Musings of a Muse

Every year I have a fun time rehashing Holiday Collections from years past. Sadly, this year, I ran out of time rather quickly and didn’t get a chance to do this post.

However, I surely hope you’ll have fun clicking through The Ghosts of Christmas Past Collections from prior years and also through Holiday 2007, 2008, and 2009 archives. I personally adore re-living my Holiday Makeup Past and I’m positive as a fellow makeup junkie you too will enjoy these past posts!

• The Ghosts of Christmas Past 2009 Edition
• The Ghosts of Christmas Past 2009 Round Up Edition
• The Ghosts of Christmas Past Collections
• Holiday Collections 2007
• Holiday Collections 2008
• Holiday Collections 2009

Happy Readin’!

Please do feel free to share some of your favorite “ghosts” from Christmas Past Collections!

The Muse got all kinds of hyped when she seen the new edition of the Bare Minerals Extreme Glimmers Kit available on Sephora today. In honor of my excitement I thought I’d give you a peep at last year’s collection. This particularly set is still available on QVC and probably on Sephora too but don’t quote me on that as I haven’t been over to check.

Take the jump for the pictures and review.

Read More...

The quest for the bloody snow crystal is still on peeps! Remember how our two heroes were searching for it in my last review?

Today, finally, I’m bringing you a review of Laneige The Snow Shimmer Brighter.

Jump ahead for the deets!

No one could legally dub a palette with a name like Laneige The Snow Shimmer Brighter…that’s right it’s not a brightener, it’s not a highlighter, it’s a “brighter”, only Asian cosmetics can get away with this stuff. Now the Muse hasn’t a clue what a brighter is but I promise it’s probably something seriously important in the cosmetic world, either that or maybe it was too much money to print brightener and they just left off a few letters, not a biggie, economy and such.

Anyway this is long overdo considering Laneige is off playing with the new Spring Collection, Art Play right now but the Muse got sidetracked around the Holidays and didn’t get all her reviews in at a timely manner. So deal with it! I’m doing a Holiday Collection review today, just sit there and smile nicely.

Now I’ve already reviewed the eye palettes in the Laniege Holiday Collection and this is actually the final piece. All kidding aside it’s a face powder obviously and a highlighter. I’ll be honest I purchased the whole collection because I’m very, very shallow and I like pretty packaging and designs. Which means if the makeup is crap the design and compact more than make up for that and instantly become the awesome.

But truthfully The Snow Shimmer Brighter is both beautiful and practical, if you consider practical me never wanting to use it because it’s too pretty. The powder comes in an identical black flip compact as the shadow palettes I reviewed a few weeks ago. The powder is housed on top with a compartment underneath for the brush and a nice full size mirror. The powder is a shimmering off white color with beautiful multicolored snowflakes embedded into it. Depending on how you stroke your brush across it you’ll end up with a teal, pink, coral, or green iridescent white shimmering finish. In most cases the shimmering is minimal and the product simply casts a highlighted glow onto cheeks and face. Very pretty to say the least.

The powder is probably too beautiful for true makeup junkies to want to use. Yes, yes I know the feeling, tuck it away in the beauty vault, keep it safe, wrap it in cotton, and take it out on a rare occasion to pet it and stroke it.

Overall, I was quite happy to have added this palette and both of the shadow palettes to my collection that was released with the Laneige Snow Collection for Holiday 2008. I wish I can recommend it to purchase but I’m doubtful it’ll be easy to find after my late review but keep your eyes peeled for it on Gmarket or Evil-bay! Maybe one will pop up or wait for next year when our heroes continue their quest for the Secret of the Snow Crystal!

One of my favorite collections from Holiday 2008 was the Cosme Decorte Magie Deco Coffret. I didn’t indulge in the Holiday 2007 version as it wasn’t nearly as gorgeous and glamorous as this year’s.

Do jump ahead for a peek!

Cosme Decorte Magie Deco Coffret was truly a glamorous collection and I instantly fell in love with it when I seen it on the site. The coffret contains three pieces for eyes, lips and face. I paid retail for the coffret which was around 6,300 yen, a true deal if I ever seen one.

