UD Naked, new hair color, and maintaining my pale (a quickie).

My mom got me an Urban Decay Naked palette (and one for herself) as an early birthday gift.  I'm a neutrals girl through and through, but this palette is far from boring and repetitive.  You can find a thousand reviews online, but I just want to say that this is an amazing palette, you should get it, etc.

I just got back from a trip to the beach, and I'm very proud to say that I did gain any color!  I tan in an instant, so I used at least SPF 50 (mostly 70) everyday and limited my direct sun exposure.  My color is still my pale best!

I have to go to school in three days (I can't wait to get back!), so I had to recolor my hair.  Reading reviews on Makeup Alley, Revlon Colorsilk runs dark in its brunette shades and, seeing as I bought Soft Black, I decided to do a strand test.  I'm so happy I did!  Instead of giving myself harsh, jet-black hair by leaving it on for the full 25 minutes, I put it on my roots for 6 minutes, then distributed it on the rest of my hair for maybe 5 minutes.  Ta-da! Super-dark brown hair that is almost black.  Holy grail?  I think so!

An updated products post...

Shampoo: Pantene Color Solutions--Smooth

Conditioner: Pantene Color Solutions--Smooth

Shower gel: Caress Evenly Gorgeous (bar soap)

Styling products: Moroccan Oil, Tresemme Naturals Mousse, Umberto hair spray

Body moisturizer: N/A

Deodorant: Secret Smooth Effects in Wildflower Fresh

Fake Tan: N/A

Foundation: MUFE HD in 115 Ivory

Cleanser: Cetaphil

Exfoliator: Some blackhead scrub with salicylic acid

Primer: Fix +

Foundation Brush: Fingers, EcoTools retractable Kabuki

Powder: MAC MSFN

Concealer: Revlon Age Defying Moisturizing in Light-Medium, Bobbi Brown Creamy Correcter in Light Bisque

Blush: MAC Pink Swoon, Benefit Sugarbomb

Bronzer: N/A

Highlighter: MAC By Candelight

Eyeshadow Base: TFSI or MAC's Paint Pots

Eyeshadows: MAC Sable, MAC Carbon

Eyeliner: Milani Liquif'eyes in Black or Brown, Maybelline EyeStudio gel liner in Blackest Black

Lash Curler: I think it's CoverGirl... it's ancient!

Mascara: MAC Opulash, L'Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous

Lipstick: MAC Viva Glam Cyndi

Lipgloss: Sally Hansen 12-Hour Treatment in Flawless

Nail colour: Sephora by OPI's Brunette on the Internet

MUFE HD foundation: Initial thoughts

Finally made it out to Sephora again (only twice this summer!), this time determined to exit with a foundation. I had previously looked at NARS Sheer Glow & MUFE HD foundation, but I didn't really go in determined to get my exact color match. Today I did.

It was a Saturday afternoon, so I wasn't really expecting amazing, devoted attention, but I was still able to get a SA to help me get matched. I ended up getting matched to MUFE HD in 115 (a foundation with some pink undertones--which oddly looked amazing!) and NARS Sheer Glow in Deauville, but I went with the HD for more coverage, a pump, and a slightly better price. I can't do a full review right now, but I can say that the formula is awesome and it gives a great, natural finish (by no means matte, but definitely not a shiny or overly-glowy finish). I was surprised at how pretty my skin looked with a pink-toned foundation on. I've always avoided anything pink-toned like the plague because I think of sunburned skin or breakouts, but the pink just makes me look fresh. Anything yellow-y made me look sallow and sick. Topped with my MAC MSFN and paired with some concealers, I'll have one hell of a fresh face!

Now I just have to find a great red lipstick--hard feat, I know. I'm currently using MAC Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick almost everyday to give my pigmented lips that just-bitten red look, but I want something more matte and retro, yet not as dark as my Revlon In The Red matte lipstick. I'll definitely be hitting up Christine/Temptalia's Scarlet Season series for that!

My hair was not cooperating today, though. I still do a side part when I do my victory rolls and the larger side usually cooperates and rolls with little effort, but today it decided to be a bitch and not roll correctly. Oh well! At least I have an arsenal of hairspray and bobby pins to beat it into submission. My little sisters (okay, not really little--15 and 17) are wanting their hair colored now, so I'm doing one's highlights (done it lots of times before) and the other one wants to try some red-tones (which I've also done on myself in the past... thank goodness I stopped), so I've been really hitting up MakeupAlley to try to find great recommendations. What would I do without it?!

Long time, no blog!

