Meow Cosmetics haul and a FOTD

I finally ordered my Halloween colors from Meow. I haven't had time to test them all out. Darn it - they're going away after tomorrow (they're 20% off from now through Saturday All Hallows Eve at Midnight) and I haven't decided which, if any, full sizes to buy. Surprisingly (okay, not so surprisingly cuz it's green), one of my free samples ended up being one of my favorite colors so, of course, I had to include it in my FOTD. I hope you're not getting sick of seeing in me in green. It's my new favorite color this year and I just can't get enough of it. Okay, enough yammering, here's what I did...

Eyes:

• Aromaleigh Shadow Base in Medium
• Street Cat (Ideal Eyes)- entire lid. . .freebie sample!
• Ghoul (Zombie) - outer corner
• Bad Luck (Friday the 13th) - crease
• Opal (Crystalline Cat) - highlight
• Coffin (Halloween) - mixed with water and lined on upper/lower lash lines

Rest of face:

• 2y/2w Aromaleigh Glissade mineral foundation
• Top Cat Finishing Powder
• Liaison (Lush Blush) - cheeks. . .this one was a freebie too!
• Aromaleigh Sweet Tart - lips

*All makeup in this look is Meow Cosmetics except where noted.

Color Descriptions:

• Street Cat – Bright cat eye green
• Ghoul – Olive with metallic undertones and green iridescence
• Bad Luck – Golden toffee with orange iridescence twinged with warm russet undertones
• Opal – Mysterious neutral whisper pink with quiet flashes of unexpected fire
• Coffin - Copper shade with metallic umber undertones
• Liaison - Cool pink with a hint of lilac
• Sweet Tart - Soft warm mauve pearl

No retouching on this photo - can you say "Meow Top Cat Finishing Powder is awesome!"

So tell me quick, what Meow Halloween colors did you snap up this year?

Click here to visit Meow.

Smoky Amarante FOTD

One of my twitter girlfriends suggested that I do a smoky Amarante look. I did *daytime* smoky since I was out running errands.

• Moonwalk creme eyeshadow - as a base
• Amarante (Bete Noire) - lid
• Aurelie (Bete Noire) - crease
• Persian Kitten (Eye Plush) - to blend out crease
• Fiona (Pure Eyes Lustre) - brow highlight
• Oyster (Carolina Summer Matte) - to soften inner corner
• Chocolate Mousse and Endangered indelible liner mixed - lower lashes
• Firewoman (rocks!) topped with Pixie (pure rouge) - cheeks
• Frosted Beige NYX round lipstick - lips

* Unless otherwise noted, all makeup is Aromaleigh.

Amarante is "A rich, verdant warm green with olive smokiness and vivid blue shimmer."

I like Amarante so much that I'm purchasing a full size of it. I honestly don't know what took me so long. The Bete Noire eyeshadows are rich, luxurious and have lovely delicate sparkles.

Which is your favorite Bete Noire and why?

Join the "Mineral Makeup Mutiny" . . .

Click on the photo to join the Munity and click here to follow the Makeup Munity on twitter.

Aromaleigh Spring Solstice LE Soft Green FOTD

All of Aromaleigh's limited edition collections are getting an encore presentation. Miss K (Aromaleigh's owner) will be selecting several from each of the past year's limited edition eyeshadow collections for a "Best of 2009" permanent collection. Keep a look out for the Spring Solstice collection coming soon.

• May Lily (Spring Solstice) - inner 1/3
• Heartleaf (Spring Solstice) - center 1/3
• Hemlock (Spring Solstice) - outer 1/3 and wet lined (mixed w/ sealant) on uppers and lowers
• Persian Kitten (Opulent Lustre) - crease
• Fiona (Pure Eyes Lustre) - highlight
• 2wl/2y (Glissade) - face
• Firewoman (rocks! sonic rouge) - cheeks
• Sylvie (Bete Noire) - lips
  

Click here for descriptions and swatches of the Spring Solstice collection.

Aromaleigh Coupon Code Alert: October20 = 20% off !

