Cecille: A Story in Noir

This is a story about Cecille, the only daughter of a well-to-do family, and her transformation into a femme fatale, having grown tired of her boring life. (Let's see if you recognize any of the products in the photos.)

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It was a hot summer's day. The sun shone brightly through the trees, illuminating spots here and there all over the porch, and there sat Cecille. Rocking back and forth on the bench swing, sipping on some ice cold lemonade, she was reading a novel that had just come out, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It seemed that no one was buying it at the bookstore downtown, but something about the face on the deep blue cover drew her in.

"I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

As Cecille read over this line, she began to think about herself. Daisy had spoken this line about her hopes for her infant daughter, and it became apparent to Cecille that she was in a similar situation. She had all these expectations and at the same time, a lack of expectations. She was just going to be married off to some millionaire so that her family connections could grow deeper. Everything was already planned out for her, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Or at least, that was what she'd thought. Cecille put down the book and ran back into her room. She headed toward the dresser, on top of which was a clutter of cosmetic products, perfumes, and jewelry. She saw the necklace that her mother had given her as a child: a pink acorn bejeweled with white crystals on a gold chain. It was a symbol of her innocence, her childhood. She examined it peculiarly -- why had she kept it all these years? It wasn't anything particularly beautiful. Why did she even keep all of these frilly things in the first place?

Quickly she shoved everything into the first drawer. She didn't need them. Why did she have to go by the current standards? Do they even matter? She went down to the kitchen and something caught her eye. On the table was a newspaper with headlines in big bold letters plastered across the front. There was a show on Broadway that night, labeled as scandalous and provocative, but a must-see for the new generation. She glanced over at her father snoozing away on the recliner, having fallen asleep after looking through his business papers. Glasses still on. Mother's traveling somewhere in Europe. Brothers are at the company or on some road trip. This is the perfect time to escape, thought Cecille.

She ran into her mother's room and found a lipstick, with a dagger at the end of the bullet. Perfect. She also found a pair of black leather gloves. She went through all the rooms and gathered her new wardrobe. She found a black suit jacket and pants, her brother's black dress shirt, and brought everything to her room. She took out her sewing kit and took everything in. She worked in a hurried daze, pricking her fingers every now and then, but it didn't matter because now, her transformation was near complete. She slipped into her new outfit and found that it fit like a glove, literally.

It was now night time. The hot summer haze had turned into a breezy twilight. She stared at herself in the mirror. The new her. Was she ready for the night? Was she ready to leave behind this comfy, mundane life? She tied her long flowing hair up into a bun and hid it under a hat. It was time to go. She grabbed the money she had been unconsciously stashing away and shoved it into her pockets. After applying the finishing touch on her lips, she headed downstairs to leave. At the door she looked back at her father, still rapt in his dreams.

Sorry, Cecille uttered as she rushed down the porch steps and disappeared into the mystery of the night.

Cairo & Baby Lips

To get back into the groove, I thought I'd show you two new additions to my makeup collection! I've been thinking more wear-ability lately since I can only bring so much to college. I bought these a few months ago on my birthday (which happens to be the last time I bought makeup -- woot!).

William the Hippo in Pop Art Tumbler from The Met.

First item is a NARS eyeshadow in Cairo. It's my first actually. I'd always gone into Sephora and admired the NARS eyeshadows but never actually bought one. Now I have, and I do not regret it!

Cairo is a pale, beige-taupe with the slightest hint of shimmer. It's basically matte, but if you look closely, there's this subtle iridescence that is just beautiful. Hopefully you can see it in the swatch below. I think this is the perfect everyday eyeshadow color (for me at least). Definitely give it a swatch whenever you can!

Cairo on the eyes and finger.

The second thing I got is a Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Color in Baby Lips. I've been really loving sheer lip products lately so I went for this. It's sheer, but not too sheer that there's no color. Sheer lippies are my best friends on lazy days or when I'm in a rush. You don't need a mirror!

Just a pair of"baby lips", just kidding they're mine.

Baby Lips is a soft, warm pink. It's kind of a 'my lips but better' color for me. The lip product is like a lip butter -- the color is sheer, but the product is creamy and moisturizing. In the swatch, I only applied Baby Lips to part of my bottom lip so you can see the opacity. It has a nice amount of shine too! I digz it.

