Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette

Today's review is going to be on the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette. The Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette retails for $45 and includes six brand new Urban Decay Blush shades. The blush palette is currently available online at UrbanDecayCosmetics.com, and will be sold in stores at Sephora and Ulta in the near future. Each blush pan contains about 0.1 ounces which is a little less than half the amount of product in the Urban Decay Afterglow blushes (0.23 ounces), and half the amount of product in the Becca blushes (0.2 ounces). Do the math, and you're getting close to three full sized blushes in this palette which is a really great value.

The packaging is identical to the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette, except this palette is all white, and the eyeshadow palette is black. They are the exact same size, same magnetic closure, and the same oversized mirror. The packaging is sturdy and perfect for traveling.

There are six blush shades in The Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette, with three satin-matte finishes (Cherry, Lo-Fi, and OC) and three shimmer shades (Easy, Angel, and Hush). The three satin-matte blushes aren't completely matte, and have a slight sheen to them rather than a shimmer. They remind me a lot of the Becca blushes because they give a soft glow to the cheeks without any glitter or shimmer. The three shimmer shades do not have any chunky glitter what so ever, and instead are glowy and shimmery similar to a highlighter. All six blushes are very soft and silky smooth. The shimmer blush shades do have a little texture to them, and aren't as silky as the satin matte shades, but are still very soft. All six blushes are a bit powdery, and you can really see that after you dip your brush in them. I know that can be a big drawback for some, but that sort of thing doesn't bother me at all. The blushes are a sheer to medium coverage, and are buildable which I really like. I would much rather have a blush that I can build up in intesity and color, that way I have more options when it comes to how pigmented I want to go. Out of all six blushes, Easy applies the heaviest and needs the lightest hand. You only need a very small amount to get a nice wash of color with that one. 

The first shade in the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush palette is Cherry. Cherry is a cool toned, bubblegum barbie pink. Second is Easy, which is a shimmery fuscia pink. The third blush is Angel which is more of a highlight, or a blush topper, rather than a blush. It is a mix between a peachy gold highlight and a champagne shade. The fourth shade, and first in the second row, is Lo-Fi which is the bronze shade in the palette. Some people may want to use this as a bronzer, but I really like these sort of shades as a blush so I'm really happy that it is in here. The fifth shade is Hush and it is a light peachy pink with gold shimmer. The sixth and final shade in the palette is OC and it is a true peach with just a hint of golden sheen. It's definitely the most unique blush in the palette, and one of my favorites. 

One thing that I have really enjoyed doing is mixing different shades together. So far my favorite pairing is to apply Lo-Fi on my cheeks, pop OC right on the apples, and then pop Angel right on my cheekbones as a highlight. I think that any of the blushes can be mixed together to create custom shades and the possibilities are endless. Out of all six blushes in the Gwen Stefani Blush Palette, Angel, Lo-Fi, Hush, and OC are my favorites. Cherry and Easy are beautiful colors, but they aren't shades that I typically wear. I do see myself getting use out of them every now and then by mixing them with other shades in the palette instead of wearing them on their own.

The Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette is a really great value. The palette has a ton of product, and a great variety of blush shades that are suitable for many different skin tones. Like the Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette, the blush palette is high quality from the packaging to the formula. This palette is perfect if you are a beginner in makeup, if you don't have many blushes, or if you are a makeup lover like myself and like to collect really great products. 

If you are interested in seeing this palette in action, I have a video review on my YouTube Channel where I demo this palette. Just click HERE to watch it and be sure to subscribe while you're there! I hope you enjoyed this review, and be sure to let me know if you purchased the palette or if you are going to!

xoxo,

Casey

GRWM: Naked 3 Palette

Hey ya'll!

Today I am going to be doing a full face Get Ready With Me using my Naked 3 palette. I will list all the products I used, what colors I used in the palette, and how I applied everything below.

Every makeup look should start with a good, clean base. I started by washing my face, and moisturizing like normal. I first primed my face using the Make Up For Ever HD Primer, and primed my eyes with the Nars Eyeshadow Primer. I then took a pump and a half of the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation on the back of my hand, and used my finger to dot it all over my face before blending it in using a Sigma F80 Flat-Top Kabuki brush. I like to dot the foundation all over my face first because it helps me not to use too much product. After that's buffed in, I apply the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer under my eyes, and blend that out using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush.