The set includes:

Magie Deco Fairy Powder
Magie Deco Fairy Gloss R0660
Magie Deco Fairy Eyes GD040
Magie Deco Fairy Retractable Brush

The collection settled on gorgeous shimmering gold eyes, beautiful pouty ruby red lips, and a hint of shimmery face powder for it’s Holiday look. All these items are totally what the Muse looks for during the Holiday Season and she couldn’t be more pleased to have them bundled together in one set.

The Magie Deco Fairy Powder was the highlight of the collection. This was a striped higlighter that contains 5 separate colors ranging from soft muted beiges, to creams, and pinks. All the shades combined beautifully to create just a soft subtle shimmer on the face. The palette contains a heavy spray of golden shimmer on top but once wiped away it just leaves behind a very soft focused highlighter that can be used to brighten up the face and cheeks. The colors are way to light to use this as a blush so using blush prior to application is recommended.

The Magie Deco Fairy Eyes I’ve had the pleasure of using before and I must say I was quite happy to add the gold edition to my collection. This is a soft cream shadow that’s easy to blend and leaves behind a hint of true gold on lids. This is not a yellow gold but more of a true golden shade. It was rather a perfect color for the Holiday season in the Muse’s opinion.

Contrasting beautifully with golden eyes was the Magie Deco Fairy Gloss in R0660 which was a beautiful ruby red shade with hints of golden sparkle! The formula was nicely pigmented and left behind a beautiful finish however it wasn’t terribly glossy but more of a lip cream with a nice shimmery finish.

And finally the collection included a retractable brush for applying the highlighter!

I wish I had a chance to review this for you during the Holidays but I got a bit sidetracked and quite busy so I hope you’ll enjoy the photos and brief review of the coffret now.

Overall, this was the best coffret released from Cosme Decorte to date. I really like the simplicity of shimmering golden eyes followed up with a gentle subtly highlighted face and a nice pop of ruby on the lips.

I really quick look using the set!

I look forward to seeing what Cosme Decorte releases next year!

Anyone indulge in this coffret?

Loved it?

Tell the Muse!

Phew still hauling out the Holiday Collections and trying to get them all reviewed! How sad is it that the holidays are fully over and I’m still working my way through the makeup pile trying to pump out reviews?

Wanna visit Laneige Holiday 2008 with me today?

I’ve already wrote a review on the Laneige The Snow Eye Palette 02 and today I’m bringing you the 01 version. Yes, yes a bit out of sequence there but I was feeling the love for the 02 palette a little more than the 01 version.

02 was a cool, frosty pink looking affair with hints of golden shimmer and 01 is a bit darker, still cool none the less, with blues, golds, and a tiny hint of frosty silver white. I’m not going to go into great detail about the formula of the shadow or the texture as you can gleen most of that from the review I did prior to this on the other palette however I will say that I felt like these shades blended a little bit crummy when compared to the 02 palette. I had a harder time coming up with a good look using the navy blue and ended up just lining my lower lash line with the shade as it was too dark to really do anything else with. I find I like navy blue less and less lately, I’ve never had much of a problem with it in the past but as of late it just makes my eyes look old and tired. For the most part I believe they created the blue to use solely as a liner but I like to be a bit inventive and use the liner as a shadow and in some cases that works out well for me but for the most part I felt like the navy in this palette was just drowning my eyes out.

The palette is made up of a shimmering silver white shade which is used as a base, a sparkling gold which can be used to contrast the silver, and finally a navy blue liner shade. All the shades have a shimmer finish and are quite lovely however blending is a bit of a pain as the silver and gold just don’t go well together. Two shades I avoid mixing are silver and gold for some reason they seem like apples and oranges to me. I finally decided on using the silver as a base, the gold on my lid, and the blue as a liner for my bottom lash line. As you can see below it didn’t come out too badly but does kind of look messy.

I’m actually quite pleased with the palette overall so long as I don’t actually have to use the colors together to create a look. I think they’ll look great alone or maybe with other shades in my collection but together I wasn’t feeling the love.

Props for the awesome packaging and snowflake design. I loved the dual flip compact which has the shadows on top and a mirror and a compartment below to house the sponge and brush applicators. I’m also a big lover of the snowflake design which was extra pretty for the Holidays and even for just now during our deep winter.

