Commenting Issues

A few people have emailed me saying they were having trouble commenting. I *think* I may have fixed it, I'm not sure as I've never had an issue myself. I was trying to get a new commenting system (Disqus) to work but was having too many issues.

If you have a second and you've had issues commenting in the past, could you please attempt to leave me one just to see if there's any difference? I don't know if it's these few odd cases or if it's something that happens a lot. It's GREATLY appreciated as comments mean a lot to me!

I also made this poll so you can help me get an idea of what's going on or you can always email me with any concerns or questions at jen@echoside.net

Thanks guys :)

Beauty Product Haul

This was a beauty produt haul I did somewhat recently partly because there were some things I actually needed (well, define need...) and then I threw in some other stuff for fun.

I've already reviewed/swatched the Japonesque Travel Brush Set, the Cargo eyeshadow in Parakeet, Urban Decay lipgloss in Peroxide, Nars eyeliner in Parrot Cay and Nars eyeshadow in Tropic.

My necessities included: Lip balm (2), cuticle cream, eyelash curler, eye makeup remover, eyelash glue and brush cleaner. The rest was for fun. If you have any questions about what any of this is or anything else, please leave it in the comments! I didn't want to dig everything out that I needed to check the names on but I will be reviewing and or swatching all of it eventually.

17 Solo Eyeshadows in "Shocking Pink" and "Seagreen Splash"

When I bought my sleek pallet from Lily, she threw in a couple of eyeshadows by 17. This isn't a brand I'm familiar with but these shadows are nicely pigmented.

She sent over "Shocking Pink" and "Seagreen Splash."

Giveaway Win: Funtasma Boots

Recently I won a giveaway over at the wonderful Stavroula's blog. It was a CSN gift certificate that I won and prior to winning, I'd never heard of CSN but they have a pretty wide variety of different things... Lots of stuff for your home but they also have shoes, handbags and luggage. I picked out a really cute pair of shoes by Funtasma. They are black boots that go past the ankle but below the knee and they don't have a huge heel because I'm a klutz.

I wore them for the first time yesterday and they are not good shoes for the ice haha (I had to hold onto my boyfriend as we left the house) but they are oh-so-cute! I love them.

Thank you, Stavroula for having the giveaway!

No More Rack (Deals!)

I just ran across this website called No More Rack (which I keep reading as No More Crack) (at Gabrielle's blog)  which is a bit like Haute Look or Gilt but with a wider variety of items... 8 brand new (very nice) deals at noon (EST) everyday.

Today's items range from an bracelets to grooming tools to an electric cheese grater. Definitely worth a quick peek during your lunch break or something.

They had some cute bags today that have already sold out so I'm guessing some items sell out pretty quick so if you do decide to join, I'd check it as close to noon as possible.

Shipping is $2/item which is pretty reasonable, depending on what you're buying.

Soo if you'd like to join, it'd be super cool if you could use my invite AND you get a $10 gift card/credit just for signing up.

China Glaze "Cowardly Lyin'" Nail Lacquer

This is a China Glaze I've had for awhile that I hadn't used. I like that it's a gold with gold glitter... Very pretty in a subtle way. Probably best for layering... I used 3 coats.

Make Up Forever Lab Shine M12

Since they debuted, I've been wanting to try a MUFE Lab Shine gloss. & When I finally swatched it and tried it on, it did NOT disappoint!

The applicator is a brush which makes for precise application.

Japonesque Beautiful Eyes Touch Up Tube Set

This is a little travel set of Japonesque brushes. It comes with four brushes and a tube to hold them. There are two shader eye brushes and two lining brushes. 

Today's Makeup: 1/26/11

Today's Makeup

Face

Hourglass Solar Tan Primer

Boi-ing Concealer

MUFE HD Foundation

MAC Studo Fix+ Foundation

Eyes

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

MAC "Dangerous Cuvee" Paint Pot

Rock & Republic "Ambition" Eyeshadow

Rock & Republic "Asphalt" Eyeshadow

MAC "Ricepaper" Eyeshadow

MAC "Blacktrack" Fluidline

Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara

Lips

MAC "Love Peck" Kissable Lip Color

Cargo "Parakeet" Eyeshadow

I haven't bought any Cargo makeup before and I decided a single eyeshadow would be a good way to easily test the waters.

If Cargo is known for any product in particular, I'm out of the loop because I don't know what that would be but I was happy with the color payoff and smoothness of this shadow...

Amazon.com says (about the organic/PlantLove details:

A high performance and incredibly soft micronized eye shadow that is infused with both natural and organic ingredients and is housed in... biodegradable packaging. ... [It is certified organic which] guarantees the geuine practice of environmental respect through the formulation...

