Four Fantastic Femme Fatale Cosmetics Swatches

*Products reviewed within this post were sent for my consideration. All opinions are my own, and nothing but completely honest.*

Today's swatches include four amazing eyeshadows from Femme Fatale Cosmetics {FFC}: Jewel Scarab, Planeshift, Wisp and Genesis.
I've done reviews and swatches of FFC in the past, but since it's been a while, here's a refresher for anyone who is unfamiliar with the company and its products.

Femme Fatale Cosmetics is an independently owned small business based in Brisbane, Australia, and is operated by Sophie {with assistance from her partner Dave}. They opened in September 2011 and specialize in hand-blended mineral-based cosmetics and 3-free nail lacquer, while also acting as one of the only stockists for top international and national indie lacquers in Australia.

Femme Fatale's selection of powder cosmetics are available in sample sizes at an affordable price of $1.10 each {with free shipping worldwide on sample-only orders}. They also offer a mini size {3g priced at $3.10 - $3.20 each} for eyeshadows and a full size of 5g {$5.85 each}. Facial products come in a 10g size {$8.25} with sifter for ease of use. All of the powder cosmetics can be shipped worldwide. The nail lacquers are available in 12ml sizing, from $9.10 - $9.85 depending on the type. At this time, FFC is unable to ship nail lacquers internationally outside of Australia. For specific shipping policies and prices, check out the website {HERE}.

THE PICTURES

*Swatched over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, photographed under an OttLite. Click to see the images in all their detailed glory.*

{Described as: "a deep blackened teal blue with green
shimmers and turquoise sparks." Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

{Described as: "a blend of pale jungle green and teal with slight
gray tones, and striking gold shimmer." Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

{Described as: "a soft slate gray highlighted by a heavy
blue duochrome." Vegan. Lip-safe!}

{Described as: "a soft seafoam turquoise with light golden shimmer."
Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

Well holy moly! So much awesomeness packed into four colors! My favorite of the bunch is Planeshift, as it's one of the most unique colors in my collection thus far. And that's an extensive collection! The green plays off the gold shift in such a beautiful way — and as a Packers fan, I love me some green and gold! :} But seriously, it's amazing, and a must-have if you place an order with Femme Fatale {which I think you *definitely* should!}.
Not to be outdone by Planeshift, the other three colors offer just as much beauty and their own unique qualities. Jewel Scarab is a dark and almost haunting blackened teal, which would be perfect for fall/winter looks. So far I've used it foiled as a liner for a daytime-friendly look with a bit of a punch, and I received many compliments. Wisp is a stunning gray-blue shade that, to me, also appears somewhat purple with just a hint of pink depending on the light. I've worn it as an all-over wash of a single color, blended out with a lighter white/silver just to lighten it up a bit for work, and I thought it was pretty darn versatile. The last color, Genesis, is exactly as it's described with a lovely mix of seafoam and a light golden shimmer. It can easily transform a cool summer eye look, while also looking appropriate across any season depending on what it's paired with.
All of the colors lasted all day over primer {my go-to is UDPP}, and I have relatively oily lids. I usually pair eyeshadows with a base as well, like NYX Jumbo Pencils or Maybelline Color Tattoos. So far I haven't been disappointed with a single product I've received from Femme Fatale Cosmetics, and I continue to recommend the shop to anyone and everyone interested in top-of-the-line indie products!

Stay Fabulous!

Femme Fatale Cosmetics | Swatches Part 2

...and my final blog post of the year! Time to say goodbye to 2012 and ring in 2013 on the fabulous right foot. :}

For details on Femme Fatale Cosmetics, see my previous post {HERE}.

:::  THE PICTURES  :::

*All products swatched over Smashbox Photo Finish primer and Darling Girl Glitter Glue. Photographs were taken under an OttLite to capture the true-to-life colors and effects.* 

{Click to enlarge the image}

{Click to enlarge the image}

{Click to enlarge the image}

{Click to enlarge the image}

My favorite color from this round is Moonglow — I ended up buying a bigger size later on, because I wear Moonglow all the time. It's the most perfect gray-blue with golden sheen, and it works in so many different combinations. Shooting Stars was a close second, being a gorgeous pink-based purple with strong violet duochrome. It's just lovely! Riptide is a fantastic blue with aqua duochrome, bringing to mind what I would think the color of the ocean in paradise would look like. :} Incantation was a freebie sample I received, and I've worn it as a nice burgundy liner a few times with much success.

Any of these part of your list of FFC favorites? I'll have part 3 of my Femme Fatale Cosmetics swatches coming soon!

Stay Fabulous!

 

Femme Fatale Cosmetics | Swatches - Part 1

I finally finished putting together my Femme Fatale swatches for you! It took forever and a day, since these colors are so complex and amazing - it's hard to capture them in pictures that accurately display their beauty! But, I tried, and here are the results. I have split the swatches into multiple posts, with this being the first.

