White Rabbit Cosmetics - Swatches & Review

Hi guys! I know its been AGES since my last post - this time of the year is a bit crazy for me with the end of school / preschool etc (for us in NZ Christmas is our summer vacation), not to mention getting sick for nearly a week in the middle of it all! While I was sick though, I received a surprise package in the mail from the lovely Brooke of White Rabbit Cosmetics! It made my day so much better and I can't thank her enough - it was a complete surprise and super generous!

White Rabbit is a relatively new indie company that runs out of Glasgow, Scotland.  I've been eyeing up her Doctor Who gift set for a while so this was a great chance to try her makeup :) She sent me 4 full size eyeshadows which arrived sealed with a shrink band, as well as sifter seals. I love the labels, they're gorgeous!

All swatches are shown over pixie epoxy, and in natural light.

So Long (thanks for all the fish): 'a beautiful sea green with a shimmer!'

This is my fave of the bunch - its just such a pretty shade of green. This one is vegan too!

Earl Grey: Earl Grey is a deep brown with a rich glow and glitter highlights!

I like this one a lot more than I thought I would at first glance, brown isn't normally my thing but I'm really enjoying the sparkles here, it adds a lot of depth to the shade.

Exacitically: 'a cornflower color loaded with glitter!'
You can't see it in this pic as much as I would like but this is definitely loaded with glitter! Cute little tiny rainbow glitters! I recommend a sticky base for this one due to all the sparkles. Not vegan.

Love Potion: a creamy neutral absolutely loaded with gold glitter!
This looks a little more gold here than it is in person - this is my second fave of the bunch! And its vegan too!

I'm glad I'm finally getting a chance to share these with you because I'm really happy with them. If Brooke is making shadows like this already I'm going to be interested to watch what she produces in the future. I adore that green - its found its way onto my eyelids a few times in the last week :)

White Rabbit Cosmetics are available on Etsy, and are offered seperately or in various gift set options. The Alice in Wonderland themed boxes are super cute. I didn't order these so can't comment on customer service, but the fact that she sent these over as a surprise and expecting nothing in return says a lot! I definitely won't hesitate to order in the future, I've got my eye on some other shades already.

You can also follow White Rabbit Cosmetics on Facebook.

Thanks for reading my post, I have a lot to catch up on so I'll try and get a few more out in the next couple of days :) xx

Black Rose Minerals - Swatches & Review (Part 1)

Hey Guys!! Today I was talked into swatching a few of my Black Rose Minerals shades for a friend that is wanting to place an order in the 30% off Birthday Sale, so I thought I would put them up here for you all to see! I ordered from Black Rose Minerals a looong time ago (well by long I mean early this year, but since then my makeup collection has escalated lol), they were one of the first indie makeup brands I tried. I loved everything I chose, and I've had a list ready for my next order sitting on my desktop for a couple of months. I will definitely be placing an order during this sale! Swatching these reminded me how much I adore these shadows. Looky! I even found my haul pic! This makes me happy because look how beautifully everything was packaged:

Eeee, look at all those pretties! Yes yes, a new order is imminent.  Anyway! I swatched 5 of the shades today and will do my very best to get the remaining 11(?) swatched tomorrow before the sale ends. These are shown over Pixie Epoxy because thats how I tend to wear my shadows, but I have tried these over regular primer and they performed well :)

Hecate: "light lavender with a slight green duochrome"
Hands down my fave BRM shade. That duochrome... Application was super smooth on this one, and I luuurve it.

Hemera: "A sheer, light bluish gray with a captiavating light violet shimmery duochrome"
This one reminds me a little of 'The Garden' from Kiss My Sass, but the base is a more blue-green and its a bit more sparkly. I love The Garden, and I love this - I'm happy to have them both in my collection :)

Thirteen: Wear it dry for a mid-tone shimmery violet with slight blue highlights. Wear it wet for a deep violet hue with a metallic blue sheen.

As a fan of purple I am in love with this one, the blue sheen on it sets apart a bit in my collection. How could I have let this sit unused? *puts the jar aside to use tomorrow*

Disintegration: A grey base with blue undertones and aqua sparkles.

I received this one as part of my Mystery Pack and I was thrilled, its definitely a 'me' shade. It has the almost ghostly look to it that always appeals to me.

Black Math: This hue has supreme color coverage with a fantastic red shimmer. It can look brownish depending on skin tone.

I wore this a lot when I received it, in fact I may need a full size.. it is incredibly pigmented and a little goes a long way.

I am very impressed with Black Rose Minerals. I find that their shadows have a superb formula, application is always smooth, and I haven't had any problems with wear time. I am actually glad its taken me so long to review these, as I can quite honestly say that out of all of the indie brands I've now tried (thats a lot), BRM has one of the best formulas. I am particularly fond of their duochrome shades - I will be trying to include as many as possible in my next order.

The branding is fantastic, the website is easy to navigate and their product range is HUGE. There are some fun collections listed including collections based on: Edgar Allan Poe  (A Collection of the Perverse), Lord of the Rings (The Collection to Rule Them All), Bleach (Space Cowboy) and Adventure Time (The Righteous Collection).

