Review: Urban Decay "Pulp Fiction" Palette!

On Sale!

First things first... I haven't seen Pulp fiction (yet!) I know I know, it's a classic but honestly I'm not a big movie watcher haha. Must be because my husband puts on a movie almost every night but shhhh don't tell him! Urban Decay released this palette a few months back for $34.... pretty pricey so I passed on it. But the priced was recently reduced to $16 and I had a 20% off coupon for anything at Ulta so I decided to pick it up! At that price it was a bargain and so far I love this palette!

The packaging is really eye-catching, love the colors and how compact it is. When you have as many palettes as I do smaller is better haha.

It has a nice size mirror so its a great palette to take with you if you're traveling. At first I thought the palette was very similar to the Naked Basics palette but it's actually warmer. I owned the Naked Basics but I decided to sell it since I wasn't using it much... now I know why. The colors weren't as warm as I wanted for blending and such. This one has warmer shades and I just tend to gravitate towards those colors.

All the colors are truly perfect for everyday or to use in combination with other palettes that are lacking a good brown color.

My only con is that I wished they wouldn't put the black and white shade together, it's pretty difficult to try to pick up some color without touching the other. Here are the swatches:

My favorite shades are Tyranny and Vengeance, beautiful rich browns! Tyranny is the best crease/blending shade and Vengeance would looking amazing all over the lid for a brown smokey eye! Righteous is also a great one, it's so pigmented and silky! Overall a great palette!

Oh! I wanted to point out this adorable brush that comes with the palette, is actually pretty decent in a pinch.

Bottom line: This is a great neutral palette! I'm so glad they lowered the price because honestly $34 is way too much for 5 shades. Now $16 is more like it and keep in mind the quality of these shadows is outstanding! I'm a huge fan of Urban Decay and when their palettes are on sale I say what the heck?... buy it! You won't be disappointed. :-)

Review: ColourPop Lippie Stix! (Satin & Mattes!)

Lippies With Attitude!

So as you can tell by the picture I gave in! haha. I've been hearing so many great things about the ColourPop Lippie Stix so I decided to place an order a few weeks ago. I love the ColourPop shadows so I definitely had high hopes for these. They are only $5 each so it didn't set me back much at all, plus they offer free shipping on orders of $30 or more.

They have a few different finishes but I stuck with the satins and mattes! It wasn't on purpose though, it just so happened that the bold colors were satins and mattes and we all know how much I love a bold lip! I love their packaging, it's really cute and different! The tube is really sturdy, not cheap feeling by any means. I love that you don't have to fuss with sharpening since they are twistable. 

Let's start with the two satin colors! The formula on these is really nice and comfortable. They last about 5 hours before you notice any fading. I do recommend to use an anti feathering lip liner like the one from Milani to avoid the color from bleeding. The shape of  the lippie makes it super simple to apply, with precision which is important with these colors! I heard that they had a sweet vanilla scent... honestly some do and the rest smell more like plastic which is a bummer.
Here are lip swatches:

*Wifey- a bright lavender pink, not my favorite because it's not the most flattering on my skintone. It went on really smooth though and honestly the name was just too cute!
*Flawless- a deep violet-berry, definitely one of my favorites! Love the color for fall and it's pretty similar to Mac's Rebel but much more affordable. Must have color!

Now we have the mattes! The formula on these is beautiful, a true matte! They are slightly drying upon application so a lip balm is a must. These stay on like super glue... or close to it haha. If you're looking for a super long wearing lipstick this is a great one. For that reason please excuse the lip swatches, it was so hard to swatch them one after another haha. But at least you get the idea of what the colors looks like on ;-)

*Heart On- a bright magenta, such a stunning color! I really love this one, it's a great year round shade.
*Bossy- a blue based red, really pretty and makes your teeth look ultra white!

*Bichette- a deeper wine shade, I was really excited about this color but after wearing it I noticed it wasn't the most unique. Still a pretty color for this time of year though!

*Creature- a blackened burgundy, I was a bit nervous about this one because it looked so dark online, it's more wearable than I thought but you will need a liner with this one for an even color.

