Etsy Find - Pollen Cosmetics

More and more, I find myself drawn to neutrals - browns, creams, taupes, soft champagnes, and so on. A particular color from Pollen Cosmetics on Etsy caught my eye, and I decided to try out a sample set.

 I selected the 10 sample set, and Lindsey, the owner, threw in a freebie. She has a fairly good color range, including several neutrals, and some brights. Currently, she only offers eyeshadows. Samples are $1.25 singly, or 6 for $5, or 10 for $8.50. Full sized eyeshadows are $5.50 for a 5 gram jar. You can buy a set of 3 jars for $15, or a set of 5 full size jars for $23, as well.

Sample sizes are 1/8 teaspoon in a small baggie (hate baggies! I know they're cheap and keep costs low, though). Each one is labelled with the name of the shadow, and a complete ingredient list. Each Etsy listing has a complete ingredient listing, as well as a swatch (some seem better than others), and color description.

Swatches! Discoteque is a very bright gold shimmer with medium pigmentation. Violet Me Go is a shimmery light purple with medium pigmentation. Book Collector is an orange-brown shimmery color with good payoff. Off White Wedding is a fairly pigmented white shimmer. Dazzle Darling is a gold-olive wtih good pigmentation. Saddle up is a deeper brown that appears lighter due to the shimmer, and has medium pigmentation.

 Future Sunrize is my skin-tone but better - in the baggie it's a gorgeous peach shimmer. Lily Jane is a super sheer purple. True to Form is a blue green shimmer, that almost has medium pigmentation (it's very similar to MAC's Blue-Green pigment). Rare Find is a purple taupe (love!!) with decent payoff. Ordinary Moments is a medium brown with gold shimmer, and medium pigmenation.

Shipping time frames for Pollen are stated at 5 -7 business days, whcih is sort of a long time. I've been watching to see if that changes, and it doesn't appear to. So, be prepared to wait a while.

None of these shades are super pigmented, but applying them wet helps (this is fairly standard for any loose or mineral eyeshadow, so it's just the nature of the beast). You must own Rare Find, Ordinary Moments, and Future Sunrise, though. MUST. They are perfection, and I plan on purchasing full sizes soon. I would recommend taking a peek at Lindsey's shop!

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow - Review

I use cream shadows everyday. Although I seem to prefer them in stick form (like the Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencils), I'm intrigued by drugstore products that mimic higher end offerings. In this case, Maybelline has formulated cream shadows that are very reminiscent of MAC's Paint Pots. But, are they better?

 Maybelline seems to claim these shadows will last 24 hours. I mean, they printed it on the package, so it must be true, right? Anyway, I have three shades: Tough as Taupe, Painted Purple, and Bad to the Bronze.

Bad to the Bronze is a shimmer brown/bronze. Painted Purple is a bright, shimmery purple. Tough as Taupe is a matte (!!) grey brown. I'm very surprised by Tough as Taupe - matte products seem to be hard to formulate well, and they did a fantastic job with this one! All three of these are creamy, and easy to blend and work with. They do not, however, last all day without creasing. I end up with creasing around hour 8 or so,when set with powder eyeshadow, which is still pretty awesome, but no where near the 24 hour claim. I can't wear them alone, because they crease after an hour.

I find these to be very similar to the best-textured Paint Pots from MAC. Some Paint Pots are hard and require warming, or they feel almost tacky to the touch. None of the Color Tattoo shades I have are like that - they're all very similar feeling, even Tough as Taupe.

Price ranges a bit, due to the nature of drugstore brands. I think the least I've seen them is around $6, and the highest was around $9.

I like these. I like them enough that I'm planning on getting one more (the white one). I think they're an excellent option for anyone who doesn't want to pay $18 for a Paint Pot.

Etsy Find: Muse Minerals

I have an addiction to eyeshadows. Etsy is one of my sparklecrack dealers - I can peruse all sorts of shimmery, glittery, and soft shadows in my pajamas, and shop from several new lines at once. Muse Minerals caught my eye (I tend to like newer sellers, with no real reason), because many of the shades offered included jojoba oil as an ingredient. I've learned that mineral/loose shadows must have a wax or oil of some sort in them, otherwise, they fade to nothing on my lids. Also included is Cap-5, an eye safe preservative. Muse was the first brand I've encountered on Etsy that uses a preservative, however, I've noted more and more lines are including one. This is a sampling of the large number of shades I have from Muse.

 Alyssa, the proprietress of Muse, offers 5 gram jars or sample baggies of her eyeshadows, however, I've been successful in requesting 3 gram jars. A full size eyeshadow jar retails for $4.95, a 3 gram jar costs $3.95, and a sample pack is $5 for 5 samples in baggies. I appreciate the size options, because I'll never finish a 5 gram jar. Above are 6 of the 3 gram jars I have, in colors I love.

 Each jar has a sticker on the bottom that includes the brand name, color name, and a complete ingredient list. All of these things are also appreciated.

