Review: Medusa's Make-up

Autumn is officially here (although it is more like winter for some) and I have been turning to warmer, nude shades in my makeup case.  But let's face it, we all have our basic browns and so I am always on the lookout for "new nudes" - the warmth and simplicity you love from nude shades, but in updated colors.  Luckily, I just so happened to purchase some "new nudes" from Medusa's Make-up.

Medusa's Make-up has a romantic history.  A husband and wife team opened a boutique back in the 90's and created signature cosmetics for their shop.  In 2005, the duo launched their full makeup line.  Their products are all cruelty-free and many options are vegan, and they offer a little bit of everything: glitter, lipstick, skincare, etc. 

I was initially drawn to the Safari Eyeshadow set: 12 pressed shadows in coordinating shades for just $35.  I also ordered a lipstick at $12, and a vegan eye makeup remover, 4 ounces for $8.  First up, the eyes.

The above swatches are done on bare skin without primer or lotion underneath.  The colors from top to bottom:  Jungle Fever, Black Gold, Tarzan, Desert Rose, Headhunter, Maneater, Liger, Xtinct, Venom, Voodoo.  (Note: I am actually giving two of the shades, Amulet and Midnight Oil, as gifts so they are not pictured.)

The Pros:

These shades range from bright blue and green to rust, pink and brown.  As you can see from the swatches, however, all of the colors work beautifully together and they would be positively ideal on any skin tone.  I was amazed at how wearable these colors are.  All of the colors have a sheen to them but, again, very subtle.  I adore the sparkle without the glitter.  These are surely going to take the place of your daily colors.  The consistency is like butter and, though somewhat powdery, they are very easy to blend for subtle smokey eye looks.

The Cons:

Of all of the eyeshadows I have reviewed, Medusa's are the least pigmented.  You're going to end up with a soft wash of color versus extremely bright, solid colors.  The above look was done using an eyeshadow primer and a sponge applicator.  Sadly, all of Medusa's Make-up's eyeshadows contain talc, a filler I am not too keen on, and beeswax, so they are not vegan friendly - No worries, however, there's no animal testing!

  
Medusa's Make-up currently offers 8 shades of lipstick, all of which are vegan.  The above shade is Baroque, perhaps best described as a pale sangria shade: a mix of magenta and burgundy.  It is pictured in the look above and below. 

The Pros:

With a semi-matte finish, this smooth wearing lipstick feels more like a balm when applied.  It is fragrance-free and long wearing.  I wore this out to dinner and only needed a single touch up despite eating and drinking!  It also has a nice base color about it that just so happened to whiten my smile.  I really like the packaging, it's sleek but unique and just a touch vintage.  In addition, Medusa's has also added lip gloss to their lineup although I have not yet had the pleasure of trying it out. 

The Cons:

Again I find myself disappointed when inexpensive fillers find their way into otherwise awesome cosmetics - in this case, mineral oil.  Mineral oil is not a deal breaker, but it is worth noting.  

Afterthoughts:

I advise you to join Medusa Make-up on its various social media channels, as they announce sales and the like there.  You can also keep updated on new product releases and see photo swatches.

I rarely comment on the websites themselves as I'm far from a graphic designer; however, I find Medusa's website terribly confusing and difficult to navigate. For example, if you visit the "eyeshadow" page, you will find the Safari set priced at $59; however, if you visit the "deals" page, it's $35.  There are absolutely no swatches to be found either so you will be guessing, at best, on the way the colors really look when applied.  One bonus is that Medusa's offers free shipping with orders of $25 or more.  You can also give an e-gift certificate in any amount you choose so gifting is ridiculously easy. 

Review: LunatiCK Cosmetic Labs

Hopefully you all are in a spooktacular mood, because I am pleased to bring you this review on the most Halloween-centric cosmetics brand I've had the pleasure of discovering.  LunatiCK Cosmetic Labs specializes in vegan, cruelty-free and talc-free cosmetics from basic nudes to black light reactive neons.  They pride themselves on offering special effects makeup as well as makeup for your everyday wear.  I was thrilled by their packaging (if you couldn't tell by now, I'm a sucker for unique cosmetics and clever packaging) and color combinations.

Just look at that palette!  It's a beauty.  This is the Oracle palette.  The colors, from left to right:  Intuition, Spirit, Premonition, HooDoo, Summon.  Intuition and Spirit are metallic finishes - no glitter, but lots of sheen.  Premonition is a great highlighter or blending shade and, while it has some sheen to it, is perhaps best described as semi-matte.  Hoodoo and Summon are chock full of iridescent, super-fine milled glitter for the sparkle lover in all of us.  

