Bare Escentuals Trend Report Frill Seeker Review & Swatches

Hi Beauties, 
 I received this as an early Valentine's Day gift along with a few others that I will share with you.
 These are the new "Face Fashion" kits from BE. I like the old packaging because it was small however the photo layout in these big boxes are gorgeous.
 This kit comes with a strawberry pink gloss, sheer to medium coverage, in the Pretty Amazing formula. It has 2 eye shadows, Mademoiselle a sheer pinkish cream shade & Splendid a gorgeous medium reddish bronze. The color Splendid could easily pass for a High Shine. It is a thick consistency like that of the high shines. The blush Sweet Cheeks a bright poppy pink. The Liner is the Round The Clock formula in Midnight (black).
 I really am enjoying this kit although it is not what is trending now  (>_<)   Trending now is the sheer flesh tone eyeshadow with heavy black liner & bright pink, bright red or coral/orange lips Or a matte smoky eye with nude lips. I can see me using this more in the summer cause I tend to side with bronze eyeshadow when I have a tan ;)
 Its definitely a pretty kit and I think most will enjoy.

Trend Report Frill Seeker is currently available where BE is sold. The price of this kit is $34. Click here for SEPHORA   ULTA or BARE ESCENTUALS online stores.

Love & Sparkles,
 Jess

Kat Von D Art Of Elysium Evelyn Review & Swatches

Hi Beauties,
 Kat teamed up with Evelyn, a beautiful young lady undergoing medical treatment. Evelyn drew the beautiful flower in the center of the design on the palette case. Kat drew the design that surrounds the flower.
 This palette was extremely difficult to find. My girlfriend Jennifer E. called around & finally located one in Massachusetts. They wouldn't ship so my close friend Jessie picked it up & mailed it to me. Yup it was that crazy getting my hands on it but boy was it worth it!
 This palette contains 4 shades of brown. The shades are gorgeous! Enjoy The Silence is a light cream shimmer, Sand Timer is a light tan with a soft sheen. Leather is a pure matte chocolate & Tijuana is a deepest brown base with bronze twinkles.The shades are rich & very pigmented.

Although this palette is not available online, you can call your local Sephora & see if they have it in stock. It can be purchased for $20. 10% of the sale will go to The Art Of Elysium!

Bare Escentuals Pretty Smoky Kit Review & Swatches

Hi Beauties,
 I ordered this from QVC about a week & a half ago. It just arrived & I wanted to share.
 I should start off by saying this kit is not for everyone. It is not a good kit as far as "how to do smoky eye" goes. Its not a tutorial, so if you don't know how to do a smoky eye, this will probably be best left behind or as a liner kit for you.
 This kit comes with 5 pieces, just 1 is a repeat, Queen Phyllis Matte. I don't think she is matte, as she is a light butter cream sheen. The next 3 shades are the smoky ones. Smoked Brown is a rich deep matte brown. Smoked Gray is a matte medium deep grey. Smoked Purple is a medium deep purple with shimmer. There is also a double-ended brush. The fluffy end is great for an all over light color or to accent the brow bone but I wouldn't use it for the dark shades. The thin side is useless. I tried to use it one time & it has already lost its shape.
 I really like the purple & the grey in this kit but that's about it. Buffing them on is easy but like many of BE's latest shades, foiling is proving to be rather difficult. The color just lays on top of the water, like oil does. So doing a wet line or a foiled look will take time, its not impossible but they don't absorb water as easily as say Bare Skin,  so its not an easy task.

This kit comes in a sleek pewter box and is currently available for purchase at QVC online by clicking here.   Or visit qvc.com and enter item # A221696. The purchase price is $36.

