Tarte for True Blood

I have a confession...I don't watch True Blood.  Everyone still OK??  Do I need to get the smelling salts out?  It's not that I wouldn't watch True Blood, it's just that I don't have HBO.  I've seen a few of the early episodes before we got rid of HBO, but that's it.


So even though I'm not a fan of True Blood, I couldn't pass up the eye shadow palette and Lip Tint (there's also a Cheek Stain, but I passed on it...just not a fan of the gel cheek stains).  I'm already a fan of Tarte's Lipsurgence Lip Tints, so I couldn't wait to get it, and the palette just looked so darn awesome that I took the plunge, even though I've never tried Tarte's shadows.


Tarte for True Blood Lipsurgence Lip Tint is a sheer, blood red (duh) with a light shimmer and a minty fresh scent that is cooling on the lips.  The main reason I love the Lipsurgence Lip Tints is because they're sheer, but have buildable coverage.  They're perfect if you're scared of bold colored lips, like me, but still want a bit of that bold color.  Plus, they're also moisturizing and have a bit of a sheen to them, so you can just swipe them on and go.  I'd say in regards to texture and color, they're very much like a tinted lip balm, just with a bit more tint.  I have a couple other of the Lip Tints (not including the ones on my wishlist!), so I will do a separate post on them because they darn well deserve it!

Swatched light, then heavy on the arm.  Just a couple swipes on the lips.

Now onto the palette.  As I stated before, I'm new to Tarte eye shadows, but I've read good things about them, and I figured a big palette was a great opportunity to try a bunch of them out.  The palette itself is super cool with it's laced-up black and red pleather look.  As for the shadows, most of the 18 colors in the palette are ones that I would wear (there's a few I won't use much, but hey...can't win 'em all), and from what I can find, they're full-size, so for the money, a pretty decent value.  Almost all of the swatches were from one swipe.  The lighter colors took a couple swipes to achieve the color, but I can deal with that.  Texture-wise, they are all very smooth, and a couple of them do have glitter.  The palette also includes a mini Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, mini Natural Lift Eye Primer, and mini Emphaseyes Aqua-Gel Eyeliner...I'm not going to review those mostly 'cause I don't wanna, and they're not the reason I bought the palette.


I am going to give you loads of swatches, though!

Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Dawn, The Light, Bayou, Charmer, Werewolf, Fairy

Left to Right:  Dawn (light, shimmering gold), The Light (pale, shimmering beige), Bayou (shimmering antique gold), Charmer (shimmering copper), Werewolf (matte dark brown), Fairy (light, shimmering white-pink)

Middle Row (5): Moss, Telepath, Glamour Me, Waitress, Dusk

Left to Right:  Moss (shimmering evergreen), Telepath (rose with silver glitter), Glamour Me (deep, shimmering eggplant), Waitress (shimmering beige with silver glitter), Dusk (matte pinky beige)

Left to Right, Top to Bottom:  Legend, The True Death, Stake, Nocturnal, V, Immortal

Left to Right:  Legend (matte black), The True Death (metallic silver), Stake (matte grey), Nocturnal (matte black with blue glitter), V (metallic cranberry), Immortal (matte black with silver glitter)

See the blue sparkles in Nocturnal?!  Pretty!

You can purchase the Tarte for True Blood Collection is available at sephora.com.  The Lip Tint is $24 and the palette is $52.  There is also a Natural Cheek Stain available for $$30.

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadows in Rosewood and Taupe

I've had these shadows for awhile, but I'm just getting around to posting the swatches now because I'm lazy.  Sorry, it's the cold, hard truth.  I have a couple of lip products to post, too.  Judging by how long it took me to post the shadows, I should have the lip stuff up by spring.  Kidding, kidding...it'll be summer before I get around to it.


OK, in all seriousness, I'll get the lip products posted tomorrow.  I actually have huge backlog of stuff, not including the few new things I've gotten in, PLUS the plans I have for swatching my current holdings.


Now for today's post, Burberry Sheer Eyeshadows in Rosewood and Taupe.  These shadows are anything but sheer.  They are silky soft and highly pigmented, and are etched with the iconic Burberry plaid check design.  They come in a sturdy, mirrored compact with a magnetic closure.  The compact is etched with same plaid check design and tucked into a velvet protective case (much like Chanel's).  Truly everything a luxury product should be.

See the swatches after the jump!

Collection Les Perles De Chanel

In an effort to get all my seasonal relevant posts out of the way, I've got a few items from Collection Les Perles De Chanel from Spring 2011 that I swatched.  I know winter juuuuust got under way, and spring seems like a long way off, but perhaps these goodies will get in you the mood.  I'm also not one to limit colors to a specific season, and these Chanel spring colors are very versatile.  From the collection, I picked up all three Le Vernis, Black Pearl, Pearl Drop, and Peach Nacree, and the Ombres Perlees quint.

Click the jump for the swatches!

