Friday Freebie

Hey, guys!  How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  Mine was great!  Had some great food, great company... didn't stuff myself, though.  Nope.  I behaved.  I plan on behaving myself today, Black Friday, too.  No frenzy-filled shopping for me; didn't really find any of the advertised in-store/online deals savory enough to whet my appetite to splurge.  I did, however, score a little freebie while shopping Sephora's site last week.  It's a four-pan palette from Urban Decay called Urban Obsessions and if you have a few moments, I'd love to share it with you.

Urban Obsessions is a mini collection of neutrals, all of which have been available via other UD palettes or as eyeshadow singles except for Guilt.  To members of Sephora's beauty reward program, it was being offered as a 500 point gift with purchase.  The shades included in the palette are Skimp (a French vanilla matte); Bust (a concrete taupe satin); Guilt (a carnation pink frost) and Oil Slick (a matte black with glitter).  All of the shadows were nicely pigmented with Guilt being the only one showing some resistance while being swatched.  Also tucked inside the palette is a mini 24/7 Glide-On eyeliner in Zero, which is a basic black.

(L to R: Zero, Oil Slick, Guilt, Bust, Skimp)

Hmm... I can see myself doing a nice smoky eye with this one.  I prolly won't be using Guilt on my lid unless I place it on top of a saturated base.  In the corner of my eyes or on my lower eyelash line may work, though.  Overall, it's a decent palette.  And considering what I paid for it (free), it's even better...

So, I'll be staying out of the holiday fray this weekend, guys.  In fact, I won't even be making an appearance on the sidelines.  I do have a package coming as a result of an earlier shopping stint, but that's about it.  No Black Friday doorbusters for me, y'all.  But for all those who venture out to fight the crowds or online to get some holiday steals, more power to you!  Have fun, be safe and I hope you end up snagging every single thing you set out to get... and more!      

Artistic Endeavors

Aaaahhh!  Sorry for yelling in your ears, guys, but I finally got them!  I finally sat down and ordered and received my first three (of a possible seven, total) MUFE Artist Shadows!  Woo-hoo!  If you peeped my initial encounter with the shadows then you're probably already somewhat acquainted with the shades I have on deck.  But we're not gonna let that stop the ogle-fest, are we?  Of course not!  So, without further ado, I'd like to share with you what I ended up grabbin' and baggin' from Make Up For Ever's collection of Artist Shadows.

Besides the traditional, glossy, black MUFE box it comes in, each individual shadow arrives nestled in a thin, plastic pod with a clear, pop-on lid.  The pod is suitable for temporary holding, but not nearly sturdy enough for constant transport and secure storage as the lid easily detaches from the wispy base without much manipulation.  Conveniently printed underneath is the shadow's color code, which is a more legible read than the printing on the back of the actual shadow.

  

First up in my trifecta of terrific-ness is D-320 Golden Khaki, which is an apt description of the shade.  The color is akin to a pearly, antique gold with golden flecks of fine shimmer.  It is a Diamond shadow (i.e., it has glitter in it).   

Next up is ME-930 Black Purple, which I immediately fell in love with when I first laid eyes on it and having it was absolute!  Again - true to its name - it is a richly dark eggplant with a pearly finish.  In MUFE-speak, it is considered a Metallic.  

And last, but certainly not least, is the lovely I-918 Lavender.  No additional description needed as its name says it all.  It has a pearl finish to it as well and is categorized as an MUFE Iridescent.

(L to R: D-320 Golden Khaki; ME-930 Black Purple; I-918 Lavender)

Now, of course I had to snag a three-pan palette to place my pigmented wares in and I'm so glad I did.  Not only is it a more sturdier alternative to the pods the shadows come in thanks to its hard casing and magnetic seatings, but it's only one dollar!  Yes, uno buckaroonos, senoritas!  And at Sephora, buying a Custom Palette Case in conjunction with buying multiple Artist shadows garners you a significant discount: buy two shadows plus a duo case and you get a nine dollar discount off your purchase; buy three shadows plus a trio case and get twenty dollars off!  As if one needed any more incentive... #JACKPOT!

So, there you have it!  I am so happy with my selection of Artist Shadows and, as I mentioned earlier, plan to get a few more soon.  The texture on these gel-formulated shadows are awesome and each is as potently pigmented as the next - at least the ones I've dabbed my fingers in so far.  I'm noticing from Sephora's website that certain shades are sold exclusively online and not available for purchase at their stores, which is kinda frustrating because (of course) there are two that I really want, but they've been sold out for weeks.  *sigh*  Oh, well.  I'll keep looking... and checking... and wishing... and praying.

Until I get my hands on those elusive beauties, I'll just keep myself occupied with the ones I have - a somewhat easy "burden" to bear since the shadows are so lovely.  But I am waiting with bated breath and truly looking forward to adding a few more of the Artist gems to my small, but diverse, Make Up For Ever collection.

