bodysuit,

Naked Wardrobe Haul & Review

8:00 PM mssoellegant 4 Comments

brushes,

Harry Potter Makeup Brushes - A Muggle Must Have!

11:23 AM mssoellegant 0 Comments

With the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, muggles everywhere are running rampant with Harry Potter fever! Just a few weeks ago there were these faux palettes to obsess over, then the real Harry Potter-inspired shadows. Now there are Harry Potter makeup brushes shaped like WANDS that look almost too good to be true. Created by Storybook Cosmetics, these Potter-inspired brushes are exquisite with long lustrous handles and intricate detailing that are straight out of the wizarding world.
The initial ramblings of these magical makeup tools came from the Makeup Addiction Reddit forum that shared a teaser of the set. It wasn't long before Potterheads the world over became collectively obsessed, coveting the tools of which we still knew very little about. Over the past few days, Storybook Cosmetics has gradually shared more and more info about their soon-to-be cult classics on their Instagram (while also growing their following from less than 10,000 to a whopping 74.5 thousand just over the weekend).
Since this is a new brand I did a little digging to give you the 4-1-1. The brand is actually the brainchild of sisters Mandy, Missy, and Erin Maynard of Omaha-based company the Geeky Cauldron. They sell all things fandom including jewelry, scarves, and phone cases. So it only makes sense that their next project would be makeup inspired by more geeky things they love.  "As massive fans of all things wizard, this seemed like the obvious step to merge our two loves—fandom and makeup." sister Erin exclaims.

• Wand preview posted Monday 10/10/2016

• Prototypes approved and officially announced Friday 10/14/2016

• Presale Consideration Friday 10/14/2016

• Presale Began Saturday 10/15/2016 11am CST

• Presale SOLD OUT Monday 10/17/2016 9am

As you can see these brushes have sold out ON PREORDER in merely 2 days! Sorry ya'll, I am just as disappointed I wasn't able to snatch these up, but the brand will be putting in another round of production before the holidays. As of now, the estimated shipping date is December 10 for the preorders, so stay tuned and be on the lookout for the official release and next round of ordering! 

What do you think about these magical creations? Comment Below.

Until next time. - D💋

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american horror story,

Bitter Lace Beauty Halloween Highlighter Review

1:10 PM mssoellegant 0 Comments

You know the pretty pans of rainbow highlighter that broke the Internet (& wallets) a few months back? No, not the $5 product you see in drug stores from Wet 'n' Wild or the newly-released version from Forever 21. We’re talking about the first-to-market original called Rainbow Prism Highlighter by Etsy shop Bitter Lace Beauty.

After fulfilling 6 month back orders for the highly coveted rainbow highlighter, #BLB is back and better! Not only with a glam new site, but also a slew of LIMITED EDITION products with a seasonal flare that are inspired by All Hallows' Eve. Consider these the 2.0 version of their iconic counterpart, the Prism Rainbow Highlighter. And to think, this is just the beginning! So what exactly is so special about these highlighters? I am here to give you the scoop!

I decided to purchase just one, but we will come to that shortly (see below). All of the Limited Edition Halloween Highlighters are 44mm in size and come in a matte black and chrome red compact. If you would like to depot your pretties into a larger palette no problem! They are magnetically attached and pop right out. The liquid highlighter comes in a glass skull bottle with a dropper cap and it contains 30ml of product. Separation is normal so their are mixing balls inside to shake her up when she is feeling low. Not all shades are Vegan but #BLB is a cruelty free brand. They test on humans, not fur babies! Colors will be marked with a (V) for Vegan shades and (NV) for NON Vegan shades in the descriptions below. The store also provides this disclaimer: "Due to the way this product is made, you will get all the colors in your pan throughout the whole product, not just on top. No two pans will be alike... sometimes one or 2 colors dominate at the top of the design." Now there has been some speculation about not wanting to mess up the color blocks in the pan but rest assured the colors will not mix even as you make your way down to the bottom.


SLAY(V) - A white gold flecked base with an intense metallic blood red splatter. Both colors are gorgeous on their own but blend together to make the most beautiful rose toned gold highlight. Slay has larger shimmers that make for a sparkling highlight. The pan is so pretty you might not even want to use it!