Bottom line: For $5 you can't go wrong! The shade range is wide and they recently added some fun colors that I'm hoping to get my hands on soon. They have matching lip liners called "Lippie Pencils" for each Lippie Stix for the same price. I decided to pass on them at first because I personally don't wear liners too often but I do recommend them for the deeper shades for better color payoff and a more precise look! Overall, packaging + formula gets an A+! ColourPop is such a cool brand, make sure to give them a try! :-)

Review: E.L.F Studio Baked Eyeshadow Trios!

Stunning Shadows!

I'm a huge fan of the E.L.F baked eyeshadows so when they released these trios I was super excited! The colors were so pretty in the pan and even prettier when swatched. Just like other baked shadows you can use these wet or dry so it's really versatile. For only $4... it's a steal. Now, on the E.L.F website there's a "limited quantities available" alert so if it's something you'd like make sure to order it before it's gone! There's four trios available and I have all four to review for you :-)

The packaging is simple, just like the other baked shadows. I'm really happy that the the shadows are individually large enough for you to get your brush in, sometimes brands miss that and it becomes a mess. I also love how they look when used wet! The color payoff is awesome when used that way and gives a lot of dimension to your look. Over primer they last all day with no issues, pretty good for $4 right? Here are the swatches:

*Peach Please- I'm in love with the center shade, so beautiful all over the lid! The brown leans more on the bronze side, perfect for deepening up the look. The lighter shade is a pretty yellow gold color, not the most pigmented but can still be used as a brow bone highlight! :-)

*Brown Bonanza- just look at that copper gold... another one I love!  So pigmented and smooth, really great formula! The brown in this trio is not as metallic as the rest, more of a satin finish which is great for blending with a light hand. The lighter shade leans more of champagne color, lacks in pigmentation but can be used over the brown for a nice sheen.

*Lavender Love- even though I don't wear purple shadows too often I still love them! This trio is really nice but the most powdery of the bunch. I did experience some fall out with the first two shades but a sticky base would fix it. The lightest shade is my favorite in this trio, it's like a taupe-lavender, really unique!

*Smoky Sea- this trio truly impressed me! I don't tend to wear blues but the color combo in this trio is so in sync. I was inspired immediately when I saw a fellow blogger create a smokey eye with this trio and it was stunning! All the colors are nice in pigmentation, no complaints with this one.

Bottom line: These trios are great! I really enjoy the baked formula and how you can control how bold you want your look to be. I would skip on the Lavender Love because it wasn't up to par with the rest of them. Other than that they are great quality and something that's worth every penny. I hope they're still available for purchase!  :-)

Review: Too Faced Sugar & Spice Eyeshadow Palette! (Holiday 2014!)

It's That Time of Year!

Holiday season: the time of year to spend time with your family, eat delicious food and purchase holiday palettes! ;-) So many great palettes and so little time(and money! haha) Today I have the Too Faced Sugar & Spice Eyeshadow Palette to review for you! It's an Ulta Exclusive which retails for $39, pretty good deal! 

This is everything that comes in the set! I was going back and forth about the palette but when I received a 20% off coupon to be used on anything at Ulta I knew it was a sign haha. I've been using it for a few weeks now and truly love it! I tend to lean for more full on warmer palettes but I decided to give this one a shot since it has some cooler tones too and I'm so happy I did!

These colors are perfect for both everyday and night out looks, very versatile. The shadows are buttery smooth just like Too Faced does best! The mix of finishes in the palette is also really great! The packaging is also super cute, gold glitters but no worries because they don't fall off. Plus it comes with a deluxe size of the Better Than Sex Mascara which is one of my favorites. 

My main concern was that I didn't want something similar to my Chocolate Bar Palette which I'm glad to report that it's very different. As much as I love the same golds, coppers and bronzes I really wanted a unique neutral palette and this is a great choice. The creams, pinks and grayish purples are so beautiful, my favorites from the palette. Here are the swatches by row:

*Coconut Cream- a really opaque matte white, so smooth and perfect as a highlight or an all over lid shade.
*Nutmeg- a metallic light golden brown, very pretty on the lid!
*Biscotti- a bronze metallic, one of my go to shades to deepen up a look, so smooth and pigmented.
*Sugared Violet- a satin blackened purple with purple shimmers, reminds me of one of the shades in the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, really pretty!

