Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

I have finally caved in and purchased the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette!

One of the major reasons I postponed this particular purchase was because of the price. At $60CND, I found it hard to convince myself to follow through with buying this popular palette. However, with my Birthday coming up in a few weeks, I decided now was the time, if ever, to get my hands on Naked 2.

I have to say, I have had my eyes on this pallete for quite some time, so I have had enough time to decide if I really wanted it. Most of the time I looked for alternatives to the Naked palettes, yet when I went to Sephora I would always walk by them.

What attracted me most were all the beautiful neutral colours. I am not a big fan of colourful eye shadow. In fact, my Coastal Scents 88 shimmer palette remains untouched because I can't find use of the colourful shadows. 

Both Naked palettes are quite similar in terms of the eyeshadows they contain. In fact, many of colours closely resemble each other. Also, Half Baked appears in both palettes. However, I preferred the Naked 2 to the first Naked Palette for a couple of other reasons:
1. Naked 2 comes with a matte black- essential for a smokey eye
2. Naked 2 comes in a sturdy metal tin that snaps shut
2. Naked 2 comes with a dual-ended brush. One side can be used for packing on colour, while the other side will help you blend.
3. Naked 2 has a full-size mirror on the compact itself

Overall, I am happy that I have finally bought Naked 2. Even though the price was an issue for me at first, I look at the palette as more of an investment. I think that you are getting your money's worth because you are getting 12 decent-sized eye shadows that will not only last you quite a long time, but you will also get great use out of all the colours.

A definite-must in your make-up collection.

Naked 2 Palette includes:

12 eyeshadows:

1. Foxy (cream bisque with matte finish)
2. *Half Baked* (golden-bronze with shimmering finish) appears in Naked 1 palette
3. Booty Call (shimmering cork)
4. Chopper (copper shimmer with silver microglitter)
5. Tease (creamy pale brown with matte finish)
6. Snake Bite (dark bronze shimmer with metallic base)
7. Suspect (pale golden beige with shimmering finish)
8. Pistol (light gray-brown with shimmering finish)
9. Verve (oyster with shimmering finish)
10. YDK (cool bronze shimmer with metallic base)
11. Busted (deep brown with shimmering finish)
12. Blackout (blackest black with matte finish) 

1 Dual-ended (Shadow/Crease) Brush

1 Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked (pinky neutral)

Bioderma Sensibio H20 Solution Micellaire- Make-up Remover

After hearing so many good reviews about Bioderma's Sensibio H20 I decided to check out what all of the hype was about. I ended up purchasing the 250ml bottle from Shoppers Drug Mart on sale for around $20.

Now, this is definitely the most expensive make-up remover that I have purchased. At first glance the solution literally looks like a bottle of water, so I was skeptical about what exactly I was paying for. I contemplated whether it would be worth the price. However, after using it for a couple of months, I have many good things to say.

First and foremost, I love how gentle this solution is. As the name of the production suggests (H20), the Sensibio H20 is described as a 'cleansing water'. These properties are apparent when you actually apply the solution on your face. Unlike many other makeup removers that I have tried, this one does not leave an oily film or irritate my eyes. When I apply the solution to my face, it literally just feels like water.

Directions: What I do is soak a cotton ball or cotton pad and gently press into my skin. I do not scrub my face. I let the product absorb into my skin so that my makeup breaks down and literally slides off onto the cotton ball/pad. Many other make-up removers I have tried spread the make-up around my face. This ultimately means I have to use multiple cotton balls/pads to completely clean my face. Even after that, I usually do not feel like my face is clean. Things are completely different with the Bioderma Sensibio H20. Every last bit of make-up comes off- even stubborn eyeliner!

Packaging- The only con I really have concerns the packaging. You have to pour the product onto your cotton ball/pad, which means you risk spilling it. I believe the 500ml bottle comes with a pump which is much more efficient. It allows you to control the amount of product you use. I really wish the 250ml bottle also had a pump.

Overall Rating- 4.5/5 I would highly recommend this make-up remover. Although the price is steep, I believe it is worth every penny. I have sensitive skin and this solution is so gentle that it does not irritate it whatsoever.  I took off 1/2 a point because of the lack of a pump.

Have you tried any other Bioderma products that you would recommend?

Bath and Body Works Haul

Since I have never done a haul on my blog before I decided that I wanted to share some of my goodies that I recently bought from Bath and Body Works.

Just in time for the Fall season, I picked up 5 new candles from Bath and Body Works. I really enjoy burning candles because they not only make your home smell delightful, but they are also really relaxing.

 Here are the candles that I purchased:
1. Pumpkin Caramel Latte- a frothy blend of creamy pumpkin, sweet vanilla cream and rich pralines topped with a spiced caramel swirl. This candle reminds of a drink you can get a Starbucks!

2. Cinnamon Sugared Donut- This candle smells like the real thing! I love burning it!

3. Sandalwood Vanilla- a powdery soft and sensual fragrence that blends the warm, woody essence of sandalwood with creamy vanilla. I enjoy burning this candle on those chilly days.

