Shiro's February COTM: Gettin' Frisky With "My Cat's My Valentine"

     Shiro surprised us with not one, but TWO colors of the month this February! While both colors are gorgeous, I'm on a budget and trying not to select colors similar to what I already have. However, I felt obligated to purchase one of them. As a self-confessed "cat lady", I was loving My Cat's My Valentine! (Click here to see both colors). It was just too funny and adorable; not to mention a very pretty color.

  My Cat's My Valentine is described as "a creamy light pink with bright white sparkles" on Shiro's website.  While I enjoy pink shadows, I was expecting a very soft, light pink. I was pleased to open the jar and find that it was actually more of a light pinky mauve, which is something I did not have in my collection. If you're curious as to what white sparkle may look like, it's actually an iridescent color that reflects pink and soft greens. Due to its creamy consistency, it comes off as pearly when applied wet.  

Check out the lid. How ADORABLE is that?!

The colors below were swatched under regular indoor lighting:

Without flash
Left- Applied with I-Candy Cosmetics Eye Base
Center- Applied wet, with I-Candy Cosmetics Base
Right- Applied alone

With flash
Left- Applied with I-Candy Cosmetics Eye Base
Center- Applied wet, with I-Candy Cosmetics Base
Right- Applied alone

     I'm really glad the latter swatch captured the color's shimmer, because the creaminess really does give it a little more pop.  Some soft pinks, while beautiful in color, come off as a bit too subtle.  Also, since it's lip-safe, this will be a fun color to play around with on lips and cheeks, too.

     The following look was done using I-Candy's Eye Base with Shiro's My Cat's My Valentine applied wet on the lid, Nic Cage Raking Leaves on a Brisk October Afternoon ;) along the crease, and Day of Reckoning on the lower lash line.

Without flash

With flash

     You can get My Cat's My Valentine while it's still out this month! It's definitely a unique novelty name and jar (like most Colors of the Month) and a pretty pink to boot.  It sells for $6.00 a jar, or you can purchase both COTM's for a total of $10.00.  

     And, only because it's appropriate, here is my sweet little Valentine ;)

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The Dark Side of Beauty's Pumpkin and Poppy Giveaway!

    This giveaway is now closed.

 Nancy is at it again , giving away yet another gift certificate!  This time, it's for indie company Pumpkin and Poppy. While I haven't tried this brand yet, they have some nice things that I'd love to try in the future.  Head on over to The Dark Side of Beauty and enter the giveaway for a $50 gift certificate.  While you're there, check out the awesome posts Nancy has.  She has some really good tutorials up.  :)

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Glamdourdoll Eye's February OTM: Nothing Sour About "Toxic Grape!"

      I have to admit, I was secretly hoping that January's OTM was going to be purple, but I had a strong feeling that it was going to be this year's go-to emerald color (and don't get me wrong, Flourishing was NOT by any means disappointing!)  On top of that, I've been experimenting with a lot of purple shadows lately (my original favorite eye color) as I'm rediscovering all the beautiful different finishes.  Fast forward to today, I couldn't help but smile when I saw the color name Toxic Grape and opened the lid to the OTM jar which revealed another additional shade of purple for me to play with! :)  It was created by Chelsea, (she does amazing eye looks) who I remember initially asked Vee about a shadow idea back in the summer, so I'm really glad she was able to make her own color.  
     The OTM card describes Toxic Grape as:
"A deep purple with light pink undertones and gold & blue sparkles. Safe for eyes. Nails. Face."

Without flash.

The entire set.

    Going along with the Valentine theme, Vee included a bag of candy conversation hearts with the order. As a bonus this month, she personalized the bag into one for you and one for a friend, consisting of a bonus bag of candy and sample of the February OTM!

Awwww. :)

The set for a friend.

Sample baggie. Taken with flash.

     The best way to describe this color is that it is a pure purple with sparkle.  It's on the warmer side and looks like it will go well with a lot of different colors.  I did notice as soon as I washed the swatches off that the one applied with Control Freak took more time to clean off. It did leave just the faintest stain on my skin-good news for eyes; just be careful around clothing!

With Foil Me             With Control Freak      Applied Alone
(No flash).

With Foil Me             With Control Freak      Applied Alone
(Flash).

