Nail of the Day: Revlon Brilliant Strength Nail Enamel in Enrapture

Hi, everyone! Last week I showcased the lovely and versatile Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, a collection of shadows rich with tones of roses, golds, and plums. Continuing the colour theme, today's Nail of the Day features a complex shade of plummy-rosy-bronze goodness. 

Readers of the blog will know that I'm a huge Revlon devotee and that I'm always happy to snag one of their nail colours. I've been a fan of the Brilliant Strength range and the shade Enrapture totally captivated me!

As noted above, Enrapture is a rather multifaceted shade. In some lights it looks like a warm, shimmery bronze and in others, a rosy plum. It all depends on the lighting and the angle! In any light, I find it to be incredibly pretty.

I applied two coats of the polish to achieve the saturation shown in these photos. It's difficult to attest to whether this formula strengthens nails, but I can say that the wear time is rather impressive! It lasted nearly a week with very minimal chipping. Not bad at all!

I can see this shade looking incredibly lovely with a summer tan and equally appropriate alongside the burnished colours of Autumn. I find it to be an incredibly unique tone and the formula is top-notch. It's a keeper!

Is this a shade that you would wear? Do you have any favourite Revlon nail polishes?

Thanks for stopping by! xo

Look of the Day: Naked 3.3

Hi, everybody!  Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend! If you've been checking out the blog lately, you'll know that I've been having a heyday with my brand spankin' new Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. I'd been waiting patiently to snag it, then finally picked it up for free (free!), thanks to my wealthy stash of Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Points. Makeup win! Earlier this week, I brought you my first two looks using the palette (check them out here and here) and now it's time for the third and final installment! Today's look is all about the plummy matte shades in the palette.

 

Since I very rarely play with matte tones (I'm a shimmer addict!), I thought I'd pair this eye look with some of my favourite matte cheek and lip products. I opted for a warm pinky blush with a barely-there glow (NYX Powder Blush in Mauve) and a candy pink lip, courtesy of Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Elusive. I hadn't been using that lip pencil nearly often enough and thought it would work perfectly here!

 

To prevent the entire makeup look from looking too flat, I chose a more sheer, semi-matte foundation to keep the skin looking natural, rather than cakey. I achieved this using Chanel's new Perfection Lumiere Velvet foundation. Yes, I caved and bought it- and I'm so glad I did! It dries to a powdery finish without looking or feeling heavy and it offers decent coverage while still letting skin shine through. Very happy with it- but I'll save the review for another time!

As I mentioned, the eye look utilized the amazing matte shades from Naked 3. I first applied Nooner (a matte, smokey plummy brown) all over my lid, concentrating it near the lash lines and blending upwards. I next washed some of Limit (a matte dusty rose) in the crease to add some warmth and transition from the darker lid shade. I then lightened the look further, applying some of Strange (a matte ivory) to the brow bones and inner corners of the eye. To add a bit more smoke, I smudged some of Darkside (a nearly-matte purple-tinged grey) along my upper lash lines and to the outer half of the lower lash line. For further definition, I applied Clinique Quickliner For Eyes in Black Honey messily along my upper lash line and finished with two coats of the extremely pluming d.j.v. Beautinizer Volume Lash Mascara.

Here's the end result!

And here's a picture of the palette, showing off what shades went into this look:

And for a full breakdown of everything I used!

Foundation Primer: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer
Foundation: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in Shade 10 Beige
Concealer: BeneFit Fake-Up in Light (under eyes) and MAC Select Cover-Up in NC20 (on blemishes and redness)
Powder: MAC Blot Powder in Medium
Contour: Kevin Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium
Blush: NYX Powder Blush in Mauve

Brows: Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe and Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in Caramel
Eye Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original
Eye Shadow: (all from Naked 3) Nooner (applied all over the lid, up to the crease), Limit (applied in the crease, blended into Nooner and upwards), Strange (on the brow bones and inner corners of the eyes) and Darkside (smudged into the upper lash lines and the outer halves of the lower lash lines)
Eyeliner: Clinique Quickliner for Eyes in Black Honey (on upper lash line) and NYX Wonder Pencil in Light (on lower waterlines)Mascara: d.j.v. Beautinizer Volume Lash

Lipstick: Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Elusive


And a few more shots of the look:

Overall, this was the Naked 3 look that I was most pleasantly surprised with. I don't reach for matte tones often, so was expecting to be a bit underwhelmed when delving into shades like Nooner and Limit. Boy, was I wrong! The result was smokey matte goodness that I found to be quite flattering with my brown eyes. I can definitely see myself reaching for these shades often! And I will do my best to not discriminate against matte shadows in the future ;)

I hope you all enjoyed my Naked 3 Look of the Day series. I had so much fun experimenting with this palette! Would love to hear your feedback about which of my looks was your favourite and about what Naked 3 shade combinations are your faves!

