Tag Archives: Laura Mercier

Empties – February 2014

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Nope, not a La Senza haul, instead this is a product empties post and that big ole La Senza bag just happens to house all of them.

Product Empties
Product Empties

Having never really saved my empty products until I created this blog, I was a bit surprised that I had enough empties for another blog post only three months after my last one. I’m only posting products I’d actually haul – so you’re not going to be seeing shampoos and toothpaste in here.

First up are the actual makeup products, because I know that’s what interests me most when I read these kinds of posts.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher (water resistant) and L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black (waterproof)
CoverGirl Clump Crusher (water resistant) and L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black (waterproof)

These are my two staple mascaras. The CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara is probably my favourite out of the two of them, but even though this is the water resistant formula (a true waterproof one doesn’t actually exist in this formula) is really isn’t water resistant at all. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating, if you get water near your lashes while wearing this, it will definitely run or smear. That being said, the formula really is fantastic and it’s worth wearing – although I stick to the summer months when my eyes are less likely to tear up.

During the winter, or when I need a truly waterproof mascara, I’ll use L’Oreal‘s Voluminous Carbon Black mascara. I always come back to this formula, but I definitely prefer it when it’s in the “wet-er” stages, which is within the first month of opening a new tube. I’m currently using another tube of the L’Oreal one right now.

Verdict:
CoverGirl Clump Crusher (water-resistant) – definite re-buy
L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black (waterproof) – definite re-buy

Revlon – Cherry Tart
Revlon – Cherry Tart

The Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart  is a beautiful shade on the lips, it goes on smooth and looks rather glossy. The wear time is about average for a balm (~1.5 hours before you need to re-apply) so don’t expect this to be a particularly long lasting product. I’ve used up as much as I can get out of the tube without actually digging into the bottom of the bullet (can’t be bothered really). While it’s lovely on the lips, I’ve also grown rather tired of the maintenance required with non-long-lasting lip colours so while I like the colour, I just don’t have the patience to keep touching up my lip colour every hour or so.

Verdict: Unlikely re-buy

Ardell Lashes – 102 Demi
Ardell Lashes – 102 Demi

These Ardell 102 Demis are my favourite false lashes to wear and I have certainly worn these to death. I don’t wear false lashes often (once or twice a month, if even) and I believe I got about 8-10 uses out of these. They’re starting to look rather gungy (not to mention they’re also quite old) so it was time to just throw these out and start in on a fresh pair.

Verdict: Definite re-buy – I’ve already got another set waiting in the wings!

Jack Black Lip Balm in Natural Mint
Jack Black Lip Balm in Natural Mint

This Jack Black balm was included in my Products I Want To Use Up In 2014 post, and I’m happy to have finished it. You can see remnants in the tube, but I really can’t squeeze anymore of it out. This product was… adequate. I don’t feel it did much for my lips, neither helpful nor destructive, it was just kind of there. It was great for protecting against windburn throughout the winter since its main ingredient is petrolatum. The thing I liked most about this product is that it comes in a squeezy tube, which makes it easy to apply. I’m not a germaphobe at all, and double dipping in my potted lip products really doesn’t bother me from a hygienic point of view, but I reaIly wish more lip products came like this if only because it’s so much easier to apply on the go.

Verdict: Unlikely to purchase again

l-r: Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer, Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden, L’Occitane Delicious Hands Almond, Illamasqua Hydra Veil, Laura Mercier Face Polish, Nourish Organic Face Lotion, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
l-r: Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer, Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden, L’Occitane Delicious Hands Almond, Illamasqua Hydra Veil, Laura Mercier Face Polish, Nourish Organic Face Lotion, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

I know sample size empties are hardly exciting, but sometimes they’re worth mentioning for that first impression.

Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer – Won’t buy full size

I used this just for the sake of using it. I didn’t notice it affecting how long my foundation lasted on my skin, but then again I’m not prone to foundation just sliding right off my face in the first place.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden – not sure what to think…

I’m not sure what to think about this. I started using this primer right around the time where even my Original UDPP started creasing on me (which shocked and frightened me, to be perfectly honest), so my only exposure to Eden is to say that it creased on me. But so did my usual primer at the time. So maybe it was a weird hormonal fluctuation in my skin, but this didn’t work out for me at the time that I used it.

