Tuesday, March 30, 2010

NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer Review, Photos & Swatches!!

NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer

Nars Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer ($24) is described as a nude beige high-shine lip color with a unique texture to prevent the color from bleeding. It can be worn alone or over other lip colors.

I would describe the color as a neutral, muted mauvey pink with a hint of warm beige. I was actually very surprised with the texture. It's very thick and applies very opaque. I definitely thought it was going to be more sheer and have the consistency of a lip balm. It has a heavy, slightly sticky texture to the touch, but once applied to the lips it isn't very sticky.

On my lips it reminds me a lot of Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte #2, but slightly pinker. The color is long lasting (because of the texture) and I think its a pretty universal color that would be flattering for light to medium skin tones.

The finish is shiny & it didn't dry out my lips.

The only negatives about this product I can think of are, the pot is so small and deep that its sort of a pain applying the product. I have long nails so I can't really use my fingers, so I have to use a brush, which isn't very convenient. Something like the packaging of MAC tinted lip conditioner would work better for me. (A larger, less deep pot) Also, I don't really like the smell of the product. It has a yucky, very strong chemical smell. Also, since the product is so thick, I can see myself running out of this very quick. Nevertheless, I'm very happy with Chelsea Girls. :)


Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner in Black Ink + Photos & Swatches! PLUS BB Cream Shadows!

I thought I would give a little update on how my Bobbi Brown Gel Liner has been working out for me lately.

I am still in love with it! My opinions about the product remains the same. It doesn't smudge on me, doesn't flake off, lasts all day and is very pigmented!

I received Black Ink in a swap recently.. maybe around two weeks ago and I've been using it just about every day. Other days I use Graphite Shimmer just to switch off. The colors are somewhat similar, but Graphite Shimmer is a little more of a charcoal black with a touch of shimmer and Black Ink is a flat, intense black. It is by far the blackest liner I own. (Hooray! I'm always on a conquest for the blackest blacks) I am still rating this product a 5 out of 5! ♥
And a side note, I came across some full size BB gel liners at my CCO (Cosmetic Company Outlet). Unfortunately, none were sold separately. They were all a part of various BB makeup sets. They did have some Cream Shadows (which I thought were liners at first because of the same packaging) I like the consistency of them. They are buttery soft and apply very smooth. They also had several palettes that have a mixture of gel liners and cream shadows. (I actually got a brand new one in a swap.. pics at the end of my post!) I have heard from many others that they have found BB gel liners at their CCO's sold individually, so if you're interested in purchasing one, check your local CCO first! :)




And, this is the palette I received in a swap. What i love about the palette is, it's soo sturdy and each liner has a tight lid so the colors won't dry out. Thank you, Bobbi Brown for using your brains with this! :) haha.

Bobbi Brown Honey Glaze Long-Wear Eye Palette



For whatever reason, it was impossible to get a good picture of this palette. I didn't swatch any of the colors yet because.. well, It's so pretty I don't want to ruin it. LOL But, if anyone wants swatches, I'll gladly do that for you. This palette was available at my CCO (In Aurora, IL) and I caught a glimpse of it on http://www.allcosmeticswholesale.com here. OR you can purchase it directly from Bobbi Brown here. I'll post a review once I use it!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Part 2: So, you'd like to swap, aye? Here are some tips! (LONG Post!)

I get loads of questions from bloggers asking about "swapping". Some of you may know what swapping is, and some of you may not. I'm hoping this post will give you a better understanding of swapping and what to look out for when you're swapping.


What is swapping? Swapping (in the makeup community) refers to an exchange of some sort. Typically, it will be a beauty product for a beauty product (new or used). It doesn't strictly have to be a beauty product. You have the option of swapping clothing, accessories and more.

How exactly does it work? The two main sites I'm familiar with are http://www.makeupalley.com and http://specktra.net. I'll explain how it works with both sites. (So far, Ive only explained makeupalley. I will update it later with Specktra.)

Swapping on Makeupalley:
Step 1:
First you need to create an account if you don't have one already. (See my part 1 for info about getting started with makeupalley) If you don't have an account, create one here.

Step 2: Go through your beauty products and pick out the items you want to part with. Gently used items are preferred. Although, many users like to give products a try without having to purchase the full size.. so putting up items for swap that are only good for a few uses would be acceptable as long as the products aren't very old. (Nobody wants your foundation that has been sitting in your bathroom settling for 5 years with 20% left or your Chanel lipstick you've had for 10 years. But hey! I'm just speaking for myself. You never know.)

