Naked Basics Palette: Taupe matte smokey eye

This look was inspired by Cara Delevingne in the Burberry AW 2012 campaigns. The look is a very blown-out taupe smokey eye that intensifies at the lashline. I really like this look as it is dramatic without being too dark, I used the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette to create this look and I highly recommend it. All the shadows are pigmented and buttery soft so they blend like a dream. Crave is my favourite matte black eyeshadow as it is so pigmented and intense compared to many other matte black shadows such as MAC Carbon which swatch grey rather than true black.

Products used:

Lashline - Crave

Inner lid, socket and lower lashline - Naked 2

Outer lid - Faint

Mascara - Revlon grow luscious mascara in blackened brown

Classic pin-up makeup

A crisp matte red lip and a sultry yet simple eye creates an old Hollywood, timeless glamour. This is a change from my go to smokey eye but the red lip is a classic and a look I plan to wear more in fall and winter.

For the matte smokey eye I used the Urban Decay naked basics palette. I swept W.O.S over the lid and blended a mixture of Naked 2 and Faint into the socket. I then deepened the outer corner with Crave, the matte black shade and applied Ardell demi wispies to give glamorous fluttery lashes.

I applied a little Revlon grow luscious mascara to the bottom lashes but I wanted the eye to remain relatively top heavy to give more of a sultry feel.

To create a bold matte red lip I first outlined and shaped my lips with Sleeks eau la liner in the shade Moulin rouge 307. I then filled in the lip with a mixture of MAC charmed I'm sure from the Marilyn Monroe collection and Russian red lipstick.

Belated B-day gifts

In the weeks leading up to a birthday there are precise stages of present planning to make sure you get it right. However with me and my best friend of 5 years, this is taken to a whole new extreme! I'm talking questionnaires, excel spreadsheets, ranking most wanted items ect. When the perfect present has been found the buyer walks around with a smug smile until the day and the receiver begs and pleads to be given a hint. After all that anticipation its not surprising that presents off my best friend are the ones I most look forward to as she knows my taste exactly.
So here is what she got me:

The first item is the maybelline colour tattoo in timeless black, i already own the colour tattoo in two other shades - on and on bronze and permanent taupe although i think the names are different in the US. I had been after a black eye shadow base to intensify colours such as mac cranberry eye shadow after seeing how insane it looked on Pixiwoo's Nic in the Kristen stewart tutorial so this was perfect! The formula of these eye-shadows is amazing as they stay put all day and are really pigmented. I plan to review all the colour tattoos in an upcoming post.

The next item is the Barry M fine glitter dust in shade 22. It is a black loose pigment shadow with finely milled gold glitter. This shade is so beautiful and works really well over the black colour tattoo. I plan on using this in a gold smoky eye and along the lower lash line for added glitter.

I had been on the hunt for the perfect brown/bronze eye liner to use on the lower lash line and in the waterline as I find black can be too harsh and can make the eyes appear smaller, also it always ends up in my inner and outer corner which is not attractive so I was so happy to get this urban decay glide on eye pencil. The formula is pigmented and creamy and really does glide on. I can apply it with ease in the waterline without irritating my sensitive eyes and it lasts well on the water line.

Another present was the Barry M lipgloss in shade 11 which is a beautiful peachy pink shade. I am a huge fan of coral lips in the summer and this gloss complements coral tones perfectly and stops them from translating too red. Also this lipgloss over mac creme cup lipstick is the perfect baby pink lip. Also this product smells AMAZING! Like the pick and mix sweets you get in the cinema, it might not be for everyone but I seriously can't get enough of that smell!

omg I am so spoilt, the last gift was the Urban Decay naked basics palette which for a start just looks beautiful, I mean look at it. The palette consists of 5 neutral matte shades and a shimmery hi-light colour. This palette has become my go to everyday eye look and all the colours are highly pigmented, buttery soft and blend so easily. My favourite combination currently is WOS on the lid naked 2 and faint in the crease, with crave deepening the outer v with Venus as an inner corner hi light. I use foxy to hi light my brow bone. This look is perfect for pairing with bright lips for spring/summer

So that's all my presents of my best friend and I absolutely love every single one, she knows me so well :D