Musings of a Muse

Hey guys!

If you’ve been reading my little blog for a while now chances are you realize what a crumb I am with e-mails. It’s gotten considerably worst as my blog has grown up. I apologize in a major way if you’ve written to me and are still awaiting my reply. It’s no excuse but I am rubbish at organizing my inbox and it’s overflowing (literally) with unread e-mails that I seriously need to go through!

Which is why I decided to create a little open mic post! So here it is, my comment box is open and I’m ready for your dying questions. Post ‘em below and I’ll answer them all personally.

Wanna know my favorite color? Favorite concealer? What I think of a certain cosmetic brand? Where I shop? What I had for dinner yesterday? Favorite skincare? How to use some makeup item or another?

Ask away and I’ll answer!

Happy posting!

Looking forward to talking to you all soon!

Join me this week as my love affair with Korres Natural Products continues! At this point I won’t be happy until I tried out the entire line and taken over the Korres world. It’s empire shall be mine!

If you missed some of my most recent love do hop on over to see what I’ve been raving on and on about and then jump ahead to my latest review of Korres Yoghurt Moisturizing Mask.

Korres White Tea Facial Fluid Gel Cleanser Review

Korres Body Butter In Quince Review

Korres Yoghurt Mask…god doesn’t that sound bloody brilliant? “Yoghurt…” I feel like I’m in England! Damn Americans we ruin the language..we forgot the “h” somewhere when the word traveled across the pond.

Anyway.

Korres Yoghurt Mask is a soothing, cooling, mask meant to hydrate oily skin that feels dehydrated. Whoa…that was way technical for the Muse…how does oily skin feel dehydrated? I’m so confused.

But have no fear…..I tried it the past week or so and it’s working on my DRY not so oily, dehydrated skin. I’ve never found a moisture mask that I really liked or one that worked for that matter. In the case of Korres Yoghurt Mask it does technically deliver a good dose of much needed moisture to my skin but it also successfully makes my already dry skin feel a bit tighter after I wash it off.

The formula is a creamy moisturizing blend that has little to no scent and contains good for you ingredients like yoghurt, watercress extract, vitamin E, and olive oil. Simply apply a layer of the mask onto skin and wait for 10-15 minutes prior to rinsing off.

It feels rather wonderful on my skin and I was particularly delighted that it absorbed fully as I waited for 15 minutes. After washing off I was equally thrilled at how moist my face was feeling but sadly after I dried off my skin began to feel a bit on the tight side which triggered my need to slather myself in good night cream to avoid the oncoming dryness I knew was about to crop up.

I don’t blame the product because in this case I believe that it’s my own silly skin causing the problems as I’m already quite dry with the cold weather and this is meant for oily skin. I’m looking forward to giving this another test out and a new review in the Summer when my skin is alot less dry and a whole lot oily!

It deserves to be mentioned that the formula is amazingly skin friendly and contains 83.2% Natural ingredients while excluding all of the following preservatives and chemicals:

Mineral Oil
Silicons
Parabens
Alcohol
Animal by Products (not tested on animals either)
Synthetic dye
Sulfates

See more below:

I’m pretty impressed with how far Korres has taken the “natural” product rage and I’m equally impressed with how well everything has worked for me in the collection. I’ll definately be exploring the line more deeply and bringing you more reviews soon.

Anyone tried Korres Yoghurt Mask?

Did you like it?

What your fav Korres products?

Do share!

Allow me, if I may, to introduce you to two of the four new shades of Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils.

Ohhhh greens and aquas just make me shiver in excitement! Urban Decay Spring 2009 is really shaping up to be something special as I’m testing it out this week and of course I was quite happy about new shades of the 24/7 liner! We all know how I feel about them don’t we?

I think there was some general confusion afoot about the release of two of the shades that this Muse happened to fall in love with instantly. The two shades I’m speaking about are Flipside and Graffiti but before I get into details allow me to give a brief rave about Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils.

