February Slow Down and Josie Maran

It is looking to be a quiet month for me in terms of going to shows, so I will be focusing on getting some product reviews done instead.  Not that I really have any ready for you right now, lol.

At a recent gathering, I did get to try a fabulous sunscreen from the Josie Maran line: the 40 spf Moisturizer.  Of course, it's not currently available, as Josie tells me with a smile that it is being revamped.  I'm already a huge fan of her Whipped Argon Oil in Vanilla Apricot, so am anxious to try the new sunscreen when it is released.  It smelled heavenly, and absorbed beautifully with no greasy residue.  I hate how most sunscreens feel on my skin, so really loved how this one felt, and honestly, the scent was intoxicating.  I wanted to eat it, lol.  And, it kept my skin from burning after being out in the sun for several hours with only one application

I used the Whipped Argon Oil before my boudoir shoot last year (and again this year!) after every shower for about a month so that my skin would be well hydrated in the photos.  (Yeah, dry patchy skin does not look so great in sexy photos, imagine that.)  The scent is a bit stronger than the sunscreen, has a bit of a sharper quality, but I still like it.  It also absorbs beautifully, and leaves your skin feeling supple and luscious.  Unfortunately, Kenny has now discovered it, so my stash is rapidly depleting. 

There are numerous other products in her line that I'm interested in trying soon.  I know that Josie is passionate about the quality and sustainability of the ingredients she uses in her products, which just makes me even more interested in using them, as I am also trying to live a more green lifestyle.

Do you have a favorite JM product?  I would love to hear about your experiences with the line.

Busy Week Recap

The last week absolutely flew by -- last post I was just getting ready to leave for the Whisky A Go Go, and now it is 2 shows and a Super Bowl party later, lol. I wish I had more photos to share, but sometimes photo ops are a little hard to come by, or maybe it's suitable light that is hard to come by?
First up is the show at the Whisky -- happily I was able to get dressed in the bathroom at the venue (strangely, neither of the band dressing rooms have doors) and put my makeup on in the dressing room. That was a challenge. The walls are painted black, there are only a couple narrow mirrors not set up for makeup application, and very little light (and what there is has a strong yellow cast). I imagine most guys in a band don't notice these things, but all of us ladies certainly did, lol.
Soundcheck was a bit different for this show, because the guys also had to do a rehearsal for the taping, with a much more structured set up than a regular concert would have. It was interesting to watch, and I was really glad that I didn't have to try and remember all the little details that go into making a smooth televised concert. I managed to sneak in a few shots of the guys before the show -- loved catching Kenny getting spruced up -- they had a makeup artist to do some stage makeup for the guys, which helps when you're going to be on HD tv.

The performance was great-- and the floor was jam-packed with people. I was very glad I had a table in the upstairs loft area that they had set up for VIPs. (In this case, that means friends and family of the band, as well as other musicians who have been on the show, and I imagine some production people as well. David Spade and Amy Adams were even in attendance that night!) Visibility from up there isn't great, but not having to stand in a crush of people and still be able to enjoy the music was a huge perk to me. I was bummed that my friends were not on the VIP list, so they were downstairs for the show, but, after the show Kenny sweet talked the bouncer at the VIP entrance to let them come upstairs to celebrate my birthday -- he even arranged with one of the other band wives to get me birthday cake!! It was embarrassing and wonderful to be the center of all that attention, lol. Definitely made me feel special.  A few of the TLR ladies decided to try the photobooth before we left -- wish I'd remember that sooner and gotten one with Kenny!

All the guys and wives decided to go out for food afterwards (none of them ate much of the pizza that was provided before the show --- I think Kenny had been served pizza 5 out of 6 nights that week, because every venue seems to just order pizza. I guess it hasn't dawned on them that singers tend not to eat dairy before a show, and that pizza gets old, very old, when that's all there ever is). We went to the Rainbow, which was a block or two away and easy walking distance. Won't be in a big hurry to go back there again, lol. They win the award for worst service EVER. Took 20 minutes for a waitress to come give us menus, then it seemed she would never bring the food. Once the food did arrive, it came for one person. Seriously. About 15-20 minutes later, our food came (with a coffee we didn't order but that did show up on the bill, and no salad dressing on my salad), but the last guys food did not come. He had to ask for them to bring it. I had to ask for salad dressing, two or three times. Some of our peeps at the next table were having the same experience. The water I asked for at the beginning of the meal came at the end. Thank heavens this is such a fun group of people to hang with, because we didn't need good service to have a good time! And, at least the food was good when it finally did show up. We didn't get home until about 3:15 and we were all wiped out the next day.