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows and Palettes are available at Sephora and sephora.com, individually retailing for $21 and $1, respectively; OR $34 for two shadows and a duo case, $44 for three shadows and a trio case (via limited promotion, while supplies last).

Barbie: Exotic Beauty

There's a hint of mystery behind the visage of this beguiling beauty.   Olive toned with darkly rimmed doe-eyes,  she's recognized as a modeling sort who's very well travelled with a fully decorated passport and weighty portfolio to match.  But who is she?  She's been said to have friends in high places, taking a private audience with dignitaries and politicians, and rumored to have been styled by designer notables from Paris, France... one even claiming her as their muse!  But, who is she?  Well, she's a Brazilian belle who loves fashion, plays as hard as she works, and prefers to go by the simple moniker "Exotic Beauty".   

Resplendent in a full-skirted ballgown of greens and golds, this "sophisticated lady" always makes sure she's dressed to the "tens" since, for her, the "nines" is simply not enough.  Her perfectly tailored, sleeveless bodice of chartreuse and gold brocade cinches at the waist and stretches past her hips ever so slightly...

... while an A-symmetrical waterfall of dark and light sea-greens serves as the perfect footer to her fanciful frock.  Casually cascading over the pleated satin skirt is a weft of gold-flecked tulle, which dutifully complements the entire piece as well as aids in giving her every inch the elegance she was going for.

When it came to accessorizing, she thought of only one word: opulence.  Dripping from her ears is a set of gold, chandelier earrings while a matching three-tiered, gold necklace sits draped around her neck.

And keeping her feet in-step with all the opulence going on above and around her shoulders are a pair of gold-toned heels to help round out the ensemble.

As meticulous as she is with her wardrobe, she's even more so with her hair, opting for her raven tresses to be coiffed into a chic, tightly manicured chignon.

For her makeup, she played up her eyes as well as her heart-shaped lips; framed by a set of full brows, she laced her lids with white and hues of brown and bronze while playing up her naturally long lashes with extra mascara.  On her lips is a crisp perimeter of crimson red while the cushions of pout are gilded in a sparkly gold.  Soft pink rests on her cheeks, giving her a faint flush of color...

So, who is this jet-setting, adventurous girl-about-town who hails from Rio and loves to chronicle her traveling exploits in the leather journal (a gift from a very famous Italian designer, by the way...) she takes everywhere she goes?  Well, she's a lover of life and fashion who doesn't mind being referred to simply as "Exotic Beauty".  And why would she mind?  The title fits.  She's a beauty of a doll with great style to boot... and I'm so glad to have her in my ever growing roster of savvy fashionistas!

Fresh Seaberry Face Oil

And so I got another skin care sample the other day and I must say that I'm kinda excited to try it out.  My bottle of Clinique moisturizer has been totally depleted, leaving an open slot in my regimen that I'd like to possibly fill with a newbie product.  You know me, y'all - always ready to try the new-new.  So now that face oils have become somewhat of a small rage, I figured it was time to test out one I've been eyeing for awhile: Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil from Fresh.

Loaded with natural oil goodness such as rosemary and sweet almond, Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil is an antioxidant-laden elixir that boasts youth preserving properties as well as restorative attributes with the help of its headliner: seaberry/seabuckthorn oil.  It is paraben-free and sulfate-free, and comes in an amber tinted bottle complete with dropper for careful distribution of the product.

Clear in complexion with a lightweight consistency, I applied a droplet of Seaberry Face Oil to the back of my hand, which proved to be more than enough needed to saturate my skin and bring about a faint, dewy sheen.  It has a pronounced fragrance that I can best describe as being akin to an orange-y, spicy, chai tea, which I found to be intoxicating.  It does linger, though, so if you have an aversion to strong smells then you may want to give it a sniff test before purchasing.   But, again, I didn't find it to be bothersome at all.

 

You know, I initially was pretty hesitant about using an oil as a moisturizer.  When I think of the words "oil" and "face" together, I think of "clogged pores", "bumps", "breakouts", etc.  But besides the back of my hand, I did dab some on the front of my nose where my skin tends to get a tad dry and it felt good and caused no dermal explosions as of yet.  So, now I can't wait to see how it'll do on a wider test area before committing it to my entire face.  I'm encouraged, though.  Highly.  But whether yea or nay, I will definitely give you guys the full skinny as I continue to test it out throughout the week.

Here's to crossing fingers and toes that all goes well with this one...

Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil is available at fresh.com and Sephora, and retails for $18.50/0.5 oz; $50/1.6 oz.

**Update: 12/5/14 - It's been about three weeks now and I have been using the oil religiously without any adverse reaction.  My skin feels hydrated, soft and supple, and the dry patches around my nose have dissipated.  I really like this Seaberry Face Oil and will officially induct it into my skin regimen with a full-size vial as soon as my mini runs out.