Nyx Lip Liner Collection | Review & Swatches

Lip liners are usually disregarded and I admit I don't use them as often as I should & only if I "need" to, so I don't believe in spending a lot of money for them! I love the Nyx lip liners, because they are so affordable and they have a huge selection of colours.

6 of the Nyx lip liners I have are the slim lip pencil & 1 long lip pencil, honestly I'm not sure what the difference between them are apart from the length of them. I like to buy them on Ebay from Joys Cosmetics because if you buy more than one it becomes cheaper! & I've been buying from them for years & have never had a problem [By the way, she now stocks Real Techniques brushes at a really good price! (N/A)]

[L-R] Rose: Peachy Pink, goes nicely with any lighter neutral pink lipsticks.

Dolly Pink: Cool toned light barbie pink- Perfect for MAC St Germain or Wet n Wild Dollhouse Pink

Pinky: Deep pinky-fuchsia that I use with darker pinks like Maybelline Vivid Rose.

Mauve: Natural browny-pink colour, I use this when just accentuating outside of my lip line as it matches my natural lip colour almost perfectly, except a couple shades darker. Also looks good blended on the edges with a lighter nude.

Bloom: A gorgeous deep magenta/fuchsia colour, works well with MAC Girl About Town

Prune: Dark purple, would be good for MAC Cyber.

(Long Lip pencil) Plush Red: Hot pinky red, I actually like this with MAC Impassioned for a very slight ombre look.

Now, I find these lip pencils can be slightly dry & can pull on the lips, but they are still very pigmented and when you have them sharpened it's easy to get a precise line. Out of the colours I have, I use Rose, Pinky, Mauve & Bloom the most.

The Slim lip pencils retail for around $3.50 and the Long lip pencil's for $2 which is funny considering they have a lot more product in them. There are so many colours to choose from the Slim range and I'm now eying off some more pink & coral ones, just check out the selection from Cherry Culture!

Have you tried these lip liners before? If so, let me know which colours you get the most use out of!

xxo

All products bought with my own money, not affiliated with any brands mentioned

Whats Your Vice [2]? | Urban Decay Palette Review & Swatches

Although it's been out for a couple of months I have only just got my hands on the Urban Decay Vice 2 palette, which is my first "colourful" one from them! I knew I wanted it ever since i missed out on the first addition last year.
It's a bit sad that Urban Decay doesn't ship internationally, and I wasn't sure where else I could get one without going through a mail forwarding service, so when I posted about it on Instagram one of my US followers who I've "known" for a few years offered to buy it & send it over for me, I was so happy!
Of course afterwards I found the website www.tarazz.com.au which is basically is a mail forwarding service from Sephora so the prices are different to what you'd find through Urban Decay, and then I didn't realize it was actually on Beautybay which I've used a fair few times!

I'll start out with the packaging... I absolutely love the design of this case with the hard, sturdy plastic cover with the gorgeous shades of purple & the raised diamond UD logo. It has an easy press button where the case glides open gently, unveiling the 20 gorgeous shades & the huge mirror which occupies the entire space of the lid, which balances the palette when it's open so it doesn't inconveniently tip over.

As always, the palette comes with a dual-ended brush. It has a flat shader on one side and a blending brush on the other, but I don't find them dense or sturdy enough to pack on the colour. However I prefer to use the flat shader for highlighting and precision blending, but the blending side is probably more stiffer and smaller to apply colours directly into the crease.

This palette features a variety of jewel-toned shades amongst the not-so-average neutrals which I find are very complimentary against each other. It consists of mainly shimmery metallic shades, some with glitter accents & flecks of shimmer against a satin base, which can be easily blended out if not careful. There are only two matte blending shades and one highlighting shade which may be a bit limiting but it works as that is not the focus of the palette.

The finish that I prefer in the palette are the metallic eyeshadows, they are definitely the most pigmented and the colours are so eye catching! If you are not used to colour, of course this wouldn't be as appealing but you could start with a hint of colour on the lower lash line or as an eyeliner.
I also thought that I would have plenty of dupes in this palette... I certainly have many similar colours with Inglot & a few other palettes but nothing is ever too similar now, isn't it?? :)

Swatches
All swatches are done without a base but of course will show up differently, the different flecks and textures in some colours would have stood out.

unforuntately the colours don't show up as bright as they are IRL!

