BLOG SALE

Ah, blog sales. Where one blogger's trash becomes another's treasure. Well, that's not the case today with this blog sale because all the products here are ones I absolutely adore! Recently I've had a look at my credit card bill and it's not the most glorious looking of numbers. One of my resolutions for 2014 was to get my credit card bill down to $0 and then stop using it entirely. Spending money I don't have is far too easy, as it turns out. So in attempt to make this number go down (as my bi-weekly paycheck isn't cutting it at the moment) I've had a look through my make up stash and found some products I think some of you lovelies would love to get your hands on!

Blog Sale Rules 

• First come, first served (I'll keep this updated as often as I can!)
• Please leave your e-mail address (along with the items you'd like) in the comments so that I can contact you with an invoice and give you the PayPal address to send the money to.
• You must pay within 24 hours, or the products will go to someone else. Also, please mark your payment as a gift so PayPal doesn't take a fee from it :)
• Shipping is $3 for each item and then $1 extra for each additional item in the US. If you buy a couple of products, I'll adjust accordingly. I'll ship to the UK, Europe, and Australia for $6.
• If you're curious about swatches, everything here is 'google-able'. So please look up swatches if you're unsure of color because there will be no refunds (geez, that sounds harsh, haha!)
• If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me :: themodmermaidx@gmail.com. I'll answer any questions you may have!
• Other than that, happy browsing/shopping! :)

Urban Decay 15th Anniversay Eyeshadow Palette (RRP $55) incl. Large Black Z-Palette (RRP $20) - the eyeshadows have only been used a few times, none are even close to hitting pan --- $25

MAC Marilyn Monroe Showgirl Eyeshadow - swatched 2/3 times; larger than a standard MAC eyeshadow (RRP $21) --- $8

MAC Let's Skate Paint Pot (in LE white top packaging) - used a few times, still a whole lot left (RRP $18.50) --- $8

MAC Hang Up Lipstick - used a few times and sanitized (RRP $15) --- $8

MAC Overtime Pro Longwear Lipcreme - used twice (RRP $18) --- $8

LUSH Cosmetics Yuzu & Cocoa Forum Special Gorilla Perfume - sprayed at most 5 times, still very full (RRP $45) --- $10

LUSH Cosmetics Twilight Forum Special Gorilla Perfume - sprayed at most 5 times, still more than half full (RRP $50) --- $10

Deborah Lippmann Candy Shop Nail Polish - used once (RRP $18) --- $10

Butter London Knackered Nail Polish - used a few times (RRP $15) --- $6

Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order Nail Colour - used a few times (RRP unkown) --- $4

Sephora by OPI Chestnuts About You Nail Colour - used a few times (RRP unkown) --- $4

Whimsical Ideas by Pam In the Whole Wide World - used twice (RRP $10) --- $4

Whimsical Ideas by Pam Eloise - used twice (RRP $10) --- $4

TopShop Smokey Eyes Eyeshadow Palette - used a few times (RRP $24) --- $8

LUSH Cosmetics Santa's Lip Scrub - tried once (RRP $9.95) --- $3

Tarte Exposed Travel Size Blush - used a couple of times, quite lightly; smaller than standard Tarte blush but still plenty of product (RRP unknown) --- $2

NYX Creme Blush in Glow - used a few times with a stippling brush (RRP $6) --- $2

Urban Decay | 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in El Dorado

Let me just start off by saying this isn't the first time I've bought a product because I saw it being used in a movie I really liked. In fact, I reviewed this MAC Prolongwear Lipstick which was used on Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games coronation scene. The only reason I bought is because it looked amazing on Jennifer and some weird gears in my head turned making me think if I bought that lipstick I'd look as amazing. This is no different for the Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner in El Dorado which was the eyeliner they used in The Hunger Game to create Cinna's signature gold eyeliner. I loved Cinna! When I read that he had gold eyeliner I thought it was amazing and then when I saw it on the big screen I thought it looked spectacular! So, again, the strange gears in my head turned and I thought well if Cinna looks spectacular in gold eyeliner I will too!

