...so if you did not grab one of these special sets before Christmas, get one now before these sets go out of stock! We don't have a whole lot of them left and will likely not be offering these prices again for a while.
I've also put all the LE colors on Clearance as I am trying to clear them out to make room for new LE colors that may be up late January/early February. Even if they don't sell out, they will be removed from the website about the time we put up the new colors. Due to their popularity, Regal & Innovative have actually been added to the regular line, but you can still get them at a less expensive price should you decide to get them in the Christmas Edition set if the other colors have not sold out.
Don't forget we also have a Get With Purchase deal (see previous blog post) that will run until Jan. 8!
Happy New Year everyone!
Add: For those of you that were wondering, we expect to get back our Ingenue Petite Dual Fiber Blush & Eyeshadow brushes, Mascara Guard, and (Individually-sold) Premium Eye brushes by early next week. The Folding Metal Lash comb should be in toward the end of next week although there is still one available Individually if you didn't want to purchase a Natural Lash Set (which we only have a couple left as well at the time of this writing.) So make sure to check back then if you were waiting on these!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Brush Sale Resumes Jan. 1, 2009
Wow! 2009 is here in TWO weeks, can you all believe it?
I do want to start off by saying thanks to every one of you that have placed an order with us these last couple of months, both with the makeup and brush sets and especially to those of you that have helped spread the word; as you all know, that is how small companies like me grow best, through word of mouth. :)
Since I will be out of town almost the entire week of Christmas, my Brush Sale will also be taking a vacation (lol) to slow sales down a bit so I don't run too behind on filling orders when I come back. I will add the Premium Face and Eye brush sets (not many of the Eye sets left though!) back January 1 (Thursday) as well as the couple of Natural Lash sets that were left AND a few other goodies on Clearance. So if you all are just waiting on Christmas bonuses or cash presents before spending any more, this will be a great time for you to partake in this deal if you were unable to this last week.
EDIT: I forgot the best part! When the brush sale resumes, there will be these offers available ONLY from January 1 to January 8 and no coupon code will be needed, it will automatically be sent to you. However, if you DO NOT want an item, do let us know as a courtesy:
***For international orders, PLEASE remember that this will NOT include your shipping costs. So if you buy something for $16.49 and your shipping is $2.00, the shipping charge will not count toward it. You'll have to get a $1 sample to fulfill the "Get with Purchase" deal.
I will be restocking (at their regular prices) the Ingenue Dual Fiber brushes, the Mascara Guard, & Ingenue Eye brushes but it will be early-mid January before they arrive so please check back with us here at our blog if you'd like any updates on their arrival.
Also as noted in the post below and on my Home page at my store, orders received this coming Monday, December 22 through Saturday, December 27 WILL NOT BE PROCESSED & SHIPPED until the Sunday/Monday following--maybe Tuesday depending on how many orders I have when I get back. I'll be setting an Auto-Response in my email as a reminder as well. So if you hear of anyone complaining about not getting their order or any emails from me, make sure you let them know as I'm not sure everyone reads the Home Page or this blog.
I do wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a super Happy New Year! I think 2008 has been tough for a lot of us, especially financially, so I wish everyone the best blessings for 2009. Thank you all though for being a part of this great adventure and challenge of owning my own makeup line! You all are too wonderful!!!
I do want to start off by saying thanks to every one of you that have placed an order with us these last couple of months, both with the makeup and brush sets and especially to those of you that have helped spread the word; as you all know, that is how small companies like me grow best, through word of mouth. :)
Since I will be out of town almost the entire week of Christmas, my Brush Sale will also be taking a vacation (lol) to slow sales down a bit so I don't run too behind on filling orders when I come back. I will add the Premium Face and Eye brush sets (not many of the Eye sets left though!) back January 1 (Thursday) as well as the couple of Natural Lash sets that were left AND a few other goodies on Clearance. So if you all are just waiting on Christmas bonuses or cash presents before spending any more, this will be a great time for you to partake in this deal if you were unable to this last week.
EDIT: I forgot the best part! When the brush sale resumes, there will be these offers available ONLY from January 1 to January 8 and no coupon code will be needed, it will automatically be sent to you. However, if you DO NOT want an item, do let us know as a courtesy:
Orders over $17.00 - Get a free vegan lip balm a $3.75 value when purchased!
Orders over $55.00 - Get the free lip balm, a free Illuminated Blush AND a free 5 gm jar of eyeshadow of your choice, a $16.73 value when purchased!
***For international orders, PLEASE remember that this will NOT include your shipping costs. So if you buy something for $16.49 and your shipping is $2.00, the shipping charge will not count toward it. You'll have to get a $1 sample to fulfill the "Get with Purchase" deal.
I will be restocking (at their regular prices) the Ingenue Dual Fiber brushes, the Mascara Guard, & Ingenue Eye brushes but it will be early-mid January before they arrive so please check back with us here at our blog if you'd like any updates on their arrival.
Also as noted in the post below and on my Home page at my store, orders received this coming Monday, December 22 through Saturday, December 27 WILL NOT BE PROCESSED & SHIPPED until the Sunday/Monday following--maybe Tuesday depending on how many orders I have when I get back. I'll be setting an Auto-Response in my email as a reminder as well. So if you hear of anyone complaining about not getting their order or any emails from me, make sure you let them know as I'm not sure everyone reads the Home Page or this blog.
I do wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a super Happy New Year! I think 2008 has been tough for a lot of us, especially financially, so I wish everyone the best blessings for 2009. Thank you all though for being a part of this great adventure and challenge of owning my own makeup line! You all are too wonderful!!!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Swatches of Christmas Edition colors & other info
Per request, I've had a few of you ask me for some arm swatches of the Christmas Edition colors--but before I do that, let me show you the picture from page 204 of the November 2008 InStyle Magazine that inspired me to include some purples that were actually formulated this past spring & summer!
I've hesitated posting these because I just can't seem to capture the true beauty of these colors. They have more complexity and vivid pigment than these photos demonstrate. Both Forbearing and Philanthropic were inspired by the Christmas tinsel you see around this time of the year but made into wearable shades that can be used primarily as accents or all over lid colors if you're bolder! I actually like wearing Forbearing with black eyeliner kind of "peeking" behind the black like a halo. Philanthropic is similar to Altruistic but is much more shimmery and has more yellow-gold tones.
In fact, all the colors are so much more glamorous in person as these photos and the ones from my store seem to wash out and lose the beautiful highlights--especially Innovative! It looks almost identical to Gifted, but when applied you'll notice a gorgeous golden overtone that works well as a brighter, all over wash whereas Gifted has more of a plum-pink tone suited for a medium-shade lid or contour color.
Just remember, these colors are Limited Edition although I am very tempted to keep Innovative & Regal permanently (we'll see, lol) so grab these while you can!
As a side-note, please note that the Brush Sale will end December 17; so this Wednesday will be the last day you can pick up the great deals on the brushes. Regretfully, I have sold out of the Ingenue Dual Fiber Blush brushes and almost all of the Ingenue eyebrushes/Lash accessories and the new stock will not arrive until early January.
But would you all like to hear some good news? Depending on how many more I sell until this Wednesday and *IF* I have any left, I will resume the *LIMITED STOCK* brush sets January 1 (Thursday) for those of you that are looking for some after Christmas deals!
I would simply continue with the sale until the stock runs out, but I am actually going to be out of town to the great state of Tennessee (where I grew up) to spend precious time with my family during the week of Christmas so this is kind of my way of "slowing things down" until I return. I will also mark down just a couple of select items (not telling what, it will spoil the surprise, lol).
I'll post this on my Homepage, but please REMEMBER that orders that are received December 22 (Monday) will NOT be processed until December 28-29 (Sunday/Monday). Depending on my free time and Internet access during that time, I will try to get emails answered and refunds for shipping to my International customers--but if I don't get to it, please know that it is very important to me and will get to it as soon as I get a chance.
Thanks all!
As you can see, this is a very simple yet eye-brightening look! You can use either Gifted or Innovative (I personally prefer Innovative due to the awesome golden shimmer in it that seems more eye-catching) on the lid and then Regal (wet-lined) around the outer corners of your eyes as eyeliner. When I first formulated Regal, I laughed at the brightness of it and did not think it would fit in my "Bobbi Brown-like" makeup line, but worn as an eyeliner, I got more compliments from it than any other colors from my line that are huge favorites! Yes, it is totally scary in the baggie/jar, but beautiful on especially for those with brown or green eyes.
Now for the swatches (the left side is dry and the right side is foiled):
I've hesitated posting these because I just can't seem to capture the true beauty of these colors. They have more complexity and vivid pigment than these photos demonstrate. Both Forbearing and Philanthropic were inspired by the Christmas tinsel you see around this time of the year but made into wearable shades that can be used primarily as accents or all over lid colors if you're bolder! I actually like wearing Forbearing with black eyeliner kind of "peeking" behind the black like a halo. Philanthropic is similar to Altruistic but is much more shimmery and has more yellow-gold tones.
In fact, all the colors are so much more glamorous in person as these photos and the ones from my store seem to wash out and lose the beautiful highlights--especially Innovative! It looks almost identical to Gifted, but when applied you'll notice a gorgeous golden overtone that works well as a brighter, all over wash whereas Gifted has more of a plum-pink tone suited for a medium-shade lid or contour color.
Just remember, these colors are Limited Edition although I am very tempted to keep Innovative & Regal permanently (we'll see, lol) so grab these while you can!
As a side-note, please note that the Brush Sale will end December 17; so this Wednesday will be the last day you can pick up the great deals on the brushes. Regretfully, I have sold out of the Ingenue Dual Fiber Blush brushes and almost all of the Ingenue eyebrushes/Lash accessories and the new stock will not arrive until early January.
But would you all like to hear some good news? Depending on how many more I sell until this Wednesday and *IF* I have any left, I will resume the *LIMITED STOCK* brush sets January 1 (Thursday) for those of you that are looking for some after Christmas deals!
I would simply continue with the sale until the stock runs out, but I am actually going to be out of town to the great state of Tennessee (where I grew up) to spend precious time with my family during the week of Christmas so this is kind of my way of "slowing things down" until I return. I will also mark down just a couple of select items (not telling what, it will spoil the surprise, lol).
I'll post this on my Homepage, but please REMEMBER that orders that are received December 22 (Monday) will NOT be processed until December 28-29 (Sunday/Monday). Depending on my free time and Internet access during that time, I will try to get emails answered and refunds for shipping to my International customers--but if I don't get to it, please know that it is very important to me and will get to it as soon as I get a chance.
Thanks all!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Limited Stock Brush Sets & Christmas Edition Eyecolors sets
The new sale is finally up!
First of all, be aware that most of the items on sale are a LIMITED STOCK ONLY! So once I run out of the brushes and Christmas Edition eyecolors (including samples), they will be gone! So MAKE sure that if you get an LE sample "a la carte" or in one of the kits, you have some backup colors in case they become out of stock as your order is being processed.
Also, I can't allow for any substitutions (with an exception of one brush in one kit) for that reason since we are limited on how many brushes we have of each so we apologize ahead of time for not allowing for that.
