Bows and Curtseys is going on hiatus!

Hi everyone! As some of you might know, I have been super busy as of lately, and will continue to be for a little while. I am currently tutoring (English) part-time and have a series of job interviews lined up, so I need to focus my time and energy on that right now. I also have lots of life/family stuff to take care of and need to clear my mind.

I hope you all understand and that you'll still be here when I get back! I can't say exactly how long it will be, but definitely no more than a few weeks. Thank you for your understanding and always being so overwhelmingly amazing and supportive of me, I love you all dearly.

If you want to keep up with my shenanigans, you can always follow me on  Facebook , Twitter and/or Tumblr. I'm planning on updating on there more often during the time being.

Thanks again, guys and see you all soon!

I'LL BE BACK.

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SugarPill Cosmetics Haul + Review with Swatches

Hi guys, long time no chat! I've had a super busy week, and I feel a huge emptiness in my heart today...I watched the Hunger Games 2 nights ago and I need to watch it over and over until I am content, haha! Today will be busy as well, but super fun and special! It's my husband Jon's 26th birthday! We're going out for sushi and drinks tonight with our favorite friends and family, so can't wait for that!

Anyway, about a month ago my hubby bought me my first SugarPill products for my birthday and I was seriously stoked. I've been dying to get my hands on some SugarPill and I am so elated that theses are finally in my life. I got the Sweet Heart Palette, the Burning Heart Palette and a loose pigment in Stella. My order also came with a sample of Goldilux (now I know why everyone is crazy about it)!

Get ready for lots of photos, this will be a long post!

Both palettes came inside this ridiculously pretty box. They are so cute that I just had to keep them. I cannot throw them away! (Hoarder? Not really).

This is the acutal packaging for the palettes. They are made of thick and sturdy cardboard that is very sleek and well made.

Inside the Sweet Heart Palette, you get four HUGE pressed eyeshadows that are among the most pigmented I have ever tried. Net Wt. 4 grams / .14 oz. × 4, $34.00.

As you can see, these are no joke. Crazy pigmentation and superb blendability for pressed shadows. These are swatched over bare skin (2 coats). Tako and Dollipop are both matte finishes, while Midori and Afterparty have a slight pearly-sheen. Dollipop is my favorite in this palette. I love Tako too, but it's a teeny bit on the chalky side. Still the best white I own though! 

The Burning Heart Palette just screams sunset/summer...doesn't it? It is absolutely gorgeous, and just like it's sister the Sweet Heart palette, it is equally as pigmented and all around amazing. I still cannot get over how amazing the quality and the pigmentation of these shadows are. Why isn't SugarPill sold in Sephora? They would blow everyone out of the water. Net Wt. 4 grams / .14 oz. × 4, $34.00.

Swatches are over bare skin, two coats. Stunning, right? I love how opaque these all are. Poison Plum has a slight pearly-sheen while the others are a matte finish. Butter Cupcake is pure love, it's my fave in this palette. I just wanna eat it!

I also received one of their loose shadows, Stella. I have a soft spot for loose shadows and I am so glad I picked Stella. It is a galaxy in a container, so gorgeous. 4.5 grams, $12.00.

The box is similar to the palettes, only with a slightly different design. Still really cute. They also have a sort rubbery feel to them.

 This loose shadow was pretty much made for me. It's a matte jet black base, with TONS of rainbow sparkles. I tried my best to capture the rainbow-ness going on, but you're just going to have to take my word for it, it is to die for. I have tried lots of different loose shadows, but nothing compares to the texture of this one. It blends so easily and has almost a butter-like consistency. LOVE.

Left is applied wet, right is applied dry, no base. 

No base, left dry, right wet.

As I mentioned earlier, I got a sample of Goldilux as well. One of the prettiest golds I've ever seen! This is also a loose shadow and has a smoother texture then Stella. I love this shade because it is really versatile and can be worn by anyone.

And here is just a quick look I put together once I opened up my palettes. It's nothing special or unqiue, I simply wanted to try these babies out! I used Poison Plum and After Party on my lid, Stella in the crease and blended out with Dollipop. I have Butter Cupcake on my tearduct, Midori on the lower lid and Tako on my brow bone.

Also, my last look was created with mostly SugarPill products as well. You can check that out HERE.

 I HIGHLY recommend giving SugarPill a shot if you have yet to...trust me, you need some in your life. SugarPill is vegan and cruelty-free as well, which is a giant plus in my book.

I really hope you all enjoyed reading my review on Sugar Pill. I know that there are a million plus one of them out there, but I thought, "Why not?". Maybe my opinion will convince you to try them out if you haven't already. I am so late on trying these out, but better late than never, right? I am so happy that I finally own some SugarPill and will definitely be purchasing some more in the near future :)

Have a great weekend!

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Dark Dreams

If you follow me on Tumblr, then you might already know that I have a thing for dark, creepy and eerie things..it makes me happy! I've always had an interest in the bizarre, ever since I was child (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was among one of my favorite books). But then again, I also love pink, glitter and cutsie stuff. So, I thought I'd put a look together using all these elements. I've done a look similar to this before, but this is a tad different and a bit more dramatic. Just a warning, this look is not for the shy and/or faint of heart!

