Upcoming @ Musings!

Hello World!

Well the weekend is upon us finally! Is that a happy sigh of relief I hear out there?

How are you liking Beauty on a Budget Week so far? I fear most of my finds weren't so fabulous! Sorry guys you can't take the fabulous out of the Muse and replace it with cheap!

Beauty and a Budget Week continues next week as I still have a few items to get through in the way of reviews and I promise something has to turn up good!

It just so happens that next week will also start up Japanese Cosmetic Review Week. I've been remiss in reviewing the Summer Collections from Japan, apologies for that!

I have a load of stuff for you up my sleeve so be patient with me and I promise I'll get to it all! That includes the newest MAC Collections which I am late bringing to you guys!

This weekend I'm heading to Atlantic City so of course I'll be hitting up The Pier Shops at Caesars so I can gamble with one hand and shop with the other! They have MAC, Lush, Etc..so let's hope I come home with some cool goodies for review!

How about you?

Whatcha doing for the weekend?

For now I bid you fair thee well and I'll see you Monday! Happy Weekend!

Here's some link love for you to amuse yourselves with while I'm away gambling my unborn children's tuitions away at the poker table:

Click on over and revisit with the Paul and Joe Spring Collection! You'll be happy you did as cuteness awaits you!

See the exclusive face chart that one of the MA's at Shu Uemura created exclusive for Musings!

Find out why I love L'occitane en Provence's Verbena Collection!

Tag! You're it! Click here to visit all my tagged MAC posts! I'm sure you'll find some collection you'll love revisiting with!

Visit my Jelly Pong Pong review to hear my ravings about how great some of their products are!

Stila's "Asia" Only Exclusive haul awaits you after this jump!

Get your bling on with my review of Guerlain's entire Holiday Collection for 2007!

Take a visit across the pond and find out more about B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful!

Happy Reading!

Beauty on a Budget Week: Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Am I using the wrong Tinted Moisturizer or are these things WAY overrated?

I don't see the point.

Even though I'm going to give Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer an ok review I still feel like the entire idea behind tinted moisturizer has escaped my feeble little mind.



I don't really feel like I can leave the house wearing a tinted moisturizer and some blush. It kinda feels like leaving the house in pants without underwear on (unless of course that's your thing!). Am I making sense?

I guess the general idea of using a tinted moisturizer is to even out your complexion while giving you the benefits of SPF but seriously do you feel like you're looking your flawless best with just the moisturizer and some blusher thrown on?

I don't.

A reader e-mailed me yesterday and asked me have I tried the latest craze in the Korean market, BB Creams (Hi Jing!). I promptly replied explaining I had indeed and how I never understood the hype about tinted moisturizers or BB Creams. Neither does anything for me. After some discussions she convinced me that I should not make my final decision on BB Creams until I try a few brands she recommended! After a bit of chatter I've decided to reinvest my cash flow into some of these brands to see if they are worth my time! So expect a review from me very soon on some BB Creams. If you have no idea what BB Creams are I'll explain further in my upcoming review.

All the tinted moisturizers (and BB Creams) have always had a few major flaws in my opinion. coverage, color, and formula. In this case Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer has a range of problems with it. I got the lightest shade available which was Fair to Light but like all tinted moisturizers it turns out it's a rather ugly beige color that does nothing to flatter my medium fair skin tone. The color is a really dull beige which as you'll notice on my arm, which happens to be a shade darker than my face, looks very off and unflattering.





I don't need a whole lot of coverage as my skin is perfectly fine without it and if I so choose I can walk out of the house with a bit of cheek stain and some gloss however I feel very naked without product on my face which is a reason this doesn't work well for me. This doesn't cover much of anything. My face is occasionally dull so I depend on my foundation to brighten my face up and make it go from tired to flawless however I can't depend on a simple tinted moisturizer to do that especially one in an unflattering shade of beige!

Two strikes against Physicians Formula Organic Tinted Moisturizer so far!

So far I'm not loving the color or the coverage options on this and you might be wondering if the formula and texture can redeem my poor opinion of this. Sadly, no go. The formula is very runny and watery. Obviously, since it's Summer, we are looking for lighter coverage however a thicker consistency would make me feel like I was not only gaining more coverage and longer wear but also more moisture. The watery formula fails to make me feel like I have applied moisturizer at all!



I can't recall the exact amount I paid for this but it's somewhere between $7 USD and $10 USD. I think it's safe to say that you can skip this although I will mention the cons of the product which could change your mind about investing your money in it.

Even though coverage, color, and formula wasn't what I'd have liked to see in this it still has many redeeming qualities.