Step 3: (Optional but recommended) Take a wipe or a dampened towel and clean the products casing. I always keep antibacterial towelettes on hand and clean off any tubes, compacts, etc that I'm swapping. Sending cosmetics that look like they have rolling around your makeup bag for ages is tacky in my opinion. If it is a lipstick for example, wipe off the top where the product has touched your lips. (Again, optional) There are people out there that prefer to wipe if themselves. It is always nice to ask the other person if they would like you to wipe it off. Keep all of your swap items in a convenient place so you won't have to go on a eyeliner hunt through your room after you've agreed to swap with someone. I keep all of my items together in a small box.

Step 4: Log on to makeupalley.com and click "Swap" at the top of the page. On the left sidebar under My Swap Info, click "Swap Items". Then, click "Add a new Item".



Fill out the information for each swap item. Choose the Category, Brand, Title and Description of your item/s. You can use HTML in the description box if you'd like.

Your description should include:
How much product remains
. State if it was used 1x, used 2x, used a handful of times, used a dozen times. If you don't remember how many times you've used it, take a close look at it. If it's a lipstick, try comparing it to a new one (if you have one on hand) perhaps there is 3/4 remaining, or maybe 90% remaining. If it is a blush, eye shadow, powder or etc, look at it from the side and see if the product is starting to dip. Mention that there is a small dip or a large dip forming. Mention if the products hetchmarks are still visible (indentations on powder products when they are new and untouched). BE HONEST AND USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT! When I am unsure, I usually round down to be on the safe side. If I think there is 95% left, but I am unsure, I will say 90%+. If it's really hard to tell, your best bet it to take a picture of the product and post it in your description.

The Functionality/Condition of your item. Is it in perfect working condition? Does your lipstick slightly slant and rub against the tube? Have the letters and numbers faded off your MAC brush? Does your compact close properly? Again, BE HONEST. Don't be embarrassed to write the true condition of your product if the packaging has seen better days. If your blush compact has a million of scratches on it, there will be some people that don't mind and there would be some people that would mind. Don't risk not mentioning it and end up swapping with someone that would of minded. There is nothing worse than being excited and opening up a disappointment!

What you'd like to swap it for. State if you are strictly wish list (We are getting to this next!), if you are only interested in swapping it for a certain item or if you are open to all swap requests.
A Picture. (*optional*) I prefer to take pictures of my items so the other person knows exactly what they are getting. I think many people prefer to have a visual. If you have tons of items on your swap list of unfamiliar brands, how is anyone supposed to know what they look like? Many people don't like to be troubled with having to google all of your items to see what they look like. If you don't want to add a picture, its always nice to add a short description. Say its a random eyeshadow. State that your random eyeshadow is a frosted medium brown. A lot of items don't require photos.. such as familiar brands (MAC, NARS, Bobbi Brown, Dior, Stila, etc). If you have MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow up for swap, it will be easy to find a picture of. Your eyeshadow they don't sell in stores that you purchased from a discount store that is now discontinued won't be as easy. You can either upload your picture to a image hosting site and put the link in your description, or you can add a picture to your profile pictures and put the link in your description. OR state that the picture of the product is in your profile photos.


This is an example. Make it short and simple. Don't put anything that is not necessary. You don't have to write complete sentences. It makes it much faster for the other person going through all of your items this way.

Create Your Wish list
Creating a wish list is fun! On the left sidebar, under My Swap Info, click "My Wishlist". Its the exact same format as your swap list. Click "Add a New Item". One by One add items you want and would like to potentially swap for. You don't have to write anything in the descriptions unless you have a preference about an item. For example, If you don't want any depotted products or if you prefer that the item is new/gently used/tested.

Create your Swap Notepad (optional) What a notepad is basically, is your own little page where you can design and add any extra information you want others to know. It is technically your swap notepad, but you don't have to use your notepad for swapping purposes if you don't want to. If you have lots of items for swap though, I recommend you to add additional information on your notepad to clarify some things you want others to know. When someone clicks on one of your swap items, your notepad will show up on the same page (directly under your swap listing) all they have to do it scroll down.

