Since there are a bazillion different mineral eye shadow companies abounding, how do you choose which brands you will investigate to wear, if you wear mineral eye shadows?

Repackaging
I understand there are companies that only repackage. I'd prefer not to buy those, and I don't think I have, but I wouldn't mind if I had made an informed choice to do so. That's what's behind Mineral Makeup Mutiny.

Companies I wear:
Aromaleigh
As anyone knows who has been reading my blog, I love Aromaleigh (which I found via a perfume site.) AL is really cutting edge in my book.
Meow
I also like Meow. The colors are lovely, including the blushes.
Fyrinnae
Fyrinnae is lovely, but different in application techniques. Also cutting edge.
Bare Escentuals
Additionally, I like and own many Bare Escentuals shadows and facial colors. BE may not be quite as cutting edge as AL, but they have some beautiful sets.
Mary Kay
Most of MK's minerals are pressed, which have their place. All of the above companies' minerals are loose. I don't consider MK minerals to be cutting edge. They are better than average, but they are more mainstream. Their 2009 Fall/Xmas shadows come in a wand and are loose, but I didn't care for the look when I tried them, albeit I did not have my proper brushes with me.

Outside of these companies, are there others which are not on my radar screen?
Do you find that you can wear some brands, but others you are sensitive to?

Why do you love them?

Are there any you'd like to see me work with?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-11-17 13:45:06.

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I was happy with the way this turned out.

I spread out my Meow samples and thought what did I want to try:

Eyes:
Base: Nude Frost (there is some question as to whether this irritates me, but so far, so good today -- I gave it a rest, then tried again today) then my sparkly eye mix
Lid and Crease: Meow VandalEyes Misdemeanor (lime)
Crease and drylined top and lower: Meow VandalEyes Shoplifting (deep vibrant purple)

The lime is a little lighter and brighter than it photographed. You can see the glitter liner on the eye to your right.

Lined: Estee Lauder Plum Grey pencil (which turned out to be more grey than I remembered, so I went over the line and past the line with Meow)
Glitter lined over the top of liners: GirlActik Lavender -- gorgeous color, this line was my first foray into glitters, before AL Rocks! glitter
Mascara: (top, to your left) Mark Scandalash Indigo (purple)
Mascara : (top, to your right and lower lashes) Estee Lauder MagnaScopic purple
The EL is a tad darker.
Brows: La Prairie pencil

Finished look:

Primer: Smashbox Purple Primer
I like the color lift that this gives.

Foundation: Revlon Age Defying Liquid Color 04
I like this foundation and use it often.
Rouge: Mary Kay stick from a limited line
Powder: Lustre Aromaleigh Twilight supernatural powder
Nice gleam. Used my normal powder brush, not a FO.
Blush: Meow Masterpiece Water Lilies Love this color!
Lips: NYX Round Gloss Apricot 19
This is gorgeous and vibrant when applied heavily. Later it softens to a delicious stain-y look, but it is still moist with product on the lip. You can see how it looks here.

I quite like Meow mineral shadows. I am sampling several types, but they all seem to be equally pigmented and equally easy to use.

VandalEyes are our newest, most highly pigmented collection of multi-purpose eye shadows. Silky smooth and designed to be extra long wearing, they're intense and powerful but they are *not* for the faint of heart...Can be applied dry for a bold look, or foiled (applied wet) for the most intense color and sheen.

I'd love to try more of their Masterpiece blush line.

Masterpiece Blush Gallery: Our newest blush collection, uniquely formulated and unlike any other blush you've ever tried. They're sumptuously sheer, and sweep on your cheeks invisibly, leaving only a pure wash of gorgeous colors behind!

Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-23 13:32:53.

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The trouble with having so many choices is that it is difficult to make a choice! I started out thinking of one thing, and ended up with another, quite happily I might add, but making the choice was just one too many choices today. Is it boring to have only one choice -- or is it supremely simplifying? Don't answer that!

I so totally did not know what I wanted to do. But I was happy with it, when I was done. I thought I was going to do AL, then saw the bag of Meow samples and changed my mind. Somthin' simple.

Base: Nude Frost, then BE Queen Phyllis
Lids: Meow Amy F ScandalEyes (Pale rose)
Crease and dry lined: Meow Jessica R ScandalEyes (Grape)

Blush: Meow Water Lilies Masterpiece

Lips: AL Smitten, rimmed and up the center with Beauté Heroine

Have you tried either Aromaleigh or Meow eye shadows?
I like them both. Each of them apply very easily. I have way more AL than Meow, simply because I started with AL and her colors are so gorgeous.

Karin
www.savvythinker.com

Originally posted 2009-11-11 17:54:54.

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I'm running behind, as you can see, but here is my look for Tuesday.