This has been...kind of...a mini haul...? Signing off now!

Sweet Spring

The vernal equinox has finally arrived here in the northern hemisphere! While there is still some patches of snow melting off where I live, I can't help but look forward to the bright, breezy days. When I think about spring, the first thing that comes to mind is flowers. When I see tulips and daffodils popping up, I know that spring has finally arrived.

It was still gloomy and gray here a few days ago, so I reached for some soft pinks and peaches to remind me of the fresh flower petals of spring.

Used a new dress for the background -- can't wait to wear it!

Didya miss my flashing numbers?

1. Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Strawberry: One of the brightest lipglosses I own! I thought the soft color selection needed a little pick-me-up.
2. MAC Sheertone Blush in Springsheen: What's a spring post without Springsheen?
3. Benefit Eyeshadow in Nice Melons: This iridescent light peach is my favorite spring eyeshadow ever.
4. Sephora Eyeliner in Flashy Pink: More like a subtle flash! It always brightens up my eyes without being too noticeable like white eyeliner.
5. AVON Eye Pencil in Floraluscious: The name says it all, luscious flowers please!
6. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Honey Bunny: This pale salmon color screams pinky nude spring dresses to me! And the name, Easter anyone?
7. Lancome Juicy Tube Gloss in Kiwi Slice: Fresh cut grass, eh?

The shade names ended up painting a rather befitting picture of spring, huh? Very fruity. Kept them in mind and surprisingly enough, the colors all coordinated with each other. Don't you love it when the pieces just fall together? Happy spring, everyone! Are you looking forward to the warmer weather?

Warm Purples and Gold

With NYFW Fall/Winter 2013 coming soon, I thought I'd recreate one of the looks from last year's F/W. I ended up choosing the look from Nanette Lepore, which was a warm purple smokey eye with orange cheeks and a coppery orange lip. The colors were so vivid and glowing. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. So, let's have a look-see at how I attempted the look.

I tried to mimic the model's smolder...didn't work out too well. Clipped my hair back like her too.

The smokey eye consisted of an all-over lid color of reddish-purple/plum with an orange-brown smoked all the way up to the brows. The same reddish-purple was smudged out on the bottom lashline as well. And then there was the beautiful pop of gold in the inner tearducts. For the lips, I didn't really have a coppery-orange lipgloss so I layered a sparkly gold gloss over an orange lip. Then I added some gold eyeshadow to the cupid's bow and center of my bottom lip. I also did not have orange blush, so I used an orange lipstick on my cheeks!

Prepare yourself for quite a few selfies. I tried to channel that modelesque deadpan expression. To say the least, it didn't work out after a while, hahaha.

Channeling my inner Messy Wands, eh?

That striped "scarf" you see? It's a tank top I looped into a scarf because I didn't have a black one LOL.

Yeah, I couldn't do it anymore.

CAUTION: The image you are about to view may scare young children and small animals. Continue at your own risk.

Imagine if we all did our FOTD pictures like this?

I think you've had enough of my face, right? Here are the products I used for the look.

• L'Oreal HiP Shadow Stick in Unmistakable (sticky base)
• L'Oreal Color Infallible Shadow in Smoldering Plum (base for purple shadow)
• Benefit Sunday Funday Palette shadows in Pretty in Plum and Shimmering Bronze
• Stila Charmed Palette, upper right hand corner
• L'Oreal HiP Liner in Gold Charge
• Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara in Black
• Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick in Apricot Fantasy (cheeks)
• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti
• Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss in Toast to Shine
• (not pictured) L'Oreal HiP Duo in Gilded

And lastly, I leave you with this precious gem...

Oh, how I wish.

I really liked how this turned out! It's such a nice, warm smokey eye -- warmed my spirits in this cold, bitter winter. I'm really looking forward to NYFW, and I might just recreate another look. ;) Are you looking forward to New York Fashion Week? Are there any makeup looks inspiring you lately?

Colors Around the House: Soft

Announcer: "And we're back with the second installment in our Colors Around the House series!"

This time I found things that seemed to be rather soft, gentle, and fluffy. I think I might start making each post have a specific theme for what things I pick and find. For this post, I found a creme-colored pleated skirt, one of my many Hello Kitty dolls, and my hunter hat.

