Challenge Week: Urban Decay Vice 4

December 4, 2015Makeup, TutorialsUrban DecayChelle

Urban Decay Vice 4 Challenge Week

Without a doubt, the absolute best holiday packaging goes to Urban Decay‘s Vice 4 palette. Who DIDN’T get suckered in by that gorgeous oil-slick cover? Even more intriguing is the fact that everyone who bought this ended up with a different coloured lid. So unique!

I bought this because I HAD to have it, but unfortunately not a lot of the colours really spoke to me (swatches here). The warm shades, for sure, but those three greenish/aquaish colours in the middle? They’re so similar that I feel that two of them could’ve been omitted for other colours. You’ll see two looks in this collection of five that look absolutely identical to each other, and yet *completely* different colours were used!

Regardless, the usual Urban Decay eyeshadow quality is there in this palette! Buttery, pigmented as all hell and a pleasure to work with.

Urban Decay Vice 4 Looks

Normally I’d take both orange shades (bottom left of the palette) and call it a day, but I wanted to add something a bit different in this one so I added in the purple. It actually made the orange on the lid look a LOT more pink instead!

Urban Decay Vice 4 - Look 1

Eyes

Flame all over the lid.
Beat Down on the outer half of the lid.
Bitter through the crease.
Framed on the brow bone.

I created the wing with MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline and applied Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara to my lashes.

Face

Foundation: Yaby in Buff
Bronzer: Bourjois Delice de Poudre
Blush: MAC Petal Pusher
Lips: NARS Rikugien

Using a shadow along the lash line has become a staple when I don’t know what to do with a particular colour (hence the pink!).

Urban Decay Vice 4 - Look 2

Eyes

Arctic on the lid.
Harlot through the crease.
Pandemonium on the outer corner.
Bones on the inner corner.
Discreet on the brow bone.

1985 was used on the lower lash line and Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara was applied to my lashes.

Face

Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla
Bronzer: Soap & Glory Solar Bronze
Blush: MAC Sea Me, Hear Me
Highlighter: Soap & Glory Glow All Out
Lips: Maybelline Color Blur in Berry Misbehaved

And this looks is dead similar to the one before it. The only real difference in the eyes is that there’s no pink on the lower lash line. And yet, I used totally different colours!

Urban Decay Vice 4 - Look 3

Eyes

Grasshopper on the lid.
Low on the outer half of the lid.
Deadbeat to deepen up the outer corner.
Grip through the top of the crease.
Framed on the brow bone.

On my lashes is Make Up For Ever‘s Smoky Stretch mascara.

Face

Bronzer: Too Faced Milk Chocolate
Blush: Milani Coral Cove
Highlighter: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1
Lips: MAC Burmese Kiss

Flash shots – sorry! Thankfully, I’ll have a ring light by the end of the month and won’t be relying on the power of the sun for my photos any longer! I wanted something a bit more neutral for this look.

Urban Decay Vice 4 - Look 4

Eyes

Bones all over the lid.
Robbery at the top of the crease.
Delete on the outer half of the lid.
Framed on the brow bone.

I created the wing with MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline and applied Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara to my lashes.

Face

Bronzer: The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in 01 Light Matte
Blush: Milani Tea Rose
Highlighter: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1
Lips: Bite Beauty Custom Lip Lab shade

This was my FAVOURITE look I came up with out of this palette. I was looking at my previous pictures being like “aww man, nothing is THAT impactful”. So I started throwing some of the pink shades together and bam! IMPACT!

Urban Decay Vice 4 - Look 5
Eyes

Fastball on the lid.
1985 on the outer half of the lid.
Underhand on the outer corner and through the crease.
Harlot at the very top of the crease.
Framed to highlight the brow bone.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara is on my lashes.

Face

Bronzer: Joe Fresh Sand
Blush: Hourglass Incandescent Electra
Highlighter: MUFE Pro Sculpting Duo #1
Lips: NYX Butter Gloss in Strawberry Parfait

How To: Use Duochromes

December 2, 2015Makeup, TutorialsChelle

How To: Use Duochromes

As far as I can tell, “duochrome” is a word that the makeup industry made up. Ask anyone outside the makeup world what duochrome is, and it’s highly likely they won’t have a clue what you’re talking about. (The only term that comes remotely close, and should probably be used instead, is “pearlescent“, but usually people are talking about car colours when they’re using that word.)

So what is a duochrome then? In makeup, it refers to a shadow that can display two different colours. Some duochromes are subtle enough that you can only see it on the edges of the product, or when the product is viewed from a certain angle, often out of focus. Some duochrome shadows are stronger and can be manipulated by changing your base colour.

