Melt My Makeup! Battle of the Balms

Hello, Fireflies!

Taking off makeup is the worst part about wearing makeup, isn't it? I've used wipes, water-only eraser towels, cleansing oils, micellar water, oily removers... you name it.  So, when these new melting balms came on the market, I picked up the ELF one, and then picked up the IT Cosmetics one, so I decided to do a side-by-side removal to see which worked better for me!

Happy Valentines' Day!

Hello, Fireflies!

Today is Valentines' Day, the day all about hearts and love.  I think it's a Hallmark Holiday that only served to make me feel miserable when I was single, and to drive up the price of flowers and chocolate.

But, I like having an excuse to do heart nail art, so here we go!

Flashback Friday FOTD - Daytime Matte Smoky Eye

Hello, Fireflies!

I dug into the archives today for this makeup look featuring a great matte palette from Viseart that doesn't get enough press.

Feeling Bold and Blue with #EddieFunkhouser and #CoverFX

Some products provided for review, some purchased by me.  All opinions are my own.

 Hello, Fireflies!

One of my little goals for my blog this year is to practice more with makeup, and incorporate more makeup looks.  Yesterday, I pulled out my Eddie Funkhouser Hyperreal Color Palette Girls On Film, and built a look around that.

Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida Wear Pink!

Hello, Fireflies!

This month, the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida decided to think Pink! So, we all did some kind of look with pink.  I have a head to tips pink extravaganza to share!

I don't have a full picture of the dress I wore, but the dress is black with a fuchsia top that is has a sort of starburst pattern. I based the majority of my look today off that fun pink!

I know that not everyone was able to get the Lorac Mega Pro eyeshadow palette, but if you wanted it, I hope you got it! I really like Lorac shadows.  I used a few of the mulberry-type shades to create this look.

I had also just gotten the It Cosmetics new QVC collection, so I'm wearing their new Hello mascara with the melted fiber technology.  I don't get crazy long lashes with it, but that's fine with me.  If my lashes are too long, they touch my glasses, which makes me cray-cray.  I'm also wearing the It Cosmetics Black/Brown gel liner and I'm in love.  Really great liner, and the color matches my eyes.

Perfect ensemble to pair with a bright pink lip!  I picked up the new colors from the ELF matte lipstick line, and they are all fabulous.  This is ELF Fuchsia.

This nail look turned out a little more neon than expected, but I still liked it.  I started out with China Glaze Strike a Rose, which was so bright! Layering Wing Dust Feel The Burn over it gave it a little bit of a neon coral feel. 

I used Dashika Big SdP-D to make the stamp.  I like how they include reverse images of the same pattern!

I like stamping over glitter and seeing the little flashes peek through.  I wish my stamping had come out a little clearer, though.  I used Cult Nails Nevermore to stamp, and sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

Bottle shot:  China Glaze Strike A Rose, WingDust Feel The Burn, and Cult Nails Nevermore.

I'm also wearing the new It Cosmetics Celebration Illumination Foundation in Light, and the ombre' pink blush.  I'm a fan!

Need a pick-me-up? Try hot pink! How do you rock pink?

Things I can't be without, Nail Edition

Hello, Fireflies!

Some of the beauty bloggers from The Beauty Blog Coalition and Beauty Blogazons came together to write about some of the beauty products we can't be without.

I am a bit of a hoarder by nature, so it wasn't a surprise to take a quick look around my desk and see some things that I have definitely collected - and buy multiples of when I find them. This picture doesn't even do my collection justice.  I just picked a few of each - and only nail stuff for this post.  There are lots of makeup things I hoard, too.

Do you think they have an AA-type thing for this addiction?

Because of my love of nail art and stamping, I collect black and white polishes and my fave stamping gold polish.  I am always trying to see what polishes work best for nail art.  When I find polish on sale, I'll often snap up a few bottles of these!

I never knew anything about balms and oils before getting into nail art.  Now, I can't get enough.  I even make my own oil blend that sits on my desk, too.  There's some kind of oil or balm where I sit to watch TV, my bedside, my purse, and even in the bathrooms!

I love the ELF concealer brush for cleanup, and have 3 or 4 on my desk in various states of use, and plenty of new ones waiting in the wings.  I have tried other brushes, and I just keep coming back to this one!  I buy them on sale when I can, but at $1 or less, I'll buy a bunch at a time. I tell myself that I'll give them to nail friends, but I'm really hard-pressed to part with them!

