May Beauty Favourites

Hellooo lovelies,

 The time has come once again for a round up of the make-up items that I have been loving over the past month! It's been a right old funny month this month with really warm weather one day but then really rainy weather but the best part of this month for me has undoubtedly been the fact that the days are getting much longer. Especially on the really warm days where you can relax in the evenings outdoors till 11pm before it properly gets dark!

 My lipstick favourite of this month has been MAC 'Morange', a shade I was initially unsure if it would suit me. However, I have grown to love orange lips more and more and have been loving having this eye catching colour on my lips in May. I have done a more in depth review of this in my recent MAC Monday post here.

 My favourite nail polish this month has been one of Barry M's new gelly shade colours 'Rose-Hip'. It's a pretty pale pink that goes with pretty much everything and I've had a busy month during May and I've often needed my nails to go with multiple outfits so this has been the perfect colour. It's also very complimentary with a tan I must say!

 I've mentioned before my love of the Nars copacabana illuminator mixed with foundation in my review of it. However, I've especially loved it this month mixed in with my Nars Sheer Glow foundation, they're absolutely perfect together for creating a natural dewy look!

 Probably my biggest favourite this month has been the Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion which I will do a full review on soon because I love it that much! It's completely and yes that is completely rid my skin of any blemish marks or redness left behind from angry spots. I was amazed when I tried La Roche Posay because the results with that were impressive but I was still left with a few blemish marks but this has completely rid my skin of all of them. PLUS it is only £9 so it's about £6 cheaper than La Roche Posay! I'm not entirely sure if my results are so outstanding by using this at night as instructed and my La Roche Posay in the morning but I for sure know that this product has wowed me!

 This month I've also been loving my EOS lipbalms because as you probably already know I can't sleep at night if I haven't put lip balm on! So I have one beside my bed, one at my boyfriends, one in my handbag and one in my jacket pocket- obsessive I know but I hate having dry lips. I especially love EOS ones because they effectively do the job, they taste good, they smell good and they have such a satisfying feel to apply because of their spherical shape.

 By Terry's ombre blackstar in Misty Rock was obviously going to be in my favourites wasn't it? It's such a stunning colour and although it is pricey, it's equally stunning and I have worn it so much throughout May. I love the packaging it's so classy and sleek and the product itself is flawless. I've done a full review of this previously on my blog too.

 With the sunnier days, I've wanted my make-up to be brighter and sunnier too and I've been loving my Naked Original palette for it's rich browns and golden colours. I absolutely love Half Baked (as I'm sure you can tell from the picture) and Buck for in the crease and can be used to fill in brows too. Another favourite shade this month has been Sidecar for a more natural look!

 Along with the more Summery weather and the pretty flowers appearing everywhere I've wanted a more floral based perfume. The one I've went for most is Marc Jacobs Lola which is a beautiful scent that incorporates florals without smelling 'granny' like or too overpowering which I find a lot of floral scents can be. The best thing about Marc Jacobs perfumes is obviously the stunning bottles which make any dressing table look a million times prettier. It's definitely one of those bottles that even when the perfume has run out it will remain on my dressing table until I buy a new one! The only problem with the bottle is it's not exactly travel or handbag friendly due to the massive flower lid and the big bottle BUT it is so incredibly long lasting that I don't need to reach for it during the day anyway. It's definitely my signature scent because when friends and family say someone smells like me this is the scent they are usually referring to!

 My final favourite this month has got to be the Crabtree & Evelyn hand cream that I received in my goody bag from the Crabtree & Evelyn event. It is the most incredibly moisturising hand cream that I have ever come across and as I was told at the event this is due to the hand cream containing Macadamia Oil. The best thing about them is that they're not at all greasy so they're ideal for using in the middle of the day where you don't have time to faff around waiting on your hands to dry. If you suffer with dry skin on your hands it would be incredible for a quick fix. I'm not entirely sure what pomegranates smell like and if this smells like them but it has a unique smell that I actually quite like - although I'm sure I could pick out a scent from the range that more suits my personal preference! You can get little hand bag sized ones from Crabtree & Evelyn for £5 or buy a full sized 100ml one for £15.