The formula is 100% paraben free, organic, cruelty free, and has an SPF of 15. It's a very green makeup product and since many have jumped on board environmental and organic ranges of cosmetics this might be something you may want to consider investing in. I admit, sadly, that I'm not always attentive to what exactly is going on my face and I definately hand out props to Physicians Formula for breaking into this market and offering a range for those of you that are Vegan friendly.

All in all I just wasn't loving this and can't recommend it for purchase!

How about you?

Tried and Loved it?

Love Tinted Moisturizers? Which are your favorites?

Tell the Muse!

Everyday Minerals Haul

If you read my blog daily you might have heard me mention that I recently fell in love with Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup. I'll be doing a review on it shortly but the one thing I would like to mention is how much I love the packaging! The application on this mimics Philosophy's Supernatural Airbrush Canvas and Bare Escentuals Rare Minerals.

After reading about Everyday Minerals and the empty puff jars they sell on Vanessa's blog I decided I needed to purchase a few for myself! These are identical to the Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup applicator!









So awesome!

I'm thrilled to bits that they have these! I'm not the biggest fan or supporter of mineral make up but I felt like Surreal Skin applied so well due to this style packaging so I purchased two of these empty puff jars and I'll be emptying some long forgotten Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation Powder into one to see if this improves my low opinion of the powder! The other jar I'll be using for the Maybelline Mineral Powder Powder Foundation who knows maybe this will redeem my poor opinion of it!

These are only $5 USD each so you can't really go wrong by grabbing a few. I think I'm going to invest in a few more to use with some loose powders blushes I have.





Love 'em?

Have these already?

Ideas how to use 'em?

Tell me!

Summer Makeup Must Haves: NARS Nail Polish in Schiap

NARS gets some more love this week with my Summer Must Have Nail Polish for my toes! NARS Nail Polish in Schiap is my latest discovery of coolness!







At first glance of the bottle this looks like a really cheap, gaudy fuchsia but once it's on..oh LORD....loves it!

It's a beautiful cherry pink! That's the only way I can describe it. Can we have a blush and a lip gloss like this please NARS? Thanks from the Muse and your fans!

I can't really describe the color but it's worth hoping into Sephora to peek at! It's a cross between fuchsia and a reddish pink and the outcome is a simply divinely gorgeous shade!

See for yourself:







Drooling yet?

The Muse is loving this shade and her toes are happily wiggling with it on!

Perfect shade for the Summer!

Go grab some!

Have it already?

Love it?

Like the swatch?

Tell the Muse!

Summer Must Have Makeup: NARS Lipgloss in Misbehave

I blogged about the NARS Summer Collection a few weeks ago and I recall one of the first items that grabbed my attention when I saw the releases was the lip gloss in Misbehave!





I got my hands on Misbehave recently and it has turned into one of my Summer Must Have Makeup items for sure!

It's advertised as a sheer shimmering red but it's so much more to me than a simple red color! On my lips it looks like a cross between a fiery brick red with hints of copper and orange and a shimmer of gold! It's not a true red but more a cross between several colors that looks simply stunning on!



I brought this with me when I was on my holiday and it rarely left my lips! I'm all for variety you know me another day, another color however I sincerely loved Misbehave so much I found myself pairing it up with many of my looks!

It goes amazing with Urban Decay Baked Bronzer! I normally don't like pairing up reds with peachy, gold shades but in this case I felt like NARS Lipgloss in Misbehave complimented those shades wonderfully!





When paired up with simple pinks it looks wonderful but when cocktailed with warmer shades you'll get a popping Summer look from a simple gloss!

The formula contains a shimmer of gold which reflects wonderfully off of golds, corals, peaches, etc....



This color is on my Summer Makeup Must Have list! You have to give it a whirl for yourself! NARS Lipgloss in Misbehave gets a big seal of Muse Approval for purchase!



Tried it already?

Love it?

Tell the Muse!



Want more NARS?

Click here to read my review on the NARS Orgasm Nail Polish and Lipgloss Set!

Click here to read my NARS Roundup Review featuring the Spring Collection eyeshadow, Abyssinia!

Click here to read my raving first impressions about the NARS Night Series Palette!

Click here to find out my I love my NARS Dolce Vita Set!

Reader's Request: Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow Swatches in Heat and Sting

A lovely reader requested a few swatches of some Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow and regular shadows so here they are!







Special requests of your own?

Comment box is open!

Beauty on a Budget Week: Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundatin & Blush Review

I'm back.

With more Beauty on a Budget finds just for you!

Happy?

Today I'm reviewing Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation and Mineral Power Naturally Luminous Blush. Phew that's a mouthful right there!



