Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 13 From Helen

We're at the homestretch! Four more entries (including this one) and you're all set to vote for the Popular Choice Winner. Remember, the Grand Prize Winner will be announced on December 3rd, so stay tuned!

Here's Helen's take on the holiday look. Helen, from British Columbia, Canada, sported a classic holiday look that is so chic. Her shots were so tastefully done, it seems as if she were transported back in time and forever frozen in her timeless pictures. Her work reminded me of the makeup of movie stars in the '40s and '50s - so classic and classy at the same time. I think the focal points of her look are her deep berry red lips and her gorgeous, porcelain skin - the very stuff movie stars are made of.









Face:
Primer/Base: Bare Escentuals: Mineral Veil
Concealers: Everyday Minerals Mint corrector, Lumiere Healing Concealer Light-medium-yellow
Foundation: EDM Light-Medium beige semi-matte
Bronzer/contour: BE warmth
All-over-face-color/highlight: Valerie Cosmetics Satin Sun
Blush: Milan Minerals mauvalous

Eyes:
Entire Lid: Milan Sista
Top Lid: Milan Black Amethyst
Bottom: Milan Bijou-brown, Black Amethyst
Liner: Almay liquid liner in brown
Mascara: CoverGirl Lash Exact in very black
Brows: EDM dark brown

Lips: Vaseline with Milan Krazze pigment

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 12 From Crissy

Here's a lovely, not-your-usual green look from Crissy of Paranaque City, Philippines. I really love how the green got smokified on her eyes. Since I love anything green, her eyeshadows are totally up my alley. I've also been told that Monave Sultries eyeshadows were quite good, but I didn't know they actually look gorgeous on the lids, as shown in this holiday look. I also can't believe how creamy and flawless her skin looked like. I have not seen a look using Monave foundation that I didn't like. It really melds to the skin and makes it look creamy, and if I have not said it before, let me say that Monave is undisputedly the King of foundation staying power in my book. I cannot rave enough about how unbelievably long-lasting this product is. Anyways, here's Crissy's own description of her holiday look:

Smokey Green Eyes

I love the color green and smokey eyes are a great holiday makeup look. Green is usually paired up with gold, but using some silver and adding more shimmer just made it a little more unique.

Awesome look Crissy! It looks simple yet very unique and flawless!








FACE:
Makeup For Ever Primer in Neutral (0)
Monave Mineral Foundation in Saturnina and Cecilia
Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil
Valerie Beauty Minerals Pin Up Collection Blush in Coy

EYES:
Aromaleigh Eye Primer
Silver Eyeshadow from Zali Makeup Palette on lid and lower lash line
Monave Sultries Eyeshadow in Ivy on lid & lower lash line
Monave Sultries Eyeshadow in Ivy (foiled) on outer V and crease
Aromaleigh Sonic Rocks in White Wedding as browbone highlight and on top of eyeshadow
Fasio 3D Airtech Curl + Volume Mascara in Black

LIPS:
Clinique Long Last Soft Shine Lipstick in Creamy Nude
MAC Lipglass in Perfectly Pink

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 11 From Nikki

Here's fresh-faced Nikki's rendition of the holiday look. As soon as I saw Indelible gel liner in Peacock on her, I felt I just HAD to have it. I have always admired Peacock on the MAD minerals website, but I haven't seen it on anyone till now, and it looks like a gorgeous teal on Nikki's eyes. I was also thrilled when I saw Nikki wearing Ocean Mist foundation in Bamboo, because I also ordered the same shade from their half-off sale last weekend, and I received it today (pictures to come). Nikki and I have almost the same skintone, and I think Bamboo would be a good choice because it looks great on her. Nikki, from Quezon City, Philippines, is a self-confessed mineral makeup junkie. I can totally relate (mineral makeup can make you look AND feel good, and it's good for your skin)! As flawless as the minerals are on her, I don't think we can blame her, can we?









Foundation: Ocean Mist in Bamboo

Finishing powder: Silk Naturals Perfecting Powder

Cheeks: The Natural Source Camouflage Colors in Desert Sunset

Eyes:
- J.Lynne e/s in Kuzu all over lid
- MAD Chocoberry in crease and lower lashline
- Indellible gelliner in Peacock on upper lashline
- Palladio Clear lash and brow gel on lashes and brows

Lips: Bourjois Effect 3D lipgloss in Violet Psychedelic

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MAC Metal X: The Good and The Bad

I was very skeptical about the Metal X cream eyeshadows because of the mixed reviews I have been reading online. Some people gushed over how pigmented, rich, creamy and vibrant these shadows are, but some were disappointed with the creasing. I decided to see and try it out for myself, and when I arrived at the counter, I was totally floored by how gorgeous these eyeshadows are. First of all, I didn't know the Metal X pots were going to be bigger than regular MAC eyeshadows. Secondly, I thought the Metal X's were going to be gunky, sticky cream eyeshadows, but I was met with firm, ultra smooth cream shadows that dry to a powder finish. Most of all, I fell in love with the amazing, wondrous, vibrant colors. I gravitated toward 6th Sin and Plum Electric (shown in pics), and you can probably see why. The hues were so rich and vibrant, and definitely buildable, so you can have these as sheer or as opaque as you want. I debated with myself and I wanted to get Pure Ore, Virgin Silver and Gold Spice as well, but I held off because I kept thinking about the creasing issues I've read on makeup boards online. I went home and swatched the shadows, and these are unlike any other eyeshadow from MAC that I've tried. Sooooo rich, smooth, uber-pigmented. I was in love.

I tried 6th Sin today and I was just blown away by the color. It's one of prettiest greens I've ever owned. It was so beautiful on the lid that I decided to leave it alone and not apply powder shadow over it. Take note that I used a base (Beige-ing shadestick) and I was quite confident that it wouldn't crease on me.

Well, I was wrong. Less than three hours later, I saw big, fat creases on my lids despite my careful application of primer. MAC shadows NEVER creased on me, until today. I should have known that cream shadows are not really known for their staying power, regardless of the brand. That said, Metal X's are great, but only when used as a base when you're working on the crease, which is such a shame because I bought the shadows to be showcased and not buried under tons of powder eyeshadows. I wanted it to shine. Such a shame. Oh well. I can always find great shadows to layer over these, but I'm just disappointed that I will never get to wear these without powder eyeshadows over them.












Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base on lid and lower lashline
MAC Metal X eyeshadow in 6th Sin on lid
MAC Juxt eyeshadow on inner to mid lid
MAC Metamorph eyeshadow on inner half of lower lashline
MAC Greensmoke eyeshadow on outer half of lower lashline
MAC Humid and Plumage eyeshadows on outer crease and outer V
MAC Shroom eyeshadow to highlight
Indelible gel liner in Black Out to line
Shu Uemura mascara base
Shu Uemura and Maybelline mascaras

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Everyday Minerals foundation in Winged Butter Intensive
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Silk Naturals sheer perfecting powder
MAC Emote blush to contour
Everyday Minerals blush in Apple
Terra Del Sol # 7 skinfinish (MAC Pleasureflush MSF dupe) over blush

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC lipstick in Ultra Madame
MAC lipglass in Contessa (Finery Plum lips)

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Shades of U Contest: Holiday Look # 10 From Aireen

As soon as I saw Aireen's photos, I just gaped in awe at her holiday face. The lips, oh wow! Can you get any more Christmas-y than those bright red puckers? It was also applied so precisely and flawlessly on her full, pouty lips. Aireen, who hails from Makati City, Philippines, created a visual feast by combining vibrant green and blue shadows and liners with vibrant red lipstick. So undeniably festive; it totally screams "Christmas is here!". I'm loving the earrings as well and how they matched her lips; it's obvious that Aireen really made her entire look as festive as can be.







