Happy Holidays!

Since all my other dance posts have been so well received, I thought I'd share my latest. This time I even have some pictures that show off my makeup!

Lash Mania Ardell Evil Queen Lashes
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Here's what I can remember that I used:
Face:
Primer: Benefit POREfessional
Foundation: Cover Girl Whipped Creme Foundation Ivory 305
Contour: MUA Bronzed Perfection
Highlight: MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder
Powder: Gurelian Meteorite Pressed Powder Teint Rose
Cheeks:
Blush: NARS Orgasm
Eyes:
Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion Greed
Crease: Coastal Scents 88 Color Palette (bottom two greens)
Lid: MakeupGeek Gold Digger & Glamorous
Highlight: Makeup Geek Shimma Shimma
Liner: Eyeko Skinny Liner Black
Waterline: Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner Charcoal
Mascara: Benefit They're Real
Lashes: Ardell from the Evil Queen set.
Brows: MUA Eyebrow Kit
Lips:
Liner: MUA Lip Liner Red Drama
Lips: e.l.f Matte Lip Color Rich Red

With my dear friend & dance sister Kim before our performances.

And now for my dance... It's just a fun holiday dance. I really enjoyed performing this.

I hope ya'll enjoy and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter

*Disclaimer: I received this item for free in exchange for my review. This in no way has influenced my opinion.*

Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter

 This exclusive melting body butter from the rare Honey of the Black Bees combined with Royal Jelly, is a true youth-elixir. It nourishes the skin, leaving it pleasantly scented with the sensual notes of Honey and Oriental woods. Perfect to protect the skin from cold in winter and also ideal to help soothe and protect the skin after sun exposure.


Let me start off by saying this is very generously sized! You can size how big it is in the photo above. You get 6.7 fl oz! This body butter definitely has a distinctive smell. It reminds me of some sort of baked good or cocktail. I just can't decide which. You can definitely pick up the honey smell though.

The consistency is very thick but it glides on smoothly. A little bit of this goes a long way and with the container being so huge, one tub should last a long long time.

The desert is normally really dry and wrecks your skin. The desert in winter time is exceedingly dry! I found the Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter to be very moisturizing and long lasting. This is the first product from Perlier that I've tried and I love it.

You can purchase this at HSN for $40. Use the code iFabbo5 to save $5.00 on your purchase.

Bat's Rating 9: Glides on smoothly, long lasting moisturizing, generously sized. The scent could be off putting for some.

Ingredients: AQUA (WATER), BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER (BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER), THEOBROMA CACAO BUTTER (THEOBROMA CACAO (COCOA) SEED BUTTER), ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL (PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL), BEHENYL ALCOHOL, PEG-40 STEARATE, STEARYL ALCOHOL, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERYL STEARATE SE, PENTAERYTHRITYL DISTEARATE, STEARIC ACID, MEL (HONEY), SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS OIL (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL), CETYL ALCOHOL, ROYAL JELLY, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), PHENOXYETHANOL, CARBOMER, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, BHT, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, COUMARIN.

*Disclaimer: I received this item for free in exchange for my review. This in no way has influenced my opinion.*

EOTD: MUG Shadows Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive 2013 Solo

Hello Lovelies! I always intend to take pics of my performance looks and then I get pressed for time and have to get my butt in gear. Sunday I performed my solo at the Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive and I had plenty of time to get ready. I left my house with part of my makeup done. I didn't want to walk through the Flamingo Hotel & Casino with full on stage makeup. So I added more blush and did my lips once I got there.

Featuring Makeup Geek Eyeshadows. I didn't realize my brows needed so much work till I saw this picture. doh!

I didn't sit down and intentionally use only Makeup Geek Eyeshadows but it just happened that all of the colors I was looking for were MUG.

Eyes:

Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin $20

Shadows: Crease MUG Eyeshadow Mocha $5.99

                 Lid MUG Eyeshadow Glamorous $5.99

                 Blending MUG Eyeshadow Shimma Shimma $5.99

                 Highlightt MUG Eyeshadow Vanilla Bean $5.99

Eyeliner: Liner Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner Black $16

                Waterline Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Charcoal  $9.99

Lashes: Ardell Wispies

Love the Ardell Wispies!

