Monday, February 28, 2011

Tokyo Milk, please

     Somehow I stumbled upon Tokyo Milk while looking up reviews for lip stick. And sure, they do sell lip stick, but only one type in four colors (let me tell you, they look georgous... if I watch my pocket book, I might reward myself with one... eventually.) Anywho, the items that interested me the most were the lip balms and lip elixers, which have been featured in In Style and American Salon. The website is very easy to navigate as well as aesthetically pleasing; it has a kitchy- vintage type of vibe.  

The packaging is simply just adorable, and there are so many nice "little" touches... for example, the lip balm comes with kissing tips... very cute.

     I wound up ordering a Candied Violet Bon Bon Lip Balm for $10 and a Lip Elixir in La Vie En Rose for $7. The shipping was a fair price and didn't take very long, in my humble opinion. I was also sent free samples *squeal* of a bubble bath and something called "Relax" from one of Margot Elena's other lines. Both are super nice. So, let's get down to the nitty gritty, shall we?

19.85 grams/ 0.7 oz
Image from tokyomilk.com.


Lip Elixir
Pros: This makes my lips so soft, and it smells amazing, very lady- like. The tin is cute and convenient, and quite large. For $7, this is quite a bit of product. Unlike some tin balms, this doesn't leave a sticky, waxy residue on your finger and it is easy to get out of the tin, just swirl the pad of your finger around the surface of the product.
Cons: The tin comes secured with a sticker, and you either have to peel it off (ew, sticky gunk) or slice it at the lip of the lid. I opted for the latter, so now my tin is adorned with flappy ends of sticker. Not a bad thing, just something that could maybe be improved upon.
Stars: 5/5
Would I buy again?: Definitely. It's something that I love and it would be nice for gift- giving.
6.2 g/ 0.22 oz
Image from tokyomilk.com.

Bon Bon Lip Balm
Pros: This balm has such a sweet, delicate smell. It is slightly thinner in consistancy once you get it on your finger than the Lip Elixir, but it works just as effectively. Although you are paying more for less product, this one comes in a glass pot with a metal lid stamped with the Tokyo Milk logo. It is also packaged in a glittered box with artwork that relates to the scent. In the little box  is a kissing tip, which I thought was just so sweet. Speaking of sweet and kissing, this product does make my lips kissably sweet and soft.
Cons: Some people steer clear of glass containers due to problems regarding coordination, so this packaging may not be clumsy- friendly. I haven't dropped it yet and don't really intend on testing it, but the glass is very thick and heavy. I'm not going to call it shatter- proof, but I think that it would probably resist impacts fairly well.
Stars: 5/5
Would I buy again?: Yes. And, like the Lip Elixirs, these would make impressive little gifts.
     Overall I was thoroughly pleased with my order and I look forward to ordering in the future. I can already think of a few flavors/ scents that I would enjoy in addition to these, as well as some that those dear to me would enjoy, too ;)

Friday, February 25, 2011

and the winner is... Walmart?

     Okay, so I must admit that Walmart is not recognized as a cosmetic mecca for most people. However, the beauty isles are some of my favorite in the whole store. There you can find Physician's Formula (my HG foundation), Hard Candy (awesome mattifying powder), Loreal (Le Rouge lip stick), and even more. But did you know about their amazing brushes?
     My very favorite brushes are from Walmart. At first I thought they were made by some no- name brand... after scouring the package, I literally could not find a brand's name... but the brand is called Paris Presents, according to the website. Maybe I just overlooked it? I have a powder brush, an angled blush/ bronzer brush, and two eye shadow brushes. I love them. So much. Let me explain. They are soft, sooo silky soft, but not wimpy in the least. The bristles are packed in tightly enough that there is enough "firmness" (I suppose that would be the word) so that there in no issue picking up product or applying it to your skin, but they are still soft enough that they do a lovely job blending. I have no clue what they are made of, I can't find that information anywhere. I might check out a package next time I'm visiting Wally World, just in case it has been updated. Mine have not shed a bit, and I've had them for months.


