LIME CRIME - SUPERFOILS

In 2016, Lime Crime released a unique eyeshadow dual pan known as Superfoils. Superfoils are a specialised eyeshadow that can either be applied dry, or can be applied wet for a foiled look. Needless to say, they are absolutely beautiful when they become foiled and the main reason why I purchased them. 

'New generation of eyeshadow is here!' - LIME CRIME

Packaging

Superfoils comes in cute round pink packaging, with a matching cardboard box, and feature  a split pan with two shadows and a mirror.

Each shadow can be identified by name on the back of the product and the back of the cardboard box.

'Superfoils can be worn wet or dry - to equally dope results. Wear it dry if you're in the mood to sparkle or activate with water to watch it transform into liquid foil' - LIME CRIME

Formula & Pigmentation

Good and bad news beauties; Lime Crime have officially pulled their Superfoils off of the market. There was a bit of drama and a few issues late last year about the formula and what looked like rust and bubbles forming in the product. Lime Crime have issued a statement denying that there has been any contamination however have pulled the product from the market to re-formulate it. You can read more on Lime Crimes statement here.

Affordability & Retailers

Superfoils are currently not available through any retailer due to being re-formulated.

Final Verdict

At this point in time, my Superfoils have virtually been rendered useless. Although I personally have had no issues with them, I'm still wary that there may be some issues with the formula that may impact on my skin and my overall health. 

If you do have your own Superfoils or are willing to try someone elses, I'd advise getting the product onto your brush before adding your Fix+ spray to the mixture as it is recommended not to add any liquids to the actual pan. By not adding liquid to the pan you may avoid any issues, as I have.

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LIME CRIME - VENUS II PALETTE

Lime Crimes follow up to the original VENUS palette, VENUS2, is notoriously sold out. So much so, that I figured it would be worth reviewing this sequel to find out what all of the fuss is about and if it holds up against the original

'A follow up to the cult-favourite that spearheaded the reddish-brown eye trend of 2015 year' - LIME CRIME

Packaging

VENUS2's palette ccomes with the same artwork as the original VENUS palette, featuring an except of 'The Birth of Venus', however with more of a grungy twist. 

The palette itself is made of cardboard and features a flip top with a full sized mirror for beauties on the go.

'VENUS2 is the darker sister who slays with 8 ful-size, recklessly pigmented eyeshadows that will take your makeup game to the next level' - LIME CRIME

Shades & Finishes

VENUS2 contains eight beautiful shades consisting of mattes and pearls. The shades include:

PIGEON - brown/green shift (pearl)

FILTER - luminous cornflower blue (glow matte)

MARSH - mossy grey-green (glow matte)

MUSTARD - the colour of corduroy (creamy matte)

FLY - Ivory/green shift, like the wing of a fly (pearl)

JAM - pumpkin spice creamy matte (creamy matte)

MUD - rich burgundy-brown, the colour of spoiled fruit (creamy matte)

BOOT - nebula black with multi-colour sparkle (sparkle matte)

Top Row: Pigeon, Filter, Marsh, Mustard
Bottom Row: Fly, Jam, Mud, Boot

'VENUS2 boasts a variety of distinct shades that create equally distinct looks.

Formula & Pigmentation

The formula for the eyeshadows in this palette can be best described as 'buttery smooth'; they apply and blend out with ease. A little product goes a long way with these eyeshadows.

There is plenty of pigment in each shade, however I did experience some fallout during application. With this particulat palette make sure that you complete your eye look before completing your base.

Affordability & Retailers

You can purchase your own VENUS2 palette from Lime Crime for $34.00 USD, or from PepperMayo for $49.00 AUD.

Final Verdict

These shades catch the eye and pull you in but honestly, this palette consists of  bunch of mismatched shades that can't be used without another palette. The colours are stunning, but I'd argue that they don't really compliment each other and there is a limited amount of looks that can be created with just this one palette on it's own.

If you're creative and feel like playing with multiple palettes at anyone time, then go ahead and purchase VENUS2 otherwise you can probably give this palette a miss.

