Tuesday, July 31, 2012

FOTD: Fairy Magic

Hi darlings! ♥

I have an extra special look for you all today! This was actually a look a came up with last week, but I haven't been able to post it! I really love this look! It is bright and fun and very summer appropriate~ I used all Unbound Eden Cosmetics and Sugarpill :) Enjoy~

Products Used

EYES
-Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
-UEC 'Moon Sugar' Eyeshadow (lid)
-UEC 'Cherry Frosting' Eyeshadow (crease)
-Sugarpill Burning Heart Palette:
         'Poison Plum' (lower lash line and outer v) and 'Buttercupcake' (inner corner)
-Sugarpill 'Tako' Eyeshadow (brown bone)
-Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner
-Prestige My Biggest Lashes mascara
-Ardell 'Wispies' Lashes
FACE & LIPS
-YSL Teint Resist Foundation in shade #3 
-Estee Lauder 'Modern Mercury' Highlighter
-UEC 'Fairy Folk' Lipstick


 Fairy Magic Look 






Since the eyes are colorful, I decided not to use any blush. I don't want to look like a complete circus clown!



Tell me what you think!
And as always, thank you for reading ♥

Friday, July 27, 2012

Review: Lime Crime Aquatænia Palette

Greetings from the Dark Side!

You should know by now that I love Lime Crime cosmetics! I have been using Lime Crime since before I started my blog (about two years or so). In the past months, they have really impressed me by releasing their Fantasy Palette line. I already own ChinaDoll and D'Antoinette, so when the Aquatænia Palette was released I knew I had to try it! I have already done two other looks using this palette, so check them out if you haven't already :) Without further adieu, here is my review on this mermaid inspired palette ^_^


Price and Availability


$34.99 for a 5 eyeshadow palette.


Packaging

Like the other fantasy palettes, this comes in a purple tin packaging that has the Lime Crime logo and fish/mermaid scales. The back has the name of the palette and of the colors included. At first I didn't like the inside of the palette, but it has grown on me. It is really easy to clean and so far I have not had any problems with the packaging. It is cute and easy to store!












Swatches


Product in Action

I used this palette for the following two looks:






Review

My favorite thing about this palette is the shimmer and sheen that the eyeshadows have. The palette is a really good compliment to the other Fantasy palettes since the other two contain mostly matte shades.  On its own it is also great, and you can make a lot of different looks using the 5 colors from the palette. All the colors are nicely pigmented, but Coral of the Story and Seahorse Discourse are the most pigmented shades. They are also my favorite colors of the palette. Seahorse Discourse is a beautiful neon lime green that is really in style right now. Coral of the Story is a fantastic color for summer and it looks amazing as a blush!
One of the other things that I love about this palette is the names! They are totally genius! I appreciate the names every time I use the palette ;D
I didn't get much, if any, fallout with the eyeshadows, and I was able to blend them with ease. 
Personally, I think this palette is for those of you who like color and really fun looks. If you are into classic and/or neutral looks, this might not be the palette for you. But if you want to experiment with bolder and brighter colors, then this would be really perfect!
There isn't much in the way of cons in my experience. I think Nautilus Prime could use a little tweaking though. It is the sheerest of the shades and it takes a little more work to get it to look good. But it is not too bad. Nothing that I can't deal with. And Pearl-ple is a little more pink than I expected but it is still a beautiful shade! Honestly though, these aren't big cons for me. I am enjoying the shimmers and the bright colors! They do remind me of the beach, the ocean, and the fantastic sea creatures known as mermaids!


Rating: 9.5/10


Tell me, from the swatches, which is your favorite shade? Does this palette remind you of mermaids?

*Product mentioned in this post was provided buy the company's PR. I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

NOTD: Green and Yellow Polkadots

Hi :) A big thanks to those who commented on my 1000 follower post! Your good wishes warm my heart! ♥


I have not done a nail post in a while so I thought I would quickly share my nails at the moment. I have them pretty short right now. I had them really long and then two of my nails broke so I had to cut them all :/

Nail art is not my forte. But I do what I can. I tried doing an alternating polkadot pattern with green and yellow. It was difficult since I don't have a dotting tool! I used the Wet n Wild Spoiled varnish in 'Designated Driver' and Essie 'Pretty Edgy'.

This looks like a green and yellow strawberry-like mani! The "dots" look more like a seed shape xD It came out terribly! I seriously have to get better at doing my nails >_<" And for some reason my top coat bubbled! Arrrrg! Nothing turned out right!




Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Oh my! Over 1000 Followers!

