TKBtrading.com finally came up with the mica blend for my horoscope! Cant wait to get this colour :D

Website URL: http://www.tkbtrading.com/item.php?item_id=1215

Arians (born March 21- April 19) are impulsive, a bit selfish in a child-like innocent and charming way, and very affectionate. Are you married to an Aries? Then you know they are also strong-headed like a Ram.

Our Aries Blend is the last color we designed for our Horoscope Series. It was a challenge for Lennye to design a red to represent Aries. She started with crimson/scarlet blends but finished with Aries Blend, an orangey red with sparks of red.


This color is unique and lovely in many ways:
It is a mostly matte color, not too sparkly
It has a deep, staining, undertone which comes from a blend of red oxides. Colors which have a lot of iron oxides in them have an intensity and longevity not matched by light-weight micas.
A subtle heat is added by a sprinkling of sparks of red

Labels: Blog Posts, tkb trading

After disappearing for quite a while, I thought I'll make it up by doing some swatches that are long overdue. That was how my TKB Trading collection looked like after 2 purchases. I bought about 30 Mica pigments on the first go, and subsequently fall in love with their products and got more.
This was requested a long, long time ago. Like more than half a year ago. I just never had the time and mood to sit down to do them because I was busy with my projects. So finally, Here they are!.

Disclaimer: I paid for everything that I own from them. The reason Why i have so any of their products is because they are very inexpensive and great value for money. I live in Singapore and the company is based in the USA.

Company: http://www.tkbtrading.com/
What they Offer : TKB trading is a company based in the USA that sells ingredients and misc items needed to product mineral makeup. This means they sell the " flour, egg, sugar" that makes up a cake. You can find mineral makeup base ingredients like, mica, Talc, Silica, zinc oxide etc etc that are used to make mineral makeup foundation powders. They also sell Mica powders and oxide pigments that are used to make eye shadows. Their pigments and mica powders are also good enough to be used on their own as eye shadows. They also sell cosmetic sifter jars, pans, empty compacts. Not forgetting, dyes, lipstick bases, natural oils, liquid silicons, etc etc.

Mica powders (shimmery) : http://www.tkbtrading.com/category.php?category_id=12
Pigments (matte, oxides): http://www.tkbtrading.com/category.php?category_id=43
Jars and tools : http://www.tkbtrading.com/category.php?category_id=14
Go to their website to see more stuff they offer.

TKB Samples :
USD1.50 for 1 table spoon (USd3++ for 1 Oz which is about 3 tablespoons)
*1Table spoon fills a 20gm jar (w/o sifter) you will have enough to fill another 5gm jar if u wanna put a sifter in

USD1.50 / USD0.99 for 1 teaspoon
*1teaspoon fills a 10gm jar (w/o sifter)


This is what my tkb trading pigment/mica collection looks like now. The swatches below are all done on TKB trading's Eye Fix Eye primer.
If you want to see how these pigments look in their jars, go to this post @ http://msfrenchfries.blogspot.com/2009/03/updated-tkb-trading-swatches.html
I wrote some information about their consistency and finish on that post too :)

*click on the pictures to enlarge*

Labels: swatch, tkb trading

Products Used

- L'oreal Hip Metallic Duo in GunMetal
(Lighter Color all over lid, Darker color on the Crease and outer 1/3)
- TKB Trading Lotsa Lime mica
(inner 1/3 of lid and on inner corners)
- Majorca Majorlica 15x Lash expander (mascara)


This is a very easy, lime green smokey look. I didn't apply eyeliner because I did this look so i can put up a Post and I wasn't really going to go out. I also actually wanted to test out the L'oreal Hip Duo that I got. I ordered quite a few of those duos but through different sprees. I'll post up pics of them once i receive all my order.
So far, I think the L'oreal Duos are really pigmented, creamy and easy to apply.

Labels: FOTD, L'oreal, tkb trading

This is a look I wore on Friday but only updating it now because I came back late at night and had to work.
1. So I started by priming my eyes with Urban Decay Primer Potion. Prime the Lower lid also
I needed something that can hold my eyeshadow for at least 8 hours.
4.
- Apply dark grey eyeshadow on the outer eyelids.
- Apply Black eyeshadow on the outer V. or the crease to define the eyes better so it looks more 3D. ( I used TKB Trading's Black Oxide)
- Smudge black eyeshadow on the lower lids.

Labels: eyeshadow, FOTD, tkb trading, tutorial

This my first attempt doing an EOTD post. I'll do more in the future and hopefully some FOTDS.
This is EOTD 1 - Gold


Products Used

Inner - NYX Single Eyeshadow in Blondie

Inner Corners - TKB Trading pigment in Brillant Gold

Middle - TKB Trading pigment in Lovely Leo

Outer Corners - NYX Single Eyeshadow in Latte Foam

Crease - TKB Trading Pigment in BlackStar Brown

Eyeliner - Indelible Gel liner in Magnetism (top) , Maybelline Gel Liner in 02 Brown (bottom)

Mascara - Majorlica Majorica Lash Expander 15x in Black

Labels: FOTD, NYX, tkb trading

These are about all the Pigments / powdered colorants that I got from TKB trading. The pictures are not great but I do think they will be useful to a certain extent.

