REVIEW: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

If it isn't already obvious based on the title and the photo above.. yep! I got the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. I actually received it as a Christmas gift from my boyfriend and couldn't be more excited. I'll be honest and say that when I first heard about the Naked 3, I was a little skeptical about it. However, like most things.. it started to grow on me. Anyway, here are my pro/cons:

PROS:

- It's got a different color palette altogether in comparison to the Naked and Naked 2 as it's got a more rose golden tone to it. With Naked and Naked 2, I feel you can get away with just one of them, however because Naked 3 is a more pink-toned palette, there's enough variation between them if you decide to want to get it

- Like all Urban Decay shadows, the pigmentation is great - very creamy and blendable

- It has 3 matte shades that are perfect for brow bone highlight and transitional colours

- Has a great range of light and dark shades that make the palette versatile for day and night looks

- Comes with a deluxe sample pack of all of Urban Decay's eyeshadow primers

- Packaging is travel friendly 

- All shades are new

CONS: 

- You can never really get away from those glittery shades with the chunky glittery fall out

- The pink tones may not be everyone's cup of tea

- Price might be a little bit of a turn off for some

Overall, I feel it's a matter of preference when it comes to this. Yes I feel it's different enough from the previous Naked Palettes to purchase if you please, however if you're not into the rose gold/pink tones this may not be for you.  I've been using it a lot since receiving it.. surprisingly more so than my Naked 2 Palette (which in all honesty.. I don't like as much as the original Naked Palette, or even the Naked 3). But again, it's ultimately up to you..

xoxo

REVIEW: NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder

I picked up the Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder during Sephora's 20% off Friends and Family Sale a few weeks ago and have been using it since. Here are my thoughts on it.

Pros:

- Doesn't look cakey

- Gives a satin finish

- Blurs imperfections 

- Prolongs lasting power of foundation

- A little goes a long way (it'll last forever!)

Cons:

- Price $$$

- Messiness from loose powder

- Oil control could be better (however I naturally have an overly oily nose so it could just be me..)

Overall, apart from the messiness of using a loose powder, I've been enjoying it thus far. It hasn't broken me out and I love the finish it gives. I'm just glad I got 20% off it because like all other NARS products, it's quite pricey ($39.00 CDN), however considering you don't need to use a lot, I think you're getting your money's worth of product (10g/0.35oz).

xoxo

Review: Maybelline Volum'Express the "Colossal Cat Eyes" Mascara

I've always been a fan of most Maybelline mascaras, especially once they've "aged" a little. For those of you who've used Maybelline mascaras, you know what I'm talking about. For those that don't know, Maybelline is known to have really wet formulations for their mascaras, and while some may like that, I'm not a big fan because I find that when the formula is on the wetter side I get clumps easier. Anyway, before I veer any further off topic, I figured share my thoughts on the Colossal Cat Eyes mascara, which I'll say right now.. I've already repurchased.

I purchased mine at Wal-Mart for about $7 in the regular formula, shade - "Glam Black". Maybelline claims this product will give you "colossal feline-like lashes in one stroke". It has a "claw brush" (which is technically just a curved brush.. keeping in the feline theme I guess) with a collagen infused formula. My lashes are relatively average length and while they're not super thick, they're not relatively sparse either. 

Like all other Maybelline mascaras, I find that this one performs a lot better once it's gotten a little older because I can build more volume and encounter less clumping when the formula's a little drier. I really like that the wand isn't plastic and the curved brush helps maintain my curl while still allowing me to layer numerous coats (not that I actually layer more than 3 coats anyway..). I can only imagine how well the waterproof version would hold a curl in place even more! I can also separate my lashes fairly well with this brush considering I was never a pro at using a curved brush. 

The formula is nice once it's dried out a bit because it gives the lashes volume and lengthens them just enough that if I were to just wear mascara, I'd be content. I also appreciate how it doesn't flake or smudge because I think I can vouch for just about every girl and say that flaking and smudging are big "No No's". I wouldn't say it necessarily lives up to it's claims of "colossal feline-like lashes in one stroke", however it's a great everyday mascara and I've personally been enjoying it. Hence the fact that I've already repurchased it. 