*Champagne Truffle- a light, slightly golden beige shade with a frosty finish, a great inner corner highlight shade!
*Pink Frosting- a really opaque light baby pink metallic shade, one of my favorites! It's one of the cooler shades in the palette and such a versatile color.
*Cinnamon Sugar- a golden bronze metallic shade, lighter than Biscotti, really gorgeous!
*Chocolate Cake- a matte dark brown, great basic shade to smoke out a look.

*Meringue- a pink-beige matte shade, another great color for a brow bone highlight or lid shade!

*Clove- a cooler matte grayish purple shade, another one of my favorites! This is the perfect crease/blending shade, kinda reminds me of mauve from the Lorac Pro Palette!

*Bon Bon- a light frosted lilac shade, very unique! Looks amazing as a pop of shimmer on the lids over some of the darker shades.

*Black Licorice- a matte black, not the deepest black but another great basic to deepen up some looks!

Bottom line: I really enjoyed this palette! My past few palette purchases have been full of warmer shades like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy and Tamanna palettes and this one was just something different which I love. I know that Too Faced released the Everything Nice Palette (which is gorgeous), if you're looking for more pops of color I would recommend that one. But... many may overlook this one because it's neutral but it's not your ordinary neutral palette! The value is awesome, I recommend to give it a shot if you've been eyeing it. :-)

Dupe Alert: Drugstore Alternative of Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Wolvesmouth!

Get The Look For Less!

A few months back the Wet n Wild Fergie lipsticks (Perfect Pout Lip Colors!) were on a really great sale so I decided to pick up some of the more unique colors, D-Vinely Chilled was one of them! Then it hit me... this color looks really similar to my Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Wolvesmouth that I love so much! :-) I wanted to share this alternative because it's way more affordable plus the formula on the Wet n Wild Fergie Lipsticks is a lot creamier!

Here's a closeup of both the colors, pretty close right?! Kat Von D is notorious for being so creative and having some amazing products. Wet n Wild does the same at a more budget friendly price range, I truly love both brands! Wolvesmouth is a metallic berry lipstick with a matte finish, so gorgeous and comfortable on the lips. The shimmer is more noticeable in the Wet n Wild dupe plus the color has more red than berry. But overall the look is pretty darn close! Metallic lips isn't for everyone, I'm a big fan and what better way to try it yourself than with D-Vinely Chilled!

Both lipsticks last pretty well! If I had to mention one con it would have to be that the you can slightly feel the shimmers on the Wet n Wild lipstick. Nothing too annoying but worth mentioning. Here are the lip swatches:

Wolvesmouth is on the left and D-Vinely Chilled is on the right. D-Vinely Chilled is a cream formula so it has more of a sheen. Both are gorgeous shades! :-)

Bottom line: If you've been interested in the metallic look Wet n Wild is the way to go! It's about $4 for the lipstick compared to $21, very affordable dupe! NYX also released a new line of "Wicked Lipsticks" with a nice range of awesome metallic shades, stay tuned for a review soon. They don't have a berry shade but they have some crazy colors which is right up my alley! :-)

Review: E.L.F Studio Matte Lip Colors! (New Shades!)

The Most Affordable Matte Lip!

Matte lips are quickly becoming my favorite finish... for now! ;-) Like I've said before, the formula is something that can be hit or miss so I'm a fan of trying a few brands to see which is the best. Today I'm reviewing the E.L.F Studio Matte Lip Colors which can be found at Target, Walmart and eyeslipsface.com. Each lip color retails for $3 but more often than not you can find a coupon code for 50% off the entire site, so I manged to get them for only $1.50 each! 

E.L.F recently released three new shades (last three in the pic above!) which I have to review too but... as I'm writing this I checked the site and they are no longer available. They weren't labeled as limited edition so my guess is that they're sold out and hopefully E.L.F will be bringing them back soon. If you like them just continue to check the site every once in a while!

Let's start with the OG colors first! I wanted to try out some neutral colors because I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect lip color for my wedding day which is coming up very soon! ^__^  And I just had to order a true red because there's nothing better than a matte red lip!

