Some days, a makeup look is inspired by an excellent makeup palette. Other days, a makeup look is created to make the most of a disappointing makeup palette. The latter is what happened most recently. I found an adorably themed Disney Villains Eyeshadow Palette a little while ago and was excited to put it to use. Since coming back from my Walt Disney World vacation, my mind has been focused on all things Disney, so it only made sense to reach for this themed palette. Unfortunately, the quality was not there. In fact, this is one of the worst eyeshadow palettes that I have ever used. The colour story is wonderful. The theme? Perfection. The shadows? Downright terrible. At any rate, I did my best to create a semi-colourful #FOTD.

Back in the early 2010s, one of my most beloved beauty products was this trunk from Tarina Tarantino. At the time, products from the brand were sold at Sephora. It might have been around the holiday season that the trunk was released. It had an eyeshadow palette built in, a gorgeous red lipstick, and a glowy face primer. I was obsessed with all of the products inside, but especially this one taupe eyeshadow. It was gorgeous. Though that trunk is long gone, my memories of that taupe eyeshadow remain. Maybe that is why the Taupe Notch Eyeshadow Palette from Violet Voss immediately nabbed my attention. It brought me back to the makeup looks that I used to create. It brought me back to another time in my life. Add to that the fact that Violet Voss is a brand that I have had a lot of positive experiences with (some of their eyeshadow palettes are on my all-time favourites list) and it simply had to be added to my cart. It is time to take a look at this taupe-tastic makeup release.

Sometimes, a simple makeup look is a must. Especially when that to-do list feels overwhelming and the schedule is a little too full for comfort. That seems to sum things up for me lately. The last remaining days of January have decided to be full, busy, and downright hectic at times, between work, family stuff, and various personal responsibilities. Though I struggled a lot to get focused and check tasks off of my to-do list during the first couple weeks of the new year...I am being forced to get my head in the game. Thank goodness for no brainer beauty products. One that I have been reaching for the last several days is the neutral eyeshadow quad from FMG Glimmer, Goddess. There are some easy to wear neutrals included as well as some shimmers that make it possible to quickly and easily elevate a simple but glam makeup look. Keep reading for all of the important details....

It's hard to believe how far into January we are already. It seems like only yesterday, we were celebrating the start of a shiny new year....and now 2024 is well underway. Though 2024 has had a bit of a slower start for me (the January blues arrived earlier in the month and I am only just starting to feel like myself again)...there are been good moments scattered throughout. Like nights at the movies, listening to John Denver records, and re-focusing on some personal goals. Something else that has been making me smile? The BH Cosmetics Garnet For January 7 Color Shadow Palette. This was a previous Winners find for $5.99 CDN that I had been intentionally saving for January to roll around. Garnet is the birthstone for January and is thought to represent protection, friendship, trust, commitment, and love. This gorgeous red stone is represented well in the BH Cosmetics release thanks to the themed packaging, eyeshadow names, and colour story. Ready to take a closer look? Keep reading for a full review of the BH Cosmetics Garnet For January 7 Color Shadow Palette and a January birthstone inspired #FOTD. 

Am I a superhero kind of person? Not really. I've seen my fair share of superhero movies over the years, because my husband enjoys them and because some of them are decent. (I like the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the occasional Spiderman film.) But despite that, I am not exactly a fan. So, it felt kind of strange to purchase movie tickets a month in advance for the opening night of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Truth be told, I only watched the first Aquaman movie very recently...and I only watched it because I am currently working my way through the filmography of Amber Heard. Despite not totally loving superhero movies, it was important to me to see the new Aquaman movie right away, to support a recognized survivor of domestic violence - a survivor who faced one of the most horrific smear campaigns in modern history. I will always stand with survivors, publicly, privately, and even when I head to the movie theatre. Though I have known about Amber for many years, thanks to my obsession with the 00s television show, Hidden Palms, I didn't become a fan until more recently. First, I supported her simply because it was the right thing to do. (Disagree? Read the Amber Heard Open Letter signed by literally hundreds of domestic violence experts and feminist organizations, read the UK judgement, where her ex husband was found to be a wife beater, or look at the mountain of evidence in her favour.) However, as time passed, I became a fan of her as a person thanks to her long history of charitable endeavors, her outspoken stance against injustice, and her dedication to standing with survivors. I also became a fan of a lot of her work on television and in movies. So, for me, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was a movie I needed to see on opening night. It was only right. Going in, I knew that I wanted to create Mera inspired makeup.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful....Is it obvious that I have been listening to Christmas music non-stop recently? Between records, CDs, cassettes, and the radio, something is playing Christmas music at all times. My house is essentially my own personal North Pole at this point. While listening to "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" the idea popped into my head to do an icy winter makeup look and a warm fireplace inspired look to mirror the iconic opening line from the song. Since warm makeup looks are in my comfort zone, it made sense to start there. Especially since I had a couple of lip products from Kylie Cosmetics to put to good use. It is time to feel festive with this seasonal makeup look.

