Blue looks for Colon Cancer awareness (please read!!)!

This is a post I didn't think I'd ever be writing.  I did a couple of looks this past week for Colon Cancer awareness.  I knew the color for Breast Cancer awareness was pink but I hadn't been sure about the color for Colon Cancer and was happy to find out it was blue and not the brown that my goofy husband said haha.  So here are the looks I did!

What I used:

TFSI

NYX JEP "Milk"

MAC Mineralized shadow "Sea & Sky" (Sky on lid)

88 palette for black and navy blue

theBalm "Promiscuous Pearl" shadow as highlight

L'oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black Liquid Liner

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

What I used:

Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper

Glamour Doll Eye's "Mingles" shadow applied wet on lid and then blended up dry

MAC "Blanc Type" shadow

Glamour Doll Eye's "Ancestry" as highlight

MAC Blacktrack fluidline

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara (sorry about the clumpy lashes!!)

So why choose to do a look for colon cancer?  Well this answer is very personal but I want you guys to know what's going on.  Wednesday I went to the doctor because I'd been having stomach issues.  I thought it was something not super serious, maybe Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis.  I was so nervous to go but when I woke up from my colonoscopy (which I had been dreading and never EVER intended to tell anyone about) my doctor came in with my husband and said, "I don't have good news for you.  It looks like cancer."

Um... what???  I'm 26 years old, I'm healthy, strong, I have no family history of cancer, I don't even like red meat.  I have zero factors that they say might put you at a higher risk for colon cancer.  So on Friday I met with a surgeon who told me the biopsy came back and that I do have stage 4 colon cancer, which has spread to my liver.  The plan is for me to go into surgery tomorrow to remove the mass from my colon and implant a port so I can start chemotherapy.  

So in a week my life has flipped a little bit.  I'm definitely staying positive and, though I know it's so unusual for someone who's so young to get colon cancer, I also know that my age is going to help me get through this easier.  And I have the best, most amazing support system.  My husband is incredible and my parents have come down from New York to stay with me for a little bit, with other family and friends wanting to come see me and help me out, but not wanting to overwhelm me.  I have amazing people in my life who have been calling me and texting me and emailing me to see what's going on and telling me that they're praying for me and thinking of me.

I don't want people feeling bad for me.  This sucks and there's no getting around that.  But I'm glad that it's happening to me and not to someone else, I know I'm strong enough to make it through everything.

I learned an important lesson through what's happened so far.  I knew something was wrong in my body (granted, I didn't think it was this) but I didn't listen.  I let this go for about a year before I was brave enough to tell someone that something was wrong.  I was too embarrassed to tell people.  So please please please, if you know that something isn't right, go to the doctor.  Even if you have none of the factors for having a serious illness, that doesn't mean you don't have it.  I learned that the hard way.

Tomorrow is my surgery (which I'm am not allowed to wear makeup for!!) so I'm going to be MIA for a little bit but I'll be back!  And I have every intention on continuing my blogging, even through chemo.  I have decided that one I talk with the oncologist, that if there's a good chance I'll lose my hair, that I'm going to cut it off and donate what I can.  I can't see the sense in letting perfectly good hair wash down the drain, especially when someone else could use it.  So any ideas for short pixie haircuts are more then welcomed!!  

Just if you all could keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers, I know more prayers can only help! Thank you all for your support, it means so so so much to me!!  

Review of Pink Blossom Cosmetic's Valentine's Day Collection

Recently I received a collection of four mineral shadows from Pink Blossom Cosmetics.  This collection was made for Valentine's Day, but obviously that's because of the color combination and it's nothing you couldn't use any other day of the year.  So first let me tell you how adorably this came packaged.  It was so cute!  Here's what it looked like when I got it:

How cute is this box??  Right now it's housing a good majority of my loose shadows.

