Coastal Scents Mica Powder Haul Plus 5 gram Jars for Storage!

I love me some CS. They are affordable & I like the wide range of items they have. So I got myself a few brushes & mica powders. I decided to split the blog into 2 posts (one for micas, the other for brushes), so It's not ridiculously long & boring for you.

Mica Powders

Sorry for the butchered image. These were taken with my phone & they like to resize themselves before sending. My actual camera batteries are dead, sorry :(

ANYWAYS

 

 Click this link for larger image

Let's name off the colors from left to right at the top: Inter Gold Sparks, Cerulean, Cellini Yellow (I emptied that mica into a container so I included that with.), Illusion Luxury Gold, Metallic Olivia, Mayan Gold (sample), Very Coral (aka True Coral), Red Blue Chrome, & Black Oxide.

Now for the glitter from right to left bottom row: Purple Punch, Silver Hologram, & Crimson.

Now for swatches & brief reviews

Each with FLASH / NO FLASH

I have a light-medium skin tone.

All used with a primer.

I will make the description short & sweet & to the point.

Inter Gold Sparks

Love this shade, I actually bought it twice! It may appear white in the bag, but once you touch it it turns into a sparkly champagne gold. It's more dense than shimmer, but it's not glittery. GORGEOUS COLOR. It's a great multi-purpose mica, because you can use it in your lotions for shimmer as well as highlights for your face and eyes or just top over dark eyeshadows to add glam.

Cerulean

A beautiful shimmery pacific blue is great for the summertime or to wear as an eyeliner on the lashline for a pop of color. It has a royal blue base with light blue shimmer. If you like bright colors, this is definitely for you.

Very Coral (aka True Coral)

This is a coral color with pink highlights. It's not an orangey coral.

This is also a great multi-purpose mica, because you can use it in a lip gloss for extra color & even on your cheeks for a shimmery glow.

Cellini Yellow

This is a very shimmery canary yellow. It almost looks like a gold color. If you apply it lightly you will actually get a nice wash of gold color. Very pigmented & vibrant with a primer.

Illusion Luxury Gold

Boy oh boy, I fell in love. This is one of my favorites. It's not chunky like glitter but slightly thicker than  shimmer. No grimey gritty feeling...It's silky smooth. It reminds me of a pirate's treasure. A little bit goes a long way for this mica powder. You don't need much at all to get the full effect.

 Blue-Red Chrome

A duo chrome mica of blue & red. Metallic finish. The light blue is the base & shines a pink (red) tone. It's absolutely beautiful. I was iffy about it at first because my thought of red and blue just reminds me of patriotic colors, but it actually looks so unique & reminds me of outerspace, like a supernova.It's very iridescent & applies on very nicely with great pigmentation.

 Mayan Gold

Meh, not my favorite gold color. It's a sheer light gold with shimmer. (I like the bright golds) I got it as a sample, so I can't complain. The one thing I will do say is even with a primer, the adhesion of the glitter is very scarce. (maybe I just got a bad batch?)  It's actually nice for people who don't want that yellow bright gold tone, but want something along the lines of a subtle gold color.

Black Oxide

It's a matte black, I'm not sure why it looks shimmery, but it's really NOT.  (I think it's caused from the previous shimmery eyeshadows that I used with the same brush before.) This powder is usually made for mixing eyeshadows, but you can also just use it as an eyeshadow. Be careful though, it's very very VERY pigmented (like MAC'S Carbon) You barely need a tap of it and you're good to go. Somehow my sample looks bigger than all the other ones *score!!*

Metallic Olivia

Another new favorite. I have lots of gold shades, but this one is more of a gold-olive tone. It's also more metallic than shimmer, hence the name, Metallic Olivia. But man is this stuff PIGMENTED. One slight touch and my finger was completely covered in rich metallic gold-olive color. This stuff will last you a while for sure. It pairs great with black, brown, orange, & green eyeshadows.

Now for the Glitters

I only have 3 but I might as well separate them since they are different from mica powders.

Left side is applied with no eyeshadow, right side is swatched with the matching eyeshadow as a base underneath for the glitter. 

All were applied with a primer underneath. (even the ones without eyeshadow as a base)

Silver Hologram

I wanted to start with this one first because let me say I'M IN LOVE! I regret not getting a bigger size!! I only got a sample *cries* This is a beautiful silver glitter that reflects rainbow colors in the light at different angles. It's almost a dupe of MAC'S 3D Silver Glitter. This will go great for parties, prom, New Years, Halloween, birthdays, or even the night out. Hell, I'd wear it on a regular day :D

Crimson

Vampy red. True to the name, Crimson. It's basically a slightly darker than fire engine red glitter. This is great for Christmas, Valentines Day, or birthdays & proms if you have a red dress. It also reminds me of Las Vegas. I would definitely wear this to Vegas. It kind of reminds me of show-girl makeup.

