New Tarina Treasures

Magic Hour Cream Shadow in Starchild

Mascara in Black Opal

Many of you know that I am a big Tarina Tarantino fan. I love the style and uniqueness of her jewelry and now, her cosmetics line. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with my two recent purchases above.

I had high hopes for the cream shadow, but don't think that I chose the correct shade for my skin tone. I have a warm skintone, therefore cool silvers and greys sometimes look too harsh on me. I think this was the case here. The feel and payoff of the eye shadow is nice, I just don't like the color on me.

As for the mascara, I got it as a free sample from Sephora with my beauty points. Unfortunately, nothing special. I like a dramatic, thickening mascara and this one is lighter & more natural. Not necessarily a bad product, just not what I usually look for in a mascara.

Sorry for the Debbie Downer review! What I do love of Tarina's though is the Gem Gloss (written about in a previous review). It is fabulous!

Anyone else have a favorite Tarina product?

Tarina Tarantino - Cameo Gloss Ring

I finally got one! Always on the hunt for unique pieces, I had to get my hands on a funky and fun Cameo Gloss Ring from Sephora. The one above is the Victorian Punk Gloss Ring and i'm loving it! There are other colors and themes, but I had to get the one with the skull on the front =)

The gloss itself smells very fruity and feels nice & velvety on your lips. But probably my favorite feature is the little mirror inside! How great is it to have a mirror on hand at all times? (no pun intended)

I think it's the perfect piece of jewelry for the summer, and instantly jazzes up your outfit with a little bit of *sparkle*

What do you dolls think? xo

Applicator Allure

I started studying all the different types of applicators that my lipglosses have - short and long doe-foots, triangle doe-foots, short and long brushes, etc. How do these applicators effect the way our gloss looks? What is the best applicator and method? Here are a few that i've spotted so far:



tokidoki prisma lipgloss - Flexible Silicone Paddle Applicator








One of the newer applicators on the market, the paddle applicator is great for glosses that are very liquidy, like this prisma gloss. It's almost like a mini spatula for your lips. It feels smooth to the touch, and applies product evenly to the lips.



Benefit benetint pocketpal - Traditional Doe-Foot Applicator





Probably the most common lipgloss applicator, the doe-foot is a never fail. It's great, because you can apply almost any type of gloss with it easily. Some chicks even use it for certain lipsticks. It's been around forever, but the question remains - is it the best option? Or just the most common?





Tarina Tarantino Gem Gloss - Long Doe-Foot Applicator





A slight twist on the traditional doe-foot, this one is more flexible and holds more product. I like it because you have more control over where the gloss goes. The applicator curves with your lips and gives you a more even finish.



Lancome Color Fever Gloss - Triangle Doe-Foot





This applicator is unique to Lancome - they call it the "Lip-Magnify Applicator." It scoops up the product and allows for plentiful application.



Hourglass Lipgloss - Brush Applicator





Not sure how I feel about the brush applicator. With lighter colors it seems to work OK, but with darker shades it seems to streak and leave some lines. I usually end up fixing the lines with my finger tips to ensure I have a perfect pucker =)





Lip Fusion Infatuation - Short Brush Applicator





I've seen this shorter brush applicator in many new lipglosses lately. Unlike the traditional brush, the shorter one gives you more freedom to paint on your gloss and avoids the dreading streaking. It's been popping up everywhere, from Lip Fusion to YSL to LORAC. A new trend emerging, perhaps?





Do you ladies favor a certain type of applicator? Let us know! xoxo

Swatch Me Pretty

I'm a huge believer in "try before you buy." Let's be serious - if I learned that a long time ago, would I own THIS MUCH MAKEUP?!

Swatching is simply trying a small amount of product on your hand, lips, eyes, etc. This way, you can see how the color actually looks on you and feel out the texture of the product. This may seem like common sense to some, but often times we are so hyper and desperate for new makeup (i'm GUILTY) that we'll just buy something based on how it looks in the package or tube.

The color of the packaging itself can alter how the product looks in the tube. Then, probably the most awful thing that can happen, you get your new pink lipgloss home and try it out...and it's all WRONG. "Oh...I thought it would be pinker, sheerer, less glittery..." Below are some of my favorite pretty pink treats, and what they look like on paper.



