Category: MAKEUP

PRIMARK PS LIQUID EYESHADOWS – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date January 21, 2020
2 Comments on PRIMARK PS LIQUID EYESHADOWS – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m back with another Primark makeup review! They have recently launched a brand new PS makeup range featuring lots of nude shades and subtle shimmers. This includes two gorgeous liquid eyeshadows that I got my hands on in my local store so I thought I would put them to the test and let you know my thoughts… Love Primark makeup? I’ve also reviewed their popular ‘Nudes’ makeup range as well as their ‘Glow’ setting spray, go on, have a read!

Sadly, the new range only features two of these dual-ended liquid eyeshadows, which is such a shame as I personally would have bought more had there been any! The first eyeshadow includes a gold and a nude shade – a winning combo for any soft-glam makeup lovers. The second includes a metallic pink and a dusky rose matte shade. I love that the shades can be worn together or worn alone.

The tubes are split in half; one end is metallic eyeshadow and one end is just matte – both sections containing 2ml of product. Each end also has a flocked wand/doe-foot applicator. I like that they contain two products and yet take up so little space. I will definitely be taking these on holiday with me to save room! The design and the packaging is super pretty too. I love the simple gold foil effect against a white background, it makes the eyeshadows look more expensive than they are. Also, I love that they made the metallic end clear and the matte side frosted – it’s those extra details that really make an impact. There doesn’t need to be any mess involved either. The products aren’t loose and the packaging isn’t going to shatter and turn my carpet into a shimmering pool of regret. Also, these eyeshadows retail at just £3 each which is amazing.

Let’s start with the matte shade shall we? Well, oh my goodness, I was not expecting that! Firstly, the formula is a dream. I had to do a double take when I swatched it. It applied so well and it was super easy to blend and work with. Secondly, can you see that pigment?! It’s completely opaque – sorry, £3 – what?! It dried nice and quickly and once it had, it was there to stay. It actually took some effort to remove which I find reassuring. I don’t want that stuff slipping and sliding around on my lids thank you very much!

The metallic shade is truly gorgeous. I can see myself wearing this shade all the time – on nights out or just for some simple daytime glam. My only issue with it is that it takes a while to dry. If I was in a rush, I wouldn’t want to risk using this. However, if you have the time to wait for it to dry, it’s totally worth it because, I mean, look at it!

This matte pink shade is so pretty! I love wearing pink and purple so I can see myself reaching for this particular shade a lot. It was also very pigmented, completely opaque and really easy to move around and blend. Again, it dried quickly and from that point onwards, it didn’t budge until I removed it with some micellar water. I’m so tempted to apply some holographic eyeshadow topper over this, I think it would look stunning!

Let’s talk about this metallic shade. There’s no denying it’s beautiful, however, I did struggle a little bit with getting it to form a decent layer. When I tried to blend it out it did get a bit patchy. It took some layering to get it where I wanted it. That being said, once I put a little more effort in and took the time to work with it, it looked beautiful. I would definitely wear this shade on a regular basis, especially paired with the matte shade too – what a combo!

So, whats the verdict?

In terms of what I didn’t like, other than a slight struggle with the pink metallic eyeshadow formula, there’s nothing to complain about. It wasn’t as if that was an issue I couldn’t resolve, I just spent a little bit more time applying it and it turned out fine. I would definitely recommend using an eyeshadow primer as a base just to give the product something to stick to.

In terms of what I loved, the matte formula particularly blew me away. I cannot get over how pigmented it is and how easy it is to work with. Although I had a tiny bit of an issue with the formula, both of the metallic shades are really good. When applied correctly, they look lovely. I will definitely be using the gold shade all the time, it’s just so me. Given that Primark didn’t even sell makeup at one point, they’ve come such a long way with their beauty products. I’m extremely impressed with these eyeshadows. The fact that they retail at only £3 each is incredible! The wands make it easy to apply to product, without faffing and having to use lots of different brushes and tools. The shade range is currently pretty poor, but fingers crossed, they’ll bring some more! I really recommend giving them a try, for £3 a pop, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

What do you think of these liquid eyeshadows? Be sure to let me know in the comments and don’t forget to follow me on my socials!

N xxxx

Tags BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blogger, Blogging, eyeshadow, Haul, Liquid Eyeshadow, Makeup, matte, Metallic, Photography, Photos, Primark, PS, Review

2019 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

TOO FACED GINGERBREAD EXTRA SPICY PALETTE – REVIEW & SWATCHES

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date December 4, 2019
29 Comments on TOO FACED GINGERBREAD EXTRA SPICY PALETTE – REVIEW & SWATCHES

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Welcome to Blogmas Day 4! Today, I have another palette review for you and this one is particularly festive. I was lucky enough to receive the Too Faced Gingerbread Extra Spicy Palette for my birthday (thanks dad), so I’ve been putting it to the test over the last few weeks. I’m so excited to finally share my thoughts with you!

*This post contains affiliate links

The Too Faced Gingerbread Extra Spicy Palette launched earlier this year as part of their 2019 holiday collection. If you didn’t already know, it’s actually a follow up to their incredibly popular Gingerbread Spice Eyeshadow palette, that was released last year. They had a lot to live up to!

PACKAGING & PRICE

There’s no doubt that this palette is a stunner. Too Faced are known for their cute and themed packaging, it’s something they always do well! The palette is housed inside a tin, which features the cutest little gingerbread couple on the lid. Inside, the palette has a generously sized mirror which has a decorative border featuring the same little characters. If this packaging doesn’t make you feel all festive inside, I don’t know what will. How much is it? The Too Faced Gingerbread Extra Spicy Palette retails at £39, which is the standard price for most of their eyeshadow palettes. Where can you buy it? You can get hold of the palette from Too Faced’s website itself, or through other retailers such as Look Fantastic, Selfridges, ASOS, Debenhams and John Lewis.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Inside, there are 18 eyeshadows, including a variety of mattes and shimmers. Sticking with the holiday theme, each shade has it’s own festive name inspired by Christmas sweets and treats. Not to mention, the palette has a sweet, lightly spiced scent, which is dreamy. It features a great selection of rich and warm-toned shades that can create looks for every occasion. It’s the perfect palette to create some spicy daytime looks as well as some smouldering smokey eyes.

Swatches of the first row: Vanilla Waffles – Drizzle it

1ST ROW SWATCHES

Vanilla Waffles – Cream/light beige with a matte finish – This shade is buttery soft to the touch and it blends like a dream. It’s pretty much the perfect base for me! It’s also great to use if you go slightly overboard with a darker shade, as it lightens and brightens in seconds.

Cookie Cutter – Light-medium peach with flecks of pink/gold glitter and a frosted finish – This shade is so gorgeous. It reminds me of the shade “Bang Bang” in Urban Decay’s Naked Cherry palette, which is one of my favourites! Its the tiniest bit chunky so I tend to apply it wet and in small amounts so that I can get it to look smooth on my lids.

Soft and Sweet – Medium pink/coral with a matte finish – In terms of texture, this shade is slightly powdery. Once blended, it can sheer out a little so I’d recommend building it up over a primer.

For The Graham – Light brown with warm undertones and a matte finish – This is an every day shade for me, I love using it as a transition into something darker for Autumn and Winter looks. It’s a basic shade but it’s a staple. Like Soft and Sweet, it’s slightly powdery but it’s easy to work with over a primer.

In a Pinch – Bright orange with warm undertones and a matte finish – I love this shade. It’s pigmented and easy to apply and blend with or without the use of a primer. It a perfect matte shade for those that love creating simple warm-toned looks.

Drizzle It – Reddish rose gold/copper with warm undertones and a metallic finish – The pigmentation of this shade is so intense! It’s definitely one of my favourite shades in the palette. I love how festive it looks on my eyes, it works beautifully alongside Vanilla Waffles and Soft and Sweet.

Swatches of the second row: Lick the Spoon – Cookie Call

2ND ROW SWATCHES

Lick the Spoon – Medium peach with silver reflects and a frosted finish – The pigmentation of this shade is gorgeous! It’s not as buttery as I’d hoped it would be so it does feel slightly dry. However, if you use a wet brush and a patting motion, the pigment should pack onto the lid nicely.

Spicy Mami – Deep copper with orange and gold flecks and a satin finish – This shade confuses me a little bit. It looks as if it’s going to be a one-swipe metallic wonder however it actually takes a little bit of work. I always apply it on top of a primer using a wet brush to get the most out of it. It’s not as glittery as it looks, it actually has more of a satin finish to it.

Extra Spicy – Deep orange with warm red undertones and a matte finish – I was actually really impressed with the pigmentation of this shade. It was a tiny bit powdery in the pan but it still applies and blends really easily.

Half Baked – Dark copper with warm undertones and a metallic finish – I find myself reaching for this shade all the time. It’s just so pigmented and pretty! It works beautifully with Soft and Sweet or Butterscotch. It’s also really smooth and easy to work with – I love it!

Butterscotch -Bright, light orange with yellow undertones and a matte finish – This is my favourite matte in the whole palette. I love using this on its own to give a more subtle hint of warmth to my makeup looks. It’s nicely pigmented and easy to blend out too.

Cookie Call – Deep reddish brown with purple undertones – This shade didn’t swatch particularly well and I think that’s because it requires some building. Once I’ve got it to a level of intensity that I’m happy with, it looks fine! I have to admit, it’s not the most festive of colours but it does work well with a few of the other shades in the palette.

3RD ROW SWATCHES

Plenty of Dough – Medium peach with warm undertones and a matte finish – Another slightly drier matte, but when used wet or over a primer it’s good to go.

Candy Queen – Light copper/gold with a metallic finish – This shade is so pretty! It’s probably the shade that I reach for the most actually, even on the days where I’m aiming for a more “natural” look, I can’t resist! Also, just skip straight to using this with a damp brush – thank me later.

Gingerbread Glam – Reddish-brown with warm undertones and a matte finish – This honestly blends like a dream, it’s another go-to matte shade for me.

Hot Tamale – Berry red with warm undertones and a matte finish – Such a pretty shade! I can’t create a pink makeup look without it. It’s very pigmented so be patient with it when it comes to blending.

Cinna-moan – Dark copper with warm/red undertones and a matte finish – Once blended, this shade has a habit of sheering out a little too much. However, it’s easy to build up with a couple of layers of application.

Midnight Snack – Dark black base with flecks of blue/turquoise glitter and a sparkly finish – I wasn’t too keen on this shade at first as it just didn’t seem particularly festive or cheery. That being said, it’s actually a great shade to create some smoky looks – perfect for a Christmas party! It works really well with Hot Tamale.

WHAT DO I THINK?

Overall, I really love this palette. The colour scheme is gorgeous and it compliments the original palette beautifully. It’s definitely going to be a popular palette for the holiday season, I reckon it will sell out pretty fast. If you’re into creating warm-toned looks, using pinks, oranges and coppers. For those that want something more icy and cool-toned, this probably won’t be the one for you. In terms of formula, some of the mattes and a couple of the metallics needed some building but there was nothing that a wet brush and a primer couldn’t fix. I also noticed that a few shades were drier in texture so, again, using a wet brush can help with this! The packaging is absolutely gorgeous. It’s so festive and colourful!

*Get the Too Faced Gingerbread Extra Spicy Palette here

Let me know what you think of this palette in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

Tags BLOGMAS, Christmas, Cosmetics, December, eyeshadow, Gift, Gingerbread, Makeup, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, Too Faced

2019 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

URBAN DECAY- NAKED HONEY PALETTE – REVIEW & SWATCHES

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date December 3, 2019
20 Comments on URBAN DECAY- NAKED HONEY PALETTE – REVIEW & SWATCHES

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Welcome to Blogmas Day 3! Over the years, Urban Decay have launched many a palette. In more recent years, we were treated to the Naked Heat (2017) and the Naked Cherry (2018), both of which practically caused the beauty community to lose their minds with excitement and hysteria. This summer, they released The Naked Honey Palette, the latest and permanent addition to the series! I near enough collapsed when I saw how beautiful that this palette was. I’ve had it in my makeup collection since September but I wanted to save my review for Blogmas as I feel like it would make the perfect Christmas gift!

*This post contains affiliate links

PACKAGING & PRICE

With a glossy plastic exterior, the packaging is the same as the other palettes in the Naked range. It’s not made from flimsy or cheap plastic either, it feels study, heavy and luxurious! The design is stunning, with what seems like a pool of honey on the front, behind gorgeous gold font. It’s simple, yet effective. How much is it? The Naked Honey Palette retails at £42. Which is their most expensive palette , given that it contains less product per pan than most of Urban Decay’s palettes, I’m expecting great things…Where can you buy it? You can get hold of the palette from Urban Decay’s website itself, or through various other retailers such as John Lewis, Look Fantastic and Feel Unique.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Inside the palette, there are 12 eyeshadows: including mattes, shimmers and metallics, as well as a generously sized mirror! Sticking with the honey theme, each shade has it’s own name – my favourite being “Golden”! In terms of the colour scheme, the palette features a variety of neutral shades, including “classic golds, warm ambers and rich chocolate browns”. It’s the perfect palette to create some natural glam as well as bold, statement looks.

First six shades swatched (Flyby – Golden)

SWATCHES

Flyby – Pale beige with satin finish – This formula is absolute goals. It’s literally the perfect base shade for me; it’s slightly shimmery but still has great coverage.