J'Adore is a slightly reddened brown. Halo is one of the best highlights ever - a soft whisper of gold-laced white. Faun Over Me is a great neutral taupe. Smarty Pants is a shade deeper taupe, although Faun Over Me and Smarty Pants are very close. Orchid is a blue-based purple. Bright Eyes is a sparkly brown. SO far, Muse does not offer any matte shades.

What Alyssa seems to do best is neutrals - she has tons! Faun Over Me and Smarty Pants are my favorites of these, however, she has many different taupes to choose from. The only issue I have is that some shades are sheer. For some, like Halo, that makes sense - it's a highlight, after all. But others, notably the shade Pumpkin (which is not swatched), is also sheer. That's fine if you wish to use it as a highlight, however, as a lid shade, it's not going to work. Alyssa does not note which shades are sheer and which are more pigmented. She is very easy to talk to, however, and responds to inquires quickly. And while I don't have a picture of it, she packages things for shipping in such a cute way! Placing a small order is worth it just to see what she's going to come up with next in terms of shipping - cute paper bags, stickers, notes and candy!

Each listing includes a description of the shade the listing is for, and a full ingredient listing. Note to Etsy sellers: I will not purchase your wears if you don't include this! Kudos to you sellers that do!

Overall, I really like Muse Minerals, and I cannot recommend Alyssa's shop enough! Just be ware that some shades are more sheer than others, and you can always ask Alyssa if you're not sure.

Bare Escentuals Ready 2.0 Eyeshadow Duo "The Epiphany" - Review

I really like Bare Escentuals as a brand, as I've previously noted. When I heard they were going to start releasing pressed eyeshadows, I was beyond excited. I love the concept of loose shadows, but I find them more prone to fall out, and the lasting power seems to vary wildly between shades with some brands. During Sephora's Friends & Family sale last year, I decided to pick up one of the duos, called "The Epiphany."

From Bare Escentuals:

bareMinerals READYTM Eyeshadow provides exceptionally vivid, long-wearing color in an ultra smooth, silky texture for effortless application and seamless blendability with two complementary shades. Powered by our proprietary SeaNutritive MineralTM Complex along with powerful antioxidants, cold-pressed borage oil, caffeine and cucumber-ingredients known to deliver anti-aging benefits including reduced look of puffiness and antioxidant protection for a softer, smoother, revitalized eye area. It looks like a powder but feels like a cream and delivers a beautifully smooth application of vivid, long-wearing color.

I have to question how long, or how often, you would need to wear an eyeshadow for any sort of skin care benefits to be visible, but I suppose it's a nice touch - I mean, it's the thought that counts, right? That aside, these shadows are creamy to the touch, and color selection is pretty good.

For $20 (an outstanding price), you get two eyeshadows (complete with names), in a rounded square palette. The palettes are made from that same soft to the touch rubber that NARS uses. A mirror is provided in the lid, and a sponge applicator is included. Each duo contains 0.1 oz of shadow, 0.05 oz of each shade.

The Epiphany includes Foreshadow, a matte "brown truffle" shade, and A-Ha!, a shimmery "brown sugar." You could also call them a matte medium/dark brown and a shimmery taupe, if you wanted to. Both shades lean warm, and swatch beautifully.  A-Ha! applies and blends great, too, however Foreshadow doesn't apply great. It can appear chalky and less pigmented than it would appear. It's not without it's uses, though. I love using it to deepen other brown tones. It seems to apply much better over another shadow, perhaps because they give it some "slip."

The shadows last all day over my normal primer system (UDPP + color base of some kind). I have not noticed any morphing, fading or creasing on my oily lids.

Overall, I really like these. Enough that I've since bought a quad, one of the 8-pan palettes from their holiday 2011 collection, and picked up one from QVC in their Today's Special Value from several months ago. This is a particularly dependable duo, because it's a great pair of neutrals at an amazing price.

Inglot Eyeshadows - Overview

As noted in my last haul, I had an amazing run of swaps. One of my best swaps was for a complete 10 pan palette of Inglot's neutral shadows. I've been playing with them for the past 3 or so weeks, and have finally decided they're pretty awesome.

Let's first review the palette it's self. It's extremely well made, heavy, and thick. MAC's palettes feel flimsy when compared to this, and very cheap. The top, or lid, of the palette is held in place by very strong magnets, one in each corner, and several palettes can be stacked together, and held together by the same magnets. Pretty nifty. My only beef here is how hard it is to remove shadows from the palette. I had to use a thumbtack to leverage the shadows out of their cells.

With regards to the shadows... I'm extremely impressed. MAC may need to step up their game. 9 of the 10 shadows I have are pigmented, creamy, blendable, etc. The only one I have issues with is Matte 378, and those are minor (it's a touch chalky). Pearls seem to be my favorite finish. I wish they shadows had names, but, with a seemingly endless number of shadows, I can appreciate the simplicity of numbers in this case. I also find Inglot's website to be a little... irritating. I couldn't find a description on their website for some of their proprietary finishes... like "Double SP" and "AMC." At least MAC describes what veluxe pearl means.

