Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Favorite Drugstore Products: Episode 1
Times are tough, and for a makeup junkie like yours truly it's the frickin' apocalypse. Unable to afford some of my favorite brands I have been shopping around for inexpensive drugstore products to satisfy my cosmetic cravings. Here are some of my favs:
1. Revlon Colorstay Foundation
$12ish
Hello, I'm in love. Medium coverage, weightless feel, long–lasting, plethora of shades, two formulas (dry skin/oily skin), spf 8. This stuff is made from fairy dust or something.
2. Wet n' Wild Color Icon shadows
$1.99 for single shadows $2.99 for three shade palette $3.99 for six shade palette
These are so criminally cheap I bought (over a period of time, not all at once!) 2 of the six shade palettes, 1 three shade palette and a couple of the single shades. At their worst, these guys can be a little chalky and a little laborious to blend. But at their best, they are super pigmented and vibrant. Their matte nude shadow called creme brulee is my go–to base shadow for like $80 of my looks.
If anyone is interested, I can swatch those puppies for ya.
3. L'Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara
$7.99
This mascara is definitely comparable to its expensive counterparts, and in my opinion may surpass them (think, DiorShow). Volume, lengthening and the shade is blacker that the blackest black times infinity. Just make sure you wipe off the brush before you apply it to your lashes. This formula is so thick that you're going to get clumping.
4. L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray
Dunno...like $13?
No makeup, but I had to include this stuff. Hands down the best hairspray I've ever used and I've used a lot of hairspray (I had the best scene hair of 2003, trust me). Believe it or not, this stuff brushes out! No crusty chunks of hair ripping out whenever I try to restyle. Gives great volume when sprayed at the roots.
5. Wet n' Wild Color Icon Blusher
$2.99
Again, these are super cheap for a ton of product. And you know what, they're pretty good! I did a review/swatches of the two shades I bought for YouTube. Check it.
Anyone else know of any cheapo products worth our attention?
$12ish
Hello, I'm in love. Medium coverage, weightless feel, long–lasting, plethora of shades, two formulas (dry skin/oily skin), spf 8. This stuff is made from fairy dust or something.
2. Wet n' Wild Color Icon shadows
$1.99 for single shadows $2.99 for three shade palette $3.99 for six shade palette
These are so criminally cheap I bought (over a period of time, not all at once!) 2 of the six shade palettes, 1 three shade palette and a couple of the single shades. At their worst, these guys can be a little chalky and a little laborious to blend. But at their best, they are super pigmented and vibrant. Their matte nude shadow called creme brulee is my go–to base shadow for like $80 of my looks.
If anyone is interested, I can swatch those puppies for ya.
3. L'Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara
$7.99
This mascara is definitely comparable to its expensive counterparts, and in my opinion may surpass them (think, DiorShow). Volume, lengthening and the shade is blacker that the blackest black times infinity. Just make sure you wipe off the brush before you apply it to your lashes. This formula is so thick that you're going to get clumping. 4. L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray
Dunno...like $13?
No makeup, but I had to include this stuff. Hands down the best hairspray I've ever used and I've used a lot of hairspray (I had the best scene hair of 2003, trust me). Believe it or not, this stuff brushes out! No crusty chunks of hair ripping out whenever I try to restyle. Gives great volume when sprayed at the roots.
5. Wet n' Wild Color Icon Blusher
$2.99
Again, these are super cheap for a ton of product. And you know what, they're pretty good! I did a review/swatches of the two shades I bought for YouTube. Check it.
Anyone else know of any cheapo products worth our attention?
Monday, March 7, 2011
So much for progress...
 |
| Edvard Munch, The Scream |
You think if I can get enough "likes" on Facebook, they can go ahead and make the day 30 hours long, instead?
I'm a behind-the-scenes kind of girl. I prefer living my life in quiet contemplation and free from the frustrations that arise from dealing with other humans. I like things orderly, arranged, color-coded and right where I can find them. Unfortunately, I'm walking chaos and the second I think I've got my shit on lock, my perfectly orderly little house of cards comes tumbling down. Just like they did last week.
For those of you who don't know me or what I do: I am an art history student full time with a focus in modern and contemporary art. I have also been working as a (paid!) assistant for a local art consulting and appraising firm for almost three years.
I recently received a great honor and was selected to be one of two students from my enormous university to present original research at a symposium at the Portland Art Museum in April. Sounds all cool and intellectual, right? Unfortunately, the rehearsal for my presentation falls on the exact same day I have two ten-page papers and all my studio work due. ZOINKS! Set brain to PANIC MODE, stat!
As my reserve crumbles, I am reduced to states of intermittent crying, screaming and curling up in the fetal position. My list of "what ifs" and "to dos"grows by the minute. What if I hadn't procrastinated all my other work? What if I hadn't taken such hard classes? What if I hadn't submitted my paper for this stupid symposium in the first place? To do: catch a Red Eye flight to someplace exotic and never look back!
In the end, the panic will be a fleeting feeling. Time will continue to pass whether I'm ready for it or not. All we can really do in these situations is take a deep breath, dive in and hope the pool isn't too shallow. At least, that is what I keep telling myself. To all of you students out there: Hang in there, baby! It'll all be over soon.
