Aromaleigh Introduces "Bete Noire" Collection

In French, "bete noire"means "black beast" (or "dark beast"). Used in English, the phrase can refer to ideas, people, or things that cause fear or are particularly disliked.

For Aromaleigh's new Bete Noire eyeshadow collection, the "dark" part of that translation might be appropriate, as these shadows are deeply pigmented and many have smoky bases. However, the similarity stops there. In fact, these shadows will attract you quickly, you will fall in love with them, and you will purchase them without fear of anything (unless of course you are afraid of loving them too much and blowing your entire budget on full sizes of the entire collection!).

Aromaleigh's site includes the photograph up there to the right and describes these gorgeous new shadows as:

"Bête Noire is a collection of 13 multi-dimensional, dramatic, and truly unique, enigmatic shades that evoke every woman's hidden femme fatale... "

These shades are ultra-smooth, rich and highly pigmented. Photographs don't even start to capture the intensity and inter-play of the pigments, lowlights and highlights within these shades. These are incredibly complex, unique colors!

I am often impressed with new shadows, but it is rare that they stop me in my tracks and cause me to gasp audibly, but that is exactly what happened when I received my sample set of this collection today. I was immediately caught up in the spell they cast. The colors look amazingly rich in the baggies, but when I swatched them, I was speechless. These are a study in the unexpected.... rich colors that, when applied, reveal deep mysterious bases with a million contrasting sparks of color. Pinks and blues with browns, bronze in charcoal gray... unusual pairings that are strange yet absolutely perfect. While AL's last collection, the Eye Plushes, whisper, the Bete Noires sing complex melodies out loud.... but they never scream or sing off key.

The depth of these colors definitely makes them "big girl" colors - you will get attention when you wear them, and that makes them right up my alley. Even my makeup skeptic husband had to stare and coo over these colors!

To check out some swatches of these colors, check out this entry in Miss K's Aromaleigh blog. To look at the colors some more, read descriptions, and buy these beauties, go here. You can get a set of super generous samples of all of the colors for just $15.21 (and shipping is free if you only order sample sizes). AL's sample sizes last a long, long time, so this is an amazing deal! Of course, you can buy single samples, full size jars, and, if you want to dive right in, a complete set of full sizes. However you do it, just go for it - you will love them for the holidays.

Finally - My Perfect Taupe!

It seems so silly, but yet so important -finding the perfect taupe eye color. It also sounds like it shouldn't be that hard - you go to the store, find one that says "taupe", pay, and go home happy.

But, at least for me, it hasn't worked that way at all. My search for the perfect taupe has been a series of hopeful anticipation and massive letdowns that has literally lasted years. I would look at taupes in the packaging at stores, thinking they were going to work, but upon application, the color was all wrong. I would read color descriptions online, confident that this would be the one, only to find out that Houston, we have a problem again.

Why was this so damn hard? It is because, I think, "taupe" doesn't really mean the same thing to everyone. Wikipedia agrees with me:

"Taupe refers to a dark grayish-brown color. The word "taupe" derives from the French name for the European Mole, Talpa europaea. Originally, this referred only to the average color of the French mole but like the colors pink and lavender, the name expanded (in the case of taupe beginning in the 1940s) to encompass a wide range of varying shades. It seems that this occurred because the color of the fur of the mole can itself exhibit a wide range of shades, from gray through yellowish, brownish, and even purplish.

Taupe is a vague, unscientific color term which may be used to refer to almost any grayish-brown, brownish-gray, or warm gray color. It often overlaps with tan and even people who use color professionally (such as designers and artists) frequently disagree as to what "taupe" means. There is no single, generally recognized authority for such terms."

And then check out how many hex codes there are for taupe (these are codes used to make colors show up in HTML/web page design):


And so this is exactly what I found as well. I had this perfectly balanced, specific color in mind - but there were so many versions of "taupe eye shadow" that it was next to impossible to find that one specific beauty I wanted. Some taupes were too brown, some too gray, and some leaned yuckily into muddy tan colors. Surprisingly, many taupes also appeared purple or plummy - these are lovely, as I loooooovvvvve purples, but when you are looking for taupe, a purple result is disappointing.

I realized that my perfect taupe was a nice balance of a fairly neutral brown, gray, and yes, purple. It would have a nice shimmer to it, because often matte taupes look like dirt on my eyelids, so perhaps a little silver should be thrown in. Whatever the color mix, though, I realized I probably wasn't going to find that one color, and I essentially gave up. Yes, I'd eye taupe colors when passing by, but my quest was suspended - no more incessant testing of the taupes!