Things you can write on your notepad: # It's always nice to write a couple of short sentences about yourself so the swap is more personal and you won't feel like you're swapping with a complete stranger.If you aren't wish list only, write a few sentences of the kinds of items you're interested in swapping for. Also include the types of items you do NOT want to swap for.

Here's a couple quick examples: "Currently, I'm only interested in swapping for high end eye shadows and lipsticks. My favorite eyeshadow shades are browns and purples. My favorite lipsticks are non-frosty, neutral pinks and corals. I am not interested in swapping for any drugstore items. "
"I'm open to all requests. I'm mainly looking to swap for makeup and hair products. I love bright colors & anything pink. I am not interested in swapping for clothing. Please do not send me a swap request if you only have clothing listed on your swap list."

* Some other things to consider including in your notepad are: Do you swap internationally? How flexible your schedule is. Do you visit the post office once a week? Twice? Do you typically ship the following day? Will you be using First class? Parcel post? Will you offer Delivery Confirmation? Do you prefer the other person to ship your package with Delivery confirmation? Adding all of these factors will make the other person feel more at ease because they know what they are getting.

Extras! Extras is a very fun part of swapping. It's completely optional and mainly depends on how much a person has on hand. Extras are goodies people like to include as a little bonus with swaps. Not everyone sends extras, so don't get your hopes up for receiving any. Extras typically consist of product samples and testers & lightly used makeup items. If you're lucky, you may get some awesome extras if the person you're swapping with is generous. I have been lucky enough to get some really wonderful extras.. such as high end items that the other person didn't have any attachment to and didn't want anything in return for it. A lot of times, people will add extras if their item was worth less than the other for compensation. Again, this is all optional. Don't get stressed about it. Some people keep millions of samples & have huge makeup collections and others (like me) use all of their samples and don't have extra makeup on hand they don't use. I try to pick up goodies as I see them if I see a good deal. Lots of times I'll see good stuff on the ULTA clearance rack. ;) It is always nice to state in your notepad, if you were to be sent extras, what kind of extras you like. I don't think it sounds greedy.. I appreciate notepads that list what they like. It makes it so much easier! Some people may say they like tea bags, empty jars, nail polish, glitter, pigment samples, skincare samples, fragrance samples.. etc!

Search! Now its time to search for the items you'd like to swap for! Click "Swap" at the top of the page. A list of the latest added swap items will appear. If an item interests you, click on it to view their description of the item. If they are wish list only, view their wish list and see if you have anything they want. If they aren't wish list only, send them a message! It can be very brief. For example:

"Hi! I'm interested in swapping for this blush. Please take a look at my swap list to see if there is anything you would like to swap for! Let me know either way. Thanks! Signed, Your Name."

You can also click "Product Search" under "Swap" on the left sidebar and specifically type in the item you are looking for. You can do a wish list search as well. For a wish list search, you would type in an item you have up for swap to see if its an item on someones wish list. If you do end up having an item that is on someones wish list, you can view their swap list and see if there is anything you'd like to trade that item for and then contact them.

Be Courteous If someone sends you a request, it is polite to respond. Even if there is nothing on their list that you want, it's nice to say "Thank you, but I didn't see anything on your list I'm looking for right now." You may end up contacting them in the future because they have an item you really want. It's not fun waiting for a response you'll never receive. Let them know so they can continue contacting others.

Be Responsible Do not disappear half way through the swap. Wrap the item your sending very well so it won't break or shatter in transit. I have received broken powders and blushes before that could of been avoided by being wrapped better. If it's a blush or a fragile item.. write FRAGILE on the mailer. Wrap the item in bubble wrap. Keep up with good communication through the swap. You want a good reputation and for the other person to give you a positive token so others will swap with you (Just like ebay!).

Be Cautious. AVOID BEING SWAPLIFTED! Always view the other persons profile. Is it empty? Are they a new member? Do they have any swap tokens? Is any information filled out?

* Read their swap token comments. Previous swappers may of given them a positive token, but wrote that their communication could of been better.. or that it took a long time to receive. Determine if they seem responsible. When was the last token received? If their last swap was months ago and they have under 30 tokens, there is a chance they were a trusted swapper at one point to gain tokens and trust and then return to MUA and send many users swap requests and let them send first and never send anything in return. See if their last tokens are recent. Do they have 100% feedback?