Oh my! I awoke to over 1000 followers! Thank you all so much! I would have never imagined that my blog would go this far. I started my blog out of sheer boredom and because I was completely obsessed with makeup. None of this would be possible without all of you ♥ I appreciate every single of you my readers, and every single comment is received with much love.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! ♥ I don't know what I would do without all of you! You bring an extra dose of sunshine into my life!

Of course, I will behaving a 1000 follower giveaway! I want it to be huge!
I am still figuring that out. So I will update you guys on that when I have the giveaway prizes :D


Thank you all for being part of the Dark Side :)

 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Guest Post: Favorite Lip Glosses For Summer

Hey loves!
Today's guest post is brought to you by Aly from Wonderland Beauty. Please check out her blog and leave your lovely thoughts in the comment box :) I will definitely check out your favorites Aly! I love trying new products! And thank you for being part of the Dark Side :)

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Hi! My name is Aly and my blog is www.seventhingsbeauty.blogspot.com. I'm so excited to be doing a guest post for The Dark Side of Beauty, since I'm quickly becoming obsessed with reading all of Nancy's posts! I thought that for my guest post I would love to list some of my favorite lipglosses for summer!  I love glosses, but so many feel really heavy, too heavy to wear in summer. I've only found a few lipglossess that are lightweight and also are  really glossy and not sticky! I figured I could share those with you today! 




I absolutely love the Essence Stay With me Lipgloss in the color Trendsetter. At first glance, it looks really bright and really intense. But when applied to the lips, it's sheer but still gives you a great pop of color. The texture is kind of thick and like a jelly, it's not super thin or runny, it's more thick and creamy. It glides onto the lips so smoothly, and I was super impressed, since these glosses are super inexpensive at ULTA!

I'm also loving the Beauty UK Lip Lust in the color Sweet  Sixteen. I got this in a blogger swap, and this is my first UK lipgloss! :) The color is a really pretty sheer pink with sutble shimmer. This also smells amazing, kind of like berry! Everytime I wear it, I'm greeted with an amazing fruity scent. It stays on long, too- perfect for summer when you are to on-the-go to reapply!
Natural Collection Juicy Lips in the color Fondant is another UK lip gloss that I'm obsessed with! Worn alone, it's a beautiful milky, peachy pink. {It's also a spot-on dupe for Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Barely Legal!}  but worn over pretty much any lipstick, it's just a shiny wash of beautiful pink color. Consider my obsessed.
Clarins Natural Lip Perfector in Shade 02 is the best peachy creme color in the world! It also smells heavenly, just like a MAC lipstick! Sugary sweet, with a bit of vanilla mixed in. The color is an amazing thing to wear on low-key days, since it looks natural and chic at the same time!
And lastly, Fyrinnae Lip Lustre in Romantique! This is in the running to be my ultimate favorite lip product! The color is gorgeous, a sheer pink with golden shimmer, and I wear it nearly everyday. It also looks amazing paired over MAC Lovelorn lipstick. I have the sample size, but once I use it all, I WILL buy the full sized one!
Thank you so much Nancy for letting my guest post on your great blog! 
Thank you again Aly! ♥

Monday, July 23, 2012

Lime Crime FOTD: Sea Nymph

Hi darlings~!

I am on a roll! I have another look using the Lime Crime Aquatænia Palette. My first look was much more outlandish, and I think this one is more wearable. It is bright and fun, definitely not meant for the office, but I love how it came out. This is perfect for a night or day out, and just whatever you want really. I wore this to school and it I received a lot of compliments ^_^



Products Used
 Eyes
-Lime Crime Aquatænia Palette (Seahorse Discourse, Nautilus Prime, Atlanteal)
-Lime Crime Magic Dust Eyeshadow "Medusa" and "Nymph" 
(use code MAGIC40 for 40% off these loose shadows since they are going to be discontinued)
-Prestige My Biggest Lashes mascara
-Wet n wild white pencil eyeliner

Face & Lips
-YSL Teint Resist Foundation #3
-Illasmqua 'Sin' Blush


 Sea Nymph

-Seahorse Discourse on the lid
-Nautilus Prime on the crease and lower lash line
-Alanteal over Nautilus Prime and on the inner corner
-Medusa on the outer V
-Nymph on the brow bone







Do you guys like the look? I also hope you are enjoying the fact that I actually have full faced shots with better quality now!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Lime Crime FOTD: Aquatænia

Hello lovelies~ Having a wonderful weekend, I hope!