And then one day, it happened.... completely by accident, I found my gorgeous, balanced, perfect taupe.


I had ordered samples of Meow Cosmetics' fall eye colors to try out (and swatch and review for you guys, which I will still do in another post very soon). In that collection is a color called "Claws-trophobic" and it is described as a "platinum taupe," excellent for a smoky eye. When I ordered the samples, the swatch online looked pretty, so I got it, but I didn't really think that it looked like that taupe.


The colors arrived, and I intended to do a fancy eye look with them the next morning. However, it so happened that I had an 8:30 am meeting that day and overslept, leaving me precious little time to get ready. Scratch the fancy look - grab a color that looks like it'll be easy and neutral, perfect for a rush job. I grabbed Claws-trophobic - in my bathroom lighting it had that brown/gray look with shimmer, and maybe a little purple to bring out my green eyes - slapped it on quickly with a little highlighter, liner, and mascara, and bailed for work.


Upon arrival at work, I dashed into the bathroom before my meeting. On my way out, I glanced in the mirror to check to make sure my makeup hadn't done anything funky.... and I stopped dead.


Leaning over the counter and examining my lids, I saw it. It was The Taupe. Perfectly balanced, the gray came out first, but as I turned the gray seamlessly turned to brown. Interestingly, the brown wasn't exactly the cool brown I thought My Taupe would have, but brown just ever so slightly over to the warm side of neutral. In different light over at the full length mirror, the shadow glowed with hints of purple and flashed with just the right amount of platinum shimmer overlay. It wasn't metallic, but it had that... I don't know... "ooomph"?

It lasted all day, just as lovely as when I put it on... I was so pleased I couldn't help but look in mirrors every chance I got. I found my perfect taupe!!

If anyone else is on a Taupe Quest and wants to try Claws-trophobic, it is available on Meow Cosmetics' Fall Splendor Palette page. It's just $1.oo for a very generous sample (and it's $10.25 for a full size jar - before you freak about that price, remember that Meow's eye colors come in packed-full 10 gram jars, rather than the 5 gram jars most mineral shadows come in).

Has anyone else ever had to quest for the perfect eye color? Did you find it?

One of Aromaleigh's "BIGGEST" Sales!!!

Ok, ladies, a quick late night blog, because I just had to tell someone about the sales going on over at Aromaleigh! Caution - these are HOT!

Aromaleigh, one of my favorite companies for eye shadow, is having some incredible sales on their eyeshadow color collections! Way back when AL started, the traditional "5 gram" loose eyeshadow jar was not available, so Kristen Bell began selling her gorgeous shadows in the larger 10 gram ones. As time went on, the 5 gram jars became available, and the newer shadow collections were packaged that way - thus leading to some products being in the 5's and others being sold in the 10's. However, now the company is transitioning completely to the 5 gram jars to be consistent. Perhaps that sounds a little sad, like you will be getting less when you buy - but true to form, Kristen is making it worth your while!!

She is now putting the 10 gram jars on sale, one collection every few days, for 50% OFF - that means you will get the gigantic 10 gram jars for about $4 each. This is unheard of - it is rare to find a 5 GRAM jar of shadow for $4, much less the big one!

Definitely head over there and have a look-see, as the colors are going quickly (because nobody can resist getting this crazy deal on their favorite colors). When you shop, make sure you check the dropdown menu for each collection - if the color you are interested in is NOT listed there, that means the 10 grammers are sold out in that shade. (It does not, however, mean the shade is gone for good - it will be returning almost immediately, just in the smaller packaging.)

Currently, this sale is going on for the Pure Eyes Frost collection, the Pure Eyes Matte collection, and the Carolina Summer Matte Collection. To show you how awesome these are, I am borrowing a few images from the Aromaleigh website (they are all Kristen's photography) to show you what the colors look like.....

The Pure Eyes Frost Collection

The Pure Eyes Matte Collection

The "Carolina Summer" Mattes

Remember, you will be getting a 10 gram jar size for just $4.13 - that's about the size of a Bare Escentuals shadow jar, but the color is much more intense. Happy shopping!!!!

**Oh, and remember to check out the coupons and deals page while you are at Aromaleigh; you can still use the coupon codes that are posted (a FREE eyeshadow, anyone??) with the sale prices!

Let's Start - Where to Get Your Makeup

So, before we start doing makeup, let's talk about where to GET it.

