Sparklecrack Central: Dated Archive Listing

Everyday Minerals’ Champagne blush

Posted on Friday, September 30, 2011 at 07:13 AM

This adds a little tiny bit of color, but a WHOLE lot of glow. It's almost a metallic finish!! I tried using this on my cheeks, and just wasn't happy. It made my skin look almost robot-like, as if I was wearing Tin Man makeup or something. I'm far happier using this as a highlighter on my inner eyelid and browbone. It works excellently there, focusing and reflecting the light to brighten either area quite easily. It also doesn't add...

Tarte’s Lipsurgence collection

Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 10:04 PM

I tried my first Tarte Lipsurgence when I received a freebie from Ulta (yep, this was during The Great Atlanta Shopping Trip.) I then got a three-pack of Lipsurgence colors: Pouty, Moody, and Envy. When I got home and tried them out, I added three more.

Zoya’s Provocateur collection

Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 07:13 AM

I started out with just the one color from this collection: Yasmeen. Then much later, I added both Racquel and Valentina. The jury’s still out on Bianca - I think it might be a toned-down version of Areej, which is nice enough but not a huge personal favorite of mine - and I think I’ll pass by Dominique and Sofia. Now if they were cooler shades, there may be a bit of interest!!

China Glaze’s Robotika

Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 10:04 PM

I really like this shade! It's still available…occasionally…from this or that etailer or Ebay vendor. It's getting harder to come by, though, and unlike 2030 or Millenium, which had near-clone re-releases a little over a year after their own release (from the Tis the Season collection), China Glaze hasn't yet released another metallic of this particular shade. Which is kind of sad, because I'd love to be able to use it both for regular manicures and for stamping!! As...

OPI’s Chicago Champagne Toast

Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 03:27 PM

A truly lovely shade that reminds me - slightly - of Zoya's Lexi. This color provides near-complete full opacity with a single coat. Unfortunately, it's a frost finish...which means that it shows brushstrokes rather prominently. (Even in these blurry photos - sorry about that!!) I like this color a lot, but the poor spreadability really wrecks this one. I'm thinking of using this as a stamping polish - the color's lovely, the consistency is thick enough to hold its...

Zoya’s Lillith

Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 07:13 AM

I don't know that I'd 100% agree with Zoya's “duochrome” definition. This doesn't change colors like Ki or Adina or Space Cadet or Waves of Enchantment or any colors that are easily recognized, even by people who aren't nail polish afficionados. It's a hot magenta base color with a faint blue sheen atop it, almost more like a barely-visible bluish cast. Rich and lovely, but not what I'd class as a full duochrome. (Zoya seems to use that term a bit...

Morgana Cryptoria’s Anastasia lip balm

Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 10:04 PM

I can't decide if this is a neutral warm shade, or a warm neutral…but I like it! It's one of my favorites. (Now that Morgana's announced that she'll be discontinuing her lip balms I ordered another tube!! I'll store it in the refrigerator to help it last longer. Yes, I am that weird. Don't judge me.)

L’Oréal’s Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in Opulent Organza (812)

Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 03:27 PM

A warmer neutral...right on the border of "colors that work for me", and "colors that don't". It's similar to buxom Nantucket, but a little less peach and a wee bit more tan. Application is excellent, and whenever I want a little more color I just add a sheer lip polish on top. Just...buy from places like drugstore.com or walgreens.com rather than in your local drugstore. As I noted on the collection page, the tubes aren't sealed...

NYX Cosmetics’ Velvet Diamond Sparkle Lipstick

Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 07:14 AM

I couldn't find swatch photos of this online, so I wasn't really sure what color it would be. It looked a little like it might lean purple, just from the various product photos (which, I have learned, are sucktastic and not really representative of the product.) Velvet Diamond Sparkle is a kind of cool taupe / tanned lilac-ish shade, with (of course) plenty of sparkle. I wish that these lipsticks didn't feel so unpleasant when I applied them, or I'd wear...

LaurEss’ Jolt

Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 at 10:04 PM

This is a very soft color - not “invisible” (like most of Sleek's matte shades, and like some other indie shadows) but definitely not highly pigmented. Good to use for softer looks, or as a blending shade. The green deepens when this color is applied wet, and the shimmer is more readily visible; but it's still one of the softer shades I've purchased from Sassy. I might be able to use this patted over a dark cream or gel liner,...