More Urban Decay…

So this past weekend I was at the Rock the Bells concert on Governor’s Island in NYC. It was an outdoor concert so there I was in the sun ALL day sweating. Thankfully though my eye makeup (and deodorant) held up in over 90 degree weather for more than 12 hours. I first applied Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes on both my lower and upper lash lines. Then because I wanted an extra piece of flair (© Office Space), I used Urban Decay Liquid Liner on the top line to do a little cat eye.

I was amazed at how much of it still lasted! I mean, I know the awesomeness of MUFE Aqua Eyes having used it for maybe the last two years now, but it really stood the test after such an extreme situation. If I knew how to swim I’d test it after a few laps, too.

So after the images of the MAC Venomous Villains collection hit the internet, I channeled my inner 5 year old and created a wishlist of products I need to make a beeline for when I get to MAC. September 30th (the launch date) can’t get here soon enough!

Check out full product details here.

Bite of an Apple Blush Soft coral pink (Matte)

Toxic Tale Lipstick Bright coral (Satin)

Wicked Ways Lipglass Deep fuchsia with pink pearl

Heartless Lipstick Cherry red (Amplified)

My Dark Magic Mineralize Shadow Deep pink with pink pearl / Deep plum with purple pearl

She Who Dares Mineralize Shadow Deep navy with blue pearl / Deep forest green with lime green pearl

Darkly My Dear Blush Dirty brown plum (Matte)

Dark Deed Lipstick Burgundy plum (Amplified)

French Quarter Greasepaint Stick Dirty black green with multi-colour pearl

Cajun Magically Cool Liquid Powder Sheer bronze shimmer that reflects gold

Briar Rose Beauty Powder Soft violet pink with pearl

Wrong Spell Lipglass Deep plum with pink purple

Strange Potion Lipglass Soft coral pink

Hot House Lipglass raspberry with pink pearl

*******************
What’s on your list?

Buying makeup online can be an overwhelming process. There’s a gazillion brands out there with one hundred million gazillion products. How does a girl know what to get? And what’s with those weird digital color swatches—how are you supposed to tell which one represents your shade?

Fear not, for I knew one day all my internet shopping would do some good (aside from filling the pockets of everyone but mine *smh*). I’ve put together some tips to take out some of the anxiety.

General shopping tips:
1. Buy from a well-known retailer with a clearly defined return and/or exchange policy. You don’t want to get stuck with that too-light foundation or dead-wrong-what-was-I-thinking lipstick.
2. Always google for coupon codes before you hit submit. One of the greatest things about the internet is that there’s so much info out there. You can find anything—like a secret free shipping or 15% off code.
3. Be prepared to buy more than one shade when you can’t pin down which shade is your best bet.
4. Google image is your friend. So is Makeup Alley. Just type in the product you have your eye on and see if a swatch of it comes up.

Makeup specific tips:

Foundation
1. Check out my Foundation 101 post to help you understand your undertones and which formulas work best for you. Then also check out the genius Foundation Matrix created by Temptalia. If you know your MAC shade, you can find your match in other brands with a quick scroll through.
2. Not all brands follow a uniform color guide (some brands use numbers others use names). Warm undertones are also called yellow, peach, orange, and sometimes red. Cool undertones are also called pink, blue, and sometimes red. Confusing, right? Like I mentioned, since there is no uniform color guide for makeup, brands have their own interpretation of colors. When in doubt, buy both shades and return the one that doesn’t work.

Lipstick/Lipgloss
1. Understand lipstick finishes courtesy of MAC
CREME: High impact and high color with lots of shine for a dramatic look.
FROST: Shimmery frosted finish. High shine glamour.
GLAZE: A shiny finish tinted with colour. Gives lips a sexy sheen.
LUSTRE: Slightly sheer, with an ultra shiny finish. Gives lips a high impact, wet, lustre look.
MATTE: Intense colour, matte finish.
METALLIC FROST: Frosted colour with a metallic, high-shine finish
SATIN: Semi-matte finish with lots of colour for soft, smooth lips.
SHEER: Just a tint of colour in this barely there, natural sheer colour treatment.
2. You can find some color recommendations in these past posts: Makeup for Fair Skin Girls, Makeup for Light Skin Girls, Makeup for Asian Girls, Makeup for Olive Tone Skin, Makeup for Dark Skin Girls

Blush
1. The general rule for blush is the darker your skin, the brighter you can go in blush color. Be sure to also check out NARS Blush Guide for All Skin Tones and Blush 101.

Eyeshadow
1. I created a quick guide here based on MAC Eyeshadows—check it out: MAC Eyeshadow Guide and MAC Eyeshadow Highlighters.

I recently revamped the site’s search engine to make it much easier to search for just about anything. This is where you’ll find it:

See it? Hope you find everything you’re looking for!

Why so much MAC? While my kit is filled with brands across the spectrum, I often mention MAC because it’s likely one of the most swatched brands on the internet. So if I say get a blue-based red like MAC Ruby Woo, you’ll be able to find tons of images of it on real people and know what I mean about a blue-based red!

And of course, if you need help, feel free to contact me. I’ll help as much as I can.