In addition, most of these brushes will not be restocked until January and the Premium eyeshadow brushes will be available individually then as well. We are just offering them in a special set for the Christmas season this time around. So come check out some of the special brush deals we've got on our Brush page and our Christmas colors under the Limited Edition page!
So this sale will last until December 17 (next Wednesday) OR until the current stock runs out. So if there is a big buying frenzy for them, who knows--it may be over by the time you get to reading this, lol...
*As a further note, I will likely not be discounting the brushes very often like this as I prefer to keep them less expensive year-round so my customers can feel like they are getting a good deal anytime they buy--especially taking into account that we currently ship free to the U.S/Canada & charge minimal shipping for International orders--so do take advantage of these prices! But once the listing disappears from the site, it will be gone forever!
First of all, be aware that most of the items on sale are a LIMITED STOCK ONLY! So once I run out of the brushes and Christmas Edition eyecolors (including samples), they will be gone! So MAKE sure that if you get an LE sample "a la carte" or in one of the kits, you have some backup colors in case they become out of stock as your order is being processed.
Also, I can't allow for any substitutions (with an exception of one brush in one kit) for that reason since we are limited on how many brushes we have of each so we apologize ahead of time for not allowing for that.
In addition, most of these brushes will not be restocked until January and the Premium eyeshadow brushes will be available individually then as well. We are just offering them in a special set for the Christmas season this time around. So come check out some of the special brush deals we've got on our Brush page and our Christmas colors under the Limited Edition page!
So this sale will last until December 17 (next Wednesday) OR until the current stock runs out. So if there is a big buying frenzy for them, who knows--it may be over by the time you get to reading this, lol...
*As a further note, I will likely not be discounting the brushes very often like this as I prefer to keep them less expensive year-round so my customers can feel like they are getting a good deal anytime they buy--especially taking into account that we currently ship free to the U.S/Canada & charge minimal shipping for International orders--so do take advantage of these prices! But once the listing disappears from the site, it will be gone forever!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sale extended to Dec. 3 (Wednesday)
FYI: I will go ahead and extend the Early Christmas sale to this Wednesday, December 3. **EDIT (12-4-08): Starting the week of Dec. 8, there will be a smaller sale on some brush sets (not Individual brushes however) as well as the Christmas Edition colors that will be up for sale in both samples & full sizes.
I've had fun getting everyone's orders from this past holiday weekend together. Most of them should be shipping out tomorrow! (Yes, I've been joyfully working ALL day on this!)
I hope you all had a great weekend!
I've had fun getting everyone's orders from this past holiday weekend together. Most of them should be shipping out tomorrow! (Yes, I've been joyfully working ALL day on this!)
I hope you all had a great weekend!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A Thanksgiving Post
**Quick Reminder: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I will be out of town, so any orders placed after 7:30 a.m. Central Standard time on Wednesday, November 26 may not be shipped out until Monday morning. Sorry for the inconvenience!
For those of you that live in the U.S. you know that this Thursday is our annual holiday of Thanksgiving. Many of us think of turkey (except vegetarians like me who eat the “veggie” versions like Tofurky or the much better tasting homemade varieties, lol), football, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, traveling to see family (which is what the DH & I always end up doing), and then of course all the great Black Friday sales going on the day after.
But I wanted to take this time to actually express my thanks because despite some of the “doom and gloom” that I end up reading on the Internet or hear on the evening news (especially with the economy), I know there is still a lot to be thankful to God for!
I am especially thankful that my little dream of starting an online MMU store has come true! I would never have imagined even two years ago that this was something I would be doing. I have been extremely blessed with the people I have met because of this venture: my testers, the different vendors I buy from, and of course, all the great customers who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to meet through your question/comment-filled emails! I’ve even gotten to know some of you on a personal level where we can email as friends where we have been able to encourage each other and offer words of advice and hope.
I know that is a big part of why I wanted to start this business. I wanted a company that could make a positive mark in this world, something that I could look back on and be proud of even if I NEVER made even a small profit. (I tell you, with the economy and this possibility of the FDA Globalization Act, it is very possible!) If I could touch even just one heart with a quote I’ve put on the back of your Invoice/ my website or encourage you with the eyeshadow label sitting on your makeup counter that says, “Philanthropic” to donate to a worthy charity—then I feel as if adorned with Grace Minerals has accomplished what I believe it was created to do—to encourage you not only be naturally beautiful in your appearance, but in your thoughts, your speech, and especially your actions. (I’ve been busy getting a few new collections out but I still promise to have “non-product” posts that offer tips and advice on natural health and beauty topics. So, no—I haven’t forgotten!)
So again, I want to thank each and every one of you for being such a blessing to me! You all have made my first few months as a new MMU company just pure joy! I hope everyone has a great week and a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
For those of you that live in the U.S. you know that this Thursday is our annual holiday of Thanksgiving. Many of us think of turkey (except vegetarians like me who eat the “veggie” versions like Tofurky or the much better tasting homemade varieties, lol), football, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, traveling to see family (which is what the DH & I always end up doing), and then of course all the great Black Friday sales going on the day after.
But I wanted to take this time to actually express my thanks because despite some of the “doom and gloom” that I end up reading on the Internet or hear on the evening news (especially with the economy), I know there is still a lot to be thankful to God for!
I am especially thankful that my little dream of starting an online MMU store has come true! I would never have imagined even two years ago that this was something I would be doing. I have been extremely blessed with the people I have met because of this venture: my testers, the different vendors I buy from, and of course, all the great customers who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to meet through your question/comment-filled emails! I’ve even gotten to know some of you on a personal level where we can email as friends where we have been able to encourage each other and offer words of advice and hope.
I know that is a big part of why I wanted to start this business. I wanted a company that could make a positive mark in this world, something that I could look back on and be proud of even if I NEVER made even a small profit. (I tell you, with the economy and this possibility of the FDA Globalization Act, it is very possible!) If I could touch even just one heart with a quote I’ve put on the back of your Invoice/ my website or encourage you with the eyeshadow label sitting on your makeup counter that says, “Philanthropic” to donate to a worthy charity—then I feel as if adorned with Grace Minerals has accomplished what I believe it was created to do—to encourage you not only be naturally beautiful in your appearance, but in your thoughts, your speech, and especially your actions. (I’ve been busy getting a few new collections out but I still promise to have “non-product” posts that offer tips and advice on natural health and beauty topics. So, no—I haven’t forgotten!)
So again, I want to thank each and every one of you for being such a blessing to me! You all have made my first few months as a new MMU company just pure joy! I hope everyone has a great week and a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Now officially shipping to Canada!
And with the same free shipping that I give to my US customers!
I was looking at the postage charges for my US & Canadian packages, and they were actually very similar--so I feel kind of funny adding an extra charge for my Canadian friends out there. I do have to spend an extra 2-3 minutes filling out an online Customs Form, but not enough for me to want to charge extra for it.
So unless something drastic happens with our Postal system and prices go up significantly, I'll be keeping the free shipping for both US & Canadian orders.
I was looking at the postage charges for my US & Canadian packages, and they were actually very similar--so I feel kind of funny adding an extra charge for my Canadian friends out there. I do have to spend an extra 2-3 minutes filling out an online Customs Form, but not enough for me to want to charge extra for it.
So unless something drastic happens with our Postal system and prices go up significantly, I'll be keeping the free shipping for both US & Canadian orders.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Early Christmas/Pre-Black Friday Sale!!!
Okay, for those of you that might have possibly been trying to order something from the Ecrater site in the last hour our so and noticed that the "Buy" button was replaced with an "On Hold" button, it was because I was updating my site to include some special sale reductions on our Makeup sets & also a specially-priced lip balm set for gift-giving. (Ecrater does not have a place for me to add a coupon code unless I use Google checkout, but I know most of you prefer PayPal.)
Forgive me if this sale seems kind of early for Christmas, but I admit, I like to get a jump ahead of things and just want to pass this on to you all! (I already did half of my Christmas shopping for this year the week after Christmas last year with all the great sales, lol!) But I purposely put my already value-priced mineral makeup sets at an additional 15% discount (EXCLUDING Limited Edition sets) so that you can stock up for Christmas gifts/stocking stuffers. Most women love getting beauty products and what better way to combine getting a gift they'll like AND giving them a reminder of those positive virtues that make us beautiful on the inside?
In addition, for those that place an order for $20 or more (the $20 does not include shipping for International orders), I will include a freebie sample baggie set of my Christmas Edition colors--ALL seven of them! Three of these were formulated and named with the Christmas season in mind: Jovial (a sparkling, bright evergreen); Philanthropic (a super shimmering deep yellow gold); & Forbearing (a silver blue with a minty green overtone). The other four are my "party" colors and inspired by all the purple shades I've been seeing in beauty magazines: Regal (a bright crayola purple); Gifted (a cool plum with pink undertones); Innovative (a mauvey purple with golden shimmer); and Spectacular (a frosty lavender with blue and violet highlights). They will be available for sale (at discounted prices of course!) sometime in the next week or two once I am finished preparing them.
This sale will be available until December 1 (Monday) and after that, the sets will return to their regular price.
Forgive me if this sale seems kind of early for Christmas, but I admit, I like to get a jump ahead of things and just want to pass this on to you all! (I already did half of my Christmas shopping for this year the week after Christmas last year with all the great sales, lol!) But I purposely put my already value-priced mineral makeup sets at an additional 15% discount (EXCLUDING Limited Edition sets) so that you can stock up for Christmas gifts/stocking stuffers. Most women love getting beauty products and what better way to combine getting a gift they'll like AND giving them a reminder of those positive virtues that make us beautiful on the inside?
In addition, for those that place an order for $20 or more (the $20 does not include shipping for International orders), I will include a freebie sample baggie set of my Christmas Edition colors--ALL seven of them! Three of these were formulated and named with the Christmas season in mind: Jovial (a sparkling, bright evergreen); Philanthropic (a super shimmering deep yellow gold); & Forbearing (a silver blue with a minty green overtone). The other four are my "party" colors and inspired by all the purple shades I've been seeing in beauty magazines: Regal (a bright crayola purple); Gifted (a cool plum with pink undertones); Innovative (a mauvey purple with golden shimmer); and Spectacular (a frosty lavender with blue and violet highlights). They will be available for sale (at discounted prices of course!) sometime in the next week or two once I am finished preparing them.
This sale will be available until December 1 (Monday) and after that, the sets will return to their regular price.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
New Products for November & other stuff...
I'm excited to tell you all that the Mascara Guard, Premium Chubby Blender, & Premium Small Pointed Face Brush have arrived, and I was able to get them photographed and added to my Ecrater store.
Also, Japan has now been added to the International shipping list! So now I am currently shipping to these countries: Australia, Germany, Japan, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland. If you don't see your country listed, you are welcome to email me at adorned_with_grace@yahoo.com and we'll see about doing a Test Ship to your country. I believe the only ones I cannot take are Mexico (due to shipping policies) and I believe Italy also has some issues as well? (It seems there are a few MMU companies that have had problems there.)