My Naked Cosmetics Ivory stack is a great example for showing off duochromes. In the stack they look mostly white with a hint of colour. However, once you swatch them over different bases….

Naked Cosmetics Ivory stack swatches on bare skin, over a white base and over a black base

…they come ALIVE! Used without any base, there’s a faint whisper of colour, but nothing with much substance. But when you put it over a black base, the colour that’s hidden in the powder starts screaming at you.

That right there is the duochrome effect: on one hand the pigment looks like a faint pastel colour, but once used with a base, you can intensify the colour and give it far more dimension.

Here’s how I manipulate duochromes to create an eye look with impact:

My naked eye without anything on it.
I applied a black base messily (cream or powder eyeshadow, eyeliner, it really doesn’t matter).
I blended the black base out with a brush, making sure to keep it intense near the roots of my lashes and faded out towards my brow.
I applied the green-tinged pigment from the Naked Cosmetics Ivory stack on top of the base, all over my lid.

The close up shot shows you that I really did apply the pigment ALL over my eye lid. It goes from my lash liner to just slightly below my brow bone. The green colour stays intense where the black pigment was darkest, and then fades out where there isn’t any black at all.

There are so many options on how to bring out different colours in duochromes. Try changing your base colour and see how the colour reacts to it. If you’re not sure what colours to try, start with a black and then go from there!

Fun fact: I learned all of this from a makeup artist at The Body Shop about 15 years ago!

What I Bought This Month – November 2015

November 30, 2015HaulsGuerlain, Make Up For Ever, Neutrogena, Revlon, The Body Shop, Too FacedChelle

Although I didn’t go absolutely balls out during the Sephora VIB sale, I did get a few items throughout the month that have definitely been a lot of fun to play around with!

Guerlain Météorites - Flocons Enchantés — Guerlain Météorites – Flocons Enchantés

Guerlain Météorites - Flocons Enchantés ($89 CAD) — Guerlain Météorites – Flocons Enchantés ($89 CAD)

Let’s get this one out of the way quickly cuz I’ve already done a review on it and blamed Steph for making me purchase this. The special edition Guerlain Meteorites for holiday 2015 set me back a ridiculous amount of money for a single product. Having always been curious about the Meteorites, I was excited to spend my money on this gorgeous one. In the end though, it’s nothing earth shattering… except for maybe the cost.

Emery boards! Riveting! I always forget to buy these and my cats steal them constantly (and hide them under the rug) soooo I’m sure in a week’s time I’ll only have one left!

Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara ($28 CAD minus 20% during the VIB sale)

Buying a high end mascara feels physically painful to me since you basically have to throw it out after four months. So I was really glad to pick up the Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch during the VIB sale. After having been introduced to this mascara back in April, it has hands down become my absolute favourite mascara of life. It separates and coats my lashes like nothing else. Best mascara ever and I am so happy to have it back in my life! (Full review here.)

Too Faced - Melted Villain ($25 CAD - 20% during the VIB sale) — Too Faced – Melted Villain ($25 CAD – 20% during the VIB sale)

I use the VIB sales as a way of helping me to complete my Too Faced Melted collection. I only opted for one shade this time, and that was Melted Villain – a very intense dark plum. I haven’t worn it yet, but I will soon!

Neutrogena Hydrating Cleansing Clothes ($8.99 CAD)

I don’t know what it is with these particular Neutogena cleansing wipes, but the Hydrating ones almost never, EVER go on sale at Shoppers. I was surprised when I saw them knocked down five bucks last week and quickly snatched one up. Unfortunately, all the other ones had been opened (ew!), or I would have bought more. These are my absolute favourite wipes – they’ll remove even waterproof makeup AND they don’t require you to scrub at your face. Love.

The Body Shop - Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop – Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel ($11 CAD – sale)

The next four items are courtesy of The Body Shop‘s amazing Black Friday sale. They were doing 3 for $33, 4 for $44, 5 for $55, etc. Almost everything qualified for the sale, so you were getting some items more than 50% off! The first item that went into my bag was the Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel. I have been through scads of this particular shower gel over the years and it still remains my absolute favourite. This bottle is also an enormous 750 ml… for ELEVEN DOLLARS! So happy with this one!

The Body Shop - Shea Butter Body Butter ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop – Shea Butter Body Butter ($11 CAD – sale)

The Shea Butter by The Body Shop is probably my favourite scent in their Body Butter line. It verges on being masculine without actually going over the edge, and that may be why I like it so much. I’ve used up one of these before and felt the need to have it back in my life.

