Phew, today i've finally waved goodbye to the Elf costumes. They weren't complicated to make at all, but took longer than i expected, especially as i am using the new sewing machine, which i'm not used to. Then i had to embellish the jackets with beads and trims and things. I stayed up til 4 yesterday and woke up at 11 and solidly sewed on individual beads until 4 this afternoon. I am shattered and my fingers are very sore.
But it's over now! My girlfriend is very happy because she has a weird thing about velvet, she can't touch it and doesn't even like to look at it, so i had to be on velvet duty and move any pieces that crossed her path :P
Tomorrow i have my last illustration class, which is a bit of a relief because going to brighton is really draining my (small) financial resources, but is also a shame because i've really enjoyed it and it's nice to see my friend Chris (who is the teacher) so often.
Anyway after than i will be free, well except for making christmas presents, and an art show i'm in next week, but that will just be putting up previously made work, so shouldn't be too much work. So hopefully i'll be back to semi-regular posting from now on!
I see i've got some more followers since i was last on! Thank you guys so much, please enter my giveaway if you like the look of the prize, it ends tomorrow and i'll be drawing the winner on tuesday. I'll check out all of your blogs as soon as i can and also to the blogs i'm following, i'm going to catch up on your entries soon too :)
Now it's time for an incredibly early night. Mmm sleep.
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Monday, 23 November 2009
Hi everyone.
I've posted a bunch of new videos on my youtube account here
Check them out if you're interested :)
There's still time to enter my giveaway if you havent yet.
I've read all of your requests for what you'd like to see on my blog. As a few people said they would actually like to see posts about my daily life and my art/illustraton i have decided to actually merge this blog with my personal one (i post in there a lot more rarely than i do here, so if you're not interested you can just skip those posts :) ) so i will be reposting my old posts from there and keeping that blog as a sort of 'professional' blog.
I'll be doing some top 5/10 product lists, more product reviews and FOTDs and so on. A couple of people also mentioned wanting tutorials, but i am not really that great at applying makeup, i just mess around until I think i look alright. Do you think i should just go for it anyway, at the risk of looking horribly unprofessional and stuff? :P
Also just to say if i'm a bit quiet for the next little while it's because i'm busy. I'm helping a friend of mine out by making 2 Elf jackets for a christmas play and only have til sunday to complete them. Although you probably won't notice, as i love the interwebz too much to stay away for long.
I've posted a bunch of new videos on my youtube account here
Check them out if you're interested :)
There's still time to enter my giveaway if you havent yet.
I've read all of your requests for what you'd like to see on my blog. As a few people said they would actually like to see posts about my daily life and my art/illustraton i have decided to actually merge this blog with my personal one (i post in there a lot more rarely than i do here, so if you're not interested you can just skip those posts :) ) so i will be reposting my old posts from there and keeping that blog as a sort of 'professional' blog.
I'll be doing some top 5/10 product lists, more product reviews and FOTDs and so on. A couple of people also mentioned wanting tutorials, but i am not really that great at applying makeup, i just mess around until I think i look alright. Do you think i should just go for it anyway, at the risk of looking horribly unprofessional and stuff? :P
Also just to say if i'm a bit quiet for the next little while it's because i'm busy. I'm helping a friend of mine out by making 2 Elf jackets for a christmas play and only have til sunday to complete them. Although you probably won't notice, as i love the interwebz too much to stay away for long.
Saturday, 21 November 2009
Barry M Nail paints
Here is my collection of Barry M Nail polishes.
These are all shown over a clear base coat, with 2 layers of polish and no top coat.
(apologies for my horrible nails. I have a nervous habit of biting my cuticles and the skin surrounding my nails)
No. 299 Racing Green
No. Grey
from left to right NP Neon Pink, No. 115 Red Black No. 244 Hologram Hexographs, No. 150 Red glitter
from left to right No. 302 Fuschia, No. 296 Coral, No. 295 Turquoise, No. 301 Block Orange
from left to right No. 303 Bright purple, No. 304 Mint Green, No. 305 Flamingo Pink
Barry M are my all time favourite brand for nail polishes. The formula is usually smooth and creamy, generally opaque in 2 coats and if used with a top coat can last for up to a week on me! They also come in a wonderful array of rainbow colours and cost only £2.95. I love them and look forward to adding more and more to my collection!
These are all shown over a clear base coat, with 2 layers of polish and no top coat.
(apologies for my horrible nails. I have a nervous habit of biting my cuticles and the skin surrounding my nails)
No. 299 Racing Green
No. Grey
from left to right NP Neon Pink, No. 115 Red Black No. 244 Hologram Hexographs, No. 150 Red glitter
from left to right No. 302 Fuschia, No. 296 Coral, No. 295 Turquoise, No. 301 Block Orange
from left to right No. 303 Bright purple, No. 304 Mint Green, No. 305 Flamingo Pink
Barry M are my all time favourite brand for nail polishes. The formula is usually smooth and creamy, generally opaque in 2 coats and if used with a top coat can last for up to a week on me! They also come in a wonderful array of rainbow colours and cost only £2.95. I love them and look forward to adding more and more to my collection!
Barry M lip swatches
Here is my collection of Barry M lip paints on my lips (they're a bit red and cracked at the moment)
No. 140 Pink sparkle
No. 53 Coral
No. 129 Palest Lavender
No. 117 Orange
No. 52 Shocking Pink
No. 149 Green
No. 37 Black
No. 145 Punky Pink
No. 147 Peachy Pink
No. 121 Pillar Box Red
I love Barry M and particularly their lipsticks. They're £4.25 each, come in over 30 colours ranging from the sillier ones like green, blue and black to more conventional reds, pinks and nudes. The formulas are mostly creamy and smooth, though some of the more matte colours can be a bit dry (in my collection no. 52 shocking pink is the worst for this), they're very long lasting and very true to colour and opaque. To me they don't seem to have any scent at all. I love them and suggest you pick up a few if there are colours that excite you!
No. 140 Pink sparkle
No. 53 Coral
No. 129 Palest Lavender
No. 117 Orange
No. 52 Shocking Pink
No. 149 Green
No. 37 Black
No. 145 Punky Pink
No. 147 Peachy Pink
No. 121 Pillar Box Red
I love Barry M and particularly their lipsticks. They're £4.25 each, come in over 30 colours ranging from the sillier ones like green, blue and black to more conventional reds, pinks and nudes. The formulas are mostly creamy and smooth, though some of the more matte colours can be a bit dry (in my collection no. 52 shocking pink is the worst for this), they're very long lasting and very true to colour and opaque. To me they don't seem to have any scent at all. I love them and suggest you pick up a few if there are colours that excite you!
Review: Estee Lauder crystal pure colour gloss in Clear Flash
This baby is long discontinued, I got mine on ebay for about £10 (including shipping from the US) and i'm sure more are available on the net.
It's very difficult to describe this lip gloss properly. It is basically a clear gloss, but depending on the way the light hits it changes colour from blue to yellow to green to pink just like an opal. It's absolutely stunning. I have a gloss that i thought would be similar to this, Laura Mercier in Pink Quartz, but sadly while that looks holographic and perlescent in the tube (review of it to come later), it just becomes a pinky orangey colour on my lips whereas Clear Flash (number 310) really does colour-shift on your lips. Having said this it is the blue colour that seems to show up the most.
The gloss is not at all sticky in fact to me it feels almost oily. By that i mean it doesn't feel at all thick or greasy, it feels very liquidy and slippery, but it stays put well with no running or feathering. It does not have amazing staying power (but then i've never found a gloss that really does have great staying power) to me it seems no better or worse than the majority of my other lipglosses.
To get the best of the colour-shifting i find it's best to layer it on quite thickly. It applies with a doe-foot applicator, which is pretty standard practice. Personally i prefer a brush-tip, but i know lots of people find doe-foot applicators easier to use. I particularly like to put this on the top of coloured lipsticks and lip pencils to just add a chameleon colour effect to the lips. In order to do this i tend to first apply the lipgloss to the back of my hand and then pat it on my lips with a finger, simply because i don't want to contaminate the gloss by rubbing the applicator over dark or bright lipstick.