Why haven't I placed another order yet? I'm going to have to remedy this! Now is a fantastic time as BRM is running a sale for their 3rd birthday - 30% off using code 'THIRD', and they have also just released a new birthday collection.

Black Rose Minerals have a website here, a Storenvy site here and you can follow them on Facebook here.

Thanks for reading my post, sorry for any damage done to your wallets! :)

Notoriously Morbid 'Gallows Hill' Collection (Plus a few extras!) - Swatches & Review

Hey guys! I have some more Notoriously Morbid swatches to share with you from the recent 'Gallows Hill' collection! This is going to be a permanent collection in the NM lineup. I also have some blush swatches from the 'Rippers Rouge' blush collection. You can view the rest of the blushes in the set here :)

I ordered one full size in 'Cry Innocent' and the rest in sample sizes but I'm definitely going to have to go back for some more full sizes! Honestly, keep reading ... you'll see why :P

Eeee! Look at that label <3 What is it about trees that I find so spooky and appealing? No clue! But I do, so lets accept that and move on :P

Speak to the Devil: 'A brown based golden olive with a green highlight.'

That description is spot on, I dont even know what else to say... just enlarge the picture and drool. 

Cry Innocent: A deceptive purple that flashes blue.

This may be my favorite shade from Notoriously Morbid yet... and if you're a regular reader of my blog then you know thats quite a claim! Purples are always my favourite, and I don't own another purple like this. The shade is beautiful and application is smooth and pigmented.

More Weight: A brown based metallic silver.

There is much more to this one that I was expecting! As you can see from the pic it has a greenish tinge to it. I'm really liking it :)

I Am Afflicted: A metallic rusty red with a dark brown base.

This has a beautiful metallic red glow to it that just did not want to show up in pictures, but its there, and its gorgeous!

No More A Witch: A very dark brown based metallic green.

Runner-up for my fave in the collection. Another glowy shade, love it.

Bonus swatches from other collections!

These are swatches from various other Notoriously Morbid collections that haven't made it into a post yet so I thought I would include them here :)

Andorian: A shiny green with an icy duochrome.

This one needs to be seen in person to appreciate - the duochrome is stronger than it shows here.

Crimson Horror: A gorgeous deep red with a hint of metallic and a little sparkle that is sure to get you noticed!

Ok, I admit that I only bought this shade because its part of the Dr. Who collection - I was not prepared for my reaction when I started applying it. This is a family blog so I won't repeat what came out of my mouth lol, instead I will just say that if you like red eyeshadow, buy this one. Oh and FYI - it pairs up beautifully with Phoenix Flame! I know I've said that Cry Innocent is my favourite NM shade, but it definitely has some strong competition here.

13 Black Rainbows: A black matte with a crap load of rainbow glitter.

I have to agree with that description! So much more colorful than it appears here, my camera just couldn't handle the awesome... *hangs head in shame*

Mary Jane's Demise: A raisin red shimmer.

For me this is the perfect red - a red for people that are scared to wear red! It gives me a natural looking flush rather than the 'just slapped' look I get from most red blushes. I love this one and I've already used it a lot. It blends out well and has just the right amount of shimmer.

Catherine's Woe: An Intense Burnt Orange Matte. (pic shows a sample tipped into a 3g jar)

This shade packs a punch!! A little goes a long way with this one - 'intense' describes it perfectly :D

Elizabeth's Burden: A Lovely Golden Tan Highlight

I seem to have lost my shade pic of this one! However just imagine the same thing, less sparkle and you've got it :P This is so incredibly beautiful, that gold shimmer is amazing. It makes me think of Galadriel from Lord of the Rings lol... I can't help it, just does! I'm so glad I bought this.

So there you have it, another Notoriously Morbid rave-fest. There is just nothing negative to be said about this company! Customer service is always fast and friendly, the products are high quality and the color range is extensive. Gallows Hill is my favourite collection from them so far - its so unique and I love the idea of them all having a brown base. I'm quite smitten with Notoriously Morbid, and if you haven't given them a go yet, I highly recommend you try out a few samples - just be prepared to go back and grab the full sizes :) You can shop on Storenvy here, Etsy here, and follow on Facebook to keep up with releases and sales here.

Thanks for getting this far! I hope you enjoyed the post xx

Dreamworld Hermetica 'Hocus Pocus Collection' - Swatches & Review

Dreamworld Hermetica (formerly Dreamworld Minerals) are a family owned cosmetics company that produces Gluten Free and Vegan Products. Recently they were running a deal where you could get a whole bunch of their products to try for only $5. I jumped at the chance because its a brand I had been thinking of trying before. I exchanged a few emails with the owner, Ellie, (who was extremely helpful and speedy with her replies) about shipping and foundation shades and placed my order. Guys.... look what she sent me:

How incredibly generous and sweet! So many foundation shades to try! Its certainly given me a great feel for her products, and I have been very impressed so far! But I will try hard to organise my thoughts into 2 or 3 posts lol. First up I decided to swatch the 'Hocus Pocus' Halloween collection so that I could share it with you guys before it disappears. Ellie has said it will be available until November 1st. This collection includes 16(!) eyeshadow shades and 2 blush shades. Click on the pics to see them bigger :)

Underground Crypt: 'a pretty green with bluish undertones. Satiny finish!'
This is probably my favourite of the bunch, that green sheen with the muted base is stunning.

