Tag: eyeshadow

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BEAUTY MAKEUP

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

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2019 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

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

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2019 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

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

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BEAUTY MAKEUP

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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ Matte grey/brown with a hint of purple â€“ 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 â€“ Matte pastel pink â€“ 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 â€“ Matte mulberry/wine purple â€“ 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 â€“ Pink/copper shimmer â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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

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BEAUTY MAKEUP

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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BEAUTY MAKEUP

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

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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

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BEAUTY MAKEUP

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

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BEAUTY MAKEUP

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

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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!

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

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
From Top to Bottom: Dreamland, Yours Truly, It’s Fate, Adored by You & Desired

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.

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Desired
Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Desired – Glitter (Top) & Shimmer (Bottom)

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.

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Adored by You
Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Adored by You – Glitter (Top) & Shimmer (Bottom)

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…

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Dreamland
Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Dreamland – Glitter (Top) & Shimmer (Bottom)

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.

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
It’s Fate
Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
It’s Fate – Glitter (Top) & Shimmer (Bottom)

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!

Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Yours Truly
Makeup Revolution Eye Glisten: Foil & Liquid Eyeshadows Review, Swatches & Photos
Yours Truly – Glitter (Top) & Shimmer (Bottom)

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?

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

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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2018 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

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

Hey Everyone,

This post contains affiliate links

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

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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Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette Review & Swatches

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?

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette Review & Swatches

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!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette Review & Swatches

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.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette Review & Swatches

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

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BEAUTY

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS PRISM PALETTE {REVIEW & SWATCHES}

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Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m trying to get organised before I go on holiday to Mallorca in a week. I have a list of things to do that just keeps growing every day, no matter how much I seem to get done! I have lots of exciting content scheduled to go up for you guys whilst I’m on holiday so if you aren’t subscribed, make sure that you are so that you get notified with every new post! At the end of every post, I link all of my social media so that you can see what I’m up to in-between posts, I’d love it if you gave me a follow – come and say hey!

Today I’m going to be reviewing the Anastasia Beverly Hills Prism palette! I know some of you will be thinking “didn’t this come out last year?” and you’d be right in thinking that! It did come out ages ago, however, I only just caved and bought it so I thought I would post a review! There’s just something so collectable about the ABH palettes, I feel like I need them all. I know lots of you are makeup lovers too, so if any of you are considering purchasing the palette, keep reading!

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I already own two ABH palettes (Modern Renaissance & Subculture) so I reckon I have some knowledge about the quality of their eyeshadows and what to expect. You may be familiar with the high price tags, however for those that aren’t, they usually retail at £43. Just like the others, the Prism palette is covered in a beautiful crushed velvet material featuring a gold geometric design. There’s something so luxurious about this packaging, it partially justifies that price tag.

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The Prism palette contains 14 shades including some ultra-matte, duo chrome and metallic pigments. It’s definitely a palette for those that enjoy experimenting with bold and bright colours! I bought it purely because of the variety that it offers – think of how many unique looks that can be created from these 14 shades! The palette comes with a dual-ended soft blending brush which actually does a fab job. There’s a generously sized mirror for on-the-go use which makes it perfect for travelling with.  It’s also the kind of palette that can work all year round for lots of different occasions. For example, we’ve got bright pops of colour for Spring and Summer and the darker neutrals and shimmers for Autumn and Winter. Just looking at it makes me want to be creative! I love that the shades are all labelled too as I always lose this flimsy sheets that some palettes come with. Want to see some swatches? Keep reading…

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Lucid – A duo chrome with warm gold undertones and flecks of pink- I love using this as a brow highlight or for my inner corners. It can sheer out on the lid so I’d recommend applying and building it with setting spray on your brush.

Eden – A pink/coral matte with warm orange undertones – Very pigmented. It’s almost fluffy to touch! So smooth and easy to apply.

Unity – A light beige/nude matte – Slightly too dark to use as a base shade for me but I use this if I want to add a really natural bit of depth added to my eye makeup. I’m usually not that fussed about these kind of shades, they’re not the most interesting but handy to have in a palette. It’s also pretty pigmented and it swatched beautifully.

Sphinx – A metallic bronze with warm orange undertones – This is a pigmented shadow however I’ve used better. I like my bronze and golds to be blinding and this takes a few applications to achieve that. It’s not sheer but it’s also not full coverage.

Osiris – A midnight blue/purple shimmer with flecks of silver – It’s nice to have a cool shimmer shadow within the palette, which is what I meant when I talked about the variety that this palette has to offer. This shade was very easy to swatch and blend out as it’s very buttery and soft.

Sphere – A bright yellow matte with green undertones– I was really excited about this shade when I first saw it. I love using bright colours in my inner corners to add some drama so this seemed like the perfect shade (I know it looks like a mustard yellow but it’s much brighter than that). It’s not the most pigmented and it can sort of blend into a sheer base on the lid which isn’t what I was hoping for. It’s buildable but I was hoping for a more pigmented matte. I’ve been using it to blend warm shades together and I reckon I’ll get some more use out of it during the Autumn months.