Color descriptions! Yay! I took pictures of each set of swatches with and without flash, because the pearl finish is like the veluxe pearl finish from MAC - metallic and beautiful. Shine 110 is a lot like Shroom on me - not visible, but the effect is lovely. A soft, sheer, slightly golden glow. Pearl 430 is a very true gold. Pearl 406 is a bronze with a touch (a very light touch) of taupe. Double SP 460 is a slightly chalky purple-brown. Pearl 423 is a shimmery version of Double SP 460. Here they are with the flash:

Pearl 393 reminds me of MACs Nylon shadow, only not as pigmented (which is good for me). It's an orangey highlight. Pearl 405 is a peached or rose gold. Matte 360 is like a more pigmented version of MAC's Wedge eyeshadow. Matte 378 is a little chalky on the swatch, darker, cooler version of Matte 360. AMC 53 is a satiny brown. In the pan, the sparkles looks sort of blue, but that does not translate. Here they are with the flash:

Pricing on these is all sorts of awesome. No, really. Buying potted eyeshadows means you'll have to pay $12. Buying them as part of the "Freedom System," what Inglot calls their palette system, is a much better deal. Eyeshadows like what I have are $5 each. Yes. $5. The palettes range in price from $6 for a 2-pan palette, to $35 for a 40-pan palette. MAC, for comparison, asks for $15 for a potted shadow, and $11.50 for a propan, plus $7 for a 4-pan palette, or $16 for a 15-pan palette (gah, when was the last time I bought a palette? I don't think I've ever paid more than $12 for one!).  

Rereading this review, it seems I used the word "awesome" so much that it needs a vacation. But, honestly, these shadows are worth the hype. They're cheap, the quality overall is great (and even those I noted as chalky are absolutely workable). Their texture is divine, and their color selection cannot be beat. I'm sold on them. Am I swapping away my abundance of MAC shadows? No, but I don't forsee buying any MAC colors that are not unique to my collection. Inglot's minimum for free shipping is rather high ($150), but their standard shipping fees aren't outrageous ($7 - $10 to me). They current sell online to the US, the UK, and Australia. They also have a handful of stores in the US, including a counter in a New York Macy's. I assume they're more plentiful in Europe, especially in Poland, where the brand originated.

Overall, these are worth it. If you're trying to find a variety of finishes, shades, and like the idea of palette systems, Inglot is definitely the way to go.

Rock & Republic Skintight Eyeshadow - Review

I was sort of shocked when I finished MAC's Shroom eyeshadow. As in, I looked at the shiny silver pan, devoid of any shadow, and wondered "What happened? Where'd it all go?" After a few moments of silence, I had to ask the ever-sensitive question "Do I need to go buy another one?" I had to answer that with a "Not right now, I think." Having a massive collection of eyeshadows, I don't really need to buy any more, ever, period. But, Shroom was my favorite highlight shade ever. It was glowy without being glittery, barely-there light. Perfection in a pot. I dug through my eyeshadow drawer and found this, Rock & Republic's Skintight eyeshadow, a failed purchase (it was not what I wanted it to be at the time - I wanted a my-lid-but-better matte nude color), and decided to give it shot at being my Shroom replacement.

Rock & Republic is very, very good at many things. Their cosmetics line is amazing, but launched at precisely the wrong time, I think. Packaged in a luxe, rather large compact, Skintight is packaged like every other Rock & Republic product (minus the glosses) - impressively. Shiny silver with black accents, these look and feel weighty, which I always like when I'm paying through the nose (okay, $28) for a single eyeshadow. Granted, these are about twice the size of the standard MAC eyeshadow, and cost a bit less than double MAC's $15 price tag. Inside the lid is a mirror, which is relatively useless to me, but it's roughly the size of the pot, so it may be useful to someone, just not me

The shadow is both creamy and powdery. My brush can kick up a bit of excess powder, which is a little annoying, but I'll live. To the fingertip, however, it feels great.

Skintight is a pale, soft golden color. Like Shroom, it gives that lighted look without frostiness. It's the perfect brow-bone and inner corner highlight, I think. It could easily be used as a lid color, because it's pigmented, but using a fluffy brush, it's really easy to blend to that candle-lit glow I love.


I can't rave enough about this shadow. I still like Shroom, but I don't need to worry about replacing it. I have Skintight, and I love it. Current Rock & Republic seems to be in a stasis - their website is a splash page. The company did file bankruptcy earlier this year, and their cosmetics (and everything else, not that I can wear anything they make, sadly) have been Haute Look and Gilt Groupe fodder. Great for people on a budget, but bad news for anyone who loves their products (what'll I do when I finish this?!). Regardless, if you find this, and need a beautiful shadow, pick it up!

Revlon Custom Eyes Naturally Glamorous Palette - Review

Revlon has always struck me as a grandma-brand. When I was younger, it seemed impossibly expensive (that sounds so funny to say now, though), and they always seemed to use older models than young, hip, and less expensive brands like Maybelline. As I've grown up, and had the opportunity to try some of Revlon's products, I'll have to say that I'm not that impressed. Sure, they're okay, mediocre at best, but they don't justify that higher (drugstore) price tag.