Variety people, tis the spice of life. I really haven’t come across a better variety of awesome colors in an eye pencil like these particular eyeliners! They have a dreamy, creamy, formula that wears so amazingly well and literally melts onto your eye! I’m particularly thrilled about the selection of bolder, brighter colors to pair up with my vibrant eye shadows for a stunning look! I can go on all day about the incredible formula but if you’re wanting more deets do check out my review on Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencils by clicking here!

As I mentioned earlier on in the post I did hear some general confusion about the new color selections as people felt they were comparable to two colors previously released and available in the general catalog at the moment. Covet and Electric are the colors I am speaking about. I thought I’d clear up that Flipside and Graffiti are nothing like either Covet or Electric. Indeed the shades are somewhat similar but not an exact dupe of each other and in saying as such I do believe that picking up the newer shades, Flipside and Graffiti, is well worth your time.

Comparing Flipside to Electric you’ll notice that Flipside is a deeper teal blue shade heavy on the aqua base where as Electric is a more true aqua that’s brighter and lighter. Comparing Covet to Graffiti it’s easy enough to see that Covet is a deeper, smokier forest green where as Graffiti is bright true green.

As you can see from my swatches below the shades each have distinct personality and are quite individually unique.

If you’re want the best eye pencil around, look no further. Waterproof, creamy, dreamy, and simply gorgeous! The Muse Approves in a major way!

I’m absolutely loving Graffiti and Flipside at the moment and looking forward to creating some stunningly loud Spring looks with both!

Visit Urban Decay to check out the entire 24/7 line up and don’t forget to check out Ransom and Underground, the other two shades released for Spring ’09!

Are these on your Spring wishy list?

Tell the Muse!

It’s a little over a month now since New Year’s has rung in but the Muse is all about a New Year, a New Me or in this case a New Year, a New You!

To celebrate the New Year the Muse wants to help you along your path to creating a brand new you and what better way to do it than creating some makeup resolutions!

You may have made a resolution to downsize this year, or you might have said you’ll organize better, or perhaps you promised yourself that you’d rid yourself of the old and get yourself some new items that needed replacing!

Whatever the case may be I’d love to be of service!

How about I help with replacing some of those old makeup brushes that you’ve been meaning to toss out? The Muse has a 5 piece set of Eco-Tool Brushes to give away and a full size, retractable Kabuki Brush. Want ‘em?

It’s easy! Simply submit your name in the widget below (not in the comment field as you won’t be entered to win if you put your information in the comment box) and you’ll be entered to win one of the two prizes I just listed!

Sweet right? What better way to start on your resolution then with a new set of brushes!

EcoTools are 100% Cruelty Free makeup brushes made from synthetic bristles (so soft and lovely on the face!). The handles of the brushes are made of quality bamboo plant which has a low impact on the earth’s resources as it is a highly sustainable plant. EcoTools is a pretty nice way to improve your stash of makeup brushes and help your planet.

You can learn more about EcoTools by visiting my EcoTools5 Piece Brush Set Review or visit www.parispresents.com for furhter information about the EcoTools brush collection and where to buy EcoTools.

As always this contest is open to both US and International readers.

It all started with black licorice. But not being satisfied with just black, Philosophy had to go and tempt the Muse with red licorice.

You may or may not know it but Philosophy Red Licorice Shower Gel has been around a few months now but just recently popped it’s pretty head into Sephora so of course upon seeing it at Sephora the Muse was all about picking it up and trying it out for herself.

And boy oh boy is it good. You needs it now please.

Philosophy Red Licorice is a dead on dupe for that pack of Twizzlers you probably reach for when you’re out at movie with friends or when you want a quick low calorie snack. It’s amazing how accurately they captured the scent. Strawberry sweetness mixed with that slightly plastic scent that the Muse associates with red licorice makes for an amazingly luscious shower gel!