A quick word on the smell. I personally have no problem with most cosmetic smells unless it is truly overpowering, but i know that scent can be a big deal to some people. This gloss smells very odd to me. It is quite strong too, but i wouldn't call it overpowering. The smell is like... a synthetic candy mixed with vanilla. There's something toffee-apple-ish about it too. My girlfriend thinks it smells like 'a sweetened vegetable'. I personally neither like it or hate but scent is a very personally taste, however i can't smell it at all when it's actually on my lips and it doesn't really have any flavour, just a slight sweetness.
Here are some pictures, i've tried my best to capture the opalescent qualities.
Here is it in the tube:
in natural light:
and with flash:
And now on the lips:
Firstly on its own:
Here i have it over NYX Orange Soda (a pale, nudeish orange lipstick):
And here i am wearing it over Mac Magenta lip pencil:
In these photos you can only clearly see the lovely pale blue, but in real life you can see light greens, pinks and yellows too.
I would really highly recommend this lip gloss, if you can get hold of it and you can manage the bizarre smell (i don't find it unpleasant, just really weird). It's pretty unique and looks beautiful just on it's own, but can also add another dimension to any lip product you layer it on top of.
It's very difficult to describe this lip gloss properly. It is basically a clear gloss, but depending on the way the light hits it changes colour from blue to yellow to green to pink just like an opal. It's absolutely stunning. I have a gloss that i thought would be similar to this, Laura Mercier in Pink Quartz, but sadly while that looks holographic and perlescent in the tube (review of it to come later), it just becomes a pinky orangey colour on my lips whereas Clear Flash (number 310) really does colour-shift on your lips. Having said this it is the blue colour that seems to show up the most.
The gloss is not at all sticky in fact to me it feels almost oily. By that i mean it doesn't feel at all thick or greasy, it feels very liquidy and slippery, but it stays put well with no running or feathering. It does not have amazing staying power (but then i've never found a gloss that really does have great staying power) to me it seems no better or worse than the majority of my other lipglosses.
To get the best of the colour-shifting i find it's best to layer it on quite thickly. It applies with a doe-foot applicator, which is pretty standard practice. Personally i prefer a brush-tip, but i know lots of people find doe-foot applicators easier to use. I particularly like to put this on the top of coloured lipsticks and lip pencils to just add a chameleon colour effect to the lips. In order to do this i tend to first apply the lipgloss to the back of my hand and then pat it on my lips with a finger, simply because i don't want to contaminate the gloss by rubbing the applicator over dark or bright lipstick.
A quick word on the smell. I personally have no problem with most cosmetic smells unless it is truly overpowering, but i know that scent can be a big deal to some people. This gloss smells very odd to me. It is quite strong too, but i wouldn't call it overpowering. The smell is like... a synthetic candy mixed with vanilla. There's something toffee-apple-ish about it too. My girlfriend thinks it smells like 'a sweetened vegetable'. I personally neither like it or hate but scent is a very personally taste, however i can't smell it at all when it's actually on my lips and it doesn't really have any flavour, just a slight sweetness.
Here are some pictures, i've tried my best to capture the opalescent qualities.
Here is it in the tube:
in natural light:
and with flash:
And now on the lips:
Firstly on its own:
Here i have it over NYX Orange Soda (a pale, nudeish orange lipstick):
And here i am wearing it over Mac Magenta lip pencil:
In these photos you can only clearly see the lovely pale blue, but in real life you can see light greens, pinks and yellows too.
I would really highly recommend this lip gloss, if you can get hold of it and you can manage the bizarre smell (i don't find it unpleasant, just really weird). It's pretty unique and looks beautiful just on it's own, but can also add another dimension to any lip product you layer it on top of.
FOTD and some more photos of the prize
Hi everyone!
Thank you so much for all your entries into my giveaway so far, your comments have been really helpful and very interesting, and i intend to fulfill the vast majority of them :)
Here are some clearer pictures of the prize:
And here's what i looked like today:
I was wearing:
face:
NYX liquid foundation in LM01 Pale
ELF complexion perfection
Collection 200 Illuminating touch concealer
Mac Azalea blush
Eyes:
ELF eyebrow treat and tame
Mac eyeshadows in Seedy Pearl, Gesso, Swish and Passionate
Collection 200 Glam Crystals glitter eyeliner in Pow!
Sleek Magnitude mascara
Lips:
ELF Lip definer and shaper
Revlon lipsticks in Cherries in the Snow
Thank you so much for all your entries into my giveaway so far, your comments have been really helpful and very interesting, and i intend to fulfill the vast majority of them :)
Here are some clearer pictures of the prize:
And here's what i looked like today:
I was wearing:
face:
NYX liquid foundation in LM01 Pale
ELF complexion perfection
Collection 200 Illuminating touch concealer
Mac Azalea blush
Eyes:
ELF eyebrow treat and tame
Mac eyeshadows in Seedy Pearl, Gesso, Swish and Passionate
Collection 200 Glam Crystals glitter eyeliner in Pow!
Sleek Magnitude mascara
Lips:
ELF Lip definer and shaper
Revlon lipsticks in Cherries in the Snow
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Giveaway time!
To celebrate reaching over 50 followers i'm having a giveaway.
I decided to try and buy prizes that could make a whole 'look' together. So i chose to do a sort of super bright, glittery disco look. Of course you can also use all the bits separately :)
One winner will receive:
A Steve Madden cosmetics bag
2True glitter eyeliner in a beautiful turquoisey green
2True glamour lashes
2True lip and cheek tiny in Blush pink (i have my own bottle of this and LOVE it, review to come shortly)
Eyeko Disco nail polish
Collection 2000 Poptastic Eye Palette
So a few little rules for entry:
1. You must be a follower to enter.
2. In your comment please leave me with a suggestion/request for posts you'd like to see here.
3. Anyone anywhere in the world can enter, but if you're outside the UK obviously the prize will take longer to reach you.
4. The Winner will be chosen randomly on 30th november.
(sorry for the poor picture, again the lighting is terrible in my house! I will post more photos ASAP showing the prize in natural light)
Good luck everyone and thanks again for following! :)
I decided to try and buy prizes that could make a whole 'look' together. So i chose to do a sort of super bright, glittery disco look. Of course you can also use all the bits separately :)
One winner will receive:
A Steve Madden cosmetics bag
2True glitter eyeliner in a beautiful turquoisey green
2True glamour lashes
2True lip and cheek tiny in Blush pink (i have my own bottle of this and LOVE it, review to come shortly)
Eyeko Disco nail polish
Collection 2000 Poptastic Eye Palette
So a few little rules for entry:
1. You must be a follower to enter.
2. In your comment please leave me with a suggestion/request for posts you'd like to see here.
3. Anyone anywhere in the world can enter, but if you're outside the UK obviously the prize will take longer to reach you.
4. The Winner will be chosen randomly on 30th november.
(sorry for the poor picture, again the lighting is terrible in my house! I will post more photos ASAP showing the prize in natural light)
Good luck everyone and thanks again for following! :)
Wow!
I now have 52 followers!
Thank you all so much, it really means a lot.
The giveaway should be up by tonight :)
Thank you all so much, it really means a lot.
The giveaway should be up by tonight :)
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Some FOTDs, a to-do list and secret santa :)
We have men in our house working on some damp. I have mainly been hiding in my bedroom, tidying it (which is a lengthy and dull process) so by the time i come out of hiding and get ready to go out the light is terrible. Still i thought i'd post some pictures of me from the last few days.
this was me on monday, going to my illustration course:
(my hair is TERRIBLE! D:)
The lips looked so much better in real life. I used Mac Magenta lip pencil and then Mac Funtabulous lip glass. It turned out an amaing fuscia-purple with bright blue diamonds!
And here are a few of me today. This was the best lighting in my house, and as you can see it was terrible! My eyes look green!
Funny face by name...