El Dorado is a metallic-gold liquid liner. It's not the most wearable of shades that I could have picked up but I've been getting so much wear out of it! I love the metallic sheen and how the gold color looks with my blue eyes. It doesn't really make then pop, but I just like the overall feel. It's that little ray of shine I get glimpses off when I'm walking somewhere and catch my reflection. It's a "makes-me-happy" eyeliner, let's just say, haha! It comes packaged in a typical liquid liner tube and I love that the tube reflects the liner color inside - makes it a lot easier to sort through in the hub-ub of liquid liners in similar packaging. Now I must say that the teensy and thin brush of the liner almost put me off. I thought it would make the line too thin and that'd I spend ages trying to build up the thickness if I wanted to. I didn't think this brush would cut it, but I was wrong! It's thin, but it's not flimsy. It has the perfect amount of bristles to give you control and create straight, rounded lines. The color comes off insanely pigmented and opaque in just one stroke. It's perfect for getting a thin line close to the lashes, but it's also, surprisingly, good at creating a bit of a thicker line if you put a little more pressure onto the brush when you sweep it across. You can of course layer to create even thicker lines. The opacity stays the same and it doesn't smear off any of the already placed liner. 

The best part of this liner has to be the "24/7 Waterproof" claim. We look at 24/7 or 24 hours and just think ... okay, long lasting, but if you don't try and wipe off this eyeliner with a makeup remover, it won't budge, at all! I've fallen asleep with this liner on (a big beauty, no-no! I know) and woken up with a perfect line. Sure, it lost some of it's metallic shine, but oh my lanta, it was still there! It's also very waterproof! I've worn this to the pool and had no problems with smudging or running. The only way to get El Dorado to come off is by seriously rubbing at your eye (wouldn't suggest it, haha) or just wiping at it with a make up remover (it comes off cleanly that way!) 

I would most certainly recommend this liner to you lovelies, especially as it seems we're all experiencing some unbearable heat this summer. The Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof liners come in a cast array of colors so there'll surely be a color in there for you! Next on my list is Perversion as I need a black liner that won't smudge or budge. Just take the direction of "shake-well before use" that you see on the tube seriously, and you've found your best new eyeliner friend for the summer!

What do you think of these Urban Decay liners? Something that tickles your fancy, or not so much? 

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Urban Decay | Naked Skin Beauty Balm

It's Monday again, boo! By the time this post goes up I'm probably already taking on the role of Consuela from Family Guy and cleaning my house from top to bottom. Anyway, I hope you guy's enjoyed last week's "hair" themed posts because this week is going to be all about some of my "face/base" products and tools! Oh yeah, this is the week you get my long awaited Beauty Blender review (has it been long awaited? I feel like I'm the only one awaiting it, haha) You can expect to hear about some great products this week. Then at the end of the week I'll be putting up my current foundation routine for the summer! You'll be able to see these products in action! :) So ... on to the post!

Now that the hype of these Urban Decay Naked products has died down I thought I'd be "that" person and bring it back! If you're in the market for a "typical" BB Cream that's a tinted moisturizer with a bit more coverage, then Urban Decay's Naked Skin Beauty Balm won't be for you. BUT if you're looking for an optical blurring, fantabulous primer with SPF, than you've found your match. This product isn't your typical BB cream and it doesn't claim to be one, either. It doesn't give any coverage, at all. If anyone's ever said this covers any blemishes they'd be lying (or maybe not, maybe it did for you ... don't shoot!) What it does do is create this nice blurring effect on your face that is easier shown than explained. Imagine you took a portrait of yourself, put it up on a photo editing site, took the blur tool, and ran it across your face. That's the effect you get with this BB. It blurs any minor imperfections such as lines and pores so that, assuming you're not examining your face in 10x zoom mirror, you don't notice them.

