April 2016 Favorites

Hi guys, it's been a while! I have moved since my last post and have been very busy with my planner sticker Etsy shop, Whimsical Plans! I haven't stopped playing with makeup and indie makeup in the interim, and I've been wanting to come back and write some smaller review posts. I had a few favorites from April I also wanted to share, so here I am! I can't say if I will be posting regularly, or even irregularly, but I do want to try to post when the mood strikes. I have a different lighting set up, and I will preface this review by saying I am not going to be doing swatches. I know that sucks, but if I just don't have the time or the place to do swatches, so I am sorry. I have been really into perfume these past few months, so I have been thinking about doing some one-off indie perfume reviews. Let me know in the comments if that's something you'd like to see!

Here are my favorites for April, in no particular order!

Indie Weekends: AFK Cosmetics Christmas in July Advent Calendar Review

AFK Cosmetics announced they would be doing another Advent Calendar this summer for Christmas in July, and that all of the products would be exclusive to the box. And there would be a sample size and a full size option. Once I saw that the full size was only $60 ($5 per item!), I knew I had to grab it! You may remember my review of last year's Christmas 12 Days of IMAM Advent Calendar, I wasn't thrilled with it only because I had quite a few of the items already. But this year everything was exclusive, and the theme was Summer Lovin' inspired by beach days of the 1950's.

About - AFK Cosmetics is an indie cosmetics company specializing in eyeshadow and lip products that are mostly video game themed! Dena is the owner, and she is based in Washington. She recently introduced a few other kinds of products, including mascara and face primer.

Indie Weekends: Blackbird Cosmetics Magic Trick Super Powders and Skulpting Powders Review

I knew I really wanted to do this review, but I wasn't really sure how to go about it. I mean, it's kind of pointless to swatch powders that are meant to create illusions on your face, and cover up discolorations. And even more difficult when I don't have some of the discolorations the powders are meant to conceal. But I'll try my best with this review of the Blackbird Cosmetics Magic Trick Super Powders and Skulpting Powders. Just know, this is very much a your milage may vary kind of review, because of the nature of these products. The Magic Trick Super Powders are for color correcting and oil control, and the Skulpting Powders are for contouring.

About - Blackbird Cosmetics is owned by Maleah and based out of Ohio. They specialize in high quality matte eyeshadows. They also offer contour powders, as well as Magic Trick Super Powders which are color correcting powders. Maleah just recently introduced pressed shadow versions of the entire lineup.

April 2015 Favorites

I'm finally doing my favorites post in the month it's for! I never got around to doing last month's video, but I'm hoping I can get up a combined March/April video this week. April...ah, one of my favorite months. Not only because it's my birthday month, but also because there's still a bit of rain, it's not too hot, it's not too cold, at least here in California. And my favorites this month felt so appropriate for spring.

Indie Weekends: Blackbird Cosmetics Mattes Review

I have been sitting on this review for forever! Finally, I've got the first Blackbird Cosmetics review. I didn't get every single one of the new pressed shadows, just a select few that I anticipated would be my favorites, but you can get an idea of how they differ. I was going to separate out each mattes volume into different posts, but to save time I combined both volumes into this one post! So this review is every eyeshadow from Blackbird!

About - Blackbird Cosmetics is owned by Maleah and based out of Ohio. They specialize in high quality matte eyeshadows. They also offer contour powders, as well as Magic Trick Super Powders which are color correcting powders. Maleah just recently introduced pressed shadow versions of the entire lineup.

February 2015 Favorites

Here are my February Favorites! There's really no method to this madness, I usually just try to pick about 9 products each month that I really loved, or found myself grabbing for more than other products, or something in my collection I rediscovered. Usually I try to go for products in a few different categories, but the favorites don't always land that way. 

Indie Subscription: Innocent+Twisted Alchemy February 2015 Review

The one thing I can always count on my Innocent+Twisted Alchemy subscription to do, is to introduce me to new indie brands. This month, I actually had either tried or heard of every single brand, but it's always nice to get to try before you buy. Plus, the subscription shades this month were so beautiful, and I loved some of my bonus samples as well! And of course the artwork was so cute!

About - Innocent+Twisted Alchemy is based in California, owned by Linda, and specializes in eyeshadow and blush. Many of their collections are inspired by anime, but they also have the "Live Or Die" collection which is inspired by the Saw films. IT+A also has a monthly subscription, that comes in sample or full size form.

Indie Subscription: Hello Waffle February 2015 Visage Review

Please forgive my lack of an indie review yesterday, I had two things I wanted to review this weekend not arrive before I left for B's for the week. Well, one arrived, but missing a few things I ordered, so that happened...and then no time to come up with a Plan B. Anyways, my February Hello Waffle Visage arrived on time, and with everything in it, so yay! And in the crunch time to get this photographed and get out the door, I did not have time to do an unboxing video, but I was able to do my usual look. I saw the spoilers for this month and I was so excited just about the extras! This was a great month to be subscribed to the Visage.

About - Hello Waffle is an indie cosmetics company specializing in beautiful eyeshadow collections, blushes, made by Christine, the owner. Hello Waffle is based in Canada, and currently has collections inspired by Archer, Fringe, famous musical composers, cats/literature, and a collection celebrating reaching 1000 Facebook likes. She also offers seasonal fairytale inspired collections that can be purchased in the season they are inspired by.

Indie Weekends: AFK Cosmetics' 12 Days of IMAM Advent Calendar Review

SPOILERS! I have posted all 12 days of items! Don't scroll if you don't want to be spoiled!

AFK Cosmetics had a brilliant idea along with some of the Redditors over on the Indiemakeupandmore (IMAM) subreddit to create an indie advent calendar that would include little wrapped gifts for 12 days of Christmas! Dena made it happen, but it was so last minute that she could only have 30 of these calendars made. And I snagged one!

AFK Cosmetics is an indie cosmetics company specializing in eyeshadow and lip products that are mostly video game themed! Dena is the owner, and she is based in Washington.

In the rush to get one of 30 of these, I think I and a few others assumed the products would all be exclusive to this calendar. But, the listing for it clearly states that some of the colors would be exclusive, and it would include samples, minis, and some full size items.