Toxic Grape on lid, Calypso on outer "v' and outer crease, Grease Lightning on inner crease, and Lexington on brow bone and inner corner highlight. Control Freak was used as a primer, while Foil Me was mixed with Toxic Grape. All eye photos taken with flash.

     If you're an OTM subscriber, what do you think of the color this month?

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Valentine's Series: Classic Romantic

     

     Hello everyone!  I hope all is well!  For this look, I wanted to create a soft, sweet, romantic look. I used Too Faced's gorgeous Romantic Eye Palette and I Candi Cosmetic's Limited Edition CHAOS Vie En Rose Palette (created by makeup artist Megan Martinez). 

Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette

I Candy CHAOS Vie En Rose Palette

     First, I applied Control Freak primer from Glamourdoll Eyes onto my entire eye area.  I started off with the Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette. Next, I used my finger to apply Soulmates onto the brow bone and Bouquet Toss onto the inner corner as a highlight.  With an angled eye brush, I applied Cut the Cake onto the lid and used Glamourdoll Eye's Foil Me to apply it onthe outer half of my bottom lash line.  Next, I took the I Candy palette and applied the pink shadow with Foil Me onto the lid. I used Too Faced's I Do on the outer "v" and upper part of the crease. I blended it upward toward the brow bone and reapplied Soulmates for added drama. Next, with an angled eye brush I took Honeymoon, a golden shimmery color, and applied it across my upper lash line and the inner half of my bottom lash line.  After applying mascara and eyeliner, I finished the look off with elf glitter liner in Stardust.

Without flash.

With flash.

     For my face, I used Too Faced's Kiss the Bride as blush, and then applied the lightest color of the I Candy palette (a pearly, iridescent, creamy pink shimmer) over the blush and as a highlight for added shimmer. For my lips, I used 

EOS Organic Lip Balm Sphere in Strawberry Sorbet as a hydrating base and then applied the pink I Candy pigment on top, with the lightest color in the quad in the center of my lower lip for dimension.

   The Too Faced Romantic palette is rather affordable for higher end cosmetics at  about $36.  It comes with nine colors and is great for achieving soft, natural looks, or heavier nighttime looks.  I Candy Cosmetics sells very high quality, cruelty-free pigments that can be found online here.

Products Used:

     Face:

elf Glow Bronzing Powder in Sun Kissed 

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer in Light

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Light

Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette in Kiss the Bride as blush

I Candy Cosmetics CHAOS Vie En Rose Palette (lightest pigment as highlight)

    Eyes: 

Glamourdoll Eyes Control Freak Primer

Glamourdoll Eyes Foil Me

Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette in

        Soulmates

        Bouquet Toss

       Cut the Cake

       I Do

       Honeymoon

I Candy CHAOS Vie En Rose Palette in pink and lightest pigment

 elf Glitter Liner in Stardust

Nyx Waterproof Retractable Eye Liner in Black 

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black

Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eye Liner in Taupe

    Lips:

EOS Organic Lip Balm Sphere in Strawberry Sorbet

I Candy CHAOS Vie En Rose Palette in pink and lighest pigment

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Valentine's Series: Anti-Valentine: Blue Valentine Featuring Glamourdoll Eyes

     So, I wanted to have a little variety and include something more artistic.  As I was working on it, there were some things I would have changed, but this was my first time creating a darker-themed look.

     I started off by using a eye brush to pat Nymphette from the Blogger Collection onto my lid, crease, and outer "v."  Next, I used my black Nyx rectractable eyeliner and drew across the crease.  I used my finger to smudge and blend it outward.  This was a rather messy process, so I used a large fluffy foundation brush to clean up fallout and applied concealer underneath my eye and along the outside of my eye at an angle from the edge of my lower lash line to the tip of my eyebrow.  Next, I took Corpselike from the 2012 Halloween Collection and placed it onto my brow bone and blended it slightly with Nympette.  I then took Foil Me and mixed it with the Fierce Eye Lights (unfortunately, the Eye Lights are discontinued :( , but you can find glitters at several other companies) and applied it onto my lid.  Using a foundation brush, I applied Corpselike all over my face to achieve a pale appearance.  Using Foil Me once again, I pat it underneath my eye area.  I then used an angled brush to apply Ahoy Sailor in streaks.  I smudged the area, and reapplied the pigment is some areas.  I then dripped a very small amount of water onto my face to further achieve a smudged appearance. With the angled brush, I lined some areas with concealer as well as eye liner to enhance the streaks.  Again with Foil Me, I used Eye Lights Fierce and Pink Cadillac for a subtle feminine effect.  When I lined my eyes, I applied a generous amount of liner on my lower lash line and smudged it.  I really love the big, dramatic lashes from the Maleficent elf Disney Villains kit, so I used them.

