Review: Urban Decay - Glinda Palette

I was eyeing this palette for a really long time before I caved in and purchased it. I must've gone into Sephora and swatched it like at least 5 times. So when the VIB Chic Week code came around, I jumped at a chance to get this Urban Decay Oz the Great and Powerful Glinda Palette ($49). Now I warn you because I know this is going to be quite a long post. I'm going to be reviewing the entire set, meaning the shadows, the liner and the lip gloss pencil. So be ready for a lot of writing.

Review: Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadows

I own way more palettes than is necessary for one human being but that didn't stop me from purchasing an Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow Palette ($10 + $6/eyeshadow) when I went to IMATS. The palette was discounted to $8 and the eyeshadows were discounted to $5 each, so with prices like that I figured how could you go wrong?

I made a mental note in my head that I wasn't going to buy any neutral shades since I already own the Naked, Naked 2 and Nude'Tude palettes. I figured purple would be a safe alternative to my usual browns and taupes since I don't typically wear colorful shadows.

Packaging: The palette is very well made and certainly impressive. The top and bottom are held together by four strong magnets in each corner of the palette. These magnets are so strong in fact, that I actually find myself having trouble opening the palette at times. It can get pretty annoying to have it snap shut and to have to struggle to open it but I'd trust traveling with this palette as I don't see it easily opening up or getting damaged in my bag.
As for the shadows, since I bought them individually all they came in was the pan. They popped easily into the palette and are held in place using a magnet. It's quite a tight fit however, so it's hard to take the shadow out after you put it in (trust me, I attempted to and ruined one of my shadows shortly after taking these photos).
Formula: The shadows are soft, smooth and highly pigmented. They're not all true to color though; for example, 74 looks like a true purple in the pan but when applied it shows up as more of a berry shade.

Application: All these shadows glide on very easily and show up highly pigmented on the eyes. They blend very easily and the shades I chose definitely work well together.
Longevity: The intensity of these colors last for around 4-5 hours and then they start to soften and become more muted. You can still see the color on your eyes but it just doesn't have the kind of vibrancy it had right after you applied it.
In conclusion, I really like the idea behind the freedom palette because it allows for more flexibility and creativity in your palette. You can choose the colors you want and create the palette of your dreams. It's also a great affordable alternative to MAC palettes as it costs $54 for a four shadow palette and then $12 a shadow at MAC. Looking at it that way, even without the discount I got at IMATS I still would've saved a bundle!
♥
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NYC IMATS Haul! | China Glaze, Ardell, Inglot, OCC + Julie G

This post is way overdue but I finally have the time to sit down and write it. On Saturday, April 6th, I went with my friend Jessy to New York City IMATS. While I'm pretty sure almost all of you already know what IMATS is, in case you don't it stands for "International Makeup Artist Trade Show." It's a makeup convention where you can attend classes, purchase discounted makeup products and meet fellow makeup enthusiasts. IMATS is also known to be a great place to meet beauty gurus from YouTube and while I didn't get to meet anyone (I had to go home early to study for a midterm *booooo*), I did get to see Tracy & Stefanie of 11th Gorgeous and Julie G.

Being our first IMATS, Jessy and I wandered around completely lost and overwhelmed for a good 20 minutes trying to get our bearings and figure out how everything worked. Both of us were aiming to get a BeautyBlender from Alcone but we couldn't find the stand for the life of us and by the time we did they were all sold out. In order to make up for it we stopped off at Ardell where they were selling 5 for $15 China Glaze nail polishes and 4 for $10 Ardell false eyelashes.

From left to right:
1. China Glaze Nail Polish in Nova ($5.00) - A silver glitter top coat that I thought would look beautiful on top of other polishes or used in one of my nail art designs.
2. China Glaze Holographic Nail Polish in Cosmic Dust ($4.95) - I have no idea what it means to be a holographic nail polish so I had to pick this one up just to see. I haven't used it yet but as soon as I do I'll definitely be instagramming a pic! It's a metallic silver gray that looks very reflective.
3. China Glaze Nail Polish in Wicked Style ($4.37) - The only really colorful polish of the bunch. It's a berry pink that I thought would look great for the summer.
4. China Glaze Nail Polish in Avalanche ($2.51) - It looks a lot like the holographic polish I picked up but since it's not labeled as a holographic polish I guess it's not. It's a much darker silver gray than Cosmic Dust but it has the same metallic sheen.
5. China Glaze Nail Polish in Snow Globe ($4.90) - A white glitter topcoat that literally looks like the snow within a snow globe. It was too beautiful to pass up and I thought it'd be perfect for nail art when Winter comes back around.

From top to bottom, left to right:
1. Ardell Color Impact Lashes in Demi Wispies Blue ($3.97) - This was actually my last pick of the bunch and I only got it since I figured it'd be good to get some falsies for when I go to rages. I was planning on going to Electric Zoo later in August but the tickets are so expensive I can't really afford it.
2. Ardell Runway Lashes in Fancy ($5.73) - I got sucked in by the four rhinestones at the ends of the lashes. I thought they'd be perfect for clubbing.
3. Ardell Natural Lashes in Wispies Black ($3.93) - I wanted a natural pair of lashes for everyday use or if I do decide to start making YouTube videos. I was really looking for Demi Wispies but they didn't seem to have any in stock so I went with the closest I could get.
4. Ardell Double Up in 204 Black ($7.99) - Jessy convinced me to get these because I really couldn't decide on anything. I never tried really full and dramatic falsies before so I figured "4 for $10 how could I go wrong?"