Face

Makeup For Ever Primer in Neutral (0)
Valerie Beauty Cover Deluxe in W3 + Y2
Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil
Smashox blush in Smashing Epic

Eyes

Aromaleigh Eye Primer
Careline Eyeshadow in Mestiza White as lidwash
Eyeshadows from Estee Lauder Denim Quad For the blue eyeshadow on lid and inner lower lashline
Estee Lauder Eyeshadow in Khaki in crease and outer lower lashline
Aromaleigh Sonic Rocks in White Wedding as browbone highlight and on top of eyeshadow
Maybelline Unstoppable Shiny Black Mascara

Lips

Avon Ultra Color Rich in Butternut

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 9 From Marcela

An artistic rendition of the holiday look comes from Marcela of Buenos Aires, Argentina. She painstakingly drew a pattern of holly leaves on her cheeks with keen attention to detail. The pattern is gorgeous and it truly bespeaks of holiday traditions and warm, fuzzy thoughts of Christmas. You could tell from Marcela's strokes that the pattern was very carefully and lovingly made and was not done haphazardly, nor was it rushed. I admire the fact that she used common, ordinary makeup to draw her work of art instead of using specialized body paint. In line with her concept, Marcela kept the rest of her face clean and neutral so as not to overwhelm. The clean lines of her eyes, cheeks and lips drew attention to her holiday pattern which is of course the focal point of her look. I love the entire concept, and she pulled off the entire look amazingly well.

'Tis the season to be holly!










Face:

* La Roche Posay Toleraine Liquid Foundation in ‘light beige’
* Natura Diversa corretivo extreme conforto candeia in 'claro' (Concealer) (light beige)
* Faces_Natura polvo compacto in ‘bege natural claro’ à (Pressed Powder)
* Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in '01 peony’

Eyes:

* Bloom eyeliner in ‘black’ to line lower lash line and trace ‘v’
* Givenchy eye shadow in ‘dressy black’ on ‘v’
* Clinique colour surge eye shadow soft shimmer in ‘sierra glaze’ on middle
* Clinique shimmering tones powder in ‘golden bronze’:
- Dark and middle shade on lid
- Light shade to highlight beneath the brow and blend
* Mila Marzi mono eye shadow in ‘1110/101’ (gold) on inner corner and to line lower lash line
* Clinique high impact mascara in ‘black’ on upper and lower lashes

Lips:

* Natura Diversa lápiz retractile in ‘cor da boca’ (Lip Liner)
* Nivea Labello in ‘cherry’
* L’Oreal glam shine sorbet in ‘cherry sorbet’

Holly:
* Mila Marzi mono eye shadow in ‘1110/P10’ (green) to draw leaves
* Dinhora labial cremoso in ‘N·71’ (red lipstick) to draw berries
* Maybelline New York waterproof liquid eyeliner in ‘black’ to outline

Tools:

* Sponge wedge à to even out foundation and concealer
* Natura blush brush à to apply pressed powder and blush
* Natura eye brushes à to apply eye shadows and draw leaves
* Drugstore brand brushes à to blend shadows and to apply liner

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 8 From Sue

Here's pretty Sue from Selangor, Malaysia who sent in her Ice Queen look. She said that she aimed for a look similar to that of the Ice Queen from the Chronicles of Narnia. I was mesmerized by her lovely eyes, so expressive and pensive (lol, it rhymes)! Her lashes seem to go on forever! I think she just used the right amount of products because too much would overwhelm her beautiful eyes and features. Here's Sue's take on the holiday look in her own words:

To me, Christmas reminds me of snow...the beautiful white, goose-feather soft snowflakes raining down from the sky and blanketing the surface. I've not seen nor touched snow, so this is purely imagination. :) And Christmas = cold. When I think of cold, I think pale.

Face:
MAD Minerals Medium Concealer ---> applied wet
TKB Authentic Silk Powder
Lure Beauty Moosie Mix (this is what I got from Moosie when she mixed 16 shades together)

Eyes:
MyMineralsBath&Body (MMBB) Highlights --->patted all over lid until brow bone
Cheapie kohl, tightlined on upper lashes
Brow liner in black (korean brand)
Rimmel Extra Super Lash mascara in Blackest Black

Lips:
Meow Kittylicious blush
Vaseline layered on top

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Lancome Color Fever Lip Shine Lipstick and Purples

Turn up your lips with gliding sensual shine!

> Light reflecting pearls give translucent color and pure shine.
> Gliding and lightweight texture hydrates your lips for hours.
> 12 fresh, luminous shades.

I had the chance to try this lipstick out and I like the fact that it doesn't dry my lips. I also appreciate the sheerness of the product because that makes application very buildable. I like the cute see-through packaging and the sleekness of the tube that is very Lancome. It moisturizes my lips and never made it crack or peel, and the slickness of the product just babies the lips with moisture throughout. If you don't like sparkle in your lip products, however, this is not for you. It shimmers and sparkles so I believe this is more apt for night time wear, especially with the deeper colors. I used the shade in Provocative which is a deep plum color. I was wearing purples for a night out as well, so I used a light lip gloss to tone down the shade. It is a very pretty shade though and if you want your lips to stand out for a fun night in town, go get this color.

For my eyes, I used MAC pigments in Mauvement and Grape, and I think I have a new favorite pigment in the latter. I soooo love the depth and the perfect purple shade of Grape. It is not as dark as Entremauve and it is beautiful when paired with a lighter purple on the lid. The coming of fall makes me want to wear deeper colors like plums and purples, and this beautiful pigment is going to be a staple for me this fall and winter.







Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base
MAC Mauvement pigment foiled with MAC mixing medium on lid
MAC Quietly pigment on lower and inner lid
MAC Grape pigment on crease and outer V
MAC Up At Dawn eyeshadow to line lower lashline
MAC Sunday's Best eyeshadow to highlight
Almay Amazing I-liner (liquid eyeliner) to line upper lashline
Shu Uemura mascara base
Shu Uemura mascara

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Meow mineral foundation in Flawless Feline Naughty Abyssinian and Pampered Puss Fierce Abyssinian (75-25 mix)
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Silk Naturals sheer perfecting powder
MAC Emote blush to contour
MAC Ablaze blush
MAC Northern Lights MSF over blush

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
Lancome Color Fever Lipshine lipstick in Provocative
MAC lipglass in Pas De Deux

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 7 From Andrea

Here's a breathtaking interpretation of the Snow Queen look by Andrea from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The concept is hauntingly beautiful, and I totally dig the icy eyes and blood red lips. Andrea is a young lady who is obviously a very gifted artist.

When all the leaves have fallen, winter comes along and brings chilly winds, grey landscapes and hoards of snow. No need to fear though, holidays are around the corner! Snow, hot chocolate, presents, music, parties, Christmas trees, food and…her.

She waits with flushed cheeks and blood red lips. Her porcelain skin tingles with cold. She has frosty eyes which are pure white: snow flake covered lids and eyelashes like icicles. She is the Snow Queen.







Andrea was also kind enough to include a pic of the products and tools she used for this look. She reckoned that since most of the products she used were from Argentina and Brazil, some of the readers would not be familiar with them.

Here's her note about the products:

I just wanted to apologize for using so many unknown brands! Natura is quite a big brazilian brand, and has three different 'branches' of makeup (Faces_ , Diversa & Unica) aiming at different age targets. Dinhora is a brand from Argentina and there are a couple of Australian brands as well (Sugar Baby, ChiChi Cosmetics & Red Earth). I included a pic of products used so you could get an idea. Thank you! And enjoy!

No need to apologize Andrea! If you can create gorgeous looks such as this, I doubt if anybody cares even if you used water color paints. You look beautiful!



Face:
* Natura Diversa base extreme comfort SPF 15 candeia in ‘bege claro’ à (Liquid Foundation) (I)
* Natura Única concealer face and eye area (only colour > medium beige) (II)
* Faces_Natura polvo compacto in ‘bege natural claro’ à (Pressed Powder) (III)
* Maybelline New York expertwear blush in ‘pair o`plums’ (IV)

Eyes:
* Rimmel London Twist & Shimmer eye colour in "white" as base (V)
* Red Earth shimmer powder in ‘MS002’ on lid and ‘v’ (VI)
* Chichi cosmetics eye shadow dust in ‘primadonna’ on lid and ‘v’ (VII)
* Chichi cosmetics eye shadow dust in ‘centrefold’ on lid and ‘v’ (VIII)
* Faces_Natura sombra en polvo in ‘verde iluminado’ on lid and ‘v’ (IX)
* Lancome ellipse mono eyeshadow in ’02 songe argente’ to line upper and lower lashline (X)
* AVON color trend glitter roll on gel to stick on stars (XI)
* Falsies à Drugstore brand. I cut them in half, painted them with the Rimmel London eye colour and then dipped them in the Red Earth shimmer powder. (No pic!)


