The She Space swatches...

Recently, a friend requested that I swatch my eye shadows from The She Space. So here they are. Sorry the photo quality kind of sucks. I'm using my back-up camera.

*STP = sprinkle of twinkles and pearl collection

• ruled by memories (stp collection) - cocoa berry plum
• touched by truth (stp collection) - twinkling golden taupe
• crushed metal (stp collection) - smoky grey w/ layers of pink & copper
• perceived reality (the velvets) - graham cracker taupe
• january baby (capricorn collection) - cocoa taupe w/ a hint of champagne
• ecstasy unleashed (the velvets) - nude corn yellow
• the big guns (the velvets) - soft cocoa grey
• cabana boy (the velvets) - icy green
  

• stopping traffic (the velvets) - sheerest butter yellow
• slumber party (stp collection) - golden cocoa w/ layers of copper & pink
• seeds of truth (stp collection) - shimmering rose bronze
• glossed over (stp collection) - plum w/ layers of baby blue & lavender
• shot the messenger (stp collection) - antiqued gold w/ a hint of pink
• broken rules (stp collection) - soft twinkling honey w/ layers of gold & pink
• ruler of the land (stp collection) - ashy denim blue shimmer
• edge of reason (stp collection) - deep olive green metallic w/ layers of copper & gold
  

• step to it (stp collection) - cocoa smoke shimmer w/ a hint of pink
• social climber (stp collection) - soft plum shimmer
• chained up heart (stp collection) - softest rose wine shimmer
• storybook love (stp collection) - shimmering mauve rose
• december maybe (capricorn collection) - creamy bisque w/ a hint of coral
• passion parade (stp collection) - twinkling cocoa raisin
• simmer down now (stp collection) - vivid rose bronze w/ a bit of sparkle
  

Friday night at the Grizzlies game...

The Fresno Grizzlies is our local minor league baseball team (San Francisco Giants affiliate). In a free drawing at my gym, I won four tickets to Friday night's game. Although it's been in the low 100's here, by game time the weather was beautiful and there was even a slight breeze. We had such a great time.

Cameron's so happy waiting for the game to start.

As you can see by the empty seats, we got there extra early.

Yummy baseball park food! Yes, I actually ate this (with help from the kids).

Robyn and Sierra

The Little Caesar's Pizza mascot sat down next to Cameron.

Jason and Robyn

Cameron spent a lot of the game in this position hoping to catch a fly ball.

Fireworks after the game!

The She Space "Cocoa Rose" FOTD...

I'm really enjoying the eye shadows from The She Space. Of the colors I've tried, the quality is very nice and they really last. The textures are great as well. I'm particularly fond of their "The Velvets" collection. Here is the description from their web site:

"Some days you just do not any sparkle or twinkle, so our entire collection of Velvet Pigments is just what the Doctor ordered. All of the pigments listed below have a texture that is more like a velvet finish (hence the name) and have no sparkle. Please keep in mind that these are not MATTE shades, they just tend to look more like a smoothe velour or velvet fabric when you apply them. However....they do beg to be layered next to any of our more twinkly colors, so knock yourself out and don't hesitate to mix and match to your hearts' content!!!"

Here's the eye shadow (all by The She Space) I used for this look:

• stopping traffic (The Velvets): Sheerest butter yellow
• lesli in leather (April Ltd Ed): Crystal rose w/ blue & violet glow
• love that lynne (April Ltd Ed): Sheer cocoa taupe w/ halo of pink
• kiss of reality (May Ltd Ed): Soft buttery gold

And here's where I used them:

• stopping traffic - inner 1/3 of lid
• lesli in leather - outer 2/3 of lid
• love that lynne - crease/outer v
• kiss of reality - brow bone highlight

Other makeup in this look:

• Aromaleigh voile mineral foundation (I used a mix of 2y/2yl/2w and 3y) - all over
• Aromaleigh gothic lolita rouge in Rococo - cheeks
• Aromaleigh gothic lolita lip color creme in Shortcake - lips
• Aromaleigh gel liner in Black Out - upper lash line
• Max Factor 2000 calorie waterproof mascara - upper lashes

*I appear darker than normal in these photos because I'm using a sunless tanner.

"Velvet Craving" EOTD...

• bare necessity creme shadow - as base from lashes to brows
• petunia satin petals frost - inner 1/3 of lid
• little craving gothic lolita - center 1/3 of lid
• velvet dream gothic lolita - outer 1/3 of lid and into crease
• drama queen red wet lined - on top and bottom lash lines
• black cherry indelible liner - on top and bottom water lines
  

*All makeup is Aromaleigh.

*Originally posted in 2008 on Aromaleigh's forum Makeup Challenge Week 17.

Aromaleigh "Entangled Metallic" FOTD...