I've been incredibly busy with a lot of things these past days so I haven't blogged as much as I would like to. But I have been experimenting with new makeup and new looks! One new product that I have particularly been using is the new Lime Crime Aquatænia Palette. It is a palette full of shimmery, magical colors. When I first received the palette, I went a little crazy and made the look I want to share with you today. I'm not going to lie, the eyes are a little bizarre, even for me! But none-the-less, I want to share it!

Right to Left: Nautilus Prime, Coral of the Story, Seashorse Discourse, Pearlple, Atlanteal


-Coral of the Story on the inner lid
-Atlanteal on the outer lid
-Nautilus Prime on the outer V and crease
-Seahorse Discourse on the inner corner and on the outer portion of the eye lid
-Pearlple on the brow bone and lower lash line-Orchidaceous and Quill Uniliners on the lash line.

Products Used

EYES
-Lime Crime Eyehsadow Helper
-Lime Crime Aquatænia Palette (all 5 colors)
-Lime Crime Uniliner 'Quill' and 'Orchidaceous' 
-Prestige My Longest Lashes mascara
-ES A88 Lashes
 FACE, CHEEKS, & LIPS
-Revlon Whipped Foundation 'Buff'
-Lime Crime  Aquatænia Palette 'Coral of the Story' eyeshadow (as a blush)
-Lime Crime 'My Beautiful Rocket' Lipstick

 Aquatænia







I have a second look using this palette coming up :) The next look is MUCH more wearable I think! Hehe. Although I have to say, I love My Beautiful Rocker Lipstick! It is so pretty ♥
I will have a review of the new palette soon :D


Thank you for reading!

*Some products mentioned were sent to me by the brand's PR. I was not paid for this post and all opinions stated are my own.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Brand Spotlight: Illamasqua

Hello and welcome once more to the Dark Side of Beauty.

After trying out certain brands for a long time, you begin to get a sense of the products from that brand that you like and the ones that you do not like. One of my favorite cosmetic brands of all time is Illamasqua, and I think I have a good sense about my favorite and least favorite products from their line. Illamasqua offers bold colors, innovative formulas, and marvelous promotion pictures. They are a United Kingdom based brand but it is available in the US through Sephora. Most of my Illasmasqua purchases have been through Sephora, but a few have been from Illasmaqua.com and ASOS.com.

BLUSH

The only face products I have from Illamasqua are blushes. I have yet to try their foundations or powders but I hope to in the future. I own three blush colors that are all n different formulas: a cream, a matte, and a shimmery blush. The colors are: Libido, Sin, and Morale.  The cream blush, Libido, is very easy to blend, but it stays but for a long while (it does have a dewy finish). Sin is a super pigmented grape color, and it works well for a very defined and sculpted cheek. Morale is not as pigmented, but it offers a lovely color payoff with a gorgeous sheen.


Hare are swatches of the three. There is a very pigmented swatch and then a slightly blended swatch next to it.


Verdict of Blushes: 
These three blushes serve to give me a general sense of the entire Illamasqua blush range. Firstly, they are very pigmented blushes. They are bold and definitely not for the faint of heart. You can make these colors very wearable, but keep in mind that you must use a light hand and always blend the blush to give it a softer look. The blushes are a stand out in the Illamasqua cosmetic range!
My favorite: Morale. It offers a lovely flush with a beautiful highlighting sheen. 
Least favorite: Libido. It is not the easiest color to wear, although it is beautiful.

Cream Pigments

One of Illamasqua's newest range, and quickly becoming one of my favorite products, is the Cream Pigments. These are a highly pigmented, matte, and multi-tasking colors that come in a creamy formula. I have four shades: Bedaub, Hollow, Androgen, and Depravity. Bedaub is a mint-green shade which I prefer for the eyes or for concealing redness. Hollow is a cool-toned brown that is perfect for contouring. Androgen is a pastel coral shade that looks lovely on the cheeks, lips, or eyes (also great for color correcting). Depravity is a vibrant grape that I love for the lips, eyes, or cheeks.




Verdict of Cream Pigment:
These are wonderful, wonderful products! They are multi-tasking and super pigmented. They are long lasting and stay put all day. There is a good range of shades and I hope this range will be expanded!
My favorite: Androgen. The most multi-tasking color and a very beautiful shade!
My least favorite: Bedaub. It is gorgeous, but it is the only one that creases on my eye lids.