The consistency makes me think that if Urban Decay's Naked Skin foundation texture and Benefit's POREfessional primer texture had a baby, you would get the texture of this Beauty Balm. It's liquidy, but isn't runny, if that makes any sense? As you can see from the swatch below the Naked Skin BB is of the orange-tint persuasion which, when I got this in a sample, scared me! I was afraid it'd just tint my pale face orange and I wasn't auditioning for the reprise of The Jersey Shore anytime soon! It blends easily into the skin and then practically disappears. Now if it wasn't obvious, I don't particularly use this like I would my Dr. Jart++ Waterfuse Beauty Balm. Like I said, it doesn't give any coverage, but what it does do is make a great primer! It smoothes out your skin so when you go to apply your foundation it applies evenly and doesn't stick to dry patches as much! 

I do have to mention that it has a scent, which I don't mind and quite like, but I know some people may be put off by it - it's a bit minty. Also, if you've just gone on holiday and couldn't help but burn your face, I'd stay away from this for a while. It likes to cling to the dead skin that starts to peel as the burn heels and literally roll with it. While you blend this on a heeling burn you'll see bits of skin rolling off your fingers and it's ... it's not beautiful, haha. I'm not saying this to put you off from the product, as I absolutely love using it, but more as a word of caution! 

There are two reasons why I've been loving using this especially now in the warmer months, as well as to reasons why I essentially think you'll love this stuff. Numero uno - It's got SPF 20! Won't be great for taking pictures on night's out but if you're like me and forget to put SPF on your face, you'll be set because it'll be in your primer! This came in really handy when I spent the day in Six Flags on Saturday! It was a beautiful sunny day but I had no sun screen, at all, anywhere! I was glad there was some in my make up because if I didn't, I'd have pretty red face right now, haha. Numero dos - If you're having a particularly, what I like to call, "lazy make up day" and you're not going anywhere too crazy, a bit of this on your face and some powder on top, you're pretty much set for a "your face but better look" Does that make sense? Boy, I hope so! 

What do you think of Naked Skin Beauty Balm? Have you tried it? What are you favorite BB Creams?

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Holy cannoli, sorry that post was so long!

Collective Haul | Sephora, Bath & Body Works, Bobbi Brown, and Macadamia Natural Oil

Happy, slappy Tuesday, y'all! It's the end of April today if I'm not mistaken! Which to most is a signal of 1/3 of the year coming to a close but to me it means MY BIRTHDAY IS IN 2 DAYS! I know, I know, you're tired of hearing about it. By the end of the week you won't have to hear about it again till next year ... or unless I post a haul of goodies I got, LOL. Speaking of hauls, I have a collective one to share with you all today! I've been shopping a bit here and there for some essentials and not so essentials, haha. Sephora was having their VIB sale at the beginning of the month and I took that as an opportunity to get a full-size Urban Decay Naked Skin BB after loving and squeezing out every last drop from my baby-size sample. Since I ran out of my MAC MSF a while back I figured it was time to try a new setting powder. Originally I was going to go for NARS Light Reflecting Powder but my friend Julia recommended Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Powder, which she said is a great setting powder for drier skin as it has some ingredient that keeps moisture on your face. I don't know, but I was sold and got it! Reviews on both of these are coming to a blog post near you so stay tuned! I also got my Sephora birthday perk which is a mini sample of Benefit's They're Real (love this mascara, and I'm so glad I've never had to purchase it as it always, always comes as a sample somewhere) and a mini Benefit's WattsUp highlighter, which I actually reviewed once and wasn't a big fan of it. 

Bobbi Brown was also having a super exciting Friends & Family 20% off sale that my mom took FULL advantage of. Seriously, if Bobbi Brown makes it, my mom 100% wants it, haha! She kindly asked if I'd like anything (no doubt trying to spread the Bobbi Brown joy she is feeling) and I said no until I played with one of their lipglosses in a Sephora one night out. I ended up getting Bobbi Brown's High Shimmer Gloss in Bellini. It's such a gorgeous, everyday lipgloss with hints of silver and gold shimmers. I'm not a lip gloss gal, at all, but this one has virtually no stick to it. It's not goopy and you can barely feel it on your lips which I LOVE.

