The Life of A Ladybug

Stila lovers: Barbie trio palette is back!

Back by popular demand, this Asia-exclusive refillable palette features your favorite trios from the sold-out Barbie palette.  A $96 value for only $28!

It's only available here, so get it now before it's too late!

 http://www.stilacosmetics.com/product_detail.asp?PMID=696&nlid=10257.1008411.0.1.0.163159&eid=lifeofaladybug@gmail.com

Urban Decay Get Baked Eyeshadow Palette

 

Y'all, it is summer, summer, summertime!  And in the summer, I am all about the bronze and the metallic.  And, if you ask me, nobody does the metallic effect better than Urban Decay!  This Urban Decay Get Baked Eyeshadow Palette is the business, do you hear me?

Bobbi Brown Brights Eye Palette

  I was overly excited by the prospect of the Bobbi Brown Brights Eye Palette, but loves, save your money.  I just don't think it's worth it.

Admittedly, the compact is really cute.  I love the big mirror and I love the way it unfolds to show the bright little pots of shadow.  But the operative word in that phrase is "little".  The individual pots of shadow are tiny, y'all.  Yes, there are 35 different shades to play with, but this thing is $70!  Come on.  If you're going to charge $70, I think there should be some more going on here.  Especially considering that these shades are totally "fun colors".  If you're not a makeup artist, or under 30, or one who likes to play with your makeup, you aren't really going to put such bright colors to good use.  It's a fun thing to have in your makeup arsenal, but really not necessary.  And I kind of fear the looks that will be made with this if one is kind of a makeup novice.

Old Favorites Challenge #1

Yesterday, as I was going through my makeup, I realized that I have so many old favorites that I neglect, either because I'm testing lots of products or because I've found new things that I love, so they're in heavy rotation.  So, this week, instead of constantly reaching for the newest thing, I'm committing myself to trying to use some of my old favorites in new and interesting ways.  So, here's today's makeup, with my old favorites in bold and how I've used the makeup to create my look.  I decided to go for cool smoky eyes with very neutral warm colors on the rest of the face.

On eyes:

• MAC Eye Kohl in Violet Underground.  I used it to draw on a very thick line on the top lashline and to smudge into my bottom lashes.  I also used it for tightline.  I smoked out the pencil on the lid with my Sephora smudge brush.
• Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes palette.  Espresso on the lid, mixed with the Violet Underground; above that, Mica Shimmer Wash shadow, then Nude Mist, followed by Nude Beach to highlight.
• L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara.  Three coats on my top lashes and one on the bottom.  I'd forgotten just how inky black and luscious my lashes look with this stuff - love, love, love!!!

On face:

• bareMinerals Foundation in Tan.  I've been loving Warm Tan, but for fall and winter, Tan suits my skin better.  I used this as concealer and foundation.
• bareMinerals Tinted Mineral Veil.
• YSL Touche Eclat in 3.  Used to lighten dark circles under my eyes.
• Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Deep.  This stuff is so awesome!  Great as contour on my hairline, under jawline, and as a matte bronzer on my cheekbones.
• MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Feeling.  A great neutral blush.

On lips:

• Smith's Brambleberry Rose Salve.  One of my all-time faves.  All the Smith's lip balms are in heavy rotation.
• MAC Lip Liner Pencil in Cork.
• Mally Beauty Lip Gloss in B Sexy.  Why, oh why, do I not use this little gem more often?  Completely non-sticky and high gloss and a fab nude color, to boot!  Adore!

So, what are you rocking today?  Tell me in the comments!  And join the challenge!  Every day I'll be posting about what old faves I've worked back into my makeup wardrobe - tell me what you're gonna try!

Stila Holiday Palettes

Well, you know the holidays are coming when the beauty brands start rolling out their holiday collections!  If you're a girl who loves a good, basic palette, look no further than Stila for your holiday beauty needs! (Pictured at left: Stila Smoky Eye Palette in Platinum)

Adding to their fabulous, innovative Talking Palettes collection, Stila introduces the Paint Your Pout Red Palette, which includes a lip smoother, three tones of red lip color and a lip brush; The Purr-fect Cat Eye Palette, which includes a Ecru for the base, Kitten for the lids, Eden for the crease, and Black Cat to line, along with a slanted brush and liquid liner; The Complete Day to Night Look Palette, which includes base, crease, contour and lid shades, as well as a Convertible Color for lips and cheeks; and the Smoky Eye Palettes in Sapphire Collection & Platinum Collection, which include shades of either deep blues or shimmering platinums - they have base, lid, crease and liner shadows for creating a smoky eye look.  All these palettes give you audio and visual instruction to teach you how to look like a professional has done you rmakeup!  I have the Paint Your Pout Red Palette and Smoky Eye Palette in Platinum Collection and they are both fabulous.

