Here’s my go at purple eyes, with a pink highlight to make it pop. All I’ve used is eyeshadows, even for the eyeliner. Oh and my NYX Doll Eyes mascara which is brilliant for dramatic lashes. (I’ll do a proper review of the NYX mascara soon).

Tools used are:

Angled blending brush

Fine tipped brush for the upper lid line

Brow brush

So I signed up, but I’m not sure who I’m gonna blog about yet…I will definitely put a post up on someone on the 24th March. In the meantime feel free to give me a suggestion for a wonderful woman in science or technology.

If you don’t know about Ada, she was the world’s first computer programmer and all round amazing historical figure. I still remember being wholly inspired by her story in Computing 101 and intrigued later in my maths degree.

This cleansing oil is supposed to cleanse skin and remove waterproof makeup leaving skin fresh and refined. According to beautypedia.com, this product actually contains a skin-irritating menthol derivative that creates only the illusion of freshness.

But is it  a good cleanser? I pitted it against Garnier Clean & Sensitive (which I’ve previously reviewed here) and I don’t think it was nearly as good. It left a lot of mascara residue on my skin and felt even more oily than the Garnier.

So Garnier wins this one. Check out our Winningest Products page for more reviews.

The first row of cotton pads  shows the results of the first swipe of the eye for each product. Both products removed most makeup, but the Shu Uemura left mascara residue on my skin.

me: hey sugarplum

ARE YOU RREEEEEEEEEEEADY?
7:24 PM
da dung da dung dung

Vitamin Pony: kia ora

i think we should live blog two and a half men instead

they should change his name to LOLlie sheen
7:25 PM
cuz he brings the LOLs

the weather is turnning to poop before m very eyes
7:26 PM
me: mmmm shitshowers!

Vitamin Pony: a down poooooo-ur
7:27 PM
me: you’re disgusting

Vitamin Pony: thankks

loren is SO annoying
7:28 PM
and her dad looks like michael hill jeweller

and i hate brooke

and i hate sophie

me: i hadn’t seen it like all week before tonight

i don’t think i have missed much

Vitamin Pony: nah same old story
7:31 PM
me: right

let’s DO THIS
7:32 PM
Vitamin Pony: but shorty is still on!

me: Wow, that covergirl mascara looks LUMPY

Vitamin Pony: i’m hoping morgan will come stumbling out of the bushes

me: I never noticed the shots of Ty Ty wearing a producer’s headpiece before

she’s SO involved

These opening credit photos ar seriously BAD
7:33 PM
as is the pink plaid hummer

Vitamin Pony: ok i’m with you now…

me: how are reality show contestants going to get around now that Hummer’s gone out of business?
7:34 PM
Vitamin Pony: i thought models were SUPPOSED to look like beautiful corpses?

the modeling industry is CONFUSING

me: Burns Girl has no confidence because her hair is TERRIBLE now

I wish I could rock a headscarf like a black girl

Vitamin Pony: mind your Ps and Qs?

penises and queens?
7:35 PM
me: Oh, Natalie has previous modelling experience – she’s the rich one, right?

Vitamin Pony: yeah but she’s only 90210 rich

me: so Daddy bought her a contract?

Vitamin Pony: i enjoy alison

me: God Allison looked so much better dark

and not all Taylor Momemson-ish
7:36 PM
Why’d they need a Little J with a Miss J and a Mr J anyway?

Vitamin Pony: jesuslover69 looks so much like young madonna

OPRAH!

me: I love Miss J as Charmschool

She’s more Monique than Sharon Osbourne

Vitamin Pony: legs aint as hairy though

me: ugh, twinsuits and pearls and khakis

Vitamin Pony: ooh i want a cup of tea

me: why oh why?
7:37 PM
Vitamin Pony: miss j looks like the original vivian banks

me: omg totally

I wonder if he can sing as well

Damn, Kourtnie got RACK
7:38 PM
Tahlia looks like she’s limping

Vitamin Pony: hey jo

me: yeah L?

Vitamin Pony: miss j is a tall skinny man with no chin, big nose and … bisexual tendancies…

me: hahahahahah

true true

I’d hit that
7:39 PM
Vitamin Pony: you’d be a fool not to

me: exactly

Vitamin Pony: aww look it’s fo

me: Miss J and Mr J, front and back?

Vitamin Pony: or as i call her faux kat

EWWW BIANCA

i hate bianca

me: Was Bianca the one with the granola bars?

