Shiro Cosmetics Intertubes- Vegan Tubes of Win Review/Swatches

Every time Shiro releases something new I think so myself, "What will Caitlin think of next?" Just when I thought the company couldn't get any cooler, "Intertubes" appeared. Basically it is a collection of lip colors that are named and inspired by internet memes. Rickrolled, Longcat, Numa Numa are some examples. In my opinion, the idea is totally hilarious and unique. I love it. Honestly I was a little surprised there wasn't a "Mudkip" one! I purchased two within an hour of the release because I just couldn't resist.
I bought "Over 9000" and "Sad Keanu (purple, duh) and received samples of "Three Wolf Moon," "Yo Dawg," and "Robe and Wizard Hat."

I think the packaging is adorable. I love these tubes, they are very similar to the Latherati ones, only clear instead of black. The labels are waterproof as well, which is nice. They all have a cute little picture on the front that has to do with the meme. I love the Over 9000 one! I didn't watch much Dragonball Z as a kid, but I'm familiar with the meme. "IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAND!!!!!"
These are all vegan, which is nice since a lot of people are vegan these days. Personally, that type of thing doesn't matter to me, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Now onto the swatches. A couple of these didn't turn out looking quite like they do IRL, but I'll do my best to describe them as accurately as I can.Over 9000. This one is actually my favorite of the bunch. The color looks really good on me and it lasts forever. This one actually acts more like a stain, because the pink stays put on your lips long after the balm has worn off. It's a bit darker than it appears here. It has a light grapefruit scent that I love.

Sad Keanu. (It'd be hilarious to see a "Strutting Leo" one in the future! hehe) I had to get this one, purples always call to me! I had kind of a hard time getting an even application with this one, but it's totally worth it. The color is gorgeous! It's a perfect balance of blue and red tones, which is really hard to find. It looks more pink in the photo than it is, this one actually IS purple! I did notice this one stains too, but not as much as Over 9000. The scent is blackberry.

Please excuse the bad application on these next three. These are the ones in the pots, and since I don't have a lip brush I have to apply them with my finger.
Yo Dawg. "Yo dawg, I heard you like tv's so I put a tv in your tv so you can watch tv while you watch tv!" This one is similar in color to Over 9000, but much more sheer. It is, however, easily built up, which I like. The color just did not want to show up in pictures for some reason. It's actually a light fuschia-pink shade. The listing states that this is raspberry scented, but I didn't notice any scent.

Robe and Wizard Hat. Wow! For some reason I was not expecting much from this one, but it's gorgeous! The color reminds me of Morgana's "Turquoise" only without the pearly finish. It's easily built up to opaque, and the blueberry scent is yummy. This one does stain quite a bit, though, which can be a problem with blues. They can make you look like you're frozen, but I can't say if this one does that because I haven't worn it on my lips long enough.

Three Wolf Moon. Funny story, I bought this shirt (at Goodwill for $1!) the day I received these, but BEFORE I got home so I didn't even know. It was meant to be. And good thing too, because I love it! This is another one that didn't want to photograph accurately. For some reason it almost looks peach here, but it's actually a really pretty semi-sheer dark red that is also easily built up to opaque. This one has a cinnamon scent. Smells just like Big Red gum! The scent on this one is the most noticeable of the ones I have so if you're sensitive to smells, be aware of that. This one stains, but it's a lovely stain.

Now, THESE swatches are much more color-accurate. Just pretend these colors are on my lips, if you can. XD

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with these. They're very moisturizing(think Chapstick) and the color payoff is great. I think the "meme" theme is hilarious. I sort of can't stand when companies take themselves too seriously, so it makes me happy to see things like this. I would definitely buy these again. In fact, I hope to get Leeeerooooyyyy Jenkinssss when she opens her shop back up! The little picture on the front of that one is a bucket of chicken, which is just perfect.
You can get these from Shiro's etsy shop for $6.50 each. They are offered individually, but there is an option to buy the whole set or choose five.