It came with a little sample of a matte black

And here are the colors (some of the names smudged because I used them before I took pictures of the bottoms and I got some wet by accident so if you ever order these, don't get the wording wet!):

White Chocolate:

"White satin shimmer"

Soulmate:

"Lavender shimmer with blue sparkles"

Sweetheart:

"Pink satin shimmer"

Red Wine:

"Deep red, almost burgundy, with red sparkles"

Dry Swatches over no base

I think the colors are very nice.  White Chocolate is the most pigmented, followed by Red Wine and Sweetheart. Soulmate is a VERY light color, which is barely visible when applied, which I think would have a tendency to look very ashy on darker skin.  I did a few looks using exclusively these colors.  I also used the matte black sample, which is quite nice.

I wasn't able to come up with tons of different types of looks using just these colors but I know I could add colors already in my collection and use them every day.  Red Wine was the main color I kept trying find different ways to use.  I did apply it wet on my lid one day (which I have no pictures of) and I wouldn't say it's a deep color.  I'd say it's a medium color, it's not too dark, not super light.  

For this look, I used Red Wine over a black base:

I actually applied just a hint of Sweetheart in the middle of my lid over Red Wine just to give it some more dimension

This look I already showed you, but I'll let you know my placement:

Sweetheart applied wet all over lid and under the eye

Red Wine in crease

Soulmate blended above crease (see the light tint of purple?)

White Chocolate as a highlight

This set is being sold for $20.  Is this a set I would buy for myself?  No.  The colors just aren't as bright as I like my colors to be.  Would I buy this set for someone who's more into toned down, neutral looks?  Absolutely.  I think Red Wine is a great, versatile color as you can make it look more brown or  more purple depending on what you're using it for.  I think that White Chocolate is a great universal highlight color but you could definitely use it on the lid too.  Soulmate is a bit of a miss for me as it's really really light, but seeing the color in the jar, I would expect it to be so I really wasn't surprised.  And I haven't received any makeup packaged like this so I think this would be a great gift for someone.

So I definitely think this would be a great set for someone who prefers more natural looks as the colors aren't overly pigmented or bright.  But they did apply really smoothly, I didn't have any spottiness to how they applied, which is awesome.  They blended out without any issues and I think they're really nice, just more for someone who isn't a color freak like me haha. 

Pink Blossom Cosmetics also has a facebook page and I believe she's trying to come up with more matte colors, which you all know I'm a sucker for.  The sample sizes are $1 for the little container like the matte black came in.  The full sized jars are $5 for a 5 gram jar with 1-3 grams of product.  I don't make makeup so I don't really understand why there isn't a more consistent amount of product per jar.  *Edit: I sent a link of this to the owner and she said, "As for the weight in products the reason why I stated 1-3 grams per jar because Iron Oxides and Ultramarines are heavier than Mica's. So if a particular color contains iron oxides and/or ultramarines it will be heavier but I make sure every jar is packed full to the brim." * Lilly, the owner, was great to work with.  I'd definitely at lease check this company out and see what you think.

*I was sent this for free but I would never lie to you.  It wouldn't do me any good to lie to you.  These are my complete honest opinions.

Do NOT order from Calypso Minerals!

I wasn't going to post this today but from all of the responses I've received regarding this company in the past day I really think it shouldn't wait for me to post this.

I am so disappointed in this company.  I did not realize how many people were taken advantage of, I didn't know that anyone was taken advantage of.  I contacted the owner of Calypso Minerals, Jennifer, with this:

"Hey Jennifer, I just wanted to touch base with you on something. I've gotten a few comments about not being able to trust Calypso Minerals as people order products and never receive them and when they try to contact you about it, you don't respond. And that really bums me out. I think your products are amazing and I really do love them but I just can't bring myself to recommend your products to people if they aren't receiving what they're paying for. 

I really don't want to recommend that people avoid buying from you because I LOVE the products you have but after receiving some e-mails concerning this issue, I feel like I may have to. 

I just wanted you to be aware about what my followers are saying to me.

Sonja"

To which I got the response:,

"This really bums me out too. I had 2 people that I shipped products to that I had received their products back but reshipped and will also send refunds, I am in the middle of divorce and a move and nasty custody issues and closed my shop so that I could catch up."

Which is all well and good but I've gotten WAY more responses than two.  I thought maybe if I addressed the issue with her she would maybe offer a solution, instead she offered an excuse.  I'm really sorry that she's having personal issues as I'm sure that's got to be really difficult.  However, if you can accept orders from people, you'd better be willing to fill them.  