Peace & Smoked Purple Sparkles,
 Jess

Kat Von D Art Of Elysium Kimberly Review & Swatches

Hi Beauties,
 Today I will review the Kimberly palette from Kat Von D.
 Kat teamed up with Kimberly, a young lady undergoing medical treatment. She drew the eye on the left side of the palette, Kat drew the one on the right. 10% of the sales will benefit The Art Of Elysium, an organization that encourages artist, actors & musicians to volunteer time to children battling serious illnesses.
 This palette is gorgeous not only for what it stands for but its colors are absolutely beautiful. The lightest shade Believer is a soft pearl pink, the next shade Shakespeare is a light smoky mauve taupe, next is Rad which is a gorgeous deep purple base with chunky purple glitter. And last is Dorian Gray which is a rich deep sheen grey.
 I adore this palette! I only regret not sharing it earlier!

  Kat Von D's The Art Of Elysium palette Kimberly is sold out online, however, it is stocked in Sephora stores & its only $9!! So definitely pick one up & support the cause!

Love & Rad Purple Sparkles,
 Jess

Kat Von D Painted Love & Foiled Lipstick Set Review & Swatches

Hi Beauties,
 Here is another review of one of my Christmas gifts!
  I love these lipstick sets from Kat. This is the 2nd year she releases a set like this for the holidays. I love her lipsticks because they are matte & super long lasting. Note these are minis but since you really don't need to apply it often, they last! I have yet to finish any of my minis from last year.
 The shades in this one are both party & everyday colors. There is my favorite shade Adora which is a metallic candy apple red. I get stopped every time I wear this color. It looks like you've painted your lips with red foil. It's just gorgeous! The next shade is Celebutard. I laugh at that ;) It's a light pinkish beige. Next is Backstage Bambi, the barbie doll pink. Its a fun hot pink shade which will probably need to be replaced by a full size one in the spring! Next is Hellbent a gorgeous blood red. It's been around for a while but I'm not complaining about getting another! Vestalula is next in the line up. It's a medium brown with a slight hint of orange. And last but not least Whiskey Woman. This is a beautiful pinkish medium brown.
 I adore all the shades in this set. The only one I was not too crazy about was Celebutard as I thought it my be too light for me, but after trying it on I was hooked!

 These are still available at Sephora stores for $28. If you see them, pick them up. They are limited edition set & no longer available online. Oh & I forgot to mention they come encased in these matte tubes with silver metallic rose design. Really chic!

Love & Sparkles,
 J

Make Up For Ever Wild & Chic Palette Review & Photos

Hi Beauties,
 I got MUFE Wild & Chic for Christmas & I wanted to share with you!
 I love this palette! The color pay off is awesome! Every color in the palette is extremely wearable. There are not glittery shades in this palette but the shades are so beautiful, they don't need to be. They are more of a sheen of soft fine milled shimmer.
 It comes in a grey snake skin pattern case with a metal detail on top. When you flip it open, there is a mirror on one side &  6 eye shadows on the other. There is also a mini Aqua Eyes liner in black #0L. The shades are greens & browns. There is a deep smoky green, an olive green with soft, gold sheen, a matte chocolate brown, a pure bronze shimmer, and for the lighter shades, one is flesh tone & the other is a soft, lightest pink, almost white.
 I think its a great palette. The shades are really pretty & blend easily. They are very rich in pigment so just a light dabbing of the brush into the color will be enough. Below are photos the palette.

You can purchase this palette from Make Up For Ever online stores or at Sephora stores!

Peace & Sparkles,
 Jess

Change isn't always good!

Hi Beauties,
 The last two days have been very difficult. Finding out the entire Artistry Team from Bare Escentuals was terminated is so very sad! Not only did they eliminate the Artistry Team, they also "laid-off" people at head quarters.
 I knew when Shiseido bought out BE there would be changes & the BE that we knew would cease to exist. But what the giant should have done was study "WHY" BE was so successful! I would like to take a moment to tell the giant why they should have done their homework!!
 You know that song from Cheers? Here are the lyrics:

"Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name."