Vitamin Pony: no that was bree
7:40 PM
me: Was Bianca the one that got into a fight with Nicky Blonski?

Vitamin Pony: bianca was the one who told tootie that she was borderline plus size

yes that’s her.

me: You know everything!

Vitamin Pony: i know.

i’m awesome.

me: London don’t preach

OMG CARLTON DANCE

Vitamin Pony: ok, jesus street preacher looks like nicolas cage

that was a TERRIBLE carlton dance

me: YOU LOVE THE CARLTON DANCE!
7:41 PM
I’m glad that they know of it though

Vitamin Pony: as a carlton dance aficionado, i call shenanigans.

tyra banks KNOWS carlton

remember when she was a serious actress?

me: Was Ty Ty ever on the fresh prince?

Vitamin Pony: yeah!!
7:42 PM
she was will’s friend who worked at the university

me: ahhh

i mostly just remember the very Special episode

Vitamin Pony: she was all tomboyish but FIERCE

me: when Will went out with Queen Latifah

eventually

even though she was a FATTY

and then never seen again

i wonder if he killed her

Vitamin Pony: like the one where ashley and carlton experimented with their sexualities

me: and buried her body in the basement
7:43 PM
Vitamin Pony: sione’s wedding

my friend’s fiance is in that

there’s my fun commercial comment

me: all I can think about is ways to surprise children

and that’s not good
7:44 PM
Vitamin Pony: lady gaga. DO NOT WANT

me: I like Lady Gaga

Do you think anyone will read this whole thing?

Vitamin Pony: nah

me: Perhaps we should sneak a secret codeword in

to test people

Vitamin Pony: say something scandalous

FELCHING

me: hehehe

oh, I know
7:45 PM
sometimes I buy NW even if there’s a weight issue on the cover

which I always swore I’d never do

shoosh, don’t tell though

Vitamin Pony: not buying tabloid magazines was my 2009 new years resolution

i haven’t bought once since 2008

me: you did well at it

Vitamin Pony: one, not once
7:46 PM
me: I broke all my resolutions, except to try red lipstick

and I have yet to rollerskate this year

so I’m not doing very well

Vitamin Pony: just do it

NIKE

swoosh

me: And we’re back

Redoing makovers
7:47 PM
she still looks dreadfu

Vitamin Pony: i don’t see the difference in her re-weave

me: half bald

Jill Stuart looks like Sally Field crossed with Jersey Shore
7:48 PM
Vitamin Pony: walking with BAG

S

me: runway ettiquette!

this is going to go bad

I love how spooked Alison always looks

Vitamin Pony: ugh

anne shoket is the worst
7:49 PM
me: worse than Paulina Poriskova?

Vitamin Pony: i have a soft spot for paulina

she was my cousins’ fav model in the 80s

me: Celia looks good on the runway, but a bit too zigzaggywalky

Vitamin Pony: plus she knows tom selleck

me: like Tracey on Shortland Street
7:50 PM
Vitamin Pony: tracey from shorties knows tom selleck!??!?!

me: Oh, Miss J does not like Natalie, unlike Jill Stuart

Vitamin Pony: awesome

me: Tahlia’s hair is DREADFUL

I hate hair lighter than skin

unless it’s absolutly platinum

Vitamin Pony: nijah looks like. one of the earlier cycle girls…

me: haaha Miss J’s face at Nijah is AWESOME

Vitamin Pony: the one who they said got too fat at the end
7:51 PM
and they had to airbrush out her stomach

naww allison.

nice see thru harem pants.

me: hah, that’s just what I was going to say!

Vitamin Pony: go fauxkat!

me: Fo-kat was good!
7:52 PM
Vitamin Pony: do you think fauxkat knows davekat?

me: the dress for the FATTY was bad though

you shut up about Davekat

stay on topic

Vitamin Pony: I WONT

allison was cute and quirky

me: Those shoes are way too clumpy for delicate clothes like they’re wearing

Vitamin Pony: thats… a description…
7:53 PM
MY walk was a little bit weak? well your FACE has a BEAK.. hahaha lols

me: Tahlia looks like, the white chick

Vitamin Pony: from white chicks

me: or whatever that Wayons brother movie was

Vitamin Pony: THEY JUST SAID PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY!

OMG SHOUT OUT

me: SHOUT OUTS!