What were your favourite beauty products this May?

Lots of Love,

A x x x

Previous Posts:-

Silver Wedding Anniversary || OOTN

Revlon, Rimmel & L'Oreal Haul

Brave Red || MAC Monday's

Sun Kissed, Urban Decay Naked Palette Tutorial/Look

Hellooo my lovelies,

Since it's the first of February, I wanted to do a sort of tutorial that you could use for Valentines Day or for any occasion you have coming up. I did a look on my little sister using my Urban Decay Naked Palette so I've taken some pictures to show you. If you recreate this look then please post me some pictures so I can check them out! I'll tell you what products I used on her face as we go along! I was really happy with the finished look and so was she! I don't have many 'before' pictures because she's 15 and obviously is a bit self conscious about being exposed bare faced to the interwebs so I hope that's alright!

Finished Look

Half Baked and Buck, the two colours I used.

On her eyes I have Urban Decay Naked's 'Half Baked' because the glittery gold really brings out her lovely blue eyes and makes them pop! I then blended this out into the crease with the dark brown matte shade in the original Naked Palette 'Buck'.

 For her eyes I used Barry M's black liquid eyeliner to line her upper lid which makes her lash line appear thicker and fuller giving the illusion that she has longer eyelashes. The mascara we used was Lash Vegas by Barry M and the pencil we used was just a standard black eyeliner which has been sharpened so much I can't tell what the name was haha! (oops!)

 Beth doesn't actually fill in her eyebrows (unless using a lead pencil counts..don't ask!!) and the closest colour I could find to match them was 'Tease' from the Naked 2 Palette. Using an eyeshadow to fill in your eyebrows will create a more natural, flawless look which simply cannot be achieved by using a pen or a pencil. Always fill in your brows with a matte shade though because you definitely don't want sparkly eyebrows! I used my MAC 266 angled brush to fill in her brows and it is the best brush I have found to do the job!

Tease in Urban Decay Naked 2

This look is quite full on so it would be ideal for parties or occasions but it could also be toned down by using less bronzer and using a nude lipstick. I actually really like orange lipstick on Beth but she didn't really think she suited it (give us your opinions in the comments!) I have done different hair styles on her aswell so you can see what it would look like with different looks!

Sleek Pixie Pink Blusher

Sleek Face Contour Kit in 'Light'

The foundation I used on her is the Maybelline Dream Liquid Foundation in Ivory which is Beth's everyday foundation. It's actually really nice in creating a flawless finish and I buffed this into the skin with a Real Techniques buffing brush to create the 'flawless' effect on her skin. She does have really nice skin already but by spending time buffing it into skin, I've avoided using a primer because the foundation alone was enough to even out the skin. It also really helps create that 'airbrushed' look which fools everyone into thinking you have naturally perfect skin! It's a really good foundation for those who are still at school or on a budget because it isn't too expensive either.

MSF - Soft and Gentle

 On her cheeks I used Sleek's Blusher in Pixie Pink with a Real Techniques Blush Brush which just added a healthy glow to her cheeks that looks like a natural 'Winter flush'. To highlight her cheekbones, I used Benefit's Watt's Up highlighter which is a gorgeous champagne coloured highlight and I used MAC's mineralised skin finish in Soft and Gentle under and over her brow bone to uplift and define them. I also lightly dusted Soft and Gentle over her forehead and then used Watt's Up down the bridge of her nose and on her cupids bow I used a tiny bit of Nars Copacabana illuminator. To bronze all over her face, I used Sleek's Face Contour kit in light on my Real Techniques blush brush for her cheeks and her jaw bone and then with a Real Techniques contour brush for around the forehead and for slimming her nose.

      

 Under her eyes I used Bobbi Brown's corrector in light-bisque to help correct the bags under her eyes and then covered that with Bobbi Brown's Concealer in Cool Sand. I patted this in with my Real Techniques buffing brush but you can achieve an equally as good effect by patting it gently with your fingers. I set her make up with the famous Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Sand Storm and my Real Techniques Powder Brush to help keep all shine at bay! It's a really good idea to use a mattifying powder to stop your skin getting the wrong kind of 'glow'. The orange lipstick I used was 'In Love with Ginger' by Rimmel London.