There are a few exceptions, however. This palette is one of them. I read a post on Makeupalley saying these cable-knit-looking palettes were amazing, soft, buttery, just the best thing ever. When cruising through my local Fred Meyer during a 40% Revlon sale, I decided to give one a try, and since I'm a fan of neutrals, Naturally Glamorous was the best choice for me.

Each palette has 5 shadows, and retails for between $10 - $13. The shadows all share the same pan, there's no dividers between them. I've already gotten rid of the applicator, but it was the standard fair for drugstore palettes - two different shaped sponges on a stick. No mirror is included with this palette, which is normal, as well.

 The back just has a diagram of where to place the colors should go to create a specific look.

Each palette contains a liner shadow, two - three lid colored shadows, and a a highlighting shade. All of the colors in the palette lean warm. The liner shade, number 5, is a deep, blackened brown with shimmer. The neighboring shade, number 4, is a warm browned-gold. The highlight shade, number 3, is a light gold, that's just a touch frosty. Next, number 2, is a coppery-gold color, and last, number 1, is a golden taupe, sort of. The picture above is with flash, the picture below is no flash. You can see how different that last shade looks.

No names were provided for these colors, which seems normal for drugstore palettes. All of the shadows are decently pigmented, the only problem is that 3 of the 4 shades look very, very similar. They're by no means identical, but they seem superfluous, especially since the differences are fairly hard to notice when applied on my eye.

The texture, however, is the definitely the best thing about this palette. They feel very, very creamy, almost to the point where you start to wonder if they're cream shadows. They wear fairly well, and last on my lids 11 hours or so, at which point I remove my makeup.The liner doesn't really work as a liner, unless using a pencil brush, like the MAC 219. An angled liner brush, like the MAC 266, doesn't work.

I'm very impressed with this palette. I wish there were different shades in this palette, to really make it worth the money. Shades 2 and 4 are very, very similar. But, they wear and blend so nicely. Even shade 3, which could've been a frosty nightmare, is pleasant to use. I would definitely recommend this palette for neutral gals (and guys!) everywhere!

Chanel Ombre D'Eau Seashore # 747 - Review

I swear, I love Chanel products. Especially their nail polishes... and their eyeshadows... and their blushes are pretty good, too... but, I digress. I love the concept of cream shadows, but they're always a bit of work to make them wear well on me. I need to set them with powder, have UDPP under them, and even then, they may not work - they make like David Copperfield and vanish, taking any other shadows with them.

I tried explaining this to a makeup artist for Chanel a while ago (maybe 2 - 3 years?), and she smiled at me, and said "You need to try these!" She was doing a makeover on me anyway, and used their Ombre D'Eau in Seashore. It's gorgeous. It's a liquid-to-powder, shadow that can be applied over or under other shadows, depending on the kind of finish you're looking for. Oily lids limit you, however, because I have to set this with a powder to get 10+ hours wear.

Packaged like many other brand's lipglosses, you get a short, frosted glass tube. Had I not shaken the tube, you would've seen how these are in the "natural" state. The pigment settles to the bottom of the tube, and you have shake these before using them. The applicator is a doe foot.

Chanel knows how to make everything so classy!

Seashore is a golden-peach color with a metallic bent (and it appears to be discontinued, since it's no longer on Chanel's website). The swatch on the left is unblended, on the right it's blended out a bit. I dab the doe foot on my lid, and then blend a bit with my finger.

The trick with this product is to work quickly, because it sets quickly, and then it's staying put. It lasts through a normal, non-crazy warm day most of the time, meaning for me, it'll stay 8 - 10 hours if unset. If I set with a powder eyeshadow, the wear time is 12 hours or so. What's awesome is that you don't have to wear this sheerly. You can have it on, full strength, and the performance is just as if you applied it sheerly. For most non-powder shadows, I have use a thin layer (like Clinique's old Quick Eyes Cream Shadows), but not with Ombre D'Eau. I bet it's because it's a liquid, not a true cream. It's very runny in the tube, and it looks like it'd be terrible, but I promise it's not!

For $32, you get what seems to be an impossibly small amount of product. But, very little goes a long, long way. I love this product, and have a second color waiting in the wings until I finish up another cream shadow. I can't rave about this product enough!

Clinique Choco-latte Palette - Review

Do you ever revisit something and realize how nice it is? Especially if you have a swap box, and you've tossed something in there because you hadn't been reaching for it... and then one day, you decide to try it again (after removing it from your swap list, of course), and have an "OMG. This is amazing!" thought?

Clinique's Choco-latte quad has been in my stash for years. Literally. I think I bought it in 2008? It had been on my swap list since 2009. About a month ago, for whatever reason, I decided to remove it, and try it out. I mean, I've changed a bit in the last 2 years, maybe this palette did too, right? (I know, I know... pressed powders don't change.)