Our next stop was Inglot since Jessy was on the hunt for a dark red lipstick. I had been wanting to try the Inglot Freedom System for a while and I always heard their eyeshadows were amazing so I decided to make my own palette.

1. Inglot Lipstick in 279 ($12) - When Jessy was looking for a red lipstick I got suckered into buying THIS coral orange shade for my own collection even though I really didn't need it but it was only $9 so I guess it's not too bad.
2. Inglot Freedom System (Eyeshadows $6 each + Palette $10) - The individual shadows were $5 each and the palette was $8 so my palette came out to a total of $28. From left to right, top to bottom I got the shades 397, 74, 14 and 40. I promise an in-depth review as soon as I use this palette enough times.

Then we headed over to Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics since both of us wanted to try a lip tar for the first time. After we purchased our lip tars we realized neither of us had a lip brush so we headed over to Royal & Langnickel to get a lip brush. 1. Royal & Langnickel Taklon Pointed Lip Brush ($4) - I don't believe these brushes are sold online unfortunately. I've yet to use it but the bristles feel extremely soft and it's the perfect shape. 2. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Queen ($18) - I really have a thing for pinks and corals so it came to no surprise that I'd fall for a neon red coral lip tar. What sold me even more was the fact that the product's name was Queen. I only paid $12 for the lip tar as opposed to $18 retail so that made me even happier!

Our last stop was at the Jesse's Girl booth, which we didn't even plan to stop at. It was on our way to the exit and we saw that the Julie G polishes were 3 for $10 so being polish addicts we got sidetracked. I only wanted 2 shades and she only wanted 1 so we ended up going 2 and 1 on the 3 for $10. That's quite a lot of numbers! 1. Julie G Nail Color in You-Niverse ($3.99) - I can't seem to find the individual shade online but I know these are typically sold at Rite Aids. I picked this shade up since it looked like a dupe for Deborah Lippmann's Sugar Daddy. I instagrammed a picture of this on my nails recently and I have to admit it looks really nice! It's a gold duo-chrome polish with a metallic finish. 2. Julie G Nail Color in Mermaid's Tale ($3.99) - A green glitter polish suspended in a blue base, this product looks like the darker sister of Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid's Dream. Is it also a coincidence that both these polishes have the word Mermaid in their name? I really had a great time at NYC IMATS and hopefully I'll get to go back next year. I'll definitely be more prepared for all the crowds and craziness. Jessy and I are also planning to attend LA IMATS next year if we can afford it so here's to hoping! I've heard that the IMATS in LA is a lot bigger and a lot more brands and YTers show up, if you've ever been to LA IMATS share your experience in a comment below. ♥
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Review: The Balm Nude'tude Palette

I'm sure you've all heard of the Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palettes but a lesser known amazing neutrals palette is The Balm's Nude'tude ($36). I've had this palette for a while now but since I've been reaching for it a lot lately, I was inspired to write a review of it on my blog. This way I can give you all an option other than a UD palette if you want something with neutrals.

The packaging of this product is very simple, sleek and compact; making it easy to travel with. There's two versions of this palette, naughty and nice. I have the naughty version that has naked girls on the inside with the shadows covering their lovely lady parts, whereas the nice version is just a room in the background.

The palette comes with 12 different eyeshadows all in the neutral range of colors. Unlike the Naked and Naked 2, Nude'tude comes with more "colorful" neutral shades. For example, Sexy is a rich brownish red and Stubborn and Stand-offish are pretty pinks; shades you can't really find in either UD palette.

The shadows are all highly pigmented and have a buttery texture. You can swipe your brush once against any of these shades and you'll get a good amount of color in your application. The colors stay put once they're applied and you don't have to worry about any fallout.

Sassy is white with a satin finish that can be used in the inner corners to brighten up the eyes. Snobby is a yellow gold with a satin finish that can also be used in the inner corners or on the bottom lash line. Stubborn is a toasted pink with a satin finish that can be used lightly as a highlight or all over the eyes, it reminds me a little bit of Sin from the Naked palette. Stand-offish is a light pink with silver glitter that can be used all over the eyes.

Selfish is a mid-tone brown with a satin finish that I like to use either all over the lids or in my imaginary crease. Sultry is a light brown with a matte finish that I like to use all over the lids. Sophisticated is a dark brown with silver glitter that I like to use mostly in my imaginary crease. Seductive is a golden brown with silver glitter that I like to use either all over the lids or in my crease.

Sexy is a brownish red with a matte finish that I like to use all over the eyes or in my crease. Silly is a reddish brown with silver-red glitter that I like to use in my crease. Serious is a matte black that I use as liner, I haven't dared to do a smokey eye yet. Lastly, Sleek is a matte dark brown that I use either as liner or in my crease.

