Inside My Make-Up Bag #2: You collect stamps? I collect eyeshadows!

Hello m'dears! Hope you are having a lovely week, despite the lack of sunshine that is around, the rain definitely cramped any hope of me doing some outside photos - here's hoping the sunshine comes back soon!

Anyway, venturing back into the depths of the monster which is my make-up bag, I've noticed just how much space is taken up by eyeshadow palettes or single eyeshadows... I mean, how can I possibly wear this many eyeshadows?! But somehow, at some point, I have done - and even though I have had to, sadly, cut some from the bag, they still outweigh pretty much any other make-up item I own at any one time (although lipsticks/glosses & mascaras come close...). So here they are:

The collection: Sephora palette; Colour Works Neutral Palette; No7 Palette; Urban Decay Naked2; Urban Decay Sustainable Shadow Box; Urban Decay's Half Baked pot; Benefit's 'Weather Girl' palette; Urban Decay Naked; Clinique Palette; No7 Purple palette; No7 individual colours; Benefit's 'is this going to take long?' palette; Benefit's 'Big, Beautiful Eyes' palette; No7 Autumn Palette.

Urban Decay

I love, love, love my Urban Decay palettes - seriously, one of the best make-up investments I have ever made were collecting their make-up! I have only used their eyeshadows, eyeshadow primer & lipgloss but even this limited exploration into Urban Decay has made me an addict - the colours are varied and strongly pigmented, lasting all day without fading or smudging, plus they do mint lipgloss - nomomnom.

 Sustainable Shadow Box: £27

This was my first ever Urban Decay product and I bought it on my way to the States after 'umming' and 'ahhhing' for a couple of hours - boy, was I glad that the air stewardess convinced me to get it! I absolutely adore the bright and sparkly range of colours that it offers - some having quite a bit of glitter fall-out, and others just being shimmery. It was also in this box that introduced me to my all-time favourite eyeshadow shade - Half Baked - the perfect gold. I use this palette for nights out or when I want to add a bit of brightness to my daytime look to match my outfits - OCD co-ordination right there!

Naked Palette: £36

After stealing swatches from my best friend's 'Naked' palette, I needed this in my life - and I have not regretted that decision since. This palette is the ideal day-time look colours for me, with the shimmer that I adore, but not being too dramatic for a day at work. It got me experimenting with blending different neutral shades for varied levels of the 'smokey' eye look, and literally had the colours I needed for both day & evening looks in one neat palette. Plus, only having to use two strokes to get the deep colour I wanted, means that this palette has lasted for absolutely ages without any colours running out and gave me a little bottle of Eyeshadow 'Magic Potion' Primer - WIN!

Naked2 Palette: £36

 

Having been in love with Naked since we started our committed relationship last year, when Naked2 came out, I was online at Debenhams ordering it at midnight - eager beaver much?! This palette is similar to 'Naked', crossing over with 'Half-Baked' and the neutral shades, but with new colours added in which moved away from just natural shades into more silver-y shades. It was definitely worth the purchase for a 'Naked' junkie like me - keeping within the shades that first attracted me to 'Naked' but giving me even more options to blend the two palettes together.

Benefit & Clinique

Big Beautiful Eyes Palette: £24.50

I've always had a special place for Benefit in my make-up loves, it was the first make-up I ever bought/had bought for me, and with its vintage packaging & product themes it is always going to be one of my 'go-to' brands. This palette I have had for absolutely years - shows how well it has lasted! With the mix of concealer, and three different shades to blend to make my eyes pop, its perfect for a day to look to make an impression with and with the instruction leaflet, even a fool like me can't go wrong in achieving this look!

Is this going to take long? Palette

 This palette is too old to mention - you can't even buy it on debenhams anymore! But I love it - its so glittery! Have you noticed a pattern yet with these colours, they're all neutral... I'm boring. I do get more exciting on weekends, but during the week going into school with bright pink eyeshadow maaay not go down too well in the office... But bless Benefit, they do make the ideal neutral shades that differ in each of their palettes making me feel like I am being that bit more adventurous.

Weather Girl palette.

These shades are similar to the ones above, but to be honest I bought this palette for the lipglosses that came with it and the foundation to try! But I do love having so many similar shades around - I'm pretty much set for life, right? Its not an addiction... no, no, its um, a hobby to collect these!

Clinique joined my collection when I worked in Disney, Florida. I was introduced into the world of Clinique by my roommate who bought me a Clinique lipstick & mascara as a present when she went out to the outlets on a day off. Since then, I was hooked - but this little gem was actually a present from the boyfriend when he went to France and it was the perfect pink shade. It's called the Strawberry Fudge duo, and being a dusky pink with gold undertones it is perfect - love it for a day look!

