Urban Apothecary DISCOUNT for "Memoirs of a Shopping Addict" Readers!

Hello everyone. :)

Great news, Urban Apothecary is offering my readers an exclusive discount on their first order! You will get $5.00 off of your first order of $20.00 or more.

Click on the banner located to the right of this page to redeem the discount or click on this banner.

If I could make some personal recs, I would say definitely pick up some of their pro pigments. They're only $6.00 per jar and the colors are really pretty! :) They're subtle when applied dry but VIBRANT when foiled. But what's nice about these is that you DON'T have to apply this wet for it to show up, they're still pigmented when applied dry, just not so dramatic! :) They have TONS of make-up, skin care, etc. over there so have fun looking. And if any of you are looking for cosmetic glitter, you can find it here. It's on SALE right now for only $4.00 so you could take advantage of that as well.

Anyway, I did an EOTN last night using their pigments and the camera drowned out some of the vibrancy... so sorry about that. :P "Czarina" is a complex color. It's one of those pigments that change colors when viewed at different angles. "Rich Girl" is SUPER vibrant when foiled, it's a bright sea green, with a touch more green in it than blue.

Here's an EOTN I did using their pro pigments. :)

What I Used:
Urban Apothecary's Pro Pigment in "Rich Girl" (foiled on inner portion of upper lid)
Urban Apothecary's Pro Pigment in "Faux Croc" (foiled on lower lash line)
Urban Apothecary's Pro Pigment in "Czarina" (foiled on outer corner of upper lid)
Milani's Single Eyeshadow in "Almondine" (highlight under brow)
Indelible Gel Liner in "Blackout"
Clean Definition Telescopic Mascara in "Blackest Black"
NYX Eyeliner Pencil in "Emerald City" (on waterline)

I've done other looks using Urban Apothecary's pigments. Click here to view the other looks. :)

If you're interested in product pictures and swatches that I've done of some of their products, visit this page.

P.S. The special is on-going and will be good for ONE purchase. :) So make sure you use it to your advantage. I will be keeping the banner on the right side up so you can guys can come back and take advantage of the special whenever you like! :) So if you guys are holding out until next month because you already spent all of your make-up allowance this month, it'll still be there next month! :D

RE.EDiT:
If you guys have wondered why all of my comments are gone, it's because I started using the same comment system as Fei. :) I've been getting a few rude comments by people who are anonymous, so now I have FULL control over my page... I also have an IP blocker... so with this two hit combo, I have complete control on who can comment my page or even VIEW it. If I block your IP address, you won't be able to come to my page... period. :) Ahh the convenience of the internet. The way I see it, if you're going to muddy up my blog with your non-sense... then you don't need to be here... hence, I'll fix both our problems... and block you. Haha. :) Just giving everyone a heads up. I did NOT delete your comments. :) Hope you guys like the new comment system. I like how the new comment boxes look too, not so bland. :)

NYX Round Lipstick HAUL!

I got my NYX Round Lipstick haul in from Cherry Culture. Wooo! I ordered a total of 11 lipsticks, here are swatches and pictures of me wearing the lipsticks. I apologize because some of the pictures of the lipsticks on my lips didn't turn out that great. But the swatches of the lipsticks came out true to life, so I hope that makes up for it. :P

I found my HG nude lipstick! :) LOVE this color.

A sheer shimmery lipstick with a bronzey champagne tint.

A sheer shimmery lipstick with a golden tint.

A pale peachy orange lipstick. Excuse how gross it looks on my lips. LOL. It is a pretty color though.

A pale pink lipsticks. Again, excuse my lips... I was having a bad lip day. :P

A hot pink lipstick! GORGEOUS. I love it, and it looks especially hot topped off with NYX's "Bubblegum Pink" Lipgloss!

A red lipstick with some fuschia/purpley overtones.

A red lipstick with some slight coral undertones.

A pink lipstick. VERY pretty. :)

A pink lipstick that is very similar to "Fig" but has a slight difference. "Tea Rose" is slightly darker and has more berry looking undertones than "Fig".

A burnt bronze lipstick. GORGEOUS! :) I love this color too.

I like all of the lipsticks I got... except for maybe "Strawberry Milk" it was kinda eh. I think it may look better on someone with a different complexion. :) "Frosted Flakes" and "Celene" are great lipsticks to pair with dramatic or smokey eyes. :) "Circe" is my HG nude lipstick now. I didn't really like NYX's "Rea" as a nude lipstick... something about it washed me out... but "Circe" works much better on me. :) "Fig" and "Tea Rose" are pretty pink lipsticks that can easily be worn with a day time look. "Louisiana" is a bright hot pink lipstick, NOT for the faint of heart. But geez... I love it and I really like this color. "Rose" and "Fusion" are very pretty, they're two of the redder lipsticks I got in this batch. "Heredes" is gorgeous. I love this color as well, it's seriously stunning. :) My top picks from this haul have to be: "Heredes", "Louisiana", "Circe" and "Fig".

FOTD: Gold and Blurple!

I love the color blurble, indefinitely one of my favorite colors. :) For those of you who don't know what blurple is, it's a color that's a mix of blue and purple. Hehe. Anywho, here's a quick FOTD. I'm sorry I didn't get any great pictures of the FOTD. We went shopping that day so my focus wasn't really on taking good pictures of my FOTD, I'm sure you can all understand. Hehe. Anyway, it was SO FUN. Haha. :)

One of my favorite shirts. I LOVE the color. :D

Here's a decent pic of the bf and I. Unfortunately, it's a tad blurry. :P

What I Used
Face:
Buff'd Mineral Foundation in "Buff" (still a tad too dark for me, matches better in summer)
Everyday Minerals Concealer in "Intensive Light" (on blemishes)
Everyday Minerals Concealer in "Sunlight" (on under eyes)

Cheeks:
The She Space's blush in "Beyond Winds"

Lips:
NYX Lipstick in "Narcissus"
NYX Lipgloss in "Bubblegum Pink" (applied lightly)

Eyes:
T 1-2-3 Minerals Pigment in "Golden Beige" (all over lid)
T 1-2-3 Minerals Pigment in "Black Raspberry" (in crease and on lower lash line)
T 1-2-3 Minerals Pigment in "Gray Blue Sparkle" (on outer corner and above crease)
Milani Single Eyeshadow in "Almondine" (highlight under brow)
Indelible Gel Liner in "Blackout" (on outer 2/3 of upper lash line)
Clean Definition Telescopic Mascara in "Very Black"

This was a very simple and easy FOTD. It's definitely not TOO much, so it's easily wearable for those who stray from the bolder looks. :D

Mineral Pigment Storage

Hi guys. :) I decided to post an entry about how I prefer to store my mineral pigments. I actually just bought the containers today, but it's a great way to store your mineral makeup jars and it's inexpensive. :)

I got the idea from Meredith and she was sweet enough to share how she stores her mineral pigments. :D I found out it was a bait box used by fishermen, but it works great for pigments as well. :) I originally wanted the same container as Meredith's, but they didn't have that specific model at the Wal-mart near me. But they did have different brands and styles, so I just chose from the ones that they did have available in the fishing department.