These are some of my favorite Wally- World finds.
*note* This isn't a "haul," I've had a few of these brushes for months. Please note the need for cleaning ;)

     My local Walmart has just started carrying Eco Tools brushes, and they are nice, too. So far I have the kabuki and an eyeshadow brush. They are quite affordable and of very nice quality, plus, there is a ton of information on the packaging (these have bamboo handles and synthetic bristles and are "cruelty free.") These do not shed either. The kabuki is not quite as big and fluffy as most others I have came across, but I like it. The handle is easy to grip (not just round and chunky) and there are two different lengths of bristles. The eyeshadow brush works well, but is fairly large. The only way that I can really use it is all over on my lids or for my highlight, because it is too big to be of much use in the crease, outer v, et c. The only other eye shadow brush available by itself is currently out of stock, so if it turns out to be alittle smaller I might just get it. There are a few extremely reasonably priced value sets and a bag (it's really more of an organizer) available as well. All of the individually- sold brushes come in trendy re- useable plastic pouches.
     A few other gems from the land of blue- clad employees  are a liquid Almay makeup remover and a brush shampoo. I use the make up remover with plain old cotton rounds because A) it is cheaper than buying the pre- soaked wipes and B) this way it will last longer. It is super- gentle on eyes, and I have experienced no irritation or discomfort. Although there is a "clean" scent, it is not overly strong. The brush shampoo is something new that I just found today. It is made by Paris Presents, like some of the brushes, and I've already used it on a few things I didn't mention in this post; it did a great job of cleaning without drying anything out and making them brittle. Maybe now that I no longer have to coax them clean with plain old bar soap I will actually have cleaner brushes more often :)

The Essence of Beauty Crease Duo.

     Now, if Walmart is the winner, there has to be a runner- up, right? So I suppose that will go to CVS, which sells a brush line called Essence of Beauty. I have the Crease Duo Brushes and they come in handy with... wait... you'll never guess... my crease and outer v. I bet you would've never guessed, right? These aren't shedders either, and they aren't a bad price. However, they are the only ones I have from that line because I already have a version of most of the brushes they offer. If it's any consolation, the coated wood handles and black metal makes a sleek- looking combination. I will probably be eyeing these on my next stop at CVS for a proper lip brush, something that I am currently without.

Monday, February 21, 2011

definitely not just glitter

     A little less than a month ago I contacted Hard Candy about reviewing their products. I was treated very kindly and a sample was sent my way. This is the first time so far that a cosmetics company has sent something to me for consideration, and I thought that it was very nice of them. Their public relations staff are wonderful. Just sayin'.

This is Hard Candy's Plumping Serum- Volumizing Lip Gloss in Pink Lady.

     The problem arose when I recieved my product. I slid it out of its envelope and it appeared to be a vial of pink glitter. Now, don't get me wrong, pink is not bad. I wear pink lips pretty darn often. Glitter is not bad. But together? I was wary. The flowing script on the front of the tube read Plumping Serum- Volumizing Lip Gloss. I took a sniff, and the aroma was fairly unoffensive. It reminded me of a light, sugary cake icing. I felt rather sad. The nice people at Hard Candy had sent me something, but unfortunately, I was going to hate it. Fate would have it that way, I guess.
     Not wanting to give up hope just yet, I swatched a bit onto my hand, and my mind was instantly changed. The color of mine is Pink Lady, which, of course, makes me think of Grease. This product lives up to that name. The glitter in this  is very, very fine and suspended in an almost transparent pink gloss. While the glitter is a cooler- toned pink, I can still see it being flattering on many skin tones. Especially for Spring. This is going to make one heck of a Spring product. It is not a "heavy" product at all, and its light reflecting properties make it seem even lighter. Because there are so many small light reflecting bits my lips do indeed look a bit fuller. Which is really neat, because I'm seeing lots of definition instead of the disco-ball-effect.



Yeah, these are all swatches of Pink Lady. I'm not trying to overkill, I'm just trying to give an accurate dipiction of how the glitter looks in the gloss.