I'm quite in love with the muted, soft tones of this picture.

I bought this skirt from Urban Outfitters this past summer. I loved the pleats and the soft, elegant color of the skirt itself. I thought it would be a perfect staple in my closet. I've worn it many times, but the weather has been far too cold lately for this thin little skirt. To match the soft creme of the skirt and its subtle flashes of pinkier/peachier tones, I picked out Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Vintage Lace, Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Recess, and MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch. I think Vintage Lace is literally my skirt in eyeshadow form. The pattern on the eyeshadow pan helps with the effect as well.

It's all about the pink with Hello Kitty.

I was quite an avid collector of Hello Kitty in my childhood, supplied mainly by my mom but also by everyone in my family. I was obsessed. But as I grew up, I started branching out to other interests and characters (like Domo) and Hello Kitty fell by the wayside. I didn't play with my dolls as much. Though now I still have to sleep in Hello Kitty sheets, dolls, and pillows...because well, I can't really get rid of them. This was one of my favorite dolls, because of its fluffiness and how it was Hello Kitty in her simplest, most well-known outfit. I focused on the two pinks and picked out The Body Shop's Born Lippy in Strawberry, Tarina Tarantino Lipstick in Showroom, and Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss in Pink Pop.

Don't you just want to run your fingers through that furriness?

This hunter's hat was basically my BFF in 9th through 10th grade. My dad got it for me from a trip to NYC and I was ecstatic. The faux fur was so soft and smooth and the pattern reminded me of tweed jackets. I've since abandoned this for less-obnoxious beanies, but I think I might give this hat a second chance. I wanted to duplicate the warm patches in the fur with MAC's Cocomotion pigment, and also the two colors in the pattern with Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Rich Sable and a gray-beige like Benefit's Birthday Suit.

 

I'm digging the Cream Pleats trio, reminds me of soft linens. So I'm getting back into the swing of things with this blog, hallelujah! I'm falling back in love with blogging again. :) What objects or products have been striking inspiration for you recently? Or, what have you been rediscovering lately?

Rosettes, Transepts, and Groin Vaults!?

Foreign terms to you, perhaps?

Well, they were pretty foreign to me before I started taking art history this year. I'm not really a religious person either, so churches were pretty far away from my designated niche. However, I've become fascinated with churches as of late. The architecture of these buildings is truly spectacular. There is so much attention to detail in almost every inch of these churches. And so many of them were built a long time ago (some nearly 1000 years ago!), so I am so shell-shocked by how amazing and well-built they are. They are so magnificent and just so beautiful to look at.

Anyway, we were assigned to pick a church in Boston and analyze it. I chose the Old South Church, which was built in a Gothic revival style in 1874. The exterior isn't very impressive, but I found the interior to be quite lovely. It was intricate, but muted. It was simple, yet beautiful. Something I'm inevitably drawn to: simplicity. This church, in my opinion, was the perfect blend of traditional and modern architecture.

In this "Color Play," I wanted to emulate the warm browns and vibrant jewel tones of the church. These colors in the church itself created such an inviting and welcoming atmosphere.

1. Stila Charmed Eye Palette: Jewel tones and warm coppers? This is basically the church in one palette.
2. L'Oreal HiP Pigment in Valiant: I wanted to imitate the stained glass windows, and this blue was the one for the job. It has such a pretty multi-dimensional effect.
3. MAC Eyeshadow in Moth Brown: This complex purple-gray-taupe was the perfect match for the exterior of the church.
4. L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Smoldering Plum: Y'all know I love this eyeshadow. It's exactly the color of the regal purple robes in the stained glass windows and icons!
5. Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain in Plum Pout: What's Christmastime without a little red?
6. L'Oreal Hip Eyeshadow Pencil in Unmistakable: And some more red!
7. Revlon Beyond Natural Eye Pencil in Brown: The rich, reddish browns of the Cherrywood furnishing.
8. MAC Fluidline in Rich Ground: Another warm, cozy brown that reminds me of the nave of the church.
9. Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Rich Sable: There were darker brown bricks like this peppered throughout the faces of the church.
10. L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Sahara Treasure: To mimic the intricate caen limestone-carved screen, I decided to use this. The sheen adds some nice extra umph.
11. L'Oreal HiP Eyeshadow Duo in Gilded: A church has got to have some gold, so of course I added gold to my colors. In the church here, the gold is focused in the chandeliers and the cross hanging down from the ceiling.
12. MAC Blush in Loverush: This deep, maroon-y red is another jewel tone color that was used on the stained glass imagery and on the walls.