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded each Saturday, while ProTips are uploaded on the first Sunday of each month.

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BEST OF 2016

2016, what a year! Although not everyone liked the year that was 2016, we can at least all agree that there were some pretty bomb products dropped by some of our favourite cosmetic brands, or in my case finally scooped up.

URBAN DECAY X GWEN STAFANI - EX GIRLFRIEND LIPSTICK

At the beginning of the year Urban Decay launched their entire range of limited edition Gwen Stefani cosmetics.Being a huge Gwen fan, I died and went to heaven.

Not only was the packaging on all of these products awe inspiring, again I died and went to heaven over this art deco styling, they released a beautiful shade known as 'Ex-Girlfriend'. I managed to buy one of everything from the collection however couldn't get my hands on another Ex-Girlfriend It sold our pretty much instantly and try as I may,  I couldn't get my hands on another one.

It has since been re-released as a Vice Lipstick, but it is again as rare of hens teeth to get your hands on. I did manage to snag one though, after arguing with Mecca staff that the product did exist in the Vice collection.

Anyway, Ex-Girlfriend is described as being the colour of nude lips but better. I would completely agree. It is a beautiful sheer pink colour that really is the colour of my lips but better!

Check out my review from 2016 here.

BLACK MOON COSMETICS LIQUID LIPSTICKS - LIBRA

I've spoken about my love for Black Moon so much this year and if you haven't gone out and purchased your own 'Libra' Liquid Lipstick then frankly you're an idiot. Pack away your Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks, because his products have nothing  on what Black Moon as to offer.

Superior feel, superior smell, superior longevity. That's what you get out of your liquid lipstick from Black Moon over all other liquid lipsticks.

Libra (dusty nude) & Harvest (pumpkin orange) are my absolute favourite shades from this range, and I am a firm believer that every girl needs to own Libra.

Check out my reviews from 2016 here and here.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - MODERN RENAISSANCE PALETTE

After many months I finally managed to get my hands on the elusive Modern Renaissance palette. This pretty was well worth the wait. The eyeshadows are buttery smooth and well worth the money. The pinks and red shades in this palette will surely make any babes with green eyes pop!

If you haven't got your hands on this palette yet beauties then keep trying. I promise it's worth it.

REAL TECHNIQUES - BOLD METALS BRUSHES

Although these brushes weren't new in 2016, they were new to my collection.

Real Techniques released this beautiful range of weighted, bold metals brushes that stand out amongst all the other brushes that.

Check out my review from 2016 here.

TARTE - TARTELETTE IN BLOOM PALETTE

If you don't have this palette already then you need to stop what you're doing and add it to your cart. The Tartelette In Bloom palette is an everyday wear palette that I have been choosing over all others. It has beautiful shimmery shades, a selection of nude mattes and the best part is that the eyeshadows last all day!

Check out my review from 2016 here.

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LIME CRIME - VENUS PALETTE

Years ago, Lime Crime released the beautiful Venus palette. Venus was a social media sensation and was everywhere you looked online; Instagram included!

The buzz has long since died down, but I thought I'd pull out this oldie and give it a review since it is still flying off of shelves and more often than not sold out everywhere. 

'In a sea of nude palettes, VENUS emerges with 8 game changing shades: rust red, brick brown, burgundy and unconventional neutrals' - LIME CRIME

Packaging

The Venus palette comes completes with beautiful packaging which features an except of Botticelli's classical painting, 'The Birth of Venus'.

The palette is made of cardboard and features a slip top with a full sized mirror for beauties on the go.

Shades & Finishes

The Venus palette contains eight shades, with a mixture of mattes and glows. The shades in this palette and their finishes include:

VENUS - the colour of bruised fruit (velvet matte)

SHELL - opalescent shell-pink (glow)

AURA - golden ivory (glow)

CREATION - rust brown (matte)

ICON - dirt brown (matte)

REBIRTH - the colour of an over-ripe nectarine (matte)

DIVINE - dusty stone (matte)

MUSE -deep burgundy red (matte)

Top Row: Venus, Shell, Aura, Creation
Bottom Row: Icon, Rebirth, Divine, Muse


'Create a wide range of grunge-meets-renaissance modern looks, from daytime wash of colour to night-on-the-town smokey eye' - LIME CRIME

Formula & Pigmentation

The formula for the eyeshadows in this palette is buttery smooth; they apply and blend out with ease. A little product goes a long way with these eyeshadows.

