Musings of a Muse

theBalm has updated it’s collection with a few Spring releases that may interest you!

I was particularly impressed with the new mascara they released which is very close to the design of Fairy Drops Mascara (Click!) that I had previously reviewed. This is a dual sided mascara which offers an end for volume and end that will separate and plump lashes! The mascara is $19 USD and available from Sephora right now!

Also introduced is the Sexy Mama Translucent Powder which is an invisible blotting powder to absorb excess oil! I love the cute retro print on the cover! Cute right? This is $18 USD and available now as well!

Lastly is to the Rescue Lip Treatment which is $14 USD. The gloss is completely vegan and the sale of each balm goes to the rescue of Pugs. The gloss is a clear lip treatment that conditions and protects lips!

All in all some very nice releases from theBalm. I’m a sucker for their cute packaging!

Want any of these?
Love them?

Tell the Muse

More Stila from Japan!

Apparently these Stila Illuminating Treatment Powders are big in Japan or at least that’s what Stila says. Stila has been introducing different cosmetic bits that were once available in Japan only over the course of the last few months. Adding to that they have introduced this mineral based powder for a lighter coverage. It also supposedly contains a cooling agent which sounds interesting! I really find water-based, cooling foundations interesting!

This is available now from Stila for $45 USD!

Hey guys!

I wanted to share this exciting news with you last week when I originally got it but I was too busy to recreate the look so I didn’t want to post it without my spin on it!

One of the key makeup artists at Shu Uemura, Misumi Kitano, created a gorgeous exclusive face chart for readers of Musings of a Muse using the brand new Rebirth Collection! I was lucky enough to nab some of the Rebirth Collection for myself and it’s delightfully Spring-like!

I didn’t have everything that was used in the face chart so I improvised with some stuff from my own collection!

What was used in the face chart:

Cheeks:
Glow on Harmonious Orange

Lips:
Rouge Unlimited in Dewy Beige

Eyes:
Rocket Eye Pencil Energy Flow
Pristine Green Eyeshadow
Precise Volume Mascara Black

My dup of the face chart:

What I Used:

Cheeks:
Milani Mineral Blush in Mai-Tai

Eye
Shu Uemura Rocket Eye Pencil in Aqua Flow
Shu Uemura Pristine Green Eyeshadow
MAC Pigment in Charteuse
Fairy Drops Mascara

Lips
Smashbox O-Gloss
Urban Decay Lip Envy in Envious

I’m happy to say that I got a chance to sample some of the Rebirth Collection from Shu and it’s quite gorgeous. It’s one of the few Collections that is very light and Spring-like! Many collections this year went for very bold and dramatic colors that didn’t completely suit my taste for Spring but Shu came out with a beautiful range of soft Spring colors such as greens and yellows that are sure to suit the upcoming warmth of Spring! The title of the Collection is quite fitting as each spring their is a Rebirth and regrowth of life around us! Flowers, Trees, Etc…the colors and the name are well suited!

The highlight of the collection for me are the rather awesome stackable tri color pencils. These come in three colors that are stackable to create one easy to carry pencil. These are a very creamy pencil that can be applied as an all over color or an eyeliner! Two color combinations are available which are Energy Flow and Aqua Flow. Both sets include three color selections for $20 USD. These trios are Limited Edition.

Overall, the collection is quite lovely and worth having a look at! The Muse loved recreating the look from the face chart Misumi created for Musings! A big thank you to Misumi for taking time out to design the chart!

Check out Shu’s Rebirth Collection at the Shu Uemura Website.

If you’d like to copy the face chart and do your own creation and share it with the Muse and readers of Musings of a Muse do e-mail it to me at Musings.of.a.Muse@gmail.com!

Click here to read my recent review of the Shu Uemura Mini Lash Curler!

Click to read my review on Shu Uemura’s Gloss Lacquers!

Click here to read how I fell head over heels in love with Shu’s Lash Curler!

Bare Escentuals has a new QVC exclusive kit available for $45 USD entitled Tropical Paradise. This looks interesting although the price is scaring me slightly! You may recall me ranting previously about the slight increase that I’ve noticed in BE as of late.

The set includes 7 items total which are:

• Citron Glimmer
• Beach Goddess Glimmer
• Mineral-Infused Lip Guard Tropical Beach
• Allover Face Color in Tropical Radiance
• Tapered Shadow Brush
• Angled Face Brush
• White Resort Makeup Sunglass Case

Rant, rant, rant goes the Muse. $45 USD normally gets me a hell of a lot more from BE then 7 items but ok I guess. This collection looks promising aside from the price! I’m loving the aqua bluish tint of Beach Goddess and I think it complements the yummie yellow shade perfectly!

