First Impressions | Urban Decay Full Spectrum Palette

Behold: Urban Decay's biggest and most colourful palette yet! Yes! The Urban Decay Full Spectrum palette has finally made its way to my eyeshadow palettes collection! And I don't think I am exaggerating when I say it's the brightest and the biggest one I own to date!

Let's have a closer look at what the latest lust-worthy palette from UD is all about. First things first, the packaging - it's very similar to other UD palettes in that there are the shades depicted on the outer box. However, it is much bigger than the other palettes - it contains 21 shades as opposed to the standard 12 shades that usually compose the brand's palette. You can compare the size of the palette here against the Naked Ultimate Basics.

The Full Spectrum palette comes in a black square layout palette with a magnetic closure. The ouside is just as beautiful as the inside (we'll get to that in a minute) with glossy parallel lines going all across the lid and down to the sides. The lid also features a multi-faceted rainbow coloured UD logo on the bottom right side underneath which is the name of the palette, also in rainbow colours.

On opening, there is a mirror as big as the lid and of course, there are the colours on the bottom compartment. The palette also comes with a small, double ended eyeshadow brush. The eyeshadows are arranged in a rainbow sequence of which there are three variations of the traditional rainbow colours. The last row is made up of grey, black and white - there really is a full spectrum of colours in there ;)

Urban Decay being Urban Decay, it is no surprise that most of the shades have a shimmer or frost finish. In fact, they only matte shade I can spot is Bump (white). Here are swatches and a description of all the shades:

Alchemy (deep fuchsia satin)
Gossip (bright metallic pink with subtle shimmer)
Paranoia (soft metallic blue-pink)
Warning (deep metallic copper)
Seize (bright metallic coral with subtle shimmer)
Jones (metallic orange with subtle shimmer)

Midnight Blaze (black matte with yellow-gold shimmer)
Calavera (bright yellow matte with subtle shimmer)
Goldmine (metallic yellow-gold)
Hundred (deep metallic forest green)
Hatter (vibrant green with tonal micro-sparkle)
Mean (bright metallic lime green)

Minx (deep navy matte with floating tonal pearl)
Blindsided (bright teal blue matte with floating pearl)
Metamorphosis (vibrant periwinkle blue with micro-sparkle)
Delirious (deep plum matte with subtle floating pearl)
Sketch (metallic medium purple)
Faded (lavender with gold shimmer)

Platonic (black matte with iridescent glitter)
Iced (oyster silver with shimmer)
Bump (white matte)

All shades are very pigmented and I find they last me all day (with the use of a primer of course) with no issues of creasing whatsoever and I only experienced fallout with the heavily shimmery shades. I have to point out though that the blue shades are a little patchy.

Would you give in to buying this palette? I got mine from feelunique.com for €49.54 with 10% off (usual price is €55.04).

Review | Pupa Milano Contouring & Strobing Powder Palette

Pupa Milano have just launched their own line of Contouring & Strobing Powder Palettes. All makeup junkies know about these two techniques that are meant to structure the face and further enhance our best features according to our face shape.

I had the chance to test this new palette for a good few weeks and now I am here to share my thoughts with you all. First of all, a word about the packaging. I have yet to find a Pupa Milano product for which I have something negative to say about the packaging. I think we all agree that this palette looks very sleek, stylish and elegant with black and silver casing. It is slim enough to carry around and yet it contains everything you need to achieve the perfect #READY4SELFIE look. In fact, I took this with me on my recent travels. The palettes comes in three different shades to suit every skin tone. The one I have is 002 Medium Skin.

Inside the palette, there is a highlight shade, a light contour shade, a medium contour shade and a dark contour shade as well as a nice-sized mirror. If you're unsure how to use the palette, Pupa has that covered too for there is a pictorial right at the back of the outer box which guides you to contour and strobe according to your face shape!

I find that all four shades in the palette, are very pigmented yet they are very easy to blend to achieve that flawless contoured look and highlight to slay all day ;) Here are swatches and a makeup look where I have used this palette.

The Pupa Milano Contouring & Strobing Palette really has everything you need and at €19.90 for four products, I think it's worth a try.

You can find Pupa Milano products at various pharmacies and authorized stockists around Malta & Gozo.

