Review and swatches: Urban Decay Naked Palette (1)

The Urban Decay Naked Palette has been the talk of the (beauty) town ever since it first came out, and as any other make-addicted girl I went nuts when I heard it was coming to Sephora in Holland. I called the closest Sephora and had them put one aside for me, which was then given to me as a birthday present from my husband in the summer of '11.

The packaging is made of a suede-like fabric, which is pretty for... About 5 minutes. It attracts dirt like a magnet and the printed letters on mine have faded over time, as you would expect from print on fabric.

When I got the palette it came with a miniature Urban Decay Primer Potion, which is a very popular eyeprimer, but I still prefer my Too Faced Shadow Insurance. It also came with a very firm, flat, synthetic shader brush which is a fine brush, although I don't like to use it with powder shadows, I use it with creme shadows instead.

What can I say about this baby? Mostly good things I reckon, although I would have wished there had been one or two more matte colours, especially a matte highlighter. The packaging also feels a little too flimsy, especially compared to the Naked 2 Palette. (which I unfortunately don't own. Yet.) The shadows blend amazingly and most of the shades without hardly any fallout. Only Sidecar tends to have a lot, only the glittery bits though.

L-R: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half-Baked

Virgin is a very light pink, slightly shimmery highligter. (Barely visible on the photo.)

Sin is a shimmery, metallic pink.

Naked is a light brown, sandy color, which is one of the two matte shadows in the palette.

Sidecar is a metallic bronze with tiny glitters in it. (Can cause fallout underneath the eyes during the day.)

Buck is a warm, matte brown. 

Half-Baked is a metallic, shimmery orange based gold.

L-R: Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal.

Smog  is a metallic, shimmery coppery-brown.

Darkhorse is a shimmery, warm dark brown.

Toasted  is a shimmery, metallic mauve. 

Hustle is a purple-based brown, with rose-gold shimmer.

Creep is a matte, dark grey(almost black) with silvery blue glitters.

Gunmetal is a metallic grey, with silvery-blue shimmer.

I'd say this is a very well-rounded palette, that can be good for anything from a light, neutral look to a dark smokey/bronze look. I get the hype about this palette, the quality is amazing and the shadows blend seamlessly. Obviously this also leads me DYING to try the Naked 2 Palette, which is now finally in stores in Holland.

Pros:

• Amazing colour pay-off
• The shadows blend like a dream
• You can create a lot of different looks with this palette, whether you're a neutral kinda gal or you like your heavy smokey eyes.
• I've used mine a LOT and yet I've not hit pan on a single colour, they last for a long time.

Cons

• Personally I think it could use another matte shadow or two.
• Only for sale at Sephora (and international web-stores)
• Price could be an issue for some, personally I don't think €50 is THAT much for the amount of shadows and quality you get. I feel you get a good bang for your buck.

Conclusion: I love my pallette, and would advise anybody who puts some effort into their make-up to either get it, or maybe ask for it for a birthday or Christmas.

If anybody reading this has this palette or maybe want me to show looks on the blog using this palette, let me know in the comments.

Thank you for reading!

How much is my face worth?

This is a type of tag-like post I've seen circling around beauty-land, and figured I'd jump the bandwagon on this one! Basically the idea is to do your make-up and then tally up the total cost of all the products you used! It's a scary idea and while looking through the internet for prices I managed to scare myself in the process.

First, pictures of the very simply fall make-up I did.

  

So, as said a very simply look. Now to the scary part! The listing of the products!

Face:

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundatin in Shell: €35,00

I really like the foundation, it lasts all day on my oily skin. It's become too light though, so I mix it with the following foundation!

Catrice Photo Finish Foundation in 010 Sand Beige: €5,99

A very nice, cheap foundation with light coverage and a very natural sheen to it.

Maybelline The Eraser Under Eye Concealer in Light: £10,99

It's not a GREAT concealer as it is very yellow, but I make it work.

MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl : €18,50

I use this for base highlighting in the colder months, when I feel my skin needs more OOMPH than any power highlighter can add.

Dior Shimmer Powder in 001 Rose Diamond: €44,50

This is a gorgeous rose-tinted powder highlighter, which I layer on top on the Cream Color Base for natural shine that'll last all day.

NYX Powder Blush in Peach : €6,66

I've had a few of the NYX blushes and I've yet to find one I didn't like! This shade is completely matte, but is more a corally-pink than actually peach.

Catrice Defining Blush in 010 Toffee Fairy: €3,49

As you'll quickly learn, I love pretty much everything about this brand. This "blush" is a perfect contouring shade for fair-skinned girls like myself!

MAC Fix+ Finishing Spray: €16,50
A very simple finishing spray that makes make-up last longer, and if you wear powder also removes the very powdery look.

