This palette (and other PUR products) are available for purchase at Shoppers Drug Mart and online at beautyboutique.ca

Until next time, XO - M.

*product was sent to me for consideration, all opinions are my own.

I truly love the Holiday Season as thats when all the beautiful limited edition packaging comes out for cosmetics. This year, Tarte went with an almost Moroccan inspired theme to their packages with the gold and bright colorful patterns and hues. I found this article online which features a round-up of their Holiday Collection if you're interested in seeing what there was. Some of the products were either Sephora or Ulta exclusives or limited to Tarte. 

I was fortunate enough to be sent the two larger palettes for review - the Magic Star Collector's Set and the Treasure Box Collector's set. While the Magic Star is exclusive to Ulta (and that is not available in Canada),  I decided to focus my looks in this review post and tutorial to the Treasure Box Collector's Set that is still available on Sephora.ca! I was gifted the blush palette by a friend this Holiday Season and I am so in love with the buildable texture and color pay off and longevity of the product. 

Magic Star Collector's Set - $49 usd (exclusive to Ulta)

This set contains 25 eye shadows and two lip paints, mascara, liner, and four blushes.

Limited-Edition Blush Bliss Palette - $51 cad on sale for $26 cad

This palette contains 4 Amazonian 12-hour blushes (in the same formula everyone currently loves) in a beautiful golden Moroccan inspired packaging. The blushes blend out like a dream and can either be used in a natural sheer way, or is buildable to a pop of color on the cheeks. The four colors in the set include 1. Genuine (pink apricot) 2. Breathaking (soft rose pink) 3. Graceful (shimmering pink coral) 4. Loveable (pink melon).

Limited-Edition Treasure Box Collector's Set - $77 cad 

This set is my favorite out of three listed above - this contains everything that you will need to create a make-up look. Which is exactly what I did with the three looks below. This set contains 24 eyeshadows (from neutral to bold), warm and cool toned blushes, two bronzers and a highlighter. You also get travel sizes of the Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 mascara, Full-Size Sex Kitten Eyeliner and the Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in Grand (mauvey rose)

Again, as mentioned above the below 3 looks are created using the Treasure Box Collector's Set. I created three different looks to hopefully be able to cater to one of your likings. A dark blue smokey eye, a neutral eye look and lastly a silvery forest green gradient, perfect for the holidays.

Dark Blue Smokey Eye

I applied Adventure all over the lid and lower lash line, patted Tales and Joyride in the center of the lid and Wayfairer on the Outer-V

Neutral - Eye Look 

I applied Artisan all over the lid, Cloud 9 on the crease to buff out harsh line, Legend in the center leading to Scenic on the Outer-V and bottom lash line. 

Silver Forest Green Gradient 

I applied Whirl on the crease and Awe with a more defined crease brush. Then I applied Odyssey on the inner half, Souvenier in the middle, Adventure on the Outer-V and Tempt on the lower lash line.

On the rest of the face, I applied the lighter matte bronzer (left in the palette) to the perimeters of my face, the warm blush color (left in the palette) to the apples of my cheeks and the highlighter to the brow bone and cheekbones, tip of nose.

Which look is your favorite?

Until next time, XO - M. 

P.S. Don't forget that Tarte is currently doing their end-of-year sale! Some items are marked down almost 70% off !! Take advantage of it while it lasts :) 

I have been a user of Urban Decay Cosmetics for years and am a strong advocate of how great their products are. I've personally purchased tons of their products, even though on occasion I do receive some PR for review from them which I am SO thankful for. If you're interested in looking at my last post featuring the Jean-Michel Basquiat, then click here. However, this post is on the new Heavy Metals Metallic Eyeshadow Palette and the Vice Metal Meets Matte Lipstick Palette (as this post goes live today, please note that these two products are currently on sale at Sephora! They reduced the prices of them quite significantly! I have no idea how long the sale is on for so as a teaser, yes you need to hurry up and go purchase the shadow palette at least!!) I have also included swatches of the Heavy Metal Glitter Liners.

Products used to create this look:

Primer: UD - Optical Illusion Complexion Primer*

Foundation: Stila - Perfectly Poreless Putty Perfector (Medium)

Concealer: Wet n Wild - Photo Focus Concealer (Light/Med Beige)

Bronzer: UD - Beached Bronzer (Sunkissed)

Blush: UD - Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush (X-Rated)*

Highlighter: UD - Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter (Sin)*

Eyeliner: Clio Waterproof Pen Liner (Kill Black)

Shadows: UD - Naked Palette & Heavy Metals Metallic Eyeshadow Palette* & Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner (Midnight Cowboy)*

Lips: UD - Vice Metal Meets Matte Lipstick Palette*

Brows: Fiona Stiles - Brow Sculpting Wax

Setting Spray: UD - All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

LEFT SIDE OF THE PALETTE

 

 

Below you will find swatched the beautiful and shimmery Urban Decay - Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner. They come in 13 colors total, I have 11 of them below. Once applied, they stay put and do not budge all day. They look beautiful layered on top of your shadow in the same color tone/group, or even as a liner, like what I did in Look #2 on the bottom lash line. 

I've created two looks with the palette below - as well as mapped out which shadows are used and where: 

Look #1 - Purple Smokey Eye (kinda reminds me of oily stickers back in the day!)

On the lips: csb, backtalk, 714 mix with csb

The shadow palette honestly is a must by, of all the products used to create the looks above - they are ultra pigmented and the colors you see are exactly what you get. I did not photoshop the photos at all nor did I have to apply a primer in order for the shadows to show. In the arm swatches, you can also see just how opaque, buttery and metallic the shadows are. The color payoff is amazing! 