• Entangle - on lid and crease


• Swoon (discontinued) - in crease, vee and wet lined on top and bottom lash lines


• Fiona - to highlight brow bone


• 2w Glissade mineral powder foundation


• Verve - on cheeks


• Tulip - stay-put liner to line and fill in lips


• Buzz (discontinued) gloss - on lips
  

(Click on the color names to go to their page on the Aromaleigh site)

*I posted this look on the Aromaleigh forum back in 2008 (before I was posting my FOTDs here). Any dark grey e/s (like Aromaleigh's Smokescreen pure hue) would make a nice substitute for the discontinued Swoon.

Exciting Aromaleigh updates...

Aromaleigh announces "50% off days!" Today's featured collection is Satin Petals Frost.

*50% off until 11:59 p.m. today only!

Aromaleigh's "Satin Petals" frost eyeshadow collection is inspired by the delicate beauty and subtle complexity of lovely Spring flowers...

These satiny spring colors represent several levels of coloration- just like a beautiful flower will have different colors on the top and underside of it's petals and in the center... all very subtle and natural gradations. Think of your eyelids as beautiful flower petals... highlight with Marigold, Petunia, Sweet Pea, Hydrangea, Bluebell and Dandelion! Contour with Foxglove, Coriander, Basil, Verbena or Campanula! Use Amaryllis, Lilypad, Ivy, Lisianthus or Balsam to create a smudgy, smoky look or for wet or dry lining. These shadows have a lustrous, pearlized finish with delicate interplay of color highlights. READ MORE...


They also just announced the return of "Star Bright" Mineral Shimmer.

Wear-all softest pink mineral shimmer with bright pastel sparks of violet and pink. This shimmer can be used anywhere- your face, hair, body, lips, or as an eyeshadow too!We've brought this product back by popular request- it was originally part of our Gothic Lolita Sweetheart kit... now you can purchase it separately! READ MORE...
I especially like how the small jar of Star Bright in the photo above looks like a scoop of some sort of yummy sweet treat!

The July contest winner is...

Jeanine!

Soft green & purple FOTD (Aromaleigh "Hot in the City")...

This is my first FOTD using Aromaleigh's latest limited edition collection "Hot in the City." I prefer to apply my eye shadows with a light hand, but these colors could look much brighter if foiled.

Here are the colors I used in this look

Color Descriptions:

• rooftop garden - Warm golden green frost with tiny sparkles of gold and blue
• hoity toity - Deep smokey mauve tones with a metallic pewter undertone and bright sparkles of blue
• window shopping - Neutral champagne buff with golden iridescent highlight and vivid gold sparkles
• skyscraper - Rich, deep gray/green/brown tones with shimmery highlights of copper, pink and blue
• sunny disposition - Palest buttercream yellow with a plush pearl finish
• sundaygirl - Loud reddish tangerine. Don't be shy... just try!

Eye shadow placement

What I used on the rest of my face:

• 2y/2yl/2w voile mineral foundation - all over
• sundaygirl rocks sonic rouge - cheeks
• cremesicle delight aromatherapy lip balm - lips
• chocolate mousse indelible gel liner - smudged on upper lash line

*All makeup is Aromaleigh.

Thanks for checking out my look! More Aromaleigh "Hot in the City" FOTD's will be coming soon.

True Blood: Have you been bitten?

Click here to see video clips of upcoming episodes.

The Short on Time and Energy Workout: Celebrity Trainer Jackie Warner’s Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Fitness Routine...

Don’t let your busy life derail your weight-loss or fitness efforts. The star of Bravo’s Work Out answered some pressing questions about maximizing time at the gym.

Savvy Strength Training

Q: When I’m short on time, which muscles should I pay the most attention to during strength training?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: You should focus on the primary muscles (big muscles) like the chest, back, quads, hamstrings and glutes. Bodybuilders call these muscles the fat burners because they burn much more fat than smaller muscles like the calves, arms and shoulders. Try push-ups for your chest, assisted pull-ups or pull-downs for your back, leg extensions for your quads, lying-down hamstring curls for hamstrings and weighted squats for your glutes.

Circuit Tricks

Q: Are there exercises I can do that combine both cardio and strength training?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: Cardio and strength training combined is called circuit training, my favorite, and it proves to be the best way to lose weight fast and keep it off. You perform one exercise with resistance and move on to another (without rest) until you have performed four to eight different exercises for all muscle groups. By doing this, your heart rate is up, but you’re working the muscles for tone, too. For example: Go from chest press (chest/triceps) to leg press (glute/quads) to back rows (back/shoulders) to squats (glutes/lowback) to chest fly (chest) to weighted lunges (glute/hamstring) to wide-grip pull-downs (back) to leg extensions (quads).