Truly this one is a keeper!

How much can possibly be said in a review of a shower gel right? I won’t rave on and on and on but I will say that I think you really need to try this one especially if you’re a lover of sweeter scents or absolutely adore red licorice.

Loves this one!

Philosophy Shower Gels offer plenty of luxurious suds and can be used on your hair, in your bath, or in your shower! Multitasking with red licorice? Likey.

Snag this one!

It’s Muse Approved for purchase in a major way!

Tried it already?

Loves it?

Tell the Muse!

Last week I was wandering around Pursebuzz when I noticed she had posted a Free Shipping coupon code for FaceFront Cosmetics. After visiting the site I kinda got all hyped up from the really nice promo images and decided to order.

Hey, free shipping plus cool makeup pictures gets me excited what can I say?

Upon visiting Face Front’s site I kinda got hyped over the lack of variety. I know, weird right? The Muse excited about a small amount of product…what’s the world coming too?

Read on to hear more about my haul and impressions!

The lack of variety at FaceFront did relieve me somehow. Whenever I log onto some of these mineral sites I’m presented with an obscene amount of product which causes me to quickly close my browser. The Muse knows her compulsive nature and she’ll end up adding one of each color available when presented with THAT much variety.

Hold me, I’m scared.

Seriously, all that selection is sincerely awesome but it’s just a little bit too much sometimes. So relief was definitely one emotion I was feeling when I seen that FaceFront had a nice selection of product but not every single shade known to man (and some unknown). Phew! After exploring a bit I was impressed with the bolder shades of blushes and shadows and felt like they were quite unique from other e-tailers so I decided I might as well order.

I got my order within a few days all wrapped up tight. I selected two blushes and three shadows to start my journey and was pleased when they arrived in generous size jars. The blushes were $16 USD each and the shadows were $10 USD. The blushes are 0.03 gram jars and have a healthy amount of product inside so I didn’t think $16 was too bad a deal. I was disappointed though upon seeing my order that the swatches were terribly inaccurate on the site but I was happy how vibrant the shades were. I suppose this line isn’t for everyone as the shades are bright and quite bold but I do think quite workable with a lighter hand. I was quite pleased with both blushes, although they are easily duped from the Aromaleigh Rocks Collection that I indulged in a few months ago. But regardless I still liked them and I think I’ll consider ordering a few other shades. The colors I choose were Buenos Aires and Full of Ferocity. Buenos Aires is a bright orange that appears peach on my cheeks and Full of Ferocity is a coral red, dominant on the red please which gives my cheeks a just pinched look.

FaceFront and Aromaleigh Blush Comparison

Being quite pleased with the blushes I was excited about trying the shadows out but sadly they aren’t as up to par with other minerals I’ve tried. You may like these if you like a sheer shadow wash otherwise I don’t suggest them as they aren’t too pigmented and color rubs off quite easily. The formula is a very fine powder which could be why the powder fails to adhere to the eyelid well. I got three total colors and all of these were quite sheer when applied and not as pigmented as I was hoping for. The colors I tried were Ice Melt, Razzle, and Blushing. All three are stunning in the packaging just not so great formula wise. Ice Melt is a golden shimmer which morphs into an icy iridescent pearl, Razzle is a shimmering cranberry shade, and Blushing is pink with touches of peach shimmer.

All in all the company does have some nice items, in particular the blushes, I’m pretty interested in returning for a second order to see if the other shadows are of better formulation than the ones I ended up selecting. I am considering more blushes as well since these were a nice item. It wasn’t the best mineral e-tailer I’ve tried but it had a few items worth looking at.

I’ll be doing some FOTD’s shortly with these items so you can see what they look like on.

How about you?

Ever tried FaceFront Cosmetics?

What mineral e-tailers do you love?

Tell the Muse!

Just a friendly note from your Muse about Asian Spring Collections, currency, and other general babblings about saving your money.