I hope this review was helpful, and have a lovely evening! :)

e.l.f. Haul/Review

Not too long after Christmas I saw that e.l.f. (eyeslipsface) was having a sale where basically you get $5 off your order. I had been meaning to try them out so I picked up a couple of things. This brand is known for there lowlowlow prices but also for having very hit-or-miss products. Here's what I got:
Face primer, complexion perfection, and three brushes.

The cream handle blending brush is from their "Mineral" line and was $5. The other two are from their "Studio" line and were $3. I actually really love these brushes. I have a problem with paying $20 for one brush, so I was really eager to try these. I've heard from others that the brushes from their regular line are awful, but these work just fine. They're pretty dense and serve their purpose. I would definitely recommend these.

Face primer: $6. I haven't ever tried a face primer before, but I rather like this. It's a clear gel that feels very velvet-y. It doesn't make my face feel greasy or anything, and it does make my foundation apply smoother. You actually don't get very much product with this, though. The container seems fairly large at first, but when you look there's just a small tube in the middle that contains the product. This kind of sucks because when you press the pump once, too much product comes out so it's wasted. So, $6 seems like a good deal, but you don't get very much at all. Overall, I like the product, hate the packaging.

Complexion Perfection: $3. This is designed to even out your skin where you have redness, undereye circles, or any kind of discolorations. They say to swirl a large brush all through and and apply it all over your face. I tried this when I wasn't wearing any make up and didn't notice any difference. I then tried it after I'd already applied foundation and noticed it helped a little. I wouldn't say this stuff is really outstanding, but it works well as a setting powder at the very least. That's what I plan on using it for.

I can see why everyone says that e.l.f. is hit or miss. You can't really complain though, seeing as how low their prices are. I like the brushes the best out of everything I got, especially the "C" brush. It works really well for brow bone highlighting. I'd like to get some more brushes from this line eventually.

Are there any really great or really awful e.l.f. products I should know about? I've wondered about their nail polish and mineral lipstick. Let me know!

Have a lovely Saturday! :)

Latherati Soap Foundry Review

A couple of weeks ago I placed an order with Latherati, a soap/perfume/lip balm etc. etc. company on Etsy. All of their scents are inspired by classic books, which I think is really cool. I bought a couple of things for myself and a couple of things for my mom, whose birthday is coming up.
I received my order within days, so shipping was really quick and reasonably priced. As you can see, everything was wrapped up really nicely and I received a free "Library" soap sample. Everything came in a white padded envelope.

"Secrets" Roll on perfume oil $5.00The inspiration for this scent is The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield (I'll be honest, I haven't heard of it.) The description on etsy is:
"rich, hot cocoa mingled with lemon & ginger, intertwined with orange blossom and jasmine. The florals hit you first, then mellow to smooth chocolate."
I think this description is pretty spot on. This is one of those scents that you sit there and smell over and over to try and figure out what it is. You definitely smell the floral first, and then it's chocolate-y, though not overly sweet. I actually wouldn't describe this as a sweet scent at all. All I could think of when I was smelling it was "Chocolate flowers." I absolutely LOVE this, I've been wearing it every day since I got it.

"Curiouser" Roll on perfume $5.00The inspiration for this scent is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The description on the listing is:
"Sweet orange marmalade, white cake, tea and a hint of black pepper"
I was expecting a really light, sweet smell but that's not quite it. It's definitely sweet, but it's more of a rich sweet smell. When I've been wearing this one a while, you can no longer smell the orange marmalade, it's pretty much just a tea smell. I love this one as well. I wish all the notes lasted longer, but I don't mind reapplying. I keep this one in my purse at all times. Another winner.

"Sinister" Lip Glossary (hehe get it? GLOSSary?) $3.50The inspiration for this scent is Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked Comes This Way. The scent description is simply:
"Sweet cotton candy spiked with black licorice"
I could smell the black licorice first, then the cotton candy once I'd been wearing it a while. The formula reminds me of those "Soft Lips" lip balms, but not QUITE as slick. It has a very soft texture, and is quite moisturizing. I think this is a really great product, and the scent is really unique. It has no flavor, which I like because that way it stays on my lips and I'm not eating it off. I carry this in my purse at all times too.