I ended up getting a bait box by the brand "Renegade", it's medium sized and it only cost me $2.98 for each box! What a steal! :) I've taken pictures to show you guys the details and specifics of the box.

NOTE: Some pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

A picture of both of my boxes. :) The top box is the box full of my mineral pigments and the bottom box is the box full of my mineral blushes.

A nifty characteristic of most bait boxes is that they have removable dividers! So it's easy for you to customize it so that you can fit your pigments into the container. Also take note that the bottom of this specific bait box has a slight curve, great for storing your mineral pigments since the jars have a similar curve when laid on their sides.

And it looks like this when you take the divider out.

The specific bait boxes I got have these tabs at the top, which enables you to hang it up on a nail from your wall, should you prefer that. :)

The closure is secure. It's a snap closure tab, and there's two of them to ensure that the top doesn't fly open.

My box full of my mineral pigments, without the dividers. My pigments are different sizes because different companies offer different sizes. The Urban Apothecary pigments (silver jars on the far left) are 10 gram jars, the Taylor Made Minerals pigments (the smaller jars with silver tops) are 5 gram jars, the Fyrinnae and T 1-2-3 Minerals jars (completely clear jars) are 5 gram jars, the Everyday Minerals jars (jars with lavender tops) are 10 gram jars, and The She Space jars (completely clear jars with concave bottoms) are 3 gram jars. Since this is true, I find that the 5 and 3 gram jars aren't snug fits, but the 10 gram jars are. The 5 and 3 gram jars have a little space to move around, but I believe it's possible to make their fit snugger if you put them sideways, you can fit two on top of each other and just pile them up side by side from there. But I prefer having them organized the way that they're shown in the picture. Oh and if you're wondering, there are 51 eyeshadow pigments in this box. :)

Since the fit was a teensy bit loose, I added the dividers in between, like so. :) I like this way better. You can fit an average of 3 pigments per compartment.

Here are my mineral blushes. It's a mix between 10 gram jars and 5 gram jars.

I like that you can also stand these boxes up on their sides, like in the picture. I prefer this, versus storing the on their sides, because I feel like some pigments might leak out if I store the box on it's side.

And it fits OH SO PERFECTLY in my makeup cabinet. Yes! Saving space and money feels good. ;) Hehe.

Overall, I really like this way of storing pigments. It's convenient because it makes pigments easier to travel with, it makes the colors easier to see, and minimizes the chance of tops coming off and spilling/wasting your precious pigments. :) I truly think an effective form of mineral makeup storage is important, and these containers DO get the job done for only $2.98 a box. :) I'm one happy camper. :)

P.S. NYX Pearl Pigments fit into these boxes too! :) I'm also thinking that MAC pigments might fit into these containers as well, so it's a great overall storage idea. Also, since the dividers come out, you can fit other things in it like lipsticks, lipglosses, etc. It's a very versatile and convenient storage solution. :)

The NYX pigments fit standing up and can be layered into two layers, like in this picture. :)

Just a picture to show you guys how perfectly the NYX pigments fit! :)

She Space Pigments Haul

Here are the swatches and pictures I promised to show you guys of my She Space haul. :) VERY PRETTY. I had a hard time with a few pictures showing true to life, so I'll list the descriptions of all the pigments. :)

NOTE: Most of these pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Taken in natural light without flash.

All pigment swatches are applied wet without a base.

Taken without Flash.

• "Reap and Sew" is a blackened violet with sparkling turquoise.
• "Bed of Nails" is a deep blue grape.
• "Twisted Psychic" is an intense periwinkle grape.
• "Save the Trolls" is a darkened purple metal with a crystal sparkle.
  
• "Far too Fabulous" is a vivid blue metal.
  
• "Swim with the Fishes" is a vivid aqua green. (medium teal)
  
• "Make Believe" is a blue based green. (light teal)
  
• "Take the Cake" is a vivid pink with a hint of magenta.

SOURCE: Descriptions taken from The She Space website.

Taken with Flash.

"Beyond Wind" is a sheer coral matte. VERY pretty and definitely wearable for everyday activities like school or work. :)

oOo... pretty. :) Oops, it appears that I've bought alot of blues, greens, and purples again. LOL. :) What can I say, I'm just attracted to those type of colors. :P Hope this helps you guys. I will definitely be playing with my new piggies soon. :D Woo!

Cherry Culture Gift Card AND My BOYFRIEND'S *NEW* Blog.

While checking my e-mail today, I thought that a particular e-mail was a spammer or something of that sort, but it was legit! LOL. I got a gift card from Cherry Culture because of the fact that I had to wait a while longer to receive the rest of my orders, and in three separate shipments. :) Woo! I was so excited! LOL. :) Good thing I keep my wish list on Cherry Culture updated. I ordered pretty much all the NYX lipsticks I've been lemming. LOL. :) With the exception of a few because of them being sold out. The only thing that I usually order on Cherry Culture is their NYX lipsticks because I can find the lipglosses, pencils, and eyeshadows at a few spots that I know of here... but their lipsticks are HARD to find around here. So I just order it on Cherry Culture. :)

Anyway, I DID NOT see that coming. LOL. They gave me a generous $10.00 gift card, and it took me less than 5 minutes to use it up. LOL. Here's what I got. :)

Cherry Culture Order:

• NYX Round Lipstick in "Orange Soda"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Tea Rose"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Circe"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Heredes"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Frosted Flakes"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Celene"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Louisiana"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Rose"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Fusion"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Strawberry Milk"
• NYX Round Lipstick in "Fig"

There were two more lipsticks that I wanted, but they were sold out. :P There is ONE store that sells NYX Round Lipsticks and it's by my one of my fave clothing stores... which I'm going to on Friday with the BF. :) Here's to hoping they carry the NYX Round Lipsticks in "Indian Pink" and "Chole". LOL. :)

I did have to pay the remaining balance of the bill (obviously) which was only $7.74... which is basically like 1 lipstick, plus shipping, plus tax. LOL. Still an obvious steal!