PR Sample

Review | Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] Foundation

Vichy's Dermablend line has already established as the makeup line of choice with people who want to cover up acne and certain skin conditions yet still be able to achieve that perfect, natural look. Recently, the same Dermablend range has expanded a little more with the launch of a revolutionary foundation.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend the launch of the new Dermablend foundation, the [3D Correction]. After witnessing with my own eyes, what this foundation is capable of doing, I really couldn't wait to try it out myself. I had already tried the Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation but this new whipped cream texture of Dermablend 3D really got me curious to try it.

Vichy Dermablend 3D comes in a black box that matches the 30ml tube the product is supplied in. I really like the matte, satin finish of the tube for it really conveys the smooth application of the product. (As a side note, Vichy is changing the Dermablend range packaging to black so all the products will now be supplied in black tubes instead of white).

The Dermablend [3D Correction] foundation comes out of the tapered end of the tube and I have to admit I really like this way of dispensing the product as you have complete control over how much product comes out. 

The whipped cream texture of this foundation is what makes it so revolutionary and unique - it aims to level and cover indented scars and acne bumps in 1 layer. Now, personally I do get the occasional hormonal breakout but I don't get anything serious and I have no scars and bumps but I still wanted to see how it will cover up these occasional breakouts.

Having always used fluid foundations, I have to admit I found it a little difficult to work with this whipped cream texture at first. Taking out just a little bit of foundation on a palette and building coverage as I go is what I found to work best for me. Also, a flat foundation brush is your best bet when working with this foundation. Denser brushes don't really work well with this foundation as it will otherwise cake on. One layer of foundation is enough for me and I was positively surprised at how natural it looks - you can barely tell I am wearing makeup! It dries to an ultra matte finish which is what I look for in a foundation.

left: no makeup; right: wearing Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] foundation

Another definite plus to this foundation is the staying power. On my oily skin, it lasted for more than 9 hours (it is supposed to last a total of 16 hours but I didn't wear it that long), thus it is perfect for workdays as it will see you flawlessly throughout the day. Vichy claim that Dermablend [3D Correction] treats acne and gives a more uniform complexion with each use but I cannot really attest to that as my breakouts go down within a couple of days.

Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] is available in 4 shades:

Vichy Dermablend [3D Corrrection] Foundation swatches - first swatch: 15 Opal; third swatch: 35 Sand
Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation swatches - second swatch: 25 Nude; last swatch: 45 Gold
{top in natural light; bottom with flash}

Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] is oil-free, non comedogenic, dermatologically and ophtalmologically tested and it is non-acnegenic. It is also suitable for sensitive skin and contains no parabens and has an SPF of 25.

Due to the thicker nature of this foundation, I prefer to use it when my skin really needs help to look its absolute best but since the finished look is still very natural, I wouldn't mind using it everyday. I would especially recommend the Dermablend [3D Correction] for people with oily skin types.

Here is a little swatch comparison between both formulas of the Dermablend Foundations in shade 15 Opal:

Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] foundation swatch (left) vs Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation (right)
{left photo in natural light; right photo with flash}

The Fluid Corrective Foundation looks a little lighter in the pictures but in reality, both shades are identical when applied on the face.

I have said it multiple times before and I will say it again now, Vichy Dermablend foundations are hands down the best on the market and best of all, they retail for only 18 euros each. The full Vichy Dermablend range can be found at various pharmacies around Malta and Gozo. Like their Facebook page to stay updated with upcoming products and competitions!

PR Sample

Review | Christian Louboutin Rouge Louboutin Silky Satin Lipstick

For my last birthday, my boyfriend earned a lot of brownie points for gifting me with one of the Christian Louboutin lipsticks I had been lusting over ever since I learnt they were to be released. I already owned the Rouge Louboutin nail polish so my boyfriend went for the matching shade of lipstick, which also has the same name, and has a Silky Satin finish.

Just like the nail polish, the lipstick comes in a lush presentation box - shiny and black all over with a red stripe in the middle all around it's perimeter. On opening, the lipstick rests in a plastic mould covered in soft, red felt. The lipstick is encased in the most exquisitely adorned metal case that definitely has some weight to it. The cap comes with a loop through which you can thread a chain or use the string that comes with the lipstick to wear the lipstick as a statement necklace, but with its weight I doubt anyone is courageous enough to let it dangle from their neck.

The inspiration behind the packaging of these lipsticks is Queen Cleopatra and her love of all things opulent and rich; this is what makes these lipsticks covetable objets d'art. 

