Thursday, April 9, 2015

Let's Fall To Pieces Together

Lorac Unzipped Palette Review


Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) We are almost to the end of palette review week! I am going to be sad to see it go, but I am looking forward to moving on to my next theme week. Leave me some suggestions in the comments :) Today we are switching gears and hopping over to Lorac and their Unzipped palette. This is a very new addition to my collection but I have already used it a ton. I am in love with it. That's normal, right? Being in love with a beauty product is totally fine! *nervous giggle*


Lorac's Unzipped palette.

When it comes to packaging, the Unzipped palette (as well as the Unzipped Gold palette) is not all that impressive. It is slime, which is nice, but it is simply a cardboard case with a magnetic closure. It is not going to handle travel perfectly, but it is slime and light weight which make up for its flaws in some ways. I have got to say that I love the size of the mirror in this palette. I find myself using it more than I usually use the mirror inside of palettes. The cream coloring of this packaging isn't ideal but it is better than the white packaging of the Unzipped Gold palette. They get dirty easily, but they are easy to clean with a makeup removing wipe, so they aren't permanently going to look bad.


This palette comes with ten shadows that all have a rose gold/cranberry feel to them. If I had to compare the feel of the palette to another one, I would say the Naked 3 palette. I actually stood in the store holding both when I went to buy this one. I landed on this palette because I already had two palettes from Urban Decay and I didn't want my collection to be to dominated by them. The thing I really appreciate about the color scheme of this palette is that it would work well with a lot of skin tones. The rose gold feel would ideally suit someone with pink undertones (cool) but I have yellow undertones (warm) in my skin and I have loved the way this palette looks on. I think that the cranberry tones look really pretty with my eyes. They bring out the amber tones.



Out of the ten shadows in the palette four are matte, and the remaining six are shimmers. I am not as big a fan of the formula for the matte shadows, but they still work beautifully when built up. My favorite shade in the palette is actually one of the matte shades (unconditional). They compliment the shimmers beautifully. You can get a ton of gorgeous looks from this palette. I have had so much fun experimenting with it. This was a stop outside of my usually gold/warm palettes and I am so glad that I purchased it.

 (Top Row: Undercover, Unbelievable, Unattainable, Unconditional, Unbridled)

(Bottom row: Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken, Untamed)

My favorite shadows from this palette quickly appeared as I used it. I simply adore Unbelievable, Unconditional and Unbridled. When you combine them they make the most gorgeous look. I love the tones they bring out in my eyes as well.

(Undercover, Unbelievable, Unattainable, Unconditional, Unbridled, Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken, Untamed)

The formula of these shadows is amazing. Like I said before, the matte are not mind blowing but they are respectable. They aren't lacking in the formula so much as they are in the pigmentation. The thing with them is that the are easy to build without getting chalky, so it really isn't a problem and it makes blending so easy. The shimmer shadows on the other hand are spectacular. The first time that I swatched one of the Lorac shimmer shadows my jaw physically dropped. They are so rich and creamy that it should be illegal. Not only is the consistency amazing, but the pigmentation is just as mind blowing. These things pack a punch! If you don't believe me, go to your local beauty store and try them yourself. It is incredible how easily you can create an out of this world look with these shadows. When you think about the fact that this palette is only $42, in comparison with others that are in the $50 range, then this palette is an absolute bargain.


The Lorac Unzipped palette is available online at loraccosmetics.com and online & in stores at Ulta and Sephora.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

It Just Comes Natural

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette Review


Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) Welcome back to palette review week. It is hard to believe but we are already half way through our little event. It is day three and for our hump day review we have Too Faced's Natural Eyes palette. We have transitioned from Urban Decay, a brand widely known for its eyeshadows, to Too Faced. Too Faced is widely gaining popularity for its Chocolate Bar palettes. The brand as a whole is one of my favorites and it doesn't surprise me that their eyeshadows are getting more attention lately.


Too Faced's Natural Eyes palette.

The packaging for the Natural Eyes palette, as well as the majority of Too Faced's smaller palettes, is a tin case with a magnetic closure. While this is not ideal for travel, I have found that it is pretty reliable at staying closed and the hard case can handle any wear and tear from being thrown in a makeup bag or purse. In fact, I threw it in my purse to bring with me while I am writing this review.

This palette includes 9 eyeshadows. Three out of these nine are larger (.07 oz), while the remaining six are smaller (.03 oz). The shadows that are larger are actually shades that will probably be used more, which can lead to a balance in how much of the product is used.