Sweet – Peachy matte – This is another great versatile neutral shade. I can see myself using this to transition into darker shades a lot. It doesn’t have the sheen as “Flyby” but the formula is still beautifully soft.

Swarm – Light orange with yellow undertones and matte finish– This is the kind of shade that I wear on a daily basis. They can be used to create simple and natural looks as well as warm-toned glam. It’s very pigmented and really easy to blend too.

Amber – Rich amber/copper with metallic finish- This is one of those magical shades that can take a look from daytime to night-time in seconds. It adds such a gorgeous sparkle to my makeup. Amber is super pigmented yet it’s a total dream to blend. It doesn’t fade quickly either!

Keeper – Light-medium brown with orange undertones and matte finishh – This is another daily must-have shade for me. I love creating natural warm-toned looks so I know I’ll get plenty of use use out of Keeper. It has the same fluffy and smooth texture as Sweet and Swarm.

Golden – Bright, warm gold with metallic finish– Good grief. This is by far, my favourite shade in this palette. If I could bathe in it, I actually would. I’ve never known pigmentation quite like it and it has the most beautiful, sparkling finish to it. It barely takes a swipe for your lids to be glistening! There’s the tiniest bit of fallout but quite frankly, I couldn’t care less. It’s my new go-to!

Last six shades swatched (Honey – Sting)

SWATCHES

Honey – Bright gold with yellow undertones and metallic finish – This shade isn’t as outrageous as Golden, but it’s still gorgeous. It has a slightly firmer texture to it, however it does still apply smoothly and there is very little fallout. It’s perfect for anyone that prefers to use a cooler-toned gold on their eyes.

Queen – Medium brown with gold and bronze reflects – I like that this shade isn’t just a brown (it’s an M&S brown…such a dad joke I’m sorry) it has some olive undertones and some flecks of gold in it that make it more interesting. As you can see the pigmentation is fabulous!

Hive – Medium warm brown with warm undertones and matte finish – Another daily shade for me. I use shades like this all the time in my crease and along my lower lashline. The formula is really soft and easy to blend.

Drip – Medium brown with red undertones and matte finish – This shade looks so good when blended with some lighter shades like Hive or Swarm. I can imagine this will be a really popular shade for creating looks with this Autumn.

Hbic – Medium copper with warm undertones and a metallic finish – I just feel good when I’m wearing this shade. It’s not as intense as “Golden” but it still packs a lot of punch and it looks a lot brighter when applied with a wet brush.

Sting – Dark brown with warm, purple undertones – This matte was the tiniest bit patchy but then again, that could be down to my poor swatching skills. It adds some dark drama to my eye looks, which is perfect for nights out. I like that it’s easy to blend as I don’t suit the panda look.

WHAT DO I THINK?

This has got to be my favourite palette from Urban Decay so far. Yes it’s pricey but in my opinion, it’s worth it for the quality of the shades inside. I love the colour scheme, it’s a great palette if you’re needing some warm-toned shades in your collection. It’s going to be so popular during Autumn, I can’t wait to see what people create with this palette! There’s a great variety of shades too, I like that I can play it safe or go all out with them. In terms of formula, they’ve nailed it. I was quite literally gobsmacked when I swatched “Golden”, it took me a few minutes to recover. I’ve received so many compliments when I wear that shade – I feel good wearing this palette! The packaging looks so luxurious, it definitely stands out in my collection. I absolutely recommend trying this palette!

Get the Urban Decay Naked Honey Palette here

Let me know what you think of this palette in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

Tags BEAUTY, blogger, eyeshadow, Makeup, Naked Honey, Photography, Photos, Review, urban decay

BEAUTY MAKEUP

MAKEUP REVOLUTION: FOREVER FLAWLESS HAUNTED HOUSE PALETTE REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date October 22, 2019
No Comments on MAKEUP REVOLUTION: FOREVER FLAWLESS HAUNTED HOUSE PALETTE REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m back with another review of a product in Makeup Revolution’s Forever Flawless range; the Haunted House Palette! As soon as I saw that this was being released, I practically threw myself into Superdrug to get my hands on it! I love Halloween so a spooky themed palette is just too good to resist. Let’s see what I thought of it shall we?

Read my review of the Forever Flawless Optimum Palette here!

PACKAGING & PRICE

Made from tin, the packaging is the same as the other palettes in the Forever Flawless range. I just love the design with the creepy mansion and the moon, it looks amazing. I also love the raised metallic red font on the front too! How much is it? The Haunted House Palette retails at £10 which is a great price for 18 eyeshadows! Where can you buy it? You can get hold of the Optimum Palette from Makeup Revolution’s website itself or through Superdrug (which does student discount and has a point system too).

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Inside the palette, there are 18 eyeshadows: including mattes, shimmers and pressed glitter, as well as a generously sized mirror. One of my favourite things about these palettes is that every shade is individually named INSIDE the palette, with no flimsy plastic sheet in sight! It makes life so much easier when writing reviews and recommending shades to people. In terms of the colour scheme, the palette features lots of warm toned hues to create smoky eye looks for some Autumn and Halloween glam. There’s such a variety of shades from pops of bright red and orange to dark and rich browns – not forgetting the beautiful golds and coppers that this palette has to offer!

1ST ROW SWATCHES

Attic – Pink-gold duochrome pressed glitter – This shade looked as if it was going to be a blinding shimmer but it’s actually a pressed glitter. It does take a little bit of work to get an intense colour payoff but it’s totally worth it. It works better when applied over a primer. I like to use this on top of the shade “Motel” as it blends so beautifully

Motel – Matte bright pink – I wasn’t expecting to see a bright pop of pink in this palette and I wasn’t sure if it worked with the theme. However, as it turns out it’s one of my favourite shades that they’ve done. Ever! It’s so pigmented, just look at that swatch! It’s also so easy to blend, the formula is honestly giving high-end brands a reason to get back in the labs.

Decrepit – Matte grey/brown with a hint of purple – This shade was so hard to explain hence the length of my description! It’s such a unique shade, I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before. It has a beautiful mixture of grey, brown and purple hues. The formula is also beautifully buttery, it’s so easy to blend. I can see myself using this to create a lot of smoky eye looks.

Peril – Matte pastel pink – This shade is so flipping dreamy. This is the perfect pink for me and it works so well when layered with “Attic” or “Demonic”. It’s like working with velvet, it’s so easy to blend. It’s a huge yes from me!

Survival – Matte mulberry/wine purple – Another triumph! I’ve been using this shade a lot. It’s a formula that I hope Makeup Revolution sticks to as it’s just the right amount of pigmentation yet the shadows are still really easy to blend. I’ve been using this in my crease along with “Peril” – a combination I fully recommend!

Demonic – Pink/copper shimmer – Dude. This shade is on another level. It’s blindingly good! I barely have to touch it to pick up the pigment and colour payoff is unreal! I don’t mean to be dramatic but this has got to be one of the best shimmers that they’ve done. It has a foil-like texture in that it feels so silky smooth and almost looks wet when applied. I would buy this shade as a single over and over again!

2nd Row Swatches

Petrify – Matte brown with purple undertones – This shade is another quirky one. It’s not quite a purple and it’s not quite a brown, it’s somewhere in-between! It works perfectly in this palette and can definitely be used to create smoky eye looks. It works so beautifully with “Demonic” and “Phobia”.

Phobia – Purple-red duochrome pressed glitter – Here we have another gorgeous pressed glitter! Don’t expect it to be immediately blinding, it will take some patience to build up on its own. I personally think it’s much easier to work with pressed glitters on top of a primer and other eyeshadows. I love that when it catches the light, the red really shows. It’s such a great shade for this time of year.

Creepy – Silver shimmer – This is another unbelievably pigmented shimmer shade. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Imagine this being at the centre of a halo eye look. Good grief.

Monster – Burnt orange – This is the perfect autumnal shade. It’s serving me all kinds of orange/red eye makeup look inspiration! I have absolutely loved using this as one of my day-to-day eyeshadows over the last few of weeks. I have green eyes so anything orange makes them pop! It’s a pressed pigment so the formula is slightly more stubborn to work with compared to the rest of the mattes in the palette. This isn’t an issue for me as it’s still so easy to build and blend.

Phantom – Pearly white shimmer – I thought this was going to be a pressed glitter when I touched it as it just didn’t feel as smooth and buttery as the other shadows in the palette. It turns out that it’s not! It’s actually a shimmer and it’s super pigmented! This is another shade that will look beautiful as an inner corner highlight!

Creak – Copper brown shimmer – Another perfect shade for this season! I can imagine all of the gorgeous soft glam looks that people will be creating with this shade! It’s literally Autumn in a square. If you love the Urban Decay Naked Heat palette, this shade will be right up your street!

3RD ROW SWATCHES

Nightmare – Matte black – Excuse me Makeup Revolution, since when did you nail the matte black formula? I cannot believe how pigmented this shade is! I’m so used to swatching black eyeshadows only to find them really patchy or chalky. This is such a staple for a Halloween palette. I can see lots of people using it to create dramatic smoky looks too! I’ve been wearing it along my lower lash-line and my eyes have never looked bigger or brighter!

Psycho – Silver shimmer – Mindblown! This is such an amazing shade. Everybody needs a pigmented gold shimmer in their collection and here you have the perfect example! It’s not too orange and not too cool-toned . – it’s perfect. This is another shade that I would stock up on if it was available as a single pan!

Terror – Matte warm chocolate brown – This is another staple for any makeup lover. So many looks can be created using a chocolate brown shade; soft glam, smoky eyes, natural every day looks – the list goes on! It’s smooth, pigmented and goes so well with so many other shades in the palette.

Lucifer – Matte bright orange – The perfect pumpkin orange! Despite how bright it is, this shade really works with the theme of the palette. It’s the perfect transition shade to use with “Terror” or “Monster”. It has the same velvety formula as the other mattes in the palette.

Undead – Light brown shimmer – I love this shade! It’s not warm-toned like most of the other shimmers in the palette so it transitions nicely into some silvers and whites like “Creepy” and “Phantom”. It’s nice to see some less “in your face” shimmers here too because not everyone wants to go crazy with their lids!

Buried Alive – Red-copper shimmer – This shade is out of this world. The pigmentation of it literally made me gasp out loud. I’m so impressed with this one! I’ve been wearing this in the outer corners of my eyes with “Terror” and “Monster” and it never fails to impress! So many people have asked me what I’m wearing and it’s this marvellous creation right here!

WHAT DO I THINK?

I can’t actually think of anything that I dislike about this palette. Firstly, for £10 you’re getting a palette that looks and feels at twice the price. I love the colour scheme. At first the bright pops of colour didn’t make sense but after swatching them, I can imagine people creating some incredible Halloween makeup looks with them. The rest of the palette is absolutely perfect for Autumn too, there’s every shade you could possibly need to create a warm smoky eye. If you’re into your reds, browns and purples this is definitely the palette for you. The formula of the matte shades has absolutely blown me away. I was not expecting them to be so pigmented. Honestly, it feels like I’m working with a high-end palette. The shimmers and the duochromes are equally as beautiful and they work even better with a good primer and a wet brush. The packaging is gorgeous too. The design is so original and I think it will be really popular amongst the Halloween lovers! It also feels like a high quality palette as it’s not made from cheap and flimsy plastic.

Get the Makeup Revolution Forever Flawless Haunted House Palette here

Let me know what you think of this palette in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

Tags Autumn, BEAUTY, eyeshadow, Halloween, Makeup, Makeup Revolution, Photography, Photos, Review, Revolution Beauty, Swatches

BEAUTY MAKEUP

MAKEUP REVOLUTION: WILD ANIMAL COURAGE PALETTE REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date July 5, 2019
No Comments on MAKEUP REVOLUTION: WILD ANIMAL COURAGE PALETTE REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’ve been doing a lot of volunteering over the last couple of weeks so I’ve been a busy bee but nothing can stop me throwing myself at a new Makeup Revolution launch! Today, I’m reviewing the Courage palette from the Wild Animal range. These really caught my eye because the packaging looks amazing but also the variety of shades included is amazing! I just knew I would get a lot out of these palettes so I may have purchased them all… at least that means you guys have three new reviews to read! I’ve included lots of photos and swatches to help you make your mind cup – be sure to let me know what you think in the comments!

*Some links in this post are affiliate links

PACKAGING & PRICE

This packaging for this palette is just gorgeous. It’s similar to their usual plastic style casing however it does feel very weighty and luxurious which I love. It just feels like a good quality palette and that’s before I’ve even opened it and seen the shades! Given that leopard print has made a comeback this year, it feels very fitting to have a whole palette kitted out in such a bold design. How much is it? The Courage Palette retails at £10 which such a great price for 18 eyeshadows. Where can you buy it? You can get hold of the Courage Palette from Makeup Revolution’s website itself or through Superdrug (which does student discount and has a point system too) or Beauty Bay!

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Makeup Revolution treated us to 13 shimmers and 5 mattes, as well as a massive mirror that takes up the other half of the palette! I’m kind of disappointed that the shades don’t have names as it makes life a whole lot easier, particularly as a blogger when it comes to reviewing and recommending shades. In terms of the colour scheme, this is the dreamiest of warm, bronze and golden palettes. I know it’s July but imagine using this in Autumn! It’s just so damn pretty. I’m a warm-toned kind of girl too so I can see myself using all of these shades – even that khaki one too!