Lips:
* Dinhora labial cremoso in ‘N·71’ à (Lipstick – fire engine red) (XII)
* SugarBaby lipstick in ‘Smooching’ à (deep rose) (XIII)

Tools:
* Sponge wedge à to even out foundation and concealer
* Natura blush brush à to apply pressed powder
* Maybelline blush brush (in compact) à to apply blush
* Natura eye brush à to apply shimmer powders (XIV – top left)
* Tweezers à to handle falsies
* Kryolan glue
* Natura lip brush à to apply lipstick (XIV – bottom left)

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look #6 From Silver

Here's Silver of Singapore with her holiday look interpretation. Silver looks so cute with the winged eyeliner. It gives her look a unique and dramatic flair. I can never look good with cat eyes no matter how many times I tried (the results looked horrendous enough not to merit space here), but Silver pulls off the look effortlessly.









Face:
Meow Primp & Preen: Premiere Puss Primer Combo
Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium Semi Matte Foundation
Mad Yellow correcter Concealer
Prim & Preen: Crystalline Cat Glow Powder
Majolica Majorca Active Spice Blush in Orange
Brandless Contouring Powder
MAC MSF Lightscapade to highlight
MAC Petticoat MSF over blush

Eyes:
Urban Decay Shadow Primer Potion
Mad Yellow correcter Concealer for undereyes
Mad Evocative Mineral Pigment all over lid
Mad Rave Mineral Pigment on inner V
Mad Trust Fund Mineral Pigment on lid
Mad Taxi Mineral Pigment on lid
MAC Go Bananas on lid to blend
MAC Fab & Flashy Eyeshadow on lid to blend
Mad Rave Mineral Pigment on lid
Mad Change Mineral Pigment on outer V
MAC Wondergrass Eyeshadow on outer V to blend
MAC Haunting Eyeshadow on outer V to blend
MAC MSF Lightscapade to highlight
Mad Retro with Mineral Eyeshadow Sealant to line top and bottom
Mad Speed with Mineral Eyeshadow Sealant to line inner waterline
ELF Eye Widener in Pearl White to line inner waterline
Mad Snow Angel to dust lid and bottom eyes
Loreal Panoramic Curl Mascara

Lips:
Vaseline as lipbalm
Fasio Lipstick in Brilliant Blaze
Elf Hypershine in Flirt

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 5 From Joyce

Here's Mary Joyce's entry for the Holiday Look contest. Mary Joyce, from Manila, Philippines, features green shadows and shimmery cheeks for her holiday interpretation. I was pleasantly surprised when the entrants featured my most favorite mineral makeup for their looks. Joyce looks great using J.Lynne mineral foundation. J.Lynne is one of those mineral makeup companies that I use its entire range of products. I love J.Lynne's mineral foundation (finish looks flawless and natural), blushes, eyeshadows, mineral glows, and their luscious, pigmented lip glosses. As you can see in Joyce's look, the foundation looks so flawless, finish is just fab. I also love her shimmery cheeks which looks very festive, so apt for the holidays. The green shadow also showcased her pretty dark eyes and made them pop. The simplicity of the whole look is very appealing because attention gets focused on the green shadow and the glowy cheeks.









Face
Foundation- J lynne foundation in l/g 1.9
Concealer- Uglo girl concealer in buttercup
blush- Lumiere flushed
bronzer- Meow tanned tabby
finishing powder- Lumiere silk powder in ivory

eyes
MAC paintpot in moss scape all over the lid
Monave mpp in lime green on inner 1/2 v
Lumiere mpp in emerald in outer 1/2 v and outer crease
indelible gel liner in chocolate mousse
Maybelline unstoppable mascara

lips
Chapstick

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Thanksgiving Look from Coastal Scents

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I just want to insert a little commercial break from all the wonderful holiday looks that have been sent in, and feature my thanksgiving look using Coastal Scents. I had a little "Eureka!" moment when I found a shade that is so much better on me, a 50-50 mix of Silk Medium 1.2 and Silk Light 1.2. I love how even the finish is and how natural it looked. I used Coastal Scent's blush in Sassy for this look and I really adore it! It's not too pigmented nor too sheer like some other mineral blushes I've encountered, and I love the texture of Coastal Scents' blushes - very smooth and easy to apply. I want more!

I have been reading rave reviews about Silk Naturals' tinted lip balm in Birthday Suit, aptly described on the site as the Ultimate Nude Lippie. I just love how creamy and non-drying it is, and it is truly the My Lips But Better shade. You can't beat the price as well. I'm really loving these two new-found (by me) mineral makeup companies.

I also said that I would be using MAC mineralize eyeshadows for my looks to conquer my lukewarm reception of them because I really wasn't a fan. I used Earthly Riches today (been using mineralize e/s these past few weeks), and I am beginning to love the texture and color pay-off. No need to foil these babies anymore, and the texture is just fab. I think I'm beginning to defect.









Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base
MAC Rubenesque paint pot on lid
MAC Shimmertime pigment applied with MAC mixing medium on lid and inner corners
MAC Cosmic eyeshadow on lower lid
MAC Earthly Riches mineralize eyeshadow from Antiquitease collection (used purple side) on outer V
MAC Star Violet eyeshadow on crease
MAC Sunday Best eyeshadow to highlight
Indelible gel liner in Tanzanite and MAC power kohl eyeshadow in raven to line
Shu Uemura mascara base
MAC Zoom Black mascara

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Coastal Scents Silk Foundation in Silk Light 1.2 and Silk Medium 1.2 (50-50 mix)
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Silk Naturals sheer perfecting powder
MAC Emote blush to contour
Coastal Scents Sassy blush
MAC mineralize skinfinish in Northern Lights over blush

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
Silk Naturals tinted gloss in Birthday Suit
MAC lustreglass in Spring Bean

Watch out for more Holiday Look contest entries in a few!!

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Shades of U Contest: Holiday Look #4 From Dayna

Here's Dayna's contribution for the holiday look contest, and her look just blew me away. Dayna, who hails from Kentucky, USA, reminds me of a beautiful ice queen with her look. She even used nail gems on the inner corners of her eyes which I believe are the focal points of her look, and of course her luscious, berry-colored lips. I love how the nail gems made her look so alive despite the icy concept. It was such a brilliant, unique idea to use nail gems for the eyes. Isn't it also wonderful that she made most of the cosmetics she used for her look? Is there anything this woman couldn't do? I also loved that she included her skin care regimen to the list of products she used. I've told Dayna how beautiful she looks with her glowing skin, and I'm glad that she spilled her secrets on how she takes care of her ageless skin.









Skincare:
Washed with Snowdrift Farm Melt and Pour emu soap
Exfoliation with MIY scrub- a few drops of emu oil, honey and sugar mixed into paste.
Emu oil with water used as moisturizer

Face:
Foundation- Dayna Minerals "Dayna Light" applied with Lumiere Long Handled Kabuki
Monave Concealer in Carolina for spots using concealer brush
Glow: Dayna's Minerals Illumination using Bare Escentuals Soft Focus Brush
Blush: Milan Minerals Pretty In Pink using Bare Escentuals Soft Focus Brush

Eyes:
Dayna's Minerals Peach Fuzz applied dry
Dayna's Minerals Showin' Some Skin foiled all over lid below crease
Dayna's Minerals Lustrous White Gold foiled along inner lash line top and bottom and as brow highlight
Dayna's Minerals Miss Gigi applied dry in crease and outer V.
Dayna's Minerals Earthy Girl used to fill brows.
MAD Minerals Blackout indelible liner
False lashes applied.
Dayna's Minerals Sable Coat dry lining after false lashes applied
Nail gems applied to inner corner using lash glue to adhere
Maybelline Full N Soft Mascara applied- one coat

Lips:
NYC Pencil & Pout in Ruby Duet.
Bare Escentuals Gossamer Gloss applied on top.