 (Day Category, Bottom to Top: Heaven, Cashmere Bunny, Sexspresso)

The shades in this palette are all neutrals, hence the name Natural Eyes. While the Naked palettes are also neutral tones, the set up of this palette actually makes it function is a much different manner. The Too Faced smaller palettes are all organized to give you three designated eye looks. There is a Day, Classic & Fashion category. When you purchase the palette you receive a guide for looks that you can wear with each category. I have tried each of the looks using the guide, but when I use this palette the majority of the time I am just using the shadows how I want to, not necessarily how they were intended. If you are just starting with makeup the guided use of this palette could easily be beneficial.

(Classic Category, Bottom to Top: Silk Teddy, Push-up, Erotica)

Within the palette four of the shadows are matte, and the remaining five are shimmers. There is a really good balance within this palette that allows you to create an optimal amount of looks using only it. If you are looking for a neutral palette that is going to supply you with more options for a matte eye look, then this might be the palette you have been looking for.

If you are seeking an all matte palette, then you are also in luck. Too Faced has recently released a Natural Matte palette. I have considered purchasing it because of how much I love my Natural Eyes but the Day category in both palettes is exactly the same. I have found it hard to convince myself that I need both, especially because I use the Day category the least in this palette. If you want a matte palette that will compliment all of those palettes you have that are overwhelmingly shimmers, then it could be the perfect choice for you.

(Fashion Category, Bottom to Top: Nudie, Honey Pot, Chocolate Martini)

This is probably my most reached for palette on a daily basis. The neutral feel of it makes it ideal for day wear. When I just want to enhance my eyes without making it overly obvious that I have on eyeshadow, this is the perfect palette to use. My most used shadow within the palette has to be Nudie from the Fashion category. It is, in my opinion, the perfect brown for doing your crease. I even use it as my crease color when I am using a different palette for the rest of my look.

(Bottom to Top: Heaven, Cashmere Bunny, Sexspresso, Silk Teddy, Push-Up, Erotica, Nudie, Honey Pot, Chocolate Martini)

Lastly, the pigmentation and the formula of this palette are amazing. They are just as wonderful as the Urban Decay palettes. I even reach for this palette more often than I do any of my others, which should be some indication of how great it is to use. I am extremely interested in getting the Chocolate Bar palette, or the Semi-Sweet palette, from Too Faced. I have heard such wonderful things about them and after having enjoyed this palette so much, I have a lot of faith in Too Faced. For the $36 price tag, in comparison with most palettes that hover around the $50 mark, I think that this palette is a must add to any collection.


Too Faced's Natural Eyes palette is available online at toofaced.com or online & in stores at Ulta and Sephora. 

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

It Ain't Cool To Be Crazy About You

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Review


Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) It is day two of palette review week! On what better to review on day 2 than Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette? I have had this palette for over a year now and it has not received nearly as much love as it should have in that time. I bought myself this palette for Christmas 2013. I was so excited to get it, as it was my first indulgent makeup purchase. I had never even been to an Ulta when I went to buy it. I was torn for weeks between getting the original Naked palette or the second one. In the end I went with the second one (largely because it was impossible to find a Naked palette at the time). I like this palette but there are some downfalls for me personally. It is obviously amazing, as all Urban Decay eyeshadows are. It is just that for my personal use, it has a few flaws.


Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette.

The packaging for the second Naked palette is different than the original in a few ways. The actual case itself is actually tin for the Naked 2. It is a hard case that actually closes with a latch. It can definitely handle being in your makeup bag or handbag easily. It can take the wear and tear without scratching the tin or popping open. I really appreciate this quality when it comes to the Naked 2 in comparison to the original Naked.


Just as with the original, this palette comes with 12 neutral eyeshadows. In terms of the tone of the palette, it differs from the original in that it is a lot cooler. The shadows in this palette aren't quiet as warm. That isn't to say that this palette lacks warm tones, it just isn't dominated by them. The cool tones in this palette would be very complimentary of skin tones that have more of a pink undertone. Cooler skin tones go well with the silver undertone that resinates throughout this palette. Just like the original, this palette has all of the shades you need for daily wear and to transition into the evening. It is a wonderful balance of light and dark shades and can produce a perfect smoky eye.

My only problem with this palette is actually the fact that it is a more cool toned palette. I personally have warn toned skin, so a lot of these shades don't compliment my skin and eyes every well. The last six shadows are a lot harder for me to use than the entirety of the original Naked palette. This all comes down to skin tone though. If you are cool toned then this palette is probably the one you should go with out of the original and the second Naked palettes. The original is warmer and the second is cooler. If you have blue/light eyes or have cool toned skin then this palette will compliment that very well. It also has a handful of shades that go well with warmer skin tones though. So really, anyone can make this palette work for them.