Mascara: Maybelline Falsies Flared $6.99

Brow: MUA Brow Kit  $5.48

Face:

Primer: Benefit POREfessional $30

Foundation: Revlon Color Stay Whipped Creme Ivory $13.99

Cheeks: Blush NARS Orgasm $29

               Highlight Benefit Watt's Up! $30

Concealer: Benefit Erase Paste Fair $26

Powder: Guerlain Metorite Pressed Powder Teint Rose $56

Lips (in the video): Lip Liner MUA Red Drama  $1.56

                                Lipstick e.l.f Studio Matte Lip Color Rich Red $3.00

The MUG shadows are great quality and a tremendous value. I purchased The Starter Kit ($49.99) when they first came out. It comes with nine pans neutral and some purples with both matte and shimmery shades. Three of the shadows I used came out of the Starter Kit. Vanilla Bean is the only one I purchased separately.

If you're interested in the whole look or my dance, check out the video (better in HD)! The LVBDI is the biggest event of the year for our belly dance community. Dancers come from all over the world for classes and performances. 

Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex

*Disclaimer: I received this for free from Ifabbo for review. This in no way has effected my opinion*

By employing the most advanced beauty research technology, Hydroxatone products conclusively deliver rapid, safe and long-term visible results. AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex SPF 15 is a unique moisturizer specifically designed to increase skin hydration and soften the appearance of visible wrinkles by helping the skin stimulate the production of collagen. Increased collagen produces a long-term reduction in visible wrinkles, crow's feet, and facial lines. Your multi-functional anti-aging powerhouse and moisturizer in one! Hydroxatone is formulated for all skin types, both women and men, and all ethnicities. Hydroxatone is not tested on animals and is paraben free.

The color and texture of this reminds me of whipped butter like if you were making butter cream frosting. There is no discernible scent which is nice. I've read some reviews that said this was super hydrating. I may have mentioned once or twice that I live in the desert. Las Vegas has had a HOT summer. We didn't break the record but we tied the record for hottest day ever recorded. So when I first started using this I didn't think it was that hydrating and I had to use more than I thought I would need. Now that we're into monsoon season and it's more humid, I found it more hydrating. This does have an SPF of 15 but I use a separate sunscreen on my face anyway. 

I'm in my mid-30s and do have some fine lines in my forehead and under my eyes. I used this day and night. I have seen an improvement in my wrinkles since I started using this. I also changed my diet and increased my already high water intake. So I'm not sure that can be 100% attributed to Hydroxatone.

I'm not a fan of the packaging. I would definitely prefer a pump bottle or a tube. This was difficult to maneuver when I was testing the Brodaway Nails imPress Manicure. My forehead also broke out slightly when I started to use this but cleared up fairly quickly. The retail price on this is $69 at Ulta. I liked it but I didn't like it that much.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Sesame (Sesamum Indicum) Oil, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, BHT, Polysorbate-20, DMDM Hydantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sorbic Acid, Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, White Pine (Pinus Strobus) Bark Extract, Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Leaf Extract, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Extract, Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Bearberry (Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi) Extract, Coneflower (Echinacea Angustifolia) Extract, Licorice (Glycyrrhiza Glabra) Root Extract

Pros: Hydrating, diminishes wrinkles.  

Cons: Packaging & Price

Bat's Rating: 7.5 Cost plays a major factor.

Summer Update

Greetings lovelies! I have been sorely neglecting you and for this I am sorry. I've had so much going on this summer. I feel like I can hardly catch my breath sometimes.

For those of you interested in my belly dance adventures, I recently performed my first solo of my own choreography. My troupe leader pushed me to do it for our last gig. Otherwise I may never have finished it. I definitely work better with a deadline. I love this song and I think the dance turned out well. It was very well received which makes me all warm and fuzzy.

Now we're preparing for the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive in September. The troupe dance I'm doing is a folkloric piece but it is probably the hardest dance I've ever done.  I pretty much went from "OMGSOLO!" to "OMGINTENSIVE!" So lots of belly dance going on these days.

My weight loss efforts for the year had pretty much stalled out. So at the beginning of June I drastically changed my diet and really focused on the mental/emotional aspects of my relationship with food. The main thing is I eat food made from actual food. So there's a lot of planning and making meals ahead of time which can be pretty time consuming. Since I changed my diet, I've lost 10lbs which brings me up to 19lbs for the year. It's pretty noticeable if you watch this video and the video in my last general update post. Same costume worn three months apart. I had to move the snaps on my belt an inch and a half! It was one thing to see it on my costume but watching those videos back to back was a real eye opener. The most important part is that I feel AMAZING. I have a ton more energy and I feel really healthy. I tend not to call it a "diet" but a "lifestyle change" which I intend to maintain.

In other news I've been going to meditation class and trying to develop my intuition. I've severely neglected my spiritual side for many years. Now that I'm focusing on it, I really feel things coming together.