Thanks for reading! :)

Look of the Day: Naked 3.2

Happy Friday, everyone! In my last post (which you can check out here), I brought to you my first-ever Look of the Day using the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. This inaugural look was all about soft pinks and today's is a bit bolder! This time around, I opted for some of the more shimmery, colourful plummy and gold shades and the result was rather sunset-like. Warm and glimmering!

To compliment the sunset-like eye, I opted for less shimmery cheeks and lips, but with similarly warm hues. I chose a matte peachy blush (the incredible Illamasqua Powder Blush in Lover) and a tawny brownish-plum lipstick, Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Naturally Chic. I also sculpted my cheeks courtesy of Kevin Aucoin's The Sculpting Powder (instant cheekbones!) and Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights in Bare Light tapped lightly onto the high points of my face. Glowy goodness!

Again, the eye look was completely compliments of Naked 3! I started by applying Trick (a warm rosy copper), packed heavily on the lid and up to the crease. The micro-glitter in this shade is quite brilliant! To balance out this sheen, I applied Nooner (a matte taupey rose) on the crease and to smoke things up slightly, I added some of Factory (a mid-tone shimmery plummy brown) on outer corners of the eye and the outer half of the lower lash line. I next applied a bit of Limit (one of the lighter matte shades, a warm rose) to just above the crease to soften things and some of Strange (a matte ivory) on the brow bones and inner corners of the eye. Finally, I used Blackheart (a deep grey with reddish micro-glitter) as an eyeliner on my upper lash line. Here's the end result:

Here's a shot of the Naked 3 Palette, showing off which shades went into this look!

And for a full breakdown of everything I used!

Foundation Primer: Sunday Riley Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer in Light
Foundation: By Terry Cover Expert Perfecting Fluid Foundation #1
Concealer: BeneFit Fake-Up in Light (under eyes)
Powder: MAC Blot Powder in Medium
Contour: Kevin Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium
Highlighter: Revlon Photoready Skinlights in Bare Light
Blush: Illamasqua Powder Blush in Lover

Brows: Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe and Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in Caramel
Eye Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original
Eye Shadow: (all from Naked 3) Trick (packed heavily on the lid, up to the crease), Nooner (on the crease), Factory (on outer corners of the eye and on the outer half of the lower lash line), Limit (blended above the crease), Strange (on brow bones and inner corners of the eye), and Blackheart (as an eyeliner on the upper lash line)
Mascara: d.j.v. Beautinizer Volume Lash
Lipstick: Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Naturally Chic


And a few more shots of the look:

So there you have it! I was really excited to play around with some of the more colourful shades from Naked 3 and I was happy with the result! This isn't a subtle everyday look and the micro-glitter does get a bit messy (I recommend applying your base after the eye colour), but for a fun, festive look these shades work wonderfully!

Is this a look that you would wear? What are your favourite shades from Naked 3? 

Thanks for reading and have a lovely weekend! xo

Look of the Day: Naked 3.1

Hi, everyone! If you saw my previous post, you'll know that I finally picked up the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, which had been topping my wishlist for months. I'm so happy to have it in my collection and I thought I'd celebrate with a series of makeup looks to showcase this pretty selection of shadows. So it's time for the first installment!

First, a quick peek at the palette itself. The Naked 3 Palette comes in a rosy bronze box with a gilded label and an artsy snapshot of the shades inside:

The palette itself is a long, metal rectangle with a similar rosy bronze hue and gold lettering:

And a look at the shadows! As you've probably heard (everyone has been talking about this thing!), Naked 3 is all about tones of pink, rose, champagne, and plum. It offers 12 shades with a fairly equal mix of matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes:

And onto the look! For my first go with Naked 3, I opted for some of the softer shades in the palette. To complement the eyes, I chose a warm, soft, shimmery pink blush (my beloved MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty) and pinky nude lips, courtesy of YSL Glossy Stain in Beige Anarchist. 

As for the eyes, it's all Naked 3! I applied Strange (a matte cream) all over my lid blended up to the brow bone. I next applied some of Dust (a warm shimmery pinky champagne) to the inner half of my eye lid and onto the highlight points of the eyes (brow bone and inner corners). To add some more colour to the look, I swept some of Burnout (a shimmery rose gold) to the outer half of my eyelid, blending up to the crease. I then applied some of Limit (a matte mauve) to the crease of the eye and then defined things further with Buzz (a shimmery plummy pink). Finally, I used the narrow end of the included brush (it's quite handy!) to apply Darkside (a deep, plummy grey) as an eyeliner. I winged it out slightly on the upper lash line and lightly to the outer half of my lower lash line.

