Empties/ Products I'm Chucking Out #8

It has been almost a year and a half since my last empties post. I have only been accumulating these empties for the last month-two months, as I had stopped collecting my empties.

Covergirl Advanced Radiance Pressed Powder in 105 Ivory

I adore this powder. It works really well on my dry skin. I have already repurchased it, and I think I have found my holy grail drugstore powder. 

MAC Studio Fix Powder in N3

It has taken me about three (or maybe four) years to use this powder up. When I first purchased it, I liked it, but as time has gone on my skin has gotten dryer and this powder really emphasised my dryness. Towards the end, I was just using this powder on my chin where I have a bit of scarring and pimples to cover it up, as this powder has got a lot of coverage. I would recommend this powder for people with oily skin, but not dry skin. 

bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation in Fairly Light N10 

I actually really loved this foundation. I have dry skin, but it did not emphasise my dryness whatsoever. I got this in a set of bareMineral goodies, so I also got the matte version, which I didn't like as much. I ended up purchasing the pressed version of this foundation, and unfortunately it does not perform as good as the loose, as it really emphasises my dryness. I probably would repurchase this as the undertone was fabulous, matched me pretty well, and did not dry my skin out whatsoever. The only downside is it is very messy because it is loose. 

Ben Nye Neutral Set Colourless Powder

I adore this powder. Last year at IMATS, I repurchased two bottles of this powder, and will repurchase two more this year at IMATS. I use this daily to set my undereye concealer, and I have minimal creasing with this product. 

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
This is my holy grail concealer for under the eye. A couple of weeks ago I Back To MAC'd five empty bottles, and I'm almost done with another one of these. This will always be a repurchase for me.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer
I actually quite enjoyed this primer. It reminded me a lot of the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer, which I also enjoy (and have repurchased over and over). I would repurchase this, but only when it is on sale (or at Chemist Warehouse where I initially purchased it - makeup is always discounted there).  I don't think this product is a great pore eraser (it has a silicone feeling, but doesn't fill in pores all too well), but large pores aren't a skin issue that I experience.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind (x2)
The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind is a primer I have repurchased over and over. It is the one I use in my freelance kit, and it works great on my skin as well. It is great at smoothing and slightly hydrating my skin.

NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray 
This is another holy grail in my collection. I have one sitting in my freelance kit, and one sitting on my vanity. Always a repurchase (and can we talk about how great it is that NYX is now stocked in Priceline???)

Urban Decay b6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray 
This spray was okay. I didn't notice too much when I used this verse when I didn't use it. This product claims to be redness reducing, pore minimising, and oil absorbing. Redness is my only real skin concern out of the three, and I don't think this spray made much of a difference. However, this spray was nice as a pre-makeup treatment and it was a hydrating spray.

Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara (x2)

This is my holy grail brow gel. I go through this brow gel quite consistently, and whenever I see it in the shelf at Priceline or Target, I tend to pick it up as a back up. When the product starts to change colour and the tube is getting a bit empty, that's when I tend to chuck it and grab a new one. 

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I love this mascara. I'm currently using a deluxe sample size of this mascara that's almost done as well, and I have a back up deluxe sample waiting to be used. I do find this mascara tends to dry out quickly, so I prefer going for the deluxe sample size as opposed to the full size (there was a point where at Mecca you could purchase the deluxe sample size). 

Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara

This mascara was in my freelance kit, and I never used the wand so can't comment on that (my only comment is the wand is actually huge), but this mascara has a good waterproof formula. I did use it on myself a few times (with a disposable wand), and I found the formula good.  I would repurchase this mascara for my freelance kit. 

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara 

This is a deluxe sized sample that I picked up on sale at the Sydney Domestic Terminal earlier this year. I wasn't expecting much from this mascara, but I actually love it. I have quite a few unopened mascaras and I'm trying to keep my unopened mascara collection to a minimal, but I would consider repurchasing this mascara in the future.  

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb EDP

I'm sure this perfume has been in my empties before. This is my holy grail perfume. I go through a bottle a year roughly, and will always repurchase. I abolsutely adore this scent. If you've never smelt Flowerbomb and are a fan of floral scents, make it a point to smell this perfume, and thank me later. 

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick 

This is the first MAC lipstick I have used up. Last year, MAC Velvet Teddy was on my lips about 80% of the time. I have repurchased this lipstick, but tend to lean more towards Whirl. I think when the warmer months come around, I will reach for Velvet Teddy more as it is a lighter shade compared with Whirl. 