Obsidian – A deep black matte – I’m just not a fan of this shade, it’s my least favourite in the palette. It was difficult to move around when swatching and on the lid, plus it was semi-sheer and patchy in some places. For the price of the palette, this should’ve been much better than it was.

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Dimension – Duo chrome grey/silver shimmer with pink flecks – I love this shade. It’s so pigmented! It blends like a dream and it barely takes any effort to achieve full coverage. I like how unique this shade is too, it’s unlike any other shadow that I’ve come across, so I’m happy to pay a little extra for something new in my collection. It was quite dry which made fallout a slight issue when applying. I tend to use setting spray when applying shimmer shadows as not only do they apply better but they last longer too!

Parallel – A warm and dark chocolate brown matte – Everyone needs a shade like this in their life. They’re so handy for making any look smokey and dramatic. I use this shade all the time to darken any look for some nighttime glam! It’s pigmented and blends out pretty well for such a dark shade. 

Pyramid – A metallic yellow gold – Now we’re talking. This shade is fab! I love using this all over my lid – it’s too pretty to only use a tiny bit of it so I go all out! It’s also the kind of gold that works all year round for any occasion so you definitely get your money’s worth.

Throne – Metallic dark blue with flecks of green – I’m unsure about this shade. It’s pigmented and it looks pretty but I think it’s a bit too dark and it just doesn’t look very flattering on me. If it was a little bit lighter I reckon I’d use it all the time.

Saturn – Terracotta Matte – I’m a big fan of warm shades pretty much all year round. I use them almost every day as I find they’re the most flattering for my skin tone. This shade is exactly what I look for in every palette I buy – I get so much use out of it!

Eternal – Metallic Copper – My favourite shimmer shadow in this palette! I just love a copper shade and although I have a stupid amount of them, it’s always nice to get a new one every once in a while. It’s so creamy and buttery that it blends beautifully across the lid.

Lure – Ashy lilac matte –  I’ve somehow managed to forget to swatch this shade – I’m so sorry! However, I have been wearing it so I can still review it for you, there just isn’t a swatch photo! I wear lots of pinks and purples so I’m always looking for new shades to create these looks. This lilac is so beautiful! I was worried it would be powdery after feeling the texture of it in the pan however it’s nicely pigmented and it looks beautiful on the lid or in the crease.

There we have it ladies and gents – the Anastasia Beverly Hills Prism palette! The packaging is gorgeous, I love the dramatic combo of black and gold as well as how the box itself is more matte than the others in the series. It feels so luxurious and I guess that’s one reason why I’m happy paying more than usual. The range of colours included is amazing! I like paying for palettes that are different from the rest and the Prism palette really stands out in that sense. So many different looks can be created from these fourteen shades. The shadows themselves are very nice quality. There are one or two that I would tweak and I think that the price should be lower if there are going to be shades lacking in pigment. However a majority of the shades are extremely pigmented and apply beautifully. I would really recommend this palette to anyone that is looking to be creative with their eye makeup. It’s definitely a palette for those that aren’t afraid to experiment with colour however if you’re looking for something more subtle, this probably isn’t the one for you! What do you think of this palette? Let me know in the comments below! Want to see what I’m up to in-between posts? Check out my social media below! I’ve also put links below to my reviews of the other palettes in this series!

READ MY REVIEW OF THE MODERN RENAISSANCE PALETTE

READ MY REVIEW OF THE SUBCULTURE PALETTE

 

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BEAUTY

TAMMI X REVOLUTION PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES AND PHOTOS

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Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’ve been doing a ridiculous amount of summer sales shopping this week and I’m feeling no regrets about it! Where have you been doing your summer shopping? This post is looking at the Tammi x Revolution collaboration palette, called Tropical Paradise and as usual, there’s going to be a full review including photos and swatches!

Revolution have been bringing us some amazing collaborations recently and this has to be one of my favourites! Tammi Clarke (makeupbytammi) is a youtuber who creates some of the most gorgeous makeup looks. She experiments a lot with colour and it always turns out beautifully! I knew her palette would be bright and vibrant and it’s exactly that and more…

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The packagaing is beautiful, apparently inspired by the carribean where Tammi’s hometown is! I just love the mixture of reds and oranges – it makes me feel warm to look at! I love that the font is a beautiful rose gold shade (you know how much I love that colour). The palette itself, is rose gold and reflective, much like Soph’s Extra Spice palette. It looks pretty and all but it just seems a tad plain to me. It would be nice if each of the collaborations had a really different look to them when it came to the palettes themselves.

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Tammi, as a woman of colour, designed a palette to suit women of a similar skin tone to her – hence the amazing colourful and pigmented shades, however, I think there’s something for everyone included! Here it is in all of it’s glory, just look at those shades (dribbling emoji) Does anything scream “summer” more to you than this? I think not! The Tropical Paradise palette retails at £10 and it include includes 23 beautiful shadows, 11 shimmers and 12 mattes. We have a mixture of the bold and bright as well as some neutral shades, so there is plenty to play around with! I was expecting a layout similar to Soph’s and many other palettes, however, I was happy to discover that more has been packed into this one! It separates the more vibrant shades from the basic neutrals which makes the palette nice and simply to use. I always find that when shades are separated into categories, I can plan my look much quicker!