Here's a closeup of the completed eye look:

And a photo showing which shades were used for this look. Again, evidence of my high-tech editing skills using the wonders of Paint ;)

And a full list of everything I used:

The Breakdown:
Primer: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer 
Foundation: Revlon ColourStay Liquid Makeup (Combination/Oily Formula) in Buff mixed with Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream (Combination to Oily Skin) in Light
Concealer: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Concealer in Y1
Powder: Revlon ColourStay Pressed Powder in Light
Bronzer: The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte
Blush: MAC Mineralize Powder Blush in Dainty
Highlighter: BeneFit Watt's Up (on cheekbones and down bridge of nose)

Brows: Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde
Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion Original Formula
Eye Shadows: (all from the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette): Strange (all over the lid up to the brow bones), Dust (on inner half of the lid, brown bones, and inner corners of the eyes), Burnout (on outer half of lid), Limit (applied on the crease and blended up to the brow bone), Buzz (to add definition to the crease), and Darkside (applied as a liner on upper lash line and outer half of the lower lash line)
Mascara: BeneFit They're Real!

Lips: 

And a few more shots of the look:

So there you go, my first dance with Naked 3! I thought I might be slightly bored by the lighter shades in the palette, but I was totally impressed with the warm, rosy glow that these tones created on my lids. There was a bit of glitter fallout (so it's best to apply your base afterwards!), but the finish was far from chunky or tacky. It looked quite polished, actually! And I'm really loving the brush included with the palette. The narrow end is fabulous at applying the darker shades along the lash lines. Colour me impressed!

Do you have the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette? What are your favourite lighter shades in this collection? Look out for more Naked 3 Looks of the Day coming up!

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Shoppers Optimum Haul (ft. Urban Decay, Revlon, and Clinique)

Happy Monday, everyone! I can say that with gusto this time around, as I'm on vacation this week. Seven full days without a 6:30am alarm and full of sunny days to spend with the boyfriend and the kitty. Phew! Apologies to all of those working away who are irked by my enthusiasm ;) I hope that everyone had a lovely long weekend and that, regardless of how busy today is, you're feeling relaxed, refreshed, and full of chocolate!

Not to gloat further, but today's post is all about the makeup items that I scored for free (free!) due to my hefty buildup of Shoppers Optimum Points. I had $85 worth of points, and thanks to the Spend Your Points event last weekend, I had a full $100 at my disposal. Like a kid in a candy store, I was! Here's what I picked up:

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
I'd been waiting since December to score this hyped-up beauty and I was beyond excited to finally have it in my clutches. Although I own far too many eye shadows, my collection is actually direly lacking shades of pink, rose and champagne. Naked 3 fills this void perfectly! Have already been playing around with it and the result is lovely each time. Look out for a series of makeup looks using this palette coming up soon!

Revlon Photoready Skinlights in Bare Light
I'm a loyal Revlon devotee, but had not yet ventured into their Skinlights range. I'd been hearing tons of raves for their new line of liquid illuminators and was especially drawn to Bare Light, as it can be used both as an brightening primer or a targeted highlighter on fair skin. The shade is a warm tan beige with beautiful golden shimmer. It looks stunning on cheekbones and I'm looking forward to wearing it as a primer for an extra glowy boost. 

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Ample Amber
I already own a couple of these creamy, long-wearing shadow pencils and I thought Ample Amber would fit perfectly into my collection. It's a warm mix of orange, bronze, and caramel and leaves the leaves the lids with a shimmery, summery glow. The perfect no-fuss eye colour for the warmer months (which are finally here!). 

These three goodies totalled to exactly $100, so the entire haul was covered by my Shoppers Optimum Points. Nothing better than free makeup, especially when it's all this pretty! Look out for more thorough reviews and Looks of the Day using these products soon!

Have a wonderful week! Thanks for reading, as always :)

Vibrant Blush Week #3: Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blusher in Trip

Happy weekend, everyone! Today marks the third and final installment of Vibrant Blush Week here on the blog, and it's a goody! (To see the first two posts in the series, click here and here). Back in November I raved about an incredible new find, Daniel Sandler's Watercolour Fluid Blusher in Cherub. I instantly fell for it due to the pretty, wearable shade, the amazing blendability, and unmatchable long wear. When I saw that Daniel Sandler had come out with two new shockingly vibrant shades of the Watercolour blushes for Spring, I was eager to pounce! I opted for Trip, an electric orange. 

