An IMATS Find: Yaby Eyeshadow Refills in Antique and Pottery

Living in New York City definitely has its beauty-related perks: not only do I have access to many brands I'd only previously seen online, but also this year, I was able to attend my first IMATS (International Make-up Artist Trade Show) with my good friend Kar Yi. I wasn't planning on going all out and buying ALL TEH THINGZ, as per my previous post, but some make-up damage inevitably happened (well, what was I expecting - that's kinda the point of going to IMATS...), mostly in the brush department, which you'll hear all about in the upcoming posts. I also sneaked in a little purchase from Yaby Cosmetics, a brand I'd never tried anything from before; I scored two of their Eyeshadow Refills for $5 (they're normally $3.15 for 3g each on their website) in Antique no. pp019 and Pottery no. es347.

These Yaby eyeshadows are teeny-tiny: I've placed them next to a standard blending brush for reference, and they're roughly the size of a US dime - I believe it's a 15mm pan? They come packaged in a standard plastic clamshell, with shade labels glued to the bottom. They now happily reside in the Z-Palette alongside my pressed Fyrinnae eyeshadows.

I know you guys are probably majorly surprised - NOT! - by my shade choices. What can I say, I can't resist a good neutral shadow, and what IS in fact surprising, is that I somehow don't already have dupes for either of these in my extensive neutral eyeshadow collection. I know, shock horror!

 Antique is - you guessed it - a metallic antique gold shade, or a warm golden pewter. It's quite similar to the Browbone shade from the Limited Edition Wet n'Wild Dancing in the Clouds trio and Fyrinnae's Sacred. Fyrinnae Feisty Fennec Fox is decidedly more gray, MAC Patina more warm brown and less shimmery. Pottery swatches slightly different than it appears in the pan: it's a warm, rosey brown with a satin finish. Fyrinnae Evocation is a cooler purple grey, MAC Satin Taupe is darker and plummier.

L-R: Yaby Antique, Wet n'Wild Browbone shade from the Dancing In the Clouds trio (LE), Fyrinnae Sacred, Fyrinnae Feisty Fennec Fox, MAC Patina, Yaby Pottery, Fyrinnae Evocation, MAC Satin Taupe.

I've already featured Yaby Antique eyeshadow in the YSL Gloss Volupté post - that's the lid shade you've been asking about! It's even prettier on the lid than in the pan, and I'm quite surprised by how much I like it. To show you the other shade in action, I packed Pottery on the lid and slightly blended it up in the crease, and then deepened the outer corner with Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicate Hummingbird. I've highlighted the inner corner with a pink champagne from Inglot, lined my upper lashline with a dark brown pencil liner, and finished with two coats of mascara that you can see already flaking off on my cheek - real classy. NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink on the cheeks and Rimmel Soft Coral on the lips.

I really can't fault these adorable mini eyeshadows from Yaby: they're smooth, they're pigmented, they wear all day without creasing or fading over eye primer. I think the quality is really solid and it's a shame they're not more popular - I mean, they're only three bucks a pop, that's lower than most drugstore brands these days. They also come in a wide variety of shades and finishes, including pigmented matte neutrals and very bright, acid shades. Have you ever tried anything from Yaby?

Murad Monday: Eye Cream Overview & Comparison

You haven't seen a Murad Monday here in a while, have you? I kind of abandoned the idea of a Murad brand focus for a bit, but it seems like some of you actually found the last one helpful - and I do still use their products, so it would make sense to talk about something I use in my daily routine for a change, not just the newest, brightest lipstick I whip out once a month (mmkay, who am I kidding here, we all love the lipstick posts... but anyway).

Thanks to some fantastic GWP deluxe samples I received in the past year or so, I've had a fair chance to roadtest a variety of Murad's eye creams. Granted, the line is quite extensive so I haven't tried every single one, but if you're in the market for a new eye treatment and would like a review and comparison of some Murad ones, you're in the right place.

