Detoxify Your Make-up Kit!

I recently found this great article from treehugger.com that helps inform people about the toxic chemicals that are in our favourite "Natural" cosmetics.
Check out Detox Your Make-Up Kit: 10 Ways to Avoid Cosmetic Chemicals then look at http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to see how your favourite brands measure up.  The scale is from 0 - 10, 0 being the best and 10 being the worst.

My favourite brand Tarte rates from 1 to a horrific 9!  Luckily most of their products that I use are a 1-4.  Yikes!
Bare Escentuals rate 1-7!

Another awesome site that helps me choose my make-up and bath products is DavidSuzuki.org.  The article that I am refering to is "Dirty Dozen", Cosmetic Chemicals to Avoid.  I keep this one on my iPod so I can look at it when I'm shopping.

How do your favourite brands measure up?  Are chemicals in your cosmetics an issue to you?

UPDATE: Zillah1199 (http://midnightpoesy.blogspot.com/) has made a good point.  In my comments she has shared the site personalcaretruth.com that posts articles about ingredients from a different perspective.  Personally I prefer to continue to avoid the "Dirty Dozen" ingredients for more simple ingredients.  Less is more.  Please keep in mind that I do favour more natural alternatives in my life so my option will most likely differ from most people.  I am delighted that Zillah commented with this link because it gives people another side of the story and gets people to think about this subject.  What we put in our bodies and our environment matters and everyone should research these things and form their own opinions.  :D

Thank you for coming by and feel free to comment.

Spreading the Solstice Scents Love!

My favourite soap company Solstice Scents has graduated from their lovely little Etsy Shop to an even lovelier shop at http://www.solsticescents.com/.

Image is from Solstice Scents.com

My favourite items from them are Spellbound Woods perfume, Enchanted Forest Soap, and Cocoa Mallow Body Ganache.  Enchanted Forest soap must be sold out so that is why there is no link, but it is such a lovely scent.  I think I have photos of one of the bars I have at home so I'll post it later.  I love it so much I've ordered it twice and have used that bar until it was a tiny chip of soap and got lost and probably fell down the drain.  Love it.

Another soap that I have tried of theirs is Dragon's Blood.  It was originally set in a mold with a 3d dragon on top, but as the business grew it just wasn't the best mold to stack and store the soaps.  So now it is back in a standard soap form!  Yay!  This soap is wonderful too.  I love the smell of musky incense so this one is an automatic favourite of mine.

I highly recommend Solstice Scents, so if you're curious about trying them out I suggest ordering some samples.  :)

Every product I spoke about was purchased by ME.  I have posted this to help Solstice Scents promote their new site because *I* love their company and wanted to share them with you.  I won't post anything I don't want to.

Eyes like death and Freckles!

I tried to take a photo of my eyeshadow today to share on my blog, but my iPod4 made me look like Hel.
My eyes have dark yellow-ish circles, and my freckles... I had no idea I had so many freckles!!
The photo looked terrible.
I sat around wondering, "Do I actually look like that?"  This revelation is making me consider a high-coverage foundation.  I've always been a minimal makeup person.  Until this past year I never wore any makeup unless it was a special occasion.  I think the most I ever wore was some pressed powder from The Body Shop, and it's pretty sheer.

I find a growing jealousy of these makeup bloggers that appear to have FLAWLESS skin.  Maybe it's because they are younger.  Maybe it's because I'm lacking vitamins and sleep...  I'm only 28 but the camera is saying much older.

Does anyone have any suggestions for cruelty-free foundation?  I dislike parabens as well (ie: Methylparaben, Propyl Paraben, Butylparaben, etc).  I've heard good things about NARS.

What do you use?

Ugh...

So here I go again making another update that isn't a real update.
My nails are Winter-worn nubs and are naked right now.  They are naked and loving it.  Some times you just have to let them run wild through the meadows... erm.  Never mind.