*These next two are the things I bought for my mom. I haven't used them, so I can only comment on the scent.

"Avarice" Roll on perfume oil $5.00The inspiration for this one is Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. The scent description on the listing is:
"Warm cedarwood, patchouli and black pepper with hints of raspberry and a lush green forest"
My mom LOVES cedarwood and patchouli, which is why I got this for her. This isn't a scent I would pick out for myself, but it smells really nice. It's very forest-y, like the description says. I can't really smell any raspberry, but I definitely can smell the cedarwood and patchouli. If you like these kinds of scents, you'll love this one. It's very fresh.

"The Cobb" dry oil spray $8.00The inspiration: Persuasion by Jane Austen. The scent description on the listing is:
"A blend of marine, ozone & sea spray with whispers of jasmine, freesia, lily, citrus and wood grounded by the slightest hint of musk - very clean, fresh and invigorating!"
Again, this is not a scent I would get for myself but it's got my mom's name all over it. This is the definition of a "clean" scent. The flower scents are very subtle with a fresh, clean laundry smell. I can't comment on the dry oil spray formula, as I haven't used it. I will let you all know what my mom thinks of it, and I may steal it from her to try out.

I would definitely purchase from Latherati again. I was pleased with all the items I got, and since there are so many other scents, I can't wait to try some more! I'm curious about their soaps and lotions. I think their prices are very reasonable. $5.00 for a bottle of perfume oil is a STEAL.
Anyone else tried Latherati? If so, what scents do you recommend? Other than what I got I'm looking at Blossom, Gloom, and Sugar Bones (so Halloweeny!).

Have a lovely Saturday!

Persephone Minerals Sailor Senshi Review and Swatches

Persephone Minerals is an Etsy shop that sells eye shadow. It is run by Victoria, who is a total sweetheart. Not long after I started lurking her shop she started releasing Sailor Senshi sets. Now, if you know me you know I'm pretty much obsessed with anything Sailor Moon. This was taken last Halloween: ..Yeah. This is what you're dealing with. Needless to say, I was all over it. After lots of hemming and hawing I finally decided I was going to get the Mercury set first. Ami isn't my favorite Sailor Scout, but I enjoy blues and these looked so pretty. She's having a special where if you get a full size set you can get a free sample set (excluding the Sailor Moon one because it's bigger). For my sample set I decided on Sailor Venus. The full size Senshi sets are $25 and come with five colors (excluding Sailor Moon which has 12 and is $55). This is a special price that will be going up after the holidays. That's a pretty good deal if you ask me.
Shipping was really reasonable at $3.75 and everything came in a bubble mailer. I got my order in about 5 days, which is really quick! As you can see everything came in two little organza pouches (I do this too, it's a nice touch).
Here is the Mercury set, the Venus sample set (jars! thank the lord!) and also a free sample of "Deviant Dasher" from a Christmas collection.
Sample size compared to full size. Considering I paid $25 for one full size set and got five more of those samples free, that's pretty amazing.

SWATCHES! (all swatched over Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy)
Sailor Mercury: Color Descriptions (from Etsy listing):
Ami: a deeper, black based blue with blue microfine glitters
Sailor Mercury: a nice medium-dark blue with sparkles of aqua and gold
Princess Mercury: just the faintest touch of super shimmering blue. Very light & soft
Mercury Crystal Power: an amazing DUOCHROME shift from gold to bright blue. It is chock full of sparkles of gold and pink (this is spot on!!)
Mercury Aqua Rhapsody: Blue with various shades of blue sparkles,white sparkles, & aqua sparkles

Sailor Venus:Princess Venus: the faintest touch of orange-yellow
Minako: a nice yellow-blond color full of microfine red glitters
Venus Crystal Power: a slight shift from orange to gold, chock full of pink and gold sparkle
Sailor Venus: bright orange filled with microfine yellow and blue glitters
Venus Love & Beauty Shock: bright orange-yellow-gold, chock full of white,orange, and gold glitters

Here is a simple look I did today using all the Venus colors except for Love & Beauty Shock:
I was honestly BLOWN AWAY by these shadows. For such a new company (for any company, for that matter) they are amazing. I LOVE the "Crystal Power" ones they are so complex and gorgeous! To be honest, I'd buy these no matter what just for the novelty of it, but they really are awesome. I hate to rave so much, but I'm honestly super impressed. I WILL be getting the rest of the Sailor Senshi collection, I'm excited about Sailor Mars (my favorite scout) and Sailor Moon, which has some gorgeous golds. Persephone Minerals, you have my seal of approval.