I'm planning to move to a new apartment at the beginning of the year and I'm contemplating making a major life change within two years. In my bones, I feel it is the right thing to do but it will take sacrifice and a lot of hard work This change will make my discretionary income a lot less discretionary. So you probably won't see many haul posts from me in the future. I'm trying to downsize not just my makeup collection but also my stuff in general.

I can't promise that I'll be able to keep this running all the time. It may turn to more of a lifestyle blog. Would ya'll be interested in hearing more about my weight loss, spiritual development, recipes, etc? I may try to start doing shorter reviews too. I have a ton of stuff I could review.  Let me know what you're interested in.

I've also massively cut down the number of blogs I follow. It was overwhelming to look up and see the Bloglovin' extension sitting at 99+. I just don't have the time to devote to reading blogs that I used to. Don't worry. It's not you it's me.

Thanks everyone for sticking with me!

Broadway Nails imPress Press-On Manicure

*Disclaimer: I received these for free from Influenster.com for review purposes. This in no way has influenced my review*

imPress Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails

Introducing imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails, the revolutionary way to apply polish! Featuring advanced nail technology, you can get a salon-perfect manicure in seconds – simply peel off, press on, and you're done. There's no drying, a killer shine and a manicure that lasts up to a week! And, imPRESS is so easy to remove, you can change it up to match your mood as often as you want. Check out all colors and patterns, including trendy brights, classic darks and animal prints. With imPRESS, your nails will always be your best accessory.

 imPress Manicure retails for $5.99 for colors and $7.99 for patterns, and is available at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, KMart, Walgreens, Walmart and more. For a full list of online and in-store retailers, visit imPressManicure.com, where you can download an exclusive coupon and virtually try on all the colors and patterns!

Color me impressed. I've worn artificial nails before both glue on and press on and really didn't enjoy either method. Glue on nails always popped off. Press on nails had too much glue that stayed tacky and picked up dirt. ewww. I had none of those issues with the imPress nails. 

I received the color Space Cadet. It's a black crackle with just a touch of gold glitter. It has a bit of a texture to it and I don't really care for that but it didn't catch on anything. This was fun for me because I never ever would have chosen this color on my own.

There are a few nails stored in the front of the nail polish bottle shaped container (so cute!) but the rest are just jumbled up inside. Finding the right size nails can be a bit of a pain. After that you use the peel off the little strip of plastic at the bottom and you guessed it...press them on. I pressed really hard and held it for a few seconds. 

imPress Press-On nails in Space Cadet

I found them to be the most comfortable artificial nails I've ever worn. I did everything I normally do. I cooked a lot, washed a bunch of dishes by hand, and washed my hair without incident. The only issue I really had was trying to peel the label of my apple everyday. I just couldn't do it wearing these nails. The right thumbnail became a little bent at the corner and chipped a little bit because of my efforts.

These claim to last for a whole week. I applied mine on a Friday night. I lost a nail on Monday night so I decided to pop the rest of them off. Easier said than done! Some of them popped right off but others just did not want to budge despite soaking in pure acetone and really getting it in at the sides. That did however take the polish right off them and I got a bunch of black sticky goo on my fingers. 

Overall, I think these would be great to wear for a special occasion or a weekend. I can't imagine wearing them an entire week. I plan on picking up a set in one of the French manicure colors before my next performance. I always one or two nails that just won't get with the program.These are considered short length so if you already have long nails you may want to look at the medium length. You can see my pinky nail sticking out in the picture. 

Pros: Comfortable, affordable, wide range of colors & styles, cute packaging.

Cons: Hard to remove, hard to find the right size.

Bat's Rating: 8  I would purchase these and wear them in the future. Marks off for being hard to remove.

Now on Instagram!

Just a quick note to say I'm now on Instagram. This is not just strictly beauty related. Pictures of the cat, random stuff, and the occasional OOTD. Click the above link to follow or use the nifty button on the sidebar.

Also with the upcoming changes to GFC remember that you can follow me on Bloglovin'. There's also a nifty button on the side bar.

Random Updates:

• Having Chili with Avocado for lunch. YUM!
• I've been all about the Milani Brow Fix Kit lately.
• Ordered some sneaker wedges from Steve Madden. Still not sure how I feel about that style. Guess we'll find out!
• Going low carb for awhile. Not Atkins extreme low carb but still pretty darn low carb.
• Finally read The Hunger Games. That was intense for a book considered YA but the world is a different place then when I was reading YA. Looking forward to reading the rest.

Small Birthday Haul

I normally buy myself something more expensive for my birthday. Last year  it was Guerlain powder. This year I just wasn't feeling like I really needed anything from the higher end of the spectrum. I've also been on a bit of a concealer kick lately. So I decided to pick up Benefit's Erase Paste ($28) from Sephora. 