TKB's pigments are powders, mostly very powderym loose and shimmery. However there are some powders which "cakes" together more, as in less powdery (in a good way). It's like how some loose foundation tend to be more "cakey" as compared to loose finishing Powders
Oxides are matte and also tend to be thicker and more clumpy and pressable.

~ = clumpy powder
` = Sheen finish, not shimmery nor matte
" = Slight metallic finish
- = less shimmery than average
* = Super Shimmery
^ = Matte
: = teaspoon sample

[Ivory Lace] [Artisan Coral] [Apricot] [Bronze] [Soft Brown`] [Bronzed Gold*] [Dark Brown Oxide^~] [Blackstar Gold~] [Australian Amber] [Ochre Oxide^~] [Bronzed Mica] [ Swiss Chocolate] [Moonstone Mica] [Cinnamon Oxide:^~] [Brown Oxide:^~]
[Colorona Russet"~] [Gemtone Ruby] [Raspberry Pop] [Strawberry Pop] [Soft Red`] [Angel Wings] [Be My Valentine][Pink Coral] [Blush Beige] [Foliage]

[Passion Orange"~] [Aztec Gold~] [Lovely Leo] [Tangerine Pop] [Harvest Yellow Oxide^~] [Lemon Drop Pop][Brillant Gold] [24 Karet^] [Mermaid's Gold] [Gold Fine"~] [Soft Yellow`] [Yellow Oxide:^~] [Orange Oxide:^~] [Forged Gold:"] [Crucible Gold:"] [Crucible Khaki:"][Grape Pop] [Love Song] [Aster Hue] [Amethyst] [Pure Purple-] [Manganese Violet:^~]
[Murasaki Violet Matte:^~] [Paris Pink:^~] [Green Apple Mica-] [Lotsa Lime-] [Sage Green] [Verdigris Gold] [All Love Green] [Breath Of Spring] [Soft Green`] [Aquarius][After Twilight Green] [Blackstar Green~] [Apple Green Pop] [Cyprus Green"~] [Emerald] [Chromium Oxide:^~] [Hydrated Chromium Oxide:^~] [Blackstar Blue"] [Midnight Train] [Soft Blue`] [Ocean Green] [Colorona Dark Blue] [Soft Aqua-] [Totally Teal-] [Coral Reef Blue] [Blueberry Pop] [Indian Blue] [Omega Blue:^~]

Labels: swatch, tkb trading

YAY! TKB Trading Haul #3! . I think i have almost all the powdered colorants TKB trading has that I will wear by now. Before i placed the orders, I promised that this will be my final TKB trading haul until, at least August of something.

Labels: haul, tkb trading

http://www.tkbtrading.com/
Product : Travel To Mercury Pigment ( Color shifting Pigment)
Description : Unlike the other "Travel to . . ." colors in our line, Travel to Mercury is not a whitish powder with subtle shifts in hue. Instead, this powder is super-saturated with color. It is probably the most fabulous of the entire family!

. . . Travel To Mercury is natural mineral silica blended with iron oxides. It rubs on with a reddish, coppery heat which transforms into a warm bronze, almost a greenish gold, as it is tilted and turned. In the two photos, you see exactly the same color as photographed at different angles. The powder has a nice medium sheen and is excellent for all types of cosmetics.

From top to bottom : NYX Jumbo pencil in Yogurt, NYX Jumbo Pencil in Black Bean, TKB Trading Eye Fix, Urban Decay Primer Potion

Review : I Ordered a sample of this to try out. It came in those Snap shut plastic containers. ( cutie pies on tkb's website) . First of all i have to say i am a bit disappointed because i was very excited about it after reading all the descriptions .

Like the description says this is the only one in the planetary series that is NOT a whitsh powder, but a copperish red instead. The powder i got is exactly as shown in the swatch picture above. Nothing too fancy about this pigment. Except that it appears to have a bit of iridescence, with a gold / orange shimmer. Not a flat red pigment.

I think the picture shoes the so called "color-shifting) better. I actually did the swatch with different primers. In real Life the pigment applies on as the exact same shade on each of the primers. However i noticed in the picture the bottom one looks more orange than red. Probably the shifting is only visible in photographs.

