Swell Shopping: Urban Decay Shadow 75% Off

Check out this Weekly Special makeup deal from Sephora.com ....


Urban Decay Loose Pigments, which usually retail for $20, but are currently $5 for a limited time. Wow. Big discount.

Loose Pigments are intensely colored mineral eyeshadows. They can be used in a variety of ways and are available in 4 shades; Baked, a rich bronze, Shag, a pale bronze (looks sort of mocha-like online), Smog, a medium brown, and a white shadow called Yeyo. These shadows are rated at 3.8 out of 5 stars.

The Loose Pigment formula is actually mineral makeup, made from pearlized powders derived from minerals. No dyes or synthetic pigments are used. The coolest advantage over other brands' loose pigments? No messy pots! The spill-proof tube uses a special internal funnel to keep pigment inside until you're ready to use it. The cap features an ergonomic flared handle and a built-in premium brush. Dip the brush into the color to apply, or tap out a little color and use your own brushes.

Image credit: Sephora.com

Swell Makeup: Mineral Eye Shadow

I've mentioned before that I'm teaching my youngest daughter, Sarah, about makeup. She's been allowed to wear a bit ever since she turned 12. I did her eye makeup before school yesterday. I want to show her colors that work well with her hazel eyes.

A year or so ago, I purchased two sets of mineral eye shadow from Pink Quartz. One was a shimmery dress-up kit and the other was a matte set. I'm not sure if she still sells them this way, but you can see the colors used in the brighter set here. To do Sarah's look, I used a matte peach and I lined with an olive color. She loved how it turned out. If you want a more dramatic look, simple use more shadow or wet your brush before applying.

When you use a mineral shadow to line your eyes, use an angled liner brush, and instead of "drawing" along the lash line "push" the color in. If you try to draw it, the powder tends to spread and land on your cheeks.

I recently had the opportunity to try the Cowgirl Dirt* line of mineral shadows. You could do a similar look with their Copper and Cactus shades. If you prefer a smoky eye, try the Midnight. It's a deep navy color that also makes a great liner.

Tomorrow, I've got a new mineral makeup to share with you. It's a line designed my a teenage girl. How cool is that?

*Product sample furnished to reviewer.

Image credit: Chase Your Bliss Photography

Swell Beauty: Get Naked With Too Faced

I was looking at Too Faced's new makeup palette for Fall 2010. I love it. It's called Bare Naked and it has a sort of wild cat flare to it. I think it's the way they've given their model the cat's eye look with the liner. I'm a fan of a natural palette with a souped up flare. Bare, but polished.


I especially love the new Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit that I wrote up for Gadabout today. Another Too Faced favorite is the Natural Eyes kit which contains a range of neutral shadows that can be used for day or night looks. Use the darker browns for a switch-up on a classic smoky eye - works great with this richly pigmented colors.

Image credit: Too Faced