Without flash.

With flash.

     For my lips, I used EOS Organic Lip Balm Sphere in Strawberry Sorbet as a moisturizing base, and applied Spider Sense from the Super Shadows Collection onto my lips in a bee sting fashion. The remainder of the lips were covered with concealer. I used a dark red lip liner in for an enhanced effect (I used the darker liner from elf's Maleficent Palette).

     I had a lot of fun with this look because it was so different for me, but I certainly hope that everyone has a much better Valentine's Day than this!

Products Used:

     Face:

elf Glow Bronzing Powder in Sun Kissed 

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer in Light

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Light

Glamourdoll Eyes pigment in 
    Corpselike (Halloween 2012 Collection)
    Ahoy Sailor
Glamourdoll Eyes Eye Lights in
     Fierce
     Pink Cadillac
Nyx Waterproof Retractable Eye Liner in Black  

    Eyes: 

Glamourdoll Eyes Control Freak Primer

Glamourdoll Eyes Foil Me
Glamordoll Eyes pigments in
      Nymphette (Blogger Collection)
      Corpselike

Nyx Waterproof Retractable Eye Liner in Black 

Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eye Liner in Taupe

elf falsh lashes from Disney Villains Maleficent set

    Lips:

EOS Organic Lip Balm Sphere in Strawberry Sorbet

Glamourdoll Eyes pigment in Spider Sense (Super Shadows Collection)

darker lip/cheek stain from elf Disney Villians Maleficent set

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Valentine's Series: Vampy Valentine (Featuring Glamourdoll Eyes)

     This is a darker look using mostly Glamourdoll pigments. This one was probably my favorite of the series because it's not something I wear often, though I'm a fan of darker colors.  I've also been really into revisiting purples lately, which was my original favorite eye color years ago. While I was referring to the "vamp" fashion look, I unintentionally ended up using the Twi Shadows from Glamourdoll Eyes...what a coincidence!  Take note that is is also a very glittery look, as all but one of the pigments contain sparkle.

     I started off by priming my entire eye area, and then applied Skin of a Killer (now discontinued) onto my brow bone and inner corner. I then placed Premonition (now in the permanent line!) lightly onto my lid and all over my crease and outer "v." I also applied Premonition onto my lower lash line with an angled brush. Next, I took Shiro's Day of Reckoning and pat it into the outer "v." I blended it into Premonition with my brush.  Finally, I applied Mannequin from the Halo collection onto my entire lid area.  Since this is a more dramatic look, I traced my entire eye area with retractable liner, including the inner corners of my eyes.  For the upper lash area, I did a cat eye look with the liner. I finished with  mascara, and concealer.

    For my lip, I used N.Y.C. Ultra Moist Lip Wear in Mahogony, which is a deep, rich berry red.(Since I tend to look for either Wet n' Wild or N.Y.C. at the stores and often tend to find only one or the other, or if you have a preference, Wet n' Wild. has a color that appeared identical to this one in Cherrybomb.  I chose the N.Y.C. color since it cost less. I honestly expected a cheap taste when I applied this onto my lips, but was so surprised to find that it was a pleasant berry flavor.  The application was so-so, but it was a very dark color, and I expected it to be a little messy. After applying the lip color, I traced it with concealer on the outer lip. 

     Since I was using so many cooler-toned colors, especially the lipstick, I knew it would wash my face out. To help add warmth, I used Sparkler from Glamourdoll Eyes as a blush on the apples of my cheeks.

    Since this is a flirty look, I chose one of the largest lash sets I have and put those on as a final touch.

Without flash.

With flash.