Then my ever so lovely mother surprised me with some sweet treat from Bath & Body Works after I dropped my *not-so* subtle hints about wanting some new candles. She picked up the Strawberry, Market Peach, and a baby Espresso candles (which btw, makes my entire room smell like a coffee shop!) I, like every other blogger/vlogger, love me some Bath & Body Works candles! They have the best scent throw and some of the most delicious scents I've ever sniffed! I didn't even have the heart to blow out Market Peach whilst taking these photos!

Last, but not least, are my Macadamia Natural Hair goodies that I managed to find in my Stop N' Shop (for cheaper, too!) I've been on the search for some hair products that would make my frizzy, poofy, dry, and curly hair look like I actually managed to do something with the mess. Macadamia products are raved and raved about on the blog-o-sphere and after some recommendations I bit the bullet (have you seen the price?!) and got myself the shampoo and conditioner. Well I THOUGHT I got the conditioner, turns out it's the leave in conditioner, haha! Woopsie. Still testing both of these out and the Leave-In conditioner is actually quite nice so I've decided to keep it. We'll see how I get on with them and then I'll be sure to put up my own review on the ever so hyped hair goods!

What do you lovelies think? Anything here that you've tried? What have you recently hauled? 

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Urban Decay | NAKED Basics Palette

First off, let me start out by saying that there is no possible way I could be writing this post if it weren't for Judy (Judy's Beauty Blog) and her absolutely generous giveaway, that I won! I've never won anything before and it's fine and dandy that the time came during this one! The Urban Decay Naked Basics palette is the newest edition in the Naked family. It is Urban Decay's answer to all us Naked palette lovers; an all matte palette! I've always loved my Naked and Buck shades in the Naked 1. I use them for "no makeup" make up looks and they make excellent blending colors! So yeah, I was excited when this palette came out, to say the least! 

Naked Basics is packaged in a rubberized material (think NARS packaging almost). It's super compact which would make it great for traveling! It's a little smaller than an iPhone 4 and it fits nicely in the palm of my hand. It's half the size of the Naked 1 or Naked 2 palette; instead of 12 shadows it comes with six. The palette is meant to be all matte but there's on shade that has a bit of sheen to it and it seems almost satin-y. Venus is a satin, pearl white shade (the only one that's not completely matte). I've been loving wearing this in the inner corner, it really brightens up the eyes! Foxy is a yellow-toned neutral shade that you may also have if you have the Naked 2 palette. Walk of Shame (W.O.S.) is the pink-toned neutral sister of Foxy. Either one makes a really nice natural looking brow highlight. I like to actually blend them together for an all over lid color. Naked 2 is a super light toned brown. It's really similar to Naked in the Naked 1 palette, just a tad more yellow toned and lighter. Faint is a light chocolate brown. It's not too deep a brown so it makes a nice crease color, as well as just an over the lid color. Crave is a a dark, matte black color. Nothing new there, you'll probably have a ton of matte blacks lying around in some palettes by now! The formulation on all of these was very smooth and pigmented save for Crave. Crave came out a little on the drier side but it still applied nicely on the lid. The colors blend really nicely and work well with a lot of different shadows. 

Overall, I'd say this palette is worth the $27. At first glance, I wasn't sure if this was something I needed (I knew it was something I wanted!) but upon seeing it in person and then swatching it I'm sure I would have bought it myself. I highly recommend this palette for anyone who wants a few more matte colors to round out the neutrals in their collections! Winning this giveaway meant that my Naked Palette collection is now complete and I'll write up a post soon on wether or not you need all three/reasons to want each!

What do you guys think of this palette? Something for you, or something you'll pass?