The pink lipstick colour I used on her was Revlon's Lip butter in Strawberry Shortcake which is the perfect pretty pink. It's really nice on Beth and looks quite natural, it would be a great one for wearing to school.

Did you like this look? Which lipstick do you think looks best, the pink or the orange? If you like posts like this and would like to see more then let me know and I'll make sure I do that for you!

Disclaimer- All these pictures are exactly as they were when taken. I have not edited them or touched them up in any way :-).

My Previous Urban Decay Naked Palette Posts:-
Naked 1 & 2 - http://whatabbyloves.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/hello-my-lovelies-urban-decay-are.html
Naked 3 - http://whatabbyloves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/urban-decay-naked-3-palette-review.html

Lots of love,

A x x x

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Review

All three palettes.

 Hello my lovelies!

Today I'm FINALLY getting around to writing a blog post on my beloved Naked 3 palette. I've actually been wanting to do this for a very long time but there is a reason coming for why I've taken so long to do it!! Firstly, the weather in the United Kingdom has been miserable and it is grey and rainy and the lighting as a result is horrendous. This obviously does not affect my writing but it does affect the quality of the pictures and i wanted to make sure you saw this palette in all of it's beauty! Artificial lighting just was not doing it justice so i held out till i could take pictures in daylight. Secondly i was dying to use this palette as soon as it popped through my letterbox and i thought it would be better to review it after i had used it rather than just my first thoughts. So sorry for the visible use of the palette but it was just too beautiful to keep (don't you agree??)

Naked 3 close up.

 I had very high hopes for this palette because i own both the Naked Palette and the Naked 2 Palette and they're my favourite eye shadows. To be quite honest with you they're the only eye shadows i actually ever use! I've never really felt the need to venture into any other palettes because I only really like neutral eye make up and the Naked palettes are serving me just fine on that front. I'm not sure where I'd be without my Naked Palettes because they are just so pigmented and literally the looks you can create with them are endless! They're also the perfect palettes for travelling because they're sturdy and have perfect colours for both daytime and nighttime looks. Additionally because they come with a brush and a massive mirror, it's great for doing your makeup on trains and buses (come on, admit it, we've all done it!). The retail price for this palette is consistent with the other two palettes at £37 but they are worth eveeeery penny i tell ya!

Naked 3 shades.

 With every Naked Palette Urban Decay bring out they seem to impress me more and more everytime. When the first one came out i loved it, when i got the second one i thought it was even better and this third one is just something else. It is so beautiful that for the first week i got it, i kid you not i would open it just to look at it and admire it's beauty. I have actually done a blog post reviewing and comparing the first two palettes which i shall link below for you if you're interested. This palette has 12 shades as with all of Urban Decay's naked range and like the others comes with a brush. This one is a double ended shadow brush and it has a brush for applying eye shadow on one side and a brush for blending it out with the other. This palette is more of a pinky/rosegold theme than previous Naked palettes so that was me sold, i love rose gold, i love pink...could this palette be any more appropriate for me?? I think not.

Ruched rose-gold packaging.

 Fun fact for you! All of the naked palettes packaging reflects what the colours are inside, like with the first one it has more warmer shades and the package is a chocolate brown and with the second one it is a cooler toned brown because it contains cooler shades. Therefore it was no surprise to me that this package was..you guessed it rose gold coloured! Another fun fact for you is that Urban Decay designed all the packages differently so that if you have all three in your hand bag at once, you are able to tell which palette you're pulling out just by touch (if someone can find me a girl who would carry three eyeshadow palettes round in her handbag though i'd give them a round of applause!! as if we girls don't have enough to carry around with us!!) The first one was a luxurious feeling velvet packaging which was lovely but it became dirty easy and wore off with time and the second one was metal packaging so it's easier to clean and more convenient for travelling. They have made this third one different by adding ridged detailing onto the top. I actually think the Naked 3 palettes packaging is my favourite of the three!