:::  THE SPECS  :::

Sophie is the owner of Femme Fatale Cosmetics, which is based out of Australia. FFC stormed onto the indie makeup scene within the past year, and has captured many dedicated fans ever since. I count myself as one of them! FFC offers eyeshadows, blushes, illuminators and nail polishes so far. FFC doesn't ship nail polish internationally at the moment, but international customers can still order their nail polish favorites for reasonable prices from FFC's stockists: Harlow & Co and Llarowe are two that I've shopped with before and had good experiences.

Since I have only purchased eyeshadow so far, I'll only speak to these details. You can opt for any of the following:

:::  Sample Baggies - $1.10 for 1/8 tsp
:::  Mini Jars w/Sifter - $3.10 for 3g
:::  Mini Jars w/o Sifter - $3.00 for 3g
:::  Full-Size Jars - $5.75 for 5g

There are also many product sets that offer discounted prices for larger orders.
Shipping obviously depends on where you live; for fellow USA customers, you can expect it to be approximately $11.00 for Air Mail without insurance {orders under $75} and it can take anywhere from 3-15 business days for delivery {after processing}. However, for sample-only orders, FFC ships worldwide for free! All of my orders have arrived within the stated TAT and delivery timeframe. If you have questions about international orders, the FFC website is extremely helpful and easy to navigate, so I suggest starting there. The site is one of the best indie makeup websites out there, from a design and usability standpoint.

:::  THE PICTURES  :::

*All products swatched over Smashbox Photo Finish primer and Darling Girl Glitter Glue. Photographs were taken under an OttLite to capture the true-to-life colors and effects.*

{Click image to enlarge}

{Click image to enlarge}

{Click image to enlarge}

{Click image to enlarge}

{Click image to enlarge}

:::  THE OPINIONS  :::

How could I *not* love these colors?! As you'll see in the coming days, all of the colors I chose from Femme Fatale were fantastic; I broke these posts up into four featured colors at a time, to give each group a fair amount of attention {which they all deserve}. My favorite from this group is Faerie Fire — it's a color I wouldn't think to wear as often, but the duochrome effects are simply amazing. I wear it at least once a week, which is quite often considering the size of my makeup collection. :}

Have you purchased anything from Femme Fatale Cosmetics? What are your favorites? If not, which colors are you most interested in? I may be taking note of others' favorites for a future giveaway, so let me know! :}

Shiro Cosmetics: Why Not Zoidberg?

What can I say about Shiro Cosmetics that hasn't already been said? I mean, really — it's a fantastic indie company with a lovely {and super-gorgeous} owner, and the products are stellar. I have a collection of new eyeshadows to swatch and post in the near future, but I thought I'd start with the first Intertube I purchased from Shiro: Why Not Zoidberg?

Why Not Zoidberg? is a bright coral lip color that can be built up for opacity. It's $6.50 for a full-size tube {approx. 5.5 grams}, or you can opt for a mini size {approx. 4 grams in a tin} or a sample size {approx. 1.5 grams in a clamshell}.

Ingredients: Shea Butter, Organic Jojoba Oil, Candelilla Wax, Vitamin E, Yellow #6, Red #27, Red #40, Iron Oxide.

{Layered over a clear lip balm base}

The formula is like butta. Glides on easily, builds up nicely, lasts quite a while. The color is a perfect coral that seems to work on almost any skin tone. It provides a nice pop of color for any occasion — I highly recommend it!

Stay Fabulous!

Madd Style Cosmetix: Review | Swatches

A few months ago I came across a blog post that showcased a plethora of eyeshadow swatches from Madd Style Cosmetix — and I was instantly enamored with some of the colors I saw. I placed an order the next day, and here is the collection of swatches I have to share with you. :}

:::  THE SPECS  :::

I made my purchase during a sale period, so the price I paid does not reflect the normal cost.
A single full-size jar of eyeshadow is $5.00 and comes in a 5g jar that's filled with product. Each of my jars were filled to the top, which is great to see. You can save some money by purchasing multiple full-size jars using one of Mo's package deals, which is what I ended up doing. I also received a full clamshell sample as a free gift! The listing for each individual product contains ingredient information, directions for use and whether it's lip-safe or not, along with vegan/non-vegan information.

Ordering was a breeze, and shipping was super-fast — even though I only live about 120 miles away from Mo, I know that just about everyone else I've talked to has received their orders well within the 5-8 day TAT{which is quite fast}. Shipping is different depending on how much you order, but in general shipping to the U.S. and Canada is $2.00 for the first item, and $0.50 for each additional item. Shipping internationally is around $2.50 for the first item and $0.75 for each additional item.