Purple Punch

I like this shade of purple in glitter form & also the name, very creative. It's a royal purple glitter. You can see how intense it is with the eyeshadow...gorgeous!! This can go with lots of occasions any time of the year & compliments all eye colors.

Jars

I also bought a pack of 25 jars (5 grams each) for about 5 bucks. That's a pretty good deal, despise the fact tI can't even fit a whole sample in one jar XD haha! I think I got a pretty good deal, considering I just need some containers instead of plastic baggies that tear.

Size comparison to a nickel. Shoulda' used a quarter I guess lol.

:)

Hope you enjoyed the swatches & descriptions!

A Cheap Easy Way to Make Fake Wounds

 

Halloween is coming very soon! I know I'm a little late for this, but this is great for those last minute costumes, and most of these items can be found in your home!

This tutorial doesn't require prosthetics such as liquid latex, scar wax, & spirit gum. Although these are very helpful, they can be very pricey & hard to find. The main item that you will need for the "rotting skin" effect is eyelash glue.

 

NOTE: If you are allergic to latex I suggest you do NOT use this. Eyelash glue has latex labeled in the ingredients & some people have an allergic reaction to it. This means when you apply the glue to your face, if it burns & itches or irritates the skin in anyway, grab makeup remover & remove it right away along with soap and water. If you happen to be allergic to it, you might have to stick with the pricey products. It's better to be safe than sorry sometimes. 

Here are the items I will be using

 

 From left to right: Red lipstick (preferably with a glossy [not shimmery] finish!) It doesn't really matter what shade of red you use. Red lipgloss works just as great! Make sure neither has a shimmery finish. 

Next, Eyelash glue. Make sure it dries CLEAR. Ones that dry black are going to be harder to make look natural.

Now for brushes, you don't need the exact kind as me. As long as you have 1 or 2 small flat brushes that can reach crevices for the contouring & one blending brush, then you're in the clear. 

Then there's the Q-tip. This will be to pat the foundation over the eyelash glue to match skin tone. The reason why I am using this instead of a concealer brush or makeup sponge is because lots of you are most likely to find Q-tips in your home.

 

 

 Foundation

 

 Grab a foundation about the same color as your skin. If it is too dark, than that is fine too, because it will conceal the light-colored glue a little better. I'm just using Revlon ColorStay. You can use whatever brand you like. ^_^

 

 

 

 

Eyeshadows

 

I am going to be using my Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette. If you have one of these or something similar (can be BH Cosmetics or Ebay palettes), you can use these & go along with me. If you don't have these, that's okay, just as long as you have a similar color to the eyeshadows that I number and list, then you are good to go.

 

Just make sure the colors are MATTE. No shimmer. Matte will make the contouring look more natural. If you use shimmer, not only will it make it look less natural, it will also reflect light from the shimmer and take away the depth from the contouring when being taken with a flash camera.

I will number them, and by the numbers, I will list the colors & what they will be used for.

Click this link to make image larger

(Sorry for the terrible quality on the picture. My phone likes to resize pictures -_-)

Okay listing the colors by numbers:

1. Skin tone shade. You need this to set the liquid foundation with when you apply it over the dried eyelash glue. *This actually depends on the shade & tone of your skin, so choose accordingly please.* I am a fair to medium skin tone, so I am choosing the shade numbered. The purpose of this shadow is to set the liquid foundation and keep it from slipping.

2. Red shade. This will act as a base for the "blood" & will cover the skin tone inside & outside the "wound."

3. Medium Brown shade. (or 2 shades darker than your skin tone) This will help contour the inside and out of the wound.

 

4. Dark Brown shade. (Or 3-4 shades darker than your skin tone) This will help gradually darken the blood and the contouring along with shadow number 3.

5. Black shade. This will go in the crevices making the wound look more realistic & 3 dimensional as well as giving the skin a "rotting flesh" effect.

STEP 1:

Apply the lash glue in any form you want that resembles a "wound","sore", ect. Make sure the shape is enclosed. If there are any bubbles (like you can see on my hand), you can either leave them be or pop them. I left them on because it gives the skin more of a "rotting" effect.

This may be the longest step to do, which is waiting for it to dry. Try putting your hand in front of a fan or use a COOL setting on a blow dryer to speed up the process. I wouldn't recommend hot air, because it can possibly melt the glue.

 

You will know when the glue is dry when you touch it. If you can touch it without the glue sticking to your fingers, then it's ready. Also the color and texture will change too when it is dried, like in the picture. Notice the bubbles added a nasty texture as well ;) Now we are ready for step 2.