No Rest Stop

Q: I can get to the gym for only 30 minutes a day during the holidays. What’s the best way to spend that brief amount of time?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: Do three five-minute runs on the treadmill, alternating with weight lifting. For example, run for five minutes, then jump off and do a chest routine for five minutes; then run for another five, jump off do a leg routine; run for five more, jump off and do a back routine. That’s intense, and results are speedy!

Length Matters

Q: Is it better to go to the gym more often for shorter periods of time or less often for longer durations?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: It’s better to train for shorter periods of time, more frequently. It’s not about how long you do it—it’s about how strong you do it. So go four to five times a week for 20 to 30 minutes of circuit training.

What About Yoga?

Q: If I have limited time to spend working out, should I forgo my weekly yoga class?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: Ditch the yoga and Pilates and opt for more calorie burning and muscle toning. Options include circuit training, boxing and boot-camp classes.

Burn, Baby, Burn

Q: If I’m going to do only one fitness-related thing, what should it be?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: Circuit training with weights burns the most calories, and your body continues to burn up to two hours after. Don’t you love when you can feel the burn throughout the day? I do!

Curious About Cardio

Q: I want to look extra hot in my holiday party outfit. Which cardio workout will help me shed the most pounds?

Jackie’s Get-Fit Tip: A combination of spinning and running will give you the best results. Your body will never adapt to the workouts, and it will continuously burn fat. I suggest cutting your treadmill time to 20 minutes: Do a fast walk uphill for two minutes, sprint for the next two minutes and cool down for another minute. Repeat three times to equal four five-minute intervals.

No Gym? No Problem

Q: But what if I can’t get to the gym?

Pick up a workout DVD you can do at home, on your own time. Workout: One-on-One Training With Jackie ($13, jackiewarner.com) fuses cardio and strength training to get your upper and lower body—and your core—into shape.

Photo of Jackie: Courtesy of Bravo TV

Hey nesters! Today, I did the treadmill routine in "Curious About Cardio" and it was an invigorating and intense workout. I followed it up with 10 minutes on the bike and my heart rate was well into the fat-burning zone the entire time.

Aromaleigh's LE "Hot in the City" up for sale (color descriptions and skin swatches revealed)...

• window shopping - neutral champagne buff with golden iridescent highlight and vivid gold sparkles.
• skyscraper - rich, deep gray/green/brown tones with shimmery highlights of copper, pink and blue.
• coney island - joyous green apple luster with bright sparks of green.
• swelter - lustrous tangerine with a pink iridescent highlight and contrasting purple sparkles.
• gridlock - mysterious midnight blue, teal green, silvery pewter and warm chocolate tones; all in one, ever-changing.
• return to tiffany's - gorgeous aqua sheen with diamond luster and bright teal sparkles.

• girl's night out - warm purple frost with bright green sparkles.
• hustle & bustle - a warm coppery brown shade with iridescence of pearlized greens and roses.
• asphalt - darkest ebony matte black offset by the brightest sparks of pink and gold.
• italian ice - sweet and tart bright lemon yellow with pretty pink sparkles throughout.

• concrete jungle - warmed taupe with the most amazing bright sparks of aqua.
• neon lights - soft flame orange with sparks of blue.
• lady liberty - lustrous smokey blue green frost, the shade of weathered copper... like the lady herself!
• socialite - roses, mauves and browns in a lustrous frost with bright sparks of pinky mauve.
• late for work - Vivid deep cornflower blue luster with sparkles of blue and green.
• hoity toity - Deep smokey mauve tones with a metallic pewter undertone and bright sparkles of blue.

• heat wave - Warm golden luster with iridescent pink highlights and tiny golden sparkles.
• rooftop garden - Warm golden green frost with tiny sparkles of gold and blue.
• 24 hours - Deep coppered garnets, smooth and lustrous with tiny sparkles of gold and pink.
• brownstone - Cocoa brown frost with tiny borealis luster sparkles. Not your average brown.

Of course, I've already purchased the entire sample set. Aromaleigh colors are so special and have subtle nuances that are not able to be captured on camera. So I've learned that you need to try every single color in person and on your eyelids to make a decision on whether a color is right for you. My top 5 to try are: concrete jungle, brownstone, lady liberty, rooftop garden and heat wave.

Click here to get your samples now! Aromaleigh usually puts the full sizes on sale at 25% off the week after the collection has been unveiled. READ MORE...

Fireworks...

These are photos from the fireworks we let off in the street last night. I love the many textures and colors in them. Some are beautifully colored, some are electric looking, some look violent and some even look hairy. Enjoy the show!

Aromaleigh's newest limited edition collection "Hot in the City"...

