Eyes: Milani's Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow Swatches (8 Colors)

PURCHASED

Hi everyone. Happy Saturday! Today is the first day that's felt like a true [pleasant] summer day...and I spent it taking and editing the pictures for this post, which almost took forever but not quite. Don't worry, there were reasons I couldn't do much today to begin with. If you can't spend it outside, I guess it's best to be productive indoors, right?

I went back and forth trying to figure out how to introduce this new line of Milani eye shadows to my blog. I originally did a look with three of the colors and decided that I would use that look to create a review post. Then I did another look today using a fourth of the eight colors I own, and I wondered: would this technically have to turn into a review, too? But what about the other shadows used in the same look?

And then, what about the other four shadows from this line?

So, today, I decided to do a picture-heavy post that is not a review, but simply a close-up-and-swatch kind of post. Once I do looks using the shadows and/or review posts, I'll add them here as links for additional information per color. That seems like the best way to go about doing this. At least it seems that way today, haha.

Eyes: MAC's Eye Shadow in "Artistic License" (Veluxe Pearl) (LE) [Moody Blooms 2014] + Comparison

PURCHASED

Hi! I'm finally back, and I apologize for not posting reviews in a long time. I'm glad to be writing again, though, and have a lot of reviews that are due, so let me get to the topic of this post.

Also: I know, I know, for some of you I may be wearing a target on my back. When will you review makeup that ISN'T from MAC?! I still buy outside of MAC, but they do produce my favorite lipstick formula(s), and they happen to be releasing a lot of collections that I've purchased products from. I realize the imbalance between makeup brands in my reviews (and the imbalance between general categories in my reviews, hah), but do rest assured: my blog is not going to become MAC-exclusive, or even makeup-exclusive. I kind of just review what I'm using, or reading or listening to, as it comes.

Of course I bring that up because today's post, and the one planned to go up next, both have to do with MAC products. Both are products from one of MAC's recent collections, Moody Blooms, which was released the very end of June. This post will be focusing on the limited edition eye shadow that I picked up, "Artistic License," with the addition of a swatch comparison to a cheaper option I noticed in my collection.

Eyes: Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara in "Very Black"

Hi all :) I mentioned *alonglongtimeago* that I was planning on doing reviews on two Maybelline mascaras I have, and here is the first: Maybelline's Full 'N Soft Mascara. 

To start, this was my first mascara ever as of a few months ago when I actually started wearing mascara. I did some research and decided on this one because I was paranoid about mascara making my eyelashes so stiff that they would fall out during removal. I also didn't find the idea of 'spikes' for eyelashes very appealing, so when I read the claims on the Maybelline website, I was sold: "full, healthy-looking lashes" with a formula that (a) helps "soften and nourish lashes" with Vitamin E and (b) "prevents loss of lashes with Quick Dissolve System" (as quoted from here).

I purchased the regular formula (as in not waterproof).