Hello Waffle Cosmetics: September 2015 Visage

Hey there geekonistas!

Have I got a pumpkin-spice flavored treat for you today. Well, not really pumpkin spice flavored, but it's so intensely fall that you might feel like it should be! It's this month's Visage from Hello Waffle Cosmetics!

Visage is a monthly subscription box service from Hello Waffle Cosmetics. It costs $25 a month, plus shipping, and includes a mix of full and sample size items for eyes, lips and face, including one product from a guest indie company. There is currently a wait list to subscribe, which you can join by emailing Hello Waffle.

This month's theme is Hansel and Gretel! Hansel and Gretel is one of my favorite fairy tales because Gretel is just such a bad ass. (Also, I want to live in a gingerbread house.) This month's Visage includes 3 full size loose eye shadow pigments, 1 slimline lip color, and a full size blush from the guest indie company, Baroque Cosmetics. This month's Visage came packaged in a cute white box with a brown ribbon bow, but I didn't photograph it because, well mostly because I forgot, but also because Christine, the owner of Hello Waffle, is going to be changing up the packaging very soon anyway. There is also an information sheet that lists all the products, their values (in USD and Canadian) and their ingredients on the front, with a quick version of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale on the back, which I thought was a really nice touch. It also contains instructions for a makeup look using all of the products, another well-thought out touch!

Cover Art! <3 <3 <3

The first eye shadow is called "Half Loaf of Bread" and its described as "Candied Orange with green and orange sparkle". I can't seem to pick out the green sparkle that well, but I definitely like the metallic orange look of this one. This is swatched over Geek Chic Cosmetics' Power Up Primer.

Blurred to show sparkle.

The second shadow in the set is called Red Eyes. The info sheet describes this as "Matte burnt brick". Its kind of a cool tone, almost dusty rose color. As usual with Hello Waffle's matte shades, it's exceptionally opaque and smooth. I swatched this pigment on bare skin.

The final eye shadow in the trio is a "Darkened red-brown with green to red shimmer" called "Fires. I really like this shade. Its a complex and shimmery brown without being too glittery. This is swatched over Geek Chic Cosmetics' Power Up Primer.

Blurred for sparklies.

Next up we have the lip color called "Better than Pebbles". This is a pinky-brown color in the tube that, on me at least, pulls a lot pinker when its actually applied. Its a somewhat sheer formula that requires a couple of passes to build opacity. This color is so pretty. I actually had to hunt it down for my review since I had already put it in my purse for a great "everyday" lip color.

And finally, we have this month's guest indie product from Baroque Cosmetics called "Candy Bricks." This is described as a shimmery orange. It looks a little intimidating in the pan but its actually quite a soft and pretty color once it's blended out. Below I have it swatched on primer (left) and then applied with a soft fluffy brush and blended out on the right.

You know what they say.. if it ain't Baroque, don't fix it! Ahahaahahhahah im so sorry

Final Thoughts: I waited a really, really, long time to get off the Visage wait list and I am so glad I did. I love this month's theme and the colors have me longing even harder for fall. Hello Waffle's characteristic quality, care, and stellar customer service make this box a must have for me.

What did you think of this month's box? What's your favorite fairy tale? Let me know in the comments!

Notoriously Morbid: September 2015 Vanishing Cabinet

Hey there geekonistas!

It's showtime! That's right, this month's strange and unusual Vanishing Cabinet from Notoriously Morbid has arrived. The title this month is "Say it Three Times," based on everyone's favorite ghost with the most... Beetlejuice! And just in time for Halloween. So let's turn on the juice and see what shakes loose, shall we?

The Notoriously Morbid Vanishing Cabinet is a monthly subscription service that includes a number of mini sized loose eye shadow pigments (anywhere from 4-6)  and/or lip and other bonus products, sometimes including a guest product from another indie company. It costs $12.90 per month including shipping. There is currently a wait list to get the subscription which you can join by emailing Notoriously Morbid.

This month's VC came packaged in a plastic ziplock bag. It includes four loose pigments, a Night Kiss Balm (the renamed "Coffin Kissers", Notoriously Morbid's lip balm formula) a sticker, and an information sheet with an explanation of the theme, the pigment names and ingredients, a code for 30% off your next Notoriously Morbid order, and a hint for next month's theme.

