Happy (Belated) Valentine’s Day

Wow, this week has just flown by! I have had so many things to do this week that I have been neglecting my blog. I feel like I have been non stop with things to do this week and I’m just finally settling down (sort of, not really … ) As a result my Valentine’s Day makeup look is only 4 days late! I had a pretty nice Valentine’s Day actually. I spent the day with the husband and my kids shopping and going for lunch and in the evening the husband and I went out for drinks and to the theatre to see Cabaret.

Here’s a little breakdown on what I wore for my Valentine’s Day makeup. I really loved how it turned out. I just knew that I had to use the Modern Renaissance palette for this look. I just think it’s such a romantic, beautiful palette and it has the perfect colour story for a more traditional Valentine’s look.

PRODUCTS USED:

Primer: Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Primer

Foundation: Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation mixed with Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Foundation

Concealer: Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

Contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit in Fair, Kat Von D Beauty Shade and Light Contour Palette

Setting Powder: Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder

Bronzer: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Blush: Becca Cosmetics Blush in Wisteria

Highlight: Anastasia Beverly Hills Gleam Glow Kit (Starburst)

Eyeshadow: Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette (Buon Fresco, Love Letter, Venetian Red, Red Ochre, Primavera, Tempera, Vermeer)

Liner: Kat Von D Beauty Tattoo Liner (Trooper)

Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara

False Lashes: Huda Beauty Lashes (Samantha)

Lipsticks: Nars Cosmetics Velvet Lip Glide (Le Palace)

 

Green with Envy (or Eyeshadow)

If you’ve ever woken up one day and thought to yourself “Self, I would love to wear only green makeup today” then have I got the look for you. Seriously though, it’s fun to play around with bold looks every now and then. I did swap the green lip with a nude pink before I went out (to Sephora to buy another lipstick) but I would give you a huge high five if you rocked the look in it’s entirety.

I think it’s easy to fall into a comfort zone with makeup and it is amazing to shake things up once in a while. I try to be pretty diverse with makeup, especially with lipstick ( I never wear the same colour two days in a row) but I do see some patterns in my looks when I start to look back at them. What can I say, I love a good warm toned eyeshadow, SUE ME! I have to remind myself not to use those colours again, or that palette again and play around with things I’m not as comfortable with. It’s all about growth and versatility.

Without further ado, here are all the products I used to create this look. If you try this look out at home I would love to see it! And as always, if there’s any other look you would like to see please let me know.

Foundation: Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Foundation and Primer mixed

Concealer: Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

Contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit in Fair mixed with Cover FX Custom Radiance Drops, Kat Von D Beauty Shade and Light Contour Palette

Setting Powder: Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder

Bronzer: Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Blush: Becca Cosmetics Blush in Wisteria

Highlight: Kat Von D Beauty Alchemist Palette (Emerald)

Eyeshadow: Kat Von D Beauty Pastel Goth Palette (Gloom, Dagger), Serpentina Palette (Scarab, Ankh), Alchemist Palette (Emerald)

Eyeliner: Sephora Waterproof Eye Pencil (Black)

Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara

Brows: Benefit Cosmetics Ka-Brow Gel

Lipstick: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick (Junkie) with Kat Von D Beauty Alchemist Palette (Emerald) pressed on top

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette Review

It’s a pretty nasty morning here in Toronto, skies are cloudy and we are prepping for a big snow storm that is supposed to hit us this afternoon. I can’t think of a better time to review the perfect spring palette! Today we will be talking about the beloved Too Faced Sweet Peach palette. This is the second release of this hyped up palette and I decided to see what all the noise was about.

I am kind of late to the Too Faced shadow game as I just received the OG Chocolate Bar palette for Christmas but I fell in love with it and wanted to try some more. Honestly though I am usually fairly underwhelmed with Too Faced palettes because I think they just kind of recycle the same colours over and over again. How many brown shadows does one girl need? With that being said I did love the quality of the Chocolate Bar palette, the shadows are beautiful, the smell is AMAZING and every time I reach for the palette I feel like I’m about to open up a Wonka Bar and reveal a golden ticket. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic but I definitely get all the feels from this palette. I didn’t feel the pull to get any of the other Chocolate Bar palettes though, as I just think they are WAY too similar. But the Peach Palette, well that’s a different story.