Everything else was free! I opted for the Benefit Birthday gift from Sephora. I'm already a fan of They're Real. I'm not a big user of highlighters but I'd like to try them out more. The Shiseido lip gloss was a freebie with $25 purchase. I love the Erase Paste! I'll have to a full review of it soon. I've use Watt's Up a few times and really like it. I'm not sure I'd ever use it enough to purchase a full size. I've yet to try to the Shiseido but I love the color.

Bat An Eyelash Celebrates 1000 Ausome Things #AutismPositivity2013

Help spread awarness about Autism! To learn more or to join this flash blog visit Autism Positivity Flash Blog.

This is my autistic nephew, Oz, learning the finer points of blending in cream blush. I believe it's NYX in Glow. He is very inquisitive and creative. :D

Here he is sporting his Neruodiversity shirt and being a goofball. 

Apologies for My Absence.. Let's Dance!

I am so sorry that have neglected my blog for so long. I have been incredibly busy with my belly dance schedule. We had a very important gig where we were the featured dancers for the evening. No pressure right?  I always say to myself that I'm going to take pictures after I'm done putting my makeup on to share with you guys. Somehow I go from being ahead of schedule to "OMG I should have left five minutes ago!!"  At the end of the night I think I'm still presentable to the general public but not beauty bloggers.  I'll just have to redo my makeup on a non performance day and share with ya'll.  I used Makeup Geek's Sexy Christmas Makeup as my inspiration for this performance. I did make it a little bit more sparkly and smokey. I also added full dramatic lashes but we're talking about performance here not drinks with the girls.

I've been working on this dance for a very long time. It's very complicated and this is my first performance playing zills! I wore my new costume which I didn't get any pictures of either. I just don't think of these things when I'm in the zone.

These look best if you can view them in HD. The lighting is not the easiest to work with. Dancing in a restaurant/lounge presents all sorts of challenges like the smoldering hookah just out of frame right next to where I'm doing veil . Fun!

This next one is a short and sassy drum solo with the girls.It's so much fun to dance with my ladies.

I don't have any performances in the immediate future so I'll try to get some makeup posts done soon.

Sample Society Cancelled. Sub Free!

Sample Society was consistently my favorite beauty sub until they started mixing it up with different box variations. Nothing really wowed me. So I had to invoke my three strikes and you're out rule. It was difficult because I've been subbed to Sample Society since they first started. I almost reneged but I am finally subscription box free! I've been subbed to just about every one at some point and oftentimes three or four at a time. Now my bathroom is overrun with samples and I have very few favorite new products to show for it.

I'm going to go ahead and post my last two boxes. I absolutely hate the March box.

March 2013 Sample Society

• Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30 Shield and restore environmentally stressed skin with this powerful, antioxidant-rich daytime moisturizer, which contains SPF 30 to block the UVA/UVB rays that cause sun damage and free radical damage. This is probably the one product I'll use the most. Murad always puts out quality products and I still haven't found my HG daily moisturizer.
• LashFood Nano-Peptide Natural Eyelash Conditioner This powerful breakthrough formula is clinically demonstrated to provide the appearance of longer, thicker, lashes and to transform frail and brittle lashes to become healthy and strong. Enjoy visibly different, stunning lashes in 3 to 6 weeks. I'm pretty happy with my natural lashes. I don't feel the need to treat them or get extensions  I may or may not try this. I haven't decided yet.
• Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave In Conditioner Ouidad's Moisture Lock seals in lightweight moisture and keeps the hair shaft hydrated. It creates a moisture foundation by infusing individual strands with conditioning proteins vital to healthy hair and great looking curls. Botanical extracts promote long-lasting hydration and help seal the cuticle layer to prevent frizz and encourage healthier hair and scalp. This sounds like a good conditioner for my naturally wavy hair. It doesn't say if it's safe for color treated hair though so I'm a bit hesitant. The matching shampoo would have been nice.
• Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Cheeky Chops Butter London makes high quality polishes. But this color? Seriously!?
• Hollywood Fashion Tape This is another WTF sample. I don't really need fashion tape. I have this to make sure my clothing fits properly and stays in place. 

I could possibly use it to keep a costume in place but then again all of my costumes are custom made and fitted to stay in place.


While I didn't hate the February box, it didn't excite me either. There was really only one sample I got any use out of.