Vitamin Pony: believe me natalie
7:54 PM
listen natalie

…. no twirling

yet, they enforce twirling

MODELING IS CONFUSING

me: don’t bother your pretty head about it dear

Vitamin Pony: oh my god, like, oh my god.
7:55 PM
me: how can tahlia’s roots be showing so bad already?

Vitamin Pony: ad break. cup of tea bruce?

maybe it’s fashion?

me: also, she’s obviously not going to get kicked off this week

since she said she should go home

your turn to tell a secret

to see if people are paying attention

Vitamin Pony: ok…
7:56 PM
i know all the lyrics to “it’s gonna be me” by nsync

and i know why they’re called n’sync

me: why?

Vitamin Pony: justiNNNNNN

chriSSSSSSS
7:57 PM
joeYYYYYYYY

lanceNNNNNNNNNNN (that one was like calling frida anifrida to make ABBA work)

jCCCCCCCCC

me: i can’t believe I thought JC was going to be the breakout star

Vitamin Pony: like a PIMPLE

AMMA RIGHT?!

me: hehehe you are a funny
7:59 PM
I’m glad we get the requisite shot of Tahlia’s scars to remind us she is a BURN VICTIM
8:00 PM
Did you know that as models it is your job to tell a story?
8:01 PM
The photographer is Mike Rosenthal? Do they mean Mike Rosengrave? (http://mlr.co.nz/)

Vitamin Pony: i just spilled soda stream on the kitchen floor
8:02 PM
me: They look EXACTLY like wallstreet brokers

Vitamin Pony: unrelated but it ws upsetting

me: except for the part whhere they don’t even at all

I love Fo talking and making banter

Vitamin Pony: when i thiink wall street…i think “CUTE”

me: Oh, artists in So Ho

no fucking artists can afford to live in So Ho

they’re all in Brooklyn, fools
8:03 PM
Vitamin Pony: kourtnie looks haggard

me: Don’t they watch Gossip Girl?

Vitamin Pony: i hate sandra

but i enjoy celia

me: I kind of want Celia’s petticoat though

Vitamin Pony: take it

just take it
8:04 PM
swoosh

upper east side.. like.. that chick….

the girl

in this show

me: omg Taylor looks even more like Little J

Vitamin Pony: what’s her name?

who is taylor?

who is little j?

me: Allison

Vitamin Pony: i’m confused

oh. oh i see.

me: Allison looks like Taylor Momsemsoms

Vitamin Pony: doesn’t see

me: who plays Little J

on Gossip Girl
8:05 PM
Thinking too much? What the hell are you doing on a reality tv show?

Vitamin Pony: allison with a beanie non looks like ann/egg/blan from arrested dev

me: Her?

Vitamin Pony: heh

ewwwwwwwwwwww feral tartlette just spat a gob of food off the bus

me: I’ve posed in Times Square before! http://www.flickr.com/photos/johubris/283857101/in/set-72157594365652720/
8:06 PM
Vitamin Pony: i look at natalie and i see shortland street actress

i miss heather

she has aspergers

speaking of, WHAT THE FUCK SHORTLAND STREET!?

me: did Gabrielle leave shorters?

Vitamin Pony: yes.
8:07 PM
gutted.

i loved her.

me: OH NOES

I loved her too

Vitamin Pony: i hope she comes back.

allison looks like she’s melting

a doll who was thrown into a boiling pot of water

me: London looks kind of like the “fashion blogger” that I fucking hate right now
8:08 PM
Vitamin Pony: seriousy – is that the kid from freaks and geeks in bones?

seriousLY. stupid keyboard.

me: i know man it’s so weird

he’s like, old and shit
8:09 PM
Vitamin Pony: i hate nathan rarere

i’m full of hate.

me: aww poor nathan

Vitamin Pony: i’m going to LOVE something before this adbreak is over

there you go

i love chocolate
8:11 PM
me: i do too

but I prefer dark to milk

Vitamin Pony: raacist

oh wow
8:12 PM
tyra loves herself so hard

me: THE RULES TO OWNING YOUR INNER FIERCENESS!

Oh Ty Ty!

Vitamin Pony: she looks like the hummer limo

but in blue

sexified nigel barker?

me: “Noted Sexified Fashion Photographer” ???

Vitamin Pony: tyra oooozes idiot
8:13 PM
me: I actually like Ty Ty’s outfit

Vitamin Pony: note the nervous laughter

me: I do love me a high skirt

and also plaid

because it is still 1993 right?