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  • Pina Colada – A white/yellow shimmer – I love using this in the corner of my eye! I look so much more awake afterwards.
  • Queen Lou – A pink prosecco Shimmer – Pinky/prosecco shade and it’s just so pretty! I like using this to create a pink/purple smokey eye! It’s a great shade to put on the inner part of the lid.
  • Tropical – A warm orange Matte – I love using this to create warm makeup looks so it’s been an amazing shade for summer! 
  • Coraline – A pinky purple Matte – Such a beautiful colour, I can’t wait to use this during autumn, it makes me think of the colour of the leaves!
  • Exotic – A cool gold (if that makes sense) – I love shades like this, they’re my go to for an everyday bit of glam!
  • Caribbean – A flirty pink shimmer – This shade is just so pretty! I love it – it’s the perfect pink. It’s so pigmented and easy to apply.
  • Purpy Purps – A rich purple matte – This is pretty much Vimto in the form of a shadow, plus I am obsessed with the name! It applied slightly patchy whilst I was swatching however I reckon it’s buildable.
  • Treasure – A copper shimmer – Again, shades like this are a must for me. Anything remotely gold or copper is right up my street! Look at that pigment too! 
  • Adventure – A warm chocolatey brown matte – Everyone needs a shade like this for basic smokey eye looks!
  • Rich Soil – A grey/brown matte – Another great shade for adding some drama to a natural look. 

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  • Moonlight – A bright white shimmer – The perfect white to illuminate any look! It’s so pigmented too!
  • Enchanting – A chocolate brown shimmer – This shadow is so rich and pigmented, a little bit goes a long way! 
  • Burning Heat – A pumpkin spice shimmer – This reminds me of everything Halloween – I’m excited to see what I can do with this during Autumn. It’s super pigmented!
  • Majestic – A grape purple matte – I’m slightly disappointed with this shade. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pigmented and beautiful however it’s very similar to Coraline and Purpy Purps. I just wish we’d been given another colour! Maybe a shimmery blue instead?
  • Paradise – An emerald green shimmer – This is BEAUTIFUL! It’s like a christmas green shimmer and it’s so pigmented that it blew my mind. I only needed to touch it once and that was my swatch complete! Really stunning shade. 
  • Carnival – A Purple shimmer – I really love how rich in pigment this shade is. My eyes are green, so shades like this make the colour really pop! Imagine a look with Carnival and Caribbean
  • Golden Sands – A true gold shimmer – This reminds me of a brick of gold! It’s literally the perfect gold shimmer shadow – I use this pretty much every day. It just adds so much glam to my look, I can’t resist.
  • Rainforest – Deep green matte – It’s pigmented and smooth to apply however I probably won’t get much use out of it unless I’m being super creative! 
  • Waterfall – A Yale blue matte – I don’t own a shade like this so I was happy to see it! It’s EXTREMELY pigmented and it practically glides onto the skin.
  • Midnight Stroll – A black matte – Everyone needs one of these in their life! When Halloween comes around you’ll be rinsing these shades! I always find a use for them, even if it’s just running it along my lower lashline as it adds some definition and makes me look so much more awake! (I somehow forgot to swatch this, but it looks as you would expect)

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  • Coconut Cream – A pale cream matte – The perfect base shade! I use this every day. It’s also super creamy and easy to apply.
  • Nutmeg – A caramel matte brown – I love using this as a transition shade, it’s a must in my routine! 
  • Isle of Spice – A cinnamon brown matte – I love using this to warm up my makeup looks, it’s another great transition shade but also works for a simple and natural look too. 

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

Okay, so I absolutely love this palette! I think it’s a real reflection ot Tammi’s style and if you like her makeup looks, you’re going to love this! She often posts little tutorials on her instagram that demonstrate how to use the palette, so if you’re unsure of where to start, check it out. The shimmer shades are absolutely BOMB and there are none that I think need improving. The quality is amazing, considering they easily beat some of my higher end palettes! Most of the matte shades are highly pigmented but they may need a tiny bit of work to build them up! I like that this palette is different from the basic ones that come out all the time, it’s clear that thought and creativity went into it!

IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?

You’re paying £10 for a palette that is pigmented, well designed and great quality! I think that’s a fantastic deal if you ask me. Some high end palettes cost £40 and for a fraction of the price, you’re getting the same high quality – yes please? If you like being creative and colourful with your makeup, this is definitely the palette for you, however if you prefer a more natural look, I’d say put your £10 towards a different palette with some nmore natural shades in it.

I hope you enjoyed this review! I always enjoy writing about Makeup Revolution as I think they’re such a fantastic brand! It’s nice that they’ve been able to combine affordable prices with great quality makeup so that more people can afford it! People of all age groups are buying from them and I think that’s such a positive thing. I used to think that I had to spend a huge amount to have really good makeup but that isn’t the case anymore! Go ahead and check out my socials below, I’d love to hear from you!

READ MY SOPH X REVOLUTION REVIEW

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

Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and 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!