February Sample Society 

• Oscar Blandi Hair Lift Mousse Plump up. Hair Lift Mousse instantly gives any hair type a thicker, fuller, more youthful appearance.  Considering I have naturally thick hair that I pay good money to have thinned out and still have more hair than the average person, I have no use for this product.
• Diptyque February Fragrance Sample in Oyedo Oh look another Diptyque sample. I received samples of this brand in my September and November boxes. I've hated all three. When I contacted customer service about my frustration with the multiples and the new boxes in general, they gave me a very generous credit which I think I'll use to buy more L'Occitane products.
• LaRocca Skincare Hibiscus Cream Cleanser with AHA This gentle cleanser helps melt away impurities without risking over drying. Delicate hibiscus flower, rich in AHA, Vitamin A and C, has been shown to help skin structure and sebum production, maintaining skins elasticity. This is one of the smallest samples I've ever received from Sample Society. I'd expect this from Birchbox but not Sample Society. I could barely get enough out to use.
• Immunocologie VenoMax Immunocologie Treatment Crème VenoMax is formulated to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles and is ideal for day and night use. Offering protection against chronic inflammation, this rich, luxurious treatment brightens the complexion as it evens skin tone and helps reverse past sun damage. Very generously sized. I've been using this for nearly a month. It doesn't knock my socks off though and has a weird smell. I'm meh about it.
• Exude Lipstick Creme in Bronze The moisturizing formula of Exude's lip creme is enhanced with a light, minty scent. The creamy gel texture leaves a rich finish that's the result of a combination of vitamins C and E. Yep BRONZE. Ya know because bronze works so well for fair skinned cool toned ladies. It actually doesn't look as awful as I thought but it's more metallic than I like. What's up with companies putting mint in lip products. I just don't get that.

I used to rave about my Sample Society boxes. This has probably been the hardest break up for me. I currently have no plans to subscribe to any of the other boxes. I definitely need to clean some stuff out first. Have you broken up with any of your subs lately?

NYX Haul $60 for $30

Total Beauty is running a deal for $60 worth of NYX products for $30. This deal is running for the next two days. So snatch it while you can. I thought about hanging on to mine for a little while but I couldn't resist. If you've been curious about NYX, now's your chance to try out at a discount. NYX cosmetics are cruelty free.

I chose two big ticket items (at least by NYX standards) and a few smaller items instead of just loading up the small stuff. I had a tough time getting right below $60. So the total for this order was $62.25 with free shipping. Out of pocket I paid $32.25 for all of these goodies.

• The Curve $15 Felt tip eye liner with an ergonomic shape. I can't wait to try this out. I'm always looking for ways to get that perfect wing.
• HD Studio Photogenic Foundation $15 Nude Is a lightweight foundation that smooths and brightens. It is supposed to be a dupe for the MUFE foundation. 
• Single Eyeshadow $4.50 Frosted Ocean  I'm always on the look out for the perfect dark blue to use in my crease. I have a go to blue/gold look I use when I wear one of my costumes but I haven't found the perfect crease color yet. I hope this is it.
• Nail Polish Salon Formula $4 I've never tried any of the NYX nail polishes and usually when I do a haul like this with a big discount, I try to cover all the categories. This is described as black with red flecks of glitter. I definitely don't have something like this in my collection already.
• Rouge Cream Blush $6 Boho Chic This is hands down my favorite cream blush and definitely one of my favorite blushes overall. I've hit the pan on the one I have now. It won't be long before I crack into this one. This is also one of the prizes in My Giveaway.
• Extra Creamy Round Lipstick $4  Tea Rose  This formula is very creamy. I wanted to pick up something lighter for Spring.
• Slide on Pencil $8  Pretty Violet These are one of the more expensive items in the NYX line. They are also widely considered a dupe for the UD 24/7 liners which retail for $19. I don't have a purple liner. I'm not sure when I'll use it this but it's pretty.
• Wonder Pencil $4.50 Light  This is a new product from NYX. It's supposed to coneal, brighten, and line. Works great on the waterline.

So I decided to throw together a look using a lot of these products and as many NYX products as I could. I'm about to go meet a friend for Sunday brunch. I didn't want anything too heavy. It's definitely Spring here in Las Vegas.

Face: 

NYX HD Foundation Nude

Cover Girl Olay Concealer Balm Fair

MUA Matte Perfect Loose Powder Translucent

Cheeks:

NYX Cream Blush Boho Chic

Eyes:

NYX Wonder Pencil on the waterline.
NYX Loose Pearl Shadow Sky Pink Pearl

NYX Pin Up Tease Mascara Review

Lips:

NYX Creamy Lipstick Tea Rose

Tools:

Beauty Blender

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

e.l.f. Studio Contour Brush

MUA Haul from the 50% Off Sale

I was so excited for the MUA 50% off sale. I know MUA caught a lot of flack for the whole thing though. After the site crashed during the 35% off sale sure they could have been a bit more prepared for the 50% off sale. It was really disgusting to see how upset people got over the whole thing. You're getting already cheap makeup for even less. We're buying makeup here not saving people's lives. Settle down. But enough of being on my soap box., you want to know what I got!