I have also added a *ONE WEEK ONLY* special on some customer favorite neutrals in a special set. Whether it be a super early Christmas shopping , birthday, or a "just being nice" gift, this is a great set to get them--or yourself-- as all of these colors work great on just about any skintone! They are from my regular set of eyecolors: Beloved, Romantic, Simplicity, & Devoted. You basically get a 25% discount as each 5 gram jar is worth $4.99 a la carte!
They will only be available as a set for one week (Monday, Nov. 10 will be the last day they are up). If these go over well, I may add some other pre-coordinated sets in different colors.
One more thing, I will be going out of town this weekend and will be leaving early Friday so orders that I receive after 8:00 p.m. (Central Standard time/USA) on Thursday may not be processed until Monday morning.
Edit: The Clearance Lip Balms (they were the "mess-ups that I almost just threw out) for .75 cents each is now sold out. In its place is the *perfected* "Luscious Lip Balm" (Vegan) for $3.75 with the exact same formula but with their beautiful new label and a safety seal! There is also a "2 for $5.50" set for those looking for a deal.
Also, Japan has now been added to the International shipping list! So now I am currently shipping to these countries: Australia, Germany, Japan, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland. If you don't see your country listed, you are welcome to email me at adorned_with_grace@yahoo.com and we'll see about doing a Test Ship to your country. I believe the only ones I cannot take are Mexico (due to shipping policies) and I believe Italy also has some issues as well? (It seems there are a few MMU companies that have had problems there.)
I have also added a *ONE WEEK ONLY* special on some customer favorite neutrals in a special set. Whether it be a super early Christmas shopping , birthday, or a "just being nice" gift, this is a great set to get them--or yourself-- as all of these colors work great on just about any skintone! They are from my regular set of eyecolors: Beloved, Romantic, Simplicity, & Devoted. You basically get a 25% discount as each 5 gram jar is worth $4.99 a la carte!
They will only be available as a set for one week (Monday, Nov. 10 will be the last day they are up). If these go over well, I may add some other pre-coordinated sets in different colors.
One more thing, I will be going out of town this weekend and will be leaving early Friday so orders that I receive after 8:00 p.m. (Central Standard time/USA) on Thursday may not be processed until Monday morning.
Edit: The Clearance Lip Balms (they were the "mess-ups that I almost just threw out) for .75 cents each is now sold out. In its place is the *perfected* "Luscious Lip Balm" (Vegan) for $3.75 with the exact same formula but with their beautiful new label and a safety seal! There is also a "2 for $5.50" set for those looking for a deal.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Update on upcoming accessories & new countries added
For those that were interested, we have set to arrive mid-to-late next week the Premium Chubby Blender (like a foundation brush with a shorter head), Small Pointed Face Brush, and Mascara Lash Guard. So if you were thinking of placing an order but were also interested in these items, you may want to hold off until these arrive. We will only be stocking a very limited amount this first time around, but we'll make sure to restock within a 7-10 days should they be as popular as our Jumbo Buffer & Flat Top.
In addition, we wanted to let you know that we have also added Switzerland & the Philippines to our list of International countries we ship to. Because we have added quite a few new countries this last week, there is a chance we may run out of stock on some of the accessories (especially the Jumbo Buffer) so please be patient with us if it is Out of Stock when you order.
Thank you everyone!
In addition, we wanted to let you know that we have also added Switzerland & the Philippines to our list of International countries we ship to. Because we have added quite a few new countries this last week, there is a chance we may run out of stock on some of the accessories (especially the Jumbo Buffer) so please be patient with us if it is Out of Stock when you order.
Thank you everyone!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Norway, Sweden, Australia, Singapore & Germany...ADDED!
I am now slowly starting to add International countries and the ones named above in the title are the first ones! These are countries that I have had testers in and have shipped repeatedly to over the last year with an exception of Australia who I just recently tested out with an inquiring customer and everything went over well.
Currently, I have test packages in progress right now going to France, Switzerland, Canada, & the Philippines and once I get word from those countries how long the ship time is and how easily it got to them, I can add them as well.
FYI, shipping to Norway, Sweden, & Australia has been about 6-10 days, IIRC (fastest so far--faster than when I mail stuff to Iowa, lol!) and Germany, Singapore tend to take more time due to Customs holding them a little longer for whatever reason. Regardless of where you are at, PLEASE allow at least three-four weeks for your package to get to you. Once I have shipped it off, it really is out of my hands and cannot do anything to track the packages. (There might be, I just don't know about it yet...)
Due to International postage prices, I won't be able to offer the Free Shipping like I do with my U.S. customers, but will have a minimal charge as follows:
$20 or less: $2.00
$20.01-$$50.00: $3
$50.01-$100.00: $4
$100.01 or over: $5
When you checkout, however, it will say $5 no matter what. Unfortunately, Ecrater is not set up to allow me to use this Shipping Rate chart so what I'll have to do is refund you the difference while your order is being processed. So if you have placed an order and received a notice from us at awG that your order has shipped out, but we *haven't* refunded the extra shipping charges yet, PLEASE email us ASAP to remind us.
I admit, I took one of my International customer's suggestion and used a pricing range identical to another company's (who I think is very wise!) because I really like the simplicity and fairness after doing many "test calculations" of shipping charges. Although charging shipping per weight may be the most exact, it is also rather difficult to coordinate with the Shopping Cart (for me anyway, lol). This way you all can "guess-timate" your shipping charges yourself without having to checkout.
I also wanted to request that you fill out the Address portion VERY CAREFULLY when you checkout. I hear that is usually the main reason for delays. Please check with your Postal Office if possible on the correct order you need to list street address, province, zip code, country, etc. if you are unsure.
Also, as many of you may already know, only PayPal/International Credit cards are accepted. I cannot accept any Personal Checks/Money Orders for International Orders. Paying with a check/money order will significantly delay the order anyway, as I cannot ship off any orders (including U.S. orders) until I have received the money order/check, and it has cleared.
So that is it! This is still in the testing mode so if I end up with too many issues, I may not be able to continue...but I am optimistic and believe this will work out and before you know it, we'll have as many countries added as possible! Just be patient with me in regards to any glitches or issues with the system as it is right now. Thank you everyone!
Currently, I have test packages in progress right now going to France, Switzerland, Canada, & the Philippines and once I get word from those countries how long the ship time is and how easily it got to them, I can add them as well.
FYI, shipping to Norway, Sweden, & Australia has been about 6-10 days, IIRC (fastest so far--faster than when I mail stuff to Iowa, lol!) and Germany, Singapore tend to take more time due to Customs holding them a little longer for whatever reason. Regardless of where you are at, PLEASE allow at least three-four weeks for your package to get to you. Once I have shipped it off, it really is out of my hands and cannot do anything to track the packages. (There might be, I just don't know about it yet...)
Due to International postage prices, I won't be able to offer the Free Shipping like I do with my U.S. customers, but will have a minimal charge as follows:
$20 or less: $2.00
$20.01-$$50.00: $3
$50.01-$100.00: $4
$100.01 or over: $5
When you checkout, however, it will say $5 no matter what. Unfortunately, Ecrater is not set up to allow me to use this Shipping Rate chart so what I'll have to do is refund you the difference while your order is being processed. So if you have placed an order and received a notice from us at awG that your order has shipped out, but we *haven't* refunded the extra shipping charges yet, PLEASE email us ASAP to remind us.
I admit, I took one of my International customer's suggestion and used a pricing range identical to another company's (who I think is very wise!) because I really like the simplicity and fairness after doing many "test calculations" of shipping charges. Although charging shipping per weight may be the most exact, it is also rather difficult to coordinate with the Shopping Cart (for me anyway, lol). This way you all can "guess-timate" your shipping charges yourself without having to checkout.
I also wanted to request that you fill out the Address portion VERY CAREFULLY when you checkout. I hear that is usually the main reason for delays. Please check with your Postal Office if possible on the correct order you need to list street address, province, zip code, country, etc. if you are unsure.
Also, as many of you may already know, only PayPal/International Credit cards are accepted. I cannot accept any Personal Checks/Money Orders for International Orders. Paying with a check/money order will significantly delay the order anyway, as I cannot ship off any orders (including U.S. orders) until I have received the money order/check, and it has cleared.
So that is it! This is still in the testing mode so if I end up with too many issues, I may not be able to continue...but I am optimistic and believe this will work out and before you know it, we'll have as many countries added as possible! Just be patient with me in regards to any glitches or issues with the system as it is right now. Thank you everyone!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Premium Eyecolors, Blushes, and more finally up at Ecrater!
After working pretty steadily the last few days, I have finally finished adding the items to my store! As mentioned in my previous post, I have added fifteen Premium eyecolors, three Limited Edition eyecolors, three new blushes, a foldable metal eyelash comb, untinted foundation (as well as a set that includes a jar/scoop), and a "clearance" vegan lip balm (as I had messed up my first batch).
As you'll see, the Premium eyecolors also come in specially discounted kits. The Premium line is slightly more expensive that our regular eyeshadows due to the ingredients as well as the packaging (a very elegant looking sqaure jar) but from what my Consumer Panel tells me, they are totally worth it! As noted in the Ecrater description, we cannot allow for substitutions of Premium colors in the *regular* sets (5 for $19.99, 10 for $29.99) but you may substitute one of the regular eyecolors in the Premium sets (2 for $8.99, 4 for $16.49) although you'll have to do the math to make sure you are still saving by buying in the set. **Please also note that I may only be able to do this on my Ecrater site; once I get the official website, depending on how we set up the web pages, we may not be able to allow for the substitutions as easily.
I do plan on adding more colorful Premium shades in the near future (maybe 2-4 months from now) so if these colors aren't quite what you are looking for just stay tuned! Be looking for other new items in the future such as a couple more styles from the Premium brush line and more blushes/face colors.
Thanks everyone...happy shopping!
As you'll see, the Premium eyecolors also come in specially discounted kits. The Premium line is slightly more expensive that our regular eyeshadows due to the ingredients as well as the packaging (a very elegant looking sqaure jar) but from what my Consumer Panel tells me, they are totally worth it! As noted in the Ecrater description, we cannot allow for substitutions of Premium colors in the *regular* sets (5 for $19.99, 10 for $29.99) but you may substitute one of the regular eyecolors in the Premium sets (2 for $8.99, 4 for $16.49) although you'll have to do the math to make sure you are still saving by buying in the set. **Please also note that I may only be able to do this on my Ecrater site; once I get the official website, depending on how we set up the web pages, we may not be able to allow for the substitutions as easily.
I do plan on adding more colorful Premium shades in the near future (maybe 2-4 months from now) so if these colors aren't quite what you are looking for just stay tuned! Be looking for other new items in the future such as a couple more styles from the Premium brush line and more blushes/face colors.
Thanks everyone...happy shopping!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Some "teaser" swatches...
