Look of the Day

Today's look is entirely Signature Minerals!  I thought it would be a challenge to do an entire look using minerals, especially lips and eyebrows, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The coverage is fabulous.  I'm including a shot of me without makeup to illustrate just how miraculous this stuff is.  I really can't say enough good things about these products.

Warning, Scary Before Picture Below!!!

Face:
Multi Task Concealer on freckles and discolorations on nose, and cheeks
Sunshine Corrector under eyes
8.3 Medium Dark Foundation all over face
Cocoa Bean & Caramel Kiss Blushes to contour cheeks, nose, and jawline
Island Princess Bronzer around perimeter of face to add depth
Tawny Tan Veil on entire face
Soft Radiance Veil as highlight on nose, chin, cheekbones, and forehead
Pink Jazz blush on apples of cheeks, and mixed with Soap & Glory clear lip gloss on lips

and

eyes:
Terre Light on entire lid, from lash to brow
Accent on inner corners of eyes, lash to brow
Taupe on outer corners of eyes lash to brow
Terre Dark on brow bone, also applied wet as liner on top & bottom lashes and to fill in brows
Nikki's Emerald in creases and outer "v"
and Beige under brow arches as highlight 

Soap & Glory's The Fill Monte Dab-On Wrinkle Filler

At "40-something," wrinkles have become more of a concern to me than ever before.  To be honest, I have abused my skin for the first 38 years of my life, including washing with harsh soaps, not moisturizing, using tanning beds (daily for many years), and never applying sunscreen.  Somewhere in my 39th year of life, as the big 4-0 loomed near, I began to notice things that weren't there before.  Those cute smile lines had suddenly deepened and become :::GASP::: wrinkles (b.t.w., that's why most of my make-up pics don't involve a smile; smiling now obscures the finer details of my eye shadows) .

Now, believe it or not, nature can be kind where these things are concerned.  Take failing eyesight, for one.  As I've aged, my eyes just aren't what they once were, and so those pesky lines just aren't as visible to me. Unfortunately, now needing a magnifying mirror to pluck my brows has the added benefit of showing me all those experience lines, to the power of 10X!

Enter Soap & Glory's The Fill Monte.  I really didn't believe all the hype, but figured I'd give it a try anyway.   I found some on Ebay for $7, and couldn't resist.  The box says, "Helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.  It's Amazing!  In just seconds after application."  It also has the usual Soap & Glory retro-packaging full of witty and smile inducing blurbs.  Of course, smiling while reading the box only served to highlight my  ...shall we call them areas of interest.

Inside the entertaining box is a little pot (.4 oz) of thick, white, and somewhat pasty cream.  It has a very slight scent, which is nearly undetectable and pleasant.  I was relieved.  I remember smelling my grandmother's wrinkle creams as a kid, and they smelled very "old lady."    The directions read, "Dab a fine flim of the Fill Monty on clean skin, over any fine lines or wrinkles that you'd like to be seeing less of." 

Since the product arrived in the mail sometime in the afternoon, and I was very anxious to see less of several wrinkles, I sampled it immediately.  Below are the before and after shots of several areas needing help.  I wasn't really sure about the results until I reviewed the pictures.  The results are outstanding!  As you can see, this stuff is fantastic!  I will definitely be buying more, at full price even!

LA Colors Baked Eyeshadows Palette

I spotted a new LA Colors palette the other day, and had to try it out.  I love the versatility of baked eye shadows, so I couldn't resist.  Also, at $2, it was a steal.

The name of this collection is "Nightlife."  It consists of  purple, gray, black, and white colors that go on subtle and sheer when applied dry; or dark and dramatic when applied wet.  The great thing about baked shadows is that you can apply them wet as eyeliner as well, so they're kind of a two for one deal!

I swatched the top row wet, and the bottom row dry.  The first photo is with flash, and the 2nd is without. 

The colors were long wearing, and didn't come off until I removed them.  They were a little tough to blend, but nicely pigmented.  I applied them dry for the look below, using the purple color for the lid, the gray shade on my brow bone, black in the crease and outer v, and white as a highlight just below the arch of my brows. 

I don't think this is a palette that I will use very often, just because of the monochromatic color selection, but it would be perfect for a night on the town (just like the name implies!).  I am looking forward to trying other colors in this line.  My only real complaint is the blendablilty.  I couldn't completely smooth the lines of demarcation for a seamless look, but perhaps a slightly stiffer or thicker brush would do the trick.