Wow, that's really nice of Cherry Culture. :) I'm happy with (more like WAS happy with) my gift card. :) It came in VERY useful. Thanks Cherry Culture you've honestly surprised me, great work. ;)

P.S. Don't worry guys, I will post swatches and what not once I get my haul in. Yay! So excited! Hahaha. :)

RE.EDiT:
P.P.S. My BOYFRIEND has started his own blog on blogspot. His blog will probably be about animes, video games, techy stuff, and stuff of that nature. Yes, my boyfriend is a nerd... but he's a damn sexy nerd. Hahahahahha. :)

Go check him out at: Oh I Like That

Reader Request: How to Take Good Pictures Using the Canon Powershot SD750

As requested by Lady P, I'm doing a short blurb of how I take different pictures and what settings I use for what. :)

I use the "Manual" setting for most of my close-up shots (swatches, eye close ups, lip close ups, etc.) instead of the "Auto" setting because the "Manual" setting is just that, manual. It allows you to change different settings accordingly. :) The first thing I adjust is the white balance setting. Oh and the white balance setting will be set to "Auto" and the icon for that is "AWB". Depending on what lighting I'm around, I will adjust it to fit. If I'm outside in the shade, I will use the "Daylight" setting, which is depicted by a sun, or the "Cloudy" setting which is depicted by a cloud. :) If I'm taking a picture near incandescent light (artificial lighting that casts a yellow tint) I will use the "Tungsten" setting, which is depicted by a lightbulb. I will also decrease or increase the Exposure level if I feel it's necessary. The Exposure icon is represented by an icon with a "+" and "-" beside a "0". :) Decreasing the exposure will make the exposure decline (-) and make the picture darker, increasing the exposure will make the the exposure increase (+) and make the picture lighter. :) Lowering the exposure will come in ESPECIALLY helpful when taking close eye pics indoors while using flash! :)

Make sure your picture is focused. When using the SD750, if you push the button half way, you will hear a small beep letting you know that the lens has been able to focus correctly, after you hear the beep, push the button down all the way and keep your hands steady for the pretty picture. :)

This is basic for how I take pictures with my Canon Powershot SD750. :) I also tinker with these settings when I do videos, if I feel that it's necessary. :) Now that I've given you the basic breakdown, I suggest tinkering with the settings yourselves and figuring out which settings work best for you. :) I hope this helps!

Natalie Imbruglia - Wrong Impression Inspired Look AND an FOTN/FOTD: Seabreeze Blue/Green

Someone on YouTube requested that I do a look based off of how Natalie Imbruglia looked in her "Wrong Impression" music video... so here it is! :) Her look was very basic and plain. Smokey liner with a bronzey/brown eyeshadow on the lid and a bronzey/nude highlight. She also has a pinky peach blush with peachy pink lip gloss. :) It looks awesome on HER because she has light blue eyes and it just makes her eye color pop! It doesn't look as great on me because I have dookey brown eyes. LOL. But anywho, here's my video tutorial on how to get her look. :) Oh, I did this request first because it was easiest. LOL. :) Don't worry! I'm still doing video tutorials of the other looks that were requested! :D



P.S. I KNOW it's pronounced "NIX" after a Goddess... but I like saying NYX better. LOL!


Here's my extra FOTD using some She Space colors. :) I ended up liking the color combo. The She Space seriously has some PRETTY colors. :)

What I Used
Face:
T 1-2-3 Minerals Foundation in POG 2
Everyday Minerals Concealer in "Sunlight" (undereyes)
NYX Concealer Pot in "Beige" (blemishes)

Cheeks:
Lumiere Veena Blush in "Foxy Brown" (Contour)

Lips:
Covergirl Incredifull Lipstick in "Pillow Pink"
NYX Lipliner in "Mauve"
NYX Megashine Lipgloss in "Iced Mocha"

Eyes:
The She Space's pigment in "Make Believe" (Foiled on inner upper lid and inner lower lash line)
The She Space's Pigment in "Acidic Reign" (Foiled on outer upper lid and outer lower lash line)
The She Space's Pigment in "Drunk With Bliss" (applied dry as highlight under brow bone)
Indelible Gel Liner in "Blackout" (on upper lash line and on waterline)
Clean Definition Telescopic Mascara in "Very Black"

Picture of me from when I was a kid...

I don't feel like posting about make-up today... plus my body is killing me. I've actually started going back to the gym. *Smiles accomplished grin* So I haven't been able to muster up the energy to do any research, FOTD's, etc. for the past few days... plus I still have to do my homework! Hah. :) So here's a picture of me from when I was around 5 years old... I think? LOL. I don't have many pictures of me from my childhood... so this is the best I've got. LOL.

Click to Enlarge

What a chubster. LOL. I've NEVER fully lost my chipmunk cheeks. LOL. It's cool though. :P Lan (a friend of mine) told me that my cheeks are "tender". LOL! :) Anywho, I'm off to get ready for the gym. I've been going with my boyfriend... which is actually cool. We do all the same workouts, for the most part, except the weights that I use are SIGNIFICANTLY lighter. LOL. Bye!

What Camera Do I Use for My FOTD's, Hauls, etc?

I've been tagged by Lanie to share what kind of camera I use for the pictures on my blog. Some people, like Lanie, have different cameras for different kinds of photos. For instance, one camera for FOTD's (Face of the Day shots) and another for haul pictures. I only use one camera for all of my pictures because, well, it's the only camera that I've got! Ha. :) But my trusty camera has never let me down and I'm more than satisified with it.

I own a Canon Powershot SD750, the Black version.