Next step is to set my concealer and foundation. I used the Laura Mercier Setting Powder with the Real Techniques Powder Brush. Then I used the Benefit BrowZing in Medium to fill in my brows using a flat liner brush to apply it.

Now onto the eyes. I started with the lightest shade in the palette, Strange, and applied it using a large shadow brush all over my lid and up to my brow bone as a base. I then took the Real Techniques Shading Brush and mixed the colors Buzz and Trick together, and applied them all over the lid. Using a fluffy crease brush I took the color Nooner and applied it generously into my crease. Using that same crease brush, I applied Factory over top of Nooner. Going back to the Real Teachniques brush, I took the color Darkside and applied it to the outer corners, and into the crease, to darken it up a bit. Finally, using a clean, fluffy crease brush, I blended out Darkside so that it wouldn't be too harsh. Once the eyeshadow was done I used the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Pencil in Matte Black to line my upper lash line. I lined the bottom lash line with Nooner and Factory using a small, flat shader brush.

I like to apply my bronzer, blush, and highlighter after my eyes. If I have any fall out, I use my powder brush to dust it away before applying these next products. I used the Sephora Collection Classic Contour brush, along with the Becca Shadow & Light Bronze/Contour Perfector to bronze my face. I applied it in the hollows of my cheeks, my forehead, my chin and jawline, and down my nose. Then, using the Sonia Kashuk Dense Blush/Powder Brush I applied the Nars blush in Sin to the apples of my cheeks, blending it back towards my hairline. I ended up applying it with a heavy hand, so to correct it I blended it out using a big stippling brush. After bronzer and blush, I applied the Becca Highlighter in Opal to the tops of my cheeks and above my brows.

I like to apply my mascara after all my powder products. If I apply my mascara before the powder products, my eyelashes end up getting dusty, and that's just not a good look. Per usual I used the Loreal Voluminous Extra Volume Collagen Mascara, followed by the Covergirl Clump Crusher.

Last but not least are the lippies. My lips are chapped right now so I just went with a balm and a gloss. I used the Tarte LipSurgence in Energy, and topped it off with the Nars Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight.

That's it for today's GRWM: Naked 3 Palette. Let me know what shadow combo is your favorite using the Naked 3 Palette!


xoxo,
Casey

June Favorites

Hey ya'll!!

Wow, I can't believe how fast this year is going by and that it's already halfway over. June was a great month for me. This month I really made it a point to try and use up products that I already had in my collection, and rediscover old favorites.
I love monthly favorites videos and blog posts. I like to see what products people are loving. It's a good time to see swatches, and sometimes get a mini review of each product. This month I have beauty products, hair care, one skin care, and a book favorite. Let's get started!

Beauty Favorites

Becca Blush in Damselfly
I am obsessed with this color and have been wearing it all month long. It's the perfect light coral shade and it's so smooth and buttery. I'm quickly becoming a huge Becca fan. All of their products are amazing and of such great quality. I highly recommend you checking out Becca the next time you're at Sephora. You will not be disappointed.

Urban Decay Lipstick in Naked, Gloss in Walk of Shame
I am really loving this lip combo from Urban Decay. The Lipstick in Naked is the perfect "my lips but better" color for me. I can easily wear it with any makeup look. It's so perfect on me that it compliments any, and every, look I come up with. The Gloss in Walk of Shame is such a great compliment to the lipstick. It's so creamy and hydrating, and they look great paired together.

Loreal Voluminous Extra Collagen Mascara & Covergirl Clump Crusher
This has been my favorite lash combo lately, and I've been wearing it all month long. First I apply two coats of the Loreal Voluminous mascara. The wand is thick and the bristles are soft (my favorite kind of mascara brush). It literally plumps my lashes and makes them look amazing. After those two coats, I go over my lashes with one coat of the Covergirl Clump Crusher. The brush is plastic with small, stiff bristles that do a really great job of combing through each lash. It separates and lengthens each lash, leaving zero clumps behind.