Revlon "Strawberry Electric" Nail Polish

I can't wait until I run out of Revlon polishes to try (I foolishly bought them back in the day, so unknowingly) because I've said it before and I'll say it again: I hate them. I open each bottle and start to paint with hope in my heart that is dissolved usually during the drying period. Which--with Revlon polishes--I guess needs to be a good three hours or so.

My mom and I were joking about that. I said "how long do I have to wait for a freaking polish to dry?"

"You know you're supposed to sit down and not move for a good three hours, right?"

It just takes so long for these to dry and set and stay put. GRANTED, I tend to want to start using my nails immediately after painting and I don't have a ton of patience for polish drying but still... I painted my nails with this and a solid couple hours had gone by and I managed to mess them up itching my arm or something like that. I had to repaint my one hand today to take pictures and I definitely have no patience for that.

Why not just stop using them, you ask? Good question but my OCD (that I don't really have) won't let me let unused bottles of polish pass through my hands. So I continue to give Revlon chance after chance. Plus... I DO  like their color range.

MAC Lightfully Bright Now Available Online!

MAC Lightfully Bright items are now available at MacCosmetics.com. Since they aren't showing up in the "What's New" section, you need to search for any items you may be interested in individually in the search box at the bottom of the left side of the page. Searching for "lightful" will bring up the available skin care products.

Ethereal, Outer Space, Atmospheric, Astro

Lipglasses are $14.50.

Skincare ranges from $24-40.

I'm planning to get the "Ethereal" and "Atmospheric" lipglasses--what do you have on your wish list? Anything?

Johnson & Johnson Purpose Moisturizer

I wanted to review Johnson & Johnson's Purpose Moisturizer because it's an inexpensive drugstore find that is dermatologist recommended (I've been recommended this one twice, actually) and works well.

That being said, this moisturizer is not for me. It boasts right on the bottle how it is hypoallergenic, fragrance free and won't clog pores--all good things and all true--but I have really oily skin and this isn't the best on the market for oily skin.

To be honest, I really only noticed that it was promoting my oiliness when I switched moisturizers (from this one to Philosophy's Hope in a Jar). I noticed that when my makeup was done, without Purpose on my face, I was needing less touch-ups.

If you have normal to slightly dry skin I think this would work great for you but if you have trouble keeping the oilies at bay, this may work against you.

It comes in the pump bottle pictured here which locks so you could safely throw it in an overnight bag or something.

This stuff retails for around $8 to $9 (although that sounds higher than what I paid so you may end up shelling out less money) and is available at any drug store or online drug store and Amazon. If you have normal skin and are on a budget, this is definitely worth at least a try. I plan on using the remainder of my bottle as a hand lotion because I like how hydrated it makes my dry hands feel. It leaves them soft without any hint of oiliness.

Rating: 2.5/5 for me

Rock & Republic on Hautelook

Rock & Republic is on Hautelook until Wednesday. If you haven't signed up yet, you can use my invite!

Eyeshadows marked down from 32.00 to $11.20

(tons of colors available!!)

Lipgloss marked down from 28.00 to $11.20

Other lipglosses originally 35.00 marked down to $18

Blushes for $16!

Over 50% savings on brushes!

There are a few other things on sale too. Remember it ends this Wednesday, 1/26. I'm on a no buy but I did allow myself a couple of brushes... Go buy things... Because I can't! (And let me know if you get anything!)

Butter London "Perfect Prezzie" Nail Lacquer

I don't think "Perfect Prezzie" is my perfect Butter London polish but it's pretty nice... If you look at the bottle, it looks nicer in there than it does on the nail:

Benefit "Label Lover" Lipstick

This is a lipstick that you can no longer find on Benefit's site but I love it so much I wanted to share it. I got it from a recent swap and I kind of just did it so I could get rid of a shadow I'd been wanting to swap for ages... But I ended up really, really liking the shade!

Bad Bitch Cosmetics Loose Shadows in "B. Kiddo," "Trina" and "Barracuda"

I recently purchased three loose shadows from Bad Bitch Cosmetics which is an Etsy shop. They are $4.50 each and there are a lot of really pretty, vibrant colors available.

Sleek Acid Pallet

I've wanted the Sleek Acid Pallet for awhile now and recently bought it from Lily's blog sale at Beauty's Bad Habit.

Barry M Haul

I made a Barry M purchase at the end of December and it took me a long time to get the stuff (as it was coming from the U.K.)--around three weeks total--and customer service was awful! I emailed twice to just ask the status of my order because I was getting a little worried but I didn't get any response at all. This was a little disheartening because I have been a fan of Barry M through the internet based on swatches I'd seen. I said on Twitter that I'd never order from them again and while I'm not sure that's entirely true, it was really off-putting.