All in all I love Laneige and aside from my rants here and there I was happy to add the Laneige The Snow Eye Palettes to my collection.

Love Laneige?

Love these palettes?

Tell the Muse!

Price cut coming at you pretties!

Check out the Stila Shine On Gift of Glaze Set at Sephora cut from $28 USD down to $22 USD sweet!

Jump ahead for swatches and the Muse’s babblings about this fine deal!

The Muse has LOTS of glosses and a good part of her collection is made up of Stila Lip Glaze! I love the packaging, I love the color selection, and I love the long wearing formula. Fab stuff, Stila Lip Glaze! I normally hate lip brushes with a passion but I’m regular fond of the lip brush applicator on Stila Lip Glaze. Twist up, slick on, and Bob’s your uncle! Beautiful pigmented shine! I absolutely adore I don’t have to stain my lips prior to use as the product is plenty pigmented to work on it’s own. It wears ALL day long as well which is a complete plus for lazy bums like myself who fail to touch up their makeup throughout the day!

Stila Shine On Gift Of Glaze was originally $28 USD for six glosses however it’s since been cut to $22 USD which is $3.50 USD or so a gloss. Can you seriously go wrong at that price?!

If you’re wanting to add to your growing pile of Stila Lip Glaze you’re going to want this awesome set or if you’ve never tried Stila Lip Glaze before you can afford to indulge in a set of six!

The gift set includes:

• Vanilla (Nude Pearl)
• Brown Sugar (Shimmering Golden Nude)
• Raisin (Shimmering Plum)
• Grapefruit (Frosty Pink)
• Apricot (Melon)
• Gumdrop (Bold Pink)

The shades range from cool to warm to suit any of your looks!

The Muse thinks it’s a rather awesome collection of glosses for a wee price tag. Pick it up at Sephora before it’s gone!

I know I’m such a cheese with all my Avon reviews lately but I can’t help but stop and say that Avon has vastly improved lately and I’ve embraced all the great new items they are offering item.

Recently when I seen the Jillian Dempsey for Avon Essential Beauty Palette I was kinda hopping around as I really liked what Jillian has pulled off for Avon lately. Away I went with indulging in one of the two palettes on offer, after all it promises me a full face of makeup in a cute little palette…who could resist?

Zomg! Bad idea Avon. No likey this palette at all!

I’m somewhat shocked in all honesty that this was such an epic fail. The Jillian Dempsey for Avon Essential Beauty Palette comes in a cool and warm version and run around $4.99-$7.99 per palette. The palette is a cute little cardboard flip design with a full size mirror and all the makeup you need for a complete look such as lipcreams, blush, shadows, and an applicator! Sweet.

Not so sweet.

The entire lot of makeup included in the palette is utterly, completely, and devastatingly bad. I’m not sure what went wrong as Jillian Dempsey is a rock star with her Avon creations but this was terribly wrong. The shadows included are both cream and apply sheer and streaky! The lip colors aren’t as bad but they aren’t easy to blend and just sit on your lips and finally the blush gives a tiny hint of color but isn’t nearly pigmented enough to create a wow inspiring look.

I’m pretty sad about this one! I think they honestly put effort into making it but didn’t anyone test it before they slapped it up for sell?

The Muse says:

No likey.

At all.

Dudes!

I’m at a meeting at the moment but we are having a quickie 10 minute break and I so had to tell you about the Lush Enchanted Holiday Gift Set available at Herald Square Lush.

If you’re in Manhattan right now you might want to pop into Lush Herald Square for a lookiee as it’s a steal and a deal!

I know, I know the Holidays are overs and the tree is put away already but who doesn’t love more Lush? How about Lush on sale?

Lush Herald Square has about 20 or so Enchanted Holiday Gift Sets left over from Christmas at the grand price of $16.50 USD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This hatbox was originally $65.95 USD during the Holidays!

So if you happen to be in New York at the moment and can head on over to Herald Square I highly suggest nabbing 1 or 2 or 3! It’s packed full of goodies for your bath!

Now I gotta go the brokers sitting at my table are a wondering what I am typing about so diligently…I imagine they think it’s important “business” stuff when in fact it’s about bath bombs!

teehee!

Keep it tuned here as updates are a coming soon!