Lipsticks 

The first Illamasqua product I ever tried was the lipstick in Underworld. Since then, I have tried three other shades. I think their lipsticks have great potential. But I should note that the lipsticks seem to be weakly attached to the tube because they break very easily :( There is a wide range, most colors are very pigmented, and they have very bold shades. I have: Obey, Liv, Underworld, and Kontrol. 
Obey is a matte true coral that is bold and very retro. Liv is a super pale and matte lavender toned pink.  Underworld is a iridescent purple-pink with a blue shift. Kontrol is a very pigmented cream purple-blueberry shade that glides on the lips very easily!



Verdict of Lipsticks:
Their lip products are VERY pigmented and there is a lot of colors (wearable and bold) to choose from. I dislike the fact that the lipstick break easily though, and that fact was stopped me from purchasing more lipsticks.
My favorite: Underworld. This color looks so beautiful on the lips! It is one of my favorite lip colors!
My least favorite: Liv. The color is lovely, but it is so pale and matte that it tends to look chalky and gross on the lips. I can wear it only with another lip gloss over it.

Eyeshadows

I don't own many of the Illamasqua eyeshadows. I have three of their Pure Pigmentes (Beguile, Alluvium and Ore) , one of their Liquid Metals (Resolute), an done liquid eyeliner (Glister). The Pure Pigments are awesome! They have a lot of shimmer and are for the most part very pigmented (for the exception of Beguile). The Liquid Metals have an oddly pleasant smell (like marshmallows!) and they have a high impact color. But there are a few downsides as well. The pigments can be very messy if you are not careful and you can spill and waste a lot of product. The Liquid Metal in Resolute is lovely, but it also creases like crazy! The Glister eyeliner is really pretty and quite a unique color, but I find it difficult to find a look where I can incorporate this lovely nude liner.


These swatches do no justice to the colors!

Verdict of Eyeshadows: 
Their products for eyes have some definite lovely gems, but there are also some duds. Make sure to checks out reviews and swatches before you purchase something!
My favorite: Ore Pure Pigment. Most amazing bronze-gold shade EVER. It shines and sparkles!
My least favorite: Resolute Liquid Metal. This creases so badly on my eyes. It is hard to even use it!


Nail Polishes
I've owned quite a few Illamasqua nail polishes over the past couple of years, but the only one I have actually kept is 'Poke'. The others ones I either sold or gave away because I did not really use them and my nail polish collection just keeps growing! I love the Illamasqua nail polishes, but most I had were very simple colors and I prefer very bold and shimmery colors. Poke is one of those shades that I find so appealing that I want it to be a part of my collection! It is a lovely iridescent purple with green, purple, blue, and pink shimmer. It is opaque it just one coat!

Verdict of Nail Polishes:
I think Illamasqua nail polishes are great. They are very pigmented and there is a great shade selection. However they are quite expensive!
Best and Worst

In my own opinion the best products that Illamasqua offers are their blushes and cream pigments. They are really amazing products that are totally worth the money. They are one of the favorite things in my makeup collection and I will definitely be thinking about purchasing more in the future.
The worst products that they offer are, solely based on my experience and on my opinions, and their lipsticks. They are beautiful, but they can be very frustrating too. They tend to break really easily and it really bugs me because they are not cheap. Illamasqua really needs to do something about it because I know a lot of other people have the same problem. Besides that, they can be a little drying on my lips.

Other

Just on a side note, I wanted to also mention that I hate that if you order from Illamasqua.com (there is a better range of products than what is offered at Sephora) and you don't live in the UK or Europe, they shipping in ridiculously expensive. I tend to want to buy anything because the shipping is like $20. Just a little heads up in case you wanted to order. You should probably wait for a free international shipping promotion!


I hope this is a little informative to those of you who are interested in Illamasqua. If you have a brand that you would like to me to overview, please let me know in the comments. Thank you all so much for reading :D

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Fyrinnae FOTD: Rapunzel Loves You

Greetings from the Dark Side~
I want to quickly share the look I wore today. It was a lazy day for the most part; I had to stay in a work on some stuff. But that did not keep me from doing my makeup ^_^ My Fyrinnae shadows have been a little neglected lately so I just had to use them today!

Products Used

EYES
-Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
-Fyrinnae 'Rapunzel Has Extensions' (inner 1/3 of lid)
-Fyrinnae 'Te Amo' (center of lid)
-Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil Liner 'Perversion' (waterline and outer V)
-Prestige My Biggest Lashes mascara

FACE & LIPS
-Skin79 Oriental Gold BB Cream and Cream Blush
-MAC Hue Lipstick

Rapunzel Loves You


WTF...my nose looks so awkward in this picture O_o" What the heck happened!!!! D:


Thank you for reading :) and have a great week!