If you're looking to share the fun and fabulousness of Stila with a friend, consider the Stila Surprise & Shine Record a Message Palette.  This palette allows you to record a message that can then be played back by the receiver.  If you're feeling all "ho, ho, ho, and mistletoe", you can wish the recipient a "Merry Christmas", "Happy Kwanzaa", or what-have-you.  If you are just a weirdo like my friend Wendi, you can record something crazy like "I am the Batman!" - I still have no idea what that exactly means, but it makes me howl with laughter, nonetheless.  (It's better than her previous message: "You suck!")

All the palettes are available at a variety of locations, including www.stilacosmetics.com, Sephora, www.sephora.com, etc.

DuWop LipLingo Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

DuWop LipLingo Pink is a sleek lip palette containing a rose-colored lipstick and four "toppers": a subtle gold frost, a pale pink shimmer gloss, a rich pink sherbet tone with sparkle and a pink-tinged clear lip balm with high shine.  DuWop has joined in support of breast cancer research by donating 20% of the proceeds from LipLingo Pink to research and the betterment of women living with cancer. 

LipLingo Pink retails for $32 and is available at shop.duwop.com.

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Smashbox Pink Power Lip & Eye Palette

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Smashbox introduces the Pink POwer Lip & Eye Palette!  The Smashbox Pink Power Lip & Eye Palette can be purchased at www.smashbox.com or at your local Ulta or on www.ulta.com.  Retailing for $46, 10% of the proceeds benefits the Young Survival Coalition.

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Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Collection

Next on tap for Bobbi Brown, the Shimmering Nudes Collection!  For all you beauty lovers who are still bitter that you missed out on Bobbi's fabulous Chocolate Eye Palette or those of you who did manage to snag it, but are sorry you didn't buy two (raises hand!), run, don't walk, to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter and pick up the Shimmering Nudes Palette!  This palette is just as awesome and useful, in softer shades - it will be a part of my staple beauty wardrobe for a good while, I can tell.  Featuring three metallic, two shimmer wash and two matte shadows in shades of taupe, beige-y pink and brown, this palette offers the perfect neutral, yet polished and sophisticated eye look!  And, if you've thought of trying fall's trendy colored eye, but are a little gun shy, the Shimmering Nudes palette allows you to give a glamorously neutral effect to the eye that you can accent with a colored liner - all the fun of the colored look without the commitment of rocking the bright colors from lashline to brow!

Pair your neutral lids with creamy, almost naked lips coated in one of Bobbi's four new Creamy Lip Colors, add a bit of pink blush to the cheeks and you're all set!  I'm telling you - go get that palette now or you'll be sorry you didn't!  Ding!  Pick it up!

Stila Front Row Look Palette - VERY Limited Edition Release!

Exciting news, Beautiful People!  Stila has released a very limited edition palette - the Front Row Look Palette from their Backstage Beauty Collection.  The Front Row Look Palette features the essential products necessary to create the soft smoky eye seen all over the Fall 2008 fashion show runways.  Inside the mega cute faux patent compact, is a trio of shadows: Bouquet, a matte nude pink; Moonlight, a shimmering white; and Fog, a light grey.  Also part of the collection is the Smokey Quartz Kajal Eye Liner.  Featured on the palette is a faux leather rosette pendant, which can be used as a wrist or neck accessory or worn in your hair.  If you want to finish out the complete Backstage Look, use Cherry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain - if you purchase Cherry Crush, your shipping is free!

There are only 1000 available for sale and you can only get them on the Stila website, www.stilacosmetics.com.  I'm sure they will sell out FAST!  10% of the proceeds from the first 625 palettes sold will go to Step Up Women's Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening community resources for women and girls by helping to provide the tools they need to create a better future.  Through teen empowerment programs for underserved girls, women's health education and advocacy, professional mentorship and social networking opportunities, Step Up educates and activates members to ensure that women and girls have the tools they need to create a better future.  You can check this organization out at www.suwn.org.

Grab your palette today!  And if you do, let me know what you think!

Bobbi Brown Bronzed Pink Collection

So, I have found the products that are going to get me through the summer: the Bobbi Brown Bronzed Pink Collection!  I love everything about it and stocked up last night.  I bought two of the Tinted Lip Balms in Golden Pink and Bronzed Pink, the Metallic Eye Shadows in Bronzed Pink and Penny and a Bronzing Powder in Deep.  I will be a bronzy pink princess all summer long!

The Tinted Lip Balms are luscious and add just enough color that you'll feel pretty without looking overly made up.  The shadows add a hint of sheen and color, so that you look polished and natural.  Add a pop of pink on your cheeks, warm up that skin with bronzer and you're all set!

This collection is selling out online, so if you can't find what you want there, hit your nearest Bobbi counter ... quick!  If you know like I do, you'll find yourself a Bobbi MUA that you like and trust.  I have one - Lauren, at the Columbia Nordie's.  She is awesome and I trust her to recommend the products that work best - she sets them aside for me and I just come and pick them up.  Love her!