Miss you all! Maybe I’ll see you at Lush Herald later today!

xoxo,
Your Muse

I’ve previously reviewed Majolica Majorca Gorgeous Wing mascara and hated it but I am a glutton for punishment so when I seen that MJ was releasing a brand new version of Lash Gorgeous Wing along with the Holiday Collection I quickly decided I had to have it!

Purchasing a new version of Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing was a no brainer for me considering that I fell in love with the promo image and of course had the desire to “dupe” the look of the model. The original release of Gorgeous Wing Mascara is a black version and what was released with the Majolica Majorca Holiday Collection was a limited edition golden brown version. I really found the effect interesting and unique on the model’s eyes and even though I hate fiber mascaras with a passion I quickly decided I had to try it for myself.

The bad and not so surprisingly news is Gorgeous Wing Mascara is just as crappy as the original release. I really can’t stand how this mascara feels on my lashes! Honestly, it’s so irritating as I go through the entire day feeling like I have an eyelash in my eye! ugh! The fibers get somehow trapped under my upper waterline and make me feel like I have something in my eye which makes for a rather long day of trying not to rub my eyes.

It’s understandable why the mascara is so popular with the Asian market though as it does “feather” lashes as it promises. I think this appeals as many Asian girls have shorter, stubbier lashes and they desire more length and volume, it can’t be denied that this gives both but I’m not too big a fan of the fluffy, feather like feel of my lashes. It’s rather unusual but it feels like I’m wearing a really soft, soft pair of false lashes after use.

Now the entire “golden brown” effect doesn’t entirely work and you’ll have to look rather closely at my lashes to see anything golden or brown about them. This doesn’t really disappoint and I’m not ranting simply because many colored mascaras fail to work very well. Even Urban Decay Big Fatty Color doesn’t really do much for turning your lashes completely a different color. So really it doesn’t bug me very much as I’m not really surprised at the lack of pigmentation of the formula but I did have hopes as the model in the promotional images does have rather nice golden brown lashes.

Overall, I think I’m just generally pissy about the fact that I simply don’t like fiber mascaras and the irritating feeling that I have something in my eye!

I actually will say it’s probably worth checking out if you a. love fiber mascaras or b. have shorter, stubbier lashes.

Personally it’s a losing situation and I’ve learned that twice is plenty enough to try this out so if anymore versions are released I best keep away! Can someone write this down and remind me of it when the next MJ promo goes live and introduces some new style of Gorgeous Wing? K, thanks. I just need to be reminded in the future how much I truly dislike this one!

Lover of Gorgeous Wing?

Hater?

Lover of fiber mascaras?

Hates ‘em?

Tell the Muse!

But of course the Muse’s is the fairest of them all!

Ok, maybe not. I probably made that up but I happen to be a legend in my own mind…that counts for something right?

Speaking of mirrors you can nab yourself a super steal at the moment as the Too Faced Mirror Mirror Lip Gloss Set is currently hitting pay dirt over @ Sephora!

Check it….

The Muse has a certain fondness…ok…PASSION for Too Faced Mirror Mirror Gloss! Loves this stuff. Alot. Possibly thee best lipgloss I’ve tried in a while. I’ve already reviewed it here on Musings but it’s well worth a re-mention as it’s currently on sale at Sephora.

Nab yourself a four pack of Too Faced Mirror Mirror Gloss for $21 USD! That’s $5.25 per a gloss and well worth it in the Muse’s humble opinion. This is a perfect excuse to try the gloss out if you haven’t already plus nab a variety of colors. Or if you’re already a fan what’s not to love about the price tag? Hello, perfectly cheap so nice to see you around here darling!

Too Faced Mirror Mirror Gloss lives up to it’s name giving lips a mirror like shine that’s intensely glossy, ultra moisturizing, and might I say super shiny! This gloss is truly one holy grail material. Simply love it.

Nab yours now for $21 USD @ Sephora, totally Muse Approved for purchase! You can thank me later for introducing you to this “can’t live without it” lipgloss! If you’re feeling particularly generous pick up a few for V-Day gifts for friends! That’s what the Muse did!

This Muse is still in Holiday mode! How about you? Doesn’t it kinda sorta feel like it’s still the holiday?

