Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Week Of The Palettes - Day 2 - Urban Decay Electric

Week Of The Palettes - Day 2 - Urban Decay Electric 



Hey guys,
Blogging two days in a row! I definitely getting good.  Thanks for the constant nagging (in a good way) Renu, you inspire me ♥ and also all of you. Im feeling pretty determined now. 
 Lets get to todays choice of palette! The infamous Urban Decay Electric Palette. I saw this palette online and told myself, "Shivani you don't need this palette, you have your bright Sugarpill eyeshadows, agreed they are matte but you can always add loose glitter to them" That being said I always had this desire in my heart to have it and my sister surprised me with this beauty. I was jumping up and down and screaming! Thanks Janvi, you win the best sister of the decade award! I love you ♥  It was so kind of you.


What Urban Decay has to say:
Chaos-inducing color—in ten VELVETY shades. Inspired by Chaos (a brilliant matte blue from The Vice Palette), we created the ultimate fix for color addicts—packed with ten of the brightest, most amazing shades you’ve ever laid eyes on, plus a double-ended brush. In addition to Chaos (yes, it’s back!), this palette marks the return of Revolt (a silver standout from our Anarchy Face Case). All the other shades are NEW!
Price: $49 + Tax


Can we all just take yet another moment, put down you coffee mug or whatever you are doing and just look at that packaging!!! It totally goes with the Electric theme! I spent atleast 45 minutes just adoring the packaging. The Palette is sturdy and looks ultra chic, its black all over with just the top all colorful and electric! I am in awe. 
Can we all just take yet another moment, put down you coffee mug or whatever you are doing and just look at that packaging!!! It totally goes with the Electric theme! I spent atleast 45 minutes just adoring the packaging. The Palette is sturdy and looks ultra chic, its black all over with just the top all colorful and electric! I am in awe. 
After having a very popular line with the N*keds, Urban Decay was getting a bit monotonous shadow wise. They salvaged this situation by introducing a totally brights palette and according to me they have proved to the world that they are all rounders palette wise.

After having a very popular line with the N*keds, Urban Decay was getting a bit monotonous shadow wise. They salvaged this situation by introducing a totally brights palette and according to me they have proved to the world that they are all rounders palette wise.


Lets get to the shades:
Revolt: Its a bright metallic silver with fine silver glitter.
Gonzo: A bright matte turquoise with a slight pearl finish
Slowburn: A bright reddish- orange with a pearl finish
Savage: A bright hot pink
Fringe: A bright metallic teal
Chaos: A bright matte blue 
Jilted:  A bright metallic fuchsia with blue undertones
Urban: A bright metallic purple
Freak:  A bright green with gold shimmer
Thrash: A bright lime green matte 

These colors become uber pigmented when you spray the brush with some Mac Fix Plus or Urban Decay setting spray. Basically if you use a wet brush the pigmentation becomes extraordinary. Now I have seen videos where people with blonde hair actually apply a layer of UD setting spray to a bunch of hair and then apply one of the shades from the palette and it looks mind blowing! I mean how multi purpose is this palette, you can use it as a highlighter, a blush, an eyeshadow, a temporary hair color or even face painting. Personally I am impressed. Now I have all the shades from Sugarpill eyeshadows, they are known for their whacky colors. The difference between the two is that Sugarpill has pure matte eyeshadows and these have either shimmery or semi matte shadows. Both function well in their own way. I have an EOTD that I will show below,  I have used the shade revolt with a wet brush. You can see the pressed pigment looks so much nicer. 


These colors become uber pigmented when you spray the brush with some Mac Fix Plus or Urban Decay setting spray. Basically if you use a wet brush the pigmentation becomes extraordinary. Now I have seen videos where people with blonde hair actually apply a layer of UD setting spray to a bunch of hair and then apply one of the shades from the palette and it looks mind blowing! I mean how multi purpose is this palette, you can use it as a highlighter, a blush, an eyeshadow, a temporary hair color or even face painting. Personally I am impressed. Now I have all the shades from Sugarpill eyeshadows, they are known for their whacky colors. The difference between the two is that Sugarpill has pure matte eyeshadows and these have either shimmery or semi matte shadows. Both function well in their own way. I have an EOTD that I will show below,  I have used the shade revolt with a wet brush. You can see the pressed pigment looks so much nicer. 
These colors become uber pigmented when you spray the brush with some Mac Fix Plus or Urban Decay setting spray. Basically if you use a wet brush the pigmentation becomes extraordinary. Now I have seen videos where people with blonde hair actually apply a layer of UD setting spray to a bunch of hair and then apply one of the shades from the palette and it looks mind blowing! I mean how multi purpose is this palette, you can use it as a highlighter, a blush, an eyeshadow, a temporary hair color or even face painting. Personally I am impressed. Now I have all the shades from Sugarpill eyeshadows, they are known for their whacky colors. The difference between the two is that Sugarpill has pure matte eyeshadows and these have either shimmery or semi matte shadows. Both function well in their own way. I have an EOTD that I will show below,  I have used the shade revolt with a wet brush. You can see the pressed pigment looks so much nicer. 
I did do a look using the bright matte fuchsia but unfortunately the lighting on that one is very dodgy, so I will post a look with some other shades pretty soon. One particular concern you may have is that the colors may be too bright for you, but I think if you know how to work the colors well and blend to perfection there is no reason why you can't rock these colors. Plus you can use them lightly for a subtle pop of color. 

