Naked Smoky Palette | Review

Naked Smoky Palette | Review

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Urban Decay, I must say, have the most stunning eye shadow palettes and shades - more than any other brand I know of. One of their new releases is the new Smoky palette from the infamously -loved Naked range. I've tried the second and third Naked palettes as well as the Basics 2; Urban Decay never failing to impress me. 

It came as much a surprise to me when my best friend Megan invested in this beauty for my birthday; I couldn't thank her enough! Getting my hands on some more of their highly pigmented, cool-toned and fun named shadows made my birthday extra special.

 Let's take a look at the product in closer detail - shall we?

Encased in a golden, gunmetal embossed palette with a marble and brown smoke effect on top, there are 12 sultry, cool-toned shades (9 of which are new and exclusive to this palette!) to create the perfect smoky eye, as well as the cooler undertones being ideal for the Winter months. Throughout my makeup hoarding time, I've never really had the right colours to even attempt an in-depth smoky eye so now I have this, I can't wait to get stuck in and spend my days working on new looks that I could potentially upload as tutorials later on.

With a mix of both glittery and matte, light and dark, options, I believe this palette to be one of the most versatile, universal products I've owned in a while. The contrast in finishes and tone envelope a uniqueness too - further making it a NEED for every single beauty blogger in the planet! Also, another difference spotted from the other NAKED palettes, is the new brush style. The two-sided eye crease brush is darker in colour with fluffier bristles; one end a blending brush and the other a more pointed for precision. In my opinion, I prefer this than the ones in the previous NAKED palettes.

HIGH -  A champagne, pink-toned highlight shades with a slightly pearlescent coating. One of the few warm tones in the palette; holds a frosted, metallic sheen on the eye.

DIRTYSWEET - Yellow under-toned metallic gold shade; one perfect for all-over-the-lid.

RADAR - A chestnut, warm brown with small glitters running throughout; idyllic transition shade.

ARMOR - A cool, taupe/grey glitter shade that would add sparkle to your smoky eye.

SLANTED - A pale blue,grey shimmer with a muted metallic essence.

DAGGER - Very dark grey with intense blue tones; a deep matte that would work great creating a dramatic eye.

BLACK MARKET - A navy, jet blue satin shade with a thin, easy-to-blend formula.

SMOLDER - A mix between a plum purple and taupe with an iridescent shine.

PASSWORD - A light matte grey.

WHISKEY - A rich matte brown (I cannot wait to use this in my crease; fab eye contour shade)

COMBUST - A soft, blush pink that will look gorgeous on the inner lid.

THIRTEEN - A pure, beige satin shade; matte but good for brightening, nonetheless!

Overall, I'm phenomenally impressed with each and every aspect of this palette. I couldn't fault any of the colour choices; each shade is wearable and 100% will use! Everything from the gorgeous packaging to the densely bristled brush is an absolute bonus. I just can't wait to try out some new looks!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE : I'm about 40 followers away from 1000 on Bloglovin!!! When I reach 1000, I hope to hold a giveaway and would love to know what you would like to see in it?! Make sure to comment below what you would like to win!

Lots of love

Charlotte Xx

The Cream Eyeshadow Edit

The Cream Eyeshadow Edit

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Are you ever in a rush to do your makeup? Are you ever stuck trying to create that perfect smoky eye in 2 minutes flat? I know I certainly can relate. That's why today's post is here to give you the lowdown on what to do when stuck in these dilemmas - use cream eyeshadows!

On school days or mornings where I have to wake up early, I just NEVER have time to apply my makeup the way I want it to look. Being only semi-okay at eyeshadow, I always find it best to stay clear of dramatic/smoky looks on these types of mornings. The product I will forever turn to are cream shadows; they sit comfortably on the lid, create a wonderful sheen/colour on the lids and are super easy! Majority of the time, I blend in the shadows with my fingers, as I believe it to be the simplest way to apply but using a brush would work just the same.

Below are a few of my favourite brands that have wonderful ranges of cream formulated and pretty eyeshadows :

Starting on the drugstore end of the spectrum, I'd like to give a hand over to possibly the most talked about eyeshadows from the lower side of the market - Maybelline Colour Tattoos. From the moment I started wearing ON AND ON BRONZE two years ago, I fell in love and have always labelled it as a holy grail makeup product. This particular shade is perfect for day and night occasions and make a perfect base for a warm, brown autumn eye look.

