Coming soon: Urban Decay Naked 3 palette!

Last week, pictures of a rumored Naked 3 palette came out on Reddit and Urban Decay has confirmed that it's coming! (See the video here). So far it seems to have a lot of light colors, cool tones, and pinks. Apparently there have already been some sold in France--see some more images of the palette here. It's supposed to come out on December 16th--keep an eye on Urban Decay's website or Facebook page for updates!

What's in my makeup bag? - Fall edition

 

You can wear the same makeup year-round, but I think it's really fun to switch up my products occasionally. Here's what I'm going to be using this fall!

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer has been a staple for me for a really long time, but I've been alternating between that and the Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation, which has really nice coverage and feels very light on my skin. Smashbox Photoready Primer Light just makes base products wear more evenly and kind of controls oil, too.

I've been using MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation everyday since I bought it--it's such a smooth, matte powder that doesn't look chalky or cakey. For contouring, I love NYX Matte Bronzer in Deep Tan; it's the perfect brown for me, and it blends very nicely.

Tarte Off the Cuff Amazonian Clay Blush Palette has pretty much every blush color I need, plus a bronzer that is a little lighter than the one from NYX. These blushes are so soft and pigmented, and the colors are really pretty.

For dark circles, I love Benefit Erase Paste; it has a peach/salmon tone that neutralizes undereye darkness, and it's very creamy and rich. MAC Studio Finish Concealer is a little dry and waxy, so it's perfect for blemishes.

Almay One Coat Get Up and Grow Mascara gives me really long, fluttery lashes that are still soft and flexible. Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeliner in Taupe is very smooth, and it's the perfect color to give me a little bit of definition on my lower lashline. Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Perversion is a very long-wearing and doesn't smudge, even on my oily, hooded monolids.

September favorites!

This is kind of late to be doing the previous month's favorites, but here's what I've been loving in September!

MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation

This is so nice; it gives you a really matte finish, but you can apply it with a very heavy hand and there's no appearance of powder at all. It's so smooth and wears really well!

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

This feels a little waxy; it's a little dry under the eyes, but it clings to oily spots very well, so it's perfect for the greasy patches around your nose and for pimples. It's a medium-buildable coverage, so it covers up redness very nicely, too.

Elf Eyebrow Kit

I recently colored my hair, so I had to change my eyebrow color too. This is an exact dupe of Benefit Brow Zings, with a wax and a powder (the only difference is the Benefit one has mini tweezers). I don't really use the wax, but the powder is super soft and pigmented. It's also $3--$27 cheaper than Benefit--and everyone has time for that.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

I have very dehydrated skin, but this makes my face feel really soft and bouncy. It also doesn't feel greasy or break me out, and makes my moisturizer work even better.

Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Pecan Waffles candle

I don't burn candles; I just leave them out uncovered, but the smell still fills the room. This candle makes my room smell like a bakery--it's really sweet and smells like cookies!

Sleek Blush by 3 and Face Form reviews and swatches

I recently received an order of Sleek products, and I posted about the Au Naturel eyeshadow palette earlier this week (read that post here). I also got two cheek palettes, Blush by 3 and Face Form.

I got the Face Form palette in Light, which includes a contour powder, highlighter, and their blush in Rose Gold (Medium and Dark have shimmery bronzers instead of the blush). I love that this compact contains all the cheek products you need, which makes it so great for travel. Everything is very pigmented, and the highlighter is not too shimmery (in person, it comes off more golden than it appears in the swatch).

After I bought the palette, I did more research and found out that Rose Gold is supposed to be a dupe for NARS Orgasm (pink-peach with golden shimmer), which I do not like at all (read about it here). However, Sleek's cheek products are much softer than NARS products, so you don't need to scrub down into the pan to pick up product. The shimmer in Rose Gold is also much more finely milled and easier to blend--it doesn't stick and bunch up on oily patches--so I really like it.

Left to right: Crochet, Guipure, Chantilly

I got the Blush by 3 palette in Lace, which has the colors Crochet, Guipure, and Chantilly. In general, Sleek tends to have very trendy/modern-looking blush colors, but they're all very wearable (Crochet appears to be a bright orange in the pan, but it's peach on the face). I really can't tell a difference between Guipure and Rose Gold from the Face Form palette, but I really don't mind that I have duplicates because they're so beautiful. I love that these blushes wear a really long time and are very blendable.