So obviously it's called Maybelline for a reason....because maybe it's a good...maybe it's not...Maybe it's Maybelline...HA! I crack myself up. Ok, sorry no more corny jokes.

I'll start by saying I'm not a big fan of mineral powders anyway so my reviews of various mineral powders lately may be bias do to that little fact.

The kit was super duper cheap so I can't complain. $7.92 USD gets you a large size mineral powder, a mineral blush, and a tiny kabuki brush for application! Not bad at all considering that Bare Escentuals will charge you $40 USD and upwards for their kits but than again you get a whole lot more with that kit than you do with this one.

I got the foundation powder in Light 3 and obviously that's not a suitable shade for me as it ended up giving me that dusky, ashy, dirty look that I successfully achieved with the Physicians Formula Flawless Complexion Kit. Maybe I'm just doomed when it comes to mineral makeup but damned if it doesn't suck the healthy glow right out of my face. The powder isn't too bad a formula. It's soft and silky but as soon as I applied it I watched as my bright skin went from gorgeous to dull in a few short minutes. I felt like I had a big old eraser and had taken it to a sunny picture of the sky. Buff, buff, buff away healthy, blushing pink cheeks, buff, buff, buff away my pale skin, buff buff my way to dull, gross, chalky, made up skin! After application of the foundation I feel as if I have about 10 pounds of powder on. Very disappointing feeling here people.





Final say on the powder: No likey.

The brush this comes with is utterly useless so that's the 2nd problem with the kit. It's scratchy, hard, and sheds like a cat. It's cute enough in it's small and compact format but it's good as garbage because it does nothing at all in the ways of applying the foundation evenly plus it just feels so bloody harsh on my skin!



Well...two down one to go....

The kit has one redeeming quality. Praise the Lord! The Mineral Powder blush is actually half way decent although I probably won't buy it by itself should I walk into a store and see it hanging out on the shelf. It's pretty pigmented and the formula is smooth, silky, and blends very well! The color I got with the kit was True Peach which is almost identical to the Blushing Glow from Physicians Formula that came with the kit I reviewed yesterday. However, it applies much better and does give a very nice peachy glow to my cheeks.







I got two of these kits as I had have some seriously high hopes for them. The other version I didn't bother opening. It contained a translucent powder, a pink blush, and a brush. I think it's safe to say that one will be making a return as soon as I have the time to stop back into the store. Either that or it, like these items, will end up in the grave yard of unused makeup in the bottom of my closet.



Final say:

Do not want.



$7.92 USD isn't a whole lot of cash to splurge on the kit but it's just not that great a kit to bother with! Save your money for gas!

In conclusion it appears we are not making a good go of Beauty on the Budget Week!

Let's check the scores:

The Muse loves Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Cream Foundation and Concealer!

The Muse no likey Physicans Formula Flawless Complextion Kit or Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation!

2 to 1 so far!

Let's hope my pile of Budget Beauty finds gives us a winner tomorrow!

Stay tuned for more!

Britney says: Gimme Gimme Gimme More ya'll!



Tried Maybelline's mineral makeup?

Love it?

Hate it?

Tell the Muse!

Shu Uemura 20% Friends and Family Discount

Who loves you baby?

Shu loves you!

Take advantage of stashing some Shu with the Friends and Family Discount starting June 26th and ending June 29th!

Click below to start shopping:

Use promo code SHUSUMMER to get 20% off your entire order!



The Muse will be stashing, hauling, and stocking up on her Shu staples!

How about you?

Tis a good time to grab the new Shu palettes in my humble opinion!

Do check out some of my older reviews on Shu Uemura to find out what the Muse is loving!

Summer Collection 2008: Paul and Joe Flirt

The new Paul and Joe Summer Collection 2008 entitled Flirt is available as of June 1st within Japan and at your local counters (if you're lucky enough to have a counter around).

The collection isn't anything wow aspiring so it's safe to say I won't be partaking but definately check back soon as I'm sure the Fall Collection will be something great!

This collection consists of a variety of new mascaras, leg powder, lotion, etc....a bit of a snore for me. The mascaras are actually new as of May so that could be considered a late Spring release and the leg items are released as of June.

I'm not really loving it but I thought it deserved a mention!

Bored as the Muse?

Want it?

Tell me!



Check out my major haul of yum from the Paul and Joe Disney X Collection by clicking here!

Shiseido Kesho Wakusei Summer Collection Line Up

Shiseido has you all covered on the Beauty on a Budget front for the Summer! If you're wanting a cheap, inexpensive nail polish for the Summer you'll find just what you need from the Shiseido Kesho Wakusei selection this season!

From what I can understand 5 new color selections are available at 450 yen each.