Honestly, I’m not bothering myself purchasing the set but I will defintely hound around E-bay in search of the two glimmers as they appear to be the best of the lot of items in the kit!

If you’d like to order it type in Item Number A71589 at QVC.

Want it?

Wish Listing it?

Skipping?

Tell the Muse!

Click here to read my first impressions of BE’s Classic Rock Collection!

Click here to read a review of BE’s Beautifully Luminous Lashes!

Click here to read my first impressions of the BE Platinum Collection!

Click here to read my review of the BE Lippie Set!

Oh yaaaaaaaaaaa!

The Muse got the new Mini Shu Eyelash Curler and it’s all that and a bag of chips…mmm…..I don’t really like chips…it’s all that and some double chocolate chip cookies! w00t! Much better!

Ok so I got this today and when I first slid it out of the box I quickly realized it was a heck of alot smaller then my standard Shu Curler! My god are they skimping on me!? Have no fear the size actually works to your advantage when you’re using this bad boy. I guess that’s why they named it Mini right?

I should mention that I’ve somehow become retarded when using this! It’s like learning to ride a bike without training wheels. Your standard Shu Curler can be compared to riding around town on your ultra awesome bike with some training wheels on for safety where as the new mini eyelash curler is riding around minus the training wheels. I had to relearn how to curl my lashes tonight. I’m sincerely stupid because it took me about 20 minutes of messing with this thing before I got a knack for using it. Now I have mad skills and I went from amateur to awesome in 20 minutes! 20 minutes well spent my friends because I almost poked my eye out a few times there.

In all seriousness it does take a bit of practice to get a feel for using this but once you’ve become one with your Mini Curler it’ll open a whole new world for you! I’m seriously impressed with the fact that I can get the pesky inner lashes and curl them up in a snap! Don’t get me wrong my old standard size Shu curler can easily capture every single lash in one go but sometimes, on a rare occasion it does miss some of my inner lashes! Now I can slip my mini curler right in to take over the job and curl up any loose ends!

Now as I was saying my standard Shu Curler already does everything I need it too so why do I need a mini version?

The mini version gives me doe eyes! This is fabulous for curling the outer corner lashes while leaving your inner lashes straight! This will give you that doe or doll effect! That flare at the outer corner of your eye really creates a beautiful, unique look!

Ahh the perfect doll look!

If you happen to have very small, stubby lashes this should be a perfect tool for curling with. I have very full lashes so I can use this for creating unique, precise looks something not easily accomplished with my regular Shu curler however if my lashes were a bit stubby or short this is a very good precision curler for pulling them up, out, and giving volume and curl to pesky, short lashes!

As I mentioned earlier the size is quite small but it doesn’t take away from the comfort level. It fits snugly, securely and naturally between your fingers and the size actually helps with the precision of curling! It’s such a good size that it offers your hand the stability to do your work while holding fast and steady! The size also accounts for the fact that you’re applying a bit more effort when curling with this. You need to work this gently against your lash line as it’s tricky to use at first so the size makes the transaction a bit easier!

Shu’s Mini Curler beside the standard Shu Curler (Pictured from Left to Right)

My regular Shu Curler never gives me a problem with pinching but the mini version is even better with that to be honest. Occasionally I align my regular curler incorrectly, squeeze down, and get a mighty fine pinch! At no fault of the curler but my own clumsy efforts when curling! Duh! It’s unlikely you’ll experience that when using the Mini version since you’ll be curling your lashes in sections which makes for good precise work and less ouch!

Overall, I love this thing and happy to have it in my beauty arsenal!

My regular Shu Curler is the Cadillac of curlers so we’ll dub the mini as the BMW of mini curlers!

You can click your heals over to Shu’s website and grab one for your very own! $17USD gets you a very cute curler that works a treat to say the least!

Visit Shu Uemra’s Website by clicking here!

The Mini Eyelash Curler from Shu is most definately Muse Approved!

Got this already?

Love it?

Want it?

Tell the Muse!

Read all about my ravings for the original Shu Curler by clicking here!

It’s that time of the year when many Asian brands introduce new pieces to their base cosmetic line ups!

Ettusais has updated it’s website with it’s new base makeup and their limited edition compacts caught my eye in particular!

I have a special place in my heart for Japanese foundation compacts, especially any releases that Sofina puts out.

These two compacts caught my eyes as they are so gorgeously Spring!

Each compact is 1000 yen plus an additional 3150 yen for a foundation cake. I’m thinking I might get the compacts to put my Raycious powder in!

Pretty!