Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow in Pug

Stay-There Eye Shadows by Buxom are mineral infused, paraben free gel/cream/mousse shadows in a jar.  It's actually kind of hard to describe the consistency, but they have a spongy feel to them, and it's not usual for them to pull away from the jar.  Pug is a versatile smoky pewter color that makes for an easy smoky eye look. 

Now, I know the Buxom shadows are not the same formula as the L'Oreal Infallible shadows (or the Armani Eyes to Kill or Lancome Infinite shadows), but there are some marked similarities - which has it's pluses and minuses.  Here are the things I find similar to the L'Oreal and Lancome shadows:

• Can be applied as a sheer wash or built up in intensity
• High shimmer finish
• Best applied with finger
• Can be patchy
• Waterproof

My biggest issue is that when viewed extremely up close, it's evident that there is some patchiness.  From a distance, it's not really evident, however, and they look fine.   But it still bugs me a bit. 

In the above picture, I applied Pug over Maybelline's Color Tattoo Tough as Taupe to see if that helped give a more smooth appearance, but I don't think it did.  It's not a deal breaker, but it is an idiosyncrasy with these shadows.  I find it's more apparent with the darker shades and hardly noticeable with lighter ones. 

I've also got Collie, which is a wonderful champagne shimmer, and I cannot see the patchiness with it.  Pug will start to crease on me after about 6-7  hours even with a primer, but that's not unusual as I've got oily lids.  However, I noted that Collie wore for 8-9 hours without creasing, but again, maybe the lighter color just made it less evident. 

The Buxom Stay-There Shadows are exclusive to Sephora and retail for $18.  I got Pug as part of the Sephora Favorites Glitz and Glam box.

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

NOTD: Gold Coin by Revlon

 It's the beginning of Mardi Gras here in Mobile, which helps to lend some festivity to an otherwise gray and chilly time of the year.  The colors of Mardi Gras are purple (justice), gold (power), and green (faith), and today I have a power gold polish that fits in perfectly!

Gold Coin by Revlon is a cooler toned gold with a shiny metallic or foil finish.  Coins are items that frequently get thrown from Mardi Gras floats, so even the name is perfect.  Granted, they are plastic coins commemorating the events, but still.  Two coats were plenty and I found the formula to be easy to work with.  I used Seche Vite for both the base and top coats.

Gold Coin really does glow and has been a great pick me up during this stretch of gray, damp, and cold weather we've been having.  It inspired me to attempt a matching gold eye look, which I think turned out pretty nicely!

Products used for this look (links lead to past reviews):

• Tarte Waterproof Cream Shadow in Shimmering Golden Beige as base from lash line to crease
• Bare Escentuals Extravagance from The Star Treatment READY 8.0 palette from lash line to crease
• Lancome's Delicate Lace on brow and inner eye
• Carte Blanche from The Star Treatment on inner eye and lower inner lash line
• BFTE's If I Only Had a Brain in crease  and Buttercup below crease to tone done the shimmer
• Tarte SmoulderEYES pencil in Gold on upper and lower lashline

Dislaimer:  I purchased this.

The Nail Files weekly linkup:

Hello! Yellow Shea Butter Cream by Farmhouse Fresh

Yum, vanilla custard with a little lemon zest mixed in.  That's what Hello! Yellow Shea Butter Cream by Farmhouse Fresh reminds me of - lovely, delicious custard.  Fortunately, this is the kind that you spread on your body, as I have no need for more desserts after indulging a little too much over the holidays. 

I love discovering new products, especially those with a natural or organic emphasis.  Farmhouse Fresh products are made in Texas with 90%-99.6% natural or naturally-derived ingredients and are paraben and sulfate free.  What's got me really excited about the items I've tried so far, however, is how wonderful they feel and smell!  I also love the nostalgic packaging, which includes glass jelly jars, milk bottles, and cruets. 

Hello! Yellow is what first captured my fancy, with it's natural vanilla and citrus scent.  What impresses me to no end, however, is that I can still smell that same delicate scent at the end of the day.  It's not strongly scented even when you first put it on, but it has some impressive lasting power.  I like wearing it on days when I know I'll be in and out of the hospital for meetings, as I know the scent is unobtrusive but I'll still be able to smell it when I sniff my arm.  It's a comforting and happy scent, as the jumping on the bed image on the box really captures. 