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Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos

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.

Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos
Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos

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.

Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos

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.

Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos
  • 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
Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos
  • 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
Soph x Revolution Extra Spice Palette Review, Swatches and Photos
  • 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!

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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
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 Fudge Lipstick Review, Swatches & Photos
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

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BEAUTY

ELIZABETH ARDEN – CREAM SHADOW “02 OVERBOARD” – REVIEW

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Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Today’s review is slightly different but I thought it was worth a shot! Any fellow beauty nerds out there will know that this product was released four years ago, as part of the 2014 Summer Escape range! So how come I’m reviewing it now? Well anyone that knows me well, knows I absolutely love a visit to TK Maxx every now and again. They have an amazing selection of makeup and beauty products, often high-end outdated ranges. I’m always finding NARS, MAC, Too Faced and Bare Minerals bits and pieces! On one of my trips, I discovered this little gem and I simply had to buy it! I know lots of you are makeup lovers so I thought I would share my thoughts! You’re actually still able to get hold of this product via the American Elizabeth Arden website if you click here.

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I was immediately drawn the the beautiful packaging! I love the nautical vibes – perfect for summer! It almost hurt to throw the box away – does anyone else hoard unnecessary amounts of packaging? I’ve never tried anything by Elizabeth Arden before so I guess this is a first impressions post as well as a review!

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I really like that the pot continues to show off the gorgeous nautical print featuring a gold rope design across the navy lid. It’s also a screw cap so you don’t have to worry about the lid flying off at any point (always a bonus, nobody wants to open their makeup bag to find a jackson pollock remake). I love taking little pots like this on holiday with me because they barely take up any room and there’s still enough product inside to create some lovely looks.

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Today I’m specifically looking at Overboard, a shimmery blue cream shadow. LOOK AT THAT! I fell in love with this shade – it literally looks like the ocean. I love wearing colourful eyeshadows during Summer so I knew I could be creative with this one in particular. I don’t actually own anything like this either so I’m excited to add it to my makeup collection!

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I dont think I’ve ever come across anything so creamy and soft! It was a dream to apply and even easier to blend out! I layered it a couple of times for the purpose of the photo but it can be worn with just one layer for a subtle pop of blue. I was so surprised at how pigmented it was too, I was expecting it to be really sheer. The shadow also lasts really well too – I’ve worn it all day before and it hasn’t budged – even in this hot weather. I like to apply it on top of a shimmery silver shadow and then it pops even more. It’s also enriched with Aloe and Vitamin E to protect the eye area and soothe your skin.

CHECK OUT THE EYESHADOW HERE

Overall, I think this shadow is amazing. The quality, the lasting power, the packagaing – the whole lot is 10/10. I love love love it! I really recommend checking out your local TK Maxx because they have some little gems hidden amongst their makeup troughs, so get searching! Have you ever tried any Elizabeth Arden products? If so, what do you love or hate? What have you found in TK Maxx? I hope you enjoyed this post and I’ll be back soon with another!

I’ve linked all my social media below so come and say hi!

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N xxxx

 

 

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2017 BEAUTY BLOGMAS

MAKEUP REVOLUTION SOPH X PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

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BLOGMAS DAY 21

Tam Beauty are the company that own Freedom, Makeup Revolution and I Heart Makeup. They’re cruelty free and are based in Britain. You’ll most likely spot their products in your local Superdrug store. I’ve reviewed their Golden Bar palette if you fancy taking a look. When I heard that Soph was collaborating with Tam Beauty’s brand Makeup Revolution to create a palette, I nearly passed out. I have watched Sophie’s videos for years now and she’s come so far I’m so proud to be a subscriber of hers. She is a Youtuber who is known as ‘Sophdoesnails’. She’s extremely down to earth and she’s soooo good at eye makeup looks. She also reviews the latest products in the beauty world, trying out all kinds of brands – affordable and expensive.   I highly recommend that you go and check out her channel here. She also made an announcement video where she goes through each of the shades and explains her choices and reasoning behind the names and colours.

I’ve only just managed to get my hands on this palette so I thought a review was well overdue.

Processed with VSCO with c1 presetLet’s talk about this packaging. It’s a super pretty pastel pink colour that Soph actually designed herself. She’s very artistic (and extremely talented) and she actually painted the watercolour design that features on the packaging. I am loving the rose gold splatters and writing on it too (right up my street as you probably know). I will definitely be keeping the palette in it’s box as it’s just too pretty to throw away.

Processed with VSCO with c1 presetThe actual palette itself is a matte nude, pastel peach colour with more rose gold lettering on it. It’s slim and lightweight and it’s also got a very generously sized mirror making it a brilliant palette to travel with or for on the go use.

 

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726DF6D3-AA23-4550-AE78-BA1AC869FB8F.JPGUpon opening the palette you are greeted by 24 pans, 14 of which are matte shadows and 10 are shimmers. As you can see the palette includes a fantastic mix of shades giving you so many  options when it comes to creating looks for every day or even looks for all out glam. There’s rich shimmers, bright pops of colour and even a matte black! What more could you need?! The shadows are all pigmented and buildable so you can be more subtle or go full on. I use a primer to ensure they wear all day long so I would recommend doing the same as you really get the most out of the shades. I would also recommend that you do your eyes before doing the rest of your face as I never learn and get a heavy dusting of shimmer all over my foundation covered cheeks – No thanks.

