Musings of a Muse

Just so you know I’ve always been a self proclaimed lover of shimmer and sparkle. I find absolutely nothing wrong with that either nor will I apologize for. Bring on the disco glitter baby!

But wait…

I am trying to mend my ways. Shimmer is much like alcohol one needs a support group and a step program to help with the addiction.

Until I can get myself off the shimmer kick I’ve been on for the past 150 years of my life I’ll go ahead and indulge my need for intensely pigmented shimmery shades of shadow from my latest Beauty Discovery, Obsessed Minerals.

Loves it!

Check it after the jump.

Obsessed Minerals carries a large range of mineral powders, shadows, lip products, etc….one item I’m partial to are their pressed mineral eye shadows. First off they have a wide range of color variety in the pressed format for a mere $10 bucks…hello inexpensive makeup! If that isn’t enough they also take anything from there normal range of loose mineral eye shadow and will press it for you for an extra dollar, is that not the coolest thing ever? God, I wish more companies would do that as the chore of pressing piggies, as we established already, is not a job I relish!

The shadows are loosely packed presses which makes the formula into this creamy powdery texture. This formula in fact makes them very easy to blend and wear. The colors are all richly pigmented and about one swipe with get you extreme color pay off. They aren’t what I would call pretty packaging wise or formula wise but the quality is there that’s for sure. The shadows are quite easy to work with aside from a tiny bit of fall out but proper prepping and priming will ease the way. I tried three shades total and I must say for $10 bucks it’s a real steal. The shades all work well wet or dry.

The shades I tried were Gotcha, Wanderlust, and Pagan. These all have an intense shimmer finish. Gotcha is a pretty copper penny shade, Wanderlust is a dirty gold, and Pagan is a sparkling royal purple. My swatches below are one swipe, one single swipe. As you can see they are seriously pigmented shadows!

The inexpensive price tag and ability to request loose shades be pressed make Obsessed Minerals a unique beauty discovery. I love the idea of browsing loose shades of pigment and have the option of someone else slaving over a press for me. Overall, Obsessed Minerals is worthy of a check out.

Loving all over it!

Anyone try before?

Do share your experience.

Visit www.mineralobsessed.com to browse or purchase.

Argan Oil, Emu Oil…it’s always sounded like the same thing to me for some reason. I swear the Muse must be so watching too many episodes of The Crocodile Dairies from years ago. Actually Emu Oil is created from the fat of an Emu…oh my god the grossness but supposedly it’s great for your skin.

Anyway, Argan Oil…that one had me puzzling…was there some species of bird out there named an Argan? Sometimes my stupidity knows no bounds. Turns out Argan is actually a tree.

Well duh how was I supposed to know that. What? I never claimed to know alot about trees.

Moral of the story is Josie Maran Argan Oil is the awesome, especially if you sport mega dry skin.

Take the jump to hear about the new version of Josie Maran Argan Oil!

The Muse actually owns the Josie Maran Argan Bronzing Oil, good stuff (review coming soon) so she was kinda tickled that they have a new Argan Moisturizing Stick. It actually debuted today and is available at Sephora for $22 w00t!

So as much as I love the oil formula I must admit the stick does tempt a girl as it seems heaps less mess than an oil. This is a multi-purpose balm so you can use it from head to toe to give a shot to dry skin areas that need a bit of soothing moisture and tender, loving, care.

Chapped lips, dry, patchy cheeks, stinging insect bites, hang nails and cuticles, dry elbows and knees, dry spots between your brows (what? I get that! For serious!)…you name it you can slip a bit of this nourishing balm right on for instant relief. No it won’t clean the house for you, don’t even ask but hey it does everything else! Joy!

Me, I want it. I need all the help I can get in the dry skin department. Josie Maran Argan Moisturizing Stick, sign me up for a case Josie…I could use it.

Anyone try Josie’s regular Argan Oil?

What are you using the ward off evil dry skin?

Tell it!

Winter is around the bloody corner isn’t it? How did that happen so fast. Well, if the Muse is being honest she doesn’t really need cold, harsh weather to feel the dry, itchy, tightness that makes up her skin. My mother gave birth to a little baby crocodile because my elbows and knees are so dry it’s absurd. I have to keep at them constantly by scrubbing away dead skin and moisturizing as much as possible to keep them nice and soft. Miss a single day and it’s back to dry, flaky skin! Yak!

