I really enjoyed unboxing the Glamour Ghoul Boxes. The owner took a break for a few years ~ my last unboxing was November 2018 ~ but now she's back! I had to get the inaugural box, AND it's bat themed. Yes, yes I opened a bat themed box before, but really you can't have too many bats! My friend Jodee Bowie joined me for the unboxing. There's a video, but please be gentle, we are way out of practice. A couple of things after watching...

~ I forgot to look at the camera most of the time.

~ Watch the WHOLE thing because I name two giveaways I am doing. One of them starts today 2/10/2022!

~ We learn Jodee likes "sexy" books.

There's quite a lot of products in a small box!

1. Bat zipper bag by Gorejess Labratory. I have a necklace from her too!

2. Bookmark from Little Black Bats. Super nicely packaged.

3. Red bat wing hair clips from Bow So Creepy. She makes earrings too!

4. Bat Sticker. I had to do some digging because I didn't know who it was from. Celestial July Art. It's already stuck to my filing cabinet.

5. Black "Underworld" Liquid Lipstick from Incanto Cosmetics. I put it on my hand and it smudged a little but didn't fully come off for a full day! I'd say that's really impressive.

6. Cute black and white striped soap "It's Fricken Bats" with bats on the top from The Painted Cat. It's nice because it's not overly scented.

7. Bat necklace from Murderous Jewels. It's lightweight and delicate, I can layer it with my other bat necklace from her. 

All in all, I'd say this was a great box. I always like finding new independent small businesses in these boxes. Looking forward to The Crow one in March. Stay tuned and remember it can't rain all the time.

You can see other Glamour Ghoul unboxings here...

Glamour Ghoul Craft Box

Glamour Ghoul All Hallow's Eve Box

Glamour Ghoul Hellraiser Box w Jodee Bowie

Glamour Ghoul Labyrinth Box w Jodee Bowie

Glamour Ghoul Batty Box

Glamour Ghoul Classic Horror Box

Glamour Ghoul Luna Box

p.s. Check out Vision Video band.

I haven't blogged about makeup in a LONG time. The last time was with Winky Lux in 2019, so after my friend gave me the Kitty Likes to Scratch palette from Too Faced, I thought it was time. 

I've never owned a palette from Too Faced before, so I didn't know what to expect. The package says it "smells like a tequila sunrise". I can assure it doesn't smell. If it does, it smells like eye shadow.

The tin is super cute and comes with a mirror inside.

My OCD is going crazy because the first two colors are in a different shaped pan, but after looking at their website all the mini eye shadow palettes are like this on the inside. I guess, it mirrors life ~ be a rectangle among the squares!

The colors look good!

I swatched the colors on my arm without primer. The "Pet Me" color is so light I could use it as concealer (it's the one at the top), but then again I'm pasty.

As usual I tried to do a full makeup look with one palette. What can I say? I like the challenge. Here's the final look in my bathroom.

Of the colors in the palette, three are matte, and five are shimmery. I tend to prefer the shimmery because I find them easier to blend. I used "Pet Me" as a brow highlighter, "Heavy Metal" as a highlighter on my nose and chin, "Groupe" as blush, "Rock of Ages" mixed with chapstick for lips, "Backstage Pass" as a base for my eye shadow, "Hair Band" as my eye crease color, and "Power Ballad" as eyeliner.

Here is everything I used to makeup my face. As you can see I'm not a makeup artist by any means. I decided to get fancy and use some eye lashes I picked up on clearance at Halloween. They are awful, so ignore my eyelashes in the pictures. The band isn't long enough and it's stiff. That's probably why they were on sale. 

I use Bye Bye Foundation from it Cosmetics because of the SPF 50 and they have my color (sometimes it's hard to find a good light match without being too orange, yellow, or dark), NYX eyebrow pencil, and Ulta brow powder (I like the Ulta brand because it doesn't make me break out, but the lids always crack off their packaging), Duo eye lash glue in black for the crappy lashes, some Wet N Wild mascara (this one is my new favorite and it's cheap), a Burt's Bees chapstick that was given to me for Christmas, and two shadow brushes, eye liner brush, and blush brush. That's it. I keep it simple.

Here's a few snaps in natural lighting. Oh BTW this background is my shop Cats Like Us.

Overall Kitty Likes to Scratch is a super neutral palette, unlike the eye shadow names trying to invoke 80s hair metal. I think I'll get the most use out of the color "Hair Band". It's a very shimmery brown. Great for everyday use, but you can also glam it up with a black smoky eye. The colors go on smooth and stay in place. I recommend it.

If you're wondering my pin was also a gift (I have the most generous thoughtful friends), it's from VincaUSA this particular brooch is no longer available, but they have lots of cute cat jewelry!

In past blogs, I've also reviewed The Never Sleep Again Palette from Hot Topic, Sugarpill's Trick or Treat bundle, Sugarpill's Feline Fancy Palette, Wet & Wild's Goth-O-Graphic Set, Lunatik Cosmetics Elvira Palette.

Thanks for reading. Feeling sexy, might delete later.

I just wanted to THANK YOU for following my blog. I've slowed down writing them a little, but I'm still here! This year for my anniversary I'm doing TWO giveaways!!!

