Anklebytr's Beauty Blog

Selling (almost) All My Mineral Makeup!

2010-10-31T11:47:00.016-05:00

I have waaaay too much makeup, and would really like to unload most of my collection. I have no more space in my corner of the bedroom!!

Just about all of the mineral makeup (MMU) that I am selling below has hardly been used (or not used at all) except for swatching using a cleaned brush. The downside is that nothing is in original jars. As you will/can see, I have transferred my MMU into matching square jars and wrote the color names on the lids so that I can view the color and the name at once. You will get the actual jar in the photo.

First come, first serve. Please email me at nguyenlekim at gmail dot com and I will make sure what you want is available and then I can email you a PayPal invoice. Shipping is a flat $3.00 in the US only (if you are international and would still like to purchase, please email me). Please click on the images to get a larger view of my collection.

Lumiere
Lumiere eyeshadows - $3 each in 3 gram square jars, pretty much full
Lumiere blushes, radiances, finishing powders - $3.50 each in round 10 gram jars (no sifter)

Pinks, Purples, Prismatics, Dittos, Blues, Grays/Whites/Blacks
Blushes and Radiances A-D

Pink Swatches
Purple Swatches
Prismatic Swatches
Ditto Swatches
Blue Swatches
Gray/White/Black Swatches

Blues, Greens, Browns, Yellows
Blushes and Radiances D-M

Blue Swatches
Green Swatches
Brown Swatches
Yellow Swatches

Various Limited Editions
Blushes and Radiances M-W
finishing powders

Color Cocktail Swatches
Holiday 2008 Swatches
Other Various LE Swatches

Blush and Radiance Swatches:
Radiance Swatches
Pink Blushes
Red Blushes
Peach Blushes
Purple Blushes
Brown Blushes

(Lumiere colors not available: Innocence radiance, Winter Silk radiance, Hibiscus blush, Magnolia blush, Autumn blush, Bare Skin radiance, Java, Creme Brulee, Soft Brown, Halo, Gold Prismatic, Foil, Bare Beauty radiance, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Gingerbread, Violet Ash, Gold Sparkle Prismatic, Golden Plum, Glass Slipper, Heiress, Lilac, Purple Haze, Tiramisu, Jackpot, Cola, Cafe Latte, Champagne, Hazelnut, Chameleon, Lavender Pearl, Taupe, Bittersweet, Bubbly, Sweet Almond, Pink Pearl, Soft Brown, Ditto 02, Ditto 03, Neutral Pink blush, Sugarberry blush, Violaceous blush, Rosewood, Whisper Gray, Mint Chocolate Chip, Peppermint Patty, Green Prismatic, Tequila Sunrise, Mimosa blush, Expresso, Divine, 24 Karat, Dark Rum, Gold Shimmer, Moody, Shamrock, Twilight Green, Sage, Foliage, Nectar radiance, Sunshine radiance, Island Sands radiance, Baby Face radiance, Sunkissed radiance, Sundew radiance, Eggnog, Feliz Navidad, Figgy Pudding, Fruitcake, Jack Frost, Milk & Cookies, Cherish, Pina Colada, Rendezvous, Lemon Drop, Creme de Cacao, Chambord, Chocolate Liquor, Lemon Lime, Grenadine, Marachino Cherry, Moonlight shimmer, Gleeful radiance, Vanilla Bean, Cappucinno, Burnished Bronze, Golden Chocolate, Cocoa, Amber, Sand Beige, Honey Brown)

MMU from the company formerly known as The She Space
All eyeshadows - $1 each
There is a catch... some colors are full sized in the 3 gram square jars, and some were ordered as samples that have been placed in the same square jars. Since I really don't want to sort them out by samples and full sized, they are all $1 each and at least they are in jars. Sorry for this! This just makes it easier... and even sample sizes were pretty plentiful.

The jars below on the right with labels facing up are The She Space colors in original jars:

For swatches of The She Space, please go to my other blog that was devoted only to these colors: http://anklestss.blogspot.com
and type in the name to search for swatches.

(The She Space colors not available: Human Condition, Cup Running Over, Go to Work, Singled Out, Moth to a Flame, Sticks and Stones, Never Follow Suit, Life is Dreamy, Gothic Glamour, Moonlight Whimsy, Ghostly Story, Always a Menace, Acidic Reign, Spread a Little Joy, Ode to Joy, Fairy Godmother, Feels a Lot Like Joy, Trolling for Hotties, Hap Hazard, Braving Briony, Peggy Pushes Polly, Shards of Glass, Spin Sisters, Lost Moss, Boogie On Man, Lit Up Lisa, Kiss the Frogs, Dazzle Dance, Living in Motion, Against the Current, Live in Color, Happy Birthday Chris, Spread a Little Light, Go to It, Go to Lunch, Go to Shop, Define Beauty, Halos and Horns, Purple Iridescence, Pink Iridescence, Gold Twinkle, Sheer Pearl, Wilted Roses, Dance with the Devil, Love Knows No Endings, Social Climber, Tow the Line, I Am Abundant, The Bubbles Made Me Do It, Be Seen and Heard, Billy Idol Eyes, Butterfly Wishes, Chasing Mystery, Convicted, Crack the Whip, Crisp White Shirt, Demon Chatter, Down and Dirty, Dusting glory, Earthy Heaven, Enough Said, Fulfill a Dream, Hark the Raven, Hope No Matter What, I Bask In My Own Light, I Celebrate Me, Into the Postal Abyss, It's An Illusion, Live A Fabulous Life, Lives for Drama, Lullaby Kisses, Make Em Dance, Mesh and Lace, Moving Along, Off Balance, Oh Precious Patience, One Dark Night, Smoky Mirror, Snow Capped, Summer Burn, Touched by Truth, Tricked Out, Under the Radar, With Arms Wide Open, Wonder With Me)

All Other Brands (Everyday Minerals, Simply Naturals, ELF, to name a few)
$2 each in the 3 gram jar (pretty much full)

ELF Swatches
Everyday Mineral Swatches
Simply Natural Swatches

(Colors not available: EDM In the Garden, PL Hope, PL A Mother's Love, Alima Aubergine, EDM Emerald, NYX Lime, SN Smurf, ELF Earthy)

Scoops

I am also selling off a bunch of these scoops that I have. Of course, they are clean and new and unused. They measure about 2.5" long. And a "set" includes one of each like the picture below.

.50 per set

Jars

Lastly, I have a ton of these jars to get rid of. All are clean, new, and unused. These are the same square clear jars in the photos above. They are the small 3 gram jars. The sides measure about 1.125", and they are about 0.75" high.

.25 each
If ordering 10 or more jars, then .20 each.

Once again, please email me at nguyenlekim at gmail dot com with what you would like and I will make sure what you want is available, and then I can send you a PayPal invoice. I might not able to respond until evenings on weekdays as I work during the day.

Thank you for looking, and please email me or post a comment with any questions you might have.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-30T15:01:00.004-05:00

I didn't do anything spectacular and I only dressed up for the Halloween party at work. Here's what I did for Halloween this year:

Eye shadow colors were from the Urban Decay Naked Palette (I was in a hurry so didn't take note of the colors I used), lashes were from Sally Beauty (Halloween "Dark Angel" lashes), and the rhinestones were actually nail decals from Sally Beauty that I glued on my skin using eyelash glue.

And I went as a Heavenly Devil:

The lashes were fun but I couldn't see very well!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume III: NYC

2010-09-26T22:10:00.013-05:00

I finally received my Book of Shadows III on Friday after ordering it from Sephora last week. What totally got me to buy it at all was the NYC theme of it. I LOVE NYC! It's a wonderful place to visit, shop, eat, and just do everything. I have tons of family there that I don't get to see often, and I've been there so many times when i was younger.

This is my first UD Book of Shadows, so I don't know how it compares to the previous ones. All I can say about this one is that it is a bit heavier than it looks. One of the colors, Uzi, has a lot of fallout and I had a wee bit of trouble swatching that particular color. As usual for UD, you get the eyeliner in Zero (black), and this time, a really awesome electric purple (Ransom). I've been using my Primer Potion from the Naked Palette since I got it, so another one comes along at just the right time.

Other then Uzi, I really like all the colors and look forward to using this more. Though my Naked Palette has been my go-to for a couple of months now, it will be nice to reach for something else as well.

This palette can be found at Sephora, Ulta, and Urban Decay websites.

Front and back of the packaging:

Palette pulled out...

16 colors, 2 eyeliners, and a sample of eyeshadow primer

NYC Pop-Up

Detail of the pop-up...

All lit up!

Perversion, Uzi, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Last Call

Loaded, Kush, Rockstar, Money

Haight, Maui Wowie, Radium, Snatch

Smog, Bordello, Suspect, Psychedelic Sister

24/7 Eyeliner in Ransom

Life got in the way!

2010-08-26T21:34:00.003-05:00

Well, I've pretty much used nothing but the UD Naked Palette since I bought it! I've happily adjusted to my new job, but haven't really felt the urge to play with much makeup. But the urge always comes back eventually!

I'll start swatching again soon.

Urban Decay Naked Palette & Swatches

2010-07-25T21:33:00.019-05:00

Not like this palette needs another review in the beauty blogging world, but oh well!