I got the chance to test out a new inexpensive beauty budget collection from St. Ives which is keeping my skin nice and hydrated right now and should keep it so throughout the long winter ahead!

Jump for it!

Considering the Muse is the first to sob at the state of the economy I’ve been keeping an eye out for any and all good budget beauty finds however they are so very few and in between. However, one great score is the new St. Ives Mineral Therapy Collection. Guys, def head into store for a sniff if possible as these smell so very heavenly which gives them a proper A+. Aside from smelling great they are heavily moisturizing and hydrating plus the formula contains no parabens or phytalates. The line includes three brand new products all $6.99 or under so you aren’t breaking the bank by indulging.

St. Ives Moisturizing Mineral Therapy Body Wash ($2.99-$3.99) is a freshly scented moisturizing body wash made with natural ingredients. The formula is not tested on animals nor does it contain animal ingredients plus the bottle is made up of 20% post-consumer recycled material. The body wash is a smooth, creamy blend that lathers up very well and leaves skin silky and smooth. It’s not drying in the least and it feels heavenly to my dry, crocodile skin.

St. Ives Mineral Therapy Body Polish ($6.99) is an exfoliating body scrub that is simply awesome. Muse Approval for this one. The formula is a thick, gooey paste much like shea butter with fine crystals blended in to gently exfoliate skin. It starts off as a moisturizing butter that scrubs away dead skin and later turns into a soft, smooth lather that rinses clean away. It’s a gem, definitely purchase this if nothing else from the line. They have it available in three formulas which are Oatmeal & Shea Butter (gentle polishing made with oatmeal and shea), Collagen Elastin (Collagen and Elastin proteins for younger, smoother skin), and Mineral Therapy (blend of minerals). I tried the Mineral Therapy and it smells just as heavenly as the wash does. The scrub works very gently but still manages to whisk away icky dry flakes while leaving skin super soft and super smooth. Loves it. It’s one of the few scrubs I’ve tried that doesn’t scrub away to the bone….I’m sure you know what I mean. Some scrubs are mega harsh this is ever so gentle and still works at making my skin smooth.

Finally, you can follow up your hydrating experience with St. Ives Replenishing Mineral Therapy Advanced Moisturizer ($4.99). This is a thick, creamy intensely moisturizing body lotion to keep skin soft. If you experience dry, itchy skin in the colder weather this will be a welcome relief to keep your skin healthy and moisturized.

Count the Muse impressed with the St. Ives Mineral Therapy Collection. It’s great, inexpensive way to get smooth skin. If you’re looking for a budget friendly option I recommend these as they are truly good. Worthy of a pick up me thinks.

Muse Approved for purchase.

What are some of your fav St. Ives products?

I remember loving the St. Ives Apricot Scrub when I was in my teens. I seriously need to rediscover St. Ives as I forget how bleeding great it is.

Visit www.stives.com for further information plus check out the revamped packaging as the entire line is sporting new clothes!

It took the Muse a fair while before she perfected the art of a smoky eye. I’m using the term art loosely as I’m no expert at creating a good smoky eye look. One thing I have discovered is that “colored” smoky eyes are the most flattering of all. One of my favorite smoky looks is created using various shades of greens, this makes my big, buggy eyes fairly pop. Some of my best colored smoky eyes were created using KATE Glamtrick Palettes. These palettes truly make it easy and simple to create a killer smoky eye look with graduating colors that are a snap to blend and use.

Speaking of colored smoky eyes and easy application Bourjois Paris has a brand new line of Smoky Eye Palettes made up of three beautiful shades for creating dramatic, colorful smoky looks. Likey!

Check ‘em after the jump!

First off allow me to say I haven’t been this excited about cosmetics in a very long time. Being exposed to makeup daily sometimes takes the joy out of the haul. When I first laid my eyes on the new Bourjois Paris Smoked Eyes Pallete my heart did so begin to pound in that happy, joyful way when new makeup presents itself to me. These palettes are truly exciting for me.

These new palettes are available right now in Asia and I’m sure will be launched Euro wise shortly. Sadly, the Bourjois Paris USA site no longer loads which leads me to believe they may finally being pulling out of our country but that’s pure speculation on my part as the line is still sold in Ulta.

The palettes look like they are made up of three baked shadows in graduating colors for creating an intense dramatic colored smoky look. I can’t begin to tell you how much I am loving the looks of these. They are available in 8 shades and are 2,100 yen each. The standard black and gray is available of course but they also have a rosy smoky look, a teal smoky look, green, brown, and many more combinations.

