Hot Day Shimmerbuds

It's a really hot day. I've been listening to the blues. The blues sound better when it's hot.



I did a pastel eye look today. Pastel is also good for hot days.





Not blended very well I'm afraid, but there you go.

I used MAC X-Rocks blush here. It's a shimmery mauve and is exceedingly pretty, except for the neon orange case. I tried to swatch it but it didn't show up well on camera.



Here's what one layer looks like on my skin. Subtle, yet shimmery and all kinds of wonderful. I don't use MAC foundation so don't know what shadeI am, now it's summer I'm guessing I'm NC45 or something, but if you're a brown girl around my colour, X-Rocks is definitely for you.



Sadly I don't think it's sold in MAC stores anymore. I heard that it's similar to Nars Lovejoy. Someone else has compared them here.

I also used MAC C-Thru lipglass. My husband says he likes my lipstick, it's very shiny. I've read some forum posts about how it might be too pale on darker skin, you need to use a lip liner, etc. etc. I do no such thing. It's lipgloss, it ain't that complicated. I just put it on The only thing is you have to remember to keep it sheer. Too much will look like - let's be honest and adult here - cum. I think that's the point of it. Anyhow,

The unpopular makeup I'm using is The Body Shop Shimmer Buds eyeshadow duo in Peach Blossom and Blue Iris from their Spring 2008 collection. It's a light peach and pastel blue duo with pictures of flowers embossed. I got it on sale. I also have the grey and green one.

For a highlight I used Bourjois Ombre Stretch eyeshadow in Maxi Blanc. It's not that popular either but it's good for a base and highlight. It's a yellowish white so it's not stark white against your skin. It's not chalky (see picture below). I have a few of these Ombre Stretches from when I interned at the magazine, and they all come in a case with a good-sized mirror and a soft, very useful eyeshadow brush.


LTR: Bourjois Maxi Blanc, The Body Shop Peach Blossom and Blue Iris.



I wouldn't buy it at RRP, or go out of my way to get one, but it's kind of nice now I've got it. It looks like a copper and pastel blue in the case but it goes on a much lighter shimmery blue and peach, as the names suggest. The blue is a very powdery blue, and while it looks fairly pretty and chilled on me it would probably look better on someone much fairer.

I've read terrible reviews of this eyeshadow and I can't say that I understand them. I concede that the texture is kind of odd, when you touch it it feels a bit strange and hard but the colour picks up easily and applies smoothly. I don't understand complaints that these aren't pigmented. Those swatches on my arm are one layer of eyeshadow and I'm brown. I can see that the colours are a peach and a light blue without packing it on. I can use it as a sheer wash on my eyelid, as I do today. Sure, it doesn't scream I AM PEACH! at you but that's kind of the point of it. It's a soft girly eyeshadow, I mean, hell, it's even got these little flowers embossed in it. It's more of a picnic eyeshadow, like something you'd wear with gingham and white sandals and things, rather than an eyeshadow for clubbing or sexiness. It's like church makeup.

I concur it's not the very best of eyeshadows, like, yeah, it fades after a while, and sure, it ain't the brightest colours as well, and it's got a lame name (shimmerbuds), but man, it's alright. I like having a little cute eyeshadow duo with sheer, pretty colours that work well together, that I can pop into my handbag.