Today's post is all about being friends, with benefits.
But not with just anyone, I'm talking about being friends with benefits with Brazen Cosmetics!
Brazen offers a monthly, subscription type package (think Ipsy, or Birchbox, but only with one brand) of varying levels, and this month I was lucky enough to be sent one of their Spring packages!
(Read about the FWB program here!: http://shop.brazencosmetics.com/pages/friends-with-benefits)
This package is a typical GOLD level. 3 eyeshadow samples, 1 lip product sample size, and 1 full size lip product!
I got three, beautiful eyeshadow samples in the shades Out Loud, Audacious, and Guilty Pleasure. They're perfect spring, bright colors!
Swatched over Concrete Minerals Electric Eye Primer
I also received a sample lip product in the shade Charged, and a full sized lip product in the shade In Yo' Face!
Again, two colors just in time for spring/summer makeup looks!
Wearing all three shadows in Out Loud, Audacious over NYX jumbo pencil in Milk, and Guilty Pleasure as a liner using Medusa's Makeup Eyeliner Seal
What I'm Wearing;
-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer
-NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
-Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Out Loud
-Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Guilty Pleasure
-Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Audacious
-Beauty From The Earth Eyeshadow in Clara
-Wet N Wild Eyeshadow in Brulee
-Medusa's Makeup Eyeliner Seal
-Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eyeliner in Deviant
-Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Elate
-Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Dark Brown
-Sephora Outrageous Volume Mascara
Watch my tutorial to see how I got this look here:
Wearing all three shadows, and Charged on my lips
Often, FWB packages received never before released colors, not available for purchase on the Brazen website! This is both a good and a bad thing, good, because you're wearing them before anyone else! Not so good, because it can be difficult to get a hold of them if you decide to repurchase. All in all, I think the FWB program is a wonderful way to test drive a company if you're unsure about purchasing full size products!
***Disclaimer*** Products shown were sent to me by the company for the purpose of reviewing. However, complimentary products never receive special treatment, I review them just like I'd review something I bought myself. My opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are not influenced by any outside sources, nor do I represent any company.***
Today I have a review on the much anticipated brand new Velvetines from Lime Crime, The Clueless Witch Collection!
Lime Crime launched Velvetines in the original shade Red Velvet, and their line of them has increased to six shades since then. I have never tried the shades that came before these; Red Velvet, Pink Velvet, or Suedeberry.
There are three shades in the Clueless Witch collection. Wicked, a matte burgundy red, Salem, a matte chcoclate brown, and Black Velvet, deepest matte black. They are a liquid formula, that dries completely velvety matte, are extremely longwearing and opaque, and come with a doe-foot applicator.
Upon first application
Dried down
Personally, I find the doe foot applicator to be very messy. It's VERY easy to get wayyy too much product on your lips, when you need very little. These aren't a 'grab-and-go' apply on the run type of product. I find that I need to perfect application and my lip line with a lip brush, and application would be easier if they just had a little brush on the end instead of the doe foot applicator. I can get just about a full day (at least 8 hours) of wear time out of these. Through eating, drinking, talking, and normal wear. The color will start to wear away around the inside part of your lips first, but at least 90% of the color you started with will be there at the end of the day. Which is awesome, because this is a really, really tough product to touch-up on the go.
As for the colors, Black Velvet is really the deepest, matte black. Which is pretty amazing, because black lipstick, or even wearing black eyeliner as lipstick, becomes patchy, uneven, and generally pretty gross looking VERY quickly. Black Velvet doesn't do that. I can literally give my boyfriend (or cat) a kiss on the forehead, and have NO transfer left behind. With a black lip. Salem, is the most interesting (obviously) because it's straight up brown. Not a brown-based red, not a brownish purple. It's just plain brown. I was actually going to skip out on this one, because it's so strange, but I decided to get it because it was unlike anything I currently have, or will probably ever have in the future. It honestly is more wearable and interesting than I was expecting, and I was expecting to hate it. Wicked is a gorgeous deep red. It really suits my skin tone, and the velvety matte finish just makes it almost the perfect red for me.
However, these products are really, REALLY drying. I'm a huge fan of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars, so I'm pretty used to the drying, longwearing, liquid lipstick feeling on my lips. But damn, these, after a few hours, they were painfully dry. Like, cracking and taking my lips with them dry. A gloss or lip butter can help soothe that a bit, but it'll (obviously) void the matte finish, and you'll have a higher chance of transfer and smudges.