Blistex Click Cool Spearmint Lip Balm 

Years ago, I used a peppermint lip balm and it was the most soothing, wonderful lip balm. I saw this in Chemist Warehouse a while ago (it was in a duo with a peach scented lip balm as well), and put it in my basket without a second thought. I loved this lip balm, and would repurchase if I saw it in stores again. Mint lip balms are so refreshing. 

Target Essentials Cosmetic Pads

I actually really enjoyed these cotton pads. Next time I'm in Target, I'll pick up another pack. 

Beauty Care Co Makeup Remover Pads 

I tend to pick these up every time I'm in Kmart. They're cheap, and they do the job ok. 

Woolworths Select Make Up Pads

I don't really remember these cotton pads all too well, so I'd say they're about average. Probably would only repurchase if I was in need of cotton pads and in Woolworths. 

Swisspers Naturals Green Tea Calming Facial Cleansing Wipes

I don't use face wipes every day, but when I do, these are one of my favourites to use. They are gentle on my sensitive skin and do a good job at removing makeup. Most importantly, these face wipes don't dry my skin out. 

The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask

I love this mask from the Body Shop. It is a great leave on, overnight mask, and very moisturising. Last year when my Dad was sick and the chemo was drying out his skin, I purchased him a few of the products from the Vitamin E line from the Body Shop, and they worked well for him too. If you have dry skin, or dehydrated skin, I would recommend checking this out at the Body Shop. 

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

Unfortunately this oil made me break out. Towards the end (once I had figured out it was the oil breaking me out), I used it in my hair only. I wouldn't repurchase this product as I prefer other oils in my hair, but I'm happy I was able to use the product up (and that I only purchased a small travel size as opposed to the full size)

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I love this micellar water. I use this to remove makeup (I tend to use a cleansing oil first, and then go over with the micellar water). This is fine to remove light makeup, but not great for heavy makeup. I also use this to remove swatches on my arm. This bottle has lasted me well over 6 months, and when I purchased this (it was from the Priceline 40% off skin care sale a while ago), I did purchase two bottles, and have already started using the second bottle. 

Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge

For a while, I couldn't find this product in Daiso. When I did, I purchased 10 bottles. I have used up more than just this one, but have not kept them. I find this is great for removing makeup from sponges, and also great to break down liquid or cream products on brushes (I find it works better than my usual baby shampoo) when deep cleaning them. If you haven't tried this product, I highly recommend it. I still have a few left, but will definitely repurchase when those are used up. This product is also $2.80, so you really can't go wrong. 

Lush Rose Jam Bubbleroon 

Rose Jam is my favourite scent from Lush. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a few bath bombs from Lush, and had to purchase two of these. I wish Rose Jam was a scent they had year round. Would definitely repurchase this. 

Manicare Mascara Brushes Duo Length & Define 

I either use these mascara wands in my freelance kit, or when I wax mine or my Mum's eyebrows. These are decent, and I would repurchase. I know I can purchase mascara wands cheap on eBay, and I should do that for when I wax brows, but I do like the shape of these wands for when I apply mascara on clients. 

Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe Facial Cleansing Balm 

I think this product was off when I tried to use it. The scent of this was horrible. I'm just chucking it in the bin, don't want to put this near my face again. 

By Terry Baume De Rose 

I enjoyed using this lip balm at night, and the sample ended up lasting about a week. I do have another sample to use up, but this product is quite expensive and I didn't find it revolutionary by any means, so I would not purchase. 

NARS Total Replenishing Eye Cream

This sachet lasted a few uses, and was quite nice. I do need to get into using eye creams again (whoops), but I do prefer the Benefit eye cream I used to use to this one. It was a nice hydrating cream, though. 

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light 

This was basically a one time use sachet of the oil. I used this in my hair to moisturise after washing.

I have quite the collection of samples, and want to work my way through them, so hopefully I have a few more to include in my next empties post!

Thanks for reading,

X

One Palette, One Month - Urban Decay Vice Palette - August 2016 Finale

Let me just say, this month was not as productive as last month was. I tried to use this palette, but it was a bit harder to use every day due to a variety of reasons. The shadows are more colourful compared to the Anastasia Palette, and not easy for me to use every day for work, there are only two mattes in this palette (no real crease colour), and a lot of the shadows are extremely chunky and glittery (which again, makes it harder to use for work).

I hit the tiniest bit of pan on Blitz, the fourth shadow in the top row. I feel like I made an okay dip in Anonymous, the third shadow in the last row, as I used this shadow every time I wore eyeshadow to set my base.  I even ended up using Noise, the hot pink shadow in the palette, which I thought I would never touch. I mixed it with Vice (the purple shadow next to it) and a bit of Napoleon Cake Eyeliner Sealer, and used the two as a colourful eyeliner. My favourite, and most used shadows in this palette, where the five in the last row - Nevermind, Echo Beach, Anonymous, Freeboard and Laced. 

