Urban Decay Decay Naked Basics 2 Winner Revealed

Hi everyone - I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted but family issues and my annoying laptop are to blame. My laptop has been replaced though and I'm feeling a lot more together so I'm back and raring to go. I have lots of posts planned this week including a couple of little hauls, some videos, a make up review and a long awaited hair tool review but I thought I'd bounce back with the post that you've probably all been waiting for.

You've had a little while to wait but it's now time to announce the winner of my 8th Blogging Birthday giveaway, to win an Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Eyeshadow Palette.

I want to thank every single one of you for entering, I had over 3,500 entries but as you know there can only be one winner and that winner picked randomly via Rafflecopter is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

luluazul24

Louise B

Congratulations Louise, I will be sending you an email later tonight x 

If you weren't lucky enough to win this time don't worry I have plenty more giveaways to come including the chance to win some Illamasqua, Nails Inc and Make Up Revolution goodies. I'm also taking some of your comments on board and although I don't have access to some of the US goodies that you'd like to win, you've gave me some fab ideas not only for giveaway prizes but also for things I would quite like to try myself, so you never know ;)

Thanks again for following and for your input, and I hope that you'll stick around and keep leaving me feedback on what I write and what you want to read x 

Happy Birthday LouLouLand - Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 - A Review And Giveaway

It wouldn't be a birthday without a cake so thanks Mummy Lou for this sweetie covered special, shame I couldn't find the birthday candles and it's a bought one from Tesco crammed full of wheat and gluten, never mind I'm sure a tiny bit won't hurt :)

As well as cake it wouldn't be a birthday without presents and recently I broke away from my budget make up obsession and bought myself a few higher end things, a sort of a present to myself ha ha. I'm going to sure you a few things in tomorrows post but for reasons that will become apparent I thought I'd show you something that I bought and that I've been loving.

I don't know how many times I've said but I'm just not a matte eyeshadow fan, or at least I wasn't. So many times I've been disappointed with matte eye shadows, and their useless chalky, payoff but things have changed and brands such as Make Up Revolution have upped the ante when it comes to matte shadows, and recently I've started to appreciate the subtle, warm and natural look that you can get from a matte eyeshadow.

Since I wanted to treat myself to a little bit of something a little bit high end, I headed to Debenhams and had a little look at the Urban Decay counter. As much as I love Naked 3 I can't justify yet another shimmery nude palette, so I took the plunge, had a swatch and bought Urban Decay Naked Basics 2.

A lot smaller than it's shimmery cousins, the 2 Naked Basics palettes are all about the matte. More geared towards cooler nudes, and skin tones like my own, Naked Basics 2 comes in a small slightly rubberised, compact complete with a full sized mirror.

The compact contains 6 exclusive shades, that don't appear anywhere else in the Urban Decay range. Although this is very much a matte palette the first shade Skimp, is actually a demi matte and has a tiny, tiny bit of shimmer making an ideal highlight shade. The rest of the shades from left to right are Stark, Frisk, Cover, Primal and Undone.

These shadows are silky soft and so creamy, and as you can see the pigmentation is excellent. Despite the hype I never ever thought that I would buy a totally matte eyeshadow palette but I have to admit that I'm now a convert, and I've used this palette pretty much everyday since I got it. As you would expect from Urban Decay this palette isn't cheap but if your a matte eyeshadow fan you need it and if you still need to be convinced about matte eye shadows, this is definitely a one to try.Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 retails at £23 and is available from various retailers including Debenhams, House Of Fraser, Urban Decay, and  FeelUnique x

As I said at the beginning though it's all about presents and to celebrate my blogs 8th birthday I want to give one of you, my lovely readers, a present. So for your chance to win your very own Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 palette all you need to do is be a follower of my blog and fill in the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open worldwide and will end on the 15th March 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks again for reading and if you have any questions please leave me a comment x

W7 In The Buff Natural Nudes Eye Colour Palette* - A Perfect Dupe For Urban Decay Naked 2?

I've said it before and I'll say it again but at the moment I'm having a major love in with more budget friendly makeup. I love buying and owning high end products but at the moment I'm just not feeling the need to splash the cash. In my mum's day, cheap makeup was exactly that cheap - you just didn't get the quality and you didn't get the technology but thankfully now things have changed, and a cheaper product doesn't necessarily mean a bad one.

There seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment of budget brand producing palettes, and products inspired by higher end items. I know this has caused a bit of controversy in some quarters but personally I don't see the problem. Everybody from catwalk designers, to musicians, to bloggers and make up brands get their inspiration from somewhere, so at some point in time everybody is influenced by someone else or something else. It happens and as consumers in this case we're the ones that benefit, we can buy high end or we can hopefully buy something just as good at a cheaper price.

One budget brand that have consistently produced more affordable versions of high end products is W7. I have to be honest and I've only tried a couple of things from the brand mainly nail polishes, but  I've read a lot of good things and by and large I've been impressed. Recently I was lucky enough to be sent one of their most popular products to try out - The W7 In The Buff Natural Nudes Eye Colour Palette.

You know me I'm all about the nudes, so before I received it I did a little bit of online nosing and I found out that several people had described as a pretty much perfect dupe of Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette. So as soon as I got it I dug out Naked 2 and did a little bit of comparison work.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between the two does there? I'm sure you've already either got a Naked 2 palette or seen a zillion posts on it already but in case you haven't, it's brilliant the shadows are smooth, creamy and pigmented and it's a neutral shadow lovers dream, but it retails at around £37 putting it out of the price range of a lot people. Compare that to the W7 In The Buff Palette which has a retail price of around £6.95 than you could be on to a winner, how does it perform though?

Well we'll start off with the packaging. The palette comes in a similar vintage style metal tin. It doesn't feel quite as sturdy as the Urban Decay version, and it doesn't contain a mirror, but it looks nice enough on a vanity and it does the job. It also comes with a double ended brush and sponge applicator. I would have preferred a double ended brush as oppose to the sponge end but it's not bad, and I would definitely use it.

The palette comes with 12 shadow, all of which are named which is a nice touch. The colours are almost identical to those in Naked 2, you get a nice combination of mattes and shimmers, featuring everything from matte highlighting shades, to bronzes, and golds, and shades that you could even use to create an alternative smokey eye look.

I don't think I really need to tell you this as I think it's pretty obvious from these pictures but the pigmentation is superb. All the shades feel very soft and creamy without being powdery. The matte shades in particular were a pleasant surprise. They feel very soft, and there is no chalkiness just smooth pigmented colour. All of the shades blend really well, and the wear time is pretty decent.

Basically if I'd had this palette before I'd had Naked 2, I wouldn't have bought it. There shades are almost identical, the pigmentation is easily on par, and every look with Naked 2 you can do with W7 In The Buff. Yes, it's nice to have a high end product and the packaging of  Naked 2 is definitely better quality but as often as I buy products for the packaging, it's the colours and product inside that matters. If your on a budget I would recommend this product and even if your not I can't recommend this palette highly enough. W7 In The Buff Natural Nudes Eye Colour Palette has a recommended retail of around £6.95 and is available from various outlet including the official W7 website where it retails for a slightly higher price. I've also seen for less so it's worth having a little search on the internet before you buy x

After this 100% positive W7 experience I'm definitely going to be trying more from the brand. I'm quite fancying the Honey Queen Bronzer Box, the new Make Up & Glow Bronzing Base, and the In The Nude Eye Colour Palette for starters, but if you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them. so leave me a comment and let me know what you love x

(*Press Sample)

Face Of The Day - More Experimentation

Ok more experimental face of the day pictures - I just had a play yesterday with a smokey eye and a pale nude lip. Again I'm not a million percent happy with the pics taken with the setting that shows up the colour my skin looks scarily shiny and less than perfect hmm where as on the normal setting I look blurred but flawless lol hmm definitely a work in progress

Glowy                                                 

Today I Wore


Models Prefer Foundation - Medium
Laura Geller Balance and Brighten - Regular (to set)
UDPP
ELF Studio Blusher - Peachykeen
Prestige Sun Baked Mineral Bronzing Powder - Pure Shimmer (to highlight, and on brow bone)
ELF Duo Eyeshadow Cream - Black Licorice (lightest shade only )
MUA Eyeshadow - No3
2True Twist n Line Eye Definer - No8 Black
Collection 2000 Big Fake Mascara - 17 Ultra Black
Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lipstick - Vanilla Truffle

FOTD and A Play

I'm a roll second post of the day :) this one is a little face of the day for you I filmed a You Tube video so I had another play with my Naked palette :)

OK so I took some pics, filmed my video then I played with my camera and would you believe it I might have found `a way to take some eye pics where you can actually see the colour and texture of the shadows -  it's a work in progress but it's a start sorry it's a bit creasy but you can get a better idea of the colours x