I know quite a few of you have recently e-mailed me about how exciting you’re finding the Lunasol Spring Collection and I totally agree it’s very, very nice. I have my eye on a few items from Lunasol at the moment, Jill Stuart, and a few other high street Japanese brands however I am playing it safe at the moment as the yen is very strong.

At the moment a palette of 5,600 yen will be jacked up at nearly $10 with the current conversion rate. Wince. It’s not only USD that’s feeling the brunt, if you’re converting from Singaporean dollar or sterling at the moment it comes to almost the same amount only off by a mere $1 USD and some change. I do urge you to wait if you’re purchasing items that aren’t LE at the moment as the conversion rate really does drain the pockets.

This is of course in terms of direct purchasing from Japan and not going through a secondary online shopping party. I noticed that palettes are racing up to $75 USD at certain online shops which I really find intense and a tiny bit absurd. The Muse loves herself some makeup but $75 per a palette…that’s a bit much.

Korean Won looks particularly gloomy as well but remains at a 100% return on the US dollar which is perfectly fine in my opinion however I do expect a tiny bit more on my dollar when converting and became a bit spoiled with that aspect but at least I’m not losing money during the conversion which is always a plus.

TWD, SGD, and Sterling are iffy at best. Particularly sterling, as always, converts like rubbish but not too severe.

Well anyway I can go on and on I fear but the moral of the story is at the moment if you’re shopping Spring Collections abroad do take into consideration your current conversion rate, stop, think, and ask yourself if you really need it right now or if it can wait until currency conversions are looking a tiny bit better. If it’s LE I do suggest snapping it up but if it’ll be around you can always wait a bit and get it later on.

Of course, I should take my own advice in this but the Muse is known for wanting instant gratification when it comes to makeup and she fears she’ll give in to her urges prior to thinking about it which will bite into a large chunk of her Spring Collection budget! Yak! Groan!

How’s your currency converting at the moment?

Yay or Nay?

Tell the Muse!

Lavshuca has updated it’s website with the new Spring Collection but the Muse is sadly confused considering she can’t navigate it too well at the moment.

Most of the collection is hid away somewhere deep in the website and I don’t have the time or the patience to look through it however the Muse highly suggests visiting with Kanebo directly to see what the deets are or seeing my other post about Lavshuca Spring 2009.

I did want to mention that the puffy girls are looking quite fluffy today..or is it me? I like the straightened hair but I’m unsure if this is the look for this particularly promo.

Hmmmm oh well random Musings from a Muse!

As I mentioned in my previous post I’ll probably avoid a majority of what is being released aside from one of the new palettes. I honestly fail to feel any excitement for Lavshuca lately as it’s too much of a rerun.

I keep hope that Summer will bring something exciting enough to keep me pacified enough to stop ranting about the lack of imagination lately with Lavshuca’s releases.

How about you?

Hauling any of it for yourself?

Tell the Muse!

Hey guys!

I know I’ve gotten a few questions about subscribing to comments and there was some confusion about how to do this since I started using a comment box here on Musings.

Just see the diagram below for easy to follow instructions so you can post and receive replies in your inbox when I or someone else comments! There were also a few questions on commenting if you didn’t have an account and yes, of course you can comment if you don’t have an account, see below for details as well.

Bob’s your uncle, Fanny’s your auntie. That’s about the gist of it folks. Easy, One, Two, Threesy!

Hope this answers your questions!

I suppose the Spring isn’t always about pastel shades. I can’t help but think light and airy for Spring but that’s not the case with most collections releasing this year and year’s past. I imagine most brands aren’t of the same frame of mind as the Muse and when they think Spring they think time for a “tropical holiday” and time to beat the cold and embrace the warmth of a warm vacation on an island somewhere with the sun beating down on our heads and the smell of colitas rising up through the air…oh wait…that’s a song isn’t it?

Sorry I meant to say the warm smell of tanning lotion!