Even though I did not get nearly as much use out of this palette as I was hoping for, I still thoroughly enjoy this palette as I'm an eyeshadow palette hoarder, and this is the first of the Vice Palettes, so it does have sentimental value to me. I will most likely try pull this palette out for a Pan That Palette (year long edition) or a One Palette, One Month challenge again. 

I have over the last month accumulated a few more eyeshadow palettes, so I will take a break from this challenge for the month of September so I am able to test out all my new eyeshadow palettes. I will be back in October for another One Palette, One Month!

If you are interested to see the palette I chose last month, please check out the tag here.

Thanks for reading,
X

One Palette, One Month - Urban Decay Vice Palette - August 2016

For August 2016, I've decided to use one of my biggest palettes - the original/first Urban Decay Vice Palette. Urban Decay is my favourite eyeshadow brand, and I was extremely excited when this palette came out. Unfortunately, because of the variety in this palette, it hasn't received the most love, and I want to change that this month. This palette has 20 eyeshadows.

The premise of this challenge is that I can only use the one palette during the month for my eyeshadow looks. Only once last month did I use a shadow that wasn't found in my Anastasia Beverly Hills palette (the Urban Decay Moondust Shadow in Zodiac), and I did occasionally use light cream matte shadows, but didn't reach for another palette. This palette only has three matte shades (and only two are "everyday" wearable shadows), so I know I am going to have to reach for other shades from other palettes, or singles, as transition shades. Like last month, my hopes for this palette is to hit pan on one shadow. I think I will hit pan on Anonymous quite easily. 

This palette is quite chunky, so I think I might end up depotting these shadows, and put them in a Z Palette. I think I will be reaching for the first and last rows the most this month.

Thanks for reading, (and wish me luck!),
X

Mecca Beauty Loop Box Level 3 - 2016

It's somewhat concerning that to be eligible for this box, I have spent over $1200 in Mecca over the last year. To see past Beauty Loop boxes, please click here. I'm glad that no sachets were including in this box, as I have a massive box full of samples that I'll probably never go through.

I own the full size of the Josie Maran Argan Enlightenment Illuminiser, and adore this product. I love mixing this in with foundations to add luminosity - especially in the winter months. It is a gold/bronze shade, but I don't find it changes the shade of foundation all too much (you only need a small amount to add some luminosity to your skin). I have owned the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray in the past and do like it. It's a bit too drying for everyday use, but great for a night out - so this travel size will last me a while.  I'm excited to give the Ren Bio Retinoid Anti Ageing Cream a go - it sounds quite promising. The Malin+Goetz Clarifying Clay Mask sounds very promising for when I get break outs (which I have been quite frequently the last couple of months).

Those are all the products that came in the box. I'm quite happy that all the products are deluxe sized products and no sachets - I might actually use these up! 

Thanks for reading,

X

Current Favourites

It has been a while since I've done a Favourites post, so I thought I'd combine the last couple of months. I have been experimenting with new products as of lately, and these are the products that have stood out to me from the last couple of months:

Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Illuminiser 
Where has this product been all my life? I picked this up from Mecca a couple of months ago, and I love to mix it in with face products for an allover luminosity (it works especially well with the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue). The only downside to this product, when used mixed with base products, is once the makeup does wear off throughout the day, glitter does remain on your face. For a night out, however, this is a great product. You can apply it all over your face before foundation as an illuminating base.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
I received a small size of this in the Naked on the Run palette. I have been wearing this daily and it does something magical with my tiny lashes. Will definitely repurchase this one, even though I don't tend to spend too much on mascaras. I find Maybelline do great mascaras, but this one was a pleasant surprise.

Chi Chi Super CC Cream
I have been using this product on the daily. The coverage is light but buildable. I purchased this in the shade Light (I believe there is a Fair shade) and it is a pretty good match. Because it is a CC cream, this type of base product is great for dry skin. I have not had an issue with this one clinging onto dry patches. There is 50g of product in this tube. The standard for foundation is 30g, so the amount of product for the price is amazing.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue
The coverage of this is much lighter than the Chi Chi CC Cream. I do find with super dry skin, this does cling a bit. With properly moisturised and primed skin, this is a great base product for everyday. There is 35g of product in here, which is an additional 5g than the standard amount of foundation. The colour range in Australia isn't as large as it is overseas, but if there is a shade that matches you, I would recommend checking it out. This product is advertised as a "tinted hydrating gel cream", so the coverage is just enough to even out my skin tone (my main concern is redness).