I'm irritated i couldn't get a good photoof my eye makeup. It wasn't anything particularly special but (if i do say so myself) i did a really good job of blending, something i am usually pretty terrible at.
And here i am wearing my beautiful new dress.
Looking at this photo i can see that i really, really need to wear a girdle under it! :P foldy-roll!
Here is my to-do list of reviews, to remind myself :P
ELF studio makeup line
ELF studio brushes
Sleek double ended lip colour
NYX haul
Collection 2000 glam crystals eyeliner
Is there anything else i've either bought or discussed in this blog that anyone would like to see a review for? :)
Also a lovely blogger, Sabrina, is running a Secret Santa for UK bloggers:
http://a-littleobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/11/secret-santa-please-read.html
I think it's a really sweet idea. The idea of sending each other presents seems a really nice way to unite bloggers :)
this was me on monday, going to my illustration course:
(my hair is TERRIBLE! D:)
The lips looked so much better in real life. I used Mac Magenta lip pencil and then Mac Funtabulous lip glass. It turned out an amaing fuscia-purple with bright blue diamonds!
And here are a few of me today. This was the best lighting in my house, and as you can see it was terrible! My eyes look green!
Funny face by name...
I'm irritated i couldn't get a good photoof my eye makeup. It wasn't anything particularly special but (if i do say so myself) i did a really good job of blending, something i am usually pretty terrible at.
And here i am wearing my beautiful new dress.
Looking at this photo i can see that i really, really need to wear a girdle under it! :P foldy-roll!
Here is my to-do list of reviews, to remind myself :P
ELF studio makeup line
ELF studio brushes
Sleek double ended lip colour
NYX haul
Collection 2000 glam crystals eyeliner
Is there anything else i've either bought or discussed in this blog that anyone would like to see a review for? :)
Also a lovely blogger, Sabrina, is running a Secret Santa for UK bloggers:
http://a-littleobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/11/secret-santa-please-read.html
I think it's a really sweet idea. The idea of sending each other presents seems a really nice way to unite bloggers :)
Limety Crimety
http://www.doedeereblogazine.com/articles/lime-crime-vs-internet-bullies
God... i really hate that my whole blog is turning into one big entry about Lime Crime (maybe i should actually start a new blog dedicated to it?)
I'm not going to go into it fully today, or problem anytime soon as i am tired and busy.
Bascially now Lime Crime is sending out emails threatening to sue people if they don't remove posts reviewing her badly. Not just posts that are claiming her products are repackaged or whatever, just blogs that have given her products a negative review:
http://gothique.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/lime-crime
I'm very surprised i haven't received a letter from her 'lawyer', maybe it's because i live overseas? Or maybe because i haven't got any of her products (yet) to review badly.
Anyway i'm certainly not going to let her bullying tactics stop me. I have more to say about this disgusting censorship of peoples blogs, comments etc. And i am definately still going ahead with my TKB/Lime Crime comparison video when my sample shades arrive. And, even though i really would love to just tear her apart, i will be truthful because i have integrity. Also as it will be on video people will see if i'm lying!
I've also recieved some comments from Lime Crime fans recently. I will reply to them if i have the time. However one of them really annoyed me. My mother is not an idiot for trusting an ebay auction and why on earth would i lie about it? I really don't understand what reason i could have for making the story up. If anyone could tell me i would genuinely like to know!
The link to the good old duct tape dress post is here:
http://community.livejournal.com/meanestbastard/76936.html
While Xenia has deleted her comments, the replies make it pretty clear what she said.
I have said again and again in these posts that these are just my opinions, that if you still want to support lime crime i am not out to stop you or get at you! I don't see why, according to Lime Crime i am a bully. People get bad reviews all the time, i don't see why in these cases we are just 'internet bullies'.
And again, for people still doubting the duping allegations (and again these are just allegations as noone can have definate proof without somehow getting evidence from Lime Crime herself):
http://s946.photobucket.com/albums/ad303/LimeyCrimey/?action=view¤t=LimeCrimeSwatchesAmbient.jpg
Expect a longer, more in-depth post on the subject soon. And i would actually like to apologise for this stupid drama cropping up again and again!
God... i really hate that my whole blog is turning into one big entry about Lime Crime (maybe i should actually start a new blog dedicated to it?)
I'm not going to go into it fully today, or problem anytime soon as i am tired and busy.
Bascially now Lime Crime is sending out emails threatening to sue people if they don't remove posts reviewing her badly. Not just posts that are claiming her products are repackaged or whatever, just blogs that have given her products a negative review:
http://gothique.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/lime-crime
I'm very surprised i haven't received a letter from her 'lawyer', maybe it's because i live overseas? Or maybe because i haven't got any of her products (yet) to review badly.
Anyway i'm certainly not going to let her bullying tactics stop me. I have more to say about this disgusting censorship of peoples blogs, comments etc. And i am definately still going ahead with my TKB/Lime Crime comparison video when my sample shades arrive. And, even though i really would love to just tear her apart, i will be truthful because i have integrity. Also as it will be on video people will see if i'm lying!
I've also recieved some comments from Lime Crime fans recently. I will reply to them if i have the time. However one of them really annoyed me. My mother is not an idiot for trusting an ebay auction and why on earth would i lie about it? I really don't understand what reason i could have for making the story up. If anyone could tell me i would genuinely like to know!
The link to the good old duct tape dress post is here:
http://community.livejournal.com/meanestbastard/76936.html
While Xenia has deleted her comments, the replies make it pretty clear what she said.
I have said again and again in these posts that these are just my opinions, that if you still want to support lime crime i am not out to stop you or get at you! I don't see why, according to Lime Crime i am a bully. People get bad reviews all the time, i don't see why in these cases we are just 'internet bullies'.
And again, for people still doubting the duping allegations (and again these are just allegations as noone can have definate proof without somehow getting evidence from Lime Crime herself):
http://s946.photobucket.com/albums/ad303/LimeyCrimey/?action=view¤t=LimeCrimeSwatchesAmbient.jpg
Expect a longer, more in-depth post on the subject soon. And i would actually like to apologise for this stupid drama cropping up again and again!
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Poverty
Christmas is coming, it's sneaking up on me! I really want to take part in a secret santa thing that's going on, but as i just bought prizes for my giveaway (2 followers to go :P) and I don't have much disposable income, i don't know if i can afford to take part. Which is rather pathetic as the one i've seen is only a tenner.
I'm really rather poor at the moment, it's my own fault because i was stupid. Basically before i went shopping on thursday/yesterday i had checked my bank balance and i had plenty of money in my account, so i went off spending happily and then later discovered that actually my statement had just been really out of date, and i actually had a lot less money than it told me.
I have a lot of clothing to sell, so i was wondering if anyone following my blog would be interested in seeing anything before i put it on ebay? The clothes would be ranging from a size 10 - 18 UK and shoes a size 8 UK, eur 41, US 10) and would include some punk/gothy/weird stuff as well as some basics.
Lots of it has never been worn and as i just really need to make some money i will be selling it off very cheap.
So if anyone might be interested please tell me, or if not i shall be off to ebay!
Oh and, please have a look at my blog sale here
yes i am well aware that this is a sad and pathetic post :(
(Angie your items have been sent out and should be with you in about a week according to the post office :) )
I am going to attempt a super diet before christmas. If i manage it it will involve me eating plenty of fruit and veg and i balanced meal (dinner) a day, and just drinking water and one glass of juice with dinner, as well as exercise as much as possible (yuk). It's very irritating because while i have put on weight, and certainly do not have the perfect diet, i really don't think i have a terrible diet. Generally i have a lunch of maybe some toast, a balanced meal for dinner and occaisionally a little something sweet. So yeah, no great, but not terribly bad. I do need to exercise more though, but i just find it so boring!
I know i can lose weight if i try, years ago i went from being a size 16/18 to a 12/14 but then i went from having a terrible diet to the one i have now, so it just seems harder to me.
I've got more hauls to show, as well as lots of products i want to review, but it's difficult in this weather! That may sound really stupid, but by the time i've finished doing all the stuff i have to do and get to relax and photo my makeup he light is so terrible that swatches and things just look completely off. Grr!