This palette completely made me rethink what I have on my swap list. Really. I've worn it 10 times in the last month, which is kind of crazy. I mean, it's just 4 neutral shades thrown together in seemingly random order (not lightest to darkest, like most palettes). 

I like the packaging of Clinique palettes, because they almost always make the back of them clear, so you can see the colors. The lucite doesn't really provide a true rendering of the color, but you get the jist of it. It's also unique, because I can't think of anyone else who does this. 

The lightest shade (furthest right), is a very delicate, light, almost matte eggshell color. Perfect for highlighting, because it doesn't scream highlight when worn. The darkest color is a little chalky when swatched, but that doesn't translate to the lid. It's a matte, chocolate brown. The next shade is a light taupe, but it has a bit of gold in it. This shade is fairly pigmented. The last shade is a decidedly warm, mid-toned brown with decent pigmentation.

I typically wear the taupey shadow on my lid, the warm brown in the crease with a smidge of the darker brown for definition, and the lightest shade to highlight.

Most of the Clinique shadows I've come across are soft but not too soft, pigmented but not too pigmented, if you understand. They're sort of... mediocre, I guess. But that has such a bad connotation to it, and I hate to use that term, because Clinique shadows aren't bad. I really like to work with them, but the line as a whole isn't terrible exciting. For most cosmetic mavens, Clinique is the catalyst to their makeup addiction. It's where they begin, and once they move on, they don't look back. I like that Clinique shadows are of medium softness - there isn't a ton of powdery leftovers after my brush has left the surface of shadow, if you follow me. I guess Clinique is like that trusty, comfortable pair of old shoes. They do the job of protecting my feet, my friends may kind of hate them, but I can't think of leaving them behind. I think if Clinique made a little effort, they would become a little more trendy, and wouldn't be trashed by Makeupalley and others. Interesting point, though, Clinique is one of the best selling brands under the Estee Lauder umbrella. I think the gift with purchases help.

Clinique quads retail for $25.50, which is a fair price. For your money, you get 4.8 grams (0.16 oz) of product. That's almost the equivalent of 4 MAC shadows. Like with any line, there are some wonderful and some serviceable textures. But, I really like this quad. I feel it accentuates the green in my eyes, and it represents a very good value.

Clinique Black Honey Eyeshadow Palette - Review

I'm a sucker for Clinique. I really am. I have no idea why, exactly, but I remember looking at their ads as a kid, thinking they were the epitome of awesome. As an adult, I sort of skipped over Clinique (going to MAC, instead). I guess I'm making up for lost time now.

When I saw promotional images of Clinique's fairly small Fall 2011 collection, Black Honey, I thought the quad looked awesome, and the rest... well, not so exciting. I was somewhat intrigued by the blush (and still am, in some ways), but when making a decision on purchases, and the amount of room in my makeup storage device (aka, the 6-drawer upright Malm from Ikea), I had way more room in my eyeshadow drawer than I do in my blush drawer.

Like all Clinique quads, the packaging is somewhat plan. A lucite bottom, so you can see the product without having to open the quad, and a shiny silver lid. This is the first quad I've had that doesn't have a smooth lid - it has "speedbumps" on the lid, for lack of a better term. I'm not sure if this redesign is for a particular reason, like to reduce the fingerprint potential, or if it's just to update their look. The palette includes the standard fair for Clinique, a sponge-tipped applicator, and tiny useless brush, and mirror running the full length of the palette. This retails for $25.50.

This is an overall warm toned quad, with one color that is slightly more neutral. The highlight shade is a the perfect slightly yellow "glow" color - you can't really see it on my arm. It has a touch of sparkle, but it's not shimmery, or matte. More of a satin, I suppose. On my brow bone, however, it brightens up the skin. The second shade is a shimmery honey brown tone - not bad, not great. The third shade is a satin finish, more red-version of the second shade. The last shade looks very interesting - a dark shimmery red-touched brown Swatched, it's as little less exciting, and on the eye.. well, it's just not that thrilling.

The best way I've found to wear this palette it to applied the second, shimmery shade to my lid, the fourth color to my crease and blend it out with the third, slightly matte shade, and use the highlight under my brow. The contrast between the middle shades is minor on my lid. This palette doesn't really do much as far as bringing out the green of my eyes.

Overall, the pigmentation was as expected. Not "holy-mother-of-god" pigmented, but not terrible. The shadows are not super soft, but a brush can easily pick them up and apply them. Keep in mind, I'm a huge fan of subtle highlight shades, so I'm pleased with the highlight shade in this palette. They blend well enough, although the darkest shade likes to stick to some of the bases I've used (like the 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Sin).It's manageable,  though. I like that the shadows do not kick up a lot of dust when used.

Is this palette unique? No. Is it a must have? No. It's it pretty? Yes. Is it worth swatching? Sure, since your stash may have a need for something warm and neutral. I will say that the girl working the Clinique counter at my Nordstrom said I was purchasing the last one they had, so someone is buying them. If you're interested, I wouldn't wait, since the Nordstrom I go to is not exactly busy.