(My skin has already gone to a dry winter-state, this is why I used no powder on my face today.)

Lips:

Catrice Ultimate Colour Intense Lip Colour in Tell Me A Berry-Tale: €3,99

Today I am not wearing this shade full on, I've applied this very lightly with my fingers to create a berry-toned stain. Generally a nice collection of lipsticks, not amazing staying power though.

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: € 16,50

If you ask me, there's no better eyeshadow primer, than this one. It makes your eyeshadow not budge untill you want it to and remove it. The price might seem high, but I use mine everyday and a tube lasts me over a year.

Catrice Eyebrow Stylist in Date With Ashton: €2,49

The shade of this is a perfect light, ashy brown. Often as a fair blonde, eyebrow pencils tend to be too dark or too red, but this one suits me just fine!

Hema Tinted Eyebrow Gel in Brown: €3,75

Nothing special about this really, the tinted gel just adds a little more depth to the brow and the gel works fine, keeps my brows under control all day.

Catrice Absolute Eye Color Mono in Bring Me Frosted Cake: €2,79

A vanilla white, matte eyeshadow. A great matte highligter for the brow.

Urban Decay Naked Pallette: €50,00

This was given to me as a present from my husband, and I've been a dedicated fan since. I'll post a review of this soon-ish!

Catrice Liquid Liner (Waterproof) €3,75

I'm not great with liquid liner, but this one does make it easy, and once it dries it doesn't budge.

MAC Chromographic Pencil in NC15/NW20: €17,00

This is a beautiful light flesh-coloured eyeliner that I use on my lower waterline for a more awake look. It looks more clean than a dark liner and more natural than white.

Maybelline Volume Express One by One Waterproof Mascara: €13,49

One of my all time favourite mascaras. Doesn't smudge, doesn't make your lashes feel hard, gives a lot of length and volume.

Whew, that was a mouthfull!

Now to scary part, adding everything up. I just did my make-up without thinking about the products I used, put them aside and then when I was done I looked up (NL) prices and BOY that was a shocker! Anyway, no need to keep dragging this out... 

The total is...

DRUMROLL!

€255,76

The amount had me shocked for a while, but hey... At least I love most of the things I used, right? Also, the price is obviously not including tools such as brushes, last curlers, etc.

Hopefully you enjoyed this post! Hope to see you back soon!

Tag: This or that!

We got home from Belgium yesterday and I didn't do any beauty shopping except for a mask from LUSH (review will follow once I've tried it out some more), so today I'll be sharing a tag with you all!

The basic idea is: Which would you choose if you HAD to, which of the choices could you not live without, etc. So.. Let's get crackin'!

MAKEUP:
Blush or bronzer: Definately blush, I only bronze in the summer and even then I'm too fair for it to ever look as awesome as say Charlize Theron. So yeah, blush me up!

Lip gloss or lipstick: Lipstick. I can't imagine having to wear a gloss all day, it would drive me crazy. I like my lipcolour to last, so 8/10 times I wear lipstick. (The other two times it's tinted lipbalm!)

Eye liner or mascara: Mascara. I usually don't bother with actual eyeliner and line my eyes with eyeshadow on an angled brush.

Foundation or concealer: Foundation. The only thing I HAVE to conceal are dark circles (BAD ONES!) and if caught in a pinch, foundation can double as concealer for that bit.

Neutral or colour eye shadow: Neutral. I can totally dig a colourful look, but if I had to choose one, it'd be neutrals. With neutrals you can still go heavy and smokey OR keep it very light and natural.

Pressed or loose eye shadows: Pressed. I'm too much of a klutz to work with pigments/loose eyeshadows. It ends up all over the place.

Brushes or sponges: I think brushes are a neccesity for a good make-up look, for blending, for applying.. Everything really. Good tools are half the work, they say.

NAILS:
OPI or China Glaze: This is a tough one. I've got a few OPI polishes and only one China Glaze, so if I'd have to base the choice on this, I'd say OPI.

Long or short: Short. (I can't grow them long, they break.)

Acrylic or natural: I love the look of an acrylic french manicure, but eventually I get bored of it and want to wear colours on my nails again, so I'll go with natural.

Brights or darks: BRIGHTS! All the way, although in the fall/winter I DO tend to wear a lot of dark colours, but if I HAD to make the choice, it'd be brights. Can't live without my brights. <3

BODY:
Perfume or body mist: I'd have to go with perfume, as this is what I wear most. It wears longer, and tends to have a stronger scent. (In the summer I DO wear a body mist a lot though.)

Lotion or body butter: Body butter. LOVE The Body Shops ones. <3

Body wash or soap: Soap, love the LUSH soaps!

Lush or other bath company: LUSH, love pretty much everything I've tried from there. Masks, soaps, massage bars, scrubs.

