I love the Holidays and all the discounts in the cosmetic world...

If you have been following me for a while... you know that I am a huge lover of ELF Cosmetics.  Considering how affordable their cosmetic line is - they really do have some awesome quality pieces.  So - as my first post in about a week, I am going to post a photo of their site... with all the cute (pre wrapped) Holiday items ;)

Stop on by and check it out... and of course - don't forget to stop by I-Candy Couture and take a look at our new Winter Wonderland Sweets Collection of Mineral Eyeshadow Pigments ;)

E.L.F. cosmetics current Sales & Discount Codes

Hey Everyone... I got my weekly email with ELF's sales & discount codes and decided that instead of just tossing them out of my inbox... I would start sharing them with everyone. :) Take advantage of some of these awesome deals.

 ~ SPECIAL OFFERS ~

$100 VALUE FREE! PICK 10 MINERAL EYESHADOWS FREE!
Use code MINTEN with your $25 order.
Shop Now at:
http://www.eyeslipsface.com
Expires May 23, 2011.

FREE BRONZER KIT!
Wristlet, Studio Bronzer, Blushing, Bronzing & Blending Brush, & Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15!
Use code BKIT with your $20 order and Bronzer Kit will be added to cart.
Shop Now at:
http://www.eyeslipsface.com
Expires May 25, 2011.

~ BACK IN STOCK ~

NOW YOU CAN HAVE A BESTSELLER!

e.l.f. Studio Endless Eyes Pro Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Everyday Classics:
come your own makeup artist with our amazing Professional Eyeshadow Palette from the luxurious 'Studio' line of cosmetics. In this complete Makeup Artist Eyeshadow Kit, you'll find everything to go from dark & smoky eyes… to fresh, bright ones… to totally fun & funky looks, thanks to the 100 eyeshadow colors & textures in every set.
Grab It Now at: http://www.eyeslipsface.com

* Take advantage of these awesome deals and get your favorite products before they sell out. :) Happy Shopping.

Wacky Wednesday.... Honey's Top 5 Beauty Picks for the Week

Here are this weeks Top Picks.  I have a range of different products and prices here for you to choose from.  Remember... you don't need to spend "big money" on makeup to "get the on-trend" looks of this season.  

*please note that all the products listed below and pictured above are in no particular order.  

I enjoy using all of them equally. :)

1.  Urban Decay Naked Palette $48.00
Every possible Neutral/basic eyeshadow color you could ever need is in this palette.  The palette comes with a travel sized Urban Decay Primer Potion - so you can ensure that your makeup stays put through the course of your day... and a full sized eyeshadow brush - full applying your eyeshadow effortlessly.  Though this palette can be a bit of a splurge on the pocket book, trust me... it is well worth it.  You can easily create everyday wearable looks and step up your look for a classy smokey eye during an evening out.  The pigmentation on these shadows are awesome and they are very blendable and soft to work with.

2.  E.L.F. Eyeshadow Quad in Brownstone $1.00
I love ELF eye brightening eyeshadow quads and this one happens to be one of my favorites.  It is very easy to create a "go to" look with this tiny little quad/palette and the colors are very pigmented.  Not to mention... it's just a dollar.

3.  Sigma Beauty's E25 Blending Brush $9.00
This brush by Sigma is turning out to be one of my favorites... even if I only have it in the travel size.  It is what I like to call an "all around brush" - easy for apply eyeshadow all over the lid, sweeping color into the crease or applying a highlight color.  I also like to use it to buff in and blend out my liquid or cream concealers effortlessly.  Definitely worth the buy and I tend to grab this brush more than my MAC 217 - which speaks volumes in itself. :)

4.  Wet n' Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 502A (dark pink frost) approx. $0.99 - $1.50
This is my favorite Spring Time lip color.  It is bright and pink and you definitely will attract eyes to your pout. The price tag is phenomenal and I am really starting to vegetate to Wet n Wild products because their quality is proving to be absolutely awesome.  The lip color glides on easily - just as it's name says... "like silk" and the wear is proven to be quite well... especially with a little lip liner action and some pressed powder on top to set the look.