Unless you’re living under a rock (or just don’t follow makeup news) you’ve heard all about the Peach Palette. This is currently the #1 selling palette at Sephora and, from what I’ve heard, was nearly impossible to get the first time around. But Too Faced loves us and has not only re-released the palette but has also made it permanent (yay!). The palette retails for $59 CAD and comes with 18 shadows weighing in at .03oz each for a total of 17.1g of product. This works out to $3.28 CAD per shadow. The shadows in this palette (as described by the company) are: White Peach a matte vanilla cream, Luscious a pearl peach champagne, Just Peachy a shimmering peachy pink, Bless Her Heart a golden moss, Tempting a bronzed black, Charmed, I’m Sure a matte medium cool brown, Nectar a pearly peachy cream, Cobbler a peachy pinked bronze, Candied Peach a matte coral with violet shimmer, Bellini a gilded peach, Peach Pit a satin perfect raisin, Delectable a matte smoky amethyst, Peaches ‘n Cream a matte milky peach, Georgia a matte peachy pink, Carmelized a dark gilded bronze, Puree a metallic dark bronze (am I crazy or is this a matte and not a metallic?), Summer Yum a matte gingerbread and Talk Derby To Me a shimmering black violet.

So how do I feel about this palette? I friggin’ love it, that’s how I feel! I really love the colour story here, I think Too Faced did a great job including some great mattes, transition shades, crease shades, lid shades and pops of colour. The shimmer shades are buttery goodness and the mattes are lovely and blendable. There are a couple shades such as Delectable and Talk Derby To Me that are stiffer than the rest and a bit patchy but nothing you can’t work worth and it doesn’t tarnish the quality of the palette overall. And that scent though! It is SUPER strong and is more of an artificial candy peach scent rather than a natural (is that possible?) peach scent so if that’s not your bag than you’ll probably hate it. Literally every time I open my palette drawer I am smacked in the face by this peach scent which I happen to love but it’s certainly not for everyone. It’s very cute and kitschy and nostalgic for me and just puts a smile on my face.

I think the one con is there definitely could be a few more peach toned shadows but overall I’m really pleased with it and love the looks I’ve created so far. It’s such a versatile palette and one that I’m really inspired by when I open it up. You can create soft, natural looks or more dramatic, smokey eyes depending on your mood or event. I would say this palette lived up to the hype for me and I would highly recommend it.

Here are a few looks I’ve created using the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette.

Tarteist Pro Palette Review

Yup, it’s that time again… time for another review! Today we will be diving into the Tarte Cosmetics Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette. I purchased this palette at Sephora for $69 CAD and it boasts 20 Eyeshadows at .035oz each for a total of 20.6g of product. This works out to be $3.45 CAD per shadow. The palette is a mix of 16 mattes and 4 luster/duo chrome shades and include (as described by the company)  Classic a matte cream, Innocent a soft matte peach, Whimsy a matte brick, Smoked a matte dark brown, Ethereal a luster bronze, Vintage a matte ivory, Fierce a matte cool plum, No Filter a matte purple mauve, Vamp a matte deep plum, Glam a luster champagne, Chic a matte pale pink, Profesh a matte taupe, Mod a matte deep cherry, Drama a matte maroon, Minx a shimmering mauve, Indie a matte gray, Bold a matte light brown, Edgy a matte chocolate, Punk a matte black and Trendy a prismatic teal.

This palette has had a bit of controversy surrounding it since it’s release with people either loving or hating it. I don’t even feel like mentioning all the drama regarding it’s launch in Bora Bora because it’s so silly but in the name of a thorough review I will. I guess it really rubbed some people the wrong way that Tarte took some big name Influencers to Bora Bora in celebration of the launch of some new products including this palette. I for one just don’t care. Maybe I’m wrong but if I was invited to go on a trip with Tarte I wouldn’t pass that up, and it’s definitely an effective way for the company to promote and market their products. I guess those who were disappointed in the palette were turned off by Influencers giving it positive reviews and feared they may be biased (or bought?)

But alas I digress from the actual palette itself.

