Urban Decay Vice 2: Toxic

The Products:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Lid: Toxic (UD Vice 2) applied dry, then reapplied with a damp brush

Crease: Rewind (UD Vice 2)

Brow bone/Highlight: Habit (UD Vice 2)
Lower Lash Line: Smokeout (UD Vice 2)
Brows: Deep Dark Brunette Gelcreme (MAC)

Eyeliner: Goodnight Dreams Pen liner(Sephora Hello KItty)

Waterline: Goodnight Dreams Kohl liner (Sephora Hello Kitty)

Read more >>

Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette

Yesterday, I took a gamble and drove to my nearest Ulta, to find that they FINALLY restocked the Urban Decay Vice 2 palettes.  I got all the way to the check-out counter and realized that I left my 20% off coupon at home.  I decided to hold off on getting the palette until I retrieved my coupon.  The wonderful thing about Ulta is that you can also earn points on your purchases that translate into dollars...dollars that you can used to reduce the cost of your purchases.  I was able to walk away with the Vice 2 palette, 3 nail polishes, and a lipliner for less than $37 (USD).  The Urban Decay Vice 2 palette alone retails for $59 (USD).

Let's cut the chatter and get into some swatches!

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 1(L-R): Smokeout, Lovesick, Shellshock, Coax, and X-Rated (with Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 1 (L-R): Smokeout, Lovesick, Shellshock, Coax, and X-Rated (without Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 2 (L-R): Prank, Madness, Strike, Stash Poison (with Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 2 (L-R): Prank, Madness, Strike, Stash Poison (without Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 3 (L-R): Radar, Damaged, Voodoo, Betrayal, Derailed (with Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 3 (L-R): Radar, Damaged, Voodoo, Betrayal, Derailed (without Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 4 (L-R): Dope, Toxic, Habit, Ambush, Rewind (with Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 Row 4 (L-R): Dope, Toxic, Habit, Ambush, Rewind (with Flash)

Urban Decay Vice 2 (left) and Vice (right)

Urban Decay Vice 2 (left) and Vice (right)

What drew me into this palette were the colors.  I found myself more attracted to the color scheme of this palette (Vice 2) compared to last year's (Vice).  Although both palettes come equipped with greens, blues, pinks, purples, and neutrals, I feel as though the Vice 2 colors are more suitable for my skin tone.  For example, "Free Bird" in the Vice palette looks like it could be the cousin of "Toxic" in the Vice 2 palette.  "Toxic" is a bit darker, therefore giving a less harsh contrast to my skin color.  

I don't believe these swatches do the colors any justice.  Especially colors like "Damaged".  It comes across as such an emerald green...I feel like it should be trouncing down a yellow brick road, trapped somewhere in OZ.  There haven't been many greens that I think I could pull off, but this one would look lovely on anyone IMO.  

I've decided that I am going to do a series of posts showing looks I've created using the Vice 2 palette.  Stay tuned...

Read more >>

Ulta-mate Good Time!!

Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette, OPI Matte Top Coat, NYX Lipliner in Espresso, Essie Nail polishes in "On a Silver Platter" and "Belugaria"

Last night, I had some free time, Ulta points, and a coupon, so haulin' it what was on the agenda.  Check out the up coming posts to see how I used these products.

OPI Matte Top Coat and Essie Nail polishes in "On a Silver Platter" and "Belugaria"

Read more >>

Sephora's Benefit: "Real Birthday Turn-ons"

So, as you may have seen from my previous post, I just had a birthday and scooped up a couple of goodies.  I haven't played with them all, but I did use a couple of new items.

Every year, Sephora Beauty Insiders get the opportunity to pick up a free beauty item for their birthday.  This year's gift is the Benefit Real Birthday Turn-ons, which features a sample size mascara and highlighter.  I wanted to try out the products, so check out the pics below!

Benefit: Watt's Up Highlighter

Benefit: Watt's Up Highlighet

Benefit: Watt's Up Highlighter Swatch

Benefit: Watt's Up Highlighter Swatch blended

The highlighter has a pretty smooth application, sort of like lipstick for your cheekbones.  I didn't find it very difficult to blend.  I wore it to work for a few days and it didn't seem to over power the look.  I classify my skin as combination/oily and I don't feel that I came away, looking like a grease-ball.  Benefit's Watt's Up highlighter retails for $30 (USD) for 9.4g (0.33oz).  

As for the mascara, you can judge for yourself...