At my new job, makeup is much more conservative so I don't think I can get away with crazy pinks and greens and blues on my brown eyes. Also, I have to be at work an hour earlier than my old job... and unfortunately I LOVE TO SLEEP. Flying loose minerals isn't gonna cut it for me in the wee early mornings. These reasons are the perfect excuse for splurging on this palette ($44). Also, my new job has an on-site fitness center that I plan to utilize eventually, and I can just toss this palette in the gym bag to do my makeup before heading back out.

My pressed makeup for beauty in a rush is complete! I have my Lumiere pressed foundation and pressed blush, this neutral palette, and a lip gloss and I'm good to go!

This palette is available at Urban Decay, Sephora, and eventually at Ulta. This is supposed to be a permanent palette, which is a good thing because I can see myself using up the thing!

For $44, the palette contains 12 full sized UD eyeshadows... which normally at $17 a piece would equal $204, and that's before the included sample of UD Primer Potion AND double ended 24/7 eyeliners in Zero (black) and Whiskey (brown)! Value-wise, this is excellent! And fortunately for me, I don't own a single one of these colors except for the Zero eyeliner.

Colors in this palette are very pigmented, and doesn't take much to achieve desired color. I love that this palette has shimmer, satin, and matte shades. The combinations are endless!

Since I bought this today, I can't really comment on how well it wears, but it's Urban Decay, it should last! I do look forward to my 2nd week on the job wearing these new colors! Anyway, enough rambling... on to photos!

Front and back of the palette's box:

Interior:

Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar:

Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse:

Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal:

The exterior of the palette is a beautiful deep chocolate velvet:

The adorable little sample of Urban Decay Primer Potion:

Double-ended 24/7 eyeliner in Zero and Whisky:

Palladio Herbal Tinted Lip Balms

2010-07-25T19:14:00.011-05:00

I have picked up a total of four of these unsung gems. The colors I chose are: Rosey, Berry, Golden Pink, and Naturally Bronze. They were on sale at Ulta for just under $3 each. You can also find them at Sally Beauty.

They are very moisturizing and give a nice pigmented color that is not so sheer that it looks like clear gloss. Personally, I think they give the perfect amount of color on your lips when you don't want the harsh pigmented color of a lipstick but more color than a lip gloss. These are NOT sticky by any means! They come in typical Chapstick sized lip tubes and are easy to apply without a mirror, which is exactly what I need when I'm sitting at my office desk at work.

So in a nutshell, the price, application, color payoff, and ease of use is exactly what I am looking for in a tinted lip balm. The biggest con I can think of is that the ingredients are not listed on the tube. I had to go to their website (www.palladiobeauty.com) to find the ingredients. One more con is that the label doesn't list if the balm itself is a cream or a shimmer. Well, in my four colors, the cream colors are Rosey and Berry. The shimmery ones are Golden Pink and Naturally Bronze.

Ingredients (in case you're wondering): Polybutene, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ozokerite, Synthetic Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Cetyl Lactate, Beeswax, Myristyl Lactate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Silica, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Aluminum Hydroxide, Propylparaben, BHT, Tetradibutyl Pentaerithrityl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol, Persea Gratissima , Avocado) Oil, Wheat Germ Glycerides, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Vanillin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Whoopsie!

2010-07-19T20:32:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the long delay in posts. I just started a new job and prior to that, was training coworkers at my former job to cover my former duties.

Once the dust settles, it's back to playing with makeup again instead of maintaining household and sleeping!

Aromaleigh L'Orchidee Pics & Swatches

2010-07-10T17:20:00.013-05:00

I picked 7 of the available 14 colors from the L'Orchidee collection to buy with the 35% off code (code is ADIEU35). These colors are SO pretty... I will have to see how my budget goes this month and order the remaining colors in this set before Aromaleigh is gone. Like many others, I secretly hope the owner will reopen.
(Color descriptions are from the www.aromaleigh.com website... click on pictures for larger view.)

Swatches: top row taken with no flash, bottom row is taken with flash

Chatterbox: Rich, multi-dimensional brownish mauve smoke with frosted shimmer

Heart: Rich deep pink with iridescent golden shimmer sparkle

Jewel: Cool purple with shimmers of coral gold contrasting the purply goodness

Moth: Pale and delicate iridescent tones appear softly grey, always changing

Orinoco: Soft peach lustre that reveals a satiny borealis iridescence

Seed Pearl: A most delicate neutral satin taupe with soft pastel sparkles

Shadow Witch: Midnight smoked blue with surprising golden sparks

Upcoming Hauls & Swatches

2010-07-09T22:29:00.007-05:00

My first ever Aromaleigh order arrived today. Sadly, Aromaleigh will be closing and I am just now discovering the goodies there. There is a 35% off all items until everything is sold out, and the code is ADIEU35. I chose 7 colors from the L'Orchidee collection and they are just so freakin' pretty!

I also made a little stop in Ulta today and picked up a BE Lipgloss in Sugar Plum. There is a free sample of the new Flawless Definition Volumizing with any BE purchase, so I look forward to trying out the new mascara.

Moseying on over to the NYX section of Ulta, I noticed a bunch of Palladio products on clearance. I really like the Palladio tinted lip balms, and purchased 3 of them for $2.79 each. I already had one that I bought at Sally Beauty awhile back. The NYX Round lipsticks were on clearance for $2.51, so I picked one up.

Sooo.. this will keep me occupied next week. :) I can't wait to play with these and swatch them!

Aromaleigh L'Orchidee (Orinoco, Shadow Witch, Moth, Chatterbox, Jewel, Heart, Seed Pearl)

Bare Escentuals 100% Natural Lipgloss in Sugar Plum and Flawless Definition Volumizing mascara sample (not yet for sale individually)

Palladio tinted lip balms (Rosey, Golden Pink, Berry, Naturally Bronze) and NYX Round lipstick in Flower

Fourth of July look

2010-07-07T20:08:00.008-05:00

This past weekend, I attempted a "Red, White, and Blue" eyeshadow look to celebrate the US's Fourth of July holiday. It was hot, humid, and rainy here in Oklahoma City. My friends had a cookout and we all had a wonderful time with way too much to eat and so much laughter that my cheeks hurt!

I apologize in advance for not having clearer pictures at the moment. I used a camera that I don't normally use because my main camera's batteries are drained and I haven't gotten around to charging them.

Eyes:
MAC Paint in Bare Study for base
BE Pacific from lid to crease, applied dry
Simply Naturals Jazzberry in crease (this is the most "red" color I own)
BE Moonlit on brow bone
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack on upper and lower waterline
Milani Liquif Eye in Silver above upper lashline
Ardell falsies (don't know which style number)

Face:
Claudia Stevens foundation primer
Lumiere pressed foundation in Cashmere Medium Beige
Lumiere pressed blush in unknown color (not yet named)
BE Glee Radiance

Lips:
L'Oreal Colour Riche lipstick in Penelope's Red
BE Buxom gloss in Cherry

Bare Escentuals Most Wanted - swatches

2010-07-02T21:12:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry this took a long time coming! A lot has been happening the past couple of weeks.

Once again, it can be bought on QVC, item number A198964.

Lumiere Sale!

2010-06-30T21:45:00.001-05:00

25% off and FREE SHIPPING!!!

Click here for website and details!

Kakes by Kim!!

2010-06-27T19:20:00.003-05:00

Well, no makeup post today but Kakes by Kim!

The following slideshow are some of the cakes I've made for various people and events. Bachelor/bachelorette party cakes are not pictured.... sorry!

The pictures include the following cakes:
Baby Belly Bump cake
Baptism cake
Swimming Pool Birthday cake
Baby Rattle cake
Sushi cake

Bare Escentuals Most Wanted

2010-06-23T22:27:00.005-05:00

My QVC order finally came in the mail yesterday!

I'm having difficulty getting good lighting to get good swatches, so they will have to come later this week.

This "Most Wanted" kit contains 4 discontinued Bare Escentuals colors that are very difficult to find: Pacific, Hay, Amber, and Moonstruck. Of the four colors, Pacific is the most gorgeous and most difficult to photograph for me. I don't often wear blue eye colors but I'll be finding uses for Pacific!

China Glaze - Flyin' High

2010-06-10T23:25:00.004-05:00

China Glaze's Flyin' High is from their Up & Away Spring 2010 collection. It's a great turquoise-blue solid cream shade for summer toes! I generally don't like crazy colors on my fingers.

Where: Ulta (this shade not available online, but it's in stores), also available at Sally Beauty
Price: ~$6.50

Base coat - Orly Top 2 Bottom
Color - 2 coats of Flyin' High
Top coat - Seche Vite

Ulta Irresistible Eyes Palette - swatches

2010-06-09T23:21:00.014-05:00

Where: Ulta (click for link to product)
Price: $10

I loooooove these colors!! They are not matte, nor are they too shimmery. They have a very soft sheen to them and are satiny. I would definitely use a base with these for them to stay on, but they lasted most of the day. I'll have to wear it for a few more days to really determine the wear-time, since today I wore glasses and kept rubbing my eyes in the afternoon.

Enjoy! Please click on the picture for a bigger view.

