Dollar Tree Haul

I really have to dedicate this Dollar Tree haul to Ale (QueenBMakeup)!! She is always hauling inexpensive products and making it look great. This weekend, while shopping for window treatments with my mother-in-law, I came across a Dollar Tree... I was compelled to try and find quality products in exchange for my good ole' George Washington's. I was quite surprised at what I was able to find. Typically I wouldn't even browse the cosmetic aisle of the dollar store, but I'm glad I did. Here's my buried treasures!

All of this for $9! I picked up three Maybelline glosses, one Maybelline Superstay Power Gems 12-hour lip color, one L.A. colors lip gloss, two Loreal Refreshing Eye Liners, and two Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadows.

Here are swatches of the lip glosses. The first three Maybelline glosses are somewhat light, not overly sticky, the consistency is just right (I can't stand very thick, sticky glosses. And no, jizz-lips are NOT cute. LOL) The shades are very sheer but are great for applying over lip liner or solo for a touch of shine.

I have to say that I was very impressed with the Powerstay 12-hour lip color. The shade itself reminded me very much of an old MAC Pro Longwear color that I used to have. I was never a fan of the Pro Longwear, only because it was horribly drying and would cause my lips to peel. However, the Maybelline 12-hour lip color was delightfully sheer and dried quickly and smoothly. Once it dried, I applied the shimmer gloss on top and was very happy with the way the color held up. The only con was that I found the shimmer gloss to be very thick and heavy feeling. In the end, the 12-hour lip color was an overall plus and I wouldn't be surprised to see a sticker of $8 for this product in drugstores. (I actually saw it at Target, the day after I began writing this blog, for $7.99... right on the money!)

The L.A. Colors gloss was labeled "pink" eventhough it appeared red in the tube. When applied, it was very sheer and did appear more of a glossy-pink than a red. I would consider this gloss more "glittery" than "shimmery". It is fruit scented and reminds me of something you would have picked up as a teenager. I feel this would be a perfect, fun gloss for layering over lipsticks for the holidays.

I also picked up these Loreal Colour Fesco liners... One is a light, shimmery white, the other a nice, brownish-toffee shade. The consistency was almost perfect, I would have prefered them to be a tad more on the creamy side, just for ease of application. However, the fact that they weren't very kohl-like was great in my opinion because that equals longer wear, but they weren't severely dry to the point that it would skip or tug on delicate eye areas.

My only gripe with this is that the brown shade was completely unattached from the wood casing. I'll try warming it up and seeing if it will "melt" into place... hopefully I don't ruin it altogether. If I do, well at least it was only a dollar! LOL

I decided to try two of the Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadows... one in "Pink Halo" and another in "Lilac Cloud". These were very light but extremely shimmery. Being that it was my very first time trying the mousse products, I wasn't sure what to expect. It in fact, as its name implies, has a very mousse-like consistency... very light, airy, reminds me of a fluffy meringue or key lime pie! (Mmmm, fexi! LOL)

"Pink Halo" on the left, "Lilac Cloud" on the right. The pink shade is much more shimmery than the lilac. I did use "Lilac Cloud" yesterday with a purple look that I wore. I applied it to the entire lid and it held up exceptionally well throughout the day- no noticable loss of color or sparkle, no running or creasing. Great find for only $1!

So there! I finally did it; a Dollar Tree haul, aren't you proud of me? LOL Heck, I know I am! Typically 9 products would run me close to or over the $200 mark, and well... with the holidays around the corner, I've got to learn to get my beauty fix on a budget!

Feel free to comment or ask questions... lata Glamouristas!

OOOOHHHHHHH!!!! and one more very awesome thing... please go check out my interview with Amanda11762!!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Well... it's Sunday and Thanksgiving weekend is officially coming to a close. I don't know about you, but I really don't get into all that "Black Friday" lunacy. Those who know me already know that long lines and I don't mix. I'm the one that will "come back later" if I can't get a good parking stall at Wal-Mart! I don't know... maybe it's just people in general that get on my nerves? LOL

Anyhow, hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. :) Thanksgiving was just Rod and I this year. I cooked for 5 hours (longest cook-time ever!) and our menu consisted of fried catfish, mac & cheese, collard greens, stuffing, candied yams, potato salad, cranberry sauce, biscuits... and of course, rice (for the Japanese in me!) We finished the night off with some bomb peach cobbler, thanks to a family recipe from Mama-Fexi herself (@ReeReeKins on Twitter), topped with vanilla bean ice cream! There was no turkey on the menu (because we don't eat meat), but I sure felt like a butterball after all that food.

I knew that once I began my cooking journey, I wouldn't feel like putting my face on after the food was done, so I opted to do my holiday make-up before breaking out the pots and pans. It was very simple and neutral, just added a little glam to it by laying down some glitter liner over my eyeliner and in the bottom inner-corners. If I had gone out, I would have just added some sexy red lips to finish the look... but since we stayed at home, I chose neutral lips.

