07.29.12 - Venomous Cosmetics

So, I follow Venomous Cosmetics on FB and the owner posted her new colors and I got super excited especially for one color in particular. When she stated that they were in her shop, I quickly grabbed them up! I believe it's the Just Beachy collection. I can't really tell since the site is kind of weird right now and the FB photos didn't really say which was which >_<;;

Here's my order!

I admit, it did take awhile to arrive. Almost a month (?). Around the second week, I was looking around her FB and her site to check out the TAT but couldn't find it, or I was blind. The weeks afterwards, I was busy with life >_< and completely forgot to check.

A few days ago, lo and behold!!! I got my package! It was shipped in a bubble mailer. The products were wrapped in pink bubble wrap up the wazoo! O_o; Needless to say nothing was damaged. Lol.

She sent a few extras, the photo above shows the Lip Posion samples she sent but... I can't seem to find them >_< so I didn't swatch them ;___; Sorry!

Among the sample lip poisons, I also got a pen, a full-sized pressed shadow, and a coupon code for a free Lip Poison mini. ^_^ It's her way of apologizing for the long delay. [It said so in her hand-written note]

07.24.12 - Facebomb Cosmetics

Awhile ago, Facebomb Cosmetics had a sale. Buy 1, Get 1 Free! I used that opportunity to purchase some collections that I had been eyeing for awhile O_O;

I'm checking their site right now and I can't find the collections any more. I see some of the shades sold separately, but not the whole collections. The ones I purchased were: the Legend of Zelda vol 2 and the Empire Sparkles Back (lol! cute name :D)

07.10.12 - INDIE DUPE: Urban Decay's Asphyxia

Urban Decay's Asphyxia

Out of all of my makeup, this color and company was the first "high-end" product that I had EVER purchased. It was also my first duochrome shade before, let alone even know what it was :P 

[Please excuse the label that's peeking out beneath the pan >_< ]

The one I have is of their previous formulation (before they changed over) and obviously depotted. Anyway, Urban Decay describes this shade as a hyacinth with a blue shift.

You may purchase this at any location, including online, that sells Urban Decay Cosmetics. I, personally, bought this at Sephora for $18. [My first time going there! :P]

[NOTE: All phontos were taken under an OTT-LITE and swatched over TFSI]

I wanted to use my OTT-LITE when I took these photos because you can see the shifts and shimmers easily. As you can see in this photo of Asphyxia there is a strong blue duochrome within that lilac-y shade.  

According to Urban Decay, it's a duotone [yes, we know :P] and a shimmer. 

 Personally, I don't believe it's a shimmer at all. It doesn't look shimmery, it feels like a satin-finish. Then again, I don't have the new formulation of it. Who knows what it's like now ^_^;;

I have found a few INDIE dupes (as close as I can get to them) for this shade, so here we go! 

 Black Rose Minerals in Ultraviolence

 Here's what Ultraviolence looks like in the jar...

1/8 tsp: $1

1/4 tsp: $2.50

Full Size: $6.00

According to Black Rose Minerals, Ultraviolence is an iridescent lavender in a pearly white base

 L-R: Asphyxia & Ultraviolence

Oh darn. It kind of looked like it in the jar. While Asphyxia has that strong duochrome, Ultraviolence has soft blue shimmers sprinkled throughout that soft shimmery lavender shade. 

 Femme Fatale Cosmetic's Astral Recall

Astral Recall in the jar. Look at all those gorgeous shimmers! ♥

Sample Size: $1.10 AUD

Mini Size w/o Sifter: $3.00 AUD

Mini Size w/ Sifter: $3.10 AUD

Full Size: $5.75 AUD

According to their site: Astral Recall is a soft Puce pink (pale pink with somewhat grey undertones), Astral Recall has a stunning scattering of pink and blue sparks.

 L-R: Asphyxia & Astral Recall

The photo that shows it straight on looks very close, but when I angled it... the base color is very different. Astral Recall also has a ton of blue, copper, and pink shimmer that is very visible.

Virus Insanity 's Smoked Lilac 

 Smoked Lilac in the jar

I'm wondering if this was a limited edition color or something because I can't find it on the site. 

 L-R: Asphyxia & Smoked Lilac

Smoked Lilac is definitely more shimmery and has a sort of metallic sheen to it. There's also no hint of a blue duochrome but full of blue shimmers.

Fyrinnae's Herbivore 

 Herbivore in the jar.

Full Size: $5.90

1/3 tsp: $2.00

Fyrinnae states that Herbivore is a Soft, satiny lavender with a light green highlight

 L-R: Asphyxia & Herbivore

The base for both shades seem a quite similar except Asphyxia has more of a pink tone. Herbivore doesn't even have a blue duochrome but has a slight green sheen and shimmers.

innocent+twisted alchemy's Needs More Lace

 Needs More Lace

Full Size: $6.00

Clamshell: $2.00

i+t is my own company and when I made this shade, I never intended it to be an Asphyxia dupe. Needs More Lace is a medium purple with a blue duochrome and has aqua sparkles. 

 L-R: Asphyxia & Needs More Lace

Needs More Lace has almost the same texture as Asphyxia but has the aqua shimmers in it. The blue duochrome is there but it's softer than Asphyxia's strong duochrome. The base color in Needs More Lace is a little deeper. 

Honestly, I think the closest INDIE dupes for Asphyxia is Fyrinnae's Herbivore and innocent+twisted's Needs More Lace. While Herbivore has the green shimmer in it, the shimmer and the base color make it almost seem like a blue sheen. As for innocent+twisted's Need More Lace; the textures are almost the same. The base color is slightly different and the duochrome isn't as strong as Asphyxia's. 

I hope you liked this round of INDIE DUPES, I shall post more in the future :)

07.10.12 - Detrivore: the Graveyard Collection & Darkly Dreaming Collection

Detrivore had a sale awhile ago... and I grabbed up the two collections I had been eyeing for awhile: the Graveyard Collection and the Darkly Dreaming (which is a limited edition) set.