Weekly Lost in Makeupland post

I should really go back to posting the Weekly posts on Sunday, I feel like a total slacker when I post them later than Monday! Still, here is my weekly update on what's going on at Makeupland. There's quite a bit of stuff I want to talk about.

Delayed Packages from December

They are starting to arrive! One of the packages which was taking longer, shipped on Dec 11, FINALLY arrived to the buyer yesterday. I was SO relieved I can't even tell you. I'm quite worried about all the packages I shipped back them I hope they all start arriving.

Here's a bit more info on that, I took those paragraphs from the Royal Mail (UK Postal Service) page.


USA Start date: 18th November
End date: Ongoing

Update 28th January 2011:

The United States Department of Homeland Security is continuing to require increased security measures for items carried on passenger airlines. As a result, some mail entering the USfrom around the world, and including the UK, that would normally be sent via passenger aircraft must now travel by other means, including ships and cargo planes.

Most items, including personal letters and cards, magazines, CDs, DVDs and lightweight packets, will be delivered in the USwithin a few days of posting.  However, there are delays of about two weeks for some heavier packets.  These delays are currently affecting stamped items, franked items, and items posted under contract, with the exception of Destination Sort and/or M-Bag* items.

That means that items shipped via ordinary mail have more of a chance of arriving soon and well than registered ones. This is crazy, but there's nothing I can do but hope things are done eventually in a way it doesn't affect European people when shipping something to the US.

I also wrote a blog post adressing that matter a while ago, you can read it here.

I'm going to continue to keep in touch with the affected buyers and will try to find a solution by the middle of the month for those who haven't received their packages by then.

Releases

I know I keep promising to go back to releasing stuff constantly, but I've gotten an order increase and am working on a lot of stuff and just find releasing a shade per week quite annoying and time-consuming at the momment. So, what I'll do will be release what's left of the Lifestyle collection soon, all at once, and have a few batches prepared before I do it so it doesn't affect my work schedule. Also, the lightening here it's so bad lately (it finally stopped raining yesterday!) that I haven't been able to photograph anything, I still have to take pictures of nearly all my eyeshadows again and upload some more swatches.

Valentines

I won't be releasing a Valentines collection, nor am I going to have one of my weekly sales this week, but I will have a Valentine's sale. From this momment until February 20th, if you write the coupon code MUSTBELOVE at checkout you'll get an automatic 10% discount on your order! ^____^

Highlighter packs

My highlighters are becoming very popular, mostly thanks to Ana ;) and I get lots of questions about which one would suit you better. I'm always glad to answer your questions, and last week I actually posted a How-to tutorial thinguie with lots of pictures showing you how I use them and how they look on my warm skin, but I can't really know how all of them are going to look on you since we all have different skin tones and undertones. So, I've thought that the best way to let you find your perfect highlighter is by offering a highlighter sample pack.

It will cost $4 (separately the price would be $5.50) and you'll receive four baggies with a sample of each of my highlighters : Faerie, Glow, English Rose and as an extra, a sample of Whipped (this one doubles both as an eyeshadow and a eye highlighter). You'll get the same quantity of product than when you order the highlighters separately with the only difference of them going in the small baggies I use for eyeshadow samples instead of the bigger ones I use for highlighters, blushes and face powders.

I find it's quite a nice offer for those who are unsure of which shade will suit them best or aren't really into highlighters and want to experiment with them and their textures at a small prize.

These will be available sometime today or tomorrow. I'm qute busy at the momment and can't promise an exact date, but I will post about that on Twitter, Facebook and here on the blog.


How to's

Last week, I posted a tutorial on how to use my highlighters on the face. I took a lot of pictures and explained step by step how I do it, showing how it works with Faerie on a side and Glow on the other so you could see how a different toned highlighter can change and melt with a skin tone.

Is there anything else you would like me to explain? A tutorial on a make up technique, a way to apply any of my eyeshadows, swatches, comparisons, whatever? I'd love to know and would be glad to take the time and make them, I really enjoy all things make up related from creation, to experimenting with new stuff, and what I love the most is makeup application. If there are any tips you'd like me to share, don't hesitate to ask!

I love shopping indie!

A few weeks ago I received a Shiro cosmetics order I'm dying to share with you, so expect me to post some swatches and rave about the awesome stuff I bought!

Last week I also received a small Beauty From The Earth order I made because of a great sale they had to try ther products (Becca it's your fault, you convinced me!!!) and I also want to show you a couple of shades that really impressed me.

I've also placed orders from Evil Shades, The Morbid the Merrier, Haus of Gloi, and a package from One Hand Washes the Other (yayayayayayayayyyy so excited about receiving this one!!!) still pending to arrive, I'll show you the goodies once I receive them, I'm so excited about everything! ^_____^

Plus, Morgana Cryptoria is going to release 20 new lipstick shades, I can't wait to see them, I'm sure they'll be gorgeous! You can read about my great experience shopping from Morgana Cryptoria here. <3


I think that's it for this week's post!! Stay tuned, I'll be posting more this week ;) Really, thanks everybody for keeping up with the blog, following and all, I'm glad! <3

So, is there anything you're looking forwards to this week? Any ideas, suggestions, things you'd like me to talk about? What do you think of the highlighters pack?

International shipping Chrsitmas delays

This has been my first Christmas as an Etsy seller so this has caught me quite by surprise.

During the whole December month and all of this current month, I've been (still am) quite upset because of the EXTREME delay in orders shipped from Dec 11 to 27. I hope they start showing up eventually because I don't want anyone to think I never shipped their packages. The problem has been only with US customers, nothing went wrong when shipping to any other country.

I knew two packages I shipped on Dec 11 were held on by Spanish customs until Dec 30, because it was shipped as Urgent (wait, I'll laught) International mail and it was registered. I know nothing about the rest of the packages shipped during these dates.

A couple of days ago I found this useful information on Etsy about these delays and realized I'm not the only seller in this delicate situation. Apparently it's happened only with people shipping stuff to the US, not shipping from there.

So please, if you're expecting a package from me that was shipped during December, PLEASE be patient. I'm really sorry that postal services are taking so long and that you've been so unlucky that you have to wait.

Shipping usually takes around a week to arrive to the US and this has been a special and unfortunate one time thing. I will take action if any package is lost and never ends up showing, don't worry about that, but please allow your packages some more time to arrive, I'll just ask that of you.

I've learned though, and next year, Christmas gifts will be shipped on November only and if I ship anything during December it will go by registered mail so it can be tracked at least. I don't like it because that will mean increasing shipping costs for buyers, but it's the only way to be able to stay calm and know what's going on.

Thank you all for your patience!!

Have you had shipping problems during Christmas? I'd love to hear your experiences!