If anyone wanted to see some more photos from my Halloween there are some here
So hopefully tomorrow i will actually be able to do some photos and maybe a video or two while it's still light!
x
I'm really rather poor at the moment, it's my own fault because i was stupid. Basically before i went shopping on thursday/yesterday i had checked my bank balance and i had plenty of money in my account, so i went off spending happily and then later discovered that actually my statement had just been really out of date, and i actually had a lot less money than it told me.
I have a lot of clothing to sell, so i was wondering if anyone following my blog would be interested in seeing anything before i put it on ebay? The clothes would be ranging from a size 10 - 18 UK and shoes a size 8 UK, eur 41, US 10) and would include some punk/gothy/weird stuff as well as some basics.
Lots of it has never been worn and as i just really need to make some money i will be selling it off very cheap.
So if anyone might be interested please tell me, or if not i shall be off to ebay!
Oh and, please have a look at my blog sale here
yes i am well aware that this is a sad and pathetic post :(
(Angie your items have been sent out and should be with you in about a week according to the post office :) )
I am going to attempt a super diet before christmas. If i manage it it will involve me eating plenty of fruit and veg and i balanced meal (dinner) a day, and just drinking water and one glass of juice with dinner, as well as exercise as much as possible (yuk). It's very irritating because while i have put on weight, and certainly do not have the perfect diet, i really don't think i have a terrible diet. Generally i have a lunch of maybe some toast, a balanced meal for dinner and occaisionally a little something sweet. So yeah, no great, but not terribly bad. I do need to exercise more though, but i just find it so boring!
I know i can lose weight if i try, years ago i went from being a size 16/18 to a 12/14 but then i went from having a terrible diet to the one i have now, so it just seems harder to me.
I've got more hauls to show, as well as lots of products i want to review, but it's difficult in this weather! That may sound really stupid, but by the time i've finished doing all the stuff i have to do and get to relax and photo my makeup he light is so terrible that swatches and things just look completely off. Grr!
If anyone wanted to see some more photos from my Halloween there are some here
So hopefully tomorrow i will actually be able to do some photos and maybe a video or two while it's still light!
x
Saturday, 14 November 2009
What i'm using now
This has been doing the rounds for a long time, but i've never done it and i felt like completing a survey.
Shampoo: I live with my Mother, who hoards things. She has a stash of shampoo that i doubt will ever run-out, so basically i just grab anything and use it up. At the moment it's a L'oreal frizz-serum thing, but i certainly wouldn't choose to use it. It's fine, but i don't like using anything tested on animals (my mum bought it not knowing they did, and i figure it would be more of a waste to just leave it) and it's nothing special anyway. When i buy my own (which happens very rarely) i like Original Source White pear and avacado.
Conditioner: Same as above.
Styling products: I only really use hairspray, at the moment it's a small can of silvikrin i got free in a goody bag. I need to get myself a good heat-protection spray but just never get round to it.
Shower Gel: Ah, i can actually answer this one! I use Miso Pretty Cassis shower gel. It's supposed to smell of blackcurrants and kelp, but to me it smells like rhubarb. whick i love.
Body moisturiser: I have a few i alternate between. Recently i've been using primarks 'i <3 fruit' body butter in lime and... something, but it smells like sherbet! I also have a big bottle of avon body firming moisturiser.
Deodorant: Sure crystal dry. It does it's job alright.
Fake Tan: I don't use it.
Cleanser: At the moment i'm using Neutrogena's wave the most. I really like it, but because you have to dunk it in water and then hold it to your face you do get horrible cold water dribbling down your chin :/
Exfoliator: For my body one from Ikea family. For my face Soap and Glory's the scrub of your life.
Primer: I don't use it very often, but when i do i use Avon Magix
Foundation brush: I have 2, a QVS one and a ELF one, but i never use either as the only foundation i have can't be used with a brush. I use my fingers.
Concealer: Collection 2000 illuminating touch or Dainty Doll concealer in Fair.
Powder: Illamasqua loose powder in LF005 or Avon Personal Match Mineral Powder in Ivory.
Blusher: Depends, but at the moment i'm favouring Illamasqua powder blush in Nymph.
Bronzer: I don't own any!
Highlighter: Illamasqua illuminator in Odyssey.
Eyeshadow base: I don't have one actually :( Sometimes i wear my girlfriends Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or else i just put concealer on my eyelids.
Eyeshadows: Recently i've been using a lot of Mac Vex and Gesso, ELF eye transformer and various TKB trading micas.
Eyeliner: If i want plain black i use Rimmel Glam eyes eyeliner, but recently i've been wearing Sleek glitter eyeliner in pink.
Curler: A Mister Mascara, when I remember to use it!
Mascara: Currently Sleek manitude double ended.
Lipstick: Oh goodness, there's far too many! But at the moment my favourite red is: Mac Kanga-Rouge, favourite pink is: Revlon Show Orchid, favourite orange is Barry M 117, favourite purple is Mac Violetta, favourite Berry is Mac Night Violet.
Lipgloss: Illamasqua intense lipgloss in Indulge or Mac Dazzleglass in Funtabulous.
Nail Colour: french manicures but with bright bright colours. And i usually use Barry M nail varnish.
And that's it :)
Shampoo: I live with my Mother, who hoards things. She has a stash of shampoo that i doubt will ever run-out, so basically i just grab anything and use it up. At the moment it's a L'oreal frizz-serum thing, but i certainly wouldn't choose to use it. It's fine, but i don't like using anything tested on animals (my mum bought it not knowing they did, and i figure it would be more of a waste to just leave it) and it's nothing special anyway. When i buy my own (which happens very rarely) i like Original Source White pear and avacado.
Conditioner: Same as above.
Styling products: I only really use hairspray, at the moment it's a small can of silvikrin i got free in a goody bag. I need to get myself a good heat-protection spray but just never get round to it.
Shower Gel: Ah, i can actually answer this one! I use Miso Pretty Cassis shower gel. It's supposed to smell of blackcurrants and kelp, but to me it smells like rhubarb. whick i love.
Body moisturiser: I have a few i alternate between. Recently i've been using primarks 'i <3 fruit' body butter in lime and... something, but it smells like sherbet! I also have a big bottle of avon body firming moisturiser.
Deodorant: Sure crystal dry. It does it's job alright.
Fake Tan: I don't use it.
Cleanser: At the moment i'm using Neutrogena's wave the most. I really like it, but because you have to dunk it in water and then hold it to your face you do get horrible cold water dribbling down your chin :/
Exfoliator: For my body one from Ikea family. For my face Soap and Glory's the scrub of your life.
Primer: I don't use it very often, but when i do i use Avon Magix
Foundation brush: I have 2, a QVS one and a ELF one, but i never use either as the only foundation i have can't be used with a brush. I use my fingers.
Concealer: Collection 2000 illuminating touch or Dainty Doll concealer in Fair.
Powder: Illamasqua loose powder in LF005 or Avon Personal Match Mineral Powder in Ivory.
Blusher: Depends, but at the moment i'm favouring Illamasqua powder blush in Nymph.
Bronzer: I don't own any!
Highlighter: Illamasqua illuminator in Odyssey.
Eyeshadow base: I don't have one actually :( Sometimes i wear my girlfriends Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or else i just put concealer on my eyelids.
Eyeshadows: Recently i've been using a lot of Mac Vex and Gesso, ELF eye transformer and various TKB trading micas.
Eyeliner: If i want plain black i use Rimmel Glam eyes eyeliner, but recently i've been wearing Sleek glitter eyeliner in pink.
Curler: A Mister Mascara, when I remember to use it!
Mascara: Currently Sleek manitude double ended.
Lipstick: Oh goodness, there's far too many! But at the moment my favourite red is: Mac Kanga-Rouge, favourite pink is: Revlon Show Orchid, favourite orange is Barry M 117, favourite purple is Mac Violetta, favourite Berry is Mac Night Violet.
Lipgloss: Illamasqua intense lipgloss in Indulge or Mac Dazzleglass in Funtabulous.