As I mentioned in my last post, adorned with Grace Minerals will be releasing about 15 new eyecolors (will be from a brand new Premium collection which will be slighly more expensive due to the more expensive ingredients they are made from), 3 LE eyecolors, 3 cooler toned blushes, and an untinted, vegan lip balm. I don't have everything quite ready yet, but I did take some photos for you all of the upcoming colors so you can decide if you want to place an order for any of them when they become available.
I do want to apologize because I am really not the best at taking arm swatches; it is part of the reason I don't put any up on my Ecrater site (or for my future site).But to promote these new colors, I thought it would be helpful since some of these will be a different finish (low shimmer & metallic) and you all can decide if it is something worth having in your collection. (I'll explain with their appropriate posts on which ones are fairly true to color and which ones I had a lot of trouble capturing their true beauty.)*Edited: Also excuse my layout of posting the pics; this is the first time I have posted pics on Blogspot and I'm still trying to get the hang of it!
Gallant is actually from the same base as Compassion but not quite as red; it has a taupe tone in the jar/baggie, but some of the red/purplish tones come out when swatched. Altruistic is almost identical to Benevolent, but has more noticeable bright golden sparkles/highlights. Insightful has a gray-green base but a pretty shimmery green overtone to it that you can kind of see in the picture. These colors are inspired by our change to the Fall season where you don't just see the usual greens but all those other colors we see as it transitions to winter.
I do want to apologize because I am really not the best at taking arm swatches; it is part of the reason I don't put any up on my Ecrater site (or for my future site).But to promote these new colors, I thought it would be helpful since some of these will be a different finish (low shimmer & metallic) and you all can decide if it is something worth having in your collection. (I'll explain with their appropriate posts on which ones are fairly true to color and which ones I had a lot of trouble capturing their true beauty.)*Edited: Also excuse my layout of posting the pics; this is the first time I have posted pics on Blogspot and I'm still trying to get the hang of it!
LE colors, Gallant, Altruistic, & Insightful:
Gallant is actually from the same base as Compassion but not quite as red; it has a taupe tone in the jar/baggie, but some of the red/purplish tones come out when swatched. Altruistic is almost identical to Benevolent, but has more noticeable bright golden sparkles/highlights. Insightful has a gray-green base but a pretty shimmery green overtone to it that you can kind of see in the picture. These colors are inspired by our change to the Fall season where you don't just see the usual greens but all those other colors we see as it transitions to winter.
Low Shimmer Highlight/All Over Base Eyecolors,
Amiable, Phenomenal, Bashful, & Demure: 
Amiable is a light vanilla shade that is great for highlighting as is Bashful but with more of a peachier tone. Phenomenal is my personal favorite (I wear Grace 4.0/4.2) as an all over base which, as you can see, it very close to my skin tone but gives it just a bit of extra sheen for a really natural look. I would best describe it as a hazelnut latte color. Demure is a soft pink shade slightly darker in tone than Amiable & Bashful but is perfect if you want just a bit of "pick me up" to your eyes. It is a warmer pink that Virtuous which is more of a neutral pink, but not quite the peach/neutral tones as Beloved.
Low Shimmer Midtone/Contour Eyecolors,
Refined, Diplomatic, Dauntless, & Mysterious:
Refined is a pinkish brown shade that pairs really well with Demure; it is a great color if you like "rosier" neutrals. Diplomatic is one of those colors that is so neutral it would probably work well with anything; as you can see, it almost blends in with my skin tone and could actually work as a highlight shade as well; it would be a midtone color for someone with fairer skin. Dauntless is a warm medium/dark brown that pairs very well as a contour for any of the colors or as an eyeliner. Mysterious is a charcoal gray that works as a smokey eyeliner or if you like the color of Fearless but don't care for the shimmer.
Pearl/Medium Shimmer Midtone Colors, Admirable, Amazing, Introspective:
Admirable is somewhat similar to my #1 eyecolor Romantic but has a more taupe/gray tone to it and not quite as sheer. Amazing is a beautiful malt caramel shade that was huge hit with my testers and made a great all over base for medium/tanned skin tones. Introspective is your "must-have" taupe. All of these color have just a bit of shimmer to them giving your eyes just the sparkle they need when wearing mostly matte/low shimmer colors.
New Blushes, Esoteric, Wonderful, & Vivacious:
Man, I had so much trouble trying to capture the color of these blushes! Esoteric & Wonderful are fairly accurate (in the picture above), but Vivacious seemed to tone down its rosiness in this picture (see below for a more accurate picture of Vivacious). Esoteric is a bright purple mauve that I believe would look great on both cool-fair & warm-tanned skin tones. Wonderful is Beautiful's warmer "sister"; it just does not have the blue undertones that Beautiful has. Vivacious is just what you'd expect it to be from its name: bright, colorful, and so very noticeable. This is one color you may have to specially purchase the Ingenue Dual Fiber brush to apply correctly, lol!
To get an idea of how these colors compare to my other blushes, here is a pic of the colors they are most similar to: 
As you can see, Vivacious is as pigmented as Passionate, but not quite as peachy and somewhat similar to the much lighter Affectionate. Esoteric has a stronger mauve tone than Sassy but is definitely not as neutral as the more wearable Curious. Unfortunately, Wonderful & Beautiful do NOT photograph well (despite my MANY attempts) because they appear chalky in photos although they are not in real life and so much more translucent and darker in tone that what you see. But you can at least compare the variations of the pink between the two "sisters."
Well...there you have it! I still have quite a bit more editing to do, writing up descriptions, adding them to the Ecrater site, etc. so give me another couple weeks before you see them up on the site!
In a few months, I plan on working on more colorful versions of my low shimmer & metallic colors but these were the kinds of colors/finishes I was getting LOTS of requests for so I had to prioritize! So if it all seems too boring for you now, just check back with us in a few months and we'll try to hit some of the other colors of the rainbow!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
FYI: Columbus Day & Update on what I've been doing
I just wanted to give you all a "heads up" that Monday is Columbus Day; I checked with USPS and mail will NOT run that day. So any orders that are shipped out Friday Morning will likely not get to you until the Tuesday after (at the earliest) and orders placed over the weekend will not be shipped until Tuesday morning as well. Remember this when ordering from other companies, too!
Also, I have been busy getting a new collection of eye shadows (18 new colors in more office friendly neutrals and about 1/2 to 1/3 of them low shimmer as requested by many customers) and several cooler-toned blushes as well as a vegan lip balm that I *hope* to have ready to put up on the store by the end of October/early November. For those that order anything early next week AND depending on the eyeshadow & blush samples that you actually purchase, you might just get to sample a few from my new collection. As some of you know, I like to give a couple freebies with each order and really try to pick colors that I think you will like based on what you have already ordered.
And yes, the real website has been put on hold but only because my programmer (the wonderful DH, lol) has been busy with other commitments these last few weeks (out of town, his own projects) but am hoping that we'll get back on track next week . Erater has been great though, but there are a few features I wish I could change where you all don't have to do as much typing to order, especially for the samples. You *might* still have to with the kits, though--we'll see if drop-down menus aren't too difficult to add and deal with.)
In case you all haven't noticed, the Premium Buffer & Flat Top are back up on my site at their regular prices at $21.49 & $19.89 respectively so grab one if you missed out on the first set! I've gotten pretty good reviews on them so far from my customers!
I think that is all my announcements for now. If the weather will cooperate and if I can get it to work right, I will try to do some arm swatches of the new colors here at my blog to post up next week to give you all a sneak peak! So stay tuned!!!
Also, I have been busy getting a new collection of eye shadows (18 new colors in more office friendly neutrals and about 1/2 to 1/3 of them low shimmer as requested by many customers) and several cooler-toned blushes as well as a vegan lip balm that I *hope* to have ready to put up on the store by the end of October/early November. For those that order anything early next week AND depending on the eyeshadow & blush samples that you actually purchase, you might just get to sample a few from my new collection. As some of you know, I like to give a couple freebies with each order and really try to pick colors that I think you will like based on what you have already ordered.
And yes, the real website has been put on hold but only because my programmer (the wonderful DH, lol) has been busy with other commitments these last few weeks (out of town, his own projects) but am hoping that we'll get back on track next week . Erater has been great though, but there are a few features I wish I could change where you all don't have to do as much typing to order, especially for the samples. You *might* still have to with the kits, though--we'll see if drop-down menus aren't too difficult to add and deal with.)
In case you all haven't noticed, the Premium Buffer & Flat Top are back up on my site at their regular prices at $21.49 & $19.89 respectively so grab one if you missed out on the first set! I've gotten pretty good reviews on them so far from my customers!
I think that is all my announcements for now. If the weather will cooperate and if I can get it to work right, I will try to do some arm swatches of the new colors here at my blog to post up next week to give you all a sneak peak! So stay tuned!!!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Finding a Foundation Match
Okay, you’re thinking how awesome it is that there is now a makeup company dedicated to those hard-to-match olive/yellow skintones…BUT after seeing the adorned with Grace MineralsTM foundation colors, you are wondering where in the world to even start!
*If you see a lot of orange you likely have strong peachy undertones and may match the Kindness (Peach) or Grace (Peach, Olive, & Golden) category.
*If you see a lot of yellow, you likely have strong yellow/golden undertones and may match Love (Yellow with slight Peach) or Hope (Yellow/Olive).
*If you see a green tone, you likely have olive undertones and may match Peace (Neutral Olive), Grace (Peach, Olive, & Golden), or Hope (Yellow/Olive)
*If you see mainly a neutral brown, you likely have neutral undertones and may match Faith (Golden Brown) or Peace (Neutral Olive).
*If you think you see several undertones, you may need to choose our “hard to match” color families like Grace (Peach, Olive, & Golden) or Charity (Neutral Olive with strong Yellow and slight Peach undertones)
Charity: Everyday Mineral’s Light Olive (Charity 4.0); Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium (Charity 4.0 is a few shades lighter)
Grace: Everyday Minerals Buttered Tan (Grace 4.0-4.2); Buff’d Almond (Grace 3.5-4.0); Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium (Grace 4.2-4.5); MAD Minerals Olive; Alima Golden; Bare Escentuals Medium Beige (Grace 3.5-4.0 & has more golden tones); KT Naturals Warm
Faith: Meow Siamese; Lumiere Golden; Joppa Medium #3 (Faith 4.0 and darker); Everyday Minerals Golden Medium (Faith 4.2-4.5); Meow Angora (just the lighter shades, Faith 2.0-2.5); Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium (Faith 4.2-4.5); MAD Minerals Olive; KT Naturals Warm
Kindness: Everyday Minerals Medium Tan (Kindness 4.0); Everyday Minerals Golden-Light/Fairly Light (Kindness 3.0-3.5); Everyday Minerals Soft Butter Peach (Kindness 2.0-2.5); Bare Escentuals Medium Beige (Kindness 4.0-3.5)
Love: Meow Chartreaux (Love has more yellow); Meow Manx (Love has less yellow); Lauress Soft Yellow (Love 2.0-2.5)
Hope: Meow Abyssinian; Meow Manx (Hope has more olive tones); EDM Winged Butter/Buffd Ginger or Moccasin (Hope 3.8-4.2)
Peace: Meow Siamese (Peace seems more neutral); Joppa Medium #3 (Peace 4.0 and darker); Everyday Minerals Olive Fair (Peace 2.5); Everyday Minerals Olive Medium (Peace 1.5-1.0); Everyday Minerals Ivory (Peace 2.5); Everyday Minerals Fair Neutral (Peace 2.5-3.0); Everyday Mineral Fairly-Light Neutral (Peace 3.5-4.0); MAD Minerals Neutral; Alima Olive
Well, one of the most basic ways is to hold a bright white sheet of paper next to your face as you look at a mirror in a well lit room and note what undertones you think you see:
*If you see a lot of orange you likely have strong peachy undertones and may match the Kindness (Peach) or Grace (Peach, Olive, & Golden) category.
