I Dare You To Wear This Look -- Dare to Wear Challenge #4

Hey Everyone,

Get out your liquid liners, because it's time for another Dare to Wear Challenge! This is by far my favourite kind of post (I love seeing what you create), and I apologize that it has taken me so long to post my 4th challenge. For those of you who are new to my blog, or forget what a 'Dare to Wear' challenge is, here is a short explanation taken from my first ever 'Dare to Wear' post:

"If you are up for it, I have decided that I will challenge my subscribers to recreate looks from the pictures I post on my blog. It doesn't have to be an exact copy of the look, but rather a look that is inspired by the pictures. Those of you who have blogs can post your recreated looks for all of your subscribers to see (maybe a FOTD?), and those of you who don't have blogs can do it just for fun or for practice"

After a number of weeks looking for an inspiring picture that I thought would be fun to try and 'recreate', I came across a number of advertisements from Illamasqua's new 'Theater of the Nameless' collection. In these photos, the women have a somewhat cartoon like look as a number of their features (ie. mouth, eyelids) are outlined in black liner. I also found a great photo from last year's fashion week that I believe captures the same cartoon look. I think that all of the photos are amazingly artistic and even I am excited to try my hand at this challenge! Here are the amazing photos:

You have 2 weeks to complete this challenge and I will be posting ALL of your looks (and a link to your blog) in an updated blog after Thursday, October 14th. If you decide to take the challenge and create a look, please be sure to post the link to your look in the comment section below (I don't want to miss including your photos so please post the link). If you don't have a blog, email me the pictures of your look to funnyfacebeauty@gmail.com. 

Good luck to everyone who decides to take the challenge. Remember it is not about how great you are at creating the exact same look as the photos, but rather your interpretation of your look. I hope that whether you are a makeup novice or a total pro, you will take part. I can't wait to see all of your looks!

xx

Alicia

September Giveaway Winner

Hey Everyone, 

I just want to write a quick post to let you know the winner of my September giveaway. I loved reading about where you would love to go if given the chance to travel anywhere in the world. The popular choices were definitely Paris, New York and Japan. 

Unfortunately my Macbook is being fixed, and for the life of me, I can't figure out how to take a screen shot on the old PC I am using. Therefore I don't have any pictures of random.org, my excel worksheet, etc. 

With that said, I did use my usual method to pick a winner (random.org). So the winner of my September giveaway is Comme3Pommes. Congratulations! I have sent you an email and will ship out your polishes as soon as I get your mailing information. 

Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for my October giveaway. 

xx
Alicia

TAG: I Love Lipgloss!

Hey Everyone, 

A couple of weeks ago I posted the 'I Love Lipsticks' tag which I originally saw on Heather's blog. The last questions in that tag asked about my favourite lipglosses. Rather than write down a bunch of random gloss names (there would be so many), I decided to use the same format as the 'I Love Lipsticks' tag and show you my favourite lipglosses. Here goes:

1) How many lipglosses do you own?
To be honest, I have never counted how many glosses I own (purely out of fear). I like to separate all of my glosses by colour, into little containers I purchased at the dollar store. Each container has about 8-12 glosses and there are 5 containers, so I would say I probably have somewhere around 60 lipglosses. Disgusting, but true!

2) What is the first lipgloss you ever bought?
I'm not sure if it was the first lipgloss I ever bought, but I do remember purchasing two 'lipglasses' from MAC in 'Oyster Girl' (a gorgeous pearlescent pink) and 'Prrr' (a pretty, peachy pink). It's kind of funny because these days I really can't stand MAC's lipglass formula as they are way too sticky and collect in the corners of my mouth (eww!).

3) What is your newest lipgloss?
I am sitting here trying to rack my brain, as I really can't remember the last time I bought a lipgloss (which is a good thing, I guess). I know that at the beginning of the summer I bought Revlon's Colourburst lipgloss in 'Papaya', a gorgeous bright coral (see below), but I am sure I have bought something since then. 

4) What is your favourite brand for lipgloss?
Definitely not MAC! While I like different types of glosses (ie. long lasting) from different brands, if I had to choose a favourite it would be NARS. Their glosses are super pigmented, not at all sticky and come in a variety of great colours. Even the ones that contain glitter (something I usually hate), like 'Greek Holiday', are really nice.

5) What is your favorite pink lipgloss?