Out of the twelve shades in this palette three are matte, and the remaining nine are shimmers. I noted this in my review of the original Naked palette, but if you are looking for a good matte palette then the Naked palettes probably aren't what you are going to go for. They all have a majority of shimmer shadows. I think that they supply the exact matte shades that you need to help you create any shadow look. There is no need for an additional palette when you grab these because they supply you with everything you need. That is one of the best parts of the Naked palettes. They can satisfy all of your needs. The three matte shades in the Naked 2 palette vary pretty drastically. There is a light cream shade (foxy), a medium brown (tease) and a true black (blackout). They can all help create a wonderful evening eye look. The shimmer shadows do vary in how intense the shine is, which gives you a lot of options.

(Top to Bottom: Foxy, Tease, Blackout)

(In the below mentioned order, top to bottom)

My favorite shades in the Naked 2 palette are Half Baked (which is also one of my favorites in the original Naked palette, as it is in both), Chopper, Snakebite, and YDK. These are all shimmer shades and their pigmentation is amazing. Three of these are some of the warm toned shadows in the palette, so it isn't that surprising that they are what I'm drawn to.

 (Bottom to Top: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite)

 (Bottom to Top: Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout)

(Bottom to Top: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout)

This palette lives up to the Urban Decay eyeshadow standards. The formula for every shadow is just amazing. They go on so smoothly. I always say that Urban Decay has to most buttery formula for their eyeshadows. As with most matte eyeshadows, you do have to build those a bit more than the shimmers, but they have wonderful pigmentation too. The color pay off and pigmentation in this palette make it extremely easy to use and blend. It takes a very small amount of product to do any look. This palette is going to last you. In my opinion all of the Naked palettes are worth the $54 you are going to pay. They are an amazing quality and you just know you will get your moneys worth. This palette may not be my favorite but I do reach for it often even with its downfalls from my personal preferences.


The Urban Decay Naked 2 palette is available at urbandecay.com and online & in stores at Ulta and Sephora.




Monday, April 6, 2015

True

Urban Decay Naked Palette Review 


Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) Welcome to palette review week! To get things going I thought I would start with a classic, Urban Decay's Naked palette. This little guy has been around for almost five years now and I don't think I need to tell you how much of a following it still has. Everyone and their grandmother has this palette. They have also all reviewed it by now. The thing is, I just purchased mine. I'm pretty excited about it and I wanted to review it as someone who has heard about it for years and just now purchased one. I was a bit late to the makeup world. I'm 22 years old and just now diving into all that makeup has to offer. I thought maybe this review would be helpful for anyone out there who is also a late bloomer or anyone (at any age) who is just starting their makeup collection :)


Urban Decay's Naked palette. Where to start? 

In terms of packaging, it is a cardboard case that has a magnetized closure. The outside is a nice, soft brown velvet and the word Naked is embellished in gold on the front. It is really pretty, although the magnetized closure isn't ideal for throwing in your makeup bag. I think I am going to have to use this palette strictly at my vanity because of it. 


This palette comes with 12 neutral eyeshadows and has a very bronze/warm tone throughout. If you are a bigger fan of cool tones then I would suggest coming back tomorrow when I am reviewing the Naked 2 palette. I think that the warm tones in this palette can compliment any skin tone but if you naturally have more yellow undertones in your skin, or have a warmer completion, then this is the perfect palette for you to start off with. The tones in this beautifully compliment warm skin tones and it supplies you with the perfect shades for everyday wear, while also allowing you to transition into evening wear.



Out of the 12 shades in the palette two are matte, while the remaining ten are shimmer shadows. If you are looking for a great matte palette, then this is not going to be up your alley. In my opinion you are supplied with the only matte shades that you really need to complete any eyeshadow look. You are given both a light (naked) and medium (buck) brown option, which are both perfect for your crease. The ten shimmery shades vary in their degree of intensity. You have your darker shades, which are a bit subtler, and then your medium shades that can pack a punch in terms of shine. 

 (Naked & Buck)

(In the below mentioned order)

My favorite shades have quickly become Sidecar, Half Baked (which is also in the Naked 2 palette), Smog, and Toasted. These are all shimmer shades and in my opinion are all extremely gorgeous. 

(Bottom to Top: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked)

(Bottom to Top:Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal)

(Bottom to Top: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal)

The consistency and formula of all of the shades is obviously marvelous. They are so creamy that I can only describe them as having a buttery consistency. I have found that I have to build the matter shades a bit more then the shimmer ones, but that could just be because my palette is new and sometimes mattes take a while to wear down. The color pay off and pigmentation in this palette is incredible. You only need to slightest amount to complete a look. The value for money here is just impeccable. In my opinion the $54 is well worth it for what you are purchasing. This palette is going to last for ages and because of its neutral tones it's never going to go out of style. It must have taken a lesson from T. Swift on that concept ;)


The Urban Decay Naked palette is available online at urbandecay.com or online & in stores at Ulta and Sephora. 