Little Ulta Haul

2010-06-09T00:04:00.010-05:00

Last night, I went to Ulta to do a little shopping. I've been searching for a creamy teal colored nail polish and stumbled upon China Glaze's Flyin' High (from their Up & Away collection). It was the last bottle on the shelf so I quickly snatched it up. Next to the display was a bunch of OPI gift sets on sale for $5.99 that included OPI Feelin' Hot Hot Hot, OPI Top Coat, and a little miniature purse (it would make a really cute point-and-shoot camera case). I couldn't pass that up for $6! Feelin' Hot Hot Hot is a cream flamingo pink color that would be perfect for summer!

Browsing' a little more, I came across an Ulta 8 color eyeshadow palette for $10. The colors looked GREAT for summer so I picked that up too. The palette is a magnetic closure little "book" of colors and it's absolutely adorable! I wish it came in more colors schemes.

Lastly, Mike picked out a new scent and we got Emporio Armani. The sales ladies were wondering what we were up to because we test and sprayed EVERY men's cologne that they had on the shelves. Of course, the one Mike decided on was the one that did not come in a cost-effective gift set.

I just took pics of the haul... the swatches will have to come later this week.

BE National Artistry Event - Oklahoma City

2010-06-05T00:22:00.003-05:00

Well, I was incredibly bummed. I received the email promoting this event at 2:33pm and within half an hour, got in contact with my friend, Cat, to see if she would go with me. I was SOOOO excited to go to this because I always read about it in other cities and always wondered when it would come to OKC!

The phone call to the boutique was made within 40 minutes of receiving the email, and they were already booked.

I'm a sad panda.

Oh well, maybe next time.

New Blog Layout and Project 365

2010-06-01T10:04:00.003-05:00

I hope you like it!! I changed my blog layout and I've started a new project where I take a different photo and reflect just a bit on it everyday.

http://anklebytr.blogspot.com (or you can click on the "Project 365" tab above)

Lumiere Memorial Day Sale

2010-05-27T23:35:00.019-05:00

Lumiere is having a 25% off $15+ sale from now until end of Memorial Day!! Code at checkout is: Proud

If you're having trouble deciding what to get, this is one heck of a deal at Lumiere: Custom Kit #2
It includes huge foundation, full size blush, 3 full sized eye shadows, and a lip gloss for $49. For $10 more you can add 3 of Lumiere's brushes.

Below is a Custom Kit 2 set I'm wearing if you need some ideas! It includes Ditto O blush (Nars Orgasm dupe), eye shadows in Halo, Taupe, and Tutti Frutti, and lip gloss in Hibiscus. (Please click on the picture for a larger view.)

Everything today is from Lumiere unless otherwise noted.

Face:
Concealer - Salmon Concealer
Foundation - Cashmere Medium Beige
Apples of cheeks - Ditto O applied damp
Hollows of cheeks - Summer Warmth
Finisher - Island Sands

Eyes:
Tutti Frutti applied wet on lids
Taupe applied dry in crease and winged on outer half of eye
Halo applied dry from crease to brow
MAC Fluidline in Macroviolet liner on top and bottom
Tutti Frutti smudged on top and bottom lash lines
Bare Escentuals Flawless Definition Mascara

Lips:
Hibiscus lip gloss alone

Tokidoki - Bastardino Chromatico Palette pt. 2

2010-05-26T00:13:00.005-05:00

Well, after wearing this palette all day yesterday, I noticed that there was a lot of glittery fall-out. I think it mostly came from the green "Bastardino" color the most. I'll try this palette again without the green to see how that goes. As far as product goes, the shadows themselves are highly pigmented, but nothing really special and they wear the same as most of my other shadows.

FACE
Lumiere Salmon Concealer around eyes and on nose
Lumiere Cashmere Medium Beige foundation
Bare Escentuals Pearl Blossom blush on sides of cheeks (from Exotic Pearls vol. 2)
Bare Escentuals Glee Radiance all over (from Buzzworthy kit)

EYES
MAC Paintpot in Painterly for base
"Riposino" dry from lashline to crease
"Mummetto" dry in the crease with concentration on the outer half of lid
"Carnivora" dry from crease to brow
MAC Paintpot in Blacktrack as liner for top and bottom lashlines
"Bastardino" dry directly over the liner for a pop of green

LIPS
no liner
MAC lipstick in Hug Me
Lumiere lipgloss in Full of Grace

Make Your Own Wall Mount Jewelry Organizer

2010-05-24T22:49:00.012-05:00

I've been eyeballing and drooling over this jewelry organizer that my friend Kristel has from Longstem Productions for a few weeks now but I just can't justify $60 + $15 shipping for an organizer when I don't really have that much jewelry.

Well, the reason why I don't have that much jewelry is because I don't have a good organization system for them, and they get tangled and lost in the little pile that I do have. I really should have taken a before picture... but imagine a woven basket the size of a mixing bowl and a pile of jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, and earrings) all thrown in together in a jumbled mess. Yup, that was my jewelry pile. Kinda' hard to believe that I organize my makeup by brand and color family and yet my jewelry is a mess.

Anyhoot, being the cheapy person that I am, I aimed to make my own organizer that was functional for me, and the below is what I made!!

Total Cost: just under $12... all supplies from Wal-Mart
Total Time: about an hour
Other tools needed: just a hammer

Materials are:
- 11"x14" wooden frame - $5
- one sheet of plastic craft canvas (click for example) - $1.97 for 6 pack at Wal-Mart (I'd like to add that the size I bought at Wal-Mart fit the inside of the wooden frame perfectly.)
- picture hanging kit - $.97
- 2 packages of small mug hooks - $.97 each
- the photo below has wood screws that I didn't end up using
- skinny ribbon in your favorite color - $.49

First step was to remove the picture frame backing and the glass, since I didn't need any of it. I aligned the plastic canvas inside the frame and used ribbon to form "hinges" at the top and corners of the organizer. This is where the skinny ribbon is a must since you have to weave it through the canvas. The reason I wanted the canvas to be able to "swing" out when mounted on the wall is so that I can place studded earrings on the canvas and be able to swing it out to store it and remove it.

I used these "cup hooks" that you can find in the hardware section (they come in nickel, zinc, brass, and white) as the hooks to hang the jewelry. I placed them around the frame. The bottom ones are for necklaces. The lower side ones are for bracelets, and the top ones are for rings. I would hold the hook in place and gently hammer it into the frame and then I manually screwed the hooks in the rest of the way. It would probably have gone a lot faster if I simply used a drill.

Follow the instructions on the picture hanging kit and attach it to the back of the frame. I used the wiring in the kit as well as used ribbon to slightly cover it.

Add your jewelry and viola!!! I put it on the wall next to my very messy vanity. See, told ya' I really didn't have a lot of jewelry, but hopefully that'll change now! It would only cost me $7 more to make another organizer (frame and cup hooks)!!

And see how the plastic canvas swings out to access the back of it for studded earrings?

Hope you all enjoyed my little "how to make your own wall mount jewelry organizer." If you make your own, I would love to see/hear about any modifications you did to yours, etc!

Tokidoki - Bastardino Chromatico Palette

2010-05-23T11:33:00.011-05:00

I'll admit... I totally bought this because of the adorable packaging. I couldn't decide which of the three limited edition palettes to purchase first, but Mike loved the little dog in the cactus suit so that sealed my decision.

These Tokidoki eye shadow palettes are available at Sephora only.

The packaging of the palette is so cute! It's a little clear acrylic box with Tokidoki artwork on it. The bottom compartment holds the key chain charm that comes with the palette, while the top compartment contains the 4 eye shadows and a little green dual-ended brush (which seems pretty useless).

The product itself is very velvety and highly pigmented. There does seem to have some glittery fallout, so a very good eyeshadow base is a must. The four eye shadow colors are:

Carnivora - ivory beige pearl
Riposino - shimmery earthen taupe with iridescent gold
Mummetto - matte chocolate
Bastardino - rich green with green and iridescent glitter

I'll use it later this week and post pics of my eyes then... or maybe I'll do it later. It's a lazy Sunday after all.

Click on the picture for a larger view:

No makeup... just storms.

2010-05-22T20:51:00.007-05:00

Well, if any of you have watched or read the news lately, the midwest was pounded by several storms in the past week and a half or so.

Last Sunday, a very fast and sudden hailstorm came down with golfball sized hail and turned our roof into Swiss cheese and shattered the skylight in our bedroom. Insurance is a wonderful thing. :)

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves (these were taking with Mike's iPhone, so not the greatest of quality).

Our poor skylight. The pelting and breaking of it was so loud by the hail that our poor dog Kitsu pooped on herself. She was so scared and didn't know where to run since her usual hiding spot is under the bed that is under this skylight!

The culprits (these are golfball sized... there was another hailstorm earlier in the week didn't come through my house but the hail was literally softball size):

Hail that got between the front door and the front glass door:

Hail that gathered on the front porch:

All this hail lasted about 10-15 minutes and then the sun starts coming out!