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  • Penguin: A matte white – Quite powdery but is super pigmented for a white shadow.
  • Pancakes: A light neutral beige- Pretty accurate name for the colour actually, it’s a fab transition shade as well.
  • Fairy Lights: A white-gold shimmer – It’s not the most intense shadow in the palette but it’s still buildable and looks lovely for inner corner highlights or on the brown bone.
  • Pink Champagne: A pale pink shimmer – Again this isn’t very intense but it’s certainly buildable and looks so pretty on the inner part of the lid or even all over it.
  • Iced Coffee: A matte warm tan/neutral – Another perfect name. It really does look like the colour of iced coffee. I love using this to warm up the crease as a transition shade.
  • Cuppa Tea: A medium matte warm brown – I also love using this shade to warm up my eyeshadow looks.

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  • Grow Old: A coppery-gold shimmer – This is so beautifully pigmented, I love it! I use this shadow all the time, it’s so warm and pretty.
  • Sparks Fly: A gold shimmer – The perfect gold shadow, it’s a must in any collection. It’s so pigmented and looks so gorgeous on the lids when the light catches it. I love using this for halo looks too.
  • Smokey Bronze: A dark smokey bronze metallic shimmer – You know me, I love anything bronze so I really enjoy using this shade. It’s great for smoking out shimmery looks.
  • Mixed Berries: A purple berry-toned shimmer – I’ve always loved using fun and bold colours within my every day makeup looks, so I was so happy to see this shade included in the palette. It’s also super pigmented too!
  • Tiramisu: A neutral matte medium brown – Again a great shadow for the crease as a transition shade. I also enjoy using this for more natural makeup looks too as it’s not too intense and can be blended out very easily.
  • Peaches: A warm matte peach – This is so creamy and pigmented. I love how rich and warm this shade is too. I can’t wait to use this in summer when I’m creating more orangey/gold looks.

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Cloudberry: A matte light orange – This definitely has some subtle shimmer to it. It’s so pigmented and gorgeous I’m so happy this shade was included! Again, this will be perfect for warm toned looks in summer. I love that she named this because of the Moomin books too!

Pumpkin: A matte orange with red undertones – This shade surprised me so much when I swatched it. It’s so creamy and it’s extremely pigmented, I barely had to press on the pan to pick up what I did.

Pine Tree: An emerald green metallic shimmer – I can’t get over this shade. I am a lover of all things green and khaki as it’s a colour that seems compliment my skin tone so I was so excited about this colour being in the palette. It’s so unique and different from anything else that I have. I have really enjoyed using this for festive looks as it’s the perfect Christmas green in my opinion. It was the tiniest bit chalky to swatch but this didn’t cause any issues when applying.

Petrol: An iridescent metallic blue shimmer with brown undertones – I was really intrigued by this shade as I originally thought it was a blue shimmer. It’s actually a blue to brown shimmer. I was so surprised at how creamy feeling this shadow was. This is so unique, I’ve never owned an eyeshadow like this before!

Pug: A matte grey-brown taupe – Another shade that’s perfect for using in the crease or as a transition shade.

Danger: A red matte – I am a sucker for warm toned shadows so this is right up my street.

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  • Strawberry Sweets: A matte warm strawberry pink – This is such a stunning shade. I like using this for my more bold coloured looks.
  • Festive Flame: Metallic red with orange undertones – Again this is a shade that’s so perfect for festive makeup looks. 
  • Copper Coin: A true copper metallic shimmer with orange undertones – I LOVE THIS SHADE. It’s absolutely gorgeous and so pigmented for a drugstore shadow. Yes Soph!
  • Mugcake: A dark neutral matte brown – I have been using this to darken my outer v and it works a treat. It’s also warm toned which I am all about.
  • Rosewood: A dark cool toned brown with pink and purple undertones – I enjoy using this when I want a more cool toned but dark look.

Nightmare: A matte black – Finally a black shadow included in a colourful palette! It’s so fab for adding some drama to my eye looks. Perfect for a dark and dramatic smokey eye.

In conclusion, this palette is absolutely worth buying. For the price and the range of shades it’s just such good value. There’s so many different shades for every kind of look that you could wish to create and because there’s a mixture of mattes and shimmers you can create looks using only this palette. Some of the shades require a couple of layers to build up the colour payoff but of course, this is more than okay for a drugstore palette that only costs £10. I am so impressed that this was created by Soph and it’s the first thing she’s created – what an achievement! You can get the palette from Superdrug in stores and online and on Tam Beauty’s website.

I will be reviewing her highlighter palette soon so keep an eye out for that! If you’ve tried either of Soph’s products I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

N xxxx

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2017 BEAUTY BLOGMAS

I HEART REVOLUTION: GOLDEN BAR PALETTE – REVIEW, SWATCHES & PHOTOS

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BLOGMAS DAY 19

Superdrug is my favourite place to go when hunting for new (affordable) makeup. They nearly always have at least one display of the TAM Beauty make up brands, Makeup Revolution, Freedom Makeup and I Heart Makeup. I am such a huge fan of these products as they’re always of such high quality and yet they’re priced affordably – what more could you want?