1ST ROW SWATCHES

Given that the shades aren’t named (sigh), I can’t really talk you through them all in my usual style. However, I do have some favourites that I’ve just got to mention! In this row, the shimmer shades are so soft and smooth. The mattes are also very pigmented and easy to blend. I really like this formula. My favourites from this row are the second, third and fourth shades!

2ND ROW SWATCHES

This is definitely my favourite row in the palette, it’s like Autumn in six shades. The first four are mind-blowing, particularly that red/cherry one. It’s so pigmented it’s unbelievable. I cannot believe this is included in a £10 palette! The matte shade second from the bottom was ever so slightly patchy but I expect with a bit of bending and building it will look fine. The last gold shade is also absolutely gorgeous and it feels so buttery!

3RD ROW SWATCHES

This row is probably my least favourite. The matte shades are so pigmented, especially that first one! It’s a proper chocolatey brown and I really enjoy using shades like this to smoke out my makeup looks. It also looks makes such a difference when I apply this along the waterline too! My eyes look so much wider and greener. The third shade is gorgeous, it’s quite unique too as it’s a cool toned bronze with silver flecks in it and I don’t think I have a shade like it in my collection. I love the khaki shade here too as I really want to start using more greens in my makeup looks! I feel like khaki is a safe place to start as it’s not too in your face and I reckon I might be able to pull it off!

WHAT DO I THINK?

I think this is a great palette. It only costs £10 and you get 18 shades to play with. A majority of the shades included are shimmers but I’m glad they’ve included some mattes in there too as it means full looks can be created from just using the one palette and if you like to travel light, that makes a huge difference. If you’re into browns, coppers and burgundies, this is a palette that I’m sure you will enjoy. The formula of the shimmer shades is absolute madness – I honestly don’t know how they do it but I’m more than happy to pay this kind of price instead of the £40-£50 that some brands are asking for! The packaging hasn’t let me down either, it’s their usual style but the design and the gold exterior makes it look and feel so luxurious. There’s also a huge mirror included which always comes in handy.

In terms of what I don’t like, I have very little to say. I think one or two of the mattes could do with being a little less patchy but overall, they’re easy to build and blend so I’m not too bothered. I also would have liked the shades to have names as I find that easier as a blogger but also it’s just an extra detail that I often enjoy about palettes (maybe I’m weird).

Get the Makeup Revolution Wild Animal Courage Palette

Let me know what you think of this palette in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, blogger, eyeshadow, Makeup, Makeup Revolution, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, Swatches

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TESTING PRIMARK’S – ‘HYDRATE’ SETTING SPRAY

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date June 6, 2019
No Comments on TESTING PRIMARK’S – ‘HYDRATE’ SETTING SPRAY

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! My review; “Testing Primark’s “Glow’ Setting Spray” has quickly become one of my most popular blog posts and so I figured I’d give the people what they want! Today, I’m going to be sharing my thoughts on their Hydrate setting spray. I’ve also reviewed their ‘Nudes‘ makeup range if you’re interested in seeing how their makeup performs too…

Since I put the Primark Glow spray to the test, I am a setting spray convert. I never used to believe in them, I thought they were more of a gimmick than anything else. Since then, I haven’t gone a day (when I’m wearing makeup) without giving my mug a spritz. In this new range, there’s three sprays to choose from; glow, hydrate and matte. This time, we’re giving Hydrate a closer look!

According to Primark, Hydrate is a setting spray infused with Rose Water, Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera. I don’t have dry skin so I wouldn’t say I need a really intense hydrating setting spray in my life, but then again, I cannot stand when my makeup goes cakey or looks dull. This spray sounds like the perfect combination – it’s not too much, it’s just enough. It claims to hold your makeup in place, whilst leaving your skin looking refreshed and hydrated. It retails at £4 for a 110ml bottle, which is amazing value. Unlike when I use some high-end setting sprays, I won’t have to worry about using it on a daily basis, as it’s not expensive to repurchase and replace. Again, the packaging is really simple, this time the bottle is an aqua green. It’s not glitz and glam but I mean, it was only £4. It’s still serving me some NARS vibes with that font though.

So, what do I think? I LOVE it! Firstly, it dries pretty quickly and my skin doesn’t feel sticky or look too shiny. My makeup looks so much more fresh and flawless because I think it absorbs any excess powder and gives my face the hydration that it needs. It smells so good too! It smells like sugar and sweets which is a lot nicer than those sprays that smell like chemicals. A little goes a long way as a lot of product is released with each pump. You definitely won’t need heaps and heaps which makes it perfect for those mornings where you need to spritz and sprint! Also, this is the perfect spray for those days where the weather is particularly drying. If I have to brace the cold winds outside, I always make sure I have this spray on me to give myself a pick me up once I’m back inside! I reckon it will also be extremely refreshing on a really hot day too, especially if you’re feeling all clammy and flustered (we’ve all been there don’t judge). I’m so glad that I picked this spray up because it’s just amazing. I’m going to have to stock up on it before it gets discontinued (please god no) or people read this and go and buy it all…

I can no longer justify spending nearly £20 on a bottle of setting spray when this one, priced at only £4, ticks every box for me. If I didn’t know where it was from, I’d have guessed a high-end brand, never Primark! I’m so impressed with it. It’s totally worth giving it a try and if it’s not for you, don’t forget there’s also two other sprays in the range; glow and matte. If you’d like me to review the matte spray, let me know and I’ll test it out! What do you think of setting sprays? Do you have any favourites? Have you tried Primark’s new range? Let me know in the comments!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blog, blogger, Makeup, Photography, Photos, Primark, Primark Beauty, PS, Review, Setting Spray, urban decay

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TESTING PRIMARK’S – ‘GLOW’ SETTING SPRAY

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date March 12, 2019
8 Comments on TESTING PRIMARK’S – ‘GLOW’ SETTING SPRAY

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I decided to treat myself to a mooch around my local Primark as it had been far too long and I was beginning to get withdrawal symptoms. Of course, I was met with fast fashion and the latest beauty trends at unbelievable prices, ah the wonderfully worrying world of “How did they produce this that quickly?” and “Why is everything so cheap?”. There’s nothing quite like it. Speaking of Primark Beauty, if you haven’t already read it, I reviewed their ‘Nudes’ makeup range a while ago, and people still seem to be enjoying it! Give it a read if you want to find out a bit more about Primark’s makeup – who knows, you might even need a new setting spray to keep it all in place…

Whilst rummaging through what was left of the makeup section following an arrival of several heavily made up little girls (I’m not sure how to feel about this, given their makeup looked better than I could ever aspire mine to be… SOS) I stumbled across a new range of prepping and setting sprays. I’ve always been a sceptic when it comes to these. They’ve always been raved about in the beauty community, Urban Decay’s “All-Nighter”, being one of the best (and most expensive) sellers. I was never sure if they were worth investing in so, I decided to take the plunge! There were a few to choose from, Matte, Hydrate and finally, the one I chose, Glow.

According to Primark, Glow is a setting spray, infused with Vitamin B5, illuminating pearls and Aloe Vera. I liked the sound of this because I tend to go for a dewy look, I’m not a matte kind of girl and this seemed to tick all of the boxes. Not only does it claim to hold makeup in place, but it leaves your skin looking fresh with a healthy and radiant glow. It retails at £4 for a 110ml bottle, which I think is incredible value! If this turns out to work as well as some of those high-end setting sprays on the market, I think Primark are onto something. Also, I wouldn’t have to worry about using it every day, as it’s cheap to replace and purchase on a regular basis. I actually really like the packaging too, it’s nothing out of the ordinary but for £4, I wasn’t expecting it to be made of gold either. I’m getting some NARS vibes with that font too- anyone else?

So, how well does it work? I swatched some eyeshadow on my hand and then gave it a spritz of Glow. Firstly, I noticed that it did take a while to dry – roughly two-three minutes and that’s with lots of wafting, fanning and blowing too. Once it had dried, it felt quite tacky on the skin which had me worried at first but after a while it felt smooth and almost like it wasn’t there at all. I tried to smudge my eyeshadow but it was going absolutely nowhere. The tiniest bit of product shifted but 99% of it remained exactly where I had put it. It also has a fresh and pleasant scent, I was kind of expecting to be knocked out by chemicals! Nobody wants to leave the house smelling like a scientific experiment so it’s nice that they’ve paid attention to this detail.

In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting it to be that good, and I have to admit, it’s giving the likes of Urban Decay a run for their money. I cannot recommend this setting spray enough, for the price, the look and the quality – it’s absolutely worth trying out. Don’t forget, if Glow doesn’t sound appealing to you, there’s two other sprays in the range. If you’d like me to review the others, let me know and I’ll test them out! What do you think of setting sprays? Do you have any favourites? Have you tried Primark’s new range? Let me know in the comments!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blog, blogger, Makeup, Photography, Photos, Primark, Primark Beauty, PS, Review, Setting Spray, urban decay

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MAKEUP REVOLUTION: FOREVER FLAWLESS OPTIMUM PALETTE REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date March 5, 2019
4 Comments on MAKEUP REVOLUTION: FOREVER FLAWLESS OPTIMUM PALETTE REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Today, I’m reviewing one of the latest additions to the Makeup Revolution family. The Forever Flawless range was released a few weeks ago and I’ve been putting the palettes too the test ever since. I thought I would review the one that caught my eye first; The Optimum Palette! As usual, I’ve included lots of photos and swatches to help you make your mind up – be sure to let me know what you think in the comments!

*This post contains affiliate links

PACKAGING & PRICE

I was immediately impressed with this packaging. It’s different from their usual style, this time made from tin, it feels more sturdy and luxurious than some of their other palettes. I’m a huge fan of all things marble so the palette’s exterior had me ready to purchase before I even know what was inside. I also love the rose gold raised font too, it looks so classy! How much is it? The Optimum Palette retails at £10 which is a bargain and a half for 18 eyeshadows. Where can you buy it? You can get hold of the Optimum Palette from Makeup Revolution’s website itself or through Superdrug (which does student discount and has a point system too)

WHAT’S INSIDE?

As you can see, Makeup Revolution have been generous with just about everything in this palette, there’s 18 shades: 10 shimmers and 8 mattes, as well as a generously sized mirror. Can we also appreciate that each shade is individually named INSIDE the palette, with no flimsy plastic sheet in sight! It makes life so much easier when writing reviews and recommending shades to people. In terms of the colour scheme, is anyone else getting some strong ABH Subculture vibes? I just love the rusty, retro look, I feel like it’s almost mid-century modern with the occasional pop of bright colour too – right up my street!

1ST ROW SWATCHES

Peak – Champagne shimmer – This is perhaps the shade that I use the most. It is the PERFECT inner corner highlight and it also looks stunning under the brows too. It’s really pigmented and looks even brighter when applied wet.

Warrior – Grey shimmer with khaki undertones – This is such an unusual shade, I can’t quite work out whether or not its more grey or more green. However, the combination is so unique! I love using this on the outer corners, paired with some other brighter silver shades. Again, it’s really pigmented and feels very smooth and buttery.

Perfect – Matte light beige – I love using this as a transition shade along with some other neutral or earthy toned shadows. It’s great for creating the base for smokey a smokey eye look too. It’s pigmented and applies really well.

Parallel – Lilac shimmer – This shade really caught my eye amongst the other shadows in the palette. It’s so bright and sparkly! I love using this with some pinks and burgundy shadows – it works really well with some shades from the Urban Decay Naked Cherry Palette (I’ve reviewed that here).

Flawless – Medium warm-toned matte brown – It swatched ever so slightly patchy and on the eye it doesn’t look as dark as it does in the pan, however, it’s easy to build up if necessary.

Mineral – Gold/grey shimmer – This is another shade that is just so unique. It’s a combination of gold and grey but I also think there’s a tiny bit of green in there too. It’s buttery and soft, just like the other shimmers in the palette.

2ND ROW SWATCHES

Prime – Matte light beige – This shade is very similar to “Perfect” in the first row. I can’t help but feel like it could have featured a totally different shade instead, so that we wouldn’t have an almost duplicate shade. However, it’s equally as buildable, pigmented, smooth and buttery to apply.

Fighter – Deep matte turquoise – I was excited for this shade until I swatched it. The colour payoff is disappointing, it’s patchy and it also stains too. I doubt I will be using this shade that much, unless it’s along the lower lash line.

Advantage – – I’m still not over how pigmented this shade is. I use this all the time, as I love creating warm-toned looks. It’s just one of those shades that makes you say “wow” every single time you use it. It’s so silky smooth and buttery too.

Greatest – Blue/green shimmer – It looks more green in the pan than it does on the eye however, I like this shade a lot. I don’t usually go for blues but this is just so pretty. Its pigmentation is very impressive, it’s another one of those buttery smooth shimmers that Makeup Revolution have absolutely smashed.

Outstanding – Silver shimmer – Ironically, the name isn’t fitting for this shade. I find that it has quite a chalky/powdery consistency which can make it quite hard to apply and sometimes it can look patchy. It’s stunning when it’s on, it’s just I wish it was easier to get it on my lid! Other than that, I really like this shade, I don’t own anything quite like it either. It’s quite fun to pop in the inner corners too.