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Forbidden Winter | A Tutorial

YouTube really needs to start letting me upload my own thumbnail pictures. I will rejoice the day I am given the permission to do this. With each video upload they get sillier and sillier! First it was funny, now it's just like "this still doesn't even have anything to do with the video, c'mon now!" #rantover

I've been dying to wear my burgundy/plum/vampy lip colors but could never figure out an eye look that would compliment it and now vy for the eye's attention (so to speak). It's still the winter time (although the weather is proving otherwise) and I want to get wear out of it! So I came up with this beauty that I named the Forbidden Winter look! It features neutral browns, frosty highlights, and of course a raspberry-vamp lip! It's subtle and nothing that'll make people do double take's on the street if you wear it out! I wore it today on my trip to the city to get my stitches removed. My dentist said he liked it, haha, so we've got medical approval! It's a very easy look to recreate with similar colors or if you have the Naked 2 palette! Now you have no excuse to not rock the vampy lip! If you want to see how I created this look, watch the video below!

Let me know what you think!

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Weekend Wishlist #01

I've been in the city twice this week. Once, because I thought I was going over to Mihai's house and the second because of a dentist appointment. I was around M.A.C. and Sephora and I didn't buy anything *gasp My little sickness has put me in quite a level headed move, meaning I wanted it all but knew I didn't need it. So I decided I'd share with you what I had my eyes on!

1. NARS Smudgeproof Shadow Base

Urban Decay Primer Potion just isn't cutting it anymore!

2. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

I NEED THIS. The colors are so ... agh. I feel like I'd wear this more in the winter time so I figured I'd wait until then to get it (hopefully a Sephora coupon will come my way!)

3. Butter London Toff

Such a pretty purple color! At Ricky's NYC it was $15 and I thought that was just ridiculous when it's only $14. I know, I know it's only a $1 but every dollar counts!

4. Sephora & Pantone Universe Shades of Nature Palette

I adore the colors in this palette! All the shadows are gorgeous and silky smooth to the touch. The price is steep and it doesn't have the greatest application for that amount. I'm gonna wait for Sephora to knock the price down of it and then it's all mine!

5. Cover Girl 24HR. LashBlast

Oup, I lied. I did end up buying this! I needed a really good waterproof mascara :)

6. M.A.C. Blushes

I went in to get Fleur Power, couldn't find it. Found three amazing blushes that I am now dying to have and then found Fleur Power. I might be go next week to get a Blush Palette along with the giveaway winner's prize!

I know. I'm cuckoo bananas. It's just ever so tempting with all these awesome products out. I'm quite impatient and think if I can't buy it all now I'll wait till I can. Especially since next week is the release of  LUSH's Emotional Brilliance line (EEEEEEEK!). I know I'll just be snatching up pretty much everything.

What are on your wishlists? If you haven't enetered my giveaway yet, make sure to do so here!

xo

OOTD & EOTD: Independence Day!

Happy (belated) Independence to you all! I spent the entire day with Mihai just eating BBQ food and then walking on the boardwalk. Seriously, we spent about 5 hours on the boardwalk and then found out that there were not going to be any fireworks on that beach. How depressing is that? No fireworks on the 4th of July?! We started walking back to my house and watched random fireworks that we could see from where we were. It was really beautiful to just look out into the horizon and see fireworks going off everywhere! Since I couldn't honor the 4th yesterday I shall do so today by sharing with you guys my outfit and eye look! This year I was feeling really patriotic and it translated quite well into my entire outfit and make up look!

OOTD

Sunglasses: ALDO Accesories

Top: TopShop 

Shorts: Forever21

Bow: ModCloth

EOTD

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• INGLOT 31 SHINE shadow all over the lid
• INGLOT 24 SHINE shadow lightly blended into the crease
• M.A.C. Blacktrak Fluidline line the upper lash line
• EyeKandy Glitters in Chiclets & EyeKandy Liquid Sugar all over the visible teal shadow
• M.A.C. Shroom in the inner corner and on the browbone
• Coastal Scents 88 Shimmer Palette (any of the red shadows) line the bottom lash line
• M.A.C. Fascinating Eye Khol line the water line
• CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara

Wowza, looking at these pictures people must have thought I was a crazy laday, haha! I hope you guys enjoyed your little holiday if you celebrated it! I also hope you got to see more fireworks than I did! Have a Happy 5th of July, everyone! (doesn't sound the same, does it?)

xo

(NOTE: Super awesome shout out to Mihai for unknowingly taking my OOTD pictures for me because I am still rubbish at it!)

