Wet n Wild Dream Weavers Collection!

Wet n Wild recently came out with a new, limited edition eyeshadow collection called Dream Weavers.  The problem with the Dream Weavers collection is that it is hard to find.  VERY hard to find.  So hard that in fact a popular beauty blog (click here to see map) has posted a tracking map where you can update it if you have a Dream Weavers "sighting".  Since I absolutely LOVE Wet n Wild eye shadows, I had to find the palettes with or without a nearby sighting!  You can imagine my dismay when I looked at the tracking map and saw that the closest sighting was at least 2 hours away!

The good news is that I did find the collection at my local Rite Aid.  Each palette costs $2.99.  If you have never tried Wet n Wild's Coloricon eye shadows before, you are missing out.  I own many different brands of eye shadows ranging from NARS to Shiseido but I can proudly say that my Wet n Wild shadows are just as good if not better!  Coloricon shadows are very pigmented, smooth and come in a huge variety of shades.  You also can't beat the price...singles are $1.99, trios (3 shades) are $2.99 and larger palettes (8 shades) are $4.99!

 

Wet n Wild's Dream Weavers Eyeshadow Palettes (6)

L-R- Earth Looks Small From Down Here, We're Blasting Off, Bright Idea, Enter a New Realm, Dancing in the Clouds and Fly Me to the Moon.

Fly Me to the Moon

Top browbone shade is a very glittery white which is somewhat powdery.  Crease shade is a black with shimmer and the bottom shade is a gorgeous ocean blue with some slight shimmer.

Swatches of Fly Me to the Moon

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Dancing in the Clouds

Dancing in the Clouds is one of

my favorites out of the whole collection.  The browbone shade is a unique, shimmery khaki color.  The crease shade is an unusual iridescent purple and the eyelid color is a shimmery copper that reminds me of rose gold.  Perfect! 

Swatches of Dancing in the Clouds

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Enter A New Realm

Enter a New Realm is a great palette for evenings out with friends or for date night.  Using the silver and matte black together can give anyone a great smokey eye but adding in a punch of color like red makes it unique.  The silver is shimmery and pigmented.  The crease shade is your basic matte black and the eyelid shade is a slightly shimmery red which is the least pigmented of the three.

Swatches of Enter A New Realm

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Earth Looks Small From Down Here

This palette is gorgeous!  The green/gold browbone color is hard to find and highly pigmented.  The blue crease shade is somewhat iridescent and smooth and the green is the most beautiful color in the whole collection.

Swatches of Earth Looks Small From Down Here

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We're Blasting Off

This palette is perfect for the fall and for day wear.  The browbone color is a pigmented, matte pink which is hard to find outside of department store brands.  The crease shade is a black with berry colored shimmer all throughout which gives off a deep cranberry color in certain lighting.  The eyelid shade is a shimmery soft taupe which is perfect to wear anywhere.

Swatches of We're Blasting Off

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Bright Idea

The last palette is the most unusual and daring.  The browbone color is a bright, shimmery yellow that is almost golden.  The crease is a green shade that gives off a golden sparkle.  The eyelid shade is a stunning, shimmery pink that would make anyone's eyes stand out!

Swatches of Bright Idea

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My top palette choices would be Dancing in the Clouds and Earth Looks Small From Down Here.  Both palettes are unique but have at least 2 wearable colors which are office friendly.  My least favorite color is the white browbone shade in the Fly Me to the Moon palette.  It's a nice highlighting color but it's too shimmery and powdery for me.  Overall the collection is gorgeous and is a nice addition to my growing Wet n Wild collection.

 

Stereo Rose and Rose D'Oro Comparison

If you enjoy makeup you might have heard a little about a very coveted and hard to find MAC product called Stereo Rose.  Stereo Rose is a Mineralize Skin Finish or better known as an "MSF".  It's as if a blush and a highlighter got together and had a baby!    Some MSF's are glittery and others have slight shimmer or frost.  MSF's are baked on top of a clay base which stays at the bottom of the compact.  The good thing about MSF's are that they are versatile and easy to apply.  They not only can act like a blush and a highlighter but they can be bronzers or eyeshadows.

I may be late with this review considering that MAC's Stereo Rose came out last summer but since I recently picked up Milani's Rose D'Oro which was rumored to be a dupe, I thought I would go ahead and compare the two.

I was able to purchase my Stereo Rose MSF new last summer.  I wanted one so bad that I made my husband pick one up for me right when the MAC counter opened the day that the In the Groove collection was released.  Stereo Rose had been originally released back in 2005 in the Goldplay collection.  What makes Stereo Rose stand out is its ability to look good on all skin tones. When I recently heard that Milani (a drugstore brand) came out with a baked blush that rivaled Stereo Rose, I knew I had to try it. 

I enjoy MSF's however I also love Milani blushes and I was excited to try the baked blushes too.  Rose D'Oro is a gorgeous color but it is not an exact dupe for Stereo Rose.  Rose D'Oro is more of a coral shade when applied despite it appearing very close to Stereo Rose when in the packaging.  Also Milani's blush has fine gold glitter flecks throughout whereas MAC's MSF has no gold at all.  Rose D'Oro has more shimmer and Stereo Rose has more frost.  I also noticed that the MSF is much more pigmented and smoother when applied to the skin.  Milani's Rose D'Oro is also smooth but it doesn't apply quite as smooth as Stereo Rose does. 