I also hoard acetone, and make my own DIY blend with glycerine and a bit of water and fragrance oil.  I have heard of the horrors of running out of remover, and having to *gasp* not remove a mani because of it.  Horrors!*shudder*

What beauty product do you stock up on? What product gives you the jibblies to think of running out of it?

If At First You Don't Succeed, Keep On Stampin' 'Till You Do Succeed

Hello, Fireflies!

Last month, as part of the Nail Challenge Collaborative Tea Party challenge, I saw this nude lace mani from Doctor Crafty that I absolutely fell in love with.  I wanted to try and do a similar version, but it was harder than I thought it would be!

First, I had to find a nude polish I liked.  I tried ELF Nude, but it kinda reads 'grandma' to me.  There's just something about it that feels old..er than I want to be perceived!

I didn't have the same stamp as Doctor Crafty, but I found this swirly stamp on Cici & Sisi 10 (though I'm loving that tribal-esque mask stamp!)

Fail.  I've stamped with Revlon Spirit before, but I couldn't get the stamp to work, no matter what.  What a mess.

Bottle shot: ELF Nude, and Revlon Spirit.

Next, I tried OPI My Vampire is Buff, a cream nude.  Hmm. Compared to ELF Nude, it's crazy light. I really liked it, though.  Somehow I managed to forget to get a picture of just the OPI, though.  Pretend you don't see the stamp yet, so it'll be a surprise when you scroll down.

I thought this butterfly pattern would read more lacy with such a subtle difference between the Revlon Spirit white and the OPI cream, but, uh, yeah, it still looks like butterflies.

I did kinda like this one.  Very demure, a definite palate-cleanser.

Bottle shot: OPI My Vampire is Buff, and Revlon Spirit.

I'm still not sure I've found the perfect nude for this look.  What's your favorite 'nude' polish?

One Direction, Too Cool, Three Looks! #makeupby1D #thelookscollection #markwins

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Hello, Fireflies!

Is it weird that a 40+ old woman likes One Direction?  They Stole My Heart! (See what I did there? That's my fave song of theirs.)

I'm excited to show you the One Direction makeup collection, "Up All Night" from Markwins!

Girls' Day Out - BBCFL at The Salt Room Millenia

Hello, Fireflies!

Last week or so, my handlers let me out of my cage, and I met up with some of the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida for a complimentary salt room experience!

Movie Date!

Hello, Fireflies!

I love movies, but I'm old.  And when I say that I'm old, I mean I am the stereotypical old person who gets mad at children running in the aisles, I get grumpy when people are using their cell phones in any capacity, and I don't like to share my space with a lot of noisy people.

So, when the new X-men movie opened, and hubby and I went to an early matinee and had very little company, I was *thrilled*.  But it also meant that I had to get ready in a hurry!

But I HAD to do X-men nails! Totally quick and dirty.  Even the one Wolverine face didn't stamp fully, but it kinda looks like he's cackling evilly, so it's okay.  I used Zoya Pippa, OPI Over and Over A-Gwen, and Finger Paints Black Expressionism with Fab Ur Nails Fun 11 plate for the stamping.

Hubby wore a Marvel-themed t-shirt, which earned him knowing nods from the other geeks in the audience.  I showed my nails to the girl selling tickets.  She acted impressed, but I don't think she really got it, ya know?  

Bottle shot:  Zoya Pippa, OPI Over and Over A-Gwen, and Finger Paints Black Expressionism.

 I thought I'd also show you the makeup look I did for our date.  I've been sporting the Cover FX SPF 30 primer and BB Gel, of course.  Still loving the light coverage and satin finish.  I think I have on my Jordana Color Tint Blush Stick in Coral Touch, and my Hourglass Ambient Dim Light finishing powder, too.

Boy, howdy, am I having trouble taking good pictures of my makeup.  It's harder than it looks! I'm either too yellow or too washed out.  

I did my eyes with the Stila 10-pan eyeshadow palette with 14k (bright gold shimmer) on my inner lid, copper (copper shimmer) on the outer lid, and jade (shimmery jade green) in the crease.  I've been practicing with my ELF brow kit, and I also tried a little cat eye with my new fave liquid liner - Physicians Formula. 

Hubby got me into the X-Men franchise, oh, 20 years ago? and Wolverine has always been my fave, so I was glad to wear him on my nails!  Did you ever do a theme mani, makeup, or fashion for a movie?

Also shared on The Nail Files and the Nail Files Pinterest Board. Click through for more nail art!