Too Faced Cocoa Contour Palette
This has quickly become a staple in my everyday makeup routine. The Light Cocoa shade in this palette (as you can see) is my absolute favourite under eye highlight powder I have tried to date. I've done a review of this palette here. The Medium Cocoa shade is a great contour shade for me, and I will definitely be experimenting with Dark Cocoa once the spring and summer time hits.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
I love mixing the two lighter shades in the palette for a subtle highlight during the day. I know a lot of people love to use these powders to set under the eyes, but I find them too shimmery for that. As a subtle glow, though, these work well. I've done a review of this palette here.

And those are my current favourites! Thanks for reading,
X

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics - review and swatches

Who doesn't love matte neutrals? My original Naked Basics has had much love, and a beautiful friend gifted this palette to me for Christmas. This palette is much more cool-toned than the original Naked Basics, but this makes it a more suited palette for the winter time, and a great palette for smokey eyes!

Skimp is described as a 'pale nude satin', and this is the only shade in the palette with a slight shimmer. Stark is a 'nude-pink matte', Frisk is a grey-toned taupe, and is described by Urban Decay as a 'warm grey matte'. Cover is a 'muted red-brown matte'. Primal is a 'muted brown matte', and Undone is described as 'deep, smokey brown matte'.

The original Naked Basics is one of my favourite palettes of all time. It complements with any palette you have, as long as you have the Naked Basics, you really can make any look. I feel the same about this palette. You have crease colours, a highlight shade, and a dark matte shade that can serve as a liner. Urban Decay shadows are pigmented, so you're never disappointed. To see my review of the Naked Basics, please click here. To see my comparison of the Naked Palette, Naked 2, and Naked Basics, click here.

Overall, I would recommend comparing both palettes in shades to see which one you would get more use from. I am a strong believer in the fact that you can never have too many neutrals, so I'm quite content owning and using both. Both of these palettes are staples in completing any eye look.

Thanks for reading
X

Current Favourites

I thought I would combine Favourites for this month, considering I haven't done a Favourites since March. These are products I've been loving over the last three months that have really been stand out products.

Since taking off my acrylics, I've been using the Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails Strengthener to strengthen my very weak nails. I've been using this for about a month or so, and I'm very happy with the results - my nails have been growing! Slowly, my nails are recovering from acrylics, although I'll probably end up putting them back on really soon.

I picked up the Rimmel Kate Salon Pro Nail Polish in 706 Classical Red a couple months ago when I was looking for a darker red for the winter months to wear to work. I absolutely adore this shade, and it's what I've been wearing every three weeks or so (I'm actually wearing it on my toes and finger nails right now!). I definitely recommend this one for winter, and these polishes are opaque in two coats (and are relatively cheap!)

The MAC Sculpting Powder in Sculpt is a great sculpting powder for lighter skin girls like me! I've done a review on it here, so check it out for more detail. 

I've been using the MAC Cleanse Off Oil/Tranquil at night to remove any remaining make up after cleansing. This oil hasn't broken me out, and this is my second time purchasing this product. The travel size is $15 (which is what I have) and has lasted me for a while, so if you're interested in trying out this product, I'd recommend grabbing the travel size first. 

My go to base product is the Garnier BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin in Light. I've mentioned this product before, and although I have drier skin, I find this one works amazing on my skin and the coverage is great! I wear this as my base 80% of the time - it's reliable, it works, and I love the coverage for work days. 

Since using up the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer, I've been applying the MAC Strobe Cream after moisturising for added luminosity. I love this cream, and I'm probably going to always repurchase this cream. Definitely recommend it for those wanting dewy and luminous skin, or those with dry skin.

Since bleaching my hair lighter and lighter, I've been using the muk intense muk Repair Treatment  at least once a week, and I love the way my hair feels after using it. The blonde process hasn't been too kind on my hair, but I've been trying my hardest to use moisturising products in my hair to assist in repair.

I picked up the People for Plants Hydration Gel up about a month or so ago, and I use it every night before moisturising. I've found my skin hasn't been extremely dry like it has been in the past, and this gel has definitely assisted in that.

The NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams have been a hit with me over the last few months, and here I have pictured Abu Dhabi. It is a darker nude, but I find it a perfect shade in winter, even though I am light skin toned. Since starting work full time, nude shades have been my best friend, and I love rocking this one. To see my review of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, click here.

I've really been enjoying layering the bareMinerals Lash Domination Mascara and the Maybelline Colossal Volum Cat Eyes Mascara. The Maybelline separates my lashes, and the bareMinerals adds a lot of volume. A combination I've been enjoying a lot recently.

My absolute favourite and signature scent - Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. This has been my favourite perfume since I was sixteen, and I will always repurchase it. Back in April I bought a mini set of Marc Jacob perfumes and Marc Jacobs Dot was an instant hit. I love this scent. It is more of a summery scent, but when you get the chance, I recommend giving it a try - at least spray it and see what it's like! 

