Lumiere Travel Brush Set

I got my Lumiere travel brish set today. It seems smaller to me than what I imagined, but perfect for my Walt Disney World Trips (I am also a huge WDW addict, check out the DIS boards if you like visiting the "mouse" too). I imagine that I will get the most use out of the powder brush, blush brush and crease brush.

Speaking of brushes, has anyone tried TKB's new brushes? I would like to try the Goat Hair buffer. The price is really good at $2.75 (this is just the intro price, I think they will go up). Also their Kabuki is $3.50 (also intro price), this might be a good option for someone starting out, or as a gift (if you are trying to get someone else addicted LOL). I am really interested in the quality of these brushes.

I Love Mail!

Yay, I finally got my EDM order in the mail today.
It seem like I have been waiting for EVAH! I took 2 weeks and 1 day, from the shipping date, to arrive. Usually, for me, it takes about a week. The only thing missing was the blush, I guess it was backordered. Oh well, now I have something else to look forward to in the mail.
I haven't tried the tinted silk dust yet, or the concealer. I'm crossing my fingers that they aren't too dark. They do look pretty close in darkness to the foundation though, so here's hoping.

I have to say that my collection of leave-in hair products rivals my collection of MMU. I am constantly on the look out for the perfect gels, lotions and leave-ins. Specifically I'm looking for a defrizzing cream that has some hold to it. I thought that I'd try out a bottle of Sunsilk defrizz lotion. I can't say that I'm too crazy about it. It's sticky and makes my hair look a bit greasy, not a great look. Any recs?

I'm still sticking with OCM, but now my skin is breaking out a bit (almost a rash on my cheeks), not sure if it's the OCM, Meow FF, or just hormones? I'm hoping it's hormones because I really like Meow FF and OCM.

Now the only thing I'm waiting for in the mail now is my back-ordered blush from EDM and my Lumiere brush set. I'm trying for a bit of a no-buy but now that my skin is going a bit crazy GOW is looking pretty good (hmmmm, here's my imaginary cart; GoW Vegetarian Azulene Base Cream, GoW Takrai Lemongrass Cleanser, GoW Cobalt Foaming Cleanser, Carrot Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Hydrosol).

Oh My Goodness!!

Did anyone elso go into a complete panic last night when Lumiere's website went down? Just as I was hitting the "Pay" button the site crashed, my DBF was looking over my shoulder saying "Maybe it's a sign that you shouldn't spend any more money on makeup." What I said:"Maybe it's a sign that I need to reavaluate my purchases to make sure I didn't miss anything." ;)
I didn't buy much, I already have way more foundation that I'll ever need in my entire life. I did end up buying the 9pc brush set I hope it's good, I was caught between buying that and just a blush brush, as I really don't need any of the other brushes. But it does come with a cute case (that's reason enough for me!).

I got my Meow order today, Munchkin in frisky Sphynx FF and a few samples. I haven't had the chance to try it yet. I'll probably try it tommorrow.

I also finally tried my MAD eyeshadow samples, and I must say that their eyeshadows have the best colour payoff that I've seen so far! Definately a winner in my books, if I didn't have so many darn TKB micas I'd be placing another order. I wonder how they get the colours to be so intense, mine end up look a bit dull (mmm, i mean neutral).

I'm still using the Oil Cleansing Method. This is definately my HG nightime cleanser! It seems to stop my zits from appearing I'll see one starting to form and before it even appears it's gone. I've also been using pure unrefined Shea butter as my nightime moisturizer it works great, although it's a bit greasy, it smells incredible.

EDM

Last week I recieved my newest sample kit from EDM and finally narrowed down my HG mineral foundation colour for summer YAY!! And just in time to use the Yahoo group coupon code (I'm not sure if we can give it out, I think you have to be a Yahoo Group member.) You can alway sign up at the Yahoo group to search for the code at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/emusergroup/ it ends tommorrow and is for 10%, My summer colour is cool medium, I really find thier colour names and swatches to be innacurate as I'm usually a med/light, so I find that with EDM I really have to take advantage of thier free sample kit.

For the last little while I have been trying out a few different things. I have recently started the OCM and after an initial "purging" my skin is starting to look more "glowy" and is settling down nicely. After trying a mix of 50% mix castor oil and olive oil, I've settled on using closer to 10% castor oil to 90% olive. I was getting dry skin form the first mix. I think that I might try adding some almond oil to the mix after I find some at the grocery store.

I've also started using Monistat Anti-Chaffing gel (Soothing Care, unscented) as a primer and so far I like it. I've only worn it a few times so I can't coment on whether it has broken me out (Lumiere's did, do I'm really crossing my fingers), but I have found that it allows for smoother coverage and keeps the colour of the foundation truer (I find that sometimes when mineral foundation melds with my skin it can turn a bit darker/orangy).

What I'm waiting for in the mail:

EDM starter kit, with siesta blush, cool med foundation, medium concealer (I hope it's lighter than it looks in the swatches), tinted balancing powder & foundation brush.