Vitamin Pony: yeah

sure

why not?

that’s an appalling photo

me: that’s a dreadful photo of Nijah and Kourtnie
8:14 PM
Vitamin Pony: FAUXMINA

me: oh my stars, they should not have put the shortest and tallest together

but the photo of Fo & Aminat is great

Vitamin Pony: that is a cool photo. fo looks like a badass.
8:15 PM
me: Aminat looks a bit like the girl who tried to make out with me on Saturday

Celia’s a bit too manly

Vitamin Pony: yet sandra looks like akon

me: She’s so ronery
8:16 PM
Vitamin Pony: celia looks like she’s trying to pick akon’s ose

nose

me: Celia looks like Brooke from SS in that shot

Natalie is so not a “model”

except catalogue

Vitamin Pony: DEKA

me: heehee
8:17 PM
so she’s going to have to move to Huntly

Ugh, London looks SO much like Gala

ugh

Vitamin Pony: london looks like madonna and nic cage’s lovechild

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa hungover olsen twin
8:18 PM
i don’t like london

missed

the

short

bus
8:20 PM
sooooooooooooo…. ad breaks eh..
8:21 PM
me: OMG SPARKLY VAMPIRE!

Vitamin Pony: i dunno if he’ll make it as an actor outside of twilight

me: why would he want to?
8:22 PM
Vitamin Pony: well he’s trying to act in other movies.

so i’m assuming he does.
8:23 PM
aminat looks like the “BITCH POURED BEER ON MY WEAVE!” girl

me: aww mean
8:24 PM
Tiffani was a crackwhore

Aminat is awesome

Vitamin Pony: they all look the same in these photos to me. how do they differentiate?

me: they just get drunk and point

Vitamin Pony: i would hate to have to spend time around tyra

me: and wait for the editors to match it all up in post

who’s going home?

I’m thinking Natalie

Vitamin Pony: i’d be fighting my natural instinct to smack her face in.
8:25 PM
me: Or perhaps Kourtnie

Vitamin Pony: yes, natalie is out

me: Yay Fo!
8:26 PM
Damn, Gala made it through

Vitamin Pony: nic cage made it

me: haha

DAMN

Vitamin Pony: whoa

me: why did Natalie get to stay?

Vitamin Pony: nijah is gone then

me: who’s out?

yeah, nijah

i totally forgot about er

her

Vitamin Pony: cuz alison will cut a bitch
8:27 PM
me: Nijah looked like Rudy from the Cosby Show

Vitamin Pony: alison looked like puss n boots when he’s doing his big eye stare

me: omg totally
8:28 PM
Vitamin Pony: meh, nijah. we barely knew ye

nor cared

nice nana shawl homegirl

thanks ken mok
8:29 PM
tyra wants to be on top

me: Thanks for liveblogging with me L

any final words?

Vitamin Pony: weak episode.
8:30 PM
weak.

me: Yeah it wasn’t great

Benny Ninja will bring it next week though, right?

Vitamin Pony: bring the gimp

me: Word.

And on that, peace out!
8:31 PM
Vitamin Pony: byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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I’ve said it before: Consumer Magazine NZ does not give enough thought to the beauty industry. Think about the proportion of your personal or household income spent on hair products, body washes, lotions, fragrance, cosmetics….it’s huge! I’ve looked many times at Consumer’s index of product reviews, and while it’s brimming with appliances, electronics, and service providers, you’ll find very  few beauty product reviews.

I can’t think why, because Paula Begoun, author of ‘Don’t go to the Cosmetic Counter Without Me’, makes it look easy.

Basically, she looks at the ingredients list of each product; cross references them against published research; checks back against product claims; weighs the price of the product; and bam! product is reviewed. (OK, so there is a little more to it.)

The book is really a database of the vast majority of beauty products reviewed using the same robust method alongside a simple rating system. Readers can quickly read up on a particular product before purchasing, or look up Paula’s recommendations. If you have preferences for non-animal tested products, paraben-free products, etc there’s enough info there for you to narrow down your search for the best products for you.

And, Paula has a complete and frequently updated database online at beautypedia.com which I also subscribed to. (The book came with a coupon for half price subscription using the code:  BP50. But you didn’t hear that from me.) I haven’t been posting on ppp recently because I have been scouring the database for reviews of every product I can think of.