 Products Used:

     Face:

elf Glow Bronzing Powder in Sun Kissed 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation in Light

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Light

Glamourdoll Eyes pigment in Sparkler (Blogger Collection)

    Eyes: 

I-Candi Cosmetics Eye Shadow Base 

Glamourdoll Eyes pigment in Skin of a Killer (Twi-Shadows, discontinued)

Glamourdoll Eyes pigment in Premonition (Twi-Shadows, PERMANENT Collection)

Glamourdoll Eyes pigment in Mannequin (Halo Collection)

Shiro Cosmetics pigment in Day of Reckoning

Tarte Amazonion Clay Smart Mascara in Gifted

Nyx Waterproof Retractable Eye Liner in Black 

Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eye Liner in Taupe

elf Ultimate Lashes 4 Piece Lash Set 

    Lips:

N.Y.C. Ultra Moist Lip Wear in Mahogony

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Check Out This Giveaway From The Dark Side of Beauty: 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway: Shiro Cosmetics

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

REPOST: 
The Dark Side of Beauty: 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway: Shiro Cosmetics: Greetings from the Dark Side~! As I mentioned in my Victorian Disco giveaway , I absolutely love indie makeup. One of my absolute fa...

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Valentine's Series: Golden Dew

     Hi everyone! So, I'm thinking of doing a small series of looks for Valentine's Day.  I want to do a few different looks that can hopefully cater to different preferences.  Today I'm starting off with a "Golden Dew" look.  This is a soft, feminine look that would be great for any time of the year.

     I'll include a complete list of products used at the end of this post, but I'll mention the main items used as I went. For this look, I intentionally wanted the main products to be budget-friendly and easily accessible for anyone to use.  I started off by applying a bronzer onto the hollows of my cheek and along my chin for contouring.  I blended the bronzer in and then applied a foundation over my entire face, including my eye lids and crease (I chose not to use an eye primer for this look).  Then I applied Maybelline New York Color Tattoo By Eyestudio in Bold Gold along the lid, into the crease of the eye, and along my lower lash line.  I used Maybelline New York Color Tattoo By Eyestudio in Too Cool on my brow brown and blended along where it met Bold Gold. and also applied a dab of Too Cool into the corner of the eye to brighten them.  As far as eye color goes, you can stop here, but I wanted to add a little more dimension.  I took a few colors from the elf 24 K 100-Piece Eyeshadow Palette.  The colors do not have names, but I photographed the colors for you to refer to. (Sidenote: This 100-piece set cost $8.00 on clearance and is highly versatile! Unfortunately, the 24K edition is discontinued, but 100-piece palettes are still on sale on elf's site for $10.00, which will work fine!  Always keep your eyes peeled for clearances when you're out at the store)  

     I applied this color over Too Cool on my brow bone for added shimmer:

This is a shimmery, iridescent light yellow.

     I simply dabbed this color in the center of my lid:

This darker gold color has just a little bronze to it, to bring out some dimension to the gold.

     I blended this color into the outer "v."

This shimmery, hazelnut brown is just dark enough to add depth to the eye without overpowering the look.

     I actually applied Bold Gold once more onto the entire lid, crease, and outer "v" to unify the look.  I then applied retractable liner on my upper lash line and lower water line, added mascara, and liquid eyeliner onto the upper lash line.  I used a little Vaseline keep my brow hairs in place, and colored them in with liner. I used a cream concealer on my face,  under my eyes and blended on an angle along the outer edge of my eye for a clean look. I finished off the look with a soft blush color on the apple of my cheeks and a matching pink/coral gloss to work with the gold.

Without flash.

With flash.

Without flash.

With flash.

     Products Used:

     Face:

elf Glow Bronzing Powder in Sun Kissed 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation in Light

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Light

elf Blush in Candid Coral 

    Eyes: 

Maybelline New York Color Tattoo By Eyestudio in Bold Gold

Maybelline New York Color Tattoo By Eyestudio in  Too Cool

elf 24 K 100-Piece Eyeshadow Palette 

Tarte Amazonion Clay Smart Mascara in Gifted

Nyx Waterproof Retractable Eye Liner in Black 

elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black

Travel-sized jar of Vaseline in Original (for setting brows)

Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eye Liner in Taupe

    Lips:

Essence of Beauty Mini Lipgloss Set "London Calling" in the light pink/coral

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