Vibrant and Subdued Purples, Joppa Minerals, Valerie Beauty Shadows and MAC 239 Brushes

What a hodgepodge title! I crammed two days' worth of blogging in one post to make up for my silence the last couple of days. Here are two looks featuring vibrant and dull purples. In both instances I used my Joppa Minerals, albeit in different formulas. Since I already featured the full-coverage variant in the previous entry, I will only feature the soft-coverage one here. I love the finish of both, but I think Medium Light #3 is a tad too dark on me, especially in person. I will still keep it though because I am bound to tan during the brutal summer months here, and just in case I need to tweak my Light #3. I love the finish because it's matte but doesn't look cakey at all and it doesn't feel heavy on the face. I love the kaolin clay factor because my face tends to get oily especially on the t-zone, and kaolin clay is known for its oil-absorbing qualities.







Eyes:
MAC paint pot in Soft Ochre as base
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base lower lashline
MAC Quietly pigment foiled on inner to mid-lid using MAC mixing medium and on inner lower lashline (I am disappointed by the lack of vibrancy in the pics- but it was quite bright in real life)
MAC Violet pigment foiled on mid and outer lid using MAC mixing medium
MAC Entremauve pigment on outer V and crease and on outer lower lashline
MAC Blacktrack fluidline
MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow to highlight
Shu Uemura and Rimmel mascaras

Before I feature my next look, here are some wonderful multi-purpose minerals (but I use them basically as shadows) from Valerie Beauty. I LOVE Val's pigments; they are truly beautiful and color pay-off and staying power are excellent. I was a bit frustrated (no, make it VERY) when most of her multi-purpose minerals were out of stock the last several times I browsed her site. She was (and still is) having an inventory sale and getting rid of her old stock before she creates new batches. Well people gobbled up her stuff and most of them are gone. I then found out that a lady from a makeup board was selling her sealed, brand-new Valerie stuff for the exact price that she paid Val during the sale, without charging me extra for shipping. I quickly snagged her goodies and I got them yesterday. So gorgeous! Here are pics and swatches:





Aren't they pretty? I love everything, and Pashmina really beckoned me. It's similar to Miranda (another staple of mine) that can be a great wash or a lid color. I tried it today with some of my MAC shadows and I really love the color, and how it goes well with almost everything. I used Joppa Soft-Coverage foundation in this look.











And just to show you guys how great of a primer MAC paint pot in Soft Ochre was, here's my eye look 10 hours after I applied my eyeshadow, and after a very stressful day at work where I shed a tear or two out of frustration (without anybody knowing, of course - what are closed offices for?):


Eat your heart out, UDPP!

Eyes:
MAC Soft Ochre paint pot on lid as base
MAC Beige-ing shadestick as base on lid and lower lashline
Valerie Beauty mineral shadow in Pashmina foiled on lid using MAC mixing medium and on inner lower lashline
MAC Neutral Pink eyeshadow on mid lid
MAC Remotely Grey eyeshadow on outer lid
MAC Poison Pen matte2 eyeshadow on crease and outer V and outer lower lashline
MAC Charred eyeshadow on crease
MAC Ricepaper to highlight
Indelible gel liner in Tanzanite on upper lashline
Shu Uemura and Rimmel mascaras

Face:
Camellia Rose skin smoothing primer
Joppa Minerals Soft Coverage foundation in Medium-Light #3
Mary Kay undereye concealer in Ivory topped with
Bare Escentuals Well Rested
Silk Naturals sheer finishing powder
Lumiere silk mineral blush in Moonberry
MAC Sculpt powder to contour

Lips:
MAC Creamola cremestick lipliner
MAC lipstick in Barely Lit
MAC lipglass in Corsette

Finally, to end this hodgepodge post, I bought my first full-size MAC 239 brush today and it is pure LOVE. I can't wait to use it and it feels so luxurious. Here are all my 239 babies (I have three SEs) side by side. I'm glad that the head of the full-size 239 is almost identical to the 239SEs. I know how bad some SE brushes were crafted, and I'm glad the 239SEs are pretty decent. The hairs have the same feel as my full size 239, and all their heads are of the same size. I just love 'em babies!