I actually really like this palette in all honesty. Yes, a couple of the dark shades such as Vamp, Drama and Punk are a bit stiff and a little patchy but that’s nothing unique to this palette as I find dark purples and black shadows can be tough to get the formula right on the money. And yes, the “duo chromes” aren’t really duo chromes save for Trendy. But again that didn’t really bother me because I didn’t purchase this based on those 4 shades being duo chromes but I can see why you’d be disappointed if that WAS why you bought it. The (poorly labelled) duo chromes are still the best part of this palette hands down. They are super pigmented and buttery and apply beautifully on the lid with both dry or wet brushes. The mattes are fantastic quality as well and again are really smooth, buttery and blendable. They can muddy up a little bit depending on how many shades you use but if you stick to a transition, crease, lid colour and highlight you can’t really go wrong here. I don’t travel often but when I do I know this will be  my go to palette as it really has everything – neutral mattes, pops of colour and beautiful shimmery shades.

Overall I would definitely recommend this palette! If you already have a lot of these shades and aren’t really into collecting palettes (or hoarding them) then maybe it’s not for you but for me it’s a winner. I love the versatility within this palette and it preforms really well. The packaging is really beautiful with a massive mirror (!!!!) and lovely gold detailing and I think it’s a good value for your hard earned dollars.

Here are just a couple of the looks I have done with this palette.

On Mondays We Wear Purple (Eyeshadow)

Here we go with another MOTD product breakdown! Today my mom is babysitting my son and it’s just me and the baby and I think a trip to the grocery store is in order so you know what that means – another opportunity for me to wear an inappropriate amount of makeup! Just kidding, it’s not inappropriate at all and I promise you I give zero fucks about inappropriateness when it comes to makeup. I will wear ALL the makeup!

Anyways…

For my look today I wanted to use some of the eye products that came in the Sephora Favourites Extravagant Eyes Holiday 2016 Set. I may or may not have purchased all my own Christmas gifts from the hubby and this was one of them. The value on this set is fantastic! It comes with a full size Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Midnight Cowboy, a full size Nars Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia, a full size Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Plum, a pair of Huda Beauty Lashes in the style Samantha, a sample size of Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara, a sample size of Milk Makeup Eye Pigment in Silent Disco, a Sephora Brand Contour Eye Pencil and a full size Smashbox 12 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer.  This makes it a value of over $155 CAD and it retailed for $50 CAD at Sephora. Talk about value! Plus I purchased it during the VIB Appreciation Sale and saved even more. Safe to say I am one happy momma.

I have green eyes and my favourite colour is purple so I definitely love my purple eyeshadows! Below you will find a list of all the products used and some more pictures of the finished look. If you’re interested in a quick video tutorial on this look head on over to my Instagram page!

Products used:

Foundation: Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Foundation mixed with the Lock-It Primer

Concealer: Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

Setting Powder: Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder

Contour: Kat Von D Beauty Shade and Light Contour Palette

Bronzer: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Blush: Nars Cosmetics Blush in Goulue

Highlight: Kat Von D Beauty Alchemist Palette shade Amethyst

Eyeshadow: Kat Von D Beauty Pastel Goth Palette (Meow, Dope), Alchemist Palette (Amethyst), Nars Cosmetics Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia, Milk Makeup Eye Pigment in Silent Disco, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Plum

Mascara: Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara in Blacquer

Lipstick: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Studded with Kat Von D Beauty Alchemist Palette (Amethyst) on top

Afterdark Palette Review

Happy Monday! I’m back with another review today on a (sort of) new release from Urban Decay – the Afterdark Palette. I purchased this palette with one of my Christmas gift cards to Sephora after reading so many really positive reviews. I wanted to see if the hype was real since I have been kind of disappointed in some of my recent Urban Decay purchases (looking at you Full Spectrum Palette) and I was really hoping to love this palette. Unfortunately this ended up being a miss for me.

The palette retails at $59 CAD and contains 10 eyeshadows weighing in at .06oz each for a total of 17g of product and one dual ended brush. This works out to be $5.90 CAD per shadow. The 10 shades in this palette (as described by the company) are as follows: Alter a metallic white-gold with gold shift, Scene a light metallic pinky-peach with gold shift, Supersonic an intense metallic red-copper, Sinful a metallic golden amber, Off Duty a deep metallic bronze, Druggie a metallic purple with violet shift, Backfire a burgundy satin with purple shift, Lounge a brick red satin with green shift, Fringe a bright metallic teal and Paralyzed a navy with tonal metallic shift.