I really love these Sleek cheek products! They do a great job with the pigmentation and texture, and the colors are so wearable. These palettes were definitely worth the money for me. I think it's important to note that the images on Sleek's website are not the most accurate (Blush by 3 in Lace's picture looks much paler and softer than it actually is), so Google swatches and pictures before you order!

For more Sleek products, check out my review on the Au Naturel eyeshadow palette here and at http://www.sleekmakeup.com/.

Sleek Au Naturel eyeshadow palette review and swatches

I've heard so many good things about the Sleek makeup line, which is based in the UK. I placed an order for an eyeshadow palette and cheek products, so those are the products I'll be posting about this week.

I got the I-Divine palette in Au Naturel, which is their neutral palette. The packaging is so hard to open--it's a nail-breaking, manicure-ruining compact. But it is very sturdy and compact, and it has a huge mirror, which makes it travel really well.

Top row: Nougat, Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, Toast, Taupe
Bottom row: Conker, Moss, Bark, Mineral Earth, Regal, Noir

I've heard a lot of great things about Sleek eyeshadows, but judging from this palette, their light matte eyeshadows are pretty weak. Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, and Toast have very, very poor pigmentation. I'm not even sure how many layers you would need to build up the color, but the only way I could see someone using them is applying it with a fluffy brush to blend out other eyeshadow colors--they have very poor color payoff on their own. The dark matte colors are so much better, but they can feel a bit chalky. The shimmery eyeshadows, on the other hand, are very pigmented and easy to blend; however, there are cheaper eyeshadows from American drugstores that are even better. The shipping is definitely not cheap (about $13 flat rate), so really think about whether it's worth it for you!

I promise, all the swatches are there!

It seems like you can't get a wide variety of looks with this palette, since you only have one "usable" light color, and the dark colors are various cool tones. I don't mind having an eye palette in which all the colors are one tone, but I feel like using this one palette by itself can become very monotonous, just because you have so few options.

Overall, I really didn't like this palette at all; even though has some nice colors, almost half the palette was pretty awful, and the compact is so hard to open that it has really slowed me down when I get ready in the morning. If you are interested in Sleek eyeshadows, go for a palette with mostly darker shimmer/metallic colors (the Storm palette is supposed to be great); if you already have a holy grail neutral palette, this isn't a must-have palette.

Come back on Friday for a review on their cheek products, and check out more Sleek products at http://www.sleekmakeup.com/.

Next week: Sleek Week!

Next week I will be reviewing various products from the UK brand Sleek! Come back on Monday for an eyeshadow palette and Friday for cheek products :)

To see more of Sleek's products, check out http://www.sleekmakeup.com/.

Emergency bag essentials!

When we're outside, we're always missing that one thing we need immediately. Here are some things that will prepare you for anything:

Oil blotting sheets

We all get a little greasy sometimes... blotting the oil off is easier and more natural-looking than applying powder. If you don't have blotting sheets on hand, use a brown napkin or paper towel, or a toilet seat cover.

Try: Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

Cuticle clippers

When I have a hangnail or a dry cuticle that sticks out, I literally can't think about anything until it's gone. You can also use it to cut broken nails and tags that you forgot to cut off your new clothes.

Hand cream

I hate when my hands feel tight and dry after washing my hands. You can also use this on dry spots, like elbows.
Try: L'Occitane hand cream

Hand sanitizer

Before you eat, after you eat, on the subway... have you watched Contagion?
Try: Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer

Eye depuffing stick

If your concealer is looking a little dry, apply a little of this with your finger to refresh it. You can also use it as brow gel if your eyebrows are looking bushy.

Try: Kiehl's Facial Fuel Eye-Depuffer

Lip balm in a twist up tube

Please, not in a pot! I always hear people complaining about how they're sick again, and then they proceed to dip their dirty fingers into a jar of lip balm and apply it to their mouth. Do they not see it? Save your jarred lip products at home. Or, if you don't wash your hands, don't use them at all.
Try: Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Visine

I get extremely uncomfortable, disgruntled, and unfunctional when my eyes are dry.
Try: Visine Tears

Tissues

To blow your nose, wipe off Visine on your cheeks, or just in case there's no toilet paper.

A natural/nude lipstick

99% of the times that I wear red or fuchsia lipstick, within two hours of leaving the house I will realize it looks awful. Always keep a fail-proof lip color in your purse!
Try: Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Nudetrients

Mints

  

They're very important. Have one even when you don't think you need it, please.