4. French Baguette- This literally makes your home smell like you've been baking bread! So yummy.

5. White Barn- Nutmeg and Spice- A cozy concoction of spiced caramel and nutmeg evokes delightful memories of relaxing weekend getaways in the country. This candle is by far my favourite! The smell lingers in my room for a long time.

Since it is also that time of year where people are getting sick, I also purchased 3 Pocketbac Hand Sanitizers and a keychain for them to hook on my bag:
1. Pink Chiffon
2. Caribbean escape
3. Midnight Pomegranate 

Overall, I am really happy with my purchases. The candles I bought are the 4oz ones. I prefer buying the small sizes compared to the 3-wick handles because I am able to try multiple ones without getting sick of the fragrance.

What are your favourite candles to burn?

Sephora Primal Instincts Palette

About a month ago I purchased the Sephora Primal Instincts Palette for $34CAD from Sephora. 

What I love about this palette is that it is very versatile. It comes with a variety of colours for creating everything from an everyday neutral eye to a smokey eye for a night out.

 Some other aspects that I enjoy about this palette includes that:

• it comes with 14 shadows compared to Urban Decays Naked Palettes, which only come with 12 shades
• the shades are very pigmented and apply very smoothly
• it comes with 3 matte colours in addition to the 11 shimmery shades
• it comes with a full mirror making this pallette perfect for traveling
• it has cute packaging! :)

Colours in the Palette:  

       Top Row listed from Left to Right 
Universal Beige No.8: (Matte) a creamy,off-white shade. This colour is great for highlighting your brow bone
Sand: a satin beige
Gold: a metallic, bronzy gold
Apricot: a metallic champagne shimmer
Tea Rose: a rose champagne shimmer
Matte Brown: (Matte) a deep, rich brown 
Camel: a mid-tone shimmery taupe

      Bottom Row listed from Left to Right 
Bronze: a rich, satin bronze
Mahogony: a warm, rich metallic brown
Deep Burgundy: a deep, satin purple brown
Plum: a rich satin purple
Steel: a mid-tone, metallic silver
Must Have No.6: (Matte) a charcoal black
Taupe: a deep, satin taupe

Overall I give this palette a 5/5. I really don't think you can go wrong with the palette, especially at the price. 

You can get this limited edition palette at Sephora stores or on the website 
http://www.sephora.com/primal-instincts-eyeshadow-palette-P374274?skuId=1430503 

L'oreal Infallible Lacquer Liner 24H Review and Comparison

Looking for an alternative to my Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner, I purchased L'oreal's Infallible Lacquer Liner 24H in Blackest Black.

 

The L’oreal liner, which retailed for about $10 at Wal-Mart, comes with 2.3g of product and a separate brush for application.

Packaging:

The creamy liner comes in a little glass pot, similar to MAC's fluidline. Instead of a black lid, however, you get a golden reflective cap. I really like this kind of packaging because it feels sturdy. 

The packaging can be a little misleading, because you do not get as much product as you may think. 

The bottom the glass jar is thicker, giving the illusion of more product when, in fact, there is less. 

Brush

 

I really enjoy the brush that comes with the L'oreal liner. It is a decent size and the pointed brush tip is perfect for creating winged liner. 

You can easily control how much product you pick up, making sure not to waste any of it.

Product

Right: L'oreal Infallible Lacquer Liner
Left: Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner

The consistency of L'oreal's Infallible Lacquer Liner is very creamy and easy to work with.

In the glass jar you can see that the liner is very glossy. However, when applied the liner looks more matte.

The pigmentation of Blackest Black is pretty dark. It is quite comparable to Clinique True Black. I can, however, see a slight different in the sunlight. To me Clinique's True Black seems to be a little darker, while L'oreal's Blackest Black has more of a greyish undertone.

The liner claims to last 24H. I have not tested the liner out for that period of time, but I can say that I have worn it all day and it does not smudge. 


Comparison 

The Clinique liner comes with 5g and costs $16 at Sephora.

Right of the bat, you get almost double the product with the Clinque liner and for only a fraction more.   

Although the packaging of Clinique's liner is similar to L'oreal's, it is definitely less heavy.

The liner also comes with a brush, but it is way smaller than the L'oreal one. Because the tip of the brush is flat I find it more difficult to apply my liner with it. Therefore, I never use this brush for applying my liner. Instead I use it as a lip brush :) 

   

Final Thoughts  

I am pleased with L'oreal's Infallible Lacquer Liner, but have to say I still like my Clinique one a bit better.

There isn't much difference is price, which is a big factor for me. For $6 more you get more product which honestly lasts forever!  

I do like L'oreal's brush better though and will continue to use it. 

Overall, I think I will turn to L'oreal's Liner when I want to try different shades as it comes with a wider selection of colours.

Rating: 4/5