Onyx – Matte black – This is the one shade that I am the most disappointed with in the palette. The colour payoff just isn’t there and it’s very patchy. I’ve found some use for it by building it up to create a smokey look but it takes a bit of time to do that. If it was more pigmented, it would be a great shade. It’s always useful to have a matte black shade in a palette but only if they’re done right.

3RD ROW SWATCHES

Choice – Rose/copper shimmer – I absolutely love this shade. It’s stunning! It’s pigmented, easy to apply and looks even better when applied wet. I love applying it with “Peak” for a strawberries ands cream style look – I literally can’t stop using it. I also like using it with my Urban Decay Naked Cherry palette as it goes really well with some of the matte pinks.

Own – Plum purple/red – This shade is super pretty. It can be a bit chalky in consistency but once applied it can blend out beautifully. It looks stunning paired with “Choice”. I’ve always liked shades like this, I think they bring out the green in my eyes more than other colours do.

Energy – Dark gold shimmer – This is your classic gold, that you probably already own, but will always need more of. I use shades like this all the time, it goes with so many other colours and always makes a boring look turn into something glam and sparkly. Again, this is a really pigmented shade, it’s buttery and smooth and also when applied wet, stands out even more.

Capital – Matte orange/terracotta brown – I use these terracotta type shades all the time. They’re my go to for putting in the crease so I know I’ll get plenty of use out of “Capital” all year round. It also works beautifully with some of the shimmers shades in the palette like; “Energy” and “Advantage”. It’s very smooth and easy to blend out too.

Maximum – Deep matte navy – I’ve found I has a lot of build-up in the pan and it can look quite patchy on so it needs a few applications to make I opaque. I’m not too sure if I will use this shade all that much. If it was more pigmented, I’d be using it a lot more.

Unmatched – Brown shimmer with red/pink shift – I never usually use brown shimmers, I’m more of a champagne or gold kind of girl but “Unmatched” has actually been a shade that I’m using a lot. I like using it in my outer corners and along the lower lash line. It’s creamy and buttery and looks beautiful on its own as well as when applied wet.

WHAT DO I THINK?

For £10, I think we’re onto a bargain here folks. You can often get Makeup Revolution products on offer at Superdrug too – not forgetting the points system or the student discount! If you’re into rusty tones and bold shimmers, this is a palette that will fit very well in your makeup collection. I have to say that the formula of the shimmer shades is incredible. Every single shimmer is buttery, creamy and pigmented! They easily give high-end brands a run for their money. I love the colour scheme, it’s quirky and different from your usual gold/brown/neutrals palettes. I like that there’s something for everyone: those that want to play it safe and those that want to be bold and try something new. The packaging is lovely too, it feels much higher quality than the usual plastic that you find in the drugstore. Thanks to the generously sized mirror, it’s super easy to travel with and although sturdy, the palette feels lightweight and easy to carry around.

The one thing that I’m not so impressed with is the formula of the matte shades. It seems to be quite hit and miss, some are perfect and some are chalky and patchy. I’m not sure why that’s the case but then again, this is a drugstore brand and the palette itself is fairly cheap so I can’t expect unbelievable results every time. That being said, only a few of the matte shades are like that, the rest are fine, plus those that are patchy or chalky, can still be worn but it takes patience to build them up and apply them.

Get the Makeup Revolution Forever Flawless Optimum Palette

Let me know what you think of this palette in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

Tags BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blogger, eyeshadow, Makeup, Makeup Revolution, Photography, Photos, Review, Swatches

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PIXI: REFLEX LIGHT PALETTE & BRUSHES REVIEW*

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date March 1, 2019
No Comments on PIXI: REFLEX LIGHT PALETTE & BRUSHES REVIEW*

*This post contains gifted products and affiliate links

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m not sure who I think I am all of a sudden, but I’ve actually been going out (as in out out) and I’ve actually been enjoying it – it’s almost like I’m a young person at university or something. However, the absolute highlight of my week was receiving a beautiful (and very generous) PR package from Pixi, which included two of their new Eye Reflections Palettes and a set of eyeshadow brushes. I thought you might be keen to see a review as everyone seems to be Pixi crazy right now, including me! They have quickly become one of my favourite brands, especially when it comes to skincare, so you can imagine my excitement when they sent me some makeup to play around with…

First up we have the Reflex Light eyeshadow palette, featuring 12 gorgeous shimmer shades. It retails at £24.I have to admit, although I tend to prefer a palette that includes both mattes and shimmers, these are some of the best shimmers that I’ve ever come across – ever. I’m actually really glad that we get so many in one palette. I also love warm tones! The only other warm toned palette that I own is the Naked Heat by Urban Decay, which I absolutely love. I feel like some of these shimmers would go so well with the mattes from the Heat palette too! That being said, if you aren’t too keen on the idea of using multiple palettes at once, or you aren’t a huge fan of warm-tones and shimmers in general – this palette will not be the one for you. Pixi do have a few other palettes in the range that might take your fancy though, click here to have a browse. However, if you’re already into this – just wait until you see the swatches…

When I say that these are the best shimmers that I’ve used, I mean it. The texture is beautifully softy and buttery. In terms of pigmentation, as you can see Pixi aren’t playing around with these eyeshadows. They’re almost like foils in how they feel and apply – when applied wet I reckon they will be out if this world! Every single shade is amazing, there isn’t a single on that I’m disappointed with. I can also see myself using all of them too – whether I’m doing a quick one-swipe sparkle or whether I’m going full glam for a night out. I cannot recommend this enough if you want some pigmented warm tones and shimmers in your makeup collection, especially given that the palette only costs £24!

Pixi also sent across three of their eyeshadow brushes; E01, E02 and E03! Not only do the brushes look nice but they feel nice too. They all feel so soft and they don’t malt which is always bonus. I’ve been using the fluffy brush almost every day as it’s literally perfect for blending out eyeshadow flawlessly. The tapered brush is great for packing shades into the inner and outer corners if you’re trying to layer and build a more intense look. I’ve also been using the flat brush to apply shimmer shades and glitters as it lets me be so precise.Unfortunately they don’t seem to be available online however I can almost guarantee that their other brushes are just as good! I will definitely be investing in some of them now.

I absolutely love the eyeshadow palette. It’s pigmented, wearable and affordable, what more could I need? What do you think of Pixi’s eyeshadows? Have you tried any of their makeup? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to give me a follow on my socials – come and say hey!

Click here to look at the palette

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N xxxx

Tags BEAUTY, blogger, eyeshadow, Makeup, Photography, Photos, Pixi Beauty, Review, Swatches

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GLISTEN UP! MAKEUP REVOLUTION – EYE GLISTEN: FOIL & GLITTER LIQUID EYESHADOWS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date February 1, 2019
12 Comments on GLISTEN UP! MAKEUP REVOLUTION – EYE GLISTEN: FOIL & GLITTER LIQUID EYESHADOWS

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! The Gods from Revolution have blessed us once again with some amazing new products. This time, we’re delving into the wonderful world of liquid eyeshadows with their latest release, the Eye Glisten range. I pretty much turn into Gollum when anything glittery comes my way so there was absolutely no chance that I was going to be able to resist these. Grab a cuppa and apologise in advance to your bank account – especially if, like me, you love anything pretty and shiny. Like always, I’ve included links, photos and swatches!

All links in this post are affiliate links.

The Eye Glisten range includes five, dual-ended liquid and foil eyeshadows. One end features a metallic shimmer and the other a glitter gel (I know, I’m drooling too) and they retail at £6 each. The shadows can be found on Beauty Bay, Revolution’s website or in Superdrug stores now!

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos

The tubes are travel-friendly in size, each containing 2.2ml of product. The flocked wands allow for smooth and easy application – no mess and no faffing around with brushes and tools. I’m all for using glitter but I hate having to use a small army of other products to help it stay put. With these, you get two products in one tube and two applicators – space-saving and practical! Does anyone else overpack when it comes to makeup and going on holiday? I’m absolutely awful for it! “Oh but I might end up needing that neon pink shade” “I simply have to bring that palette because it has a gold in it” and before I know it, my whole makeup collection is in my suitcase. Now, I reckon I could get away with packing a few of these instead!

Look how neat and tidy it is! The wands make it a quick, easy and mess-free experience!.The last thing I want is my hands, face and dressing table looking like something that’s supposed to be hanging above a dance floor. It makes the whole process much more appealing when you don’t have to worry about cleaning up the aftermath. It also means that we can be precise when applying the product. The trouble with loose glitter is that within a few minutes, I’ve either put too much on or it’s gone down my bra. It will be so much easier to control with a wand (if only it were the kind from Diagon Alley), so I can layer the product it gradually and build it up at my own pace!

From Top to Bottom: Adored by You, It’s Fate, Yours Truly, Dreamland & Desired

Here we have the glitters and nope I can’t handle it either. They are gorgeous! I think the colour selection is fantastic, there’s a bit of everything and I think the shades will work on everyone. They can be layered with other eyeshadows or applied along the lash line to create the perfect glitter liner! Imagine what could be created with these during the festival period! The texture is a little bit difficult to manoeuvre – imagine glitter glue but a tiny bit more stubborn and clumpy. They may take a bit of work to get them how you’d like them to look but it’s totally worth it!

Now onto my favourite part. Can we just take a minute to appreciate these beauties? Look how stunning they are! I absolutely love some shimmer on the lid but there aren’t many (good) liquid eyeshadows that don’t require a small loan to purchase. I think my prayers have been answered with these twinkling tubes and finally, I can blink and blind the world as often as I like. The texture of all of the shimmer shadows is smooth and velvety and they dry after a minute or so.

Desired– Red Copper Glitter & Red Copper Shimmer – I didn’t expect the glitter to be this rich in colour at all. It’s so bright and vibrant, it’ll look stunning on any skin tone. The liquid shadow is mind-glowingly pigmented, I still haven’t recovered to be honest. I think this will look beautiful when used with the Naked Heat palette, don’t you think? It would’ve been the perfect festive combination too! A dab of these two along with a forest green and BAM you’ve got Lapland on your lids.

Adored by You – Iridescent Pink Glitter & Frosted Rose Gold Pink Shimmer – Calling all baby pink fans, glisten up, your time to shine has come. The glitter is a lot less chunky than Desired, so it took a little less work to move it around. I tried to capture half and half – what it looks like in the light and what it looks like normally. You can see how beautifully it reflects the light – I’m getting some strong unicorn vibes people. The shimmer is stunning. It’s pigmented, buttery and easy to blend. I can’t wait to use this with some pink shadows! I’m thinking Modern Renaissance…

Dreamland – Yellow Gold Glitter & Deep Gold Shimmer – WOW. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when I swatched this. What in the name of glistening goddesses did we do to deserve such a product? I’m totally obsessed with Dreamland. The glitter is gorgeous and it looks stunning along the lash line and in the inner corners of the lid. Again, it reflects the light beautifully and it will make you feel like a queen. The shimmer is something else. It’s more pigmented than some of the palettes I’ve paid £45 for, which hurts a little to admit but credit where credits due! 11/10! It came in the post yesterday morning and I’ve already been stopped and asked about it three times. It’s one of those products.

It’s Fate – Cool Gold Glitter & Champagne Gold Shimmer – I’m so glad that they included a cooler gold in the collection. Sometimes I’m not in the mood for a bright yellow gold on my lids, so It’s Fate makes for the perfect alternative. The Glitter is a bit stubborn to shift, which is a shame as it’s such a beautiful colour. The shimmer is perfect, I cannot wait to wear it with some neutral mattes as an every day look!

Yours Truly – Muted Pink Glitter and Rose Gold Shimmer – I love anything pink and shimmer but rose gold always steals the show. For those of us that couldn’t rob a bank in time to buy the Huda Nude palette, look no further – we can get our hands on a pink glitter and shimmer for £6 a pop! I can see myself using this a lot during Spring, as I seem to be drawn towards all things floral and delicate at that time of year. The glitter was less chunky than some of the others and I was able to get it to a semi-opaque layer on my lid without it looking really patchy. The shimmer is another masterpiece and I have nothing to complain about here! Smooth, pigmented and pretty – what more could I want?

So, what’s the verdict?

In terms of what I didn’t like, there’s barely anything to say. The only thing I think could be improved, is the texture of the glitter. It’s literally like glitter glue and like I mentioned before, it can be quite stubborn to move around. It can also clump quite easily which makes it difficult to apply smoothly. If it were slightly more fluid in formula but still had the same wow-factor to it, I think it would be perfect. Something similar to the Collection Glam Crystals Liquid Eyeshadows?

Although there’s room for the tiniest of improvements, I think it’s obvious that I’m a big fan of these products. The shimmers are ridiculously good, there’s nothing to complain about. Let’s just take a minute to remember that Revolution are a drugstore brand – not a high-end one and yet they’re releasing products that are easily on par with the likes of Stila. These shadows are priced at £6 each and the quality is that of a product twice the price. It does make me wonder how some brands get away with slapping such hefty price tags onto products are are only bit better than these and in some cases don’t even come close. The shadows can be worn day-to-night at the flip of a tube and application is made really easy with the flexible, flocked wands – anyone could do it! The shade range is amazing but I hope we get some other options! I already need more and I’ve only had them for a day! I absolutely recommend these, whether you’re buying for a pal or for yourself, these are definitely worth purchasing.