FACE:

• Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Buff
• MAC Studio Fix Powder in N4

EYES:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Loreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in Black
• SugarPill Loose Eyeshadow in Stella
• SugarPill Eyeshadow in Poison Plum
• SugarPill Eyeshadow in Dollipop
• SugarPill Eyeshadow in Tako
• Wet N Wild Fantasy Makers Glitter Confetti in Glitz
• Loreal Voluminous Falsies Mascara 
• Faux Lashes in Black Sparkle

CHEEKS:

• MAC Fafi Blush in Hipness
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin as highlight

LIPS:

• Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Soft Nude

As you probably noticed in the product list, I recently got some SugarPill (finally) from my husband for my birthday! I've been playing around with them, and they're great so far. I'll have a review up with some swatches for you all soon, hopefully within the next week.

Anyway, I hope you all are happy, healthy and are doing well! I also really hope you guys enjoyed this look :)

See you soon!

<3

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Lime Crime China Doll Palette Review & Swatches

Yesterday, I created a look using Lime Crime's China Doll Palette and many of you were interested about this fun and whimsical palette. Keep on reading for my review, swatches and product shots!

In true Lime Crime fashion, the palette was in-cased in this super adorable envelope-style box! (Told you, Unicorn Mail!)

The actual palette itself is in a cute but sturdy tin case that is covered in what I believe is fish scales. The same pattern is on the eyeshadows.

This is Lime Crime's first palette/pressed shadows and they definitely do not fail in the pigmentation department. I was surprised at how intense the colors were and I love the texture of these. They are smooth, almost buttery and blend like a dream! They are very opaque and quite long lasting.

From Left to Right:

Fly Dragon Fly: A matte, warm, fiery red; surprisingly wearable.

Parasol: A beautiful matte, sky blue that is really bright for a pastel shade.

Goldfish: A gorgeous yellow gold shade with shimmery/metallic finish.

Jade-O-Lade: A unique and stunning matte, teal-ish forest green. My favorite.

Lotus Noir: A definite must in this palette, a matte and opaque black.

Applied over Lime Crime's Eyeshadow Helper

Overall, this palette is really nice and is a must-have if you're a big Lime Crime fan. The choice of colors are definitely unique and are unlike any other palettes I've seen. As you can tell from the swatches, they are really bright and intense. If you want a more toned down look, skip the primer. I'd say the only downfall is the inside of the palette (not a huge fan of the plastic surrounding the shadows), but like I said before, this is their first palette and there is always room for improvement! The palette is priced at $34.99 USD and can be purchased at limecrimemakeup.com.

(Note: I am aware of Lime Crime's history and recent controversy over this palette. However, I am an all-around makeup lover and will try out almost any brand (as long as they are cruelty-free) and will give anyone a chance. My reviews are on the products only and are 100% honest and un-biased.)

Disclaimer: Some products shown in this post may have been provided by the said brand(s) for potential review or use. For more information, please read my DISCLOSURE.

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I hope you guys found this review helpful! 

If you own the China Doll Palette, lemme know your thoughts on it.

Take care, and see you again soon!

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Wicked Wanderlust

I came home the other day and saw a lovely purple box awaiting me on my front porch. Excited, I quickly realized it was from Lime Crime (aka Unicorn Mail). I opened it up and it was a birthday gift from Doe Deere, and was pleased to see that it was the ChinaDoll Palette! The colors are all super pretty, and I just had to create a look with them.

The packaging and the names of the shadows/palette are Chinese inspired and got me thinking of how much I've always wanted to travel the world. This also helped me come up with the name of this look as well.

WANDERLUST: A desire and urge to travel; to understand one's very existence.

Wanna read my review and see swatches? Then click HERE.

FACE:

• Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Buff
• MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in N4

EYES:

• Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper
• Lime Crime ChinaDoll Palette in Parasol, Jade-O-Lade, Lotus Noir and Fly Dragon Fly
• SugarPIll Eyeshadow in Tako
• Wet N Wild Liquid Liner in Black
• Rimmel Soft Kohl Pencil in Pure White
• Hard Candy Ginormous Lash Mascara
• Spiky Halloween Lashes

CHEEKS:

• ELF Blush in Blushing Rose

LIPS:

• Lime Crime Lipstick in Coquette
• ELF Glossy Gloss in Dragon Fruit

Disclaimer: Some products shown in this post may have been provided by the said brand(s) for potential review or use. For more information, please read my DISCLOSURE.

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I hope you all are doing well and are staying healthy! We all just got over the stomach bug here at the Bows & Curtseys household...that thing is brutal, lol. It's like the plague!

Anyway, have you entered my giveaway yet? If not, then click on the image below...I'm giving away 10 full-size Glamour Doll Eyes Eyeshadows and a Control Freak Eyeshadow Primer!

Take care!
<3

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Hunger Games Inspired - Katniss Everdeen "The Girl Who Was on Fire" Video Tutorial!

Hi guys!

Here is the first tutorial of my Hunger Games look. This one was inspired by Katniss' interview dress as described in the first book. Check out the blog post of this look, HERE.

I am not 100% happy with the way the makeup and lighting is in this video, blah :/

This was my third attempt and my eyes were not cooperating with me, and the focus was off, so I apologize! 

I hope you enjoy this, and have a great weekend!

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