Holy Ground

Mini Target Haul 

Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) I recently got to go shopping for a few things for spring! I'm sad to see the sweaters & scarves go but I also love acquiring new clothes when the season changes. I headed to Target because that is my go to place for dresses and in the spring time I wear a ton of dresses. I actually ended up only buying one dress though, which is unusual for me. Instead I bought a few maxi skirts. I have never owned one before but I have been loving the ones I bought. Since all of the things I bought happen to still be in stores I figured I would do a little post about them to show y'all some of the stuff they have right now. I got a few bathing suit tops and regular tops as well, so it is a bit of everything!

I'm gonna just break everything down by category because that seems like the easiest approach. All of the items below are linked if you hover over their bolded title :)

Intimates

Gilligan & O'Malley Unlined Lace Bra in Mochaccino



I had an unlined bra that my bestie Casie had given me when her sister gave her a few Victoria's Secret bras that were to small for her. I didn't think it would like that it didn't have a lining but it had turned out to be my favorite bra of all time! I needed another one that was a little bigger though, as my boobies have decided to grow slightly!

Swimwear

Xhilaration Color Blocking Triangle Bikini Top 



I got this top with my best friend Amanda and she really didn't like it. The reason I bought it anyways is because the other top I bought does no show my chest and every year I run into the problem of my chest not tanning to the same color as the rest of my body! I figured this one would be good for evening out my tan and for while I'm out on the boat/riding the jet skis :)

Xhilaration Midi Bandeau Bikini Top 



I definitely like this top better! It is cuter and more flattering. The only thing is that it is strapless so I have to be careful of what I do when I'm wearing it. I like that because my chest isn't that large, I don't have any cleavage in the lines that are cut out down the front. It is cute without being to revealing!

Tops

Xhilaration Fringe Kimono in Black


I didn't jump on this trend train last year because I was a little hesitant on whether or not I actually liked the style but at the beginning of fall I really regretted that I had never bought one. I didn't get one then because I thought they would go out of style by the time I could wear it again. I am glad I was wrong! I think I'll buy another one even :)

Crop Ballet Tee in Black 


I got this top to go with my maxi skirt but it had actually turned out to be pretty cute with my high waisted jeans. It is so comfortable while also looking like I tried. That's my perfect combination!

Mossimo Supply Co. Lace Yoke Tank in Dog Bone 


I bought this top to wear with my boot to the rodeo here. My boots are brown but they have teal detailing, which can make it hard to pair them with things. I usually for for something that is off-white/cream. I like the lace on the back with the little button detail!

St. Patrick's Day Tee 


I enjoyed this one so much that I am already planning to wear it again even though it isn't St. Patrick's Day anymore :)

Bottoms

Xhilaration A Line Skirt & Top Set 



This set is so adorable and very similar to a set that I have mentioned in my favorite before. I got that set last year around this time and have worn it into the ground! I have a feeling this one will get just as much use :)

Mossimo Supply Co. Printed Maxi Skirt in Teal 


This pattern is a little more bright and bold than I would usually go for but I figured if I was going to step out of my comfort zone and buy the skirt that I might as well get one that would make a statement!

Massimo Supply Co. Printed Maxi Skirt in Black 


This is my favorite pattern that I bought. I originally got it because it had a longhorn in the pattern and my university mascot happens to be a longhorn, but it turns out I just love this one. I'm glad I picked it up.

Dresses

Xhilaration Back Cutout Dress in Green 



I am in love with this dress. It has a high neckline, which is my favorite cut. It also has cutouts on the back, and I love for there to be something cute about the back of things. This green is so pretty too! I think it really compliments my skin tone and is a nice addition to my wardrobe because I didn't have anything like it.

I have had this stuff for a while now, but it is all still in the store. I did a little run through at my local Target just to be sure I wasn't showing y'all anything you couldn't get your hands on! I have been loving everything I bought. I've gotten a lot of use out of the things already and it is barely spring! I am looking forward to all of the other spring clothes I will accumulate over the next few months. Of course everything I am getting for spring will also be perfect for summer but I don't doubt that I will also buy some pieces when summer rolls around! What can I say? I love clothes :) Let me know in the comments what your favorite store for spring time is! I'm always looking for suggestions! And let me know if you want a post with a few pictures around Austin with me wearing my new stuff :)

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