Is it what's on the inside that counts?

No, I'm not about to get all deep on you here. We all know the old saying about beauty being on the inside. (For the record, i totally believe it's what is on the inside that counts most. I am only slightly vain, and make-up is my hobby, not my identity. *end of PSA*)

No, today, i'm talking about packaging. Cosmetic packaging. How often do you buy something just because the packaging was cute or caught your eye? Like i said on the Posh Brush review, i like not only the purpose and quality of products, but the color scheme used to decorate it, the font used to brand it, and on occasion, the packaging.

Take for example, the Urban Decay Brow Box. When i had my brows waxed, Eyebrow Genius used Benefit Browzings on me. And hello, Browzings? Hecka cute name. (That's right, I said "hecka".) I put a Browzing compact into my basket, but quickly ditched it for the Urban Decay Brow Box, because i was IN LOVE with the box it came in, the purple tin decoration on top, the little pop out drawer of brow wax, the miniature brush and tweezers... It was a must have!

Even in the drugstore, i barely glance at Revlon cosmetics, because the packaging is so plain, it looks almost generic or something. But Loreal H.I.P. draws me like a magnet to a refrigerator. When i first ever discovered NYX cosmetics, i loved the presentation. The display was so me - a metal freestanding shelf with swirly accents, everything perfectly lined up and organized, the eyeshadow colors going in order from green to blue to purple to pink to red. I loved the single shadow pots and the fact that the lid was see thru so that when i look into my makeup drawer i can grab just the color i want. All of my Clinique shadows come in slide out or mirrored compact type garb, and it never failed that i grabbed at 3 before finding the one i was looking for. So yeah, I'm a sucker for presentation and function.

What about you dear readers? Do you pay attention to such things? Or am i simply a marketing directors dream come true? A sheeple that blindly follows whatever appears pink and purple before me? Do you have some fave cosmetics that i may miss because the display isn't swirly? Tell me about them. I want to know what else I've been missing out on just because it wasn't shiny or flashy or blinking at me. ;)

Urban Decay Product Reviews

Urban Decay Primer Potion:
I recently purchased the Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP) eyeshadow base and I'm in LOVE with it. If you frequent many beauty blogs or forums, you know that this stuff is a MUST HAVE. (I purchased mine for $16 at ULTA, but it's also available at Sephora or Urban Decay's website.)
This stuff is so awesome that one night i went to bed without washing my face and the next morning i STILL had most of my eyeshadow on. LOL! One bit of caution - it works so well, that blending can be hard with the first shadow that you apply over it. So if you plan to do a lot of blending to the first layers, you may want to lightly sweep a neutral shadow on your lid first. This stuff is like an eyeshadow magnet! If you haven't already heard, the bottle that holds this miracle potion can be a little tricky to completely empty. There are many tutorials out there on this, but here is one that is short and sweet. Just be careful! *Rating ~ 4 & 1/2 STARRS*.

Urban Decay Brow Box:
When I had my brows waxed, Stephanie, (AKA Eyebrow Genius) recommended the Benefit brow kit "Browzings" and it was a great little kit. However, when i was shopping the Urban Decay Aisle, i saw this UD Brow Box and fell in love with it. It is adorable and has everything you need to touch up and perfectly style your brows, and it's available in 4 color combinations. I got mine for $29 at Ulta in "Brown Sugar". I take the little brush and dab it - NOT swipe it - in the darkest color, then one dab in the lighter color, then apply. I follow up with the wax to keep my brows groomed all day. The box has a mirror and tweezers if you need to do any small touch ups, and it's small enough to carry in your purse if you want! (This kit is also available for $29 at Sephora and UrbanDecay.com.) *Rating ~ 5 STARRS*


You may remember from the videos during my trip that i desperately wanted a particular eyeshadow color and couldn't find it in stock. I ended up purchasing a similar shadow by Urban Decay called "Last Call". I LOVE IT TO BITS. It is gorgeous and seriously, it's worth a little extra because UD's shadows glide on perfectly. Well, there is a fantastic deal available at ULTA or Sephora, where you can get the UDPP AND an eyeshadow palette that includes Last Call - all for only $39! (I spent $32 on just my primer and ONE eyeshadow.) The Eyeshadow Ammo kit is $34 by itself! This way you get a full sized Primer Potion and an Eyeshadow Ammo palette of 10 shadows for $11 LESS than if you purchased separately. PLEASE BUY IT! Please someone buy it and tell me all about it. I'd buy it but I recently got BUSTED for my last ULTA shopping spree and am on a NO SHOP until the year 2025. :)

Belly Up to the (Brow) Bar

I had an appointment last week to get my brows totally made over, but I had to cancel because my car was being stupid and had to go to the dealer for a checkup. Yesterday when i visited ULTA, i was THRILLED to see the Benefit Brow Bar in the front of the store.



Without an appointment, I had a seat, and Stephanie (AKA Eyebrow Genius) gave my brows a new 'do!




What do you think?


If you have an ULTA with a Brow Bar near you, visit them today (June 24th) for a little "Brow Bar Grand Opening" celebration and complimentary Brow Arch!

More eyebrow news...

So i recently decided that my eyebrows need a total re-do. I stepped away from the tweezers, and they've been growing for about a week or so. I was going to try and re-shape them using some stencils i bought, but i decided that after refraining from plucking all this time, maybe I'd treat myself to a pro shaping and wax. I called my very fancy-smanshy salon to see about getting in and they said it would be no prob and that their estheticians are brow geniuses, so June 19th at 11:00 am I'm getting a new brow-do. I am so beyond excited! I'll definitely post some before and after pics!

I've decided to grow out my...

EYEBROWS! I don't even know what shape they are supposed to be now... They are out of control. So, I bought some eyebrow stencils by Ardell and as soon as I grow them out a bit, I'm going to be rocking either "Delicate", "Elegant", "Glamorous", or "Classic" brows...

I'm leaning toward "Glamorous"... If only they had a "Rock STARR" shape, I'd have no problem making a decision. ;>