Down the Indie Rabbit Hole

[Shalott]

@@meaganola Sorry I missed your question! I used The L.A. Splash primer, which I have been using with all of my loose shadows until now, and I haven't had this kind of problem. That's why I am so confused!

 

[Kelly Silva]

 Ahhh, okay. I wish I had taken a picture when I first applied! But I will try to describe:

- Pumpkin King and Ragdoll had very fine microglitter that fell off when I applied to my lid. The two shades also blended together into a huge muddy mess, despite the fact that they both stuck in patches to my (ridiculously sticky) base. Pumpkin King went from looking like that gorgeous dark golden black to a kind of brownish/blackish blah. Ragdoll stayed truer to color but looked matte. I couldn't discern any shift or shimmer once it was on the lid.

- Zero also lost its shift. It just looked like a flat, matte pink. This one I didn't use a blending brush on, but patted on my browbone and inner corner with a flat shader.

- Lock Stock and Barrel went from that gorgeous purple-blue to a completely matte blue-grey. I actually still really liked the way it looked, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I used a MAC 217 blending brush, a short smudge brush and my fingers to apply this one, with the same result for all.

I don't know if that helps/doesn't help. Like I said, I have the one more Shiro color to try and see how it works, but unless I got a wonky batch or something, I don't know if I want to try more to see if this is a fluke or not. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I'm wondering about that primer...I think it was you that recommended it before, but I traded mine away and so I have no idea how it performs. Perhaps it's just not sticky enough to keep on the glitter, but you said you've had no problem with it before so it is indeed very strange. I personally have problems getting duochromes to show on my lid without a sticky base or glitter glue or something over the top, so that may have been the general problem with Zero. Now I'm tempted to go try a look with these shadows to see if I can recreate the problems you had, or not. I personally pretty much expect shadows to look a little different once I start blending them into looks, as when I do my swatches I do them over Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer and I pat the shadows on with my finger. Liberally for most, unless they are super pigmented. I found Lock Shock and Barrel to be really pigmented, it didn't take much to get it opaque.

 

[Shalott]

I'm wondering about that primer...I think it was you that recommended it before, but I traded mine away and so I have no idea how it performs. Perhaps it's just not sticky enough to keep on the glitter, but you said you've had no problem with it before so it is indeed very strange. I personally have problems getting duochromes to show on my lid without a sticky base or glitter glue or something over the top, so that may have been the general problem with Zero. Now I'm tempted to go try a look with these shadows to see if I can recreate the problems you had, or not. I personally pretty much expect shadows to look a little different once I start blending them into looks, as when I do my swatches I do them over Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer and I pat the shadows on with my finger. Liberally for most, unless they are super pigmented. I found Lock Shock and Barrel to be really pigmented, it didn't take much to get it opaque.

I will try them again with a different primer, for sure. Now that I know my first experience wasn't the norm, I am determined to make these four shadows work! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[marigoldsue]

I was going to ask (OhSailor asking a question?? I NEVER!!) what you guys prefer for your base- Glitter Glue, Fyrinnae's product, the new Glamour Doll product, etc. For both regular indies and super glitters.

I always start with my HG NARS primer.  Then my preference is GDE's foil me.  But I am not big on glitter, I am more a fan of duo chromes.  Foiling mediums make the duo chromes more pronounced.  But glitter glue is going to be better with glitters.  I have used Elf, Darling Girl's and GDE's.  I don't care for the Elf at all.  But the other two, I am not yet noticing a ton of difference.  I have heard other say that they find Darling Girl's easier to blend than Fyrinnae's.  I haven't heard many opinions on the new GDE product yet.

 

[kawaiisofoxy]

Got my HoG mini samples order!  Ordered Horseman and Troika, and got Rosy Cheeked as my extra sample (btw, have they released a list of Yule scents and their descriptions yet?  And can someone please post the link if they have?)

And OMG, you guys.  OMG HORSEMAN.  I put it on and was instantly like "No way, I smell like a dude."  Then I sat around for about half an hour keeping my arm well away from my face - and by then it transformed into "HELLO I AM SO SUPER-RICH I SMELL LIKE MONEY."  But Old Money.  None o' that nouveau riche stuff.  Considering I usually prefer light pretty florals and white musks, this scent is a total revelation.  Ugh so amazing.

Troika - it's everything I thought I would like, a combination of light, pretty scents.  But with my chemistry, it pulls out almonds and baby powder and it's just not working on me.  (Has anyone else read JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series?  I smell like a Lesser.)

I'll try Rosy Cheeked later this afternoon.  Normally I don't like either lemon OR evergreens, but I'm willing to try it after Horseman morphed so amazingly.  

 

[tacehtpuekam]

@kellysilva I had convinced myself that I didn't need to buy the Shiro NBC collection...but now I might have to. So pretty!

@ I don't think they've released a list, but it seems like they have a lot of the same scents every year? I was looking at this blog post: http://www.allthevanity.gr/2013/12/haus-of-gloi-yule-and-reverie-2013.html

 

[Lolo22]

@kellysilva I had convinced myself that I didn't need to buy the Shiro NBC collection...but now I might have to. So pretty!

@ I don't think they've released a list, but it seems like they have a lot of the same scents every year? I was looking at this blog post: http://www.allthevanity.gr/2013/12/haus-of-gloi-yule-and-reverie-2013.html

Sweet potato sounds awesome!