[First two rows, top-bottom, left-right]
Smokeout: Dark Chocolate brown bordering on black; Satin
Lovesick: Intense black with silver glitter that tends to be blended out easily; matte w/ micro glitter
Shellshock: Intense metallic silver, with loads of pigmentation; Metallic
Coax: Cool toned pink; Shimmer
X Rated:  Cool toned light pink; Satin
Prank: Dark navy blue with a teal shimmer,which unfortunately blends away too easily; shimmer-matte
Madness: Cool toned medium blue; Frost
Strike: Muted yellow-gold; Frost
Stash: Olive-brown with gold shimmer; Shimmer
Poison: Black with dark green undertones; Shimmer

Radar: Medium-Dark Brown with gold glitter, minimum fall out despite a chunkier texture; Metallic
Damaged: Emerald- Forest Green, ; Shimmer/ Metallic
Voodoo: Cool, Mid-Toned Purple with slight purple glitter, a bit dryer so not as pigmented; Metallic
Betrayal: Duo-chrome purple that shifts to blue; Metallic
Derailed: Medium Brown-Taupe, very pigmented & smooth application; Frosty / Metallic
Dope: Light peachy pink, good for highlighting; Satin

Toxic: Coppery Gold-Pink; Frosty/ Metallic 
Habit: Light Beige Nude, good for blending out crease colours; Matte
Ambush: Everything I wanted Radar to be, it is a Medium-Dark Bronze & is very creamy; Metallic
Rewind: Neutral Brown, good for applying lightly in the crease as a transition colour; Matte

Depending on where you get the Vice 2 palette from, it is between $59 (US) to $72 (AU/ EURO sites) which still makes the eyeshadows only around $3.60 each! But then if you'll only use a couple of the shades then it wouldn't be worth it! (But trust me, you'll want to use them all!) My favourite colours would have to be Madness, Radar, Betrayal & Ambush. Another thing is this palette is very fall/autumn coloured, so I probably wont get as much use out of this summer as I'd like to!

Obviously my final verdict is that I love this palette, what do you think of it??
xoxo

My MAC Lipstick Collection

Hello dolls, sorry for the lack of posts/ comments!
Today I am bringing you my MAC lipstick collection. I've posted my lipstick collection (back then, anyway) sorted out by colours, so I do have some of these in there but I wanted to group my MAC ones all together and do a generalized review.

MAC has to be one of my favourite brands for lipsticks, because I can really notice the quality compared to cheaper brands. The biggest differences are the pigmentation, how they apply & how long wearing they are. I find some of the brighter/ deeper ones stain my lips so much that I still have a tinge on my lips when I wake up in the morning.

The packaging is quite simple with the usual black, bullet shaped tubes, but I like how the Viva Glam ones stand out with pink instead of silver on the inside. I also love the standard vanilla smell that all MAC lipsticks have.

MAC lipsticks have come in 9 finishes: Matte, Satin, Frost, Cremesheen, Cremesheen Pearl, Lustre, Amplified, Amplified Pearl, Glaze. Wow that's a lot more than what I thought there was until I looked it up. For a great in-depth description of each finish, this blog describes them better than what I could ever do.

Hue

A light nude pink, Hue is perfect for when you don't want a full on nude look.The glaze finish is the most natural out of them all, providing a subtle colour but also lasts the least amount of time, which is ok because it is easy to reapply.

Creme D' Nude

A nude peach colour in a very moisturizing & creamy formula which makes it only last around the 2 hour mark, but is also easy to reapply. It has a decent amount of coverage but is still fairly natural.
Myth

A pink-beige nude which I find way too creamy & have to smooth it out with my fingers after applying it from the tube, but it is perfect for a blanked out lip look. You can tell from the skin swatch how much comes off from a light application. Is anyone else's the same? From what I've read it is one of the more drying shades but it is not like that on me at all.

Angel

One of the most perfect pink nude lipsticks I own, I do not find this as frosty as what everyone else claims it to be. I can see why this is a cult classic!

Please Me

A matte muted pink lip colour which is more forgiving than some mattes which will dry out your lips completely & tug on application, which this does not. One of my favourite muted lip colours of all time!

Snob

A satiny-matte finish that is a cool toned lilac-pink, a bit less dramatic than Saint Germain, which makes it a wearable barbie-pink and is non-drying!

Crossswires

A gorgeous coral-orange that I thought never really tried when I received it from the lovely Amalia in a blog sale, but started wearing later and really appreciated the colour. It is perfect for spring & day time & has a lovely sheen thanks to the formula!

Viva GLam Nicki

The first MAC lipstick I had ever bought by myself, that i had to go back & buy as a gift for a friend because I loved it that much! This can pull off different colours on different people, on my friend it looks fuchsia somehow but on me, a vibrant, almost neon coral-pink. DAYMN! Such a nice formula, it applies nicely & lasts a long time.

Impassioned

The first MAC Lipstick I had ever lusted over, is finally no longer a lust! This beautiful amplified finish makes the warm watermelon pink colour stand out & makes it a long wearing, moisturizing lip colour.

Girl About Town

A fuchsia berry colour that I could assume would look awesome on any skin tone & colour. Another amplified finish that leaves your lips glossy & moisturized.