IMAGE SOURCE: Buydig.com

Canon also makes the standard Silver version, but after reading a few comparative reviews I ended up buying the Black version because in comparison the reviews I read, the Black version had better quality, at least that's what the comparative reviews demonstrated with pictures. I'm happy with my camera. It's very user friendly and takes decent quality pictures. I also use this camera to record my video tutorials/reviews and it works great for that too. :)

Now onto the fun part. Hehe. I tag:

Jaclyn Rose (J. Rose Online)
Katrina (Shimmer Kisser)
Tracy (Traces of Me)
Aileen (Shades of Hue)
Arashi (A Watercolour Sky)
Alienman (Goldfish Cake)

Share what type of camera you use to take pictures for YOUR blog. :)

RE.EDiT:
Here is the review that I read comparing the Silver version of my camera to the Black. :)

eEyelash Mini Haul.

I didn't like the Mystic Lashes in M015 too much. They don't curl, they just go straight down and I don't like that. I tried curling them but it was hard as hell! I'm sure I'd be able to get them to curl, but I got too lazy and didn't bother with the effort. I also don't like the fact that the band on these falsies are SUPER thick. It's just this style though, the bands on the other falsies I ordered were normal. Since the band is thick on this pair, it was sorta hard to shape it for MY eye.

I got four pairs of the #040's. :) They were too long for my taste so I had to trim them a tiny bit shorter, trim the width (too wide for my eye), and curl them (not enough curl for my taste). Here's a picture comparing the original version of the eyelashes and my ghetto edited version. Ha. :P If you want to see how the edited versions look when worn, refer to my last entry. :)

The Mystic Lashes in M059 are just as long as the original #040's BUT they're not as dense. :P I don't know how I'll like these until I try them on. But they honestly look awesome. Ha. :D

I didn't order any of their more natural looking lashes, but they DO offer them. I think next time I'll just order from their thick medium section. I wanted a few lashes from that section, but the ones that I wanted were sold out. :( Boo. So next time I'll be trying those out. :)

Overall, I like their lashes. Like I mentioned before, this is great for people who love the crazy and flamboyant lashes, but they also have a good selection for people who want something a little more subtle and natural! :)

The She Space's FIRST SALE!

Lots of things are happening over at The She Space. Heather just released her next limited edition line of pigments called, "The Pigment Bar". It's really exciting because it allows you to customize your own pigments! You can find more information on the customizable pigments here.

Another exciting thing is that ALL of Heather's pigments have been marked down by 15%! Yes, INCLUDING her new customizable pigments! ALL FULL SIZE pigments are all 15% off, but the piggie samples, lippies, and blushes are still the same price. So if you've been lemming some full sizes from The She Space, NOW is the time to act. There is no coupon code needed, all the prices already reflect the discount. The sale ends Sunday April 20th, so act fast! Also, keep in mind that processing takes about one week, especially since this sale is happening and she's NEVER had a sale before! :)

I already put in ONE order... but am contemplating a second one. LOL. We'll see though. As usual, I will share pictures and swatches once I receive my haul. :)


RE.EDiT:
Here's the NYX Lipstick Comparative Picture for Shen. I used a regular sized lighter as a comparison. :) I think the picture is ALMOST true to real life size... just a little bit smaller. :P Hope this helps!

Click on picture to ENLARGE.

I also got my mini eyelash haul from Elegant Lashes in last Friday. I'll post pictures of the styles I got in a bit. For now, here are pictures of me wearing their Long/Thick lashes in #040. They were WAYYYY TOO long for my taste. I like the density but I didn't like the length on me. So I actually trimmed down the pair that I'm wearing by ALOT. It came out okay actually! :) I had 3 other pairs, so even if I messed up, it wouldn't have bothered me. LOL. These are VERY glamorous. :D But I LOVE it. Hehe. I had to curl them because they didn't curl enough for me. They did have a curl, but I like my lashes really curly, so I usually ALWAYS curl my falsies to my desired curl. :) All in all, the lashes are nice! I'll post pictures of the other lashes shortly, and a comparative pic of the edited and unedited pair of lashes... so you can see what I mean. LOL.

Elegant Lashes from the Thick - Long Category in "#040"
I trimmed down the width and the length, and curled them myself.

Oh, and are there any requests for any specific colors you guys would like me to use as an FOTD or FOTN? :) I haven't been posting FOTD's or FOTN's because I don't really think you guys are all that interested in those. LOL. :P Let me know!

Small Haulage

I got two teeny tiny packages in today. Hehe. I finally got the remainder of my missing items from Cherry Culture, and just had them replace one of the lipstick colors with another one. I originally ordered an NYX Round Lipstick in the color "Chloe" but it was out of stock, so I told told them that replacing it with the color "Femme" would be okay... since I've been wanting that color anywho. :P Heh.

"Hebe" is a "classic" looking red lipstick. The PERFECT shade for those retro glam looks that emphasize red lips and black liner.


"Femme" is a bright coral/pink lipstick. I LOVE it. :) This color isn't for those who aren't into BRIGHT lipstick. But if you love bright colors like me, GET THIS!


Then just for fun, I put some NYX Megashine Lipgloss in "Bubblegum Pink" over the "Femme" lipstick, I actually like the combo. It's very pretty. :)

Then I got my Silk Naturals Foiling brush today! Woo hoo! I've been lemming it, so I decided to just finally buy it. I like it thus far. :) I'm going to be putting it to good use tomorrow because I'm going out with my Ate Che Che for her birthday. We're going to a sushi bar then a club/bar after... woo hoo! I'm so excited. My Ate Che Che is SOOO fun to be around, I love her, she's awesome. Haha.

I also bought some clothes for this weekend; actually Ate Che Che bought me clothes for this weekend. Haha. This weekend is going to be crazy! I'm going to Ate Che Che's thing on Friday, then on Saturday the bubs and I are going to a club in Hollywood. I'm going to be partied out. LOL. Anyway, on to the pictures of the brush.

Pretty, pretty. :) Hope you found these pictures helpful!

*NEW* Pigment/Eyeshadow Finds!!!

So after surfing YouTube late last night, I found a dupe video comparing MAC pigments, Medusa's Make-up Eye Dusts, and Taylor Made Minerals Pigments. I've never heard of Medusa's Make-up before this video so I went to go check it out. Well, well, well... another pigment site. Argh! LOL. :P Luckily for me I was able to control myself. Ha. :P Anyway, I just thought that anyone who's a pigment addict like myself would find this site intriguing. Their pigments are $6.00 per full size jar and the jar size is a net weight of 1.5 grams. :) Anywho, I also wanted to show you guys the videos I saw last night. Both of the videos are by twixtbetwixt.