I love beauty products, but that doesn’t mean I have to be made a fool of by marketing and sales creeps. Not anymore! Thanks Paula.

• Watch out for nail polish rip-offs: OPI fraudsters beware!
• Shiny hair tips from pursebuzz: dry shampoo is really that fantastic. Read my review here.
• Wardrobe makeover tips: or you could come to the ppp clothes swap this Saturday.
• Jessica Simpson has a new beauty reality tv show + tips for good skin.
• I just found Paula Begoun’s blog. She has a database of thousands of beauty product reviews, and she has a book about beauty products and stuff. I’m seriously considering subscribing to access the complete database.

So, let’s talk lipsticks! Obviously, you need to try lipsticks on to see if they suit you, and not just on the back of your hand. We can’t recommend that you buy these without trying them on, but we absolutely confidently can recommend that you give them a go. The first thing that you’ll notice is the smell. Like all the rest of the Karen Murrell product range, these lipsticks smell amaaaaaaaaaaazing. In fact, ever since I got them, I have been shoving them under people’s noses going “here, smell this!”. There’s no aroma of crayons or chemicals like some brands (cough Revlon cough) give off. There’s a very good reason for that, if you’ll allow me to quote here:

A woman consumes an average of nearly two kilograms of lipstick during her lifetime through drinking, eating and kissing – so keep lipstick natural! KM Lipsticks are made totally of natural ingredients. They do not contain any mineral oils, animal based material, parabens or preservatives.

In fact, their active ingredients are Candelilla wax, Evening Primrose oil (so I like to pretend that wearing this lipstick will help my PMS) and castor oil. You probably don’t want to eat two kilos of Karen Murrell in a sitting, but I can’t imagine that you’d do that anyway. What these ingredients mean is that the lipstick goes on really smoothly, and doesn’t dry out your lips at all. You’ll want to top up every hour for optimum colour and coverage, especially if you’re eating or drinking, but that’s true of everything I’ve ever worn anyway. And because we’re truly hardcore here at Pretty Pretty Pretty (and not because I am an idiot or anything, honest!), I tested the lipsticks in EXTREME conditions. They held up to being put through the washing machine, being carted around in a hot bra and having their lid jammed on while still wound up just fine. You might want to avoid leaving them in the sun for days though or they’ll get a tiny bit out of shape. But now onto the colours themselves!

First up we have Cordovan Natural. This is a little bit brown. I find it’s the perfect lipstick to wear to job interviews, because it’s obvious that you’re actually wearing lipstick so you’ve made an effort, but, like the name says, it looks really natural. Of course, I have yet to actually get a job whilst wearing it, but I suspect that has more to do with the job market than my lipstick choice.

Next up is Red Shimmer. This one is my total fav. You might remember how Megan finally helped me fufil last year’s fashion goal of wearing red lipstick with her MAC expertise? I recommend beginners start with one instead! It’s a little orangey, so better for those with yellow skintones rather than blues though. I can apply it without needing a mirror because the shimmer is more forgiving than a matte, it looks softer and doesn’t bleed. Shortly after I got this lipstick I had already put a deep curve in it, so often did I wear it. And if you’re into what your lipstick shape says about you, you’ll see that means I’m “Creative, Enthusiastic, energetic, Talkative, Loves attention, Falls in love easily, Helpful”, all of which sum up this site quite nicely too, right?

Next up is the Pink Starlet. Apparently our red lipstick queen Megan is all about the Pink now, and this one got her seal of approval. I’m not entirely sure it’s the right colour for me, because I am yellowy, but pink lipstick is definitely hot right now, and this would be a lovely one to start with.

The Violet Mousse is another subtle one that’s good for job interviews, or for wearing during the day if you’re the sort of person who wears makeup during the day. Again, I’m not certain that it’s right for me, but I think it’s a lovely shade and I wish it was!

There’s also a lip balm Moisture Stick, which has multiple uses:

Great to use overnight as an intense lip treatment. Use over lipstick as a lip-gloss and lip plumper. Creates a protection barrier against harsh weather, hot or cold. Tame unruly eyebrows. Small in size and it will not spill. Take it anywhere!

I’m definitely a fan of this range, and I’m hopeful that one day there might be even more colours (I’d love a dark lipstick), but this is a great starter palate. They’re great value for money at $25 each, and getting two for $25 is insanely great, so please, do go to a Farmers during March, try them on, and if the colours are right for you, you should stock up!