L’Occitane Delicious Hands Almond – won’t buy full size

Smelled like almonds and worked well but it’s pricey and not a scent I’d usually pay a lot of money.

Illamasqua Hydra Veil – possible purchase

My first exposure to a gel moisturizer – this felt SO COOL. When I think of gels (of any kind), I think of alcohol, so I didn’t really understand how the heck this was going to moisturize my skin. This felt really neat on the skin and I *loved* the smell of it. However, at the $48 CAD price point, I’d have to be gifted this because I’m perfectly happy with my Aveeno facial moisturizer and that is way too steep of a price in my books.

Laura Mercier Face Polish – won’t buy full size

This felt cool to use, but it’s not something I really need or want. The granules in the polish are so small that they actually feel kind of soothing as you rub it into your wet skin.

Nourish Organic Face Lotion – will avoid for life

The smell became rather sickening after a while and after this dried down on my face it felt like I had a thin mask over my face that I had to crack just by moving my features around. Unpleasant all around.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – won’t buy full size

Just like the Clinique one, I don’t find this foundation primer actually did anything for my makeup. /shrugs

China Glaze – Kiwi Cool-Ada
China Glaze – Kiwi Cool-Ada

I used the pants out of this China Glaze shade. Kiwi Cool-Ada was a matte neon polish (use a top coat to get some shine) that just glowed in the daylight. Since the polish went on rather streaky, you usually needed about three coats before it looked perfect.

Verdict: Possible re-buy, but I’d rather use up some of my other polishes first.

Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes
Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes

Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes has been my go-to makeup remover for years and years. It’s an oil-based remover (shake before using) which, of course, ensures that it’ll take off any and all waterproof makeup. I find this works just as well as MAC‘s makeup remover (the one in the red/pink tube), if not better, and at almost half the price. Since the Marcelle normally runs around $15, I usually wait for a sale at Shoppers and/or buy it when it’s in the larger bonus size bottle (like the one above – 33% more product). I can’t recommend this enough, I’ve been using this remover for well over six years now and haven’t found anything better.

Verdict: Forever repurchase

Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissues – Pomegranate Extract
Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissues – Pomegranate Extract

It’s hard to vocalize just how disgusting these Make-Up Cleansing Tissues from Absolute! are. I saw on the Ipsy forums that someone referred to these as smelling like beer… and they nailed it. In my original Ipsy review, I said that they smelled like some kind of alcoholic fruity drink, and I was kind of close, but also off the mark. These smell like beer that has gone rancid. They don’t smell like pomegranate, that’s for sure. And they don’t even work that well either – removing waterproof mascara was a nightmare and I’m fairly certain I pulled out more lashes than I actually cleaned. (Let it be known that it also said on the packaging that it would remove waterproof mascara.)

Verdict: You couldn’t PAY me to use these again – avoid like the plague

The Body Shop Body Butters – Satsuma & Coconut
The Body Shop Body Butters – Satsuma & Coconut

The Body Shop Body Butters are legendary – I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard of someone disliking them. They’re thick, moisturizing and these two in particular, Satsuma andCoconut, smell especially fantastic. Satsuma was my favourite one out of these two and I’ve got a backup sitting on a bookshelf behind me.

Verdict: Love these and will definitely repurchase at some point.

Embryolisse – Lait-Creme Concentre
Embryolisse – Lait-Creme Concentre

I picked up Embryolisse‘s Lait-Creme Concentre while vacationing in France in 2012 (picked up a few tubes actually, this was my last one) because I’d heard so many people rave about it. And it’s… okay. It’s not especially expensive (under 10 euros I think), which is rather nice, and cheaper, than my usual facial moisturizer. It feels kind of fancy to say you use French skincare that you bought in France… but the reality is that I didn’t notice anything different about my skin after using this cream. It smelled like generic “unfragranced” skincare and goes on smoothly.

Verdict: Will repurchase if I’m in Europe again.