The lipsticks are offered in three finishes - Silky Satin, Sheer Voile and Velvet Matte with each finish having a different case and cap to the other two. The colour selection is nothing out of the ordinary but there is your usual span of colours ranging from the nudes to darker, deeper shades. All three finishes of Rouge Louboutin come in a black case while all the other colours come in a gold case.

Rouge Louboutin Silky Satin comes in a shiny black case with what remind me of mermaid tail scales at the very bottom. The same design features in the silver part of the cap while the gold part has pointy studs all around. The inside of the cap is red, much like the red soles on Louboutin shoes and there is the Louboutin logo printed on the gold part of the lipstick case. There is no logo on the lipstick bullet and the colour looks matte at first.

I have to say that this lipstick has very good pigmentation and the colour does not bleed. It lasts for a good number of hours and I like that it fades uniformly to a stain all over the lips so you are not left with patchy lipstick. The formula feels very comfortable on the lips and it doesn't feel dry even after the colour fades.

Rouge Louboutin Silky Satin
just applied (left); after 6 hours (right)

Now I'm sure you know these lipsticks retail for a whopping £60 (roughly €85) which is way too expensive for a lipstick however, I still think they would make a nice gift for beauty junkies and Louboutin fans.

Would you buy a lipstick this expensive? Let me know in the comments below :)

Review | Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette

A few weeks ago I had posted a review on the Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette which I purchased as I was on the lookout for a good contour palette and the said palette has met my requirements; yet, I still needed a cream contour palette for they are easier to blend.

Thus when Makeup Revolution announced the arrival of a new cream contour palette I went ahead and bought it straight away! I am a big fan of the packaging of these palettes including the outer box with the rose gold lettering and the actual palette with its glossy black casing and again, rose gold lettering - all so sleek!

The Ultra Cream Contour Palette comes with 8 pans of cream products, 4 of which are contour shades and the other 4 are highlighters. They can also be used as cream concealers! The palette also comes with a mirror. The shades in this palette correspond to the ones in the Ultra Contour Palette in which all shades are in powder form. I personally think this is a great idea because you can set your cream product with the corresponding powder to render it longer lasting.

All 8 shades in the palette have very good pigmentation and I would recommend this palette to makeup artists especially because you have every shade you could possibly need to achieve a perfectly contoured look on just about anyone! The consistency of all the creams in this palette is perfect for blending into the skin to avoid any harsh lines.

My favourite ones are the first and second ones on the bottom left row and the third one from left in the top row. I feel that this palette does a better job at contouring as you can really blend the product for a more natural finish. That being said, I like the powder palette to set the cream products and give a more defined look.

   Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette (top) vs
Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette (bottom)

The Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette retails for €11.18 from the Makeup Revolution website.

Review | Sleek Makeup iDivine Eyeshadow Palette Enchanted Forest

Sleek Makeup have added a new palette to their i-Divine range, the Enchanted Forest palette and I got mine locally from Roseberry for €13.99 for 12 eyeshadows.

I expected Sleek to go the extra mile with the box as there is nothing creative about it. The palette comes in their signature sleek, black case with a mirror and 12 eyeshadow pans with 1.1g of product each and a transparent film with the eyeshadow names on it. The palette also comes with the usual double ended sponge applicator.

Sleek i-Divine Enchanted Forest in natural light (left) and with flash (right)

The palette was inspired by an enchanted forest and the names of the shadows really do reflect that, as they are named after symbolic items and characters from the popular fairy tale, Cinderella. The proposed colour palette is also very reminiscent of a forest with deep, dark hues spanning all throughout the palette with the exception of a couple of shades and of course, since the palette is inspired by Cinderella, there are a couple of blue shades as well.

Below are the swatches of the eyeshadows in the palette with flash and no primer:

left to right:

Glass Slipper - matte light beige, almost white

Beatrice - matte magenta

Perla - pearlescent periwinkle with lavender and grey undertones

Fairy Godmother - pearlescent champagne with peachy/pink undertones

Grand Duke - shimmery dark blue with strong purple undertones

Drizella - pearlescent dark olive green with brown undertones

left to right:

Pumpkin - pearlescent gold

Prince Charming - matte dark teal

Happily Ever After - pearlescent grey with bluish undertones

Anastasia - matte aubergine

Daphne - pearlescent dark green with dark grey undertones

Lady Tremaine - shimmery blackened aubergine with reddish purple reflects

Pigmentation is excellent for all twelve shades and my favourites are Perla, Drizella and Daphne. There is a good mix of shimmer and matte shades which is something I usually look for in a palette and I love that there are a lot of unique shades in there. The texture is buttery smooth for all formulations and the colours are very blendable and not powdery at all.