Moving on to a recent favourite of mine - the Kiko Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks. I can't get enough of the pigmentation, even the most gentlest swipe on the hand and you're left with a beam of colour. The shade I got is a mix between champagne/taupe; a great addition to any smoky eye look. Can't wait to be wearing more of this throughout the cooler months.

Another cult favourite of both mine and other makeup fanatics are the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. I have 3 shades; milk (white), Yoghurt (pink) and French Fries (bronze). Milk is absolutely incredible for a base or to brighten the eye. If you want to read an in depth review about these just click HERE. Personally, I'm a big fan of the stick-shaped cream shadows as they are less messy and simple to apply.

Sliding smoothly onto the more expensive cream shadows, we have the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows. I've been wearing RSVP for a year now and it is the ONE to wear on a 'no-makeup, makeup day'. It gives a glowing, awakened look to the eye as well as creating a pretty pink/champagne sheen on the lid. Oh, and the packaging is to die for!!!

Finally, here come my favourite of all - MAC PAINT POTS. I'm sure you've heard a lot about these are it is constantly talked about all over the blogger community. The easy-to-blend formula makes these cream shadows a dream to apply, not to mention the extensive colour range Mac has to offer. The shades I have are bare study - a classic champagne/cream colour which works fabulous as a base or primer, and rubenesque - an orange, metallic shade that is very autumn appropriate (the various colours it shares when it reflects is beyond gorgeous!)

ARE YOU A FAN OF CREAM EYESHADOWS? WHAT ARE YOU FAVOURITE EYESHADOW CLASSICS?

Love

I Couldn't Help Myself... | Feel Unique

I Couldn't Help Myself... | Feel Unique

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Don't we all just feel the need to treat ourselves every once in a while?! Well, this month let's say I've treated myself maybe a little more than planned - resulting in my card sulking in the corner, pleading for me not to touch it for the next few months...

How could I not purchase something from FeelUnique at the minute though? They always have so many offers, deals and sales dropping into my emails I just couldn't resist. I also had a voucher from my last purchase that allowed me to reduce the final cost by £5 - a very happy bunny I was :-) 

Straight in my online basket was the most beautiful eyeshadow I've ever laid my eyes on - SERIOUSLY! The Moondust collection from Urban Decay is stunning and being an addict to all things glistening I just had to get it. The 'iridescent sparkle' and '3-D metallic' tones bounce off the eyeshadow in sunlight, making it super pretty to gaze at. The foundation colour of the shadow is a salmon pink but the layering glitters range from silvers, purples, blues and greens. Solstice really matches the intergalactic theme of the range and reminds me of everything space related. GET ON MY LIDS - that sounded weird?!

My second main purchase was the Mary-Lou Manizer from the Balm. I'm in love with the gorgeous champagne colour the pigmented formula creates with a swipe of a brush. There is so much product in this compact so it is totally worth the money and also holds a large mirror for handy travel purposes. I cannot wait to wear this throughout the colder months to keep me glowing. Highlighting the inner corner and brow bone with this would further be an option for me; champagne toned highlights look beautiful on the eye. 

Finally, I decided to add a couple cheaper items to my basket so I could nab myself a couple of samples. I was in need of a new red liner so a Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner (Red Diva) was added followed closely by some flutter-y T-Burr lashes. I've wanted Bambi Eyes for a while now; they are so natural looking and perfect for wearing on a day-to-day basis when my eye lashes are looking sparse and feeble. My two free samples included the Emma Hardie Protect and Prime and a 50ml sample of the the St. Moriz Self Tanning lotion. 

Have you purchased from FeelUnique before?! What beauty products have you bought this month? 

Love

Pink // Worldwide Rainbow Outfits

Pink // Worldwide Rainbow Outfits

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Outfit  ~ Evening

Good evening all, I have a special little post today that involves 14 other lovely girls. We all got in contact by the wonderful Myah Skeete (www.myahrebbecasblog.wordpress.com) and have brought to you a collab which involves copious outfit colours. I got lucky with the colour pink - if you do not wear pink, no fear, scroll to the bottom of this post and click on one of my fellow collabers who happens to be styling your desired colour choice. Some of us have even included a few beauty bits and bobs related to the outfit/colour too!