Let me know what you think as I say it's a work in progress xx

Today I Wore

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - 100 Ivory
The Balm - Time Balm  -Light*
Boots No7 Trio Concealer - 2 lightest shades
Alva Coleur Organic Baked Foundation - Light (to set)*
Bourjois Coupe de Theatre 2 in1 Mascara - 51 Noir Exceptionnel
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil - Whiskey
Urban Decay Eyeshadows - Virgin, Sidecar and Darkhorse (all from the Naked palette)
Boots No7 Lipstick - Nude Rebellion

(*provided for review purposes)

FOTD - A Naked Cover Up

I did some a quick make up before we took the cats to the vets for their jabs this morning, I say super quick because it probably took less than 5 minutes which is a bit of a record for me - it was probably just as well because it took 10 minutes to get Jake into his basket - he ran up and downstairs about 5 times before we managed to catch him, and by that time my make up had just about given up hope! - I don't think it's the vet he dislikes, more the journey in the car he is exactly the same when he goes to the cattery :( Anyways normally I wouldn't have bothered with any make up for such a little journey but last night I tried a little bit of facial waxing - big mistake - my chin was bright red and all flaky, and more than a bit sore :( So I used some mineral make up which is much more gentle and less of an irritant to cover it up, and it seems to have done the job thankfully, I also had another little play with my Naked palette which is perfect for no make up, make up - Enjoy xx

awful FOTD pic




weird eye pics again






Today I Wore

id Bare Minerals Foundation - Medium Beige
ELF Sheer Mineral Booster
Boots No7 Trio Concealer
The Balm Time Balm - Light*
MAC Powder Blusher - Tenderling
MAC MSF -By Candlelight
Urban Decay Eyeshadows - Naked and Hustle (Naked Palette)
GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner - Truly Brown
Collection 2000 Big Fake False Lash Effect Mascara - 17 Ultra Black
NYX Lip Lacquer Pot - LLP04 Georgia Peach


Georgia Peach isn't that pigmented but it gives a lovely pale nude glossy glow :) Any questions please ask xx

(* provided for review purposes)

FOTD - You Make Me Feel Naked!!!

Sorry for the crap title lyrics you may not remember but there from a song by Louise "I have a sponsorship with Red magazine I'm in it so often" Redknapp, but never mind onto more positive things ;) today I did an eye look with my Naked palette - I'm sorry I may flirt with colours on my eyes but I am a neutral girl at heart -I love this palette more than I ever thought I would. I also used a palette for my cheeks using a depot from one of my MAC blusher palettes :) See 3rd September and I've dipped into two palettes already - enjoy xx





Sorry for the weird eye pic but you can see the colour better


Nudist Peach on it's own


Gold Charm over the top - I love this tony gold sparkles alas it's nearly bit the dust and is starting to smell weird but I am hanging onto because I love it - my first MAC lip product :)




Today I Wore

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - 100 Ivory
Boots No 7 Concealer Trio (all colours blended)
The Balm Time Balm Concealer - Light*
Boots No 7 Translucent Loose Powder
MAC Prep + Prime Eye -Light
MAC Powder Blusher - The Perfect Cheek
MAC MSF - By Candleight
Urban Decay Eyeshadow - Sin (all over the lid) and Smog (in the crease and outer corner)-(both from the Naked palette)
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil - Whiskey
Bourjois Coup de Theatre 2 in 1 Mascara - 51 Noir Excetionnel
Boots 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick - Nudist Peach
MAC Lipglass - Gold Charm

(*provided for review purposes,etc.etc....)

Goods + Bads

Hey my lovely peeps time for another Goods + Bads but before I start I just thought I'd let you know what's coming up this week on my blog :) the answer is reviews and lots of them I am hoping to get at least 3 sets of reviews up by the end of this week so keep checking back to see what I've been testing for you xx Anyways onto the goods and bads not too many bads this week thank goodness but still..

Goods

* I've lost another 3lbs this week I am so pleased I can now get my fat jeans on and off without unzipping them :)
* Less than 5 weeks to my holiday I desperately need sunshine this summer has been a washout :(
* I had a row with my mum last night which isn't in itself good but everyone on twitter was so nice to me last night - thankfully me and my mum had a long chat last night and got a few things out in the open which was good - she brought me a nice cup of tea in bed this morning too so all is good x
* My Naked palette - nuff said I love this palette and Money eye colour from the new Book of Shadows, and Sob cream blush by Illamasqua :)
* It's my mums birthday a week tomorrow and I am getting all Nigella and planning what I'm going to cook :)
* Posts from two lovely ladies Michelle from Lipstick Rules and Alice In A New Wonderland that made me cry a little - 2 lovely ladies whom I never would have known without blogging xx

