Naked Honey Haul

Good evening! No looks to post just yet... however, I DID make it to Bloomies today for MAC...


the things


High-Light Powder in "Golden Nectar"


close up of the shimmery overspray... this intense shimmer doesn't run through... once you use it off the top, the actual powder is more of a "glow" giver than a super shimmer... I'll use it with bronzer/blush


"Buzz" & "Queen Bee" lipglass, respectively


L-R: "Buzz" & "Queen Bee"


Skin Salve... this has a thousand uses. At the counter I rubbed it onto my cuticles and it smoothed them and I used it as a lip balm and really moisturized well. And, it's a rather large pot of the stuff.

That's all from MAC... in other news, I GOT A NEW CAR! My Exploder finally exploded and it wasn't worth it to replace the transmission SO... I had to give it up. And with a new set of keys, I needed new key ring accessories... [:

Coach has the cutest key fobs. That's all my news... time for pizza & beer with my parents... g'nite!

j-e-l-l-o

I'M ALIIIIIIIVE!
Yes, I think my SUPER extended hiatus is over. I suppose I should explain, yes?

• I'm in my LAST semester at FIU finally... trying to graduate is taking a long time and a lot of work
• I'm in the process of finding a new job
• I went back to having a social life and have been enjoying the summer with new and old friends
• I was bored and totally uninspired so I gave it a rest.

Among other things, I have completely ignored my blog and I do apologize. And I MISS you guys! To all of my readers and subscribers and also the people I'm subscribed to. I haven't done anything with my OWN blog in forEVER, but I do still log into Blogger everyday to read everyone else's. But, I do believe I am back! I just needed a break. And once I figure out HOW to do it... I would love to revamp my blog... layout, music, yada yada... I will have to investigate.

So, to sum up a rather long paragraph, I should show you guys what I have picked up before I start doing looks with them and get questions like "WHAT IS THAT!?"... and be prepared... I am very positive that this is the LONGEST post in beauty-blogging history. I hope you have a drink in front of you.

First, I want to change how I do eotd/fotd's... I used to only take pictures of ONE eye and although it's easier, I end up doing looks that I would NEVER wear out and you don't see the rest of my face... so away with that. Here's what I looked like today:

...and about the hair- I changed my color and got bangs... I'll post pictures when I actually brush my hair.

Onto new items...

FACE:

Benefit "You Rebel" tinted moisturizer... GREAT stuff. Has SPF too. My 2nd tube.

Philosophy "The Present" clear makeup. I needed a new primer and just bought this today, so i don't have an opinion just yet.

In terms of skincare... I went back to Proactiv. It just works the absolute best for my skin and is my "old faithful." As far as drying up blemishes or shrinking oncoming monsters, "Bye Bye Blemish" works GREAT... and isn't $20 like the Mario Badescu version.

MAC "X-Rocks" blush. I skipped this from Neo Sci-Fi b.c I thought for SURE I was too pale to pull it off... but it works really well on me, especially now that I have a TAD of color for summer. Picked it up at my CCO on the cheap, too.

swatch.

MAC "Summer Rose" beauty powder. No need to swatch, it looks just how it looks [:

NARS "Irresistiblement" bronzer (from their summer collection)

"Irresistiblement" on left, "Laguna" on right

swatches to compare... more orange, but sans shimmer it looks very natural

MAC "Solar Riche" bronzer (Style Warriors)

MAC "Eversun" blush (Style Warriors)

"Solar Riche" on left, "Eversun" on right

EYES:

Urban Decay "Baked" palette, includes "Sin" udpp & "Bourbon" 24/7 liner

top: "Sin"

from L-R: "Twice Baked", "Half Baked", "Flipside", "Baked"

bottom: "Bourbon"

MAC "Tempting" quad (Cult of Cherry). Scored this for $24 @ my CCO

swatches (L-R): "Next to Nothing", "Tempting", "Sharp", "Dark Edge"

Laura Mercier "Sahara Sun" eye mosaic

swatchin it up

MAC "Impassioned" Solar Bits (Style Warriors)

swatch... doesn't do the color HARDLY any justice... just one MORE reason why I'm buying a new camera [:

MAC "Dreammaker", "Bold & Brazen", & "Go" eyeshadows (all Starflash). My CCO hooked it up.

swatch life. I'm glad I snagged these, thought, b.c they're being re-released & I paid CCO price HA! way to stick it to the man.