Nail Colour: french manicures but with bright bright colours. And i usually use Barry M nail varnish.
And that's it :)
Shopping!!!
So as you may have seen from my previous posts, i've been shopping something fierce recently!
Here's all i got (except for some christmas presents) from the Carnaby street sale:
Firstly i got this dress:
Which i have wanted for ages, but as it's Bettie Page Clothing (one of my favourite clothing companies) it was too expensive for me to usually even thing of buying. However... 20% off! The sizing in Bettie Page clothing are odd. On anything that is made of stretch material I can be anything from a medium to X-large and there really only seems to be the tiniest bit of difference between them, but with things without stretch i can't fit into anything less that an XX-large because otherwise my boobs get all squashed :P At the moment the size in stretch fabrics (this dress is stretchy) that fits me best is X-large, but the one i bought was just a large. It's a tiny bit too tight but really so little i figured it was worth it. They didn't have x-large in the black but said they could order it in, but that would take several months. I tried it in another colour in the X-large and to me it looked and felt exactly the same as the Large. It was a tiny bit tight, but such a small amount i figured it was worth it anyway. Also i'm hoping to lose a bit of weight :)
Shoes!
These were love at first sight. In a way they sort of reminf me of a funky-punky Margaret Thatcher :P These are by Poetic License, i got them in the Irregular Choice shop, so i guess they're some kind of sub-brand. And again, 20% off!
Some jewellery:
The heart bracelet was from Lazy Oaf. I really like it because i have disproportionately skinny wrists and generally hard bracelets like this don't fit me (i have the most beautiful giant see-through blue crystal heart one and it just slips off my constantly so i cant wear it :( ). The goldfish necklace and earrings are from Octopus. I had to get them because i have a very old painting somewhere of a girl with a (real) goldfish in a bowl for an earring, and they just reminded me of that. Also compared to the majority of my jewellery which is plastic and neon and gaudy these seem quite elegant and classy!
MAC:
Like i said, MAC was so full and busy i couldn't do any browsing, and thus no impulse buying, but i got a few bits that had been on my wishlist. So i got:
Prep and Prime Face SPF 50. I got this for the summer, so it will stay unopened until then!
Dazzleglass in Funtabulous. Have been wearing this a lot already. I love it's blue and purple pearl.
Violetta Lipstick. Just great and fun!
Lip Pencil in Magenta. To make up for the one i bought ages back that turned out to be just an empty box :(
Then today my girlfriend and i went to the cinema (we saw Up in 3D. It was wonderful. I cried and cried) and afterwards i had a little shop while i was in town. I bought the prize for my upcoming giveaway (just 3 more followers left!) and some bits for myself.
revlon lipstick in wild orchid and cherries in the snow. Wild orchid is a fuschia with a blueish pearl and slight shimmery finish. Cherries in the snow is a brilliant very pinky blue based red. This was one of the first lipsticks i had (stolen from my Mum at around age 12) and i just fancied getting it again because i like it and don't have anything that similar.
Sleek Wonderlast lip colour. This looks more bubblegum-ish in the photo than it is really. In real life it is one of the brightest, best neons i've ever seen. It's also ever so slightly shimmery, which is great as most neons are matte and one of those super long-lasting liquid lipsticks (I've never seen one this colour before!). I can't wait to try it out on my lips.
Collection 2000 Glam Crystals eyeliner in Dancing queen (the pink) and Pow! (the blue). These are, i think, the best glitter eyeliners i've tried. They're so full of glitter that one swipe is probably enough! And some of the colours (including the 2 i got) have holographic glitter in them, which i've never seen before!
Also i meant to pick up Revlons Matte Real Red (or whatever it is actually called) but somehad had put the wrong lipstick in the place, so i got 'Love that Red'. Of course i didn't check until i had got it home, opened it and swatched it, so i can't take it back. It's very nice, but just not what i wanted, and because i'm poor i can't really afford to keep it.
So if anyone wants it it's yours for £5.50 (including postage in the UK, £7 for international). It's only been swatched once (though if anyone wants to see it i'll swatch it once more :) and retails for £7.45. Here it is:
I am now incredibly poor :( I'm praying i get paid very soon!
If anyone wants to see a swatch of anything i've posted just ask, though i'm sure i'll be posting some FOTD's featuring these products really soon! :D
Oh and i apologise for the awful state of my carpet! On monday we're having some building work done, so we just keep going 'no point in hoovering until afterwards'. So it is foul!
Here's all i got (except for some christmas presents) from the Carnaby street sale:
Firstly i got this dress:
Which i have wanted for ages, but as it's Bettie Page Clothing (one of my favourite clothing companies) it was too expensive for me to usually even thing of buying. However... 20% off! The sizing in Bettie Page clothing are odd. On anything that is made of stretch material I can be anything from a medium to X-large and there really only seems to be the tiniest bit of difference between them, but with things without stretch i can't fit into anything less that an XX-large because otherwise my boobs get all squashed :P At the moment the size in stretch fabrics (this dress is stretchy) that fits me best is X-large, but the one i bought was just a large. It's a tiny bit too tight but really so little i figured it was worth it. They didn't have x-large in the black but said they could order it in, but that would take several months. I tried it in another colour in the X-large and to me it looked and felt exactly the same as the Large. It was a tiny bit tight, but such a small amount i figured it was worth it anyway. Also i'm hoping to lose a bit of weight :)
Shoes!
These were love at first sight. In a way they sort of reminf me of a funky-punky Margaret Thatcher :P These are by Poetic License, i got them in the Irregular Choice shop, so i guess they're some kind of sub-brand. And again, 20% off!
Some jewellery:
The heart bracelet was from Lazy Oaf. I really like it because i have disproportionately skinny wrists and generally hard bracelets like this don't fit me (i have the most beautiful giant see-through blue crystal heart one and it just slips off my constantly so i cant wear it :( ). The goldfish necklace and earrings are from Octopus. I had to get them because i have a very old painting somewhere of a girl with a (real) goldfish in a bowl for an earring, and they just reminded me of that. Also compared to the majority of my jewellery which is plastic and neon and gaudy these seem quite elegant and classy!
MAC:
Like i said, MAC was so full and busy i couldn't do any browsing, and thus no impulse buying, but i got a few bits that had been on my wishlist. So i got:
Prep and Prime Face SPF 50. I got this for the summer, so it will stay unopened until then!
Dazzleglass in Funtabulous. Have been wearing this a lot already. I love it's blue and purple pearl.
Violetta Lipstick. Just great and fun!
Lip Pencil in Magenta. To make up for the one i bought ages back that turned out to be just an empty box :(
Then today my girlfriend and i went to the cinema (we saw Up in 3D. It was wonderful. I cried and cried) and afterwards i had a little shop while i was in town. I bought the prize for my upcoming giveaway (just 3 more followers left!) and some bits for myself.
revlon lipstick in wild orchid and cherries in the snow. Wild orchid is a fuschia with a blueish pearl and slight shimmery finish. Cherries in the snow is a brilliant very pinky blue based red. This was one of the first lipsticks i had (stolen from my Mum at around age 12) and i just fancied getting it again because i like it and don't have anything that similar.
Sleek Wonderlast lip colour. This looks more bubblegum-ish in the photo than it is really. In real life it is one of the brightest, best neons i've ever seen. It's also ever so slightly shimmery, which is great as most neons are matte and one of those super long-lasting liquid lipsticks (I've never seen one this colour before!). I can't wait to try it out on my lips.
Collection 2000 Glam Crystals eyeliner in Dancing queen (the pink) and Pow! (the blue). These are, i think, the best glitter eyeliners i've tried. They're so full of glitter that one swipe is probably enough! And some of the colours (including the 2 i got) have holographic glitter in them, which i've never seen before!
Also i meant to pick up Revlons Matte Real Red (or whatever it is actually called) but somehad had put the wrong lipstick in the place, so i got 'Love that Red'. Of course i didn't check until i had got it home, opened it and swatched it, so i can't take it back. It's very nice, but just not what i wanted, and because i'm poor i can't really afford to keep it.