First up, we have the return of the stickers! This is actually a fairly large size sticker (about the size of a credit card) so I don't know where I will stick it yet, but it's going to have to be somewhere awesome.

The next item is the Night Kiss Balm, in the.. flavor? scent? whatever.. it's called "Day-O!" The information sheet describes it as a rainbow sherbert mixed with ripe bananas. I can mostly smell the banana with a little bit of other fruits in the background. I really like banana, so I love this. The Notoriously Morbid lip balm formula is super soft, it melts the second it touches your lips. This makes it super hydrating but not long lasting.

Daylight come an me wan go home

The first loose pigment featured this month is called "This is How You Die." It's a soft cyan with a  pink shift to it.

 Next up is "Gasoline. Blow Torch. No Problem". This is a really pretty peach with an almost metallic finish. This one is my favorite!

 "We're Here For Your Daughter, Chuck" is kind of a pewter grey in the jar, but once applied it shows a taupe base with a blue-green sheen.

 And the last color in the set... I am mystified by this color. It's called "One. Big. Dark. Room." and in the jar it looks like a bright blue. But when you apply it... It's not exactly a duochrome, as a duochrome changes color depending on how light is hitting it. This one looks almost like applying one color and then applying another on top of it, if that makes sense. I really don't know how on earth they did this!

Final Thoughts: This month's VC has some really cool colors in it that I'm excited to play with! I like the packaging, and of course the theme. The hint for next month is : "Nearly Headless Nick invites YOU to his 523rd Deathday party in October." Hmmmmm could we have.. Harry Potter?

So what did you think of this months Vanishing Cabinet? What's your favorite Tim Burton movie? Let me know in the comments!

Fortune Cookie Soap Special Soap Box: Zombie Survival Kit!

Hey there geekonistas!

Do you smell that... *inhales deeply* smells like... Halloween! Aw, yeah. It's that time of the year again, and while mainstream companies are already putting out their holiday collections, the indie world is exploding with awesome Halloween treats! I may not be able to review them all, but... it won't be for lack of trying.

And on that note, we have a special edition soap box from Fortune Cookie Soap to kick things off! This box of samples from the upcoming Zombie Collection was only available for purchase for a short time, but don't worry! The full collection launches at 6pm CST on Friday, September 25, so you will still be able to get your hands on these ghoulish goodies. The box was $19.99 and included a code for $10 off my next order.

This is the ultra spooooooky packaging it came in. Notice the bloody handprint and the caution tape! So cute.

When you open the box, the first thing you see is the information card. This contains information about all the products and some usage instructions. Also included was a bandage, presumably for covering up any zombie bite wounds.

The first item that caught my attention was the "Zombie Repellent". This is FCS's version of a spray air freshener. The info card describes the scent as "Rotten apple flesh & mulled fruits decomposing on spicy cinnamon sticks, dusted with brown sugar, muted with black vanilla bean and warm oak." Whew, that's a lot to pack into one spray! This scent is definitely very powerfully spicy - it reminds me of a strong fall potpourri. I like it but it may end up being too intense for me.

Next up we have the Blood Transfusion Body Wash. Okay, this packaging is just the best. I don't know if its going to end up being difficult to use in the shower, but I'm not sure I care. The scent is described as "Rock candy and bloated berries, with a smear of sticky bubble gum." Definitely a very sweet scent, but not overpoweringly so. The scents I can pick up on the most are the bubblegum and berry, making this smell sort of like a berry gum. Definitely not bad.

Moving along, we have "Rule #47" Whipped Cream. Whipped cream is Fortune Cookie Soap's version of a moisturizing cream with a very light, fluffy texture. This scent is described as "Grotesque green apple flesh, oozing with blackened caramel." It smells almost exactly like one of those caramel apple pops you can get around Halloween. Very enjoyable and sweet. The formula is not too greasy and absorbs quickly, with a fairly long lasting scent left behind.