MUFE "Aqua Black" cream eyeshadow. I will never use this as an eyeshadow or base, I'm thinking liner... but I also picked it up today, so haven't had time to play with it yet.

L'oreal "Extra Volume Collagen Mascara"

big-un brush... & can I just tell you that for 6 bones, this is better than ANYTHING I have ever purchased at Sephora? the bomb, hands down.

LIPS:

MAC "Brave New Bronze" lipstick, "Gold Rebel" lipglass (Style Warriors) & "Magnetique" lipglass (Rose Romance)

L-R: "Brave New Bronze", "Gold Rebel", "Magnetique"

MAC "Hot 'N' Saucy" & "Tender Baby" tendertones... my CCO always has these in stock and I'd buy all the tendertones on the planet if I had the funds.

"Hot 'N' Saucy" & "Tender Baby"

Dior "Lip Glow"... my newest obsession. Mrs. Chapman from "pixiwoo" mentioned them in a video and since then I'm unstoppable... this is my 3rd tube... & at $30 a pop, I'm telling you they are worth it all the way. It is a clear minty balm that turns your lips a NICE pink... and it lasts quite a bit... like O-Gloss, I suppose, except it actually works and is tremendously moisturizing.

Dior "DiorKiss" plumping glosses in "Mango Soda" & "Hawaiian Coco"

L-R: "Lip Glow", "Mango Soda", "Hawaiian Coco"

BODY:

Soap & Glory "Flake Away" scrub

granuley goodness

Soap & Glory "The Righteous Butter"

This line smells IDENTICAL to one of my favorite perfumes of all time... Dior "Miss Dior Cherie"... can I just let you guys know... the scrub is AHHHHHHMAZING... leaves you SO soft, SO smooth, and when you rinse, it leaves your skin behind with the scented oil so you don't even need to moisturize after. It is a spa in a tub... and the "Righteous Butter"... I use it to layer my smells when I wear Dior... and for $14.99 a pop... I should buy backups [:

close up

Soap & Glory "Sugar Crush" body scrub... this is a MONSTROUS sized tub... over 15 oz! and it was only $16.99. Insane. It smells SUPER lime-y and delicious, exactly like a margarita. This is a scrub that gets rid of any flakes, but leaves you clean and moisturized, so you can wear any perfume after using it.

the particles

Juicy Couture "Viva La Juicy"... wow. I mean WOW. This is another new obsession. This smells just like a French perfume I used to pay CRAZY amounts of money for because it wasn't distributed in the states, but this I can get anytime. It is pure deliciousness. yumm.

Calvin Klein "CKIN2U" for her... a nice summer perfume.

Moist "White Tea Creme Gel Moisturizer"... I picked this up at Sally's for about $8 and it sinks RIGHT into the skin... no sticky or slimy residue. And it smells like white tea too... light but fresh.

HAIR:

I finally decided to be the sheep that I am and succumb to the hype... and spent WAY too much money on this Moroccan Oil... however, I must say that my ends don't look NEARLY as bad as they did a week ago and my hair is much more "pliable", if you will.

Bumble & Bumble "Surf Spray" gives my fine hair a lot of texture and volume, especially on curly days. I don't believe in brushing my hair when it's summer and I usually go through about three of these by the time August rolls around.

Batiste "Tropical Dry Shampoo" I also bought at Sally's, just to try a different brand of dry shampoo... I have to rub it in REALLY well, but it smells *DIVINE and gets rid of ANY greasies. It also gives me tremendous volume, so sometimes I even use it on clean hair, just for lift.

OSIS "Modeling Clay". Since I had bangs cut, I need something to give my chunky bangs some texture because after I wash my hair, it's too soft anf fine to STAY anywhere... this gives me some hold and also keeps my bangs from turning into a bush with the humidity.