Be on the lookout for a FIERCE EOTD using all of the Sailor Mercury set!

Have a lovely Sunday evening!

Things I Want to Try

OK I know it's been a while since I posted a new entry, I've just been busy. My birthday was August 14th, and I was at the beach August 15th until yesterday AND I started school today. So, it's been a bit hectic but I'm not gone.
I haven't done any neat-o looks lately to show you so I figured I'd take this time to mention some things I've been wanting to try. Please please please leave comments about any items you've tried! A lot of these things are a bit on the pricey side and I'd like to know if it's worth it or not because I'm just a poor college student.

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette

Believe it or not, I've never used anything from Urban Decay. There isn't a Sephora anywhere near where I live at all so I have very, very few things from there. I've seen a lot of looks that xsparkage has done using this palette and it looks really nice. Neutral without being too boring is always good, especially since I don't have a whole lot of neutral colors in my collection. This is definitely at the top of my list so let me know if you've tried it, or what you think about it.

2. Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer

One of the very few things I have from Sephora is Too Faced Shadow Insurance, and I love it. I use it almost everyday. I don't own a lip primer, or even ever used one for that matter but I love lipstick, so I've pondered giving this a try.






3. Lime Crime Lipsticks

OKAY I know what you're thinking, and yes I have heard all the junk about this brand. I would probably never ever buy their eyeshadows, mainly because they're really expensive for what you get and not terribly unique. But to me their lipsticks look really pretty. Particularly the color "Countessa Fluorescent." I have heard some people say that they're awful and some people love them, so I dunno. They are a bit on the pricey side for a newish indie company, but their pinks and reds tempt me. (Not that awful blue color! And I like blue lipstick!)



4. Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick

Another brand that has some gorgeous looking colors..I mean "Adora"? "Backstage Bambi"? "Rosary"? LOVE. Haven't really read or heard any reviews of these though, so I'd definitely wait until I did. They're $18 each so I'd definitely need to hear some praise first.





5. Shiro Cosmetics

Eyeshadow named after Pokemon? YES PLEASE. I'm a total Pokemon nerd so this really caught my eye. Plus I'm always willing to support a fellow Etsy seller. The color in the picture is "Pikachu" OF COURSE. :) I haven't heard many reviews of this company but their prices are really reasonable so I wouldn't mind risking it. I really want Pikachu, Rattata, Mew, and Articuno! :D

I could probably keep going, but I'll probably do a continuation of this at some point. There are tons of things I have my eye on. Please feel free to comment with any thoughts or opinions about any of these products. After all, it's why I posted this. I need to be 100% before I buy, that's how I am! :)

BTW Expect a mini review of Stila waterproof eyeliner really soon!
Have a great day!

Fyrinnae Review

If you saw my previous entry, you should already know that I received my Fyrinnae order and was pretty darn pleased. If you missed it, check out my first impressions and swatches here. I figured I should go ahead and do full, in-depth review because a lot of people have expressed interest in Fyrinnae.

Shipping/Packaging.
I can't remember how much I paid for shipping exactly but it wasn't more than $3.00, so that's always good. My items came in a white bubble mailer, and everything was wrapped up in a piece of cardboard and underneath that, a pretty piece of zebra print tissue paper. There was a notice on the website stating it would take 18-20 days to ship my order so I had prepared myself to wait a while, but I got them in exactly 8 days. That's a very reasonable amount of time to wait, especially considering how much business they have. The eyeshadows came in plain clear jars (I like clear jars because you can see what color you're grabbing without looking for a label or having to open it) with a sticker on the bottom with the company name and the color name.