Yea, well you’re either an Eagles fan and loved it or didn’t get it at all.

Moving on….

Sephora has embraced that warm, tropical feeling with it’s brand new collection entitled Moroccan Sunrise.

The Muse say…whoa likey!

I honestly have no love loss for Sephora Brand cosmetics but I do generally love how hard they try when they do release an interesting collection so be the case with the Sephora Moroccan Sunrise Collection, it truly is rather gorgeous.

The general fanfare is included with the release including brush sets, makeup bags, and the odd little cosmetic bit and bob such as a mirror and atomizer. However, what really caught my attention was the entire makeup part of the collection. It all looks quite nice and dare I say indulge-able. Is that even a word? Well I deem it a word, place it in your Musepedia of words and phrases this Muse uses.

I personally think they went a bit too far with the fanfare items and left the color makeup part of the collection lacking. We all know that the huge selection of Moroccan themed makeup bags will end up on clearance quickly enough so why bother releasing so many? They should have expanded further on the makeup line up in my humblest as this is really quite nice.

The collection is tiny as you can see and understand why I’m ranty now. It includes a gold powder, a beautiful eye palette, and a few lipglosses. If I were Sephora I’d have done some blushes, maybe an eyeliner or two in sunny shades, and perhaps some lipsticks. They actually did pretty well with what they did release however a blush would have been superb but hey we can’t haz it all can we?

The fluff pieces:

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about adding that eye palette and bronzer too my wish list! Hmmmm….decisions, decisions…

What do you think of the Sephora Moroccan Sunrise Collection?

Tell the Muse!

Although the Muse isn’t the biggest fan in the world of Valentine’s Day she can definately open her heart to the love of the Lush Valentine’s Day Collection this year!

I’m quite surprised that Lush went all out this year with it’s fine selection of Valentine’s Day gift sets. Last year the collection was a good deal smaller and I honestly thought it would be even more so this year with the economy the way it is!

But not the case at all! 5 gift sets and a few new products are on the table to sweeten up yours, a friend’s, or a loved one’s Valentine’s Day this year! Check out below for the details on what’s available!

All in all a rather lovely little round up of nice gifts from Lush! I have my eye on the Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar, You Wash My Back Soap, and a My Fair Lady Gift Set.

Is it ok to say I really want the Lush Hello Sailor Gift Set for the tattoo alone. What? I’m a sucker for temporary tattoos because I’m too much of a wussy to get a real one!

Snag 15% off your entire order using code GIFTFORYOU09

Get ‘em while they are here because once they are gone you’ll have to bid them farewell till next year!

Here’s one that could be interesting, check it out:

Sephora Brand Buildable Cover Concealer…hmmm…count this Muse intrigued!

Available in three shades for $16 USD the Muse could say that this makes a girl curious for sure. Sephora Brand Buildable Cover Concealer looks like Benefit Boi-ing but supposedly dries to a powder-like finish. Not sure I’m loving a cream to powder formula in concealer can you say creasing? But it supposedly hides just about everything including tattoos…whoa…this could be good.

Buildabe coverage makes this a customized concealer for large or small problems. Contains Viatmins A and E with hydrating agents such as cocoa oil.

Sure sounds like it’s food from the concealer gods…whether it is or not remains to be seen!

In the cart you go….review coming soon!

Tell me…

The Muse finds that a majority of Sephora brand cosmetics are a trash…could this be awesome?

Count me curious!

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!

I’m generally wary of trying mineral foundations as they all make me rather itchy! Although it goes without saying that I was really a fan of Prescriptives All Mineral Makeup and Urban Decay’s Surreal Skin however I do find that I don’t use them as much as I would liquid or cream foundations.

I should mention I also happen to be dubious of products that promise me a one minute miracle and 4 products in 1. So be the case with Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Foundation. 4 products in 1 pressed powder that promises me a miracle in under a minute….

 

 

 

 

naaaaaaaa no way!

