Urban Decay Heat Palette, Backdoor Lipstick, Sin Highlighter: Review & Makeup Look

Urban Decay Naked Heat palette got me thinking like: ''It's absolutely beautiful but this will never work on my fair skintone.'' 

I've proved myself wrong. I've challenged myself to use only Naked Heat over the past week and it delivered like any other Naked edition. I'm pleased with my Urban Decay Naked Heat palette, although I have really light skin and a neutral undertone. It has sufficient array of light and dark colors, 7 matte shades for the crease and fun shimmery coppers with hidden duochrome effect.

Urban Decay Naked Heat paleta mi je vlila mešane občutke: ''Izgleda čudovito vendar odtenki niso za mojo svetlo kožo.''

Sama sebi sem dokazala ravno nasprotno, saj sem si prejšnji delovni teden zadala poseben izziv. Da izkoristim Naked Heat paleto vsak dan v tednu, brez izjeme. Izkazalo se je, da sem z naborom odtenkov čisto zadovoljna. Paletka Naked Heat ima dovolj svetlih in temnih odtenkov, več kot dovolj mat odtenkov (kar 7 jih je) in presenetljivo zanimive ''šimraste'' bakrene odtenke.

6 Luxury Favorites I'm currently Adoring

Festive Beauty Collections you shouldn't miss out this Holiday Season

Let me introduce you to the most beautiful, festive collections for this holiday season. Separating them from other chaff, I'm highly impressed with their performance, looks, quality and value for the money. Although I generally love glitters and bling bling every once in a while, I'm getting slightly agitated with identical glitter concept every holiday season. It's nice to see a fresh new air of sophisticated beauty editions that are actually usable all year around.

All NEW Makeup on my Vanity: Sephora Haul, Drugstore & more

If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably noticed I've been enjoying my time in Spain. There's no better way than Valencia to merge beaches, aquarium, city break, beautiful architecture and shopping in one. Spain is like a meet point of all makeup around the world - from highly concentrated Sephora on every corner, to UK and European drugstores, up to Korean variety of Tony Moly. Sticking to Sephora, I've been excited to finally pick additional Too Faced pieces. I could say it's one of my favourite brands but it's a pain in the ass buying it online or finding their counter in Europe. Also, Kat Von D is exclusively sold in Sephora so I won't even lose words on that. 

New makeup at L'Oreal and Maybelline

L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline are blooming just when we thought they won't. A new extensive set of products stormed into our drugstores before we've (almost) quit. Maybelline made some drastic changes while L'Oreal released some pretty sweet pieces as well. L'Oreal Superstar line with the front star J.Lo is all about black, big and dramatic.

Remember past 2-phase mascaras with white side for dramatic, spidery lashes? Well, L'Oreal Paris re-started everything all over again. This time, improved L'Oreal False Lash Superstar Mascara (15,65€, drugstores like DM, Muller) brings big and voluminous lashes without clumps. Natural is not the flirting word with this mascara. White base makes lashes thicker and pronounced while second layer gives ultra black finish. First white layer has a same-like consistency as regular mascara, no fibers or particles whatsoever. I was personally always a fan of these kind of mascaras and I still remember my first golden L'Oreal tube in high school. The brush shape is nothing extra. Keep in mind, that this mascara does clump lashes a bit but I personally love big, almost spidery lashes. Visible and huge lashes make me happy. Can't say it's my favourite but I like the finished result altogether. If you're still grieving the past version, I'm sure you'll love new one as well.

L'Oreal Super Liner Superstar (10,19€, drugstores) might be the best eyeliner that I've ever tried. Yes indeed, your ultimate eyeliner freak likes this thingie so much. Bendable brush tip is just perfect for adjusting to your eye shape. Ultra black formula is strong enough to be layered over powder eyeshadows. Ah, I just hate when an eyeliner stops working because of layering over powder products. Does that happen to you too? Well, not anymore. I've been using this product for over several months now and it's still running smoothly. On top of all, it doesn't crease on bare eyelids. It's almost as waterproof and doesn't crack with movement. Finish is not matte but rather satin smooth. 5 Stars from me!

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette (11,90€, drugstores like DM and Muller) is a rather delightful discovery on our drugstore shelves. Pigmentation is way better and improved in comparison to original The Nudes palette (review here). If you love new Essence palettes with super buttery eyeshadows, this has almost the same formula. They are richly pigmented and quite soft as they tend to crumble with high pressure. Still, I had no problems wearing them all day - only the darker shades slightly faded in intensity. No creasing or transferring whatsoever. Also, shade combination is pretty unique but still in the rows of neutral and mauve. Swatches are made without a primer, on bare skin!