Let's start with my current pick: Murad Renewing Eye Cream ($75 for 0.5 oz), 'a multiactive, antiaging treatment for the eye area that firms, brightens, and hydrates to minimize the appearance of medium to deep wrinkles and crows feet'. It boasts peptides, retinol, phytoestrogens and iris root extract and it's part of Murad's green Resurgence line, aimed at more mature, dry skintypes. The product comes in a sanitary, controllable pump and has no discernible scent. In terms of texture, this is the richest and creamiest of the Murad eye creams I've tried. It does slightly sit on top of the skin when first applied, but sinks in nicely after a couple minutes. While I don't have medium to deep wrinkles (yet) or very dry skin, I find that the Renewing Eye Cream moisturizes my eye area exceptionally well, combats any dehydrated, winter skin woes and slightly plumps up my fine lines. It also wears well under concealer, so in this frigid weather, I opt for it in the mornings too. My only gripe is, well, the price, but I also suspect that it might cause some clogged pores high on my cheeks, more than I usually have - I'm not completely sure though that it's a definite culprit.

I've also been testing out two eye creams from the orange Environmental Shield line: Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15 PA++ ($69 for 0.5 oz), 'a patented antiaging eye cream featuring UV protection that brightens, renews, and protects the delicate eye area', and the newer release, Instant Radiance Eye Cream ($68 for 0.5 oz), 'a patented, brightening undereye and eyelid treatment clinically proven to minimize the appearance of dark circles and restore smoothness'. The first one is obviously geared to be used as a morning eye cream, and I find it to be creamy, but much lighter in texture than the green Renewing Eye Cream. Unfortunately, I don't find it moisturizing enough for the wintertime, and I question how much a small dab of SPF15 under your eyes is actually going to protect the skin against UV damage. The cream also contains caffeine to help with puffiness but I would say the effect is very slight. I find the Essential-C Eye Cream to be quite average, but perhaps a good recommendation if you're looking for a lightweight, daytime treatment with low SPF protection.

Now, the Instant Radiance Eye Cream is a bit of an oddball: it has a very thick, balmy texture that feels slippery and dry to the touch. It basically resembles a thick make-up primer, and no surprise, it is chock full of silicones. It also boasts a complex stimulating natural collagen production, retinol palmitate and tangerine butter, however a glance at the ingredients list reveals it actually contains shea butter AND tangerine peel oil - I'm quite annoyed at this unfortunate marketing blurb and while citrus essential oils have brightening properties, they can also cause photosensitivity and are potentially irritating, so... I'm not a fan. The Instant Radiance Cream is primarily supposed to minimize dark circles instantly as well as over time but I haven't really observed any such result on my under eyes - although it does help to mattify and smooth out any skin texture you might have, just as a silicone primer would for the rest of your face. It doesn't feel particularly hydrating or moisturizing.

To end this overview on a positive note, here's a quick look at my absolute favorite of the Murad eye creams I've tried: Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for Eyes ($62 for 0.5 oz), 'an antiaging moisturizer for the delicate eye area clinically proven to relieve dry, dehydrated skin instantly and restore youthful resilience and tone', - not pictured since I've used up my sample a while back, but it comes in a clear plastic jar. The Hydro-Dynamic cream also has the Murad's proprietary collagen-stimulating complex, as well as peptides, Vitamin E and shea butter.  I've found this one to be the most hydrating (versus the most moisturizing ---> that would have to be the green Renewing Eye Cream) Murad eye treatment and possibly one of the most hydrating eye creams I've ever tried. It feels lighter and thinner in consistency and sinks in faster than the other ones, yet manages to lock in moisture for a full day/night. It never irritated my eyes, felt soothing, minimized fine dehydration lines. Overall, the Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture was best suited for my eye area concerns, and the only Murad eye cream I would consider repurchasing despite the higher price tag.

Have you used any of the Murad eye creams? Do you have a favorite eye treatment from the ones you've tried so far? Let me know in the comments!

Chasing the Eyeshadow Bunny: Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting Eyeshadows

I have to preface this post by a bit of a warning: it's on the lenghty side, and rather picture-heavy. But, if you like a good deal of eyeshadow porn, then you're in luck today - I have four Rouge Bunny Rouge When Birds Are Singing Long Lasting Eyeshadow Refills ($19 for 0.071 oz/2 g) to show you, recently purchased from beautyhabit.com when they had their Rouge Bunny Rouge Gift With Purchase event (it's that sneaky lipstick box in the middle of the photo; but we shall save it for another day). The shades I opted for were Unforgettable Oriole 014, Bohemian Waxwing 066, Delicate Hummingbird 017 and Eclipse Eagle 074.

Can we skip the usual oohing and aaahing over the pretty packaging? I'm not sure we can. But on the more practical side, the eyeshadow refills come in simple cardboard envelopes, not terribly padded but mine arrived in pristine condition. The refills are smaller than the usual single Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows, and more or less the size of a MAC eyeshadow - and yes, they do fit in MAC palettes, they're not magnetized however. I store mine in a Z Palette.

