Long time, no post! Back with a haul!

My sincerest apologies for not updating this blog at all through this year. I've been super busy graduating high school, finishing up exams, and turning in job applications. Some super exciting things have happened in my life since January and I can't wait to share it with you guys in the coming months :) 


I thought it'd be fitting to include a haul that I recently bought a few days ago as I'm getting back into the groove of posting more frequently. I won a 20 dollar gift card towards Target from my school and I decided to pick up some beauty essentials. Now onto the products -

Naked2: Review & Swatches (Dupes from Naked included!)

I will finally be reviewing the much anticipated Naked 2 palette. I have the original as well so I'll be comparing them both together. This retails for $50 and comes with 12 full-size shadows as well as a double ended synthetic brush and a little deluxe sample of their lip gloss in Naked. Swatches, individual shade reviews, and dupes all down below! :)

Physician's Formula in Blushing Berry: Review & Swatches!

I own quite a fair amount of these mosaic like blushes so I figured I do individual reviews for each. I feel like Physician's Formula is high in drugstore quality but many times overlooked because of the outdated packaging or because of the high priced (in terms of drugstore pricing). Anyway I bought this blush around the summer and the color is absolutely gorgeous - it's this nice berry color when swirled together. 

Retro Liner Look

I'm finally back for good! My last high school finals have passed and now I have some free time to focus on my blog. I really wish I could pull this type of look on an everyday basis! Click below for more photos, products, and maybe a few pictures of my little cutie :3

Best Drugstore Eye Makeup Remover: Sonia K's 'Remove'

Let me introduce you to my favorite HG eye makeup remover! Okay so a while back ago I hauled a few things from Target (this being one of them!) - and now after testing it out for months I can safely say that this is my favorite eye makeup remover ever. This remover is two layers (like the Lancome's bifacial) so you have to shake the contents to make it work :) 

I own a few samples from Lancome's eye makeup remover, and though I love that one I don't love the price as much, and I can say that this Sonia K is almost exactly like it. I put this on a cotton pad and just hold the pad on my eye for about 10 or more seconds and I find that most of my makeup is removed! Minimal tugging... I love this!

Pros:

- Affordable (I got this for under 10 dollars)

- 4.75 oz of product

- Removes even waterproof mascara

- Doesn't sting my eyes 

Cons:

- I hate the packaging. I don't like how wide the opening is, I wish it was a little more narrow to make it easier to apply it on a cotton pad. Also I already spilled 3/4th of the bottle QQ 

This is A+ for me :) 

Below are some more photos including the ingredients list and the opening:

Bright Eyes Using Wet N Wild's I Heart Matte Palette

I'm always so curious as to how Wet N Wild chooses its shade selections, so for this look I followed their instructions and only used the left side of the palette. I really liked how it turned out surprisingly, and for some reason the purple looks lighter in these photos than in person. I added some false lashes and lined my eyes in white because it reminded me of a Barbie or a Nicki Minaj type look! I also dragged the blue from the crease onto the outer half of the lash line and then combined it with the purple definer shade at the tearduct.
Products used:

• UDPP
• Wet N Wild's I <3 Matte Palette (all the shades on the left hand side)
• NYX's White Eyeliner
• Physician's Formula Purple Liner (as a base for the definer shade)
• Elf's Natural False Lashes

I wish I could rock this in public without getting any looks! Ahh... maybe on Halloween I will! I have several other more school appropriate looks coming up as well as some other colorful looks from this palette.. even if its so not fall appropriate!

I Heart Matte 8-Pan Palette by Wet N Wild (Swatches & Dupes)

Wet n Wild recently came out with a new 8-pan palette featuring all matte shadows. It's a Walgreens exclusive along with some holographic nail polishes and some baked shadows! I'm not quite sure if it's limited edition or not though. This palette, like the other 8-pan palettes retail for $4.99. 

I was excited when I purchased it because the colors seemed unique but now as I compared them to other palettes in my Wet N Wild collection, all but 2 are unique to this palette. Whether that's a deal breaker or not its up to you... but I would have appreciated more different colors. The two that are unique, the bright blue and the blue based purple, are both amazing colors on their own and for 5 dollars, it isn't bad!


I have included some swatches below as well as some dupes: 

 All were pigmented and smooth, but like many Wet N Wild shadows it was a little powdery. The black was nice as well. The purple was so nice but it lacked a bit in the application. The blue was striking yet came with a bit of shimmer - but its matte enough to be called a matte.