Another day, another Disney Villain. In case you missed my last blog post, it was dedicated to the Disney Villain Swivel Shadow Palette from Townley. This was an eyeshadow palette that I found for about $10 USD while on a day trip to the US and have finally been making the most of. After all, this month is all about darkness, spooky things, and even a bit of horror. I have certainly been doing what I can to make the most of the Halloween season and this swivel palette has been making that a whole lot easier. The last post was dedicated to the Maleficent portion of this eyeshadow palette. (Check that out here if you missed the previous post.) Now? It is time to take a look at what the Ursula section of this layered release has to offer.

I've always been a Disney Princess kind of girl. Growing up, it was Princesses good and Villains bad. Though I certainly would not consider myself a Disney Villain enthusiast (so many of them are downright evil and mean)...this is the ideal time of year to embrace a little darkness. After all, spooky season is well underway. This Disney Villain Swivel Shadow Palette from Townley has three different layers and each one is dedicated to a different villain. There are matte, shimmer, and glitter shades to choose from in each layer. This first post will include a mini review of the packaging and theme. It will also include a full review of the Maleficent layer and a #FOTD. Over the next few days, there will be reviews and makeup looks focused on the Ursula and The Evil Queen palettes included in this set. Ready for a bit of spooky fun? It is time to check out this unusual palette.

When it comes to the fall season...I am all in. Even on days when a sweater is not the most realistic choice, sweaters are still my must-have fashion item for this time of year. I just love the cozy feeling that only autumn can bring. In fact, I feel more and more like myself lately. Since I love this time of year so much, a lot of my fashion, accessory, and makeup choices have been very fall focused over the last several weeks. I'm talking warm colours and spooky vibes! No wonder my current favourite eyeshadow palette is the Luxe Legacy Eyeshadow Palette from Jaclyn Cosmetics. This was another Winners find that I simply could not miss. It was a little pricier than other offerings at the store ($25 CDN) but considering the palette is being sold for $49 USD on the Jaclyn Cosmetics website, it was still heavily discounted. The gorgeous neutrals and warm fall colours were too fabulous to resist. Ready to take a peek at this fall inspired #FOTD? Want to find out which eyeshadow shades stood out in the Luxe Legacy Eyeshadow Palette? Keep reading for a mini review and a fall makeup look featuring the Luxe Legacy palette.

Sour, the first album from Olivia Rodrigo, was easily my most listened to CD in 2022. And 2022. And it might be my most listened to in 2023 as well. The number of times that I have listened to that album is bordering on ridiculous. Though there had been a lot of incredible albums released in the last couple of years, Sour was the first one in a long time that made me feel the way I used to. See, back when I was younger, music was my whole identity. I would listen to the same albums over and over again, memorizing every little detail. Those albums made me feel safe and seen and understood in a way that I didn't feel in my day-to-day life. As I've gotten older, my love of music has stayed the same, but I don't always have that feeling when I listen to a new CD. I might love it, adore it, and listen to it many times, but it doesn't necessarily become a place of escape and understanding. Sour reminded me that I could still feel inspired in that way. It reminded me that music was (and still is) still a safe place for me. When it was announced that a new single would be released, there was a little nervousness on my part. Would it be as good as the songs on Sour? What if I didn't like it? What if I didn't have that feeling? It turns out that my fears were pointless, because her new song, Vampire, is perfection. I have listened to it at least a hundred times by now. I love everything about it. The lyrics speak to imbalanced power dynamics in a relationship (which is a topic that I am particularly passionate about) and the music video is a masterpiece. It is raw and emotional...and features some fantastic makeup. 

