EOTDs: MUA Cosmetics Teals...

About time I posted a teal theme hey - I do so love this hue, and thankfully, MUA Cosmetics features this pretty shade in quite a few of their collections, and of course, they're all different, which is I why I have to have so many palettes ha ha! Well that's my excuse anyway ♥ For this first look, I used the MUA Winter Forest Matte Collection, a palette I bought over 12 months ago - well two actually, one for me and one for a friend. I decided to let go of mine in one of my giveaways as I had quite a few of the hues in other sets, but the one I gave to my friend recently came back to me as she hardly ever used it...

Well I couldn't be happier about this return because I've fallen in love with it all over again and will be giving it a major workout this winter - how about those gorgeous caramels and greys? The lighter shadow I used is called Azure and the dark one, Aqua, and what a stunning couple they make...

I used Eye of Horus Teal Malachite Goddess Pencil as my base, which is why the Azure looks so deep and somewhat greener than in the pan. Using this crayon underneath gave both mattes a hint of sparkle so they didn't look completely flat, and I also used it on the waterline as well...

Face piccie was a horror as I still had the flu, so let's just move onto the jewellery - more turquoise than teal, but close enough...

This second look features aqua and purple from the MUA Poptastic palette. Used the same Eye of Horus Teal Malachite Goddess Pencil underneath, and on the waterline...

All the shadows in this palette are super shimmery, buttery and fabulously pigmented...

For my face I went back to my old HG foundation, Lancôme Teinte Visionnaire - it's such a perfect match for my skin tone, just wish it wasn't so darn expensive. Cheeks were a mix of Maybelline Master Glaze Stick Blush in Pink Fever and Real Purity Frosted Orchid Powder Blush. Lips were Makeup Revolution Make Me Magnificent...

And here are the accessories, featuring my fabulous new stretchy bracelet from Lovisa that matches one of my bling rings perfectly ♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: Autumn Bling!...

Time to reveal more of my bling discoveries! My mission? To find some new colours, and particularly ones to co-ordinate with my Autumn/Winter outfits. Degree of difficulty? Blimey, I'm giving it a nine out of ten on the exasperation scale. Didn't realise it would be so hard to find anything other than purples, blues, clear and red, but patience (and vigilence) is its own reward, and I scored these three pretty little darlings in the space of a few months. All within my $50 budget too, although I did make a concession in regards to the setting of one ring, but more on that later...

So here's the first - quite a realistic representation of a peridot, and the perfect hue to tone with my olivey wardrobe contents. Olive green seems to be quite big this season - lots of tops, pants and jackets in the stores, but I'm finding it a challenge to track down any jewellery in this autumnal hue. I guess the clothing people aren't talking to the accessory companies! Anyways, I found this at Prouds during their sale a few months back, from memory it was almost half price ♥...

And this little treasure is my latest acquisition - last weekend actually. A stunning cognac Swarovski crystal, and the photo does it very little justice. In some lights it's palest citrine, and in others it's a rich brown with flashes of golden fire (as in the pic). Lovisa has quite an extensive range of Swarovski crystal jewellery, which is where I found this for $25. Only one catch, it's not set in Sterling Silver. But...I fell in love with the way the light bounces of every glistening facet so I bought it anyway, and will be especially mindful to remove it when washing my hands so the silvery plating lasts as long as possible. This ring is especially dear to me already because it's smaller than any of my others, and fits on the ring finger of my right hand - it's nice to have a change of dolled-up digit ♥

And finally, my teal extravaganza. Could not believe my eyes when I spotted this in Prouds - you know I ADORE teal, and it's as if it was made for me! The original price was somewhat outside my range, but once the 60% came off, it was a done deal, and I even got five cents change lol. This is quite a knuckle duster - like my other multi-coloured Swarovski rings (here), it's a dome shape, but larger and more solid, and all the stones are the same glorious deep teal. It sparkles in a different way too as the crystals are a mix of tiny and large size (nothing in between), and the entire surface is covered, whereas the others have gaps between the stones. Out of all my rings, she is "my precious" ♥

Well it's pretty obvious that bling rings are an ongoing and escalating passion of mine, so you can rest assured there'll be more sparklers to show you in the months ahead. Wishing you a wonderful Autumn ♥♥♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

REVIEW & EOTD: Eye of Horus Goddess Pencils (Part 2)...

Surprise surprise - my collection of Eye Of Horus Goddess Pencils has expanded, although after my last order, I'm pretty much set with all the ones I REALLY want. I can't praise these eye crayons enough, they're everything I want in an eye liner - stunning colours, natural ingredients, waterproof, smudgeproof, they glide on like silk, last well on the waterline, and don't irritate the delicate tissue. There are seven in my personal set (first three swatched here), and for once I can't pick a favourite because they are all SO good ♥...