There is plenty of pigment in each shade, however I did experience some fallout during application. With this particular palette make sure you complete your eye look before completing your base.

'Recklessly pigmented eyeshadows can be worn alone or mesh flawlessly for a nu-grunge look with a soft, painterly finish' - LIME CRIME

Affordability & Retailers

You can purchase your own Venus palette directly from Lime Crime for $34.00 USD or from PepperMayo for $49.00 AUD

Final Verdict

In my humble opinion, the Venus palette is a luxury not a necessity.I find that the colours can be difficult to pair together and I'll often use another palette in to complete the look. 

Pale skinned beauties: beware that some of these colours can look very, very dark on us. I'm an NW10 for reference and I find colours such as Divine to give the illusion that I have a black eye.  

If you enjoy wearing red tones often then this is a palette for you, otherwise save your pretty pennies and purchase this one when there is a sale on. It's nice to play around with from time-to-time, but I don't reach for it often.

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded each Saturday, and ProTips are uploaded on the first Sunday of each month. 

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TARTE - TARTELETTE IN BLOOM CLAY PALETTE

On the last day of the Christmas countdown my true love gave to me, the Tartelette In Bloom Amazonian Clay palette by Tarte!

'This one's for all the jetsetters, funny girls and smarty pants out there' - SEPHORA

Packaging

This palette has a beautiful floral themed cover to it, with gold lettering. The palette has a light plastic casing, trimmed in gold, and contains a full mirror.

Tarte have also been kind enough to provide two step-by-step looks that can be achieved by using the colours within the palette.

'12 never-before-seen, long wear shades ranging from deep, velvety mattes to bright shimmery metallics' - TARTE

Shades & Finishes

This palette has twelve beautiful matte and shimmer shades.

CHARMER - off white matte

JETSETTER - warm taupe matte

ROCKER -  taupe shimmer

SMOKESHOW - black brown matte

FLOWER CHILD - peachy nude matte

SMARTY PANTS - tan matte

FIRECRACKER - bronze copper shimmer

ACTIVIST - dark brown matte

FUNNY GIRL - champagne shimmer

SWEETHEART - peach matte

REBEL - chestnut brown matte

LEADER - aubergine matte

FIRST ROW FROM L - R: Charmer, Jetsetter, Rocker, Smokeshow
SECOND ROW FROM L - R: Flower Child, Smarty Pants, Firecracker, Activist
THIRD ROW FROM L - R: Funny Girl, Sweetheart, Rebel, Leader

'With 9 mattes and 3 lusters, these lid liner and crease pairings allow you to create stunning, smouldering looks with the guesswork' - TARTE

Formula & Pigmentation

Tarte pride themselves on their naturally derived Amazonian clay formula, which promises to provide better, longer and truer eyeshadow wear. I haven't been able to fault this claim since I've been using this palette, and have found that the shimmer shades in particular really pop when I pair them with Urban Decay's Primer Potion.

If there's one thing that I feel Tarte have mastered, it's their shimmer shades. They are highly pigmented and have brilliant colour payoff. On the flip side, some of the matte shades appear slightly chalky when swatched however this I found that this was easily corrected again with my Primer Potion by Urban Decay.

This palette is also paraben free, phthalate free and sulfate free. 

'Infused with Tarte's signature Amazonian clay formula, you'll get the same pigmented payoff, blendability and lasting colour as the original tartelette - all in a chic, portable palette with a beautiful floral design' - SEPHORA

Affordability & Retailers

You can purchase your very own Tartlette In Bloom palette directly from Tarte for $61.00 AUD, or from Sephora for $69.00 AUD. Keep in mind, Sephora do offer free shipping for orders over $55.00

Final Verdict

This is a palette that you can fall in love with very easily. Since purchasing this palette a couple of months ago, I find myself aautomatically reaching for this palette over everything else. If can appreciate a majestic shimmer shade, and you're looking for a palette that you can use for a work day and a night out, then this is the perfect palette for you. 