Here are some videos on Youtube promoting the show, and fan reaction afterwards:

This last weekend Kenny had another show with The Long Run at Pala Casino near San Diego. I had a baby shower to go to that afternoon, so Kenny drove down with one of the guys and I came later after sitting in massive traffic for three hours. Sigh. Sometimes LA sucks. One of my girlfriends who lives in SD came up and met me for dinner, which was so great. The show was very energetic -- the crowd was huge, and I heard they had about 100 people who couldn't get into the venue, so they had to watch from the casino bar that is at the edge of the showroom. Nice! There is a real connection between the energy of the band, and the energy of the audience. If the audience comes ready to have a good time, the band draws from that, and the show is even better. It's like a continuous loop of positive momentum between them that just makes for an incredible show.

We had some delish Mexican food with the band afterwards -- Pala has a small Mexican eatery called Amigos with decent food -- not gourmet, but reasonably priced and tasty, with good wait staff. Works for me, and the margarita I got there was better than the one from the bar inside the showroom. I was doing the happy dance that Kenny had decided to book a room in Fallbrook that night, rather than doing the 3 hour drive home. You can not imagine how much it sucks to make a long drive like that after a full day. Literally, we left the house at 11, it's a three hour drive, then you unpack the gear, set it up, do soundcheck, grab a bite, get dressed, do the show, visit with some fans, tear down the gear and pack up. If you're lucky, you're ready to leave the venue by 11:30-midnight. It's the worst part of being a musician or one of the wives, and is a big reason why I go along to as many shows as I do-- want to help keep him awake and get home safe. A motel room is a much nicer way to end the evening!

Posted with Blogsy

So excited -- tonight Kenny is performing live on AXS tv's "World's Greatest Tribute Bands" with The Long Run. We are hitting the road in a few minutes, and I have no idea if I'll be dressing in our car, or get a chance to horn in on the dressing room while the guys are sound checking -- obviously hoping for the second option, lol.

I made a top to wear tonight, of deep navy blue heavy weight silk charmeuse. It looks better on the hanger I think, :-/ but oh well, it's what I'm wearing, because the color looks fantastic with the crearm and silver GbyGuess pants I'm wearing -- super cool skinny jeans with a tapestry style metallic silver print. Can't see it in the pic very well, but don't have time to adjust the pic now. Also wearing a great crystal necklace and my Aldo sandals that I got for a steal in Vegas --$10!!! After tax, lol. Love it when I find a great deal like that.

If you get AXS tv, be sure to tune in at 8pm PST and watch the show!! As always, comments welcome!

IMATS Sigma and NYX

One booth I hadn't planned specifically on visiting was Sigma -- and it had a crazy long line, so I'm still not sure why I decided to get in the line, other than it's one of those companies that doesn't sell locally (in fact, they pretty much just sell online -- there are a few retail stores that carry them, but they are few and far between). 

I really don't like ordering a product I've never tried before online.  I mean really, who wants to pay shipping for something that you have no idea whether you will be happy with it in a general sense?  If it's a company you have other products from that you love, then that's a bit different -- but a company that you've never, ever even laid eyes on an actual product?  I'm not so inclined to spend that extra money.  For kicks I checked shipping on a $9 eyeliner -- the cheapest option was $6.35 -- that's coming close to doubling the price of that eyeliner, which means I hit the back button and don't buy online.  And if I'm trying a company for the first time, I don't order oodles of stuff so no free shipping for spending over a certain amount.  This is not to say that I have any reason to doubt the quality of Sigma -- I've heard consistently good things about the line, so I actually did want to try it.  I think that is why I got in that crazy long line.  It went along the wall from one end of the booth all they way down past about 4, maybe 5 more booths, then out into the lobby and down towards the door leading outside (this is where we got in line) and then right after we got in line, it went outside and started snaking along out there.  Never looked to see how bad it got. 

A very cool thing Sigma did was have big shopping bags you could grab, and inside was a free travel size E25 blending brush, a sample card with 10 eyeshadows, and a sample card with 2 quad brow samples.  Nice!  Actually the only freebie I got at IMATS.  There was also a brochure detailing all the products that were available in the booth, with regular and show pricing.  So while waiting in line, chatting with other attendees, we got to do a little "shopping".  I did have my daughter stay in line, while I went up to the back side of the booth where they had actual product laid out for swatching.  Also while waiting in line, as we got closer to the actual booth, we could see TiffanyD taking pics with fans in a little meet and greet they had set up. She looked fantastic, and just seemed super nice and friendly.