Buy the shadows here!

What do you think of the Eye Glisten range? Be sure to let me know in the comments and don’t forget to follow me on my socials!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blogger, Eye Glisten, eyeshadow, Festival, Glitter, Makeup, Makeup Revolution, Photography, Photos, Pigment, Review, Revolution, Swatches

BEAUTY MAKEUP

JUVIA’S PLACE ‘THE ZULU’ PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES AND PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date January 18, 2019
3 Comments on JUVIA’S PLACE ‘THE ZULU’ PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES AND PHOTOS

Hey you,

I’m back with another review and this time I’m going to be talking about a Juvia’s Place palette. I’ve been wanting to add some colour to my makeup collection for a while, instead of playing it safe with neutrals and bronze/gold shades (very guilty). This is definitely new territory for me but when I think of colourful makeup, I think of this brand so I think it’s worth starting here! I’ve never owned or used any of their products before but I’ve only heard and seen incredible things so I thought I would share my thoughts with you! Today’s review is about the infamous Zulu palette! I noticed this palette a while ago and all I can say is that the pigmentation blew my mind and that was only through watching someone else swatch the shades, so I simply had to get it and try it for myself!

This post contains affiliate links.

Love colourful eyeshadow palettes? Check out my review of the Tammi x Revolution Palette!

PRICE

So let’s get straight in there with the facts. How much is it? The Zulu Palette retails at £20 but sometimes it’s on sale and if you have student discount, you can get an even better deal on in some circumstances. I’ve noticed that all of their products are reasonably priced and I like that you can have access to great quality makeup, without having to spend a fortune on it. Where can you buy it? You can get hold of the Zulu palette on the Juvia’s website itself or through BeautyBay.

PACKAGING

I know that in most cases, it’s what’s inside that matters, but packaging is often the first thing that we see. It makes a big difference as to whether or not I end up making the final purchase – especially if I’m buying something online. If there’s one thing that Juvia’s Place know how to do, it’s packaging. The use of bold and vibrant colours is stunning. I love the beautiful Egyptian Goddess on the front, the level of detail in the illustration is amazing. The background colour is a pretty, pastel pink shade with a holographic tint to it. It’s clear that a lot of time went into designing this packaging and I really like that. It makes them stand out from other brands. We see so much of the same thing being churned out by brands over and over again, it’s nice to mix it up!

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Okay bright colour fanatics, take a deep breath and feast your eyes on these. There’s 9 eyeshadows included: 6 mattes and 3 metallic shades. I guess, some would argue that the palette is fairly small in terms of how many shades you get, right? In this case, I think less is more. First of all, let’s address the size of the pans. They are huge – I don’t think I have a palette with pans this big in my whole collection. Already, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.

Secondly, as you’ll see below, the quality is amazing. I’m sick of investing in expensive palettes, only to discover some of the shades are high quality. This is one of the first palettes that I’ve purchased, where every single shade is amazing. There isn’t one that’s worse than the others. They’re all on the same level in my opinion and that’s rare! I’d rather have less product at a higher quality than splash out on something where I barely get my money’s worth. That being said, I do have a tiny suggestion for improvement – I would love the shadows to be labelled! It’s difficult when writing a review and when recommending shades to people when nothing has a name.

1ST ROW SWATCHES

Matte Orange – I don’t think I’ve ever used an orange eyeshadow quite like this one. It’s extremely pigmented and yet the formula is buttery and soft. The colour payoff is insane and yet there’s no kickback or fall out. How have they managed this? It’s a great shade for darkening the crease when creating a colourful warm-toned look.

Matte Yellow – The formula is soft and buttery and it’s incredibly pigmented. It can blend out to be slightly less bold as it appears in the pan but it’s buildable and you could certainly get a really intense pop of colour.

Matte Brown – I thought this shade was going to be quite dark but I think that’s just how it looks in the palette and in the pan. Perhaps it’s in contrast to all of the brighter shades adjacent to it? Either way, it’s not a disappointment, it’s still a beautiful shade. It’s like the perfect, warm-medium brown. I use this almost every day, in my outer corners to create a smokey eye look and there’s no going back now. This is my go-to brown.

2ND ROW SWATCHES

Matte Turquoise – Turquoise has always been my favourite colour so of course, I was practically drooling when I swatched this shade. It felt slightly powdery to the touch but it appleid exactly like the others: pigmented and without fallout or kickback. It blends out to be slightly less intense as it would appear in the palette, but it’s easy to build. I actually prefer the opportunity to build a shade to my desired level of intensity.

Metallic Green – This is where I feel like I enter a whole new dimension. This shade is absolutely stunning. If you were to say, Nina, I know a bright green metallic eyeshadow that you’ll love, I would probably laugh in your face. I’m so surprised at how much I love this shade. It’s so buttery and creamy and it blends like a dream.

Metallic Aqua – Another incredible shade. I can see myself absolutely rinsing this in summer. It’s just so pretty! I think it’s my favourite colour in the palette.

3RD ROW SWATCHES

Metallic Pink – I’m still not quite over this. I think it’s of my all time favourite eyeshadows – ever. I’m obsessed with the way that the colour shifts between a peachy pink and a rusty gold. I’m so glad that they chose to add a duo-chrome to the mix because it continues to make this palette more unique! As you can see, it’s pigmented, it looks stunning and it is pink, what’s not to love?

Matte Pink – The definition of “hot pink”. They’ve absolutely aced the formula too. It’s buttery and blends out really well, despite how pigmented it is! I can see myself using this shade a lot during Spring, as I tend to go for use lots more pinks and purples. It’s really pigmented and bold but it still blends really smoothly. Another formula I’m very impressed with.

Matte Purple – I cannot wait to be creative with this one. It’s so bold and vibrant, I was expecting it to be difficult to blend but of course, in true Juvia’s Place style, it’s perfect.

WHAT DO I THINK?

I can’t believe that this palette only retails at £20. You can also get it on sale AND use a student discount to grab it at an even better price – an absolute steal if you ask me. If you’re into colour and pigmentation that is out of this world, this is a palette you absolutely cannot miss out on. There isn’t a bad shade in there, which is a rare find. I’m also extremely impressed with the formulas, there’s no fallout and they all blend like a dream. Some of the most expensive brands out there are still producing chalky, patchy and rubbish eyeshadows, but with the Zulu Palette there isn’t a bad swatch in sight. I like that the mattes aren’t as intense as they look because it gives me a chance to build them up to the intensity level that I want!

If I were to suggest any improvements, firstly, I wish the shadows were labelled. It makes reviewing so much easier but it also means I can refer to individual shades when I post pictures of looks or when I recommend them to friends. Secondly, I’d say that there could be at least one more metallic in there – I’m just being greedy but that formula is to die for and I need more. It makes reviewing so much easier but it also means I can refer to individual shades when I post pictures of looks or when I recommend them to friends. Secondly, I’d say that there could be at least one more metallic in there – I’m just being greedy but that formula is to die for and I need more.

Get the Juvia’s Place Zulu Palette

Let me know what you think of this palette in the comments! What bright coloured palettes or eyeshadows do you like? Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blogger, Juvia's Place, Makeup, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, Swatches, Zulu

BEAUTY MAKEUP

URBAN DECAY – LIQUID MOONDUST EYESHADOW REVIEW

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date January 11, 2019
6 Comments on URBAN DECAY – LIQUID MOONDUST EYESHADOW REVIEW

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m currently drowning in work for my dissertation so I won’t be posting as regularly as I’d like to but please bare with me whilst I try and get my life together! Final year seems to be a bit like a circus act – keep all of the plates spinning at once and you’ll be fine. Let one drop and you’ll be missing lectures to catch up on lectures! I just need to keep spinning for a bit longer and it’ll all be worth it (I hope).

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I have another review for you today and this time it’s looking at one of Urban Decay’s Liquid Moondust Eyeshadows in the shade “Chem Trail”. They had a sale just after Christmas and I snapped this up as soon as I saw it! I’m always attracted to anything glittery, shimmery and sparkly so as you can imagine it was only a matter of seconds before we reached the checkout together. I hadn’t heard much about them and I couldn’t figure out if that was because they weren’t great or because they were the underrated dark horse that we hadn’t discovered yet. So, let’s find out.

The Liquid Moondust eyeshadows retail at £15.50 each, which I think is a bit much. I think £10 would be a more reasonable price for the 5g of product that we get. The packaging is really pretty. I love the cosmic theme and the way that it catches the light at certain angles. Urban Decay have always done their branding and their packaging right – despite taking the mickey with prices most of the time. When you open up the pretty little box, you’ll find something that looks like Tinker Bell created it herself. I love that you can see the product through the clear tube and the way that the silver font adds some more sparkle.

It’s a no from me. Eyeshadow brushes are ideally meant to be soft and big enough to spread product quickly. This is tiny, stiff and just awkward to use. It’s more of an eyeliner brush which isn’t what it’s sold as so I’m a bit confused as to why they went for this design. Am I just being weird about it? Let me know in the comments what you think.

Note that this swatch shows how the product sits when it’s immediately applied to the skin, not what it looks like blended out – that was too difficult to capture in a photo, which I think says enough anyway!

The formula isn’t chunky thank god. There’s nothing worse than attempting to blend and instead you’re just dragging huge clumps of glitter around. It dries quite quickly too and it didn’t budge until I removed it with a makeup wipe. I would have preferred it to be be more pigmented though, as when I blended it out, it practically disappeared into a very subtle shimmer. When I say blending, it was a bit of a nightmare with that brush…

So, what’s the verdict?

In terms of what I don’t like… If you’re looking for something that makes people stop and ask “what eyeshadow are you wearing?”, I don’t think this is the one for you. However, if you’re looking for a sheer and barely there shimmer on your lids, I’m sure that you will love this product. I might sound really harsh, but for me, this eyeshadow just doesn’t compare to some of the others that I own. If the formula was a little more like the Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten range, I would be buying every shade available! Most of the time when it comes to glitter, I like to go all out, like a glitter ball (don’t judge me) but this is much more…subtle.

That being said, it’s still extremely pretty once it’s blended out and you’ll be looking like Edward Cullen in no time – by that I mean the shimmering, not the fake six pack or the yellow eyes. It’s probably not going to be your night on the town ally but more your summer sidekick. It’s perfect for those days where you quickly need to slap something on sharpish but still look like you’ve made an effort. If you want to go for that “no makeup” makeup look, it would look stunning all over the lids when fully blended out. It’s also exactly what you need when you want to add a touch of sparkle along the lash line, in fact, it’s almost like it was intended for that to be it’s primary use.

If any improvements were to be made, hands down, I’d want a doe-foot applicator, just to make application (shock) a bit easier. I don’t want to faff around with whatever that thing is when I’m trying to get my eye makeup done. I need something that can blend! I think the formula could do with being much more pigmented and less watery. Annoyingly, if you don’t use the product for a while, it separates and all you’ll get is a glittery puddle on your face. Not a fan of that – none of my other liquid eyeshadows do this so that’s a bit of a let down. However, I do really like the way that the shadow works as a subtle shimmer on the eyes. Come to think of it, it could even blend out to be a shimmery highlight on the cheekbones. I’m definitely going to have a play with it and see how I can make it work for me.

Check out Urban Decay’s Liquid Moondust Eyeshadows here!

Have you tried Urban Decay’s Liquid Moondust Eyeshadows? What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

N xxxx

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Tags 2019, BEAUTY, Beauty Blogger, blogger, Glitter, Makeup, Photography, Photos, Review, shimmer, urban decay

2018 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

THE CHERRY ON TOP? URBAN DECAY’S NAKED CHERRY PALETTE

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date December 9, 2018
14 Comments on THE CHERRY ON TOP? URBAN DECAY’S NAKED CHERRY PALETTE

Hey Everyone,

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I hope you’re all doing well! Ladies and gents, we are gathered here today, to witness the beauty that is the Naked Cherry Palette! Urban Decay’s Naked palettes have always been popular in the beauty community and every time a new one is released, we all go nuts. When we heard about the potential release of a cherry themed palette, we all nearly lost our s#!t. For a start, I love all things cherry! Whether that’s the fruit, the scent or the colour – I’m obsessed. In fact, I was so keen that I ordered the palette during the early release period!

I wanted to review it straight away, so waiting for Blogmas wasn’t easy! I’m glad I did though, as I’m sure lots of you will be adding this to your Christmas lists or buying it for someone special! They’d definitely have to be special considering that the palette retails at a whopping £42, which is actually £3 more expensive than the other Naked palettes. Naturally, I assumed that the Naked Cherry would be as close to perfection as possible, otherwise why charge such a high price? Am I right people?