So sorry for my absence! I've been buying loads, but not sharing anything. How greedy of me!

I've been rediscovering my style roots in a whole new light. I finally saw Whip It!, a roller-derby movie, and it reminded me of my more punk-inspired days. I've been really missing it lately, but I've been more drawn to the psychobilly/pin-up side of it than the *quite embarrassing* emo/scene image I've done in the past. It's much more girly, a whole lot sexier, but is still classy and fun.

Red lips, black winged liner, and victory rolls galore--here I come!

This discovery could not be more well-timed. I've realized that my makeup purchases have completely overwhelmed my spending-money, leaving me with very, very little new fashionable choices in my wardrobe. Now that summer's half-over for a college kid like me, it's time to start thinking of how this year will be defined for me, and that starts with a new outlook. I'm a recent horror movie fanatic, and I've found a style that I feel so comfortable in.

Hello, new Erin!

On the makeup/beauty side of things, I've really gone wild over MAC's In The Groove collection. I got a hold of the ever-coveted Stereo Rose, but I think the true under-appreciated beauty comes from By Candlelight MSF. It gives me the *perfect* glow-y cheeks and looks especially lovely over Pink Swoon or Hipness blush (both by MAC). I've also been introduced to my new loves, MAC's Cremesheen glasses. I know I'm late to the party, but these things are so gorgeous! Creamy, smooth, non-sticky and non-frosty, these beauties are more-than-welcome additions to my makeup arsenal. I picked up the LE Going Casual from the ITG collection, which is a mid-tone lilac-pink that gives my pigmented lips a slightly-cool pink look that is absolutely divine. I just recently got Partial to Pink from the permanent line, which is a light yellow-pink that gives a warmer, yet still light and girly, effect than Going Casual. I'm a Cremesheen glass addict!

In other beauty news, I've fallen head-over-heels for Benefit's Crescent Row fragrances. I have "My Place or Yours Gina," a sexy nighttime scent that makes my inner vixen squirm in delight, as well as one new member of the block, "Garden of Good and Eva," a fresh-cut-grass-and-lush-garden scent that is so crisp and light. I feel like I could fly over the trees when I wear it, I'm feeling that free-spirited! Definitely a daytime staple for me. Plus, Benefit's packaging is SO adorable! Cocktail-mixer containers for the perfume (how vintage-chic!) which sits in a box that represents the girl's room on the Row.

Skin blues. :(

Yeah, my skin is dying a slow, red-spotted death.

I thought my skin was improving, but every morning I'm waking up to new breakouts. Luckily I have a great concealing routine down (Revlon Age Defying Moisturizing concealer and MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural, both in Light-Medium), but it still has those terrible bumps in the texture and my flake-prone skin to give their position away. Booo!

But I've never stopped looking at all of that makeup! I've been doing it from my chair (... or bed... or couch...) and one brand I've been interested in for a long time has been Josie Maran. A former model (of Maybelline fame), Josie searched for luxurious, yet eco-friendly cosmetics across the business of makeup and came up empty-handed. So what's a industry-savvy girl to do? Start her own line!

I admit, the first word that drew me in describing her company was Argan oil. I use Moroccan Oil on my hair after every shower, and the effect is incredible. My hair is insanely shiny and a lot more healthy. I find that my demi-permanent color holds longer, too. So anything with the word argan in it draws me in like a moth to a flame, or at least a girl to the cosmetics counter. I believe Olivia Wilde said she used Josie Maran's Finger Paints quads when she was on the cover of Lucky magazine. I really want to see if 100% Argan oil will help out my skin (I wouldn't dream of putting Moroccan Oil on my skin--argan oil is the 6th ingredient on the list of many). The only drawback is the price--but Sephora does offer a small, 0.5oz bottle of her argan oil for $14, which is still hard for me to do because I know a lot of *full-sized* things I could buy with that money. Ah, well!

Till next haul, stay fresh & gorgeous!

Why I'm lacking in posts...

Hello drifters!

I wish I had the ability and the new stuff to be able to blog here everyday, but sadly I cannot. Being without a job, I don't have a lot of money to spend on new makeup goodies.

But I am trying something new. Something with the mindset of Project 10 Pan without the using-up-old-makeup bit. Instead, I have another confession.

I have acne. And I'm a popper.

Gross, I know! I've been on almost every prescription topical treatment known to dermatologist-kind, and I've been on an oral antibiotic for over a year, but I'm still suffering. I know popping is absolutely terrible for my skin, but I just HATE knowing that all that stuff is just below the surface, and that I can get rid of that awful pressure by just...