STEP 2:

Grab your Q-tip (If you have a cosmetic sponge, that will work also), dab a little bit onto the q-tip or sponge, and LIGHTLY dab the foundation onto the dried glue. If you press too hard, the glue will lose its shape and can possibly tear, ruining your progress.

As you can see, it looks really messy & some of the foundation oxidized a bit, so the color is different now, but that's okay because it will be gone over with the skin tone eyeshadow (#1) & the other shadows. Moving on to step 4.

STEP 4:

After applying with skin tone eyeshadow over glue.

Apply the red eyeshadow (#2) inside the shape and along the outside. The reason why we are putting red on the outside, is to give the "sore" an irritated look. MOST (if not all) sores have red halos around them. Use your blending brush to evenly blend the outside of the shape, and so it fades outward onto the skin.

STEP 5:

Apply the medium brown shade (#3) along the sides inside the shape. Do not go in the middle. Just the sides. This gives depth.

STEP 6:

 

 Take the dark brown shade (#4) and apply it along the sides inside the wound, and make it darker in the crevices & corners. Try not to blend too much or it will look muddy. Do the same step on the outside as you did inside.

Do not go completely over the red on the outside, you still want it to show through a little.

As you can see, I also applied some of the shadow on the glue part to darken the skin as if it is "rotting" and to get rid of the shininess.

STEP 7: ALMOST DONE!

 

 

Apply the black shade (#5) ONLY ON THE CREVICE AREAS & CORNERS. Don't apply this shade all the way around. This is just to give the wound a little more depth.

STEP 8:

 

 

Take the small flat eyeshadow brush (a Q-tip can still work for this) or lip brush and apply the red lipgloss/lipstick on the inside of the shape. 

Apply by using PATTING MOTIONS ONLY. If you swipe, you can have the possibility of smearing the contoured shades making everything look muddy and not so 3D anymore. Don't be afraid to apply a little bit of the "blood" on the glue. 

The purpose of the lipstick/lipgloss is to make the wound look like real blood is coming out. (Obviously) :P

 

 And now we're finished!

 

Without flash

 

With flash

 

Side view to show 3 dimensional effect.

 

I also used it for a "Zombie" look.

 

I hope you guys enjoyed this blog tutorial! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!

Happy Halloween!

Best Beauty Products to travel with!

I love traveling! Plane that is! and I travel by plane a lot. But sometimes there are consequences you have to face when packing your makeup/toiletry bag. 

First of all, if you have any LIQUIDS OVER 3.0 OUNCES, you need to transfer them to the right size bottle. Anything over 3.0 ounces will be confiscated from your carry-on bag. -_- If you want to learn more about this click HERE. This is important if you are packing face wash/moisturizer or toner. (unless they are already travel sized.) If they don't have the shampoo/body wash you like in travel size, then use these little 3.0 bottles. I got mine from Wal-Mart.

They are really cheap, like $1.00 each, and they come in different containers, like spray bottles, screw-lid cream jars, & squeeze bottles, so it's pretty convenient for whatever you are packing! 

Caboodles Case

Caboodles is one of the most popular brands for makeup cases. They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Whether you are packing for a trip, or just wanting something to store & organize your makeup in, this is a good brand to go by!

There's even a removable divider for easy organizing! :D

Mine I believe, is an "IT Bag", which is the smaller sizes of cases. I can't remember the specific name for this one, but I love it! The pattern is just adorable! It's small enough for travel and comes with attached rings to hold your brushes along with a plastic cover to protect them. (since this is a smaller case, it's better to use travel-sized brushes, because some regular brushes are too long) It comes with pockets everywhere on the sides to store whatever you'd like.

It zips up, so no worrying about anything spilling out of your case!

 As for the face, like I've mentioned before you definitely need to bring face wash & moisturizer. You need to always have a clean face wherever you go along with a good moisturizer to protect your skin and keep it hydrated. *Moisturizers with SPF are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as it protects the face from harmful UV rays* It does not matter if you are traveling in the winter; your face can still be susceptible to harmful UV rays at any time of the year!

I decided to bring my Gigi's Daily Facial Cleanser, It's made from real dark honey & Acai berry. It removes makeup & impurities from the skin. It also smells very good, like a sweet smell, not quite like honey like it says. I love it because it's simple & doesn't have too much in it; it's a little more on the natural side. Products with too many harsh chemicals are not good for the skin. I had to transfer the face wash to a smaller bottle because it is way over 3 ounces.

I also use Gigi's Balancing Face Moisturizer. It contains Baobab fruit & Soy to protect & soften the skin as well as the dark honey is included too! It's also supposed to balance the skin's complexion out, while it  firms the skin as well, keeping it healthier looking. I didn't need to transfer this, because the bottle is only 2 ounces! Yay!