For 12 beautiful shades and a maximum price tag of $69.00, this palette is good value for money with each individual shade working out to around $5.75.

I hope you beauties have found this Christmas countdown helpful or at least amusing. Let me know if you'd like me to run it again next year!

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded every Saturday, and for the lead up to Christmas there will be a new product review each day to help out with your last minute gift ideas and wishlists.

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URBAN DECAY - NAKED PALETTE

This is the holy grail of all eyeshadow palettes. I love this product. The Naked Palette is perfect for all eye colours and every skin tone as the colours in this palette are neutral tones. Neutral and earthy tones are an absolute must as they allow the wearer to create looks that range from the "no make-up" makeup look, which has become extremely popular, to smokey evening looks.

'Introducing the palette that revolutionised neutrals forever. Encased in a decadent velvet-topped case, this carefully crafted selection of bronze-hue eyeshadows allows you to create endless seductive eye looks' - MECCA

Packaging

All Naked Palettes come in similar cardboard packaging, with bold gold lettering an swatches of the shadows in the palette. Each of the Naked Palettes have all of the colours available in that palette displayed and named on the back of the cardboard packaging.

Did I mention that this palette also included a double-ended brush? Amazing! This brush is absolutely brilliant. It's a double ended shadow and blending brush, which can be used to apply shadows with one end and blend them out with the other. The quality of this brush is brilliant and cannot be disputed, so you won't be disappointed. What I really like about this packaging is that it has itss own spot in the palette for your brush, which is perfect for when you're travelling or on the go.

Bonus, you also get four samples of the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potions, which contains a weeks worth of primer, when you purchase a Naked Palette.

'It's the palette that revolutionised neutrals forever, Loaded with twelve bronze-hue shadows in an insane range of textures only UD could dream up. Naked proves that neutral is anything but boring' - MECCA

Shades & Finishes

The Naked Palette comes with twelve neutral coloured shadows, set out from lightest to darkest in the palette. Urban Decay have been brilliant enough to include four amazing textures: matte, satin, shimmer & sparkle. Shades and textures in this palette include:

From L - R: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, toasted, Hustle, Creep & Gunmetal.

VIRGIN - cool pale beige satin

SIN - champagne shimmer

NAKED - nude matte

SIDECAR - beige shimmer with silver micro-glitter

BUCK - fawn brown matte

HALF BAKED - golden brown shimmer

SMOG - deep coppery bronze

DARKHORSE - deep mocha shimmer

TOASTED - antique copper penny shimmer

HUSTLE - plum-brown satin

CREEP - onyx shimmer with gold sparkle

GUNMETAL - dark metallic grey shimmer with silver micro-glitter

I am a huge fan of the shimmers in this palette. Sin, Sidecar and Half-Baked are my go to shimmers, with Naked and Buck being my favourite lid and transition colours. I'm a NW10 girl, so shades ranging from Virgin to Half-Baked are perfect for me.

Formula & Pigmentation

Its Urban Decay, so the formula is pretty spot-on. I've  had no issues with fallour from this palette and all of the colours have applied smoothly and evenly. 

Pigmentation is also brilliant with each colour. Shades are very easy to build up or blends out to suit your look. Building and blending is one of the biggest things, other than the range of colours, that I look at when selecting a new palette.

Overall, the formula and pigmentation is to die for!

Longevity

When I use high end products, I always use an eyeshadow primer. I'm currently using the Original Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and have had absolutely zero issues. My Naked eyeshadow lasts all day long, which is brilliant for long days a work or nights out with the girls. I figure for the amount of money spent on a high end product you need to invest in a good eyeshadow primer which will allow you to get the most out of your products.

