My Problem with Tarte

Pictured above is the Taretlette 2 Tartelette in Bloom palette. I bought it in... March maybe? Around my birthday. I had a gift card. In any case, since that time, I've used it maybe twice. Purchased at the same time was the Too Faced Chocolate BonBons palette, which I reach for all the time. So, why don't I use it as much? It's a nice palette, sure. It's got some really pretty warm tones and a maroonish color, which I'm all about. It blends well. And it smells like chocolate (so does the Too Faced palette). I forced myself to use it recently and remembered why I don't really reach for it. I got a reasonably maroon smokey eye using the cream shade in the middle row, and the bottom row colors. Everything was fine until I went for Funny Girl, the shade that's circled. This color is fucking impossible. It's so damn stiff in the pan that you have to grind your brush into it. Used dry, there's little color pay off. Used wet, there's some color pay off. But overall, it's a shit eyeshadow and I expect more from a prestige brand. The other shimmer in the palette isn't this awful, so what the hell, Tarte?

Complaints about that one shadow aside, if you look at the palettes Tarte puts out, they're all the same. You literally only need to buy one Tarte palette because they're virtually identical. This palette isn't even very different from the original Tarte palette, except this one is more warm where the other was more cool (and apparently all matte). The Young, Wild, and Free palette, the Grav3yardgirl palette, Tartelette Tease palette, Showstopper palette, even their contour palettes all look the fucking same. There's no variety, no originality, no change. It's neutral palette after neutral palette and it's fucking boring.

Honestly, you get 12 shadows for $45, with one shadow that's absolute shit. Personally, I'd go for a Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette; you get 16 shadows for $49 with nice warm tones and in my experience, Too Faced shadows blend like a dream (I don't personally own this palette but I've played with it in Ulta). The collections and collaborations they come out with are also a lot more imaginative and varied (I'm still kicking myself for not getting the Ulta exclusive holiday palette).

I'm still going to make myself use my Tarte palette, because I bought it, and there are genuinely some really nice shades in it, but it's certainly not my favorite.

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick Review

Disclaimer: I received these products free from Influenster to try and review. All opinions of the product are my own and I am not receiving any compensation for this review.

The colors I received were Rebel Red and Nude Flush, both very pretty colors in the tube. Nude Flush is a pretty pinky-nude, and Rebel Red is a blue-toned bright red. I can understand, with the trend in liquid lipsticks, why Maybelline has jumped on the bandwagon. But, a few things to consider:

1. These lip colors do not dry down matte. Maybelline does suggest applying a layer and blotting for a more matte effect. If you're looking for a liquid lipstick that does dry down matte and doesn't transfer, this product isn't for you. The name is a definite misnomer.

2. They smell... perfumy and weird. And that smell has a taste. I didn't find the fragrance all that appealing, honestly, and it lingered.

3. The doefoot applicator is long and a little awkward for precise application. It's not horrible, and this is a drug store product, it's just a little off the mark.

4. Nude Flush is really pretty and applied well. Rebel Red was kind of patchy and I had to go over it a couple times for even coverage. No bueno.

These do glide on very creamy and have a bit of a moussey texture that's not unpleasant, although if you get a little too much on it can feel a bit gloppy. Blotting helps, or rubbing your lips together a few times. There's a bit of a tingle to them, which I've heard described as a cooling effect, but it's not bad or unpleasant. These don't feel drying, which is a plus. But they're definitely not that long-wearing and will transfer when you eat or drink. Overall, an okay product, but probably not one I'd buy on my own, however if you're getting started with liquid lipsticks or don't want one that's ultra-matte (or matte at all) these are a good jumping off point.

My Experience with Younique: An Honest Review

Skeptical cream shadow

Anyone who has followed any of my blogs knows that if I sit down to review something, I'm going to be honest about it. Nothing irritates me more than fluffy, positive reviews for the sake of being nice. If you're reviewing something, whether on a product page, a blog, or a Youtube video, it really does your audience a disservice to not be honest. So here we are.

A school friend of mine is a Younique presenter. I have found, in the past, that most Younique presenters are rabidly fanatic about their product and sometimes aggressively push their products. I've been approached before, and always declined. I'd seen pictures of spider lashes. I wasn't interested. However, Younique has a whole beauty and skincare line and isn't just the lashes (but we will talk about those). My friends and I got together for a makeover day, where I would do all our makeup using Younique (and some of my stuff).

I did not try the skincare or the wipes, nor did I try the loose shadows or lipsticks. For liner on us all (except me, I used my Stila Stay All Day liquid liner pen) I just pressed shadow into the lash line, so I also have no experience with their liners.

1. BB Cream: I will be completely honest here. I hated the BB cream. The coverage was not great and it settled into my pores like crazy. I unfortunately didn't get to try the Touch liquid foundation, which seemed to have better coverage on my friends.

2. Glorious Face and Eye Primer: Like a good primer, a tiny bit goes a long way. It went on silky smooth, however I primed my face long before I actually applied my makeup, so I feel it would have worked better with a more immediate application.

3. Moonstruck Addiction Eyeshadow: I think I was most impressed with the eyeshadows. They are finely milled and super pigmented (I only had to touch the shadow with my brush gently, which I quickly learned). Downsides? All the damn shimmer. There need to be more matte shades, and highlight colors, because not every look should have a shimmery brow highlight, and not every person likes a completely shimmery look. Especially for those of us with aging skin and fine lines (cough) shimmer can settle and be unflattering. Plus, the glitter-bomb fallout means having to take time to brush it away with powder. Great shadows, great formula, but needing more texture and color diversity.

4. Splurge Cream Shadows: I don't typically use cream shadows, and if I do, it's as a base for powder shadow. My friend gifted me with Skeptical, which is an inky black with multi colored shimmer. It's absolutely beautiful to just look at. The texture of the cream shadows is interesting, more of a mousse like  texture than something like a MAC paint pot. I had to learn how much pressure to apply with my brush when picking up product, but when I got it figured out, I found they went on smooth, not patchy, with good coverage and pigmentation. I put Tenacious (gold) all over my friend's lid and used Skeptical (black) in the outer v and blended into the crease. It was an amazing combination. Like the shadows, these are shimmery, no mattes, but less sparkly fallout.

5. Lip Stain: Meh. I'm a liquid-to-matte lipstick kind of girl, so the sheerness of the lipstains just left me unimpressed. They also applied kind of streaky. I'm wearing Sappy in the picture above.

6. 3D Fiber Lashes: Younique's most recognized product, the one pushed so hard by their presenters. Don't you dare love another mascara or be a fan of false lashes because the most rabid sellers will jump your shit about it (not my friend, but holy hell have I seen shit online). Honestly? I absolutely hated the 3D mascara. It has too many steps, and I ended up with clumpy spider lashes. I already have pretty long lashes and use volumizing mascara. This stuff left me looking like I had 5 giant eyelashes, clumped, and no matter how much I combed, I couldn't get good separation. I'm sorry, I'm just not sold.

So, my final verdict? The eyeshadows and cream shadows are great. Buy those, if you have the money (the whole line is pricey). If you have huge pores and oily skin, stay away from the BB cream. And the lashes? Pass.

Fall Favorites

These aren't all new-to-me products or even new products, but these are what I've really been loving this Fall, whether I figured out how to make something work or a great color combination. I'll provide links to the products/companies when I can.

 Goldilux loose eyeshadow by Sugarpill. I bought this months ago and only just opened it. Why did I wait so long? How  can I even describe how beautiful this is? Have you ever wanted to make yourself just gold. This isn't some sparkly, fly-away powder; Goldilux gilds whatever you put it on. By far and away the best gold eyeshadow, ever.

 Know what goes great with Goldilux? NYX Heat single eyeshadow. My camera didn't quite pick up just how gorgeous this color is. It's a warm, slightly shimmery cranberry. I couldn't even find a swatch online that really shows how beautiful this color is in person. The great thing about NYX is it's affordable, high quality,  and you can find it at the drugstore














Doucce is a brand I discovered through my Boxycharm subscription. I have one of their lipsticks, which is okay (I'm a liquid to matte lipstick fan and this was a traditional style lipstick I got) however they've knocked it out of the park with their Punk Volumizer mascara. I've been a die-hard fan of waterproof Diorshow for years. It was my holy grail. But I think Doucce has given Dior a run for the money. While the price is comparable to Dior, so there's no savings, there are some things about this mascara I like more than Dior. First off, I can touch my lashes throughout the day and they feel soft and flexible, not crusty, stiff, and brittle. This coats, volumizes, and separates beautifully. And another huge thing that shouldn't be a thing? It comes off like a dream with a makeup wipe. I love Diorshow but man, it's a pain in the ass to remove at the end of the day. Doucce Punk Volumizer comes off easily with my generic, Walmart-brand wipes. No raccoon eyes from slept-in mascara in the morning!

 Palmetto Derma Rejuvenating Antioxidant Mask, I love you! This was another Boxycharm find, and it is expensive (this jar is $64 alone, so it tripled the value of the box itself) but it leaves my skin feeling amazing after. It's a clay-based mask that lifts oils but doesn't dry me out. The wonderful thing about it too is that you don't need a lot, which makes the product last longer. I apply with a flat foundation brush and let it sit for the recommended 20 minutes, and after, my skin feels clean, soft, and refreshed. My skin is both aging and freaking out with acne breakouts so this has given me some much-needed relief.














 I bought the Stila Stay All Day liquid liner with my Birchbox points  before I canceled my subscription because I didn't want to lose them. I had never tried this liner and decided to give it a try. Guys, this really does stay all day. I've cried on this liner, slept in it (shh, don't tell), sweat with it on and it doesn't budge. But, if your eyes water before it's dried, it does make a damn mess, so I will provide that disclaimer. Oily lids will make it smear a little, which makes sense since oil will break down most waterproof products, so it's best to use this with a primer or a shadow underneath. I've been reaching for this instead of my MAC liquid and gel liners because it goes on so damn easy and stays forever. It's actually kind of a pain to take off with a makeup wipe, even.











 Ulta Buffing brush. It doesn't look like much, does it? I don't obsess over specific brushes very often, and when I do, they're usually eye brushes. But guys... this has changed my foundation game. I was having a super hard time getting the Smashbox BB cream to work for me (and I bought it, so I want to use it) and I had tried different brushes, sponges, and out of desperation applied it with my fingers once. Nothing seemed to make it work. The other day I angry-shopped at Ulta and was browsing brushes and saw this one. I petted the display brush, felt the soft, densely-packed bristles, and decided to buy it. The next day I used it with the BB cream and it went on like a dream. Simple little $16 brush has saved my foundation game. No streaks, doesn't shed, and small enough to get under my eyes and in the crevices of my nose. I've found my holy grail foundation brush and paid almost nothing for it thanks to sales, coupons, and spending Ulta points. Win!














Cult Nail Polish in Boneyards. Guys, can we talk about this color? This is my perfect cool-toned dark grey. It's 5-free and (I think) vegan. I've gotten so many compliments on my nails while wearing this color. It's just... so beautiful. That's all I can say.

How I Learned to do Makeup

Business casual vampire pinup

A lot of people ask me to teach them how to do makeup/do their makeup/teach them but I am not professionally trained in makeup nor do I profess to be a makeup artist. I love makeup, and I watch a buttload of YouTube tutorials. I also learned a lot from my old days on LiveJournal's MAC community, back in 2005ish. I do watch tutorials almost every day, and I follow makeup artists on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Snapchat so that I can continuously learn and improve. I learn about products, watch reviews and swatch videos. I follow people of all walks of life: actual professional makeup artists, Goths, people who love makeup, SFX artists, men, women. So what I thought I'd do is leave a list of the ones I watch consistently, links to their YouTube channels and social media. One thing I need to start searching for, for myself, are tutorials on applying lipstick with oral-facial piercings, because I got snakebites 5 weeks ago and they'll be healed enough soon to wear lip products again. Hooray!

All links will open in a new window.


Actual Makeup Artists

Samantha, aka Batalash Beauty
YouTube
Instagram

She seriously is awesome, but she does swear a lot, so if that bothers you, maybe don't watch? But her smoky eye is on point so she's worth it. She's also one of the most real people online.