The two palettes I've been using recently are the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette and the MAC Spoiled Rich Eyeshadow Quad. I think the Naked Basics is my favourite palette ever, and it's a great every day palette. See a more detailed review here. The MAC Spoiled Rich Quad was limited edition from last year, but if I wear any colourful eyeshadow, it tends to come from this quad. Next to Urban Decay, MAC makes my favourite eyeshadows. To see my review of the MAC Spoiled Rich Quad, click here.

And now for a totally random favourite (and possibly the best) - my new 2013 Mazda 3! 

This is my baby Mazzy, and I absolutely adore this car. I bought her in April, and we've been inseparable ever since. Work is an hour drive from where I live, so I thought a new car was a good investment - my old car was on its last legs. I had been eyeing of the Mazda 3 for months, and although it is a much bigger car compared to my Getz, Getzy (and where I work, small cars are much easier to park), I just couldn't think of any car I wanted as much as this one. I'm so glad with my new car.

And those are my favourites from the past couple of months!
x

Empties/Products I'm Chucking Out #6

I haven't done an empties post since last December - wow. I have used quite a few products up over the past four months - even a few makeup products, which is quite surprising for me!

Schwarzkopf Heidi's Heat Styles Heat Protectant Spray

This is my go-to heat protectant, and I have already repurchased.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil

I absolutely despised the scent of this (I love the Cocoa Butter lotion) and it took me ages to use this up! I think I will just stick with Bio Oil. 

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush

My favourite dry shampoo. I have repurchased, and got two mini's of these from the Easter Show! 

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Cherry

Not a big fan of the scent. When I was in England last year, I purchased the full size of this because it was ridiculously cheap and I wanted to try out the scent. I used it up because it was a free sample, but I would not purchase this scent. The dry shampoo does work well though, it is the scent that turns me off it!

Nivea Moisturising Fluid SPF 15 

I liked this moisturiser - quite liquidy, blended in nicely - but there are others I prefer. This comes in a relatively small tube, so it is good for travel - which is why I bought it - I took it overseas last year. 

Benefit POREfessional Sample

I got this sample from a Benefit counter around Christmas, and only recently tried it out. Because I wear glasses, makeup tends to move around my nose, and I used this primer on my nose and it worked quite well! I probably will end up buying this, but not at the moment. 

Nivea Rich Regenerating Night Cream

I'm not too sure about regenerating, but this is a rich night cream and keeps my skin quite hydrated. Would repurchase, I prefer this one to the other Nivea night cream I am using at the moment. 

Beauty Care Co Nail Polish Remover Acetone Free 

I liked this nail polish remover, relatively cheap and because it is acetone free safe to use on acrylics. Would repurchase. 

Starlet Nail Polish Remover with Vitamin E 

I liked this nail polish remover as well. Relatively cheap, and gets the job done. 

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

I got this sample (and another one) last year, and I liked it. It was moisturising, but I didn't really see a difference. I do have the other sample still, so maybe I will. 

Maybelline Clean Express Eye and Lip Makeup Remover

This was one of the makeup removers that is half liquid and have oil, and you mix it up. I like the concept, but this made my face so greasy! Would not repurchase this, there are other makeup removers that work much better. 

NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray

I like this setting spray, and I have repurchased it. Next I want to try the Urban Decay Setting Spray for dry skin, but that will have to wait for now. 

Pure Acetone 

I picked this up from a nail store, it was about $5 and pure acetone works great at removing nail polish (who would have known!). I will end up repurchasing this when I return to that store. 

L'Oreal Youth Code Youth Booster Serum

I liked this serum a lot, and I probably will repurchase this.

Natio Ageless Illuminating Primer (x2)
I've used up two of these primers in the last four months, and I do like this primer. It is quite hydrating, and I enjoyed using it, but I think there is a better primer out there for me.

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes
I've had this mascara since July last year, and it is time to bin it. I did like this mascara, the brush was nice, but I don't think I can justify the price of this mascara. Maybe next time I travel overseas, I'll pick it up duty free.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara 
I love this mascara, and when I get around to going back to the store that sells this in Australia, I will stock up on a few. I have previously done a review on this mascara, which you can view here.

Covergirl Clump Crusher in Black Brown
This is another mascara I liked using. I'm not too sure if I will repurchase this one as I have found other mascaras I love since, but I do recommend this one for separating lashes and for lengthening.