To all of my Canadian readers...Happy Canada Day! To everyone else...Happy Saturday! Since it is a holiday where I live (but I don't have any real plans, aside from working on assignments and maybe eating a burger for dinner) it made sense to do a themed #FOTD here on Mansa Fashion. In honour of the Canadian flag colours, my makeup look today is red and white. To create the look, lots of different products in my makeup collection were used, most of them drugstore or on the more affordable side. Ready to take a peek? Here is my red and white makeup look inspired by Canada Day.

This is for the good times, good times. This is to the good life. I've been using a lot of orange makeup lately. This is partly because sunset colours are my weakness during the spring and summer months. It is also because I have been thinking a lot about Paul Cattermole. For those who are unaware, Paul was a member of S Club 7, and he passed away recently, shortly after a reunion tour was announced. Paul was always my favourite member of the band. In my youth, I ran a fan website dedicated to him and even wrote an email newsletter. Today, my S Club 7 dolls are on display in my home office and I listen to the music often. The band was - and still is - an important part of my life. (I was lucky enough to meet them all back in the day at Much Music and saw three of the band members at a 90s concert in 2019.) The news about Paul has left me devastated, so I have been trying to honour him in little ways. Like wearing orange makeup. Each member of S Club 7 had a colour of the rainbow associated with them and Paul was given the colour orange. So, today it made sense to share a recent orange inspired look.

Spring is here...and that means the world is in bloom. Or at least it promises to be! Whenever I think of the spring season, my mind instantly goes to flowers, sunshine, and pastel colours. Though a lot of the spring season so far as been rainy and grey for the most part, there have still been pockets of sunshine. With spring on my mind these days, it only made sense to do a spring inspired #FOTD. Since there was a liquid lipstick in my collection that I was ready to use and review here on Mansa Fashion. it was a no brainer. Keep reading for a seasonal makeup look and a mini review of an Estate lipstick.

Tomorrow is the day....St Patrick's Day to be exact. In the past, my St Patrick's Day experiences included bars, restaurants, and movie nights. These days, it is a lot more low key. There are a few seasonal decorations scattered around the living room and there might be a drink or two at home tomorrow. Nothing wild or crazy! Even though my background is Irish, St. Patrick's Day wasn't something that was celebrated in my home growing up. It was just a day to wear green. In fact, it wasn't until one of my friends wanted to go out one year that it became something of a tradition. This holiday has felt special since then. It helps that my husband and I met on St. Patrick's Day about twelve years ago.  Yes, this is certainly a sentimental day for me. To celebrate the holiday, it only made sense to create a St. Patrick's Day inspired makeup look. Of course, there is lots and lots of green and a few newer makeup products thrown into the mix. Ready to take a peek? Here is a holiday themed #FOTD. 

Christmas time is here, families drawing near. Oh, that we could always see, such spirit through the year. Some holiday specials are iconic for good reason. A Charlie Brown Christmas is certainly iconic, beloved, and a tradition for many families. Several months back, it was announced that there would be a Wet n Wild collaboration with the Peanuts brand just in time for Christmas. This announcement left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it sounded amazing. On the other hand, we don't tend to see limited edition offerings from Wet n Wild where I live. It seemed unlikely that I would be able to own anything from the collection. However, since my mom and I visited Frankenmuth last month, we were able to visit a few US stores. Luckily, the Peanuts x Wet n Wild items were available there. Though I wanted absolutely everything, it was only the Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! Eyeshadow Palette that came home with me. It was about $17 USD, which was pricey, especially considering the fact that Wet n Wild has always been so affordable. Apparently not anymore! Since Christmas Day is right around the corner...this seemed like the perfect time to talk about this seasonal makeup release and share a holiday themed #FOTD.