So the deal was 50% a minimum order of £30 to qualify and free shipping (including international shipping yay). 

• Blush Shade #1 Gives a nice peach glow
• Lip Boom  Bring It
• Eyebrow Pencil Brunette
• Intense Colour Eyeliner Royal Blue
• Lashes Glam & Flair
• Matte Perfect Loose Translucent Powder Finely milled. No caking.
• Matte Perfect Shine Control Foundation Fair Sadly a little too dark and too yellow for me.
• Hide & Conceal Coverup Stick  Fair Light enough. yay.
• Nail Varnish Fever Red
• Lipstick Shade #1
• Intense Lip Gloss Shimmer Kisses  Stolen Kisses 
• Gel Eyeliner On the Move
• Mega Volume Mascara
• Extreme Curl Mascara Great curl but for some reason I ordered Black Brown. This would work well if you want a more subtle mascara. I layered it with NYX's Pin Up Tease Mascara for more drama.

So those are my first impressions on the few products I've used already. I also bought a Heaven & Earth palette for a friend of mine. I seem to compulsively put one of those in my cart whenever I order. Overall this was about £15 or $25 after the currency exchange. This was my third order with MUA and they've all arrived in a timely manner and everything survived the journey.

I'm already putting together my wishlist for my next order. I'm curious about their lip stains. Let me know if you've tried them. What are some of your favorites? Did you take advantage of this sale? 

Brief Update & Giveaway

I know I've been pretty silent so far this year. I've been working hard on my goals for this year. I was also hard at work rehearsing a dance that my troupe performed last week. Now that's out of the way. I might actually get some blogging done. I'm really getting into my Arabic studies though and I'm having a serious Mass Effect relapse. So after my normal bellydance schedule, studying Arabic, and saving the Universe, oh yah and working full time+  there isn't much time (or motivation) left.

Since the response was so positive to my post about How Belly Dance Changed My Life I decided to share a new video. This is just a fun dance we put together for this event.

January 18th marked the one year anniversary of Bat An Eyelash. To celebrate, I'd like to offer a giveaway of a few of my favorite products. Open internationally.

Pardon the phone picture. My camera decided to be a jerk.

• Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment I love this stuff. My hair isn't very dry or damaged so this just adds a nice shine. It smells divine!
• Maybelline Studio Gel Liner in Charcoal I use this mainly in my waterline.
• Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie I'm a sucker for berry shades.
• NYX Blush in Pinched One of my favorite blushes. It's considered a dupe for NARS Orgasm. I have both and I tend to reach for this more.
• NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic My favorite cream blush! I'm wearing it today actually.
• MUA Heaven & Earth Palette Oh MUA please come to the USA! This palette is so fabulous. I keep buying them for other people when I make a MUA order.
• EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint This is always in my purse. 
• OPI Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath I tend to only wear neutral shades on my fingernails. This is the perfect neutral.
• Tea Tree Oil Foot Repair Balm I keep this by my bed and try to remember to use it every night. It is really moisturizing and my feet don't look as awful.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kat Von D Star Kissed Lipstick Set

This set retails from Sephora for $28.50.  I received mine as a Christmas gift. I'm excited to try these out because these are my first lipsticks from this line. It contains six shades of lipstick weighing 0.042 oz. There are three shades from the Painted Love formula and three from the Foiled Love. The full size versions retail for $19 and contain .11 oz of product. That seems a tad bit pricey to me. So this set is definitely the economical route to go.

The exuberant, high-pigment formulas paint lips with brilliant color and finish with a matte or metallic effect. Natural moisturizers and anti-aging properties keep lips healthy and promise comfortable, long-lasting wear. “A shade for every occasion.” —Kat Von D

Looks like foam but it's black velour

L to R : Rosary, Lolita, Underage Red, Beranice, Forever & Never, and Valentine

Rosary & Lolita

Rosary is a dark berry/burgundy red. Lolita is a peachy/pink color. They describe it as "dusty rose."

Rosary & Lolita Swatched

Underage Love & Bernaice

 Underage Red is a true red. It photographed very orange for some reason. It is pretty similar to MAC's Ruby Woo but is creamy. Beranice is a dark shimmery pink. They describe it as "metallic poppy red." It looks more pink to me. I'll have to see how it wears.