Essence Lash and Brow Gel Mascara
My holy grail for setting brows. I have repurchased this over and over again, and will continue to repurchase.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in 01 Ivory
I used this up a while ago, and I did enjoy it. But I used it up so quickly - maybe under two weeks. I have found things that work better, but this was a good concealer for highlighting under the eyes.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla
I love this foundation. I need to repurchase it, but that will have to wait. Light to medium coverage, and great for dry skin.

Garnier BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin in Light
I love this BB cream! Although it is for combo to oily skin, I find it works well on my dry skin, and I much prefer it to the original Garnier BB cream. Since using this up, I have repurchased another tube.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat 
My holy grail top coat. Have repurchased this, and will continue to repurchase. This stuff dries super quick, and if you haven't tried it - I'd recommend it.

Urban Decay Original Primer Potion
I've had this sample for ages. I'm not the biggest fan of the original Primer Potion, but I love the matte one (Eden).

Manicare Disposable Mascara Brushes
Love these for coming out the brows. I keep these in my makeup kit as well.

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub
I adore this shower scrub! So much so that when I repurchased it I bought two. The price is fairly decent for a body scrub, and I adore the smell of this.

Redwin Vitamin E Cream
When I'm sunburnt, I cover myself in this stuff. It is relatively cheap, and works well as a body moisturiser as well. Will repurchase this eventually, probably in the summer time.

Johnson's Moisturising Day Cream
I have mentioned this in previous empties posts, and I do love this moisturiser, but I have found better ones suited for my dry skin. I am still on the hunt for the perfect moisturiser, though.

Eylure Katy Perry Color Pop Lashes in Ka-Pow! 
From memory, these are the purple lashes - which I wore for my 21st! I loved these lashes, although I wish they made them in just normal black. I absolutely adore the Katy Perry lashes by Eylure.

Swisspers Naturals Cucumber Facial Cleansing Wipes
I don't really remember these in particular, but the Swisspers Naturals are my favourite kind of face wipes. I would repurchase these.

Swisspers Naturals Green Tea Facial Cleaning Wipes (x2) 
I prefer these out of the bunch of Swisspers Naturals range. I love the range, and will continue to repurchase these wipes.

Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Facial Cleansing Wipes for Dry Skin
These may be for dry skin, but they did not work well with my dry skin. I found them quite harsh, and I would not repurchase these.

Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes
I don't really remember these wipes all too much, but I don't remember having a bad experience with them, so I probably would repurchase these if they were on sale.

Daiso Eyelashes (x2)
Here I have two pairs of Daiso lashes. I like Daiso lashes - they are cheap ($2.80) and have some nice styles. Not my favourite kind of eyelashes, but for the price, you really can't go wrong.

Beauty Care Co Makeup Remover Pads
Always in my empties, always a repurchase.

And those are my empties over the last four months! Thanks for reading,
x

Project 10 Pan (AKA the hardest thing I've ever had to do)

This weekend, I have thought long and hard about the products I want to include in this. There is hair care, skin products, but mainly makeup. And here are the ten products I need to use up (or hit pan on) before I can purchase any more products.

1. Covergirl & Olay Tone Rehab 2 in 1 Foundation in 110 Classic Ivory

I've had this foundation for a while, and as you can see, I have used a majority of it. I love the bottle because you can see how much foundation has been used. The only problem is I find this foundation a little pink sometimes, but I will mix it with other foundations to try use it up. I do really like this foundation, I find it great for dry skin. 

2. Rimmel Match Perfection 2 in 1 Concealer and Highlighter in 010 Ivory

Before I found my true love - MAC Prolongwear Concealer - I adored this as an under eye concealer and highlight. I have a bit left of this, so it shouldn't be too hard to use up for this challenge. 

3. Schwarzkopf Daily Oil Elixir 

I have been using this in my hair as a hair oil recently, and I do like it. However, I want to try different oils and before I purchase anything, I want to use this one up. 

4. St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Lotion

I bought this when I was in England last year - and I loved it, but I've only fake tanned once since coming back. I'm putting this in my Project 10 Pan to motivate me to fake tan and use it up. 

5. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

I purchased this when I was in England last July, and although I do like it, I want to try the one more specialised for dry skin. However, I don't want to be a hoarder of makeup setting sprays, so I'd like to use this one up first.  

6. L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

I like this primer because of the illuminating look it gives, but I want to try different primers. I don't find primers all too effective, and I'm going to put this down to the fact being I haven't found the right primer. I want to try a Laura Mercier primer, but need to use up this one first! 

7. Face of Australia Translucent Loose Powder

I've had this powder for over a year, and it feels like it is never-ending. I have some left in the container, and I want to use it all up. 

8. Maybelline 24 Hr Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze (Bad to the Bronze) 

I absolutely adore this cream eyeshadow - but I have not hit the bottom yet and I want to! This tends to be an everyday makeup item when I do eyeshadow, so hopefully I'll be able to hit pan soon.