If you don't like colourful eyeshadow this palette is not for you but if you do like to experiment, do go ahead and get this!

Review | Essence Merry Berry Trend Edition Christmas 2015

One of the Christmas makeup collections I really wanted this year is the Merry Berry Trend Edition from Essence Cosmetics, a brand which is most definitely not new to this blog. As soon as I first saw pictures of this collection on a French blog, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it! 

I'm all about berry tones in winter and I was glad to see this collection deviating from the usual reds that this time of year is synonymous with. Let's have a look at the products that make up this collection, then proceed to swatches and pictures of the products I got. 

The star products in this collection are the highlighter and the scented gold dust powder but all products are packaged really pretty with the exception of the hair fragrance which has quite a plain appearance that contrasts with the glitz of the other products.

First up, the eyeshadows. There are two shades in the collection:

01 The Perfect Dress - light taupe/sand beige with a satin finish

02 The Masked Ball - aubergine purple with a satin finish

  Essence Merry Berry Trend Edition Eyeshadows
01 The Perfect Dress, left | 02 The Masked Ball, right

The transparent cases are quite simple but I still like them for the embossed confetti-like motifs on the eyeshadows and the actual colours still show through. I was surprised to see that these eyeshadows are not powdery as other Essence eyeshadows tend to be and that they have very good pigmentation and staying power. They cost €2.10 each for 2.5g of product.

Next is the Scented Gold Dust Powder which is only available in one nuance, 01 I Love My Golden Pumps. I'll admit this was an impulse buy just because it looks so cute, like an old perfume bottle! I will probably never use this to go out but when I tried it, one pump delivers quite an abundance of gold glitter and there is a good chance that your surroundings will end up all sparkly too. This product can be used on both hair and body. I really liked the vanilla scent this carries and just because it looks so chic, it has taken up permanent residence on my vanity. This costs €3.70.

Essence Merry Berry Trend Edition Scented Gold Dust Powder 01 I Love My Golden Pumps

Since the stand I bought them from was still intact when I went to buy the collection, I managed to get my hands on all three lipsticks. All three are in berry shades in keeping in line with the theme of the collection and I can say they are really up my alley! I like that the outer case is a true representation of the colour of the actual lipstick and has a satin matte appearance and the gold ring at the middle really adds a nice, festive touch! The three shades are:

01 Let The Berry-Tales Begin - deep burgundy purple with a creme finish

02 Pink & Perfect - straight up magenta with a creme finish

03 Red Rocks - raspberry pink with a creme finish

  Essence Merry Berry Trend Edition Lipsticks
L to R: 01 Let The Berry-Tales Begin | 02 Pink & Perfect | 03 Red Rocks

All three are very wearable shades and I think they will look good with many winter looks. The formula is very creamy and they last for a good 3 hours or so. The lipsticks cost €2.40 each for 3.8g of product.

Lastly, I have the nail polishes. I only got one of the opaque shades and the gold flakes top coat because I already have similar polishes in my collection. The nail polish I got is the shade 01 The Masked Ball which is the same aubergine purple as the eyeshadow bearing the same name. Under certain lights, this particular polish looks almost black. The packaging is what sold me to get this polish because it is just so cute!

  Essence Merry Berry Trend Edition Nail Polish
01 The Masked Ball, left | 01 I Love My Golden Pumps, right

The top coat 01 I Love My Golden Pumps comes in the same packaging and I was really impressed with the even application of the flakes which is not always the case with this type of polishes. Both polishes carry 8ml of product and retail for €2.10 each.

I really like this collection and I do recommend you go out and get it before it is gone as I anticipate it will sell out soon! The outlets at which the collection is available are the following:

Tony's Pharmacy, Gzira

Lowla, Zabbar

Trollees Supermarket, Qawra

Claire's Accessories St. Julians's

St.Catherine's Pharmacy, Zejtun

Arkadia, Gozo

Oviesse, Pavi

Rotunda Pharmacy, Mosta 

Pillbox Pharmacy, Naxxar 

Rational Pharmacy B'kara 

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