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 3 From Valerie

Here's a gorgeous, shimmery, metallic look from Valerie of Cavite, Philippines that is so reminiscent of the holiday season. Here's how she described her entry:

My entry to the contest was inspired by MAC's Antiquitease collection. Aside from that, the Holidays remind me of everything shiny and bright, and metallics too. :) I was planning on greens, since they're reminiscent of Christmas as well. But then again I thought, why not give a twist to neutrals? I hardly wear neutrals, most often preferring bright, bold colors. So overall, this was a real challenge to me. I just amped them (neutrals) up a bit with some glitter and sparkle.

Face:
- Bare Escentuals Prime Time
- Lumiere Silk powder in Ivory as setting/finishing powder
- Monave concealer foundation in Saturnina
- Milan minerals concealer in Yellow Daze to spot conceal
- Mary Kay signature concealer in Ivory topped with BE's Well Rested for the undereyes
- Lumiere silkies in Java to contour cheekbones
- Monave blush in Buff Apricot
- Valerie Beauty Satin Sun to highlight

Eyes
- MAC paint pot in Painterly as base
- Monave MPM in semi-matte beige all over lid
- Monave sultries in Gold Brick on outer half of lids and lower lashline
- Monave MPM in Champagne on inner half of lids
- Monave MPM in copper on "outer V"
- Valerie Beauty flexicolor in Bombshell to highlight browbone
- Indelible gel liner in Black Cherry on upper lashline
- Fasio Hyperstay mascara in brown
- HBC false eyelashes
- SanSan eyeliner in brown used to fill in brows

Lips
- Avon lipsavers lip balm in Butterscotch
- MAC lipglass in Sunny Boy

I loved how Valerie incorporated a lot of minerals to her interpretation of holiday makeup. Monave has great mineral foundation that I use during the cooler months, and it provides amazing coverage and the creamiest finish ever (Val's look proves just that). I also find the eyes and lashes so pretty. I wish I can apply and wear falsies like that. I also loved how the eyeshadows were applied sooo immaculately - no smudges, unsullied, uncluttered. Just flawless. The whole look exudes freshness, and her makeup looks so pristine yet festive at the same time. Love it, Val!

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Shades of U Contest: Holiday Look # 2 From Brenda

I just want to showcase Brenda's beautiful face using green eyeshadow that really made her deep-seated eyes pop. Brenda, who hails from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines, said she wanted to create a look that was simple yet festive. I think she more than fulfilled her objective; her eyes were as expressive as they were gorgeous. The green shadow complemented her skintone amazingly. I also love the fact that she used one of my favorite mineral foundations ever. Lauress foundation is one of my top three mineral foundations, and this truly makes the perfect, flawless canvas for the rest of your makeup, and yet doesn't look cakey. Brenda, you look so pretty! Green definitely makes brown eyes pop beautifully.

Foundation: Lauress Creamy Yellow Foundation, MAC blot powder in Medium-Dark
Blush: Everyday Minerals Apple Blush
HIGHLIGHT: Elianto off white e/s
E/S and liner: Elianto Green e/s
MASCARA: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
LIPS: Vaseline as base, Avon Ultra Color Rich in Nude

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Shades Of U Contest: Holiday Look # 1 From Christine

The time within which to submit holiday looks for Shades Of U's first contest has officially lapsed. First of all, I want to thank everyone who sent her holiday looks; each one was so beautifully and artistically crafted to reflect the spirit of the holiday season. I could really see and feel how well-thought of the concepts were, how diligently these concepts were executed, and how the application was done with utmost care. I want to thank all of you who submitted your lovely holiday looks; I know that you entrusted me with your precious work and I am truly honored and grateful for your trust.

Within the next two weeks, Shades Of U will be featuring one (or perhaps two) entries per day, in the order in which they were received. The Grand Prize winner shall be announced on December 3, 2007 who will receive $75 in MAC goods, and then you dear readers will get to pick our Popular Choice Winner, who shall then receive $35 worth of MAC goods. The Popular Choice Winner shall be announced shortly after the announcement of the Grand Prize Winner.

Let's get the ball rolling, and let me introduce Christine from Angeles City, Philippines who is both the artist and model for the first holiday look. Christine said that when she thinks of the holidays, she is reminded of the traditional green Christmas trees and gold Christmas balls. In her photos she played up her eyes with green and gold colors and toned down her cheeks and lips with neutrals to balance out the look. The photos were taken indoors with natural lighting.









Face:
Foundation – Make Up Forever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation in shade No.15
Concealer - Artdeco Camouflage Cream

Blush – NARS Orgasm & MAC Dollymix
Highlighter – MAC MSF in Gold Spill

Bronzer - Chanel Bronzing Powder in Sierra

Eyes:
Eyeliner - Make Up Forever – Aqua Eyes in Mat Black
Artdeco waterproof e/l - #17
MAC Eye Shadows - Cosmic, Retrospeck, and Wondergrass
Paint Pot – Rubenesque
Mascara - Maybelline Unstoppable mascara, The Face Shop Freshian mascara, Fasio Waterproof mascara
Eyebrows – MAC Stubborn Brown

Lips:
Lipstick – MAC lipstick Sandy B
Lipgloss – MAC lipglass Elaborate

What can I say? What a way to start the Holiday Look contest! Christine, you are beautiful and I love how you made the simple colors of gold and green come alive in your look. So flawless and festive!

Watch out for more holiday looks from Shades Of U!

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Fyrinnae's Fun Fall Colors

I ordered several pigments from Fyrinnae this past month and I cannot rave about them enough. They are super pigmented and would look lovely when used for the holiday or any occasion calling for a sophisticated, festive look. Here are some of the swatches. I applied these swatches wet for maximum color pay-off and so that the flash wouldn't wash them out. If you have a good base, however (I'm thinking of MAC shadesticks and not just Urban Decay Primer Potion), the colors would really pop out even when used dry.





Cool names, huh? You can really figure out that this company is operated by two (or is it three?) guys. Virgin cracked me up. You can definitely get why they named it that.

I also did some swatches of the MAC loose beauty powders that I have. Sunspill got washed out in the pic, but it reminds me of NARS Orgasm on me, albeit in loose form. I don't like Orgasm (got two and eventually let go of both), so this is a way better alternative.

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Coastal Scents Mineral Foundation

So I am on a mineral makeup spree these days. I was pleased to try out Coastal Scents mineral foundation, and I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth and even-looking it was on my skin. I tried Silk Light and Silk Medium foundation (I mixed an even amount of each shade), but it was obviously too light on my skin. Maybe I should have stuck with straight Medium or a mix of Medium 1.2 and Light 1.2, or maybe straight Medium 1.2?? Arrggh... anyways, I will continue to try the samples, I'm really loving the smoothness of the finish and how it makes my skintone appear more even. I'd say it was medium coverage, but very buildable. I love that it also feels very light on the skin and doesn't make me feel I have foundation on. It also didn't make my skin itch nor did it do any chaos to my skin, in fact I would think it's pretty calming. I can't say anything else about its other products as I have not tried them yet, but will continue to do so in the next days or so. I got Coastal Scents' concealer brush and I love it! It's not too small so it can adequately cover up undereye circles and the taklon bristles are just of the perfect firmness.

I used Silk Naturals' Date Bait perfecting powder for this look and I love how it made my skin look a bit luminous and, like its sheer version, it made my pores appear much smaller.

I also used my new MAC product for this look: loose beauty powder in Soft Flame from the Of Beauty collection. I really like it; it's like a loose version of my favorite beauty powders in compacts (think beauty powders in Pearl Sunshine and Pearl Blossom from the MAC Barbie collection) and even loose mineralize skinfinishes. Application of the loose beauty powder was also a cinch with the MAC 187 brush.









Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base
MAC Fresco Rose paint pot on lid
MAC Expensive Pink eyeshadow on lid and to line lower lashline
MAC Swish eyeshadow on inner lid
MAC Post Haste (matte2) eyeshadow on outer lid
MAC Handwritten (matte2) eyeshadow on crease
MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow to highlight
Indelible gel liner in Black Cherry to line
Shu Uemura mascara base
MAC Zoom Black mascara

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Coastal Scents Silk Foundation in Silk Light and Silk Medium (50-50 mix)
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Silk Naturals Dait Bait perfecting powder
MAC Emote blush to contour
MAC Petalpoint blush
MAC loose beauty powder in Soft Flame over blush

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC Curiositease Plum Lips set (used Ultra Madame lipstick and Contessa lipglass)

Dayna sent me her beautiful mineral in Mermaid Flash. I used it wet using MAC mixing medium and applied it as a liner. I really love it! It's literally a pop of color in a boring neutral look.

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MAC Of Beauty Collection: Product Info and Promo Images

BEAUTY HAS ITS FORM.
AND ITS MEDIUMS.
THE LIGHT, PLAY AND DIMENSIONAL
HARMONY OF TWO REFLECTIVE SOURCES:
NEW BEAUTY POWDER/LOOSE.
SHADE-COORDINATED WITH THE CREAMY SOFT
AMBIENT HIGHLIGHTS PROVIDED BY
A NEW ARRAY OF FIVE STUDIO LIGHTS.
THE ESSENTIAL TOOLS:
THE 183 FLAT FACE BUFFER BRUSH,
THE 188 SMALL DUO FIBRE BRUSH, AND
THE 222 TAPERED BLENDING BRUSH
TO CREATE THE RADIANT
SCULPTURESQUE LOOK
OF BEAUTY.
LIMITED EDITION.







Beauty Powder/Loose Profile
A light sheer loose sumptuously pearlescent powder in soft colours with precious/unusual reflective qualities for a glamorous shimmering effect, highlighting and blushing. Gives a wash of colour and luminous shimmer to eyes and cheeks. Provides a sheer coverage with a lightweight feel. Smooth, even application. Suitable for all skin types, ophthalmologist-tested, non-acnegenic. Suitable for all skin types. Not tested on animals.

Beauty Powder/Loose
Dancing Light Creamy gold with white gold reflect
Drizzlegold Fleshy beige with copper and gold reflect
Natural Flare Peachy champagne with white and gold reflect
Sunspill Coral Peach with white and gold reflect
Tenderdusk Soft pink with red and gold reflect
Soft Flame Rich plum with reddish copper reflect
Suggested Retail Price: $21.00 U.S./$25.00 CDN

Studio Lights
Skin Lure Soft creamy beige
Ideal Pink Palest pinkish beige
Smoothspice Caramel
Frangipan Pale golden yellow
Sand Soft peachy beige
Suggested Retail Price: $14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN

Available
November 15, 2007 at all M•A•C locations,
1.800.387.6707 and www.maccosmetics.com

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MAC Stylistics Collection: Product Info and Promotional Images

THE CULTIVATED NEW COOL
OF 21ST CENTURY HEPCATS.
WHEN IT COMES TO
STYLE, DESIGN AND HIP,
THEY’RE IN THE KNOW…
THEY’RE THE TRUE JAZZ,
CULTURE’S RAREST
AND RICHEST PEARLS.
ACT SMOOTH, BE SOFT
BUT DIAMOND-SHARP…
SUPER COOL.
THEIR PARADOX IS THE MYSTERY.
THERE’S GLAMOUR IN THE
JE NE SAIS QUOI.
SELECT DISTRIBUTION AND
M∙A∙C STORES ONLY.





Stylistics Lipstick
In Vogue Neutral mid-tone brown + gold pearl (frost)
Soft Pout Sheer pink peach with + pearl (frost)
Stylistic Vibrant yellow red (cream)
The Scene Deep berry (cream)
Suggested Retail Price: $22.00 U.S./$26.00 CDN

Stylistics Lipglass
Conversational Sheer creamy white + pink pearl (frost)
Witty Intense red + red pearl (frost)
Tastemaker Deep wine + red and gold pearl (frost)
Hyper Chic Neutral caramel brown (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $20.00 U.S./$24.00 CDN

Sheerspark Pressed Powder
Solitaire Beige + gold pearl
Warm Ice Soft pink peach + pink pearl
Pave Dirty pink + gold pearl
Fashionette Berry + red and pink pearl
Suggested Retail Price: $22.00 U.S./$26.00 CDN

Sheer Mystery Powder
Model Chic Warm beige
Lighthearted Caramel
Dark Secret Deep caramel
Suggested Retail Price: $45.00 U.S./$54.00 CDN

Brushes
316 Stylistics Special Edition Brush
Suggested Retail Price: $22.00 U.S./$26.50 CDN
224 Stylistics Special Edition Brush
Suggested Retail Price: $32.00 U.S./$38.50 CDN
129 Stylistics Special Edition Brush
Suggested Retail Price: $42.00 U.S./$50.50 CDN

Stylistics Clutch
Vintage-inspired evening clutch
Suggested Retail Price: $60.00 U.S./$80.00 CDN

Air of Style Scent Concentrate
Air of Style
Suggested Retail Price: $60.00 U.S./$80.00 CDN

Available
November 21, 2007 available at exclusive M∙A∙C stores,
1.800.387.6707 and www.maccosmetics.com

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MAC Metal X: Product Information and Promo Images

Had enough of MAC collections? Same here! As if the monstrous holiday collections weren't enough, here are some more. Metal-X is coming!













A SIMPLE TRACE
ELEVATED TO THE RICHEST,
MOST OPULENT EXTREME
FOUND IN THE CREAMY,
COLOUR-RICH
METAL-X CREAM SHADOW.
AN AMALGAM OF PIGMENT,
SHINE AND DIMENSION
THAT THROUGH ITS INTENSITY,
FORGES AN UNFORGETTABLE MELANGE.
SOME WILL WEAR IT
ON ITS OWN, BUT
M•A•C METAL HEADS WILL
WEAR IT AS IT’S INTENDED:
WITH A SOPHISTICATED
FINE LINE OF GLITTER.

Metal-X Cream Shadow Profile
A cream to powder metallic shadow that provides liquid metal effects. New combination of waxes allows superior blendability, and goes on smoothly. Build to high intensity with a one stroke application. Can be used on eyes, cheeks, brow bone, décolletage. An extremely luxurious finish for eyes, cheeks and skin.

Metal-X Cream Shadow
Virgin Silver White with silver pearl
Pure Ore Metallic green gold
Goldspice Metallic coppery gold
Fusion Gold Light pinky beige with gold pearl
Pink Ingot Mid-tone blue pink with gold pearl
Metalblu Navy blue with silvery pearl
Cyber Metallic silver with silver pearl
6th Sin Forest green with silver pearl
Plum Electric Deep purple with red pearl
Suggested Retail Price: $16.50 U.S./$20.00 CDN

Glitter Eye Liner
Blitzed Yellow gold with multicolour glitter
Wonderwhite Silvery white with multicolour glitter
Enbronze Deep brown with multicolour glitter
Pewterpink Blue purple with multicolour glitter
Lime Dandy Mid-tone yellow green with green glitter
Suggested Retail Price: $16.50 U.S./$20.00 CDN

Available
November 21, 2007 at all M•A•C locations,
1.800.387.6707 and www.maccosmetics.com

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Shades of U Spread the MAC Love Contest Extended till 11/18/07

I have received amazing, beautiful entries for Shades of U's very first contest, and I can't wait to share them with you all! However, I have received some feedback saying that they need more time to come up with their looks, so I am EXTENDING the contest until 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, November 18, 2007. I have likewise changed the date of the announcement of the grand prize winner to Monday, December 3, 2007. So ladies (and gents), you still have time to send in your entries for this weekend!

Click HERE for the contest rules!

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Silk Naturals Perfect Harmony Foundation: Joining the Bandwagon

There's this new mineral makeup company that's currently the word-of-mouth on mineral makeup blogs and forums because of the unique way they package and sell their mineral foundation. First of all, they use silk in almost all of their products, and they don't give you a foundation product that is ready to use. They give you two small bags of foundation: an ivory foundation and a base blend - either warm gold, buttery gold or ebony foundation. They also give you a scoop to use and a 10g jar with sifter to place your mixed foundation in. They give you a "recipe" sheet so you can mix the base blend and white foundation to match your desired shade, and as such, you can tweak your foundation shades depending on the season. Now what is so frickin' good about that? People really don't want to do anything else when they buy something; they want it to be good and ready for application, right? If you know and use mineral makeup, however, you would know that it is difficult to find your perfect shade especially if you're transitioning from season to season because of your changing skintone. Sampling also gives you a headache at times because you have to ask what your shade equivalent is in that particular brand. This unique method by Silk Naturals eliminates the trial and error that sampling inevitably gives, and you can just add the ivory or the base blend depending on your needs. How ingenious, and yet the concept is really pretty simple.