9. MAC Honey Love lipstick

I adore this lipstick, and I'll probably end up repurchasing something like this when I'm done. But I've never finished a lipstick so I want to cross that one of my list too, and this one is on the way to being used up! 

10. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Zero 

I have a tiny bit left of this, but for my waterline I like to use gel eyeliner. So I want to use this up and be done with it. It's not my favourite pencil, and to be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of black eye pencils - I'd rather use gel. 

And those are the ten products I have chosen for my Project Ten Pan. I don't want to purchase another beauty product until I use up, or hit pan, on all ten of these products, but I probably will need to purchase a primer before that time comes because I only have this primer mentioned and a bit of another one left. However, besides that - these are the products I'm going to be using daily and hopefully save some money in the meantime! 

Thanks for reading, and wish me luck! 

x

Urban Decay Naked Palettes Comparison and Review - Naked, Naked 2 and Naked Basics

I planned this review before the Naked 3 came out. I now have the Naked 3 Palette, but I still wanted to post this review that I had planned. I will be posting a review of the Naked 3 up soon, and in that I will compare where I can with the other palettes, but for now, this is a comparison post between Urban Decay Naked, Naked 2 and Naked Basics. 

I think Urban Decay is what started my obsession with makeup. I liked makeup before, but it was never to the extent it is now. Urban Decay will always have a place in my heart. If you don't know what the Naked Palettes are, they are a neutral lovers dream. The differences between the palettes goes something like this - Naked (1) is more warmed-toned, and what I would call bronzy. The Naked 2 is more cool-toned, and Naked Basics is a dream. One satin highlight shade, and five matte shades. It is the perfect complementary palette for any other palette or eyeshadows you already own. I reach for it on a daily basis, whenever I am wearing eye makeup.

I think for this comparison post, I will start in order of release. First came the Naked Palette, the original. Both the Naked and Naked 2 Palette come with 12 eyeshadows, and the Naked Basics comes with 6. 

The Naked Palette comes with 2 matte shadows (Naked and Buck), a few shimmery (Sin), and some with chunks of glitter. Up until a few months or so a go, I hadn't realised how much I love this palette.  

Virgin is an okay all-over lid colour for me, but it is too shimmery as a highlight (which I think it's intended use is). As an inner-corner highlight, it does the job, but as a brow bone highlight I find it too shimmery. 

Sin is a nice pink-toned shimmery shade. I find topping it on a shimmery, more yellow-toned champagne cream base (Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Barely Branded, or Benefit Bikini-tini) works for me as an allover lid colour. 

Naked is a light brown matte shade. A good crease colour, although sometimes I find it a little too light. When that is the case, I mix it with Buck, and voila! 

Sidecar is a pink-beige with glitter. Unfortunately this colour hasn't received much use from me, and I do think it is because of the pink in it. Like 

Buck is the only other matte shade in the palette. Love this as a crease colour, mixed with or without Naked. It is a warm-toned brown. 

Half Baked is a metallic gold, although Urban Decay classifies it as a bronze. For the longest time, I couldn't get this shadow to work for me. Ever since topping it on top of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, I have loved it. I also sometimes mix it with Smog or Darkhorse (the next two shadows after it). This colour is again featured in the Naked 2 Palette, and now that I have found a way to make it work for me, I'm glad I have one in each palette. 

Smog has recently become one of my favourite eyeshadows. It is a bronze, but on the lids (especially on top of a bronze cream base) it comes off as a lovely golden bronze. I absolutely adore this shadow. 

Darkhorse is my favourite shade for deepening the crease and outer V. It is a dark bronze and beautifully pigmented. 

Toasted is described as a taupey-bronze. It has great pigmentation, but I haven't had too much use out of it. To me, it appears rather pink, and until recently (okay, until I got the Naked 3), I always had a fear of pinkish eyeshadows. Now I love them. Will definitely try to get more use out of this shadow. 

Hustle is a darkish plum/brown shade with shimmer. A great shade to add to the outer V to darken up an eye look. 

Creep is a dark blue-black with silver glitter. This is a great shadow for nights out. 

Gunmetal is a gunmetal blue-grey with subtle silver glitter. The blue may be a bit off-putting, but this works wonderfully to darken up any look and to turn a day time look into a night time look. 

Onto the Naked 2 Palette. This was the first Urban Decay palette I purchased, and I do prefer this over the original Naked. I think this is in part due to the fact that I had the Naked 2 first, but also because I have found colours in this palette that have really worked for me. Last year I did a comparison post between the Naked 2 and the MUA Undress Me Too Palette (see comparison post here)

Foxy is one colour I've tried and tried and tried to make work, but I really can't. This shade is also featured in the Naked Basics palette, but I find the one in Naked Basics works much better than this Foxy. This is a matte yellow cream.