Bath & Body Works – Midnight Pomegranate Body Lotion
Bath & Body Works – Midnight Pomegranate Body Lotion

This Bath & Body Works lotion in Midnight Pomegranate took me forever to use up. It’s one of the mini bottles, but the scent was so strong that it was actually incredibly overpowering when I used this a few times at the office (just ask my coworkers from several offices over). I was happy to finish this up (and I’m still struggling with the 3-wick candle I have in the same scent, although I have to say the candle is far less powerful than the lotion) but it’s not something I can say I really enjoyed. The lotion is on the thin side and really didn’t seem to do anything other than fragrance my skin.

Verdict: Won’t repurchase

Lindesa – Skin Conditioning Cream
Lindesa – Skin Conditioning Cream

 

I was given this Lindesa hand cream as a gift and I believe it came from a German Christmas market. The cream seems to contain a substantial amount of beeswax, so it could feel pretty heavy on the hands. The smell was really nice, although mild, and it was a great moisturizer for when my hands were on the drier side.

Verdict: Unlikely re-buy since I have no idea where to even get it!

Sabon – Body Gel Polisher in Lemon Mint
Sabon – Body Gel Polisher in Lemon Mint

I never see any Sabon products mentioned in the beauty world but I love their products so much. I first discovered them in New York City about seven years ago by accident. They also have a location in Toronto, but it’s nowhere especially close to where I live. Anyway, this Body Gel Polisher is fantastic, it’s a full body exfoliant, but you don’t need a ton of product to get the desired effect. I quite like the Lemon Mint smell, although I’ve been told my others who got a whiff of it that they can’t stand the smell of it – to each their own!

Verdict: Will repurchase when convenient.

Not an especially exciting empties roundup, but I was happy to empty out my bag of garbage!

What’s On My Face – Volume 10

More makeup looks I’ve done over the past few weeks ranging from stuff I wore to work, out to a bar or was just headed over to a friend’s place! I was really happy with this set of looks and I hope you enjoy them.

As a note, I’ve switched to NARS‘ Pro Prime eyeshadow primer, so that’s what I use in all of my looks now unless otherwise stated.

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I loooove this one! It took me a lot more time to put this one together because I don’t normally get this creative and use so many shadows. (Seriously, if you haven’t noticed, I tend to stick to about two lid colours!) I don’t typically wear this much shadow/liner under my eyes on a regular basis because holy hell is that area ever sensitive on me and I usually end up with very watery eyes. This frustrates me because I realize just how much a makeup look comes together when you shade under your eyes!

Anyway, moving on.

With this, I had one goal: I wanted to use the MUFE rainbow glitter that I had picked up last month. I also hadn’t done purple look in quite a while so I figured this was as good a time as any.

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Eyes: I first applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil in Milk all over the lid as a base.

  1. The first colour from a ginormous Sephora eyeshadow palette I have that unfortunately does not have shade names, however, the colour is very similar to MAC‘s Crystal. Essentially, the colour is a very pale lilac shade with a bit of a sheen to it. This shade was placed on the inner half of the lid.
  2. I then used MAC Dame’s Desire right beside the previous shadow, but not all the way out to the corner.
  3. Sleek Sugarlite was blended heavily into the upper crease.
  4. Sleek Highness filled in the outer corner, with;
  5. Sleek Noir at the very edge of the outer lashline to darken up that area.
  6. I then used MAC Vellum to highlight the inner corner of the eye and blended it into the pale purple.

MAC Blanc Type  to highlight the browbone with MAC Omega on my brows. On the lower lashline, I used Sugarlite to line the outer half of the lid, then applied some Too Faced Glitter Glue to the inner half of the lid and tapped on Make Up For Ever‘s Glitters 13 (silver rainbow glitter) on top of the glue. I lined the upper lashline with MUFE‘s Aqua Liner in 13 Blackand used MAC‘s Feline Kohl Power pencil on the lower waterline. And finally, I finished up the eyes with some Ardell‘s 102 Demis and applied  L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Revlon Photoready Bronzer in Bronzed & Chic
  • Blush: Tarte Exposed with Illamasqua Hussy layered on top
  • Highlighter: MAC Silver Dusk
  • Lips: I’m not wearing it in the picture, but I wore Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial out that night.
  • Extra: I used MAC‘s Select Coverup in NW20 under my eyes and set it with Laura Mercier

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It was just one of those mornings when I had no idea what to wear and just happened to look into the tub that contains all of my mineralize eyeshadows. Although it’s beautiful, I rarely use this shadow. A word to the wise though, this can apply really patchy and can flake off at a moment’s notice. Beautiful end result, however.