Here are the four shades arranged together and below, swatched and photographed in studio lighting (top) and direct sunshine to show rainbow shimmer (bottom). All of these shades actually go rather nicely together, or could be used in pairs or singularly with other shadows for a variety of multidimensional eye looks. All the eyeshdows I purchased are shimmery, with Delicate Hummingbird and Eclipse Eagle being more sparkly (both shades feature multicolored shimmers) than Unforgettable Oriole and Bohemian Waxwing, which are more glowy/ satiny. The texture on all four is very similar: smooth, creamy but slightly on the dry side, well-pigmented. They all adhere to the skin without trouble (both on bare skin or over primer), have virtually no fallout, and last well (I tested over primer due to my oily lids).

If that was all the information you needed about these, then you can safely click off - because we're getting into the nitty gritty of individual colors, with shade comparisons and swatches. Starting from the lightest, first up is Unforgettable Oriole, described as a 'delicate, metallic white gold'. Rouge Bunny Rouge's shade descriptions are actually pretty spot-on; you could also say this is a neutral beige with intense white gold shimmer, not quite metallic to me but the most shimmery next to my pressed NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Nude (3rd from the left). As you can see, I have quite a few eyeshadows in a similar color group, but Unforgettable Oriole is one of the best textures and also the most cool-toned, which suits my skin a bit better.

Clockwise, starting with Rouge Bunny Rouge Unfogettable Oriole, then: MAC LE Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in Soft Force, pressed NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Nude, MAC Frost Eyeshadow in Ricepaper, Inglot AMC Shine no. 111, pressed Fyrinnae Eyeshadow in Nijiro. Swatches on bare arm below are in the same order.

Next up, Bohemian Waxwing - an 'iridescent bronzed champagne'. Uhm, ok, scratch what I said about the brand's accurate shade description; this is more of a medium warm taupe brown with silver shimmer. I actually have something quite similar by way of Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow no. 402, which is just a smidge rosier. Other shades I was comparing Bohemian Waxwing to turned out to be a lot different; the most interesting comparison may be with MAC Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe, which is a lot darker and plummier.

Clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Bohemian Waxwing, Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow no. 153, elf Custom Eyeshadow in Moondust, Inglot Pearl no. 402, MAC Veluxe Pearl in Satin Taupe. Same order, left to right, swatched below.

Delicate Hummingbird, 'cool, dusky sugar-frosted plum, iridescent with pink shimmer' was the shade I wanted to pick up the least; quite unnecessarily so, as I actually have nothing like it in my collection - hence the very mismatched comparison (sorry, overexposed!) and swatches. It's a true medium plum with neutral undertones and mostly pink, but also some silver, lime and gold shimmers (rather subtle, visible mostly in full sunshine). Beautiful texture and I'm glad to have it in my collection.

Clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicate Hummingbird, Inglot Pearl no. 420, MAC Veluxe Pearl in Satin Taupe, Stila Captivate from In The Moment palette, Inglot Pearl no. 439. Swatched left to right in the same order below.

Lastly, another unique shade: Eclipse Eagle, 'dark brown-grey plum with platinum iridescence (the richer and darker sister of our Delicate Hummingbird)'. This is rather difficult to describe - it's a warm plummy grey with rainbow shimmer; when I first opened up the packaging I was surprised to see almost a navy tone to it. I expected it to be somewhar similar to something like Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Skinny Jeans; but no, this one has more of a green tinge and it's less dimensional. Fyrinnae Evocation appeared the most similar in the pan, but it's lighter and more taupey.

Clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Eclipse Eagle, Too Faced Erotica from the Natural Eye Palette, MAC LE Satin Eyeshadow in Hocus Pocus, Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Skinny Jeans, Fyrinnae Evocation. Swatched below in the same order, left to right.

All this swatching and comparing has made me realize a couple things: a) the Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows are of superior quality and rather unique shades - I'm sure I'll be back for more, b) I own quite a few eyeshadows that, while pretty in the pan, are an absolute dry, sheer, crumbly mess, c) I don't need more taupe eyeshadows (sad face). To finally wrap this post up, here's a look I attempted with all four shades: Unforgettable Oriole on the inner corners, Delicate Hummingbird on the lid blended out with Bohemian Waxwing in the crease (also, on the lower lashline), Eclipse Eagle in the outer corner. If the shades appear to be creasing a bit, it's because I blended some foundation on my eyelids to hide the veins and it turned on me. The rest of the face: YSL Touche Eclat foundation, NARS blush in Sin, Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Shalimar on the lips.

