Colour Shifters

It occurred to me that I haven’t given CoverGirl much love on my blog. For whatever reason, their products don’t call out to me. Currently the only CoverGirl products I use are the LastBlast Volume mascara and Wetslicks AmazeMint in Red Riot. I used to have their Eye Enhancers Quad in Country Woods which was one of the very first eyeshadows that I owned. I'm guessing I was 11 or 12. I remember liking it a lot, the shadows were nicely pigmented (better than rival Maybelline and other cheap eyeshadows I had), the quad consisted of warm wearable browns and had a good mix of light and dark, matte and shimmery shades.

Recently, I decided to take a closer look at the CoverGirl range. Mainly due to the fact I had a $10 voucher off CoverGirl products that I had to use before the end of May. I contemplated the obvious choices: one of their well-reviewed LipPerfection lipsticks (I was eyeing Heavenly intently), or repurchasing Country Woods. But I rationalised to myself they'd be the absolute last things I needed: more pink lipstick and brown eyeshadow. Instead, I opted for two products I wouldn't normally consider, a LipPerfection lip liner in Seduce (210) and Intense ShadowBlast in Beige Blaze (800).

The first picture is my lips filled in with the LipPerfection lip liner in Seduce all over. The colour is a medium peachy nude which can be worn by itself or to neutralise one's natural lip colour. The picture on the left in the second row is my lips with Face of Australia Lip Quench lipstick in Pink Champagne. I've previously bemoaned that this lipstick is too cool and pinkish-purplish on me, but with Seduce as a base it magically transforms into a noticeably warmer and more yellow-toned pink. I wouldn't have thought to use lip liner in this way, but it's surprisingly effective. More so than using a nude lipstick underneath, as mixing lipstick can be a little messy, especially if they're on the creamy side. The lip liner on the other hand really adheres to and almost soaks into the lip, possibly due to the fact I find the formula a little drying.

l-r: Beige Blaze, Essence Mystic Lemon and Taupe of the Pops (with Beige Blaze), without

The IntenseShadow Blast in Beige Blaze was a product I was first introduced to in this video by Zoë Foster where she goes through her travel makeup bag essentials (it appears at 4:15, and she's also written about it). After a quick Google search (this review swayed me in particular), I decided that I needed to have this seemingly all-purpose miracle tool (primer, cream eyeshadow, eyeshadow intensifier, cross between Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin and Eden). Taking it home, the first thing that struck me about it was the smell. I don't know if it's because the product's been sitting on the shelf for 2 years, but it has this distinct slightly sour, metallic smell that I find really off-putting. The colour itself is an intensely shimmery, yellow-leaning champagne. After about two minutes, it sets to the point where you can't rub it off, so it's best to blend it out with the finger straight after you've applied it to the lid.

I definitely can see a difference to the intensity of eyeshadows when it's used as a primer. I tested it with two fairly ordinary eyeshadows, Essence single eyeshadows in Mystic Lemon and Taupe of the Pops (reviewed more in depth here). I'm guessing if I used already very pigmented eyeshadows, the difference wouldn't be as apparent. The swatch above shows the difference between the Beige Blaze applied underneath the eyeshadows and without. Instantly richer and more pigmented, though Taupe of the Pops looks somewhat distorted in colour due to the shimmery yellow undercurrent from the Beige Blaze (not so much a problem for Mystic Lemon, which is practically the same colour). For this reason I'd recommend using Beige Blaze only with similar eyeshadow colours. I tried it on my lids and I didn't notice a significant improvement from the existing cream eyeshadows that I use for my base/primer, but possibly because I only used a very small amount and blended it out with my finger so it ended up quite sheer. To me, this product would be best used to intensify underperforming beige/champagne/yellow/gold eyeshadows and really make them come to life.

Ambient Lights

Evidently I have way too much time on my hands. I wanted to wear China Glaze Snow Globe properly and take extra measures to maximise wear time. I found these Sally Hansen base and top coat polishes tucked away in some bright orange bag under a chair in my room. They were freebies from more than a year ago as part of an amazing gift with purchase on Sally Hansen products at Priceline. Both were still in their original packaging, untouched. I figured now was as good a time as ever to start using them. I started with a coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Grip Fast Dry Base Coat. For my base colour, I applied a white pearly colour that I bought from Daiso, Winmax Nail French #7. To speed up the drying process, I followed with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat. Patiently waited, then painted another coat of the Winmax. Then finally to Snow Globe, where I layered on a very thick coat. Waited. Piled on more Snow Globe. And lastly, a final coat of Insta-Dri. It's a wonder it didn't all just smear off the second my nails touched something.

I've been loving Snow Globe. It reminds me of a glitter flakie polish but denser and more pronounced against the bare nail or a pale base colour. The iridescence is just a joy to glance at and inspect. The pastel flecks are subtle and not in-your-face like most of my glitter polishes. From a distance it's more of a gleam, especially with the slightly pink, milky white that I paired it with. The colours reflected off the nail are like facets of an opal, varying in intensity depending on the light. I'll definitely be looking to wear Snow Globe with other base colours, possibly with something darker next time for greater contrast. The one nail I painted to test out the nail polish when I first bought it chipped in a day, so hopefully the top coat I applied here will do its job. It's only been three days, but so far, so good.