Boots No7 & Sephora

Sephora Palette

These palettes are my go-to evening/weekend colours - where going bright and dramatic are not going to be questioned by any students! I love how glittery the No7 palettes are - especially being in such a variety of shades which means that I can perfectly co-ordinate with my outfits. I've always found No7 is great for eyeshadows - both for colours & for lasting effect. The Sephora palette is a recent addition to the collection, but its awesome! Honestly, you get the chance to go to a Sephora, I recommend getting this palette - it covers practically every colour you can imagine, have matte colours and full on glitter shades and lasts all day - all round win!

So there you go, my massive eyeshadow collection that is always growing... Soon I will have to get a make-up bag dedicted just to them! If you made it to the end of this post, you get my heart-felt congratulations and some real will-power to make it through all this rambling! Seriously, well done!

Do you have a certain make-up item addiction like this?

Love,

It has arrived! Urban Decay's Naked2 Palette.

Joining the many others who have reviewed/written about the new Urban Decay 'Naked2' palette that has just been released by Debenhams, I am now going to jump onto the band wagon and write about the beauty itself that arrived today! 

However, my camera did not take great photos so my swatches are quite rubbish really, so if you want a better look at the colours on skin, Laura has some excellent pictures! 

Now without anymore rambling, introducing to you once again, Urban Decay's 'Naked2' Palette!

Isn't it bweatiful? I am absolutely in love with these colours, and although there is some slight overlaps with the original 'Naked' palette, there are still enough differences to make it worth buying! The brush itself is lovely as well, with one firmer side to a softer side for blending - something that is a definite improvement on the brush that came with 'Naked'. I'm not complaining though, as that is my favourite eyeshadow brush I have owned so far - just like the added benefit of a blending one! From just first opening the tin box (like many other bloggers have said), which is much studier than the original velvet box, these colours just seemed fantastic. Personally, I can see myself going straight for 'Chopper', 'Snakebite', 'Suspect' and 'Pistol' to try first but they are all gorgeous tones - both perfect for a daytime look and mixing together to make the ideal smoky eye look as well. 

I don't know about you, but I also think these shades are quite lighter on a whole than in the original 'Naked', with several of the shades looking like they could make good highlighters. They also have more goldy-silvery tones rather than in the original 'Naked' which although did have some gold shades, also had quite a few darker brown shimmery shades and with purple undertones. I can see mixing the two palettes will create some spectacular looks for nights out - something to be tested next week!

Top to bottom, left to right: YDK; Busted; Blackout; Verve; Pistol; Snakebite; Suspect; Tease; Half-Baked; Chopper (and somewhere that camera didn't pick up 'Booty-Call' & 'Foxy').

See what I mean about the awful swatch pictures?! But it gives the idea of just how shimmery these colours are! In all of these different shades, apart from 'Foxy', 'Tease' and 'Blackout' which are more matte, they shimmer - something I loved in 'Naked' as well. I always felt it gave my usual daytime look a bit more glamour, and now with new shades I am thinking that tomorrow morning's make-up session will be a bit more thrilling! The matte colours are great for bases, especially 'tease' which has some lilac/grey undertones and would mix well with the darker brown shades of both 'Naked' and 'Naked2'. I have been eager to try a black, matte eyeshadow so the inclusion of 'Blackout' might just encourage me into trying this look! The pigment of the colours are strong - something I expected after the 'Naked' palette and I am pleased to say that it didn't disappoint on this front either.

Finally, instead of the mini primer potion pot that came with 'Naked', 'Naked2' changed it up with a mini lipgloss - although I would have preferred primer as my old primer potion is desperately running out, this lipgloss really surprised me! Being a rose-pink colour, it comes out quite neutral but shimmer - much like the colours included in the palette! The best part about this lipgloss though is the minty tase and feel it has (if that makes sense...), putting it on your lips it tingles, smells heavenly and tastes it too! Quite keen to use this more often! However, still leaning towards having the original primer potion as I have found it to be the best primer that works with Urban Decay eyeshadows which makes it stay all day.

So there you go - my long, rambly first thoughts about the 'Naked2' palette. Overall, I love it, with my only thing being the primer potion but considering that lipgloss is lovely, it is barely a thing at all! I was worried it would be too similar to 'Naked' but having looked at these shades, there is definitely a significant difference to make it worth buying. However, will have a proper review once trying out the eyeshadows on and seeing how they look - what a chore that will be!

In other news, only four days into my diet I have now lost five pounds! Quite proud of myself really considering work kept bringing in biscuits which I resisted.

Have you bought the new 'Naked2'? What are your thoughts?

Love,