Some dupes below:

If you own the Pride 6-Pan Palette by Wet N Wild you would see that two of the shades are dupes. The white browbone color and the seafoam green eyelid shades. The left swatches are from this palette and the right from Pride. I understand the white browbone, but they could have added a little variety in the eyelid shade. 

From the neutral side we see more dupes. From the Vanity 6-Pan Palette we see two dupes. The dark red toned brown are dupes as well as the browbone skintone color... Brulee, which is one of their coloricon colors. From the Greed 6-Pan Palette the colors are the same as well. Once again the left side swatches are from the I Heart Matte Palette and the right are from different palettes. 


I just wish Wet n Wild would come out with some not-so-warm neutrals. A little variety couldn't hurt. But if you don't own many of the 6-Pan Palettes than this would be an excellent edition to your makeup collection. Wet N Wild eyeshadows continue to be my favorite matte drugstore shadows. 


I'm actually going to do an eye look based on how Wet N Wild places these colors because I always find it amusing how they arrange them! My favorite shade would either be that bright blue or the purple color, it looks similar to the infamous MUFE shadow! :) Anyway I'm going to have fun with this palette and hopefully post on a more consistent manner. If you have any questions please feel free to leave comments! Thanks for reading!

Possible Look for Senior Pictures??

This is the long overdo makeup look that I first posted on my tumblr! Ahh senior photos are in less than 24 hours and I still don't have a clue as to what to wear or have on my face! So this is just one of the options I've created. Minus the false lashes, I don't think I want to go that dramatic for my photos.
Items used:

• UDPP
• NYX Jumbo pencil in Bronze
•  Mirabella pigment in Bronze - all over lid
• Naked Palette - Buck on the crease, Hustle over it
• Wet n Wild's Vanity Palette - the Burgundy shadow that's matte (used to deepen the outer V)
• NYC palette in Union Square - the purple shadow on the outer v to add a pop of color
• Maybelline's Gel Liner in Blacket Black
• Ardell Luvies Lashes

Since I didn't go to high up on the crease I find this very wearable for everyday. I want to keep my face natural for the most part! Now I just have to practice smiling without looking sarcastic (harder said than done!) 

What do you usually wear for photo ops! Or your senior photos specifically!

Affordable Fall Eyes feat. NYC!

So as you probably may know, fall is just up the corner and I couldn't be any happier. Not because of the changing trees (or palm trees rather) but because this means the temperatures are going to be below 80 soon and I can return to wearing cardigans daily :D


I was again inspired to do another fall look, and also because I've had a mini obsession with redish-pruples this week. Isn't that color gorg though - I die. This is a very warm tone purple look, pretty much suitable for any eye color - especially brown eyes! And this look also incorporates a cheap, drugstore palette - NYC's IndividualEyes in 938 Union Square. You can check out a review and swatches here:

I used the base that comes with the set, it actually works decently - it makes my shadows last over 6 or so hours before starting to crease and fade a bit. I used the purple color all over the lid, then added the medium brown shadow to my crease. The skin tone color served as a highlight as well as a shadow to blend out the harsh lines. Finish off my gel liner in black, sweep the purple under the eyes, and top it off with mascara and black kohl on the lower lashline!


I have a ton of other eye looks to post.. they will all be dark smokey looks for the most part because I am experimenting with shadows and I want to create that perfect senior photos look. Ahh I'm so nervous -______- What did you guys wear for your senior pictures?

FALL EYES FEAT. DUO CHROME

I'm kinda obsessed with this duo chrome shadow from the Wet n Wild "Comfort Zone" palette, it's the definer shade. I pack this on to my lid with a flat shader brush and then blend it above the crease with a blending brush. Then I take a liner brush and just go in with the definer shade once again. The camera doesn't pick up the redish tint and teal duo chrome - amazingness.

I don't own Club e/s by Mac but just by looking at swatches online I can tell that these are both pretty similar. Also a dupe for Mac's Blue Brown pigment, Urban Decay's Lounge, and Too Faced's Label Whore. Here's a closeup of the ELF Natural Lashes, so not natural but I love them! 

What do you guys think? I'm hoping to collect more duochrome shades because they're just so much fun to work with.. Do you own any or recommend any? Thanks for reading :)