I am so so sorry if you have had any issues with this company.  As I've said, I did place an order with her, I was not sent my stuff for free, and I had no issues, though she did know that I have a blog so maybe that's why I received my stuff from her.

But I have gone back through my old posts where I've products from her and added an edit in so I'm doing what I can to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else because of something positive I have had to say about these products.  And from what I'm understanding this is not the first time this has happened with this company.  She has closed her Etsy shop but I have seen that she is still advertising through her facebook page.

  

So please do NOT place any orders with Calypso Minerals as it seems you will just be throwing your money away!

Again, I am so so sorry for anyone who has had issues with this company.  If something like this has happened to you, you should report it to the Better Business Bureau, as it is a crime.

A few looks and my foundation routine

I've been lame and haven't posted a look in a little bit but I have a few for you today.

So recently I was asked to try out and review (which I'll be doing sometime soon) a Valentine's Day collection of mineral shadows from Pink Blossom Cosmetics.  Well obviously I said I'd do it!  So here's the look I did using that collection of shadows.  It's a very soft, girly look which I think would be fun for Valentine's Day (although, I'd probably do something dark and smokey myself haha).

What I used:

Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper

Valentine's Collection from Pink Blossom cosmetics

Sweetheart on lid

Red Wine in crease

Soulmate above crease

White Chocolate as highlight

L'oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black liquid liner

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

Lips:

A very light layer of MAC's Viva Glam Nicki

Revlon "Cupcake" lip butter

Next up is a look I did when it was stinkin gloomy out so my pictures aren't very good haha.

Sorry I look like a snot here haha

What I used:

TFSI

NYX JEP "Black Bean"

MAC "Teal" pigment

NYX "Black" shadow

NYX "White" shadow

MAC Blacktrack fluidline

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

Lips:

Viva Glam Nicki

Revlon "Creamsicle" lip butter

And lastly, I have a purple look, go figure haha

What I used:

TFSI

NYX JEP "Black Bean"

Glamour Doll Eyes "Tattooed" 

NYX "black" shadow

MAC "Blanc Type" shadow

Urban Decay "Virgin" to highlight

Lips:

Lime Crime "Coquette" lipstick

I made a video of how I do my foundation.  I already posted on YouTube but I'm really nervous to share it on here haha.  First of all, I have no makeup on to start.  Secondly, I make some really ugly faces when I do my foundation haha.  And it's just really hard to put yourself out there like that and I know how cruel people can be, especially on YouTube.  Like people just sit there and find videos so they can make mean comments.  Luckily, I haven't gotten one yet but I'm sure it's coming haha.  So please be kind to me because it's so scary putting this out there for people to see! 

But you get a little bonus of my Sullivan who decides to wander around in the background and then stand in the corner of the video (I think he knew what he was doing haha!).  I get my music for videos right through YouTube and I was looking to see what songs matched up in length and when my daughter heard this song, she said, "I like that one!!" so that's why this is the song I chose haha.  She felt all special being able to help!

As always, thank you so much for your support!  You guys have always been so kind to me!! 

Your experience with cosmetic companies

Hey guys.  I recently posted on Calypso Minerals Facebook page asking if their Etsy store was down because the links I had weren't working.  I got a response from someone that said this,

"Sonya, as an avid reader of your blog I would not recommend you post that you buy from this vendor as she has several or ders palced months ago that she never sent the product to, and never refunded their money. Etsy and Paypal are both investigating. My mom has waited 4 weeks for a refund and never got it, and also stopped getting any response from Jen".


Which I found very irritating.  I was not mad about the comment but upset that a customer would be treated like that.  I purchased from Calypso Minerals without any issues.  I love their products but it makes me sad that I go around saying good things about them and they, according to this person, are not following through on their end of the transactions.  


So please, if you ever purchase anything from a company because of something I've said and you've had either a bad experience or a great one, let me know!  I do not want to promote companies who are not treating their customers well and I also want to know when companies are treating their customers the way they should be treated!  