5.  Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners (my favorites are in Fierce Blue & Powerful Purple) approx. $4.99 - $8.00
If you have read my post on the 24/7 liner duos - you will see a few of these listed.  They are creamy - glide on with ease and not to mention, completely affordable.  I would pay this price any day on these liners in comparison to the 24/7.  I think you will love them too. :)

6.  Wet n' Wild Ultimate Brow Kit in Ash Brown approx. $3.99
I have raved about this in videos... and absolutely love this all in one kit.  I really don't need to elaborate much on it, because if you have tried it... I'm sure you will think it is pretty awesome too. :)

Disclaimer:  I have not been paid to do this post or paid by any of the companies to discuss the products mentioned.  Please note I am an affiliate with Sigma Beauty.

Valentine's Day Makeup - I am feeling Naughty! :)

Valentine's Day is a time to be NAUGHTY! I wouldn't normally go so bold like I did with this look for Valentine's Day because I am so sweet... hehe! This is my 3rd and last contest entry to KCSMILEZ80's Saint or Sinner Valentine's Day Contest. This is my "Sinner" Look entry and I am using red, burgundy and black to create this very bold, dark & sinful look.  Products used and the video tutorial is below. :)

Primer:

Loreal Decrease

Base:

NYX jumbo eyeshadow pencil in Cherry

Eyeshadows:

Gold color from Coastal scents 88 matte palette

MAC's Cranberry E/S

MAC's Beautymarked E/S

Black e/s from Coastal scents 88 matte palette

NYX e/s in Black Sparkle

Red color from Coastal scents 88 matte palette

Liner:

ELF liquid eyeliner in black

Avon glimmersticks eyeliner in blackest night

Lips:

MAC's Rags to Riches Dazzleglass

MAC's Racy Lipstick (Frost)

MAC's Adore It Lipstick (glaze)

Foundation: Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 320

xoxo ~ 

All products used in these images were purchased by me with my own money.  The photographs were taken by myself and are copyrighted by Ho'onani Photography.  It is unlawful to copy any images from my site without proper approval or authorization from me (Honey) the owner of this blog.

Smokey Eyes... using the ELF drama Quad

Hey there beauty lovers...

So I have been asked several times to post this video on my blog and list the products used.  So - here it is. :)

EYES:

Primer - Loreal Decrease

Base #1 - MAC's Black ground paint pot 

Base #2 - NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk

Shadow - ELF's Brightening Eyeshadow Quad in Drama

Eyeliner - Wet & Wild H2O Liquid Eyeliner in Black

Lower lash line Eyeliner - Avon's Glimmerstick Waterproof Eyeliner in Blackest Night

Brows - Drugstore Brown eyeshadow (no name)

Lashes - Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara and Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

LIPS:

Lips - NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil in Almond & MAC's Dazzleglass in Bare Necessity 

* I did not apply foundation in this tutorial. :)

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  I promise that more will be coming soon - once I get some things worked out and my time managed correctly. :)  Being a mommy is hard work and I'm still trying to find the right balance.  Thanks for stopping in.

~

The following products were purchased by me with my own money unless otherwise stated.  

I received no compensation from the company and/or companies mentioned to review or use the products in my videos or on my blog.  All of my reviews are my own, honest opinion and I am not influenced in any way by the company or its subsidiaries to provide a positive or negative review. ~Honey~

My First E.L.F. (Eyes Lips Face) Cosmetic Haul

Yes, as the title states... this is my first E.L.F. Haul.  Living on Maui, there really isn't anywhere to purchase E.L.F. products unless you order them online... so I totally lucked out when I came across a bunch of products while doing my normal shopping. Most of the products I found at my local Ross store.  I swear - this place is a goldmine...  though I must admit, I don't often enjoy shopping there, everything is always unorganized.  (Maybe I just shop there during all the wrong times)  The Beauty Encyclopedia's were found at my local Walgreens.  I wasn't really interested in shopping there when it first opened last year... but since I have gone there just about a month ago, it is turning out to be one of my favorite stores. :)  Below are photos of my E.L.F. purchases.  I have my thoughts on the items listed below and the cost I bought each one for.  I cannot wait to do tutorials on looks with these items...  so excited. :)

So - I am excited on my special finds... and the prices I got them for are pretty comparable for what you can get them online for.  Don't forget that when you go to places like Ross, Walgreens, etc - to check their cosmetic or gift section for awesome finds like these.