*If you see a lot of yellow, you likely have strong yellow/golden undertones and may match Love (Yellow with slight Peach) or Hope (Yellow/Olive).
*If you see a green tone, you likely have olive undertones and may match Peace (Neutral Olive), Grace (Peach, Olive, & Golden), or Hope (Yellow/Olive)
*If you see mainly a neutral brown, you likely have neutral undertones and may match Faith (Golden Brown) or Peace (Neutral Olive).
*If you think you see several undertones, you may need to choose our “hard to match” color families like Grace (Peach, Olive, & Golden) or Charity (Neutral Olive with strong Yellow and slight Peach undertones)
Then, you'll want to choose a Foundation shade level. Our colors families are arranged in degrees of light to dark. Currently our darkest shades fall in the 4.5 range and the lightest color is in the 2.0 range. So when choosing colors, keep this in mind:
1.0: Ultra Fair (no current colors)
2.0: Very Fair
2.5: Fair
3.0: Fair-Medium
3.5: Medium-Fair
3.8: Medium
4.0: Medium
4.2: Medium
4.5: Medium Tan
Any colors past 4.5 have not been developed…YET!
1.0: Ultra Fair (no current colors)
2.0: Very Fair
2.5: Fair
3.0: Fair-Medium
3.5: Medium-Fair
3.8: Medium
4.0: Medium
4.2: Medium
4.5: Medium Tan
Any colors past 4.5 have not been developed…YET!
So, to put it all together if you decide that you do have strong peachy undertones and have darker, tanned skin, you may want to try Kindness and Grace in the range of 4.0-4.2. I hope that makes sense!
For Experience Mineral Makeup Samplers…
I have been using mineral makeup almost four years now and even though there was one particular brand I always bought my full-sized products from, I just always *had* to sample whatever else was out there! (Can I get an “Amen” from anyone out there, LOL!) So in my days as a “sample queen”, I managed to accumulate lots of little jars and baggies of the various olive/yellow toned foundations out there as well as some that were sent to me or requested by testers that I bought during my formulation phase that they wanted matched.
I have been using mineral makeup almost four years now and even though there was one particular brand I always bought my full-sized products from, I just always *had* to sample whatever else was out there! (Can I get an “Amen” from anyone out there, LOL!) So in my days as a “sample queen”, I managed to accumulate lots of little jars and baggies of the various olive/yellow toned foundations out there as well as some that were sent to me or requested by testers that I bought during my formulation phase that they wanted matched.
What I have done is compiled a list of my foundation colors and the colors from other MMU companies that have similar (BUT NOT IDENTICAL) tones. Again, let me reiterate that these won’t be exact matches, but a guideline so that you may have a better idea of what suits you. Also, minerals are forgiving so they might be close enough:
Charity: Everyday Mineral’s Light Olive (Charity 4.0); Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium (Charity 4.0 is a few shades lighter)
Grace: Everyday Minerals Buttered Tan (Grace 4.0-4.2); Buff’d Almond (Grace 3.5-4.0); Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium (Grace 4.2-4.5); MAD Minerals Olive; Alima Golden; Bare Escentuals Medium Beige (Grace 3.5-4.0 & has more golden tones); KT Naturals Warm
Faith: Meow Siamese; Lumiere Golden; Joppa Medium #3 (Faith 4.0 and darker); Everyday Minerals Golden Medium (Faith 4.2-4.5); Meow Angora (just the lighter shades, Faith 2.0-2.5); Everyday Minerals Sandy Medium (Faith 4.2-4.5); MAD Minerals Olive; KT Naturals Warm
Kindness: Everyday Minerals Medium Tan (Kindness 4.0); Everyday Minerals Golden-Light/Fairly Light (Kindness 3.0-3.5); Everyday Minerals Soft Butter Peach (Kindness 2.0-2.5); Bare Escentuals Medium Beige (Kindness 4.0-3.5)
Love: Meow Chartreaux (Love has more yellow); Meow Manx (Love has less yellow); Lauress Soft Yellow (Love 2.0-2.5)
Hope: Meow Abyssinian; Meow Manx (Hope has more olive tones); EDM Winged Butter/Buffd Ginger or Moccasin (Hope 3.8-4.2)
Peace: Meow Siamese (Peace seems more neutral); Joppa Medium #3 (Peace 4.0 and darker); Everyday Minerals Olive Fair (Peace 2.5); Everyday Minerals Olive Medium (Peace 1.5-1.0); Everyday Minerals Ivory (Peace 2.5); Everyday Minerals Fair Neutral (Peace 2.5-3.0); Everyday Mineral Fairly-Light Neutral (Peace 3.5-4.0); MAD Minerals Neutral; Alima Olive
I know this process can be somewhat frustrating, but I hope the above at least gives you a place to start. As always, PLEASE email me at
adorned_with_grace@yahoo.com if you have further questions. Also, if you have been sampling my foundation and find some you want to add to my “sample queen” list, please do so and I’ll edit my post to include that.And of course, sample before you buy a full-size product. We have a specially priced kit, the “15 for $12 Sample Baggie Set” which INCLUDES SHIPPING & HANDLING that will allow you to try a whole slew of foundations without breaking the bank. (If you were to subtract about $2-4 for the S/H many companies charge, it would come out to about 53-67 cents each baggie!) And if you don’t need that many foundations, we have plenty of eyecolors, blushes, and powders that you can also try!
Good luck!
Friday, September 19, 2008
About our brushes
Ingénue Series
When I was first planning this business, I really didn’t think I wanted to add brushes to my line until much later on. However, because loose mineral makeup really needs the best tools for application, I thought that I at least needed to have available some brushes that would help beginners “get their feet wet” to using minerals.
Especially in the case of eye brushes! Up until I started using minerals , I am ashamed to admit I used those awful foam applicators that most drugstore brands come with. Of course, ignorance is bliss, and I didn’t really know what I was missing…until I started experimenting with the eyeshadow brushes that came with my makeup kits. I was amazed at how well it packed on color, how it did not waste as much product, and how I was able to use them again and again with regular washings. I think the most fun thing for me to realize was getting to use different styles of brushes to get the effect I wanted!
So for those of you that have yet to experience this, I hand-picked some very basic brush styles just for you! I made my shopping list using a Poll I did at my test site (T123 Minerals) and looked for those styles that were most popular. I also purposely picked the ones with shorter handles because, if you’re like me, you tend to “hit” the mirror with a longer handled brush and it makes it that much harder to apply colors! (Additional note: I am missing an angle fluff brush since my supplier was “Out of Stock” on these when I initially ordered.)
I can’t tell you that I think these just as good as MAC brushes, as I’ve never owned a MAC brush, but these are better than some of the ones I got at the drugstore and even ones I’ve ordered online. Once you try them out, you may decide to get one with a heftier price tag, but this at least gives you the idea of what styles you like using to get the effect you want.
So far, there was one brush I was worried would sell out this week; luckily I got my second shipment of them in the nick of time! That’s the Petite Dual Fiber Blush Brush. I think that even if you are a MMU expert by now, this brush is still a must-have especially when using the adorned with Grace blushes due to their very high pigmentation. It does shed at first, but is fine after a few washings. I actually threw out my other dual fiber brushes this week because they really just don’t compare to this one in terms of application.
Now one brush that has not gotten quite as much attention is the Ingénue Kabuki. In comparing it with a Long Handled Kabuki from a larger and very popular mineral makeup company, it actually is a bit denser and larger in head, yet every bit as soft! Like the Dual Fiber Blush brush, it does have its initial period of shedding but was no worse than a Bare Escentuals kabuki I got years ago –and I paid over $25 for that one! This one is priced at $9.99 including s/h (so think of it more like $6-7, + s/h) and would probably make a good gift for a teenager or mineral makeup newbie who has only used natural hair bristles. It really is amazing at how soft this economically priced brush is! (Additional note: There is a limited supply of the eye brushes & kabuki but if they go “Out of Stock” we can restock them within 7-10 days.)
But if you are looking for an ULTRA soft and more durable, stylish face brush, keep reading….
Premium series
I still cannot believe I discovered these wonderful brushes! I was really searching for brushes that were super soft, cruelty-free, and would work wonderfully with my medium/heavy-coverage foundation formula. I didn’t want them too dense as it might pack on too many minerals at once during application and make it too thick & cakey, but definitely not too flimsy/floppy that they would seem cheap and not apply the foundation evenly enough. So after looking at brushes from at least five suppliers, I decided on this set for my Premium series.
First of all, I am totally in love with the matte black handles; they go so well with my jars! Second, they have not shed on me at all! And most importantly, they are so velvety and plush, I honestly think I could calm myself down during those stressful moments by buffing this onto my cheek it is that luxurious!
Just a run down on the main differences of the face brushes:
Kabuki: This is perfect if you prefer a smaller size to keep in your purse. This one does have a little, clear plastic (yet durable) pouch it comes in that would keep it from getting “splayed” while in your purse and to prevent makeup from rubbing off of it and onto your purse contents. It is almost as dense as the Jumbo Buffer and about the same in diameter too.
Flat Top: The diameter of the head of this one is not quite as large as the Jumbo Buffer and Kabuki, but the hairs are packed densely also, making it easier to buff without “flopping.” You get more precision with this brush especially if you like to contour as its flat top helps put color right where you want it.
Jumbo Buffer: As mentioned, this is my ultimate favorite due to it’s larger, dense head and the thick, long handles. If you know any ladies that have trouble with grasping, maybe due to arthritis or plain weakness, this would be the ideal brush to get for her! (I’m saying this not just as a makeup person but as an occupational therapist!)
But I do want to reiterate that, at the time of this writing, I am almost sold out of the all the brushes from the Premium line! Once this initial stock is gone and I have to order more, I will increase the price. Just be aware that I may have a period where they will be “Out of Stock” but I do plan on continuing to carry them! ***UPDATED September 26: I am SOLD OUT of the Premium Jumbo Bufffer and I only have two more left of the Premium Flat Top! They should be restocked next Wednesday-Friday (October 1-3).
As far as how much they will go up, I have contacted my supplier to make sure the price I have in mind is okay with them. (I'm just waiting to hear back their response.) FYI, I am actually supposed to price these almost 2x MORE than what they are being sold at now (between $30-50!!!), but I knew that since this was a relatively new set of brushes being sold on the market, I wanted to add a little incentive for you all to try them. From my experience as well as feedback I’ve gotten from others, they are so wonderful, they are worth the suggested price. And this is coming from super-frugal me!
