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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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

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Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Too Faced Melted French Kisses | Holiday 2015

The holiday makeup season is upon us everyone! Ulta and Sephora will be full of different eyeshadow and blush palettes, travel sets and limited edition sets and I'm always super excited for it. There isn't a whole lot of things this year that really interests me but I found a few that I wanted to buy. One little set I bought was the Too Faced Melted French Kisses liquid lipstick set from the Christmas in Paris holiday 2015 collection.  

The packaging is a cute little black box with a pink Eiffel Tower with gold detailing. The set comes with four mini Melted Long Wearing Liquid Lipsticks.

Two of the shades are the original formula and two are from the metallic range, which happen to be new shades exclusive to this collection. This set would be perfect for someone who hasn't bought these lipsticks before and wants to try them out. I already love the Too Faced liquid lipsticks so I know what to expect from this set. The minis are a pretty decent size and I mean who really goes through an entire tube of lipstick? Especially makeup lovers like me who have a decent lipstick collection to chose from.

The tubes are a little less than half of a full sized one, but you get four shades for only $25, where as one full sized will run you about $21. They're so cute and prefect for throwing in your purse or clutch without taking up too much room. 

Like I mentioned, this set comes with four shades. Chihuahua and Berry are both original shades and then the two exclusive shades are Metallic Peony and Metallic Macaron. Metallic Peony is a soft baby pink, Chihuahua is more of a dusty pink based brown, Metallic Macaron is a brighter cool toned pink and finally Berry is a deep raspberry shade. 

The wear on these isn't that impressive as they really don't set so they don't last terribly long. But the formula is super comfortable on the lips and its thin enough that it doesn't slip around.

The minis come with the same velvet tip applicator which can make application a little messy, but personally, I find the applicator perfect for this kind of formula. 

So overall, for $25 I have to say that I really like this little set. The tubes are cute and compact and it comes with a nice color selection, if you're into pink lip colors. The Too Faced Melted French Kisses set is available at Sephora while supplies last. 

What holiday items are on your list? 

xoxo

LivforLashes 

Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes

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Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Too Faced Star Dust by Vegas Nay palette | Review + Swatches

I feel like it was only a matter of time before Vegas Nay came out with her own promoted makeup product(s) and the launch of the Too Faced Star Dust By Vegas Nay palette sure delivered. It was released this past week in stores at Ulta and I was quick to snatch one up before they sold out. For weeks I've seen posts all over Instagram of it and I was immediately interested.

First the packaging is totally cute, true to Too Faced style as the palette and bonus items come encased in a cardboard "book style" box with a pink bokeh print and gold details.

When you open the "book" you see snapshots of some of Vegas Nay's Instagram looks. One side of the book has the palette, which is the same pink print as the box.

The other side of the book contains deluxe samples of the famed Better Than Sex mascara, a Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer and a Glamour Dust Glitter Pigment in "Nude Beam" as well as six Glamour Guides to create different looks. 

It has 12 shadows with two mattes perfect for transition shades, Millennial and Girl's Night, and the rest are shimmer and metallic shades. They all have fun names pertaining to Las Vegas and Instagram like #selfie and Jackpot. The eyeshadows themselves are absolutely amazing. They are so soft and buttery and literally one dip of the brush and it is packed with color. The mattes are slightly chalky, but nothing that a little extra blending can't fix. Also, the pigmentation is out of this world, especially with the metallic shades like Show Girl and Golden Nugget. I'm also really loving that iridescent purple! Such a fun pop of color. The eye shadow pans are pretty decent size for the price which is nice considering the quality. The only downside is this palette does not have a mirror, but most Too Faced palettes like this don't so I'm not too bothered about it.

Plus at Ulta between September 6th and September 26th you get a free gift with any $35 Too Faced purchase, so another incentive to spend some money on this palette haha. The gift is a little burlap makeup bag that says "Too Faced Is My Life" with a cute mini La Creme lipstick in the shade Nude Dolly inside. It's a decent sized makeup bag too so it'll be easy to put it to use.

So final thoughts? This is a fabulous palette! And for $45 it is a really good deal too considering it comes with a primer, mascara and the pigment. I've only had mine for literally a few days and I'm obsessed. I'd definitely recommend purchasing it and quickly since these are bound to go fast and I believe they are limited edition. I hope this was helpful and you enjoyed it! Have a great day everyone!

xoxo

LivforLashes

The Star Dust by Vegas Nay is a limited edition Ulta-Exclusive for $45

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Shadow Couture World Traveler Palette |Review &Swatch

It happens to me all the time. I go in to Sephora or Ulta (Target too!) to get one thing and I somehow walk away with something unexpected. That's exactly what happened when I bought the Anastasia Beverly Hills Shadow Couture World Traveler palette. I had swatched it multiple times in store and added it to my online cart numerous times but never ended up buying it. I thought it was nice but it just didn't appeal to me at first. Well after swatching it for the thousandth time in Ulta, I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy it.