My outfit is what I would call, 'evening-appropriate'. A gorgeous tight-clung, long-sleeved bodycon dress, perfect for summer because of the girly pastel pink shade. I paired the dress with nude suede shoes (LOL) and a nude, gold chained clutch bag. Personally, I'd wear this to a summer party; the bag is ideal due to it being lightweight and compact, which helps limit myself, and probably many of you, to carrying only the night's essentials (lipstick, powder, phone etc).

Dress - Select (£14.99)
Shoes - Next (£22.99)
Bag - New Look (£14.99)
Lipstick - Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Elusive (£7.99)

 I find pink-toned blushes, eyeshadows and lips can really enhance the outfit. Here are a few makeup options that can add an extra little pink sparkle to your look: -

~~ LIPS - Mac Lovelorn - YSL 01 - Urban Decay Liar - Bobbi Brown Rose Blossom - Revlon Elusive - NYX Audrey - Tanya Burr Aurora - BLUSHES - Mac Fleur Power - Too Faced Sweethearts - Bourjois Jasper Rose - Benefit Rockateur - EYESHADOW - Urban Decay Naked3 - Bobbi Brown Pink Opal - Benefit RSVP - L'Oreal Naughty Strawberry - NAIL POLISH - Barry M ~ Mediterranean, Grapefruit, Pink Iridescent ~~

Don't forget to click on all of the girls blogs below, you won't regret it!!

Fellow Bloggers 

Myah Skeete - Brown - www.myahrebeccasblog.wordpress.com

Claire Ellison - Royal Blue - www.palmtreesandtaxis.weebly.com

Holly Banfield - Black - www.hollysbeautysecrets.blogspot.com

Katie Louise - White&Grey - www.katiecblogs.blogspot.com

Lily Rose - White - www.lilyroserichards.blogspot.co.uk

Yasmin Elle Banks - Monochrome - www.yas-elle.blogspot.co.uk

Frances Bates - Pastel Blue - www.royallyrouge.blogspot.com

Annabel - Lime Green - www.frankiesandgeorge.com

Ellie Colgate - Deep Red/Burgundy - thelifeandbooksofmissbackwards.wordpress.com

Hima - Army Green - www.myramblingheart.com

Maddie Browne - Retro Orange - loafersandlattes.blogspot.co.uk

Amy - Purple&Grey - dailypopularculture.blogspot.co.uk

Abi - Hot Pink - ladyhunter.co.uk 

Brittany - Maroon - brittanyfenton.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading <3

Love 

Mini Mac Collection

Mini Mac Collection

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As Mac is a very popular makeup brand, I thought I would do a lil blog post completely dedicated to the products I own and have tried. Shall we begin?

Studio Fix Fluid NC15 ~ Let's start off with my favourite foundation ever! I was so lucky to get this off of my friend Chloe(thoughtitboughtit.blogspot.co.uk). This beauty has a medium-full coverage, perfect if you ask me, with a fairly thick consistency. The finish is slightly matte but doesn't cling to any dry patches on the skin. NC15 is the lightest shade in the 'cool-toned' range, which is sad for those even paler than myself; luckily, this colour fits my skin tone exactly! 100% recommend to those girls who love a bit of coverage, like myself :-)

Fleur Power Blush ~ For a healthy flush to the cheeks, all you need is this little blush. Personally, I think the shade is very universal so would suit most skin tones - the colour is a mix between a bright peach and muted pink. The pigmentation is incredible; I would definitely recommend tapping excess off after swiping your brush. This is a colour especially suitable for those who love minimalistic/natural makeup.

Woodwinked Eyeshadow ~ This is honestly my favourite eyeshadow of all time. Woodwinked is a soft brown with ridiculous amounts of golden glitters running through, making the finish very metallic. The colour has slight olive-y undertones, so looks incredible on dark eyes. Overall, a really flattering eye shade that can be swiped all over the lid for a very glamourous but quick go-to eye look.

Cranberry Eyeshadow ~ Here comes another great eyeshadow of mine - CRANBERRY. Can we just appreciate how perfect this is for Autumn, I mean seriously?! A fiery red with hints of purple tones and some shimmer; this works beautifully in the crease, in fact pair it with woodwinked all over the lid for a total autumnal look.