This was probably the most difficult category for me as I have ,and love, so many pink glosses. If I had to choose one though, I would say NARS 'Turkish Delight', a super creamy, baby pink gloss that looks great on its own (even on my darker lips) or over a pink or nude lipstick. This is a cult favourite and definitely one I would recommend to any NARS newbie. 

6) What is your favourite nude lipgloss?
My favourite nude gloss is, by far, Too Faced's Glamour Gloss in 'Pillow Talk', a gorgeous pinky-brown gloss I received in a Sephora V.I.B set last year. Like all of Too Faced's glosses, this gloss has a plumping effect, which gives the lips a nice minty tingle (something I love in a lip product). In my opinion, this gloss has enough colour in it that it can be worn by any skin tone and looks great on its own or over a any nude lipstick. This tiny gloss has lasted me over a year, but I will definitely repurchase this gloss if, and when, I run out. 

7) What is your favourite peach/coral lipgloss?
I had a hard time deciding between two glosses for this category, but finally decided on Revlon's Colourburt lipgloss in 'Papaya', a super bright, orange-coral gloss with flecks of gold shimmer (the other favourite was MAC's Cremesheen Gloss in 'Richer, Lusher). This gloss has a creamy finish which makes for a smooth application and is very pigmented, meaning what you see in the tube, is what you get on your lips. 

8) What is your favourite red lipgloss? 
Getting ready to do this post, I realized I don't really have any truly red lipglosses (I smell a shopping trip!). My favourite 'kind of red' gloss is NYC's Liquid Lipshine in # '556', a creamy berry toned gloss with iridescent pink glitter. At less than $4, these glosses, which have a great color payoff, go on smoothly and smell amazing, are a steal!

9) What is your favourite hot pink lipgloss?
While in NYC for IMATS last April, I visited the original NARS store in the West Village and bought 'Angelika', a creamy, hot-pink gloss, packed full of finely milled golden glitter. While I love all of my NARS glosses, this would definitely have to be my favorite. This gloss is super opaque (you get a full burst of colour) and because it is so creamy, it gives the lips a nicely moisturized feel.

10) What is your favourite brown lipgloss?
I didn't have a hard time picking out a favourite, as I only have one brown gloss in my collection. Before really getting into makeup a couple of years ago, I had a mini makeover courtesy of the Guerlain counter at my local drug store. I had never worn a nude lip before (I was a colourful girl), and was pleasantly surprised when the sales woman used Guerlain's Kiss Kiss Gloss in # '841', a sheer brown gloss with a gold sheen (yes, of course I bought it). To be honest, I don't wear this gloss much, as I have found some better nude glosses that aren't so...brown!

11) What is your favourite rose lipgloss?
Without a doubt, my favourite rose lipgloss is NARS' 'Dolce Vita', a creamy dusty-rose gloss with brown undertones. This gloss has an extremely opaque finish which means you only need a little on the lips to get the full effect. I love this gloss for fall, especially when wore over Revlon's 'Soft Rose', my favourite rose lipstick (seen here).

12) What is your favourite purple lipgloss?
While I love the look of a purple gloss (at least in the tube), most purple glosses just don't look good on me. Luckily, Benefit's 'Wild Child', an opalescent, somewhat metallic purple with iridescent pink glitter, is the exception. This is the only Benefit gloss I own, but would definitely consider getting more as I really like its creamy, smooth formula and its fruity smell.

I really like the format of this tag, and plan to use it in the future to talk about my favourite blushes, eyeshadows, etc. In the meantime, I tag all of my subscribers and would love to see a post about your favourite glosses. If you end of doing this tag, leave the link in the comment section so I can check it out.

xx
Alicia

I Did It! (new hair)

Hey Everyone, 

Unfortunately the weather here is pretty grim, preventing me from taking better photos. After reading all of your comments on my
'My New Hair' post, I decided to take the plunge and go dark...real dark! I love the way it makes my blue eyes stand out and as my hairdresser told me, makes my complexion look more even (anything to hide this acne). Its definitely a drastic change and something I will have to spend the next couple of days getting used to (looking in the mirror still freaks me out). With all that said, I am so glad to be rid of the blonde. Thanks to my awesome hairdresser Lisa at Salon Entrenous. 

xx
Alicia

Beauty Quote of the Week #41

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness."

-John Keats

My New Hair (well, kinda...)