No mascara

Benefit: They're Real Mascara (one coat)

Benefit: They're Real Mascara (two coats)

What I appreciate most about this product, is the wand.  The applicator has little comb-like spikes, and on the tip, there's a bulb with more comb-like spikes.  I think this allowed me to get a closer application to my lash-line while being able to separate my lashes.

Adding false lashes isn't something that I do often, so I really like for my mascara to give me volume, length, and drama.  This mascara retails for $23 (USD) for a 8.5g (0.3oz) tube.

Read more >>

MAC/Rihanna: Talk That Talk Lipstick

Moments ago, my package finally arrived.  I felt like it was my birthday all over again!!  I couldn't wait to tear open the box...and there it was...the coveted Talk That Talk Lipstick!!!!

I ran around the house looking for my camera.  I couldn't resist the urge to swatch the lipstick.  Talk That Talk was pretty easy to swatch, so naturally, I wanted to see what it would do on my lips.  Perhaps I should have waited, because the lipstick snapped in half. :o(  I didn't know how to respond...should I cry, scream, throw myself on the floor?  Once I recovered, I found a box of matches I use to light my candles and lightly melted the bottom of the piece of lipstick I held in my hand and reattached the lipstick.  I took a quick flame around the circumference of the lipstick and luckily the signature was still in tact.

Needless to say, my lipstick is now in the freezer and hopefully that fixes it.  I can't tell whether Talk That Talk will be a patchy mess, as others have reported.  It is definitely dry, but I've had dryer.  A shade this dark will take some getting used to, for me, but I'm up for the challenge.  I must say, this color is PERFECT for Fall.  Tonight, I'll be meeting friends for my Belated Birthday dinner and I absolutely cannot wait to rock this lip color.

Read more >>

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...celebrating with more Hello Kitty

Today is my birthday and I celebrated by going to work. ;-)  Okay, so maybe I didn't get all of these goodies for my Birthday, but I did receive a package from Sephora as well as my annual Beauty Insider birthday gift, today!!

I stopped home for a quick break, and was greeted by a lovely package on my doorstep.  If you don't know, the Hello Kitty makeup line at Sephora is disappearing.  Prices have been slashed...items that were once sold out, have popped up again (I'm assuming because many of the stores have sent back their inventory).

A little over a month ago, I ordered some products from the thinning Hello Kitty inventory and one of the items that I wanted was no longer available.  I really wanted the retractable kabuki brush and was able to get one in gold, last summer.  Sephora also carried the brushes in silver (which is what I had my eyes on).  Well...as fate would have it, the silver brushes that sold out on Sephora's site, made a come back!!  I snagged two of silver kabuki brushes and can't wait to play with them.  If they are anything like the gold brush, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

I just wanted to check-in...I'll be back for more updates.

Read more >>

MAC Relentlessly Red and Prep + Prime Lip Base

MAC Retro Matte, Relentlessly Red

Trolling the net is not always a good thing.  Sometimes it brings you to things you weren't even thinking about, like MAC's Retro Matte Collection.  In my attempt to maintain my relationship with MAC, the other day, I decided to cave in and take a look at the Retro Matte collection.  There was one color that grabbed my attention, immediately.  When I swatched it on my lips, I fell in love.  I resisted the urge to try additional shades, and the MA at my local MAC counter said they would be permanent shades.

MAC Retro Matte, Relentlessly Red without flash

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick $15 USD

Retro Mattes have a much more drying formula than other MAC lipsticks, which could be horrific if you already have dry lips.  Oddly enough, RiRi Woo is a retro matte and goes on like a dream, on my extremely dry, peeling, chapped lips.  RiRi Woo really comes across smooth and velvety; however, all shades are not made equally.  When I swatched Relentlessly Red, the color separated on my lips.  With that, the MA suggested that I try MAC's prep and prime lip base.  I purchased the base without even testing it out, and now with this soar throat business, I'll have to wait and see.

MAC Prep + Prime Lip Base $16 USD

I was able to "Back-2-MAC" for the lipstick.  I really love how punchy Relentlessly Red looked on me.  The MA had me layer it over a Pro-longwear Lip Pencil (but I don't remember the shade).  I'm confident that this is a color that needs no assistance.  If, in fact, the Retro Mattes will be sticking around for a while, I'm interested in getting to know them better.

MAC: Relentlessly Red Swatch with Flash

MAC: Relentlessly Red Swatch without flash

MAC Brush Cleaner $15 USD

Read more >>