My Buttery Gold Perfect Harmony Foundation kit. I got all three available base blends just in case I needed to tweak my foundation for a more desirable result.

So I joined the bandwagon to find out for myself what all the fuss is about. I got their new Buttery Gold Perfect Harmony kit. I really waited for the new kit to come out on their site because I have been reading accounts online by other customers, and a lot of asian mineral makeup addicts were having a little bit of trouble finding their shades using the Warm Gold and Ebony base blends. They said they needed something more yellow, and I for one need a ton of yellow to go with my yellow undertones. I was glad to know that Silk Naturals was very receptive to the needs of its customers, and immediately came up with this blend. I tried it and did an Ivory:Buttery Gold ratio of 10:2. It was too dark, however, so I added scoop after scoop of the Ivory foundation till I came up with 13:2. Haha! Next time I will not add 2 scoops of the Buttery Gold since it was really pretty dark, and I've read from other mineral makeup blogs that 1 scoop of the dark blend is really more than enough. Anyways, here are some pictures using my Silk Naturals foundation, but take note that I used 11:2 ratio here. It does look pretty even and natural, but when I looked at my image in natural light, the face was still too dark compared to the neck; it looked freakish, actually.

I also got the popular Sheer Perfecting Powder. I really took a chance with this one and ordered a full-size jar instead of a sample because of the raves I've been reading, and indeed the results were pretty amazing. My skin looked more even, pores appeared much smaller, and it gave my skin an over-all better finish. I now understand why Silk Naturals claims this as its best-selling product and its "baby". I also understand now why a lot of women are raving about this finishing powder. I received a free sample of the Date Bait, the tinted version of the Perfecting Powder, but I have yet to try it. I can't wait to use it, but right now I'm really enjoying the regular sheer one. I want to try some more of their products because I'm really impressed with the ones I got.





Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base
MAC Cosmic eyeshadow on lid and to line lower lashline
MAC Firespot eyeshadow on outer lid
MAC Sable Wrap eyeshadow on crease
MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow to highlight
MAC Graphic Brown fluidline to line

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Silk Naturals Buttery Gold Perfect Harmony Foundation 11:2 ratio (later changed to 13:2)
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Silk Naturals sheer perfecting powder
MAC Emote blush to contour
CARGO blush in The Big Easy
MAC Pearl Sunshine beauty powder over blush

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC mattene lipstick in Composure

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MAC Finery, Curiositease & Royal Assets Lip Sets: Swatches & Reviews

Today is all about lips: luscious, festive, and puckered up for the holiday season. This year MAC dresses up the lips with the most beautiful shades of coral, pink, plum and tan for the most gorgeous holiday looks. I cannot rave enough about these coordinating lip sets because I am admittedly a lipstick and lipgloss kind of girl. I tote around a heavy purse filled with all sorts of lip products to smear my lips with as I trudge along during the day. These tiny tubes of shine and color are my pick-me-uppers during long and laborious days; they literally infuse color into my bleary work days when I am neck-deep in paperwork. These lip sets therefore make me giddy like a kid in a candy store because there are just too many to choose from, and one can whip up different looks with these lovely sets.

First of all, isn't the packaging just gorgeous? I am a sucker for pretty packaging and these delicious holiday sets are no exception. If I receive one of these in a gaily-wrapped package from underneath the tree, I'd be yelping in excitement just by looking at the packaging alone. Now the product themselves are just as beautiful as the packaging if not better. You can check out my previous entry on the holiday product pictures HERE.

Curiositease 5 Plushglass and 5 Lipglass/Lustreglass





The plushglasses are admittedly not my favorite MAC lip products because I am not into those lip glosses with plumping effects. However, I do love the lovely, festive colors and how these truly reflect the rich hues reminiscent of every holiday memory. My faves would be Wet, Wild & Wonderful, Bountiful and Pretty Plush. Wet, Wild and Wonderful looks really dark in the tube but goes pretty sheer on my lips, like a honey-brown hue. I'm still trying to get the hang of the tingling, cool sensation on the lips, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Now the lipglasses/lustreglasses are way up my alley, though. My favorite is the popular Nymphette lipglass that I think is one of MAC's best-sellers. I love the shimmery luscious gold-tinged look it provides. This would look good on almost any kind of look: neutral, smokey, you name it, Nymphette goes well with it.



Royal Assets 3 Lips Sets:



The packaging alone is already breathtaking; opening the lid to uncover lip gems is all the more thrilling. I love the coordinating colors that would definitely go well with every eye and blush theme you might want to use; and you will not run out of ideas with these beautiful sets. Inside the royal packaging are two lipsticks and a coordinating lipglass with a lip brush and mirror included. My fave would be the Pink lips set. I am such a sucker for pink and the pretty rose colors in this palette are just simply eye candy. The Tan lips set is also beautiful filled with all the colors of the season.

Finery: 3 Lips Sets

This is my favorite of all the lip products this holiday season. You gotta watch out for these. If the delicate purses woven with gold and silver threads won't woo you, the lovely lipsticks and lipglass in beautiful ornately-designed white packaging will definitely lure you in. This is one of the prettiest MAC lip product tubes I've seen. The colors are sooo breathtaking as well. My favorite is hands-down the Plum lips. Have you seen those gorgeous colors? I've fallen in love with the Contessa lipglass (so beautiful!) and the two lipsticks. This is definitely one collection you cannot afford to NOT check out.



Up Close:

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Splendid Reads for this Week on Splendicity

From our Splendicity members, comes some of the best posts of the week.



BEAUTY
Shades of U dishes out her reviews of MAC's upcoming Curiositease pigment and glitter sets, including swatches and product pictures.

Kyle falls in love with Revive Moisturizing Renewal Cream at Face Candy.

The one-year-old A Touch of Blusher brings you highlights from the past 12 months.

Makeup Loves Me gives all the details of Mac's Antiquitease Holiday Collection.

Who doesn't like free beauty products?! Beauty Banter combs the web for the best beauty discounts and freebies this week!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic discovers Bond No. 9's Newest Fragrance, Andy Warhol's Silver Factory.

Check out the luxurious Acca Kappa 8 piece Solingen Steel Manicure Set, and Beauty Gizmo wonders if it's worth the investment.

Vanity Vibe shares her Kerastase Vita Ciment Salon Experience.

Wardrobe Oxygen tries out and reviews Sephora's Smokey Eye Kit.
FASHION
STYLEnosh shows WhatWentWrong when bad jeans happen to good people.

She Knows Best compiled a comprehensive list of Men's Fashion Don'ts.

StyleTots found Ralph Lauren Under $30 Items For Boys and Girls.

TeenStyleLounge is hosting a contest where the prize is beautiful skin!

Snarkstress gets verclempt over the reunion of some Friends-ly stars.

Spork Fashion Exclusive! Actress Shannyn Sossamon shares Her Style.

Haute and Bothered says These Prints are Poutrageous.

The Fashionable Kiffen asks "what are the top ten must-haves in your wardrobe?"

Who made UsMagazine.com 's Best Dressed Bumps list? Check out Hot Mama Daily to find out...


SHOPPING
Style Goodies needs no excuse to shop at Sephora!

Style It Less Dug 30 Under $30 Brand Name Items From Nordstrom.

The Latest Luxe plays innocent with these Christian Louboutin Penny Loafers.

The Scented Life has Five Can't Miss Perfume Presents for Her.

Let's Go Shopping found 3 Fabulous SkinCare Kits.

Chic by Nature wonders if you are still searching for that perfect winter coat? Check out grace & cello’s latest additions.