I know it looks strange, but it works REALLY well... and it's only around $14 at ULTA.

WHEW! Holy moly... bless you if you made it through this post. Now that ya'll know what I'm twerkin with, I can start doin some looks using them all. For now, though, it's time for bedy-by. Night!

more purchases

yeeeeees... I did shop today. woop!
I have to confess that since my discovery of the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liners... I haven't TOUCHED any of my MAC shadows. not one. they're just TOO GOOD! I know I can stay in bed a couple extra minutes because these require NO base, I can use my FINGER, and they dry and stay on all day [: I am a lazy beast lately. so, on the journey to acquiring all of these little pots of sunshine, I picked up two more today at Sephora.

swatches!

they are SO beautiful. "Busy Signal" looks like MAC's "Antiqued" shadow...

then I meandered down to Nordstrom... and found my girl Tracy!! she used to work at the ULTA next to me and then I hadn't seen her in a few weeks... I tracked her ass down. now she's doin BIG things at NARS!! way to step it up girl. now that I know she's there, I'll be sure to schedule events and such with her... and buy MORE stuff. see below:

my Sephora sells NARS, but not the whole line. Nordstrom has EVERYTHING. I mean e-ver-y-THANG. and "Crazed" blush is the most potent hot deep raspberry color... which I feel brave enough to rock now that I have a little color goin on.

I know in the pic it looks scary, it's not:

then, being the devoted fan that I am, I have watched Samantha Chapman on pixiwoo state that this is her holy grail eyebrow pencil. so I decided I needed it also.

it's Shu Uemura's Hard Formula pencil in Brown 03... the longest pencil in makeup history [seriously on my 92nd birthday I'm gonna have to pass this thing a long to the grandkids] it is impossible to swatch on skin b.c it really is rock hard. but it is designed to work with the oils in your brow hairs and it gives the perfect, most untedectable strokes or you can build it up to be very dramatic. I am LOVING the formula after just one day. usually, very soft creamy eyebrow pencils actually smudge ALL over my oily face by the end of the day or they just wear off... this being a waxy hard formula has stayed PUT... so I don't leave the house with eyebrows and come home looking like I got robbed of my facial hairs.

anyway, that's about it for now. I still have a look to post, but I haven't uploaded the pictures yet. that will be next. g'nite ya'll.

APRIL haul

this is collective... the last two weeks I've picked up a few random things... even makeup from Victoria's Secret... which I usually am not a fan of. I'll show that first...

like a shimmer-brick-y kinda deal. swatches from bottom to top:

and theeeeeeen I picked up a new perfume. 100% UN-necessary. I have so many perfumes already that some will go bad before I ever get to them... but this was intoxicating.

also from Sephora, more Jack Black lip balms. these are THE most emolient-rich moisturizing balms AND (HUGE selling point for me) they have SPF 25. for $7, I will buy these until I die.

new MAC goodies as well...

this new PREP+PRIME finishing powder is identical fo MUFE HD powder... but $21. it kind of blurs your face and makes you look airbrushed.

also... REFINED ZONE TREATMENT. if it IS true that THIS one product is limited edition, I will purchase a warehouse full of backups. I have been using this once a day as a primer, and my pores don't exist. no kidding, when I put this on, they just shrink away AND with continued use, I HAVE honestly noticed a reduction in size. refine it does.

AND because it's summer and I am now darker and trying to maintain a little color, I'm not really using pastel or really frosty pastels. SO, I decided to try Benefit's Dallas powder to accentuate my new color.

it is gorgeous... a PERFECT bronzed blush.

and, more from Benefit, since purchasing the other cream shadow/liners, I am in LOVE. you don;t even need a brush. when I'm in a rush, I dab my finger into them, smudge onto my eyelid (NO PRIMER NEEDED) and I have shimmering non-budging color ALL DAY. so yes, I needed MORE:

from left to right: Sippin' & Dippin, Flatter Me

the fam:

a random purchase next. my lips have ZERO pigmentation naturally. so, in attempts to NOT look so corpse-like, I use lip stains religiously. I've gone through 3 bottles of Benetint in my time, but I love (JUST AS MUCH) CoverGirl Outlast Lipstains. they are just so convenient, no mess or spillage, and there are like 15 colors.

felt tip... so easy.

