Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

The latest addition to my Urban Decay Naked collection, the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette.  I know it's a little late to be reviewing the palette, but I actually held off on purchasing it because I wasn't so sold on it when it was first released.  However, when I came across it at my local Sephora and swatched the shadows I thought it would be a nice palette to have on hand.

The Urban Decay Naked Basics palette features six Naked neutral shadows, with all but one of the shadows being matte.  The shadows are companions of both the Naked and Naked 2 palettes.  And because all six of the shadows are very versatile and wearable, it makes this palette the perfect and most convenient basic every day palette.

Venus, Foxy, W.O.S., Naked 2, Faint, Crave

All six shadows featured in the Naked Basics palette are never before seen/released shadows from Urban Decay.  So anyone that owns either the Naked or Naked 2 palette still have a good reason to purchase this palette without having to worry about having duplicate shades.  Venus, an off-white shade, is the only non-matte shadow in the palette is a great addition.  It's not a shimmery shadow, more of a satin finish, and makes a perfect brow and inner corner highlight.  Both Foxy and W.O.S. make a great all over lid color. You might prefer one or the other depending on your skin tone, but I actually like to use a combination of both of the shades to sweep over my lids.  And of course Urban Decay never forgets to include a perfect "blending" shadow, Naked 2.  Faint is just a simple brown matte, but the star of the palette has to be crave, which is the blackest black shadow I've ever owned.

As for the texture and quality of the shadows, Urban Decay does not disappoint.  Because there are no shimmery/glittery shadows, all six shades are incredibly smooth to the touch, with incredible pigmentation.  The only thing you would have to worry about with matte shadows is with fall out.  Although Urban Decay does a great job of making sure the shadows aren't chalky, when using the darker shades (Faint and Crave) you do have to be cautious of any fall out while blending.

My overall opinion of the palette? It's definitely a beauty basics to have on hand for any classic look.  Having only six shadows makes the palette small and travel friendly, and really takes the thought out of creating a simple day to day look.  By adding the two darker shades, it only takes one extra step to go from a professional daytime look to a more daring evening look.  It would have been nice if they included a travel sized brush along with the palette, but other than that I am in love the palette.  There's not one shade that I haven't used and this goes from my makeup counter straight to my handbag every morning.

So if you're a person that truly wants a basic every day palette without having a 8-12 different shades to choose from, the Naked Basics palette really takes the decision making out of your routine (when compared the the Naked and Naked 2 palettes).  It actually works great for anyone just getting their foot into the door when it comes to playing around with makeup for the first time.

xoxo,

Eve

OPI Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees

Winter isn't over yet, but the weather has been improving here in the city.  During the colder seasons I definitely appreciate the darker, black toned polishes.  For some reason darker polishes just look so clean and chic, especially with a shorter manicure.  A lot of people use to think it's unprofessional to have a darker manicure, but now a days it's more fashionable and sleek looking.

So while I was re-organizing my nail polish collection (which is way more extensive than I had imagined), I came across OPI's Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees, which is a deep charcoal gray.  The picture honestly does not do the polish any justice since it just looks black, but in person you can definitely see the lighter hints of grey to the polish (also please excuse my terrible dry cuticles, they are not doing so well this Winter).

I absolutely love how creamy and opaque this polish was, and of course OPI never let's me down on the quality of their polishes.  Two thin coats and you have the perfect "black" manicure.  Next to OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark, I would have to saw OPI Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees is my next favorite blackened polish.

xoxo,

Eve

Spring 2013: Black & White

Nanette Lepore Celebration Dress

Rebecca Minkoff MAB Mini Satchel

YSL Tribute Pumps

Spring 2013 Fashion has arrived, and although a lot of us (especially here in chilly Chicago) are still facing cold Winter weather, the Spring 2013 trends have really left a huge impression.  One of the biggest trends for Spring 2013 that I have been loving (and know that I am going to obsess over) is the Black & White trend.

From little trimmings to full blown prints, you're going to see so many designers release items with beautiful black and white color combination.  

For me, I love the little details of combining white and black rather than the loud prints, but overall the trend itself is amazing.  It's a great way to carry over some of your Winter wardrobe to Spring.

xoxo,

Eve

L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows

I am definitely late to the game when it comes to these L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows.  Honestly, when I first saw these shadows I didn't think much of them because they just looked like any other satin finished shadow.  And because I am not really drawn to purchasing single eye shadows, I just decided to skip this collection overall.

So why did I finally decide to pick these up? While I was at CVS, they were having a BOGO sale for a few of the L'Oreal products, and these L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows were part of the promotion.  So when I was looking through the color selection and saw these two I thought they were too gorgeous to pass up.

The two shades I went with were Iced Latte and Golden Sage, mainly because I thought they would go beautifully together for St. Patrick's Day.  Iced Latte is definitely a shade that has been talked about a lot int he beauty community, but I am most excited for Golden Sage, because I don't have anything like it.