I've been acquiring Aromaleigh eyeshadows via the Aromaleigh Anonymous group on Facebook.  Lovely bunch of ladies, Wendi from Makeup Zombie put me onto it.  If you are looking for Aromaleigh and haven't been able to get in on their Grab Bags, head on over!  All swaps and available colours are on the 'Discussions' tab.  There are also reference discussions so that everyone who has done business with a person on the page writes a review on them so you can check people out before doing swaps if you want.

I made my first orders on Fyrinnae, Sugarpill, Moi Minerals, Evil Shades... probably a few more but I can't remember because I'm going crazy.  I will certainly post about them when I receive them.  They are either in packing, shipped, or in customs right now... so I'm sitting around all *where are my packages!!*

There are a few things I really want to order asap as well.  Cult Nails!! Lost in Makeupland to name a few.

Things are slowly shaping up at home.  We are discovering that we don't have much storage space at all.  We must have had 5 huge closets in our old place including a large storage shed.  In the new place we have two closets and... a sort-of closet.  So we have tons of crap that need places to go.  I've set up some shelves and that has helped, but we need more storage solutions.  Oh.  We also have a solid cedar rectangular table that weights about... 400lbs that has no legs, seats 8 comfortably.  We are going to head over to Home Depot this weekend to try and find some saw horses that can carry the load.  Once that table is set up I will be soooo happy.  I will have work space!

So?  Tell me about your experiences with the brands I've spoken about!  Go ahead and link to blog entries if you have written reviews or done looks.  I'll allow it this time. ;)  Ta-ta for now!

Moved! And now for the hard part.

Hello boils and ghouls!

I've moved into the new place with Mr. Skulda and are happy with it.  The most difficult part is the chaos we are now trying to sort out.  Unpacking sucks.  I must be a terrible packer.  I managed to label most of the boxes but in the rush to get it done in the POURING RAIN we pretty much just dumped everything into the second bedroom.  Now we must climb over the boxes trying to find the things we need and manage to unpack.  Lots of "where is the dish soap?!", "I don't know, I thought you packed it" and plenty of frustrated bickering.
Ahhhh moving.

Some good new in the makeup world.  I was wanting to buy "Mistress" vegan lipstick by Morgana Cryptoria and asked Melissa if it was possible to to formulate it without the paraben coated mica.  Guess what?  A week later she emailed me back saying that she was successful!  Mistress is now paraben free. :) I'll be grabbing it next payday for sure!

And remember Jizz? Well it's now on sale for $2.99!!!  But unfortunately for this Canadian, they do not ship to Canada.  I has a sad. :(

More to come when our place is less chaotic! <3

UPDATE!

Hello boils and ghouls!  Long time no see!
It's been a highly stressful time for me so there are plenty of depressed and lethargic reasons why I didn't keep up with blogging.  But there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

- My husband finally got his work permit and is now working close to full-time hours every week!  YAY!
- We are moving from our crappy over-priced apartment into a nice basement suit that will save us $$$!!!  Best part?  Huge kitchen!!  WEEEE!!
- I have started playing more with make-up and experimenting.  I will do some swatching and maybe.... if I don't scare the shit out of myself with a camera showing parts of my face!  *cower*

Some products will include Evil Shades, Face Candy Couture, Aromaleigh, Meow Cosmetics, and more.

So please be patient as we pack (and pack, and pack...) and move and un-pack!  I will be back.  :)

~Skulda

Coty Response

Dear Skulda:

Thank you for your recent inquiry on Coty products regarding the use of animals in product safety testing.   We at Coty Inc. share your respect for life, and we are committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of human safety while eliminating the need for testing on animals.

Coty Inc. does not conduct animal testing.  This is accomplished by selecting raw materials of the highest quality with well-established safety records and using extensive ingredient databases, in-vitro testing, computer modeling and studies with human volunteers.  In fact, to ensure human safety all our products are clinically tested as needed on humans before they are sold in the marketplace.