Now we have the new shades! These shades are so perfect for fall, and I have a feeling that they have been reformulated. They went on a lot smoother and creamier than the original colors so I highly recommend these! Here are the lip swatches:

*Natural- a peachy pink nude, pretty but the formula tugged a bit upon application. Some gloss would be ideal with this color so it feels more comfortable.

*Tea Rose- A mauve pink, gorgeous shade but same formula as the first one. But... this color is amazing so I might overlook the dryness and just apply some lip balm beforehand haha.

*Rich Red- a bright cherry red, not the vampy color we've all seen on my my blog haha. I love this one! It's so flattering and the formula is more hydrating than the other two, must have!

*Fuchsia- a more magenta pink, really pretty and the smoothest of them all! But... it didn't dry matte, had a glossier finish to it and was also kinda sheer. Still a lovely shade but makes the line seem so inconsistent as far as formula.

*Wine- a reddish plum shade... actually wine is the perfect way to describe it! My favorite from the line! Has the best formulation, stays on all day and your lips just look good enough to eat with this color, love!

*Cranberry- a deeper red in the swatch but goes on a bit sheer, not as bad as fuchsia but the difference in opacity is noticeable. Still a beautiful shade!

Bottom line: My favorite colors are Tea Rose and Wine, those you need to get asap! The price point is amazing, by far the most affordable matte lip in the market. The line entirely is a bit hit and miss, but at that price you can really argue haha. For a quick lip this product is perfect! Plus idk if you guys knew but the color cap at the bottom is actually a sharpener! ;-) Check out my previous posts for more reviews on matte lipsticks!

Review: Urban Decay Smoked Eyeshadow Palette!

Catch it On Sale!

While I had the 20% off code for the Ulta site I decided to check out some of the Urban Decay products! I stumbled upon the Urban Decay Smoked Eyeshadow Palette, something that caught my eye before but passed on since smokey looks is not my go to. But... it was on sale for $29 plus my discount... I couldn't say no! I heard many of my favorite beauty vloggers rave about this palette so I wanted to test it out myself. 

Here are my thoughts :-)

The value is pretty darn good! Normally this palette retails for $49, now at that price I don't think it's worth it unless smokey shades are your thing. For the sale price of $29 is a steal for the quality of this palette. The packaging is so different and convenient for traveling. It's pretty compact and has a zipper closure... cool right? It's actually smaller than I thought which is a good thing.

It comes with a deluxe size of the primer potion and a full size eyeliner in the shade perversion which is $20 on its own. The liner made it totally worth it because it was something I was wanting to try anyways.

Here's a closeup of the colors:

I love the layout of the palette, neutrals on top and colors on the bottom. My main con about the palette is that the shadows were a bit powdery. I found the deeper mattes to be slightly difficult to blend... just took longer than usual but nothing that you can't work with. Other than that the palette gets two thumbs up for pigmentation! The perversion liner was also very impressive by the way! I wore it to my bachelorette party (which was so much fun!) and it lasted all night long... even when I cried after laughing so hard haha. Let's get into swatches:

*Kinky- a  matte creamy ivory, very pigmented which I love! Great highlight or lid shade.
*Freestyle- a matte light nude, another great color, I used it in combination with the dark brown in the crease.
*Mushroom- a metallic taupe-grey... amazing! One of the smoothest colors in the palette and the color is just so pretty!
*Back Door- a matte dark brown, really pigmented which in a way made it difficult to blend. Great basic though.
*Blackout-  a matte black, a little bit powdery but the color payoff is awesome!

*Barlust- a metallic golden brown... one of my favorites! It's so buttery and such a gorgeous color!
*Rockstar- a dark smokey purple, awesome pigmentation, can't wait to play with it more!
*Evidence- a metallic navy blue, not too deep on the lid and needed to be packed on.
*Loaded- a metallic blackened green, so unique and one I plan on using for the holidays!
*Asphalt- a metallic gunmetal grey with silver micro-shimmers, love that it has some dimension to it, really pretty on the eyes.

Bottom line: This is a pretty good deal for an Urban Decay palette! There's tons of possibilities with this palette and even though its the"smoked" palette there's plenty of neutrals so you can use it everyday. The pops of colors are so fun, really takes this palette from ordinary to extraordinary! Most Urban Decay retailers has this palette on sale so make sure to check it if you've been interested, now is the perfect time! :-)

CCO Finds: Bobbi Brown 24 Karat Shimmer Brick!