Without further commentary from me have a peek at the palettes for yourself below!

I haven’t wanted to haul an entire collection in a long time but I must say each color absolutely screams at me. I can so see myself getting six or all eight of these. The simplicity and ease of use (three shades only) make it a winner for me plus they look richly pigmented. If they apply and work as well as they look in the palette count this Muse a happy girl.

As soon as I track them down I’ll be reviewing.

Want!

What do you think?

Are you a traditional black and gray smoky girl?

Or do you love a colored smoky look?

Tell the Muse!

If you’re not wanting to know about what’s happening when Matt Smith slips his feet into David Tennant’s old pair of chucks next year please disregard this post.

I was up late last night speaking to World’s Dresser on Who theories. We got on a discussion about River Song and I have some interesting info about her after the jump!

Click it if you want to be spoiled.

As many of you know I’ve been twittering ALOT of Who coverage lately. I got a SLEW of e-mail after my discussion last night and the main topic of the e-mails was River Song, a mystery if ever there was one.

River’s original debut in Silence of the Library left alot of us wondering who is this brave woman with a sonic screwdriver all her own!? Speculation has rounded the Internet with tales of River possibly being a Time Lady (honestly this isn’t too far fetched considering not one but two Time Lords survived the Time War so why not another?) or even the Doctor’s own wife (she does after all know his name). All rumors about her are always a welcome way to pass the day.

The moral of my post today is River Song will return and finally the mystery of who (pun intended) she is and what relationship she has with our new 11th will be solved (remember now she knows our 10th but he hasn’t yet met her so isn’t sure really who she might be or how they know each other! Our 10th traveled so far back in time that River had already met and traveled with the 11th. Her past is in fact our 10th Doctor’s future). The Sun UK has posted a few images up of production and low and behold a photo of the mysterious River Song does so appear (Click to start the pop up, 7th photo and 8th).

I won’t say more as my mouth is possibly foaming with gossip. By the way looks like Karen has been shopping in David’s closet, nice chucks dear.

Feel free to discuss or e-mail.

Follow me on Twitter for other great Who insanity…it’s almost always about cosmetics but I lighten it up a bit with Who here and there

Back to our regularly scheduled makeup posts up ahead shortly!

Long gone are the days of old when the Muse had to have every single MAC Pigment ever known to men, ahhh the life of a cosmetic junkie.

The last of the trio in the MAC Make-Up Art is the Fall As Seen By Marilyn Minter. This collection includes MAC Pigments, MAC Reflects Glitter, and MAC Glitter. As much as I adore pigment I’m not particularly excited about this release as I do believe I’ve overdosed on plenty of piggies and glitter to last me a full life time.

Click ahead to muse about the brand new MAC Push the Edge Pigment!

The Muse’s initial impression of MAC Pigment in Push the Edge was, “whoa that’s a dupe of Entremauve”. Turns out that’s a nay. Although quite similar (so much so you can skip Push the Edge if you already own Entremauve) they are have a subtle little difference. Push the Edge is a deep set royal purple as is Entremauve but the difference is Entremauve is a tiny bit deeper in color and has a subtle bit of golden shimmer. Aside from this they pretty much swatch almost identical.

I’ve never made fair use of Entramauve as it’s either too deep a purple for me to appreciate or I just don’t have the talent to create a dramatic eye look using it. When I originally purchased it my MA suggested using it as a liner but it seemed a whole lot of piggie just to use as a liner. Since that day it’s sat happily away on my shelf without getting any love from me.

This leads me to believe that Push the Edge may very well suffer the same faith. I do so wish I could create some incredibly purple smoky eye look but I fear I don’t have the talent to take on such a bold look.

I liked Mariyln’s collection least of the three MAC Make-Up Art Trios sadly. I’m always one for getting excited about pigments but this time around I may safely skip.

Are you lemming Push the Edge?

What sort of look would you create using it?

Do share!

Ahh the joys of being a lazy Muse. It happens on occasion don’t you know? I come home late, I’m tired, I’m trying to wind it down from a stressful day and I’m quite lazy enough that I’m not wanting to deal with my 20 step program to remove makeup, it’s a chore being me. When I’m busy being a lazy little bum I head for makeup wipes to clean my face on the fly so I can head straight to my bed and watch 10 Things I Hate About You on my Tivo Playlist. Gawd, that Ethan Peck is all kinds of cuteness.