I thought it'd be nice to share these pictures since it's near Christmas! Like I said, I'm not really a religious person, but I've fallen (hard) in love with church architecture. Growing up I was a little creeped out by churches, but now I've come to really appreciate them! From an architectural and artistic standpoint, they are simply ah-may-zing. Unlike modern-day skyscrapers, these structures have been around for over a thousand years -- that in itself is something. Are you a fan of church architecture?

But I'm not a Nudist

Back when I first started getting into makeup, the lip colors I was most enamored with were nudes. I remember being swayed toward them by Laura (back then lollipop26 on Youtube), who sported the nude lip so effortlessly. (I might have been sold over by her accent too.) Consequently, I was at the drugstore almost weekly to seek out all these nude lip products to feed my obsession. Yeah, it was that bad.

Nude, nude, nude, nude, nude...

Because of that, I built up a little collection of nude lipsticks and lipglosses. However, they have not been given much love in the past year or two. I'd grown away from nudes, and I now much prefer darker lip colors like reds, berries, and roses. I mean, I would probably never even touch nude lip colors unless I'm wearing heavy eye makeup (which is pretty rare). And so I decided to take an inventory of the nude lip products I owned. Thanks to this, I realize that I actually have a nice variety of nudes.

1. Korres Cherry Lip Gloss in Nude: This is probably the least nude lip product I own. It's more of a 'my lips but better' shade. It's a redder/rosier nude with gold shimmers, which enhances your natural lip color making your lips appear as if they're nude (bare).
2. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush: Like its name suggests, the color is similar to a natural flush of color in your cheeks. Nude Blush is probably my favorite nude lipstick because it is the most wearable, and it's oh so creamy. I need to start wearing this more often.
3. Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Nude Lustre: Along with Nude Blush, this is my favorite nude lip gloss (it's always been, actually). It's a creme finish with the most subtle, barely barely noticeable, fine shimmer. I love it. Gotta finish this before it goes all bad!
4. L'Oreal Colour Juice Lip Gloss in Strawberry Smoothie: Not much to say about this one because I've never really used it (got it because it was 75% off) and it's really sheer, but it has a really interesting opalescent finish.
5. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Sugar Plum Ice: This is a pale beige pink with a silver/frosty finish. It's actually really really frosty. But for some reason, I must have used it a lot back then because this is down to almost a nub. Perhaps I'll finish it soon (or try to).
6. Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Soft Nude: This is the last nude I ever bought. Everyone had raved about this when it came out, claiming it was the perfect nude nude. In many ways it is, but if I put it on now, I just look dead. It's basically a creamier, slightly pinkier version of the next one, Nude Attitude. 
7. Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude Attitude: Nude Attitude was my go-to lipstick when I wanted to completely blank-out my lips, which explains why it's one of my most-used nudes (along with Sugar Plum Ice). This is a matte, peachy nude. Again, I don't think I'd go for such a nude nude nowadays, but it's nice to have this on hand.

Thanks to this little inventory check, I think I'll go back and finish some of these lipsticks. If not, they'd probably just sit there forever. Might as well mix up my lip color instead of sticking to one all the time. What do you feel about nude lip products? Love them, hate them or just okay with them?

A Faithful Companion

"It's been such a long time, dear friend," I said to Birthday Suit. "Sometimes I feel naked without you."

We embraced and I twisted open her cap to find that her edges had shrunken away. A pang of guilt hit me. I had neglected her and all of my makeup for far too long. Having met her three years ago, when the Benefit Creasless Cream Eyeshadows had just come out, Birthday Suit had been a constant presence in my makeup routine. That was, until I'd decided to take a break from makeup. 

I had always been fond of her. I'd crack a smile every time I caught a glimpse of her wearing her cute, dove-patterned lid. In the beginning of the hiatus, I'd open my drawer just to swatch her on my hand ever so often. But then, after a while, I left her alone. She just sat there, staring out wistfully from inside my drawer. It would be months, even a year before I lay my fingers on her again.