Of course, there are the standard type places - the websites for MAC, Stila, NARS, LORAC, and other brands, and the ever-popular Sephora. Even I love browsing at Sephora (http://www.sephora.com/ for those who don't have a physical store near them - like me). However, I am always just a little bit (okay, a lot) appalled by the prices these fancy brands are charging. I mean, yes, I love Dior Diorshow mascara, but $24 per tube?? Come on... we all have to admit that is absolutely insane. It's a mascara, for Christ's sake - something you use for, if you're a good girl and follow the mascara rules, 3 months and then toss. And MAC - example prices are $14.50 per eyeshadow pot and $20 for one of their new Lustre Twins lipstick/gloss duos. Yeah, the colors are lovely, but being out $34.50 after purchasing only two tiny (yes, tiny - MAC's eyeshadows are some of the smallest on the market) products is also insane.

Ladies (and possibly some guys) - think about what you are doing!! You're spending crazy amounts and getting very little for it. And you know what? That's what these cosmetic companies are banking on - that you WILL pay that $24 for the mascara because it's got the Dior name on it, and they WILL make a huge profit from that brand name. My opinion these days is - screw that. Just stop buying that stuff. They are essentially tricking you out of you cash, and if we all just quit buying it maybe they'd have to rethink their strategy a little.

"So what am I supposed to do?" you are asking.

What if I told you I could find you a dupe of just about any MAC shadow/pigment, and that I could do it for just about $1.00 each? What if I could find you a cream shadow that is as good, if not better, than MAC's super-cool Paint Pots for HALF the price? And what about the fact that many drugstore brand mascaras are now as good as those pricey ones, because they are made in the exact same factories - just packaged under a different name and priced differently?

This blog is going to show you how to do all of that. Of course, occasionally we'll splurge on something - for example, my one splurge these days is Urban Decay's Primer Potion (UDPP). It's $16, but the stuff works wonders. No reapplying shadow, no creases, nothing - and I have not found anything that comes close to working as well as UDPP. So I buy it, because it does what it says and there is no equal. However, when there IS an equal - why not buy that?

So, to start, I'm going to give you some info on some of my absolute favorite places to buy makeup on the cheap so you can browse and see what I'm talking about and see what I'm going to be using in the looks I'll do in future posts. These places not only provide high-quality, high-pigment makeup that you will love, but many create their makeup from pure minerals that are of even higher quality that that super expensive mineral company (um, Bare Escentuals anyone?). That means this stuff is free of chemicals and is good for your skin - perfect if you get a lot of breakouts. And, many give back to the community - by donating to cool charities, or just by being environmentally friendly. Great stuff, right?

With that, here goes:

1. Aromaleigh (http://www.aromaleigh.com/). With over 400 eyeshadow shades to choose from (that is a photo of their Rocks! Sonic Eye collection, taken from their site), Aromaleigh is probably my favorite place to shop - I'm an eye makeup addict, and Aromaleigh feeds that addiction like nowhere else. Why? Because they sell samples of all of those colors, and the samples range from about 80 cents to $1.20 each! These samples come in baggies, and inside each baggie is a generous amount of makeup - so generous that I have yet to run out of one and I started buying them three months ago. Aromaleigh's shadows range from soft, light, neutrals to bold, hot, look-at-me neons that glow under blacklight - and all of them, even the screaming neons, are infinitely wearable. And yes, they are extremely pigmented - and many are dupes for MAC pigments and shadows.

Of course, Aromaleigh is not just shadows - they have a huge line of blushes to try (these are incredible as well), and their lippies are just super moisturizing (you've gotta try the Nourishing Color Cremes... looks like a lip balm, acts like a lip balm, but provides a perfect hit of color for your daily life). And, another favorite of mine is the Ultra Resolution Finishing Powder... this is the EXACT SAME as Make Up For Ever's High Definition finishing powder ($30), but the container is a bit bigger and the price is about a third of MUFE's at $13.75. You'll find many other fantastic things as you browse the site... I dare you to leave the site without putting something in your cart! (Also of note - Aromaleigh donates part of its profits to Heifer International, a charity that hopes to feed the world.)