The packaging is stunning! It’s almost the same as the Naked Heat Palette; a glossy plastic exterior with “Naked” embossed on the front. The crimson compact is a beautiful addition to any makeup collection. Not to sound incredibly boring, but I actually prefer the plastic packaging compared to the velvet exterior that certain brands *cough ABH* go for, as they get dirty so quickly! It’s nice to have palettes that are easy to clean, that don’t look gross after a few uses. I love the use of the cherry images too! Inside there’s a full size-mirror, perfect for on-the-go use! The palette also comes with a double-ended brush, which isn’t my favourite, but I have others that I can use instead, so I’m not hugely bothered by this. One end is fab for precision but the other is quite rigid and isn’t great for blending. Next time, I’m hoping for something fluffier! I know this sounds fussy but it actually makes blending a heck of a lot easier, especially for those of us that haven’t got all day to sit and buff shadows into perfection. Apparently, the palette is subtly scented of cherries … all I’m getting is a hint of plastic and a clay-like smell. I’m kind of gutted that they didn’t follow in the sweetly scented footsteps of Too Faced and make this a cherry scent-sation (sorry, I had to). It would’ve been a nice touch, you know?

The Naked Cherry Palette features 12 all-new cherry-hued shades. The range of shades included are fantastic; a gradient ranging from natural neutrals through to dark, rich berry tones. There’s a brilliant balance of mattes (7) and shimmers (5) which is something I always look for when purchasing new palettes. I once (accidentally) bought a palette that only had mattes in it and I’ve never been so disappointed in my life, I could only create basic looks that had no glam (worst nightmare) and it totally limited what I could do with it. There’s so much creativity to be had with the Naked Cherry Palette and I can see lots of amazing looks being created. If you want to add a subtle shimmer you can, but if you want to create a dark and smouldering look, you can do that too, the choice is yours! Top tip: if you’re ever unsure of where to start with a new palette, look up what others are doing on Pinterest and you’ll find plenty of inspiration there!

Hot Spot – Pale ivory matte – I was actually so surprised at how pigmented this one was! It swatched beautifully with only a tiny bit of fallout.

Caution – Matte peachy beige – This shade literally couldn’t be a better match to my skin-tone! I’ll definitely be using this as a base before applying anything else as it’s PERFECT. It’s also surprisingly pigmented too although it does feel a tiny bit powdery.

Bang Bang – Metallic pink-coral with gold shift – I was so excited about this shade when I first saw it. It was quite dusty so I’d say a little bit goes a long way with this one. It’s so pigmented already but I noticed a huge difference when I applied it with a wet brush. It’s literally the perfect sparkly pink!

Feelz – Dusty warm rose matte – In terms of coverage, it wasn’t quite as pigmented as the first two shades in the palette, so I was a little disappointed when I swatched it. However it can be intensified with a primer! I feel like it could have been better though, which isn’t much fun to say after I’ve paid this much money…

Juicy – Matte, soft & warm peach/coral – I really love using shades like this in Spring, when all of the flowers are out and everything is looking much brighter and prettier! Is it just me that tries to tie their makeup in with the seasons or…? It’s somewhat semi-opaque, and it took a bit of work to get it all the way there, however because it’s so pretty, I’m up for using it with primers to get the most out of it!

Turn On – Soft metallic rose pink– This is what I’m talking about people! I absolutely LOVE this shade. It’s pretty, it’s pigmented and it’s rose gold – what more could you want? It looks so bright and shiny on the lid and adds a touch glam to any look in seconds. However, I’m not sure what I’m going to say when someone asks what I’m wearing in public – “oh it’s just turn on on my lids, orgasm on my cheeks and a few coats of better than sex on my lashes”. If you want to get everything you can out of this shade, apply it with a wet brush or finger – trust me!

Ambitious – Metallic Rusty-copper shimmer – I was kind of disappointed with this one. It looks very pretty when applied carefully, however if you’re wanting to go all out on the lid, it seems to lose it’s shine and becomes quite dull after a while. I’m not sure whether or not that’s intentional but I’m not the biggest fan. I tend to use a very thin layer of it to try and keep it subtle and sparkly.

Bing – Matte muted pink-mauve – I really like this shade! The coverage is amazing and what I’d hoped all of the mattes in the palette would be like. It feels very smooth and buttery and is incredibly easy to blend. More like this please Urban Decay!

Devilish – Pink-plum matte with warm undertones – I found this one a bit patchy and I’m not sure why, given how nice the formula of Bing was. I’m usually able to increase it’s opacity by using a primer and layering it slightly, so I still enjoy using it.

Young Love – Metallic magenta/cranberry pink – Isn’t it beautiful? Another formula that I absolutely love! I like that it’s cool toned too, as it means I can combine it with purples and blues for an icier look this Winter. When applied dry, the sparkle seems to fade much faster but if I apply it wet, it looks amazing for hours!

Drunk Dial – Metallic Burgundy Plum – I love using this shade in the outer corners of my lids, especially when I want to darken a look and add some drama. It’s pigmented and the colour payoff is amazing. It’s also so creamy and buttery to blend out – another formula I am a huge fan of! Again, it loses it’s sheen after a while so I always apply it wet.

Privacy – Matte Deep reddish-brown – I always hope for a dark brown shade in every palette because let’s be honest, we’d be lost without them. They’re key for making smokey eyes in seconds and they’re perfect for defining any look. I’d describe it as semi-opaque, you can see in the swatches it was slightly patchy, but all it takes is a little more work than usual and it looks gorgeous as a result. Sometimes it can sheer out slightly after a few hours so I’d recommend applying it with a tiny bit of a pigmented black shade in order to keep it looking dark and dramatic for as long as possible!

So, what do I think?

In terms of what I didn’t like, my main concerns are around the formulas and the price tag. A few of the matte shades required a fair bit of building and I noticed a few of the shimmers tended to sheer out after application. This isn’t the end of the world, it’s just a tiny bit annoying. I think the price tag is excessive. I’m all for brands trying new things and learning from their mistakes, but if a price tag as hefty as £42 is going to be justified, I’d expect everything to be near enough perfect. Maybe it’s just me, but if I’m paying this much, I don’t really want to have anything bad to say about it. It makes me wince a little when I think of what else I could spend my money on *bank account cries in the distance*.

That being said, I think Urban Decay are onto something special! I like that they’re beginning to create palettes based on a particular themes – we got the beautiful oranges and browns in the Naked Heat and now we have the pinks and plums in the Naked Cherry! It makes me excited for what they will release next. I actually like this palette a lot, despite the fact that I think there’s a few improvements to be made. I love the shades, the colours, the packaging and the theme – it has a lot going for it! I love the balance between mattes and shimmer and I think that the palette is going to be loved by those that are just starting out as well as the experienced MUAs out there. It oozes creativity and I can’t wait to see what people are doing with it! Would I recommend this palette? Yes definitely! But only if you’re happy to use lots of wet brushes and primers! If you love cherries, all things pink and purple – go for it!

Buy the palette here!

What do you think of the Naked Cherry Palette? Be sure to let me know in the comments and don’t forget to follow me on my socials!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, BLOGMAS, eyeshadow, Makeup, Naked Cherry, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, urban decay

2018 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

MY FAVOURITE FESTIVE LIPSTICKS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date December 1, 2018
2 Comments on MY FAVOURITE FESTIVE LIPSTICKS

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to Blogmas Day 1! I can’t believe we’re already here, it seems like yesterday that I was writing last year’s Blogmas content. I thought I would kick it all off with a post about my favourite lipsticks to wear over the festive period. It’s like I evolve from being nude and neutral-loving to dark and dramatic in the space of a season. I used to practically sprint away from anything red and now it’s a totally different story!

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MAC – Retro

First up, we have Mac’s Retro. My dad actually bought me this one last Christmas! This tends to be my transition lipstick from Autumn to Winter. It’s a muted peachy-pinky brown so I’m still getting to wear something that I’m used to but at the same time it’s darker than my usual go-to shades. I love that it has a satin finish to it as it’s non-drying but still really pigmented. A cheaper dupe for this is Sephora’s Labyrinth City!

Illamasqua – Vixen

This is the beautiful Vixen in Illamasqua’s Lava Lips range! I originally picked it up because I was so intrigued by the marbled design however, upon trying it out, it quickly became one of my Winter favourites. The colours blend so well together to create a vibrant and intense pinky-red. It’s slightly different every time I use it and that’s why I love it! The finish, again, is satin, which keeps my lips feeling soft and moisturised. The packaging is also so sophisticated and sleek – I love everything about this lipstick! I can’t find any dupes for this as it’s just so unique!

Anastasia Beverly Hills – Rogue

Here we have one of Anastasia Beverly Hill’s matte lipsticks in the shade Rogue. It’s a dark brownish red that fulfils all my festive lipstick desires! It has warm undertones, which is why I enjoy wearing it at this time of year. It may be frosty outside, but my lips will stay rosy for as long as possible thank you very much. Not only is it really pigmented, but it’s ultra-matte formula ensures that it stays on all day.

Urban Decay – Plaid

This is one of Urban Decay’s lipsticks from their Vice range in the shade Plaid. I chose it because at this time of year I can’t resist deep berry tones! It’s a cool pinky-red with a sheer finish so it’s hydrating and always makes me look so healthy! Although the texture is quite thin, it’s still pigmented and it’s buildable if I ever wanted something slightly more intense.

MAC – Persistence

A Peachy cinnamon shade, absolutely perfect for this time of year! It’s also perfect for anyone that doesn’t want to wear anything really dark or dramatic. It has warm, reddish-orange undertones, so although it’s almost a brown, it’s actually really flattering on and I’m still staying within my comfort zone! I love a matte lip in Winter too, especially with the amount of hot chocolates I get through every day, I need something that doesn’t budge! However, it can be a tiny bit drying, so I always make sure my lips are moisturised before applying it.

I really hope that you enjoyed my first Blogmas post of 2018! My makeup routine completely changes over winter, so I’m always curious as to whether or not anyone else’s does too! Let me know in the comments what your winter beauty staples are! Tomorrow’s post is a HUGE gift guide that I’ve been working on for ages! I’ve included all kinds of bits and pieces to suit lots of different price ranges, so make sure you come back at 6pm to have a read!

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N xxxx

Tags 2018, Anastasia Beverly Hills, BEAUTY, blog, BLOGMAS, December, Favourites, Illamasqua, Lipstick, MAC, Makeup, Photography, Photos, urban decay

BEAUTY MAKEUP

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS – SOFT GLAM PALETTE {REVIEW & SWATCHES}

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date October 9, 2018
1 Comment on ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS – SOFT GLAM PALETTE {REVIEW & SWATCHES}

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Today’s post is all about the latest addition to the Anastasia Beverly Hills family of eyeshadow palettes, Soft Glam. Since their cult favourite, Modern Renaissance, the ABH palettes have been somewhat of a collectors item within the beauty community. I have to say, they are some of the best palettes that I’ve ever used so I’m sure you can guess which direction that this review is going to go in…

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As soon as I saw a picture of the palette online, I knew it would be full of neutrals and warm-toned shades. The name “soft glam” sounds loike a combination of subtlty and sophistication, which is right up my street! As much as I love embracing my crazy inner MUA, sometimes I love to keep it simple! I’m drawn to nudes and neutrals just as much as I am to vibrant and dramatic colours, so I know that I will still really enjoy using this palette. It seems to me that this is the kind of palette you can take anywhere and you’re good to go – which is ideal for people that travel a lot! The packaging, as expected, has the same gorgeous velvety exterior as the other ABH paletes, which I absolutely love! It looks and feels so luxurious and it’s so much nicer than the usual plastic and cardboard most other brands use. The only slightly “hmmm” part about this palette, is the price tag. At £43, it’s a rather expensive addition to any makeup collection. The question being, is it worth it?

The palette contains 14 beautiful shades, including essential mattes to stunning shimmers. Just like I thought, the shades are warm-toned and neutral, perfect for both day-time looks as well as night-time glam. They’re also the kind of shades that can work all year round, meaning you can easily get your money’s worth when it comes to usage! So many looks can be created with this palette, from elegant and understated to bold and glamorous. There is a slight overlap with some of the shade from the Modern Renaissance palette (Tempera, Burnt Orange and Cyprus Umber), which is kind of frustrating as I paid a lot of money in the hope that this palette would be a totally new addition to my collection, however, I do love all three of those shades and I’m quite glad to have some replacements. I’ve been wearing the shadows for a couple of weeks now and I have reviewed every single one below!

Tempera – Ultra-matte beige with warm undertones – One of my favourite base shades ever. I always use this before I apply anything else to my lids. It always makes my eyes look bigger and brighter, and it compliments any shadow that I wear it with. It’s velvety soft and yet it’s so richly pigmented, I don’t know how they do it. It blends like a dream without losing any coverage either, 10/10!

Glistening – Iridescent gold with orange undertones – This shade doesn’t have the same “wow” factor that the other shimmers do as it’s not as pigmented. It blends out to be quite sheer on me, however when applied with a wet brush, I can build it up a fair bit. However it’s a shame it isn’t more intense. I guess the palette is called “soft” for a reason though, right? It’s probably the ideal shimmer for someone that prefers a subtle look.

Orange Soda – Ultra-matte pastel peach – How gorgeous is this shade? I can see myself wearing this all year round as I love warm toned shadows! It’s pigmented and blends really well too. It tends to fade after a while so I like to combine it with other shades or just use it as a subtle transition into something darker.

Rose Pink – Rose gold/copper with warm undertones – Now we’re talking, this shade is right up my street! I love anything rose gold – especially when it comes to makeup! It’s pigmented but can sometimes be difficult to apply so I like to use a good base as well as setting spray to help it along a bit.