Kikay Kits has the Kikay Girl of the Week: Ms. Juniorproblogger!

Have a splendid week!

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Greens With Falsies

I missed my greens so here's a smoky green look with falsies. I am still feeling my way in the falsies world so pardon the lashes if they're a little wonky! I also feel that I got a dud of a falsies set. The left one refuses to curl up (hence I cropped that one out).







Eyes:
MAC Painterly paint pot as base
MAC Greenstroke paint pot on lid
MAC Blackground paint pot on outer V
MAC Pagan eyeshadow over Greenstroke
MAC Guacamole eyeshadow on center of lid
MAC Humid eyeshadow over Blackground
MAC Carbon eyeshadow on crease
MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow to highlight
Indelible gel liner in Black Out to line upper lashline
MAC Feline kohl power pencil to line waterline
MAC Lucky Jade shadestick on lower lashline
MAC Guacamole eyeshadow to line lower lashline
Ardell falsies


Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Meow Flawless Feline mineral foundation in Naughty Abyssinian
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Bare Escentuals mineral veil
MAC Emote blush to contour
MAC blush in Petalpoint

Lips:
Rimmel 1000 Kisses lipliner in Wild Clover
MAC mattene lipstick in Cafe Matte
MAC lipglass in Pas-de-deux

And also, don't forget to check out my contest for your chance to win $75 worth of brand-new MAC goods!

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MAC Royal Assets 6 Warm Eyes Look

Here's a look using the Warm eyeshadow palette of Royal Assets. I really loved the colors which are just perfect for fall and of course the holiday season, and the packaging is really so gorgeous. The ornate design truly spells luxury and class even though the palette itself is reasonably-priced. For $36 you get six beautiful shadows in an aristocratic case fit for a queen, with a free travel-friendly eyeshadow brush to boot. It is a little heavy though compared to last year's eyeshadow palettes, but that won't stop me from toting this around town for quick touch-ups or for travel.

I also used Dazzleray pigment from the Curiositease Warm Pigment collection, and I think it went well with the colors of the 6 Warm Eyes palette.

I also tried Black Karat eye kohl from the McQueen collection for the first time and I still need a few practices in applying pencil on my upper lashline (I am more used to using gel liners). I so LOVE the color, though. It conjures images of molten blackened gold, if there is such a thing. It looks even more beautiful in person. I think I need a back-up of this!







Eyes:
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base
MAC Dazzleray pigment foiled using MAC mixing medium on lid
MAC Nobility eyeshadow above crease
MAC Star Violet eyeshadow on crease
MAC Showstopper eyeshadow on outer V
MAC Sunday Best eyeshadow to highlight
MAC Black Karat power kohl pencil to line
Shiseido mascara base
MAC Zoom Lash mascara

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Dayna's G2 mineral foundation
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Bare Escentuals mineral veil
MAC Emote blush to contour
MAC blush in After Dusk
MAC Petticoat MSF over blush

Lips:
Rimmel 1000 Kisses lipliner in Wild Clover
MAC lipstick in Sparks Can Fly
MAC lustreglass in Instant Gold

And here is a look featuring my favorite lipstick of the moment: Antiquitease! Love it!

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MAC Curiositease: 5 Pigments and Glitter Swatches and Review

Since I am undeniably a pigment fiend, I am absolutely crazy about this year's pigment sets. For those unfamiliar with these, MAC releases almost every holiday season both a warm and a cool pigment/glitter set. Now I really don't care for glitter, but I just love the pigments. The color pay-off is amazing, and when used foiled, the hues just pop right out. Since I am warm-toned, I thought I would just love the warm pigment set, but the cool one is so pretty as well.



Curiositease: 5 Warm Pigment and Glitter Set

Copper Sparkle: an absolutely dazzling copper pigment that is a bit gritty in texture. If you like copper and you like sparkle, this is for you. Personally not my favorite of the lot, but it would look cool as a liner or even just a tad on the crease or outer V for a bronzey coppery look.

Reflects Gold: to my eye, it is glitter with a ton of gold and a bit of blue infused in it. I doubt I would be using this except for Halloween, maybe? I never really liked glitter and never will.

Lily White is a beautiful, shimmery champagne with pink undertones that looks great as a wash or as a highlighter. I remember it was released early last year with Apricot Pink and Pinked Mauve pigments from the Sweetie Cake collection, although is it just me or is the new release of Lily White more pinkish than champagne-ish? Anyways, I love it either way.

Sunpepper - similar to Blue Brown pigment but has less blue in it but still quite similar. This would look good with a smokey eye or as a liner. One of my faves in the set.

Dazzleray - a wonderful peachy pink/champagne pigment that would look great as a wash. This would look good with golds, bronzes, browns and any warm-toned color.



Curiositease: 5 Cool Pigment/Glitter Set

Helium - same texture as Kitschmas pigment; it is light lilac in color, I think this also has blue undertones. This batch is a bit better in texture than the sample I got a few weeks ago, as this foiled pretty good. This would look great as a highlighter and as a wash for purple, pink and blue looks.

Reflects Blue - very cool-toned glitter; this would look good for holiday makeup, but other than that, I can't think of any use for this that would look good on me.

Softwash Grey - I love silvers and greys and Softwash Grey is no exception. This would make a great ingredient for a smokey grey look, and I absolutely love the texture (please don't mind the swatch; it was swatched too thick and it was foiled, hence the gunky appearance).

Naval Blue - a pretty dark blue that would look great as a liner and for those dramatic smokey blue looks. I can't wait to try this one out.

Forest Green - my favorite of the bunch!! I just love the dark hunter green hue, very similar to Club eyeshadow, and yet it won't hurt to get one of each because their textures are different. I used this with Sharkskin shadestick underneath (black base) for a dark green smokey look and I was blown away with the results. If you are partial to dark green smoky eyes, this is for you.

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Major Lemming Alert: Japonesque Kabuki Brush

Obviously not your run-of-the-mill kabuki brush, hmmm? I was browsing the Japonesque website when I stumbled across this. It really captured my attention and I've been lemming for it ever since. It's described as hand-wrapped bamboo brush with goat's hair. Western use is primarily for blush or contouring. I've been looking for a superior contour brush with a big head (I don't care very much for those small headed contour brushes that deposit color in sharp angles). I want soft, barely there but noticeable contouring, and this product looks like it's the one I've been looking for. Why Japonesque, you ask? This brand of brushes has long been considered one of the best in the beauty industry. The brushes are made of the best squirrel, sable, badger and goat hair for the most flawless makeup applications.

I own several eyeshadow crease blending brushes (similar to MAC's 224) from Japonesque and they are just exquisite; the soft squirrel hair deposits the most subtle washes of color for the crease and gently blends everything into a perfect look.

I also own a travel-sized blush brush from Japonesque made of squirrel hair and it is the softest blush brush I've ever tried. It's a little flat which is perfect for me because you just tap a little bit of blush on one side, then gently apply it on your cheeks and the pigment will adhere to your skin without looking garish or overdone - the softest squirrel hairs ensure that. What is amazing about these Japonesque brushes is that the travel-sized brush has the same superior quality and excellent craftsmanship as the full-size, professional counterpart. Japonesque does not compromise quality for portability. That said, my travel-size blush brush has the same great quality as the full-size version.

View the entire range of Japonesque brushes on their website. You can find them at all ULTA and Nordstrom stores and some online shops as well.

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MAC Viva Glamorous 3 Lips Palette: Swatches and Review

I am happy to review my most favorite MAC lipglasses/lipsticks ever: the beautiful, uber-classy Viva Glams. I remember the first time I encountered Viva Glam V lipstick (a pure neutral pink with a lustre finish) when I was still a newbie MAC user a few years ago. I asked the lady at the counter which lipstick she thought would suit me, and she whipped out the VGV. I curiously tried it on, and I was so floored with the results that I just mouthed a shocked, silent "Wow!". It truly brightened my whole complexion and it looked good with just about anything I wear. Coupled with the phenomenal VGV lipglass, the result is a stunning, luscious, classy lip look that would look good with the most basic of neutrals or the smokiest of eyes. Since that fateful day, I've used up about three tubes of this gorgeous lipstick. I am not the only one who loves this, apparently. I've read a lot of women consider this as their HG lip product, along with the lipgloss. My best friend who now lives halfway across the globe from me asked me what kind of lipglass I think would look good on her, out of the bajillion lipglasses MAC had to offer. Without missing a beat, I told her to get the VGV lipglass. That choice didn't fail me as I received a mouthful of thanks for that. My friend really loved it and now uses it regularly. My other Viva Glam faves are IV (pretty rose with gold reflects), II (for those smoky eyes - a lightly pink mauve), III (brown plum) and VI (warm terracotta plum with pearl finish) because these shades truly complement my skintone. The best part of this is that every cent goes to the MAC AIDS fund, so going crazy about these lip products is guilt-free because they are for a good cause. Here are swatches of the lip palettes and other Viva Glams that I have in my collection.