By the way, I thought I'd mention, I swatched the Gradient Powder Blusher from this collection... and it's very pretty. A darkened, warm, nude color. Fairly soft, pigmented, and seemed to blend okay using my finger. I'm still trying to decide if I like it, or if I want to wait to see if it shows up at my CCO. I'm concerned it'd be too dark for my face, though.

Etsy Find- Lost in Makeupland, part 1

This is part one of a 4 part series for this seller. I have several of her shadows (and I'm not-so-patiently waiting for her new releases), and highlighters. Today we're going to cover the shades I have from her permanent or standard collection.


Lost in Makeupland is run by the very sweet Belén, who is very involved with her line. She does not repackage, and it shows - her colors are unique, varied in texture and tone, and of course, very pretty. I've ordered from her several times, and each time has been a treat. She has shops on Etsy and Artfire, and ships from Algeciras, Spain.


Full size eyeshadows are packaged in 5 gram jars, samples are in plastic baggies. I've transferred my samples, for the most part, into 5 gram jars for ease of use.  You can request that Belén not include a sifter, and just pack the jar full of product. The amount of product in a sample size isn't given, however, it's generous. At this time, a full size shadow is $5.99, a sample is $1.00. You can also purchase sample packs, which range in price depending upon how many samples you wish to purchase. Shipping starts at $2.75 to ship state-side, which is rivals U.S. seller's shipping policies. You will need some patience, however, as it can take a while for packages coming from Spain to arrive (the longest I've waited was over a month, but it was Christmas time. The shortest I've waited was less than 2 weeks). 


Her core collection includes approximately 17 eyeshadows, two of which are highlighting shades (one of which will be reviewed with the highlighters I have from LiM).  A good portion of these are vegan. We'll look at 7 of these shades today.

From the core range, I have Ink Bubbles, a "bright" and "fuschia" pink, which is surprisingly wearable on me (this is a sample that I transferred to a jar, so you can see how much is there). Guns and Roses comes in two versions, vegan and not vegan. The vegan version is grey with pink sparkle, the non vegan has red sparkle. Purrrple is a rich purple, with a touch of grey. Oh My... It's Black! is... black (seriously, what'd you expect?), and applies fairly matte. Weed is a super bright, happy green (sort of with the name was different, though. Drug references in makeup are a pet peeve). Expensive is a beautifully metallic gold, especially applied wet. Bioshock is a deep, lush blackened green/teal.

The swatches above are applied dry to bare skin (no primer). You can see that some colors apply a touch sheerly, like Purrrple, but all of these really come alive when wetted with a bit of MAC's Mixing Medium. They all blend beautifully, and last a while on my lids (over UDPP and a color base, applied wet). As noted in my previous Linnaeus Cosmetics review, the best way I've found to make mineral or loose eyeshadows stay on my lids is to apply them wet, then lightly dust my lids with the same color, to "set" the shadow. I love Bioshock as a liner. Purrrple looks great against my green eyes, as does Expensive. If you made me pick a favorite of this group, I really couldn't - they're all so lovely.

Overall, I love this line. I love the feel of it, and Belén's enthusiasm for this line, and her eye for color.  I also like that she draws inspiration from more than one place. She's not all about music (I have a review and swatches of the Rock my Look collection), but from other areas. She's planning a collection based on people's pets, for example. She is also a great deal of fun to talk to, as well.

Etsy Find- Linnaeus Cosmetics again!

I haven't bought anything from Etsy in a while. That's probably a good thing, because the last purchase I made of 6 eyeshadows was mildly disappointing (and 3 of the sellers I most enjoy are in the process of moving their shops to Artfire, or hosting their own webstore). When I was pawing through my collection of loose eyeshadows, I realized I still hadn't finished swatching and posting my meager collection of Linnaeus Cosmetics shadows.

Marin, honestly, is probably the most-fun (this is totally why funnest should be a word) seller to converse with via email. She's in the middle of launching her own site, and is having a "clearance sale" of sorts in her Etsy shop (20% off with the code "TATAETSY"), which is valid until her shop is cleaned out (hurry!). This review will be of 3 more of her shadows (you can see my first review of one of her other collections here). This time around, I'll discuss three more shadows, two of which are part of the same collection, Kalahari (part of the Gemsbok collection), Twiggy and Those Gams! (both part of the Maned Wolf collection). Like most loose shadows, these are packaged in clear 5 gram jars. I still really like that Marin takes the time to stamp her company's name on the lids. I feel it sets her shadows apart from others who don't do this.

The bottoms of the jars have the name of the shadow and a complete ingredients list. Nice!

Twiggy is a light orange-peach shade, with a lighter shimmer (Marin says it's white in her description, so I'll take her word for it). Those Gams! is a blackened-base with coppery shimmer (which doesn't really appear for me no matter what I do, but that's often the case for me and this type of color). Kalahari is an awesome my-lid-but-better shade, a champagne-beige with shimmer.