Vanilla Pigment ~ The pigments from Mac are insane. Vanilla is a gorgeous off-white colour with gold glitters, making it perfect for inner corner highlighting. This can be a multi-purpose product, as I've read some people use it as a highlight and to your lips have a frosty lip effect (which sounds soooo cool, I really need to give that one a go!) I personally just use it in the inner corner of my eyes to brighten them up and on my brow bone for definition.

Rubenesque Paint Pot ~ I am patiently waiting to buy the melon pigment which completely complements this paint pot. In the meantime, I have been using Trick from the Naked 3 palette to build up the iridescent peach-gold effect. Mega must-have Mac product; it is just so aesthetically pleasing!

Bare Study Paint Pot ~ A neutral light champagne colour with subtle pink shimmers, creating the prettiest pearly sheen on the eyelids. Bare Study is a lovely base, as well as another inner-corner-highligher. I really love to wear this on its own, for those days where you just can't be bothered to apply excessive shadow.

Velvet Teddy Lipstick ~ The Kylie Jenner Colour. This has been all the rave throughout the end of last year and into this coming year. I totally agree with this hype because of the sophisticated matte finish and muted brown tone. A very flattering shade for women of all skin tones. *features in this look*

Lovelorn Lipstick ~ My second ever Mac lippie (I lost my first one - Angel *cries*). This is a lustre finish, which gives the lip an overall glossy look. This candy, blue-toned pink is very moisturizing on the lips and the formulation is super creamy - making it a dream to wear. I cannot stand drying lip products!!! *features in this look*

Lady Danger Lipstick ~ As Mac describes, this is a very 'VIVID BRIGHT CORAL-RED'. The lasting power for this product is well over 5 hours, which is amazing if you ask me. This is my latest MAC purchase and it most definitely has not let me down. All I need to know is a good ol' liner to pair this bad boy with?! Any ideas??

Rebel Lipstick ~ Satin finish lipsticks are my ultimate faves. Matte with a slight sheen :) I am in love with this lipstick and it has to be one of my all time favourites. A sumptuous, deep purple that makes your teeth look insanely white - what more could you ask for? This is also a great one for staying power - it even stains my lips when trying to scrub it off!!! The richness of the colour seriously enhances your lip shape, which is perfect for those who want to achieve fuller, bigger lips. *full review here*

Dervish Lipliner ~ This natural nude can easily redefine your lips and give them a more 'plumpy' aspect. This pinky-mauve colour fits Velvet Teddy to a 'T'. The liner is highly pigmented, so the product glides on the lips instead of nastily tugging.

Thank you so much for reading

Love you all

Urban Decay Naked Basics 2

Urban Decay Naked Basics 2

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If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I am a crazy Urban Decay fan - especially when it comes to their ultra pigmented, buttery eyeshadows. I have been using this little palette throughout the whole of January and I cannot get enough of it! 

Naked Basics 2 holds all matte shadows (with the execption of skimp - it is slightly shimmery), all of which are neutral and highly wearable for anyone. I am in love with all the names - all cheekily related to the whole 'Naked' range. There are two lighter shades and the rest of the palette is orientated around taup-ier/grey colours...very similar to the Naked 2 which happens to be my most used and very well loved palette. 

Over the past month, I have been really into subtle eyeshadow with a slick feline flick. I have been wearing stark all over the lid, cover in the outer corner(also mixed with frisk in the crease) and finally skimp on the inner corner and brow bone. As skimp is the only shade that isn't purely matte, it looks beautiful when highlighting the brow bone. I'm also really into the warm tone cover beholds, as it really accentuates the eye shape and compliments hazel/brown eyes. Finally, when discussing the colours, I love how the darkest shade, undone, is not an intense black, as seen in the first Naked Basics palette. I think a muted black is far more wearable, perfect for wearing as smoked liner and nicer for creating more natural looks.

On the topic of formulation, this palette does not fail to meet my expectations. Like all my other Urban Decay palettes, the shades are all very buttery and pigmented. This makes it so much easier to blend the shadows, especially those being applied in the crease. I do this usually with my E.L.F Professional Eye Blending Brush. 

Overall, I must conclude that this is a definite must-have for those who are a cool-toned shadow fan, love matte shadows, are a lover of Urban Decay palettes, obsessed with neutral eyes or anyone who travels alot, since the palette is small and compact. I cannot compare this to the first and I don't own it/never tried it but let me know in the comments below if you loved it! 

What are your favourite products from Urban Decay? Do you like their eyeshadows as much as I do?

Love