I ended up selecting two cream shadow bases (not primers -- you use them over primer and they help your shadow pop more, as well as last a bit longer, at least they do on my eyes) and a blush.  I got Persuade (a nude) and Pose (bronzy brown color) in the shadow bases, and Serene in the blush, which is a brick color with pink tones.  I was not able to get really accurate shots of the colors, even with post-editing tweaks.  The Pose color is the closest to looking like the actual product, which is just a bit more shimmery in hand.  I have used everything at least twice this week, and I'm really pleased with the cream bases.  I don't have oily lids, so my experience will be more relevant to those that have similar skin type.  The base gave better stick to my eyeshadows, and also the shadow looked great all day.  I had no creasing whatsoever.  I used the same shadow yesterday without the base, and it actually didn't last as long, so definitely happy with the base. 

Persuade -- less pink, leans more pale brown in hand. 

Pose

Persuade is completely nude on my skin, and creates a nice canvas on my lids, completely covering any red or blue tones in my skin.  Pose could actually be worn alone in a pinch, a very flattering color on me.  Application is smooth, and the product is very light weight.  I've had problems with other bases I've tried (especially NYX) looking cakey or unflattering due to my aging skin.  The Sigma bases work beautifully without any unattractive effect  - better even than the one MAC Paint Pot I have (Vintage Selection -- gorgeous color).  A word on packaging.  Hmmmm.  It looks really cool -- sort of futuristic and artsy.  But for a person who travels, and wants to fit a fair amount of stuff in a small bag, I hate the extra large size of the jar.  The actual amount of product is quite small for the size of the container.  This is not a complaint on how much product there is -- it's a standard amount comparable to other brands, the large container is just a waste of my limited space, both in my makeup drawer and in my suitcase.  I do like the little extra interior cap to help keep it from drying out.  We will see if it works.

 Serene: more brown-tones in person

The blush is nice.  It's a bit more orangy-brown than I thought at the show -- but it looks good on me, and a little bit goes a long way.  Blends well and is a matte product.  I'm not one to go on and on about blush -- it's an after thought product for me.  Maybe someday I will find the blush that sparks a vivid response.

I have not tried any of the free sample products other than the E25 brush, which I love.  Makes me wish I had grabbed an extra bag, but I was good and only took my fair share so that others had a chance to get one as well.  It was very tempting though, lol.

I didn't get much at NYX, mostly because it's not a favored brand for me.  I like some of their products, like the Jumbo eyeshadow pencils, so I grabbed two of those  - one in gold and one in black for a look I want to try.  I also grabbed a sharpener, since I don't have one for the jumbo pencils.  They actually had a very large booth, with loads of product displayed.  I would have spent more time looking, since it was a lot of product that would certainly not be available to me at home, but I was really sticking to my list, and in order to not go over budget, it was better to just not look. 

Have you ever tried Sigma?  I would love to hear your thoughts on what you do and do not like in the line.  How about NYX?  What's your go to NYX product??

IMATS Brush Haul featuring Bdellium

One of my main goals at IMATS was trying out Bdellium Tools line of brushes.  They have a wide selection of travel size brushes, which I particularly am interested in both because I travel, and because I am horribly near-sighted.  In case you don't know this, near-sighted people have to get really, really close to the mirror when applying eye makeup and then the brush handles hit the mirror, or are just plain too long to use that close.  When I was younger, it didn't matter too much because I just put on my contacts and viola, problem solved.  These days, my eyes are getting more and more messed up -- now I can only see up close without my contacts unless I wear reading glasses.  It sucks. So applying eye makeup presents somewhat of a challenge.

Enter Bdellium travel size brushes.  Now, where I live, there is not a lot to choose from in terms of good brushes that don't cost and arm and two legs.  I've found a few that I really love, like a Sonia Kashuk No. 04 foundation brush at Target.  Love that brush.  But in terms of specialized eye brushes, not a lot to choose from unless I want to go to the MAC counter at Macy's and spend an obscene amount of money.  Not only do I not want to do that, I can't do that.  I've been doing a lot of research, and pretty much across the board everyone has raved about this brand -- it's affordable, eco-friendly, and very good quality.