A

Close up of all 12 shades.

The best thing about this palette compared to the others is that i cannot find a single shade in this palette that i will not have a use for. They are all gorgeous, wearable colours and i think i have already used each one at least once. Urban Decay have delivered yet again as all these eye shadows are pigmented and blend beautifully. I think the colour shade would compliment a wide range of skin tones and eye colours too, there really is something for everyone!

First 6 shades.

  The first six shades are:-
Strange- which is an off-white creamy colour (great for browbone highlighting)
Dust- stunning pale dusky pink glitter
Burnout- a shimmery rosey pink
Limit- a gorgeous taupey matte shade (brilliant for blending into the crease with the lighter shades)
Buzz- Perfect pink glitter (which annoyingly i stuck my nail into by accident when opening the palette, i was not a happy Abby that day!!)
Trick- is sort of the odd one out in this palette but beautiful all the same. It's a goldy/coppery glitter.

Last 6 shades.

Nooner- a darker, more purpley taupe matte shade (beautiful all over the lid or to blend out into the crease with the darker colours)

Liar- Goldy/Silvery shimmer (not sure how to describe this colour haha)

Factory- a shimmery chocolate brown

Mugshot- a lighter browny/silver shimmer

Darkside- a shimmery grey

Blackheart- a gorgeous black shot through with red glitter.

 Another thing i love about Urban Decay's eyeshadows is the fabulous names (don't you think beauty products are so much nicer when they're named??) I don't have any complaints about this palette at all, i honestly could not rave about it any more. My most favourite colours would have to be Buzz, obviously i was going to love it with it being the pinkest colour in the palette and Dust which does have alot of fallout but it is so beautiful. What's having to do a little tidying up with conealer and foundation to have a colour like that on your eyes eh?! Another shade which really excited me was Blackheart as I've never seen an eyeshadow like it and it truly does look A-M-A-Z-I-N-G on the eyes (trust me on this one). I would definitely say those are my top three out of the whole palette, only if i absolutely HAD to choose between them as i love them all. 

Swatches from left to right:- Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside and Blackheart.

Hope you're all having a fabby 2014 so far and that you found this review helpful. If you haven't bought it yet, pick it up!! That's if you can because it's flying off shelves and i know it's out of stock again in a lot of places but I'll have a mosey round the interwebs for you and if i find any links to places where it is in stock i shall link it below! 

Debenhams are out of stock at the moment but they are still listing it so worth checking regularly for when it comes back in:-  http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_123932030999_-1

Look Fantastic- also currently sold out..http://www.lookfantastic.com/urban-decay-naked-3-palette/10876416.html

Let me know if you can get your hands on one of these little beauties and if you have it what your fave shades are!

Lots of love, A x x x

Naked Palette's Review and Comparison

Naked Palettes

Original Naked Palette

Naked 2 Palette

Hello my lovelies!

 Urban Decay are famously known for their well loved Naked Palettes, a dazzling array of 12 neutral eye make up colours, perfect for creating numerous subtle eye looks, ideal for school or work and even going out. Although i have had these palettes a while, only recently have i started to enjoy using them frequently. When i was buying my first naked palette i didn't really know much about the difference's between the two in detail so i ended up just going for the first one. Then months down the line realising i'd rather have the second so as a result i now have both! So i have finally got round to making a blog post with information i wish i had known when i had been looking into buying mine!
 
 Before i got my first naked palette i didn't really venture into the world of eyeshadow, i didn't really think they suited me and couldn't quite perfect the art of blending and all that jazz! However after hearing it being raved about on YouTube and blogs i decided to give it a whirl. Which was a risky decision given the price (£37) but since you get 12 1.3g eye shadows which works out about £3 each it's definitely worth it! Especially given a singular MAC eyeshadow is only slightly bigger at 1.5g and retails between £10-£13. But don't fear if you're slightly afraid of eyeshadows like i was, the Naked Palette's are perfect to start off with!