Clockwise from top left:

*Dior Addict - Ultra Gloss Reflect 257
*Lip Fusion - Glow
*Lancome Juicy Tubes - Ultra Brilliant
*Too Faced - Girls Dig Pearls in Shell
*Revlon - Super Lustrous Gloss in Pink Afterglow
*MAC - Dazzleglass in Bare Necessity
*Urban Decay - Pocket Rocket in Doug
*Tarina Tarantino - Disco Nap

As you can see, some glosses have more glitter, more pigment and so on. Next time you are on the market for a new gloss, try a few colors next to each other on your hand or arm and compare them. What looks better on your skin tone? Which one is silkier, stickier, darker, etc. As my mother always says "If you're not in love with it, leave it."

Cracked, Split, Train-Wreck LIPS

This frigid winter weather kicked my ass in so many ways – I was unable to wear cute dresses to work because it was too cold, the awful snow ruined a pair of my patent leather boots, and of course, the WORST – my lips are so dry, cracked and flakey!

OK, so what to do? To get my lips “in shape” for the warmer months, I set out on a mission – to find a great lip balm or lip conditioner to revive my lips and make them soft and silky once again.

I purchased two new makeup products (I know, I need to STOP), and also suggest an old favorite of mine that is always trustworthy.

Tarina Tarantino – Conditioning Lip Sheen
Shade: Showroom

Since I’m having a love affair with Tarina’s Gem Gloss (see older review), I wanted to try another product from the famed jewelry designer’s new beauty line. I was having trouble choosing a shade, since I really liked a few of the pinks. I settled on Showroom, and think it is a great shade and formula! For those of us who hate very “wet” and messy lip glosses or moisturizers, this lip sheen is great. It looks like a lipstick, but is more like a chapstick – with a major color upgrade. It goes on very smooth, and fills in all the damaged areas in your lips. It has a nice matte finish, which is also why I chose it. I’ve been favoring glittery and shimmery products lately, so I decided to switch it up with a different type of finish. Very unique and pretty, Tarina scores major points with me yet again!

Bare Escentuals Buxom – Big & Healthy Lip Balm
Shade: Wakiki

I’m not very familiar with Buxom; this is the first product I’ve purchased from the line. Buxom is a color line extension to the Bare Escentuals beauty products. Again, with many things, the packaging drew me in - very cute and girly! I opened it up, and loved the fact that it had a mirror inside. It sounds silly, but comes in handy when you’re digging around in your bag for one! The next thing I noticed was how amazing it smelled, very tropical and fruity (Wakiki being a good name, haha). The balm is VERY moisturizing and silky. It has more of a sheen finish, not so much of a shine. It’s very versatile – I would wear it to the beach or to the office. It’s ladylike and pretty, and just gives you a hint of color. LOVE.

MAC Cosmetics – Lip Conditioner

This has been a favorite of mine for a few years now! As I’m sure many MAC addicts like myself would agree, you can never go wrong with the lip conditioner – very moisturizing, silky and shiny. It’s colorless though, so look elsewhere if you’re looking for a tinted balm. You can wear this conditioner alone, or on top of any lipstick to instantly give it a new look. Works well in any season, and never fails if your lips need a big drink of moisture!

What do you think? Has anyone tried any of these, or tried any other products? Let us know! <3

A Very Sparkly Affair!

Make your own greeting card

Majesty Loves Tarina

Pink Hair. Quirky accessories. Everything SPARKLES. Tarina Tarantino is taking Sephora by storm with her new line of cosmetics entitled Tarina Tarantino Beauty!

The "Queen of Irreverent Luxury" is no stranger to innovation and creativity. Her funky, off-beat jewelry and handbags have caught the attention of many celebrities and fashion hounds alike. Being a former makeup artist doesn't hurt either!

I purchased a Gem Gloss (above) in Disco Nap. It appears very sparkly and pink in the tube, but goes on sheer and silky. The formula is not sticky or tacky at all, which is a deal-breaker for me. I also am a big fan of the applicator - a flexible doe-foot tip which allows for easy, flawless application.

Tarina herself will be making an appearance at Sephora 5th avenue in New York tomorrow from 6-8pm to sign her limited edition beauty books! Check out the site for more information on the beauty collection and the brains behind it: http://www.ttbeauty.com