Review: Urban Decay Book of Shadows III

This really isn't a proper review because I didn't include my own swatches but here's a peek at something I ordered from Sephora a few days ago -

The box was huge O_o Sure was packaged well with enough packing paper to last a year.

Tis the UD Book of Shadows III - Love NYC (and a Philosophy Hope In A Jar sample)!  It's Urban Decay's Fall 2010 palette and it debuted on August 28ish.  It's my first UD palette and I bought it at after seeing the color swatches on Temptalia.

Btw, the reason I'm not doing swatches of my own is because Temptalia and Pursebuzz truly have the best swatches for this palette and my camera's crap macro (combined with my wobbly photography skills) just can't measure up.  Temptalia's swatches (imho) are more accurate in terms of how the colors look on your eyes.  Pursebuzz's pictures look a TAD on the saturated side (and a bit dark) but show the undertones and glitter specks the best.  So use those swatches as you will - I will say both swatches combined give you a very accurate look at what you're getting short of going to Sephora yourself.  And also I am only comparing the respective strengths of temptalia's and pursebuzz's pics because it really is impossible to capture the reflection, hue and sparkle of a shadow in one picture.  Both reviewer's focus on slightly different aspects of makeup so it's up to you to see if the palette is for you I think ^^

Anyway, my first impression was I was shocked by how huge this palatte is O_O!

It literally is the size of a book!   The sample palette at Sephora was (understandably, to fit on the rack) was half this size so my eyes just popped out when I held the real thing in my hand.  It feels weighty and has a really expensive heft to it :)  Not a portable palette for sure because the size and weight but very sturdy regardless.   And this book has a surprise ~

It lights up! Actually the lights had turned off by the time I snapped a pic but it's really pretty ^^ if a bit useless ;)  Lots of attention to detail though and I appreciate that :D  The palette came with a sheet with all the colors . . .

Opening the drawer . . .

Gorgeoussssss!! You can tell from the pics that this is no cheap cardboard box.  It's heavy, sturdy...well...the packaging is just great.  The primer potion is a mini size -

This picture turned out a little too yellow . . .

Quick summary (from Temptalia) - 16 colors total
In Blue = favorites

Exclusive to this palette: Loaded, Kush, Rockstar, Money, Bordello, Radium, Suspect

Sephora exclusives (aka a permanent color but hasn't been in other UD palettes): Haight, Psychedelic Sister

Repeats (in other UD palettes): Perversion, Uzi, Midnight Cowboy, Last Call, Maui Wowie, Smog, Snatch

Eyeliners: Zero, Ransom (both permanent colors in the 24/7 Pencil collection)
Eye primer: Original

I didn't own any UD shadows (or Ransom or the famous Primer Potion) so this was a 100% great buy for me and worth every penny ($54 at Sephora.com).  While the bright colors like Radium, Kush, Rockstar and Psychedelic Sister really catch the eye, this palette really is pretty versatile.  Perversion (matte black) is a staple for a smokey eye or simply tightlining your eye. Uzi (glittery white) is a little on the glittery side for say, work, but with a deft hand you can definitely get away with dabbing a bit on your inner corners.  Last Call (red-plum) is definitely a can-do for work even with it's rich color. Rockstar even can pass at workplaces with a slightly more relaxed dress code. Snatch (a delicate pink-peach with a gold sheen) has no fallout despite the glitter and is seriously my favorite base shadow at the moment.  And of course the famous Smog (bronze) is in the Naked palette (among many others) basically speaks for itself.  Suspect (a lighter bronze than Smog) is also obviously a very wearable color.