You can see the density and intensity of the pigment in the swatches below - Teal Malachite has a magnificent shimmer (see my EOTD below), Scarab Sapphire is matte, Bronze Amulet has a slight sheen, and Smokey Black is also matte...

They all take a little while to set, so you have time to smudge them with the sponge on the other end of the pencil. But...as I always seem to be in a rush, the hoods above my eyes pick up some of the product before it's dry - so when I use them on the upper lid, I always pat a little matching shadow over the top to set them quickly. For this look, I added a smidgin of Urban Decay Peace, and smoked the outside with Zero. I used the Teal Malachite both on the waterline, and along my lower lashline - the sheen of this particular pencil is magnificent, it's just plain gorgeous!

You can bet that most of my future EOTDs will feature all of these liners one way or another ♥

To take advantage of the free shipping (> $50), last time I added this stunning gold metal plated pendant to my order for $10 - it's excellent quality, the chain is adjustable to any length, and being the crazy old Egypt fanatic that I am, I'll be adding the Ankh one to my collection shortly ha ha ♥ 

I'm really quite impressed with this company - all my orders have arrived beautifully packaged within 48 hours, and they don't test on animals. Their products are also available from various retailers - there's a list of stockists on their website. If you decide to buy any of these pencils, I highly recommend purchasing their sharpener too - honestly it's the best one I've ever come across, sharpens cleanly, and not once has it mangled the inner pigment.

Take care of you,
kats xxx

EOTD: Colourpop Dare & Sleek Orbit...

I swear something's happened to time - my clock tells me there are still 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day, but almost half of November has up and vanished in the wink of a makeup-adorned eye, and I've only uploaded one EOTD!

I actually created this look last month when I was playing around with the NYX Color Mascaras I won from the lovelies at Bloggers United AU. I do so love purple and teal together, and this was my first experiment with the lavender Forget Me Not mascara. Given I hadn't used anything coloured on my lashes before, I was a bit nervous so I didn't apply anywhere near enough, but I thought it was a pretty look anyway, with the mascara creating a kind of feathery effect on my lower flutterers. My base was Face of Australia Purple Budge Proof Gel Eyeliner, and I pressed my fave purple shadow Colourpop Cosmetics Dare over the top, and smoked the outside and underneath with Sleek Orbit. Waterline was Chi Chi Caribbean Queen Waterproof Gel Eyeliner...

On my face I applied DB Cosmetics 24 Hour Foundation, Maybelline Master Glaze Blush stick in Make A Mauve, and lips were Chi Chi Husband Shopping with a slick of Chandelier Lip Gloss in The Privileged...

Is it just me or are the days and weeks flashing past at the speed of light for you too?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

EOTD: Mermaid Teal...

I'm sure any eye makeup fanatic gets excited when they score a new palette - I certainly do, but I'm also thrilled when I rediscover an old love, and then combine it with some new treasures, and this is precisely what happened today ♥  I had a major hankering for a mermaidesque theme, having been inspired by my most recent (weekend) purchase, Australis Cray for Colour Eyeshadow Stick  in the shade Fields of Dreams...

It's a stunning wind up chubby pencil in a shimmery oceanic blue-green, and when I swatched it on the back of my hand, I had to use my most powerful waterproof eye makeup remover to take it off - score! So I used this as my base, and then dug through my drawers for something to lay down over the top, something that wouldn't smother its heavenly gleam, but rather enhance the whole effect. Voila! Revlon Diamond Lust in Neptune Star, the most fabulous glimmery sparkly powder that I've sadly hit pan on (in the middle) because I've had it for so long...

Well this was an inspired pairing if I do say so my self ♥ Neither of them overpowered the other - instead they worked together to bring out their best. I then added a sweep of MUA Cosmetics Platinum on the inner corner, Sleek Orbit in the crease and underneath, and lined the waterline with Chi Chi Cosmetics Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Caribbean Queen...

I just adore teal - it's one of my all time favourite hues for eyes, hard to beat, and always makes me think of Summers by the Sea...

Have you rediscovered a new makeup love recently?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

EOTD: bhcosmetics Magenta and Sleek Orbit (teal)...

I'm at an age when not getting enough beauty sleep REALLY starts to make a difference to how I look the next day. Fortunately, there are a few little tricks I've learned along the way to deal with the overnight increase in creases and wrinkles, one of which is using matte makeup products, and in this particular case, eye shadows. Sure they're not quite as spectactular as shimmers, but for us older gals, they are a godsend when you wake up with even more crinkles than usual...

Now we all know that matte is flat, but it can still be bold and bright, and this magenta from the bhcosmetics Take Me To Brazil palette is a beauty - I patted this down over the top of Chi Chi Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Hopelessly Devoted, a fabulously cheery hot pink...

I then blended Orbit from the Sleek V2 matte palette from the outer corner, took it into the crease, and also underneath the lower lashline...