Bare Escentuals Buzzworthy Kit

2010-05-11T00:16:00.015-05:00

This past weekend, Mike just had to go to go to the mall to get a jacket and some other clothes. I was the person holding stuff and waiting outside the dressing room!!! Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Luckily, we were at the mall where there is a Bare Escentuals Boutique and got the Buzzworthy kit and a pair of shoes outta' the boy. :) See... I knew I kept him around for something.

Finally, a kit where I will use every item in it! I especially LOVE the 2-in-1 lipstick/gloss combination sets. They're so darn portable and cute and just perfect for home and purse! Mike called it a "makeup addict's Transformer."

I could see "Popular" might be a troublesome color for some people. It can easily look like bad bruise on some skin tones. High Shine Charisma reminds me of some of the MAC pigments where it looks like metal shavings (of course the texture is nothing like metal shavings!). As its namesake, it is incredibly shiny! I haven't foiled these colors yet, but I'm sure the intensity of these colors foiled is out of this world.

Glee Radiance reminds me of a pinker version of Clear Radiance. I'm low on Clear Radiance anyway so this is good timing. There are two radiances that I absolutely love... Bare Escentuals Clear Radiance and Lumiere Cosmetics Island Sands. Both give such a subtle soft glow as a finishing final step.

Anyhoot, photos and swatches are below. Enjoy! (click on photos for a much closer view... sometimes too close!)

Muffin Top and Sticky Buns... LOVE this "Transformer" thing!

Makeup Summary:
Face: Lumiere Cashmere Medium Beige Foundation, Lumiere Ditto O blush (foiled), Glee Radiance all over

Eyes: High Shine Charisma all over, Popular in crease and blended on outer half of lids, lined with Milani Liquif'Eye in black and smudged over with Lumiere Matte Black Shadow, BE Flawless Definition Mascara

Lips: Sticky Buns lipstick with Muffin Top gloss on top

Kileng - Lupus 2010 Fundraiser

2010-05-09T01:10:00.009-05:00

With the generous help of Lumiere Cosmetics, I am once again doing a fundraiser for lupus research through Kileng. This officially makes it the 2nd Annual Lupus Fundraiser!!

The main attraction of the fundraiser is a special limited edition set that includes two eyecolors, "Lotus" and "Lean Treat," along with the most adorable 100% Vegan Mini Eye Buki that goes with the rest of my Kileng makeup brush line. 100% of the proceeds from this set will go towards lupus research. I'm also offering 20% off an individual Kileng brush with each Lupus 2010 set purchase (i.e. one set, one discount on one brush... two sets, two discounts on two brushes, etc). In additional, a portion of proceeds from all other sales during the month of May 2010 will also benefit lupus research. Please check out Kileng for more details.

The names of the eye shadow colors were inspired by two ladies that live with lupus everyday. While I don't want to get into detail on who they are for privacy reasons, they are wonderful and amazing ladies.

I just looooove these two colors!! Part of why the fundraiser was a bit delayed (didn't start it on May 1st, but on May 6th instead) was because I had the hardest time taking pictures of these colors. They are just so beautiful with so many facets of gorgeousness that every picture I took just didn't look right. I spent two whole evenings trying to take pictures!! While the pictures I settled on don't do the colors 100% justice, it was as close as I could get. Oddly, I've never had this much trouble taking pictures of makeup before!

I took pictures of three different people with three different skin colors to showcase the same eyeshadow to show that these colors look fantastic on just about all skin tones. Thank you Natalie and Lauren for subjective yourselves to my makeup madness and posing for photographs and everything that you do.

The Baby Eye Buki is so cute and adorable, yet super soft and of course, 100% vegan. The brush is only about 2.5" long, but it does everything you'd use a normal size eye buki for. It's so perfect for travel or to toss in your purse for on-the-go touchups.

I'm so happy that I am able to do another fundraiser, and I thank everyone who has supported this fundraiser in one form or another. It wouldn't be possible without you.

Milani Liquif'Eye eye liner pencils

2010-05-03T23:03:00.006-05:00

I have the worse time with eyeliner. I've probably spent the amount equivalent to a couple of car payments trying different eyeliners throughout the years. My lids are incredibly oily, and absolutely nothing stays on my bottom waterline. Not even the highly raved about Urban Decay 24/7 liners! (However, those liners have lasted the longest on me and smudged the least, but alas they still smudge and smear on me.)

Well, I came across these one afternoon after a rough day while browsing the CVS aisle and all Milani were Buy One Get One Half Off. Needing some form of retail therapy, I grabbed the 3 available colors of the Liquif'Eye Metallic Eye Liner on the shelf. There are supposed to be 5 colors available, but the CVS I was in had a small selection. Black, Brown, and Silver it will be!

These are incredibly creamy pencils. They don't tug and pull at your skin while you apply. They dry pretty fast, so I use my Kileng Smudger brush to blend it really quick.

Day One: I applied the Black color as-is and it lasted about 6-7 hours on its own without having me wipe below my eyes to remove smeared liner. This has been the longest an eyeliner has stayed on me without raccoon eyes!!!

Day Two: I applied the Black color again, and this time dipped my Kileng Smudger into Lumiere's Matte Black eyeshadow and used it to "set" the eyeliner. This helped the liner last a good 9 hours or so. It didn't start smearing until after dinner!

Would I buy again? Most definitely! I need to keep an eye out for the remaining two colors that are not in my possession!

M.A.C. Haul at The Cosmetics Company Store

2010-04-29T00:46:00.009-05:00

While in Austin, my BFF and I hit two outlets. We went to the one in Round Rock and San Marcos. Both had these wonderful little shops called "The Cosmetics Company Store." They had a small little display of M.A.C. products, as well as other brands such as Bobbi Brown, Clinique, and Estee Lauder just to name a few. While most items sold were discontinued colors, they sold staples for a couple bucks less than retail (i.e. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion).

I was drawn most to the little M.A.C. display. I've always loved M.A.C. and would like to buy more of it. You can imagine the giant smile spreading across my face when I saw the little price stickers on the M.A.C. products!! Immediately, I felt like a kid in a candy store with the ability to actually get some of the candy!

Well, I would have picked up more candy had this little voice in the back of my head reminded me that I was in desperate need of a wardrobe expansion. You see, last fall when Mike & I moved, I donated a lot of clothes that either didn't fit or that I haven't worn in a long time (most likely because it didn't fit). In my absentmindedness, I got rid of a lot of spring and summer clothes and my entire closet space only had long sleeved sweaters and such. I NEEDED CLOTHES!!! Therefore, I was a good little girl and only picked up a handful of items.

1. Paint Pot in Soft Ochre as my eyeshadow base. I LOVE Paint Pots and for me, they make the greatest eye shadow bases. I currently use a Paint Pot in Painterly, but Soft Ochre would work for me as well, and I couldn't say "no" to an $11.75 Paint Pot!

2. Blushcreme in Pleasureful - My BFF coerced me into picking up a creme blush... so here it is.

3. Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo in Family Silver - I picked this one as a quick and easy eyes shadow duo to toss in my travel case. This will be way cleaner than taking along loose mineral eye shadows!

Next time... I might have to get more makeup and less clothes!

Austin in April

2010-04-29T00:33:00.009-05:00

This past weekend, one of my best friends since 1st grade (that means we've been BFF for 22 years!!!!) and I made a girl's trip down to Austin to wine, dine, and shop.

We spent one whole day at the huge outlet in San Marcos. I finally was able to discover what other bloggers have been raving about.... the Cosmetics Company Store!!! I also discovered the Bare Escentuals outlet!

Anyhoot, I just wanted to share a few pics of my trip with you.

An Austin building in downtown at night:

A most bizarre El Camino on 2nd street:

Yours truly in front of Malagas for Happy Hour:

Tapas at Malagas:

Our view from the Austin "Bat Bridge" while we were waiting for the bats to take their evening flight:

Bare Escentuals outlet in San Marcos:

BFF shopping our hearts out!

Giant lotus column thing inside Haiku Sushi restaurant:

Lumiere Photography

2010-04-21T21:38:00.006-05:00

I received a humongous haul from Lumiere and used the products to do some product photography for the website. As you may already know, Lumiere is one of my favorite mineral makeup companies!

Anyhoot, I just wanted to show some of my favorite pictures that I took and edited.

Sephora 15% Off

2010-04-12T10:06:00.001-05:00

Yay!!! Sephora is having a 15% off all purchases from April 12-19th!

Code at checkout: MADNESS

The She Space Clearance Haul

2010-04-11T13:22:00.004-05:00

The She Space had some colors on clearance that I thought I'd pick up. The first four are no longer available. They were former limited editions that were on clearance last month and I just received them yesterday. The last two are from the regular line, which are still available for $2.50 a pop. The website will have random former limited editions on clearance for $2 a pop until everything is gone... so if you need an inexpensive color fix, head on over. However, it'll take about a month before your order arrives.

China Glaze - Peachy Keen from Up & Away Collection

2010-04-08T21:59:00.007-05:00

From China Glaze's "Up & Away" Spring 2010 collection, I picked up a bottle of "Peachy Keen," a cream orange-peach color. It's a very happy spring color that seems to make my tan look a little darker.