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss in "Peroxide"

Surprisingly enough I don't own any light pink glosses so I picked up this Urban Decay Lip Junkie gloss to try out. I should probably say that I don't love lipgloss--there are a few exceptions but for the most part I just prefer a cheaper lip balm over most glosses. I go big or I go home (haha) and gloss doesn't usually deliver enough pigment for me.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Nail Polish in "Catherine" and "Catherine H."

I ordered my first Rescue Beauty Lounge polishes recently. I chose "Catherine" and "Catherine H."

Think Yourself to Orgasm

I studied brains so I'm always interested when I come across a little something about our psychology or our neurology. I ran across this article today and thought I'd share it with you. Pretty interesting pop-psychology.

Article by Melinda Dodd, from MORE Magazine.

Imagine Meg Ryan in the famous deli scene in When Harry Met Sally--only she's not faking it. Certain women can reach orgasm without being touched, and now a few sex researchers have learned how to teach this skill to other women, says Rutgers University neurobehaviorist Barry Komisaruk, PhD, who has been studying the phenomenon for nearly 20 years. Komisaruk's original, 1992 study in Archives of Sexual Behavior found that when women "think themselves off"--usually through a mix of imagery, relaxation and breath work--their bodies respond the same way they do to being touched: Hearts race, pupils dilate and blood pressure soars. A few years later, he used funtional MRI scanners to do tests that revealed why. "Imagining that you're stimulating body parts activates some of the same pleasrue centers of the brain as actually touching them," says Komisaruk. Notes Cambridge, Massachusetts, sex therapist Gina Ogden, PhD: "This research says to women that there's more than one route to orgasm."

Although the latest training techniques vary, most women can learn to think themselves off within 25 minutes, says Fernando Bianco, PhD, MD, a professor in medical sexology at the Psychiatric, Psychological and Sexological Research Institute in Cararcas, Venezuela. Two of his suggestions: Put on an eye mask (to increase your ability to concentrate) and focus less on the details of your fantasy and more on how your body feels. For more touch-free tips, check out the books Women Who Love Sex: Ordinary Women Describe Their Paths to Pleasure, Intimacy, and Ecstasy by Ogden and Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century by sex educator Barbara Carrellas, who also has a website (urbantantra.org)

Five by Five Link Love: Volume 1

So, I read a lot of blogs. Lately I've been keeping a folder of blog posts that I've come across that I really loved. I decided I would post said posts when I reached ten. Hopefully this will help you guys find new blogs or just enjoy great posts and I can keep doing this every so often when I have ten new posts to show you. 

Diana of Painted Lady Fingers compiled a list of her favorite manicures which is a list of over thirty amazing designs--I have so many favorites it's hard to pick just one but I think her White Peacock mani is really something special! Go pick your favorite!

Emerald Sparkled is one of my very, very favorite (if not my favorite) nail blogs. Here Deniz does an adorable manicure that she calls "Turning Gold." It's cute with a nice touch of sophistication.

The Swatchaholic puts a lovely spin on the leopard nail look with China Glazes' "Hi-Tek" over MAC's "Soiree." It's subtle and beautifully done.

Spooky Nails combines a very cool mix of colors for her interesting "Sea Treasure" manicure.

Padmita shows off her amazingly beautiful and artistic Velvet Blue eye. It's a great icy, wintry look!

Another manicure by Deniz that I adored called "Sweet Box" is a sugary sweet pastel look. Her manicures are always so immaculate and perfectly done that it's hard not to find a ton of favorites.

The next link here is a little different as it's not makeup or a manicure or even technically fashion. Purse Blog listed a few works by photographer Fulvio Bonavia. This exhibit of photos combines some of my favorite things: great photography, purses and food. Definitely worth a look!

Nails by Bellan offers up a different leopard print mani--this one is colorful and oh so cute!

I love what Leanne of Do Not Refreeze did with Illamasqua's newer polishes "Load" and "Scorn." It looks as if her nails were all dressed up for a night out!

A second great post with Illamasqua's new Throb collection is from Makeup Your Jangasara where she recreates the Throb promo look and does such an amazing job I was floored. I wish I had sills like that! Her beautiful green eyes complete the look in a gorgeous way.

Rock & Republic Eyeshadows in "Asphalt," "Femme," "Jaded" and "Ambition"

I ordered four Rock & Republic eyeshadows during their 50% off eyeshadow sale. I was dying to see what they were like.

I chose "Asphalt," a matte black; "Femme," a soft matte pinky peach; "Jaded," a softly shimmering green color and "Ambition," a shimmering white gold.