 

[tacehtpuekam]

Sweet potato sounds awesome!

Yep! That, Snow Wolf, Wintervale, & Hot Cocoa are on my 'want' list if they're available this year. 

Have to try to grab some scrubs and pumpkin butters this time! 

 

[Allison H]

I hope HoG offers those scents again, they sound fantastic!

Wintervale, Snow Wolf, and Three Treasures will definitely have to be mine! Sweet Potato and Plotter's Breakfast could be interesting as well.

 

[Shalott]

@ SEE THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING ABOUT THE HORSEMAN!!! :lol: That perfume is like... my ticket to success, I swear, LOL. I am hoarding it!

ETA: If HoG does the same scents as mentioned in that blog plost, I'm going to need Snow Wolf, Plotter's Breakfast and Three Treasures, for sure. Oh, I'm so excited!

 

[Kelly Silva]

I don't think they've released a list, but it seems like they have a lot of the same scents every year? I was looking at this blog post: http://www.allthevanity.gr/2013/12/haus-of-gloi-yule-and-reverie-2013.html

Fa la la lala lala la la add all to cart  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[CurlyTails]

I decided to try out the GDE Glitter Fix and Glitter a Tube that came in one of the recent OTMs and I really like both of them! I wasn't sure whether I would like straight up glitter but it's really fun for a weekend look. Even if I did just wear it to the grocery store /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Amber McCarley]

Yesterday I got my first ever order from Meow Cosmetics (Birthday gift from my husband. D'awe) 2 full sized shadows (tarantula and spiderweb) and I about died over the bag it was packaged in more than anything. More sparkly spiderweb bags! LOL. I also got 2 free samples so yay! I haven't gotten to play with them yet but here is a photo! *I love that the label art has the collection name on it!*



Also, I got my Femme Fatale Halloween Collection Samples!!! First FF order ever and I am only beginning to de-bag them into jars. I can't wait to play with them but I will admit, some of these samples are pretty light. Not the end of the world by any means but certainly worth noting. As they are a company who no longer offers samples (outside of special circumstances) I can't fault them at all. I can only imagine how much money they lose on international sales on sample-only (thus free ship too) orders.

Hopefully I will find some time the next few days to do some swatches!

 

[Shalott]

Further proof that changing body chemistry affects the way scents work on a person: today I decided to use on of the Cocoa Pink scents I liked, "Fear of Ghosts". Previously it smelled like nice, sweet marshmallows but today, oh my. It smelled like a delicious bonfire-toasted marshmallow that literally had me drooling. The scent didn't last very long, but it was 100x better than it was before, and it was one of the better ones!

So i tried one of the not-so-good ones this evening, "Myrtles Plantation". Before it had smelled faintly floral, but with the overwhelming chemical-vanilla smell that I found so problematic. Tonight it smells like soft florals, slightly dry and dusty with and a bottom note of light musk. Although there are hints of vanilla it is nothing like before. If the other improved x100, this one improved x1000. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

The odd thing? I've recently begun my monthly cycle. Sorry for the TMI but I found it very interesting to note the change. I'm going to have to go back and try some of the others, because it might be that I will just wear them at certain times throughout the month.. But very interesting, and I take back my previously negative opinion of Cocoa Pink!

 

[Amber McCarley]

Ok, so in my procrastination, I played around a bit with 3 Femme Fatale Halloween shades. Colors are Carnival of Horrors, Beware the Snowman, and Deep Trouble. Over GDE Foil Me The duochrome shift in Carnival of Horrors is amazing!

 

[Kelly Silva]

Finished swatching the GDE Halloween sets!

 

[EdieEm]

So after cycling through a bunch of HoG, Alchemic Muse, and Sugar and Spite samples, this is what I have learned about myself: I *think* I'm the kind of person who wants to smell like smoke and soil or whatever but it turns out I'm actually the kind of person who wants to smell like cinnamon and marshmallows. So I'm learning to live with that. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Also, I thought I would hate "Sinister" (Sugar and Spite) because it's licorice-y and I completely love it, so obviously I don't know myself at all. THANK GOODNESS FOR SAMPLES.

 

[KatieS131]

@@Kelly Silva I already have Lock Shock and Barrel, Pumpkin King, Ragdoll and Zero but what I am saying is that when I apply them they don't look anything like the product in the jar (or in the swatches for that matter) so I was just wondering if there was a trick to working with these particular shadows, or if I was missing something. None of the other brands I have tried performed so poorly!

I had this happen too! The color is Mother of Dragons and it looks like a grayish purple in the jar and in some swatches online, but it has a red base that makes it appear red no matter whether I brush or pat it on. 

Anyway, this instance was totally user error on my part for not realizing what it would look like, but I can understand the frustration of thinking you're getting one color and it being another. I have had no problems with other Shiro pigments and I also got several of the Halloween colors but haven't had a chance to play around with them yet. Sorry your order didn't turn out as you expected but as @@Kelly Silva said please don't give up on Shiro! 

 

[meaganola]

Oof, did anyone else see the NM VC preview for Merlotte? I keep seeing these previews for the VC themes and colors every month and getting tense about missing out because I keep forgetting I'm already subscribed!

 

[MIKAGlam]

I REALLY hope NM has overstock of Silent Samurai. It is just stunning!!! Definitely top 10 fav!

Spoiler

eTa: really awkward selfie that is crooked -.- uploading on mobile sucks! But the color is so pretty!!