Candy Yum Yum

So glad I ended up buying this at the last minute! A gorgeous **bright** candy pink colour that will be sure to make you stand out. It is matte so it lasts for ages and is slightly drying but I find it very forgiving to wear.

Morange

A super bright, neon orange lip colour that applies exactly the same as Impassioned & is extremely pigmented with just one swipe. This is lovely to wear with minimal makeup or a brown smoky eye.

Ruby Woo

A classic blue-based red lipstick which has become a cult favourite, Ruby Woo is super matte which also means it is one of the most drying lipsticks I own and tugs on your lips when applying, but also lasts throughout pretty much anything & even when it wears off, your lips are so stained that you almost only need lipgloss to freshen it up.

Rebel

An almost impossible colour for me to wear, mainly because I find it way too creamy (just like Myth- I think I got both dud shades from a flash sale website!) I can't get this to apply evenly, so I have to stain it on. It looks a lot more scary in the tube but when applied is a deep plum-berry. I have no idea why it doesn't work on me because everybody else loves it!

 Edit: Just realized that I forgot to include the arm swatches!

L-R: Hue, Creme D' Nude, Myth, Angel, Snob, Please Me, Crosswires

L-R: Viva Glam Nicki, Morange, Candy Yum Yum, Impassioned, Girl About Town, Ruby Woo, Rebel

So that is my MAC Lipstick collection. I am very happy with it and think I have a nice selection of brights & nudes. My favourite colours, if I had to pick any, would be Angel, Please Me, Viva Glam Nicki, Impassioned, Morange & Ruby Woo, although I do love them all.

Let me know what your favourite MAC lipsticks are, or your favourite brand for lipsticks!
xx

Smashbox Master Class 2 | Review & Swatches

The first time I had ever walked into a Sephora was when I first eyed this beauty.. the Smashbox Master Class 2 palette. I wasn't sure about it but when I found out the value I knew I had to have it. Definitely something that would come in handy for traveling (next time!) & in a makeup kit.

 

The Smashbox Master Class Palette 2 offers a huge range of eyeshadows, cream eyeliners, blush & highlighters; a great set for a beginner who is not really sure how to put together colour combinations &so they also don't have to spend up on lots of different products. 

Packaging: Encased in a hard case that is very similar to a book with how it feels & how it opens up with eyeshadows on the left, cream eyeliner, blush & highlighters on the right. The magnet is strong enough to keep the palette from opening by itself in your makeup bag. The colours are named on the plastic sleeve that protects the products on each side from coming into contact when it is closed,
which can be tucked underneath out of the way when using the palette.

Pigmentation: Although the shimmery & darker eyeshadows are pigmented they do need a base as I find it doesn't take long for them to start fading & they need a bit of a kick to get started. The lighter matte shadows do take a few swipes to show up. Cream eyeliner applies a bit patchy but it just needs a couple of layers & should be set with similar coloured eyeshadow. The Blush & highlighters are extremely pigmented & show up on first swatch.

Texture: Matte eyeshadows can come off a bit chalky & but the shimmery ones apply really smoothly & everything is easy to blend. Cream eyeliners have a perfect consistency where they glide on really easily & make for great bases underneath shadows. Blush feels very similar to the eyeshadows & the highlighters have a very shimmery finish without chunky glitter.

 Swatches

 Column 1 'Head Shot': Linen, Golden Orchid, Chestnut

    2 'Heliograph': Nectar, Peacock, Mocha

           3 'Focal Point': Champagne, Flamingo, Java

       4 'Quick Take': Vanilla, Ambient, Serpent

 1 'Cover Shoot': Flirt, Dusk, Haze

2 'Hyperfocal': Mist, Rose, Obsidian

3 'Vignette': Parfait, Amethyst, Aubergine

4 'Aristotype': Opal, Anchor, Ultramarine

 Top (bottom of left side in palette): Bliss, Wheat, Sable, Blackout

Bottom (Top of right side): Bronze, Midnight Purple, Picasso,Caviar

 Top: Carnation, Flush, Geranium

Bottom: Rosy, Suntan, Warm Apricot

 Lens, Shimmer

Overall, my favourite thing in this palette would have to be the blush. It would be so much more easier to go traveling and not having to bring 4 different blushers with you! I also like how the eyeshadows are set out in groups of 3 for a lid, brow bone & crease colour & each group has their own name for the type of look they could present, and then they have the classic blending colours that can be added to any look.
Something I don't get is the peachy toned highlighter, it looks like you've applied your blush too high, but the skin toned one is perfect. Instead of that highlighter, the bronzer which is among the blushes would be perfect in that place because of all things probably needs to be a decent size.

I am pretty sure this palette is limited edition so I apologize for that but I'm sure if you do miss out, they will release another one in the future.
You can pick this up from Sephora (once again, sorry to those in the Southern Hemisphere) for $59 and it has a $275 value, which means you get 40 different products for $1.47 each! I've also seen it on eBay for $79 which is still decent but it will most likely go up, so it pays to shop around.