Affordability & Retailers

The Naked Palette was the first high end palette that I ever purchased. I've owned it for almost two years now and find that it's become my go-to palette. It's pricey, currently retailing at $82.00 AUD, but it is an absolute must in every girls collection. You can purchase your own Naked Palette from Mecca.

'From the palest champagne to the grittiest gunmetal, it's all here. Whether you're going for a laid-back, beachy vibe or black-tie drama, you'll definitely look better Naked' - MECCA

Final Verdict

I can't express just how much I love this palette. It suits every look and ever occcassion. I've travelled with it, I've moved interstate with it, I vouch for it. It's a staple for so many people and an absolute must for me.

I completely recommend this to anyone who may be wanting an everyday natural eye look or people who are still developing their confidence with eyeshadow and makeup in general. This is a great palette to start out and experiment with.

Stay Updated

New product reviews are posted every Saturday, and during the lead up to Christmas there will be a new product review everyday to help you out with those last minute wishlists and gift inspo.

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JUVIA'S - THE NUBIAN PALETTE

Juvia's is one of the new standout indie brands of 2016. Reaching amazing heights of fame due to celebrity mua's, such as nikkietutorials, girls across the globe have fallen in love with Juvia's and The Nubian palette.

Sometimes you see brilliant swatches and can't help but think that it's too good to be true. That's not the case with The Nubian. Juvia's have somehow managed to do something that a lot of high end brands struggle with, by producing high quality and high pigmentation eyeshadows. Have I convinced you that you need this in your life yet? If yes, skip straight to my retailers section. If no, keep reading and check out these to die for images.

'Juvia's is a cosmetic brand providing you with the most rich, vibrant and highly pigmented essential colours of life that take you from the office to the Caribbean Islands and everywhere in between!' - Juvia's

'Juvia's Nubian eye shadow palette features, the most essential collection of neutral colours' - Juvia's

Packaging

The palette comes with a cardboard slip featuring three images of a beautiful Egyptian woman. The slip also contains a brief paragraph about the Juvia's taking inspiration from the palette from the Egyptians.

The actual eyeshadow palette is roughly the same size as the Tarte - Tartlette In Bloom palette and is made of a thicker cardboard with a flip lid.

Shade & Texture / Texture & Finishes 

The Nubian palette contains twelve-pans from a nude-ish spectrum, with four matte transition shades, three duo chromes (they don't advertise them as duo chromes but they so are) and five shimmers. Unfortunately Juvia's haven't named each individual shade, so I'll discuss each of the three rows separately.

ROW ONE

1: Champagne/ Pink duo chrome

2: Matte orange

3: Matte brown

4: Pink shimmer

ROW TWO:

5: Rose Gold (peach/gold) duo chrome

6: Gold Shimmer

7: Red Shimmer

8: Bronze Shimmer

ROW THREE:

9: Dark Brown / Pink duo chrome

10: Dirty Red matte

11: Dark Brown Shimmer

12: Brown/Black matte

'This palette is easy for everyday wear into night' - Juvia's

Formula & Pigmentation

Each of the shimmer and duo chrome shades in this palette are insanely pigmented and applies just like butter. You absolutely cannot find a better shimmer in terms of application or pigmentation anywhere! I also had no issues with fallout which is a major plus.

The matte shades wre still buttery, just not as buttery as the shimmers and duo chromes and came off looking a little orange, as opposed to the browns that I thought that they were at a glance, on my NW10 skin. 

Considering this palette is composed of more shimmers and duo chromes compared to mattes, this palette gets a solid A from me in terms of the overall formula and pigmentation that the palette offers.

'Our highly pigmented colours blends flawlessly and has incredible wear-ability power' - Juvia's

Affordability & Retailers

You can purchase your own Nubian palette for $28.99 USD,  directly from Juvia's. Please note, Juvia's frequently restock items and will often have a sale on so don't fret if the Nubian palette is not in stock or at full retail price and check back at a later date.

'This is a must-have palette great for all skin-types' - Juvia's

Final Verdict

I love how Juvia's have made a palette inspired by Old Egypt and Neferiti, by using beautiful shades such as golds, coppers, browns and nudes. 

