Everyone is doing a top 10 list this time of year, so I’m bucking the trend and sharing my 5 favorite, can’t live without, must have items from the last year. These are the things I decided I will continue to buy as long as they’re available because I love them so much that they’ve become an instinctive part of my routine. Here they are, in no particular order of preference:

1)Aquolina Pink Sugar fragrance. This stuff makes me feel so happy and cozy that I rarely start a day without it, whether I’m going to work, headed out running errands, or just staying in and cleaning house. My kids are always telling me I smell delicious and my significant other tends to agree. Another perk about this fragrance is that it is available just about anywhere I go, from Sephora to Ulta to Nordstrom. I think the simple fragrances of caramel and cotton candy capture our inner child, while the more complex bergamot, musk, and fig leaves entice our mature palates. Ive always enjoyed oriental fragrances, and I think this is oriental with a dash of fun. (more…)

So I told you I’d try to get my hands on some of Aromaleigh’s new Hi-Fi Mattes and take some pictures for you. And then Kristen, THE Kristen, sent a package of pretty little things straight to my ugly little mailbox! To say I was overjoyed would be quite the understatement. Even though it wasn’t yet noon, I washed my face and started all over again with my makeup for the day. I had to play immediately!
It has been a long long time since I found myself purposefully wearing a matte eyeshadow. They tend to be browns and plums and occasionally blues or grays, but they just don’t have that extra something I look for in my eye color. I have a reputation to uphold at work ya know, I need some oomph! Not only that, but matte colors have never seemed to give me the heavy pigmentation I like, they fall a little flat in the color saturation department.  Somehow, knowing all of this, Kristen set to work to create a matte collection just for me! Oh, what’s that? She didn’t create it just for me? I was the furthest thing from her mind when inspiration hit? Hey, it’s MY story and I’ll tell it how I want okay!
Seriously though, this is mattes like you’ve never seen mattes. The colors are deliciously bold and there is no clumping or chalky texture to be found. No streaking at all, the colors are well blended and apply beautifully. Boy do they POP, there is some serious color action going on there. Applied over a primer(I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance religiously) the staying power is quite commendable. I go to work at 4 am, and after work, a nap, and a full day of running after kiddos I still have decent eye makeup at bedtime, 16 hours later!

And now, the thing you’ve been waiting for….pictures!
Colors featured:
1)Cool It, Radioactive
2)Kookie, Got Dibs, What’s Shakin’?
3)Real Gone, Spaz
4)Cool It, Daddy-O. Yes, I chose those just so I could say “Cool it Daddy-O”
5&6) Fake Out, In Orbit
7&8) Real Gone, Blue Orchid. Blue Orchid is from the Rocks! Collection. It’s actually more purple than it shows in these pictures. These are perfect University of Washington colors and I wore them to work on the day of the Apple Cup, a Washington college football tradition. The Huskies won 30-0 so obviously I have to do this every year now!
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Oh. My. Gosh. Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh… I find myself so ridiculously excited about Aromaleigh’s newest collection and it’s something I never expected to be so stoked about.

A little over a week ago Kristen sent out a link on Twitter about the new Hi-Fi Matte collection. I’m not generally a matte type of gal, and I usually go to Aromaleigh for all things shiny, shimmery, and sparkling, but I clicked through anyway…and instantly fell in love! I think a lot of the reason I love these so much is because of her inspiration. She uses a lot of my favorite words like: 50’s, kitsch, sci-fi posters, tulle and organza. How could I not adore a collection ispired by so many wonderful things? The swatches are magnificent and the dresses pictured below them make me feel all swoonish.

If you’re anything like me then you’ll want to order your samples as soon as they become available! I’ll be waiting until they become a weekly sale special because, well, we’re college students with 3 kids and we’re not made of money ya know, but this collection has enthusiastically jumped itself up to the top of my “must have” list. As an added bit of fun (because what is Aromaleigh if not FUN?), there’s a nifty Willy Wonka/Golden Ticket style contest through the end of the year and if you have a purchase to make anyway why not check out the details?
I think these new mattes look peachy keen and I can’t wait to get pictures of these babies in action for you! I think Fake Out, Cat’s Pajamas, Heels on Fire, and Spaz are going to be my favorites, what about you?

Just wanted to pass on a fabulous offer directly from Alison Raffaele!

We are having a 60% off sale on our glosses and shadows at RetailHappyHour.com…feel free to tell your friends and family, too!

