Urban Decay Naked Palette Review, Swatches and a EOTD

So Ive had the palette for about a month now, I figured I would give myself some time to test it out before writing a review. 

Its a great palette with 12 beautiful neutral colors.  It also comes with a double ended eyeliner (black/brown) and a mini primer potion.  For $44 that's a lot!  My only complaint is that 10 out of the 12 eye shadows are pretty glittery.  So I don't get as much use out of the palette as I would like, because I don't use it for work all that much.    Its great for more fun, going out looks! (in my opinion) And as there always is with glitter, there is fallout under your eyes at times. 

Here's the palette

And here are swatches of all the shadows

Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar

Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse

Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

as you can see they all have beautiful pigmentation!  not a chalky one in the bunch!

One of my favorite looks so far is a goldish bronze combination - here it is!

(toasted and hustle are also a great combination!)

I used Virgin on inner corner and brow bone, Naked as wash all over, Half Baked on inner lid and under lower lashline, and smog in crease and under lower lashline.

beauty quiz!

SKINCARE
-How many times do you wash your face daily?
Twice normally, if i work out in the middle of the day on the weekend maybe three times

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
I have combination skin, can be oily in t-zone, and dry on cheeks

-What is your current facial wash?
neostrata facial cleanser

-Do you exfoliate?
Yes!

-What brand do you use?
i use my clarisonic daily and do a Neostrata Peel about once a week

-What moisturizer do you use?
day - darphin redness relief recovery cream
night - Creme de la mer

-Do you have freckles?
yes! more after going camping

-Do you use eye cream?
I have a few i use, still trying to find an HG. ones i like - caudalie eye creme, nars eye creme

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
only since graduating college and working full time! I get the occasional zit on my chin.

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
tried it once, didnt like it. It dried out my skin too much.

MAKE-UP
-What foundation do you use?
lately for the summer I have been using Mac Face and Body foundation, i like that its very sheer and natural looking

-How about concealer?
cle de deau - Its AMAZING!

-Do you know your undertone color?
yes , its yellowish, nc 20-30 depending on my tan for mac, and punjab in nars

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I think they are great for a more dramatic look. I have used them a few times when going out in NYC, they are HARD to do though!

-Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
3 seems ridiculous. I go with 6

-What brand of mascara do you use?
nars larger than life volumizing, or shu uemura basic - both are amazing

-Sephora or MAC?
neither really. i supposed if i HAD to pick I would go with sephora since they carry nars. but i prefer neiman marcus or some other department store. my neiman marcus used to carry shu uemura so they were my favorite, but now I might go with Saks.

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No.

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
a variation of mac and nars brushes, and my fingers

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
yes i used to use UDPP, now i am using nars eyeshadow primer

-For the face?
I occasionally use clarins perfect touch, usually I dont use one at all

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
bellisima - nars,

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
i usually use eyeshadow as a liner, like nars thunderball or mac typographic

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
never since i use a brush with shadow!

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
some are gorgeous ( blue brown is a favorite) but i dont use them that often, and i hate the new packaging!

-Do you use mineral makeup?
no. bare minerals didnt agree with me. I loved Merle Normal mineral makeup but they dont have a large color range

-What is your favorite lipstick?
mac - danse. of course its LE!

-How about lipgloss?
nars - sweet revenge, sweet dreams, and chihuahua
mac - pinkocrazy chromeglass!

-What is your favorite blush to use?
deep throat by nars
glissade by mac

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
no, too many fakes

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
not really. Ive tried a few revlon lipsticks that weren't bad though.

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
yes! i have been to the one near the beach in NJ and Woodbury commons. love them!

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
I went to a Mac seminar once, but they asked me to be the model, so I couldn't really see what they were doing! didn't learn much

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
i think I'm pretty good! I sometimes get mascara on my eyelids though. always annoying!

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
face darker than neck!

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
Neutrals!

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Scarlett johansen, I also always love Whitney ports simple makeup

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
mascara

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
yes I do regularly

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
haha i think i look ok!

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
Nars, without a doubt

-What do you think of Makeup?
its fun!

I tag you all! Take the quiz yourself and post it in your blogs/videos!

Massive Sale

Hey Ladies! I am back from vacation and will be getting into the swing of posting again! I still have some unpacking to do, but i will try to post some of the new stuff I got this week! in the mean time heres the link to a sale of a lot of stuff I HAVENT been using.  Hopefully it will find a lovely home with someone else! 
Theres lots of Mac, some LE stuff (Stereo Rose), Nars, YSL, Shu Uemura, Chanel, Dior,  skincare, and a new Lilash!

Link to my sale!

Darphin Skincare Review

So I started using the Darphin Line about 2 months ago.  I have fallen in love with it!

Here's what I have been using!

The Intral line is specifically for redness and sensitivity, which is perfect for me!