Hey Everyone,

For the past month or so, I have really been thinking about changing my hair. While I like the short style, I'm sick of the blonde, and want to do something dark for fall. With that said, I was really excited when I came across a post on Sarah's Bella Makeup blog, which mentioned a fun website where you can experiment with different hairstyles and change your look. Taaz.com allows you to upload a picture of yourself and experiment with different hair (and makeup) looks from various popular celebrities. I had a really fun time playing around and definitely think a lot of the looks are 'hair-larious' (sorry, I couldn't help myself). Here are some of my favourite looks:

Which hair looks are you favourite? Would you recommend that I go dark or stay blonde for fall? Are you going to try out the Taaz.com website? If you create any looks, leave the links to the pictures in the comment section below. 

xx
Alicia

Review: Lime Crime Lipsticks

Hey Everyone, 

A couple of months ago, I was sent three lipsticks from Lime Crime for consideration of a review. Having eyed the Lime Crime website on and off for a good year, I was really excited to finally be able to try them out. As always, my opinions are my own and 100% honest (sometimes brutally so). Here is my review of Lime Crime's 'Countessa Fluorescent', 'Centrifushia' and 'My Beautiful Rocket' lipsticks:  

What: 

Lime Crime lipsticks (the creation of Youtube's Doe Deer) are highly pigmented, creamy lipsticks that come in a variety of bright and somewhat 'out there' colours including mint green, pastel yellow and bright blue. All Lime Crime lipsticks are certified cruelty-free and have never been tested on animals. According to the Lime Crime website, all lipsticks combine a lipstick and lip stain for prolonged wear. I received the following three colours:

Countessa Fluorescent: 
Countess Fluroescent is a bright 'Barbie' pink that gives the lips a super opaque finish. This lipstick has a blue undertone (rather than the typical chalky white undertone) which leads me to believe it has enough colour to look good on any skin tone.

Centrifuchsia: 
Centrifushia is a deep berry-toned pink lipstick with an opaque but glossy finish. While this lipstick is really bright, I feel the colour is really versatile and think it could be worn in any season. 

My Beautiful Rocket:
My Beautiful Rocket is a bright orange lipstick with an opaque yet glossy finish. Unlike the majority of orange lipsticks on the market, My Beautiful Rocket has a yellow (rather than red) undertone.

Packaging: 

Each Lime Crime lipstick comes in a bright purple tube adorned with a silver holographic unicorn. While I know a lot of other bloggers have mentioned the packaging is too childish, but I am a total girly-girl and love it. It is something different from the same old black lipstick cases and definitely a conversation starter.

Price:

At $16 USD each, these lipsticks are fairly expensive (MAC lipsticks compare at $14.50 USD). The Lime Crime website offers free world wide shipping with any $100 order.

 

In Shade: Centrifuchsia, Countessa Fluorescent, My Beautiful Rocket

Pros:

1) Moisturizing: For some reason, I always believed that Lime Crime lipsticks would be very drying to the lips. In fact, it is the complete opposite. These lipsticks are actually some of the most moisturizing lip products I have ever tried and feel amazing on. I suffer from very dry lips (especially with the colder weather) but don't find myself having to apply lip balm throughout the day when wearing any of the Lime Crime lipsticks

2) Pigmentation: One of the main reasons I wanted to try some of Lime Crime's lipsticks is because of how bright and pigmented they are. These lipsticks swatch true to the colour you see in the tube and because they are so opaque give the lips a HUGE burst of colour. If you like a more sheer lipstick, these definitely aren't for you!

3) Long Lasting: Due to the fact that these lipsticks have both a lipstick and a lipstain component to them, they last on the lips longer than the majority of lipsticks I own. While I usually get a 1-2 hour wear on my MAC lipsticks (before I have to re-apply), these lipsticks give me a good 4 hour wear (not long for some, but long enough for me). After the four hour wear, my lips still have some colour, as these lipsticks really stain the lips (and skin--see cons below).

4) Cruelty Free: While many companies (big, rich companies) are still testing on animals, I think it is very commendable that a smaller independent company is willing to spend the extra money to ensure that all of their products are 100% cruelty free. In my opinion, this is one quality that merits the $16 price tag.

 
In Sun:  Centrifuchsia, Countessa Fluorescent, My Beautiful Rocket

Cons:
1) Sits In Fine Lines: While the super creamy texture of these lipsticks make them super moisturizing, it has been my experience that these lipsticks (mainly 'Countessa Fluroescent') sometimes sit in fine lines on the lips, giving the lips that gross chalky, chunky lip look (you know the one I'm talking about). To combat this problem, I found it is best to apply a thin layer of lipstick to the lips rather than piling it on.