 

Maybe I need to eat my words because I was actually surprised at how well Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Foundation performed. I will mention that the first time I opened the compact I got amazingly annoyed as the product had no sponge, no brush, nothing. At $24.50 USD they couldn’t include a brush and a mirror? How irritating! After reading the back of the package where it states use brush to apply I began to get even angrier. I dunno why I was so mad because I honestly never make proper use of a brush or a puff anyway but sheesh at the very least they could have included either of the two to appease my sudden frugal nature.

 

 

 

Turns out your Muse was quite silly…the compact is actually dual sided…oh likey alot now! It has the powder on top and you can flip it over to open the other side which has a deep well, a full size mirror, and a rubber sponge! This was getting better and better. I absolutely love dual sided compacts since they are so handy for keeping powder neat and tidy. So far I was loving the packaging after my tantrum earlier on.

 

Now the packaging was cool but it was time to test out the formula. Would it offer coverage? Would I be itchy after using it? Turns out that it performs as well as my Physicians Formula Pressed Powder which I adore and in some aspects even better if possible.

 

The powder isn’t particularly silky but it is soft and it blends quite well leaving behind flawless skin. It works as a concealer, foundation, mineral powder, and SPF all in one. Technically the coverage is buildable but sheer so I’m unsure how well it’ll perform on skin problems such as acne however it does an amazing job with offering good flawless coverage and brightening up my dull skin. I think it would perform well in concealing pores as well but I don’t have terribly large pores so I couldn’t say for sure. I was slightly worried about using it under my eyes since I have a problem with powder under my eyes however this worked surprisingly well at offering decent coverage without creasing or aging my eyes. The powder contains an SPF 15 which is great if you’re seeking extra coverage after applying your normal SPF treatment.

 

 

 

I haven’t tried application with a brush but the included rubber sponge works fab at applying the powder and I actually prefer it over using a brush. It blends easily on my skin however since my skin is going through a crummy dry session at the moment it does look a little bit made up however with proper prepping and priming it looks natural and beautiful on my skin. The product is made with mineral pigment with a base of Shea Butter and Vitamin E which sounded promising for dry skin but no joy sadly, my dry skin really doesn’t love it without proper moisturizing prior to use.

 

 

 

It does promise full coverage and it does give quite a good deal of coverage yet applies sheer so it feels like you have virtually nothing on your skin. This is always a plus as we all want to look as natural as possible in regards to makeup.

 

Relieved is the Muse as it didn’t make her itchy as most mineral products do however I do have one minor rant in regards to wear. It wears extremely well but it does need a touch up around 3-4 hours into wear. I normally like my foundations to work overtime and offer at least 6 (if possible 8) hours of wear. I’m not good at touching up unless I am heading out after work so I do like my makeup to wear well and wear for hours at a time. This did need a bit of a refresher after around the fourth hour of wear. Not too bad but I’d prefer a longer wear time.

Is it a minute miracle? I dunno. I think it does a fine job of lightening my face up, giving flawless coverage, and making me look fresh and awake however I’m unsure if I can use this daily as my sole foundation since I’m more of a cream foundation girl but for in between uses I think we’ll get on just fine. Whether or not it will do the same for you really is a matter of trying it out and testing for yourself. At $24.95 USD the price is quite right which is always a bonus. The powder comes in a wide variety of tones as well which is more than I can say for most mineral products plus as I mentioned the small price tag definitely appeals.

I’m wearing the powder below with a touch of blusher. You can probably see that I do need a great deal more of concealer under my eyes as they are looking a tad puffy and tired but aside from that I think my skin looks quite healthy and flawless.

All in all I’m quite pleased with my first venture into Pur Minerals and I will repurchase the powder once I’m done with this one and also interested in trying out further items from the line.

 

How about you?

Loving Pur Minerals?

Tell the Muse!

Visit with Pure Minerals at www.purminerals.com