And when I finally did, she showed me what exactly she was made of. Even after all this time, she was the same lightweight, smooth, and creamy eyeshadow she was the first time we encountered each other. She had shrunk a little, but she was still that beautiful shimmery pale taupe I had fallen in love with in the first place. She was still my one and only, Birthday Suit.

Her smile was just the same as ever. It was bright. And it shone with gold sparkles here and there. Just like always. I found myself inevitably drawn to her yet again. We began to talk. She told me about how she loved watching me grow up, even if it was a little bittersweet. I told her about how much I wanted to have her with me everyday, on my eyes, but I just couldn't find the time.

We talked it out, then she reached for my hand. And she laid down onto the back of my hand, as comfortable as ever. I rocked my hand back and forth, and she smiled her same old illuminating smile at me. I smiled back, enchanted again by her beauty. Soon, we were talking and laughing and joking like old friends. 

Now, we're inseparable, just like me and my very own birthday suit.

Purples are Gray-t!

It was just another boring day in Maggie's room but then she decided to put makeup on!

I wanted to do a darker eye/fall-into-winter look, so by default I turned to purple eyeshadows. And well, I thought purple would be a good color for this kind of look anyway. Plus, I wanted to use my MAC Moth Brown that I got from Dovey, hehe.

In addition to Moth Brown, I also used a L'Oreal Infallible in Sahara Treasure that I got from Jian a while back. Next to Moth Brown, it turned into this lovely grayish-brown as opposed to its usual gold-bronze nature. Such an unexpected, but pleasant turn of events!

Even though my eyes were a little bit more dramatic, I thought red lips would still go well with the look. I really didn't want to do nude lips. That weird expressionless picture of me on the right was supposed to show off the perfect flush my Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine gives me!

Why yes, I do have weird bottom dimples.

To intensify the look, I used Urban Decay's Frigid to deepen the outer v, and to balance all the darkness, I popped on L'Oreal Iced Latte in the inner corners. Products used:

• Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit
• L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Sahara Treasure & Iced Latte
• MAC Eyeshadow in Moth Brown
• Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Frigid
• Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Vintage Lace
• L'Oreal HiP Color Chrome Eyeliner in Violet Volt
• Max Factor 2000 Calorie Dramatic Look Mascara in Black (thanks Jian!)
• Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine
• NARS lipstick in Flamenco

Alas! Maggie would have been all dolled up with nowhere to go...but she did have somewhere to go. And she had forgotten that she'd run out of makeup wipes, so she ended up going out to dinner with her parents with all of that on (well, sans red lips)!? It was a lot more makeup than she was used to, but her parents said it was pretty (for once), so perhaps it won't be too bad if she were to wear something like this more often?

Yeah, I don't know why I'm speaking in the third person either.

Colors Around the House

So today I would like to introduce to you a new series on my blog, Colors Around the House. Basically, it's like my Color Play and Theme Play posts, except these posts will be inspired by things around my house. The objects in our houses can become forgotten, mundane, and everyday, so in an effort to rediscover the gems and lovely things around my house, I thought I'd take them and relate them to makeup -- something I forget about sometimes as well.

Also, it'll be a nice little activity for me to point out the things that make up my house before I leave for college next year. I'll start this off with three things around my house that aren't necessarily forgotten, but it'll do for now (because the things I might find later on could potentially be a little weird): my taupe circle scarf, blue denim shirt, and red heart-shaped sunglasses.

The knit/texture of the scarf really comes through here, doesn't it?

My love for taupes has spread from makeup to clothes and accessories. My knit circle scarf being one of them, I wanted to see if I had any makeup colors like it. Calvin Klein's Sensuous Taupe (line now discontinued) was the first to come to mind. Similar to my scarf, it's a warmer, browner taupe but with a satin finish. Next was Essie's Mochachino nail polish. It has the similar depth as my scarf, but just a little cooler. I wanted to show how taupes are often very purple, so I took out a neglected KATE trio in PU-2 as well. It's a very gray-toned purple color palette, so I thought it fit in pretty nicely.

Just sittin' cozily in the pocket.

Another item I pulled from my house is this much-loved denim shirt. It was actually my mom's from the 90's, but now it's mine since she doesn't wear it anymore. It's faded and worn so well -- it goes well with everything! Inspired by the more masculine look and fit of the shirt, I took out the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Lemon & Chamomile. I also picked out Lancome Le Crayon Kohl in Le Bleu de Jim and L'Oreal HiP Pigment in Valiant to show the variations of blue in a denim shirt.