Use code october20 to save 20% OFF your entire order now (including products that are already 25% off on the weekly sale) through 11:59 EST on 10/20! If you're not currently receiving Aromaleigh's newsletter, click here to sign up.

Aromaleigh just announced a "Rewards" program !

I'm so excited about this and couldn't wait to share the news. With Aromaleigh's rewards program, you earn points for every dollar you spend and for leaving product reviews. You can redeem your points for special order discounts, free products and other special offers.

As if Aromaleigh doesn't already give us enough incentives to buy (weekly 25% off sales, free products with coupon, free samples with order, and free sample shipping just to name a few), here's another great one.

Click here to get the full scoop on the rewards program!

The common cold: Important facts you should know

See this little guy here? This is how I've been feeling for the past few weeks. At various times, I felt like I might be on the road to recovery only to wake up with yet another stuffy nose or end up going to bed with an uncontrollable cough. Since I'm going on week 4 of this darned cold, I decided to do some online research and get re-informed about the symptoms and duration of the cold virus as well as things I can do to make myself more comfortable while my body heals itself (since nothing cures the cold virus).

The first article I came across was a gem, so I decided to share it here with you. It has information such as "6 keys to understanding the common cold virus," "Natural treatments for coughs, runny nose and congestion," "Medications to treat coughs and colds," and "When to worry - 4 complications of colds." You may think you already know all of this (and you might), but there are many myths associated with the common cold and its treatment. You may be surprised at what you find out.

Although it may seem like a lengthy article, please bookmark it and go back and read it at some point. You'll be glad you did. Keep in mind that the article is written as if it's directed to a parent trying to help their child. However, the same information holds true for an adult with a cold so don't stop reading it because you think it doesn't apply to you...it does.

Here's an excerpt from the article from askdrsears.com:

"You waken at three in the morning to the sound of your coughing eight-year-old child. You stumble down the hallway to his room to check on him and you hear his chest rattling. He is unable to breath through his stuffy nose and he feels like he has a fever. Another coughing fit hits him and he vomits some green mucus. What should you do? His fever worries you. Should you call your doctor or take him to the ER?

Your one-year-old has had a green runny nose and a cough for two weeks, but he seems happy and playful, has no fever, and has been sleeping relatively well. Should you take him to the doctor? Could this be an ear infection or sinus infection?

Your three-year-old has had a fever for the past three days, along with a runny nose and cough. It's Sunday, and your doctor isn't available. Should you take him to the ER, or perhaps the clinic down the street?

Here is a guide to helping you understand coughs and colds. Does green nose mean a sinus infection? Is a fever cause for worry? How do you tell if your child has bronchitis? Should you take him in to the doctor, or wait a few days? These and many other questions will be answered as we discuss how to get your child through the common cold, how to treat his symptoms, and how to decide when to see the doctor. For a full discussion on bronchitis, click here.

Coughs and colds are seldom a reason to go to the ER or page your doctor in the middle of the night. There are guidelines at the end of this discussion that instruct you when to go to the ER or page your doctor."

READ MORE

New hair color and a FOTD

My 43rd birthday is coming up in a little over a week and it's time for me to get a new driver's license photo (it's been over 5 years). My dark roots were in desperate need of a touch up so I had to make a decision. . .stay blond or do something different. I was tired of being a slave to my dark roots so I decided to go back to my natural color.

Nearly the entire back of my hair was already my natural color. It was just partially hidden by a layer of heavy blond highlights. My hairstylist matched my natural color (foiling with 3 different shades) and this is the result. He went a little bit darker to start with since it will fade due to the fact that it's color over highlighted hair.

My FOTD:

I used Spark elemental lustre on my lid
Tapestry opulent lustre in the crease and outer corner
Fiona pure eyes lustre to highlight
I smudged Chocolate Mousse indelible liner on my upper lash line
Dolly gothic lolita rouge brightens my cheeks and
Rosebud provides a soft wash of color on my lips

*All makeup used is by Aromaleigh

More hair photos. . .

This is what it looked like fresh home from the salon

Day 2 after I washed and styled it myself

Before