2. MEOW Cosmetics (http://www.meowcosmetics.com/). Meow is also a small independent company run by women. In my opinion, this is the absolute best place to buy foundation, bar none. With three formulations and 84 (yes, that's right) foundation shades to choose from, you are bound to find something that is perfect for you. For the first time in my life, I found a foundation that is an exact match for my hard-to-match skin - I'm kind of warm, but have some pink in there, and even makeup artists have had difficulty with it. The foundation not only matches, but it just melts into my skin for absolutely perfect, natural looks. In addition, they make concealers that match each of their foundations exactly, so there is none of that "Should I get the light? Or medium?" stuff. Each of their foundations can be sampled for $1 - so you can get a bunch of samples (each of which contains enough to do your whole face a good three or four times) and find your exact match. When that happens, you can buy a jar for about $23, depending on the formula... while the price is the same as Bare Escentuals, the jar you get is about three times the size of a BE jar! I will demonstrate this in later posts, but in the meantime you can see an example on Meow's foundation page. You will literally have enough to last years.

Meow also provides a fabulous foundation primer and finishing powder as well as a large selection of eye shadows, blushes, and bronzers. The bronzers are designed to go with the foundations (same base shades, and "top" shades that highlight the natural colors in the skin), and they look more natural than any I've ever seen - I hated bronzer and refused to use it until I met Meow. Their eyeshadows are also lovely and they have some very unusual, but oddly wearable shades, including a yellow-green called, of course, "Cat Psss." And that reminds me - most of their products have names relating to cats, and some are very, very clever. You'll have fun just reading those product names on the site!

3. M*A*D Minerals (http://www.madminerals.org/) - I haven't tried any foundations, but I have tried the Multipurpose Minerals. You can use these as eyeshadows, and many can be used to create your own lip colors (dip a lip balm into the minerals and apply). They can be used as blushes, body shimmers, whatever you like. The color selection is nice; not like Aromaleigh, but they do have some original colors and the colors wear very well. Samples of each are available for $2.oo.

What I really like, though, are the Indelible Cream Liners and the Indelible Cream Shadows - these pots are really dupes for MAC Fluidline and MAC Paint Pots, respectively. Not only are the colors dupes for MAC colors, but the formulation is just about the same too (take a look at the photo, taken from MAD's website as a demo, to see exactly how close the creme shadows are to Paint Pots). They really are indelible - I took a shower with a sample of one of the cream shadows on my hand, and it was STILL THERE when I got out! (They remove well with any old makeup remover though - including Pampers Baby Wipes, which I use to remove my makeup.) However, at $8.99, these are about half the price of MAC. As a side note, Aromaleigh also sells these, but they are a bit more expensive there, so I thought I'd mention them here since we're talking about El Cheapo makeup.

4. Raesin Images/Colour ID Minerals (http://www.mineral-make-up.net/) - This Tennessee based small company has a giant selection of eye colors, many designed using color theory so they make the most of your eye color. Unfortunately, they don't really offer samples of their eye colors, but their "3 gram" jar sizes are just $4.99 - and they last forever (the company says 6-9 months, but it'll be longer for me because I don't use the colors every day). The colors I got are interesting and creatively mixed, and they last for hours and hours.

This company also has a foundation primer called Resurface X-treme that is rumored to be incredible - I haven't tried it yet, but got a free sample with my eyeshadow order. Will review it in a future post!

5. Amphigory (http://www.amphigory.com/) - Amphigory is geared towards the Goth, emo, and clubbing scene, but don't let that scare you off - even if you're in the over 30 set, like me, you will be pleased when you delve into the "Cosmetics" section of Amphigory's web site. You will also be pleased by the very, very personal service you get from Zev and Paz, the husband and wife team who own this company.

Amphigory's loose mineral eyeshadows are extremely original - I have "Road to Nowhere" and "Simple" and both are exquisite. Simple, in particular, looks greyish, but when you apply it a pinky bronze shimmer appears with the grey - Paz describes it as "a sunset on a cloudy day" and that is exactly it! Gorgeous, gorgeous. Their regular eyeshadows (pressed) are impressive as well, and they also sell those fab Indelible Gel liners and Indelible Cream shadows.

And, as a cat lover, this is an important one for me. One dollar from pretty much every product you buy at Amphigory goes to support Great Cats of Indiana - this is a sanctuary for big cats that have nowhere to go. Please go to http://www.amphigory.com/cougar_valley_farms_intro.html to learn more about this wonderful place.

There! Those are my Top Five right now. I will be reviewing specific products (with pictures) as time goes on. And I will be exploring new companies as well - if you would like me to review something, please do leave that in the comments.

Now, stay tuned for more reviews, and tutorials using these and other cool products!!!