Anyway, I hope that this helped some of you who were in the “valley of decision” on getting one of these brushes! I really am happy with all of them, and of course, you are free to email me at adorned_with_grace@yahoo.com for any questions or comments regarding them.
When I was first planning this business, I really didn’t think I wanted to add brushes to my line until much later on. However, because loose mineral makeup really needs the best tools for application, I thought that I at least needed to have available some brushes that would help beginners “get their feet wet” to using minerals.
Especially in the case of eye brushes! Up until I started using minerals , I am ashamed to admit I used those awful foam applicators that most drugstore brands come with. Of course, ignorance is bliss, and I didn’t really know what I was missing…until I started experimenting with the eyeshadow brushes that came with my makeup kits. I was amazed at how well it packed on color, how it did not waste as much product, and how I was able to use them again and again with regular washings. I think the most fun thing for me to realize was getting to use different styles of brushes to get the effect I wanted!
So for those of you that have yet to experience this, I hand-picked some very basic brush styles just for you! I made my shopping list using a Poll I did at my test site (T123 Minerals) and looked for those styles that were most popular. I also purposely picked the ones with shorter handles because, if you’re like me, you tend to “hit” the mirror with a longer handled brush and it makes it that much harder to apply colors! (Additional note: I am missing an angle fluff brush since my supplier was “Out of Stock” on these when I initially ordered.)
I can’t tell you that I think these just as good as MAC brushes, as I’ve never owned a MAC brush, but these are better than some of the ones I got at the drugstore and even ones I’ve ordered online. Once you try them out, you may decide to get one with a heftier price tag, but this at least gives you the idea of what styles you like using to get the effect you want.
So far, there was one brush I was worried would sell out this week; luckily I got my second shipment of them in the nick of time! That’s the Petite Dual Fiber Blush Brush. I think that even if you are a MMU expert by now, this brush is still a must-have especially when using the adorned with Grace blushes due to their very high pigmentation. It does shed at first, but is fine after a few washings. I actually threw out my other dual fiber brushes this week because they really just don’t compare to this one in terms of application.
Now one brush that has not gotten quite as much attention is the Ingénue Kabuki. In comparing it with a Long Handled Kabuki from a larger and very popular mineral makeup company, it actually is a bit denser and larger in head, yet every bit as soft! Like the Dual Fiber Blush brush, it does have its initial period of shedding but was no worse than a Bare Escentuals kabuki I got years ago –and I paid over $25 for that one! This one is priced at $9.99 including s/h (so think of it more like $6-7, + s/h) and would probably make a good gift for a teenager or mineral makeup newbie who has only used natural hair bristles. It really is amazing at how soft this economically priced brush is! (Additional note: There is a limited supply of the eye brushes & kabuki but if they go “Out of Stock” we can restock them within 7-10 days.)
But if you are looking for an ULTRA soft and more durable, stylish face brush, keep reading….
Premium series
I still cannot believe I discovered these wonderful brushes! I was really searching for brushes that were super soft, cruelty-free, and would work wonderfully with my medium/heavy-coverage foundation formula. I didn’t want them too dense as it might pack on too many minerals at once during application and make it too thick & cakey, but definitely not too flimsy/floppy that they would seem cheap and not apply the foundation evenly enough. So after looking at brushes from at least five suppliers, I decided on this set for my Premium series.
First of all, I am totally in love with the matte black handles; they go so well with my jars! Second, they have not shed on me at all! And most importantly, they are so velvety and plush, I honestly think I could calm myself down during those stressful moments by buffing this onto my cheek it is that luxurious!
Just a run down on the main differences of the face brushes:
Kabuki: This is perfect if you prefer a smaller size to keep in your purse. This one does have a little, clear plastic (yet durable) pouch it comes in that would keep it from getting “splayed” while in your purse and to prevent makeup from rubbing off of it and onto your purse contents. It is almost as dense as the Jumbo Buffer and about the same in diameter too.
Flat Top: The diameter of the head of this one is not quite as large as the Jumbo Buffer and Kabuki, but the hairs are packed densely also, making it easier to buff without “flopping.” You get more precision with this brush especially if you like to contour as its flat top helps put color right where you want it.
Jumbo Buffer: As mentioned, this is my ultimate favorite due to it’s larger, dense head and the thick, long handles. If you know any ladies that have trouble with grasping, maybe due to arthritis or plain weakness, this would be the ideal brush to get for her! (I’m saying this not just as a makeup person but as an occupational therapist!)
But I do want to reiterate that, at the time of this writing, I am almost sold out of the all the brushes from the Premium line! Once this initial stock is gone and I have to order more, I will increase the price. Just be aware that I may have a period where they will be “Out of Stock” but I do plan on continuing to carry them! ***UPDATED September 26: I am SOLD OUT of the Premium Jumbo Bufffer and I only have two more left of the Premium Flat Top! They should be restocked next Wednesday-Friday (October 1-3).
As far as how much they will go up, I have contacted my supplier to make sure the price I have in mind is okay with them. (I'm just waiting to hear back their response.) FYI, I am actually supposed to price these almost 2x MORE than what they are being sold at now (between $30-50!!!), but I knew that since this was a relatively new set of brushes being sold on the market, I wanted to add a little incentive for you all to try them. From my experience as well as feedback I’ve gotten from others, they are so wonderful, they are worth the suggested price. And this is coming from super-frugal me!
Anyway, I hope that this helped some of you who were in the “valley of decision” on getting one of these brushes! I really am happy with all of them, and of course, you are free to email me at adorned_with_grace@yahoo.com for any questions or comments regarding them.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
My Top Ten Products...
So to give you all a little idea of what items you might want to purchase, I’ve decided to do a “Top 10 Faves” from the adorned with Grace Minerals line. These are the products that have gotten the most raves and ones that I am afraid would cause a riot if I ever discontinued them!
There are also some that like to use it as a vegan version of Silk Powder, and I’ve learned I like to use it in case I need to tone down a highly pigmented blush. Very versatile!
7. Beloved eyecolor: I did try to discontinue this color once before with my testers but I got such an outpouring of “Please keep this!” that I decided to let it stay. In fact, that is how it got its name, Beloved, because it was such a “beloved” eyeshadow! In fact, it brought out one of my shyest testers to post on the Forum on reasons why to keep this. She and many others love it as an “eye brightener,” a great all over eyeshadow base, and then to help hide broken capillaries around the nose area (for fairer skin tones).
In fact, only about 30-32 jars (compared with the 40 with Extraordinary) were made of this one and I got a whopping 28 pollsters say they would buy this again!
2. Beautiful Blush: I think if there was one color that seemed to get the rave over and over again among the various skintones, it had to be this blush color! I personally never thought that this shade of cool pink with some very light violet undertones would look good on my golden olive skin but was amazed after I first tried it on. This color was even a last minute addition to my T123 store and no tester had ever even laid eyes on it, yet has become one of my biggest blush favorites!
Another, FYI—the heart and the blush in the jar that you see up there? That is Beautiful blush. I thought it fitting to have a “Beautiful” heart which goes along so well with my theme!
Then last but not least…
1 Ingénue Petite Dual Fiber Blush Brush: If you all notice this item is the #1 “Most Popular” link to click on at my eCrater Store. It’s so hard to find a good dual fiber brush; I had been settling with my Flirt! Skunk brush from Kohl’s and some others that were much larger but they always seemed to add too much blush to my face and the bristles were always so floppy. So when I was testing out brushes to carry for my store, I was floored at how awesome this one worked!
Well, there you have it! A little more info on some of my products and some fun trivia about them as well. Keep these in memory as maybe one day, I’ll have a trivia contest and hand out prizes to the ones that can answer them all!
Let’s countdown backwards and start with….
10. Celestial Silkening Powder: Would you believe this was kind of an “accidental” product? I only have one formula for my foundation which is a high coverage finish and when I was trying this out on my foundation testers, I sent this “just in case” they though it was too heavy and they could lighten it up. The idea was that they would share with me the ratios and I would adjust the final formula with the numbers they gave me. Well, the majority preferred the foundation as I had sent it, but there was a handful that loved the idea of having this powder to help add a dewy finish as well as decrease the coverage (those lucky girls with perfect skin!).
There are also some that like to use it as a vegan version of Silk Powder, and I’ve learned I like to use it in case I need to tone down a highly pigmented blush. Very versatile!
9. Divine Oil-Control Powder: I had at least five to seven different formulas of this before I came up with one that got some raves. This is a base of kaolin but also has “extra oil soakers” such as Calcium Carbonate & Silica, but also some creamier ingredients such as Mica so that it has a smoothing effect on your skin. Those that live in the warm climates say this works wonderfully to keep the shine away!
8. Foundation: This is where the hardest work has been devoted. As some of you know, I am a Filipina-American and I had the worst time finding foundation colors. I think that devoting a line to Yellow/Olive (Asian) skintones is so important as it seems like such a neglected part of the makeup industry. There are more companies out there addressing this, but it’s not just the simple fact of adding more yellow. There’s yellow peachy, yellow olive, peachy yellow olive, golden brown, neutral olive, etc! I’m determined to help hard to match skintones find something that works for them. So look for more colors, especially darker shades in the future!
7. Beloved eyecolor: I did try to discontinue this color once before with my testers but I got such an outpouring of “Please keep this!” that I decided to let it stay. In fact, that is how it got its name, Beloved, because it was such a “beloved” eyeshadow! In fact, it brought out one of my shyest testers to post on the Forum on reasons why to keep this. She and many others love it as an “eye brightener,” a great all over eyeshadow base, and then to help hide broken capillaries around the nose area (for fairer skin tones).
FYI, I pronounce this one “bi--luhvd,” not “bi-luhv-id”
6. Radiant Blush: Peachy pink blushes seem to be such a favorite and this particular color is a huge hit for those that love that shade! This truly does perk your skin up, especially those with warmer skin tones. About 27-30 jars of this were made up for my test store and I had 21 people vote in my Poll that they would buy this one again!
5. Inspiring eyecolor: Bold colors really aren’t my thing, but this is one of those colors I make an exception for! This color reminds me so much of the rich indigo/purples/blues you see in my favorite Van Gogh painting that it’s the reason it has the name it has. For you more conservative ladies, this is awesome as an eyeliner; for you bolder ladies, a gorgeous lid and/or crease color. This also scored really high in the Polls--just 3 less votes than #4 & #3.
4. Extraordinary eyecolor: This color was tied with #3 below but even with its huge raves would you believe I still tweaked it after the testing process? Amazingly, the newer version is much more vibrant and has less of a “charcoal” undertone as the original. Those that got to test the new version said they liked it even more than the old one!
This was called Black Raspberry in its testing stages, but if I had to give it a new temporary name, I would have called it Red Blackberries as the color it is now resembles the blackberries that weren’t quite ripe that I had growing in my backyard this past June. It is amazing as an eyeliner with Trustworthy eyecolor as an all over wash!