So if anyone wants it it's yours for £5.50 (including postage in the UK, £7 for international). It's only been swatched once (though if anyone wants to see it i'll swatch it once more :) and retails for £7.45. Here it is:
I am now incredibly poor :( I'm praying i get paid very soon!
If anyone wants to see a swatch of anything i've posted just ask, though i'm sure i'll be posting some FOTD's featuring these products really soon! :D
Oh and i apologise for the awful state of my carpet! On monday we're having some building work done, so we just keep going 'no point in hoovering until afterwards'. So it is foul!
Friday, 13 November 2009
I've been a bit poorly recently but have managed to play around with new makeup.
some FOTDs:
I bought a pressing solution from coastal scents and when it arrived it had leaked (just a tiny tiny bit, not enough to be a problem) and somehow the bit of liquid made all the letters come off the label and i could push them around. How amazing does this look?:
And finally, here is what i looked like on Halloween (which i actually celebrated a week late because i had some bad stuff happening on the actual halloween). The makeup is quite terrible because i was in the middle of it when my guests turned up (all early!) so i had to just shove the rest on quickly.
This is my hilarious 'sexy' Mickey look :P
While my first ELF order (the brushes, which i'm still testing) took over 2 weeks to arrive, my second one (a few of the new Studio Line products) came the day after i ordered it! Amazing! I'm going to do a review on what i got soon, i am so incredibly impressed already.
I had a really nice night yesterday, shopping at Carnaby street where (basically) all of the shops had 20% off everything! I did get a lot of nice stuff, but i didn't go into a shopping mania of buying every single little thing i wanted. I went into the Mac Pro shop and it was hellish! We had to queue to get into the shop! So i didn't do any browsing because it was so very busy and stressful, but i picked up a few bits that have been on my wishlist for a while.
Tomorrow i have to do a really dull job in my house, but hopefully i'll be able to take some photos soon.
Also as i now have 46 followers i'd like to announce that i'm going to do a give-away when i get 50. I really can't thank you guys enough. I had no idea so many people would be interested in my little ramblings. I'm really touched :)
some FOTDs:
I bought a pressing solution from coastal scents and when it arrived it had leaked (just a tiny tiny bit, not enough to be a problem) and somehow the bit of liquid made all the letters come off the label and i could push them around. How amazing does this look?:
And finally, here is what i looked like on Halloween (which i actually celebrated a week late because i had some bad stuff happening on the actual halloween). The makeup is quite terrible because i was in the middle of it when my guests turned up (all early!) so i had to just shove the rest on quickly.
This is my hilarious 'sexy' Mickey look :P
While my first ELF order (the brushes, which i'm still testing) took over 2 weeks to arrive, my second one (a few of the new Studio Line products) came the day after i ordered it! Amazing! I'm going to do a review on what i got soon, i am so incredibly impressed already.
I had a really nice night yesterday, shopping at Carnaby street where (basically) all of the shops had 20% off everything! I did get a lot of nice stuff, but i didn't go into a shopping mania of buying every single little thing i wanted. I went into the Mac Pro shop and it was hellish! We had to queue to get into the shop! So i didn't do any browsing because it was so very busy and stressful, but i picked up a few bits that have been on my wishlist for a while.
Tomorrow i have to do a really dull job in my house, but hopefully i'll be able to take some photos soon.
Also as i now have 46 followers i'd like to announce that i'm going to do a give-away when i get 50. I really can't thank you guys enough. I had no idea so many people would be interested in my little ramblings. I'm really touched :)
Swatches For savannah
On my wrinkly closed eye:
And a look with it. You really need to wear it with a base though as it started fading on me.
Hope that helped!
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Can't... Stop...Shopping D:
I have a serious shopping problem. It makes me feel better when i'm down or poorly (i have a stomach bug today). It's not at all good for my bank balance, but when i do have money in my account i just go 'why not have a nice splurge?'.
So... i'm in the process of making another E.L.F. order. Last week i bought some things from Morgana Minerals, an eyeshadow pallette thing from Stars Makeup Heaven, a big TKB haul (though at least my girlfriend and i are going sharing it) and eyeshadow pressing solution from coastal scents. It's terrible!
Also on thursday i'm going to a Carnaby Street event, where you get 20% off a load of shops (http://www.carnaby.co.uk/grazia/) so i know i'm gonna be spending a hell of a lot there. Oh dear oh dear. Shame on me!
So... i'm in the process of making another E.L.F. order. Last week i bought some things from Morgana Minerals, an eyeshadow pallette thing from Stars Makeup Heaven, a big TKB haul (though at least my girlfriend and i are going sharing it) and eyeshadow pressing solution from coastal scents. It's terrible!
Also on thursday i'm going to a Carnaby Street event, where you get 20% off a load of shops (http://www.carnaby.co.uk/grazia/) so i know i'm gonna be spending a hell of a lot there. Oh dear oh dear. Shame on me!
Lime Crime Drama!
So i got a reply to my last email (which you can read her:
'Lillian,
I do appreciate your remaining civil through all this hostility and vitriol. I do make mistakes and I am willing to acknowledge them, which is why I wanted to speak to you on the phone (that offer still stands at my expense).
I too was appalled by some of the comments on my blog attacking you, and I responded and later removed that thread entirely because it was hurtful and inappropriate. Petty, malicious sniping against ANYONE is not what my blog is about.
I am committed to developing new products that excite me, and hopefully excite others. I stand by my eye shadows and lipsticks and have given as much insight into my process as is possible and I feel I've been more than fair in satisfying reasonable curiosity. I would disagree with you that I claimed anyone with a complaint against me is a liar.I think I was quite clear about what the lies are. We address customer complaints swiftly: we re-designed our jars and sifters so they are less messy and have doubled the amount of product we offer in response to customer input. If a customer informs me that he/she received the wrong or defective item(s) or the shipment was lost I do not brand them a liar for having the temerity to complain, I do whatever I can to make it right - including issue refunds if necessary. I'm human, but I try to learn from mistakes and correct them.
I didn't attack or insult any of these people personally I simply said their claims are false, defamatory garbage, which they absolutely are. They are the ones who brought the personal venom and the endless "gotcha!" distortions into this.
I'm here to share on a positive, colorful blog and make positive, colorful makeup. I genuinely live and breathe this. I hope you'll accept my offer to call you, otherwise please accept my apology for any hurt feelings.
I've not seen or met you, but I'm sure you have a fabulous beauty all your own (as all girls do!) and I regret that you were exposed to such negativity on my blog.
Xenia'
So once again she was civil and polite, but didn't actually add any new evidence to prove her argument, and stuck by her claim that anyone saying she repackages, whether or not they have their own evidence, are lying and being vicious.
Also a couple of days ago i got a comment on my youtube video from someone who asked her about the mum-asshole thing and Xenia told her i was lying.
So anyway here's my reply:
'Xenia,
Thank you for your offer to phone me. I shall have a think about it but I am afraid I probably will not take you up on it because i have a fear of talking on the phone. Also honestly i do not think there's anything that either of us could say to the other that hasn't already been said.
I also want you to know i never blamed you for the vicious comments aimed at me, if one of your fans dislikes me for whatever the reason it has nothing to do with you. However when you deleted the thread containing her comments you also deleted the link to my blog, which i don't care about but will probably give people fodder to claim you are censoring again since it stops your fans from reading about my experiences.
However, i have watched your video again and you definately do say that anyone who is claiming you are repackaging is lying and spreading 'malicious rumours'. While i agree totally that people who have been saying things like 'i would spit in your face' are completely out of order, most of the people who have made claims about your eyeshadows being identical to wholesale Mica's were fans of yours who bought your products and then discovered they already owned them, having bought them from a different company.