Lorac Pro Palette - Shades Cream, Mauve, Taupe, and Sable

I have been using my Lorac Pro Palette a ton this month. My favorite shadow combo has been the colors Cream, Mauve, Taupe, and Sable. You can tell I've really been loving Sable because I've hit pan on it. I start by using Taupe as my transition shade. I apply it all in the crease area. I blend it above and below the crease. I then apply Mauve all over the lid, stopping right below the crease. I take Sable and apply it to the outer corner, and blend it onto the outer part of my lid and the outer part of my crease. Before I finish, I take a clean blending brush and use it to blend everything to eliminate any harsh lines. I use Cream last, applying it to my brow bone and the inner corner of my eye. To line my bottom lashes, I combine Taupe and Sable.

Hair Care Favorites

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle
I swear by this deep conditioner, and I've tried a lot of them, both high-end and drugstore. I especially love it in the summer because of all the chlorine and salt water that my hair gets soaked in. I don't have curly, or coarse hair, but I know for a fact that it works on those hair types as well. My daughter Lexi has a friend who has really thick, long curly hair. She came with us on vacation and I used it on her. Her hair brushed out in one try after a long day at the beach. Love, love, love it!

Biosilk
My mom had me using this stuff ages ago, and I still love it. I hadn't used it in a while because I had another oil I was using. When that was running low I decided to grab this beauty, and my oh my have I missed it! It smells so good and my hair loves it. I don't use a lot of product in my hair, mainly leave-in conditioners and an oil, or serum. This serum is really thick, so you only need the tiniest amount. I use about a pea-sized amount on wet, or damp hair, and work it through my ends up to about the middle of my hair. I got mine at TJ Maxx, it's half the price there than at any other retailers.

Skin Care Favorite

Victoria's Secret Sunny Brights Lotion in Sun Blissed
I have been using this lotion like crazy. Sadly, it was a limited edition scent from last summer. For one reason or another I didn't end up using it until recently. The scent is perfect for summer and it's really moisturizing. My favorite thing about it is that the scent is not overpowering, and it doesn't linger. I can apply it all over my body, apply a perfume, and not have to worry about mixing scents.

Book Favorite

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

I finally got a chance to really dive into the final book in The Mortal Instruments series while away on vacation and OMG I love it! First off, I will read anything Cassandra Clare writes. The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices are two of my favorite book series (P.S. - She's coming out with a brand new series this September called The Magisterium Series). I have really been enjoying City of Heavenly Fire and can't wait to see how it all ends.

I hope ya'll enjoyed my June Favorites! What are some of the products and things you've been loving this month?


xoxo,
Casey

Sephora Haul

Hey ya'll!

Everything in this haul was not purchased all at once, but over the course of about two months. I have had a chance to try them all out so I can give you my thoughts so far on each product. The links to purchase each product are listed below as well. I hope you enjoy!

Nars Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight
Yes, this is the lip gloss made famous by Kim Kardashian. Honestly, I have always stayed away from this color because it was made the "it" color by a celebrity, and I didn't want to go out and buy it just because of that. I was playing around at Sephora the other day and wanted to check out the Nars lip glosses because they recently repackaged them and changed the formula. I was randomly swatching and stopped on this one thinking, "Wow, this is really pretty and I'm totally getting this". When I turned it over to get the name I started laughing because I didn't think I would ever be getting this color. Needless to say, the hype is real and this color really is pretty by itself, or layered on top of a lipstick.

Benefit "Hello Flawless!" Powder in 'Me, Vain?' Champagne
I have repurchased this powder over and over again! It is definitely my holy grail powder. I've tried a couple others, but none have compared to this one. It's soft, buttery, never leaves my skin looking cakey, and it works well setting different liquid foundations. LOVE!

Urban Decay All Night Setting Spray
I'm sure you have all heard about this one. This is literally hairspray for your face, without the sticky feeling of course! I really like to use setting sprays mainly in the spring and summer months because my makeup tends to not last as long. This definitely lives up to the hype and really extends the wear of my makeup throughout the day.