The beauty community has definitely been talking about the I Heart Revolution palettes and rightly so! They’re becoming more and more popular after they launched a collection of dupes for the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palettes. They even duped the Sweet Peach palette (I will be comparing the two in a review soon!). The latest palette from this fabulous brand is the Golden Bar Palette. You can most likely buy this from your local Superdrug store or order it from their site online. TAM Beauty ship internationally so you can also order it on their website.

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I fell in love with this palette as soon as I saw it, the packaging certainly sucked me in – TAM Beauty knew exactly what they were doing! All of the palettes in this collection are designed to look like chocolate bars however this one caught my eye when I noticed the metallic gold packaging. It’s a fricking gold chocolate bar! I also loved the melting chocolate on the front of the palette, it reminded me slightly of the Kylie Cosmetics packaging.

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Not a bad view huh? Featuring 16 shades, this palette was a steal at only £9, especially if you consider the ridiculously expensive Too Faced palettes (£40). The Golden Bar palette may not be exactly the same, however, it’s extremely similar and it’s certainly giving them a run for their money. In my opinion, if you can purchase a highly pigmented palette for even the price of a more expensive one, you’re onto a winner. There’s also a very generously sized mirror covering the entire lid, making this a great palette to travel with. The one thing that I didn’t enjoy about the packaging, was the plastic overlay that had the shade names on it. I would much rather have a palette with the names printed below each shade, making life that little bit easier, especially for tutorials or reviews like this one. Another thing to keep in mind that also let me down slightly is that there are no matte shades. This means a full look can’t really be completed as there is nothing to use as a transition shade so you’d need to use another palette.

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Collection: A cool icy white shimmer –  I love using this for inner corner highlights and under my brows! I sometimes even dot above my lips for a more defined cupid’s bow.

Ribbon: A light pink champagne-shimmer – I would say this is one of the more subtle shades but it’s certainly buildable. I sometimes use a setting spray to intensify it which works perfectly!

Edible: A muted taupe-brown shimmer – In my opinion, this is the least pigmented shadow in the palette. I like the colour for a more subtle hint of brown in my crease but it’s no way near as pigmented as some of the other shades. Again, if you use a setting spray it can intensify it.

Tablet: A dark bronze/gold shimmer – I love using this shadow as it’s darker than the other gold shimmers in the palette so it’s perfect for a less blinding look (I’m all down for full-on lightbulbs on the lid though)

Wrapped: A red/purple toned brown shimmer – I love using this to slightly smoke out my outer lid, however, it’s a shimmer shade of course so it’s not as intense as a matte shadow would be.

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Wrapper: A warm orange/yellow gold with brown undertones – I often use this shade with warm toned shadows to create a red toned look. The orange undertones also meant I could use it for Autumnal looks as well!

Foil: A golden shimmer – I often use this in the centre of the lid as it’s just such a gorgeous shimmer. I used this for a halo smokey eye look the other day and it did a fab job!

Golden: A rich golden shimmer – This is my favourite shadow in the palette. It’s just so insanely pigmented, it’s INCREDIBLE. I can’t believe this came in a palette that costs £9…? It really does show that you don’t need to break the bank to own some crazily pigmented shadows.

Bar: A bronze shimmer with olive-green undertones – I tend to use this shade less as it’s not as blinding or rich as the other gold shades however it’s still a unique colour to have in a palette.

Box: A khaki shimmer – I love this shade, it always looks nice on the lid with a smokey outer corner. I’m a fan of any coloured shadows, especially khaki as I already wear so much of this colour (90% of my wardrobe).

IMG_0995Block: Taupe/dark brown shadow with purple undertones – I use this all the time to add some drama to my eye makeup looks, it’s another great shadow for intensifying the outer lid and creating a smokey eye.

Gift: A milk-chocolate brown shimmer – This is what I would call the perfect chocolate shimmery brown shadow. It’s quite a warm shade too so I like using it for red/orange toned looks but it looks good as part of an everyday look as well.

Limited: A musky pink/purple shimmer with light brown undertones – I absolutely adore this shade, it’s such a gorgeous mixture of pink and purple and of course, it’s shimmery! It looks even better when applied with a setting spray.

Cocoa: A rich red/burgundy shimmer – I am loving using this shade for red smoky eyes which is fab for festive makeup looks!

Beans: A medium-brown shimmer – This is a pretty similar shade to Block, however, I prefer it. It’s lighter and easier to blend into a more everyday look. It’s slightly darker than Limited which makes it better for a smokey eye.

Chocolatier: A light nude/prosecco shimmer with cool undertones – I was pretty disappointed with this shade. Yes, it’s pigmented however it’s so chalky and powdery so getting your brush to pick up the right amount is difficult. It still looks great on the lid, especially for a halo look or inner corner highlights.