If you are looking for a Stereo Rose dupe, keep in mind that Rose D'Oro isn't an exact one but does offer a beautiful blush that gives a lot of bang for very little bucks. I find that both products can find a place in anyone's collection and both make excellent blush choices.  You can find Milani's baked blushes at Kmart, Target and CVS for around $7.00.  MAC' s Mineralize Skin Finishes can be found at www.maccosmetics.com or at your local MAC counter for $28.00.

MAC's Stereo Rose Mineralize Skin Finish

Milani's Rose D'Oro-notice the difference in the veining.  Rose D'Oro has gold veining whereas Stereo Rose has deeper, copper veining. 

Milani's Rose D'Oro on the left and MAC's Stereo Rose on the right.  Rose D'Oro is much more coral and Stereo Rose is much more pink.

Notice the difference in the sheen of both products.  Rose D'Oro (left) has more of a glitter effect whereas Stereo Rose has an all over sheen.

Close up of the swatches.



Foundation update and a few drugstore goodies.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had bought Neutrogena's Healthy Skin foundation (click here to see my post on this foundation).  I tried the foundation for a few weeks and I must admit I'm very mixed on how I feel about it.  It's lightweight, safe for sensitive skin and blends fairly easily.  The drawbacks I found were that it was almost too lightweight, had minimal coverage and poor staying power.  I really liked the application but at the end of the day I noticed most had been rubbed away.

Revlon's Colorstay Foundation (Normal/Dry) in Natural Beige

After dealing with Neutrogena's disappearing coverage, I decided to find a foundation that was short on price but long on wear.  Colorstay by Revlon has been noted in the past to be a good choice for those who are looking for all day wear.

First I would like to mention that Revlon's color selection is much better than Neutrogena's.  I was able to find a shade that matched me and Revlon offers their Colorstay foundations for Normal/Dry and Oily skin types.  I know it's not completely fair to compare Neutrogena's Healthy Skin to Colorstay since Neutrogena doesn't claim to be a long wearing option but I must say that Revlon's Colorstay performed well.  I noticed my makeup didn't fade or rub off.  I also noticed my skin was less "greasy" and the coverage was much better.  The one drawback to Colorstay is that it seems to be absorbed very quickly into my skin so I use more foundation than I would normally.  I also feel that Revlon's Colorstay is harder to blend than Neutrogena.  You can find Colorstay at your local drugstore for around $8.00

Of course when I picked up the foundation I just HAD to pick up a few more goodies.  I had been eyeing Milani's baked blushes for quite some time.  I love Milani's regular blush line so I knew the baked blush collection would be a good fit.  Currently at my local CVS Milani only offers 3 different shades.  I decided to pick up Rose D'Oro which is a beautiful berry/coral color with gold veining throughout.  When swatched the blush appears more pink/coral with gold shimmer.  Many people compare Rose D'Oro with the rare and much lusted after Stereo Rose by MAC.  I plan to do a comparisson between the two for my next blog entry.

Close-up of Rose D'Oro

Rose D'Oro swatched with a flash.

Picture taken without a flash.

I find that all the Milani blushes I own are smooth, pigmented and affordable.  You can find Milani at CVS, Kmart and Target.  Rose D'Oro was purchased for around $6.50. 

Aside from enjoying Milani's blushes, I also LOVE their 3D Glamour Glitzy gloss line.  I now own almost all of the shades and I love each one.  The most recent color I purchased was In Vogue which is a gorgeous, bright magenta with pink sparkle.  The glitter is not gritty on the lips when worn.  3D Glitzy Glamour gloss has been compared to MAC's Dazzleglass but personally I think Milani is better (and cheaper!).  MAC's Dazzleglass is notoriously sticky.  I'm not going to say that Milani's Glitzy gloss is 100% better but it is less sticky.  The one drawback for Milani is staying power.  MAC Dazzleglass does last longer when worn.

Close-up of In Vogue-notice the glitter.

Swatch with no flash to show true color and pigmentation.

Milani's In Vogue worn on my lips alone.

  If you want a gloss that is packed with sparkle and doesn't break the bank, consider Milani's 3D Glitzy gloss which can be found for around $7.00 versus MAC's Dazzleglass which is priced at $18.50.

I've been on a nail polish kick for a while now and two more bottles surely don't help my addiction any!  Revlon makes great nail polish for cheap and I took advantage of the buy one get one 1/2 off deal recently.  I picked up Coconut Crush and Gold Coin.  Coconut Crush is a pearly white shade with super-fine shimmer.  When dried it resembles mother of pearl and is scented.  Currently it's on my toes and I really like the way it compliments almost any outfit.  Gold Coin is a gold polish with fine shimmer.  I was hoping this polish would be a winner but with it's slow drying time compared to other Revlon polishes I own, I find this one to be a dud. 