B E was a family! It was a brand built on love, support & friendship! Events were a way for ALL OF US to share time with each other & share the love with the company that brought us together! Do you think I need to spend $125 on a Master Class 4 times a year? Or travel to other states for National Artist Events?  Drive 362 miles to see Leslie? NO I didn't have to! BUT I wanted too because I knew that at the end of my long drive I would be with people that love me & that understood that having over 600 pots of eye shadow was OK! Because having a friend scream out your name from across the floor & hugging you like its the end of the world, was always worth the trip! Because they understood buying a 20 piece kit for just 1 new eyeshadow was ok! People that loved each other for everything we are & everything we are not! It's unconditional love founded on the grounds of love for BE!
 This love has been disrupted by the greed of the giant. My love for my friends will weather any storm! I am sorry I can't say my love for BE will weather this storm. Not to say I will never buy BE and I'm not hating on BE. Hating them will be the most ridiculous action! After all, they did bring me a group of wonderful friends & my severe addiction to makeup! But I can't support the company like I use to. I find I'm not as excited about things any more. Perhaps a bit jaded? They have changed! The makeup is not the same and it's tearing apart the basis of the line! BE is suppose to be natural, from the earth! And they have hurt my friends. My friends mean more to me than any corporate giant! They should have had more respect & appreciation for the people that make BE a success!
 
 So cheers to my friends Alex Pappas, Renee L Smith, Tiffany Kilgore, Allison Yap, Soledad Alberti, Rachel Dye Harper, Nada Antoun & Vicki Parotino. You've all in one way or another touched my life! I am sorry that others could not appreciate your hard work & dedication to this company. But know that you have all changed lives around the country! I love you all & wish you the very best life has to offer!

Love & Sparkles,
 Jess
PS Thank God they had enough sense to keep Bravon Pascua! God knows what that company would be without him!!!

Urban Decay Naked 2 Review & Swatches (picture heavy)

Hi Beauties!
 I was gifted so many goodies for Christmas & over the next couple of weeks I will be sharing them with you. Today is Naked 2!!
 I absolutely love this palette. I comes with some amazing shades including mattes, sheens & shimmers! Although Urban Decay describes this palette as Taupe & Greige (grey beige) I don't see it. It is however one of the prettiest palettes out now! I will go down the palette explaining each shade as best I can.
 Foxy is a soft matte flesh tone, Half Baked is a shimmery golden bronze, Bootycall is a softest pink sheen, Chopper is a medium bronze shimmer with diamond twinkles, Tease is a matte medium taupe cocoa, Snakebite is a dark chocolate sheen, Suspect is a milk chocolate sheen, Pistol is a grey metallic sheen, Verve is a soft metallic silver, YDK is a medium chocolate base with light brown shimmer & diamond twinkles, Busted is a deepest brown with pink sheen and Blackout is a pure matte black.
 The palette comes with a double ended brush which is super soft. There is a flat side & a fluffy side. The flat side is packed tighter so you get a bolder application. The fluffy side applies the color lighter & is great for blending in your crease. There is also a mini gloss called Naked. It's a gorgeous sheer pink.
 I adore this palette!! Can't believe so many gorgeous wearable shades all in one package! I recommend this palette for all ages! The colors are great for all skin tones. All are heavy pigmented shades so a little goes a long way.

Like the first one, this one is in extremely high demand! It is currently available at SEPHORA online and will be at Sephora Stores later this month. Or you can purchase it directly from URBAN DECAY however, it is not currently available on their site. Naked 2 is priced at $50! Not bad for 12 full size shades, 2 brushes & a mini gloss! Talk about a fantastical deal!!
 Definitely get this one!!

Love & Sparkles,
 J

Zoya Nail Polishes for free??

Hello Beauties!
 What a way to kick off the new year! ZOYA is giving you 2 FREE polishes to start off the year right! All you have to do is pay for the shipping! Shipping is $6.95. It's a $22.95 value for just $6.95!! Can't pass up on that!
 Zoya offers a beautiful array of shades from mattes to glitters & from creams to neons! What a way to start the year! Free polish for everyone!
 All you have to do is select 2 polishes, add them to your cart. click above where it says "View Cart" and enter promo code ZOYA2012

Zoya polishes are rich in pigment & long lasting! If you have yet to try them, this is the best time to do so!

Love & Astra Sparkles,
 Jess