If you are interested in the Gigi brand here's the link: Click!

Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Wet Cleansing Towelettes 

Perfect for travel! You don't necessarily have to buy this particular brand, but I will explain why I love it!

• It obviously removes makeup.
• It contains ingredients that help purify the skin & detoxify it, keeping it completely clean from everything.
• It's very gentle on the skin with a pleasant scent to it. It hasn't irritated my skin like other makeup remover wipes.
• It contains Vitamin B5, Vitamin E & Green Leaf Extract. This is very nourishing for the skin & helps restore complexion.

 

I love the fact that it completely cleans your face from everything including toxins. It comes in a resealable pouch so no need to worry about spills or drying out. And the best thing I love about this is: IT DOESN'T REQUIRE RINSING :D!!!! How more convenient can you get? You can use these practically ANYWHERE! You don't need sink or any water whatsoever. I think these are the best things to travel with instead of messy makeup remover bottles & cotton balls. Its like a sink and face wash in one! :D

  Oil-blotting sheets

A lot of you know what these are, so I won't hype on about it. They are little sheets that basically remove all the oils from your face & makes your face look less shiny. They are small enough to put in your purse, so they are great for traveling. A must for oily-prone skin! You can find them at any drug-store or supermarket in the face-cleansing aisle.

Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow 

Very great for people who don't want to pack a whole lot of makeup, but would like some colors to pack in one. You don't even necessarily need brushes either, so that is a plus for light-packing. (You do however need to use CLEAN fingers if you do not pack brushes. I don't want to be the one to blame if you get an eye infection, haha.) 

I chose the color shades called "Skinlights" It's perfect for those who don't want a whole lot of color, but something that can add more definition to the eyes. The color, Skinlights also works great because they are neutral colors and and can go with any skin tone & any outfit for any occasion. 

It also comes with a nifty mirror. Not one of those cheap looking mirrors either. The view is pretty crisp, so you can see every detail when  you apply your eyeshadow.

It's pretty pigmented and doesn't really crease, so I don't believe you need a primer to apply before hand. However, you could use these cream shadows as a base for any powdered ones you layer over.

The shadows also come in different colors, so if you're more daring or just experimenting with colors, you can get different shades. If you want to check out the other ones, here is a link: Click Me! :)

Brush Guards

I was pretty skeptical about them at first, but I decided to give them a try. I'm a big Coastal Scents fan, so that's how I found out about these little guys.

These are good for protecting brushes, so the bristles won't bend or break. They come in different sizes and have different packs for specific kind of brushes. 

They are good for drying brushes after cleaning too.

Just slide the guard on (ALWAYS put on from bottom of handle first NEVER go against the bristles. This will prevent your brushes bristles from getting bent backwards & getting ruined!)

Tahdah!! Ready to store, travel, or dry! :D

If you are more interested in these brush guards click here.

I have beauty a tip for you! (Though some of you might already know this! :P)

Lipstick can be used as a multi-purpose beauty tool!

Skip the brushes & blush! Lipstick is an essential tool for light packers, because it can be used as a lip color (duh) AND a blush! Lots of people, including makeup artists, use this method when blush is not handy. All you do is apply a small amount on your cheeks and blend in, until harsh lines and blotches are gone. A lot of people prefer pink & coral-colored blushes, so be careful with red lipsticks!


If you have no idea what kind of makeup to pack, I will provide a small list for ideas.

• Lipgloss - If lipsticks are not your thing, lipgloss can really brighten up your face & make your lips look fuller. It's a common beauty item found in most purses!
• Mascara - Some people don't like eyeliner, but wear mascara. This is a must, because it will make your eyes look more awake & bigger without messy eyeliners.
• Neutral shimmering eyeshadow - Another a mult-purpose tool for light packers, you can apply this to the brow bone & inner corners of the eye for more definition as well as applying it right above the cheek bone for a highlighter. (This will make the face "glow" and appear more radiant.)

• Eyeshadow Palettes - This is for people who don't prefer cream eyeshadows. They come in wide varieties of colors, and this will keep you from packing tons of single eyeshadows.
• Concealer - If you don't want to pack foundation, but want to cover up certain spots on the face, whether it's from pimples to under-eye circles, this a is very handy product. It's not as big as foundation bottles & you can carry it in your purse.
• Travel Size Body Sprays - This is optional, but if you want to freshen up, (You never know who you might sit by LOL) this is a good item to have. Like the name says, make sure it does not exceed 3.0 fl oz.

Another beauty tip: Be careful when deciding to bring liquid foundation that is not in your carry-on bag, because sometimes the pressure of  underneath the plane will cause the the bottles to possibly explode and cause a huge mess!

Happy Traveling!!