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Eyes:

  1. With a dampened, flat, stiff makeup brush, I packed (and I do mean packed) on MAC Blue Flame all over my entire lid. You may will likely need to layer this.
  2. I then blended Makeup Geek Creme Brulee into the crease.

I also lined the outer third of my bottom lashline with the Blue Flame as well. Too Faced‘s Cream Colored Ponies on my browbone and L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • No foundation, bronzer or highlighter.
  • Blush: Illamasqua – Hussy
  • Lips: MAC – Shy Girl

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Obligatory neutral eye look, using the Too Faced A Few of my Favorite Things palette.

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Eyes: (Urban Decay Primer Potion as a primer for this one!)

  1. Too Faced Snowflakes all over the lid.
  2. Too Faced Buche de Noel slightly into the outer corner.
  3. Too Faced Woolen Mittens on the outer corner and blended into the crease.

I did the winged liner with MAC‘s Dipdown fluidline. Too Faced Cream Colored Ponies to highlight the brow with  L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black on the lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: MUA Matte foundation in Shade 1 Soft Sand
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush: Errr no idea. Maybe nothing?
  • Lips: MAC Boldly Bare lipliner with MAC Viva Glam Cyndi on top

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This look features Jealousy Wakes, the eyeshadow created by Christine (Temptalia) for MAC. Unfortunately it was limited edition (boy, was it EVER) and it sold out almost instantly back when it was released. It’s a beautiful shade and this is my default look when I want to wear that shadow.

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Eyes: (Again with UDPP)

  1. MAC Vex, inner two thirds.
  2. MAC Jealousy Wakes, outer corner and into the crease.
  3. Makeup Geek Creme Brulee throughout the crease.

MAC Brule to highlight the brow and  L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: MUA Matte foundation in Shade 1 Soft Sand
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush: Physicians Formula – Natural
  • Highlighter: Dior Amber Diamond
  • Lips: MAC Petting Pink Lip Conditioner

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A shame the sparkles don’t show up more – I was going for a wintry snowfall at night look.

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Eyes:

  1. MAC Crystal Avalanche on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. MAC Print on the outer third.

Although it is incredibly difficult to see in the photograph (which is very frustrating to me), I did layer Illamasqua‘s Beguile pigment on top of Crystal Avalanche. Rest assured that it showed up much better in person.

I used KIKO‘s Twinkle Eye Pencil in 06 (I really need to use this more, it’s fantastic) on the lower lashline. The upper winged lined was created with MAC Blacktrack fluidline. I appliedToo Faced Better Than Sex mascara to both sets of lashes and ran some MAC Omega through my brows. (The brows really never change, I’ll probably stop repeating this…)

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: MUA BB Cream in Light mixed with some moisturizer
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush: MAC Warm Soul
  • Highlighter: MAC Silver Dusk
  • Lips: Nothing – was heading out to eat so I didn’t see the point!

I’m pretty pleased in the makeup department lately… most of my looks have been suitable enough to post on here and I had about 15 or so looks to choose from for this post! Pretty happy with that because sometimes I can get a nasty streak where I don’t like anything I applied at all for several days. (That’ll make for an interesting post some day.

What’s On My Face – Volume 9

New year, new looks! And I’ve got plenty of new goodies to play with that I’ve accumulated over the holiday season!20140124_look1.1

I love this one so much. Everyone has gone insane over rose-gold everything and I think I’m starting to see why. This was a makeup combination that just made me feel like I looked especially pretty. I’m also having a love affair with Makeup Geek’s Bitten and I’m more than happy to use it constantly on my eyes!

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Eyes: 

  1. L’Oreal Amber Rush all over the lid.
  2. Makeup Geek Bitten in the outer corner and crease.
  3. Makeup Geek Creme Brulee at the top of the crease to blend the two lid shades together.