Underage Love & Beranice Swatched

Forever & Never and Valentine

Forever & Never is a shimmery nude. It's described as a metallic peach which seems pretty accurate to me. Valentine is a shimmery pink. These two are the most sheer out of the six. I had to swipe Valentine four times for the swatch below. Forever & Never I swiped twice. Everything else I swatched in one go.

Forever & Never and Valentine Swatched

Star Kissed Lipstick Set Swatched: Rosary, Lolita, Underage Red, Beranice, Forever & Never, and Valentine

 I have to agree that there is a shade for every occasion! Have you tried any of the Kat Von D lipsticks? What's your favorite?

January Sample Society

Normally I don't look at any spoilers for Sample Society but now that there are different box variations, I decided to peek this month. One of the things I used to love about Sample Society was that everyone got the same contents. This month I got Kit C. I was a little bummed about it. I was hoping for the box with the Snowberry Day & Night creams. So when I got my box I wasn't really all that jazzed about it. 

• Sue Devitt Lip Enhancing Gloss in Coral Sands Full Size .15 oz (Retail $22) Fine lines and wrinkles are smoothed out as collagen production picks up the pace. This gloss is formulated to leave lips hydrated, with a flattering shine and sheer wash of color. This gloss is definitely moisturizing and very glossy. It has a good texture and is fairly long lasting. The color is actually pretty flattering on me.
• Nicole Richie Fragrance Eau de Parfum Perfume Vial (Full Size Retail 3.4 oz $69) Blackberry, Seville Orange, Moroccan Rose, Lily of the Valley, Golden Amber, Papyrus, Cashmere Woods, Australian Sandalwood, Sugared Patchouli, Vanilla Absolute. I don't hate this perfume but I don't love it either. I like it better than some of the other perfumes I've gotten in previous boxes but I don't think I'll be wearing it.
• By Terry Clarte De Rose Firming Radiant-Lift Eye Serum  Deluxe Sample 4 ml (Full Size Retail 15ml $81)  Combat fine lines and puffiness with 46 potent ingredients, including black rose concentrate and extra-smooth rose bio-cells. Minimize and erase signs of fatigue. I don't mind eye creams because I'm still on the search for my HG eye cream. I also noticed I'm starting to get some very fine lines in the eye area. I haven't been using this long enough to see any improvement. I might be able to get a few more uses out of the tube.
• StriVectin SD Instant Retexturizing Scrub Deluxe Sample 1 oz (Full Size Retail 5 fl oz. $49)  This effective exfoliator removes dry skin cells, smooths rough areas and improves skin texture and tone to promote skin health and luminosity. Polishes and primes skin for optimal performance of treatment products. Free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals. I love StriVectin products but since I got my Clarisonic I don't really use scrubs and the like for exfoliation  It works well enough though.
• Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Eye Pencil in Black Full Size? (Retail Value $15) Just like the traditional Kohl, but with modern ease and control of a pencil. Giving a semi-matte finish that is also smudgeable, SILK KAJAL KOHL's soft tip is ophthalmologically-tested and gentle enough to be used on the inner eye. Suitable for the most sensitive eyes, extremely comfortable. I couldn't find a description of the full size version to know if this truly full size. If it's not, it's darn close. I'm actually excited about this even though it's another black eyeliner. I don't have a kohl liner. There's a look in Making Faces where Kevyn Aucion used kohl and I'd like to try to duplicate it.
• Pantene AgeDefy Advanced Thickening Treatment bonus item 50ml Thickens existing hair, so it's as if you have up to 6.500 more hair strands.  I believe this was an Allure beauty breakthrough for the year. I naturally have lots of thick hair (don't hate my nails don't grow well see everything has a balance) and spend a hefty chunk of change getting it layered so it doesn't weigh me down and cause headaches. So this is going straight to my trade pile. I appreciate the extra item though.

This box was a little hit and miss for me I like the gloss and eyeliner and two of the items I'll try to trade. I'm indifferent about the StriVectin. I still think that Sample Society is a great sub service though. You actually get samples large enough to test a product. 