Midnight Cowboy (pink with gold glitter), despite looking modest in the pan, is actually way too glittery and Temptalia is quite right in saying it has a ridiculous amount of fallout.    Speaking of, I've read a number of negative reviews about this particular color and many have commented that it is their outright least favorite shadow :\  I can certainly see why, I put this on once and spent the next 15 minutes wiping off gold flecks from my nose, cheeks and picking it out of my lashes :P

I already own a couple UD 24/7 Pencils (including Zero) but I was so happy to get my paws on Ransom (purple with a blue flash).  I played around with all the colors and they are all incredibly pigmented, I can definitely see why UD is famous for their rich colors.  FYI the 24/7 pencils are fantastic.  As I mentioned before, I'd never used the Primer Potion before (or any kind of lid primer for the matter) and these pencils do not budge.   Without the lid primer, colors are definitely less vibrant but no less long-wearing I think.  I must do some swatches one day.

Just looking at this palette makes also sorts of makeup look ideas run through my head - I'm thinking of just doing a series of looks just from this palette to get to know it properly ^_^  Anyway, I hope you found this mini-review helpful in some way.  For people looking to make their first UD palette purchase, I definitely recommend this.  The ever-out-of-stock Naked palette is a good option as well (if you can actually get your hands on in the next few months) but I think for first time purchasers the BoS3 is actually a better palette in a lot of ways because you get a mix of colors both bright and neutrals to get you used to UD shadows AND have an array of colors to play with.

For those who own previous BoS's, here is a short and sweet comparison (with pics) of UD's BoS 1, 2, and 3 at London Beauty Review.  She does a quick comparison of the boxes and an overview of the colors.  Nothing too specific but enough to give you a taste of whether you should splurge on this palette if you have others.

Review: SkinFood Products, Part 2 of 2

Ehhe missing a bunch of items ^^ Threw out the packaging before I could get a group shot :}

Part 2 of the Skinfood review!  Believe it or not I actually have even more Skinfood stuff to review ^_^

Version without background music.

Skinfood Product Reviews, Part 2 of 2
1.) Carrot Sun Cream
2.) Honey Black Tea Jelly Foam
3.) Rice Mask Wash Off ***recommended***
4.) Orange & Mint Body Wash
5.) Hop Beer Hair Wash
6.) Lychee Essence Mist
7.) Moisture Egg Hair Pack ***recommended***

In-Depth Reviews + Pics
1.) Carrot Sun Cream

  
Very sunscreen-y smell :P The entire Carrot line in Skinfood is unscented and that's probably why it's not particularly popular xD I dunno, it's really just a regular sunscreen, not much to say.

It's a slight off-white. It does absorb pretty quickly leaves a bit of a shine on your face that you could argue as either greasy or dewy.  I didn't try topping makeup on it but considering the greasiness it leaves behind, I dunno how well makeup would stick to it.  I feel like it would cake :P

2.) Honey Black Tea Jelly Foam

I really hated the smell and look of this foam.  It does foam very well but lord knows the herbal smell is hard to ignore.  Plus it feels very drying and I am a very oily skinned person; this is really odd considering it's supposed to have honey (a moisturizer) in it.

Doesn't it look awful :(?  Actually the Hop Beer Hair Wash looks just like this too...and both smell weirdly herbal....  I almost have nothing good to say about this except that it foams well.

3.) Rice Mask Wash Off 

This is very nice indeed, moisturizing, wonderfully scented and gentle even though it's an exfoliater. Very recommended.

See the little granules of rice?

FYI(s) the actual product comes in a tub, which I find a little unhygienic since you have to dip your hands into the tub to get out the mask.   It's a pretty good sized tub too so you probably won't be able to finish for at least a few months and you definitely don't want bacteria festering in there in the meantime.  I'd say make sure you scoop this stuff out with a spoon if you buy the actual product, maybe even refrigerate it.

Also you're supposed to put this on a clean DRY face.  I once just used this in the shower and the exfoliating and moisturizing affect is lessened if you don't use it on a dry face; why that is beats me.  After you wash you face, put the mask on and massage gently.  When you first put on the mask, it should be all white and goop-y.  After a couple minutes of massaging, the grains should still be on your face but the white cream/gel part should be gone and your face should like a bit "greasy."  Then rinse and you will see how moisturized your face is :) You can find this for a reasonable price all over the internet (ranges $11-15 USD), so it's not pricey considering how many uses you get out of it.  I don't recommend this for those looking for heavy exfoliation.