TOOTH-ACHE(V) - Stripes of sweet yellow orange and white are gorgeous on their own, but once blended together they make the most beautiful warm gold. Not only does it resemble candy corn in the pan, it also swipes on with similar gusto.

THE NEXT SUPREME(NV) - This color is very interesting, it is a murky silver with a purple to intense green shift. This shade is also extremely iridescent. This shade gets its name from American Horror Story: Coven. It even features an emboss of skulls! I'd say the metal gods would approve.

HOCUS POCUS(NV) - Embossed with a spider web this highlighter features a swirl of rusty orange, lime green, and purple that blend together to make a gorgeous lilac shade. Hocus Pocus has larger shimmers that make for a major metallic punch.

I PUT A SPELL ON YOU(V) - A pearl while base with an extremely iridescent shimmering finish with flecks of gold and purple. This formula has larger shimmers to give a more sparkling glow.

Can't decide which you love the most!? I know, it is challenging, but not to worry. You can grab the whole set HERE in a special set, if you feel like splurging! Why not make it an early holiday gift? :P

Now onto my Halloween goodies! This is Bitter Lace Beauty's new highlighter in TOOTH-ACHE.

Interested in transferring that candy corn onto your cheek? #BLB suggests to swipe your finger or a flat brush directly across the pan and swipe straight onto your cheek to get the full on sugary effect!


For a more blended look you can use a brush swirled around the pan as you normally would.


ingredients: mica, titanium dioxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, copper, silica, sericite mica, calcium carbonate, zinc stearate, boron nitride, kaolin clay, silicon dioxide, allantoin, carnauba wax, caprylic/capric triglyceride, isopropyl myristate, dimethicone, bis-vinyl dimethicone/dimethicone copolymer

Remember "limited edition" means once its gone, its gone for good! So snatch up these treats while you still can!

Until next time. - D💋

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aaliyah jay,

EGO Shoes Take 2 - @EGOOFFICIAL Review

11:40 AM mssoellegant 0 Comments

If you haven't seen my first review of @EGOOfficial, it's a must read before you continue on with this review... find it HERE. Recently I found the company EGO, while perusing popular instagram accounts. After seeing the new perspex trend, I knew I HAD to have them! However after my first purchase I was reluctant. Not only did I have problems with shipping and customer service, but the shoes themselves are extremely hard to walk in. I wanted to give it another shot so I ordered a pair I thought would be easier to walk in. I chose the Tasha Perspex Clear Ankle Boot, can you say "Hello gorgeous!"

I placed my order the same way on the same day as my first purchase, to give a fair comparison. They were having a sale of 20% off that day so I got an even bigger discount than the normal new subscriber discount of 15% that pops up when you first enter the site. I would like to note, when dealing with customer service before they had used the excuse that my order was actually a pre-order, so I included this confirmation that shows the shoe I order IS available and in stock. I also added a screenshot of the estimated delivery date when I was checking out.

Ordered Friday, September 30th - TOTAL: £37.98 GBP / 46.77 USD

• Shoes Alone - £39.99 GBP / $49.25 USD
• Shipping - £5.99 GBP
• Discount - -£8.00 GBP
• Tax - £0.00 GBP

Shipping Notification (Your Order Is On Its Way - Literally the email said this.) - Wednesday, October 5th

Shipping Update (Not Long Now! We estimate your order to be delivered within 3 business days - Again this is what the email said.) - Friday, October 7th

Delivered - Friday, October 14th

All in all I would say I am much happier with my experience this go around, but still not too excited about the delivery times. Will I order another pair... probably (LOL). At least you know what to expect right? The price we pay for gorgeous shoes!

If you have ordered from this brand, please leave a comment and share your experience as well!

Until next time. - D💋

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costumes,

We're a Culture, Not a Costume

10:33 AM mssoellegant 2 Comments

As the days get shorter, the smell of bonfires looms, here in the Midwest there is a heavy chill in the air, leaves are changing color, and people are frantically acquiring pumpkin spice anything. Yes, Halloween is quickly approaching!

The older you get, the less you tend to enjoy the holidays but halloween just happens to include fun for the entire family. Though I cosplay (check out my first cosplay), I know I’m not the only one who loves the excuse to dress-up as an adult without anyone staring or mocking at least once a year. It’s fun to pretend to be someone, or something you aren't for a night, and costumes run a gamut as wide as the human imagination. With such a variety of humorous, frightening and even sexy ensembles to choose from, it’s disappointing to see that tired stereotypes, oblivious prejudice, and nonchalant racism still manages to find a way to the store shelves and in the hands of our friends and families.