But no longer. I return to the Project-10-Pan-esque scheme. Instead of poppin', I'm setting goals. If I don't pop for a certain period of time or let ___ number of zits die of natural causes rather than brutal homocide, I'll let myself buy something I've wanted for a long time. Like NARS Laguna, MUFE HD foundation, or Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. I can heal my skin AND look more fabulous doing it! So far I've gone without popping for 5 days, and I'm feeling better for it. There are many, MANY temptations, but I've been playing the "fill my shopping cart up to a ridiculous amount and then emptying it out" game on both Sephora and MAC websites to distract myself and reaffirm my goal. I'm tired of the scars!

On another note, I've been trying out the Clinique 3-Step sample kit I got on my last Sephora trip/haul. I've wanted to have a more uniform skincare regimen, so I said "what the heck!" because Clinique has such a cult-like following. I have the steps for type #2 (dry-combo skin), and I'm not impressed. I had high hopes for the Clarifying Lotion (which is so misleadingly named--it's a harsh, "am i getting drunk off of skincare fumes??" astringent), but it leaves my normally slightly-sheened T-zone into a BP-oil-spill-zone in a matter of hours. Sheesh! The liquid soap in "mild" is just a more drying version of my normal-to-oily Cetaphil, and the Dramatically Different Lotion is way too heavy (and the sample is 3x the amount I would need). I can't dry out, oil up, and then slap some grease on my face--that's not skincare, that's brutality! I would be willing to try the more tame versions of each of these products, like the extra-mild liquid soap, the CL in step 1, and the DDM-gel, but the versions I have do not make a passing grade.

I've always admired Natalie Portman--her acting, her activism, her style... and her makeup! Although she has brown eyes and I have blue, I can always get inspiration from her looks. Therefore, when I am looking for a new look to try, I always head on over to my favorite search engine to see if I can find any looks of hers I'd like to try. I love how she looked with her post-V-for-Vendetta cropped hair, because it's edgy yet feminine because of her amazing features.

This look drew me in from the get-go--smokey lids, a glowing complexion, peach-coral contoured cheeks, and natural rosy-flushed lips. All of my favorite things!

I'll have to try it out tomorrow; if it turns out alright, I'll post pictures! (I will say that I don't photograph well, so I can't guarantee much, hah!)

In other news, I'm already looking at MAC In the Groove collection swatches and promo pics. It's not out 'til early July, but I already want to get my haul right now! MSFs and Cremesheen lipsticks?! My wallet will be empty. Again. But I really want NARS Sheer Glow foundation first. I forgot to finalize my shade match at Sephora the other day (what can I say? the blushes and duos were extremely distracting!) I recall the Fiji was much too dark for me, and that Ceylan was just about right. Odd, because according to NARS' site it's formulated for Asian skintones.

A little survey

My "current" items that I'm using!

Shampoo: Aussie Moist

Conditioner: Organix Coconut Milk

Shower gel: I use bar soap -- I think it's Yardley's Oatmeal

Styling products: Moroccan Oil!

Body moisturizer: N/A

Deodorant: Dove Visibly Smooth... I hate it.

Fake Tan: N/A

Foundation: I was using Revlon PhotoReady in #004 Nude, but it broke me out, so I'm back to my MAC MSFN in Light-Medium

Cleanser: Cetaphil

Exfoliator: Target brand (Up & Up) of St. Ives Aprocot Scrub

Primer: Fix +

Foundation Brush: EcoTools retractable Kabuki

Powder: MAC MSFN

Concealer: Revlon Age Defying Moisturizing in Light-Medium

Blush: MAC Instant Chic

Bronzer: N/A

Highlighter: MAC Perfect Topping MSF

Eyeshadow Base: TFSI or MAC's Paint Pots in Painterly, Coral Crepe, or Indianwood

Eyeshadows: NARS Eurydice duo, NARS Habanera duo, MAC Sable, MAC Twinks

Eyeliner: Milani Liquif'eyes in Black or Brown

Lash Curler: I think it's CoverGirl... it's ancient!

Mascara: MAC Opulash

Lipstick: MAC Lollipop Loving & Revlon ColorBurst in Soft Nude

Lipgloss: Revlon Super Lustrous in Peach Petal

Nail colour: Sinful Colors in Mint Apple

MAC To The Beach haul

Finally! The day arrives.

