Evil Shades: Diana's Bow Wicked Gloss

Hello ladies,

I want to present to you: Diana's Bow Wicked Gloss from Evil Shades. This gloss came to me from the creator Andrea at Black Nail Polish and Lip Gloss. I won a naming contest she held back in the winter. Diana's Bow was generously packaged with silver spheres and purple flowers for nail art, along with a sample eye shadow.

The blue sparkle reminded me of the Moon. Diana's Bow is another name for the first crescent. Pale pink is such a springy shade befitting a maiden. I also liked the play of the word bow with the Cupid's bow shape of the mouth.

The sheer pink with pale blue micro shimmer reminds me of the lacy pink and white rhodochrosite and the blue flash from rainbow moonstone .

Evil Shades Lip Glosses contain the following ingredients: Coconut oil, cocoa butter, mango butter, stevia, hydrogenated castor oil, glycine soybean lipids, lauryl laurate and candillia wax.

The gloss doesn't have a sticky texture on the lips. It has a slick feel like a fresh application of body butter. This is the perfect gloss for ladies who suffer from dry lips. The oils and butters in the components are so healing and moisturizing.

Diana's Bow is a subtle gloss. It provides a pretty enhancement for natural lip color. I appreciate the way it adds sparkle to my lips. The perfect choice if you want a sheen, it creates a nice balance with a smokey eye or a bold eye look.

I would recommend applying Wicked Gloss with a lip brush for precision. I am impressed with the longevity of this shade. The sheen of color and moisturizing properties last for many hours.

Diana's Bow has certainly made me curious about her other Wicked Glosses. I am interested in Sasha's Heart (deep brown toned purple with green sparkle) and Loxensis (pink toned coral with aqua sparkle). I really admire Andrea's creativity in blending color. Her choice of glitter is unique and delightful. Many thanks to Andrea for sending me Diana's Bow! I feel honored to have taken part in the naming process.

Diana's Bow was sent to me for consideration. Wicked Gloss can be purchased at evilshades.com for $3.00 per 3 gram jar.

Happy painting, ladies!

Apothecary: Reviva Labs Eye Makeup Remover Gel

Hello ladies,

I wanted to share my experience using Reviva Labs Eye Makeup Remover Gel. I love wearing eye makeup almost as much as I enjoy nail polish. I experiment with pigments, hand pressed shadows, mineral makeup, cosmetic glitter, liquid liner, colored mascara and more. My choice in eye makeup is often as bold and colorful as my manicures. I am pleased to have found Reviva Labs Eye Makeup Remover Gel to help take the color off when I am ready.

An iris after the rain.

Reviva Labs Eye Makeup Remover Gel is simple to use. I dampened my eye area with water, added a small amount of the gel to a cotton pad and easily wiped my makeup away. In most cases, I was able to use one pad for both eyes. The only variant was removing dark, navy eye shadow. I needed to go over both eyelids with an extra cotton pad and a fresh application of gel.

I have also been using the Eye Makeup Remover Gel to clean my skin between swatching shadows on the side of my hand. I was really impressed that I could go from dark to light shades without any trace or residue of color.

The gentle formula is useful for people with sensitive skin. There are soothing botanicals present to care for the skin during makeup removal. Cornflower, chamomile and eyebright are known for their healing properties, especially for the delicate area around the eyes.

Cornflower and eyebright have natural antioxidant properties. Chamomile has often been used to help with puffiness in the eye area. I am continually impressed with Reviva Lab's well researched use of plant extracts. The choices are always specific to nature of the product.

I am happy to have found a quality, natural product for eye makeup removal that is both effective and non-irritating. It's perfect for the woman who loves color and has sensitive eyes. I can recommend Reviva Lab's Eye Makeup Remover Gel wholeheartedly.

This product was sent to me for review. Reviva Labs Eye Makeup Remover Gel is available for purchase at revivalabs.com. A 2oz. bottle sells for $5.00. For a chance to win a full size bottle in a Spring Beauty gift pack, please visit the contest post. There is one day left to enter!

Happy painting, ladies!

Apothecary: Reviva Labs Makeup Primer

Hello ladies,

Today I want to share information about Reviva Labs Makeup Primer, a new go to product in my cosmetic apothecary. This product is beloved by me and also approved by a drag queen.

Snapdragons! A lovely flower with a fabulous name.

I have been using the Reviva Labs Makeup Primer for a few weeks. While at work on Thursday, my boss called me out to talk to a customer and friend of his. Aside from running the store, he is also a professional makeup artist. He does stunning theatrical make up and hair for drag shows.

The woman he was speaking with needed a quality makeup primer. Her smoky eye look was clearly not withstanding the hot weather. After examining my eye makeup closely and complimenting me on the colors, she asked me when I applied my shadows. I told her 10 a.m. It was 3.30 p.m. at the time. She was so impressed she planned to stop by the health food store before work that evening. I will tell you ladies, if a fashionable gay man uses you as example of what to do, you are doing something right.