Last year, Ohio University’s S*T*A*R*S (Students Teaching About Racism in Society) released the incredibly popular “We’re A Culture, Not A Costume” ad campaign showing ethnic minority students holding photos of people dressed up as stereotypes of their culture.



The best way to get rid of stereotypes and racism is to have discussions, raise awareness, and educate others on matters that the public school system will not. The most obvious stereotype is when someone dresses in blackface, because of it historical context, however the message applies to all races and stereotypes, and not just during Halloween. “Halloween as a holiday has a history of being focused on inversion of power,” says professor Susan Scafidi of Fordham University. She is the author of Who Owns Culture: Appropriation and Authenticity in American Law.

Let stop for just a minute to examine, what is cultural appropriation? The most simple definition of cultural appropriation is that it occurs when members of a dominant culture borrow from the cultures of minorities without their input. Typically those doing the exploiting, lack a contextual understanding of what makes the cultural symbols, art forms and modes of expression significant. Despite their ignorance of the ethnic groups from which they borrow, members of the majority culture frequently profit from the exploitation. If you need a better look at that blurred line, head over and read The Difference Between Cultural Exchange and Cultural Appropriation.

People dress up as plenty of powerful figures that don't get misconstrued and that is OK! But when you dress up as a culture that you are currently oppressing, or have subjugated in the past, you’re not inverting anything, you are just further “reinforcing current power structures in an offensive way.” We need to learn to treat people the way that they deserve, the way we want to be treated. If it’s something that [you] have the privilege to wear, where others would not, do not wear it. You should know when you go past the limit, but as we all know there are people in society who don’t know, don't see, or don't care about that limit. If we really begin to examine the subconscious thoughts of our peers and brought them to attention, maybe we can collectively start to stamp out these stereotypes that have been ingrained into american society.

If you are still questioning what kind of message you (as a Caucasian) are sending in relation to cultural appropriation, here is a list to help sum up what we went over:

• > Don't wear blackface.... EVER. Point blank period. Never ever.
• > Don't wear a native american headdress... If you were "native american" like many claim, you would know better. Headdresses are a sacred item, built from individual eagle feathers that are earned over time. And to see somebody who hasn’t earned that right adorning themselves as such, it’s completely disrespectful. Just like you don’t get to wear a medal of honor by being born American, you don’t get to wear a headdress even if you have Cherokee in you. Simple as that. If you need more reasons why -> just read But Why Can't I Wear a Hipster Headdress.

That leads into...

• > Don’t adopt sacred artifacts as accessories.
• > Don't sexualize minorities.
• > Cite your cross-cultural influences publicly and often.
• > Engage with other cultures on more than an aesthetic level.

If you have to question it, don't do it. If you absolutely must come out dressed as such, be prepared to talk about it. It’s easy to say it’s “just a costume,” and at the end of the night, you can take it off. But minorities cannot change who they are, and will continue having to live with the consequences of the subtle, casual hatred your costume spreads.

Until next time. - D💋

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blush,

Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette Review

11:14 PM mssoellegant 0 Comments

• Bananas (soft peachy gold w/ fine gold shimmer)
• Extra Creamy (matte creamy beige)
• Jammin’ (dark chocolate w/ golden sparkle)
• Jelly (vibrant orchid)
• Nuts About U (matte brown w/ red undertones)
• Spread the Love (medium peach w/ gold sparkle)
• Peanut Brittle (metallic burnt orange)
• Peanut Butter (matte medium orange brown)
• Peanut Butter Cup (metallic golden bronze w/ gold sparkle)

aaliyah jay,

EGO Shoes - @EGOOFFICIAL Review

4:04 PM mssoellegant 4 Comments

One benefit of being a millennial is that I am constantly "plugged in". I find myself, like many others, constantly looking for new trends and things to buy (it’s a problem, yes I am aware). Shoes are up there at the top of my list along with makeup. I recently found the company EGO Official, which I usually saw pop up across a popular Instagram account -> Aaliyah Jay. She was modeling the Ariana Perspex White Sandal With Glitter Heel and made them look like they were spun in heaven and dipped in diamonds! 