The booth wasn't crowded, and I was easily able to get someone to help me.  Unfortunately, they didn't bring the Studio line travel set that I wanted.  Apparently it doesn't sell well at IMATS, so they stopped bringing it.  Bummer.  They did bring a small eye set of the Green Bamboo line plus a full range in the travel length handle, so I chose from that range, with a couple Studio line brushes that aren't produced in the Green Bamboo travel line. I believe the difference between the Studio and Bamboo lines are that the Bamboo lines use all synthetic fibers, whereas the Studio line uses a combination of natural and synthetic.

I've used a few of the brushes so far, and been really pleased.  I actually received a free travel E25 from Sigma, which I think I like better than the Bdellium blending brush, 776.  Not really sure why, but that's my early impression.  From the 5 piece kit, I really like the 777 shadow brush for packing on color, and the 781 Crease brush.  Both are the perfect size for my lids.  I haven't used the 769 angled contour yet, but it looks interesting, and when I had my makeup done at Ulta the MUA used one like it.  The 716 smokey eyeliner is gorgeous, lol.  It is the perfect size and shape with a full base and nice, narrow pointed tip.  The final brush in the set is a 760 liner/brow brush which is tiny.  Seriously, very small brush.  I'm not sure that I like it more than the traditional angled liner brush or not.  It works fine, but it's not making my fingers gravitate to it yet.

One of my individual brushes, the 780 Pencil brush is THE pencil brush I have been looking for --super soft, small but not too small, with just the right size tip.  Love it. I also adore the 714 flat eye definer.  It's like an angled liner, except it goes straight across. It does a wonderful job applying shadow to the lash line -- helps fill in the little gaps between eyelashes and deepen the eyeliner.  It also is great to smudge eyeliner pencil so that you have a softer line. Finally, I have a 768 round dome and a 755 smudge.  Both work well, but haven't used a lot yet.

I didn't get many face brushes, but like the ones I did get.  A 949 pointed foundation brush -- don't love for all over application, but really nice for some of the smaller angles of the face and under the eyes.  The 942 contour brush is one of my favorites from all the brushes I got.  I didn't have a good blush/contour brush, and this one is perfection.  It is a great size for me, plus the bristles are soft as in, can I just sit and stroke this brush??  It applies blush beautifully, which is exactly what I wanted.  The final brush from Bdellium is a 959 powder finishing brush.  Kaylie got one too, and she adores hers.  I'm a big fan of mine as well.  I've been using it for powder application and buffing.  It is super soft and dense, does a beautiful job and is the right size for me.  Can you tell that size is an issue?  Not in the double entendre sense, lol.  Just that I like a medium sized brush for a lot of brush types, and my choices fit the bill across the board.  Very happy.

I picked up 3 Morphe brushes just for kicks.  They were a less than the Bdellium, running $3 each for the pink handled ones, and $4 for the black handled blender M412.  The pink ones have no number or designation, but both are dome/pencil style brushes.  One of the pink handles is too long to fit in my roll, so it will stay at home for handy use on my counter.  I haven't tried them yet, but they feel good just running across my lid, and the brushes seem to be well made, especially for the price.  I will be doing an update addendum at some point, after I've used and washed all the brushes more.  Definitely want to see how they hold up, and which ones I end up going for again and again.

My kitty Milo thinks my new brushes are pretty cool, too. 

Please feel free to comment, and tell me about your favorite brushes, or what you think of Bdellium if you've tried them!

My Day At IMATS LA 2014

Wow -- what an awesome day at my first IMATS!! I was pretty bummed that my girlfriend was not able to go at the last minute, but she graciously gave her ticket to one of my daughters. Kaylie and I got up at 5 am to get on the road early and get in line. When we arrived at 7, there was already a very long line, but believe me, not as long as later in the morning!! Here is a pic of the beautiful sunrise on our way into Pasadena, and the entry to the convention when we got there.

Once inside, we went straight to the Inglot booth, and I filled out the form for the eyeshadows I wanted, as well as a lipstick I saw that I thought would be a great color for me. I selected two 5 pan palettes, as well as a  palette duo (for my "white" and "black" shadows) and a selection of additional pans to use in the palettes when I go out of town. I want the option of a small palette that I can customize for my wardrobe on any given trip, a primary reason for investing in Inglot. Great quality, fantastic pricing and a huge selection. Can't beat that! The staff at the booth was also really friendly, and moving fast to help everyone.
 