Giveaway 1 ~ PUSHEEN

Included is...

1. Pusheen Water Bottle

2. Pusheen Pool Float

3. Pusheen Jump Rope

4. Pusheen To-Go Salad Container

Giveaway 2 ~ MAC

Included is...

1. Gold Makeup Bag

2. Perfume Atomizer

3. Eyelash Curler

4. MAC Makeup Palette (colors: Pink Freeze, Fine Shine, Dove Feather, Chill Blue, Nocturnelle, Formal Black)

All you have to do to enter...

~ Like the Fluffy the Vampire Slayer Facebook Page.

~ Comment on the Giveaway post which one you would like to win, or both! i.e. "PUSHEEN", "MAC", "PUSHEEN & MAC".

~ Share the Fluffy the Vampire Slayer Facebook page.

Good luck and I'll be picking two winners at random on Monday, March 9 and they'll be contacted via Facebook.

Appalachian Wild

A few years ago I blogged about collecting mascara wands for the Wands for Wildlife program at Appalachian Wild. They've had such a huge outpouring of wands that they now only collect them twice a year in October and February.

Since my blog, I've been collecting mascara wands and making shout-outs on Facebook for customers and friends to drop them off at my shop Cats Like Us. I'm happy to announce we collected 79 wands! I washed and mailed them out.

If you would like to donate wands to the program be sure they are clean and that you include this form. Maybe you don't have mascara wands or October/ February is over? They are always collecting donations from their Wild Wishlist or monetary donations.

What I really liked was the nice email I received in response to our donation. It was appreciative and made me feel like even if it's an easy way to recycle, it really helped them out.

You can follow Appalachian Wild on...
Email Newsletter
Facebook
Instagram
You Tube
Twitter

Don't forget to check out the Wish lists from your local shelters too, you'd be surprised what they often need!

It comes as no surprise that I'm a sucker for makeup packaging, especially if there's a cat involved. I was placing an Ulta makeup order and saw they now carry the brand Winky Lux, and even have a Winky Lux Kitty Glam Kit! Winky Lux is known for their Flower Balms. The balms look like clear lipsticks with real flowers set into them, in a pill shaped tube. I admit, I was as curious as a kitty to try them! I ordered the set that included a Pink Flower Balm and Radiant Pink Highlighter.

They come in a tabby kitty pouch.

Both pieces are boxed inside, and look at the ditzy floral liner!

The set.

The compact is pretty and the pill shaped lipstick holder I find hard to hold, 

but I'm sure that's just me.

Inside the compact is a cream. They described it as a "highlighter and blush in one". I have to say it's much too light to be a blush, even for a pale person like me. It works better as a highlighter and is super easy to apply.

You can hardly see them on my skin, 

but the top is the lip balm in Pink and the bottom is Radiant Pink Highlighter.

The balm goes on clear and mixes with your pH to turn into your perfect shade of pink.  It is very smooth to apply and it did turn into a nice shade of pink. I tried to take a picture of the chrysanthemum inside, but I'll just share a picture from their website because you can see it better.

I took a picture of both products on my face, but they are so subtle it's hard to see. Here's an indoor and outside shot. I applied the highlighter to right above my cheek bones, a little on my forehead and the tip of my nose and the lipstick is on without a primer or liner.

Both are super subtle and great for everyday wear. I can understand why Winky Lux is popular. The light colors are perfect if you are buying a gift for someone too. Since the Lip Balms match your pH, you can't go wrong with color! I plan to add these to my everyday makeup routine.

My first introduction to horror movies that I can remember is watching the original Nightmare on Elm St. I was never allowed to subscribe to Fangoria (more on that here) but my parents did allow me to watch any movie I wanted. My mom always said, "I'd rather have you learn from a movie than in real life." Looking back on this statement, that's bad parenting, but at the time I was the cool kid that told all my friends about the latest and greatest horror movies. We rented the Nightmare on Elm St. VHS from the neighborhood video store as soon as it came out and watched it as a family. I was hooked on horror from this point on.

That night I heard my mom get up to go to the bathroom, it was probably about 2 am, and I followed her. I was worried that Freddy would come through the wall above my bed. She didn't know I was up and I waited outside the bathroom for her until she was done. She opened the door and I think I scared the bejesus out of her. I was promptly tucked back into bed and told if I couldn't handle horror movies then we wouldn't rent them anymore. After that I conquered my fear because I never wanted to live a life without watching all the blood and gore.

Fast forward. It's the 35th anniversary of Nightmare on Elm St. I own all the DVDs (but not the remake, we don't talk about that.) I bought the Never Sleep Again Palette from Hot Topic in celebration. I've heard mixed reviews about their eye shadow and was drawn in by the packaging. Currently it's out of stock, but it did have a five star review!

This palette opens to the left, which is a little odd. I thought it was a defect, but then I looked again on the website and it was correct. The colors are both matte and metallic. I like the metallic ones because they are easier to blend, but these mattes are nice too and highly pigmented. The "Sweet Dreams" color completely disappears on me, I'm very fair (I'd say the fairest in the land 😉), so I used it as a highlighter. Note that I didn't use a primer on my arm.