My First Shimmer Brick!

Thank the heavens for the CCO's or Cosmetic Company Outlets!! This is the place to go if your frugal like myself but want a taste of the high end world. If you're in Utah make sure to check out the one in Park City, in the Tanger Outlets and you'll be hooked! My first CCO find is this Bobbi Brown 24 Karat Shimmer Brick (*jumps with joy*) haha. Normally the shimmer bricks are about $45-$50 depending if its limited edition or not...way too much for a highlight powder. I found this one for only $29.50! :-) Still pricey for a highlight but for a makeup enthusiast it's an amazing deal! Here's what it looks like:

This shimmer brick was released 2 years ago so it's not something you can currently find in stores. That's the beauty of a CCO; you can find limited edition products, discontinued ones or overstock items at a discounted price, normally 30% off or more! It's an Estee Lauder company so the brands you'll find will be Bobbi Brown, Mac, Clinique and many more! It really varies by locations, make sure to search for your nearest one to see what items you may find. 

Now back to the shimmer brick haha. It's described as a gold pearlecent shimmer which is pretty accurate! The pearlecent aspect comes from the bottom pink rows which leaves the most amazing "lit from within" look on your cheeks! It's so silky to the touch, just like I hoped! Here are the swatches:

Here's every strip swatched plus the color when blended together, so beautiful! I love the idea of having options to make your own concoction, it's truly a versatile product. They would even make beautiful eyeshadows or inner corner highlight. At the discounted price I think one shimmer brick is worth having. It's a luxury item but I believe in treating yourself every once in a while! ;-) The sheen does last a good 4 hours btw!

Bottom line: I highly recommend the CCO route for the shimmer bricks! The discount is worth it, I can't imagine paying $50 for this. I tend to stop by the CCO seasonally just to see what new items they have. This was a great find and hopefully it inspires you to gift yourself a nicer product because your worth it! There's always cheaper alternatives from brands like Physicians Formula but there's nothing quite like the silkiness of the shimmer brick. YAY for discounts! :-)

Review: Too Faced Melted Kisses Set! (Holiday 2014!)

Amazing Value!

I haven't seen a holiday set cuter than this one by Too Faced! It's called the Melted Kisses Set which comes with four deluxe sizes of the liquified long wear lipsticks for only...*drum roll please* $25! I wanted share this set + some swatches in case you've been eyeing it because it's an amazing value! One full size of the liquified long wear lipsticks is $21 so this set is the perfect way to try out a few of the colors for a few bucks more. I've fallen in love with shades I didn't think I would at first glance and I'm sure you will too!

Here are the minis, so adorable right? Just in case you don't own one of the lipsticks already let me tell why the are an A+ product: a little goes a long way, they have a sponge tip applicator which makes application so smooth and they last all day! It's such a well formulated product and one I highly recommend.

Melted Fig is my all time favorite shade from the line. Here's the comparison of the full size compared with the deluxe size. These minis will last you forever! I've used Melted Fig so much and haven't even made a dent haha.

They go on glossy at first but within seconds they dry to a matte finish. But no worries, they are very comfortable on the lips and don't dry them out one bit! Lets get into some lip swatches:

*Melted Nude- a peachy nude, this color actually surprised me! I love it! I'm not the biggest nude wearer but this color pairs so well with smokey eye and doesn't wash me out.
*Melted Peony- a light creamy pink, really pretty! I'd see this one becoming a favorite for many people! Me? I love the brights which are next!

*Melted Fuchsia- a bright hot pink, gorgeous shade! I actually sold my full size I had in this shade because I wanted more berry lippies but I'm happy to have it again, love it! Great Spring/Summer shade.

*Melted Berry- a berry-red shade, stunning! I purchased the set mainly for this color and it didn't let me down! Great holiday shade!

Bottom line: If you were to purchase a holiday set I would recommend this one in a heartbeat! Its such a great deal and you'll definitely find an occasion to wear the colors in the set, whether it be everyday or a night out! Too Faced is currently having a friends and family sale, you can actually get 20% off the site including this set which makes it only $20! Make sure to check it out, Too Faced has some amazing products that are worth every penny. :-)