Reviews and Other Stuff

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette Review + Swatches

July 7, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Happy Friday Guys! We have a smoldering review today that’s gonna get your temperatures rising. Everyone’s talking about this and it seems like it doesn’t disappoint. If you’re a fan of eyeshadows, be it in neutrals, earthy, or shimmers, and if you love Urban decay, oh well, I know you’re gonna love this newly-released Naked Heat Palette ($54). It’s the fifth installment to the ever popular “Naked” line of eyeshadows by Urban Decay.

It all started with the first Naked eyeshadow that got us all head over heels in love (reviewed HERE). It was then followed by the insanely famous Naked 2, then the rosé all day Naked 3, and for the smoky-eye fanatics, a Naked Smoky was released. I love them all and I try not to use up all of them because they all look so pretty and practical to have, specially during special occasions or when you’re traveling. It’s like you’ve got all the shades you’ll ever need in one palette with a free dual-ended multipurpose brush and a wide-angle mirror. I also love that each Naked palette comes in different packaging styles.

The Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette follows the impressive formulation and saturated pigment of its predecessors. Such bold colors in one beautiful palette. It has 12 shades which consist of browns, ambers, terra -cottas, brown reds, coppers, and burgundies. Texture-wise, there are shimmery ones and matte ones. Also, there are a few light to neutral shades as well. I like all the matte colors like; Low Blow, Cayenne, He Devil & En Fuego. The shimmery shades are beautiful too, like the Lumbre, Dirty Talk & Scorched. As a matter of fact, all the shades in this palette are really hot and sultry.

Another thing I wanna point out is that the colors don’t have a lot of fallouts and they’re pretty much well-curated. The colors are unique, wearable and easy to blend. Each shade complements each other and is very versatile. You can either do a natural daytime look or go smoky, whichever you want. In addition to that, the palette looks really good on any skin tone as it adds warmth to a light complexion, or it complements anyone who’s skin tone is medium to dark.

Overall, I think the Naked Heat Palette by UD is well-made and well-thought-out. There’s nothing quite like it. The packaging is sturdy, the brush is soft and practical to have, the wide mirror is just perfect, and the shades are gorgeous and timely for this season. The application is smooth and buttery and each shade blends like a charm. I think Urban Decay did it again with this good value palette.

With all the Naked Palettes out there, the million dollar question now is, which Naked are you?

The Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette is available at Nordstrom, Macys & Sephora

For sneak peeks and more, follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

YSL Vernis A Levres Glossy Stain, Rebel Nudes & Creamy Stain Review + Swatches

July 6, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi Everybody! As a long time YSL makeup fan, I thought I’d like to show you a few of my favorite YSL liquid lip products and their swatches. I’ll be reviewing two of my favorite YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stains, one Glossy Stain, and two Glossy Stain “Rebel Nudes” (0.20 oz: $36).

Now, it’s easy to get confused with their names, numbers, and types, especially because some stores like Sephora tends to mix them all together, or like Neiman that doesn’t seem to label them completely. It’s even more mind-boggling because their packagings are almost very identical with each other, with a few differences in the color of the cap and YSL logo. The only way to tell is basically by consulting YSL online or by reading meticulously the products on the aisle, especially the box packaging. If you misplace the box, it won’t be easy to tell which type of YSL liquid lippies you have, unless of course, you go to their website.

The YSL Glossy Stain is like a mix of a lip gloss with staining power. It comes in different well-pigmented shades that last a long time while maintaining that high-shine effect. The formula is lightweight and not very sticky. My favorite shade of them all is the shade

# 5 Rouge Vintage – which is a little reddish with a little mauve. It’s kind of a muted old-world red which is not too flashy and not too dull.