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick (6,99€ a piece, drugstores) are my personal gems out of them all. I was so drawn to them, that I even managed to infect my co-workers. Finally, new matte lipsticks on our market. Well, not so much. They are actually in the same category as NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, moussey and airy in texture. Above all, I got some feedback that the brighter shades actually don't dry up totally matte with time. And yes, I totally understand that it is a pretty good argument to be upset about them. Still, I choose the nudest out of them all - Nude Thrill, a brownish peach, and Nude Flush, modern mauve rose. I need to emphasise that I personally love them. They're not totally matte but rather a satin finish. They apply as soft mousse lipglosses with a bit of shine. Shine tends to disappear (at least on these 2 nude shades) within an hour or two. You're left with a comfortable formula that lasts up to 5 hours. It's not the most long wearing product on the market, but the nice feel on the lips repays it all. As a note, be careful at choosing colours. Possessed Plum is apparently the patchiest out of them all. Oh, and I bought both of them on my own - not to be mistaken. 

Don't forget to blot Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipsticks with a tissue, if you prefer more of a satin-matte finish. It makes all the difference, while formula is still comfortable and mousse-like. Color is slightly less intense and saturated but still wonderful.

My highlight is definitely the L'oreal Paris Superstar Eyeliner, which quickly became my ultimate necessity. Also, I'm religiously wearing my nude Vivid Matte Liquids everyday. Maybelline The Blushed Nudes and L'Oreal Superstar are favourites too, just not as intensely. Be careful before purchasing Vivid Matte Liquids - just to be clear, if you're on a hunt after super duper matte lipstick, Vivid Matte Liquid is not ''THE IT''. Maybelline and L'Oreal Paris are available worldwide in almost any nearby drugstore (DM, Tuš Drogerija, Muller for Slovenia).

Maybelline The Nudes Palette

Maybelline The Nudes Palette has finally cautiously hit European drugstore after a year of successful route around US. While Slovenia is still behind, Austrian and German drugstores got a lot of buzz around this new hot item (obviously, beforehand good reviews make it even more appealing). Immediately ''sold out'' was a good indicator that the palette is not a one night stand for around roughly 14,99€. I have to say that it's pretty much well worth the money. Now let's just hope The Nudes will slowly start appearing in all European stores...

A single neutral palette with 12 shadows is quite frankly a rare find in low budget beauty department. Not only it looks inviting on first glance, it's also pigmented quite right. An array of shimmers, mattes, satins and glitters maintains a perfect balance for everyday looks. You have your warm browns, versatile taupes, extra shiny champagnes and rusty golds. On top of all, you're surprised with chocolate browns and gold glitters and multi dimensional ivory with gold, pink and green hue. You can easily create cool or warm looks. Although golds aren't really my thing I'm still happy to see a light gold and rusty bronze, dangerously reminding of Urban Decay Smog. Pigmentation is okay, nothing mind-blowing but still good enough to proudly stand in my collection. Shadows are not dusty, however black in particular, seems to crumble a bit due to dry formula. Also, multi dimensional ivory at the beginning seems to give a bit of fallout. Mattes in particular are blendable and soft enough for deserving a non-complain status. Longevity over primer is not a problem whatsoever.

Recapping entire story, I really like The Nudes delivery and quality. Some shades would need a touch or two of extra work but nothing major. An array of basic eyeshadows will deal with all your shadow needs. If you already own similar shades, you're probably okay without it. However, all must have shades in one place makes it pretty darn convenient. Maybelline The Nudes Palette is sold at bigger Maybelline stands for around 14,99€. 

Makeup Revolution Awesome Eyeshadow Collection

At the beginning of Makeup Revolution, I had major ups and downs with their products. Initial impressions on eyeshadow palettes were good but after several uses, shades started to get stubborn, uneven and badly pigmented. I was not a fan. Since then, it seems as they've stepped up their game and I actually like new (improved?) formula. Still, Makeup Revolution is not my favourite brand for eyeshadows but they started to slowly grow on me. Palettes are perfect for starter kits or beginners and I still appreciate my very first unbranded 100 eyeshadow palette, which led me to experiment with makeup. They are fun and great for small travels. I like to use them for special events, group makeup sessions or Halloween as they can make wonders with a good primer. And who wants to accidentally ruin high-end palettes when using them on group sessions anyway?