6. Radiant Blush: Peachy pink blushes seem to be such a favorite and this particular color is a huge hit for those that love that shade! This truly does perk your skin up, especially those with warmer skin tones. About 27-30 jars of this were made up for my test store and I had 21 people vote in my Poll that they would buy this one again!
5. Inspiring eyecolor: Bold colors really aren’t my thing, but this is one of those colors I make an exception for! This color reminds me so much of the rich indigo/purples/blues you see in my favorite Van Gogh painting that it’s the reason it has the name it has. For you more conservative ladies, this is awesome as an eyeliner; for you bolder ladies, a gorgeous lid and/or crease color. This also scored really high in the Polls--just 3 less votes than #4 & #3.
4. Extraordinary eyecolor: This color was tied with #3 below but even with its huge raves would you believe I still tweaked it after the testing process? Amazingly, the newer version is much more vibrant and has less of a “charcoal” undertone as the original. Those that got to test the new version said they liked it even more than the old one!
This was called Black Raspberry in its testing stages, but if I had to give it a new temporary name, I would have called it Red Blackberries as the color it is now resembles the blackberries that weren’t quite ripe that I had growing in my backyard this past June. It is amazing as an eyeliner with Trustworthy eyecolor as an all over wash!
3. Romantic eyecolor: I have a feeling people preferred the old name of this color which was Chocolate Roses, but I’d like to think that even with its new name (don’t you all think it is romantic to get chocolates and roses from a loved one?) this is still a winner. It is a slightly sheer milk chocolaty brown with a beautiful rosy pink undertone. Those that love neutrals have come to make this one of their everyday shades to wear!
In fact, only about 30-32 jars (compared with the 40 with Extraordinary) were made of this one and I got a whopping 28 pollsters say they would buy this again!
2. Beautiful Blush: I think if there was one color that seemed to get the rave over and over again among the various skintones, it had to be this blush color! I personally never thought that this shade of cool pink with some very light violet undertones would look good on my golden olive skin but was amazed after I first tried it on. This color was even a last minute addition to my T123 store and no tester had ever even laid eyes on it, yet has become one of my biggest blush favorites!
Another, FYI—the heart and the blush in the jar that you see up there? That is Beautiful blush. I thought it fitting to have a “Beautiful” heart which goes along so well with my theme!
Then last but not least…
1 Ingénue Petite Dual Fiber Blush Brush: If you all notice this item is the #1 “Most Popular” link to click on at my eCrater Store. It’s so hard to find a good dual fiber brush; I had been settling with my Flirt! Skunk brush from Kohl’s and some others that were much larger but they always seemed to add too much blush to my face and the bristles were always so floppy. So when I was testing out brushes to carry for my store, I was floored at how awesome this one worked!
Now the small size may put you off when you first see it, but man does it work wonderfully for that reason! You can apply blush just where you want it and not feel like you are putting on too much. And it is the perfect blend of soft to your cheeks, yet firm enough at the base you don’t feel like its flopping on you.
Let’s just hope I don’t run out of stock on these! I ALREADY had to place another order today from my supplier due to its overwhelming popularity!
Well, there you have it! A little more info on some of my products and some fun trivia about them as well. Keep these in memory as maybe one day, I’ll have a trivia contest and hand out prizes to the ones that can answer them all!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
A Second Welcome!
I'd like to write a second WELCOME to the rest of you all who have just been invited to see the temporary online store and our blog! This has actually been up for about two weeks but I wanted to test everything out on a handful of people before going public.
For those that are new to adorned with Grace MineralsTM, you can probably skip over some of the posts that deal with the products change of names--it might just confuse you more, lol! But do read the very first post as well as the explanation of the change of names.
But if you did order anything at T123 (my "test store") and want to order a color that was out of stock or one you have used up, then definitely keep reading on down!
I've come to some road blocks with getting the real website up but because I am ready to get these products out to the public, I thought I'd open an Ecrater store to get it started. I've gotten compliments on how nice the site looks but let me say I can't really take any credit for it. Ecrater basically has a template and you just input your photos and pick your color scheme. So even though it has been rather easy to put up, I'm stuck with its features (like it doesn't save a cart/have a wishlist), let me change the buttons around, or do too much reorganization.
Just today, I have added quite a few new brushes. My Ingenue series is targeted specifically to those who are new and just beginning to experiment with loose minerals. Not that you expert MMU users can't order from this line, but you likely already have some that are similar and may not be *quite* as impressed. They are economically priced as I remember how I didn't want to invest a whole lot initially when I started experimenting with MMU "just in case" it didn't work out.
But for those of you who have been around MMU for a while and are looking for some super soft face brushes, the Premium line may be for you. I haven't included any of the other eye or cheek brushes yet; I want to make sure this set goes over well. I have specially priced this first slew I have ordered (the price will go up when I reorder) to entice you all to try them and even though this is a little higher than I wanted to charge, I really think they are worth it! And that is coming from the Frugal Queen herself!
And please let me apologize here to any International customers. Since I have to go down to the Post Office to mail off all non-US orders, it's going to be difficult for me to add this while I am a "one woman show." I could add it via Global Priority (super expensive!)or by doing the feature they have on PayPal which is about $11-12 but I know that is too much too especially if you just order samples. I can't give a date on when I'd start taking International orders. It could be in two months if all goes well OR even up to a year; it all depends on how fast this company can take off! If I can turn a good profit, I'll be able to hire some help that I can send down to the PO for me. We just have such long lines (and they are closed during lunchtime--I've never lived in a city whose PO that did that!) that I end up pulling my hair out before I leave the place.
Anyway, that's all for now...I hope to be back within a week or two with some more fun posts!
Happy shopping! Just remember to read the FAQs, About Us, & Terms as I think that will answer any questions I haven't addressed here.
For those that are new to adorned with Grace MineralsTM, you can probably skip over some of the posts that deal with the products change of names--it might just confuse you more, lol! But do read the very first post as well as the explanation of the change of names.
But if you did order anything at T123 (my "test store") and want to order a color that was out of stock or one you have used up, then definitely keep reading on down!
I've come to some road blocks with getting the real website up but because I am ready to get these products out to the public, I thought I'd open an Ecrater store to get it started. I've gotten compliments on how nice the site looks but let me say I can't really take any credit for it. Ecrater basically has a template and you just input your photos and pick your color scheme. So even though it has been rather easy to put up, I'm stuck with its features (like it doesn't save a cart/have a wishlist), let me change the buttons around, or do too much reorganization.
Just today, I have added quite a few new brushes. My Ingenue series is targeted specifically to those who are new and just beginning to experiment with loose minerals. Not that you expert MMU users can't order from this line, but you likely already have some that are similar and may not be *quite* as impressed. They are economically priced as I remember how I didn't want to invest a whole lot initially when I started experimenting with MMU "just in case" it didn't work out.
But for those of you who have been around MMU for a while and are looking for some super soft face brushes, the Premium line may be for you. I haven't included any of the other eye or cheek brushes yet; I want to make sure this set goes over well. I have specially priced this first slew I have ordered (the price will go up when I reorder) to entice you all to try them and even though this is a little higher than I wanted to charge, I really think they are worth it! And that is coming from the Frugal Queen herself!
And please let me apologize here to any International customers. Since I have to go down to the Post Office to mail off all non-US orders, it's going to be difficult for me to add this while I am a "one woman show." I could add it via Global Priority (super expensive!)or by doing the feature they have on PayPal which is about $11-12 but I know that is too much too especially if you just order samples. I can't give a date on when I'd start taking International orders. It could be in two months if all goes well OR even up to a year; it all depends on how fast this company can take off! If I can turn a good profit, I'll be able to hire some help that I can send down to the PO for me. We just have such long lines (and they are closed during lunchtime--I've never lived in a city whose PO that did that!) that I end up pulling my hair out before I leave the place.
Anyway, that's all for now...I hope to be back within a week or two with some more fun posts!
Happy shopping! Just remember to read the FAQs, About Us, & Terms as I think that will answer any questions I haven't addressed here.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
New Eyeshadow & Blush Names
**In case you didn't read the prior post, click here to understand the reason for the name changes.
The old eyecolors names are listed alphabetically with their new name next to them in RED:
Antique Gold -Wisdom
Berry Purple-Elegance
Black Raspberry-Extraordinary
Blue Green Sparkle-Playful
Bronzed Mahogany-Exquisite
Brown Berry-Sophisticated
Chestnut Brown-Captivating
Chocolate Roses-Romantic
Cool Grape-Adorable
Cool Tan Shimmer-Trustworthy
Coppered Taupe-Intuitive
Creamy Pearl-Pure
Dark Jewel Green-Enduring
Dark Taupe-Genuine
Deep Dark Brown-Tenacious
Deep Sea Green-Tranquility
Dutch Cocoa-Devoted
Earthtone Pink-Virtuous
French Almond-Brilliant
Golden Copper-Noble
Golden Olive-Benevolent
Golden Beige-Honesty
Indigo Shimmer-Inspiring
Lime & Gold-Exuberant
Nude Peach-Natural
Pearl Latte-Simplicity
Petal Pink-Beloved
Plum Fudge Mint-Ingenius
Rose Bronze-Compassion
Soft Cocoa-Charming
Sugared Mulberry-Stunning
Super Sparkle Gray-Fearless
Teal Gray-Placid
True Blue-Loyal
The old eyecolors names are listed alphabetically with their new name next to them in RED:
Antique Gold -Wisdom
Berry Purple-Elegance
Black Raspberry-Extraordinary
Blue Green Sparkle-Playful
Bronzed Mahogany-Exquisite
Brown Berry-Sophisticated
Chestnut Brown-Captivating
Chocolate Roses-Romantic
Cool Grape-Adorable
Cool Tan Shimmer-Trustworthy
Coppered Taupe-Intuitive
Creamy Pearl-Pure
Dark Jewel Green-Enduring
Dark Taupe-Genuine
Deep Dark Brown-Tenacious
Deep Sea Green-Tranquility
Dutch Cocoa-Devoted
Earthtone Pink-Virtuous
French Almond-Brilliant
Golden Copper-Noble
Golden Olive-Benevolent
Golden Beige-Honesty
Indigo Shimmer-Inspiring
Lime & Gold-Exuberant
Nude Peach-Natural
Pearl Latte-Simplicity
Petal Pink-Beloved
Plum Fudge Mint-Ingenius
Rose Bronze-Compassion
Soft Cocoa-Charming
Sugared Mulberry-Stunning
Super Sparkle Gray-Fearless
Teal Gray-Placid
True Blue-Loyal
The old blush names are listed alphabetically with their new name next to them in RED:
Apricot Champagne-Illuminated
Apricot Flush-Animated
Beige Pink-Gentleness
Berries and Cream-Affectionate
Bronzed Pink-Sultry
Cool Pink-Beautiful
Dark Melon Pink-Passionate
Deep Pink-Sassy
Mauve Shimmer-Curious
Neutral Raspberry-Felicity
Peach Sienna-Vibrant
Peachy Pink-Radiant
Pink Peach & Gold-Breathtaking
Pink Terracotta-Serene
New Foundation names
**In case you didn't read the prior post, click here to understand the reason for the name changes.
FYI, The lower the number (i.e. “1”), the lighter the shade. Currently, most of the colors fall in the Very Fair to Medium Tan range. Colors for darker yellow/olive tones will develop as they are needed.