I have swatched these colors over LunatiCK Lab's primer, which is pure white and slightly tacky to the touch.  It can be used as a pure white base plus primer, or spread on more sparingly to be a primer alone.  Colors, from left to right:  Summon, HooDoo, Premonition, Spirit, Intuition.  

I did this look using the Oracle palette and the brand's ApocalipSLICK in Coven Cream ($9).  They are buttery lip creams that fall somewhere between a lipstick and a lip gloss with a mostly matte finish.  They also smell like watermelon Bubble Yum! 

The Pros:

These eye shadows are extremely smooth and heavily pigmented.  LunatiCK Labs has taken all of the brilliant pigment power of a loose shadow and pressed it into convenient palette form.  Each individual eye shadow cake comes with a presser - a little plastic piece that you can use to press the shadows down with if they happen to become too loose/powdery.  I have yet to have any major fallout from these pressed shadows, but who knows.  I have saved the best for last:  LunatiCK Labs offers CUSTOMIZED palettes!  That's right, you can choose from their many eye shadow colors to create a palette with whatever shades you desire!  Custom palettes are the same price as their regular palettes ($35) but, to my understanding, the custom palettes do not come with the pressers.  Because all of their cosmetics are cruelty-free AND vegan, you don't have to scope out every color to find vegan options.  This brand is absolutely ideal for those who don't compromise: cruelty-free, vegan, and no fillers like talc.  

The Cons:

LunatiCK Labs does not seem to run as many sales as do other indie makeup companies.  While prices are reasonable and competitive, you may choose to stock up while there's an applicable discount.  There does not seem to be any fragrance in the eye shadows, but there is in the ApocalipSLICKS.  It is a very noticeable scent; while not unpleasant to me, personally, those with allergies may be irritated by it.  

Overall, I am very impressed with LunatiCK Cosmetic Lab's product line and look forward to purchasing more.  Happy Halloween, beauties!

Review: Beauty Bar Baby

No parabens, sulfates, talc, preservatives, fragrances, dyes or fillers.  Almost 400 items to choose from.  Various sizes and prices on products with 5 gram shadow pots as low as $3... I could go on and on and all of these rave reviews are about one shop offering cruelty-free and vegan makeup: Beauty Bar Baby.  I was in awe over the variety and, of course, purchased plenty for sampling.  I've split the review into two parts, eyes and lips.  I have so many lovely photos to share, let's get to it!

The Eyes:

BBB offers an overwhelming range of shades and formulas from duo chromes to glitters to matte finish eye shadows. Below are some swatches for your viewing pleasure:

From left to right, $3 each for 5 gram pots: 'Lectric Pink (glitter) over Sephora's glitter primer, Enchantress (matte) on bare skin, Santa's Suit (duo chrome) on bare skin, and That's Really Bananas! (duo chrome) on bare skin. 

The glitter, like other formulas, does not adhere to skin without some type of primer or adhesive.  Beauty Bar Baby's is a bit different, however.  It appears to be a glitter/pigment hybrid so you're getting an extra bump in color with the glitz of your traditional glitter. 

The above is an eye look utilizing the 'Lectric Pink glitter.  It is far more sparkly in person; it's tough to capture glitter in a photograph.

Enchantress is a lovely, gray based lilac.  Santa's Suit is my favorite of the bunch, a red/gold/green shift with more sparkle then most duo chromes I've come across in the market.  That's Really Banana's is a true yellow to iridescent shift that is surprisingly wearable.  I used it in the look below:

The Lips:

Under the luscious lips category, BBB offers more formulas than colors, and that's just fine by me.  I had to have a lip balm in Pumpkin Spice ($2.75); it's smooth and silky and the fragrance is the finest I have come across in handmade lip balms.  Below are swatches of the lipstick and Lip Potions I got my hands on:

From top to bottom ($6 each): Unicorn Kisses lipstick in Princess Candace, Lip Potion in Stroke of Midnight, and Lip Potion in Ritualistic.  Below are some swatches on the lips for another look at these goodies:

A look using Princess Candace semi-matte lipstick.  This stuff is like butter!  It is smooth and opaque and is the consistency of melted lipstick in a tube.  It is best applied with a brush even though packaged in a lip balm tube.  If you want opaque coverage that is mostly a matte finish without all the dryness, this is the formula for you. 