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MAC Antiquitease: Product Images, Swatches, Review

I was pleasantly surprised with this collection. With the onslaught of exciting holiday collections from MAC, I thought this one would probably be just a "filler" collection, something to pass the time while one waits for the gorgeous holiday gift sets. Well, I was wrong (again). The colors are so beautiful and shimmery, and the deep colors as well as the shimmery hues in silver and gold are just the right combination of jewel and metallic tones to herald the coming of the holidays. The collection likewise includes a sprinkling of muted earth colors as well so I just love the eclectic mix. It gives me terrific choices in the morning if I want to go either neutral or strong-hued for that day.

I think my favorite items in this collection are of course the pigments, being a pigment addict myself. Sweet Sienna is described as a dirty brown with grey pearl, and I love the fact that I can use this (and the other two pigments as well) for subdued looks as well as for smoky eyes. Your Ladyship is a pretty highlighter; it is described as creamy white with gold pearl, and would also be perfect for a lid color (usually the inner part of the eye) combined with a darker color in the crease and outer V. Gold Stroke is a beautiful, beautiful mid-tone chocolate brown with red pearl. This reminds me so much of the coveted and hard-to-find Coco Beach pigment, albeit the latter has more red undertones. These three pigments from the new collection are really my kind of pigments because of their versatility, and you can create a myriad of looks using these, depending on how they are applied and what base is used underneath. Pictures following this post feature the three pigments used with a mixing medium and used dry with Painterly paint pot as base.

I was also surprised at the mineralize eyeshadow duos. These are my least favorite products MAC has come up with because the past mineralize shadows appear too chalky on my skin and color pay-off was next to nothing. I used a base underneath the swatches I just made and was glad to see that color pay-off was really quite good. The bold jewel colors (I heard Mi'Lady was a best-seller) and rich earth tones are just way up my alley. I really like the mix of opposing colors in this collection. I used the mineralize shadow in Engaging today and I loved the shimmery gold in one of the shadows. Too bad it didn't show up well in the swatches I made, but really, this bronzey gold color is truly gorgeous. You cannot pass up on this one. Over the next few days or weeks I will feature looks using these mineralize shadows, partly for myself because I want to conquer my lukewarm reception of mineralize shadows. But looking at the swatches, I am really excited to try these out.

Okay, nooow the lip products. Can you say l-o-v-e? I love the deep reds, rustic tones, shimmery golds and rich earth colors that are part of every holiday celebration. MAC took every breathtaking hue that elicits thoughts and memories of loved ones drinking eggnog and opening presents, and breathed life to it in the lip colors. Gold, rustic copper, pretty light pink, deep plum, intense red lipsticks are complemented by mid-tone red, dirty grey brown with gold pearl, white pink and yellow gold lipglasses. Man, what more can you want for your holiday lips? There will be a lot of kissing loved ones during the holidays, so puckers must be truly dressed up for the season.

MAC has also come up with a beautiful, gold fluidline in Uppity. I cannot wait to use this as I know that this will really open up peepers and will draw attention to them. Dramatic smoky eyes are also waiting for Blacktrack, probably MAC's most famous fluidline as it gives dramatic eyes for the look of the season.

You think that's all? Even the tips and toes are taken care of by MAC. Gold Veneer (this reminds me of gold teeth - veneers, anyone?) nail lacquer is described as a tarnished yellow gold, and this one just blew me away. This looked sooo pretty on my nails and I will definitely wear this next. It really complements my warm undertones, and coupled with Vestral White, it is the perfect "it" nail combination.

So there you have it, my Antiquitease review. Watch out for more swatches and reviews of the holiday collection.

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Shades Of U's Holiday Look Contest: Spreading the MAC Love

Okay, so you have seen some of the wonderful products MAC has to offer, and I was also smitten by the beautiful packaging and wonderful burst of colors that MAC has concocted. So now that the holidays are fast approaching, it's time to spread the MAC love! How'd you like to win $75 worth of brand-new MAC goodies, and some of them will definitely come from the beautiful holiday collections? Shades of U is happy to announce its first contest, and I can't wait to receive all of your entries!

So what are the mechanics? Since we were all agog about the holiday stuff, how about some holiday makeup? I'd love to see all of you send your best holiday faces. It doesn't have to be in a particular theme ("angelic" makeup, "red and green" makeup, gold or silver look), but it has to be reminiscent of or pertaining to the holiday season. No, you don't need to send entries using MAC, in fact I would love it if some of you would send FOTDs using mineral makeup because I am in love with minerals as well. The contest will run from today till 11:59 p.m. EST on November 18, 2007. I will then feature several of the entries (if there are way too much entries, the entries which I believe are in the top 10 or so) from November 19, 2007 till December 2, 2007 , then I will announce the grand prize winner on December 3, 2007. I'd also love feedback from my readers on their best bets, and I will give the most popular FOTD $35 worth of MAC goodies. Sounds good? And here's the best part - I will ship worldwide to the winners via Priority Mail International. So go ahead, send your best holiday looks to shadesofublogspot (at) yahoo (dot) com today!

CONTEST RULES (since I am in the legal industry, yes this is a must!):

1. The contest is open to the general public, of age of majority (at least 18 years old today). The contest will run from today till 11:59 p.m. EST on November 18, 2007. Grand Prize Winner shall be announced December 3, 2007. Popular Choice Winner shall be announced shortly thereafter.

2. Send your photos (at least one close up eye look and at least one full-face look) to shadesofublogspot (at) yahoo (dot) com with your postal address and a list of products used. Incomplete entries shall be disqualified.

3. Contest is open to readers worldwide. If winner resides outside of the United States, prize will be sent via Priority Mail International. Shades Of U does not guarantee that the prizes will be received by the winners before the holidays.

4. Grand Prize winner gets $75 worth of MAC goods with some from the holiday collection. Popular Choice winner (from the top 10 or so that I will be featuring for two weeks) will be chosen by the readers and will receive $35 worth of MAC goods.

5. Limit one entry per person (you don't need to be the model, but you can only have one entry).

6. The prize is not redeemable in cash and must be accepted as awarded.

7. Decisions of the contest judges are final and no substitutions will be available.

8. By submitting the entry, the entrant authorizes the use of his or her first name and photographs in the blog Shades Of U.

9. By claiming the prize, the winner authorizes the use, without additional compensation of his or her name and/or likeness and/or photograph and municipality of residence for promotion and/or advertising purposes on the beauty blog Shades Of U.

10. Neither the cosmetics brand nor Shades Of U makes any representation or offers any warranty, express or implied, as to the quality or fitness of any prize. Every prize winner understands and acknowledges that he or she may not seek reimbursement or pursue any legal or equitable remedy from Shades Of U or the cosmetics brand should the prize fail to be fit for its purpose or is in any way unsatisfactory to the prize winner.

11. This Contest is void where prohibited by law and is subject to all federal, provincial, territorial and municipal laws and regulations.

12. Rules and prizes are subject to change without prior notice.

Whew, what a mouthful! Okay, let's get on with it; I'd love to feature your lovely faces here, so send away!

EDIT: Some have been asking if they need to be eyeshadow mavens to join this contest. The answer is a great big vehement NO! We are not judging the eyeshadows but the over-all makeup. You can make a statement even with just eyeliner and mascara, or even none at all, as long as your whole look bespeaks of the holiday season. Be creative and have fun! =)

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