I love that these aren't glittery, but shimmery. Glitter falls and can be an annoyance. Shimmer tends to stay where I put it. Like the wallaby collection previous reviewed, I have no issue with these not creasing or fading on me. These blend easily, and are easy to use (unlike some loose shadows). If you have trouble getting loose shadows to stay, here's a tip: apply them wet using a mixing medium (I use MAC's. Fix+ may also work, but I've never tried it), and let that dry. Once dry, take a fluffy eyeshadow brush, like a 224 from MAC, and very lightly dust the same shadow over it. It's like setting your liquid foundation with powder. Even for the most persnickety shadows (I've been trying to work that word into a sentence all week!) will last beautifully, in my experience.

If you are interested in these shadows, please visit Marin's blog, where she posts updates and information. Her shop on Etsy is getting pretty small, and her site launches very, very soon!

MAC Eyeshadow in Sumptuous Olive - Review

A long time ago, in a land about an hour south of my current location, I unwittingly was conned into signing away thousands of dollars over a period of several years. I blame the awesome counter manager (at the time) of the MAC counter at the Salem Nordstrom store. It's all her fault. The subject of this review is one of the first MAC shadows I ever purchased. In fact, I'm still using the same pot!

Sumptuous Olive is a veluxe pearl eyeshadow from MAC's permanent range. Described as a "khaki with pearl," it was recommended to me by a national MAC artist. After hemming and hawing, I asked the counter manager what she thought, and she very confidently seconded the other artist's opinion. To my eye, this shadow is an olive green with a strong gold pearl. I love the way this shadow brings out the green in my eyes, which are usually a sort of muddy green. The shadow is fairly versatile, as well, because it can change appearance depending upon the color underneath it. A green base seems to bring out the green tones, while brown or gold bases seem to bring out the gold (brilliant, I know).

Veluxe pearls are among my favorite eyeshadow textures, because they tend to be super pigmented, blendable, and have a soft metallic finish.

Because this color is from MAC's permanent range, it is available in a standard pot for $14.50, and in a pro pan for $11.00. You can pick this color up at any MAC counter or store.

This is a holy-grail item for me. I use it at least three times a week, if not more. When I use this shadow up (and I will), I will definitely repurchase it.

Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow - Review

I'll admit that Leslie Blodgett is a marketing genius. I never, ever, thought I'd buy anything from Bare Escentuals, or the Buxom line, but whenever I catch Bare Escentuals on QVC, my debit card is invariably removed from my wallet, and money is removed from my bank account. I really can't say I've been disappointed in my BE purchase, or those from any of the spin-offs, like Buxom, and I love cream eyeshadows as color bases, so I was pretty pleased with myself when I set up a Makeup Alley swap for two of the Buxom Stay-There shadows.

The claims for these shadows, according to Sephora:

This bounc-i-licious new eye color offers the ultimate experience with an unexpectedly plush, lightweight texture and vivid color. It leaps and bounds beyond what you've come to expect from eye color and better, yet, it's even waterproof. Named after our loyal four-legged friends, these stay-put shades will be your faithful new beauty companions as they comfort and care for your pretty peepers. The mineral-infused, paraben-free formula pampers delicate skin with soothing Aloe extract and Vitamin E—all with a non-greasy, long-wearing finish. Touch it. Pet it. Love it. Only at Sephora.

These are packaged in small glass jars with screw-on lids. For your $17, you get 0.12 oz of product, when compare to MAC Paint Pots ($16.50 for 0.17), they're not the best deal in the world.

I was really surprised by the texture of these shadows. As indicated in the claims, they are, in fact, not greasy at all. They're moussey, and I found it's very, very easy to get too much product on my finger when trying to apply them. Seriously, it's like your touching a loose shadow or something when touching the surface of the shadow. So weird. I've noticed you don't need much, either, with each application.

The girl I was swapping with had several up for swap, and I selected two, Mutt and Schnauzer. Mutt is described on Sephora as a "bronzed taupe," and Schnauzer is a "vivid violet plum." Both descriptions, I think, are inaccurate. Mutt appears as a "my lid but more shimmery" color, and Schnauzer is a weakly-pigmented purple. Of the two, I really like Mutt, and don't really care for the color of Schnauzer at all (it looks very, very nice in the jar, though).

Surprisingly, these make fabulous bases for powder shadows. Honest. When applied over a base of UDPP, and set with just about any shadow, these puppies (ha!) lasted all day without creasing or fading. As with most cream-type shadows, you don't need much. I've found that a thin layer works best, and could never build Schnauzer enough without major creasing. Mutt appeared on my lids just fine, though. Without being set, however, these did tend to crease on me, but every other cream shadow I've ever tried does, so I can't blame this product.

Do I like these, given how I use them? Yep. Would I go buy them on my own? Maybe. I sort of prefer pencil-type shadows, like the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils, but the Stay-There shadows aren't bad. I'd be curious to see if the other colors tend to be like Mutt (pigmented) or like Schnauzer (not pigmented).