Sultry – A medium-dark coppery chocolate brown – YES – I love this shade! The colour payoff is amazing and it adds a touch of drama to any look. I love using this on the outer part of my lid to create some depth. I nearly always use it with a damp brush to make it more intense.

Bronze – Metallic bright bronze-gold – The sparkle that this shade gives off is amazing, I feel so glam when I’m wearing it and I always get compliments whenever I have it on. It’s so bright that it makes me look ten times more awake! Again, I tend to apply it with a wet brush, which always intensifies the payoff.

Mulberry – Ultra-matte deep mulberry/plum – The formula is velvety soft and it blends beautifully. I was worried it would be patchy but it was totally fine and applied evenly.

Dusty Rose – Ultra-matte dusty mauve – I love this shade. It’s so elegant and even on it’s own looks lovely. It’s super pigmented and it applies evenly too. I reckon it’s the perfect springtime shade and would also look gorgeous in summer. I don’t actually own any shades quite like this either, so I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with it over the last couple of weeks.

Fairy – Multi-dimensional bright yellow-gold – Isn’t that the perfect name for this shade? It’s so soft and gentle and yet so pigmented and bright! I’ve been wearing this almost every day and I blooming love it. I always apply it on top of a concealer instead of a primer to intensify the brightness and it works a treat!

Burnt Orange – An ultra-matte deep orange – This shade is so pigmented! I didn’t even have to try to get it to swatch well either! It blends really well so I love using this in the crease as a transition shade and also on it’s own for a more subtle look.

Sienna – Ultra-matte earthy brown with red undertones – I love this shade! I’m getting some strong autumnal vibes, so as soon as September rolls around, I can see myself wearing this a lot!

Rustic – Ultra-matte cinnamon brown – I think browns are the shades that I reach for the most! Rustic blends out for a subtle look but can also be built ip up to be quite bold too. I love wearing this on it’s own with a tiny bit of shimmer on the lid. However, as lovely as it is, you may be able to see in the photo above, that it darkened in random places, which made it look a little bit patchy.

Cyprus Umber – Ultra-matte dark coffee brown – I feel like I’m repeating myself here but it’s another brown shade that I reach for all the time! This shade comes in so handy for adding a bit of depth to a look or for creating a smokey eye. Also, I have to say that the pigmentation is insane too, I’m very impressed.

Noir – Ultra-matte carbon black – I love it when palettes include black shades! There was a time where I used to wonder how they could ever be used, whereas now I’m using them all the time. Just like Rustic, it can turn a day-time look into night-time glam in seconds. I often blend this along my lower lashline to make my eyes look bigger and brighter. It’s not as creamy as the other mattes in the palette, so it takes a bit more work to blend out.

I actually really like this palette. I was a bit worried that it would be a tad too subtle for me as I tend to go for shades that I can go all out with. However although the shades are mainly neutral, are all rich in pigmented and with that comes the option to go all out if I wanted to, or I can keep it simple. That’s why I like this palette, it gives you the freedom to create what you want and even just looking at it, I can see so many different combinations! Some of the shades needed a bit of help from primers and wet brushes but I didn’t expect them to be as intense as some of the shades in their other palettes, as after all, it’s been named “soft” for a reason. I’m experimenting with the whole “less is more” idea, so I reckon this palette will come in handy when trying to create some more natural looks. I also think that ABH have been working on their matte formulas as they all felt velvety to the touch (more so than usual) and blended out beautifully. However, a couple of the mattes seemed to darken slightly in random places which isn’t ideal for a high-end palette. My main issue with this, is that I paid a lot of money for this palette, so in all honesty, any flaws aren’t going to go down well. If you’re going to charge a lot, the quality needs to be as close to flawless as possible.

So in conclusion, I like it! It’s a fantastic palette and I’m glad that I added it to my collection. It’s not perfect but it’s pretty close! The weird dark patches with some of the matte shades are a bit annoying but I can get over that as I’m able to use the shades and still get my money’s worth. I can see myself taking this on holiday with me as well as using it in winter so in my opinion it’s a palette that can be used all year round. Not only does it come with 14 gorgeous shades that can create so many different looks, but it also comes with a generously sized mirror, making it ideal to travel with for on-the-go use. Not everyone wants to go for the perky pinks or the vibrant violets, so I would recommend this palette to anyone that’s looking for something more delicate with a hint of glamour too.

Check out the Soft Glam palette here!

Want to know what the other Anastasia Beverly Hills palettes are like? Check out my reviews of Modern Renaissance, Subculture and Prism palettes to find out!

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N xxxx

Tags Anastasia Beverly Hills, BEAUTY, Blogging, eyeshadow, Haul, Makeup, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, Soft Glam, Swatches

BEAUTY MAKEUP

I HEART REVOLUTION: COTTON CANDY CHOCOLATE PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date September 4, 2018
7 Comments on I HEART REVOLUTION: COTTON CANDY CHOCOLATE PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m currently writing this in Majorca! I’ve spent the last few days soaking up the sun and floating in a ring in the sea (it’s a hard life but someone has to do it). I’m flying home in two days, so I’m sure the holiday blues will kick in when I have to go back to university for my third year! That’s going to be the worst wake up call EVER. One thing that I’m sure will get me through, is the Makeup Revolution Cotton Candy Chocolate Palette, which I’m going to be reviewing today!

This post contains affiliate links*

The Cotton Candy Palette is part of the I Heart Makeup chocolate bar series, Read my reviews of the Mint Chocolate Bar Palette & Golden Bar Palette if you want to know more about the range. This palette retails at £8.99 and you can grab it on the Makeup Revolution website or from Superdrug.

PACKAGING

Just like the other palettes in the range, it’s designed to look like a chocolate bar. It’s clear to see that it was influenced by candy-floss with that pretty baby pink and cream colour scheme. The one thing I’m not a huge fan of, is how chunky the palette actually is. I appreciate the creativity but I find it difficult to store. I use a filing system and these palettes take up a lot of room.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

The Cotton Candy Palette contains 18 shades; 14 shimmers and metallics and 4 mattes. I wish there had been a bit more variety. The best thing about having a palette that contains a bit of everything is you can rely on it to create lots of looks on its own. I will definitely need to reach for other palettes to create more looks. It’s a shame as there’s so much space inside the palette. I think it could have been split more evenly. Most of the shades are neutrals and pinks which is ideal if you like playing around with those colours. There’s also a good variety of warm and cool toned shades. Also, it’s scented people! We’re not talking Willy Wonka’s factory, it’s kind of a fake chocolate smell, but it’s nice! I hate when eyeshadows smell of chemicals so this makes for a nice change.

FIRST ROW

Topped – A champagne gold metallic – Quite powdery but when applied carefully it looks great!

Carnival – A light rose gold metallic – Not that pigmented but it is buildable and it looks gorgeous on! It’s such a pretty shade for Autumn. I love using bronze shades, particularly pinky ones!

Enjoy – A taupe matte – My least favourite shade in the palette! As you might be able to see from the swatches, it’s patchy and it took a lot of effort to get any pay off. Ironically I didn’t exactly enjoy it!

Fancy – A light copper satin – Similar soft feel to Carnival however this one has more pink in it. It’s quite subtle at first but it’s also buildable and it’s a lovely shade for the inner part of the lid.

Fairground – A matte taupe with a gold shimmer – I’m slightly disappointed with this matte shade too! It’s not very pigmented and it takes a while to build it up

Sweetheart – A burgundy red satin – I love this shade! It’s so pretty and it will look so stunning during Autumn and Winter along with some other warm toned shadows. It also feels silky soft and applies beautifully.

SECOND ROW

Made To Share – A warm light brown matte – This matte is much more pigmented than the others and I actually quite like it! I can use it as a transition shade but other than that I probably won’t use it all that much.

Fairy Floss – A pastel pink shimmer – It’s quite similar to the shade Topped in that it’s powdery and glittery at first but when applied bit by bit and with a wet brush, it looks gorgeous! I love wearing pinks so I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of this one!

Strawberry – A pink metallic – My favourite shade in the palette! It’s nicely pigmented and it’s just as good as some of my more expensive metallics!

Clouds – A silver-grey metallic – I don’t actually own a good silver metallic shade and I’ve been looking for one for ages so I was happy to find this one inside the palette! It’s slightly chalky but it still looks lovely on!

Spun Sugar – Warm rose metallic – I love this shade! It’s pigmented and easy to apply (especially with a wet brush) and I can see myself using this one a lot! I love that it has a pink shift to it, it looks so elegant and pretty! It’s a more subtle pink than the shade “strawberry”.

Sweet Tooth – Cream metallic shimmer – Annoyingly, this is also quite powdery and glittery so the fallout is a bit annoying but I still use it to glam up my makeup looks! I think they just need to work on their shimer formula a little bit more.

THIRD ROW

Pretty In Pastel – Metallic pastel purple – My second favourite shade in the palette! Look how pigmented it is, it’s ridiculous. I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of this shade in particular, especially when the weather starts compliment these colours a bit more in Spring!

Confection – Light metallic bronze with a white Shift – This is such a stunning shade! I love anything champagne coloured as I find these shades are the most flattering on me. I tend to wear metallic shades like this every day paired with a neutral matte.

So Sweet – A light pink metallic with a white shift – I would have liked this to be slightly more pigmented, it’s just not quite bold enough for me.

Treat For You – Deep cinnamon matte – This is the kind of shade that I wear every day. It’s perfect for depending the crease. It was slightly patchy when swatched but on the eyes, it looks flawless.

Puff – Deep muted purple with pale pink shift – Although I’m a fan of warm toned makeup looks, every now and again I like to experiment with pinks and purples. I can see myself using this to create some berry toned smokey eye looks all year round. Imagine this with the shade Strawberry and Fairy Floss.

Dreams – Deep copper metallic with a slight shimmer – I bloody love this shade. It’s the perfect copper and you know me and my bronze eyeshadows – I can’t get enough of them. It’s pigmented, buttery and it can work with so many different looks.

WHAT DO I THINK?

In terms of things that I don’t like, I think there could have been more matte shades. There needs to be more of a variety, perhaps some darker and lighter. When it comes to creating makeup looks, I tend to use the palettes that have the most in them, that way I don’t have to reach for anything else. If I’m travelling, I can pack lightly. It’s just so much easier to be creative! We definitely could have had some fun, bright colours in there. Perhaps some pinks and purplest to fit with the theme? I might sound picky but it would have made such a difference!

That being said, this palette only costs £8.99. Given that it contains a whopping 18 shades and I like nearly all of them, it’s really great value. Even though I think it could be improved, I really like the design, the colour theme and the formula of most of the shades. I love the packaging but it I think it would be slightly better if it was bit less bulky and chunky. That won’t stop me from buying more of these palettes though!

What do you think of this palette? Have you tried it? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my socials – come and say hey!

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, Cotton Candy, I Heart Revolution, Makeup, Makeup Revolution, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, Swatches

BEAUTY MAKEUP

SOPH X REVOLUTION: EXTRA SPICE PALETTE & LIPSTICKS – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date June 12, 2018
26 Comments on SOPH X REVOLUTION: EXTRA SPICE PALETTE & LIPSTICKS – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

Hey Everyone,

I’m super excited for this post as I’m reviewing the new Soph X Revolution palette and her new lipsticks! I ordered them as soon as they were released as I just knew they would all be amazing. I’m also a huge fan of Sophie and her channel so I was more than happy to support her with this! Some of you may have read my review of her first palette but if you haven’t you can read that here. Either way, I’m too excited to keep talking any longer so bring on the review!

*This post contains affiliate links

The packaging is pretty much a the opposite version of her first palete, this time with the case being rose gold and the palette itself being a matte nude/pink shade. It retails at £10 (wow) The lipsticks are also a new addition to this collaboration – I totally wasn’t expecting these! There are three in total, all creamy satin nudes and they retail at £4 each.

This packaging, as you probably know is just SO ME! I absolutely love anything rose gold, so I’m considering framing it to be honest. It’s so pretty and sleek looking that I can’t wait to put it on my dressing table so I can see it every day! I love that she’s been able to create a second palette and I would honestly keep buying them if she brought out another ten. Soph said she wanted to create something that could be the “extra spice” in someone’s makeup collection and I reckon she’s done just that. I can see myself using this palette every day and it just stands out from everything else I own.

So this palette features 18 shades and JUST LOOK AT THEM – I cannot get over how stunning these colours are and there’s such a great variety! Soph picked every shade and named them herself! I love that each shade means something different to her and that the whole palette is a reflection of her personality. There’s a mixture of 6 shimmers and 12 mattes in this palette so there’s plenty to choose from! Compared to her previous palette, it’s definitely a bit more bold and vibrant however it still has a very generously sized mirror! Can we also talk about that fact that she definitely took on board our feedback and added labels to each shade within the palette! I love that, as I’m forever losing those plastic sheets that come with the names on.