All of the drama surrounding Marine Life highlighting powder almost drove me to not get the product. It was sold out so quickly and it's up for insane amounts on evilbay, and people on Specktra are (reasonably) freaking out. But as soon as I swatched it at my counter, I knew that I had to get it because it's nothing like anything else I own, and it'll last me forever (literally). It's a gorgeous coral-red, swatches of which are littering the interwebs, so I'll forgoe any personal swatches (I personally recommend Temptalia's comparison swatches to see it compared to Hipness, Instant Chic, NARS' Deep Throat and Super Orgasm, Dainty, and many other coral-y shades). I got that and Hipness blush, which is much more pink.

It's my mom's birthday today (yay!) and a few weeks ago it was my parents' 20th wedding anniversary, so she's going out tonight to dinner with my dad. I convinced her that her 20+ year old Clinique blush was a little too old (hell, it's older than ME!), and we released ourselves at the Belk makeup counters to find a better blush after mnuch insistence on my part (I find Clinique blushes powdery and extremely under-pigmented). She ended up deciding on Bobbi Brown powder blush in Sand Pink, though she was looking at MAC's Breezy and Desert Rose as alternatives. She was set on finding a cool, mauve tone and she did. Part of her birthday gift from me is doing her makeup for tonight and being their DD to and from the restaurant.

Hope everyone is enjoying their hauls!

Sephora haullllllll!

aaaahhh. Does anyone else find swatching relaxing and therapeutic? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Well, I definitely do. I got to spend an hour and a half (maybe more... I lose track of time) swatching away in Sephora and getting to know the awesome Carly (shout out!), who helped me out, made lots of great recommendations, and gave me lots of samples. She used to work for MAC as well, so we talked about what we love/not-so-love about the brand. I finally got my answer about the closest freestanding MAC store, which was not the answer I wanted (but it was the one I expected): Atlanta or NoVa close to DC. Both over 5 hours away from my north-central North Carolina location. yaaaaaay. But I know that I can save up my empties if my family ever decides to go to DC for whatever reason! I'd LOVE more eyeshadows rather than lipsticks.

But I've gotten way off track. I got two NARS eyeshadow duos, Habanera (a lovely slightly-grayed plum and silvery mint green combo) and Eurydice (purple-raspberry with blue shimmer, like the color of a blueberry or dark raspberry stain, and a deep grayed olive), and a NARS pencil sharpener (it was only $1 more than the Sephora one, which didn't have an adapter for smaller chubby pencils). Carly gave me a DiorShow mascara sample, a Clinique 3-step skincare sample set, Bliss' Naked Body Butter sample, and PerrioneMD Advanced Face Firming Activator sample. Because I reached the 100-point mark on my Sephora account, I got a deluxe sample of Laura Mericer's tinted moisturizer in Warm Radiance (a pain in the a** to open, but the color is lovely!).

I tried to convince my mom to try a blush or something, but let's just say I don't get my love of makeup from her (I got it from the internetz). She's had the same broken Clinique blush for twenty years and tries to match her makeup to her clothes (e.g. a lilac blouse equals lilac makeup). I try to impart some of my knowledge, but she just doesn't get the joy out of it like I do. Oh well. That's what my 15-year-old sister is for!

Because I knew I'd be swatching/testing away, I made sure my makeup was super minimal:

Fix+ (priming) [this stuff is liquid GOLD!]

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light-Medium

Fix+ (finishing)

Milani Liquif'eye line in Brown

MAC Opulash Mascara in Bad, Bad Black

Lip balm (Blistex with SPF 15)

[No blush!]

My new purse. aka I'm in love!

Trust me, it looks so much more lovely in person. It has a soft, worn-leather look without being leather. Vegetarianism FTW! It was a great price at Target, and it wasn't too "trendy" or too "Palm Beach Retirement Home" or too "Real Housewives of _____," which are categories that I think purses often fall under. I think it's pretty multi-seasonal, and I'm hoping it'll last me for at least a year--it would definitely fit in with my fall/winter wardrobe! It has tons of room in it, and the pockets inside are great for my cellphone and my makeup for touch-ups (a NARS compact for the mirror, and and lipstick/lipgloss I'm wearing that day), and it comes with the requisite "secret" zippered compartment for whatever you fancy.

All in all, lovely!

Update on all the MAC drama: the To The Beach collection went online (but not set up formally) at about 5:30pm EST yesterday, and Marine Life powder was sold out in two hours. Holy evilbay, Batman!* I can't wait to go to my pre-ordered MAC items from my lovely MUAs (makeup artists) and gossip about the upcoming collections. I love my counter! They know my likes, and they know I'm pretty much a guaranteed sale, so they treat me well.

