Maybelline The Nudes Palette: Second Impression + Colour Combinations

Hi everyone! So I thought I'd give an update on how I've been liking the Maybelline The Nudes palette, and some of the colours I like to pair together.

First of all, I pretty much use this palette everyday, that's how great it is. The colours are so versatile, easy to apply / blend, and easy to mix together. The only negative comment I have is their staying power isn't the best, but it is better when used with an eyeshadow primer of any kind (I use one that came with an NYC palette, but I also recommend Stay Don't Stray by Benefit).

There are a bunch of different ideas and pairings on the back of the palette, but I have found some that are different from the given suggestions. Since I don't have a lot of time in the morning, I just apply two shades- the lighter one all over the lid and the darker one in the crease.

Look #1: Natural with some depth

This one is about as natural as it gets: a shimmery champagne colour all over the lid, and a nice light brown to add some depth to the crease. Add some mascara and your favourite lipstick and you will be looking awake for your early morning class!

Look #2: Gold Shimmer

One of the main reasons I bought this palette was because I wanted a nice gold colour; in the past, they had either been not pigmented enough, too orange, or too shimmery. This one is...just right! Paired with a medium toned brown in the crease (which is very pigmented), mascara, and red lipstick, this is a really nice change to your usual everyday look. I'm not too big on eyeliner, but to transition to nighttime I would put some on (either brown or black) to intensify the look a bit more.

Look #3: Soft browns

This look compliments one of my other favourites that uses two brown shades from another Maybelline palette (it's called Designer Chocolates, if you're wondering). I have dark brown eyes, so these two shades just enhance them a little more. Sometimes I do add brown eyeliner, but usually I just put on some mascara and any lipstick to complete the look. 

These three combinations are probably my go-to looks for everyday! I'm really loving this palette, good job Maybelline! 

New Lipsticks

Recently I have taken to wearing lipstick instead of lip gloss or tinted lip balm and I absolutely love it! (Not missing the stickiness of lip gloss one bit!) I thought I would share some of the lipsticks I have been buying to build my collection.

Front: Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien

Left to Right: Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Colour in Lust for Blush (665), Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 11, MAC Lustre Lipstick in Lustering (A25)

Top to bottom: Maybelline, Rimmel, MAC, Nars (x2)

I've had them all for a while now, so I've had time to test and compare the colours, formulas, and lasting time. 

To start off the Maybelline lipstick (lust for blush) is a really pretty matte (I'll stress that, it is very matte) pink colour. It has a slight purple-mauve undertone, which makes it unique from all the other pinks I have. It stays all day, even through meals (as long as you don't deliberately wipe it off), and it isn't drying!

The Kate Moss lipstick from Rimmel is a very bright red. It has a high pigmentation, so I recommend just dabbing it on instead of doing a full sweep of colour. Like the Maybelline lipstick, it lasts all day and doesn't dry out your lips. Fun fact: it smells like cinnamon!

For years I've been wanting to try out MAC lipsticks, and my friend (who's a big fan of them) gave me a gift card for MAC for my birthday, and we went to the store to test them all out. I ended up with Lustering, which is a super pretty, mid-tone pink. It's pretty sheer, so I put on two coats for full colour. Unlike the Maybelline lipstick, which I mentioned has a purple undertone, this one has more of a bluish undertone, which is good for pale skin. This lipstick is also very moisturizing; however, since it isn't matte, it tends to fade after a long day, so be sure to bring it along wherever you go to reapply! Fun fact: it smells like vanilla!

The last two lip colours are the Sephora beauty insider birthday gift for the year (sorry to spoil the surprise for those who haven't received it yet!). The first is a matte red colour. It differs from the Rimmel lipstick because it has a more red-orange undertone whereas the Rimmel one has a deeper, more bluish undertone to it. I like this one a little better than the Rimmel one because the colour isn't so bright, making it easier to apply. The only thing is that this one is drying (found that out the first time I wore it) so be sure to apply a chapstick or neutral lip balm as a base. The other lip pencil from Nars is a nude pink (think beige undertones) with a more glossy finish. It's like your natural lip colour, but better (and with some more sheen). 

Overall I am really enjoying all of my new lipsticks and glad I finally branched out from subtle balms and glosses!

What are your favourite lip colours?

Review: Maybelline "The Nudes" Eyeshadow Palette

Basically, I saw two video reviews of this palette, read some online ratings, and decided I needed to have it. 