So you know my thoughts on this product, what are yours? Have you tried it? Did you love it/hate it? Leave a comment down below on your thoughts and if there are other, possibly better mascaras I should try. Hope everyone's doing well!

xoxo

What I Thought// Maybelline Fit Me Stick Foundation

I don't know what exactly drew me to this foundation to be honest. I never tried the Maybelline Fit Me liquid foundation because it's not exactly targeted for my specific skin type but for some reason, I was drawn to this one. It could be due to the fact that it was receiving fairly good reviews on YouTube, or the fact that it stated that it was a "shine free" foundation. With that said, I basically hunted this down when I went to the States last month - if you're Canadian you know it takes ions for us to get anything new - and finally found one at Wal-Mart. I believe it was about $8-10 USD. 

This foundation, as stated above, claims to be shine free. It's a gel stick foundation with what is marketed as an "anti-shine" core to "instantly" dissolve oil. I picked up the shade 220 Natural Beige because between this one and the shade above, this one looked like it had yellower undertones. It is smidgen light for my skin however it works well if I keep it away from the perimeter of my face [which generally tends to be darker anyway..]. 

I find the fact that it's a stick foundation to be rather convenient if you're on the go. I've heard it applies best when blended out with fingers, however if I'm not in a hurry I like to blend it out with my MAC #130 duo-fibre brush. I would say the coverage is light to medium however it's definitely something I'd recommend using on good skin days, or if you don't really need full coverage to begin with. 

As for it's "shine free" claims.. to be honest I don't think it hold true to those claims. The "anti-shine" core is supposed to dissolve excess oils however I find that I get oily quicker with this foundation than I do with the Revlon Nearly Naked [Review HERE]. I would probably recommend this foundation to those with normal skin because it doesn't hold up amazingly against oily skin, however because it's in a stick formulation I don't think it'd agree with dry patches either - it may even accentuate them more than you'd like. If you're a teen whose just starting out with makeup this might be for you as well as it's easy to use and take with you on the go. Otherwise.. it's not my favourite.

xoxo

What I Thought// Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

I picked this up a while ago when it was on promo for a combo pack of the foundation and powder for $11CDN, which mind you.. is quite a steal because you're basically getting one of the products for free! And who doesn't like such an awesome deal? I picked mine up from Wal-Mart and got the shade 170 Natural Beige - which was a tad dark on me at the time - however since I've actually been out and about in the sun this summer I've acquired quite a darker colouring [*the pale asian in me squeals with excitement*] so being that this was the only foundation to match me during the warm months, it has been my go to foundation for pretty much all of summer. 

It's got a light to medium buildable coverage and is definitely a dewy foundation. Being an oily skinned gal myself, this could either turn out a disaster or.. on the odd occasion, work out! Either way, it's what I've been using lately and while I do find myself having to blot a few times - not that blotting or getting oily throughout the day is foreign to me - I'm pretty pleased with it. While my skin is oily, I don't always want a matte foundation because I do get the occasional dry patches and matte finishes can look really flat and unnatural. 

I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply it and set it with powder. Overall, I would recommend this foundation to those with dry to normal skin. However, if you're combo to oily this could work for you! If you turn out an oil slick within an hour then I'd definitely steer clear of this foundation. And finally, for those of you who are like me who don't always want a matte finish and don't mind touching up throughout the day, then you might want to check this little number out the next time you're at the drugstore!

xoxo

P.S. I'd say my only gripe with it is that it doesn't have a pump [BOO!] and due to the fact that it's on the liquidy side of formulations, it can be a little messy if you're not careful..

What I Thought// Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara

I picked this mascara up last week since I ran out of the Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara - which you read about here). I was torn between trying the Flamed Out mascara and the Clump Crusher, and ended up going with Flamed Out.

This mascara claims to add instant maximum volume, bold winged out lashes and has a unique wire brush that coats your lashes up and out. I bought mine at Wal-Mart for around $7, and got it in very black blaze.

I'm going to be honest and say that my first impression of this mascara was a total bust. The first application was very dry and I had to really work with it and give my lashes a few coats in order to see a difference in my lashes. However things did turn around as I started using it.

Using it more often I found that the formula started to apply more smoothly and I didn't have to apply numerous coats to get my desired effect. It does give my lashes volume and some added length as well. It also doesn't clump very easily, which is a good thing - although from my experience with Covergirl's Lash Blast Volume, I feel like Covergirl's mascaras don't clump that easily, at least on me.

It doesn't necessarily give me that "winged out" lash effect but I'm not really to picky about that. It's definitely got a dryer formula than any Maybelline mascara so it may dry out faster but so far it's been pretty good.