But I'm off to Sephora tomorrow to do some NARS hauling, and maybe some MUFE or other brands as well. I'm fairly set on buying NARS's Habanera duo if it looks good on me, and I'm definitely getting a blush or two (yeah, I'm kind of a blush freak. What can I say? I love 'em!).

*evilbay is what my fellow Specktra-ites and I call ebay, where greedy people buy up limited edition/hyped up items in bulk from the MAC stores/website and turn around and sell them for 3x the normal price on evilbay, leaving any real MAC shoppers in the dust and with empty wallets if they break down and buy said overpriced item.

Dilema, dilema...

As you have already learned, I am a MACaholic through and through.

I guess that's why I feel so guilty looking at NARS and MUFE swatches. I feel like I'm cheating on my Significant-Other-That-Does-Not-Actually-Exist!

MAC's To The Beach collection hits freestanding stores and counters Thursday, and may even show up on the MAC website later tonight. I already have some items on hold [Rosemary & Thyme eyeliner, a permanent shade in the most GORGEOUS packaging for this collection; Hipness blush, which is a repromote from the Fafi collection; and the super-coveted Marine Life highlight powder that's more like an intense coral-red blush on my NC25 complexion (that's warm, fair-medium skin to all you non-MAC followers)]. I'm still flirting with Flurry of Fun lipglass, which is a sheer peach with teal (!!!) and pink shimmer, and I may also snatch up a permanent shade powder bronzer, too, because the orange packaging with white coral design is just too pretty to pass up lightly.

But of course, I have to keep in mind that MAC is coming out with a huge Spring-Colour-Forecast-esque collection called Fabulous Felines, which will debut in three distinct color palettes in August, and the super-anticipated and supposedly-massive Disney Venemous Villains collection in September, which will borrow color schemes and makeup advice from the likes of Cruella DeVil, the Evil Queen, Maleficent, and Dr. Facilier (from the latest classically-animated The Princess & The Frog, which was completely adorable). These collections, especially the latter, will consume my makeup allowance for the remainder of the summer/early fall and with no steady income, I'm going to have to make some very painful sacrifices. In other words, I'm going to have to severely limit how much I buy from permanent collections, including expanding my pitifully-small NARS collection and buying my first MUFE (Make Up For Ever) item(s). Thank goodness the closest Sephora is almost 40 minutes away, or else I would really have a larger problem to deal with.

For the love of all things pretty, I'm hoping I find lots of loose twenties while trying to replace my broken, beloved purse today.

About this bloggity

Hey blogverse! Erin here, a 19 year old makeup fanatic with a passionate marriage to MAC makeup but cheats with her favorite drugstore products on the side. Third-person aside, I'm a college student majoring in international studies and I spend all of my extra cash on beauty products. I figure that I may as well add my voice to the cacophony of makeup blogs, so I brought this to you! You may know me as aeroerin on Specktra.net--feel free to leave a comment with your Specktra name if you found me through there!

Okay, I will start off with a confession.

My name is Erin, and I am a sucker for all things coral.

If it's described in any way as a coral, I need it, and I needed it yesterday.

Yeah, if you didn't get it though my blog title's homage to the lovely color, or my "Coral Queen" usertitle on Specktra, I'm obsessed. Coral to me is a perfect marriage between pink and orange-peach, a warm shade that is both a flush and a warmth. It's one of my favorite colors and, if it's in lip or cheek product form, I have to smack myself multiple times to avoid buying it on the spot. Here's a look into my brain:

Coral-obsessed (CO): "OH, look at that pretty coral lipstick/lipgloss/lipliner/blush/highlighter!"

Money-mindful (MM): "No, Erin! You have so many identical shades in your collection already! Remember your Pret-a-Papier haul? ALL CORAL. The items on your Future-MAC-collections list? All coral. Permanent products that make you drool? ALL CORAL. STFU and try a different color for once!"

CO: "But, coral is so perfect for me! It's not cool, but it's not too orange, either. It's foolproof, especially with that pretty dark brown color our hair has been for the past few years and our pretty blue eyes and our pale-without-being-stark skin and--"

MM: "How about our WALLET?! Don't you have to save up for other things, like your future apartment so you don't have to live at home during school breaks?"

CO: "Well, yeah, but this is only $___!"

MM: "That's what you say ALL the time!"
CO: "Because it's true! It's not like we're buying Cle de Peau. It's ____ (enter sensibly priced, yet decent quality brand here)!

MM: "FINE, get it. But don't come crying to ME when you're sick of our family again!"

CO: "YAAAAAAAY!"

... yeah, it's that crazy. And it's just that bad.

My name is Erin, and I'm coral obsessed.