Products Used

Face:
Bare Minerals foundation (Golded Medium), w/ Mineral Veil.
Eyes:
HHC Shadow Base, HHC "Tabby Cat" Menage-a-5 Palette (lighter shades for highlight and base color, browns for shading and depth, green shade on lower lashline), MAC "Her Glitz" glitter liner, HHC "Black Out" Pick-Up Lines Gel Liner.
Brows:
HHC "Brunette" Brow Quad.
Lashes:
Maybelline Colossal Waterproof "Classic Black", Red Cherry #1
Cheeks:
MAC "Other Worldly" blush, "Harmony" (contour)
Lips:
MAC "Stripdown" liner, HHC "Strip Search" lip slick, dab of MAC "Peroxide" lipglass.

Monday-Monday!

Monday was a very busy day for me... I had a meeting with the ladies of the Rio Spa & Salon at noon for instruction and demonstrations. Well, being that I have the luck of the non-Irish, I woke up that morning and went to put my kit in the car, only to discover a nail in my tire!! Grrr! (This stuff must only happen to me! LOL) I have a feeling it's because we recently moved into our new home and there's still construction going on, thus explaining nails on the road and in my tire. I go to a tire shop and wouldn't you know... they don't have my tire in stock, it had to be ordered. *sigh*
So I get to the Rio (about 15 minutes late) and begin the demos... this was the highlight of my day. The ladies were so much fun. They sat with their notepads, asked questions and were very interactive, I love groups like that! :) We played with the Harajuku Hunnies products (HHC), swatched colors, did make-up application- it was great.

HHC is now available for purchase at the Rio Hotel & Casino's Spa & Salon in Las Vegas!!! I'm so excited about that... plus, they've told me that the products are doing really well and they are looking forward to using HHC for the upcoming holidays, specifically New Year's make-up. If you're in Las Vegas or will be visiting soon, please go check them out and let them know that you support HHC! :)


The bright teal shade on my lid is from the "Lolita" 3-Way Palette. Here's my make-up for the day...

Products used:
Face:
MUFE HD foundation (123), MUFE HD microfine finishing powder.
Eyes:
HHC "Lolita" 3-Way Palette (teal shade), MAC "vanilla" es, MAC "nylon" es, MAC "print" es, MAC "blue brown" pigment, no-name olive/brown shimmer. HHC "black out" pick-up lines gel liner.
Brows:
HHC "brunette" brow quad.
Lashes:
Maybelline Colossal "classic black", MAC #7.
Cheeks:
MAC "harmony" (contour), MAC Mineralized "warmed".
Lips:
HHC "spice" lipliner, MAC "c-thru" lipglass.

Interested in Sponsorship/Reviews??

So... you've been hearing about being sponsored or possibly doing a review for HHC, huh? Good! Keep reading!

In the past I received a lot of emails from blog sites asking for products so they could review them, yada, yada, yada, you know the rest. I really haven't been able to extend that opportunity to many people until now, and I have to tell you, I'm soooo excited! :) I've already had several very active and talented ladies inquire about doing reviews within the last day. As much as I wish I could take everyone on, there's just no possible way for me to do that, so I have hand-picked just a few for now. But don't worry... I'm positive that there will be more opportunities to come, just be patient with me (please?)!! LOL

Through the emails and messages on Twitter, I did notice that I was being asked quite a few of the same questions. Therefore, I thought I would share just a few of these questions/answers as they pertain to sponsorship and reviews.

Q: Do I have to have a YouTube channel?
A: That would be great, as it would increase views and exposure, but it's not necessary. This used to be a requirement for me, but it's no longer applicable. Personally, if you've followed my YouTube channel, you'll notice that I hardly make many videos myself these days, so I completely understand. You must however, either have a YouTube channel or a blog, some way of "spreading the word".

Q: If I'm sponsored by Harajuku Hunnies Cosmetics, does that mean I can't be sponsored with any other company?
A: Heck no! Ok, let's be real for a minute... I'm not Cover Girl and you're probably not a Ford model, and there's definitely NOT a million dollar check exchanging hands here. Therefore there's no contract and I don't own exclusive rights to YOUR face. I personally find it pretty absurd for small companies, such as myself, to restrict YOUR right to who and what you want to represent. You're a big girl, I'm sure you can make informed decisions on whose company and what philosophy you approve your face and name to be associated with.