MAC Brule was used to highlight my brow. I used Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in 13 Black to create the wing and applied L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara to my top lashes. For brows, I used MAC Omega.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in 51 Light Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronzer Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush: Cargo Mendocino
  • Highlighter: Dior Amber Diamond
  • Lips: MAC Dark Side

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Good grief do I ever love this one too! I can’t claim ownership though, I relied on Shaanxo’s video for inspiration. Anything with neon (not to mention neon AND green) and I’m a total sucker for it.

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Eyes: I first applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk all over the lid and blended it out with my finger. I also brought it down below the inner tearduct as well.

  1. Using the white from Sleek‘s Acid palette, I applied that all over the inner third of the eyelid, bringing it down around my inner tearduct.
  2. With the same Sleek palette, I used the neon green shade and patted that on the center of my lid. (This took a lot of layers in order to get it to be so vibrant!)
  3. Using MAC‘s Greensmoke, I placed it in the outer corner of my lid and tried to blend it as best as I could with the neon shade (wasn’t that easy and I don’t think I was overly successful).
  4. I then used MAC‘s Cork through the crease.

Brule was used to highlight the brow and MAC Omega was used on my brows. I used Make Up For Ever‘s Aqua Liner in 13 Black to do my winged liner and applied L’OrealVoluminous Carbon Black mascara to my upper and lower lashes. For the lower lash line, I used a bit of Greensmoke on the outer corner, then lined my inner waterline with NYX‘s Milk(which actually had decent longevity!).

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in shade 51 Light Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush: Joe Fresh cream blush in Apricot
  • Highlighter: Hard Candy Tiki
  • Lips: NYX‘s Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie

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This look came about as I was trying to use products that I had bought, but hadn’t used yet. The primary inspiration came from MUA‘s Shade 9 which is one of the most beautiful duochromes I’ve ever owned. Unfortunately, I’m not keen on how the blue turned out, as it applied rather chalkily.

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Eyes: I used Urban Decay‘s Eden primer this time as opposed to my usual Original one. In retrospect, that was a stupid idea considering I was using a very shimmery shadow and Eden is a very flat, very matte primer.

  1. MUA Shade 9 Pearl on the inner half of the lid.
  2. Makeup Geek Neptune on the outer half of the lid.
  3. Makeup Geek Creme Brulee in the crease.

MAC Brule was used to highlight my brow with MAC Omega through my brows. L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black on my upper lashes with MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline to create the winged liner.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: MUA BB Cream in Light
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush: Tarte Exposed
  • Highlighter/Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lightning Powder in Ethereal
  • Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

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Heh, I’m not even sure what to say about this one. *I* think it’s rather bland, but looks like this tend to be when I get the most compliments. I wanted to use the Naked 3 palette and dip into a few products on to my “To Use Up” list. I don’t find the end result very inspirational, so when I use the Naked 3 again, I’ll definitely try out different combinations.

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Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden all over the lid. All shadows are from the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette:

  1. Burnout on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. Factory on the outer third of the lid.
  3. Limit through the crease

I used Strange as a brow highlight and applied Blackheart as a very thin line along my upper lash line with a faint flick at the outer edge. L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara on my upper and lower lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Yaby Foundation in Buff
  • Bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light/Medium
  • Blush:  Tarte – Dollface and Dazzled mixed together
  • Highlighter:  Hard Candy Tiki
  • Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet with Creamsicle layered on top.

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I had to laugh at this one… I didn’t intend for this to come out nearly as dark as it did, or nearly as ridiculously bright on the lips… for a weekend brunch. While I was also wearing workout clothes. Hah. Ah well.

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Eyes: Maybelline‘s Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze was applied all over the lid, keeping it below the crease. On top of that I layered:

  1. Inglot 152 Shine over the entire eyelid.
  2. Laura Mercier Bamboo on the outer corner of the lid.
  3. Laura Mercier Espresso was used to blend out the crease and pull the shadows out at the corner of my eye into a slight V shape.

MAC Brule to highlight the brow with MAC Omega through the brows. Bamboo and Espresso were mixed together to line the lower lashline. L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara were applied to upper and lower lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: CoverGirl CC Cream in 110 Classic Ivory
  • Bronzer: Revlon Photoready in Bronzed & Chic
  • Blush: Tarte Exposed
  • Lips: Revlon Cherries in the Snow

What’s On My Face – Vol. 6

Hey everyone! I’m going to try something new and insert diagrams for  the eyeshadow portion of my looks – let me know if you find them useful (or not!).