Excited?

Loving this post? Search around my blog and you'll run into more of Kesho Wakusei entries and reviews! Who doesn't love cheap, cheesy brands right? The Muse says if it's Japanese it's all good! No questions asked.

Beauty on a Budget: Week: Physicians Formula Flawless Complexion Kit Review

While browsing through the many Physicians Formula items on display I came across the Flawless Complexion Kit and decided to give it a whirl for myself!

L@@K kids a hot mess waiting to happen!




The kit includes everything you need for minimal makeup while giving a fresh, flawless look to your skin or so it says on the box! It includes a Talc-Free Mineral Face Powder, Talc-Free Mineral Blush, and Talc-Free Matte Finishing Veil.





As I said in an earlier post Physicians Formula can rarely do any wrong with items it releases and in the case of the Flawless Complexion Kit we have a dud. It's awful.

I normally I use the Physicians Formula Powder Multi-Colored Face Powder and I felt like the Mineral Face Powder in this kit was almost an exact dupe of that powder but it turns out that this particular powder is just rubbish!

The entire kit is $19.95 USD and includes a total of three items. I really thought this was a deal as normally Physicians Formula blushes and foundations run around $9.95 USD each so this was a saving of at least $10 USD for three items. It was like buying two getting one free but honestly it was comparable to flushing my money down the toilet or burning it!

Where to start with how bad this entire kit is. It doesn't have a single item included in it that's good aside from MAYBE the finishing powder.

The packaging does get a minor Yay for coolness. I love packaging that includes a little hidden, under the makeup compartment to stash your brush and in this case both the mineral foundation and blush sport that design. This alone gets a Yay from me. Hey, at least it has one redeeming quality right?





The first item I'll review is the Mineral Face Powder. I've no idea what they were thinking when they created this! Where as the Multi-Colored Face Powder is beautifully silky and soft this is absolutely chalky! As I buffed it into my skin I couldn't help buy cringe. It not only made me look ashy, chalky, and made up but it also gave my appearance an absolutely disgustingly dull look. The glow and health my skin normally radiates was completely dulled as soon as I began applying! It was like someone had a light bulb on and promptly turned it off! My skin was looking fresh and dewy from my prep of toner and lotion but as soon as the powder hit..eeewwwww! What the hell?





I was counting on the blush the kit came with to lighten up the damage that the mineral powder had done! I thought for sure this would redeem my face as is but hells no it made it worst! The blush this came with is a very soft peach shade entitled Blushing Glow. It's a mineral blush and sports the same bad effect as the mineral powder! As soon as I applied it I got the same chalky, ashy look and terribly gross appearance as if I was playing in dirt or something! You can literally see how many layers I had on at this point! One layer of mineral powder and one layer of mineral blush! At this point I imagine if I sneezed puffs of smoke would rise from my face!





Yuck!

The shade looks pretty enough in the palette but once on I thought it gave off a rather dull bronze look!

Finally, I figured I came this far I might as well finish with the Matte Finishing Veil. It can't get any worst than this can it? Oh yes it can! The mineral veil is just another un-ending layer of chalk on my face! The brush on this is so harsh I could literally feel it scratching my skin! I'm shocked it didn't leave some sort of mark on my face it was so hard! It does deserve a mention that the packaging on it was pretty good due to the fact that it dispersed product so well. Tip it and the powder flowed evenly into the brush! Very nice! However, the brush itself was absolute rubbish!







So now my look is complete. One layer of mineral foundation, one layer of mineral blush, and one layer of finishing veil. I imagine my face is bulletproof by this time. I've tried ALOT of makeup in my time but never had I felt so made up in my life. I felt like I was sporting a few pounds of powder on my face. On top of that it killed my skin! Killed it! My normally fresh, flawless skin was drowned in a see of disgusting powder that made it look dull, ashy, chalky, and just terrible!

Wow. Just wow. I can't begin to describe to you how bad this kit truly is! I'm shocked and saddened to say as such because I truly do love Physicians Formula and believe they make some sincerely awesome products but this is awful!

I'm actually quite amazed that one little kit could do so much damage.

As you can see from my FOTD below I'm looking like hell warmed over a few times over:





Verdict: Don't buy it! Don't get sucked in by the cheap price and the cool array of products it includes! It's wasted time and money! The Muse says NEVER again!

Have you tried this?

Love it?

Hate it as much as the Muse!

Tell me about it!



Click to here my ravings about Physicians Formula Cream Mineral Wear Foundation and Concealer! All for under $10 bucks!

Want more Beauty on a Budget? Get a sneak peek of upcoming reviews by clicking here!