The next item is the "Wound Repair" Salve. The info card describes it as "Lace-like films of cool, white, ice, drizzled with melted chocolate." It also says the salve is good to rub on wounds and also dry knuckles and elbows. I honestly don't know if they are joking about the wounds part? Just to be safe I will probably stick to Neosporin for cuts and save this for my poor crocodile elbows this winter. It smells like a light, minty chocolate to me. The formula has the consistency of a balm that melts on contact with body heat and really delivers moisture and softness to the skin

Pretty much every soap box comes with a mini size OCD hand sanitizer and this one is no exception. This OCD's scent is "Weapon of Choice" and its described as "A splash of white wine distilled with rotting peaches and decayed citrus." I should probably mention, in case you haven't already caught on, that Fortune Cookie Soap is just being cute with their descriptors because it's a Halloween collection, and nothing actually smells rotted or decayed. This one in particular smells like a fruity fresh sangria! I like their OCD formula (though not the name) as its a hand sanitizer that doesn't dry my hands out like crazy.

Next up is this unassuming white block. This is a sample block of FCS's "Steam Me Up Scotty!" line, which are bath bombs that you use in the shower. The hot water and steam are supposed to melt the block, releasing the fragrance. I haven't had a whole lot of luck with these in the past - I find that the scent doesn't throw nearly as strongly as I would like it to, but then again maybe I just don't take hot enough showers. This scent is called "Airborne" and it's supposed to be "Rich, dark coffee swirled with thick caramel and melting chocolate." I can't really detect much of those scents from the block itself (smells mostly powdery), but if they have perfected a strongly scented coffee bomb for the shower? I'm all in.

Still more to go! This is a sample of perfume oil called "Liquid Courage". Can we just talk about this packaging for a minute? I mean, seriously. That's melted wax holding the stopper in. How awesome is that? (Answer: very.) I almost didn't want to open it, but, sigh. It must be done. The information card describes this scent as "Puffy clouds of cotton candy dripping with sticky raspberries, pineapples, and watermelon, all wrapped in the soft embrace of night blooming flowers. Ehhhh I kind of wish I'd left this one sealed. It really doesn't suit my taste at all. To me it smells kind of like a mix between kids chewable vitamins and fabric softener? Probably not a scent I will be purchasing at launch.

And finally, last but certainly not least, the namesake of the company, the Fortune Cookie Soap. This particular soap's scent is "Safe Zone" and it's described as "Mouth watering hotcakes, topped with berries and cream. Oh man. I really want to eat some pancakes with blueberries and whipped cream now. Curse you Fortune Cookie Sooooaaaaaaaaaap! I can definitely pick out the pancake and berry scents here. Together with the "Steam Me Up Scotty!" I could have a whole breakfast in the shower.

Final Thoughts: This box was so much fun! I enjoyed a lot of the scents (even if there were some I didn't) and the packaging was just... to die for. If you will forgive the pun. I am definitely revved up for Halloween now and I might even pick up a few of these products in full size at the launch! (Especially Rule #47 and Safe Zone).

What do you think? Are you interested in any of these scents? What's your favorite zombie film? Let me know in the comments!

Lip Addicts Anonymous: September 2015

Hey there geekonistas!

So I'm still not 100% health-wise, but I am definitely feeling better. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my trip to Disneyland this weekend due to my health, but the good news is that I have all sorts of new makeup coming in to console myself with!

Today I thought I would get back into the swing of things by sharing with you this month's Lip Addicts Anonymous package. Lip Addicts Anonymous is a monthly subscription service from Kiss My Sass Cosmetics, an indie, cruelty-free company that includes one (exclusive to the subscription) full size lip product, two cosmetic samples, a bath and body sample, and a coupon code to use on the website. It costs $8 a month, plus shipping.

This month's theme seems to be chocolate centered! Chocolate being my favorite vice, I am all over that. The subscription comes packaged in a cute bag to keep everything together and includes a sheet with the names and values of all the products, what they are safe to be used for (eyes, lips, everything, etc) plus a code for 20% off on the Kiss My Sass website. Sweet! It also has some red velvet taffy included which is how you can tell I'm not feeling well because it hasn't been devoured already.

The first item in the bag is the lip product. This month it's a lipstick in the color Red Velvet. It's described as "burgundy with a shimmer" that is "frosted cupcake flavor". This is a nice, rich red color that's going to be perfect if it's ever fall around here. It also has a subtle gold shimmer that's really pretty. The formula is rich and smooth and applied opaquely in one pass. There is a definite cupcake scent to it, but I'm not sure if its also flavored because.. well.. I'm not going to lick it.

Update: Did not taste like cupcake.