My window shades look kinda scary in the reflection.

My heart-shaped sunglasses have just been sitting around since summer ended, but every time I see them, I instantly smile. Just the sight of the sunnies are so cheerful, so I thought I'd pick out some cheerful reds. As NARS Flamenco lipstick is my only red lipstick, it had to go in. It's a juicy red that can be sheer or built up. The other two are deep, but bright colors: Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in Enchanted and Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine. Enchanted applies like a balm as a reddish-pink, but stains to be a light red color. Plum Wine is a deep plummy red, but is still very vibrant and lively.

So, what do you think about this new series? The idea struck me this morning when I looked at those sunglasses above. I can't wait to show you some of the other knick-knacks I find in my home. It's really interesting to see how the things we're attached to can be right next to things we're not. What are some objects in your house that strikes up inspiration? 

Overcast Blues

The past two weeks here in Boston have been gray and rainy. The ever-present clouds made me appreciate the little peeks of blue sky even more than usual. Clouds really do have their own kind of beauty. Their different shapes, sizes, and intensities can really make a day feel gloomy or cheery. They could be an eerie sign of forthcoming rain. Or they could just be stray clouds wandering the bright blue sky.

Another snap from last week's little hike.

It was a beautifully, clear, cloudless sky today, though, which made me miss them a little bit. I thought I'd put together some colors to remind me of the skies of yesterday.

I pulled together a few dark, cool-toned eyeshadows. They consisted of blues, grays, taupes, and a few other muted colors. There was nothing too loud in the colors I picked out. There's always this fragile serenity to clouds, so I used that conceptualize my colors.

1. Avon Big Color Eye Pencil in Bluesmoke: Like the name suggests, this is a nice, deep navy blue with this gray smokiness to it. I think this would create the perfect navy blue smokey eye along with Revlon's Matte eyeshadow in Riviera Blue (3).
2. MAC Pigment in Deep Blue Green: This is one heck of a pigment. It has a rich, deep bluish-charcoal base, but then it also has this gorgeous teal duochrome that makes it just so pretty.
3. Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Riviera Blue: I remember I thought these eyeshadows were the bomb when they came out. Oh silly young, makeup noob me. It's a nice, deep gray-blue color in the pan, but applies so unevely.
4. Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Frigid: In the pan, Frigid looks like a very promising, unique indigo color. However, it applies more purple rather than indigo. I still quite like it, though, because it's still a really different color. 
5. MAC Eyeshadow in Moth Brown: I received this from Dovey this past week. I've never had much luck with giveaways, so this was such a pleasant surprise! Moth Brown definitely did not disappoint. It's this complex purple-gray-taupe that's so darn pretty, she explains it better here.
6. MAC Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe: Between the two cooler taupes, Satin Taupe looks so much more brown. It adds a layer of complexity to the colors I gathered.
7. Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadow Quad in Sandstorm (the last shade): This is a deep, almost completely gray taupe. This really reminds me of dark rain clouds.
8. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit: I thought the group needed a little light, and this was the best fit. As a champagne color, though, it's not too bright nor too dark, which was perfect here.
9. Rimmel Lipstick in Airy Fairy: This is a cool-toned, mauve-pink with a gold sheen. It's such a unique shade because the color itself is very cool, but the gold sheen warms it up and creates a lovely lip color.
10. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Pink Truffle: What's a fall/cloudy color palette without a deep lip color? This is like my beloved Revlon Soft Rose's younger sister! It's a browny-rose pink that I just adore.

Is it just me, or would 5, 6, 7, and 8 make a lovely quad? I'd totally buy it.

Some close-ups of the swatches.

(I was too lazy to swatch it on my nails.)

Also, befitting with the theme is this Essie nail polish in Power Clutch. It's a rich, charcoal color -- totally reminiscent of smoke and dark clouds. 

The other goodies she packed into the package.

I really want to thank Dovey for hosting such an awesome giveaway and for being so generous with the samples! As you can tell already, I'm lovin' Moth Brown. I hope you guys enjoyed this post. It's been a while since I last played with some colors, huh? Have a great rest of the weekend! :)