However there is one thing about this palette that I will tell you with caution. On the back of the Palette there is a Warning that says the shades Slowburn, Savage, Jilted and Urban are not intended for the immediate eye area! I have never had any issues with shades like those causing irritation around my eyes, but if you plan on using them please beware of the warning. Now I know they need to post the warning as a liability, as some pigments in the palette are not FDA approved ( simply meaning that FDA hasn't tested them for the eye area yet) Do note that these colors are safe in European countries. And according to me UD is just covering themselves incase someone tries to sue, but I did want to make sure I mentioned the warning here. Companies like Barry M, NYX etc also make glitter neon pigments that have a similar warning, and no case has been reported till now.

































(L-R : Revolt, Gonzo, Slowburn, Savage & Fringe)


(L-R : Revolt, Gonzo, Slowburn, Savage & Fringe)


 (L-R : Revolt, Gonzo, Slowburn, Savage & Fringe)





(L-R : Chaos, Jilted, Urban, Freak & Thrash)

(L-R : Chaos, Jilted, Urban, Freak & Thrash)



















My personal views on this palette are not changed by the warning as to me it seems like a precautionary measure more than anything else. It does not change my opinion on the palette.  Rating the palette out of a 10, I would definitely give it 9. Ive not given it a full mark as the colors are a little similar and I would have liked a bit more variety. 2 blues, 2 pinks & 2 greens if you get my drift. But on the whole, Good Job UD and thanks for yet another amazing palette!


Tell me your favorite shade and which one you want me to do another EOTD with?






Monday, May 26, 2014

Week of the Palettes - Day 1 - Lorac Unzipped Palette

Week of the Palettes - Day 1-  Lorac Unzipped Palette

Hey guys,

Im sure you guessed by the title of the blogpost but let me break it down for you anyway. There is nothing more I love than palettes, they are fun, bright, easy to travel with and give you tones of options!  At the same time they are expensive and you could end up with expensive useless palettes. So I though of this idea, I will be reviewing 7 Palettes in total this week (some good, some amazing and some meh)  and on Sunday I will tell you my top 10 Palettes of all time (maybe in a video, keyword - maybe). This will help you spend your money wisely and also help you decide what you love.  I think I've ranted enough now, and you get the point so lets move on to the Palette of the Day. You guys via Facebook picked the Lorac Unzipped Palette to be reviewed first so here it is, in all its glory.




What Lorac has to say:


LORAC UNZIPPED PALETTE

Get UNZIPPED and unleash your natural beauty with LORAC’S universally flattering nude eye shadow palette. Create unlimited head-turning looks with the MINI Behind The Scenes Eye Primer for long-lasting color and 10 ultra-rich, shimmering and matte shadows in a super sexy, nude palette. LORAC: UNZIPPED, UNCENSORED and UNBELIEVABLE!

Price: $40 + Tax


When this palette was initially launched I believe back in 2012, it was highly compared to Urban Decay's N*ked 2 as both palettes have a rosy hue to them. I think while they are not dupes, the colors in both are from the same family. So they are cousins more or less.






I got this palette a couple of months ago from ULTA, I posted about it in a haul post here. There was supposed to be a primer with this palette as well and I do remember getting it but now I simply can't find it. *looks at sister suspiciously* *creepy music* Any how I have been using my eye primer of choice (Nars smudge proof primer) under this and it has given me good results.






The packaging is pretty simple, but Lorac is known for simple and chic packaging. Its a beige color palette with one half of the zip running through the corners and the end of the brand name the zip starts to open.



Now coming to shades, ill list a in depth description of each shade below.

Top Row- (L-R)


    (L-R) Undercover, Unbelievable, Unatainable, Unconditional & Unbridled

     (L-R) Undercover, Unbelievable, Unatainable, Unconditional & Unbridled

Undercover: It is the perfect highlight color, white with a rosy hue and subtle shimmer. Perfect for the brow bone and inner corner.