The problem is that while you have denied the rumours of repackaging you haven't offered any explanation as to why you can get the exact same colours from other places. The examples you used on your video were the only colours from your range which had not had 'confirmed' duplicates and still they were incredibly similar and looked as if they had been applied in different ways (your swatches looked like they had been foiled). Also i have seen emails from you to customers who have asked about the repackaging rumours where you have heavily implied that it is the other companies that have been copying you. For instance Mark sent this message to Anastasia from Lipsticks and Lightsabers:
'The observation you made is an example of how competitors follow and try to imitate something that's been successful. Colors cannot be legally protected so there isn't much we can do about that'
the competitors who you claim are imitating you have been in business a lot longer than you, as have their products which you are accused of repackaging, so i don't see how they could possibly have copied you. This makes your argument seem suspect, which in turn makes your claim that you orginally formulated the colours seem less likely.
Your video showing how you made eyeshadow also did not prove anything as it showed you matching the colour Twilight, not actually how you formulated the original recipe. In fact you did not even use a recipe, meaning it took you a few tries to create the correct colour match, i hope you are able to see that in some peoples eyes this will look suspicious as if you did indeed send your original formulation to a lab you would have had the recipe down in black and white.
It was very similar to this video from TKB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVTcidHMA20
where they teach you how to match an existing colour.
While i am sure the majority of your customer service is conducted in a perfectly sensible and fair manner i have heard of examples where you have refused to refund people after their eyedusts arrived damaged. I have also heard from innumerable sources that only 4 and 5 star reviews are allowed on your site. People have posted lower rated ones which have never appeared, while their higher rated ones show up. All this goes towards fueling the rumours that you are hiding a lot from your customers.
While you, as a business, have the absolute right to not give away your trade secrets i hope you can see that these practices do nothing to foster trust in customers. Particularly those who want to give (or already have given) to your business but feel they may be being mislead or even lied to. When people cannot trust you on one matter they cannot trust you overall.
Although I forgave you a long time ago for the insult you branded my mother with, the experience has left me very skeptical about your business practices and more inclined to believe dissenters who have nothing to gain by insulting you and were in fact fans before they bought your products.
However i realised that i really should see the evidence for myself so i have bought the TKB colours and am being sent some samples of your eyedusts from an ex-fan of yours so i can compare the two. I will tell the absolute truth and capture the first time i see them together on video and with photographs. If i do find that they are not identical, even if there is only the slightest difference, i will tell the truth because i have no reason to lie about it and destroy my integrity as a blogger. Also as i will have plenty of photographic evidence people would be able to see for themselves if i was lying.
Also I have been told by someone who watched my youtube video about my experience with you that she emailed you asking if what i was saying (about the 'asshole' remark) was true and you denied you ever said it, implying i was lying. If you had simply forgotten or were unsure that would be understandable, but to outright deny it when the proof is easy to find is not only shifty but makes the rests of your claims look less valid.
Also it makes me trust you less because even though you've been very nice to me and apologised you are then denying you did anything wrong behind my back. Of course the person could be lying herself, or have got the wrong end of the stick, but again i am more inclined to believe her due to that old breach of trust.
I hope you can see that some (in fact most i have seen) of the people doubting your company have no reason to be malicious and so instead of just branding them liars it would be better if you actually addressed their concerns and explained why your colours are so similar to the wholesale micas instead of just dodging their questions and saying they are out to spread rumours about you. If you were to offer an explanation and treat everyone with respect i'm sure you would be respected in return.
Lillian'
I have some samples of her eyeshadows on the way to me now.
'Lillian,
I do appreciate your remaining civil through all this hostility and vitriol. I do make mistakes and I am willing to acknowledge them, which is why I wanted to speak to you on the phone (that offer still stands at my expense).
I too was appalled by some of the comments on my blog attacking you, and I responded and later removed that thread entirely because it was hurtful and inappropriate. Petty, malicious sniping against ANYONE is not what my blog is about.
I am committed to developing new products that excite me, and hopefully excite others. I stand by my eye shadows and lipsticks and have given as much insight into my process as is possible and I feel I've been more than fair in satisfying reasonable curiosity. I would disagree with you that I claimed anyone with a complaint against me is a liar.I think I was quite clear about what the lies are. We address customer complaints swiftly: we re-designed our jars and sifters so they are less messy and have doubled the amount of product we offer in response to customer input. If a customer informs me that he/she received the wrong or defective item(s) or the shipment was lost I do not brand them a liar for having the temerity to complain, I do whatever I can to make it right - including issue refunds if necessary. I'm human, but I try to learn from mistakes and correct them.
I didn't attack or insult any of these people personally I simply said their claims are false, defamatory garbage, which they absolutely are. They are the ones who brought the personal venom and the endless "gotcha!" distortions into this.
I'm here to share on a positive, colorful blog and make positive, colorful makeup. I genuinely live and breathe this. I hope you'll accept my offer to call you, otherwise please accept my apology for any hurt feelings.
I've not seen or met you, but I'm sure you have a fabulous beauty all your own (as all girls do!) and I regret that you were exposed to such negativity on my blog.
Xenia'
So once again she was civil and polite, but didn't actually add any new evidence to prove her argument, and stuck by her claim that anyone saying she repackages, whether or not they have their own evidence, are lying and being vicious.
Also a couple of days ago i got a comment on my youtube video from someone who asked her about the mum-asshole thing and Xenia told her i was lying.
So anyway here's my reply:
'Xenia,
Thank you for your offer to phone me. I shall have a think about it but I am afraid I probably will not take you up on it because i have a fear of talking on the phone. Also honestly i do not think there's anything that either of us could say to the other that hasn't already been said.
I also want you to know i never blamed you for the vicious comments aimed at me, if one of your fans dislikes me for whatever the reason it has nothing to do with you. However when you deleted the thread containing her comments you also deleted the link to my blog, which i don't care about but will probably give people fodder to claim you are censoring again since it stops your fans from reading about my experiences.
However, i have watched your video again and you definately do say that anyone who is claiming you are repackaging is lying and spreading 'malicious rumours'. While i agree totally that people who have been saying things like 'i would spit in your face' are completely out of order, most of the people who have made claims about your eyeshadows being identical to wholesale Mica's were fans of yours who bought your products and then discovered they already owned them, having bought them from a different company.
The problem is that while you have denied the rumours of repackaging you haven't offered any explanation as to why you can get the exact same colours from other places. The examples you used on your video were the only colours from your range which had not had 'confirmed' duplicates and still they were incredibly similar and looked as if they had been applied in different ways (your swatches looked like they had been foiled). Also i have seen emails from you to customers who have asked about the repackaging rumours where you have heavily implied that it is the other companies that have been copying you. For instance Mark sent this message to Anastasia from Lipsticks and Lightsabers:
'The observation you made is an example of how competitors follow and try to imitate something that's been successful. Colors cannot be legally protected so there isn't much we can do about that'
the competitors who you claim are imitating you have been in business a lot longer than you, as have their products which you are accused of repackaging, so i don't see how they could possibly have copied you. This makes your argument seem suspect, which in turn makes your claim that you orginally formulated the colours seem less likely.
Your video showing how you made eyeshadow also did not prove anything as it showed you matching the colour Twilight, not actually how you formulated the original recipe. In fact you did not even use a recipe, meaning it took you a few tries to create the correct colour match, i hope you are able to see that in some peoples eyes this will look suspicious as if you did indeed send your original formulation to a lab you would have had the recipe down in black and white.
It was very similar to this video from TKB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVTcidHMA20
where they teach you how to match an existing colour.
While i am sure the majority of your customer service is conducted in a perfectly sensible and fair manner i have heard of examples where you have refused to refund people after their eyedusts arrived damaged. I have also heard from innumerable sources that only 4 and 5 star reviews are allowed on your site. People have posted lower rated ones which have never appeared, while their higher rated ones show up. All this goes towards fueling the rumours that you are hiding a lot from your customers.
While you, as a business, have the absolute right to not give away your trade secrets i hope you can see that these practices do nothing to foster trust in customers. Particularly those who want to give (or already have given) to your business but feel they may be being mislead or even lied to. When people cannot trust you on one matter they cannot trust you overall.