Half Baked is a repeat shadow from the original Naked. 

Bootycall is my favourite shadow from Naked 2 (as you can probably see - it has had a lot of love). I love this allover my lid, and as a highlight shade. I wish Urban Decay would release this shadow as a single. This shade is shimmery, and leans more pink than yellow. 

Chopper is rusty copper shade. Nicely pigmented and shimmery. 

Tease is a taupe matte brown shade, perfect for the crease and for blending. 

Snakebite is a shimmery bronze. I love this shadow. Awesome for night time makeup, and for darkening up the outer V. 

Suspect is a bronze shimmer shadow, lighter than Snakebite. 

Pistol is a dark brown-grey with shimmer. Another good shade for darkening up the outer V.

Verve is a nice silver metallic shade, beautiful as an allover lid colour. Super pigmented, and a silver shadow is always fun to experiment with, 

YDK is a red-toned brown, which is shimmery and metallic looking. I see this shadow as an awesome autumn/winter eyeshadow. This one is more of a medium brown. 

Busted is a deep brown with red in it, a dark burgundy. Another good shadow to put in the outer V to darken up an eye look. 

Blackout is my all-time favourite matte black shadow. It is super pigmented. This works well at really darkening up an eye look, and is great at setting with gel eyeliner. 

And now onto my (second) most recent Naked purchase - the Naked Basics. I picked this up when I was in England last July, and I don't know how I lived without this palette before - I am quite serious.

Venus is the only shimmer shade in this palette, beautiful as a brow highlight on a night out (the only time I really like shimmery brow bone highlights) and an inner corner highlight, and even works well as an allover eye lid colour. It is a pretty neutral shadow, not too yellow or pink. I have been using this a lot recently as a inner corner highlight.  

Foxy is a matte, yellow-toned highlight shade. This is a repeat from Naked 2. However, I find the Foxy in Naked Basics works much better than Naked 2 Foxy and have hit drastic pan on this since taking photos for this review. I have tried to get the Foxy in Naked 2 to work like this one does, but it appears an impossible task.

W.O.S (Walk of Shame) is a matte, pink-toned highlight shade. Great for highlighting the brow bone on a day-to-day basis, and even blending out harsh edges. 

Naked 2 is cooler version of the original Naked shade in Naked, this works well for a darker crease. It is a lightish brown. 

Faint is a nice medium brown, perfect for when you want to deepen your outer corner without using something as harsh as a black. 

Crave isn't as deep as Blackout, but the inclusion of a matte black makes this a really versatile palette. Since using this palette more and more, I find the two black matte shadows work pretty similarly and have no concern in using one or the other. 

Some comparisons of shades 

There are some shades in the palettes that are repeats (Foxy in Naked 2 and Naked Basics, Half Baked in Naked 1 and 2), but there are also some shades that are pretty similar. 

Blackout (Naked 2) vs. Crave (Naked Basics)

Virgin (Naked) vs. Bootycall (Naked 2) vs. Venus (Naked Basics)

Naked (Naked) vs. Naked 2 (Naked Basics)

The Verdict

I love all three of these palettes. For someone just starting with makeup, or isn't a hoarder of palettes, I would say pick the Naked Basics for sure. It is a versatile palette. If one of the three Naked palettes appeals to you, grab one. You don't need all four of these guys, but I did. Each palette appeals to me in a different way, I find Naked a good palette for the summer months, and Naked 2 a good palette for the winter months. The shimmery shadows from Urban Decay are amazing. Super pigmented, and topped over a base last for ages. I am a fan of the Urban Decay Primer Potion, particularly Eden. Although I have quite dry skin, my eyelids are hooded and sometimes oily, so Eden serves well (it is a matte primer). If I haven't already mentioned, the matte shades from these palettes aren't the best performing. They aren't as buttery smooth as you'd expect, and some of them (like Foxy in Naked 2) really aren't pigmented enough. But the shimmery and glitter shades are amazing. They are smooth, pigmented, and are just amazing to swatch (and use, of course). 

Urban Decay is my favourite brand for eyeshadows. Right now, I own 8 of their palettes, and adore each one. They make some amazing pigmented and vibrant shades, but for every day makeup, one of these palettes would be a great addition. 

I hope this review was helpful in comparing the three palettes (Naked, Naked 2 and Naked Basics). I don't find Naked and Naked 2 similar at all, and the addition of Naked Basics into the Naked line was perfect. These palettes are the ones I reach for most often.

Thanks for reading, 

x