Eyes:
Lids: Meow IdealEyes Cat got your tongue? light pink
Crease: AL Spring Solstice Bellflower purple orchid
Pencil Lined top: Clarins Midnight Flash, great purple, now discontinued
Pencil lined lower: Fyrinnae Iimmortalitythen more Bellflower below that
Brows: Clinique pencil
Mascara Upper: BE Buxom; lower: Stiletto

Primer AL
Foundation 2 Chanels to compare
Rouge under powder: Nars The Multiple Riviera
Powder: my sparkly mix, then BE mineral veil as bronzer
Blush: Meow
Lips: NYX Round Gloss Ballerina Pink 36

This was such a pretty, soft look. I felt like spring even though winter is giving us a last hurrah! It's going to be in the low 40s here tomorrow morning! What do you think?

What are you doing with your makeup to feel more spring-like?
Karin

Originally posted 2009-04-07 23:51:16.

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Trying out Meow eyes again today, but different colors.

Used my new fiber optic AL brush again. Love this brush. Get one! I will do a review in the next few days. I used it for everything except the outer corners. It makes application a snap!

In the order of application:
Base: Avon light purple cream; my golden beige sparkle
Crease: IdealEyes Anti-Social Purrl
Outer corners: VandalEyes Pole Dancing
Inner corners: ScandalEyes Nicole S (I used this yesterday too).
Mascara top: compared two Guerlains; the one is the dual ended one.

This is a pretty container:

Lined bottom MAC: graphblack in waterline; earthline below it.
Mascara lower: the tiny brush for lower lashes from the dual ended.
Drylined: ScandalEyes Feral
Brows: Clinique pencil

Cheeks:
AL Breathless rocks sonic rouge (great color)
Using a fiber optic brush -- I took about 3 grains; 2 would have been enough.

Later I updated my lips with Cover Girl Incredifull lipstick (see my review tomorrow.)

Primer(s)
Today I used Guerlain Meteorites Perles Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer

over a bit of Smashbox primer, under Chanel foundation. The Guerlain is wonderful for correcting a foundation that needs a little help. The Chanel alone is a bit yellow. I wish I could still get the foundation that they discontinued. That color was perfect!

And, of course, my mix of glimmer powder over the foundation. You can find the recipe under Savvy Thinker quick find or here.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-14 16:16:16.

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Today I was doing some more organizing -- putting all my magenta-type lippies in one place and putting my Meow samples by colors. Then I marked them all by their descriptions. I have a disproportionate number of Meow purples and lavenders, though I like to wear those colors. I did have 2 grays and one taupe (which looked green in the ziplock.) That's how I saw and decided what colors to wear. I started with the lipstick, knowing I wanted to wear that again, plus the enhancer I beaded for my daughter's newest bright green pendant (I'm wearing it). Then I saw the Meow colors and knew I was hooked for today.

Eyes: all Meow except where noted, in the order of application
Crease: Taupe -- this looked green in the bag; looks taupe on, though it pulls some lavender in the pictures -- I didn't put any lavender into it except possibly at the lowest point of the crease
Inner corners: Misdemeanor VandalEyes -- citrus green with gold -- love this green!
Outer corners: Jessica R ScandalEyes grape

This is sort of the look I get when I do my mascara, as I tilt my head back and look in a hand held mirror to do the top lashes. Only this picture was taken when totally finished. You can see the gradience of the colors.

Mascara: top, Guerlain; lower:Tarte
Brows: Merle Norman powder
Lined lower: Mary Kay Tahitian Gold (love this color!)
Tight lined top and wetlined lower: Venomous gel liner (the purple that BookGirl liked so well)
Drylined top: Tongue Tied IdealEyes Deep Smoky Plum

No concealer

Sunscreen Neutragena, on face; La Prairie, on my neck
Primer: Avon Magix
Foundation: Chanel, discontinued
No highlighting
Rouge (under my sparkly powder mix) Maybelline Rose Petal Mousse
Blush (over) NARS Riviera stick

Lips: Beauticontrol Perfect Azalea topped with BE Buxom Dominique gloss (clear with white, light blue and silver micro shimmer) -- BookGirl likes this -- I used to wear it a lot.

What I think
When I compare this to yesterday's look, I like the teal greens (better?) but I do like this look and will wear it again. If I don't compare it, I think, good look! Plus I've had several compliments on the lippie, which I need to begin to wear more often again. It's one of their older colors when they color coordinated everything to your season, not that I could wear all the colors that were supposedly mine.

What do you think?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-05-14 13:02:31.

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I wanted to do a Take 2 yesterday with darker greys, but everything still looked so good, it didn't need refreshing. I'm not tired of the look yet, so today I re-did it using deeper greys.

Eyes:
Base: Dior light pink cream in wand; then my sparkly mix
Lid: Cat got your tongue? Meow IdealEyes Purrl -- light pink
Outer corners: Lancome Platinum Couture (darker grey in set)
Crease: Vincent Longo Concerto, glittery black-grey wet-dry – love these colors
Brows: La Prairie pencil

Lined upper: Clinique Granite 10 Quick Eyes pencil (med grey)
Then used the powder with it to go over the line.
Lined lower: MAC graphblack in waterline, then earthline outside it -- This time it didn’t look too strong, not like yesterday.
Lined just outside the lower Sephora Flashy Mauve waterproof pencil
Mascara top: Guerlain Maxi-Lash Black
Mascara lower: Stiletto I wanted a spiky look – love this and might start using it everyday.