     For around five minutes after applying this gloss I did feel a tingle, somewhat similar to applying minty gloss, just not as intense. The gloss is not sticky or goopy, yet it is not thin, either. It sits just in the middle of the road, I guess you could say. The packaging is your standard lip gloss- type tube packaging with a doe- foot  applicator. Is pink not your color? Well, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, as this comes in quite a few colors.
     While this is a good gloss to reach for when you want something fresh and easy, it only hangs around for a couple, maybe three hours. When the gloss wears off the glitter is left behind, and I'm not a fan of that, but it's not a major problem because it is easily fixed. Even though this isn't a sticky gloss in the least, it comes off on everything that touches your lips, even after an hour or so. My only other complaint is that this pruduct is supposed to be a plumping serum, but I don't think  that any plumping actually takes place. My pout looks bigger, but I'm 90% sure that it's just because of all of the pretty light- catching sparklies. So, what is the verdict for Hard Candy's Plumping Serum, you ask? I give it 4/5 stars. It's not my favorite thing in the world, but I really do like it. Like I said earlier, I think it's a great product for Spring and even into Summer, when we're not going to want heavy lip products. I'm not really sure yet if I would purchase this for myself. I've seen a pretty light-pink-peachy-coral shade that I wouldn't mind giving a spin, and even a ruby-red, too.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

all of my lazy bones are apparently located in my fingers

     I'm going to be upfront about this- I am a procrastinator. I've been meaning to write this review for... about a week now? I also have some more reviews that need to be wrote... the first in line is Hard Candy's Plumping Serum, then comes the goodies in my Fyrinnae order, my Tokyo Milk order, and my latest Cherry Culture order (mainly some new Nyx swatches and the Round Lip Glosses.)

Mr. Penguin's got Rambling Rose on the left, and Perpetual Peach on the right.

     But, this review is on the new Loreal Unfallible Le Rouge lip sticks. Since I'm being honest, not only am I a procrastinator, but I'm also not a huge lip stick fan. I think this has something to do with being a procrastinator... with lipstick I know that sooner or later I'm going to have to whip out a mirror or take a trip to the ladies' room to check it. And to me, there's just something kinda ball-and-chain-ish about having to give that much attention to a product after you've already put it on. Plus, a lip stick requires... nay, demands... attention to the details in application. Like Lil Mama says about her lip gloss, she just wipes the corners of her mouth and she's working it. You just casually swipe on some lip stick with that sort of care- free attitude and... well... let's just say it can get ugly fast.
     For the reasons listed above, I was pretty curious when I saw Gwen Stefani (I love her... she's probably my favorite female "celeb") strutting across my TV, telling me I needed to buy this lip stick. I mean, after all, we are worth it. And Gwen is the queen of  the red lips... so how in the world can a product she willingly promotes be bad? 
     So I went out and I bought this lip stick in Rambling Rose. Beautiful color. Wore it to school the next day. And behold, I was not left with a ring around my lips when it came time to go. I leave for school around 8:15- ish, and on Wednesdays I'm finished with my classes at 1:00. That particular day my last class had pizza and refreshments, a clever lure into a presentation about study skills (actually, it was pretty helpful.) When I planted my butt in the seat of my car after class I flipped down my visor and checked my mirror, and to my surprise, I could still tell that I was wearing lip stick. When I had checked at 11:00 the lip stick still looked fresh, but I in no way expected it to stand up against pizza. It did require a minor touch- up, but that was all. So before going home, I made sure to pick up another color, Perpetual Peach. I'm even thinking about getting Perrenial Pink as a shade for Spring. 

 No flash.
Perpetual Peach is on the left, and Rambling Rose is on the right.

With flash.

     I do have a couple of gripes about this product. The packaging looks nice and kinda high- end, but it can be a pain in the butt to open and close. What I mean is that you really have pull to pop the seal and then when you go to close it you have to listen for the small "click" to know it is really closed. My other complaint is that even though the packaging is average- sized, there is a less-than-average amount of product there.
     
The Loreal Le Rouge is the second to left- notice how there is less than the others?

     The bottom line is that I do like this product, and I would buy again. The product itself is great, but since the packaging is kinda suck-ish, I'm taking off half a star, so I give it a 4.5/5.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Would love by any other name not be as sweet?