Lastly I want to highlight a recent mascara purchase that I am pretty excited about.  I really enjoy Lancome's Hypnose Drama mascara.  It's volumizing, doesn't smudge, has a great wand and makes my itty bitty lashes look great.  What I don't like is the huge price tag.  I think I've solved my problem (somewhat).

Prestige makes a mascara called My Blackest Lashes.  I found my tube at Ulta for around $6.00.  In my opinion My Blackest Lashes is a close dupe to Lancome's Hypnose Drama.  It's super black, volumizing, has a great wand and makes my lashes look amazing.  There is almost a $20 price difference and I was happy to discover this mascara.  The only drawback was that at the end of the day I noticed some slight smudging under my eyes.  I've used this mascara for almost two weeks and the smudging does not occur every day.  I'm even beginning to wonder if the smudging is heat related considering the 100 plus degree weather lately!  I cannot say that My Blackest Lashes is completely smudge proof like Lancome or Covergirl's Lash Blast but it's benefits outweigh any negatives at this point.  If you want your lashes to appear longer and thicker, consider Prestige's My Blackest Lashes.

Some goodies to try out!

Lately I've been really into girly scents.  I'm loving anything that is floral, flirty or sweet and that makes you feel sexy the minute you spritz them on!  I picked up a new scent by Marc Jacobs today called "Oh, Lola!".  The scent is described as fruity and floral with strawberry, pear, peony, raspberry, sandalwood and vanilla notes.  I am finding that this has worn well today and it has stayed true on my skin even after it dries.  Some scents completely change and go against my chemistry but this one stays soft and doesn't overpower me at all.  I bought the 1.0oz bottle at Ulta for $48.00.

Aside from smelling good even in this sweltering weather, you've got to keep your skin moisturized.  Each time the thermometer rises and my legs come out of hiding, I reach for my cocoa butter.  My legs tend to get dry very quickly and cocoa butter solves the problem.  Some people don't like cocoa butter but I personally love the rich scent and the moisturization it provides.  I have found that Queen Helene's is the best.  It's long lasting, smells pleasant and is cheap.  I've had my tub for over a year and I still have plenty left.  I usually apply it to my legs at night before bed and then I wake up to great skin that looks and feels wonderful.  I got my tub (15oz) at Walmart for $4.00!

Even in the August heat I find that I want to reduce the amount of foundation I wear.  Some foundation is too thick and too hot.  I recently purchased Neutrogena's Healthy Skin liquid makeup in the shade "Natural Beige".  So far this foundation has worked well with my combination skin.  It hasn't caused any breakouts and has felt light.  Neutrogena states that this foundation has spf20 and an exclusive blend of antioxidants to help skin look younger.  I will say that it's too early to see any real difference but it's lightweight and gets the job done.  The only drawback with this foundation is that it is not full coverage which I prefer if I am going out or wanting to disguise any blemishes.  I purchased mine from CVS for $9.00.

Over the past month I've purchased the Wet n Wild 8 pan palettes which I am proud to say I adore!  In the past Wet n Wild has not disappointed me with any of the purchases I've made.  Almost every eyeshadow in each palette I've bought has turned out lovely, with rich pigmentation.  I was excited to hear about the 8 pan palettes when they were released earlier this year.  I've purchased all 3-Comfort Zone which has gorgeous greens, browns and bronze shades.  I also purchased Blue Had Me at Hello which has icy blues including navy and of course black.  The last palette is Petal Pusher which is full of gorgeous berry shades, purples and a shimmery black color.  Each palette costs around $5.00!

Comfort Zone-numbers 1 & 2 are highlighters, 3 & 4 are for the lid, 5 & 6 are for the crease and 7 & 8 can be used for liners and/or for the crease.

1 & 2 are shimmery champagne colors.  3 is a gorgeous rose gold shade and 4 is a wonderful, green shimmery shade.  5 appears to be a matte copper color but it is actually a soft brown with copper undertones and slight shimmer.  6 is a greenish gray with gold shimmer.  7 is a highly pigmented brown with heavy plum undertones and red shimmer.  8 is the most unique shade of all.  In some lighting it appears copper and in other light it has a green cast to it.  It is very similar to MAC's Club eyeshadow-click here to see my review of MAC's "Club" eyeshadow!

Blue Had Me at Hello- 1 & 2 are highlighters, 3 & 4 are for the lid, 5 & 6 are for the crease and 7 & 8 can be used for liners and/or for the crease.

1 is a white, shimmery highlighter.  2 is an icy blue and 3 is a shimmery gray.  4 is a gorgeous, teal blue.  5 is an extremely deep navy blue whereas 6 is a lighter blue, more similar the color of the ocean.  7 is a matte black and 8 is a shimmery black shade.

Petal Pusher- 1 & 2 are highlighters, 3 & 4 are for the lid, 5 & 6 are for the crease and 7 & 8 can be used for liners and/or for the crease.

1 is a soft, pale pink with a slight iridescent shimmer.  2 is a shimmery purple/pink and 3 is a light, matte purple.  4 is a shimmery raspberry shade.  5 is a deep purple and 6 is a shimmery berry shade that is very pigmented.  7 is a lovely iridescent purple that almost glows on the skin and 8 is a black with silver shimmer.