I did one base coat using FingerPaints base coat, two coats of color, and a Seche Vite top coat. The color spread very easy and wasn't too thick or runny. Unfortunately for me, cream nail colors don't last very long on me as I seem to scratch it more easily than colors with some sparkle or glimmer to them. Then again, sparkle and glimmer colors mask scratches and indentation better.

Anyhoot, I'm definitely ready for some sunshine!

My new dog... Kitsune!

2010-04-07T20:15:00.003-05:00

Two and a half weeks ago, Mike and I welcomed a new furry family member into our home. We adopted an adult Shiba Inu! She will be two years old next week.

Our friend, Miko, helped us name her. We decided on Kitsune (Kit-suh-neh, or "Kitsu" for short). Kitsune is the Japanese word for "fox," since our new baby looks like a fox!

She is incredibly sweet and gentle, and we couldn't have asked for a sweeter dog. She is a healthy 21 pounds of love and fur. Every time we take her for a walk, she gets so many stares and questions... "is that a fox!?!?" She attached to me pretty quickly, and is beginning to become fond of Mike. The lady we got her from said that Kitsu was very fearful of men... we think that she may have been abused or verbally abused by a man in the past. Mike and I are showing her lots of love and affection and treats, and it's obvious to us that her spirit is not broken and she is learning to trust again.

This past week was full of adventures for Kitsu. We took her to Lawton to meet Mike's parents. She was so well behaved and was such a good baby when we had to leave her in the car at Mike's niece and nephew's soccer game (the park didn't allow dogs, which I found out after I was running around with Kitsu in an unused soccer field). Then the other day, we took her to Mike's sister's house and she was so well behaved there too, even when the other dogs tried to overtake her. Today, I went ahead and took her to the vet and she was an ideal patient. The vet just loved her.

She gets along with our two cats, Oreo and Lei. In fact, they boss her around quite a bit and she just takes it. We think Lei curls up with Kitsu while we're gone because one day, Lei smelled more like a dog then her normal self.

Anyhoot, I just wanted to introduce you to my new baby.

Urban Decay 30% Off

2010-04-06T10:23:00.005-05:00

www.urbandecay.com

30% Off Purchase!

Code: 1SFNF

Expires April 19, 2010

China Glaze - Tree Hugger

2010-04-04T18:53:00.005-05:00

Sally Beauty is having a Buy 2, Get One Free sale on ALL of their nail colors. You can mix and match brands. If you get it online, the code for this is 555135. I picked up a couple of China Glazes and an Orly and will post pics as I change out my nail colors.

In celebration of April Showers Bring May Flowers, I opted for a green color from China Glaze's core colors. I use FingerPaints (available at Sally's) base coat, two coats of color, and then a top coat of Seche Vite (also at Sally's).

Exotic Pearls vol. 2 - Last One!

2010-04-02T17:02:00.003-05:00

Okay, finally posting a picture USING the kit! (The Kileng brush I used for each product is in parenthesis.)

Face -
Lumiere Salmon Color Corrector (Chubby Blender)
Lumiere Foundation in Cashmere Medium Beige (Jumbo Flat Top)
BE Pearl Blossom blush on apples of cheeks (Small Rounded Face)
BE Warmth in hollows of cheeks (Small Rounded Face)

Eyes -
MAC Paintpot in Painterly as base
Exotic Pearl dry all over (Dual-Ended Shadow/Liner)
Black Pearl dry in crease and concentrated on outer half of lid (Pointed Sculptor & Dual-Ended Shadow/Liner)
MAC Paintpot in Blackground tightlined (Dual-Ended Shadow/Liner)
BE Big & Bright Eyeliner in Plum on upper and lower lashes (smudged with Smudger brush)
BE Flawless Definition mascara

Lips -
NYX lipliner in Nude
BE Natural Lipgloss in 7 Layer Cake

Infused Black Pearl Comparison - Exotic Pearls continued

2010-03-26T19:55:00.003-05:00

At first glance, the two Black Pearls (original and pearl infused from the Exotic Pearls vol. 2 kit) looked nearly identical.

Visually, they still look pretty much the same. But as all mineral makeup goes, you have to swatch them to really tell the difference. The infused Black Pearl has a blackened tone to it, and is darker than the original. The original Black Pearl is a little more "lilac" and satiny.

Click on the image for a larger view. What do you think?

Also, I thought it was strange that the label on the infused Black Pearl didn't specify that it was "infused" and different from the original. The only difference is the limited edition champagne-colored lid on the jar.

Bare Escentuals Exotic Pearls vol. 2 Kit

2010-03-23T23:20:00.010-05:00

(Click on the images for a larger view.)

Yay!!! My BE Exotic Pearls kit came in yesterday. This is the 2nd installment of the AD (auto-delivery) Exotic Pearls set. For some reason, QVC was selling it on it's own. It's QVC Item #A188361.

My last BE Kit was the Sea Yourself kit from last summer, so I was very much overdue for another purchase. I'll also be going to Austin next month on a trip with my BFF, and we're going to hit the BE Outlet in San Marcos!

I have original Black Pearl, and it doesn't look any different than the "pearl infused" Black Pearl in this kit. I'll do a comparison swatch later.

Exotic Pearl is a creamy, shimmery shade with a hint of green in it. The 7 Layer lipgloss is very sheer. The vanity box is really pretty!!!

I was running late this morning with my new dog not wanting to come out from under the bed. (We got an adult Shiba Inu dog this past Saturday.) I'll have to do a look and post it later, as well as see how well the liner stays on and a more in-depth review after I use it. But for now, here are pictures and swatches.

Sally Girl Mini Baked Eyeshadow review

2010-02-28T09:24:00.019-06:00

These adorable little color gems can be found for under $1 a pop at Sally Beauty! The downside is that there are only 12 shades available, but at under $1 each, it's pretty inexpensive to get all 12 colors!

I glued my 12 colors to a couple of blank CDs to form eyeshadow palettes. This way, I don't have to dig through makeup drawers to find them.

The colors are very vibrant. The swatches are nearly identical to the actual color in the container. I always use an eyeshadow base, so with an eyeshadow base, the colors last all day. These baked eyeshadows can be used wet or dry. The swatches below are all dry swatches, so you can imagine how much more vibrant wet ones would be.

The color names are pretty plain and generic: pearl white, gunmetal grey, dark purple, grey/purple, light pink, shadow rose, dark green, dark aqua, sage, gold, silver, and bronze.

Overall, I would definitely recommend getting these, and I would certainly get more colors if Sally came out with more!

(Click on the photos for a much larger image.)

Update...

2010-02-28T00:00:00.004-06:00

Whoa... it has been a super long time since my last post!!! I'm so very sorry! A whole lot of life has happened in the past six months.

1. Mike and I moved into our first house.
2. Shortly thereafter, our house got burglarized and they took ALL our computers, cameras, TVs, and electronics. (Luckily, the thieves were apprehended a week later and we were able to retrieve about half of our belongings.) It has taken awhile to get over the shock as well as slowly replacing and rebuilding our home, materially and emotionally.
3. A whole ton of family stuff went on (the details could be a book novel).
4. But one very exciting thing did happen.... Mike proposed to me on Christmas while we snowed in because of a record breaking blizzard.

5. I've been assisting Mike with his photography. I got my first digital SLR (Canon T1I) and I'm working on it! I'm helping him take photos and post-processing photos as well. His website is http://itsphoto.smugmug.com (And I did the makeup for one of the brides and her wedding party in the wedding gallery!)

Kileng is still up and running and moving along steadily. The makeup bowl set is still a hit. I don't know how I ever did makeup without them! And the Chubby Blender has become my absolute favorite brush of all time.

Well, I feel as though things are finally calming down. I look forward to getting back to posting looks and random tidbits here and there again, and doing things I enjoy. Thank you so much for hanging in there with me!

Love,
Kim aka anklebytr

Many apologies!!!

2009-09-07T22:34:00.002-05:00

Hi all!

I'm so sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I'll get back into it soon! Work and life has kept me running all over the place, but I'm loving every moment of it.

XOXO
Kim

OPI South Beach

2009-07-16T22:20:00.005-05:00

I did two colors on myself for this weekend.

Suzi & the Lifeguard on my fingers:

This is a very nice girly pink with a light pearly sheen.

Overexposed in South Beach on toes (goes well with these shoes, don't you think?):

Creamy deep purple!

Finger Paints - Drawn To This Shade

2009-07-10T21:33:00.004-05:00

Sally Beauty is having a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" special of their Finger Paints brand of nail color.

This is Finger Paints in "Drawn To This Shade" with nail stickers of hibiscus flowers.

Base coat: Finger Paint base coat
Color: 2 coats
Top Coat: Seche Vite

Fourth of July Weekend Looks

2009-07-05T21:06:00.008-05:00

I was able to play more this weekend!! The mall had great summer sales, and I received a package in a gift exchange that contained abundant goodies!! Thank you Ami! I appreciate it soooo much!

This first look is from one of my favorite BE kits (Fab in 5). It's an older kit, but it's one kit where I love everything that came in it.

I went to the boutique to purchase the new BE Face Fashion: Natural Muse kit, but the colors in the kit looked like colors I already had that were similar. So I made my own version of this kit instead with what I already had.

Ami sent me The She Space Hope Quest I quad!