I HAD to have them! I headed over to the facebook page to do a bit a research and I couldn't take my eyes off the beautiful works of art! So I went ahead to their website and was greeted by a pop-up of 15% of my first purchase (they hooked me). Now I find myself scrolling through to their new Perspex section due to my need for new heels....cause its not like you can ever have enough! I thought they would go especially well with the outfits I don't seem to have any shoes for! So I quickly added them to my cart and checked out using PayPal, my go to. 

Ordered Friday, July 29th - TOTAL: £31.48 GBP / $42.60 USD

• Shoes Alone - £29.99 GBP
• Shipping - £5.99 GBP
• Discount - -£4.50 GBP
• Tax - £0.00 GBP

negatinegatiFor me this is where things got hairy.... I didn't expect my shoes to be shipped out over the weekend so I patiently waited through the next week for a shipping notification containing a tracking number to allow me to religiously stalk my package until it gets here....Saturday comes & goes and nothing.... so i send an email to the ego help desk the following Monday, August 8th. I waited two days with no response, so on Wednesday I commented on a post that had been posted the same day stating I had sent an email and gotten no reply I wanted to see if my order had shipped and I left the order number. I Received a reply from the page and they explained the shoe wasn't in stock and was actually "pre-ordered" but they ensured me it was being sent out the same day and I would receive an email when it shipped. Well 7 o'clock EST passes on Friday August 14th and I still have NOT received a shipping email! The next day I sent the Ego FB page a private message with screen shots of my other encounters with this awful customer service. I explain how I am not happy and this is ridiculous... To my pleasure they offered a shipping refund and again assured me that my item was being shipped out. That tamed my flame.... for the time being. I did receive my refund via PayPal the same day.

Shipping Refund - Monday, August 15th

I finally received an email on Wednesday and received my shoes from USPS the following Wednesday.

Shipping Notification - Wednesday, August 17th

Delivered - Wednesday, August 24th




The box comes in a cute little sealed shopping bag. The shoes themselves are TO-DIE-FOR! Not to mention they are affordable compared to places like Charlotte Russe & Kohls, and great quality. 



This model shoe is not the easiest to walk in, not even for a seasoned heel veteran like myself. Despite my seemingly unsuccessful buying attempt I will be trying again! Of course I love the shoe so I thought "I'll get some that are easier to walk in...." so I made another purchase for these bad boys on Friday, September 30th. 




I wanted to give it another fair shot so I ordered it the same way on the same day as my first purchase, so we shall see if they can live up to the hype. View that post HERE.<- amp="" font="" go="" its="" ready="" to="" up="" when="">

Until next time. - D💋 

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blush,

Too Faced - Christmas in New York 2016 - Grande Hotel Cafe Review

9:46 PM mssoellegant 0 Comments

When it comes to holiday releases, brands get us excited for Christmas in September, and Too Faced always steals the show. We already know we love the brand's products, so when they are wrapped in adorable festive packaging, we lose our minds. Last year, the collection was Paris, France themed. This year, Too Faced is celebrating the city that never sleeps, New York City. So the Eiffel Tower is iconic, but NYC during the holidays is an experience unlike any other.


The products are decorated for kids in a candy store! The gift set is a hotel shaped box that literally opens up to reveal three coffee scented palettes of magic inside, plus a deluxe treat that’s better than sex! You'll just have to have it for every occasion this holiday season!


Too Faced Grand Hotel Café, $49
Where to buy: Sephora – Too Faced – ULTA

This cozy-café set was inspired by one of Too Faced founder Jerrod Blandino’s favorite NYC hotels, and opens to reveal three scented palettes: Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Coffee, and Eggnog Latte. In total, there are 18 eyeshadows, two blushes, a bronzer, a deluxe size of Better Than Sex Mascara, and a step-by-step how-to Glamour Guide with three beauty for each palette. Each palette has a scent that reflects it name. It is exciting to see TF expand the scent portfolio beyond chocolate and peach!




If you enjoyed this post,you can -> VIEW <- .="" 3="" complete="" faced.="" full="" my="" of="" order="" p="" purchase="" review="" too="" with="">

Until next time. - D💋

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