This first video shows the comparative swatches (dupes) between the MAC pigments, Medusa's Make-up Eye Dusts, and Taylor Made Minerals Pigments.

Who says you NEED to buy ONLY MAC pigments to get pigments with great pigmentation and bold colors? Actually, like she states in the video, some of the mineral pigments actually came out somewhat more vibrant than the MAC pigments. Oh for shame! LOL.

BTW... I think a GOOD dupe for MAC's pigment in "Teal" would be Fyrinnae's pigment in "Visage". Don't believe me? Compare the MAC "Teal" pigment swatch she shows to the look I did using Fyrinnae's pigment in "Visage". It looks pretty spot on if you ask me, and for half the price... SCORE! Hahaha.


This second video is the one in which she showcases swatches of ALL of the Medusa's Make-up Eye Dusts!


I'm not planning on buying any of their pigments soon because I'm pretty satisfied with my pigment collection as of the moment, plus... I don't have the cash. LOL. Maybe sometime in the nearby future. :)

RE.EDiT:
Thanks to Lurve and C for posting responses to this post, they've told me about MORE fabulous MAC pigment/shadow alternatives that actually look MORE vibrant than MAC's and they cost WAY less! :)

Lurve told me about Ben Nye and a great site to buy the palette's from! The site that Lurve recommended is called Bubbasikes.com. I know, I know... it's a clown accessories shop! Haha. But you guys, keep in mind this IS a stage makeup brand which is why it's so pigmented!!! :D I would honestly just buy the one of Ben Nye's palettes instead of the singles, you save more. :) The 12 color palette is $46.00 plus shipping and tax (if you live in Texas). Lurve was also kind enough to link me to a video showing some of the Ben Nye swatches. Here it is!



Then C told me about La Femme Sparkle Dust and a great website to buy them from! :) You can get the pigments over at Makeupmania.com for ONLY $3.90!!! I was able to find a video on YouTube that had EXCELLENT swatches of MOST of the La Femme Sparkle Dust pigments! Here it is!



I don't know about you guys, but I'm seriously having a color overload right now. Lemmings, lemmings, LEMMINGS!!!

I have a feeling that the wishlist to the right of my page is going to be full REALLY quick. LOL! :P MAC what? What's MAC? Hahahaha. Please don't kill me if you're faithful to MAC. I know there are a bunch of MAC addicts out there, and some do read my blog... but you guys know I don't use any MAC items because I can't afford it. But can you blame me? After seeing all of these different brands that work JUST AS GOOD, if not better, AND at cheaper prices... can you REALLY blame me? Didn't think so. LOL. I'm not saying MAC is a mediocre brand, cause it's NOT, but if I can find cheaper alternatives... hey, why not. :)

New Poll

I've added a poll on the right side of my page. :) The poll is about how you first stumbled upon my page. :) I thought this would be interesting, because I was curious where the traffic of my blog is mainly stemmed from. I would really appreciate it if you answered the poll question. Thanks in advance. :)

Tag, I'm It... Boo! LOL.

I was tagged by Sis Lynne for this list thingy. LOL.

Things I'm Passionate About

• My Blog
• School
• Family
• Makeup (at times. LOL.)
• Close Friends
• My Bubs

Things I'd Like To Do Before I Die

• Go to Hawaii, England, New York, Florida, France, and Rome
• Go to school for Makeup
• Grow-up (haha) buy my own house, raise a family, live a decent life
• Buy my mom a nice place

Things I Say Often

• Yaya, Knock it off or I'm going to palo (sp?) you!
• Bubba!
  
• Oh damn. (in a an "oh $#!@ type of way)
  
• No fool. (in a no, not really type of way)
  
• Yeah, okay. (in a mocking "sureeeeee." type of way)
  

Books I've Read Recently

• Megan McCafferty - Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds, and Fourth Comings
• Taylor Chang-Babaian - Asian Faces
• Robert Jones - Makeup Makeovers
• Davi-Ellen Chabner - The Language of Medicine (LOL!)
  

Songs I Could Listen To Over And Over

• The Notic - The Roots feat. D'Angelo
• Almost any and everything by Jill Scott
• Anonymous - Bobby Valentino
• More Than A Woman - The Bee Gees
• Roses - Meg and Dia
• Crazy - Javier
• Touch - Amerie
• Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard
• Simple Starving to be Safe - Daphne Loves Derby
• Think Different - Nujabes
• I have tons... LOL.
  

Traits I'm Attracted To In My Friends

• Caring
• Considerate
• Honest
• Funny
• Good hearted
• Reliable
• Common Interests

I was tagged by Shawnta to share 6 random facts or quirks.
1.) I have double jointed fingers. I'm sure I've shared this fact about me before, but oh well. Yes, my fingers are double jointed and I can lock them into this creepy angular lock. Not sexy. Haha.
2.) I'm a porn star. LOL. JK! I hate it when people wear shoes and on my bed. It bothers me because it seems uncomfortable to me. I don't know, it's weird.
3.) I NEED foundation. The one thing that I do splurge on when it comes to makeup is foundation. I NEED a good foundie, or I feel naked... and I don't like it. LOL.
4.) I curse... like alot. LOL. It's part of my normal lingo. BUT! I can control it, and I do filter it if need be. But I'm with people I'm familiar with and we're in a comfortable and appropriate setting, I curse. LOL. Potty mouth!
5.) I was a tomboy when I was younger, and DAMN proud. You probably wouldn't figure it by how I look but I still have some "manly" traits. I can spit like a guy, curse like a guy, smoke like a guy, drink like a guy, hit like a guy (so people say), and lord knows what else I can do like a guy. Hahahahaha. I know right, tiny fragile looking Christiana?! Well... now you know. LOL.

Rules:
1. Link to the person(s) that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share 6 non important quirks/things/habits
about yourself.
4. Tag 6 random, people at the end of your post
by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each person know that they have been
tagged by leaving a post on their blog.