This is the INTRAL Redness Relief Soothing Serum

Website Description:

This high potency soothing Darphin serum dedicated to sensitive skin prone to irritations helps diminish the appearance of redness and quiets the appearance of irritations as it softens skin.

Key Ingredients:
Calm Complex*, Grape Extract, Resveratrol, Glycosaminoglycanes (MDI Complex), Glycerine
*Chamomile, Hawthorne and Peony Extracts, D-Panthenol, Polysaccharide

A staff person at Blue Mercury put this on my face when I was there one day.   I didn't think much of it, and went out with my girl friends that night.   When I went to the bathroom and saw myself in the mirror while washing my hands, I was amazed! My skin was much less red than normal!  And this was the only thing I had don't differently.  It was a warm day, and I was drinking, so normally I would be very red ( i guess its the Irish in me!)  but I wasn't!  So i went back and purchased it, and the next product.

INTRAL Redness Relief Recovery Cream

Website Description:
This ultra-light soothing Darphin cream for sensitive skin with redness, helps repair and strengthen skin's natural barrier to enable better protection against irritants and external aggressors that may cause visible redness. Delicately, naturally green-hued formula instantly camouflages blotchiness.

Ingredients:
*Calm Complex: Chamomile reduces skin sensitivity, Hawthorn Extract helps protect capillaries, Panthenol rebuilds and repairs the skin barrier, Peony Extract acts as an anti-irritant and anti-oxidant, Polysaccharides reduce irritation.
Other Key Ingredients: Wheat Bran Extract, Lipid Complex, Vitamin E, Green-hued Mica
 
So once I went back and read the ingredients of the Serum I realized that I did know my skin did well with Chamomile and Reservatol.  So then when I read the ingredients of this, the cream, I was even more excited because my skin also does well with Vitamin E, and the Green hued Mica intrigued me.   I have tried many products with a green hue to them, and they have all made me look like a martian freak.  This is the perfect luminous cream with a touch of a barely there green color.  Its perfect and counteracts redness. The mica also provides a glow that diffuses any skin imperfections. This is an absolute favorite for me!  I have actually added a drop of foundation to this to make my own tinted moisturizer, which for the summer has been great!
 
 

Organic Chamomile Aromatic Care

 

Website Description:

This organic, aromatic, soothing essence of well-being quiets and comforts skin prone to blotchiness and irritation, while detoxifying and hydrating. Apply Darphin Chamomile Aromatic Care in the evening and follow with your appropriate Darphin Cream.

Ingredients:
Organic Chamomile and Sage Essential Oils, Organic Lemon Balm, Organic Jojoba and Calendula Oils, Organic Aloe Vera Extract



This was the next product I bought ( a few days after the previous two) I liked the first two soo much, I had to go back and look at more!  This you use at night under a moisturizer.  I have recently gotten into oils at night, because I have realized that my skin over produces oil due to dehydration.  I used to think I just had oily skin.  If I moisturize properly, my skin doesn't produce nearly as much oil!  So this is great.  I also use Caudalie Purifying Oil, which I stick to when I have a break out.  As I said before I love Chamomile extract, and I also know I like Jojoba, and when I saw Aloe Vera, I figured I couldn't go wrong with this! 

This is a fabulous product for calming your skin.  it hydrates without breaking out, and I can tell a difference the next morning when I wake up.  My skin is less red, less bumpy, and just thicker, healthier looking (if that makes sense, if your skin has ever looked thin and unhealthy you know what I am talking about)

I use this in combination with this next product

INTRAL Soothing Cream

Website Description:
This exceptionally gentle, non-irritating, comforting Darphin cream, particularly recommended for intolerant skin that is sensitive and easily irritated. Respects skin's vulnerability as it replenishes skin with essential moisture and helps protect against environmental aggressions.

Ingredients:
*Calm Complex: Chamomile reduces skin sensitivity, Hawthorn Extract helps protect capillaries, Panthenol rebuilds and repairs the skin barrier, Peony Extract acts as an anti-irritant and anti-oxidant, Polysaccharides reduce irritation.
Other Key Ingredients: Bisabolol, Orchid Extract, Vitamin E

This was described to me as the cream that cannot possibly irritate ANYONE.  Which I found to be a pretty amazing claim, but was willing to try it out, as my skin is very easily irritated.   I have to agree!  When I use this.  My skin is better the next day ( I used it mostly at night, as I really like the green Mica of the Recovery Cream for the day)  The texture is perfect.  It makes you feel like you have moisturized the PERFECT amount!  Its also a great cream to use after a peel or any other facial treatment. 


So that's pretty much it.   I am pretty sure the Darphin Intral Line will be my HG (holy grail) from now on.  If you have rosacea/red/irritated/sensitive skin, this is for you!  Unfortunately the one down side is the price.  Its up there!  But the products have lasted me a very long time so far, because you do not have to use large amounts of any of the products at a time.