Other than the dryness, I have one, major beef with these products. Obviously, there's the whole 'Lime Crime Scandal' thing, that honestly affects A LOT of consumers opinions about the brand as a whole. And many people have just decided to not purchase from Lime Crime at all. I'm not here to discuss that. (google it if you aren't aware and are interested, you'll have your reading for a whole afternoon!) I'm talking purely about the products here. While comparing similar products, I noticed that the Velvetines contain 2.6mL of product, for $20 a pop. And THEN I noticed that OCC Lip Tars contain 10mL for $18 a pop. FOUR TIMES THE PRODUCT! You get a fourth of the product of a lip tar, for a higher price. Also, the NYX soft matte lip creams are a similar product, contain 8mL of product for about $5-6.
Before I purchased these, I didn't look at how much product it contained (because I usually don't), but because there are so many other 'liquid lipstick' products out these days, I noticed that as a comparison point. Talk about a serious rip off/lack of product!
As a conclusion, I personally, honestly do like these products. I'm glad that I purchased them, and I'm happy to use them and can see myself wearing them on occasion. If I were to go Temptalia style and give them a grade, I'd give them around a B-. However, I've decided that I will NOT be purchasing another velvetine from Lime Crime. I'll be sticking to my OCC lip tars, I'll probably never finish a whole one in my life.
Check out my video review here!:
Did you pick up any velvetines from the Clueless Witch collection? Or do you have any of the other velvetines? Are you a fan of them or do you prefer something else? Let me know in the comments!
[This product was purchased by me with my own money and I'm not in any way endorsed or affiliated with Lime Crime.]
Ever get bored of repurchasing the same product over and over again?
I do. I've been using the same concealer (Urban Decay Concealer Stick in CIA) forever, and have repurchased it probably 3 times now. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this concealer, and I love it, but every now and then, I just NEED to try something new!
I don't own a lot of MAC products, so when my concealer started running low, I decided I'd pick one up, and see how I like it. I chose the MAC Pro Longerwear Concealer in NC15.
$19 USD for .30 fl oz
MAC describes this product on the website as:
"A lightweight fluid concealer that provides medium to full coverage with a comfortable, natural matte finish. Colour-true formula lasts up to 15 hours. Helps conceal and correct the look of under-eye circles, and discolorations. Comes in a clear glass vial with a matte black pump."
Now, I don't have a MAC store within hours of me, so I can't go to the store to test things out, and rely on the online descriptions. Luckily I'm pale as a ghost, so I know that usually the lightest shade a company makes will be my shade, unless it's too dark.
I pretty much only use concealer under my eyes, and occasionally around my face if I'm having a bit of discoloration, but mostly, it just goes under my eyes. Because of this, I was a little worried about that matte finish making my under eye area looking dry and flaky. However, it doesn't accentuate my dry skin at all. I'm not used to concealer in a liquid form, so application took some getting used to. I usually dab this product on with my fingers where needed, and then blend out the edges with a fluffy brush, I've been liking the Real Techniques Setting Brush.
The color is a pretty good match for me. Slightly yellow, BUT the really helps color-correct my purple-ish dark circles under my eyes. Also, I apply foundation BEFORE my concealer, and go back in with concealer to cover and areas that need a little extra help. It doesn't make sense to me to apply concealer before foundation, because you'll end up applying far too much, but I suppose that's all a method of personal preference. I can't speak on the 15 hour wear time claim, I usually don't wear face makeup that long for any reason!
Overall I've really been enjoying this concealer from MAC!
If you have issues with concealer creasing under the eyes, this one might be a little less likely to move around and settle into lines.
Have you tried this concealer before? Do you have a 'holy grail' concealer, or do you love trying new products too much to stick to one?
[This product was purchased by me with my own money and I'm not in any way endorsed or affiliated with MAC Cosmetics.]
Super exciting post for you guys today! I just got my Urban Decay Cosmetics Electric Palette in the mail!
As soon as this palette was 'leaked' or even hinted about, I was beyond excited, and knew I HAD TO HAVE IT as soon as it was released. I don't know about you guys, but I'm so sick of getting 'Naked'. Naked palettes galore, Naked skin Foundation (which I do love!), Naked Lip Gloss, I'M OVER IT URBAN DECAY! Well, it seems they've finally heard our cries for color, and so the Electric palette is born.
Urban Decay describes this palette as:
"It's a color addict's ultimate fix: a mind-blowing palette filled with 10 of the brightest, most amazing shades you've ever laid eyes on - including eight never-before-seen shares you won't find anywhere else - plus a double-ended brush. Choose from matte, satin, and shimmer textures. From current exclusive Chaos (the most highly coveted shade from The Vice Palette) and Freak (neon green) to Urban (metallic purple) and Jilted (fuchsia with a blue shift), this palette has it all. And the color payout? INSANE. Our Pigment Infusion System delivers soft, creamy, blendable color that lasts."