*and exhale...*
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Review: Korres Lip Butter
Here is my first product review for my new blog! It coincides with my first video review on YouTube, which I made as my contest entry for the Makeup Geek Star Challenge. If you haven't heard of Makeup Geek, I highly recommend checking it out. It has great tutorials and the forums are really helpful.
Makeup Geek Website
Enjoy!
I am a lip product addict. From lipsticks to glosses to balms, my collection is constantly growing. I tend to prefer bold lipstick colors with matte finishes, but every now and then I want a lighter, more natural–looking product without sacrificing that little pop of color. So began my obsession with Korres Lip Butter.
Korres, a Greek skincare and cosmetic line out of Athens uses primarily natural ingredients in their products (bonus!). Their super‒popular Wild Rose anti‒aging skin care line is a big hit at Sephora along with their high quality cosmetics.
Although I cannot attest to the the other products by Korres, I can tell you that their Lip Butter is a godsend. The formula is incredibly creamy and smells fantastic. The balm is lightly pigmented to give lips a soft and shiny flush without shimmer.
The Lip Butter comes in seven colors. Watch my YouTube video to see swatches of the five I own. Most of the shades are pretty universally flattering (except maybe the "Mango" shade, which comes off a bit orange). I particularly love Quince. It is the perfect rosey pink that looks good with everything. Jasmine is also great for a soft nude lip to balance dark, smokey eyes.
This stuff looks fab on bare lips as well as layered over a lipstick. It also gives that extra little bit of moisture you need to keep lips from getting flakey in the cold winter months.
At 10 bucks a pop, this stuff is a bit of a luxury (although you can get a 3 pack at Sephora for around $20 and save a few dollars). But hey, who doesn't need a little bit of luxury in their life? The stuff is seriously high quality and you get a good amount of product for your money. I gave a bunch of these out at Christmas and have heard nothing but positive reviews.
Want it? Need it? Gotta have it? Yeah, I know the feeling. Find it here: Korres Lip Butter at Sephora
Have a request for a product review? Comment below or email me!
Makeup Geek Website
Enjoy!
I am a lip product addict. From lipsticks to glosses to balms, my collection is constantly growing. I tend to prefer bold lipstick colors with matte finishes, but every now and then I want a lighter, more natural–looking product without sacrificing that little pop of color. So began my obsession with Korres Lip Butter.
Korres, a Greek skincare and cosmetic line out of Athens uses primarily natural ingredients in their products (bonus!). Their super‒popular Wild Rose anti‒aging skin care line is a big hit at Sephora along with their high quality cosmetics.
Although I cannot attest to the the other products by Korres, I can tell you that their Lip Butter is a godsend. The formula is incredibly creamy and smells fantastic. The balm is lightly pigmented to give lips a soft and shiny flush without shimmer. The Lip Butter comes in seven colors. Watch my YouTube video to see swatches of the five I own. Most of the shades are pretty universally flattering (except maybe the "Mango" shade, which comes off a bit orange). I particularly love Quince. It is the perfect rosey pink that looks good with everything. Jasmine is also great for a soft nude lip to balance dark, smokey eyes.
This stuff looks fab on bare lips as well as layered over a lipstick. It also gives that extra little bit of moisture you need to keep lips from getting flakey in the cold winter months.
At 10 bucks a pop, this stuff is a bit of a luxury (although you can get a 3 pack at Sephora for around $20 and save a few dollars). But hey, who doesn't need a little bit of luxury in their life? The stuff is seriously high quality and you get a good amount of product for your money. I gave a bunch of these out at Christmas and have heard nothing but positive reviews.
Want it? Need it? Gotta have it? Yeah, I know the feeling. Find it here: Korres Lip Butter at Sephora
Have a request for a product review? Comment below or email me!
Because all stories need an introduction...
Welcome to the Croquet Club!
My name is Inga and a makeup junkie and a clothes horse with a spectacular talent for maintaining a vegetative state as often as possible. I'm a gamer (slimey geen aliens beware, I'm vicious with an electronically produced shotgun) and a couch potato. I've got an affinity for fashion and beauty on the edge, which often results in strange looks as I walk down the street. Due to an overactive imagination combined with a highly rationalized sense of self, I am compelled to share with all of you that which intrigues me.
Now, how to properly commemorate my glorious return to the blogosphere?
Admittedly, it has been a good five years since I even attempted to commit myself to a documentation of experiences, musings and gathered information. And unfortunately, all previous attempts have failed miserably. Probably the only person who bothered/cared to hear about the boring crap I filled my days with was my devoted and electronically inclined bestie, Mrs. Kali Harper.
So, this time around I’m going to give it my very best shot and create something interesting, witty, informational and not as overly–indulgent as previous attempts. I will focus primarily on that which interests me: fashion and beauty with sprinklings of art, music and geek culture for dramatic effect. At the very least, I promise not to resort to a billion posts filled with pictures of how cute my cat is (although you can bet there will be one or two!).
Coinciding with my blog will be a Youtube channel. Expect me to update that at my leisure or as the spirit moves me.
And so it begins. Bare with me while I educate myself on the technical details of blogging and exercise patience as I am a diagnosed procrastinator.
Feel free to add me on FB. Let me know you found me through my blog, as I have a tendency to deny people I don’t know.
YouTube:
Check out my nearly blank Youtube channel. It is still a work in progress, but subscribe to get updates as it develops.
And of course, join the Croquet Club and subscribe to my blog! You will, by association, become instantly classy. :)
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