Every Day – A duo-chrome pale purple with a white/iridescent shift – Super pigmented and creamy
Running Late – A matte orange with a light brown undertone – My kind of transition shade
Infinity – A silver/metallic shimmer – WOW, this is so pigmented and buttery
Cheesecake – A matte chesnut brown with red undertones – A great shade for a smokey eye
Cookie Dough – A matte soft/light brown – Another good one for transitioning
Dreams – A warm copper shimmer – So creamy and smooth, extremely pigmented

Vitamin C – A bright matte yellow – The only shade I’m disappointed with, I just found this was too patchy and the colour pay off wasn’t great
Sweet n Sour – A warm matte orange – I can’t wait to use this for summery makeup looks
Twenty One – A cherry pink with red undertones – I’ve never used a more pigmented pink/red, this is incredible
Romance – A rich burgundy shimmer with a pink shift – I think I’m in love, this might well be my favourite shade in the palette
Enchanted – A matte purple with red wine-type undertones – This is such an interesting shade, it kind of reminds me of “Rowdy” in the Subculture palette!
Lakes – A matte olive/khaki green – Given that 90% of my wardrobe is khaki this is bound to come in handy

Brownies – A very deep brown with purple undertones – Again, this was a tad patchy but with a few layers it builds up
Chocolate Orange – A warm brown with red undertones – I love shades like this for every day simple looks
Mulled Wine – A matte Ribena Purple – This shade is so vibrant and bright, it’s such a great shade for anyone into bold looks (aka me most of the time)
LA Sun – A bright gold shimmer – Bloomin’ heck these shimmers are all just incredible, this one in particular is something else!
Aurora – An olive/khaki shimmer – It’s like shrek met a disco ball, I am loving this shade however it wasn’t as creamy as the other shimmers in the palette, it took a few swatches
Reputation – A matte charcoal black – I’m so glad she included a matte black shade again as I don’t own one and I always seem to end up needing it! It’s also great for really dramatic looks too!

Soph x Revolution Lipstick Review, Swatches & Photos

So, there’s three gorgeous nude shades in this collection. From top to bottom we have, Syrup, Fudge and Cake. Below, I’ve reviewed them all separately so keep scrolling!

Syrup – This is the kind of nude that most people could pull off. It’s a very simple brown nude, which typically I would run away from but I because of the creamy satin texture and finish, I’m absolutely loving it! I love that it’s so soft and silky on the lips too, as I hate anything drying and sometimes pale nudes can have “foundation lip” look to them which is a no from me but this bad boy is a 10/10 on that front.

Check out the shade Syrup here

Soph x Revolution Fudge Lipstick Review, Swatches & Photos

Fudge – This is a darker nude to Syrup and I was originally kind of terrified of this shade as it looked so so dark. However, upon trying it on it didn’t swatch that way whatsoever! It actually came up on me as a kind of dark orange nude which I really like! I’d suggest swatching it before buying it just to double check it’s what you think it is as it will probably look very different on different skintones! Either way I love it and I reckon I will be wearing this shade A LOT during Autumn.

Check out the shade Fudge here

Soph x Revolution Cake Lipstick Review, Swatches & Photos

Cake – This is by FAR my absolute favourite lipstick in the collection. It’s pretty much your basic pink nude. I can tell this will be an everyday product for me and I actually prefer it to a majority of my high-end lipsticks which is crazy considering I only paid £4 for it?! It’s kind of giving me Velvet Teddy vibes, anyone else?

Check out the shade Cake here

Overall, I am EXTREMELY impressed with this collection. Soph has given us another fantastic palette along with three beautiful nude lippies. Firstly, the palette is an absolute dream. There are some things that I would change however, like the pigmentation of Vitamin C and Aurora as I think they could both be even better. That being said, the other 16 shades are honestly very very good. The quality of the packaging is also amazing. The shimmers are so buttery and creamy and the mattes are super easy to blend out. I would easily pay £20 for this palette let alone the £10 that it actually retails at (wowza). The lipsticks are equally as fabulous too. I don’t know what they used to make them but I’ve never used anything that buttery or creamy before and there’s just no going back now! It’s safe to say that I am now a brown lippie convert. I would really recommend trying these out!

I really hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful as I know lots of people are deciding what they want to order from this collection!

N xxxx

Tags BEAUTY, blogger, Cosmetics, eyeshadow, Lipstick, Makeup Revolution, palette, Photography, Photos, Review, Soph x, Sophdoesnails, Swatches

2017 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS SUBCULTURE PALETTE {REVIEW & SWATCHES}

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date December 8, 2017
21 Comments on ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS SUBCULTURE PALETTE {REVIEW & SWATCHES}

BLOGMAS DAY 8

After the huge success of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette, (take a look at my review) everyone was expecting great things when it’s “sister” the Subculture palette was released. The palette sparked lots of debate within the beauty community. There was lots of discussion surrounding the choice of colours, as they are pretty bold. I managed to convince myself that I can rock shades like this but I can understand why some people were terrified when they saw a mustard yellow.

I decided that I had to try this controversial product for myself and I bought myself the Subculture palette during summer, as I was wearing lots of bold eye looks during these months and thought this palette would be perfect for just that! It retails at £43 on their website *distant screams from my bank account* The packaging is made from a beautifully soft and a flocked teal coloured, crushed velvet material which definitely makes it feel more expensive, almost identical to the MR palette. There are 14 shades (11 mattes and 2 metallics and 2 duo chromes) A majority of the shades are warm and muted with some retro 70s vibes (YES PLEASE). When looking at the shadows all together, it reminds me of mid-century modern interiors, I LOVE IT. The shades are also quite grungy and autumnal in that there are some mustard yellows and khaki greens with some coppers and golds too.

Axis – “Ultra matte sage green” Teal/Turquoise has always been my favourite colour so I was delighted to see this shade in the palette. I love it, it’s an unusual colour and it’s just SO pigmented. I wouldn’t recommend going in too hard with your brush as you might look like you have a black eye (been there, done that unfortunately) If you do anything but tap it lightly, you could probably paint a picture with the amount of shadow you will pick up so be careful!
Mercury – “Ultra Matte Slate Grey” I was a bit disappointed when I saw this shade as it just looked so dull compared to the others. However when I swatched it I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a cool toned grey with what I reckon to be lilac undertones (see picture with flash) and it looks super pretty in the crease when blended out.
All Star – “Ultra Matte Vintage Wine” I love a good plum coloured eyeshadow. I have green eyes so pinks and purples really make them pop. I love using this in the crease as it’s so pigmented yet blends out so beautifully.
Adorn – “Metallic Bronze” This could be my favourite shade. It’s SO pretty and when it catches the light it’s absolutely stunning. It’s so rich in pigment and looks even better when a setting spray is used.
Destiny – “Ultra Matte Sage Green” I LOVE this shade, it’s a dark khaki green which is one of my favourite colours. Surprisingly it applies with very little fall out if you’re gentle when you apply it. I love using this in my outer corner for added intensity. I do find if you pack too much on however, it can become quite patchy when blending it out so apply sparingly. I would say that is the case with most dark matte shadows though, it’s all in the blending!
Dawn – “Ultra Matte Sand” I actually really like this shade even though it’s pretty simple. It has subtle muted peach undertones which make it a nice shadow to use for a more natural look. I use this as a transition shade most of the time as it blends like a dream.
Cube – “Duo Chrome Pink Pearl” My least favourite shade. It’s just not pigmented enough for me. At first I thought it looked gorgeous but upon using it I just got a sort of weak pink sheen. It seems to have a sort of skin on it that means it’s quite chalky too. I would’ve preferred just a plain pearly white shade so I could at least use it for inner corner highlight or on my brown bone.

Rowdy – “Ultra Matte Blackened Purple” I love using this shade to smoke out different looks, it can change up your makeup 0-100 real quick, from a study session in the library to GET ME TO DA CLUB.
Edge – “Ultra Matte Gold Mustard” I was originally terrified to touch this, I mean, it’s a YELLOW. However, I really enjoy using it now. I love the colour anyway so I just braved it and it’s not too bad! It’s nice to put in the inner part of the lid and it’s easy to blend into a darker shade (I’ve used New Wave to warm it up in the outer corner of the lid)
Untamed – “Ultra Matte Tarnished Green” This is a smokey green with undertones of turquoise/teal and is lighter than axis but still just as pigmented. SO pretty.
New Wave – “Ultra-matte citron orange” I was also kind of scared to use this shadow but it’s truly gorgeous. At first, I thought it was another yellow but it’s actually a warm matte orange shade. I used this lots during summer to create warm toned looks which it was PERFECT for!
Fudge – “Ultra Matte Warm Bronze” I love using this for smokey eye looks. It adds that extra bit of drama to your lid. It’s a warm brown with red undertones.
Electric – “Duo Chrome Lime-Gold” This is such a unique shadow. It’s so quirky and looks great on a night out but I actually wear it during the day too. It’s mainly gold however it has gorgeous flecks of green that jump out at you when it catches the light.
Roxy – “Ultra Matte Muted Coral” I love this shade, it’s such a pretty colour to use as a transition shade in the crease or as a base on your lid. It’s actually a great shade for summer as it’s got some flirty pink/ apricot undertones that really compliment green/blue eyes.

Here are some looks that I’ve managed to create with this palette (apologies in advance, I’m no expert)

I don’t think there’s a problem with fallout or kick back if you’re gentle with the shadows. I would say all but one of the shades (cube) are nicely pigmented. I would strongly suggest just lightly tapping the shadows as opposed to swirling your brush around the pans as this picks up a small amount of colour that you can blend easily and build up if you want more of a bold look. I would also suggest using a setting spray with the metallic shades in the palette, to make them hella sparkly – the difference is amazing! I wouldn’t recommend this palette to those that enjoy the safety of neutral toned shadows. I would say it’s a palette for the more experimental individuals out there however some shades, for example Electric, Fudge and Adorn could be used to make a really pretty more “natural” look but if there’s only a few shades in here that take your fancy, it’s probably not worth paying the hefty price.

BUY IT HERE

I hope you enjoyed this review and let me know in the comments what you think about this palette or if you’ve found any great dupes!

N xxxx

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Tags Anastasia Beverly Hills, BEAUTY, BLOGMAS, December, eyeshadow, Makeup, palette, Review

BEAUTY MAKEUP

BOBBI BROWN HIGHLIGHTING POWDER REVIEW

Post author By Nina Louise
Post date October 21, 2017
36 Comments on BOBBI BROWN HIGHLIGHTING POWDER REVIEW

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Today I’m going to review the Bobbi Brown highlighting powder in the shade Sunkissed Glow. My boyfriend gave it to me as an anniversary present just over a month ago and I’m in love (he’s alright too I suppose). It’s actually the first product that I’ve tried from Bobbi Brown, so this will be a first impression!

The highlighting powder retails at £35, which may sound horrifying but for a high-end brand, that’s somewhat timid. Trust me, google Tom Ford and Hourglass… For anyone that drools over luxurious and sleek packaging, you will practically want to frame this product. It’s also a mirrored compact too, meaning you can glow on the go!

The highlighting powder itself, fits into a perfect little square of golden shimmery goodness. I love the grid-like markings – it looks so luxurious and almost too good to use. When applied, it gives adds the most beautiful, bronzed glow to my skin. It looks quite natural compared to some of the more luminous highlighters out there and I quite like that. Sometimes you don’t want the satellites to spot you glowing all the way from Earth. It’s not necessarily blinding but it’s certainly buildable. I like being able to choose the intensity of my glow, as it gives me some control over it before it gets too much – we’ve all been there. It’s definitely more of a summery shade, I doubt I will be using it much during the colder months. I just find that it compliments a tan so much. When I went away during summer, all I wore on my face was some bb cream and highlighter and this product would have been perfect!

Above on the left is what the highlight looks like with flash from a distance and on the far right the highlighter without flash (top) and with flash (bottom)

If you want to feel like you’re using a expensive product, this is definitely worth trying. It feels so luxurious to apply and it looks even better on. The fact that it doesn’t appear cakey or chalky goes to show that it’s a high quality product, I hate it when highlighters do that. If you’re looking for a bronze gold beam of light in your makeup bag and you have the cash to splash on it, I would recommend giving this one a go! They also have some other shades in the range if you want to find something that really compliments your skin tone.

N xxxx

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Tags BEAUTY, bobbi brown, highlight, Makeup, Photography, Review, Shopping

So, whats the verdict?

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WHAT’S INSIDE?

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PACKAGING & PRICE

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WHAT DO I THINK?

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PACKAGING & PRICE

WHAT’S INSIDE?

1ST ROW SWATCHES

2nd Row Swatches

3RD ROW SWATCHES

WHAT DO I THINK?

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PACKAGING & PRICE

WHAT’S INSIDE?

1ST ROW SWATCHES

2ND ROW SWATCHES

3RD ROW SWATCHES

WHAT DO I THINK?

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PACKAGING & PRICE

WHAT’S INSIDE?

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2ND ROW SWATCHES

3RD ROW SWATCHES

WHAT DO I THINK?

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PRICE

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WHAT’S INSIDE?

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2ND ROW SWATCHES

3RD ROW SWATCHES

WHAT DO I THINK?

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This post contains affiliate links

This post contains affiliate links

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This palette contains affiliate links

Want to know what the other Anastasia Beverly Hills palettes are like? Check out my reviews of Modern Renaissance, Subculture and Prism palettes to find out!

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PACKAGING

WHAT’S INSIDE?

FIRST ROW

SECOND ROW

THIRD ROW

WHAT DO I THINK?

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BLOGMAS DAY 8

Here are some looks that I’ve managed to create with this palette (apologies in advance, I’m no expert)

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