-Taken from the Electric Palette Box
I do wish they had skipped the re-promoted colors Chaos and Revolt. I have The Vice Palette, and I'm not a fan of Chaos in it. It just doesn't go with The Vice Palette, and I hardly use it. Revolt can be found in one of the Face Case palettes as well. A silver has no place in this palette. Sure, maybe a silver and blue or purple look, but honestly I just don't like that they included it in this palette. I'd be happier with this if they left both those shades out and made it an 8 color palette even. I'd would have LOVED to see a matte yellow, or a matte black in place of those shades, I really think including those colors instead of re-promoted shades would have made it a more complete palette.
I also don't think any of the shades in this are a true 'matte' shadow. Chaos and Savage come close, but there are still hints of sparkle in the pan, even though they hardly show up on the eyes/swatched. I DO, however, think that the fact that most of these have a hint of shimmer to them makes them easier to blend, especially for those just beginning to dip your toes into brighter colors.
Revolt, Gonzo, Slowburn, Savage, and Fringe (Swatched over UDPP)
Chaos, Jilted, Urban, Freak, and Thrash (Swatched over UDPP)
Revolt - Shimmering metallic Silver. I find this to be a true, neutral (but more cool toned) silver. Not a fan of it in this palette, but it's not a bad color.
Gonzo - Turquoise blue. I love the brightness of this color. Mostly matte, similar to Sugarpill's Afterparty eyeshadow.
Slowburn (not safe for eyes) - Bright, red based orange. Super pigmentation in this color!
Savage (not safe for eyes) - Matte neon pink. Gorgeous and opaque.
Fringe - Shimmering forest green with hints of blue. A great crease shade for this palette. Blends beautifully with the blues AND the greens.
Chaos - Bright matte royal blue. Slightly patchy, but applies better to the eyes than in a swatch.
Jilted (not safe for eyes) - Bright fuchsia with a blue shift. Blue shift isn't as pronounced as some of UD's other shades. Swatched a lot more pink than it looks in the pan.
Urban (not safe for eyes) - Deep pink-toned purple. I'm surprised this one is on the 'not safe for eyes' list honestly. Has pink shimmer through it.
Freak - Shimmer light green. I ADORE this shade in the eyeliner, so happy it's an eyeshadow as well now!
Thrash - Bright vibrant chartreuse. Amazing pigmentation with bright sparkle. This shade made me gasp out loud when I swatched it!
In this look, I used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Electric Palette Eyeshadows in Freak, Thrash, Fringe, Chaos, and Gonzo
Wet N Wild Eyeshadow in Brulee
Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Liner in Perversion
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Freak
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Deviant
Sephora Outrageous Volume Mascara
Now, Urban Decay pulls a little fun here, and includes a sneaky little insert that reads that "Slowburn, Savage, Jilted, and Urban are NOT intended for use in the immediate eye area." Also, notice that this palette is not marketed directly as an 'eyeshadow palette', but rather, a 'pressed pigment palette'. Here's why that is. 'Neon' shades in cosmetics have not been FDA approved in the United States. However, have been approved for use in the eye area in Canada and Europe. (Think of the Sleek Acid palette!) So basically, UD is covering their asses by including that little bit of info, and marketing this as a 'Pressed Pigment Palette'. Most people who have allergies to cosmetics tend to react to the dyes and pigments used in reds, and pinks, and ingredients used to make these colors. In my own personal opinion, I choose to not heed these warnings, and will be using said shades on my eyes. This is because I KNOW my body, and I know that I have no problems or irritations using shades like this around my eyes. It's you to YOU, and YOU ONLY to decide how you will use these pigments. Don't say I (or Urban Decay) didn't warn you. It's very possible that you could be allergic to these strong pigments. So proceed with caution!
Overall, I'm in love with this palette. No palette is perfect, so I can work with the re-promoted shades, and the 'Not safe for eyes' shades do not bother me. You can check out my video review of it here!:
Are you planning on picking up this palette? Let me know your thoughts on it in the comments section! Also feel free to ask any questions and I'll do my best to answer them, I want to help you decide if this palette is right for you!
[This product was purchased by me with my own money and I'm not in any way endorsed or affiliated with Urban Decay Cosmetics.]
I know the majority of my makeup collection and looks are all focused around the eyes. Eyeshadows, Liners, and Mascaras galore!
So I've decided to show you my small, but growing collection of blushes!
Blush is a wonderful product, after blanking out all of your imperfections with foundation and concealer, blush brings little bit of color and life back into your face.
Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Palette
This was one of the FIRST products I ever purchased blush/bronzer wise. I couldn't get over how cute it was! While it's not available anymore (on Sephora.com or TooFaced.com) I believe all of these products are sold separately in full size. It includes a mini of Peach Leopard Bronzer, which is unfortunately too dark/orange for me (duh), Candy Leopard Blush, which is a gorgeous candy pink shimmery blush, and Pink Leopard Highlighter. Pink Leopard may be a great highlight on darker skin tones, but due to how fair I am, you can almost see the brownish specks on my cheeks, not cute! Overall only the Candy Leopard shade really works for me, which is why I haven't really used this palette much at all!