Although I forgave you a long time ago for the insult you branded my mother with, the experience has left me very skeptical about your business practices and more inclined to believe dissenters who have nothing to gain by insulting you and were in fact fans before they bought your products.
However i realised that i really should see the evidence for myself so i have bought the TKB colours and am being sent some samples of your eyedusts from an ex-fan of yours so i can compare the two. I will tell the absolute truth and capture the first time i see them together on video and with photographs. If i do find that they are not identical, even if there is only the slightest difference, i will tell the truth because i have no reason to lie about it and destroy my integrity as a blogger. Also as i will have plenty of photographic evidence people would be able to see for themselves if i was lying.
Also I have been told by someone who watched my youtube video about my experience with you that she emailed you asking if what i was saying (about the 'asshole' remark) was true and you denied you ever said it, implying i was lying. If you had simply forgotten or were unsure that would be understandable, but to outright deny it when the proof is easy to find is not only shifty but makes the rests of your claims look less valid.
Also it makes me trust you less because even though you've been very nice to me and apologised you are then denying you did anything wrong behind my back. Of course the person could be lying herself, or have got the wrong end of the stick, but again i am more inclined to believe her due to that old breach of trust.
I hope you can see that some (in fact most i have seen) of the people doubting your company have no reason to be malicious and so instead of just branding them liars it would be better if you actually addressed their concerns and explained why your colours are so similar to the wholesale micas instead of just dodging their questions and saying they are out to spread rumours about you. If you were to offer an explanation and treat everyone with respect i'm sure you would be respected in return.
Lillian'
I have some samples of her eyeshadows on the way to me now.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post!
I've decided to combine all of your suggestions!
I'm gong to try covering my eyebrows and drawing on the high arch just to see if it suits me (i'll take photos so i can get your opinions) then if it's a hit i will go get the professionally done and then i can do the upkeep at home :)
My E.L.F. brushes finally came today! After i've given them a thorough play i'm going to give them a proper review, but so far (having only used a few of them once :P) i love them! I used the powder brush mainly and it was so incredibly soft! I just kept stroking it over my face again and again because it feels so nice.
Up until now i've only used rubbish brushes, either incredibly cheap ones from superdrug, a very very old set of Hard Candy ones the dreaded sponge applicators or even my fingers.
While the actual brushes are great they took an age to come! I've heard they usually have really quick shipping, but with me it took over 2 weeks. Also because i was a bit worried about them (it said on my delivery confirmation that it would be about 2-5 days) i emailed them to ask if there was any problems, but i didn't get a reply. It was just a bit irritating. Having said that they now have a bunch of new studio products and i want to buy lots of them!
I hate to say it but i'm afraid i've got even more Lime Crime drama to come at you. Sigh.
I've decided to combine all of your suggestions!
I'm gong to try covering my eyebrows and drawing on the high arch just to see if it suits me (i'll take photos so i can get your opinions) then if it's a hit i will go get the professionally done and then i can do the upkeep at home :)
My E.L.F. brushes finally came today! After i've given them a thorough play i'm going to give them a proper review, but so far (having only used a few of them once :P) i love them! I used the powder brush mainly and it was so incredibly soft! I just kept stroking it over my face again and again because it feels so nice.
Up until now i've only used rubbish brushes, either incredibly cheap ones from superdrug, a very very old set of Hard Candy ones the dreaded sponge applicators or even my fingers.
While the actual brushes are great they took an age to come! I've heard they usually have really quick shipping, but with me it took over 2 weeks. Also because i was a bit worried about them (it said on my delivery confirmation that it would be about 2-5 days) i emailed them to ask if there was any problems, but i didn't get a reply. It was just a bit irritating. Having said that they now have a bunch of new studio products and i want to buy lots of them!
I hate to say it but i'm afraid i've got even more Lime Crime drama to come at you. Sigh.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Brows
Seeing as y'all were all so lovely and helpful in my post about my hair (thanks so much you guys!) i figured i'd ask your opinion on my eyebrows :)
Naturally my eyebrows are wonky. The grow to be different shapes, one has a lot more arch than the other and the other is a lot more square and 'blunt' looking. It's not hugely noticeable but it's enough to annoy me.
Here are some photos where you can see the differences kind of clearly (in these i was going through a lazy period and not plucking at all, usually they're a bit neater than this!):
I'm fine with the colour as dark brows with light hair always reminds me of miss Monroe but the shape is bugging me. I've always wante to try a really thin, really arched almost semi-circular brow, like my icon miss Cyndi Lauper
(also, my god how amazing does she look? If i look half as good as her at her age i will be a very very happy girl!)
I have no idea if it will look any good or me, or even if it would be possible with what i have to work with. Any ideas?
Or if that's not possible, i'd just like my brows to be even and what makes that difficult is i prefer the more archy brow, which grows further 'down' towards my eye than the other side, so i don't know how it could work.
And if so does anyone think i would be able to do them myself? I think i could actually handle going into a salon to have them waxed or threaded as long as i could take someone with me to talk to people for me, but it would still be a lot less stressful for me to just do it myself at home.
I've ordered a load of makeup recently that i'm really excited about, particularly a big order from NYX and some lipsticks from Morgana minerals, i got 2 full size ones and lots of samples so i can see what the colours are like. I absolutely love how you can order samples of lipsticks, i've never seen it before and it's such a good idea, especially with odd colours like greens and purples and things. I also got some more micas and base powders and lipstick base from TKB trading, i'm really looking forward to having a big play and seeing what i come up with.
This is what i don't really understand about the whole Lime Crime/repackaging scandal. I have no intention of making cosmetics for a living, but i'm so excited by the idea of just experimenting and learning and hopefully making something lovely. MKakeup generally makes me feel really love so I can only imagine how lovely the feeling of wearing makeup you've actually created yourself would be. So I just don't understand why someone would be happy to just sell something so generic. I guess the sad answer is just 'money'
Anyway i hope to have some new reviews coming soon, and not just endless posts with me whining at you guys for help :P Oh also i'm hoping to start doing a lot more swatches and FOTD's :)
x
Naturally my eyebrows are wonky. The grow to be different shapes, one has a lot more arch than the other and the other is a lot more square and 'blunt' looking. It's not hugely noticeable but it's enough to annoy me.
Here are some photos where you can see the differences kind of clearly (in these i was going through a lazy period and not plucking at all, usually they're a bit neater than this!):
I'm fine with the colour as dark brows with light hair always reminds me of miss Monroe but the shape is bugging me. I've always wante to try a really thin, really arched almost semi-circular brow, like my icon miss Cyndi Lauper
(also, my god how amazing does she look? If i look half as good as her at her age i will be a very very happy girl!)
I have no idea if it will look any good or me, or even if it would be possible with what i have to work with. Any ideas?
Or if that's not possible, i'd just like my brows to be even and what makes that difficult is i prefer the more archy brow, which grows further 'down' towards my eye than the other side, so i don't know how it could work.
And if so does anyone think i would be able to do them myself? I think i could actually handle going into a salon to have them waxed or threaded as long as i could take someone with me to talk to people for me, but it would still be a lot less stressful for me to just do it myself at home.
I've ordered a load of makeup recently that i'm really excited about, particularly a big order from NYX and some lipsticks from Morgana minerals, i got 2 full size ones and lots of samples so i can see what the colours are like. I absolutely love how you can order samples of lipsticks, i've never seen it before and it's such a good idea, especially with odd colours like greens and purples and things. I also got some more micas and base powders and lipstick base from TKB trading, i'm really looking forward to having a big play and seeing what i come up with.
This is what i don't really understand about the whole Lime Crime/repackaging scandal. I have no intention of making cosmetics for a living, but i'm so excited by the idea of just experimenting and learning and hopefully making something lovely. MKakeup generally makes me feel really love so I can only imagine how lovely the feeling of wearing makeup you've actually created yourself would be. So I just don't understand why someone would be happy to just sell something so generic. I guess the sad answer is just 'money'
Anyway i hope to have some new reviews coming soon, and not just endless posts with me whining at you guys for help :P Oh also i'm hoping to start doing a lot more swatches and FOTD's :)
x
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