:::  THE PICTURES  :::

{Swatched over Darling Girl Glitter Glue. Click images to enlarge.}

{The packaging}

{Natural daylight}

{Natural Lighting - Ohm is one of my favorites so far!}

{Natural Lighting - Seedless is a fantastic duochrome}

{Natural Lighting}

{Natural Lighting}

{Natural Lighting - Pisces is a lovely mint green with a golden glow}

{Natural Lighting}

{Another view in natural lighting}

{Photographed with a flash}

{Blurred to show sparkles - Pisces is gorgeous! (the bottom green)}

{Blurred to show sparkles}

:::  THE OPINIONS  :::

My instant favorites were Ohm and Pisces, and they're still some of my favorites. After wearing Seedless and Atomic Dreamland, they also became favorites. It's so hard to capture the sparkle and color-shifts accurately, so I highly recommend placing an order and seeing for yourself how gorgeous these colors are! I received a few additional eyeshadows from my swap partner in a past makeup "Secret Santa/Elfster" exchange, which I'll provide swatches for at a later time.

Stay Fabulous!

MAC Plushglass: Ample Pink

Good Afternoon!

Today I wanted to do a special little "spotlight" post about one of my favorite lip glosses, MAC Plushglass in Ample Pink. I got it back before MAC changed their cruelty-free position, and I am currently looking for a good indie/cruelty-free dupe. I was given the suggestion for Ample Pink by Mandy from PrettyMaking {again, this was when MAC was still cruelty-free}when searching for a lip gloss that had a color that was "my lips but better." This certainly hit the mark! :}

{My kisser}

I regret not taking a "before" picture of my lips. Basically, this lip gloss evened out the overall color/tone of my lips, added a lovely shine and really looks like "my lips but better." The staying power is pretty great as well - I usually wear it over a primer-type product, but even on its own it lasts for a few hours. As I mentioned above, I'm looking for a great indie dupe for this, so leave a comment with any suggestions you might have!

Stay Fabulous!

Chinovi Cosmetics: Review | Swatches

This has been a long time coming! Vanessa, the owner of Chinovi Cosmetics, was looking for some honest feedback on her new company/products a few months back, and offered some nice sample packages to those who were interested. Of course I was interested! I love trying out new companies and watching them grow over time. As far as Chinovi goes, I have a feeling we'll be seeing some great things from this company. :}

This particular package of samples was sent for consideration, and all opinions are solely my own.

:::  THE SPECS  :::

At the moment, Chinovi Cosmetics is offering sample packages in either baggie or clamshell form. I can't wait until Vanessa adds full sizes to her line! In the meantime, you can pick up 8 sample baggies for $5.00 {1/8-tsp}, 13 sample clamshells for $10.00 {1/8-tsp} or 20 sample clamshells for $15.00 {1/8-tsp}. The baggie samples I received contained a gracious amount of product — what I assume is more than 1/8-tsp. It was the same for the clamshell samples I ordered recently. And even if it was exactly 1/8-tsp, the products are certainly worth every penny.

:::  THE PICTURES  :::

Swatched over Darling Girl Glitter Glue. All pics are clickable.

                         

                              {Packaging}

{All of the samples}

{Natural/sunlight}

{Natural/sunlight}

{Natural/sunlight}

{Natural/sunlight}

{Natural/sunlight}

{Natural/sunlight}

{Photographed with a flash}

{Photographed with a flash}

:::  THE OPINIONS  :::

Since this is a new company to many people, I'll be a bit more thorough with my opinions.
As soon as I opened my package, I could tell it was prepared by someone who really paid attention to little details and made sure everything she sent out was pristine in presentation. Starting with the packaging and products in general, I loved the simplicity. A nice pink bag held the sample baggies, along with a handful of business cards for referral purposes. The labels on the baggies are clear and easy to read, as well as informative — all of the ingredients are listed right on the front. Very nice presentation overall.

In terms of the eyeshadows themselves, I loved everything! The samples were picked for me, and they were very accurate in terms of colors I would have picked for myself. The opacity of each color is fantastic, and every single one applied smoothly and evenly on a variety of different bases — I tried them on bare skin, on UDPP, on UDPP + NYX Jumbo Pencil, on UDPP + Glitter Glue — and they looked equally as great each time. I found the best color payoff came from the UDPP + Glitter Glue combination, though some of the shimmery colors looked fantastic layered over just the NYX Jumbo Pencil. Depending on what your needs are in terms of longevity and coverage {I have oily lids and need to use the primer and a base regardless}, these eyeshadows are quite versatile and just lovely to wear.

My favorites out of the bunch are Monster, Fun House and Fun Day. I have some new favorites now after receiving another order recently, but I'll discuss those in a separate post. If you've tried Chinovi, let me know your thoughts! If not, which colors would you be interested in trying out? You never know when I might use the info in a future *giveaway*... ;}

Stay Fabulous!