Maybelline "The Nudes" Eyeshadow Palette, $15, Shoppers

This is what the front looks like. The packaging is super sleek, and the palette is compact enough to slip in a purse or carry-on for travel. There are 12 shades ranging from matte to shimmery, all in the neutral colour family. 

Here's a more close-up look of the shades. As you can see, I've already been experimenting with them! So far I like the shimmery gold shade the best (bottom row, third from left)- I've been looking for a gold eyeshadow that's not too bronze or sparkly, and this is it! The shades are pretty well pigmented, which is good for drugstore quality (usually I'm always layering on the shadow), and they blend easily and work well together for a ton of different looks. I've seen people compare this palette to the Urban Decay Naked ones, and from what I can see, the colours are pretty similar (I don't have one, so I can't be too sure on it). So if you're looking for a cheaper alternative, this may be good for you!

This is what the back of the palette looks like. As I mentioned, there are so many different looks you can create, and these helpful pairings on the back make that easy. Basically they've divided it up into quads, trios, or duos, depending on the look you're going for, and then they also say where to put each shade. I can't wait to try out all the colour combinations, and maybe even create some of my own!

What do you think of this palette? Let me know!

Florals all week

In honour of Valentine's Day I decided to dress girly pretty much all week. Here are two of my outfits (the rest of the week looked pretty similar- you know me and my florals :P)

Top: Garage Clothing

Tank top: Forever 21

Cardigan: Old Navy

Jeans: American Eagle

Bobby pin: Forever 21

Bracelet: Forever 21

Blouse: Zara

Tank top: Urban Behaviour

Cardigan: Urban Behaviour

Jeans: American Eagle

Bracelet: gift

Eyeshadow: Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow quad in Designer Chocolates (I only used the rose-coloured shade)

Lipstick: Loreal Colour Riche Lip Balm in Blushing Sequin

Makeup Update

Recently I've been cleaning up my makeup collection and adding some new things, so I thought I'd share some of the new products I either purchased or received for Christmas. Also, two weeks ago some of my relatives came over for a post-Christmas get together and my cousin brought some makeup that she didn't use anymore and thought I would like.

Maybelline Expertwear Eye Shadow in Designer Chocolates
Maybelline Expertwear Eye Shadow in Charcoal Smokes
I've been meaning to get more of these eye shadows because there's so many combinations and different looks to create! My makeup has taken a really basic and boring routine over the past few months, so I'm excited to try out new looks with these!

 Loreal Infinite Wear Eye Shadow Quad in Enchanted Bouquet
Marcelle Wet & Dry Eye Shadow Duo in Cosmos
Again, some more eye shadow from my cousin. If I don't have a lot of time in the morning I usually just swipe on some pink eye shadow and mascara. I've tried out both of these already and the pigmentation isn't bad; though I'm going to start using eye shadow primer more often now (see below for my take on that!).

                                                                      

Liplicious Plump Glass (by Bath & Body Works)

My aunt always gets me lip gloss with her gift and every year I love it! This time it's a little different because it gives your lips more fullness (I put it on and my lips started tingling hehe). Also it smells like vanilla, a scent that I love!

Benefit Primping with the Stars All-Time Greatest "Fake-Its" Kit
1. Stay Don't Stray Eye Shadow Primer
2. the Pore-fessional pro balm to minimize pores
3. Some kind of a gorgeous foundation faker
4. bene-tint
5. girl meets pearl liquid pearl for face
6. they're real! mascara
So far I've only tried the eye shadow primer and my only comment is why have I not tried this before??? It makes my eye shadow appear more vibrant and it stays that way throughout the day! Love it! I've heard good things about all the other products as well, so I am excited to try them out!

 Clinique High Impact Mascara

I got this as a sample with a skin care set I got for Christmas and I think it is the best mascara I have ever tried! I have to admit, I've always thought why bother with high end mascaras when they have to be thrown out after six months, right? But this mascara has me hooked. Don't get me wrong, I still love the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara or the Covergirl Lashblast Volume Mascara, but there's definitely a difference between those and this Clinique one, the most noticeable being I don't have to use as much mascara to get evenly coated, long lashes. Also it doesn't clump, which is always a plus!

NYC IndividualEyes 938 Union Square Created for Brown Eyes
I bought this eye shadow quad on a whim one day after work, and I am very pleased with it so far! It comes with a primer (my new favourite product!) and an illuminator on the side, and then four different eye shadows. There are instructions on how to create the look using all the colours, which is always handy. I especially like how the main brown shade (second from the bottom) is matte, and the others have some shimmer.




Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon
Over the summer I bought my first Revlon Lip Butter in the shade Juicy Papaya (a coral-y orange colour) and since then I've been wanting another. I like coloured lip balms because I'm not a huge fan of lipstick, yet I'm starting to move away from lip gloss, so this is the perfect in between! This particular shade is a red with pink undertones, and it is pretty pigmented so you don't need a lot. It also goes on really smoothly, which I guess is why it's called a lip "butter!"

Birthday Outfit :)

Birthday Outfit :) by mariathefashionista featuring v neck t shirts

V neck t shirt
$13 - garage.ca

Skirt
$25 - garage.ca

Ballerina flat
$20 - payless.com

Stella dot jewelry
$34 - stelladot.com

Benefit Cosmetics cream eye shadow
$19 - bloomingdales.com

Spring Trends 2012

The post you've all been waiting for (well, I have in any case)...

One year ago, I started this blog as an assignment for my grade 12 writer's craft course, and I really enjoyed making posts about fashion (and beauty) so I continued it and here I am a year later with nearly 30 posts and almost 400 page views! Thank you so much to my subscribers and anyone else who happens to stumble across  my blog on a random Google search! I have many ideas for my blog so hopefully this year will be as exciting as the last! And now on to the latest trends for spring!

Floral
I am not surprised that floral print is back for another year. Who doesn't love wearing a small floral print to be girly or a bright colourful one to be bold? It is definitely my favourite trend of all time. Here are some ideas to build a garden...in your closet.

Lace

Also back again this year are the sweet and girly lace edges and necklines in tops, skirts, and dresses. A variation of this trend are eyelets, sort of like a hole punch pattern, but cuter, and also crochet, which is like lace, but with more detail. As well, this year lace comes in all different colours, not just white! Notice that the top pictured above combines floral and lace! So cute!!!

Bright Pants

This trend is hard to miss. Skinny jeans and jeggings are available in every colour of the rainbow this year, paired either with neutral  or brightly coloured tops to create fun outfits that you can literally see from a mile away.  Here are some outfit ideas from DailyLook. Notice that this trend can carry on into the middle of summer with brightly coloured shorts. I don't have too many ideas for this one, but you can check out American Eagle, Garage, and Aeropostale for more looks with bright jeans and shorts. 

Wild Prints
If you're headed to the jungle, you'll blend right in with animal prints, tribal patterns, and earth tones.  Silhouettes include shirt dresses, wrap skirts, cargo pants, and cross-body bags.

The Colour Palette and Accessories

Colours that are in this season include water colours such as turquoise, aqua, indigo, and sea green; bright colours especially in the red-orange area (think tangerine, a deep orange), and, of course, pastels such as light pink, mint green, soft yellow, and sky blue. 

These colours will be seen mainly in jewellery and other accessories, as well as makeup (especially pastel nail polish, which I absolutely love). Set the trend with dangling earrings, tangerine coloured lipstick, pastel nail polish, or stacks of multicoloured bracelets. 

Enjoy looking fabulous this spring!

Photo Credits

AEO Floral Scarf, $19.43, http://www.ae.com

Daisy Dolman Top, $12.25, http://www.aeropostale.com

AE Floral Corset Dress, $39.36,  http://www.ae.com

Floral Boatneck Tee with lace inserts, $24.90, http://www.garage.ca

Cooperative Mixed Media Bag, $39.99, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

Solid Eyelet Woven Dress, $20.00, http://www.aeropostale.com

AE Lace Panel Tee, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

AE Paneled Lace Tee, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

Belted Eyelet Skirt, $22.25, http://www.aeropostale.com 

AE Crochet Detail Top, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

See http://www.dailylook.com for the three looks with bright bottoms. 

Geometric Contrast Dress, $17.90, http://canada.forever21.com

Sparkle and Fade Roll-Tab Shirtdress, $59.00, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

Truly Madly Deeply Slouchy Printed Tunic in brown and black & white, $34.00, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

AE Artisan Dolman Sweater, $39.93, http://www.ae.com

AEO Suede Fringe Cross-body bag, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipcolour, drugstores and http://www.maybelline.ca 

Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Plush Silk eyeshadow, drugstores and http://www.maybelline.ca

Sun Medallion Earrings, $6.80, http://canada.forever21.com

AEO Beaded Turquoise and Pink bracelets, $15.48 each, http://www.ae.com