Q: Is there a time limit on when the review or look has to be completed?
A: No. BUT (you knew that was coming, didn't you? LOL) let's make sure we're all on the same page here; if I send you free products for a look or review, you understand that this is in exchange for service/time. This is not a prize (see the difference?) No, I'm not a b*tch, nor do I care to be, so please don't take me there. However, if you get to know me, you will know that I'm very easy-going and I really don't let little things bother me. If you're busy, fine, I understand, just try not to blow me off for a month. There are nights in which I barely find time to sleep, so I know "busy"... But the reason I'm "busy" is because I'm handling business, therefore I expect those that I associate with to have somewhat similar values and work ethic. At the same time, I'm not one of those over-bearing cosmetic gurus who feel entitled to your every waking moment... If it's one thing I know, it's that the more you hold onto something, the harder it will fight to get away. ;) Are you feeling me yet? Do I need to keep going?

Q: I have severe allergies and am extremely sensitive to pets, smoke, etc... since you're a home-based business, I need to know if any of these apply to you.
A: I'm glad you asked! Aside from being asthmatic myself, Rod, Coco, and I are very sensitive to things like smoke, dust, and pets. You'll be happy to know that neither of us smoke, nor do we allow smoking in our home. Given our allergies, though we love pets, we simply can't own them... therefore you will never have to worry about your make-up being subjected to any of the above. When I create shadows, I am also masked and gloved for your protection and mine... so relax, hunny! ;)

Like I said, I'm pretty laid back. With that being said, I pride myself on excellent customer service and the highest level of professionalism. I refuse to get sucked into any drama involving other businesses. Some of what I have witnessed has been absolutely ridiculous and I have no desire to be associated with companies with low values, both personally and professionally. I am a firm believer that your company, and what it stands for, is a reflection of you. You will never find me bad-mouthing my customers on any site, all the while claiming to "love" them. I don't grumble and gripe about the valid concerns of my customers. Sadly, this is something that I've seen from other business owners and I find that to be a major turn-off, especially when I am a cutomer of theirs myself. I promise to always value the opinions and concerns of those who make what I do possible!

So... now that you've read it all, let me hear your thoughts. Do you uphold high standards for yourself? Are you a cut above the rest? From what you've read, is Harajuku Hunnies an extension of you? If so, let's talk! :)

New Quickie Shadows on HHC!

Hey Glamouristas! So although I've had a lot going on these past few weeks and have been more than my fair share of "busy", I decided I needed to devote some time to developing some new colors. (Now if I can just find the time to master this blog thing! lol) Here is a preview of the new Quickies Shadows available on HarajukuHunnies.com!

"Get Lucky"

"Mean Green"

"Bright Eyes, Bushy Tail"

"Oral Addiction"

"Lyric"

"Too Deep"

"Schoolgirl"

"Here, Kitty Kitty!"

"Mauve-ahlous"

"Purple Majesty"

OHHHH!!! BTW, I'm looking for a few new faces to rep HHC! :) If you like what you see and do regular blogs, reviews, etc. with cosmetics, send me your link (with photos) and let's chop it up! Email me!! -->[harajukuhunnies@gmail.com] If you've got what we're looking for, you may get some free products in exchange for your time... and hello, like WHO doesn't like "free"? LOL

First Blog Post... EVER!

Hey! So after months and months of having this blog site, I've finally decided to try and put it to some sort of use. If you follow me on Twitter or have subbed me on YouTube, you probably know that I'm not very active on YouTube anymore... my apologies! I just find it very hard to find the time and energy to sit down, record a video (possibly record it a few times), then spend hours editing and cr*p to get it upload-ready. I'm a very busy woman (ha!)... no, really, I am.

So, for my very first blog, I'm going to share a few pics of make-up that I did today for a lovely bride named "Liz". Her bridal party's color was "purple"... one of my faves! She wanted a smokey look, which I was more than happy to oblige... One thing to remember: you do have to be cautious when using trendy colors (like purple, blue) for things like wedding photos. You want to keep it elegant and sophisticated, ensuring the Bride acheives the look she's going for, while being careful not to go overboard resulting in dated-looking wedding photos. Before we go on, I do realize I need a "real" camera, but here are some from the Sony phone (hey, it's a CyberShot! lol) I'm waiting on her professional wedding photos, I'll be sure to post some later. Anyhow, here is Liz "before"...

Here is Liz "after"...

Here are the products used:

Face

MUFE HD foundation (127), MUFE HD microfine finishing powder, Model in a Bottle (sensitive skin)

Eyes

MAC "brown down" es, MAC "haux" es, MAC "nocturnelle" es, MAC "shroom" es, MAC "vanilla" es, MAC "nylon" es, MAC "print" es, MAC "carbon" es, HHC "black out" gel liner

Brows

HHC "brunette" quad

Lashes

Maybelline Define-a-Lash waterproof, Red Cherry #47

Cheeks

MAC "gentle" mineralize blush, MAC "harmony" (contour)

Lips

MAC "dervish" lipliner, HHC "spice" lipliner, MAC "myth" ls, HHC "plump asset" ls, MAC "flowerosophy" lipglass