I have been testing Reviva Labs Makeup Primer under some pretty strong conditions. Aside from heat and humidity, the first day I wore the primer was exceedingly windy! I tried to have lunch in the park before taking pictures, but my couscous kept blowing off my fork. I was outside in the garden for about an hour attempting to capture flowers in frame between gusts of wind. Afterwards, my hair was wild and my clothing askew, but my makeup looked freshly applied.

My main use of Reviva Labs Makeup Primer is for help with eye shadow adhesion. I have been using the primer on my entire eye area, even under the lower lash line. I had no problems with sensitivity or irritation. The gel formula is odorless and has a satiny texture when applied. I was really impressed by how it helped my shadows look brighter and intensified the color payoff. I'll be showing some makeup swatches and eye looks using the primer as a base over the next few days.

While I don't wear much foundation, I do use concealer to spot cover. I found applying the makeup primer in localized areas before using concealer helped keep my complexion looking fresh hours longer than concealer alone. The formula is non-comedogenic so there is no worry about causing blemishes or exacerbating any skin issues you are needing help covering.

The formula contains Vitamin A Palmitate and Vitamin D3 so you can nourish your skin while having all the benefits of a good primer. Coenzyme Q10 is also included for antioxidant properties.

I am curious. Do you ladies use makeup primer for your eyes and face? It's something I started only this year. It's a practice that is so effective I wish I could go back in time and advise my teenage self to use primer. If time travel is perfected in my lifetime, I am stashing a bottle of makeup primer in my carryall.

This product was sent to me for review. Reviva Labs Makeup Primer can be purchased from revivalabs.com. It's also available from overallbeauty.com. For a chance to win a bottle of Reviva Labs Makeup Primer stop by the contest post to enter.

Happy painting, ladies!

Hard Candy Eye Look

Hello ladies,

I thought I would share a simple eye look created with Hard Candy cosmetics. This is typical of how I make up my eyes every day.

My lashes are tipped in pink!

I love the sheen in this photo. The camera is maximizing the depth of the contour. There is more color blending happening in real life.

Kal-eye-descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo in rock n roll.

The baked duo has an amazing amount of sparkle.

Walk the Line liquid eyeliner in sugar plum.

Lash Call Lengthening Mascara in punk.

I had to take a diffuse light photo to display the brush shape. The pink is indeed as bright as shown in the full product picture. In full sun, all you could see was pink! Fascinating.

These purple flowers were my inspiration.

I began with Hard Candy's primer that comes packaged as a mini with the In the Shadows palette. I was pleased with how it helped my eye shadow adhere and stay in place. I wish they sold this product full size.

The Kal-eye-descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo is incredible. It offers a similar intensity to MAC pigments, but with easier application. You can also use less for a more subtle look. There is so much sparkle and pigmentation that two shadow colors can be blended for a noticeable effect. I felt like the result looked more like several combined shades than a mere pairing. I'm interested in experimenting with more shades from this line and combining colors from various baked duos for greater depth and intensity.

Walk the Line liquid eyeliner is so easy to work with. I was able to go over the line with the brush without making it seem choppy. If you are a novice with liquid liner, check out Walk the Line. It's very user friendly.

Although I wish I had used a little more mascara, I am pleased with the color payoff. I'm really interested in trying the green (Limelight) and the blue (Peacock). Colored mascara makes me so nostalgic. I used to wear blue and purple mascara when I was in my early teens. Have any of you ladies tried mascara in fashion colors?

There was lovely sun and a fair amount of wind today playing a bit with my eyebrows and lashes. I could have used some brow gel, but then, what fun would the wind have had?

What do you think of my eyes today?

The products featured in this post were sent to me for review. You can learn more about the Hard Candy range of cosmetics at hardcandy.com. To purchase, visit a Walmart retail location or shop on-line at walmart.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Hard Candy Plumping Serum Volumizing Lip Gloss

Hello ladies,

I recently had the opportunity to try Hard Candy's Plumping Serum Volumizing Lip Gloss. I am wearing a pale, shimmering pink called Girl Next Door. The color is a pretty basic for everyday wear. It offers an enhancement to a natural look. The micro shimmer reflects in the sun and creates a subtle glow.

Girl Next Door is the perfect choice if you want a touch of make up, but not too much. It would be suitable to wear on a walk, to the grocery store or to yoga class.

This shade would also pair well with a smoky eye look. The soft pink would create balance without distracting from darker, bold eye make up. Girl Next Door could easily go from day to evening. I love the versatility of this color.

There is lovely shimmer along the length of the wand leading to the doe foot applicator.

Hard Candy Plumping Serum has a sugary vanilla flavor. There is a light taste, but it's not so strong as to be distracting. When I first apply the gloss, it hums a bit on my lips. There is some sensation, but the formula doesn't sting. It has the same feeling as letting a ricola cough drop dissolve in your mouth. It's noticeable, but not unpleasant.