Naked Palette first 6 shades up close

Naked Palette last 6 shades up close

 The first Naked palette comes with the Urban Decay primer potion which is an AMAZING primer and it really, really does make the eyeshadows appear brighter and more pigmented whilst making them last! I've had nights out where i've come back and been too lazy to take my makeup off (slap on the wrists for me) , woken up the next morning and been very impressed to find my eyeshadow still in place! It also comes with a single ended brush which is good for applying the eyeshadow with. The palette itself has two matte shades Buck and Naked and 10 satiny, shimmery shades.

Virgin- pale Satin shade, good for highlighting brow bone and inner corner of the eye
Sin- shimmery pinky champagne colour
Naked- matte nude, good for light crease definition
Sidecar- a beige glitter
Buck- matte brown, good for crease definition and also can be used for light brunette's/dark blonde's eyebrows
Half Baked- gold glitter that features in both naked palettes
Smog- bronze shimmery shade
Darkhorse- dark brown shimmer
Toasted- light purple shimmer
Hustle- darker purple shimmer
Creep- black with glitter
Gunmental- silvery blue with glitter

From left to right:- a barely visible 'Virgin', 'Sin', 'Naked', 'Sidecar', 'Buck, 'Half-Baked', 'Smog', 'Darkhorse', 'Toasted', 'Hustle', 'Creep' and 'Gunmetal'

  Out of this palette i'd say the shades i use most are Sin, Sidecar, Buck, Half-baked, Toasted and Hustle as i'm sure you'll be able to tell from the pictures! I rarely ever find a use for Creep or Gunmental. The palette packaging is nice with it's velvet cover however it does fade with age and use but the magnetic clasps which the brush can also attach to does please me(it's the small things in life). I feel the mirror in the naked palette could be bigger though!

First lot of shades from the Naked 2 and fluffy end of brush

         

Second selection of shades from Naked 2 and denser side of brush

               
 











 The Naked 2 packaging is less pleasing as it has a metally plastic finish however it does have the whole top lid as a mirror (big plus) which makes the palette alot easier to use on the go. It also comes with a double ended brush which i find is perfect for travelling too as it has a similar brush to the first naked palette on one end for applying the eyeshadow and a fluffy blending brush on the other side. As if the fandabby brush wasn't enough it also comes with an Urban Decay lipgloss in the shade 'Naked' (funnily enough) which is alright as lipglosses go and taste's like mint choc chip ice cream. The shades in this palette are three mattes, three glitters and 6 shimmer shades:-

Foxy- a very pale yellowish matte shade
Half Baked- gold glitter from previous naked palette
Bootycall- Shimmery cork eyeshadow
Chopper- a bronze glitter
Tease- matte taupe/purple, good for all over lid or crease definition
Snakebite- a dark brown shimmer, similar to dark horse from the original Naked palette
Suspect- a beautiful shimmery gold/beige
Pistol- a silvery shimmer
Verve- silvery pearl shade
YDK- light purpley glitter, bares close resemblance to toasted (original Naked palette) but glitter instead of shimmer
Busted- purple shimmer, very similar to Hustle (original Naked palette)
Blackout- matte black, perfect for smoky eye's or to use instead of eyeliner for a more subtle, natural look

From left to right:- a barely visible 'Foxy', 'Half baked', 'Bootycall', 'Chopper', 'Tease', 'Snakebite', 'Suspect', 'Pistol', 'Verve', 'YDK', 'Busted' and 'Blackout'

  I use most shades in the Naked 2 palette which is most definitely my favourite palette. The only shade i tend not to use is foxy as it's just too pale for me and never seem's to add much to my eye makeup looks.

   The best way to determine which palette is best for you is take the naked one palette and if you find yourself eyeing up the first 6 colours rather than the latter 6 then go for the Naked 2 as it has more of a lighter range of colours that are more subtle and 'naked' so to speak.

Where you can buy the naked palettes:-
House of Fraser- http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk
Beauty Bay- http://www.beautybay.com
Debenhams- http://www.debenhams.com

Abby x x x