I'd recommend this palette if you feel the need for extra shades & for a convenient palette but honestly I think many are very dupable as well, or f you'd rather have everything in one palette then this would be perfect!

xx

Too Faced Pretty Rebel | Review & Swatches

One of my favourite buys would have to be the Too Faced Pretty Rebel palette. Just look at it and you'll know why! I was so excited when I saw Thatgirlshae on Youtube use it & then realize that I was able to access it! Woot! Unfortunately it is Limited Edition so I am unsure if it is still around but if you are able to get your hands on this palette then do so if you're into dramatic, glittery makeup. Let's get on with it!

Packaging: kfnsbhr Just omg as if the packaging is not enough to make you want this palette! I adore the gold glitter, the black ribbons, the writing, just everything. It is very sturdy & compact enough for traveling, and not as long but as wide as the Naked palettes to give you an idea of size. It comes with a decent sized mirror, too.

Texture: There are two matte & 8 shimmery shadows, & a couple with hints of glitter. They are similar to the Urban Decay Naked palette shadows, buttery smooth but not crumbly unlike how Stila shadows can be.

Pigmentation: The swatches down below do not have a base & are only two swipes so you can see just how pigmented everything is. The matte cream colour is a little bit chalky but once under a base it comes up nicely. You probably could survive without a base & have them last all day, too.

Colours: There is a great selection of more neutral, blending colours to duochrome & dramatic colours so you can create different looks, but the selection is best for those who prefer colour & drama.

The back of the box that it came in

Swatches

L-R 1st Row: Dainty, Charming, Girly, Totally Fetch, Miss Sparkles

             2nd: Ringleader, Gangsta, Instigator, Badass, Jailbird

Faves: Totally Fetch, Badass, Jailbird. Unfortunately Girly turns out more brown than green & when Miss Sparkles is patted on top of a sticky base the sparkles show up more.

Unfortunately to Australians Too Faced is harder to come by, but please share if you know of any websites. You can get this palette from Kit Cosmetics for $59.95 which isn't too bad of a price, I've found this palette on the American eBay for around $45 & it's still on the Sephora website for $46 if you are keen to use a USA address forwarding website. (I've considered it for something else but still unsure of them).
Edit: Thanks Mishelle for letting me know you can also get this off of Beautybay for $66.50 with free shipping.
What do you think of this palette? I'll definitely be doing lots of looks with this in the future!

xx

Make Me Blush | Collection Part 2: High End

So I've already done the first part to my blush collection over here but here is my current High End blush collection, although I will be updating soon to accommodate the new ones I have recently purchased. I am super happy with my blush collection now although you can never have too many blushes!

MAC
Sometimes the quality is really noticeable with higher end brands, as I've found with MAC their blushes have great pigmentation & amazing lasting power. I'm hoping to expand with a couple more of their mineralize skin finishes. I also have a couple of Cream Colour Bases but I consider them to be highlighters although can be a base for blush. Out of the powder blushes I prefer the normal formulation as the sheertones obviously don't turn out as pigmented as they look in the pan & in a finger swatch.

L-R: MAC Mineralize blush Warm Soul {Satin w/ hint of shimmer}, Pink Swoon {Sheertone matte}, Peachykeen {Sheertone Shimmer} Dollymix {Sheertone shimmer, Her Blooming Cheek {Powder, matte}
 My favourite/ most used colours out of these would have to Warm Soul for a bronzed summery look & Peachykeen/ Dollymix, although I said I'd prefer them to be more pigmented when on the cheeks but it is still pretty for a wash of colour.

Assorted Blushes
Now these are the blushes that I only have one from each of the brands I have. I can't wait to try more of a variety! I'm particularly looking forward to more NARS, & try Tarte & Benefit.

L-R:NARS Orgasm {Shimmer w/ glitter particles}, The Balm Cabana Boy {Shimmer}, Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon {Liquid-stain}, Inglot #51 {Matte}, Topshop Head Over Heels {Cream}

I've been lucky to have been able to try different brands from getting the Becca Beach Tint in a magazine (years ago!) although it's not something I use often, the Topshop cream blush from a giveaway & my first NARS product in a blogsale a few years ago (I have never used it heavily because it was 'precious' to me hehe)

My most used/ favourites would be Cabana Boy even though I've had it the least I've found it to be so versatile & I love the Inglot one for a brighter coral colour.

So that's it for my blushes, sometimes I go through periods when I feel like I need soo many blushes when I probably have way too many similar ones already! Anybody else?

What are your favourite High End brands for blushes?

xx

**I will be updating shortly with newly purchased blushes but as I have made this post a while ago I couldn't include them here.