Now THIS is a collection. If you haven’t already seen the images from the upcoming MAC/Disney Venomous Villains Collection due out Sept. 30th, then brace yourselves, my pretties. This one is gooood.

(click images to enlarge)

U.S. Launch Date: September 30th, 2010 (online as early as 9/27)
International Launch Date: October 2010

Cruella de Vil

Eyeshadow ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Sweet Joy Frosted creamy pale gold (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Passions of Red)
De-Vil Rich copper (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Carbon Intense black (Matte) (Permanent)

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Innocence, Beware! Light yellow pink (Cremesheen) (Limited Edition)
Heartless Cherry red (Amplified) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Wicked Ways Deep fuchsia with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
Devilishly Stylish Light nude with gold pearl (Limited Edition)
Powder Blush ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Darkly My Dear Dirty brown plum (Matte) (Limited Edition)

Beauty Powder ($25.00 U.S. / $30.00 CDN)

Her Own Devices Cool nude (Limited Edition)

Penultimate Eyeliner ($16.50 U.S. / $20.00 CDN)

Rapidblack True black (Permanent)
Evil Queen

Eyeshadow ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Her Alter Image Light violet (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Vainglorious Bronze burgundy (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Vile Violet Deep dirty blue purple (Matte) (Limited Edition)

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Toxic Tale Bright coral (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Sinister Soft brown plum (Lustre) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Strange Potion Soft coral pink (Limited Edition)
Hot House Deep raspberry with pink pearl (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Strange Hybrid)

Powder Blush ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Bite of an Apple Soft coral pink (Matte) (Limited Edition)

Beauty Powder ($25.00 U.S. / $30.00 CDN)

Oh So Fair Clean pink with gold pearl (Limited Edition)
Maleficent

Minearlize Eyeshadow Duo ($21.00 U.S. / $25.00 CDN)

My Dark Magic Deep pink with pink pearl / Deep plum with purple pearl (Limited Edition)
She Who Dares Deep navy with blue pearl / Deep forest green with lime green pearl (Limited Edition)

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Violetta Bright clean violet purple (Amplified) (PRO)
Dark Deed Burgundy plum (Amplified) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Revenge is Sweet Light yellow purple (Limited Edition)
Wrong Spell Deep plum with pink purple (Limited Edition)

Beauty Powder ($25.00 U.S. / $30.00 CDN)

Briar Rose Soft violet pink with pearl (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($13.00 U.S. / $15.50 CDN)

Bad Fairy Red with red multi-changing pearl (Limited Edition)
Formidable! Teal green with pink multi-changing pearl (Limited Edition)
Mean & Green Purple with teal multi-changing pearl (Limited Edition)

Dr. Facilier

MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder

Truth & Light Sheer shimmer that reflects silver and pink (Limited Edition)
Cajun Sheer bronze shimmer that reflects gold (Limited Edition)

Lipgelee ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Resort Life Off white with pink pearl (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Lillyland)

Greasepaint Stick ($17.50 U.S. / $21.00 CDN)

Slick Black True carbon black (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
French Quarter Dirty black green with multi-colour pearl (Limited Edition)

Pigment ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Melon Soft bright golden peach (Frost) (Permanent)
Brash & Bold Bright magenta (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Makeup Art Cosmetics)
Push the Edge Deep bright purple with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Makeup Art Cosmetics)

MAC I’m So Vain Mirror ($12.00 U.S. / $14.50 CDN)

Compact inspired by collaboration; interior contains standard mirror on one side and magnifying mirror on alternate side. (Limited Edition)

Zoom Fast Black Lash ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

One Shade Deepest black (Permanent)

Source: Temptalia

What’s on your list?

I’ve already gushed about my love for newly national Jones magazine, but after attending their warm, open-armed blogger sneak peak of their Fall 2010 issue at their offices in Manhattan’s Financial District, I am full out obsessed with it. Like, call security because I just might be a stalker. *gets dressed in all black*

Jones started as a regional magazine out of the Houston, Texas area by editor-in-chief Tracey Ferguson with a focus on a multi-cultural audience and has since catapulted into the national mag reigns. Want to know who the newest African-American designer is or the hottest African-Caribbean model to stomp down the runway? It’s in Jones. Or maybe you’re after the latest trends–the “it” shoe, the “it” bag—Jones has it. In fact they unapologetically love nice things. It’s basically fashion and product overload. Brace yourselves because the ride will be pretty—very pretty.

What I love most about Jones is the breathtakingly fabulous fashion and beauty spreads and the fact that they consciously want models–models of color at that–on their covers. I have already torn out half the mag to hang up on my bedroom wall like I’m 14…lol. Seriously, if the July 2008 Black Issue of Vogue Italia left you wanting more, move your mouse over to jonesmag.com and get thee a subscription STAT. For now be sure to grab their Fall issue debuting on newsstands nationwide this week.

Check out more event pics over at Jonesmag.com and Lipstick Fashion Mascara.

Did you know Jones has its own reality show Keeping Up with the Joneses on Centric? It’s a really cool look into the life of a fashion editor. Don’t have Centric? Catch the episodes here.

P.S. Do you see how good my teeth look in that pic? Adult braces for the win!