Overall, I think this palette is SUCH good value, given how pigmented each individual shadow is. I also have to mention how well the shadows last, they don’t crease and I don’t even use a primer which speaks volumes. The packaging is also amazing and of high quality, unlike some of my cardboard based palettes. I love the variety of colours that this palette offers for such a low price. The negatives of this palette, for me, was the fact that the shade names weren’t printed inside and that there were no matte shades so I can’t use it on its own. However, I would recommend this to anyone looking to build their collection of shimmer shadows as they’re all great quality and very pigmented.

Let me know if you would like reviews of any of the other bits in this collection as I own most of it!

N xxxx

 

Categories
2017 BEAUTY BLOGMAS

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS MODERN RENAISSANCE PALETTE REVIEW & SWATCHES

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BLOGMAS DAY 12

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Today I’m reviewing one of the true gems in my collection, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette. It’s actually one of my favourite palettes, as I mentioned in my review of its sister Subculture! I’ve included photos and swatches so that you can get an idea of the quality of the shadows   – please excuse any wonky lines, arms don’t tend to make the perfect base! Keep scrolling to hear my thoughts…

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The palette is an essential in my collection. It contains 14 beautiful warm neutrals and berry tones which add a stunning pop of colour. It’s mostly a matte palette, with 11 matte shades and 3 metallic shades. It also comes with a soft dual-ended blending brush which actually does a fab job. I’m not usually a fan of  brushes that come with palettes as I like to use my own, however, I’ve ended up using the brush pretty much every day!

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Tempera – A light nude matte with peachy tones – I use this for highlighting underneath my brows and in the inner corners of my eyes! It’s not a shimmery kind of highlight but it’s a clean shade that definitely brightens up any area that it’s applied to. I always use it as a base too.  It’s silky soft and easy to blend.

Golden Ochre – A matte and a muted beige/yellow colour with olive tones – It’s the colour of the perfect (my idea of perfect) cup of tea! It’s the perfect shade for a simple and natural makeup look but it also works out to be a great transition shade if you’re packing some colour in there too.

Vermeer – Iridescent champagne shimmer  –  Such a lovely light shade to put on the inner corner of the lid as it’s a shimmery rose-quartz. It’s got slightly warm/peachy undertones to it too so it’s nice to build up, on the lid. The iridescent sheen of it catches the light which makes it gorgeous for nights out.

Buon Fresco – A matte lilac/mauve – I flipping love this shade. It’s so pretty on the eye and it’s perfect to pair with some pinks and reds! It works so well with the other shades in the palette.

Antique Bronze –  A shimmery brown with rusty red undertones – This is such a gorgeous colour, perfect for festive makeup looks and even in Autumn actually. I tend to wear darker makeup at that time of year (lots of browns, bronzes and coppers)

Love Letter – A raspberry pink matte – This makes the best pink smokey eye ever and I use it so much! It’s a perfect berry tone for the winter months too. It’s slightly dusty but with a few swatches it’s buildable!

Cyprus Umber – A dark coffee brown matte – I use this almost every day to add some drama to the outer corner of my lid, I love it! It’s so pigmented too.

 

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Raw Sienna – An amber matte with golden undertones – I love using this in the crease for more natural eye looks.

Burnt Orange – A deep orange matte – Slightly more of a rich orange shade than Raw Sienna. I tend to use this if I need to warm up my makeup looks – it’s great for Autumn in that sense!

Primavera – Shimmery gold dust with a metallic finish – This is my favourite shade in the whole palette, it is PERFECT for putting in the middle of the lid for a spotlight look or for an inner corner highlight. It’s nicely pigmented and is even more intense when used with setting spray. You could probably use it as a highlighter too, it’s fabulous!

Red Ochre – A burnt, rusty red matte –  I love using this for festive looks to add a pop of red to my eye looks. Colourpop offer a fab dupe for this shade called Popular Demand. I’ve found it takes a bit of building up though so maybe apply it a couple of times to make it slightly less sheer!

Venetian Red – A warm red with a matte finish – Again, fabulous for festive makeup looks. Everyone needs some red shadows in their life!

Warm Taupe – A matte grey with purple undertones– I’m not getting the warmth from this shade that I expected! I’m also not using it all that much as it just doesn’t look that great on me. It’s still lovely and pigmented though!

Realgar – A reddy-brown matte – A rusty red matte shade with subtle warm undertones, really pigmented yet so buttery and easy to blend out. It has subtle warm undertones too.

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I would definitely recommend this palette to those that love using warm tones and enjoys creating more neutral looks but aren’t afraid to use a pop of colour every now and again. For a palette that features mostly matte shadows, they all apply fantastically and are buttery and easy to blend. I have yet to experience any issues with blending out any of the shades. No shades have become patchy either, which to me suggests that every shade was created with very high quality in mind. It’s one of the most pigmented palettes I own, you merely have to tap the shadows lightly and you’ll have picked up plenty. In my opinion, it’s worth every penny as the shadows are of such high quality and there’s a fantastic variety of shades included in the palette. It’s a really versatile palette as it can be used for daytime and nighttime looks If you’re more adventurous with shadows.