My latest discovery for wiping off fast are the new Korres Pomegranate Cleansing & Make Up Removing Wipes. Oh joy they smell so pretties and are terribly cheap too, loves it!

Check it after the review.

If you don’t really like makeup remover wipes I highly suggest grabbing a package of Korres Pomegranate Cleansing & Make Up Removing Wipes just for the sake of sniffing them. You can totally get high off this scent. I guess it’s supposed to be the scent of Pomegranate but it falls into more of a fresh, rosy, floral mysterious scent that my nose can’t identify outside of saying, “oh my god so beautiful!” Excuse me Korres can we get a body spray or something in this scent? Soooo good!

On top of awesome smelling they also do a mighty fine job of a quickie clean up on my face. Sadly, they aren’t going to wipe off heavy duty waterproof mascara but they do a decent job of wiping off the rest of the gunk that needs taking off my face at the end of a long night. The cloths are nice and thick and have a smooth, soft texture. They are good for both combination and oily skin types and won’t dry out your skin and supposedly they even tighten up pores. They aren’t terribly saturated but they do have just enough remover on them to get off much of your makeup on those lazy nights when Ethan Peck is waiting for you on your Tivo.

Overall, if you’re looking for an inexpensive ($12 for 25 wipes), great smelling wipe that’s paraben free and created with good for you ingredients Korres Pomegranate Cleansing & Make Up Removing Wipes is the way to go. They aren’t going to do the job of your normal cleansing routine but they are great for quickie makeup removal on the fly.

All the yak from my face eww!

Likey!

As for this Muse she’s off to smell them some more….!

When the Muse set eyes on the new Victoria’s Secret Silky Eyeshadow she got all kinds of hyper and excited. Looking at the display of gorgeous shadows is too tempting as the shimmering jewel shades sparkle so brilliantly under the hot, bright lights in store. Once you get past the gorgeous shades and incredible finish you’ll stumble upon the fact they are merely $10 bucks each. Omg! Makeup nirvana surely this is it.

Jump ahead for a peep at the brand new revamped Victoria’s Secret Silky Eyeshadows and hear what I think!

The new shadows are available in two finishes, Lustre and Sparkle. Of course the Muse was all about the sparkle. The shades on display just make you want to haul them all as they shimmer and shine like little square gems, too pretty. Each shadow is $10 dollars and I was truly tempted to haul away especially after swatching and seeing how richly pigmented they are.

First off I will say the pigmentation is incredible upon swatch. It’s a rich pigment with a heavy duty sparkle. Actually, after getting them home I did think that it was a bit TOO much shimmer, gasp I know? Too much shimmer? Has the Muse gone loco? But it’s true the finish is a tad too shimmery even for the likes of me. I didn’t swatch the Lustre finish and ended up hauling three shades from the sparkle line and I’m actually relieved it was only three as it turns out they aren’t as great as I had hoped.

I ended up with three shades which were Gaze (Olive Green), 24K (Buttery Golden Yellow), and Glided Fierce (Black with Gold Shimmer) Glided Fierce is also available the Christian Siriano Victoria’s Secret Cosmetic Collection packaging.

As mentioned swatching was great but working with the formula ended up to be an overall crummy experience. The formula is a creamy, powdery texture which is beautiful but causes major fall out, this was problem 1. As pigmented as these swatch they aren’t nearly as great applied on the eye, problem 2. You need a good build up of product before seeing good color payoff. This could be because the product fails to blend great or it’s just a flaw with the formula but after my first stroke I needed at least two more layers to get a good pop of color. Brushes are a big no, you’ll need a sponge applicator to properly place color on the lid. Even with proper priming (my believed UDPP never fails me) the shadow was creased and gross by the end of the day, not a cool look. I’m shocked as Urban Decay Primer Potion is not to blame as it normally bulletproofs my shadow.

Overall, I really had a difficult time working with these. It’s a mystery to me as truly they swatch so beautifully but the formula just doesn’t live up to what I was expecting. I’m wondering if VS will take these back as I’m unsure what the return policy is for used makeup. At this point I’m really considering getting my money as you can count me unimpressed and disappointed. They are definitely a big improvement over the shadows VS used to carry but this doesn’t change the fact they aren’t as great as I had hoped for.

Sad sigh!

Oh well can’t win ‘em all.