Hocus Pocus: 'multi-colored, multi-demensional. Put it on and see every color in the rainbow from one color! Very sparkly without the usual fall out!'
I have to agree with her claim, there was very little fall out on this for such a sparkle-tastic shade. :)

Young Virgin: 'A gorgeous blue color with shifting colors in the undertones!'
I saw this as more of a purplish shade in person - either way, its a good one!

1693 - deep purplish brown in color.

An unexpected hit with me, I loved the range of colors that that came through on this!

Girl with the Yabbos: 'a pretty brown to green shifting color...or is it green to brown! Only you can decide!' 

Ellie! I've made a decision - its brown to green! ;) Another fave of mine.

Little Witch: 'a satiny warm color that is great as a highlighter, but also on the lid. It's a white, with bronze and yellow undertones!' 
This came through as very bronze for me, I don't see it as a white. Lovely though!

Bloody Witch: 'middle sister of the evil witches! A deep brownish black with shifting reddish undertones.' 

It looks a bit like sparkly chocolate! Ok, now I want chocolate :-/ This is a brilliant rich brown and is one of the most pigmented in the collection.

Evil Witch: 'A medium greenish color with blue undertones!' 

Ok maybe this one is my fave... I dunno... either this or Underground Crypt... I can't choose. Try them both if green sheens are your thing. :)

Siren Witch: 'A deep satiny cool purple.'

Another pigmented and deep shade, went on so smoothly!

Spell Book: 'is a deep burgundy with multiple shimmers to indicate the spells that were used!'
This one was a tad more shimmery in person - more striking than it appears here. I did see it as more of a brown than a burgundy though.

Ice: 'A fun bluish silver color that is sparkly and light so makes a great highlighter!'

This one is sooo sparkly! I need to pair it up with Siren Witch, I think it would be a great look. :)

Black Flamed Candle: 'purplish brown with yellow undertones.' 

I swatched this too close to Angry Zombie... because once I swatched Angry Zombie I kept overlooking this one, I felt they were quite similar but I had a preference for AZ. 

Hallowed Ground: 'a soft irridescent green with a warm undertone.'

This one has a bit of a ghostly look to it which I think is quite fitting!

Angry Zombie: 'a mixture of copper, bronze and tan that has created a beautiful deep bronze color.'

Like I said above, I thought this was a gorgeous brown, such a fantastic shade of copper.

All Hallow's Eve: 'a pretty warm metallic with pink undertones that shift.'

Ok, I mucked up this swatch a bit - sorry! :-/ Sort of a lighter version of Angry Zombie. Don't judge this one by the terrible swatching (the kids were getting impatient with me lol). The application is lovely and even - what you see here is user error :P

Cursed Boy: 'deep black with copper undertones!'

Prettier in person! Trust me. See that copper sparkle in there? Thats more of a sheen in person, and its gorgeous.

And the two blushes in the set:

Witches Sunset: 'while it looks reddish on site, it has deep purplish undertones and is a lot of fun to wear!'

All Hallows Sunset: A soft peachy cheek color with pink undertones! Can also be warn as a shadow quite easily. 

I've shown the blushes applied heavily and blended out. They are both lovely and would co-ordinate well with the shadows in the set. I didn't really see the purplish undertones in Witches Sunset, it came off as more of a deep orange/red for me. I really like the shade that it is though.

Well! That was a lot of sparkles :)

So what do you guys think? My opinion is that this is a gorgeous collection with shades for everybody. My personal favourites are Underground Crypt, 1693, Girl With the Yabbos, Evil Witch and Siren Witch - they're all shades I can see myself reaching for. I'll definitely be placing an order for a larger size of some of these before they're gone. Application wise the shades were fantastic, some would have behaved better on regular primer than pixie epoxy (Cursed Boy being one that comes to mind). I found the pigmentation of all shades to be great, I worked harder with some to get them looking even, but again that is likely to be Pixie Epoxy not playing nicely with certain shades. I can happily recommend these eyeshadows - quality, customer service and range are all fantastic. Its obvious that Ellie knows what shes doing!

Dreamworld Hermetica offers such an enormous range of products on their website, and samples are available for most products. I can't wait to talk about some more of the products I received in the next post. I've had so much fun playing with everything!

Check out Dreamworld's facebook page as there are often specials listed there and shop the fantastic range on the website here :) I really don't have anything negative to say about Dreamworld, from the contact I've had with the owner, its obvious she is committed to providing quality products and she is always happy to help her customers with any questions they have. She also seems to be interested in constantly improving and expanding her line, its great to see when brand owners really take customers feedback into consideration!

Thanks for reading my post, hopefully you've seen something you like! xx