Feels like it to me…which is why I am still diving into my Holiday stash to bring you some more Holiday Collection reviews. You don’t mind if I get my Christmasy grove on tonight with a partial review of the Majolica Majorica I Am Gorgeous Holiday Collection do you?

*wink* I knew you wouldn’t mind!

Allow me, if I may, to introduce you to the Majolica Majorca Majolumina Powder in a Puff.

Sweet right?

Well….good news and bad news….

Good news first!

The good news is these are definitely cute. No denying that. The packaging is simply adorable, the design is fantastic, and just the general idea of the product is rather brilliant and sweet. The cannisters are quite a nice size and are decorated with a slightly vintage flair featuring cute little fairies and elegant script. Inside you’ll find a puff that’s full of shimmer and sparkle for face, body, cheeks, or wherever you want to add a bit of glittery goodness. The general idea of the product is super and I hate to break into the bad news and the poor part of my review but that I must do sadly.

You’ve heard all the good…here’s the bad…..

First problem is the packaging. I was very disappointed that the canisters are made out of flimsy thin paper…sheesh couldn’t MJ splurge for some heavy duty cardboard? I have to be super careful where I store these or what I store on top of them for that matter as they are extremely delicate and will crush easily and I’m sure, given time, they will begin to show signs of wear and tear. How sad.

Now the idea of a puff that has powder in it isn’t my fav type of product in the world. Remember Benefit Kitten Goes to Paris Powder Puff? I just generally hate products like this because they are used up so easily without the product ever touching the skin. What I mean is the shimmer falls off the puff, ends up in the bottom of the packaging, etc…it’s sorta wasted…Now the puff is darling but it’s actually quite small. Although the canister is a generous side the actual puff is about half the size or less when compared to it’s housing. I dunno why but this disappoints me. I wanted the puff to be a half way decent size and this just seems sorta puny. I will say that the puff is nice, thick and quite soft and it’s attached ribbon is very cute but it’s size leaves a bit to be desired.

More ranting ahead….

After applying the powder to the back of my arm I was pretty disappointed that it gave only a tad bit of sparkle. I guess this could be considered good for the shimmer haters but I love shimmer and I expected a bit of a better finish. The puff comes in a silver and gold version and I will say that the gold had alot more going for it than the silver. The overall finish of the gold was nice and shimmery and not as dull as the silver version.

After all is said and done I do think that these are worth picking up if you’re a collector of Majolica Majorca. I love all the releases and I admit to a rant here and there but I don’t regret adding them to my collection. Unfortunately I do question whether or not the 1,365 yen per pot was really worth it. Honestly, the cost is way high due to the flimsy packaging and disappointing quality overall of the product.

Stay tuned….I’ll be bringing you a review of the rest of the Majolica Majorca I Am Gorgeous Collection soon!

Although the Muse absolutely adores her Dior Night Diamond All Over Diamond Dust Powder and strokes it lovingly, and tells it how pretty is is, and reminds it how much she cares about….what was I saying?

Oh yea!

Although I simply adore my Dior Night Diamond I’m a little disappointed that the price has been completely chopped down!

The Muse paid a whopping $80 USD for the compact and it’s now down to $59 USD….le sigh. I feel rather badly that I shelled out so much and now it’s down over $20 bucks! That stinks! I’m contemplating calling Sephora and asking for a refund.

Although the Muse felt it was well worth it’s costly price tag, the good news is if you didn’t originally take advantage of it at full price you can now get it at a considerably savings!

Happy Shopping!

The Muse would never admit it but she has one too many pretty face powders. Pretty face powders are somehow her downfall and she can’t resit ones that sparkle, shimmer, or are just generally pretty.

Of course when she laid eyes on the Art Deco Holiday Collection one of the first items that jumped up and bit her on the butt was the Art Deco Glamorous Highlighter.

Oy vey…another shimmering powder to add to the big stash growing in this Muse’s vault! But hey a girl can never have one too many right? Just nod yes to make your Muse feel more comfortable about her obsession!

I guess we can chalk Art Deco Glamorous Highlighter up as being a really good deal considering it can be used as both a highlighter and an eyeshadow palette! W00t! That means I don’t feel nearly as guilty as I normally would adding it to my beauty vault of obscene powders.

