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Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Lorac Mega Pro Palette 2 | Review + Swatch



When Lorac released the Mega Pro palette last year it sold out within days and I missed out on it. So when I saw that even after a few weeks of the Mega Pro Palette 2 being available at Ulta, with many more in stock, I knew that I wanted to give it a shot this year. For $59 you're getting 32 eyeshadow shades, which is a bargain since the original Pro palette and Pro 2 palette have only 16 shades for $42. Plus the pans are the same size as the original pro palettes. 




The packaging goes with this year's Lorac Holiday color scheme with the palette being a cobalt blue with silver letter detailing. It's made with that same rubbery slick material on the outside as other Lorac palettes, so a little harder to keep it from getting dirty in your stash. It has a nice full sized mirror inside which is also a welcome addition to eyeshadow palettes. 


The formula of the eyeshadows are amazing, like Lorac is known to have. They are buttery smooth and blend out effortlessly. I'd recommend just barely dipping your brush in the pan though, as they can get a bit powdery since they're so soft. But again, they are super blendable and really  good eyeshadows for a beginner to work with. 


There is a pretty even mix of warm and cool shades, thought the whole palette is pretty neutral with only a few pops of color thrown in. But what I do like is that the whole top two rows of shadows are matte and the bottom two are frost/shimmer shades. Lorac did a great job with color selection too. There's some good matte highlight shades (Bisque, Porcelain, Custard), matte transition shades (Tawny, Burlap, Melon), deeper crease shades (Saddle, Cabernet) and a black, though it is a little ashy and not a deep black like I'd like. For shimmers there's a nice blend of frosty lid/highlight shades (Sugar, Moonligjt, Chiffon), bright pops of color (Blue Quartz) and some gorgeous metallics that would look bomb when applied wet (Gold Leaf, Penny, Gunmetal).

First Row: Porcelain, Custard, Tawny, Burlap, Melon, Tangerine, Saddle, Forest
Second Row: Bisque, Lavender, Purple, Sorbet, Goji, Cabernet, Ash, Black



Third Row: Sugar, Chiffon, Prosecco, Soft Plum, Cinnamon, Sandstone, Gunmetal, Blue Quartz



Fourth Row: Moonlight, Seashell, Peony, Dk. Sienna, Penny, Olivine, Gold Leaf, Black Ivy


Overall I really like the idea of this palette. It's a neutral lover's dream, though I would have liked a bit more color selection as far as some more bright colors thrown in. It's definitely a versatile palette though and I think it'd be a great addition to any makeup lover's collection. This baby is limited edition so once it's gone, it's gone. I know last year's palette immediately went up on Amazon and eBay for two or three times the price, so if you're interested in the Lorac Mega Pro 2, I'd run out and get it while you have a chance. It is $59 and exclusive to Ulta available in stores and online. 


xoxo
LivforLashes 


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Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Sephora VIB Rouge Event Haul

Every makeup lover knows that Sephora sales are few and far between so whenever the annual VIB/VIB Rouge events come up, I always make use of the 20% off and stock up on some goodies. It's usually during the holiday makeup season, so I tend to purchase more of the value sets or limited edition items. This year was no different during the Rouge event that was November 6-9. 



First I picked up the Too Faced Beautifully Blushed and Bronzed kit. It comes with deluxe samples of the popular Chocolate Soleil bronzer and the Sun Bunny Bronzer as well as two teeny tiny mini Love Flush blushes and a mini Kabuki brush. I already own the full size bronzers but haven't tried the blushes yet and I figured this was a good way to test them out. Plus they're so adorable I couldn't pass it up. 

I also picked up this year's BeautyBlender value set. There were two different sets but I chose this one since it comes with two full sized BeautyBlenders (BeautyBlender Pure and original) and a big bottle of the blender cleanser which I really like. Plus I never use the mini BeautyBlender that came with last year's set so I didn't want another one. 

I loved last year's Tarte blush palette so I definitely wanted this year Bling It On Amazonian Clay Blush Palette too. The shades are a nice range for many makeup looks and the formula of Tarte blushes is one of my favorites.  The packaging on this is much less bulky than last year's version so better for travel and storage, and again the colors are beautiful so I'm sure I'll love this one. 

