Chatter

Naked2 Basics from Urban Decay

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Urban Decay Naked2 Basics comes out August 19!Naked2 Basics from Urban Decay

I’ve been wondering if they were going to pull this for a long time, and they have – Urban Decay is coming out with a second, “basics,” palette – Naked2 Basics!

Because they like to repeat themselves (consistency isn’t a bad thing) Naked and Naked Basics were “warm,” neutral palettes, so Naked2 and the newly-minted Naked2 Basics are, “cool.” Rather than being all-matte, one shade (Skimp) features a slight satin finish, allegedly to help with highlighting.

Although I had zero interest in getting Naked Basics (despite my love of warm neutrals), I am actually somewhat interested in Naked2 basics – I don’t have as many cooler neutrals, and I can actually do more with a taupe-neutral than I can a tan one…on my skin, anyway. I also love that the palette doesn’t come with yet another freaking black. I have enough black eyeshadow to last ten years. Dark brown, however, I don’t have many of, and could use the heck out of.

I won’t be buying as soon as it drops, but it is definitely on my wishlist – hopefully I will obtain it by the holidays. I wonder if they will come out with a rose-hued matte, Naked3 Basics..?

How about you? Are you another Urban Decay / Naked loyalist, eager to leap on the opportunity? Are you a neutral-hoarder? (It’s okay, this is a safe place.) Or are you over the neutrals? If so, what do you want instead?

Naked2 Basics will be available directly from UrbanDecay.com starting August 19 (just under a week!) for $29.

Chatter: High vs Low Maintenance

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Recently, I came across a BuzzFeed article titled 29 Freeing Truths of Being a Low Maintenance Girl. The thumbnail I saw before clicking the article was a table with a makeup collection laid out on it with a caption, “this is your personal HELL.”

Up until that point, I considered myself low-to-medium maintenance. Despite this blog and its content, I’m not someone who goes the whole nine yards every day. Shoot, not even every other day. I don’t give enough bothers for all that. I can and do look presentable without being made up – but this doesn’t stop me from using and enjoying makeup when I so please. So what do they say about being high vs low maintenance?

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Chatter: Color Theory for Makeup

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I had a post of my own creation for you, today, but this Color Theory for Makeup post is so awesome that I bumped my intended content.

Color Theory for Makeup
http://rebeccashoresmua.blogspot.com/2014/05/color-theory-for-makeup.html

The internet is a good source of a lot of things, including awesome, hidden useful little gems. While browsing Reddit (which actually has quite a group of makeup and beauty fanciers) the other day, I came across a blog post entitled Color Theory for Makeup by MUA, blogger, and YouTuber Rebecca Shores. It is by far the most comprehensive guide to color usage in cosmetics that I have ever seen. I believe that learning is a constant process and I think anyone can benefit from this guide Rebecca so thoughtfully put together for the benefit of those of us who are into that sort of thing.

Personally, I am comically bad at visualizing things, especially when it comes to color and placement (not just with beauty, but other things too – to the chagrin of my poor fiance as we designed our wedding invitations). I usually have to put things in front of me (or on me!) before I can decide if I think they will look good together UNLESS I am so damn used to those items that I just know (I concocted a Naked palette look for a friend attending a wedding a while ago just off the top of my head – not sure if she used it, but I did, and it turned out nicely). I also have no formal art training, so while some of it seems obvious, the post is definitely welcome.

Beyond all that, I’m also a very neutral-eye person. I am comfortable in neutrals; they are my safe-zone. So while I do own a Coastal Scents 252 palette, it doesn’t get much love – but now that I have this tool, hopefully it will!

On top of being immensely useful and a fantastic visual guide (especially for those of us who have difficulty visualizing), her work is solid. The looks she put together are pretty awesome, though some are a bit daring for me, personally.

Read it and share it with anyone who can make use (but of course be sure to give credit where it is due because this is awesome).

Chatter: Adventures in Hair Drying

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Adventures in Hair drying

I’d just like to share with you a brief anecdote from Tuesday night.
All products mentioned are in the picture above!

1. Wash hair. It’s time, you know? Plus, you need to get that dry shampoo buildup out (it is awesome, but is not meant to stay forever). Condition liberally, leave it in for a few while you wash your face and body.

2. Procrastinate about leaving the warm shower. It’s cold on the other side of the curtain. Pout like a child, grudgingly dry off and step out.

3. Hastily towel dry hair so it isn’t sopping or considering becoming icicles. Start a blowout with drenched hair? You’re gonna have a bad time.

4. Comb through your mane with a wide-toothed comb to detangle. We’re civilized folk, after all.

5. Rummage through the drawer o’ hair goop. Grab your Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum and Ion knockoff (from Sally Beauty, left) of Aquage Uplifting Foam (real, right) .

6. Toss most of your hair to one side and section about an inch above the ear. Try to spray it on like Kate from the Small Things Blog shows us.

7. Instead, do a horrible job at it and somehow wind up with it on the door of the bathroom (I don’t even…). Wipe off the door before your fiance thinks you were doing grade-school science experiments in the bathroom with hair products as reagents. Don’t be like me.
Also, don’t use hair products as reagents – a lot of them are pressurized and/or flammable. The more you know.

8. Deal with the now-intrigued cats on the other side of the door who were curious about what was getting the inside of the door (aka you wiping the root-lifting mousse off the door).

9.  Apply one pump of Super Skinny to the mid-lengths and ends. This step was pretty anticlimactic. Wipe your hands off because it feels weird.

10. Rough dry upside down with an easily-obtained dryer (though I guess a difficult to obtain one would work just as well), trying to get the scalp area (where you applied too much foam goop) driest. Flip back over, make sure the roots are dry.

11. Move onto the ends with an awesome gigantic round brush (4″!) that you require (because your hair is almost waist length when it isn’t being wild and crazy and using a 2.5″ barrel would be awful).

12. Get bored 7/8 of the way through your adventures in hair drying (with nearly-dry hair!) and decide to go finish making dinner.

This is a pretty normal DIY blowout for me. Occasionally, I’ll really take the time to go through the process properly. But really, it is important that your routine feels like something you want to do, and not like a chore. You do not have to take it so seriously – the world won’t end if you get root-lifting mousse on the door, after all.

Nyx April Fools

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So at some point on an April 1 many moons ago, the internet collectively decided that they would bring April Fools to the cyber realm and play silly jokes. Peddler of geeky wares, ThinkGeek, usually has some hilarious joke products (that actually became real after interest was expressed). Google tends to do some silly things, including the Google Maps Pokemon stuff that is going on.

Why bring it up? I’m not trolling you, after all.

Nyx Cosmetics, however, is.

The Mirage Palette, pictured below, purportedly is:

  • Waterproof
  • Smudge proof
  • Long lasting (basically lasts forever)
  • Adapts to any skin tone
  • Perfect for any age
  • Contains 20 shadows and blushers, as well as 10 vibrant lip colors.
  • Coverage is lightweight and so sheer, it’s like it’s not even there.
  • Never cakes or fades
  • Never smears or stains

Ohhh, the inside:

Really? Yes, I’m being a bit, “Bah Humbug,” here, but if you’re going to troll, at least be clever or inventive…or, on the other hand, be so outlandishly ridiculous that we can’t bear but chuckle! Cheers, hope you haven’t been embarrassed today.