I'm a Few Cards Shy of a Full Deck

Now, this is a story all about how my life got flip-turned upside down I realized sometimes I'm a complete idiot.

A few weeks ago, a few people at work asked me if I was ok.

Umm, yes, totally fine.  

It happened a few days in a row, but I just figured I was tired or.... something.

Days go by.

I finally realize that, actually, I am looking a little pale.  Hmm.

One morning, while putting on my blush, I feel like I just can't get it as pigmented as I want it to be.

No matter, I just keep on keeping on.  For days.

Finally, I start to think that maybe my blush has crusted over (maybe with hairspray?) and thus the color is not releasing onto my cheeks.  But I still use it, no big deal.

Finally, one morning - after umpteen blush applications, I reach down and press into the blush with my finger nail.  My finger doesn't sink in at all - because the cute little quilted pattern was PLASTIC.

As in, I had used all my blush and magically didn't notice it had become this lovely quilted pattern.  Perhaps I was thinking I had some sort of magical, regenerating blush??


As in, for weeks I struggled with a mystery "illness" on my face and my blush magically stopped working.

Except - that only happened in my HEAD (magical land of never-ending makeup, I suppose).  And in reality I was swiping AIR onto my cheeks every morning and wondering why my cheeks never stayed (or GOT in the first place) very pink.

Oy.

 Actual Full, Working Blush is on the Right

And just to defame myself further, it's not even like I get ready to leave the house at ungodly hours.  Sometimes it's even afternoon.

Just wanted to warn all of you in case the symptoms of pale-face-itis is plaguing anyone else.

We must band together to defeat..... my craziness, apparently.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who has done something so dumb over and over and over.  Oops.

Also, if you're in the market for a new blush, I highly recommend LORAC.  It replaced my beloved Nars Orgasm because hello I am not dumb and not paying a million dollars for a blush.  The end.

The color I've been using is Velvet Rope.

End Scene. 

Makeup and More

Hello ladies!

Not to spam you twice in one day... but this is important!!

First, I posted over at Chic Critique about my eyeshadow find... MAC crew, brace yourselves.

And I thought I'd let everyone know that Sephora is having a Friends and Family event starting today. I haven't made my order yet so I don't know that it works for sure... but the coupon code FF2009 should give you 20% off most items at Sephora.com. I believe the code works through mid-November but I read on some other sites that some items might sell out.

Off to fill up my shopping basket...

MAC Virgin No More

The other night, I sent out a simple little tweet to the universe.

Before I knew it, I had a fabulous squad of ladies with a million ideas.

(P.S. Before you do anything else, you need to follow FabBrunette, Solematters, WearingMascara, Jenn, Ms. Minneapolis, mommaof4wife2r, LisLoves, and Cole. They are my personal makeup assistants and they are AWESOME.)

All of the ladies above said something along the lines of "what do you think about MAC eyeshadow?"

And then, being the product whore I am, I had to admit:

I am a MAC Virgin.

For some reason, MAC makeup has always seemed intense and professional. I mean, I love me some makeup... but I don't quite feel like I am expert enough to use MAC.

But yesterday, at the hands of the fab women at Nordstrom, I made my first MAC purchase.

I only bought 2 simple shadows, so I didn't go exactly crazy.

I bought All that Glitters, which is a shimmery dark gold shade, and Trax, which is a light purpely-brown color that is perfectly natural.

So there you have it - I'm a MAC virgin no more.

And just as a random side note... can we talk about how I got an a-dorable pair of jeans at The Limited for $18. I mean, $18. Rediculous. I've owned more expensive pairs of underwear.

All in all, a fabulous day. I need days like these more often.

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

Makeup Monday

So, it's Monday. In my life, Monday is akin to Hell Day. I only call it Hell Day because it means that I have class on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Seems like a life sentence, even though it usually flies.

Because I am always so dragged-down on Monday I figured that today I would talk about something that I actually enjoy: makeup!

I have recently been going through a mascara crisis. You see, after a few of my standby tubes ran out I was feeling really ambivilent towards all of them. They were all okay, but I had no reason that I needed to purchase them for any reason. Just... blah.

I didn't want to fork out $15 for Clinique High Impact Mascara because it seems like my tubes dry up far too fast. I saw great reviews for L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara but I found that it kept flaking in my eyes. Since I had already done the Maybelline Great Lash route and I was just feeling uninspired.

Enter Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara. Swoon. This stuff rocks. It's smooth, doesn't clump, and makes all my teeny-tiny blonde lashes POP!

AND, BONUS! It was buy one, get one free at Walgreens a couple of weeks ago. Fabulous, no?

Just to prove I'm not lying to you (because why would I?), a before and after shot.

Before:

After: Now go forth and purchase and let your lashes pop. Amen.

Happy Monday!