I know Fringe is available in the Electric Palette (which I have and love) and I already had a single of Lounge from one of my Ipsy bags and that shadow was ok for me. The shade is beautiful and I love the duo tone element but it was chunky and had some major fallout. Backfire is also available to purchase as a single.

My favourite shadow from the palette was surprisingly Alter. It is such a beautiful highlight shade and can also work on the face. It was buttery and smooth, easy to blend and had great pigmentation. In the pan Scene was STUNNING but it just didn’t translate the same on the lids for me. Fringe and Paralyzed were also very pigmented. The palette as a whole though just under preformed for me. I didn’t find any of the other shades to be very pigmented, and I really had to dip my brush in the pan a few times to get the colour pay off I was looking for. A wet brush definitely helped but it still didn’t blow my mind. Plus the colours all muddied together upon blending which is a pain because you have to keep going back over the colours if you want to create any separation.

Obviously this is a not a stand alone palette as there are no mattes and you would need to pull from other palettes to get a complete look. This doesn’t bother me but I do know myself and the tendency for me to reach for accessory palettes such as this is usually pretty low. I just like the ease and convenience of a palette with a complete range of shades personally, but palettes like this are nice to include in your collection for a pop of colour.

I also compared some of the shades in this palette to my Kat Von D Beauty MetalMatte Palette as there are some similarities. Volt, Nebula, Flash and Synergy are all from the MetalMatte Palette and are definitely close matches for Backfire, Paralyzed, Sinful and Off Duty but I wouldn’t say they are complete dupes. Synergy and Off Duty are the most similar. However, I love the formula of the shades from the MetalMatte Palette so much more than the Afterdark. They are super pigmented, even with a dry brush and they are buttery, smooth and blendable.

As always, reviews and opinions are such personal things so I would never really tell anyone not to buy something. I think different things work for different people and everyone should try it for themselves. For me, the Afterdark Palette just didn’t work. I already have most of these shades in other palettes that preform much better, and it just fell short of my high expectations. Though if they ever come out with a single of Alter I’d be all over that for sure!

Here are some looks I created using the Afterdark Palette.

Pastel Goth Palette Review

I am a huge Kat Von D Beauty junkie and after missing out on last holiday’s Mi Vida Loca Remix Palette I have a hard time passing on any of their limited edition releases. Thus, even after being kinda let down by the look of the Pastel Goth Palette I still had to have it. In my defense it did come out the day before my birthday so I looked at it as a sign (and also a perfect gift).

The palette has eight shades: Star a matte daffodil yellow, Clementine a matte peach, Meow a matte lilac, Dope a matte lavender, Doom a matte sky blue, Gloom a matte meadow green, Dagger a matte stone grey and Skull a matte pure white. The palette retails for $51 CAD at Sephora. I was also pretty surprised by the price as this palette has 8 shadows weighing in at .06oz each while the MetalMatte Palette they released for Holiday 2016 had 22 shadows also weighing in at .06oz each and retailed for $74 CAD. This means that you’re paying $3.36CAD per shade in the MetalMatte Palette and $6.38 CAD per shade in the Pastel Goth Palette. That is a pretty huge price increase, especially when the quality in the MetalMatte Palette was so high (those shimmers though!) The packaging is total perfection though, much like all of Kat Von D’s other products.

It’s not like the Pastel Goth Palette is bad, it’s definitely a pretty great palette but the value just isn’t there and you need to be into these shades for this palette to really be worth it in my opinion. Now I am a lover of all things bold when it comes to makeup but I think wearing the shades from this palette alone in a look just made me feel kind of childish. To me it is like a palette made up of perfect colourful transition shades (and one highlight Skull). I find myself reaching for this palette when I need to pull in a transition shade for a colourful eye look. Clementine is hands down my favourite shade in the whole palette followed by Meow and Dope. The pigmentation is pretty light and can sheer out with blending but it is a pastel colour palette and I think that’s to be expected. The colours are definitely buildable though and for ultimate colour pay off use a white base. The shadows are a bit chalky and dusty but again I think it’s to be expected with a pastel coloured palette. I didn’t notice any fall out when applying to the lids which is a plus. The formula is pretty on par with their other matte shadows, highly blendable and easy to work with.

In summary I would only recommend this palette to people who love this colour story, need some nice coloured transition shades in their kit, or for collectors like me who love to have all the beautiful makeup palettes they can get their hands on.

Below are a few looks I’ve done using the Pastel Goth Palette.