Noella Beauty Works - Giveaway!

Who doesn't like free stuff? I don't know of anyone - so... visit Jackie's blog to find out how YOU can win 7 full sized jars of her eyeshadows!

If you do win, check out my overview of the shades I have - swatches always help enable you :)

Etsy Find- Linnaeus Cosmetics

I'll admit it - I love haul videos on Youtube. I love seeing what other people buy (what people will spend their money on is fascinating, although anymore, the people I watch seem to get most things for free). Anyway, when watching one of Pinkiecharm's haul videos, she mentioned she received some shadows from an Etsy shop called Linnaeus Cosmetics. Having taken my share of biology classes, I had an idea of who Linnaeus was, and was definitely intrigued.

I have made 2 purchases from Marin's shop. Full size shadows are packaged in our good friend the 5 gram jar, with sifters. Marin includes the ingredients for each shade on the bottom of the jar, which is pretty nifty. Full size jars are $5.00 (reasonable), however, entire collections, like this one, are $12.00 (which is a great price!). Shipping is currently $2.50 for your first item, then $0.10 for each additional item - which is, frankly, awesome. I can't begin to discuss how many Etsy shop owners make huge profits on shipping due to their pricing and shipping structures. Each purchase I've made was packed carefully, and Marin was quick to update me on the status of my order each time.

I wanted to review this particular collection, the Brush Tailed Wallaby collection, because it's absolutely my favorite set. It features 3 colors: Sprightly, Cliff Line, and Zippy. If you're unsure of what to purchase, and love neutrals, you must buy this collection!

Sprightly is a warm mid-toned brown with tonal shimmer. Cliff Line is a neutral-toward-cool shimmery taupe (super shimmery). Zippy is a warm brown with a copper shimmery. Above swatches are on dry, bare skin. They have decent pigment, and seem to last all day on me (which can't be said of other Etsy lines). I would love to see all 3 of these colors done in a matte finish (hint, hint).

The names and colors were inspired by the brush tailed wallaby, a species indigenous to Australia. What I love about Linnaeus Cosmetics is how complete the branding is. Marin's attention to detail is fantastic. Although this collection is inspired by a cute, fuzzy animal (seriously cute!), Marin has other collections based on less cuddly animals, like lizards, birds, and frogs (although the frog is cute, too!). Marin includes a short description of the animal, description and ingredients for each shadow (and how that name fits the animal). Her shipping packaging is also detail laden:

Non-bleached cotton canvas bags, with animals stamped on them? Cute! Non-bleached paper tag with application tips and tied with raffia? Cute! Even the out bubble mailer (which I've already reused, so I can't show you) has an animal stamped on it. Her invoices are also printed on non-bleached paper, which demonstrates how committed she is to her brand identity.

Since I've already purchased twice, it's apparent I like the company, and Marin's product. Her customer service is top notch (she's so friendly in convo's!), the products are fantastic, and the attention to detail, I think, is great. I would highly recommend checking out her shop!

Etsy Find- Noella Beauty Works, an Overview Review

So, I'm a realist. I know I have an addiction to the shiney, the sparkly, and the pretty. Makeup can fall into all of these categories. Etsy happens to be one of my newest obsessions, and a great place to find excellent quality and variety for a little bit of cash. One of my first purchases was from Noella Beauty Works, which was reviewed here. I was so smitten, that I ordered several more colors, and have now, finally, swatched my collection for you!

Overall, I really love the colors I've picked up. There are some misses. Glisten needs to be packed on to get a rich, deepened green. Amazonite is a green-teal. Buttercup is a soft yellow with a bit of gold. Sugared Plum is a nice, straight up purple, but it lacks a bit of pigmentation. Velvet is, as you can see, my skin tone with a hint of shimmer; pigment wise- it's so-so. Dark Crystal is a great, deep, blue. Teal totally reminds me of MAC's Teal pigment. Pink Smoke (mislabeled on the picture) is a dirty pinky-neutral (and very nice in my green eyes!). Periwinkle is a blue-lavendar. Honey Taupe is a warmed up version of Milk Chocolate, both are "My lids but better" neutrals.

Wild Grape and Heather are also much weaker than I would've liked. I love Smokey Plum, though. It's a beautiful maroon (similar to MAC's Maroon pigment, but not identical). Golden Neutral, as previously noted, is a golden highlight shade. Dark Chocolate is gorgeous, but again, lacking a good color density for my taste.Sencha is the only green I have from this line, and it's a nice olivey-gold-green. Sleepy Blue is sheer, and probably my least favorite for that reason. Nutmeg is a bit more orange than I would like, an orangey-neutral. Silver Lily is an even-toned silver, not warm, not cool.

Since my first review, Jacki has raised her prices to $4.99 a jar. She's also changing her packaging, from solid black lids to those lids that have black "rims" with "windows" (sorry, I'm lacking word power today) on top, so you can see the shadow color. Her shipping prices have also risen a bit, as well.

I hope you found this helpful! If you would like to see comparison swatches of something, let me know!