Hello! Yellow is 95% natural, vegan, and gluten free.   The shea and cocoa butters, jojoba and soybean oils leave my skin soft without a greasy after feel.  Other scents and formulations are available, and I picked up one called Honeysuckle Custard today.  Hello! Yellow costs $30 for a 10 oz. jar and can be found online at Farmhouse Fresh.  A spa I frequent has started carrying some of the products, which is how I discovered them.  I'm smitten!

Disclosure:  I purchased this. 

The Star Treatment READY Eyeshadow 8.0 by Bare Escentuals

It's official, I'm now a committed convert to the Bare Escentuals READY eyeshadow formula.  It took me a long time to try one of the palettes, but now that I've tried two, The Playlist and the Star Treatment, I will be seeking them out in the future!

These are uber pigmented, smooth, creamy, long wearing, easy to blend, dense, buttery - I could go on and on.  Just a really nice eyeshadow formula, all the way around.  The warm toned colors in The Star Treatment are also right up my alley, so this will be a favorite palette for me, no doubt.

The only downside I can find to the Star Treatment palette is that there is no matte shade included.  These are all shimmers, and I like to balance shimmers with matte, so I do have to use outside colors when I use this palette.  Hopefully future selections will include some matte options with the shimmers for a more balanced palette.  

VIP is a black with gold micro glitter.  There was a bit of dust kick up, as evidenced in the swatch where I tried to wipe it with a tissue and it smeared a bit.  Very pigmented and smooth, though.  Connoisseur is an extremely pigmented brassy gold - really outstanding.  Carte Blanche is a pale yellow gold and makes for a nice highlight color.  It's delicate, but still very pigmented, so a light touch was needed when placing on the brow bone. 

Ritzy is a sable brown, not particularly unique, but a nice color for this palette.  Kudos is a surprise favorite for me, as it has a subtle duotone going on in the right light.  Great overall lid color, so don't let it's tan mousiness in some shots fool you.  The coppery orange Bragging Rights was the problematic shade in the lot for me, although just barely.  It does not apply as smoothly and requires more careful application to avoid patchiness.  It's almost like the shadow skips a bit, so I had to use a more heavy hand when applying. 

Finishing up the palette are the pretty khaki brown Elitist and the medium gold Extravagance.  I find it easy to combine these colors and nothing feels out of place.

Love, love, love this palette!  It was on sale for $32 at Bare Escentuals last week, not sure how much longer it will be available.  I'm not seeing it at either Sephora or Ulta right now.  You also get a sample sized Prime Time eye primer, which has worked well for me. 

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Fancy Choco by Alice and Peter

Source:  Alice & Peter Facebook

The third cupcake perfume by Alice & Peter up for review is Fancy Choco:

Watch out! There is no turning back.  A modern duo of mint and citrus take flight to an isle of tropical fruit.  Exquisitely exotic yet tart in flavor peaches and apricots balance the pure scents of of freesia and lilac.  A spontaenous soft amber unleashes a rich trail of wild imagination lead by a confection of deep dark chocolate and creamy caramel with a hint of tonka bean. 

Head: Orange, Lemon, Lime, Peach, Pineapple, Curly Mint

Heart: Apricot, Peach, Pineapple, Freesia, Lilac

Base: Amber, Chocolate, Vanilla, Tonka Beans, Caramel, White Musk

Even though chocolate is listed as a base note, it's the first thing I smell after I spritz it on, but it dissipates quickly and is followed by a lime citrus note.  My nose seems to think the chocolate note smells more like Tootsie Rolls anyhow, which is not unpleasant, but not necessarily how I want to smell throughout the day. Perhaps the chocolate will reappear at a later phase in a different form?

On the plus side, Fancy Choco is not overly sweet and has more of a refreshing vibe.  On the negative side, it fades incredibly quickly on me.  I do manage to smell a lovely, smoky, almost incense aroma when I sniff my wrist an hour later, but it's so faint and only on one wrist.  So disappointing, because Fancy Choco had a lot of potential based on the short amount of time I was able to detect a scent!  

