a few pics of the look with just the matte shadows by itself then I added MAC's bright pink glitter to the outer corner.  You can't really tell from the pictures but it was super glittery IRL.

Finally, I was playing around with a few settings with the new cam.  Here are a few pics of me with Mochi & Chache.  I'm not wearing any makeup dun dun dun!

How about you?  Did you receive any beauty related products for Christmas?  If you hauled anything I'd love to check it out!