So please feel free to either e-mail me or leave a comment with any of your experiences!  It's so important to me, especially if you're buying from someone because of something I've said, that you are treated well!


Thank you guys!!

A Nicki Minaj inspired look using Viva Glam Nicki!

I'm sooo excited I got my Viva Glam Nicki in the mail today!!!  I was lucky enough to get a code e-mailed to me from MAC so I could get this lipstick before it releases on the 15th and of course, since I love Nicki, I had to get it haha.  I got the "Pink Friday" lipstick when she released it a little over a year ago.  Apparently if Nicki releases a lipstick, I MUST own it haha.  I obviously had to do a look using this new lipstick so I went with a look inspired by Nicki Minaj!!

I believe it's her Super Bass video where she has yellow on her lids and I very rarely wear yellow so I definitely wanted to try that!

What I used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Maybelline Color Tattoo "Fierce & Tangy" as a base

Sugarpill "Buttercupcake" 

"Naked" and "Sin" from Urban Decay's Naked palette

MAC Blacktrack fluidline

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Ardell "Hotties" lashes

(I know the lashes are COMPLETELY 100% wrong but they're the only really long lashes I had on hand, so I just went with it!)!

Lips:

Viva Glam Nicki lipstick

This lipstick is gorgeous!  It's a bright pink color that pulls coral

Swatched compared to other pinks I own

As you can see, it's quite similar to Covergirl Lip Perfection lipstick "Fairytale" it's more pink while Fairytale is a bit more red.  It's very different from her "Pink Friday" lipstick, which I put on with this yellow look I did and turns out I like it better paired with the yellow shadow (I'm thinking it's because it's such a purpley pink).

I have to say that I really love this Viva Glam Nicki though and I think it's a color that will look good on everyone!  It releases on Feb. 15th so make sure you're on the lookout for it!  Also, in case you didn't already know, it is a Viva Glam lipstick which 100% of the proceeds go to funding AIDS research.  So all $14.50 goes to a great cause and you get a beautiful lipstick.  Who could ask for more?

*Edit*:  Thinking about this post made me realize that this look I did is very similar to a look Kassie from Unique Desire did a while ago using Lime Crime Cosmetics (hers is just slightly more pastel).  So definitely check her look out!!

Another Sunset type look using Glamour Doll Eyes and Calypso Minerals

*Edit* I know this color is beautiful but I just found out that Calypso Minerals has been taking people's money and not sending them the products they've ordered.  So please don't order from them!  I'm so sorry!*

I do sunset looks a lot.  I don't do it on purpose, I just end up with these sunset type looks because I love the color combination.  When I got this BEAUTIFUL purple shadow from Glamour Doll Eyes called "Tattooed" I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it.  That's when I saw this coral/pink color ("Curfew") I'd gotten from Calypso Minerals like forever ago and hadn't used yet and I knew I had to use them together.  I mean, how could I resist doing a purple and coral look??  Again.  Haha.

Pretty, right?

What I used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Milk" (I ALWAYS use some sort of tacky base when using loose shadows!)

Glamour Doll Eyes "Tattooed" (purple)

Calypso Minerals "Curfew" (coral)

Glamour Doll Eyes "Ancestry" (highlight)

MAC Blacktrack fluidline

L'oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara

Brows:

ELF Cream Liner "Coffee" to outline

Anastasia "Blonde" brow pencil

Anastasia "Taupe" and "Strawburn" powder duos 

Face:

Reviva Labs face primer

Neutrogena Healthy Skin liquid foundation "Buff"

Carmindy for Sally Hansen liquid foundation "Porcelain"

Maybelline Dark Circle Treatment "Fair"

Maybelline Superstay 24/7 Concealer (2nd to lightest color)

Covergirl Professional loose powder "Translucent Fair"

ELF studio blush/bronzer duo

Lips:

Lime Crime "Coquette" lipstick

Revlon "Creamsicle" lip butter

The Glamour Doll Eyes colors I used today:

"Ancestry"

What their site says about this color (which is from their Super Shadows collection):

"Ancestry is a satin white with rich silk gold undertones and sparkle. It's always neat to have a family heirloom, but I don’t think a brooch can compare to what Ororo Munroe’s family passed down to her; an unlimited ability to control the weather. Step lightly or there could be a downpour in the forecast. "

This color is an AMAZING eye highlight color.  I couldn't get it to work for my cheek highlight though.