The Glossy Stain “Rebel Nudes” are somewhat different from the original Glossy Stain because this line is not only full of nude shades, it also has shimmers in each tube that varies from a less intense glimmer to an almost frosty one. I have a feeling that this particular line might be phased-out soon since there’s not many colors that are still available. A lot of them have been discontinued or just gone. This is not exactly like the YSL Pop Water, but I think they’re kind of similar. The Pop Water is more on the hydrating side, I think. Anyway, the shades of this line are quite very sheer and very natural with nice shimmers to them that tend to really pop once you’re in the sun.

# 105 Corail Hold Up – a mildly shimmery light coral shade that’s great for that everyday no-makeup look. This shade is so natural that it almost doesn’t show on my lips, but the shimmer is just perfect. Great for wearing alone or as a gloss. A little FYI: This is the shade worn by Korean Actress Jeon Ji Hyun during that Kdrama “My Love From The Star”.

# 107 Naughty Mauve – pretty light shimmery mauve that’s almost hard to find nowadays. It has the right amount of frost and it gives a nice shine and definition on the lips. Also great as a gloss because it feels pretty lightweight.

The YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stains are my most favored YSL liquid lippies because I love that super staining pigment that they have. The colors are bold and vivid, they’re shiny but not tacky, and they last for a long time. They’re like an amplified Glossy Stain. Every color from this line tends to blend well with the lips.

# 407 Carmin Session – despite all the matte lipsticks that have been flooding the beauty market nowadays, this color will make you fall in love with glossy liquid lipsticks all over again. This shade is the shade of us all. It’s simply beautiful and versatile. I LURVE IT.

# 409 Burgundy Vibes – this shade gives me that whole Cookie Lyon vibe. Spunky, sassy, edgy and sexy. It commands attention and it exudes confidence. What an attitude this wineberry red shade conveys. Such a beaut.

With the typical YSL flavor, a robust packaging added with a cute brush applicator that applies each shade precisely, I can definitely say that these classics are really good performers that are worth collecting especially if you’re a lipstick fan like me.

What’s your fave shade from these lines?

The YSL Glossy Stain, Rebel Nudes, & Vinyl Cream Lip Stain are available at Sephora, Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, ysl.com, Selfridges, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys NY

Ciao! Follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

Tatcha Violet-C Radiance Mask Review

July 3, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 1 Comment

Hello There, let’s start this week with a bang! this is gonna be an exciting week, plus it’s 4th of July tomorrow, what’s your plan? but before that, Tatcha recently released its highly anticipated anti-aging mask, the Violet-C Radiance Mask (1.7 oz: $68) and I’ve got some exciting photos for ya.

The Violet-C Radiance Mask by Tatcha is a violet-colored mask that smells slightly clayish and sweet. It has Japanese beautyberry, two types of Vitamin C and AHAS from seven fruits, green tea, rice and some other anti-aging ingredients. This mask is extremely creamy, soothing and hydrating. It also rinses off easily and it makes the face smooth and soft.

It stays creamy and thick throughout the application and it doesn’t dry or solidify like some other masks. What this does is to provide extreme hydration to the face while loading it with antioxidants and anti-aging properties for that smooth and youthful glow. It’s practically great for any skin type because it doesn’t really irritate the skin, and I find that this works great for my redness as it seems to neutralize it and it improves my skin’s texture.

There is no stinging sensation with this Japanese-made Mask, because it doesn’t have any harsh ingredients, although it might make you look like a purple Smurf, but it’s alright because this washes off easily and your skin will feel totally soft. It makes it easier to squeeze the blackheads out. Ha!. On the other hand, I love the packaging. As always, Tatcha wows us with their gorgeous and luxurious packaging. The mask even comes with a golden spatula and a nice sleek box with a Japanese flair to it.

This Mask can be used 2-3 times a week and you can leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then you can rinse it off with warm water and voila! This mask is packed with ingredients that our skin needs, especially after any stress or exposure to harsh environment. The added two types of Vitamin C are a huge benefit and a necessity as part of any skincare, so I’m definitely gonna be using this long term.

Have you tried this?

The Tatcha Violet-C Radiance Mask is available at Sephora and QVC

Happy Monday!

Follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff