ArtofSign: October 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Maybelline New York Baby Lips

New products from Maybelline New York - Baby Lips Lipbalm
(used at backstage for 2012 S/S New York Fashion Week)
Tinted and Untinted moisturizing lipbalms
Top to Bottom: Grape Vine
Pink Punch
Quenched
Retail price at Target: $3.49

Pros: Moisturizing, buttery, faint fruity scents, sheer, easy to apply, portable, adorable, multi-purpose (clear one can be used as a glossy eye cream for a fresh look), Pink Punch is actually quite pigmented and gives a beautiful sheer pink finish.

Cons: Not all are pigmented, very sheer, Grape Vine(center color) looks dark in the tube but goes on the lips almost clear and does not give a berry tint (even though it gives light color in the swatch).

Sigma Synthetic Kabuki Brushes (Face & Eyes)

Sigma round top kabuki - F82
Sigma angled top kabuki - F84

Retail price on www.Sigmabeauty.com
$32.00
I bought them on sale together as duo for $24.00

Pros: super soft bristle, medium size, great for cream products as well as powder, easy to use, comfortable to hold, precise coverage, easy to clean, lightweight, and great price right now for two since it is on sale.
Cons: None.

New Sigma Synthetic Precision Kabuki Kit

Retail price on www.Sigmabeauty.com
$49.00

10% off promo code: MAX2011

From top to bottom: Sigma precision round - P82
Sigma precision angled - P84
Sigma precision flat - P80
Sigma precision tapered - P86

Pros: medium size eye brushes, easy to blend with cream/powder products, precise application, soft bristle, easy to clean, lightweight.
Cons: not small enough for fine details

Overall: I love these brushes, and I basically tested them out by doing Halloween tutorials. I have not washed them, so I will update my review later for drying and their longevity.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Concrete Mineral swatches - Zombie Girl collection & Nocturne

Packaging: rectangular tin can

mineral eyeshadow/pigment in small plastic jars

each contains .05oz/1.5 grams of product

retail price from official website: $6.99 for individual shadow/pigment

Zombie Girl collection set $35.99 (bought on sale for $31.99)

Nocturne $6.99 (bought on sale for $4.99)

http://www.concreteminerals.com

eyeshadows are safely nesting on top of layers of black shredded paper

official website products and swatches

my swatches: without any primer/adhesive/base

Living Dead - grass/moss green with golden sheen

Quarantine - lilac/mauve pink with light shimmer

Graveyard - light brown with hint of purple and green shimmer

Blood and Guts - duo chrome of purple and green

(apologize for not doing this beautiful shadow justice)

Nightmare - bright purple with chunky glitters

The Vaccine - light shimmery powder blue/peacock green/teal (however you want to look at it)

I love all the colors, and they will definitely show through more with primer/base.

Halloween tutorials using these colors coming soon!

Stay Tuned:)

Wet n' Wild limited edition ColorIcon Shimmer station Glitter kit

Packaging: 6 creme glitter shadow plus black shimmer eyeliner pencil

retail price at Duane Reade: $4.99

creme shadows: all appear as super glittery except for the ivory, red and black have fine shimmer instead of chunky glitters

swatches: ivory, silver, and gold

Pros: gold is the most creamy, goes on very smooth, but chunky glitters do not show

Cons: silver is the worst, hard to spread, chunky glitters clumps up while applying. ivory is nice, but not creamy, and glitters do not show

swatches: black, gunmetal, red

Pros: pigmented with all three color, very slight shimmer in black and red, gunmetal is beautiful in/out of the package with purple and green fine glitters

Cons: too creamy and will probably crease