I was tagged by Bliss to share my top five junk food guilty pleasures.
1.) Tokyo Wako's Fried Ice Cream (I've been craving this ever since Valentine's Day)
2.) Thrifty (I think Rite Aid now) Brand Ice Cream in Chocolate Malted Crunch or Strawberry Cheesecake
3.) Sugar Cookies from Ralph's Bakery
4.) Marie Callender's pies, the types I like are: Chocolate Cream Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Strawberry Pie, and Strawberry Cream Pie
5.) Outback Steakhouse's dessert titled, "Chocolate Thunder from Down Under" (chocolate brownie with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream on top with whipped cream and hot chocolate fudge)

I was tagged by Anne to list my 5 Morning Must Haves.
1.) Moisturizer - I NEED either my Camellia Oil + HA Serum or Nourishing Cream from Camellia Rose. I HATE the feeling of dry skin. Eck.
2.) Chapstick - I have DRY lips. Rosebud's Strawberry Lip Salve is my HG for this. :)
3.) Brushing My Teeth, Flossing, and Mouthwash - I have to do all three in the morning or my mouth feels nasty, nasty. I forget the brands at the moment. :P I guess that's why my teeth are still decent for being a smoker. Hahahaha.
4.) A Cigarette - I NEED to have a cigarette in order to wake up in the morning. I can't function right without one, or I'll be in a foul mood for the rest of the day. Yes, yes... I'm an addict. Oh well.
5.) Deodorant - I CANNOT leave the house without it on. That's just ugh. LOL. :) But I forget which brand I use.

I tag whomever wants to do it. I think everyone's done all of these already. Ha! :P

FOTN: Golden Orange, Burgundy, and Orange Red and Tracy's Experiment

Nic Nic, this one's for you! :) I used The She Space's pigment in "Fire and Brimstone" in this FOTN, just for you. ;) Heh. I actually ended up liking this look alot. Ha. :) Most people would wear this as an FOTN but I have no problem rockin' it as an FOTD. LOL. :)

Here are the piggies I used for this look. :)

Now on to the actual pictures of the makeup on. Heh. :)

What I Used
Face:
Buff'd Foundation in "Almond"
Everyday Minerals Concealer in "Sunlight"
NYX Concealer Pot in "Beige"

Cheeks:
T 1-2-3 Minerals Blush in "Dark Melon Pink"

Lips:
NYX Black Label Lipstick in "Plum"
NYX Lipliner Pencil in "Current"

Eyes:
The She Spaces Pigment in "Fire and Brimstone" (foiled on inner half of upper lid, foiled on inner v, and foiled on lower lashline)
Taylor Made Minerals Pigment in "Vegas" (foiled in and above crease)
Archetype Cosmetics Pigment in "Integra's Dog II" (foiled on inner half of upper lid and applied dry on outer half of lower lash line)
The She Space's Pigment in "Full of Hope" (highlight under brow, dry)
Indelible Gel Liner in "Blackout" (on upper lashline and outer 2/3 of lower lash line)
Clean Definition Telescopic Mascara in "Blackest Black" (bottom and top lashes)
Ardell Fashion Lashes in "#107"

Okay, so it was the first time I've used all those pigments (except for "Full of Hope") and wowza! Maybe it's just cause I really liked the combo but the colors went on SO pretty. :) Hehe.

Then my bf and I picture whored it together. Haha. :P Prepare to get sick to your stomach by ridiculous amounts of PDA. Hahaha. :P

Yay! The yellow overcast makes us look like we have jaundice! Hahaha.

You WISH you were that much taller than me! Ha!

Filipino + Chinese + Spanish = Light Skinned people like my bubba and I.
Yes, both my bubba and I are Filipino with some Chinese and Spanish. BUT the Spanish is stronger in my blood, and the chinese in his. Can you tell? LOL. :) AND his last name is King and my last name is Luna. Haha.

Smoochies! <333


Give you a hug? But why?

"Mine, mine, he's ALL MINE!" hahaha. :P


Come on, you KNOW you wanna kiss meeeeee. :)

I also got two of my four missing items from cherry culture. Here are swatches for those of you who want it. LOL.

Taken with Flash

Taken without Flash

Both of the colors are SOOOO pretty. :) I love them. I GUESS they were worth the wait. LOL. :P I'm still waiting on two lipsticks from them. :P Beh.

RE.EDiT:
So Tracy decided to conduct an experiment after my post about what to look for in a foiling brush. Well, she proved me right... so now you know I'm not blowing smoke up your guys' a%$@#! Haha. :) Check out her post about it! :)

RE.EDiT #2:
Oh yeah as a bonus, I took a picture of my eyes right before bed (i.e right now. LOL) just to show you how my favorite base (UDPP + L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint + Foiling) held up after 12+ HOURS. I put my makeup on around 12 - 1 p.m. this afternoon, it is now 1 in the morning, just to give you an idea. Here are the results! :)

FOTD: Blue & Pink

What I Used
Face:
Cory Cosmetics Foundation in Custom Mix
Everyday Minerals Concealer in "Sunlight"
NYX Concealer Pot in "Beige"

Cheeks:
Silk Naturals Blush in "Climax"

Lips:
NYX Lips Lipstick in "Rea"
NYX Megashine Lipgloss in "Beige"

Eyes:
Urban Apothecary Pro Pigment in "Sweet Inspiration" (on inner half of upper lid and inner v)
Urban Apothecary Pro Pigment in "Paparazzi" (foiled on lower lash line using Urban Apothecary's "Liquifeye", applied dry in and above crease)
Milani Wet Dry Shadow in "Blue Lagoon" (on outer half of upper lid, drylined top lashline, and in crease)
NYX Single Eyeshadow in "Geisha" (highlight under brow)
NYX Pencil Eyeliner in "Sapphire" (on waterline)
Clean Definition Telescopic Mascara in "Blackest Black" (top and bottom lashes)
Ardell Fashion Lashes in "#107"

Fancy Smancy Lashes at Discount Prices?

So Alienman always has some of the COOLEST falsies showcased on her blog. :) I asked her where she got them and she was nice enough to share the website with me! :) I thought some of you guys might like it, especially FALSIE addicts like Gezebel. Gezebel, since you love the crazy lashes, I think I've found your *NEW* favorite falsie website. Ha! :)

Anyway, the website is called Elegant Lashes. I'm quite fond of the categories named: "Mystic Lashes", "Decorated Lashes", "H - Under Lashes", and "H - Thick - Medium", and "H - Thick - Long". Okay, I haven't bought any YET but I've been window shopping like crazy and those are my fave categories thus far. Ha! :) Some of the lashes in the "Feather Lashes" category look awesome too! Shu Uemura, you have awesome falsies that are extreme... but if I can get some equally awesome looking falsies at Elegant Lashes for about $2 - $6 a pair, versus your $20.00 - $50.00 a pair, I think I'll stick with the Elegant Lashes pair. :)

RAWR sexy, sexy. Oh... the lemmings. >=P

Wet/Dry Foiling Eyeshadow Brush

One of my HUGE lemmings right now is the Wet/Dry Mineral Eye Shadow Foiling Brush from Silk Naturals. Their brush looks the most promising to me because there are few guidelines to what type of brush works better for foiling, or for applying pigments at all, whether it be dry or wet!