The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in Light Matte ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in Light Matte ($11 CAD – sale)

The Body Shop‘s Honey Bronzer has become a thing of legend amongst the beauty community. Since my summer tan is fading, I’ve found the need to reach for lighter and lighter bronzers. I thought this one would fit the bill (plus I’d always wanted to try it) for the winter months. Sadly, it does not smell like honey. 🙁

The Body Shop - The Sparkler in Silver Glimmer ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop – The Sparkler in Silver Glimmer ($11 CAD – sale)

I discovered this by accident while I was walking around The Body Shop and it was love at first sight. This is a shimmer spray! It actually poofs vanilla-scented shimmer out the top! HOW AMAZING IS THAT? I’ve never heard anyone mention it before, but this little bottle of amazingess is called The Sparkler. I chose the silver shade, but in hindsight I wish I’d gotten the gold instead. (Honestly kind of tempted to make another order before their sale ends…)

That’s it for November! (That’s enough, right?) Tell me what one item you got in November that excited you the most!

Swatch Sunday: My Colour Pop Collection

November 29, 2015Makeup, SwatchesColourPopChelle

201511_swatchsunday_colourpop

Although I’ve been sticking to palettes for Swatch Sundays (and there’s definitely still plenty more to come there), I wanted to also delve into my single shadows by brand. I’m not much of a single eyeshadow purchaser anymore unless the item is something totally unique – like these Colour Pop shadows!

Colour Pop Swatches

Colour Pop - Erotic — Colour Pop – Erotic

Colour Pop - Animal — Colour Pop – Animal

Colour Pop - Too Soon — Colour Pop – Too Soon

Colour Pop - Sunnies — Colour Pop – Sunnies

Colour Pop - Juicer — Colour Pop – Juicer

Colour Pop - One & Done — Colour Pop – One & Done

Colour Pop - Coconut — Colour Pop – Coconut

Skincare Saturday: Introduction to ACURE Organics

November 28, 2015Reviews, SkincareACUREChelle

201511_introductiontoacure1

I was recently introduced to ACURE Organics, a family owned and operated company founded on sustainable principles and accessible price points to steer people away from toxic chemicals. Each of their products is free from gluten, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, harmful preservatives and artificial colours and is never tested on animals. Their plant + food based formulas are clinically driven to provide optimal performance at a cellular level.

Let’s get into what I tried:

The ACURE Sensitive Facial Cleanser features a soothing blend of organic argan oil, peony stem cell and sunflower amino acids. It’s a gentle creamy cleanser that is intended for dry, sensitive skin that purifies and cleanses without drying your skin out. It wasn’t till I sat down to write this post that I realized just how true that statement is. Usually when I get out of the shower after having used my usual cleansers, I am just *dying* to get moisturizer on my face. This cleanser doesn’t leave me with that dry, tight feeling on the skin. I didn’t even know that was possible! The only downside with this cleanser is that it has a non-scent scent to it (you know what I mean) that isn’t to my tastes. However, since this cleanser is intended for sensitive skin, I can understand them not using any artificial scents.

The first thing I need to point out about the ACURE Coconut & Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes is the fact that they come with 30 towelettes and not the typical 25 that every other brand seems to do. Thank you ACURE, THANK YOU! 30 makes way more sense since it’s akin to a calendar month. I’ve never understood the 25 (or worse, 20) towelettes packages and they kiiiind of infuriate me. Anyway, moving on. These towelettes are all-natural, biodegradable and can be used to remove makeup, sweat, dirt and environmental toxins. Unfortunately, these didn’t really work all that well to remove my makeup, particularly when it involved eye makeup. Even when I was wearing non-waterproof cosmetics, I still found that this couldn’t remove the bulk of what I had on my face. So instead, I’d opt to use these more as a quick refresher on the go when I’m not wearing a lot of face makeup.

I’ve saved my favourite product for last! The ACURE Coconut Dry Oil Body Spray is soooo freaking nice. It’s an ultra-lightweight and easily absorbed dry marula + argan oil spray for the body and hair. The scent is mostly coconut oil, with a hint of suntan lotion (that’s the best way I can think to describe it – there isn’t actually any sunscreen in this product!). It’s the kind of product you can spray all over your body to add some hydration back into your skin. While it reminds me of a beach vacation, this can definitely be used all year long to keep your skin in good condition. The dry oil does leave a bit of a residue (let’s be honest here, all oil does), but it’s not so much that you feel greasy or sticky. Love this one!

Final Thoughts

For a brand I knew nothing about, ACURE definitely proved their worth to me. Although I wasn’t keen on the towelettes, the face cleanser and dry oil spray definitely impressed me. It also worth noting that these products are priced very reasonably – the most expensive item in this review was $12.99 USD (dry oil body spray) and the cheapest was $6.99 USD (towelettes)! Certain ACURE products can be found Target and online at target.com, and the whole range can be found on ACURE Organics site acureorganics.com

The products in this review were provided by PR for consideration.