These L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows are incredibly velvety, buttery smooth and just apply onto the lids like a dream.  They are a powder shadow that gives a look of a creamy finish, which really makes the eyes pop.  The application is incredibly effortless, and if you can't tell by the swatches the colors are incredibly pigmented.  I would recommend using a synthetic, flat eye shadow brush to pat the shadows on to avoid any fall out.  Then, blend everything out with a nice fluffy brush.

I can't say I would purchase any more of these because all of the other colors are pretty similar to what I have already.  But I will say that I am incredibly happy I picked these two shades up (especially during the promotion), and will definitely enjoy these in the next month.  If any of you are curious about the higher end versions of these types of shadows (i.e. Chanel and Armani make a very similar version of these), but don't want to spend as much, I would definitely say that these L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows are worth purchasing.

xoxo,

Eve

Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar

One of my skin care routines for the week usually consists of some sort of clay/mud mask treatment.  It's a great way to give yourself that at home spa feel without spending the same amount you would at a spa center.  I had heard of this Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar from Raeview on YouTube (or The Raeviewer here on blogspot), and because I usually trust her opinions on the products she reviews I decided to pick this up and give it a try.

The Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar is a purifying face and body mask made from 100% Umbrian Clay.  The clay works as a deep cleanser, that works to detoxify and clear any unwanted spots.  The high mineral content in Umbrian clay absorbs any toxins in the pores and is soothing enough to calm any irritation on the skin.

"Umbrian Clay occurs naturally and solely in the Italian town of Nocera Umbra. It has been the basis of therapeutic treatments for centuries, dating back to the 6th century B.C." - Sephora.com

After reading all of the reviews and doing a little research about Umbrian Clay, I was definitely excited to give this a try.  Although I was not thrilled that the product is in bar form (since it gets a little messy to work with), the Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar really does wonders for my skin.  I use it as a once a week treatment (twice a week if my skin is going through a rough time), and I can definitely see and feel a difference.  After every treatment, the mask leaves my face feeling so clean and incredibly moisturized (unlike other masks that might make your skin feel a little bit tight).

The Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar works great for both the face and body, but I mainly use it as a facial mask.  Run the bar under warm water and massage it onto your skin around your face and let set for about 10 minutes before rinsing.  If you're not a fan of facial masks, you can use the Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar as a spot treatment instead, just applying it where you notice any spots.

xoxo,

Eve

Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer

On a daily basis, I usually avoid wearing foundation during the day.  While I am at work or school, I don't find the need to have that added coverage since I'm not really try to impress anyone there.  For a regular day, as long as my skin tone is even and any noticeable blemishes are concealed, I go for the more natural look.

So one of my must have items that I carry around with me is a creamy concealer.  In the past, I have enjoyed my MAC Studio Finish Concealer because it did a great job at covering up any blemishes and red spots.  However, I did not find the MAC Studio Finish Concealer to be long lasting enough.  I was able to notice it wearing off within 4-5 hours after application, so I always needed to have it with me for any minor touch ups.

After searching around a bit, I decided to try the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer, my perfect shade being Ocher.  I have heard so many fantastic reviews on the product, and for the price I definitely had high expectations for it.  I was first drawn to it because of the packaging. I absolutely love concealers in stick form because it makes it much more convenient and travel friendly.

As for the formula, a creamy concealer for spot concealing is a must for me, and Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer definitely does the job well.  It's formulated with moisture, making the application buttery smooth and just blends so evenly into the skin.  The color and pigmentation is amazing, covering any type of redness or blemishes, making it look like natural skin.  After hours of wear, I do not notice any creasing or fading, which is definitely a plus.

I have to say, out of all the concealers I have tried in the past, the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer is definitely a stand out.  The only downside to the product is that their color range can be quite limited.  I was lucky enough to find the perfect match for my skin tone, but I believe that once I get darker in the Summer I will not be able to match any of the other shades.  For a high end concealer, the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer is well worth the price if you're looking for that all natural look requiring very little makeup.

I am definitely looking forward to trying out Tom Ford's Traceless Foundation Stick and comparing the two products.

xoxo,

Eve

Nails Inc. Chelsea Bridge

With my nail polish collection being so large (hmm should I do a collection post one day?), you can imagine how different shades of red I might have.  For me, I am quite picky with the shade of red I like for my skin tone.  Dark red with tones of purple are ok once in a while, but I am more of the true, bright reds because it is more of a classic color that is definitely eye catching.

One of the red polishes that I have been obsessed with for month of February has been Nails Inc. Chelsea Red, from their Autumn collection.  I have the mini version of the polish, and actually think I am going to finish the entire bottle soon if I continue to love it.

Chelsea Bridge is the absolutely perfect (in my opinion) bright, cherry red that works well for day and evening looks.  It's opaque in one coat, which is also amazing, but I always apply two coats of polish for that extra shine.  And as for the lasting power, I was still rocking this polish 10 days later with very minimal chipping.

Nails Inc. has definitely made a great impression for me, and their polishes have the best high shine, glossy finish that I have ever seen.  You can actually go without a top coat because the finish of the polish is that beautiful, but it's best to never skip the top coat because it does help the polish last a few days longer.

So if you need a new red in your life, definitely check out Chelsea Bridge.

xoxo,

Eve