After hearing about this eyeshadow left and right, I knew I had to buy the Kat Von D Metal Crush eyeshadow in Thunderstruck. It's a pale gold shimmer shade with pink/orange duo chrome and I'm loving it. Not only is it a gorgeous eyeshadow, but it looks like it'll be a bomb highlighter. Can't wait to give it a go!

Another thing I knew for sure that I wanted was the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca lipstick set. This one is similar to lasts year's in that it comes with mini shades of studded kiss lipsticks, only this one also has a full sized limited edition shade, Gold Blooded, which is absolutely gorgeous. I'll do a review on these soon since it has some really unique shades in it. 

I went back and forth about getting the Vice4 palette from Urban Decay but I ended up purchasing it. The packaging is amazing as expected and I like how it has a mix of neutrals and a few wild pops of color. I can't wait to really play with it and see what looks I can come up with. 

Last up is a Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in the shade Fondant. This came out in July I think and I've been wanting to try it, but wanted to use up my current concealer first. It's supposed to be a good dupe for the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer so if it is, I'm excited to stock up since the NARS one is one of my favorites. Plus it's only $14!

And that does it for my VIB Rouge haul! Did any of you shop during the Rouge event? If you missed out, the VIB sale is coming up soon so there's still time to pick up some of the holiday sets and get a good deal doing so. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

xoxo
LivforLashes

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Monday, November 16, 2015

Colourpop Haul | New Fall Releases

Happy Saturday everyone! I figured it's been a while since I've done a Colourpop haul so I decided to order some new things to try, especially since they've released tons of stuff since my last order in the spring. I wanted to pick up a few of the Ultra Matte liquid lipsticks since I've yet to try them (I know) and I definitely wanted some more Lippie Stix and Super Shock shadows. I ordered on Thursday and received my package Monday so A+ for shipping, especially since I've heard a few shipping time horror stories about Colourpop the last few months. 




First up for the ultra matte lippies, and I ordered four this time around. The first one I tried was More Better, part of the fall release. It's such a rich berry color perfect for fall and I immediately fell in love with the color. Next is Succulent. I wanted this baby since Colourpop first released these but I just never got around to ordering it. It's such an amazing bright orange red, more suitable for summer or spring, but it's just gorgeous. I also ordered two neutral shades, Trap and Shimmy. Trap is one of those greige/pink shades that everyone has been going  crazy over lately and Shimmy is a more white based pink. It's almost like ABH Lovely but a touch lighter.

Now like tons of other people have said, these are super drying and a little flaky, but I let a little lip balm soak into my lips for a bit and then applied the lipstick and I didn't have any problems with them. The formula is also super thin so I had to be very careful not to spill any of the product out when I opened it. The wear time isn't too impressive when comparing them to other liquid lipsticks on the market, but for six bucks, I'm not complaining. 

Next up is the Lippie Stix. These have been a huge favorite of mine since I first tried them out, so I always order a few whenever I make a Colourpop purchase. This time around I got Contempo, Tiger and Dazed. I believe these three are all newer releases. Contempo is just a really pretty matte dusty mauve shade. Nothing too special but I just really like colors like that. Dazed is another matte only this one is a rusty red color. It's so reminiscent of the 90's and I'm loving it. I don't usually like sheer lip colors but I really liked Tiger. It's a pretty berry stain, almost like that "Popsicle lips" look. So pretty but unfortunately I had to really work it to get any pay off.



For the super shock shadows I decided to stick with neutrals since my last orders had bright colors. First up is Central Perk. I am loving this one. It's a deep wine red that swatches a little more brown. Definitely my favorite of the bunch. Mixed Tape is an icy taupe color, similar to MAC Satin Taupe. I've been really loving cooler shades on my eyes and this one fits right in with my recent favorites for shadows. I also love a good bronze and Boy Band is probably the best bronze shadow I've ever had. It is so so pigmented and shimmery and just amazing. Stereo is like a super shimmery version of Central Perk. It's a deep wine red like CP, only with purple and gold reflects. I can't wait to do a look with it. Finally I have Nillionaire. Nillionaire is a warmer version of So Quiche I'd have to say. It's a little more gold but still a super sparkly shade perfect for the upcoming holidays. 