Here’s the link:
http://www.retailhappyhour.com/landing-cat.php?cid=36

xox
Alison

I haven’t tried her glosses and shadows before, but if they are any bit as wonderful as her primers, foundations, and concealers, you will not be disappointed.  They put this clever countdown clock at the top of this page too, let me know what the number is when you on are on this site!  Right now it is at:  142 hours, 54 minutes, and 57,56, 55 seconds…

I am so happy to be moving out of the  pastels and bronzes of spring and summer. The light soft colors are fun as the buds begin to bloom for the first time, but I’m soon anxious for a splash of color and a little more pizzaz. To be fair, some of the big trends for fall have nothing to do with color. Once again we’re seeing the super smoky eye, which is really no surprise considering that there’s only so much you can do without repeating a previous trend. Since this is the “super” smoky eye we’re supposed to feel that it’s something new and different, but it’s really just another chance for all of us to walk around looking like raccoons. Stick with your regular smoky eye look and resist the urge to follow the adage that “more is better”.  And gray shadow is popular, which can be a bit dull, though there are some lovely purple and blue hued grays that are great for day wear. Or try them in the evening with black liner for a super hot cat eye. A pop of color on eyes with a nice pink cheek and lip leave me feeling all giddy, and dark vampy lips have me practically begging the leaves to start falling and the chilly breezes to blow. (more…)

I’ve completely flipped over the newest cosmetic shades that were released this summer.  Urban Decay’s 24/7 Eye Pencil in Flipside (Bright Teal) $16 and Liquid Liner in Ecstasy (Bright Purple) $18 are beyond gorgeous for playing up your eyes!

The NARS Summer 2009 Makeup Collection includes the deepest, multi-dimensional teal eyeshadow, Tropic Single Eyeshadow ($22).  In combination with a stroke of a golden bronzer around your face, can you imagine a more amazing color duo than teal or electric purple to wear this summer?

To see Flipside in action follow this link to DecoDiva’s site where she shares her amazing makeup art skills:  Kiddie Pool, Uzi, Flipside, Electric & Sylvie FOTD.

Please discuss.

A little over a year ago, tarte cosmetics was one of the first companies Jen introduced to me that I hadn’t tried before. I remember first trying their cheek stains and just falling in love with the whole concept and ease of the product. Then I tried the lights camera lashes mascara, and the light, natural look and feel of the formula made me realize tarte is really on to something.

The ’spring greening’ palette had a few nice surprises for me as well. The straw case is reusable (my son has already claimed it as the future home of his hockey card collection) and even the foam tray inside is constructed of post consumer recycled material.  It features 6 eye colors, a bamboo handled shadow brush, and 3 of their t5â„¢ infused lipglosses. t5â„¢ is tarte’s proprietary blend of 5 super fruits, packed full of antioxidants and nutrients, and it gives you a healthy anti aging boost in a product you were going to apply anyway. (more…)

I’ve been playing around with some of my newer stuff lately and tried something on a whim that I ended up really loving.
My friend Tracy is a recent convert/addict to Aromaleigh and their vast selection of colors, and she always snags a sample or two for me when she orders(I know, everyone should be so lucky). My lastest goodies were some of the glam glitters from the rocks!Sonic collection. These are super fine sparkly glitters that you must see to appreciate. I highly reccomend buying a sample or two at least. I wanted to wear some of my ultra glam glitters but I wanted to make sure they stayed all day no matter what I did. So I whipped out my Urban Decay cream shadows.

First I applied my usual primer (TooFaced Shadow Insurance, best stuff ever) and let it set a little, then I smoothed a little of my UD cream shadow in “Rehab”, a creamy taupe, over my lower lid. I let it dry for just a moment, then, while it was still a little tacky, I dipped a fluffy brush into my “rebelrebel” bronze glitter and patted it over the shadow. The glitter helps to set the cream shadow and the cream shadow really holds the glitter right where you want it all day long. I followed with a light highlighter color under my brow and in my crease to calm it down for daytime, and I love how it gives just a flash of sparkle peeking from my lids. It’s a fun way to play with glitter without looking like a club kid. Here’s a tip, the Beauty Blender sponge is amazing at grabbing and wiping away glitter or mineral shadow fallout under your eyes after application.

As an added incentive to try something fantastic and new, Aromaleigh’s rocks! mineral shadows and glam glitters are 25% off right now! This offer runs through 10 am EST on May 20th and you should definitely take advantage of this deal and the other goodies available in their coupons+deals section.

It’s how you know I’m all grown up and stuff.

So if you use this basic layout and just swap colors around you can run through your entire shadow collection without getting bored OR having to think too hard. And colors that you wouldn’t normally put together can be quite fetching once you start toying with them. For instance, this is green and pink and I have some blue right at the lash line.  A couple key points for something like this are: (more…)

Based solely on the items most beloved by my 20 month old daughter. No matter what I do or where I stash these she always manages to find them. She takes great delight in gouging her fingers through her favorites and smearing them in all sorts of wonderful places…generally involving freshly cleaned laundry. And so I bring you “Mira’s picks for Spring 2009″:
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