I think that about wraps it up. I have a look to post, but I want to get my "D" look posted first, so I will report back later. time for HEAT v. HORNETS... gotta watch my Wadey Boo Boo. g'nite.

Benefit haul... && 2 looks

I like this slacking. I don't have to do anything. [: but I miss it... I've expanded from my homebody status lately so the blog has been-a-slackin. no fear... I have quite a few pics tonight.
FIRST... Sephora Benefit haul. now, everyone knows I am a paint pot lover. my readers. my family. my sister... who wants to know why I need 17... however I have had a MAJOR breakthrough and do believe there is a possibility I will never reach for another paint pot. (*I am lying... they're paid for, so...) anyway, the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liners officially rocked my world the other day.... SO much in fact that I came home with four...




Sephora has this new "Girls Night In" kit, which includes two shadows, their eye brush, a lipstick AND makeup bag... for $48. now when the eyeshadows alone are $20 EACH, this is known as a good deal.

"The Talent Brush" ($18 alone):

"Lady's Choice" lipstick ($18 alone):

"Skinny Jeans" shadow (all $19 alone):

"Birthday Suit":

"Samba-dy Loves Me":

and wouldn't you just know it... Beauty Insider deluxe sample was WHAT? Benefit Creaselss Cream shadow/Liner... in "R.S.V.P.":

from left to right: Birthday Suit, Skinny Jeans, Samba-dy Loves Me, R.S.V.P.:

Lady's Choice lipstick:

upon my discovery of these little gems of creamy goodness, my paint pots have conveniently slid on down to make room for more BUT, these are pretty dern close to some colors I already have from MAC...

• Benefit "Skinny Jeans"= MAC "Gilded Ash" Metal-X shadow
• Benefit "R.S.V.P."= MAC "Fresco Rose" paint pot
• Benefit "Birthday Suit"= MAC "Stilife" paint
• Benefit "Samba-dy Loves Me"= MAC "Rubenesque" paint pot

if you have one, you really don't NEED the other... but Benefits formula is FAR superior. as much as I dig paint pots, even applying them with a 217 I sometimes still get little skip marks where shadow doesn't blend PERFECTLY. the Benefit shadows are SO creamy... they feel like your patting an eye cream on. AND, no creasing. NONE. ZERO. I don't have to use TFSI underneath like I do with paint pots. hello, one less step in the morning.

I already played around with a couple colors...

for the look:

• Benefit "Samba-dy Loves Me" shadow
• MAC "All That Glitters? e/s
• MAC "Satin Taupe" e/s
• Covergirl LashBlast

that's IT.

and tonight I realized I haven't touched anything from Everyday Minerals in MONTHS... so ta-da:

FACE:

• EDM foundation... I mix colors
• EDM "All Smiles" blush
• NARS "Laguna" bronzer
• MAC "Refined" MSF

EYES:

• Benefit "Samba-dy Loves Me" shadow
• BE "Citrus Twist" e/s
• BE "Saucy" e/s
• MAC "Plushblack" Plush Lash

LIPS:

• MAC "Sock Hop" lipglass

aaaaaaand THAT concludes my update for the night. no photoshopping, no BAMBOO... just uploaded pics on the rocks. I will, however, throw in a bonus pic of my sister & I at a party the other night... made my weekend.

it was a "Hippies & Rockstars" party... I *obviously was a flower child... my sister went as Bret Michaels... fake tattoos/eyeliner/bandana/boots and all... our friends even showed up as "Rock of Love" groupies and followed her around all night. they were sadly eliminated & she went home with her man [:

eotn

nothing at all to do with my "alphabet" series... just something I was farting around with before bed.

for the eyes:

• MAC "Butternutty" shadestick
• NYX "Baby Pink" pearl powder
• MAC "Milk" pigment
• MAC "Azalea" blush
• MAC "Sketch" e/s
• MAC "Hepcat" e/s
• MAC "Vibrant Grape" e/s
• Coastal Scents "Black" gel liner
• Fresh Supernova mascara

that is all.