Pfff, now that was a long one - thanks for persevering with me! Also, a big thank you to Bellyhead from Wondegondigo and Kate from Drivel About Frivol for their awesome swatches, which helped me decide which shades I wanted to buy. Have you tried Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting Eyeshadows? What are your favorites?

Tools of the Trade: bdellium Make-up Brushes

For a beauty blogger, I think I have slightly atypical collection of brushes; in fact, I only own one MAC and one Sigma brush and they're by far not my favorites. I do however own a lot of Ecotools, Real Techniques and bdellium brushes, and since the latter aren't the most talked about, I thought it'd share my stash and some mini reviews for those intersted in more affordable, mostly cruelty-free (synthetic) brushes.

bdellium tools (the all lower case spelling is starting to bug me now) brushes are professional make-up brushes in 4 different ranges: Maestro Series (the luxury line, animal hair with antibacterial treatment, durable nickel plated brass ferule, black handles) Studio (animal and synthetic hair treated with antibacterial agents, anodized aluminum ferule, long yellow handles), Travel Line (identical to Studio, but shorter handles), and three Bambu lines: Green, Yellow and Pink (colorful synthetic bristles non treated with antibacterial agents, colorful sustainable bamboo handles).

I only own brushes from the Studio and Green Bambu lines. Common denomination between all of these: they haven't shed a single hair, they don't leek dye, they wash well and the bristles seem immune to stains - I've been using these for well over a year now and they have lasted tremendously well.

Starting with the eye brushes: 760(S) Liner/Brow, all synthetic bristles, $7.04 at bdellium online store/ Amazon. I bought this brush primarily to use with a gel eyeliner for cat eye flicks, and it works very well for that purpose; the tip is very fine so you can get a very thin line towards the inner corners, just how I like it. I haven't used it for brows, but it works well with powder eyeshadows too. No complaints here - it's my favorite eyeliner brush and I prefer it over standard liner brushes like Sigma no. as well as angled brushes.

No. 772(B), Small Shadow, $8.02. I use a small eyeshadow brush every day for lining my eyes with a darker shade or deepening the outer corners. The 772 works well with its shorter, firmer bristles - it blends out the color well but it's not scratchy or pokey. I maybe wish the handle was slightly slimmer for storing purposes, but I'm nit-picking here.

No. 776(S) Blending, Full Soft Natural Bristles, $7.92. My most used eye brush ever - I already know I want a second one of those. The 776 is supposed to be a MAC 217 dupe, but I can't really compare since I don't own the MAC version. What I do know is that the 776 is perfect for both all-over shadow applications as well as placing colors in the crease, and it works well with both powder and cream eyeshadows. It has a rather fluffy, rectangular-shaped tip, so it can be used flat to apply color and then vertically to blend it out. I love it. You need it.

No. 778(S) Large Shadow, Optimized Soft Natural & Synthetic Mixed Fibers, $7.92. I love using a large paddle brush to apply concentrated shadow to the lid and sometimes also to diffuse it into the crease. The 778 is dense enough to pick up powder but also fluffy enough to blend it out, feels soft on the eyes and holds its shape well through brush laundry. A really great brush all around.

Onto the face: no. 957(S) Precision Kabuki, Full Synthetic Fibers, $14.52. I bought this brush to use with liquid and cream foundations, and it works reasonably well for that, although I find the bristles a bit too dense and firm for blending out - it works well for stippling motions but circular and lateral movements with this brush seem to drag the product around a bit too much. I would personally skip this one, but it might work if you need something for stippling, or maybe pressing setting powder onto selected areas.

No. 975(B) Mixed Powder, $14.96. This brush is recommended for finishing touches, though I like it better for applying bronzer and contour rather than setting powder. It's not really a round dome, I would say it's definitely flatter and thus better suited for applying a line of product when placed horizontally and then blending out when held vertically. It feels wonderfully soft and blends like a dream - what more would you want?