Unbelievable:  Is a rosy bronze with shimmer. This would be good for an all over lid application.

Unatainable: Is a true bronze shade with shimmer. This would be perfect as a blending color, it will prevent the harsh line and make everything look glamourous and soft.

Unconditional: This color shows up very lightly on the skin. Put it would be a perfect crease color. It is a soft taupe-brown.

Unbridled: Oh my this matte brown! Come to mama! I love this shade! It is perfect for the outer corner. I also sometimes use this with a angled liner brush as eye liner or on top of eyeliner. Outstanding shade.


Bottom Row - (L-R)


  (L - R) Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken & Untamed. 


  (L - R) Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken & Untamed.

     
  (L - R) Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken & Untamed.


Undiscovered: This is a neutral gold color. Perfect for an all over lid application again.

Unreal: A Perfect rose gold shade! This is the only shade thats requires a bit of patting for the actual color to show up, but then that could just be because of my skin color.

Uncensored: A shimmery dark bronze, I would use this under the eye to tie a look together or as a blending shade.

Unspoken: This is a matte medium brown, perfect for a defined crease. I have used this on the outer corners too and the results have been fab. You can't go wrong with a matte medium brown.

 Untamed: Easily my favorite shade of the lot.  Shimmering dark brown. Perfect on the outer corner of if you are feeling rather bold all over the lid! Fabulous shade!


Can we just take a minute to appreciate the names of the shades? I love them all! They reflect varied personalities and emotions. The platte itself is called Unzipped. Brilliant! Love it!

I am going to be 100% honest, if the Lorac Pro Palette gets a 10 on 10 this palette gets a 9 on10 as some shimmers have fallout and require a little work (much less fallout as compared to the UD N*ked's though). This palette is a wonderful palette to have if like me you are into nudes and love shimmer. All except 2 shades have shimmer in them. The one thing I liked about the palette is that the shades do not have chunky in-your-face glitter but rather easily blendable shimmer that reflect light very well. And if you like me like wearing subtle shimmer to work everyday as matte seems boring you will love this palette. The shades are easily blendable and you can work them with your fingers too if you are in a hurry. I will post a EOTD with this palette very soon. Price wise it is up there with the UD N*ked Palettes but definitely an investment. I have been using this palette everyday for the past month and I don't even see a dent in any of the shadows, I will definitely get a lot of use out of this palette and am super glad I bought it.

Finally in my opinion, I freakin love the palette and would definitely recommend it to you. Do give it a swatch if you are able to, I'm sure you won't be able to resist the buttery texture of the shadows! Also I know the most asked question will be,  "I have the N*aked Palette, do I still need these?"  Well the answer to that is "Yes! Obviously!" I mean I did say that the shades are not dupes rather cousins! And if you love collecting palettes and trying out different shades then you have your answer already!

What was your favorite shade name of the lot?  Mine was Untamed *wink*

























Wednesday, April 9, 2014

My Makeup Wishlist...

Hey guys,


Most of you know that I already have a huge makeup collection and I probably don't need any more makeup in my life! But well the heart wants what it wants... Without further ado lets get to it.. Also if you guys have any of these products or have tried them do let me know.. I would really love to hear your thoughts. 

1)  Bare Minerals 15th Anniversary Mineral Veil Finishing Powder ($26)



I have the original set to this one but its the packaging on this one that has me intrigued. I saw it on one very popular Youtube channel (can't remember who) but she said she loved it and it was very travel friendly and an amazing product... So I can't wait to get my hands on it. 

2) Ole Henriksen Nuture Me and the Grease Release Wipes ($15 each for 30 wipes)




I again have the original 'The Clean Truth' Wipes and they are my favorite makeup removing wipes. Not only do they get rid of waterproof mascara efficiently, they simply smell divine... So I am really looking forward to trying out the two new variants!

3) The Bobbi Brown  empty 3 pan palette. ($ 10 - Sale Price)



I saw this on the Sephora website a couple of weeks back, I put it in my basket but forgot to place the order.. It is now out of stock, but it basically lets you take 3 of your favorite blushes or eyeshadows (or a mix of both) and make a palette out of it for the go. And if you have seen my previous post you will know I have a lot of Bobbi Brown blushes. Have clicked the option of letting me know when it gets back in stock... Also I forgot to mention it was on sale the last time I saw it. I really do hope it comes back in stock very very soon...


4) Dolce & Gabbana The Blush Luminous Cheek Color in 40 Provocative ($ 45)



I have a thing for high end blushes. The scintillating colors and the amazing textures but mostly the packaging has me drawn to it like a magnet. The color I have picked is a cool pink as I tend to reach for those colors for blush the most & I love everything pink... This Blush has been on my wish list for a very long time. I know someday I will cave and click the checkout button. Till then I am dreaming of you! 