The packaging is the standard cardboard palette similar to all other ABH palettes, but this one has a faux leather feel to it, almost like an old bound book, making it feel quite luxurious. The color scheme is a simple black and varnished gold angular design, with the logo imprinted in gold on the front. It has a magnetic closure, the same as other ABH palettes. 

Inside the palette is a decent sized mirror but what makes me happy is that it's actually a usable mirror. Other Anastasia palettes have plastic mirrors that sort of bend a little and distort the mirror image, but this one is very clear and gives a crisp image. The brush included in this palette is actually quite nice too. It's fluffy and soft and more usable than other brushes included in previous palettes. 

The shadow pans are again, same size as other ABH palettes, with 12 shades included. There is a mix of mostly shimmers, metallics, and a few mattes. It has a nice blend of matte neutrals, shimmers for the lids and a few pops of vibrant colors. Included are Soft Peach (matte light peach), Morocco (matte burnt orange), Heirloom (deep violet with gold shimmer), Bellini (soft champagne peach shimmer), Pink Champagne (ultra shimmer pink, almost foiled), Chic (metallic light gold), Spoiled (peach with gold shimmers), Fudge (matte chocolate brown) Azure (deep shimmery blue), Intense Glaze (metallic/frosty red-orange), Metallic (metallic yellow gold), and Noir (matte black). I really like that there's a nice transition shade with Morocco, a common shade in Anastasia palettes, and a good blending shade with Soft Peach. Pink Champagne is so gorgeous, it's the first shade that caught my eye.

(natural daylight)

(with flash)

The shadows are nice and buttery with very minimal fallout, surprising with shimmery eye shadows. They blend out seamlessly and don't lose pigmentation when you blend them. And the mattes are nice and creamy and not the least bit chalky or powdery. The shadows in this palette actually seem a little higher quality than other ABH palettes, like the Maya Mia palette for comparison. 

Final thoughts? I am going to love this palette! I say that about a lot of palettes, but this one is honestly one of the best ones that Anstasia Beverly Hills has released in my opinion. It's a decent price for the quality and variety of eye shadows you get and its so versatile. I think this will definitely be one of my go-to palettes for fall.

Did any of you guys pick up the Shadow Couture palette? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments and be sure to check out my Insagram and Twitter for more updates and pictures! 

xoxo,

LivforLashes

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Email: liv_2098@icloud.com

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette | Review + Swatch

I'm sure I wasn't the only makeup lover who had a total fan girl moment weeks ago when Urban Decay announced the release of the Naked Smoky palette. Even though I rarely use my other naked palettes, I knew I wanted this one if only to compete my collection. So as soon as I saw that it was in stock at Sephora last week, I quickly snatched it up. 

First impression of the packaging was O.M.G. It's beautiful! UD always has awesome packaging, but I really didn't like the velvet cover of the first Naked palette or the tin cases of the other two. This one is plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap and it has a secure magnetic closure. The plastic is kind of see-threw with a smoke swirl all over it and the logo printed in gunmetal across the top. Like the other palettes, it has a nice full-sized mirror inside. It also comes with a little guide with how-to instructions on four different smoky eye looks as well has some helpful tips and tricks for beginners. It's a little thicker than the other palettes, but it isn't too bulky.

 The brush that comes with it is pretty nice too. Instead of the double ended flat brush/blending brush, it has a pencil brush on one end and the blending brush in the other. The pencil brush is perfect for smoking out and diffusing eye shadows, especially since this palette is targeted for smoky eyes. The flat brush in the other palettes never got much use from me anyway, so this is a nice addition. 

The eye shadows are a nice mix of mattes, metallic shimmers (I'm dying over the shade High) and velvets. Most of the shades are quite deep in color, going with the smoky theme, but there are a few lighter shades for transition shades, such as Whiskey and Combust. There's also a beautiful pop of color with Smolder, a deep purple, thrown in the middle of the palette. 

The eye shadows are quite pigmented and blend really easily. In fact, they are more pigmented and easier the blend than the other Naked palettes in my opinion. A few shades like High and Armor have quite a bit of fallout, but with a shimmery eyeshadow with glitter, it's expected. I did find a couple of the darker shades like Dagger and Black Market to apply a little patchy, so I'd definitely recommend applying a tiny bit a little at a time with your brush and blending it completely between layers, and definitely a primer underneath. 

Final thoughts? I love this palette. If you were to purchase only one of the Naked palettes, I would recommend this one. It's versatile for both day and night time looks and the eye shadows are just amazing. It is a little pricey at $54, but I definitely think it is worth it. It's a nice addition to any collection, big or small, and I actually see myself using this palette on a regular basis, as opposed to just thrown in my drawer of eye shadow palettes like my other naked palettes. 

What are your thoughts on the Urban Decay Smoky palette? Love it or hate it?

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