2) Staining Effect: As I mentioned above, these lipsticks definitely stain the lips and the skin (don't swatch these on your hands unless you are willing to put in some effort to scrub them clean). The stain effect is both a pro and con for me. While I like that the lips are left with some colour once the lipstick wears off (it looks especially pretty with 'Centrifushia'), the effort it takes to get the stain off is not appreciated when you want to quickly add another colour of lipstick or a gloss.

 

Overall:
I have been wanting to try the Lime Crime lipsticks from the moment I first heard about them (a good year ago). For some reason, though, it was always my impression that once I tried them, I would completely hate them. I am happy to say this isn't the case. I actually really like these lipsticks and have been impressed by their pigmentation, their packaging and the way they feel on the lips. I would definitely recommend these to anyone who loves a bold lip (they do have more neutral colours on their site, but I have not tried them).

Rating:
8.5/10 Funny Faces

Have you tried any of the Lime Crime lipsticks (or other Lime Crime products). Which of these colours would you most like to get your hands on. 

 

* Some photos taken from the Lime Crime website 

The Emmy's Red Carpet: The Good, The Bad and The Just Plain Crazy

Hey Everyone, 


If you are anything like me, you excitedly tuned into the Emmy's red carpet last night to see what all of the stars would be wearing. As always, there were those who hit the mark with gorgeous gowns, shiny baubles and perfect coifed hair, and those who completely missed the mark. Here are my top three best dressed, top three worst dressed and one crazily dressed stars of the night:

Best Dressed

Gwenyth Paltrow wearing Pucci

This is definitely a 'love it' or 'hate it' dress and I love it. The bead work is absolutely stunning and I love how it is casual (well, for the emmy's) but still super chic. I know a lot of fashion critics don't like the fact that the dress shows her midriff but I say, if you've got it...flaunt it!

  Nina Dobrev wearing Donna Karan

Red dresses were the biggest trend of the night, but no one pulled off the look as good as Nina Dobrev. This mermaid style dress gives her the perfect hour glass shape and her simple accessories are perfectly chic. If I had the body and the money and an invitation to the emmy's (a girl can dream), I would so wear this dress. 

Martha Plimpton wearing Zac Posen

Watching the red carpet special and the pre-red carpet special, everyone was predicting that Kate Winslet or Lea Michele would show up in an absolutely breath-taking dress (in my opinion, they both disappointed). For me, the most breath-taking dress was Martha Plimpton's red and burgundy beaded dress. This dress fit her body like a glove, and gave her a great curvy shape. Love it! 

Worst Dressed

 Heidi Klum wearing Christian Siriano

When I first heard that Heidi Klum would be wearing Christian Siriano, I couldn't wait to see the dress. While I think it is great that Heidi decided to support an ex project runway designer, this dress was all kinds of wrong. Not only am I not a fan of mullet style dresses (short in the front, long in the back), but the bottom of the dress looks like someone took a bunch of lettuce heads, died them grey and stuck them on the dress. Sorry Heidi, you're out...Auf Wiedershen!

 Diana Agron wearing Roksanda Illinic

I love Diana Agron (and Glee!) and think she always looks classy and somewhat understated on the red carpet. What happened!? This silky blue tablecloth dress looks too big and although, in theory, it should be a simple dress, there is too much going on. If I was Diana, I would hire a new stylist (one that doesn't close his/her eyes while styling) for her next red carpet event. 

Jenna Ushkowitz wearing Ghadah Paris

What is with the glee ladies (Jayma Mayes narrowly escaped my worst dressed list)? With its geometric shapes and super high slit, this dress looks like something high school girls would wear to prom back in the 80s. To me, the dress looks cheap, and the chunky earrings and heavily made up face certainly don't help the look. Sorry Jenna, I still love you on Glee!

Crazily Dressed

 Lou Eyrich (costume designer for Glee)

WHAT?! When I first saw Lou Eyrich on the E! red carpet special last night, I had to do a double take (actually make that quadruple take). It looked like hair, but it also looked like a bald head...I couldn't figure it out. Finally, the camera man couldn't help but zoom in and I got a good look...it's a tattoo, a hair tattoo...a real one. I am all for being creative and standing out in a crowd, but what happens when she wants to grow out her hair, won't the little pieces on the forehead show? How often does she have to shave her head to keep the tattoo looking 'good'?

WHY LOU, WHY?!

Did you watch the Emmy's? In your opinion, who were the best and worst dressed stars of the night? Will you be heading out soon to get a hair tattoo?