Primer: I forgot! And it really does make a difference
Foundation: Revlon Vital Radiance Color 10 discontinued, can find on Internet
Concealer: Mary Kay Highlighting Pen Color 2
Color under my sparkly powder mix: Mary Kay cream rouge
Blush over the powder: Meow Lush Blush Hugs and Kitties -- I really like this!

Using Beau Nelson of Beauté's technique highlighting my lips
Too Faced Mermaid for lips, rimmed with Pink Bling
You can read about this technique here.

Don't you just love the lips with this technique!
I hope you try it!

How do you like this look?

Have a great day!

Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-26 08:58:17.

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I started with the lippie I wanted to swatch, then had the hardest time thinking what direction I wanted to go in. Then I remembered I had wanted to try Beau Nelson's lip technique, and I had used a different gloss than I had thought of originally. That will be later today Too Faced -- and more pix. And I hadn't chosen my T yet.

I don't think I was in a light pink mode. After all that angst, I think it turned out nicely. I think it came together. What do you think?

Eyes:
Base: Dior light pink cream in wand; then my sparkly mix
Lid: Cat got your tongue? Meow IdealEyes Purrl -- light pink
Brows: La Prairie pencil

What direction to go in?
I knew I didn't want to do blue or teal or green -- but what?
Ah, grey with pink would likely be nice. But I hadn't sampled any greys from Meow. My BE greys are very dark, which would have worked too, and I might do it later over the lighter. So I went to AL and chose a light one.
Crease and outer corners: AL Avalon rocks! sonic eyes
Very light grey; almost no contrast with the pink, but enough.

Lined upper: Mary Kay Steely pencil (dark grey)
Lined lower: MAC graphblack in waterline, then earthline outside it -- whoa! dark and too piecy looking...had to soften for it to fit -- and also deepen the shadow shades by:
Lined upper and lower: AL evilwoman rocks! glam glitter, deeper sparkly grey
Lined just outside the lower, very carefully with more of the Meow to bring the pink around
Mascara: BE Buxom Black

Primer: Guerlain Meteorites
Foundation: Guerlain
Concealer: Mary Kay Highlighting Pen Color 2
Color under my sparkly powder mix: Mary Kay cream rouge
Blush over the powder: Meow Lush Blush Hugs and Kitties -- I thought this would hardly show, but it was perfect. First time I tried the sample.

Using Beau Nelson of Beauté's technique highlighting my lips
NYX Pink Sparkle Diamond Sparkle Lip Gloss
Lancome Starlight lip gloss to rim
You can read about this technique here.

I might do a Take 2 later today with other colors. Hope you enjoyed this one!
Karin

Originally posted 2009-03-25 13:29:38.

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I thought I would go for very simple because it is Sunday. You can see how good my skin looks in one day with Arbonne. I'm not sure I look this pale in RL, compared to my pictures today, but you can see how white around my face reflects up making me paler. I do love this shirt, however. It is bright white. I generally never wear white around my face. But then most whites have a bit of color in them.

Eyes:
This is as near to a perfect neutral look as I could ever get. I need a pop of color. I could envision wearing this on a trip for two weeks, though I know me well enough to know I'd wish I had something else along too!
Crease: AL Burnt Roses -- love this color
Lids and dry lined lower: AL Ocean Rain
Tight lined top and wet lined lower: MAC graphblack, also earthline under on lower eye
Mascara: top, Guerlain; lower, Guerlain Le2
Brows: La Prairie pencil
Concealer: Dior skinflash

Primer: Sheer Cover
Foundation: Lancome minerals + Lancome mineral powder + my sparkly mix
Blush: Meow Masterpiece Water Lilies, then Lancome Petticoat Pink as it wasn't strong enough

Lips: BE Lip Guard, Bare Beach
Very pretty color, feels great on the lips, very moisturizing.

Here's what my skin looked like on Friday: Big Difference!

What do you think?

To buy Arbonne from Bookgirl, if you don't have a representative, go here.

Karin

Originally posted 2009-05-18 11:04:27.

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I changed the lippie from yesterday and used a different liner on my eyes. Instead of black and brown, I used bright green.

Eyes:
Base: Nude Frost, then Meow Nicole S
Lids: AL Torment
Crease: AL Basil
Lined top and lower with Sephora Flashy Green. Then drylined on outer edges with Torment. It looked striped on the lower, so on outer edge and through the middle I drylined with basil. That made it blend right.
Mascara: BE Buxom

Primer: Revlon
Foundation: EL stick, discontinued
Rouge: Beauté liqui-gel stain Harlot
Powder: my sparkly mix, followed by BE mineral veil as bronzer
Blush: none

Lip: NYX Diamond Sparkle lip gloss Copper Sparkle, rimmed with Clinique Whisper, also used in the middle. This is a really pretty color. It looks similar to Mark Metalicious glosses which I love.

The green really gave it some jazz. I liked it with green. I also liked it with black.

You can see it more here:

Karin

Originally posted 2009-04-12 15:45:16.

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