Lure beauty:
Sample sized Mango face and body cream, Body butter in coconut, Eyebrow Fillers in Espresso and Hazelnut, Mineral veil.

Meow:
Frisky Sphynx FF in a munchkin jar.

What I want after my "no buy":

GOW (in the far future):
Lemongrass cleaner, Veggie base cream, Camellia oil.

TKB (in addition to supplies, when I need them)
Pearl powder sample, lip balm base sample, lipgloss tube x 1, apricot kernel oil sample.

Yay!!!

Yay! I didn't miss the Meow sale!!! I ended up purchasing a Flawless Feline munchkin in Frisky Sphynx and a few samples. I really can't wait to get it!

I was visiting my baby sis in the big city this weekend, and we had a lot of fun. We ended up catching the movie Ratatouille (super cute movie, the audience was even clapping and cheering in different parts, including me) and doing some shopping. My sis is just as addicted to hair products as I am to MMU, so I brought her a bunch of baggies of my creations and she sent me home with a few unused bottled of some hair concoctions (thanks sis). Well when her and I were applying our MU she looked at me and said "That foundation makes you look pale", she made this comment as one might say "oh, look it's sunny out" or "you have a fluff on your shirt" and of course I hear "You now have to start sampling all over again, and have been looking completely foolish all of this time, why didn't someone tell you that you've been looking like a mime, what will you do with all of the complely unusable foundations that you have amassed?". Now that I've come to my senses a bit I have realized that she may not have been completely accurate in her assessment, and since I did most of my sampling during the winter a lot of the colours can be used as winter colours (thank goodness for their long shelf lives). I have been suspecting that my winter colours have been making me look a little pale, so I had already started sampling a few darker colours from EDM.

I have been lusting after everyone's brush sets, I came ----><----- this close to ordering the Lumiere 9pc brush set but I really have to wait until next pay, I already spent way too much on my weekend away. Oh well. :( But now I don't have to worry that I'll run out of things to buy ;)

Lumiere, and patchwork faces

So, I gave Lumiere a better try. I think that last night I got a little carried away and applied it like I do Meow Purrrfect Puss, with a heavy hand. This morning I did my usual routine (moisturize, silica, concealer and foundation) and applied it with a lighter touch. The result was reallt smooth coverage and no "masky" feel. I find this foundation a bit more matte than EDM original glo, but goes on more "moisturizy".
I had a lot of fun last night re-trying all of my foundation samples, every time I get a new foundation in the mail I go swatch crazy and put just about evey half-decent-match-colours on my face in little patches on my face. my poor BF then gets recruited to pick the best match.

Here is a typical exchange:
"Which one matches best"
"I don't know, where are they?"
I point to my jawline.
"Ok, that one"
"Now look in natural light, which one now?"
"Maybe this, one" He looks at me to see my reaction "Well...maybe this one." then looks around me at the computer, I guess he considered that an acceptable answer.
"Your not taking this seriously, are you looking at my neck or my face?"
"Your face" he guages my reaction "..... well your neck....ok both"
Are you comparing it to my overtones or undertones?!?"
"what are those?"
"UUGGHH!" I stomp away, and pick my favourite one anyways.
(so far it's still Frisky Sphynx, boy am I ever hoping that Flawless Feline is my HG formulation).

Have I mentioned how much I love Cheval by Taylor Made? It's makes such a great wet liner! It's a dark browny plumy colour and it's matte and opaque. I have to get myself a full sized version of this, since I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to dupe this without a grinder.

New Colours

I've been on holidays the last couple of days, Yay! That's why I haven't posted a new entry in a little while. But I have been reading and catching up on the message boards, getting new ideas on how to spend my money. Today we took a trip to the city and ended up buying the much touted Urban Decay Primer Potion, (I must say that this stuff had better be good because it sure isn't cheap!) and some cute shoes for $20 (I love a bargain!).
I had some really good intentions to get get a lot done this weekend, although I procrastinated on a lot of chores I did end up formulating a new eyeshadow/liner colour in a dark blue-brown-purple colour and a pretty pinky mauvy blush that goes on pinkish-red.

I still can't get over how much different product you can get from just a few colours. I think that formulating my own colours have slowed down my spending on MMU a (teeny-tiny) little bit. Now when I see a great colour I try to dupe it before I buy, some times I don't quite get it and some times I get pretty close, but even if I get it wrong I still come out with a wearble colour. Now most of my spending is on lipgloss, and trying to find my HG foundation.

On another note, I am really liking wet n' wild lipglosses, I find that they have pretty good colour payoff for the price and they smell pleasant (vanilla maybe? it's definately a sweet smell). Some people might find the gloss a bit sparkly but I like a bit of sparkle for the summer, my fav colour so far is Mega slicks in Rose Gold. I also tried N.Y.C. lipglosses they also have nice colour, and are shimmery but don't smell as nice. You definately can't beat the price!