 
As with some of the other palettes I've reviewed (Lunatick Cosmetic's Elvira Palette, Sugarpill's Feline Fancy Palette, Wet & Wild's Goth-O-Graphic Set) I'll only use the palette for my full face look. (I like the challenge.) I'll tell you if I needed to use anything else.

 Naked face.

I usually start with a moisturizer and my standard liquid foundation. For color I began with the matte blacks "Slash" and "Don't Fall Asleep" for my eye brows and "Burned Alive" for blush. It's a great bronze-y metallic shade.

Next I added "Dream Realm" blue on the outer crease of my eyes, "Incinerator" metallic gray for the lid and inner corner, and "Elm Street" for the center lid. I'm loving this color because it matches my new hair!

Last but not least, I added "Sweet Dreams" as a highlighter on my nose and cheeks, used "Blood Bath" as a top coat over chapstick, which turns it a nice brown-red, and threw on some fake lashes. I'm good to go!

Overall this palette has some great pigments that are easy to blend and I like all the shades. My only complaint would be that these pressed shadows are flakey. If you use a brush to apply any of them, I'd suggest dampening it first so it doesn't end up all over.

Thanks for reading about my soft spot for Freddy, and watch me play with makeup! Until next time friends, don't fall asleep....just kidding, sleep is really important for a healthy lifestyle.

I just wanted to take a moment to THANK YOU for following my page. I've slowed down writing because I've been very busy running my store Cats Like Us, but I haven't forgotten about you! I have ideas for more blogs, I just have to sit down an actually write them.

Without further ado, here's what you can win...

1. Suffer Pinhead Bath Bomb from The Mad Bombers

2. The Craft Bath Dust from Pop Natural

3. Pusheen Latte Stencil

4. A Tarot Spread Kit from Feather Fox Tarot

5. J.Cat Eye Shadow palette in Secret Haze

6. Blood Sucking Brady Bunch Decal from Vampyre Coven

7.Planchette Compact Mirror from Misfit Mombie


All you have to do is...

1. Like the Fluffy the Vampire facebook page

2. Comment on the Giveaway post

3. Share the Fluffy the Vampire facebook page

Good luck! Winner will be picked Fri., March 8, 2019 and will be contacted via facebook.

My friend Shannon ~ the talented seamstress and tailor ~ owns Krampus Cuties hair ties. (Cats Like Us sells a lot of them and you can see exclusive designs here). She chooses really fun prints including cats and horror! I've collected several and what's nice is that they are reversible and adjustable. (I mentioned her in a past blog.)

I'm wearing the "You've got to be kitten" me hair tie 

in this picture, but on the solid side.

Here's my small collection... so far.

When she started making The Shining rug print hair ties I knew I needed a dress. (You might know I'm a fan from this blog post.) The pattern of the rug lends itself to a 1960s design. I just so happen to have a collection of vintage sewing patterns. I always thought I would learn to sew. My mom tried to teach me, I took sewing classes, and yet I have zero percent sewing skills. I asked Shannon ~ if I gave her the pattern ~ if she could make me a dress out of The Shining print? She said, "Yes!". (I made the buttons. At least I'm good for something. lol.)

The Shining print rug is the last one pictured above.

For reference, here's what it looks like in the movie...

Here's the fabric and my dress pattern.

So now I have this amazing reproduction 1960s dress and matching hair tie made of The Shining print rug. What's the best way to show it off? A photo shoot of course! I asked Destiny my friend and neighbor from Sweet Heart Pin Up if she could help me. If you ever want a full pinup experience she is the person to see! She made me feel like a queen on a throne while she applied my makeup. It was so relaxing. I just told her I wanted it to be heavy 1960s makeup and boy did she deliver! Eyelashes here, eyelashes there, eyelashes everywhere!

We watched the movie for inspiration beforehand and Destiny was able to pull props from other sets to fit the theme of The Shining. She has lots of sets in the basement of her studio already set up for pinup shoots. She put a room together just for me! I have to say I was impressed. I'm so lucky to have such talented friends.

Here are some quick behind the scene shots she took with attention to detail.

Key ring is from the Overlook Creeper Crate.

Now for the Photo Shoot...

Here's Ginger and I.

 Here's Vicktor and I.

Kitty paw prints.

Twin Kitties.

Mirror Kitty.

I wanted to keep it kitschy with a 1960s Shining theme and she made my vision a reality. I'm so happy I could make the photo shoot my own. I highly recommend booking with Sweet Heart Pin Up if you are near Buffalo, NY. Destiny is empowering, and fun and real. She made me feel like a million bucks. I'm flattered she said I have the skin of a twenty something. (Little does she know I have the skin of a twenty something in a box on my dresser...muhahaha.....just kidding....or am I?)

Thanks for reading!

~Julie Ann

Credits
Photos: Sweet Heart Pin Up
Makeup: Sweet Heart Pin Up
Hair provided by: Sheila "She-Devil" Hellinski
Dress: Krampus Cuties/ Kramp Kouture
Accessories: Cats Like Us
Cats added by: Miranda Knight Creative