No. 995(B) Kabuki, $18. This is a rather large, very dense kabuki with dome-shaped bristles. It's quite soft and so well suited for blending out powders. Personally, I find the size a bit too large for me (it barely fits into the lid of my mineral foundations), although it works like a charm when I'm pressed for time and do need something bigger. Also, because the bristles are so so dense, I sometimes feel like some of my foundation disappears somewhere within the depths of the brush. I also like to use the 995 for setting powder or blending out an excess of blush on the cheeks.

Overall, I enjoy using my bdellium tools brushes and definitely plan to pick up more in the future; I especially want another eye blending brush and maybe something for blush as well. I think the price to quality ratio and the size of the range of these brushes are something to look into if you're a make-up brush enthusiast. Have you ever tried bdellium tools? What are your favorite brush brands?

Reviewing Reviva Labs: Pomegranate Scrub & Light Skin Peel

One of the good things about being on a beauty low-buy is finally having the time to really roadtest some products I've had lingering in my bathroom cabinet for a long time. Last year, a lovely Reviva Labs PR person sent me a sizeable package with their products, and in it two exoliants immediately caught my eye: the Microdermabrasion Pomegranate Scrub ($19 for 2 oz/ 55g) and the Non-Chemical Light Skin Peel ($20 for 1.5 oz/42g).

For those of you who have never heard about Reviva Labs, it's a natural, cruelty-free line founded way back in 1973 and distributed mostly through health food stores. The brand claims to have been the first in the US health stores and skincare salons to introduce many skincare breakthroughs, like the importance of skin exfoliation, non-drying acne products or using Vitamin P for spider veins. While I have no way of verifying whether Reviva was truly 'the first', most of the skincare I've tried so far have been simple, no-fuss, effective products with a very reasonable price tag, my favorite being their Hyaluronic Acid Serum, reviewed here.

Anyway, let's start with the Microdermabrasion Pomegranate Scrub! According to the brand,  'Reviva's microdermabrasion pomegranate scrub helps retexturize skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles or rough skin by featuring gentle magnesium oxide crystals and pomegranate instead of abrasive aluminum oxide. And to further avoid irritation as it exfoliates and removes impurities, our Micro Scrub induces a complex of organic oils. Cleanses in depth but gentle enough to use on even sensitive or acne skin.' The Pomegranate Scrub comes packaged in a utilitarian white plastic tub with a stopper lid inside and is a white, thick cream exfoliant with very fine crystals and a faintly almond/chemical scent (unfortunately, the 'pomegranate' part only refers to the pomegranate oil being one of the ingredients). The creamy, slightly oily base spreads easily on dampened skin and gives enough slip so that the scrubbing particles can be lightly massaged on the face. The scrub rinses off clean and without leaving a greasy residue - just soft, smooth skin. I find it works best when I'm particularly flaky after using some drying treatments as it really helps to buff away any peeling skin without aggravating my face any fruther thanks to the tiny crystals and a nourishing base. As much as I'm not normally a fan of physical exfoliation, I think the Reviva Microdermabrasion Scrub works very well and I would recommend it to those who like a more scrubby exfoliant.

The Non-Chemical Light Skin Peel 'doesn't "peel skin" as we know it, but gently lifts off more hardened, dried skin cells than can be achieved by scrubs or any other "exfoliating" product. Dead-cell accumulation prevents treatment products from penetrating and keeps skin tone from looking fresh and vibrant. (...) Our Peel ingredients also stimulate the deeper new cells to move upward at a faster rate - causing the skin surface to look tighter, clearer and healthier.' The Light Skin Peel is a very thick cream the color of oatmeal with small bits of crushed almonds and chamomile that smells very strongly of alcohol and thyme. No surprise here: the SDA Alcohol 40 is the second ingredient of this peel-off type mask, which is supposed to be applied once a week, let to dry for a couple minutes and then removed by rubbing off with fingers, dry towel or sponge. I will say that these two facts alone are enough to turn me off this product, as I dislike drying alcohols in skincare (and with this one, it literally burns in my nose and makes my eyes water as the fumes evaporate), and I also dislike peel-off masks that have to be removed by rubbing - my face does not like to be rubbed, and this does not come off easily at all. The end result is... ok, my skin does look smoother and the pores seem to be refined, although it also looks a lot more red; I feel like I can achieve similar results with a gentler product. The last gripe I have with this 'non-chemical' peel is that it contains salicylic acid and papain, both - you guessed it - chemical exfoliants. While I have no problem with this mask containing both physical (crushed almonds) and chemical exfoliating agents, I think the name is very misleading and overall, I can't recommend the product.