C

okay... so I extended my "spring break" to overlap into blogger-world. oops. whatever, I needed a break. and I got one. and I feel MAAAAAAAAACH-betta. [: took me some time off work... took a weekend off in key west. got my social life back. spent some time with my sister. if I could only get my head on straight with school, I'd be GOOD. anyway, I've done some collecting while I've been away... allow me to explain:

my ULTA finally expanded their NYX inventory... seen here (left to right) are Round Lipsticks in "Thalia" and "Tea Rose". "Thalia" looks to me like a pretty close MAC "Blankety" dupe... they are very creamy and wear nicely and for $3.99 a pop, you can't beat the price. next.

I ran out of my Prep+Prime... and instead of sinking $40 into a new primer, I decided I'd give MAC "Matte Gel" a go. and I like it. but to be completely and blatantly honest... if you've invested the four dollars in the Monistat ant-chafing-nonsense... there's no need to buy this. Monistat is a little more moisturizing, but that's about the only difference... and about $15.

MUFE Smoky Lash and MAC Plush Lash have for-EVER been voted into my mascara HALL OF FAME... but I decided to go back to one mascara I used to LOOOOOOOOOVE back in the day... Fresh Supernova. it's worth every penny of the $25... giving the longest thickest blackest glossiest lashes EVA. it takes a while to dry, but it's WORTH waiting for. and I always like to have CoverGirl Lash Blast in my arsenal to guarantee nice thick lashes on the fly.

in addition, SCREW LUSH. I really REALLY wanted to love their skincare and prayed EVERY day that it would clear up my skin and I could be an all-natural-organic-chemical-free-LUSH-loving-woman... but I gave up. my skin craves the chemical BURN of benzoyl peroxide. SO, back to Proactiv I went. and you know what? my skin hasn't looked this good in months. I don't know why I ever left... when I KNOW this shiz works. whatev.

NOW... onto MAC haulage.

first let me say... I love blush. I live for blush. I scanned Specktra every night waiting for "Grand Duo" sneak peaks and swatches. I waited for "Grand Duo" contraband pre-release YouTube videos. and then, I went to see the babies when they were released. and now... I own ZERO. I am just NOT a fan anymore of SUPERSHIMMER all up in my face. I have enough shimmery blush and as *pretty as they are, I would be buying JUST for the sake of buying MAC.

on the other hand, Sugarsweet hit the spot.
allow me to explain my mediocre "haul"...
over the span of one WEEK...

• took a week off work= NO INCOME
• spent a weekend in Key West= spending MUCHO dollars
• my Blackberry got stole
• had to drop $500 +tax for an iPhone
• went out again TWO weekends in a row
• had to pay car insurance

by now I'm sure you are getting the point... Megan Elizabeth has no moola. *HOW-ever... I did manage to sneak in a few items...

I picked up:

• "Refined" MSF
• "Butternutty" Shadestick
• "Cakeshop" Shadestick

this leads me to my LONG overdue "C" look...
using "Cakeshop" shadestick

and now a closer look:

for the look:

• TFSI
• MAC "Cakeshop" Shadestick
• MAC "Nylon" e/s
• MAC "Greensmoke" e/s
• MAC "Smut" e/s
• Fresh Supernova mascara

on the face:

• MAC "C1" Face & Body foundation
• MAC "Light/Medium" MSF Natural
• NARS "Laguna" bronzer
• MAC "Refined" MSF
• MAC "Partial to Pink" Cremesheen Glass

a total face look:

don't sweat the flex action. anyway, these are my very FIRST shadesticks... after hearing/reading SO many complaints about the old formula, I never bothered purchasing the older ones, so I still need to experiment with these... but the color payoff is *very worth it. I would even wear these alone as a wash of color if I was in a real hurry. anyway, I'M BACK.
sorry about the LONG absence... I was busy having FUN... explanation below.

g'nite.