I think what really sets this palette apart from the Naked and Naked 2 is its color range. Naked's shades are almost all in the brown family and Naked 2's is almost all in the taupe family. Nude'tude mixes it up with the pinks and the reddish browns. I also really like how they have a white and gold highlight shade because those are great for accenting an eye look and making it more fun. If you're interested in purchasing this palette, you can buy it off the Balm website or Amazon, unfortunately it is not sold in Sephora. But, if you can wait I would highly suggest purchasing it when it goes on sale on Hautelook. The Balm products go on sale almost once a month on Hautelook and the Nude'tude palette is typically on there. You can get it for up to 40% off there!

Review: Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm pretty stuffed from the weekend so I figured I'd just sit in bed and type up this much anticipated review. If you recall, the product that I was most excited about from my Sephora VIB 20% Off Haul was the Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set ($42). I had never tried a Too Faced product before and figured this set would be a great introductory product to the brand. Included in the set was: 1) Twelve Eyeshadows, 2) Too Faced Shadow Insurance Candlelight Eye Shadow Primer, and 3) Too Faced LashGASM Mascara.

The overall packaging of this product is beautiful, which can be expected from any Too Faced product. All the products come in a lavender felt box with gold writing. When you open the box there is a mirror cutout and all the products. I really like the packaging but I wish it was more travel-friendly because I would totally bring these shadows with me on vacation if I could.

The Shadows:

The twelve eyeshadows are roughly the size of a quarter, which is a good amount and I can see them lasting me for quite a while. I'm not sure how deep the pans are but according to the Sephora website they are .03 oz.

The shadows are all very neutral shades, but they include some wearable colors like purples and pinks. They're highly pigmented and mix and match very well to create a lot of different eye looks. You can follow the included guide or make your own shadow combinations.

The shadows apply on to the lid very easily and blend together beautifully. With the help of a primer they stay on all day and don't smudge, however the color does fade a bit as the day goes on but there's still a very good amount of color there and it just ends up looking like a softer eye look.

The Individual Shades:

Vanilla - A slightly beige-ish white that I like to use as an all over the lid color or as a highlighter. It's color payoff is probably the worst of the twelve but since it's a light shade and isn't supposed to be a stark white I can't really complain.

Cut The Cake - A lavender with silver micro-shimmer that looks very pretty all over the lid.

Framboise - A deep metallic purple that I like to use either all over the lid or in the crease.

Coffee Bean - A matte dark brown, it sort of looks like the color of coffee. I like to use this as a liner or crease color.

Peach Fuzz - A light peach with gold glitters that I like to use as an all over lid color or as a brow highlighter. It's very glittery and very pretty!

Hot Cocoa - A bronzed brown with gold shimmer. It looks wonderful all over the lid.

Candy Rose - A pink with silver micro shimmer. Very pretty and don't worry, it doesn't make you look like your eyes are irritated!

Lovey Dovey - A deep bronze shade with some pink undertones. It's another metallic shade and I love using it as a liner. It looks very sexy when smoked out.

Nude Beach - A sandy gold glitter. You definitely have to be careful of fallout with this one because it's extremely flaky. It's gorgeous however, all over the lids.

Cinnamon Sugar - A gold metallic shade that is beautiful all over the lids.

Marzipan - A dusty beige-ish brown. Probably the second worst shade in terms of pigmentation but it's great in the crease and can be used to tone down the other shades.

Licorice Latté - A brownish black shade with gold glitter. I haven't been brave enough to use it as anything but a liner shade but I can imagine it would go great as a smoky eye look.

LashGASM:

This mascara comes in a plain black tube but the writing and designs on it are what makes it look so pretty. I had never considered trying this mascara before but I figured since it was included in the set, why the heck not? I didn't know a lot about this mascara but it definitely impressed me.

The brush is made of short rubber bristles that easily separate and define all your lashes. The inside of the tube, where the stopper is to wipe off excess mascara, is very tight so it definitely takes off any excess. If you have problems with clumping or messy lashes then this mascara would be perfect for you.

The mascara also helps to lengthen your lashes a bit but I believe it's main focus is to define. I like to use this to define my lashes first then use a lengthening mascara to get incredibly dramatic length. It stays on all day and doesn't smudge or give you raccoon eyes.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Candlelight Eye Shadow Primer:

I had always been a UD primer potion kind of gal but I think I've been converted. My eyes are very dry and sometimes the UD primer potion accentuates the dryness in my eyes by clumping around any dry skin. This shadow somehow moisturizes the dry areas around my eyes and soaps up the oil on my lids at the same time. If you have drier skin around your eyes I'd recommend the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but if your eyes are very oily then I'd suggest UD's primer potion.

I'll probably be buying a full-sized version of the shadow insurance once I use up this trial size because it's really great. The shade that was given in the set is a champagne shimmer that reminds me of Stila's Kitten shadow. There's also a translucent shade if you're not interested in a primer with color.

Overall, this set was totally worth the money to me and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's into neutral shades. If you or whoever you're looking to purchase this set for likes UD's Naked and Naked 2 then they'll definitely like this set. It has similar shades in terms of beiges and browns but it also includes fun shades of pinks and purples.