MAC Cham Pale Collection

The Cham Pale Collection from MAC is the first one in a while that has caught my eye.  I've been focusing on exploring other brands, so I'd been passing on MAC in favor of other stuff.  I'd been looking for a couple new bases and once I saw the polishes, being the polish-hoor I am, decided I couldn't pass on those.  I ended up purchasing Dangerous Cuvee and Vintage Selection Paint Pots, and Soiree and Very Important Platinum (which is just about the least creative name ever) Polishes.

Keep reading for swatches!

Congratulatory Haul

Why might I be getting a congratulatory haul, you may ask?  Because I got a job!!  After many months of looking, I am employed!  Great reason to celebrate, right?!  Right!  (Although, if I'm being honest, I'd have made the purchase anyway, and had I not gotten the job, it would've been a consolatory haul...but since I got the job, that's neither here nor there, so yay me!!)  This is not the only haul I have coming my way, but these goodies were on my doorstep when I arrived home.

Burberry Taupe Brown (L) & Rosewood (R) Sheer Eye Shadows
Burberry Rosewood Lip Cover (Lipstick)
Burberry Nude Beige Lip Glow (Lipgloss)
Chanel Rouge Fatal Le Vernis
Dior Timeless Gold (L) & Czarina Gold (R) Vernis
Chanel Enigma Quadra Eye Shadow


More hauls to come and swatches to follow (as soon as I get myself into a schedule).

Chanel Soho Collection - Stunning Rouge Coco & Stupendous Quad

After seeing all the swatches of Stunning Rouge Coco and the Stupendous Quad I was smitten.  Uh, too bad they both were sold out when I order Star Glossimer.  I was willing to wait until Soho launched at department store counters, but luckily, I didn't have to.  Chanel online restocked!  (yeah, yeah, it was the highlight of my day, what of it?)  You want pretty swatches?  Of course you do.


Stunning Rouge Coco is a gorgeous neutral pink with golden shimmer.  It's a my lips, but better color...just a bit deeper, and I love it.  It's so much prettier than I imagined.  It is pigmented and the color just melts into my lips.

Check out Stupendous after the jump.

Urban Decay Naked Palette: Review and Swatches

I soooo lucked in to nabbing this on Sephora.  I did a refresh, and there it was, so I instantly purchased it.  I checked back once I received the in-stock notification e-mail, and sure enough, it was gone already.  For a palette that is permanent, this sucker sure is hard to come by.


Now on to the details.  This palette is a steal at $44 for 12 nearly full-size eye shadows, plus a double-ended liner, PLUS a mini Primer Potion (not pictured).  It is freaking huuuuge!!  See how big it is compared to my Sephora Beauty Insiders Card (it's the same size as a standard credit card).

Never before has an Urban Decay palette been so appealing to me.  Most of their palettes have teeny-tiny shadows in über-bright colors.  I love my brights, but I already have enough to start my own clown-army.  Neutrals are one color-category I never tire of.  The shadows are housed in a slim, brown velvet case emblazoned with "NAKED" on the front.  It's so...seductive, at least as much as an eye shadow palette can be.  Although anything that screams "NAKED" is hardly a wallflower, and demands instant attention, including this palette.

More of my incessant natter, pictures and swatches after the jump!

Chanel Taupe Grisé comparisons

If my initial swatches of Chanel Taupe Grisé didn't convince you to run out and get it, these will.   I've compared Taupe Grisé to a few of my MAC taupes, and there really is no comparison.  I love my MAC, I always will, but Taupe Grisé is just something special.

L to R:  Clue, Smoke & Diamonds, Taupe Grisé, Moth Brown, Night Manoeuvers, Hard to Please (Tempt Me Quad).

See!  It really is so pretty, soft and pigmented.  That swatch is from just one light swipe off the shadow.  I'm seriously considering getting another.  You'd better get yours or I will!

Chanel Fall 2010 Collection: Review and Swatches

I've had my stuff for nearly two weeks and I'm just now getting around to swatching.  I thought I would have time while on vacation, but it was cloudy and rainy when I did have down time.  I know pretty much everyone in the U.S. has their goodies already, so this old news, but better late than never.  Plus, I know our friends to the north are still awaiting this collection with baited breath, so for them, this relevant.

I picked up all four Glossimers (Pink Teaser, Rose Dilemma, Petit Pêche, and Coral Love), Chintz Rouge Allure, Taupe Grisé Soft Touch Eye Shadow, Pink Explosion and Rose Temptation Joues Contrastes, and Paradoxal Le Vernis.  I will post separate swatches for Paradoxal, so check back for those.  I passed on Enigma Quad because it's permanent, but I will get it sometime in the future.  Just need to free up some funds, first.

I found this collection to be full of gorgeous colors, and one of the better ones that has Chanel released.  It was hard not to purchase this entire collection.

Product pictures, descriptions, and swatches after the jump!