Nikkie, aka Nikkie Tutorials
YouTube
Instagram

Nikkie is Dutch and you would never know it because she has almost no accent. She's hilarious and her Snapchat is always a treat to watch.

Leesha, aka XSparkage
YouTube

Leesha was one of the first people I started watching on YouTube for makeup tutorials. I don't watch her as much any more, but her Snow White tutorial has forever influenced how I do a pinup look.

ReeRee Phillips
YouTube
Instagram

While ReeRee is Goth, she is also a professional makeup artist. Her looks do tend to be more Goth though, but her voice is so soothing, and her Halloween tutorials have been absolutely amazing (check out her version of Bride of Frankenstein, it's gorgeous).

Heather, aka Sokolum
YouTube
Instagram

Also more toward the Goth style, but her makeup and technique are so good. I wish she posted more.

SFX and Body Paint Artists

Lex, aka MadeyewLook
YouTube (SFX and Body Paint)
Beauty Channel
Instagram

Holy crap she's amazing. She's also a licensed esthetician. Her body paint and sfx are outstanding but her regular beauty videos are just as amazing

GlamandGore
YouTube

Just... watch her. She's amazing.

Klaire de Lys
YouTube

A lot of her fantasy makeup has very wearable elements and simple application.

Goths who do makeup tutorials

Tori, aka ToriBiohazard, aka BiohazardousBeauty
YouTube
Instagram

Not only does she have this super soothing voice, she also reviews products and she's very honest when she doesn't care for something. I've used her makeup tutorials as inspiration for some of my looks in the past.

Bianca, aka DracMakens
YouTube
Instagram

Bianca generally does Goth makeup and makeup inspired by stuff (she recently did makeup inspired by Frankenberry, Booberry, and Count Chocula cereals that was super fun) but she also has a massive lipstick collection and does reviews of them and other types of makeup too.

Caligo Bastet
YouTube
Instagram

Caligo does tutorials for men, but also does a couple for women too. His vlogs are also interesting, and he has a couple DIY videos too.

Black Friday
YouTube
Instagram

I love Black Friday. She has a blase approach to makeup tutorial, if she messes up she says "oh well" and I just love her face. She's excellent to watch if you're getting into the Goth subculture and you want to see traditional Goth style.

Dorian, aka ofherbsandaltars
YouTube
Instagram

Fair warning: Dorian's videos are long. The makeup tutorials are more Goth but easy to follow. The "waffle" vlogs are interesting though, and another YouTuber with a seriously soothing voice.


It's a long list, and there are some I watch but not regularly enough to put here. I'd love to do videos of my own but I don't have the suitable equipment to do so, and poor lighting (I do have a channel here, if you're interested. There are a few dodgy tutorials on there). If you have any questions (or any of the links don't work) please let me know!

Big Unboxing Post!

Normally, I would do this one at a time, but this month has been crazy busy for me. Plus, my Birchbox and Boxycharm came literally in the same week. The good thing is some of this stuff I've been able to play with a little. All of the boxes had some sort of sea theme (kind of). Links to get the boxes and the actual products are provided, as usual.

Let's start with Ipsy $10/month (get it here):

The bag is black this month, so it doesn't show up that great against my bedspread

LaVanilla Healthy Body Butter in Pure Vanilla: Honestly, I haven't tried this. It could be the greatest body butter of all time, but I hate, hate, hate vanilla scent. Vanilla fragrance to me smells like cigars. Gross. I'll probably give this to someone.

TreStiQue Color & Smudge Shadow Crayon (color Kona Coffee): The most awful poopy-brown color and didn't blend worth a crap. I honestly can't believe this product retails for $26 full size. 

Ofra Cosmetics eyeliner in Turquoise: I've heard great things about Ofra Cosmetics. This eyeliner is nice and smooth. I'm a little scared of colored liner, so the color doesn't thrill me, but I can find a use for it, maybe with some costume makeup.

Formula X nail polish (I have no idea what color it is): So this isn't labeled with a shade, and I'm not about to sit and color match with the website. It's coral. About a shade lighter than the one I got from Lauren B Beauty in last month's Boxycharm. It's a teeny bottle so it'll probably get relegated to pedicures.