And Tattooed:

"Tattooed is a very unique blend of matte and shimmer. This color includes a bright blue mixed with a gorgeous shimmery purple."

This color is GORGEOUS!!!  I love blue based purples and this one is perfect!!

Swatches!

So pretty!  I'm really liking these Glamour Doll Eyes shadows!  So far, in my opinion, they've beaten the colors I got from Beauty From the Earth.  I just think the color payoff is a little better which, to be completely 100% honest, I wasn't expecting.  I don't really like the way their website is set up but these shadows are worth the little bit of frustration in trying to get through the site.

Another cool thing is that when I was going through the brochures that came with the shadows, there was a section in there that says if you order at least 16 full sized jars (not applicable with special editions), if you enter the code "MUA" you will receive a 50% discount.  So if you've got an order of 8 shadows you want from them, make it 16, type in the code, and you just got yourself another 8 shadows for free.

Haha and something funny I wanted to show you quickly.  Today was my daughter's 100th day of school so she was supposed to go to school dressed up as a 100 year old.  I wasn't really sure how to do that but this is what we came up with haha

I put rollers in her hair, drew on some wrinkles, bought her these $2 from WalMart and pushed the lenses out, and put her in this outfit that I think looks old lady-ish haha.  Doesn't she look hilarious??

She was so mad about the wrinkles haha.  She goes, "I don't want to look old!" 

Haha well that's all for today!  I hope you lovely followers of mine have an amazing week!  I'll see ya soon!!

A look for the Superbowl!

At the risk of sounding completely un-American, I'm going to let you in on a secret... I don't watch football (or baseball for that matter haha).  But, especially since being on facebook, I know that sooo many people do and they get so hyped up about these games.  And I figured with the Superbowl being on Sunday I would do a look that's super colorful and over the top that I think is perfect for an event like a Superbowl party!

With that being said, my look today is based on the New York Giants.  I'm sorry if you hate them, they're just who I picked because I'm from New York (although technically New York is part of New England, so I win even if the Patriots win).  But the Giants colors are blue, white, and red.  So I went with that!

My inspiration!

My look!

See how red my hair is?  Whoops.  That would be choosing the wrong color dye!

I tried really to not over-blend the red and blue because I didn't want this to come out purple, I want it to be clearly red and blue.  At the same point, I really didn't want just a chunk of red and a chunk of blue.  So I think I did alright.

What I used:

TFSI

NYX JEP "Milk"

Inglot DS 496 (white)

NYX "Black" shadow

Glamour Doll Eyes "Mingles" (blue)

Sugarpill's "Love +" (red) with a bit of a deeper red from my 88 palette added in

MAC Blacktrack fluidline

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

Halloween lashes

Calypso Minerals "Red Glitter" mixed into NYX Candy Glitter liner in "Silver" along inner part of bottom lashline

I think adding a red lip would take this look to the next level, I just have to go out so I don't feel comfortable wearing a red lip.

I also wanted to show you the Glamour Doll Eyes color I used for this look today.  It's called "Mingles" and it's a stunning royal blue color that's almost an exact dupe for my beloved Calypso Minerals "True Blue."

*Edit* I know this color is beautiful but I just found out that Calypso Minerals has been taking people's money and not sending them the products they've ordered.  So please don't order from them!  I'm so sorry!*

"Mingles" is on the left and "True Blue" is on the right

They're both completely matte and absolutely gorgeous.  I think True Blue is just slightly brighter but they're VERY similar.  "Mingles" is $6 from Glamour Doll Eyes and "True Blue" is $7 from Calypso Minerals so there's not a huge price difference.  You can't go wrong with either one!

I hope you guys like the look I came up with!  If you rock crazy makeup for the superbowl, you'll have to post it somewhere and leave me a link because I'd love to see it!  Thank you guys so much!!