The Watercolour Fluid Blushers come housed in rectangular cardboard boxes with a minimalistic gold and black design. The side of the box handily features the instructions and a full listing of the ingredients:

Inside the box is the cutest, tiniest little bottle of liquid blush! It's made of durable, lightweight plastic and has a black twist-off cap:

The instructions tell you to shake the bottle well, which is a must! The pigments and liquid base tend to separate over time. They suggest to only dispense a tiny dot of the product and that really is all you need. This stuff is super pigmented! Here's a shot of Trip, dabbed on the back of my hand. As you can see, the formula is runny and highly concentrated!

Trip is labelled as a "flush of hot tangerine" on the Daniel Sandler website, and I have to say that this description is pretty spot-on! The shade is decidedly warm, bold, and colourful. The finish is glowy, with no visible shimmer or sparkle. Here is a tiny bit of Trip blended on the back of my hand. A little really goes a long way!

I apply the Watercolour Fluid Blushers with my fingers, dabbing the tiniest amount on the apples of my cheeks and blending upwards, adding additional product later, if needed. It really applies effortlessly over foundation! This shade does require a lot of blending (unless you want your cheeks to look like two oranges), but it's worth it! You can also use a stippling or foundation brush, which also work quite nicely. 

Here is a shot of Trip applied over my foundation, without any additional makeup. It does look rather stark on its own, but...

... in the context of a full makeup look, it's perfection! Here are a couple shots of it under artificial lighting:

And in natural sunlight:

And this is what Trip Watercolour Fluid Blusher looked like after 11 hours of wear! Still perfectly in place:

And for a full breakdown of my thoughts on this blush!

Pros:

• Very concentrated and pigmented- a little goes a very long way!
• Blends effortlessly over foundation, without looking patchy or streaky
• Can be worn as a bolder flush on fair skin or as a more natural shade on darker skin tones
• Wears for hours and hours without fading or getting cakey. This stuff really stays put!
• Lovely natural finish without obvious shimmer or glitter
• Portable, compact packaging

Cons:

• This particular shade is pretty difficult to sheer out- so it's not for the timid!
• This will stain the back of your hand if you drop it there- so you'll need to give your mitts a good scrub afterwards

And there you have it! I am so pumped about this blush! Not only does it have the same incredible, blendable, long-wearing formula as Cherub, it gives the loveliest tangerine flush to the cheeks. The shade just screams Summer and I know I'll be wearing this all Summer long! This shade isn't for the timid, which is all the more reason to give it a go :)

I hope you've enjoyed Vibrant Blush Week and that I've inspired you to sport some vivid cheeks over the coming months. Have I tempted you with anything? Have you ever tried Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blushers?

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Easter weekend! xo

Vibrant Blush Week #2: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta

Hi, everyone! My latest post rung in Vibrant Blush Week here at Vibrant Beauty Blog and now it's time for the second installment! Back in February, I was ecstatic about the release of Hourglass' Radiant Lighting Blushes and I sang the praises of the incredibly lovely Diffused Heat. During the recent Sephora VIB Sale, I picked up another little beauty from the range, Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta. 

The Ambient Lighting Blushes come in sleek, square-shaped reflective plastic cases with the shade names printed on the back. 

Though the compact is fun to stare at, it's the product itself that's the true show-stopper. The marbled design is a mix of coloured blush and one of Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Powders. In the case of Radiant Magenta, the mix includes a cheery cool-toned candy pink and the warmer gilded beige Radiant Light powder. 

The blended mix of these contrasting shades lies somewhere between fuchsia and coral and imparts a subtle golden sheen. Equal parts boldness and softness and entirely pretty!

Here is Radiant Magenta swatched on my inner arm (MAC NC15 skin tone) in (first) warmer, natural light and (second) cooler artificial lighting:

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta (L) swatched heavily and (R) blended

And here it is on my face! I applied it to the apples of my cheeks and blended up to the temples:

And here, in the context of a completed makeup look. I paired it with my brand-spakin' new Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (but that's for another post!):

And now for a full breakdown of the best and worst bits about this pretty blush!

Pros:

• Blends effortlessly into skin
• Can be applied lightly for a sheer effect or layered for a bolder look
• Imparts a lovely glow to the skin without chunky shimmer or obvious glitter
• Perfect mix of cool and warm hues; should be suitable for most skin tones
• Wears evenly without fading all day long!
• Vegan, animal-friendly, and paraben-free!

Cons:

• The plastic packaging is slightly flimsy. I'm a bit worried about the blush shattering if dropped!
• At $41 CAD, this is quite pricey, as blushes go!

And there you have it! Hourglass rarely gets it wrong and Radiant Magenta is no exception! The formula is soft and blendable, the shade is bold, yet incredibly wearable, and the wear time is tops. A true stunner!

Are you a fan of Hourglass Cosmetics? What bold blushes have you been loving lately?

Thanks for reading! xo