Sephora Collection Must Have Angled Blush Brush #50

So far, so good on this one. It's pretty dense, so if you want you can really pack on the blush or bronzer. I only have to lightly dab this in my blush and it gives a nice wash of color. I have already washed it a few times and have had no problems with shedding. Final thoughts on this is that it's not the worst, but it's not the best; I like it, but I don't love it.

Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush

I knew the first time I saw this, before even swatching it, that it was coming home with me. It has quickly become a favorite of mine. I love a bronzy/peachy blush, and this one is the perfect combination of the two. It is beautiful on its own, and looks great layered on top of other blushes. 

Benefit Benetint

This was one of the very first Benefit products I ever tried when I was about 14 years old. I'm not a fan of red lips, or cheeks, on myself, but this stain leaves such a sheer tint that it works. I wanted this mainly to wear at the pool, and to the beach, when I don't want to wear a lot of makeup. It adds a little life and color to my face without the heaviness of a cream, or the stickiness that other stains and balms can leave behind.

Buxom True Hue Blush

I haven't heard too many people talk about the Buxom blushes, but this one is really pretty. It's described as a shimmering peachy pink and it definitely is. It is very similar to Nars Orgasm, just a tad more pink. The color payoff is great and you can skip a highlighter when wearing this blush. I think it's a great summer color and will look good on all skin tones.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

I cannot tell you how happy I was when they brought this little guy back and made it permanent! I didn't get a chance to grab one the first time around, so when I found out it was coming back I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. These powders are so universal. I have used them to set, highlight, and finish off my makeup looks. This palette is definitely worth the investment.

Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer

This primer is really nice and hydrating, and it smells amazing! I get excited every time I am about to put it on because it smells so clean and fresh. It feels really nice on the skin, and sinks in without leaving a film or residue. This primer works best on normal to dry skin. If you like a natural, dewy finish, you will like this primer. I can go about 6 hours before needing to touch up, so this isn't the longest wearing primer I've ever tried. If you have oily skin you might want to pass on this one.

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Celeste

In my opinion, Buxom has one of the best lip gloss formulas. They are thick in consistency, long lasting, and the color and shimmer payoff is great. This gloss is described as being a "prismatic soft peach" and it is VERY shimmery. If you do not like shimmer in your lip gloss, you will not like this one. I will admit, I do not like this gloss on its own, but I absolutely love it when it is paired over a lip stick. It is so complimenting when paired with pinky, peach, and coral shades.

Sephora Collection Pro Flawless Light Powder Brush #50

Sephora has an entire "Pro" brush collection aimed to give you a soft, airbrushed look. This brush is really nice. It is very soft and blends powder products fabulously. I have tried it using foundation powders, blush, and bronzer. It works well with all three, but I prefer to use this when applying bronzer. It really blends out my bronzer seamlessly, leaving no streaks or marks. The Pro Flawless Light Powder Brush really does what it claims to do. I definitely will be trying more from this line.

These last two products were not purchased from Sephora, but are still high end so I decided to include them in this haul. :)

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Apricot

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks definitely live up to the hype and expectation. Apricot is a limited edition shade so if you want, snatch it up before it's gone. The minute I swatched it, I fell in LOVE! This little guy has the most gorgeous, golden/peachy shade, and looks amazing layered over blush or as a highlight shade. I've used it both ways, and also to highlight my brow bone. I think any skin tone can pull this off, but I think it looks best on those with medium to dark skin tones. This is the perfect highlight for summer to go along with your summer tan.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in #57 Aventure

This is definitely going to be my go to summer lip stick. It's sheer, but gives off the perfect amount of color, and glides on like a dream. It looks a lot darker in the tube, but when applied it is the perfect every day shade of pink; not too light, not too dark, and not too bright. It's nice and hydrating, and kind of feels like a balm. The formula reminds me a lot of YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lip sticks. This is a pricy little number, but it was so worth it. I think that if you are going to purchase a luxury lip stick like this, it's best to get it in an "everyday" sort of shade, that way you get the most bang for your buck.

I hope ya'll have enjoyed getting a peak at all the goodies I've picked up over the last two months. Let me know if you pick any of these up, or if you already have them in your collection. I'd love to know what you think about them!

xoxo,

Casey