Regardless of how I’m feeling about these I do urge you to head in store and have a swatch for yourself I’m curious what you think. I think I’ll explore the lustre finish to see if that works out better and I’ll continue playing with these to see if I can get a better payoff.

Here’s a look I created using Gaze

Anyone try yet?

Tell the Muse!

Kat Von D showed up at the Teen Choice Awards with a new blonde do. Honestly, I’m not sure which disturbs me more that she was at the Teen Choice Awards or that she’s now blonde. Her hair looks somewhat like a wig though and not a color job? I prefer Kat as a brunette myself but I will say, stringy, straw-looking hair aside, the blonde locks look good but we my need a little conditioner because at the moment it has a too long in the fryer look about it!

Proper Teen Choice attire?

What do you think?

Kat Von D as a blonde?

Yay or Nay?

Tell it!

Source

If you haven’t already noticed Victoria’s Secret has revamped and updated it’s main makeup line. This is the 3rd time that VS has repackaged the line but it’s the least dramatic revamp of the three times. I’m honestly not sure what I expected but I didn’t think it would be quite so similar to the standard black cases of old.

Hear my initial thoughts and see some photos of the new line after the jump!

As I said I was a little surprised that the changes weren’t particularly dramatic. The main change would be an introduction of new products, a Victoria’s Pro Makeup Collection, and compacts now have viewing windows where as before they were closed.

First off the main line of shadows include singles and now quad strip style shadows. If you’re a sparkle girl you’ll absolutely adore the singles as they are heavily pigmented with a major shimmer finish (I’ll tell you a bit more about these in my review that’s scheduled for later today) and the strip eyeshadows have a very faint shimmer with four strips of graduating colors. The Victoria’s Secret Eye Shadow Quad is $15 where as the Victoria’s Secret Silky Eye Shadow Singles are $10 each. I’d say they are fairly reasonable priced.

Lip items are pretty much the same lot of items that VS always carried aside from a new slim line lipstick.

Face products seem to be pretty much the same as well with little minor differences. Concealer is pretty much the same wand style and foundation has a new revamped rounded bottle packaging. The mosaic blush powders I’ve come to associate with VS are now replaced with a Blush Trio. There isn’t anything dramatically different about the face products but the tiny updates could tempt you to stay and play a little with the products to get a feel for them.

The new Victoria’s Secret Pro Makeup Collection consists of a few items that are located on the top tier of the display. These items include the following:

Victoria’s Secret Airbrush FX Face Primer SPF 20 ($14)
Victoria’s Secret Radiant FX Face Illuminator ($14)
Victoria’s Secret Camouflage FX Concealer Palette ($14)
Victoria’s Secret Matte FX Blotting Gel ($16)
Victoria’s Secret Brow FX Grooming Gel ($8)
Victoria’s Secret Lastig FX Eye Shadow Primer ($8)

I found it interesting they are doing a shadow primer, face primer, and concealer palette. I love they took the initiative to make affordable pro products for perfecting the face. I haven’t indulged in anything as I’m a tiny bit worried about quality but count me curious.

Overall, the line looks promising. I had a little swatch and play a few days ago and was pretty excited to discover some new products as well as old favorites with tiny differences. At the moment my wish list is packed so I probably won’t purchase anything but I’m looking forward to reading a few reviews to see how users are feeling about the collection. It’s also quite inexpensive for many of the items which makes them worthy of a peep.

At the moment if you head in store they have a coupon booklet which entitles you to $10 off your $30 purchase. You can purchase any three products and get $10 off. I used this to purchase three shadows for $20 which was a great deal as it would come to $30 without the coupon.

What do you think?

Have you seen the new Victoria’s Secret Makeup Collection?

Think you’ll buy anything from it?

Tell the Muse!

Estee Lauder Signature Shimmer Powder ($36) is a multi-shimmer, multitone powder that creates a sweep of instant radiance to cheeks and face. The Muse is a self-proclaimed lover of shimmer so of course she’s on board with this little powder.

Jump ahead to learn more.

If you like a touch of shimmering highlight on cheeks and skin this is a sure fire way to get it. The powder is made up of several strips of pink that range in graduation from light to darker. If you’re feeling like multitasking you can swipe a bit of the shimmer on lids or the brow bone for a hint of shimmery pink. The powder is available in two shades of either bronze or pink.

All in all if you’re a lover of fine, pretty powders Estée Lauder Signature Shimmer Powder should please!

Available now from Estee Lauder and Nordstrom.