E.L.F. Liquid Eyeliner 3pk.  Liners are in black, silver & plum $2.99 at Ross

I haven't had the chance to really use these yet...  I did do swatches on them, which are pictured below.  Here is my opinion of them from swatching and testing out the swatches. 

Thoughts...  The black & plum eyeliners have great pigmentation and glide on quite easily.  The silver one took at least 4 strokes to get the color payoff pictured on the swatch.  The liners have a felt tip applicator, instead of the regular skinny brush applicator you get with other liquid liners... and the product is pretty much filled to the top of the bottle.  I rubbed at the liner after it dried to see if it smugged... and it did stay on pretty well... but it is not waterproof - I dripped water on it and it ran so fast I thought it was running a race.  

All in all - for the price, I think it is pretty great.  I would definitely set the liners with an eyeshadow... and make sure you have a good primer to help its staying power a little bit more. :)

Black, Silver & Plum eyeliner swatches - Left to Right.

E.L.F. Flirty Eyelash Palettes in Diamond Lash & Dramatic Lash $2.99 at Ross

I haven't had the chance to try these on yet.  They come with adhesive to apply it.  Once I do - I will be sure to post pictures of the look as well as a review. :)

E.L.F. Duo Shadow Kit - Color 101

A total of 8 shadow colors and one E.L.F. Professional Eye Shadow Brush

$4.99 at Ross

I am so excited to use these... I swiped a few of them with my fingers to test it out... and absolutely enjoy the pigmentation so far.  I will be doing looks on them soon. :)  One downfall thought... the Professional Eyeshadow Brush was a bad make.  When I took it out of the packaging... it seems really soft - until I felt the back of the brush... it had glue stuck all over it and it was dried and hard.  I simply wouldn't be able to use it - especially on my eyes.  Maybe I can find another use for it.

Unfortunately I could not find the name of the colors anywhere on the shadow pots / pans or on the box.  If I find out what they are - I will update this blog and list the names at a later time.

E.L.F. Bright Eyes Quad Collection - $4.99 at Ross

4 Shadows & one Professional Eyeshadow Brush with Brightening Eyeliner in Black 

These colors look absolutely beautiful in person as they do in the photograph.  I cannot wait to try them out.  I haven't swatched any of them yet... but I will post pictures once I do. :)

E.L.F. Color 101 Smoky Eye Kit - $4.99 at Ross

Includes 1 Smoky Shadow Quad, 1 Brightening Eyeliner, 1 Professional Eyelash Curler, 1 Lengthening & Defining Mascara and 1 Professional Eyeshadow Brush.

I haven't used the eyeshadow quad or eyeliner yet... though I did swatch the eyeliner... it glided on very smoothly... so far I am impressed.  The brush in this set is very soft... I can't wait to try it.  I have been using the eyelash curler and absolutely love it... it is my favorite eyelash curler to date - I think I will be ordering more online.  I also tried out the mascara.  At first application, I was not impressed and in fact - quite frustrated with it... because the brushes bristles were so far apart I wasn't getting the look I wanted.  I stopped using it and then went back to it a few days later.  I like how short the brush is because I was able to get in to my inner corners and grab those little lashes and I took the time to try and apply it so it would work for me.  All in all, I would give it a thumbs up - because my eyelashes have a nice length to them without adding a heavy helping of clumpiness.  There are a few downfalls, it easily smudges off of my lashes.  My eyes watered just a little and normal mascara would not run as much as this one did.  Also - when I close my eyes... sometimes I feel like my eyelashes are sticking together.  I do like that this mascara is beyond affordable and does pretty well.  Since my lashes are growing with the Rimmel mascara, the ELF one did give my eyelashes pretty good length and grabbed onto the little lashes that other brushes can miss.  I could overlook the negatives and would buy this mascara again. :)

Beauty  Encyclopedia's - Neutrals Edition and  Smoky Edition - $5.00 at Walgreens

I haven't tried any of these yet.  But as soon as I do - I will be sure to do a tutorial or post pictures. :)

 Disclaimer:  The following products were purchased by me with my own money.  I received no compensationfrom the company and/or companies mentioned.  All of my reviews are my own, honest opinion and I am not influenced in any way by the company or its subsidiaries to provide a positive or negative review. ~Honey~