* Is their profile blank? An established user or a reputable user will most likely have their profile filled out along with a wish list and a notepad. Do they have lots of reviews? Do they post in the boards? If it looks like they do not use the site for anything but swapping, be more cautious. Many swap lifters only use the website to steal from others.. they typically don't post in forums, give advice, ask questions, write reviews, post photos, etc. Many swap lifters like to remain anonymous & don't establish an identity.

* If it seems like they are in a hurry and are rushing you to send, don't get overwhelmed. Do the swap at the comfortable pace for you. If they are rushing, ask additional questions.

* If you feel skeptical, tell them makeupalley is taking a long time to load and ask them if they have an email you can reach them at so they can respond to you faster. Having their real email is a good tool. You may be able to track them down on other sites.

* ALWAYS, if a person has less tokens than you (or no tokens), let them send first. Have them take a picture of what they are suppose to be sending you. If they make excuses, use your best judgment. You can ask them to write their username on a piece of paper and put it next to the product they are taking a picture of, so you can make sure they do have the product they claim and in the condition stated. After they sent you a picture, have them ship with delivery confirmation and have them notify you of the # after they have shipped. If you feel at ease at this point and are in a hurry to ship, you may do so. If you're in no hurry, it's not really necessary to ask for confirmation unless you really want to track it.. just wait for the package to arrive. Because even if they take a picture of an item, it's not guaranteed that's what you'll be receiving. There are always people out there looking for new ways to scam.

* If you do happen to send out first, and communication seems to stop and you haven't received your end yet, print out the conversation between you and the swapper in case they delete their account so you'll have proof there was an agreement.

What you should do if you've been swaplifted

* Do some research on the person. Google their username to see if they have accounts on other sites with the same username. Also, google their actual name. See if you find anything useful.

* Go to http://whitepages.com and type in their last name and city, state. If you're lucky, you may find a result for their exact address and there will be listings for each adult that lives in the household. It states the age range of the individuals and it includes their home telephone number. (With my experience, the girl's family was listed. I determined by the age of her parents that she was definitely under 18 years old. Her phone number was listed and I was planning on calling her parents since I knew their name and explain that their daughter robbed me.. or I had planned to write letters to her house addressed with her parents names on them. Everything ended up getting resolved though before I had to take any action. So all was well).

* If they are not listed in the whitepages, you can try writing a letter to their address. Have the envelope typed (not in your handwriting) and have it titled "Mr ____" or "Mrs ___" or homeowner, etc. Include your telephone number so they can contact you. Let them know its a serious matter and you plan to report it to their local police department if you don't receive a response in however many days. Not only that, but you also plan to file mail fraud and internet fraud charges. Some parents don't know what their kids are up to.. so it's worth a try. I would think any parent would get pissed at their kid and send your item back. (I've read a few instances of this)

* If you received no response, take the next action. Call their local police department. You may receive positive feedback, but you may not. I have read a few cases where swaplifters have gotten in big trouble from being reported to their local police. (Hooray!)
* File mail fraud and Internet fraud charges.

* Report them to the swaplifters page so their name and address will be added.

Mail fraud link: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/

Internet fraud link: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

I hope this article helped a little! Always be careful & Happy Swapping! :)

Part 1: How to use Makeupalley (for beginners/new users!)

(This post started out as a post about swapping & tips, but I started writing more in detail about the website itself. So, the post about swapping will be Part 2. This post will just talk about what makeupalley is, and some useful tools.)


What is makeupalley? Makeupalley is a beauty social networking site. There are users located all around the world all sharing an interest in Beauty. Makeupalley is free of charge and is loaded with helpful advice & information to make shopping for beauty products much easier! There are many things you can do on makeupalley.

If you don't have an account already, create an account by clicking Join Now! on the left sidebar of the homepage. Verify your email.

Get started by clicking "My MUA" at the top of the screen. Then, on the left hand side of the screen, click "Change Profile". Fill in your Name (If you'd like to remain somewhat anonymous, you can put a nickname), Location, Birthday (All of this is optional of course, but recommended) . It also asks for your Hair Color, Hair Type, Hair Texture, Skin Type, Skin Tone, Skin Undertone and eye color. Why?? You ask? Because if you write a review, let's say for a foundation, readers will see what type of skin you have and it will help them relate to your review.. they may notice you have dry skin and they may have dry skin as well. They will better relate to your review than someones review that has oily skin. Or possibly you're looking at reviews for a certain lipstick. You are olive skinned and you see that other reviewers with the same skin coloring rated this lipstick 5 stars. There are many factors why a certain product worked for you and not someone else. It can be your skin type, coloring, etc. Also, If you ask questions in a board, anyone will be able to see what type of skin/hair you have and it will make recommending a product to you easier.