The palette packaging itself is unlike anything right now, I can see why some people find it harder to use, but honestly you apply your shadows with one hand anyways? so couldn't you just hold the palette and use the mirror? It is not a requirement for the palette to be able to stand up right.

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent for review, all opinions are my own

Hard Candy is a drugstore brand that I was using in highschool - the most iconic product from their line that I remember is their nailpolishes with the ring attached to it. When I had the chance to review some of their Holiday Products, I had to take them up on the offer and see what goodies there are for you all this Holiday Season. 

In full disclosure, I do have to remind you that these are drugstore products that are relatively budget friendly and inexpensive. I think that this is a great introductory brand for those starting out in make-up - so early teens etc. They offer a wide variety of gift sets that are customizable to the recipient, and even if you do decide to buy all the products you still will not make a giant dent in your wallet. 

For example, their lip balm in a ball, baked bronzer and blushes, eyeshadow palettes, setting sprays are $1.47 each. Their eyeshadow in a tin (in the above picture, 8 shadows total), highlight and contour stick set are $3. Concealer Palettes (6 shades total in a tin), Blush and Bronzer Kit, and in the above picture - the circular 3 palettes in one set shadows and face powders are all $4.97

As for the polish sets below, the one on the left is $4.97 and the polish train set is $19.97 which contains 10 nail colors. 

In the photo below, the circular 3 palettes in one set shadows and face powders are $4.97, the metal eyes shadow palette/tins are $3 each and the horizontal shadow palette is $1.47. As you can see, the prices are all very reasonable! 

To show you how these products look, I used the Party Ready Holiday Set valued at $9.97 and the Best of Kit $19.97 to create this look. My entire face of makeup is from Hard Candy - the concealer is pigmented, covers my dark circles effectively. The shadows are buildable and are well at the price point listed. Finally, the liquid lipstick is a whipped formula that smells kinda like vanilla cupcakes. It is non drying and does not settle in fine lines. The setting spray is strong, not a fine mist but it does set your makeup - it has a slight cucumber scent to it. When I tested a secondary bottle, it did leak a bit - so I will empty that bottle into my first bottle that worked fine.

If I had to suggest one must purchase product, it would be the baked highlighter, blush and bronzers. My friend had recommended them to me a few years back, and I have purchased a few of them already. They last so long as well that you will barely make a dent in them even if you use them frequently. The product is very similar to the ambient powders from a luxury brand, but honestly at a much lower price point. 

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own

It's been so long since the VIB Rouge event happened that I was contemplating whether or not to even post this. However, I do still get the occasional question on what I purchase since I do get sent some PR for review on occasion. "What would you actually spend your money on?" is a question I get most often....well, I buy things randomly here and there but I thought I'd share this haul with you.

Lip Products

1. Hourglass - GIRL Lip Stylo in Liberator, a deep berry (left) and Creator, a pinky nude (right). I have since returned Liberator as it just looked so different at home then at the store - the Sephora lighting is too good. These lippies are something that I've had my eye on for a while now, they are balmy in texture but delivers a beautiful wash of color to the lips like a lipstick. They are hydrating and do not settle in dry spots or lines. 

2. YSL - Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lipstain. From left to right the colors are: 11, 5, 19, 3 and 20.  I have reviewed these in a post with swatches included as well. If you want to know why I purchased so many of these even after I was sent 3 for PR, then you have to read the post.

Face Products

1. Touch In Sol - No Pore-Blem Primer - This is a relatively inexpensive primer in the market compared to its competitors. It promises to mattify your skin as well as to even out any large pores.

2. NARS - Liquid Blush - originally, I had bought Torrid online, a warm coral with golden shimmer. However, upon testing the product it was just too dark for me and it was hard to apply it without looking too pigmented and strong. I even tried using a sesame sized amount on the cheeks and it was just too hard to control. I since exchanged it for the color Orgasm and I am loving it!

3. Sephora - Brow Gel

Face and Other Products

1. Glamglow - Power Cleanser - bought this product as it was already on sale and the reviews were good, I have yet to use this so I cannot comment on it however I like the concept of mud & oil to foam. 

2. Fresh - Seaberry Nourishing Hand Cream - This is my third year using this product in the colder seasons, if you want to know why then read my in depth post here.

What were some of your hauls? Would love to read about them or know if you have tried any of the products listed above!

Until next time, XO - M. 

For this Makeup Monday's instalment, I decided to create a make-up tutorial featuring some new Dior items I had received a while back. I truly love the way it turned out so I'm hoping you enjoy it too! It's a super easy grey and mauvey purple smokey eye featuring the 5 Couleurs Palette in 067 Provoke. This palette has great pigmentation and the shadows contain 3 satin like finishes, one matte and one foil-like one. 

This is also the first time I'm using a new way to map out how I create a look, instead of writing out what products I used on my eyes, I used the new drawing tablet my hubby bought me to map out what I used and where, so I hope you like this upgrade I made :)

Products used to create this look:

1. Dior - 5 Couleurs Palette - 067 Provoke 

2. Diorific Matte Fluid in 007 Desire (on the cheeks) and 008 Intensity (base of lips)

3. Diorskin Nude Air Luminzier - 002 (on the cheekbones)

4. Dior Show Pump N' Volume Mascara

5. Diorskin Forever and Ever wear (primer)

6. Dior Skin Forever Foundation - 030

7. Diorific Khol Powder Lipstick - 991

*If you're interested in knowing what the two polishes in the first picture are, they are the Diorific Vernis in 673 Ruby and 745 Grenat.

How I created the eye look below: 

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent for consideration, all opinions are my own.