They are really nice shadows--soft to the touch in the pots and they go on verrry smoothly. They come in the sturdy, stylish Rock & Republic styled compacts each with a mirror. Probably an unnecessary mirror but it adds a nice touch.

Do you have any Rock & Republic shadows? Or did you take advantage of the sale?

MAC "Military" Nail Lacquer & CoverGirl "Disco Dazzle" Topcoat

This is MAC's "Military" from the Alice + Oliva collection. It has a sparkly matte finish and it really is a nice looking polish but... Well, don't expect it to last. Toward the end of this post, I show you how my nails looked after less than a day.

Etsy Bluebird Wristlet

When I happened to catch this adorable little wristlet on someone's blog (please let me know if it was yours!) I had to scoop it up immediately. This was my first ever Etsy purchase! The store that I bought it from is called Requited Love and she has other cute wristlets, clutches and little zippered bags. Definitely worth a look. I plan to use this as a makeup bag!

Hello Kitty 5-Piece Brush Set

This was a bit of an impulse buy. I got a little Hello Kitty happy with the new HK items at Sephora. Plus I'm a little bit of a brush addict these days.

Benefit "Coralista" Blush

Coralista is an oldie but a goodie (yeah, I just said that) and I got it as part of my V.I.B. gift from Sephora about a month ago. I finally got around to playing with it the other day and it's just as pretty as everyone says!

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara

I've done two other mascara posts recently and this is more mascara than I usually buy but I kept finding ones I wanted to try for one reason or another... This one, Grow Luscious by Revlon, was reviewed on a different blog (I wish I had the link, but I can't remember) and I really liked the results. I don't feel that I had *quite* the same success with it but I was pleased with this drugstore find.

Milani "High-Res" Holographic Nail Lacquer

Words can't really describe how much I love this polish! It's so gorgeous and it goes on so smoothly and beautifully. I got this gorgeousness in three coats. With the first coat you're kind of thinking "ehh" but when you layer it up it becomes one of the most beautiful things ever! Well, that's a little extreme but it's so neat to look at, don't you think? This was my first dip into the world of holographic polishes and I am not disappointed!

Nars "Parrot Cay" Eyeliner

I recently purchased a Nars eyeliner pencil in "Parrot Cay" and wanted to go ahead and swatch it for you. It's a very cool, minty green.

Freshcover "Cupid" Nail Enamel

This polish is obviously best for layering but I like to take these kinds and see what they can do on their own anyway before I start trying them with other polishes.

Orly "Fifty Four" and "Oh Cabana Boy" Nail Lacquers

These two pinks are from the Orly Hot Stuff collection. I did two coats of "Oh Cabana Boy" and either two or three coats of "Fifty Four" but either way it doesn't matter because it is SO SUBTLE that you can barely see it. I will say that in bright light it gives "Oh Cabana Boy" the tiniest bit of oomph but mostly I felt it was pretty pointless. The camera didn't really pick it up in any of the shots. It's too bad because it looks really pretty in the bottle!

I only have a shot with flash today but it's an accurate depiction of this BRIGHT pink shade.

Availability: Amazon

Price: $4.50

New Tulu Belle Shoulder Bag

Wanted to share another recent bag purchase with you guys! It's a shoulder bag by Tulu. I love it! It's so soft! My only complaint is that the strap is a tiny bit long but I'm over it!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips vs. Art Club Glam Instant Nails

Let me preface this post by saying that I usually screw up anything remotely crafty. Especially if there is stickers or glue involved. I wanted to try the Sally Hansen Nail Strips though and my sister bought them for me right after I'd also bought some Art Club Instant Nails (which I could only find on that Canadian site at the moment).

Sally Hansen Nail Effects

I tried Sally Hansen first. It took me 45 minutes to do all of my nails and they came out looking OK if you didn't look at them too closely.

Blog Awards

Recently I've gotten a couple of blog awards!

The first being the Versatile Blogger Award.


Here are the rules concerning this award:

1. Thank and link back to who gave you the award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Answer 10 questions
4. Pass it along to 7 beauty blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy
5. Leave your recipient a note telling them about the award


A big thank you to Matryoshkadoll for the Versatile blogger award!


7 Things About Me:
1. I am insanely lazy. Like, you might not believe it.
2. I am currently unemployed and not really looking for work until I figure out exactly where I want to go from here. Luckily I'm able to live with my parents while I do that.
3. I studied Latin in college but I really need to brush up on my vocabulary.
4. I have three rats named Lulu, Una and GFK.
5. I paint my nails on a daily basis, once it's been on my nails for about 24 hours, I start to get twitchy.
6. I drink at least five cups of coffee/day.
7. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan now and forever.