Our research and development team has pioneered safety tests and alternative testing methods in order to eliminate the need for animal testing.  However, there may be rare occurrences when a government or regulatory agency may indicate to the Cosmetic Industry that an animal study is necessary, where no validated alternative exists, to ensure consumer protection for a component of our products.  In such cases, the need for testing is carefully examined by our Industry and if the test must be performed, it is strictly controlled.

Coty Inc. has been actively involved in the search for alternative testing methods for many years and we support industry research programs such as those conducted by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, the European Chemical Industry Ecology and Toxicology Centre (ECETOC), the European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (COLIPA) and the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC).

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.


Amanda Perez
Product Care Specialist
Coty Inc Global Consumer Affairs
1-866-675-3845 (Canada only)
WWW.COTY.COM
Reference Number 010092591A


So basically, we don't, but we do.
There are many companies who don't test on animals at all.  I don't know which governments or agencies would require animal testing, but if there are companies that manage to get along without putting harm to animals, surely they could find a way too?


Regardless of their strictly controlled animal testing, I choose to no longer buy OPI products.  :(
...that doesn't mean I'm throwing out my current ones.  

Bye Bye, OPI

I'm sure most of you have heard that OPI has been purchased by Coty.  Coty is the same company that owns Sally Hansen and Rimmel cosmetics.  They also use products that test on animals.

I have contacted Coty's customer service with an inquiry on their current status on animal cruelty.

OPI is a huge part of my collection and I would hate to have to stop purchasing it like I have for Essie after L'Oreal bought it out.

I will keep you all posted.

Link to Coty's News Page.  Philosophy might be another brand for me to be cautious of. :(

Need Make up Help!! (please?)

Hey guys.  I'm a total noob with make up.  I've only ever used pressed eye shadows from the drug store.  I've never used loose eye shadows or pigments.  I just got my first order from Evil Shades and got so excited that I washed my face in my PJs and started putting it on my eyes.  I read somewhere that you should pat loose shadow.  I kind of patted and dragged and rubbed the brush over my eyelid to  move the colour around.
It was freaking amazing.

Unfortunately I quickly discovers that I got a good amount of that beautiful shadow on my eyeballs.
OUCHIE!
The swelling is going down but my eyeballs are still red.

How do you ladies prevent your shadow from getting in your eyes?  I can't imagine people getting used to that.  I know you have tips!

please help. :(

P.S.  I'll show my Evil Shades goodies this weekend.  I only got a few things but they are super nice! :D

Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs - Embalming Fluid

Here I am!  Sorry about the delay; I've been sick on an off and couldn't stand the smell of polish and remover.  Today I present to you one of the coolest Glow-in-the-Dark polishes ever.

BPAL - Embalming Fluid!

It glows!!

Single coat in Sunlight.

Embalming Fluid over NYC Frightful Fingers - Franken Slime

Embalming Fluid over white.

This combination is my favourite.  I put a couple coats of Embalming Fluid over a white polish and it had the lovely "glowy" look that it has in the bottle.

Embalming Fluid over the other BPAL colours.

Embalming Fluid on it's own, Destroying Angel, Morgause, MME Moriarty, Bordello, Opium Poppy, Croquet.  The picture should be clickable to expand.

When you click on a picture you can see that Embalming Fluid is loaded with blue, green, purple, and orange iridescent glitter.  Not only does this glowing polish glow like the dickens when 'charged' but it has a unique sparkle to it as well.  Charging is just exposing your glow-in-the-dark polish to light before it can glow.

So far my favourite combination for Embalming Fluid is a few coats over white.  I really like the colour of the polish in the bottle and hope to find a base colour to match it one day.  

Have you tried Embalming Fluid?  If so, what is your favourite combination?

You can get Embalming Fluid at http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/ or directly here.

For more swatches of BPAL polishes check out my review here.

Thank you, Puddin', for letting me try out these gems!

[This product was sent to me by the company for review]