     I hope that everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! I know that I sure did. Yesterday my boyfriend gave me a dozen long- stem roses that were particularly swoon- worthy; what made it even better was that they were completely unexpected. Today, as a "part two" to my roses he gave me a red heart- shaped box plumb full of chocolates (YUM!) Even if Valentine's Day makes you feel like you're about to revisit your breakfast, you can't deny that one of the stories behind the day is pretty inspirational. So the legend goes, in the days of the Roman Emporer Cladius II marriage was outlawed because young men grew hesitant at the thought of joining the military. Now, what did the military and marriage have in common? Young men would fall in love and marry their sweethearts, and let's face it, there aren't many young men who would willingly give up a charmed life for a hard one. By outlawing marriage, Claudius II thought that his militia would grow. However, he did not count on Saint Valentine and others to continue marrying couples in secret. After a while Valentine was found out and was violently martyred, but his name lives on... although I doubt that he ever would have imagined that his special day would inspire sugary conversation hearts, let alone cardboard cut- outs of a certain little winged Pagan god ;)

My lovely roses from my lovely boyfriend.

     In honor of today, I thought I would like to share some of my favorite verses on love with you:

     This was written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning ("How Do I Love Thee?"), and every time I read it I can't help but to think of my own fella. Wouldn't it be a lovely piece to read at a wedding?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.


     And of course, I can't forget my favorite parts from "Romeo and Juliet," from Shakespeare.

Romeo:
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!


Juliet:
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
 Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
 Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
 What's in a name? that which we call a rose
 By any other name would smell as sweet;
 So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
 Retain that dear perfection which he owes
 Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
 And for that name which is no part of thee
 Take all myself.


     Of course, the peices by Shakespeare aren't consecutive, I've taken them out of context. I know that the work seems like one of the world's biggest cliches, but I really do encourage anyone to read it. If you take the time to understand the text, it is really a rich piece of writing. The best versions are the ones with footnotes explaining the meaning of all of the phrases and wordplay ;)

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

a sure- fire way to make a Mark

I own the colors  Pop & Bare.

      I'm going to be honest: I'm a lip product fanatic. Gloss has always always been my Achilles' Heel, but I've been known to dabble in lip stick and stains, too (even though the brighter colors are a bit scary sometimes!) So when I saw this product in the Mark megalog a while back... like maybe last September-ish?... I knew that it was something I wanted to try. And I love it so much that I'm going to share it with y'all.
     Gloss Gorgeous Stay On Lip Stain from Mark (a branch of Avon) is the hybrid of a lip gloss and lip stain. Let me explain. When you put it on it looks and feels like a silky, glassy gloss, but after the shine fades, the color does not. This product comes in a handy- dandy clicker pen equiped with a brush to paint the product into your lips. The packaging is really great on this, but I wish there was a clear section that showed how much product was left. That would be super handy- dandy :D 
     This gloss/ stain is far from thin, but it isn't thick, clumpy, or sticky. It is probably the least sticky gloss- type lip product I've ever used. They're aren't very many colors to chose from and the internet swatches aren't very good, but the colors that I've experienced are very nice, and I would bet are universally flattering. There is a light minty smell with these, but it fades fairly fast. It takes a while for the glossy- ness to wear off, and quite a bit longer for the stain to fade. It is lightly eat & drink proof. This is my go- to product when I want a pretty- yet- subtle pop of color.

Pop is on the left, Bare to the right.
With flash.

No flash.

This is one more swatch... for some reason Pop keeps looking like it leans slightly coral-y on my monitor, but it's more of a rose.


     As far as stars go, I give this one 5/5. It is something I will definitely repurchase, both because it has became a staple for me and because I would like to try the other colors. It is something that I recommend to gloss- lovers who want to start trying out new lip products. If you're interested in giving this a try, you can go to http://shop.meetmark.com/shop//product.aspx?src_page=product.aspx&level1_id=300&level2_id=469&pdept_id=483&dept_id=488&pf_id=38514 or find an Avon and/ or Mark representative near you.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

maybe this is the answer to the Valentine's Day blues?

Image from the Physician's Formula website.

     Even though I'm not currently single, I do remember what it felt like to be that on Valentine's Day. That whole day I would spend with a cloud over my head; why did the rest of the world get to pair up into happy couples, but not me? Knowing what I know now, all I have to say is that anyone who is single will find someone, eventually, who will love them and cherish them just the way they are. But, as every woman knows, a little retail therapy goes a long way to help in the mean time ;)
     Enter this little pick-me-up: Physician's Formula's new Happy Booster collection, consisting of pressed powders and blushes. I was pretty excited when I heard about these, because A) how in the world can make up make someone happy? & B) they're super cute! It took forever to get my hands on one, though. Every store in the area was either sold out or had not recieved it yet for the whole week and a half I searched, except for one Wal-Mart. And I bought the last one!