4.) Orange & Mint Body Wash

Very, very strong mint scent with a hint of orange.  I find it a pretty nice smell, refreshing and zesty but it might be too strong for some.  It's definitely a "summer" body wash considering the fragrance and the slight drying quality.

Looks like a typical body wash, a gel with a faint orange tinge.  Nothing special really but nice as a sample.

5.) Hop Beer Hair Wash

Again, the herbal fragrance was off-putting but it wasn't nearly as bad as the Jelly Foam. Faint and quite bearable.  But the smell just sticks to your hair though even if you follow up with another shampoo.  Can't say much about the cleansing strength because I have so much hair (hence only got to used it once) and this didn't foam very much. 

6.) Lychee Essence Mist

Not too bad and it does work if you use it very generously.  But then again, I have a lot of hair.  I read reviews about people saying they like how light this is and how it leaves no residue.  This is true, this leaves no greasy residue or shine and absorbs very quickly.  So this may very well be an excellent product for someone who has less hair then me.  For people with thick hair though, this is way too light. Once I finish this I look forward to trying the DHC Hair Lotion.  Also the scent is most definitely not lychee (smells like any other hair spray).

7.) Moisture Egg Hair Pack

I like~ I've been trying to pinpoint what the fragrance is exactly -- it reminded me of egg but yet...not egg. Then someone said custard!  And that's exactly right :D this smells like custard.  It's sweet without being cloying and it definitely works.

Tip: You must squeeze the water out of your hair before you put on the Hair Pack, otherwise it won't work nearly as well.  I made this mistake the first time: I just put it in my hair like a regular conditioner without wringing out my hair.  I didn't think it worked.  The next time I squeezed the excess water out of my hair, lathered the hair mask into my hair then rolled my hair into a bun so it wouldn't get wet while I scrubbed.  It worked much better :)

Review: SkinFood Products, Part 1 of 2

I almost tore my hair out because the first time I recorded I had this static sound in the background :(  So I gave up for a few weeks ^^.....and then just finished it yesterday. I had to leave some of the old static-y bits in though because I threw away the packaging accidentally before I could re-record :P

This version has music in the background but someone commented it was distracting,

so I uploaded a Music Removed version, which you can view here :)

Skinfood Product Reviews, Part 1 of 2
1.) Mushroom Multicare BBcream ***recommended***
2.) Peach Sake Pore BBcream
3.) Peach Sake Toner
4.) Agave Cactus Prime Gel
5.) All Over Muffin Cake Finish

In Depth Reviews + Pics
1.) Mushroom Multicare BBcream 

Shade 1: Bright Skin

That's a pretty accurate look at the color of this BBcream.  It has a gray tint to it and I've heard some people say "who the hell would want a gray-tinted foundation?" To which I say, because it oxidizes into a perfect yellow-undertoned color.  I get a nice dewy finish and I have plenty of red acne scars so I shie away from foundations/bbcreams that'll make me look "rosy" because they inevitably seem to make me look blotchy.  On top of which, this BBcream provides solid medium coverage, decent oil control (must blot after 5 hours), and lasts for 5-6 hours flawlessly (unless you are sweating and stuff).  It lasts longer if you top it off with a setting powder.   This is a staple for me and is actually the BBcream I use daily. I highly recommend this BBcream, as it is my favorite, especially for those seeking more than light coverage, a slightly dewy finish, and have a slight yellow undertone (I am a NC20-25 for reference).

Good:
- Very natural, perfect for yellow-toned skin.
- Does not oxidize orange.
- Medium coverage, could possibly build to heavy coverage but looks a little cakey.
- Decent oil control.
- Dewy finish.
- Smells clean - like fresh cut grass.

Bad:
- Squeeze tip can get messy. 
- Tiny color selection.