You can view ratings and reviews of products you're interested in by clicking "Product Reviews" at the top of the page and selecting the Category (ex: Eye Shadow, Foundation, etc) the Brand and the Name of the product (ex: Blacktrack Fluidline, Smolder Eye Kohl, Last Blast Mascara, etc).


Then, click Find Products.



You will see a rating (out of 5), the number of reviews for the product, and the Buy back percentage rate (Each reviewer was asked whether they would purchase it again. When more reviewers select Yes, the percentage is high. When more reviewers choose No, the percentage is low. I would consider 70% and higher being a product to consider trying. And, 80-90%, I personally would consider items definitely worth trying. (Based on many reviews of course).

If you would like to see what products have the most reviews, leave the Category, Brand and Product blank and click Find Products.



A bunch of random product reviews will pop up. (This is what came up for me. Yours may be different.) Then, click reviews.



The products with the most reviews will show up. You can do the same for Rating & Buy Again. I only click reviews because if you click ratings, it will list items rated 100% first, and typically it will be a large list of items with 1-10 reviews. I prefer reading reviews with over 100 reviewers. Most of my favorite products were discovered this way! I get questions all of the time saying "How do you know what's good?" "How do you know what to buy?" I never purchase a product without checking the reviews first.


This is what came up after I clicked reviews. The list will be in order from the most reviews to the least. As of this moment, Maybelliene Great Lash Mascara has the most reviews. You can add your own review by clicking "Product Reviews" at the top, and then click "Add a Review" on the left sidebar.

Other than reviews, there is a Forum (Boards) with several topics (Makeup, Nails, Hair, Fitness, Etc) I always post questions in Makeup Boards. They are always extremely helpful! Another tip is, you can research to see if anyone asked the same question you would like to ask. When you click on "Boards" there will be a small search box. Write the general idea of your question. For example, my question is: What is a good blush for a NC40 skin tone? I typed in "NC40 Blush". 



My Results:
I found pages of results! This question has been asked several times by many different users.


Create a question in a board by clicking the category that relates to your Question/Comment and click "Post a Message". Subjects can only be 100 characters long. So if your question exceeds 100 characters, cut it short and place "ROP" (Read on Please) OR "+" at the end and continue your message in the message box. Readers will know to click on your post to read the full question/comment.


There are LOTS of abbreviations for phrases to cut messages short. You can view a list with the meanings by clicking "Abbreviations" at the top on any of the message boards. Here is the direct link: http://makeupalley.com/board/abbreviations.asp


Any messages or replies you post, will copy to your profile.

Besides the boards & reviews, you can view thousands of members pictures. Lots of members post pictures of products, fotds, etc. I find makeupalley incredibly useful in searching for pictures of products. I always check MUA's member pictures before purchasing a product. For example, I'd like to see pictures of MAC California Dreamin lipstick so I can get a better idea if I'd like to purchase it. Click on "MY MUA" at the top and click on Search (Pictures) on the left sidebar. Type the name of the product in the keywords. You don't always have to be specific. I typed in "california dreamin".


Great Results! I found loads of pictures and swatches.

You can upload your own pictures to your profile and write descriptions so they will be searchable in member photos. You are allowed up to 200 uploads.

You can add any photo/review/board messages/users to your makeupalley favorites by clicking on the little red heart. Anything you favorite will save to your favorites section. Find it by clicking "Favorites" at the top of the screen. You can create groups for your favorites and file them all. You have the option of having your favorites public (will be listed on your profile) or private (only you can see them).




Another fun tool is the Diary! A diary is basically a list where you can keep track of all of your purchases. Add all of the beauty products you purchase, each time you purchase any, and you can keep tabs of how much money you spend on makeup! You don't have to limit your diary to makeup, you can put all of your expenses if you'd like. Click "Diary" at the top of the page, and "Add Entry" on the left sidebar. You can make your diary private (for your personal records) or public (members can search for it, and it will show on your profile). To update your settings, click "Preferences" on the left sidebar.



I just started mine this month! I haven't updated it though in a couple of weeks.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me! You can also contact me on makeupalley via messages. My username is nattyngeorge.

Part 2 of the post is on it's way!