 Bdellium Tools was next, but unfortunately they didn't bring the Pro Series travel set that I wanted. They did have a small travel set in the Green Bamboo line, as well as the individual Green Bamboo travel brushes, so I selected a few to make my own set. Very excited to try them! The staff here was also extremely helpful and friendly.

 

Velour Lashes got squeezed in as well -- sort of blitz visit, as I already pretty much knew exactly what I was going to get. After this point, things are a bit of blur. There is so much to take in, and lots of people vying to look at product. We tried to go to the Naime booth, but the line was huge, and there wasn't anything particular there I was interested in. Also checked out the Makeup Geek booth -- sort of. That is to say I saw the very long line and opted not to get in it, as I only wanted to try one or two things. I'd rather mail order if I really need it, as it was only discounted a $1 or so per product. Which is still great if you're getting a bunch, but I had opted for Inglot this trip. Scattered thru out the exhibit hall are demos of theatrical/movie makeup, so took several pics of things we liked.

 

  

 

 

 

Eventually we decided to brave the Sigma line, which was quite long -- the longest booth line we did the whole day. I wasn't really even looking for any Sigma products, but since I've never tried them, can't buy them locally, and was curious, we did it. I ended up trying one of their blushes and cream base shadows. Also got to meet and get a picture with TiffanyD -- every bit as beautiful and sweet in person as she is on Youtube!

 We took a breather at the open forum "classes". It was heavenly to sit down. My feet were killing me by this point, and I was starving since I had yet to eat anything. The class in session was not a style that I had any interest or need for -- he was paining half her face white, and then putting odd bits of color here and there. I'm sure for those that are into movie makeup it was riveting, but it didn't help my skill set at all. We left after a bit, and when to Nigels Beauty Emporium where I snagged a Z-Palette after waiting in line a while. Price was right, so no complaints. After that, we just wandered a bit, and Kaylie got her makeup done at one of the beauty school booths. It was a strange color combo, so neither of us really liked it -- which was kind of a bummer because she was really excited to get it done. On our way out, I picked up a couple of Morphe brushes just to try out -- I chose ones that were $3 a pop, so worth giving the line a spin since I liked the texture and quality for the price point. I will do a "haul" post in a day or two with more specific info on what I chose, and the discounts, etc.

Before (done outside the venue while waiting to get in)

And after -- really not a great look for her. I think she did a better job herself, but, it was fun, and a great way to end our first trip to IMATS

It was a great day, and we are both looking forward to attending again next year.  We talked about getting a room next year, maybe with some friends, so that we can relax a bit more, and make it more of a weekend get-away.  Next up will be some Haul posts.  I'm going to separate them out by brand with a mini review for each, since I've been testing out most of the products already. Kenny is off to Arizona today for a series of shows, and when he returns next week, he will be doing a live broadcast on AXS TV's "The World's Greatest Tribute Bands" with The Long Run.  We are all excited about that, and this week I will be planning what to wear, maybe making myself a new top.  The show will be done on my birthday, and I have several friends coming out to the Whiskey where it is being filmed -- should be a fun night!!

IMATS Los Angeles 2014

Woo Hoo, so excited that I will be attending this years IMATS (International Makeup Artist Trade Show) in Los Angeles for the very first time with my good friend Christina, aka Shuga-Shug.  For those that don't know, IMATS is a huge show where cosmetic companies and related vendors showcase their wares, and many sell their product at a really nice discount.

Some of this years big names are: MacPro, Make Up For Ever, Sigma, Stila,  NYX, Inglot, OCC, and a few up and comers as well, like Makeup Geek and Bdellium Tools.  There are many more, but it would be boring to just write a blog that is a long list.  My two go to booths are Inglot and Bdellium Tools, as I have been hearing phenomenal things about both companies.  I'm not able to try either brand locally, so am going to check them out, and possibly take advantage of show discounts. 

I'm also hoping to snag a pair of Velour lashes, another product I have been reading rave reviews on.  This line of luxury faux lashes is made from mink hair (cruelty free -- the company says the animals are combed) and although pricy, have a much longer use time than the inexpensive synthetic kind.  They are rated for up to 25 uses, so we will see. 

I hear the lines are insane, but having conquered the Hall H line at Comic-Con on a Saturday, I feel confident that the MUFE line won't even phase me.  Although, given the nature of a horde of women at a discount counter, I think the pushing and shoving might be a bit more intense -- the Hall H-ers are a pretty courteous bunch.  Regardless, I shall brave the fray and report back!