The formula makes my lips feel moist, but not sticky. The wear time is similar to other glosses I own. I feel like I want a touch up after a few hours.

I'm really curious to try some of the other colors in the line. There are five additional shades: The It Girl (clear), Material Girl (red), All American Girl (nude beige), Girly Girl (pale pink) and Uptown Girl (peach). All of these glosses provide sheer coverage. I think these would be nice for layering as well.

I feel like my lips appear fuller with the gloss than bare. Do they look plump to you? Have you ladies tried any lip plumping products?

Violets in the sun.

Girl Next Door Plumping Serum was sent to me for review. You can find more information about Hard Candy cosmetics and nail products at hardcandy.com. The Hard Candy line can be found at Walmart retail locations and on-line at walmart.com. If you would like a chance to win all 16 polishes from the Hard Candy Just Nails line, stop by the contest post and enter.

Happy painting, ladies!

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer

Hello ladies,

Today I am exploring the painted lady side of painted Lady fingers. I tried Hard Candy's So Baked Bronzer in Tiki and I am really delighted with the golden sparkle it adds to my complexion.

Tiki applied easily with a blush brush. I swiped the color twice at my cheekbones and added a light touch to my forehead and chin. Depending on how much I applied, I could use this product to give a gentle contour to my cheek area or add a warm highlight to higher points on the face. I loved the versatility of So Baked Bronzer. It can also give a little extra glow to the decollete.

The photos above show Tiki before use.

The first line is Tiki applied using a blush brush. The second line is Tiki applied wet using a sponge tipped applicator. The above photo best shows the shimmer and the picture beneath gives an alternate view of the color.

This is a close up of Tiki after swatching.

I passed by this pink and yellow flowering tree and wanted to share it's beauty with you.

For those ladies wondering how So Baked Bronzer compares to MAC Mineral Skin Finish (MSF), I can say the products are different enough to warrant owning both. So Baked Bronzer is less pigmented than an MSF, but the color is buildable. I prefer the So Baked Bronzer for my fair skin. I have to be very careful when applying an MSF not to use too much color. My skin can end up looking simultaneously glowing and dirty. So Baked Bronzer offers almost mistake proof application. You would have to purposely go over an area a few times with a brush before the color looked bold and bronze. It gives a light dusting of color and a touch of sparkle.

I could imagine So Baked Bronzer in Tiki working equally well for different skin tones. The shimmer is soft enough that it could highlight medium tone skins and work as a bronzer for fair skin. Tiki is the lightest shade offered. There are three other colors available in the line: Tropics, Hula Hula, and Heatwave. The online price point is $9.00. It's a great warm weather make up accessory.

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer was sent to me for review. To learn more about Hard Candy cosmetics, stop by hardcandy.com. This bronzer can be purchased at Walmart retail locations or online at walmart.com. For a chance to win all 16 polishes in the Hard Candy Just Nails line, stop by the contest post to enter.

Happy painting, ladies!

Make Up For Ever Lift Concealer

Hello ladies,

I wanted to share a report of my new favorite under eye concealer by Make Up For Ever. It's called Lift Concealer.

I purchased shade #1, pink beige. The color matched my neutral, fair complexion. Though I would have preferred a shade slightly lighter for concealing under eye circles, I have to compliment the natural finish of the formula. The color range is numbered one through five: pink beige, dark beige, neutral beige, golden beige, and brown.

The consistency is slightly thicker than foundation. Lift Concealer applies easily by dabbing under the eye and blending with fingertips. A concealer brush really isn't necessary with this product. I stash it in my purse and apply a touch up once during the day.

The most amazing thing about Lift Concealer is it doesn't settle into fine lines around the eyes. My skin type is dry and I regularly use moisturizer with sunscreen every morning before applying makeup. I was impressed that my moisturizer didn't cause the product to migrate. I didn't apply a primer before applying Lift Concealer nor did I set the product with foundation or powder. A drop of concealer smoothed under each eye stayed crease resistant all day.

Lift Concealer is perfect for the woman who needs a quality under eye concealer, but doesn't want to bother with applying a base of make up to the entire face. A drop can be used on other areas of the face as a midday touch up. This product won't replace a standard concealer meant to fully cover redness or hide blemishes. It will help to even out skin tone. For mature skin, it can be blended with foundation and used around the mouth, where it's crease resistant formula can also be appreciated.

The formula contains Vitamins A and E for improvement of skin elasticity. The ingredient tensine, derived from wheat, creates a skin smoothing film that minimizes the appearance of fine lines. Apricot kernel oil is a light natural moisturizer. Mallow extract contains additional emollient properties.

Lift concealer is the antidote to occasional insomnia. It won't replace hours of lost sleep, but it will make your eye area appear more refreshed. That alone guarantees this product a permanent place in my cosmetic bag.

Make Up For Ever Lift Concealer is available at sephora.com for $22.

The occasional make up review will appear when I am trying out a new product or I have something wonderful to share. There will be more of my nails tomorrow. Happy painting, ladies!