Next up we have the bath and body sample. This month it is a perfume oil called "Decadence". The info card describes the scent as "A rich dark chocolate with hints of espresso, white chocolate, musk, sandalwood, and patchouli." I appreciate that this came in a little plastic baggie to keep it from getting everywhere! I could smell the scent as soon as I opened it. I really, really like this scent. I get the smell of espresso first, with a chocolate undertone, and then the patchouli and sandalwood notes, which keeps it from smelling too "foody". I will definitely be wearing this when I need a pick-me-up and I can't stop for coffee!

The first cosmetic sample this month is a loose eye shadow pigment called "Red Velvet". This is the eye shadow version of the lipstick and its just as pretty. (Swatched over Geek Chic Cosmetics' "Power Up Primer".)

It was even pretty when I dropped the whole baggie, open, into my lap, covering my pants in a cloud of lovely red dust. Thank the makeup gods I blog in pajamas. 

Finally, we have the second cosmetic sample, another loose shadow called "Sinful". This one is described as "A dark brown with red undertones & a matte finish." I would definitely describe it as "dark chocolate". (Swatched on bare skin.) Both of these shadows were smooth and opaque, and applied easily.

Look I used sunlight! And I didn't even burst into flames!

Final Thoughts: I signed up for this subscription mostly to force me out of my comfort zone regarding lip colors (I do not need another nude lipstick. I do not need another nude lipstick. I do not need another nude lipstick..) and it serves this purpose admirably well. One full size lip product on the Kiss My Sass page regularly costs $7, so this isn't a crazy amazing good value, but it is definitely a fun way to explore.

So, what do you think? Do you subscribe to LAA? What's your favorite vice? Let me know in the comments!

Mini Blog

Hey there geekonistas!

Unfortunately, I am having a few health issues right now that are preventing me from blogging, and I ran out of my blog backlog of posts. I apologize for the lack of posts for the next 2 weeks, and thank you for your patience. I promise I will be up and running again soon!!

Corvus Cosmetics - The Roses Collection

Hey there geekonistas!

First off, some posting news! I've decided to change my schedule a bit, and instead of posting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I'm going to have my "set" posting days as Monday and Thursday, and then have bonus posts in between. This will allow me to write more in-depth reviews as well as keep up with any news or goodies I receive.

Anyway, today I wanted to share with you a review of Corvus Cosmetics' "The Roses" collection. I ordered this collection because I was so impressed with the sample of "Fire Gang" that was included in a Notoriously Morbid Vanishing Cabinet that I wanted to try more of their shadows. Every color in this collection is based off of rose gold, and the shadows are supposed to work well either used together or separately. It contains both matte and satin shadows - the mattes are swatched on bare skin, while the satins are over Geek Chic Cosmetics' Power Up Primer.

Appropriately enough, Corvus' packaging features the silhouette of either a crow or a raven - a member of the Corvidae family.

The first color is called Mademoiselle. This is a matte, super pale pink shade that would be gorgeous for a browbone highlight. It's got great pigmentation and blendability, even without a primer underneath.

Next we have Cherie. Cherie is a pale pink with a satiny finish.

The next color is called Champagne. This is the true rose gold with a metallic finish. Unfortunately, I had some weird application issues with this one. You will notice some white streaks in the swatch below - at first I thought I had just not cleaned my brush thoroughly enough between swatches, but, upon trying it with a completely clean brush, the same problem happened. I'm not sure what to make of it, to be honest. It might just that the pigment wasn't mixed well enough?

Enchantee is the next color. It's described as a dark brown satin. This is a highly pigmented, deep dark rich chocolaty brown.

And the final color is Soiree. This is a deep purple satin. It can be tough to do purples well, but this is a nice shade with good, even application.

Bonus swatch! This is the "Fire Gang" shadow that I ordered in full size after receiving the sample in my V.C. It's a bright pink with a gold sheen and pink and yellow glitter.

Final thoughts: Aside from the white streak issue I had with Champagne, the shadows seem to be of a very good quality. They are very finely milled, so the application is nice and smooth, but it does have a tendency to go billowing off in a cloud of color at the slightest air disturbance. I thought the colors were good, solid shadows that could be used in many different looks. None of them (except Fire Gang) really blew me away, as in "I need this on my eyeballs right now" but I can definitely see myself reaching for them as great blending and highlighting shades.

What do you think? Have you tried Corvus Cosmetics? Do you love rose gold as much as I do?