Visual Budget

My latest wishlist, collating a few items I've wanted for a while and some I've only recently come across. Of these, realistically the OPI is the only one I'd buy. The MAC stuff is way too expensive in Australia ($32 for an Eye Kohl, $41 for a LE blush?) and a cursory browse of eBay (a site I never visit) didn't yield the bargain basement prices and huge selection I was anticipating. I've been meaning to get the Korres Lip Butter in Mango and Quince, but can't justify spending $24 on the two of them when I already have Jasmine, Pomegranate and Wild Rose, and a bajillion other lip products I won't get through in the next decade.

1. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Intense Black 
I've tried Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen, Covergirl LineExact, Sportsgirl To the Point and Bourjois Liner Feutre, and I heard this Stila is one of the best.

2. MAC Powder Blush in Pink Cult 
I swatched this at a MAC counter on the weekend and just liked the shade, described as a "mid-tone dirty neutral pink". I don't have anything like it in my fairly limited blush collection. I'm wanting to experiment more with more natural looking, slightly brownish/neutral shades than my usual pinks and peaches.

3. Korres Lip Butter in Mango and Quince
Still obsessed with coral/orange and Quince is just so pretty. No more words need to be said about my devotion to these little pots of lip buttery goodness.

4. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed
Championed by Jen from From Head to Toe, I just wish I could find this cheaper than about $35 online. I've heard nonstop raves about these Tarte blushes and I'd probably love them, but that's too steep for a single blush. (Though, funnily, if you asked me to spend the same amount on food, I probably wouldn't hesitate.)

5. Smashbox Limitless 15 Hour Cream Shadow in Gemstone
Spotted for $28 at Kit in Myer. It's purple, metallic and a cream eyeshadow. Tick, tick, tick. It also didn't budge when I tried to remove it with a tissue after swatching it on my wrist.

6. MAC Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick
I'm just drawn to this super bright pink. Though it probably looks clownish on me and I wouldn't be surprised if I already own something similar but just don't know it.

7. MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
Mainly because I was impressed by the creaminess and opacity of something so matte. An ideal eyeshadow base, a pot of this would last forever.

8. Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air
Or Revlon Whimsical (I'm still waiting for you), since I'm don't really fancy shelling out $25 for a nail polish.

9. MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy and Powersurge
Beautiful, ultra wearable metallic shades, perfect for defining the lower lashline.

10. OPI Dulce de Leche
Powerfully convinced this is the perfect pinkish nude after admiring it on a colleague's nails.

I realised after the collage was done that I forgot to include the Too Faced Powder Pouf brush, a ridiculously overpriced but super soft, gorgeous looking brush that I've lusted after for a few weeks. I'm such a sucker for pastel pink and furry things.

Paddy's Market Mini Haul

I rarely visit Paddy's Market, but this Saturday I was reminded what a veritable treasure trove it is for discounted and discontinued makeup. Priceline (probably the store I frequent the most) is cleaner, more trustworthy and convenient, but Paddy's Markets has some exciting items and vastly cheaper prices. There's Revlon nail polish for $3. Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks from $6 (I had to resist buying Black Cherry and Berry Haute at that price), ColorBurst for $8 and all the discontinued Matte shades. Maybelline ColorSensational and L'Oréal lipsticks were around the same price. NYX eye and lip pencils for $3-$4. Revlon and Maybelline eyeshadows for $7-$10. The list goes on. Some items were definitely dodgy (the "NARS", "MAC" and "Benefit" stuff in particular), but I'm fairly confident the American drugstore goods were legit (though how they were sourced and whether they're half a decade old is another matter). I ended up buying three China Glaze nail polishes, one Revlon lipstick and a L'Oréal eyeshadow duo.

l-r: Techno, Stellar, Snow Globe

l-r: Stellar, Techno, Snow Globe

I've not seen China Glaze being sold in any physical Australian stores, so I was fairly excited to check out Paddy's Markets as I knew they were stocked at some stalls. I was specifically looking for Swing Baby but I couldn't find it. Instead, my eye was drawn to these sparkly/glittery shades on display and I had to have them all. I'm especially enamoured of the perfectly named Snow Globe, one of the most beautiful polishes I've come across. Iridescent glitter (turquoise, peridot, amber, peach, cornflower blue, lavender) in a clear base. Only problem was the one nail I painted chipped in a day.

I know I said I wouldn't buy another lipstick unless it was the perfect yellow-based pink or something truly special, but I managed to limit myself to one Revlon lipstick in a shade I've been meaning to buy for a while: Pink In the Afternoon. It looks like a rosy medium pink, but on my lips it's significantly warmer with slight coral tones. A pink lipstick that isn't purplish on my lips and actually warms up my face? It exists.

l-r: HiP duo, Suspect, YDK, Busted, Verve

I've heard positive feedback from the blogosphere about the L'Oréal HiP Metallic Shadow Duo eyeshadows and was thrilled to randomly come across the Electrified duo. It consists of a super shimmery cool taupe and a dark purple with a subtle plum sheen, two shades that could've come straight out of Urban Decay Naked2 (in terms of colour selection and quality). At first, I thought that the taupe would be similar to Suspect and the purple close to Busted, but when I swatched the colours alongside each other, the Naked2 shades were significantly warmer and more brown. In comparison, the taupe in Electrified almost has an olive tone. It's actually closest to L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Sahara Treasure (the HiP is a touch cooler, lighter and less gold). I searched high and low for Sahara Treasure and while I love the colour, I don't often reach for it because the pressed pigment is a little tricky. Electrified makes it easy. The best part? It was $5. Thank you Paddy's Markets.