The Stuff.
Of the eyeshadows I ordered mini jars(1/3 tsp) of:
Shinigami (deep sparkly purple)
Curiouser and Curiouser (bright super sparkly electric blue)
Sleepy Hollow (dark, sort of black based sparkly teal color)
and Rapunzel Had Exensions (peachy pinky goldish shimmery color)
I also received a free sample of Javan Rhino, which is a light turquoise color with just a little tiny bit of shimmer.
The mini jars were only $2.00. The full sized eyeshadows are $5.90.
I ordered one lip lustre in "Lollipop-Pop" which is a bright baby pink with a bit of a blue sheen. I got a full sized tube and it was only $4.50.
I also ordered a full-sized tube of Pixie Epoxy, which is used to make eyeshadow have that "foiled" look without actually foiling. I'd heard nothing but people raving about this stuff so I went ahead for the full tube which was $7.00.

I'll start with the eyeshadows. They're GORGEOUS. I am seriously bummed I didn't order more colors, but I plan on doing so soon.
Shinigami is the most beautiful dark purple I have ever seen with what looks to me like turquoise and red sparkles.
Curiouser and Curiouser (from an Alice in Wonderland collection) is such a gorgeous bright blue. It's verrrry sparkly but it doesn't make a mess like you'd think.
Sleepy Hollow is just beautiful. I have never seen a color like this and I'm so glad I got it. It's a very dark teal-ish color with gold sparkles.
Javan Rhino was my free sample and I love it! It's a very light turquoise with a very minimal amount of shimmer. Perfect for either daytime or nighttime wear, which is great.
Rapunzel Had Extensions is probably my FAVORITE color that I ordered. It's kind of hard to describe. In the jar it looks very peachy, almost orangey but when you apply it, it's a light goldish shimmery color. It's really lovely. In my last entry I posted a photo of what it looks like on my eyes as well as the swatches but I will post again in case you missed it!

Rapunzel Had Extensions + Shinigami


Javan Rhino all over the lid, Sleepy Hollow in the outer corner/crease and lower lashline, Curiouser & Curiouser patted on top of Javan Rhino

I used the Pixie Epoxy for both of these looks as well as Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Let me just say the Pixie Epoxy is WELL worth the money. If you apply just a thin layer on top of your favorite eyeshadow base, then apply your eyeshadow it makes it look amazing! It works especially well for really shimmery, glittery eye shadows, and Fyrinnae offers a lot of those. It really does make your eyeshadow look like you applied it wet without having to actually do that(so messy!). It also reduces all that fallout mess on your cheeks. I am SO glad I got this, and if you wear eyeshadow I recommend you get some too! If you buy just one thing from Fyrinnae, it should be the Pixie Epoxy. :)

Finally, the lip lustre. I only got one but I wish I had gotten more! They appear to be just like any other typical lip gloss but they aren't like lip gloss at all. They're dry, yet moisturizing. When I say "dry" I mean they stay on your lips for a very long while. They aren't sticky or slippery or anything like that. They all have different scents but mine is lychee scented and it smells delicious. It doesn't really have a flavor, which I like because when lip products taste good, I usually just end up eating them off within an hour. When I was picking what color I wanted, I actually didn't realize there was a whole second page of colors...at least not until after I had already placed my order. I know, I'm smart. But I know now, and will definitely be getting more! They have some really lovely colors. Here is what Lollipop-Pop looks like on me.



And that's about it! Fyrinnae is an awesome company that you should definitely try out! They're prices are reasonable, thought with all their color options I had a very hard time not getting carried away! ALL of their products are vegan too, which is good especially if you actually are vegan. I'm not, but I do like my make up to be. Again, I highly recommend Pixie Epoxy if you're someone who wears eyeshadow.
I hope this review was helpful! Now go try some Fyrinnae products for yourself! :)
www.fyrinnae.com

By the way,
My blue Fyrinnae look matched my funky nails! :D
Have a great day!