Also from Ami was a nail polish from Sephora:

Lumiere Cherries Jubilee and Cotton Candy

2009-07-03T19:26:00.003-05:00

(Click for larger views.)

I LOVE Flambe!!

Lumiere Rainbow Sherbet

2009-06-24T22:16:00.004-05:00

Lumiere is having a Summer Sale with 21% off everything. Sale ends on June 30, 2009.

The code is: summer21

There is a summer Ice Cream Collectiont that includes eyeshadow trios in three ice cream "flavors." It was supppper difficult making these pictures without being hungry! I had a sweet tooth all week!

Previous LE colors are back as well.

Today, I used Rainbow Sherbet!

BE Sea Yourself

2009-06-23T18:13:00.003-05:00

Since today is the day QVC is actually showing this kit, I decided to wear it again. I used NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk (it's a creamy white pencil) as an additional base on the lid to make the Reflection color stand out more. Otherwise, Reflection doesn't show up on me at all!

Yay! Pictures!

2009-06-22T19:36:00.005-05:00

I'm so sorry it's been awhile since I've posted EOTDs. I haven't been an early bird lately and always in a rush to get out the door.

Well, I'm slowly learning how to use Mike's camera with a new lens, so it's given me some motivation to get up early and take pics.

The first one is my look for Father's Day yesterday. We went to Lawton to spend the day with Mike's parents, and so I wanted a pretty summery look. The second look was from today. I did the makeup of a couple of ladies at work today for a makeup article on Lupus that I wrote last fall. They wanted before and after pics of the ladies, so I wanted to do a neutral palette on my eyes to not scare off my poor victims.

Funny background....

2009-06-18T10:13:00.002-05:00

Hi all,

I know the background of my blog is all weird.

The blog template I use I guess is acting up via Photobucket. It's probably a template a lot of people use, hence the "exceeded bandwidth" message on the background images.

I will look into changing the template soon, just need to remember how to do it without losing anything.

Sorry for the eyesore, but please hang in there with me!

Pure Luxe

2009-06-05T20:18:00.008-05:00

I ordered some benefit limited edition colors from Pure Luxe last week, and they came today. The owner of Pure Luxeis raising money to help her mother with hospital bills since she is fighting lung cancer and had major surgery and other medical procedures recently. All the money from the benefit colors will go towards these insane medical bills. The colors are super pretty, and my favorite of the four I ordered is "Love."

Pure Luxe Benefit LE Colors

More Buxoms

2009-06-03T23:59:00.006-05:00

Finally got around to making this tonight!

David Babaii for WildAid Shampoo & Conditioner Review

2009-06-03T14:02:00.004-05:00

Okie, now granted I've only used it for two days, so I'll probably come back to this to update it if anything changes.

Sally Beauty was having a BOGO on this line, so I picked up the shampoo and conditioner (hydrating version). They normally run just under $10 a for a 13 fl. oz. bottle.

I have very oily, long, and straight (and boring) Asian hair. It's flat and just dull. I do prefer using sulfate free shampoos and conditioners (which this product is). Previously I had been using the Organix line. I have to wash everyday.

My first wash was yesterday morning. All day long, I couldn't help but play with my hair, and it felt bouncier and livelier. "Cool... I'm digging this," I thought to myself.

Second wash was this morning. My usually very long and boring hair was still bouncy, and actually had body and my fingers felt really good going through my hair.

I had been debating whether or not to chop off my hair because it was so dull and lifeless... but now I'm just considering a trim because I'm actually loving my hair!

I picked the hydrating line because of the scent, though I was eyeballing the volumizing line because my hair is so fine and limp. I didn't like the smell of the volumizing line... but this hydrating line is giving me body and oomph so no complaints from me!!!

Nails - China Glaze in Thataway

2009-06-01T19:37:00.003-05:00

Well, I don't think I've ever posted a blog on nails before.

Anyway, I don't have very many nail colors, and the ones that I do have are old and I've had them for years. There's probably a total of a dozen colors or so that I own. I do have my favorite brands: OPI, Orly, and China Glaze are my favorites. The Orly Top 2 Bottom is my favorite base coat of all time. Seche Vite is the best top coat I have ever used, and it was recommended to me by several different beauty salons.

I got sick of looking at my nails today. "Always the same color... I'm so boring." I had a coupon for Sally's Beauty so I headed there to pick up some shampoo/conditioner, and dead set on picking up a bright summer color. I chose a pretty coral-pink color from China Glaze called Thataway.

It's summery, bright, and cheerful! I like it!

Storage!!

2009-05-31T16:23:00.002-05:00

I've finally updated my storage!

BE Sea Yourself

2009-05-28T17:27:00.006-05:00

I received this last week, and it just occured to me that I haven't even posted this on my own blog yet!!

This kit can be found on QVC. The only color I really like from this is Energy and the Balance blush. I need to play with it some more though.

Case of the Mondays

2009-05-12T00:05:00.002-05:00

With Mother's Day Weekend being so busy, I wanted nothing more than to just stay in bed this morning. Half asleep, I sort of grabbed random colors laying around my vanity and this is what I came up with.

Thursday and Friday

2009-05-08T23:05:00.001-05:00

Just can't help myself!

2009-05-06T22:06:00.002-05:00

I always gravitate towards pinks and purples. *shrugs*

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T19:46:00.002-05:00

Well, nothing really festive about this :)

This is from the BE Perfect 10 Kit from last summer on QVC.

Friday & Saturday

2009-05-02T22:49:00.003-05:00

On Friday, I felt like wearing greens, so I chose a combination from a Limited Edition collection that Lumiere did last summer. It was the Happy Hour collection, and the names make me wish I could drink alcohol!

Saturday was boyfriend's goddaughter's first communion, so I needed something more neutral. His mother saved us a seat in the church... right in front and center with the church choir! EEK!!!

Colors!!

2009-04-26T10:58:00.002-05:00

I went to a Baby Shower/BBQ yesterday, and wanted to do something more colorful since it's spring/summer.

The purple color is from my fundraising set that will be released in May for Lupus. :)

Demons in the Postal Abyss!!!

2009-04-17T20:45:00.002-05:00

Feeling Opal-y

2009-04-16T18:49:00.002-05:00

I wore a couple of BE Opal colors today. Fire Opal is one of my favorite colors to foil.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash review - my HG mascara!!!!

2009-04-10T19:16:00.004-05:00

I found my HG mascara! FOUND IT FOUND IT!!

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara - $22 @ Sephora

I was completely floored when the mascara actually KEPT MY CURL!!! Just about all mascara weigh down my lashes somewhat, or completely flatten it. My natural lashes point straight down, and they're short! I use a Shiseido Eyelash Curler, which gives me a great curl, only to let mascaras weigh it all down.

It does a fantastic job of volumizing the lashes. Since this is a fresh tube, it wasn't clumpy. It added some length also. I think it looks like a lot more length in person because it didn't get flattened.

I hope this tube lasts at least the 3 months that mascaras are supposed to last. I will be buying this again.

(Click for a larger picture.)

Pretty Neutrals

2009-04-10T13:30:00.004-05:00

Happy Good Friday! I have the day off work and I'm running around town like crazy getting errands, this stuff and that stuff done. I can't wait to finish so I can just stay home and relax this weekend. I hope you all have a Happy Easter weekend!

Yesterday, I wore a goldish brown neutral combo:

And today, I wore the BE Cares color that I picked up last week.

A little bit of WoW...

2009-04-05T20:12:00.002-05:00

... World of Warcraft that is!

Well, this occured a few weeks ago but I'm finally now getting to post about it. My little Pally has her first full Tier armor set!!! She has a full set of Tier 7 paladin holy gear!!! (And about 3/5 of Tier 7 retribution gear for when dual specs go live.)

You can view Anklebytr's Armory specs here.

And here's a picture little pally.

Bare Escentuals Puzzle

2009-04-04T17:54:00.002-05:00

I went and picked up my Puzzle color today! The proceeds from this color go to the Autism Research Institute.

BE Puzzle on the BE Website

Steve's Wedding

2009-03-29T22:52:00.003-05:00

Congrats to Steve and Melissa on their marriage that took place this past Saturday, March 28, 2009!!!

Here's a slideshow of some of the wedding pics:

I did a Kim Kardashian inspired eye look. Mine is nowhere near as gorgeous, but hey, I tried. :)

This was the inspirationg pic:

And here's what I did:

Monday & Tuesday (St. Paddy's Day)

2009-03-18T00:00:00.005-05:00

Looks from yesterday and today. I hope you all wore your greens and didn't get pinched. :)

Tomorrow (3-18-2009), I'll be going to the OKC Bare Escentuals Boutique for the Spring preview kits. I think I will treat myself to one kit. I wanted them all, but I received my student loan papers in the mail, so that put a damper in things. *groans* Can I go back to school now so I can put that off some more? Hahaha... NOT!!

Dark and Smoky

2009-03-15T15:53:00.002-05:00

I picked colors from various companies today and wore them together. Since it was so smoky-looking, I decided to pair the eyes with BE Charity Buxom for a red pucker. I loooove Charity Buxom!