Smashbox Photofinish Primer: I'm already familiar and enjoy Photofinish primer. I have the full size silicone free version (I think the sample size I got has the silicone base) but it goes on very smooth and silky and is an excellent base for foundation. Smashbox products are great, anyway. I have their BB cream and it's awesome.

Now on to Birchbox $10/month (get it here):

Amika Perk Up dry shampoo: As one reviewer on Birchbox mentioned, it's not on hair great past one day. Smell is... meh. Very light though, which is a plus.

Supergoop! Everyday SPF50 With Cellular Response Technology: It's sunscreen, and smells like sunscreen, which isn't unpleasant. It also absorbs really well and doesn't have that weird stickiness that a lot of sunscreens have. I understand the cult following this stuff has.

Real Chemistry 3-Minute Peel: The instructions for this seem complicated, and I'm a little afraid to try it, even though I've had some dead skin issues lately. I'm also worried about it irritating my skin, so maybe I'll wait until after my friend's wedding.

Dr Jart+ BB Night Beauty Balm: This stuff is straight up weird. It applies clear with little white beads and then it color matches. But my question is, why do I need a tinted eye cream for night time? Is it the 50's again and we can't be seen in bed without at least some makeup? Also, this dried with a weird sticky texture. Bleh.

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Blue Lagoon: Again, a colored eyeliner. I did actually wear this one, and it's a gorgeous color and applies smoothly, but I don't think it works for me as a liner. My eyes range from grey-blue to green, so I think this would be better as an eyeshadow base for me.

L Erickson Grab and Go Pony: It's a hair tie. Why these retail for $18 is beyond me. Next.


Last but not least, BoxyCharm! <3 $21/month (get it here)

Eslor Chlorophyll Lifting Mask: From the website: Skin tightening mask. The dried film of natural milk proteins, plant extracts, seaweed extracts, and minerals tighten the skin, help enhance blood circulation, and help diminish fine lines." I have not tried this yet, but as I am noticing fine lines, I need to. 
Bellapierre Cosmetics Kabuki Brush: I. Love. Brushes! Love love love this brush. It's a super soft, dense kabuki made from synthetic bristles. I love kabukis for powder and blending, so I was stoked to get this (or a brush in general. Have I mentioned I love brushes?).

The Beauty Crop Lighting Crew Highlighting Cream: I haven't tried this yet. Highlighting creams scare me a little, because I'm used to highlighting with powder. I'm afraid I'll get too much on and look... greasy.

Doucce Click Click Lipstick in color 811 Pink Dahlia: So sometimes I'm a little simple and get confused easily. So when the instructions said "click to reveal your color" I couldn't figure it out. The thing is, you click it into and out of the tube... the actual lipstick itself still twists up like any other lipstick. So once I figured that out, things were good. Pink Dahlia is a really pretty pinky mauve color. I haven't tried it on yet (it took me a month to work up the courage to try the purple lipstick from last month!).

ncLA Nail Lacquer: This is a shade from their Nudes collection. Maybe a little nude for me (especially since I'm currently sporting black stiletto nails) but nice maybe for a dressy event or accent. 

Just a quickie

I'm recovering from a tubal ligation surgery and in my downtime really, really wanted to play with makeup, but my right eye has been running nonstop for a week now and I've about had it. No redness, no visible irritation, just... watering. Constantly. So annoying. I have a scar on that eyelid that, as a kid I had issues with when eyelashes would grow in there, but it's been decades since that's happened, so I don't know what the fuck is going on. I have a physical scheduled for tomorrow so I'll have the doctor check it out.

So, things I have been up to:

1. Birchbox, Ipsy, and Boxycharm have all emailed so those things will be arriving shortly.(All of those links except Boxycharm are referrals, so if you're interested, clicky my links so I can get some points, thanks!)

2. On Memorial Day I got stiletto nails, finally:

3. In early-ish May John and I went to Portland and I got no good picture of my makeup because life hates me. It was pinuppy without a red lip because MAN, I had A LOT of beer the night before and was super dehydrated and my lips were DRY

Okay, so Instagram won't for some reason embed. Grr.... Find me there @lissma13

In less than a month I'll be in a wedding, so this eye thing really needs to clear up.