Because I felt so bleah (read that as exhausted) I lined the waterline with essence white kajal - this crayon is a lifesaver for brightening up sleep-deprived eyes, which in turn gives the whole face a much needed lift... 

For cheeks I used the brightest pink from the BYS On the Brightside trio, lips are Australis Colour Inject Moisturising Mineral Lipstick in the shade Mash Up, and I topped that with Maybelline Color Elixir Gloss in Hibiscus Haven...

As tired as I am, I'm happy that I made my EOTD monthly quota - next giveaway will be up soon!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

REVIEW: essence Waterproof Gel Eye Pencils...

My review of these crayons is way WAY overdue. I've been using (and loving) them for around six weeks, but something else has always leapt to the forefront in my blogging schedule. I have three of them - only one is labelled and that's the dark blue one, Around Midnight. But I looked up the others on the essence website - the teal is called Blue Lagoon, and the green is Urban Jungle...

They're the propelling type, which isn't my preference (I like my eye liners sharp!), but they do have other major merits - they are certainly waterproof, I mean, nothing will remove these suckers except waterproof makeup remover! This is an ABSOLUTE bonus for me - my eyes water at the drop of a hat, and it's a rare thing for me to find a liner that stays exactly where I place it (and with no shadow pressed over the top), so these score 10/10 for staying power...

Secondly the pigmentation is magnificent - bold and dense, and the colours are quite magical. So without further ado, here are the swatches...

In each case, the pic on the left is as drawn with a single stroke, and the one on the right is after taking a few photos, and then rubbing it around 10 times with my fingers. You'll see that with the exception of Blue Lagoon (which smeared and faded a wee bit), the only part that has smudged is where there was a little bit of extra pigment from my crummy drawing that hadn't quite set. You'll also note that my heart shapes improved as the swatching session progressed ha ha!

Urban Jungle

Blue Lagoon

Around Midnight

In summary they're all pretty stunning for $4.70 each, and although the teal isn't quite as potent or smudgeproof as the green and the deep blue, it still stayed put for the whole day. I do have one BIG word of warning though - do not, I repeat, DO NOT use these on your waterline. They clump into big globs that then start floating around in your eyeball - not pleasant at all!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY LOVELIES!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

EOTD: MAC Shimmermoss and bhcosmetics Teal...

Definitely time for a teal! And it's been way too long since I trotted out my one and only colourful MAC eyeshadow, Shimmermoss - she's just so pretty and shimmery, and the perfect partner for the tantalising teal in my bhcosmetics 120 palette...

Sadly, both the Shimmermoss AND the 120 palette are on my "neglected" list - I feel so bad that I haven't been anywhere near either of them for at least six months, but that's one of the hazards of being a fanatical eye makeup collector - there just simply aren't enough days in the week, or weeks in the year for me to use them all even on a semi-regular basis. And then when I buy a new palette and dedicate an entire MONTH to it, well, I only have myself to blame sigh...

Anyways,  let's get on with this look - essence white kajal as a base, MAC Shimmermoss on the inner third, bhcosmetics teal blended over the rest of the lid and underneath, and essence Sun Club Gel Liner in BBC All Night Blue on the waterline - easy peasy...

Lips are Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Mauve, topped with Maybelline Color Elixir in Blush Essence. Cheeks are a blend of two of the pinks from bhcosmetics Glamorous 10 Color Palette...

Do you have so many eye shadows that you don't get around to wearing some of them more than once in six months, or is it just me?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

EOTD: Sleek Acid Coral and Teal...

Gadzooks! What do you do when you're caught up in the pre-Christmas rush, your internet connection is flakey on a good day, and you've a gazillion reviews of fabulous products to upload? You post yet another EOTD using your favourite palette ♥ 

And what do you do when you want to create a coral and teal look, and your favourite palette doesn't contain either of those colours? You reach for your Sleek Acid palette, and make it happen with a blending brush...

The beauty of knowing "what makes what" in the colour world is that you can create just about anything if you have some basic hues, and the Sleek Acid palette is a treasure trove of such gems. I started with a base of essence white kajal (Really? No!) and then laid down some gorgeous orange, and blended the pink over the top. I went over it a few times, alternating the colours, and voila - coral!

The far right blue in this palette isn't teal at all, but it does have some green in it. So by adding teal on my waterline (essence Sun Club BBC All Night Blue), and some Orbit from the Sleek V2 in the crease, I fooled the eye (and the camera) into thinking that the blue was in fact teal...

Then I blended and blended, and took the Orbit under the eye as well...

And here's the whole face - cheeks are essence "blush up" in Heat Wave, which when you blend the orange and pink together, you get (as mentioned earlier)...coral. Lips are SAX Coral (#28) with Mirenesse 3D Gloss in Lust Me over the top...

Apologies for the lack of promised reviews, but I'll make up for it once I go on hols at the end of the week - bring on Friday!

Take care of you,

kats xxx