Sapphire Eyes

2009-03-13T08:06:00.002-05:00

Today, I wore some Lumiere blues. I smudged my liner with Sapphire... I really like the dark blue! And since my eyes were so dramatic, I wore some sheer Sugar Buxom.

Snowbound Kit

2009-03-12T17:57:00.002-05:00

The freezing drizzle outside made it appropriate that I wear an old BE Kit called "Snowbound" today. These colors are great for anyday, but especially today!

Pinks and Purple!

2009-03-09T19:27:00.004-05:00

I've been on a pink and purple binge lately. Perhaps it's my subconscious screaming for spring and flowers and all things bright and cheery!

This first look is what I wore today. It was the boss's birthday so we went out to his favorite Chinese buffet for lunch. This look is using BE products:

And this look was done yesterday as I was lounging about my home and went to Wal-Mart to do the weekly grocery shopping. I FINALLY picked up a gas grill to put out on the balconey. Oh man do I miss having grilled food. Charcoal is better... but gas will have to do. Anyhoot, these are from the TSS Limited Edition "Random Acts of Color."

Random Day at the Day Job

2009-03-09T19:25:00.000-05:00

Caught my coworker... singing...

Pisces and Random Acts of Color

2009-03-03T19:05:00.001-06:00

I just ordered samples this time around. I just have no more room for more jars of piggies!!!

You can check out the swatches here on the TSS forums.

Recent Eyes

2009-02-10T21:31:00.003-06:00

Base: Mac Paintpot in Blackground lash to crease, in Painterly from crease to brow
Inner Lid: Lumiere Lemon Chiffon, dry
Outer Lid: Lumiere Cat's Eye, dry
Crease: Lumiere Peacocok Blue, dry
Highlight: Ditto 02, dry
Liner: Paintpot in Blackground with Lemon Chiffon smudged over

***************

Base: MAC Paintpot in Painterly
Lid: BE Celestine, foiled
Crease and Outer V: BE Night Owl, dry
Highlight: BE Snowflake, dry
Liner: MAC Paintpot in Blackground with BE Catwoman smudged over, also lightly dusted Celestine below the lower liner

***************

These are all the TSS Make A Wish colors. I couldn't decide which to wear, so I wore them all!

Base: MAC Paintpot in Painterly
Inner Corner: Spread a Little Light (dry)
Inner Half of Lid: With Arms Wide Open (foiled)
Outer Half of Lid: Fulfill a Dream (foiled)
Crease: Love Knows No Endings (dry)
Hightlight: Be Seen & Heard (dry)
Liner: MAC Paintpot in Blackground with Live a Fabulous Life smudged over

***************

Base: MAC Paintpot in Painterly
Lid: Lumiere Stone, foiled
Crease and Outer V: Lumiere Party Girl, dry
Highlight: Lumiere Lavender Pearl, dry
Liner: MAC Paintpot in Blackground with Lumiere Matte Black smudged over

Make A Wish and Been Caught Kissing

2009-02-06T18:13:00.001-06:00

Great colors for a great cause (all proceeds went to Make A Wish foundation).

(Click for a larger image.)

A few recent looks!

2009-02-05T18:39:00.011-06:00

I haven't posted any eyes for awhile, so it is way overdue.

********************

Base: MAC Paintpot in Blackground
Inner Half of Lid: TSS Risked It All and Won (Summer 2008 LE), dry
Outer Half of Lid & Crease: TSS Symphony of Chaos, dry
Highlight: TSS Beyond Skin Deep (Autumn 2008 LE), dry
Liner: MAC Paintpot in Blackground with the green smudged on the inner halves and the purple on the outer halves.

********************

Base: MAC Paintpot in Blackground
Lid: EDM Baby Sitter, dry
Crease, Outer Lid: EDM In the Garden, dry
Highlight: EDM Bedtime Story, dry
Liner: MAC Paintpot in Blackground with EDM Baby Sitter smudged over

It's Open!!!!

2008-12-30T22:00:00.004-06:00

My e-store is open!!

www.kileng.com

I'm starting off with eye brushes and a Swoosh Bowl accessory! Hopefully if things go well, I can add more product selection and variety, but a small business has to start somewhere!

The company name comes from my full name Kim Le Nguyen.

I have to thank my mentor and adoptive mommy, who believes in me and has led me to do things I never thought I would ever do. So many doors have opened, and through those doors I've met new people and learned new skills, both of which I will keep close to my heart. To my wonderful boyfriend Mike, who remains patient with me as I learned graphic design and other computer software applications. To my C2 girls, and ITS girls, who cheer me on and pig out with me when we get to meet up and eat!

Announcement...

2008-12-22T13:13:00.003-06:00

*drum roll please*

I've started an online cosmetics company!!!!! Well, I'm not selling makeup (yet), but makeup brushes, specifically eye makeup brushes! Wonderful, soft, synthetic, vegan brushes!

There are so many wonderful MMU companies that I do not want to compete with, as well as places that sell magnificent face brushes. However, there is hardly a place that sells GREAT and inexpensive eye brushes.

I plan on not only offering brushes, but tutorials on how to use the brushes.

Please stay tuned, it will be coming in January 2009. Wish me luck!

Best Weekend Ever

2008-12-18T18:46:00.004-06:00

This past weekend, I was able to celebrate two, and then three wonderful events in my life.

First, was my graduation from the University of Central Oklahoma. Whooo hoo!!!! After three years (part time school while working full time), I received my MBA.

Second, Friday was my 27th birthday.

Last but not least, one of my best friends, Diana, announced that she's gonna' be a momma!!!!

Friday night was the MBA graduate banquet held by the school at the Beacon Club in Oklahoma City. The food was really good, and the view was spectacular.

Commencement was Saturday afternoon in Edmond, Oklahoma, where my school is. The weather was bright and sunny (but very windy).

My friends threw me a "surprise" birthday/graduation party on Saturday night. I say "surprise" because I was asked what night I would be free, so I knew SOMETHING was happening that night.

I couldn't have had a happier weekend. I was so happy, grinning from ear to ear, bouncing around everywhere.

Thank you so much to my friends and family who have supported me and cheered me on. When I started graduate school, I didn't know if I would finish because I went "just for the heckuvit." Next thing you know, I was in my last semester.

Anyhoot, enough talk. Now for some pictures.

Photo Album from Friday, December 12 through Saturday, December 13, 2008.

Some Lumiere Eyes

2008-12-05T18:22:00.004-06:00

Now that school is done... I can finally start working on using the Lumiere colors I have! Here we go!

Camellia-Rose Skincare

2008-12-03T09:55:00.005-06:00

The website is: http://www.camellia-rose.com/

I have been using the Rose Clay, Goats Milk & Shea Beauty Bar for about 4 months now, and absolutely LOVE it! I never thought I would use what looks like a bar of soap on my face. It cleans my face wonderfully, and doesn't strip it and make it feel dry. Although it has been four months, I have only used up half a bar!

Each bar is about the size of a typical bar of soap. The trick is that you use a hot knife (run it under the hottest water from the faucet) to cut the bar up into pieces. I cut mine up into six pieces. You use one piece at a time.

The soaps are natural, hand-made, with organic ingredients.

The sale that ends tonight is 10% off a $20+ order, and 15% off a $30+ order. (grateful10 and grateful15, respectively)

I decided to go ahead and stock up on my favorite bar, and try 3 other types of bars.

I ordered:
Rose Clay, Goats Milk & Shea (my HG facial cleanser)
Ananassa Shea (another bar for oily skin)
Hemp (for dry skin or skin suffering from eczema)
Coconut Cream & Shea (blemish-prone skin)

(Not affiliated with them... just love the beauty bars!!!)

Oh yeah... you don't pay for shipping at checkout. She will email you when she is done creating your soaps/order with a PayPal invoice to pay for shipping. It's around $3-5, depending on the size of the order.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

2008-11-27T17:55:00.006-06:00

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Thanksgiving, surrounded by love, family, and anything/one you hold dear in your heart.

I am thankful for the higher power that is always watching over me.

I am thankful that for the most part, those around me and myself, have our health. Without your health, it's really hard to have anything else.

Even though I resent my parents in most aspects, I am thankful for them because I would not be the same person I am today if they hadn't made me go through the trials and tribulations of the past. I am by far a stronger and more independent person than I otherwise would have been.

I have two wonderful and beautiful sisters that I am thankful for. We are all so different and unique. I only wish we could see each other more.

(Myself, Big Sis, Big Bro-in-Law, and Lil Sis, at Big Sis's wedding)

I am thankful for wonderful friends. I have few close friends, and lots of casual friends, and each of them are wonderful and special. My few close friends, I have known for over 20 years. Not many 26 year olds can make that same claim. We have been loyal and friends to each other since before we could read. Even when I moved halfway across the country, we remained in contact and when I moved back, it was as if nothing has changed.

(Myself, Tammy, Tracy, Diana, my best friends in the world at Tammy's wedding, and Mike, my love.)

(Again at Diana's wedding 2.5 years ago.)

I am thankful for Mike. He loves me for me, and not because of what I would be or could be. To believe, I only agreed to meet him on a blind date because I wanted a free dinner! That night, he made me laugh so much. I hadn't laughed in so long prior to that night, and I thought I had forgotten how to laugh. I've been laughing ever since... five years now. I am also thankful for his family... as they have taught me what unconditional love in a family is supposed to be.