A little side note: This BBcream looks exceptionally light/almost ashy when you first put it on your face but give it 3-5 minutes to "set"/oxidize and the color will darken - this is the BBcream's true color.  This BBcream also doesn't oxidize orange (at least in my experience) and stays a nice yellow-undertoned color all day. Most BBcreams tend to be like this, they come out of the tube a shade lighter than the actual shade and darken a bit as it's settling.  So when you're testing out BBcreams, makes sure you wear it longer than 5 minutes to get an accurate color match.

2.) Peach Sake Pore BBcream

Wonderful scent but despite the description, I really think this BBcream is suited for people who have pretty good skin to begin with (aka with minimal acne scars and only want to perfect what they already have rather than complete coverage).  Good for filling in enlarged pores and adding a nice glow to your face.  I feel like there are faint gold glitters in this BBcream but that could be me hallucinating xD In any case, it has a warm peachy base.  This definitely does have better sebum control than the mushroom but that's kind of a must considering this is called Pore BBcream.

This is overall a good product but it honestly is a bad color match for me.  This has a warm peachy, gold undertone to it and I look like I am wearing a mask even with the sheerest coverage.  I would only recommend this to those with warm pink undertoned skin and looking for light coverage.

Good:
- Decent (though not amazing) oil control.
- Slightly matte-dewy finish.
- Good for those with warm peach-pink undertoned skin.
- Smells excellent.


Bad:
- Expensive as other Skinfood BBcreams go.
- Very light coverage.
- Tiny color selection.

3.) Peach Sake Toner

For those curious, that's not the expiration date. Korea stamps products with the manufacture date and it's up to the consumer to know when it's expired (generally 1-2 years max).

Not much to say, great scent.  I find toners and primers to be a little gratuitous.  Nonetheless, if you're looking for a sweet scented primer, this is for you.  I commented that I didn't see any change in my face using this, however, my mom told me it may be because I don't even have enlarged pores in the first place :\  I guess I'm my own worst critic, I thought my pores were huge O_o  Anyway my mom (early 50s) has been using this and she says she thinks it works well on her ^_^ And I must admit she does have enlarged pores (at least larger than mine).  So if you legit are troubled with pores then I reckon you should try this out, it may work well for you :)  But personally, I will not be re-purchasing this.

4.) Agave Cactus Prime Gel

I love the scent (aloe candy!) and the sponge :] It's utterly ineffectual in terms of makeup priming but it sure feels good on your face, all cool and clean feeling :]

5.) All Over Muffin Cake Finish

The second picture is a pretty accurate look at the color of the muffin. Really pretty in the pan :)

LT: No flash/fluorescent lighting RT: Flash.

Unfortunately, this is very powdery and not natural looking on the skin. The gold flecks are pretty in regular lighting but it looks like flour with flash :( Most disappointing Skinfood product in this bunch.

Part 2 coming up later this week :D!

2 Braids Across Face

This is a really cute fun and easy way to keep the bangs out of her eyes.

                                    Make the first french braid across the front of her face.

Make a parallel french braid along the lines of the first one.  Shown Below

                                                                 Simple easy and your done.



Toddler 2 Ponytails

Because of our age and the length of her hair we haven't been too creative lately with her. 

So here is one of the few changes in her hairstyle lately. 

We made a zig zag part and then put her hair into 2 ponytails.  This turned out to be adorable.  It is few and far between that I can convince her to have more than 1 elastic.  I hope this phase passes soon, but until then I will keep trying to convince her of new styles. 

Braid Fun

This is another really cute and fast hairstyle. 

When finished you will have a total of 4 braids.  I started on her right side just above her ear.  I made a small part as shown below.

 Then I made a simple braid I made a 2nd braid just above that one as shown below.  Make sure you braid all the way to the end.

                             Do the same to the other side.  Shown below is the left side of her head.

 Then pull all 4 braids to the center, back of her head.

Below is the side view.

This style is so quick you can do it in under 5 minutes.  For those days you need a really quick style.

Forever21 Necklace and Eyebrow Threading

Been feeling pretty sluggish in the last few days - the weather became really cold especially at night and I always tend to sleep more in cold weather ^^ Hibernating I guess ;)  Neway, I was at Forever21 yesterday and I was in more of a window-shopping mood until this necklace caught my eye.