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I did this look in an attempt to look Christmas-y themed for an event we were having mid-day at work without going too over the top. I did get a few looks regarding the crystals, but once people clocked on that it was for the event, it didn’t seem quite as odd to them! Having recently bought the Too Faced “A Few of my Favorite Things” palette, I wanted to make use of it right away!

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Eyes: (All Too Faced)

  1. Tinsel was applied to the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. Evergreen was applied to outer third and swept slightly into the crease.
  3. Chocolate Milk was blended into the crease.
  4. Cream Colored Ponies was used to highlight the brow with MAC‘s Silver Dusk layered on top.

I then used MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline to create a winged liner and applied L’OrealVoluminous Carbon Black to my lashes. The rhinestones were from a craft store and I usedDuo lash adhesive to get them to stick to my skin.

Lips: MAC Brick lipliner with Russian Red lipstick on top.

Cheeks: Too Faced Melt Into Spring with Dior Amber Diamonds to highlight.

Face: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in 52 Vanilla


 

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I loved this look! I wanted to wear something a bit more glitzy to go see Catching Fire (although really, I should’ve gone for an oranger/red theme@) and this is what I came up with.

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Eyes:

  1. Inglot AMC Shine 28 over the lid and on the inner two-thirds of the lower lid.
  2. Sleek Ink on the outer third of the lid and blended into the crease. I also applied it to the outer corner of my lower lid.

MAC Brule was used to highlight the brow. I then used MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline to create a winged liner and applied L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black to my lashes.

Lips: NYX Vanilla Cream Pie

Cheeks: Tarte Dollface with MAC Silver Dusk to highlight.

Face: No foundation.


 

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More messing about with Laura Mercier‘s Artist (2013 edition) palette.

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(All Laura Mercier)

  1. Bamboo all over the lid.
  2. Violet Ink in the outer corner.
  3. Plum Smoke throughout the entire crease.
  4. Vanilla Nuts to highlight the brow.

As per usual, L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara on my lashes.


 

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A replication of a Makeup Geek look using the Naked 2 palette.

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Eyes: (All Urban Decay)

  1. Verve on the very center of the lid.
  2. YDK on the outer and inner corners of the lid (honestly, I don’t even think you can really tell).
  3. Busted throughout the crease and to blend the shadows below it.
  4. Foxy to highlight the brow.

For the winged liner I use MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline and applied L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black to my lashes.

Lips: MAC Brick lipliner with Russian Red lipstick on top.

Cheeks: Tarte Exposed

Face: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla, Revlon Bronzed & Chic bronzer.


 

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I love how the iridescence of the white-gold mineral eye shadow makes the matte green actually sparkle. Beautiful colours.

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Eyes: I first applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk all over the lid because I feel I really need a sticky white base for the mineral shadow I’m about to apply next.

  1. Using the lighter, white-gold side of MAC‘s Burning: Illusionary Ambition duo, I applied that shade all over the lid.
  2. Sleek Fern was applied into the outer corner and blended into the crease. Fern was used to line the outer half of the lower lash line.
  3. I blended Urban Decay Naked into the upper crease to blend out the green shadow.
  4. MAC Brule on the brow bone.

MAC‘s Blacktrack fluidline to create a winged liner and applied L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black to my lashes.

Lips: Nothing

Cheeks: Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural

Face: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla with Physicians Formula Bronze Booster in Light to Medium.


 

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This is one of two staple looks that I have (‘ll post the other one at a later time). This is the more rushed, “need to get out the door” look. This look was predominantly created so I could finally finish up Haux, my oldest MAC shadow.

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  1. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige all over the lid.
  2. MAC Haux in the outer corner and blended into the crease.
  3. MAC Brule to highlight the brow and blend out the crease

Topped it off with L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara.

The Perfect Palette Tag

The Perfect Palette Tag is one of my favourite tags going around YouTube and various blogs. So what makes my perfect palette? Let me tell you!


Best Packaging

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Hands down, the best packaged palette goes to Sleek and their 12 pan eyeshadow palettes. While I do have one of their brightest palettes pictured below (Mattes V1), there are also a myriad of other palettes to own that have different colour combinations in the exact same packaging.