Tarte Off The Cuff Blush Palette
I got this gorgeous palette this year for Christmas, and I am IN LOVE with it. It includes one bronzer in the shade Park Avenue Princess, and four blushes in the shades Crave, Dazzled, Darling, and Dollface. I haven't even touched the bronzer, since I don't use it, but I've used and loved all of the blush shades. Darling is one of my favorites to wear with any eye/lip look.
Hard Candy Fox in a Box Blush in Smooth Talker
THIS, is what I use for 'contouring'. Yes. This. I am just THAT fair-skinned. These shades mix together perfectly to create a darker, but still warm and pink-toned shade that is just a perfect contour color for me without being too brown, too orange, or too harsh. I've gone through an ENTIRE one of these, and I'm on my second one. It's very similar, but I believe less shimmery than Benefit's Sugarbomb boxed blush. Can't beat the drugstore price tag either!
Victoria's Secret Cheek Love Powder Blush
Found this little gem last year at their semi-annual sale. It's a beautiful baby pink color, without being too harsh or ashy looking. It's mostly matte, but has a slight hint of shimmer in certain light. Not enough to give a highlighting effect though. This is one of my go-to blushes, but unfortunately it's been discontinued! =[
Too Faced Sweetheart Blush in Candy Glow
When I saw Too Faced preview these last spring/winter, I had to have it. Just for the packaging alone. This is the original shade Candy Glow, but I believe there have been two new shades added to the Sweetheart line recently! While a bit sheer, this blush is just gorgeous. All three shades mix together for a perfectly pink flush on my skin. It's got shimmer in it, so it can double as a highlighting blush on darker skin tones as well. Over anything, I just love seeing this cute little box sitting on my makeup desk.
NARS Deep Throat Blush
It wouldn't be a blush blog without NARS. Of the few I've tried, Deep Throat is my favorite shade. (Can you tell? My package is literally in two pieces) It's a beautiful peachy pink blush with amazing shimmer in it. Looks so pretty on my skin, and compliments any look I wear.
NARS Orgasm Blush
Andddd it wouldn't be a REAL blush blog without NARS Orgasm blush. This is just a mini guy I got as a Sephora perk. I'm honestly glad I didn't give into the hype and buy a full size, because despite this being like the #1 blush, it doesn't suit me that well. It's slightly darker, and slightly more peach than Deep Throat, and along with the strong gold shimmer, it can be just a little too intense on my extremely porcelain skin. However, I'm happy to have a mini size of it, just to say I own it!
And that's IT for my blushes that I currently own! I'm definitely becoming more and more interested in the fun world of blushes, and can't wait to add some more to my collection. What are some of your favorite blushes that you own? What are some you're just dying to try?
I've finally received my Sugarpill Cosmetics Cold Chemistry palette in the mail! Hooray!!!
Finally, my dream come true! Sugarpill describes this palette as:
"A luxury eyeshadow collection created in collaboration with Amelia Arsenic, designer of cult fashion and art brand A is for Arsenic London.
This dark collision of glamour and nocturnal worlds features four richly pigmented, shimmering meteoric shades which blend seamlessly together. The collection combines Amelia's dark aesthetic with Sugarpill's trademark velvety smooth eyeshadow formula. "
So, for those of you who don't know, I've been obsessed with Amelia and her band (Angelspit) for literally YEARS now (we're talking since like 2007). So once I heard she was collaborating with Sugarpill, one of my favorite makeup brands, I just died on the inside. I had to have it!
I was seriously dying of anticipation for over a year for this collection! Ever since Sugarpill even hinted at it, I knew it was something that needed to be in my life!
The packaging design on this is incredible. I adore Amelia's design work!
This palette includes four shimmery shades. Soot & Stars, Diamond Eyes, Elemental Chaos, and Subterranean.
Soot & Stars - Metallic gunmetal with prismatic sparkle
Diamond Eyes - Satin white with crystalline sheen
Elemental Chaos - Deep grape shimmer with iridescent blue undertones.
Subterranean - Lustrous peacock green with navy blue undertones
Left to Right - Soot &Stars, Diamond Eyes, Elemental Chaos, and Subterranean (Swatched on bare skin with no base)
Wearing all four shades!
Video Review!:
My favorite shade so far is Soot & Stars, it's just so smoky and delicious! My least favorite in the palette is surprisingly Elemental Chaos. It's the most chunky/difficult to work with in my opinion. However, it's not unusable. These shades are all shimmery, and something a little different from the bright, neon world of Sugarpill we all know and love.
I am absolutely adoring this collection. I can see myself wearing/using this palette for the next week for sure!