I am thankful for all the friends I've met this year, many of them online via makeup forums! I've developed wonderful friendships from many of them, and have been able to share so much with them as well. One friend in particular, I have been able to call my best friend and my adoptive "mom." She has helped me bring out talent and skills that I never knew I posessed or could learn. She has nudged me, and sometimes just plain pushed me (in a good way!), to do things that I never dreamt of doing. I am eternally grateful to have her in my life.

I am thankful for food, home, and job. I love my job, and I love my coworkers. I could have never asked for a more goofy crew to work with. Everyday that I am at work, I am so proud and happy to be among them.

(Several of my coworkers at my house playing Rock Band on our lunch break!)

To my WoW friends... I am thankful for all of them! Even though most of them I met in-game, I am grateful that I have had the honor to meet most of them in person, and more than once for most! They make me so proud to wear the I.T.S. under my character name.

(Just a few of my WoW friends at a wedding of a WoW couple!)

I am thankful for my silly cats! These little furballs bring so much love and joy into my life.

Last but not least, I am thankful to just be here.

Oh yeah... here are pics of the first turkey I've ever made!! Thank you to the ladies of Mineral Makeup Friends who gave me so much wonderful advice! This isn't possible without you gals!

Lumiere Cosmetics Foundation Charts

2008-11-11T21:48:00.010-06:00

Lumiere Foundations

The foundations come in four formulas.

Cashmere - All Skin Types - Buildable Light to Medium Mostly Matte Coverage

Flawless Face - Normal to Dry Skin - Medium to Heavy Matte Coverage

Luminesse - All Skin Types - Buildable Light to Medium Silky Glow Coverage

Veena Velvet - Normal to Oily Skin Types - Buildable Light Medium to Heavy Matte Coverage

To further help (or confuse!!) you, I made even more charts than these that further break down the color categories.

1. Pick a formula from one of the above charts (Cashmere, Flawless Face, Luminesse, Veena Velvet).

2. Determine skin tone (beige, neutral, gold, warm, or cool).

Beige
Neutral
Gold
Warm
Cool

3. Determine how dark you are (fair, light, light medium, medium, medium deep, deep).

Fair
Light
Light Medium
Medium Cool/Beige 2.3
Medium
Medium Deep
Deep

4. Pick some samples around the color that you think you are!

Lumiere Cosmetics Face Color Charts

2008-11-11T21:43:00.012-06:00

Lumiere Blushes

(click on the chart for a larger image)

Brown/Tan

Ditto O (Nars Orgasm dupe)

Peach

Pink

Red

Violet

Radiance/Body Enhancers/Shimmers

Finishing Powders

Lumiere Cosmetics Eyecolor Charts

2008-11-11T21:35:00.015-06:00

Lumiere Eyeshadows

(click on the chart for a larger image)

Black/Gray/White

Blue

Brown

Ditto (these are Lumiere dupes)

Gold/Copper/Yellow

Green

Pink

Prismatic

Purple

Okay It's Out!

2008-11-10T11:40:00.002-06:00

Okay okay, so I've kept it mostly under wraps... but Lumiere Cosmetics hired/commissioned/whatever-you-wanna-call-it me to take photos of all their products and do swatches and charts of everything. The site is finally launched and as of right now, most of the charts are up, and all the photos of the jars are being used. YAY!!!!

To see the chart, click on a category, such as the Eye Pigments, then click on one of the color families, such as the Purples. Then, pick any color, and there will be a little icon to the chart.

This applies to most of the products. The foundation charts are not up yet, but I hope that they will help everyone find their perfect foundation. Hehehe, using my own charts, I was able to pinpoint my own perfect foundation myself, and hit the right color on my first attempt!

I'm super excited!!! I hope you all will like this as much as I enjoyed doing it!! I'm still not done with the lip products... so I still have the glosses to work on. School is about to kick it up a notch so I need to focus on that a bit, and hopefully be done with the glosses in the next couple of weeks.

Caboodles Case & Other Musings

2008-11-08T23:26:00.003-06:00

Oyyy... have I been swamped. I don't know why I keep on piling projects. Mike complains that I can't stay still.

Well, my most recent project will be unveiled on Monday. My apologies for keeping it under wraps... but just a couple more days!!

I met a couple of my friends at the mall this evening. One of them will be getting married next Saturday, so I will certainly post pictures then. Checked out the BE store... and it's really cool. I love the turntables they have! Oh how I would love to have a makeup room with one of those! Afterwards, I went over to the MAC counter and picked up a MAC Paint Pot in Painterly to use as an eyeshadow base. I've read numerous reviews that this makes a great base, and you actually get a ton of product in one jar.

Finally, I think I may have found my absolute perfect foundation shade. It's Light Medium Neutral in the Cashmere formula from Lumiere.

I went and bought this gigantic Caboodle case at Target for $25. It holds 246 ten-gram jars. Still debating on whether or not to keep it. The shelves prevent easy access to the jars that are stuck underneath a shelf. That is my only complaint.

I'm just trying to hang in there a bit longer. Exactly one more month of classes, and I'll be done with school forever! Picked up the rest of my cap and gown regalia today, and picking up the announcements from the printers on Monday before class... it's beginning to feel more real.

Historic Day

2008-11-04T22:45:00.006-06:00

Whether you were for McCain or for Obama... whatever you had in your mind... a decision has been made. Whether or not you were for Obama, I congratulate him and hope fervently that things will change for the better, and I wish him and his term and those that work with him the best.

I don't like getting my news from US sources (Fox, NBC, CNN, etc.). Instead, I go overseas, to get more views and reports of what is going on in the US. Take this BBC article:

President Obama and the World

Another interesting one from Australia's news source:

Barack Obama wins US election

Just read the article, and you will be surprised. Words that you would never see put together in a news article... completely new viewpoints... things that NOBODY in any US news station would EVER state. Unshelter yourself and discover what the rest of the world thinks.

My favorite places to get news are:

BBC
Australian News

are just a couple.

Hold on tight... it's gonna' be a wild ride.

World of Warcraft

2008-11-02T20:43:00.003-06:00

Okay, so this has nothing to do with makeup... but I must boast!!!

The guild that I am in (where my boyfriend Mike is the leader), called In Tha Shadows, on the Alliance in Aggramar, FREAKIN' KILLED ILLIDAN STORMRAGE TONIGHT!!!

WEWT!! GO I.T.S.!!!!!! I so proud. :)

To my ITS ladies that love makeup (in alphabetical order)...

Ali
Moonie
Rissa
Sinn

YOU ALL ROCK!!!

Halloween 2008

2008-10-30T17:15:00.004-05:00

This is what I did for work today, since it was my work's Halloween party. I don't quite remember what I used though!

Small EDM Haul

2008-10-21T19:57:00.003-05:00

Click on the image itself for a much larger picture. The blushes were part of a free gift with purchase of $45+ (before shipping and after discount) at EDM.

Golden Flower

2008-10-16T21:07:00.002-05:00

Inspired by "Curse of the Golden Flower" with Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat, I did this gold and red look that more toned down for work.

Lid: TSS Rockin Egyptian, foiled
Crease/Outer V: TSS LE Summer Burn, dry
Inner Lid: TSS Halos and Horn, dry
Hightlight: TSS LE The Golden Rule, dry
Liner: black Smashbox cream liner

Lips: TSS Kissy Gloss in Euphoric dipped in Rockin Egyptian

Bare Escentuals Buxoms

2008-10-10T19:35:00.003-05:00

I was bored the other day and decided to swatch all the Buxom colors that I have for the hell of it.

Presents for me!!

2008-10-10T19:30:00.003-05:00

Conniecon and vball91, two very sweet ladies that I've met on makeup forums, sent me these goodies. Vball sent me some She Space colors from her grab bag, and Connie sent me the EDM foundations with hopes that I find something that works on me.

Thank you gals!! *HUGS*

Valana Minerals

2008-10-07T21:38:00.003-05:00

Valana Minerals (click on one of the banners to the left) is a mineral makeup company that specializes in foundations for ethnic skincolor, such as African American, Hispanic, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Asians. The owner, Valerie, is super sweet and nice. When I contacted her about my article on makeup and Lupus, she was kind enough to send me samples of just about all her foundation options so that I could use on patients at work.

Click on each photo to see a bigger photo.

Huge TSS Order

2008-10-04T00:34:00.002-05:00

I finally received my big order from The She Space today, and all the colors are really pretty. In the order were 4 of the regular colors, a 10-piece surprise grab bag order, and several blush samples.

Well, since there are SO many colors, instead of reposting each individual color, just go to this She Space Forum thread that I started to see all the colors. I took real good close-ups and swatches.

Lumiere Cosmetics

2008-09-30T19:48:00.002-05:00

Ahh!! I received my Lumiere haul yesterday! I ordered last Thursday... and I am soooo happy with everything! First of all, these are very full 10 gram jars, so there's enough for yourself and to share! Second, each 10 gram eyecolor is $6 regular price. If you do the special kits of eyeshadows, they can get knocked down to as low as $4.50 a jar.

Click on the 2nd picture to get a big giant view.