These are the old Foundation names listed alphabetically with their new names listed in red:
Golden – Faith
G1.0 4.2
G1.5 4.0
G2.0 3.5
G2.5 3.0
G3.0 2.5
G3.5 2.0
Neutral Olive Peach – Charity
NOP – 1.7 4.0
NOP – 2.3 2.8
Olive – Peace
O1.0 4.2
O1.5 4.0
O2.0 3.5
O2.5 3.0
O3.0 2.5
Peach – Kindness
P1.0 4.5
P2.0 4.0
P2.5 3.5
P3.0 3.0
Peach Olive Golden – Grace
POG1.0 4.5
POG1.5 4.2
POG2.0 4.0
POG2.5 3.5
POG3.0 3.0
POG3.5 2.5
Yellow – Hope
Y1.0 4.5
Y2.0 4.2
Y2.4 3.8
Y2.6 3.5
Y3.0 3.0
Yellow Peachy – Love
YP 2.0 4.0
YP 2.5 3.5
YP 3.0 3.0
FYI, The lower the number (i.e. “1”), the lighter the shade. Currently, most of the colors fall in the Very Fair to Medium Tan range. Colors for darker yellow/olive tones will develop as they are needed.
These are the old Foundation names listed alphabetically with their new names listed in red:
Golden – Faith
G1.0 4.2
G1.5 4.0
G2.0 3.5
G2.5 3.0
G3.0 2.5
G3.5 2.0
Neutral Olive Peach – Charity
NOP – 1.7 4.0
NOP – 2.3 2.8
Olive – Peace
O1.0 4.2
O1.5 4.0
O2.0 3.5
O2.5 3.0
O3.0 2.5
Peach – Kindness
P1.0 4.5
P2.0 4.0
P2.5 3.5
P3.0 3.0
Peach Olive Golden – Grace
POG1.0 4.5
POG1.5 4.2
POG2.0 4.0
POG2.5 3.5
POG3.0 3.0
POG3.5 2.5
Yellow – Hope
Y1.0 4.5
Y2.0 4.2
Y2.4 3.8
Y2.6 3.5
Y3.0 3.0
Yellow Peachy – Love
YP 2.0 4.0
YP 2.5 3.5
YP 3.0 3.0
The Change of Names...
When I was testing out my products on some of you I got some excellent feedback and really believe many of you helped me to narrow down the colors that are ending up to be some top favorites. :) I know one of the areas of feedback you all gave me was in regards to the name of the product. There are a few of you that may remember that I said not to worry too much about the name because I will likely change them anyway? Well, ALL of them are changing!
In running with my theme of “defining true beauty” I really wanted to name ALL of my colors (foundation, blush, eyecolors) with a positive virtue, characteristic, or quality that defines how we are all so uniquely beautiful. The foundation colors are named after those basic virtues that “lay the foundation” of a beautiful sprit… such as faith, hope, love, peace, etc. Most of the blushes tend to name a mood or state of mind like sassy, passionate, or serene. The eyecolors are a little more general but still nouns/adjectives that describe beautiful traits in a person.
Cheesy you may say, lol? Maybe but I guess that in remaining true to myself, I could not simply put out “just any old product” without hoping that it could affect somebody in a positive way. I’d like to think that when you put on your foundation from the “Peace” family (Olive Neutral) you’ll remember to stay calm on a day you know will be crazy---then add a touch of “Gentleness” blush (Beige Pink) just in case you know you’ll be tempted to lose it on someone before your work day is over with. Or, to remember to literally have eyes of “Compassion” (Rose Bronze) or “Patience” (Pearl Latte) as you go about your week.
But this is also to transition going from T123 Minerals to adorned with Grace. T123 was merely a test product for those few of you that got to try it out, and adorned with Grace is the finished, nearly perfect product I am ready to put my name on. I could have given them these special names to start off with, but I wanted to think long and hard on EACH name and have even changed many of them over and over again to get one that was perfect for each product. I literally have made at least 400-500 eyecolors/blushes alone (I'm not releasing all of those, just the best ones FYI lol), and it was simply easier to think up a “descriptive name” verses a well-thought out “awG name.”
Also, since the colors were made in much larger batches, some colors did slightly change, like some of the foundation & blushes and a handful of the eyecolors, so there is a distinction between what was given out as a tester vs. the real product. All the colors were swatched and were sent to a few of you for approval to note the color changes, but I would recommend that if you were not a Foundation tester or a member of my Consumer Panel, to order a sample size before getting a full size of one you might have ordered at T123 just to make sure. As mentioned, what minor changes I noticed were very slight; otherwise, I would have just started a new batch (as I did with several colors) and adjusted the colors. FYI, some of them may also look different in the jar, but upon application, they are not different at all.
Stay tuned for the next few posts for the name changes of the Foundation, Blush, & Eyecolors!
In running with my theme of “defining true beauty” I really wanted to name ALL of my colors (foundation, blush, eyecolors) with a positive virtue, characteristic, or quality that defines how we are all so uniquely beautiful. The foundation colors are named after those basic virtues that “lay the foundation” of a beautiful sprit… such as faith, hope, love, peace, etc. Most of the blushes tend to name a mood or state of mind like sassy, passionate, or serene. The eyecolors are a little more general but still nouns/adjectives that describe beautiful traits in a person.
Cheesy you may say, lol? Maybe but I guess that in remaining true to myself, I could not simply put out “just any old product” without hoping that it could affect somebody in a positive way. I’d like to think that when you put on your foundation from the “Peace” family (Olive Neutral) you’ll remember to stay calm on a day you know will be crazy---then add a touch of “Gentleness” blush (Beige Pink) just in case you know you’ll be tempted to lose it on someone before your work day is over with. Or, to remember to literally have eyes of “Compassion” (Rose Bronze) or “Patience” (Pearl Latte) as you go about your week.
But this is also to transition going from T123 Minerals to adorned with Grace. T123 was merely a test product for those few of you that got to try it out, and adorned with Grace is the finished, nearly perfect product I am ready to put my name on. I could have given them these special names to start off with, but I wanted to think long and hard on EACH name and have even changed many of them over and over again to get one that was perfect for each product. I literally have made at least 400-500 eyecolors/blushes alone (I'm not releasing all of those, just the best ones FYI lol), and it was simply easier to think up a “descriptive name” verses a well-thought out “awG name.”
Also, since the colors were made in much larger batches, some colors did slightly change, like some of the foundation & blushes and a handful of the eyecolors, so there is a distinction between what was given out as a tester vs. the real product. All the colors were swatched and were sent to a few of you for approval to note the color changes, but I would recommend that if you were not a Foundation tester or a member of my Consumer Panel, to order a sample size before getting a full size of one you might have ordered at T123 just to make sure. As mentioned, what minor changes I noticed were very slight; otherwise, I would have just started a new batch (as I did with several colors) and adjusted the colors. FYI, some of them may also look different in the jar, but upon application, they are not different at all.
Stay tuned for the next few posts for the name changes of the Foundation, Blush, & Eyecolors!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
My first post!
Welcome! What a joy and privilege it is for me to bring you the adorned with Grace MineralsTM Blog. This Blog will obviously be a bulletin board of sorts to mostly supplement my website and products in regards to any changes, extra photos, and application tips, etc. However, in staying true to my theme of “Defining True BeautyTM” I won’t just talk about the makeup that helps your physical appearance, but also natural health and beauty topics that also work from the inside out!
I believe that true beauty is holistic. No, we don’t all have to look like those red-carpet celebrities but definitely enhance the beauty God gave you! At the same time, beauty doesn’t just stop at skin level. The same skin the cosmetics sit on needs to start from a base of a healthy body via nutrition, exercise, a peaceful mind, etc.
Natural health and beauty has really been gaining popularity among many women (hence many of you switching to more products with simple ingredients like Mineral Makeup), and it has been one of my passions in the last decade of my life, especially in the area of Natural health. I have researched this topic via books, Internet, attended seminars, taken courses, bought tapes/CDs/DVDs to help me further my knowledge on this subject and experimented/put some of these ideas into practice with some pretty good results! So when a yearning arises to share some of this info (or at reader requests), I’ll have a post ready for you all.
For example, I would love to share what I have learned about depression; I talk to so many women who have dealt with this, whether it was a confirmed or suspected diagnosis. If there is any new information I can offer to help, I would be thrilled to pass it along. Other topics I had in mind would be losing weight/keeping it off; how to quit smoking; eating for optimal skin & hair health; how to keep stress at bay-- the list goes on and on…
Of course, please note this disclaimer here: I will merely be sharing with you my experiences and knowledge--I'm not an expert in those topics. I think it is EXTREMELY important that everyone don’t just take what I say as 100% true; I am a believer in researching it for yourself and making up your own opinions. I am not here to debate topics but to simply give information that I personally have found useful.
Anyway, I hope that you’ll find this blog fun and useful! I am actually a very private person, not even feeling comfortable posting frequently on the Internet via forums, chat rooms, etc. but this company and the principles I am building it on is near and dear to my heart so finding to courage to start a blog for it was not too hard. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
I believe that true beauty is holistic. No, we don’t all have to look like those red-carpet celebrities but definitely enhance the beauty God gave you! At the same time, beauty doesn’t just stop at skin level. The same skin the cosmetics sit on needs to start from a base of a healthy body via nutrition, exercise, a peaceful mind, etc.
Natural health and beauty has really been gaining popularity among many women (hence many of you switching to more products with simple ingredients like Mineral Makeup), and it has been one of my passions in the last decade of my life, especially in the area of Natural health. I have researched this topic via books, Internet, attended seminars, taken courses, bought tapes/CDs/DVDs to help me further my knowledge on this subject and experimented/put some of these ideas into practice with some pretty good results! So when a yearning arises to share some of this info (or at reader requests), I’ll have a post ready for you all.
For example, I would love to share what I have learned about depression; I talk to so many women who have dealt with this, whether it was a confirmed or suspected diagnosis. If there is any new information I can offer to help, I would be thrilled to pass it along. Other topics I had in mind would be losing weight/keeping it off; how to quit smoking; eating for optimal skin & hair health; how to keep stress at bay-- the list goes on and on…
Of course, please note this disclaimer here: I will merely be sharing with you my experiences and knowledge--I'm not an expert in those topics. I think it is EXTREMELY important that everyone don’t just take what I say as 100% true; I am a believer in researching it for yourself and making up your own opinions. I am not here to debate topics but to simply give information that I personally have found useful.
Anyway, I hope that you’ll find this blog fun and useful! I am actually a very private person, not even feeling comfortable posting frequently on the Internet via forums, chat rooms, etc. but this company and the principles I am building it on is near and dear to my heart so finding to courage to start a blog for it was not too hard. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
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