FASHION:
Jeans or sweat pants: Jeans. Every woman looks amazing in the right pair/model.

Long sleeve of short: Long and rolled up to my elbows.

Dresses or skirts: Dresses. I find combining stuff with a skirt hard, but then again I'm a fashion N00B.

Stripes or plaid: Urgh.. Really? I guess, if pressed, I'd go with plaid. LUMBERJACK STYLE!

Flip flops or sandals: Flip flops, more specifically my Birckenstocks, can't live without them.

Scarves or hats: Scarves. My favourite thing about this coming season is getting to wear them, and if my ears get cold I just wrap it around my head.

Studs or dangly earrings: ARGH! Another hard one, but if I HAD to choose I'd go with studs. It's easy and a no-brainer to wear.

Necklaces or bracelets: Okay, now it's just plain mean. I actually dislike wearing both, but the choice would have to be necklaces. They get less on my nerves than bracelets.

Heels or flats: Flats. Being 1m80cm, I don't NEED the heel, although I do like wearing them, they always fuck up my feet something fierce. Also having a size 43-44 (Yes, I'm a giant, with the feet to match) makes it WAY easier to find flats than heels.

Cowboy boots or riding boots: Cowboy, baby! Just because.

Jacket or hoodie: Jacket, for sure. I like to look put-together and I don't even own a single hoodie.

HAIR:
Curly or straight: Well, I was born with THIN and STRAIGHT hair, that doesn't hold curl, no matter what I do. And I guess that I can rock more hairstyles with it being straight, so we'll go with that.

Bun or ponytail: Bun! Completely addicted to the sock/princess/donut bun.

Bobby pins or butterfly clips: Pins! Butterfly clips don't stay in my hair.

Hair spray or gel: Spray, I'd never use gel in my hair!

Long or short: Long! I always had it short as a kid, and now it's long I'm never letting go! 

Light or dark: I've had pretty much every color you can think of, and I've never been as happy about it as I am now that it's blonde, so light!

Side sweep bangs or full bangs: Sidesweep, just 'cause.

Up or down: Up. Having my hair down usually drives me crazy in about 5 minutes.

RANDOM:
Rain or shine: RAAAAIN! Love sitting indoors with a cup of tea and just being snug.

Summer or winter: Winter, definately.

Fall or spring: Fall. Love the colours and the smells and the sounds.

Chocolate or vanilla: THE FIRST EASY ONE! Chocolate, I'm a choc-oholic for sure.

Feel free to comment on which YOU would choose, would be fun to know. 

Thank you for reading!

Review: Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover

For my first review I've decided to write about something I've not been able to live without since I got it earlier this year: the Sephora Express Nail polish Remover

 

What is it? Well... It's a nail polish remover, but unlike what we're used to. Like most women, I personally hate having to remove my polish before applying new. It's a long, boring process, usually involving mess and nasty smells that'll give most a headache. With this little baby, they're not lying when they say express, you're done in no time at all, and with only a fraction of the regular nasty smells. I find the scent of this one bearable. (Let's face it, we're never going to have a nail polish remover we'd want to wear as a perfume!)

How does it work? Well, very easily, actually. You put the finger in question into the sponge inside the bottle and twist it for about 15 seconds. (For stubborn polishes like glitter and flakies, hold the finger stationary for a while, let the remover soak in, and then twist for as long as necessary.)
It's easy, clean and carefree, if you ask me. No need to worry about spills or ruining your clothing with the remover.

 

 

The tub contains 75 ml of product and should be good for up to 6 months after opening, according to Sephora. Personally mine has been open for more than 6 months and still works like a charm.
One tub costs 9.30€, which obviously isn't CHEAP, but considering how long you do with it and how easy it is to use, it's a price I gladly pay.
It's easy on the nails and contains no parabens or acetone. (So also an option for gel/acrylic nails.)


Cons:

• It's fairly expensive, compared to what we regularly pay for polish removers.
• Availability: It's only for sale at Sephora, which in Holland isn't that easy to come by unless you live in a larger city.

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Doesn't dry out your nails or cuticles.
• Usable on gel/acrylic nails.
• Fast.

Conclusion:
I love it, and I will repurchase it once this one has served it's purpose.

Small introduction.

Hello! My name is Becky, and I have an unhealthy addiction to all things beauty.
Make-up, nailpolish, skincare, you name it! Which is why I've decided to start this blog, so I can write about my passion, and share it with the world. The blog will contain posts on make-up looks I wear, reviews of products, hauls, favourites and possibly tags I pick up somewhere on the internet. Whether or not I'll do videos remains to be seen. There's is also a high chance of me posting pictures of my four pets every so often, as they are another big passion of mine, so bear with me. Fuzz therapy is healthy anyway!