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So what makes this palette packaged so perfectly? For starters, there’s not a lot of wasted space (aside from the slot for the eyeshadow sponge that comes with the palette). The packaging as a whole is rather slim and compact. It clicks shut, so you know it’s definitely closed and won’t pop open if you happen to be carrying it around. There’s also an overall feeling of sturdiness to the case, which, given that it’s a drugstore palette is pretty outstanding. Not to mention the mirror is absolutely huge! To give you an idea of size, it’s about 60% the length of Urban Decay‘s Naked palette and half the height! It’s super thin and if you have multiples of these, they stack really nicely.


Best Colour Payoff

 

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While this palette is new to me, it’s shown me just how good the quality of Laura Mercier‘s products can be. The Artist 2 palette has six matte and 6 shimmery shades, making it one of the easiest palettes to throw a look together quickly. The mattes are soft to the touch and blend smoothly (they remind of MAC’s Matte2 finish). The shimmery colours are intense – the dimension in the shade African Violet is especially impressive.


Most Versatile

 

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This one was kind of an obvious choice for my most versatile palette. Sephora‘s Smoky Studio 2 has the biggest colour range out of all the palettes I own. It even has a set of lip colours underneath the shadows. However, because the palette is so large, it doesn’t make it particularly easy to travel, despite how versatile it is.

(As a note, it does come with a pop-out packaging for travel where you can pick out sets of three sets of 3-eyeshadow columns and insert them into the package for travelling.)


Best for Travelling

 

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The original Urban Decay Naked palette has come with me on every vacation and every long weekend I have gone on since I got my hands on it. It’s been to France, Ireland, England and the US, to name a few. And not once has it failed me!

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I’m finally starting to hit pan on some of the shadows and I will definitely repurchase this if I were ever to run out. I do usually need to bring a few colourful shades to balance out the complete neutrality of this palette but this is definitely my pick when it comes to travelling with a single palette.


Biggest Regret

 

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Maybelline‘s quad eyeshadow (does this count as a palette?) is probably my biggest regret. Although that really isn’t saying much since this palette was only about $10. While the colours in the quad have lovely pigmentation, I was honestly suckered in by the name (Irresistible Ivy) and by the lovely green shade. Unfortunately, the reality is that I have a dupe for each of the shades in the palette.  It’s not the end of the world really, but it’s kind of a bummer.


Best Colour Names

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Tarte‘s Off The Cuff palette is a very recent purchase for me but I still adore the names. And truthfully, it goes for all of Tarte‘s blushes – I just love the simplicity.

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The palette above has the shades Crave, Dazzled, Darling, Dollface and Park Avenue Princess. While you could say the shades are not all that ingenious, I just think they’re really sweet! In particular, the name of the bronzer, Park Avenue Princess, has held my fancy for quite a few years now. Plus the actual palette is called “Off The Cuff“, and it came with a cuff bracelet (not pictured). Come on now – that’s way too cute! (Or obvious, take your pick! 😉 )

(An honourable mention has to go to Too Faced‘s A Few Of My Favorite Things palette which I don’t actually own (yet), but with names like Whiskers on Kittens, how could you NOT love it?!)


Least Used

 

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Right back to Maybelline‘s Irresistible Ivy quad for least used. Too easily dupable, and not something I reach for very often.


Most Used, Most Loved, “Desert Island” Palette

 

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This almost feels too easy. Like Urban Decay‘s Naked palette should’ve had to work harder for this namesake.

Honestly, I feel like it’s a bit of a weird choice for me. In general, I prefer brightly coloured eyeshadow, but if I’m going by the namesake of the question, which is “most used, most loved”, then it has to be this one. This is the only palette I’ve actually hit pan on a few of the shades (Virgin, and Hustle has the faintest whisperings of pan) and the one I always bring on vacation. So just for that alone, this is definitely the one I reach for the most.


The Perfect Palette Tag was created by iluvfaces1042 on YouTube. Be sure to check out their video to see where this tag all started!

I’d love to hear about your favourite palettes! If you have a blog and did this tag, link it below so I can check it out. Or if you don’t have one, just let me know which palettes you own you feel best suit each category in your comment. Thanks for reading!