CREDITS: Image taken from The Silk Naturals Website

There are number of wet/dry foiling brushes out there to choose from, many mineral companies will carry a wet/dry foiling brush in their inventory. BUT the type of bristles that the brush is made out of is one of the KEY components to whether it'll be a good foiling brush or not. When looking for a good foiling brush, you'll want to make sure that the bristles are made of ALL synthetic bristles, not natural bristles, or a blend of natural bristles. Why? Because synthetic bristles absorb less product than natural hair bristles do, therefore, more product ends up on your eye and not in your brush bristles. :) I think using purely synthetic bristle brushes are important even when applying pigments dry because of this reason. I've also noticed that most synthetic hair brushes are softer and gentler than natural hair brushes. This is important too because you'll always want gentler brushes for your eyes, just to avoid premature aging from constant friction and tugging on the delicate skin around your eyes. This is why I didn't pick Aromaleigh's Wet/Dry Shadow Brush instead of Silk Naturals Wet/Dry Foiling Brush. Aromaleigh's Wet/Dry Shadow Brush DOES have synthetic nylon bristles but it has a blend of pony hair, which is natural hair. Although the Aromaleigh brush is cheaper, it doesn't appeal to me because of the pony hair.

Another factor to take into consideration is the structure of the brush, but mostly the setup of the bristles themselves. You'll want a brush that has a FLAT head, like the Silk Naturals one. This is the best shape to take into consideration because when applying piggies foiled, you will be patting them on and spreading them out. Even when applying pigments dry, the best method to use is to tap the pigment on to your lids and press them in, not by swiping them on across your whole lid... otherwise you'll have pigments flying around everywhere! Plus if you tap, dab, and/or push the pigments on, your pigment will be applied more concentrated therefore being more vibrant and pigmented. If your brush has a flat head, it will be easier to apply the pigments using the pat/dab/push technique. :) Of course you will be spreading out the pigment on your lid by doing some slight swiping/dragging/blending of the colors so this brush structure will help with that as well. :)

There are other companies, besides Silk Naturals, that I've seen carrying this same wet/dry foiling eyeshadow brush. :) Signature Minerals carries this same brush, as well as Forever Female.

For those of you who love natural skin care and/or natural soap bars, I've heard RAVE reviews of Signature Minerals' Goats Milk Bars! :) So if you're interested in trying the brush and their Goats Milk Bars, I suggest ordering your brush from them. :)

Forever Female sells the brush for the most expensive price, but they're the company that makes and wholesales their brushes to alot of mineral makeup companies, which is why you will sometimes see different mineral makeup companies with the same brushes. Silk Naturals and Signature Minerals being a perfect example. Also, if you need a detailed description of the Wet/Dry Foiling Brush, Forever Female has the best description of the brush, including the length of the brush and the brush head size.

So I hope this was somewhat insightful and interesting to you guys. :P I was originally just going to post that I want this brush... but then it turned into a whole essay of WHY I want THIS specific brush. LOL. :P I'm suppose to be on a no-buy! Argh... LOL. :) Hmm... maybe I'll ask the BF for a little present this weekend, after all, the brush is ONLY $7.95. LOL. :)

NOTE: I do own natural hair eyeshadow brushes and I do use them, but NOT for foiling or applying the foundation for my pigments. :) Natural hair bristles are more porous therefore absorbing more of the product into the bristles, I like my pigments concentrated when I'm foiling or "laying down the foundation" of my pigments. :) I do use my natural hair brushes for things like blending, contouring, etc. :) Depending on what look I'm trying to achieve. :) Put it this way, synthetic bristles absorb less product and allows the product to sit on top of the bristles, instead of sinking into the bristles, therefore causing the application of the product to be more concentrated. Natural hair bristles are porous and some of the product will absorb into the the bristles, therefore the application of the product will not be as concentrated versus a synthetic brush.

Piggie Experiment #3: Using Piggies FOILED with TWO Different Combo Bases

For this experiment, I used two different base combos on each eye. :)

On my left eye, I used UDPP and the Indelible Creme Shadow in "Bare Necessity" as my base.

On my right eye I used UDPP and L'Oreal HiP's Cream Shadow Paint in "Secretive" as my base.

I used the same pigment on both eyes (The She Space's piggie in "Laughing Outcast") and it's also the same pigment that I used in piggie experiment #2. In experiment #2 I used the same base as the one I used in this experiment on my right eye, the only difference was that I applied the piggie wet in this experiment, and dry in the second experiment.

On my right eye, I used the Indelible Creme Shadow in "Bare Necessity" with UDPP instead of L'Oreal HiP's Cream Shadow Paint. I also foiled the pigment on my right eye. Here are pictures of how the piggies look freshly applied.

She Space's pigment in "Laughing Outcast" applied FOILED.
Bases used for the left eye: UDPP and Indelible Creme Shadow in "Bare Necessity"

She Space's pigment in "Laughing Outcast" applied FOILED.
Bases used for the right eye: UDPP and L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint in "Secretive"

Four hours later...

She Space's pigment in "Laughing Outcast" applied FOILED.
Bases used for the left eye: UDPP and Indelible Creme Shadow in "Bare Necessity"

She Space's pigment in "Laughing Outcast" applied FOILED.
Bases used for the right eye: UDPP and L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint in "Secretive"

Personal observations that I have made between the two different bases goes as follows.

The base on my left eye using the Indelible Creme Shadow applied smoother and had a smoother finish. The base on my right eye with the L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint applied a little rougher and doesn't have quite as smooth a finish as the Indelible Creme Shadow.

The fading on my eyes was EXTREMELY minimal. There is a tiny bit of fading, but the fading was less compared to experiment #2, which didn't experience much fading either. But if I had to choose between which experiment experienced more fading, I'd say experiment #2 experienced more fading.