So overall I'm pretty pleased with my little haul. I really wanted to try the new Crème Gel liners, but they were sold out of the shades I wanted so maybe next time. What are some recent Colourpop goodies that you've purchased? Leave some suggestions of things for me to try in the comments and thanks for reading!


xoxo
LivforLashes

Previous Colourpop Hauls/Reviews Here, Here and Here


Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes


Find me on Instagram @livforlashes


Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Lorac Love, Lust & Lace Pro Matte Lip Color Set | Holiday 2015

I'm back with a review and swatch of another holiday makeup item. Keeping with the lip product theme, I decided to pick up the Lorac Love, Lust and Lace Pro Matte Lip Color Set. What they are is matte lip crayons, so a lipstick in a twist up crayon form. I already have a few of these from Lorac so I was pretty excited to see the set comes with three full size crayons for only $24, which is a steal since individually these run $16 a piece. 


The holiday packaging this year is a pretty deep blue with a silver lace pattern. I definitely like it better than last year's Lorac packaging with the royalty theme they had going on. The box says it comes with a best selling shade, Pink Taupe, and two new exclusive to this set shades, French Rose and Mulberry. I already have Pink Taupe and it's been a favorite of mine for a while now. 



The crayons themselves are the same deep blue of the outer packaging with silver lettering details. The same silver lace is printed on the cap. The cap is a nice snap on cap (which is something I always look for) so you don't have to worry about the cap falling off in your makeup bag or purse. 




The crayons are easy to use, you just twist up the product. The tip is also very user friendly. It's chisel tip makes lining and filling in your lips super easy and quick without smudging or feathering. The formula is the signature Lorac matte formula- matte but hydrating. It doesn't accentuate lip lines or dry lips and it doesn't leave your lips even drier after a few hours of wear. These are also spot on with pigmentation. One swipe on the lips and you're good, no patches or uneven color. The scent is also a pleasant sweet vanilla without being too overpowering. 





This set is definitely one of my favorites that I've picked up this year. You get three full sized products in wearable shades, for only $24. And with Lorac, you really can't go wrong when it comes to the lip products. Lorac makes my all time favorite Alter Ego lipsticks so I'm quite happy to be adding these beauties to my collection. 
What's in your holiday beauty Wishlist?

Thanks again for reading and I'll talk to you all soon!


xoxo
LivforLashes


Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes

Find me on Instagram @livforlashes

Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Bite Beauty Best Bite Rewind | Holiday 2015

Happy November everyone! Holiday makeup season is in full swing and while there aren't too many things out this year that I felt I had to have, I did pick up the Bite Beauty Best Bite Rewind set and I couldn't be happier with it. The set comes with four deluxe sized Mini Matte Crème Lip Crayons perfect for gifting. 
The packaging is totally cute. The lip crayons come in a pretty red holiday tin that is then encased in a red cardboard sleeve with gold details. Inside of the tin is a crystal clear mirror that makes application on the go quick and easy. 
As I mentioned, it comes with four different lip crayons, with a nice range of shades. There is a nice pink-beige nude (Cafe), a neutral Dusty Rose (Torte), a deeper blue based red (Coulis) and a pretty raspberry purple (Aubergine). For a little set, the range of colors is really nice with each color being suitable for many other skin tones. I literally love every shade which is not usually the case with sets like these.
The crayons are thinner than an actual lipstick and easy to use with twist up packaging. When you open the tube, the plastic of the tip matches the actual shade of lipstick, which is nice since there is no external indicator of what shade you are getting. The pointed tip of the crayon also makes application a breeze. It's especially easy to use to get a nice crisp line around your lips without fussing with a lip liner. The actual formula is amazing too. One swipe and you get full pigmentation, though I did find Aubergine to be a bit streaky, but that's common with darker shades sometimes. They aren't a true matte formula either, more of a satin, but they are super comfortable to wear and the color last for hours without touch ups. 
These are deluxe sample sizes but the actual size of the product is pretty good for the price. I mean who actually goes through a whole tube of lipstick that often? Did any of you grab the Bite Beauty Best Bite Rewind holiday set? This set was only $25 at Sephora so if you have gotten it yet, pick yours up before they're all gone! Thanks for reading and have a fabulous day everyone. 

xoxo,
LivforLashes 

Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes

Find me on Instagram @livforlashes

Email: liv_2008@icloud.com