My picture didn't turn out nearly as pretty as PF's... oh well.

     There are two colors available: Natural (which I purchased) and Rose. The one I bought has a nice shimmer, which, according to the website, is from multi- reflective pearls. In my opinion, it looks good. It's a nice little extra- touch, with out being over-the-top. There is a slight floral scent, which the website says is violet. It's not really noticable unless you're looking for it (or sniffing, rather ;D.) Some of PF's blushes are somewhat notorious for being hard (Magic Mosiac, anyone?), but this one is fairly managable. Nowhere near as soft as Nyx's blushes, but still not bad. The pigment is not bad either, which is good because you can stay natural or build for a more dramatic look.
     Ok, so on to the big deal. Does this really make you happy? The claim is that these products contain PF's Happy Boost Blend, which includes Euphoryl. What is Euphoryl, you ask? A "natural plant extract" that mimicks Endorphins, chemicals that our bodies produce that make us happy.  
 
With flash.

No flash.

This one is with flash, but blocking the main light source. The other pics make this blush look more peachy, but there is a fair amount of pink in there.

     The bottom line is that I do like this product and that I'm glad that I tried it. Overall I would rate it 4/5, but I haven't used it quite enough yet to have figured out whether or not I would re- purchase.

Monday, February 7, 2011

time to Nyx having to drop a ton of cash for effective products

     Like any good  Latin student, I can tell you that Nyx wasn't just the goddess of night, she was the personification of night. She was dark, mysterious, and beautiful... the perfect inspiration for a make up line, right? Nyx cosmetics offers a large line of goodies, and one of the best parts is: there are almost as many color options as there are stars in the night sky ;) In this post I'll be reviewing some of the first products I've tried from this company and sharing some swatches, too.

 From left to right: Mega Shine Lip Gloss, Round Lip Stick, Single Eye Shadows, Candy Glitter Liner, Powder Blush (top), and Eye Shadow Base (bottom.)  

Eyeshadow Base in Natural
Pros: When I first put this on, I fell in love, pretty hard. It's easy to apply and, like usual, I just use my finger. Blending it into my skin is easy, and it's a good match for my medium skin tone. It has a very nice texture- very creamy, but it feels light once applied; it just melts into your skin. Also, there is no "sticky" factor. There is a tackyness that does a wonderful job of grabbing eye shadow and makes it easier to apply. Shadows look more pigmented with this base. It does a decent job of holding my eye shadows in place for around 8 hours. But....
Cons: For some reason this base isn't very compatible with Nyx eye shadows. With the Nyx eye shadows I only got around four hours of creaseless wear.
Stars: 3.5/5
Would I buy again?: Probably not... there's enough in the pot to last for quite a while, and I'm hoping to find something that will last a little longer and with all of my shadows.

Candy Glitter Liner in Disco Queen
Pros: The brush applicator makes it really easy to put the product where you want it and the product itself has a nice, gel- like consistency, so you don't have to worry about it running every which way.
Cons: Not a whole lot of glitter is deposited with each brush- stroke, so it does take some building to get it to be noticeable.
Stars: 3/5
Would I buy again?: I don't think I'll use it enough to have to worry about replacing it. The price point is so reasonable that I wouldn't balk at trying different colors, though.


 No flash.
With flash.
(From left to right: Powder Blush in Peach, Single Eyeshadow in Red Bean Pie, Volcano, and Vanilla Sky, Candy Glitter Liner in Disco Queen.)
Powder Blush in Peach
Pros: My first thought when using this was "Oh my Lawd, this is nice!" This blush is very easy to get on the brush, and easy to apply and blend on skin. It is also very natural- looking and is a matte, so it's very user- friendly for even unexperienced blush -users.
Cons: I only bought one :(
Stars: 5/5
Would I buy again?: Yes! I have another ordered right now.