I don't really have an opinion on the brush applicator. It combs out my lashes fairly well and doesn't pack on too much product. I guess my only gripe would be when you pull the wand from the tube, there's a big clump of excess product on the tip of the brush. It's annoying but tolerable.

My lashes are borderline medium length, with average thickness. This mascara, after initial use, is a fairly good mascara at giving me volume and length. It holds a curl decently however when you start packing on color it can weigh down your mascara (like most mascaras tend to do). I haven't experienced any smudging or flaking so far either.

I probably wouldn't recommend this mascara for bottom lashes just cause the brush is on the bulkier side. Speaking of bottom lashes! I actually found that towards the end of using my Maybelline Illegal Length mascara, I actually liked how the Illegal Length performed on my bottom lashes (just to put it out there..).

Would I repurchase this mascara? Perhaps, if it were on sale. It's definitely not holy grail status but it's decent. I recommend this mascara to people who have medium lashes with good length and average volume. I imagine it would be amazing on people who already have long amazing lashes (like MakeupbyTiffanyD!). I also recommend this mascara to people who prefer a dryer consistency when it comes to mascara formulation.

So those were my thoughts on the new Covergirl Flamed Out mascara. Have any of you tried it out? Let me know down below whether you hated or loved it, and any other recommendations you have.

xoxo

What I Thought// MAC Matchmaster Foundation

I picked up the MAC Matchmaster Foundation a while back when I finished my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (which I miss dearly btw..) and I thought I'd share my thoughts on it.

This is one of MAC's newer foundation that claims to adjust to your skin tone with the use of "Shade Intelligence Technology". I always found products with a "self-adjusting" claim to be quite gimmicky, although when I first tried a sample of this foundation, I was actually impressed with its ability to adjust quite closely to my skin tone. 

I initially bought this in the shade 3.0, which is what the MAC associate advised for me since I told her I was NC30 in the MAC Studio Fix Fluid and Pro Longwear, but I exchanged it for the shade 2.0 because I found that the 3.0 oxidized on me (turning me an unflattering oompa loopma orange). 

Bare Face

Left (w/Foundation) vs. Right (w/o Foundation)

This foundation claims to have a demi-matte finish with medium, buildable coverage and has an SPF of 15. I actually agree with the claims because it was definitely matte with a slight glow that doesn't make you look greasy, and I could still see my skin peeking through. It's definitely not as thick as the Studio Fix Fluid, but easier to blend than the Pro Longwear. I also found that it held up better against my oily skin than Pro Longwear did.

Whole Face w/ Foundation

Full Face of Makeup

I find that I rarely have to blot throughout the day with this and I love that I don't necessarily have to set it with powder because it sets fairly quickly. Now, that doesn't mean you have to work quickly to blend it out, but it doesn't have that annoying tacky feeling when you're anxiously waiting for it to set so you can move on with the rest of your face. 

Overall, I'm impressed with this foundation and I appreciate that it sticks relatively close to its claims. It's probably one of MAC's foundations that I can actually openly recommend without picking out its flaws. 

xoxo

What I Thought// Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara

So I recently finished a tube of the Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara and figured I'd share my thoughts on it.

I bought mine at my local Wal-Mart for about $6-7 and thought I'd give it a try as some of my favourite YouTubers were raving about it. This mascara has fibers in it that claims to lengthen your lashes up to 4 mm. It's like hair extensions for your lashes.

Now a little background on my lashes. They're on the shorter side however not super short, probably bordering medium length? They've got decent volume (although I could definitely use more) and they're fair at holding a curl.

Did I like this mascara? It was alright. The formulation starts off on the wet side like most Maybelline mascaras are known for, however it was more manageable when it dried out a bit. The brush was decent although I did get more clumping than I'd like.

To be honest, I felt like it didn't do too much for my lashes. If anything it was quite uncomfortable to wear, especially if I wasn't careful and got some of the fibers close to my waterline. Now that was an annoying feeling! It kind of hurt sometimes actually.. I didn't see too much of a difference in length, but there was some noticeable difference - especially with my bottom lashes. I'm not about to go measure to see if they extended 4mm but I could've done with a little more length.

Would I repurchase? Probably not. It wasn't my favourite and I think it'd be better for someone who has fairly long, thick lashes to begin with. Maybe lengthening mascaras just aren't my thing.. but if lengthening fiber mascaras are your cup of tea then I'd say give it a try! We're all entitled to our own opinions right? I just picked up the new Covergirl Flamed Out mascara so stay tuned for my thoughts on that one.

xoxo