Awesome Eyeshadow Collection (14,95€) contains 100 eyeshadows, dividing them into smokey half and neutral side. Eyeshadows in general are creamy and soft on first touch with a bit of fallout. You can get a lot of pigmentation with fingers but shadows tend to get pressed and coincidentally less pigmented. I cannot understand it. It's almost as if they get a hard upper layer after several uses. That's why I recommend using them with a clean brush. Eyeshadows are generally a hit but there are a few misses (neon matte violet and bright pink) and repeated shades (glittery black shades and grey tones). Matte shades are surprisingly pigmented and soft, yet not as pigmented as metallics or shimmers. In the mix, there is quite a unique variety of shades that can be only found in brands like Too Faced (example is a glowy purple shade with blue shift). Actually, I spotted several Mac dupes like Expensive Pink, Club, Cranberry, Hepcat and so on. Duochromes, shifts and other multidimensional finishes make this palette versatile and fun to use. For longevity, shadows over primer tend to stay on my eyelids for entire day

I can say I'm pleasantly surprised with better quality of Makeup Revolution than in the past. Palette will stay in my collection for more funky looks, Halloween or special occasions but it's slightly too bulky and requires lots of work for my personal use. Blame is on, I'm an eyeshadow snob. If you're only starting with makeup or if you fancy a variety of different shades, then give it a go. Especially if you're only starting to discover your likings in makeup, Awesome Eyeshadow Collection could be a good map to what you prefer. Fun, bright and neutral looks definitely won't escape your imagination with this palette. You can find international Makeup Revolution here. In Slovenia, you can buy Makeup Revolution from Licila.si or Makeup Revolution Slovenija online site with 17% discount code BLOG17 until end of June 2015.

Dior 5 Couleurs Palette 646 Montaigne - New Fall Shades

Know the thrill you get when you receive a gift card? Everything is suddenly available from high-end counters no matter how much you're willing to pay in the first place. Of course I didn't plan nor rethink, instead I went straight to Dior. Now I'm officially a makeup hoarder although I'm afraid that train passed by a long time ago. Sister asked me why do I still need more palettes. Well, it's similar to chocolate bars. You know which one do you like the most but that doesn't mean you'll stop trying new ones, right?

Speaking of new, Dior recently renewed their 5 Couleurs eyeshadow line with freshly new colors for Fall 2014. Most of them are permanent editions yet there are a few limited edition releases. I instantly picked out 646 Montaigne, a perfect everyday palette with light neutral tones.

I think we're pretty much all familiar with Dior 5 Couleurs, a small palette with  five eyeshadows that compliment each other. With addition of new shades came also new packaging. It's not much of a difference although the compact is much sleeker and thinner and they got rid of CD logo in the back which actually makes it more sophisticated at first glance. Palette still comes with a velvet pouch and in a dark, deep sea blue color. Applicators are sponges although there's an addition of a tiny brush instead of one of them. In general, applicators are nothing to be excited about although they come handy on the go.

Now onto this particular palette, 646 Montaigne. It's a perfect mix of light neutrals for every day look. I was actually eyeing Cuir Cannage with deeper and highly pigmented colors but I took the safest road. I couldn't imagine myself wearing smokey eyes on a daily basis and I knew I want a palette I would use often enough to justify it's hefty price tag. Montaigne is a mild version of two lighter shades, two medium browns and one darker brown to sculpt and define. What surprised me the most is the expiration date. Palette expires after only 6 months after opening which is pretty ridiculous for powder products. Nonetheless I'm highly impressed by it's performance and blendability. I was however a bit disappointed with pigmentation, but that we will discuss further on. Shadows are smooth and silky so I had no troubles with application. They blend like a dream and I haven't had a similar experience with any other shadows. They are long lasting, don't fade and don't crease. I have creasing issues with some of my cream shadows but these eyeshadows actually set it to perfection and prevent creasing. It's a true joy blending them seamlessly together.

What caught my attention was camel-like, satin brown and almost duochrome peach pink. The centre shade is a perfect blending color for the crease. Creamy white with subtle gold reflection and satiny chocolate brown are a great addition as well. What I was initially disappointed with is pigmentation. I had high hopes for them to be fully pigmented and almost unbarringly potent. Instead you get subtle shades with medium pigmentation which I kind of get after several uses. They aren't meant to be fully pigmented in the first place rather to ''enhance eyes with complimenting shades''. That's why they blend like a dream, they're meant for each other. Don't get me wrong, all darker shades are gorgeously pigmented (especially dark brown), it's the lighter shades I was a bit surprised about. Peachy pink with pink hue and creamy white with gold hue are pretty much kind of semi-translucent. That's why they act great over medium brown to highlight the centre of your lid yet they kind of fail on it's own. In conclusion, if you're not ready to use browns all over the lid and layer lighter shades, you won't be satisfied with this palette. Lighter shades however do act lovely as highlighting shades for inner corners.

Hope you got a good look into Dior Montaigne palette. It was pretty hard to capture hues from lighter shades but they are truly amazing once blended. If you fancy this palette, keep in mind lighter shades are deliberately on the sheer side (at least I hope so) so they are great for layering yet they're not opaque on it's own. Eyeshadows are in general soft, highly blendable and a dream to work with. I would actually consider repurchasing this particular palette over time, I use it religiously in a hurry before every day errands and work. They cost around 53€ in Europe at Dior counters yet you can get Dior also online on Escentual.