Bads

* I stood on the plug of my hair straighteners yesterday and the front prong has pierced the ball of my foot - it looked horrible at the time squirting blood and all sorts -it's cleared up now but it still hurts when I put pressure on it :(
* ME / Fibro Pains - I had an awful pain in my neck last night :(
* The roof - roof guy still hasn't come thankfully we have had no prolonged periods of rain so it's stayed pretty dry inside

Hope your all having a lovely bank holiday xx

Urban Decay Naked Palette = Love

I mentioned the other day that my mum had ordered me this from House of Fraser online well it came this morning, even before I'd had my breakfast the packaging was ripped off and I had it swatched.
Your probably sick of seeing this palette but I'm going to show you anyway :) the palette itself is beautifully designed with a chocolate brown velvet case with gold embossed writing

The colours in the palette are amazing - it has every shade of neutral that you could possibly want from beiges, to tans, to greys and silvers

Swatches - From Left to Right Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck and Half Baked

From Left to Right Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep and Gunmetal

as well as the customary mini Primer Potion you also get a double ended 24/7 eye pencil with the black Zero at one end, and the chocolate brown Whisky at the other end

This is a really gorgeous palette and well deserved of all the hype surrounding it. If you like neutrals you need this it has pretty much everything that you might need. I have had nearly a month of wearing "oolour" on my eyes and I have to say I really have missed my neutral - I can't wait to have a play when September comes xx
I'll be back with my haul from yesterday later xx

Buys From Boots and a Round Up

Me and my mum had a little trip to the Metro Centre on Friday - I say little because we were only there for 45 minutes - my mum wanted to look at something in BHS and I wanted to check out the Urban Decay Naked palette in House of Fraser. Both missions proved a bit of a fail- my mum couldn't find what she wanted in BHS and Metro Centre House Of Fraser no longer stocks Urban Decay grr -on the plus side my mum is now going to buy me the palette when I can eventually get my hands on it ;)So my mum bought Take A Breaks and I bought a few bits in Boots using some vouchers I found whilst clearing out my old purse :)

No 17 currently have a really good offer on spend £6 and a get a free Bronzing Summer Glow Kit so I picked up a back up of the Mirror Shine Lipstick in Nudist Peach, which has to be one of my favourites from the line - the pic here shows my current one which is looking a little sorry for itself

It looks a bit of a scary brown in the bullet but on the lips it's a sheer glossy nude

I also picked up a Fast Finish nail polish in Catwalk Couture - its a gorgeous turquoise colour that I'm definitely taking on holiday with me - it's a perfect match for one of my maxi dresses :)

Anyway on to the freebie the Bronzing Summer Glow Kit is packaged in cardboard packaging with a magnetic closure and a mirror.

In the palette you get two applicators one for bronzer, and one which is double ended with a brush and foam tips. It contains a 3.7g Instant Glow Bronzing Powder in Medium, a 1.4g eyeshadow in Ivory Coast and a 1.4g eyeshadow in Statuesque, and 1.2g Mirror Shine Lipstick in Sugar Daddy

It seems a pretty good freebie to be honest the eyeshadows seem pretty pigmented and wearable, the bronzer had a nice golden, peach tone and looks a lot prettier than it does in the palette, and the Sugar Daddy Mirror Shine is gorgeous, a sheer nude bronze with plenty of gloss and a bit of sparkle - definitely pleased to have this and to be able to try new things.

I also picked up one of the Soap & Glory Face Massage Mini Mitts - I wan't at all keen on the L'Oreal facewash with the scrublet - but I loved the idea of the scrublet so I decided to pick this up as my scrublet is starting to wear out. It's the same idea just a little bit bigger and it's pink :)

So that was my mini haul - I have to say I was a bit narked when I got home because of my lack of Naked palette - I am such a child lol so I placed another few order including one with Models Own who are currently hosting their 50% sale - it took me nearly all afternoon but I managed to place my order in the end (the code is FACEBOOK50 if your interested x) I'll post pics when it comes obviously and I've also placed a little Avon order well I had to, one of the special offers in a Hello Make Up bag :). Nevermind I am currently paying for it through my ebay funds - which reminds me this Saturday and Sunday were / are free listings days on ebay so I will be sticking a few more new and used bits up including some Diane Von Furstenberg, genuine Burberry, Primark, H! By Henry Holland and more so please check out the links in my sidebar x ---> Any questions on anything let me know and a hug Hi to my new followers xx