So, one hit and one miss with these Reviva Labs exfoliants. Have you ever tried anything from Reviva Labs? What are your favorite scrubs or exfoliating masks?

Disclaimer: The Reviva Labs products were provided to me for review consideration by a brand representative. I am not compensated to feature them on my blog nor am I affiliated with the brand. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always!

French Pharmacie Skincare Haul

To tie in with my 2013 Blogging and Beauty Resolutions, I thought I'd show you the various French skincare bits I picked up in Poland that I intend to revamp my beauty routine with, plus some Polish extras thrown in for a good measure. There's quite a bit, so let's get right to it!

 I asked one of my Santas for some Avène products for Christmas, namely the Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream (which, along with other Avène products, you can now buy on drugstore.com) for when my skin is being a bit more reactive, and the Soothing Moisture Mask, which I'm really liking so far. I'd only tried some of the acne line from Avène previously, so I wanted to get a better feel for the brand and thought that the more soothing, hydrating products for sensitive skin are just what my face needs at the moment. I also decided to purchase Avène's Thermal Spring Water spray to try - I used Vichy in the past and wasn't too impressed but wanted to give thermal waters another go.

Speaking of Vichy, my mum actually gifted me this little trio of deluxe samples that she got as a free gift. I like having a smaller size of the thermal water to take with me on the go, plus I'll be able to compare it to the Avène one. The round blue lid depicted below is a mini glass pot of Aqualia Thermal facial moisturizer, and there's also a small bottle of their micellar cleanser, Pureté Thermale 3-in-1 Calming Cleansing Solution.

I've also decided to stock up on toner and picked up the La Roche-Posay Physiological Soothing Toner (I can't seem to find this product on their US website, interesting...), as well as Bioderma's Hydrabio Serum Moisturizing Concentrate for Very Dehydrated Sensitive Skin - I've read a lot of rave reviews about it and wanted to try this next when I run out of my night time serum. The third box you can see on the right was a Christmas gift again; it's from a Polish brand Tołpa, which uses peat extract in their products, and it's a Mattifying Correcting Cream; I wonder if I could get away with using this as a moisturizer/primer in the mornings. I also got a body massage serum from the same brand and it smells absolutely divine, very much like sandalwood (it's the big brown pot in the first photo).

Last but by no means least, I had to make a stop at Inglot to purchase some more of their eyeshadows. They had a new collection out with some gorgeous metallic taupey shades, so I got two of those (no. 152 and 153), as well as two from the permanent line - a shimmery deep emerald green, no. 414, and a matte purpley brown, no. 344. I will swatch these for you very soon; I can't wait to play with these new taupes and the green!

I think I am now very well stocked in terms of skincare and can safely say I won't need to purchase anything for at least another 6 months (huh, we'll see about that...). One thing I forgot to include in the photos was a pot of Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm, which is much raved about on the blogosphere; can't wait to (literally) dig my fingers into it! Did you get any beauty bits under the tree or picked something up in the sales afterwards? Please share in the comments, I'd love to know!

Fyrinnae Week: Eyeshadow Swatches

As promised, a quick swatchathon to follow up my 'Breaking the Eyeshadow Rut' post. I can't help it, I just love photographing Fyrinnae eyeshadows, they're so sparkly and complex in their little pots - enlarge the photos to get the spangliness in all its glory. For more swatches of my older four shades, click here.

Starting with the lightest shades, left to right: Moon Child, a micro-glittery golden champagne, Crimson Ghost, a duochrome satiny pink, Kurisumasu!, a micro-glittery rosey tan and Tapir, a matte purpley brown.

My collection of Fyrinnae taupes: Sacred, a metallic antique gold, Envy Me, a duochrome shimmery cool brown with golden olive shift, Evocation, a subtly shimmery purpley taupe, Damn Paladins, a duochrome shimmery grey taupe with blue shift.

The darks: Purgatory, a warm brown with red shimmer, Steampunk, a purple taupe with multicolor shimmers, Madame and Eve's, a matte black with blue/teal/green/gold microglitters.

My favorites are still very much the taupe group but Purgatory and Steampunk were both pleasant surprises and quite easy to incorporate into a variety of looks. I like my little collection a lot and I think I'll continue buying Fyrinnae shadows because they are just beyond pretty and very unique - and they look like magic lava in macro photography.

Have you tried Fyrinnae eyeshadows? Which of your favorites do I need to put on my wishlist?