The pigmentation is just about as good as it was 4 hours ago. The piggie's color is prettier when foiled than when applied dry, in my opinion at least. It's vibrancy and concentration jumped up a few good notches in comparison after applying it wet. You can refer back to experiment #2 to compare how the color differs applied dry and applied wet.

The lighting did change because it's later in the day, and I'm not able to get the same exact lighting I had in the freshly applied shots, which might explain why the color looks a tad different. The color didn't change, just the lighting... so sorry about that.

There is NO creasing with BOTH of these bases. This is great that both of these bases prevented any creasing... there's NO creases AT ALL. I'm a happy camper. :)

Overall, I think both of these base combos are GREAT! They both ended up working for me, so I'm glad I have two bases to alternate between. :) The Indelible Creme Shadow creased and faded on me when I applied it without UDPP, but with UDPP it's a REALLY GOOD base. :) In my opinion, the L'Oreal Cream Shadow Paint has a texture that is a tiny bit coarser and drier. Since this is the case, I believe that the pigmentation of the piggie was a TINY bit better with this base than with the Indelible Creme Shadow base. :)

So my overall conclusion of experiment #1, experiment #2, and experiment #3 is that experiment #1 was an utter failure. Using ONLY UDPP as a base and applying the piggie dry disappeared COMPLETELY on me within 4 hours. My lids are far too oily for using ONLY UDPP as a base.

Experiment #2 was a success! If you're someone who doesn't like to foil, this base combo has your back! :) The pigmentation of the piggie is not as vibrant or concentrated when applied dry, in comparison to being applied wet, BUT the pigmentation is still pretty good. The staying power is good for someone who has oily lids like myself and the vibrancy fades a tiny bit after 4 hours, but it's not enough fading to split a hair over.

Experiment #3 is my PERSONAL fave combo. The vibrancy when applied foiled is simply gorgeous, and brings out the piggie's color beautifully. The staying power of this combo/method is a tiny bit better than experiment #2's. I prefer this method and with this method, I feel safe. :) No worries of a disappearing act here!

Anywho, I'm done conducting base/application experiments. I hope you found this helpful, and if you have any questions... please feel free to ask. :) If you prefer to email me your questions, my email address can be found at the top of this page, under the banner. Have a great day!

RE.EDiT:
7 hours later and the winner is the L'Oreal Cream Shadow Paint. *ding ding ding ding* The eyeshadow on my right eye (L'Oreal base) is STILL there with full force. The eyeshadow on my left eye (Indelible base) is fading out pretty badly, especially around my crease... my oily lids finally got the best of me on that side. So ladies, stick with your UDPP and L'Oreal Cream Shadow Paints combo... and you'll be good to go. ;)

7 hours later...

Bases used for the left eye: UDPP and Indelible Creme Shadow in "Bare Necessity"

Bases used for the right eye: UDPP and L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint in "Secretive"

Piggie Experiment #2: Using Piggies DRY with UDPP AND L'Oreal HIP Cream Shadow Paint

So I'm continuing my experiments with piggies and using different bases/methods, because it seems some people have taken an interest in it. :) Hehe.

The first experiment involved me using piggies DRY, using ONLY UDPP as a base. Within 4 hours, my lids oiled up like no other and the pigments were completely gone. I already knew this would happen with me, but thought it would be interesting to show you guys. I've conducted another experiment, but this time I added another base into the mix.

In this experiment, I applied UDPP first, let it dry, and then applied L'Oreals HIP Cream Shadow Paint in the color "Secretive" on top of it. I let that dry and applied the She Space's pigment in "Laughing Outcast" dry, not foiled. :) I KNOW this base is AWESOME because I use this regularly, and it always holds my shadows beautifully. ;) Hehe. But I thought it'd be great to show you guys comparative pictures, so that you don't think I'm all talk. Haha! I also used the She Space pigment in "Laughing Outcast" in this experiment, SO I didn't change the brand of pigment, just altered the base a little bit. So now you guys will believe me when I say it's MY UNDENIABLY OILY lids, not The She Space pigments, that caused the HORRIBLE disappearance of my piggies in experiment #1. LOL. Anyway, Here are the results.

I SWEAR that the second picture was taken four hours later! I'm not trying to trick you guys. LOL. Anywho, rawr! What did I tell you!? This base combo is KILLER and it holds like glueeee. :) Hehe. Note how there is no creasing, some VERY SLIGHT fading, but it's not noticeable enough to the point where it's something to gripe about. MIND YOU, this piggie was applied DRY, NOT foiled! Imagine if I applied it foiled on top of this base? Well, you don't really have to imagine because I'm going to be using the foiling method with this same exact base in my next and final experiment. :)

So stay tuned if you're interested in seeing the outcome! :)

If you're wondering about L'oreal HIP's Cream Shadow Paints, Mrs. Lynne and Nessasary Makeup both did WONDERFUL reviews on them a while back when the paints first came out, which is why I bought the paints originally. :) Both say they're good dupes for MAC's Paints, but cheaper, but they work the same. As you can see with my experiment, they work WONDERFULLY as a base. :)

I do personally recommend getting the L'Oreal HIP Cream Shadow Paints to anyone who is looking for a cheaper alternative to MAC's Paints. Take note though, that L'Oreal's paints have earthy colors versus MAC's paints which tend to be brighter and bolder. But if you just plan on using the paints as a base (like me) I think the L'Oreal Paints are an excellent dupe.

I've actually watched several YouTube reviews about the comparison between the L'Oreal Paints and MAC paints, and many people say this is a really good dupe for the MAC ones. :)

Another pro? You get MORE product with the L'Oreal one. It's only about 0.05 oz. more product, but hey, more product is more product... and for cheaper. LOL. :) I can honestly attest that it DOESN'T crease, therefore making it an EXCELLENT base, and it's even BETTER when you get them BOGO or something of that sort during one of the drugstores sales or specials. :) L'Oreal's Paints apply creamy but dry to a powdery finish that STAYS PUT. :) I love it... I believe this is HG status for me. Ha. :) As far as bases go anyway. :D I've actually never tried it without UDPP, but that just may be another base experiment to try out. :D

BTW... if anyone knows of any drugstore specials with the HIP line going on right now, I'd appreciate a heads up. I want to pick up the L'Oreal HIP Cream Shadow Paint in "Lofty" and an extra one in "Secretive". Hehe. :)