The palette consists of three warm shades that range from a creamy vanilla, a light brown with hints of peach, and a coffee brown shade. The colors aren’t really anything to get too excited about and I was actually a tiny bit scared to bother using them on my face as they look like they might be a bit muddy once combined. Although the shades start out as shimmery it sadly ends up quite matte as the powder contains a fine layer of shimmer that quickly disappears after use. Oh well so much for pretty shimmering powder!

The powder actually worked quite well as both a blush and a highlighter as it was pigmented enough to give my cheeks a little pinch of a peachy finish. I haven’t tried it on my eyes yet but I think it’ll work equally as nicely as a sheer wash of shadow for the days I’m too lazy to do a complete look. In the photo below I’m wearing the highlighter on my cheeks

All in all the only disappointing factor was the lack of shimmer after just one use but by now I am used to products being sprayed down with a top layer of shimmer considering most Japanese palettes and compacts favor this method to make a particular item appealing and pretty. Even without shimmer the powder successfully creates a nice, natural finish on the face.

I think it’s kinda worth tracking down if you’re interested in collecting obscure European cosmetic compacts or you just love powders in general like the Muse! I’m not Muse Approving it for purchase but I will say I did like it overall.

Don’t quote the Muse but she recently tried Avon Glazewear Diamonds Eye Color and she had thought this was a new product for the Avon Holiday Collection (yeah, yeah I’m still in Holiday mode here, sue me!) but I think maybe that the color I tried might have been new for the collection and not the actual product. Ok anyway…little bit more info that you’d be interested to know there but I just wanted to clear that up before getting onto the review stage of this process.

Honestly, put diamonds and any cosmetic name after or before it and the Muse gets hyper…diamond lipstick, diamond gloss, diamond powder….I mean seriously doesn’t diamond just make everything look extra special? Dontcha just want it after you hear diamond attached to it?

So when I heard Avon Glazewear Diamonds Eye Color I was all about it. Diamond? That had to mean it would shimmer and sparkle and shine! Oh yes I need diamonds to make all my holiday looks complete plus it’s cheap at $7 USD!

Umm I found out I really didn’t need diamonds after all sadly….

I tried out Avon Glazwear Diamonds Eye Color in Pure Silver and I must say the excitement and prospects of a silvery liquid color had my mind turning to mush and my heart throbbing in excitement. I think what really had me going was the chance that maybe Avon Glazewear Diamonds Eye Color could be the next Visee Aqua Shining Eyes. I’m a self confessed hater of liquid and cream shadows but I do so admit that as of late I’ve given some a chance and really loved ones I’ve tried. I had pretty high hopes for this product as lately Avon hasn’t failed at really delighting me with some of it’s newest releases.

Sadly, all my hopes and dreams of an awesome liquid shadow were quickly dashed upon application. Avon Glazewear Diamonds Eye Color may have the potential for greatness but somewhere along the line the formula fails miserably. I had to strain myself to build up color for decent coverage and even after several layers the shadow still looked sheer. The formula dries down considerably slower than normal liquid shadows which makes blending a real treat but that doesn’t excuse the lack of pigmentation nor does it make up for the fact that the final, finished dry down is a complete nightmare of a mess. Blending was a bit of a problem simply because the product streaks around the eye big time. The dry down is slow which makes blending easy however the streaking causes a problem of having to apply layer after endless layer to get a very sheer finish. Ugh! Frustrating! The finished results are more of problem as the product dries down to a flaky, cracking, creasing hot mess. Finished results looked like I had nothing on at all but upon closer inspection you can make out smears of shadow all over my eye that looks like I slapped it on without properly blending it when in fact I just spent the last 15 minutes applying one hundred layers of this stuff and blending until my little finger hurt.

Here I am wearing about five hundred layers of Avon Glazewear…mmmm..very sheer as you can see!

Anyway.

The moral of this story is the Muse can’t help but be let down by Avon Glazewear Diamonds Eye Color. I was kinda sorta hoping for something special especially considering I’ve had such wonderful luck lately with Avon! Sadly, I really didn’t like this and I was somewhat shocked at all the raving, glowing reviews on the Avon site for the product because I honestly thought it wasn’t great at all.

This one the Muse isn’t feeling this one sadly but she still hearts other Avon goodies!