This is a strangely ridiculous picture xD Want a wanna-be sexy it is -____-

It was $7.30 and is the most dramatic piece of jewelry I own.   I've never been drawn to these kinds of necklaces but I dunno, I just really wanted it ^_^! I think the way I'd wear it would be under a blazer to add visual interest to an outfit without it being so in-your-face.  This necklace reminds me of the little mermaid for some reason...the pearls look like bubbles to me :D  Fyi, this is what Skinfood Mushroom BBcream looks like after 9 hours (not the forehead though, that got wiped off during my threading session ^^ ehehe you can see my pimples in all their glory ;) ).  For reference, I am an exceptionally oily person so actually this BBcream's oil control is decent all things considered. I didn't blot at all and it was a warm day so I that little sheen of oil is ok in my book - at least the coverage remained good all day.

Also I got my eyebrows threaded for the first time yesterday ^_^!  At the mall there was a stall doing eyebrow threading for $10 flat so I was like...what the heck, let's give it a try.   I've only ever done my own brows (pretty sloppily now that I look at it) so this was a fun experience for me.  

Notes on eyebrow threading:
1.) It did not hurt for me but I am someone who regularly plucks her lashes.  The girl next to me who had never plucked in her life said it hurt a little.  Hairs are getting pulled out so I suppose that's to be expected.
2.) I don't know if this is the case for every salon (or if I was just wearing too much makeup xD) but the lady had to wipe off the makeup around my eyebrows.  So in the future I'll probably go makeup-less, especially if I decide to do my upper lip as well ^^;;;
3.) Contrary to adverts - I did turn pretty red after plucking.  Actually you can see in the pic (2-3 hours after plucking) that I am still a little red. Given I am on the pale side but if you do get your brows plucked, take a little compact with you to cover up the redness afterwards.  She put lotion on my brows afterwards so I had no dryness but I was very red for about an hour.
4.) It literally feels like a thread rolling over your skin.  To me it was pretty soothing and the process literally took about 2-3 minutes xD At first I was like...what? $10 for 3 minutes O_o?? But it turned out pretty well I think and the lady who was doing my brows was clearly very experienced.
5.) I would definitely get my brows threaded again if I could, totally worth the $10.  I can see why people find this addicting ^_^ and it is relatively painless.  The lady claimed this will last 3-4 weeks but we'll see.  I'm particularly happy how threading removed the errant hairs on my eyelid which I never had the guts to pluck.  I kinda wish I did my upper lips as well :( This is definitely a lot faster and tidier than tweezing one by one or waxing.
6.) The process: Wipe off makeup --> thread above brows --> I hold my forehead and close my eyes as she threads lids and below brows --> got little scissors and trimmed the longer hairs --> showed me what I looked like in the mirror --> put Johnson's baby lotion on a swab and wiped my brows and lids --> that's it :)!

Here's a before and after.  If you want more pics, basically anything before this post was un-threaded xD

There's definitely more of an arch going on and my inner corner hairs definitely look tidier ^^ So yeah, I hope this was helpful for anybody thinking of getting their brows threaded. For $10/month it's not a bad investment considering the time it takes me to pluck/wax on my own. The result is also pretty nice I think, I never knew I could have such an arch in my brow ^0^

UPDATE 10/7/2010: 

Soo...It's been four days and wee little hairs are already coming back that I had to tweeze out :P Overall it still looks good but there's no way these brows would last untouched for 4+ weeks xD Regardless, I think it was worth it just to get "the shape" of my brows...now that I have a shape to work with I can just trim around instead of just...guessing ^^

To answer ash's (who's been doing tons of cute YT vids btw :D) question: The hair are getting pulled out one by one but it's happening so fast it feels like it's being pulled out together...much like waxing (but less painful).  I think the best thing to do is go to the mall or something and just watch customers getting their brows done and see how quickly the Salon ladies can do it :} If they look experienced and the customers look better after then you pretty much know you're in good hands :)