Retail Therapy: Birthday Haul!

So Wednesday, May 2, was my 19th birthday! Although my mom thought it was my 17th considering she got a '1' and '7' candle, hahaha! It seems that every year there's something I become completely enchanted with and I get a lot of it for my birthday! Last year it was LUSH Cosmetics gift cards and products and this year it's beauty items! Which I was so thrilled for! Now I didn't get this all in one day (all in one week, but not in a day!) and some of it I bought for myself as a well deserved present (my birth makes me well deserved, haha!) 

• Mrs. Bunny Collection Sigma Brushes (from my Sister) - I was SOSOSO excited for these! I have been using a crease brush from Sephora and the Urban Decay Karma brush that came with the Naked Palette for the longest time, and only those two brushes! I love the blue and pink colors of the brush, I think they are so pretty. It's also awesome that they come in their own sort of brush holders! I can't wait to use them more!
• Ciate Caviar Manicure (from my Aunt) - So I have basically been lusting about this caviar manicure kit since I saw a YouTube guru (FleurdeForce) demo it on her channel! I knew it would be a sort of gimmicky (but awesome) sort of nail thing, but that didn't stop me from wanting it! The only thing though is the price is absolutely outrageous for nail polish, micro beads, and a plastic tray! I'd never buy it myself. When I went out to dinner my aunt (who I never see) handed me a Sephora bag with the kit inside and I freaked! I cannot wait to show you guys a nail of the day with it!!!
• Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette (from my boyfriend) - Boyfriend. You're doing it right! If I just insert a giant exclamation point would that convey the proper amount of excitement? Probably not. I know he was originally planning to get me the Naked 2 Palette but then this bad boy came back on the Sephora website and I spammed his Facebook with links, hahaha! I've been lusting after this palette for FOREVER. I wasn't too into make-up when I saw gurus reviewing it so it didn't phase me, but now MUST HAVE!

things I bought for myself

• MakeUpForever Aqua Liner (5) - Blue eyeliner. Jennifer Lawrence wore it in the Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence is girl crush. Nuff said.
• Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow (Fishnet) - I am so glad the the Sephora on 5th Avenue didn't get the new look of the Urban Decay Eyeshadows! Two reasons, one: I LOVE the Deluxe Packaging x a million! two: the deluxe shadows are $18 and have  more product, while the new ones would be the same price and the same color, but less product! It's such a beautiful purple color similar to MAC Stars 'N Rockets but 10x more pigmented.
• MAC Morange Lipglass - Walked into a MAC store on the day of a collection launch (unintentionally) and happened to be in the flagship store that had EVERY COUNTRY'S FASHION SET. *dead I've always wanted Morange Lipstick but didn't think I'd have the cajones to wear it out but when I put the lipglass on I could not look away. It made my eyes pop and it was out there without being out there.
• OCC Makeup Lip Tar (Queen) - Gah! This color. No words for it. I've always wanted an OCC liptar (many, at that!) but when I went to IMATS I was so tired that I didn't have the strength to wait in the mob. Then I saw OCC retweeted someone saying they "popped into an OCC store" and I was like THEY HAVE STORES?! Thank you Google for helping feed my addiction and cleaning my wallet ;)

Have you deduced anything from this list yet? Not yet? Well I'll help you out... I'm not buying any make-up for a LOOONG time. But don't fret! I've got so many reviews to write up that time will fly, make up will get used and I'll be able to buy once more! I'm very thankful for everything I've been given and everything I was able to buy. Hopefully this fortune will follow me into my 19th year!