Although there are heaps of nude palettes on the market and a girl can only own so many nudes before she gets bored and moves on, I promise you this one is worth it. Take the plunge. The pigmentation makes this product worth every pretty penny. 

I'm absolutely in love with my Nubian palette. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded every Saturday, and new ProTips are uploaded on the first Sunday of each month.

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TOO FACED - PB&J PALETTE

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

This is the newest palette from Too Faced, and I'm in love. I've been eyeing this one off on Instagram for months, and knew from the moment that I first saw it that I had to have it. I'll admit, this one was a little bit of an impulse buy, and a wee bit because of how cute this pallet is! 

'Inspired by the social media sensation that is Peanut Butter from our bestselling Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Collection, we created this limited edition peanut butter palette of nine gorgeous matte and shimmer shades feature antioxidant-rich cocoa powder with a creamy peanut butter twist!'.

Packaging

Just check out how adorable this packaging is!

Too Faced have gone the extra mile with this palette and created stunning packaging that resembles a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Genius! 

The palette packaging is metal, with a magnetic clasp which we're loving. There is a mirror provided inside for beauties on the go. Did I mention that it has a beautiful chocolate-peanut butter smell to it? Too Faced, you are making my sensory dreams come true!

Check out that cardboard packaging! Ugh, I'm in love!

Shades & Finishes

The PB&J palette is by far the cutest palette that I have ever encountered! Inside there are nine beautiful shades, offering mattes and shimmers. Here's the breakdown:

SPREAD THE LOVE - Medium Peach with Gold Sparkle

PEANUT BUTTER - Matte Medium Orange Brown

PEANUT BUTTER CUP - Metallic Golden Bronze with Gold Sparkle

BANANAS - Soft Peachy Gold with fine Gold Shimmer

PEANUT BRITTLE - Metallic Burnt Orange

JAMMIN' - Dark Chocolate with Golden Sparkle

EXTRA CREAMY - Matte creamy Beige

JELLY - Vibrant Orchid

NUTS ABOUT U - Matte Brown with Red

TOP ROW, FROM L-R: Spread the Love, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Cup
SECOND ROW, FROM L - R: Bananas, Peanut Brittle, Jammin'
THIRD ROW, FROM L-R: Extra Creamy, Jelly, Nuts About U

'Includes our signature Glamour Guide with three looks to get you started'.

Formula & Pigmentation

During my obsessive instagraming PB&J phase, I initially thought that this palette was comprised of beautiful browns and awesome purples. BIG NOPE. As I found out today, this palette is comprised of orange and purple shades. Oh well. No time like the present to begin experimenting with orange shadows.

The shadows are all highly pigmented and have a great pay off, however I did find them difficult to build up and blend which is disappointing considering the rave reviews that Too Faced palettes receive. 

Too Faced were even sweet enough to include a booklet with the palette which demonstrates three different looks to try out using the PB&J palette

Here's another picture, just because I'm obsessed with how cute PB&J is!

Press a pretty pop of Jelly in the inner corners of the eye for a colourful, unexpected twist!'

Affordability & Retailers

Priced at $58.00 AUD, this palette includes nine eye-shadow colours representing a PB&J sandwich and smells just like PB&J. How cute! Unfortunately this cutie is a Limited Edition release and sold out within two days of being launched in Australia! At this stage Mecca are unsure if there will be a restock, but keep your eyes peeled by checking here!

Final Verdict

I primarily brought this pallet just because of how cute it is, and because I wanted a travel size palette to be able to take with me when I'm travelling Because let's be honest, the UD Naked Palette isn't exactly small and travel friendly. I think PB&J has a lot of potential, and I'll need to leave my comfort zone to fully reap the benefits of all of the beautiful colours in this palette. If there is a re-release, I would recommend that it be snapped up if you're comfortable playing around with oranges and purples. Not browns.

I would recommend to anyone who wants to have a bit of fun with their look, whilst enjoying the amazing smell and cuteness that is PB&J.

- B xo