Labels: pigments, review, tkb trading

URL :
http://www.tkbtrading.com/item.php?item_id=657
Product: Eye Fix (TKB Trading Eye Primer)
Net Weight :
0.2 oz ( in a 20gm matte black jar ) Ingredients: Petrolatum (vaseline), Beeswax, Ozokerite and Parafin waxes (mineral waxes), Cadelilla Wax (a plant based wax), the preservative Quarternium-18-Hectorite, and the film-forming ingredient Propylene Carbonate. It also contains color additives.

Descriptions : Eye Fix is a lightly-hued primer which makes your loose powder eye shadows stay on the skin longer. It may also be used as a highlighter.

Quanlity : 4.5 /5
Packaging : 3.5 /5
Price : 5/5 ( because i got the in a set it cost very little for one. Singles cost USD9.50)

I think both primers ( UDPP and eye fix) intensifies eyeshadows as good.
When i rubbed the swatches, Eye fix smudged a bit more than UDPP.
I noticed that with UDPP i can pack on MORE powder without fall outs as compared to the Eye fix.

Texture :
I depotted my UDPP into a jar after the packaging wont allow a good amount of product to come out. By that time the UDPP was becoming more dried already. I got my UDPP from a swap site so i'm not sure if it was manufactured for a long time already .... But anyway, I cant apply my UDPP as smoothly already because like i said it's becoming more dried. THe texture is thicker and i just cant get it to apply thinly and evenly. And because of this , sometimes my eyeshadow can look a bit funky after Long hours because there will be this DEFINED line between the area where i have UDPP on and the part that doesn't.

You need very Little of this. This have to be applied really thinly/ The Eye fix had a really smooth texture, and it applies SUPER smoothly. It also feels very light .I use my ring finger to apply the eyefix on my lids in a patting motion. Because with a brush, i get too much product on which will cause creasing. Basically i just gently pat/swipe my ring finger on the primer and pat it on my eye. It feels creamy and smooth, easier to blend than my UDPP even when it didn dry up.

Color: The eye fix is defiantly lighter in shade than the UDPP. It's like a fair foundation shade. And it tends to look like that on the eye. I apply this all the way to my browbone. The color works well as a highlighter too because its a fair nude shade. Which is good when sometimes i am in a hurry, don't have to reach for a separate highlighting color. But since it is a cream, some people might not like it on its own like that.

I wont repurchase, probably. Because I have one that i am using right now. Seeing how little i need to use each time, it's going to last me forever. definitely, longer than my UDPP.

it was a good buy... I haven't experienced creasing yet. But i dont have very oily lids to begin with. Despite the poor reviews i saw on youtube. I'm quite happy with this.

Labels: Eye fix, Primer, review, tkb trading, UDPP, Urban Decay

I finally received mt TKB trading stuffs from my 2nd haul !. It was GREAT!
I got the TKB trading Eyeshadow primer, Eye Fix too.

This time they had this available for bulk purchases too. ( wasn't available during my first purchase ).
The Eye Fix was selling at USD9.50 for 1. It's cheaper if you get a set of 6. They have it available in even larger quantities.

I got a set of 6 for the eye fix, I took 2 and one of it went to another spree-er. Because i was doing a spree to save on shipping.
Now I'm left with 3 extras. Trying my luck to swap or sell it off.

I got myself more pigments. I Ordered the Hilite Set, and the Pop Mica Samplers set. The Baggies aren't ful in the picture because i already transfered the powder in to my jars. The left over is saved for pressing then into pans.

These Baggies only include the pigments i got form my 2nd haul.















Here's my total collection of pigments from TKB trading. :)



















Now , better pictures divided by color. Accuracy should be about an average of 80%.

The Top row is quite accurate. Except that the Apricot mica is really 1 shade lighter.

Ivory lace and Blush beige are not as pink as they appear.

Moonstone Mica is Very accurate





Everything here are pretty accurate except that soft red is a lot lighter in real life.








Green Apply Pop is really light medium green. A cool green.. But i think the camera washed out its color.

Breath of Spring is very accurate though.

Cyprus green and Emerald actually looks really similar in the skin. Cant tell much difference. Get either one will do.

Labels: eyeshadow, haul, pigments, swatch, tkb trading

well here's a pic of my tkb tradng pigments in their jars that i got previously.
I pressed most of them into my 28 empty pan palette already.

My 2nd tkb trading order has JUST been ordered. I'll probably post/do swatches when i receive my 2nd order together.

*side note* CoastalScents.com 's mica pigments are similar to the ones on tkb trading.com. The names are the same and i got a sample which looks/feels the same as my tkb trading pigments. so...... we all know which is cheaper though :)

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The best way to dry your brushes after washing them is having the brush tip facing down. Which an be a bit tricky to do sometimes.
So i made full use of the stuff in my house and came up with "technique" below. My brush is 100% vertical and all the moisture wont get to the funnel and spoil the glue etc etc.

Labels: brush, Everyday Minerals, haul, pigments, storage, tkb trading