Miss K is preparing the collection for sale and she'll let us know via her various social networks (facebook, twitter, blog, forum) when it's ready. But here is a sneak peek at the swatches and names. READ MORE...

Mascara review...

In my never ending quest for a mascara that lengthens, adds volume and doesn't wear off under my eyes by the end of the day (I have huge issues with this), I purchased several mascaras from ULTA last week. I tried each of them out and here is my review...

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Waterproof ($5.49)

This is what I currently use (just finished my first tube). I bought a new one just in case I didn't like any of the others I purchased. The brush head is a little larger than I like but it's not as big as some I've seen/tried. It provides decent length and volume but can be a bit clumpy (I think it's because of the brush). It also dries out and gets thicker faster than other mascaras I've used in the past so I have to replace it more frequently. But it does last all day with no wear-off under my eyes. So far, this is the best mascara I have found that suits all my criteria.

Covergirl Lash Blast Waterproof Volume Mascara ($7.99)

I never got around to reviewing whether or not it lengthened or added volume because the brush was so huge it was very difficult to maneuver around the inner corners. It also deposited way too much product on the brush. Bleck! I removed this immediately This mascara is not for me.

Max Factor Lash Perfection Volume Couture Waterproof ($7.99)

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the iFX brush (I'm used to the old school type of brush) but it held just the right amount of mascara and it kept my lashes clump free. It provided nice length and volume, and did not wear off under my eyes after a full day. Yay!

Max Factor Lash Perfection Stretch & Separate Waterproof ($6.99)

To my eyes, the brush is identical to the Volume Couture one (see comparison photos below). It also provided the same amount of length and volume as the Volume Couture and did not wear off under my eyes after a full day. I checked the ingredients list and they are identical as well. Hmm...

vc brush on the left -- s & s brush on the right

Two days in a row I wore each of these mascaras (one on each eye and I alternated which eye I wore it on the following day) and they both performed beautifully. So I'm wondering, why would I spend more for what amounts to the same mascara? Upon further investigation, the difference became clear...the Volume Couture contains .24 fluid ounces of mascara and the Stretch & Separate contains .13 fluid ounces. So the Volume Couture contains nearly 2x the mascara for only $.80 more. I found my winner - Max Factor Lash Perfection Volume Couture Waterproof!

I hope you found this review to be helpful in your quest for the perfect mascara. Have a safe and fun 4th of July!

Great makeup sales going on!

Cherry Culture: 20% off all orders over $50. Offer good July 3 through 7. Use code GR4S.

Nonpareil Boutique: 20% off site wide. Offer good through July 7. Use code ID20. I love this site. Their everyday prices are already ridiculously low (NYX round lipsticks $1.90, Mega shine gloss $3.98), and that's before the 20% discount!

And although Ms. CuppyCakes doesn't have a sale advertised on their site, their NYX round lipsticks are everyday priced at just $1.25. Their other NYX products are offered at great prices as well. P.S. If you're not familiar with Ms. CuppyCakes, they exclusively offer NYX cosmetics, Red Cherry Lashes and also have an extensive selection of natural hair brushes on their site.

Aromaleigh Mineral Cosmetics has many items offered at 25% their regular price every week. They also have over 100 retired Limited Edition eyeshadows up for auction on eBay right now, including entire sample sets. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Click here to check out Aromaleigh's weekly sale and click here to check out the auctions. Did I mention that Miss K is also having a contest related to the auction? Click here to check that out as well.

So go grab yourself a bargain girls!

Robyn's Nest July Contest!

See the complete contest rules to the right in my sidebar. Here is the prize...

• 1 full size ULTA salon formula nail lacquer in Antique Rose (perfect for pale pink summer toes)
• 1 full size ULTA salon formula nail lacquer in Runway (perfect for pale peach summer toes)
• 1 Aromaleigh eye lustre eyeshadow sample in Diamanda
• 1 Aromaleigh carolina summer matte eyeshadow sample in Starfish
• 1 Aromaleigh opulent lustre eyeshadow sample in Tamarind
• 1 Aromaleigh perle powder multi-purpose powder sample in Solace
• 1 Aromaleigh color infusion lipstick sample in Pout
• 1 Aromaleigh aromatherapy lipbalm sample in Pink Grapefruit
• 1 ULTA super shiny lipgloss in Honey
• 1 double-side salon style nail file
• 1 90-page Indulge strawberry memo pad (just stripes on the inside)

Color Descriptions (where available):

• Diamanda -Luxe orchid shade, purplish pink pearlescent sheen
• Starfish - A muted warm clay shade
• Tamarind - Warm purple-mauve with the Opulent's liquid metal effect
• Solace - A clear peach shade with a golden highlight
• Pout - A romantic subtly shimmering shade with pink/copper/golden/russet tones

Good luck!