5) Diorskin Air Flash Spray Foundation ($62)



I have been lusting after this foundation again for a very long time. I have seen rave reviews on itsjudytime and a couple of other youtubers! I have seen this in India as well for around the 6k mark I think. There is a Sephora dupe of this as well and the newly formulated one is supposed to be good. I believe there is a Revlon dupe for it as well but it doesn't have great reviews. But I have made a promise to myself that only when I finish up 2 bottles of the foundations I currently own will I purchase this beauty.. Till then I can only lust!

6) Givenchy Phenomenon Eyes Mascara ($30)



Okay truth be told I only want it because of the brush... Can you see how cute the brush it? I am intrigued as to how it will work on my lashes and the effect it gives.. Someday... someday...


7) Marc Jacobs Beauty Remedy Concealer Pen ($39)



I own a lot of beauty products from the Marc Jacobs makeup line and the foundation is my absolute favorite (almost HG!) I wanted to pick up the concealer too but my shade was out of stock in most stores.. I would love to try it out as I have heard rave reviews about it as well...


8) Too Faced La Creme Lipsticks ( $22)



I am eyeing a couple of shades in this range such as  'I Want Candy' 'Razzle Dazzle Rose' 'Jelly Bean' & 'Fuchsia Shock'. I have seen the online swatches and a friend of mine had one of these and I loved the texture and pigmentation.. The texture is similar to the YSL Sheer Candy lipsticks but the pigmentation is so much better. 

9) Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($62)



Okay this is a little cheating on the wish list because it is a product that I have already owned and used. I used to have this foundation and loved it! It is probably the most luxurious foundation I have ever used. It glides on smoothly and stays put. The colors are beautiful and they don't oxidize. One problem - mine got over! I went thru the whole bottle pretty quickly. I started getting a lot of compliments on my skin after wearing this and I started getting used to it. The minute I ran out of it I ran to the nearest retailer only to find my shade out of stock! I will be getting this very very soon though. It is an amazing luxury buy... 

10) Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick ($78)



Tom Ford has to be my favorite luxury brands. I have not come across one product from this brand that I have disliked. Everything has been pretty and luxurious. I have heard some pretty things about this foundation and look forward to trying it on someday.

11) Burberry Eyeshadows. ($29)



I own quite a lot of makeup from Burberry such as  lipsticks, lip liners, kohl pencil, foundation & blush, so basically the only thing I don't own is the eyeshadows and I would love to get my hands on them..  Taupe Brown and Brown Sable I'm looking at you!

12) Kat Von D Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palette ( $ 46)



I have one Kat Von D palette already and I love the pigmentation and the colors. Would you look at these beautiful colors? This would be perfect to take on holiday and I am mentally already preparing a list of the look I could do with these colors! *hazy eyes*

13) The Narsisst Cheek Palette ($49)



I just bought the Narsissit eyeshadow palette and am heads over heels in love with it. I have this urge to complete my collection with the blush palette from the same line. Nars blushes are one of my favorite high end blushes and this would be a much welcomed addition to that collection.

14) Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush ($30)



Can you believe the insanely cute packaging on these? Enough said! 
My color of choice is 'Candy Glow'  It is such a girly pink, something that you can wear during the day time with a pretty  floral dress or a half sheer maxi and look super cute. ( YES! I wear clothes based on the makeup look I want to wear and not the other way around - #Makeupobsessed )

15) Bliss Fabulips  Pout'-o-matic Spa Powered Lip Perfecting System ($48)



Its like the Clarasonic Mia for your lips! I would love to try this as I am pretty conscious about my lips and also have probably the worlds most sensitive lips! ( I am allergic to 90% of the lip balms there even luxury ones) I cannot stand lip pigmentation and flaky lips and this product claims to get it rid of all that. I think its time to toss my finger toothbrush (the one used for babies) and invest in this! *deep breath*


I am sure you are wondering why there is no Color of the Year - Radiant Orchid featured anywhere.. Well let me tell ya! Me and the color Purple don't get along! The most I can work with purple is in eyeshadow! I hate all variations of Purple/Raidant Orchid or whatever you want to call it, including the shade Mauve! Ofcourse this is my personal preference. No disrespect intended. So rest assured I shall be staying away from it. 

I am looking forward to laying my hands on the products mentioned above, please do let me know if you own any of them and your thoughts. If you have a lust list like me too please tell me in the comments below so I can add it to my list as well :)

Disclaimer: All of the above images are from Google/Sephora.com/Nordstorm.com I do not own any of the images. 

Till next time, 
Stay chic ❤