I hope you enjoyed my review of this palette and found it helpful if you were trying to make your mind up about it! Below, you’ll find links to my reviews of the other palettes in the collection and I’ve also liked my social media below so come and say hi, I’d love to hear from you!

Read my review of the Subculture palette

Read my review of the Prism palette

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N xxxx

Categories
2017 BEAUTY BLOGMAS MAKEUP

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS SUBCULTURE​ PALETTE {REVIEW & SWATCHES}

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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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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)

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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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Categories
2017 BEAUTY BLOGMAS

URBAN DECAY: NAKED HEAT PALETTE – REVIEW

BLOGMAS DAY 3

So although I reckon I’m pretty late to the party with this, I thought a review was still owed to the undecided out there. Cutting to the chase, this palette is truly AMAZING. I have green eyes so I have always been drawn towards warm-toned shadows as they make my eye colour pop more than any other shades. Although the palette was dropped in the UK on the 27th July, I only just managed to get my hands on it, but I am so glad that it’s now safely tucked away in my makeup bag.

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There have been a variety of Naked palettes released by Urban Decay over the years with some gorgeous gold-hued, cool toned and smokey shades, however, this palette is very different. It contains 12 amber-hued neutral shades (seven mattes and five shimmers) and its sold at a rather terrifying (but absolutely worth it) £39.50. It also comes with an amazing duo-ended brush but it’s in the process of being cleaned after thorough use (so, unfortunately, it won’t have its moment in the photos.)

BeFunky Collage-20.jpgFrom top to bottom, 

  • Ounce – “Ivory shimmer”, it’s creamy & pearly – I use it most days for a brow bone highlight or for my inner corners, haven’t found much use for it on my lids.
  • Chaser – “Matte light nude”, with a tiny hint of coral, it doesn’t have a huge impact but I’ve been using it as a transition shade and to define my crease more.
  • Sauced – “Soft terra-cotta matte”, a red-toned matte fudge shade, I love buffing this into my crease to warm up my look.
  • Low Blow – “Brown matte” (A yellow-y baby poop matte as described over on Theannaedit) although it’s quite a natural shade, I love using this to slightly buff out my look – it blends like a dream.
  • Lumbre – “Copper shimmer w/gold pearl shift”, this rose gold shadow is great for a natural shimmer on the lid especially if you’re into more subtle looks. I’ve worn this mostly during the day as I prefer more intense and pigmented shadows for nights out.
  • He Devil – “Burnt red matte”, I like this shade a lot, it’s perfect for creating a simple warm look as its so easy to blend out into something more subtle. It’s a buildable shade so it can be used for an intense look too.
  • Dirty Talk – “Metallic burnt red”, This. Shade. Is. Amazing.  I do love a good copper shadow and this is a massive 10/10 from me. It’s such a stunning shimmer shade, with a bronze base. I use it for going to uni, clubbing, a quick trip to town (the lot – I can’t get enough) it can work with a more subtle sultry-daytime look as well as a full beat looks for a night out. It’s definitely a buildable shade with incredible pigmentation if you want to go all out.

BeFunky Collage-22From top to bottom,

  • Scorched – “metallic deep red w/gold micro-shimmer”, there are hints of rose gold and copper, I’d say it was just slightly rosier and more coral toned than Dirty Talk so I still love it, how, ver it works more with pink or orange based eyeshadow looks.
  • Cayenne – “deep terra-cotta matte”, such a gorgeous chocolatey brown shade, it’s really pigmented and looks so nice in the outer crease when buffed out. It works so well with He Devil when creating a simple warm-toned look.
  • En Fuego – “burgundy matte”, burgundy is one of my favourite colours to wear as an eyeshadow as in terms of my wardrobe, it really compliments the green in my eyes so I’m always on the lookout for shadows like this. It’s been great when creating more dramatic and intense looks.
  • Ashes – “deep reddish-brown matte”, the colour of this shadow is so beautiful, it’s perfect for autumn with hints of warm purple and burgundy. However, the shade is difficult to blend as it’s quite powdery in consistency.
  • Ember – “deep metallic copper-burgundy”, a stunning shimmer shade with undertones of purple, copper and brown, with even some tiny flecks of pink here and there. I have used this with every smoky eye makeup look that I’ve done since this palette entered my life. I haven’t found anything like this before, it’s so unique.

In conclusion, if you’re into warm-toned eyes looks, this palette is definitely for you. The matte shades blend so easily and the shimmers add a beautiful dramatic yet elegant hint to any look. It can be used for so many different eye looks, which means I get the most out of my money, as I can use it more than just every once in a while. Overall, I would recommend this palette – it’s definitely my favourite Naked Palette by Urban Decay as of yet!

BUY THE PALETTE HERE*

If £39.50 screams HELL NO to you, here are two dupes to help you achieve similar looks without breaking the bank…

NYX – Ultimate Shadow Palette Warm Neutrals – £16 – full of warm neutrals

Morphe – 25B Bronzed Mocha Eyeshadow Palette – £19 – 25 shadows, including deep browns, burgundies, coppers and golds as well as some more subtle shades too.

N xxxx

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