I don't think my body eats perfume, as I've got others that do not fade so quickly.  I sprayed Fancy Choco on my scarf, hoping I would be able to smell it that way, but I can detect nothing there either.  As delightful as Bloody Orange, Cheery Cherry, and Fancy Choco have been when first sniffed, they just don't last on me.   Here's hoping Wicked Berry or Showy Toffee break that trend!

Disclaimer:  I purchased these.
 

The Cocktail Hour READY Eyeshadow 8.0 by Bare Escentuals

I'm late in trying the Bare Escentuals pressed eyeshadows.  I had read lots of good things, but wasn't sure I wanted to spend $40 on the 8 pan palettes.  When both The Cocktail Hour and Star Treatment showed up on sale at Bare Escentuals, I decided it was time to take the plunge, and I'm glad I did!

The Cocktail Hour is a cooler color themed palette, which doesn't usually appeal to me.  There were a few shades that drew my in, however, such as Spiked, Invite Only, and Shaken Not Stirred.  Love the names, by the way.  Swatches are over bare skin, no primer.

The first two colors, Black Tie Optional and Icebreaker, are the 2 that will probably get the least amount of wear by me.  Black Tie Optional is a rather washed out or sheered matte black, and Icebreaker a white shimmer. 

Next is Swanky, a purple with gold sparkle bits that looked more eggplant on my skin than the cooler toned purple it looks like in the pan.   Spike is a medium orange with a slight pink shimmer, very pretty!  Elixir leans more lavender in the pan, but reads as a pink on my skin, which works for me. 

Invite Only is a metallic khaki taupe, always a nice shade to have.  Libation is an oyster peach with some micro glitter in it and made for a nice inner eye highlighter.  Last is Shaken Not Stirred, the true black of the palette.  Yes, there are some blue sparkles in there, and I wish the base was more of a true navy as opposed to black, but still pretty.  It works great over Urban Decay's 24/7 pencil LSD, which came in the Ocho Loco pencil set, as both are a blue sparkle in a blackened base.   

The shadows are smooth, easy to apply and blend.  Some of the shades with glitter did have fallout, although not that significant.  The applicator that came with the palette was surprisingly nice, and I used it for the swatches and the look below.

The limited edition Cocktail Hour is currently available at Bare Escentuals and is on sale for $24.50. 

Disclosure:  I purchased this.

Sparkle, Sparkle Holiday Lippy Trio by butter LONDON

I went back and forth on getting the Butter London Holiday Lippy Trio for what seems like forever.  Reviews for the glitter lippy's were few and far between, although I did manage to find a few pictures of people wearing them.  I finally caved and got the trio that contains Fiddlesticks, Chancer, and Fairy Cakes. 

In the tube, these are some seriously pretty glitter glosses!  I was most excited about the raspberry glitter Fiddlesticks.

Chancer is a straight up red glitter that looked like it would pack a wallop of color and possibly a metallic lip look.

Fairy Cakes also held a lot of potential, as the delicately colored iridescent glitter could be a lovely topper for a variety of lip colors. 

Ultimately, I found myself a bit disappointed with these.  They are described as glosses that deliver sheer, shimmery, high gloss color, and while technically true, I was underwhelmed.

Fiddlesticks

I was disappointed in Fiddlesticks because the glitter is very sparse and ended up looking more like flecks of debris than an intentional look.  Pretty pink color, though.

Chancer was the best in terms of density of glitter, but I also get a rather blotched appearance. 

Fairy Cakes barely registers, although you can see the sparkles if you enlarge the picture.  The pictures were taken in both indoor and outdoor lighting, which accounts for the vast differences in skin color.

These are a heavier gloss with a definite tack, which means they do last for several hours. I could not feel any grit and they were comfortable to wear.  The scent is a non-offensive vanilla cake batter that dissipates fairly quickly.  Perhaps I'm just having buyer's remorse for spending $34 on gloss that I definitely did not need and whose first ingredient is mineral oil, but for me they just did not live up to the beauty hinted at in the tubes. 

Disclaimer:  I purchased these.