Second MUA Haul

When MUA Cosmetics  had their recent 35% off everything with free shipping sale, I jumped at the chance to get my hands a few products from my wishlist. Not quite as big as my last haul from MUA. Everything was still under $20. YAY

• Blush Perfection Cream Blush in Bittersweet I love cream blushes so I had to snag one of the new ones from MUA. I haven't had a chance to try this out yet.
• Shimmer Kiss Blusher in Pink Shimmer Kisses This gives a very sheer amount of color. This would work well for a highlight or layered a little bit more if you want just a bit of a pink glow to the cheeks.
• Bronzed Perfection I don't attempt to contour much because it's so hard to find a good color for those of us that are pale and cool toned. Hannah over at Midnight Violets  posted a review about this awhile ago. It looked like it might actually work for me. This thing is huge too. 
• Lip Liner in Red Drama I really don't like the red lip liner I have now. I like that this has a sharpener in the lid. I believe I read about this on Midnight Violets as well. 
• Brow Kit I've been slightly obsessed with brow kits and brow products lately. I was so excited when MUA released this. It was at the top of my wishlist. This has three colors and a brow gel. It also features a built in mirror and comes with a small pair of tweezers and a double ended angle brush.  
• Heaven and Earth Palette I already have one of these and I LOVE it! I bought this second one for my upcoming giveaway.

Unfortunately you can't get MUA products in the US. So like them on Facebook and look for sales. I got free shipping on this order but I've priced out orders before and they are still fairly reasonable. It just takes a little bit longer to get here but I haven't had any issues with either of my orders. Not sure what to order? I can't recommend  Midnight Violets  enough. She really is my go to for MUA reviews. Did you pick up anything from the last sale?

In 2013 I Want To....

Well 2012 certainly went by fast and I can't really say I'm sad to see it go. I was really not healthy from late 2011 until late 2012. In 2012 I started my blog, had an organ removed, switched jobs, performed three different choreographies (one of which was a solo), and my closest friend moved to another state. So there was a lot going on and at times it felt out of control.

Now that I'm once again feeling well and like my old self it's time to get back on track. I hate to use the word resolution. I prefer making life changes. I don't plan to change my everything over night but I have a better vision of the path to get to where I want to be. I'm embracing the New Year with a positive outlook for sure. This year I want to:

• Dance as much as possible. I'm already doing my best at this. I'm about to start another choreography workshop on Wednesday. Currently rehearsing two different dances and going to class as much as possible. So right now I'm pulling 3-5 hours of dance. I'd like to keep it around that level.
• Get serious about cutting my spending and saving more. Doing pretty good at this as well. I've cut my beauty subs down to one (Sample Society and even that is on probation). I cancelled my DirecTV. When I looked at how much I was spending on TV yearly I was like "That's a trip home and a new costume!" I like TV but not that much. Besides it leaves me more time to take care of the other things on this list. My biggest problem right now is picking up take out.
• Learn Arabic. Yep that's right. Learn Arabic. Just about everything I dance to is in Arabic. I'd like to be able to understand it. Granted I do my research and our teacher is great about explaining what the song is about and when it was written and all that but it's not the same. Besides learning is never a waste. My Mom sent me Your First 100 Words in Arabic from my Amazon wishlist last Christmas and I never got serious about studying. Now I'm devoting time every day to work on it. Right now I'm learning words for things from around the home so I have my flash cards taped up all over the house. Next week I think I'm going to advance to trying to remember what they are just based on the Arabic not the transliteration. Wish me luck! I'd also like to work in some tutoring.

• Lose Weight. I'm sure this is on most lists. After my surgery I gained twenty pounds or so. That has to go! I need to start making a meal plan. I also plan on buying my own elliptical. If I spend money on something, I'll use it because I don't like to be wasteful. This will also remove the "but I don't wanna go to the gym" excuse. I'm thinking I might have to do something pretty drastic for me and that is get up earlier. I'm not a morning person but I have a day job. I still sleep as late as possible but I think I need to start working out in the morning. It's too easy for me to get stuck at the office or just be like "I'm too tired." in the evening. I adhere to my morning routine very strictly. So if I start slowly altering my morning routine to include working out, I believe I can be successful.

I know it's weird that "Blog More" isn't on my list.I never started this blog with the intention of gaining thousands of followers and quitting my day job. It's something I enjoy doing and I'm glad ya'll read it but if I'm going to be honest here, it's not one of my top priorities right now.  I'd like to get more organized about what posts I want to make and try to get more reviews and things done. I do plan on working a new camera into the budget somewhere as well. Mine is seriously ready to put out to pasture. Oh and I'm putting together stuff for my blog's one year birthday which is coming up very soon.  

What are your goals for 2013?

Christmas 2012 Haul

I know people are already posting their New Year's Resolutions and I'm just now getting around to posting my Christmas gifts. I'm a busy girl :) Thanks to my family for these great gifts. I finally decided to try out BeautySets since my camera really is on its last leg and we keep having overcast days.

Christmas 2012 Haul
with Style Eyes, Benefit Cosmetics, Kat Von D