Single Eye Shadow in Red Bean Pie, Volcano, and Vanilla Sky
Pros: These are super- pigmented, come in fifty- million beautiful colors, and the shimmer/ glitter is fine and not in the least bit chunky. These go on smoothly and vibrantly, and the colors I bought really make my blue eyes pop.
Cons: I tested these on their own and with a base/ primer, and the longest wear I could get without creasing was around four hours. I do have oily lids, but I can get longer lasting wear out of other shadows at comparable  prices.
Stars: 3.5/ 5
Would I buy again?: I went ahead and ordered Morocco, but until I find something to hold these in place better, I shall resist the temptation and not get any more.
No flash.
With flash.
(From left to right: Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige, Golden Pink, and Smokey Look, Round Lip Stick in Rosebud.)

Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige, Golden Pink, and Smokey Look
Pros: For a gloss, these are fairly long- wearing. Once they do lose their glossy-ness there is a nice stain left behind. These have a plush texture and are nicely pigmented and come in both shimmers and non- shimmers. I was pretty impressed with my colors- Beige and Smokey look are not only beautiful and unique, but also utilitarian (any one should be able to wear them.) I also like the light cherry smell when I first put them on.
Cons: None that I can think of.
Stars: 5/5
Would I buy again?: More are on their way :)

Round Lip Stick in Rosebud
Pros: This lip stick goes on fairly pigmented and very smoothly. I did not experience any drying and there was no "cakey" feeling. Like the lip glosses, after the shine faded there was a nice stain left behind. At the price that I bought this, it has exceded all of my expectations.
Cons: Compared to similar lip sticks this product is not as big, but at the price I bought it for, I don't think that it is really an issue. The glitter is still pretty fine, but not quite as fine as what's in the lip glosses.
Stars: 4/5
Would I buy again?: This is another one that I'm getting more colors in :)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

sunlight, thou art deceitful

     I'm in the process of putting up a review on some Nyx products from Cherry Culture, but I'm having some trouble deciding on a rating for one of them (*cough*eye shadow-base*cough*.) I considered just excluding it, but I didn't really want to do that... plus, I would have to retake a picture of my order, and I'm too lazy to do that. I will go ahead and say that I've been fairly impressed so far, and look forward to receiving my next order, which is "in progress." Whatever that means. I was going to wait until the end of this month to place another one, but they waved "20% off" in my face and I just couldn't resist. Plus, I was afraid that they would run out of the shade of lipstick I wanted (they had just got it back in stock.) Did you know that they give out free lip balm with their orders? I was so pleasantly surprised when I received one with my last order. And it's good lip balm. Smells like bubble gum, is made out of pretty fair ingredients, and is clear and not greasy in the least bit.
     Another order that I am SUPER PUMPED about getting is from Fyrinnae.  I ordered four eye shadows and the legendary Pixie Epoxy, which I've got high hopes for.
     Anywho. Tonight I want to shine the spotlight on something I dearly love: scarves. Being the most often- overlooked heroes of cold weather wear, they are also the ones I love most. Days like today make me happy for scarves. The sun was out in blinding force today, but the wind made it feel like there was a blizzard going on. And you know where the first place is that the wind goes?  Over the collar of your coat and down your shirt. But, ahah! If you're wearing a scarf that enteryway is blocked and still as cozy as ever. 
     Now, of course, I'm not so extremely practical as to only love scarves for their warmth. I also love the look of a scarf. A scarf that ties in well with an outfit makes me think that someone is well- put together. It can be a perfect pop of color in an otherwise neutral ensemble or a neutral to help tone done and otherwise loud getup. And there are so many different choices! Long, short, knit, silk, patterned, solid... I love choices :) You don't even want to get me started on all of the different ways you can wear them: tied, and wrapped, and draped... ok... I'll stop now :D
     And as if being the perfect accessory isn't enough, a scarf is the perfect thing to help balance your top half if you have a larger bottom half (such as I do.) Cue Sir Mix- Alot.
     My latest two acquisitions have been from Belk. Both of them are floral prints, but one is silk and one is very nice polyester. They were 25%- 50% off, and I could not resist (I think I'm seeing a pattern, lol.) Here is a pic of one of them, modeled by my very lovely kitty:
I love this one because Maria looks like a sweet little innocent babushka that has lost her way while going into town to buy bread...

The scarf shows up better in this one, which just-so-happens-to-be the one with the "get this thing off of my head" look.

     That's all I have to say today... oh, besides this one little ole last thing: What exactly is a babushka, anyways?