Above is Stroke of Midnight.  It is packaged in a 5 gram pot and requires a brush to apply it.  It is a very thick, very pigmented gloss texture that can work as a sheer wash of color, or become opaque with a heavier application.  It's a glossy finish, as well.  Same applies for Ritualistic, below:

The Pros:

Everything was priced below $10, and at just $3 for eye shadow pots, you can afford some fun, fashion forward colors you may otherwise pass up if you're on a budget.  The eye shadows - particularly the duo chromes - have more sparkle to them then I am accustom to and I love them.  They are absolutely beautiful and I have found no sparkle to compare as yet.  Princess Candace, from the Unicorn Kisses collection, feels amazing on and that is rare for matte finish lipsticks.  I am terribly impressed with the Lip Potions too, as you can wear them in many different ways.  I swatched them heavily in the photos, but they can be used as a light gloss, or added to a lip balm, the possibilities are endless.  

The Cons:

If you plan on achieving full coverage with the Lip Potions, you'll likely need a similarly colored base lipstick or it can look splotchy.  Without lip liner, the Lip Potions also tend to bleed.  It takes some doing, but they're wonderful and easy to use if you apply a sheer coat.  

Bonus Information:

Overall, I am very pleased with everything I purchased and, if you are reading this now (September 23, 2014) I urge you to rush on over to Beauty Bar Baby's shop because the seller is offering a limited edition Halloween collection!  It is available for pre-order now and is $23 and filled with tons of goodies.  Did I mention it is packaged in an adorable wooden coffin?  I know I'm excited about it!

Review: Lime Crime

If you're a fan of indies, then you've likely heard of their darling: Lime Crime.  You've also probably read the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding Lime Crime's founder, Doe Deere.  I, personally, am only concerned about makeup and sharing my opinion on the products.  So, let's just stick to that, shall we?  Lime Crime is a cruelty-free and vegan brand that most people know for their lip products.  However, they offer several palettes in the adorable tin packaging pictured above.  I chose Alchemy, a shimmery duo-chrome lineup that is perfect for building up a solid lineup of autumn colors.

Above I've swatched the Alchemy palette collection of pressed eye shadows.  Whenever I swatch, I use an ordinary eye shadow sponge and do one swipe across dry skin; no primer or lotion of any kind beneath.  I photograph the swatches in natural light (whenever possible) and don't filter the finished photo.  The colors from top to bottom:  Divination, Spellbound, Love Potion No9, Lucky Charm, and Incantation.

My two favorites, Divination, a brilliant, blue-based teal, and Love Potion No9, a dreamy lavender, are peacock-feather perfection, while the curious but wearable additions of Lucky Charm, a grass green shimmer, and Incantation, the color of a pumpkin spice latte or a burnt bronze/orange shift, remind me of an autumnal pumpkin patch.  Spellbound is a classic, blendable highlighter that works wonders in tying all of these shades together. 

A look I did utilizing ALL of the colors from the Alchemy palette.  I am also wearing Lime Crime's opaque lipstick in Coquette.  

A close up look at the above; I used Spellbound along my brow bone, with Love Potion No9 in the crease.  Lucky Charm is the true green on my lid with Incantation along my upper lashes.  The lower liner is Divination.

The Pros:

I love a palette that combines unusual colors one wouldn't normally include in the same collection.  As my makeup collection grows, I find myself seeking out the unique.  This is definitely it.  I didn't really have colors like these in my makeup bag.  The colors are vibrant but the formula is soft enough that it blends well.  You can layer this stuff on there for extremely vivid looks, or, like I did, blend it out for a wash of color.  I was pleased that the pressed cakes didn't turn to loose powder fall-out immediately upon use, as some tend to do.  The packaging is adorable and functional; it's just large enough to house the shadows without wasting space in my ever shrinking makeup case.

The Cons:

Pressed eye shadow palettes are never as budget-friendly as their loose shadow counterparts.  Ringing in at $35 the palette is still less expensive than major store brands, but may be too pricey for budget babes.  Unfortunately, it appears that once these palettes sell out, they won't be restocked.  I've yet to see a sale or promotional codes for Lime Crime, something I always hail indie brands for, but that is not to say they do not have them - just nothing I've come across.  

I'm having tons of fun with this palette, and it seems like that is the goal behind Lime Crime.  Regardless of their "politics" (for lack of a better term) the eye shadows are bold, bright and a great addition to any makeup collection.